BusinessWeek Mindanao (May 4, 2020)

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Monday | May 4, 2020

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has issued the revenue regulations extending t h e d e a d l i n e s fo r f i l i n g o f tax retur ns, submission of documents, and the payment of taxes, pursuant to Republic Act 11469, otherwise known as “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.” According to Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 7-2020 dated March 30, 2020, the extension aims to relieve Filipino taxpayers who will not be able to prepare, let alone file, the necessar y documents under the Tax Code because of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and other restrictions on the personal movement being implemented by the national and local governments to prevent community transmission of the coronavirus disease.

Section 4(z) of the Bayanihan Act, which placed the Philippines in a state of national emergency, grants the President the authority to “move statutor y deadlines and timelines for the filing and submission of any document, the payment of taxes, fees, and other charges required by law.”

P15.00

Covid delays WB-funded agri projects in M’danao A

HOLCIM Philippines Inc. reported that it has suspended operations in its Davao City plant in compliance with the City government’s order imposing an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

In a disclosure to the P h i l i p p i n e S t o ck E x c h a n g e, Holcim said the suspension in operations will be from April 4, 2020 until April 19, 2020, or until the ECQ is lifted or withdrawn.

“Our Lugait Plant in Misamis Oriential will continue to operate and serve the requirements of our business partners and customers in Northern Mindanao and the Visayas,” the firm said.

Tax payment extended

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By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO Correspondent

G R I C U LT U R A L i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d enterprises funded under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) are facing delays in implementation due to lockdown measures in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

“COVID-19 is really affecting our operations, especially in implementing our subprojects that involve field work

since there are quarantine measures implemented in different cities, provinces MDANAO/PAGE 11

Six tests negative for Covid-19 in CDO, MisOr RICE RATION. Families in Bagumbayan, Kauswagan town in Lanao del Norte receive one 25-kg bag of rice each from the local government. The assistance will be sustained depending on the progress of efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic. MindaNews photo by RICHEL V. UMEL

UN’s rehab program in Marawi to include COVID-19 response

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO Correspondent

THE United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has expanded its rebuilding program in Marawi City to include response measures on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

In a press statement released Monday

SIX individuals from this city and Misamis Oriental, who were suspected of having

contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), have tested negative, health authorities said Friday (May 1).

MISOR/PAGE 11

night, UN-Habitat said its Global Emergency Response Fund is providing an additional budget for the three-month project called COVID-19 Response As We Rebuild Marawi.

The project components include providing residents access to food and other basic needs through satellite markets and mobile RESPONSE/PAGE 10

LandBank gives cash aid to rice farmers THE L and Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) has paid out over P308 million to over 60,000 farmer-beneficiaries listed under the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Financial Subsidy

By ERCEL MAANDIG, PNA

to Rice Farmers (FSRF) initiative.

In a statement, LandBank said that as of April 22, a total of 61,564 rice farmers across 26 provinces have received FARMERS/PAGE 11

OFF FOR PLAY. This children's playground in Malaybalay City has been closed as one of the quarantine measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

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2

Local

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

Sweeper flight transports 69 stranded foreign tourists LAGUINDINGAN, Misamis Oriental – Sixty nine (69) foreign tourists coming from different regions of Mindanao were transported to Manila and onward to their home countries through a sweeper flight that was spearheaded by the Australian Embassy and Philippine Airlines (PAL) and coordinated by the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Region 10.

The foreign tourists came from Regions 9, 10, and 13 and were composed of 46 Australians, 8 Americans, 8 New Zealanders, 2 Koreans,

2 Japanese, 1 British national, 1 Polish, and 1 Singaporean.

As per instruction by the Australian Embassy, the sweeper flight prioritized stranded Australian nationals in Mindanao. After all the Australians have booked, the booking was also opened by PAL to foreigners of nationalities who had onward tickets to their home country.

The PAL Bombardier Dash 8 plane carrying the tourists left Laguindingan airport at 4:10 pm.

Consistent to its travel safety protocols, the

Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and PAL strictly imposed their requirements before allowing the passengers to purchase a ticket.

These requirements were: 1. A foreign passport; 2. A Health Certificate stating that they do not bear symptoms related to COVID-19 and are fit to travel signed by the City or Municipal Health Officer; 3. Confirmed onward flight ticket to their home country; and 4. A hotel booking in Manila if their international flight is not on the same day as the

sweeper flight.

The tourists were transported to Laguindingan airport with the close coordination between the DOT Mindanao Regional offices under the leadership of Assistant Secretary Myra Paz V. Abubakar, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the concerned local government units of

TOURISTS/PAGE 10

Lanao del Sur opens Market Convergence MARAWI City -- The provincial government of Lanao del Sur has opened its Market Convergence to link the business sector in the province to suppliers from the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.

Mohammad Rajiv Naga Radia, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) head, said the market convergence aims to address the business sector's limited access to procure food products

CONVERGENCE/PAGE 10

COVID-19 isolation facility, itukod sa MisOr NAGLARAW karon ang pangagamhanan ni Gov. Bambi Emano nga magtukod og isolation facility dinhi sa Misamis Oriental alang sa mga pasyente

nga gituhoang persons under monitoring (PUM) ug persons under investigation (PUI) sa coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Sa ilang panagtapok sa Provincial Task Force for COVID-19, kauban ang mga ulo sa departamento sa kapitolyo ning bag-o ug si Gov. Emano, sila nakahukom nga magtukod sa isolation building sa lungsod sa Alubijid, kung hain nahimutang ang isa sa mga Provincial Hospitals sa lalawigan.

Si Arch. Joseph AraoArao ang gisangunan sa pag desinyo sa nasangpit nga 50-bed 50-room capacity building. Ang pundo niini gikan sa amelioration fund sa Bayanihan Act Heal as One grant sa kaulohan nga P69 milyones.

Pasado matud pa sa Department of Health – Region 10 ang nasangpit nga plano, hilabina paghuman sa general community quarantine kung diin gilaumang modagsang dinhi sa Misamis Oriental ang overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) ug stranded sa nagkadaiyang lugar sa Pilipinas sa ilang pagpauli pohon.

CorporateWorld 3 AboitizPower net income down in Q1 this year

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

ABOITIZ Power Corp. recorded lower net income in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year.

In a statement Thursday, AboitizPower said its net income reached P2.1 billion in January to March from P3.6 billion recorded in the same months in 2019.

The company attributed the decline to lower earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization

(EBITDA); higher income taxes for its Therma South and GNPower Mariveles power plants following the expiration of the tax perks of these two facilities; and additional interest payment from the parent bond and loan that were taken up late last year.

Outages in Therma South and GNPower Mariveles and lower selling prices also affected the firm’s performance in the first three months of the year.

“With the additional

capacities in our portfolio, we have fortified our bench and have further strengthened governance across different parts of the business,” AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Rubio said.

In the first quarter of 2020, total capacity sold of its generation business increased to 3,445 megawatts from 2,974 MW sold in January to March 2019.

EBITDA from the

Alsons’ P1-B debt papers rated above average THE Alcantaras’ Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc. (ACR) on Thursday said it had been given an above-average credit rating for the latest tranche of the P2.5billion commercial papers it registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2018.

In a stock exchange disclosure, the listed firm said it had received a PRS (Philippine Rating Services Corp.) A plus rating and a stable outlook for the second tranche of its commercial papers

amounting to P1 billion.

The credit rating meant that the company has an above-average capacity to meet its financial commitments.

Among factors cited

by PhilRatings as basis for the rating were “the positive growth prospects for Mindanao which will bring about an increasing demand for power” and the company’s “ability to establish joint ventures with strong partners for particular projects.”

The stable outlook, on the other hand, meant that

the rating is likely to be maintained or to remain unchanged in the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, ACR sees no major delay in the projected start of the commercial operations of its two on-going power plant projects in Mindanao.

One of these is the 14.5-megawatts (MW) hydroelectric power plant at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani province, which AVERAGE/PAGE 10

firm’s generation and retail supply business reached P7.4 billion in January to March, a decline from P8.6 billion recorded in the same period last year.

AboitizPower’s EBITDA from its distribution business, on

the other hand, went up to P2.1 billion from P1.9 billion.

The company said energy consumption from both residential and commercial users increased in the first quarter, as well as the higher number of

customers from the industrial segment.

Energy sales of AboitizPower’s distribution unit increased to 1,429 gigawatt-hours in January to March this year from 1,343 GWh sold in the same period last year.

(PNA)

SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) is leveraging the extensive service station network of its fuel subsidiary, Petron Corporation, to further boost food accessibility throughout the country.

To date, 30 stations have been utilized for the company’s efforts to bring food products closer to communities and provide people a safe, convenient, alternative way to buy essential goods during the quarantine. It is looking to mobilize 60 more stations.

It has also started identifying key stations in Metro Manila that will sell farmers’ produce such as fruits and vegetables under the Department of Agriculture’s “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” rolling market program.

The company is looking

to utilize as many stations to bring more produce to more communities.

“Petron’s major stations will become a lifeline for farmers in the province struggling to find a way to sell their fresh farm harvest. With this program, we are able to help them sustain their livelihood in this time of crisis. At the same time, we’re also making available fresh fruits and vegetables to people in Metro Manila to complement the products we offer,” SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said in a statement Thursday.

Ang said food accessibility was also an issue the company worked to address early into the Covid-19 crisis.

“With physical distancing and business

restrictions, many Filipinos have had to line up for hours at supermarkets and public markets to get food supplies. While it’s a necessary activity, it also increases the risk to people’s health,” he added.

Thirty Petron stations now serve as sites for the SMC Logistics reefer van-cum-rolling stores San Miguel deployed throughout Metro Manila.

The food trucks come loaded with frozen poultry products, fresh and processed meats, and ready-to-eat goods.

The initiative is an expansion of San Miguel Foods Inc.’s Manukang Bayan rolling store concept. Stations located in Pasig, Paranaque,

SanMig starts selling farmers’ produce in Petron stations

STATIONS/PAGE 10

4

Opinion

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Sam the changed man Think a minute . . . This is the true story of a man named Sam who joined the American army in 1812. He was such a great military leader that he became a major general. Eventually he became successful in politics also and was elected governor of Tennessee. When he was running for a second term, Sam married a girl named Eliza Allen. But the marriage only lasted 11 days! It is not clear whether Sam’s drunkenness drove them apart or whether the divorce drove him to drink.

Sam later resigned as gover nor of Tenness e e and went to live with the Cherokee Indians. He became an alcoholic and stayed for years under the influence of alcohol, or “firewater” as the Indians called it. Sam went downhill fast as drinking burned up years of his life.

One day Sam was back in America’s capital of Washington D.C. on a mission for the Cherokee Indians.

He was walking down the

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST main street when he saw a Congressman who in the past had publicly accused Sam of stealing and fraud.

Well, Sam decided this was his chance for payback, so he physically beat the man for slandering his name.

In the days following, this Congressman whom Sam had beaten got his own payback when Sam was publicly penalized and his entire political career destroyed.

Or so everyone thought.

Then a surprising thing happened. Sam changed his ways! He realized that MAN/PAGE 11

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

Ayala at the front lines Ayala Corporation operates a number of businesses that are vital to keep our society and our economy functioning – banking, water, health care, telecommunications, power and manufacturing. All need to continue operating to ensure the delivery of essential services, more so under ECQ circumstances.

During the recent Ayala annual stockholders meeting, Jaime Augusto de Ayala and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Chairman and President, respectively, of the Ayala Corporation, recognized the group’s incredibly committed f ro nt - l i n e r s w h o h av e remained in their posts during the ECQ. “Their dedication has enabled us to continue to deliver for our clients and we draw our strength from them,” the Zobels said.

In BPI, for instance, over 220 branches (25 per cent of total) remained open. There are 1,300 employees and service personnel in these branches. BPI’s BanKo kept

open 240 branches (80 per cent of total). Approximately 900 employees and service personnel reported in BanKo branches. To keep over 2,500 ATM machines operational, over 1,000 BPI employees and service provider personnel replenished the ATMs with cash 7 days a week.

Over 200 facilities op erators rep or te d for work in Manila Water.

Manila Water has been operating at optimum levels despite limitations from the lockdown. It has been providing consistent 24/7 water service availability to its customers. In cases of breakages, Manila Water tries to do its best to have the problem resolved within 3 to 4 hours. In addition, Manila Water donated 1,800 hygiene kits and deployed much ne e de d dr in king water in 6 QC hospitals.

AC E n e r g y ’s p l a nt s re m ai n e d su f f i c i e nt ly manned to operate at full capacity and to provide

vital electricity to our grids.

Globe doubled down its efforts to ensure that its networks stay reliable and consistent. On top of that, Globe donated 500 cellphone units to public hospitals and has provided free internet connection to 68 hospitals nationwide, with free calls for emergencies.

Globe also raised P43 million from its employees and customers to help hospitals.

1,500 employees continued to report daily in AC Health.

This enabled AC Health, through its network of outpatient clinics, to provide primary care and non-Covid 19 specialty consultations and diagnostics. Healthway and Family Doc have served as triage points for suspected COVID 19 patients. AC Health has screened and referred nearly 6,000 suspected cases (formerly known as PUMs) and over 5,000 suspect cases formerly known as PUIs. Generika (Ayala’s generics pharma

A major event changes everything As founder/owner of a business that you built from hard work, is the family business prepared for a major transition? Whether it is Family, Business and Ownership (wealth) everything is in transition.

When illness, incapacity or death of a key family shareholder strikes or events like marriage, separation or dispersed ownership happens, the impact on the family business system may cripple the business overnight.

With a mindset bordering on immortality, stubborn leaders totally disregard any form of transition. But

when a sudden event like death occurs, it will leave everybody broken, gasping for breath, barely surviving and being dragged under by the overwhelming weight of the business and the family.

There is no doubt that any business will be faced with some very difficult choices in the months and years to come so being prepared is critical.

Being the leader of the clan, owners must anticipate these predictable events and must think of the future of the family first and not be tied up with daily sales and operations all the time.

Finally, they must craft

solid agreements and make the right decisions now to prepare for the future.

So how does one navigate change like this in the business?

In my last column, I highlighted the Aboitiz family’s 130-year journey that started as a small business trading hemp (abaca) in Leyte. Years later, the group ventured into inter-island shipping to transport its goods across the Visayas.

Fast forward 100 years later, what was once a general merchandise business has transformed into one of the largest, oldest and most respected conglomerates

Balik Probinsya I HAVE been following the activities of Sen. Bong Go at the halls of the Senate since day one. Davao journalists know him quite well. A quiet worker who served as executive assistant to thenCity Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

For more than 23 long years Bong served as his records custodian, telephone director, liaison officer, and more.

Once in her TV talk, Kris Aquino declared that if at all she enters politics she wants to have an OJT (on-the-job training) with Mayor Duterte.

In repartee, her co-host, Boy Abunda, says “bakit kung sa Dabaw ka, you feel safe, you feel secured”. That is Kris wishing to have an OJT with the Mayor. In the case of Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go it’s over two decades of virtual political tutorship in dealing with the complexities of political leadership, city planning, and management and how to address the imponderable problems that go with peace and security and endless catastrophes. He

came face to face with NPA while he and Mayor Duterte negotiated for the release of soldiers captured by the terrorists. I have seen him braving the turbulent flash floodwaters in the middle of the night to rescue residents in a subdivision with his jet ski. He is Duterte’s trusted man in running “Lingap”, the precursor of what is now Malasakit Centers.

I have to l ay d ow n these predicates to prove t hat t he ne w bi e Senator can walk his talk.

The COVID 19 pandemic caught nations by surprise.

In less than four months, the unseen enemy created havoc in the health and economies of nations which, for centuries, flaunt their invincibility. As I write this piece there is pandemonium in America and Europe. We should tap the shoulders of our national and local leadership for keeping the coronavirus at bay. In all counts, despite the inadequacies of protective gear and testing machines,

Filipinos proved we can overcome. Rosy as it may seem, COVID will linger for a while. The government can feed the needy but with the engine of industries and commerce and trade coming to a halt, the taps may just ultimately run dry.

Balik Probinsya is not a political promise as some critics want to portray it. It is part of the solution which Sen. Bong Go suggests to the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Cabinet officials. We have seen on TV the clusters of settlers that live in shanties in the sidewalks in and under the bridges and flyovers in Metro Manila. Already they are complaining of a lack of relief goods. Let’s face it, the relief agencies will eventually run out of funds if COVID 19 cannot be suppressed. The challenge and opportunity for them relocate back to the province and start a new life. The Senator’s provides a permanent solution to those who wish to have a farm and implements to till the land.

SPEAKING OUT

IGNACIO BUNYE store) continued to operate over 720 stores nationwide.

AC Health continued to provide home care and medicine delivery services.

Meanwhile, AC Health is poised to convert PolyMed Sta. Rosa into a COVID 19 dedicated hospital. This initiative will cost P150 million. Further, AC Health will work in partnership with other stake holders to build a COVID 19 testing facility that will give more Filipinos access to testing.

Since the front-liners carry enormous responsibilities LINES/PAGE 11

FAMILY BUSINESS COACH

PROF. ENRIQUE SORIANO in the Philippines. The group has spanned five generations blending family and professional management. And behind its business success is a powerful and enforceable family constitution that is meant to ensure the EVERYTHING/PAGE 11

LETTERS FROM DAVAO

JUN LEDESMA A similar package is being offered to members of the New Peoples Army who return to the folds of the law. This is for a short term solution.

In the long term, it takes a political will for the national leadership to disperse the industries from the center and periphery of the National Capital Region to the provinces. The Balik Probinsya program must partake in improving the infrastructure facilities in the province and incentivize the dispersal of industries program. It also comprehends the establishment of farm to PROBINSYANA/PAGE 11

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Banking&Finance Bangko Sentral sees April 2020 inflation rate at 1.9% to 2.7% MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

DECLINE of oil prices in the international market is expected to decelerate further Philippines’ inflation rate, with the April 2020 figure seen to stay within 1.9 percent to 2.7 percent range.

In a Viber message to journalists Thursday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said “the progressive fall in inflation will continue.”

“The collapse in oil prices is expected to moderate inflationary pressure coming from higher prices of rice and other food items, along with upward adjustment in electricity rates in (the) Meralco-serviced area,” he said.

With these factors, Diokno said monetary officials will closely monitor developments

vis-à-vis the BSP’s policy stance.

“Looking ahead, BSP will remain watchful of economic and financial developments here and abroad to ensure that monetary policy settings remain consistent with price stability conducive to a balanced and sustainable economic growth,” he added.

Inflation rate last March slowed to 2.5 percent from month-ago's 2.7 percent, bringing the average in the first quarter to 2.7 percent.

Except for a onemonth uptick in May 2019 when inflation rate rose to 3.2 percent from month-ago’s 3 percent, domestic inflation rate sustained its slowdown after peaking at 6.7 percent in September and October 2018 caused by

supply side factors.

Monetary officials expect inflation to continue to slow in the coming months partly because of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in most parts of the country being implemented to arrest the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The government’s inflation target from 2020 to 2022 has been set between 2 to 4 percent.

BSP’s policy-making Monetary Board (MB), during its rate setting meet last March 19, forecast inflation to average at 2.2 percent this year, and 2.4 percent next year.

During its meeting last March 26, the Board adopted a 1.75 to 3.75-percent forecast range for inflation rate

this year from 2 to 4 percent previously.

Principals of the interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) approved through an Ad Referendum the same projections during their meeting last March 27.

Diokno, in a message to journalists Thursday, said the government’s inflation target is subject to quarterly review and decisions by the DBCC through inputs from the BSP. He said the central bank forecasts monthly inflation rate through assessment of various international and domestic factors like oil prices, commodity prices, foreign exchange rate, transport fees, utility rates, and minimum wages. (PNA)

PH posts highest-ever foreign reserves of $89B in March THE Bang ko S entral ng Pi lipinas (BSP) on Thurs day rep or te d the countr y ’s hig hest foreign currenc y res er ves amounting to $88.995 bi l lion as of March 2020.

Data releas ed by the central bank showed that the latest gross international res er ves (GIR) f igure is only preliminar y, but this is already higher than the $88.187 billion as of last Febr uar y.

In a statement, BSP’s Depar tment of Economic Statistics (DES) said the f inal

end of March GIR will b e published as s o on as the data b ecomes available.

“In terms of the f inal data on GIR , the highest le vel recorded was as of end-Febr uar y at $88.2 billion,” it said.

GIR refers to all foreign ass ets that are available and controlled by the central bank to f inance payment imbalances or manage the magnitude of such imbalances.

The BSP’s GIR target this year is $86 billion.

The BSP said the latest foreign res er ves le vel of the countr y is enough to cover 7.9 months’ wor th of imp or ts of go o ds and s er vices and payments of primar y income, higher than the international standard of three months’ wor th of cover.

It traced the ris e in the GIR le vel to gains f rom the central bank’s foreign exchange op erations and income f rom investments overs eas, and the national government’s foreign currenc y

dep osits with the central bank.

It, howe ver, said thes e inf lows are par tly countered by the national government payments of its foreign currenc y-denominated loans.

During the same month, the countr y’s net international res er ves (NIR), which is the dif ference b etween the GIR and total shor t-term liabilities, increas ed to $88.99 billion in March f rom the pre vious month’s $88.18 billion.

(PNA)

BSP eases credit weight of banks’ MSME loans THE CENTRAL BANK will ease the weight of loans extended by banks to small businesses until end-2021 to free up capital which can be used for lending amid the pandemic.

In Memorandum No. M-2020-034 signed April 28, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said banks’ exposure to qualified micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) will only be assigned a credit risk weight of 50%, down from 75% previously.

“The foregoing provisions shall apply until Dec. 31, 2021,” Mr. Diokno

said.

Under the Basel III Risk-Based Capital Adequacy Framework and the Basel 1.5 RiskBased Capital Adequacy Framework, these loans include MSME exposures that meet the criteria of a qualified MSME portfolio as well as current MSME exposures that do not qualify as a highly diversified MSME portfolio.

“This move will free up some portion of banks’ capital which they can use for lending. This will also incentivize banks to lend to the MSME sector,” BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi

G. Fonacier said in a text message. “[This] would further encourage banks to book more MSME loans with less worries about effects on capitalization in view of relatively higher credit risks involved in lending to smaller companies,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in an e-mail.

The move follows the BSP’s move to include lenders’ credit to MSMEs in computing banks’ compliance with reserve requirements. This is also effective until the end of 2021.

Republic Act No. 9501 or the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) requires banks to allot 8% of their total loanable funds as credit to micro and small enterprises.

On the other hand, two percent should be set aside for medium-sized businesses as the central bank seeks to boost credit to the sector which they can use for production and expansion.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that MSMEs totaled almost one million in 2018, LOANS/PAGE 10

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BDO – COGON Sky hi Bldg JR Borja St. Cogon, Cdoc 8577963/ 725209/ 725203 BDO – OSMEÑA Osmeña corner Ramon Chavez St. Cdoc 724567/8563727 BDO – LAPASAN Lapasan Highway Cdoc 8563233 /8563234 / 725178 BDO – RN- PELAEZ George Town CyberMall Rn Pelaez Blvd Kauswagan Cdoc | 8562617/729052 BDO – CARMEN Maxsuniel cor.V Neri St. Carmen, .Cdoc 8584854 /8581133 BANK OF COMMERCE- VELEZ Akut- Velez St.Cdoc | 8564371 / 726880 BANK OF COMMERCE- LAPASAN

CM Recto Ave. Lapasan, Cdoc, 8563991/727731

BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK RER kauswagan,HW Cdoc 8573733 /722519 BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK Gaston Park Cdoc | 8801518 BPI – LAPASAN Cm Recto HW Lapasan Cdoc 724076/ 8524602 BPI- VELEZ Velez-JR Borja St.Cdoc 8564213/722406 BPI – CAPISTRANO Capistrano St. Cdoc 8574264/8574263 BPI- COGON Osmeña St. Cdoc 8571297/8571298 CHINA BANK –GAISANO 745887/745880 CHINA BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc 8572212/8573274 CHINA BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW Cdoc 8561325 /722240 CHINA BANK – CARMEN Max Suniel, Cor. Yakal St. Cdoc 8583903/723091 CHINA BANK – DIVISORIA RN Abejuela St. Divosoria Cdoc 8575759/722641 CITY SAVINGS BANK TS Fashion Ave.Justo Ramonal Corner St.Cdoc 2316060/ 2316059 CHINATRUST Suite U&5 G/LGateway Tower Lapasan Lkk Cdoc 8521846/8521844 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK HW. Lapasan Cdoc | 8564201/ 8564201 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK Vamenta Carmen Sts. Cdoc | 8585366 DBP – CORRALES Corrales Ave., St. Cdoc | 8572087/722649 DBP – CAPISTRANO JR Borja Capistrano St. Cdoc 8567776/722819

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

Tiano Bros St. Cdoc | 727083 /727082 PHILTRUST BANK Ramonal OsmeñaSt. CDO 8807234/2316694/2316695 PNB- CORRALES Corrales Avenue Cdoc | 729500 / 729723

PNB- LKK MALL NORTH CONCOURSE

LKK Mall N.Concourse Cdoc 8574149/8575682

PNB- CARMEN Elipe Bldg.Carmen, Cdoc | 8583158/ 8584203 PNB- LKK LKK Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564347/722872 PNB CDO– DIVISORIA Tiano Bros.Cruz Taal St., Cdoc 722861 /722816 PNB CDO– LAPASAN LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564732 / 723992 PNB CDO– COGON LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc 8571991/ 723992 PHILIPPINE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK, INC. bels_domingo@yahoo.com.ph Rizal Chavez Cdoc 8572194/725438 PS BANK Velez Corner A. Mabini St., Cdoc 8574183/725184 PHILIPPINE VETERANS BANK Tiano-Abejuela St. Cdoc 722644/8573386 QUEEN CITY DEVELOPMENT BANK, INC. Sacred Heart Mont. Cm RectoAve., Cdoc 8562390 RCBC- VELEZ Velez-Borja St. Cdoc | 8564982/8568888 RCBC- COGON Simplex Bldg. Osmeña St. Cdoc 8562888/725863/8521329 RCBC- LAPASAN Cm. Recto Lapasan HW. Cdoc 8561888/722449 RCBC- LKK Gateway, Tower 1 LkkCenter, Cdoc 8563707/722449 RCBC SAVINGS- CARMEN Walingwaling St.,Carmen St. Cdoc 8585793/ 8586248 RCBC SAVINGS- VELEZ Velez St. Cdoc | 729083/8562460 RCBC SAVINGS- AGORA 8807891/8807892 RURAL BANK OF CABADBARAN, Inc.

#58 Tiano FernandezSt.CDO 727215/ 8563552 *805

SECURITY BANK- OSMEÑA Osmeña St. Cdoc | 8563965/ 723411/728774 SECURITY BANK- LKK Limketkai | 8801258/8801625

EAST WEST BANK #5 Juan Sia Bldg. Apolinar Velez St.Cdoc 8578801/720081

SECURITY BANK- VELEZ Velez Montalvan St., Cdoc | 728334/856632

EAST WEST BANK Cogon De Oro Constraction Bldg. LKK Drive 8500339/8500331

STERLING BANK OF ASIA Tiano Velez St. CDO | 8528171/8528168

ENTERPRISE BANK INC. Centro Mariano Bldg Osmeña St. Cdoc 723869/ 3093395 FIRST CONSOLIDATED BANK CM Recto Ave., Cor.Agudo Road Cdoc 8565360/2316678 LBP – CAPISTRANO Capsitrano St. Cdoc | 8565515/727678 LBP – VELEZ LunaVelez St. | 723549/8563198 LBP – PUERTO Puerto Cdoc | 8558858 MAYBANK JR Borja Tiano Cor. Bldg. Cdoc 8574439/726060 METRO BANK- DIVISORIA Pabayo Abejuela St. Divisoria Park, Cdoc 724783/8576999 METRO BANK- VELEZ A. Velez St. Cdoc | 8561724/726054 METRO BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc | 8572999/724415

UCPB BANK- LAPASAN Osmeña Corner Lkk Drive, Cdoc 85771842/ 725135 UCPB BANK- VELEZ Velez Corner C. Pacana St. CDO 8564474/8564527 UCPB BANK SAVINGS-CAPISTRANO

Capistrano Corner CruzTaal St. CDO 8524099/722695

UCPB BANK SAVINGS- OPOL Gf forever Books Bldg.Bulua National CDO 754519/8588063 UNION BANK Lapasan Cm.Recto Cdoc | 8566847/8563805 WEALTHBANK Velez Gomez St. Cdoc | 8568942/722174 1ST VALLEY BANK Vamenta Blvd. CornerLirio St. Carmen, Cdoc 8501871/ 8584146 OROBANKERS CLUB Inc. Pnb Carmen | 09151850242

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MOTORING IN-DEPTH

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Monday | May 4, 2020

VP Robredo Receives Suzuki Motorcycle Service Units for Healthcare Workers

S

uzuki Philippines, Inc. - one of the country's top motorcycle manufacturers shares help to those fighting the COVID19 battle at the front - the nurses and medical personnel by lending motorcycles as their transport service.

This is in partnership with the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) Angat Buhay Program which is a flagship anti-poverty campaign relying on private partnerships in implementing its activities seeking to help people from the marginalized sector and recently to support our frontliners in the fight against COVID19. The

units were turned over and received by Vice President Leni Robredo herself on April 23, 2020.

Suzuki lends 10 units of the Raider J Crossover to serve Angat Buhay's Free Dorm for Healthcare Workers hospitals' staff. Two of these - the Teacher's Village Dorm and Holy Family School in Maginhawa; will benefit from this initiative from Suzuki. Tenants of these dorms are working at East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine RJ Crossover_COVID19 Children's Medical in February and the Center, Philippine Lung brand believes that it is Center, National Kidney the fitting ride for the and Transplant Institute frontliners, it is efficient and Philippine Heart and economical. More Center. The Raider J than that, since social Crossover is Suzuki's distancing is a top priority latest bike launched nowadays, a solo ride on a

Help 2

motorcycle now provides one of the best means of transportation. "We are one with the whole nation in this fight against COVID19. We hope that these motorcycles help our frontliners in

their commute to their respective medical facilities efficiently and safely. We will heal and overcome this together as one team Suzuki," Mr. Akira Utsumi said in a statement.

"Thank you so much Suzuki Philippines for lending these units to us.

These motorcycles will go a long way in helping our medical dormers," said Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Ford Ranger: Built To Last During Tough Times MANILA, Philippines, 28 April 2020 – In times of uncertainties during natural calamities and pandemic crises, Filipinos are known for their resilience, strength and unwavering

toughness even in the most trying times, rising above all odds and challenges.

This is why pickup trucks such as the Ford Ranger have become a popular choice among Filipinos

Ford Ranger 4

who look for a tough and reliable vehicle for their needs. Built purposeful, the Ford Ranger has a durable design, proven performance, and segmentleading technologies to help get the job done.

Time-tested utilitarian characteristics give the Ford Ranger the ultimate edge as your daily workhorse. Its generous cargo space tied with 1.3 tons maximum payload capacity and

impressive 800mm water wading capability with 230mm high ground clearance enable you to carry numerous back-breaking loads while effortlessly carving through obstacles both on and off-road. It features a Tailgate Lift Assist that makes lifting and lowering the tailgate easier when loading and unloading cargo.

A truck bed full of supplies and equipment demands a tremendous amount of power to

effectively reach its destination.

The Ford Ranger is equipped with the 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel engine capable of generating 213PS and 500Nm of torque coupled with 10-speed automatic transmission, delivering more than enough power to move heavy loads while remaining exceptionally fuel-efficient.

The Ford Ranger is also packed with advanced features to ensure maximum safety and convenience for drivers and passengers on-board. With the Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, pedestrians and vehicles near you are detected and alerts you with an audible and visual warning.

The Ford Ranger also features Active Park Assist and rearview camera and sensors to ease your worries away during parking.

Enhanced Ranger lineup At the start of the year, Ford Philippines introduced a series of enhancements to its entire Ford Ranger lineup to give customers more value in their pickup truck without any price increase.

The Ford Ranger XLS and XLT variants now come with a new 8-inch LCD touchscreen radio with Apple Carplay and Android Auto Capability. Perfect for customers with workhorse and utility needs, the Ranger XLS

and XLT variants are equipped with a selection of features that combine powerful performance with work-ready capability.

Meanwhile, Ranger Wildtrak 4x2 variants now have a new wheel design and LED headlamps. The Wildtrak 4x4 also has a new wheel design and LED headlamps with the addition of a high-mount USB feature to support various dashcam models.

The Ranger Wildtrak combines iconic Ranger design qualities, powerful performance, and advanced technologies to suit work and play needs.

Finally, the Ranger Raptor now comes with a camera-based Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, lane keeping aid, high-mount USB, and LED headlamps, enhancing the Raptor’s driver-assist technologies that make it a highperformance but safe and reliable pickup truck.

The new Ford Ranger FX4 is the latest addition to the Ranger portfolio, boasting of a bold design inside out and features that help widen the appeal of the Ranger among customers seeking for a versatile and capable pickup truck.

To know more about the Ford Ranger, visit www.ford.com.ph/ trucks/ranger.

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

Healthy home-works from SM home With most of us homebound these days, it's the best time to start good health habits by preparing nutritious meals for the family, and creating a wellness based lifestyle whose benefits we will enjoy beyond the quarantine. It's also the best time to rediscover the simple joys of life and of doing things together.

SM Home, the one-stop shop for all of your home essentials, shares with us some healthy home-works from UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in maintaining a healthy lifestyle: 1. Prepare a Weekly Meal Plan and make a shopping list of items you need before you

go to the store for your routine shopping. Create the list from the meal plan and include back up ingredients on your list in case your first choice is out of stock. Limit the list on buying the essentials.

2. Stock up on nutrition-packed food such as whole grains, breads, and fresh fruits and vegetables; and staples like sauces, milk, eggs, spices and condiments.

Fresh products should be consumed first. Frozen fruits and vegetables as well as canned vegetables and fruits are good alternatives as these have a longer shelf life.

3. Build up a stock of healthy snacks for your children - yogurt, nuts,

cheese, chopped or dried fruits, boiled eggs and more. Stock them up in a stackable glass container to seal freshness and label them.

4. Continue to practice Food Hygiene and Safety.

Wash fruits and vegetables under running water and dry it with vegetable spinner; use separate chopping boards for meat and seafood as you prepare the meal; and don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after preparing your meal.

5. Drink water regularly and stay hydrated 6. Make cooking and eating together a family by drinking 6-8 glasses a day to boost your immune habit. Kids can help wash system.

SMC donates 85,000 liters more of fuel to shuttle front-liners San Miguel Corporation (SMC) marked Labor Day yesterday with a fresh donation of 85,000 liters of free fuel for government’s Libreng Sakay programs, which provide free transportation to thousands of medical front liners and workers reporting to hospitals throughout Metro Manila.

The donation, which consists of 40,000 liters of fuel for the Metro Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) free shuttle program and another P45,000 liters for the Department of Transportation’s (DoTR) parallel program, were provided by San Miguel subsidiaries SMC Infrastructure and Petron Corporation.

Worth an estimated P2.8 million, the fuel donation is the second such grant that the two SMC businesses have given recently to benefit medical front liners fighting the Covid-19 global pandemic. All in all, the company has given a total of 170,000 liters, worth P5.8 million, for the shuttle services.

“This is our simple

way of honoring our brave and selfless medical workers on Labor Day. We want to continue honoring them by helping provide them this convenient, safe, and free means of transportation when they go on duty. Yes, it is a small thing, especially considering the risk they take and the sacrifices they make every day. But we are hoping it will at least make a little difference to them knowing that their government and donors like us, continue to support them in any way we can,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang. Apart from fuel, SMC Infrastructure also waives toll fees for medical front liners at toll roads it operates, namely the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System, NAIA Expressway (NAIAX), and the TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).

While recognizing that efficient transportation is a must for doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners at this

time, the bulk of SMC’s efforts to help medical workers is focused on providing them with life-saving equipment and much-needed COVID-19 testing machines.

Recently, SMC donated five sets of Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Covid-19 testing machines and HighThroughput Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction machines, that effectively doubles government’s testing capacity, with an additional 11,000 tests per day.

It has also distributed over 54,000 sets of medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPEs) to over 100 hospitals and another 10,000 PPEs manufactured by local garments exporters, to the Philippine General Hospital.

It has also thus far donated over 1.1 million liters of disinfecting 70% ethyl alcohol to hospitals, LGUs, and other vital institutions, made at its reconfigured liquor facilities under Ginebra San Miguel Inc.

and sort the ingredients and set the table before the meal. This creates a healthy routine and fun bonding with the whole family. Also practice mindful eating and stay away from processed food.

Enjoy healthy homeworks and memorable meals together with home essentials from SM Home.

These are available at the smhome.com.ph and shoppers can now place their order online through the thesmtore.com and ShopSM app. For more info and updates, follow them at SM Home at the

SM Store in Instagram or visit thesmstore.com website.

Please see below the photo captions: 1. Prepare hearty meals with this bake dish known for its oven to table convenience.

2. Make your kitchen workspace clutterfree and maximize the area by putting commonlyused utensils within your reach.

3. Stay home and create a new dining experience in the living room with your favorite family dish.

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

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Convergence... from page 2

that they can sell in their stores because of some travel restrictions due to the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

"Isa sa naging problema natin sa probinsiya ay yung pagbaba ng mga taga Lanao del Sur sa Iligan at Cagayan de Oro para kumuha ng mga produkto. Kaya naisip ng provincial government na dalhin nalang dito ang mga produkto para hindi na bababa ang mga taga Lanao del Sur," he said.

Radia said the Lanao del Sur Market Convergence goes beyond manufactured products.

"We divided the market into two, the grocery section located at the Provincial Capitol Gym and the agricultural section at the Provincial Capitol Tennis Court," he added.

For the agricultural products, the OPAg head said they are bringing basic farm and fishery commodities at 'reasonable' prices.

"Nakita natin na kahit anong gawin nating implementasyon ng suggested retail price, mahirap talagang pakiusapan yung mga sellers. Kaya pumasok tayo sa market at nag-introduce ng mas mura para yung mga sellers ay susunod sa

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MONDAY | MAY 4, 2020

ating pricing," said Radia.

This move, he said, is a way to ensure affordable and stable prices of agricultural products in the province during the COVID-19 crisis.

Agricultural products sold at the Market Convergence include various vegetables, fruits, dried fish, fresh fish, and poultry. (APB/PIA ICIC)

Tourists... from page 2

Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Butuan, Iligan, and Laguindingan.

The sweeper flight was also made possible with the assistance of the Department of Health (DOH)-10, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-10, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and members of the private sector such as PAL, New Dawn Hotel and Red Planet Hotel.

Twenty three-yearold Korean missionary Kang Yongchan who was serving in a community in Valencia City, Bukidnon said he is down-trodden to be leaving the Philippines under such circumstances.

He shared that he has indeed made many friends

here and is very positive that he will come back when the situation permits him in the future.

“I had such a good time here in [the] Philippines.

I am sad to be going as I had such a good life here.

I will definitely come back in the future, back to Valencia” he said.

Department of Tourism-Region 10 Director Marie Elaine Unchuan is very happy for all the support that the DOT-10 has been receiving for the sweeper flights since it started last March.

“We’re doing the sweeper flights because we really want to bring all these stranded tourists home, this is the main goal. The DOT is giving our full support for our stranded tourists to make sure that there’s a seamless transition to their travel home,” she said.

As of April 29, DOT10 has coordinated seven sweeper flight operations and has repatriated a total of 477 tourists. (DOT10/ PIA10)

Average... from page 3

is expected to begin commercial operations in 2022.

The other one is the 105-MW San Ramon Power, Inc. baseload coal-fired power plant in Zamboanga City, which is slated to commence

operations in 2023.

“Even with the current quarantine, we do not foresee a major delay in the targeted commencement of operations for our Siguil and SRPI projects,” ACR Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Tirso G. Santillan, Jr. said in a statement.

Stations... from page 3

Quezon City, Caloocan, Taytay, Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Marikina, Pasay, Taguig, Manila, Las Pinas, and Makati, are among those that host the reefer van rolling stores.

These rolling stores are also now in the Visayas starting with five Petron stations in Bacolod and Negros Occidental.

Meanwhile, six Petron Treats convenience stores now serve as pick-up points for products ordered via SMC’s new online ordering system, order.sanmiguelfoods.com.

The system further minimizes time spent in queues or outside homes as it lets customers order products under the company’s roster of brands, and later pick them up and pay for them at select Treats stores.

Participating branches include Treats Commonwealth, Diego Silang Katipunan, Santolan in Pasig, J. P. Rizal in Marikina, and Litex Road

in Quezon City. SMC is looking to add 50 more stations. (PR)

Loans... from page 5

accounting for 99.52% of businesses.

These MSMEs generate 63% of the country’s total employment and are mostly engaged in wholesale and retail trade as well as repair of motor vehicles and motorcycle industries. MSMEs are seen to be among those hardest hit as the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak continues to disrupt economic activity.

been implementing the Rebuilding Marawi through Community-driven Shelter and Livelihood program, which organizes residents into cooperatives for livelihood activities.

Marawi City and the entire L anao del Sur province has been under strict quarantine protocols wit h nine conf ir me d C OVID-19 cas es out of the total 10 in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Reg ion in Muslim Mindanao as of April 27.

Response... from page 1

installing hand-washing facilities and distribution of protective equipment and other medical supplies, promoting community level gardening, and enhancing the city government’s incident command system.

The target beneficiaries are about 2,500 families who were displaced by the 2017 siege by extremist groups and are still living in temporary shelters.

“Marawi City is one of the most vulnerable cities right now because of the disasters that it has experienced,” said Warren C. Ubongen, UNHabitat project manager.

UN-Habitat has

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

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MisOr... from page 1

Among those whose results came out negative was a 60-year-old woman from Barangay Lapasan who died Friday afternoon (April 30). Her swab samples were taken a day before she died.

Others whose results were also negative were a 31-year-old mother and her seven-month-old baby from Barangay 35; a medical worker, 31, at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center who had contact with patient 6783 from Sitio Pinikitan, Barangay Camamanan; a woman, 53, from El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental; and a 45-yearold female from Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.

All the patients were admitted at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), the referral hospital for Covid-19 in Region 10.

D r. L o r r a i n e Ne r y, C a g ay a n d e O r o C i t y health officer, said all the test results for the patients who turned out negative for Covid-19 were done in the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

Meanwhile, 17 family members of PH 6783 have already undergone swab testing conducted by the Department of Health and local health personnel, the results of which have ye t to b e d e te r m i n e d.

Patient 6783, who died of severe acute respiratory illness while undergoing at the NMMC on April 18, was also suffering from chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, hypertension, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PH 6783’s test result indicated he was infected with the coronavirus. Following his death, Sitio Pinikitan was put on quarantine with law enforcement officers setting up checkpoints at the area’s entrance and exit points to control the movement of residents there.

Mayor Oscar Moreno has also urged the residents in the area to stay in their homes while a team of health personnel conducted contact-tracing.

According to Dr. Bernard Rocha, a medical expert at the NMMC, there are now 71 patients suspected of having been infected with the coronavirus who were discharged after testing negative for Covid-19. (PNA)

Mdanao... from page 1

municipalities,” PRDP Deputy Project Director for Mindanao D anilo T. Alesna s aid.

Construction projects not directly related to the health crisis are among the activities banned by most local governments.

Mr. Alesna said the P R DP, a Wor l d B an k funded program with the Department of Agriculture as lead implementer, has also adopted a “skeletal workforce and alternate work arrangements among our employees” in compliance

with “the government’s efforts to flatten the curve.”

He said they are looking at ways to get the projects back on track once restrictions are eased.

“We will do our best to cope with the challenges resulting from the delays after this pandemic,” he said.

There are 274 PRDP infrastructure projects in Mindanao with a total cost of P19.5 billion, mostly farm-to-market roads, and 118 enterprise development projects with a funding of P751.777 million.

A m ong t h e d e l aye d projects are those in Davao de Oro, which was granted P968.88 million for 19 projects.

In a statement, PRDO said seven projects in the province worth P255.72 million, with six infrastructure and one enterprise on tablea processing, were completed before the COVID-19 crisis.

The pending projects include farm-to-market roads, rubber processing and marketing, cardava banana consolidation and m ar ke t i ng , c ow ’s m i l k processing and marketing, and an enhancement of virgin coconut oil and by-product processing and marketing.

For the completed projects, the PRDP statement quotes rice farmer Peter Jumigop of Compostela town on how the new road connecting their area to the capital Nabunturan has improved their market access.

In the past, he said, the road was just a “pathway for carabaos that carr y our produce. The road was muddy and the depth would reach our knees.”

Fellow beneficiary Raul Bogani Sr. said nowadays, buyers are able to go directly to them and haul their products. “ The buyers’ vehicle can now reach our farms and collect our produce by the side of the road, unlike b e fore w h e re we u s e d to pay P15 per sack (for hauling),” said Mr. Bogani.

The transport of agricultural produce are among t he exempt ions in travel restrictions imposed nationwide.

Farmers... from page 1

from this program. These farmers were largely affected by quarantine measures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Small rice farmers tilling farms with an area of one hectare or less received P5,000 each through the existing LandBank SURE Aid (Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers) and RFFA (Rice Farmer Financial Assistance) cash cards.

LandBank is also preparing to release cash grants to more rice farmers c ove r i ng 3 4 prov i n c e s nationwide pending the list of more beneficiaries from DA. Farmer-beneficiaries will claim the cash subsidy overthe-counter from designated br anche s of t he B an k . “ We a r e i n c l o s e coordination with the DA

to supplement the income of our small rice farmers and their families the soonest possible time. This forms part of LandBank’s intensified support to the agriculture sector, which belongs to the most vulnerable sectors during this Covid-19 crisis,” LandBank president C ecilia B orromeo said.

LandBank’s financial aid distribution is in support of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the government for the implementation of Republic Act No. 11469 o r t h e “ B ay a n i h a n t o Heal as One Act.” (PR)

Lines... from page 4

to provide these critical services, Ayala insures that they are provided the proper protection as they perform their function at this critical time. Aside from providing them with protective gear, the company also arranges for free transportation to shuttle the front-liners to and from the company premises. The premises are also regularly disinfected and proper social distancing measures and health check protocols are in place. Front-liners are also regularly monitored by company doctors.

How did other units and personnel across the Ayala group respond to COVID 19?

-The Ayala group has allocated P2.4 billion in a relief package to assist employees, including the daily wage earners or “no work, no pay” personnel.

-Together with 36 other comp anies and pr ivate institutions, Ayala launched Project Ugnayan to support those most in need of help at this time. The consortium raised over P1.7 billion for food vouchers for more than 1.5 million urban poor families or approximately 7.5 million of our most vulnerable countr ymen in Metro Manila. The distribution of P1,000 grocery vouchers was done thru Caritas Manila and the over 600 Catholic parishes in Metro Manila.

-Ayala Land employees raised P71.4 million to h e lp C OV I D h o spit a l s a n d P r o j e c t Ug n ay a n .

-Makati Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Ayala Land, recently completed the renovation of the World Trade Center i n Pa s a y i n t o a 5 0 0 bed quarantine facility.

-Ayala, Ayala Land, BPI and Globe donated to the Philippine Red Cross for the distribution of over 200,000 face masks to several hospitals in Metro Manila.

- Ay a l a a n d Ay a l a Foundation set aside P15 million to procure additional masks and vitamins for donation for various hospitals and LGUs. The distribution was done by AC Health.

To t h e m a ny Ay a l a individuals who are putting their lives on the line to make sure that their essential services continue at a time like this, a Big Thank You! Note: You may wish to share t he foregoing article via Facebook,

Tw i t t e r o r L i n k e d - I n .

Everything... from page 4

sustainability of its wide range of businesses all over Asia.

To q u o t e t h e 4 t h generation CEO Erramon Aboitiz when asked what their enduring qualities were, he replied, “What makes the family stick together is a question asked of us many times. There is no simple answer, but trust, mutual respect and the love of being together are foremost in my mind. Promotion within the family and company is based on respect and merits. Family members are professionals in every sense of the word. No family member has a right to work for the company. All of us, whether male or female, have gone through the ranks.”

He a ls o went on to articulate the value of the fairness principle that must be upheld within the clan. And to avoid any misunderstanding and encourage open communication, the members as mandated in their constitution must hold regular meetings where transparency is promoted within the leaders. Similarly, to prevent unnecessar y misunderstandings and minimize role conflicts, it was explicit in their agreements that governance forums will be created as avenues for family members to escalate their grievances. These governance for ums are classified into family, business and ownership councils and prevent petty issues from exploding in the wrong forum.

And finally, to perpetuate the legacy of the Aboitiz family business, a well-designed leadership program meant to shape expectations of the next generation members with respect to their competence, roles in the business and most importantly as future stewards.

Staying true to the tenets of the family constitution, the Aboitiz family continues to inspire family businesses in Asia and has kept the ownership united with every single family member that signed the constitution committed to the future of the family business. For them, succession has always been smooth, despite studies saying that family-owned businesses tend to die out by the third generation.

Probinsyana... from page 4

market linkages to encourage productivity and income of farmers and farmers cooperatives. Sadly the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade are remiss in this area. It is about time also to spin out the Bureau of Fisheries from the DA and make it into a separate Department considering the potentials of marine and aquaculture industries and a number of fisherfolk involve in those livelihoods.

The question is: Can all that is envisioned in the Balik Probinsya program be realized given the fact

that less than three years are what is left with the Duterte administration? It is a Herculean task indeed.

But this is a good time as any to reboot our economic and development program. Look beyond the confines of NCR. The fertile lands Mindanao makes it the veritable food basket of the country. In the bowels of its mountain ranges are among the world’s richest precious meta resources - gold, nickel, copper. its seas are abundant with fish, underneath its marshlands the biggest deposit of natural gas, its rivers, and waterfalls have yet to be fully utilized for hydropower plants that could generate cheap energy for industries and irrigation systems for agriculture.

Balik Probinsya is a trigger mechanism for rural development. Given adequate support from politicians, planners, and people this may yet give a vigorous momentum t o e c o n o m i c r e c ov e r y efforts post-COVID 19.

Man... from page 4

he needed to learn to control himself physically, emotionally an d m e nt a l ly. In f a c t , h e c o nt i nu e d t o c o mp l e t e l y prov e h i s s e l f - c ont ro l s o that eventually America trusted him as the leader of a large part of the nation.

T h i s m an , S am Hou s t on , who had lived as a drunk, totally changed and became the first president of the great territory of Texas; and later returned to Washington as a respected U.S. Senator. To this day, Sam the changed man is remembered with one of America’s largest cities named after him: Houston, Texas.

Ever ything changed for Sam when he made the decision to change. And so can you to day. Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you for your wrong, sinful living?

If you ask Him to take full control of your hear t and way of living, He will help you start changing to become the successful man or woman of character He created you to be. Just think a minute .

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Monday | May 4, 2020

12

Stay Fit at Home with DTA, the Dynamic Training Approach

C

By Coach Noel Villa

OVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed the way we live and do things. With the implementation of strict measures to contain the spread of the virus, our daily routine is now centered on the “new normal” which includes proper and frequent hand washing, wearing of face mask, staying at or working from home and physical distancing, among others.

Unless a vaccine for COVID-19 is developed and no new virus will infect mankind in pandemic proportions, this new normal will stay and all we can do at the least is to adjust, adapt and work around it.

Along with adapting to this new normal, we need to continue doing regular self-care to cushion the potential negative effects to our physical, emotional and psychological well-being.

One of the best ways

to do this is to boost our immune system by eating healthy foods, drinking lots of water, getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep and doing regular exercise or physical activity.

There are myriad ways to get fit without the need to go to the gym so long as we don’t invent excuses to avoid exercising even when we have plenty of time spent at home.

To prove this, I developed some exercise programs using household items

Stay Fit with Dynamic Training Approach (DTA)

Odyssey Airport Express provides free Just one of the FREE weekly Fitness Online transportation to Medical Frontline programs at DTA Active by Coach Noel workers to work and safely back home. Villa (Dynamic Training Approach).

available to everyone: hand and kitchen towels.

In my new YouTube channel called Dynamic Training Approach DTA, I have uploaded a Towel Exercise series to teach his viewers easy to follow exercises using a hand towel and two kitchen towels.

I also shared a video on how to make your own exercise equipment, a DIY Towel Ball, which can be used as a substitute for regular gym equipment.

Definitely no reason not to get fit despite being stuck at home!

I came up with this idea because some people are having a hard time to exercise without access to a gym or gym equipment, while some just don’t know how to start or continue their physical fitness activities due to the pandemic restrictions.

By subscribing for free to my YouTube channel, you can access simple and doable exercises that can be done using available tools or equipment within the comfort of your own home.

I can also develop exercise

programs for individual needs and provide personal training services via zoom or messenger if required by the subscriber. This way, I can continue helping people get fit and stay healthy to get through the new normal.

I have partnered with Odyssey Airport Express to help provide free shuttle service to Cagayan de Oro frontliners. For only P500.00, you can get free online consultation, two programs that you can do for the next 4 weeks plus 2 personal training sessions. 50% of the proceeds shall be donated to the free transportation program of Odyssey so our frontliners will not worry about getting to work and going home while the city is under general community quarantine.

I have done numerous fundraisers in the past which include a blood-drive, food, school supplies and book donations, including CSR activities through sports. I can’t pass up this opportunity to help our frontliners, through Odyssey Airport Express, using a

platform for which I am passionate with, which is fitness. I hope that through this program, I can inspire others to be physically fit at home while helping our frontliners who do not have a choice but to go out and fight the virus for us. It’s a win-win scenario.”

Here’s the link to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel and access free workout programs: https:// www.youtube.com/ channel/UCWrjdBSa3rMJ_ U0B8vp6wug To participate in the Free Shuttle Service for frontliners, please LIKE and send a message to my Facebook Page: www. facebook.com/dtaforfitness.

Special mention of thanks to Rea Liza Reyes, Raimi Yusof of Borneo Eagles RFC/Sandakan RFU, Eng. Rosello Bagundol, Teacher Val Cabigting of Happy Piano, Patrick Valor Rivera of Valor Training Center/USMF, Edna Mendoza & Miguel Villena.

(Coach Noel Villa is a UK-trained Personal Trainer based in Cagayan de Oro).