BusinessWeek Mindanao (May 31 - June 1, 2021)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE

Volume XI, No. 148

Market Indicators

AS OF 6:00 PM MAY 29, 2021 (SATURDAY)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P 47.8

6,674.51

X X Briefly

0.18

9.37

cents

points

Rice tariff DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez on Friday clarified that the lowering of tariff for imported rice is not an outcome of trade agreement discussions but only to diversify the sourcing of the staple.

“The tariff adjustment was not due to any trade agreement discussion. It was mainly due to rising prices of rice from major import source like Vietnam and Thailand which are Asean countries and which have 35 percent tariff rates,” Lopez said in a statement.

He added that sourcing outside Asean member states will secure sufficient rice inventory and ensure low and stable price of rice.

IT upskilling Authorities from the government and the private sector are one in citing the importance of upskilling people’s technological expertise to make Filipino firms become globally competitive in the present times.

During the virtual groundbreaking ceremony for the Union Bank of the Philippines (Unionbank) innovation campus on Wednesday, Unionbank chief information officer Dennis Omila said the country has what it takes to be an artificial intelligence (AI) hub.

Omila said a lot of major software developments are being sourced from the Philippines, which can be attributed to Filipinos’ creativity, ingenuity, and high information technology (IT) skills.

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Piñol nixes planned sale of Agus-Pulangi plants Thank you for trusting us!

* allays fear divesting the power complex could push rates upward

T

By MIKE BANOS, Editor-at-Large

HE Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex is best left in government hands rather than sold to private investors.

This was emphatically stressed by Secretar y Emmanuel F. Piñol., chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) during the recent virtual Mindanao Power Forum 2021 held on May 25, 2021.

“I fully support the previous policy recommendation of MinDA for APHEC (Agus Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex) to remain under the ownership and control of government.

NIXES/PAGE 10

CDO hands over P6.9-M aid to ASF-hit hog raisers THE CAGAYAN de Oro city government distributed Friday some P6.9 million worth of cash assistance to the hog raisers affected by African swine fever (ASF).

Dr. Lucien Anthony Acac, City Veterinary Office (CVO) chief, said the indemnification consists of PHP5,000 per head from the Department of

Agriculture (DA) and P2,000 from the local government.

Acac said a total of 1,054 hog raisers have been affected

by ASF from 34 villages as of May. Dr. Julesben Maquiling, DA-10 resident veterinarian, said the agency will be releasing another P10 million AID/PAGE 11

MOTOCROSS. A rider performs a stunt during a practice at the motocross track in Barangay Rizal in Surigao City on Thursday, May 27. mindanews photo

Peace advocates press Congress anew to pass Bangsamoro extension bill

By BONG S. SARMIENTO, MindaNews

SECOND DOSE. A senior citizen gets her second dose of Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19 in Cagayan de Oro City on Friday, 28 May 2021. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

KORONADAL City– Peace advocates on Thursday called on the Philippine Congress anew to pass a law extending the transition period in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for another three years, fearing a failure might

lead to the eruption of violence in Moro areas in the south.

This developed as President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to respond to the petition of at least one million individuals, which BILL/PAGE 9

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2

Local CDO residents warned vs. fake IATF online reso

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Education in Times of Pandemic CARMELIE A. TORRES SOUTH 1-A CENTRAL SCHOOL 10TH EAST TUBOD, ILIGAN CITY

T h e m o s t u npre d i c t abl e phenomenon that happened worldwide is the coronavirus disease. It is a health crisis that widely spread in all places of the earth. It is not an ordinary disease but it can really alarm the entire citizen of each country.

Many were affected in terms of health, occupation, career, business and most especially education.

Imagine how children can got to school, how to listen to the teacher, how to raise questions and how to response to the learnings.

Face-to-face learning is not allowed and only parents or guardians allowed to enter school premises. Teachers devotedly make learning activities for learners to a n s w e r, m a k i n g a c c e s s for parents to religiously support the learners and actively performs their responsibility for t h e l e a r n e r s . M a ny a r e doubtful on the output

of the learners and many are also hopeless because of the responsibilities in supporting their children.

Many parents don’t have enough time or the necessary educational qualifications to assist their children in terms of answering the activities.

These are the few challenges that affects the education in times of pandemic.

Education sectors ensures the continuity of learning amidst pandemic.

At the start there are doubts but from time to time it completely runs well. All have possibilities for as long as it is done with a heart.

In this time of pandemic there are a lot of things to consider; understanding of the situation, collaboration between parents, and teachers, and 100% support to the learners. All of these happens for a reason and only G o d knows what is g o i n g t o h ap p e n i n t h e future.

LOCAL officials warned the public against a bogus online document showing new quarantine status for several areas--including this city--purportedly coming from the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Covid-19.

Lt. Col. Michelle Olaivar, Police Regional Office 10 Spokesperson, said Saturday the IATF resolution circulating on social media is unverified and appears to be bogus.

“That is not true.

We know that the

announcement with regards to quarantine classification is done by the National IATF and usually, it's the President who says it,” she said.

Olaivar reminded the public to be "vigilant and discerning" on

unconfirmed social media posts.

The unverified IATF document that began circulating Friday evening showed that this city was included in several areas under the modified WARNED/PAGE 11

2 NorMin colleges to serve as vaccination centers TWO colleges in Northern Mindanao will be used as vaccination centers after signing separate partnership agreements with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC) in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, signed on Friday the agreement with CHED for the

use of its premises as a vaccination site for several local governments in the province.

On Thursday, the Governor Alfonso D. Tan College, a community college of Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, also signed a similar deal with CHED. Ched Chairperson J. Propero de Vera, who was present in both the

signing events, said at least 40 private and public colleges and universities have shown interest in becoming vaccination centers and quarantine facilities.

He said that schools can only choose either as a vaccination center or a quarantine facility, as these two functions should be operated separately.

"It depends on the

assessment of health experts, school officials, and LGUs (local government units), in identifying if these schools met the standards," De Vera said in a press conference after the MoA signing with NBSC. CHED-10 Director Raul C. Alvarez also said that in Northern Mindanao, at least four COLLEGES/PAGE 11

RBI modality

By SANDRA P. EVASCO

BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL National Highway Balingasag, Barangay 4, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental Mobile Number/s: 0933-823-3161, 0933-823-3304 Tel. Number: 333-5161 CAGAYAN DE ORO P&J Lim Building, Tiano Kalambagohan St., Barangay 14, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel No. (08822) 727-829 / 231-6629 Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0933-823-3303 / 0943-708-7065 CAGAYAN DE ORO WAREHOUSE Warehouse 7, Bonbon Road, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Mobile No. 0917-825-4149 / 0943-708-7065 CARMEN, CAGAYAN DE ORO Vamenta Blvd., fronting CEPALCO, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 233-2011 Mobile No. 0933-823-3159 CORRALES, CDO Corrales Ave., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 231-2055

DIVISORIA, CDO A. Velez St., Barangay 9, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0917-841-4000 / 0933-823-3164 GINGOOG CITY G/F Wyne Militante Bldg., Lugod St., Barangay 22, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 861-0104 Mobile No. 0933-823-3168 LAPASAN, CDO National Highway (FICCO Bldg.), Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 231-6739 Mobile No. 0933-823-3160 PUERTO, CDO Purok 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 859-0574 Mobile No. 0943-708-7537 CAMIGUIN B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Telefax No. (088) 387-0491 Mobile No. 0943-708-7539

In the face of the current COVID-19 crisis that the country is facing right now, the Department of Education’s topmost priority is to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our learners while making sure there is continuance of basic education (DepEd Secretary Leonor MagtulisBriones). Concomitant to this passion, in a recent live broadcast interview of the DepEd Region X Director Arturo B. Bayocot, he reasoned that several teaching modalities are being considered to effectively deliver the department’s

objec tives. Among t hem: multimodal teaching approach, distance learning instruction, and blended learning.

Radio-based instruction (RBI), an instruction that exemplifies the three modalities of instruction, is one of the four learning options used in the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

Radio-based instruction is more economical compared to modular because modular has numbered pages that DepEd's budget can't cope as to the number of pupils nationwide given. Remember that the 2021 budget of DepEd was formulated last year when there was no pandemic yet and public school classes were held normally.

Radio-based instruction also involves facilitation. Students are given self-learning modules and activity sheets for their quizzes prior to each broadcast lecture.

Of course, parents' guidance and monitoring is very important to see to it that students are listening while the radio-based instruction is going on.

Each radio lesson is approximately 20 minutes long and focuses on interactive learning. Lessons are designed so students can participate on their own, but parents and caregivers are encouraged to listen in and support learning at home.

When tuning in, children are welcomed to their radio classroom with a friendly introduction from a teacher. Students are prompted to grab their pens and notebooks, and each lesson begins with a review of previous units.

After a short review, the teacher provides a short lecture, with frequent opportunities for students to engage at home. Each lesson concludes with a summary, then a farewell by the teacher and indication of the next lesson topic.

Radio may be the best way to reach students—during the pandemic and perhaps beyond.

With an estimated 90 percent of all students unable to attend school in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries are using distance learning methodologies to reach all their students.

CorporateWorld 3 CLI sees better outlook for real estate in 2021 Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

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C

EBU City – A Cebubased property developer is looking to buck industry trends in 2021, as it sets 25 projects collectively valued at P19 billion to be rolled out in the Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin).

“Our 2021 projects will expand our VisMin footprint to cities like Ormoc, Bohol, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Iloilo and other key cities in the region while further strengthening our market share in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro where we have established a strong presence,”

Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) chairman and chief executive officer Jose Soberano III said during the firm’s virtual annual stockholders meeting on Thursday.

Soberano said that even at the height of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the company maintained its position that VisMin -- where cases of the disease have been relatively low -- would easily bounce back economically from the pandemic.

It avoided layoffs and even increased its headcount to over

600 employees by end of the year, he said.

“2020 was a very challenging year. But we at CLI chose to look at opportunities and focus on the brighter side when we could,” he said, citing the firm’s heavy investment early on during the pandemic in establishing a strong digital presence that would allow clients here and abroad to select units all the way to making reservation payments.

Project planning also continued during lockdown periods with CLI personnel

in the key cities of VisMin following up on the close to 30 permits and other requirements needed to launch a project.

The company launched three of the 25 projects in the first quarter of the year with more in the pipeline.

Soberano said it has set aside P12 billion for its capital expenditures for 2021.

CLI is confident it will complete ongoing residential and other projects totaling 33, including mixed-use developments, hotels, and townships.

A significant number of these will mature for greater revenue recognition before the year ends, it said.

Meanwhile, opportunities continue to abound in VisMin where the housing backlog has been estimated at 800,000 units a year.

Industry studies estimate that only 200,000 units are produced annually.

“We truly look forward to a better year. We hope to see even stronger buyer confidence as the vaccines continue to rollout,” he said. (PNA)

PH exports ‘doing well’ Electronics sector vital to amid pandemic economic recovery, digitalization THE electronics industry has continued to support the country’s economy amid the coronavirus diseases 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, and is seen to play a vital role in recovery and digital transformation.

At the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) general membership meeting Friday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said the electronics sector has continued being a key driver and “solid cornerstone” of the Philippine manufacturing despite the ongoing global health and economic crisis.

SEIPI president Dan Lachica, in the same event, reported that the

sector grew by 8.9 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to last year, with export revenues amounting to $10.72 billion.

The industry also accounted for 61 percent of the country’s total exports in the said period.

Lopez recalled that despite community quarantine measures, electronics manufacturing continued to operate at 100 percent capacity even under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

He added that this made the industry record a negative growth only during the second quarter of 2020, the height of community lockdowns.

He said the electronics sector

likewise supported the overall export growth of the country in January to March 2021 period at 31.6 percent.

“It is evident that the quick bounce-back of the electronics sector cushioned the impact of the pandemic to our exports sector and is now driving its further growth,” the trade chief said.

Aside from helping in economic recovery, the electronics sector is also crucial in the digitalization of industries, added Lopez.

“As we adjust to the new normal, the exemplary performance of the electronics sector in the midst of a crisis is the ability, resilience, and agility that we need to cascade to RECOVERY/PAGE 11

DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez on Thursday said the country’s export industry is still doing well amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and prolonged community quarantine measures.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, Lopez said the export revenues in March 2021 showed that the industry is performing well despite headwinds due to the ongoing pandemic.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported earlier that

export revenues for March this year rose 31.6 percent to $6.68 billion from a 15.8-percent decline in March 2020 at $5.08 billion.

Lopez added that export revenues in March this year is even higher than the pre-pandemic level.

“We can’t say that it’s only positive growth because 2020 was low since this is the beginning of the pandemic. But even versus 2019, we really saw growth on our exports,” he said.

The trade chief EXPORTS/PAGE 10

4

Opinion

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Member: Philippine Press Institute Oro Chamber

Famous failures Think a minute… All of us at times feel like we will never achieve the full success in our career that we want.

But it helps us to know that nearly ever y successful person had to overcome huge hurdles before they reached his or her goal of success. One of them said: “History has shown that most winners went through heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won simply because they refused to become discouraged or deterred by their defeats."

John Grisholm is a bestselling author of novels, some of which have been made into Hollywood blockbusters such as The Firm, The Pelican Brief, Runaway Jury, and his first book, A Time to Kill. Yet in the beginning it was rejected by 29 different publishers! When it was finally printed by a small, unknown publisher, it sold only 5,000 copies, compared to all of his books since, each of which has sold in the millions.

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, yet in

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THINK A MINUTE

fully vaccinated, according to a count by AFP. The biggest concern now is t he incre as e of more contagiousness of new variants.

An example is the B.1617 (Indian variant) is more transmissible than the B.117 (British variant), which already was more t r ans m iss ibl e t han t he previous strain.

Cases of the so-called Indian variant have been recorded in 27 of the region's 53 countries , while the number of new cases, and deaths, has fallen for five consecutive weeks, reaching their lowest levels since midOctober.

The vaccines have proven effective against coronavirus mutations, people must still b e vigilant, K luge

emphasized.

A major concern was that "people drop their guards that they become complacent," especially going into the summer months.

In addition, large gatherings are on the horizon in conjunction with the Japan Summer Olympics is going to be a major spreader even if there are no spectators.

"Let's finally give C ovid-19 the red card, don't allow extra time for COVID-19," Kluge quipped, repeating advice to maintain social distances and wear face masks.

Speed is "of essence" during pandemics, time is working against us, (and) the vaccination roll-out still goes too slow.

The need to accelerate, the need to enlarge the

NUTS & BOLTS

JEROME DE LA FUENTE

number of vaccines," and countries needed to show more solidarity.

"It is not acceptable that some countries start to vaccinate the younger, healthy part of the population, while other countries still have not cover all the health care workers and the most vulnerable people.

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IGNACIO BUNYE Over the weekend, I have been receiving very heartwarming feedback from readers who have perused my latest book “MIRA and Other Essays”.

“Inspiring….touching….. highly informative….real life drama…..” After much delay at the printer, the book came out, fortuitously on Mothers’ Day. And rightly so. Two outstanding mothers are featured in the book – my mother, Sofia V. Rivera, a former movie actress turned teacher, and my wife Mira, a

pediatrician and mother of my three wonderful adult children – Trisha (married to Joy Rojas), Dondi and Frannie.

The book, my third, is a biographical collection of notes, articles, speeches, lectures, Facebook posts, written by me or about me , my family, associates and my work. It is also about people who in one way or the other, touched my life. It is part romance, part drama, part action, part humor.

It is also about other people and institutions who somehow influenced or changed the course of my life – the Kiwanis Club of Muntinlupa Rizal, and three Presidents – President Cory Aquino, President Fidel Valdez Ramos and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

I started with an entry in the diary of my mother on the day I was born, followed by my homage first to my father,

Dr. Alfredo M. Bunye, then to my mother, Sofia V. Rivera (nee Gloria Imperial), my growing up years in the New Bilibid Prison Reservation, my high school principal, my unforgettable college classmates, my ROTC summer cadre training where I met for the first time my future wife, Miraflor T. Oca, my first job as a news reporter, my job at the Ayala group which was interrupted by an unplanned 30 year detour into the public service (Muntinlupa City, Metropolitan Manila A u t h o r i t y, C o n g r e s s , Malacañan, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) and finally my homecoming to the Bank of the Philippine Islands.

The exception to the sequence is the article on my wife, Mira, who will always be first (and only) in my heart.

“MIRA and Other Essays” came out close in the heals of my second book “From Leyte

to Bessang Pass”. The book was supposed to have come out on or before August 15, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific. Covid 19 delayed its release to November.

Former Chief Justice Art Panganiban, himself a prolific writer, praised the “truthful, objective and easyread historical account, free of victors’ braggadocio.”

My fellow BPI Director Becky Fernando said: “Easy to read, very interesting unlike other historical books. I dread reading war stories but I am surprised I did not stop till I finished your book.” Another BPI colleague, Jay Luzuriaga, said: I shall share this with my two children, who are 32 and 28 years old, respectively, to keep historical accounts of the Second World War in our country alive in the minds and hearts of our much younger generations.”

JOYS/PAGE 11

Why is there life in Davao City?

JHAN TIAFAU HURST high school he was cut from his team because the coach said Michael was too short to play.

Thomas Edison, the great inventor, has over 1,000 inventions and patents to his name. He failed 2,000 times in trying to invent the incandescent light bulb.

When reporters asked him about his 2,000 failures he replied:”I never failed once.

Inventing the light bulb just happened to be a 2,000-step process.”

In 1954, Elvis Presley sang once for Jimmy Denny, a professional music producer and manager. Afterwards he told Elvis: “You ain’t goin’ nowhere… son. You ought FAMOUS/PAGE 11

DABAWENYOS have a declarative statement that aptly encapsulates what this southern capital is to its roughly 1.6-million residents: LIFE IS HERE! Let me walk you briefly from where we came from.

Since 1988 when Rodrigo R. Duterte took over as Mayor he rallied the people to rise against organized crime, terrorism, and drug syndicates. We have just exited from the reign of terror then under the communist regime when the mass base of the Red Army rose against the ferocious liquidation squads of the NPAs. It was a people’s uprising we called then Alsa Masa. Contrary to some uninformed belief Alsa Masa is not a vigilante group. It was a mass uprising.

In hindsight, the NPA collapsed by its own weight.

At the start, slum dwellers l o oke d up to t h e m a s liberators as they liquidate in quick fashion local thugs,

robbers, abusive policemen, and barangay officials. The NPAs extort money from the rich warning them of the death penalty if they refuse to pay “people's tax”.

Moreover, as they grew into seven fronts (battalions), they extort money from businessmen. By this time a new Marine Commander, Col Rodolfo Biazon, and a new Regional Commander of the Integrated National Police, Col. Dionisio Tan-gatue Jr. assumed their respective posts. Tan-gatue lost no time in coming up with the Davao Death Squad, a phantom force used as a psychological weapon against the Sparrows.

This was popularized by an intrepid radio commentator Juan “Jun” Pala an erstwhile communist propagandist who returned to the folds of the law when Tan-gatue assumed command. The top cop extensively utilized Pala in counter-propaganda. At the helm of the Metropolitan

Distrct Command is also a battle-ready police officer, LtCol. Jose Calida.

In the NPA front, their collectors were ordered to start collecting taxes from their mass base. At first, the “donation” of two chupas per month of rice was affordable but when this was raised to a ganta and P50 per week it became a heavy burden to the mass base that can hardly eke a living since many businesses had closed. To instill terror to force the poor to come up with cash and supplies, the Sparrows executed their own collectors. The victims grew up in Agdao, an enclave that used to be the lair of armed communist insurgents. They were known to be kind and considerate to the poor who cannot afford to come up with their cash “contributions”.

But the NPA liquidation squads do not have that kind of emotions. After days that the collectors came short of targetted amount and taxes in

LETTERS FROM DAVAO

JUN LEDESMA kinds the Sparrows ordered the residents to gather in a basketball court where they shot the three collectors in cold blood.. as if that was not enough, they were also bludgeoned as a coup de grace.

That night, Agdao and many slum areas in the coastline of the city became a battleground between the NPA liquidation squads and the slum dwellers who, this time, were supported by urban partisans of the LIFE/PAGE 11

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5

Banking&Finance

Global Ratings affirms BSP OKs liquidity risk rules S&P PH investment grade rating for Islamic banks, IBUs

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has issued the guidelines on the management of liquidity risk by Islamic banks and Islamic banking units (IBUs) to attract investments and consumer interests in Islamic banking and finance.

The Monetary Board approved Circular No. 1116 Tuesday, (May 25) which the BSP said is based on the existing liquidity risk management framework followed by conventional banks, plus additional provisions for the “specificities” of Islamic banking.

“The aim is to create an enabling environment that will allow Islamic banks to operate alongside the conventional banks under the same regulatory approach, taking into consideration the unique features of Islamic financial activities/ transactions,” the BSP said in a statement on Tuesday.

The newly-issued guidelines put

emphasis on the Shari’ah compliance in liquidity risk management.

This also includes the choice of instruments/tools to mitigate liquidity risk. “It also provides guidance on the treatment of Islamic banking accounts such as profit and loss sharing investment accounts,” said the BSP. The circular has a provision for an observation period which is until December 31, 2024. The BSP said this should be enough time for for Islamic banks and IBUs to “familiarize and strategize on the choice of liquidity tools to mitigate risks arising from their business activities.”

During this period, Islamic banks and IBUs will have to submit quarterly reports to the BSP while “continuous dialogue/discussion with industry players shall be held to assess their readiness for the implementation of the (BSP) Circular

by January 1, 2025.”

In applying liquidity risk management, the BSP wants Islamic banks and IBUs to apply Shari’ahcompliant instruments and to not assume that these are identical to those of conventional banks. Shari’ah, which defines a set of rules and the lslamic financial system, refers to the practical divine law deduced from its legitimate sources such as the Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus of Muslim scholars, analogical sources of lslamic law.

An IBU however, in applying liquidity standards and the liquidity coverage ratio or LCR need not have a separate one as part of a report, unless Islamic banking is a major part or activity of the bank.

Islamic banking is considered a “significant activity” of the bank if the aggregate liabilities of the IBU represents at least five percent of the bank’s total liabilities as of measurement date, the BSP said.

Banks okay P174.9-B new MSME loans as RR compliance THE central bank said banks have released an average of P174.9 billion new loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as of mid-April as alternative compliance to the reserve requirement (RR) rule.

Based on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data, this amount is 12

percent of total required reserves during the reserve week ending April 15.

As part of relief measures to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BSP has allowed the use of loans to MSMEs and large enterprises as alternative compliance with RR against deposit

liabilities and deposit substitutes until the end of 2022. These loans are new or refinancing for existing MSME loans and critically-affected large enterprises.

As of mid-April, loans of banks to large enterprises as alternative compliance reached P14.2 billion, a mere one percent

of the required reserves.

The BSP has put a limit of P300 billion for MSMEs and P425 billion for large enterprises as alternative compliance with the RR. The utilization of loans is still low. For MSMEs, there is still an available P125.1 billion loanable amount. For large LOANS/PAGE 8

S&P Global Ratings on Thursday affirmed its ‘BBB+’ ratings on the Philippines after noting the domestic economy’s recovery, which it expects to accelerate in 2022 partly on the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination rollout.

It also kept the rating’s outlook stable, which it attributed to its expectation that the domestic economy “will achieve a healthy economic recovery and that its fiscal deficits will decline significantly over the next two to three years.”

“We affirmed the ratings because we believe the Philippines will continue to have good economic recovery prospects once the Covid-19 pandemic is contained, and that the government's fiscal performance will strengthen accordingly,” it said in a report.

The debt rater expects a recovery for the domestic economy this and next year, with the growth forecast for this year at 7.9 percent, higher than the government’s 6-7 percent target.

It forecasts a 7.2-percent growth for the Philippines in 2022

and 2023, while the 2024 projection is a 7.1-percent expansion.

In the first quarter this year, the domestic economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), posted a lower contraction of -4.2 percent from the previous quarter’s -8.3 percent.

S&P said the domestic economy has aboveaverage economic growth potential “which should drive constructive development outcomes and underpin broader credit metrics.”

The debt rater attributed this to years of fiscal reforms and prudent debt management, which it said, allowed the government to address the pandemic’s impact, although not without some hit on its fiscal and debt metrics.

It said the robust external position of the country is due in part to the resiliency of the overseas Filipino workers’ (OFWs) remittances, the strong financial system, and the favorable demographics.

Regulatory and tax reforms also helped, it said, adding the impact of these on economic productivity.

RATINGS/PAGE 8

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MON-TUE|MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2021

DOJ Assec. Yoyoc Yap now a Housing commissioner ATTY. SERGIO “YOYOC” EMANO YAP II is now a Commissioner of the newly-created Human Settlement Adjudication Commission (HSAC), which was previously the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). He is the 3rd HSAC Commissioner appointed by President RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE. He assumed office last 28 January 2021.

He is a native of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. He was born on 08 June 1979 in Cagayan de Oro City. He is the son of the late SERGIO ABUTANMO YAP and JOJI YARE EMANO. His siblings are ENRICO EMANO YAP IV, ABEL JOHN EMANO YAP and

CONSUELO EMANO YAP-REYNOLDS. He is married to JHONNIE VANESSA “PINKY” CHUA-YAP with four children, namely: NATHANIEL BLAKE, SOPHIA ALESSANDRA, SCOTT ADRIEN and SEBASTIAN ALONZO. He was educated at Tagoloan Central School and graduated as Salutatorian in 1992. He finished his secondary education at Xavier University High School and graduated as Valedictorian in 1996. As an academic scholar, he took up his AB Economics at Ateneo de Manila University. He proceeded to take up his Bachelor of Laws at Xavier University Law School in 2000 and graduated therein

Education in times of pandemic

By DARLENE P. BONGOLTO Teacher II El Salvador City Central School

THE education sector, here and in other parts of the world, faces an uphill battle in fulfilling its mandate of educating children during a pandemic that shows no signs of dissipating.

The problem confronting DepEd and stakeholders is not limited to finding ways to provide a safe learning system that protects students, teachers and other personnel.

The bigger concern is ensuring that learning will continue, that there will be no pause in the provision of learning to the youth.

This is crucial because the effects of an education freeze or stoppage is immense. The World Bank has warned that learning loss could lead to three scenarios: a reduction in average learning levels for all students, a widening of the distribution of learning achievements due to highly unequal effects of the crisis on various populations, or a significant increase of students with very low level of achievement.

With schools closed, girls and young women are also more vulnerable to child marriage, early pregnancy, and genderbased violence.

Unesco has estimated that 23.8 million additional children and youth from kinder to college may drop out or not have access to school in 2021

because of the economic impact of the pandemic.

The United Nations, in its “Policy brief: Education during Covid-19 and beyond,” released in August 2020, said that with the combined effect of the pandemic’s worldwide economic impact and the school closures, the learning crisis could turn into a generational catastrophe.

According to the UN, the pandemic disrupted the education of nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries. Closures of schools and other learning centers affected 94 percent of the world’s student population.

“The crisis is exacerbating pre-existing education disparities by reducing the opportunities for many of the most vulnerable children, youth and adults – those living in poor or rural areas, girls, refugees, persons with disabilities and forcibly displaced persons,” the UN said, warning that learning losses threaten to extend beyond this generation and erase decades of progress.

Such grim forecast makes it all the more imperative for the government, educational institutions and all sectors concerned to work together to ensure that there will be education continuity for the Filipino youth.

in 2004. He took and passed the bar exams in 2005.

Before joining the National Government, he was a councilor and Vice Mayor of the Local Government Unit of Tagoloan, Province of Misamis Oriental. He was also the Provincial President of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP). As a law practitioner, he was a Senior Partner of SAN

JOSE TAGARDA & YAP Law Firm and later a Senior Partner of YAP & TUMULAK Law Offices in Cagayan de Oro City.

Before his appointment as HSAC Commissioner, he worked as Legal Consultant of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) - Office of the President in Malacanang.

He was later on appointed as Assistant Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on June 2017 and

was also an ex-officio HLURB Commissioner.

After almost 4 years as Assistant Secretary of DOJ, he has now transferred to HSAC as a regular Commissioner. He is also presently the Chairman of the HSAC Second Level – Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB) and the Supervising Commissioner for Regional Adjudication Branches (RABs) - Regions 6, 7, 8 and 10.

Principals need to be amateur health experts in this pandemic By: NIELE BALAMBAO BAHIAN Principal I Barra Elementary School

Due to the exigencies in this pandemic school principal are challenged to be amateur health experts as the development and implementation of protocols for screening, social distancing, ventilation, personal protective equipment (PPE) management, contact tracing, and other health protocols are being implemented by the government.

The pressure of keeping a school of 1,000 students and staff safe need a school principal to be resourceful. Remote learning simply cannot meet the needs of every household, many of which lack reliable internet, a stay-at-home parent, and adequate space.

Some teachers are staying home on medical exemptions, hundreds of students are opting for all-remote instruction, students who are attending in person come in only every other day, and certain key questions

have been left unanswered.

School principals should pursue questions that need immediate answers like: How many masks per student? Is there a limit on what I can ask for? Should I find out who wants face shields? How many gloves in a box?

Principals feel responsible for so much pressure, but don’t have sufficient guidance, and there is so little certainty about what will happen a few weeks, or even days, from now. The schedules have become the stuff of nightmares: Some teachers are staying home on medical exemptions, hundreds of students are opting for allremote instruction, students who are attending in person come in only every other day, and certain key questions have been left unanswered until recently.

Logistics are also almost impossible. Students must be

divided into cohorts for the specific days they will attend school, and then into cases — groups small enough to fit in a room with social distancing.

These student cases are designed to spend all their in-person time together to limit exposure.

Teachers must be scheduled across the different cohorts and days, they must support all the students who will be home on the off day, and the hundreds of students who will be in remote-only instruction.

Teachers need professional development to help them address the challenges of distance learning, especially teachers who are working with the most vulnerable students.

Policymakers and funders will need to address disparities in learning opportunities by ensuring that supports for learning — including internet access and technology as well as classroom materials to promote academic, social, and emotional learning — are provided to the students who need them

most when the next school year begins.

As it is likely that some form of distance learning will continue, educators need resources and strategies to help students stay motivated and engaged while they are learning remotely, as well as guidance to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities (e.g., labs, internships) and to assess and support students' social and emotional learning.

Both principals and teachers need better ways to contact students and families. School and district emergency plans should include efforts to ensure they have contact information for all students and families.

The pandemic has caused principals to reprioritize goals and tasks. School District officials should be prepared to help them as they shift to plan for emergencies, address learning gaps, and deal with student mental health issues that might be exacerbated by the pandemic's effects.

Parents’ Orientation: An Effective Strategy to Help Parents Adjust in the New Normal CARMELIE A. TORRES SOUTH 1-A CENTRAL SCHOOL 10TH EAST TUBOD, ILIGAN CITY

It’s been a year since the start of COVID-19 pandemic. It affected the world and brought a lot of changes. One of the most affected sectors nowadays is the education system. The face-to-face learning was not realized and the learners were prohibited to come to school. The Department of Education is trying its best that even during the pandemic, education must continue.

Despite of the different challenges, the switch to technological programs has provided new opportunities to students, teachers and even parents to try the different learning modalities.

Parents’ orientation is the strategy that was used in our school in which we find very effective. We conducted this

activity to orient parents on their role in distance learning.

We adopted Modular distance Learning as our Learning Deliver y Modality since most of the learners don’t have the access for the online learning. The orientation was by grade level following the minimum health protocol.

Every question that arises were answered and parents accepted the challenges that may occur during the period of modular learning. It really took time for the parents and their children to adjust in the new normal but from time to time it went well.

Parents’ orientation did a very important role to make the implementation of Modular Distance Learning effective to the learners.

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MON-TUE|MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2021

CDORBMC taps academe for key environmental policies TO PROMOTE environmental awareness and ecological best practices in the country, the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council (CDORBMC) and Macajalar Bay Development Alliance (MBDA) held a webinar cum "Talakayan" to discuss the policies governing clean air, clean water, solid waste management, and biodiversity protection.

“This is a concrete response for the call of caring for our common home especially at this time of the pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 reflects how we have treated our environment and natural habitats which affect all aspects of our lives today,” said Archbishop Jose Cabantan, CDORBMC lead chairman in his opening message.

Dubbed "Acts of Nereus: A Conversation of the Groundbreaking Environmental Acts of Dr. Neric Acosta," Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection, Dr. Juan Romeo Nereus "Neric" Acosta underscored the importance of sustainability and the enactment of legislations in ensuring the longevity of natural resources for future generations.

Virtually attended by various stakeholders from the academe, private and public organizations, CDORBMC and MBDA executive director,

Academe Engangement. Dr. Ruben Amparado from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) and Dr. Maria Noelyn Dano and Dr. Codulo Ascaño from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines–Cagayan de Oro (USTP-CDO) served as reactors to Acosta by providing feedback and dispositions from an academic standpoint. (PIA10)

Dr. Hillly Ann RoaQuiaoit, emphasized the strengthened engagement of the academic sector and its students on ecosystem-based approach management as an important step to the success of an environmentfriendly nation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ruben Amparado of the Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) together with Dr. Maria Noelyn Dano and Dr. Codulo Ascaño of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP)– Cagayan de Oro served as reactors to Acosta, presenting feedback and positions of the academe.

Acosta gave a brief recapitulation of four

key legislations which he considers as pillars for a greener nation,namely, the Republic Act (RA) No. 8749, otherwise known as the Philippine Clean Air Act, RA No. 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000”, RA 9147 or “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act” and lastly RA No. 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, which aims to protect the country's water bodies from pollution.

He noted, however, the limitations of the law and the importance of cultivating a philosophy of environmental stewardship and conscious-based approach in day-to-day living if the country will ever move forward to the

age of sustainability.

“This is about a philosophy. Everything we do in environmental science has something to do with a driving force or underpinning set of principles. All laws emanate from a philosophy, which is driven by an understanding of the interconnectedness of life, distilled from a specific course of action or a policy,” he said.

For his part, Laguindingan mayor and MBDA chairman, Diosdado Obsioma, echoed Acosta's thoughts and called for the cooperation of everyone, underscoring the significance of empowering communities and all sectors to a sustainable and ecofriendly country. (VPSB/ PIA10)

The Wheel to Read; Takes the Road to Success CRISPINA R. BALINO, T-III BONGBONGON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The Wheel to Read is a reading intervention of Bongbongon Elementary School that provides an opportunity of every children in the community to read quality reading materials that will help them improve reading fluency.

This reading innovation would not be possible without the support of Kauswagan Barangay Council through the support of Hon. Engr.

Pedro D. Balite, Ph.D. Barangay Chairman and Brgy. Kagawad Peter Jason Balite, Education Committee Chairman.

Stakeholders like Ayala Foundation donated books that will be used for the reading inter vention. This would not be possible without the support of our ever dynamic school principal Mrs. Melba S. Omandam and competent teachers.

The main objective of this reading innovation is to bring children to a different learning environment where they are taught to read and appreciate reading materials. This will awaken their interest to read

different story books that will invigorate their learning ability.

The project was formally turn-over last March 3, 2021 with the presence of Hon. Pedro D. Balite , Brgy. Kagawad Peter Jason Balite and stakeholder from Ayala Foundation, teachers and parents. There was a parent orientation conducted last March 25, 2021 held also in Bongbongon Elementary School.

The Wheel to read now takes down the road as it provides new learning opportunity

to all the children in the community. The success of this intervention will greatly depend on its implementation and commitment of teachers to help every learning individual cope up challenges along the way.

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TESDA MisOr receives hand washing facilities from SPI

M

ISAMIS ORIENTAL-The Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Misamis Oriental Provincial Office received 13 stainless steel – foot operated hand washing facilities from the Samaritan’s Purse International (SPI), a non-denominational Christian group.

The 13 units hand washing facilities will then be turned over by TESDA to the various barangays that had been identified by the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in Misamis Oriental.

With the said donation, TESDA Region

10 Director Ashary Banto recognized the importance of the privatepublic partnership in attaining peace and development not just in the region but the entire country.

“These hand washing facilities is really an embodiment that the private, public and other like-minded sectors can really work hand in hand towards a sustainable peace and development agenda of any administration. If we work together anything is possible,“ he said.

Further, Banto admitted that from the start, it has always been a challenge and a difficult task to achieve the goals of the PRLEC if private sector and other likeminded associations and organizations will not participate in the efforts

of the government to attain peace and stop the activities of the CPP-NPA rebel groups.

“After all the task, the strategy is the whole of nation approach. When we talk of the whole of nation approach it does not contain only the 21 clusters of the government but it really entails all the efforts of the entire nation. It will always be a team effort, a collective effort to formulate or achieve the whole aspiration of this country. Our aspiration is really to end the local communist armed conflict,” he added.

Meanwhile, TESDA Misamis Oriental Provincial Director Marigold Cherie Garrido expressed her gratitude to the civic group for the help that they had extended to the PRLEC.

Marungko approach

By SHIELA MAE SELERIO ESTABAS Teacher III Langcangan Central Integrated School Oroquieta City

“SOUNDING out” or “Deciphering” is one way of the reader to learn how to read. This is the Marungko Approach in reading. In this approach of reading the alphabets are rather “pronounced” than read. For example: the letter “m” would be pronounced as “mmm” not the old Pinoy style of reading it as “ma”.

The Marungko approach is designed to equip Grade One pupils the necessary reading skills to improve their achievement in reading. Likewise, it seeks to develop a trainingmodel to enhance teachers’ competence in the teaching of reading in the primary grades most especially in Grade One. The goal of this strategy in reading is to enable grade one pupils to instill in their minds to appreciate the songs and poems created for Filipino children and eventually to communicate in written and oral forms through effective reading instruction.

The Marungko approach provides materials to the success in teaching reading. It starts with

letter sounds rather than name. Certain comical stories of letter to signify its sound are being introduced. Instead of the usual arrangement (order) of letters in the alphabet, it starts with m, s, a, I, o…

The sequence of letters in the MTB-MLE of the K to 12 Curriculum for Grade One is almost similar to that of the Marungko Approach. Considering that there is no single reading material available for Grade One pupils, it is of great help to design and craft a sole reading material for the learners that will serve as a gateway to improve pupil’s reading skills, thus leading to the betterment of the teaching and learning progression.

An early intervention program is crucial so that readers could cope with the academic demand. Aside from reading and sounding off letters of the Marungko, there are k-learners who can already read syllables, specifically M,S,A,L,I,O, the first 6 basic letters of the 28 letters in Marungko.

COVID—19 Impacts to the Earth’s Environment EMMA D. BATOY Teacher III Misamis Occidental National High School Purok 5, Lower Lamac, Oroquieta City

Nature has been with man since the beginning of time. It has provided man with their basic needs. However, years have pass and man has been slowly destroying the Earth’s nature. In this time of the pandemic, man’s daily activities have decrease and has affected the Earth’s condition.

Up to 2020, the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases produced since the beginning of the industrialization era caused average global temperatures on the Earth to rise, causing effects including the melting of glaciers and rising sea levels. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, measures that were expected to be recommended to health authorities in the case of a pandemic included quarantines and social distancing.

Independently, also prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers argued that reduced economic activity would help

decrease global warming as well as air and marine pollution, allowing the environment to slowly flourish. This effect has been observed following past pandemics in 14th century Eurasia and 16th-17th century North and South America.

Researchers and officials have also called for biodiversity protections to form part of COVID-19 recovery strategies.

Due to the pandemic's impact on travel and industry, many regions and the planet as a whole experienced a drop in air pollution. Reducing air pollution can reduce both climate change and COVID-19 risks but it is not yet clear which types of air pollution, if any, are common risks to both climate change and COVID-19.

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported that methods to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, such as quarantines and travel

bans, resulted in a 25 percent reduction of carbon emission in China.

The worldwide interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many effects on the environment and climate. The global reduction in modern human activity such as the considerable decline in planned travel was coined anthropause and has caused a large drop in air pollution and water pollution in many regions. In China, lockdowns and other measures resulted in a 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions and 50 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides emissions, which one Earth systems scientist estimated may have saved at least 77,000 lives over two months.

Though the pandemic has caused many major drawbacks to humanity, it has at least help the Earth recover from pollution and disturbance.

The partnership between her office and SPI has only begun and that it is expected that more programs and projects will be done between the two especially for the PRLEC barangays of the province.

Of the original 37 PRLEC barangays in Misamis Oriental, 20 barangays had been already served by the cluster; however, an additional 47 more barangays were identified as new areas. TESDA targets to serve all the PRLEC-identified barangays by the end of December this year.

The hand washing facilities will be distributed to the following: Eureka, Bal-ason, and Agayayan in Gingoog City; Minalwang, Pelaez, and Malagana in Claveria; Napaliran, Blanco, and Kibanban in Balingasag; Umagos and Banglay in Lagonglong; Looc in Salay; San Jose in Medina; and a barangay in Sugbongcogon that is still to be identified by the cluster. (JAKA/PIA10)

MON-TUE|MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2021

Loans...

Ratings...

enterprises, about P410.8 billion balance for lending as alternative compliance with RR remains.

Before the relief me asure was approve d, MSME loans was only P8.7 billion (April 30, 2020).

The BSP allowed other modes of alternative compliance to MSMEs and large enterprises such as loans that are current and not past due or n on - p e r for m i ng are eligible to be considered as alternative compliance to the RR. The exception is an MSME loan or large enterprise loan t h at h a s b e e n re n e w e d or restructured.

Loans granted to MSMEs and large enterprises that are not part of conglomerate structure are counted as part of banks’ compliance with the RR rule.

Besides allowing loans to MSMEs and certain large enterprises that were hit by t he pandemic to be used as alternative compliance with RR, the BSP also reduced the credit risk weights of loans granted to MSMEs to free up capital and for banks to have more funding for MSMEs. “These initiatives stimulate increased lending to the MSME sector which was vulnerable during the pandemic,” said the BSP.

“The Philippines government has generally enacted effective fiscal policies over the past decade, marked by improvements to the quality of expenditure, manageable fiscal deficits, and low levels of general government indebtedness,” it said.

Budget gap has widened to around 7.1 percent of domestic output in 2020 due to pandemic-related measures.

S&P forecasts the budget gap to increase to around 7.5 percent of GDP this year.

“However, this should begin to taper off from 2022 as the economy recovers and stimulus measures are scaled back,” it said.

Government debt increased to 38.5 percent of GDP last year given the need for stimulus programs and the debt rater projects this to further rise to around 41.7 percent this year.

“Nevertheless, this level of indebtedness remains comparable or lower than that of international peers,” it added. (PNA)

from page 5

from page 5

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10TH Judicial Regional BRANCH 21 Cagayan de Oro City IN THE MATTER OF CHANGE OF FIRST NAME OF ENRIQUITO C. JABIDO TO ELIEZER C, JABIDO ELIEZER C. JABIDO, -versus-

CIVIL CASE NO. R-CDO-21-01828-SP

Petitioner,

FOR: PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF GINATILAN CEBU, AND THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA) Respondents.

---------------------------------------------------x ORDER

Notice is hereby given that filed before this court is a verified Petition for Change of Name from Enriquito Jabido to Eliezer Jabido.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, let this case be heard September 13, 2021 in 8:30 in the morning before this Court at the Ground Floor, Goldridge Building, Hall of Justice, Masterson Avenue corner Macapagal Road, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

At the expense of the petitioner, let a copy of this Order be published before the hearing at least once a week for three [3] consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Misamis Oriental and in the City of Cagayan de Oro. Let also a copy of this Order be posted at the Bulletin Board of the City Hall of Cagayan de Oro City and at the Bulletin Board of the Office of the Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City and at the Bulletin Board of the Philippine Statistics Authority [formerly the National Statistics Authority] Regional Office in Cagayan de Oro City.

It is further ordered that Petitioner, at their own expense shall furnish copies of this order and the Petition together with its annexes to the Office of the Solicitor General, to the Civil Registrar General-Philippine Statistics Authority, Quezon City and to its Regional Office in Cebu City, to the Local Civil Registrar of the Ginatilan, Cebu, to the Regional Office of Cagayan de Oro City and to the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City.

The Civil Registrar General of the Philippine Statistics Authority, Quezon City and to its Regional Office in Cebu City and the Local Civil Registrar of Ginatilan, Cebu or any person having or claiming any interest on the relief sought is hereby directed to file their written oppositions and appear on the said date of hearing are hereby directed to file their written oppositions and appear on the said date of hearing are hereby required, within thirty [30] days after the last publication of this Order to file with this Court and serve on the petitioner their Answer to the above-quoted petition, together with its intended Exhibits.

The petitioner shall at the hearing submit proof of publication and of the service of the copies of the Order and the Petition as directed by the Court.

Let Summons be issued.

SO ORDERED.

Done this 3rd day of May 2021 in Cagayan de Oro City.

BWM: May 31, June 7 & 14, 2021

(SGD) GIL G. BOLLOZOS Presiding Judge

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MON-TUE|MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2021

Bill...

from page 1

was submitted to Malacanang on March 18, to certify the extension of the transition period as a priority legislative measure of the ruling administration.

Lawyer Mary Ann Arnado, secretary general of the Mindanao People’s Caucus, said that senators have been racing against time for the plenary deliberation of Senate Bill 2214, which seeks to reset the holding of the first elections in the BARMM from 2022 to 2025.

She said that senators, who usually conduct sessions from Monday to Wednesday, agreed to hold a session Thursday afternoon to continue tackling the measure given the short time before they adjourn next week.

But in the House of Representatives, the bills seeking to extend the term of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the interim body tasked to govern the BARMM government until June 30, 2022, remained stalled in the committee level with just four session days until Congress adjourns sine die on June 4, she added.

“If the extension of the transition period hurdles the Senate, which we are positive it will be, but not in the House of Representatives, consider the bid as a dead horse,” Arnado told an online press conference.

According to her, Duterte’s certification of the extension bill as a legislative priority measure is crucial for the Lower House to expedite their action on the matter.

Professor Abdulhadi Daguit, chair of the Federation of Bangsamoro Coordinating Councils of the Philippines, said that Malacanang remains mum on the petition of at least one million individuals for Duterte

to certify the extension bill as the administration’s legislative priority.

“There’s still no feedback from Malacañang about the one million signatures that we submitted back in March,” he told the same presser.

Malacanang announced earlier that Duterte favors the bid to extend the transition period in the Bangsamoro region.

In the past two days, Daguit said they have been rallying at the Senate grounds, under the scorching heat, for the passage of the extension of the transition period in the Bangsamoro.

For the lawmakers who will not support the term of the BTA, he warned they could lose the “Bangsamoro vote” during the 2022 elections.

Daguit said the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process need to be sustained, which “can be done with the extension of the transition phase in the BARMM.” “We are supporting the extension of the transition period for peace and for the sake of the future Bangsamoro generations,” he stressed.

Samsodin Amella,

convenor of the Civil Society Organizations Movement for Moral Governance, said that extending the life of the BTA will allow the BARMM government to implement the spirit of Republic Act 11054 or the Organic Law for the BARMM, popularly known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), and the larger Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

Two years after the creation of the BARMM, he noted that the BTA has so far approved only the administrative, civil and education codes of the region.

“If the transition period will not be extended, the BTA will a have hard time delivering the priority legislations mandated by the BOL,” Amella said.

The BTA has yet to approve the electoral, local government and revenue codes, the other priority legislations under the BOL. In November 2020, the Bangsamoro parliament passed a resolution urging Congress to extend the transition period, as the implementation of its targets have been hampered by

the ongoing onslaught of the coronavirus disease pandemic.

The creation of the Bangsamoro region is a key component of the CAB, the peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed in 2014 after 17 years of peace negotiations.

Under the CAB’s Annex on Normalization, MILF fighters have to be decommissioned and their camps transformed into peaceful and productive economic zones.

At least 12,000 of the 40,000-strong MILF combatants have been decommissioned as of last year.

Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said the implementation of the decommissioning process has been pushed back by the pandemic.

Hashim Manticayan, chair of the League of Bangsamoro Organizations, said that extending the transition period will give both the national and Bangsamoro governments time to implement the provisions of the CAB to achieve a just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

DIRECTORY

Importance of Implementing Health Protocols in School CARMELIE A. TORRES SOUTH 1-A CENTRAL SCHOOL 10TH EAST TUBOD, ILIGAN CITY

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the big worldwide health crises that happened in the history. We are all involve in this pandemic and we must all do our part to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Our big contribution to this is to follow health protocols as implemented everywhere especially in our respective homes.

The Department of Education had prohibited faceto-face learning but schools are

mandated to implement health protocols. Most specially that modular distance learning is widely used as the learning modality. Safety is the key word because we need to follow health protocols. It will benefit us and it help us reduce the spread of COVID-19 virus. Let us protect each other by making simple precautions as a new habit like washing or sanitizing our hands regularly. Using facemask and face shield as we go out our homes, avoid close

contact with someone who is sick and limit social gatherings and time spent in crowded places. In establishment, malls, offices and schools some health protocols are also implemented like filling up contact tracing form, temperature check, stepping a footbath and sanitizing the hands. Let us all remember that having the knowledge on health protocols is not enough.

We need to practice it regularly and religiously.

Impact of Covid-19 on education systems of 3rd world countries By: AMY YASAY TEDLOS Master Teacher I Luyong Bonbon Elementary School

Coronavirus affected the education system in the world. Schools, colleges, and universities are closed to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The School closures brought difficulties for students, teachers, and parents.

Educational systems adapted distance learning as a solution to continue the education system. However, the lack of network infrastructures, computers, and internet access is challenging distance learning in developing countries.

Hence, countries are designing strategies to use educational technology, zero-fee internet educational resources, free online learning resources, and broadcasts teaching. During closures, educational institutions designed curriculum that prepare teaching-learning strategies for post-coronavirus.

The educational institutions designed strategies to recover lost learning, and return students to school when schools reopen. Coronavirus has been impacting the face-to-face education system of developing countries. Therefore, developing countries started to enhance broadcast teaching, online teaching, and virtual class infrastructures.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is a pandemic disease that affects the education system of different income level countries.

A lot of pandemics have occurred in human history, and affected human life, education system, and economic development in the world.

Today, researchers believe that coronavirus is spreading exponentially and many countries are locked in their education system, and enforcing their people with strict quarantine measures to control the spread of this highly contagious disease.

Education has been the pillar of development of every country, so education is principal to the development and growth of all countries. The education system has been affected by several challenges ranging from changes in the education curriculum to closing down the education system due to widespread pandemic diseases..

As UNESCO reports that 87% of the world’s student population is affected by COVID-19 school closures. It has launched distance learning practices and reaching students who are most at risk. According to the UNESCO, over 1.5 billion students in 195 countries are affected by COVID-19 pandemic school closures.

COVID-19 impacted not only the overall economy and our day to day life, but also emotional, mental, and physical health, also, losses in national and international business, poor cash flow in the market, locked national and international traveling; moreover, disruption of the celebration of cultural, and festive events, stress among the population, the closures of hotels, restaurants, religious, and entertainment places.

In many developing countries the economic shock has come first, as

governments have locked down their economies to reduce the speed of infection.

As a result, developing countries like ours are suffering their greatest economic decline and closures of their education and transportation system.

Distance learning solutions contain platforms, educational applications, and resources that aim to help parents, students, and teachers. Digital learning management systems is being implemented withmassive open online course platforms, and selfdirected learning content (However, due to lack of internet connectivity, information technology, educational materials, and digital technology skill distance learning is difficult for teachers, students, and families in developing countries.

Some developing countries deliver classes through radio, television, and online platforms. However, the poorest families and students have not radio, television, and other devices to access the resources and to learn at their home. So, some developing countries provide resources such as textbooks, radios, equipment, and study guides to the poorest students.

The impact of coronavirus on the education system, impacts of COVID-19 on children, students, teachers, and parents, the recommended solutions about the continuity of education system during COVID-19 is massive, thus online learning challenges, and opportunities, and adaptive education system are now practiced.

A PUBLIC SERVICE BY:

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Nixes... from page 1

This is also my personal position as current Chairman of MinDA,” Piñol said in a reply to various question posted in the event chatroom inquiring about MinDa’s stand whether or not to privatize the complex.

Power consumer groups in Mindanao and local government units have been vigorously opposing the national government’s planned privation of the Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex.

“For several years now

there has been going on subrosa at the Department of Energy (DOE) a program to bring about the privatization of the APHEC,” said Engr.

David A. Tauli, consultant of the Lanao Power Consumers Federation (LAPOCOF).

“This program at the DOE has been fueled, in my opinion, by resources and persuasion from the privatelyowned generating companies in Mindanao, who are the only parties that will profit from the privatization of the APHEC,” Tauli stressed in a paper released immediately after the forum to spread awareness among consumers

“LIFE IS AN ARTICLE OF CHALLENGES: A JOURNEY TOWARDS BECOMING A TEACHER IN PROFESSION” HARIL Q. ABECIA Teacher I Sungay Integrated School

Disability and poverty are truly not an obstacle towards realizing our dreams. I am HARIL QUILAB ABECIA, a teacher in profession. As I remember the past on what I have experienced, I can’t forget the year 2004, when I was driving our single motorcycle and my father was my back ride, an over-speeding car hit us and led us to an accident. Unfortunately, my father died, and I underwent several surgical operations and led to the amputation of my left-leg below knee. It was unforgettable and a tragedy to my entire family and to myself.

As the eldest child of the four children in family, it was not easy to start life without my father and being handicapped.

I was 18 years old and had just graduated high school and had been stopped studying for years. I do not know how to continue my life that I felt useless without my one leg.

My everyday life runs only to the four corners of our house together with my crutches.

I only wanted to be alone and alone. Days passed, I witnessed the hardships of my mother looking for food while my younger brother and two sisters were still studying. It was not easy for me to witness that kind of situation. It came to the point that I blamed myself for what happened.

My family became my motivating force to continue my life and through the presence of other individuals, they helped me in buying a prosthetic leg. They also helped me to find a job and luckily, I started landed a job to a local government

unit and started to help my younger brother’s education.

Even I only have a minimum salary, I enjoyed it and spent it wisely. After how many years of working hard, I decided to enroll myself. I work at day and attended night school. That was my life until I graduated my degree course.

Sleepless nights, tiredness, efforts, and sacrifices were being paid-off. I cannot believe that I made it – we made it.

Year 2004 was the year that brought me so much pain and sadness and after more than 10 years, on year 2017 was the year that gave us joy and happiness where I was hired by the Department of Education and my brother was also become the member of our Philippine National Police. There is nothing impossible for a person who have determination, for a person who have a motivating force and for a person who deeply believe in God. I encourage everyone to continue their education -do not stop studying. Do not stop working for your dreams. Do not stop believing yourself. Do not waste your time as you still have time to do it. Make use of your time productively and value your life meaningfully.

Be a blessing to everybody and not be a problem to our community.

At present, I am assigned in one of the hinterland schools in the district of Alubijid while continue studying my master’s degree. I am also praying to be assigned in my own hometown – I believe that it will be happened soon.

Thank you for reading.

about what the government agencies are doing (and not doing) concerning the electric power industry in Mindanao, as well as the things that the distribution utilities have been doing (or not doing) that have resulted in the high price of electricity in Mindanao.

Ta u l i r e c e n t l y a l s o authored another paper for the Institute for Power Sector Economics (IPSEc) of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) titled “Causes of High Prices of Electricity in Mindanao, and How Consumer Groups Can Help to Bring Down the Prices”.

“It is important to power consumers that the MinDA will b e supp or ting the campaign of power consumers against the privatization of the existing hydroelectric power plants on the Agus and Pulangi rivers as well as the other power plants owned by the government, Tuali stressed.

He said main reason for consumers overwhelming opposition to the privatization of the APHEC and other generating plants of the PSALM-NPC is that it will increase the rates of the privatized generation plants by at least P2.00 per kilowatthour (kWh), and more likely

by P3.00 per kWh. “The best evidence that can be presented of that Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate with Deed of Absolute Sale Know all men by these presents:

That the late RICO S. OBLAD, who died intestate on 11 November 2006, died without any will or testament and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity, at the time of his death, left a certain real property one-half of which belongs to the First Party-Vendor with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-21239 situated in Imbatug, Baungon, Bukidnon, containing an area of 36,842 square meters, more or less, the First Party-Vendor pro indiviso of one-half of the property above-described do hereby sell,cede,assign, and transfer absolutely and unconditionally unto Niza Builders and Allied Services Corporation as Second Party-Vendee her heirs and assigns, a portion of the above-described property measuring five thousand (5,000) square meters, more or less free from all liens and encumbrances, the specific meats and bounds have already been divided and determined by both parties, and has been the subject of an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate with Deed of Absolute Sale, filed by the heirs of RICO S. OBLAD, in favor of Niza Builders and Allied Services Corporation per DOC #81; PAGE #17; BOOK #21; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. ROBERT W. RAYPON. BWM: May 24, 31 & June 7, 2021

happening is the privatization of the IPP Administration c ont r a c t for t he Mt .

Ap o geothermal p ower plants (MAGPP). Before privatization, the MAGPP was charging the DUs a generation rate of only P2.80 pesos per kWh. After privatization, the rate of the MAGPP instantly went up to P5.18 pesos per kWh, an 85% increase!”

“I have not estimated the increase in rates of consumers due to spillage of P4, but following below are my estimates of the losses in revenues of PSALM due to (a) not rehabilitating the Agus HPPs, and (b) spillage of water from the P4 HPP. Total losses of PSALM in the period 2015-20 due to reduced generation of the Agus HPPs were estimated at P25,600,000,000, while total losses of PSALM in the period 2015 to 2020 due to spillage of water from the Pulangi 4 HPP was estimated at P8,500,000,000 or a whopping P34,100,000,000 losses for the period 2015-2020 for the two hydroelectric plants.

“Note that the National Power Corporation (NPC) has estimated that the rehab of the APHEC will cost P20billion pesos. The losses of the PSALM from the Agus HPPs alone (i.e., P25.6-B) would have already been sufficient to cover the cost of rehabilitating the APHEC,” Tauli pointed out.

The longer PSALM delays the rehabilitation of the APHEC the greater the

losses to the government of the Philippines. Consumer advocates have long suspected that the only reason PSALM h a s b e e n d el ay i ng t he rehabilitation of the APHEC is to enable the hydro plants to be sold cheaply to the generating companies when the APHEC is privatized.

The Mindanao Power Forum 2021 was organized

by MinDA and attended by around 500 people in-person at the venue and online via Zoom.

With the theme, “Building Back B etter Mindanao: A Sustainable and more Resilient Power Landscape”. the Forum sought to assess the impacts of Covid-19 o n M i n d a n a o’s p o w e r generation, transmission and distribution, and discuss what the government had been doing, and propose to do, to address the problems of the electric power industry in Mindanao resulting from the pandemic.

The Forum also showcased the initiatives of MinDA in t he de velopment of renewable energy resources in Mindanao.

Exports... from page 3

attributed the growth of exports to the government’s policy to allow 100 percent operation of companies in export activities.

He a d d e d t h at t h e elec tronics s ec tor t hat accounted for 60 percent of the country’s exports and the information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO), which is one of the top dollar earners for the country, continued to post growth despite local lockdowns as they were allowed to operate at full capacity.

Lopez said electronics industry rose 5 percent while IT-BPO sector grew by 2 percent, although lower than the outlook for each sector at 7 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

“This shows resilience despite the pandemic,” the top trade official said. “I would say (our export industry is) doing well.”

He added that the exports will continue to pick up with the country’s solid economic fundamentals. (PNA)

EXTRAJUDICIAL DEED OF SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late ONOFRE DUMBRIQUE PASCUA, who died intestate on April 24, 2021; that the deceased left two parcel of land Transfer Certificate of Title No. 1372018003955 situated kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Isalnd of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY (120) Square Meters, more or less, and Transfer Certificate of Title No. 1372016002325 situated kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Isalnd of Mindanao, containing an area of FIFTY (50) Square Meters, the deceased left certain bank deposit with LAND BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES, Velez Branch, BANCO DE ORO (BDO), S.M. City Branch, RIZAL COMMERCIAL BANKING CORPORATION (RCBC), Carmen Branch, METRO BANK, main Branch, and TREASURY ACCOUNT- LAND BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES, all located at Cagayan de Oro City, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL DEED OF SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE, filed by the heirs of ONOFRE DUMBRIQUE PASCUA, per DOC #457; PAGE #46; BOOK #VI; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. RICO B. PAJO. BWM: May 24, 31 & June 7, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT/ PARTITION OVER A PARCEL OF LAND AMONG HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE

NOTICE OF DEED OF ADJUDICATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVING

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT:

NOTICE OF ADJUDICATION

That the late HILARIO LOQUIAS, who died on July 1, 2011 at Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and BENILDA LOQUIAS who died on February 2, 2019 at Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and died without a will, that the said deceased at the time of their deaths, left real property with KATIBAYAN NG ORIHINAL NA TITULO BLG. P-32011 sitauted at Barrio Cogon, Municipality of Balingasag, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED FORTY TWO (342) SQUARE METERS, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT/ PARTITION OVER A PARCEL OF LAND AMONG HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of HILARIO LOQUIAS and BENILDA LOQUIAS, in favor of JOSELINA L. POMERENKE, per DOC #292; PAGE #59; BOOK #51; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. EDGARDO Y. RAAGAS.

JULIE T. SUN AYUNTING OF ILIGAN CITY HEREBY NOTIFIES THAT SHE EXECUTED A DEED OF ADJUDICATION, AS DONEE, dated May 15, 2021 of THE PERSONAL PROPERTY OF THE LATE DINAH T. SUN, her sister, who died on April 30, 2021, in Iligan City, INTESTATE, WITHOUT ISSUE and WITNHOUT ANY KNOWN DEBTS, CONSISTING OF: “ALL AMOUNTS DEPOSITED IN SAVINGS ACCOUNT No. _______________with BEO DEL PILAR STREET ILIGAN CITY” DONATED TO HER ON MARCH 13, 2021, per DOC No. 13; PAGE 4; BOOK XXXX; SERIES OF 2021 OF NOTARY PUBLIC DULCESIMO P. TAMPUS. DEED OF ADJUDICATION Doc. No. 32 PAGE NO. 8; BOOK XXXX; Series of 2021 NOTARY PUBLIC DULCESIMO P. TAMPUS

BWM: May 17, 24 & 31, 2021

BWM: May 17, 24 & 31, 2021

(SGD) JULIE T. SUN AYUNTING DONEE

11

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Famous... from page 4

to go back to drivin’ a truck.”

Elvis, of course, ignored this “professional” opinion, and went on to become the King of Rock n’ Roll.

L ong b efore G e orge MacArthur became a famous general in three major wars, he was rejected two times by the Westpoint military academy! But he kept trying and was finally accepted; and after graduating he marched into the history books as one of the greatest army generals ever.

Every human being fails many times! But the ones who become successful do not allow their failures to stop them from eventually reaching their potential and living their lives to the fullest.

If you will ask Jesus, the One Who gave you your abilities and potential, He will help you with His power to become all He created you to be. He will even use your past mistakes to strengthen and teach you how to live His right, successful way every day, for the rest of your life.

Just think a minute.

Life...

from page 4

NPA many of whom were relatives of the victims. The phenomenal uprising was dubbed “Alsa Masa”. That night only the staccato of gunfires and eerie howling of the wounded and the dying could be heard. By daylight, the urban center of Davao City was cleared of NPAs. The height of the atrocities happened between 1984-to 1985.

Prior to the gruesome event, there were already perceptible resentments against the high-handedness of the NPAs. Both Tan-gatue and Calida had sensed this.

The Metrodiscom head had secretly recruited valuable assets in Agdao and other NPA lairs. Intelligence network was also established

by Tan-gatue. Finding DDS to be an effective psychological weapon, he added two more: “Christian S oldiers for Democracy” and “Contra Force”. Pala is the only person behind the three phantom forces. Contrary to published claims of Sen. Leila de Lima and the oft-repeated fake news of Rappler, Duterte never had anything to do with DDS as he was just an Asst. City Fiscal during that time when the Reds was practically in control of Davao City. Furthermore, DDS has no warm bodies except for Pala behind a microphone.

With the NPAs gone, drug and kidnap-for-ransom syndicates started operating in Davao City. Extremists' adventurism did not spare the City. They took advantage of divisive and weak leadership following the expulsion in 1986 of elected officials during the revolutionary government of Corazon Aquino. Zafiro Respicio and Rodrigo Duterte were appointed Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively. The two however were of different principles. Corruption, in

an unheard-of magnitude, was the order of the day.

When finally Aquino called for a regular election in 1988, Duterte ran against Respicio and decisively won.

The third candidate was Jun Pala who was at the apex of his popularity. Respicio, the anointed candidate of Cory, demanded a recount, but in the process lost even to Pala.

From then on Duterte waged an unrelenting war against all forms of criminality that beset the City and all the shenanigans in the local government bureaucracy.

Davao City, once called the Killing Fields of the CPP/ NPA became the land of peace and prosperity. Since then the grateful populace elected Duterte as Mayor for a total of 23 years and practically unopposed.

In t ime D avao Cit y was acclaimed as the most livable place, child friendly most competitive, and most peaceful. The national and international rating agencies said so. With the menace gone, vanquished during the no-nonsense term of Duterte, and continued later by his daughter, Inday Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio, the population of the city nearly doubled. This made Boy Abunda, ABS-CBN ‘King of Talk Show’ asked the question: “Bakit pag pumunta ka sa Davao you feel safe, you feel secured....”. Still another feather in the cap for Mayor Inday Sara in particular is the 9% growth of the city’s economy. Truly Life is Here!

The healthy business climate in Davao City has drawn new investors from all over. It has become a veritable hub of call centers, home to over a dozen sprawling super-malls, its landscapes metamorphosed from what was once a laidback city of rusting rooftops to hotels and condominiums buildings racing for the skies. The s e cond big gest volume of banana exports in the world is shipped from its ports. Mayor Inday Sara organized a Regional Political Organizations, Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HnP), primarily to strengthen the bargaining power of the Davao region with the legislative and executive departments. HnP had since then linked up with other regional political organizations and had since then proven to be a potent force.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte is also behind the creation of the Davao Metropolitan

Development Authority which was sponsored by Deputy Speaker Isidro T. Ungab in the lower house.

The bill had recently passed the 3rd reading. The bill is now in the Senate and will be co-sponsored by Davao Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Bato dela Rosa. The proposed DMDA incorporates some vital data from the plan conceptualized

by Arch. Jun Palafox.

In the meantime, The high priority bus system project, also started by the lady Mayor is set to go full swing this November although I have some reservations on this target on account of the Covid -19 pandemic. However with the vaccination drive in the City now in full swing with the vaccine supplies now coming in steadily it is not farfetched that herd immunity will be achieved before the year ends. If this happens a lot of other projects in the pipeline and in the various stages of implementation will be accelerated. For now, nothing is stopping the city from constructing its bayside boulevard, laying underground the power and communications cables, constructing of another bypass highway, and concreting of barangay roads.

So don’t be surprised if the elusive Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte cannot be reached to get her reaction on her top ratings in the Presidential surveys and the mushrooming of “RUN INDAY SARA RUN” banners, posters, and caravans. The iron lady from the South is simply busy but the last time I heard, she said something like “ I will be obliged where destiny leads me”.

Joys... from page 4

My former AIM classmate, General Manuel Mariano, suggested that “From Leyte to Bessang Pass” be adopted as recommended supplementary reading in the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy.

Former Press Secretary Tomas “Buddy” Gomez III described the book as “a must read”. “Gripping,” said writer Belinda Olivarez-Cunanan.

For others, the book evoked fond memories of their own fathers who served gallantly during the war. Dr. Bert Fenix, former roommate at the Ateneo Bellarmine Hall in the 60’s, told me about the gallant father he never

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met – Major Alberto Obra Fenix, Sr. The elder Fenix was posthumously awarded the Bronze Cross for gallantry in action in Bataan. Conrado “Sluggo” Rigor Jr. reminisced about his father, Colonel Conrado B. Rigor Sr., who led three all Filipino battalions of the 121st infantry, USAFIPNL, in significant battles in Bessang Pass.

My Hawaii-based brother, Yong, recalled the narration of Major Galang of the US Army who arrived in the Philippines before the return of MacArthur in October 1944. My father, who was then Superintendent of the New Bilibid Prison, “hired” Galang as a prison guard.

Using one of the towers at the NBP, Galang transmitted intelligence information to the allies.

Former Foreign Affairs S e cret ar y D eli a A lb er t recalled how she, while Ambassador to Australia, personally awarded 3,800 of the 5,000 Australians who participated in the liberation campaign.

My very first book – Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria – came out in 2012. I was then ser ving as a member of the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

I wrote the book as my own personal contribution to BSP’s advocacy – financial inclusion through financial literacy and education. I explained to the layman how actions and policies of the Bangko Sentral can affect their everyday lives. Former Monetary Board Member Vince Valdepeñas described the book: “Very colorful, informative and readable.

This is truly central banking at grassroots. Every educated Filipino should read your book.” The reception to the book came to me as a pleasant surprise. The first print of the book sold out just two months after launch.

Note: You may wish to share the foregoing article via Facebook, Twitter or Linked-In.

Colleges... from page 2

academic institutions have shown interest to become vaccination centers in their localities, one of which is the Liceo de Cagayan University here.

De Vera earlier said one advantage for colleges and universities offering their facilities and campuses as vaccination sites is the priority given to their faculty, staff, and students to be prioritized for inoculations.

T h i s w a y, h e s a i d administrators of these institutions can slow ly continue with limited faceto-face instructions. (PNA)

Aid...

from page 1

worth of indemnification next month for the first batch of barangays hit by ASF in the city.

Earlier, CVO and DA1 0 s i g ne d a pl e d ge of commitment with village officials here to strengthen the biosecurity and quarantine measures in hog farms as part of the recovery plan to revive the badly-hit hog industry.

Under the partnership, barangays will designate Barangay Biosecurity Officers (BBOs), implement the "hog transport pass" for vehicles carrying animals and animal by-products for easier traceability, as well as guidelines for the repopulation of hogs of previously ASF affected barangays.

Acac underscored the role of every barangay to help the government stop the ASF outbreak in the city.

"Hopefully, we can move forward and start the recovery plan of the ASF-affected hog raisers as we shift and look for other alternative livelihood opportunities for the continuity of their income," Acac said. (PNA)

Warned... from page 2

enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting June 1 to June 30.

The other Mindanao areas mentioned in the fake document were Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City, which purportedly remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

In the purported IATF resolution, "PRO-10" was written next to "Cagayan de Oro," and at the bottom right of the document bears police insignias.

Olaivar noted that the supposed "Resolution No. 117-A" is non-existent on the official IATF website.

“Let us not panic; instead let us be prepared as much as possible for the worst situation so that we are always prepared," Olaivar said.

She also said panic should no longer be the public's attitude because it has been more than a year already since the pandemic. "Whatever the classification would be, it is just a guideline for us to observe to curb the spread of the virus."

Meanwhile, Mayor Oscar Moreno said in a radio program Friday night that he had yet to receive a response from the national government on his request to elevate the quarantine status of the city.

Moreno earlier wrote the national IATF to upgrade the city's Modified GCQ to GCQ, although he did not rule out that the national IATF would give a higher quarantine status following the surge of Covid-19 cases here.

“We are not the one to decide; the IATF will be the one to decide,” he said. (PNA)

Recovery... from page 3

other industries, especially as our country rides the wave of digital transformation. This digital transformation will fundamentally change the way we live, work, and do business,” he said.

Me a nw h i l e , L a c h i c a said SEIPI is implementing programs to further s u p p o r t t h e g row t h o f industr y and also adapt to the new normal.

Lachica said through the Product and Technology Holistic Strategy (PATHS), this has identified the niche products and technologies with the highest prospects for growth where the Philippines’ electronics industry can compete.

The industry group is also active in participating i n D T I ’s I n c l u s i v e Innovation Industrial S t r a t e g y, e m b r a c i n g Industry 4.0 strategies to make the industry become more competitive, he added.

SEIPI has also partnered with Philippine Business for Education in establishing Sector Skill Councils that aim to address the mismatch of jobs and skills in the industry. (PNA)

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IDC Extends its Help to the Community in Bulacan T HE

coronavirus pandemic is leaving millions of people sick, unemployed, and struggling to make ends meet.

Thankfully, there are many things we can do to help make a difference in our community.

From volunteering to supporting local establishments, there are a variety of opportunities to help those in need during this difficult time.

Italpinas Development Corporation’s (IDC) premier green property builder has recently conducted a simple community pantry for the families of Meycauayan, Bulacan.

“As members of our community, it is our responsibility to take initiative in providing assistance to communities that are in need.

We need to take action now” said Ms. Mary Ann Lopez, IDC VP for Finance and Administration.

True to its company mission, IDC had been conducting monthly CSR activities in various localities in Cagayan de Oro and Sto. Tomas Batangas.

IDC values its roots of being a true local of the city in ways of helping the community as much as it can.

And serve as inspiration to other investors in

the community to reach out and give a helping hand to those in need.

IDC conducts CSRs on a monthly basis, as it is also the company’s way of sharing and giving back to the community.

“We believe in bringing smiles regularly through our CSR programs.

Through these activities, we devote ourselves to reaching out and giving people even the simplest reasons to smile,” she added.