BusinessWeek Mindanao (March 5, 2018)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE

Volume VIII, No. 120 As of 6:00 pm March 2, 2018 (friday)

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Strong growth AN economist of ING Bank Manila continues to see strong growth for the Philippines this 2018 at 6.7 percent on expected impact of the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

In a research note, ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said fiscal spending in the last three years is at double-digit with the 2017 total spending rising by 11 percent to PHP2.823 trillion.

Excluding interest payments, government spending inched up by 12 percent last year to PHP2.513 trillion.

Cuyegkeng said that while these growth rates are lower than the 2016 levels, which was boosted by the conduct of the national elections, it remains “normal.”

IN-DEPTH

Monday | March 5, 2018

P15.00

cmyk

Dealer of hardware and construction materials: Product Lines: Angle Bars; Gl Pipes; C-Purlins; Holow Blocks; Coco Lumber; Carrying Channel; Double Furring Channel; Single Furring ; Acoustic Board; Polycarbonate; Power Tools; Good Lumber S4S; Panel Doors; PVC Laminated Panel; PVC Vertical Blinds; Roller Blinds ; Wooden Blinds; Armstrong Vinyl Tiles; Kent Vinyl Tiles; Parquet Tiles - Apo Vinyl Tiles.

“YOU NAME IT, WE HAVE IT.”

Distributor & Dealer of: Steel Bars; Holcim Cement; Davis Paint; Sand & Gravel; Plywood; INdustrial Supplies; Finishing Supplies; Electrical Supplies; Power Tools; Air Compressors

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

F

UNDING worth P398.63 million from the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) has been allocated for 84 enterprise projects covering 15 commodities in Mindanao.

Illegal logging THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday said operatives of the Bureau’s Environmental Crime Division (EnCD) arrested three persons for illegal logging operations and seized timber and equipment worth P10 million in Agusan del Norte.

EnCD chief Eric Nuque said the suspects -- Joel Socobos, Wenifredo Brenbuela and Reynaldo Monforte -were nabbed during a raid in a sawmill in Las Nieves on February 23.

Nuque said that during the operation, the agents also seized P1.2 million worth of naturally-grown and planted timbers as well as PHP9 million worth of equipment and conveyances used in the processing of the illegal logs.

Patag Highway, Cagayan de Oro City

Tel. No. 858-5789 / Fax No. 850-5020; Cel. Nos. 0919-655-3754, 0923-304-2676 Email: verticalhomebuilders@yahoo.com

PRDP funds M’danao growers with P400M www.businessweekmindanao.com

Market Indicators

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YOUR Mindanao-wide BUSINESS paper

vertical home builders enterprises

CHASING CALVES. A cowboy holds on to the tail of a calf in this bit of rodeo action in Manolo Fortich town, Bukidnon. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

Mangudadatu’s hometown to host first call center to cater to Arabs

By FERDINANDH B. CABRERA, MindaNews

BULUAN, Maguindanao — Buluan, the hometown of Maguindanao Governor

Esmael Mangudadatu and present seat of the provincial government, will host the

country’s first call center that would cater to Arab nations.

“It is expected to operate later this year or early 2019,” arabs/PAGE 11

NPA: AFP use lumads to kill lumads and blame us

By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, Contributing Editor

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—The New Peoples

Army has denied involvement in the killing of lumad leaders

In a statement released over the weekend, the PRDP-Mindanao office said 77 of these projects, accounting for P363.16 million, have been approved while the rest are still being processed.

The PRDP is mainly financed by the World Bank with counterpart funding from the national government and implemented through the Department of Agriculture as lead agency.

The 15 commodities, which are covered under the PRDP’s Investment for Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Productivity (I-REAP), are abaca, banana, milk fish, cacao, cassava, coconut, oil palm, coffee, dairy, goat, mango, organic rice, rubber, seaweed and swine.

The I-REAP component of the program growers/PAGE 11

in Caraga region in the past months saying these were just the handiwork of the Armed blame/PAGE 11

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT. The coal-fired power plant in Barangays Libertad and Tacub in Kauswagan town, Lanao del Norte was targeted to become operational late last year with a capacity of 540 megawatts. It is run by GNPower Kauswagan, which is controlled by AC Energy, a fully-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corp., the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure Fund and Power Partners Ltd. Co. mindanews photo by bobby timonera

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Economy

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Monday|March 5, 2018

Basilan farmers to produce calamansi juice

Z

AMBOANGA City -Calamansi farmers in one of the towns of Basilan province will start the production of juice in April, this year.

This, as the construction of the calamansi processing plant in Barangay Tairan, Lantawan town is set to be completed this month.

Secretary Myra Mangkabung of the Department of Science and

Technology in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOST-ARMM) said they have released PHP3 million for the construction of the processing plant in Tairan.

Mangkabung said the PHP3 million allocation includes the purchase of the needed equipment and tools in the production of juice as well as for the farmers’ capacity building.

Mangkabung told the Philippine News

Agency that so far the farmers in Tairan

JCI Macajalar 24K and JCI Iligan launched on February 28 in Cagayan de Oro City a campaign against violent extremism dubbed as Rise through Peace. Attended no less

by JCI Philippines president Rix Rafols, the campaign will be brought to school campuses in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan at later dates. The approach utilizes social cohesion and resiliency in preventing recruitment to violent extremist groups. mark francisco

CNN Philippines TV-9 Manila CNN Philippines TV-12 Baguio CNN Philippines TV-12 Dagupan CNN Philippines TV-26 Tarlac CNN Philippines TV-10 Iriga CNN Philippines TV-4 Iloilo

CNN Philippines TV-8 Bacolod CNN Philippines TV-9 Cebu CNN Philippines TV-5 Cag. de Oro CNN Philippines TV-5 Zamboanga CNN Philippines TV-7 GenSan CNN Philippines TV-9 Davao

expanding the farm to six hectares and that’s more than enough to sustain continuous production of calamansi juice,” she said.

She said DOSTARMM would also assist the farmers in marketing the calamansi juice products.

She said the production of the calamansi juice would boost the income of the farmers in Barangay Tairan, Lantawan. (PNA)

4,529 qualifiers pass DOST SEI 2017 Junior Level Science Scholarship

RPN Radyo Ronda Stations Nationwide

CNN Philippines Stations Nationwide

have an existing four to calamansi. hectares farm planted “They are

DZBS 1368 Baguio DZRL 639 Batac DZTG 621 Tuguegarao DZKI 1332 Iriga DYKW 936 Binalbagan DYKB 1404 Bacolod DYKC 675 Cebu DXKO 1368 Cagayan de Oro DXKS 1080 Surigao DXKD 1053 Dipolog DXKP 1377 Pagadian DXXX 1008 Zamboanga DXKT 1071 Davao DXDX 693 General Santos

ILIGAN City -- Only 4,529 are qualified out of 6,049 third year college students who are enrolled in various Science and Technology courses that took the Department of Science and Technology Science Education Institute 2017 Junior Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) examination which was administered last November 19, 2017 nationwide.

T h i s a n n o u n c e m e nt made by Provincial Director Ferdinand A. Soliven, DOST Provincial Office in Iligan City/Lanao del Norte during the Scholarship Orientation and Signing of Scholarship Ag re ement held at t he Mindanao State University-

Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) gymnasium.

Iligan City thus scored 393 qualifiers, to include the MSU-IIT takers, Soliven said.

SEI of DOST provides scholarships to deserving and talented young people who wish to pursue lifetime care ers in S cience and Technology (S&T) through its undergraduate scholarship programs.

A highly competitive science and technolog y scholarship examination is being administered annually wherein applicants should pass it as one of the eligibility requirements for the awarding of the DOST-SEI

Undergraduate Scholarships.

This examination shall be made available to incoming college freshmen who shall come from the first batch of the graduating students of the DepEd K-12 Program Senior High School.

Qualifiers to the program will enjoy two to three years of scholarship benefits, which include tuition subsidy, monthly stipend, book allowance, and others. Passers of the Me r it S chol arsh ip w i l l likewise receive the same benefits except for the prorated monthly stipend that is based on the scholar’s socio-economic status. pass/PAGE 11

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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3

CorporateWorld

Holcim’s 2017 profit down 65%

H

OLCIM Philippines Inc. booked a 65-percent drop in profit in 2017 as cement demand declined amid sluggish growth of the construction industry and tighter competition.

Holcim told the local bourse its net income reached P2.4 billion last year compared with PHP6.9 billion in 2016.

It said prices were impacted as competition further tightened with the influx of imported

cement, causing revenues to decline yearon-year by 13.9 percent to P34.7 billion in 2017.

Holcim Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Sapna Sood said the company had launched projects to strengthen customer focus, improve the efficiency of plant and logistics operations, manage costs and offer more innovative building solutions.

The company started a P3-billion project in the third quarter of

BOC-NAIA eyes measures to cut cargo clearance time STAKEHOLDERS can expect faster and more streamlined processing at the Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA), as the collection district lays down plans to further improve its operations and services, according to district collector Atty.

Vincent Philip Maronilla.

“We’re supposed to be a port that caters to express shipment so everybody should expect express processing as well, but not to compromise the other mandates of the bureau which is to ensure that we collect the proper revenue and of course we don’t allow prohibited items to come in,” Maronilla told PortCalls on the side lines of the NAIA Customs and Business Dialogue organized by PortCalls and Asia Customs & Trade on February 13.

The district collector, who took office last January, said that in his initial evaluation, he is not satisfied with some of the processing times, adding they can still be reduced to a day or even less.

He noted that unlike in seaports, shipments delivered through air are already charged storage fee when they arrive.

Maronilla, in a presentation during the dialogue, disclosed some of the changes he has made so far at BOCNAIA to further improve processes.

He said items needing clearance from the District Collector’s Office (DCO) have been reduced to only two categories from the previous seven. These two categories only cover aircraft parts and ship spare, as well as guns, gun parts, ammunition and explosives.

He has also ended the need to seek clearance from the DCO for

requests to process under the informal entry. He said he has delegated such task to special deputy collectors of the different composite assessment units of BOCNAIA. Similar to what he did when he was district collector of Manila International Container Port, Maronilla initiated monthly dialogues with top 20 importers at NAIA. Similar dialogues with other stakeholders will likewise be held regularly in a bid to streamline processes.

Revival of VCRC Moving forward, Maronilla said, there are plans to revive the Valuation and Classification Review Committee (VCRC) to settle valuation and classification disputes.

Maronilla noted that the law mandates all port districts to organize a VCRC. Also planned is a time release study that will identify and address processes that need improvement, Maronilla said.

He noted that as a port, BOC-NAIA is unique in that processes are conducted in different composite assessment units at each warehouse, resulting in each unit, while implementing the same general principles of cargo clearance, making adjustments and trying other procedures to facilitate cargo release.

Standard procedures He noted that Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña recently became aware of this setup and now wants all NAIA processes streamlined. A general customs order is expected to be issued by the Office of the Commissioner (OCOM) soon.

Maronilla said he intends to seek removal of redundant and/or unnecessary cargo

2017 to raise its cement production capacity by two million metric tons in preparation for the projected rise in demand as government ramps up infrastructure spending across the country.

“Despite a

challenging 2017, we pursued initiatives and continued investments that prepare us for the opportunities ahead in one of the bestperforming economies in the region,” Sood said. (PNA)

Japanese aircon-maker sees 40-50% sales growth this year JAPANESE air conditioning manufacturer Daikin expects sales in the Phillippines to grow double-digit this year as income continues to increase.

In a press conference Friday, Lee Wai Kok, Daikin Airconditioning Philippines, Inc. president, said the company forecasts its sales for fiscal year 2017 ending this month at P3.3 billion, up from P2.6 billion in fiscal year 2016.

He added that the

company targets 40-50 percent sales growth for fiscal year 2018.

Daikin Philippines Sales Operations Division Manager Jed Caburian

said the company aims to be the number one brand in both room air conditioning and commercial segments in three years.

American brand Carrier is presently the number one brand in the Philippines.

To meet its goal, Daikin should continue its growth level, Caburian said, adding that the company’s sales growth has never gone down the 30-percent level since 2010.

The challenge for the company, however, is to promote the split-type unit air conditioning system in the Philippines, which sales/PAGE 11

P1.00/liter discount for jeepneys expanded THREE of the country’s major oil industry players have committed to expand the P1.00 per liter discount or subsidy scheme that they have been extending to public utility vehicles – and cemented that pledge via a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Energy (DOE).

As specified, the three oil firms shall be bestowing “at least P1.00 discount per liter of liquid fuels to public

utility vehicles, which may include jeepneys and taxis.”

These oil firms have been Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation and emerging number three player Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. The discount lane for PUVs – such as jeepneys and other modes of public transport, is already an existing program but is getting extended following the enforcement of higher

excise taxes under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act. Based on the appeal advanced by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, he wants such oil price discount scheme for PUVs to form part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) program of the oil companies.

The department reportedly made an appeal to all oil industry players, but at the signing of the

MOAs, only the three firms initially turned up.

Cusi noted that “these CSR programs of the oil companies are aimed to mitigate the impact of TRAIN Law on transportation fares.”

He reiterated that in essence this will just serve as an extension of the prevailing discount system for jeepneys – and such will warrant an increase in the number of their stations that shall be discount/PAGE 11

4

Opinion

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Monday|March 5, 2018

Enjoying lazy days

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

ALLAN mario MEDIANTE

Vice President for Corporate Affairs

RUFINO T. MAGBANUA

Vice President for Business Development

Joe felicilda

Vice President for Administration

JOHN AARON M. DEL BANDO

VicePresidentforEventsandPromotions

joe palabao

Vice President for Marketing

NELSON CONSTANTINO Editor-in-Chief

gilbert y. chao

Motoring Editor

JUN AYENSA

Regional Editor - Caraga

Cris diaz ATTY. antonio s. soriano mike baños 2f, ICS Building BONG FABE Tel.No.: 881-0176 Uriel quilinguing cor. Montalvan sts.

Contributing Editors Tiano Legal Counsel CLIFFORD SANTILLAN

Juni Law Office Cruz Taal St., CDO Legal Counsel

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The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Corporation every Monday to Friday with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City.

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Magic in the mix

Think a minute…A little boy named Mike was watching his mother bake a cake.

She put all the ingredients on the table: flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla. Then when his mother wasn’t looking, little Mike sneaked a taste of each ingredient. But they all tasted bad just by themselves! Then he watched his mother mix all the ingredients together, pour them into a pan and then into the oven to bake.

That night after Mike had enjoyed 2 big pieces of the cake, he said: “Wow! How can mixing all those BAD tasting things make such a GOOD cake?” His mother smiled and answered: “Son, the magic is in the mix!”

You see, sometimes bad things happen to us; and that thing by itself can be terrible and painful. We might get

discouraged and lose hope because we think it’s hurt or ruined our plans for a good life. Maybe you didn’t get that job you really wanted; or your daughter dropped out of school because she became pregnant. It could be that someone in your family suddenly became very sick.

Natura l ly w hen b ad things like this happen to us, it’s very hard for us to imagine that anything good can possibly come out of it. We might continue to blame ourselves or others for causing these bad things to happen. For example, we might keep making our pregnant daughter feel that she’s a failure and loser because that mistake she made has now ruined her life. But friend, if a person is a failure just because they failed, then we’re all failures!

We’ve all failed at one time or another. That’s exactly why Jesus Christ came: to forgive and free us from all our past failures and wrongs so we can have a fresh start.

But this time we will have His strength and character living in us.

So why not make today the first day of your new life?

Sincerely ask Jesus to forgive you for your past wrongs, and hurst/PAGE 11

day-by-day and week-byweek by doing nothing and -maybe- just fed by someone.

No, I mean doing nothing is really something great after a period of really hard work.

By the way, it doesn’t matter, if it regards us or our children.

Ta l k i n g a b o u t o u r children: School vacations are coming soon, and yes, children also deserve several lazy days. If I talk about my nephews and nieces here, I am surprised to learn: summer school vacations are not equal to three months total laziness. There are dance-, gymnastic- or piano lessons as well as summer classes.

Great, guys! I like that!

Of cours e, t ime of f should be really time off.

Days by the beach - with family or alone. Let’s stay outside and do absolutely

nothing structured. I love to do drawings, more write-ups (that’s not work for me!) or reading. There are still books in my library, which need to be ‘discovered’.

I still remember several lazy summer days, sitting in the blazing sun (shouldn’t be done anymore of course!), eating a Popsicle, getting all sticky, and running away from the bees. Of course, while still in Germany, those old lazy summer days turned into lazy winter days too. Lazy days shaped and characterized my whole (especially professional) life until now.

Relaxation, meditation and reinv igorat ion are needed. Life, affected by the “burnout syndrom” needs to reanimate with energy. enjoying/PAGE 11

Muntinlupa City @ 23

Cell No: 09352379999

ABEGAIL BAYNOSA era mae deloso

jhan tiafau hurst

An exciting week is still ahead! Several meetings and seminars with business people are waiting. And another great event. I am blessed and very happy looking forward to the Tagum City Musikahan Festival - engaging the world through the language of the soul. Thank you so much Honorable Mayor Allan L. Rellen for the invitation.

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI

Layout Artist

think a minute

klaus doring

Indeed, you don’t get anything for nothing in life. This is our life’s main motto. This is our biography’s epigraph - whether we like it or not. Many times, I stressed this already in different writeups in distinct publications.

I am on my veranda as I write this, and although the month of March has just begun, only a few people seem to be in summer mood. Yes, also today the sky is cloudy and looks like rain. But a wonderful summer (?) breeze is around me, more and more flowers in my big garden are blooming. Summer or not I am thinking again about some lazy days -somehow somewhere in future ... !

Hurray, doing nothing is really something. No, I am not talking about those people, who just hang out

Speaking out

ignacio bunye At 23, Muntinlupa City is one of the youngest cities in the Philippines. But it has already become one of the frontrunners in its class in terms of competitiveness and quality of life for its residents.

Last year, Muntinlupa City was adjudged “Most Business-Friendly City in the Philippines” by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), among the “Top 3 Most Competitive Highly Urbanized Cities in Government Efficiency” by the National Competitive Council and “Most ChildFriendly City in the National Capital Region” by the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children.

Significant awards received from other organizations include the following: “Most Innovative LGU”, “Best in Program Effectiveness”, “Most Improved Nutrition Program Management”, +Jose Rizal Award for Bloodletting Program”, “Best in Health Emergency Management in Metro Manila” .

Formerly a sleepy farming and fishing community up to the 80s, Muntinlupa began its gradual but steady rise to urbanization later in the decade. On March 1, 1995, President Fidel V. Ramos signed into law Muntinlupa’s City Charter, which converted Muntinlupa from a municipality to a highly urbanized city.

Muntinlupa City has been under the helm of soft-spoken lawyer Jaime R. Frenesdi from 1998-2007 and again from 2013 to the present. A businessmancivic leader before he joined politics, (he still is an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Muntinlupa, Rizal) Fresnedi traces his roots to Marcelo Fresnedi. Marcelo was one of the moving spirits

behind the move in the 1900s to declare Muntinlupa a separate Municipality from Taguig. This came to fruition in December 19, 1917.

Last T hu r s d ay, Muntinlupa Cityhood Day, Fresnedi thanked the various stakeholders who all helped make the transformation of Muntinlupa possible.

Gary Llamas, head of Muntinlupa’s Local Economic Investment and Promotion Office, assisted Fresnedi in recognizing the following top ten taxpayers: Ford Group Philippines, Inc. (consistent No. 1 for the last three years), Manila Electric Company, Toyota Alabang, Inc., Filinvest Alabang, Inc., Alabang Commercial Corporation, Filinvest Land, Inc. (Festival Mall), Cyberzone Properties, Inc., Flour Daniel, Inc., Philippines; Genpact Services LLC Philippines, Inc., and Manuela Corporation.

Fresne di note d t hat business tax collection consistently grew by 20 per cent per year since 2013 and that P2 billion for 2018 is very doable.

Also recognized were various national government offices, private corporations, civic clubs and nongovernment organizations whom Fresnedi described as “key partners in development”.

In his annual State of the City Address (SOCA), traditionally delivered on Cityhood Day, Fresnedi reported on the status, accomplishments and future plans of his various flagship projects in Education, Health, Livelihood and Employment, Peace and Order, Housing, G o o d G ove r nanc e and Environmental Protection.

(More details are available on t he C it y ’s Web site : https://www.facebook.com/ of f icia lMunt in lup acity/ which is maintained by the City PIO under Tez Navarro) Fondly nicknamed the “Education Mayor”, Fresnedi announced the grant of financial assistance to all public school students, from Grade One up, starting the coming schoolyear. He also announced the opening of Colegio de Muntinlupa this school year which will muntinlupa/PAGE 10

So, Koko, what is ‘fair trial’ for Sereno?

Kakampi mo ang batas

Batas Mauricio LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…

Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you…”

(Deuteronomy 16:20, the Holy Bible).

-ooo S O , M R . S E N AT E PRESIDENT, WHAT IS “FAIR TRIAL” FOR SERENO? In a society where “fair trial” and “justice” are more honored

in breach rather than in fulfilment, being given an assurance of “fair trial” and “justice”, Senate President Aquilino Koko Pimentel III, is like being mocked and assured that “mob justice” is the one going to prevail.

This kind of an assurance actually sends chills, rather than peace of mind. Please re m e mb e r, Mr. S e n at e President, that true “fair trial” and true “justice” are in reality spiritual orders which every Christian believer, like you, perhaps, should follow.

Consider these: “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly...” (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 16:19, 20).

May God be glorified in what you and your political allies intend to do, Koko!!!

-ooo IS SERENO THE ONLY O N E W I T H M E N TA L DISTURBANCE? Along the same lines, I wish to ask those who have been saying that Sereno has shown symptoms of mental disturbance: is she the only one who is displaying symptoms of mental disturbance?

Is it not a fact, as shown by findings by experts that came out in 2017, one in five Filipinos have mental problems---which means that, if there are 100 million of us right now, some 20 million are afflicted with madness?

Here is what the Bible says about “madness, blindness . and confusion of mind”...

Deuteronomy 28:15, 28: “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his

commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you... The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind...”

-ooo STOP YOUR PRETENSE ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM, YOU MAKE FILIPINOS PUKE!!! Once more, I am requesting those who are projecting themselves as press freedom advocates, stop your pretense! You have been very vocal with your complaints about supposed curtailment of this freedom by the Duterte government, yet, you yourselves appear to not to want press freedom.

Why am I saying this?

Because you are unwilling to work to remove libel laws in the Philippines. You want fair/PAGE 11

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Monday|March 5, 2018

Banking&Finance

PH inflation target range still appropriate: BSP exec A RANKING official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Friday said there is no need to change the government’s 2-4 percent inflation target for 2017-2019 since this range remains appropriate vis-à-vis the current economic developments.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo ruled out the necessity to change the inflation target, citing that “no matter how you measure inflation, no matter what base year you use, 2-4

percent inflation target makes sense, given our stage of development, as well as the inflation dynamics”.

“If you lower it by 1 percent or 2 percent, you will tighten monetary policy and you will affect the trajectory of economic growth,” he told reporters after the briefing on the first-quarter 2018 Business Expectations Survey (BES).

Last Wednesday, the central bank released its inflation projection for February, which is between 4 percent and 4.8

percent, with the upper end already way above the upper end of the government’s target range.

Last January, inflation ticked up to 4 percent from month-ago’s 3.3 percent primarily due to faster inflation of the food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, and tobacco indices.

Monetary officials earlier said they see above-target inflation rates in some months of 2018 but forecast normalization starting March 2019.

Guinigundo said

they continue to see this inflation path for domestic rate of price increases.

Asked for his reaction to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s decision to change the base year for the consumer price index from 2006 to 2012 starting March this year, the central bank official said the new composition “will be more relevant”.

“It will be more relevant because this will be based on current taste and preferences of the general public,” he said.

(PNA)

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Landbank Board okays PDS shares purchase MANILA -- The Board of Directors of stateowned Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) has approved the planned acquisition of Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. (PDS) stakes at PHP360 apiece.

“In the LBP Board Meeting held on 27 February 2018, the Board of Directors approved LBP’s proposed offer to purchase at least 66.67 percent of total PDSHC common shares at PHP360 per share,” Landbank President and CEO Alex Buenaventura told reporters in an SMS message Thursday.

The planned

purchase of PDSHC shares was proposed by Buenaventura and this was approved in principle by the Landbank Board during their meeting on January 23, 2018.

Buenaventura earlier said his recommendation is aimed at helping increase the bank’s profit.

“The objectives are to increase Landbank profits and to accelerate development of capital markets in the country,” he said.

In his January 16, 2018 letter to the Landbank Board, Buenaventura said his proposal was based on the fact that the bank currently had a

1.56 percent stake in PDS “through the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP).

He said BAP signed a Share Purchase Agreement on June 15, 2017 that allowed the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to acquire 1,488,902 common shares equivalent to 23.8 percent of PDS’s total outstanding stock for PHP476,448,640 or at PHP320 per share.

“This implies a valuation of P2 billion for PDS and a PE (price earnings) ratio of 8.10x based on 2016 PDS earnings,” he said.

PE ratio is the

proportion of a company’s share price vis-à-vis its per-share earnings.

Buenaventura said this valuation is lower than it should be and noted that “research on the financials of comparable market infrastructure enterprises in the region and globally show that such businesses trade at an average LTM (last twelve months) PE ratio of 34.1x and 35.8x, respectively.”

“This indicates that at a price of PHP320 per share, PDS is undervalued and purchasing PDS shares could be a profitable investment for LBP,” he added. (PNA)

DTI: Perks on tax reform package 2 more relevant THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sees the rationalization of fiscal incentives under second package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) as more relevant.

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said Thursday that the Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s leading investment promotion agency (IPA) under the department, has heard the investors’ concerns on the CTRP Package 2.

But he added that the

BOI contributed inputs in reforming the fiscal incentives regime, making perks more relevant to the needs of the economy and making incentives more fair among investors.

“As we rationalize, it is unfortunate that there will be companies or individuals that will be hit. But this is exactly the necessary corrections to spread more evenly the gains and remove the years of biases, and make incentives more strategic,” said Lopez.

“The provisions in the

draft tax reform Package 2 included DTI-BOI inputs that makes incentives more relevant, even removes the bias against foreign investors and between export and domestic market orientation,” the top trade official said.

In a tax forum early this week, Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the CTRP Package 2 will offer a single menu of incentives across 14 IPAs nationwide.

Under the proposal, the DOF still retains the

income tax holiday as incentive.

It also considers other income-based perks such as investment tax allowance, double deduction for research and development and training expenses, 50 percent deduction for labor, deduction for infrastructure and reinvestment of profit.

Customs duty exemption is also being eyed.

However, the 5-percent gross income earned (GIE) perks/PAGE 11

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

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Isuzu opens relocated Tuguegarao outlet in Iguig, Cagayan

C

ontinuing its dealership expansion and improvement program this year, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) recently opened its relocated Tuguegarao office in a bigger, more accessible facility in Barangay Sta. Teresa, Iguig, Cagayan.

On February 27, IPC President Hajime Koso together with BMD Motors Executive Vice President Dra. Zinnia DomingoPerez lead the opening ceremony attended by guests from Isuzu Motors Limited Japan, headed

by Senior Counselor Yoshinori Ida; present also were various government officials and officers from different banking institutions.

“The opening of the new Isuzu Tuguegarao in Iguig is part of our business development program which includes opening of new outlets, renovation, and relocation of select offices to better serve our clients nationwide. This is to show that our company does not only provide high quality

products but also excellent sales and after-sales service,” said Koso.

Set on a vast 5,000 sqm land, the new Isuzu Tuguegarao has an ample parking space and spacious showroom floor which can accommodate more display units including trucks.

At the back portion, a complete servicing facility – that can accept repair or maintenance for light vehicle to heavy-duty trucks.

Operated by one of the long-time Isuzu dealer principals, BMD Motors, which also operate Isuzu dealerships in the areas of Bulacan, Meycauayan, Cabanatuan and Isabela – Isuzu is confident that this new site will be able to provide excellent service to their clients in the region.

“Cagayan is booming in all the different ways, we see a lot of businesses opening in the area and we want to keep up with the growing economy.

With this new site, we will be able to cater to more customers, not just for sales but most importantly in after-sales,” DomingoPerez said.

SSS to levy, seize and garnish properties of delinquent employers The Social Security System (SSS) is set to impose additional modes of collection starting April thru Warrants of Distraint, Levy and Garnishment (WDLG) against about 60,000 delinquent employers nationwide causing the seizure and acquisition of personal and real properties and garnishment of bank accounts equivalent to the amount of unpaid contributions including interest and penalty.

The WDLG is provided for under Section 22 of Republic Act 8282 otherwise known as Social Security Act of 1997. These modes of collection are similar to the collection system of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against delinquent taxpayers.

Also, SSS launched early last year the Run Against Contribution Evaders, a program parallel to BIR’s Run Against Tax Evaders Program.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the new policy is to ensure that employers are unable to dispose their properties to evade their obligations in paying employees’ SSS monthly contributions.

“This is a warning against delinquent employers who continue to ignore their responsibility with the SSS. With this new policy, SSS can now seize their personal and real properties as well as credits and other properties in the hand of the third party as payments to the delinquency owed by them,” said Dooc.

Dooc added that with the WDLG, SSS is hoping to collect more than P5.3 billion worth of contributions from erring employers on its pilot year.

Based on the WDLG guidelines, the SSS will issue a Letter of Authority and Preliminary Assessment Notice (PAN) containing the amount of total delinquency to the employer.

After 15 days, a Final Assessment Notice Before Seizure (FANS) will be sent to the employer with an instruction to pay the amount stated.

The employer must file a protest if it does not agree with the FANS issued by the SSS. Protest against the FANS must be made either in the form of Request for Reconsideration based on existing records within 15 days or a Request for Reconciliation based on newly discovered or additional evidence within 30 days from the date of receipt.

“The employers must file a protest within the prescribed period at the SSS office or Large Accounts Department (LAD) that issued the FANS. Failure to protest the FANS will result in the issuance of the WDLG by SSS authorized signatories,” said Dooc.

Dooc added that after seizure of the personal and real properties and garnishment of bank accounts of the delinquent employer, the SSS will schedule a public sale in no less than 20 days. sss/PAGE 11

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Monday | March 5, 2018

DENR leads national celebration of World Wildlife Day 2018

T

he Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), will spearhead the national observance of the World Wildlife Day on March 2-6.

DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said that the celebration is “a crucial step in promoting the protection of wildlife species in the Philippines.”

“We have various activities lined up for the World Wildlife Day to remind the Filipino people of their role in protecting and conserving the treasures of our natural resources,” Cimatu said.

The World Wildlife Day is celebrated on March 3, the day the landmark Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted in 1973. This year’s theme is “Big cats: predators under threat.”

The annual celebration, which started in 2014 following the declaration by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 20, 2013, aims to raise awareness of endangered animal and plant species, and ways to fight against wildlife crime.

The Philippines joins the global celebration as part of its commitment to the CITES, an international agreement to regulate worldwide commercial trade in animal and plant species.

Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) said several activities will be held to “maximize the opportunity to raise public awareness on the diverse

wildlife resources in the country.”

The highlight of the celebration is the 5th Annual Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards, which recognizes private individuals and nonDENR personnel who have provided invaluable assistance and unqualified support to the agency in enforcing the provisions of Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. The awarding ceremony will be held at the BMB Training Center at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City at 10 am on March 2.

According to Lim, the DENR has conferred the award to 349 recipients for the past four years.

“For this year, 28 brave warriors from various

enforcement partner agencies will be formally commended for their invaluable and continuous dedication to wildlife law reinforcement from April 2017 to February 2018,” Lim said.

This year’s awardees will come from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.

“The awarding ceremony once again serves as a venue for the DENR to call for stronger support and greater commitment from each of the awardees and from their respective institutions and agencies to curb illegal wildlife trade,” Cimatu said.

The BMB will also be holding the 3rd National Wildlife Quiz Bee in the afternoon of the same day and venue, March 2 at 1:30 pm.

Lim said that the National Wildlife Quiz Bee is a

knowledge-based competition and learning event that aims to encourage the target students to give attention to current developments in wildlife.

Participants of the quiz bee will be Grade 9 students from various public schools in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.

There is also the Biodiversity Camp (BioCamp), which is a 2-day learning event designed for the youth, aged 13-18 years old.

The BioCamp aims to expose the participants to biodiversity conservation and to make them aware of their role in conserving biodiversity.

BioCampers will undergo informal learning approaches such as environmental games, skits or role-playing, nature walk, wildlife watching, and close encounter with selected species of wild animals.

DENR unveils electric car charging station The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently unveiled its electric vehicle quick charging station in its compound on Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.

The e-charging station was donated

by Mitsubishi Motors Philippine Corporation (MMPC), which commissioned Meralco’s subsidiary Mserv in constructing the station.

“This EV charging station will definitely be of great help in

promoting the use of electric as well hybrid cars that are more environment-friendly option than gaspowered vehicles,” DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas Leones said during the unveiling ceremony, witnessed also by top executives of MMPC and Meralco and officials from the Department of Trade and Industry and DENR. Leones said the installation of electric vehicle charger

at the DENR was “timely” as it supports the program thrust of DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu towards intensified environmental protection.

“This project is not only timely but also supportive of the thrust of Secretary Cimatu towards intensified environmental protection, particularly clean air. It also a first step in creating a network of chargers for electric vehicles in the country, especially in highly urbanized cities.

Leones also expressed gratitude to the MMPC “for its kind donation and for being a consistent partner of the DENR in the fight against air pollution.”

In June last year, MMPC has donated 10 EV units to the DENR, composed of five (5) I-MiEV, Mitsubishi’s five-door hatchback electric car and another five (5) Outlander PHEV, a hybrid electric vehicle, as part of their partnership in promoting clean energy and

environmental protection.

A study by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau showed that around 80 percent of air pollution comes from motor vehicles, while 20 percent comes from stationary sources, including factory smoke stacks and open burning.

For his part, MMPC President and CEO Mutsuhiro Oshikiri said the creation of a charging infrastructure is a crucial step in enabling the market

growth of electric vehicles in the Philippines.

Meralco President and CEO Oscar S. Reyes, on the other hand, said that Meralco is honored to have been chosen

by Mitsubishi Motors in providing power innovations at the DENR and DTI. Aside from DENR central office, MMPC has also lined up the installation of EV charging stations in the agency’s regional offices in Cebu and Davao, and in DTI.

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LLDA: 50% of firms discharging wastewater into Non-MM areas to get Laguna Lake possibly violating environmental laws bulk of infra projects

T

he Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) said half of the nearly 7,000 companies discharging wastewater into Laguna de Bay may be violating environmental rules, but added that the agency lacks both money and manpower to go after polluters.

Officials from LLDA told the House committee on ecology during a public hearing that about half of what the agency calls "wet industries"- firms that discharge wastewater into Laguna Lake-are possibly violating environmental laws.

The public hearing, held February 21 at the Batasang Pambansa complex, sought to look into the cause of the deterioration of the lake and find out what LLDA is doing about it.

Wet industries registered with and being monitored by LLDA number 6,911, and of this, "approximately 50% are compliant and 50% non-compliant," said Adelina SantosBorja, department manager of LLDA's Resource Management and Development

Department.

But she said the agency is short on funding and personnel to carry out its mandate to enforce environmental laws and carry out rehabilitation projects on Laguna de Bay. Rep. Estrellita Suansing, committee chair expressed dismay at this information, saying, "Ibig nyong sabihin kaya di nyo naaayos ang Laguna Lake kasi kulang kayo sa tao?"

Borja said the agency only has less than 200 personnel but is overseeing 19,000 users of the lake. For the surveillance unit, there are only 11 personnel on the team Emiterio Hernandez, department manager of the environmental regulatory department of LLDA, added that LLDA's budget allocation is only enough to cover the agency's operations.

"Probably one of the reasons why nga hindi po tayo masyadong makapag [undertake] ng mga projects necessary for the rehabilitation is ang nage-generate nga naming funds is mainly for the operations of the LLDA," he said.

"Those big-ticket

projects need to be supported by the national government kasi nga po actually ang budget po ng LLDA is only about P300 million in a given year so talagang ubos po yun sa operations," he said.

But Borja said that despite their situation, they have managed to file cases against 2,500 violators, most of which are wet industries.

Asked whether there are more wet industries that are possible violators but have not been charged, Atty. John Andrew de Guzman of the legal division of LLDA said: "Yes, those establishments with issued NOV or Notice of Violation pero di pa po na-e-endorse sa legal."

He also supported Borja's statement that of the 6,911 wet industries, "more or less [half ] posibleng nag-viviolate kasi sila ang may discharge."

Said Suansing: "So 6,000 na wet industries tapos 11 lang inspector nyo, di good luck talaga sa inyo."

She added that if LLDA general manager Jaime C. Medina was at the hearing, "I will tell him the reason why you are there is because you

have to do something about your agency."

Suansing added that if violators comprise 50% of the wet industries, "nandito yung problema ninyo. Ayusin nyo lang itong violators na ito, lilinis na yung Laguna Lake."

Asked how LLDA earns revenue, Hernandez said revenue is generated from the environmental user's fee amounting to around P200 million annually, which is used for operations and water resource management projects.

Rep. Carlito Marquez pointed out that LLDA has the mandate to raise its revenue and therefore, if it wanted to, it can increase the environmental user's fee, currently amounting to at least P13,000, so it can fund its operations and projects.

"Kung hindi kaya sa P13,000 di gawing P25,000Â… i-tripleÂ… so you can already allocate how many personnel you need, what are the equipment you need," he said.

Borja said that this year they are already reviewing their fees and charges "pati po ung sa violating/PAGE 10

BWM: March 5, 2018

over 5-year period Regions outside Metro Manila will get a big share of the total number of infrastructure programs and projects of the Philippine government over the medium-term, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

Of the total 4,985 infrastructure programs and projects listed in the government’s investment program for the period 2017-2022, some 98 projects are inter-regional, and 3,911 projects, excluding those in the National Capital Region, are region specific, NEDA said in a statement.

“If you look at the data, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has the highest number of projects. This dispels the notion that government projects are centered in Mega Manila,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.

Over the medium term, from 2017 to 2022, ARMM will get a total of 1,340 projects while Metro Manila will have 320 projects.

The investment requirements of the inter-

regional projects amount to P3.32 trillion and the region-specific projects excluding Metro Manila amount to P1.164 trillion.

Furthermore, 161 infrastructure projects nationwide worth P2.29 trillion will be rolled out for implementation by 2022.

“Through these projects, we are making headway in improving connectivity and promoting economic clusters in regional and sub-regional growth centers. This is consistent with the country’s National Spatial Strategy (NSS),” Pernia said.

The NSS takes into account population trends, economic activities, and services in defining the country’s desired spatial structure.

The government’s massive infrastructure program needs a total of P9.04 trillion in investments over six years. This amount, however, does not include investments in infrastructure projects to be funded purely by local government units, government-owned and projects/PAGE 10

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Muntinlupa... from page 4

offer – Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering at Computer Engineering.

Other highlights: -Work is ongoing for an additional building for the Ospital ng Muntinlupa via a P70 million grant from the National government thru Congressman Rufino Rozanno Biazon.

- A Women’s Resource Center will start to operate which will serve as a center for livelihood skills training, product development and business development for micro enterprises. Loan size for viable small businesses under the JRF program has also been increased up to a maximum of P150,000 per borrower.

-A citywide CCT V system to deter wrongdoers is expected to be fully on stream this year.

- Each barangay will receive a donation of one ambulance and one fire truck from the city government.

- Aside from ongoing socialized housing projects, the city government will soon commence the Centennial Employee Housing project.

-Further fine-tuning of the Single-Window TransactionMBOSS will be pursued towards making Muntinlupa the “City of One-Stop-Shops”.

B efore the Duterte administration even coined “build, build, build”, the city government of Muntinlupa has been at it.

Fresnedi reported on an impressive list of i n f r ast r u c tu re proj e c t s completed in 2017 and those for completion in 2018.

Completed in 2017 • P l a z a C e n t r a l , Poblacion • Fire Station at Susana Heights, Tunasan • M u l t i - p u r p o s e Covered Courts at Sto. Nino Village at Victoria Homes, Tunasan • Day Care Center at Bayanan Baywalk • A d d i t i o n a l Classrooms for Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa • M u l t i - p u r p o s e Building at Cupang For Completion in 2018 • C o l e g i o de Muntinlupa in Sucat (Phase 2) • Muntinlupa City Mus eum in L aguer t a, Tunasan • Phase 2 ng CCTV Installation Project for the whole city • DRRM Command Center at the Resiliency Building, Tunasan • New Building for Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMun) • M C T I - T E S D A Women’s Resource Center at Putatan • Men and Women’s Center at Site Development at Putatan • L aguer ta Health Center at Tunasan • M u l t i - P u r p o s e Community Center at AyalaAlabang Having served as Mayor of Muntinlupa from 1986 to

1998 and as Congressman from 1998 to 2001, I can not feel but be proud of what Muntinlupa has achieved.

And I also share the hopes of all Muntinlupeños for an even better city tomorrow.

Muntinlupa is currently headed by Jaime R. Fresnedi (City Mayor). Rufino Rozanno Biazon represents the lone district of Muntinlupa in Congress. Engineer Alan A. Cachuela is the City Administrator, assisted by Deputy City Administrator RJ Smith.

The following make up the City Council: Celso A. Dioko (Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer), Councilors (District I): Ivee A. Tadefa, Atty.

Patricio L. Boncayao, Jr. (Majority Floor Leader), Bal Niefes, Stephanie G. Teves, Louisito A. Arciaga. Allan Camilon, Ringo A. Teves, Alexander B. Diaz. Councilors (District II): Christine Abas, Grace Gonzaga, Ma. Dhesiree G. Arevalo, Lucio Bago Constantino, Victor Ulanday, Marissa Rongavilla, Rafael T. Sevilla, Lester Baes. ABC Chairman: Walter A. Arcilla.

Sanggunian Secretary: Cecile Lazarte.

Muntinlupa’s 9 barangays are led as follows: Sucat Mamerto Sevilla, Buli - Ric Cole, Cupang - Rainier Bulos, Alabang - Ahyie Gonzaga, Ayala Alabang -Ruben Baes, Bayanan - Ador San Pedro, Putatan - Danny Teves, Poblacion - Allen Ampaya and Tunasan - Walter A Arcilla.

Note: You may email us at totingbunye2000@gmail. com. You may also “like” us on Facebook at “Speaking Out”.

Violating... from page 9

fishpens, lahat po ng paggamit ng lake."

"Ngayon po ay ni-rereview na namin at talaga pong magtataas kami ng mga sisingilin namin."

Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Villarin called for a review of the mandate of the LLDA, saying that closing down major polluting industries "is a challenge that should not just be lodged with LLDA," as "hindi ito kaya ng isang ahensiya."

Laguna de Bay is the largest inland body of water in the Philippines and third largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It accounts for almost one-half of the 190,000 hectares of total area of all existing lakes in the Philippines, and has a total volume of 3.2 billion cubic meters with a shoreline of 220 kilometers. Around 100 rivers and streams drain into the lake.

Projects...

from page 9 controlled corporations, the private sector, and other sources.

NEDA said that “g i v e n t h e c o u n t r y ’s s ou n d m a c ro e c on om i c fundamentals and strong fiscal position, 78% or P7.096 trillion will be funded by the national government through its annual appropriation of funds.”

MinDA bats for higher Mindanao budget share Mindanao’s lead agency for socio-economic development continues the call for an equitable budget share for the island-region to achieve greater impact on poverty reduction and economic growth.

In order to catch up with the Dutertenomics target of boosting the island-region’s economy by 7 to 8 percent, and reducing poverty to 20 percent by year 2022, Mindanao Development Authority through its Chairman Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto appealed to lawmakers to increase the budget allocation to Php 1.35 trillion, to be spread in the next four years.

Mindanao was allocated 416 billion or 12 percent of the national budget for 2017.

“For us in Mindanao, getting tired is a luxury we cannot yet afford.

So we will continue to knock on your doors until we get what Mindanao rightfully deserves,” Alonto said during their agency’s presentation.

The budget increase advocacy of MinDA primarily focused on the prioritization of sustainable infrastructure development the fully supports development of industries, SMEs, ecotourism, and other projects that contribute more to poverty alleviation.

The proposed budget already includes an additional Php 603 billion to fund the priority programs and projects under the Mindanao Development Corridors (MinDC), including Mindanaowide land transport connectivity, Mindanao gateways, and the TransMindanao-High- Speed Railway system.

The MinDC, which includes the Bangsamoro Development Corridor corresponds to the proposed Federal States of Mindanao and highlight the different comparative advantages of the island-region.

“We have all the potentials here – we are the source of food and industrial raw materials of the country. Building roads, upgrading ports and airports, and establishing economic In the Februar y 7 meeting of the NEDA Board Committee on InfrastructureC abi ne t C ommitte e, it approved NEDA’s provisional work plan for 2018, the proposed draft implementing rules and regulations of the National Transport Policy,

zones are the key to unlocking Mindanao’s potentials,” Alonto said.

He added that MinDA has also submitted a list of catalytic projects for Mindanao including the Tawi-Tawi Freeport and Economic Zone, the Picong Freeport, Airport, and Industrial Estate, the next segments of the TransMindanao HighSpeed Railway Project, and the establishment of Agri-Economic Cooperative Zones in the Bangsamoro areas to address food security.

At the Mindanao Affairs Committee Hearing in Congress early this week, Committee Chairman Representative Maximo Rodriguez urged members to collectively support efforts to secure higher allocation for Mindanao.

"The past studies we did on the Mindanao budget and the analysis presented by MinDA validated our assertion that we are getting roughly 12 percent of national budget," Rep. Rodriguez stressed.

He added that his Committee will conduct subsequent hearings with key agencies such as the Departments of Budget and Management, Transportation, and Public Works to obtain proposed allocation for Mindanao in 2019.

In a position paper on the allocation of equitable budget share for Mindanao, MinDA contends that public investment in infrastructure, economic growth, and ultimately, poverty reduction come hand in hand in ushering sustainable development. The paper also cited a World Bank study stating that in order to ease infrastructure constraints, the country needs to increase infrastructure investments to at least 5 percent of its GDP. Over the last decade, Mindanao has been receiving on the average 11.45 percent of the total budget of the country. This is less than Mindanao’s contribution to the economy, which stands at an average of 15.29 percent from 2007-2018. and the guidelines for utilizing the Project Development and Other Related Studies Fund for the conduct of feasibility studies, master plan formulations, analyses, and other pre-investment activities. -- www.portcalls. com

11

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Monday|March 5, 2018

Growers... from page 1

addresses the enterprise aspect of the crops being developed.

The south-central Mindanao area, or the South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City (Soccsksargen) Region, took up the largest share of the enterprise budget at P123.49 million for 11 projects.

This covers the development of coffee in Tupi, South Cotabato, with the funding granted to the Tupi Coffee Growers Association, Inc. (TCGAI), specifically production improvement and marketing of dried green coffee beans.

“Through this project, we hope that the value of coffee farming and the lives of coffee farmers in the province will be elevated. Hopefully with PRDP, coffee growers in the entire South Cotabato would benefit and gain appreciation on the value of coffee as commodity,” said TCGAI President Marcos Gabat in the PRDP statement.

For the other regions, Caraga is receiving P69.57 million for nine projects; Northern Mindanao with P62.1 million for 33 projects; Davao with P56.30 million for seven projects; Western Mindanao (or Zamboanga Peninsula) with P28.43 million for seven projects; and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with P23.26 million for 10 projects.

Arabs... from page 1

Mangudadatu told reporters at the groundbreaking rites of the 200-milion peso mixed use building that will be home to the business processing and outsourcing (BPO) center.

It will also be the first call center in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mangudadatu envisions Buluan to be “the call center hub of the region and possibly the country exclusively for Arab nations.”

He said the call center, which will be constructed across the compound of the Provincial Capitol, is expected to generate employment for at least 1,200 workers.

T h e w o r k f o rc e w i l l be coming from Islamic scholars and a workforce with expertise in speaking Arabic.

Mangudadatu estimates the call center would generate employment for at least 1,200 workers sourced from the among the scholars of the provincial government.

“Priorities for employment will be graduates of our MagPeace scholarship program,” Mangudadatu said. “Islamic scholars aree lso given priority to show they are not supporting extremists,” he added.

A l e x B u e n av e nt u r a , President and Chief Executive Officer of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) graced the groundbreaking rites.

The Land Bank will provide the provincial government a hundred million peso loan

for the construction of the building while the provincial government will provide a counterpart of a hundred million pesos.

The multi-use building will not only host the call center but also a hotel and commercial spaces to encourage more investors to come to Buluan, invest and create more job opportunities, he said.

Buenaventura said the primary objective of the Land Bank loans is to help improve employment opportunities for the people of Maguindanao.

Blame...

from page 1 Forces of the Philippines using lumads to kill each other and put the blame to the revolutionary movement.

Ka Jo a qu i n Ja c i nto, spokesman of the National Democratic Front in Mindanao, said the AFP went to the extremes to set up brutal murders using as pawns their own miliatamen to kill fellow lumads and pin it to the NPA “in a vain attempt to malign us and induce anger particularly to relatives of the victims.”

Calling it a spate of desperate and brutal psychological war tactics, Jacinto said, “the NPA was in no way involved in such murderous act, and all evidence point to the fact that it was the AFP’s own bandit attack dogs, led by a certain Emerson Cuarteron, that executed the crime mainly because of a dispute over the control for ancestral domain.”

Ja c i n t o, i n a p r e s s statement, said Cuarteron was actually responsible in the beheading of Manobo militiaman Mar Acebedo Bocales but the AFP quickly employed its spin doctors to spread fake news to the mainstream and social media putting the blame to the NPA as behind the brutal killing.

The mi lit ar y e arlier reported that Bocales, a member of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) from the Los Arcos Patrol Base in Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur was on off duty who was abducted on January 29 as he was hunting for wild animals to feed his family.

The report said the victim, a father of three whose family lives in San Miguel town in Surigao del Sur, bore torture marks as he was made to suffer before he was beheaded allegedly by his NPA captors.

T h e N PA h o w e v e r debunked the military report saying Cuarteron and the victim’s relative Hasmin Acebedo are fighting for the control of a small-scale mining area in the remote villages of Castillo and Bolhoon in San Miguel.

Jacinto also cited two other incidents last month that involved the killing of lumad tribal leaders in Alegria town in Surigao del Norte and in Talaingod in Davao del Norte which were perpetrated by CAFGU elements but which the AFP exploited the blame to the communist guerillas.

A militar y report said Dakula Guilledrmo

Tiambang, 58, a farmer and tribal leader of the village of Camp Edward ikn Alegria town was allegedly shot dead in front of his family while Datu Banadjao Mampaundag of Lagangilang-Manobo tribe and his son Jhonard were killed in their home in Palma Gil village in Talaingod four days earlier after the Bocales killing.

Pass... from page 2

Scholarships obligation is to maintain a passing grade subjects every semester/ term in all academic until completion of the course and also in situation like academic deficiency, performance will be evaluated.

Soliven said DOST aims to provide scholarships, that will finance the education and to ensure a steady, adequate supply of qualified S and T human resources.

The JLSS is a scholarship program under the Republic Act No. 7687 or the “S&T Scholarship Act of 1994,” RA No. 10612 or the “FastTracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013,” and the RA No. 2067 or the Merit Scholarship Program.”

The JLSS is implemented in support of the overall goal of increasing the number of scientists and engineers that will help boost knowledge cre at ion and e conomic productivity in the country.

RA 10612, on the other hand, supports the execution of the K to 12 law by creating a pool of scholar-graduates that can competently teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the basic education level.

The D OST-SEI Underg radu ate S cience and Technology Scholarship Examination is continuously being developed to identify who among you would most probably be successful in the pursuit of careers in science and technology in line with the objectives of the country’s scientific human resource development plans.

Scholars under the RA 10612 are expected to teach STEM, ideally in their respective home regions, as their return-ser vice.

Meanwhile, graduates of the RA 7687 and Merit Programs are required to work along their fields of specialization in the country equivalent to the length of years in which they benefitted from the scholarship program.

“Promises are meant to be fulfilled,” Soliven said as he congratulated the qualifiers of DOST-SEI JLSS S and T scholarship. (LVG/PIA-10 LDN)

Sales... from page 3

prefers window-type units due to its lower cost, as well as easy installation and maintenance.

Daikin does not manufacture window-type aircons.

Caburian noted that split-type units are more efficient in terms of electricity cost, which offset the higher investment when purchasing this type of aircon.

Based on industry data, the Philippine market still has 23 million households with no air conditioning system.

The executive noted that this is a large market for Daikin to tap to further grow its business in the country.

(PNA)

Discount... from page 3

extending the subsidy.

In c on c re t i z i n g t h e e x p an d e d oi l d i s c ou nt program, the oil f irms are required to “provide a designated lane for PUVs,” and must a ls o provide “additional privileges and other promotional offers to the drivers.”

The energy chief emphasized “with these fuel discount and other CSR programs, we are hopeful that operators of jeepneys and buses will also help lessen the impact of TRAIN to consumers by not increasing the transport fares.”

It is also the goal of the government that despite the hike in oil prices at the pumps, the drivers could maximize their take-home pay for the benefit of their respective families.

The TRAIN has subsidy mechanism for marginalized sectors, but in the oil industry, the DOE opted to solicit the direct support of the oil companies on the fuel cost subsidy for the public transport segment.

Enjoying... from page 4

So let’s rest for a while to acquire new energy. HAPPY SUMMER DAYS! +++ Email: doringklaus@gmail. com or follow me in Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www. klausdoringsclassicalmusic. blogspot.com .

Hurst... from page 4

to take full charge so He can start changing your life. Then with His power and help you can start living His way every day. Jesus will even take all the bad things from your past and start mixing them together so that in the end they can actually benefit you.

Then instead of being guilty and ruined by those things anymore, you’ll thank God for forgiving you and using those lessons to change you into a much better, happier person.

Just Think a Minute …

Fair...

from page 4

to uphold press freedom?

Remove the current libel laws in the Philippines, which penalize stinging commentaries and thoughtful remarks.

Libel laws represent the one single biggest threat to press freedom, and our country even recognizes that by signing an international agreement against libel ... but, of course, many in the Philippines do not like removing our libel laws because they also would want to use it to silence their enemies....

Perks... from page 5

tax shall be replaced by a special corporate income tax rate of 15 percent for five years.

The reform also eyes to eliminate value-added tax (VAT) and local tax incentives.

“Bottomline [is] we are rationalizing the incentive to prevent unnecessar y perpetual incentives but enriching quality and relevance of incentives, timebound, more performancebased, and focused on selected strategic industries,” Lopez said. (PNA)

SSS...

from page 6

Howe ve r, t h e s t at e agency head clarified that if the employer pays its contributions delinquency including penalties, damages and expenses prior the public sale, the warrants issued will be lifted and the properties levied, distrained or garnished will be restored to the owner.

“The proceeds of the sale of property will be applied to the total amount of delinquency including other expenses. However, if the proceeds are not enough, the SSS can still collect the deficiency from the employer,” said Dooc.

Dooc emphasized

that if the WDLG will be unsuccessful because the employer has no more properties or they cannot be located, the case will be referred to the Legal E n forc e me nt Group of SSS for filing of a criminal charges.

The WDLG provision i n t h e S S c h ar t e r w a s i mp l e m e nt e d t h r u t h e efforts of the Social Security Commission composed of Dooc as Vice Chairman, Commissioners Gonzalo T. Duque, Michael G. Regino, Anita B. Quitain, Diana Pardo-Aguilar together with former Chairman Amado D. Valdez and Commissioner Jose Gabriel M. La Viña.

The Office of President Rodrigo Duterte approved t he i mpl e me nt at i on of WDLG. R e l a t e d l y, D o o c r e m i n d s e mp l o y e r s o f their responsibility and commitment to report their employees and pay for their SSS contributions on time.

He encourages them to help SSS in providing the benefits needed by members.

“Again, we would like to remind employers to report their employees for SSS coverage within 30 days from start of work and to remit their monthly contributions religiously. Let us work together in providing meaningful benefits to our workers,” Dooc said.

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https://www.facebook.com/BusinessWeek.Mindanao Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Regional Trial Court of Misamis Oriental 10th Judicial Region Branch 44 Initao, Misamiss Oriental OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL SHERIFF 1ST NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SALE EJF FILE No. D-2017-383 Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 filed by the Rural Bank of El Salvador (Misamis Oriental), Inc., a corporation organized and existing under Philippine laws with business address at Poblacion, El Salvador City, against GAUDENCIO FABRICANTE, married to Eusebia Fabricante, Filipino citizen, with residence at Matangad, Gitagum, Misamis Oriental, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of August 31, 2017 amounts to TWO HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY (254,520.00) PESOS, Philippine currency, including interest and penalty charges, the undersigned or her duly authorized deputy will sell at public auction on March 6, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. or soon thereafter at the main entrance of the office of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 44, Initao, Misamis Oriental to the following property with all their improvements, to wit: I. TAX Declaration No. 943370 Property Index No. 052.19.006.01.020

A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot No. 13873) in the barrio of Kilangit, Municipality of Gitagum, Province of Misamis Oriental, with an area of containing an area of NINE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY SQUARE METERS (9450 sq. m.) more or less, with boundaries, to wit:

North: Lot 038, 035, 033 sec 02 South: Lot 008, Sec. 02 East: Lot 021 West: Creek, Lot 038, Sec.12 II. TAX Declaration No. 943021 Property Index No. 052.19.007.12.032 A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot No. 13869-P) in the barrio of Matangand, Municipality of Gitagum, Province of Misamis Oriental, with an area ONE THOUSAND THIRTY SIX SQUARE METERS ( 1,036 sq. m.) more or less, with boundaries, to wit: North: Bo. Road East: Bo. Road

South: Lot 031 West: Lot 033 III. Tax Declaration No. 943017 Property Index No. 052.19.007.12.032

A RESIDENTIAL HOUSE erected on Lot 13869, constructed with construced With concrete hollow blocks and timber.

Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves the title hereinabovedescribed and encumbrance thereon, if any there be.

In the event that the auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held immediately on next working day without further notice.

December 21, 2017 at Initao, Misamis Oriental, Philippines.

(Sgd.) ATTY. IAN C. TAJANERA-BERNARDO Clerk of Court VI and Ex-office Provincial Sheriff

BWM: Feb. 21, 28 & Mar. 5, 2018

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12

SWU PHINMA Goes Beyond Medicine

S

outhwestern University PHINMA in Cebu City launched seven non-medical courses through “Down the Rabbit Hole”, a night of magic and boundlessness held at Xentro Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City last 9 February 2018.

Renowned for its outstanding medical and allied health programs, SWU PHINMA’s exclusive launch featured a whimsical performance of acrobats, stilt walkers, and jugglers from Jumping Jack Acrobats, and remarkable improv performances by Cornillo Pahang, Erica Navarsa, James Clapano, Jane Alcala, Roan Marie, Jean Saraña, Darwin Baliton, and Van Duke Dacayan .The event also featured the launch of

cmyk

the SWU Next ad.

“SWU PHINMA’s paramount thrust is to develop students to become the best that they can be,” said Albert L. Gamboa, Chief Operating Officer Affairs of SWU PHINMA “We launched the SWU Next programs to provide more opportunities to achieve that goal.”

SWU PHINMA has established its distinction in its Medicine and Allied Health programs.

“Today, we are extending this pursuit for excellence in other areas that are less traditional. And as this event has shown, we are not afraid to go against the grain and do things that have never been done before because we are fueled

by our students’ passion to change the world, whether it’s through Architecture, Business, Communications, IT or any other career.”

“The programs we have beyond Medicine are diverse and exciting in their own different ways. What ties them together is having a deep understanding of humanity at the core of their curriculums, allowing our students to properly address humanity’s most fundamental needs. And this is what will set us and our graduates apart.”

Gamboa encouraged students to be part of this new journey being undertaken by SWU. “You wouldn’t want to miss this,” he said.

“Because this thing that we’re brewing, it’s magic.”(PGVH/SWUP)