Issuu

BusinessWeek MINDANAO CREDIBLE

Volume VII, No. 100

Market Indicators

As of 12:12 pm January 17, 2017 (tuesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P49.849

7,238.45

22.7 cents

0.07

points

Briefly Asean sea link THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) will soon be opening a new and shorter sea route from the Philippines to Indonesia in a bid to enhance connectivity and boost international trade within the two nations. The new Davao City -General Santos -- Bitung, Indonesia shipping route, will allow the ferrying of goods to take only three days, as opposed to the current three to five weeks shipping time via the Manila route to Bitung, which is in northern Sulawesi. The new route will also provide a cheaper alternative for doing business with savings estimated to about $1,500 (P75,000) per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU). “Having a shipping route such as this is crucial for any maritime region. Sea linkage will strengthen our economies and our partnerships in other areas of development. And it will also improve the quality of life of our people because local businessmen and traders will directly benefit from this,” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade was quoted as saying.

Expanded leave NOT just mothers, but also fathers are expected to benefit from a measure filed in the Senate that seek to double women’s maternity leave, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Tuesday. Hontiveros, chair of both Senate Committees on Women and Health, earlier filed Senate Bill 215 or “The Expanded maternity Leave Act” that is meant to increase the maternity leave from 60 to 120 days with an extra 30 days for single mothers for a total of 150 days. The neophyte senator said her measure also covers the proposed Expanded Maternity Leave Law, which she described as a “Daddy quota” of the bill.

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Wednesday | January 18, 2017

3 dead, 5,000 affected as floods hit CDO, MisOr

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

HE financial and technical capacity of electricity cooperatives is critical for a planned wholesale power spot market in Mindanao, with initial evaluations by the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) indicating that the proposed launch in June this year could be postponed. “The readiness of these electric cooperatives in terms of financial and technical

expertise will matter so much because they are the market/PAGE 11

THE MORNING AFTER. CM Recto in Cagayan de Oro as of 6:08 a.m., Tuesday, 17 January, after waist-deep to neck-deep floodwaters stranded thousands of residents in schools and offices on Monday. Photo courtesy of NEFOI LUCZON By CRIS DIAZ, Contributing Editor

AT LEAST three people died due to drowning while 5,000 individuals were affected by flooding in Misamis

Oriental and Cagayan De Oro City, officials said Tuesday. Rescuers recovered the

bodies of Rudy Boy Cabido, 14, in the village of Agusan, east of this city on Tuesday morning and Zian Angel floods/PAGE 11

3 Mindanao regions to pilot run subsidized power costs PHILIPPINE Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Charito Plaza has identified to the

Department of Energy (DOE) three regions in Mindanao that will be the pilot areas for the subsidized power costs

in the southern Philippines. Plaza said in an interview that PEZA and DOE will power/PAGE 11

RAGING WATER. Inside the Mindanao University for Science and Technology in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday, January 17, 2017, worst flooding inside the campus since 2012. About 300 to 500 students, faculty and staff were stranded. Photo courtesy of NEFOI LUCZON

Cagayan de Oro declared under state of calamity By MINDANEWS

CAGAYAN de Oro City has been placed under a state of calamity after several parts of the city and its rural barangays were flooded due to heavy rains on Monday

afternoon brought by a low pressure area over the Visayas and Mindanao. The city council issued the declaration early Tuesday calamity/PAGE 11

STRANDED. (Right) Rescue teams transport stranded passengers in Cagayan de Oro City via rubber boats, Monday night (Jan. 16, 2017), when the city submerged in rainwater due to torrential rains spawned by low pressure area, affecting mostly parts of Northern Western and Western Mindanao. (Left photo) Some enterprising individuals, however, were taking advantage of the flooding to ferry residents using makeshift raft charging P50 per passenger. PHOTOS By GERRY LEE GORIT

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Economy 2 DTI funds P236M to 267 BuB projects B Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

wednesday|january 18, 2017

UTUAN City – The Department of Trade and Industry

(DTI) Caraga has funded a total of P236 million for the 267 projects in the

region under the BottomUp Budgeting (BuB). According to DTI Caraga

regional director Brielgo Pagaran, in partnership with the local government

BUTUAN City -- Abaca fiber in the region, particularly in the province of Agusan del Norte, will soon be saturating the local and fore i g n m ar ke t a s t h e Department of AgricultureCaraga recently leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the establishment of a P15M abaca fiber warehouse with drying area at Santiago, Agusan del Norte. The San Isidro Upland Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SIUFMULCO) gained funding support from the DA’s Philippine Rural

Development Project (PRDP) for its abaca fiber production and trading enhancement project with a total approved project cost of P31M, P16M of which is for the enterprise development component. “Our membership has increased in the cluster areas since we started working for the realization of this project. Surely, many abaca farmers can benefit with this project,” said Leonora Mila, general manager of SIUFMULCO. SIUFMULCO has five clusters in selected municipalities all over

Agusan del Norte with a total membership of at least 600 abaca farmers. These clusters are operating in the municipalities of Santiago, Nasipit, RTR, Kitcharao and Cabadbaran City. Farmers in the areas often encounter challenges with drying and stripping since the weather is unpredictable and the machine they have is old and at times the unavailability of an authorized person to do the stripping. All these concerns will be met because of the interventions provided by the project.

Planting materials, organic fertilizer, nursery and stripping machines will be equally distributed to the cluster areas as part of the provision of the project package. “With this project, farmers will be more inspired and idler lands will be planted with abaca,” Mila added. Post-harvest facilities such as baling machine, forklift, wood pallets and push carts to abaca/PAGE 11

Caraga’s abaca industry on the rise

units, a total of 267 projects were implemented since year 2014. “The projects funded are those under the department’s menu such as the One Town One Product (OTOP) Store, Yaman Pinoy, Shared S er vice Facility, Rural Micro Enterprise Promotion, Industr y Cluster and other business development activities,” disclosed Pagaran. Pagaran further said that in Caraga, projects funded are on processed food, arts and crafts, manufacturing, trading and services. “As of December 2016, DTI-BuB in the region

has generated 2,650 jobs and de velop e d/assiste d 2,300 enterprises,” added Pagaran. The BuB is a national gove r n m e nt s i n it i at i ve that aims to contribute to poverty reduction and inclusive growth by making governance responsive to lo c a l ne e ds and public resource allocation more efficient through the participation of grassroots in the budgeting process. DTI is one of the implementing agencies for projects on the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

Teacher Enhancement: A Major Item in DepEd 2017 Budget Ace Mark Andrew B. Sadicon Teacher 1 Maramag Central Elementary School

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The success of education s e c t or d e p e n d s mu c h on its key role players. Teachers for one must be competitive enough to face the challenges of education especially in the grassroots level. Ergo, teachers should be equipped with knowledge and skills to be more capable of rooting education among young people. Department of Education recently reported that one of the major items in the 2017 DepEd budget is the improvement of capacity of teachers, education leaders and other DepEd personnel. Education Secretar y Leonor Magtolis Briones noted during the signing of memorandum of agreement

w it h S out h e a s t As i an Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH) that relevant trainings to educators are necessary to equip them with proper knowledge and expertise in honing the minds of Filipino learners, and in uplifting the education status of the country, in general. SEAMEO INNOTECH is an organization with a mission of identifying common and unique education problems and gaps in Southeast Asian region, and further provides developing innovative and technology-based solutions.

The Education Secretary is thankful to SEAMEO I N NOT E C H for t h e i r p ar t i c ip at i on t h rou g h providing facilities for training and other capacity building activities of the department. In a news published inside DepEd site, Briones also disclosed that the organization would possibly link with DepEd for their programs and projects. Further, the secretary is looking forward to SEAMEO INNOTECH’s continuous support on different efforts of DepEd, more importantly on the reproductive health, disaster risk reduction and alternative learning system areas.

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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wednesday|january 18, 2017

Enhance Visa hosts first Canada Nursing Career Expo Nurses can now look forward to working in Canada as Enhance Visa holds its first ever Canada Nursing Career Expo this January in three key locations in the Visayas. This event is open to nurses with at least six months hospital experience which will be held on January 28, 30, & 31 in Cebu, Bacolod, and Iloilo respectively. NCLEX passers are welcome to attend. Attendees will get to hear from Canadian speaker Tony Burke about the Licensing Program for nurses in Canada which is an assured pathway for permanent residency there. Burke is the VicePresident of OMNI College, one of the top institutions specializing in healthcare programs for foreign-trained nurses in Vancouver, Canada. Bridging the Gap This event seeks to bridge the knowledge gap for well-trained Filipino nurses but lack the proper information

on how to qualify for employment in Canada. Participants will be introduced to the comprehensive bridging programs offered by OMNI which has helped thousands of nurses in Canada secure stable jobs and become eligible for permanent residency. Along with Enhance Visa, OMNI’s goal is to deliver exceptional programs that prepare aspirant nurses for a successful cultural and educational transition into the Canadian workforce. “Since 1999, OMNI has trained nurses for the Canadian Registered or Practical Nurse Licensing Exam and has maintained a 95% success rate. We are committed to our clients because their success is also our success,” says Ron Burke, CEO and founder of OMNI College. Rare Opportunity Enhance Visa, in partnership with OMNI, offers this rare opportunity for nurses to be updated

on the latest trends in immigration. Catch the event on the following dates: January 28 - Cebu (Radisson Blu Hotel), January 30 - Bacolod (Bacolod Business Inn) January 31 - Iloilo (Sarabia Manor Hotel) Enhance Visa specializes in immigration consultation to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is the industry leader in providing effective Study to Permanent Residency pathways to these countries. The company has taken a holistic approach in assisting clients by ensuring that they receive sound advice on the best immigration option which can ultimately lead to a better future for them and their families. For more information on the event, contact Enhance Visa through 0917799-7700 or visit the Enhance Visa website at www. enhanceimmigration. com.

Opinion

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Society’s social weaklings?

Businessweek Mindanao Corporation Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO

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The Real Competition Think a minute…Did you have to compete with someone else to get the girl or guy you wanted? Whether we like it or not, competition is part of life. Usually there are other people besides you who want that job, scholarship, business, or title. But some people will stop at nothing to win. Whether it’s lying, cheating, or gossiping and destroying someone’s reputation. Yet when we compete only to win and beat the other person, it not only makes us bad losers, but also bad winners. That kind of competing produces a person with a bad heart and character, with self-centered greed, pride, and envy. An important lesson in life is to learn to compete only against yourself. Then, whether you win or lose against others, you still win! Because all the time and effort you spent to work and improve only makes you a better person who’s closer to reaching your potential. As one guy put it: “Trespassing is okay, if the boundaries you cross are your own!” So when we set good, important goals for ourselves, they work in two ways: we work on them, and they work on us. The real test of your success is whether you’re a better person than you were yesterday? Are your attitudes and character better? Are you a better husband or wife? A

THINK

A Minute

Refusal and compassion characterize society’s attitude as regards social weaklings and handicapped people. It’s a topic which one gladly drives out, represses or tries to forget. I have written about this topic many times, although I have missed more about it. Even in different groups, some segments of society are distant from them. The socially discriminated and handicapped people don’t correspond to performance, work, capacity, stress and competition in our daily surroundings. Opinions like these - well, that’s how people do it! The anti-social slum inhabitant has not accepted his responsibility, and the a nt i - s o c i a l c on f i d e n c e trickster, certainly not blind and without having difficulty in walking, doesn’t believe

in us. That’s it! Finished! T h e “ b o b o ”, t h e a l c oh ol i c , t h e w it h out m e a n s “g e n t l e m a n o f the road” - so what! Did everybody not choose his own living condition? In plain words: the ideals of success, ability, efficiency, and competitiveness in our performance-oriented society and its business life describe such fringe groups as “standard violators”, such as in failure, flop or slacker. But remember: a tax evasion or corruption is more costly than a social welfare client. Do you have a social weakling or handicapped people in your surroundings - in your company? Mostly, these persons appear as a monotonous mass through the glasses of prejudices. How very painful! Ho n e s t l y, b u t t r u e : hindrance and handicap

drive into poverty many times. Prevailing opinion is that poverty is going for a fault. The affected people draw back themselves with a sensible sense of shame. And, have you given notice already: most handicapped people feel isolated in their surroundings. Meeting such people sometimes becomes even a bashful situation, while giving the appearance of normality. In my opinion: this must not be happened! Sometimes we try to avoid any communication, because we might say something wrong. Then - just put a smile on your face, as I often did. I really plead for more integration. Let’s give “such people” autonomy and acceptance starting in school or kindergarten yet. Let’s increase more livable offers for organizations. Social weaklings and handicapped

H ave M y Say

Klaus Doring

people don’t hinder, hamper or prevent us from living in a society with a much philanthropist face. We are all human beings. +++ Email: dor ingklau s@ gmail.com or follow me in Facebook or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www. klausdoringsclassicalmusic. blogspot.com .

Farmer warns against “poison farming” in RP LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless… Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? People who do that will be put to shame…” (Isaiah 44:9, 10, the Holy Bible). -ooo THE BABY BOY JESUS IS “HOLY”: In the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she was the virgin who will conceive and give birth to God the Father as a baby boy on earth, found in Luke 1:26-38 of the Bible, there is a verse which confirms that Jesus, the baby boy to be born, was in reality God the Father. How is this confirmation done? The verse says the boy to be born was “holy”. -ooo F A R M E R WA R N S AGAINST “POISON FA R M I N G ” I N R P : Agriculturist-farmer Felipe

Gabriel of Moncada, Tarlac, is raising a worrisome warning against the food and meat Filipinos are growing and thereafter eating, saying they are filled with deadly poison which are killing many of our countrymen arising from toxic fertilizers and pesticides, and even formalin which is used in embalming dead persons. In a Faceb o ok p ost o n Ja nu a r y 1 6 , 2 0 1 7 , Gabriel urged the Duterte government and all farmers to stop using chemicals in the production of rice, fruits and vegetables, and in feeding meat-producing animals and fish, and instead use what he said was organic farming materials that blend with beneficial micro-organisms and break down toxic residues of chemical farming. A high school classmate of mine from the Dr. Nicanor Reyes Memorial Colleges in Paniqui,Tarlac during

the early 1970s, Gabriel says he is now devoting his life as an agriculturist to fight the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides which are used in growing rice and vegetables, saying the phenomenon of “poison farming” is now widespread in the Philippines. -ooo FESTIVALS WITH IDOLS WHO CANNOT SAVE: Here are some thoughts on festivities Filipinos are plunging themselves into after Christmas and the New Year: “New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations--I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them… “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be

K ak ampi

Mo A ng Batas

Atty. Batas Mauricio compared? Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it. “ They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles…” batas/PAGE 11

Our faith should involve our entire life Jhan Tiafau Hurst better father or mother? A better worker? You know, we can compete and win in our career and making money, but if we lose our good character by being dishonest or hurting and using others, then we’ve lost the real competition and what’s important. The real measure of success is not what you HAVE, but what you ARE as a person. What kind of heart and character do you have? What kind of relationships do you have with other people? If you’ve allowed yourself to compete against others and you’ve done dishonest things or hurt people. Why not ask Jesus to forgive you today and start changing your heart and way of living? Then you can learn to compete only against yourself and win every time! Just Think a Minute …

Our faith should not just be an assent to some religious truths. It should be an act of our entire being. Better yet, it should be a commitment that involves our whole selves. It should be shown in every action of our lives. As Christ himself said: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” (Mt 10,32) Our faith should not be held hostage by our personal experiences alone. We have to understand that it goes beyond the bounds of our reasoning and experience. It requires an act of belief in someone who will not deceive us nor be deceived by us. Definitely this will involve humility and docility to whatever Christ taught us. To b e s u r e , s u c h understanding of faith is not fanaticism. It respects our humanity, but does more to it.

It will purify and elevate our humanity to the supernatural order from where we came and to where we are meant to go. We should try to avoid the predicament of the doubting Thomas who wanted to see the wounds of Christ first before believing believe in the risen Lord. We should not be afraid or ashamed to express our faith publicly. We should reach that point where we always believe in Christ who promised that “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. And nothing will be impossible to you.” (Mt 17,20) If we consistently live by faith, we can manage to make Christ present among ourselves. We would not simply be involved in some intellectual discussion about Christ. More than this, we

would be able to plant the seed of Christ’s love in everyone and spread the saving truth about ourselves. Lest we forget, we need to remember that Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life for us, who is our Savior, wants to be with us, but through us. And that can only happen if we correspond to the gift of faith that he himself gives us abundantly. We have to be more aware of our duty to take care of our faith. It should so inspire our whole life that we cannot help but give constant testimony of it. It should be shown in the way we carry out our profession or job, fulfill our civic duties, practice all our rights, and handle and resolve our daily problems and challenges. It should be shown in the way we develop and keep our relationships with others. Our faith should always show the face of Christian love that

HINTS

and

Traces

Fr. Roy Cimagala goes all the way to suffer for others, just as Christ suffered death for all of us. We can imitate the faith of Mary and Joseph who simply said yes to whatever was told them by the divine messengers. Such faith will bring us to a global and objective understanding of things, and enable us to participate actively in the ongoing providence of God over his creation. roycimagala@gmail.com.

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CorporateWorld

Aboitiz, Zambo power company seal deal on additional supply

AVAO City -- The Z amb o anga Del Norte Electric Cooperative (ZANECO) has increased its power supply following the signing of a deal with

AboitizPower subsidiary, Hedcor Bukidnon, for an additional 5 megawatts (MW) for its franchise areas in 2017. This was announced by AboitizPower

Bridging and Transformed Leadership (A Chant) Maria Nora F. Bangcong Portulin Elementary School, Pangantucan North District

Au t h o r i t y m o l d t h e institution, one head led the followers, One voice dictated the people, derided from thinking and honor. O ne s ma l l voice t hat scattered in the vast ocean of tasks and obligations. A problem turned to problems and problems exponentially produced another, marking perennial problems, divides in our beloved school. The one voice, one head, one man’s best moves tragically brought unequal and powerless citizenry. However, God held the blazing hope of t r ans for mat i on t i g h ly and lovingly. He chooses and anoints leaders, who humbly seek his guidance and will. The leaders, who lead by love, who manage by love and do things for the reasons, of honoring and loving God. We are the chos en leaders. Commissioned to

spread the good news of hope, and live by it. With us, are the elected NEAP trainers, endowed with skills and talents, as the old fashioned leaders did. However, their aura from within radiates magnetically to all of us. We f a c e t h e d aw n of ser ving with love., Encouraging to build the networks, and sustain it successfully. We are awakened by the truth, that we are not an island, but rather, a kingdom of blessings to those who are willing to share, for they say “The secret of blessing is by giving”. Stakeholders working together in building an effective and efficient educational institution, of empowered citizenry and equal society where one lives, with honor and integrity, as God’s valued creation.

Moral Recovery Program in School thru Religious Activities Aren Mae A. Hernandez Teacher lll of Kalilangan National High School

The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. It has been observed that due to the different existing Tribes and Religions in school and a mix of cultures and traditions, religion continues to possess a good deal of vitality in our culture. Indeed, because many intellectuals continue to give religious answers to the profound existential questions of life where there is a vast contemporary religious literature that explores the implications of religion for every subject in the curriculum. Many students have been touched by God’s presence and are continually changed by the lessons learned from God’s Word because of these spiritual and moral activities, such as catechism and campus ministry, student organized religious clubs to meet on school property during the vacant time,( in compliance

with EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 319 April 3, 1996, INSTITUTIONALIZING THE MORAL RECOVERY PRO GRAM (MRP) IN ALL GOVERNMENT D E PA RT M E N T S , …..WHEREAS, the MRP vision is a Filipino nation that is God-centered, peopleempowered, prosperous national community living in Unity, Justice, Freedom, Love and Peace governed by a visionary government that is democratic, responsive and effective, graft-free, t r ansp are nt and s el f corrective with a community of civil and military servants w ho are professiona l, competent, disciplined and trustworthy;...) as However, everything still boils down to how students respond to God and His Word. Still, it is hoped that these activities will make them the kind of people that God wants them to be and be able to serve in a manner that pleases GOD.

communications specialist Harvey Lanticse, who said the additional supply Zaneco will now have a total supply of 10MW. ZANECO initially signed a 5MW supply contract with Hedcor’s 68.8 MW Manolo Fortich hydropower project in June last year. The 68.8-MW Manolo Fortich Hydropower Project in Bukidnon will be the latest addition to AboitizPower C or p or at i on’s g row i n g portfolio of renewable energy in the country under the Cleanergy brand. ZANECO is among the six electric cooperatives that chose Hedcor’s cleanergy supply in Mindanao. Hedcor is also the power generator of choice of Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperatives 1 and 2, Bukidnon Second Electric C ooperative, Misamis Occidental I Electric

Cooperative and Siargao Electric Cooperative. Lanticse said Hedcor, the largest developer of a run-of-river hydropower plant in the country, will tap the rivers of Tanaon, Guihean, and Amusig for its two cascading run-of-river power plants in Manolo Fortich to produce 360GWh of clean and renewable energy every year for the Mindanao grid. Hedcor VP for Mindanao Operations, Rolando Pacquiao, said, “Manolo Fortich Hydro will enable us to further our commitment to support the energy needs of our country particularly Mindanao. At AboitizPower, we look beyond profitability and explore better ways to integrate good social development and responsible environmental stewardship into our business operations”.

Pacquiao said the first of the two cascading run-of-river hydropower plants, Manolo Fortich 1, which is contracted to JV Angeles Construction is now 70 percent complete. Meanwhile, Manolo Fortich 2, the second power plant being constructed by Sta. Clara International Corporation, is now on its 68 percent completion status. The hydropower generation facility is set to be completed by the third quarter of 2017. Hedcor currently operates 22 hydro power plants in the country, five of which are located in Davao City, four in Davao del Sur, 11 in Benguet, one in Mountain Province, and one in Ilocos Sur. These power plants produce a combined 185 MW of clean and renewable hydro power energy. (PNA)

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar highlighted significant government programs, which include the ASEAN Summit 2017, media security, and Freedom of Information (FOI), in his keynote speech during the PCOO Roadshow at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City on January 14, 2017. SIMEON CELI JR./ Presidential Photo

NGCP-UP training partnership to benefit host communities

GRID operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has partnered with the country’s premier state university for a skills training program specially designed for communities hosting its transmission lines and facilities. On January 16, NGCP and the University of the Philippines (UP) inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the creation of the NGCP-UP Skills Camp. The partnership includes establishing relationships with indigent residents of identified communities, conducting needs assessment ana lysis for liveli ho o d programs, aside from the actual skills training. Through a separate partnership with the Philippine Employment Ser vices Office (PESO), trainees who will complete the course will also be assisted for possible employment opportunities within their locality. “We wanted to make this project a reality because we recognize the lack of skilled workers in various industries, especially in construction. The lack of knowledge and work standards jeopardize their safety, and the quality of work that they produce,” stated NGCP President, Henry Sy, Jr. NGCP will allot PhP50 Million for the entire program training/PAGE 11

Positive Impact on 4Ps Recipients in Education By Rosalie S. Mission Teacher I, Maican Elementary School S. Damulog District Division of Bukidnon

Recent evaluation studies on 4Ps show that it has no significant negative impact on work effort of household heads. 4Ps leads to increased school participation of children, and results in increased household consumption of educationrelated goods. These are the early indicators of success on “Ev a l u at i n g Pa nt aw i d Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)” However, there is one stumbling block - the failure of such programs to reach the poorest of the poor. In a study titled “Does Pantawid Foster Dependence o r E n c o u r a g e Wo r k ? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment,” Dr. Aniceto Orbeta, PIDS senior research fellow, said conditional cash transfers (CCT) increased

the desire for work of the household head and his female spouse, all adult members 18 years and above, and middleaged workers 35-54 years old. This was contrary to the claim of detractors that CCT breeds mendicancy. “Parents work to compensate for loss of income f rom children who attend school. When people publicly recognize the importance of education, families are convinced to keep their children in school. Households also respond by exerting more effort,” Orbeta said. The 4Ps also promotes civic activities through its means of transferring cash. According to DSWD (2009), through the implementation of the 4Ps, women were empowered because they

are the ones who are the primary recipient or holder of the monetary transfers. In addition, belongingness is developed and opportunities to learn new things are attained from community meetings, where individuals develop open communication with the local government. Local officials show sharp provision and commitment to the program by guaranteeing the active participation of focal persons on health and education at the community level. Lastly, there has been a dynamic involvement of the government including local officials from DSWD, Department of Education, Department of Health, National Anti-Pover ty Commission, and Department of Inter ior and L o cal Government in controlling the 4Ps’ implementation an d prov i s i on of apt recommendations in order to ensure its regularity and

broad consultations from the regional to the municipal levels. A recent study showed that the 4Ps helped the children of the beneficiaries in terms of education. The program also compels the parents to send their children to school because this is one condition for them to get the cash benefits. Beneficiaries revealed that 4Ps helped them in terms of the health care of their children. They were compelled to visit the clinics because of the cash benefit for their children A positive development shows that through 4Ps the attendance of children to school is getting good. Absenteeism was avoided. However, some teachers pointed out that, though they performed well in attendance academic performances of the beneficiaries’ children were poor as evidenced by their low grades.

A reflection on the article: Helping Children to Become Attentive in Class MAY JEAN L. VILLAMOR Teacher I Kalanganan Elementary School

A classro om is not a homogeneous place where the people in it are uniformly gathered together. A classroom is composed of naturally diverse students – students from different cultures, students who grew from different p l a c e s , s t u d e nt s w h o were trained by different people and students who lived with different family backgrounds. Encountering people from different walks of life is merely a tough task. Therefore, flexibility for adjustments and openness for new and varied ideas are significantly needed. “Creativity should walk hand-in-hand with me.” – this is the thought I’ve pondered upon reading the article Helping Children to Become Attentive in Class. I’ve realized that teachers should be the most creative persons (as much as possible) in this earth. Why? Because, dealing with multi-faceted pupils in the classroom, and making sure all of them shall learn the lesson you’ve discussed with them, considering their diverse learning styles, well, is no ordinary job. I can still remember the time when I was observing a class at PHINMA – COC as a requirement in our Field Study subject, the teacher is handling a Grade VII class and Grade VII students are already in a stage of starting to mingle with their opposites and

starting to be curious of what really is love. What she did was, in order to catch the attention of her students and for her lesson to be very effective, she incorporated LOVE in her discussion. Upon hearing the word love, the students are already giggling and the students become so interested that their attentions are all laid unto the teacher. In every explanation, she used certain “love situations” wherein it would also fit to the said concept. The discussion got nicer and nicer, as the students become more interested and more eager to listen to the teacher. Even me I was like fully engrossed because I haven’t noticed that the time for my observation has ended already. That was how attractive the lesson was because of the strategy of the teacher. From that, I then learned that we, teachers must not limit ourselves with what the book or teaching material has provided. If possible, make use of every available materials and strategies just to make the discussion interesting so the learners can absorb the lessons effectively. Summing up, for creativity to always be walking hand-in-hand with teachers, it should be handcuffed with them. It should always have a compar tment in their teaching kit already.

Feature

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SEA-US Cable System Secures FCC License Cable is Targeted for Completion in 2Q 2017 Today the Southeast Asia – U S (SEA-US) Cable System publicly marked key milestones and closed in on others with the completion of the installation of its state-of-the-art undersea fiber optic cable network by the second quarter of 2017. Last week, the Hermosa Beach, California shore-end was successfully connected. On January 12, 2017, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted the SEAUS cable landing license. By the end of January 2017 the construction of California’s cable landing station will be completed. In February 2017 the

installation vessel will arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii, after completing its mainlay construction between California and Hawaii. Essential to the SEA-US Cable System’s reliability is the location and protection of mission-critical equipment on land. The SEA-US consortium members chose CoreSite (NYSE:COR), a premier provider of secure, reliable, high-performance data center and interconnection solutions across the United States, to house the SEAUS Cable System’s submarine line terminating equipment (SLTE) at CoreSite’s

purpose built LA2 data center in downtown Los Angeles, California. The SEA-US Cable System’s unique design provides its users with additional protection between the Hermosa Beach, California landing and CoreSite’s LA2 data center over physically diverse dark fiber pairs. The historic US $250 million SEAUS Cable System is being constructed by NEC Corporation. When completed, the system will deliver an initial design capacity of 20 Terabit per second (Tb/s) capacity, using NEC’s state-of-theart 100 Gigabit per second (Gb/s) technology. This

capacity will help to meet the exponentially growing demand for bandwidth between Asia and North America, while also enabling onward connectivity to existing and planned submarine cable systems. The SEA-US Cable System investors consist of the following consortium members: Globe Telecom (Manila, Philippines), GTA (Tamuning, Guam), GTI (Los Angeles, California), Hawaiian Telcom (Honolulu, Hawaii), RTI (San Francisco, California), Telin (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Telkom USA (Los Angeles, California). More details can be found below.

Billboard 7 CaptainDexter Comendador is officially appointed Philippines AirAsia’s president and CEO Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

wednesday|january 18, 2017

hilippines AirAsia has officially appointed Captain Dexter Comendador as president and chief executive officer effective 10 January 2017. Comendador has over 33 years of experience in the aviation industry. He ser ved as combat pilot, flight commander and pilot instructor in the Philippine Air Force for eight years before beginning his professional career as commercial pilot in 1992. A trailblazer and highlydecorated pilot, Captain Comendador is a cum laude graduate of the prestigious Philippine Military Academy and is a recipient of 26 service medals, including two Gold Crosses for bravery and successful combat operations. In 1994, while serving as flight systems engineering crew of a commercial airline, Captain Comendador successfully managed an inflight bomb explosion that earned him a commendation

from then-Philippine President Fidel Ramos and international media attention, inspiring stories of bravery, courage and professionalism. Captain Comendador

opted for early retirement in 2010 while serving as chief pilot for safety and c omp l i a n c e at a l o c a l budget airline. Airlines and airplanes, however, are truly

his first love and, after a short break, he took a job overseas with a foreign airline before eventually winding up at AirAsia in December 2011. He was then asked

him another title apart from his numerous medals and accolades. He is now the first flying pilot-CEO of an airline company in the Philippines.” AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said, “Captain Dex brings with him a wealth of aviation experience and business knowledge. He is a Filipino hero pilot, a homegrown talent with the extraordinary ability to connect and inspire people and ideas capable of driving change and innovation in the Philippines.”

A reflection on the article: Women, Education and Equality in the Workplace MAY JEAN L. VILLAMOR Teacher I Kalanganan Elementary School

(L) Philippines AirAsia CEO Captain Dexter Comendador and AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes together at the AirAsia office in Pasay City, Philippines. Photo was taken yesterday (January 10).

21st Century Education: IPEd 4ID deploys to produce culture-bearing learners new soldiers to field The good thing about It consists of curriculum Practices and Indigenous Ace Mark Andrew B. Sadicon Teacher-l Maramag Central Elementary School

CAMP EVANGELISTA, C agayan de Oro City– Army’s 4th Infantry Division deployed more than 200 new soldiers fresh from their rigorous training to its line units during a simple ceremony held at the Division Grandstand on January 14, 2017. In line with the current campaign of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) dubbed as Development Support and Security Plan “Kapayapaan,” the deployment is intended to beef up the strength and capability of the battalions that are conducting Community Support Programs in Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions. During the program, a ceremonial entrustment of firearms was graced by the different local chief executives representing the two regions as a symbol of the conferment of trust to the soldiers. The LCEs endowed in them the responsibility to carry firearms as they perform their mandate to protect the people and secure the communities against any threat. Mayor Philip Arreza Pichay of the municipality of Cantilan in Surigao del Sur said during his speech that he was grateful to be invited as the guest of honor and speaker that he could deliver his message to the soldiers. “It’s been quite a long time when I experienced being in the Reserve Officers Training deploys/PAGE 10

to join the newly launched AirAsia operations in the Philippines as Chief Pilot for Operations, and was promoted two years later to Director of Flight Operations and Chief Operating Officer. He accepted the challenge to lead the Philippine team of AirAsia as interim Chief Executive Officer in July 2016. P h i l ippi n e s A i r As i a Chairperson Maan Hont ive ro s s ai d, “ T h e appointment of Captain Dex as our CEO will earn

e duc at ion in t he 21st Century is the improvement of accessibility. Gone are the days that teachers worry about their difficulties in transforming lessons to a venue that its more quick to be understood by the students, especially those having different languages, orientation and culture. Just recently, Department of Education has introduced an education program that is more focused to indigenous people. Indigenous Peoples E du c at i on , o r s i mp l y I P E d i s a c u lt u r a l l y appropriate and responsive curriculum, designed in recognition of the right of indigenous p eoples to culturally rooted and responsive basic education.

framework that is a product of series of consultations with community elders, leaders and implementers of community-based IPEd initiatives. Further, teachers and school heads in different schools serving indigenous communities has been given with series of trainings and workshops in order for them to be efficient in their roles. The IPEd also makes use of MTB-MLE program or the Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education, providing fast-paced learning among students. According to DepEd, the use of MTB-MLE among indigenous learners is also a way to regenerate and enrich the community’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems and

Learning Systems, for IPEd in general is designed to enable IP learners to be future culture-bearers, capable of exercising their right to self-determination as they interact with other cultures. The education in the Philippines indeed won another milestone in the implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ Education. However, fact be told, there’s more to go in the matters of education. There are more IPs to be reached and educated. There are more areas to discover and cover. As the same to IPEd’s success, hopefully in the future, more minds will learn and more endeavours will be celebrated.

Benefits of installing water system in school By RUFINO G. SARAOS Teacher I Balintad Elementary School

IN general, most hygiene, sanitation and water in schools projects place their major emphasis on the improvement of sanitation facilities. However, schools must also have access to safe and sufficient water for drinking, food preparation, hand washing, laundering, use of flush toilets and cleansing after using the toilet, toilet and other cleaning and watering the school garden. Most schools already have access to some kind

of water source. However, the source may need repair, may provide insufficient and/or unsafe water or may b e situated in an inappropriate location. Even for large scale projects c ov e r i n g hu n d re d s of thousands of schools, the water needs and demands of each individual school should be analyzed. = In most circumstances, the existing water supply at the school, the water supply technology used in the surrounding community

a n d t h e l o c a l hy d r o geological conditions will help to determine which water supply technology or technologies are most appropriate. Cost considerations and the availability of financing options must be also be taken into account. The most common water technologies used in schools are piped water, s h a l l o w w a t e r, d e e p boreholes, rainwater harvesting, surface water collection and water trucks.

“It was generally thought that women did not need to attain education because their duty was in the home and hence, they needed only domestic skills.” – Myra C. Beltran Gender stereotypes, gender biases and gender inequality – are a few of the most controversial issues discussed among leaders, representatives and reformists in the congress, senate and even in the media. A lot of studies and researches were and are still conducted to finally put a period in these issues. The question now is how? And who shall finally end these hot and controversial issues? According to Myra C. Beltran, women nowadays are given equal opportunities with men in terms of education, in fact, researches would now tell that women are outperforming men because there is more number of women compared to men who achieve and finish degrees in college. Despite this fact, this sadly has not translated to equality in the workplace or in opportunities for employment. Women, who are believed to be highly domestically-oriented are given with much lowercosting jobs like in the field of education (not undermining the profession) and in health-care services, while men, who are believed to be highly analytical and are usually fearless, are into higher-costing jobs like in the field of engineering, “hard” sciences, technologyoriented careers, and law. This is a sad fact, very sad fact. So now, let us go back to the question how and who shall end this inequality. “Paradoxically, it is also within the educational system that this task of changing attitudes toward gender can occur.” (Beltran, 2015) It can be gleaned from the statement of

Beltran that, for one, our educational system is a key factor that could contribute to the changing of attitudes and viewpoints toward gender roles. How? Our curriculums and textbooks should be examined to see if they reinforce stereotypes about women or contain subtle images of women being inferior. If there are, then the whole academe should make moves to eradicate them because these stereotypes that students/ pupils could read in books or even hear from their teachers did have and will have a great contribution to society’s undervaluing of women. That is why, the author is trying to call the attention of not just the administrators from higher offices but to all, most importantly to the teachers. Because it is us teachers, who can directly influence our pupils’ beliefs and views about gender roles and equality. If we continue the traditional façade of the teaching methods used before, which arouse gender stereotyping, then we could not really put this issue to an end. However, if we will start the move as early as now, (use materials which are gender sensitive, use examples of situations which display that women are equal with men, influence the pupils’ views that men and women are equal, etc.) then we could still hope that one day, finally the issue on gender bias would reach its conclusion. So, educators, female educators specifically, let us be united and let us start the move now. We should give justice to the freedom (not-so-achieved equality) that we, contemporar y FILIPINAS, are enjoying. Remember, we have received this, because of the so many battles that the women of the previous generations waged on their behalf.

Banking&Finance AFP Conducts IMF hikes ‘16 GDP Outreach Program forecast for PHL to 6.8%

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Maria Nora F. Bangcong School Head Portulin Elementary School, Pangantucan North District

IGHER-thanexpected growth of the Philippine e c onomy in the third quarter of 2016 made the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revise upwards its proje c ti on for the domestic economy this year to 6.8 percent.

This was previously at 6.4 percent, based on the lenders’ update in September 2016. IMF Representative to the Philippines Shanaka Jayanath Peiris earlier disclosed the possible update of the lender’s 2016 growth forecast for the Philippines after gross domestic product (GDP)

Congress to focus on tax collection efficiency than back new taxes NOT in a hurry to pass new tax measures, the House of Representatives will instead train its sights on tax collection efficiency of concerned agencies amid reports of low collection rate, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said. Alvare z s aid he has instructed Quirino Representative Dakila Cua to carefully study proposals to impose additional taxes, such as the excise tax on oil, because many Filipinos will be affected. He urged government revenue collection agencies to look into the value added tax (VAT), which is being imposed in the country at 12 percent. He said the Department of Finance

(DOF) collects only 4.3 percent, which is very low. “[Maybe it makes sense to look at at the figures related to] insufficient means [of ] tax collection. [Why should we tackle other measure, impose new taxes] to cover the inefficiencies of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue)?” he said, speaking partly in Filipino. The House leader said some businesses get away with the payment of VAT on sale with the help of some BIR personnel. He said the BIR should also examine how businesses compute for the input VAT and the output VAT. The input VAT is tax paid on purchases, while VAT added on sales is taxes/PAGE 10

PES wins the different district competition By ALMA TAMPOS-ROLLORAZO Teacher III PONGOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Libona District conducted the different yearly activities which started on June 6-9, 2016 and hosted by the different schools of the district of Libona to represent during the Division Level competition wherein PONGOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL won the different district competition. On June 7, 2016 is the Athletic Meet held at Camp 9 E/S wherein Pongol E/S players won the First Place in the Sipa Takraw event with coach Mrs. Joann C. Sorial, Teacher I of Pongol ES. Volleyball Players of Pongol E/S both boys and girls garnered the Fourth Place with Mrs. Jenefer G. Yecyec, their coach. Badminton Players got Champion during the District athletic Meet in Libona District both boys and girls and they were able to compete for the provincial level with Mrs. Anamarita A. Tagalog, the coach. The following players who will compete for the provincial level were Vlademear Tigpos, Lourd Adrian R. Lingat and Anthon Joe Taruc for the boys and Kerstal G. Balibagon, and Lucy Mae

P. Yanga for the girls. DepEDnomics followed the next day on June 8, 2016 at Gango E/S, the host school of this event. Luckily Kent Ryan L. Pagongpong won the First Place in the Sales Inventory event with Mrs. Rosalinda V. Pimentel, the coach. June 9, 2016 was the District Science YES-O Competition held at Libona Central E/S. Grade V pupil of Pongol E/S won the First Place in the Quiz Bee Grade V Level with his coach Ms. Maria Irish M. Ola. Kerstal G. Balibagon, a grade VI pupil of Pongol E/S also won the Third Place in Grade VI Level Quiz Bee with Mrs. Alma Tampos-Rollorazo. District Schools Press Conference was held at Crossing E/S, Friday, June 10, 2016 and luckily two pupils won the Third Placer in Copyreading and Headline Writing, English Category and Pagwawasto ng Ulo ng Balita, Filipino Category with Mrs. Alma Tampos-Rollorazo, as the coach. . The said pupils were able to attend and join the 2016 Division Press Conference to be held at Maramag, Bukidnon. Congratulations to all the winners.

print in the third quarter of last year posted its highest for almost three years at 7.1 percent, which is also the highest in the region for the period. The GDP in the first three quarters of 2016 averaged seven percent, the upper end of the government’s six to seven percent target for the said period. ” T h e P h i l ippi n e s i s expected to maintain its strong GDP growth momentum registered in 2016 into 2017 at a pace of about 6.8 percent, supported by a fiscal stimulus as the budget deficit widens towards the three percent of GDP target,” he said Monday. The IMF official said exports, which was hurt by the weak global economy, “are also anticipated to recover reflecting the pick-up in global growth and commodity prices.” “ The medium-term g row t h out l o ok wou l d depend on the more uncertain global economic outlook and the passage of the

administration’s tax reform proposals that would be important to continue to raise public infrastructure i nv e s t m e nt a n d s o c i a l spending to benefit from the demographic dividend,”he added. T he up g rad e of t he country’s projected growth is in line with the multilateral lender’s projection of possible bigger impact from the stimulus program in the US and China than currently projected. I M F, i n i t s Wo r l d Economic Outlook (WEO) releas ed Monday night (Philippine time), has a 4.1 percent growth forecast for emerging market and developing economies for 2016 and this is expected to rise to 4.5 percent this year and 4.8 percent for 2018. The growth outlook for 2017, is however 0.1 percent lower than IMF’s projection made in October last year. Growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 5, which groups forecast/PAGE 10

A reflection on the article: Computer-supported Collaborative Learning in Classroom Instruction MAY JEAN L. VILLAMOR Teacher I Kalanganan Elementary School

Computers are creating new opportunities for reading, writing and collaborating. The internet is constructing global bridges for students to communicate, underscoring the need for rock-solid reading and writing skills. By changing the way that information is absorbed, p ro c e s s e d , a n d u s e d , technology is influencing how people read, write, listen and communicate. The growing influence of technology has caused many educators to acknowledge that they need information on teaching reading skills in the Digital Age. This reflects the fact that the technological capabilities that appear to have the most potential in helping children learn to read, such as computer speech recognition, have on ly re c e nt ly b e c ome sufficiently affordable and available for widespread use. New products using these technologies have recently been announced, more are on the way, and a number of research studies are underway to test the impact of these products on children’s learning. From my point of view, technology is not always going to be the answer. Instead, the integration of technolog y into the classroom is the key. I can remember what types of technology were used when

I was in my internship in college. I can recall seeing very little instructional technology being used in the classroom. I have seen it work and work well. The expression on children’s faces when they finally understand something because they are using technology and having fun is priceless. Furthermore, since we are now not only in the Information Age, but also in the Digital Age, it is essential that teachers use instructional technology in the reading program with their pupils. Teachers must know the ability of their pupils and the benefits they will gain from using t h e r i g ht t e c h n o l o g y appropriately integrated into their reading curriculum. In fact, knowledgeable and dedicated teachers are the critical element in successful classroom instruction. While technolog y can support these teachers and help them be more successful with reading program, it can never replace qualified teachers because teaching children is too complex. It requires insight into children’s cognitive abilities and emotional needs, and is dependent upon the guidance and supp or t provided by knowledgeable, loving, and caring teachers.

July 8, 2016 was historical day at Portulin Elementary S chool Pangantucan North District when men in uniform from the 3rd Infantry Batallion arrived in our school aboard military truck. The pupils were so excited most especially when they learned that will be given packs of school supplies. The outreach program was held to build rapport with the pupils and change pupils outlook towards the armed forces of the Philippines. They would like to correct the perception that Armed Forces are not only for war but to maintain peace and order and also a generous and loving friends to everybody most especially to law abiders. The activity started with a short opening program w it h t h e pre s e n c e of barangay officials headed by Honorable Barangay Captain Avelino N. Liba, PTA Officials and some parents who were around. Some pupils rendered songs and dances but the most entertaining part was when 3 of the army let the pupils

sang the “Tatlong Bebe” while they enterpret the song in dancing in front of all the pupils. They also broke the barrier by calling pupils on stage and asked some questions regarding the pupils perception when the saw an army with a gun and reward pupils who bravely answered their questions with innocence and truthfulness. The highlight of the activity was the distribution of packs of school supplies to all pupils present including the barangay daycare pupils. The AFP’s gestures prompted some of the pupils to dream that someday they will become one of the member of the Armed Force of the Philippines also. Portulin Elementary School is always grateful to the AFP 3rd Infantry Batallion Portulin- based for their continued support to the need of the school, they are one of the loyal and most participative stakeholder of the school and really volunteered themselves during Brigada Eskwela. Salute to all of you sirs.

DENGUE BRIGADE BY ANAMARITA A. TAGALOG

D e p ar t me nt of he a lt h ( D OH ) t o g e t h e r w it h the Department of Education (DEPED) D e p ar t me nt of S o c i a l Welfare and Development (DSWD) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Local Government Un i t o f D i v i s i o n o f Bukidnon strengthen their partnership to sustain the Anti-Dengue Advocacy Campaign in school and communities. The Philippines is a tropical country who experience two seasons, it is the rainy and sunny season. When rainy season arrived, different diseases were spread especially when the place experience natural calamities such as typhoons and floods. News started coming out in the televisions, radios and newspaper with the d is e as e s t hat s ome of Filipinos encountered. Some of these dreadful diseases are leptospiroses that came from the rats, the malaria and dengue form of mosquitoes. Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne viral diseases of human. This disease doesn’t select the status of victim. Any member of the society may suffer these diseases. These are the activities conducted by the parents, pupils and teachers of Pongol Elementary School last August, 2016 for the c a mp a i g n on D e n g u e

Brigade. First activity, clean-up drive the pupils and teachers cleaned the school surrounding. They made sure that all trash bins were emptied and garbage was separated to Biodegradable, Nonbiodegradable and Rec yclable containers. Making themselves good examples for their schoolmates and neighbors will be a great help to make the school grounds cleans and order. Parents also p ar t i c ip at e d on t h e s e activities. Second activity, emptying stagnant water i n t h e c a n a l s , f l ow e r pots, vases, bottles and containers were emptied and changed. To m a k e s u re t h at eg gs and w r ig g lers of mosquitoes will be longer live there. Bottles were turn upside down so that it will not catch water that the mosquitoes may lay t heir eg gs. C ana ls were cleaned so that the mosquitoes will not live there. The first step to prevent dengue is within our homes. We should not only remember the information being delivered by DOH to the communities. Instead, let us make it practice and instill cleanliness in our surroundings. It is not only your family who will benefit with this habit, but the safety of our entire community as well.

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SETTING UP A SCHOOL B E AU T I F I C AT I O N PROJECT at SANIPON ELEMENTARYSCHOOL Mariano S. Plazos Jr. Teacher-1 at Sanipon ES

A well-maintained school provides a safe and productive learning environment for pupils. S c h o o l b e au t i f i c at i o n projects, however, can offer much more than physical improvements to the school buildings and grounds. Through cleaning and painting the inside and outside of the school and by planting new flowers and shrubs, the pupils can take advantage of educational, p ers ona l de vel opment and community building opportunities. The most visible results of school beautification projects are the changes to the physical surroundings. B eautification projects prov ide a unique and relevant opportunity. The educational objectives of such projects could be that children learn about the history of the school and surroundings area, or that they make signs about the plants that they add to the school grounds. They could learn about the biodiversity of the school grounds or the correct way to apply p ai nt for t h e mu r a l s . Tying the beautification

project of the school into the school`s academic curriculum enhances the children`s learning. There are many opportunities for personal development of the stu d e nt s w it h i n t he s e projects. One objective is to have the pupils play leadership roles and take responsibility in the planning and conduct of the beautification project. Participating in the said project can instill a sense of pride and ownership for the school in the pupils. With meager resources and inadequate funds, I was able to set up school beautification projects in Sanipon Elementary School using recycled materials. I was able to gather used tires used it as flower pots through solicitations. The b e aut i f i c at i on proj e c t through landscaping the school botanical and horticultural as well as Gulayan sa Paaralan –all in one project was started during the first quarter and realized into completion towards the end of the third quarter of this school year 2016-2017.

Deploys... from page 7

Corps (ROTC) and wearing that same uniform. I can still remember the feeling of discipline and the kind of respect that I get from other people. I am happy that soldiers now have improved well and are more disciplined. With high hopes and filled with prayers, may all of you remain safe as you perform your duty. I know that when I go back to the province of Surigao I could sleep soundly because I know that we have the soldiers who will ensure our freedom and safety,” said Mayor Arreza. Present during the program wre Mayor Michael Jo s e Pat i ñ o of P l a c e r, Surigao del Norte; Mayor Cesar Diaz Jr, Taganaan, Surigao del Norte; Board Member Gilbert Elorde, Agusan del Sur; Vice Mayor Jenry Montante, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; Ferdinand Vincent Dy Jr., Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head, Misamis Orient al; Nena Undag, Lumadnong Indigenous Peoples (IP) focal person; and Milan Sambile from National Commission on IP NCIP Region 10.

For his p ar t, MG en Benjamin R Madrigal Jr., 4ID commander, in his message, said that the training the new recruits have undergone is to prepare them for this day. Madrigal also said that with the firearms entrusted to them by the stakeholders whom they have received, s y mb o l i z e s a c c e pt an c e of the responsibility and commitment to perform their duty to protect the people and communities at all times. “You have agreed to that covenant and it now entails accountability on your part. I hope that you perform well and carr y out the professionalism of a Filipino soldier. Always remember to maintain our discipline at all times. We must not violate the Human Rights and we must not abuse the authority given to us,” said the 4ID commander. He said the firearms that are entrusted to the soldiers are from the entire Filipino people whom the Philippine Army has pledged to serve. “Do your job and do what is right, Madrigal directed the soldiers. To all the stakeholders, Madrigal said “in front of you are the new soldiers that are ready to serve and fulfill their duty with the

A reflection on the article: Does Nutritional Status of Children Affect their Academic Performance? MAY JEAN L. VILLAMOR Teacher I Kalanganan Elementary School

Good nutrition is one of the most important factors that will contribute to the wholesome development of a child or an individual. Tenedero discussed in his column in Manila Bulletin (May 14, 2015) the stomachbr ai n c on n e c t i on . He started, “It is said that the surest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” According to him, for some learners, this may be paraphrased as “the best way of learning is through intake.” Food, the ver y vehicle of health and lifegiving nutrients, is supposed to be intake by the child for him to reach his optimal brain development. But, the question is, how about those children who don’t have food to feed their stomachs? Of course, their brains shall starve and mental faculty then suffers. As I’ve read this article, I was really like, trapped in silence then I’ve thought of my students and realize that my students’ low academic performance isn’t because of them being irresponsible students, but because of the lack of proper nutrition that they ought to have. Shame and guilt started to linger on my mind as I’ve remembered those times, when I was just too depressed about them to the extent that I already uttered demeaning words to them because they couldn’t grasp

the lessons I was discussing even if I’ve discussed it the third time around. I could also remember those times I had scolded some of my students because of the low scores they’d gotten in a quiz. All these, made me feel guilty because, I’ve realized, I shouldn’t have done that. I couldn’t just question them of their scholastic performance because, in the first place, it isn’t their fault. They’re still children, and they still have to depend on their parents for their physiological needs like food. However, I just couldn’t put all the blame on the parents as well, because it isn’t their fault also why they woke up with tarnished spoons already. The problem has become worse and solving it won’t happen overnight. So, as a teacher, I will really try my very best to understand the situation of my students so I can prevent from misjudging them, and of course to continually inform them and encourage them about the importance of staying in school. I would always remind them how education has helped me, our family (as an example), in uplifting our socio-economic status. With this, they would be encouraged to persist and persevere in their studies amidst the poverty, hunger, and malnutrition they’re undergoing.

best of their abilities. They represent the new generation of soldiers who will serve as partners for positive change and are active partners for the achievement of lasting peace and prosperity for the country. (4ID/PA)

Taxes... from page 8

called the output VAT. Input VAT (VAT from purchases) are deducted from output VAT (VAT on sales) in arriving at the VAT due and payable. “Kapag iyong output VAT mo, pwe d e mong i-compensate doon sa input VAT mo, so wala ka ngayong babayaran na tax o buwis, kaya iyong koleksyon natin ganoon kababa,” Alvarez said. “BIR should address this, it can’t be that they will not address the inefficiency and then just impose new taxes,” he added. Alvarez also pushed for a system that would network commercial establishments with the BIR, for monitoring of sales. “Kung may [If there’s] real time, makikita mo doon kung ano talaga ang sales ng isang [you can really see there the sales of a] commercial establishment,” he said.

Forecast... from page 8

Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, is projected to be at 4.8 for 2016, 4.9 percent for 2017 and 5.2 percent in 2018. The 2017 projection is lower by 0.2 percent than the figure in the October 2016 projections. IMF, in its latest report, said “emerging market and developing economies face starkly diverse c yclical positions and structural challenges.” ”In general, enhancing financial resilience can reduce the vulnerability to a tightening of global financial conditions, sharp currency movements, and the risk of capital flow reversals,” it said. The report said countries that have large and increasing non-financial liabilities, unhedged foreign debts or those that heavily rely on

short-term loans to finance l ong - te r m i nve st m e nt s “must adopt stronger risk m a n a g e m e nt p r a c t i c e s and contain balance sheet mismatches.” It explained that on the back of weak growth and limited policy space in many countries “continued multilateral effort is required in several areas to minimize risks to financial stability and sustain global improvements in living standards.” ” To share t he longterm benefits of economic integration more broadly, policymakers must ensure that well-targeted initiatives are in place to help those adversely affected by trade opening and to facilitate their ability to find jobs in the sectors of the economy that are expanding,” it said. Multilateral and national efforts are also needed to address tax evasion, it said. Measures to ensure the resiliency of financial systems should continuously be put in place to address emerging risks from non-bank factors, it said. ”Last but not the least, multilateral cooperation is also indispensable to address important longerterm global challenges, such as meeting the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, mitigating and coping with climate change, and preventing the spread of global epidemics,” it added. (PNA)

HIV- AIDS Awareness in School By Maria Nora F. Bangcong Portulin Elementary School

To ensure everybody’s safety and to be educated more on HIV- AIDS, Portulin Elementary School teachers conducted a film viewing as a support to Worlds AIDS Day. HIV stands for Human Immuno deficiency Virus and AIDS for Human Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This year’s theme is “Hands up for HIV- AIDS”. After viewing the video, teachers were able to understand deeply that HIV can be transmitted in different ways like sharing needles with the infected person. Unprotected sex with an infected partner, transfusion of donated

blood contaminated then it can also transmit to the pregnant woman to her baby. There are two strains of HIV, the HIV 1 and HIV 2, the two distinct virus where in HIV 1 is the free dominant virus and the HIV 2 the person infected are those who are infected with HIV 1, those with HIV 2 are less infectious early in course of infection. Both HIV 1 and HIV 2 have the same modes of transmission and are associated with similar opp or tunities, infection and AIDS. The full blown AIDS develop 5-10 years after you have been infected with HIV.

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wednesday|january 18, 2017

Market... from page 1

main buyers,” said Romeo M. Montenegro, deputy executive director of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), which is a member of the MPMC. Cooperatives make up the majority of the electricity distributors in Mindanao at 33 while only four are privately owned utilities. One of the biggest issues, Mr. Montenegro said, is that many of these cooperatives have huge outstanding debts, putting them in no position to participate in a power auction. “The (power) generators will ignore them... This is one major challenge that needs to be looked into,” he said. Several cooperatives that were contacted declined to comment. T h e As s o c i at i o n o f Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives established the Amreco Power Supply Aggregation Group Corp. in 2014 to cons olidate the needed capacity of its members and be able to buy a bigger volume from the short-lived Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) that was set up in late 2013. However, the Energy Regulator y Commission ruled that the aggregator company cannot sign supply contracts as it does not have the legal standing to cover the financial obligations of cooperatives that fail to pay the power suppliers. Mr. Montenegro said that at this point, about “only a dozen of these cooperatives” are financially capable of joining an energy trading platform. Nonetheless, the MinDa official said MPMC is looking into possible arrangements that would allow more cooperatives, particularly those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, to participate. Another major issue that needs to be addressed is ensuring that cooperatives have the technical capability to make the right projections on electricity demand in their franchise areas and buy the corresponding power volume. “If you contract (from the spot market) a certain capacity, you must use it entirely or find a way to dispatch it (even to other distributors or users) or face the consequences of paying for it and passing the burden of paying the unused portion to your consumers and even getting penalized,” Mr. Montenegro explained. Furthermore, many of these cooperatives have signed long-term contracts with generators that have yet to go online. “That makes it difficult for them to participate in the market even when the pricing (by that time) will be lower than what is stipulated in their (existing) contracts,” he said. Rodger C. Velasco, newlyappointed executive vicepresident of Aboitiz Power Corp. subsidiary Davao Light and Power Co., earlier also

pointed out that a power distributor, be it privatelyrun or a cooperative, must be able to project the volume of power that it needs at a given time as this is the volume that it will nominate to the market. “In the case of Davao Light, we have signed short-term supply contracts with some distributors so that when the market is implemented, we are ready to join,” he said. The MPMC and the D e p ar t me nt of E ne rg y are keen on launching an electricity spot market in Mindanao with excess supply seen to reach 1,000 megawatts starting this year. The spot market is also exp ected to give small generators, including those that will set up renewable energy facilities, a venue to compete and sell their capacity.

Floods... from page 1

Montesino, 10, of the village of Awang in the town of Opol, Misamis Oriental, Monday evening. Rescuers also f ished out the body of Franklin Ociosbello, 59, of the village of Balulang in Cagayan De Oro City River Tuesday morning. City disaster officials also reported that about 1,060 persons from various flood prone villages in the city were moved to evacuation centers at the height of heavy rains Monday evening. In Misamis Oriental, more than 4,000 individuals living near rivers and creeks were als o e vac uated to higher grounds amid an upsurge of flood water due to heavy rains brought by the low pressure area (LPA) on Monday. Prov i n c i a l gove r n or Yevgeny Vincente Emano suspended classes in all levels of public schools Tuesday as the Provincial Disaster, Risk Reduction Management Office (PRDRRMO) continues to assess the damage brought about by the flooding. The Cagayan De Oro City government has also declared the city under the “state of calamity” after the heavy rain Monday turned the city’s urban villages and downtown area into a complete mess. Stranded and stuck up vehicles, mostly luxury cars, carried by the rampaging flood waters, piled up along and beside the city’s major thoroughfares apart from mud and debris, which d e pi c t e d a n ot h e r w i s e abandoned metropolis. Disaster officials in the city and the province of Misamis Oriental continue to monitor and assess the damage to properties as the aircraft of the Philippine Air Force conducted an aerial survey of the flood’s aftermath here. Both the city and provincial disaster officials have yet to issue an estimated value of the damage to properties and agriculture in Cagayan De Oro City and Misamis Oriental. (PNA)

Power... be signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to subsidize power costs in all economic zones in Mindanao. “The Secretary wanted me to recommend at least three areas for the meantime,” she said, pertaining to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. The PEZA chief mentioned that she is eyeing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Davao region, and Caraga region as the first three areas to benefit from lower power costs in Mindanao. She noted that ARMM and Caraga are among the poorest regions in Mindanao, while there are existing economic zones that will benefit in Davao, which can attract more locators once power rates are competitive. “The DOE is improving the Agus-Polangui source. They will improve it in order for the government to subsidize power costs in Mindanao,” Plaza said in Filipino. With the plan to subsidize power costs in economic zones in Mindanao, power rate is expected to cost P2.75 per kilowatt hour from about P6.00 to P7.00 in current rates, according to the PEZA chief. (PNA)

The said facility will then serve as the standard grading and baling center accredited by the Philippine Fiber Development Authority (PhilFIDA). Wit h t his, SIUFMULCO is expecting more abaca traders coming from other provinces in Caraga including neighboring regions from Davao and Northern Mindanao because of the expansion of the abaca project. Abaca is a great demand in the world market today since its material is being used for making security papers, paper money, ropes, insulators and other handicraft items. T h e D e p a r t m e nt of Ag r i c u ltu re u n d e r t h e leadership of S ecretar y Manny Piñol, has been keen on reviving the Abaca Industry considering its potential in the local and global market. “With the cooperation of local government units (LGUs) and farmer groups, we will continue to propose for more projects for the strengthening and d e ve l opm e nt of v i abl e agri-fisher y enterprises through efficient value chains of key agriculture and fishery products,” said I-REAP component Head Lynn Pareñas. (Fretcher D. Magatao, RPCO-13/PIAAgusan del Norte)

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Calamity...

morning. On Monday night, the city government ordered the forced evacuation of residents in 10 barangays, including Bulua which lies along the national highway. The LPA and the tail end of a cold front also caused flooding in Iligan City, Oroquieta City in Misamis Occidental, parts of Zamboanga Peninsula as well as in Cebu and other parts of the Visayas. Some schools in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan suspended classes on Tuesday. Alexandria Mordeno, a student of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute o f Te c h n o l o g y t e x t e d MindaNews that flood waters outside her boarding house in Tibanga reached knee-high on Monday night. MSU-IIT declared a suspension of classes on Tuesday. Also on Monday night, the flood in Cagayan de Oro stranded several students, faculty members and other employees of University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.

Abaca... from page 2

enhance production of quality fiber were also included in the package. Two hauling trucks, moisture meter, and weighing scales would also support the efficient marketing and trading activities. “This is the kind of project we need in the province. Our goal is not just to help, but also to encourage and influence other farmers to do more,” said Agusan del Norte provincial board member Victor Carmona.

Batas...

-ooo ONLY GOD IS HOLY: Luke 1:35 of the Bible contains a declaration about who was to be conceived and given birth to by Mary, the virgin. This verse says: “… The angel answered, `The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the one to be born will be called holy…” Of course, we are all aware that among humans, there is no one who is holy. Only God is holy, as 1 Samuel 2:2 of the Bible confirms: “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God…” The clear import of all these is that the baby boywhom Mary will give birth to is none other than the holy God the Father Himself. -ooo PLEASE LISTEN: “Ang Tanging Daan” (The Sole Way): a Bible study and prayer session online could now be heard, 24 HOURS a day, in the Philippines and the world at www.facebook. com/angtangingdaan. Phone: 0917 984 24 68, 0918 574 0193, 0977 805 9058. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.

Training... from page 5

spread over the course of 5 years. The grid operator has identified a population of 155,000 residents in 29 communities, 62,000 of who are individuals in the labor market. The company projects that it will invest about PhP 20,000 per household to achieve long-term increased employability and income of the project beneficiaries. The program will start with

an estimated 1,000 residents from seven identified key areas near UP campuses in Los Baños (Laguna), Davao, Iloilo, and Tacloban (Leyte) benefitting from the project. M r. S y e mp h a s i z e d the corporation’s goal of contributing to the alleviation of poverty and issues on job security. “By providing skills training as part of NGCP’s corporate initiatives, we

open more doors of job opportunities to our partner communities. The identified areas are our partners in protecting transmission facilities, and this project is a fulfillment of our vow to support their socio-economic development. With no less than UP as our partner, NGCP is confident that the success of this project will be replicated in more areas in the future.”

A reflection on the article: The Teacher as a Factor in Achieving Quality Education MAY JEAN L. VILLAMOR Teacher I Kalanganan Elementary School

“No matter where they put their child to be educated, the teacher has a great role and is one of the factors in achieving quality education.” – Mary Jean Basultin “I’ll only enroll my child in the private school.” “I’d rather choose private than public.” --- these are few of the common phrases that one can hear from parents when June comes. The discrimination between private schools and public schools is still very prevalent. Maybe because of some parents’ notion that private schools are far better than the public schools, or that, public schools are miles behind than the private institutions. But, is it really the school that matters or the teachers in a particular school? According to Mary Jean Basultin, a teacher of the Vista Alegre Elementary School, no matter what school will parents entrust their children’s education, still it has no bearing

whether the child will succeed or not. Students, whether they come from private or public, become who they are because of the influence of the teachers on them and perhaps not the school. Even if the institution is private, (has complete facilities) if its teachers are of substandard, then we could not really expect for quality students as its product. Subsequently, even if a public school doesn’t have the completeness of the facilities like that of the private institution, if its teachers are good and they teach with quality, then it would be very likely to produce great and quality students. It is the student/pupil that determines his/her success. And it is the teacher that influences his/her to reach that success. If the teacher teaches the student well, trains him/her appropriately and exposes him/her to the real world, then there would be no reason for failing.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF THE LATE EMPERARIZ F. ADECER WHO DIED INTESTATE AND WITHOUT LEAVING WILL ON FEBRUARY 8, 1995 AT CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, CONSISTING OF A PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATED AT BARRIO GRACIA,, MUNICIPALITY OF TAGOLOAN, MISAMIS ORIENTAL, IDENTIFIED AS LOT 8, Ccs-104326-000342 (AR), BEING PORTION OF LOT 2018 AND 2182, PLS-799 CONTAINING AN AREA OF NINETEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FORTY ONE (19,941) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS AND COVERED BY ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. E-2522 OF THE REGISTRY OF DEEDS OF PROVINCE OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BY AND AMONG HER HEIRS, AS PER INSTRUMENT EXECUTED ON DECEMBER 5, 2016 AND NOTARIZED BEFORE NOTARY PUBLIC, AUDIE G. PADAGUNAN AND ENTERED IN HIS NOTARIAL REGISTER AS DOC. NO. 309; PAGE NO. 59; BOOK NO. 54; SERIES OF 2016. BWM: Jan. 11, 18 & 25, 2017

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wednesday|january 18, 2017

Host communities to gain from NGCP-UP training partnership SKILLS CAMP MOA SIGNING. NGCP President Henry Sy, Jr. (2nd from left), UP President Alfredo Pascual (2nd from right), NGCP Chief Administrative Officer Anthony Almeda (extreme left) and UP Vice-President Edna Co (extreme right) sign a Memorandum of Agreement for the creation of the NGCP-UP Skills Camp. The Skills Camp will be the venue for a skills training program specially designed for communities hosting NGCP’s transmission lines and facilities. Trainees who complete the course will be assisted for possible employment opportunities within their locality. Photo supplied.

Grid operator, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), partnered with the country’s premier state university for a skills training program specially designed for communities hosting its transmission lines and facilities. On 16 January 2017, NGCP and the University of the Philippines (UP) inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the creation of the NGC-UP Skills Camp. The partnership includes establishing relationships with indigent residents of identified communities, conducting needs assessment analysis for livelihood programs, aside from the actual skills training. Through a separate partnership with the Philippine Employment Services Office (PESO), trainees who will complete the course will also be assisted for possible employment opportunities within their locality. “We wanted to make this project a reality because we recognize the lack of skilled workers in various industries, especially in construction. The lack of knowledge and work standards jeopardize their safety, and the quality of work that they produce,” stated NGCP President Henry Sy, Jr. NGCP will allot

PhP50 million for the entire program spread over the course of five years. The grid operator has identified a population of 155,000 residents in 29 communities, 62,000 of whom are individuals in the labor market. The company projects that it will invest about PhP20,000 per household to achieve an end goal of longterm increased employability and income of project beneficiaries. The program will start with an estimated 1,000 residents from seven identified key areas near UP compuses in Los Baños (Laguna), Davao, Iloilo, and Tacloban (Leyte) benefitting from the project. Mr. Sy emphasized the corporation’s goal of contributing to the alleviation of poverty and issues on job security. “By providing skills training as part of NGCP’s corporate initiatives, we open more doors of job opportunities to our partner communities. The identified areas are our partners in protecting transmission facilities, and this project is a fulfillment of our vow to support their socio-economic development. With no less than UP as our partner, NGCP is confident that the success of this project will be replicated in more areas in the future.”