BusinessWeek Mindanao (February 28, 2020)

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Briefly Bangus, shrimp production DAVAO City – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will conduct a series of regional orientation workshop on bangus fish cage farming and white shrimp production for interested farmers and investors starting next week.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the first workshop will be conducted on-site in Malalag, Davao del Sur, one of the coastal towns in Mindanao where fish cage farming has become a huge industry.

Piñol said the workshops will be conducted with the support of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), government and private financing institutions such as the Development Bank of the Philippines, the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and prospective buyers of the marine products.

P1.3-B road project COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has set aside P1.3-billion worth of roads for 63 villages in North Cotabato that now form part of the fledging region.

This was revealed Monday by lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, head of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG-BARMM) and regional spokesperson.

“This year alone, we have prepared about P1.3-B fund to build modern road networks in the 63 villages of North Cotabato,” he said after meeting with some of the local officials from the 63 barangays.

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Summit Resolutions expected out today 3rd Philippine Environment Summit:

T

By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large

HE 3rd Philippine Environment ends today in Cagayan de Oro City with the expected passage of resolutions formulated by participants during the three-day event.

Mayor Oscar Moreno, DENR USec Juan Miguel Cuna, Abp. Antonio Ledesma & Green Convergence PH Pres Nina Galang cut the ribbon to the exhibit area of the 3rd PH Environment Summit on Feb. 26 at Cagayan de Oro. photo by mike baños

Agusan farmers freed from traders bondage

Dr. Angelina P. Galang, Green Convergence Philippines president, said a team headed by Green Con PH Board Director Carlos Garcia and Marie Marciano is collating the resolutions and synthesizing them for discussion and approval du r i ng to d ay ’s cl o s i ng plenary.

“We are encouraging programs that are really along the lines of nature,” Galang said. “Although positive itong ating summit, some of the programs of our government are very much against nature,

although some stand out.

For instance, Galang cited President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent pronouncements that while he would ban private reclamation projects in Manila Bay, he would still allow those given prior approval or backed by local governments.

Fisherfolk organization Pamalakaya said Duterte should instead come out with an executive order to stop and ban all reclamation projects in the entire bay region.

“President Duterte RESOLUTIONS/PAGE 11

By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, Contributing Editor

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur-- Soon, agrarian reform farmers in the four towns of this province will no longer sell their palay to middlemen and traders.

This will be realized in April this year when a large scale dryer and multi-pass rice milling plant in Trento town is expected to be opened where the farmers themselves will already become rice suppliers initially to government institutions with huge

demand of their produce.

The P26.9 million plant, fully equipped with facilities including multi pass rice mill, recirculating mechanical batch dryer, five solar dryers, a 10-wheeler winged van hauler truck, a six-wheeler truck and a warehouse, is a project of the Department of Agrarian Reform under the Convergence of Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and FREED/PAGE 6

Mayor William Calvez of Trento Agusan del Sur (left) and Agusan del Sur Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Jamil Amatonding Jr. shovel sand into a capsule to mark the groundbreaking of the P26.9 large scale dryer and multi-pass rice milling plant. contributed photo

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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

The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Corporation every Monday to Friday with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Company Registration No. CS201531633 with BIR Certificate of Registration No. 2RC0000831068, TIN No. 463-826-272-000 – VAT. Reg., and with Business Permit No. 2017-02942. Tel. Nos.: (088)856-3344, (088) 810-100, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424 Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com

BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO CORPORATION Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO ALLAN MARIO MEDIANTE Vice President for Corporate Affairs RUFINO T. MAGBANUA Vice President for Business Development VICENTE C. DELA VICTORIA Vice President for Operations JOE FELICILDA Vice President for Administration JOHN AARON M. DEL BANDO Vice President for Events and Promotions JOE PALABAO Vice President for Marketing ROSE MARIE D. SUDARIA Vice President for Finance MIKE BAÑOS Vice President for Digital

MONEY making in the country’s premier airport is overflowing, and the recent ‘pastillas’ scheme allowing Chinese workers of Phi lippine Of fshore Gaming Operators (POGO) to enter for a fee indicates that corruption remains a nightmare for President Duterte.

The President says he will not allow even a whiff of corruption to prosper in the remaining years of his administation yet workers in government continue to defy him frontally — and unabatedly.

That said, corruption

FAMILY BUSINESS COACH

JUN AYENSA

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ATTY. ANTONIO S. SORIANO

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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

PROF. ENRIQUE SORIANO In my more than a decade of coaching family-owned business es in Asia, the failure to communicate is probably the biggest stumbling block family businesses face. Business leaders not only callously ignore but tend not to equate communications directly wit h r isk management.

We all know that business i nvo l ve s a p l e t h or a of risks. While most major risk factors are beyond the control of the enterprise, communication is a major r isk f a c tor t hat f am i ly businesses all too often neglect but can control.

It is not only unfortunate

there is to know about a good marriage relationship, but they cannot do it themselves and follow their own advice.

We all know that honesty is the right, best policy— y e t d i s h o n e s t y, l y i n g , 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.

SHORTAGE/PAGE 15

must give businesses a "shopping" list of requirements, which should include how long the processing would take, as well as what time an investor could expect them completed.

Indeed, ending corruption in government remains a nightmare for President Duterte.

Since assuming the presidency, he has fired government officials and employees for their alleged involvement in corrupt transactions.

The latest to defy his call were immigration officials

UNRUFFLED

RUFFY MAGBANUA feasting on ‘pastillas’ offered

by Chinese workers in exchange of free passage — seamlessly and shamelessly. (ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo. com)

but tragic as this obstacle impairs the many benefits that the family component can bring to the business.

When there is conflict within the family business ecosystem (family, business, ownership), you can expect the life span of the family business to shorten. As the transition happens from the founder’s stage to the sibling partnership and cousin consortium stage, the family members from each of the generations would have to remain united for the purpose of maintaining healthy family ties while simultaneously growing the business, navigating external shocks and pushing for survival and expansion through tough times.

On the other hand, when there is harmony, the family component becomes a major competitive advantage. This unique dimension does not exist over their non-family business counterparts. And part of the advantages of family-owned businesses is the family’s emotional commitment, their

willingness to focus on the longer term and their ability to draw upon the family, including the extended family, to help them navigate through tough times.

The question is, what is going on with the family that makes it too difficult to be open, transparent, and honest?

1. Important issues that are considered to be better left unsaid in order to keep the peace.

The family members tend to suffer from issues that the y prefer not to talk about for the longest time. These issues could be very personal or about the way the business is run.

When issues are avoided it means that there is fear, embarrassment, plain apathy, and the thinking of having no power to stand against an individual that everyone consider as the leader.

In some cases, it is about topics that are a disgrace to the name of the family or to t he image of t he company. Such tab o os

might be pertaining to illicit relationships within the company, illegal transactions done by family members who have greater authority, favoritism and nepotism, over controlling attitudes of the President and/or other leaders in the family, being forced to join the family business for lack of other options or inability to assert one’s self, lack of confidence or doubts against family business leaders, salary and privilege demands, rights to ownership and many others. Eventually, the avoidance takes a toll, and the issues become larger and inevitable.

2. Family members do not meet together on a regular basis due to busy schedules Too much work eats up precious time for the family members to come together.

Also, if they are assigned to different locations that are quite far, they may not see each other often enough.

Lack of opportunities to see and converse with fellow family members on a regular FAILS/PAGE 15

Dealing with nCoV

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

is still widespread in the bureaucracy, even as he reiterates to punish people in government who participate in corrupt practices.

To put more teeth to his anti-corruption campaign, the President urges business p eople w ho exp erience corruption in government to confront these vultures by slapping them a dozen times in full view of the public.

Seemingly exhausted, he encourages people to Inform him right away when they encounter corruption during transactions with government offices.

Government agencies

Without communication, all else fails

Editor-in-Chief

Motoring Editor

THU-FRI|FEBRUARY 27-28, 2020

Feasting on 'pastillas' shamelessly

NELSON CONSTANTINO GILBERT Y. CHAO

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I HAVE been monitoring the alarming development of the outbreak of the Novel Corona Virus which had spread all over and not sparing even the first world countries. For a number of days Philippines, despite its proximity to China, was not in the list of countries where the deadly and highly contagious virus was detected. Wuhan, which is the epicenter of nCoV had been locked down while China aut hor ities have assembled the best of their scientists and health workers to address the plague. Their actions come in lightning speed including building a huge hospital in Wuhan in just a matter of 10 days!

Still, reading from Facebook comments, China gets the browbeating. Sadly the blame game is spiced with vicious political undertones instead of helping the Department of Health and local government units in informing and educating the people on how to contain the spread of the virus and the importance of preventive measures.

This is not the first time that magnitude and threats of viral infection gripped the world and resulted in horrendous fatalities.

The first flu virus was first monitored in the US and Spain in 1918 infecting about 500-million people and killing about 50-million and about 675,000 of these were reported in America.

The Ebola virus was detected in Congo in 1976. The Avian flu started was said to have started in China but was also reported in North America making it difficult to pinpoint where it really hatched. If we go centuries back the Black Death which was the epidemic of the Bubonic Plague in the mid-1300s practically depopulated the world. Rat fleas spread the pathogens and it ceased only by avoidance, the deadly fire in London and wintry weather which reduced the population of rats and fleas.

The deadly coronavirus strain was Severe Acute R e s p i r at o r y Sy n d r o m e (SARs) which also originated

in China. It was said to have spread to 37 countries and claimed 774 deaths mostly occurring in China and Hong Kong. This was uncovered in February 2002 but by July 2003 the spread and infection stopped.

The spread and infection of coronavirus diseases are generally caused by person-to-person contact and respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing.

WHO and DOH have issued simple guidelines to prevent contamination and spread of the disease. Among the important points are: * Avoid crowds and use surgical face masks if necessary * 75% rubbing alcohol may be used as a disinfectant for hands or metal surfaces * Virus finds dry throat as the entry point and it is important that one drinks sufficient amount of water just to address the dryness Furthermore, Health officials remind the public “to practice proper hygiene and constant washing of hands,

LETTERS FROM DAVAO

JUN LEDESMA as well as proper coughing etiquette or coughing into the crook of the elbow, amid the virus scare. They also reassured the public that DOH hospitals, with their respective isolation areas, we're ready to respond to the disease”.

The spread of coronavirus had b een attributed to rodents, snakes, birds that include chicken, swan and other migratory birds and bats which appeared to be the main culprit as far as the coronavirus strains are concerned. Bats, which are nocturnal creatures fly in NCOV/PAGE 15

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THURSDAY|FEBRUARY 27, 2020

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Toyota hybrid electric vehicles tour at Xavier University

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By MARK FRANCISCO

S PART of their drive to promote sustainable mobility, Toyota Motor Philippines brought their hybrid electric vehicle campus tour to Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City from February 17 to 21 with the event also as part of the educational institution’s Engineering Days 2020.

The activity capped with a symposium on the last day about hybrid electric vehicles at Grand Caprice Restaurant and Convention Center here which was attended by around 250 Xavier University engineering students.

Toyota Motor

Philippines is initiating this series of activities nationwide to boost its efforts in bringing vehicle electrification closer to the public.

This partnership with the academe is made to bringing the education sector closer to the latest automotive industry trends and direction.

The half-day symposium was conducted by Toyota’s technical experts which focused on the beneficial effects of Toyota hybrid technology on the evinronment.

Common misconceptions about hybrid electric vehicles were also discussed there.

“Our continuous activities on HEVs are geared towards the youth because they are the ones

who will benefit most from this technology.

With enough support and proper implementation, the

untapped potential of hybrids can improve our transportation systems and our environment in

the long-run,” said Cristina Arevalo, first vice president of Toyota Motor Philippines.

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THURSDAY|FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Mikabat P4 milyones pundo’s proyekto, gitunol sa MisOr SULOD lamang sa usa ka adlaw ug usa ka higayon, mikabat sa P4,112,533.36 nga pundo ang gitunol sa pamunuan ni Gobernador Bambi Emano ngadto’s kabaranggayan sa Misamis Oriental.

Pito ka barangay nga adunay tagsa-tagsa nga gihangyo’ng proyekto ubos sa programang Barangay Empowerment ni Gobernador Emano ang mapasalamaton uyamot sa ilang pagpamauli bitbit ang tubag sa ilang yangongo ug hangyo gikan’s kapitolyo niadtong Pebrero 24, 2020, atol sa

sinemanang pagpakayab sa nasudnong bandila.

Nakadawat ang Brgy.

Alagatan, Gingoog City, og P887,803.36 para sa construction sa ilang multi-purpose hall, phase 3; P300,00 alang sa Brgy.

12, Gingoog City para sa concrete canal cover project; P600,000 sa Brgy.

Mahayag, Talisayan, para sa konstruksyon sa multi-purpose building; P300,000 sa Brgy.

Artadi, Magsaysay, para sa repair sa barangay stage ug improvement sa basketball court; P300,000 sa Brgy.

Mapulog, Naawan, para

Freed...

of the projects costs as their counterparts.

The plant will be operated

by Southern Agusan Seed Pro duc ers C o op er at ive (SASEPCO) which will s er ve d as c ons ol i d ator of the rice produce from three other agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations-Kahugpungan sa Malahutayong Mag-uuma Para sa Ekonomikanhong Kalambuan (KAMMPE), La Fortuna Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LAMUPCO) and Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi Purpose Cooperative (BARBMPC).

Already, the organized agrarian reform farmer cooperatives have cornered

from page 1

Emp ower ment (Proj e c t ConVERGE).

The large-scale dryer and rice milling plant are jointly funded by the International Fu n d f o r Ag r i c u l t u r a l Development (IFAD) and the Philippine government as part of Project ConVERGE’s P110 million allocation for the agrarian reform farmers in Veruela, Trento, Bunawan and Sta. Josefa or what they called VETREBUNS cluster of rice production processing and marketing.

Local government units in the VETREBUNS cluster allotted 20 percent

Technology and education

By MERLITA B. DAVEN Tuod Integrated School Tuod, Manticao, Misamis Oriental

TECHNOLOGY has shifted the way that professors teach students in education.

For example, by uploading recorded lectures online, students can reference a digital copy of the topics discussed in class.

Twe nt y ye ar s a go, information technology in the classroom in the Philippines is limited to college students taking up Computer Engineering programs. Today, teachers even need to be vigilant that their kindergarten tots won’t cheat in the classroom.

Here are some suggestions on how teachers can maximize information technology in the classroom in a good way. Create a

Facebook group intended within the class. In here, both teacher and students can interact there such as the sharing of homework instructions, etc. Or you may also encourage students to use Twitter. Ask them to tweet the lesson – that is have them write summaries of 140 characters or less.

Or you may allow them to use Google in their cellphones to research indepth the topic which you are currently discussing.

For younger students, have them write a “how-to” piece about using technology in the classroom. It’s a natural fit as young people usually have a higher comfort level with technology than many adults.

sa improvement sa multi-purpose building; P600,000 sa Brgy. Sinai, Laguindingan, para sa konstruksyon sa 2-storey function hall;

ug P1,124,730 sa Brgy.

Andales, Initao, para sa konstruksyon sa covered court.

Sa matag semana, naandan na nga adunay

susama nga pagtunol sa pundo alang sa pagpatuman sa mga proyekto nga mao gayud ang gikinahanglan sa mga tawo sa ilang tagsa-tagsa

ka barangay. Dili susama niadto nga imbes covered court ang gikinahanglan, hatagan na hinuon sa classroom bisan dili pa angayan.

a P16 million supply of rice with the Department of Social Welfare and Development after winning the competitive government bidding.

They were able to secure a certification from Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PHILGEPS) with the technical assistance and capability building training from Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office in Agusan del Sur. T h e B u r e au o f Ja i l Management and Penology and the D.O. Plaza Memorial Hospital will follow suit in ordering thousands of bags of rice from them.

Prov i n c i a l Ag r ar i an Reform Program Officer II Jamil P. Amatonding Jr. said the farmers under Project ConVERGE will be liberated from the cudgels of middlemen and unscrupulous traders since they will no longer sell their palay at the lowest farm gate prices and instead become productive rice entrepreneurs.

Amatonding said the project when realized in April will in a way address the problems of farmers from the negative effects of Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) which also affected farmers in VETREBUNs cluster.

Maximo Gegato, SASEPCO manager, said some 20 of their 200 members stopped tending their rice fields and converted their produce into bananas because of heavy losses in their harvest last year as a result of declining prices of palay.

He said traders pegged the palay prices at P700 to 800 per 50-kilo bag from what used to be P1,000 to P1,400 before the implementation of RTL. But Amatonding assured the sad plight of the farmers on the bad effects of RTL will be a thing of the past as the VETREBUNS farmers is expected to increase their yield by 30 percent when they will fully benefit the cost effective mechanized farming system.

Apart from the largescale dryer and rice milling pl ant , ag r ar i an re for m organizat ions not on ly from ConVERGE cluster received a total of P17 million modern farm machineries and equipment during the turn over ceremonies here on February 13.

Project ConVERGE allotted P13.7 million while the Climate Resilient Farm

Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP) earmarked P3.3 million for the distribution of mechanized farm inputs.

The machineries and equipment include farm and hand tractors, collapsible portable dryers, rice combine harvesters, water pumps, mud boats, shredder and a substrate mixer distributed to 1 0 a g r ar i an re for m beneficiaries organizations.

Amatonding said the modern farm inputs would boost the production of the rice farms while significantly re du c i ng t h e e x p e ns e s incurred especially during planting season.

Based on the results of their strategic plan with the farmers, Amatonding said expenses will be reduced to a minimum of P7,000 from what used to be P37,000 per hectare which drove the farmers further into the quagmire of indebtedness

from the traders.

He explained that if a farmer yields P74,000 per hectare, with the mechanized inputs that lessen their expenses , a net income will go as high as P45,000 to P50,000 per hectare.

B e r n i e C r u z , DA R Undersecretary of Foreign Assisted and Special Project Office (FASPO), told the farmers in jest in his speech that he hoped that they would become rice cartels in the province when he will return in April. ‘“We always consider the welfare of our farmerbeneficiaries in consonance with President Duterte’s mandate to pursue a more aggressive and genuine agrarian reform program and ensure that they are provided with the needed support services to increase their household income,” Usec. Cruz said.

Students’ attitudes to school and reading achievement

By EDITHA DUMAT-OL HALANDUMON, Master Teacher 1 Dona Consuelo Elementary School Division of Ozamiz City

THE following are the factors that most strongly relate to student achievement. Effective teaching practices are the extent to which students feel their teachers are effective at checking for understanding, building relationships, maintaining a productive classroom culture and providing cognitive challenge.

L e ar ner charac ter ist ics and disposition relate to teacher-student relations, student thinking strategies, learner confidence, engagement and attitudes that influence how

they engage with and persist with learning.

Advocate at school is the extent to which students can identify an adult at school who they have a positive or productive relationship with. High expectations for success are students’ perspectives on the expectations that their teachers have them to do their best at school.

School connectedness are students’ feelings of safety and connection to their school. And lastly, the experience of bullying.

For i nst anc e, stu d e nt s w ho improve in their reading achievement are students who were bullied less, felt more connected to school and reported higher levels of motivation, resilience and other dispositional factors. These students also feel that their teachers are effective, act as advocates or them and their learning, and hold high expectations for their success. Those who made the greatest reading gains are those with more positive attitudes to school.

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Ecosystems Protection:

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Cagayan de Oro Port wins laurels for sustainability practices T

By MIKE BAÑOS

HE Port of Cagayan de Oro at Macabalan, Cagayan de Oro City is one of only two seaports in the Philippines to have been awarded a Green Port badge by the Green Port Award System (GPAS) program, a green evaluation system for ports in the Asia-Pacific Region developed by APEC Port Services Network (APSN) to promote the green growth and sustainable development of the APEC port industry.

It has also been cited by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) under its Government Best Practice Recognition (GBPR) for Fostering a Green Culture for Port Operations and Management with Best Practices in environmental protection, conservation, and sustainability through the employment of technology; issuance and compliance with environmental policies and mandates; and inculcating environmental

awareness among port stakeholders.

The Port of Cagayan de Oro was recognized as one of the APSN Green Port Award System (GPAS) winners for 2018 among candidate ports from 18 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

GPAS serves as a platform for sharing of best practices among ports in the APEC region, to raise the profile of ports committed to green practices, and to improve their capacity for sustainable development.

“This GPAS recognition gives the Port of Cagayan de Oro a seal of reliability and integrity which will help improve the port’s image locally, nationally, and internally, and open new potential commercial opportunities for the port, PPA, and the port operators through increased ship calls and cargo volumes that directly translate into revenues,” said Port Manager Isidro V. Butaslac, Jr. Green Initiatives and Practices

Among the CDO Port’s best practices are measures aimed at energy conservation, noise reduction, protection and preservation of the water, land, and air, and promotion of environmental awareness among the stewards of nature—the people.

CDO Port replaced its High-Powered Sodium (HPS) Lamps with solar powered LED streetlights, and Mast Towers with LED bulbs to attain 46% and 40% energy savings, respectively; upgraded cargo handling equipment to rubber tired gantry cranes and rail mounted gantry cranes to improve productivity and efficiency, minimizing energy and carbon emissions; and adopted smart lighting which automatically provide lights only when needed.

To sustain the water ecosystem, the PMO’s Scuba Diving Team duly certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) regularly conducts underwater garbage collection/cleanups,

underwater/underdeck surveys, flora and fauna inventory, and restore detached lighted floating navigational buoys at ports.

So far, over 10,000 mangrove propagules have been planted within a total area of over 30 hectares at Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro; Pangayawan, Gitagum, and in the PMO adopted area of Taytay in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental as a hatchery for indigenous fishes.

To improve air quality, the Port reduced carbon dioxide emissions and air pollutants 50% by replacing cargo handling units, using Shore-Based Power Supply (cold-ironing) as charging stations so docked vessels won’t have to use their own engine; and established three carbon sinks/greenbelt areas with 255 trees of various species which has enabled it to pass the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Most recently, it acquired two emission measuring equipment in compliance with the Clean Air

PMOs PADI-certifeid Scuba Diving Team regularly conducts underwater garbage collection called Scubasurero.

Act and to improve air quality within the port premises.

PMO also maintains an organic vegetable and flower garden to grow vegetables and legumes on used car tires which are harvested for feeding programs.

Solid Waste Management (SWM) based on the 4Rs (Reduce, Recover, Reuse, Recycle) has helped reduce residual waste in the port area by 20%, increase collection of WINS/PAGE 13

PMO personnel planting mangrove propagules in a mangrove site in Taytay, Misamis Oriental

PPA PMO-MOC aquires emission measuring equipment in compliance with the Clean Air Act and to improve air quiality within the Port of Cagayan de Oro.

The Development Academy of the Phils conferrs the Government Best Practice Recognition plaque & certificate to the PPA PMO-MOC on 17 December 2019.

PMO Personnel at the carbon-sink area of the new Passenger Terminal Building

The new Passenger Terminal Building with its own in-house carbon-sink.

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Ecosystems Protection:

Italpinas and EDGE Green Building Certification

T

HE first green condominium in Cagayan de Oro has been awarded the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, a green building certification system focused on making new residential and commercial buildings more resource-efficient.

International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, the innovator of EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”), awarded its green building certification to the twin-tower Primavera Residences, a mixed-use mid-rise condominium development in Uptown Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.

The twin-tower building is the flagship development of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), and is the first completed condominium project in East Asia.

Recently, IDC is also working towards the EDGE certification of Primavera City, its second development in Cagayan de Oro and Miramonti Residences, its first development in Batangas.

“We maintain our propositions to work towards delivering green sustainable buildings by partnering with IFC of The World Bank through its EDGE certification,” said Ar. Romolo Nati, IDC Chairman and COO. IFC’s EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”) is a new green building certification system created for emerging markets. It provides clients with technical solutions for going green and captures capital costs and projected operational savings, in order to prove the business case for building green. While the drivers behind EDGE are financial, the results are environmental – EDGE helps mitigate climate change by encouraging resource-efficient development.

To qualify for EDGE certification, companies must utilize the EDGE software to prove their building design will reduce energy, water, and embodied energy in building materials by at least 20 percent compared to a conventional building.

EDGE allows design

Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC TM), Chairman and CEO, Architect Romolo Valentino Nati, presents Primavera City last at IPAX Asia Pacific 2019 event in Bangkok.

teams and project owners to assess the most cost-effective ways to incorporate energy and water saving options into homes, hotels, hospitals, offices and retail spaces.

Projects that achieve a 20 percent projected reduction in use of energy, water and embodied energy in materials, compared to conventional buildings, are eligible for EDGE certification.

“Now that our building has been certified green by the World Bank’s IFC, our units also increased its value in terms of being genuinely eco-friendly

with its green features.

IDC, once again, has proven to be able to deliver profit not only to shareholders but also to the most important stakeholders—our valued residents,” Nati stressed.

Construction of the first tower started in 2008 and developer Italpinas Development Corp. (IDC) was finally awarded the green certification after a stringent and lengthy process.

Meeting the standard EDGE is composed of a web-based software application, a universal standard and a

certification system.

Buildings have to meet the standard to be certified.

A distinct feature of Italpinas projects is its use of both passive and active green systems by shape performance and natural ventilation system Shading control and shading.

In shape performance, the building volumes shape and profiles let in the prevailing winds at the lower levels, block their direct way out on the opposite side and convey their flow into vertical voids or courtyards.

This simple technique,

characteristic of hot climate areas where the stone construction is largely diffused since the ancient times, generate a chimney effect that increase the natural cross ventilation of the apartments facing on one side on the exterior and on the other in the internal court.

In IDC’s projects, façades are usually shaded by cantilevered ledges that protect windows from direct contact with the sun’s rays during the hottest times of the day. The dimensions CERTIFCATION/PAGE 11

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XU’s CaDRe program presented during environment summit

By MARK FRANCISCO

X

AVIER University’s exemplary disaster risk mitigation program CaDRe was featured during the first day of the 3rd Philippine Environment Summit on Monday (February 26) at Grand Caprice Restaurant and Convention Center, this city.

During one breakout session in the summit, Xavier Ateneo Institutional Societal Engagement Social Development Office Director Dexter Lo reported that the roots of CaDRe – which stands for capacity building, advocacy, resource and rehabilitation – came long before the deadly floods spawned by tropical storm Sendong hit Cagayan de Oro in 2011.

Lo said that as early as 2003, three university engineering students had mapped the fire hazard zones in the 40 urban barangays of the city.

During one breakout session in the 3rd Philippine Environment Summit, speakers include (from left, seated) Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) program specialist Rosario Bantayan, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities executive director Renato Redentor Constantino and Xavier Ateneo Institutional Societal Engagement Social Development Office Director Dexter Lo. Modering the session is Xavier University MindaCELLs projects manager Julemer Ann Aying. photo by mark francisco

By 2009, the university’s engineering department partnered with barangays Carmen and Macasandig in mapping their respective areas that were prone to fire, flooding and earthquake hazards.

But it was only when Sendong struck

the city that CaDRe – then simply known as the Xavier University Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) program – was institutionalized.

The Engineering Resource Center was assigned to lead the educational institution’s

DRRM efforts and its first project was a resettlement for Sendong survivors called Xavier Ecoville.

“To sustain these engagements and to capacitate various actors and communities in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction

and management, the Xavier University DRRM Program was institutionalized,” Lo said.

In later years when DRRM was renamed into XU CaDRe, the university soon partnered with more stakeholders, now evolving their role into science and technology for resilient governance.

Along with other partners, it conducted an assessment and review of the relationship between land use change, ecosystem degradation, climate change and disaster risks and impacts in the Agusan river basin.

XU CaDRe Program also spearheaded the seismic risk evaluation of nine public elementary schools in the city, located in Lumbia, Bulua, Carmen, Nazareth, Lapasan, Puntod, Kauswagan, Bugo and Divisoria.

Along this line, Xavier University Engineering Resource Center together with the University fo London developed last

year in 2019 an app that provides rapid visual surveying and vulnerability assessment of school structures against strong winds, floods and earthquakes.

The app called SCOSSO (Safer Communities Through Safer Schools) features instant simplified physical vulnerability estimation, instant data sharing, input confidence indicator, cloud backup of all surveyed data, detailed photographic survey guide and high precision location indicator, among others.

“Even without the storm, we are constantly training with local partners such as DILG, VEST (Valuing Ecosystem Services Together), etc.,” Lo reported. “We assist LGUs to achieve the targets of standardized resilient scorecards by using science and technology in governance, developing solutions with and for the community under the banner of sustainable development.”

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Certification... from page 9

and placement of these ledges are optimized using parametric design software, taking into account the exact path traveled by the sun through the sky, each day throughout the year, at the building site’s precise latitude on the earth.

Active technologies such as solar panels are also used on all of IDC projects to ensure that building users will be able to harvest energy from the sun. For Primavera City, Cagayan de Oro’s latest DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL PARTITION OF THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF DETERLINO BOMBEO MONTES KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That ANITA DERLA MONTES, JOSEPH DERLA MONTES and ROLAN DERLA MONTES all of Cagayan de Oro City are the sole and only surviving heirs of the late DETERLINO BOMBEO MONTES who died intestate on September 8, 2005 in Oakland, California, U.S.A. leaving the following property with improvements thereon, to wit.

A parcel of land with T.C.T. No. T-65937 situated in the Barrio of Kauswagan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO (282) square meters more or less and has been the subject of a Deed of Extrajudicial Partition of the Intestate Estate filed by the heirs per Doc. No. 355, Page No. 71, Book No. IXXVIII Series of 2017 of the Notarial Registry of Atty.

Tiburcio M. Palasan Jr. BWM: Feb. 21, 28 & Mar. 6, 2020

green building, it will have a rain water harvesting system which will enable to users to efficiently use rainwater.

Pioneering sustainable projects in Mindanao Claire Marie Asuncion Elizaga, director for corporate affairs and branding for Primavera City IDC said the Cagayan de Oro project has been receiving a warm reception from the market because IDC is pioneering the development of sustainable projects in the country. “ We k n o w o t h e r developers have integrated green components in their projects but for IDC all our projects are green-centric,” Elizaga said.

“The reception of the market is enthusiasm over a new innovation, because we were the first in developing this type of building in Mindanao area. All our properties are green. We have both active and passive green technologies to date,” she added.

Elizaga said IDC has a social obligation the need to keep educating the public because green technology is still relatively new in the market.

She said the company pu rsu e s an “ i n for m a l” corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to promoting sustainable architecture to students pursuing architecture.

“Whenever we are able to touch base with students, it is the company’s passion to share what it knows,” Elizaga

said.

ID C currently has partnerships with the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Cagayan de Oro, and Lyceum University of the Philippines in Alabang.

The company is also c on du c t i n g t a l k s w it h students in re a l est ate management courses about g re en bui lding and its advantages in conserving and re-using energy and water.

Climate change and real estate investments Climate Change brings with it shifts in the landscape of real estate investment.

Environmental geographical information such as flood prone zones, susceptibility to f lood, seismic zone, geological hazards and other climate change factors now play a role when we talk about real estate investment.

“We are not anymore looking solely on location versus current economic activities, but we are looking ahead, and evaluating location based on environmental factors, climate change and sustainability. And thus, have to take in consideration not only the vulnerabilities but also formulating adapt ive me asures and create sustaining emerging cities to balance economic development and ensure growth in the real estate industry” said Atty. Jose D. Leviste III, IDC President.

“Climate Change brings both a challenge

and an opportunity in real estate investment. It is a challenge, since we must take into consideration adaptive measures through either through architectural and design structures or through climate change adaptation strategies.

It is also an opportunity as we identify new areas for economic growth and development. Emerging cities play a major role not only on decentralization of economic activities, but these emerging cities are potential growth areas for future investments” added Ar. Romolo Nati, IDC Chairman and COO. IDC is currently constructing the first phase, Citta Verde of the Primavera City project in Uptown Cagayan de Oro. Expansion plans are being readied for the second, third and fourth phase development.

Resolutions... from page 1

should prohibit reclamation projects with no exception, as exempting government projects could be an excuse of private development firms … [to] engage in a joint venture agreement with local governments,” it added.

The president previously said he would ban any proposed reclamation projects that might destroy the environment.

A Rappler report dated February 18 with data from the Philippine Reclamation Authority shows there are 19 Manila Bay reclamation

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL NORTE 12th Judicial Region OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF Tubod, Lanao del Norte

LIST OF MORTGAGED PROPERTY OCT No. P-18,605 Lot No. 6094-B, Csd-12-000184 “A parcel of residential lot situated in Barangay Poblacion, Municipality of Tubod, Province of Lanao del Norte, Island of Mindanao containing an area of TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE (275) SQUARE METERS, more and less, including all the improvements found thereon, more particularly described and bounded as follows; Bounded on the NW, along line 2-3 by a Road; on the NE, along line 3-4 by Lot 6094-C, Csd-12-000184; on the SE, along line 4-1 by Lot 6094-D, Csd-12-000184 and on the SW, along line 1-2 by Lot 6094-A, Csd-12-000184.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and time.

In the event that the Public Auction cannot take place on the said date, it shall be held on April 22, 2020 without further notice.

Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines, this February 12, 2020.

BWM: February 14, 21 & 28, 2020

ATTY. AISA B. MUSA-BARRAT Clerk of Court VI and Ex-Officio Sheriff By: ROY B. MADRONA Sheriff IV

and the Environment, and Spirituality and Sustainability.

The biennial Summit was first held in 2016 in Luzon at the SM Mall of Asia, Metro Manila, while the 2018 event was held in Visayas at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City.

The 2020 Summit will be the first time that Mindanao hosts the event.

The 3rd Philippine Environment Summit is brought to you by Green Convergence Philippines and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), together with the Forest Foundation Philippines, the Energ y Development Corporation, and the Foundation for the Philippine Environment.

It is supported by Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, the Local Government of Cagayan de Oro City Philippines, Liceo de Cagayan University- Official FB, and SEARCA, with media partners Eco-Business, Mindanao Daily News, BusinessWeek Mindanao, and The Cagayan de Oro Times.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region BRANCH 21 Cagayan de Oro City

NOTICE OF EXTRA – JUDICIAL SALE (EJF No. 224-07-2020) Upon the Extra Judicial Petition for Sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the 1st VALLEY BANK, A DEVELOPMENT BANK, Baroy Branch, Baroy, Lanao del Norte against IVY JOY P. MACALISANG, of legal age, separated and a resident of Poblacion, Tubod, Lanao del Norte, to satisfy the indebtedness which as of October 30, 2018, amounting to FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND (P450,000.00) PESOS ONLY excluding penalties, charges, attorney’s fee and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned or his duly authorized deputy will sell at Public Auction on 25th day of March, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter at the Regional Trial Court, Branch 07, Provincial Capitol of Lanao del Norte, Pigcarangan, Tubod, Lanao del Norte, to the highest bidder for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine Currency, the following property with all its improvements, to wit:

projects in various stages of i mp l e m e nt at i on , of which 17 involve either a local government unit or a government agency, and 12 still in the application stage, Philippine Reclamation Authority general manager Jo s e l ito G on z a l e s s ai d four reclamation projects in Manila Bay have been approved as of December, last year.

T he su m m it is a ls o expected to generate other resolutions related to the breakout session topics discussed during the 3-day Summit which carries the themes of Safe Food, Healthy Environment, and Sustainable Economy.

Among t hes e topics are Indigenous Peoples Eco-Governance, Organic Agriculture, Disaster Risk Reduction Management, and Eco-Friendly & Sustainable B arangays; C ommunity C o - G o v e r n a n c e , No n Timber Forest Products, Ecotourism, and Youth a n d t h e E nv i ron m e nt ; Ecosystems Protection, Bamboo: Sunrise Industry for the Philippines, Education

IN RE: CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF NIKKI ABAD LAURIO, Petitioner, -versusLOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF CAGAYAN DE ORO, SPS. ROMUJLO MAGALLANES LAURIO & JULIET ABAD LAURIO Respondent. x----------------------------------------/

CASE No. R-CDO-20-00306-SP

INITIAL ORDER Notice is hereby given that filed before this court is a verified Amended Petition for correction of entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of Nikki Abad Laurio. Petitioner prays that after due notice and hearing, an Order be issued ordering the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City to cause correction of entry pertaining to the date and place of her parents’ marriage, from “January 18, 1992 at Aroron, Masbate, Masbate” to “February 22, 2001 in Tagaloan, Misamis Oriental.”

Finding the Amended Petition sufficient in form and substance, let this case be heard on April 15, 2020 (Wednesday) at 8:30 in the morning before this Court at the Ground Floor, Goldridge Building, Hall of Justice, Masterson Avenue corner Macapagal Road, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

At the expense of the petitioner, let a copy of this Order be published for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, and a copy thereof be posted by the Branch Sheriff of this Court at the bulletin board of this Court at the Ground Floor, Goldridge Building, Hall of Justice, Masterson Avenue corner Macapagal Road, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City; at the bulletin board of the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City; at the Barangay Hall of Barangay Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City; and, at the bulletin board of the Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly the National Statistics Office), Regional Office in Cagayan de Oro City.

It is further ordered that Petitioner, at its own expense shall furnish copies of this order and the Amended Petition together with its annexes to the Office of the Solicitor General; to the Philippine Statistic Authority (formerly the National Statistic Office), Regional Office in Cagayan de Oro City; to the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City; and, to the City Prosecutor’s Office, Cagayan de Oro City.

The Philippine Statistic Authority (formerly the National Statistic Office), Cagayan de Oro City, the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City, or any person having or claiming any interest on the relief sought is hereby directed to file their written oppositions and appear on the said date of hearing, and within fifteen (15) days after the last publication of this Order to file with this Court and serve on the petitioner their Answer to the above-quoted petition, together with the Annexes.

The petitioner shall at the hearing submit proof of posting and of the service of the copies of the Order and the Petition as directed by the Court.

Issue Summons to respondents.

SO ORDERED.

Done this 14th day of February 2020 in Cagayan de Oro City.

BWM: Feb. 21, 28 & Mar. 6, 2020

GIL G. BOLLOZOZ Presiding Judge

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Ecosystems Protection:

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STEAG State Power Inc. CSR Program empowers beyond merely providing power

Power Students’ Eco Youthcamp. ThirtyFive senior high school and college power students scholars from Villanueva and Tagoloan participate in SPI’s Eco Youthcamp 2019. The camp aims to inspire students to be actively engaged in environmental conservation and protection.

The power students are beneficiaries of an SPI award program which encourages academic performance to help ease financial burdens associated with the rising cost of education. The activity was held at the Mapawa Nature Park, the site of an ongoing 1,200 hectares Carbon Sink Project also funded by SPI.

S

TEAG State Power Inc. (SPI) goes far beyond providing efficient and reliable electric power to Mindanao.

Besides sustainable business operations and adhering to the ethical standards of safety, environment, and good corporate governance, SPI actively contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals by undertaking social development programs aimed at helping address a wide array of local community concerns.

For over 13 years SPI has shared its time, resources and expertise in helping secure more prosperous and developed communities.

SPI helped foster greater community collaboration by partnering with various development institutions.

SPI’s commitment to helping bring about the development of its host communities is expressed through its various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, focusing on Improving Education through the Social Empowerment through Education (SEEd) Program; Improving Income through the Livelihood and Economic Enterprise Development (LEED) Program; Improving Health through its Water, Sanitation, and Health (WaSH) Program; Improving Governance through the Enhancing Governance in Local Development (EGoLD) Program; Improving Access to Electricity through the Fostering Rural Electrification and Energizations (FREE) Program; Improving Quality of the Environment through the Environmental Conservation (ECo) Program; and Inspiring people to excel through a continuing Information, Education and Communications (IEC) Program.

SPI works with various government and non-government organizations to help address the priority development needs of its communities. The company is grateful for being part of these development endeavors.

Environmental Conservation (ECo) Program SPI, together with its partners in the private and public sectors, is undertaking a comprehensive environmental conservation program. For more than a decade now, it has sustained the efforts through its flagship projects including the 1,200-hectare Mapawa Carbon Sink Project; 1,000 hectare Urban Forestry Project, and 16.4-hectare Mangrove Development and Rehabilitation Project.

In 2019, over 90,000 seedlings were propagated and distributed in various villages in Misamis Oriental.

Since the program launch more than a decade ago, over 490,000 trees have been grown. SPI’s target is to bring 1.2 million trees back to the forest by 2031.

Water, Sanitation, and Health (WaSH) Program Some 3.4 million children in the Philippines have been found to be stunted, with over 300,000 underweight. Stunting can impair physical and mental development and STEAG/PAGE 15

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Wins... from page 8

recycled paper by 20%, and plastic containers by 31%.

To promote environmental awareness, PMO employees, port stakeholders and residents of adjacent barangays join various forums like Climate C h a n g e , S o l i d Wa s t e Management, Clean Air Act of the Philippines, Clean Water Act of the Philippines.

To c o m p l y w i t h i t s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) requirements, PMO MOC submits regularly to DENR Self-Monitoring Reports under the Republic Act No. 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act); Republic Act No. 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act); and Republic Act 6969 (Hazardous Waste Act).

It annu a l ly conduc ts Ambient Air Quality Monitoring, Stationary Source Air Emission Sampling, Emission Testing for PPA and Oroport Cargo Handling Equipment, Water Effluent Quality Monitoring of the port’s oil and water separator facilities, and Ambient Water Monitoring.

Opportunities and Challenges “By taking responsibility for clean air, land and water, p or t s t a ke h ol d e rs wor k together to meet more stringent environmental standards and deliver excellent business results,” Butaslac said.

As a Green Port, the Port seeks to: double efforts to encourage ocean-going vessels/ ships to reduce emission of

pollutants by using clean fuel and use shore-based p ow e r s up p l y ; i mprov e performance to sustain a green and eco-friendly port; continue professionalization of operations; increase use of biobased renewable energy such as LNG and bio-fuels, circular economy and transition energy; initiate more environmentalfriendly programs/projects to reduce the port’s carbon footprint, and mitigate the effects of climate change particularly on engineering, e.g. more solar panels, improved water treatment facilities, etc.

Since last year, the PMO has sustained the its green port operations further improving SWM by targeting the further reduction of non-recyclables by 10%, by regulating the use of plastic utensils and food packaging within the ports.

A month after its GPAS win in Singapore, the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) recognized the PMOMOC for its environmental protection and conservation initiatives during the 2018 Government Best Practice Recognition (GBPR).

Its entry titled, “Philippine Por t s Aut h or it y — Por t Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro (PMO MOC): Fostering a Green Culture for Port Operations and Management as successfully was hailed as one of the top five (5) best practices among the 11 entries from various government agencies for 2018 and among the five (5) winners to receive Best Practice trophies during the awarding ceremony

on 17 December 2019.

The DAP is a government owned and controlled corporation which develops solutions to address development problems; upgrade institutional capacities of institutions to more effectively pursue their respective roles and mandates more efficiently and effectively; promote partnerships, and facilitate the integration of policies, plans, programs, and systems in a holistic perspective.

GBPR is one of DAP’s strategies to help public sector organizations further enhance their quality of service by recognizing agencies with successful and validated practices.

The Academy believes that “best practices are the building blocks and the solution formula in the attainment of organizational outcomes— relevant policies, quality services and organizational effectiveness.”

A key criterion for the evaluation of best practices is the replicability (how best practices can be adopted by other PMOs). The PPA is institutionalizing the programs for environmental protection and sustainability to its ports nationwide.

For instance, PPAs Top Management has approved the procurement and adoption of the Shore-Based Power Supply (SBPS) in the terminal ports such as the Port of Benoni in Camiguin Province.

Overview of PMO-MOC PMO MOC administrative j u r i s d i c t i o n c ov e r s t h e

provinces of Misamis Oriental and Camiguin with 7 government and 11 registered private ports (bannered by the Port of Cagayan de Oro, one of 10 gateway ports under PPA port system).

It facilitates the transport of passengers and the input of raw materials and export of the region’s products through bulk, break bulk and RORO. It also provides ancillary services such as pilotage, tug assistance, bunkering, trucking, and porterage; supply of fresh water, and passenger related services.

Overview of the Best Practices PMO-MOC’s Fosterage of Green Culture is described as “inculcating environmental consciousness and sensitivity among stakeholders to achieve synergy with the environment towards sustainable development.”

As an Integrated Management System (IMS) certified, it integrates three systems into one— ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management and BS OSHAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety.

It has also been consistent with its emergency preparedness by conducting regular drills especially for sea oil spill in compliance with the riskbased ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management.

“This is in compliance with the PPA Environmental Policy which mandates PPA as a government agency tasked to administer the ports in

the country including the development of the ports to spur regional and national growth, adhere to the concept of ensuring that port activities are focused on minimizing t he advers e or negative impact to the environment and ensuring that all aspects of port operation and port development are geared towards the protection and preservation of the environment for the maximum utilization of port facilities,” noted Butaslac.

It has also organized continuing education aimed at enhancing environmental awareness through seminars / trainings, information campaigns and site visits.

PMO MOC Environmental Specialist Core D. Suan is a DENR-accredited Pollution Control Officer who oversees and ensures compliance with environmental laws.

A Green Track Record Besides the Green Port Award 2018 given by APEC Port Services Network – Green Port Award System, PMOMOC has also been certified

by TUV Rheinland Philippines for its Integrated Management System (2018) and Quality Management System (2012 & 2015).

It has been granted a Certificate of Recognition by the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) for the Port Safety, Health and Environmental Management System (PSHEMS) (2015); Certificate of Recognition by the Government Quality Management C ommittee

for compliance to EO 605 (2017); International Ships and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code Certificate of Compliance from DOTr-Office of Transport Security (2018) and was recognized by the DENR for implementation of Environmental Programs (2018) and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation its continuing partnership in environmental program and joint oil spill response (2018).

Sustaining the Green Culture To sust ain its Gre en Culture, PMO-MOC will fully implement its green programs with continuous improvements like: additional stations for Shore-Based Power Supply and their installation in Terminal Ports; additional Powerhouse with energy-saving devices/ features; rainwater collection and water treatment systems, and green buildings.

The new Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) of the CDO Port is a green building, which houses a carbon sink and utilize solar power through the roof top solar panels. It is the biggest and most modern PTB in the Philippines today.

“Fostering a Green Culture drives the PMO-MOC to gear for more eco-friendly initiatives, bearing the ethos that ports can still do business while still being friendly to Mother Nature, and be hazardous to anyone.

Fostering green culture has come a long way and there’s no more turning back, only moving forward,” Butaslac stressed. (With reports from Irish Maika R. Lam)

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Education & the Environment:

Oro Residents: Time is right for refilling stations for consumer products

C

By MIKE BAÑOS

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Local environment and consumer groups hailed the inspiring initiative of a refilling station in Metro Manila for consumer products, saying “the time is right” for similar initiatives in Mindanao’s fastest growing city.

Last August 1st, 2019, Nutri-Asia Inc. launched a pop-up store at The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City dubbed Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB) that remained open until September 12.

NutriAsia encourages visitors to bring their own clean plastic or glass bottles to the popup store to get a refill of condiments, sauces and cooking oils at discounted prices.

Products offered at the refilling station included Datu Puti soy sauce, Datu Puti vinegar, UFC Banana Catsup, Golden Fiesta Palm Oil, Golden Fiesta Soya Oil, Golden Fiesta Canola Oil and

Golden Fiesta Corn Oil. These items were sold 5-15% cheaper than their suggested retail prices.

The store also gave a 40% discount to buyers of locally-blended juice drinks.

The BYOB booth was frequented by working moms, young professionals and residents of the area who got a minimum 200 grams of their desired products and a maximum of 2 liters.

According to NutriAsia staff, customers brought at least two empty bottles for refill; others just dropped by their store to donate plastic containers.

NutriAsia has partnered with the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for a series of refilling activities across Central Luzon since last year.

Jerome Manangkil, one of the visitors, expressed his appreciation and support for NutriAsia’s initiative, saying: “Iyong

mga ganitong event, okay siya. Mas mura na, same quality pa ng mabibili mo sa mga supermarkets. At good siya sa environment.”

For returning customer John Allan Adriatico, the BYOB campaign was good news to practical consumers like him.

“Actually, second time ko na rito. Mas affordable at makatutulong ka pang mabawasan ‘yung mga plastic na basura,” Adriatico said.

Carenderia owner Vanjie Esperanza also found the campaign beneficial to small business owners. “Malaking menos sa gastos at tulong sa arawaraw. Kasi may maliit na carinderia kami sa amin, kaya noong nabalitaan ko ‘to, hinanda ko na agad yung mga bote-bote rito sa bahay. Mas maganda kung magkakaroon nito malapit sa amin,” she explained Encouraged by these initiatives, consumers clamored for similar refilling stations to be set up around Cagayan de Oro city.

“When we had a sarisari store long time ago, I remember people bringing

their soft drink bottle to buy kerosene, no plastic bottle was used during those days,” recalls Mel Francisco C. Cucueco.

“We do not have much choice but to bring our own bottles. Ban singleuse plastic bottles now,” said environmentalist Bencyrus Ellorin, former executive director of environment watchdog Task Force Macajalar.

“Timely and environmentally friendly,” said Ronilo Ravanera, a founding member of the local consumer group Konsumanteng Kagayanon, Inc. “Yes yes kaayo! We at the Council can help them also disseminate,” said Dr. Hilly Ann Roa Quiaoit, executive director of the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council.

“Dapat. Kung hindi ngayon kailan?” said Raoul T. Geollegue, a former DENR Regional Executive Director who is now a consultant of the environment group Hineleban Foundation which is engaged in the reforestation of the

Nutri-Asia BYOB Refilling Station

mountain ranges of Mindanao by partnering with the Indigenous Peoples living in the buffer zone areas, introducing Arabica coffee as a source of livelihood, and transforming the IP's to guardians of the forest.

Still other consumers are encouraged by the refilling stations, coming as they are on the heels of the city government’s strict implementation of the ban on single use plastics in supermarkets and public markets.

“Seriously, I practice bring-your-own-container when I buy fish from the street vendor,” said Elson

T. Elizaga. “He puts a cellophane of fish on a weighing scale. Then I transfer the fish to our bowl and return the cellophane to him.”

The Philippines throws away 60 billion sachets every year, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) estimates based on its fiveyear waste audit. These wastes remain in our environment for thousands of years, polluting our lands, seas, and air.

A total of 48 million shopping bags were used per day, adding up to more than 17.5 billion a year, REFILLING/PAGE 15

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Fails... from page 4

basis alienates them from each other. Being unfamiliar to other family members’ w ay s and p ers ona l it ies hinders communication.

As a result, working together can become difficult.

Cousins, in-laws and even siblings may experience such.

To be continued...

Shortage... from page 4

So is this just the way we humans are? Will we ever have 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..

nCoV... from page 4

great distances and bring the virus with them. Scientists discovered that bats build an immune system against so many kinds of viruses that can mutate in their bodies.

There are a tiny variety of bats we call “kwaknit” in Visayan and the bigger ones we call “kabog”. During my teens, while living in our farm in the hinterlands of Midsayap, Cotabato our neighbors would watch for thousands of kabogs which fly in drove and feast on nectars of flowers in a wild kapok tree in the middle of our farm. They use slingshots that hit and puncture the bat wings and send them plummeting to the ground.

While still alive the flying mammal is forced to imbibe vinegar to get rid of their obnoxious smell. They are then prepared for the adobo.

But that was seven decades ago when mutations of the virus were unheard of.

Unlike kabogs that live in caves,, the tiny kwatnits stay in cogon or nipa roofs.

That's how close they come in contact with humans. They feast on mosquitos and other flying pests. We see pictures on Facebook of Chinese from Wuhan eating kwaknit from a soup bowl. Kwaknits are never eaten in our farming community because they feed on mosquitos. In my recent trip to our farm, I no longer see as many kwaknits hovering in the house because the breeding places of mosquitos and even of dragonflies had been reduced on account

of pesticides. Fecal drops of bats or dead bats can infect rats, snakes, and fowls.

While these mammals had been identified as carriers the homo sapiens share the blame for making them part of the menu.

The novel coronavirus has traveled across the world. China has the highest infection and mortality so far. It was just very recently that Philippines health authorities confirmed one person, a Chinese national from Wuhan, positive of the NCoV and confined in San Lazaro Hospital. By recent account moreover, she is no longer showing symptoms of the disease. Here is the list of suspected cases that are being monitored by DOH. * Metro Manila - 18 * Cental Visayas - 4 * Western Visayas - 3 * MIMAROPA -1 * Eastern Visayas - 1 * Northern Mindanao - 1 * Davao – 1 As of the latest count, the number of infected cases worldwide is now at 9,700 and 213 recorded dead. On account of the first confirmed case and the rising numbers of suspected cases Pres. Rodrigo Duterte a l lowe d t he temp orar y travel ban on visitors from Wuhan City and entire Hubei province in China, on the recommendation of Senate Health Committee Chairman, Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go. People, of course, are panicky. The media is giving us full coverage and gives us the scare. But here is some good news to assuage our fear. DOH has acquired the necessary test kits to diagnose the nCoV within 24 hours of testing. Health sleuths are tracking down on people which the above suspects have contacted. The WHO has raised the status of nCoV to Emergency and that means more restrictions might be imposed worldwide.

This will cause some setbacks but temporary. For as long as we observe precautions and help health authorities we can deal with this scourge promptly and shortly.

Here in Davao City, Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio assured her constituents that they have taken proactive measures to address the nCoV issue. She said that she and the city health officials have been meeting with DOH and as a matter of policy, always defer to the national government decisions which are beyond the powers of Local Government Units.

STEAG... from page 12

is irreversible after the age of two.

SPI helps local efforts in addressing these problems by improving the capacity o f d o m e s t i c nu t r i t i o n workers in child stunting and malnutrition monitoring.

In 2019, SPI equipped five municipalities with salter scales to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of community-based assessments of the affected children’s nutritional status.

In addition, some 110 parents attended the SPIled Seminar on Responsible Parenting, Maternal Child Care and Nutrition conducted in partnership with local health workers.

Enhancing Governance in Local Development (EGoLD) SPI is helping build and strengthen the local government and organized g roup s’ c ap abi l it i e s i n community development, environmental conservation, and disaster-preparedness efforts.

Pro g r am m i l e ston e s in 2019 includes 70 local emergency responders trained in fire prevention, firefighting, and rescue; 450 public utility vehicle drivers trained on defensive driving and basic electrical safety; 55 barangay leaders from eleven barangays trained on community development planning; 200 communityleaders in five barangays trained on Solid Waste Management.

Information, Education and Communications (IEC) Program SPI has been recognized by the community as one of its partners in acquiring valuable knowledge, understanding, and inspiration in a wide array of topics and learning dis c ussions on energ y, social responsibility, and environmental conservation.

M o r e o v e r, S P I h a s now become one of the most preferred learning destinations for institutional benchmarking in Mindanao.

Over 1,000 people have attended SPI’s Community Learning Sessions to learn about the company’s operational, social, and environmental practices.

For the last 14 years, SPI has been conducting the annual Steag Energy Quiz to encourage young people to excel in science and energy. In 2019, 26 junior high schools in the region joined this much-anticipated competition. Similarly, SPI has also organized the 15th Mapawa Environmental Youth Camp attended by some 50 youth representatives from the local communities.

Social Empowerment through Education (SEED) SPI believes in the power of education to transform lives.

For over a decade now, SPI has been working with various community stakeholders in helping improve the quality of public education to provide young Filipinos with the opportunities realize their potentials.

SPI’s continuing advocacy for accessible quality education covers not only granting scholarships and direct assistance to students but also the overall improvement in the quality of learning by implementing programs and projects that benefit public schools and educators.

Together with its partners in the government and non-government sectors, SPI continues to plant and nurture the “seeds” of quality education by investing

Refilling...

material, f inancial and bottles for product refills, technical support in a wide and they are now working from page 14 array of projects and activities with designers to come up designed to help improve GAIA said. with simpler versions for access to quality education. A 2018 study by the nationwide implementation.

Among its beneficiaries United Nations Environment HHN is also lobbying are 286 Steag power scholars, Program showed that the with the government to 65 recipient of Project Aklat Philippines is among the top allow refilling for cosmetic (school supplies for indigent five countries that produce products to further reduce children,) 215 out-of-school the most plastic waste in the waste. youths assisted through the world. The world produces T o g e t h e r with Alternative Learning System 300 million tons of plastic environmental advocates (ALS); 65 public schools waste annually, 99 percent and nonprofits like Save the teachers trained on public of which are non-renewable Philippine Seas, Mother Earth service excellence; and 15 chemicals like high-density Foundation, Greenpeace public schools assisted for polyethylene mostly used in Southeast Asia-Philippines, various school improvements. shampoo bottles. and WWF Philippines, A s i d e f r o m t h e s e Earlier, other companies Meloto-Wilk has filed a community-based projects, such as Unilever and Human petition with the Food and SPI has also offered its Heart Nature also launched Drug Administration FDA) workplace as a venue for similar refilling stations for to change the existing rules the continuous learning and personal care products and to be more responsive to skills improvement of young cosmetics, and home cleaning refilling setups.

Filipino engineers through its products.

They also have an ongoing Cadet Engineering Training Unilever’s All Things online petition where they (CET). As of 2019, 126 Cadet Hair Refillery Station pilot raised three opportunities that Engineers have been trained, ran in March -April 2019 in deals with safety, traceability, with 100% employment, 24 Trinoma, Glorietta 3, and and adaptation of the products of who now work with SPI. Alabang Town Center. for the agency to enhance Livelihood and Economic Consumers brought their the implementing rules and Enterprise Development empty, clean shampoo or regulations of Republic Act (LEED) conditioner bottles to the No. 9711 (The Food and Drug SPI has helped organized refilling station, refilled these Administration Act of 2009). local women sustain their at the matching product Me l ot o - Wi l k arg u e s livelihood through the SPI- pumps, and paid for their that that if water refilling is assisted Villa Kusina Multi- products based on the weight allowed provided refillers Purpose Cooperative and the of their refill. Even those comply with set standards, San Roque Multi-Purpose without empty bottles were a similar setup for cosmetics Cooperative. able to buy refillable bottles and home products should San Roque Multi-Purpose for only P10 each, thus also be accommodated.

C o o p e r at i v e e x p a n d e d minimizing plastic waste “We seek to bridge the customer market base from from their households, and policy gaps and promote a sea only 5 groups in 2014 to 16 got their hair at a much change in the way responsible groups until 2019 ; Attained cheaper price.

Filipino companies and over P1-million gross sales; Similarly, eco-friendly ordinary citizens use plastic— created 35 jobs and had their advocate Human Heart Nature not just temporary measures, products cited and promoted (HHN) also rolled out 2 but permanent and lasting in national and international refilling stations in its flagship policies, structures, and markets and exhibitions. store in Commonwealth and systems,” the proponents Similarly, VK Multi- in a Quezon City mall last argued in their petition.

Purpose Cooperative attained March, 2019 for its "fast- Besides Unilever and over P10-million gross and moving" home care products HHN, other brands such as combined sales (upcycling such as liquid detergent, Lush, Ecobar and Suds have projects and manpower dishwashing liquid and baby starting selling shampoo for power plant ancillary bottle and utensil cleanser bars to minimize the use of services; created 80 new jobs which were sold per gram. single-use plastic containers./ and had their products cited HHN founder Anna For more information and promoted in national Meloto-Wilk said consumers about BYOB, visit https:// and international markets just needed to bring empty, nutriasia.com/bring-yourand exhibitions clean, dry and sanitized own-bottle/ Fostering Rural Electrification and Energization (FREE) Program A rou n d 2 . 8 m i l l i on households are still without electric power, with over half from Mindanao. Without electricity, communities become literally and f i g u r at ive ly p owe r l e ss , thus isolating them from the benefits of mainstream socioeconomic development.

SPI contributes to the solution of this problem through its FREE program.

It works closely with the power utility companies and the country’s Department of Energy in bringing about development in the rural areas. SPI believes that provision of services will yield more opportunities for improved quality of l i f e , g re at e r a c c e s s t o essential services and better infrastructure for rural development.

As of 2019, the FREE program achieved a 100% village-level energization Main: Purok 4 Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City of its host communities in Cell #: 0928-616-4431 / 0905-777-0670 Free: Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

-HALANG Branch: 31st Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City HALANGor More villages are up for Cell #: 0926-594-9540 DINUGOAN! energization in the coming years as SPI lines-up more Branch: Casinglot, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental electrification projects in For orders, please call: KAG. LOLITA L. WAHING the nearby towns.

ALLAN'S LECHON

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best practices

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