BusinessWeek Mindanao (December 7, 2017)

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Volume VIII, No. 79

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Briefly Agri-research DAVAO City -- The Davao Region Upland Agriculture Research Station (DARUARS) will soon convert its 429-hectare property into an agro eco-tourism area.

This was announced by Department of Agriculture (DA) 1I Assistant Regional Director for Research and Regulations Angelina Pancho, saying the construction of the R&D building in the area starts the many developments in the area.

She said part of the planned development includes: Sloping agricultural land technology (SALT), establishment of building for goat production and development of creeks for fish production.

“This [429-hectare property] has a big potential to become an agro eco-tourism area. We can conduct research about climate resilient crops here and more buildings that can help the farmers as well as the IPs,” Pancho said Friday.

Agriproductivity THE country needs to undertake policies to accelerate productivity growth in the long run across all sectors especially in agriculture, which remains a key sector for inclusive growth and poverty alleviation, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

PIDS senior research fellow Roehlano Briones identified elements for boosting total factor productivity (TFP) growth, which are research and development (R&D), innovation, adoption of technology, improved practices and systems, and public goods such as transport infrastructure. “…It suffices to say that TFP is generally not increased by price support policies for agriculture, nor by subsidies on private goods, contrary to the current thrust of agricultural policy,” he said in a discussion paper titled “Outlook for the Philippine Economy and AgroIndustry to 2030: The Role of Productivity Growth”.

Cagayan de Oro

IN-DEPTH

Lapasan Highway, Cagayan de Oro City

Coffee producers seek access to hybrid beans www.businessweekmindanao.com

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By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO Correspondent

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OFFEE producers are seeking access to research and development (R&D) facilities of state universities to help them develop new products based on specialty beans.

PINOY STUNT. Habal-habal or improvised motorbikes carrying passengers and cargoes race along the national highway of Bayabas town in Surigao del Sur. mindanews photo by h . marcos c . mordeno

DA, PRDP program hopes to cut waste in Sulu mangosteen crop

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

DAVAO City — Sulu produced 850 tons of the high-value fruit mangosteen last year, but a big portion of that was wasted because farmers did not have the knowledge or means to market it outside the island province, according to Mercia S. Alli, the provincial

supervising agriculturist.

Ms. Alli, who was among the participants in a recent training-workshop on market and value chain analysis conducted by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), said they are

aiming not to squander future crops.

“With our study, we now have a picture of the whole flow of mangosteen from the farmers, producers end, up until market. A reliable data foundation which let us see the bigger picture of the commodity,” she said. program/PAGE 11

“We will not ask money (from government), that’s the last thing you ask from government,” Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. (PCB) President Pacita U. Juan said during the recent 10th Philippine Coffee Summit held here.

The help that the industry needs, she added, is access to laboratory facilities for quality testing and improving yields.

Ms. Juan said this proposal does not require the passage of a law as public academic institutions already have the facilities and human resources that can access/PAGE 11

TAGO RIVER. A view of Tago River taken in Tandag City. mindanews photo by h . marcos c . mordeno

Oro port helps boost BOC Halal chicken factory record-breaking revenue to rise in Maguindanao THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) posted P46.470 billion revenues in November, its highest recorded monthly collection.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena reported that five collection districts were able to surpass their monthly targets, namely, ports of Batangas, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Clark and Tacloban.

Preliminary figures of the bureau’s Financial Service revealed that the following ports achieved their monthly collection targets: • Port of Batangas, with P13.339 billion collection, 18 percent higher than its P11.36 billion revenue target; • Port of Tacloban, with P59 million collection, 177 percent jump revenue/PAGE 11

BULUAN, Maguindanao -- Local officials here are set to inaugurate the first-ever “pure” halal dressed chicken factory being built in this provincial capital town.

Maguindanao Boardmember Jazzer Mangudadatu said the halal dressed chicken production area will be the first of its kind in Maguindanao, in the Autonomous

Region in Muslim Mindanao and probably in the country.

The provincial lawmaker toured local journalists to the factory site on Sunday. He said the facility is expected to be completed before the end of this year and to be inaugurated in February to coincide with the 3rd “Inaul” (Muslim halal/PAGE 11

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Economy

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PH flag carrier expands in Davao

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AVAO City -- The Philippine’s flag carrier expanded its operation in Davao City to accommodate more clients and its adjacent municipalities and provinces.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) president and COO Jaime Bautista said the opening of the new branch is their way of manifesting their commitment to continue serving their riding passengers from Davao and the adjoining municipalities.

PAL now has three branches in Davao City.

Davao, he said is PAL’s busiest route with eight daily flights from Manila

and two to three flights daily to Cebu.

“We are planning to expand operations in Davao although we already started the Davao-Tagbiliran route,” he said.

He said PAL is planning to operate a Davao-Siargao route as the airline firm eyes to increase its presence from Davao to more destinations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

As this developed, he said PAL is expecting the delivery of two brand new 777 300 ER aircrafts this December that would fly from Manila to US, London, and Canada.

“This will allow us to

operate non-stop flights with these aircrafts that are equipped with the most modern in-flight entertainment system,” he said.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio lauded the expansion of PAL in the city.

Duterte-Carpio cited the airline company’s

expanding business in Davao City and the growing business in the Philippines.

She said Dabawenyos are working hard that “our

city become competitive and will be put in the map in the ASEAN community and not just the Philippine community”.

(Digna D. Banzon/PNA)

ILIGAN City -- The Department of Trade and Industry’s DTI’s Project Execution Team (ET), spearheaded by the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB-DTI), has issued notice of violation (NoV) to five hardware stores in Iligan City.

These establishments were caught selling mandatory products like sanitary wares, sanitary pipes, electrical conduits, exhaust fans, steel wires and potable water pipes without the Philippine Standard (PS) logo or the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker, pursuant to DTI Department

Administrative Order 02 series of 2007, Defining the Responsibilities and Liabilities of Manufacturers, Importers, Traders, Wholesalers, Distributors, Retailers, Service Providers and or their Agents, with Regard to Products/Services Covered by Philippine Standard Certification Mark Schemes.

However, DTI-Lanao del Norte Provincial Director Ruel B. Paclipan said these hardware stores were advised to communicate with FTEB for mediation as part of the due process accorded by law to respondents.

Penalties and sanctions in violation of DAO 02:2007 include cease and violation/PAGE 11

Project ET notice of violation to Iligan hardware stores issued

Seda Centrio partners with Smile Train

By MARK FRANCISCO

RPN Radyo Ronda Stations Nationwide

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CNN Philippines TV-8 Bacolod CNN Philippines TV-9 Cebu CNN Philippines TV-5 Cag. de Oro CNN Philippines TV-5 Zamboanga CNN Philippines TV-7 GenSan CNN Philippines TV-9 Davao

DZBS 1368 Baguio DZRL 639 Batac DZTG 621 Tuguegarao DZKI 1332 Iriga DYKW 936 Binalbagan DYKB 1404 Bacolod DYKC 675 Cebu DXKO 1368 Cagayan de Oro DXKS 1080 Surigao DXKD 1053 Dipolog DXKP 1377 Pagadian DXXX 1008 Zamboanga DXKT 1071 Davao DXDX 693 General Santos

SEDA Centrio partners with Smile Train as part of its Christmas celebration this year.

For every purchase of ornaments worth from P100 to P300 at the Seda Centrio lobby, all proceeds go to the projects of Smile Train.

Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. Millions of children with untreated clefts live in isolation but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing

and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple and the transformation is immediate. Their sustainable model provides training, funding and resources to empower local doctors in 85 plus countries to provide 100 percent-free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities.

Here in the Philippines, Smile Train has performed 45,000 plus free cleft surgeries since 2001 in 200 plus hospitals. It was learned that 5,000 plus babies are

born with clefts each year.

The estimated backlog in the Philippines of cleft patients in need of surgery is 120,000. Most children cannot eat or speak properly. They are constantly bullied and teased by their peers.

They are unable to attend school or hold a job.

Children with untreated clefts lead lives of shame and isolation.

Because of this, Smile Train empowers hospitals and local surgical teams to provide free cleft repair surgeries in their own communities.

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

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Opinion

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Those were the days...

have my say Businessweek Mindanao Corporation Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO

ALLAN mario MEDIANTE

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RUFINO T. MAGBANUA

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klaus doring Time flew by. I think sitting in a jet plane. December again. Wow! Do you always count the days up to the next legal holidays without being on duty? Or do you start as early as September longing for Christmas? And do you wish the weeks or months hopefully pass by like an

Member: Philippine Press Institute Oro Chamber

Any regrets? think a minute

jhan tiafau hurst Think a minute … In 1974, a retired U.S. soldier sent a note to the U.S. government that read: “I’m sending $10 for blankets I stole in World War II. My mind cannot rest until I do this.” He went on to say, “Sorry it’s late, but I want to be ready to meet God.” The U.S. government put that retired soldier’s $10 into what is called the Conscience Fund. This Conscience Fund receives about $45,000 each year from different soldiers who have finally been forced by their own guilty conscience to pay back money to the government for the things they had stolen. So far, this special fund has received more than $3 million of returned stolen money!

Regret is a powerful thing.

The people who returned this stolen money were so happy and relieved to finally

be free from their guilt.

Feeling guilty is actually a good sign, because it means our conscience is healthy.

But then we must follow our conscience and do the right thing to try and right our past wrongs. Otherwise, we will keep living with our painful guilt and regret.

Maybe it’s apologizing and telling someone you’re sorry because you wronged and hurt them. Or paying back money and things you’ve stolen.

You might need to forgive someone else who wronged and hurt you, because you realize now that being right is not as important as your friendship with that person, or worth living with anger and unforgiveness in your heart.

But just as important as it is to try and right our past wrongs with others, doing these things alone cannot make us right and give us peace with our Maker, God. Just like drinking Diet Coke doesn’t take away all the calories in the French fries and ice cream we just ate.

This is why Jesus Christ is our only hope. Jesus Himself said that the only way anyone can get completely free from their guilt and regrets to have peace with God their Maker, regrets/PAGE 11

its own set of happiness and trials. But it also holds very high possibilities of we take the initiative to do or to move something, if... !

The luring term IF let us look into the future with an over “glistening” eye: IF I will finish my studies, IF my children have become adults, IF I might become rich because I win in the lottery, yes IF? And then?

The next turn of the year is almost around the corner.

Sorry, almost. For most of us, it’s the time to come to our senses.

The future prospects smile at us already. I was looking already for the 2018-calendar.

Setting appointments for Janu ar y and Febr u ar y.

Amazing. Is life in future easier, nicer, more charming

and being more fulfilled compared to the present?

The thoughts fill me with horror, because tragicomic future visions can easily blur away our present day.

Many of us retreat into the past and forget their present existence. A possible topsyturvy world of a golden youth tries to et us forget that also the past have had its share of disappointments, pains, tears, darkness, tricky as well as desperate days... yes, lost days, irretrievable time... .

Without having achieved anything to do, we dream our impossible dreams from last to future and vice versus. We forget that between yesterday and tomorrow is our valuable present. Well, now well then if we know just how to fulfill this period.

Does Dengvaxia cause impotence in men?

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assault up to the next possible salary increase?

Many times, we are really too much in a hurry while feeling uncomfortable if we noticed how time flies. We have no time for someone or something or even for ourselves.

When I was still a teenager, I was longing for the time being an adult already. Later, I enjoyed listening to my grandmother’s stories such as “Once upon a time” or “When I was young” from her “yesterday’s life”... .

After a couple of years, especially while observing that time really flies like a racket to the moon, I also got the same question in mind: Are the present hours and days less valuable?

Of course, each day has

Batas Mauricio LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms…”

(Ephesians 6:12, the Holy Bible).

-ooo D OE S DE NG VA X IA CAUSE IMPOTENCE IN MEN? I have a question on the raging controversy involving the dengue vaccine called Dengvaxia that Sanofi, its maker, must clarify: is it

possible that the young male students who were given the vaccine even if they were not previously infected with dengue could become impotent and therefore lose the capacity to sire children?

I did a little, yet random, research in Google about the effect of having dengue and it appears, based on a study, that a male child stricken with the illness contracts erectile dysfunction, disabling him from engaging in any sexual intercourse. Of course, if a man cannot engage in intercourse anymore, his wife could no longer get pregnant, effectively cutting off his bloodline.

To whoever is interested, this can be read this at https://www.researchgate. net/…/313030754_Voiding_ and_Sexual…).

-ooo P O S S I B L Y , “POPULATION CONTROL” IS WHAT RESULTS FROM THIS: There are no details yet as to how many of the more

than 700,000 school children from Metro Manila, Region 4 A (Southern Tagalog Region) and Region 3 (Central Luzon) which were inoculated with Dengvaxia were males but, even if we assume that there are only about 50% males from that number, which is 350,000, this is still a great number of children who can become impotent.

This is how I perceive these things: according to the study that I referred to here and whose Internet link I wrote in this column, children who will be afflicted with dengue will possibly contract erectile dysfunction (or, the inability to be “erect”), and therefore, possibly impotent.

Now, if the children who have no dengue yet will be injected with Dengvaxia and, as a result, would receive in themselves the dengue virus, they are also likely to suffer likewise the effects of having dengue, including that of erectile dysfunction.

Indeed, this can become a

more effective population control program.

-ooo WE MAY POSSIBLY HAVE MORE “ABNOYS” OR MAD FILIPINOS HEREAB OUTS: This is the reason why, I strongly suggest, there is a need for Sanofi to clarify this issue quite urgently. Too, the investigations that would be carried out by certain sectors, particularly by the House of Representatives and the Senate, should endeavor to include Dengvaxia’s effects on the body and health of Filipinos.

Assuming that any crime was committed by the Noynoy Aquino government in its payments amounting to more than P3 billion for Dengvaxia, this greatly pales in comparison with the misfortune befalling many Filipino children who will not be able to have their own children anymore because of the vaccine. Indeed, not impotence/PAGE 11

Fundamental and radical hints and traces

roy cimagala It’s go o d t hat we f rom time to time revisit the truth of our creation, since that comprises the most fundamental and radical truth about ourselves.

Such consideration would definitely give us the most b as i c as wel l as g l ob a l picture about ourselves. It would remind us to develop the proper attitude, outlook, and perspective of our life.

Now that we are beginning a new liturgical year with the celebration of the First Sunday of Advent, I feel this revisiting of our

creation is timely.

R e v is it i ng t he t r ut h about creation will certainly show us that God is the source of all reality, of what is true, good, and beautiful.

He is the foundation of the unity of all the creatures.

He spells out the proper relationship that should develop among us and all the creatures.

Nowadays, with all the galloping developments around, we tend to forget about who we really are, what the real purpose of our life is, and how we ought to behave as a consequence.

Nowadays, we seem to be simply reacting to what we have at the moment, much like a knee-jerk reaction that definitely will miss a lot of things, especially the essential ones.

There are now a lot of distractions. Our proper focus in life is vitiated, a situation that is a fertile ground for many other anomalies to arise. This

religious indifference and ignorance can easily give rise to all sorts of ismsagnosticism, atheism, polytheism, materialism, etc. These are what we are seeing these days.

We need to return to the basics, to the fundamental and the radical. We have to reaffirm the truth that there is God who created everything. The least thing that we can do in reaction to this truth is that we have to relate everything to God-at least to thank him and ultimately to glorify him, since that is the final purpose of our life.

Forgetting or ignoring God will only lead us to an unreal world which to us can seem to be real because of our capacity to know and to will. We don’t realize that our creation by God is an ongoing affair, not a one-shot deal, since it’s the very existence of creatures that is involved.

God does not only

f a br i c at e u s a n d l e av e us on our own once our fabr icat ion is f inishe d.

His creation means that he gives us existence and keeps that existence which, in our case, since we are made also spiritual, will last forever. His creation is a cont inuing, ne verending af fair. What we call as providence or God’s continuing governance over his creation is just another name for his continuing creation.

There is a big difference between a fabricator or manufacturer and the Creator. Only God is the Cre ator. We are on ly a fabricator, or at best, a procreator as is the case of parents who beget children.

In t h e l att e r c a s e , t h e parents simply cooperate in the creation of another human being. That’s why their conjugal act is a very sacred act that should not be degraded into a merely radical/PAGE 11

CorporateWorld 5 Cebu Pac to include travel tax Global Power buys 50% in airfares booked on Web site of Alsons for P2.38-B Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Thursday|december 7, 2017

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By MYRNA M. VELASCO, Contributor

OR a transaction worth P2.377 billion, Global Business Power Corporation (GBPC) has already firmed up its acquisition of the 50-percent equity of Alsons Thermal Energy Corporation (ATEC), the

power generating arm of the Alcantara group.

The transaction involved the sale of 14,952, 678 shares of ATEC to Global Power at a rate of P159.030497 per share.

Somehow, that deal cemented the partnership of two major leading

players in the country’s power grids in Visayas and Mindanao.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), ATEC parent firm Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc. noted that “following the sale, transfer, and delivery of ATEC shares to GBPC, the issuer’s parent company

JFC opens PHL’s biggest poultry processing plant JOLLIBEE Foods Corp.

(JFC) unveiled on Tuesday its poultry processing plant in Sto. Tomas, Batangas in partnership with US agribusiness firm Cargill.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, JFC said the facility to be operated by its joint venture vehicle company called Cargill Joy Poultry Meats Production, Inc. (C-Joy) will be the country’s largest poultry processing plant with a capacity of 45 million chickens every year.

“We partnered with Cargill to deliver high quality chicken products through Cargill’s

cmyk

technology and quality standards. The facility will provide JFC with dressed and marinated chicken to augment the chicken supply requirements of the growing needs of the JFC brand,” JFC Chief Executive Officer Ernesto Tanmantiong was quoted as saying in a statement.

JFC has a 30% stake in C-Joy, while Cargill owns the 70%. Last year, JFC said it is investing P244.9 million for its stake in the partnership, while Cargill will pour in P571.5 million.

Cargill is a United States-based agricultural poultry/PAGE 11

Gerikha Kate Amper of Xavier University sings during the Mindanao Week of Peace talent showcase last Saturday at Centrio in Cagayan de Oro City. photo by mark francisco

financial statements will reflect a temporary decrease under investment in subsidiary while the cash item will increase substantially.”

The Alcantara firm added that “the liquidity arising from the sale of a portion of its equity interest in ATEC and the alsons/PAGE 11

THE Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and Cebu Pacific (Cebu Air, Inc.) have agreed to integrate the Philippine travel tax in the tickets booked through the airline’s Web site and mobile application.

TIEZA Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Pocholo J.D. Paragas and Cebu Pacific Vice-President for Corporate Affairs

JR Mantaring signed on Tuesday a memorandum of agreement to include the P1,620 travel tax in Cebu Pacific fares.

“The passengers can now go directly, when you have Web check-in, you can go directly if you don’t have check-in baggage. We want to provide seamless travel,” Mr. Mantaring told reporters.

The travel tax is required under Republic tax/PAGE 11

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Environment

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Cimatu cites role of ASEAN urban centers in fight vs climate change

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nvironment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu on Tuesday urged member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to focus on building sustainable cities and urban areas which, he said, could play a vital role that is truly effective in the face of climate change.

Cimatu, in his message read by DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas Leones during the ASEAN Forum on Urban Resilience to Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Strategies held in Laoag City, said that achieving sustainable urbanization will be key to adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts.

“Recognizing the critical role that our cities play as the centers of innovation, we need to harness potentials for innovations in ways that will enable us to build our capacity to withstand shocks while sustaining the services that urban ecosystems provide us — more so in the face of uncertainties,” Cimatu said, quoting world-renowned urban ecologist Dr. Henrik Ernstson.

Cimatu noted that in the past 10 years, ASEAN countries became highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change as they are now experiencing more frequent extreme weather events — f loods, droughts, heatwaves and rising sea levels.

As early as 2009, he said the World Bank warned that

the Philippines topped the list of countries most vulnerable to storms, with Vietnam the second most vulnerable to rising sea levels, and Thailand and Vietnam among those most threatened by f looding.

Last year, the Global Climate Risk Index of GermanWatch listed four out of 10 ASEAN countries — Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand — as among the 10 nations most affected by climate change from 1995 to 2014 based on annual averages.

Cimatu said other ASEAN countries are also vulnerable to climate change at varying degrees with Brunei Darussalam suffering from heat-related stress, low coastal scopes in Indonesia likely to be affected by a small increase in sea level, and Malaysia’s Sabah frequently experiencing f loods and drought.

Cimatu said that climateinduced natural disasters recently experienced by ASEAN countries, such as the 2013 Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that caused massive loss of lives and properties in central Philippines, underscores the need for proactive policy and action for urban resilience.

He said that pursuing urban resiliency has become an urgent agenda for all nation as the world’s urban population is expected to balloon to 2.5 billion by 2050.

“Urban areas, where half of our population lives, drive global warming and consequently

climate change,” Cimatu said.

“The effects of our decisions and actions as part of an urban ecosystem transcend the boundaries of space, politics, ideology, economics, and even social strata,” he added.

Cimatu said the three-day regional forum, organized by the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, serves an important venue for discussing plans for attaining, building and reinforcing urban resiliency.

“We are here today because we all take urban resiliency seriously. We realize the need to holistically discuss the issues and challenges that make our cities vulnerable. And the time is now,” Cimatu stressed.

He then called on everyone — from the scientific community and urban planners to manufacturers and consumers — to enhance their participation toward solutions so that ASEAN policy and decision makers and resource managers can work together to achieve sustainable urbanization in the region.

Research and development experts gather in Laoag City on December 5-7 for the regional forum to discuss plans on attaining urban resilience to climate change and disaster risks in Southeast Asia.

The forum was part of the events celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of the ASEAN, which is being hosted by the Philippines. (denr.gov.ph)

DENR ready to provide platform for climate actions The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is ready to provide a learning platform for cities that are committed to take action on climate change by reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy.

The agency made this assurance at the local unveiling of Ambitious City Promises (ACP), a three-year regional project

supporting cities in Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam in developing and implementing low emissions strategies.

The project emphasizes community engagement across all stages of this process and will help cities establish lasting mechanisms to share knowledge and use participatory, bottom-up models for climate action.

Three Philippine cities —

Pasig, Parañaque and Marikina — have been chosen as project sites that will receive assistance from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)-Local Governments for Sustainability and the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG).

At the ACP launch held Tuesday at Ortigas Center in denr/PAGE 9

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Banking&Finance Tax perks to counter headwinds in IT-BPO sector: industry group Thursday|december 7, 2017

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HE Information TechnologyBusiness Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) bats for the retention of incentives for the IT-business process management (ITBPM) sector to counter headwinds faced by the industry.

In a statement, IBPAP president and chief executive officer Rey Untal expressed the group’s support to lawmakers who push to keep incentives for the IT-BPO sector for the industry to further expand.

“The industry has been facing a number of headwinds, which appear

to have a dampening effect on IT-BPM investments during the first half of 2017,” Untal said.

In the first 10 months of the year, IT-BPO project registration at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) declined by 8.4 percent to PHP15.73 billion from PHP14.4 billion in the same period last year.

“Sustaining an attractive business environment through industry and government partnership is critical in overcoming industry challenges,” he added.

The IBPAP chief noted that the industry is seen to be in the “infancy period” again with the advancements

in technology brought by digital transformation and disruption.

“The IT-BPM industry continues to be a sunrise industry. There is much to be done on the horizon not only for our industry, but other sectors as well, to nurture the economic growth of the nation,” said Untal.

Untal stressed that the IT-BPM sector has played a significant role in job creation, expanding the middle class, and helped in poverty alleviation.

In 2016, employment in the IT-BPM sector reached 1.2 million and revenues amounted to USD22 billion.

“These incentives have also helped various

IT-BPM subsectors grow, allowing for more diverse services and job opportunities for the Filipino people,” Untal said.

“This has been proven over the past decade where transformation of cities throughout the country into IT parks and IT-BPM hubs have improved the quality of life for entire communities, allowing them to earn more, spend more and remain in the country to raise their families,” he added.

Untal reiterated the need to sustain incentives for the IT-BPM sector for the Philippines to be more competitive as a global investment hub for ITBPM companies. (PNA)

Money supply growth picks up slightly in Oct. MONEY circulating in the economy grew faster in October despite a slight slowdown in bank lending, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said yesterday.

Domestic liquidity or M3, the broadest measure of money in an economy, grew 14.8% in October to reach P10.26 trillion from the P8.94 trillion posted in the same month last year.

This was slightly faster than the 14.5% expansion recorded in September.

Domestic claims during the period rose 15.2% from a year ago, slower than the 16.1% uptick in September, driven largely by the deceleration in private sector credit growth, which stood at 16.5% in October from 18.3% in the previous

month.

“Nevertheless, growth in bank loans remained robust on account of lending to key production sectors such as electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply; real estate activities; wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; financial and insurance activities; information and communication; and manufacturing,” the BSP said in a statement.

Meanwhile, net foreign assets, expressed in peso terms, grew by 6.1% in October from an upwardrevised 0.1% in September.

This was driven by overseas Filipinos’ remittances and business process outsourcing receipts, the BSP said.

Grace and Pointes star dancer CJ Neri shines during the Christmas lighting at Seda Centrio last Friday. photo by jay valmonte

The central bank added that the uptick was also due to the growth in banks’ foreign assets from higher loans and investments in marketable debt securities.

“The growth in M3 remains consistent with the BSP’s prevailing outlook for inflation and economic activity.

Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor domestic liquidity closely to ensure that monetary conditions are conducive to maintaining price and financial stability,” the BSP said.

BANK LENDING SLOWS Meanwhile, data released separately showed bank lending growth slowed to 19.9% in October from 21.1% in September after five consecutive months of acceleration.

Total outstanding loans amounted to P6.81 trillion as of end-October, P6.76 trillion previously, BSP data showed.

Likewise, the expansion of bank lending with reverse repurchase agreements entered into by banks factored in slowed money/PAGE 9

World Bank urges adoption of integrated social protection policy THE Philippines needs to create an integrated social protection policy to reduce poverty, according to a new World Bank (WB) report.

The WB report, titled “Riding the Wave: An East Asian Miracle for the 21st Century,” described the Philippines, along with Indonesia and Cambodia, as “out-of-extremepoverty” countries, which enjoy low levels of extreme poverty but also still have small middle classes.

A sizable share of the population is still either moderately poor or vulnerable to falling back into poverty, it said.

“Integrating existing social assistance programs to provide greater economic security is a key priority, with strengthening mobility a close second,” WB reported.

The Bank identified

fostering economic mobility among the three pillars that can underpin the policy agenda for the remaining extreme poor. “(This) requires closing gaps in access to jobs and services, improving the quality of jobs, and promoting financial inclusion,” it said.

Other pillars are providing greater economic security and bolstering social assistance systems.

The former involves bolstering social assistance systems, expanding social insurance, and increasing resilience to shocks; while strengthening institutions includes progressive taxation policies to raise resources and improvements in the effectiveness of inclusive spending programs.

“Better management of rapid aging and adoption/PAGE 9

OROBANKERS DIRECTORIES CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

A PUBLIC SERVICE BY:

AMANAH/ISLAMIC BANK V. Neri Street Carmen, Cdoc 858988/8587965 / 722274

METRO BANK- COGON Osmeña Hayes St. Cdoc | 726438/8572057

ASIA UNITED BANK Cor.Camp Alagar Road Lapasan, Cdoc 729678 / 8568893

METRO BANK- CARMEN Max Suniel St. Carmen, Cdoc 8581722/ 8585162

BDO – VELEZ Velez-Rn Abejuela Street, Cdoc 2314246/8572075

METRO BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW, Cdoc 724461/8561721

BDO – SM G/F SM City, Master Son’s Avenue Upper Carmen Cdoc | 8592623/8592637

METRO BANK- OSMEÑA Brgy Osmeña St. Cdoc | 722014 /8800924

BDO – XU XU Lib. Annex Corrales St. Cdoc 8574108 / 8573796

METRO BANK- CORRALES Corrales Avenue, Cdoc | 8572635/728731

BDO – CDO HAYES Trendline Bldg.,Hayes Street, 8568151/727405

METRO BANK- GAISANO 8561720

BDO – COGON Sky hi Bldg JR Borja St. Cogon, Cdoc 8577963/ 725209/ 725203 BDO – OSMEÑA Osmeña corner Ramon Chavez St. Cdoc 724567/8563727 BDO – LAPASAN Lapasan Highway Cdoc 8563233 /8563234 / 725178 BDO – RN- PELAEZ George Town CyberMall Rn Pelaez Blvd Kauswagan Cdoc | 8562617/729052 BDO – CARMEN Maxsuniel cor.V Neri St. Carmen, .Cdoc 8584854 /8581133 BANK OF COMMERCE- VELEZ Akut- Velez St.Cdoc | 8564371 / 726880 BANK OF COMMERCE- LAPASAN

CM Recto Ave. Lapasan, Cdoc, 8563991/727731

BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK RER kauswagan,HW Cdoc 8573733 /722519 BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK Gaston Park Cdoc | 8801518 BPI – LAPASAN Cm Recto HW Lapasan Cdoc 724076/ 8524602 BPI- VELEZ Velez-JR Borja St.Cdoc 8564213/722406 BPI – CAPISTRANO Capistrano St. Cdoc 8574264/8574263 BPI- COGON Osmeña St. Cdoc 8571297/8571298 CHINA BANK –GAISANO 745887/745880 CHINA BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc 8572212/8573274 CHINA BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW Cdoc 8561325 /722240 CHINA BANK – CARMEN Max Suniel, Cor. Yakal St. Cdoc 8583903/723091 CHINA BANK – DIVISORIA RN Abejuela St. Divosoria Cdoc 8575759/722641 CITY SAVINGS BANK TS Fashion Ave.Justo Ramonal Corner St.Cdoc 2316060/ 2316059 CHINATRUST Suite U&5 G/LGateway Tower Lapasan Lkk Cdoc 8521846/8521844 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK HW. Lapasan Cdoc | 8564201/ 8564201 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK Vamenta Carmen Sts. Cdoc | 8585366 DBP – CORRALES Corrales Ave., St. Cdoc | 8572087/722649 DBP – CAPISTRANO JR Borja Capistrano St. Cdoc 8567776/722819

PBCOM Tiano-HayesSt. Cdoc | 726519/8571558 PLANTERS DEVELOPMENT BANK

Tiano Bros St. Cdoc | 727083 /727082 PHILTRUST BANK Ramonal OsmeñaSt. CDO 8807234/2316694/2316695 PNB- CORRALES Corrales Avenue Cdoc | 729500 / 729723

PNB- LKK MALL NORTH CONCOURSE

LKK Mall N.Concourse Cdoc 8574149/8575682

PNB- CARMEN Elipe Bldg.Carmen, Cdoc | 8583158/ 8584203 PNB- LKK LKK Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564347/722872 PNB CDO– DIVISORIA Tiano Bros.Cruz Taal St., Cdoc 722861 /722816 PNB CDO– LAPASAN LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564732 / 723992 PNB CDO– COGON LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc 8571991/ 723992 PHILIPPINE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK, INC. bels_domingo@yahoo.com.ph Rizal Chavez Cdoc 8572194/725438 PS BANK Velez Corner A. Mabini St., Cdoc 8574183/725184 PHILIPPINE VETERANS BANK Tiano-Abejuela St. Cdoc 722644/8573386 QUEEN CITY DEVELOPMENT BANK, INC. Sacred Heart Mont. Cm RectoAve., Cdoc 8562390 RCBC- VELEZ Velez-Borja St. Cdoc | 8564982/8568888 RCBC- COGON Simplex Bldg. Osmeña St. Cdoc 8562888/725863/8521329 RCBC- LAPASAN Cm. Recto Lapasan HW. Cdoc 8561888/722449 RCBC- LKK Gateway, Tower 1 LkkCenter, Cdoc 8563707/722449 RCBC SAVINGS- CARMEN Walingwaling St.,Carmen St. Cdoc 8585793/ 8586248 RCBC SAVINGS- VELEZ Velez St. Cdoc | 729083/8562460 RCBC SAVINGS- AGORA 8807891/8807892 RURAL BANK OF CABADBARAN, Inc.

#58 Tiano FernandezSt.CDO 727215/ 8563552 *805

SECURITY BANK- OSMEÑA Osmeña St. Cdoc | 8563965/ 723411/728774 SECURITY BANK- LKK Limketkai | 8801258/8801625

EAST WEST BANK #5 Juan Sia Bldg. Apolinar Velez St.Cdoc 8578801/720081

SECURITY BANK- VELEZ Velez Montalvan St., Cdoc | 728334/856632

EAST WEST BANK Cogon De Oro Constraction Bldg. LKK Drive 8500339/8500331

STERLING BANK OF ASIA Tiano Velez St. CDO | 8528171/8528168

ENTERPRISE BANK INC. Centro Mariano Bldg Osmeña St. Cdoc 723869/ 3093395 FIRST CONSOLIDATED BANK CM Recto Ave., Cor.Agudo Road Cdoc 8565360/2316678 LBP – CAPISTRANO Capsitrano St. Cdoc | 8565515/727678 LBP – VELEZ LunaVelez St. | 723549/8563198 LBP – PUERTO Puerto Cdoc | 8558858 MAYBANK JR Borja Tiano Cor. Bldg. Cdoc 8574439/726060 METRO BANK- DIVISORIA Pabayo Abejuela St. Divisoria Park, Cdoc 724783/8576999 METRO BANK- VELEZ A. Velez St. Cdoc | 8561724/726054 METRO BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc | 8572999/724415

UCPB BANK- LAPASAN Osmeña Corner Lkk Drive, Cdoc 85771842/ 725135 UCPB BANK- VELEZ Velez Corner C. Pacana St. CDO 8564474/8564527 UCPB BANK SAVINGS-CAPISTRANO

Capistrano Corner CruzTaal St. CDO 8524099/722695

UCPB BANK SAVINGS- OPOL Gf forever Books Bldg.Bulua National CDO 754519/8588063 UNION BANK Lapasan Cm.Recto Cdoc | 8566847/8563805 WEALTHBANK Velez Gomez St. Cdoc | 8568942/722174 1ST VALLEY BANK Vamenta Blvd. CornerLirio St. Carmen, Cdoc 8501871/ 8584146 OROBANKERS CLUB Inc. Pnb Carmen | 09151850242

8

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Thursday|december 7, 2017

When you’re in Davao City, Read:

HOTELS & RESORTS DIRECTORIES

VILLA MARGARITA HOTEL J. P Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City, Philippines Tel. No.: (082) 221-5674 / Fax No. (082) 226-2968 MICROTEL

By Wyndham Davao Damosa Gateway Complex Angliongto Rd., Lanang Davao City 8000, Philippines Tel +63 82 233 2333 / Mobile +63 917 795 3548 www.microtelphilippines.com PINNACLE HOTEL Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City.

No. (082) 300-5885 Telefax: 300-1881/ 221-3025 Website: www.thepinnaclehotel.com ALU HOTEL M. Roxas Avenue corner Padre Faura Street, Davao City.

Tel No (63 82) 221-5232 / Mobile (O943) 652 3927 Email: aluhoteldavao@yahoo.com info@alu-hotel.com / www.alu-hotel.com GRAND REGAL Km 7 Lanang, Davao City, Philippines Tel. 235-0888 / Fax 235-2335 email: grandregalhotelegmail.com

VIAJEROS ECONOMY HOTEL Patnubay St., Sandawa, Matina, D.C Tel. No. 297-5710 / Telefax (6382) 298-5134 Mobile: 0922.-8268425 Website: www.viajeroseconomyinn.com

ROYAL MANDAYA HOTEL J.Palma Gil St., Davao City 8000 Phils.

Tel. No. (082) 225-8888 / fax No. (082) 225-1885 info@theroyalrmandayahotel.com www.theroyalmandayahotel.com HOMITORI Bangoy Street corner Santa Ana Avenue, Davao City Tel. No. (082) 295-2969 & 295-2471 / Mobile: (0922) 8994646 Email: homitoridvo@gmail.com or Like us on www.facebook.com/pages/Homitori-Davao BIG APPLE HOTEL Brgy. Angliongto, Lanang, D.C. Hotline Nos.: (082) 234-8459 Facebook account: bigapplehotel@ymail.com Email: bigapple_hotel@ymail.com

THE PERIDOT SUITES Carmelite Drive, Lanang, Davao City Tel. no.: (082) 305-6530 / Fax no.: (082) 305-38I2 Email: theperidotsuiles@gmail.com AZIENDA MEO APARTELLE 11 Corner Pioneer and Doña Vicenta Village, Phase 1, Davao City Telefax. No: (082) 227-4119 & 284-6689 Cell Phone No. 09256652626 Website: www.aziendameo.com Email Add: aziendameo@yahoo.com.ph Big 8 Corporate Hotel Visayan Village, National Highway, Tagum City Mobile nos. 09173029063 & 09328539372 Tel. No.: (084)216-0888 Email: info@big8corporatehotel.com www.facebook.com/big8corporatehotel.com www.big8corporatehotel.com HOTEL ELENA Avenida Santos Ave., Nova Tierra Vill, Lanang, D.C Tel. Nos. (082) 233-1941 & 305.8799 / fax No. (082) 233-1887 PARADISE ISLAND Tel. No. (082) 233-0251 & 300-2343 / CP No.: 09209546780 E-mail: paradiseislanddavao@gmail.com MARCO POLO DAVAO C.M Recto St., Davao City davao@marcopolohotels.com www.marcopolohotels.com (63 82) 221-0888 HOTEL ESSE Brgy. 9-A F Torres Street, Davao City Hotline: No: 227-37-73 / Fax: 295-34-85 Website: www.hotelessedavao.com.ph Email Add: hotel_esse_davao@yahoo.com RUEMANGO APARTELLE & SUITES 516 Mangga St., Juna Subd., Matina, Davao City ruemangoapartelleandsuites@gmail.com www.ruemango.com Tel. Nos.: (082) 295-7175/ 295-7180

Miss Kuyamis 2018 unveils THE provincial government of Misamis Oriental on Monday, December 11, will present the candidates of the Search for Miss Kuyamis 2018 during the weekly flag-raising ceremony at

the Provincial Capitol Grounds.

Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano is scheduled to lead the Provincial and Municipal Tourism Officers in presenting 19 lovely

candidates to the world.

“Start now to select who among them is your bet to be crowned in January 2018 because surely you will have a hard time to choose…they are beautiful and intelligent,” Governor

Emano says.

The Provincial Tourism Office-lead annual search is aimed at showcasing to the whole universe how lovely and beautiful are the people of Misamis Oriental and its must-visit tourist sites. PR

10 Outstanding HIV-AIDS Advocates feted in 1st Ripple Awards Ten exceptional individuals who have made remarkable contributions and impact to eradicate the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the Philippines and Asia were awarded with the first-ever Ripple Awards during the Love Gala, a World AIDS Day commemoration and charity event on December 1.

The 10 Ripple Awards 2017 winner include a Philippine senator, a veteran health official, medical and media practitioners, a transgender philanthropist, people living with HIV and community advocates, and were honored in a ceremony held at the BGC Arts Center for their outstanding efforts and initiatives.

The winners were selected from a pool of twenty (20) finalists, collectively known as

Ripplers, who were nominated by the public and deliberated by top caliber HIV practitioners and advocates who sat as panel of judges, including high-ranking UNAIDS

and World Health Organization officials.

Criteria for judging centered on their vision for the advocacy and the effectiveness of their initiatives to create ripples

of positive change among communities vulnerable to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

This year’s winners received the first-ever Ripple Awards trophy, designed by transgender conceptual artist Tokwa Penaflorida, and which was made from seven glass plates that evoke the aura of a person releasing positive energy to other people to inspire them to make better and informed choices, and to counter the stigma attached to HIV and AIDS. 10 Ripple Awards 2017 Winners Faustine Luell ‘Paji’ Tupas Angeles (PLHIV, Youth): This 29 year old sports enthusiast and social media influencer founded the Pedal for HIV in 2015 as a vehicle to spread awareness. Paji used his passion for sports ripple/PAGE 9

9

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Thursday|december 7, 2017

DENR... from page 6

Pasig City, DENR Assistant Secretary Corazon Davis expressed the countr y’s gratitude to ICLEI and SMG for choosing the Philippines as one of the ACP country recipients.

Speaking on behalf of DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, Davis described the project as “very timely” as it came at a time when the country was reviewing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the landmark Paris agreement on climate change.

“As the country reviews its strengthened NDC, it will include cities at the forefront of implementing transformative low emission development projects,” Davis said.

“We at the DENR could provide a platform on how we could cascade the learnings of these three cities,” she added.

Davis expressed hope that more vulnerable and high-risk cities in the world will learn from the country’s “trailblazers to natural resources conservation and environment protection.”

According to Davis, the ACP project will “not reinvent, but rather continue the momentum” that the three cities have started in terms of fighting climate change.

Under the ACP project, Davis said there will be opportunities to “establish strong climate local action plans to concretize targets, and enhance multi-stakeholder strategies engagement and integrated strategies.”

Money... from page 7

to 18% in October from 20.1%.

Loans for production activities, which make up about 88.3% of banks’ total loan portfolio, also grew slower at 18.7% that month from 20.7% in September.

“The growth in production loans was driven primarily by increased lending to t h e f o l l ow i n g s e c t or s : electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply (25%); real estate activities (16%); wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (19.9%); financial and insurance activities (24.5%); information and communication (40.4%); and, manufacturing (9.4%),” the BSP said.

Bank lending to other sectors also ticked up except for public administration, defense and compulsory social security, which went down 1.1%, and administrative and support services activities, which dropped 22.2%.

Household consumption loan growth, meanwhile, grew 23.4% percent, faster than the prior month’s 20%, mainly due to the expansion in credit card loans, motor vehicle loans and other types of household loans compensated the slower growth in salarybased general purpose loans.

“Going for ward, the BSP will continue to ensure t h at t h e e x p ans i on i n

domestic credit and liquidity conditions proceeds in line with overall economic growth while remaining consistent with the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” the central bank said.

Adoption... from page 7

urbanization, as well as enhancing competition, will also help,” the report added.

T he WB note d t hat countries of developing East Asia and Pacific – among the most successful in the world in reducing poverty and improving living standards – need to adopt a new thinking if they are to achieve inclusive growth going forward.

“It’s a historic achievement that nearly a billion people in East Asia moved out of extreme poverty in just one generation,” said Victoria Kwakwa, WB Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific.

“But for the region to sustain inclusive growth, countries will need to address the challenges of fully eliminating extreme poverty, enhancing the prospects for economic mobi l it y, and assur i ng economic security for all.”

(PNA)

Ripple... from page 8

to promote HIV advocacy and reduce stigma towards people living with HIV through cycling and running events.

He is also a member of the International Aids Society, a community of scientists, advocates and policy-makers revolutionizing the global AIDS advocacy.

Sherwin Baniqued (PLHIV, NGO, Yout h): Sherwin is a selfless young individual who left his job to devote himself for the HIV advocacy. He established the Juan Posi+ive Movement in Pampanga, which caters to education, treatment, care and support to people living with HIV and their affected family members. He is also a life coach at the Department of Health-Region III. M.A. Buendia (Influencer, Media & Advertising): This BPO agent literally uses the airwaves to increase his listener’s HIV awareness as he anchors the advocacy talk show, Call Center Radio that airs every Sunday morning on DZRJ 810AM. M.A. also takes advantage of the online platform (i.e., Youtube, Facebook and Twitter) to influence netizens about the HIV advocacy. Apart from creating video blogs and other contents, he also gives motivational talks in different schools, universities, and organizations.

Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel (G over nment): S enator Risa was responsible for major contributions in the passage of relevant laws in health and gender equality.

Currently, the senator helped in authoring the Senate Bill 1390, which will improve access to HIV prevention s e r v i c e s i n clu d i ng s e x education and HIV testing.

Looking ahead, Sen. Risa’s Senate Bill 376 Phil. HIVAIDS Policy Bill also aims for

developing new strategies and policies in curbing the AIDS epidemic in the country.

Jebsen Rederri Go Gamido (PLHIV, NGO): A professor and breadwinner of his family, Jebsen, together with his 8 co-founding members, established in 2015 the Positibong Marino Philippines, Inc. (PMPI).

As a network of PLHIV seafarers in the Philippines, PMPI endeavors to promote a coordinated and unified response and initiative on various advocacies for PLHIV seafarers, their affected families, and the maritime industr y. It defends the rights of PLHIV seafarers who find difficulty in getting employment due to their HIV status.

Enrique Ta y a g (Government): The spokesperson and dancing doctor of the Philippine D epar tment of He alt h, OIC-Assistant Secretar y Tayag is a public health exp er t, par tic ularly on “e p i d e m i o l o g y ” t h a t covers topics on sexually transmitted infections. He has been actively involved in developing policies and guidelines, setting standards for disease surveillance, and advocating disease prevention and control. He contributed greatly in the creation of the national Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serological Surveillance and the monthly HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines, which were utilized for planning and developing strategies and interventions to address the HIV problem in the country.

Kate r ina ‘D o c Kate’ Leyritana (NGO, Medical): A physician for infectious diseases, Dr. Kate is one of the founding Board Directors and the Medical Director of Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines, Inc. (SHIP), a one-stop shop alternative treatment option for people living with HIV (and other sexual health diseases). From roughly 30 patients in 2013, SHIP now has more than 800 PLHIV enrollees. Apart from being an HIV physician, she is also an HIV researcher, program developer and policy development advocate.

Elena Felix (PLHIV): Being one of the organizers of the Association of Positive Women Advocates Inc., Elena mentors a new breed of leaders for women living with HIV. Part of her response to the epidemic is actively pushing for amendments in the AIDS Bill by collaborating with the Network to Stop Aids Philippines. She gives a face to women living with HIV in the Philippines.

Roberto Figuracion (NGO): Robert is the HIV Coordinator of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines-Unicef in Iloilo, bringing the HIV advocacy

to schools and communities within Region VI. The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines has 15 active organizational chapters with 17 community health care clinics nationwide, offering integrated package of essential services on family planning and reproductive health.

Angelina ‘Angie’ Mead King (Business, Influencer): Angie is a philanthropist and the managing director of Victoria Court, a drivein hotel that advocates HIV awareness. The hotel also hosted a series of communitybased HIV screenings and partnered with leading HIV advocacy groups for their HIV campaigns. Angie also launched the website www. stophiv.info to further raise awareness and created youth engagement activities with focus on HIV. About the Ripple Awards The f irst-ever R ipple Awards will take place during the Love Gala –Asia’s Premier Charity and Awards event on 1 December 2017 at BGC Arts Center in Taguig City.

T h e R ip pl e Aw a rd s symbolizes a single person’s act of love can start ripples that grow into a wave of change that saves millions of people from HIV and AIDS. Apart from the Ripple Awards, Love Gala is the new highlight of the country’s commemoration of the World AIDS Day, wherein donorguests will also be treated to exclusive performances, a world-class fashion show, Filipino artistry, and many more.

Love Gala tickets were sold, and part of the proceeds will go to partner HIV-AIDS organizations that are leading the fight to stop the growing HIV epidemic and end AIDSrelated deaths.

T he L ove G a l a i s a collaboration of private and public institutions and youth-oriented organizations to augment the efforts in bringing t he HIV-AIDS advocacy to a larger mainstream audience.

Institutions and orga nizations coming toget her for L ove Ga la are the following: AIDS Hea lt hca re Foundat ion, Better Together Foundation, Black Maria Pictures, Castro Communications, Decent I ma ge of S out h Sig na l A s s o c iat ion (DIOS SA), Dentsu Jayme Syfu, Nectar Nig htclub, Ph i l ippi ne National AIDS Council, Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc., Pinoy Plus Association Incorporated, Positibong Marino Philippines, Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP), Taguig City Government, T he Re d W h i st le , T he LoveYourself Incorporated, UNAIDS, the US Embassy and World Health OrganizationPhilippines.

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Volkswagen PH Child Safety Initiative marks 10,000th participant

T

he 46th activation of Volkswagen Philippines’ Child Safety Initiative (CSI) was held at Ayala Malls the 30th last November 4 and 5. The local campaign of the German carmaker’s global CSR efforts toward road safety achieved the landmark 10,000th child participant.

The CSI emphasizes the timeliness and urgency of pedestrian and motorist safety efforts. According to figures released by the Philippine Statistics Office in May 2017, an average of 34 Filipinos are killed every day in road accidents, and that the main cause of deaths among Filipino youths aged 15 to 19 are road accidents. It also revealed that transport-related crashes increased sharply from 15,572 in 2014 to 24,565 in 2016.

Data from Safe Kids Worldwide Philippines (SKWP) revealed that globally, an estimated 1.25 million people are killed and over 50 million are injured in road

crashes annually, and that by 2020, road traffic crashes are expected to increase by 80 percent in low- and middle-income countries due to increasing motorization.

The CSI campaign is aimed at introducing early childhood safety awareness to children of 4 to 8 years of age with the Junior Driving Course module, while imparting important road safety habits to their parents. The Steps to Safety program (launched in April 2017 also during the MIAS), on the other hand, addresses the pedestrian safety for older children aged 9 to 12 years old, and for the graduates of the Junior Driving Course.

The Junior Driving Course features a miniature simulated roadway within a community (complete with road signages, stoplights, and miniature vehicles) for the kids’ use as well as the Child Seat Corner that emphasizes the passive safety devices of modern day passenger vehicles,

with special focus on the use of age-appropriate child safety seats. It also draws in kids and their parents with a video show, primer, and coloring book activity.

The Steps to Safety program uses the virtual reality (VR) and smartphone app technologies played on a Samsung Gear VR to attract participants, while a pedestrian road safety seminar, a pre-requisite to the experience of the VR app, teaches participants to become responsible adult road users. The pedestrian road safety seminar, conducted by an instructor from the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership, consists of lessons on how to cross roads safely, how to recognize traffic lights and signals, recognizing and following road signs and markings, and identifying the types of pedestrian crossings.

The VR and smartphone app simulates a busy road network, wherein participants are required to pass all seven game

With the outstanding results obtained from the fuel efficiency benchmarking run last year, the Department of Energy (DOE) once again tapped oil industry leader Petron Corporation to be the official fuel of the DOE Eco Run 2017.

Held last November 21, 2017 on a 216-kilometer route on

the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and TarlacPangasinanLa Union Expressway (TPLEX), the run is part of the Philippine Energy Standards and Labeling Program (PESLP), which has now expanded its coverage to light duty motor vehicles. This also strengthens the DOE’s energy efficiency and

conservation e-power mo program.

Of the 52 official vehicles and 3 guest entries fielded by local car manufacturers and distributors, two dieselpowered vehicles, the Ssangyong Rodius and the Mini Countryman, obtained fuel efficiency ratings (FER) above 30km/L. Powered by Petron

levels by using pedestrian crossings, overpasses and following road signs.

Graduates of the Junior Driving Course receive their Junior Driver’s

License, while participants who pass the Steps to Safety program get their road safety badge. More than receiving their licenses and badges, these

kids and their parents have hopefully removed themselves from being potentially part of the tragic statistics of road accidents.

Turbo Diesel Euro 4, 50% of the diesel vehicles achieved outstanding FERs over 20-km/L. The best performers in the diesel category include: Ssangyong Rodius 2.0 AT (33.12- km/L); Mini Countryman 2.0 AT (30.64-km/L); Volkswagen Golf GTS 2.0 AT (27.91km/L); Hyundai Accent 1.6 AT (27.80-km/L); Peugeot 3008 2.0 AT (25.39-km/L); Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 AT (24.75-km/L); Honda CR-V 1.6 AT (23,96km/L); Mahindra Supro 1.0 MT (22.52- km/L); Ssangyong Tivoli XLV 1.6 AT (22.35-km/L); Toyota Innova 2.8 AT (21.60-km/L); Volvo V90 Cross Country D4 2.0 AT (21.40-km/L); Volvo S90 D4 2.0 AT (21.13-km/L); and Mitsubishi Montero Sports 2.5 MT (20.43km/L) The gasoline-fed vehicles running on Petron XCS Euro 4 also obtained excellent FERs, with the Kia Picanto 1.3 AT topping the list at 29.23-km/L. Other topnotchers include:

the Toyota Vios 1.5 AT (25.88-km/L); Toyota Wigo 1.0 AT (25.19km/L); Suzuki Alto 800cc MT (24.81-km/L); Honda City 1.5 AT (23.91-km/L); Suzuki Swift 1.2 MT (23.27- km/L); Mazda 2 1.5 AT (22.82-km/L); Honda BR-V 1.5 AT (22.22-km/ L); Suzuki Vitara 1.6 AT (20.57-km/L); Mazda CX5 2.0 AT (20.22-km/L); and the Peugeot 2008 1.2 AT (20.19-km/L).

The official entries were driven by a two-man driver/co-driver team with an independent media observer to ensure that DOE guidelines were followed. The participating car companies included Asianbrands Motors Corporation (Mahindra), Automobile Central Enterprise Inc. (Volkswagen), Bayan Automotive Industries Corporation (BAIC), Berjaya Auto Philippines (Mazda), British United Automobiles Inc., Columbian Autocar Corporation (Kia),

Eurobrands Distributor Inc. (Peugeot), Ford Group Philippines, Honda Cars Philippines Inc., Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., Isuzu Philippines Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation, Motor Image Pilipinas Inc. (Subaru), Nissan Philippines Inc., Ssangyong Berjaya Motor Philippines, Suzuki Philippines Inc., The Covenant Car Company Inc. (Chevrolet), Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation, United Asia Automotive Group Inc. (Foton), and Volvo Philippines. BMW Philippines also fielded two guest vehicles which showed excellent results.

The BMW 318D had a FER of 26.94 km/L and the BMW X1 reached 23.88 kilometer per liter. Both vehicles were powered by Petron Turbo Diesel Euro 4.

During the announcement of results held at the Fontana Leisure petron/PAGE 11

Petron once again fuels DOE Eco Run

11

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Thursday|december 7, 2017

Petron... from page 10

Park in Clark a few hours after the run, DOE Usec. Wimpy Fuentebella noted that, “DOE aims to empower our consumers in their choice of vehicle by putting a premium on energy efficiency.” “We want to inform our consumers that fuel efficiency should be part of their criteria in making a decision aside from the brand, color and other operating features,” Fuentebella added.

Pe t r o n , m e a nw h i l e , renewed its commitment of support for the government’s energy conservation efforts.

According to Petron General Manager Lubin Nepomuceno, “ Through our strong par tnership with D OE, particularly in the DOE Fuel Eco Run, Petron hopes to provide Filipino motorists with realistic and comparable fuel efficiency ratings that can help them make informed decisions not only for their vehicle purchases, but also in their long-term operating and maintenance expenses.”

Access... from page 1

be tapped for coffee R&D. The 15-year-old private sector-led PCB has been named as a Philippine partner by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), an international nonprofit organization that promotes and teaches coffee grading.

The PCB initiated last year the Kape Pilipino competition, in which coffee growers submit their produce for grading. The first winners of the competition, with CQI participating in the judging, were two cooperatives from Bukidnon, both headed by women.

Ms. Juan said they are pushing for higher quality beans given the limitations of volume expansion.

“If we cannot do (higher yield), then let’s do the quality,” said Ms. Juan, adding that premium coffee beans would mean better income for farmers.

Glicerio Joel Y. Lumagbas, a member of the PCB board, said the biggest challenge in the expansion of coffee farms is competition from other agricultural sectors, particularly high-value crops.

“The biggest problem that the industry is facing is the conversion of farms as coffee is replaced with pineapple, banana, oil palm,” Mr. Lumagbas said at the forum.

At present, the country produces about 35,000 tons of coffee annually, which meets only about 25% of domestic demand.

Emmanuel R. Quisol, business development coordinator of the Mindanao Productivity in Agricultural C o m m e r c e a n d Tr a d e (MinPACT), said premium coffee beans can be developed for both the arabica and robusta varieties through i mprove d p o s t - h ar ve s t practices.

Mr. Quis ol s aid the bulk of the country’s coffee p ro d u c t i o n i s s o l d t o

commercial buyers rather than the specialty market, which is why most farmers still practice “stripping,” or harvesting beans that are not yet mature.

“One of the highlights of the summit is a discussion on post harvest practices for both arabica and fine robusta,” Mr. Quisol told BusinessWorld.

MinPACT, funded by t he US D ep ar t ment of Agriculture and implemented by nonprofit organization ACDI/VO CA, has been promoting harvesting and processing methods for specialty beans, particularly in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Davao.

Mr. Quis ol said t he program has been providing f a c i l it i e s and te a ch i ng smallholders such techniques as using elevated drying platforms.

“After drying, farmers (under the program) also practice sorting to remove all coffee defects and foreign (objects), which is a standard in specialty coffee,” Mr. Quisol said.

In terms of funding for expansion, Ms. Juan said that they see no shortage of available financing, but farmers need guidance on how to access the funds.

“There are many sources of funds, among them Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) have their windows for crop production, including coffee,” Ms. Juan said.

She said DBP even has a special lending program for women, as well as the In c l u s i v e L e n d i n g f o r Aspiring Entrepreneurs, a program that can be tapped by small coffee producers.

Another income source that can be developed for coffee producers is farm tourism, she said.

“What only needs to be done is to clean these farms and the DoT (Department of Tourism) will train the tour guides so that farmers can make money out of tourism,” she said.

Program... from page 1

The agriculturist said the training, which uses tools developed under the World Bank-funded PRDP and its precursor Mindanao Rural Development Program, taught her “that, aside from marketing fresh (mangosteen) and jam, there are also other products we can develop from mangosteen such as capsules (a me dicina l pro duc t), candies and sweets and even juice.”

Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr., PRDP Mindanao director, said in a statement that the goal of the series of 96 hours worth of training is to capacitate people in local government units (LGUs)so that they can help the DA in the implementation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan.

“These marketing studies are critical input to the Provincial Commodity Investment Plans (PCIP) and as the basis for resource

allocation and prioritization of DA programs, projects, and activities implemented at the national and regional levels,” Mr. Oñate said in a statement.

One the tools, the rapid market appraisal, is “an iterative and interactive research methodology, which is used to better understand complex market systems in a short time,” according to a PRDP brief.

Value chain analysis, on the other hand, “identifies requirements/priority interventions in each link of the chain… It is an important planning approach that guides programming and budgeting processes in agriculture.”

The training program is part of the PRDP’s project planning component that includes research, commodity prioritization, data analysis, re p o r t w r i t i n g , a n d a competitiveness strategy.

Revenue... from page 1

from P21 million revenue goal; • Port of Cagayan de Oro, with P1.273 billion collection, 1.1 percent hike from P1.259 billion revenue goal; • Port of Clark, with P149 million collection, 6.6 percent higher than its P140 million revenue target; and • Port of Davao, with P1.56 billion collection, 6.6 percent more than its P1.464 billion revenue target.

“We have been achieving historical collection figures since September, but the latest November collection is really a milestone for BOC, being the highest in the monthly collection ever achieved by BOC. This, despite having only 19 working days. I think we could have surpassed our monthly target if November has the usual number of working days,” Lapena said in a statement.

He attributed last month’s efficient collection to the increase in the volume of importation by 7.9 percent compared to last year’s volume of the same period, increase in oil prices and also from the “no tara policy” strictly being enforced, Lapena added that auction proceeds, a non-traditional source of revenue, also contributed significantly to this latest collection feat.

According to the data from the Port Operations Service, for the month of November alone, total proceeds from auction reached P62, 515, 119.12.

Meanwhile, the total proceeds from auctions held in different ports nationwide from January to November reached P256, 830,675.91.

The Customs, thru the sub-port of Iligan, made a successful case settlement w it h F i r s t Nat i onw i d e Assurance Company in the amount of P110 million, which was posted as part of last month’s revenue.

The agency’s past monthly collection only reached about PHP35 billion while daily average collection amounted to only P1.8 billion.

Upon Lapena’s assumption

as customs chief, the monthly and even the daily collections made records in the bureau’s revenue collection history.

S e p t e m b e r m o nt h l y collection was posted at P41 billion while October reached P42 billion.

Last November 3 and 10, the BOC reached its highest daily collection in the amount of P3.045 billion and P3.839 billion, respectively.

“I am really optimistic that

by December, the BOC will finally be able to hit, if not surpass its monthly target.

Together with all the ports, we are really hoping that we will achieve this,” he added.

(Ferdinand G. Patinio/PNA)

Halal... from page 1

Woven Cloth) Festival.

Once operational, the young Mangudadatu said the factory could process an average of 30,000 pieces of dressed chicken daily.

Foreign investors partnered with the Mangudadatu political clan of Maguindanao in establishing the factory to ensure halal chicken supplies are available in the local and regional markets.

National “halal” industry consultant Sani Macabalang said the production of pure halal chicken involves not only the slaughter of chicken according to Islamic tradition, but also the raising of chicken according to halal standards.

According to Ma n g u d a d at u , d re s s e d chicken in the market today may have been slaughtered according to Islamic tradition but uncertain how they were raised.

The project is a joint venture between local traders and Malaysian investors who see chicken production the halal way as a means of ensuring dressed chicken in the market are safe and permissible to Islamic law.

(PNA)

Violation... from page 2

desist order, confiscation/ destruction of goods, and an administrative fine of not more than P300,000.

Likened to the anti-illegal drug operations “Oplan Tokhang,” Project ET aims to intensify the implementation of Fair Trade Laws and the Consumer Act in the provinces to further safeguard the life, safety and health of the consuming public.

Project ET monitors prices, labels/markings, weight and quality of goods for consumers to get the best value of their hard-earned money.

Project ET was officially launched on 01 August 2017

by DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez. (AADevero/DTI/ PIA-10 LDN)

Regrets... from page 4

is we each must ask Jesus for His gift of forgiveness. Since you and I on our own cannot make all our past wrongs right by trying to be a good, even religious person. If we could, then God the Son would not have needed to

become a human being to die and pay the penalty for all our wrongs.

So won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you and set you free from all your guilt and regrets? Then ask Him to take full control of your life, so you can start living with a clear conscience and peace of mind for the rest of your life. Just Think a Minute…

Impotence... from page 4

only would these children be considered as having been castrated.

They would in fact be deprived of attaining the fullness of their manhood, if you know what I mean. This could even lead to madness or confusion of mind among the male students when they finally grow up. Imagine, this could create more mad Filipinos (“abnoys” in the local dialect), all because of what the government of Noynoy Aquino did.

-ooo WATCH ANG TANGING DAAN” AT FACEBOOK: “Ang Tanging Daan” is a Bible exposition and prayer session for everyone, in English and Filipino, 24/7, worldwide, that can be viewed at www.facebook. com/angtangingdaan.

Please see the video section.

Reactions: 0917 984 24 68, 0918 574 0193, 0977 805 9058. Email:batasmauricio@ yahoo.com

Radical... from page 4

sexual act.

It’s indeed a big challenge now to spread this basic truth about the implications of our creation by God. Our life is a shared life with God. A direct corollary to this is that we ought always to be aware of God’s presence and interventions in our life. In fact, as much as possible we should try to feel the divine even while we are immersed in the things of the world. roycimagala@gmail.com.

Poultry...

from page 5 firm providing food, agriculture, financial, and industrial products and services. It is present in 70 countries with an employment count of over 155,000.

“Cargill and Jollibee came together to start this plant because of our common commitment to the highest standards in product quality and food safety. This is reflected in the new plant which harnesses technology and global experience to deliver tasty products in an environment which is safe for our employees and is environmentally sustainable,” C-Joy President and Chief E xe c ut ive Of f icer Pau l Fullbright said in a statement.

C-Joy will be tapping local poultry farmers in Batangas and neighboring provinces t o s upply t h e ch i cke n requirements of the facility, which could potentially create around 1,000 jobs for the community.

“We are looking forward to producing the chickens that

will be supplied to the C-Joy plant to meet the poultry meat requirements of Jollibee.

One thing I was impressed about is the biosecurity requirements to control the food safety at every stage of production,” JFC quoted Highcrest President Vic Lao as saying in a statement.

The facility will partially support the local requirements of several brands under JFC. The company ended September 2017 with a total of 2,756 restaurant outlets in the Philippines, of which 1,023 are under the Jollibee brand, 510 under Chowking, 262 under Greenwich, 411 under Red Ribbon, 471 under Mang Inasal, and 79 under Burger King.

JFC delivered a 16.3% increase in its attributable profit to P5.11 billion in the first nine months of 2017, following a 15% growth in revenues to P94.51 billion boosted by strong sales in both its local and overseas store network.

Abroad, JFC has a total of 888 stores, excluding 3 5 5 out l e t s u n d e r t h e Smashburger brand where JFC has a 40% interest.

Alsons... from page 5

underlying assets will allow ACR to invest in other projects and/or possibly reduce a portion of its debt.”

It was further stipulated that “the purchase price of the shares (less retention amount of P100 million) and the purchase price of the advances shall be paid to by GBPC to the issuer on closing.”

The newly-minted partners, together with other equity holder Toyota Tsusho Corporation, are c ur rent ly pursuing t he completion of the second unit of the Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) coal-fired power project that the Alsons Power Group has started.

Tax...

from page 5

Act No. 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009. 50% of the travel tax collection will be given to TIEZA, while 40% is allotted for the Commission on Higher Education for tourism-related educational programs, and the remainder will be given to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Pass engers traveling abroad previously had to pay the travel tax separately at the TIEZA counters in airports before checking in.

Mindanao Daily

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0935-1613398 mdntarps@gmail.com

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