BusinessWeek Mindanao (May 8-9, 2018)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE

Volume VIII, No. 142

Market Indicators As of 6:00 pm May 8, 2018 (tuesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P51.85

7,577.57

2

X X Briefly

cents

44.29 points

Resorts inventory DAVAO City -- The environmental group Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) has lauded the move of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 11 (DENR-11) to conduct an inventory of all resorts in Davao’s forest lands. IDIS executive director Chinkie Pelino-Golle underscored the importance of the inventory in determining the resorts operating within the region’s identified forest areas. “Importante man na kay kung naay violation or singlonon at least naa silay listahan (It is important so that if there are violations or liability at least they already have the list),” Golle said during Monday’s Kapehan sa Davao.

Free tuition law DAVAO City -- The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) conducted recently an information dissemination campaign to create awareness on RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act among the stakeholders here. “We are going around the country to spread free higher education. We want to cover all qualified college students,” UniFAST Executive Director Carmelita Yadao-Sison said. Yadao-Sison announced that free higher education benefits for students in SUCs and LUCs include tuition fee for all subjects, courses or classes and free miscellaneous and other school fees.

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By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large

HE Philippine Statistics Authority 10 has clarified that although the regional economy of Northern Mindanao grew at a slower rate in 2017 compared to the previous year, it doesn’t mean the economy in the region has dipped.

In f a c t , du e t o t h e present methodology used by government to monitor construction goods and services, the actual figure

for the subsector may have to be adjusted upwards to reflect the reality on the ground, the National Economic and grdp/PAGE 11

EVIDENCE. Some of the illegal logs found floating on a river in La Paz, Agusan del Sur province. 401st army brigade photo

Agusan loggers mock ban By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, Contributing Editor

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — The illegal cutting of trees continue in the Caraga region, despite a nationwide

log ban that remained in force after then President Benigno Aquino III ordered it in 2011. Aquino issued the total

ban through Executive Order No. 23 in February 2011 to address forest denudation. He also issued EO 26 which created the National loggers/PAGE 11

ADB to focus on Mindanao; infra to help boost PH growth By LESLIE GATPOLINTAN, PNA

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) vowed increased funding for various i n f r ast r u c tu re proj e c t s thoughout the Philippines, touted as one of Asia’s fastest growing economies, but said

it would pay special attention to Mindanao. The multilateral d e vel opme nt b an k has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicate poverty through achieving inclusive growth in

Asia and the Pacific region, as the Philippines concluded its five-day hosting of the 51st ADB annual meeting on Sunday. Focus on Mindanao “We want to invest more in Mindanao. To sustain growth/PAGE 9

ORGANIC AGRI EXPO. Farmers display their organically grown produce during the 7th Organic Agriculture Congress and Expo held in Butuan City on May 8. Over 200 organic growers and advocates came and participated the event. photo by jun ayensa

Agusan del Sur tree farmers can be millionaires in 3 yrs By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, Contributing Editor

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur -- 48-year-old farmer Madrid Havana who is tending a hectare of falcata trees in an interior upland village in Veruela town is seen to become a millionaire

in the next three years when his trees will be ready for harvest. Havana is one of the 1,363 farmers who are growing falcata trees since 2014 fully farmers/PAGE 11

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Lanao youth leaders join Malaysia educational tour By IRMA BOZA, PNA

ILIGAN City -- A fourday educational tour involving 30 Muslim youth participants from the two Lanao provinces kicked off Sunday with a send-off ceremony at the Laguindingan Airport, attended by local government and military officials. On its third year now, the educational tour in Subang, Malaysia is a project of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in cooperation with the Malaysian Embassy. In her message to the Lanao participants, Marawi City Mayor Majul Usman Gandamra encouraged them to

learn from “culture and experiences of both countries.” “Education is one of the greatest consideration and priority of Marawi City. The youth has our full support because we want them to achieve excellence that is coupled with the virtues, discipline and gratitude,” Gadamra said. For his part, Maj. General Roseller Murillo, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, emphasized the important role of the youth “as partners in nationbuilding.” “Malaysia is a modern community--they all leaders/PAGE 11

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Bukidnon hydro power plant allots projects for host villages

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ANOLO Fortich, Bukidnon -- Hedcor president and Chief Operations Officer (COO) Carlos Aboitiz met the tribal chieftains and the local government unit (LGU) officials from the communities

of Hedcor’s Manolo Fortich Hydropower Project in Bukidnon. To continue advancing and empowering the host communities, Carlos announced that Hedcor is allocating P4-million worth of corporate social responsibility (CSR)

projects for 2018 to the host communities of the Manolo Fortich Hydros. The biggest chunk of the budget goes to education. Other projects are to improve communities’ livelihood, health and well-being, and for the environment.

Hedcor has been Bukidnon’s partner in development even before the construction of the hydropower plants. The Manolo Fortich Hydros 1 and 2 will soon generate 68.8 MWs of clean and renewable energy to Mindanao. (PIA-Bukidnon/Hedcor)

SURIGAO City -- With over 100 families in Gawad Kalinga (GK) Del

Carmen villages that were sponsored by Berjaya, LBC, and Federal Land and 40 families in General Luna sponsored by GK Singapore and another group, the municipal government of Del Carmen in Surigao del Norte through Mayor Alfred Coro II is gearing to commence its social enterprises development in the said town. “We reached out to GKonomics in 2013-2014 to help in our livelihood initiatives but not much had happened then. So, this time we are giving our best efforts to realize all the plans,” said Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Coro II. When one of the top resorts in Siargao set up shop years ago - the Harana Resort, they hired GK Del Carmen residents and even ordered lighting fixtures made by

community artisans which the residents themselves installed. GK Del Carmen in the province of Surigao del Norte was the first GK community in Siargao which was built in 2013. GK now has two thriving communities in the towns of Del Carmen where the airport and famous Sugba Lagoon are located and General Luna, the center of tourism establishments. According to Allan Quiseo, GK liaison of Del Carmen local government unit, the resort owners in Siargao have participated in past GK Bayani challenge events and they will welcome GKonomics initiatives for sure. GKonomics is now working closely with the municipal government of Del Carmen through Mayor Coro, the communities, and other partners to hopefully set

up some social enterprises in Siargao. These include the souvenirs and furnishings-making enterprise, in partnership with ASAM and Invisible Sisters; a social tourism enterprise, in partnership with MR; an ice-making enterprise, in partnership with Palamigan Incorporated; and a dried seafood enterprise, in partnership with Balangay’s Best. “We need support such as yours to sustain the development that we started with our GK community here,” said Coro. For anyone interested to partner, volunteer, or help out in anyway in social enterprise development in Siargao, GKonomics can be contacted at info@ gkonomics.com. enterprise/PAGE 11

Siargao welcomes GKonomics for social enterprise dev’t

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3 Phoenix Petroleum, TIPCO, PhilAsphalt break ground for asphalt facility P Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

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hoenix Asphalt Philippines, Inc., the joint venture of leading independent oil company Phoenix Petroleum, Thailandbased TIPCO Asphalt Public Co. Ltd, and PhilAsphalt Development Corporation, has broken ground for the construction of its own asphalt plant at Calaca Industrial Seaport Park in Batangas on May 3, 2018. “The groundbreaking for the asphalt facility is a big development in our plans for Phoenix Asphalt Philippines. This new venture maximizes synergies of our wellestablished business in fuels with the construction sector, as we aim to provide a better and improved quality of asphalt in support of the government’s Build, Build, Build campaign,” said Phoenix Petroleum Chief Operating Officer Henry Albert Fadullon. In January, the three companies announced their joint venture to form Phoenix Asphalt Philippines, Inc. that will manufacture, operate, market, and distribute asphalt, asphalt-related

products and other byproducts of crude oil, and other petroleum products, and operate terminals and depots in the Philippines. Phoenix and TIPCO Asphalt each have a 40-percent stake in the joint venture while PhilAsphalt has 20 percent interest. Phoenix Asphalt Philippines, Inc. is part of Phoenix Petroleum’s aggressive expansion plan that started with the acquisition of Petronas Energy Philippines, Inc. and Philippine FamilyMart, and the establishment of PNX Petroleum Singapore Pte Ltd. last year. Last February, the company introduced Phoenix PULSE Technology—a fuel additive with advanced cleaning and protection properties for enhanced power and acceleration—and recently, the Phoenix RCBC Bankard Mastercard that offers pulse-racing lifestyle rewards for motorists including a 5% fuel rebate on Phoenix fuels. Tipco Asphalt is the leading manufacturer and distributor of asphalt products in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region.

Motoring

Phoenix Asphalt Philippines, Inc. breaks ground for its asphalt facility in Calaca, Batangas on May 3, 2018. Leading the ceremony are, from left, TIPCO Asphalt CFO for Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines Béranger Delimal, Phoenix Petroleum Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Business Development, and Security Atty. Raymond Zorrilla, Batangas Vice Governor Sofronio Leonardo Ona, Jr., TIPCO Asphalt Chief Operating Officer for International Retail Christophe Voy, PhilAsphalt President Jose Paolo Castrillo, and Phoenix Petroleum Corporate Secretary and VP for Corporate Legal Atty. Socorro Ermac-Cabreros.

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Opinion

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#Embrace responsible journalism HOTLINE

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Ruffy magbanua “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”—Sec. 4, Art. III of the Philippine Constitution ON May 21-26, the media community of Cagayan de Oro will celebrate the 36th Press

Juni Law Office Cruz Taal St., CDO Legal Counsel

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klaus doring

I have experienced it many times. I have written about it many times. Nothing changed Member: yet. Of course not! Fact is, nowadays, the Philippine Press Institute modern workplace can inflict dangerous levels of stress Oro Chamber on employees even more then decades ago. Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of “Dying for a Paycheck” , argues that these practices don’t help companies – and warns governments are ignoring an he knew exactly what he was think a minute going to say! So although emerging public health crisis. Winston Churchill was not Jeffrey Pfeffer is not the a naturally good speaker, he disciplined himself and worked hard to become a great one! You and I can never succeed Kakampi mo ang batas in life without discipline and hard work. It takes sweat to succeed in our job and career, in school, in sports, in our jhan tiafau hurst marriage and family. Even if you’re born into a rich family, Think a minute…Former or with an intelligent mind and Prime Minister of England, strong body, you still have to Winston Churchill, became so work hard to reach your full famous for his speeches that potential and truly succeed. he’s been called the greatest Most importantly, it takes Batas Mauricio speaker of the century. He work and discipline to develop was also famous for his quick the character we were born wit. Yet amazingly, he was not to have and enjoy. We must LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… a naturally talented speaker. discipline and change our Do not withhold good from In fact, earlier in Churchill’s wrong attitudes, thinking, those to whom it is due,
 when life he had such a bad speech and way of living everyday. It’s it is in your power to act…” problem that people made fun not natural or easy for us to (Psalm 3:27, the Holy Bible). of the way he talked. -oooquickly forgive someone who D o y o u k n ow h ow hurts us or our family. It’s not F I L I P I N O S H AV E Churchill changed to become natural or easy to always be BECOME MALICIOUS: the greatest speaker of the honest no matter how much Filipinos, really, have become 20th century? He studied we can get away with or how a thoroughly malicious and wrote his speeches word- much it costs us. But you can nation. Once they fixed in for-word on paper, and then start by asking Jesus Christ to their mind that something he practiced them countless forgive you for living your own is wrong with another or hours in front of a mirror. He way; and then ask Him to take with someting, and they were worked at saying each word full charge of your heart and led to criticize the supposed just the right way with just the character. It’s only with Jesus’ wrong, no more subsequent right facial expressions. He character and power in you manifestation of good faith on also practiced pausing and that you can start changing to the part of the people who are pretending to struggle to find become the best person you said to have been involved in the right word, even though can be. Just Think a Minute... the alleged wrongdoing will

The sweat of success

misrepresentation or deceit to obtain information for publication unless there is a clear case of public interest and the information cannot be obtained in any other way. We shall promptly correct mistakes and we are obliged to provide a fair right to reply. We shall respect and observe the right to privacy except where there is significant public interest. We shall not engage in discrimination or stereotyping by placing undue emphasis on gender, religion, minority groups, sexual orientation, race, color, political conviction, culture or ethnic origin or physical or mental disability unless the description is in the public interest. We shall not normally identify victims of sexual assault or domestic violence

or publish materials likely to lead the identification or public ridicule of victims of crime even when free by law to do so.” That said, responsible journalism is for the brave, but it must be enjoyed with full respect of the rule of law; where journalism ethics come into play in the exercise of the sacred duty as purveyors of truth and justice. Responsible journalism therefore is complying with the law and it solely means that the law applies to everyone. And the law must be applied the same regardless of race, gender, status or any other consideration. Press freedom is for the brave who complies with the law, because no one is above the law. (ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo. com)

Killing workplace

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI

Cell No: 09352379999

Freedom Week with the theme: Embrace responsible journalism. The theme will serve as a reminder to all and sundry in the light of utter abuse of some self-proclaimed messiah of press freedom. The call of the hour is basically to discern by embracing with a heart the press club code ethics. Here is an excerpts of the Code of Ethics ratified by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club general assembly on December 22, 2001: “We shall be guided at all times by accuracy, fairness, independence and balance, and should not deliberately mislead or misinform the public. We shall clearly distinguished comment or speculation from fact when practicing our craft. We s h a l l a v o i d

only one. Hundreds more followed Pfeffer’s foot steps. An Uber software engineer making a six-figure income killed himself in 2016, with his family blaming workplace stress. A 21-year-old Merrill Lynch intern collapsed and died in London after working 72 hours straight. When Arcelormittal closed a steel plant that it had taken over, a 56-year old employee died of a heart attack three weeks later. His family said it was the shock. And the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has reported that over half of the 550 million working days lost annually from absenteeism “are stress related”. I apologize, but I am still waiting for Asian figures. In 2015, an analysis of almost 300 studies found that harmful workplace practices were as bad for mortality, and as likely to lead to a physician-diagnosed illness,

as second-hand smoke, a known – and regulated – carcinogen. Ha r m f u l w o r k p l a c e practices include things like long working hours, workfamily conflict, economic insecurity arising from job losses and not having regular or predictable work hours, an absence of job control and, in the US, not having health insurance. Your supervisor is more important to your health than your family doctor. That’s not my quotation but by Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller. The workplace is making people sick and even killing them – and people should care. With rising healthcare costs all over the world, the workplace has become an important public health problem. “According to the Mayo clinic, your supervisor is more important to your health than your family

doctor,” Bob Chapman, CEO of the manufacturing firm Barry-Wehmiller, told the entire world. The World Economic Forum estimates that some three-quarters of healthcare spending worldwide is for chronic disease and non-communicable diseases account for 63 percent of all deaths. Chronic disease comes from stress and the unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, drinking, taking drugs and overeating that stress induces. Numerous surveys show that the workplace is a leading cause of stress, and it is thus one important cause of the health care crisis. The aptly-named American Institute of Stress claims that workplace stress costs the American economy some $300bn each year. A paper I co-authored in a leading peer-reviewed journal estimated that there were workplace/PAGE 9

I do not conform to Tulfo’s return of P60 M ever be acceptable to them. The example of the scandal that currently embroils both the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Bitag Media Production Unit, Inc shows this. When news of this problem was publicized by the Commission on Audit (COA), almost all the critics of Ben and Erwin Tulfo of Bitag, and of their sibling, DOT Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo, uniformly ganged up on them, crying that the Tulfos should return the amount involved in the scandal, which is P60 million. On Monday, May 07, 2018, after a family council meeting, the lawyer of Sec. Teo announced to the media that Bitag would return the whole of the P60 million, up to the last centavo. They decided to do this, it would appear, not because they were admitting that the transaction involving all of them was illegal, but to show that money was not the only consideration of the Tulfos in the transaction in question. -ooo-

FILIPINOS NO LONGER HAVE GOOD FAITH: How did their critics respond to this show of utmost good faith? They again chanted, in unison, that the return by the Tulfos of the P60 million is no longer important; that the Ombudsman should continue investigating them; and that Secretary Teo should resign just the same from her post at DOT. Well, well, well! Evidently, among many Filipinos, good faith---or the good intention of a person--is no longer of any value. The rule of thumb among right thinking Filipinos had always been, and, of course, should always be that, once a person who is being accused by his critics of wrongdoing is able to show good faith in his transactions, similar to what the Tulfos had done in their decision to return the contested P60 million even if no legal proceeding has taken place yet, criticisms and character assassination should already cease. The problem with many Filipinos, however, is this:

good faith is no longer important nor relevant to them. The only important thing for them is for them to able to criticize, and, as in the case of the Tulfos who are proven to be very close with President Duterte, to criticize likewise their political patrons. The motive behind their criticisms is no longer the good of the many, but simply the destruction of their enemies. -ooo I DO NOT CONFORM TO TULFOS’ RETURN OF P60 M: Be that as it may, from where I sit, principally because of this predisposition to simply criticize now gripping many Filipinos, the Tulfos should not have decided right away to return any money their company received on the basis of their contract with PTV 4. First, their contract with the government media station is legal and legitimate, and remains to be valid and binding, even now. Second, even while there conform/PAGE 9

CorporateWorld 5 PLDT completes sale of Cathay Pacific to launch Rocket Internet shares Hong Kong-Davao flight Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS firm PLDT Inc. has completed its divestment from German-based Internet company Rocket Internet. In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Monday, PLDT announced that Rocket Internet has accepted 6.8 million Rocket shares tendered by PLDT Online Investments Pte. Ltd. at the offer of 24 euros (EUR) per share for a total amount of EUR 163.2 million.

“As a result of the sale, PLDT Online’s equity ownership in Rocket was reduced from 6.1% to 2%,” according to PLDT. Rocket will settle the payment on or before May 14, 2018. PLDT has earlier said that the proceeds of the sale will finance its capital expenditures for this year amounting to P58 billion that will be allocated for the expansion of its mobile and broadband networks. (PR)

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HE CATHAY Pacific Group is launching a direct flight linking Davao City and Hong Kong starting Oct. 28. In a statement, Cathay Pacific said its regional airline Cathay Dragon will fly four times a week from Hong Kong to Davao City, using an Airbus A320. Davao City will be the Cathay Pacific Group’s

fourth destination in the country, after Manila, Cebu and Clark. The Cathay Dragon flight departs Hong Kong at 12:35 p.m. and arrives in Davao City at 3:50 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The flight leaves Davao at 4:50 p.m. and arrives in Hong Kong at 8 p.m. on the same day. Cathay Pacific Country

Manager Robin Bradshaw, was quoted as saying customers are assured a “premium experience” flying with Cathay Pacific. “Through the efficient and passenger friendly Hong Kong hub, the world is now one step closer to our customers in Mindanao,” he said. Local and international airlines have recently increased flights to and

from Davao City. Philippine Airlines earlier said it is planning to boost flights from Clark to Davao to daily this year. The flag carrier currently flies to six domestic points from Davao. Cebu Pacific last year opened new domestic routes, such as DavaoDumaguete, and DavaoTacloban.

Higher LPG sales campaign Weak cement prices drag down Holcim PHL’s profit positioned to support The first quarter the quarter, as pricing Philippines, Pryce’s Q1 income growth HOLCIM this by providing reliable results is an pressures from imports Inc. reported a 26.5% PRYCE CORP. posted a 12.8% increase in firstquarter net income to P340.3 million, the company said, as volume of sales of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) grew by around the same pace. In a statement, Pryce said consolidated revenues rose by 6.3% to P2.35 billion during the January to March period, from P2.21 billion in the same period last year. First-quarter volume sales of LPG in the Visayas-Mindanao regions increased by 12.9% to 21,992 metric tons

(MT) from 19,487 MT previously. Comparable sales volume in Luzon fell by 2.1%. “The anticipation of an increased LPG price due to the Jan. 1, 2018 effectivity of the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) law, which would slap a P1 per kilo excise tax on LPG, probably took away 2 to 3 days worth of sales from January 2018 and instead added these to December 2017 sales. Thus, volume sales in January 2018 came out lower than they would campaign/PAGE 9

drop in its attributable profit for the first three months of 2018, as cement prices weakened amid “intense” competition. In a regulatory filing, the listed cement manufacturer reported a net income attributable to equity holders of the parent of P691 million for the first quarter of 2018, lower than the P940 million it booked in the same period a year ago. Net sales also declined by 2.3% to P8.6 billion during

dampened the 7% yearon-year increase in cement sales volumes. “Demand conditions are improving as the government continues to ramp up infrastructure investments. However, its positive impact on our financial performance was not enough to offset higher energy costs and weaker cement prices brought by intense competition,” Holcim’s newly appointed President and Chief Executive Officer John Stull said in a statement.

improvement from the 61% profit drop Holcim recorded in full-year 2017 to P2.69 billion, where it also cited construction growth slowdown and tighter competition as the factors that dragged on its performance. This year, Holcim said that it remains optimistic on the growth of the construction industry with the government’s rollout of more infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program. “Our company is well

cement supply and rolling out innovative building solutions. At the same time, we will continue to improve and strengthen our cost management efforts centered on raising the efficiency of plant and logistics operations,” Mr. Stull said. Holcim is currently expanding its cement capacity with the investment of $54 million until 2019. The capital infusion is expected to increase its capacity to 2 million metric tons.

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Environment

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PH to host East Asian Sea meet amid Boracay crisis

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s the government tackles the Boracay crisis, the Philippines will play host to a regional conference that aims to address ocean and coastal area degradation through the sustainable management and use of marine resources, seas and oceans. The East Asian Sea (EAS) Congress is slated for Nov. 27-23 at the Iloilo International Convention Center, with the theme: “25 years of Partnership for Healthy Oceans, People and Economies: Moving as One with the Global Ocean Agenda.” The event is coorganized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Partnerships in Environmental Management of the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). “True to its commitment to conserve and protect the marine and coastal resources of the country and the region, the Philippines is honored

to host the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2018 through the DENR and the Provincial Government of Iloilo,” said DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu. He said the country

looks forward to a “very dynamic exchange of knowledge, commitments to partnerships and joint action among all participants” to the regional meeting.

Cimatu said the issue of protecting the ocean’s health has brought in deeper meaning to the country with the closure of Boracay to pave the way for its rehabilitation

from environmental degradation. “Boracay is a case in point of how neglect and blatant disregard of environmental laws lead to destruction of our land

and seas and all the natural resources and biodiversity in them,” Cimatu pointed out. The 2018 EAS Congress seeks to align the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the SEA and other sub-regional and regional strategies and action plans with Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 on life below water, which targets the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, seas and oceans. The conference draws from the commitments and calls for action of last year’s United Nations Ocean Conference held in New York, USA where 193 countries unanimously agreed on measures to reverse the decline of ocean’s health. One of the calls for action is the implementation of strategies to reduce the use of plastic bags and singleuse plastic. Expected to attend the event are stakeholders host/PAGE 9

Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo got down and dirty for the first wave of the #SaveBoracay clean-up drive (DoT)

Tourism Department leads #SaveBoracay clean-up drive BORACAY, Aklan -On the first day of the Boracay rehabilitation, the Department of Tourism (DoT) led the first wave of clean-up drive along the stretch of Bulabog Beach as part of #SaveBoracay rehabilitation efforts. More than 200 volunteers arrive from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s Environmental Management Bureau, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies Boracay chapter, Caticlan Airport, resort employees and informal workers. DoT Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo got down on the ground to join the

hundred of volunteers. “The simple acts of throwing your trash properly and picking up rubbish you see goes along way as we go all out in rehabilitating Boracay,” said Teo. The world’s best island according to Condé Nast Traveler, has temporarily closed its doors to tourists starting April 26 upon Proclamation No. 475 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte declaring the state of calamity of barangays Balabag, Manoc-manoc, and Yapak. Volunteers from Brgy. Balabag, Southwest Travel and Tours, and employees of other government agencies also helped out during the clean-up. According to DoT VI Regional Director clean-up/PAGE 8

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Banking&Finance

ASEAN+3 vows to strengthen regional financial cooperation

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HE 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) joined by China, South Korea and Japan (ASEAN Plus Three) have agreed to further strengthen the multilateral currency swap arrangement to enable members overcome crisis more speedily and promote sustained economic growth. In a joint statement of the 21st ASEAN+3 issued at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) annual meeting here,

ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors said they have decided to enhance the conditionality framework of Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM), in addition to the existing one for crisis prevention. They said a general agreement has been reached on the main contents of the first CMIM Periodic Review to add an overarching legal basis for conditionality as an application provision for crisis resolution.

CMIM, a multilateral currency swap arrangement, aims to address potential and actual balance of payments (BOP) and short-term liquidity difficulties in the region; and supplement existing international arrangements. “It is expected that the CMIM may further support members by helping in the design and implementation of appropriate economic and financial policies, which in turn can make members overcome a crisis more quickly

and settle on a sustainable path of economic growth,” said ASEAN+3. They have also agreed to improve the CMIM financing terms in order to strengthen their support for members. Specifically, the length of the CMIM supporting periods has been made flexible by increasing the maximum number of renewals from two times to multiple times if and when necessary in the case of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Linked Portion.

ADB in step with rising income status in SEA THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is poised to adapt to the changes brought about by rising income levels in Southeast Asian countries and thus, remaining a relevant force in the region. In a media briefing at the 51st Annual ADB Meeting here Friday, ADB Director General for Southeast Asia Ramesh Subramaniam said the Bank has anticipated these changes, therefore it will adjust the kind of assistance it provides to these countries accordingly. Subramaniam said some countries in the region are all set to graduate from least developed countries or LDC status by 2020,

while many are set to move to upper middle income economy status by 2022 or 2025. “We anticipate these changes. And we will need to change assistance as well as the nature of assistance that we provide,” he said, adding that this is part of ADB’s Strategy 2030. ADB’s landscape of assistance will be different by 2025. The Bank will pursue financial innovation to serve new financing demands in the region, Subramaniam revealed. In the case of middle income economies, he cited that there will be more demand for knowledge solutions, high-level technology, technology solutions for infrastructure

End-April 2018 GIR level reaches US$80.1 billion Preliminary data showed that the country's gross international reserves (GIR) level as of end-April 2018 slid marginally to US$80.1 billion from the endMarch 2018 GIR of US$80.5 billion, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. announced last May 7. At this level, the GIR nonetheless serves as an ample external liquidity buffer and is equivalent to 7.8 months' worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It is also equivalent to 5.5 times of the country's short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.1 times based on residual maturity. The month-onmonth marginal decline in the GIR level was due mainly

to outflows arising from the payments made by the National Government (NG) for its maturing foreign exchange obligations, foreign exchange operations of the BSP as well as the revaluation adjustments on the BSP's gold holding resulting from the decrease in the price of gold in the international market. These were partially tempered by the BSP's income from its investments abroad and the NG's net foreign currency deposits. Net international reserves (NIR), which refer to the difference between the BSP's GIR and total short-term liabilities, likewise decreased by US$0.5 billion to US$80 billion as of end-April 2018 from the end-March 2018 level of US$80.5 billion.9

projects, interoperability for different modes of transport, urban planning and city development. “We believe that there has to be a lot more leveraging and catalyzing of different sources of financing that ADB needs to attend,” Subramaniam said. For countries like the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, which are seen to have access to other financing means like the capital markets, the ADB will seek opportunities where it can add value. “We’re quite excited by it. It offers a lot of interesting opportunities for public and private cooperation,” he noted. Meanwhile,

Subramaniam said ADB has not seen any overheating of the economy in the Philippines. He mentioned that aside from the robust actual economic growth, potential growth is also increasing. “This means, there’s even further room for the Philippine economy to grow,” he stressed. Subramaniam said with the local manufacturing growth and increasing labor productivity, higher investments in manufacturing and technology is seen in the horizon. The Philippines is the host country for the 51st Annual ADB Meeting. (PNA)

“(This aims) to ensure that the CMIM remains up-to-date, and reflective of the member countries’ circumstances, as well as global economic and financial conditions,” they added. ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors thus urged the Deputies to prepare the final text of the amended CMIM Agreement within this year for signing “so that it can be executed at the earliest opportunity.” (PNA)

Inflation to normalize towards year end: NEDA THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) expects the current surge in inflation, which is due in part to an overhaul in the taxation system, to be temporary and will normalize towards the end of the year. “The current surge in inflation is partly an initial reaction to the implementation of TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) and is expected to be shortlived and should taper off over the coming months,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a statement. The TRAIN law, starting Jan. 1 this year, imposes higher excise taxes on sweetened beverages, oil, vehicles and cigarettes to compensate for reduced personal income tax rates.

Pernia also attributed higher inflation to the slew of world oil price increases and the depreciation of the peso. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday reported that headline inflation accelerated to 4.5 percent in April 2018, higher than the 4.3 percent last month and the 3.2 percent in April 2017. Last month’s figure brought year-to-date average to 4.1 percent, slightly above the full-year target of 2 to 4 percent. Pernia, also NEDA Director-General, said the government thus needs to remain vigilant against price pressures and to implement mitigating measures immediately. The NEDA expects replacing quantitative inflation/PAGE 8

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Global companies join Globe Telecom in enhancing public school teacher training in PH

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Adobe, Da Vinci Kids, Quipper, Mano Amiga Academy are new GFS partners for 2018

lobal brands led by Adobe, Da Vinci Kids, and Quipper have joined Globe Telecom and the Department of Education (DepEd) in expanding the Global Filipino Schools (GFS) program to further enhance delivery of worldclass education in public schools nationwide. These new partners are expected to enrich the intensive five-day face-toface GFS national training certification workshops plus three-month virtual coaching sessions for teachers and schools heads which will commence on May 7 in Cebu City. The workshops will cover various principles of 21st century education and practical ways of using technology in public schools. Globe tapped Mano Amiga Academy, a nonprofit K-12 school with international standards whose roots come from Latin America, to design and facilitate the workshop and lead the coaching course. Mano Amiga, Spanish for “helping

hand”, is renowned for developing its own intensive teacher training program which emphasizes child-centered instruction, active learning, and development of 21st century learning skills like Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity. “For quality education to take place, the development of quality teachers is vital. With our collective efforts, we believe we can make a difference in the public education sector by nurturing a progressive mindset among teachers and creating independent learners among public school students,” said Mano Amiga Executive Director Eleanor Pinugu. Globe has been running the GFS program since 2012. Using a modern approach to K-12 learning with long-term support from DepEd, GFS equips schools through three key components: internet connectivity, mobile tech, and specialized teacher training on 21st century approaches to education.

training/PAGE 9

Globe Citizenship OIC Miguel Bermundo (center) talks about GFS. With him are (from L-R): Mano Amiga Executive Director Eleanor Pinugu, Quipper Country Manager Yuki Naotori, DepEd Central Visayas Regional Director Dr. Juliet A. Jeruta; Ph.D. CESO V, Da Vinci Kids Gen. Manager for Asia Karen Cheah, and Adobe Asia Pacific Director for Education & Gov’t Wayne Weisse.

Yoly Crisanto, Globe SVP for Corporate Communications said: “Through the years, we’ve built meaningful relationships with various partners in the education space, with the objective of jointly providing the needed support for the public education sector on a national scale. We’re very fortunate that we now have global partners with the same objective of propagating 21st century learning to the youth around the country.” Under the partnership, Adobe, a global software company which helps people design and deliver

Republic of the Philippines TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10TH Judicial Regional BRANCH 21 Cagayan do Oro City IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF SEAN IKE MAKINANO, TRACEY JENE T. MAKINANO, Petitioner, -versusCIVIL REGISTRAR OF OPOL, MISAMIS ORIENTAL, PHILIPPINES STATICS AUTHORITY, MANILA. Respondents. x--------------------------------------------------/ ORDER The Amended Petition is admitted and this case is revived. Notice is hereby given that filed before this court is a verified Amended Petition for cancellation of Certificate of Live Birth of Sean Ike Makinano. Petitioner prays that after due notice and hearing, an Order be issued ordering the Civil Registrar of Opol, Misamis Oriental to cancel the Birth Certificate of Sean Ike Makinano under Registry No.2016-258 for having been already under Registry No.2016-116. Finding the Amended Petition sufficient in form and substance case be heard on JUNE 6, 2018[ Wensday ] at 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 at least once a week for three [3] consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines. Let also a copy of this Order be posted at the bulletin board of this Court at the Ground Floor, Goldridge Building, Hall of justice, Masterson Avenue corner Macapagal Road, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, at the bulletin board of the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Opol, Misamis Oriental, and at the bulletin board of the Philippine statics Authority [formerly the National Statistics Authority], Regional Office in Cagayan de Oro City. It is further ordered that Petitioner, at its own expense shall furnish copies of this order and the Amended Petition together with its annexes to the Office of the Solicitor General, to the Philippine Statistic Authority [formerly the National Statistic Office], Regional Office in Cagayan de Oro City and to the Local Civil Registrar of Manila. The Philippine Statistic Authority [formely the National Statistic Office], Cagayan de Oro City. The Local Civil Registrar of Opol Misamis Oriental, 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 required, within fifteen [15] days after the last publication of this Order to file with this Court and serve in the petitioner their Answer to the above-qouted petition,together with the Annexes. 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 Court.

SO ORDERED. Done this 3rd of April 2018 in Cagayan de Oro City.

BWM: May 2, 9 & 16, 2018

(sgd.) GIL G. BOLLOZOS Presiding Judge

great digital experiences, will provide public school teachers with training on digital media solutions such as Adobe Creative Cloud and online educational apps to help them develop their students’ creativity and confidence. “Students today are growing up in a techenabled and data-driven world. They are being challenged in new ways and are expected to be more creative in their learning. The skills they require to succeed in a world of automation are changing rapidly too. Teachers need to have access to updated training and modern digital media tools, so they can nurture the best in their students and build creativity and innovative problemsolving skills that the future workforce will need,” said Wayne Weisse, Director, Education & Government, Adobe Asia Pacific. On the other hand, Da Vinci Media, which originated from Europe and has a presence in over 90 countries, will be providing a workshop on design thinking and use of mobile apps for learning. The organization operates an interactive video-ondemand app, Da Vinci Kids, which provides K-12 learners with educational videos in more than 90 countries and in various languages. CEO of Da Vinci Kids Ferdinand Habsburg said: “We are delighted to partner with Globe in their superb support programme for teacher training. Da

Vinci Kids is an advocate of innovative educational videos that makes learning fun and memorable.” With e-learning platform Quipper School, educators will be able to send assignments and track student progress online while students can enjoy interactive e-learning anytime, anywhere, on smart devices. Quipper will be providing a workshop on how to use mobile solutions that help save time and effectively monitor student performance and workload. Quipper Country Manager Yuki Naotori said: “Quipper believes that teachers can accomplish so much more with the right tools and resources. With real-time data on student performance, educators are able to tailor their method of instruction to better suit their students’ needs. In addition, ready-made K-12 aligned resources and a platform that automates various tasks enable teachers to spend more time on what matters most - their students.” Seventy-one public schools were added to the GFS program this year. To date, the program is present in 200 DepEd divisions and in 16 out of the 17 Philippine regions with final region - the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, already scheduled in June. Since scaling the program in 2014, every committed DepEd Division around the country was asked to nominate a school to serve as the model school and teacher training

hub for its city/province in delivering 21st century education. “We believe the involvement of the new set of partners assembled by Globe can further forward 21st century learning outcomes in the public school setting, such as media and information literacy, creativity and innovation skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, critical thinking, among many others. The DepEd Region embraces the opportunity to work with all the GFS program stakeholders in creating the ideal education landscape across the Philippines,” said Dr. Juliet A. Jeruta; Ph.D. CESO V, Regional Director of the Department of Education Regional Office of Central Visayas. The GFS Program includes equipping each selected school with free internet connectivity via postpaid accounts such Fiber, DSL or LTE connectivity depending on network availability in the area. The free internet is meant to enhance the teaching and learning experience of teachers and students of the school. The GFS Program package also includes a donation of mobile tech equipment for learning to the schools such as projectors, virtual reality goggles, video casting devices, , netbooks/tablets , and additional prepaid WiFi devices such as the Globe PrePaid WiFi @ Home Bundles, Globe Prepaid Supersticks, and a mobile cart.

Clean-up...

local guiding, foreign language for Mandarin and Korean, international standards for hospitality service, tourist police, kulinarya training for rural community, tourist security and safety seminar, UNESCO World Heritage site guiding and preservation, tourist destination website development and upgrading, first aid and basic life support, disaster risk reduction management, tourism renovation and self-reinvention, safety and emergency response, and festival management. Over 5,000 thank you cards were also handed out to local

and foreign tourists leaving the island. (DoT)

from page 6

Atty. Helen Catalbas, the Department thru the regional office is working double time on the plans laid out for the island and the region. Among the plans are the launching of cruise tourism in other parts of Western Visayas Region, repair and repainting of pumpboats, accreditation campaign for compliant establishment, and massive training program. Various training and seminar includes modules for

Inflation... from page 7

restrictions on rice imports with tariffs can reduce local rice prices and bring down inflation. It said the unconditional cash grants to the poorest 50 percent of households, and fuel subsidies for jeepney drivers through the Pantawid Pasada Program, will also help ease the effects of higher prices on lower-income households. (PNA)

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Growth... from page 1

peace in Mindanao, we need to develop Mindanao in a broader sense. We had a very big road project in Mindanao last year, and we also support transport (development) in Davao,” said ADB President Takehiko Nakao. T h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s development planning agency has identified Metro Davao as among the country’s most highly urbanized areas. The Philippines has obtained from ADB a USD380million loan intended to expand Mindanao’s road network, as well as other key infrastructure projects under its “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. President Rodrigo Duterte said the Asian-Pacific region, to which the Philippines belongs, is fast emerging as home to the most vibrant economies in the world, supported by ADB’s efforts and assistance through grants and financing. “ Wi t h t h e m a s s i v e infrastructure investments, we expect Mindanao to lead in the nation’s growth. These investments shall be accompanied by intensive ef for ts and refor ms in gover nance,” the Chief E x e c ut i v e s a i d du r i n g the ADB annual meeting Saturday. Focus on Infrastructure Socioeconomic Planning S ecretar y and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) DirectorGeneral Ernesto Pernia urged the Bank to further support the country’s infrastructure program, especially for projects that would address Me t ro Ma n i l a’s t r a f f i c problem. NEDA Undersecretary for Investment Programming Rolando Tungpalan said “the government could have dialogue with them (ADB) and thresh out which component of the congestion, or the factors of congestion, are best addressed by them.” Easing traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other major cities, and rural development are among the priorities in the provision of support for the Philippines under ADB’s Strategy 2030. “We need to support the Philippines metro areas, how to mitigate these traffic difficulties, and how to support the railway projects, and the LRT (Light Rail Transit) or MRT (Mass Rail Transit),” added Nakao. T he re are 12 maj or i n f r ast r u c tu re proj e c t s i n t h e pip e l i n e w or t h USD4.44 billion under the transportation, water utilities and urban infrastructure subsectors, or about 65 percent of the total ADB lending portfolio to the Philippines. Pernia said the ADB is also providing the country USD100-million soft loan for project preparation and facilitation. The Duter te administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program is expected to spend some P8 trillion over the next five years.

“Many things can be facilitated by infrastructure --mobility of people, connectivity and then access to opportunities. Poverty reduction is greatly helped by infrastructure, employment generation,” added Pernia. The ADB chief further said the Duterte government has several agenda which are in line with that of the multilateral development bank for the Philippines, including rural development, education, and some gender issues to empower women. The Bank extended $16.5 billion as of February this year to finance 159 developmental projects in Southeast Asia, with the Philippines among its biggest clients cornering 21 percent (USD3.5 billion). Priorities under Strategy 2030 The multilateral development bank has bared its 10 priorities under the so-called “Strategy 2030”, a new long-term strategy to respond to the rapid changes in the Asia-Pacific countries in line with its commitment to eradicate poverty in the region. “We will mobilize private sector resources to meet the region’s huge development financing needs. Our private sector operations help fill market gaps and promote private sector participation in infrastructure and other development finance,” Nakao said during a session of the B oard of Governors on Saturday. Nakao noted the ADB would further scale up private sector operations, widen their geographic coverage, including new and frontier markets, and expand operations in social sectors, such as health and education. “We will also continue to promote the effective use of public-private partnerships. We will enhance resource mobilization through credit enhancement operations and co-financing with bilateral and multilateral partners,” he said. It will also work with AsiaPacific countries to build more quality infrastructure and other development projects. “A D B w i l l h e l p governments enhance their capacity to prepare, implement, and operate high-quality projects, and we will help raise standards globally for environmental and social safeguards, sound financial management, and anti-corruption,” he added. In the Philippines, the ADB chief said it was financing urban mass transport in Manila and Davao, the railway connecting Malolos and Clark, roads and bridges in Mindanao, and clean water and sanitation projects in local communities. Nakao cited other priorities in the Strategy 2030, including tackling remaining poverty and increasing inequalities in the Asia and the Pacific through expanded social services; accelerating progress in gender equality; and scaling up support to combat climate change by building climate and disaster

resilience and enhancing environmental sustainability. Strategy 2030 also aims to build livable cities that are competitive, green, resilient, and inclusive; promote rural development and food security; foster regional cooperation and integration; and further strengthen ADB’s role as a provider and facilitator of knowledge. “We will continue to use our financial resources efficiently and creatively,” said Nakao. “We will expand our presence on the ground. We will dramatically modernize business processes to speed up our services to clients.” In his speech, Finance Secretar y and outgoing chairman of the ADB Board of Governors Carlos Dominguez III believed that the new roadmap could help the ADB to improve its capacity to adapt to the impacts of rapid advances in digital technologies. “ADB Strategy 2030 is a good beginning. It is not a fully developed program for fully adjusting to the new economic balance of power as well as coping with the enormous forces unleashed by technologies. That program will evolve into place --- but only if we are prepared to reinvent and rethink,” he said. Big event in Manila Meanwhile, over 4,000 delegates to the 51st ADB annual meeting included finance ministers and central bank governors of ADB member countries, bankers, representatives from the private sector, civil society, academe, multilateral institutions and the media. Anchored on the theme “L in k ing Pe ople and Economies for Inclusive Development,” among the issues discussed during the meeting were globalization, technology and its impact on jobs and corresponding opportunities, private sector mobilization in funding infrastructure, building climate change resilience, expanding opportunities for women entrepreneurs, and using technolog y to maximize the skills of aging populations to make development inclusive. The Philippines hosted the ADB annual meetings for 16 times already, with the last meeting held in 2012. (PNA)

Workplace... from page 4

120,000 extra deaths annually in the US from harmful management practices, and that extra health-care costs were $190bn each year. That would make the workplace the fifth leading cause of death, worse than kidney disease or Alzheimer’s. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive reported that 12.5 million working days were lost from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2016-2017. Work practices that are bad for people don’t even help the company. Very clear. But who cares? None of this is necessary, because the work practices

that are bad for people don’t help the company, either. Long working hours are negatively related to per-hour productivity at the both the national and industry level. Although it may seem counterintuitive, layoffs or redundancies do not improve organisational performance and often drive the best employees to leave, and because of direct costs such as severance and indirect costs such as losing people with strong relationships with customers, frequently do not even save money. For decades research has shown that giving people more control over how and when they do their jobs increases motivation and engagement. Not surprisingly, stressed employees are more likely to quit – and turnover is expensive. And systematic research demonstrates what ought to be obvious – sick, stressed employees aren’t as proficient or productive in their work as those that are healthier. Look into a mirror! Maybe you feel the same while reading this. Every indication is that work is getting worse. Job cuts, which used to occur only in tough economic times, are now routine. When 3G Capital combined food giants Heinz and Kraft, 20 percent of the workforce got the axe as the company consolidated manufacturing and removed overlapping functions. The “gig economy” means that economic insecurity is higher as people don’t know what their income will be from one week to the next. Scheduling software that permits retailers and other businesses such as hotels and restaurants to have only the people that analytics predict will be needed means that workers often face fluctuating incomes and don’t have much ability to arrange for coping with family responsibilities. Few leaders seem to understand that when people come to work for them, those individuals have placed their physical and psychological well-being in the leaders’ hands Most fundamentally, in the 1950s and 1960s CEOs saw their job as balancing their obligations to shareholders, customers, employees and the community – so-called “stakeholder capitalism”. Now shareholder interests dominate. Few leaders seem to understand that when people come to work for them, those individuals have placed their physical and psychological well-being in the leaders’ hands. But some leaders are taking this idea of stewardship seriously. Companies such as Patagonia, Collective Health, SAS Institute, Google, John Lewis Partnership – which is employee-owned – and Zillow provide a template of what might be different. As I said SOME leaders. Really only a very few. Not enough. I guess most leaders really don’t care about their staffs. People get paid time off and are expected to use it. Managers don’t send e-mails or texts at all hours – people

work, go home and have time to relax and refresh. The organisations offer accommodations so that people can have both a job and a family life. People are treated like adults and have control over what they do and how they do it to meet their job responsibilities, not micromanaged. M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, the companies are led by individuals who take their obligations to their people seriously. SAS Institute has a chief health officer whose job is not just to control costs but also to ensure employees are as healthy as possible. Bob Chapman recognises that everyone who comes to work at Barry-Wehmiller is “someone’s precious child” or family member. People need to choose their employer not just for salary and promotion opportunities but on the basis of whether the job will be good for their psychological and physical health. Business leaders should measure the health of their workforce, not just profits. And governments concerned about the healthcare cost crisis need to focus on the workplace, because workplace stress is clearly making people sick. None of this necessary – no one should be dying for a paycheck. +++ Email: dor ingklaus@ gmail.com or follow me in Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or visit my www. germanexpatinthephilippines. b l o g s p o t . c o m o r w w w. klausdoringsclassicalmusic. blogspot.com.

batasmauricio@yahoo.com, or post your concerns at www.facebook.com/attybatas. Promise, I will answer right away. Thank God in the Name of Jesus, Amen!

from page 4

from page 6

Conform...

is already some fury stirred by the COA findings, they remain nothing but, yes, “furious disclosures”. COA has not proven anything yet at the moment. If we look into COA’s past history, it has similarly flagged down many other government contracts and officials, yet the ultimate decision on what to do with the transactions being complained of by COA remains dependent on legal and judicial processes where everyone is given the right to due process first. If Ben and Erwin found time to ask me, I would have told them to avoid rush or rash decision, and just wait for the appropriate orders from the appropriate courts, before agreeing or deciding to return anything, if ever returning money would be one of the options. The truth is that, both DOT and PTV4 already benefitted from the media programs where they are the hosts, precisely because they have discharged their contractual obligations with PTV 4. -ooo FOR QUESTIONS, REACTIONS: If anyone would like to ask me any question about what the burning issues of the day mean, or what we have discussed here, or to consult on any problem, whatever it maybe, please call 0917 984 24 68, or email me at

Campaign... from page 5

have been otherwise,” the company said. During the first quarter, the average LPG contract price was $519 per MT, which is lower by $19/MT than $538/MT, the average contract price for the same period last year. “This also contributed to the lower growth in peso sales during the first quarter,” the company said. Pryce said it was confident of achieving its target of 15% sales volume growth in the Visayas-Mindanao area and 20% net income growth in 2018. “ [ T h e c o m p a n y ’s ] ongoing expansions in its marine-fed terminals and refilling plants across the countr y are expected to gradually show its effects, yield positive results and va lid ate t he comp any’s growth expectations for volume and net income in 2018,” it said. Earnings during the first three months of the year translate to an earnings per share of P0.155, it said. “Sometime this July 2018, the company will declare its second regular dividend for the year. A policy of giving out regular cash dividends was promised to shareholders in our stockholders’ meeting last year and is now being implemented,” Pryce said.

Host...

from national and local governments, the UN system, intergovernmental organizations, bilateral and multi-lateral projects, and international financial institutions. Representatives of non-government and civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community and the private sector are also invited to take part in the event. An initiative of PEMSEA, the 2018 EAS Congress is the sixth in a series of triennial ocean conferences in the region. PEMSEA is a pioneering region-wide platform for capacity-building, strategic action and cooperation for the sustainable development of the SEA. It has been described as an intellectual marketplace where various groups all across t he g lob e come together to share knowledge and experiences and engage in dynamic discussions on trends, issues and concerns related to coastal and ocean governance.

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The MisOr Shore Breakers Team recently joined the 2nd Amihan National Skimboarding Competition last April 27-29, 2018 at Dahican, City of Mati, Davao Oriental.

Article and photos by: CLEMENT DAMPAL II (www.bestspotsph.com)

MisOr Shore Breakers shine at Amihan Nat ional Skimboarding Compet it ion

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isOr Shore breakers’ Team Leader Steve Norman Ebonia also known as Kinkin, and Richard dela Cruz, also known as Sasik were ranked as Top 4, and Top 5 respectively under the Legend Division during the recently concluded 2nd Amihan National Skimboarding Competition held recently at Dahican, City of Mati, Davao Oriental last April 2729, 2018.

Out of the 15 registered participants under the Legend Division also known as the Dahong

Laya category, the two skimboarders from the province of Misamis Oriental advanced their

leads amongst other participants and successfully positioned themselves to the Quarter Final rounds of the said division at the morning of April 28th (Saturday). THE MAKING OF THE LEGENDS Kinkin Ebonia is a local skimboarder from the Municipality of Opol, province of Misamis Oriental. He started his passion to the watersports last November 2001 when he was still 11 years old after a group of Skimboarders from Cagayan de Oro

known as the 82 moon introduced the boardsports to the local communities. 3 months since he started his first personal experience of the skimboarding sport, he joined his first skimboarding competition organized by the 82 moon group held at the municipality of Opol, however he received his first defeat. 3 months after the competition, he joined the 1st National Skimboarding Competition organized by the Department of Tourism Region 10 and was announced as the 1st Runner

Up. A year after the summer of 2003, he was declared as the Champion of the 1st Opol Skimboarding Competition where he tasted his first victory as a Champion at the age of 13. On 2004, their group called the TAUSI went and invaded Davao City and joined the 1st National Skimboarding Competition during the Kadayawan Festival, he was announced as the 2nd runner up under the Advance Category. On 2005, the group decided to go back and success-

fully, he was declared as the Champion under the same category during the 2nd National Skimboarding Competition in Davao City in celebration of the Kadayawan Festival. This doesn’t stop his competitiveness on this career when he joined the 1st National Skimboarding Competition last July 2007 held at Carrascal, Surigao del Sur where he was announced as the 2nd runner up. Additionally, he was announced as the 2nd runner up last September breakers/PAGE 11

Richard dela Cruz, known by the nickname "Sasik" proves during the 2nd Amihan National Skimboarding Competition that he still have the skills of a professional skimboarder and can still compete with other masters despite the years of being hiatus on the watersport. He was included on the Top 5 Finalists under the "LEGThe pride of Apple Tree Resort and Hotel, and an Active Wear Sports model under END" Division. the Mindanao Talent Center, Steve Norman "Kinkin Ebonia" ranked as Top 4 under the Legend Division during the recently concluded 2nd Amihan National SkimTRIVIA: During his prime, Richard "Sasik" dela Cruz was the Champion of the 1st boarding Competition held at Dahican, City of Mati, Davao Oriental. Dahican Skimboarding Tournament held last 2005 at Dahican, City of Mati, Davao Oriental. He was also the Champion for 3 consecutive years of the 1st, 2nd, and TRIVIA: This certified Skimboarder, Surfer, Model, and the father of "Stacey" tasted 3rd National Skimboarding Competition (2004, 2005, 2006) held at Mergrande his first victory as a CHAMPION when he was 13 years old when he joined the 1st Ocean Resort, Davao City. Additionally, he was the Champion of the National Opol Skimboarding Competition. Skimboarding Competition last 2008 held at Bacuag, Surigao del Sur.

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Tue-Wed|May 8-9, 2018

Breakers... from page 12

2007 when he joined the Open National Skimboarding Competition held in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur. Currently he is connected at the Premier Resort and Hotel of Misamis Oriental, Apple Tree Resort and Hotel as the Head Banquet. Richard dela Cruz on the other hand, also known as Sasik is a respected local skimboarder and considered as the pride of Misamis Oriental, and one of the best skimboarders in Northern Mindanao throughout his time. During his prime, Sasik was the Champion of the 1st Dahican Skimboarding Tournament held last 2005 at Dahican, City of Mati, Davao Oriental. He was also the Champion for 3 consecutive years, and declared as the Undefeated Champion of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd National Skimboarding Competition last 2004, 2005, 2006 held at Mergrande Ocean Resort, Davao City. Moreover, he was the Champion of the Nat iona l Sk i mboa rd i ng Competition last 2008 held at Bacuag, Surigao del Sur. After years of being hiatus on the watersport, he proves that he still have the skills of a professional skimboarder and can still compete with other legendary masters. On the final rounds of the Legend Division, each of the 8 Legendary players were given 7 riders (3 front side, 3 back rides, and 1 free ride) for them to perform. Under the second hit, both Kinkin and Sasik portrayed their own respective skills, and showed their renowned abilities. At the end of the final round, Kinkin Ebonia gathered a total of 24.5 points tying up with George “Kuya Jun” Plaza, the Founder of the Amihan sa Dahican Surf and Skim Camp and was placed under the Top 4 while Sasik dela Cruz gathered a total of 23.8 points and was placed under the Top 5. Kinkin and Sasik were surprised and amazed of what has had become to the Dahican Beach after 13 years of their first visit to the destination. They were very grateful for the opportunity to visit Dahian again and would definitely be coming back soon. More photos at: www.facebook.com/ClementDampalPhotography

GRDP... from page 1

Development Authority Region 10 office said. PSA figures show the 5.9 percent growth rate for 2017 was at a pace slower than in 2016 due to slower growth in the construction and trade subsectors, offsetting gains in agriculture; electricity, gas and water supply; and the transport, communication and storage sub-sectors, among others. PSA-X figures showed the services sector contributed 2.8 percentage points to the total Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth; industry sector,

2 . 1 p e rc e nt age p oi nt s ; and agriculture sector, 1.0 percentage point. T h e s e r v i c e s s e c t or remained the biggest contributor to the GRDP, accounting for 43.4 percent of the region’s total output worth P 323 billion at constant 2000 prices. “Pag negative contraction ang tawag niyan. When w e e s t i m at e e c on om i c performance, when we say growth, it is still positive even it is at a slower rate, “said Ronaldo C. Tagap, regional director of the Philippine Statistics Authority 10 in the sidelines of the news conference which presented the 2017 Report on the Economic Performance of Northern Mindanao held April 26 at a local restaurant. However, Taghap noted a silver lining in the way N o r t h e r n M i n d a n a o’s economy is made. “I have noted that our region, compared to others, we have a balanced share between the agriculture, industry and service sectors. The advantage to this is it means the economy is more diversified, and if it’s is more diversified, it means the regional economy is more resilient to extreme swings of growth and contraction. You have a problem if you have a sector which is significantly bigger than the others, and once it fails, you have a big problem.” Slowdown expected NEDA-X Director Leon M. Dacanay, Jr. said that the slowdown was expected in a post-election year but was well within the target range of 5.1-6.7 percent for 2017. However, Dacanay noted the steep decline in trade (from 10.4 percent in 2016 to 5.9 percent growths in 2017) may have been flatter, or growth could have picked-up, given trade and customs data from official sources showing substantial increases. Construction sub-sector He also expressed his reservations on the steep decline in the construction sub- s e c tor c it i ng huge pr ivate i nvest ments i n infrastructure and related activities as monitored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-X). “A l l s e c t or s , e xc e pt trading and construction declined. The biggest decline is construction. From a high of 27.7 it went down to only 2.2 percent. Despite many projects in the region starting in 2017, they were not included because the present methodology only accounts for the value of completed projects,” Dacanay noted. “Most of projects monitore d by P S A for GRDP 2017 are government projects under Build! Build! Build! But we noted the private construction hindi nila na account because t h e m e t h o d o l o g y on l y accounts for a project once it is completed so some of them may be accounted only much later by maybe 2020,” “It’s a weakness in the methodology which has not yet been rectified, and also has to be applied nationwide.”

“ The total wor th of the construction goods and services in 2015 was P22-Billion. It increased to P28.1-Billion in 2016, a P6-B increase,” Taghap said. “But in 2017, we monitored only 28.7 meaning there was still a P600-million in construction. Despite this, this still means an additional P600 million was injected into the economy of Region 10. That’s still a big factor despite the slower growth. We are hopeful construction picks up next year considering the many infrastructure projects promised to us by the national government.” Build! Build! Build! D e s p i t e T a g h a p ’s optimism, Dacanay remains cautious. “If you look at construction two percent lang ang increase. If you realize more than 10 percent it will translate into more projects. Kaya ang problema natin sa Build, Build, Build, if we have more projects, do you have the manpower to do that? “If you increase the number of projects, you need more contractors, you need more manpower. Ang nakikita naming, dapat umuwi mga OFW kasi iyong construction workers natin nasa abroad. As we have more projects, more opportunities for employment, it’s a come on for OFWs to come home.” Dacanay has requested the PSA to review the estimates for these sub-sectors to have a firmer assessment of the region’s economic performance. “Nevertheless, I must say again that the region is on track in meeting its growth targets. We look forward to a more bullish year as we move to hit our 2018 target band of 5.5-7.1 percent, and shift to a higher growth trajectory”, he said.

Loggers... from page 1

Greening Program to start a massive tree replanting program. The latest sign of continued cutting of trees in areas being left bare by illegal logging was the discovery on Friday of at least 100 round logs by a team from the military and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The logs were seized by the team in La Paz town, Agusan del Sur, a province which relies heavily on woodcraft industries. Capt. Rodulfo Cordero Jr., spokesperson of the Army’s

401st Infantry Brigade based in Agusan del Sur, said the logs were found floating on Adgaon River at Barangay Poblacion in La Paz. Informant Cordero said an informant tipped off authorities about the presence of the logs on the river. The logs, Cordero said, were believed to have been from trees cut in remote areas of San Luis, another Agusan del Sur town, and La Paz. T h e y w e re “f lu s h e d downstream by heavy rains,” Cordero said. The identity of the logs’ owners had not been known yet, he said. Lt. Col. Rommel Pagayon, commanding officer of the 26th Infantry Battalion, said the sharing of information, which led to the seizure of the logs, was a sign that residents of San Luis had become c onc e r ne d ove r i l l e g a l logging in the hinterlands of the town. Col. Andres Centino, commander of the 401st In f ant r y Br i g a d e , s ai d soldiers would continue to support the government’s anti logging drive. The DENR said it also continued to target illegal logs being brought to wood processing plants in Agusan del Sur. Market for logs Criminal charges had been filed against five people involved in the processing of illegal logs in different areas of Caraga since April 14. Among the biggest catch was 41,283 pieces of lumber — with a total volume of 269.82 cubic meters (114,345 board feet) — seized from matchwood factory Philippine Softwood Products Inc. The factory had since been padlocked. Eric Gallego, DENR Caraga information officer, said other illegally acquired logs were being turned into furniture by unscrupulous processors in the region. Lawyer Felix Alicer, DENR Caraga director, said officials were trying to reduce the number of processing firms that use illegally acquired forest products. “ This illegal cutting and harvest of trees will continue for as long as there are available markets,” Alicer said. He said officials hoped to deny illegal loggers a market for their products “so that timber poaching and smuggling would be stopped.”

Farmers... from page 1

supported by the provincial government under the Upland Sustainable Agri-forestry Development (USAD) program, a pet project of Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza. “I hope our lives will be better when the harvest time comes,” Havana said in an interview with local media during the USAD falcata farmers forum on Friday at the Naliyagan Cultural Center grounds of the provincial capitol. Little did he knew that the falcata trees he is growing can be sold to a million pesos or more especially when it reaches the mature age of seven to nine years in 2021 to 2023 . Linda Buquir, chief of USAD, said a fully-grown falcata can be sold at P2,000 per tree in the local market but if a farmer allows it to grow up to 9 to10 years which could already reach up to 30 cubic meters in diameter, the selling price on the export market can reach up to P12,000 per tree. So if a farmer can harvest at least 500 trees for a hectare of a farm lot, he can be a millionaire, Buquir said. Over the years, falcata ( scientific name: Falcataria molucanna) , a softwood tree species mainly used in making veneer, plywood and paper abounds in this timber-rich province with almost a million hectares in total land area. Forester Danny Sarong of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources OfficeLocal Government Unit said falcata farmers in Agusan del Sur can produce at least 2,000 cubic meters a day, topping all other four provinces in Caraga region. A study made by the Department of Environment and Natura l Res ources showed that Caraga region supplies 70 percent of the country’s wood requirement. Farmers who availed of the USAD program are called “farmer-enrollees” provided with capacity building technical support and tree seedlings for their farms. They are however complied to sign a written social contract for them to commit in religiously tending their farm and never enter into loan out scheme, practice among farmers to sell their trees even in its early growing up stages.

Republic of the Philippines Region X Province of Lanao Del Norte Municipality of Kapatagan

unite against terrorism. Whatever good practices you may learn in your tour, you apply it here when you comeback,” Gen. Murillo told the participants during the send-off ceremony. D u b b e d t h e “Yout h Leaders’ Educational Tour”, the yearly tour for Muslim yout h l e a d e r s ai ms t o expose the participants to a predominantly Muslim country and learn from their best practices. It can be recalled that the first batch of the educational tour was held from November 23-26, 2016 while the second batch was on November 2023, 2017. Both events were hosted by the Malaysian government. This year’s tour gathered a total of 50 participants from all over Mindanao. (Irma Boza/PNA)

Enterprise... from page 2

GKonomics, a Gawad Kalinga partner in social enterprise development, works hand in hand with GK residents, partners, and volunteers to develop and distribute worldclass, marketable, and ecofriendly products and services. In the process, GKonomics helps build sustainable business enterprises that commit to either partner with a GK community; employ GK residents; include GK communities in their supply chain; or donate at least 10 percent of their net income to GK. (GKonomics/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

RA 10172(GENDER)

In compliance with Rule 7 of R.A 10172, A notice is hereby served to the public that Rheo A. Cabiso has filed with this Office, a petition for Correction of Clerical Error-Change of Gender from Female to Male in the Certificate of Live Birth of Rheo Añasco Cabiso who was born March 7, 1995 at Kapatagan, Lanao Del Norte and whose parents are Melecio Apavece Cabiso and Glenda Aunnciado Añasco. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than 15 days.

BWM: May 2 & 9, 2018

from page 2

Office of the Municipal Civil Registrar

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

Leaders...

Republic of the Philippines Region X Province of Lanao Del Norte Municipality of Kapatagan

Office of the Municipal Civil Registrar R.A . 10172(GENDER)

Plaza has warned farmerenrollees attending the USAD forum not to be easily swayed by traders buying young growing falcata trees at a very low prices. “Push for more effort for your lives to improve and never sell young trees to these buyers,” Plaza said. Buquir said many farmers in the past before USAD was introduced has been selling their falcata trees still growing at two to three years to a measly P100,000 per hectare. She said USAD farmers who would still engage with this ill practices will be blacklisted and can no longer avail of the program. To sustain the program, mu n i c ip a l a g r i c u ltu r a l technicians are tasked to f requently monitor the growth of falcata trees of USAD farmer-enrollees to ensure their million-peson production target.

(SGD) IVY REYES TONGCO Municipal Civil Registrar

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In compliance with Rule 7 of R.A 10172, a notice is hereby served to the public that JONIFER ALEX PARAGOSO has filed with this office a petition for Change Gender from Female to Male in the birth certificate of JONIFER ALEX PARAGOSO who was born on DECEMBER 22, 1981 at BALILI KAPATAGAN, LANAO DEL NORTE and whose parents ERNESTO PARAGOSO and PACITA ALEX. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later 15 days. BWM: May 2 & 9,2018

(SGD) IVY R. TONGCO Municipal Civil Registrar

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Primavera City Dominates Uptown CDO Skyline Located in the heart of Uptown Cagayan De Oro, near IDC’s multi awarded Primavera Residences, Primavera City is a mixed-use living environment inspired by nature.

P

rimavera City will offer distinctive Italian design and world-class construction standards. Contemporary architectural aesthetic, attention to detail, and elegant ambience will make Primavera City a highlight in Philippine high-rise architecture. Envisioned as a partially self-sustaining power, it uses a massive, builtin array of photovoltaic panels. The project was awarded as the best MixedUse development in the Philippines by the Asia Pacific Property Awards last May 2017. Primavera City will feature the most sought amenities found in first-class hotels: 24 hours reception, multifunction room, gym centre, outdoor infinity swimming pool, sky garden, sauna jogging path and sky playground. This matches the lofty demands of modern customers who seeks

condominium living and a privacy of an apartment with the features of a hotel. Improving the quality of life for its buyers and being a sustainable model for future property developments. Primavera City aims to be one of the most unique identities in Green Buildings in the Philippines and Asia pacific. The six (6) identical towers as well as the high-rise tower have an asymmetric design that maintains an overall unitary form. From start to finish, Primavera City features the best principles of passive building technology: shadow and sunlight control, wind cooling and shape performance. Photovoltaic panels are installed vertically, parallel to the building walls facing east, and horizontally to cover the building amenities. It is designed to produce renewable energy that will supply electricity to

common areas and will partly power the amenities’ illuminations. The building volumes’ shape and profiles, let in the prevailing winds

from north-west at the lower levels, block their direct way out on the opposite side and convey their flow into vertical voids.

As of April 2018, Primavera City is at its completion rate of 75% for both Towers. Completing its interior structure, and set to

complete on the last quarter of 2018. To know more about the project, visit at www. primaveracity.com