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BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Volume VI, No. 078

Market Indicators

As of 6:12 pm December 18, 2015 (friday)

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Briefly Byaheng Pagbabago BUTUAN City -- Partners from the media groups and National Government Agencies (NGAs) in Caraga join the Byaheng Pagbabago on December 8-10, 2015 at the municipality of Pilar, Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte. Spearheaded by the Social Marketing Unit (SMU) team of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga, the Stakeholders’ Learning Visit and Project Exposure Trip dubbed as Byaheng Pagababago was actively participated by the various partners and stakeholders of the agency. Partners who attended are the representatives from GMA News-Surigao, Democratico Post, Super Banat, Hope Radio, Philippine News Agency, Butuan Star, Philhealth, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

El Niño Fund THE President has approved an allocation of about P19 billion for projects aimed at mitigating the possible impact of the El Niño phenomenon on agriculture and other sectors, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). President Benigno S. C. Aquino III on Dec. 11 approved the funding for to implement the Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Niño, NEDA DirectorGeneral Arsenio M. Balisacan said. “Roughly about P6.6 billion is in the current budget and the rest will be sourced from the savings from other programs like [those which] turned out to be cheaper” than the initial estimates, he added.

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Monday | December 21, 2015

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

HE recent commitment to renew and strengthen ties between the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia with the four member countries of the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) will be pursued initially through partnerships among academic and research institutions for human resource development.

Representatives of the NT and EAGA members Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines

(BIMP) have started discussing in recent month the possible connection research/PAGE 7

RISKING AGAINST FLOOD. A driver risks driving his tricycle through the flooded road in Barangay Pigdaulan in Butuan City Saturday. Several rice farming communities in Butuan were flooded by the heavy rains brought by the low pressure area after tropical depression “Onyok” weakened just before landfall in Davao Oriental. mindanews photo by erwin mascarinas

Redefining energy security:

A power plant in your community doesn’t mean the end of blackouts By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large

TIME was when a power plant in your neighborhood guaranteed a steady, reliable supply of electricity for your home. Not anymore.

Un d e r t h e o n g o i n g 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. power/PAGE 7

Banana growers seek DA help vs Mokillo By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

DAVAO C it y - - Maj or banana exporters have given assurances that individual companies are ready to

ensure the biosecurity of their products, but still called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to

include the Mokillo disease as a priority area of research. In a st ate m e nt , t he Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, banana/PAGE 7

Fisherfolk who have been affected by the massive fish kill in Lake Mainit in Surigao del Norte resort to hauling sand and gravel as alternative livelihood. Most fisherfolk suspect that the fish kill was caused by mining activities. mindanews photo by roel catoto

BFAR: Fish kill due to low dissolved oxygen By ROEL CATOTO, MindaNews

KITCHARAO, Agusan del Norte – The incidents of fish kill in Lake Mainit have been traced to low dissolved oxygen in the country’s fourth largest lake, initial findings of the Bureau of Fisheries and

Aquatic Resources-(BFAR) Caraga said. Tilapia and carp have been found floating dead in Lake Mainit since a month ago. The fish kill has affected bfar/PAGE 6

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Economy

hired on the spot DOLE awards labor compliant, Jobseekers rises to 35% in Oroquieta City child-labor free establishments

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 er tific ate during the Department of Labor and Employment region 10 (DOLE 10) 82nd Anniversar y held on 4 December 2015 in Opol,

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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 (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 hor it y ( T E SDA ) , Office of Workers Welfare Assoociation (OWWA), Philippine Overseas Employment Association (POEA), Professional Regulation Commission

O R O Q U I E TA C i t y - Jobseekers hired-on-the-spot (HOTS) during the job fair conducted on 21 November 2015 at the Provincial Capitol Annex Building, Capitol Site Oroquieta city summed up to 239 out of 474 registered job applicants; 35 percent higher than the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE’s) 15 percent HOTS target. Of t he tot a l HOT S, 7.9 percent were for local e mpl oy me nt w h i l e t he remaining 92 percent were for overseas jobs. According to DOLE-X MisOcc PFO Head Leonardo Rodrigo, the figures showed a great fraction of the applicants were skilled and qualified to have landed the jobs. Cited in the PESO report, 256 registered applicants were deemed qualified. While

(PRC), Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity B oard (RTWPB), and the Public 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 dole/PAGE 6

some, 150 of them were referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for skills training and enhancement. Also, of the total number of applicants, 115 were asked to return for further interview (FFI). “We hope to grow the number of participants ever y year and further expand our coverage to benefit more people in the province, especially the youth, unemployed, and many others to find productive job opportunities both in local and overseas,” Rodrigo assured. A total of 4,275 vacancies were available for jobseekers at the recently concluded job fair attended by some private establishments and overseas recruitment firms, with nine hired/PAGE 6

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CorporateWorld

monday|december 21, 2015

DTI files case vs Mitsubishi Motors PHL T HE Department o f Tr a d e a n d Industr y (DTI) on Thursday said it had filed an administrative case against Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) over claims that the comp any s old defective, hazardous and dangerous products following complaints about its Montero Sport car model. D an i l o B. E n r i qu e z , director of the DTI’s Fair Trade and Enforcement Bureau, said in a phone interview that his office’s

adjudication division had f iled the formal charge versus MMPC for violating Philippine consumer protection laws. He said the the bureau filed the case motu proprio or “on our own and not necessarily with a complainant.” “As l ong as we have sworn statements [we can file the case],” he said. The cas e aros e f rom the sworn statements of 24 complainants over alleged incidents of sudden and unintended acceleration (SUA) involving Montero

Cebu Pacific launches new flight to Japan GOKONGWEI-led Cebu Pacific has expanded its network in Japan with the launch of its maiden flight to Fukuoka on Friday. In a statement, the budget carrier said it will fly to Fukuoka three times a week -- every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Cebu Pacific will utilize its brand-new Airbus A320 fleet, with 180 all-economy class seats. Fukuoka is Cebu Pacific’s fourth destination in Japan. The airline operates direct flights from Manila to Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya, and from Cebu to Tokyo. Latest data from the Japan National Tourism Organization show that Filipino tourist arrivals in Japan grew 44% year-on-year to more than 211,000 in the first eight months of 2015. Japan, on the other hand,

ranked third in terms of the Philippines’ foreign tourist arrival sources from January to September this year. Likewise, Cebu Pacific mounte d dire c t f lig hts between Cebu and Taipei, Taiwan, as well as between Davao and Singapore. “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 every Juan,” Cebu Pacific Vice-President for Marketing and Distribution Candice A. Iyog was quoted in the statement as saying. Cebu Pacific’s network now spans 64 destinations on over 98 routes, including flights to Guam, Dubai, Doha, Sydney, Bali, Seoul, and Beijing.

Developer Arthaland buys prime property in Cebu B OUTIQUE developer Arthaland Corp. said it recently acquired a prime property in Cebu City, as it seeks to take advantage of the demand from the growing information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector. In a disclosure to the stock exchange, Arthaland said it recently incorporated Cebu Lavana Land Corporation, which acquired two parcels of adjacent land in Cebu City. The property has a total area of 8,440 square meters. Arthaland, in a separate statement, said it is looking

to develop an office building, with at least 51,000 square meters of high grade space, on the property located in Cebu IT Park. “We are bullish on the VisMin market given its fast paced growth in the past few years. We believe that Cebu, being a global hub in this part of the country, plays a major role in further lifting Central and Southern Philippines’ economy,” Angie de Villa-Lacson, Arthaland president and CEO, was quoted in the statement as saying. Arthaland/PAGE 7

Sport units. The department r e c o m m e n d e d t ap p i n g t h i rd - p a r t y e x p e r t s t o f u r t he r i nve st i g ate t he reported incidents, and getting foreign laboratories to conduct the tests. The investigation will determine whether a recall of Montero Sport units in the country is warranted. For it s p ar t , M M P C said it welcomed the DT I’s re c om me nd at i on to hire independent t h i rd - p a r t y e x p e r t s t o “perform all relevant tests and investigation on the

Montero Sport.” “MMPC, DTI investigation panel, and Department of Science and Technolog y will lay out within 30 days the terms and c ond it i ons for t he conduct of investigation by such third party expert,” the car company said in a statement. MMPC also welcomed the DTI recommendation to conduct free inspection and mandatory preventive m a i n t e n a n c e o f “a l l D T I i d e n t i f i e d S UA complainants vehicles” and issue quality reassurance

certification. “We assure all Montero Sport owners that we remain committed to a transparent resolution of this alleged SUA issue and to provide safe and quality vehicles. MMPC deeply regrets and sympathizes with its customers that have been affected by the alleged SUA issues. MMPC will continue to work with its customers to assure their safety,” it added. MMPC has repeatedly d e n i e d Mo nt e r o Sp o r t vehicles are defective. In earlier statements,

MMPC said the company and its parent Mitsubishi Motors Corporation ( M M C ) o f Jap a n h av e thoroughly evaluated all 97 vehicles involved in alleged SUA incidents and have found nothing wrong with them. “MMC and MMPC have concluded that the performance and behavior of the Montero Sport is completely dependent on driver action and reaction, and that the vehicle will only move up on driver intervention,” the company had previously said.

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Bees and Buzzards Think a minute…Bees and buzzards are very different in their eating habits. Buzzards fly and circle above looking for animals that are either hurt or dead. Then when they see one, they swoop down to tear and feast on it until it’s gone. But honeybees are the exact opposite. Honeybees only look for the good sweet nectar, as they fly from flower to flower. Buzzards only produce fear, pain, and death in their feeding. But honeybees produce honeycombs full of honey, which gives health and enjoyment to others. You see, buzzards and bees always find what they’re looking for. Just like a wife can usually find what she’s looking for in her husband. She’ll see what she chooses to see: the good or the bad. So if we’ll focus on our husband’s faults and mistakes, we’ll find them. And the more fault we find in our husband, the less we’ll respect him. So then when our husband feels that we don’t respect him, maybe even see him as a loser and failure, guess who’s the last person he will want to be with? His wife! Since he feels he can never please her or be good enough for her. But rather, if we try to look for the good qualities in our husband, and focus on those, we can grow to respect even admire him. Then when our

THINK

A Minute

Jhan Tiafau Hurst husband feels this respect from us, because we stop cutting him down and criticizing him, our marriage and relationship will be much happier. As a wise person said: “To your husband’s qualities and good points, be very kind; and to his faults and mistakes—a little blind.” Fortunately, there is a big difference between us and buzzards and bees. Animals cannot choose their instincts and behavior. But God made us human beings the highest of all His creation, so we can choose what we think, say, and do. So if you’ve not been the kind, loving wife you know you should be, won’t you ask Jesus Christ to forgive you? Right now ask Him to take charge of your heart and nature, so you can start changing to become the wife your husband needs. Just Think a Minute …

Opinion

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Act like a President Citizen Eddie Ramos had to step in and issue this reminder to two presidential candidates: “Act like a Philippine President”. With these words , senior statesman Eddie Ramos admonished candidates Mar Roxas and Rodrigo Duterte to stop posturing as if they are about to kill one another. Instead of fighting one another, they should fight a common enemy . Citizen Eddie asked the protagonists in the political kalye-serye to re-channel their energies to fighting poverty, fighting or preparing for national calamities, and mitigating climate change. A President, according to Citizen Eddie, must be a national model who is globally competitive. This is because a President will not only be compared with another Philippine President but with other world leaders. Thus, a Philippine President must be world class. Very well said. But whether the senior stateman’s advice would temper the exuberance of politicos or prevent future similar confrontations remains to be seen. In a country like ours where political partisans are quick to turn a blind eye on the fault of their leaders,

Citizen Eddie’s advice may not effectively resonate. Alre ady, I he ar t he following comments from the men in the streets to justify the actuations of Duterte and Roxas. Referring to Duterte’s penchant for badmouthing practically anybody, one supporter said: “Bakit, di ba si Quezon ang hilig ding magmura. “ I also heard the following comments: “Si Lacson nga (referring to the late Manila Mayor Arsenic Lacson) hinamon din ng barilan yung nanginsulto sa kanya.” “Si Rizal at si Luna naghamunan din sa duelo dahil sa isang babaeng Pranses.” Others, however, have a different take of the situation. Cynics believe that what happened is just for show not unlike the thrash talks and antics of prize fighters who pretend to almost come to blows during a pre-fight weigh-in. “Zarsuela lang yan. Para lagi silang napapag-usapan at maging laman ng balita.” This comment may have a ring of truth in it. Media savvy politicos have learned to leverage the use of hyperboles

to catch attention. Media meantime appears to have developed the penchant for pitting one political adversary against another as in a cockfight. Without any doubt, both Roxas and Duterte gained a lot of media mileage because of the sampalan-suntukanbarilan episode. In politics as in showbiz, any news – good or bad – is good news. Netizens, meanwhile, had a field day posting and sharing a viral video as a reaction to Roxas’ seemingly sexist comment. Roxas was first to up the dare from sampalan to suntukan. Yung sampalan para sa mga babae lang, Roxas supposedly said. The You-tube video (https://www.youtube.com/ w at ch ? v = qt 9 X Z Z k y i e c ) showed that in Punjab (a region that straddles Pakistan an d Nor t hw e s t In d i a ) sampalan, locally known as kabaddi, is a very popular man’s sport. In kabaddi, bare-chested prot agonists slap e ach other in a wide open field as hundreds of spectators cheer and jeer usually to the accompaniment of snare drums. The protagonists make no effort to evade or block the hard slaps which they take in

SPEAKING

O ut

Ignacio Bunye the face, in the arms and in the body. The contest ends when one protagonist is jostled to the ground or is pushed out of the slapping area. -- The first Philippine transgender typhoon PAGASA officials hurriedly renamed last week’s typhoon “Nonoy” to “Nona”. The weathermen, who supposedly received a tongue-lashing from a palace official, apparently panicked and just picked the first name that came to mind. Had they just paused a little and given it more thought, they could have renamed the typhoon as “Nonito” after Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire. Note: You may email us at totingbunye2000@gmail.com.

PAF gives choice awards to female pilot LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, the Holy Bible). -ooo SCION OF DOMINGOSAPALO FAMILIES TOPS PAF COURSE: Here is a news release from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) which is very close to my heart, and to the hearts as well of the family of my wife, former Judge Angelina Domingo Mauricio, because it involves one of their relatives who is succeeding in life beyond their wildest dreams. Read on: “A female pilot of an F-27 Fokker aircraft of the 220th Airlift Wing, Capt. Martha Lissa Domingo Sapalo PAF, topped the 50- man-strong Squadron Officer Course (SOC) Class 2015-B, which was participated in by 47 Philippine Air Force, two Royal Malaysian Air Force, and one Indonesian Air Force, captains. “ S a p a l o’s f e a t w a s disclosed during the

graduation exercise for the course on December 10, 2015 at Multi-Purpose Hall, Air Force Officer School (AFOS), Fernando Air Base, Lipa City, Batangas, with the Commanding General, Philippine Air Force, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey F. Delgado AFP, as the guest of honor. -ooo YOUNG FEMALE PILOT BARES OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: “SOC is a four-month course which is a pre-requisite for the enrolles to be promoted to the next higher rank of major. The objectives of the course are to train and provide the students with applicable skills, knowledge, and character on various fields like communication, military strategy, air power, leadership and management. “The SOC Class 2015-B started last August 10, 2015 and completed the course on December 10, 2015, under the supervision of the Commandant of AFOS, Col. Samson L. Perez, PAF GSC. “Based on the overall standing, the top three graduates were: 1. CPT MARTHA LISSA D SAPALO PAF- CG, PAF Award; 2. CPT MELVIN B COMIA PAF- Commander, AETC

Award;3. CPT MICHAEL J MACASAET PAF - Deputy Commander, AETC Award. -ooo PA F G I V E S F O U R CHOICE AWARDS TO TOP F E M A L E P I LO T: “O t he r a ch i e ve me nt s formally awarded during the graduation rites were: Distinguished G r a du at e Aw ard : C P T MELVIN B COMIA PAF; CPT CHRISTOPER G AYENZA; CPT CONNERY A MORALES PAF. B est Debater: CPT CONNERY A MORALES PAF; Best Writer Award: CPT MARTHA LISSA D SAPALO PAF; Best Speaker Award: CPT MARTHA LISSA D SAPALO PAF Academic Excellence: CPT MARTHA LISSA D SAPALO PAF. “Honor Graduate Award: CPT LAMBERTO B BULLAN JR PAF; Athletic Excellence Award: CPT JAYSON B TAMONDONG PAF; Leadership Award: CPT MARTHA LISSA D SAPALO PAF; Best Commandant’s P a p e r Aw a r d : C P T CRESTITO E TOLENTINO PAF, who authored a paper entitled, “Philippine Air Defense System”. “In behalf of the entire SOC Class 2015B, the CG,PAF made a

K akampi

Mo A ng Batas

Atty. Batas Mauricio symbolic pinning of SOC badge to CPT WALTER O CABATINGAN PAF as their Class President…” For the complete list of those who graduated from the course and some pictures of the graducation affair, please refer to my Facebook account, www.facebook.com/ attybatas. -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 www. facebook.com/ANDKNK (and look for “Ang Tanging Daan” broadcasts). Phone: 0922 833 43 96, 0918 574 0193, 0977 805 9058. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.

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Banking&Finance

BSP revises BOP projections for 2015, 2016 THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Friday released a report on its reassessment of the 2015 and 2016 balance of payments (BOP) projections, incorporating the latest available data to-date. The reassessment also reflects recent and prosp ective economic developments, both domestic and global, that could have a bearing on the outlook for the country’s external payments position. The outlook for the 2015 BOP surplus is maintained at US$2.0 billion, a reversal from the shortfall recorded in 2014 of $2.9 billion. The current account balance is projected to remain in surplus, albeit at lower levels. At the same time, the outflow in the financial account is seen to be lower. As a result, year-end gross international reserves (GIR) are anticipated to be around $80.7 billion, an improvement from the $79.5 billion posted in 2014. At this level, the GIR remain ample, covering nearly 10 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and income. The current account is projected to remain in surplus, albeit at a lower amount of $8.9 billion, equivalent to 3.0 percent of GDP. The downward revision is due to the expected widening of the trade deficit as exports

growth is seen to be slower than previously projected. The year-on-year change in goods exports is revised to a drop of 4.0 percent on account of the continued softening of global growth prospects dragged by the slowdown in China, impact of a possibly strong and protracted El Niño, decline in metals prices, and less optimistic outlook by export industry groups. Meanwhile, growth in goods imports is expected to be flat year-on-year, a slight deceleration from t h e e ar l i e r proj e c t i on . This is due mainly to the continued decline in energy and metal prices as well as weaker prospects for importintensive manufac tures exports such as electronics. The sustained surplus in the current account is expected to be supported by overseas Filipino (OF) remittances and robust receipts from business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism. The growth of OF remittances in 2015, the central bank said, is seen to decline slightly from 5.0 percent to 4.0 percent with the continued dollar appreciation relative to the currencies of major host countries. However, c ont i nu e d re m it t a n c e s from OFs are still expected bsp/PAGE 6

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99 year-old pensioners can avail of P100,000 loan • Veterans Bank Launches PVAO Pension Loan Christmas Promo EVEN 99-year old pensioners can get up to a Php 100,000 loan from Veterans Bank. This was bared by PVB chairman Roberto de Ocampo during the launching of the Bank’s improved pension loan for PVAO pensioners. “Pensioners can loan up to P100k with us. Think this will be of help to them. Plus if they avail of a loan this December, they get a free small appliance from PVB as a Christmas gift,” said Mike Villa Real, PVB VP for Corporate Communications. Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB), the commercial bank owned by Filipino World War II veterans and their descendants, is making this Christmas merrier for its Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) pensioners with the twin launch of its improved pension loan and Christmas promo. Starting this month, P VAO p e ns i one rs w ho receive their monthly pension from PVB will now be able to get a pension loan for the maximum amount of P100,000. Previously, the Bank offered its pensioners P20,000 and P45,000 loan options. However,

PVB Chairman Roberto de Ocampo (rightmost) and President Nonilo Cruz (leftmost) flank the top winner of the raffle held during the launch of the bank’s improved PVAO Pension Loan product and its Christmas promo.

understanding the financial needs that its pensioners face, the Bank has upped the loanable amount offering pensioners them flexibility with loan terms extended from three to five years. This is great news this holiday season for PVAO pensioners who are comprised mostly of surviving Filipino World War II veterans, their

widows, and retired personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Additionally, pensioners with existing pension loans with PVB can re-avail of the higher loan amount as long as they have already paid at least two amortizations of their current loan. Alongside the increase of its pension loan, PVB

also launches its Christmas promo for pensioners entitled “Pamaskong Handog”. From December 11 to 29 this 2015, PVAO pensioners who successfully avail of the P100,000 loan will receive a special appliance gift from PVB. Not only will pensioners enjoy the benefits of the loan/PAGE 6

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monday|december 21, 2015

BFAR... from page 1

the livelihood of hundreds of fisherfolk who depend on the lake for their livelihood. Fisherfolk in towns of Mainit and Alegria in Surigao del Norte including Kitcharao and Jabongga in Agusan del Norte had earlier said they suspect mining activities upstream are to blame for the fish kill. Dr. Anne Melisa Talavera, officer-in-charge of BFAR’s Regional Fish Health Laboratory of BFAR, told MindaNews Friday that parts of the lake have low dissolved oxygen, at two parts per million (ppm), from the normal level of at least four ppm. She said bigger tilapia need more dissolved oxygen to survive. “That’s exactly one of the reasons why bigger ones are affected by the fish kill in Lake Mainit,” she said. Using Hach Water Test Kit, Talaver said they conducted an inspection on November 26, December 3, and 9 in the towns of Alegria and Mainit in Surigao del Norte and in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte on December 16. BFAR also took samples of water and samples of dead fish for laboratory examinations in Manila. Nerio Casil, Director of BFAR-Caraga told MindaNews last Thursday that they also tested the water for presence of heavy metals. “Water and fish are also checked for bacterial analysis,” he said. Casil debunked reports that their office has done nothing on the fish kill. “Right after we received information, we immediately acted on it,” he said. Casil reacted to a statement of Judith Rojas, assistant director of BFAR-Caraga. Rojas last week that their office did not receive any request letter from affected local government units. “We made an effort immediately. In fact, we are waiting for the results this week from Manila,” Casil said. Dissolved oxygen levels Darwin Brain Lawas, a marine biologist of Green Mindanao Association said fish growth usually requires 5

to 6 ppm of dissolved oxygen. “Dissolved oxygen levels below 3 ppm are stressful to most aquatic organisms. Levels below 2 ppm will not support fish at all,” he said. There are lots of causes why dissolved oxygen gets low in a body of water. He cited sudden change of water temperature, purity level, algal bloom, soil erosion and siltation. Talavera said they should have gotten water samples a few days into the fish kill. “The report came to us late because it was two weeks after the fish kill,” she said. Talavera stressed that water parameters such as total suspended solids and total dissolved solids were not included in their tests. adding other agencies could do it. The BFAR-Caraga could not give the exact number of affected fisherfolk in the lake towns despite having launched a program a year ago, to register the number of fisherfolk per municipality. ‘Don’t eat the fish’ Talavera advised residents not to eat the floating dead fish. “It’s not advisable to eat the dead ones especially those in a state of decomposition,” she said. She urged fishermen to retrieve the dead fish and bury them to avoid the spread of bacteria. Talavera said she has not received reports of people who got sick from eating freshlycaught tilapia from the lake. But majority of the people around lake Mainit have tried not to eat the fish, waiting for official announcement from the BFAR. As of Saturday, BFAR has not released the results of the laboratory analysis. Economically affected Fisherfolk around Lake Mainit are spending a bleak Christmas due to the fish kill. Junmar Mosende, 33, a fish vendor at the public market said that since the fish kill a month ago, it’s been a month of low incomes for them. Mosende sells tilapia at for 60 per kilo, from P120 to P140 per kilo before the fish kill. “Malabo ang pamasko namo ini kay alkansi sa tinda,” (We have a sad Christmas bccause of our losses), he said. Some eateries here have

been abstaining from cooking tilapia. Nora Ga, a worker of Hill Top Food House, said they have not cooked tilapia since the fish kill occurred. Fishermen in Barangay San Roque here said this fish kill have adversely affected their livelihood.

DOLE... from page 2

of Excellence (TSE), priority access to technical assistance and services of DOLE and its attached agencies, and use TCCLS in promotional activities and advertisement of its products/services. DOLE-10 Regional Director Raymundo G. Agravante was very pleased with the recipientcompanies that voluntarily complied with the labor standards. “I urge the companies to continue and strengthen their status as labor-laws compliant,” Agravante added. “We are happy to 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 on our technical assistance and services,” Agravante further said. The 2015 TCCLS awardees were: (1) Republic Biscuit Corp. of Damilag, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon; (2) Multi-Rich 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 Cooperative 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. 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, thereby increasing the 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 Labor-Free certificates, namely: (1) NPCAgus 7 Hydroelectric Plant; (2) NPC-Agus 6 Hydroelectric Plant; (3) Filipinas Eslon MFG, Corp.; (4) Risa Traders Marketing Corp; (5) Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative; and (6) Medina General Hospital. “We are very pleased being declared by DOLE-10 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 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. On the other hand, with the celebration of the Department on its 82nd Anniversary of continued quality service to all the private workers in the Region on 8 December 2015, DOLE-X also culminated its RCC Sportsfest which started last September, 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)

Hired... from page 2

participating employers— one local and eight overseas. He also stressed the importance of an “effective dissemination strategy” as an integral part of a job fair. Aside from the job vacancies, services were offered to the jobseekers by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). The job fair was in celebration of the 86th Provincial Anniversary and the 6th Pasungko Festival

of Misamis Occidental through coordination of the Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) with the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. X (DOLE-X), through its Misamis Occidental Provincial Field Office (MisOcc PFO). (Lei Garrett I. Miraflor/DOLE-X MisOcc PFO)

BSP...

from page 5

on account of the steady deployment of OF workers, greater diversification of country destinations and shift to higher-skilled types of work. The balance of the financial account is expected to post a lower outflow of $3.1 billion from the previous forecast to reflect lower residents’ acquisition of financial assets abroad with the possible tightening in external financing. While the global financial environment is expected to remain volatile, the bullish business confidence is expected to support the continued entry of foreign direct investments (FDI). Outlook for 2016 The overall BOP position in 2016 is expected to increase to $2.2 billion, even with the anticipated lower current account surplus compared to the 2015 forecast, as this is expected to be partially offset by a reversal in the financial account from a projected net outflow in 2015 to a small net inflow in 2016. The projected surplus in the overall BOP balance is seen to result in an increase in the 2016 GIR level to $82.7 billion (equivalent to 9.0 months import cover) from $80.7 billion (nearly 10 months import cover) projected in 2015. Overall, the BSP forecasts the external position of the Philippines improving in 2015 and 2016 from a deficit in 2014. The BOP outlook for 2015 is supported by a resilient current account surplus supported by robust receipts from OF remittances, tourism earnings and BPO revenues. The moderate improvement of the outlook in the financial account considers the impact of more aggressive easing by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of Japan (BOJ)

which may offset partially the spillover effect arising from the expectations of US Fed’s interest rate shift in the last quarter of 2015. The BOP surplus in 2016, according to BSP, will be supported by sustained yields from the exports of goods and services (i.e., tourism and BPOs) and remittances from overseas Filipinos, as well as increase in the inflow of FDIs in the country. While the global economic outlook in 2016 is expected to improve slightly, uncertainty and caution still remain. Nevertheless, the Philippine economy is expected to exhibit continued resilience on the back of strong domestic economic activities.

Loan... from page 5

higher loan proceeds but they will also get to take home a small appliance like a flat iron, electric kettle, one-burner gas stove, desk fan, among others. To be eligible for the promo, a PVAO pensioner simply has to apply for the P100,000 loan at any of PVB’s 60 branches nationwide from December 11 to 29, 2015. Once the loan is approved and credited, the pensioner receives a gift voucher from PVB which can then be used to claim a prize from partner merchants. In a simple launch of the product and promo held at PVB’s Camp Aguinaldo branch, PVB Chairman Roberto de Ocampo and President Nonilo Cruz gave the gathered audience composed of PVAO pensioners, veteran families, and guests from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP), a sampling of the appliances that can be redeemed from PVB’s Pamaskong Handog Promo. Mr. De Ocampo also delivered a special message on the bank’s continued efforts to better its service to PVAO pensioners and extended its support to members of the uniformed service. In response, PVAO Administrator Lt. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, thanked PVB for its commitment to the veterans and the rest of the retirees from the military and enjoined the audience to continuously support PVB.

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Research... from page 1

points on tourism, small and medium enterprises, and socioculture and education. The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), in a statement, said the two areas are now exploring the “possible collaboration between and among the academe and research institutions of the two regions” and agreed to “promote cooperation among universities and technical institutions in developing academic and professional human resource.” T h e a g re e m e nt w a s made during the BIMPEAGA Ministerial Meeting in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia last week with Peter Styles, NT Minister for Asian Engagement and Trade, joining the signing ministers of the four countries. In a joint statement released after the meeting, the BIMP-EAGA ministers said: “We welcome the reengagement with the Northern Territory of Australia as a Development Partner. We look forward to a fruitful Ministerial Meeting with Northern Territory to discuss and agree on the proposed Plan of Action for the BIMPEAGA and Northern Territory Cooperation.” “We also agreed to explore the development of a student exchange program focusing on areas of commonality under the Australian Awards program,” said Secretary Luwalhati R. Antonino, MinDA chair and signing minister for the Philippines. On trade, they agreed

to push the private sector “to take an active role in establishing networks and cooperation with counterparts from Australia such as NT’s chambers of commerce.” MinDA said a joint study on the two regions’ trade complementarity and other future trade linkages that involve supply chains was also discussed during the meeting. The NT government i nv i t e d B I M P- E AG A representatives to join in the Northern Territory Business Festival in April next year as they are also planning to hold the Darwin Dialogue during the event. They also agreed to promote both regions as eco-tourism destinations and would share best practices on tourism development. “In recognition of the rich heritage, cultures and traditions of the BIMP-EAGA and NT, the signing ministers encourage collaboration to develop sociocultural activities that can contribute to building strong foundation for greater understanding and good neighborliness,” Ms. Antonino said.

Power... from page 1

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

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). Anot her cas e is t he 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

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region Branch 25 Cagayan de Oro City

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region Branch 41 Cagayan de Oro City

OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL SHERIFF

BALIKATAN PROPERTY HOLDINGS, INC., EJF NO.2015-261 Mortgagee, FOR : SPS. ROGELIO Z. BINONGO & EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE ILLUMINADA P. BINONGO, REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE Mortgagors. x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -/

SHERIFF’S NOTICE OF SALE EJF File No. 2015-289 Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended, filed by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND or PAG-IBIG FUND, Mortgagee, with address at J.R. Borja Street, Cagayan de Oro City, against ROY W. IGNACIO, Mortgagor, with postal address at Lot 22, Block 14, Bloomingdale Subdivision, Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City/Zone 6, Molugan, El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as of October 15,2015, amounts to SEVEN HUNDRED SIXTY TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TEN PESOS & 17/100 (P 762,210.17) Philippine Currency, as outstanding obligation, inclusive of interest and penalty charges and other charges that may accrue thereafter, plus the foreclosure expenses, the undersigned Sheriff will SELL at public auction on January 18, 2016 at 10:00 o’clock in the morning or soon thereafter at the entrance of the City Tourism Hall, City Hall Compound, Regional Trial Court, Branch 25, Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder for CASH and in Philippine Currency, the property mentioned in the said mortgage which is described as follows: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 137-2011004056 “A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot 22, Block 14, PCS-10-003948 portion of Lots 3615-B, PSD-10-004675, 24178-A, PSD-10-009444, 3614-A-1-B, PSD-10-009566, 24178-B-1, PSD-10-010320, 24178-B-2-A, PSD-10-052968, 24178-B-2-B-1, PSD-10-054199, 24178-B-2-B-6,PSD-10-054199,4178-C-1, PSD-10-054997,3605,CAD. 237, Cagayan Cadastre. Situated at Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City. Including all improvements existing thereon. Bounded on the x x x. Beginning at x x x. Containing an area of EIGHTY (80) SQUARE METERS. Registered in the name of ROY W. IGNACIO.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated date, time and place. In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date for whatever reason, the same will proceed on the following working day, without further notice, posting and publication. Prospective buyers/bidders may investigate for themselves the title of the herein above-described property and encumbrance thereon, if any there be.

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 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 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.

Cagayan de Oro City, November 27, 2015. FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROVINCIAL SHERIFF:

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act No. 3135/4118 filed by BALIKATAN PROPERTY HOLDINGS, INC., against SPS. ROGELIO Z. BINONGO & ILLUMINADA P. BINONGO, both of legal age, Filipino citizens with residence and known addresses at RB Compound, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental and Lot 6, Blk 7, Alley PROMISELAND SUBD., BRGY. POBLACION, TAGOLOAN, MISAMIS ORIENTAL and TRANS BUILDERS RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT CORP., to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 2, 2015 amounts to TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY SEVEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE PESOS AND 34/100(P277,855.34), Philippine Currency, exclusive of interest, penalties, charges, attorney’s fees and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned or his duly authorized deputy will sell at public auction on January 27, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. at the main entrance of this Court, Regional Trial Court, Branch 41, Capitol Compound, A. Luna St., Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidders, for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine Currency, the following personal properties, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-15584 A PARCEL OF LAND(Lot 6, Blk.7, of the cons. Subd. Plan, PCS-104324017657. Situated in the Barangay of Poblacion, Municipality of Tagoloan, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED(100) SQUARE METERS, more or less including all improvements existing and to be constructed/erected thereon. All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated date, time and place. In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date for whatever reason, the same will proceed on the following working day, without further notice, posting and publication. Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves the property herein-above described and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Cagayan de Oro City, November 25, 2015

(SGD.) LOVE M. VERDADERO Sheriff IV

(SGD.) ALDEN V. SAMBAAN Sheriff IV

BWM: December 7, 14 & 21, 2015

its Indep endent 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.

Banana... from page 1

Inc. (PBGEA), said the effort to combat disease should be industry-wide with support from the government, which is particularly crucial for the small-scale growers. Stephen A. Antig, PBGEA executive director, said while the Mokillo or finger tip rot, caused by an aerobic bacteria which is not risky to humans, is not yet a serious threat to the banana export industry, all stakeholders should be proactive in anticipating problems. “ There has to be a collaboration among t he pi l l ars of e f fe c t ive participatory governance,” Mr. Antig said. He noted that PBGEA, which groups the country’s biggest multinational and local exporting firms, has been coming up with measures to ensure that its member companies adopt t h e G o o d Ag r i c u ltu r a l Practice set by the World Trade Organization. “Each member company is implementing a comprehensive biosecurity measure in their respective plantations,” he said. Bios e c ur it y involves “measures to reduce risk of transmitting infectious diseases in crops and livestock, quarantined pests, invasive alien species, and living modified organisms.” Mokillo affects bananas, EXTRAJUDICICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH A DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE OF A PARCEL OF LAND Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the Late OSIAS MALLE represented by his surviving spouse Norma Nalitan Malle, who inherited the property which she sold to the herein buyer/ vendee is of legal age, widow and a resident of Igpit,Opol,Misamis Oriental, herein after referred to as the seller/vendor left a parcel of land situated in Igpit, Opol, Misamis Oriental and which property described as follows; Certificate Title No. T-34841 Covered by Tax Declaration No. 0815000707156 containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FORTY FIVE (145) square meters more or less is the subject of EXTRAJUDICICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH A DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE OF A PARCEL OF LAND Under Notary Public of ATTY. EMELITO J. MARQUIÑO per Doc, No. 424; Page No. 84; Book No. XI; Series of 2015. BWM December 7, 14 & 21 2015

2014 ppi’S Best in ENVIRONMENTAL Reporting

including t he exp or te d variety, Cavendish. PBGEA said research indicates that one of the best ways to control the disease is by decontaminating farm tools and equipment with the use of a third level disinfectant. The biggest export market for Philippine fresh bananas is Japan. Others are United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, China, South Korea, Iran, Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, New Zealand, San Diego in the United States, Mongolia, Ukraine, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and, in the neighboring Asian countries of Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. -- Carmelito Q. Francisco

Arthaland... from page 3

The property acquisition marks the company’s foray into Cebu, which has become the second largest business process outsourcing location in the country after Metro Manila. “With our investment in Cebu, our objective is to make meaningful contribution to the local economy. With our planned project, we will be able to provide more opportunities to Cebuanos and the rest of VisMin to participate in the global business,” Ms. Lacson said. Arthaland is currently developing Arya Residences, a two-tower boutique condominium in McKinley Parkway in Bonifacio Global City, which is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2016. It i s a l s o b u i l d i n g Arthaland Century Pacific Tower, located at the corner of 5th Avenue and 30th Street in Bonifacio Global City. The project is expected to be delivered by the third quarter of 2017. Both projects are on track to receive dual green building certification from the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program and the Philippine Green Building C ouncil’s Buildings for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence program. The listed developer is majority owned by Century Pacific Group Holdings, Inc., the holding firm owned by the Po family and parent company of C entur y Pacific Food, Inc., (CPFI). It is also partially owned by international investment firm, AO Capital Group.

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Rotary donates ward to JR Borja General Hospital Monday | december 21, 2015

Editor: Cheng Ordoñez

Story by MARK FRANCISCO

HE Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro in c o o p e r at i o n w i t h Interplast Australia through the facilitation of the Rotary Club of Baldwyn with the

(From left) Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro president Cris Parojinog, JR Borja General Hospital executive officer Dr. Ramon Nery, project chair Engr. Mar Paano, Mayor Oscar Moreno, hospital consultant Rotarian George Goking, Rotary International District 3870 PAG Francisco Sarraga and BusinessWeek Mindanao CEO and executive officer Rotarian Dante Sudaria.

Retired Bacolod judge offers reward for info on Poe’s parents A RETIRED labor judge from Bacolod City today announced a Php300,000 reward money for anyone who can offer “solid and credible information” that could help lead to the true identity of Senator Grace Poe’s biological parents, an act which the former official said should help the whole nation move forward. Jesus Nograles Rodriguez Jr., a former arbiter of the National Labor Relations Commission in Western Visayas with the rank of Regional Trial Court judge, said he and several wellmeaning friends decided to put up the money to find the truth and settle the controversy over the senator’s citizenship.

“We have decided to offer the reward money to help find the biological parents of the senator and thus settle once and for all the questions about her being a naturalborn Filipino, which we all believe she is,” Rodriguez said. “This is my last patriotic

act before I go to sleep permanently,” the 76-yearold Rodriguez said when asked by reporters why he is doing this. “We hope that this modest amount shall generate enough interest and incentive for those who are reluctant to reward/PAGE B3

assistance of Donation in Kind donated a fully-furnished ward at the city-owned JR Borja General Hospital. JR Borja General Hospital executive officer Dr. Ramon

Nery said the ward will be used for surgical patients and added they are lucky because the equipment therein are all state-of-the-art. Rotarians also donated the following: 16 hospital beds

donates/PAGE B3

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Bea Beautiful with FUJIFILM Bea Alonzo belongs to a rare breed of stars that are not only beautiful outside but inside as well. Fresh from the massive success of “A Second Chance,” the sequel to 2007’s “One More Chance” which reunites her with perennial screen partner John Lloyd Cruz, Bea was recently launched as the first endorser of the iconic photographic brand FUJIFILM in the Philippines. Blessed with alabaster skin, full lips, and expressive eyes, Bea Alonzo’s beauty is further showcased with FUJIFILM X-A2, her favorite stylish accessory. She takes FUJIFILM X-A2 with her in all her

travels and vacations. The results are Instagramworthy photos achieved through FUJIFILM X-A2’s advanced features. From the perfect skin tone selfie, to the deepest hues of the sky or the calming sea, the X-A2 allows users to take Instagram perfect pictures that your friends will drool over. More compact, userfriendly and available in a myriad of colors, the FUJIFILM X-A2 is the future of photography due to its mirrorless technology resulting in color superiority and much talked about picture quality. Be it selfies, landscapes, macro shots, lowlight party shots, or

flash photography, the X-A2 allows users to document important moments perfectly with superb image quality. It comes with a Portrait Enhancer or Selfie mode which brings out your best physical features. The Fujifilm X-A2 clearly and brightly captures images even under strong backlit or dark conditions. Another important feature is the i-Flash which automatically delivers the ideal amount of flash for every scene, even at lowlight. Uploading pictures on social media is made easier with the X-A2’s WI-FI function. This feature enables you to pair your camera with your smartphone and

transfer files fast and easy! Just like Bea, you too can have your very own Fujifilm X-A2. Come and visit COLOURS to have an actual view of the

X-A2 and all its available colors. COLOURS branches are located at the 3rd level Expansion Wing of Ayala Cebu, Lower G/F, Atrium at SM City Cebu, Centrio Mall

in Cagayan de Oro and Abreeza Mall in Davao. Visit any COLOURS branch now and capture life with the FUJIFILM X-A2, the best travel buddy there is!

Manfrotto now available at COLOURS MANFROTTO is a European manufacturer of camera bags and tripods. Their high quality camera bags, tripods, heads, lighting stands and accessories are sold in over 65 countries around the world. MANFROTTO products can best accompany you and your

photography gear may it be for travelling or photo shoots. MANFROTTO has appointed COLOURS to be the official retailer of MANFROTTO bags & tripods in the Philippines. So mark your calendars this December as COLOURS is bringing in

new stocks just in time for Christmas. One of which is the most talked about BeFree tripod. It’s the best tripod for travelling; with its compact size and aluminum or lightweight carbon fiber legs. It’s fast to setup and easy to use. The BeFree tripod

can even fit into your hand luggage and backpacks! You can take it anywhere, any place and any time. Come and visit COLOURS for the latest MANFROTTO products and avail our introductory offer. COLOURS branches

are located at the 3rd level of Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro, Abreeza Mall in Davao, 3rd level Expansion Wing of Ayala Cebu and Lower G/F, Atrium at SM City Cebu. Visit any COLOURS branch now and be part of the MANFROTTO community!

Feature: Tangub City: All Ablaze By Judith B. Tablan

TANGUB, Misamis Occidental, In twentythree years, the lights are even more ablaze. Tangub City’s Christmas Symbols Festival started in 1992. It originated from a lighted Christmas tree put up at the city plaza, a wish granted by then young Mayor Philip Tan to his homesick bride Jennifer. The light drew people; some to while away time, friends to get together,

and families bring along kids to play around the light. Such was the impact of the light that when the Ten Year Development Plan of the city was formulated, it included, among others, the putting up of lighted Christmas symbols at the city plaza. The local and national agencies outdid each other using locally sourced materials. Categories Evolved

At the success of the agency sponsored Christmas symbols at the city plaza, the barangays along the highways wanted to be counted in. To provide distinction between those from the city plaza and those in the highways, categories were assigned. The symbols at the city plaza were called Category A while those in the barangays were called Category B, the arches that straddle the highway,

and the streets in the interior streets of the barangays at the urban core. The highland barangays clamored to be included in the grand activity. They were assigned another category, the giant parols or Category C. The management decided to spark the competitive spirit of all sectors participating, hence the idea of three

judging periods within the category started. With the creative juices all flowing, another category was born, Category D that includes the business establishments, including those in the wet market. Other categories were further named: Category E, Most lighted Barangay, and Category F, Most Lighted House in the Barangay. Gift of Love to the

People Bayanihan spirit of the people sustained the project all these years Employees of both local ationand national agencies dig from their own pockets so the spectacular structures at the city plaza could be built. The design and concept of the dazzling display is a collaboration of efforts, time and tangub/PAGE B3

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Limketkai group of companies Christmas Party Employees of the Limketkai Group of Companies walked their way in the party via the red carpet as “Limketkai Goes Hollywood”, this year’s theme for the recent Christmas Party held at the Grand Ballroom of the Limketkai Luxe Hotel, on December 14. Like Hollywood stars, all were dressed appropriately setting the mood to party. The Second Generation Limketkai siblings expressed support to all of their employees. Headed by Mr. Albino Lim, Lorenzo Lim and the rest of the brood, including their wives and children as well. All dined with Kave Restaurant and Bar’s best menu. A stretch of delectable dishes, that gave everybody their fill. The night was star studded as employee’s transforms into a star wearing their tuxedo’s, while the women in their ball and long gowns respectively. The night was a blast when all five companies

presented their respective Production numbers. All came upstage equipped with a choreographed presentation, costumes and showmanship. The presenters includes LMC, LKKS, LIMBROS, JOLLIBEE and the Luxe Hotel. Each were given a thirty minute to present, showcasing Hollywood’s top performances via a song and dance number. To top it all, the presenters from the Limketkai Luxe Hotel bagged the first place. The Hotel’s General Manager Jerome De La Fuente for his part expressed joy over the success of his people’s presentation and the success of the entire event as well. This was the first party ever conducted where all five companies were together in one venue, all these was De La Fuente’s brain child. The night was capped with a jubilance of songs, music and dances.

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with one bedside table and extra mattresses each, one OR table, one overhead table, and one nurses station table and more than a dozen monbloc chairs. Project chairman Engr. Mar Paano assured the public that all these furnishings are brand new and are of the same quality used in state-of-the-art hospitals in Australia. The ward that was donated will be renamed as Dr. Mike McGlynn Ward in honor of the person who introduced his colleagues from Interplast Australia 17 years ago to Cagayanons. T h rou g h h i s e f for t s , McGlynn was instrumental in the surgery of hundreds of persons who have cleft palate deformities since 1998. The Dr. Mike McGlynn Ward is situated on the third level of the south wing of the JR Borja General Hospital old building.

come out in the open to tell what they know about the true parentage of Senator Poe,” he added. “We call on anyone with credible knowledge about the senator’s true parents to please come forward, fill up a basic questionnaire, and tell us everything they know that they think are relevant to our search for Senator Poe’s parents, specifically her biological mother,” said Rodriguez. “We call the special attention of those who are in their 60s or 70s, and who were living in Iloilo, Bacolod, and nearby areas when the senator was found at the Jaro Cathedral in 1968. You might remember someone who was pregnant at that time but who suddenly disappeared, or other similar circumstances. “Remember, any small detail can be valuable.

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Rest assured that we will do everything within our capacity to screen and evaluate carefully all the information you provide, and those who are able to provide the most important lead that could help us trace the Senator’s parents shall be eligible for the reward money,” he told a select group of local media practitioners. “If we find people who may be directly related to the senator, we shall ask them to submit to a DNA test, to be conducted by a private local health facility with DNA testing capability,’’ according to the former judge. “We hope that this small initiative can help us all find the truth, and thus help the whole nation move forward. “The amount is relatively small compared to what we can all gain as Filipinos because the truth shall set us all free – free from speculations, unfounded allegations and cruel personal ambitions,” Rodriguez said.

Tangub... from page B2

ingenuity of the group members. Over the years, the intricate and meticulous work in both parols and arches result in fine craftsmanship that impresses viewers and judges. The Christmas symbol is the city government’s gift to the people of Tangub City. Those who have more in life can give material gifts wrapped in ribbons and frills. But the city officials and employees and the barangay folks give their gifts in terms of effort, time and money in putting up the symbols, arches and parols. The lights that blaze from each of these bring love, joy and peace to everyone. Those who have no decorations at home can go to their arches or around the city

plaza to be enveloped by the warmth and light of the Christmas spirit. Thematic Celebration Christmas around the World Part IV is this year’s festival theme. For the past three years, the symbols and arches depict specific land marks of various countries around the world. This is very educational for both the makers and the viewers. They research on the story and architecture of the landmark. To make it even more fun, the viewer can purchase a mock passport from the City Tourism Office, to be stamped by the Immigration Officer

once they get inside the symbol or “country.” Tangub City became known far and wide for its dazzling lights and other family oriented fun and events that last the whole month of December to the first week of January the following year. It all started in love – in granting the wish of a homesick spouse. It grew to leaps and bounds that became a tourist destination not only in Mindanao. Powered by love and bayanihan spirit, the lights will continue to blaze, as the festival’s twenty-fifth year nears. (CIO Tangub)

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