BusinessWeek Mindanao (June 23, 2014)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO Best in Business and Economic Reporting Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press Awards 2013

Volume V, No. 7

Market Indicators

As of 5:57 pm june 21, 2014 (Saturday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P43.78

6,730.96 points

4 cents

X X Briefly 31.57 points

Tourism hub TANDAG City -- Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson Luwalhati Antonino has seen Surigao del Sur as the “future” tourism hub of Mindanao, especially in Caraga region.

Speaking before a jam packed crowd during the opening program of the 54th Araw Ng Surigao del Sur celebration held at Tandag City Gymnasium Tuesday morning, she said that there are still “a lot more to be discovered” in the province, apparently referring to tourist spots.

Antonino, who was the guest of honor and speaker for the occasion, taking the place of DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, whose trip was suddenly cancelled due to reasons Governor Johnny Pimentel did not bare, made mention of the more familiar places in the province being frequented by visitors— Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig City, Enchanted River in Hinatuan, and Britannia Islands in San Agustin.

The MinDa chair, who admitted to have gone to the province for the third time, vowed to pour in more funding support for Surigao del Sur.

Power investments THE Regional Board of Investments of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RBoI-ARMM) has registered projects, led by energy-related ventures, from January to June 15 with total investments of P2.52 billion, an increase of 72% compared with the P1.46 billion recorded in the first semester last year.

Shamera A. Abobakar, RBoI-ARMM information officer, said the total is expected to grow to P3 billion by yearend.

“The lead investor this semester is the Lamsan Power Corp., based in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao,” she noted.

The pioneer biomass renewable energy project is worth P921 million. The power plant’s capacity is 15 megawatts, 11.5 MW of which will be sold to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

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Weaning time: PH must stop depending on fossils to sustain dev’t

By BONG D. FABE Correspondent

(Last Part) “IN 2010, the energy supply s e c tor was resp onsible for approximately 35% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions. D espite t he United Nations Framework Convention on Climate C h ange ( U N F C C ) an d the Kyoto Protocol, GHG

power outlook emissions grew more rapidly between 2001 and 2010 than in the previous decade.

Growth in sector GHG emissions accelerated from 1.7% per year from 1991-2000 to 3.1% per year from 20012010. The main contributors to this trend were a higher energy demand associated with rapid economic growth

and an increase of the share of coal in the global fuel mix,” the IPCC report said.

The IEA said that the value of CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production in the Philippines in 2010 was 34.32 million metric tons (MMT), or an increase of 28.28 MMT to the total CO2 emissions value of 6.04 in 1971. The EIA and World Bank said that the Philippines’ fossil fuel

(coal, oil, petroleum and natural gas) consumption was 56.2%, 60.2% and 59.7%, respectively, of total energy used for 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The International Energy Consultants (IEC) said that as of end-2011, imported oil and coal plants consist a massive 49% of the energy mix of the Philippines. “Fuel for these plants is paid at full international market prices. In addition, domestic

gas plants (which comprise approximately 18 percent of the energy mix as of end2011) are supplied indigenous natural gas at prices which are pegged to international prices.” This state of affairs is unlikely to change in the near future, absent the discovery of cheap domestic fossil fuel alternatives, the IEC said.

WWF said that instead of pushing for fossil fuel, which outlook/PAGE 10

Hydro sources seek penalty exemption H

By MYRNA VELASCO, Contributor

YDRO power facilities, which are considered intermittent sources of supply for Mindanao grid, had been proposed to be exempted from penalty impositions on failing to meet prescribed “dispatch tolerance” as based on rules for the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market.

The proposal was integrated in the application of the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation

(IMEM) for amended price determination methodology (PDM) for the Mindanao hydro/PAGE 10

Cagayan de Oro tops in LGU E-readiness survey

By CHENG ORDONEZ, Associate Editor

CAGAYAN de Oro City topped the E-Readiness Survey conducted by the Department of Science and Technology recently.

City Mayor Oscar Moreno received the award during the recently held Innovation

and Connectivity through Te c h n o l o g y F o r u m a t InterContinental Hotel in Makati.

The forum was attended by various local government u n it s ( LG Us ) and w as tops/PAGE 10

LONG QUEUE. Despite the long queue and the scorching heat of the sun, beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer program flock at an automatic teller machine in Kabacan, North Cotabato. mindanews photo by keith bacongco

BIMP-EAGA environment cluster okays climate change proposal

By MINDANEWS

KORONADAL City – A proposal by the Philippines to implement a US$ 1.2-million environment project in the BIMP-EAGA was adopted by the sub-regional cooperation’s environment cluster, a government official confirmed.

Janet Lopoz, executive director of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), said the project seeks to make people in the BIMP-EAGA more adaptable to climate change by building t he re si li e nce of lo c a l communities and enhance

their disaster preparedness measures.

“The proposal’s main thrust is to lessen the impact of climate change, with the prime goal of preventing environmental disasters within the region,” Lopoz said in a statement early this week. okay/PAGE 10

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Economy

DPWH boosts Bukidnon economy through road upgrading TALAKAG, Bukidnon – The Department of Public Works and Highways-10 (DPWH 10) in partnership with Bukidnon First District Rep. Malou Acosta-Alba conducted the groundbreaking ceremonies of the road upgrading in the Ticalan-Paganan Section and

Mamaon-Rogongon Section in Talakag, Bukidnon on June 18 to boost economic activities in the area.

Project Engineer Ismael R. Alajid said the 5.30- kilometer road upgrading (gravel to pave) along junction Sayre Highway- Aglayan- Alanib-

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Ticalaan (Ticalaan-Paganan Section) is a response to Bukidnon’s fast development on agricultural and industrial aspects.

The road upgrading will make transportation of people as well as of goods easier and safer from the area in Bukidnon to the market and other areas where products are often sold. This development is also aimed to improve the livelihood of the people and give government support such as hospitalization and education.

The government has allocated about P134 million for the Ticalaan-Paganan Section road upgrading which will be constructed within 270 calendar days. The target completion date of the road upgrading will be on January 2015.

Me a nw h i l e , P r o j e c t Engineer Florentino N. Macarayo, Jr. said that the 4.50- kilometer road upgrading (intermittent dpwh/PAGE 10

NorMin WATSAN Hub signs agreement to strengthen water, sanitation governance

By ANA CELESTE W. FELISILDA Contributor

THE Northern Mindanao Regional Water and Sanitation Hub (WATSAN HUB) is formalizing a new partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing on June 16, at the DILG Regional Office, Local Governance Resource Center Room, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

The Project Development and Manage me nt Unit (PDMU) through the Local Governance Regional Resource Center (LGRRC), as the operations platform of the Regional WATSAN HUB will initiate the MOU to st rengt hen cap acity development interventions for the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat (SALINTUBIG)

Program and Grassroots Participator y Budgeting Process (GPBP) Provision of Potable Water Program.

It will be attended by the representatives from new partner agencies namely: Rio Verde Water Consortium, Inc., Safer River Life Saver Foundation, Inc., Group Foundation, Inc., Department of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and SEEWAY, Inc. The purpose of MOU is to strengthen the cooperation between and among the Partner-Implementer in the spirit of mutual assistance and collaboration to achieve the objectives of the Regional Hubs such as: to assist the National Government in the delivery

of the capacity development programs intended for the participating municipalities covered by the SALINTUBIG and GPBP-Water Programs; and to strengthen local water and sanitation governance by facilitating institutionalized multi-sectorial participation in water and sanitation.

The DILG, as stipulated in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and Philippine Development Forum, is the lead agency for the capacity development of municipalities and barangays that are without access to basic services for water and sanitation under the SALINTUBIG and GPBP Programs.

The newly forged partnership will ensure quality and effective implementation of water and sanitation projects in the region.

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RESORTS, HOTEL & RESTAURANTS DIRECTORIES

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BusinessWeek MINDANAO Best in Business and Economic Reporting Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press Awards 2013

Algen’s Dive Resort (088) 3872015

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AboitizPower acquires industrial park power distributor for P1.3B AB OITIZ Power C or p. ( Ab oit i z Powe r ) s ai d it acqu ire d a ut i l it y t hat operates within a Batangas industrial park in an intragroup transaction worth P1.33 billion.

In a disclosure Friday, AboitizPower announced the acquisition of LiMa Utilities Corp. (LUC) as part of the expansion of its economic zone operations under the brand EnerZone.

LUC is an electricity distributor operating in LiMa Technology Center, a Phi lippine E conomic

Zone Authority-registered industrial park in Batangas.

The deal involves the acquisition of eight million shares at P166.2083 apiece, giving AboitizPower a 100% stake in the target company.

AboitizPower said the seller was LiMa Land, Inc. w h i c h i s 1 0 0 % - ow n e d

by Ab o i t i z L a n d , In c .

(AboitizLand).

AboitizLand acquired 60% of LiMA Land from A l s on s L a n d C or p. i n O c tob er last ye ar. The property arm of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV)

Chemrez claims spray will fight coconut pest

Century Properties eyes up to P3B from maiden bond sale

LISTED Chemrez Technologies, Inc. said it developed an organic spray that it hopes will suppress the coconut scale insect (CSI) in the Southern Tagalog region as well as Basilan.

In a statement, distributor Sinochem Crop Protection (Phil.), said that the organic spray -- known as Cropguard -- was tested by the University of the Philippines at Los Baños and found to kill CSI 48 hours after application, with complete eradication of the pest after about a week.

The pro duc t, w hich the Chemrez Web site said has coconut oil as a major chemrez/PAGE 11

LUXURY CONDOMINIUM developer Century Properties Group, Inc said in a disclosure that its board authorized plans to issue P2 billion of fixed-rate bonds, with an oversubscription option allowing for P1 billion in additional securities.

Proceeds of the company’s first-ever bond sale will go to financing projects due for completion between 2017 and 2019, involving 3,250 residential units measuring 90,000 square meters, Century Properties said in a separate statement. The offer will include three-year, five-year and seven-year issues, with pricing and other terms to be determined later.

last February also acquired the remaining 40% stake from Marubeni Corp.

AboitizL and, like

Ab oit izPower, is 100%-owned by AEV, the holding firm of the Aboitiz family.

The announcement signals broader access to the bond market for stand-alone property developers, giving them greater flexibility to build projects and at lower cost compared with other forms of debt. Support from bond investors would amount to a vote of confidence in the continued growth of the luxury property market, which is watched closely during economic expansions for signs of asset-price bubbles.

Developers traditionally raise funds via project loans from banks as well as deposits from home buyers. High-rise projects involve significantly higher costs because they are

built on prime land, and run the risk of construction delays should a developer find itself squeezed for cash, making access to other sources of capital a critical advantage. “ T h i s m ai d e n b on d issuance is a major milestone in our corporate history,” Jose Carlo R. Antonio, Century’s chief financial officer, said in the statement.

“It is in line with our strategy to diversify our funding base and pursue growth opportunities that enhance returns to shareholders over the medium and long term.”

BDO Capital & Investment C orp was appointed to century/PAGE 11

COWD Gets Exclusive Discount from The SM Store The SM Store is giving away exclusive discounts to all Cagayan de Oro Water District employees and customers from June 23 - 29.

Simply present your company ID or COWD utility bill with your SM Advantage, SM Prestige, BDO Rewards or Mom card upon payment to avail 10% discount with a minimum P1,000 single receipt purchase on all regular priced items from any selling department inside The SM Store.

Not yet a member?

Avail of the SM Advantage Card for only P150 from The SM Store Customer Service Counter, Cash or Charge Counters, Supermarket Bills Payment Counter, and all Savemore branches.

Do not miss this exclusive offer. Keep shopping at The SM Store Cagayan de Oro.

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Banking&Finance OROBANKERS PH’s key foreign debt DIRECTORIES metrics improve in 1Q BusinessWeek

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A PUBLIC SERVICE BY:

THE Philippines’ key foreign debt metrics improved in the first quarter of the year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Friday.

In a statement, the BSP said the external debt ratio eased to 21.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) this year from 22.8 percent a year ago.

GDP is the amount of final goods and services produced in the country, and as such measures economic performance. The amount of outstanding foreign debt is compared with GDP to deter mine w het her t he metrics/PAGE 11

PH share prices rebound as BSP hikes SDA rates PHILIPPINE share prices recovered some ground at the close of the week, with the benchmark index returning above the 6,700-line.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose 0.47 percent or 31.57 points to 6,730.96. All counters were in positive territory, led by mining and oil, which rose by 2.09 percent, followed by

Land Bank loans to small farmers up 47 pct in 1Q STATE-run Land Bank of the Philippines’ (LBP) lending to farmers and other priority sectors cornered a record share of its total loan portfolio in the first quarter of the year.

In a statement, LBP president Gilda Pico said P251.5 billion was lent out to its priority sectors in the first three months of the year, representing 81 percent of its P310.9 billion total loan portfolio.

The amount that went to priority sectors was a fifth higher than a year ago, with the share of these sectors rising 5 percent from the 3-year average of 77 percent in the first quarter.

“The steady rise in our loan portfolio reflects Land Bank’s wider credit outreach and aggressive effort to align our credit support with the national government’s thrust towards inclusive growth,” Pico said.

Among the bank’s priority sectors are small farmers/ agrarian reform beneficiaries and fishers (SFFs) and their associations, microenterprises and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), agriand aqua-businesses, agriaqua related projects of local government units (LGUs) and government owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs), communications, transportation, housing, education, health care, loans/PAGE 11

financials, which gained 1.01 percent.

Advancers edged out decliners, 109 to 59, with 50 issues unchanged. About 11.94 billion shares worth P31.46 billion changed hands.

Most active stocks were Travellers, BDO, Universal Robina, Metrobank and PLDT. Biggest gainers were Chemphil, MJCI Investments,

Primex and Philex, while the top decliners were Apex Mining, iRipple, 2Go and Ionics.

The broad rebound comes after yesterday’s gloom, when the PSEi slumped to 6,699.39 ahead of the policy-setting meeting of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Its Monetary Board decided to keep policy rate

steady, but cut the rates on the central bank’s special deposit accounts (SDA).

Monetar y authorities felt that near-term inflation would stay within the BSP target range of 3-5 percent even after it peaked to a 2-and-a-ha lf ye ar hig h last month. They however increased their inflation forecasts for 2014 and 2015.

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AMANAH/ISLAMIC BANK V. Neri Street Carmen, Cdoc 858988/8587965 / 722274

METRO BANK- COGON Osmeña Hayes St. Cdoc | 726438/8572057

ASIA UNITED BANK Cor.Camp Alagar Road Lapasan, Cdoc 729678 / 8568893

METRO BANK- CARMEN Max Suniel St. Carmen, Cdoc 8581722/ 8585162

BDO – VELEZ Velez-Rn Abejuela Street, Cdoc 2314246/8572075

METRO BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW, Cdoc 724461/8561721

BDO – SM G/F SM City, Master Son’s Avenue Upper Carmen Cdoc | 8592623/8592637

METRO BANK- OSMEÑA Brgy Osmeña St. Cdoc | 722014 /8800924

BDO – XU XU Lib. Annex Corrales St. Cdoc 8574108 / 8573796

METRO BANK- CORRALES Corrales Avenue, Cdoc | 8572635/728731

BDO – CDO HAYES Trendline Bldg.,Hayes Street, 8568151/727405

METRO BANK- GAISANO 8561720

BDO – COGON Sky hi Bldg JR Borja St. Cogon, Cdoc 8577963/ 725209/ 725203 BDO – OSMEÑA Osmeña corner Ramon Chavez St. Cdoc 724567/8563727 BDO – LAPASAN Lapasan Highway Cdoc 8563233 /8563234 / 725178 BDO – RN- PELAEZ George Town CyberMall Rn Pelaez Blvd Kauswagan Cdoc | 8562617/729052 BDO – CARMEN Maxsuniel cor.V Neri St. Carmen, .Cdoc 8584854 /8581133 BANK OF COMMERCE- VELEZ Akut- Velez St.Cdoc | 8564371 / 726880 BANK OF COMMERCE- LAPASAN

CM Recto Ave. Lapasan, Cdoc, 8563991/727731

BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK RER kauswagan,HW Cdoc 8573733 /722519 BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK Gaston Park Cdoc | 8801518 BPI – LAPASAN Cm Recto HW Lapasan Cdoc 724076/ 8524602

PBCOM Tiano-HayesSt. Cdoc | 726519/8571558 PLANTERS DEVELOPMENT BANK

Tiano Bros St. Cdoc | 727083 /727082 PHILTRUST BANK Ramonal OsmeñaSt. CDO 8807234/2316694/2316695 PNB- CORRALES Corrales Avenue Cdoc | 729500 / 729723

PNB- LKK MALL NORTH CONCOURSE

LKK Mall N.Concourse Cdoc 8574149/8575682

PNB- CARMEN Elipe Bldg.Carmen, Cdoc | 8583158/ 8584203 PNB- LKK LKK Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564347/722872 PNB CDO– DIVISORIA Tiano Bros.Cruz Taal St., Cdoc 722861 /722816 PNB CDO– LAPASAN LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564732 / 723992 PNB CDO– COGON LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc 8571991/ 723992

BPI- VELEZ Velez-JR Borja St.Cdoc 8564213/722406

PHILIPPINE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK, INC. bels_domingo@yahoo.com.ph Rizal Chavez Cdoc 8572194/725438

BPI – CAPISTRANO Capistrano St. Cdoc 8574264/8574263

PS BANK Velez Corner A. Mabini St., Cdoc 8574183/725184

BPI- COGON Osmeña St. Cdoc 8571297/8571298

PHILIPPINE VETERANS BANK Tiano-Abejuela St. Cdoc 722644/8573386

CHINA BANK –GAISANO 745887/745880

QUEEN CITY DEVELOPMENT BANK, INC. Sacred Heart Mont. Cm RectoAve., Cdoc 8562390

CHINA BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc 8572212/8573274 CHINA BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW Cdoc 8561325 /722240 CHINA BANK – CARMEN Max Suniel, Cor. Yakal St. Cdoc 8583903/723091 CHINA BANK – DIVISORIA RN Abejuela St. Divosoria Cdoc 8575759/722641 CITY SAVINGS BANK TS Fashion Ave.Justo Ramonal Corner St.Cdoc 2316060/ 2316059 CHINATRUST Suite U&5 G/LGateway Tower Lapasan Lkk Cdoc 8521846/8521844 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK HW. Lapasan Cdoc | 8564201/ 8564201 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK Vamenta Carmen Sts. Cdoc | 8585366

RCBC- VELEZ Velez-Borja St. Cdoc | 8564982/8568888 RCBC- COGON Simplex Bldg. Osmeña St. Cdoc 8562888/725863/8521329 RCBC- LAPASAN Cm. Recto Lapasan HW. Cdoc 8561888/722449 RCBC- LKK Gateway, Tower 1 LkkCenter, Cdoc 8563707/722449 RCBC SAVINGS- CARMEN Walingwaling St.,Carmen St. Cdoc 8585793/ 8586248 RCBC SAVINGS- VELEZ Velez St. Cdoc | 729083/8562460 RCBC SAVINGS- AGORA 8807891/8807892 RURAL BANK OF CABADBARAN, Inc.

#58 Tiano FernandezSt.CDO 727215/ 8563552 *805

DBP – CORRALES Corrales Ave., St. Cdoc | 8572087/722649

SECURITY BANK- OSMEÑA Osmeña St. Cdoc | 8563965/ 723411/728774

DBP – CAPISTRANO JR Borja Capistrano St. Cdoc 8567776/722819

SECURITY BANK- LKK Limketkai | 8801258/8801625

EAST WEST BANK #5 Juan Sia Bldg. Apolinar Velez St.Cdoc 8578801/720081 EAST WEST BANK Cogon De Oro Constraction Bldg. LKK Drive 8500339/8500331 ENTERPRISE BANK INC. Centro Mariano Bldg Osmeña St. Cdoc 723869/ 3093395 FIRST CONSOLIDATED BANK CM Recto Ave., Cor.Agudo Road Cdoc 8565360/2316678 LBP – CAPISTRANO Capsitrano St. Cdoc | 8565515/727678 LBP – VELEZ LunaVelez St. | 723549/8563198 LBP – PUERTO Puerto Cdoc | 8558858 MAYBANK JR Borja Tiano Cor. Bldg. Cdoc 8574439/726060 METRO BANK- DIVISORIA Pabayo Abejuela St. Divisoria Park, Cdoc 724783/8576999 METRO BANK- VELEZ A. Velez St. Cdoc | 8561724/726054 METRO BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc | 8572999/724415

SECURITY BANK- VELEZ Velez Montalvan St., Cdoc | 728334/856632 STERLING BANK OF ASIA Tiano Velez St. CDO | 8528171/8528168 UCPB BANK- LAPASAN Osmeña Corner Lkk Drive, Cdoc 85771842/ 725135 UCPB BANK- VELEZ Velez Corner C. Pacana St. CDO 8564474/8564527 UCPB BANK SAVINGS-CAPISTRANO

Capistrano Corner CruzTaal St. CDO 8524099/722695

UCPB BANK SAVINGS- OPOL Gf forever Books Bldg.Bulua National CDO 754519/8588063 UNION BANK Lapasan Cm.Recto Cdoc | 8566847/8563805 WEALTHBANK Velez Gomez St. Cdoc | 8568942/722174 1ST VALLEY BANK Vamenta Blvd. CornerLirio St. Carmen, Cdoc 8501871/ 8584146 OROBANKERS CLUB Inc. Pnb Carmen | 09151850242

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Perseverance Prevails

T

hink a minute…You know that overnight success usually takes at least 10 years? One man said, “My overnight success was the longest night of my life. I spent many days and nights just getting there!”

Remember, “Rome was not built in a day.” Many people are waiting for their ship to come in…when they’ve not even sent it out of the harbor. You see, winners simply do what losers don’t want to do. And they keep doing it until they get the success they want. Success is mostly just hanging on after others have let go! Or as one guy put it: “Big shots are just little shots who kept on shooting.” So the most important trip you’ll ever make is when you go the extra mile.

Many people who failed did not know how close they were to success when they gave up. People don’t actually fail, they just quit too easily. One guy said: “The secret to success is to start from scratch—and to keep on scratching.” So don’t quit trying just because your trying times are hard.

The great inventor, Thomas Edis on, tried a cer tain experiment hundreds of times, but it still did not work. So his assistant said to him: “It’s too bad that we

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THINK

A Minute

By Jhan Tiafau Hurst

Road and Traffic Safety Subject Should be Taught in Schools

S

u bj e c t on ro a d a n d traffic safety will soon be included in the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools.

Under House Bill 4160, authored by Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) and Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party List, Abante Mindanao), a new subject called road courtesy, discipline and traffic safety education will be included in the school curriculum, which will be taught starting from Grade 1 level up to 4th year high school.

Very reasonable, since the objective of the bill is to educate the students on the importance of road courtesy,

discipline and obedience to traffic laws.

“There seems to be a growing number of traffic accidents in the country which can be attributed mainly to the sheer disregard of traffic laws or ignorance,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez cited a report of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2004 stating that road traffic injuries accounted for 2.2% of total deaths, making it the 9th leading cause of death many parts of the world.

WHO estimated that in 2030, road traffic injuries will increase to 3.5% making it the 5th leading cause of death only behind heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower respiratory infections.

WHO reported last April 2011, that road traffic accidents deaths in the Philippines reached 8,175 or 1.94 % of total deaths.

Teaching road safety would prevent unnecessary loss of lives in the roads and

High Tech Gets Me Down

O

nce upon a time, when I was still single: Very early in the morning, I got into the kitchen longing for a cup of coffee or even two, while feeling this terrible rheumatic pain. I slided a cup of water into my tenyears-old microwave. I felt a little bit chagrined because I never figured out how to use it other than heat water for instant coffee or a threeminutes-fast-food-soup.

Some time later. My freezer showed its red emergency light. I tried to ignore it even knowing that this indifference could only let that become the problem become more worst. A friendly neighbor, a really blessed high-intelligent electrician, soolved the problem within a minute.

Another example: In the car, I fumble with the new digital radio. Before I know it, I, tilting sideways at a 45-degree angle, trying to drive and figure out the radio’s numerous controls at the same time. Yes, yes, I know. This has been more than dangerous. An urgent, uncomfortably close horn jolts me upright. Chastened, I only manage to turn off the radio and drive in silence.

Do you know how to operate your telephone unit in the office, if you urgently have to transfer a mis-dialed incoming long distance call to the right person and his local number? No callforwarding available...! You have been using the system for a year or even longer,

but you have never mastered the transfer function. “Just a moment please, hang on,” you say as you hit a button and accidently cut the caller off.

How to change paper roll in the fax machine? How to change the ink cartridge of a printer? Yes, the printer will not work unless all cartridges are installed properly. Let’s hit the button, and let’s be patient for 90 seconds or so, and then - hopefully ... .

Instructions and manuals looked like blue-prints for an airplane construction. Have you ever studied how we use our high tech appliances? Our modern homes are filled up with sophisticated gadgets that are rarely used to their full potential because they

H ave M y Say

By Klaus Doring

simply too complicated to operate.

A good fiend of mine confessed just yesterday: “I am still ignorant on computers.

Just let me ride a carabao, and I am more comfortable rather than touching computers!” doring/PAGE 11

Should Priest be Allowed to Marry? (Part 3)

I did all that work without any results. But Edison replied: “Oh, we have lots of results!

We now know 700 things that won’t work!”

Never forget, delay does not always mean denial. If we hold out and hold on, we can accomplish almost anything.

The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said: “Never, never, never, never give up!”And the American President Calvin Coolidge made this statement: “Nothing can bring success like persistence.

Talent cannot, for there are many talented people who are not successful.

Education will not, for the world is full of educated losers. Only persistence and determination can give you the power to succeed.”

You see, you can succeed just like anyone else. Just hurst/PAGE 11

editorial

highways. The new subject includes traffic signs and what they mean, rights and obligations of pedestrians, rights and obligations of drivers, rights and obligations of vehicle owners and public utility vehicles, Philippine laws on driving, fines and penalties, and a subject on Local Traffic Codes, among others.

T h e D e p a r t m e nt of E du c at i on ( D e p E d ) i n collaboration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the Act. A very laudable piece of legislation. Kudos to the lawmakers!

n a two-part article, entitled “Should priests be allowed to marry?” I wrote on the celibacy of priests, its origin, the pros and cons, and the current stand of Pope Francis.

I wrote that the current Pontiff, in a recent interview with journalists, stated that celibacy is not dogma and can therefore change.

I ended Part 2 by stating while the Church’s stand can change, we should not expect it any time soon because the Pope Francis may have his eyes set on more urgent reforms in the Church, namely: 1. Putting a closure on the sexual scandals that have rocked the Church and 2. Reforming the Vatican Bank.

And I thought that was the end of that. But then came this email from reader Rev. Dr. Jose B. Fuliga STM, TH. D. I just thought that Dr. Fuliga’s arguments are too compelling to ignore. Allow me to paraphrase and/or reprint excerpts from his email: Dr. Fulliga started by

saying celibacy should be made optional as it was in the early church.

Then he identified early Church leaders who were married.

Next, he identified 7 Popes who were married.

They were St. Peter the Apostle; St. Felix III (483 492 who had 2 children); St. Hormidas (514 - 523, who had a son); St. Silverus (536 – 537, who had a daughter); Clement IV (1265 – 1268, who had 2 daughters) and Felix V (1439-1449, who had a son).

Then, he listed 11 Popes who were sons of other Popes and other clergy.

They were St. Damascus I (366-348); St. Innocent I (401417); Boniface (418-422); St. Felix (483-492); Anastacius II (496-498); St. Agapitus I (535-536); St. Silverus (536537); Deusdedit (882-884); Boniface VI (896-896); John XI (931-935); John XV (989996).

Then, he listed at least 6 Popes who had illegitimate children after 1139. The date is very material because it

was in 1139 that celibacy was reiterated in the Second Lateran Council. The 6 Popes were in office from 1484 to 1585.

They were Innocent VIII (1484-1492); Alexander VI (1492-1503); Julius Paul III (1503-1513); Paul III (15341549); Pius IV (1559-1565); and Gregory XIII (1572-1585).

By way of footnote, Alexander VI was the father of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia and many others. Alexander VI’s reign was scandalously marked by libertinism and nepotism that Julius II reportedly forbade under pain of excommunication any mention of Alexander VI and any Borgia.

In his email, Dr. Fulliga also makes the following observations/conclusions: Mandatory clerical celibacy reduces the Roman Catholic sacraments from seven to six as no one can receive both ordination and matrimony.

- Mandatory celibacy for Catholic clergy would mean the continuing decrease in the number of priests and the

SPEAKING

O ut

By Ignacio Bunye

increasing number of sexual scandals as is going on now.

- The Catholic Church allows matrimony for clergy of the Eastern rite although married clergy can not become bishops.

- Why does the Roman Catholic Church allow married Protestant clergy who convert to Roman Catholicism to become priests while denying the same privilege to its own clergy?

Dr. Fuliga ended his email by predicting the end of celibacy in 25 years.

Note: For feedback, you may email us at totingbunye2000@ gmail.com.

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Community

Misamis Occidental officials upbeat on disaster preparedness

By GERRY LEE GORIT Correspondent

CAGAYA N DE ORO CITY -- The governor of Misamis Occidental and 17 mayors of the municipa lities of t he province completed the two-day disaster summit held on June 17-18 in Cagayan de Oro City.

The su mmit was called for by the regional office of the Office of Civil Defense for all local chief executives and their disaster risk reduction management teams.

Governor Herminia R a m i ro a nd Oz a m i z C it y M ay or A ld on g Parojinog led t he government of f icia ls par ticipating f rom Misamis Occidental. “ Ve r y f r u i t f u l , ” R a m i ro s a id of t he summit.

“The more we will be striving to strengthen our disaster preparedness,” she added.

All 14 municipalities a nd a l l 3 cit ies of t he prov ince were represented.

“Our concentration in the province is f lood control,” Ramiro said, noting the long coastal area of the province.

I n O z a m i z C i t y, Parojinog said they are prepared with rubber b o at s , s c uba d iv i ng gear and other rescue equipment.

He said they put their preparation along the rivers of the city.

He added that t h e c i t y ’s d r a i n a g e system is undergoing i mprovement w it h a P30 0 -mi l lion budget from t he nationa l

government.

“At least ready na,” the mayor said, noting his team members including the police chief were present in the summit.

OCD-10 director Ana Caneda said Misamis Occidenta l ha s even distribution of rainfall throughout the year.

But t he OCD ha s ident i f ied A lora n, P a n a on , S i n a c a b a n , Tudela, Lopez Jaena, Jimenez, Clarin, Ba l i na ngao, Oz a m i z and Oroquieta as having places susceptible to f looding, storm surge or landslide.

The summit aimed to highlight the roles and responsibilities of the local chief excecutives and to enhance their capacities on disaster risk reduction management.

“FAR BETTER THAN THE FORMER”. Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano shakes hand with new provincial director of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Edward Bhaguani on their first meeting during the disaster summit series weeks ago. Bhaguani once served as DILG chief in Oroquieta City. To recall, Gov. Emano was disappointed over Bruce Colao, former MisOr DILG chief because of his “inefficiency” to appoint Charlie K. Emano as the new Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president even if the latter obtained more votes against Arsenio Khu Jr., former ABC president. Gov.Emano sees Bhaguani as “far better than the former chief” and that he expects “better partnership” between the province and DILG. CAPITOL PHOTO

Courtesy Call – VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ and Provincial Board Secretary Atty.

Ernesto R. Sotto, Jr. made a courtesy call to Atty. Shirley Chato, the new Officer-inCharge of the Department of Education (DepEd) Region X. Atty. Chato replaced Dr. Ingrid G. Racoma who retired last May. It will be recalled that both Vice Governor Pelaez and Atty. Sotto were from the DepEd National Office before joining the Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental. Currently, Vice Governor Pelaez is the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

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CdeO Yesterday and Today Exhibit Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno in his speech during the Cagayan de Oro Yesterday and Today Exhibit at the 2nd Floor of the North Concourse, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, June 21.

The original pen used by President Elpidio Quirino to ink his signature on the R.A. 521 or known as the Cagayan de Oro City Charter, is currently on display at the Cagayan de Oro Yesterday and Today Exhibit at the 2nd Floor of the North Concourse, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, June 21. photo by mike baños

photo by mike baños

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno with Mrs. Ruth Tiano-Pañares and Mr. Eduardo “Bong” Pelaez, son of former Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez in the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon of the Cagayan de Oro Yesterday and Today Exhibit at the 2nd Floor of the North Concourse, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, June 21.

Mrs. Ruth Tiano-Pañares, sister of our three heroes Sgt. Nestor Tiano, 1st Lt. Ronaldo Tiano, and 2nd Lt. Apollo Tiano, stands in front of the exhibit stand where photos of the Tiano Brothers are currently on display at the Cagayan de Oro Yesterday and Today Exhibit at the 2nd Floor of the North Concourse, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, June 21. photo by mike baños

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Philippines Investors Remain Most Optimistic in the Region – Manulife Survey

• Philippines investor sentiment remains most optimistic in the region, alongside Malaysia • There is strong support for raising the retirement age • Over two thirds say leaving an inheritance to their children is their primary retirement concern • Reliance on private healthcare expected to rise in retirement, yet healthcare insurance ownership levels remain low MANILA, 6 June 2014 – Philippines investor sentiment slipped in the first quarter of 2014 but remains the highest in the region, alongside Malaysia, according to Manulife’s latest quarterly survey into investor sentiment in the country.

While optimism is down slightly from the previous quarter (-8 to 58), more investors still regard it as is a good time to invest and sentiment remains overwhelmingly positive. At the asset class level, sentiment dropped across the board except towards cash; although again, investors remain optimistic about all asset classes (equities lost 7 points to reach 41, fixed income was down 15 to 45, mutual funds declined 16 to 35, and investment property slipped 9 to 70).

“Our second survey of investor sentiment in the Philippines continues to reveal great optimism. A strong stock market performance during the quarter and strong economic growth expectations look to be underpinning the upbeat sentiment,” said Ryan Charland, President and CEO, Manulife Philippines.

The research, part of the Manulife Investor Sentiment

Index (MISI) survey,* shows that sentiment in the Philippines is joint highest with Malaysia, and at 58 is more than double the regional average of 24 (up two points from 22 in the previous quarter).

“Stocks were up 9 percent in the first quarter thanks to company earnings being in line with or better than estimates. Yet, sentiment may have built in a higher inflation outlook and the rise in banks' reserve requirements, which was interpreted as a prelude to further tightening measures to curb strong liquidity growth,” said Ms. Aira Gaspar, Chief Investment Officer, Manulife Philippines. “We expect sentiment towards equity to pick up from here, as resilient domestic consumption and rising investment spending are supportive of an upward corporate earnings trajectory.”

OFFICIAL RETIREMENT AGE SHOULD RISE Despite the optimism, the research does show that Philippines investors are concerned about their retirement, including the need to continue working beyond the official retirement age and their ability to meet family responsibilities during retirement.

Philippine investors are strongly (64 percent) in favor of increasing the official retirement age, a good deal higher than the Asia average (51 percent). The official retirement age in the Philippines at only 60 years is below the Asian average, with most countries in the region currently setting retirement at 65 years.

Also, with life expectancy in the Philippines up significantly in recent decades1

there is a sense that the official retirement age is out of step, leaving investors an increasingly lengthy retirement to save for.

“People know that the social safety net is not going to cover all their needs when they retire and that they’re going to have to fend for themselves,” said Ryan Charland, President and CEO, Manulife Philippines. “The gap can be made up by working in old age, but an alternative route is to invest as soon as there’s some extra to put away and to do so consistently throughout your working life. That way, by the time retirement comes around, the compound returns from investments can provide a much-needed income top-up.”

CONCERNS FOR THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE FAMILY A TOP PRIORITY The investor sentiment survey also highlights the importance that Philippines investors place on providing financial security for their families.

Their largest retirement concern is their ability to leave an inheritance to children or heirs (69 percent of investors). Their second biggest concern is health deterioration (60 percent) followed by a fear that they will need to support their children financially (37 percent). In addition over four fifths of investors in the Philippines, more than any other country in the region, expect to support their spouse in retirement.

HEALTHCARE ANOMALIES Almost nine out of ten in-

vestors expect private healthcare services to handle their medical needs during retirement, which runs counter to the rest of the region where the average is just over one in four. However, only 40 percent of Philippines investors have private medical insurance and only 60 percent expect to purchase or maintain personal health insurance during retirement. Despite such large numbers not having or not expecting to have private healthcare insurance, only 15 percent are worried that healthcare will be unaffordable in retirement (less than half the regional average).

“Investors think that healthcare will be somewhat affordable, but if they don’t have insurance, it will be an out-of-pocket expense,” said Mr. Charland. “With medical expenses continuing to rise over time and at a greater rate than inflation, Philippines investors would be wise to factor that into their retirement planning.”

For more findings and related information from the Manulife Investor Sentiment Index in Asia, please visit www.manulife-asia.com. *ABOUT MANULIFE INVESTOR SENTIMENT INDEX IN ASIA Manulife’s Investor Sentiment Index in Asia is a quarterly, proprietary survey measuring and tracking investors’ views across eight markets in the region on their attitudes towards key asset classes and related issues.

The Manulife ISI is based on 500 online interviews in each market of Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, and

RECOGNIZING TOP TAX CONTRIBUTORS: Misamis Oriental 2nd District Representative Juliette Uy, together with Villanueva local government unit officials led by Mayor Julio Uy present a Plaque of Appreciation to energy-firm STEAG State Power Inc. (SPI) for being one of the top business and real property tax payers in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental. Steag Community Relations Manager Ghaye Alegrio (left) received the award on behalf of the company during the Villanueva 52nd charter day celebration.

Singapore; in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines it is conducted face-to-face.

Respondents are middle class to affluent investors, aged 25 years and above who are the primary decision maker of financial matters in the household and currently have investment products.

The Manulife ISI is a longestablished research series in North America. The Manulife ISI has been measuring investor sentiment in Canada for the past 14 years, and extended this to its John Hancock operation in the U.S. in 2011. Asset classes taken into Manulife ISI Asia calculations are stocks/equities, real estate (primary residence and other investment properties), mutual funds/unit trusts, fixed income investment and cash.

ABOUT MANULIFE Manulife is a leading Canada-based financial services

group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forwardthinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients.

We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife and its subsidiaries were approximately C$635 billion (US$574 billion) as at March 31, 2014.

Our group of companies operates as Manulife in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

Filinvest announces promotion of officers for its utilities group

F

ilinvest Development Corp., the parent company for FDC Utilities, Inc. (FDCUI), recently announced the promotion of Jesus N. Alcordo to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Mario R. Pangilinan to President and Chief Operating Officer.

FDCUI, through its subsidiary FDC Misamis Power Corp., is building the biggest power project in Mindanao – a 405-MW Circulating Fluidized Bed coal thermal plant at the Phividec Industrial Estate in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental. The FDC Misamis power plant will utilize state-of-the-art clean fuel technology and is expected to start commercial operations by 2016.

Alcordo has been serving as president of the utilities group since 2011. He previously held numerous positions in government including President and CEO of the National Power Corporation and Commissioner of the Energy Regulatory Commission. Prior to joining FDCUI, he was President and Member of the Board of Directors of Global Business Power Corporation; President and Member of the Board of Directors of Cebu Energy Development Corporation; and, President of Panay Energy Development Corporation. He was also Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of East Asia Power Resources Corporation and a Member of the Board of Directors of Basic Energy Corporation.

Pangilinan, on the other hand, was the Executive Vice President at the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) for over five years where he oversaw the preparations for the establishment of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) before joining FDCUI as Executive Vice President. He started his career in the energy sector at the National Power Corporation (NPC) where he worked in Systems Operation and Systems Planning for 19 years. After his stint in NPC, he spent over two years at the National Transmission Corporation where he pioneered the design and development of the WESM and the Philippine Grid Code.

FDC President and CEO Josephine Gotinanun-Yap believes that the recent leadership movement will be beneficial to capitalizing on current and new opportunities within the utilities sector for FDC. According to Gotianun-Yap, “The officers of FDCUI are seasoned professionals who have been in the energy sector for more than 20 years. I am confident that with Mr. Pangilinan taking over the presidency and Mr. Alcordo providing continuous guidance, we will be able to achieve our growth and financial targets in the coming years.”

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Outlook... from page 1

will all the more make the country more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the government must seize the opportunity to make the economy more climateresilient by harnessing the massive power of RE abundant in the country.

“As the Philippines is poised to achieve even better economic progress, it is an opportune time to re-channel business strategies, rethink development plans and restructure energy regimes to encourage more investments in RE and thus, achieve a zero-emissions economy,” Tan said.

Energy as catalyst for growth This dependence on imported fossil fuels make electricity tariffs in the Philippines one of the highest in the world. In a study done by the IEC in 2012 for the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), Meralco’s average retail tariffs, pegged at US$0.2026 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) or PhP8.82, are ranked ninth highest in the world and the second highest in Asia (next only to Japan).

The biggest component of this tariff is the generation component, at 65% of the overall retail tariff.

“Business as usual will see the Philippines shift from a relatively low-carbon energy sector (over 40% of energy comes from renewables) to a relatively high-carbon sector (only 14% from low-carbon sources). With the population set to double before 2040 and energy demand growing strongly, the Philippines will become a more significant factor in global emissions.

Emissions in the energy sector could quadruple before 2030 as high-carbon infrastructure gets lockedin,” warned the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London, UK in its March 2014 analysis Philippine Energy Policy and UK Opportunities released on April 16, 2014.

“On the back of successive years of 7% growth and relatively low inflation, the Philippines has received some plaudits for its economic performance and relatively sound financial position.

But … growth will not be sufficient in the longer term.

Energy is a part of the long term challenges that will need to be dealt with if growth is to be sustainable and inclusive,” it said, adding: While the Philippines is blessed with so much RE sources that could power sustainable development and growth, it is “a net energy importer (mostly of oil and coal).”

Experts agree that the Philippines cannot afford to delay much longer a transition to RE if it is to sustain development and avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change, of which the energy industry is a leading contributor. They agree that taking early action against climate change through mitigation far outweighs the costs and economic impacts

of inaction. Tapping the vast sources of RE will help the country transition to a lowcarbon economic growth and help achieve for Filipinos an environmentally secure future.

Phi l line Mar ie Paye D o n g g a y, l o w - c a r b o n development project manager at WWF Philippines, said that while the Philippines’ contribution to climate change is very low, we must be “proactive.” “It is my personal opinion that a country such as the Philippines, which bears the brunt of climate change impacts must be proactive in this regard, in effect also showing other developing countries that we can proceed with developments the lowcarbon way starting with renewable energy transition.”

Weaning the Philippines from fossils and transitioning to RE is a change that government has do if it is to sustain development and progress for every Filipino.

“The DoE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau does have a comprehensive RE plan for the Philippines but the government as a whole, as most organizations are, has a resistance to change.

When fossil fuels have been dependable sources over the past decades, a complete transition to renewables is a foreboding concept. And yes, there is the cost issue— but this is where forwardthinking is needed for energy planning. A renewable power plant that runs on free fuel forever might be expensive now but it will pay off with 100% certainty. Case in point, geothermal and hydro plants,” Donggay added.

Roberto G. Manabat, ch ai r m an and C E O of the Manabat SanAgustin & Co., CPAs, said in his introduction to The Energy Report Philippines 20132014 Edition produced by the KPMG Energy Institute t hat “ in order to help ensure the longevity of the country’s positive economic performance, focus [must] be given to the power situation facing the Philippines.”

The Asian Development Bank, during the Climate Change and Green Asia symposium in Tokyo in 2012, said that “low-carbon growth is not just about climate change mitigation.

It also makes economic sense as green infrastructure development opens vast new business opportunities, while steering nations away from dependence on the highly volatile fossil fuel market.”(Conclusion)

Hydro... from page 1

electricity spot market.

This particular petition was scheduled by the Energy Regulator y Commission (ERC) for public hearing this July 3.

The market operator has cited the concerns of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) for the Agus-Pulangui plants,

as well as similarly-situated facilities, like the Sibulan Hydro of Hedcor, Inc. PEMC emphasized that “due to their nature, intermittent generators are often unable to comply with the +/-3% dispatch tolerance and become liable for payment of RDCRA (resource dispatch comp ens ation recover y amount) and penalties.”

The market operator thus noted that due to these circumstances, it was prompted to seek for e x e mp t i o n o n p e n a l t y impositions for such types of power suppliers in the Mindanao market.

PEMC reiterated that “the imposition of RDCRA and penalties on intermittent generation in light of their technical inability to comply with the +/-3% dispatch tolerance may cause adverse financial effects on IMEM Resources of intermittent nature and will therefore be against the intention of IMEM to encourage the entry of supply investors in Mindanao.”

It explained that its subsequent move on suppor ting the penalty exemption for ‘intermittent generation’ had been anchored on a Circular issued earlier by the Department of Energy.

As laid down, the RDCRA shall “represent the payment due to an IMEM Resource, which was “instructed to run or increase its generation by the System Operator due to failure of certain IMEM Resources to provide their scheduled generation or due to increase in demand.”

Similarly, it must cover cost for resources that had been “bumped off due to over-generation of another IMEM Resource beyond its schedule.”

Beyond this plea for clearer rules on penalty imposition, PEMC’s revised PDM filing for IMEM has also been batting for better delineation of demand-side bidding parameters for the Mindanao market.

It qualified that “in the current process, the customer (in this case the distribution utility or the electric cooperative) may specify the quantity it wishes to purchase but has no input with respect to the IMEM day-ahead price.”

In the rules revision being pushed by the market operator, it was set forth that “if the customer is unwilling to be supplied at a price which is higher than it is willing to pay, the customer may curtail its consumption from the IMEM and/or withdraw energy up to its contract allocation.”

And if the customer exceeded its contract allocation, “then it shall pay the generator which produced the power at its bid price,” PEMC specified.

Tops... from page 1

organized by the Department of Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and

Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (D OST), Unite d St ates Agency for International Development (USAID), Deutsche Gesellschaft for Internationalle Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Canadian Government.

The City Government of Cagayan de Oro took the lead in the e-Readiness Survey Award, with 9 other LGUs — Valenzuela, Batangas, Makati, Ta g u i g , Ma n d a l u y o n g , Quezon City, San Fernando — recognized based on the results of the BPLS Survey and e-Readiness Survey for Cities and Municipalities, 2014.

The Sur vey included human resource, hardware and software capacities, and compliance on business processing and licensing system (BPLS) standards.

Cagayan de Oro’s current automated business process and licensing system (BPLS) was developed in-house, lowcost and has been a best practice shared with other LGUs. “ T h i s y e a r, w i t h a g rant f rom D O ST and support from USAID on its computerization, more enhancement and innovation have b e e n i nt ro du c e d, including the development of billing and payment kiosks,” Moreno said.

The city’s distinction for e-Readiness was further confirmed by no less than USAID Mission Director, Ms. Gloria D. Steele, in her message at the forum when she said” we were impressed at what we saw a few weeks ago when we visited Cagayan de Oro together with Acting Deputy Director for Asia, Denise Rollins, and the result of a streamlined BPLS, showing almost 40 percent increase in revenue for the first quarter this year compared to the same period last year.”

During the one day ICT For um, Mayor Moreno also gave a five-minute presentation of Cagayan de Oro’s “Hassle Free Payments,” featuring the tax payer friendly, time saving billing and queuing kiosks located at the finance office of city hall.

Okays... from page 1

Titled “Building Local Community Resilience in BIMP-EAGA for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Disaster P r e p a r e d n e s s ,” t h e Philippines presented the proposal during the 3rd BIMP-EAGA environment cluster meeting held in May in Sandakan, Malaysia.

She said that environmental disasters can be prevented by i mp l e m e nt i n g proj e c t s that strengthen disaster risk management and develop efficient response mechanisms in addressing environmental issues within BIMP-EAGA. B I M P- E AG A s t a n d s for Brunei Darussalam,

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area, a key strategy to accelerate social and e conomi c d e velopme nt of less developed areas in participating countries.

An EAGA-wide policy on climate change adaptation and mit igat ion w i l l b e formulated based on key outputs of the proposal, including climate changeproofing of infrastructures, resulting in local communities that are more resilient to environmental disasters, according to the MinDA statement.

The p olic y will also push for the sustainable management, protection, and utilization of the region’s natural resources, it added.

Lopoz explained that within BIMP-EAGA, there is the strong need to address issues among the river basins of each member country, where the rivers flow from water sources to estuaries that lead towards the main bodies of water that surround the sub-region.

“Water is a shared resource among all EAGA countries, and our ecosystems are in a way interconnected with each other,” she noted.

The project, which will be implemented in a span of three years, also incorporates capacity building on humanitarian assistance and disaster response leading to the development of disaster preparedness action plans at the community level.

It also aims to strengthen Cu s t om s - Im m i g r at i on Quarantine-Security mechanisms for disaster response, and establish resource centers for information sharing on climate change and disaster risk reduction within the four countries of the subregion.

Lopoz said the US$1.2million budget will be spread

across 11 critical watersheds and river basins and seven coastal areas in the subregion.

Located within the Coral Triangle, BIMP-EAGA is part of the global epicenter of marine species diversity that is considered as the “Amazon of the seas.”

The triangle is home to a combined population of over 350 million people and is recognized as a global priority for conservation.

Due to its geographic lo c at ion, t he reg ion is considerably sensitive to the effects of climate change and is vulnerable to possible natural and environmental disasters.

“This proposal consolidates all efforts from across the sub-region, and prioritizes programs and projects that will lessen t h e i mp a c t of c l i m at e change w h i l e e nsu r i ng environmental integrity in the area,” said Lopoz.

The proposal’s final draft is expected to be endorsed within this month to the senior officials of BIMPEAGA for approval and eventual implementation.

DPWH... from page 2

sections) Ticalaan-Iligan Road (Mamaon-Rogongon Section) will be completed within 264 calendar days and the total contract amounts to about P92.6 million.

According to Rep. AcostaAlba, the improvement of the roads will make Talakag accessible to ecotourism and these will also boost economic activities. She also stressed that these can be great ways to promote and uphold peace in Bukidnon. Together with DPWH, Rep. Acosta-Alba further said that they will also be working on some major water systems in the area.(RTP/PIA10)

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Chemrez... from page 4

component, is nontoxic and biodegradable, with i n g r e d i e nt s “g e n e r a l l y regarded as safe” by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration.

The insecticide is registered as an organic farming material with the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries and with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority.

Spraying affected coconut trees with organic pesticide is part of the government’s three-phase pest control strategy, which will cost the Philippine Coconut Authority some P750 million between this month until December.

The government has already spent P65.91 million to fight the pest since 2010 when the outbreak was first reported in Batangas, which has suffered the most damage.

CSI, known by its scientific name Aspidiotus rigidus, has affected some 1.2 million coconut trees out of the 340 million nationwide in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon, as well on the island-province of Basilan.

A. rigidus, which is different from the previously reported local Aspidiotus destructor, is not endemic to the Philippines, and is believed to have entered the country through ornamental plants.

Century... from page 4

manage the bond issue.

BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and HSBC were also named joint underwriters and bookrunners.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jose E.B. Antonio said in the same statement that “by 2019,

Century will have completed 1.67 million sq.m. of development, consisting of 31 buildings and over 150,000 sq.m. of commercial space for lease. In addition, we have a land bank of 200 hectares to develop in Metro Manila, and are looking at other promising areas in the country. We are proud of what we have accomplished and are excited to continue the successes of years past.”

The company added that Credit Rating and Investors Services Philippines Inc. (CRISP) has assigned an ‘AA+’ issue rating with a stable outlook on the bonds due to “Century’s strong market presence, healthy financial position, and excellent land banking strategy.” CRISP assigns its ‘AA+’ rating to borrowers considered to have a very strong capacity to repay.

Century Properties has completed 25 condominium and commercial buildings, including Ess ensa E ast Forbes in Fort Bonifacio, South of Market in Fort Bonifacio, SOHO Central in the Greenfield District of Mandaluyong City, and the Gramercy Residences in Century City, Makati City.

Metrics...

country’s gross international reser ves (GIR) stood at $79.6 billion, an amount that would allow payment 7.6 times over of the Philippines’ short-term debt based on original maturity.

The end-March foreign debt stock stood at $58.3 billion, slightly down from the end-2013 level of $58.5 bi l lion. Of t he amount outstanding, more than 81 percent would mature in more than a year, with the average maturity at 20.1 years.

The public sector, which includes the national g ov e r n m e nt a n d ot h e r public entities, owed the most at $40.8 billion, while the private sector had $17.6 billion.

Despite the huge share of the public sector, the average matur ity of its debt stood at 22.1 years.

In contrast, the obligations held by the private sector would mature in 9.6 years on average.

In terms of the currency mix, more than half or 52.9 percent of the countr y’s foreign debt is denominated in US dollars, followed by 19.3 percent in Japanese yen, and the remaining less than a third in other currencies.

Loans... from page 5

environment-related projects, tourism, and utilities.

For small farmers and fishers alone, the amount of outstanding loans climbed 9 percent to P30.7 billion in the first three months from P28.1 billion in the same period last year.

This after P11.4 billion was released at end-March, a 47 percent increase from the P7.7 billion in 2013.

The loans were channeled through 508 farmer and fisher cooperatives, 114 countryside financial institutions, and 123 irrigators’ associations, benefiting 163,482 SFFs. The amount due from micro-enterprises and SMEs increased by nearly a third to P43.4 billion this year from P32.8 billion last year.

of California, San Diego regarding his new digital watch: “Your would need an engineering degree to work this. Well, I have an engineering degree. Give me a few hours, and I can figure out this watch. But why should it takes hours?”

Good question Sir! And also Charles Owen, former professor at the Illinois Institute of Technolog y fau lt manufac tures for largely ignoring consumers.

Instructions manuals are written almost as an afterthought instead of being translated into plain language.

Sorry, high tech still gets me down. And I am pretty sure, I am not alone!

11

By the way, the manual of my new coffee-expressomachine counts terrible 64 pages!!!

Hurst... from page 6

keep wanting it enough to keep working for it enough.

So why not decide today to start going the extra mile on the road to your success? Ask Jesus Christ to take charge of your life.

It’s with His strength and willpower that you’ll find t h e d e te r m i n at i on an d persistence to succeed— which will pay you big profits.

Just Think a Minute…

Doring... from page 6

We buy all these machines but become frightened by the profusion of switches and buttons and operate just the basic functions. I really smiled, when I found a quotation of Donald A. Norman, former head of the Department of Cognitive Science at the University

NATURAL TREATMENT WITH NO CONTRAINDICATIONS WITH DRUGS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROCEDURES.

from page 5

economy is growing fast enough to generate resources to pay off the country’s liabilities.

Likewise, the external debt service ratio improved to 6.5 percent this year from 8 percent in 2013. This ratio compares principal and interest payments with the country’s foreign exchange earnings to gauge how liquid it is, or whether it is earning enough foreign exchange to meet contractual obligations as they fall due.

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Environment

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Photo shows Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) Secretary Panfilo M. Lacson (2nd from left); Assistant Secretary Victor Batac (left); Undersecretary Peter N. Tiangco of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA); and Dr. Jose C. Cabanayan, also from NAMRIA, during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the purchase of a high-resolution Satellite Imaging System for the Typhoon Yolanda Rehabilitation on Tuesday (June 17, 2014) at NAC Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. pna photo by gil s . calinga

More than 13-T families affected Challenges OF climate change to highlight Watershed Summit by flooding in Maguindanao As of Fr i d ay e ve n i ng , families displaced by heavy rains and flooding that p ounde d Maguindanao since June 13 has reached 13,064 families, spread in 91 barangays (villages) of 13 municipalities.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) stated that

the displaced families are from the following towns: Ampatuan (assessment still ongoing); Datu Abdullah Sangki, 773 families; D atu Mont aw a l , 1 , 1 6 0 families; Datu Odin Sinsuat (assessment still ongoing); Datu Piang (assessment still ongoing); Datu Salibo, 300 families; Mamasapano, 2,000 families; Mother Kabuntalan,

4,467 families; Pagalungan (assessment still ongoing); Northern Kabuntalan, 2,095 families; Rajah Buayan, 755 families; Sharif Saydona (assessment still ongoing); Sultan Sa Barongis, 1,514 families.

The NDRRMC added that flooding worsened due to heavy concentration of water hyacinth at Tamontaka

River and Rio Grande De Mindanao.

Flood damage to agriculture was placed at P805,000, but relief officials said this could go higher.

But despite flooding bridges and roads, the transport linkages are still passable while supply of electricity and water supply are normal. (PNA)

SPECIAL REPORT:

CDRRMC exec: ‘no political color’ in disaster preparedness

By Perla G. Lena

TA C L O B A N C I T Y - Reflections after super typhoon Yolanda brought a lot of ifs when it comes to disaster preparations and should those ifs were considered the city government here would be counting lesser number of deaths.

Jobs Lagutan was assigned as officer in-charge of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) three months before the world’s strongest typhoon ever recorded in history pounded this part of the country.

He quit his post after Yolanda but looking back, sometimes he blamed himself for what he believed was a failure on his part to rally the people to cooperate in disaster preparation efforts regardless of their political color.

He explained that prior Yolanda the CDRRMO had been engaging communities in various seminars and trainings but there were those who refused to be part of it. These are people who would rather listen to their barangay officials who are not aligned with the current city administration and casted doubt on the intention of the training. “ The concept of the city disaster risk reduction program is for everybody. It was supposed to be for the

benefit of all people in the area but because of this (politicking) it was not implemented,” he said. “Sometimes I am blaming myself because I failed to manage politicking.”

He also underscored the need to bring in accurate information coming from government agencies that have the authority to talk about the issue. Sadly, he noted that there were certain media practitioners who, instead of providing information even created confusion due to their side comments.

Further, he cited the ne cessity of providing support and ensuring that people who are brought to the evacuation centers are properly documented.

To r e c a l l , t h e c i t y government as early as November 6 already called for voluntary evacuation.

However, some decided to return to their homes the next day; their numbers could no longer be ascertained.

Also equally important is that there has to be “no reservation” when it comes to saving lives.

“Focus on the real concept of life saving,” he said, adding that picture taking can come later.

Prior the landfall of Yolanda in the morning of November 8 last year, the city government

activated three departments to include administrative for the supply, operations for the evacuation procedure and warning for the monitoring of weather bulletin and dissemination to the barangays.

Lagutan said that the city government, in order to alert the people of the impending Yolanda, utilized multicabs with speakers to roam within the city. At the northern part of the city, megaphones were provided to village officials so they can update their constituents of the coming typhoon.

He added that four big evacuation centers were identified with the Astrodome as the first stop, being the biggest enough to accommodate around 6,000 individuals. They also found the middle portion of the Leyte Normal University (LNU), Leyte National High School (LNHS) and the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) safe to be utilized as evacuation centers.

They, however, decided to make use of the mountainous portion of the LNHS and EVSU. “Through discussions were done as to deciding on the evacuation centers. Astrodome was really safe than other areas as evacuation center,” he said.

A day prior November 8, the CDRRMO along with the Tacloban City Rescue Unit,

Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard already initiated forced evacuation.

This is based on the local ordinance that allows the city government to implement forced evacuation and their refusal to do so waived the local government unit (LGU) of any responsibility in them if anything happens. This means that they could not claim burial assistance.

However, Lagutan said that the ordinance has no impact because after all they have died and no one was left to claim for any assistance.

After Yolanda, more than 2,000 individuals were left dead in Tacloban and almost a thousand others missing.

T hous and s more we re displaced after their houses were ruined by the typhoon.

The painful experience pushed the city government to look for a safer place where it can relocate its displaced residents under the “build back better” concept.

C u r r e n t l y, a n e w community is being envisioned at the northern part of the city. The area is situated in an elevated portion that is far from the reach of storm surges.

Structures that will be built are also disaster resilient to withstand wind strength of 350 kilometers per hour. (PNA)

D AVA O C I T Y - - I n celebration of the World Environment Month on June 24, the Watershed Management Council will conduct the Watershed Summit with the theme “ U n i f y i n g Wa t e r s h e d Stakeholders’ Participation towards addressing the C h a l l e nge s of C l i m ate Change.”

The event is expected t o g at h e r a r o u n d 2 0 0 representatives from various sectors in the city.

The project aims to a c h i e v e D a v a o C i t y ’s st ate and d i re c t i on i n environmental protection vis-à-vis the changing climate and its impacts; Present updates on various efforts on Davao City watersheds m a n a g e m e nt ; P rom ot e rainwater harvesting for soil and water conservation; Gather commitments on river bank rehabilitation through establishment of vegetative buffer zones and provision of incentives; and discuss how to unify various efforts and initiatives.

The council said the provisions of the Watershed Code and its Implementing Ru l e s and R e g u l at i ons became a big part of the Davao City Local Climate Change Action Plan and

Davao City Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance which were crafted in 2013. The Davao CLUP and Zoning Ordinance were signed by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and approved by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board’s national office earlier this year.

The Watershed Code and other relevant local policies and plans, watershed management looks at the various ecosystems, life and non-life forms from uplands to lowlands. It provides inclusive strategies which will address risks and challenges brought by the changing climate.

But the council said there is still a big challenge today which is on how to ensure and sustain its implementation the Water Code’s implementing rules and quidelines.

“While there are various proj e c t s and a c t iv it i e s contributing to the protection, conservation and management of the City’s watersheds that are already in place, the task of c ons ol i d at i ng t he s e and bringing together the implementers remain a challenge which WMC would like to address,” the council said. (PNA)

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