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DAVAO City — The Indonesian-flagged vessel Gloria 28 has resumed the cargo service calling at General Santos and Davao as well as the port of Bitung in Sulawesi. The vessel, which provides both charter and cargo services, was scheduled to arrive in General Santos on Dec 4, then make a stop in Davao before returning to Bitung on Dec. 7. Bitung is about 44 kilometers from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi.
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Caraga logs 5% eco growth in 2019: PSA www.businessweekmindanao.com
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By ALEXANDER LOPEZ, PNA
U T UA N C i t y – The Phi lippine Statistics Authority in Caraga Region (PSA13) said the area registered a 5 percent economic growth in 2019.
SRP on meat, vegies THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it has expanded the list of basic commodities subject to a suggested retail price (SRP), including more types of meat and vegetables following the series of lateyear typhoons that hit the Philippines. In an administrative circular, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued the new pricecontrol list applicable to wet markets and supermarkets in the National Capital Region. “These events have resulted in the tightening of supply, resulting in the declaration of a state of calamity in Luzon,” Mr. Dar said.
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LAKE HOLON. Campers enjoy the scenery at Lake Holon in T'boli, South Cotabato, one of the popular tourist destinations in Soccsksargen or Region 12. mindanews photo by bong s . sarmiento
New RE projects to raise electricity bills By MYRNA M. VELASCO, Contributor
WHILE renewable energy (RE) developers are br and i sh i ng t h at t he i r
technologies are already the cheapest in the market, the National Renewable Energy
The agency said Caraga’s growth performance last year moved at a slightly “slower pace” compared to 2018 when the region registered a 5.2 percent growth. Of the three major industries in the region, only the services sector expanded last year, with the Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) sectors suffering declines in growth, the agency said “The Services sector continued to expand with 11.0 percent while GROWTH/PAGE 7
Board (NREB) ironically dropped the bomb that the programmed RE projects in the country will increase PROJECTS/PAGE 7
Mindanao universities among Asia’s best By MINDANEWS
DAVAO City — Four of 14 Philippine universities that made it to the annual listing of top Asian universities by
the United Kingdom-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), are in Mindanao. Mindanao State
University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), the lone Mindanao university that made it to the 2019 QS list, was joined by three other BEST/PAGE 6
PRICES DOWN. Due to abundant harvests but lack of shipment, papayas are being sold at only three pesos per kilo along the national highway in Tupi, South Cotabato. Previously, the fruit fecthes P20 per kilo. mindanews photo by bong s . sarmiento
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Local
DILG-10 trains 29 ELCAC town reps on local legislation
C
AGAYAN DE ORO CITY--Members of Local Legislative Bodies of the 29 Ending Local Communists Armed Conflict (ELCAC) Municipalities participated in the initiative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-10 to gather local legislators and provide a training on CDP/LDIP Retooling in Aid of Local Legislation, November 19-20. The department has provided comprehensive perspective to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan/ Sangguniang Barangay members to instill better understanding on the process of planning, budgeting, and resource mobilization through the discussion of Retooled Community Support
Program (RCSP)— President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority program aimed towards putting an end to local armed communists in the country. “It [CDP] serves as the LGU’s road map to progress and development. It contains the strategic plans for five development sectors namely economic, environment, social, institution, and infrastructure,” DILG-10 Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe said, highlighting the importance of CDP as one of the major plans mandated under the Local Government Code of 1991. Moreover, Agabe emphasized the presence of government through RCSP to the ELCAC barangays of Region 10. “We should continue to let everyone know that the government is
there because that is our mandate and that is where we are best, rendering effective and efficient public service to everyone,” he added. Furthermore, LGOO VI Jacillo Orongan presented the latest related issuances of the local legislation in connection to the COVID-19 pandemic. Issuances include the department’s memorandum on the mandatory wearing of face masks in public areas, guidelines on the risk-based public health standards for COVID-19, the establishment of Local Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (LESUs), among others. The two-day webinar workshop ended with Local Government Capability Development Division (LGCDD) Chief and LGOO VII Hazel L.
BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL National Highway Balingasag, Barangay 4, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental Mobile Number/s: 0933-823-3161, 0933-823-3304 Tel. Number: 333-5161 CAGAYAN DE ORO P&J Lim Building, Tiano Kalambagohan St., Barangay 14, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel No. (08822) 727-829 / 231-6629 Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0933-823-3303 / 0943-708-7065 CAGAYAN DE ORO WAREHOUSE Warehouse 7, Bonbon Road, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Mobile No. 0917-825-4149 / 0943-708-7065 CARMEN, CAGAYAN DE ORO Vamenta Blvd., fronting CEPALCO, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 233-2011 Mobile No. 0933-823-3159 CORRALES, CDO Corrales Ave., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 231-2055
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WEDNESDAY|DECEMBER 9, 2020
Twenty-nine Ending Local Communists Armed Conflict (ELCAC) Municipalities participated in the initiative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-10 to gather local legislators and provide a training on CDP/LDIP Retooling in Aid of Local Legislation, November 19-20. (DILG 10)
Occeña discussing the dynamics and mechanics of the CDP and the Local Development Investment Program. Further, she stressed the importance and crucial role of LGUs in advancing the country’s competitiveness and ease of doing business. (DILG10/ PIA10)
DIVISORIA, CDO A. Velez St., Barangay 9, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0917-841-4000 / 0933-823-3164 GINGOOG CITY G/F Wyne Militante Bldg., Lugod St., Barangay 22, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 861-0104 Mobile No. 0933-823-3168 LAPASAN, CDO National Highway (FICCO Bldg.), Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 231-6739 Mobile No. 0933-823-3160 PUERTO, CDO Purok 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 859-0574 Mobile No. 0943-708-7537 CAMIGUIN B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Telefax No. (088) 387-0491 Mobile No. 0943-708-7539
BSC assures support to young chess prodigy from Marawi MARAWI CITY— Bangsamoro Sports Commission (BSC) assured its support to the 10-year-old chess prodigy Al-Basher “Basty” Buto to further develop his potential. In a statement issued on Dec. 3, BSC chairperson Nu-man Caludtiag said, “Rest assured that we (BSC) will extend our support, in whatever means necessary, to Basty in further developing his potential and his eventual attainment of Chess Grandmaster.” Buto, a Maranao and son of Jamellah and
Bong Buto from Marawi City, brought consistent honor and pride to the Bangsamoro community and the country as a whole for dominating chess games in both local and global competitions. The Maranao chess wizard has been participating in chess tournaments since the age of five and has scored gold medals held in different countries, including the 13th Asian Schools Chess Championship in China and 8th Asean Age-Group Chess Championship in Malaysia in 2017. He is part of the Philippine Team from Nov. 28-Dec. 3, 2020 Fide Online World Cadets and Youth Rapid Championships. The team included 15 PRODIGY/PAGE 6 EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF DECEASED RUTH CORAZON T. CABAJES WITH SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late RUTH CORAZON T. CABAJES who died on August 3, 2016 at Cagayan de Oro City, that said decedent left no debts and her only surviving spouse while the rest are her only children, that the said deceased, at the time of her death left two (2) parcels of land with TCT No. 137-2013003442 situated in the Barrio of Kauswagan, City of Cagayan de Oro , Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED SIX (106) SQUARE METERS, more or less, and TCT NO. T-197971 situated in the Barrio of Canitoan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) SQUARE METERS, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF DECEASED RUTH CORAZON T. CABAJES WITH SALE, filed by the heirs of RUTH CORAZON T. CABAJES, in favor of DINAHFLOR PERPETUA R. MUTIA and DELIA H. CENAS, per DOC #478; PAGE #97; BOOK #116; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. FRANCISCO T. DEL CASTILLO. BWM: Dec. 9, 16 & 23, 2020
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WEDNESDAY|DECEMBER 9, 2020
OPINION:
More life in vibrant Uptown CdO Everyone in Cagayan de Oro from businessmen, workers to ordinary people were wondering how this so called new normal would impact the city and its day to day life. Many question marks had been raised about people's willingness (or courage) to go back to old habits and activities that were actually the trademark of the whole city. So far though, what has been seen from a business standpoint and also as a customer of food establishments and shopper in retail stores is that while downtown has started buzzling again with economic daytime activities Uptown has been able to distinguish
itself as the best place for lifestyle activities and dining adventures. Be it the availability of outdoor dining facilities and open spaces but Uptown seems to be vibrant and resilient in every way. People like to stay outdoors nowadays especially in this very particular Uptown microclimate cooler at least 2 or 3 degrees Celsius compared to downtown. So far also all new businesses that opened in 2020 in Pueblo de Oro, Uptown have been successful. Starting from coffee shops, Italian outdoor dining and foodparks it has all been a success. In downtown the most successful
establishment in comparison has been Stadium Sports Cafe' in Velez Street probably because it also offers a great 2nd floor terrace for outdoor dining and private indoor spaces for corporate events. The same way Primavera City completing it will have great opportunities for indoor and outdoor commercial establishments such as coffee shops, restaurants and other service centers. What does this say about the city itself and its development? Maybe people have now the picture clearer than
before that fresh air, a view, outdoor spaces and a more liveable environment make life happier and more enjoyable? “Definitely it is like that” thinks Eric Daabay, an Uptown resident, fitout contractor and entrepreneur in the billboard industry. “Uptown has truly become like an aspiration, a lifestyle statement apart from being a safe place to invest and live” he added. “We are so lucky compared to those living in the big cities like Manila and Cebu” says Jane Galleto, owner of La Bella Luna Italian Restaurant, located
LORENS ZILLER
Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines
in IDC's flagship project Primavera Residences, Uptown. “We can move around freely, even walk around feeling a nice breeze of clean air and experiencing a green natural environment without the concrete jungle of these big cities.” she adds. “Here in Luna we worked fine throughout the lockdown period and people seem to appreciate our outdoor tables too apart from our cosy atmosphere, our
delicious pizza and Italian menu” she concludes. More dining facilities have sprung up lately and this just adds to the overall abundance Uptown has to offer. So it is no wonder that developers in Uptown are still very optimistic about its growth and property absorption rate with more and more houses being built and at the same time demanded by the ever growing population of Cagayan de Oro.
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Opinion
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Power shortage Think a minute . . . Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution to break a bad habit? You determined to finally make that needed change, but after just a few weeks you were back to your same old habits. So you think to yourself: “I know what I should have done, but I did not do it!” How many times have you felt that way? It’s a struggle we all fight every day. The constant battle between what we know we should do and what we actually do. Between our conscience and how we really live in our character and conduct. Why can’t we simply do what we know we should? It is even what we want to do deep in our hearts. Our problem? We have a power shortage in our lives: a shortage of willpower. We are like this couple whom I know. The husband and wife both are professional marriage counselors, but they have now divorced each other. They have counseled many other married couples, yet they themselves cannot work out their own marriage problems! They know all there is to know about a good
THINK A MINUTE
JHAN TIAFAU HURST marriage relationship, but they cannot do it themselves and follow their own advice. We all know that honesty is the right, best policy—yet dishonesty, lying, cheating and corruption is everywhere. People know that loving and forgiving others is the happiest, best way to live— yet we still are self-centered, competitive, jealous, hold grudges, and even hurt the people we want to love. Fathers and mothers know they should spend more time with their children and be a better example for them to follow—yet parents still do not do it. So is this just the way we humans are? Will we ever have SHORTAGE/PAGE 7
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WEDNESDAY|DECEMBER 9, 2020
Pineapple & Hospitality
How the Pineapple Became the Hospitality Industry Symbol? There is no fruit more distinctive or ubiquitous to pop culture than the pineapple. From its rough exterior to its crown-like spikes, the pineapple is hard to miss. However, most people aren’t aware that the pineapple’s rise to prominence began in hospitality. That crown was no coincidence as it was regarded as the king of luxury and status. Hosts were desperate to get their hands on one in order to impress guests. Unfortunately, through the years the pineapple’s origin story has faded into obscurity
and been forgotten. It’s time to dust off the throne and bring the pineapple back to its royal glor y. However, to fully understand and appreciate the tropical fruit’s story, we have to start at the very beginning. The Pineapple’s Juicy History The pineapple’s story began in 1493 with Christopher C olumbus. In the Caribbean, he and his crew encountered the strange and distinctive fruit. Despite its rough exterior, the pineapple was an instant hit. Delicious, refreshing, and juicy, it was determined
that this was a fruit fit for the finest. Columbus sent the pineapple back to Europe where his enthusiasm was quickly shared, and it became the talk of the town. Everyone wanted to get their hands on it, including royalty. King Charles II even posed with a pineapple for one of the first "unboxing portraits" in modern history. S o on, t he pine apple became a symbol of status, but not just because of its royal endorsement. Despite booming demand, supply was low. It was incredibly hard to get your hands on a perfectly fresh pineapple. Transporting the fruit from
NUTS & BOLTS
JEROME DE LA FUENTE
the Caribbean was a long and difficult journey and they were often kept in hot, humid conditions. This meant that ships that managed to successfully arrive in Europe HOSPITALITY/PAGE 7
Social Transformation for People, Planet, Prosperity & Peace
Waging Coop Revolution
“Sa bawat henerasyon may rebolusyon. Rebolusyong kooperatiba, ang tawag ng bagong panahon!” P o v e r t y. Hu n g e r. Ecological disasters. C o r r u p t i o n . Vi o l e n c e . Greed and apathy. Social injustice. Gross Inequities. Violent Extremism. Climate Change. Now aggravated by COVID-19. Put together, these are the lethal combination that puts a country in disarray, caused by formidable social structures that can only be described as pyramidal, oligarchical and oppressive This horrible scenario is worsened by a political system that can only be described as exclusive and colonial, that’s why Federalism has come of age. Such a structural flaw has given way to the massive exploitation of our natural resources that saw the wanton decimation of our forest, agricultural and marine ecosystems. The much-sought social change has come under the present dispensation of Presidnt Mayor Rodrigo Roa
Duterte thru cooperativism. From being exclusive and colonial, the paradigm shift now is towards inclusive and democratic. This has become imperative especially in resource-rich Mindanao, the land of the brave and the free. As the root cause of poverty is social injustice and the powerlessness of the people, empowerment has now come by harnessing the collective power of the people through cooperativism so that those in the margins will be drawn i8nto the mainstream of development processes. Why must there be a Cooperative Revolution? Well, amidst the battle-cry for social change dawns upon all of us a simple reflection particularly on what is so glaring, that is, on the state of the environment. A century ago, threefourths of the Philippines were wooded with some 17 million hectares of natural forest. Today, only half a
million hectares are left. As our dipterocarp forest goes, so goes our mega-diversity composed of billions of living organisms, many of which have become extinct even before being discovered. The few loggers have amassed tremendously from the massive plunder of our forest and whose rakings have created a strong cabal of vested interests including politicians and those who are tasked to enforce environmental laws. If indeed no one is above the law, they must now be made accountable for committing the biggest plunder of all times. One shipment alone of logs would earn a logger 360 million pesos, the Philippines having the finest timber in the world. O u r on c e r i c h v a s t agricultural lands have become addicted to chemicaldependent conventional agriculture that is only successful in p olluting our watersheds and in
KIM'S DREAM
ORLAN R. RAVANERA further impoverishing the peasantry as big agri-business corporations have robbed the rural communities of their farming. Our marine ecosystem fares no better as fishing communities continue to suffer from high poverty rate as the bays’ ecological integrity is fast vanishing due to the destruction of the mangroves and coral reefs. Massive siltation and pollution are giving the final death blows to the marine and REVOLUTION/PAGE 7
Focused but not rigid THE spirit of Advent is supposed to remind us that we have to be focused on our ultimate end while cruising in the shifting conditions of our earthly life. We are supposed to keep our eyes, mind and heart on our final destination which is to be with God in heaven, from whom we came and to whom we belong in a most intimate way. Let’s remember that we are meant to be God’s image and likeness, and to share in his very own divine life for all eternity. For this, we have been given Christ, the son of God who became man to be our “way, truth and life.” Yes, we need to follow Christ. In fact, we are supposed to identify ourselves with him to such an extent that we become, individually and collectively, “alter Christus,” another Christ. Christ, of course, has already come, and did what he had to do to redeem us. He died on the cross, resurrected and ascended into heaven. But
he continues to be with us in the Church, in the sacraments, and in endless other ways. He accompanies us in our earthly pilgrimage toward our heavenly definitive home with God. These truths of our faith should be kept alive, and made to give us the proper impulses to keep us moving in this life, guiding and helping us as we go along. They are supposed to help us have the proper focus and sense of direction and purpose in our life. But let us just remember that our earthly life can be described as a training and testing ground since through the different conditions and circumstances of our life, it is God through Christ in the Holy Spirit who is shaping us to be what he wants us to be—his image and likeness, his adopted children. This is where we have to learn how to be properly focused but not rigid, since in our life, there will always be things that are beyond our control and we just have to
know how to deal with them. We can only do that if we are with Christ who would show us how to be rightly focused while being flexible and resilient, knowing how to adapt to the different situations without getting confused and lost. We have to be wary of our tendency to do things simply on our own, relying mainly on our own powers that definitely cannot cope with the many challenges, not to mention, the mysteries in life that include supernatural realities. We need Christ to be properly focused but flexible and resilient, not rigid. With Christ, what can be impossible for us can become possible. With our own selves alone, we can only tend to be rigid as we would like to impose our own ideas and ways on situations where, humanly speaking, it is not possible for us to handle properly. And, of course, the impossible remains impossible for us in the end. It’s important that we
HINTS AND TRACES
ROY CIMAGALA follow closely the teaching and the example of Christ which definitely will include suffering, self-denial, carrying of the cross. We need to regard these things as our liberating factors in our life, and not just purely negative, painful elements. And we can do that, to be sure, because of the grace God definitely gives us and of the spiritual aspect of our humanity that can handle the supernatural character of God’s grace. Email: roycimagala@gmail. com
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WEDNESDAY|DECEMBER 9, 2020
Bernasor inducted as IIEE chapter president E
By MARK FRANCISCO
NGR. Ferdinand Bernasor was inducted into office last Saturday as the new president for the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE) chapter here in Cagayan de Oro City. In the ceremony held at the Golden Stallion Suites, Bernasor thanked the members for trusting in his capacity and vowed to steer the organization for the continuing professional development of the electrical engineers in the city, albeit virtually
due to the pandemic. "I will ensure that we will continue to grow together as a chapter and continue our civic involvement in society. I believe that our profession is most relevant at this time that we revive back our economy together," he said. Bernasor rose from the ranks of the IIEE Cagayan de Oro City chapter, first becoming the business sector representative for two years from 2015 to 2016, then auditor in 2017, treasurer in 2018, secretary in 2019 and vice
president for external affairs in 2020. Bernasor graduated with a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Bohol in 1988 and became a registered electrical engineer by 1989. He initially worked in a power plant in Tagbilaran City before becoming a service contractor for 26 years. Bernasor was born in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, married and blessed with three children. He is currently the managing director of MARMEELEC Construction Philippines, Inc.,
Mani ni Mina – the mani worth your money By MARK FRANCISCO
ONE of the foodie trends in this new normal is anything homemade. With hashtags such as #supportlocalbusiness, startup entrepreneurs are cashing in on the new fad, putting on their aprons and concocting anything that will satisfy the taste buds of their local patrons…in this case, peanut butter. Homemade peanut butter ain’t new. Once you make peanut butter at home, it will be very difficult to get excited about store-bought peanut butter ever again. Not that eating peanut butter of any kind will ever be a chore yet homemade peanut butter is simply a delicacy. And a nearly effortless delicacy at that. It tastes real peanuts and nothing else at room temperature. Other foodie startups offer flavored peanut butter. And so they imbue
the basic ingredient (which is peanuts of course) with more flavorfultasting ingredients such as cinnamon, ube or cookies and cream. Thus we hear of variants such as strawberry or chocolateflavored peanut butter. But Mani ni Mina even took a step further. The Peanut Butter Queen herself Carmina Mercado said that that they are offering unique flavors for the health-conscious in us. These unique flavors are keto, lactation and veganfree. Carmina’s experience in the food industry for the past eight years has undoubtedly been the driving influence in her desire to carve nutrition out of her peanut butter products. She was a barista in 2012 and became a wedding cakes expert in 2018. By February 2019 when she decided to offer
homemade peanut butter to her patrons, she was ready. The keto diet is a very low carb, high-fat diet that involves drastically reducing carbs intake and replacing it with fat. In this case, keto peanut butter is high in healthy fats, has moderates amount of protein and has a relatively high amount of fiber. On the other hand, vegan peanut butter replaces butter with olive oil. And lactation peanut butter has added ingredients such as malunggay, chia and flax seeds. Mani ni Mina’s other flavors are original, chocolate, strawberries & cashew and sugar-free. They are available in 300 mL, 400 mL and crunch. They are currently at the Ayala Malls Centrio bazaar in front of H&M. Otherwise, key in their Facebook page for orders and inquiries.
COVID-19 EFFECTS ON BIODIVERSITY: SCIENCE EDUCATION REIMAGINED GIRLIE S. LANGCAO Teacher I Camaman-an Elementary School Cagayan de Oro City
Meeting human needs without ecological constraints provide a room for global biodiversity downfall. Due to human interventions and human destructions, many environmental problems have surfaced including wildlife loss, species extinction, and nature deterioration. The continued abus e s humans do to the environment and to animals produce a hotbed of unimaginable consequences that would ripple troubles for them to face. These challenges have brought about zoonotic
diseases which lead to outbreaks like Influenza and COVID-19 that affect people's lives and livelihood. The conditions that humans create does not only put the environment at stake but also set their future in jeopardy. The current global crisis has posed an urgent call for humanity to act for biodiversity conservation and development. Through collaborative efforts and transformation, a sustainable ecosystem would be accomplished where humans, animals, and plants are equally given a room for growth. By doing so, educating
the public on how to protect and save all the variety of lifeforms on Earth is important as it would make every individual to be an agent of change. Also, by planning ways on how to mitigate the impacts of human destruction such as agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, and pollution would effectively optimize the remaining resources left on the planet. By putting biodiversity at the center of every decision and action that people do towards building a better world, global health crisis and environmental problems would cease to exist.
If interested, contact:
DANICA SUDARIA
dannycarosesudaria0512@gmail.com 0936-046-2356
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WEDNESDAY|DECEMBER 9, 2020
Best... from page 1
Mindanao-based universities in the 2021 QS list: Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) in Davao City, C entral Mindanao University (CMU) in Maramag, Bukidnon, and Xavier University (XU) in Cagayan de Oro City. For the third consecutive year, the National University of Singapore, topped the list of Asian universities. QS Quacquarelli Symonds
compares 650 universities based on 11 key indicators of university performance, among t he m a c a d e m i c standing, graduate employability, res earch qu a l it y, we b pre s e n c e, internationalization on campus, and the diversity of each institution’s international collaborations. In the Philippines, the University of the Philippines topped among 14 universities that made it to the QS 2021 list.
Physical Fitness on Pandemic Time MARIA RUTH C. FABREGAS Teacher I
Regular exercise is essential for everyone under normal circumstances. Coronavirus – related concerns may affect dietary habits, leading to higher calorie consumption that could promote weight gain. Limiting trips to the grocery store, skipping fresh fruits and vegetables in favor of stocking up on calorie – dense, non – perishable foods, and financial difficulties may cause people to opt for less expensive, ultra processed food options. And all the extra hours you’re spending at home may make you more likely to snack, “stress – bake,” or prepare high – calorie, comfort – food meals. Teachers of NAPOCOR Elementar y School are bombarded with paper works, module checking and accomplishing different reports. It happened that teachers spend their time sitting in front of laptops or paperworks with foods behind them. As time goes by they discovered
that most of them gained weights, but lack of exercise. Some were experiencing head aches, back aches and vertigo. Good thing is, Zumba was included in the class program. So every morning, teachers were having Zumba. After a month, some teachers says they loose weight, some says “ naabtik jud balik among kalawasan”. COVID – 19 closures of parks, gyms, fitness studios, and other public places are resulting in reduced opportunities for physical activity – particularly for people who are not able to exercise, especially if outdoor physical activity is not an option due to shelter – in place orders, crowded outdoor spaces, bad weather, or other factors. Additionally, many people are coping with fear, anxiety, stress, financial concerns, sadness, boredom, and isolation – all which can have a negative effect on diet, physical health, and mental well – being.
MY FIRST DAY NILBERT J. PACHECO School Head Linangohan Elementary School
I was re-assigned to a new school as an administrator and had a turnover on November 3, 2020. LINANGOHAN Elementary School is my 5th assigned institution on my whole career as school head. My f i r s t d a y w a s coincided with the visit of Dr. Derrold Marl Aves, the Senior Education Program Specialist (SEPS) of the Department of Education, Division of Cagayan de oro City. He was visiting the school to monitor the school operations in this new normal amidst the problem of Covid 19 pandemic. The meeting together with the teachers was a sort of “kumustahan” with a focus on health protocols in the distribution of Self Learning Modules to the parents. He inquired about the percentage of the modules distributed and retrieved and also challenges encountered in school
during the course of the pandemic. The discussion lasted more than an hour with his motivational words “we as teachers is a blessing for it’s the noblest profession” One week after, another gentleman from the division office in the person of Dr. Sylvio Carciller monitored t h e s t at u s o f s c h o o l records like the school forms 1 to4, the School improvement Plan (SIP) and its modifications for this new normal. He brought with him the checklists for monitoring of principal’s office and the classroom evaluation checklist for teachers per grade level. We d i s c u s s e d t h e different things inside the classroom while strictly o b s e r v i ng t h e h e a lt h protocols. We t o o k t u r n s i n answering some of his queries one after the other. After the meeting, he left to visit other schools he was assigned for the day.
Un i v e r s it y of t h e Philippines (69th) At e n e o d e Ma n i l a University (135th) De La Salle University (166the) University of Santo Tomas (186th) University of San Carlos (451-500) Ate n e o d e D av a o University (501-550) Mapua University (501550) Silliman University (501550) Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (551-600) Adams on University (601+) C entral Luzon State University (601+) Central Mindanao University (601+) Central Philippine University (601+) Xavier University (601+) In the QS 2019, MSU-IIT ranked higher at 451 to 500. (MindaNews)
Prodigy... from page 2
other Filipino players such as International Master (IM) Daniel Quizon, woman international master Kylen Mordido, Jerlyn Mae San Diego, and Franiel Magpily coached by First Asian Grandmaster Eugene Torre. Meanwhile, Resolution
No. 356 filed by Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament member Rasol Mitmug Jr. on Dec. 3, gave a citation to Buto for his extraordinar y skills and competence in a chess game at his young age. Among the Members of Parliament (MPs) who co-authored the resolution were Laisa Alamia, Suharto Ambolodto, Baintan Adil A mp at u a n , A m i l b a h a r Mawallil, Rasul Ismael, and Don Mustapha Loong. M P Mit mu g , i n h i s resolution, cited attributions of kid “Basty” for previous achievement in local and international chess c omp e t it i on s re p or t e d since 2017 by prominent mainstream media networks, including the Aljazeera, the defunct ABS-CBN, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, among others. Lawyer Mitmug also said the resolution aims to sustain technical and logistic support from the B A R M M b u r e a u c r a c y, through the Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) and the Bangsamoro Sports Commission (BSC). The Philippine Sports Writer Association (PSWA) heralded Buto’s feats and potentials for global chess prestige, in addition to several reactions from the social
A reflection on the article: Teaching, a Work of Heart By CHARMAINE AMOR YABO
Teaching a class with the inclusion of children with special educational needs is a great encounter on the part of a teacher. It requires extensive planning and designing of activities that are appropriate and beneficial for both the regular leaners and those with challenges. The implementation of mainstream education in the public school has given me the opportunity to work with children with special needs. The inclusion of children with disabilities makes them learn how to adapt to the school in the same way they will need to adapt to other situations throughout their life in order to succeed. Last school year, I was given the task to handle two mentally-challenged pupils in addition to my 36 regular Grade V pupils. At first, I had difficulty explaining to my regular pupils how they should deal with those pupils with special needs. But it was my experience as a teacher and my motherly instinct that helped me facilitate to tell them that God created each child equally because of His love for us. And in return, we have to love each other regardless of our physical attributes and maladies. Before I finally asked the special children to join my class, I had a confidential
talk and motivation with my regular pupils as part of their preparation for them mainstreaming. It was easy for the regular children to understand my plea of making the other children feel comfortable in the class. On the f irst day, I introduced the children w it h sp e c i a l ne e d s , I constantly reminded my pupils that God loves all of them, and that is why they also have to love their new classmates. Initially, the class was astonished by the condition of the two children. But eventually, through my unceasing reminder and infusion of values, the class appreciated the presence of these pupils with disabilities. As the days went by, they became friends. They included them in their games, and they enjoyed each other’s company as manifested in their daily encounters in school. The presence of these two exceptional children in my class had taught me a lot of lessons, and it had made me a better person. The challenges I encountered all translated to meaningful experiences, and the company of these children with special needs added color to my class. It has been a wonderful j ou r ne y t hat I wou l d cherish for the rest of my career as a noble teacher.
media, as “one of the world’s youngest Chess grandmaster” in the future. Buto is now preparing
to represent the country at a 140-nation tournament in Georgia, USA on December 11, 2020. (BPI/PIA-ICIC)
DOST boosts data analytics literacy in Mindanao thru Project SPARTA THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST)–CARAGA held its “Smarter Philippines through Data Analytics R&D, Training and Adoption (SPARTA)” virtual webinar to jumpstart the industry of data science and analytics in the country and prepare the Philippine work force for the 4th Industrial Revolution in the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic. The event is in collaboration with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), the Analytics Association of the Philippines, and Coursebank. “We are transitioning to full digitalization because we are forced to because of the pandemic, but even without the pandemic we are still going in that direction, I don’t think I need to convince you of importance of learning data science and data analytics especially
now we’re moving to an industry 4.0,” DOSTCaraga Regional Director Dominga D. Mallonga said. Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution represents a new stage in the organization and control of the industrial value chain that focuses heavily on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning, and real-time data. Through their Project SPARTA, the DOST alongside its partner stakeholders strives to train interested individuals in building competencies and initiate the mainstreaming of good practices in data science, analytics, and introduce advance smart governance practices. “There’s a lot of available data in our country and these data are not being used, there are not a lot individuals who can use it as well, we want these workers DOST/PAGE 7
Education in the middle of global crisis By NYRA A. LOQUIAS Teacher I Baliwagan Central School
SCHOOLS around the world are again the site of a large, and largely uncontrolled, experiment. When schools from New Zealand to Norway to Japan reopened in April and May as the first wave of COVID-19 cases subsided, the virus stayed mostly at bay. Health and education officials cheered, having bet that the huge benefits of in-person schooling outweighed the risk of viral spread among children and teachers—and from schools to wider communities. As a result, many places that had moved cautiously at first threw open classroom d o ors i n Au g ust and September. Schools in the United Kingdom, Denmark, a n d t h e Ne t h e r l a n d s shifted from cycling in small groups of students to full-size classes. Cities like Montreal that had kept schools shuttered welcomed students back inside. In Manaus, Brazil, a city with a COVID-19 death toll among the world’s highest, more than 100,000 students returned to classrooms. Te e n a g e r s t h r o n g e d hallways in Georgia, Iowa, and Texas. But the backdrop is very different now: In many areas, COVID-19 has surged to even higher levels than early in the year.
Now, scrutiny of school openings in countries where the virus is resurgent paints a more complex picture of the risks and how they might be managed. The virus has exposed disparities between and within countries, and among the most unsettling are in schools. In many countries, such as India, Mexico, and Indonesia, most schools remain shut. In the United States, students enrolled in urban public schools from Los Angeles to Chicago, which in normal times may struggle to provide enough soap and toilet paper, continue to learn from home, whereas wealthy private schools have installed tents for outdoor learning and hired more teachers to shrink alreadysmall classes. Early evidence, often gathered by researchers with children in school or a t e a c h e r s p ou s e , suggests schools can stay open even in the face of significant community spread, given strong safety measures and political will. Many countries are closing restaurants, bars, and gyms, and begging residents to steer clear of social gatherings in bids to contain spread and keep schools open.
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WEDNESDAY|DECEMBER 9, 2020
Shortage... from page 4
the willpower to do what we know we should? This is why God came: to connect us to His power—so we can finally have all the power we need to live up to our potential, and live the way we know we should and were created to enjoy. Jesus came to forgive us so we could live in a right, close relationship with our powerful Creator. Knowledge is not your problem. You know what you should do. It’s power that you need. And Jesus has all the power you will ever need, for whatever you face. His empty grave shouts it loud and clear: He has all the power, even over death! And His power is yours—if you will ask Him to forgive you for living your own wrong way, and to take full charge of every area of your life. Just think a minute . . .
Hospitality... from page 4
often delivered spoiled and rotten cargo. Only a combination of favorable weather and swift ships could supply the perfect pineapples which were acceptable to be displayed in front of guests. A Hospitable Tradition T he pine appl e s o on became the “it” accessory for hosts. Any host who presented a whole intact one clearly demonstrated how much they valued and appreciated their guests. Expensive, exotic, and rare, the pineapple made guests feel special and welcomed. It was so coveted that people would even rent the fruit for a brief chance to impress their guests. The pineapple showed that hosts were willing to go to any lengths to demonstrate exceptional generosity and accommodation. And that’s what excellent hospitality is all about. As the pineapple demonstrates, true hospitality begins and ends with your guests.
Revolution... from page 4
fishery life. In fact, of the 13 major bays, 10 are already described as biologically dead causing hunger and malnutrition to the coastal communities. A Study has shown that almost 70% of the ecological people (the farmers, fisherfolk, Lumads, etc.) are below the poverty line. The poverty incidence is worse in Mindanao as its six regions are suffering from high poverty gap ratios. The poor in Mindanao are the poorest throughout the nation, a glaring paradox in an island that is called the nation’s “food basket” where two-thirds of the country’s exports are coming from. This glaring truism is glaringly exemplified in the life of the 18 million Indigenous Peoples who were once the masters of the land that they use in the spirit of sharing and service. Today, the choicest of lands have been illegally grabbed from them, transformed into massive plantations
and ranches. Who would dare countervail against such social injustice? The Indigenous People did but many of them have been erased from the face of the earth. From 2015 to date, more than 50 IP leaders have been murdered for fighting for their ancestral domains’ rights as embodied in the IPRA Law. Now they are shouting: JUSTICE FOR THE LUMADS-IP KILLINGS! Massive poverty can also be attributed to the growthat-all-cost development strategies that have only been successful in consigning more people to live in the slum areas and in destroying our resource base. Too much materialism and consumerism have sacrificed the people and the environment to the altar of greed and profit. Social transformation through social re-structuring has now become imperative to break away from unsustainable patterns of development and to stop our accelerating drive towards ecological disasters. This time, social transformation is in the offing but not through armed struggle but through a collectivist counter culture called cooperativism that is well-founded on the timehonored and universallya c c e pte d pr i n c ipl e s of democratic control and people’s participation and where the people and the environment are the priorities rather than business and profit. L e t u s n ow w a ge a cooperative revolution! The 18,581 cooperatives n at i onw i d e w it h s om e 11.6 million members are now waging a cooperative revolution, peaceful and legal, to advance what is just, what is true and what is good to draw those in the margins into the mainstream of development processes. All for PEOPLE, PLANET, PROSPERITY AND PEACE! JOIN US!
Growth... from page 1
Industry sector slowed down at 0.4 percent and Agriculture, Forestry, & Fishing (AFF) declined with a growth rate of -3.6 percent,” the PSA-13 said. The agency also announced high performances of three sub-industries that contributed to the region's overall growth rate last year. The region's financial and insurance activities posted a
23 percent high growth last year, alongside the public administration and defense with 14.2 percent, and the compulsory activities with 13.4 percent. The three sub-industries, the PSA-13 added, fall under the services sector in the region. “ The Ser vices sector contributed the largest percent share with 51.4 percent, and the Industry sector remained the second contributor to the region's economic performance with 35.8 percent while AFF posted 12.8 percent share,” the agency said. It added that of the country's 6 percent economic growth, the region's contribution amounts to 0.1 percentage points while accounting for 1.6 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product. (PNA)
Projects...
from page 1 the power bills of Filipino consumers by P0.23 per kilowatt hour. NREB Chairperson Monalisa C. Dimalanta forthrightly stated in the Energy Investment Forum hosted by the Department of Energy (DOE) that “It will cost us about P0.23 per kWh to realize our RE goals, we need to pay P0.23 more per kWh based on the costing that we have done.” The RE-underpinned rate hike will shove consumers deeper into quagmire of subsidy payments that will stretch for two decades, according to experts, even if many would still be pained with economic suffering in the coming years because of the pandemic. RE development terrains in the Philippines are in contrast to what is happening in various parts of the world, where RE technologies could already compete squarely with traditional energ y technologies even without their consumers subsidizing or paying extra for their costs. The NREB is the agency that prepared the National Renewable Energ y Plan (NREP) which targets to increase the share of RE in the country’s energy mix to 35-percent by year 2040. The new rate hike that will be added in the electricity bills of consumers will be courtesy of the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) that the government is targeting to implement next
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year. And that will be on top of the feed-in-tariff (FIT), which is a subsidy already being passed on in the bills of Filipino consumers – a charge that is relatively e x p e ns ive i f c omp are d to Asean neighbors, like Vietnam, which has way c h e ap e r F I T c o s t s f o r variable or intermittent RE technologies like solar and wind. Under the RPS policy, distribution utilities in the country are mandated to procure certain percentage of their supply portfolio from RE capacities – and the NREB has proposed to escalate that to 2.52-percent instead of the 1.0-percent increment annually. According to Dimalanta, the required RE installations for the Philippines to achieve its RE ambition shall be 5,800 megawatts by 2030; and additional 22,400MW to year 2040. Wi t h t h a t s c a l e o f project developments, she emphasized that RE’s share in the mix could climb to 37-percent by 2030; and will surge to 56-percent by 2040. The NREB chair qualified that if the RPS w i l l b e m a i nt a i n e d at 1.0-percent, the country’s RE development scenario will remain fledgling – with just a share of 27-percent by 2030; and about 32-percent by 2040. “If we incre as e RPS to a certain level higher than 2.0-percent by 2023, knowing that these first two years is sort of the learning curve on RPS for all the mandated participants, we will get to our target, that is if we keep our target at 35% and by using RPS alone,” Dimalanta explained. She said the share of RE in the country’s power mix needs to be accelerated, as NREB observed that this slowe d down in re cent years despite the massive prom ot i on b e i ng d on e by develop ers on these technologies. “In terms of our review, we realized we are short of that target; and short by a long stretch… we are also aware that the share of RE has been diminishing over the years,” Dimalanta lamented.
DOST... from page 6
to understand in how we can use these data and empower our people,” DAP Deputy Project Manager Yra Turingan said. Turingan added that Data Analytics is one of the skills applicable in all industries in the coming decade, “We have artificial intelligence and machine learning, we want to process these data and utilize it.” Filipinos enrolled in Project Sparta’s scholarship program can choose among different Data Analytics learning pathways, namely, Data Associate, Data Steward Data Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analyst, and Analytics Manager. “Let’s build a competent workforce in the Philippines tow ard s i n du st r y 4 . 0 ,” Mallonga said. Since the launching of their Scholarship program, 21,673 scholars have joined their project, For more information on Project Sparta and their scholarship, interested individuals may visit their website at: https:// sparta.dap.edu.ph/.(VPSB/ PIA10) EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late HEIRS OF SPOUSES AGUSTIN B. ARANA and CONCEPTION CASIÑO ARANA, who died in Cagayan de Oro City on July 8, 2009 and February 7, 2015, that the deceased, at the time of their death, left real properties, with TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-7624, situated in the Barrio of Patrocinio, Municipal of Claveria, Province of Misamis Oriental, and containing an area of TWENTY NINE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY TWO (29,352) SQUARE METERS, more or less, and TAX DECLARATION NO. 08-14-000100084 (LAND) / TAX DECLARATION NO. 08-14-0001-00085 (BUILDING), situated in the Poblacion, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental and containing an area of FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY NINE (569) SQUARE METERS, more or less with a 1-storey commercial/ residential building, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of SPOUSES AGUSTIN B. ARANA and CONCEPTION CASIÑO ARANA, in favor of FLORANTE C. ARANA, per DOC #253; PAGE #51; BOOK #XXXV; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. MARIA NORA L. GONZALES-CAGANG. BWM: Dec. 2, 9 & 16, 2020
EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF THE DECEASED PEDRO M. PAGOLONG WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late PEDRO M. PAGOLONG, who died on October 29, 2012 in Cagayan de Oro City without leaving any last will and testament; that the deceased at the time of his death, is the conjugal coowner of a parcel of land with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-164562 situated in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY (580) SQ.M. MORE OR LESS (Cornland), and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF THE DECEASED PEDRO M. PAGOLONG WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of PEDRO M. PAGOLONG, in favor of VINCENT PAUL T. TUQUIB, per DOC #184; PAGE #39; BOOK #208; Series of 2018 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI. BWM: Nov. 25, Dec. 2 & 9, 2020
EXTRA-JUDICIAL PARTITION OF ESTATE OF THE LATE COUPLE PEPITA B. TURA AND RAMON TURA WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late PEPITA B. TURA, who died on December 28, 2012 and RAMON TURA, who died on April 17, 1992 both in Cagayan de Oro City, that said deceased died intestate and without any Will or Testament, without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity, that the deceased left a parcel of land with Katibayan na Orihinal na Titulo Blg. P-34354 situated in the Barrio of Sankanan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, containing an area of ELEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED NINETEEN (11,319) square meters, and has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL PARTITION OF ESTATE OF THE LATE COUPLE PEPITA B. TURA AND RAMON TURA WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of PEPITA B. TURA AND RAMON TURA, ELVIRA T. NIEVES hereby SELLS, TRANSFERS, and CONVEYS by way of Absolute Sale unto the JONATHAN O. GUNDRAN (VENDEE), her heirs and assigns a portion of a parcel of land known as Lot 917-G of approximately ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SEVENTEEN (1,617) square meters, per DOC #338; PAGE #68; BOOK #128; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. MARIO N. C. ALBARECE, C.P.A. BWM: Nov. 25, Dec. 2 & 9, 2020
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World Fintech Festival Philippines Day 1
Fintech Growth: Powering Up Cities, Communities, and The Entire Country
Martha Sazon, President and CEO of Mynt (GCash)
O
NE of the most renowned and highly attended fintech events in the world, the Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) pivots to become the largest tech event, encompassing a global audience with the Philippines being one of the key participating countries in a 5-day virtual event from December 7-11. Having transformed into the World Fintech Festival (WFF), local thought-leaders in digitizing cities, e-banking, and the rise of Filipinas in tech were featured in the panels of the first day on Dec. 7. Fintech Leadership Moves to Asia Fintech leadership is moving to Asia, and the Philippines has strong potential to emerge among its central players. This was one major analysis that came out during the first panel of the day entitled “Fintech Growth: Powering Up Cities, Communities, and The Entire Country.” Industry leaders who spoke in the panel were Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Director Melchor Plabasan, Ayala Corporation CFO TG Limcaoco, Finnovation Co-founder and Chairman Malik Kotadia, senior digital financial advisor John Owens, and WFF-Philippines convener Amor Maclang. The panel was moderated by British Chamber of Commerce Chairman Chris Nelson. Mr. Kotadia described the
turning tide of change, “There was a time that when fintech was mentioned, London was the hub of that world or people thought of Silicon Valley. But now the pivot is shifting to Asia, which is the next group engine for fintech.” Mr. Owens described how he had seen this shift come to the Philippines, with its fintech sector’s stride into e-money, data sharing, and data privacy showing why it is the inarguable champion for innovation in Asia: “The Philippines as a leader, is the chair of ASEAN working group. The Philippines has one of the best central banks---the BSP--to join the region, and they continuously foster collaboration among regulators.” The success and strategies of Philippine institutions like BSP and GCash were studied and adopted by M-PESA, the African-based mobile phonebased money transfer service. Mr. Kotadia added that the Philippine customer base--which is one of the largest internet and social media users in the world---” is more than ready than ever before for fintech to rise in Asia.” Mobile Wallet is New King, as GCash Hits P1-T Annual Transactions The Philippines’ transition to a truly cashless society is well underway, as leading mobile wallet GCash hit P1 trillion transaction value this year. This was even more than the cumulative gross value it had accomplished from 2017 to 2019. Martha Sazon, President
and CEO of Mynt (GCash), said safety protocols and limited mobility during the pandemic have changed the conventions of financial transactions, paving the way for a frictionless, cashless future. “We are used at least twice a day, every day. But now, we registered 1000% transaction growth in relevant use cases. We even hit a P1 trillion transaction value - which goes to show how much we’ve helped Filipinos. This was our vision for 2023, yet this was brought to life this year,” Sazon announced in the Panel: “Banks and FinTech: The Advantages that Mass Adoption Brings to the Public.” Joining her in the panel were UnionBank Fintech Business Group Head Arvie De Vera, UNO Bank Co-Founder and CEO Manish Bhai, Tonik Chief Technology Officer Arivuvel Ramu, Binance Director Colin Goltra, and Pera Hub President and CEO Ian Ocampo. Ocampo said the digital economy is changing the way people do business and live their everyday lives. “What we will see is a radical shift to neo-banking. More startups will be able to bring in fintech advancements, which will benefit the nation as a whole. What will boost this further is the collaboration with the government.” Debunking Disadvantages with Women in Tech The tech world isn’t a boy’s club anymore. With many Filipinas establishing their names and taking up space in the tech scene, women in senior positions prove that gender stereotyping is now a thing of the past. Mynt’s Chief Technology & Operations Officer Pebble Sy-Manalang identified one possible root cause of gender stereotyping in the Philippine tech space: the gap in the labor force starts in education with the misconception that STEM is only fit for men.” Manalang debunked the misconception that men are more productive than women citing that the latter’s childbearing hinders career productivity. Manalang was joined by Impact Hub’s Asia Pacific Regional Lead Ces Rondario, Apptitude’s Chief Investment Officer Josephine Romero, and AHEAD Education Technologies Founder Rosanna Llenado. All of them agree that the key to nourishing more women
in higher positions is by providing a mentorship program that is anchored on sincere willingness to listen to the needs of women leaders; provide sincere career advice, and allocate time for consultations on friendly ground. “If you want to see more women in the leadership position, it is important to have support among them,” Manalang emphasized. For Romero, the glass
ceiling in the tech industry has long been broken as a group in the ‘90s tagged as “WIT” or Women in Tech who introduced ATMs and set up computers in school. "I remember how the misconception that tech is just for men wasn’t even discussed. This was the kind of mentorship I try to pass on to people I work with. We brought this mentorship in ASEAN as an example to our fellow entrepreneurs in
ASEAN and to show that we are using tech to evolve, step ahead, and make it efficient resources-wise.” For more information, click on: https://www.fintechfestival. sg/ https://www.facebook. com/GeiserMaclang/ posts/3755688124441979; https://www.facebook.com/ events/686138638696369; https://www.facebook.com/ GeiserMaclang