BusinessWeek Mindanao (January 22, 2021)

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Power coops audit THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will be auditing the collection and utilization of the ‘reinvestment fund for sustainable capital expenditures’ (RFSC) of the electric cooperatives (ECs), to assess if these have been in accordance with the prescribed tariff-setting rules.

ERC Chairperson Agnes T. Devanadera announced that the regulatory body engaged the services of a consultant with technical expertise and capability to scrutinize the RFSC utilization of the ECs. She said the contract of the third party auditor Reyes Tacandong & Co. has already been awarded, hence, the audit process on the electric cooperatives’ RFSC will already be slated.

BIMP-Eaga trade MINDANAO needs transport and telecommunications infrastructure to enable trade with countries participating in the Brunei DarussalamIndonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) partnership, a development official for the region said.

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Assistant Secretary Romeo M. Montenegro made the remarks Tuesday during a hearing at the House of Representatives, noting that improved connectivity will strengthen Mindanao’s position within BIMP-EAGA. He was speaking before a Special Committee hearing on the East ASEAN Growth Area.

IN-DEPTH

Friday|January 22, 2021

P15.00

Pilferage renders portion of Mindanao powerless T

By MARK FRANCISCO, Reporter

HE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) yesterday blamed thieves pilfering portion of a transmission lines in Lanao del Norte as the cause of the tripping off of Agus 5-Aurora 138-kilovolt line on Monday.

SIARGAO FLOOD. A boy maneuvers his makeshift raft to return to his family’s house in Barangay Osmeña in Dapa, Siargao Island on Wednesday as continuous rains the past two weeks inundated this natural catch basin with floodwaters. The water seems clean though because of the still pristine environment. mindanews photo by roel catoto

BARMM solons push for transition extension to enact pending bills COTABATO City – Regional lawmakers are pushing for an extension of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao's transition phase up to 2025,

saying more time is needed to pass important measures.

Speaking during a press conference Tuesday, B angsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Speaker

The power outage affected customers of Zamboanga del Sur I Electric Cooperative; Z amb o ang a d el Su r I I Electric C ooperative; Misamis Occidental I Electric C ooperative; Misamis O c c i d e nt a l I I E l e c t r i c Cooperative; Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative; Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative; and Lanao del Norte Electric Cooperative, the NGCP said in a statement.

Late Monday, the NGCP said that a tower on the Baloi-Aurora segment of the line in Lanao del Norte had

fallen due to the intentional pilferage of transmission line parts.

This caused power to go out Monday morning across the Zamboanga peninsula, Misamis Occidental and parts of Lanao del Norte.

“With the tripping of the Agus 5-Aurora line, both lines serving the Northwestern Mindanao area are out,” the NGCP said Tuesday.

“NGCP is working to restore the line as it continues investigating the cause of the outage. Coordination RENDERS/PAGE 11

Pangalian Balindong and t hre e ot he r l aw ma ke rs noted that the transition phase has been disrupted by the coronavirus disease EXTENSION/PAGE 11

AgSur guv hopeful lab test to prevent spread of virus

By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, MindaNews

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur– The opening of the COVID-19 molecular laboratory testing facility at the D.O. Plaza Memorial

Hospital in this town will contribute to lessening the number of infections in Agusan del Sur, Gov. Santiago Cane Jr. said.

Cane said the facility can release test results within 24 hours.

Sixty-one swab samples tested at the laboratory on January 19 which yielded HOPEFUL/PAGE 10

PEANUT VENDOR. A vendor sells fried peanuts heated from a stove he installed to his bicycle at the Provincial Capitol ground.The peanuts are sold at P10 per pack. photo by gerry lee gorit

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

DA-RMC Normin gears for ‘One-DA’ approach

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HE Regional Management Committee (RMC) of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-10 works in carrying out its efforts in pursuing ‘OneDA’– a holistic approach to agriculture and fisheries transformation.

During its first RMC meeting, Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado of DA-Regional Field Office and RMC chair, laid out the key strategies of DA Secretary

William D. Dar in pursuing major programs and activities for year 2021.

Dar issued a memorandum, January 4, to all DA executives, attached agencies and corporations, programs and regional offices to pursue an inclusive approach on the key strategies to accelerate the transformation towards a modern and industrialized Philippine agriculture.

Collado said DA-RMC

in Region 10 will adopt a community in Barangay Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental in coordination with the 58th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army through its Commanding Officer LtCol. Ricky L. Canatoy.

Canatoy said Sitio Kalahaan possesses a great potential in the farming industry with its rich agricultural land.

DA-RMC’s agri-fishery interventions is part of EO 70 or institutionalizing the

whole-of-nation approach.

Dar emphasized that DA supports President Duterte’s priority programs and firm up the ‘One DA’ approach.

The 12 key strategies to ‘Grow’ Agriculture in 2021 and beyond include: farm clustering/Bayanihan Agri Clusters (BACs); provinceled agriculture and fisheries extension system (PAFES); agri-industrial business corridors (ABCs); infrastructure investment; ONE-DA/PAGE 11

In an RMC meeting, DA’s key strategies of Sec. William Dar are being cascaded down to the officials of DA’s attached bureaus and agencies within Region 10. (DA 10)

Genuine autonomy' achieved in BARMM: Ebrahim COTABATO City – Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said “genuine autonomy” has been achieved in the region as he led Monday the commemoration for

the second founding anniversary of the newly-minted regional government with the hoisting of the Philippine and Bangsamoro flags.

Speaking inside the BARMM government center, Ebrahim said that “genuine autonomy” has

been achieved in BARMM, even as he called on residents to support the regional government's moral governance campaign.

“We can now proudly say that we have achieved genuine autonomy that encapsulates the long

BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL National Highway Balingasag, Barangay 4, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental Mobile Number/s: 0933-823-3161, 0933-823-3304 Tel. Number: 333-5161 CAGAYAN DE ORO P&J Lim Building, Tiano Kalambagohan St., Barangay 14, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel No. (08822) 727-829 / 231-6629 Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0933-823-3303 / 0943-708-7065 CAGAYAN DE ORO WAREHOUSE Warehouse 7, Bonbon Road, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Mobile No. 0917-825-4149 / 0943-708-7065 CARMEN, CAGAYAN DE ORO Vamenta Blvd., fronting CEPALCO, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 233-2011 Mobile No. 0933-823-3159 CORRALES, CDO Corrales Ave., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 231-2055

history of Bangsamoro people, our sacrifices, and our shared visions for the next generation,” Murad said.

Since its creation in the last two years, Murad said BARMM has seen “an incredible number of challenges and

DIVISORIA, CDO A. Velez St., Barangay 9, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0917-841-4000 / 0933-823-3164 GINGOOG CITY G/F Wyne Militante Bldg., Lugod St., Barangay 22, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 861-0104 Mobile No. 0933-823-3168 LAPASAN, CDO National Highway (FICCO Bldg.), Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 231-6739 Mobile No. 0933-823-3160 PUERTO, CDO Purok 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 859-0574 Mobile No. 0943-708-7537 CAMIGUIN B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Telefax No. (088) 387-0491 Mobile No. 0943-708-7539

opportunities that defined what makes of our new bureaucracy and how we can address such concerns that will ultimately benefit everyone.”

The chief minister maintained that the next level of the Bangsamoro struggle could be

considered successful "if the moral governance thrives. We cannot claim success in this next level of our struggle if we will not be successful in building a real governance, which is founded on moral governance."

ACHIEVED/PAGE 11

DAVAO City – Depopulation of pigs infected by the African swine fever (ASF) has continued in the neighboring provinces of Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro, the Department of Agriculture in Region 11 (DA-11) said in a statement Wednesday.

DA-11 said it will continue to monitor other ASF cases in

the region after the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Region 12 (RADDL-12) confirmed last week that the submitted samples from Mati City in Davao Oriental were ASFpositive.

The Mati City government said it immediately implemented preventive measures such as the establishment of quarantine checkpoints in three affected villages.

It has also allotted P2,000 for each culled animal to compensate the affected hog raisers.

DA-11 said local authorities have so far culled 126 pigs in three affected barangays.

In Banay-Banay town, also in Davao Oriental, the agency said 68 pigs were depopulated after RADDL-12 confirmed that a hog raiser had ASFpositive pigs.

In Tarragona town, 52 pigs were also depopulated based on the RADDL-12’s confirmatory results.

DA-11 said depopulation was also launched in Boston town after disease and sample collection conducted by the Provincial Veterinary Office discovered several ASF cases.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Davao de Oro, authorities also conducted depopulation in Barangay Kingking, Pantukan town, involving 31 pigs from hog raisers.

In Montevista town, DA-11 said disease investigation and sample collection in a commercial hog farm in Barangay New Visayas also turned out positive cases.

CULLING/PAGE 11

Culling continues in ASF-affected areas: DA-11

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

BPO sector dominates office space demand in 2020 THE business process outsourcing (BPO) had the most number of office space demand in 2020, the Lobien Realty Group said on Friday.

In a virtual briefing, chief executive officer Sheila Lobien said the BPO sector has again dominated the demand for office space last year amid the exit of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) mostly operated

by Chinese nationals.

Lobien said office demand from POGOs in 2019 comprised 36 percent of the total demand,

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CorporateWorld

surpassing demand from the BPO sector at 30 percent.

But in 2020, office space demand from POGOs shrank to 16 percent while BPO firms comprised 41 percent of the total demand last year.

Lobien said that rental rates last year started to decline and are expected to be softer this year because of the lower demand for office space.

The current vacancy rate of office space in Metro Manila is at 8 percent, she said.

DEMAND/PAGE 10

EDC revises export targets

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HE Export Development Council (EDC) on Wednesday has approved the revised targets for exports for 2021 and 2022, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

“We have adjusted the export targets taking into consideration impact of pandemic and weaker global demand. Thus, the revised targets are lower than the original targets where export levels were originally projected to reach over $130 billion by 2022,” said Lopez, who is also the EDC chair.

EDC crafts and oversees the implementation of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP).

For this year, the EDC eyes

export revenues to reach $91.7 billion, or a growth of 12.5 percent.

A big portion is expected from merchandise exports projected to sell $54-billion worth of goods overseas, while services at $37.7 billion.

Export growth in 2022 is eyed at 14.8 percent, targeting $105.3 billion in revenues. About $62 billion of which will come from the export of goods and $43.3 billion from services exports.

“We can consider these targets as fighting targets, after intensive consultations with each export sector and stakeholder and global market prospects per sector. This also means that we shall exert

all efforts in terms of policies and support programs to assist the export sector and help them achieve these fighting targets,” Lopez said.

He added that the EDC forecast 2020 export revenues to decline by 13.6 percent to $81.5 billion.

The top trade official sees that the enactment of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill into law and other economic reforms pending in Congress along with the “Build, Build, Build” program and other investment and export promotion including digitalization programs will drive investment inflows that will ramp up the country’s export capacities. (PNA)

One-stop hub mobile app for SMEs launched New PAL requirements AS quarantine restrictions and other health safety protocols have affected business operations, UnionBank on Tuesday launched a mobile application that serves as a one-stop hub tailored for all the financialrelated needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Wherever they are, they can do banking transactions, open their online stores, track their inventory, and apply for a loan through this app, UnionBank president Edwin Bautista said in a

virtual presser.

These SMEs can also pay their bills, SSS and PhilHealth contributions, and deposit without going to the bank.

"We saw that SMEs were the hardest hit by the pandemic. But they are also among the most resilient and were able to bounce back," Bautista said.

Ana Aboitiz-Delgado, UnionBank executive vice president, said SMEs need to adapt to technology and leverage digitalization.

Launching the SME Business Banking app is

also part of the bank's goal to "Tech Up, Pilipinas", as the bank has an advocacy to help SMEs join the e-commerce space by educating them, Bautista said.

In the same presser, QBO Innovation Hub head of operations Natasha Bautista noted that some SMEs “are still very manual, literally going to banks."

She said among the challenges that SMEs have to deal with during the pandemic are the transition to work from home, reimbursements,

and logistics.

Jaypee Soliman, UnionBank vice president of SME Segment, said they worked closely with SMEs for more than a year to understand their lifestyle.

As such, the bank developed the app in such a way that SMEs "will be able to do banking as if it is embedded in their dayto-day activities," Soliman said.

One may create an account to the app sans the documents they would need to fill in when they go to a bank, he said, LAUNCHED/PAGE 10

for travelers to US

ALL passengers traveling to the United States, via direct or connecting flight, including U.S. Citizens, must present proof of a negative RT-PCR test result from a licensed Department of Health DOH laboratory within three calendar days from date of departure, The second option is for them to show a written or electronic documentation of a positive RT-PCR test result confirming they had a previous COVID-19

infection within the last three months preceding flight to the U.S. The updated requirements for travel to the U.S. takes effect next Tuesday, January 26, 2021, according to the Philippine Airlines (PAL) advisory issued Jan. 20.

Recovered individuals must also present a letter from a licensed health care provider or public health official stating the passenger is cleared for travel.

TRAVELERS/PAGE 10

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Opinion

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BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO CORPORATION Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO ALLAN MARIO MEDIANTE Vice President for Corporate Affairs RUFINO T. MAGBANUA Vice President for Business Development VICENTE C. DELA VICTORIA Vice President for Operations JOE FELICILDA Vice President for Administration JOE PALABAO Vice President for Marketing ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA, PhD Vice President for Finance

Bulua, C agayan de Oro — On a rainy Wednesday night, we took our dine-in at a makeshift sidestreet food stalls here with crowded locals doing quickies on street foods sans health protocols.

Make no mistake about it, the never-say-die mantra makes us stronger, ever resilient to rise above this health crisis.

T h at s ai d, C ov i d - 1 9 pandemic had spruced up our survival instincts all the more without let up.

It has taken a heavy toll on our daily lives yet our survival instinct had endured this global health crisis coming in full circle

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Rise to the challenge (Pt. 2) T h i n k a m i nut e . . .” Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” We are facing the most challenging time in human history. Our world population has exploded to 7.8 billion people! With far more people on the planet, we are running out of clean air and clean water. We have new extreme weather p atte r ns and probl e ms humankind has never faced before. We are trying to survive more killer tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, droughts, and other natural disasters than any generation in history.

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) has already killed more than 32 million people—and there is still no cure in sight. In Africa, entire towns have only children left living in them because all the fathers and mothers are dead from AIDS. The United Nations reports that we are now facing the worst world hunger and famine in history. Every three seconds a child dies from hunger or lack of clean water.

Deadly diseases and viruses

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST can spread around the world very quickly. Add to all this our many conflicts, violence, and global terror, and our future is truly scary! We supposedly live in history’s m o s t “a d v a n c e d ” a n d “enlightened” generation, with our knowledge of science and technolog y exploding faster than ever. It’s said that human knowledge doubles every 12 hours! Yet, mankind still cannot solve our own most basic problems. “The human race has improved everything except the human race.”

All this bad news and our human condition can understandably make us fearful about the future. We CHALLENGE/PAGE 11

FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

Survival instinct

as we grapple for Chinamade Sinovac vaccine to come to the rescue.

Indeed, business and industr y, irrespective of s i z e an d s c a l e , are t h e lifelines of our economy.

For now, there is no other formula but to take the risk of coming out from our own shells if only to survive this pandemic.

Yet we have to adapt to new ways of living now popularly known as the new normal.

With no assurance of when things will go back to normal, our instinct for survival come into play.

Like these operators of side street food stalls trying

to end their day in order to survive the next day.

Small businesses are forced to explore innovat ive s olut ions to overcome emptiness this t i m e of u npre c e d e nt e d crisis.

Recent study shows that over 70 per cent small and medium businesses in the country had cash flow problems, forcing owners to b or row to ke ep t he business afloat.

And these food stalls may be using borrowed capital to stay on course and e ar n to ma ke b ot h ends meet.

There is no turning back amid the still growing threat

UNRUFFLED

RUFFY MAGBANUA of this virus reportedly coming stronger with a more potent variant in tow.

Meantime, let’s follow s o c i a l d i s t an c i ng . St ay h e a l t hy a n d k e e p s a f e everyone.(ruffy44_ ph2000@yahoo.com)

What's the plan?

MIKE BAÑOS Vice President for Digital

NELSON CONSTANTINO

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IT'S planning season again!

As we kick off a new year, different organizations, big or small, private or government, local or multinational are all into planning sessions these days.

Ho w e v e r, u n l i k e i n the previous years when these planning sessions are done either offsite or inside conference rooms, most planning sessions nowadays are done virtually.

Planning involves setting objectives and determining the action or actions for achieving those objectives. It is a fundamental exercise of deciding early on what needs to be done when it should be done, how it should be done, and who is going to do it. And since we are on a clean slate at the start of a new year, January is usually considered the best time to set new targets and goals and draw up the required action plans. Although, personally, I believe planning should happen at least weeks prior so that implementation happens on Day 1 of the new year.

But do we really need to plan? Isn’t it more exciting to do things spontaneously and at the spur of the moment?

I once read a quote, “ By failing to plan, you are planning to fail”. With everything that’s happening around us...new challenges, uncertainties, risks, as well as, new opportunities, now more than ever we need to be prepared. By looking ahead into the future, we are able to minimize risks and uncertainties, we are able to prioritize and maximize our resources and eliminate wastage and we are able to uncover and tap new opportunities.

We p l a n t o e n s u r e success. But is it always the case? Can all those wellwritten plans guarantee our success?

In my more than 30 years in the academe and cor p orate, I must have attended, participated in, and facilitated all kinds of planning sessions.

Even in our own home, planning takes place. Allow me to share my personal

observations on why despite the efforts, resources, and time put into it, even the best thought of a plan, still fails.

We set too many goals and action plans. While we want and need to accomplish more, there is wisdom in focusing on a few. Nothing more than 3 goals and 3 action steps for each goal.

Anything more will most likely not be sustained or will just remain as a plan, never executed.

We fail to translate our strategic plans to tactical plans. As most plans are done by management teams, they are usually high level and broader in scope. But as they say, the devil is in the details. We need to specify the details of how the overall goals are to be achieved.

This includes timelines and schedules (when are the targets and activities expected to be delivered) resource requirements (what do we need to be able to do the activities ) and the person in charge (who is to ensure that targets and

MINDFUL

JAY LEDESMA activities are being done and delivered). That is why we need to work on just 3 goals at a time given these details.

We f ai l t o prop e r ly communicate and get the buy-in of those who will implement the plan.

A common mistake of a manager is crafting the action plans by himself and passing them to his members for mere implementation.

People are motivated to do and achieve more when they know and understand what they need to do, why they need to do it, and how doing it will affect them.

PLAN/PAGE 11

A real saint is not scandalized by evil YES, if one is truly a good and saintly man, he would not be scandalized by any evil that can simply be around him or can even hound him. It’s not that he is not affected by evil. Like any man, he is. At least, he would be annoyed and can get angry. He can even try to seek justice and retribution to anyone who might have done him some wrong or some crime. But he does not respond evil with another evil.

T h a t ’s w h a t b e i n g scandalized by evil means. It’s when evil, in any of its forms, leads one to commit another evil, another sin, like hatred, the disproportionate response of vengeance, despair and bitterness, etc. He may feel bad, he may get angry as an instinctive reaction to evil that befalls him, but he manages to stay away from committing sin itself.

Remember St. Paul saying, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” (Eph 4,26)

Yes, anger is a legitimate inst inc t ive re ac t ion to anything evil that would come our way, but we have to be most careful with it, because the line between anger as an instinct and anger as sin is thin, subtle and tricky. It’s much better to a good grip on this particular emotion of ours.

Like Christ, a truly good and saintly man would know how to bear evil patiently.

And more than that, like Christ he would be aroused to correct that evil with charity, and even to love those who cause evil even more. He would try to correct them and seek their conversion.

And even with those who have no more hope of conversion, like the evil spirits who already have made their definite choice to remain against God and everything that comes from God, like Christ a truly good and saintly man would refuse to fall into hatred or any form of evil. He may have to defend himself

against them, as he should, but would not be baited to fall into lack of charity.

As Christ said, we have to love even our enemies. (cfr. Mt 5,44) So we have to be most careful when in our pursuit for goodness and holiness, we end up hating those who are not good and holy and who give us trouble.

That kind of goodness and holiness is not the goodness and holiness of God. They would be fake and are based simply on our own gratuitous and unjustified ideas of goodness and holiness.

It would be the goodness and holiness of the prude persons, the puritans, the self-righteous and hypocrites, etc.

A truly good and holy person would be willing to suffer the evil that can unavoidably come his way.

This he does in obedience to the teaching and example of Christ which he considers, as part of his core beliefs, to be the true expression of

HINTS AND TRACES

ROY CIMAGALA charity.

So, one way of determining the true colors of a person, to see whether he is truly a good and saintly person or not, is to test him with some forms of evil. Sad to say, we are seeing many people failing in this test. When some disasters come or when some forms of injustice take place, many react not only with annoyance and anger, but also with hatred, despair and even loss of faith. What a pity! Rather, let’s be like Job. Email: roycimagala@ gmail.com

Banking&Finance 5 4 inter-gov't mechanisms approved for BARMM Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

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HE Department of Finance (DOF) said the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) of the national and Bangsamoro governments have resolved four mechanisms to ensure a successful and functional autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao.

In a statement, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said they made “a significant progress” after six “intensive” meetings since December 2019, which aimed at effectively implement the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

Dominguez said the IGRB

has already set in motion four intergovernmental relations (IGR) mechanisms necessary for the implementation of the BOL. These are the Fiscal Policy Board, the Joint Body for Zones of Joint Cooperation, the Infrastructure Development Board and the Energy Board.

According to Dominguez, these four IGR mechanisms will ensure “adept responses to the issues and challenges that face this vital transition” of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Notwithstanding all the challenges that faced the nation

this year, this crucial body [IGRB] was able to convene six times to resolve key issues and concerns. This is among the clearest indications of the Duterte administration’s resolve to help ensure the successful transition of BARMM,” Dominguez said.

The IGRB, co-chaired by Dominguez and BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal, held its 6th meeting last December 18.

Dominguez said that amid the limitations set by the COVID-19 pandemic, the IGRB “worked hard to resolve our points of divergence and reconcile differences to keep

the transition moving at the fastest possible pace.”

Iqbal also acknowledged the accomplishments made by the IGRB, which, he said, has been giving life to the provisions of the BOL and fulfilling its mandate of pursuing the success of the peace process and the BARMM. Both Dominguez and Iqbal committed to continue in 2021 with their vigorous efforts to realize the shared goal of the national government and the BARMM to bring genuine and meaningful autonomy to Muslim Mindanao.

They both cited the successful turnover of the

supervision over Cotabato City and 63 barangays in North Cotabato to the BARMM last December 15 as among the accomplishments of the IGRB. When the IGRB first convened in Davao City in December 2019, Dominguez expressed optimism that the body could “transform points of differences into points of cooperation between the National Government and Bangsamoro Government.”

The IGRB is mandated to coordinate and resolve issues on intergovernmental relations through regular consultations and continuing non-adversarial negotiations.

UnionBank mulls DOF to negotiate US grant for BIR digital upgrade digital banking unit; is open to bitcoin ABOITIZS-owned Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) is still studying how to go about formally adopting digital banking in view of the central bank’s new category on online-only banks.

UnionBank senior vice president Henry R. Aguda said they have not yet applied for digital bank license with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

as of the present. “But we intend to,” he said during the bank’s E-Talktales on Wednesday.

Aguda is not sure when they will apply and could not say if it will be in 2021. There is also no decision yet if UnionBank will set up a spin off unit, or subsidiary, or even a full shift or conversion to digital banking space.

“All options are open OPEN/PAGE 9

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has authorized the Department of Finance (DOF) to enter into talks with the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) for a possible USD809,450 grant (about PHP39 million) meant to assist the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) digital transformation program.

In a news release on Wednesday, the DOF said Duterte has approved its request for a special authority (SA) designating and

authorizing any one of its senior officials – Undersecretaries Antonette Tionko and Mark Dennis Joven, along with BIR Deputy Commissioner Lanee David –"to negotiate and/or facilitate, in accordance with law, for and on behalf of the government of the Republic of the Philippines, with the authorized representatives of the USTDA.” Tionko and Joven are the undersecretaries for the DOF's Revenue

If interested, contact:

Operations Group and International Finance Group, respectively, while David is the deputy commissioner for the BIR's Information Systems Group.

The SA covers the negotiations for an agreement on the grant of USD809,450 by the USTDA for the BIR’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Modernization Strategy and Data Center Technical Assistance Project, the department said.

DANICA SUDARIA

Duterte also designated and authorized Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III or BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay “to conclude, sign, execute and deliver the said Grant Agreement.”

The BIR project aims to modernize the bureau’s infrastructure and operational environment, the DOF said.

“The project funded by the USTDA grant will ensure an in-depth technical assessment UPGRADE/PAGE 10

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

Panguil Bay Bridge, Gaisano Mall to spark economic growth in Lanao del Norte

T

HE completion of two key infrastructure projects in Lanao del Norte is expected to set off an economic upturn in this province and its surrounding areas.

Already, the ongoing construction of the government’s Panguil Bay Bridge and private sector led Gaisano Tubod mall is perking up the provincial economy amidst the general lethargy caused by the global pandemic.

On one hand, the P7.352 billion (US$139.7million) Panguil Bay bridge is expected to spark an economic boom on both ends of its terminus when it finally links Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and Tubod, capital town of Lanao del Norte by reducing travel time between Tangub and Tubod from the current 2.5 hours to seven minutes.

It will also reduce traffic congestion in the area, ensuring efficient mobility and is expected to accelerate the economic growth in the Mindanao regions by ensuring seamless transportation of goods and services.

The 3.7-kilometer mega bridge when completed in three years will become the longest water-spanning bridge

surpassing the 2.164 kilometer San Juanico Bridge in Eastern Visayas.

The project is being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with funding assistance from the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Agreement with South Korean firm Kyong-Ho Engineering and Architect Co. Ltd. involved in the construction. Expenses not covered by the loan will be funded by the Philippine national government.

DPWH Undersecretary for UPMO Operations Emil K. Sadain, in his offshore inspection at Panguil Bay with UPMO Roads Management Cluster 2 (Multilateral) Project Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim and Project Managers Cristino G. Agtang, Francisco Sawali, and Jake Mambuay, said that the final design

of the main bridge and the two (2) approaches and viaducts is target to be completed by December 2020 and the civil works may immediately commence first quarter of 2021.

As of August last year, about 23 more borehole test analysis of 45 geotechnical tests had to be undertaken to ensure reliable reference for the final design of Panguil Bay Bridge.

The result of this geotechnical investigation onshore and offshore as well as bathymetric data from the study of the underwater depth of ocean floors is vital to ensuring that the Panguil Bay Bridge is built on good foundations with high strength to weight ratio, said Usec. Sadain.

Meantime, the latest mall of the Gaisano Group is set to open this year in Tubod, the capital town of Lanao del Norte Province.

Gaisano Tubod is a 3-storey Mall complete with Supermarket and Department Store, the first mall in Lanao del GROWTH/PAGE 11

Tubod Municipal Mayor Leoncio Bagol (1st from left) and Ms. Sittie Aminah Quibranza Dimaporo, Executive Assistant to the Office of the Provincial Governor (2nd from left) and other local and provincial officials grace the ground breaking and capsule laying for Gaisano Tubod. (photo courtesy of Lanao del Norte LGU)

The DPWH conducted an offshore geotechnical investigation inspection for the final design of the 3.7-kilometer Panguil Bay bridge that will link Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

Word values of an effective teacher By: LOURDINO A. SUGANOB – TEACHER III Mabini ES

The impressive math curriculum in the country

By Engr. RENANTE M. VERBAL Teacher II Lantapan Senior High School

THIS only proves that the K-12 curriculum, particularly in the subject of mathematics, has worked.

It can be recalled that the Philippines is always ranked third in the bottom in 1999 among all countries in the world as far as trends in math studies are concerned.

So how has the turnaround has been achieved?

Much of the credit goes to DepEd. The big change is the spiraling of content.

If you scrutinize the new curriculum more closely, you’d see that students from Grade 1 to Grade 10 will learn all areas of mathematics even during the Kindergarten years.

The learning is enhanced little by little as the students go up the ladder of Basic E d u c a t i o n . I ’m s u r e this trend is not just in mathematics but it will be replicated in other subjects as well in the near future.

These work values can greatly enhance a teacher’s performances one of the important requisites of an effective teacher is to possess desirable work values which they need to develop.

Outside of parents, teachers are the molders of the youth and the greatest source of hope foe mobilizing changes in the educational system.

To be effective, a teacher must practice these work values in their job at least most of the time. These are: 1. Altruism – Teachers need this particular work value most of the time. It is important for them to do something good for others, especially to their pupils as well as to their fellow teacher.

2. Creativity – This means that it is important for teachers to encourage suggestions in order to introduce and explain new concepts.

3. Intellectual stimulation – An intellectually stimulated teacher is always abreast of new innovations in teaching techniques. It can be done through participation in conference, reading magazines and also going back to school as a graduate student.

4. Achievement – It is important

for them also to achieve class target.

This is the highest work value of the teachers in their teaching job.

5. Variety – Teacher must do various activities in accordance with their abilities.

6. Aesthetic – Teacher should make beautiful, captivating ang meaningful setting such as making decorations in their classrooms, in any school celebration and community activities.

7. Economic returns – It is important in their teaching job. They should be adequate compensated or given adequate salaries in order to raise their standard of living.

8. Security – Teachers are like human beings, they must work in order to sustain their existence/earn a living. They need assurances in their present job.

9. Independence – Teachers must have freedom while they are with their students. While they need to be reminded they need not to be pressured every time they do their job.

10. Supervisory relation – Teachers must have harmonious relationship between and among co- teachers, supervisors or administrators, they

can effectively execute their task if there is a good relationship among them.

11. Prestige – Teachers must be recognized by their supervisor through their accomplishment.

12. Way of life – Teachers must have the right to choose which kind of life they want to live.

13. Surroundings – Teachers can work effectively and efficiently in a clean and spacious place. They must have pleasant surroundings.

14. Associates – Teachers must associate with his co-teachers, pupils, community, higher school officials and with other groups which are important in the educational system.

Therefore, all work values mentioned above can greatly enhance a teacher’s performance. They must be followed by teachers, for they influence outcomes as achievements, effectiveness and satisfactions. In other words, pupil’s achievement is just a reflection of teacher’s performance. Even if all the requisites of successful instruction are present, there is no guarantee that a successful educational undertaking will take place in the absence of teacher possessing desirable work values.

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SMDC Ties up with Lamudi Top real estate firm SMDC lists its properties on online real estate platform Lamudi. The move is part of responding to buyers’ needs in the new normal.

T

HE leading property platform Lamudi welcomes top real estate company SM Development Corporation (SMDC) as its latest partner. With its projects listed online, the property giant hopes to expand its market reach further and accommodate buyers’ demands in the new normal.

“During the pandemic, we’ve discovered the power of online selling.

Our sales come both from our physical broker network and also through the internet,” SMDC President Jose Mari Banzon mentioned in the latest episode of Lamudi’s On the House: Small Talk with Big Bosses.

The Digital Norm in Real Estate SMDC recognizes the importance of strengthening online presence to accommodate the needs of buyers in the time of the pandemic, especially since a significant portion of the market has gone digital.

It is turning to online listings, as community quarantine measures are still in place, limiting physical property showings.

According to Lamudi’s trend report published last May, there was a 31 percent increase in site visits from returning

platform users from March to April 2020.

This suggests that those who were thinking about real estate before the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) gave property purchase a more serious thought during the ECQ. Aside from responding to the new-normal of property search, the company aims to connect to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) better. Through SMDC’s partnership with Lamudi, property seekers abroad can easily find SMDC projects on the platform.

They can have all the information they need for investment decisions, from prices to amenities to locations, and even neighborhood ratings.

The company’s inclusion on Lamudi complements the online selling efforts of SMDC’s wide broker network abroad.

Speaking with Lamudi CEO Kenneth Stern for On the House: Small Talk with Big Bosses, Banzon shared that SMDC has allotted funding to agents overseas in order to create interactive websites and a 360-degree view of showrooms. “What we want is for the website to sell the Philippines, sell real estate in the Philippines, and give the potential buyer the

The role of a school administrator

By KENNON H. PARA-ON ADA III

AS in every organization, leadership plays the most important role in conducting business in school organizations as well. Any organization, including schools, reach their goals more effectively and more efficiently when they are effective.

This is important because there is a strong relationship between s cho ol administration and student success. The school administration is the leader that carries the school to success just like a ship’s captain. Accordingly, school administrations have important missions in student success and establishing effective schools.

Here in the Philippines, s c h o ol pr i n c ip a l s are automatically the school administrators. The school administration is viewed as an institution in itself. It is noted that s cho ol administration should prepare the educational environment and meet the physical needs because a physical

environment is one of the basic variables. Another notable characteristic is motivating teachers and s t u d e n t s . Mo t i v a t i o n is the most important internal factor for learning.

Again, administ rators should have the necessary administration skills. Another salient characteristic is administrators being leaders in the social field.

The role of administrators is highlighted among other role behaviors.

To sum it up, a school administrator prepares the school for education, remedies the deficiencies, be encouraging, acts as g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l o r, ensures discipline and order, creates a school culture, inspects, supports teachers and students, rewards success, establishes healthy communication, have consistency between promises and actions, reassures manners, provides motivation and effective administration planning as well as quick resolution of problems.

capability to do the transaction through the internet.”

With these online technologies, OFWs can experience the feel of the home they’re eyeing to buy even though they’re miles away.

Strong Demand for Properties within CBDs As SMDC embraces innovations in going digital, it is optimistic about the seriousness of buyers today, as well as the strong real estate appetite for properties located within the central business districts (CBDs).

In Lamudi’s latest trend report, Hotspots Unwrapped: 2020’s Most Popular Locations, the data shows that cities with CBDs remain popular among real estate seekers. Quezon City leads the list, followed

by Makati, Pasig, and Taguig.

SMDC’s newest condominium offerings are highly accessible to these cities. Gem Residences, launched amid community quarantine measures, is located in Pasig, along the C-5 Corridor. It’s nine minutes away from

the Ortigas Center, and 20 minutes from Ayala Center, Bonifacio Global City, and Eastwood City.

This translates to a home close to all essential establishments, shopping centers, leisure hubs, medical facilities, and excellent schools. Ideal not only for property owners who are always on the go, Gem Residences is a suitable residence for people living in the age of community quarantine measures and travel restrictions, and beyond.

Locating in major CBDs and close to transport hubs is a hallmark of SMDC developments. Mint Residences is situated in Chino Roces Ave., Makati, surrounded by modern conveniences today’s homebuyers look for.

Meanwhile, those who are planning to move to SMDC's Gold Residences will experience less hassle when traveling abroad since the condominium is right across the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. As for South 2 Residences, located conveniently

“SEMPER FIDELIS” JINNEFER D. ESPINA

It is Sunday afternoon.

While others are off to malls or having a family day, there she is packing her clothes, uniform and provisions making sure everything will last for a week . By three o’clock, with a heavy heart, she bids farewell to her family and off she goes to join the others in her group so they could catch the last trip to the barangay nearest their post for their post is not yet accessible to motorized vehicles.

With the jeepney’s final destination still far from her post, she travels by foot along rugged trails and terrain. The beautiful scenery of the surrounding belies the dangers she is openly exposed to – from nefarious elements humans or otherwise to freaks of nature. Arriving at her post gives but little comfort.

A small hut devoid of the basic necessities like electricity and water, shared with four others, serves as her abode for the week . Her water supply comes from a nearby spring where she also takes her bath. At night, lamps and candles light up the hut. She can’t sleep well for at the slightest sound she wakes up, always wary of lawless elements that might come her way. For five days, she lives a Spartan-like life.

She is Maria de la Cruz, our 21st century teacher assigned to a hinterland school, she is not a soldier.

To say that these are her only concerns and challenges would be an understatement. Comes classes, she has to contend with insufficient teaching and educational materials and resources aside from the fact that her classroom is dilapidated. Oftentimes, she has to shell out hardearned money from her own for her classroom needs. The problems and the challenges that go with her job are many that to enumerate them would be like writing an entire volume of an encyclopedia, such is case of Maria de la Cruz that one may think doubly paid.

But no, the compensation does not speak the enormity of her job, all she gets is a measly sum called hazard pay.

Lesser mortals could easily discourage or would opt to resign with this kind of job. But Maria de la Cruz is made of sterner stuff. She takes on all the challenges in stride with nary a complaint.

For her, all these are part and parcel of being a teacher.

She marches on to the call of duty ever faithful and true.

So, the next time you see a teacher, give her a pat on the shoulder for doing a tremendous job, and thank her for sticking it out despite the odds. She is a pillar of our nation; an unsung hero who demands nothing but just to be treated fairly.

in the SM Southmall Integrated Lifestyle Center in Las Piñas City, future residents can rest assured that they have their essentials covered, with various amenities and establishments found within walking distance from their home.

This emphasis on prime, strategic location is in line with SMDC’s commitment to sustainability. Walkable communities ensure

healthy, active living for residents and offer a reduced impact on the environment. The mentioned communities above launched in 2020, along with Smile Residences in Bacolod, are the prime models of the company’s emphasis on sustainability efforts.

Home in the New Normal On top of location, SMDC residences feature SMDC/PAGE 9

Why we should teach teamwork for pupils?

By: MARIAN G. SUGANOB – Teacher III Mangga ES

Why is it important to teach teamwork to students and how can it be done?

With the advent of hi-tech communication devices nowadays, instant messaging and online communication pupils are becoming connected to more and more people.

I do feel positive about the increase of this type of communication and the growth of the internet as a learning tool. However, s t u d e nt s s e e m t o b e interacting face to face with their peers less often, and some key communication and teamwork skill are being left behind and not taught effectively.

Despite the growth of the communication devices, direct communication will always be important and necessary. Those people with these communication skills will be at an advantage as opposed to those who can’t quite get along with their peers.

There are many group work tasks you can give to teach teamwork to pupils and allow them to practice their positive and productive communication with each other. There are projects pupils can work on in teams and a huge range of games pupils can play that involve productive teamwork skills to be successful.

To teach teamwork to students however, you also need to highlight to them the importance of teamwork and also what skills they will need to communicate effectively and work well in a team. Some vital skills you can highlight and discuss

with your students like listening, speaking, and discussions on selected topics and issues.

The most important is that pupils need to listen, first of all so that other pupils can speak without being interrupted and secondly so that all they know what is being discussed and where the conversation is heading.

Of course, people do need to speak in groups, to give their own ideas and give feedback to other people’s ideas. Lots of pupils have no trouble talking to their friends but to work effectively to the whole group.

Not so much a skill as much a state of mind but I believe it’s a state of mind pupils can practice and learn.

To participate in teamwork, pupils need confidence, they need to express their ideas confidently and accept other’s negative feedback without being too offended to continue. Building a pupil’s confidence can be a long process but the more group work, pupils partake in and the more they learn how to listen and speak effectively their confidence towards working in teams will improve.

An excellent way of int ro ducing pupi ls to teamwork and to help them practice their abilities i s t h rou g h cl a ss ro om games, either team games or individual games that require them to interact with each other. Games are great engaging way for pupils to practice communication and teamwork.

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Friday|January 22, 2021

Metro Davao & Metro Cagayan de Oro

Free Webinar on Business prospects and investment opportunities

T

HE Consulate General of Japan in Davao and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Region X and XI will host a free Business Webinar on business prospects and investment opportunities in Metro Davao and Metro Cagayan de Oro. Scheduled for Friday, January 22 at 8:30 AM (PST)/

9:30 (JST), the event will first present an overview and rationale for the activity by NEDA IX Regional Director Maria Lourdes D. Lim, to be followed by a presentation on the Role of Mindanao in National Development to be rendered by NEDA Regional Development Group Undersecretary Mercedita P. Sombilla.

Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte will next present Metropolitan Davao Development Prospects, to be followed immediately

by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno’s presentation of Metropolitan Cagayan de Oro Development Prospects.

Next up is a presentation of Investment Opportunities

in Metro Davao by Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) President Dr. Lourdes Monteverde, to be followed by the presentation of Investment Opportunities in Metro CDO

by Oro Chamber President Ruben A. Vegafria.

Not the least, Mr. Isoda Susumu, Manager of Shimizu Corporation will present

Japanese Business Interests or Preferred Investment Areas.

A short open forum will follow before the closing message by NEDA X Regional Director Mylah Faye Aurora B. Cariño.

To join the free Business Webinar, register here: https://docs.google. com/.../1FAIpQLSf.../ viewform

In partnership with Ateneo and Knowledge Channel

Security Bank Foundation launches “Ready, Set, Read” video series Security Bank’s corporate social responsibility arm, Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) recently launched the Ready, Set, Read! video series for elementary students in partnership with the Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. and Ateneo De Manila University, as part of its advocacy of improving the quality of education and filling the educational gaps

brought by the pandemic.

The first five episodes set to air from January 19 to February 19, 2021 will focus on enhancing the reading competencies of Grade 5 students particularly on inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words in stories through context clues.

The topics chosen are based on the Department of Education’s Most Essential Learning

Competencies (MELCs) Guide which focuses on the indispensable competencies that Filipino learners must acquire, especially with the challenges of learning delivery during this pandemic.

Other videos in the pipeline touch on the reading strategies for grades 1 and 3 students such as predicting the possible ending of a story,

making inferences and drawing conclusions based on texts, and interpreting simple graphs, tables and pictographs.

“Uplifting the quality of life in communities where Security Bank has a presence is the goal of Security Bank Foundation. We aim to achieve this by providing quality education through scholarships for deserving students, building and

donating classrooms to accredited public schools nationwide, training the teachers of our beneficiary schools to help them improve their teaching skills, and developing new initiatives through digital learning resources.

Through these efforts, we hope to provide better opportunities for the succeeding generations of Filipinos and a brighter future for the communities

Security Bank serves,” says Rafael F. Simpao, Jr., Chairman of Security Bank Foundation.

The three organizations collectively chose English Reading competencies as the subject matter of the educational materials after the reports of the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the 2019 Southeast Asia BANK/PAGE 11

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Open... from page 5

and we have a team studying the best options f o r t h e b a n k . ( It w i l l ) also depend on who the other competitors are. The details of which are still evolving,” he said.

In the meantime, Aguda said the bank is open and quite excited about t h e pro s p e c t of d i g it a l currency taking off in the Philippines, hopefully led by the BSP when it issues its own central bank digital currency (CBDC). “ We’r e w at c h i n g i t very closely,” said Aguda, particularly the way cryptocurrency or bitcoin technology is progressing and the ecosystem it will t hr ive on. Howe ver, he is concer ne d ab out t he highly volatile nature of cr ypto currenc y. “We

want to create a scenario where we have (all the) advantages (in the digital space) without volatility,” he said. Right now, there are issues hounding digital money such as the privacy aspect, efficiency and security. “ We’r e o p t i m i s t i c ,” said Aguda. “I wish the Philippines will b e one of the first to launch this (in the region).”

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno has said that he does not see a CBDC w it hin his ter m, w hich will expire mid-2023. He made this comment based on a s u r v e y of c e nt r a l banks around the world that said they don’t see their own CBDCs within the next five years either.

“Very few central banks pl an to i ssu e C BD C i n the next five years,” said Diokno earlier. But, he s a i d t h at s om e c e nt r a l

banks are conducting CBDC activities as part of contingency planning.

F o r n o w, t h e B S P is s e tt i ng t he st age for when the countr y has a requirement for a CBDC. It said the issuance would depend on whether there is a need for it and “the net benefit of the CBDC to the consumers, the financial market, and the Philippine economy results to higher efficiency gain compared to the existing electronic payments system.”

A BSP technical working group on CBDC was set up mid-2020 to take a look on the fundamental issues and also to study its variants such as ret ai l CBD C, a wholesale CBDC, a tokenb a s e d re t a i l C B D C , o r an account-based retail CBDC. Diokno seems to be looking at retail CBDCs more, w h i ch he s ai d is more widely accessible.

SMDC... from page 7

facilities that have proven perfect under a lockdown scenario. SMDC residences are either located near an SM mall or have their own builtin commercial strips where residents have easy access to all the essentials – food, medicine, bank and other ser vices. The vast, open spaces of SMDC’s resorttyp e amenit ies provide more than enough room to allow residents to bask in the outdoors with social distancing. C o-working spaces in open-air set-ups, backed up by commercialgrade Internet connection, are provided to allow workfrom-home set-ups. Natural lighting and ventilation, which are standard features in an SMDC residence, are perfect for the new normal.

And, finally, with a team or well-trained professional

Agriculture relevant in climate mitigation

By Engr. RENANTE M. VERBAL Teacher II Lantapan Senior High School

WE can create a whole new suite of revenue streams to protect farm income from the vagaries of trade.

Work on the farm never stops and as our nation continues to face the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers and ranchers, their employees and their rural neighbors can’t afford any lag time in the essential services we are counting on to keep our businesses running and our food supply secure.

And we must prioritize getting the vaccine to those on the frontlines of our farms and across the food supply chain.

I do think that you're going to see climate reduction, particularly as it's in the soil health area and in air quality areas come to the forefront and be a higher priority. That means reviving rural communities and economies, addressing dire food shortages and getting workers and producers the

relief they need to hang on and to come back stronger.

Drones can obtain high-resolution images and accurate measurements, de velop algorithms, determine patterns and provide a more complete picture of overall crop development.

This process of gathering ‘big data’ for analysis and interpretation for practical application on the farm can be used toward the improvement of various agricultural crops.

property managers, residents can sleep soundly knowing that their home is safe and secure, is wellmaintained and sanitized and that there will always be people who will provide assistance 24/7.

Committed to making property ownership easier in the new normal, SMDC has AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION OF SOLE HEIR

explored online channels buyers are using today, and at the same time, provided an actual home fitting the residents’ emerging needs.

DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF THE LATE PEDRO L. CABALING WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

That the late DELFIN SERIÑA ESPEDIDO who died on August 12, 2007 in Cagayan de Oro City, that said deceased left a certain parcels with Tax Declaration No. G-170457 situated in Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of 2,433 square meters, more or less and Tax Declaration No. G-164548 (Building) situated in Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of 835 square meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION OF SOLE HEIR, filed by the heir of DELFIN SERIÑA ESPEDIDO, per DOC #277; PAGE #56; BOOK #XXXII; Series of 2015 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. MARIA NORA L. GONZALES CAGANG.

That the late PEDRO L. CABALING who died on February 15, 2016, at the time of his death left a parcel of land with Tax Declaration No. 02-004572 situated in the Barangay of Cogon, City of El Salvador, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of FIFTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT (15,578) SQUARE METERS, more or less, and has been the subject of an DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF THE LATE PEDRO L. CABALING WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS, filed by the heirs of PEDRO L. CABALING, in favor of FELIX Y. CABALING, JAYGER C. DABLIO, GINA C. DATA, ARLENE C. MENDOZA, DESIDERIO Y. CABALING, MARIDEL E. ELMEDULAN and LOZINO Y. CABALING, per DOC #125; PAGE #25; BOOK #VIII; Series of 2019 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. JENNY G. UPLINGER, CPA.

BWM: Jan 22, 29 & Feb 5, 2021

BWM: Jan 22, 29 & Feb 5, 2021

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

10

Demand... from page 3

However, the property adviser group projects the vacancy rate to go doubledigit this year between 12 to 14 percent because of many office buildings that are being vacated by POGOs. "Well, the exit of POGOs affected the vacancy rate here in the market,” Lobien added. (PNA)

Travelers... from page 3

In addition, airlines are required to verify and confirm the negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before they board the aircraft.

Passengers will also be required to fill out and sign attestation form at the airport.

The US recommends but does not mandate that international passengers (passengers arriving in the US) take a post-arrival test 3 to 5 days after arrival as well as a 7-day period of staying at home.)

PAL urged passengers to observe these requirements for travel to the US as

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FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

mandated by the US Centers for Disease Control (US CDC).

For convenience, PAL passengers may avail of the services of the airline’s own testing center in partnership with Detoxicare Diagnostics Molecular Laboratory which is accredited by the Philippine Department of Health.

The covid 19 testing center is located at the PAL Learning Center (PLC), Padre Faura, Manila.

The PAL Learning Center facility in Manila offers RTPCR testing at PHP 3,300 with results released in 24 hours.

To carry out online prepayment for tests, passengers will have to register on the Passenger Profile and Health Declaration form at the PPHD site.

After registering on PAL’s Passenger Profile and Health Declaration (PPHD) site, they will receive a confirmation email, which has a link to the pre-payment portal.

They must click on the link of the test they wish to pay for and they will be directed to the booking and payment portal of Guide to

the Philippines.

They will have to select the date they wish to be tested and input payment details.

Once payment is successful, they will receive an email confirming payment.

Passengers must present this together with their ID, PAL ticket, and QR code upon entry at the PAL testing facility.

On the day of their flight, passengers must present all required documents at the check-in counter in order to be accepted for flight.

PAL international flights depart from NAIA Terminal 1 and arrive at NAIA Terminal 2. Passengers are advised to retain electronic or written copy of test result for potential review by US public health officials.

Failure to comply with the requirements and willfully making false or fraudulent statements, or concealing information, is subject to criminal penalties and imprisonment.

Launched... from page 3

noting that the enrollment process is digitized.

They can deposit checks using the app.

For those who would apply for a loan, they will not be asked for paper requirements since the loan application will be assessed through a credit score. " T h e SM E B u s i n e s s Banking app was developed DEED OF ADJUDICATION OF HEIR OF DECEASED GIDEON A. DE LEON KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

That the late GIDEON A. DE LEON who died on November 11, 2017 at Apovel Subd., Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City, that said deceased left parcels of land with 1)Transfer Certificate of Title No. t-105205 situated in the Brgy.

Of Carmen, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of SIXTY (60) SQ.M., more or less, 2) Transfer Certificate of Title No. 137-2013000984 situated in Cogon (now Camaman-an), Cagayan de Oro City containing an area of ONE HUNDRED (150) SQ.M., more or less, 3) Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-42409 situated in the District of Bulua, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN (427) Square Meters, more or less, 4) Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-104765 situated in the Barrio of Macasandig, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of SIX HUNDRED NINETY FIVE (695) Square Meters, more or less, 5) Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-64538 situated in the Barrio of Tablon, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED (300) Square Meters, more or less, 6) Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-42409 situated in the Brgy. Of Carmen, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of SIXTY (60) Square Meters, more or less,7) Transfer Certificate of Title No. 1372016001989, situated in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) Square Meters, more or less, 8) Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-129863 situated in the Barangay of Carmen, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY (120) Square Meters, more or less,and has been the subject of an DEED OF ADJUDICATION OF HEIR OF DECEASED GIDEON A. DE LEON, filed by the heirs of GIDEON A. DE LEON, per DOC #453; PAGE #91; BOOK #XXVII; Series of 2018, under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. JORGE G. MAGDAONG,JR. BWM: Jan. 15, 22 & 29, 2021

as a single-access platform for the users," Soliman said.

In terms of security, one may log in through biometrics security, such as facial recognition.

If the device is not capable of the biometrics features, a one-time password (OTP) can be sent directly to the user.

For those who are part of more than one business, the app allows multiple company management.

"Whether you are the head of a company, and a staff of another company, you can use the app using a single set of credentials," UnionBank vice president Antonio Miguel Dans II said, adding that the app could be accessed by multiple users of one company.

Users can view their log activity, too.

For more convenience, users may receive notifications via push notifications, similar to what is seen on social media accounts.

They can also opt to receive notifications via email.

The app, which has been available at Google Play and App Store since January 18, is the first of its kind in the country, Bautista said. (PNA)

Hopeful... from page 1

eight positive cases were processed for only seven hours.

Before that the provincial government hospital would wait for at three to four days to get the results from the laboratory at Butuan Medical Center in Butuan City.

“I certainly hope that early detection is vital in improving the chances of patients to survive,” Cane told MindaNews in an interview.

He said the use of QR DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL PARTITION WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE OF PORTION OF LAND KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: T hat t he l at e C A T A L I N O BAUTISTA and SOLEDAD OROPESA-BAUTISTA who died on December 22, 1995, at Cavite City, Philippines and died on March 26, 2009 at San Diego, California, USA, the said deceased spouses left several properties including all improvements thereon if any, consisting of the following properties as follows with Property No. 1 Tax Declaration No. 0808000101998 sitauted at Poblacion, Salay, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of 227 sq.m, Property No. 2 Tax Declaration No. 0808000100939 sitauted at Poblacion, Salay, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of 1050 sq.m. per tax declaration and 747 sq.m.

Per DENR V-37 Technical Description, Property No. 3 Tax Declaration No. 0808000100938 situated at Poblacion, Salay, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of 658 sq.m., 4) Technical Description Lot 669-B situated in the Barangay of Poblacion, Municipality of Salay, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED (300) SQUARE METERS, more or less, 5) Technical Description Lot 669-A Emmanuel Ranises, situated in the Barangay of Poblacion, Municipality of Salay, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT (358) SQUARE METERS, more or less, filed by the heirs of CATALINO BAUTISTA and SOLEDAD OROPESABAUTISTA, per DOC #133; PAGE#27; BOOK #XVI; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Regsitry of ATTY. ANNE MARGARETTE JUSTINE M. CRUZ. BWM: Jan. 15, 22 & 29, 2021

code in contact-tracing complements the easier and faster tracking of residents suspected to have shown symptoms of COVID-19 illness.

“This to ensure that those found positive with the virus and their close contacts can be attended the soonest and put in quarantine/isolation facilities to prevent full-blown transmission,” he said.

The COVID-19 laboratory in the province is the fourth established in Caraga region following the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City and Butuan Medical Center and MJ Santos Hospital in Butuan City.

“I believe it was good enough and the operations would eventually turn out even better in the coming days,” the governor said in his social media post.

The provincial government has been aggressive in testing residents of Agusan del Sur using COVID antigen testing process.

All employees at the Capitol were required to undergo testing.

Cane, however, said the province will do away with antigen tests once the supplies at the D.O. Plaza Memorial Hospital run out to avoid higher expenses.

For now, the laboratory is operating only one of the two COVID testing equipment, as the one donated by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte still has no laptop computer and software. (Chris V. Panganiban/MindaNews)

Upgrade... from page 5

o f t h e B I R’s c u r r e n t I C T e nv i r o n m e n t , t h e development of an Enterprise Architecture roadmap/framework, and an assessment of the organizational framework of the BIR’s Information System Group (ISG), including recommended restructuring and training programs,” it said.

Dominguez has c i t e d t h e B I R’s d i g i t a l transformation efforts as among the factors that led to a dramatic improvement of its services to taxpayers and its robust collection performance ahead of the pandemic-induced crisis.

He said the digitally enhanced administrative reforms being undertaken by the BIR are beginning to pay off by way of the significant improvement in the country’s tax effort

f rom 13 p ercent of t he gross domestic product ( G DP ) i n 2 0 1 5 to 1 4 . 5 percent of GDP in 2019.

The digital switch has also led to the more convenient and efficient el e c t ron i c f i l i ng of t a x payments, especially during the pandemic, Dominguez said.

Starting February 14 last year, the BIR allowed the use of the PayMaya mobile application as an additional electronic payment channel for tax payments.

Apart from PayMaya, the other e-payment tools are GCash, LandBank L i n k b i z , D B P P a y Ta x , Union Bank Online, and PESONet. The BIR has also improved the tax forms d e p l oy e d t o t h e e - B I R Forms System to make the filing of tax returns more accessible and convenient to taxpayers.

It b e g an t h e pi l ot implementation on April 21, 2020 of its webbased Internal Revenue Integrated System (IRIS) that will be the central tool and repository to process taxpayers’ information.

The IRIS is targeted to be available nationwide by the end of 2021.

An Electronic Audited Financial System (eAFS) was also launched on June 1 last year to allow business taxpayers to electronically submit their financial statements to the BIR. In t h e s am e m ont h , the BIR concluded its competition dubbed the “HACK-A-TAX Challenge”, which brought together talented information technology professionals, st ar t-ups, and students across the countr y to develop innovative digitalbas ed s olutions for t he bureau.

To e n ab l e t a x p aye r s to c ont i nu e c ons u lt i ng revenue officials on their tax-related concerns e ve n w it h t he mobi l it y restrictions imposed to c u r b t h e spre a d of t h e coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the BIR launched its eAppointment Facility on October 19 last year.

In November, the BIR a l s o l au n ch e d it s we b based Procurement, Payment, Inventor y and Monitoring System and its Online Application for Tax Clearance for Bidding Purposes (eTCBP). (PR)

R.A 10172 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC November 12,2020 Notice is hereby given that the Birth Certificate of MRS. SIMPANORAY APAK PACOL of Barangay Lumbac, Tugaya Lanao del Sur, is shown to be incorrect and corrected as in order from 15 february 1959 to December 15, 1959.

BWM: Jan. 15, 22 & 29, 2021

(SGD) Mr. AMER P. PACALNA Municipal Civil Registrar Tugaya, Lanao del Sur

11

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

FRIDAY|JANUARY 22, 2021

Challenge... from page 4

wonder if there is any place in this world that is absolutely safe and secure? Yes, just one: in the hands of the only One Who controls the future.

As the song says: “I know who holds the future, and I know He holds my hand.”

If you put your entire life in Jesus’ hands, you will be in the safest place in the world.

Why risk another day? Once and for all, won’t you ask Him to forgive you for all of your wrong living? Then ask Him to take charge of your heart every day? With Him in charge of every area of your life, you will never again need to fear anything. He is the only One Who can help you rise to every challenge you face, no matter how big.

Just think a minute . . .

Plan... from page 4

We do not regularly monitor the plan. Yes, they get monitored but ver y seldom and irregular. Too late to make the necessary corrections or interventions.

Delays, poor execution, and unnecessary wastage can b e avoide d if on ly more regular monitoring and tracking system is in place. Remember, what gets EXTRA-JUDICIAL PARTITION OF ESTATE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late EUGENIA Y. MABULAY who died intestate on ____________, without leaving a will; that the said deceased, at the time of her death, left no debts; that the time of her death, she is the registered owner of the following properties with TAX DECLARATION NO. G-369982, North: Lot 6226-B, East: Lot 6221, South: Lot 6225 & 6227, West: Iponan River & Lot 6229, containing an area of FOUR THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY SEVEN (4,387) Square Meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL PARTITION OF ESTATE, filed by the heirs of EUGENIA Y. MABULAY, per DOC #441; PAGE #88; BOOK #XVIII; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. EMELITO J. MARQUIÑO. BWM: Jan. 15, 22 & 29, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF HENRY A. SORIANO K N O W A LL MEN BY T HESE PRESENT:

That the late HENRY A. SORIANO who died without any will on August 29, 2020 at Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines; that, said deceased at the time of his death, left the following properties with TCT No. 135199 situated at Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, TD. G-163109 situated at iponan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Motor Vehicle: 1997 MAZADA V2500 with Plate No. LMB880 and with OR No. 1760603283/CR No. 38425151, valued at Php50,000.00, Fire Arm: Pistol, SWSN, .99 mm, TBT9480, valued at Php10,000.00, PNB Account No. 410970002586, joint account with HELEN M. SORIANO, and with a remaining balance of more or less Php53,954.17; and PNB Account No. 410910072215, joint account with JOSEY REX M. SORIANO, and with a remaining balance of more or less Php31,326.82, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF HENRY A. SORIANO, filed by the heirs of HENRY A. SORIANO, per DOC #77; PAGE #16; BOOK #4; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. ARMEN RASHID O. MALAWANI. BWM: Jan. 8, 15 & 22, 2021

monitored, gets done. If we do not inspect it, people assume that we don’t expect it done and delivered.

We plan to expect that ever ything will happ en exactly how we planned it. But things beyond our control happen and can ruin even our most b e aut i f u l pl ans . T h at’s when we need to activate our Plan B, our “what if ” button. Unfortunately, most plans don’t have Plan B. We need to have our backup or contingency plans for those unforeseen and uncontrollable events. What if the support or resource you need is not available?

What if there’s a systems glitch? What if the person who’s tasked to do the job leaves the team? So many what if ’s to consider. But we should be prepared in case they become realities.

The pandemic taught us the importance of having Plan B. Those who survived and thrived during this challenging time are those who have their Plan Bs in place.

P l an n i ng i s c r u c i a l.

Let’s be mindful that a goal without a plan is just a wish.

But we have to do it properly.

And when the plan doesn’t work, change the plan but not the goal.

So what’s your plan?

Bank... from page 8

Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) showed that Filipino students lag behind other countries in terms of reading proficiency.

“Our partnership with EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HEIRS WITH DONATION KN OW AL L M EN BY TH ESE PRESENTS:

That the late GLICERIA AGAD BONGO who died on August 30, 2014 in Zone 1, Centro, El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, without any will; that the said deceased at the time of her death left her separate and exclusive properties consisting of two parcels of land with Tax Declaration No. 02-007127 (2002) situated in Ulaliman, El Salavador, Misamis Oriental containing an area of 2,783 square meters, more or less and Tax Declaration No. 02-007128 (2002) situated in Ulaliman, El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of 2,783 square meters, more or less and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HEIRS WITH DONATION, filed by the heirs of GLICERIA AGAD BONGO, in favor of JHUNIVER A. BONGO (Donee), per DOC #102; PAGE #21; BOOK #73; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. ALMA W. ERMINO. BWM: Jan. 8, 15 & 22, 2021

Security Bank Foundation and Ateneo comes at a time when video lessons have become fundamental in ensuring that learning continues even amidst any calamity or pandemic. This video series will also provide Filipino children with English reading proficiency that will prepare them to succeed and thrive in a globallyconnected society,” says Rina Lopez Bautista, President and Executive Director of Know le dge C hannel Foundation.

“Ateneo welcomes this opportunity to work with Security Bank Foundation and Knowledge Channel Foundation in ensuring an effective teaching-learning process even during the u nu su a l c i rc u mst anc e s surrounding education at this time,” adds Dr. Carmela Oracion, Managing Director of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development.

To help educators and parents understand how these videos can be used as effective teaching tools, a free webinar was organized

by Security Bank Foundation and Knowledge Channel.

Teachers and parents can use these videos for free to enhance children’s reading skills in the comfort of their home and eventually as integral teaching materials once classes return to faceto-face.

The pilot run consisting of 5 episodes will be aired on Knowledge Channel from January 19-28, 2021 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (11:20-11:40 am), A2Z Free TV Channel from January 22 to February 19, 2021 every Thursday (8:20-8:40 am).

The episodes will also be available for replay on Security EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALE K N O W A LL M E N B Y T H E S E PRESENTS: That the late SPOUSES FORTUNATO AND ALITA SAMANTE who died on 1-8-2020 and 12-252011, respectively in Cagayan de Oro City, the deceased spouses left a parcel of residential house and lot with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-154159 situated in the Barrio of Kuaswagan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of 61 square meters, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALE, filed by the heirs of SPOUSES FORTUNATO AND ALITA SAMANTE, in favor of JELLO MAY PALASOL HENDY, per DOC #152; PAGE #31; BOOK #125; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. FELIX D. LACUBTAN. BWM: Jan. 8, 15 & 22, 2021

Kagay-an Festival 1st Oro Lechoneros Encuentro Champion

for Orders, Contact Yoyong:

09354145759 09169249371

Bank’s Website at https:// www.securitybank.com/ sustainability/educationalvideos and Facebook page at https://facebook.com/ SecurityBank.

To know more about Security Bank and Security Bank Foundation, you may visit www.securitybank.com/ Sustainability

The l ast d ay of t he anniversary celebration set on Jan. 21 is expected to be attended by OPAPP Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, Interior Sec. Eduardo Año, Budget Sec. Wendel Avisado, and DOF Sec. Sonny Dominguez alongside Undersecretary David Diciano. (PNA)

from page 6

from page 2

Growth...

Norte outside Iligan City located along the National Highway near Poblacion, Tubod at the intersection of the Panguil Bay Bridge Project Access Road.

The project broke ground in March 2019 but construction was delayed by quarantine measures imposed by the national and provincial governments following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

C onstr uc tion of t he project resumed on July 2020 and is targeted for completion before the end of 2021.

One-DA... from page 2

post-harvest, processing logistics, and marketing support.

Further, it will focus on d i g it a l ag r i c u ltu re ; climate change adaptation and mitigation measures; mobilization and empowerment of partners to attain scale; strategic communication support; ease of doing business and transparent procurement; global trade and export development and promotion; and food safety regulations.

(DA10/PIA10)

Achieved... from page 2

During the kickof f ceremonies, Murad sounded the “gong” (Muslim percussion instrument) to signify the formal start of festive events.

It was followed by the symbolic relief goods distribution and launch of regional vehicles and equipment, including a rescue speedboat, acquired to address disaster incidents.

Meanwhile, BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Si n ar i mb o a l s o s i g ne d memoranda of agreements supporting infrastructure projects with Maguindanao provincial and town officials.

Culling...

“DA-11 personnel went to the area to monitor the depopulation of the 1,989 hogs, which were conducted by farm personnel. After depopulation in the affected areas, cleaning and disinfection activities were conducted, and quarantine checkpoint and disease monitoring activities in other barangays and key areas such as wet markets, slaughterhouse, and livestock markets were also continued,” the agency said. (PNA)

Renders... from page 1

is being done with local authorities and several leads are already being looked into.

Updates will be provided once available,” NGCP added.

The system operator also appealed to the public, local and national governments, and local community leaders to help in identifying the “perpetrators.”

Extension... from page 1

pandemic.

“Our BTA scheduled sessions have repeatedly been hindered by occurrences of Covid-19 restrictions that have affected the region, the country, and the world,” Balindong said during the forum.

Balindong and his colleagues also proposed to amend the Bangsamoro Organic Act so that the regional elections be moved from 2022 to 2025.

Balindong was joined in by BTA Deputy Speaker Omar Yasser C. Sema, BTA Maj or it y F l o or L e a d e r L anang T. A li, Jr., and Me mb e r of Par l i am e nt Jose Lorena during a press conference held inside the BARMM center here.

T h e B TA p a s s e d 1 5 major laws and some 100 resolutions since BARMM's

inception two years ago.

O n l y r e c e n t l y, t h e BTA passed the region’s administrative code, which d e f i n e s t h e s t r u c tu r a l , functional, and procedural principles and rules of the region's governance.

St i l l p e nd i ng b e fore the BTA are five proposed priority legislation that includes the Bangsamoro Civil Service Code, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, B ang s amoro E du c at i on Code, Bangsamoro Internal Revenue Code, and the Bangsamoro Local Government Code.

Balindong said all the five prioritized measures are now being tackled at the “committee level.”

Political dynasty Pressed by repor ters on w h at m e a s u re t h e y think would eat up a lot of time, the officials said it would be on the local government code, particularly concerning the political dynasty.

Sema said the particular prov i s i on c a l l s for t h e ending of political dynasty up to the second degree of consanguinity and affinity of future elected officials in the region.

Expressing his views on the same proposal, Lorena said the subject would be a “hard sale” on the part of political clans in the region that have a huge number of followers.

“Public consultations are needed on this matter but we remain optimistic to thresh out problems in the future,” he said.

When asked, Balindong said that given the transition extension they are asking, the political dynasty issue would be given more attention by the BTA members.

“For the sake of moral governance, I am for the abolition of political dynasty,” he said.

Sema described political d y n a s t y a s a “t i c k l i s h issue” that needs further deliberation at the BTA plenary.

“I, myself, do not completely agree on abolishing the "political dynasty" in the region as it somehow suppresses the right of suffrage of the constituents to vote for their leaders. (PNA)

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Friday|January 22, 2021

12

Safety Technical Institute & Driving Academy serves 3,000 drivers in 8 years S

By MARK FRANCISCO

AFETY Technical Institute & Driving Academy in Cagayan de Oro City celebrated its eighth year anniversary last Monday.

According to school president Jun Tupag, the LTO and Tesda-accredited institution has already served a total of more than 3,000 enrollees in its driving courses through the years.

The school offers two driving programs – the three-day theoretical driving course and the twoday practical driving course.

Tupag said the theoretical driving course (which

costs P2,500) is a prerequisite to the practical driving course. It consists of 15 hours of lecture divided into three days – Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, the practical driving course is a prerequisite to securing a student driving license.

The course itself is divided into two – one for manual and another for automatic vehicles.

The manual course is worth P4,800 while automatic driving lessons cost P5,800. But would-be students need not worry for the tuition cost, they just need to apply for Tesda

Land Transportation Office (LTO) 10 regional director Nelson Manaloto and assistant regional director Arthur Ranque personally grace the blessings and eighth anniversary celebration of Safety Technical Institute & Driving Academy. On the picture also is Joe Felicilda of BusinessWeek Mindanao and Anne Tupag, the vice-president and corporate treasurer of the school. Jun Tupag, the school president and CEO of Safety Driving Academy, is the concurrent president of the Driving Schools' Association of Region 10. photo supplied

scholarship, Tupag explained.

In a practical driving course, students are taught at Safety Technical Institute & Driving Academy’s own

wide expanse of range in Cala-cala, Macasandig. After they have passed the lessons there, they will be allowed to drive in the city with their instructor.

Safety Technical Institute & Driving Academy employs six instructors, including two lecturers. It deploys a total of five vehicles for its students – all

of them are sedans.

Safety Technical Institute & Driving Academy is located at No. 10 Velez Arcade, Zone 7, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City.