BusinessWeek Mindanao (March 19, 2015)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO Your daily business paper

2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

Volume V, No. 125

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Briefly Tourism boosts CAGAYAN de Oro City Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas expresses gladness over the opening of night flights at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.

This, upon noting reports that the first night flight a Cebu Pacific Air plane landed at the airport last week.

“This is a good development which will boost commerce in the city and the province,” he added, citing that busy businessmen can now go to Manila or other destinations in the morning and come back at night which will save them a lot of time.

According to the vice mayor, this will also encourage tourists to come especially during the summer vacation.

Fire Olympics AT least 15 villages will compete in the scheduled “Fire Olympics” in this port capital on Saturday, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said Tuesday.

Shirley Teleron, the city’s fire marshal, said that the annual “Fire Olympics” would highlight the month long observance of the Fire Prevention Month in March.

She said that the competition would cover Combat Challenge, Fire Extinguishing and the Bucket Relay, and other techniques employed during actual fire fighting prior to the arrival of the BFP fire trucks.

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House committee rejects PNoy’s emergency power

By SAMMY F. MARTIN, Philippine News Agency

T

HE chairman of the House Committee on Energy admitted on Wednesday that no additional power for President Aquino to address the expected power shortage during summer.

The panel chairman and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said he had done his part but no one among the two Houses of Congress wanted to give in.

“I have talked to my colleagues and the House leadership if we can bargain

some provisions but the decision is final that we need to stand on our version,” Umali told reporters in a chance interview.

His Senate counterpart, led by Senator Sergio Osmena III, also stood path to their rejects/PAGE 11

Aboitiz, partners ink deal for P10-B bulk water supply deal APO Agua Infrastructura Inc. (APO Agua), a joint venture company between Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) and J.V. Angeles Construction Corporation

(JVACC), has entered into a P10 billion bulk water supply agreement with the Davao City Water District (“DCWD”). aboitiz/PAGE 11

SLOW PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS. Civil Service Commission (CSC) 10 director Adam Torres talks to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) clients on their complaints of hourslong waiting time while their documents are being processed. The CSC kicked off on Tuesday its yearly inspection of regional and local offices here. photo by mark francisco

PSALM, NPC sign new O&M deal For remaining state-owned power assets

By MYRNA VELASCO, Contributor

AFTER more than a year of void, a new Operation and Maintenance Agreement (OMA) was sealed by the

WATER SUPPLY DEAL. (From left) JVACC Projects Lead Renato Da Jose, AEV Business Development FVP Roman V. Azanza III, Apo Agua Chairman Jose VirgilioAngeles, Jr., Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Apo Agua President Rene Ronquillo, AboitizPower Mindanao Affairs FVP Bobby Orig, AEV Business Development AVP Jay Fernandez, AEV Associate General Counsel Atty. JB Nadela, External Consortium Counsel Atty.

Aris Gulapa, AEV Business Development Manager David Berba, and AEV Associate General Counsel Atty. Farah Lumbatan.

Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) and National Power Corporation

(NPC) as to the operations of the remaining state-owned power assets.

Under the pact, it was stipulated that NPC will deal/PAGE 11

Cattle crossbreeding project expected to increase yields

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

D AVA O C i t y - - T h e M i n d a n a o B e e f C at t l e Development Experimental

and Research Project is crossbreeding domestic cattle with Hereford and

Jersey varieties from the United Kingdom with the intention of boosting meat and milk yields. cattle/PAGE 11

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BIR urges taxpayers to pay income tax before April 15 THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has reiterated its call to taxpayers to file their income tax returns before the deadline.

In his message during the regional kick-off of the 2015 tax campaign, BIR D e put y C om m i s s i on e r Nelson Aspe reminded the taxpayers in the region of the April 15 deadline for filing of income tax stressing the inconveniences on the last day of filing.

Aspe, whose message was read by BIR Revenue Region 16 director Alberto Olasiman, emphasized that

the April 15 deadline will not be extended.

He said the anticipated brownouts during summer are not valid grounds for the extension of the deadline.

Aspe also encouraged taxpayers to file their returns electronically.

He urged t hem to support the tax campaign of the Bureau and help in the attainment of its goal by paying the correct taxes in order to sustain the country’s economic growth.

The 2015 tax campaign with the theme “Angat pa, Pinas!” calls for greater

cooperation among Filipinos to pay their taxes as their contribution to nationbuilding.

The campaign logo for the year takes cues from the colors of the Philippine Flag, using arrows that show an upward movement to denote greater progress and positive change for the country. The campaign TV commercial, on

the other hand, shows how taxes work to the benefit of the community.

The tax campaign was launched in the region on March 13 with the unveiling of the theme and presentation of the logo and TV commercial.

It was attended by revenue officials and personnel, local government officials, tax practitioners, professionals,

media partners, business, professional and academic organizations, and students.

Pledges of support to the campaign in the interest of nation building were also presented during the launching. Among those who voiced support were Cerael C. Donggay, President of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce &

Industry Foundation, Inc.; Pershing Y. Tan Queto, Jr., President of the Ozamiz Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc.; VY Beng Hong, Vice-President of the Lanao Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc., Iligan City; and Edwin M. De Los Santos, Jr., President of the PICPA CDO-Misamis Oriental Chapter.

School heads told to hold IP scholar urges IP children graduation in solemnity, to pursue college education scholar IP communities, the tribal not as a political forum AofGOVERNMENT the tribal community community is b asically OROQUIETA City -- The Department of Education, Division of Misamis Occidental (DepEdMisOcc) has reminded the schools not to use the 2015 graduation rites as a political forum.

“G r a d u a t i o n r i t e s should be conducted in an appropriate solemn ceremony befitting the graduating pupils/students and their parents and shall not be used as a forum to discuss political campaigns,” Dr. Jonathan S. Dela Peňa, superintendent of DepEd-MisOcc, said.

Me anw h i l e, i n h i s memorandum to Education Program Supervisors (EPS), Public School District Super visors (PSDS), Elementary and Secondary School Principals (ESP/SSP) and School Heads (SH), Dela Peňa also reiterated the “no contribution policy” of Dep-Ed Mis Oc. for the graduation rites.

“No DepEd-MisOcc personnel is allowed to collect any graduation fee or any kind of contribution, relative to the conduct of 2015 graduation exercises,” Dela Peňa, said.

in Bukidnon on Tuesday urged children of the indigenous people (IP) to pursue college education.

Marlon Mandago, 24, a scholar of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), b elieves that education could emancipate the tribal communities from poverty.

Mandago, a memb er of the Higa-onon trib e lives in San Luis, a farming village in Malitbog, a town in Bukidnon that borders with Misamis Oriental, 42 kilometers southeast of here.

He said that he does not want to go through “what my parents have gone through” as low-income farmers of a vegetable farm in Malitbog.

Mandago also called on women in the IP community to assert their rights as the country observes Women’s Month this year.

“A l t h o u g h v i o l e n c e against children and women seldom occurs in

patriarchal, where men dominate against women,” Mandago said.

Now a third year college student of the state-run Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Cagayan De Oro City, Mandago is taking up Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, major in Physical Sciences.

Mandago thanked the Department of S ocial welfare and Development (DSWD) of Nor thern Mi nd an a o t h rou g h t he department’s 4Ps Expanded Stu d e nt Gr ant s - In - A i d Program.

In 2012, the Pantawid Pami lya in p ar t nership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the D epar tment of L abor and Employment ( D O L E ) l au n c h e d a n d eventually rolled-out the E S G P PA f o r Pa n t a w i d Pamilya households, whose members are about to enroll or are currently enrolled in college. (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

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Megawide to bid for P50.2-B deal to build jail PHILIPPINE contractor Megawide Construction Corp. said it was interested in taking part in a P50.18billion ($1.1-billion) government tender to build and maintain a prison north of the capital.

The tender, launched earlier this month, is part of the government’s efforts to fix a dilapidated prison system that is the fourth most overcrowded in the world, according to the International Centre for Prison Studies (ICPS).

It is also one of several private-public partnership (PPP) projects launched by the government to improve

infrastructure in Southeast Asia’s fifth largest economy.

Megawide, which has so far bagged a third of all PPP projects awarded so far, said investing in prisons was profitable, citing privately maintained jail facilities in Australia, Brazil, and United States.

“We are i nte re ste d,” Louie Ferrer, Megawide vice-president, told Reuters.

“Australia is impressive in prison PPPs, and it looks like it is a good business

opportunity when we talked to the operators there.”

Conglomerates Ayala Corp. and DMCI Holdings Inc., which have also won PPP contracts, told Reuters they had yet to decide on whether to take part in the tender.

T he w i n n i ng bi d d e r will finance, design, build and maintain the prison facility that is targeted to accommodate nearly 27,000 inmates and staff.

The government will start

accepting offers in August and the contract will run for 23 years.

T he Ph i l ippi ne s has s e ve n n at i on a l pr i s ons and more than 1,100 city, distric t, municipal and provincial jails. The prison population stood at 106,323 in 2012, the highest in the 12-year period reviewed by ICPS. The overcrowding is ag g ravate d by t he slow judicial process, a lack of basic infrastructure, and inadequate nutrition and medical attention, the US B u re au o f D e m o c r a c y, Human Rights and Labor in a 2013 report. – Reuters

Petron earnings sink 41% as oil prices tank LOWER international fuel prices dragged Petron Corp.’s profit last year but the listed oil retailer noted that the result still trampled expectations.

In a statement, Petron said it “posted a better-thanexpected consolidated income of P3 billion for the year, lower than the previous year’s P5.1 billion.”

That’s an annual decline of 41%, as the company staggered under the weight of collapsing crude oil prices, mainly in the second half of 2014.

Petron said its bottom line “would have been much higher if not for the net inventory loss of P6.5 billion.”

Price of Dubai crude -- the benchmark used by most of Asia -- declined 44% to an average of $60 per barrel in December last year from $108 per barrel in June. “ T h is e x t r a ord i n ar y development had a negative effect on oil companies

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around the world,” Petron said.

When global oil prices nosedived in 2008, Petron lost P3.9 billion, the company said.

L ast ye ar’s s cenar io compelled Petron to sell higher-priced inventory at lower prices in the second half of the year.

But the company noted

the impact was cushioned by the 9% increase in its local sales.

Revenues jumped by 4% to P482.5 billion last year from P463.6 billion from 2013 as combined sales volumes from local and Malaysian operations rose 6% to 86.5 million barrels from 81.7 million barrels.

In the Philippines alone,

HONORABLE MAYOR JAMAL “JAMES” E. MANABILANG, SULTAN SA RANAO MASTURA C. MANABILANG AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SANGGUNIANG BAYAN AND THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BUMBARAN WOULD LIKE TO EX TEND OUR HEARTFELT THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO GOVERNOR MAMINTAL “BOMBIT” AD IONG , J R . AND THE MEMBERS OF SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN HEADED BY VICE GOVERNOR RPK ARSAD MARUHOMBSAR AND THE MOST ESPECIALLY TO ARMM REGIONAL GOVERNOR MUJIV S. HATAMAN AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL GOVERNOR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY HEADED BY HONORABLE SPEAKER DATU ROONIE Q. SINSUAT FOR PASSING AND APPROVING MUSLIM MINDANAO AUTONOMY ACT NO. 316 CHANGING THE NAME OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BUMBARAN THE PROVINCE OF LANAO DEL SUR INTO

sales volumes surged to 51.5 million barrels backed by the strong performance of its retail, liquefied petroleum gas and lubricant segments.

Petron is commissioning its $2-billion Refinery Master Plan Phase 2 at its refinery in Limay, Bataan which can produce up to 180,000 barrels per day. petron/PAGE 11

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Tongue Tamers

hink a minute…Some big powerful horses can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Yet if you put a bridle and bit in its mouth, a little 90-pound girl, who knows what she’s doing, can make that big horse do whatever she wants!

But you know what’s even smaller than a bridle and bit, weighs only 2 ounces, yet can cause divorces and even wars between nations? Our tiny tongue. Terrible wars have been fought, killing millions of people, all because of the evil, destructive power of our tongue and words!

Gossip is probably the number one killer of relationships, even people’s jobs and careers. Someone spreads untrue, bad stories about another person, so they don’t get their job promotion.

And longtime friends suddenly become enemies! All because one person could not control his or her tongue! So your and my tongue has the power to ruin not just our life, but other people’s lives also. In fact, most of our life’s problems and pain start with our tongue - our dishonest or hurtful words, cutting people down so they don’t look better than we do!

But just think…if every one of us would use our tongue only to encourage and say positive things that make the other person look good instead of bad! If you and I would choose to always speak the truth, can you imagine how different life

Women power and nat’l dev’t “Women power is well and alive in Congress,” declared Rep. Gina P. De Venecia, (4th District, Pangasinan), who is the President of the 79 strong Association of Women Legislators Foundation, Inc. (AWLFI) composed of all the women members of the House of Representatives.

We subscribe to what s h e b e l i e v e s t h at t h e Philippines is a matriarchal nation, and gender gap is slim, as evidenced by the number of female leaders who hold positions of power in practically all spheres of society—from the judiciary, the Cabinet, the business sector and even the military.

While the women

Cris diaz mike baños Uriel quilinguing Editorial Consultants

MARKETING staff manila office: Unit 310 Valero Plaza, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City; lani vallido-Marketing Manager

THINK

A Minute

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editorial lawmakers, numbering 79, is but a third fraction of the entire House membership, women legislators are at par with their male counterparts, in terms of lawmaking competence.

The power of the feminine to care, to love, to nurture, to listen, to be quiet, to nourish the soul and, consequently, to create harmony and peace is the moving force behind this matriarchal country.

We praise our women legislators for furthering the vital women issues such as

women’s voices for truth and; the fundamental equality between men and women; and paying tribute to women as peace builders.

Recently, a renowned p e rs ona l it y, D r. Hel e n Benitez was honored in House Resolution 1956 lawmaker Gina De Venecia. Benitez was the first Filipina, the first Asian, and the first woman international academic and legislative leader inducted into the Democracy Hall of Fame International in 2003.

In the Philippines, March

was declared as Women’s Role in History Month through Proclamation No. 227 in 1988, while March 8 was proclaimed as National Women’s Day with the enactment of Republic Act 6949 in 1990.

It is a feat that the Philippines bested other Asian countries in terms of the proportion of women among managers. This was reported by the International Labor Organization’s Bureau for Employers’ Activities.

The Global Gender Gap report in 2014 also claimed the Philippines is number one in Asian nations when it comes to gender equality.

Hurray for the Filipino women!

Bribery of lawmakers to pass BBL?

IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…`Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent’...” (Exodus 23:8, the Holy Bible).

-ooo F R AU D I N T H E COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT ON BANGSAMORO? So, what other falsities attended the negotiations and the ultimate signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), similar to the use of the fake name “Mohagher Iqbal” by the chief negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)?

And with these falsities and fraudulent acts, can the Filipino people still trust not only the MILF but even the Aquino government itself in their claims that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law will be for the best interest of the country and our people?

Fact is, both the Revised Penal Code (under its Article 178) and Commonwealth Act 142 prohibit and penalize any individual who publicly

Jhan Tiafau Hurst would be? Everybody would actually trust each other instead of being afraid that they’re only nice to your face. Because the minute you turn your back, watch out!

Some say the real test of a person’s relationship with God is not how clever and well he or she can speak, but rather how well our heart can control our tongue no matter what someone did to wrong or hurt us. So right now, won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you for all the hurtful, destructive words you’ve said with your tongue? Jesus said that’s the only way you and I won’t suffer because of all our wrong and hurtful words. So why not ask Jesus to take charge and start changing your heart and way of talking? He’s the One Who can give you the love and willpower you need to tame your tongue. Then you’ll start speaking only honest, loving words to bless others.

Just Think a Minute…

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uses a name that is not his real name. So, how come the Aquino government, through its negotiators Miriam C oronel Ferrer and Peace Process Secretary Teresita Deles, proceeded to negotiate with someone who has been publicly violating the laws of the Republic of the Philippines?

-ooo COURT OF APPEALS H AV E P O W E R O F JUDICIAL REVIEW OVER OMBUDSMAN: To those who have been denigrating the Court of Appeals’ temporary restraining order stopping the suspension of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Junjun Binay allegedly because no court has the power to restrain the Ombudsman, they are ignoring, for their own purposes, the fact that the Court of Appeals, like any other court, has the power of judicial review, as provided by the 1987 Cory Aquino Constitution.

Whi le Republic Ac t 6770, or the Ombudsman Act, indeed contains an admonition against courts

issuing restraining orders or i nju nc t i ons ag ai nst the Ombudsman, yet the Constitution which is the highest law of the land and which Republic Act 6770 cannot overcome or set aside, gives a blanket authority for the courts to review all acts of all government agencies, including the Ombudsman.

Indeed, because Republic Act 6770 contravenes the Constitution, such a republic act must not be given any effect at all. This means that the Court of Appeals was within its power to stop the Ombudsman in enforcing any of its orders, and the only recourse the Ombudsman could have, if it wants to contest the decisions of the Court of Appeals, is for it, the Ombudsman, to sue the appellate court before the Supreme Court!

-ooo BRIBERY OF LAWMAKERS TO PASS BBL? I have been receiving text messages which warn of another wholesale bribery of our senators and congressmen just to compel

K akampi

Mo A ng Batas

Atty. Batas Mauricio (or, perhaps, entice) them to vote in favor of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. I tried to ignore these text messages, but it would seem that it is no longer just me who is receiving them, but many other people as well.

The messages are saying that a top private contractor f rom Mind anao w hos e name is being mentioned in the same messages will be the conduit of the money, a l lege d ly coming f rom Malaysia. This contractor is alleged to be a powerful member of a big Mindanao organization. batas/PAGE 11

When spiritual life weakens

here are many reasons for this. One could be that the spiritual life has not been nourished properly by prayer and sacrifice. So, there’s a fundamental disconnect from the source of spiritual life.

A person in this predicament then develops complacency and lukewarmness, a kind of spiritual anemia, which can still deteriorate into the worse state of unbelief that can attract all sorts of anomalies.

The spiritual growth is stunted and arrested.

It is because of this possible scenario that we are encouraged to pray without ceasing and to be generous in our sacrifices and mortification and penance.

Christ himself told to us clearly: “If anyone has to follow me, he should deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Another cause for the weakening of the spiritual life could be that even while some form of prayer and sacrifice is done, there is no recourse to the sacraments nor the study of doctrine and its application to life. And so there’s a discrepancy between faith and life, intentions and deed, words and action.

A person in this situation often resorts to deception and plays the game of hypocrisy, or at best, he is a dreamer who fails to take up the means to realize his dream. A double life often ensues.

A person in this situation often plays up his natural talents-his intelligence, for example, or his good looks, or his histrionic powers plus the clever use of gimmicks and other devices-to cover up the emptiness of his spiritual life.

He can attract many people, except God and those who

can read what is really inside his heart.

His purely intellectual understanding of things, while considered deep and vast, if not complicated, according to worldly standards, would be cold and sweeping, without the refinement produced by the charity and mercy of God. He is prone to lecturing and scolding people. He can drip in self-righteousness.

Unfortunately, many people have come to me to complain about certain priests who tend to be scolding them during homilies, or who deliver their homilies with clear absence of a soul. This has to be looked into. This is a serious problem.

If not that, then another possibility is that his words would be so crafted to make them attractive in a pompous way. As Shakespeare would

HINTS

and

Traces

Fr. Roy Cimagala put it: “It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” He can manage to charm the naïve and the highly impressionable and excitable people.

In a sense, he is a more dangerous person, since he can mislead a lot of people. He fits the image of the hireling mentioned in the gospel, the antithesis of the good cimagala/PAGE 11

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Ayala’s net income jumps 46% to P18.6 billion in 2014 Ayala Corporation’s net income expanded 46 percent in 2014 to P18.6 billion primarily driven by the solid performance of its real estate, telecom and electronics manufacturing units and boosted by a net gain from the sale of its business process outsourcing asset.

Without the impact of the accelerated depreciation from its telecom unit’s network transformation initiative in the previous year, Ayala’s core net income actually grew 25 percent in 2014. Ayala’s profits have been growing above 20 percent for the past three years.

Ayala’s robust earnings performance was a result of the strong equity earnings contribution from its business units, which reached P24.9 billion, a 42 percent-jump from its level a year ago.

This was bolstered by equity earnings from Ayala Land Inc. which rose 28 percent and the significant improvement in the contributions of Globe Telecom Inc., which more than doubled, and Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc., which expanded threefold. In addition, the P1.8 billion net divestment gain from Stream Global Services Inc. boosted Ayala’s equity earnings during the year.

The strong equity earnings from these business units counterbalanced the relatively flat contribution from the Bank of the Philippine Islands, which registered lower trading income during the year.

“We are very pleased with the performance of our business units as they continue to benefit from the aggressive growth strategy they executed a few years ago. This has, in turn, allowed us to optimize earnings and value at the parent level. We continued to invest in new

areas of growth, particularly in power generation and transport infrastructure. As our business units sustain their growth momentum and the overall business environment continues to be encouraging, we are optimistic we can achieve our net income target of P20 billion this year, a year ahead of the plan,” Ayala President and Chief Operating Officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

Real Estate As the positive momentum in the real estate sector continued, Ayala Land’s net income expanded 26 percent to P14.8 billion year-on-year.

The robust performance of its property development and commercial leasing operations, which rose 21 percent and 18 percent, respectively, fuelled the 18 percent-growth in Ayala Land’s real estate revenues to P93 billion. Residential revenues reached P55.9 bi l l i on, up 2 6 p erc ent from a year ago on new bookings and completion of existing residential projects.

Residential sales takeup remained strong, hitting an all-time high of P102 billion, 11 percent higher year-onyear. Sales from overseas Filipinos likewise improved as it now comprise 24 percent of Ayala Land’s residential bookings, which grew 13 percent to P76.7 billion.

The sale of office spaces in Bonifacio Global City and Cebu likewise fuelled Ayala Land’s real estate revenues in 2014.

The opening of new gross leasable areas, full year operations of new shopping centers and offices combined with higher occupanc y and average rent bolstered the 18 percent growth in Ayala Land’s commercial leasing revenues to P21

The Origins of Schools

By Jolita P. Jay Teacher III Capalaran Elementary School

A school is an entity designed for the teaching of proteges under the direction of professors or instructors. Most countries in the world have systems of formal education. Here in the Philippines, we adopt the basic education (composed of elementary and secondar y) and tertiary. We also have a vocational school system for youngsters who do not want to carr y on with tertiary education.

In homeschooling and online schools, teaching and learning take place outside of a traditional school building.

The concept of grouping people to learn together in a centralized location has existed since Classical antiquity. Formal schools have existed at least since

ancient Greece, ancient R o m e , a n c i e nt In d i a and ancient China. The Byzantine Empire had an established schooling system beginning at the primary level. Islam was a n o t h e r c u l t u r e t h at developed a school system in the modern sense of the word. Emphasis was put on knowledge which required a systematic way of teaching and spreading knowledge and purposebuilt structures. By the 9th century, the madrassa was introduced. In Europe, universities emerged during the 12th century.

Aside from classrooms, laboratory and workshops for industrial arts education, each school has a cafeteria, athletic field, gym, garden, office, library and office labs.

billion. This was further lifted by its growing hotels and resorts portfolio, which jumped 40 percent to P5.6 billion year-on-year. Ayala Land continued to build up its recurring income business, with malls, office, hotels and resor ts and property development and construction, accounting for 38 percent of its net income in 2014.

Its capital spending in 2014 reached a record P83.3 billion, primarily spent in project completion and land acquisitions.

Telecom Globe Telecom posted another record net income, which more than doubled to P13.4 billion year-on-year buoyed by robust revenue growth f rom sustained demand for data connectivity across the mobile, broadband and fixed line businesses and the tapering of depreciation charges from its network transformation initiative. The solid revenue growth, which balanced out the subsidy and operating expenses, drove the 8 percent increase in Globe’s earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to P39.3 billion.

Mobile revenues, which account for 79 percent of consolidated revenues, grew 7 percent to P78.1 billion, propelled by growth in the postpaid and mass market TM brands. Globe’s postpaid re ve nu e s cont inu e d to improve at P29.9 billion, up 11 percent from the previous year. Despite yield pressures on multi-SIM incidence and value-based bucket offers, its prepaid revenues improved 5 percent to P48.2 billion.

Total mobile subscriber base stood at 44 million in 2014, a 14 percent-growth from

its year-ago level.

G l o b e’s b r o a d b a n d business registered a 22 percent growth to P12.7 billion as it continued to launch affordable products and comp et it ive t ablet bundles. Globe’s broadband subscriber base reached 2.8 million in 2014, a 37 percent increase from the previous year. Similarly, Globe’s fixed line re venues rep or ted improvement with data and voice segments reporting a 17 percent and 7 percent increase, respectively.

Globe believes that despite a highly competitive market, it can maintain its revenue momentum and current overall EBITDA margin level​, ​given (1) the inroads the company has built in establishing a track record in the data space; (2) the pipeline of programs and offers, built on the back of the portfolio of partnerships with key content providers; and, (3) the additional capacities Globe has in place coming from continued investments in its data network.

Water Infrastructure Manila Water ended 2014 at a steady pace, registering a one percent growth in consolidated net income to P5.8 billion primarily driven by improved billed volume and higher contribution from new businesses.

Notwithstanding the absence of a tariff adjustment, the East Zone concession posted profits of P5.1 billion on the back of a 4 percent growth in billed volume owing to a modest increase in ser vice connections.

Manila Water sustained its nonrevenue water (NRW) in the East Zone at 11.3 percent.

Manila Water’s operating units outside the East Zone

concession sustained solid growth in billed volume.

Laguna Water registered a 52 percent jump in profits to P164 million following t he a c qu is it i on of t he water reticulation system of Laguna Technopark Inc in January 2014 and new service connections. Boracay Water and Clark Water both posted double-digit growth, expanding 32 percent and 17 percent, respectively.

Manila Water’s Vietnambased associates, Thu Duc Water, Kenh Dong Water and Saigon Water Infrastructure Corporation, contributed a total of P357 million in earnings. Manila Water’s new businesses accounted for 11 percent of its net income in 2014.

Through a subsidiary, Manila Water delivered its first batch of water to the Metro Cebu Water District in January 2015 under the Cebu bulk water project. It provides 18 million liters per day (mld) in the first year and 35 mld of water in the succeeding years to Cebu City.

Results of the arbitration proceedings related to the rate rebasing process in the East Zone are still pending.

A resolution is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2015.

International Integrated MicroE l e c t ron i c s Inc . ( I M I ) recorded solid growth in 2014 with net income soaring nearly threefold to $29.1 million from its year-ago level. Revenue growth was robust, up by 13 percent, to $844.5 million, outpacing t h e g l o b a l e l e c t ron i c s manufacturing ser vices, which posted around 6 percent growth. Strong

demand from the telecom, automotive and storage device markets helped lift IMI’s revenues in 2014.

IMI successfully completed its follow-on offering in December 2014.

It listed 215 million common shares, raising P1.6 billion in proceeds and increasing its public float level to 19 percent.

In bu s i ne ss pro c e ss outs ourcing, L iveIt Investments Ltd. reported significant net income, mainly attributable to the divestment of Stream, which resulted in a P1.8 billion net gain for Ayala.

Banking The strong performance of these businesses balanced out the decline in the net income of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).

BPI reported a net income of P18 billion in 2014, a 4 percent decline from the previous year. This was largely due to a 5 percent decline in non-interest income as a result of a sharp contraction in trading gains compared to the previous year as the bank reduced its reliance on securities trading.

The bank’s core lending business, however, continued to drive growth with net interest income growing 15 percent to P34.8 billion. Net loans expanded 27 percent to P800 billion year-on-year.

Deposits jumped 19 percent from a year ago to P1.2 trillion. The bank registered a current and savings account ratio of 69 percent.

BPI’s operating expenses rose 12 percent attributed to the bank’s investment in infrastructure and technology as it positions itself for future growth. Cost-to-income ratio income/PAGE 11

6

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Community

482-M infra, facility projects to rise in Camiguin

By Jorie C. Valcorza

MAMBAJAO, Camiguin – Staying in focus on upgrading its infrastructure convenience, Camiguin lone district representative Xavier Jesus

Romualdo allocated P482.25 million fund this year, released through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

It is expected to facilitate smooth flow of goods and services, effective farm-tomarket road accessibility, as well as to improve and develop of the island’s tourist destinations.

Thes e proj e c ts a ls o include the construction and replacement of drainage canal, bridges, and river control projects around its circumferential road; improvement of government

buildings; waterworks systems; pedestrian overpass, airport runway and Benoni Port.

Various infrastructure projects like the construction of P64.6 million roads leading to Tuasan Falls and soda water

spring; P50 million drainage system improvement in poblacion Mambajao; P42.9 million rehabilitation of flood/ river control structures and more were likewise completed last year. (JCV/PIA)

voluntary basis, in group or individual games. All three activities had corresponding prizes, all for fun in ‘Adlaw sa Kababayen-an’ (Women’s Day).

In the evening was A Night of Poetry and Music by selected women performers, and film showing, at the city public plaza.

Anita Sescon, officer-incharge, Iligan City Gender and Development Office (GAD), said she has coordinated with all women’s group as to their participation to celebrate and give importance to the events calendared for the Women’s Month in March.

of Women in Iligan City, City Sports Office and the Youth Affairs Office of the City Mayor.

Mayor Celso G. Regencia of Iligan in his message said women of today play various roles from households to the corporate and political world. The mayor challenged each woman to stand for her rights, defend and fight for a fairer and equal society that knows no gender, race and religion. Let the women sector be the precursor of change and proves to become one of the best hopes in the city, and in our country, he said. celebration/PAGE 11

Lanao del Norte remains 3 in 1 sa Adlaw sa Kababayen-an highlights celebration in Iligan Thirdly, Fun Games whose This is a joint undertaking peaceful, safe–AFP, PNP participants could be by of ICGDO, Local Council

By Lorry V. Gabule

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte – In a joint press briefing, officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and provincial government assured the public that Lanao del Norte remains peaceful and secure f rom p ossible t hre ats arising from the rumored suspension of Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The assurance came after several malicious text messages from the ‘spoilers’ b e g a n i n c i r c u l at i o n claiming of an encounter between government and rebel troops in the boundary of the two Lanao provinces, as well as possible diversionary activities to be conducted by rogue armed groups. “ The peace process here in Lanao del Norte is very much alive. The ceasefire is holding, and the maintenance of open-line

communications through peace mechanisms all contributed to the peaceful and stable security situation of Lanao del Norte,” said colonel Guilbert Gapay, brigade commander, 2nd Me c h a n i z e d B r i g a d e , Philippine Army.

For his part, provincial director Madid Paitao, Lanao del Norte Provincial Police Office, assured local residents that “the peace and order situation here in Lanao del Norte remains stable.”

Top officials from both security forces appeal to the public not to immediately react to text messages that only seek to sow chaos and panic particularly in the coastal communities of the province.

To verify information from unknown texters, the public can readily contact AFP hotline numb ers peaceful/PAGE 11

ILIGAN CIT Y — Three activities in a row highlighted the International Women’s Day celebration in Iligan at the city public plaza on March 8.

Dubbed as ‘3 in 1 sa Adlaw sa Kababayen-an’ (3 in 1 on Women’s Day) started with a Fun Walk at 6:30 a.m., from the city high school grounds to the city’s thoroughfare and converged at the city plaza for a program. This was attended by thousands of women, including men, from the city’s 44 barangays, from the local government unit employees, national government line agencies, other civic groups, the academe, ladies from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine Army (AFP-PA), and different women associations, this city.

The Fun Walk which is an inter-barangay, means having fun while walking. For a group to stand out, it could have its own chanting, song,

dance or body movement. The group may project or convey certain relevant messages in placards or through the costumes and accessories that the members are wearing.

The Fun Dance, on the other hand, is any kind or form of dance would do as long as the music and the actions are not demeaning to humans. It could be a group and individual dance.

Dance movements could be spontaneous interpretation of the songs that played most likely the songs entitled “Happy” by Pharell Williams and “Break the Chain” (One Billion Rising-Revolution).

DEVELOPING HOLISTIC STUDENTS – VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ continues his advocacy to develop holistic students as he gave 20 footballs to the Regional Science High School, Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City. These footballs were donated by Children International Philippines, Inc., a non-government organization which aims to invest in the potential of the children, and provide them with the opportunity to grow up healthy, educated and prepared to contribute to the society.

Vice Governor Pelaez believes that someday Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City will be able to produce good players that will represent the Philippines in the international field.

RPMS: In achieving excellent kind of service delivery

By Mary Amor B. Luceño Dampil Elementary School Lagonglong District

In the pursuit to provide high quality service in terms of content, delivery, system and reach, Department of Education implement measures such as Resultsbased Performance Management System.

RPMS was based on Civil Service Commission’s St r ate g i c Pe r for manc e Management System that is implemented to apply uniformity among government agencies.

This system reflects the idea that if there is a clear vision and strategy, so that

people performing the tasks can easily understand the rationale behind a made decision. It aims to provide transparency, in which people are given information of the job they have.

It also helps ensure strategic, responsive, and effective delivery of ser vices of all levels in e du c at i on d e p ar t m e nt s o t h at i n re s u lt , t h e implementation of a learner-centered school, school-based management system and the K to 12

strategies could be effective and productive.

There are four stages under RPMS. These are performance planning and commitment, performance monitoring and coaching, performance review and evaluation, and finally, performance rewarding and planning. Each of this stage targets enhancement on execution of tasks among performing individuals.

The conduct of RPMS in entire DepEd community is another step to continuous progress. It eyes not just improvement on service delivery or on DepEd at large, for it is also a tool of individual improvement.

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LifeStyle Lifestyle

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Karaoke meets Spotify Express yourself!

Sing along with the lyrics of your favorite Spotify songs on GoSURF

Music-loving Filipinos are in for a major treat as Spotify recently unveiled a new feature that allows users to sing-along to their favorite tunes, karaoke-style, using the Spotify app.

The latest app integration is making lyrics a seamless part of the Spotify experience on desktop. Powered by Musixmatch, the world’s largest lyrics catalogue, the ability to sing along to one’s favourite tunes is just a click away.

Customers just need to cue up any song and hit the new Lyrics button, located next to the play bar, to start singing along with the lyrics. They can also search and browse popular lyrics from Spotify brings the karaoke experience to its users with its newest feature, making lyrics a seamless part of the streaming experience. (Image from press.spotify.com)

Teleperformance supports Guinness World Record tree-planting initiative Teleperformance, the world’s leading provider of outsourced customer experience management services, supported the “TreeVolution: Greening MindaNOW,” the multi-sectoral environment preservation initiative, which recently bagged the Guinness World Record for having the most number of trees planted simultaneously in multiple venues in Mindanao.

Through the Citizen of the Planet, the environmental corporate social responsibility arm of Teleperformance, volunteer employees from Teleperformance Davao were deployed in Barangay Marilog, Davao City, one of the locations of the TreeVolution activities held in September 2014.

The tree-planting campaign achieved the new world record for the planting of 2,294,629

trees across Mindanao covering a total land area of over 7,800 hectares in 29 different locations. The initiative was carried out by 122,168 volunteers. The number of trees planted during the TreeVolution has surpassed the previous record of India by 300,000 trees.

Marilyn Ventenilla, regional communications and marketing director of Teleperformance Philippines, expressed, “Teleperformance is honored to have been part of this historic event that will surely benefit the environment for generations to come.” According to a press statement of Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, Chairperson of Mindanao Development Authority, these trees, once fully mature, can supply oxygen to around 16 million people daily or 75

percent of the total Mindanao population.

Teleperformance likewise acknowledges the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and its partner agencies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and various members of the private sector and socio-civic organizations for the successful implementation of the activity.

Teleperformance’s participation in the TreeVolution is part of the company’s environmental rehabilitation and protection program across the Philippines, which also includes the cleaning and greening of the Marikina River and the La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City.

Spotify’s top songs using the Explore feature.

As Spotify’s exclusive telecommunications partner in the Philippines, Globe Telecom is currently offering access to the music streaming service to its customers at affordable rates. With Spotify Premium standalone promo of only P129 for 30 days, users get access to ad-free listening experience, play any song on-demand, listen to the highest audio quality, and download music and listen offline.

“Filipinos are known for their love for music and karaoke the latest sing-along feature on Spotify will surely provide a wonderful music experience that will be inherent to any Pinoy. With the karaoke feature, Globe customers on Spotify will now be able to sing-along to their favourite tunes without going to a karaoke bar and spending more,” Globe Senior Vice President for Consumer Mobile Marketing Issa Cabreira said.

In addition to providing better sing-along experience, Spotify is also rolling out to desktop users its latest updates: • Its new and improved Friend Feed makes it easier than ever to discover what friends and loved ones are listening to. Users simply have to scroll down the sidebar to see what playlists, songs and artists their friends and loved ones are enjoying.

• Spotify is also revamping its charts by introducing daily viral charts, allowing users to use the most shared tracks, as well as local region based play counts. Additionally, all charts now feature indicators to highlight new music and how tracks are performing day by day.

“We’re excited to bring an update to one of our key platforms – one that makes the experience smoother and introduces some great features and integrations” said Dave Price, Director of Product at Spotify. “Following in the footsteps of previous successful app integrations such as Songkick, we’re thrilled to bring desktop listeners such a sought-after feature as lyrics,” he added.

The integration of Musixmatch brings one of the most popular apps into the main Spotify desktop experience, joining partners like Songkick and Topspin. Additionally, Spotify also has collaborated with BBC Playlister, Swarm, Digster, Filtr and others to create richer experiences that complement Spotify and help form new music experiences across its own platforms. The updates will roll out gradually to all desktop users over the coming weeks.

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Feature Feature

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Get exclusive perks from Sun Postpaid in celebration of Zalora’s 3rd anniversary Asia’s leading online shopping destination, Zalora, has just turned three. And to kick-off Zalora’s month-long celebration, Sun Postpaid subscribers will get to enjoy a host of exclusive deals, discounts and treats each time they shop at Zalora’s weekend sales.

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The Regional Inter Agency Committee on Environmental Health (RIACEH) convened today for its first quarter meeting. It expanded its membership this year, to enhance the committee's technical working groups and institutionalize activities that would address health-environmental concerns and collectively start with something small to achieve their overall goal. (PIA 10)

Pag-IBIG opens branch at Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo, Manila Pag-IBIG Fund formally inaugurated its Binondo Branch to serve more members and employers in the city of Manila. Pag-IBIG President and Chief Executive Officer, Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, led the inaugural ceremony at the 3rd floor of the Lucky Chinatown City Place Square, Building B, located at Calle Felipe corner La Chambre Street near Binondo Church. The new Pag-IBIG office covers 297 barangays of Binondo, Tondo, and San Nicolas areas.

“Our Pag-IBIG Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, reminded us to put importance on clients’ time, comfort, and convenience of our 14.8 million-strong members. We have implemented reforms not only on our programs, but on our services and physical appearance of our branches as well. It is important for our members to feel the professionalism and integrity when transacting with us,” Atty. Berberabe said.

The new branch is one of two branches that now feature the new office look of Pag-IBIG Fund, with a more comfortable ambience, tasteful design, lighting and furniture, and a good use of space in a professional office manned by professional staff. “It’s like traveling to another country where the airport is the entry point.

What we see or experience in the first direct contact gives us our first impression of the kind of experience that we can expect while in that country," Atty.

Berberabe added.

The Pag-IBIG Binondo Branch is the first government office to open in Lucky Chinatown Mall, has a membership base of 98,418, and serves around 4,400 employers. Mr. Emmanuel Zosimo G. Orcine heads the 553 square meter office manned by eight other employees.

Services offered by Pag-IBIG Binondo Branch include receiving of membership contribution obligations from employers, individual payors, and self-employed members, as well as members’ savings under the Modified Pag-IBIG 2 Program. Memberborrowers can update their housing loan or short-term loan amortization payments and file their applications for membership, housing, multi-purpose (MPL), and calamity loans (CL). It also releases MPL and CL proceeds through Pag-IBIG Citi Prepaid Card or Land Bank Cash Card, issues member’s identification (MID)/transaction card and members’ statement of accumulated value (MSAV), and facilitates transfer of members’ records and loan details.

To date, Pag-IBIG has 76 branches nationwide, 18 of which are in Metro Manila. It hopes to have 117 branches by the end of this year.

(from left) Pag-IBIG Fund’s Binondo Branch Head Emmanuel Zosimo G. Orcine, President & CEO Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, Deputy CEO Ophelia L. dela Cerna, and Quezon Avenue Branch Head Maelyn P. Alejandro; Philippine Chinese Business Club’s Secretary General Cynthia Go and Vice President Greg Tamlinco; Pag-IBIG Fund’s Manila Branch Manager Melba Flor M. Badilla, and Lucky Chinatown Mall’s Senior Mall Manager Michael Lao.

The cozy and spacious waiting area and frontliners’ desks at the Pag-IBIG Binondo Branch.

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Rejects... from page 1

version and had not schedule for another Bicameral Conference committee. Congress is schedule to go on a traditional Lenten break starting tomorrow [March 19] and be back on May 4.

The House members are strongly pushing for the nopass on scheme in using the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) as it is eyeing to tap the Malampaya funds as subsidy.

“We may approve it but we cannot ratify it at the floor because of the upcoming break,” Umali told reporters.

The Senate said the adoption of the ILP scheme would cost consumers Php 7 to Php 8 per kilowatt-hour under its version of the emergency powers.

On the time frame, the Senate still wants the special powers to be extended until July 2016 while the House only wants it from March to July of this year.

Both chambers want the government to mainly use the ILP in generating additional power capacity during these dry months.

He added that with the nonpassage of the measure, any increases of power rates will be shoulder by the end consumers under EPIRA Law. (PNA)

Aboitiz... from page 1

The agreement involves the construction of the country’s largest private bulk water supply facility to date together with a fully renewable energy powered water treatment plant. APO Agua will supply up to 300 million liters per day (MLD) of potable bulk water from the Tamugan River to DCWD, which will benefit the more than 1 million people of Davao City.

JVACC will be the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the entire project. The company brings with it over 48 years of experience in the construction and development of water-related infrastructure in the Philippines.

“We are excited to be able to provide Davao City with this innovative bulk water supply solution ”, said JV Angeles, JVACC Chairman and President.

For Aboitiz Equity Ventures, this landmark project is part of its thrust to expand into infrastructure development in addition to its core businesses of power, banking, land and food.

“We have long been partners in Davao’s economy through

Davao Light and our other businesses; and through our investment in APO Agua, we will ensure that Davao city has the necessary bulk water infrastructure for it to continue with its impressive economic growth story”, explained Erramon Aboitiz, AEV President and CEO. APO-Agua has a 70-30 ownership structure, with AEV owning 70% of the company, and JVACC the remaining 30%.

Deal... from page 1

remain as service provider to the PSALM-transferred power facilities.

According to PSALM President Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr., the agreement is in accordance with the provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) under Section 47 (j).

Ledesma has explained that under the new OMA, “NPC will operate, maintain and manage PSALM’s remaining power plants and appurtenant assets, other assets and other facilities.”

He stressed that NPC will be “tasked to maximize plant availability and performance, minimize outages and operations and maintenance costs, minimize long-term deterioration of equipment and prepare the assets for sale and transfer.”

Primarily covered in the O&M pact are the Power Barges 101, 102, 103 and 104; as well as the Agus-Pulangui hydropower facilities.

Ledesma further noted that its precursor firm NPC will “provide personnel for supervision and preservation of PSALM’s decommissioned plants and other facilities to prevent the deterioration of serviceable equipment and systems prior to disposal or privatization.”

The agreement will similarly delve with the divestment plan for the remaining decommissioned power assets of the government – including the Sucat thermal power plant in Muntinlupa City and the Bataan thermal power plant in Limay, Bataan.

State-run NPC will similarly continue “to discharge its duties and obligations under existing IPP (independent power producer) contracts,” according to the agreement.

The company is also enjoined to “prosecute and defend cases related to assets covered by the OMA, and undertake titling for PSALM’s real estate assets.”

The OMA is the document that legally binds the transfer of assets and liabilities of NPC to PSALM as prescribed under the power industry reform law.

Cattle... from page 1

Actual crossbreeding between the Hereford and native cattle raised for meat is under way, while the Jersey, a dairy breed, is still being assessed, according to Dr. Antonio R. Obsioma of the University of the Philippines, the research program’s project head.

Mr. Obsioma said the project aims to establish whether the crossbred varieties are suitable for small farms and achieve the targeted output.

Backyard farming remains dominant in the Philippines with about 93% of the nationwide inventory raised in homesteads and only 7% on commercial ranches, based on data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics as of end-June 2014.

For the Hereford crossbreeds, the target is to produce 600 kilograms (kg) of beef per head within a shorter period than other varieties.

Hereford cattle mature in 20 months at a weight of up to 300 kg.

Mature native cattle, on the other hand, weigh between 300 kg to 400 kg.

Mr. Obsioma said the project is preparing to procure Jersey semen samples and studying the cost, which will be subject to the approval of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said Davao is the first among the regions to undertake the 10-year cattle breeding program launched in 2013 with an initial budget of P2.6 million, of which about P1.3 million is sourced from the DA. The Philippines’ total cattle inventory stood at 2.52 million head as of mid-2014, just 1.1% higher year-on-year.

Petron... from page 3

Petron currently operates over 2,200 service stations across the country.

In Malaysia, the company has nearly 550 stations that already carry Petron’s brand. This year, the company completed 10 new service stations in Malaysia and around 20 more sites are in various stages of construction and commissioning.

Shares of Petron closed at P10.48 apiece yesterday, up by 18 centavos or 1.75% from Monday’s finish.

Batas... from page 4

It is also said that each senator voting in favor of the

BBL will receive some P200 million in cash, while each congressmen voting in favor of the proposed law will received some P50 million. The messages usually are capped with the words “Please pass, this is very dangerous. Pray for the Philippines!”

-ooo PLEASE LISTEN: Broadcasts on spirituality and Word of God: Yes Radio 88.3 FM, Barobo City, Surigao del Sur and Yes Radio 93.9 FM, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur, Mondays to Fridays, 8 p.m.; and 92.7 Smile FM, San Francisco, Agusan Del Sur, and Kiss 101.1 FM, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, Mondays to Fridays, 10 p.m.; Win 107.5 FM, Roxas, Isabela, Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.

-30-

Cimagala... from page 4

shepherd who would go to extremes to save a lost sheep.

Another cause of weakening of the spiritual life would be worldly attachments, and the cares and concerns of our earthly life that can dull our natural longing for God. The lust for money, for power and fame, are the usual culprits.

We need to be most careful when signs of these dangers start to appear. We have to nip them in the bud with God’s grace and our all-out effort. That effort, which can go to an extraordinary degree, would be all worthwhile, since the spiritual life is the most fundamental aspect of our life, it being our very link and necessary contact with God, our Father and Creator.

Insofar as God is concerned, we have to convince ourselves that he has given us everything to assure us of our salvation, and therefore to help us in our spiritual life. All we have to do is to rev up our faith and to do the implications and consequences of that faith.

But there is still one aspect of the weakening of the spiritual life that is most intriguing. It is the case of a person who seems to have and to be doing already everything that we could consider to be healthy spiritual life.

He prays, he offers sacrifices, he goes to the sacraments, he is knowledgeable about the doctrine of the faith, he works well and has many virtues, he does some apostolate, etc.

But he knows there is still something missing in him that he has to learn to give, always with God’s grace.

It is because of this that he also knows that while he is already doing a lot, he can still be afflicted with a persistent misery that he seems unable to get rid of. Worse, that he is not yet giving his all. This is the greatest challenge in the spiritual life. roycimagala@gmail.com

Income...

Peaceful...

stood at 53.7 percent in 2014.

Despite the increase in its loan portfolio, the bank maintained strong asset quality and remained well capitalized in 2014 with gross 90-day non-performing loans (NPL) level dropping to 1.5 percent of total loans in the fourth quarter of 2014 from 1.78 percent the previous quarter. BPI’s reserve levels also improved to 109.3 percent of NPLs in the fourth quarter of 2014 from 107 percent the previous quarter. Equity capital stood at P144 billion, resulting in BASEL III capital adequacy ratio of 14.2 percent in 2014.

Balance Sheet and Capital Spending Ayala parent company ended the year with a gross debt of P101 billion and cash of P48.3 billion. Its balance sheet remains comfortable with parent company net debt to equity ratio at 0.24 to 1 and consolidated net debt to equity ratio at 0.85 to 1.

Last year, Ayala raised debt and equity capital for its expected pipeline of new projects. It raised a total of $1.3 billion in proceeds through the issuance of exchangeable bonds, reissuance of preferred shares, loan drawdowns and an equity placement. This healthy balance sheet and cash position allow Ayala to pursue investments as well as cover its dividend and debt obligations comfortably.

At the parent level, Ayala has set aside P21 billion in capital spending in 2015 to fund its growing pipeline of power generation and transport infrastructure projects, among others. The Ayala group has earmarked P185 billion in combined capital expenditures this year mainly to support the massive expansion plans of its real estate and telecom units.

0917-7042-733 and (063) 2228606, or PNP hotline 09176278-361.

For information validation, the Lanao del Norte LGU communication center hotlines can also be contacted through 0915-8133-519 (Globe) or 09393494-827 (Smart).

(VNL/PIO-LDN/PIA-10 LDN)

from page 5

from page 8

Celebration... from page 8

This year’s celebration bears the international theme, “Make it happen.” Locally, the adopted theme in our country, “Juana Desisyun Mo ay Mahalaga sa Kinabukasan ng Bawat Isa, Ikaw Na.” By virtue of Proclamation 227, series 1988, every March is declared as “Women’s Role in History Month.” It is by the same proclamation that the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, now the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), is the designated secretariat for all the activities.

(LVG/PIA-10 LDN)

Strada... from page 12

In addition, the P10,000 reservation payment will be deducted from the suggested retail price.

Further, reservations must be made from February 25 to March 22, 2015, and client should purchase the Strada on or before April 30, in the end of business hours.

Interested customers in Cagayan de Oro and nearby places could visit Mitsubishi Motors showroom of Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation located at Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City.

Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation is the authorized dealer of Mitsubishi Motors.

Republic of the Philippines LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE PROVINCE OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL Cagayan de Oro City

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In Compliance with Section 5 of R.A. No. 10172, a NOTICE is hereby served to the public that MARICHU M. BORBON has filed with this Office a petition for the correction of clerical error in the entry of the child’s SEX from “MALE” to “FEMALE” in the certificate of live birth of MARICHU MARCELINO BORBON who was born on DEC. 22, 1988 in Cagayan de Oro City and whose parents are ARSENIO CRISPO BORBON and MARIA CRISPO MARCELINO.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file written opposition with this Office not later than March 28, 2015.

(Sgd) NORMA S. DIPUTADO City Civil Registrar BWM: March 19 & 26, 2015

Republic of the Philippines AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO Province of Lanao Del Sur MUNICIPALITY OF MASIU

Republic of the Philippines AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO Province of Lanao Del Sur MUNICIPALITY OF MASIU

Republic of the Philippines AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO Province of Lanao Del Sur MARAWI CITY

OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR

OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR

OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR

February 2, 2015 R.A. 10172 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

January 13, 2015 R.A. 9048

11

January 13, 2015 R.A. 9048 AND 10172

In Compliance with the publication requirement OCRG Memorandum circular No. 2013-1 guidelines in the implementation of the administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 noticed is hereby served to the public that CAYOG DIAMALIA ODAL has file with the Office petition correction the Date of birth from 13-03-1951 to December 29, 1951 whose parents are Mother Hadja Diamalia Manobo Labay father’s name Hadji Jamalludin Mulok Odal.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

In Compliance with the publication requirement OCRG Memorandum circular No. 2013-1 guidelines in the implementation of the administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 noticed is hereby served to the public that TINDUGADATO R. LIMGAS has filed with the Office petition correction the first name from HASSAN to ASNAWI whose parents are father, TINDUGADATO R. LIMGAS, Mother, CAYAMONA PAUTIN LIMGAS.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file written opposition with this Office not later than FEBRUARY 6, 2015.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file written opposition with this Office not later than January 12, 2015.

In Compliance with the publication requirement OCRG Memorandum circular No. 2013-1 guidelines in the implementation of the administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 noticed is hereby served to the public that OLOWAN TAWANTAWAN has filed with the Office petition correction of the month and day and the middle name from O. TO SOBAIDA AND 10 SEPT. to 01 AUGUST in the birth certificate at marawi city whose parents are SOBAIDA P. UNDA and OLOWAN O. TAWANTAWAN.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file written opposition with this Office not later than January 12, 2015.

(Sgd) AMRON D. MACABANGKIT Municipal Civil Registrar

(Sgd.) AMRON D. MACABANGKIT Municipal Civil Registrar

BWM: March 12 & 19, 2015

BWM: March 12 & 19, 2015

(Sgd.) SOLAIMAN LALA City Civil Registrar BWM: March 12 & 19, 2015

BusinessWeek MINDANAO THE BUSINESSMEN’S NEWSPAPER 2013 PPI’S BEST IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REPORTING

THUSDAY | MARCH 19, 2015

DISTRICT 3870 DISCON MAY 7-9, 2015 @ PRYCE PLAZA HOTEL

editor: SHAUN ALEJANDRAE YAP UY

PAGE 12

The All-new Mitsubishi Strada on display at the Centrio Ayala Mall. Photo by IRENE DAYO

Mitsubishi launches All-new Strada in CdeO Customers enjoy P55,000 Pre-Order Saving Exclusive

by IRENE JOY B. DAYO Staff writer The Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation finally launched the latest pick-up truck model of Mitsubishi Motors last March 16, 2015 at Centrio Mall Activity Center. The all-new 5th Generation Mitsubishi Strada offers great new features for its loyal clients.

Customers could enjoy the comfort of a passenger car and pick up-in-one, since the allnew Strada also has reliability of a pick up to complement their other needs. It also contains a sport utility concept that makes it new to customers taste.

In an interview with Mr. Masaaki Yamada, Assistant Vice President of Marketing Division for Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, he revealed that Strada is ways better than the previous models. One is that they put more focus on the compatibility, which means that it is convenient inside.

“It is much more comfortable than the previous models because of some development of the body such as the J-line,” he said.

J-line is the keypoint for a vehicle’s comfort, space and maneuverability. It is an engineering design to shorten the wheelbase, giving more space in the interior part. The maximized interior space would allow class-leading legroom for truer comfort.

Moreover, the shortened wheelbase would also result to class-leading minimum turning radius of 5.9 meters making the Strada easy to maneuver and drive.

(from left) BWM Publisher Dante Sudaria, Assistant Vice President of Marketing Division for Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Masaaki Yamada, and Senior Staff Vehicle Sales John Michael Ignacio pose with the All-new Mitsubishi Strada on display at the Centrio Ayala Mall, March 16.

Photo Courtesy of JUVY SARRAGA

“In this kind of development, we can achieve big prominence and much better compatibility compare to the previous models,” he added.

Aside from these, the all-new Strada also has distinguished features such as its minimalized aerodynamics that contribute to its stability and low fuel consumption; reliability and toughness; and cab structures which perform even under harshest conditions.

P55,000 Pre-Order Saving Exclusive Prior to its launching, Mitsubishi Motors

announced their promo of Pre-Order Savings Exclusive Reservation for all-new Mitsubishi Strada.

This is when the customer make a reservation payment of P10,000 and register in the promo site, he would be entitled to a P55,000 Pre-Order Saving Exclusive that allows him a reserved unit and ensures priority in delivery of his preferred color and variant once available.

STRADA | Page 11