BusinessWeek Mindanao (November 26, 2013)

MINDANAO DAILY NEWS SECOND SECTION

Tuesday - November 26, 2013

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Briefly Volunteerism swells DAVAO City -- An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the region noted the overwhelming support from the people in Davao Region on the relief drive for the typhoon Yolanda stricken areas in the Visayas.

DSWD-11 regional director Priscilla Razon said the response from various private and public organizations was greater than the support given on the relief operation for assistance for the victims of typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte in December 2012.

She said volunteers reporting to the inter-agency relief operation center at the depot of the Department of Public Works and Highways would average at 700 to 1,370 daily.

Razon said DSWD has been receiving assistance for food and water provisions for the volunteers from the restaurants and hotels initiated by the tourism sector of the city.

Proposed budget CAGAYAN de Oro City councilors have expressed reservations on the basis of the projected revenues that would qualify a P2.6-billion budget in 2014 during a committee hearing last Wednesday.

City Councilor Candy Darimbang questioned the finance committee created by Mayor Oscar Moreno on how it came up with a P2.6-billion proposed budget with an actual revenue collection only a little over 10 percent of its projection.

Darimbang was referring to the miscellaneous income presented by the city treasurer Glenn Banez in the amount of P42 million for 2014.

Banez presented an estimated amount of P33 million for the second semester of 2013 and a total amount of P35 million until the end of 2013. With the projected income, the city government expects a P45 million income in 2014.

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Free trade gab to tackle AFTA 2015

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As of 6:11 pm NOV. 25, 2013 (Monday)

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By WALTER I. BALANE, MindaNews

ALAYBALAY City -- As part of local preparations for the full implementation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA) or ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is spearheading this week a forum dubbed “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas.”

Ju na r Merla , DT IBukidnon senior development

specialist, told MindaNews that they expect to gather

IN-DEPTH

300 participants from the academe on Nov. 27 and about 100 businessmen, mainly local exporters and business chamber members, on Nov. 28.

Merla said officials from DTI’s Bureau of Export Trade Promotion (BETP) and a team from the De La Salle University will serve as key resource persons as part of local efforts to prepare for the full implementation of the AFTA 2015.

Page B1

AFTA 2015 means going to the direction of a single ma rke t w it h dut y f re e imports, single production base for 10 countries of 600 million consumers and $1.9 trillion in combined gross domestic product (GDP), or the total value of goods and services.

He said the BETP has slated similar nationwide forums but the Bukidnon leg has been advanced due to the push by the Bukidnon

K a a mu la n C ha mber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (BKCCII) to mainstream discussions in the province in the run up to 2015.

Roderico Bioco, BKCCII president, said last week the Philippines “is not yet ready for the 2015 AEC because of a number of measures it failed to take.” He particularly cited that the value-added taxation system in the country puts Philippine industries at a trade/PAGE B11

EU pledges more aids to typhoon-hit regions THE 28-member states of the European Union (EU) have pledged continued support the food and shelter needs of thousands of typhoon victims left homeless by monster typhoon Yolanda.

T he EU ha s a l ready donated approximately €50 million euros (approximately US$68 million) for relief operations.

Jan Dirk Bulens, logistics log coordinator of the EU Civil Protection Team, said aside from the cash and in kind donations, several search and rescue teams were also deployed to Leyte to help

in emergency operations to save lives as much as possible.

“A p a r t f r o m t h e governmental donations by the EU, private institutions are also raising funds to help,” bared Bulens citing the efforts of the private sector in Netherlands that have raised more than €25 million Euros ($34 million).

“At the moment, we are focusing on food and shelter for the people,” said Bulens as proper projects to benefit the victims would be identified in the future depending on the need. pledges/PAGE B11

EAGLE CATCH. A Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) also known as the Red-backed Sea-eagle carries a portion of a fish it caught near the coastline of barangay San Juan, Surigao City on November 17. mindanews photo by erwin mascarinas

Power restoration main priority: DOE

By AMOR Y. SALUDAR, Contributor

Linemen fast tracking repair of power lines in Eastern Visayas.

WITH help from various electric cooperatives from M i nd a nao a nd Visaya s regions, the Department of Energ y (DOE) is fast tracking the restoration of power supply in the typhoon-

devastated regions.

DOE-Visayas regional director Engr. Antonio Labios said agencies involved such as DOE, National Grid Power Corporation (NGCP) and electric power corporations

are all combining massive e f for t s t o r e h a bi l it a t e damaged lines toppled by typhoon Yolanda.

“We assure that NGCP, the DOE and electric power cor porat ion had render massive efforts to restore power/PAGE B11

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Economy

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EastWest Bank issues 60% of banks in Samar, Leyte P5-B worth of LTNCDs back in operations after ‘Yolanda’ MANILA -– Around 60 percent of banks in Leyte and Samar, which are among the hardhit areas of Typhoon Yolanda, have resumed operation nearly two weeks after the super typhoon devastated most of Eastern Visayas.

Ba ng ko Sent ra l ng Pilipinas (BSP) data show that of the total 171 banking offices in Leyte and Samar, 102 of these are back in operations as of November 21, 2013.

On t he ot her ha nd , only five of the 44 banking offices and branches located in Tacloban City, which is among the areas that suffered the most, resumed operations during the same period, BSP

Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said.

In terms of the number of automated teller machines (ATMs), only 63 out of the 204 ATMs in the two provinces are now online.

In the six provinces hit by the cyclone, namely Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Aklan, Capiz, and Palawan, 742 of the 855 banking offices have resumed operations while 931 of the 1,203 ATMs are now online.

Senator Poe tor wants review of dev’t program for Mindanao MANILA -- Sen. Grace Poe has filed a resolution urging the Senate to inquire into the Philippine government’s development program for the Mindanao region.

“Mindanao is an important region in the country and we must ensure a comprehensive and fitting development program for the region and its people,” Poe stressed.

In her Senate Resolution 298, the daughter of former popu lar mov ie actor Fernando Poe Jr., urged the Senate committee on local government and peace, unification and reconciliation and economic affairs to conduct an inquiry, “in aid of legislation.”

Poe said Mindanao, with its rich natural resources, agricultural outputs, and diverse cultures, possesses great potential for driving accelerated, inclusive growth. ”At the same time, it also has one of the highest levels

of poverty in the country due to armed conflicts, peace and order issues, and governance challenges,” Poe said.

In her resolution, Poe said there is a need to look a g a i n at gove r n me nt ’s development program for Mindanao, especially its conf lict-affected areas, to ensure the Mindanaoans’ and the region’s comprehensive inclusion in the path of accelerated growth pursued by the Philippines.”

The World Bank, in its 2005 report, estimated that direct losses from internal conflicts in Mindanao from 1970 to 2001 reached 2 billion to 3 billion dollars.

The recent uprising in Zamboanga City has also d isplaced t housa nds of families and resulted in casualties and economic losses for the Mindanao region.

Meanwhile, the proposed Bangsamoro political entity review/PAGE B10

Espenilla said banks, especially those in Tacloban City, are finding it hard to re-open after the calamity because operations were “degraded significantly.”

He said several factors like wiped-out equipment and employees who cannot return to work because they are calamity victims themselves are hindering the resumption of banking operations.

“They need to bring in new ATMs among others because those being used before the typhoon were heavily destroyed,” he said.

Espenilla said there were a lso cases where ATMs were ransacked and even taken from their locations but stressed that these are isolated cases.

He, however, believes that most of the banks in

Tacloban City will resume operations before the end of this year.

Relatively, since the city suffered from heavy flooding due to the storm surge caused

by Typhoon Yolanda, the central bank’s policy-making Monetary Board (MB) has approved a relief for banks not to require people doing bank ing transactions to present government-issued identification cards (IDs) until the end of this year.

“This is intended for the banks to be considerate also of their clients especially on the approval of loans,” Espenilla said.

The central bank official, however, said banks still need to be responsible in making sure that they are properly getting the background of the people they are transacting with. (PNA)

MANILA -- Publicly- listed G ot ia nu n-led E a stWe st Banking Corp. on Monday st a r ted of fer i ng it s P5 billion worth of long term negotiable certif icate of deposits (LTNCDs).

“This offering will be made available to its valued clients in a program of weekly tranches over the next six months,” it said in a disclosure to the Philippine

Stock Exchange (PSE).

The offering, however, may end earlier should the approved P5 billion face value be exhausted earlier.

The bank said the initial LTNCD offering carries yields in the range of 3.125 percent to 3.375 percent per annum depending on market conditions and demand for the instrument. issues/PAGE B10

DAVAO CITY -- A business process outsourcing (BPO) company with headquarters in Washington, DC, USA formally opened its first provincial branch in Davao City at SM Lanang Premier over the weekend.

Br i a n H iener, I BE X Global vice president for Philippine operations, said even if it already occupies

some 3,600-square meter floor area, they are already consider i ng e x pa nd i ng the area to the adjacent available space where they are currently operating.

H e i n e r, i n a p r e s s conference, noted for a time Davao City was overlooked but then he said “we are in the right place because this opens/PAGE B10

US-based BPO company opens first provincial branch in Davao

Truckloads of goods were sold out at the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) “Diskwento” Caravan held recently in Baybay City, Leyte. Most of the goods available had been sold since people look forward to buying basic goods at discounted prices. Residents from neighboring towns also gathered (shown in photo) to take advantage of its presence in their area. The products offered included rice, eggs, canned goods, coffee, milk, noodles, biscuits, and bread. Participating companies were Gardenia, Century Canning, Unilever, Dranix, San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc., and Alturas Group of Companies.

(PNA photo courtesy of the Department of Trade and Industry)

Power now back in Bohol, Southern Leyte MANILA -- More areas in Eastern and Central Visayas continue to have electricity after power was cut when Ty phoon Yolanda wreak havoc in most of Eastern Visayas more than two weeks ago.

I n a n adv i s or y, t he National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said two additiona l transmission lines were back to operations Sunday.

These are the OrmocMaasin 138kV transmission line, which was energized at around 5:19pm , and the Maasin-Ubay 138kV line in the province of Bohol, which was back at around 6:06pm.

T he s e de velopment s allowed “power from Leyte to be extended to Maasin City, Southern Leyte and Bohol province,” NGCP said.

Re t u r n of p ower i n t hese t wo t ra nsmission

lines followed the same development for the Ormoc –Simangan 69 kV line and the Dingle-Natividad 69 kV line, both of which were reenergized Friday.

The Ormoc –Simangan 69 kV line is connected to the substation of Leyte Electric Cooperative V (Leyeco V), which caters to Ormoc City while the Dingle-Natividad 69-kV line is connected to the Iloilo Electric Cooperative III (ILECO III) that distributes power to some parts of Iloilo like Anilao, Banate , Barotac Viejo & Ajuy.

NGCP said the transformer in its Ormoc substation is also operational and ready to serve Leyeco V. NGCP ma inta ined t hat it is fa st-t r ack i ng the rehabilitation of the transmission lines destroyed b y Ty p h o o n Yo l a n d a , power/PAGE B10

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CorporateWorld

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carmaker Fisker Purefoods mulls expansion Electric files for bankruptcy ahead of Asean integration THE food unit of San Miguel Corp (SMC) is keen on selling more shares next year, as the company looks at acquisitions to expand its operations both here and abroad.

San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc president Francisco Alejo III last week told reporters that the company plans to widen its public ownership through a follow-on offering.

Purefoods’ public float stands at 14.6 percent.

SMC president Ramon “Ang has already said he is willing to go as high as 45-49 percent,” Alejo said, when asked how big a stake in Purefoods would be put on sale.

“We consider if there is an interested party which can provide inputs in running

the food group. Of course, we will welcome if there is such. I cannot tell you if there’s such a party so we are considering the possibility of [a] follow-on offering,” Alejo said.

Last yea r, Purefoods avoided automatic delisting with a P6-billion equity deal that boosted its public float above the 10-percent minimum public ownership rule. The company sold its shares at P240 each during that time, but Alejo said the offer price for its proposed follow-on offering

should be higher, citing the firm’s improved financial performance.

However, Pu refoods’ net income attributable to equity holders dropped six percent to P2.75 billion at end-September from P2.92 billion a year ago, even as

sales grew three percent yearon-year to P71.41 billion.

The company expects this year’s sales to surpass turnover in 2012, Alejo said.

For 2014, sales are seen to grow at a 10-15 percent pace.

Aside from the share Purefoods/PAGE B10

WASHINGTON - Fisker Automotive, whose high-end electric cars caught the eye of Justin Bieber and other celebrities, has f iled for bankruptcy protection.

The California-based company also announced it had entered an asset purchase agreement with Hybrid Tech Holdings, LLC. “After having evaluated a nd pu r sue d a l l ot her a lternat ives, we believe the sale to Hybrid and the related Chapter 11 process i s t he b e s t a lter nat ive for ma x i m i z i ng Fi sker Automotive’s value for the benefit of all stakeholders,” Marc Beilinson, Fisker’s chief restructuring officer, said in a statement Friday.

“We believe that the Fisker Automot ive tech nolog y and product development

capability will remain a guiding force in the evolution of the automotive industry under Hybrid’s leadership.”

Fisker was started in southern California in 2007 by former Aston Martin and BMW designer Henrik Fisker and German business partner Bernhard Koehler.

While it did not have the expected success with its pricey hybrid Karma sports car -- which it billed as “a bold expression of uncompromised responsible luxury” -- it did attract interest from the likes of stars such as Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher.

Having struggled financially for some time, the company announced in April that it was laying off 75 percent of its workforce. files/PAGE B10

Tanduay sets eye on Emperador for slice of the brandy market TANDUAY Distillers, Inc. is set to enter the brandy market, joining the growing number of companies taking aim at Emperador Distillers Inc’s dominant market share.

Lucio Tan-owned Tanduay is set to launch Compañero Brandy early next month, aiming to sell at least 50,000 cases a month, the company’s managing director Wilson Young, told reporters last week.

Tanduay has been suffering declining volumes because of higher taxes as a result of the Sin Tax Reform Law, which starting this year imposed higher tax rates, as well as intense competition.

As a result, the liquor maker incurred a loss of P41 million at end-September, a turnaround from the net income of P489 million last year. “’Yung slowdown kasi

because of excise taxes so we will be launching new products,” Young said.

Tanduay is banking on Compañero Brandy to take a slice of Emperdor’s market share. The world’s biggest brandy company in terms of volumes, Emperador of billionaire Andrew Tan sold 31 million cases last year.

“Ang spirits market fickle ‘yan, dati gin, tapos rum. Pero

sa Visayas and Mindanao dominant pa rin naman kami.

Ang pinag-aawayan talaga, dito sa Luzon,” Young said.

Recently, Cosco Capital Inc of Lucio Co brought Spanish brandy Excelente to the Philippine market.

Cosco has subsidiaries that are the exclusive distributor of imported brands of wine, spirits and beer and other beverages from Europe, the

Americas and other countries.

Data from Emperador showed the company cornering 48 percent of the Philippine spirits business by volume and 54 percent of the market in terms of value at end-June. The company controls 98 percent of the country’s brandy market.

E mp er ador re c ent ly introduced Emperador Deluxe, a brandy produced and bottled in Spain.

Aside from expanding its product line, Tanduay began exporting in July its “Asian rum” to the lucrative US market starting with 2,000 cases in Miami. Total exports to the US will reach 5,000 cases by yearend.

Tanduay is part of LT Group Inc, which has interests in tobacco, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage, banking and property development.

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Banking&Finance

BSP: Non-commercial banks improves bad loans ratio THE ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) of thrift, rural and cooperative banks to their total loan portfolio improved to 7.32 percent in the second quarter from 7.77 percent in the first, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday.

The “… banks’ NPLs declined by less than one percent amid a five percent quarter-on-quarter rise in total loan portfolio,” the BSP said.

The total loan portfolio for the period reached P597.57 billion.

NPLs are past due loans with the principal or interest unpaid for at least 30 days, according to Bangko Sentral, which monitors the situation to mitigate potential credit losses.

The banks were holding loan loss reserves equivalent to 68.26 percent of NPLs as of end-June, up from 66.52

percent as of end-March.

The NPL ratio for thrift banks was 5.94 percent, down from 6.13 percent in the same comparable period, with a loan loss reserve of 72.28 percent from 70.43 percent.

Rural banks registered a 12.36 percent NPL ratio from 11.83 percent, while loan the loss reserve decreased to 59.65 percent from 61.54 percent.

Cooperative banks, on

the other hand, recorded an NPL ratio of 12.38 from 28.46 percent, and a higher loan loss reserves of 81.26 percent from 55.63 percent.

The central bank said thrift bank loans accounted for 10.76 percent of the total for the Philippine banking system, with 2.74 percent under the accounts of rural banks, and 0.22 percent from cooperative banks.

Banks relax ID requirements in typhoon-devastated areas THE Monetary Board, which decides on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas policies, will relax “know-your-customer” rules for banks in areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda.

“The board approved t he rela xation of ID requirements for a temporary period of time until end of the year,” BSP deputy governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said, adding clients who lost their government-issued IDs can instead present “any identification acceptable to the bank.”

He said the regulatory relief is for banks in Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and

Palawan. He added the BSP approved the relaxed rules “so that, in turn, they will also be more considerate of their clients who were affected by the typhoon, especially those who have loans.”

He said the BSP has been monitoring the situation in the Visayas, especially since banks are very important in the recovery of the affected areas.

“So we’ve been encouraging the banks to exert every effort to resume their operations… Of course, we realize that there are many difficulties including power, electricity, peace and order and the like, so

we understood that. But we have to also emphasize that it is important for people to have access to their money,” Espenilla said.

He sa id t he ba n k ing system in Tacloban City had to shut down because of the damage brought by Yolanda.

Banks in other areas of the Visayas have also been problematic. “There were banks that opened ATMs but not in the same way and shortened hours mainly because of power supply issues,” he said.

He said the BSP hopes bank operations will be back to normal by the end of the year.

Landbank lends out 16% more at end-Sept LAND Bank of the Phi lippines lent out 16 percent more of the money entrusted to it by depositors in the first nine months of the year.

In a statement, Landbank president Gilda Pico said it had P280 billion worth of loans outstanding in the January to September period, higher than the P241.9 billion in the same nine months of last year.

Loans to priority sectors – these include small farmers a nd f isher fol k, micro a nd sma l l a nd medium enterprises (MSMEs), agri-

aqua related projects of local government units (LGUs) a nd government-ow ned or controlled corporations (GOCCs), socia lized to medium cost housing, and utilities – stood at P221.7 billion, equivalent to 79.2 percent of the state-owned lender’s total portfolio.

Sma l l farmers and f i sher fol k c or nere d 10 percent of the total loans outstanding, and was 15 percent higher year-on-year.

Another 10 percent of the loans were granted to MSMEs, and was 21 percent more than a year ago, while

lending to the housing sector comprised less t ha n 10 percent.

Agri-aqua projects of LGUs and GOCCs cornered a higher 16 percent of total loans, while the utilities sector had 12 percent.

“The consistent growth i n ou r lo a n p or t fol io, particularly our loans to our priority sectors, is solid testament of Landbank ’s aggressive support to the government’s thrust towards inclusive growth and our relentless commitment to nurture progress in the rural areas,” Pico said.

Security Bank reopens Tacloban, Ormoc branches, waives ATM fees SECURITY Banking Corp is waiving ATM fees on clients in the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, both devastated by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’.

In a statement, Security

Bank said it will resume f u l l operat ions in bot h cities starting today. In line with this, the lender said it will waive ATM fees on all transactions, including those

done using ATMs of other banks in either city.

Besides its Tacloan and Ormo branches, other units that were shuttered after atm/PAGE B10

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Editor : Shaun Uy, E-mail: shaun_alejandrae_uy@yahoo.com

A rts & Culture

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Experience Germany in a Suitcase

T

he touring multimedia exhibit of Goethe Institute dubbed as Deutshcland im Koffer (Germany in a Suitcase) is open at the main lobby of Liceo de Cagayan University’s Rodelsa Hall starting November 25.

The two-week showcase will feature the language, culture, history and people of Germany presented via two large suitcases or Koffer.

A viewer can browse through the colorful visuals inside the suitcases and may even hear and learn the Germany language via a listening dock.

Even the usual clichés on this well-loved European country can even be found in one part of the opened suitcase. This exhibit is open to the public.

Liceo U is a Philippine partner school of the Federal Republic of Germany in its PASCH (Schools: Partners for the Future) initiative where they support schoolchildren around the world and help them get acquainted with German language and culture.

Currently, Liceo High School students as well as select undergraduate and post graduate students are learning the German Language.

Read us online www.businessweekmindanao.com

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Liceo Pep Squad wins third NCC reg’l cheerleading title de Oro

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For the third straight year, they have proven that they are the best cheerleading team in Mindanao.

The Liceo Titans All-Stars Pep Squad retained their title as the North Mindanao Regional Champion of the National Cheerleading Championship, November 24 at the Liceo Civic Center.

The team’s victory will enable them to qualify once again in the National Finals of the NCC in Manila come March 2014.

They were ranked No. 6 best squad in the Philippines in the 2010 National Cheerleading Championships (NCC) in Manila. Composed of 24 members, the Titans All-Stars Pep Squad are set to conquer the Nationals in the 9th season of the NCC in 2014.

The squad is mentored by Coach John Rey “Jay” Tangcalagan, a registered nurse and former member of the Liceo Pep Squad.

Another Liceo dance team qualifies in a component of the Regional Qualifiers, the National Dance Championship.

The Liceo Next Moves is the lone team that bid for the slot for the 2014 Finals in Manila.

Liceo Next Moves’ eleven member team is under the artistic direction of Mr. Roger The LICEO U PEP SQUAD File Photo Odron.

Some scenes during the pre-screening cocktails of the film ILO ILO at the SM City CDO cinema, November 21, Cagayan de Oro City.

(from left) BWM Group CEO Dante Sudaria, Charles Lim, SM’s Ivy Guantero, event producer Mike Baños, Ms. Angeli Bayani - the lead actress of the film, and SM City CDO Mall Manager Clara Elizaga.

Angeli Bayani (center) with Pioneer Life officials at the cocktails

With ILO ILO sponsors Pioneer Life, Selrahco and Cebu Pacific.

With OWWA X Officials led by OIC Harry Borres

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Environment

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Continuous rains bring floods to DavSur, DavOc DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur – The continuous rains due to the Low Pressure Area (LPA) that affected the region starting late last night until early afternoon today brought f looding to some towns in Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental.

Reports gathered from the local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office action officers and local government information officers, the a f fec ted tow ns i nclude Malalag of Davao del Sur, and Don Marcelino, Malita, and Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental.

The MDRRMO in Malalag undertook forced evacuation of residents from Purok 2, Barangay Baybay when water overf lowed from the river banks causing the flashflood this morning.

MDR R MO action officer Francisco Javellana, Jr. said the evacuees were temporarily housed at the evacuation center at barangay gym of Brgy. Poblacion.

“ T he water subsided early af ternoon, but we still could not allow the evacuees to return home until the weather condition has stabled, especially that they (affected residents) are living near the river banks” Javellana said.

He bared that the evacuees were among the estimated 600 affected families coming from barangays Kaputian, Poblacion, Bulacan, Baclayon and Pito which were also flooded.

Javellana said t he MDRRMO has purchased food relief for the evacuees.

In Don Ma rceli no, residents living near Lawa R iver in Barangay Lawa were evacuated to safer grounds, mostly to their relatives’ houses, after the river overflowed due to heavy downpour since early this morning.

Don Marcelino MDRRMC action officer Maya Johnson floods/PAGE B11

Members of Philippine Army 1st Special Forces (SF) battalion carry water jugs to refugees at Tacloban Airport as part of their ongoing relief operation. (PNA photo courtesy of PIA central Visayas)

PAGASA decommissions ‘Yolanda’ Salceda to donors: from list of PHL tropical cyclones Shift to cash relief MANILA -- The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will now strikeout “Yolanda” from the list of names for Philippine tropical cyclones.

inflicted P1.42-billion worth of damages to crops and infrastructure.

He added that “Labuyo” and “Yolanda” will soon be replaced by new names that also start with the letter “L” and “Y”.

Loiz said the weather agency has set of names for cyclones entering the country’s area of responsibility.

He added there are 140 names, grouped into 4 sets of 25 regular names and 10 auxiliary names, with each set used every 4 years.

“So ‘yung ginamit na pangalan ng mga bagyo this year ay gagamitin ulit by year 2017 except kay Labuyo and Yolanda,” he explained adding that these names were chosen from thousands of submissions to a contest PAGASA conducted in 1999.

He also said that the agency choose name for

tropical cyclones without letters like “ng,ñ x”; also the names related to the culture of Filipino, and not too long names.

Meanwhile, the 10 latest typhoon names retired by PAGASA were: Pablo (2012), replaced by Pepito Sendong (2011), replaced

by Sarah Pedring (2011), replaced

by Perla Mina (2011), replaced by Marilyn Juaning (2011), replaced

by Jenny Bebeng (2011), replaced

by Betty Juan (2010), replaced by Jose Pepeng (2009), replaced

by Paolo Ondoy (2009), replaced

by Odette Cosme (2008), replaced

by Carina (PNA)

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Jori Loiz said that typhoon “Yolanda” w re c k e d h avo c to t he municipalities in Eastern Visayas which recorded a maximum sustained winds of 235 km/h and after it surpassed the storm name’s retirement criteria of 300 deaths or P1 billion worth of damages in crops and infrastructure.

Citing the official data from the PAGASA, Loiz said “Yolanda” is now the strongest cyclone, so far, to hit the country this year.

He noted that “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) have made six landfalls as it smashed into the provinces of

Leyte and Samar last November 8, with maximum sustained winds of 235 kilometers per hour (kph), surpassing the winds of typhoon “Odette” last September of 215 kph, which was previously the strongest cyclone that entered the Philippines this year.

“So far, ito (Yolanda) na ang pinakamalakas na bagyo na pumasok sa ating bansa ngayong taon. Kino-consider din itong one of the strongest typhoons in the world history according to US,” Loiz said.

He said “Yolanda”, the second storm name in 2013 to be retired from PAGASA’s list, after “Labuyo” in August.

“Labuyo” (international name: Utor) killed 11, but

1,200 families affected by oil spill now in evacuation center

Senate resolution extending life of calamity-related funds filed

ILOILO CITY -- There are now 1,200 families staying at the evacuation center at t he Nor t her n I loi lo Polytechnic State College (NIPSC) in Estancia town a f ter G over nor A r t hu r Defensor, Sr. has ordered their forced evacuation due to health hazard posed the oil spill in Barangay Botongon.

Governor Defensor during the meeting at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Monday said that the number of evacuees have now increased to 1,200 families from the 797 as of spill/PAGE B10

MANILA -- Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday f iled a proposed Senate resolution authorizing the national government to use the unreleased budget for the calamity and quick response funds until the end of 2014.

These funds would be used for extensive disaster relief and rehabilitation activities to be implemented in 2014, Drilon said in a statement.

Under the resolution, implementing agencies will secure the endorsement by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of the calamity-

related projects that will be covered by the extended v a l id it y of a l lot me nt s authorized therein.

“Given the massive effects of the past calamities, the government may not be able to obligate funds necessary to fully implement the above measures before the end of this fiscal year,” Drilon said.

“If they remain unobligated by the end of the year, the funds will go back to the National Treasury and could not be used anymore by the start of the next fiscal year,” he added.

Drilon said he estimated that the unused disaster-

related funds will be around P20.8 billion by the end of Dec. 31.

He further explained that once the validity of the P20.8billion budget is extended by the joint resolution, it could join the P14.6-billion supplemental budget and the P20-billion rehabilitation fund to serve as a collective P55.4-billion.

This amount will then be available to the national gover n ment a nd a l l its agencies for the relief and rehabi litation programs throughout 2014.

It will also be on top of funds/PAGE B11

LEGAZPI CITY -- Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has urged foreign donors to start giving cash relief to the Philippines or donate to the World Food Programme (WFP), an agency with proven ex p e r t i s e i n a d d r e s s i n g protracted humanitarian crises, to help expedite positive impacts and improve aid effectiveness.

Salceda, co-chair of the United Nations (UN) Green Climate Fund, said foreign donors must abide by the five guiding principles of the Paris Aid Effectiveness - ow n e r s h i p, a l i g n m e n t , harmonization, results and mutual accountability, and of the Accra Agenda for Action capacity development, inclusive partnerships, delivering results and capacity development. “ We see never ending convoys of trucks with relief items, but cash remains the best form of relief,” Salceda stressed, reiterating his previous call for cash relief, 10 days after Yolanda’s devastation, to help stir the ravaged economy back to life.

Salceda also said all relief distributions should be channeled now to the local government units for a well coordinated relief effort in the aftermath of “Yolanda”. This should save on an oversized manpower and equipment on the ground - most specifically the US military personnel - that should otherwise be put to better use.

Discerning about the disaster victims’ actual needs and a capability for a smooth relief operation, the WFP worked with Albay after the devastation of typhoon “Reming” in 2006, “with excellent results,” the governor shared.

Two lawmakers, Mel Senen Sarmiento and Ben Evardone of Western and Eastern Samar, respectively, have immediately

joined Salceda’s call for local and foreign donors to shift to cash relief assistance to their provinces.

“On the 10th day you need cash as a rule (of thumb). The market should begin to function again. Those who have no cash should be given cash,” Salceda said, adding that cash would give survivors some sense of autonomy to decide for themselves and start rebuilding their lives.

The governor said the utilization the skilled and highly paid US military personnel in simple relief distribution does not maximize and only underrates their value. The tasks, he added, “are better left to locals.”

“It is very apparent to the well experienced, their low utilization, if not low level impact, are due to lack of coordination on the ground. You can almost feel ‘na control freak ang buong operation’,” he noted, adding government, foreign and civic organizations bringing assistance to the Vizayas should recognize and respect the supremacy of local communities and local government units in response, relief, early recovery and reconstruction.

“We should bring back our trust in the barangays’ in identifying priorities in disaster response and relief distribution,” Salceda stressed.

“So, it is time for them to coordinate with local authorities not just with the AFP; the multinational coordinating center can rationalize the geographic concentration of specialized skills and capabilities like say, the IDF in Eastern Samar, and sanitation and water filtation in Tacloban,” he added.

The UN has appealed for more aid for the typhoon victims last week, increasing the original amount it sought to raise from P2 billion to P15 billion. (PNA)

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Fishermen adrift after Yolanda takes livelihood BAYBAY, Leyte – A crucifix cr udely fashioned f rom brok e n t w i g s m a rk s a shallow grave on the beach in Baybay, a once-lively Philippines fishing village where generations saw the sea as a source of bounty until it cruelly turned against them.

“I have never been afraid of the sea but the day Yolanda came, I cried,” said Cesar Magdua. Driven ashore by Super Typhoon Haiyan – known locally as Yolanda – the ocean engulfed the villagers’ homes and took their livelihoods with it.

The 54-year-old is a devout Catholic with a leathery face and a deep brown tan whose father taught him to fish as a young boy.

“There was no time to secure all our boats and take them inland, and the waves came crashing so fast, taking everything away,” he said, pointing to a coconut tree whose top was snapped by the force of the water.

“The saying is true, the sea takes what it gives.”

Haiyan’s furious winds stirred 20-foot high waves t hat r u she d i n l a nd on November 8, destroying almost everything before t he m , i nc lu d i n g 1, 5 0 0 homes in the tightly-knit community along with all their nets and boats.

Magdua could not say

how many had been killed in their village. Days after the storm, bodies were still being recovered all over the area.

Around 4,000 people are k nown to have died nationa lly, according to official figures, but Magdua believes “many, many more” could be dead.

“I have not seen many of my friends. If you get caught in waves that high, you die,” the father-of-eight said.

Magdua sa id he had evacuated his family to a friend’s two-story home a kilometer from the shore.

He was securing his seafront shack with ropes and sand bags when the first wave came.

He clung on to a rope and buoy, and tumbled through the water until he washed up somewhere.

“But the problem now is, how do we survive? We cannot rely on dole outs forever,” he said, as he and other fishermen inspected the destroyed village council building.

Just down the narrow path, village councilor Nonelon Wenceslao led some of the menfolk in slaughtering a pig they had found, attracting a small crowd who all wanted some of the meat.

A tattered Philippine flag adrift/PAGE B10

AgriBusiness

Mindanao Daily B9 NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

Areas worst hit by typhoon grow third of PHL’s rice: UN Western Visayas region was severely battered by Typhoon Yolanda. The region, which includes the islands of Panay and Negros, is among the country’s top rice producers.

ROME – The areas worst hit

by Typhoon Haiyan grow a third of the Philippines’ rice, the UN food agency said Tuesday, calling for “urgent assistance” to farmers who need to sow new seeds.

“Regions most severely affected by the ty phoon account for one-third of the total rice production in rice/PAGE B11

CARP’s self-reliant group named as outstanding coop in Misocc THE Department of Labor and Employment – SelfReliant Organization (DOLESRO) for Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Mamanga Daku Agrarian Reform Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative (M A DA RC M P C) w a s recently awarded as the most outstanding Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative for the province of Misamis

Occidental.

This is in recognition for its contribution to the success of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program which was given during the 28th Inter PARCOM Convention at the Highland Resort, Mambajao, Camiguin last October 2.

MADARC MPC is under the special program of DOLE and one of the Agrarian

Refor m C om mu n it ies (ARCs).

SRO for CARP Project is an implementation of the government’s CARP with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as the lead implementing agency.

T he proje c t i s a l s o being implemented under the DOLE Bureau of Rural Workers, now the Bureau of Workers with Special

Concerns, since the inception of the CARP in 1989 under the Republic Act 6657, in which the DOLE, under section 41 of the said law, has been identified as one of the members of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC).

D O L E -X R e g i o n a l Director At t y. A la n M. Macaraya said the project CARP/PAGE B11

B10 Mindanao Daily NEWS

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northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

Issues... from page B2

www.johndprovoice.com

The long-term deposit product will have a final maturity of June 5, 2019.

E a s t We s t r e c e i v e d aut hor i z at ion f rom t he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to issue P5 billion worth of LTNCD last November 7.

(PNA)

Opens... from page B2

is the safest city”.

He said their office may not be the biggest “but we want to be the best employer”.

The Davao office he said, is a step toward redirecting themselves, making this a new model given the best location from the structure, the environment and the view that workers get. “We put our workers first by providing them with employee-friendly sites,” he said.

“We have a lot of options in t he Sout hern part of Manila, North of the Metro and even Cebu but we chose Davao because we believe in the local talent,” he said.

He said they will make IBEX Davao as the company’s flagship office.

I BE X G lo b a l w h ic h started its operation October has hired some 500 agents and Heiner said the force would grow from 700 to 800

by Christmas.

Heiner said t hey are hiring agents to support one of their biggest clients, a telecommunications based in the US. (PNA)

Power... from page B2

which is one of the world’s strongest cyclone, to meet the December 24, 2013 deadline given by the Department of Energy (DOE) for the full restoration of typhoonaffected transmission lines.

(PNA)

Review... from page B2

is a lso cu r rent ly bei ng ironed out by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

It can be recalled that on October 15, 2012 or a year ago, the parties signed the Framework Agreement on t he Ba ngs a moro i n pursuit of elusive peace and development in Mindanao.

Poe’s resolution stated, “It is deemed timely to review the overall development program for the Mindanao region, and accord it the necessary, full support which it deserves as a key region, and also as a fitting way to honor the slain soldiers and police in the cited recent uprising and give meaning to their acts of sacrifice for the country.”

(PNA)

Purefoods... from page B4

sale, Purefoods will also beef up its war chest from the proceeds of the sale of its stake in Meralco to JG Summit Holdings Inc. The San Miguel group will receive P72 billion from the disposal of its combined 27 percent stake in the country’s biggest power distributor.

Purefoods intends to use the cash raised from these transactions to finance the expansion of its fast-moving consumer goods business and acquisitions—both local and international—that will boost its value-added business.

“We have a very good distribution net work so we feel that if there are opportunities for synergies, we will seriously consider those kinds of investments,” Alejo said.

Purefoods is gearing up for the Asean Free Trade Area by 2015, by which time tariffs are poised to go down significantly. This will become a challenge for the company since it will make importing raw material less costly.

“We’re s cout i ng t he market. We’re looking at either being able to export ou r ow n produc ts or opportunities to bring in products that can compete here locally -- we will do that,” Alejo said.

“You know San Miguel is a big player in the poultry business w it h Magnolia chicken. We feel that we can compete and provide the right efficiency to lower our production cost,” he added.

Files...

from page B4

The bankruptcy could become a political hot potato because the US government had focused on Fisker to encourage the development of green energy, providing it with loans.

The Wall Street Journal cited the Department of Energ y as say ing it had recovered $53 million of the $192 million Fisker owed to the government, leaving $139 million unpaid.

Two Republican members of Congress -- House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton and Oversight and Investigations CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH Subcommittee head Tim P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Murphy -- have a lready Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 lashed out over the matter.

CAMIGUIN BRANCH “Fisker’s collapse closes B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 yet another sad chapter in CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan Oro City (the Department ofdeEnergy’s) DIVISORIA BRANCH troubled portfolio,” they said Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City in a joint statement.

Tel. # (088) 857-3631 “ T heLAPASAN jobsBRANCH t hat were Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City promised never materialized Tel. # (088) 231-6739 and, once again, taxpayers CARMEN BRANCH Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City are Vamenta on Tel. the hook for the # (088) 231-2011

administration’s reckless gamble.”

Du r i ng t he 2012 US president ia l elect ion c a mpa ig n, Republ ic a ns repeatedly highlighted the fate of solar energy firm S o l y n d r a , w h i c h we nt bankrupt after getting a $500 million government loan guarantee.

ATM... from page B5

Yolanda struck were those in Tagbilaran, Bohol; Roxas City, Capiz; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; Catarman, Samar; Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Calapan, Mindoro; Iloilo City and Iloilo-Iznart i n I loi lo prov i nce; a nd the following branches in Cebu: Cebu Business Park, Mandaue, Mandaue North Road, Juan Luna, Lapu-Lapu and Osmena.

E a rl ier, t he B a ng ko Sentral ng Pilipinas said five banks as well as five ATMs in Tacloban had resumed operations as of Friday last week.

Spill...

from page B8

Sunday night.

The governor last Friday ordered forced evacuation heeding the recommendation of Department of HealthCenter for Health Development (DOH-CHD) 6 Regional Dir. Marlyn W. Convocar.

Based on the finding of the toxicology team sent by the DOH, experts from the East Avenue Medical Center and the Philippine General Hospital, found that the ambient monitoring showed benzene highest level of 16.9 parts per million (ppm) present on the site, higher than the permissible limit of 0.5 ppm.

The governor said Estancia Mayor Rene Cordero has been assigned as the camp commander of the evacuation center.

He said the problems faced by the evacuees are their food, shelter, water and manpower.

The provincial government in order to help alleviate their situations will give them P150 per day allowance to be taken from the quick response fund.

Meanwhile, the full-scale cleanup of the oil spill by the Kuan Yu Global Technologies Inc. started on Monday in Brgy. Botongan where the Power Barge 103 had been dislodged and ran aground at the rocky shoreline causing the oil spill during the height of typhoon “Yolanda”.

The cleanup is targeted to be finished within the next three months so those i nd i v idu a l s h ave b e e n temporarily evacuated until the area would be declared safe for them to return back to their barangay. (PNA)

Adrift... from page B9

fluttered in the wind, behind a big wooden boa rd on which someone had daubed: “Help. We need food, water.”

Ch i ld ren waved at a passing military helicopter carrying relief goods, while others played on a pile of broken cement flooring that was once a popular local seafood restaura nt w it h the now-sardonic name of Yolanda’s Eatery.

Wenceslao said he and other officials had yet to fully account for the village’s 1,500 families in the chaos of the storm’s aftermath.

Only a few bodies had been found on the beach, he sa id, a lt hough ma ny were seen carried away by the high water. Few believe the missing are alive.

“We were not rich, but we were happy a nd had everything,” Wenceslao sad.

“Now, nothing is left. Our boats are gone. How can we start rebuilding when we don’t have the means to survive?”

Fishing has for generations been t he backbone of the community, and an average fisherman earns between P500 and P800 ($12-$20) a day – not a lot, but enough to eke out a living.

City folk and tourists who visit the area brought other income, he said.

“We are appealing to the government for help.

Please help us build boats,” Wenceslao said, adding that the few fishermen who have savings cannot get at their money because the banks are closed.

Ma r joh n Mu ga s , 23, however, cannot wait for help. Aid was slow arriving a n d h i s w i fe a n d t w o children have had nothing much to eat in the week since Haiyan destroyed their home.

Mugas gathered up his broken nets and dragged them through some shallow water, catching a milk fish and small snails.

“This fresh water fish is most likely from fish ponds that were destroyed during the storm. This is good for today,” he said, smiling.

“Tomorrow is another day.”

– Agence France-Presse

CDO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947

DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631

CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491

LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739

CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City

CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd.,Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

Mindanao Daily B11 NEWS

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northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

Speedier trade benefits following typhoon sought

By JENS KASTNER, Contributor

THE Philippine garment i ndu st r y is hopi ng for accelerated beneficial trade access to the European Union (EU) and United States (US) in the wake of Ty phoon Yolanda, which struck the country on November 9.

Most Philippine garment production is situated in and around the capital Manila, whereas the region worst hit by the typhoon is Tacloban, some 200km south.

Howe ver, nu merou s small-sized sewing factories in the Visayas, the country’s central islands, have been destroyed.

“Ou r subcont rac tors there have all been wiped out”, said Robert Young,

president of the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP).

“Two days ago, we had a telephone conference with local officials in the region and were told that even the sewing machines were destroyed,” he told just-style.

Young elaborated that these hard-hit sewing factories typically run just 10 to 15 sewing machines.

Of course, everything is currently about life and death in the Visayas. Aid for the subcontractors is piled up in FOBAP’s Manila headquarters but, according to Young, the disastrous road conditions are still hindering distribution.

Trade...

force whose main focus is to restore 100% power in the Visayas before Christmas as DOE secretary Jericho Petilla promised in his earlier media interview.

Presently, there are about 1, 381 person nel f rom t he equipment and test unit, line gangs and contractors from Visayas team, North and South Luzon team and Mindanao team that work 24/7 to restore the Visayas power supply that was badly damaged by Yolanda. “ T here is a possibi l it y to get power from Luzon, as transmission lines in the Visayas are repaired,” Labios said.

from page B1

disadvantage.

Merla said among those expected to attend from the business sector are exporters of banana and pineapple, cut f lower, bagasse and rubber, among others.

He said they have also invited a number of participants from the province’s sugar industry, noting they are among those expected to get the brunt of the ASEAN economic integration among the local industries.

Merla said they have also invited representatives from Bu k id non’s c o op er at ive s , t h rou g h t he C o op er at ive D e v e l o p m e n t A u t h o r i t y, adding that a big number of cooperatives in the province are in the agri-business industry.

Representatives of local government units are a lso expected to attend the forums.

Noting the largest pa r t icipa nts a re f rom t he ac ademe, Merla sa id t hat students need to be aware of free trade agreements among ASEAN members since they wou ld become t he f ut u re leaders.

“We invited students taking business related courses for t hem to k now more about the agreement, such as what products have zero or reduced tariff,” he added.

Pledges... from page B1

He added the EU and the rest of the international community would continue to work closely and partner with the Philippine Government beyond the food relief efforts.

Bulens claimed he was very impressed with the Filipino people who were very helpful in providing assistance in all kinds.

Meanwhile, Joseph Reiterer of the United Nations Civil Military Coordination said the challenge and priority of the Philippine Government now is how to maintain the smooth transition from relief efforts to rebuilding phase.

Bulens and Reiterer are temporarily based in Cebu, the central hub for relief and emergenc y operat ions for typhoon-stricken areas which pounded the Visayas Region especially in Leyte province.

Power... from page B1

power supply in these affected areas,” Labios said.

DOE has created a task

Floods... from page B8

said they headed a bayanihan in Sitio Looban, Brgy. Lawa, in removing kangkong plants to clear the water passages.

The bridge in Lais which connected Don Marcelino to Ma lita tow n was damaged and was not passable as of the moment, Johnson said.

Malita information officer Alona Estrella said two houses were swept away by flood water in Brgy. Macol, adding though that there was no reported casualty in the incident.

S h e b a r e d t h a t s e ve n barangays in the northern part of Malita experienced brownout after two power posts of the Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative (DASURECO) fell down.

The post in Brgy. Felis fell due to the strong flow of flood water coming from Barangay Pangaleon and the other post in at Sitio Centro, Barangay Lagumit was fell on by a tree.

The barangays affected by the power outage were Felis, Bolila, Sangay, Kilalag, Demoloc, Tubalan and Buhangin.

Estrel la said t he heav y downpour came from the upland areas which caused flooding in the low land villages.

She added that the MDRRMO team was deployed to different areas together with the Malita Anti-Crime and Emergency Force (MACEF) to monitor disaster incidents especially in the upland areas.

The LGU and MDRRMO of Malita town also advised their constituents especially those living near the river and upland areas to monitor heavy rain, for possible flooding and landslides.

Capt. Aldrin Moral of the 39th Infantry Battalion also reported f looding incidents in t he barangays of Bu ka, Pongpong, San Isidro and part

He points out that handin-hand with first relief measures, rehabilitation prog ra m mes must be implemented quickly so as to create a livelihood for these clothing and textile sector subcontractors.

To t hat end , You ng called for the Philippines government to provide lowto-zero interest loans to the factories for the procurement of five to ten sewing machines per unit.

“And, I appeal to the European Union and the Un ited St ate s to br i ng forward the implementation of the [EU’s] GSP+ status and the [US] SAVE Act or to grant other preferential treatment to the Philippine garment industry,” he said.

“This would help our country getting over the biggest tragedy we have ever had.”

The Philippines government had in August announced its intention to apply for membership of the EU’s revised GSP+ scheme, which comes into force on 1 January and would covers 6,274 products, which would all be subject to zero-duty.

The country’s inclusion in the US’s Save Our Industries Act (SAVE Act) would allow Philippine-made apparel using US fabrics to enter the United States duty free.

FOBAP president Young predicted that an early GSP+ membership is more likely than early inclusion in the SAVE Act.

of Basiawan and Kidadan, all of the municipality of Sta. Maria.

Meanwhile, Sta. Cruz Mayor and MDRRMC chair Atty. Joel Ray Lopez ordered cancellation of classes at all levels in the municipality as of 11am of November 22 due to continuous rain and Pagasa advisory, said municipal information officer Julius Paner.

The PDRRMC headed by Acting governor and board member Nonito Llanos III c onduc t e d a n emer genc y me e t i n g i n t he mor n i n g today relative to the weather condition that the province has experienced and the reported f looding incidents, said Digos City CDRRMO staff Marden Gomez. (PIA-11/Carina L .

Cayon)

way in the central Philippines when the typhoon hit, also “badly disrupting” ongoing planting for the secondar y season, the FAO said.

The Rome-based agency added: “There is concern that many storage facilities may have been destroyed, along with their contents.”

Dominique Burgeon, head of FAO’s Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, said in the statement: “If we want to avoid entire regions of the country having to rely on food aid, we need to act now to help vulnerable families to plant or replant by late December.”

The agency plans to supply seeds for rice and maize as well as tools, fertilizer and irrigation equipment, it said.

“Families will also receive vegetable seeds to help bridge the gap before the next harvest,” it added.

Some 13 million people were affected by Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, which struck the Philippine archipelago on November 8, claiming at least 4,000 lives.

Four million people were displaced, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA. An estimated 2.5 million are in need of food aid. – Agence France-Presse

Funds... from page B8

the regular appropriations for calamity and quick response f unds under t he proposed P2.268-trillion national budget for 2014, he assured.

The rehabilitation funds w ill be used most ly to rehabilitate and repair various inf rast r ucture faci lit ies, including school buildings and heritage structures that were destroyed by the past disasters, including typhoon “Yolanda.”

“It is imperative for the government to i mplement aggressive and continuous rel ie f, reh a bi l it at ion a nd reconstruction efforts in the affected areas,” Drilon said.

He explained that this would enable people and communities to recover from the damage caused by the calamities.

“The President (Benigno S. Aquino III) has already assured us of his complete support for the urgent passage of these proposed measures, which he will certify as urgent,” he added.

Drilon said that with such a significant amount of funding to be handed at the government’s disposal, the government will be fully equipped to rebuild the provinces ravaged by the calamities. (PNA)

Rice...

from page B9

the country,” the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said in a statement.

“Hundreds of thousands of farmers in the Philippines whose crops were destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan need urgent assistance to sow new seeds before the end of the current planting season,” it said.

The main-season harvest of the staple grain was well under

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CARP... from page B9

aims to assist t he AR B in selected plantation farms to develop t he competencies and organizational strategies through institutional development and management of farm operations towards optimum agricultura l productivity and sustainability for the farmer beneficiaries/ plantation workers in particular and the development of agrarian reform communities.

Meanwhile, DOLE-X SRO for CAR P Project Of f icer, Marciano Cardente, Jr. said M A DA RC M PC is a du ly registered cooperative located five kilometers away from the Poblacion of Plaridel, Misamis Occidental.

To date, the cooperative has a total active members of two hundred sixty (260) farmers (113 are ma le and 147 are female). The projects include rice milling, trading, and production.

Other sources of income of t he cooperative include memb er sh ip fe e s , c apit a l build-up, and savings which are regularly collected once monthly.

!

D A E R www.businessweekmindanao.com

B12 Mindanao Daily NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

EDITOR: Shaun Uy , e-mail: shaun_alejandrae_uy@yahoo.com

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TXS Resurrects Doc Resureccion in 1st Ateneo Theater Festival

T

he Xavier Stage pulled off Layeta Bucoy’s 2009 Palanca Award-Winning One Act Play Doc Resureccion: Gagamutin ang Bayan last November 21, 2013, Thursday 4:30PM at the Lucas Hall grounds of Xavier University.

As a participating theater group in the first Ateneo Theater Festival, the two-year old resident repertory theatre company of Xavier University staged Resureccion as its fringe performance.

Dulaang Atenista initiated to gather theatre groups from other Ateneo schools to realize the Ateneo Theater Festival in celebration of their silver anniversary.

Tanghalang Ateneo, Teatro Humanidades and Dulaang Atenista were the main entries during the festival.

The Xavier Stage has presented Doc Resureccion during the election period earlier this year to serve as voters’ education for the community.

The production was brought and shown twice in Medina, in SM Cagayan de Oro car park and in Xavier University.

Tattoo partners with Gawad Kalinga to rebuild a Tattoo-GK Village in Ormoc, Leyte that would house 100 families and provide them with livelihood opportunities. In the photo (middle) is Gawad Kalinga Executive Director Luis Oquinena who accepted the donation from (L-R) Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu, Globe Vice President for Tattoo Home Broadband Business Jurist Gamban, Globe Vice President for Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo and Globe Senior Vice President for Broadband Business Gilbert Simpao.

This was also restaged recently as a command performance during the Sulat Dula 3 last October as requested by the playwright herself, Ms. Layeta Bucoy.

During the Ateneo Theater Festival, The Xavier Stage, once again, was given the chance to introduce to the community the Resureccion Family and their blood-isnot-always-thicker-than-water story.

An absolutely outdoor performance, the play was

daring not only with the theme it explored but with the very setup of the stage.

The cloudy sky was signaling rain.

But what seemed a challenge actually became an advantage for The Xavier Stage.

Without technical lights, the sky and wind enhanced the play’s realistic feel since the story coincidentally happened on a seashore—affording a unique experience for the audience and for the actors of The Xavier Stage.

Globe announces winners of 2nd Davao Media Excellence Awards

L

eading telecommunications company Globe Telecom has announced the winners of the 2nd Davao Media Excellence Awards who have shown exemplary communication skills in bringing social issues to the attention of the public via print, broadcast, or digital media.

The nine media professionals and social media practitioners were feted during the awarding ceremonies held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City on November 21.

“The 2nd Davao Media Excellence Awards is all about making a difference and creating opportunities to move forward and to change for the better.

The print, broadcast, digital, and social media journalists of Davao should be commended for their sheer determination and unwavering passion for delivering stories that matter and for continuing to do more than just their jobs for a far more fulfilling purpose,” said Yoly Crisanto, Senior Vice President for Globe Corporate Communications.

Bagging the Reporter of the Year for Print award was Henrylito Tacio of Sunstar Davao who wrote “A season of floods” while Feature Story of the Year for Print went to “Watershed: Our Treasures” of Stella Estremera, Editor-in-Chief of Sunstar Davao. Each winner

Winners of the 2nd Davao Media Excellence Awards (from L-R): Vinafel Araneta, ABS-CBN; Olan Emboscado; Bing Gonzales, Mindanao Times; Henrylito Tacio, Sunstar Davao; Allen Doydora, DYRD Sonshine Radio; and Stella Estremera, Sunstar Davao. Together with them are Globe officials headed by Yoly Crisanto, Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications (2nd from right), Jerry Yntig, Head for External Affairs – VisMin (right), and Jocel de Guzman, Head for External Affairs (left).

received P20,000 and a trophy while the editors got P5,000 and a plaque.

Columnist of the Year Renato Bartolo of Mindanao Times took home P15,000 and a trophy for his entry “Peace in Smiling Child’ while Photojournalist of the Year Robert Vincent “Bing” Gonzales also of Mindanao Times received P10,000 and a trophy for his entry “Picking up the Pieces.”

Vinafel Araneta of ABS-CBN was awarded the Best Reporter of the Year for TV for “Menor

Trabahador while “Shabu mo diha” of GMA’s John Paul Seniel bagged the Feature Story of the Year for Broadcast. For radio, top recognition was accorded to Allen Doydora of DYRD Sonshine Radio. All of them received P20,000 each and a trophy while the editors got P5,000 and a plaque.

The Awards for Blogger of the Year and Social Media Advocate both went to Olan Emboscado who took home a total of P40,000 and two trophies for the recognition.

TATTOO partners with GK to rebuild 100 homes

Provide livelihood opportunities in Ormoc, Leyte

TATTOO, Globe Telecom’s mobile and home broadband brand, is focusing its share in nationbuilding efforts by partnering with Gawad Kalinga (GK) to rebuild 100 homes and provide livelihood programs in Ormoc, Leyte.

Tattoo is allotting all profits of the Tattoo Prepaid Mobile WiFi and Tattoo Home Broadband Plan 1599 and Plan 2299 for Gawad Kalinga for the construction of the ‘TattooGK Village’ which will accommodate 100 Yolanda-affected families and sustain them with livelihood opportunities that GK will lead.

As Globe Senior Vice President for Broadband Business Gilbert Simpao shared, “Most of the homes in Ormoc were damaged, but everywhere you go, you can see and feel the spirit of positivity from the people despite what happened. And that’s when we realized that on top of offering free services and extending relief efforts, we needed to extend assistance in a way that’s tangible and sustainable. That’s when we decided to partner with Gawad Kalinga to put up 100 houses and help design sustainable livelihood programs for the affected families in Ormoc.”

Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu together with Simpao, Globe Vice President for Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo and Globe Vice President for Tattoo Home Broadband Business Jurist Gamban presented the donation to Gawad Kalinga and was accepted by GK Executive Director Luis Oquinena.

“While some corporations are focused on providing the basic necessities such as food, water and clothing, we are now doing our share in helping our kababayans get back on their feet by allotting funds for various sustainability projects centered on livelihood,” added Simpao.

The Tattoo Village is part of Globe Telecom’s Bangon Pinoy program, an enterprise-wide disaster response initiative that aims to have a unified system for donations, relief efforts, and corporate social responsibility programs across products and services.

It is an integrated program that allows communities devastated by calamities to benefit from various efforts geared towards rebuilding and rehabilitation.

It was first introduced by Globe in 2009 after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng wreaked havoc in the country.

For more updates and information on how you can help, visit www.globe.com. ph/BangonPinoy. Follow us on Twitter @ ChooseTattoo and @EnjoyGlobe (#BangonPinoy) and on Facebook.com/globeph and Facebook. com/GlobeTattoo.