BusinessWeek Mindanao (July 19-20, 2021)

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Briefly Durian market DURIAN FARMER Candelario B. Miculob has called on fellow growers to expand production to sustain export markets such as Australia and the United States as well as capture others that are showing interest.

“Exports are gaining traction based on current inquiries,” Mr. Miculob, former president of the Durian Industry Council of Davao City, said in an online interview.

He said traders from Japan and China, two of the Philippines’ top fruit export destinations, have been asking about durian supply.

BARMM property PROPERTY owned by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) which is outside the region needs to be sold to the National Government as soon as possible to raise funds for BARMM projects, according to the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB).

In a statement Thursday, the Department of Finance said the IGRB’s technical working group (TWG) has been ordered sell the assets of the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which are outside the territory of the BARMM. “The TWG is tasked to find ways to speed up the disposition of the properties so that the proceeds of the sale can be used by the Bangsamoro government for the implementation of development projects in their region,” Finance Undersecretary Bayani H. Agabin was quoted as saying during the council’s meeting last month.

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OVERNMENT-RUN National Electrification Administration (NEA) has already started the process for the targeted smooth turnover of the electric cooperatives (ECs) that shall be placed under the supervision of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The agenc y said the transfer of jurisdiction for the ECs will be in line with the prescription of Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law. To hasten the transfer process, NEA Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong has assigned Atty Vicar Loureen Lofranco, deputy administrator for Electric Cooperative Management Services, to supervise the

special concerns office (SCO) that will sort out all details of the ‘transition process’ on the changeover of authority for the specified ECs in Mindanao.

At least seven ECs will be transferred to BARRM’s domain – and these will cover the Basilan Electric Cooperative; Cagayan de Sulu Electric Cooperative; Maguindanao Electric SMOOTH/PAGE 7

BORDER CONTROL. A highway patrol police officer manually counts the number of passengers inside a jeepney at the checkpoint between Cagayan de Oro and Opol town, Misamis Oriental on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Under the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, public transportation can still ply their routes during ECQ but with only 50 percent of their capacity. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

CdeO placed under ECQ Rufus: Extend cash aid to CdO

By FROILAN GALLARDO, MindaNews

THE Cagayan de Oro City has been placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) effective Friday until July 31, a development that came on the heels of pleas

by local officials for more vaccines and experts to fight the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Palace sp okesp ers on Harry Roque announced

on national TV Friday noon the upgrading of the city’s quarantine status to the most restrictive level.

Mayor Oscar Moreno meanwhile asked the Department of Health (DOH) ECQ/PAGE 7

REPATRIATED. Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Bangladesh board a bus upon their arrival at the Davao International Airport on Thursday night. At least 138 OFWs arrived in Davao City on board a Philippine Airlines flight direct from Dhaka, Bangladesh. mindanews photo

DEPUT Y Speaker and C agayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has asked President Duterte to extend financial assistance amounting to P6,000 to his constituents.

In a letter to the Chief Executive dated yesterday Friday, Rodriguez said the inter-agency task force ( IAT F ) on p a n d e m i c response has placed Cagayan de Oro under t he st r i c te st e n hanc e community quarantine (ECQ).

This is because of the 11 cases of the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant cases, five were detected in Cagayan de Oro and one in Misamis Oriental, which his city is part of, he said.

“Now u n d e r E C Q,

Rodriguez

people are required to stay home, will not be able to work and they will not have income to purchase food and other basic necessities for their families for the next two weeks from July 16 to July 31,” he said.

“In view of the same, may I request for cash EXTEND/PAGE 7

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BARMM's ‘palay’ yield up 36% in Q1 2021

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OTABATO City – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has recorded a 36 percent increase in palay yield during the first quarter this year, the region’s Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Thursday.

PSA-BARMM Director Razulden Mangelen said their records indicated that the 36 percent growth in palay yield is equivalent to 310,012 metric tons, as compared to 196,987 metric tons logged last year.

Saudi Mangindra, chief of agriculture operations for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR)-

Maguindanao, also affirmed the significant palay yield.

“This is a huge accomplishment for the reason that before, the region usually hit about a 3 to 5 percent increase in rice production," he said in an interview on Thursday.

Mangindra also acknowledged the significant contribution of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) office in Midsayap, North Cotabato to the BARMM’s agriculture sector.

He lauded the PhilRice assistance to Tuesday’s completion of 30 farmers from Maguindanao, province component of BARMM, of their four-month Farmers’ Field School (FFS) training organized by MAFAR

and PhilRice-Midsayap.

In a separate interview, Ommal Abdulkadil, assistant director of PhilRiceMidsayap, said the agriculture sector remains resilient, as it continues to provide essential food supply amid the pandemic.

“We are helping the farmers to the best of our capability as there will be no food on our table if not for them,” Abdulkadil said.

He said Tuesday’s graduation of the farmers from Matanog, Barira, and Buldon towns of Maguindanao is the fifth among the series they have conducted for this year.

The participants underwent training on-field preparation, planting method, pest control, and identification of best

performing varieties of seeds, among others.

Funded by the Capacity Development Project for Bangsamoro – Japan International Cooperation Agency - Philippines, the FFS also showcased demo sites where the farmers planted palay seeds applicable and suitable for the upland areas of the said towns.

Mangindra said the training also intends to help farmers change their traditional farming methods and adapt to science-based techniques to improve their rice yield.

“In Maguindanao alone, the majority of farmers are traditional growers. In the FFS program, we integrated the products of research, science, and technology for them,” he said.

Based on the participatory technodemo farm they established, Mangindra said six kinds of palay seeds were used in the program that included the traditional Makasapi, Kiraban, Upland Dinorado, and the modern NSIC RC27, Dinorado Premium, and Sakilan varieties.

“For one, we have observed that the NSIC RC-27 can

increase harvest up to four tons per hectare, as compared to the seed variety the local farmers previously used which ranges from 1.5 2 tons per hectare only,” Mangindra said.

He said MAFAR is continuously working with the PhilRice office on the conduct of more FFS training to sustain and secure food production in the region. (PNA)

The vegetable derby site located in Sitio Mabog, Barangay San Roque in Bislig Surigao del Sur.

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

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

Bislig City veggie derby held in former NPA-influenced area DAVAO CITY – Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said over the weekend that they recently assisted the City Government of Bislig in Surigao del Sur for the conduct of a vegetable derby in a former New People’s Army (NPA)

influenced area.

With the support of a private seed company, US Seedworks, he said the event was held in Sitio Mabog, Barangay San Roque, where local people were taught how to plant common vegetables like eggplants, string beans, tomatoes and others.

He added that Seedworks provided the seeds while MinDA supported the technology transfer for the program as being supported by Mayor Florencio Garay.

“No to dole-outs and projects should improve people's productivity and address poverty. Ano kaya kung ang cash dole-out sa 4Ps would come in the form of seeds, fertilizer and Solar-Powered Irrigation?,” Piñol added.

He added that with such initiative, the poor would no longer line up in front of an ATM machine for their monthly allowances but spend their time harvesting crops and vegetables in their irrigated farms.

“Yesterday, MinDA Area Management Officer Emel Lawansa submitted photos taken during the Farmers Field Day and I noticed one very important component of a successful farming which was absent - water for irrigation,” the MinDA chief added.

"I am all for helping the poor because that is the basic essence of governance but we should motivate them to stand on their two feet and work rather than lie down under a tree with an open mouth waiting for the fruits to fall," Piñol added.

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EBU City – AirAsia Philippines is eyeing the full vaccination of employees directly interacting with passengers – pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, and ramp agents – against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) by August, its spokesperson has said.

“The big step towards achieving a fully vaccinated airline company is through the help and support of the national government and local government units, which have prioritized those under A4 or essential workers,”

CorporateWorld

Steve Dailisan said in a statement Thursday.

“Our target is to have all crew inoculated by Q4 of 2021 as we prepare for the strong rebound of air travel in the Philippines.”

Dailisan said fully vaccinated personnel, from pilots to cabin crew and ramp agents, manned and assisted two flights on Thursday morning – Z2 775 (Manila-Cebu) with 137 passengers, and 776 (Cebu-Manila) with 140 flyers.

Half of the passengers onboard the carrier were either vaccinated with the first dose or have received

their double doses.

Capt. Nielfren Baldo, the pilot-in-command of Z2 775 said vaccinated airline crew should become an added value of protection for flyers.

“As a front-liner, I feel more confident flying our guests to our various destinations, and I have peace of mind whenever I come home to my family because now, I am protected against the severe effects of Covid-19,” Baldo said, thanking AirAsia for seeing to it that its employees get inoculated once vaccines are

available, regardless of the brand.

To date, 60 percent of 1,500 AirAsia Philippines personnel have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Cebu, the gateway to Central Visayas, offers more relaxed travel requirements.

Cebu City requires a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for leisure travelers, while the component cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay only require confirmed hotel booking upon entry. (PNA)

Japanese firms eye green lanes for investments in PH JAPANESE companies remain interested in investing in the Philippines as they expect express lanes in the country to facilitate their investments.q In a statement Thursday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the agency had a business dialogue with Japanese firms wherein they expressed their interest to explore expansion and diversification of products to be manufactured here.

Most of these firms are in the manufacturing of electronics and medical devices, the DTI added.

These Japanese firms include Brother Industries, Canon Inc., Seiko Epson Corp., Terumo Corp., JMS Co., Ltd., ROHM Co., Ltd., NIDEC Corp., Minebea Mitsumi Inc., Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and IBIDEN

Co., Ltd. The DTI said these companies are eyeing around USD3 billion (PHP150 billion) investments in the country.

“However, they expressed concerns and said these plans are facing operational and fiscal bottlenecks. They cited as examples the timely issuance of travel visas for their executives and engineers, the processing and release of permits and licenses by regulatory agencies, VAT (value-added tax) and other additional taxes by LGUs (local government units), and access to Covid-19 vaccinations,” it said.

The Japanese firms are requesting a green lane for significant foreign investments like what other governments in Asean provide to investors.

They added these express lanes

would help in making the country remain competitive in attracting foreign investments.

“As the Philippines builds back better from the pandemic, we will strengthen trade and investment ties with other countries, particularly Japan. After all, Japan has been a strong and important trading partner and investment source of the Philippines.

The country is an ideal host for Japanese manufacturing and R&D (research and development) activities in electronics, printers, and medical devices,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

Japan is the country’s top source of foreign investments in the first quarter of the year, accounting for 54.1 percent of the total approved foreign investments. (PNA)

7-Eleven ramps up jabs for employees PHILIPPINE Seven Corp.

(PSC), the exclusive licensor of 7-Eleven in the country, is ramping up a vaccination program for its employees as it pursues expansion plans in optimism about recovery amid the pandemic.

PSC president and chief executive officer Victor Paterno said they expect the arrival of 20,000 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine, adding that most of its employees have already been inoculated.

“We will be donating the excess and above our excess (is) our donation to the government of 50 percent but (it) depends

on how many (doses have been) taken up,” he said in a virtual press briefing Thursday.

Paterno said they are looking forward to guidelines for vaccinated employees from the government.

“We would like to prepare the workforce for the office once everybody has the chance to be vaccinated,” he added.

PSC head of finance Lawrence de Leon said the company has procured 80,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, half of which will be donated to the government while the remaining doses have been JABS/PAGE 6

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Opinion

The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Corporation every Monday to Friday with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Company Registration No. CS201531633 with BIR Certificate of Registration No. 2RC0000831068, TIN No. 463-826-272-000 – VAT. Reg., and with Business Permit No. 2020-04015. Tel. Nos.: (088)856-3344, (088) 810-100, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424 Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com

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The healthcare and technology sectors are leading the world’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovations have enabled both sectors to create competitive advantages as the world adapts to the new normal. This may be the reason why global healthcare and technology stocks have become attractive to investors these days.

Even before the pandemic, the demand for healthcare has been increasing steadily.

According to World Health Organization’s 2020 report, there has been stable and continuous growth in global spending on health from 2000 to 2018. In 2018, health spending reached US$8.3 trillion or 10% of the global GDP. One of the key messages of the report says that “the COVID-19 pandemic caught the world by surprise, but confirmed the need for greater and more secure public

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I hope you dance (Pt. 2) Think a minute… In 1972 Life magazine published a story about the true adventures of John Goddard. When he was 15-years-old John heard his grandmother sadly say: “If only I had done that when I was young…” At that moment, John determined not to have regrets at the end of his life, so he wrote down 127 goals for his life.

He named 10 rivers he wanted to explore and 17 mountains he wanted to climb. He wanted to read the entire Bible, Encyclopedia Britannica, plus everything written by Shakespeare, Plato, Aristotle and other famous authors. He wanted to marry and have children.

Professionally he wanted to pursue a career in medicine, as a pilot, and also serve as a missionar y. S ound impossible? Already at the age of 47, John Goddard had accomplished 103 of his 127 goals!

You may not have as many goals as John Goddard. But if you do not have any goals in your life, you will not have much motivation to get up in the morning, nor will you have much satisfaction at the

THINK A MINUTE

funding for health.” While the impact and lingering effects of the pandemic remain uncertain, this event only highlighted how countries, regardless of their income level, were unprepared to face the crisis.

The pandemic has certainly placed high demands on healthcare systems around the world, but the industry h a s re s p on d e d to t h i s challenge with resilience and innovation. In fact, various health organizations and health experts are working together, doing their best to strengthen the sector’s capabilities and facilitating knowledge sharing to quell this pandemic.

Advancements in digital technology have also helped alleviate the impact of the pandemic in our daily lives.

Technology continues to play an integral role in the recovery and growth of the economy, and more

businesses have started to see digitalization as a key factor to thrive in the new normal.

Even the World Bank has seen the world’s increased reliance on digital technology, saying “digital platforms help build more resilient societies as people can now access official information, enroll in e-courses, take online jobs, send mobile money and even receive telemedicine—no matter where they live.”

Given the importance of these two sectors, the BPI Asset Management and Trust Corporation (BPI AMTC) recently launched two new Unit Investment Trust Funds that offer Filipino investors access to the world’s most innovative companies in healthcare and technology.

Investing in health The BPI Invest Global Health Care Feeder Fund invests at least 90 percent of its assets in a target fund,

SPEAKING OUT

IGNACIO BUNYE the Wellington Global Health Care Equity Fund. Filipino investors can now ride the growth story of the world’s largest healthcare companies that are at the forefront of battling COVID-19 and are trailblazers in the medical space.

Among the companies in the portfolio of the BPI Invest Global Health Care Feeder Fund as of May 2021 are Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca PLC, two major producers of INVESTING/PAGE 7

Quo vadis Koko, Pacman?

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Why investing in healthcare and technology is a good idea

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JUN LEDESMA

WITH much reluctance, I got my computer and wrote my first column for the local weekly newspaper, Mindanao Journal. This was one year ago and the title of my column was “Second Wave”. That was just a few months after I retired from my job for 27 years and thought of writing about how one can reinvent oneself and find their second wind. My maiden article talked about my personal observations of how other people managed to find their second wave, especially in light of the pandemic outbreak.

A year after, I now share my personal account on how I have reinvented myself and enjoying my newfound second wave.

Overcome your limits.

If given the chance, I would rather speak than write. Even when I was a student, I was not fond of essay writings.

But I would participate in declamation, debate, and even spelling contests. I was not the typical girl who keeps journals or diaries. Writing was not just my cup of tea, I just felt I was not good at it. So when my husband, who is a gifted and prolific writer, asked me to write for his newspaper, I refused a thousand times. Then one day, I just told myself, "why not give it a try?’ I wrote my first article as mentioned above and continued writing one article after the other.

Until I started loving it. This is now my 53rd article.

And something happened, in between, that I never

expected. I now write for two national news outlets: The Philippine News Agency, which is the official news agency of the Philippine government, and The Manila Times, the oldest existing English-language newspaper in the Philippines. Now that I am retired and with the pandemic still very much around, I don’t have much opportunity to speak. But my writing gave me another avenue to impart, educate, inform and make a difference in the lives of other people.

What I considered then my weakness and limitation is now proving to be a blessing and an asset.

E xplore and st retch your imagination. Because I was so busy with my work demands before, I never had the chance to imagine what I can do better other than work. Then I chanced upon the number painting on FB. I bought two kits to while away my time. Then a

few more. When I got more comfortable with the brush strokes, I tried to do my own.

With the help and guidance from my husband, I started doing my own paintwork.

I started with the simple objects around me then from our travel photos. To help in the awareness campaign on the importance of wearing masks, I did one covid-related paintwork showing different nationalities wearing the face mask. It received much appreciation and recognition from a number of our friends.

I never thought that one piece would turn into a covid paintwork series that we eventually turned into a calendar. Yes, we did 13 covid-related paint works that were featured in the 2021 calendar that we produced.

We are now planning to do Part 2. You can be amazed at what you can do when you allow your imagination to work.

PACMAN/PAGE 6

The real purpose of our laws MAKE no mistake about it.

shrewd men who may enjoy

After all, being the Creator

HINTS AND TRACES

lead us to our ultimate goal which is none other than to be with God, to be holy as God is holy, etc. Irrespective of their immediate temporal purpose, our laws should lead us little by little to become God’s image and likeness as we are meant to be. They in the end should serve the fundamental religious purpose of our life.

That should always be the constant purpose of our laws.

All the other objectives of our laws, let alone their technical requirements, serve only as an occasion, a reason or motive for this ultimate purpose. Setting aside this ultimate purpose would empty our laws of their real legitimacy, making them rife for all kinds of manipulations and maneuverings by some

moment.

We have to realize that it is Christ who ultimately gives the real meaning and purpose of our laws. We have to disabuse ourselves from the thought that our laws can be based only on our common sense, or on our own estimation of what is good and evil according to the values of practicality, convenience, etc., or on our traditions and culture, etc.

While these things have their legitimate role to play in our legal and judicial systems, we have to understand that they cannot be the primary and ultimate bases. It should be God, his laws and ways that should animate the way we make laws as well as the way we apply and live them.

who establishes what is truly good and evil.

With the way today’s legal and juridical systems worldwide are dr if t ing toward extreme positivism that simply bases itself on our perceptual experiences and people’s consensus and systemat ica l ly shutt ing out any input from faith and divine revelation, we need to remind ourselves that God’s law is in fact the foundation, the inspiration and the perfection of our human law.

In other words, without any reference to God’s law, our human law cannot help but be out on a limb. For all the brilliance, wisdom and success a Godless human law can have and accomplish, it

can only go so far. It cannot go the distance required by our human dignity. Sooner or later, it will fail and fall into forms of injustice, many of them so subtle that injustice can be committed under cover of our human law.

A clear example of this latter case is the law on abortion. It is a lot worse than the so-called extrajudicial PURPOSE/PAGE 7

JHAN TIAFAU HURST Our human laws are meant to some power at a given of all things, he is the one end of each day—let alone at the end of your life.

However, living life to the fullest is not only about achieving goals of activities and tasks. This is a letter written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend. “Dear Bertha, I’m reading more and cleaning the house less. I’m enjoying the view without worrying about the weeds in the garden. I’m spending more time with my family and friends…I wear my favorite clothes every day.

If it’s worth doing, I try to do it now.

I think if people had known they were dying, they would have called family and friends, including those DANCE/PAGE 7

ROY CIMAGALA

Banking&Finance 5 UN Climate Fund body taps DBP for climate Monetary policy setting based mitigation financing on domestic factors: BSP Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

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STATE-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has secured the accreditation of a United Nationsbacked institution that provides financing support for environment and climate-related programs and advocacies in line with the Paris Agreement and Kyoto Protocol, a top official said.

DBP president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Herbosa said DBP is only the second Philippine institution, and one of 10 foreign institutions, approved recently as accredited entities (AE) of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), an international fund created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to support climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives in developing countries.

“We are honored to be in the select roster of international and national commercial banks; multilateral, regional and national development finance institutions; and civil society organizations, among others, that are working together for the implementation of climate

change mitigation and adaptation projects on a global scale," Herbosa said.

DBP is the sixthlargest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy –infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises; the environment; and social services and community development.

The GCF was created in 2010 by the UNFCCC, along with 194 governments, to provide financing and technical support to developing countries to shift to lowemission and climateresilient development while helping vulnerable societies adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change.

Under the mechanism, the GCF may be tapped by AEs and delivery partners, which work directly with developing countries for project design and implementation.

GCF provides financial support through a combination of grants, concessional debt, guarantees or equity instruments to leverage blended finance FINANCING/PAGE 6

D

OMESTIC factors and not moves by major central banks are the key considerations in any policy decision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno underscored monetary authorities’ commitment to keep the central bank’s accommodative stance to support the economy’s recovery until signs of strong recovery in the real sector are seen.

“We would like to emphasize that while the BSP takes into consideration the policy actions of major central banks, including that of the Fed (Federal Reserve), the BSP does not need to recalibrate its policy setting based on these external factors,” he said in a virtual briefing Thursday.

Diokno said the major factors in the BSP’s policy decisions are the developments on the domestic demand and inflation rate.

Last year, the BSP increased its key rates by a total of 200 basis points to help buoy the domestic economy from the impact of

the pandemic.

It has maintained its accommodative stance since domestic output remains in contraction and the rate of price increases accelerated starting in the last quarter of 2020 and peaked thus far at 4.7 percent last February.

Inflation surpassed the government’s 2-4 percent target band last January when it rose to 4.2 percent, but was flat at 4.5 percent from March to May. It has decelerated to 4.1 percent last June.

Monetary authorities expect inflation to remain elevated until the third quarter of the year.

The BSP forecasts inflation to average at 4 percent this year and to stay within the target band until 2023.

This factor and the growth outlook are the main drivers for the unwinding of monetary stimulus measures, Diokno said.

He said it is understandable for central

banks to start withdrawing stimulus measures as signs of recovery from the pandemic are slowly coming out.

“At this point, however, we believe that many central banks, including the Fed, are likely to remain patient in lifting monetary accommodation given the continued downside risks to output and to provide support to economic recovery amid the Covid-19 health crisis,” he added.

(PNA)

6

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Pacman... from page 4

Create the opportunity.

I have always believed in the saying that "life does not always present you with opportunities. Most of the time you have to look for or create them.” A big part of my second wave is the podcast “ Leaders In Action” that I and my former boss, Mr. Aibee Cantos created and launched last May 2021.

As part of our advocacy, this weekly program aired via FB and YouTube aims to support the agency leaders in the life insurance industry. We saw a strong need but there’s no available platform. So we created the opportunity where insurance leaders can listen, share and learn from each other. We are just in our first 3 months and already we have reached out to as many leaders out there.

Who would have thought that I will still be a social media personality in my late 50s? But opportunities are limitless for those who seek and create. I am so excited about how we can still grow and expand the program in the future.

Continue what you do best and be relevant. There are tons of ideas that we can work on when deciding

on our second wave. But it’s always wise to choose something where you can continue doing what you do best and stay relevant.

With my solid experience in leadership and management, I know that this is the area w h e re I c an i n f lu e n c e the most. My newspaper columns usually have this as my subject matter. Our podcast is all about agency leadership. It’s also important that I stay relevant. When I decide on what article to write, I always ask myself “Can my readers identify or relate to what I will be sharing? Will they take home something after they read my article?’ It’s only then that I believe my column is able to serve its purpose. When we produced our 2021 calendar, we were doing it only for my Davao-based colleagues. But it generated so much interest that we were distributing it across the country. My friend in the US even bought 25 pieces. What made our calendar differently? It was very relevant as it featured t he dif ferent s cenar ios during the pandemic. It’s something that they can keep as memorabilia of the covid-19 pandemic. We followed the same when we decided to come up with the podcast “Leaders in Action”.

TITLED FARM LAND FOR SALE Location: Talakag, Bukidnon Price: P800,000/hectare only Details: * Along barangay road * Around 600 meters from national highway * Slope type land * Total area: 17.2 hectares For more details pls contact the Owner @ * 0926-823-3766 * 0949-134-6078

With the expansion thrust of the insurance industry, there is a strong need for qualified agency leaders.

Our program is designed to support this objective.

Observe. Be attuned with what’s happening around you. That’s how I st ay relevant.

Prepare way ahead for your second wave. The need for the so-called second wave usually happens when you plateaued on your current job/position or when you retired. But whenever or however it happens, we must always be prepared for it. My second wave was borne out of my voluntary early retirement. Based on my experience, the second wave always involves change, a paradigm shift, and dis comfor t dur ing the transition phase. How little or big the discomfort depends on how well you have prepared for it. First, you have to be physically fit for it. A number of those who are still finding their second wave got sick because they stopped being physically active. Either you continue the physical activity that you are used to doing or making time to do the right amount of physical activities.

Avoid having a sedentary life.

Second, you have to condition

your mind for a new routine and schedule of activities.

Sudden change in routine or inactivity can cause mental stress. Doing something new and out of your comfort zone can cause fear and anxiety. Find something productive to do so you keep your mind busy and preoccupied. An idle mind is the seat of everything bad and sad. And lastly, you have to be financially prepared.

Whether your second wave is meant to generate income or to pursue advocacy, financial preparation is needed. Not everything works out as you have planned. A big factor why I was able to find and smoothly transition to my second wave was because I did not have to worry about the financial aspect of what am doing. I do what I do now because I want to and not because I need to.

I am so thankful and feel blessed that I have found my second wave. It has given me a new purpose and a different appreciation of myself. It has given me a different kind of freedom and a sense of satisfaction.

One year done… and looking forward to where my second wave will take me farther down the road.

Are you ready for your second wave?!

The Importance of Teaching Literacy in Education JESSELLE MARTINEZ MADERA Teacher 3 – Hinaplanan Elementary School

Te a c h i n g l i t e r a c y i s certainly not an easy task; hence, educators must have significant background knowledge and experience in the literacy area in order to provide the best learning experience to students.

Educator must constantly promote literacy in their classrooms, especially when the students are young readers.

Literacy is the ability to read and write and use written information and to write appropriately in a range of contexts. It also involves the integration of speaking, listening, viewing and critical thinking with reading and writing, and includes the cultural knowledge which enables a speaker, writer or reader to recognize and use language appropriate to different social situations (Freebody & Luke, 1990).

For that reason, it is extremely important that

educators make a great effort to get to know their students’ and their reading abilities, their strengths and weakness in the reading area and most importantly, to have an extended knowledge of how to each literacy. Reading is the foundation of learning; every concept and subject taught requires some form of reading, therefore, building a strong reading foundation will enable individuals to become successful not only academically, but also socially.

There are three literacy development stages, which are emergent stage are beginning to notice print and understand the purpose of printing, which is to communicate with others. In addition, they start noticing the way people around them utilize print, i.e. they notice that people write left to write and top to bottom, and also notice that, their spoken words can be written.

Jabs...

from page 3

allocated for its employees.

Apart from the vaccination program for its employees, the company also allotted funds for its Pandemic Support Program, which allowed franchisees to continue operations and keep their staff employed.

In addition, PSC aggressively renegotiated existing rents to minimize the impact of declining customer visits.

Meanwhile, de Leon said the company targets to spend P1 billion to support the opening of at least 200 new stores this year after expansion plans tempered amid the pandemic.

PSC managed to open 174 new stores in 2020, bringing its December 2020 total to 2,987. The 174 new stores last year represented a 50-percent drop in new store openings compared with pre-pandemic 2019 numbers.

Paterno said it will put up more stores in residential areas where rents are cheap.

“B e yond C alabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), we still continue to expand in the Visayas and Mindanao. This is our priority so we are opening more stores in those areas,” he added.

In February this year, Seven Bank of Japan rolled out recycling automated teller

machines (ATMs) in 7-Eleven Philippines stores.

Currently, there are over 400 ATMs in Metro Manila and Cavite. By year-end, PSC plans to have 1,200 ATMs installed in more areas nationwide. (PNA)

Financing... from page 5

and crowd-in private investment for climate action in developing countries.

Herbosa said DBP is one of only 113 accredited AEs globally, 57 of which are national agencies, which would allow the bank to channel support of up to USD250 million per project or program.

He said DBP is in talks with potential development partners who can work with the bank in formulating and implementing responsive projects centered on green energy, energy efficiency, waste management, and disaster resilience projects, among others.

“We envision GCF as an additional source of highly-concessional loans or even grants to expand the reach and to scale up DBP's environmental and climate-related programs and advocacies," Herbosa said. "This includes complementing the programs of other government and non-government agencies in line with the ‘Build Back Better’ strategy and ‘wholeof-government’ approach.”

(PR)

Infinity proof CRISTINA P. GARRIDOS, Ph.D Teacher II Molave Vocational Technical School

FOR 50 years, mathematicians have believed that the total number of real numbers is unknowable. A new proof suggests otherwise. There are an infinite number of infinities. Which one corresponds to the real numbers?

The proof, which appeared in May in the Annals of Mathematics, unites two rival axioms that have been posited as competing foundations for infinite mathematics. One of these axioms implies the other, raising the likelihood that both axioms — and all they intimate about infinity — are true. It’s a fantastic result.

It shows that Martin’s Maximum++ implies Woodin’s Pmax axiom. This answers a question from

the 1990s and amalgamates two prominent axioms of set theory which were both known to imply that there are 2 many real numbers.

It’s one of the most intellectually exciting, absolutely dramatic things that has ever happened in the history of mathematics.

Mo s t i m p o r t a n t l y, the result strengthens the case against the continuum hypothesis, a hugely influential 1878 c o nj e c t u r e a b o u t t h e strata of infinities. Both of the axioms that have converged in the ne w proof indicate that the continuum hypothesis is false, and that an extra size of infinity sits between the two that, 143 years ago, were hypothesized to be the first and second infinitely large numbers.

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Smooth... from page 1

Cooperative; Siasi Electric Cooperative; Sulu Electric Cooperative; and Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative.

The NEA chief emphasized that “with the SCO, we hope to facilitate the smooth operation and transition of the BARMM ECs,” and that will be in compliance to Articles VI and XIII of the Bangsamoro law.

As explained, the BOL has vested the Bangsamoro government with the authority “to create its own d e p ar t me nts, agenci es, government instrumentality and GOCCs (governmentow n e d a n d c ont ro l l e d corporations) similar to what the national government currently has.”

On the SCO’s function for the ECs’ turnover, NEA indicated that among the tasks it shall carry out will be “to render technical assistance to the Bangsamoro government in setting up the Electrification Agency similar to the NEA structure to ensure that the transition is effected to the best interest of the BARMM-ECs and their member-consumer-owners.”

The SCO of NEA will likewise collaborate with the Bangsamoro government or its Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE); as well as the other agencies or entities EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF BARCILISA M. BRAZA KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT: That the late BARCILISA M. BRAZA, who died intestate on September 12, 2018 in Cagayan de Oro City, the decedent at the time of her death maintained the following personal and real properties with Parcel 1- Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-137-2018001200 situated in the Barangay Upper Carmen, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN (216) square meters, Parcel 2- Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-137-2017008127 situated at Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro City Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN (127) square meters, more or less, Parcel 3- Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-137-2017009425 situated at Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro City, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED THIRTY ONE (131) SQUARE METERS, more or less, Parcel 4- Tax Declaration No. 13000 situated at Bakid IV, Monching, Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay, containing an area of 1,554 square meters, Parcel 5- Tax Declaration No. 13-002200275 situated at Monching, Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay, containing an area of 13,0506 Hectares, Parcel 6- Tax Declaration No. 13-002200276 situated at Monching, Siay, Zamboanga, Sibugay, containing an area of 25,1751 hectares, a) BANCO DE ORO (BDO) Unibank, Inc. Zamboanga-Ipil Branch under PESO Saving Account No. 003158001823, b) Banco de Oro (BDO) Unibank, Inc. ZamboangaIpil Branch under Dollar Savings Account No. 1031500121099 with a deposit balance of SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FORTY NINE & 01/100 DOLLARS ($17,449.01), c) Banco de Oro (BDO) Unibank, Inc. Zamboanga-Ipil Branch under PESO Savings Account No. 003150017283, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF BARCILISA M. BRAZA, filed by the heirs of BARCILISA M. BRAZA, per DOC #457; PAGE #92; BOOK #51; Series of 2018, under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. MARISSE GAY G. LICO-ABALDE. BWM: July 12, 19 & 26, 2021

involved in electrification and development programs and operational concerns, primarily in relation to the management and supervision in the Bangsamoro region.

To further advance this transition, NEA also formed a technical team to assist Lofranco, in her current assignment for the BARMM electric cooperatives.

Some of the ECs to be transferred to BARMM have outstanding financial obligations, primarily on their supply procurements – and it was not specifically laid down at this point if these will be written off or how they will be treated upon the transfer of the power utilities to the new regulating authority.

ECQ... from page 1

to send more vaccines to the city, which has become a battleground against the Delta variant.

“On ly wit h more vaccines can we protect the residents of Cagayan de Oro,” Moreno said as he ordered the intensification of the vaccination in the city.

For his part, House Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez (2nd district, Cagayan de Oro) asked the DOH and the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force to send medical experts to help local authorities fight the Delta variant.

“Research says that (Delta variant) has mutations on the EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE DECEASED LEONIDO AND ROSITA TAGUD WITH SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

spike protein that makes it easier to infect human cells,” he said.

He also asked the IATF to strictly implement the quarantine measures to ensure the safety of the residents.

Also placed under ECQ is Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental, around 120 kilometers east of Cagayan de Oro. Roque said the province of Misamis Oriental has been upgraded from the Modified General Community Q uarant ine to G enera l Community Quarantine.

Moreno s aid dur ing the daily press briefing on Friday that he had to meet with concerned government agencies on how to implement the strict quarantine procedures.

He said that for starters, he is not open to the idea of stopping public transportation because it would gravely affect the working residents in the city. (Froilan Gallardo/ MindaNews)

Extend... from page 1

assistance pf P6,000 for each family in Cagayan de Oro since it is already under ECQ,” Rodriguez added in his letter to the President.

He pointed out that while the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law or Republic Act No. 11469 mandated financial aid of P6,000 to P8,000 for poor households for 2 months in 2 tranches in the entire Philippines, low-income families in Cagayan de Oro “received only the first tranche of P6,000 because the city was not declared

That the late LEONIDO TAGUD who died intestate on March 06, 2000, in Northern Mindanao Medical Center, CDO; and ROSITA TAGUD who died on _________________ _,in______________________ the decedent at the time of his death, left a real property with Original of Certificate of Title No. E-504 situated Barangay Tamboboan Claveria Misamis Oriental, and has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE DECEASED LEONIDO AND ROSITA TAGUD WITH SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY, filed by the heirs of LEONIDO TAGUD, to negotiate and enter into a Lease Agreement with DITO TELECOMMUNITY CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and establishment under Philippine Laws and with principal office address at 11th Floor, Udenna Tower, Rizal Drive Cor. 4th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City herein represented by its authorized representative, MGEN. RODOLFO D. SANTIAGO AFP (RET.), per DOC #323; PAGE #65; BOOK #CXXII; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. RAMIL G. CARREON.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL PARTITION/ SETTLEMENT OF REAL PROPERTY AMONG HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE

BWM: July 12, 19 & 26, 2021

BWM: July 12, 19 & 26, 2021

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late MAGNO M. RIVERA, who died on April 7, 2020, at Cagayan de Oro City; That during his lifetime, he was able to acquire a parcel of land with OCT NO. 2015000097 situated at Barrio of Indahag, City of Cagayan de Oro, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED TWENTY THREE (223) square meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL PARTITION/ SETTLEMENT OF REAL PROPERTY AMONG HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of MAGNO M. RIVERA, in favor of PHIL ALKOFERO L. ABROGAR and ABRAM PHILIP L. ABGROGAR, represented by: RUBY LIM ABROGAR (VendeeMother), per DOC #374; PAGE #73; BOOK #42; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry ATTY. EVANGELINE TADLAS-CARRASCO.

Kagay-an Festival 1st Oro Lechoneros Encuentro Champion

for Orders, Contact Yoyong:

09354145759 09169249371

under ECQ but only under GCQ (general community quarantine).”

The House leader sent a similar letter to Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which administers the cash assistance funds for areas where ECQ is enforced.

In a separate letter to Secretary Francisco Duque lll of the Department of Health (DOH), who chairs the IATF, Rodriguez asked him to “immediately send a team of medical experts on the Covid-19 Delta variant to Cagayan de Oro City to assist the city in implementing the proper steps to prevent the outbreak of the Delta variant.”

He also requested that “more vaccines be re-directed and immediately sent to Cagayan de Oro, which is now the battleground of this Delta variant to protect our city residents.”

“It is in working together and acting with caution that we will be able to successfully defeat the Covid-19 pandemic specially this Delta variant”, he stressed.

The House leader expressed alarm over the spike in Covid-19 cases in his city, noting that more than half of the 11 Delta variant carriers detected yesterday were found in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental.

He called on the DOH and local authorities to strengthen border and pandemic control measures and enforcement of basic health protocols.

“My constituents are wondering where the Delta variant carriers came from, why they were not detected at the airports, seaports or places of origin,” he said.

Dance... from page 4

they needed to apologize to and forgive past offenses and hurts. I’m now doing these important things, such as telling my husband and parents more often how much I love them. I’m trying not to put off anything that would add laughter or luster to our lives. Every morning I remind myself that it is wonderful to be alive. Every day, every minute, every breath is a gift from God. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but we can still dance and live it to the fullest.”

How about you? Won’t you ask t he O ne Who designed and made life to take full charge of your life every day? Only He can help you start making every single moment count both for now and for your everlasting life after death. Just think a minute…

Investing... from page 4

COVID-19 vaccines and other widely-used pharmaceuticals.

“Vaccine development led by the healthcare sector brings optimism for an economic restart. Beyond these pandemic initiatives, the health care sector is also poised for growth due to its continuous innovation to address unmet medical needs and increasing demand both from an aging population and a global need for cuttingedge products and services,” said Smith L. Chua, Chief Investment Officer of BPI AMTC. The fund portfolio also features global manufacturers of medical devices such as B oston Scientific, and renowned healthcare companies such as UnitedHealth Group.

Investing in technology Meanwhile, the BPI Invest World Technology Feeder Fund is BPI AMTC’s first technology-focused fund that invests in today’s leaders and tomorrow’s winners in the technology space. Its May 2021 portfolio includes household tech names such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Kakao, Amazon, Tesla, and PayPal. B P I I n v e s t Wo r l d Technology Feeder Fund allocates at least 90 percent of its assets in BlackRock’s World Technology Fund.

By subscribing to this BPI Invest fund, Filipino investors can gain access to a sector known for innovation and disruption, presenting rich opportunities for active fund managers to select favorable investment outlets.

Of course you can directly invest in these healthcare and technology companies, or you may invest through pooled funds that banks or other financial institutions may offer.

Now is the best time for Filipinos to invest in funds that enable them to capitalize on growth opportunities.

Fortunately, despite grim

economic prognostications in the near future, there are still bright spots ripe for investment.

Support RITM In a related development, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US top infectious diseases expert has urged the Philippine government to increase support for Filipino scientists and research institutions.

Fauci cited the Research I n s t i t u t e f o r Tr o p i c a l Medicine which was earlier recognized as a “center of excellence” by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID}.

Fauci expressed the hope that the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and similar agencies — will continue to get the assistance they need so that they remain competitive for both funding and talent.

Note: You may wish to share the foregoing article via Facebook, Twitter or Linked-In.

Purpose...

from page 4 killing we are hearing about these days. Abortion is clear murder of the most defenceless members of our human society—the infant while still inside the mother’s womb.

Of course, we have to understand that to make God’s law the foundation, inspiration and perfection of our human law is not going to be easy. It would require effort to plunge deep in our understanding of God’s law which is full of mysteries, which will always have something new to say even if we would already know its essential part.

This will require constant study and reflection, a lot of prayer and consultation, the habit of reading the changing signs of the times in the context of our faith, and also that basic attitude of always deferring to the authority of the Church magisterium who has been given the divine authority to teach and interpret God’s revelation.

Email: roycimagala@ gmail.com

8

1 million trees planted per year:

Feature

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SMC power unit nearing target 3 million trees; massive reforestation aligns with renewable push

S

AN Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) power unit reported that it has planted a total of 2.7 million seedlings and propagules since 2019 to date as part of a reforestation and carbon capture program dubbed Project 747, aimed at planting seven million trees over 4,000 hectares in at least seven provinces to help mitigate climate change.

The project, which aims to plant a million trees every year, complements SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.’s (SMCGP) goal

of adding cleaner and renewable power facilities into its power portfolio after dropping plans to put up three clean-coal power plants with a capacity of 1,500 MW, as part of SMC’s larger sustainability goals.

“Through massive reforestation, we can help mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Over the past couple of years, we have also been utilizing the best and most modern technologies to minimize our impact on the environment, even as we try to provide for our country’s growing

need for reliable and affordable power,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang. Recently, SMC announced that SMCGP is nearing completion on a number of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facilities it is building in locations across the country. Between 2021 and 2022, the company is looking to complete a total of 31 BESS facilities that will not only improve power reliability throughout the country, but will also make way for the integration of some 3,000 megawatts of intermittent

renewable power into the grid.

SMC has also announced that it is building solar plants equipped with BESS facilities at around 10 locations. A liquefied natural gas plant and some hydroelectric power plants, are also in the pipeline as part of its move towards cleaner and renewable technologies.

As of July 9, SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. had completed planting 780,214 seedlings out of the 1.1 million targeted for this year over 268 hectares of land in Zambales,

Davao Occidental, Bataan, Negros Occidental, Pangasinan, Albay, and Quezon province.

Planting of the remaining 320,000 trees is expected to be completed by September in these seven provinces and Bulacan.

From 2019 to 2020, the company, together with farmer and fisherfolk organizations at or near planting sites, had planted 1,994,988 seedlings and propagules.

“As with our other initiatives, this massive tree-planting project represents our commitment to environmental stewardship.

With each of our business units pursuing sustainability programs and engaging their respective communities to help out, I am confident we can collectively achieve a lot in the next couple of years in terms of meeting our climate goals,” he added.

Ang underscored the importance of community involvement in the reforestation project. Project 747, he said, is a partnership with some 24 fisherfolk and farmers’ organizations, who help in identifying indigenous tree varieties for planting, and who are key to nurturing the young trees

ensure higher survival rate of the trees.

Incentives are provided to partner organizations for activities like nursery establishment and maintenance plantation establishment and maintenance.

Aside from the Biochar program, appropriate livelihood programs are also identified depending on the area.

In 2017, the parent company announced the discontinuation of its plastic bottled water business as an opening salvo to pursuing major water initiatives.

It has also announced a program to cut its groupwide water use by 50% by 2025; utilized waste-to-energy initiatives, and starter massive river rehabilitation projects for the Tullahan-Tinajeros River System and the Pasig River, among many other projects.

Another SMC subsidiary, San Miguel Brewery, Inc. is looking to plant 66,000 trees this year under its Trees Brew Life program. The trees will be planted by employee and community volunteers in Bacolod City, Tagoloan City in Misamis Oriental, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, and Mandaue City. In

San Miguel Corporation’s power unit, SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., is ramping up its carbon capture activities nationwide to meet its goal of 1.1 million seedlings and propagules planted this year. A total of 2.7 million trees and mangroves are being grown so far in Zambales, Davao Occidental, Bataan, Negros Occidental, Pangasinan, Albay, and Quezon province. Photos show site preparation and upland planting activities in Pagbilao in Quezon, Botolan in Zambales, and Sual in Pangasinan with the help of local farmer organizations. and ensuring high survival rates.

Tree varieties in the upland plantation are Narra, Molave, White Lauan, Palosapis, Agoho, Batino, Igang, and Malabayabas while mangrove varieties include Bakawan Babae, Bakawan Lalaki, Bungalon, and Api-Api. The survival rates of upland trees and mangrove propagules planted are at 89 and 91 percent, respectively.

“With the help of our partner farmers and fishermen, we have been successful in not only achieving our program goals in terms of number of trees planted, but also in ensuring the full growth of these seedlings and propagules,” he said.

The Project 747 program includes the Biochar Community Enterprise Development Project as a carbon sequestration mechanism. Five Biochar partner communities help in the production and utilization of Biochar as an organic fertilizer that is applied to the soil to

the last 10 years, SMB estimates it has planted some 1 million trees under the Trees Brew Life program.

For its part, DBI (Distileria Bago, Inc.) Mangrove Project of Ginebra San Miguel Inc., has an ongoing two-hectare expansion in Bago City, Negros Occidental, where company volunteers and community stakeholders are taking care of 40,000 full-grown trees across 12 hectares of land.

Petron’s proposed 10-year biodiversity conservation efforts for the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape also includes the planting of at least 50,000 seedlings.

Since 2000, Petron has also planted over 1 million trees and mangroves nationwide in support of the government’s National Greening Program. It has adopted a total of 30 hectares of mangrove reforestation areas in Tacloban City, Leyte and Roxas City, Capiz under its Puno ng Buhay program.