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Volume IV, No. 32

Market Indicators

As of 5:57 pm Dec. 11, 2013 (Wednesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P44.12

5,888.74 points

17 cents

X X Briefly 2.34 points

Diskwento Caravan THE Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Oriental Provincial Office (DTI-MOR) invites all buying consumers on a two-day Pre-Christmas Diskwento Caravan. The two-day caravan set on December 13 to 14, Friday and Saturday at Magsaysay Park Divisoria this city is aimed to provide financial relief to consumers in their holiday needs especially during this yuletide season. DTI Provincial Director Maria Eliza A. Pabillore said that the P569,651.88 sales generated from the past two Diskwento Caravans launched this year by DTI-MOR and Regional Tripartite Wages Productivity Board region 10 (RTWPB-X) proved that the event was a huge hit to the buying public both locals and visitors alike. The Diskwento Caravan can assure consumers with unique and affordable premium offers such buy one take one and deep discount slashes ranging from 10-50% off on basic and prime commodities like Noche Buena products, rice, cooking oil, bread, canned goods, processed meat, detergent bars, soaps and shampoos, school supplies, bags, shoes and many more.

Productivity bonus THE Cagayan de Oro City Council here on Wednesday approved the payment of Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) to more than 3,000 city hall workers before the Christmas on December 24. City Councilor Ramon Tabor said that the city council approved Ordinance No. 12697 granting PEI to city hall officials and employees equivalent to their one-month salaries. He said that another ordinance, Ordinance No. 12699 also allowed the granting of P 8,000 incentives for Job Order and Contractual employees at the city hall. Tabor said that the contract workers also deserve Christmas bonuses as determined by the City Council because the job order and contractual workers also render services.

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More economic integration seen DAVAO City -- Greater economic integration among countries in light of free trade agreements is seen as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) enters its third and final negotiation next year. Rafaelita Castro, Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA) program manager, also chief of the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion of the Department of Industr y (DTI), said the third and last negotiations for RCEP signals the reality that “Free Trade Agreements are here to stay.” The RCEP is a 16-party Free Trade Agreement that was launched by the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asia Nation and their current FTA Partners of Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand. She said the RCEP aside from l e a d i n g t o g re at e r e c on om i c integration it would also support equitable economic development and strengthen economic cooperation among the countries involved. She said the first and second round of negotiations for RCEP were just finished. Wit h t he t hird negotiation slated next year, implementation is targeted by 2015. She said more market accessibility for Philippine products would highlight the third and final RCEP negotiations. Castro said the Philippines in terms of export products is strong in furniture and agriculture products. The RCEP initiative was announced by the ASEAN leaders in Nov. 2011 during the 19th ASEAN Summit. The leaders established the RCEP as an ASEAN-led process through which ASEAN would broaden and deepen its economic engagements with its FTA partners. (PNA)

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Biz group defers support for coal plant expansion

AVAO City (MindaNews) — The Mindanao Business Council (MBC) will defer its support for Therma South’s plan of expanding its coalfired power plant project from 300 megawatts (MW) to 645 MW pending the completion of a thermal pollution assessment, an official said.

MBC president Vicente Lao told reporters Monday it was still uncertain if the expansion would not

adversely affect the environment, especially the Davao Gulf. Therma South, an Aboitiz

subsidiary, is currently applying for the expansion at the Davao City Council, which had set a committee hearing this week. Last week, Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte said the city council would probably approve the application if it could meet environmental standards. He specifically cited measures that would mitigate carbon emission. coal/PAGE 11

HOMELESS ON CHRISTMAS. A young boy sleeps near the Christmas lights in Divisoria in Cagayan de Oro City. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

PH to continue fishing in tuna-rich high seas Malaybalay wants T H E P h i l i p p i n e s w i l l “The good news is that we ECC process continue its fishing access were able to negotiate for our to tuna-rich high seas pocket country’s continuous access to start at LGU 1 (HSP1) for three years to the high seas pocket 1,”

Workers haul tuna from a fishing boat at the General Santos fish port. file photo by mindanews

following a decision made by the Tuna Commission during the 10th Regular Session of the Commission for the Conservation and Man a g e m e nt of Hi g h l y Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC) in Cairn, Australia.

said BFAR director Asis G. Perez who was part of the Philippine delegation who attended the five-day WCPFC convention last week. This continued fishing access is a result of the Philippines’ commitment to ensuring long-term tuna/PAGE 11

Mindanao Daily NEWS

By WALTER I. BALANE MindaNews

MALAYBALAY City – Companies should comply with requirements set by local government units, including social acceptability, before they may be granted environmental compliance certificates (ECC) by the Department of Environment process/PAGE 11

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2 Sun Life 2013 gross sales jumps to P32-B thursday - december 12, 2013

MANILA -- Sun Life Asset Management Company Inc. (SLAMCI) gross sales for 2013 has reached P32 billion, increasing 134 percent over a year. SLAMCI President Valerie Pama said in a press briefing Tuesday that the local arm of Canada’s Sun Life Financial posted strong sales despite the weak market. ”The sales, we are really very strong. So our sales in the end of November was 32 billion pesos that also includes interfund sales,” said Pama. “But when you

Economy

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Weather Forecast

net that out, it’s P25 billion.” She noted that SLAMCI’s assets under management (AUM) also grew by 57 percent as of end November with an estimated value of P43 to P44 billion. SLAMCI’s best selling fund for this year is the Balanced Fund with AUM of P16.8 billion followed by Equity Fund at P15.4 billion, Bond Fund at P6.6 billion, Government Securities (GS) Fund at P629.5 million, Money Market Fund at P262 million, Dollar Advantage at gross/PAGE 10

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Peso weakens further ahead of the FOMC meeting MANILA -- The peso further weakened against the dollar Tuesday on anticipations for a cut in the Federal Reserve’s stimulus program along with the negative close of the local bourse. It ended the day at P44.29 from P44.15 Monday as some investors hope for a cut in the Fed’s bond-buying program staring this month.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will have its policy meeting on December 17-18 and some analysts project the

Committee to announce the scaling of the US$ 85 billion monthly stimulus program of the Fed. This as more positive economic data come out from the US. Thus, the peso started the day weaker at P44.15 from P44 a day ago.

It traded between it’s opening level and P44.35 bringing the average for the day at P44.26. Volume of trade reached US$ 976.5 million from US$ 796.6 million Monday. For Wednesday, the peso is expected to trade between P44.20 and P44.40. (PNA)

Cheap tobacco imports alarm farmers Nestle Phils, MANILA -- Tobacco farmers this will ultimately drive kung bakit pinahintulutan 112 former expressed alarm over reports the local tobacco growing ng gobyerno ang ganitong presyo na sobrang baba. (We that a Bulacan-based cigarette industry out of business. employees manufacturer is importing F r a n c i s o G a m b o a , cannot compete against this tobacco leaf at prices way president of the cooperative, very low price of Mighty sign settlement below the cheapest tobacco s a i d t h e g o v e r n m e nt - imports. We wonder why the mandated floor price in 2011 government allowed this to they sell. agreement The Ilocos Sur-based was P58.69 per kilo for flue- happen), Gamboa said. Banayoyo Reforestation cured tobacco and P38.42 for “Kaya naman po di naming over dispute a n d To b a c c o G r ow e r s burley. For 2012, the floor nakikita dito sa Norte yang Credit Cooperative said if the practice of Mighty Corporation owned by the Wongchuking family which imported tobacco leaf at USD 0.68 (P 29.24) per kilo in 2011 and 2012 is allowed to persist,

price was P75 for flue-cured and P61 for Burley. “Hindi po kami nakakalaban sa b ags a k presyo ng mga importasyon ng Mighty. Ang nakakapagtaka po ay

mga Wongchuking, hindi po kasi namimili ng tobacco sa amin. Maari po sa ibang lugar subali’t sigurado kaming kakaunti lang yon. (Maybe that is why we don’t see the tobacco/PAGE 10

A Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) CH-47 ‘Chinook’ cargo helicopter is photographed while hovering over a stock of relief goods and preparing to land at the Tacloban City Airport. The JSDF is one of the military outfits helping the Philippine government in repairing and rehabilitating areas hard-hit by typhoon “Yolanda” last Nov. 8. (PNA photo by Priam F. Nepomuceno)

MANILA -- L abor and E mpl oy m e nt S e c re t ar y Dimapilis-Baldoz on Wednesday expressed relief and satisfaction after she was informed of a signing of an agreement between the management of Nestle Philippines, Inc. and a group of 112 former employees of the company’s Cabuyao Factory. The agreement spells out the terms and conditions finally closing a long-running industrial dispute that arose from a deadlock in the negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement in 2001. John Martin Miller, Nestle Philippines, Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, signed the agreement on behalf of the management, while Jose Noel Alemania signed on behalf of the 112 former employees under the Union of Filipino Employee Drug, Food and Allied Industries Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (UFE-DFA-KMU), and Elmer C. Labog, KMU Chairman. Nestle/PAGE 10

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4 Condo builder targets university areas thursday - december 12, 2013

THE CONDOMINIUMfocused subsidiary of listed Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc. plans to build more projects near schools next year, senior company officials said last week. “Lined up for next year are university areas,” Maribeth C. Tolentino, president of Vista Residences, Inc., said in an interview in Makati City on Wednesday last week. “We already have one (condominium) near La Salle (De La Salle University in Manila, or DLSU), two near UST (University of Santo Tomas in Manila) and one near Ateneo (Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City),” she added. “We are eyeing one (more) each in those areas.” In a telephone interview last weekend, Red J. Rosales, Vist a R e s idences v i cepresident for planning and marketing, said the company condo/PAGE 10

Thai oil firm PTT to invest P2.1-B in PH T HA I oi l f i r m P T T Philippines Corp. (PTTPC) is allocating P2.1 billion for its 5-year expansion plan in the Philippines. The e xp ansi on pl an involves opening of 75 new service stations, including premier stations patterned after the design and standards of PTT Thailand. PTTPC president and ch i e f e xe c ut ive of f i ce r Wisarn Chawalitanon said the company will also invest in the renovation of existing service stations, additional depots and storage facilities, and setting up of coffee shops and convenience stores. “Every year, beginning 2014, we will be opening

up 15 new stations or a total of 75 new stations in five years’ time, so we will be more visible particularly in Luzon,” Chawalitanon said. PTT currently has 70 s er vice st at ions in t he Philippines, including 15 which were opened this year. Seven more stations are being built and expected to open early next year. This includes PTT’s first “platinum” station, which is located in Lucena, Quezon. A platinum station is bigger in size in terms of land area covered and has one-stopshop facilities. “ This is our premier station whose design has invest/PAGE 10

Jetti eyes ’13 sales to hit P13-B

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BRISK sales in the first three quarters of the year makes Jetti Petroleum Inc. (Jetti) officials to end 2013 with P12.98 billion sales. In a briefing Tuesday, Jetti C or p orate Af fairs Manager Leo Bellas said the projection is higher by 24 percent compared to the P10.46 billion they posted last year. He explained that the projection was made after sales in the first three quarters this year reached P9.89 billion, boosted by the

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opening of 15 new stations this year. Relatively, the company’s net income as of endSeptember this year totalled to P91.1 million and is expected to end the year at P92.5 million. “Overall, the outgoing year has been a good one for us. The strong economy, which resulted in robust consumer spending on travel and also in more vehicles being bought, powered this growth,” he said. Next year, the company jetti/PAGE 10

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Ford: Car, tech firms must work together to provide Internet, ‘apps’ AU T O M A K E R S a n d technology companies need to cooperate more closely to ensure the rapid and smooth development of cars that are fully connected to the Internet, a top Ford Motor Co (F.N) executive said. Ford global marketing chief Jim Farley told reporters at the Los Angeles Auto Show that the automotive and technology sectors are “at a tipping point” where they need to work together better than they have to speed the roll-out of the services in cars that allow consumers to drive safely and interact with their favorite apps or other technologies. “ The car companies have to change and the tech companies have to change,” he said to industry officials at the auto show. “For the car companies, it’s pretty clear that the mobile digital economy is not in our hands.” Farley said automakers must acknowledge that the real value for consumers comes from outside the auto industry and they must create an open architecture that allows outside providers. Meanwhile, tech companies need to stop imposing their user interfaces on drivers

in a way that makes driving unsafe. For example, Google Inc’s (GOOG.O) Tarun Bhatnagar, director of Google Maps for Business, speaking after Farley, described using the navigation app on his smartphone that sat in his lap as he drove a rental car in Los Angeles. “I can’t help but wonder why is it that beautiful screen in the instrument cluster of my rental car can’t provide me with a connected and safer driving experience? That needs to change,” he said. Farley said he had no new deals with technology firms to announce, but he expected significant agreements over the next few years as the two sides work more closely together. He said the navigation system is a natural place to start. “If the navigation system works so well on the phone, who’s going to pay for it in the car?” Farley said. “But it’s unsafe using them in a car and that’s the reality.” Farley said automakers will have to innovate around how data is used in the car and that Ford is betting first on ford/PAGE 10

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Proposed automotive roadmap ‘completely wrong’: Isuzu exec A JAPANESE executive of Isuzu Philippines Corp has openly criticized the Aquino administration’s roadmap for the automotive industry, saying the path the government wants car makers to take is “impossible”. Takashi Tomita, Isuzu Philippines’ executive vice president, told reporters that the proposed roadmap for the industry would not encourage growth and jobs generation-something that is sorely needed in a country that has a jobless rate of 6.5 percent as of the third quarter. When asked if Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo is pushing the auto industry in the wrong direction, Tomita said: “Yes. It’s completely wrong.” He s a i d t h e t a r g e t of making 40,000 units per model for each car manufacturer to be able to enjoy incentives from the government is “impossible” to reach given the high cost of building automobiles in the Philippines. “It’s too high. No one can follow that,” the Japanese executive said. To make matters worse, the local car market is small, relative to other countries in

The roadmap for the automotive industry in the Philippines is said to boost auto manufacturing. But industry players say it does not respond to the challenges of growth and jobs generation.

the region. As of October this year, Thailand has already sold 1.123 million units while the Philippines has only 148,000 units. Toyota takes the crown for being the biggest car maker in the Philippines, churning out 15,000 units of Vios model a year. But ASEAN data show that is minuscule compared to other countries.

Tomita said even though 90 percent of the vehicles they sell in the Philippines are assembled locally, the parts are still imported from Thailand and other manufacturing hubs, adding to the cost of each unit. T h e A l l - Ne w Is u z u D-Max that the company introduced in the local market in September is now being

manufactured here starting December 4. The first batch of the pick-up trucks sold in the country were completely built units (CBU) from abroad. The company’s trucks and its Asian utility vehicle, Crosswind, are also locally manufactured. Only the Isuzu Alterra model comes in showrooms as CBUs from isuzu/PAGE 11

All-new Isuzu D-Max delivers 26.12km/L in third-party test The all-new Isuzu D-Max is here, but unlike the Ford Ranger and the Chevrolet Colorado-its main rivals in the hotly contested pickup segment--the D-Max still uses the engine from its previous-generation model. This may be a point of contention for the folks who want to be on top of the horsepower and torque race, but don’t count Isuzu’s 3.0-liter CRDi turbocharged 4JJ1-TC iTEQ diesel engine out just yet-especially when we’re talking about fuel mileage.

Even without a variablegeometry turbocharger, the D-Max’s engine develops 144hp at 3,800rpm, and 294Nm from 1,400rpm to 3,400rpm. It is also the engine that was under the hood of the D-Max LS 4x2 with a manual transmission that traveled 1,985km on a single full tank (76L). That’s a very astounding yet believable 26.12km/L. “We conducted this test last month and we had a very good result,” said Isuzu Philippines Corporation sales division

chief Joseph Bautista during a thanksgiving lunch his company hosted for the media. “We aske d for assist ance f rom the Automobile Association Philippines and its exper t drivers, and the result was verif ied by Smar t Driving Corporation.” T he D - Max gets b etter mileage now compared to the older model, yet the engine is the same. How is this possible? “It has less aerodynamic drag now,” explained Bautista. “And drivers can use the multi-

information display to help them.” According to IPC’s press release, the D-Max’s body was developed to be aerodynamic and was even tested in the wind tunnel of the Japan Railway Research Institute, the facility used in developing Japan’s bullet trains. On a side note, Isuzu has a new motor, the 2.5-liter CRDi 4JK1-TC iTEQ, which produces 108hp at 3,400rpm and 280Nm from 1,800rpm to 2,200rpm. It is also said to be a capable

yet efficient motor. IPC is still mum about when the more powerful engines will be made available to Filipino customers, but when it finally brings them in, we have one request: Isuzu should still retain the 4JJ1-TC in its lineup. This is because not everybody wants to have an engine that breaks records when it comes to torque and horsepower. Efficiency still goes a long a way. And Isuzu’s 4JJ1-TC powerplant is far from anemic. /paulo rafael subido

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Parrots and Eagles THINK

h i n k a m i nu t e … D i d you e ve r d re am a s a A Minute kid about flying like a bird? By Jhan Tiafau Hurst Which would you be more like: a parrot or an eagle? The two are very different kinds of birds. Even though it can fly, a parrot prefers to stay in the same comfortable cage, eat the same dry seeds, and listen to the same words over and over again until it can say them easily. A parrot’s satisfied just to do the same thing everyday. In fact, you almost never see a parrot actually fly. Not eagles. Eagles have an inner drive to explore and experience everything out there. They have the courage to change and take risks. And they’re not afraid to leave their familiar, comfortable nest of tradition to search for more. An eagle’s passion for life pushes it to soar high and explore new territory, looking for fresh, satisfying food instead of the same boring, dry seeds. So which bird are you most like? If you like being a parrot kind of person, then you’ll probably just stay the same. But you’ll never have or experience anything more in life. And you’ll never know if what you believe is really true. Remember, “If you agree with someone on everything, then one of you is doing all the thinking.” The smart, successful person is not only open to new ideas, he goes looking for them. So if you want a full, exciting life like an eagle as God created you to live, then what are you waiting for? Do you realize how out of place you are living in that cage of the same thinking and routine every day of your life? Imagine how silly an eagle would look sitting in a cage, picking over a tasteless pile of dried seeds. So why don’t you ask Jesus Christ to take full charge of your life every day? Jesus clearly proved He is the true and only way to a fully satisfying life—by His teaching, miracles, death and resurrection. And He wants to lead you into all the truth, success, and full living He’s planned for you to enjoy. Just Think a Minute…

See yolanda, page 11

AS this year’s health caravan came to a close, ten stories on the importance of maternal and child health, nutrition, breastfeeding, access to health facilities and social health insurance were recognized by the Department of Health (DOH) for their ability to share ordinary folk’s strides in making a health-conscious community and healthy family. More than 100 media stories, composed of blogs, online articles, print articles, radio and television works were submitted in the health media recognition program dubbed Parangal sa mga Kwentong Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (Recognizing Stories on Universal Health Care). The awards aime d to hig h lig ht and commend Filipino media practitioners good stories under the theme of Kalusugan Pangkalahatan or universal health care, the health reform agenda of the Aquino administration, which covers a range of issues like financial risk protection through social health insurance, access to health facilities and attainment of the country’s public health targets in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “By telling their stories, of their struggles and little successes in life, our friends in the media will be powerful instruments in getting the message across. Needless to say, we should have healthy citizens to be able to build empowered communities,” said DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag. Two entries each from different media categories print, radio, television and online media were selected, including two special citations awarded to bloggers who also happen to be health practitioners. “Breaking the Code: Saving the Babies!” by nurse Alvin Cloyd Dakis was originally published in his blog (www. alvindakis.blogspot.com) which

special feature focuses on health advocacy and reform issues. The same article was picked up and republished by unBlogged, the official blog section of PhilStar.com, which features emerging and seasoned bloggers. Another blog entry “HPV Vaccination: Why Parents Have Second Thoughts - and Why They Shouldn’t” by Physician and Writer Stefanie Ann DV de la Cruz, MD (www.stefdelacruz. com) discussed the myths behind HPV Vaccination, was published in the health blog Talk Health Partnership. For the print media category, two stories from PPI membernewspapers were adjudged winners. One of the winning articles was “PhilHealth Implements ‘No Balance Billing’ Scheme” by Sheila V. Crisostomo published in the national broadsheet The Philippine Star which gave a newsworthy and practic al approach to explaining social health insurance. Meanwhile, the two-part special published in community paper Sun Star Cebu “Breast Wars: Life Saving with Breastfeeding” by Ma. Theresa Q. Tabada and Cherry Ann T. Lim won praises from the judging committee for its in-depth reportage on the importance of breastfeeding. Two entries from GMA News Online took the top spots in the online media category, namely Claire Delfin’s reportage “More Than Half a Million Pinoy Kids Suffer from Severe Malnutrition” and Patricia Denise M. Chiu’s Special Report “At Fabella Hospital, Moms are Human Incubators.” Malu Cadelina Manar of the radio network Notre Dame Bro ad c asting C or p or ati on (NDBC) based in Kidapawan, North Cotabato bested other radio journalists and won recognition for producing two segments in the program BIDA Specials tackling the health risks of a “Cholera

Outbreak” and the dangers of dengue (“Bangis ng Dengue”). Two programs aired on network GMA News TV won the top spots for the television media category, namely Reel Time’s “Silang Wala sa Mapa” and GMA Investigative Documentaries on “Nutrition,” A total of 114 entries produced by 43 media practitioners vied for this health media recognition. The stories underwent two layers of review including a preliminary judging, where 22 finalists were shortlisted and a final judging where a panel identified 10 winning stories. The media entries were rated for their coverage of the overall theme, content, and overall technical quality The preliminary judging panel was composed of: Rom Dongeto of the Philippine Legislator’s Committee on Population & Development (PLCPD); Tony Roda of the DOH’s National Center for Health Promotion; Ariel Sebellino, Executive Director of the Philippine Press Institute; Johanna Son of Inter Press Service Asia Pacific; print journalist Diana Mendoza and broadcast journalist Booma Cruz. The final panel of judges was composed of both health and media representatives. Members of the offices of Usec. Janette Garin of the DOH and Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas from PhilHealth represented the health sector, while Ms. Cheche Lazaro from the Probe Media Foundation and Mr. Red Batario of the Center for Community Journalism & Development (CCJD) represented the media sector. During the awarding ceremony that wrapped up this year’s health caravan via the DOH’s Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan (LBK): Kalusugan Pangkalahatan on Wheels which literally means “Journey to a Healthy Life”, the Philippine Press Institute, also known as the national association of newspapers was also recognized for promoting reportage on health among its members nationwide. The Institute has been an LBK partner since its inception and implementation in 2011.

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Double the Christmas fun with Globe Double Deals

elebrate the upcoming Christmas season double the fun with the latest double deals from Globe Telecom, the #1 in postpaid and preferred partner of the world’s leading device manufacturers, with its double device-tablet bundles, a postpaid plan with double the value of prepaid load, and double plan freebies, giving you the biggest double treats this time of the year. “As part of our wonderful Christmas gifts, we offer subscribers the Globe Double Deals with our fullrange of device and tablet bundles, a next-generation postpaid plan where they get double the value of their chosen plan, and freebies for double the fun and double the excitement, something that only Globe can give,” said Raul Macatangay, Head of Globe Postpaid Business and Devices.

you don’t have to wait for Santa for your present as you can check out the latest device-tablet bundles from Globe with its affordable offers. The Samsung Galaxy S Duos and Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 bundle is yours at only P1,099 a month at Plan 999 with P100 monthly cashout for a 24-month contract period. You can also avail of the Lenovo A516 and Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 bundle free at P999 a month for a 24-month contract period. With a device but you still want to get a postpaid line? You can get the mySUPERPLAN line-only Plan 499 with P900 worth of monthly consumable amount for calls, texts and surfing combos. You get the postpaid line – contract-free, hassle-free as you only need an I.D. to be Globe-connected.

DOUBLE THE VALUE OF PREPAID LOAD DOUBLE DEVICE BUNDLES And speaking of a postpaid line, fully-customizable postpaid plan that Looking for a gift for yourself and a pair up your brand-new device or tab- gives you double the value of what you loved one? This Christmas, you know let with the Globe mySUPERPLAN, a pay for in a plan and lets you create and customize your call, text and surfing combos, unlimited services, gadget of choice, and a range of contract periods from 6 to 24 months – giving you the full flexibility in a postpaid plan. DOUBLE PLAN FREEBIES On top of a best-value postpaid plan, you also get free subscription to Globe Gadget Care for one month. With Globe Gadget Care, your devices are protected against accidental damage and theft or robbery. It also guarantees hassle-free handset replacement, easy claims processing, and worldwide protection coverage. For as low as P89 per month, subscribers can continue reaping the

benefits of Globe Gadget Care after the free 1-month coverage. Who doesn’t want a double freebie? Aside from the free gadget insurance for a good 30 days, enjoy free access to Facebook all-you-want on your device without the need for Wi-Fi. Beyond zero data charges, you are guaranteed of a worry-free mobile browsing experience with customer experience innovations such as availability of the offer across all Facebook mobile platforms whether via the Facebook app or Facebook’s mobile site m.facebook.com, advice of charge notifications, and data access lending when accessing content outside Facebook. To know more about Globe Double Deals, visit www.globe.com.ph or call the Globe Sales Hotline at 7301010.

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Feature

The Night Stalker:

Join Seda Centrio’s 1st Anniversary Party on December 29

agayan de Oro’s premier Urban Lifestyle Hotel marks its 1st Anniversary on Sunday, 29th December 2013 with a day-long celebration of a fruitful first year. Guests checking in on this date will be treated to a special rate of only PHP 3,450.00 for a DeLuxe Room which, if you are young enough to remember, was their introductory rate when they opened a year ago. Hotel guests on this special day are welcome to join a private intimate cocktail reception al fresco at the Poolside from 06.00pm onwards with live music from Seda’s

resident jazz band, Loy Navalle and Friends. “And, since the anniversary falls on a Sunday, Seda’s Sunday Lunch Buffet will have a special price of PHP 365.00, as in the number of days in a year,” says Lorenzo Tang, Seda’s dashing hotel Manager. “We would like to offer a nice buffet, at a very reasonable price for Kagay-anons to enjoy on this special date." Place your reservations now for this once-in-a-lifetime milestone! Call tel. (88) 323888, fax 323-8891, email cdo@ sedahotels.com or log-in at www.sedahotels.com for more information.

Christmas tree at Seda Centrio Lobby

Pastor Jeg and Mrs Jojie Ferrer celebrate their wedding anniversary with an intimate dinner at Seda Centrio’s Misto with Mike Baños and the daughter of her best friend, Risa Honnableu of New York City now detailed as F&B Consultant from Seda BGC.

Enjoy the holiday season at Seda Centrio’s Misto with jazz and easy listening hits with the keyboard artistry of Loy Navalle and Friends.

Photos by Mike Baños, NPM

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Environment

Philvolcs: 7 to 8-meter high tsunami in Dagupan if Manila Trench moves DAGUPAN CITY -- An 8.5 magnitude earthquake emanating from the Manila Trench could generate from 7 to 8-meter high tsunami in Dagupan City. This was estimated by Dr. Leonila Bautista, an official of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), who was invited as a resource speaker during

her weekly executive meeting with department heads called by Mayor Belen Fernandez. The Manila Trench is a fault line running from north to south some 100

kilometers away into the West Philippine Sea from Bolinao, Pangasinan, west of Dagupan City across the Lingayen Gulf. Bautista estimated that the tsunami, when it comes will have a width of from five to 10 meters. She said that Phivolcs has installed a tsunami warning

station in Bolinao, which can transmit signals to the tsunami warning station in Dagupan City. The tsunami, she said, will come 40 minutes after a highmagnitude temblor occurs in mid-sea as a result of the movement of the Manila Trench. phivolcs/PAGE 11

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New York City added one more solar installation NEW YORK -- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced completion of a large solar installation in the Bronx borough of New York City capable of generating an upward of 1.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean energy annually. It is the biggest of the kind with Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative, which was

put into effect last year with a mission to dramatically increase the amount of solar capacity in the state of New York. “Advancements in the development of solar energy projects are crucial to our goal of building a clean energy economy in New York State,” Cuomo said. “This project in the Bronx demonstrates solar/PAGE 11

Batangas Archdiocese launches second environment summit BATANGAS CITY -- The B atangas Archdio ces e’s Ministry on Environment undertook recently its second edition of the Batangas Environmental Summit which adopted this year’s theme as “State of Philippine Environment: Kilos Kabayan Para sa Kalikasan” (Citizen’s Movement for the Environment) at the University of B atangas Auditorium here. The multi-sectoral summit gathered various delegates from the academic community, church and religious sector, government and industry sectors with the support and cooperation of the Batangas Coastal Resources Management

Foundation (BCRMF). The B CRMF g roups the industries along the Batangas coastal areas such as Chevron, First Gas among other companies that are active in the province-wide activities on coastal cleanups, water quality and coral reef monitoring and other environmental protection and conservation activities. Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto welcomed the summit as she declared the provincial thrusts and programs on environment. Gov. Santos Recto has been in the forefront of various provincial and community joint projects and campaigns in protecting the environment encapsulated

in her “HEARTS” program acronym where E stands for education and environment. The Batangas Provincial Government-Environment and Natura l Res ources Office (PG-ENRO) also implements the Governor’s projects which cites the San Juan shoreline as among the Batangas province’s protected coastlines. Batangas is home to the Verde Island Passage marine corridor, famed as the world’s center of marine biodiversity by American marine scientists and explorers in mid-2006. Gov. Vi’s environment linkages also has the prov i nc i a l gove r n me nt partnerships with coastal summit/PAGE 11

Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, assisted by Richard Uy, President of the Energy Efficiency Practitioners Associations of the Philippines and chair, technical evaluation committee 2013 (DEAEEA), hands over the trophy to Mr. Noel C. Villanueva, AVP & Plant Operations Manager of San Miguel Brewery Inc.-Pampanga, on Friday (Dec. 6) during the Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Awards (DEAEEA) held at the Multi-purpose Hall, Meralco Fitness Center, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City. (PNA photo by Johnny D. Guevarra)

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Gross... from page 2

www.johndprovoice.com

USD 45.8 million and Dollar Abundance Fund at USD 19.4 million. ”In terms of contribution between agency and banks, it’s almost like 50:50 already. And with regards the agency as compared to the previous years, we’re seeing more on ticket items and I guess it also reflected our agents being more knowledgeable. (And) also some companies, not only individuals, the retirement fund of companies, they are more confident in investing more into our funds which also contributed to the growth,” she further explained. The company’s number of agents also grew from 1,500 from the previous year to 2,000 this year. SLAMCI has also 10 bank distributor for this fiscal year with five main active banks including local and multinational banks such as BDO, RCBC, HSBC, Citi, and Standard Chartered. ”Next year, we are looking at not only banks but other alternative distribution, other types of institutions who have asked us to accredit them for distribution,” she added. “We are still studying, evaluating (them).” Moreover, the SLAMCI President expressed that they are aiming for 20 to 30 percent growth in sales as they are expecting increase in agents and distributors by 2014. The company will launch new products in the market by next year which will contribute to the growth of SLAMCI. (PNA)

Tobacco... from page 2

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Wongchuking family here in the North. They don’t buy tobacco from us. Maybe in some other places but I’m sure the volume is very low),” he added. Isabel Jimeno of the Samahan ng Magtatabako ng Kanlurang Mindoro said “babagsak po ang aming industriya ng walang kalaban laban (our industry will die without a fight).” “Nakapagtataka po ay kung paano nila na-angkat sa iisang preyong USD 0.68 per kilo ang iba’t ibang uri ng tobacco (What is amazing is how they can import at a single price of USD 0.68 per kilo, all the various types of tobacco),” she added. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima has ordered the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue to investigate the alleged under-declaration of Mighty’s imports. BOC records show that the cheapest imported tobacco at that time was USD 3.39 per kilo, way above the USD 0.68 per kilo importation of Mighty. The House Ways and Means Committee upon a resolution filed by Rep. Pablo Javier will conduct its own inquiry into the alleged questionable trade practices of Mighty.

According to news reports, Mighty has grown from 7% market share last December, 2012 to 20% in June this year and is now the dominant manufacturer in the low-price segment. “Kung mananatili po yung ganitong kalakaran at kung patuloy po ang pag lago ng Mighty, kami po ay natatakot na kung sila na lang ang matitirang manufacturer, lahat po ng tobacco sa sigarilyo locally ay wala ng galling sa tanim ng Pilipipino (If these practices will continue and Mighty continues to grow, we are afraid that if they are the only manufacturer left, all tobacco from cigarettes locally will not come from Filipino farmers),” Gamboa said. Added that they have yet to hear from Mighty if the USD 0.68 per kilo imports are true or not. Puro general denial lang po ang nababasa namin. Di po nila sinasagot kung hindi totoo yung USD 0.68 na imports. (All we read are general denials. They have not disputed the $ 0.68 imports),” Gamboa said. Aside from tobacco leaf, Mighty reportedly imported acetate tow, the raw material used for cigarette filter at USD 0.30 per kilo. The cheapest tow imported in 2011 and 2012 was at USD 5.26 per kilo. The Post Entry Audit Group of the BOC, in a letter to Mighty last Oct. 21, asked the company to respond to the charges within 15 days. “Sa aming pong pagkakaalam ay lagpas na po yung deadline. Sana po isa-publiko ng B OC ang resulta ng kanilang imbestigasyon. (As far as we know, the deadline has lapsed. We hope they would make public the results of their investigation,” Gamboa. (PNA)

Nestle... from page 2

Also signing the agreement were the counsels of both parties, Atty. Jacinto R. dela Rosa, Jr. for Nestle Philippines, Inc., and Atty. Remegio Salader for the UFEDFA-KMU. Officer-in-charge Director Romeo Montefalco, Jr. and Unders ecret ar y Rebecca C. Chato signed the agreement as witnesses. The agreement is the “out-of-the-box” solution initiated and facilitated by the DOLE to solve the drawnout case that has attracted so much attention, has reached the International Labour Organization (ILO), and was one of the agenda items of the 2009 ILO High Level Mission to the Philippines. The labor dispute at the company that started in 2001 had resulted to the dismissal and filing of criminal charges against several Nestle workers. It also led to other alleged violations of freedom of association. “Given the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the validity of the dismissal of the workers, we have, at the DOLE, explored possible outof-the-box solutions pursuant

to the recommendations of the 2009 ILO High Level Mission,” said Baldoz. The agreement include, among others, the availment by the former employees of financial assistance extended by Nestle and the setting up of a Livelihood Program for the dismissed employees, where the company and the DOLE shall co-share the financial requirements of the same. Part of the out-of-the-box solution for the final closure of the Nestle case include clearing of NBI records of the dismissed workers and grant of Isabelo delos Reyes Scholarship, under the DOLE Workers Organization and Development Program (WODP), to the dismissed workers’ qualified dependents. “With the agreement and these other out-of-the-box solutions, it is my sincere hope that we can put this issue behind us now and move ahead after learning and harking to the lessons we have learned,” Baldoz said, finally. (PNA)

Condo... from page 4

will spend P1.5 billion to build the three buildings with total sales estimated at P3 billion. “ Us u a l l y, w e b u i l d 30-storey condominiums near campus areas,” Mr. Rosales said. “Most of our existing units are already 95-100% sold out.” Ms. Tolentino said the company is targeting those who buy units as investments. “It’s like dormitory, it is a rental business, so it is good for investors,” she said. “In university areas, we do joint ventures; we also look for some properties that are available for acquisition.” Building high-rise residential projects near campuses is a common strategy among developers as investors usually take bulk orders. Sy-led SM Development Corp. has Blue Residences along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City near the Ateneo and Sun Residences in the Welcome Rotonda area in Quezon City near UST. It is also building Green Residences along Taft Avenue in near DLSU. Vista Land, the property investment holding firm of the family of company founder and former Sen. Manuel B. Villar, Jr., recorded a net income of P3.79 billion as of end-September, up 16.98% from P3.24 billion in the same nine months last year. Revenues rose 20.51% to P15.92 billion from P13.21 billion, while cost of sales increased 22.35% P11.99 billion from P9.8 billion. In the same comparative periods, revenues of Vista Residences alone went up 38% to P820 million from P595 million, “attributable to the increase in overall completion rate of its sold inventories in the nine-months of 2013.” Reservation sales rose 18% annually to P35.5 billion

from P30.1 billion as the company launched 27 projects collectively worth P19.4 billion. Vista Land had planned to spend P18.6 billion this year, with nearly P10 billion earmarked to start new projects and the rest for land acquisition.

Invest... from page 4

been patterned after our platinum stations in Thailand. It has a green environment setting that will make our stations different from other oil companies,” Chawalitanon said. Two ot her plat inum stations are being built -PTT Manila East in Taytay, Rizal and the PTT Belfast in Fairview, Quezon City. Both will be opened in the first quarter of 2014. PT T is looking at expanding its network in Visayas, especially Cebu. “Our long-term plan is to also expand in Visayas and Mindanao but our thrust for now is to establish first our presence in Luzon. Once we succeeded on this, definitely we will be moving towards s out h e r n P h i l ip pi n e s ,” Chawalitanon said. PT T Philippines is a subsidiary company of Petroleum Authority of Thailand Public Company Limited.

Jetti...

from page 4

expects sales to further rise on expected commencement of the operation of the new Mariveles, Bataan import and bulk terminal. The d e p ot is und e r construction and is expected to start operations in July next year. Bellas said the terminal “will play a big role in Jetti’s efforts to respond to the growing demand for high quality petroleum products, particularly in the north.” “We will use our enhanced capacity to continue providing the Filipino people reasonably priced fuels,” he said. The company eyes to open 10 more new stations in Northern Luzon next year. To date, the company have 112 stations, 46 of which are in Luzon, 24 in Visayas and 42 in Mindanao. (PNA)

Ford... from page 5

“brought in,” which refers to people bringing their mobile devices into the vehicle. The other options are building the services into the car or beaming them in. Calling the car “the ultimate mobile device,” Farley said certain apps like navigation are endemic to the car experience and automakers will need to incorporate them really well. Ford’s Sync technology has already had a major impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions and the company has sold 10 million Sync-equipped vehicles, he said. Ninety-four percent of Ford’s 2014 modelyear vehicles will be sold with the Sync technology.

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Coal... from page 1

“What the councilors will decide on is up to them, but for me, if Davao city will continue to experience fast-paced growth and power is needed, then why not? It (coal-fired power plant) is already existing,” he said. Therma South plans to add 345 MW to the current 300MW power plant, bringing its total capacity to 645 MW. In a presentation to the city government, Aboitiz vice president for Mindanao affairs Manuel M. Orig said the Davao Light franchise area would face shortfalls of as much as 59 MW in the next five years if no expansion was undertaken. He added that the power requirements of companies that are planning to invest in the city starting 2014 may reach at least 30 MW. He named these companies as Steel Asia, Santerbro, and Holcim. “The rest of increase in demand will be due to the increased requirements of existing businesses,” he said. According to a report from the Department of Energy, Mindanao needs 1,728 MW to 2,206 MW within six years, but is currently operating on 1,616 megawatts. B enjamin C ar ias o, president and chief operating officer of Therma South said they have an ongoing program to plant a million trees in Marilog area, and a plan to plant mangroves throughout the Davao Region.

Tuna... from page 1

sustainability of highly migrator y fish stocks parallel with rights under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, UN Fish Stocks Agreement and the WCPFC Convention and the country’s adherence to progressive i mpl e me nt at i on of t he Commission’s management measures. For two years now, the Philippines is the only nation allowed to go fishing in the high seas pocket 1 following a series of proposals set b efore t he WCPFC. In April 2012, the countr y was granted fishing access in the said area until March of this year. It was then extended until June 2013 after it was ruled that the country was adhering to responsible fishing practice. The high seas pocket 1 was opened two years ago following a two-year fishing ban in all four pockets due to the growing alarm over declining tuna catches. Not all fishing nations, however, was granted fishing access subject for compliance to tuna conservation measures. The new success was sp ecially met with enthusiasm by the private s e c t o r w h o s e nt t h e i r fishing vessels to the high seas pocket 1 as part of the Philippine fleet. “We are ver y happy with this development. It is definitely very good

because, in a way, the high s eas p o cket b ecame an exclusive fishing ground for us,” said Engr. Augusto Natividad of Frabelle Fishing Corporation. Perez, however, sees this as both a challenge and an opportunity to encourage the sector to continuously practice responsible fishing such as long line fishing citing some 2,000 metric tons quota left unused for long line fishing. On October 24, 2013, the Philippines sent off an initial number of 21 fishing vessels to the high seas pocket 1. A hopeful Perez eyes a total of 36 catcher-vessels to sail for the said fishing ground before the year ends. It can be recalled that in 2012, the Philippines played host to a close to 600 delegates from WCPFC Members, Cooperating NonMember and Participating Territories during the 9th Regu l ar S ession of t he WCPFC in Manila.

Process... from page 1

and Natura l Res ources (DENR), an official said. At present, companies apply for an ECC first before getting permits required by local governments. Ma. Anita Fernandez, chief of the Malaybalay City Environment and Natural Resources Office said this process has posed problems for the city government in terms of addressing the negative impact of a firm’s operations. “There is a big gap since the process was reverted. It might be good for business but not for the local environment,” she told MindaNews after speaking at the city council Tuesday during a hearing on environmental protection measures being applied by agricultural plantations. It was the third of such hearing by the city council in response to the flooding in October in Barangays Aglayan and Cabangahan. The flooding was mainly blamed on the presence of agricultural plantations in Malaybalay’s upland areas. Fernandez noted that some companies no longer applied for permits at the city government after getting their ECCs. She added many firms are operating in areas for which they have no ECCs or business permits. She said they will recommend to the DENR to reverse the process, that is, start the ECC process at the level of local government units. “They can try it with us in Malaybalay City first,” she added. Fernandez, a former DENR employee, explained that previously companies applying for ECCs had to go through the social acceptability process first. According to the Revised Pro cedural Manual for the DENR’s Department Administ rat ive Order 2003-30, “no permits and

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or clearances issued by other national government agencies a n d l o c a l g ov e r n m e nt units shall be required in the processing of ECC applications.” But the same order does not exempt a proponent from securing other government permits and clearances as required by other laws. Fernandez said the change in procedure has caused some problems in monitoring and enforcement, as the ECCs only contain “general provisions. She said a company was able to obtain an ECC for an area that includes a portion with a very steep slope. She said the use of very steep areas could have been avoided if the ECC process started with the local government, and it would have been spared the burden of undertaking mitigating measures for such practice. Fernandez said they have required the companies to submit their environmental management plans for 2013 and 2014, to verify compliance with measures that would ensure environmental protection and soil conservation.

Isuzu... from page 5

Thailand, the region’s car manufacturing hub. Tomita said that despite the higher manufacturing costs--which the company absorbs for the time being-Isuzu Philippines still keeps its factories in the country because “this is the future market. At 100 million population, the potential is big.” It also pays to spread one’s manufacturing hubs around the region and not put everything in one basket-a painful lesson car makers learned after the Thailand flooding in 2011. However, Tomita said that they can only bear to continue with the localization of its car manufacturing until October 2014--with the aim of sourcing 20 to 25 percent of all Isuzu vehicle parts from the Philippines. However, without government support, Tomita could not say what would be their next step after October. “ I ’d r at h e r a s k t h e gover nment to prote c t the local assembly and supply. Otherwise, other manufacturers would be like Ford,” he said. The American car maker has closed down its only Philippine plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna in December last year as part of the company’s restructuring of regional operations, high manufacturing cost and small market. Isuzu has recently cut its sales target from the original 13,000 units to 12,000 units after Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ ravaged central Philippines, which has dampened car purchases in the fourth quarter--traditionally a strong period for auto sales. For next year, Isuzu aims to hit the goal of selling 14,000

units, pinning its hopes on the All-New D-Max, which the company markets to the middle class.

and programs to instill environment conservation and ecological protection. PNA)

from page 9

Phivolcs...

Wat e r ge n e r at e d by tsunami, she said, will follow the river systems, thus people must stay away from rivers even if these are located inland. At the same time, Bautista confirmed that there is no fault line in Dagupan but the problem here is that its soil is soft and affected by liquefaction The Phivolcs official suggested the planting of mangroves in the coastal areas to help cushion the impact of the tsunami inland. Since the tsunami will be from 7 to 8 meters high in Dagupan, Bautista suggested a vertical evacuation for the people, which means they should seek refuge in strong tall buildings. The officials of the city should see to it that tall buildings will be opened to accommodate people when a big tsunami strikes, she said. She left to the people of Dagupan City to decide on whether they will still continue with the construction of a man-made tsunami hill in the village of Pugaro and in case they will decide to continue, this must be relocated, strengthened and made higher to ensure it can really save people. The man-made tsunami hill, whose first phase was the only one completed, it should be designed at only six meters in height and located only 100 meters close to the sea and the mouth of a river. Mayor Fernandez already phased out the project upon her assumption of office in July and instead, deemed the center of the circular embankment to be just made into a tree park. (PNA)

Summit... from page 9

barangays, towns and BantayDagat networks for the massive coastal clean-up drive and mangrove planting. The environmental summit also assessed huge improvements of the coral reefs in the Batangas Bay through the support of the private agencies’ partnerships in environmental projects. The Archdiocesan-hosted summit also tackled updates on environmental protection of the Batangas coastlines from Nasugbu stretching to San Juan especially on shorelines that are now favorite nestling sites of the sea turtles. The World Wildlife Fund initially partnered with the province for the establishment of the marine protected areas until the projects have been sustained by Conservation International (CI) to establish more protected areas in Batangas and provide technical assistance. Also, well-known e nv i ro n m e nt a l i s t s a n d crusaders for the environment presented their advocacy

Solar...

that large solar installations are viable in New York City. The smart grid technology being employed at this site is exactly the kind of innovative solution that New York State needs to increase the resiliency of its grid.” The 1.56 megawatt rooftop solar project, which is installed at a Bronx-based restaurant depot facility owned by Jetro Cash and Carry, a wholesale cash and carry food service supplier, employs smart grid technology that overcomes technological barriers

and enables large solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to connect safely with the Consolidated Edison (Con Edison) network, according to Ross Solar Group, the developer. The increase in smart grid technologies is an action requirement in Governor Cuomo’s Energy Highway Blueprint to help re-engineer New York State’s power grid to accommodate a diverse supply of power generation sources. The electricity produced by this solar project will be able to cover 45 percent of the building’s electricity costs, enabling the company to save 220,000 U.S. dollars annually, said Cuomo in a statement. (PNA/Xinhua)

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JICA COMPLETES AND TURNS OVER REHABILITATION PROJECT TO COWD

1. MOU SIGNING

2. OCULAR INSPECTION

3. DELIVERY OF MATERIALS/EQUIPMENTS:

oday, December 12, 2013, marks another milestone for the city’s water utlity firm. Rehabilitation of its facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Sendong has finally been completed with the assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency. JICA’s PHP40.9M grant has made possible the following: replacement of vertical turbine pumps with submersible pumps; installation of generating sets to the affected production wells; replacement of laboratory equipment with the new biosafety cabinet and chlorinating set and replacement of 5,562 damaged water meters in 13 barangays-Macasandig, Balulang, Barra, Bonbon, Kauswagan, Iponan, Bulua, Carmen, Pagatpat, Consolacion, Puntod, Canitoan and Burgos. COWD for its part has lifted the roof of the old booster station in order to elevate the conductor copper cables donated by JICA. Existing transformers were also elevated upon the advice of JICA’s Sakiyama-san. A platform at the new booster station was also installed for the control panel. Control panels at the Macasandig and Balulang Production Wells were also elevated. This rehabilitation project would result to better resiliency in operations specially in times of calamities and would redound to better service to the water consumers in the city. This momentuous event will be highlighted by the Ceremonial Switching-on of the Booster Pump and the Signing of the Deed of Donation.

PROJECT BACKGROUND The Japanese government, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), gave a P40.9M grant to the Cagayan de Oro City Water District, through the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), for the rehabilitation of facilities damaged by Sendong. The assistance was intended for COWD to be able to restore its full capacity in providing safe and potable water supply in its area coverage. The grant, through provision of equipments, covers rehabilitation of water supply systems damaged by Typhoon Sendong in Macasandig and Balulang including 11 booster pumps, 6 production wells, 5 generator sets, chlorinating set, controllers and transformer cables. This also covers the replacement of laboratory equipment and damaged water meters. A Memorandum of Understanding between JICA, LWUA and COWD was signed last August 14, 2012. The parties closely cooperated to ensure smooth implementation of the project which covers damaged systems previously financed by JICA under the Provincial Cities Water Supply Project (III) signed on December 20, 1994. Implementation period was scheduled for eight (8) months. LWUA is the responsible agency representing the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GOP) to supervise and monitor the Project activities, and COWD is the counterpart agency to JICA for the implementation of the Project. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION Last January, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), posted in a national paper its Notice to Bid for the procurement of equipments for the Rehabilitation Project for Cagayan de Oro City Water District’s facilities damaged by Typhoon Sendong. The contract packages to be initially procured consisted of the following: 11 sets of pumps, panels and conveyance pipes (Package 1), 5 units diesel engine generators (Package 2) and 5,552 units of water meters (Package 3). Contract was awarded to the winning bidder by the end of February 2013. Procurement of the equipments started in May and as soon as these were delivered, installation immediately followed. Installation was completed by November this year.

Daghang Salamat JICA!

5,552 sets of WATER METERS ( Date Delivered May 27, 2013 @ COWD Kauswagan)

1 unit BIOSAFETY CABINET ( Date Delivered May 29, 2013 @ COWD Macasandig)

4. INSTALLATION