BusinessWeek Mindanao (July 27, 2015)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Briefly Red Alert SECURITY and traffic preparations are all set when President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his sixth State-ofthe-Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City today, July 27, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, PNP-Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) went on full alert on Sunday afternoon and prepared to deploy policemen with the activation of Super TaskForce “Kapayapaan 2015” to secure the Batasan complex.

Last SONA MALACANANG encouraged the public to listen to President Aquino’s sixth and last state-of-the-nation address (SONA) set at 3p.m today, July 27, which is said to have national significance.

“We’re asking everyone to take time to listen to what the President has to say so we can talk about the data or whatever the programs are that will be mentioned by the President,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

The President’s SONA will be broadcast live on television and on radios. It will also be available in the government website, the Official Gazette, as well as on Twitter, Valte said.

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Economic expert told SMEs to collaborate SHIFTING BUSINESS PARADIGM:

Outstanding Mindanao Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs awardees hailed

S

By NELSON CONSTANTINO, Editor-in-Chief and MARK FRANCISCO, Staff Writer

MALL and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country has to level up, not for competition, but more on collaboration in order to cope with the challenges of the impending Asean economic integration, a renown financial expert and economic consultant said. business/PAGE 11

NEW MODERN FLEET. RTMI-Bulua branch manager John M. del Castillo leads his staff in presenting 30 units of brand new buses that will ply the route Cagayande Oro-Iligan route. The new modern fleet are equipped with built-toilets and entertainment facilities. photo by cheng ordonez

GIVING BACK THE HONOR. BusinessWeek Mindanao Corp. president and CEO Dante Sudaria hailed the winners of this year’s Outstanding Mindanao Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs Awards for their holistic contribution to Mindanao’s growth. photo by gerry lee gorit

Rural Transit launches fleet of modern buses

By CHENG ORDONEZ, Associate Editor

RURAL Transit Mindanao, Inc. (RTMI) has launched on Saturday its new airconditioned buses which

would replace the old units plying the Cagayan de OroIligan routes in a bid to transit/PAGE 11

Get your BWM Loyalty Card NOW for only P350.00 valid for one year, and avail of discounts to more than 150 participating business establishments.

GREEN ADVOCACY. Italpinas Euroasian Design and EcoDevelopment Corporation is this year’s recipient of the 4th Mindanao Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs Awards 2015 under the Real Estate Development for Green Condominiums category for their advocacy for green architecture and eco-friendly living. Receiving the award is Mr. Cesar Stefan Rago, Italpinas public relations and marketing officer. photo courtesy of cesar stefan rago

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Surigao City Negosyo Center opens for business SU R IG AO C it y - - T he province’s second Negosyo Center was formally opened on Thursday located at the 2nd floor of Simtoco Business Center, this city.

The Surigao City Negosyo Center will be operated and managed by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council in collaboration with the city government of Surigao, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other national line agencies, Surigao Chamber of Commerce and Industry,

(SCCI), and other nongovernment organizations.

The said negosyo center will extend business registration and development services to e x i s t i n g a n d p ot e nt i a l entrepreneurs in the city and ot her nei g hb or i ng municipalities.

The project which is expected to hasten business s t ar t - up i s on e of t h e highlights of Republic Act 10644 other wise known as the Go Negosyo Act authored by Senator Paulo “Bam” Aquino.

RUSH SALE 12 Hectares of Land about 80% planted with Benguet/Carribean Pine Trees.

Location: Patpat, Malaybalay, Bukidnon For details call Rory 09062282483

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DA Caraga cites role of soils in food security, productivity

T

HE Department of Ag r ic u lture (DA) Caraga Regional F i el d O f f i c e r ais e d t he awareness and promoted t h e i mp or t an c e of s oi l to food and productivity during the media briefing of this year’s obser vance of the International Year of Soils (IYS) 2015 last week.

I YS 2 0 1 5 , w i t h t h e theme, “Healthy Soils for a Healthy Life,” was declared

by the 68th United Nations (UN) General Assembly to raise global awareness on the significance of soils for food security, nutrition, and environmental protection.

Emmylou Presilda, DA Caraga Information and Public Relations Section chief has acknowledged the contribution of media in the dissemination of accurate information to the public.

“The International Year of the S oil that will b e celebrated on December 5, is a great opportunity to unify actions and r ais e aw are ne ss on t he importance of soils for fo o d an d nut r it i on security and environment protection,” Presilda said.

Also, Bureau of Soils and Water Management regional coordinator M a r c e l o P. D a y o h a s cited the importance of

soil to food security and nutrition. “Healthy soil is the key to food security and nutrition for all,” Dayo said.

Dayo, further said that at present, the total land degradation hotspot areas in the Philippines are now 2,563,944.28 hectares.

“The current rate of soil degradation threatens the capacity to meet the needs of f utu re ge n e r at i ons ,” Dayo added.

5 LGUs in DavNor avail NFA Rice Loan program DAVAO del Norte -- Five local government units in Davao del Norte enrolled in the Rice Loan Program of the National Food Authority (NFA).

NFA Assistant Region XI Director and Concurrent Provincial Manager for Davao del Norte Antonio Aranas said yesterday during the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo that out of the 12 local government units in the province, only five enrolled in their loan program.

The said LGUs were the provincial government of Davao del Norte, Panabo City, Kapalong, New Corella and San Isidro.

Aranas disclosed that the said LGUs can withdraw b a g s of r i c e for re l i e f operations and distribution in times of calamities or for stockpiling in preparation for any eventualities that

may occur.

He said that in their program, the maximum number bags an LGU can avail within a given fiscal year is 5,000 for a provincial government, 2,000 for the city government and 1,000 for municipal government.

Aranas said that cost of the rice will depend on the current cost of the rice on the given time.

“We will be giving the LGU 30 working days from the receipt of the billing to pay, otherwise, they will be penalized at a rate of 2% per month of the amount due,” he said.

Aranas also revealed that from time to time, they sent a letter to other LGUs to also avail this program by the NFA. “It is better for them to prepare before any disaster will hit their area,” he said.

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

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The Invisible Father

T

hink a minute…A 58-year-old man was sharing his memories of his father. He said his father had been a workaholic who was always busy with work and his own personal interests.

He never came to his son’s sports games or activities.

In fact, the son said his dad almost never spoke to him.

By the time the son was 18 years old, in his last year of school, he’d become a very good football player. When his team qualified for the championship, he begged his father to finally come see him play this one time; so his dad promised he’d be there.

O n t h e d ay o f t h e championship, the son was on the field warming up just before the game when he saw his dad come into the stadium with two other men.

Then, just before the game started, his dad left with his friends and never returned.

It’s now been 40 years since that day, yet this 58-year-old son says the painful rejection and disappointment he felt as a teenager is still very real.

When his father recently died at age 83, he stood alone next to his dad’s coffin at the funeral home and said: “Dad, we could have shared so much love and good times

THINK

A Minute

Jhan Tiafau Hurst together, but I never knew you.”

Thinking back on this m a n’s c h i l d h o o d , a n d especially that day of the football game, I wonder what that father thought was more important than being there for his son. Was his time with business associates more important than caring and being interested in the success of his own son? That father let the years go by without doing his job at home. He failed in his most important responsibility as a father.

A father has tremendous power and influence in the lives of his children. Studies have shown that the number one cause of troubled boys and young men is that they had fathers who didn’t really hurst/PAGE 10

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A

T THE HEIGHT of the two succeeding Typhoons that landed at the PAR of our country, hundreds of seaborne commuters were stranded in many Ports of Visayas and Mindanao.

Typhoon Egay and Falcon caused the suspension of sea travel for three days in the entire country. While the Philippine Coast Guard were taking the necessary safety precautions but mishandled the MB Nirvana departure somewhere in Ormoc City which resulted to a maritime accident, the Philippine Ports Authority manhandled the stranded passengers who took shelter in their Terminals.

Hundreds of local travelers spend their three days and two nights at the Passengers Port Terminals of Nasipit in Agusan, Macabalan in Cagayan de Oro and Jagna in Bohol and the other ports of call in the entire country affected by the storm and gale warning. In Jagna Port, a radio station, reported that one elderly government retiree, collapsed and was rushed to the hospital because

the Passenger Terminal of the Philippine Ports Authority d o e s n ot h av e prop e r ventilation. Air-conditioning system in the crowded terminal was not working.

While at the Macabalan Port, stranded passengers br ave d t he d e g r a d abl e conditions, because the passenger terminal has defective and leaking roofing.

Windows are bare without protective canvass to contain the strong surges of rain water brought by the wind.

This conflagration made the comfort rooms inside the Passenger Terminal, constantly wet, muddy and dirty without the benefit of regular cleaning. The absence of sanitation and maintenance has aggravated the inhuman conditions of the stranded passengers who were running low of their budget and were exposed to hunger and sickness.

The worst case scenario was described by Radio Bombo at the Nasipit Port where Tric ycle Drivers demand P50.00 fare per person from the Bus Terminal

to the Port which is less than a kilometer in distance because they have to pay the PPA Security Guards for every trip to allow them to park and unload their passengers at the terminal.

Why can’t the Philippines Ports Authority weed the ranks of their security contractor from the clutch of corruption? Unless, they are also participants to the “Tong” system prevailing in many ports of the country, it will take two to Tango.

Passengers are paying terminal fees anyway for the use of a government property in spite of their mother agency, DOTC, enjoying b u d g e t ap p rov a l f rom Congress to the tune of P56 Billion for 2015. Isn’t it that annual budgets are designed for operating expense and capital expenditures? Was the PPA excluded to even pay the salaries of contractual Janitors at the Macabalan Terminal? Or why did the Jagna Port did not replace their defective AC system which only costs, P60, 000 plus free installation for a

TRAVERSING the

Tourism H i - way

Ped Quiamjot leading brand?

The past administrations of GMA has undertaken islands connectivity through the development of more Ports and Roll on Roll Off facilities to move cargoes f a s t e r a n d e n c ou r a g e s people’s mobility and spur the growth of the economy.

It has helped in promoting domestic tourism through sea travel. The program has been in placed that only needed continuity and funding sustainability. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) which is under the Department of Tr ans p or t at i on an d quiamjot/PAGE 10

SONA, CONTRA SONA, SANA

T

hey call it by different names.

Here in the Philippines, it is called State of the Nation Address or SONA for short. In the US, it is State of the Union. In Great Britain, it is called Speech from the Throne or The Queen’s (of King’s) Speech. It is Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands. There is no equivalent name in Japan but the speech, likewise, is delivered during the first session of Parliament.

Local chief executives have also come up with their own versions since 1988. So it is common for us to now read or hear about the State of the Province Address (SOPA), State of the City Address (SOCA), State of the Municipality Address (SOMA). I am not sure though if there is an equivalent for the Barangays or SOBA. The day after the SONA, the political opposition in Congress, as represented by the Minority Floor Leader, delivers what has come to be known as CONTRA SONA. The Opposition calls this speech “The True State of the Nation”.

Unlike the SONA, with all its media hype, the CONTRA SONA is usually delivered before a half-empty assembly, while most legislators – be they pro-Administration or Opposition - are having coffee at the South Lounge.

President Fidel V. Ramos, who in his own term delivered 6 SONAs, jokingly refers to an imaginary speech. It is a people’s wish list of items which should have been included, but were

not, in a SONA. PFVR calls it SANA. The ceremonies in the Philippines and in the United States have many similarities.

The principal reason: In both countries, the functions of Head of State and Head of Government are exercised by the same individual.

C ontrast this with ceremonies in Great Britain, where the Queen is Head of State, while the Prime Minister is Head of Government.

Both in the Philippines and in the US, the practice is based on a constitutional mandate which requires the Chief Executive to inform Congress of the state of the nation and to recommend such measures as may be necessary and expedient.

Since the time of President Quezon, every Philippine President personally appeared every year before Congress to deliver his message. The only exception occurred in 1950 when President Quirino, who as then recuperating from an illness, delivered his SONA via radio from his hospital bed in the United States.

In the US, early presidents star ting with Thomas Jefferson, discontinued George Washington’s practice of personally appearing before Congress. Jefferson and the rest simply submitted a written report. Woodrow Wilson resumed the practice of personal appearance.

Here in the Philippines, the President delivers the SONA before a joint session of Congress. In attendance are almost all the members of both houses, including those who are perennially absent

during the regular session.

The lady legislators and the congressional spouses usually come in their most elegant Filipiniana. Broadcasters usually have a field day describing who is wearing what and by whom during the virtual fashion show.

Also in attendance are members of the judiciary, cabinet members, members of the diplomatic corps, a carefully screened guest list, and of course, the duly accredited media.

O c c a s i o n a l l y, s o m e legislators - strongly opposed to the President - leak to media in advance their nonattendance claiming “waste of time.”

Outside, militant groups, year in and year out, make a show of marching with clenched fists towards the Batasan only to be stopped (“harassed” according to the militants) by the police.

T h e US has institutionalized a practice ( The Designated Survivor) as a result of 9/11. Accordingly, one cabinet member does not attend in order to provide continuity in the line of succession in the event that a catastrophe disables the President, the Vice President, and other succeeding officers gathered in the House chamber. Right out of a Tom Clancy novel.

Additionally, since 9/11, a few members of Congress have been asked to relocate to undisclosed locations for the duration of the speech to form a rump Congress in the event of disaster.

In Great Britain, it is the Queen who reads a speech prepared by the

SPEAKING

O ut

Ignacio Bunye Prime Minister. It is called Speech from the Throne. The speech is delivered during the State Opening of Parliament – an occasion marked by pageantry steeped in British culture and tradition. The Opening of Parliament was based on tradition which dates back to the early 14th century.

Un l i k e h e r e i n t h e Philippines, where every single applause is tallied and duly reported by the media, the Queen’s speech is met with dignified silence. Wikipedia reports: “Traditionally, the members of both Houses of Parliament listen to the Queen’s Speech respectfully, neither applauding nor showing dissent towards the speech’s contents before it is debated in each House.”

For her part, Wikipedia also reports: “The Queen reads the entire speech in a neutral and formal tone, implying neither approval nor disapproval of the proposals of Her Majesty’s Government”.

Her Majesty’s Government refers to the Prime Minister and his cabinet.

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CorporateWorld

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GT Cap, Jollibee make it to Forbes Fab 50 list G T Capital Holdings and Jollibee Foods Corporation made it to this year’s Forbes Asia’s Fabulous 50 list of the region’s best big publicly TRADED COMPANIES Based on the list, GT Capital and Jollibee were the only Philippine companies to make it to the prestigious ranking. The ‘Fab 50’ list is an annual honor roll highlighting some of the brightest stars in the Asia Pacific.

This year, China has 25 names on the list, up from 16 last year, and more than any other country for fifth year in a row.

It also boasts the list’s most valuable company – Tencent, now worth $176.5 billion – and its biggest, Lenovo, which generated $46.3 billion in revenue last year.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Forbes Asia’s Fab 50 list. In the inaugural list 10 years ago, Japan produced the most companies, 12, and Australia was second, with 10. This year, Japan has just one and Australia none.

Hong Kong had five on that first list and this year, it also has none.

The industries represented then were tilted toward heavy

Hydro power next on Ayala’s list AC Energy Holdings, Inc. of the Ayala group plans to extend its renewable energy projects beyond wind farms, the company’s chief executive officer said.

Hy d r o p o w e r a s s e t s that the government plans to privatize are attractive prospects, AC Energy CEO John Eric T. Francia told reporters.

The company currently

runs the 33-megawatt (MW) Bangui wind farm in Ilocos, Norte -- which it plans to expand by another 19 MW. Through North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp., the company also owns an 81MW wind farm in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

AC Energy also owns coal projects, but the scope of its renewable energy venture is so far limited to wind farms.

“It’s more to diversify. We don’t have deep presence in hydro yet and it’s renewable,” Mr. Francia said on the sidelines of a forum organized

by Ayala and the University of the Philippines - School of Economics.

“It’s also an asset and not an IPPA (independent power producer administrator),” Mr. Francia said.

The official did not

identify the hydropower assets it is targeting, but in the privatization pipeline of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. are the Caliraya-BotocanKalayaan and the AgusPulangui hydropower assets.

AC E n e r g y h a s a n existing partnership with Sta. Clara Power Corp. for the development of hydro/PAGE 10

industry. There was one pharmaceutical or healthcare company; this year there are 9. Only one company from 2005 makes this year’s list – Lenovo.

The Fab 50’s brightest star over the decade, India’s HDFC Bank, did not debut until 2006. However, it has now made the list nine times,

more than any other company.

HDFC is the secondlargest bank in India’s private sector, after ICICI Bank.

Built from scratch by its managing director, Aditya Puri, the bank now has a market capitalization of $43 billion, nearly 32 million customers and a network fab 50/PAGE 10

Robinsons Retail to open two malls a year till 2020 MULTI-format retailer Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI) is expanding its community mall chain with a plan to open at least two Robinsons Townville every year through 2020, an official of the Gokongweiled company said.

“We plan to open two a year [in the next five years],” RRHI President Robina Gokongwei-Pe told reporters last week.

Robinsons Supermarket Corp. General Manager Jody S. Gadia said RRHI is not discounting the possibility of rolling out as much as three to four strip malls every year.

Asked why RRHI is building more community malls, Ms. Gokongwei-Pe said: “Because of traffic.”

“There are many densely populated neighborhoods in the Philippines.

They don’t want to go out anymore....They want to find everything in their community,” she said.

Robinsons Townville is located near densely populated neighborhoods within and in the outskirts of Metro Manila.

Ranging from 5,000 square meters (sqms.) to 10,000 sqms., Robinsons Townville has Robinsons robinsons/PAGE 10

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Sec. Mar Roxas and Dingdong Dantes unite against calamities and disasters Y OUNG actor Dingdong Dantes joined forces with Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas in behalf of National Yo ut h C om m i s s i on i n formalizing the participation of the youth sector in the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) activities of local government units (LGUs).

This fabulous development followed Sec. Mar Roxas’ recognition of the role of the youth in molding a resilient community against disasters and calamities.

“Kabahagi na natin ang kabataan sa ating paghahanda para sa mga kalamidad dahil hindi natin alam kung ano ang hamon mula sa kalikasan.

Ang importante ay pormal na nating katuwang ang mga kabataan, sa pangunguna ng National Youth Commission, sa paghahanda ng mga LGUs sa oras ng kalamidad,” says

Mar in the recent signing ceremony that happened at Philippine School of Business Administration in Quezon City.

In a joint memorandum signed by DILG and NYC, Dingdong fully supports Sec. Mar’s initiative in uniting provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, and barangay leaders to i nst itut i on a l i z e t he participation of the youth in calamity preparedness and disaster mitigation.

Dingdong said that he, as appointed Commissioner of NYC, is glad that Sec. Mar recognizes them as part of the disaster preparedness activities in the local level.

“Ang kalamidad ay isa sa mga issues na majority ng ating kababayan ang naaapektuhan. Sa aming ninanais na makatulong, natutuwa kami dahil nakita ng DILG ang importansya

ng kabataan sa paghahanda,” says the Kapuso hunk actor.

The LGUs are also expected to engage Dingdong’s groupas a legitimate member of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) in their respective communities.

NYC will represent the civil society organization in the LDRRMC to help t h e L G Us i n d i s a s t e r preparedness and other postdisaster activities including counseling of victims of tragedies.

Na t i o n a l a n d l o c a l consultations conducted

by Dingdong’s youth group revealed that prior to the signing of the MOA, the youth sector has already been participating in numerous activities related to disaster risk reduction management, including search and rescue efforts and relief operations, among many others.

Showbiz stars join moves to keep back mining in Lobo, Batangas

By Catherine J. Teves

MANILA -- Some of the country’s show business stars joined moves to restrain mining in Batangas province’s Lobo municipality, one of the country’s top biodiversity areas.

Actresses Sandy Andolong and Amy Austria as well as former television personality a n d re t i re d c h a mpi on swimmer Akiko Thomson joined other Lobo residents in campaigning against MRLEgertron Gold Philippines’ proposed mining project there, saying that mineral extrac t ion would sp ell environmental disaster in the area and nearby Verde Island Passage (VIP) - the internationally recognized center of global marine biodiversity.

“This fight is for our children and generations

after them,” said Andolong.

She was not discounting the possibility of urging her show business colleagues to join such fight, recognizing they could help boost the campaign to protect Lobo’s environment and VIP. “Natural resources abound there so I hope people will see the beauty and richness of what God gave us,” she said.

Lobo and VIP are biodiversity havens threatened with destruction after the municipality’s Sangguniang Bayan and several officials endorsed the mineral production-sharing agreement (MPSA) that would allow MRL-Egertron to mine gold in about 2,264 hectares of land in Lobo, Batangas.

Mu l t i - s e c t o r g r o u p

Coalition for the Preservation of the Verde Island Passage noted such endorsement occurred without public consultation.

At the council’s July 20 session this year, however, a unanimous decision approved Lobo Councilor Rey Nelson Amparo’s resolution canceling the project’s endorsement.

Batangas ViceGovernor Mark Leviste said the Sanggunian already transmitted such resolution to parties concerned.

He also assured Batangas provincial government’s continuing efforts to protect the environment.

“We won’t compromise environmental protection for any development,” he said at a press conference in Metro Manila this week.

Andolong, Austria and T h oms on we re am ong stakeholders who attended the press conference and supported the call for no mining in Lobo.

Thomson’s businessman-

husband Chips Guevarra expects silt and cyanide to pollute Lobo and jeopardize pu bl i c h e a lt h t h e re i f government allows gold mining in that area.

If not effectively contained, he said, both pollutants would reach VIP that’s just several kilometers away and destroy the marine environment there as well.

L ob o w ate r d ist r i c t head Dani Perez supports themunicipality’s no-tomining cry, warning mineral extraction will result in deforestation across the 218-hectare watershed there.

“Our water resources will be compromised,” he said.

He also said mining’s water demand will exceed that of Lobo, increasing pressure on water availability there.

Part of MRL-Egerton’s target mining site encroaches on Lobo’s watershed, he said.

Earlier, the coalition came up with a three-pronged strateg y for protecting Lobo and VIP from mining and other environmentally destructive activities.

The coalition is seeking Malacanang’s issuance of an executive order declaring VIP and Lobo’s coastal areas as tourism zones and protected areas.

DE N R must re f r ai n from issuing environmental compliancecertificates for mining and other destructive undertakings in Lobo and instead revoke and cancel all approved MPSAs there for open-pit mining and other forms of mineral extraction and destructive practices, the coalition said.

The coalition is also calling on Department of Tourism to declare VIP and Lobo’s coastal areas as tourism zones.

(PNA)

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Cacao-planting mania spreads in Bicol THE enthusiasm in cacao growing is spreading like a wildfire in Bicol.

The “fire” was started about two years ago by the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) based in Pili, Camarines Sur with a campaign towards grooming cacao beans as another sunshine industry of the region -- next to abaca, pili nut and coconut -- by way of promoting this highvalue crop’s significance both in terms of economic and health gains.

The massive promotion efforts were supported with interventions falling under DA’s application of Republic Act 7900 or the High-Value Crops Development Act of 1995, which allots funds for providing production assistance, technolog y transfer, marketing and processing that now steer farmers towards generating more income.

In DA’s Hi g h - Va lu e Commercial Crops Program (HVCDP) formulated and now ongoing implementation in line with this Act, assistance to producers concerning crop insurance, credit, postharvest facilities, good seeds and planting materials and fiscal incentives are also provided.

For Camarines Sur province, it showcased as a model the 600 fruit-bearing cacao trees intercropped with calamansi (lemon) on the 10-hectare farm established four years ago by barangay chairman Lorenzon Cueto of Cayaoyao, Tigaon town within the village.

Out of Cueto’s produce, w om e n i n t h e v i l l a g e , including those belonging to Agta-Tabangon tribal families, were trained by the DA in the commercial production of cacao-inspired food commodities which led to their present engagement i n t h e m anu f a c tu re of chakoy with tablea filling, choco crinkles, cupcakes, and churros, among other d e l i c a c i e s , w h i c h h ave already captured a niche in the local market.

Tigaon and its neighboring town of Goa, also of Camarines Sur, where cacao production is the focus of HVCDP in the province, two groups with separate missions -- Tigaon Cacao Growers Association, handling the production, and Kababaihang Magkakakaw (women in cacao) ng Goa, which handles the processing -- are now busy in the propagation of the industry. cacao/PAGE 10

FOLLOW WRANGLERPH

AgriBusiness

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DA: Aquino admin ensures sustainable fishery sector THE Department of A g r i c u l t u r e ( DA ) o n Thursday said that that the efforts of the government to modernize Philippine fisheries have enabled the sector to gain momentum for sustainable and inclusive growth in the years to come.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the DA, through its Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), had continuously instituted measures to ensure that fishing in the country’s waters becomes sustainable, and that all forms of fishery resource provided equitable benefits to all stakeholders.

“The administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III inherited overfished waters and overbuilt fish cage areas that contributed to fish kills and dwindling fishery yields,” he said.

“What we did since 2010 was to engage fisheries stakeholders to craft and implement policies and programs for the sustainable utilization and management of aquatic resources so that these could continue to provide stable supply of food,

livelihood and ecological services,” Alcala said.

Among these programs w a s B FA R’s s u c c e s s f u l enforcement of four closed fishing seasons from 2011 to 2015 that facilitated the natural progression of fish breeding cycle.

The closed fishing seasons have led to the resurgence of tamban and galunggong which in turn attracted more tuna that feed on them.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the total production of yellow fin tuna rose significantly by 11.76 percent for the first quarter of 2015.

The success of the closed season has also led to the Philippines being allowed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to fish in tuna-rich High Seas Pocket 1 of the Pacific Ocean.

BFAR likewise instituted a program to train and deploy additional fishery law enforcers in order to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

This was done through

i nt e n s i v e t h re e - m ont h training courses that produced 188 graduates that have now been deployed as professional fishery law enforcers across the country.

Incidentally, BFAR had only four fishery law enforcers for the entire Philippines in 2010.

BFAR has reported that three of the graduates were in fact among the enforcers that captured Taiwanese and Indonesian poachers in Batanes last May. BFAR has also encouraged coastal communities to protect their municipal waters up to 15 kilometers from the shore for the exclusive use of artisanal fisherfolk.

Alcala said that the agency had also instituted programs that were aimed at securing the welfare of fisherfolk.

“Recognizing the indispensable role of artisanal fisherfolk in the fisheries sector, the government has implemented programs to ensure improved access of small fishers to social ser vices and to reduce poverty incidence among them,” the Agriculture chief said.

Most notable among these is the National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration (FishR).

Since its implementation, FishR has been able to register over 1.6 million fishers.

Alcala said that this national registr y was instrumental in facilitating the free insurance coverage for the fisherfolk by the Philippine Crops Insurance Corp.

The FishR database has also been cross-matched with the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction by the Department of S o c i a l We l f are an d Development (DSWD).

Fisherfolk listed on both registries will be automatically given a PHilHealth number to serve as ticket to a free health care insurance. “ This registration of fisherfolk was mandated by the Fisheries Act of 1998, but it is only during the administration of President Aquino that it has been funded and enforced,” Alcala said.

In fisheries infrastructure, BFAR also expects to complete fishery/PAGE 11

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Watsons Generics

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Sai Pascual, Watsons Senior Category Manager

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Danilo ChIong, Watsons Trade Health Director

Karen Fabres, Watsons Group Marketing Manager

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Viki Encarnacion, Watsons Marketing Director

Watsons wins at Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards The Watsons Generics Campaign is the only recipient from the Philippines in the Health Promotion Category

W

ATSONS, the leading health & beauty chain in the country, was recently recognized for its efforts in promoting generic medicine at the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards (AREA) by Enterprise Asia.

The A.S. Watson Group’s campaign “Watsons Generics: Improving Lives of the Filipinos One Pill at a Time” was the only recipient from the Philippines in the Health Promotion Category of the AREA awards held June 19, 2015 at Banyan Tree Hotel in Macau.

Often dubbed the “Nobel Prize for Sustainability,” the AREA honors Asian businesses that champion sustainable and responsible business practices, demonstrate companies’ leadership, sincerity and on-going commitment in incorporating responsible and ethical values, compliance, respect for people and individuals, involvement in communities and protection of the environment into the way they run their businesses.

From over 300 submissions and 28 countries, only 52 projects across Asia were chosen for the six categories namely; Green Leadership Award; Investment in People Award;

Social Empowerment Award; SME CSR Award; Responsible Business Leader Award; and Health Promotion Award.

Enterprise Asia is a nongovernmental organization in pursuit of creating an Asia that is rich in entrepreneurship as an engine towards sustainable and progressive economic and social development within a world of economic equality.

The organization works with governments, NGOs and other organizations to promote entrepreneurial and sustainable development, in uplifting the economic status of people across Asia and in ensuring a legacy of hope, innovation and courage for the future generations.

“Winning this award is not just a recognition of our efforts but also a challenge for us to further this advocacy in helping improve the health of Filipinos,” says Viki Encarnacion, Watsons Marketing Director.

Carrying on the Watsons tradition The creation of the generics line goes back to the rich heritage and vision of AS Watsons, which is to provide accessible health and medical services to the poor.

It also supports the Philippine Government’s mission to

improve the health care condition in the country.

For a poor country like the Philippines with an average monthly household income of USD 400 for a family of five, it is ironic that penetration of generic medicines is very low at only 5% of of the market (vs 70-80% in more advanced countries like US). In addition, due to financial constraints, non-compliance to medicine prescriptions is highly prevalent, with Filipinos prioritizing more basic needs like food and shelter rather than healthcare and medicines.

Watsons Generics Watsons Generics offers a wide array of medicines and supplements for the most common ailments, which are manufactured by trusted partners to ensure that all products are of high quality, safe and effective while maintaining its affordability.

To ensure the quality of Watsons Generics, Watsons’ partner manufacturers undergo a screening process that meets international standards. “Our generic medicines are produced by trusted partners. All of these go through a rigorous screening process and a third party audit. These methods on top of

Sai Pascual - Senior Category Manager, Danilo Chiong, Trade Health Marketind Director, Karen Fabres - Watsons Group Marketing Manager, Viki Encarnacion - Marketing Director

Philippine regulatory agency standards assure consumers that they are purchasing high quality products,” says Danilo Chiong, Watsons Trading Health Director.

Watsons Generics medicines have all passed the regulatory requirements of local and international quality assurance agencies. The medicines are registered with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA), passed bioequivalence test and the manufactured by facilities with certificates of Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP). The Watsons Generics have all of these quality assurances while offering up to 80% savings vs. leading brands.

The launch of Watsons Generics is the very first of its kind in the industry, as it marks the first time a retailer launched its OWN BRAND OF GENERIC MEDICINES that are not only 80% more affordable than leading brands, but also of the highest quality.

The Watsons Generics line includes maintenance medicines for diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol, antibiotics to fight off the common bacteria, dietary supplements for skin enhancement, anti-ageing and over-all wellness, basic vitamins,

Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards 2015

oral analgesics, and other over the counter medicines.

“For more than 170 years, Watsons has been providing health and wellness products to its customers worldwide.

We are excited to do the same in the Philippines by allowing Filipino families to take charge of their health without the fear of financial burden,” says Encarnacion.

Watsons Philippines recently partnered with AlfaMArt to further ensure that Watsons Generics will reach communities where Watsons stores are not present. This unique distribution strategy ensured that Watsons Generics are accessible to the Class D and E markets.

Sebastien Pivet, Watsons Quality Assurance Director_ Congrwmn Gwendolyn Garcia, Advisor to AREA of the 3rd Congressional Distric of Cebu, Karen Fabres, Watsons Phil Group Mrktg Mngr_ Bethsaida Pascual, Wats

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Hurst... from page 4

care. They didn’t spend time with their sons so they weren’t close to them. There are millions of invisible fathers like this. But “No man stands as tall, as when he stoops down to help his son.” How about you? Do you need to give more time and attention to your children? It’s never too late to change. Why not ask Jesus Christ to forgive you for your failures as a father?

Then ask Him to help change you so you can become the caring, loving father your children need. Just Think a Minute…

Quiamjot... from page 4

Communication (DOTC) is the lead agency managing this program. It is revenue generat ing gover nment agency, that collect port f e e s f ro m s t e v e d or i n g contractors, docking fees from the shipping companies, cargo cabotage from exports and import commodities, rent a ls f rom fo o d and souvenirs concessionaires and passenger terminal fees. This government agency seems mismanaged and perhaps needs auditing to account for their funds?

It might be one of many reasons, that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have made recommendations to the Senate to review the Charter

of PPA to address some conflicts in their operations and regulatory functions which is detrimental to the flow of business and to the travelling public. (See Page B-1 of the Business Page of the Phil. Daily Inquirer, July 13, 2015 issue) Obviously, their mother agency, DOTC has bigger problems in Metro Manila with the daily breakdown of the mass transport system of the MRT and LRT plus the airline flights overcrowding the Manila skies. Deplorable conditions at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport which has been going on for the last five years, earn NAIA with a tag of one of “the worst airports in the world”. How soon can we earn another title as one of the country of the world having the worst seaports?

For comments or queries, please Email: sbeverage@ rocketmail.com or follow on Twitter @gm_ped

Fab 50... from page 5

spanning more than 4,000 branches in almost 2,500 towns and cities.

Aditya Puri is also the subject of the cover story in the August issue of Forbes Asia.

For the fifth year in a row, India claims the secondhighest number of companies, 10 this time.

South Korea is next with four.But one South Korean

company that’s been a regular on the list, Naver, failed to make the cut this year, ending a six-year streak.

Naver isn’t alone: more than half of last year’s list did not repeat in 2015. That made room for 23 first-timers and three companies that returned to the list after falling short in the last year or two.

Robinsons... from page 5

Supermarket as its anchor tenant.

The Gokongweis’ multiformat stores account for 6070% of the community mall’s retail space. The balance is leased out to quick service restaurants and a few other establishments to complete the shopping experience of its customers.

RRHI venture d into community mall development three years ago but it was only this year when the company rebranded its malls to carry the Robinsons Townville brand, Mr. Gadia said. The company has a chain of nine community malls, which are different from malls under the Robinsons Galleria brand.

The listed retailer has six business s eg ments: supermarkets; department stores; do-it-yourself (DIY) stores; convenience stores; drug stores; and specialty stores. Some of the brand names under RRHI include “Handyman Do it Best”, “True Value”, “Topshop”, “Topman”, “Toys “R” Us”, and “Ministop”.

E-COMMERCE FORAY Likewise, RRHI has forayed this year into e-commerce, a retail channel it said holds “a lot of potential.”

“We’re l o ok i ng i nto it. Right now, we sell our appliances and consumer electronics via Lazada. That’s a start,” Ms. Gokongwei-Pe said.

This year will also mark the start of the rollout of British coffee chain Costa Coffee with plans to open in four more sites including Robinsons Place Manila, Bonifacio Global City, and a second location in Libis, Quezon City, she said.

It s w hol ly ow ne d subsidiar y Robinsons Gourmet Food and Beverage, Inc. last year inked an international distribution agreement for the operations of 70 Costa Coffee shops in the Philippines in the next five years.

Ms. Gokongwei-Pe had said in March it would allocate P6 billion this year for capital expenditures, higher than the P4 billion spent in 2014, to support store network expansion mostly outside the Philippine capital.

The retailer is adding 270-300 stores that will boost gross floor area in the midteens level and increase store count to close to 1,600 stores by the end of the year.

decide to foray into solar energy, Mr. Francia said.

“We continue to study the prospects. Our aspiration is to get to a stage where solar becomes very competitive.

That’s in the medium to long-term for us instead of imminent,” Mr. Francia said.

“Ayala is prudent in building power plants because we are really being sensitive to the market dynamics.”

Over the past three years, the Ayala-led power firm allotted an equity investment of around $500 million to de velop var ious p ower generating projects.

Cacao... from page 7

This DA undertakings caught the attention of the COOP NATCCO partylist which, through its congressional representative Anthony Bravo, organized last year the Cacao Farmers Association of Sorsogon (CFAS) under the umbrella of the South Luzon Federation of Cooperatives (SLFC) for a large-scale cacao production program arranged

w it h Ke n n e m e r Fo o d s International Inc. (KFI).

The CFAS is a huge group of local farmers enlisted as cooperators of the cacao contractgrowing program for the province; the SLFC is the umbrella organization of all rural-based cooperatives in Bicol and the Southern Tagalog regions; while KFI, whose specialization is the trade and export of cocoa, is a foreign-invested agribusiness with corporate and contract-farming operations throughout the Philippines.

The initial phase of the program saw the establishment late last year of a two-hectare nursery i n B ar ang ay Ma c ab o g , Sorsogon City for the massive propagation of cacao seedlings intended for distribution to the cooperators.

Last week, a total of 170,000 seedlings out of the about one million propagated in the nursery were distributed to 138 recipients representing the first batch of cooperators for intercropping with coconut in some 370 hectares farms in the province.

Hydro...

from page 5 an 11-megawatt (MW ) hydropower plant in Ifugao.

It will take some time before the company could

TES Finalists in the Division Competition of Brigada Eskwela2015

By ANNABELLE G. SUMO

Brigada eskwela 2015 also known as the National Schools Maintenance Week with the theme “ Tayo Para sa kalinisan, Kaligtasan at kahandaan ng ating mga Paaralan” , is one of the Deped’s major initiative for inviting local communities and different stakeholders to contribute their time, effort and resources in ensuring the public school facilities prepared and ready

for the forthcoming school opening.

T h i s y e a r, T i c a l a E l e m e nt ar y S c h o o l i s once again determined in finding innovative ways to bring children back to school and ensure them to better quality education by providing condusive classroom, improved facilities, orderly, clean and beautiful surrounding through the collaborative

effort for brigada eskwela 2015.

Infact, Ticala Elementary School was choosen as finalist in the division level competition for small school category representing Manolo Fortich district 1. To the stakeholders who are always supportive, our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for making this program successful.

“Each Child Deserves Best”

By Jenemer B. Puyos T-III San Jose Elementary School Quezon I DISTRICT

Every child is God’s unique masterpiece. Each of them has its own ways to learn in perfect time. They differ in different aspects of their lives, the character traits that they have, the ways of living that they have, and their levels of learning.

However, there’s one thing they have in common: they come to school in good faith to earn such incorruptible learning, and be equipped with knowledge to become

a well-rounded individual in physical, social, mental and spiritual aspects.

It is one of the duties and responsibilities of a classroom teacher to cater pupil’s needs. They don’t deserve to be criticized in hostile way when they get a failing score, even if they could not be able to read simple words and unable to write their own names correctly. Teachers must bear in their mind what

George Evans says “Every student learn just not on the same day, or the same way”. I believe that, the more the negative feedback the pupils receive, the less the chances of learning.

Every pupils deserve the best! The best teacher who can fill the pupil’s empty nest is the teacher’s hands who will guide his/her way to receive their dreams.

Each child deserves best education!

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Business... from page 1

Laurel Media president and chief executive officer Roni Merk told business leaders and entrepreneurs during the awarding rites of the 4th Mindanao Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs 2015 held Saturday at the Atrium, Centrio Ayala Mall in Cagayan de Oro City that there is a need to shift the paradigm in dealing with a more complex economic bloc like the Asean.

“The strategy must shift.

The norms must be more on collaboration, and not for competition,” Merk said in her keynote address.

The search for outstanding Mindanao Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs is an annual undertaking of Cagayan de Orobased local business newspaper BusinessWeek Mindanao and its sister publication Mindanao Daily, aimed at recognizing Mindanao entrepreneurs, private and government entities who have immense contributions to the island’s stride for economic development.

Now in its fourth year, the annual search institutionalized in 2012, is part of BusinessWeek Mindanao’s corporate social responsibility to provide inspiration for Mindanao businesses to seek greater heights and strive for success in the noble mission of propelling the six regions on the island and its people towards full economic growth and sustainable development.

BusinessWeek Mindanao Corp. President and CEO Dante Sudaria said media entities must not only take the role as an adversary but must also lead the public in recognizing those who have greatly contributed in improving the lives of Mindanaoans.

Sudaria said BusinessWeek Mindanao will continue to play its role as catalyst for growth by providing information that are vital for businesses and policy makers.

Merk, also the wife of performing artist Richard Merk who also surprised the audience with his impromptu acapella performance, praised BusinessWeek for spearheading such endeavor, saying “it knows how to craft and deliver the right message” in contributing to the economy of Mindanao.

In her speech, Merk said that as small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) comprise about 30% of the country’s economic prime-movers and with the need to be at pace with the expected influx of products and services from the Asean region, SMEs need more collaboration rather than make up for competition.

“It is a win-win for all businesses since they will learn from each other’s best practices,” Merk, who is also a BPI consultant and an IABC Philippines adviser said.

Among the challenges faced

by SMEs today is the capability to sustain the momentum of economic gain, which requires more capital expenditures, and that the banking sector must also respond given the prevailing circumstances, she said.

“Despite the country’s strong

economic performance which posted an average of 6.4% in the last four years second only to China’s 6.9%, inclusive economic growth cannot be sustained unless SMEs must regroup and collaborate to meet a more challenging days of Asean integration, Merk said.

This year’s awardees were cited from different categories. They were: Mega Entrepreneur Jose Alvarez, Darling Foods Corporation (Food Production and Marketing), Ecoverde Homes (Housing and Realty Development), MASSSPECC Coop Development Center (Cooperatives), N Hotel (Hotel Industry), Thai Me Up (Outstanding Franchisee), Botoy’s Lechon Manok (Outstanding Franchisor), Apple Tree Resort & Hotel (Resort and Entertainment), Gama Foods Corporation (Agro-Industry Leader) and Vjandep (Micro Entrepreneur).

Those who received special citations include: Tieza general manager Mark Lapid (Outstanding Tourism Leadership), DOT 10 director Catalino Chan III (Tourism Promotion), Apple Tree Resort & Hotel (Tourism Development), RR Family Spring Resort (Outstanding Tourism Destination), jointly the city government of Tangub and the municipal government of Maramag, Bukidnon (Outstanding LGU in Tourism Development), the city government of Ozamiz (Outstanding LGU in Economic Enterprise Development), Mimi Parrel-Pimentel (Outstanding in Fashion Industry), jointly the provincial governments of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental (Outstanding LGU Healthcare Program), jointly Paglaum Multi-purpose Cooperative and NARCICO of Compostela Valley (Cooperative Development), Holcim (Social Responsibility Program), Johndorf Ventures Corporation (Housing Industry Development), Primavera Residences (Green Condominium), MCDC and Ecoverde Homes (Socialized Housing) and Tesda Misamis Oriental provincial director Leo Velez (Business and Industry Integrator).

Aside from Merk, the DOT 10 Singing Ambassadors also provided entertainment during the show.

Mindanao Daily News Editorin-Chief Allan Mediante, also the awards’ overall coordinator and the company’s vice president for Marketing, said the next installment of the BusinessWeek Mindanao Leaders and Entrepreneurs Awards will be held in 2016.

As a forerunner of information on the various business leadership and entrepreneurial strides of Mindanaoans, BusinessWeek Mindanao deems it as part of its social responsibility to trumpet such achievements for other entrepreneurs and wouldbe entrepreneurs to emulate, Mediante said.

Transit... from page 1

modernize its fleet, RTMI-Bulua branch manager John M. del Castillo said.

The 30 units, 49-seater Kinglong air-conditioned buses, are the first of its kind in the region, because they are installed with comfort rooms (CRs) for passengers comfort.

Del Castillo said this is intended to give Cagayan de Oro and Iligan passengers the luxury of travel.

Next in line to be replaced with similar units are the buses serving Cagayan de Oro and Pagadian cities.

Del Castillo, however, assured the public that there is no increase in fare rates despite the replacement of the new and more modern units.

“RTMI stands to comply with whatever the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) instructs us to collect from the passengers.

So, whether we have new units or not, the fare remains, depending on the dictates of the government’s transportation agency, “Del Castillo said.

Aside from embedded toilet, each unit is also equipped with four digital TV sets, making travel not only comfortable and luxurious, but entertaining, as well, said Nemesio Vasaylahi, assistant operations manager.

Vasaylahi also said RTMI is also set to modernize the Davao and Valencia, Bukidnon fleet, which belongs to their Yacapin Branch.

“First in Service; Formost in Maintenance,” Del Castillo said, is RTMI’s guiding policy.

“We make it happen,” said Del Castillo.

Fishery... from page 7

the establishment of 252 community fish landing centers in strategic areas nationwide by the end of 2015.

These facilities are seen to reduce fisheries post-harvest losses from a high of 25 percent to only 18 percent or even lower.

The sites where the facilities are being established were carefully identified using the FishR database, among other data sources.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) likewise assisted in identifying target a re a s ba s e d o n p o v e rt y incidence and volume of production, among other criteria.

Meanwhile, the reforms and modernization measures the government has implemented especially on IUU fishing has resulted in the lifting of the “yellow card” warning on the Philippines by the European Union (EU).

“This would mean a greater market potential for Philippine fish exports to the EU and the rest of the international market,” Alcala said.

The Philippine fish exports to the EU amounted to Php 9.4 billion in 2013.

Overall, the country’s fishery exports value rose from USD 634 million in 2010 to USD 1.156 billion in 2013, with the biggest increase of 42.6 percent happening from 2012 to 2013.

The DA said that the implementation of the amended Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 would also greatly help catalyze the government’s drive of modernizing the fisheries sector.

Under the revised law, the penalties imposed for violation of the Fisheries Code were raised from the old law’s Php 10,000− Php 500,000 range to Php 500,000− Php10 million range.

With the revised fisheries law, the government had reemphasized its call to eradicate all forms of unsustainable use of marine resources that are detrimental to the ecosystem and to the welfare of fisherfolk who depend on these resources.

The revised law would help protect Philippine waters from degradation and ensure that the access of small fishers to their municipal waters is guarded from encroachment by large-scale commercial fishers.

“In the years that the Aquino administration has been in office, we truly believe that the government has indeed put up all the essential measures to secure sustainable and inclusive growth in the fisheries industry, where the poorest among the basic sectors - the artisanal fisherfolk -belong,” Alcala said.

“These comprehensive mechanisms for modernized fisheries will all together become a strong, reliable backbone of a more productive and resilient sector for years to come,” he said. (PNA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

AFFIDAVIT OF SELFADJUDICATION OF THE ESTATE OF ADELFA A. HORCA Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the late ADELFA ABAO HORCA, who died without any last will and testament of November 9, 2014 in Cagayan de Oro City; She Left a parcel of land located at Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City and more particularly described as follows: Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-203579, Lot 4, Block –7, Psd-104305-019052, Being a portion of Lot 1, Pcs10-000647, As surveyed for Zone 3, Bugo Homeowners Association, Land Use Residential, Registered owner Zone 3, Bugo Homeowners Organization . Containing an area of EIGHTY FIVE (85) sq. m. more or less, The Affiant QUERUDEL A. HORCA, of legal age, Filipino, married, and a resident of Zone 3, Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City, is the subject of AFFIDAVIT OF SELF- ADJUDICATION OF THE ESTATE OF ADELFA A. HORCA under the notary public of Atty. MARIO T. JUNI , As per Doc. No. 153; Page No.31 ;Book No. 188; Series of 2015.

BWM: July 13, 20 & 27, 2015

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Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 12TH Judicial Region, Branch 21 Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte IN THE MATTER OF ADOPTION OF MINOR CHILD NAMED NEXUS IMAX CASAS, 4 years old, Residing at Bansarvil II, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte

SPL. PROC. NO. 21-512

SPS. JERRY L. FERNANDO AND HAZEL L. FERNANDO, Petitioners.

- versus THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF ILIGAN CITY Respondent.

------------------------------------/ ORDER Before this Court is a petition for adoption filed by petitioners Sps. Jerry L. Fernando and Hazel L. Fernando on June 25, 2015. The petition alleges, that: “1. That petitioners are husband and wife, 39 and 38 years old respectively, Filipino, and residents of Bansarvil II, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, Philippines and presently working as member of Philippine Army and Public School Teacher respectively, copy of their marriage contract is attached as Annex “A”; 2. That the respondent is a government official mandated by law to have control and custody of all records pertaining to live births and other registrable documents and as such he is being sued in his official capacity whose office address is located at City Hall building, Iligan City where he may be served with summons and other court processes; 3. That petitioners desire to legally adopt as their child, one NEXUS IMAX CASAS, a minor, 4 years of age, born out of wedlock in Iligan City, now residing at Bansarvil II, sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, Philippines, copy of his birth certificate is attached as Annex “B”; 4. That the biological mother of said minor is not affluent in life, she got pregnant without telling her parents about her pregnancy, jobless and was abandoned by her boyfriend right after the latter learned about her pregnancy; 5. Hence, few days after she gave birth to her child, she decided to surrender and relinguish the parental custody of the child to herein petitioners, copy of parent’s consent isCDO attached and made integralDIVISORIA part hereof as Annex “C”; MAIN BRANCH BRANCH J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing P &6.

Petitioners are childless despite havingBldg., been Kalambagohan Sts., 12 years already #61 Don and A. Velez St., taken care married for about have Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Cagayan de Oro City ofTelefax said #minor since the latter Tel. was# (088) only 857-3631 few days old, and (088) 856-1947 petitioners have given said minor the attention and love ofCAMIGUIN a true and real parents; LAPASAN BRANCH BRANCH St.,petitioners Poblacion, do not fall Lapasan B. Aranas 7. That underHi-way, the disqualifications Cagayan de Oro City ofMambajao, adoptionCamiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 Tel. # (088) 231-6739 Order, cont’d.

CORRALES Spl. Proc.

No. 21-512 BRANCH CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd.,Cagayan de Oro City Corrales PageAve., 2 Tel. # (088) 231-2011 x-Cagayan - - - - de - -Oro - - City - - - -/ as provided for by law and they are morally fit as well as physically and financially capable of giving the child a bright future, copy of petitioners’ police clearance and medical certificate are attached and made integral part hereof as Annex “D” to “E”; 8. That this adoption will certainly serve the best interests and well-being of the child; 9. Petitioners desire that if and when the instant petition is granted, the child shall be named KENT JAZ L. FERNANDO.” Finding the verified petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby set for initial hearing to September 28, 2015 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the session halll of this Court, RTC, Branch 21, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. Let this order be published before the hearing at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Lanao del Norte at the expense of the petitioners.

The Office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, of the Municipality of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte is directed to submit a report relative thereto on or before the scheduled initial date of hearing.

Any interested party is hereby directed to come to Court on the hearing of the petition and bring proof why the same should be denied.

Furnish copy of this Order to the office of Office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte; Department of Social Welfare and Development, Minglanilla, Cebu; the Local Civil Registrar of Iligan City; the Office of the Honorable Solicitor General, Makati City; the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Lanao del Norte, the National Statistics Office, East Avenue, Quezon City; the petitioners and the biological mother of “NEXUS IMAX CASAS”.

SO ORDERED. Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines.

July 6, 2015.

(SGD.) ALBERTO P. QUINTO Acting Executive/Presiding Judge

BWM: July 13, 20 & 27, 2015

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monday|July 27, 2015