BusinessWeek Mindanao (January 17, 2020)

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Briefly Repurposed van A POWER firm operating in Bukidnon has donated a school facility made of repurposed container van.

Hedcor, the hydropower renewable energy arm of AboitizPower, converted a container van into a day care learning space for preschool children amounting to P700,000.

In a statement Tuesday, the company said it erected the facility in Sitio Lower Sabangan in the town of Manolo Fortich.

Iran halal market THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has included Iran as among its priority export destination for halal products and services as it lined up several outbound business matching missions this year to promote the country’s exports.

DTI Undersecretary for Trade Promotions Group Abdulgani M. Macatoman said that aside from Iran, DTI is also targeting the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Turkey, Egypt, China and Iran for halal products and services. DTI is also eyeing the neighboring countries in ASEAN for halal products and services.

Macatoman said they will mount outbound missions to both traditional and nontraditional markets. For Europe, Canada, and East Asia, they are targeting for creative services and green business for Europe and East Asia.

We strive for Excellence!

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IN-DEPTH

Friday|January 17, 2020

P15.00

Mindanao’s 2019 growth expected to rise at 7.2% M Thank you for trusting us!

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV, MindaNews

I N DA NAO D e v e l o p m e n t Authority (MinDA) assistant secretary Romeo Montenegro said Mindanao’s economy is projected to grow by 7.2% in 2019 pending completion of data for the year, slightly higher compared to the growth attained in 2018 at 7.1%.

Montenegro said the six Mindanao regions (Z amboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) are expected to outperform the overall national gross domestic product estimated at 6% within the government’s revised target of 6 to 6.5%.

Montenegro said the robust p er for mance of Mindanao, which owed its sustained “expansion of

services, industry and agrifisheries sectors,” managed to “demonstrate uninterrupted” growth in nearly two decades since 2001 despite being conf ronte d wit h maj or challenges, including power crisis from 2011 to 2015 and a lack of vital infrastructure projects.

From 2010 to 2019, he said the average economic growth of the island was recorded at 6.6% higher than the national average of 6.2% GROWTH/PAGE 11

SURFING IN DAPA. Foreigners enjoy the waves in Talisay, one of the surfing spots in Barangay Union, Dapa town in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. Siargao Island is expected to draw more tourists this year as it is being hailed among the top 20 best destinations in the world, according to Condé Nast Traveler, a renowned travel magazine. mindanews photo by roel n. catoto

Inter-agency task force eyed against colorum taxi

By GERRY LEE GORIT, Reporter

THE city government of Cagayan de Oro and the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board

in Region 10 (LTFRB-10) will soon go after those colorum taxi units COLORUM/PAGE 11

Peace group reiterates support for federalism

By JIGGER JERUSALEM, PNA

HANDICRAFTS. A member of the indigenous peoples shows the handicrafts sold at the Barrio Peace-Ta sa Kampo 2020, an event marking the 50th founding anniversary of the Phil. Army's 4th Infantry Division, which kicked off Jan. 15 in Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro. photo by gerry lee gorit

A GROUP engaged in peace-building and social justice initiatives in Mindanao has reiterated its support

for a federal form of government amid renewed efforts by lawmakers SUPPORT/PAGE 11

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Local GreenMinds urges MSMEs, shoppers to practice zero waste management

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OCAL establishment GreendMinds Inc. practices zerowaste management and encourages micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to do the same as concern on the increasing use of plastic is once again highlighted in celebration of Zero Waste Month this January.

GreenMinds, Inc. CEO Reynaldo "Datu Makadingding" Gil G. Lomarda shares how MSMEs can contribute to achieving zero waste in the community. (PIA 10)

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During the Talakayan sa PIA in SM CDO Downtown Premier, Reynaldo Gil Lomarda, proprietor of GreenMinds, Inc., shared that his nongovernment organization practices zero waste management from production, processing, and down to packaging.

Di mi galabay, di mi gasunog kay amo gamiton.

Tanan packaging magamit (We do not throw, we do not burn because we will use it. All packaging are used), Lomarda said referring to GreenMinds' use of reusable packaging

in its products.

Its organic products such as medicinal culinary herbs and the widely known first and only certified organic peanuts in the country, Pilipinut, are sold in jars or resealable packages.

In line with Cagayan de Oro City's ordinance on the full ban of plastic use in all commercial establishments effective January 15, 2020, Lomarda also encouraged shoppers to practice zero waste by bringing their own eco bags or other recyclable containers when buying.

He further added not to use paper bags as it has its own negative effects on the environment.

Di mi gahatag og brown na bulseta (We do not provide paper bag).

The next step is instead to

tell the customers to bring eco bags or containers.

Maoy gabuhaton namo (That's what we are doing), Lomarda explained.

Always start sa katong kaya nato buhaton (on what we can do).

GreenMinds, Inc. is an advocate of holistic preservation and protection of the environment through the practice and dissemination of ecological agriculture PRACTICE/PAGE 11

P200-M Siargao sports complex completed BUTUAN City – The Department of Public Works and Highways in the Caraga Region (DPWH-13) has announced the completion of the P200-million sports complex in Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte.

In a press statement on Wednesday, DPWH13 Director Pol delos Santos said among the completed facilities inside the sports complex include the P50-million two-unit dormitory, and the P150million gymnasium.

The dormitories are designed to serve as twostory six classroom multipurpose buildings, delos Santos added.

“The sports complex is now completed and ready for use. Siargao Island now can host the next major sporting event in the region,” he said.

Delos Santos added that the sports complex will also serve as an additional tourist attraction in Siargao Island which is now considered a top destination in the

country and one of the best in the world.

In the same statement on Wednesday, DPWHSDN 1st DEO District Engineer Alex Ramos said the gymnasium’s features include two courts for basketball, volleyball, and badminton with rubberized flooring, while the basketball backboards are all made of fiberglass.

“The entire building is fully air-conditioned with a specially-designed ventilating system to cool down the more than 3,000 spectators who will sit on the surrounding bleachers,” he added.

The sports complex, situated in Barangay Osmeña in the town of Dapa, has a total land area of 63,157 square meters. It also houses the oval with two grandstands-cummulti-purpose buildings.

(PNA)

Catarman goes smoke, plastic-free CATARMAN, Camiguin -- As part of the 10-Point Keen, Institutionalized and Transparent (KIT) Agenda of the local government, Catarman implements the “Plastic Mo, Bigas Ko” and “Opos Mo, Bigas Ko” campaigns, January 14 to February 14.

Municipal Mayor Kiterio Antonio Palarca said the plastic-free campaign is the LGU’s implementation of Municipal Ordinance CATARMAN/PAGE 11

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

SPi Global Selects GCash PowerPay+ as an Employees Rewards Partner

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Pi Global, the world’s biggest provider of content technology solutions in the information industry partners with GCash, the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet, to offer SPi Global employees more convenience in receiving their rewards and incentives.

SPi Global employees can now receive rewards through GCash PowerPay+, and enjoy a wide array of fintech services that the GCash app offers: QR merchant payments, bills payments, credit loans, savings, and insurance, among others.

"This partnership demonstrates the continuous commitment of SPi Global to make life better for its employees. With GCash's PowerPay+, we can now easily disburse portions of allowances, benefits, and incentives to our employees. More than that, it opens them to a diverse set of financial services which the app offers. SPi Global is excited to be part of the move towards

innovative finance in the country," said Marie Ampeloquio, SPi Global’s Chief People Officer.

Prior to PowerPay+, SPi Global offices in the Philippines had already implemented a cashless system for its in-house cafeterias through GCash. With GCash now providing disbursement solutions to SPi Global, the two companies have advanced their partnership to offer more options in cash management for employees.

"Providing disbursement solutions to companies is among the commitments of GCash. By assisting businesses with the payroll solution we offer, we embed their employees to the possibilities of mobile finance. By continuously maintaining such effort, GCash believes that it can take part in the move to promote and give value to mobile wallets and the realities of financial inclusion it addresses," added Fred Levy, GCash’s Chief Commercial Officer for Transfers.

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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

NELSON CONSTANTINO

Very often - sometimes too often! - the thought is back! If we wake up in the morning (or even many times in the middle of the night), the thought is back. Sometimes, the thought will not let us sleep. The "act of thinking". the "reflection", the "opinion" or the "serious consideration", no matter, how we describe it - our memory and conscience is always with us as a permanent companion.

We brood over unsettled problem. Sometimes we bear unfair treatments, arrogance, ignorance, incompetent knowit-all-betters, and unbearable oddballs, who inexorable love to make our life a hell while living themselves a disorderly life.

We would not like to be distracted, but we're toying with some good ideas how we could throw overboard all that "human garbage". What

Regional Editor - Caraga

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Member: Philippine Press Institute Oro Chamber

Family tree T h i n k a m i nu t e . . . Ev e r hear the expressions “Like father, like son?” or “The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree?” Two families in America were studied for many years. One was the Max Jukes family; the other was the Jonathan Edwards family. What was discovered in this study is very interesting.

Max Jukes was a man who did not believe in God or strong principles of right and wrong, and he married a wom an l i ke h i ms e l f.

More than 1,200 of their descendants were studied for several generations.

310 became professional beggars; 440 died of sexually transmitted diseases; 130 were sent to prison, 7 of t hem for murder ; over 100 became alcoholics; 60 became professional thieves and robbers; and 190 became prostitutes. Only 20 learned a profession, and10 of those learned their trade in prison.

Jonathan Edwards, however, was a man who daily lived by the principles of Jesus Christ, and he chose to marry a woman who also had a personal relationship

FAMILY BUSINESS COACH

Cell No: 09352379999

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THINK A MINUTE

will come next is a matter of conjecture.

Of course, I've got my ideas, but I'm not a mind reader.

Too many trains of thought make us thoughtless and absent-minded especially in difficult and important daily life situations.

Does waiting and/or sleeping solve our problems?

Or is it just again in time? Our life's central idea should not be, that while waiting, time solves all our problems. Thoughts should intensify, condense and deepen plans follow by actions.

It's good and helpful to carry thoughts in us all the time.

Incomprehensible, or better unfinished and unmatured thoughts, no matter whether positive or negative, should be slept on, before tiredness outstrips us with supersonic speed.

Sometimes, we feel that

our thoughts and ideas can't be fulfilled with life. Where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways; but where the heart is weak, it will find a thousands excuses. If doubts begin to take roots, we should rouse from pink-tinted idealism or wear down and annihilate nightmares and erase and wipe out such thoughts and ideas.

If our thoughts are good and have the chance to be fulfilled in action, especially if "the other side" is prepared and willing to step on to such a bridge of life, we might get a support and words of encouragement.

And, if not? No action?

Maybe it is God's will to keep and protect us from a careless, rash, disadvantageous and uneasy action. Every new day gives us new inexhaustible possibilities to survive, to bear trials and to start a new beginning. We overlook and

HAVE MY SAY

KLAUS DORING fail to notice many chances in lie through our sluggishness and laziness while thinking and dreaming of unequaled and unfulfilled ideas. +++ Email: doringklaus@gmail. com or follow me in Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter or visit www. germanexpatinthephilippines. blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot. com.

Why do I need a board?

JUN AYENSA

Motoring Editor

FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

Being deep in thought

Editor-in-Chief

GILBERT Y. CHAO

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PROF. ENRIQUE SORIANO “I am the founder and have controlling interest in the business… why do I need a board to dictate to me how I should run my business?” or “I don’t need a board because I already know what’s right for my company!"

These are common condescending expressions by owners that I encounter almost daily when I start pressing them on the need to set up a real, authentic board.

Family enterprises form the backbone of any economy as it represents more than 75% of all businesses in any country. Unfortunately, the

governance model is almost exclusively dependent on what the founder (or the next generation owners) wants.

Where the owner goes, the rest follow and the old adage clearly says it all… if an owner tells his subordinate to “Jump”, the natural reaction of a beholden executive is to ask “How High?”

While today’s business culture isn’t as dictatorial as it has been in the past, there are still a lot of traditional thinking happening especially amongst the Silent and Baby boomer generation (born before 1945 then 1946 to 1964).

The mistaken notion of losing power and ownership as a result of having non family members in the board continue to stoke fear on owners, effectively subsuming growth in favor of control and confidentiality. This universal mindset is obviously untrue as safeguards are always available.

The bottom line is this: family businesses should

have an active board with non- family members (or advisors) if they intend to stay and thrive in a complex environment. One wrong decision can change the course of business overnight.

For those unfamiliar with the 1997 Asian financial crisis, most of the companies that defaulted were family owned. A case in point is the Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) owned by the Widjaja family from Indonesia. The group defaulted on the back of a staggering US$14 billion debt in 2001.

Despite the family debacle, they have since recovered and investors are showing renewed faith in the group. The combined market value of 12 familycontrolled companies listed on the Singapore and Jakarta exchanges has held steady and is estimated between US$15 B to US$16 B. I am personally aware of this major turnaround as a colleague currently sits as an Independent Director in one

of its listed companies. Their primary objective is to embed a Corporate Governance (CG) culture starting at the board level and highlighting the principles of transparency, accountability, integrity, fairness and independence.

In my W + B Fam i ly Advisory work, I always challenge business owners to nominate non-family members so they can provide value and strategic advice.

These directors must also have the independence to challenge decisions when family and personal issues get mixed with the business.

The other role is also to impose discipline and check on entitled owners who may whimsically make poor judgments to the detriment of the business and the other shareholders/relatives.

Non-executive or Independent directors (NED/ ID) can assist with some of the issues most family enterprises face since they can speak without fear of BOARD/PAGE 11

Connect the little to the big always JHAN TIAFAU HURST with Christ. Their descendants were studied over generations also. 300 of them became Christian ministers, missionaries, and theology professors; over 100 others became university professors; another100 became lawyers and attorneys; 30 became judges; 60 became medical doctors; another 60 became writers of published, popular books; 14 became presidents of universities; many others became successful business people; 3 became United States congressmen; and 1 became the Vice President of the United States.

It is clearly true that our children end up following FAMILY/PAGE 11

While it’s true that we have to take care of the little things in our life, we should not forget that we are not meant to get detained there. We should always relate the little ordinary things in our life to the big and ultimate purpose of our life.

Christ himself somehow referred to this point when he said, “Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Lk 16,10) With those words, Christ somehow was relating and connecting the little with the big things in life. That is what we should always do. We should avoid getting entangled and lost in the little things and forgetting the big and more important things in our life.

More specifically, we should not mistake the

means for the end. Otherwise, we would also receive the accusation Christ addressed to the Pharisees and some leading Jews of his time, who were entangled with their own ideas of what is right and wrong without referring them to God. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,” he said, “you pay tithes of mint, dill and cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”

(Mt 23,23-24) This anomaly can happen to us when in our confessions, for example, we accuse ourselves only of our failures to do our prayers, to offer sacrifices, to attend some daily Masses, etc., without mentioning how

we have fared in our graver duty to do apostolate, to Christianize our work and society in general, to reach out to the poor and the needy, to be forgiving of others who may have wronged us, etc.

We need to wake up from this anomaly, because like the Pharisees and the scribes of old, we could justly be accused by Christ to be hypocrites. And actually, many people today can also see that. We would simply be caring of the externals without the internal, the form and appearance without the substance.

The example we can give to others would show a certain hollowness and artificiality. And many people can detect that quite easily, because this phenomenon, sad to say, is getting common.

Thus, we can expect people to be turned off by what they see in us.

HINTS AND TRACES

ROY CIMAGALA The y are now more familiar with how hypocrisy and artificiality look, how they sound, how they smell.

They are now more skilled in sifting our words from our deeds, the image from the real McCoy. They can easily verify the authenticity of our words and actions.

To be able to connect the little things to the big, important things in our life is, of course, no easy task.

CONNECT/PAGE 11

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5

CorporateWorld

Car sales up 3.5% in 2019

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ALES of car manufacturers in the country increased by 3.5 percent in 2019 to 369,941 units from 357,410 units sold in 2018.

Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) reported Tuesday that sales of commercial vehicles supported the growth of the industry amid the almost flat growth in sales of passenger cars.

Passenger car sales reached 190,197 units last year, slightly up by 0.2 percent from 190,020

units in 2018. This segment accounted for 30.5 percent of the total sales of CAMPI members.

Commercial vehicles, which shared 69.5 percent of CAMPI’s total sales in 2019, grew by 5 percent to 260,744 units from 248,390 units in 2018.

“The year 2019 has been challenging for the industry due to various internal and external factors. Thankfully the industry’s collective efforts, supported by sustained economic growth, have paid off,” CAMPI President Rommel

Gutierrez said.

Among sub-segments of the commercial vehicle, sales of light commercial vehicles expanded by double-digit.

Light commercial vehicle sales last year reached 205,805 units from 185,430 units in 2018, increasing by 11 percent.

On the other hand, Asian utility vehicles declined their sales by 15.4 percent to 40,838 units in 2019 from 48,271 units in 2018.

Sales of light trucks went up by 3.9 percent year-on-year to 7,915 units from 7,619 units.

Trucks and buses categories four and five both posted decrements in sales last year of 5.9 percent and 29.4 percent, respectively.

For December 2019 alone, CAMPI registered 5.5-percent growth year-on-year with 33,715 units sold from 31,945 unit sales in the same month in 2018.

Commercial vehicle sales registered an 8.1-percent growth, with sales reaching 24,469 units last month from 22,644 units in December 2018.

Passenger cars sold in

December 2019 were lower by 0.6 percent year-on-year recording 9,246 unit sales from 9,301 units in the same month in 2018.

Gutierrez said the industry targets to continue expanding its sales in the coming months and for the full-year of 2020.

“We will not rest on our laurels as we aim for further growth in the coming months, and hopefully for the whole of 2020,” he said.

Market leaders in 2019 are Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, and Ford. (PNA)

NGCP readies new power AEV to raise up to $400M for offshore expansion Corporation will act as coExecutive Officer, said in a years. the foreign transmission projects ahead TAPPING managers. statement.

The notes are unrated, market for the first time, Proceeds from this of proposed regional grid Aboitiz Equity Ventures payable semi-annually, and The Hongkong maiden issuance will be PRIVATELY owned National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said on Tuesday that it had lined up at least four power transmission interconnection projects to add to those nearing completion, including the P 51.7-billion MindanaoVisayas Interconnection Project that is scheduled to be finished in December 2020.

“The only way to forward this vision of a fully interconnected and integrated transmission

system is to keep investing in the transmission grid.

These projects will greatly benefit the country, energizing the entire archipelago even up to the farthest islands,” NGCP said in a statement.

“This will also prepare the entire Philippine grid for the integration to the proposed ASEAN Power Grid, promoting power sharing and optimization of generation capacity within the region,” it added.

NGCP/PAGE 11

Inc. (AEV) raised $400 million through the issuance of fixed-rate, US dollardenominated Regulation dollar-only senior unsecured notes by its whollyowned subsidiary, AEV International Pte Ltd. The notes will be listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Following fixed income investor meetings and conference calls in Hong Kong, Singapore, and London, the notes will be issued at par with a coupon rate of 4.2 percent per annum and a tenor of 10

are unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by AEV. Settlement date is expected to be on January 16, 2020.

“This bond issuance reflects our optimism in the strength of our fundamentals and the healthy appetite among foreign investors today. We look forward to availing of the international market to fund further growth and enable us to advance business and communities,” Sabin Aboitiz, AEV President and Chief

and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited Singapore Branch, Standard Chartered Bank, DBS Bank Ltd., Mizuho Securities (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and MUFG Securities Asia Limited Singapore Branch will act as joint lead managers and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Standard Chartered Bank will act as joint global coordinators.

BDO Capital & Investment Corporation, BPI Capital Corporation and China Bank Capital

used for reimbursement of funding AEVI received for the Gold Coin Group acquisition, proposed offshore investments, and for general corporate purposes.

The Gold Coin acquisition, completed in 2019, is the largest investment of the Aboitiz Group via Pilmico International (a whollyowned subsidiary of AEV International) in the AsiaPacific region.

Such acquisition has expanded Pilmico’s footprint in 11 Asian countries. (PR)

6

Environment

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

Taal Volcano ashfall seen to replenish soil nutrients M

By RUTH ABBEY GITA-CARLOS, PNA

ANILA -- Despite the PHP577.59-million worth of agricultural damage caused by Taal Volcano eruption in Calabarzon, the ashfall spewed by the restive volcano still has a benefit because it replenishes the nutrients of the soil, improving its fertility in the long run, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan noted that prior eruptions of Taal Volcano have changed the agroclimatic conditions in affected areas in a good way since it paves the way for the birth of soil. “’Yung lupa na overused maybe before ay natabunan so na-replenish ‘yung neutral content niya (The overused soil has been buried so its neutral content has been replenished),” Cayanan told Palace reporters.

“Kaya po ang nakikita po nating benepisyo rito ay na-replenish yung soil natin. There is a shortterm, medium-term (and) the long-term benefit (So the benefit that we see is Taal Volcano’s ashfall replenishes our soil. It has a short-term, medium-

term, and long-term benefit),” he added.

Taal Volcano, which has not erupted in decades, began to spew clouds of ash into the sky on Sunday, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology to declare Alert Level 4.

Alert Level 4 means a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours or days.

On Sunday, Taal Volcano had a phreatic eruption, a stream-driven episode when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by magma, lava, hot water, rocks, or new volcanic deposits.

The volcano’s phreatic eruption blasted thick ash and steam in Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and parts of Southern Luzon.

THE common murre is a self-sufficient, resilient bird.

Though the seabird must eat about half of its body weight in prey each day, common murres are experts at catching the small "forage fish" they need to survive. Herring, sardines, anchovies and even juvenile salmon are no match for a hungry murre.

So when nearly one million common murres died at sea and washed

ashore from California to Alaska in 2015 and 2016, it was unprecedented -- both for murres, and across all bird species worldwide. Scientists from the University of Washington, the U.S. Geological Survey and others blame an unexpected squeeze on the ecosystem's food supply, brought on by a severe and long-lasting marine heat wave known as "the blob."

Their findings were

ASH-COVERED PLANTATION. Photo shows a pineapple plantation covered by ash spewed by Taal Volcano on Sunday (Jan. 12, 2019). The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said ashfall from the restive volcano still has a benefit because it replenishes the nutrients of the soil, improving its fertility in the long run. photo courtesy of go cavite facebook

From phreatic eruption, Taal Volcano’s activity progressed Monday into “magmatic eruption,” which involves the rise of magma towards the surface that normally generates detectable earthquakes.

Cayanan noted that since ash particles from

Taal Volcano are “acidic,” the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) would conduct a study on the fresh volcanic ash deposits.

“May acidic particle ito, kailangang pag-aralan pa ng Bureau of Soils and Water Management kasi may traceability concern

naman tayo para safe naman ang kinakain natin (It has an acidic particle so it is necessary for the Bureau of Soils and Water Management to conduct a study because we have a traceability concern so the food that we will eat are safe for consumption),” the DA official said.

No species extinction Taal Volcano, a popular tourist spot ringed by a sweeping lake, is the second most active volcano in the country.

In recent history, Taal Volcano has five violent eruptions recorded in 1749, 1754, 1911, 1965, and ASHFALL/PAGE 9

published Jan. 15 in the journal PLOS ONE. "Think of it as a run on the grocery stores at the same time that the delivery trucks to the stores stopped coming so often," explained second author Julia Parrish, a UW professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. "We believe that the smoking gun for common murres -- beyond the marine heat wave itself -- was an ecosystem squeeze:

fewer forage fish and smaller prey in general, at the same time that competition from big fish predators like walleye, pollock and Pacific cod greatly increased."

Common murres nest in colonies along cliffs and rocky ledges overlooking the ocean.

The adult birds, about one foot in length, are mostly black with white bellies, and can dive more than two football fields below the ocean's

surface in search of prey.

Warmer surface water temperatures off the Pacific coast -- a phenomenon known as "the blob" -- first occurred in the fall and winter of 2013, and persisted through 2014 and 2015. Warming increased with the arrival of a powerful El Niño in 2015-2016. A number of other species experienced mass die-offs during this period, including tufted puffins, Cassin's auklets, sea lions and baleen whales. But the common murre die-off was by far the largest any way you measure it.

From May 2015 to April 2016, about 62,000 murre carcasses were found on beaches from central California north through Alaska. Citizen scientists in Alaska monitoring long-term sites counted numbers that reached 1,000 times more than normal for their beaches. Scientists estimate that the actual number of deaths was likely close to one million, since only a fraction of birds that die will wash to shore, and

only a fraction of those will be in places that people can access.

Many of the birds that died were breeding-age adults. With massive shifts in food availability, murre breeding colonies across the entire region failed to produce chicks for the years during and after the marine heat wave event, the authors found.

"The magnitude and scale of this failure has no precedent," said lead author John Piatt, a research biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Science Center and an affiliate professor in the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. "It was astonishing and alarming, and a redf lag warning about the tremendous impact sustained ocean warming can have on the marine ecosystem."

From a review of fisheries studies conducted during the heat wave period, the research team concluded that persistent warm ocean temperatures SEABIRD/PAGE 9

'The blob,' food supply squeeze to blame for largest seabird die-off

Common murre eggs show consistent patterns year after year.

photo by christiana carvalho

Banking&Finance 7 Firms eye customized RCBC economist sees banking services GDP growing 7% in Q1 Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

LOCAL COMPANIES are looking to avail of customized banking services to improve the efficiency of their transactions, according to UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. John Cary L. Ong, UnionBank executive vice-president and head of Transaction Banking Center said the local landscape is “quite unique” compared to its counterparts in the region where payment systems are standard and efficient.

“For the Filipino corporates, there’s a lot of customization that’s required. So every corporate that you speak to, especially the large ones, they would have their unique requirements.

They need someone who can sort of be flexible to everyone,” he said.

He cited Singapore’s General Interbank Recurring Order or GIRO which is an automated electronic payment system governing banks in the city-state.

In the Philippines, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has kickstarted the National Retail Payment System (NRPS) back in 2015 in a bid to streamline financial

transactions in a more systematic way and to gradually veer away from cash and cheques and towards electronic fund transfers (EFT). This is in line with the BSP’s target to have e-payments comprise 20% of total transactions in the country by 2020.

The PESONet which is part of the NRPS and is an EFT service which allows batch processing that enables fund transfers to be credited to the receiver by the end of the banking date.

In line with these efforts, UnionBank has launched The Portal which is a corporate banking platform that streamlines client transactions on a single platform.

Prior to The Portal, the lender had The Hub which Mr. Ong said was not a “one platform for all transactions” scheme as it has many modules and required separate logins.

“It (The Portal) was really a complete overhaul for us and primarily because what we wanted to do was consolidate all these different systems which the corporates have touch points with and put it all into one platform,” BANKING/PAGE 9

A

N economist forecasts further acceleration of the Philippine economy’s growth to as high as 7 percent in the first quarter of 2020 due to the early approval of this year’s national budget that will help boost infrastructure spending.

As of the third quarter of 2019, domestic growth, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), averaged at 5.8

percent, lower than the government’s 6-6.5 percent target band.

It slowed from 6.3 percent in the last quarter of 2018 to 5.6 percent and 5.5 percent in the first two quarters last year due to the impact of the delay in the approval of last year’s national budget, which was only signed into law on April 15.

This year’s national budget was signed into law last Jan. 6, and Rizal

Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said this timely approval will further lift state spending, which accounts for about 11 to 12 percent of GDP. In a reply to an e-mail from PNA, Ricafort said base effects of the weaker output in the first quarter of 2019 will also boost domestic expansion this year, along with faster infrastructure spending,

the extension of the validity of some 2019 national budget items to this year, and the one-year validity of the cash-based budget this year.

He said these factors may offset the impact of “damage/disruptions brought about by the Taal volcano eruption (that could reduce GDP growth by less than 0.1 percentage point as of this point) and despite geopolitical ECONOMIST/PAGE 9

THE country's main equities gauge ended Tuesday on a positive note but the peso weakened against the US dollar, ahead of the scheduled signing of the first phase of the US-China trade deal on January 15.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 0.21 percent, or 16.48 points, to 7,793.25 points, which BPI Research traced to profit-

taking.

All Shares barely changed at 4,605.97 points, up 0.02 percent or 0.80 points.

It was mixed among the sectors with Industrial, Services, and Financials gaining 1.80 percent, 1.44 percent, and 0.50 percent, respectively.

Mining and Oil dropped by 1.93 percent and was trailed by Property, 1.09 percent;

and Holding Firms, 0.18 percent.

Volume reached 831.82 million shares amounting to PHP9.88 billion.

Losers led gainers at 111 to 83, while 54 shares were unchanged.

The local currency, on the other hand, ended the day at 50.581 to a dollar, weaker than its 50.66 finish last January 10.

There was no trading on Monday after work in

government and classes in all public schools were suspended to protect the people from harm caused by the Taal Volcano eruption.

It opened the day at 50.4 and traded between 50.63 and 50.37. The average level for the day stood at 50.512.

Volume totaled to $1.408 billion, higher than the $1.15 billion in the previous session. (PNA)

Stocks up, peso down ahead of US-China trade pact signing

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Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court of Misamis Oriental 10th Judicial Region Branch – 20 Cagayan de Oro City

Republic of the Philippines Regional trial Court of Misamis Oriental 10th Judicial Region Branch – 20 Cagayan de Oro City

LRA APPLICATION NO. LAND REG. CASE NO. R-CDO-19-01319-LR LOT NO. 247862-A CAGAYAN CADASTRE ENRIQUE P. SAAB,

Applicant.

X--------------------------------------/ SECOND ORDER FOR INITIAL HEARING Notice is hereby given that filed before this court is a verified Application for Registration under the land Registration Act of Lot No. 247862-a, more particularly described in Technical Description as follows: “A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot 24762-A, Psd- 10-001097-D being a portion of Lot 24762-A,Psd-10-001097-D being a portion of Lot 24762-A, Cad – 237, Cagayan Cadastre) situated in Barrio Carmen, City of Cagayan de Oro, island of Mindanao. Bounded on W., on the N., and the E., along line 3-4-1-2 by lot 24762-B (Divina Neri Velez ET. Al.,) of subdivision plan Csd-10-00-1097-D; on the S., along line 2-3 by Road (6-8M. wide), containing an area of SIX HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN (627) square meters more or less.

WHEREFORE, finding the application to be sufficient in form and substance, the initial hearing is hereby set on May 5, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the Hall of Justice, Goldridge Building, Masterson Avenue cor. P.N. Roa, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

The applicant is hereby ordered at its own expense to cause the publication of this order for Initial Hearing once in the Official Gazette and in the newspaper of general circulation in the City of Cagayan de Oro and Province of Misamis Oriental.

Likewise, at its own expense, applicant is hereby directed to cause the posting of this Order and copy of the application in three conspicuous places: Bulletin Board of city Hall, Cagayan de Oro City and in the Barangay Hall of Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City within fourteen (14) days before the scheduled date of initial hearing.

Furnish a copy of this order to the Office of the Solicitor-General, the Land Registration Authority, Bureau of Lands, CENRO Office, and the City Prosecutors office.

The Land Registration Authority is hereby directed to comply Section 23, of P.D. 1529.

SO ORDERED. Done this 3rd day of December, 2019 at Cagayan de Oro City.

IN RE: PETITION FOR RECONSTITUTION OF ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 8572 OF THE REGISTRY OF DEEDS FOR THE CITY OF CAGAYAN DE ORO,

MISC. CASE NO. R-CDO-19-01623-LR

ELVISA ANAY HERNANDEZ,

Petitioner.

X--------------------------------------------------------------------/

LOT NO. 6398, DECREE NO. 738269, CAD. CASE NO. 22, CAD. REC. NO. 1574

FOR:

SECOND ORDER FOR INITIAL HEARING Notice is hereby given that filed before this Court is a verified Application for registration under the land Registration Act of lot No. 35725, more particularly described in Technical Description as follows: “A PARCEL OF LAND ( Lot 6398 of Cadastral Survey of Cagayan), situated at Barra, opol, Misamis Oriental ( formerly Barrio of Iponan, Municipality of Cagayan de Oro), being bounded of the N.E., by Lot 6399; on the SE., by lots 5239 and 6402; on the SW., by lot 6397:; and on the NW., by Lot 5239, containing an area of 1,585 square meters, more or less and with visible concrete monuments at each and every corner thereon.”

WHEREFORE, finding the application to be sufficient in form and substance, the initial hearing is hereby set on May 4, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the Hall of Justice, Goldridge Building, Masterson Avenue cor. P.N. Roa, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

The applicant is hereby ordered at its own expense to cause the publication of this Order for initial Hearing twice in successive issues of the Official Gazette, pursuant to Sec. 13 of Republic Act 26.

Likewise, at its own expenses, applicant is hereby directed to cause the posting of this Order and copy of the application in three conspicuous places: Bulletin Board of Hall of Justice, Cagayan de Oro City, Bulletin Board of Municipal Hall, Opol, Misamis Oriental and in the Barangay Hall of Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental at least thirty (30) days before the scheduled date of initial hearing.

Likewise furnish a copy of this order to the occupants or persons in possession of the property and the owners of the adjoining properties herein named in the petition and all other interested parties.

SO ORDERED. Done this 3rd day of December, 2019 at Cagayan de Oro City.

BONIFACIO M. MACABAYA Presiding Judge

BWM: January 17, 2020

BWM: January 17, 24 & 31 2020

Republic of the Philippines Regional trial Court of Misamis Oriental 10th Judicial Region Branch – 20 Cagayan de Oro City

REBPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL SUR 12TH Judicial Region BRANCH 10 Hall Justice, Marawi City IN THE MATTER OF CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE CERTICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF ABDILLAH PUKUNUM SARIP IN THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MAGUING, LANAO DEL SUR AND PHILIPPINES STATICS AUTHORITY (SPA) ABDILLAH PUKUNUM SARIP Petitioner, -versusTHE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF MAGUING, LANAO DEL SUR AND THE NATIONAL STATICIAN AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA)

Spl Proc. No. ML-525-2019

AMENDED ORDER

Before this court is a verified petition for correction of entry in the certificate of Love Birth of Abdillah pukunum Sarip dated March 25, 2019, which reads in part:

1. Petitioner is of legal age, Filipino, single, and a resident of Barangay Borocot, Maguing Lanao del Sur, Philippines, and postal address at MSU-ILS, 1st street, Barangay Lomidog (Salam), MSU Campus, Marawi City, where he may be served with the orders and other court processes of this court;

2. Respondent local Civil Register of Maguing, Lanao del Sur, is the custodian if all records of birth of persons born in the Municipal Hall Building, Maguing, Lanao del Sur;

3. Respondent Civil Registrar General and Administrator of the Philippines Statics Authority is the central custodian of all records of birth and marriages in the country and may be served with orders and other court processes at the NSO Building, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City;

4. Petitioner was actually born on November 28, 1987 at Borocot, Maguing, Lanao del Sur and the fact of his birth was registered on the local Civil Registrar of Maguing, Lanao del Sur. However, petitioner’s Certificate of Live birth as registered in the Local Civil Registered and as authenticated in the Philippine Statics Authority, contained an erroneous entry relative to his birth year;

5. The error in petitioner’s certificate of live birth was committed through honest mistake and sheer inadvertence, considering that his parent’s marriage was solemnized on December 12, 1987. In other words, petitioner was already born on November 12, 1987, even prior to the marriage of his parent’s in December 12, 1987;

A copy of his certificate of live birth is attached and made an integral part hereof as Annex “A” while, the erroneous entry is marked, Annex “A-1”;

6. The following documents which are attached and marked, respectively, will show the petitioner’s correct year of birth, as contra-indicated in his Certificate of live birth;

a. Driver’s License as Annex “B”;

b. Certificate of marriage of petitioner’s parents as Annex “C”;

c. Transcript of records as Annex “D”;

d. Tax Identification Number (TIN) Card as Annex “E”; and

e. Certificate of Marriage of herein petitioner as Annex “F”;

7.

The correction of entry in the certificate of live birth of the petitioner issued by the PSA abd local Civil Registrar of Maguing, Lanao del Sur, is in order. Petitioner has not deliberately caused the recording of the above-cited erroneous entry; and

8. Petitioner instituted this action to correct the foregoing erroneous entry in his Certificate of Live Birth, and thus, puts his birth and other records in proper respective;

Finding the aforesaid petition to be sufficient in the form and substances, it is hereby ordered that the same be set for hearing before this court on November 21, 2019 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning.

Let a copy this order be published at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation in Lanao del Sur of Marawi City for three (3) consecutive weeks.

The local civil registrar of Maguing, Lanao del Sur and the civil Registrar general, or any person or party who has an interest in the petition, may file his/her opposition thereto within fifteen (15) days from notice of this petition or from the last day of publication of this order.

Further, let this order be posted for fifteen (15) days prior to the date of hearing in the Bulletin Board of the Local Civil Registrar of Masiu, Lanao del Sur and the Bulletin Board of this Court, also at the expenses of the petitioner.

The petitioner is directed to notify this court of the publication of this order not later than three (3) days before November 21, 2019.

Furnish copies of this order, together with the copies of the petition to the Local civil Registrar of Maguing, Lanao del Sur, the Hon. Solicitor General, Makati City, and the Administrator and Civil Registrar of the Philippine Statics Office (PSA), East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Manila.

SO ORDERED. Marawi City, Philippines, September 30, 2019.

BWM: January 10, 17 & 24, 2020

BONIFACIO M. MACABAYA Presiding Judge

(SGD.) WENIDA B.M. PAPANDAYAN Presiding Judge

RE:IN THE MATTER OF PETITION FOR THE JUDICIAL RECOGNITION OF A FOREIGN DIVORCE,

SPEC. PROC. NO. R-CDO-19-02964-SP

SHERLITA C. MANTICAJON SHINGU, Petitioner, -versusRYOICHI SHINGU, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR OF KALOOCAN CITY, Respondent. x------------------------------------------------------------------/ ORDER Finding the verified petition for recognition of foreign decree of divorce filed by Sherlita C. Manticajon to be in proper form and substances, the petition is hereby set initial hearing on February 6, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning, before this court, at the Hall of Justice, Goldridge Building, Masterson Avenue, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

At the expense of the petitioner let a copy of this be publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Cagayan de Oro City, and in the Province of Misamis Oriental for three (3) consecutive weeks upon a raffle to be conducted by the office of the Clerk of Court.

Petitioner is further directed to cause the service of summons to the said respondent RYOICHI SHINGU at his given address at 1-14 kaminagaya, konanku, Yokohama City, kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, the Civil Registrar General of PSA, Ground Floor, Solecaref Building I, Ramon Magsaysay bBlvd., Sta. Mesa, Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs, 2330 Roxas Blvd., PasayCity and the Local Civil Registrar of kalookan City.

Furnish copy of the order and the petition to the solicitor General and city Prosecutor, Philippine Statics Authority, Region X, Cagayan de Oro City, and Department of Foreign Affair, Region X, Cagayan de Oro City for their information and guidance.

SO ORDERED. Done this 30th day October, 2019 at Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.

BWM: January 17, 24 & 31 2020

BONIFACIO M. MACABAYA Presiding Judge

9

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

Economist... from page 7

risks largely due to the limited pockets of tensions between the US and Iran.”

The eruption of the Taal Volcano in Batangas, which started last Sunday, negatively impacts on tourism and business activities in areas like Taal and Tagaytay, Cavite, he said, but added the impact depends on how long the calamity will persist.

Aside from government spending-related factors, Ricafort said other growth drivers this quarter include lower inflation and interest rates, sustained growth of remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), higher revenues from the business process outsourcing (BPO) and the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) sectors, tourism receipts, foreign investments, and strong employment data.

These factors, he said, boost consumer spending which accounts for about 70 percent of the domestic economy.

“Some pick up in loan growth could also support faster growth in investments/ capital formation (which accounts for about 30 percent of GDP),” he added.

Meanwhile, Ricafort said the rate of price increases this month may increase to 2.8 percent from 2.5 percent last December due to base effects, the volatility of oil prices, and geopolitical concerns overseas, and the impact of the Taal Volcano eruption on some economic activities.

The inflation rate in January 2018 reached 4.4 percent.

Ricafort further said the price of oil in the international market registered a temporary pick-up after the US-Iran issue started last Jan. 3 but declined to almost one-month lows when tensions eased last January 8. (PNA)

Banking... from page 7

Mr. Ong said.

The Portal is set to cater to firms’ need for a customized corporate banking experience with all its features accessible both through the website and the app.

With corporate clients always on the go, Mr. Ong said the platform’s flexibility of access will be convenient for them.

“What we’ve done is anything you can do on the website, you can also do. You can initiate a transaction on the app, you can switch organizations, you can authorize payments,” he explained.

Mr. Ong said The Portal will also address one vital pain point in corporate banking which is setting up approval hierarchy, noting that they have customers that have very complex approval matrix data.

“So how we built the system is it can be very flexible and very easy to set up. So regardless of how complex the requirements are, we can cater to them,” he said.

He added that the bank has also consolidated approval and transaction schemes into one login for those that manage multiple entities.

So far, 5,000 customers or a sixth of the bank’s corporate clients have already migrated to The Portal, Mr. Ong said.

“But our target definitely by around end of next year, is to have half [of corporate customers] on The Portal, and once they are in, it’s easy for us to push for electronic payments and really encourage them to move away from cheques,” Mr. Ong, who is also the head of the PESONet Steering Committee, said.

The bank also launched it s A R K For B u s i n e s s branch in Makati in December which is meant for business transactions.

ARK Branches are equipped with IoT (Internet of Things) technologies to facilitate better customer-in-branch experience.

Ashfall... from page 6

1977.

The 1911 deadly explosion killed more than 1,000 and destroyed agriculture and properties.

Despite Taal Volcano’s l at e s t v iole nt a c t i v it y, Cayanan said the volcano’s possible hazardous explosive ex plosion wa s u n l i kely to result in mass species extinction.

“Hindi ho ba there are some municipalities na nacreate at meron naming some municipalities na lumubog.

So what was the effect doon sa Taal mismo (There are some municipalities created and some municipalities blanketed in ash following t he pre v iou s er upt ion .

So what was the effect of Taal Volcano’s eruption?)”

Cayanan said.

“Course of nature iyan, magkakaroon po ng adoption syempre. So ex t i nc t ion totally, I don’t think so.

Pero magkakaroon po ng kaganapan ng kaany uan (It’s a course of nature so of course, there will be an adoption. So extinction totally, I don’t think so. But there will be a new form),” he added.

Cayanan gave t he assurance, even after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources noted that fish kill due to high sulfur content in Taal Lake could damage around 6,000 fish cages with production loss.

O n Tu e s d a y , t h e D e p a r t ment of He a lt h (DOH) advised the public to refrain from buying and eating fish from Taal Lake and Batangas province, amid Taal Volcano’s activity.

Ash-coated fruits, veggies safe to eat DOH Undersecretar y Eric Domingo reiterated the warning to avoid the consumption of fish sourced from areas near Taal Volcano.

“Hangga’t hindi tayo sigurado (W hile we are still uncertain), might as well be cautious because toxic substances have been t hrown out t he volcano

and na-dissolve iyan sa tubig natin (and dissolved in water),” Domingo, who joined Cayanan at the press briefing, said.

“Refrain lang tayo from taking mga isda (Let’s refrain from eating fish),” he said.

Domingo, meantime, said vegetables and fruits coated with ash can still be eaten, as long as these are properly washed. “’Yung gu lay at sa ka pr ut a s na na la g ya n ng abo, basta hugasan lang ng mahusay yun at linisin, pwedeng kainin yun (They can eat vegetables and fruits that are coated with ash but properly washed),” the Health official said.

C ay a na n note d t hat seven million fingerlings of tilapia, 20,000 for ulang(giant freshwater prawn), 50,000 for hito(catfish), and 100,000 for bighead carp will be distributed once aquaculture operation in the Taal Lake resumes.

He added that vegetable and fish traders and vendors from Central Luzon are highly encouraged to sell t heir products in a reas affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano.

“Puwede pong mag-source out tumulong na po ang Region 3 (Those who are from Region 3 can help by sourcing out their products),” Cayanan said. “’Yung orga nisadong maggugulay at organisadong magfi-fish pong ay makipagcoordinate para mahango natin ang kanilang produkto sa mga naapektuhang mamamayan (The vegetable and f ish traders shou ld coordinate so their products can be brought to affected individua ls),” he added.

(PNA)

Seabird... from page 6

associated with "the blob" increased the metabolism of cold-blooded organisms from zooplankton and small for a ge f ish up t h rou g h larger predatory fish like

salmon and pollock. With predatory fish eating more than usual, the demand for food at the top of the food chain was unsustainable. As a result, the once-plentiful schools of forage fish that mu r res rely on bec a me harder to find.

"Food demands of large com mercia l g rou nd f ish like cod, pollock, halibut and hake were predicted to increase dramatically with the level of warming obser ved w it h t he blob, and since they eat many of the same prey as murres, t h is compet it ion l i kely compou nded t he food supply problem for murres, leading to mass mortality events from star vation," Piatt said.

As the largest mass dieoff of seabirds in recorded history, the common murre event may help explain the other die-offs that occurred during the northeast Pacific marine heat wave, and also serve as a warning for what could happen during future ma r i ne heat waves , t he authors said. UW scientists recently identified another marine heatwave forming off the Washington coast and up into t he Gu lf of Alaska.

"All of this -- as with the Cassin's auk let mass mortality and the tufted pu f f i n m a s s m or t a l it y -- demon s t r ate s t hat a warmer ocean world is a very different environment and a very different coastal ecosystem for many marine s p e c i e s ," s a i d P a r r i s h , who is also the executive d i rec tor of t he C oa st a l Observation and Seabird Sur vey Tea m, k now n as C OA S S T. " S e a bi rd s , a s highly visible members of that system, are bellwethers of that change."

(Story Source: Materials p ro v i d e d b y Unive r s it y of Washing ton. Original written by Michelle Ma. Note: Content may be edited for style and length./www. sciencedaily.com)

10

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 17, 2020

Growth... from page 1

even though it suffered from rotating brownouts due to the deficit in the power supply in the early part of this decade.

“Despite that, the overall Mindanao economy has really shown resiliency.

And such robust Mindanao performance showed Mindanao’s resiliency amid adversity, and the island being able to gain from structural resources and sustained development programs,” he added.

Montenegro admitted that more attention must be given towards “regional development outside the economic centers (rural development) and for growth to be more inclusive and sustainable.”

He added more regional inter-linkages and logistics must b e rol l e d out to “attract investments into manufacturing and services, bringing agricultural products, especially the priority commodities, up the value chain to ensure that the high growth rates would be translated to “inclusive growth” in Mindanao.

Montenegro said the government should focus on bringing out of poverty the rural areas where most of the agricultural activities are found.

“If we target to seeing transformation of many areas in Mindanao and improving poverty, there is nowhere else to look at first but in the rural areas,” he added.

Amid the growing industry and services-based sectors, Montenegro said Mindanao “must not lose sight of the fact that key to Mindanao’s sustained economic growth rests largely in the agri sector.”

Montenegro also emphasized the need to promote the industrial growth, complemented with support on “access to quality education and training skills required in the modern economy,” and creation of “more and better jobs” to improve the disposable income of families and “eventually reduce poverty incidence in the long-run.”

He said the government targets to cut poverty level in Mindanao to 20 to 22% at the end of the Duterte administration from the present 35%.

Colorum... from page 1

in the city.

Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board in Region 10 ( LT F R B - 1 0 ) R e g i o n a l Director Aminoden Guro met with Councilor Teodulfo Lao, vice chairman of the committee on traffic, and Councilor Romeo Calizo, chair of the City Council committee on public order and safety, to discuss the creation of task force that will run after colorum taxi units.

Guro said that the interagency task force against colorum taxi will commence with its operation as soon as its members have undergone

the needed workshop and training.

On one hand, Lao thanked the LTFRB under Guro for acting on the numerous complaints against t he proliferation of colorum taxi units.

He said the members of the task force are now in the process of undergoing workshop and training on how to effectively identify a "colorum" taxi.

"It will be an active and long-term inter-agenc y task force," Lao, who is also the chairman of the City Council committe on public utility, said as he hinted that the City Council will enact an ordinance that will institutionalize the task force.

Support... from page 1

to amend the 1987 Constitution for a shift from the current unitary system.

In a statement posted on Facebook --a repost of its original stand in 2018--Balay Mindanao Foundation Inc. (BMFI) said it remains open to “principled, frank and constructive dialogue and col lab orat ion wit h Federalism advocates and movements.”

However, BMFI warned that any C onstitutional amendment to shift to a federal system should not be exploited by political leaders for their own gains.

“We continue to believe and hope that a shift to Fe d e r a l is m c an i nd e e d provide a structural and systemic opportunity for the Mindanaons and Filipinos, in general, to confront and correct the unjust skewed relationship between the center and the periphery, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless,” the group said Tuesday.

BMFI said a decentralized government can “create and offer more spaces for the peoples and communities to empower themselves politically, economically and culturally."

In previous statements, 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the constitutional amendments, has expressed optimism that the proposed Constitutional amendments would be passed by both Houses of Congress within the year.

One of the proposals was for the creation of nine federated regions, with three senators to be elected per region.

Aside from the shift to federalism, other proposed amendments include the lifting of the economic provisions limiting the foreign ownership of corporations, the tandem voting for President and Vice President, and the extension of terms of elected officials from three to five years.

For BMFI, however, a Constituent Assembly (ConAss) was not an ideal method to change the Constitution.

“It [Con-Ass] denies genuine people’s p ar t icip at ion. It is vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by vested

interest groups, especially by traditional politicians,” it added.

T he g roup w a s a l s o alarmed by the most prominent proposals as both promote consolidation of powers into a strong president, which it says may open the doors to the rise of another dictatorship.

BMFI is apprehensive over the proposed transitory provisions that suggest, among others, the postponement of elections and term extension of the current elected officials.

“We call for more spaces allowing genuine dialogue and maximum participation of peoples and communities in the constitution writing and state-building,” it said, adding that the promise of subsidiarity, solidarity and democracy under a federal setup is best attained and nurtured through and by democratic processes.

(PNA)

Catarman... from page 2

No. 1, series of 2019 that prohibits the use of styrofoam and plastic bag on dry goods and regulating its utilization on wet goods within the municipality and prescribing penalties thereof.

The smoke-free campaign on the other hand, enforces the Municipal Ordinance No. 01, series of 2017 banning the use and smoking of cigars, e-cigarettes, cigarettes and other tobacco products in public places, public buildings, public utility vehicles, and other areas alike, providing fines and penalties thereof.

A kilo of commercial rice will be given in exchange for a kilo of plastic at the Municipal Mayor’s Office.

Likewise, a kilo of rice will be given in exchange of 100 pieces of cigarette butts to the LGU. (RTP/PIA10)

Practice... from page 2

technologies.

It has uplifted the lives of marginalized farmers and indigenous communities that it served through various trainings and consultancies since it started in 2000.

It currently has two "Learning while Earning" sites to support practical learning in Balay Kinaiyahan in Cagayan de Oro City and organic farm Umanika in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

It is re cog nize d for its greening practices by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) - an international, intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting pioneering cases of MSMEs sharing their stories on how their committed actions to protect the environment and resources have become beneficial both financially and socially.

GreenMinds, Inc. is a beneficiary of the Shared Service Facility (SSF) program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and is a constant participant of DTI trade fairs and trainings.

(DTI-10)

Family... from page 4

our example much more than following our advice!

You cannot train up your child in the way you’re not going yourself. But you can start changing and going that way today—by asking t he One Who invented families to forgive you for your wrong way of living.

Then ask Jesus Christ to take charge of your heart and character. As you start living His way every day, you will start showing your children the successful, right way of living. And they will also teach their children, who will then teach their ch i l d re n . B e c au s e wel l trained children grow up to train their children well.

Just Think a Minute…

Connect... from page 4

It requires training, effort, self-discipline. It will always need God’s grace which we should always ask.

And given our human condition where our development involves different stages, let us hope that we do not remain in the kindergarten level in this respect, in the amateur and dilettante level. We have to aim at nothing less than the mature and professional level, where a certain consistency or unity of life that is rooted on God’s grace and on our constant effort, is achieved.

Board... from page 4

retaliation other than being removed from the board.

This allows the ID to speak their mind and raise sensitive issues minus the emotional clutter that’s prevalent in many family enterprises.

Family expert Prof John Ward accurately pointed this out in one of his articles, “The realm of business is dynamic and unpredictable.

Companies are constantly reacting to evolving markets and competition. Family businesses face the added cha l lenge of b a l ancing business and family issues in strategy. Business change inevitably creates stresses that impact both management and ownership interests.

In this setting, the board of directors has the special

role of assuring the strategic alignment of business and ownership interests.”

NGCP... from page 5

NGCP said the projects are ai m e d at bu i l d i ng what it called “One Grid Philippines,” its vision of a fully interconnected and integrated power grid using state-of-the-art technology.

It identified the future projects to include those interconnecting Batangas and Mindoro; Bataan and Cavite; Bataan and Pasay; Palawan and Mindoro; and the LarayCordova 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line.

“With over 7,600 islands in the Philippine archipelago, energizing and connecting major islands to the grid was a challenge that confronted NGCP when it took over from government,” said the company, which is led by businessmen Henry T. Sy, Jr. and Robert G. Coyiuto, Jr. Among the first interconnection projects completed by NGCP is the first stage of the P6.1billion Cebu-Negros-Panay submarine cable component, which increases the transfer capacity of the existing corridor.

The project’s second phas e is an addit iona l submarine cable for N-1 contingency, which will allow the transmission grid to withstand a major system disturbance with minimal disruption to the system between Negros and Panay islands.

NGCP said several interconnection projects are in the works, including the P47.8-billion stages two and three of the Cebu-NegrosPan ay i nt e rc on n e c t i on project, which will have a 230kV backbone to accommodate the transmission of excess power from Panay and Negros towards the rest of the Visayas.

The company said preconstruction activities were set for the P8.5-billion Nabas-Caticlan-B oracay transmission line project that will address the growing demand in Boracay Island by providing additional capacity to support its development.

Also in the preconstruction phase is the P2.4-billion Panay-Guimaras

ALLAN'S LECHON

138kV transmission line.

NGCP is also building the P1.9-billion Cebu-Lapu Lapu 230kV transmission line project to maintain the continuous transmission of power towards the major load centers in Mandaue and Mactan during N-1 condition.

It now in the middle of a survey and right-of-way activities for the project.

It said another interconnection is the P19.8billion Cebu-Bohol 230-kV project, which will address overloading issues and enable sharing of power between the two islands once completed.

It will form part of the LeyteBohol 230-kV loop system.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT: That LOURDES ABABON JACA-DOSDOS who died on July 12, 2016 in Cagayan de Oro City. Has left the following properties,(a.) Lot 12 block 60, PSD-10-038635 located in Xavier state upper Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City, covered

by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T- 170880 and covered by tax Declaration No. G- 135987, consisting of Six hundred Forty Three (643) sq. m. more or less. (b) 50.52 sq. m. condominium unit described as unit No. 2006 located at the 20th floor of Grand Cenia Hotel and residences, Archbishop Reyes Avenue corner kamagong Street, Barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City, covered

by Condominium Certificate Title No. 107-2015007546. (c) 24.54 sq. m. condominium Unit described as unit 1239 located at 12th Floor Grand Cenia Hotel and Residences, Archbishop Reyes Avenue corner kamagong Street Barangay Caputhaw, Cebu City, covered

by Condominium Certificate Title No. 107-2015007546, (d) per GIS (Document ID 11292016002904) filed on January 29, 2016 in Cagayan de Oro City, thirty – nine thousand nine hundred ninety eight (39,998) shares constituting (40%) of Tri-Star Paints Center and Construction Supply, Inc., a stock corporation with SEC Registration CS93000438, and has been the subject of and Extra-Judicial Settlement of State, filled by the heirs per doc No. 129.,Page No. 26., Book No. II., Series of 2020 of the notarial registry of Atty. Robert Jones H. Closas.

BWM: January 17, 24 & 31, 2020

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

Main: Purok 4 Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City Cell #: 0928-616-4431 / 0905-777-0670 Branch: 31st Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City Cell #: 0926-594-9540

DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 Free: HALANG-HALANG or DINUGOAN!

Branch: Casinglot, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental

For orders, please call:

KAG. LOLITA L. WAHING

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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FEATURE

IN-DEPTH

Friday|January 17, 2020

12

Smile Central – the newest dental spot in town

W

By MARK FRANCISCO

ANT to have the best oral fix in town? Then let Smile Central do it.

Smile Central is the latest dental spot to open in Cagayan de Oro City, conveniently located at the G/L St. Gregory Building, 16th-17th St. in barangay Nazareth.

Smile Central is manned by the very able Dr. Rennel Jin Egbalic whose youth and experience can be the best of both worlds – the trends of oral care today fused with what has been practiced

time and again.

Dr. Egbalic, who is fondly called Bijin, traces her dentistry educational roots at Southwestern University, graduated in 2016.

From thence, she never looked back and started practicing her profession right after she got her license having been employed by two reputable dental care brands in the country before deciding to put up her own.

Bijin – who is originally from Dumaguete City – has

come to embrace Cagayan de Oro and its neighboring people. Thus was the decision to put up her clinic here which opened just this

month.

Today, Smile Central offers a wide array of general dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery

and cosmetic dentistry jobs.

For its opening promo which will until the end of February, Smile Central will offer free consultation,

ten percent off on all dental services and low downpayment of braces.

Visit your dentist today.

Do it at Smile Central!