BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE
Volume XII, No. 120
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Power rates hike looms as fuel shortage worsens • Ukraine-Russia war cuts off diesel supply • Hydro accounts for only 21% of generation mix
LOGISTICS and transport connectivity projects that will strengthen the agriculture sector are among the biggest investment opportunities in the southern Philippines, the Mindanao Development Authority (MiNDA) told European businesses at a forum on Friday. “What Mindanao has been able to demonstrate is a growth that is relatively better than the national average in the last 15 years,” MinDA Deputy Executive Director Romeo M. Montenegro said during the first Davao Business Conference co-organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. Mr. Montenegro, who also heads the agency’s investment promotions and international relations team, cited as an example the southern Philippines’ outperformance with a 5.7% contraction in gross domestic product during the first year of the pandemic, while the national average was a 9.6% decline.
By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV, MindaNews
D
AVA O C i t y — Electricity rates in Mindanao are expected to increase following the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine affecting the global supply of diesel and price movement of coal in the global market, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) assistant secretary Romeo Montenegro said.
Urban farming COMMUNITY gardens are being put forward the best way to engage the public on issues such as food security, production efficiency, and nutrition awareness, a farming advocate said. “Farmers need to grow efficiently, upskilling on technology and mechanization. In the meantime, home, school, and community gardens can fill an immediate gap. School gardens can provide a model for the community to emulate. But the home, school and community gardener and farmer need to know how best to grow vegetables for a good return on their capital and effort,” Managing Director for East-West Seed Foundation, Inc. (EWS) Ma. Elena P. van Tooren said in an e-mail. “Agriculture is a science, and a successful farmer is a practicing, competent scientist. We need to train, train, train if we want to plant, plant, plant,” she added.
Fewer middlemen SUPERMARKETS and retailers need to eliminate intermediaries that come between them and their suppliers in the interest of keeping prices low, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said during President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Talk to the People briefing aired on Wednesday that the elimination of middlemen will help keep basic goods affordable. “To consider… continuous supply at lower affordable price (and) increase access to lower priced basic goods to consumers, it is important to reduce middlemen. If possible, link the supermarkets to the suppliers and producers,” Mr. Lopez said at the briefing.
ROBREDO-SARA (ROSA) MOVEMENT. A lumad performs using an indigenous instrument as a tribute to the tandem of presidentiable Leni Robredo and vice presidentiable Sara Duterte, a movement launched on Monday, Mar. 21, in Cagayan de Oro City. The group, led by RoSa led by Rep. Joey Saceda (2nd district, Albay, white shirt), Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco and Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd district, Cagayan de Oro) calls for voters to support the two-woman tandem. photo by gerry lee gorit
MisOr steps up measures against ASF, bird flu By ERCEL MAANDIG, Reporter
MISAMIS Oriental's provincial veterinar y office (ProVet) said it has doubled its efforts to cover a l l mu n i c ip a l it i e s an d component cities to prevent the entry of avian influenza
(AI) or bird flu, including the containment of new cases of African swine fever (ASF). In a report Monday, Dr. Benjamin Resma, the ProVet chief, said that after three months of "downtime" and
more than 100 days of zero ASF cases, three barangays in Gingoog City have logged new cases. Resma said the cases came from the barangays of Minsapinit, Santiago, and Tinalaban towns although MEASURES/PAGE 10
Montenegro told MindaNews on Friday that majority of Mindanao’s generation mix comes from fuel sources, particularly diesel and coal, which are easily affected by external factors such as market volatility and fluctuation in foreign exchange. According to the data released by MinDA, Mindanao has a total system HIKE/PAGE 11
PRESIDENTIAL CUP. A man takes a sip from a cup printed with the face of Leni Robredo sold at P35 each in stores in Cagayan de Oro. photo by gerry lee gorit
Lanao Norte town anniversary showcases ‘alimango’ cook fest By DIVINA SUSON, Correspondent
LALA, Lanao del Norte – Showcasing the primary product the town is known for, the local government unit
(LGU) organized Monday the "alimango" (crab) cooking contest at the municipal ground as part of its 73rd
founding anniversary. Twenty-seven barangays sent their representatives, who are known for their crab specialty recipes as one of the highlights of the Agri-Aqua Day event. Miguel a L a kap a k of Barangay Matampay Bucana, who has long specialized in ALIMANGO/PAGE 10 CRABS COOK FEST. The local government unit of Lala in Lanao del Norte showcases its famous mud crabs through a cooking contest on Monday, March 21, 2022. The town will mark its 73rd anniversary on Tuesday, March 22. photo by divina m . suson
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