BusinessWeek Mindanao (March 21, 2018)

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Volume VIII, No. 126

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Davao port modernization X X pushes through under PPP Briefly D www.businessweekmindanao.com

Wednesday|March 21, 2018

Market Indicators

As of 6:00 pm March 20, 2018 (tuesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P52.080

8,059.60

2

cents

175.94 points

Corn sourcing

ABOITIZ Equity Ventures, Inc.’s (AEV) food and agribusiness subsidiary Pilmico Foods Corp. signed a memorandum of agreement with a Bukidnonbased farmer’s cooperative for an inclusive corn sourcing project.

In a statement released on Monday, Pilmico will be sourcing a part of its corn requirements for its animal feeds business from the Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers Cooperative (MARBFC).

Pilmico chose MARBFC as its first inclusive supplier through the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Corn Program Team and the local government units of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.

Pilmico Chief Operating Officer Tristan S. Aboitiz in the same statement said that the company will Continue to collaborate with LGUs and communities in the future.

Science study center MISAMIS Oriental -- A P50million science study center will rise in barangay Molugan, El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental within the year.

Misamis Oriental Governor Bambi Emano announced this on March 19 during the flag raising ceremony at the Capitol grounds.

Governor Emano said this science study center, called Planetarium, a Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) project, would be a good venue for children to enjoy while studying the planets and the constellations using a huge telescope.

cmyk

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV , MindaNews

A VA O C i t y - The proposed modernization of the decades-old Sasa Port in Davao City, the country’s third busiest and Mindanao’s major port, will push through under a publicprivate partnership, National E c on om i c D e vel opm ent Authority (NEDA) 11 director Maria Lourdes D. Lim said on Tuesday.

In an interview during the launch of the Davao Region Public-Private Partnership Knowledge Corner, Lim told reporters the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is working on the draft terms of reference for submission to and approval by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) by the second quarter.

Once approved, the project worth closely P6 billion will be placed for bidding, Lim port/PAGE 11

RUINS OF MARAWI. Soldiers survey the ruins of Marawi City. Islamic State-inspired militants staged a siege in the city on May 23 last year that lasted five months. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

Banana firm opens lab to help fight diseases

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

CARMEN, Davao del Norte — A modern laboratory,

o p e r a t e d b y Ta g u m Agricultural Development

Company, Inc. (TADECO), has been formally opened to help the banana industry lab/PAGE 11

DTI releases latest SRPs of basic, prime commodities DRIED FISH. A child helps his parents’ livelihood of selling dried fish in Barangay Luyong Bonbon, Opol, Misamis Oriental. photo by gerry lee gorit

THE Department of Trade and Industr y (DTI) has released suggested retail prices (SRPs) of basic and

prime commodities as of March 15.

Compared to their SRPs in the same month last year,

prices are generally stable in products such as bread, coffee, bottled water, and releases/PAGE 11

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2

Economy Davao City to launch virtual DTI-10 launches anew ‘bagsakan’ for agri products Bukidnon coffee brands

M

ALAYBALAY City -- To keep up with the rising market standards for quality coffee beverages, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bukidnon in partnership with provincial government, recently launched eleven new coffee brands, including the province’s coffee trademark “Bukidnon Bean.”

These new locallyproduced premium coffee products with superb packaging and label designs hope to bring out globally competitive coffee

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varieties for coffee-lovers, not only in Bukidnon, but in neighboring countryside and export markets as well.

These brands are Agila Filipino Robusta & Excelsa Blend; Café Rico RobustaArabica Blend; Con Amor Medium Roasted Arabica; Highland Robusta; Kitanglad Brew; Miarayon Mountain Meadow Coffee; Noble Bean Arabica Coffee; Peace Highland Arabica Coffee; Señor Rogelio Robusta-Excelsa Blend; Seven Tribes Coffee Bean; and Twin Creeks Arabica Mountain Coffee Roast.

Owned by Bukidnon

coffee farmer-processors from the hinterlands, these newly-launched fine coffee products complement Bukidnon’s cool weather, making the province known for its rich coffee industry.

Coffee shop operators, coffee traders, farmerprocessors, partner government agencies, nongovernment organizations, and other key stakeholders joined in the launching to help promote these rare fine coffee tastes.

In his message during the launching rites, Ermedio J. Abang, DTIBukidnon provincial

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director said this venture is under DTI’s special program called the “Brand Equity Development Program (BrEDP).”

“This BrEDP has three components namely Brand Appreciation Training Workshop, Product Development, and Market Promotions, which are implemented chronologically to build up and establish a whole new coffee brand that is global in nature and at par with other globally competitive coffee brands”, he said.

Abang also explained that aside from Bukidnon’s globally famous ‘Monks Blend’ and ‘Hineleban Coffee’—having been regarded as the country’s finest brewed coffee being ranked by renowned green bean coffee trader ‘Level Ground Canada’—the unique aroma of new eleven coffee brands also fortify the country’s coffee industry.

Invited guests to attend the event were Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Gov. Jose Maria R. Zubiri, Representatives of Bukidnon’s four districts, local chief executives, DTI Assistant Secretary Blesila Lantayona along with DTICordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Director Myrna Pablo and DTI-10 Regional Director Linda O. Boniao.

(Laurence D. Pradia, DTIBukidnon/RLRB, PIA10Bukidnon)

DAVAO City – The Davao City government will launch the virtual “bagsakan” of agricultural products where farmers and buyers can link to get supplies. Connection to the internet would not even be a problem.

Farmers and buyers can link through the city agricultural technicians who have wireless (Wifi) network connection. The agricultural technicians will facilitate the marketing aspect for the farmers who are not connected to the internet.

The city’s organic market at the Rizal Park, which opens every Thursday and Friday, will be the “eyeball” area or meeting place of the buyers and farmers, said Leo Brian Leuterio, the officer-in-charge of the City Agriculturist Office (CAO).

Leuterio said the virtual bagsakan will be opened through a Facebook account starting this week.

It is there where businessmen can order food and agricultural supplies from the farmers.

Buyers can go to the virtual bagsakan on Facebook and search for their supply of vegetables and fruits.

The city’s agricultural technicians can regularly check the site and link with the farmers. Farmers who have internet connection can deal directly with the buyers.

He said the city agricultural technicians can take photos of the available products, post them on the virtual bagsakan site.

Leuterio said his office has already linked with potential buyers like restaurant owners about the virtual bagsakan.

“We need ways to help the farmers market their products,” he said.

The products can even be cheaper from the market price because there will be no middlemen who will be involved.

The virtual bagsakan is one of the ways to help farmers.

For several years now, the CAO already set up the organic market at Rizal Park where the farmers can sell their products.

The organic market is open every Thursday and Friday.

So far, the organic market drew people looking for cheaper vegetables, fruits, herbs, plants, root crops, among others. (Lilian C. Mellejor/ PNA)

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3

Banking&Finance

Businesses to benefit from 2nd tax reform package: NEDA

B

USINESSES stand to benefit from reduced corporate income tax rates (CIT) even with the rationalization of fiscal incentives under the second proposed package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), a socioeconomic planning official said.

Dr. Rosemarie Edillon, Undersecretary for Planning and Policy at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said the second package of tax reforms seeks to remove only redundant incentives.

“Actually, we have done the math there that on the net, they (companies) still stand to gain.

TRAIN 2 to scrap P11.2-B energy sector’s tax perks

By MYRNA M. VELASCO, Contributor

ROUGHLY P11.2 billion worth of tax and import duty incentives for investments in the energy sector will be scrapped under the propounded package 2 of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law of the Duterte administration.

In a presentation to industry stakeholders that will be affected by the tax package, the Department of Finance (DOF) noted that this is part of the concerted effort of the government to

rationalize tax incentives being granted to various businesses.

For the energy sector alone, about 14 laws will be affected by the TRAIN-2 package, chiefly impacting on policies and edicts that have been governing businesses and investment flows in the oil and power sectors.

At this stage, it was indicated that the major laws to be affected will be the franchise of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) scrap/PAGE 11

Their tax rates will be lowered but we will be also looking at the incentive side that will have to be rationalized,” she said in an interview.

Edillon believes that firms are awaiting developments on the second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) which impacts on the corporate sector.

The TRAIN, the first package of the CTRP signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte last December, reduced personal income taxes and adjusted excise taxes on fuel and automobiles.

The NEDA official further said that prospective investors likewise want to be aware about the country’s policy regime

before “they can make their decisions correspondingly.”

“I think they are really (also) interested in the Build, Build, Build infrastructure (program).

There is a first-mover advantage that if you know this country is gonna take off in a big, big way, say after four or five years, you prefer more to start now,” added Edillon. (PNA)

BSP warns vs cryptocurrency use THE CENTRAL BANK is not endorsing cryptocurrencies as mediums of exchange or investment vehicles despite their growing popularity amid continued concerns over the technology.

“To be clear, we do not endorse privately issued cryptocurrency as a medium of exchange.

Moreover, given their highly speculative and volatile nature, we do not endorse them as investment vehicles either,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. said in his keynote speech at the Cryptocurrency: The

Truth & The Myth forum in Makati City yesterday.

Mr. Espenilla also reiterated the central bank’s stance that cryptocurrencies are not legal tender.

“It is important to note that privately-issued cryptocurrency is not legal tender. Unlike fiat money, such cryptocurrencies are not backed or guaranteed by any central monetary authority,” Mr. Espenilla said, adding that the BSP has the sole power to issue money within the country.

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Etherium and Ripple are virtual currencies that are not

regulated by any state or central bank. They rely on cryptography to secure and verify transactions and control the creation of more units.

Cryptocurrencies can also be used to pay for goods through Internet, and can be treated as an investment given their fluctuating valuations.

“Until such time that such cryptocurrencies are able to fully demonstrate stability, the prospect that they will replace fiat currencies appears to be far off,” Mr. Espenilla said. “They’re simply too volatile.”

After Bitcoin’s ascent

to almost $20,000 per unit in December, it plunged below the $10,000 mark a month later following concerns of increased regulation in South Korea and China. Currently, Bitcoin sits at the $9,000-per-unit level.

On the other hand, cryptocurrencies’ attractiveness to be used in illegal activities such as money laundering and terrorist financing is another “serious concern,” the central bank chief said.

“This attractiveness stems from the anonymous and encrypted identities of transactors in private warns/PAGE 11

4

Opinion

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Poverty and crime

have my say Businessweek Mindanao Corporation Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO

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Vice President for Corporate Affairs

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VicePresidentforEventsandPromotions

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What you see is what you get think a minute

jhan tiafau hurst Think a minute…You’ve heard the expression ”What you see is what you get.” Psychologists tell us that nothing controls our lives more than our self-image.

We live like the person we see in the mirror. We are what we think we are. If you don’t think you’ll be successful, you won’t.

You can’t be it if you can’t see it. Your life is limited to your vision. So if you want to change your life, you must change your vision of your life.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was not that famous in 1976 when he met with a newspaper reporter. The reporter asked Schwarzenegger: “Now that you’ve retired from bodybuilding, what do you plan to do next?

Schwarzenegger answered very calmly and confidently: “I’m going to be the #1 movie star in Hollywood.” The reporter was shocked and amused at Schwarzenegger’s plan. At

that time, it was very hard to imagine how this muscle-bound bodybuilder, who was not a professional actor and who spoke poor English with an Austrian accent, could ever hope to be Hollywood’s #1 movie star!

When the reporter asked Schwarzenegger how he planned to make his dream come true, Schwarzenneger replied: “I’ll do it the same way I became the #1 bodybuilder in the world. First I create a vision of who I want to be, then I start living like that person as if it were already true.” Sounds almost childishly simple, doesn’t it? But it worked!

Schwarzenegger DID become the #1 highest paid movie star in Hollywood! Remember: “If you can see it, you can be it.”

A successful businessman I know wears a shirt with these words on it: “Don’t pursue your dreams. Chase ‘em down and tackle ‘em!” You only get one life to live, so why not live the best life possible? And doesn’t it make sense that the One Who invented it is the One Who knows the best way to live it? So ask Jesus Christ to forgive you for living your own way, and to take charge of your life every day. He’ll help you start seeing and being the success He created you to be—so you can be fully satisfied with what you see and get in life.

Just Think a Minute…

klaus doring Over and over again, it is seen that burglary, robbery and serious assaults occur most frequently in the area where shanties are and the family income is so low that it cannot suffice the needs of the family. The houses are extremely overcrowded with few facilities. Unemployment is very common. People in

this area have little or no formal education at all, and so mostly are unskilled.

Families are broken up.

The mother has to go out to work and leaves the children behind. With this kind of life, what will happen to the future of this growing children, who are mostly out of school? It is not surprising that they are often the victims of circumstances. They begin to commit relatively minor offenses such as small scale thefts and illegal gambling.

Later on, because of poverty and deprivation, they learn to commit violent crimes.

Look around in your surroundings ...

Cr ime is a complex problem. It can be classified in various ways. There are crimes against people like

rape, kidnapping, murder and assault; also crimes against property include theft, arson, forge r y, e mb e z z l e me nt and vandalism; and the crimes against public order or morality include drunkenenness, gambling and prostitution.

Crime has been a rather serious problem the fact that violent crimes have become much more common these years then in the past. Despite repeated crackdown by lawenforcement authorities, the situation many times has not shown any improvement at all. What is even worse is that studies have found out that the crime rate tends to rise faster when quick changes occur in the society.

Also, crime is related to social values.

Pe ople were more obsessed with the status, wealth and pleasure. This change in value must have been an important factor in the mounting wave of crime.

It is necessary to emphasize especially in education the moral values and the traditional virtues of being a good citizen. And most of all, if the unployment problem of a country can be solved or minimize in future, we all might hope that the crime rate will go down. +++ Email: dor ingklau s@ gmail.com or follow me in Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com .

If impeachment pushes thru, it means Sereno’s being CJ is valid Kakampi mo ang batas

Batas Mauricio LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity…” (Joel 2:13, the Holy Bible).

-ooo IF SERENO’S IMPEACHMENT REACHES THE SENATE, IT WOULD BE AN ADMISSION THAT HER APPOINTMENT AS CJ IS VALID: There is an important and interesting issue that is going to crop up if the entire House of

Representatives will finally vote to approve the articles of impeachment that its Justice Committee has already come up with against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno.

This issue goes like this: if the House plenary will give its approval to the articles of impeachment and send it to Senate for the required impeachment trial before senators, this will be a clear admission by the government that the appointment of Sereno as chief justice was, after all, legitimately and legally made.

This is because the 1987 Constitution says that only those who have been legally installed r are subject to i mp e a ch me nt . B e c aus e Sereno’s impeachment will already be forwarded to the Senate, that would be a recognition that she is an impeachable official, so that her appointment had no defect in the first place. Under this eventuality, the quo warranto case that Solicitor General Jose Calida

filed against her with the Supreme Court---on the claim that Sereno was not legally appointed---will lose any factual or legal basis.

-ooo SERENO CRITICS AND FOES MUST DO SOME SERIOUS THINKING AT THIS POINT: As I see it, this matter has to be thoroughly studied first by Sereno’s foes. For various scenarios come to mind once her case reaches the Senate. If the quo warranto case becomes useless precisely because the commencement of the impeachment trial by our senators would constitute an admission of the validity of her appointment, Sereno’s critics and foes will have nothing but the impeachment trial as their last card against her.

The problem with impeachment, however, is that, the required number of votes from S enatorJudges may not reach the Constitutional quota to firm up the ouster by impeachment

of the chief justice. If the Senate vote fails to meet the Constitutional requirement, she will not be impeached and, consequently, she will remain this country’s chief magistrate for the next 20 years or so.

And because the quo warranto case against her shall have lost its sting, no other remedy would be left for those who want her out.

The sum total of all these is that, Sereno will definitely be proclaimed the winner in the current war to kick her out of power, despite the Duterte’s government’s use of all its resources and influence against the first woman chief justice of the Supreme Court. In short, President Duterte faces the greatest embarrassment not only of his political career, but of his entire life.

-ooo SCENARIOS IN THE SERENO IMPEACHMENT: What, then, should be done by those who dream of a valid/PAGE 10

The great, simple man hints and traces

roy cimagala I’m referring to St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Christ. His greatness lies in his simplicity and in the simple role he carried out with so much diligence in the life of the Holy Family and of the whole world.

He is worth emulating, worth giving more and better attention than a cursory, casual one. His condition is very much identifiable with that of the majority of the

people all over the world.

Like him, many of us do very ordinary simple duties, with hardly any public or social consequence. But the possibility of being great, like St. Joseph, is always there.

The secret is simply being faithful in obeying God’s will, however it turns in the drama of our life. St. Joseph, for example, just made himself completely available to God’s plan. He readily accepted to be Mary’s husband even if at first he already planned of separating from her. He readily fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s madness when he was warned about it in a dream.

To be sure, his total availability to God’s plans was not something mechanical or passive. Knowing that he had to be father and husband to the two most important persons in human history, he must have continually renewed his eagerness to be

faithful, obedient and docile to God’s ways.

It must not have been easy for him, given the human condition to which he was also subjected. He must have to contend also with all kinds of human frailties, like the tendency to take things for granted, to lapse into routine and boredom, if not to betray and to be unfaithful to his vocation.

Let’s remember that even in those apostles who were already very close to Christ, one betrayed him and another denied him three times. It’s a common phenomenon in the spiritual life that the bigger the role one plays in God’s providence and the more willing to be faithful one is to his vocation, the graver also would be the temptations and the trials that will hound him.

In all these possibilities, St. Joseph passed with flying

colors. We can guess that his secret was precisely his simplicity and humility that enabled him to be faithful, to sustain his love for God and his spiritual life, even in the humdrum of the ordinary life that he led. He conquered monotony with those qualities.

It must have been these qualities that enabled him to see the sacredness of what may appear to be ordinary duties according to human standards. By being faithful to them and putting love into them, he managed to touch he aven w hi le here on earth. The many ordinary little things he did somehow acquired eternal and redemptive value.

Of course, it must have helped him a lot to be keenly aware of whom he was taking care of. Proximity helps. But that should not be an excuse great/PAGE 11

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5

CorporateWorld RESORTS, HOTEL & RESTAURANTS DIRECTORIES

A PUBLIC SERVICE BY:

Eighteen-year-old Chantalle Brilleta joins her classmates in graduating from Xavier University Senior High School STEM strand last Tuesday. Brilleta achieved third honors. photo by mark francisco

Jollibee opens first store in Europe

A

FTER 11 months of waiting since its announcement to conquer Europe, Jollibee, home of the famous Chickenjoy, has finally buzzed its way to Milan, Italy March 18.

According to Dennis M. Flores, Jollibee’s head of International Operations, the strategy is to introduce the brand as an “alternative Western-inspired quickservice restaurant with superior-tasting, value-formoney products,” and to highlight the Chickenjoy and Yumburger (next time, Jollibee Spaghetti).

Jollibee Milan opened at 8 a.m. and patrons stood in the queue for hours waiting outside the store to taste what Jollibee can offer.

“I’m very happy of course. As a Jollibee fan since a child, parang feeling ko nasa Pilipinas ako ulit (it feels like I’m

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in the Philippines again),” said customer Gerald Bryan.

According to data from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Italy is home to the seventh biggest population of expatriate Filipino workers, with close to 272,000 people working there in 2013.

The Filipino fast food chain in Milan has an allFilipino crew. According to Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello, he hoped Jollibee would expand to other parts of Europe, bringing more job opportunities to Filipinos.

“It is a symbol of Filipino ingenuity.

Talagang kayang-kaya

nating iharap ang galing natin sa entrepreneurship (It is a symbol of Filipino ingenuity, that we can really hold our own when it comes to entrepreneurship),” Bello added.

The Jollibee Milan is at Piazza Diaz on the corner of Flavio Baracchini and Maurizia Gonzaga Streets.

“We achieved good numbers in 2017 on the back of our intensified campaign to increase our collections. We are pleased that the efforts of the SSS management and employees paid off,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Dooc said in a statement.

Contribution collection, which comprised the bulk of the pension fund’s revenue for 2017 was at P159.72 billion, up 10.6 percent

or P15.36 billion from the 2016 figure of P144.36 billion.

The remaining P40.78 billion in total revenues came from investments and other income, which soared 35.5 percent from P30.10 billion in 2016.

Similarly, the expenditures of the pension fund for the same period, which included benefit payments and operating expenses, jumped 26.5 percent to P180.2 billion from P142.46 billion in 2016.

Of the total expenditures, P170.68 billion were released for benefit payments, which climbed 28.4 percent from P132.98 billion in 2016.

SSS also grants maternity, sickness, disability, retirement and death benefits to qualified active members under the regular Social Security Program.

Dooc said that in 2017, SSS gave higher benefits to pensioners. The agency has disbursed some P33.5 SSS/PAGE 10

FastCat operator to add 3 ferries SHIPPING COMPANY Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corp. (APFC) is adding three new FastCat ferries to its fleet, after securing a P1.1billion loan from Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC).

In a statement, APFC said the three new vessels

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SSS surpasses 2017 target revenue THE state-run private pension fund Social Security System (SSS) surpassed its 2017 target revenue, with P200.5 billion in total earnings from members’ contributions, investments, and other income last year.

The agency’s unaudited financial performance showed its total revenues for the period January to December 2017 increased

by P26.04 billion from P174.46 billion in 2016 or 5.6 percent higher than the P189.79-billion target.

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are improved versions of its existing 10 ferries, and will be operational by the first quarter of 2019.

“We are fortunate that RCBC saw our vision, the need to modernize the shipping industry, to connect the Philippines through ‘moving bridges,’ and to ensure safer, more

comfortable, and reliable means of sea transport,” APFC Chief Executive Officer Christopher S. Pastrana was quoted as saying in the statement.

APFC, which operates catamaran roll-on, roll-off vessels, is targeting to have 30 FastCats by 2020.

Ahead of the busy

summer season, APFC said its fleet will have 12 vessels this month, serving the Jagna (Bohol)Balbagon (Camiguin)Opol (Cagayan de Oro) routes.

The company is also set to operate the Bulalacao (Mindoro)fastcat/PAGE 11

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Pryce Plaza Hotel 8583131 Fax: 726687 Prawn House (088) 3095992 Fax: 8519219 Ridge View Chalet 8588946 / 8587946 Fax: 8588946 Seda Centrio Hotel 3238888 / 0917-577-5910 Southwinds Hotel 724803 / 8562036 Fax: 8562036 Stargate Dream Vacation Resort 8515003 / 8509999 The VIP Hotel 726080 / 8562505 Fax: 726441 RED PLANET 8800888/8801306 Travelers Pod 8518988 Uptown Condotel 8511800 Villa Paraiso Apartelle 3870419 Fax: 3870429 HONORARY MEMBERS:

Dept. of Tourism 723696/726394 / 8564048 Fax: 723696

RESTAURANTS:

Bigby’s Café 72-1071/857-5511/8575836 Fax: 711843 Café Laguna 8582999 Fax: 8567001 DM Villaruy Restaurant 733790

Golden Ajirang I 856-5271 Fax: 727876 Grand Caprice Restaurant 72-6955/856-2302 Fax: 72-4986

Hotel Conchita 8563856 / 727355 Fax: 8563857

Kagay-anon Restaurant 728958 / 8563688 Fax: 8563843 / 729003

Hotel Koresco 8589749-50 Fax: 8589748

La Ilongga Restaurant 72-6183 / 857-3652 Fax: 72-4605

Hotel Sogo 8520383

Kingston Lodge 8585696 Fax: 8585696

Missy Bon Bon 8566852 / 09228606442 Fax: 8566852

Mapawa Natures Park 8584402 Fax: 725265 Mallberry Suites 8541999 / 7249999 Fax: 8544999 Maxandrea Hotel 8572244/729943 Fax: 724090 Miami Inn 8581901 to 02 Fax: 725279/728486 N Hotel (088) 8801924 Paras Beach Resort 8568563 Fax: 8568563 Philtown Hotel 726295 / 8564402 Fax: 723104

SLERS Ham & Café 8551438 Thai Me Up 738424/3108424 Fax: 738424 Barkadahan Grill 8551234 La Tegola Cucina Italiana 8585959 limketkai luxe hotel 8800000 Dear manok 8564914 / 8573413 LIMKETKAI LUXE HOTEL Landline: (088) 880-0000, Mobile: 0917-312-4563 Email: info@limketkailuxe.com

6

Environment

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Wednesday|March 21, 2018

PH gets mercury DENR cites agency’s growing monitoring tool number of women execs

By Catherine Teves

MANILA -- The Philippines received from Taiwan equipment aimed to enhance the monitoring of mercury, which the World Health Organization (WHO) identified as among the chemicals of major public health concern.

The Taiwan government donated the equipment called mercury sampler, so the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) could better monitor and gather data on mercury levels in the country.

"We'll issue the corresponding policy directives if monitoring shows a significant rise in mercury levels," said DENR's air quality executive, Jerry Capulong.

Capulong noted such directives would help strengthen the implementation of environmental regulations like the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.

Scientists said mercury is found in air, water, and soil, has various industrial applications, and is present in fertilizers and

pesticides.

According to WHO, however, mercury can adversely affect the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes.

"Human exposure occurs mainly through inhalation of elemental mercury vapors during industrial processes and through consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish," said WHO. WHO noted mercury's various forms - elemental or metallic, inorganic and organic - have different toxic effects.

On Tuesday (March 6), Taiwan's Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) turned over to the DENR a mercury sampler unit.

"May this undertaking strengthen efforts to help enhance global mercury monitoring," DENR Environmental Management Bureau Assistant Director Vizminda Osorio said at the turn-over ceremony in Metro Manila.

She said such monitoring's results could be used in scientific tool/PAGE 10

W

ith the country celebrating March as Women’s Month, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported a growing number of women holding management positions in the agency.

“In the present time, I am happy to say that we have much to celebrate as we have continuously empowered women within the department,” Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Service Corazon

Davis said in a recent event to kick off Women’s Month held at the DENR central office in Quezon City.

Davis, who co-chairs the DENR Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System, noted that from only five percent females in third level positions in 1987, the DENR officials are now 26 percent women under the term of Secretary Roy A. Cimatu.

She said that the undersecretary posts, which were previously male-dominated, are now

occupied by two females.

The DENR now has five assistant secretaries, from only two in 1987, she said.

Davis also cited the increase in the number of management positions occupied by women: service directors, from three to 13; regional directors, from one to 12; assistant regional directors, from one to seven; and provincial environment and natural resources officers, from two to nine.

Despite this development, Davis said more needs to be done to

close the gender gap at the DENR workplace.

“This is not to say that there are no gaps, in fact, we must strive to increase the number of women who are involved in the decision-making process of this institution,” Davis pointed out.

In 2017, the DENR conducted a Gender Mainstreaming Monitoring System Workshop for GAD focal persons from its central office, regional offices and bureaus.

The activity sought to address the concerns of denr/PAGE 10

Diocese urges LGUs to protect Coron from environmental degradation

By Ferdinand Patinio

MANILA -- The Social Action Center of Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay, Palawan urged the local government to strengthen its laws to protect the island of Coron from environmental degradation.

Father Ed Pariño, Social Action Director of the diocese said that the local officials of Coron and other areas in Palawan should be very cautious on what is happening in Boracay.

With this, he said that as early as possible the people, not only in Palawan but in other areas of the country, should start protecting the environment and help preserve the nation’s beautiful islands, by not throwing garbage and polluting seas.

“Ang nakikita ko dito sa Sangguniang Bayan kasi dapat magpasa sila ng ordinansa, kasi talagang dapat silang maalarma kasi yung Boracay ay ano na [dumumi na]. Dito sa Coron sa totoo lang wala pa kong naririnig, hindi siya talaga ganoon ka ano [aktibo] pagdating sa environmental awareness (What I see here, the Sangguniang Bayan (municipal legislative council) should actually pass an ordinance, they should actually be alarmed with what happned to Boracay as it's getting dirty. Here in Coron, I didn't hear they were so active in terms of environmental awareness)," he said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

With this, the Catholic priest encouraged the public to start promoting proper waste segregation and disposal.

He also called on the local government to pass an ordinance that would imposed proper waste segregation and recycling in municipalities.

“Kaya yung homily ko ang sabi ko ay dahan-dahan, patience yung kinakailangan at sacrifice talaga yung segregation na dapat talaga ay comprehensive. Kung ginagawa sa mga household, dapat ay mayroong kaakibat itong ordinansa sa munisipyo na kung saan yung collection ng waste ay magkakahiwalay yung nabubulok sa hindi nabubulok at sa recyclable (That's why in my homily, I said patience and sacrifice, segregation should really be comprehensive. If this is being done at home, it should have an accompanying ordinance that provides that biodegradable and degradable wastes should be segragated from recyclable materials),” he added.

Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte directed several government agencies, particularly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to clean or rehabilitate the island of Boracay, due to the presence of coliform in the water reportedly caused by the non-proper waste disposal among resorts in the island.

Based on the report of Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR in Western Visayas, the rate of coliform bacteria from one of the drainage outlets directly released to the Bulabog Beach in Boracay 47,460 most probable number (mpn) per 100 milliliter (ml), which is way far from the safe rate at 1,000 mpn per 100ml, the allowable rate for people to swim in the water. (PNA)

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7

Sports

PH cyclist Marcelo enters Top 10 in Le Tour de Langkawi

M

ANIL A -Marcelo Felipe of 7-E le ven C liqq Roadbike Philippines showed off his mountain-climbing skill on Monday to break into the Top 10 in the Individual G eneral Classific ation of the ongoing L e Tour de L angkawi in Malaysia.

Felipe ruled Stage 2's first King of the Mountain (Categor y 3) and was No. 2 in the second KOM (Categor y 1) to improve from 96th place to No. 8 in the 23rd edition of the International Cycling Union-sanctioned event organized by Ciclista Sports, in cooperation with the Malaysian Ministr y of Youth and Sports.

The rider from Nueva Ecija also ranked fourth in the B est Asian Rider categor y behind S eo Joon-yong of S outh Korea, Yevgeniy Gidich of Kazakhstan, and Mohd Azwan Nik Zulkif lie after the 208-kilometer GerikKota Bharu second stage.

Italian Riccardo Minali won Stage 2 while his compatriots, Matteo Malucelli and Paolo Simion, finished second and third,

respectively.

Minali leads the Individual General Classification followed

by Korean S eo Joonyong, Malucelli, Eritrea's Mekseb Debesay, Simion, Gidich and Zulkif lie.

S eo is the leader in the B est Asian Rider General Classification followed by Gidich, Zulkif lie, Marcelo, China's Niu Yikui, Indonesia's Muhammad Abdurrohman, China's Liu Jianpeng, Malaysia's Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin, and Thailand's Phuchong Saiudomsin and Sarawut Sirionnachai.

The top five teams in the General Classification are Androni GiocattoliSidermec (Italy), Astana Pro Team (Kazakhstan), B ennelong Swiss Wellness Cycling Team (Australia), Team Dimension Data (S outh Africa) and Terengganu Cycling Team (Malaysia).

The 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines is at No. 12.

Stage 3, which is a 166-kilometer f lat ride from Kota Bharu to Kota Terengganu, will feature three international sprints.

(PNA)

Laoag to host this year's Milo Marathon nat'l finals MANILA -- It's the north's turn to host the grandest full marathon of the Philippines.

Laoag City in Ilocos Norte was announced as the host of the 2018 Milo Marathon National Finals as the full list of the host cities for this year's marathon series was released on Monday.

The Dec. 9 race in the city will culminate an 11-leg Milo Marathon season that will actually commence up north as well.

Urdaneta will be the place of the first leg of the 2018 season, which will take place on July 15.

The weekend warriors of "The Big City" need not wait for their turn to take the Milo Marathon center stage as the Metro Manila leg of the season, which features a full 42-kilometer marathon as the main event, will happen two weeks after on July 29.

Cebu, which hosted last year's finals, will be seventh in turn in the order of hosting on October 14.

The Milo Marathon will have stops in Tarlac, Batangas, Lucena, Iloilo, General Santos, Butuan, and Cagayan De Oro this year. (PNA)

The 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines team. (Photo courtesy of Judith Caringal/RadyoPilipinas2)

PH netters settle for 4th place in Junior Fed Cup pre-qualifying round The Philippines absorbed a 1-2 defeat from Mongolia on Saturday to settle for fourth place at the conclusion of the Under-16 Junior Fed Cup Asia/Oceania pre-qualifying tournament at the Sri Lanka Tennis Center in Colombo.

It was a disappointing loss for the Philippines, which was hoping to play in the next round in Malaysia next month.

Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Mongolia have earned berths in the final qualifying round scheduled on April 16 to 21 in Kuching, the capital city of Malaysian state, Sarawak.

"They were up 6-3 in the super tie-break, four points away from qualifying round.

The score was even tied at 8-all. Too bad, we did not get it," said coach Czarina Mae Arevalo in an interview on Monday.

Patricia Lim gave the Philippines a 1-0 lead when she won over Nomin Khurelbaatar, 6-3, 6-0, in the first singles. Mongolia made it 1-all after posting a 6-2, 7-6 (3) victory over Angelica Alcala in the second singles.

Lim and Amanda Gabrielle Zoleta won the first set at 6-1 but Maralgoo Chogsomjav and Khurelbaatar took the second set at 6-4 and eventually won the deciding third set at 10-8.

"I was nervous because I was the first singles. I thought about all of my hard work and training. I told myself that I have to win, so in every point I gave it my all," said the 15-yearold Lim, who hails from Valenzuela City.

"But I was a little disappointed about my doubles match because

it was a very crucial and important match," added Lim, a grade 9 student at Notre Dame of Greater Manila in Caloocan City.

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Pacific Oceania were the top two finishers in the boys division. Both made it to the final qualifying round of the Junior Davis Cup to be held from April 9 to 14, also in Sarawak.

The Philippines, which will be represented by Michael Francis Eala II, Jose Antonio Tria and Matthew Anton Garcia, is already in the final qualifying round.

The final qualifying events in Sarawak will select the teams which will advance to the Junior Davis and Fed Cup Finals in Budapest, Hungary in September.

Last week, Colombo City also hosted the pre-

qualifying of the Under-14 World Juniors Tennis Championships Asia/ Oceania Zonal competition.

The Philippine team composed of Marc Andrei Jarata, Axl Lajon Gonzaga and Rupert Ohrelle Tortal finished fifth after beating Kuwait, 3-0.

The top four teams which advanced to the final qualifying event in Nonthaburi, Thailand were Sri Lanka and Qatar (boys) and Lebanon and Malaysia (girls).

The boys’ competition is scheduled on March 26 to 31 while the girls’ tournament will be on April 2 to 7.

The winners will advance to the ITF World Junior Tennis Championships Finals slated August 6 to 11 in Prostejov, Czech Republic. (PNA)

The members of the Philippine team which competed in the Junior Fed Cup prequalifying tournament held recently in Colombo, Sri Lanka. From left are Czarina Mae Arevalo (coach), Patricia Lim, Angelica Alcala and Amanda Gabrielle Zoleta. (Photo courtesy of www.papare. com)

Billboard 8 #MakingMEGAto screen BTS of MayWard Vivo Germany shoot D reams do come true, just ask up and coming star and Vivo endorser Maymay Entrata, who recently spent her Christmas in Germany, the hometown of the other half of the MayWard phenom, Edward Barber.

Maymay (Marydale Entrata in real life) was born Mambajao, Camiguin), but was grew up in Cagayan de Oro City. An actress, recording artist, singer/ composer, model, product endorser/ambassador, she shot to fame as the first Big Winner of the combined edition of Pinoy Big Brother Lucky 7 (combined housemates celebrity, adult and teens) on the Pinoy Big Brother reality show The recent trip to Germany may sound all fun, but the workaholic love team braved the cold in their fairytale-inspired creations for the February 2018 cover of Mega and Mega Man magazines. It was their first ever cover and out-of-the-country shoots with Mega.

The results are

magical, to say the least.

But the process to get the shots was even more impressive.

A person standing on a snow covered forest Description generated with high confidence With Vivo V7+ in hand, Maymay Entrata is a vision in red during a #MakingMEGA#ME GAVivoMomentsphoto shoot in a snowy forest in Germany. Photo courtesy of One Mega Group.

MayWard fans got a glimpse of how the cover shoots were perfected in a free special documentary screened last Sunday, March 4, from 6pm to 8pm at SM Aura IMAX Theatre.

The #MakingMEGAshoot in Germany with Entrata and Barbers was made possible through the support of Vivo. Entrata joined Vivo’s family during the launch of the V7+ smartphone in September 2017.

A picture containing snow, outdoor, skiing, sky Description generated with very high confidence Not even subzero temperatures can break the power of the Vivo

V7+. During Entrata’s fashion shoot in Germany, the #MakingMEGA #MEGAVivoMomentsteam had no qualms in exposing the smartphone to the harshest weather conditions. Photo courtesy of One Mega Group.

In one of the pictorials, the V7+ played a role in telling the story of a trapped princess saved by her dashing prince. For this shoot, the V7+ was stuck in a snow-covered forest in Germany as its 5.99-inch all screen display showed the image of Entrata until it was picked up by Barber, rescuing the cursed damsel in the process.

On Sunday, fans got to see more of these interactions and other exclusive behind-thescenes shots of making the February 2018 cover of the Mega magazines with one of today’s influential love teams.

About Vivo A global smartphone brand focused on introducing perfect sound quality and ultimate photography with cuttingedge technology, Vivo

develops innovative and stylish products for young people. We now have over two hundred million users and are one of the preferred brands of young people around the world. As an Official

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Wednesday|March 21, 2018

Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™, Vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle.

For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website

at www.vivo.com/ph or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook. com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram. com/vivophil/), and Twitter (https://twitter. com/vivo_phil) accounts.

Vivo Reveals AI-Powered Super HDR Vivo takes HDR to a new level with a dynamic range of 14 EV that adapts to complex lighting

Vivo recently announced its cutting-edge, AIpowered Super HDR at a media event in China.

Following the previous breakthrough success in backlit photography, Vivo is taking mobile photography to new heights with Super HDR’s auto scene detection to produce clearer photos, better colors, more details and better tones.

Super HDR follows the same principles as regular HDR but merges more frames to resolve the problems presented by contrasting strong dark and light tones in a photo.

Super HDR captures more frames and intelligently merges them to cater to more extreme lighting scenarios.

Great Frames Great Flexibility Super HDR’s dynamic range can reach up to 14 EV (Exposure Value).With just a single press of the shutter, Super HDR will capture up to 12 frames, significantly more frames than previously possible with existing HDR

technology. This provides more image options for merging to perfectly light all the parts of the eventual photo.

Optimized Details Under Extreme Light To reduce the unnaturally processed look of regular HDR, Super HDR adapts to different scenes and their dynamic range characteristics, selecting and merging frames to best render the image’s highlights and shadow details. Super HDR then optimizes shadows to ensure the complex photo’s highlights and shadows are balanced and natural.

Get Easy Yet Perfect People Shots Regular HDR might sacrifice lighting for the person in focus for a better lit photo, but Super HDR ensures the person is clear and well-lit. Super HDR employs smart scene detection to balance the lighting of the person and the background to create a natural feel.

Advanced AI Improves Photos at All Stages

The Super HDR leverages complex AI algorithms to adapt to different scenarios. The moment the shutter is pressed, the AI will detect the scene to determine the ideal exposure strategy and accordingly select the frames for merging. This process ultimately delivers a natural looking shot which looks like it was captured by the human eye.

Advantages of Super HDR 1.

Highly adaptable: With a wider dynamic range of 14EV, Super HDR can ensure perfect shots in a broader range of lighting scenarios, even in adverse ones. This results in image that shows the details of the rock, grass, mountains and clouds despite the back lit, high contrast scenario.

2. Accurate and smart exposure selection: At up to 12 frames, Super HDR has more lighting options for its smart frame selecting strategies to correctly expose all parts of the photo. This retains hdr/PAGE 10

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9

10

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Valid... from page 4

Supreme Court without a Sereno? As I see it, her foes would be biding their time and allow the Supreme Court to issue its ruling first on Calida’s quo warranto petition. If sufficient number of justices could be mustered to declare her as without any right to the position of chief justice, that immediately finishes everybody’s ordeal.

On the other hand, if Sereno will not be ousted by the Calida petition, her critics could still train all their guns on the impeachment trial at the Senate. During the trial, it would even be possible that the way senators would would be voting would no longer be truly important.

What would be important would be that, during the trial, her critics could once against come up with every devastating and incriminating evidence they could lay their hands on in the hope of destroying her image some more. Their objective here would be to enrage the citizenry some more.

If Sereno wasn’t removed from power by the legislators and by her fellow justices, whoever is orchestrating these things against her could then call on the people to be the ones to act and demand for her resignation.

-ooo FOR QUESTIONS, REACTIONS: If anyone would like to ask me any question about what the burning issues of the day mean, or what we have discussed here, or to consult on any problem, whatever it maybe, please call 0917 984 24 68, or email me at batasmauricio@yahoo.com, or post your concerns at www.facebook.com/attybatas.

Promise, I will answer right away. Thank God in the Name of Jesus, Amen!

SSS...

from page 5

billion to cover additional benefits to pensioners sta ting January 2017.

“A s a r e s u l t , o u r expenditures, which were made up largely of benefit payments, saw a huge increase compared to 2016, wherein no additional benefit was enjoyed by the pensioners,” Dooc said.

Operating expenses, which accounted for five percent of SSS’ total disbursements, meanwhile, showed a slight increase to P9.52 billion from P9.48 billion in 2016 but were still below the allowed amount mandated by the SS Charter.

“Our operating expenses are way below our allowable expense under the Social

Security Law of 1997, which is equivalent to not more than 12 percent of the total yearly contributions and three percent of other revenues,” Dooc said.

“We’ll strive to make benefits more relevant while ensuring financial viability through the support of all our stakeholders, especially our legislators, who are now studying the proposed SS Charter Amendment Act due for bicameral hearing soon,” Dooc said. (PNA)

Tool... from page 6

studies and help promote global implementation of the Minamata Convention, the treaty to protect human health and the environment from mercur y's adverse effects.

The Philippines signed that Convention in 2013 but has not yet ratified the treaty.

W HO s ai d m e rc u r y releases in the environment are mainly due to operation of coal-fired power stations, residential heating systems, and waste incinerators, as well as mining of metals.

"Once in the environment, elemental mercur y is n at u r a l l y t r a n s f o r m e d into methylmercury that bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish," WHO said.

Deputy Representative Minister James Chu from TECO said the Taiwan government had decided to donate the mercury sampler to help DENR better protect the environment.

"Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility," he said at the ceremony.

DENR Secretar y Roy Cimatu thanked the Taiwan government for the donation, s ay i ng t h i s e qu ipm e nt will improve information gathering on mercury in the country.

"Information we'll gather will def initely improve coordination of monitoring activities in the country and expand regional capabilities for assessing atmospheric merc ur y transp or t and deposition," DENR said in its statement covering the donation, citing Cimatu.

Capulong said results of the DENR's December 2017 air and water monitoring in Palawan province showed mercury levels there are still within tolerable limits.

"Mercury levels there are below standard," he said.

But he added the DENR must st i l l intensif y its monitoring nationwide, as activities like small-scale mining can raise mercury levels.

The mercury sampler from Taiwan could detect and collect rainwater, so this

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Ang Tagdumala

could be analyzed for mercury content, said Capulong.

He said the DENR would send the collected rainwater samples to Taiwan's National Central University for free analysis there.

The DENR is already studying where to locate the mercury sampler, he said.

Earlier, WHO recommended eliminating mercury production and use in mining and industry to prevent environmental releases of mercury and human exposure to the element.

WHO is also promoting the use of clean energy sources that do not rely on coal-burning.

Aside from mercur y, WHO's list of chemicals and groups of chemicals that are of major public health concern includes arsenic, asbestos, benzene, cadmium, dioxin and dioxin-li ke substances, inadequate or excess fluoride, lead, highly hazardous pesticides and air pollutants. (PNA)

DENR... from page 6

its bureaus and regions on the Gender Mainstreaming and Monitoring System (GMMS) of the Philippine Commission on Women.

GMMS is an online system to automate the submission of GAD Plan and Budget and GAD Accomplishment R e p or t of g ov e r n m e nt a g e n c i e s , g ov e r n m e nt ow n e d a n d c o nt r o l l e d corporations, state universities and colleges, an d ot h e r g ov e r n m e nt instrumentalities.

F o r t h i s y e a r, t h e Women’s Month celebration kicked off with the opening of Women’s Market at the w a l k w ay of t h e DE N R central office to support grassroots women producers and entrepreneurs. Featured products included fruits and vegetables, ornamental plants, herbal and beauty products, and assorted dry goods.

On March 12, a photo exhibit dubbed “Gallery of Inspirational Women” was unveiled at the lobby of the DENR’s main building.

On the same day, awardwinning mucisian Bayang Barrios led a story-telling activity for 50 children, who were seven years old and below, at the DENR Gym. The DENR will host the National Conference on Mainstreaming G A D on March 1 9 - 2 2 .

The four-day event will include a roundtable d i s c u s s i on on d i s a s t e r preparedness and natural resources management in communities.

March w as d e cl are d Women's Role in History Month and its first week as Women's Week as per Proclamation No. 227 and 224, respectively. March 8 of every year is National Women's Day pursuant to Republic Act No. 6949, series of 1990, as well as International Women’s Day as declared by the United Nations.

“Women Make Change

Work for Women” is the theme for the Women’s Month celebrations from 2017 to 2022.

HDR... from page 8

the natural contrast that is key to accent the features of this photo.

3.

Intelligent identification: AI-powered scene detection means that each part of the photo can be identified and isolated for processing to insure even complex photos are p e r f e c t e d . T h e A I c an p e r f e c t l y i d e nt i f y a n d expose the unique shapes of these rocks, moss, waves and clouds in this shot.

4.

Natural looking results: Super HDR produces m ore n atu r a l t on e s by reorganizing and optimizing the highlights and shadow portions of the scene when merging the frames and ensures the photo naturally matches the original scene as seen by human eye. This shows the couple clearly and naturally despite sun and umbrella creating such complex lighting.

5. Perfectly lit portraits: Super HDR prioritizes the best lighting for the person in the photo and adjusts the background exposure to produce an optimal and natural portrait. Optimizing the lighting for the girl and creating complimentar y lighting of the sky and flowers help accentuate her in the photo for a perfectly lit portrait.

Alex Feng, Senior Vice President at Vivo added that, “Vivo continues to push the boundaries and provide the ultimate camera experience for consumers. This goes beyond just adding powerful functions, but to developing innovations that our users can immediately enjoy.” “ Today’s showcase of Super HDR is an example of our continued commitment to mobile photography, to enable our consumers to shoot professional quality photos at the touch of a button. Using intelligent AI, Super HDR can capture more detail under any conditions, without additional demands on the user.”

About Vivo A global smart phone brand focused on introducing perfect sound quality and ultimate photography with cutting-edge technolog y, Vivo develops innovative and stylish products for young people.

We now have over 200 million users and are one of the preferred brands of young people around the world.

As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™, Vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle.

For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at www. vivo.com/ph or check out their Facebook (https://www. facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www. instagram.com/vivophil/), and Twitter (https://twitter. com/vivo_phil) accounts

11

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Port... from page 1

added.

The modernization plan of the 80,000-square meter port became controversial in 2015 when the DOTr (formerly Department of Transportation and Communication) under then secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya pegged the bid cost at P17 billion.

The amount, recommended by German consultants hired by International Finance Corp. of the World Bank, was more than four times higher than the original cost of P4 billion set by the PPA. The private sector here objected to the alleged overpricing while the city council opp os ed it for lack of prior consultation and approval by the local government.

Pushe d by R eg iona l Development C ouncil and the City Development Council under Mayor Sara Duterte, Lim said the DOTr has reenrolled the port’s modernization in the PPP program to tap the “private sector expertise in terms of design, and construction of the facilities in this modernized port facility” “We will not only be limited to what the DOTr c an of fer but a ls o t he international expertise in terms of providing necessary facilities for seaport that would serve the shipping needs of the region and other stakeholders in Mindanao,” she added.

She said they expect to modernize the gantry, cranes, and extended berthing spaces of the port once the rehabilitation is completed before the end of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s term by 2022. “ That should be a competitive facility, one that can provide convenience, efficient services to our shippers both for domestic and international shipping transactions,” Lim said, adding Mindanao’s major seaport will have complete customs, immigration, and quarantine services operated 24/7.

She said the region’s two modern ports owned b y A n f l o c o r ’s D a v a o International Container Terminal in Panabo and Hijo International Port Services of the Hijo Resources Corporation in Tagum City can provide competitive a lter nat ive choices for shipping companies that could “play an integrated port services system for Davao Region and Mindanao shippers.”

“This is not to crowd out the efficient port services in Panabo and Tagum. We have recognized the vital role played by the private sector,” she clarified.

She said she is not privy to the companies that have already expressed interest to bid for the new modernization plan.

In the previous plan, the companies that placed their bids included Asian Terminals Inc. – DP World

FZE Consortium, Bollore Africa Logistics, International Container Terminal Services Inc., Portek International Pte. Ltd. – National Marine Corp. Consortium, and San Miguel Holdings Corp. – APM Terminals Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Consortium. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

Lab...

from page 1 improve the quality of its seedlings and resist Panama disease.

TA D E C O P r e s i d e n t Alexander N. Valoria said the facility, which is part of the TADECO AgroTechnical Outreach Program, is intended to provide both corporate growers and smallholders with premium seedlings, particularly those that are tolerant of the Fusarium wilt, better known as Panama disease. “(This) makes world-class laboratory services that are so critical for our agricultural operations available right here in the middle of Davao del Norte. We made that commitment to many of our fellow bananeros and to government,” Mr. Valoria said during last week’s launch of the facility.

Fusarium wilt, better known as Panama disease, is a soil-borne infection that kills banana plants. An infected farm cannot become productive again unless it is first isolated and treated.

Mr. Valoria said the laboratory can propagate planting materials of Fus ar iu m w i lt - tol e r ant varieties that growers can buy “at a very reasonable price.”

The laboratory, built for about P100 million from the company and a grant from the Dutch government, is capable of checking on soil nutrient status, root health status, diagnose diseases, and analyze fertilizers, among others.

Mr. Valoria said setting up a stronger research and development sector is crucial to the banana industry as it faces stiff competition from Central and South American producers who have been penetrating the Asian and Middle East markets.

He said that between 2011 and 2016, Philippine production dropped by 50 million boxes annually, while those in the Central and South American countries increased by 137 million boxes.

He added that these competitor countries have “stated clearly that they will continue to penetrate the Asian market.”

“We cannot allow them to do that. Together, as the Philippine banana industry, we must meet and defeat that threat to our markets,” Mr. Valoria said.

“We need to regain the ground that we lost in our Asian markets and even threaten their own US and European markets with Philippine bananas,” he added.

Even big companies can take advantage of the

laboratory, said Stephen A. Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, Inc. (PBGEA).

“We have been asking government to help the industry. At least TADECO has partially responded to the challenge,” Mr. Antig said.

TADECO, the flagship company of the Floirendoowned Anflo Management and Investment Corp., is a PBGEA member.

Mr. Valoria said the company attained a production record of 39 million boxes in 2017 from its TADECO and Anflo Banana Corp. farms. “The planation average yield was 5,400 boxes per hectare, overall for TADECO.” “ O b v i o u s l y, s u c h production and quality levels could not have been reached without the advantage of a world class agricultural laboratory and technical personnel. We want to share this advantage with the rest of the banana industry,” he said.

Releases... from page 1

canned sardines.

In prime commodities, prices of fish sauce, bath soap, and batteries were also the same from 2016.

DTI led early this month the National Price C oordinating C ouncil (NPCC) meeting, wherein Trade Secretar y R amon Lopez said prices did not increase dramatically due to Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

On the other hand, prices of canned goods like luncheon meat, meat loaf, beef loaf, and corned beef, increased by less than PHP3.

But Lopez mentioned that the increase in prices of canned goods was mainly due to foreign exchange rate movement and higher prices of tin plates used for cans.

When the TRAIN law took effect at the start of 2018, DTI said the tax reform would only translate 0.4 percent increase in prices of goods, with transportation cost increasing by 7 to 8 percent due to higher excise tax rates on fuel products.

Transportation cost also shares less than 5 percent of the total production cost.

Meanwhile, DTI is promoting the implementation of SRPs in bigger sari-sari stores by giving seal of good housekeeping in stores that will volunteer selling basic and prime goods at SRPs. Dubbed as Suking Tindahan Program, Lopez said this initiative is in line with the administration’s thrust to improve consumer welfare and to ensure easier access to cheaper products for Filipinos. (PNA)

Scrap... from page 3

of w h i ch t a x p ay m e nt structure will likely be modified; as well as the valueadded tax (VAT) zero rating treatment prevailing in the renewable energy (RE) sector.

Under the TRAIN-1

package deliberations, the RE developers have fiercely lobbied that their VAT zero rating tax privilege be sustained because this could result in higher electricity rates if the policy shifts.

Ne ver theless, it is apparent now that the DOF has not exactly given up on such policy proposition, thus, chipping away this tax privilege is now being incorporated in the second tax package.

In a correspondence lodged with Congress, various groups of RE developers indicated that the zeroVAT regime “is a necessary component of the fiscal incentives package enabling the RE industry to provide clean, sustainable and lower cost of electricity to endconsumers.”

Under Section 15 (g) of Republic Act 9513 or t h e R e n e w abl e E n e rg y Act, it was stipulated that “the sale of fuel or power generated from renewable sources of energy, such as but not limited to, biomass, solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean energy and other emerging energy resources such as fuel cells and hydrogen fuels, shall be subject to zero percent (0%) value-added tax (VAT).” That is pursuant to the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

RE project developers have reiterated that changing the tax regime “will have the effect of increasing the price of electricity from RE sources and negate the state policy of promoting RE development.”

They added that such will also render “renewable energy projects uncompetitive and even more expensive rather than fossil fuel power plants.”’

The earlier proposal had been to rationalize the taxation system for RE projects, from being VAT zero-rated to having VAT exemption.

potential investors to fully understand the concept and risks of investing in cryptocurrencies.

“We earnestly caution t h e p u b l i c t h at b e f o r e speculating and investing their hard-earned money in cryptocurrency, as with any other type of currencies, prosp e c t ive invest ment s h ou l d k n ow an d f u l ly understand the risks involved,” Mr. Espenilla said.

H o w e v e r, t h e B S P maintained its stance t o r e g u l at e t h e u s e o f cr yptocurrencies rather than prohibiting it.

In line with this, Mr. Esp eni lla s aid it is eyeing to embark on a nationwide public information campaign on cryptocurrencies, together w it h ot her gover nment agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. “ The purpose is to educate the public on what cryptocurrencies are, the u s e s an d r i s k s , re l ate d policies and regulations in t he Phi lippines, and possible benefits,” he said, adding that fostering such technology is in line with t h e B S P ’s a d v o c a c y o f financial inclusion.

In February 2017, the BSP required cryptocurrency exchanges to be registered as remittance companies which are subject to antimoney laundering rules, among others.

Since then, the monetary authority has authorized two virtual currency exchanges namely Betur, Inc. (also known as Coins. ph) and Rebittance, Inc., l ast ye ar. Twelve ot he r entities are also seeking to op erate as a Bitcoin exchange.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HEIRS Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the late RICARDO G. TABIGNE who died on MARCH 21, 2011 at 1731 Zone 3 Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City; the deceased at the time of his death left a parcel of land particularly described as follows, to wit; TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-18917 “A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot No. 1331-G-2, Psd-10-00053, being a portion of Lot 1331-G (LRC) Psd-120273) situated in the Barrio of Kauswagan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) square meters; Is the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HEIRS; this Extrajudicial Settlement made and entered into by and among the HEIRS/CO-OWNERS; Under Notary Public of Atty. Salvador O. Pacana; as Per Doc. No. 62; Page No. 7; Book No. XXI; Series of 2017.

BWM: March 21, 28 & April 4, 2018

from page 4

for us to feel not as lucky as St. Joseph. Christ is always close to us. He is always watching over us and guiding us all the time.

We just have to learn how to correspond better to that reality.

That’s why it’s important that from time to time we pause and pray so that we can have or regain our spiritual and supernatural bearing, and feel’s Christ’s continuous presence in our life and in our affairs, and be moved to react accordingly.

St. Joseph is showing us that the ordinary things in life, the performance of the duties inherent to our state in life, are the very occasions we can be with Christ and deal with him as we ought.

That’s when, like St. Joseph, we can also aspire to greatness in the ver y simple things of our life!*

FastCat... from page 5

Coron (Palawan)-El Nido (Palawan) routes within the year. Preparations are also underway for a Buliluyan (Palawan)-Kudat (Malaysia) route, its first inter-regional route.

APFC operates the following routes: Batangas t o C a l ap a n , M i n d o r o ; Bu l a l a c a o, Mi nd oro to Caticlan, Aklan; Matnog, Sorsogon to San Isidro, Northern Samar; Bacolod to Iloilo; San Carlos, Negros Occidental to Toledo, Cebu; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte; Cebu to Tubigon in Bohol; Jagna, Bohol to Balbagon, Camiguin; and Opol, Misamis Oriental to Balbagon.

Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10TH Judicial Region BRANCH 44 Initao, Misamis Oriental

Warns...

from page 3 cryptocurrencies. It enables them to transact in the so-called ‘dark web’,” Mr. Espenilla explained.

With this, he then warned

Great...

IN THE PETITION FOR MISCL.CASE NO. 2017-1450 CANCELLATION OF OLD DECREE AND REISSUANCE Card Case No. 27 OF NEW DECREE GLRO cadastral Record No. No. 1592 Lot No. 12198 AYALA CORPORATION

Claimant-Petitioner.

X------------------------------------------------------------- / ORDER Before this court is a verified Petition for Cancellation of Decree of No. 756226, Cadastral Case No. 27 (GLRO Cadastral Record No. 1592, covering Lot No. 12198 located in Municipality of Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental.

Finding the same to be sufficient in form and substance the same is set for INITIAL HEARING on April 30, 2018 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at this court, sitting at the Hall of Justice, Initao, Misamis Oriental. Persons interested in this petition are required to answer and appear before this court on the aforesaid date and make known their opposition thereto.

The Administrator of the Land Registration Authority is hereby directed at the expense of the applicant to cause the publication of the Notice of Initial Hearing in the Official Gazette and once in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Misamis Oriental.

Further, the applicant is hereby directed to furnish copy of the application and its annexes to the Solicitor General. Lastly, let copies of this Order be furnished to the concerned office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of this province.

SO ORDERED. January 5, 2018, Initao, Misamis Oriental

BWM: March 21, 28 & April 4, 2018

(Sgd.) MARISSA P. ESTABAYA Presiding Judge

12

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Wednesday|March 21, 2018