BusinessWeek Mindanao (January 20, 2014)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

FREE TV CH. 21

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Volume IV, No. 53

www.businessweekmindanao.com

SkyCable Ch. 16 | Global Destiny Ch. 28 Cablelink Ch. 14 | Cignal Ch. 10

Monday|January 20, 2014

P15.00

Nationwide consultations X X Briefly on Epira amendments set

Market Indicators As of 6:02 pm jan. 17, 2014 (Friday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P45.00

5,987.09 points

12 cents

4.85 points

Rice Center

S

ERIES of nationw ide and multi-stakeholder consultations will be undertaken by the Department of Energy (DOE) in line with the Aquino administration’s wish to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) or the law governing the restructured electricity sector.

KIDAPAWAN City — As part of the government’s desire to increase rice sufficiency through the Food Staples Self-sufficiency Program, the Department of Agriculture in Central Mindanao region launched Friday the P32million Rice Processing Center in Barangay Ambalgan, Sto. Niño, South Cotabato.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala led the launching along with DA-12 Regional Director Amalia Jayag Datukan and other local officials.

Datukan said the RPC III is a drying and milling facility which is aimed at improving the quality of rice by having available and accessible post-harvest drying facility especially during bad weather conditions within the target service area. (PNA)

More trade fairs TO boost domestic trade for the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT) is planning to organize more domestic trade fairs this year.

DTI Undersecretary Ponciano C. Manalo, Jr. said the DTI intends to have six domestic trade fairs in priority sectors, namely, food, fashion, arts, and furniture and furnishing for 2014.

“Last year, we organized two domestic trade fairs to provide opportunities for our MSMEs to sell their products in the domestic market and eventually make their way in the international market,” Manalo said.

Through national food and handicrafts fairs under its new Sikat Pinoy brand, the DTI brought together 577 MSMEs from the country’s 16 regions. The National Food Fair gathered 260 MSMEs participants that generated P13.8 million sales while the National Handicrafts Fair had 317 MSME participants with P51.3 million sales.

By MYRNA VELASCO Contributor

BUMPER TO BUMPER. Continues rain and heavy traffic strand pedestrians and motorists in major thoroughfares in Cagayan de Oro City Friday. photo by gerry lee gorit

In a memorandum issued by Energy Undersecretary Raul Aguilos, he directed all of the Department of Energy’s attached agencies and corporations to actively participate in the process.

“In line with the Department’s mandate to supervise the implementation of the power sector reforms pursuant to EPIRA, we will be conducting a series of focused group discussions to evaluate its progress, identify current issues and solicit proposals epira/PAGE 6

Inclusive trade seen to rid income inequality

By ROMELDA ASCUTIA, Contributor

THE Philippines can attain sustainable economic growth faster if it complements export promotion with an inclusive trade and investment agenda that will benefit all.

This was the message conveyed by foreign and local economists and analysts during the Philippine launch of the Asia-Pacific Trade trade/PAGE 6

Efforts to connect M’danao to Visayas grid intensified EFFORTS to interconnect the Mindanao grid with the rest of the country have been intensified with grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)

seeking regulatory approval by yearend for its proposed $500-million project.

Cynthia Y. Manrique, NGCP’s head for Revenue connect/PAGE 6

BUSINESS AS USUAL. A resident on a makeshift raft buys essentials from a store in Barangay Buhangin in Butuan City on Friday. Heavy rains brought by tropical depression Agaton caused flooding in the city. mindanews photo by erwin mascarinas

Mindanao Daily NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

Editorial and advertising email : businessdailymindanao@gmail.com • Cell Number : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

2

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

monday|january 20, 2014

Misor plant shares current best practices on health and safety VILLANUEVA, Misamis Oriental – Aspiring practitioners on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) of Nor thern Mindanao c ondu c te d re c e nt ly an educational visit at the 210

MW Mindanao coal-fired power plant of STEAG State Power Inc (SPI) in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

About 30 participants from various public and shares/PAGE 6

No.: 09161714813 (GLOBE)

Economy

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Nelson Constantino

Tourism infra in Mindanao to get boost MATI City -- The Tourism Infrastructure ( 5 % ) of t h e t r ave l t a x in Davao. “ Lapid said.

Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is increasing collection share intended for Also part of its assistance its investments for tourism sites in Mindanao. TIEZA shall be earmarked in tourism in the region This according to Mark Lapid Chief Operations Officer of TIEZA who visited Mati City last week for the opening of the province’s Subangan Museum.

Lapid said that Mindanao will have an allocation of P300-million for TIEZA projects which is higher compared to last year’s allocation of P270-million.

One of the TIEZA projects is located in Siargao Island known for its surfing

spots. The project includes the construction of duplex cottages and bleacher seats in Pilar Siargao Island.

Als o in the plans is the development of the ecotourism potentials in Mt. Hamiguitan, Lapid bared in his speech at the museum opening citing R.A. 9593.

According to the prov isions of R epublic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009 the law which created TIEZA, five percent

for ecotourism sites in depressed provinces with strong tourism potentials.

Mt. Hamiguitan also in Davao Oriental is known for its century-old pygmy forests and home to the most diverse varieties of plant and animal life in the county is the Philippines’ nominee for inclusion to the list of World’s Heritage Sites.

L api d s ai d t he y are aw ait i ng prop o s a ls for Mt. Hamiguitan as now they are enabled to fund these projects based on the mandate of the tourism law.

“TIEZA has been promoting Mindanao, last year we helped in promoting MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions)

is a substantial amount of P10-million given to the province of Davao Oriental for the realization of its Subangan museum.

“Having a museum is not just something that we visit, we see museum as a landmark as a means to inspire the people.” Lapid said during his speech.

The successor of the erstwhile Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), TIEZA under the tourism law is a corporate body w h i ch s h a l l d e s i g n at e , regulate and supervise the Tourism Enterprise Zones established under RA 9593, as well as develop, manage and sup e r v i s e tou r i s m infrastructure projects in the country.

DAR to distribute farmlands in Surigao Sur TANDAG City -- More farmers in Surigao del Sur will receive lands as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will distribute around 4,666 hectares of agricultural land this year under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

This volume of lands to be acquired this 2014 is part of mandatory targets to be accomplished and will be distributed to more or less

600 deserving and qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Record shows that for the past years of implementation of CARP, the province has consistently delivered and accomplished more than 100 percent in land acquisition and distribution.

DAR Caraga and its provincial offices are still determined in the completion of the yearly targets.

0917-7154399 088-856-8562/63

www.dahilayanforestpark.com

AMENITIES : ZORBIT * ATV * TREE TOP ADVENTURE BUGGY * BUNGEE * PICNIC GROUNDS PLAYGROUND * CAFE * LUGE * MINI GOLF ROOM ACCOMODATIONS

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

3

www.businessweekmindanao.com

monday|january 20, 2014

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

4

Opinion

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

monday|january 20, 2014

BusinessWeek

By Jess G. Dureza

Public of f icia ls, beware!

Nowadays, it’s so easy to be YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER M I N D A N A O www.businessweekmindanao.com whacked endlessly for some misconduct or mistake by the so-called “netizens” or those DANTE M. SUDARIA who are hooked to the internet.

Publisher They have their own domain or ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA, Ph.D. platform, or media facility to General Manager express their views fearlessly.

NELSON CONSTANTINO Or mercilessly.

Editor-in-Chief This is the latest innovation in the communications world ALLAN MEDIANTE Executive Editor that will revolutionalize even the traditional press. Everyone Shaun Uy cHENG oRDOñEZ is now a “journalist”, a blogger Lifestyle Editor Associate Editor in his own right, publishing and CLIFFORD SANTILLAN maintaining his own private SHIELA gosanes RONALD B. MASTAIL medium in Facebook or Twitter Advertising Layout Artists or somewhere in the cyberspace ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI and expressing his own mind in Cris diaz Cell No: 09352379999 mike baños unlimited ways -- bounded only Juni Law Office Uriel quilinguing by one’s taste or discretion. Or Cruz Taal St., Editorial Consultants lack of it.

Cag. De Oro City Legal Counsel The “ coming of age” of this new weapon in the hands of citizens The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by was made manifest in the latest BusinessWeek Mindanao Advertising and Promotions controversies on the pork barrel, every Friday to Sunday with office address at Tanleh PDAF, the Yolanda handling Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry and this week the incident (DTI), Region 10 with Certificate No. 00875701, and with involving the Makati mayor in Business Permit No. 2013-10946, TIN No. 946-396-807 Dasmarinas Village. Elsewhere – Non VAT. Tel. Nos.: (088)8578447, 74-5380, 0923in the world, the so-called “arab 432-0687, 0917-7121424 spring” civilian uprisings that toppled governments in the Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Middle East were triggered by social media .

Member: In an instant, private messages and video clips become viral Philippine Press Institute and events or incidents are now scrutinized and commented no longer as the exclusive prerogative and domain of journalists and hink a Minute…This is a true commentators but by all and story about a young Jewish THINK A Minute sundry. Everyone has the chance boy named Karl who grew up in By Jhan Tiafau Hurst to interpret and comment. This Germany. Karl’s father was very religious and made sure his family used to be the exclusive preserve went to the Jewish synagogue of professional journalists and and studied the Torah or Jewish mediamen only. bible every day. When Karl was With this potent weapon, we a teenager his family moved to another German town where can only imagine its reach and all the important people were power. And the numbers. It can Christians not Jews. Suddenly, advocate for reforms and change, Karl’s father changed religions— cajole, lambast and even crucify not because he learned the truth

T

Doing the Damage

that Jesus Christ is the only true God, but because he wanted to be popular and liked by the important people in the community. Karl’s family was so surprised and confused. Young Karl especially became deeply disappointed and angry at his father for being such a hypocrite. A few years later, Karl went to England to study and there he decided not to believe in God anymore. You see, that young teenage boy who was deeply disappointed and embittered by his hypocrite father was Karl Marx—the father of atheistic socialism. It was Karl Marx who wrote the Communist Manifesto. So now for almost a hundred years, over a billion people have suffered under the hopeless rule of atheistic socialism which was started by that hurt and bitter young man, Karl Marx. That’s the terrible damage and influence which resulted from Karl’s hypocrite father.

Our children are watching the way you and I live every day!

Our character and attitudes speak much louder than our words.

Our kids aren’t stupid. They see the act we put on to look religious and good in front of other people. Then they see how we really are at home. They see when we’re not honest. They see when we’re two-faced and gossip about others. They see us when we lose our temper and self-control. They see when we won’t forgive someone who hurt and wronged us.

Our kids know whether or not we’re real Christians who live Jesus’ way every day. But if we are hypocrites, it not only means we ourselves are in danger, it also does great damage to our children’s relationship with God and the kind of people they become as adults. So won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you? Then ask Him to take charge of your heart so He can start helping you change. That’s the only way your kids canlearn from you how to follow and become like Christ in their character and lifestyle.

Just Think a Minute…

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Allan Mediante

‘Journalists’ without mercy

unfortunate targets or make instant public villains of the “bad guys” . It acquits and even convicts swiftly. It can even threaten to destroy political ambitions and in the same vein also build up new heroes overnight.

Take the case of DILG Secretary Mar Roxas who got bashed -- rightly or wrongly -for his perceived mishandling of the Tacloban incident. Then the latest about the case of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay in his alleged tiff with subdivision security guards that left the presidential ambitions of his father, Vice President Jojo Binay somewhat suffering in its wake. Or the case of Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte who suddenly became the anti-thesis of others with his previous good deeds juxtaposed with those who had earned the netizens ire of late. I have no doubt that Mayor Rody detests this role with great discomfort.

He even expressed indignation over the growing public sentiment for him to consider seeking the presidency. But what of that?

This is the spontaneous verdict of the social media crowd sitting in judgment.

We will see more of these in the days ahead. But gone are the days when only professional mediamen exercised that prerogative. Each individual now is being heard and insists on being heard.

As a matter of fact, traditonal media, meaning the print and electronics media, must relate and link up with the fastclipped pace and focus of social media if they want to remain in business, if it wants to remain as the fountainhead and principal

purveyors of information and views and opinions. To survive, orthodox media must provide depth and context to breaking events and see to it that raw data that social media posit stand the test of accuracy and reality.

They cannot compete with real time postings and comments. A flick of a finger transmits one’s thoughts to the world without borders.

Failing in keeping pace with this, newspapers especially, will become irrelevant and left by the wayside.

T he biggest problem though with this new kind of public “reportage” is quite obvious.

Mostly lacking in initial verification and depth at the outset, the tentative output of social media will be more characterized as “journalism in a hurry” where perception initially rules the day. Then of course, there are those who prefer to remain anonymous and therefore non-accountable. It is in this light that we must make a call for all netizens to also exercise restraint and due diligence. This can only be done by themselves -- no one else.For if they can put some pressure on those publicly accountable, then so much should there be public pressure on those who breach normal borders of decency and propriety.

But wait. Pope Francis has something to say on being judgmental of others. When asked for his comments and guidance on gays and homosexuals which the conservative guardians of morals have consistently viewed with disdain, his answer simply was: “WHO AM I TO JUDGE?”.

Who’s Banked?

F

rom the banking point of view, we can group Filipinos into two: those who have access to financial products and services and those who don’t. In the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), we call the first group “banked” and the other, “unbanked.”

Most of the unbanked come from the low-income segment of society and live in far-flung places where bank branches and offices are a rarity. The goal of the BSP, the country’s monetary authority, is that in the future, all our countrymen would be banked.

Why? Being banked offers many advantages. Among the basic benefits are you get to secure and manage your wealth through savings and deposit accounts. You can also make payments online or conveniently purchase goods and services using credit or ATM cards. You can even loan money to spend for your business or personal needs.

Moreover, the whole nation also stands to gain when the resources of every citizen are within the banking system.

There will be more funds that can be lent out to spur economic activity. It is also more efficient and less costly for companies and individuals to channel funds and settle payments through banks.

Hence, financial inclusion, or the delivery of affordable financial services to disadvantaged sections in the country has been an important advocacy of the BSP. After all, to achieve financial stability for our country, we need our

people to be financially stable first.

The report of the BSP’s O ut

By Ignacio Bunye Inclusive Finance Advocacy Staff (IFAS) on the state of financial inclusion in the Philippines presents as a picture of how much work there is to be done so that the unbanked becomes banked.

Wi t h r e g a r d t o t h e accessibility of financial services and products, the study shows that the Philippine banking system’s overall physical network continued to expand in 2011 to 2012. The number of domestic banking offices and ATMs increased by four percent and fifteen percent, respectively.

Cities and municipalities without regular banks but have micro-banking offices (MBO) also increased by 35 percent within this period. MBOs are small, satellite offices of banks offering microfinance products and services. These are strategically planted in areas where it is not economically viable to set up a full-blown branch. ATM presence also increased in all regions. bunye/PAGE 6

SPEAKING

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Nelson Constantino

CorporateWorld

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

5

www.businessweekmindanao.com

monday|january 20, 2014

TigerAir readies Toyota sees bigger sales this year initiatives under buyer Cebu Pacific T IG E R A I R Ph i l ippi ne s President and CEO Olive Ramos announced the airline is “actively preparing to roll out some initiatives” to improve its partnership with buyer Cebu Pacific Air (CEB).

“Having a new owner d o e s n’t m e a n w e s t o p generating ideas to enhance our customers’ experience.

There’s much more that we can do – developing our network, enhancing our ancillary services and upgrading our website,” she remarked.

TigerAir Philippines will continue to operate under the Tigerair brand for one ye ar af ter CEB closes its Sing$15- Million purchase either by the end of next month or March, 2014. Only after that time frame will CEB decide what to do next.

Now, b ot h Ti ge r A i r Philippines and CEB are working to upgrade their websites to facilitate the cross-booking of flights.

“Our intention is to grow Tigerair Philippines as an independent franchise,” CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei declared earlier. “We are reviewing opportunities to increase Tiger Air Philippines’ fleet.”

“ We w i l l r e t a i n i t s A i r l i n e O p e r a t o r ’s Certificate (AOC), flight s c h e du l e , m a n a g e m e nt team and workforce,” he committed.

L ast week, Tiger Air and CEB disclosed their deal to create the largest Low Cost Carrier (LCC) n e t w o r k b e t w e e n As i a and the Philippines, combining t heir f le ets, which will now number 100 aircraft, to cover 48 international destinations in 18 countries, including high-growth markets such as China, India, Myanmar, Japan and Australia.

As part of the deal, CEB is acquiring 100 per cent of Tiger Air Philippines, which 40 per cent owned

by Tigerair Singapore and 60 per cent owned by local investors.

Ti ge r ai r Ph i l ippi ne s will continue to operate from Terminal 4 at NAIA and Clark International Airport.

From its bases in Clark and Manila, Tigerair Philippines flies to both domestic and international destinations which include C e b u , B a c o l o d , I l o i l o, Kalibo, Puerto Prinsesa, Ta c l o b a n , Hon g Kon g , Bangkok, and Singapore.

JAPANESE car maker Toyota Motor Philippines Corp.

(TMPC) aims to sell more units this year, banking on introduction of new models to fuel growth, the company’s top official said on Wednesday.

“This year, we expect to end with more than 90,000 units because of new model introductions,” TMPC President Michinobu Sugata told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of the all-new Corolla Altis at the Edsa Shangri-La hotel in Mandaluyong City last week.

Mr. Sugata said that apart from the Corolla Altis, the company will bring in a model that is not yet present in the country. He would not elaborate.

These model introductions, according to Mr. Sugata, will enable the company to grow sales at least 19% from 2013’s 75,161 units. In 2012, it sold 65,026 units.

TMPC is the country’s top car maker with 41.5% market share, latest data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. showed.

It assembles the Vios and the Innova in its Sta. Rosa plant in Laguna.

It s ot he r mo d el s , including the Corolla Altis, are shipped from either Thailand or Japan.

Asked if there are any

School Based Management: An opportunity or a misery!

By Teresito A. Magtabog, School Principal

School Based Management (SBM), an overused term for the public school teachers in the archipelago. In legality SBM is in accordance with DepEd Order No. 230 s. 1999 in the decentralization, where the transfer of responsibility for planning school improvement, raising, allocating and managing resources from the central, regional and division levels down to the school sites.

A tedious preparation of documents along with sacrifices in time, physical and financial resources for the documentation and compilation of papers. SBM, a validation of the schools practices to testify quality education in a certain school. The involvement of the internal and external stakeholders in educating the young minds of the nation.

The Department of Education has stepped up its efforts to decentralize education management. A strategy that is expected to improve the Department’s operating efficiency and upgrade education quality. School-Based Management is a key component of Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda or BESRA. With SBM, the school as key provider of education will be equipped to empower its key officials to make informed and localized decisions based on their unique needs toward improving our educational system.

Moreover, Region 10 conducted its School Based Management assessment and validation in different schools. Dagumbaan Elementary School as one of the big schools of the division undergoes series of validation from school, cluster and regional level. With the four principles in Leadership and Governance, Curriculum and Instruction, Accountability and Continuous Improvement and Management

of Resources together with its records. The school gain 2.32 points in Regional Validation that qualifies for the Level II in SBM practiced.

Maturing , that was the assessment of the regional validators. It is a fact that the school performs well in academics and in different activities in various levels. The teachers together with the supportive networks, the stakeholders established culture of competence, dynamic and friendliness in school. That was attested for Dagumbaan Elementary School won and participated different contest in district, division, region and national level.

In as much school’s stakeholders must sustained the positive results of SBM. A need to enhance the mental, physical, spiritual, and social capabilities of the child. Total human development of a person enhance and develop at school. With an enhance curriculum and varied strategies every learner will be given an opportunity to learn EQ and IQ. In order to achieve this, standards that characterizes effective schools should be met and the school must comply with evaluation system that identify and improve school effectiveness and foster excellence that is the accreditation.

A challenge for schools who strive for excellence is to provide performance standards for pupils, teachers, and staff. Develop a standard-guided system to assess the schools.

Establish incentive system, encourage self and peer monitoring and evaluation. Promote advocacy and social mobilization for quality education.

And that is SBM, a misery at the beginning but an opportunity to be upgraded and define the school.

plans to produce the Corolla Altis locally, Mr. Sugata replied: “As of the moment, none.”

“But if the [automotive i ndust r y ] ro a d map is attractive enough, we will seriously consider it,” he clarified.

He would not, however, s p e c i f y w h at t y p e s o f incentives will make the automotive road map

“attractive enough.”

The government aims to make the Philippines a production hub of automotives in the region, similar to Thailand.

To achieve this, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is crafting a road map which will outline incentives to attract car manufacturers to invest in the country. The industry’s

road map is set to be released in March.

Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo told reporters last month that when DTI recently presented the road map to President Benigno S . C . Aq u i n o I I I , t h e latter wanted comparative information on what types of incentives other Southeast Asian countries provide to car manufacturers.

www.businessweekmidnanao.com

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

6

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

monday|january 20, 2014

ABELLANOSA Lechon House Epira... from page 1 Corner Magsaysay Abellanosa St., Cag. de Oro City MANAGED BY :

KUYA ABS CDO EAGLES CLUB WE ACCEPT ORDERS: LECHON, HALANG-HALANG or SAMPAINA

FREE DELIVERY WITHIN CITY PROPER Contact:

09353742908 / 09265949729 / 0883091150

LOTS FOR SALE! AVAIL OF CHRISTMAS PROMO & SAVE! VERY AFFORDABLE TITLED LOTS COUNTRY LIKE SETTING – 1 KM BEFORE SM BUY ANY SIZE 100 M2 – 5 HECTARES IN HOUSE FINANCING @ 10% DOWN PAYMENT LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTS, FLOOD FREE!

CONTACT NO. 09263922933 MDN: DEC. 17, 2013 – JAN. 16, 2014

for its possible amendments,” the DOE memorandum has noted.

The DOE directive similarly requested the submission of inputs from its attached agencies and to help gather the same from affected stakeholders.

A consultations with the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association Inc. (PIPPA) was held Friday (January 17), covering all power generators and with the inclusion of retail electricity suppliers.

Next in the FGD schedule will be with the Private Electric Power Operators Association Inc. (PEPOA) and the other distribution utilities in Luzon.

The others to be consulted will be the foreign chambers, various business groups, official development assistance (ODA) and other foreign donor agencies, labor as well as various consumer groups nationwide.

In earlier interviews with reporters, however, stakeholders are not keen on the proposed amendments to the EPIRA given that all the required safeguards and incentives for investments are already in the law, but it has been the implementation needing some improvements.

For one, First Gen chairman Federico R. Lopez sounded off that the EPIRA was a legislated work which considered the inputs of all stakeholders and has all the necessary levers to avert market abuses.

He stressed it would be up to the regulators and policymakers to “see these levers” and hopefully apply them for the industry’s longterm viability. Industry players also urged some quarters not just to fixate themselves on the rate hike controversy surrounding the Manila Electric Company.

“It is very important to get to the bottom of what happened, but anyone who knows the law knows also that there are many levers and safeguards … that whether it is the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) or the DOE … they can call on these levers to be able to correct anomalies,” Lopez stressed.

He further averred “I think at the end of the day, it’s a matter also for people learning what the levers are and what the safeguards are to correct the situation and to avoid the repeat of a situation like that.”

The First Gen top executive similarly emphasized that when EPIRA was legislated “the whole industry was very involved, there were technical working groups, and the government (was also there)… of course, people come and go and there are learning curves. But proper investigation is the right thing to do to get to the bottom of the problem for now.”

Investors view the proposals on EPIRA amendments as another tricky move triggering new uncertainties and such may deter investment flows for some time.

Trade... from page 1

Pryce Plaza Hotel Carmen Hill, CDO, Tel. No.722791 to93/858-4537 E-mail:reservations@pryceplaza.ph

---------------------------------

CHANANTHON BED & BREAKFAST CM Recto Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. #: 856-81-89 / 309-3095 / 231-2103 Email ad : chananthonbb@yahoo.com Room @ P800.00

COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT

CONTACT PERSON: RAYLYN LANTACA

---------------------------------

NEW DAWN PENSIONNE Velez-Macahambus Sts, CDO Tel Nos. 8571776, 721776 email : gchreservation@yahoo.com

and Investment Report 2013 (APTIR 2013) held recently.

APTIR forecasts that regional export growth will stay below its historical rates—just over five percent in 2013 and six percent in 2014.

With global trade slowing, the Philippines cannot become overly dependent on external demand from developed economies to spur economic growth.

Instead, it should move beyond the orthodox model of export-led growth toward inclusive trade and investment, the report said.

The Asia-Pacific region remains a leading investment destination, with its developing economies absorbing 33 percent of global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows.

Intra-regional FDI is playing a stronger role, with China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations being the most attractive destinations.

However, the Philippines has met with “limited success” in reducing the costs of doing business and improving its trade facilitation performance, undermining its benefits from global

trade and FDI inflows, stated the report.

“This is evidenced by the Philippine ranking in the UNESCAP’s International Supply Chain Connectivity (ISCC) Index, 59th out of 179 countries, which puts it squarely behind its neighbors such as Malaysia (5th), Thailand (33rd), Vietnam (37th), and Indonesia (46th),” noted the report.

The country could focus in particular on improving its international maritime infrastructure and services, it suggested.

Adopting new trade and investment facilitation approaches will combat jobless growth and worsened inequalities that “may lead to increased vulnerability of the poor and heightened social instabilities,” stressed Mia Mikic.

Mikic, chief of trade policy and analysis at the Trade and Investment Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), spoke at the launch via web conferencing from Bangkok, Thailand.

Policymakers should consider complementary policies that will ensure that benefits from opening up markets will cascade to smaller companies and the marginalized poor.

Specifically, such measures must enable domestic small and medium-size enterprises to become integrated into the national, regional, and global distribution networks.

Inclusive trade and investment can also be hastened by including more workers in the formal economy through aligned trade skills programs, setting wages based on productivity and principles of collective bargaining, and enhancing ICT connectivity.

Additional measures recommended include increasing infrastructure investment, providing gender-balanced access to education, and ensuring a social dialog on policy reforms.

APTIR points out that current trade models seem linked to worsening inequality and to limited access to economic opportunities for disadvantaged groups, women, and the poor, said Florian Alburo, president of the Center for the Advancement of Trade Integration & Facilitation.

“The call is not to abandon trade as an engine of growth but to strengthen and enrich it with more focused attention to a growth outcome more inclusive and participatory,” he added.

APTIR is an annual publication of the UNESCAP that analyzes national policies as well as regional and global developments affecting trade and investment in Asia-Pacific.

This year’s edition notes that while economies in the region have generally sustained their economic growth and reduced poverty levels, income inequalities have been increasing.

Regional policymakers are exhorted to consider more innovative development strategies that will pursue inclusive growth while promoting trade and investments.

Connect... from page 1

and Regulatory Affairs, said NGCP has been conducting the feasibility study for the Mindanao Leyte-Mindanao Interconnection Project (LMIP).

“The study is ongoing and that includes the hydrographic surgery.

We are planning to give an update of the study to the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) this first quarter,” Ms. Manrique said. “We hope to file for approval by the end of the year. It will be an application for implementation. If we can do it earlier, that will be better.”

NGCP Spokesperson Cynthia P. Alabanza said that NGCP is thoroughly evaluating all ongoing studies for the project, which involves connecting the Visayas grid to the Mindanao grid through 23 kilometers of submarine cables from NGCP’s Leyte and Surigao substations.

“It is a very expensive and extensive study so we are very careful of our plan before we submit it for approval. We are taking all precautions,” Alabanza said.

NGCP is “very careful on the plan that will be submitted for approval.”

“This will be very expensive so we have to be very careful… We are going to spend a lot so the studies are very extensive. We are taking all precautions and we are very, very careful with the survey,” Alabanza added.

The hydrographic survey will determine where transmission lines and submarine cables will pass, according to the officials.

Ms. Manrique added the application will also show project timeframe, technical parameters and updated cost. “Everything will be firmed up once the study is completed,” she added.

In July last year, NGCP Senior Adviser to the President Joseph M. Dechavez said the company hoped to start construction by 2016 and complete it by 2018. Mr. Dechavez said pre-construction activities will involve getting bids for the construction segment.

The project was initially estimated to cost about $500 million, he had said.

In 2012, the Energy department said the LMIP involves linking the Visayas and Mindanao grids through 23 kilometers of submarine cables from NGCP’s Leyte and Surigao substations.

Shares... from page 2

private organizations joined the benchmarking activity to gain onsite experience and learn from the company’s current best practices on occupational safety and health.

Organized by the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the OSH Net–Region 10, the educational visit is part of the Basic Occupational Safety and Health (BOSH) course which requires exposure of the trainees in an actual industrial setting.

Through the years, SPI has become one of the top destinations on safety and health benchmarking activities citing the company’s remarkable performance on safety, health and environment.

SPI has been conferred recently by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Safety and Health Association of the Philippines Energy Sector (SHAPES) with the 2013 Corporate Safety and Excellence Award. The company is cited for achieving and sustaining more than 3.4 million safe man hours with Zero Lost Time due to accident. SPI has also sustained zero occupation-related diseases since start of its power plant operations in November of 2006.

SPI Environment, Health and Safety Officer Francis Libao said that

aside from sustaining an efficient and reliable supply of power to Mindanao, the company is committed to ensure that the power generating process is consistently done in a manner that ensures the safety and well-being not just of the people in the workplace, but in the surrounding communities as well.

Bunye... from page 4

However, amid these increases, the percentage of unbanked cities and municipalities in the country remained at 37 percent in 2012. The distribution of banks was also skewed toward areas with large population and/or low poverty incidences.

What appears to make up for the absence of banks in these areas are Alternative Financial Services Providers such as savings and loan associations, credit cooperatives, pawnshops, and money changers.

Among the 12 municipalities that lost banking presence in 2012, 11 had alternative providers of financial services.

With regard to the usage of the banks, the total amount of bank deposits increased by seven percent in 2012, even as the number of deposit accounts decreased by four percent. The aggregate amount of bank loans, likewise, grew by five percent.

The results showed how banking activity is concentrated in highly urbanized areas. Among the regions, the National Capital Region (NCR) accounted for 43 percent of the total number of deposit accounts in the system, 68 percent of the total amount of deposits, and 87 percent of outstanding loans.

Another interesting finding is that more than three-fourths of deposit accounts contain deposits of P15,000 and below. Put them all together and you will get only 1% of the total amount of bank deposits in the whole country. The bulk of the deposits 69.1 percent to be exact - belonged to accounts with over P2 million in them.

What all these figures tell us is that there is marked improvement in terms of expanding the access to and usage of financial products and services among Filipinos. Still, there is much to do to reach far-flung and impoverished areas, where banking presence is low if not zero.

To be sure, the BSP will be at the forefront in narrowing the gap between the banked and unbanked.

Note: My book, Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria is now available in main branches of Fully Booked, Power Books, National Book Store, and University of the Philippines Press.

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

monday|january 20, 2014

Exclusive Print Media Partners :

Mindanao Daily NEWS NORTHMIN . WESTMIN . CARAGA . DAVAO Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

7

www.businessweekmindanao.com

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

8

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

monday|january 20, 2014

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776