BusinessWeek MINDANAO
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Volume VI, No. 077
Market Indicators
As of 6:11 pm December 17, 2015 (thursday)
FOREX
PHISIX
US$1 = P47.305
6,905.70
1.9
X X Briefly
cents
97.98 points
Negosyo Centers THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) region 10 together with the provincial offices during a press briefing in Cagayan de Oro City on 11 December 2015 emphasized their support for productivity improvement and market expansion of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), among others. Provincial Director Ma. Eliza A. Pabillore of DTI Misamis Oriental explained that they focus their assistance based on the SME development plan which comprises of four areas of concern particularly enabling business development, access to finance, access to market and productivity and efficiency. Negosyo Centers have been established around the region for would be and present entrepreneurs to avail of free trainings and seminars.
Christmas bazaar SURIGAO City -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Surigao del Norte provincial office on its effort to provide market venue for the local producers of the province is organizing the Christmas bazaar dubbed “Christmas Bazaar Nan Surigao” from December 4 to December 11, 2015 at the Luneta Park, this city. The seven-day activity displays and sells locally produced goods from DTI-assisted entrepreneurs provincewide. The bazaar highlights various local products including gifts and novelty items, processed food, native delicacies and baskets among others.
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El Niño brings down R-10’s palay output www.businessweekmindanao.com
Friday | December 18, 2015
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By MARK FRANCISCO, Staff Writer
ALAY production in Northern Mindanao has gone down by 2.5 percent in the third quarter of this year, bringing down the region’s total output to 186,082 metric tons even as the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental both posted two digit increases in production.
In its quarterly report rele as e d yesterday, t he National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) 10 also reported that average farm gate price declined to P18.74 per kilo in the third quarter of 2015 from P18.89 kilogram in the same period last year. palay/PAGE 11
The El Nino phenomenon brought palay production in Northern Mindanao.
Thunderstorm extends brownouts By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large
TRULY, the old adage about one man’s drink being another man’s poison is true in more ways than one. The Tuesday thunderstorm which struck Cagayan de Oro last December 15 brought
down many utility poles of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (Cepalco) rendering many affected areas without power for many hours. brownouts/PAGE 11
SENDONG, 4 YEARS AFTER. While many victims were yet to be found, a man points at a name in the Sendong memorial which he claims belong to a person who is still alive today. photo by gerry lee gorit
Surigao Norte posts 10 HIV cases from Jan-Sept By ROEL CATOTO, MindaNews
CAROLING WITH CANS. Children use milk cans as musical instruments as they go caroling around a subdivision in Malaybalay City on Sunday (Dec. 13, 2015). mindanews photo by h . marcos c . mordeno
SURIGAO City — At least 10 people were found positive of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) in Surigao del Norte from January to September this year, a health
official say. Jessica I. Nepomuceno, program coordinator of the Sexually Transmitted hiv/PAGE 11
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E conomy 2 MisOr workers benefit DOLE emergency employment aid DOLE awards labor compliant, child-labor free establishments 2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting
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TAG O L OA N , M i s a m i s Oriental -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office No. 10, through its Eastern Misamis Oriental Provincial Field Office (DOLE-10 EMO PFO) in coordination with the Local Government Unit
(LGU) of Tagoloan released the Emergency Employment or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ D i s p l a c e d Wo r k e r s o r TUPAD salaries to some 145 beneficiaries in the amount of P461,100.00, recently in the benefit/PAGE 11
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TOTAL of 10 private establishments in Northern Mindanao were awarded with Tripartite Certificate of Compliance with Labor Standards (TCCLS) and six companies with Child L abor-Fre e C ertific ate during the Department of Labor and Employment region 10 (DOLE 10) 82nd Anniversar y held on 4 December 2015 in Opol, Misamis Oriental. With the theme, “82 Taon ng Mahusay na Serbisyo sa Manggagawang Pilipino,” the celebration was attended with more than 200 participants including the members and employees of the Regional Coordinating Council-10
Employment Service Office (PESO) League of Region 10. TCCLS, the first level seal of good housekeeping under the Incentivizing Compliance Program (ICP) of the Labor Law Compliance System, aims to promote voluntary compliance with the labor standards. This is issued by the DOLE Regional Office in coordination with the Bureau of Working C onditions (BWC). The incentives included entitlement of the Secretary’s Award, and the Tripartite Seal of Excellence (TSE), priority access to technical assistance and services of DOLE and its attached agencies, and use TCCLS in promotional activities and advertisement
(RCC-10), attached agencies of the Department like, National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) 8th Division, NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch, National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), Technical Education Skills Development Aut h or it y ( T E SDA ) , Office of Workers Welfare Assoociation (OWWA), Philippine Overseas Employment Association (POEA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB), and the Public
of its products/services. DOLE-10 Regional Director R aymundo G. Agravante was very pleased with the recipient-companies that voluntarily complied with the labor standards. “I urge the companies to continue and strengthen their status as labor-laws compliant,” Agravante added. “ We a r e h a p p y t o inform the awardees with the certificates they have just received that they are qualified to be nominated for the Secretary’s Award and the Tripartite Seal of Excellence, and on top of these recognitions, we at the DOLE-10 are more than willing to give priority access awards/PAGE 11
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NFA rice poisonous LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… Whoever strays from the path of prudence comes to rest in the company of the dead…” (Proverbs 21:16, the Holy Bible). -ooo AQUINO GOV’ T BEYOND REDEMPTION IN ITS INCOMPETENCE: So, the Aquino government is truly beyond redemption in its gross incompetence and total lack of concern for ordinary Filipinos, since, right under the very noses of its top officials, poisoned rice and fish, the only kind of food that the poor among our countrymen can afford, are being sold openly in ever y nook and cranny of t h e c ou nt r y, tot a l ly unmolested. It app ears that what President Aquino and his allies are concerned with now is to maneuver to evade imprisonment after their terms shall have ended in 2016. It is clear they no longer have the time, nor the interest, to protect the health and safety of poor Filipinos who, because there is no opportunity to earn decently hereabouts, cannot afford to eat anything other than rice and a little fish. The problem is that,
Oro Chamber
Perspective Think a minute…Some parents received this letter from their daughter who was going to university away from home. “Dear Mom and Dad, I wanted to let you know that I’ve fallen in love with a guy named Jim. He’s divorced with 3 kids and does not have a job. I’m moving in with him next week and I’ve decided to drop out of university because I think I’m pregnant.” On the next page she continued: “Mom and Dad, everything I wrote on the first page of this letter is false! None of it’s true! But Dad and Mom, it IS true that I got a C in Biology and failed English. And I need just a bit more money.” Fairly smart girl! Even bad news can sound like good news if you see it from a certain perspective. We help ourselves if we look at our problems and realize that they could be much worse! We don’t have to look far to find someone who is having much worse problems and pain than we are. One question that does not help us to ask is: “Why did this happen to me?” That just makes us angry, bitter and full of self-pity, which only makes our problem seem worse. It can even paralyze us so we don’t move forward in our life. Instead, simply ask yourself: “What am I going to do about it?” Then either change and fix it, or learn to accept it. Remember
THINK
A Minute
Jhan Tiafau Hurst the Prayer of Serenity: “Lord, give me the courage to change the things I can, the grace to accept the things I can’t, and the wisdom to know the difference.” But looking at your problem with a positive attitude is only the first step. It’s not enough. We still need someone Who can give us the inner peace and strength we need to make it through, week after week. Someone who will give us the love we need so we do not quit and fail others or ourselves. Only Jesus has that kind of strength and love that never quits. So right now, why not simply ask Jesus to forgive you and take complete charge of your life? He will give you not only His right perspective and peace to accept what you cannot change, but He’ll also give you the inner willpower and courage you need to change those things you can. Just Think a Minute…
there is now an official finding from the University of the Philippines Manila that the rice and fish people h av e b e e n b u y i n g a n d eating contain metal lead, which is a poison dangerous enough to kill them. Yet nobody but nobody from the Aquino government is acting to stop this murder of Filipinos. -ooo RICE & FISH CONTAIN METAL LEAD, A POISON: Let me reproduce here a devastating report from the Manila Times written by Jacqueline Bouvier Arias, which I saw in its online edition of December 17, 2015, to show the basis of my concern in this column today. Please read on: “High levels of metal lead, a hazardous chemical substance, were found in various kinds of rice and fish in the Philippines, according to a study. The study (was) conducted by Dr. Judilynn Solidum, a pharmacist and fac ulty member of the University of the Philippines Manila… “…(It) found that 10 kinds of rice and fish that were randomly bought in markets in Metro Manila contained high levels of
metal lead that exceeded acceptable safety limits. Upon examination, it was found that all varieties of rice went beyond the acceptable limits for chi ldren s et by t he US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). -ooo NFA RICE POISONOUS: What are these poisonous varieties of rice that were found to be poisonous? The rep or t s aid: “Four brands of rice such as NFA (National Food Authority) rice, Malagkit (regular), Dinorado and Malagkit (violet) exhibited lead levels beyond the acceptable limits for a du lt s . Me anw h i l e, all kinds of fish sold in markets, except janitor fish, were also found to be unsafe for both children and adults…” Looking at this news report would make one think that the government of President Aquino would appear to be deliberately allowing the selling of these poisoned rice varieties, because it is the NFA itself that is in the forefront of distributing and selling them. The question is this: why should the government
K akampi
Mo A ng Batas
Atty. Batas Mauricio be allowing the selling of poisonous rice, through it s ow n age n c y ye t , to millions and millions of p o or Filipinos who are thoroughly dependent on NFA rice? I hope this is not part of a sinister population control program! -ooo PLEASE LISTEN: “Ang Tanging Daan” (The Sole Way): a Bible study and prayer session online could now be heard, 24 HOURS a day, in the Philippines and the world at www.facebook. com/angtangingdaan or w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / ANDKNK (For ANDKNK, l o ok for “A ng Tang i ng Daan” broadcasts). Phone: 0922 833 43 96, 0918 574 0193, 0977 805 9058. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.
Limits to science?
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Perhaps to put it more completely, we can ask: Are there limits to our capacity t o k n o w, u n d e r s t a n d , invent, reason out? Are there limits to our sciences? I am inclined to say, no. And the reason is simply because this capacity of ours is a spiritual capacity, not material, and as such, it is oriented toward infinity. We can always know more and more, unless we get tired and say enough. But in t heor y, our capacity to know, reason, and go deeper into our sciences is endless. But I must also say that t he re are l i m it s . As i d e from our limited physical capacity that will always condition our power to k n o w, t h e p u r s u i t f o r knowledge has to contend also with the limited object to which it is aimed at. Thus, our natural and physical s ciences are limited precisely by the natural and physical limitations of their p ar t ic u l ar obj e c t, b e it i n p hy s i c s , c h e m i s t r y, biology or astronomy. They limit themselves to what is empirical, observable, measurable in a tangible way. They don’t go into the ethical and moral aspects. Even in these sciences where the objects can be obser ved and measured physically, many things can still be missed out because of either the minuteness or the immensity of their d i m e n s i on s . T h e y m ay exceed the normal range
of our capacity to observe and measure. T h e l i m it at i on s c an even be more pronounced when we start dealing with the social sciences like economics, histor y, political science, etc., since a lot of intangibles are involved. How does one completely measure people’s preferences, biases or the inner workings of their mind and heart, for example? Sur veys, even the fairest of them, can only do so much. Even our philosophies and theologies, including those that are considered correct and safe, can only do so much, even if they can cover quite a bit. That’s simply because they have to contend with the mysteries of the spiritual supernatural world. Mysteries are mysteries. They surpass our capacity to know and understand, but they are true, not false, not make-believe or myths and legends. One might ask: And how would we get to know about these mysteries if they precisely surpass our capacity to know? The answer is simple. They have been revealed historically by someone whom we can trust because h e d i e d an d ro s e f rom the dead, which is also a fact, not a myth. In the end, our capacity to know and understand depends more on our trust, on our faith in someone whom
we can trust completely, rather than on what our senses can perceive and our intelligence can discover and understand. This has always been the case even in our d ai ly ordinar y life. We h ave t o t r u s t s om e on e so we can move on with life and hopefully get to understand things better as we go along. The child trusts his parents so he can do the things he ought to do. The student has to trust his teacher, so he can learn and get into the position to learn more things on his own, etc. Thus, there is that dictum: believe first so you may understand, though after understanding s om e t h i n g , on e h a s t o make that understanding a fuel to strengthen his belief, that in turn should deepen his knowledge, in a virtuous cycle that would bring one to the ultimate dimensions of the spiritual and supernatural world. It is this belief that can drive us to know more and to trans cend the limits of ou r hu man c ap a c it y to know and understand. It is belief that generates love that in turn perfects knowledge, in accordance to St. Paul’s words: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him.” (1 Cor 8,1-3)
HINTS
and
Traces
Fr. Roy Cimagala In other words, it is faith and love that can give the knowledge that we ought to have, a knowledge freed from negative and harmful effects, like sarcasm, ange r, m a l i c e , s l an d e r, manipulation, deception, pride, conceit, arrogance, etc. At the moment, we have many brilliant people who appear to be knowledgeable because they have a heavy l o a d o f i n f o, b u t w h o l a c k f a it h a n d c h a r it y. They are just guided by purely human standards: temperament, social consensus, ideologies, etc. As a result, they create more conflict and division in society, more injustice and so on. Without devaluing the objective role of our human capacity to know and the body of knowledge that results from it, we should a ls o ack now le dge t heir limits and have recourse to faith, hope and charity that would give us the full picture of things. roycimagala@gmail.com.
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‘GLOBE MYBUSINESS DAY’
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Davao entrepreneurs get inputs in digitizing business I
The Globe myBusiness Day Davao Expo showcased 3 major zones namely Cost Cutting Zone, Revenue Generating Zone and the Operations Improvement Zone that will help participants prioritize the services they need for their business.
Makati names Ayala, Aboitiz, NG as top tax delinquents THE Makati City Hall, in another installment of the name-and-shame strategy, has identified the Ayala Corp and its subsidiar y Ayala Land, the Aboitiz and Union Bank group, and the national government on top of the list of 1,631 taxpayers that allegedly owe the city government billions in unpaid real estate taxes since 1997. According to a paid notice that appeared in the Philippine Star Sunday, the Ayala Group owes the city government about P650 million for the Greenbelt mall project alone. That is on top of another P500 million-plus in alleged delinquencies t hat has
piled up since 1997 on the continuous improvements undertaken by the Ayala Group on their Makati and Magallanes commercial centers. There is also another P68 million that City Hall claims the Ayala Corp. owes on one plot at the corner of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, another property along Paseo de Roxas, and a third “residential” lot at the corner of Ayala and EDSA, the last apparently referring to the Makati Garden Club property. “The declared owners of real properties with delinquent accounts...have top/PAGE 10
N ke eping w ith its mission to provide SMEs with effective business solutions to improve and enhance their business, Globe myBusiness rolled out its one-stop SME exhibit, Globe myBusiness Day. To cap off the year, the caravan made its final stop for 2015 at one of the fastest growing cities and the largest economy in Mindanao: Davao. The Globe myBusiness Day caravan was held at SMX Convention Center at Lanang and was open to all who are interested to learn about new opportunities to grow and improve their business through new technologies. The exhibit highlighted three main zones names the Cost Cutting Zone, Revenue Generating Zone and the Operations Improvement Zone. Cost Cutting Zone
allowed customers to learn how to maximize expenses and save on unnecessary cost by introducing digital solutions. The Revenue Generating Zone on the other hand f e at u re s pro du c t s a n d solutions that can help a business owner earn more; while the Operations Improvement Zone lets guests explore new solutions that can boost operational performance. Apart from the various zones, convenient s er vices for business es we re pre s e nt for e as y, onsite fulfillment like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for assistance is business names and permits. “I’m happy that Globe is supporting MSMEs in Davao. The myBusiness Day in Davao is very timely mybusiness/PAGE 10
AirAsia launches restaurant in the sky CRAVING for sisig from 35,000 feet above? AirAsia guests flying to, from, and within the Philippines are in for a wonderful treat as Philippines AirAsia today officially started serving hot meals from its newest inflight menu concept themed “Santan” which replaces AirAsia Café as part of the airline’s latest offerings to enhance customer experience while flying. Fresh new items include Bangus Sisig, a Filipino dish made of chunks of boneless milkfish sautéed in onions seasoned with salt, pepper and spices. Buffalo Chicken Strips and Barbeque Cola Beef are tasty versions of grilled meat
with smoky sauce paired with tomato rice or roasted potatoes. Those who are watching their calories, meanwhile, must try the new Vegetarian Chickpea Curry or the classic Maan’s Pasta Arabiata. New dishes are available for on-board and pre-book purchase in all Philippines AirAsia flights to/from Manila, Kalibo/ Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Davao, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea. Other delectable dishes also pay tribute to ASEAN flavours such as Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice, Beef Caldereta and Adobo hence the menu is titled: Santan, an essential ingredient in Malay cooking
which refers to the liquid obtained from pressing shredded coconut meat. Santan is thick, creamy and often use as a substitute for butter, cream or soup stock in Asean cooking. Apart from the new hot meals, guests will be able to choose from variety of sweets with choices such as Lemon Torte, Banoffee C a ke, Si nf u l cho col ate cake and chocolate chip cookies from as low as P80 for on-board purchase and at discounted price for prebooked. All AirAsia guests are encouraged to pre-book t heir me als to s ave up to 20% as compared to purchasing their meals on
board, with a guarantee that their preferred meals are available during their flights. Guests who have booked their flights without meals, meanwhile, can easily add them in via the ‘Manage My Booking’ option after logging in to www.airasia. com. P h i l ippi n e s A i r As i a Commercial Head, Gerard Peñaflor said, “We value customer experience at all points of the journey – from the purchase of the ticket to leaving the airport, on board, and onto the destination. This latest enhancement in our inflight menu makes flying with us also a delightful dining experience.”
Cebu Pacific launches inaugural Davao-Singapore flight The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) sent off its inaugural flight from Davao to Singapore today. This marks the beginning of the airline’s twice weekly service to its first international destination from Davao. The maiden flight was sent off at the airport by Philippine Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato Jr, Davao Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines General Manager Efren Nagrama, and CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog. With the launch of the new Davao-Singapore route, even more travelers from Davao and neighboring regions can take advantage of CEB’s trademark lowest fares and convenient connectivity to explore Singapore. CEB’s
current promo fare for this route go as low as P2,828 all-in, up to 66% lower than other airlines. Conversely, Singapore ranked 6th when it comes to the Philippines’ foreign tourist arrival sources from January to September 2015. Over 136,000 Singaporean tourists went to the Philippines during this period, growing by 3.41%, compared to the same period last year. The new direct route opens up the Philippines to more travelers from Singapore, who can utilize CEB’s extensive Philippine network to explore Davao, and various destinations via Davao. The flight from Davao departed at 5:35pm and arrived in Singapore at 9:10pm. The return flight departed Singapore at 9:55pm and arrived in Davao at 1:40am the next day. The twice weekly
service is operated every Thursday and Sunday, utilizing the airline’s brand-new Airbus A320 fleet. CEB further contributed to the national tourism agenda, as it launched direct flights between Manila and Fukuoka, Japan, as well as between Cebu and Taipei, Taiwan on the same day. “The launches of three international routes from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao underscore Cebu Pacific’s commitment to provide more travel opportunities, and make the Philippines and the world easily accessible to everyJuan,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog. CEB’s network now spans 64 destinations on 98 routes, including flights to Guam, Dubai, Doha, Sydney, Bali, Seoul, and Beijing.
For bookings and inquiries, guests can visit www.cebupacificair.com or call the reservation hotlines (+632)7020-888 or (+6332)230-8888. The latest seat sales can be found on CEB’s official Twitter (@cebupacificair)
and Facebook pages. Guests may also download the Cebu Pacific official mobile app on the App Store and Google Play. CEB’s 55-strong fleet is comprised of 8 Airbus A319, 33 Airbus A320, 6 Airbus A330, and 8
ATR 72-500 aircraft. It is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2016 and 2021, CEB will take delivery of 5 more brand-new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 16 ATR 72-600 aircraft.
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Women of Sagay, Camiguin spearhead modern-day ‘bayanihan’ Written by: Shaun alejandrae yap uy (dswd)
Sagay, Camiguin Province – Ty p h o o n Yo l a n d a , internationally known as Haiyan, affected a small town in this province but has paved way for heroines to arise, the spirit of volunteerism becoming evident more than ever. Alfonsa Salva, 52, with neighbor and friend Rhodora Rementizo, 39, volunteered to spearhead the construction of a flood control structure along the relatively driedup Lambog creek in Purok Camia, Barangay Alangilan, Sagay and is situated near a public school area. Water rushes down the creek from the highlands during the rainy season. Alfonsa is happily
married to Roberto Salva Sr. to whom she has four children; Rubie, Roberto Jr., Ricky, and Delf Ryn, while Rhodora is married to Isagani Rementizo, they also have four children - Eric, Ruby Mae, Precious, Isagani Jr. They revealed that some of their friends also helped out. There were about 10 women volunteers, together with men volunteers, who initiated and oversaw the construction of a 68-meter flood control structure that will spare the Alangilan Elementary School and in anticipation of the dangers of flash floods during heavy downpour brought about by heavy rains or typhoons. “Ang skwelahan gyud
Alfonsa Salva (right) and Rodora Rementizo (left) reminisce the good times they had during the construction of the flood control structure in their village. The community project was done through the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS program in partnership with the local government unit of Sagay in Camiguin. (Shaun Uy, SMO, Kalahi-CIDSS, DSWD FO-X)
ang proteksyonan, ug ang barangay dayon, sugod June paingon December, mao gyud na ang ting baha-baha diri, mas maayo nang andam” (the school is our main concern, also the barangay, starting June up to December, these are the months when it floods, it’s better to be ready) says Alfonsa. Both were thankful that even if it the project was done during the rainy months, they were still able to finish it, as there were just a few times where it rained hard but never really delayed the construction of the structure. The flood control structure was constructed under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) community-driven program Kalahi-CIDSS where its main goals include women empowerment and promote gender equality. Alfonsa also said “dako gyud ni nga kontribusyon, makatabang gyud ni pagcontrol sa baha, labi na para sa skwelahan, di na gyud mukanaog pa ang tubig sa eskwelahan dapit tungod ani” (it is a big contribution; it really helps in controlling the flood, especially for the school, water would no longer overflow to the school area). Alfonsa is a member of the procurement team of the village volunteers who facilitated in the purchasing of construction materials for the project, this among other tasks. The sub-project started in June 2015 and completed on early September of same year. She said that her tasks ranged from canvassing and facilitating bidding processes, and made sure everything is transparent to public and the team. “Kami ray gadala, pinaagi sa among barangay chairman, ug ang mga volunteers” (we are the ones who ran
everything, through our barangay chairman, and the volunteers) enthused Alfonsa, adding that she was the designated timekeeper, when that should have been a shifting task with another timekeeper, but most of the volunteers wanted only her to handle it for consistency. Sharing a light moment, both also revealed that the male volunteers also enjoyed their company “malingaw ra man pud sila nga naa mi”. They also revealed that one of the things that made them save on expenses are the boulders that were here in the creek, instead of purchasing, they used the ones available in the project area, as Rhodora also enthused that though it was tough, she had little trouble lifting those boulders during the clearing operations. “Mura gyapo’g lihok namo kai laki, kay pantay-pantay ra mi ba, parehas mi tanan ug lihok” (We moved like the men too, because we were even in the tasks, we all did our task) says Rhodora. Rhodora said that one of the toughest tasks was during the clearing of the area which involved lifting rocks and setting them aside before the actual construction, but for most of the time they enjoyed preparing snacks for the volunteers. “Lihok gyud kay aron dali mahuman, pero enjoy man kaayo” (All of us worked so that we can finish the project fast, but it was enjoyable) Rhodora enthused. Alfonsa said that their neighbors, including passersby, saw them enjoying their work, some more volunteers turned up to help and volunteer. Alfonsa and Rhodora shared a light moment during the interview and jokingly said “daghan nangapply
Rodora Rementizo, a resident of Alangilan, Sagay town, Camiguin volunteered during the construction of a flood control structure along the Lambog River, situated near a public school area. Rementizo demonstrates one of her tasks during the clearing operations before actual construction which was lifting rocks and setting them aside to another area. (Shaun Uy, SMO, Kalahi-CIDSS, DSWD FO-X)
nga mga lalaki mga gwapo, bantan-on”(many males volunteered, they were handsome and young) before bursting into laughter. Both Alfonsa and Rhodora said that the sub-project management committees, who are all volunteers, were able to maintain transparency in the project implementation. Then and Now Rhodora notes that back in the day, only the elite or wealthy women were actively involved in their village activities. However, poor women like her are now increasingly becoming active in school, church, and
community activities. Both affirm that before they were beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, one of DSWD’s main programs in poverty alleviation through a conditional cash grant, they knew little about disaster prevention, family planning, among others. S eminars conduc te d through the Family Development Session of Pantawid Pamilya and KalahiCIDSS made them realize that the participation of women in male-dominated projects is about how women are able bayanihan/PAGE 10
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B anking&Finance 8 Switzerland seeks Rosy growth prospects claimants for 2,600 dormant bank accounts to help boost PHL banks BusinessWeek MINDANAO
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T
HE PHILIPPINE b an k i ng s e c tor ’s s ou n d op er ati ng environment and strong economic fundamentals are seen supporting credit growth in 2016 amid a general slowdown in the sector seen in the AsiaPacific (APAC) region, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new report, although rapid credit expansion in riskier segments poses some downside risks. In its 2016 outlook report for Asia-Pacific banks, the debt watcher said the region’s financial system is generally stable next year, but for many of the region’s banking systems, asset quality and profitability will deteriorate. “This deterioration is
explained by our expectation of s l owe r G DP ( g ro s s domestic product) growth in Asia Pacific, potential further pressure on currencies and high levels of corporate and household debt in some countries,” Stephen Long, managing director for Mo o dy ’s F i n an c i a l Institutions Group in Asia Pacific was quoted as saying in a statement. “Bank ratings will remain broadly stable because of good capital levels, as well as strong funding and liquidity profiles, as most systems are deposit funded, but the risk for ratings are skewed to the downside in the event of an economic slowdown in the region that is sharper than expected,” he added.
Moody’s rates 16 banking systems in Asia Pacific. Of these, 13 have “stable” outlooks, while three -China, Hong Kong and Mongolia -- have “negative.” For the Philippines, Moody’s has assigned a “stable” outlook for the country’s overall banking system, wit h t he s ame outlook given for key drivers: operating environment, asset quality, capital, funding and liquidity, profitability and efficiency and government support. It is the only country assigned a “stable” outlook across all key indicators for lenders in the emerging and developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region, closely trailing India, which saw its
banking sector’s operating environment t ag ge d as “improving.” “The Philippines’ stable op erat ing env ironment and low banking sector penetration are supportive of credit growth. The country is one of the fastest growing economies among emerging markets globally,” Moody’s said. Although asset quality will worsen mildly in parts of the Asia Pacific, in the country, “banks will maintain stable asset quality,” it noted, a lt hou g h “r api d c re d it expansion particularly to the riskier small and medium enterprises and retail segment poses some downside risks.” On capital adequac y Boost/PAGE 10
Bangko Sentral keeps key rates unchanged THE Monetary Board at its meeting Thursday kept key policy rates unchanged at 4.0 percent for overnight borrowing or reverse repurchase (RRP) facility; and 6 percent for overnight lending or repurchase (RP) facility.
Interest rates on term RRPs, RPs and sp e cia l deposit accounts (SDAs) were also kept steady; same with the reserve requirement ratios. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement the decision to
keep rates steady was based on the Monetary Board’s assessment of inf lation dynamics and risks to the inflation outlook over the policy horizon. T h e l at e s t b a s e l i n e fore c ast s have ave r age inflation likely settling at
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below the target range of 3.0 percent +/- one percentage point for 2015. However, it is seen to return gradually to a path consistent with the 2016-2017 inflation target as the effects of the current weather disturbances are still being felt.
G E N EVA - For anyon e who may have forgotten about their fortune sitting idle in a Swiss bank account, a list published We d n e s d ay c o u l d b e a must read. The f irst-of-its kind list published by the Swiss Bankers Association identifies 2,600 accounts with total assets estimated at 44 million Swiss francs ($44 million/41 million euros) which have been dormant for at least 60 years. For accounts that have been idle since 1955, individuals have one year to make a claim or the assets will be transferred to the federal government, an SBA statement said. For a c c ou nt s d at i ng f r o m 1 9 5 4 o r e a r l i e r, c l a i m a nt s h av e a f i v e year window. The publication of the accounts followed a law passed on January 1 which aimed in part to help give banks legal clarity on how to handle dormant assets, the SBA said. “By publishing this information, the banks are making a last attempt to re-establish contact with the customer,” SBA chief
Claude-Alain Margelish said in a statement. “This publication gives customers and their legal heirs another opportunity to assert their claims to dormant assets before the banks must then transfer these definitively to the government.” A spokeswoman for the association, Sindy S chmiegel Werner, told AFP that the legislation was pushed for by banks anxious to avoid the complications posed by dormant accounts, including some that have been idle for nearly 100 years. O n l y a c c o u nt s w i t h more than 500 Swiss francs were listed. The association is also looking for claimants for around 80 dormant safety deposit boxes. Sw i t z e r l a n d i nt e n d s to publish a fresh list e v e r y y e a r, w i t h t h e 2016 version identifying accounts dormant since 1956. Switzerland has previously published lists of dormant accounts, but only those with a direct link to victims of the Holocaust.
BPI Family Savings Bank CDO Housing Madness opens today at Centrio Cagayan de Oro - The BPI Family Savings Bank Housing Madness is an event that brings together real estate developers under one roof to offer special deals and attractive rates for people seeking to purchase their own house or condominium. For the past years, BPI Family Housing Loan has been participating or organizing housing fairs to offer more housing packages to the Kagayanons, especially in December when a lot of OFs come home for the holidays. From December 18 to 20, 2015, the BPI Family Savings Bank Housing Madness will feature select national and local developers like A Brown Company Inc., Argus Land Inc., Bellavita, Avida Land, Amaia Land, Alveo and Ayala Land Premier, AV Pamatong, The Loop of
Camella , Italpinas Development Corp., Davao Joyful Homes, Filinvest Land Inc., Tuscania of Land Resources Inc., Johndorf Ventures Corp., Pueblo de Oro Development Corp, Robinsons Land Inc. and Smart Condomium of Yega Development Corp. In the line with the Bank’s commitment to provide affordable housing loan packages with specially designed financing schemes, Cagayan de Oro Housing Madness clients can enjoy the guaranteed low rates and waiver of the processing fee. When they apply for a housing loan during the madness event and book on or before Feb. 29, 2016, they will enjoy .25% rate reduction vs published rate and save P5,000 on processing fees. Prospective homebuyers can also take advantage of onthe-spot conditional approval based on
income documents presented. You will also find in the BPI Family Housing Madness partners like Union Galva Steel, Abrillo Furniture, Oro Blinds and Curtains Gallery and Rock and Style Builders. And to complete your housing loan acquistion, you will also get to talk to representatives from BPI MS and BPI Cards for your home protection like fire and Acts of Nature coverage and to help you furnish your new home, . We invite the Kagay-anons to visit the Ayala Mall Centrio Activity Center from Dec. 18 to 20, 2015 and take advantage of this once a year offer. For more information, please call our CDO Business Center at 856-2902 or visit us at the 2nd Floor of BPI Bldg, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City or visit any BPI or BPI Family Savings Bank branch.
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10 Mitsubishi showcases All-New Montero Sport in Oro today YOUR DAILY Mindanao-wide BUSINESS NEWSPAPER
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By CHENG ORDOÑEZ and MARK FRANCISCO
FAST Autoworld Philippines Corporation, the exclusive distributor of Mitsubishi automobiles in this part of the country, will showcase the All-New Montero Sport this Friday, December 18, at its Cagayan de Oro City showroom along Gusa highway and at Limketkai Rotunda. The following color variants of the All-New Montero Sport will be available for appreciation and pre-booking: deep bronze metallic, sterling silver, savannah white, Pyrenees black, Sedona red, Virgil grey and mystic blue. Elevate your expectation with the All New Montero Sport. It’s got a forward collision mitigation system, sophisticated and spacious interior, ne w 8-sp eed automatic transmission with Sports Mode, LED headlamps and daytime running lights, dynamic shield concept fascia, new 2.4L clean diesel engine with Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system and super select 4WD-II with off-road mode. The all-new Mitsubishi Montero Sport is engineered to provide you the utmost driving excitement – a perfect combination of power, comfort, efficiency and value. Meanwhile, Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation is standing by the statement of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines. Using c ur rent and avai lable technology, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines has not found any defect or malfunction that would result in an alleged sudden unintended acceleration. (See related announcement to customers). Nonetheless, Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation is committed to consumer safety and earnestly request owners of Montero Sport in this part of the country, regardless whether they’ve purchased at their dealership or not, to contact them at 09058186706 or visit them at National Highway, Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, if they have concerns about any safety issue. Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation provides free checkup and qualified personnel will also provide tips on the best and safest way of operating the vehicle. FULLY REDESIGN Known as the ‘Pajero S p o r t ’, ‘ N a t i v a’ a n d ‘Challenger’ elsewhere, this is the Montero Sport’s full re-design in seven years. CarGuide.PH described the new Montero Sports as one that is designed around “Stylish & Comfortable
Off-road SUV” concept. It said that the Montero Sport inherits the attributes of the luxurious Pajero nameplate. Up f r o n t , i t f e a t u r e s Mitsubishi’s Dynamic Shield front face design. LED headlamps with daytime running lights also allow for a slim and memorable headlamp design. At the sides, the new high belt line design with the hard upper body crease, first seen in the Strada, continues over on the Montero Sport creating a robust and sturdy stance. Across the line, it sports 265/60R18 tires with the 4WD model gaining a two-tone design. The back is dominated by a controversial but unique tail light design that dips down the tailgate. It’s illuminated by LEDs to give it that unique glow at night. “Inside, it has a T-shaped high center console that’s more befitting a larger SUV. Filled with stylized silver finishes and black piano black inserts, it’s sporty and dynamic. It’s also quite luxurious with features such as dual-zone climate control, a touchscreen AV system with rear monitor (and wireless headphones), leather seats, and a tilt/ telescopic multi-function steering wheel as available equipment. Unique to the Montero Sport is an electric parking brake (EPB) system that helps slim down the transmission tunnel giving it more knee room, CarGuide. PH,” said. Improved top-to-bottom, the all-new Montero Sport features better stability, ride, and quietness through the optimization of the suspension system as well as improvements to the body mounts. Additional and revamped sound insulation also help in reducing interior noise, it said. “Under the hood, the 2016 Montero Sport has a sole engine: the 2.4-liter MIVEC turbo diesel engine. It peaks out at 181 horsepower at 3,500 rpm and 430 Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm. The engine, called 4N15, features an all-aluminum design and is designated as a ‘clean diesel’ capable of at least Euro 4 emission levels. Paired with this engine is an all-new 8-speed automatic with a built-in sport mode, INC (Idle Neutral Control), and G-Sensor. All-in-all, Mitsubishi says the 2016 Montero Sport should achieve up to 17 percent better fuel efficiency over its predecessor. In terms of its four-wheel drive system, it comes with the SuperSelect 4WD-II system now featuring a new off-road mode which gives better all-terrain performance and stability as the road
surface requires. It also has hill descent control. Mitsubishi is taking the pole position with the Montero Sp or t. Aside from the RISE or Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution body, it has a total of seven airbags for full occupant protection. In terms of active safety features, aside from the prerequisite ABS with EBD, the all-new Montero Sport features a lot of firsts for the Japanese brand including: Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), and Ultrasonic misacceleration Mitigation System (UMS). And helping it slot into small parking spaces, it has a multi-around monitor that gives a 360-degree Bird’s Eye view around the car. Mitsubishi hopes that its all-new 2016 Montero Sport will broaden its market base around the world, especially since the outgoing Montero Sport cumulative unit sales reached 400,000 at the end of June. As t his de velop e d, To p G e a r P h i l i p p i n e s annouced that the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) recently bestowed a five-star safety rating on the Pajero Sport (Montero Sport in our market), along with two other SUVs. According to TopGear PH, the agency described the Montero Sports and the two other vehicles to have exhibited exemplary crash protection when subjected to various tests pitting them in frontal and front offset collisions. Montero Sport was described as one of the newest players among the vehicles tested, having been introduced to the world only last August. The midsize, seven-seat SUV was a significant step up in terms of occupant and pedestrian protection over the model it replaces. Apart from the rigid body and frame, the SUV likewise boasts classleading tech like Forward Collision Mitigation and Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation, which help keep the driver out of harm’s way. The materials provided show the Mitsubishi Triton pickup -- called Strada in the market -- being crashtested. Apparently, ANCAP considers these two vehicles to be exactly the same in terms of crash data. T he A NC A P is an independent body that tests all makes and models of motor vehicles sold in and around the Australian and Asian regions. Its findings are highly regarded by industry players, and help assure the public that the cars they’re buying are truly safe.
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as it allows MSMEs to be equipped with ICT tools that will enable them to compete more aggressively in the marketplace, both locally and globally. Today, Region XI has the 7th highest concentration of MSMEs, comprising about 5% of total MSMEs in the country. Adopting to a digitally-enabled business opens up new opportunities for expansion, higher employment, and better economic value for the province, to this city and the people of Davao,” said Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The Globe myBusiness caravan served as a venue that showcased potential franchises and suppliers onsite, digital business tools on display and informative talks from business experts. The event gave local entrepreneurs the chance to learn the ropes of managing a business and discover the best solutions that support their operations. Albert De Larrazabal, Globe chief commercial officer also said that “we chose Davao as one of our major stops because of its booming SME community. This is also in line with Globe myBusiness’ mission to be the partner of choice for entrepreneurs across the country.” The SME expo featured guest speakers covering various helpful topics related to putting up a business. Sharing his experience on the Do’s and Don’ts of Starting a Business was the Chairman of Businessworks, Inc. Anthony Pangilinan who holds expertise in Leadership, Presentation Skills and Time Management, among others. Co-founder of popular food market Mercato Centrale RJ Ledesma on the other hand spoke about the challenges of a business start-up. Globe myBusiness expert Dan Ruiz also represented the brand to share how an SME can start its Digital Transformation. Globe myBusiness also be showcased its portfolio of digital solutions led by Shopify, a cloud-based, multichannel e-Commerce platform present in about 150 countries. It is one of the solutions that will help SMEs to simplify and professionalize their business operations through their own, personalized online business for as low as P429 a month. Aside from Shopify, Globe myBusiness also offers myShopkeeper, a cloudbased sales and inventory tracking solution; Google Apps for Work, which provides businesses with custom email address; Canvas for digital business forms and receipts; Globe Charge, a mobile card reader attached to a smartphone which allows entrepreneurs to accept credit card payments even when they are on-the-go; and Adblast and Text Connect which are marketing platforms that allow SMEs to execute targeted, branded SMS to their customers.
been served copy of the Notice of Delinquency through mail or personal service,” said Makati Treasurer Amalia Santos. “However, (the notices) were returned ...either for reason of addressee’s refusal to accept, moved out, unlocated address and/or change of address.” The Aboitiz/Union Bank combine are being dunned for about P230 million for their 1999era residential condo project at the corner of Chino Roces and Metropolitan avenues. The Social Security System, on the other hand, is alleged to be delinquent on real estate tax payments on nine properties within barangay Urdaneta, while the “National Government of the Republic of the Philippines” allegedly owes over P425 million in taxes for an industrial property along the Vito Cruz extension and on two more lots along Dela Rosa and Amorsolo streets in Legaspi Village. The Amorsolo property incidentally refers to the controversial Mile-Long Arcade that City Hall says has accumulated P254 million in unpaid real estate taxes since 1997. Among the known condominiums, the following are on top of acting Mayor Kid Pena’s delinquency list: Infiniti Tower in Salcedo Village (over P25 million); Private Development Corporation of the Philippines property along Gil Puyat Avenue (P25.6 million), Megaworld, 19 properties in Salcedo Village (about P80 million); Asian Mansion in Legaspi Village (P106 million); China Bank on Ayala Avenue (P91 million); Meridien East Realty (P80 million); and Zapanta Realty (P49.6 million) for improvements on its Legaspi Village residential condo. Strangely, even the Italian embassy is on the City Hall list, with over P800,000 in alleged tax delinquency accumulated by the diplomatic mission since 1997. City Hall warned that the tax delinquent properties would be sold in a public auction after an unspecified grace period, with the delinquent owners given the right to redeem their respective properties upon payment of penalties and surcharges within one year from the sale.
from page 5
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Bayanihan... from page 6
to access power structures in the organized sub-project management committee and the difference they made out of such participation. Alfonsa said “Full support ang akong bana, pinaagi sa pagtugot niya nako kung naa koy lakaw bahin sa programa sa DSWD, labi na gyud sa KalahiCIDSS. Siya ang mopuli sa ako mga pagatiman ug paglimpyo sa panimalay panahon kung tawgon sa mga meeting” (my husband shows full support, by allowing me to go on errands for DSWD programs, especially for the Kalahi-CIDSS. He takes charge of the attending to and cleaning the house whenever we are called for a meeting). Rhodora also affirms, saying
“Full support gyapon siya, iya sad ko tugutan sa mga lakaw sa Kalahi-CIDSS panahon sa meeting, wala siya mi-object ug okay man kaayo among relasyon sa ako bana” (my husband also shows full support, he allows me to go on errands for the KalahiCIDSS like meetings, he does not object, our relationship is very okay). Alfonsa adds that before such seminars, they were insecure and thought that they could never do a man’s job, especially in providing for the family financially, “Sa una, dili gyud ko makapalit ug uniform para pang-eskwela sa akong duha ka-anak, pero tungod sa hinabang nga akong nadawat gikan sa Pantawid Pamilya, ga-uniform na sila kung mageskwela” (at first, I cannot buy uniforms for my two children, but thanks to the help I received from Pantawid Pamilya, they now go to school in uniforms) adding that how can they help their community if they don’t even have enough money for their family. “Dako gyud ug tabang ang mga seminar, sa una, ang amo ra gyung bana ug mga anak among ga-alimahan, karon – amo gyapon silang ga-atimanon pero karon apil na mi sa mga desisyon sa among panimalay ug sa komunidad” (Before, we only look after the welfare of our children and husbands. Now, we still do that and we are more involved in the decisionmaking in our families and in our community), Alfonsa said while Rhodora affirms. Alfonsa concluded that the actual implementation and construction of the project did not really feel like work and that they also had fun “enjoy man, wala man nako nakita sa ilang mga nawong nga gipangkapoy sila” (it was enjoyable, I did not see it on their faces that were tired). Both women said that they are proud and happy about their contribution to the community especially that they know the school children will be safer during the rainy season.
Boost... from page 8
ratio, the credit rater added that Philippine banks will maintain good as its strong credit growth will lead to a moderation in the banks’ capitalization levels. “Nevertheless, higher regulatory capital requirements will help the banks manage growth while maintaining adequate buffers,” it said. Profitability is also seen pressured by higher credit costs, Moody’s said. Nonetheless, Philippine banks will likely see stable profitability, as improvements in lending yields -- due to increased exposure to higher yielding segments -- will be offset by modest increases in credit costs. On the other hand, for the region, Moody’s said that while Asian banks will likely remain stable, slower economic growth, weaker trade and soft commodity prices will reduce the rate of credit expansion, and with the operating environment becoming more challenging in most Asia Pacific banking systems flows.
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Palay... from page 1
Neda 10 chief specialist Cecilio Y. Clarete attributed the decline in palay production to the ongoing El Niño drought which forced farmers to stop planting palay in many parts of the region. A remarkable reduction was noted in the rice inventory as of October 1, down to only 1,882,553 sacks or 18 percent below the 2014 level of the same period. Based on the yearly daily rice consumption requirement of 27,340 bags for the region, the stocks were estimated to last for 28 days only. Corn production in the region also declined for the same period at only 464,138 metric tons compared to 472,603 metric tons last year. Aside from El Niño, Mr. Clarete blamed the decline of corn production to the shifting of farmers to cassava, pineapple and banana crops in the province of Bukidnon. Coconuts fared well from July to September though – their number produced during the quarter slightly grew by 0.62 percent to 498 million nuts. The green nuts variant also increased by 4.11 percent to 996,856 pieces. Coconuts, which are the major export product in Region 10, also posted a 28 percent increase in exports to 120,220 metric tons with an equivalent value of US$124.810 million. They are in the form of coconut chemicals, coconut cream, coir fiber, coconut milk powder, shell charcoal, coconut oil, coconut water, c opr a c a ke, d e ss i c ate d coconut, activated carbon and reduced fat coconut. For fruit crops, bananas posted the highest increase at 496,625 metric tons for the same period this year. This was followed by pineapple, mango and durian. In terms of meat production, livestock and poultry recorded a 4.7 percent increase from 86,356 metric tons to 90,369 metric tons (live weight). Total fish production also went up by almost four percent, buoyed up by massive aquaculture production all over the region, including the landlocked province of Bukidnon.
Brownouts... from page 1
Sources from the distribution utility which supplies electricity to Cagayan de Oro and the adjacent municipalities of Tagoloan, Villanueva and Jasaan in Misamis Oriental had its daily allocation from the Power Sector Assets & Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) further reduced to 48MW from 50MW previously. Nevertheless, many areas enjoyed a brownout free day because demand to the affected areas were cut so even the reduced allocation was able to cope with the demand diminished by the affected areas. Although Cepalco officials
were earlier optimistic Cagayanons would be able to enjoy a brownout free Christmas season, those bright hopes have gone down with the water level of Lake Lanao which powers the Agus hydroelectric complex of six power plants, which together with the Pulangi hydroelectric power plant in Maramag, Bukidnon currently supplies ap p r o x i m at e l y h a l f o f Mindanao’s power needs. In anticipation of the diminished power output from the Agus-Pulangi power plants, Cepalco had earlier contracted short term power supply contracts with various power generation companies (gencos) to fill the supplydemand gap. Un for tu n at e ly, e ve n if its pending application with the Energy Regulatory Commission has already exceeded the maximum 75 day actionable period since it was filed last September 15, 2015 yet, ERC officials s ay p r o c e s s i n g o f t h e provisional authority which would enable Cepalco to feed the contracted power to its franchise area could still exceed that mandated period. “Even if there has already been an action or decision before the 75 day period expires, the preparation may take some time such that actual issuance of the ord e r a l re a dy happ e ns beyond the period,” said Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan, ERC executive director. C ep a lco has a p e a k demand of 150-170MW within its franchise area covering Cagayan de Oro, and the Misamis Oriental towns of Tagoloan, Villanueva and Jasaan. Besides its curtailed allotment of 58-48 MW from PSALM, Cepalco can also call on an additional 50MW from its embedded generators operated by affiliate Minergy from bunker diesel, hydro and solar sources. On top of this, it can still tap an additional 23 MW from its partner establishments through its Interruptible Load Program (ILP). A 10MW modular diesel plant from Minergy is reportedly available and ready to operate since August, but since Cepalco still doesn’t have the provisional approval from the ERC to operate, this has been lying idle. Cepalco can generate an additional 55MW from emb edded indep endent power producers within its franchise area on a mix of diesel, hydro and solar power. This was further boosted with the operation of the first phase of the Kirahon Two Energy Corporation (KTEC) solar power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental last October.
of persons with the dreaded disease. Nepomuceno, however, could not say from which municipalities the HIV patients came from. “We have 1 person per month, it’s alarming,” she told MindaNews yesterday at the City Health Office. She said the figure does not include the persons who tested positive at their laboratory since the findings on them need to be confirmed in Manila. She added the confirmator y tests were being done at the Sexually Tr a n s m i t t e d D i s e a s e HIV Cooperative Central Laboratory of San Lazaro Hospital. Early in 2014, one person from Dapa town tested positive. Two others from Gigaquit town and Surigao City were also found to have the disease. Nepomuceno said they discovered two new additional HIV patients this year in Surigao City. Both of them are male students at a local college. She said two persons also tested positive of HIV at the Caraga Regional Hospital this year. She said 96 percent of HIV cases were found on males and only 4% are found on females, and the disease is prevalent in males having sex with males. “Majority of these are homosexuals,” she added. “Having risky behavior is among the common factors why they got inflected with it,” she said. Elvin Francisco, peer educator on HIV in Surigao City said they are helping persons with HIV to combat the stigma. “Stigma kills faster than the disease. Some of them would commit suicide and we are helping them to combat this problem because most of them don’t know what to do,” he said. He said he told the HIV patients not to engage in risky behavior because they could infect others. Francisco is the current president of Surigao Gay Association (SUGA) and has conducted campaigns on HIV/AIDS among members and non-members alike. Dr. Romulo Ybiernas, a private doctor in Dinagat has been actively campaigning on HIV/AIDS awareness. “I keep telling my friends on safe sex methods,” he said. He added people should not be afraid to undergo HIV testing and urged them to avail of the free HIV test at the City Health Office. (Roel Catoto/MindaNews)
HIV...
Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Office, of Tagoloan Misamis Oriental. DOLE-10 Regional Director R aymundo G. Ag r av ante u nd e rs c ore s TUPAD as a package of assistance that provides emergenc y employment
from page 1
Infections /HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) program of the City Health Office said health officials expressed alarm over the rising number
Benefit... from page 2
for d ispl a c e d worke rs , underemployed, and unemployed poor, for a minimum period of 10 days, but not to exceed 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed. Meanwhile, LGU Tagoloan TUPAD Coordinator and Public Employment Service Office Manager Lorimer C abu n o c on b e h a l f of Mayor Paulino Emano, was optimistic on the program. “I encourage all of you to use your hard-earned salaries accordingly. We are one with the government and DOLE towards poverty alleviation,” he further said. “Daghan kaayong salamat sa gihatag ninyong tabang sa amu dri sa Tagoloan,” Nimfa Maagad, one of the beneficiaries, said. She was one of the many who eagerly availed of the emergency employment program in Tagoloan. E r rol A . Nat iv i d a d , PFO head of D OLE-10 EMO, likewise expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the LGU for the continued support to DOLE’s program and services. (Dundee Daing/ DOLE-X EMO PFO)
Engr. Mark Gerard J. Rosales, depot superintendent of Petron Corp., expressed his gratitude to DOLE-X, “This award will surely boost the image of our company, t he reby i nc re as i ng t he productivity of our people and at the same time more customers will patronize our products.” Likewise, companies that issued policy prohibiting employment of child laborers were awarded Child LaborFree certificates, namely: (1) NPC-Agus 7 Hydroelectric Plant; (2) NPC-Agus 6 Hydroelectric Plant; (3) Filipinas Eslon MFG, Corp.; (4) Risa Traders Marketing Corp; (5) Paglaum MultiPurpose Cooperative; and (6) Medina General Hospital. “We are very pleased being declared by DOLE10 as a Child Labor-Free establishment,” Gerardo Clet, union president of Filipinas Eslon MFG. Corp, said. Child Labor-Free establishments comply with the child labor laws and regulations on minimum
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employable age, minimum hours of work, prohibition against worst forms of child labor, and hazardous work and activities for persons below 18 years of age. O n t he ot he r hand, with the celebration of the Department on its 82nd Anniversary of continued quality service to all the pr ivate workers in t he Region on 8 December 2015, DOLE-X also culminated its RCC Sportsfest which star ted last S eptember, this year. Members of the RCC-X played among each other sports like basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, and dart every Friday at 3:00 PM at Marco Hotel Sports Arena, this city. Director Agravante, being the RCC-X Chairperson, awarded the trophies to all the winners. TESDA-X was declared as the over-all champion of the sportsfest. The celebration continued throughout the day with the fun games among the RCC-10. (Mildred E. Dablio/ DOLE-10)
Awards... from page 2
on our technical assistance and services,” Agravante further said. The 2015 TCCLS awardees were: (1) Republic Biscuit Corp. of Damilag, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon; (2) MultiRich Corp. of Damilag; (3) JBC Food Corporation of Damilag; (4) FG Power Plant Corp. of Damilag; (5) Dole Philippines, Inc. (North Skyland Zone of Malaybalay City, Bukidnon; (6) Integrated Livestock and Poultry Raiser’s C ooperative of Tablon, this city; (7) Granexport Manufacturing Corp. of Kiwalan, Iligan City; (8) Petron Corp. – Iligan Depot of Cabili, Iligan City; (9) Lorenzo Tan Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Lorenzo Tan, Tangub City; and (10) RTM Sales & Consumer Group, Inc. of Ozamiz City. CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City
DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011
CDO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947
DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631
CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491
LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739
CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City
CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd.,Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011
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Redefining Energy Security:
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Power plant in community doesn’t mean the end of blackouts By Mike Baños, Editor-at-Large
Under the ongoing regime of privatization of the country’s remaining power generation and transmission assets, the time when there was only one supplier of electricity for the whole country has long gone so don’t celebrate just yet when a
power plant goes up in your community. During the latest Media Forum hosted by the National Economic & Development Authority Region X office (NEDA-X) last December 16, the need for a change in the definition of an area’s
energy security became evident following the presentation of the region’s installed and dependable capacities. According to figures culled from local distribution utilities, the Dept of Energy and the Power Sector Asset & Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), Region 10’s total installed capacity increased by 98 megawatts (MW) or a 9.17 % increase, from 1,052.8MW during the 3rd quarter of
LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR OFWs – As part of its efforts to promote food security, Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company (UNAHCO) through its poultry business unit Sarimanok Poultry Feeds joined the 5th OFW and Family Summit 2015 which was held recently at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. The annual event is organized by the Villar SIPAG Foundation and Go Negosyo to promote livelihood ideas and opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as reflected by the summit theme “Ipon Mo, I-Negosyo Mo.” Photo shows OFWs gathering in front of the UNAHCO booth asking questions and requesting for
livelihood and information materials about starting a poultry business such as raising broiler, layer, and free range chickens, as well as duck raising – all proven to be profitable business ventures for many Filipinos nowadays. The OFWs also
learned about Sarimanok’s informative weekly TV program, “Kapihan at Sarimanukan,” which airs every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. as a regular segment of the “AgriTV Hayop ang Galing” show over ABS-CBN Sports+Action Channel 23.
T
ime was when a power plant in your neighborhood guaranteed a steady, reliable supply of electricity for your home. Not anymore.
2014 to 1,166.4MW for the same period this year. This was attributed to the operationalization of embedded power plants of DUs in Iligan City and Panaon, Misamis Occidental. The installed capacity also includes embedded
generators of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co., Iligan Light and Power Co (ILPI), FIBECO, MOELCI and MORESCO II that make up 18% of the total. Embedded generators are operated by generation companies (gencos) owned by
affiliates of DUs which supply power exclusively within the franchise areas of their mother companies. It was similarly reported during the same forum that Region 10’s dependable capacity (or the electricity that the Power/PAGE B3
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Finding the ‘smart’ phone that fits perfectly in your hand Smartphones have transitioned from being merely a communication device to an all-in-one mobile technology that complements the lifestyle of different people. While functionality and simplicity are often considered by mobile phone users, a new factor comes in: how the phone feels in the hand of the user. Back in 2010, consumers believed that a 3.5-inch screen best meets their expectations of having a handy phone that easily slips into their pockets. Five years later, the norm has changed— most mobile phone users opt for smartphones that
fall under the five-inch category to get the overall experience of a tablet and a mobile device in one handset. “Since the trend of owning a five-inch phone boomed in 2015, most mobile phone manufacturers now lean towards developing products that may be classified under that category. However, some of them are missing out on the rather more important considerations in an attempt to ride with the wave,” said Michael Chen, Deputy General Manager & Product Strategy Director of Mobile Internet Group, TCL Communication.
“The thing is, consumers are looking for both functionality and sophistication in one mobile device, and that’s just what we’re going to offer.” Alcatel Flash, one of the leading mobile phone developers in Asia Pacific, launches its Flash 2 phone to offer an ergonomically designed smartphone that fits perfectly in the user’s hand. According to Michael Chen, the new flagship phone offers a perfect feel in the hand due to its remarkable workmanship. The newly unveiled Flash 2 phone has a 147gram weight, designed with a touch of sturdiness
and comfort. The arc of the phone’s back offers a delicate yet sophisticated feel when held in hand. The delicate rims give a comfortable sense to the fingers with noticeable treatment for smoothness in design while allowing no space for slippage. It has a 5.5-inch screen, runs on an Android Octa-core 1.4 GHz and with a Li-Ion 3200 mAh battery, perfect for users who want to make the most out of the Android experience. This phone is a real eye-candy
with its volcanic ash color. “The Flash 2 found its golden curve with the integration of being sensational and being rational. What makes it truly amazing is that, the back of the phone feels delicate and soft with a touch of velvet-like gritty texture slowly permeating into the palm—making it difficult to put down,” Chen said. Michael Chen recalled that the sophisticated design of the Alcatel Flash 2 was attributable to Eric
Chen, product manager of the Flash Team involved in the Flash 2’s research and development. The 25-year-old developer put into consideration today’s modern need, bearing the young people in mind who grew up in the age of mobile phones just like him. It was through his creativity when the copy “Perfect In Hand.” was first coined, referring to the smartphone. Eric Chen was caught saying, “Before, our idea smartphone/PAGE B3
BPI Family Savings Bank CDO Housing Madness opens today
Cindy Obeñita's accessory glitters as floodlights descend upon her duringOrorama Chain of Stores's segment in the Mindanao Fashion Summit last Thursday (December 10, 2015) at Limketkai Rotunda , Cagayan De Oro City. photo by mark francisco, mindanao daily news lifestyle editor
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The BPI Family Savings Bank Housing Madness is an event that brings together real estate developers under one roof to offer special deals and attractive rates for people seeking to purchase their own house or condominium. For the past years, BPI Family Housing Loan has been participating or organizing housing fairs to offer more housing packages to the Kagay-anons, especially in December when a lot of OFs come home for the holidays. From December 18 to 20, 2015, the BPI Family Savings Bank Housing Madness will feature select national and local developers like A Brown Company Inc., Argus Land Inc., Bellavita, Avida Land, Amaia Land, Alveo and Ayala Land Premier, AV Pamatong, The Loop of Camella ,
Italpinas Development Corp., Davao Joyful Homes, Filinvest Land Inc., Tuscania of Land Resources Inc., Johndorf Ventures Corp., Pueblo de Oro Development Corp, Robinsons Land Inc. and Smart Condomium of Yega Development Corp. In the line with the Bank’s commitment to provide affordable housing loan packages with specially designed financing schemes, Cagayan de Oro Housing Madness clients can enjoy the guaranteed low rates and waiver of the processing fee. When they apply for a housing loan during the madness event and book on or before Feb. 29, 2016, they will enjoy .25% rate reduction vs published rate and save P5,000 on processing fees. Prospective homebuyers can also take advantage of on-the-spot conditional approval based on income
documents presented. You will also find in the BPI Family Housing Madness partners like Union Galva Steel, Abrillo Furniture, Oro Blinds and Curtains Gallery and Rock and Style Builders. And to complete your housing loan acquistion, you will also get to talk to representatives from BPI MS and BPI Cards for your home protection like fire and Acts of Nature coverage and to help you furnish your new home, . We invite the Kagayanons to visit the Ayala Mall Centrio Activity Center from Dec. 18 to 20, 2015 and take advantage of this once a year offer. For more information, please call our CDO Business Center at 8562902 or visit us at the 2nd Floor of BPI Bldg, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City or visit any BPI or BPI Family Savings Bank branch.
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Power... from page B1
generators actually deliver to its customers) declined by 103MW or 10.31% for the third quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. This was attributed to the onset of the El Niño phenomenon which significantly affected the water levels in the AgusPulangi power complexes which still supply over 50% of Mindanao’s energy to date. The dependable capacity of power plants in Region 10 reportedly makes up 70% of the total supply for Mindanao as of September 2015. Lest, residents, and more importantly, decision makers make assumptions based on the traditional definition of energy security, they should be informed and educated on the changes being undertaken in the power industry, especially given the ongoing privatization of PSALM/NAPOCOR of the country’s remaining power generation and transmission assets. It would be misleading to say the region has this or that dependable capacity without clarifying where the power generated by a particular power plant ultimately goes. For instance, the FDC Misamis coal-fired power plant in Villanueva is designed to produce 405MW of electricity but that doesn’t mean that its host communities, even Villanueva or Misamis Oriental can claim it is “energy secure” because FDC Misamis is a merchant plant and will only supply power to DUs and industries which have a power supply contract with them approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). Another case is the 110MW coal fired power plant of Minergy Coal under construction in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Since it is an embedded power plant of Cepalco, the host community will not even receive one megawatt of power since it is outside the franchise area of Cepalco. Eventually, when the Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power plants are ultimately privatized, even if ownership remains with the government, the winning bidder through its Independent Power Producer Administrator (IPPA) contract will be the one to determine who it would allocate the power to through a power supply agreement (PSA) approved by the ERC. So don’t go celebrating the end of these pesky brownouts in your neighborhood yet just because there’s a coalfired, diesel, solar, hydro or bio-mass power plant
being constructed in your community. It would be well for residents and community leaders to first ask the power plant owners just where they are planning to sell all that power to.
Smartphone... from page B2
was just about starting from the draft and then making repeated improvements. This is because there exists differences among the hands of people and even for the same person— the left hand is not necessary the same as the right one regarding the feature. So even the slightest differences may substantially affect the details of design, resulting in big differences in users’ experience.” It was during this time when about 1,000 hands have been involved in the testing stage. As adjustment of the feel in hand resembles tailoring to one’s measure, it takes not only courage but also great patience to arrive at the curve that best fits into the hand. It is during the countless times of tests that their previous ethos of making a “Perfect In Hand.” smart phone has gradually taken shape. “We don’t want to follow blindly the market trend. Our design will take into consideration more factors. We are concerned with the market response, but we would like to provide consumers with more humanized and more individualized smart phones,” Eric Chen said. He added, “In choosing the material for the back of Flash 2, we are looking for a sturdy, comfortable and warm feel to offer consumers the sense of ease and pleasure. Eventually, we decided on the fluff paint, which meets in every aspect our requirements of the texture of the back. It offers a sense of stateliness as well as a unique touch of softness while being wearable and when there is sweat in the hand, there will not be sticky fingerprints left on the phone.” Aside from its very sleek features, the Flash 2 boasts its quick shutter button which may be found in the right part of the phone’s bottom. This makes it easier for the users to keep pressing the button for fleeting moments and shoot within two to three seconds. Eric Chen concluded, “With the fierce competition of manufacturers in terms of developing phones with ultra-specs for pixel, runtime and system, Alcatel Flash continues to gain ground in developing phones that boasts of design. In the years to come, we will continue to develop phones that are ‘Perfect In Hand.’ all for the young generation.”
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Ororama shoppers have 1 day more to avail promo By MARK FRANCISCO
ORORAMA Chain of Stores shoppers will have one more day to avail of their Bonggang Papremyo Para Sa Iyo promo today, Friday (December 18). It was learned that the last quarter and grand draws will be simultaneously held tomorrow, Saturday (December 19) at 3:00 p.m. at their main JR Borja-Mortola outlet. Ororama Chain of Stores has already given out several prizes in their three previous quarterly draws and this time, the grand prize will be given away which is one brand new Hyundai EON GL. For the last quarter draw, 46 gift certificates worth P2,000 each will be given away. Qualified to join in the promo are those who purchased their items during the period October 3 to December
19, 2015. For every P200 single-receipt purchase of sponsoring brands’ products, customer gets two raffle coupons. The participating sponsors are Nescafe Classic, Nescafe 3 in 1, Nesfruta, Surf, Sunsilk, Colgate, Safeguard, Pampers, SkyFlakes, Nido, Bear Brand, Holiday Beef Loaf, Holiday Carne Norte, Johnson’s Baby Powder, Lactum, Joy and RAM Spaghetti Sauce. Or you may also avail the promo by buying a P300-single receipt purchase from the Grocery Fresh Department or Department Store wherein customer gets one raffle coupon. The Ororama Bonggang Papremyo Para Sa Iyo is authorized by DTI-MOR-X-0012 Series of 2015.
Recognizing the impact of technology in the education system, Globe Telecom through its information and communications technology (ICT) arm Globe Business, realizes that the integration of technology and innovative education solutions could answer issues confronting the Philippine education system. Working with the education sector, Globe Business targets the ubiquity of mobile access and its growing connected base, improving the service and answering the difficulties
with innovative solutions. Globe partnered with top companies such as Brightspace of D2L, Educube of Globals and Flipside to find innovative solutions to offer Philippine schools and students access to a global learning experience. Brightspace provides more than a simple course of management capabilities on a Learning Management System (LMS). It is the only accessible, intuitive and Integrated Learning Platform that provides an engaging learning experience
Globe Business primes PH education system for 21st century with education solutions portfolio and predictive data-driven analytics while empowering teachers to teach the way they prefer to and inspiring students to learn the way they want them to learn. Educube, a school management system recognized worldwide, is a cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for schools that help streamline and automate the school’s business processes. A pioneer in the Global eBook industry, Flipside has serviced some of the largest publishers in the world. Flipside uses its expertise to enable schools to develop and provide affordable educational content through digital libraries, eBook creation and distribution. The solutions that have been provided are all available to teachers and students at the touch of a mobile device. “Education is probably the most impactful longterm development goal that technology can aid. In terms of relevance, Filipinos place education at the top of their priorities as a means to equalize access to opportunities and lift families from poverty. There are also clear opportunities in content and access, the latter being particularly addressable through mobile and broadband infrastructure,” Mike Frausing, Globe Senior Advisor for Enterprise and IT Enabled Services Group. He added, “With a very high pervasiveness rate, mobile phones and portable devices are now affordable and top 100%
in population penetration, potentially providing a direct connection to all, anywhere, anytime. With an incrementally growing connected base, broadband penetration is increasing rapidly, bringing more Filipinos to the Internet, seeding more connected digital communities.” “With this in mind, we are setting in motion the country’s mEducation and eLearning segments through a robust suite of Education Solutions, hinged upon our core value proposition of lifelong learning. This is by way of corresponding tools for richer learning, more effective teaching, and efficient administration. We are hopeful that these initiatives commence ‘a powerful shift in the way education is delivered’,” Frausing emphasized. As a leader in mobile technology, innovation and digital services, Globe has been in mEducation since its participation in Text2Teach, conceptualized in 2003 by Nokia, Pearson, the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Text2Teach has demonstrated its impact to the education system and its relevance to the Filipino student and teacher through integration of ICT with content. For more information on Globe Education Solutions, go to http://www.globe.com.ph/ education or send an email to educationsolutions@globe. com.ph.
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The Seda Trees of Christmas Seda Hotel Centrio is celebrating Christmas with this brilliant idea of displaying beautiful Christmas Trees with different designs, advocacies and inspirations by prominent personalities in the community. According to them, they plan to make this a tradition. I received a letter of invite from Angela Pupos - Seda Hotel Communications Officer, Noel Barrameda - Seda Hotel Manager and Shine Casiño - Eventologist/ Society P.R./Fashion Stylist/Designer inviting me to be part of this oneof-a-kind event.
Of course, I said yes. I was glad to be invited to display my own Christmas Tree at Seda. Special thanks to my mom, Denvi, for being efficient coordinating and helping me out. Also, a big thank you to Rey Cabactulan and Job Recososa for helping me decorate my beautiful tree. My idea was just simple. I wanted the traditional green Christmas Tree with a touch of my favorite color, white. To make it more sparkling and classy, I added some silver ornaments and warm lights as well. For my tree topper, of course,
my favorite white roses! Simple yet elegant. My fellow participants are Cathy Tan, Kap. Jay Pascual, Emily Ceballos, Gigi Lazaga, Angel Paras, Bebotte Chu, Catherine Chu and Patrick Gabutina. Our trees are on exhibit from December 14-25, 2015 at the hotel lobby on the 4th floor. You can all check them out there. Thank you, Seda Hotel Centrio for this fun activity! For more photos from this event, visit www. EmpressMichelleFrancisco. com Merry Christmas, everyone!
Decorating my tree on a busy Sunday... Top Left Photo: Michelle Francisco; Bottom Right Photo: Rey Cabactulan, Job Recososa, Denvi Cabrera & Michelle Francisco
Zonta Club 1 of Cagayan de Oro Christmas Party Zonta International is a global organization that seeks to empower women worldwide by improving the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women at the global and local levels through service and advocacy. Our projects are the likes of livelihood programs that support women to have financial resources, skills training, educational opportunities for children, health services for women and children living in rural or poor urban areas, violence against women
EMPRESS M Seated from left to right:Bebotte Chu, Gloria See, Belen Elizaga, Telly Pacheco, Josephine Go, Lily Lim ; Standing from left to right: Angela Dayrit Kho, Dianne Lim, Carol Gambe, Jundee See, Sheryll Macarangal, Nenita Tan, Julie Ang, Gie Villarin, Rose Paras, Sheryl Pacheco, Carol Neri, Tess Fernandez, Grace Go, Lina Faburada, Aleli Ramirez, Denvi Cabrera, Sarah Borja, Michelle Francisco, Bee Gotil
and many more. Those are just some of what Zontians do. I am proud to be a member of this organization. I love being around women with different backgrounds because I learn a lot from them. It’s the time of the year where we celebrate our Christmas party and enjoy some good food and games. This time it was held at the lovely home of our President Josephine Go. For more photos from this activity, visit www. EmpressMichelleFrancisco. com
M
Love,
You can follow me at the following social media:
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