BusinessWeek Mindanao (January 27, 2021)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE

Volume XI, No. 98

AS OF 6:00 PM JAN. 22, 2020 (FRIDAY)

FOREX 3.10

X

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PHISIX

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7,045.83

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Briefly Power projects THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it has certified 149 energy projects of national significance (EPNS) to date, with the approved projects involving investment of P795.52 billion.

An EPNS designation for major projects covering power generation, transmission or ancillary services entitles the proponent to expedited permits, having been deemed in line with the DoE’s objectives as set out in the Philippine Energy Plan.

“Out of 399 received applications, 149 were certified as CEPNS while 35 applications are still under evaluation,” the DoE said on its website, citing developments as of Jan. 20.

Mining freeze PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered the suspension of all mining on an island in Tawi-Tawi, within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a cabinet official said Tuesday.

The President issued the order following reports that Tumbagaan Island in Lunguyan, Tawi-Tawi has been “completely devastated as a result of mining operations,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said at a televised briefing.

He said Mr. Duterte brought up the state of mining on the island, a source of nickel, during a Cabinet meeting on Monday night in Malacañang.

IN-DEPTH

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MisOr launches prov'l agriculture complex www.businessweekmindanao.com

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Wednesday|January 27, 2021

C

L A V E R I A , Misamis Oriental -- A Provincial Agriculture Development Complex in Barangay Ani-e here has been launched, January 22 to serve as a processing center of various agricultural products.

The seven-hectare facility was acquired by the provincial government through a Deed of Grant of Usufructuary Rights from the Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC), Inc., which then served as tobacco plantation facility of the said company.

As the facilities are now under the management of the provincial government of Misamis Oriental, it will now be used to process various agricultural products and this would help address th post-harvest loss and the value-adding needs of LAUNCHES/PAGE 11

The extensive growth of water hyacinths in the Delta Bridge area in Cotabato City, photographed Tuesday (26 January 2021), has clogged the flow of the Rio Grande de Mindanao. The same situation had caused massive floods in this area in 2011. mindanews photo by ferdinandh cabrera

Villar's plastics recycling plant serving schools all over Mindanao

By MARK FRANCISCO

MORE than 2,000 classroom chairs made out of recycled plastic have been donated by the Villar Social Institute

for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) in schools all over Mindanao.

Since 2017, Villar SIPAG

has operated a waste plastic recycling factory in Cagayan de Oro City, producing 200 chairs a month to be distributed in public schools.

RECYCLING/PAGE 11

TARAKA, LANAO DEL SUR – MinDA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)

Emmanuel Herbosa turned over on Thursday (January 21) various development projects and agricultural

equipment for the Local Government Unit of Taraka in Lanao del Sur. SUPPORT/PAGE 11

Lanao Sur town receives agri support from MinDA, DBP Workers in the assembly line of the Villar SIPAG waste plastic recycling factory in Cagayan de Oro City get ready to produce another batch of chairs. photos supplied

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Local DA-10 distributes free veggie seeds to LDN farmers

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ANAO DEL NORTE - The Department of Agriculture – Region 10 (DA-10) through the Lanao del Norte Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) distributed vegetable seeds and upland rice seeds to farmers of Barangay Kahayag, Babalaya, and Pagayawan in the municipality of Bacolod.

The home gardeners accepted 230 vegetable seeds while 25 farmers received upland rice and new technology in organic vegetable

production.

Farmers and gardeners thanked DA10 and the provincial government for always extending help and for its undying support in boosting the agriculture productivity of the province.

“Nagpasalamat kami sa DA ug ni Governor Angging sa paghatag ug prioridad kanamong mga mag-uuma.

Gikinahanglan kaayo namo kining maong tabang labi na niining panahon sa pandemya,” quoted one farmer recipient.

[We thank the DA and Governor Angging for giving priority to us farmers. We desperately need this help especially during this time of a pandemic.]

Provincial Governor Imelda 'Angging' Quibranza-Dimaporo ensures that the Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte is ready to support and give the assistance needed by the local farmers to produce more agricultural products not only here in Bacolod town but the entire province.

(PIO-LDN)

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

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

The Department of Agriculture – Region 10 (DA-10) through the Lanao del Norte Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) distributes vegetable seeds and upland rice seeds to farmers of Barangay Kahayag, Babalaya, and Pagayawan in the municipality of Bacolod, Lanao del Norte. (PIO-LDN)

NEDA-10, Davao partner with Japan Consul to bring in metro investments

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

THE Consulate General of Japan based in Davao City, in cooperation with the NEDA Regional Offices 10 and 10, hosted the Business Webinar on Metropolitan Cagayan de Oro and Metropolitan Davao, January 22.

The webinar served as a venue for the metros to promote their development prospects and investment opportunities for the Japan business community to explore business ventures along these corridors in Mindanao.

NEDA Regional

Development Group Undersecretary Mercedita A. Sombilla explained that “the role of Mindanao in national development is defined in three sectors, that is, Agriculture, Industry, and Services.”

Mindanao's economy is largely driven by the Industry and Services sectors, while the northern Mindanao Region holds the highest value added in the Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry sector, said Sombilla.

“Strike gold in Metro Cagayan de Oro,” opened Mayor Oscar Moreno as he presented the development prospects in the budding metropolis. The mayor bared that Metro CDO is the commercial and trade center of the region, hosting the 3,000-hectare PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate, regarded the largest in the country.

He stressed the metro’s sufficiency of life support services, as well as the accessibility of Asia’s best higher education institutions and tourism circuits.

The metro continues the internationalization of its populace, putting in place good governance and harnessing partnerships with the global community.

These assets, among others, set the metro’s favorable environment for local and foreign investments.

Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. President Ruben A. Vegafria disclosed that Cagayan de Oro City is graded Level 1 in terms of safety for visits and investments by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. This means that Metro Cagayan de Oro is suited for business

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

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CorporateWorld RESORTS, HOTEL & RESTAURANTS DIRECTORIES

A PUBLIC SERVICE BY:

ALGEN’S DIVE RESORT (088) 3872015 APPLE TREE RESORT & HOTEL 735411 / 754525 Fax: 754497 0917-7144040 / 0923-3269366 / 0939-9076948

Jollibee aims 100 store openings of Vietnamese resto in PH

T

o achieve its goal of making PHO24 a leading global pho chain, the Jollibee Group is set to expand Vietnam’s pho chain brand with a target 100 store openings in the Philippines, starting with three new store openings this year.

The first opening in 2021 is scheduled next month and will be located at the Jollibee Tower in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

“We are looking forward to the new store openings of PHO24

this year as part of plans for the long-term strategic growth of the Jollibee Group,” Joseph Tanbuntiong, Jollibee Group Country Business Group Head for the Philippines, said in a statement Monday.

Tanbuntiong said the company is also developing the brand’s own delivery platform to cater to the increasing demand and to reach new customers, and will be launching new products.

“We have seen

the growing love of Filipinos for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, and PHO24’s expansion in the Philippines provides Filipino foodies with distinctly different pho meals that are both tasty and nutritious,” he added.

Despite the challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, PHO24 achieved significant milestones in 2020.

It launched its Facebook online ordering platform, two new rice

meals, and two variants of home meal kits.

The Jollibee Group has operated PHO24 in the country since 2018.

PHO24’s first branch at the Double Dragon Meridian Park in Pasay opened to queues of customers eager to try the famous beef pho for the first time, with some who kept coming back, tagging their friends along to share their latest discovery of authentic pho and other Vietnamese food favorites.

(PR)

Infra spending, private sector upturn to boost PH recovery: IMF

By JOANN VILLANUEVA, PNA

MANILA – Increase in government’s infrastructure spending this year is expected to

fuel Philippine economy’s recovery this year even as the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

slashed its growth forecast for 2020 and 2021.

“The projected rebound in 2021 and 2022 is primarily driven by a renewed infrastructure investment push and a gradual recovery of the private sector, supported by accommodative monetary policy and global recover,” IMF Country Representative to the Philippines Yongzheng Yang said in a reply to e-mailed questions from the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

He said the lender further slashed its 2020

growth forecast for the country to -9.6 percent from -8.3 percent in October 2020, while the new 2021 projection is a recovery to 6.6 percent from 7.4 percent previously.

Yang attributed the cut in the 2020 growth projection to “the largerthan-expectation yearon-year contraction in Q3 (third quarter).”

The domestic economy contracted by 10 percent in the first three quarters of 2020, with the first to third quarter figures RECOVERY/PAGE 10

SM Prime issues interest rates for retail bond offer SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) has set the interest rates for its peso-denominated Series M, 2.5-year retail bond at 2.4565 percent due in 2023, and Series N, 5-year retail bond at 3.8547 percent due in 2026.

SM Prime issued an aggregate principal amount of PHP5 billion of the Series M and N bonds, with oversubscription option of an additional PHP5 billion.

“The proceeds of the retail bonds will allow SM Prime to continue its expansion plans in its core business, which will further drive the company’s growth,” SM Prime chief finance officer John Nai Peng Ong said in a statement

Tuesday.

The retail bonds are offered

by SM Prime to investors through underwriters from Jan. 25 to 29 following the receipt of the Permit to Sell from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The retail bonds are set to be issued on Feb. 5, 2021.

The proposed issuance is the second drawdown from SM Prime’s PHP100-billion debt securities program under shelf registration registered with the SEC in Markets and Securities Regulations Department (MSRD) Order No. 6, Series of 2020.

Similar to its previous bond issues, the SM Prime Series M

and N bonds have been rated PRS Aaa by Philippine Rating Services Corporation (PhilRatings). A rating of PRS Aaa is the highest rating assigned by PhilRatings.This rating is given to long-term debt securities with the smallest degree of investment risk. This also indicates SM Prime’s strong capability to meet its financial commitment.

The SM Prime bonds’ joint issue managers are BDO Capital & Investment Corporation and China Bank Capital Corporation, which are also acting as joint lead underwriters together with BPI Capital, First Metro Investment Corporation, and SB Capital Investment Corporation. (PR)

BAHAY BAKASYUNAN SA CAMIGUIN (088) 3871057 / 3870131 Fax: 3870278 BASAMANGGAS RESORT 08822-760564 Fax: 760565 CAGAYAN RIVERVIEW INN 8584245 / 729039 Fax: 8584245 CASA CRYSTALLA 8561704 / 722465 Fax: 722480 CASA ISABELLA (088) 8564065

CASA AZUCENA 8563402 / 09236593973

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PRYCE PLAZA HOTEL 8583131 Fax: 726687 PRAWN HOUSE (088) 3095992 Fax: 8519219 RIDGE VIEW CHALET 8588946 / 8587946 Fax: 8588946 SEDA CENTRIO HOTEL 3238888 / 0917-577-5910 SOUTHWINDS HOTEL 724803 / 8562036 Fax: 8562036 STARGATE DREAM VACATION RESORT 8515003 / 8509999 THE VIP HOTEL 726080 / 8562505 Fax: 726441 RED PLANET 8800888/8801306 TRAVELERS POD 8518988 UPTOWN CONDOTEL 8511800 VILLA PARAISO APARTELLE 3870419 Fax: 3870429 HONORARY MEMBERS:

DEPT. OF TOURISM 723696/726394 / 8564048 Fax: 723696

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HOTEL CONCHITA 8563856 / 727355 Fax: 8563857

KAGAY-ANON RESTAURANT 728958 / 8563688 Fax: 8563843 / 729003

HOTEL KORESCO 8589749-50 Fax: 8589748

LA ILONGGA RESTAURANT 72-6183 / 857-3652 Fax: 72-4605

HOTEL SOGO 8520383

KINGSTON LODGE 8585696 Fax: 8585696

MISSY BON BON 8566852 / 09228606442 Fax: 8566852

MAPAWA NATURES PARK 8584402 Fax: 725265 MALLBERRY SUITES 8541999 / 7249999 Fax: 8544999 MAXANDREA HOTEL 8572244/729943 Fax: 724090 MIAMI INN 8581901 to 02 Fax: 725279/728486 N HOTEL (088) 8801924 PARAS BEACH RESORT 8568563 Fax: 8568563 PHILTOWN HOTEL 726295 / 8564402 Fax: 723104

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Opinion

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Fathers of orphans Think a minute ... Tragically, fathers are b ecoming a vanishing breed. Statistics s h ow t h at m i l l i o n s o f children are growing up like orphans because their fathers simply reproduce themselves and leave, rather than staying home to love and raise their son or daughter. A family expert who has studied modern life says: “The vanishing father is perhaps the number one problem of the changing family today.”

There are also fathers, however, who stay in the s ame hous e w it h t he i r children yet still manage to make them orphans.

Someone said, “The hardest job kids face today is learning to be parents without seeing any.” They may see a man living in their home, but they do not see a loving, caring father who is involved with them.

So they actually grow up like orphans. “Some fathers bring their children up, while other fathers let them down.” These are fathers who support their children with food, clothing, and an education—nothing more

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST than what an orphanage provides.

Remember: “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” How much time together with your son or daughter have you put into their memory bank? How many memories do they have of you listening, talking, and having fun with them? If a man refuses to fulfill his responsibilities as a father, he cannot expect his wife to be a real mother either.

Without the leadership and help of her husband, the mother will eventually become discouraged. The tragic result is kids who are left to find their own FATHERS/PAGE 11

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

Debenhams shuts all stores, around 12,000 jobs lost UK department store chain Debenhams is to shut all its outlets, administrators for the collapsed group said Monday, with the loss of around 12,000 jobs.

Debenhams, which has long struggled with fierce online competition, will see its brand live on however after British online fashion group Boohoo bought the group’s intellectual property assets.

Debenhams collapsed last month, having struggled to adapt from a bricks-andmortar business long before the coronavirus pandemic forced shoppers online.

Its stores will reopen following the lifting of the UK lockdown to liquidate stock,

administrators FRP Advisory, brought in to salvage parts of the business, said in a statement Monday.

“Once Debenhams stores are able to reopen and the stock liquidation can continue in stores, the website will be operated by Boohoo.

“The closing down sale will continue in stores for several weeks until the stock liquidation is completed and the value of this stock will be retained for creditors.

“Regrettably, all the UK stores will then be permanently closed,” the statement added.

A source close to the company said this meant that around 12,000 jobs would

disappear.

Debenhams, whose history dates back to the late eighteenth century, had hoped to sell some of its 124 stores, whose staff have been paid by the British government’s furlough scheme during the pandemic.

It is unclear whether British retail group Frasers, which has been in talks with the administrators, will still snap up some Debenhams stores.

Frasers is headed by Mike Ashley, owner of English Premier League football club Newcastle United and renowned for purchasing major retailers that have fallen from great heights.

NUTS & BOLTS

JEROME DE LA FUENTE

Boohoo has meanwhile acquired Debenhams’ assets, including customer data.

The cost of the deal is £55 million ($75 million, 62 million euros), Boohoo said in a separate statement.

SHUTS/PAGE 11

Politics and science don’t mix IT does not help that there is a large segment of our population who are adamant or downright afraid of Covid-19 vaccination. It is also bad because the issue of where the source or sources of the vaccines are coming from is notoriously politicized.

This is most apparent in the Philippines which has yet to acquire vaccines from whatever sources.

Fe ar an d a d am an c e are understandable. We just had this nightmarish experience of children dying because of Dengvaxia, a vaccine for dengue which the Aquino administration acquired under foreboding circumstances.

Dengvaxia stuck in the public consciousness and the fear of yet another vaccine lingers forgetting that we had had so many inoculations before that saved us from slow deaths and disabling diseases.

In high school, we had mass “bakuna” (vaccination) against tuberculosis (TB) with bacillus calmettegueren (BCG). Fast forward, our kids had all sorts of

vaccines. Our Rotary Club of Davao along with others all over the country waged a nationwide immunization campaign to eradicate polio.

Smallpox which was a very infectious disease that kills three out of ten victims was eradicated in 1977 through mass vaccination. Those who survived before the vaccination had ugly scars all over their bodies and some went blind. That is just to name a few.

Scientists all over have been experimenting on how to deal with viruses which under varied circumstances mut ate. Vir us es att ack humans, animals, and even plants and originating in several countries. Among the worst recorded in recent times are AIDS (Acute Immune Deficiency Syndrome) which so far has claimed 35-million lives. The killer disease started in West Africa. The virus was believed to have come from chimpanzees and transmitted to humans. It is still a major health concern today. Ebola also occurred in West Africa.

Polio originated in New York,

USA, Swine Flu in Mexico, Asian Flu in China. An earlier flu epidemic started in Russia and the Yellow fever in Philadelphia, USA. Spanish flu, known to be the vicious pandemic in history that accounted for about 100-million dead did not actually originate from Spain.

Wild speculations suggest that it may have originated from East Asia, Europe, and even Kansas, USA. It ravaged several countries in Europe that were involved in the first World War. Not one from among these nations would want to make an issue that the killer viral disease was in fact claiming the lives of their soldiers thus Spain, which was a neutral country, became a convenient suspect of where the flu started. MERS-Cov or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus was first discovered in Saudi Arabia. It was reported that 35% of those infected died.

The suspected sources of viral infections are bats and camels.

I mentioned that plants are affected by viruses too

LETTERS FROM DAVAO

JUN LEDESMA and the manifestation ranges from beauty to grotesque and outright severely damaging.

T he bu rge on i ng ab a c a industry of the Philippines was wiped out when the mosaic virus hit plantations in Davao and Bicol region.

It also attacks tomatoes and cucumbers.

O rc h i d i s t s l ove t h e unusual white and yellow streaks in the broadleaf vandas. These are actually caused by viruses.

To d a y ’s C o v i d - 1 9 pandemic has challenged science. Said to have come f rom Wu han, C hina it traveled across continents POLITICS/PAGE 11

Missio ‘ad gentes’ I N E ng l i s h , t h i s L at i n expression can be roughly translated as our mission toward all the people. This expression, by the way, is made by our bishops as the pastoral theme for year 2021 that culminates the preparation for and begins the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in our country.

The expression ‘ad gentes’ comes from the words of Christ who told his disciples to “Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mk 16,15) The Second Vatican Council adopted this expression in one of its decrees that dealt on the missionary activity of the Church.

It behooves all Christian believers to be most aware of this intention of the Church to carry out this mandate of Christ before he ascended into heaven. Everyone needs to examine himself to see if this intention is given due attention.

Everyone, from the Pope to the last lay person, needs to feel as fully as possible the weight and the urgency of this duty to go forth to the whole world and proclaim the gospel, which is nothing less than presenting the living Christ, the whole mystery of Christ to the whole world.

Being the pattern of our humanity and the redeemer of our damaged humanity, Christ is not meant only for a few people. He is not only for those who now call themselves Christians. He is for everyone.

Thus, every Christian, if he is to be an authentic Christian, should feel the responsibility to be a missionar y also in his own way. This is a duty that is incumbent on every Christian. It’s not optional.

This can only happen if he truly identifies himself with Christ as he should, having the same mind, spirit and mission of Christ, such

that as Christ himself said, whoever sees and listens to a Christian believer also sees and listens to Christ himself and to the one who sent Christ to us. (cfr. Lk 10,16) We definitely need to realize more deeply that our being Christians essentially involves our being missionaries also. For this, we need to realize that everything in our life can and should be a material, a reason, an occasion to carry out this missionary duty.

There is actually nothing in our life that cannot be made use of to carry out this duty.

After 500 years of Christianity, we should realize that Christ is meant for everyone. While this duty to proclaim Christ has to start with oneself and then to our family and our close friends, relatives and colleagues at work, we should realize that we are meant to have a universal

HINTS AND TRACES

ROY CIMAGALA outlook in carrying out this missionary duty.

Ye s, w h i le e ach one more or less has a niche or a specific place in doing apostolate and mission work, we should see to it that we are not trapped in one part of the world. Just as nowadays there is a keen interest in globalizing some economic, social, political and even ideological concerns, there should also be a more driving interest in globalizing Christ, so to speak, making him known CIMAGALA/PAGE 11

Feature 5 Aparecio assumes as DPWH 10 assistant director Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

By ERCEL MAANDIG

T

HIS is by virtue of the Department of Public Works and Highways( DPWH) Special Order No. 42, Series of 2021, dated January 18, 2021.Engr. Lilibeth N. Aparecio is designated as the new Officer-inCharge, Office of the Assistant Regional Director for DPWH Region X. Formerly, she was assigned as the District Engineer of Misamis Oriental 2nd District Engineering

Office (DEO) for six (6) years and also served the Regional Office for thirtyone (31) years prior to her assignment in the said DEO. “I hope and pray that our tandem will bring good service to Region X and that God will give us wisdom to improve our strategies for the public, but this is not possible without the help of the District Engineers and other key officials. We’ll try our very

On Focus

By ERCEL MAANDIG

best. From the bottom of my heart, welcome back to the Regional Office X and I am very happy to be your partner,” said DPWH-10 Regional Director Zenaida T. Tan. “After serving the Regional Office X for 31 long years, this place has always been a home to me.

Six years in the DEO also created a special family that I will cherish in my heart. I worked really hard and now I am back in my first home. Thank you for believing in me Ma’am (referring to RD Tan). I will do my job well. And I also thank everyone for the warm welcome",Aparicio responded.

Barangay Kauswagan emerge as Champion for...

Reflection of New "2020 SEARCH FOR OUTSTANDING Normal in Integrating BARANGAY NUTRITION CLUSTER" Technology in Science CONGRATULATIONS TO Education OTHER TOP 5 WINNERS GIRLIE S. CASONA Teacher III

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Therefore, more creative and innovative methods and strategies are to be explored by science teachers in order to attain learners’ meaningful learning.

To improve learning, a significant transformation is needed in the educational system with updated content and learners’ interactivity.

L earners nowadays as dig it a l nat ives, w hich means learners are used to interactive digital media such as computers, mobile devices or video game. They are learners who differ from learners who are oriented with the typical pedagogical strategies regarding content learning and class interaction. The teacher may use video games as one of the interactive technological content instruction that may enhance the learning processes of the learners.

In such a way the teacher may capture their attention and keep them engaged and immersed in the learning process.

To make classes more interesting in the new normal, it is necessary to take advantage of the benefits offered by information and communication technology ICT and multimedia such as the technology-aided instructional material in integrating science lessons.

The impact of technology on science education is that it has meaningfully changed

how learning content is delivered. Teachers can practice online and blended environment, integration of web based instruction, video, webcams, virtual field trips, and other kinds of content to enhance the learning process. Learners learn in varied ways and in different time frames. Technology can offer differentiation in the classroom, giving all learners the opportunity for success by allowing them to work through projects or concepts at their own pace.

The new normal is not simply about technology o r o n l i n e t o o l s . We have seen how different sectors abruptly embraced technology to guarantee continuity of services in commerce, e duc at ion, and health among others.

Moreover, the new normal is about flexibility and how e ach p ers on- w het her learner, worker, or educator, can practice the skill of flexibility in shifting to the different modalities such as face-to-face, online, or blended learning or working. How immediately, comfortable, and confident we can shift our ways of learning, teaching, or working – for me that’s the new normal.

2nd Place-Barangay Carmen 3rd Place-Barangay Camaman-an 4th place-Barangay Consolacion 5th Place- Barangay 24

“LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, MOTIVATION, SOCIAL SKILL AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS” FARIDAH R. FAISAL

Classroom environment plays a significant role in determining students’ level of academic achievement and enhancing their holistic growth.

The learning environment is where the learning process takes place in social, psychological, and pedagogical contexts which can influence students’ a ch i e ve me nt and att itu d e s . A conducive learning environment can help increase intellectual activities, encourage friendship, cooperation and support among the students, and at the same time, promote learning, student growth, and development.

There are many things that can affect learning environment. These may include physical elements such as wall art, arrangement of desks, and other learning resources. In addition, the learning environment can also influence student behavior and social interactions. This conducive environment will allow teaching

and learning to occur comfortably and thereby help increase learning effectiveness.

A large class size lends itself to discipline problems because teachers are not able to establish the consistency needed to promote good classroom management. As teachers struggle to handle individual student needs, it becomes very difficult to control a large class. Discipline becomes ineffective, more sporadic, and inconsistent. Teachers may suffer from feelings of ineffectiveness in dealing with fights between children or other disciplinar y problems.

Problem on study habit is one of the greatest dilemmas to learners that hugely influences their academic performance.

The most prevalent problem parents and teachers encounter is the lack of motivation from students.

Students can feel unenthusiastic

towards studying or learning, when they are scared to fail, not challenged, apathetic towards studying, have emotional or anger issues, or when in need of special attention.

The study has signif icantly cont r ibute d in re const r uc t ing learning environment, discovering more facts about learners’ motivation, and understanding learners’ social skills that may result into better academic performance. Based on the findings of the study, there is a significant relationship between academic performance and a) learning environment; ad b) social skills. The results necessitate that students’ learning environment and social skills need to be improved in order for their academic performance to improve.

Keywords: learning environment, motivation, social skills, academic performance

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

PayMaya's footprint expands to over 200K touchpoints enabling cashless for all Filipinos

D

IGITAL financial services leader PayMaya is leading the charge toward financial inclusion as it expands its footprint to reach over 200,000 touchpoints nationwide, the largest network in the country to date.

Filipinos can easily pay, add money, cash out, or remit using their PayMaya accounts through these accessible touchpoints that include convenience stores, retail merchants, groceries, department stores, food outlets, pawnshops, and Smart Padala centers, among others.

“As PayMaya continues to lead the push towards cashless for all Filipinos, it is important for us to provide them with the most expansive and reliable on-ground channels that allow them to do safe and convenient financial transactions, no matter where they are in the country,” said Shailesh Baidwan, PayMaya President.

“We have built this robust ecosystem of touchpoints to help

ensure that there are easily available and trusted avenues for our customers to add, transact, or move money for all their day-to-day needs,” he added.

Unrivaled network of trusted touchpoints PayMaya account holders need not travel far to city centers as PayMaya’s unrivaled on-ground network of over 37,000 Smart Padala partner agent touchpoints serves as last-mile financial hubs, enabling lifeline transactions amid COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.

PayMaya’s network of on-ground and digital touchpoints is six times larger than the combined 12,371 bank branches and 22,162 ATM terminals currently operating across the country.

Smart Padala agents are present even in the farthest reaches of the country, covering over 92% of all cities and municipalities nationwide. In a country where banking presence is limited to only 69% of all cities and municipalities,

EXPANDING TOUCHPOINTS FOR DIGITAL FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS. With over 200,000 touchpoints across the country, PayMaya currently operates the largest footprint for financial transactions nationwide, allowing its more than 28 million users to easily pay, add money, cash out, or remit using their PayMaya accounts.

Smart Padala agents are connecting unbanked and underserved Filipinos to the digital economy, offering remittance, bills payment, add money, cash out, and scan-to-pay

“A WALK TO REMEMBER” (Teachers’ Journey Amidst Pandemic) GLORIA BEQUISO SABAL-MT-II Tablon ES

Covid19 has shaken everyone and brought changes in the lives of the people. It changes everything from the way of life up to educational system not only in the Philippines but all over the world causing some schools, colleges and universities to make temporarily closures.

The Philippines is one of the countries affected by this pandemic. The Department of Education took several actions and tried so many measures to open-up the schools in the country. With the collaboration of other concern agencies, DepEd managed to open the classes last October, 2020 but of course with the observance of proper health protocols set by Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and DOH to make sure of the safety of the teachers and school personnel and after series of consultations and defense.

DepEd created alternatives and introduced innovations to provide education to distant learners since face to face is impossible. After several studies and researches, the Learning Deliver y Modalities came to life. A platform which provides continuous education to remote learners due to the absence of face-to-face

teaching –learning process.

Wit h t he a dve nt of L e a r n i n g D e l i v e r y Modalities, DepEd battle which is “SULONGEDUKALIDAD” came to reality.

For both the learners, teachers and parents as well, this is the greatest challenge they both face in the present times. For the learners, learning without the teachers is a hard battle especially if no adult at home can assist them in answering the modules and other given tasks. For working parents, it is really hard for them to sit with the kids in answering the modules especially if both are working. Some parents also do not have the capability to assist the kids because of intellectual or educational issues. The effect of all these problems are the teachers’ dilemma.

Many p eople say that teachers nowadays have so much time to relax because of the absence of the faceto-face classes however, they do not know that this is the hardest battle the teachers e ver fac e d. Prep ar i ng modules, attending left and right webinars, making reports, checking answer sheets, tending to the queries of parents through text messages, chatting,

emailing or even undergoing home visitation in worst scenarios, these things made the teachers burn-out. But as educators, this is their “WALK TO REMEMBER”.

Teachers may face challenges as they continue this quest of providing education to distant learners, making sure that no child is leftbehind but still they keep moving-on to carry-out the mission of bringing school to each and every learner’s home in times of pandemic.

Teachers willingly sacrifice their times, resources and efforts to be DepEd’s agents in bringing education to the learners in the new normal.

Someday when everything will be okey, the challenges that teachers face at present would be a memory to remember.

A memory of challenges, changes, difficulties and at the same time fulfillment, that will possibly become a memory worth remembering, that once upon a time, a pandemic called covid19 stirred-up the teachers’ adrenalin which give them more energy and courage to continue their mission and vision in creating a difference and touching the lives of the distant learners in the new normal.

transactions.

PayMaya also taps into its network of trusted enterprise merchants, including MSMEs using its PayMaya Negosyo app for payment acceptance.

PayMaya's vast ecosystem of merchants, payment centers, and financial agents have become critical particularly in the government’s push to provide financial aid to those severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and various natural

disasters in the past year.

By sending financial aid to their PayMaya accounts, beneficiaries can easily use the funds in PayMaya QR partner merchants or encash via the nearest Smart Padala centers in their area, making it faster and more convenient for them to get their everyday essentials.

“PayMaya has become a lifeline to many people during the pandemic, and we’re seeing it become even more essential for

consumers, businesses, and the government in the years to come,” Baidwan explained.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in PAYMAYA/PAGE 10

Education in the New Normal : A Modular Learning Approach to Teaching TEREZA ACE D. TORRES Teacher 1 Balubal National High School Balubal, Cagayan de Oro City

A teacher's role is for module printing and checking and giving interventions for those students at-risk to drop.

A parent's role is to facilitate/teach their children in answering the modules and active engagement during module distribution.

Sometimes, students get bored in answering their modules and others experience difficulties. Modular learning and pandemic at some point has a positive impact in a way of making a family more closer to each other.

There is a need for strong parents and teachers collaboration, being responsible along the way.

Many of the nation’s K-12 students will spend at least part of the 2020-2021 school year either dealing with distance learning or a hybrid model that keeps them out of classrooms several days a week. They’ll spend lots of time using teleconferencing software, with teachers either convening classes live or pre-recording lessons.

Getting children to excel won’t be easy. Zoom and similar programs can be challenging for teachers and boring for

“digital natives” accustomed to watching more entertaining stuff on their devices.

Because I see the same kind of promise in today’s young people, I believe that schools should help unleash their creativity and encourage them to become active participants in making and sharing media as part of their learning experience. While gaining expertise, they acquire and sharpen creative skills that come naturally to their generation.

It’s an example of how students are not only able to work through complex problems, but also help their peers learn – once they feel empowered. Because people can learn differently, virtual instruction should be an opportunity to find what works best for each student.

Modular learning is the most preferred by parents for the conduct of distance learning for the coming school year. In a distance learning approach, parents will have to play an active role in the learning process. They will be the one to facilitate and guide their children through the modular lessons that will be sent to students while doing remote learning.

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

DILG-10 to LGUs: enact ordinances compliant with EODB Act CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY --As the country’s economy copes from the ill-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, local government units (LGUs) in Region 10 are enjoined to review and repeal irrelevant policies to ease business and non-business transactions.

In support to the implementation of the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient

Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)10 spearheaded the conduct of the Roll Out on the Repeal of Policies for select LGUs in the region, January 19 via video teleconferencing.

“As we shift to the new normal, LGUs should actively address the economic impact of the pandemic by

ARE YOU A GOOD LEADER? By: BERNADETTE N. CAŇETE

What does it take to be a good leader? A good leader should possess a good system of values.

In workplace, there are different personalities that can test one abilities and skills of being a good leader.

Being bossy would annoy everyone which eventually creates gossip among others.

Praising instead of criticizing would boast one’s ego and motivated more to perform well.

A leader who always finds fault to anyone does

not make right judgment but it will just define who you are because good governance will create a successful work environment. This environment will create happiness to ever yone around.

Teaching process

By CRISPIN P. CAARE Teacher III Tablon Elementary School

TEACHING is a fundamentally a process including planning, implementation, evaluation and revision. Planning and teaching a class are familiar ideas to most instructors.

More overlooked are the steps of evaluation and revision.

Wit hout classro om a s s e s s m e nt s or s om e other means of receiving feedback on a regular basis, it is surprisingly easy to misunderstand whether a p ar t i c u l ar te a ch i ng method or strategy has been effective. A teacher can create an environment of mutual trust and respect by relying on students for feedback. Students can be a valuable resource for verifying whether the class pedagogy is working. Selfexamination with feedback from your students and the instructor are key to improving your teaching.

There are many different levels of setting goals for teaching from the scale of an entire semester syllabus to a single class. You have the overall task of helping your students learn how to think critically and to understand the basic concepts and tools of your discipline.

As a licensed teacher, you probably will not be responsible for designing an

entire course but you must think about how your day to day teaching fits into the larger goals of the course.

Revising your pedagogy will help your students learn and keep you interested.

If you keep your focus on student learning, you will find a richer meaning to the typical lecture/discussion/ test/grade process.

Instead of an adversarial relationship, the teaching pro c e ss e nc ou r age s a relationship of cooperation and mutual discovery.

Regular assessment of your students and yourself is critical to your success as a teacher. To really understand whether you are teaching effectively and your students are learning effectively, it is crucial that you actively and regularly assess what your students have learned. If you are able to solicit meaningful feedback from your students on a regular basis, you can modify and improve your teaching strategies.

Assessments do not need to b e overly complex or involved. In fact, the more focused you are in the assessment, the more impact your changes will have.

The best plans are meaningless if you don’t try them.

initiating recovery efforts and by being investor-friendly,” said DILG-10 Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe.

He added that by reviewing business and non-business related local ordinances, and amending them as necessary, one can contribute to the revival of the economy.

The activity apprised the LGUs with the

concepts and theories of the regulatory reform. They were also trained on how to operationalize the Regulatory Reform Information System in order to deliver the best service to the public.

Part of the National Action Plan (NAP) Phase III against COVID-19 is to manage the health risks while opening the economy.

“You (LGUs) must be

Continue distributing modules

By MARICRIS MASONGSONG RACHO Teacher III Bugo Central School

THE government must ensure the continuous distribution of selflearning modules after plans to conduct face to face classes in the country were withdrawn due to the threat of a new COVID-19 variant.

W h i l e t h e re i s n o substitute for face to face le ar ning , t he count r y must depend on distance learning to protect children, teachers and parents f rom the new coronavirus strain.

The way forward for now (because the environment is very uncertain) is to make sure that we have modules being distributed ad we have teachers that are being protected from COVID-19 by making sure that they have access to personal protective

equipment (PPEs) and access to testing.

In fact, the Department of Education (DepEd) is wel l f u nd e d u nd e r the P4.5 trillion 2021 national budget to address educational needs in the c ou nt r y. Fu n d i ng for computerization, modules and other requirements for distance learning are increased as well as for the alternative system or ALS. Modular learning is a form of distance learning that employs the use of selflearning modules. These self-learning modules are based on the most essential learning competencies provided by DepEd. Ideally, the modules must include sections on motivation and assessment that serve as a complete guide for both teachers and students.

Universal, inclusive education non-negotiable

By FELCRES BANDIALA BUCOD Teacher III Bugo Central School

MORE than ever, we have a collective responsibility to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, helping to reduce longlasting societal breaches that threaten our shared h u m a n i t y. I n c l u s i v e education means equal access for all learners – notwithstanding identity, background or ability.

Learner diversity must be a strength to be celebrated as a force for social cohesion. There will be specific practices on governance, curricula, teacher education school infrastructure and relations among students, parents and local government units (LGUs) aimed at increasing access to the classroom. It is a call to action that we must heed, paving the way

for more resilient and equal societies in the future.

Inclusion is not just an economic but also a moral imperative. To rise to the challenges of our time, a move towards more inclusive education is nonnegotiable.

Inclusive education is when all students, regardless of any challenges they may have, are placed in age-appropriate curricula that are in their own neighborhood schools to receive high quality instruction, interventions and supports that enable them to meet success in the core curriculum. Inclusion in education refers to a model wherein students with special needs spend most or all of their time with non-special needs students.

“As we shift to the new normal, LGUs should actively address the economic impact of the pandemic by initiating recovery efforts and by being investor-friendly,” says DILG-10 Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe. (DILG 10)

innovative and sensitive with your policies and procedures to ensure that more businesses are encouraged to operate and do business in your localities,” said Agabe.

Participants of the said activity are the concerned personnel from the

municipalities of Don Carlos, Manolo Fortich, Quezon, all from the Province of Bukidnon, municipalities of Alubijid, Laguindingan, Tagoloan, and Villanueva from the Province of Misamis Oriental. (DILG10/ PIA10)

The Pandemic Teacher By : HERMIE ISRAEL JACQUEZ

The Corona Virus DiseaseCOVID 19 Pandemic have brought new challenges in the teaching profession in our educational system. But in the onset of this disease, the love and dedication of a teacher to the profession has not changed. Doing daily routines such as w a k i n g up e ar l y an d be in school on time, preparing gadgets needed for encoding, printing, sorting of modules and the likes.

In the classroom, the teacher gets busy with cleaning the classroom, disinfe c t ing mo du les, checking answer sheets, sorting modules and distributing to parents with utmost care by following

strictly health protocols to avoid contamination and spread of the disease.

Classroom is empty from the happy students, only photos are evident on their designated chairs.

The set-up is not easy, teachers even work in wee hours and holidays just to cope up with the modules distribution. Family members have become a help extension for the work load in this scenario of a pandemic teacher.

This is difficult, but there is a vow of teachers to fulfill the job as one under the vision-mission of the Department of Education to deliver quality education despite the threat brought by the virus.

ART THERAPY FOR TEACHERS By: MARIA JOY M. EDRALIN, Teacher III Bugo Central School, Cagayan de Oro City

Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. “ It’s no surprise therefore that many people around the world use art as means to deal with stress, trauma and unhappiness- or to just find greater peace and meaning in their lives.

Te a c h e r s on t h e s e days are experiencing so much stress. They were h av i n g p ai n i n t h e i r hearts and aches in their heads. Art therapy can be recommended as means to nurse the mind, body and soul back to health of these teachers. There are benefits that they can get from Art Therapy. It can improve self-management and alleviate symptoms of depression. It can improve communication skills and could address past traumas.

It can reduce stress and even improve problem-solving skills. The self-esteem can be built if a teacher

will undergo art therapy.

Furthermore, art therapy can mitigate symptoms and will provide a positive distraction.

Here are some of the helpful exercises using Art Therapy. You can draw or paint your emotions, create an emotion wheel, make a stress painting, make some puppets, use line art, create a sculpture of your anger, paint a mountain and a valley, attach a drawing or message to a balloon and paint inside a heart.

These are just few of the exercises. For more art therapy treatment, just search in Google the 100 Art Therapy Exercises in making your mind, body and spirit sing. ht t ps : / / w w w. fellowshiphall. c om / 2 0 1 8 / 1 1 / 1 0 0 - ar t therapy-exercises-to-makeyour-mind-body-and-spiritsing/

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

2 Chinese sister cities helping Davao City in COVID-19 response D

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV - MindaNews

AVAO CITY – The relationship of Davao City with two sister Chinese cities proved useful not only during economic boom but also in the time of health crisis as these provided support to the local government in its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response.

April Marie Dayap, chief of the Davao City

Investment and Promotions Center (DCIPC), said that the city government received 8,000 face masks from Nanning Municipal People’s Government and 500 infrared thermometers, and 3,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Jinjiang.

Aside from this, Panpan Food Company based in Jinjiang sent 1.1 million face

Will digital learning be the new normal?

By MARICRIS MASONGSONG RACHO Teacher III Bugo Central School

SCHOOLS have embraced apps and remote classes in the past year. Some see benefits in virtual learning but others fear the impact on disadvantaged children and privatization by stealth.

T he p and e m i c h a s created a great moment for learning. Skeptics, however, warn that a digital divide further widens existing attainment gaps and inequalities faced by disadvantaged children.

Other say schools are illequipped to protect their students’ data.

Most children have the technology in some form but it may be using Dad’s mobile phone or a flatscreen television. But will schools continue their digitally

enhanced approach, postpandemic? Many people think so. Others, too, believe the shift will be permanent. COVID-19 has given an impetus for schools to adopt, roll out and use more of the functionality of these tools. It’s likely and optimal that we’ll move to blended models where remote and digital platforms support in-person classroom teaching and contribute to minimizing teacher workload.

Te a che rs are qu ite adept at looking out at the classroom and quickly assessing who has got it and who has questions.

They can use digital tools to better identify who most needs their help.

The Essence of Team Building in School By: MARIA JOY M. EDRALIN, Teacher III Bugo Central School, Cagayan de Oro City

The school is a certain workplace which is composed of individuals with different personalities.

Everyone in this workplace especially the teachers, have their own strengths and weaknesses. Some would feel strong and mighty because of their educational background and in higher position. Others are too confident because of stability in economic status. There are teachers who are uncertain and may feel weak because of limited resources. There are teachers whose humility is so obvious maybe because of life experiences. Because of the said differences, teachers tend to work by himself, doing his task with one or two colleagues and trying to compete with one or the others.

Working individually creates a mentality of “ iya-iya and aho-aho”. What the teachers must have is to undergo the process of turning a group of individual

contributing employees into a cohesive team- working together to meet the needs and accomplish whatever goals and purpose. This is the process of building a Team. The teachers can build a team by structuring activities and fun events that team members can do together. The goal is that they gather together to share some quality talking time over the meal. If one teacher eat alone his lunch, it defeats the goal of team building.

Teachers should indulge themselves together for fun.

Activities like outings, into baseball games and bowling and other fun filled events are suggested. Having icebreakers, discussion topics, cooperative assignments, games and group brainstorming will fosters camaraderie between them. Really, any event that a group of teachers acting as a team will help bond the teachers. This is the essence of team building for teachers.

masks.

The sister city agreement of Davao with Nanning was signed in 2007 when President Rodrigo R. Duterte was still mayor, and was automatically renewed when it expired in 2017.

Mayor Sara Duterte signed Davao’s sister city agreement with Jinjian in 2018 to foster bilateral cultural and economic exchange and promote tourism between two cities.

Dayap said that Chinese sister cities were prompt to send medical and personal protective equipment, adding that Davao benefited from these strong ties “during the early stage of pandemic.”

The city government also received donations from Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and the Davao Fil-Chinese Multi-Sectoral

Association, Inc., consisting of 20 respiratory machines, additional 1,200 infrared thermometers, 10,020 protective septic suits, 2,000 face shields, 600 protective goggles, 9,660 N95 masks, and 37,500 pairs of gloves.

Dayap said the city government shared the donated supplies to 19 medical and emergency facilities in the city and around the region, including the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital in Mati, Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital in Digos, Compostela Valley Provincial Hospital in Montevista, IGACOS General Hospital in Samal, Davao Occidental Provincial Hospital, and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council in Sta.

PROFESSIONALISM AT WORK By: BERNADETTE N. CAŇETE

“Every idle word that men shall/ they shall give account in the day of judgment.”

One feature of a successful career relationship is a good system of values. Since then you have to display attitude appropriate to your work because our activities at work are measured and judged. Do not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you.

If you smile to others it would mean a positive response than by being indifferent and arrogant.

It would just invite gossip among colleagues. Belittling remarks of some insecure seniors who acts so bossy and autocratic who just want to be felt around are so annoying, even then one is presuming to know everything.

R ep or t ing to work on time also helps in performing jobs well and to keep the work place clean and organized. It is one key to make one performs more and improve their work when they are recognized.

One should take pride in his work and always bear in mind that you cannot please everyone. One would be jealous of your achievement.

Its best then to overcome jealously, instead allow support and inspiration.

Learn to appreciate others have.

Be responsible of your actions and decisions.

Admit and learn from your mistake. Be humble and accept corrections. “there are difficult personalities you will encounter at work.

Before making judgment, ask yourself, are they the

ones who are difficult or are you the one? Understanding an unpleasant behavior and doing something to improve such behavior and doing something to improve such behavior is quite a challenge.

Another thing also to consider in a workplace is to keep confidential or information’s. especially without permission or consent from persons concern.

Finally, you really don’t have the right to make others miserable of your own personal problems and bad attitude. Gossips and rumors have harmful effects and destructive. It would create chaos. Remember that people who gossip to your surely have gossiped about you. Concentrate on doing your work because you do not know about others personal problem.

Mind your own business all the time and it will make you better. “what comes around, goes around.” At work it is best to keep your mouth shut. If you have nothing good to say on others, do not say anything at all.

There is nobody who can stop spreading gossip but you.

You cannot CHANGE anything, if you have nothing. SUCCESS is a CHOICE, it is not like happiness it isn’t given. It is made from within.

Cruz in Davao del Sur. She added that their “thoughtful gesture has truly reaffirmed our mutual commitment, which is to boost cooperation in all possible areas, especially when assistance is badly needed.”

Davao has existing friendship city agreements with Uijeongbu and Incheon in South Korea; sister city agreements with cities in the Philippines such as Baguio, Manila, Quezon City, Cebu City, Bayugan, Cotabato, Zamboanga City, Legazpi in Albay, Bacoor in Cavite, San Juan and Marikina in Metro Manila; and sister city agreements with Jinjiang in Fujian and Nanning, China; Manado and Pekanbaru in Indonesia; Koror in Palau; Montevideo in Uruguay; Panama City in Panama;

Vladivostok in Russia; Keelung in Taiwan; Kauai Country in Hawaii and Tacoma in Washington in the United States.

As of January 25, the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region reported 193 new cases, bringing the total cases to 16,2098, with 2,631 active, 13,019 recoveries, and 648 deaths in the region.

Out of the total, Davao City, which reported the highest COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, tallied 11,067 cases, with 1,490 active, 9,065 recoveries, and 512 deaths. Davao de Oro reported 831 cases, Davao del Norte with 2,280, Davao del Sur with 1,174, Davao Occidental with 175, and Davao Oriental with 771.

(Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

Dagumbaan Integrated School capacitates parents in Teaching Beginning Reading in the New Normal By: MARK WINDEL R. DOÑO School Principal I Dagumbaan Integrated School Dagumbaan, Talakag, Bukidnon

Dagumbaan Integrated School, Talakag, Bukidnon capacitated the parents in the primary and nonreaders in teaching beginning reading in the new normal last January 11-15, 2021.

Parents were identified based on the result of the last year’s PHIL-IRI of their children Marungko Approaches.

Reading is one of the banner programs of the Division of Bukidnon.

An opportunity to reimagine

By FELCRES BANDIALA BUCOD Teacher III Bugo Central School

WHEN education is interr upted, it af fects everyone and all of us pay the price. Education is the foundation for expanding opportunities, transforming economies, fighting intolerance, protecting our planet and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Although this disruption has led to learning innovations, it has also dashed hopes of a brighter future among vulnerable populations. Quality education can transform lives by empowering people and helping overcome poverty, inequality and discrimination. It is also a human right.

With that in mind, education as a fundamental right and a global public good must be protected

to avert a generational catastrophe. Even before the pandemic, some 258 m i l l i on c h i l d re n an d adolescents were out of school. Indeed, more than half of ten-year-olds in low and middle income countries could not read a simple text.

In 2021, we must seize all opportunities to turn this situation around. We must strengthen global education cooperation. We must also step up our efforts to reimagine education – training teachers, bridging the digital divide and rethinking curricula to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to flourish in our rapidly changing world. Let us commit to promote education for all today and every day.

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

This fun, entertaining app will allow users to commemorate birthdays in a more rewarding way

L

EVERAGING the available digital tools and platforms to bridge their services to more Filipinos, mostly those that are in the far-flung areas, PCSO, in partnership with

Minedomain, Inc., is set to launch 'Birthday Panalo,' a free and easyto-use application with an entertaining game which will allow Filipinos to celebrate important dates in their lives,

A Teachers Success in a Workplace By: BERNADETTE N. CAŇETE

“A person who lived, worked and talked in Palestine is called a Teacher” So do we are teachers we should always remember the greatness of our work because we are working with the most precious material in the world,” the mind of the youth.” Remember that we are always making marks upon those mind which time will never rub out.

On the other hand, teachers are not only dealing with children but also parents, society and eventually the people in the workplace. Who are they? The colleagues and the people in authority.

Everyone’s success depends on t h e w ay h e d e a l s individual differences.

Ones success in fulfilling his task and achieving his

goal each day depends largely on the people around and most especially to the mood of his day when he arrives in the workplace.

In the sense that there are those old folks who seemed to be bossy and having biting tongues.

Good values and being humble are the biggest factor to be inspires and to be enthusiastic to achieve the day’s goal. To store things in the memories of the children and to mold them into better citizens.

like anniversaries and birthdays, with exciting cash prizes.

Made for Filipinos, by Filipinos Designed with Filipinos in mind, the Birthday Panalo app banks on the deeprooted culture of Pinoys in putting value in commemorating special dates like birthdays and anniversaries.

While millennials are the main audience targeted with the launch of the app, Seaver Choy, Minedomain Inc. IT officer shared that ease of use is one of the main factors their team considered in developing Birthday Panalo to make it enjoyable for users across various age groups.

"We want the millennials to love this game so we went for what millennials want most -ease of use. We only put in the necessary elements for users to be able to do what they need to do fast and immediately," he said.

"We focused on the user experience when we were developing by having iterating designs that had constant user feedback. Birthday

Panalo has gone through multiple design changes based on different user feedback across different groups," Choy added.

The core group which made and designed the Birthday Panalo app was an all-Filipino team composed of professionals from the country’s top universities including De La Salle University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and University of the East.

"Birthday Panalo app was built with resilience and celebrations in mind. We made it fun and easy to bet but still overly secure," Choy furthered, assuring users that the personal data and information they input within the Birthday Panalo app are protected according to industry standards.

Choy noted that the Birthday Panalo app has been tested by local and international cybersecurity companies like GLI, Bolton Labs, and Mantua, among others, to ensure that the app has the needed safety measures in place to avoid leakage of user data.

"Internally, we are also certified when it comes to how we operate and how we maintain the application," Choy said.

Celebrations made even more rewarding Within the app which

carries design elements signifying Filipinos, ‘Kapanalo’ or users of the app can place a bet on a three-part number combination consisting of a month, a day, and APP/PAGE 11

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

Recovery... from page 3

a t - 0 . 7 p e r c e nt , -16 . 9 percent, and -11.5 percent, respectively.

The government is set to announce the fourth quarter and full year 2020 gross domestic product (GDP) figure on Thursday.

Yang said the domestic output, as measured by GDP, is projected to be at 6.5 percent, in 2022.

Asked on his projection on when the domestic economy ca n go back to its prepandemic performance, Yang said “as the numbers above show, the rate of economic growth is expected to return to pre-pandemic trends over time.”

“But there will be some permanent loss of output levels because of scarring,” he added.

Economic managers’ 2020 GDP target was between

-8.5 percent to -9.5 percent but recovery is seen to be around 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent this year and further improvement to around 8-9 percent for 2022.

T h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s spending program for this year amounts to around PHP4.23 trillion, about 23.3 percent of domestic output.

(PNA)

PayMaya... from page 6

t h e c o u nt r y i n c l u d i n g "ever yday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants as well as government agencies and units.

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides over 28 million Filipinos with access to financial ser vices. Customers can c o nv e n i e nt l y p a y, a d d money, cash out or remit through its over 200,000

digital touchpoints nationwide.

It s Sm ar t Pa d a l a by PayMaya network of over 37,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital ser vices. To know more about PayMaya's products and ser vices, visit www.

PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Faceb o ok, Tw itter, and Instagram.

App... from page 9

a y e a r. I f t h e s a m e combinat ion gets to b e picked during daily draws, a user can win as much as P100,000 as a cash prize.

After downloading the app, users can easily sign up using either their mobi l e phone or e mai l

address verified through a one-time password (OTP) s e nt by t h e ap p. O n c e done with the registration process, users can proceed p a r t i c i p at i n g i n d r aw s for as low PhP 10 which they can pay via mobile wa l lets li ke GC ash and P a y M a y a . Wi n n e r s o f lucky date combinations which will be notified via the Birthday Panalo app may claim their prizes at t he PCSO main branch in Mandaluyong City, or have it credited on their respective mobile wallets.

The Birthday Panalo app will soon be available for free download via the G o o g l e P l ay St ore a n d t h e Ap p l e Ap p S t o r e .

Kapanalo f rom all over the Philippines can also look for ward to playing the Birthday Panalo game i n s e l e c t P C S O out l e t s nationwide in the coming months.

Teaching Science in the New Normal Learning Landscape GIRLIE S. CASONA Teacher III

The covid-19 pandemic has made us realized how interconnected the world becomes. It has affected people regardless of the races, level of education, economic status, or gender.

Indeed, it affected all aspects of the human society and education is no exception (Schleicher, 2020).

Most countries around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce infections (UNESCO, 2020). This closure has affected more than 1.2 billion learners worldwide with more than 28 million learners in the Philippines (UNESCO, 2020).

In the Philippines, classes resumed on Monday, October 5, even as campuses stay closed and face-to-face lessons remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the coronavirus has infected over 322,000 people in the Philippines, a total of 24,723,533 elementary and high school students in both public and private schools start their classes (Department of Education).

Lots of controversies hounded the preparations for the school year however Education Secretary Leonor Briones backed the sentiment, touting the school opening as a “success” despite the hurdles (CNN, Philippines).

With the new normal of education, the educational leaders implemented various learning modalities to sustain the delivery of quality of instruction to every school.

These include modular, television-based, radio-based instruction, blended, and online learning (Department of Education).

Despite of the several learning modalities, the quality of education is still in question. Are the different

modalities effective and applicable to all subjects?

Are the teachers ready to implement those? Are the budget sufficient? These are just some the countless questions that we face in the new normal of education.

In the field of science education, science teachers are now face with dilemma on how to make learning possible and still realistic as demonstrations and experiments will be limited and will be quite hard to do. While lecturers are slowly adjusting to remote instruction, there are some teaching and learning elements that cannot be replicated at home (Kamalludeen, 2020).

However, according to the study of Beardsley, Moreno, etal. entitled “Emergency Remote Teaching: Capturing Teacher Experiences in Spain with SELFIE”, there are some advantages brought by the change in education.

Their result indicates that teachers’ digital competences increased and they gained more confidence in using a wide variety of technologies for b oth teaching and communicating with parents and students. Digital technologies may enable new opportunities for teaching and learning (Chauhan, 2017). However, in spite of its potential influence on teaching and learning, the mere presence of computer technology hardware does not necessarily lead to student progress (Li and Ma 2010). Thus, it is important to examine deeper principles of teaching and learning and how teachers integrate technology in pedagogical contexts (e.g., Baker et al.

2018).

Modular approach is also a new thing in our situation today. In fact, the strategy of learning modules has

become a part of all level of teaching. A learning module is a self - learning package dealing with one specific subject matter/ unit.

It can be used in any setting convenient to the learner and may be completed at the learner’s own pace (Ali et al. 2010). A module is a set of learning opportunities organized around a well defined topic which contains the elements of instruction, specific objectives, teaching learning activities, and evaluation using criterionreferenced measures (UNESCO, 1988) cited in Ali et al. (2010). The use of such packages takes into account individual differences and permits students to work at their own pace. That is why Loughran and Berry (2000) pointed out that individuals learnt more at their own pace, because “Telling is not teaching and listening is not learning." But it is a process of first absorbing and then expression of concepts. So it is best achieved by self learning.

There are ample researches in regards to the efficacy of modular learning. Modular teaching is more effective as teaching learning process for biology as compared to traditional teaching method because in modular teaching the students are provided the opportunities of learning at their own pace, according to their ability level and needs (Ali et al., 2010).

The instructional module is found to be effective in teaching and stimulates the critical thinking in a coherent academic pursuit as it enhances students’ understanding and critical thinking, (Guido, 2014).

Here in the Philippines, modular approach is used in parallel learning system in the Philippines called

ALS or alternative learning system. When one does not have or cannot access formal education in schools, ALS is an alternate or substitute (Department of Education). However, this is the first time that modular instruction is used as the new norm in teaching across all level of learners.

Therefore, its affectivity and deliverance is still on adjustment period and same is true in television-based and radio-based instruction.

Teachers and students alike are still adjusting and coping to these changes. The extent to which teachers have successfully mastered these challenges and which factors are most relevant remain unknown.

Indeed, the threat of COVID-19 has presented unique cha l lenges for educational institutions.

Ever ybody is involved.

Students, teachers, and parents are being asked to do extraordinar y things regarding course delivery and learning that have not been seen and experienced on this scale.

Consequently, teachers face significant challenges in adapting to various modalities maintaining at least a minimum of communication with students and supporting students’ learning and development.

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WEDNESDAY|JANUARY 27, 2021

Fathers... from page 4

way growing up without the security, love, and teaching their parents are responsible to give them.

D a d , w on’t y ou a s k Jesus to forgive you for not fully “being there” for your children? He will help you start changing to become the kind of father your children need and deserve, so they will never again have any reason to feel like an orphan.

Just think a minute . . .

Cimagala... from page 4

and loved by everyone.

This definitely will require tremendous effort and discipline. Obviously, we have to continually ask for the grace of God, because only with that grace can we aspire to fulfill this mandate from Christ. And then we have to study the different ways of how we can deal with everyone. And the Church offers guidelines for this.

Email: roycimagala@ gmail.com

Politics... from page 4

possibly in the first weeks of January 2020, the Philippines included. The speed of transport facilities in this jet age and fast trains is the single cause of rapid viral infections worldwide.

Unlike bacteria that are alive and can be dealt with using antibiotics, the virus is not alive but multiplies in the cells of the host. Scientists all over the globe are racing against time to develop a vaccine that would “fight” the Covid-19 virus. The vaccine prepares our body defenses by enhancing our immune system.

The following have so far been approved in many countries for distribution: Pfizer and BioNTech, AstraZ eneca, Moderna, Sputnik V, Sinovac, and Sinopharm. Vaccinations had been in full swing in the USA, C anada, UK, Germany, China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia to name a few. So far only Canada reported deaths of 23 senior citizens although they said to be with serious preexisting diseases. We have not heard of any serious reactions except for the expected ones which are easily managed by health attendants.

I do not want to delve into the different modes of how vaccines are developed.

There are scientific medical journals that can back each production of the vaccines.

Vaccination is voluntary and the choice would depend on which among the vaccines are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. What I want to stress moreover is that no vaccine producers and the countries where these are manufactured will risk their reputation by coming out with a defective product.

To our legislators whose penchant for dramatics is not diminished by the pandemic, this is not the time to waste people’s money on useless committee hearings and

investigations. The prices of the vaccines of course vary for their methods, which are all science-based, differ.

Astra/Zeneca costs $4/dose and two doses are needed; Pfizer-BioNTech costs $20/ dose and two doses are needed; Sinovac cost $5/dose and two doses are needed; Sputnik costs $10/dose and only one dose is required; Moderna cost $33/dose and two doses are needed, and Johnsons & Johnsons cost $10/dose and just one dose is needed. Incidentally, Sinovac is donating 500-thousand doses to the Philippines. Now I wonder where the misplaced pride of some senators who claim that because of a senate investigation corruption was deterred.

Politics and science don’t mix.

Shuts... from page 4

It added that it plans to rebuild and relaunch the Debenhams online platform, as Boohoo looks to lead the fashion e-commerce market by entering into news areas including beauty, sports and homeware.

“Debenhams is a longstanding and leading UK fashion and beauty retailer with high brand awareness, and an established online platform with approximately 300 million UK website visits per annum,” Boohoo said.

“This makes it a top 10 retail website in the UK by traffic.”

With an increasing shift to online, main shopping streets in England’s towns and cities could lose another 400,000-plus jobs after coronavirus passes, according to a recent survey by accountants KPMG. Wh i l e C ov i d- 1 9 has ravaged the UK retail sector, with tens of thousands of jobs being lost owing to other big-name bankruptcies, supermarkets have boomed.

Topshop-owner Arcadia, one of Britain’s biggest clothing retailers, fell into administration ahead of Christmas, putting at risk a further 13,000 roles.

Arcadia, which owns a number of brands including Topman, Evans and Wa l l i s w h i ch s ol d also in Debenhams’ stores, blamed its demise largely on coronavirus fallout.

However like Debenhams, Arcadia also struggled to make the transition into a leading online company.

Launches... from page 1

farmers, fisherfolks and agrientrepreneurs.

G o v e r n o r Ye v g e n c y Vincente "Bambi" Emano together with Provincial Agriculturist Jose Apollo Pacamalan envisioned to make the said complex a state-of-the-art facility that will cater to food processing activities in compliance with good manufacturing practices as mandated by the Food and Drugs Administration.

As the complex will be fully operational, Emano expects that this will bring more job opportunities for Misamisnons and increase food sufficiency.

Meanwhile, the poverty index is also expected to reduce with the help of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Agriculture Development Complex. (JAKA/PIA10)

Support... from page 1

The event happened during their joint official working visit in the said municipality for the groundbreaking of the Solar – Powered Irrigation and Water Supply Project, and on-site inspection of the Mahal Center Livelihood Project.

Taraka Mayor Nashiba Sumagayan shared a brief update about the status of projects during yesterday’s program.

“From the time our (DBP) loan grant was approved, the construction of our Mahal Center located at Sigayan was already completed. It now houses our livestock from MinDA such as ducks, 22 heads of goats, and 40% of ready – to – lay chickens were already delivered in the municipality.”

She also said that assorted agricultural equipment were already delivered such as 4 units of 10 – Wheeler Dumptruck, 1 unit of Crawler Type Hydraulic Excavator, and 1 unit of Self Propelled Single Front Drum Vibratory Roller.

4 units of 6 – Wheeler Dumptruck and 2 units of Mini – Dumptruck are yet to be delivered.

“All of these would not have been possible if not for the kindness and support of our partner from the Mindanao Development Authority and the Development Bank of the Philippines,” Sumagayan added.

Meanwhile, Secretary Piñol highlighted MinDA’s

Kagay-an Festival 1st Oro Lechoneros Encuentro Champion

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commitment to the development of Taraka as a model of rural development, as well other areas in the Bangsamoro region.

“The story today is about perseverance, it’s about courage, and it’s about a determination to bring change in this beautiful town of Taraka. I would like to see Taraka as a model of rural development not only in Lanao del Sur but in the whole Bangsamoro region,” he said.

Aside from the Solar Irrigation Project, Piñol also proposed as part of the Taraka Integrated Development Program the establishment of Rice Processing Complex, Bamboo industry processing facility, and DBP ATM in the municipality.

DBP President Herbosa also expressed his hope to create more bridges of collaboration and greater avenues of cooperation with the Municipality of Taraka t hroug h t he Mindanao Development Authority.

“We draw inspiration from your sector’s equally relentless commitment to fuel economic activities and promote inclusive growth.

I am happy that I had the opportunity to see for myself the site where we will build the Solar–Powered Irrigation and Water System here in the municipality of Taraka,” he stressed.

P i ñ o l a n d He r b o s a together with Mayor Sumagayan, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr, and Assistant Secretary Cherrylyn Akbar also led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Solar – Power Irrigation and Water Supply Project.

T h e S o l a r – Pow e r I r r i g a t i o n a n d Wa t e r Supply Project and the Mahal Livelihood Center are components of MinDA’s Taraka Integrated Area Rural Development Program that aims to provide a complete value chain of sustainable development in this part of Lanao del Sur. PR ERRATUM

In Connection for the Publication of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALE published on January 8, 15 & 22, 2021 the correct date of death of the deceased FORTUNATO SAMANTE should be 1-28-2000, not as published OUR APOLOGY BWM: January 27, 2020

Recycling... from page 1

This is part of Sen. Cynthia Villar's plastic recycling program as part of her initiative as chairperson of the Senate committee on the environment.

Only three such plants exist - one is in Las Piñas and the other in Iloilo - and the one here in Cagayan de Oro services the whole Mindanao.

According to Cagayan de Oro operations in charge Suzette Townend-Gomera, they constantly receive requests for chair donations from the Department of Education and the local government units (LGUs).

T hu s , t h e y n e e d t o distribute at least 50 pieces a week where the team goes as far as Mati, Zamboanga, Surigao and Marawi, among others.

"On some occasions, the requesting parting will be the ones to pick up the items from our facility but if they don't have the means of transport, we can deliver the chairs to them," Gomera said.

Each unit is made of 20 kilos of recyclable plastic which the facility generates from the its partner-provider, the provincial government of Misamis Oriental.

The wastes are fed into a crusher, washed in a tub, dried, melted, molded into indiv idu a l chair p ar ts, pressed, assembled and painted before they roll out.

“In turning plastic wastes into useful furniture like school chairs, we are not only reducing the amount of plastic garbage that goes into our water resources, which harms the environment.

We are also able to provide livelihood sources to the poor, because the jobless, the non-skilled and even the physically disabled are employed by the factories,” Villar said.

Villar has sounded the alarm on the countr y’s worsening problem on plastic wastes. She authored Senate Bill No. 1331 or the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2020 which seeks to institutionalize the practice of EPR in waste management.

The senator also authored S enate Bi l l 333 or t he Single-Use Plastic Product Regulation Act, which seeks to regulate the manufacturing, importation and single-use of plastic products.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALE K NOW A LL ME N B Y THE S E PRESENTS:

That the late CAMILO PAIG who died intestate on October 20, 2019 leaving parcel of land with Technical Description as to TCT No. 117355 situated in the Barangay Upper Balulang, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) Square Meters, and has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF REAL PROPERTY WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS, filed by the heirs of CAMILO PAIG, in favor of MARIA PAZ PAIG (Assignee), per DOC #264; PAGE #53; BOOK #CXIV; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. NOEL G. BACAL.

That the late SPOUSES EUTEMIO A. MILLAMA AND ALEJANDRA MILLAMA died intestate on March 14, 2011 and March 21, 2011 respectively both in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, leaving behind them above mentioned legitimate children as their only heirs; that at the time of her death, the deceased spouses left behind the following properties to with TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-25367, Lot 817, Pls854, containing an area of FORTY THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY THREE (43,293) SQUARE METERS, Certificate of Title P-28420 situated in the barrio of Damilag, Municipality of Manolo Fortich, Province of Bukidnon, Island of Mindanao containing an area of EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN (857) Square Meters, Certificate of Title T-47004 North: Lot 1365-D-3G-PSD-10-004935, South: Lot 1365-D-3-F-PSD-004935, East: Lot 1365-D-3-E-2 of SUBD. Plan PSD-105921 West Road, Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-41231 situated at #3802 San Lucas St. Kapisnon, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) Square Meters, more or less, Tax Declaration No. G-093072 ( BLDG. Only) Situated at Kapisnon, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-124626 situated in the Barrio of Kauswagan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of EIGHT FOUR (84) SQUARE METERS, more or less, Tax Declaration No. G-208537, Lot 3134 N. Subd. Plan and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALE, filed by the heirs of SPOUSES EUTEMIO A. MILLAMA AND ALEJANDRA MILLAMA, in favor of JORY D. MONTILLA (Vendee) do hereby sell, transfer and convey unto said Vendee, his heirs, assigns and successors-in-interest the below described parcel of land with Transfer Certificate No. T-25367, per DOC #434; PAGE #87; BOOK #II; Series of 2011 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. ALFRED LORD TENNYSON Q. GACCION IV.

BWM: Jan. 20, 27 & Feb. 3, 2021

BWM: Jan. 13, 20 & 27, 2021

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF REAL PROPERTY WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

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Bambi leads in Misamis Oriental Agriculture Development Complex inauguration; Villar sends congratulations A

By MARK FRANCISCO

NE-I, Claveria, Misamis Oriental – Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano led in the blessing and pledge of support ceremonial signing for the sevenhectare Misamis Oriental Agriculture Development Complex located here.

This, as Sen. Cynthia Villar – the chair of the Senate committee on agriculture – hailed the new development, saying it is timely for the usage of the facility due to the recent passage of the Coco Levy Act in Congress, waiting for signature by President Duterte into law.

Villar assured her full support of the project which was mainly courtesy of cigarette giant Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation.

Atty. Cancio Nicanor Guibone, PMFTC Inc. head of corporate affairs for Mindanao, said the company granted the provincial government of Misamis Oriental last October a deed of

grant of usufructuary rights to use the seven-hectare facility for agricultural purposes and even build minimal structures therein.

Also on hand gracing the event last Friday (January 22) and expressing his full support to the project was Misamis Oriental first district Rep. Christian Unabia who said that usage of the facility will complement his many agricultural outreaches in his district.

According to Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on agriculture chair Fredrick Khu, the complex – strategically located at the agricultural heartland of Misamis Oriental – will primarily be a venue for the processing of various agricultural produce in the province. “This will address value-adding needs by farmers, fisherfolk and agri-entrepreneurs and most especially, address the rampant issue of post-harvest loss,” Khu said.

(From left) Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on agriculture chair Fredrick Khu, Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, Department of Tourism (DOT) 10 director Marie Elaine Unchuan and Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) 10 manager Manuel Octobre cuts the ribbon for the makapuno embryo culture laboratory, one of the many facilities inside the complex. photo by mark francisco

Provincial agriculturist Jose Apollo Pacamalan said that the complex will be a state-of-the-art facility which would cater various food processing technologies such as drying, bottling and preservation, among others.

Moreover, a post-harvest laboratory will be present for research and development on the lengthening of shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Waxing, application of edible coating and modified atmosphere are among the processes that will

Sen. Cynthia Villar sends her message of congratulations to the attendees of the event. photo by mark francisco

If interested, contact:

DANICA SUDARIA

dannycarosesudaria0512@gmail.com 0936-046-2356

be done, ensuring preservation of both pre-finished and finished products.

A nursery for the production of lettuce, bulb onion, cabbage, cacao, coffee, mulberry and different varieties of coconut will be established.

To diversify the options of farmers, the creation of an inland fish hatchery is already ongoing that when in full operational capacity could produce 500,000 fingerlings for the benefit of 300 backyard farmers.

And lastly, the most important service the complex and its facilities will give is research. On top of Pacamalan’s list are hydrophonics, expansion of the tissue culture laboratory, study on the black soldier fly, bioethanol production from cassava and face mask production using abaca.

“In this facility, let us teach farmers how to innovate so they will prosper more,” Emano said.

Overhead shot courtesy of MISAMIS ORIENTAL PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE