BusinessWeek Mindanao (October 19, 2015)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

YOUR Mindanao-wide BUSINESS paper

Volume VI, No. 050

Market Indicators

As of 6:00 pm October 17, 2015 (saturday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P46.05

7,055.74

X

20 cents

10.34 points

X

Briefly Ecofusion hub

2014 ppi’S Best in ENVIRONMENTAL Reporting

Monday | October 19, 2015

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

M

INDANAO will have sufficient power in the coming months even under the worst-case scenario for the current dry conditions due to the entry of new fossil-fuel plants and given proper management of water levels in the southern island’s two main hydroelectric complexes.

THE DTI Davao regional office and the Davao Ecocrafts Association, Inc. has formally launched the BIMP-EAGA Ecofusion Hub at the Abreeza Mall, a centralized display area for products from the sub-region, including those from Mindanao and Palawan.

“By this method we can expose these products to the market by displaying them in [a shopping] mall,” Ms. Ambi said.

The hub, which is supported by MinDA and the Department of Tourism, also serves as a showcase area and information center for investment projects and tourism destinations within the BIMP-EAGA.

Mushroom project MAMBAJAO, Camiguin -- The Department of Labor and Employment, Regional Office No. 10 (DOLE-10) released the amount of P1,440,800.00 to the Provincial Government of Camiguin under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating mga Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers Program (TUPAD) and the enhancement of the Cultured Mushroom Project on 30 September 2015 held in the Camiguin Convention Center.

The amount was released through DOLE’s Camiguin Provincial Field Office (Cam PFO).

Cam PFO head, Arlyn Z. Bael explained that the P1,000,000.00 is for the payment of wages of the 328 TUPAD beneficiaries.

P15.00

M’danao power supply assured despite El Niño www.businessweekmindanao.com

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) gave this assurance to the Mindanao Power Monitoring C ommittee (MPMC) in

a meeting in Manila last week, according to Romeo M. Montenegro, public affairs head of the Mindanao power/PAGE 11

NPC secures funding for hydropower study WILD, WILD WEST. Cowboys wrestle with a bull during the carambola event of the Kaamulan rodeo competition in Malaybalay City on Saturday. mindanews photo by h . marcos c . mordeno

DTI reminds consumers of basic rights

By JASPER MARIE OBLINA-RUCAT, Contributor

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) region 10 reminds consumers of their basic rights including right to refund, replacement and repair for defective products.

DTI region 10 Legal Officer and Chief of Consumer Welfare Division Atty. Fel Lester Brillantes said that consumers must be empowered and uphold

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their rights especially if they have been deceived by faulty products in the market.

He said that consumers have the basic rights specifically the right to basic needs, right to safety, dti/PAGE 11

By MYRNA VELASCO, Contributor

STATE-run National Power C or p or at i on ( N P C ) i s stepping up development of hydropower technologies across its service domain at Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG).

As a major step, it just recently secured funding of P38 million via a grant that was channeled through the National Economic and Development Authority

(NEDA).

The funded study, it has been emphasized, “seeks to identify new hydropower potential of various river basins in the country.”

NPC president Gladys Cruz-Sta Rita said “we want to identify and utilize the hydropower potential of the various river basins in the islands where SPUG operates.”

The end-goal, she said, shall be to “reduce SPUG operation’s dependence on oil-based power generation.”

For the study to b e undertaken, NEDA is slated to bid out the contract to interested consulting firms before the end of the year.

The chosen consultant for the study will then work with state-run NPC, primarily on enabling technology transfer funding/PAGE 11

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E conomy 2 OWWA awards 2015 MNLF, MILF forge unity to push model OFW family passage of ‘undiluted’ BBL 2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

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By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat, Contributor

C

AMP DARAPANAN, Maguindanao -The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)

and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed on Tuesday a joint statement calling for the

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passage of the undiluted Bangsamoro Basic L aw (BBL).

Following their meeting at Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao, MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim and former Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin S ema, chairman of the MNLF Council of 15 – the largest and most politically active MNLF faction – issued a joint statement to “firmly and solemnly declare that a diluted Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which is inimical to the full and faithful implementation of both the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the 1996 Final Peace

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) region 10 awarded on 16 October 2015, the Model OFW Family of the Year in Northern Mindanao.

A yearly awarding ceremony of OWWA, five families were nominated as Model OFW Family of the Year Awards (MOFYA) 2015 in region 10.

For land based, nominees were OFW Aurelia Nacional – Lunsayan and Family from Kisolon, Sumilao, Bukidnon and OFW Adelfo Medado Saura and Family from Biga, Lugait Misamis Oriental. Meanwhile sea based nominees included Engr. Mariano Cahayag Noval and Family from Kisolon, Sumilao Bukidnon, Master Mariner

A g r e e m e n t ( F PA ) , i s unacceptable to us and the Bangsamoro people.”

The two leaders emphasized that the passage of an undiluted BBL will fully implement the provisions of both the 2014 CAB with the MILF and the 1976 Tripoli and 1996 Final Peace Agreements with the MNLF. Both the MILF and the MNLF-Sema Wing observed that the actions of some legislators on BBL signified “a systematic extermination of the signed peace agreements to the detriment of the Bangsamoro people and the entire people of the country.”

They also called upon unity/PAGE 11

Nanchito Amarille Zuniga and Engr. Samuel Mirayo Pagasian from Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental.

These families have proven to be strong and remained intact despite the distance of working abroad. Moreover, they have also achieved immense success not only in their careers and enterprise but as well as provided for their family and contributed greatly to the community.

In fact, chairperson of the 2015 MOFYA regional selection committee, Lucila S. Pulvera of DOLE said that in their selection, even they did not know who will win. They simply rate from the criteria listed.

Each family personally accepted their plaque from OWWA during the event.

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ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI

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A strong brand spells business

N

EW HOTELS in Davao Cit y are b e coming taller and bigger with more high technology application in safety and security. it looks like business prospects and financial projection grow larger as well. In spite of the incident in Samal Island, developers are putting a tag or brand name, a sign that foreign management company are welcome in Mindanao with full support from the City Government. Whether it is a marketing gimmick or engaging international management company have a special purpose aside from their equity infusion in branding? Joint ventures continue to bring in new investors.

With the Asean Economic Integration set to happen this December 2015, guest profile is gravitating to change with more businesspersons and foreign individual tourist dominating the market.

Foreign guests patronizing a foreign brand pay more.

The average room rate per occupied room will change dramatically at far with the price range in Kuala Lumpur or Metro Manila and Cebu City. International management chain coming to the Philippines is advantageous to local

Oro Chamber

The Big Deadline hink a minute…You might have heard of the Parkinson’s Law. It says that people will take as long as you give them to finish a job. So if you give someone a day to do something, then at the end of the day it will probably be done. But if you give them 3 days to do that same job, then they will usually take all 3 days to do it. You see, most of us will take all the time we’re given to do something and won’t finish it until we’re forced to—whether it’s a school paper or letter we need to write, paying our bills and taxes, or cutting the grass. We often put off doing things until the last minute, until our deadline! Then we relax again for awhile until our next deadline.

It’s hard for some of us to understand people who work and plan many years ahead. A famous French leader asked his gardener to plant a tree, but the gardener didn’t want to because he said that kind of tree takes almost 100 years to grow big to full maturity.

So the French leader said to the gardener: “Then there’s no time to lose. Plant it right now!”

The fact is that if we didn’t have deadlines, most of us wouldn’t get much done in life. Deadlines force us to do

business; the brand draws more attent ion to g ive more value to the product.

Globalization has opened the local hotel ownerships to foreign influence, we are not lacking in management e x p e r t i s e , b u t f o re i g n m a n a g e m e nt c o mp a ny brings exchange of ideas and international networks.

We learn in all aspects of hotel management, not just of f ice c u lture and work ing habits but on room designs and food presentation techniques, marketing approach and implementations of plans.

How e v e r, i t i s a l s o normal to expect difficulties in a collab oration that involves different cultures.

Sometimes, it is simply a matter of p ers onalities or disagreement with local owners but Filipino Managers must be ready to assist the expat Managers make decisions as they speak the common hotel language.

If the members of the team are sensitive and cooperative then a harmonious and gratifying work will result.

In retrospect, to my earlier career in the hotel industry, I have the opportunity to work with an American hotel firm who managed the local hotel where I was employed. Working with the Hyatt Group, which

is an international brand worldwide, was very easy.

There was a good team –work, we consult them and they consult us, they do not dictate. Interesting are our guests mixed where we got two foreign airline companies who used our property for their crew layover. We enjoyed 60 percent local guests and 40 percent foreign clients driving our room rates h i g h e r. O c c u p a n c i e s continued to grow when our senior expat Managers were doing sales trips to the long haul market of North America and Europe.

Strong brand names when written on billboards or projected through neon signs have huge impact to the onlooker. This is also true with consumable goods manufactured by known multinational companies operating in the Philippines that add luxury to the environment.

I have this unforgettable experience in a Northern Mindanao city, when out of ignorance or pride, the property owner decided to build a giant billboard on top of his hotel, advertising an industrial product brand of one of his emerging company. The neon sign can be seen by the public up to seven kilometers

TRAVERSING the

Tourism H i - way

Ped Quiamjot radius, it has received a negative perception to the businessmen and hotel clients who patronized the property. The hotel brand was eroded and it could be one of the prime reasons of its series of losses. There are more marketing specialist now but concept and advises could also be misplaced.

They might have forgotten that in the hotel industry, ever ything are equal in terms of knowledge and must take into consideration in marketing a product.

Sharing one platform in advertising confuses the public and erodes an established brand aside from alienating itself from existing clients with the same line of business?

For comments or feedback, please email: sbeverage@ rocketmail.com or follow on Twitter @gm_ped

At the BSP, it is best not to receive

Philippine Press Institute

T

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THINK

A Minute

Jhan Tiafau Hurst something before it’s too late and we pay a painful price by suffering the consequences.

But think about it, what is the biggest deadline you will ever face? Isn’t it your death?

Whether you’re ready or not.

The problem is that none of us knows for sure when it’s coming. We might live another 40 years, or we might just have 2-3 weeks to live.

So the only way to live with real peace and happiness is to know for sure that you’re ready to die today. But how can you be ready to die every day?

Jesus Christ said the only way is if you know that you’re living every day in a right relationship with your Maker whom you must face at the end of your life. That’s why God Himself, Jesus Christ, hurst/PAGE 10

C

hristmas is just around the corner. In many parts of the world, in the Philippines especially, the season is marked by the giving or exchanging of gifts. Because of deeplyrooted tradition, “giving” is a given.

“Giving” and “receiving” are considered perfectly normal during the season although many emphasize that “it is better to give than to receive.” ( Fighters inside the ring or in the octagon definitely agree.)

But wait a minute. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently formalized a “No Gift” Policy. Through its official website, the BSP has made known, it is best for all its officials and employees NOT to receive.

The “No Gift” Policy is actually based on the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials (RA 6713) and the Code of Conduct of Corporate Governance for Government O wned and C ontrolled Corporations.

What the Bangko Sentral has done was to set in black and white what have been considered “gray” (thus, taken for granted) and to provide protocols and penalties for violations and omissions.

In a primer circulated among BSP officials and employees, the “No Gift” Policy is explained thus: “The policy prohibits the

solicitation, acceptance or receipt of gifts and favors, or anything of value, that can affect/influence the BSP personnel’s performance of official functions, or which may be interpreted as connected, directly or indirectly, to obtaining favorable action/endorsement or any transaction or activity that is within the scope of the functions of the office.

“The prohibition applies at all times, even on occasion of family celebrations, local or national festivities, such as Christmas, or in appreciation of any services rendered.”

The BSP Primer gives the rationale: “Along this line, a(ny) situation (that) may give rise to a conflict of interest, any instance of graft and corruption, violation of law, attempt, agreement or promise to do anything in return, attempt to influence the BSP personnel’s action as such, or even the slightest appearance of any of the foregoing that may result in a perception of wrongdoing, must at all times be avoided.”

There is an exception to the “No Gift” Policy.

“The policy does not cover gifts and favors arising from or out of personal or purely private activities/transactions that do not have relation/ connection to, and will not affect the BSP personnel’s performance of official functions.

“However, for the effective

implementation of the policy, the delivery of such personal gifts (e.g. gifts from family, relatives and friends) to the BSP premises, is not allowed.)

The BSP primer clearly defines and answers the following: What is considered a “gift”?

What are “prohibited gifts”? – “These are gifts that come from any person, bank or institution, which are registered, licensed, accredited, regulated or examined and supervised bythe BSP, including their officers and employees, or from any other interested person. Prohibted gifts shall not be accepted by BSP personnel, anywhere, anytime.”

What are “excepted gifts”?

– A n e x a mp l e w o u l d be “items of nominal or insignificant value, which are given as mere tokens of gratitude, goodwill, courtesy or sympathy, according to customary practice or usage, for example promotional items or corporate giveaways given to the general public.

What shou ld a BSP personnel do if a prohibited gift is delivered to him?

What should be done if BSP personnel receive gifts while on local or foreign travel?

Who are the enforcers of the BSP “No Gift” Policy?

And what are the penalties?

SPEAKING

O ut

Ignacio Bunye The BSP warned that “any violation of the BSP “No Gift” Policy shall be considered as Misconduct or Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, as the case may be, while non-compliance with or any violation of the control reporting requirements shall be considered as Neglect of Duty or Violation of Reasonable Office Rules and Regulations.”

Prospective well-wishers and gift givers may be surprised if any their gifts this season are politely declined and returned. No offense intended.

When it comes to giving gifts to BSP officials and personnel, Christmas time or not, it would be best to remember two simple rules.

Rule No. 1: Do not send any gift.

Rule No. 2: When in doubt, always refer to Rule No. 1.

Note: You may email us at totingbunye2000@gmail. com.

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CorporateWorld

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Cebu Pacific Air passenger volume up 7.4% in August C EBU Air, Inc. saw a 7.4% year-on-year increase in passenger volume in August after the number of flights inched up, latest operating statistics showed.

The Gokongweicontrolled airline ferried 1.52 million passengers that month, higher than the 1.41 million a year earlier. This brought the eight-month tally to 12.21 million, up by 8.4% year-on-year, with four months left to achieve its

Toyota improves Prius fuel efficiency TOYOTA Motor Corp. said on Tuesday its new Prius hybrid would be a fifth more fuel efficient than its predecessor, an upgrade the automaker hopes will boost flagging sales of the environment friendly model amid a slump in gasoline prices.

The new Prius, which will be released in Japan in December before being launched overseas, has a listed mileage of roughly 40 km per liter (94 mpg), an improvement from the current version’s 32.6 km per liter, the company said.

The launch, however, comes as petrol prices in the biggest market for the Prius – the United States –

are at their lowest in about a decade, pushing consumers to trade in hybrids and electric vehicles in favor of sports utility vehicles.

“When you look at it globally, they haven’t taken off as much, but we are looking to increase their profile as an environmentally s o u n d o p t i o n ,” C h i e f Engineer Koji Toyoshima told reporters, referring to the model.

According to the latest available figures, August Prius sales in the United States fell 24 percent from the same month a year earlier to 17,757 cars. Last year, US Prius sales totaled 207,372 vehicles. The Prius may get a boost from the

emissions scandal engulfing competitor Volkswagen’s, diesel cars from drivers seeking alternate, fuelefficient models, analysts say.

“The timing for Toyota in terms of the VW diesel scandal is probably good at least in terms of consumers who are concerned either from the pollution standpoint, or if the favourable tax treatment in euro for diesel goes away,” CLSA senior research analyst Christopher Richter said.

Toyota dominates the gasoline-hybrid car market, manufacturing 8 million of the more than 9 million gasoline-fueled vehicles on the road globally. Roughly 4 million of those are Priuses.

18-million passenger target.

The listed operator of Cebu Pacific Air and Cebgo reported a 6% increase in seat capacity to 1.85 million in August.

Year to date, seat capacity rose by 12% to 14.98 million -in line with its goal of a “lowdouble digit” improvement.

Seat load factor edged up by 1.1 percentage points year-on-year to 81.9%, but fell 2.9 percentage points to 81.5% in the first eight months.

The number of flights in August rose by 2.1% to 10,932, while growing 9.7% to 89,775 in the year to date.

Cebu Air, which now flies to 63 destinations and 97 routes, said in September that it will mount direct international flights to Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore by year’s end using new Airbus A320 aircraft.

For 2016, it is counting on winning more rights in long-haul markets such as cebupac/PAGE 10

Every year we celebrate the custom and traditions of the seven ethnic groups that originally inhabited Bukidnon Province namely: Talaandig, Higaonon, Umayamnon, Manobo, Tigwahanon, Matigsalog, and Bukidnon. To All my Constituent in Maramag, Bukidnon;

HAPPY 101st FOUNDATION DAY and KAAMULAN FESTIVAL 2015 Greetings from:

ALI exercises option to raise stake in Malaysia’s MCT AYALA Land, Inc. (ALI) has rais e d its st a ke in MCT, Bhd. to nearly a third to become the single largest shareholder of the Malaysian development and construction firm.

The real estate arm of the Ayala group, through its wholly owned subsidiary Regent Wise Investments Ltd., exercised its option to acquire additional shares

of MCT for $92 million to increase its stake in the latter to 32.95% from 9.16%.

In total, the Philippine property group is investing $135 million in MCT after pouring in $43 million to acquire a minority stake in April.

Ayala Land Chief Financial Officer Jaime E. Ysmael said earlier this month the company is in talks with

banks to tap ringgit financing to fund its investment in the Malaysian firm.

The deal is in line with call option agreements signed in May with Barry Goh Ming Choon and Tong Seech Wi -the two founders and majority shareholders of MCT -- that gave the Philippine firm an option to increase its stake in the Malaysian company. stake/PAGE 10

HON. ATTY. JOSE JOEL P. DOROMAL Vice Mayor of Maramag Maramag, Bukidnon

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Banking&Finance

BPI targets to widen use of bank’s mobile platform AYALA-LED Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is eyeing to widen the penetration rate of its mobile banking business, targeting a 40% increase in users next year from the current level as it seeks to expand services available in the platform.

BPI Vice-President and Division Head of Electronic Channels Carlo Carmelo S. Gatuslao said current active users of its mobile banking platform are at “close to a million” out of BPI’s over seven million account holders.

Last year, the number stood at over 600,000 and the target earlier set for 2015 is to grow its users to around 850,000.

“We expect our digital channel enrollment and usage

to grow. We will offer more services beyond what we have now... We’ve already surpassed our target for this year. We’ve targeted a 40% growth [in 2015] but we’ve surpassed it. Next year, it should not be less than 40%,” Mr. Gatuslao said.

“Currently the penetration rate is 35% of our customers.

Half of the customers will use electronic banking in five years. We can have half of them,” he added.

The listed lender’s mobile b an k i ng pl at for m s e e s about 1.6 million financial transactions on the average per month -- which include fund transfers and bills payment -- and 12 million non-financial transactions, such as balance checking.

BPI/PAGE 10

of $80.26 billion, a fact that BSP attributed mainly to its foreign exchange operations and its income from investments abroad as well as the National Government’s (NG) net foreign currency deposits.

These foreign exchange inflows were partially offset by payments made by the NG for its maturing foreignexchange obligations and

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IMF chief says time is right for carbon tax

LIMA, Peru -- The time is right for governments to introduce taxes on carbon emissions, which would help fight global warming and raise badly needed revenue, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Wednesday.

“It is just the right moment to introduce carbon taxes,” Lagarde said at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Lima, Peru.

The issue is in the spotlight two months from a key United Nations conference in Paris tasked with delivering a comprehensive carbon-

cutting pact to save the planet from the potentially catastrophic impact of global warming.

Besides discouraging pollution, Lagarde said, taxing greenhouse gas emissions would have the added bonus of helping governments boost their revenues at a time when many countries have dipped heavily into their “fiscal buffers” to get through a prolonged rough patch for the global economy.

“Finance ministers are looking for revenues. That’s the fate of finance ministers. carbon/PAGE 10

End-September 2015 GIR inches up to $80.31B T H E c o u n t r y ’s g r o s s i nt e r n at i o n a l r e s e r v e s (GIR) rose to $80.31 billion as of end-September 2015 according to preliminary data, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Officerin-Charge Diwa C. Guinigundo announced Thursday.

This was slightly higher

by US$0.05 billion than the end-August 2015 level

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revaluation adjustments on the BSP’s gold holdings a n d f ore i g n c u r re n c y denominated reserves.

The end-September 2015 GIR level remains ample, as it can cover 10.3 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and income. It is also equivalent to 6.1 times the country’s short-term external debt bas ed on

original maturity and 4.4 times based on residual maturity.2 Net international reserves (NIR), which refer to the difference between the BSP’s GIR and total short-term liabilities, increased by $0.06 billion to $80.31 billion as of endSeptember 2015, compared to the end-August 2015 NIR of $80.25 billion.

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Govt eyes P19.2-B spending for El Nino mitigation programs

T

HE Philippine government plans to spend P19.2 billion in the next three quarters on projects and programs meant to ease the impact of a stronger El Niño weather phenomenon.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told reporters that the interagency El Niño Task Force would seek approval from President Benigno S. Aquino III for the proposed budget probably within this week.

He said implementing

agencies would need about P7.5 billion this quarter, while the remaining P11.7 billion will be allotted for the first half of 2016.

Citing the weather bureau, Balisacan said El Niño would peak starting December until February and its impact is expected to last until June next year.

“These are still very, very tentative; these are indicative amounts that would be discussed with the agencies.

They will be further validated, have gone through initial

screening already but as we go through the implementation, they will undergo further vetting and validation,” he said.

Balisacan, also the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) directorgeneral, identified some of the planned projects aimed to cushion the impact of El Niño, including those related to water demand and supply management. “ We h a v e w a t e r management (project) for farm production through DA

“HAPPY 101st FOUNDATION DAY” and KAAMULAN FESTIVAL 2015 Greetings from:

HON. AZUCENA P. HUERVAS City Mayor of Valencia Valencia City, Bukidnon

(Department of Agriculture), NIA (National Irrigation Administration) and DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). They would need P1.75 billion in the next quarter; they would need P2 billion in the next two quarters of 2016,” he said.

The NEDA chief added the task force was also working on the possibility of mobilizing cash-for-work program which would provide additional sources of income for households and farmers who would get less or no income because of El Niño.

Balisacan said the task force also planned to introduce a food stamp program intended

for areas that might be affected by the drought.

“If there are vulnerable groups and consumers and households who are not producers, and who may not be in a position to work (because) of circumstances or locations, food stamp might be the appropriate intervention instrument for them,” he said.

The task force is looking to spend P3.2 billion on the food stamp intervention which will be implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), he added.

Further, Balisacan said a P10.2-billion spending

for the next three quarters ha d b e e n pl an ne d for identified projects by the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, NIA, DSWD and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

He said 66 provinces are expected to suffer severe drought until the second quarter of 2016.

There are c ur rent ly seven provinces already experiencing drought conditions, namely Quirino, Aurora, Quezon, Bohol, Siquijor, Camiguin and Misamis Oriental.

DOLE releases P1.4M from TUPAD, cultured mushroom project MAMBAJAO, Camiguin -The Department of Labor and Employment, Regional Office No. 10 (DOLE-10) released the amount of P1,440,800.00 to the Provincial Government of Camiguin under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating mga Displaced/ Disadvantaged Workers Program (TUPAD) and the enhancement of the Cultured Mushroom Project on 30 September 2015 held in the Camiguin Convention

Center.

The amount was released through DOLE’s Camiguin Provincial Field Office (Cam PFO).

Cam PFO head, Arlyn Z. Bael explained that the P1,000,000.00 is for the payment of wages of the 328 TUPAD beneficiaries.

“Meanwhile, the P440,800.00 is for t he enhancement of the Cultured Mushroom Project of Barangay Tagdo of the

municipality, benefiting 30 beneficiaries,” she added.

DOLE-10 Regional Director R aymundo G. Agravante said TUPAD is under DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) mainly for the unemployed poor.

This will provide shortterm wage employment as their immediate source of income and their families. dole/PAGE 10

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Gov. Emano submits 2016 budget M i s a m i s Oriental Gov. Bambi Emano submitted the 2016 budget to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) as required by the local

government code and despite election related distractions, Friday.

Section 318 of the Local Government Code mandates that the last day for the submission of proposed budgets is

October 16 every year.

Called the “executive budget” until approved by the legislative body of the province, it has a total appropriation of some P2,031,553,096.00.

“It is a lean budget; an

honest reflection of what the province can afford without sacrificing basic services,” Gov. Emano said.

The top five (5) budgetary allocations are still on the

ALLIANCE OF FRIENDS – VICE PRESIDENT JEJOMAR C. BINAY greets GOVERNOR BAMBI B. EMANO and VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ during his recent visit in the Province of Misamis Oriental to launch the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in Mindanao. In the local political scene, both Governor Emano and Vice Governor Pelaez have already filed their respective Certificates of Candidacy last October 12, 2015, the first day of filing according to COMELEC rules, seeking reelection for their respective positions in the Province. Vice President Binay has also filed his Certificate of Candidacy for President of the country on the same day, setting the record as the first who did so among the presidentiables consistent with the acronym UNA of his party.

BOOK DISTRIBUTION IN BSU-GINGOOG CITY WITH KATYA SANTOS – VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ continues to distribute the books donated

by Children International Philippines, Inc. to the Bukidnon State University-Gingoog City External Studies Center (BSU-GCESC).

He surprised the students when he brought with him actress Ms. Katya Santos of ABS-CBN’s Dream Dad teleserye.

Miss Santos also accommodated the requests of the teachers and students for a photo opportunity with her.

Also present are former Provincial Board Member JIGJAG PELAEZ, Provincial Board Member SUSAN LAGBAS, BSU-GCESC Administrator EVELYN CAÑOSA and the faculty and staff of the school, among others.

priority programs of the Governor that include infrastructure development, economic enhancement programs, health and social services, staff development and livelihood promotion programs.

Several appropriated amount in t he 2016 budget will still go to the payment of some parts of the debt left by the former administration which totaled to some P1.2 billion.

Through the initiative of the Governor, the province has already paid some P72 million of the statutor y debt incurred by the previous administration.

“We are just being consistent with our set of priorities as outlined at the very start of our terms a few years back,” Gov. Emano added.

It is expected the SP will act on the budget with dispatch through its finance committe headed

by Kag. Jabi Bernaldez, a newly-minted Padayon Pilipino member, the party of the Governor.

T h e G o v e r n o r ’s calendar last week has been full but he always

took some hours daily to meet with his financial managers in order to get the budget done on time.

V i c e G o v. J o e y Pelaez commended the punctual submission of the executive budget to the SP by the Governor.

“This is part of the intriguing personality of the Governor. His being a tickler for details is making our job easier.

Timeframes set by law are not for nothing. I take off my hat to Gov. Bambi,” Vice Gov. Pelaez.

By adhering to the s c h e d u l e , t h e Vi c e Governor added, Gov. Emano shows his great respect for the law as well as for the SP members who also have their own schedule to meet.

Gov. Emano asked the committee of Kag. Bernaldez to expedite the discussoin of the said budget and not be distracted by the 2016 election-related issues.

“All the chaos related to t he el e c t i ons are temporar y. Focus on the task,” the Governor instructed his financial t e am i n on e of t h e meetings. (PIO/MisOr)

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Hurst... from page 4

came to show us how to live that way. Your decision to love and obey Jesus Christ every day is not just so you can live with peace and happiness now; it decides where you’re going to live forever after you die: in Heaven or Hell. In complete happiness and peace with your Creator and Christian family, or in total pain and suffering without Him. Jesus Himself said it’s that simple and serious. So for your own sake, today, won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you and take complete charge of your life everyday? Before it’s too

late and you’ve missed the biggest deadline of your life.

Just Think a Minute…

CebuPac... from page 6

the United Arab Emirates and Australia and is preparing for direct flights to Honolulu and Guam.

The airline’s f leet is composed of 10 Airbus A319, 31 Airbus A320, six Airbus A330 and eight ATR-72 500 aircraft. Between 2015 and 2021, it will take delivery of seven new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 16 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

The company reported a first-half net profit of P5.2

billion, up 63.65% from a year earlier. Operating revenue improved by 10.44% to P29.51 billion.

Stake... from page 6

After the exercise of the call option, ALI became MCT’s biggest shareholder after Mr. Goh reduced his stake to 27.21% from 42.68% and Mr. Tong’s stake fell to 14.65% from 22.98%, according to a disclosure to Bursa Malaysia.

The move to buy more s h a r e s “a f f i r m s A L I ’s confidence in MCT’s solid track record in project execution and business

“HAPPY 101st FOUNDATION DAY” and KAAMULAN FESTIVAL 2015 Greetings from:

PSSUPT. EDGAR M. DANIEL JR. Provincial Director Malaybalay City, Bukidnon

strategy,” Ayala Land said.

Ay a l a L a n d s a i d i t cont inues to s cout for opportunities in Southeast Asia, singling out Vietnam in particular.

DOLE... from page 8

Meanwhile, Bael said D OLE will ensure the beneficiaries will be provided with employability enhancement trainings and prepare them for another e mp l o y m e nt a f t e r t h e completion of the project.

The project will also provide social protection for the beneficiaries from the risks in employment.

Kabuhayan Program, also under the DILEEP, grants assistance on the livelihood capacity-building for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers.

It provides working capital solely for the purchase of equipment, tools and jigs, raw materials, among others, to be used in their livelihood undertakings.

Representing Governor Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo was lawyer Frances Margaret Aparte who supports DOLE programs.

“We are very thankful that DOLE gave us funds for employment which will be a great help for the constituents of Camiguin to augment their income,” said Aparte.

T h e e mpl oy m e nt of TUPAD will start on 5, 10, 12, 14-15 October for the

five municipalities of the province. (Jovelyn V. Perez/ DOLE-X Camiguin PFO)

earnings in the January to June period, up 16% from the year-ago level of P8 billion.

BPI...

Carbon...

BPI processes around P12.6 bi llion wor t h of transactions on the average per month.

Apart from its current services, BPI is also looking to expand its offerings in mobi le b an k ing to t ap more merchants for its bills payments, among others, and come up with new features “every quarter.”

“We want our mobile banking to be a one-stop shop for anything BPI. Looking at the profile of our clients, more and more want faster transactions, less and less would want to go to branches. On our side, there’s also operation efficiency,” Mr. Gatuslao said.

From providing services, physical bank branches could now extend to doing more cross-selling, he added.

BPI said in a separate statement that The Asian Banker recently recognized the lender for Best Mobile Banking in the Philippines.

The Ayala-led bank also received the Best Electronic Delivery Channel award from the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines.

The listed lender’s secondquarter income growth boosted the its first-half performance, with the bank posting P9.3 billion in net

But it’s particularly the case at the moment because many have already used a lot of their fiscal buffers... and are always in need of some fiscal buffers in order to fight the next crisis,” she said.

Lagarde urged governments to tax carbon emissions rather than rely on emissions trading, a competing system already in place in Europe in which governments essentially issue permits to pollute that can then be traded on an open market.

“I know that a lot of people would rather do emissions trading systems, but we believe that carbon taxation would be a lot better,” she said.

Lagarde said revenues from carbon taxes could contribute to rich nations’ funding target of $100 billion a year by 2020 to help poorer nations fight the impacts of climate change.

The world was still $38 billion short of that target last year, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said in a new report.

Lagarde said it was also the “right moment” to eliminate energy subsidies, which the IMF says will cost the world $5.3 trillion this year -- 6.5 percent of the global economy.

from page 7

from page 7

Ang kaamulan festival mao ang panag-tigom, pagsa-ulog ug pag-hinumdom sa atong tradisyon ug kultura diri sa atong probinsya sa bukidnon. Ge-aghat ug gedapit ko ang tanang katawhan sa pag-duyog, pag- tambong ug pagsaksi sa ma-ong celebrasyon aron inyong makit-an ang nagkada-iyang pasundayag nga moholagway sa ka-nindot sa atong kultura ug tradisyon diri sa atong pinalanggang probinsya. Ako manghina-ot sa malinawon ug malipayong pagsa-ulog sa kaamulan festival sa atong probinsya sa bukidnon. Pagtimbaya gikan sa inyong pinalanggang bise mayor sa syudad sa Valencia Nonoy P. Laviña, ug uban sa akong tibo-ok banay sa pamilya.

Greetings from:

Hon. Rolando “Nonoy” P. Laviña City Vice Mayor of Valencia Valencia City, Bukidnon

CIVIL SERVICE MONTH CELEBRATION * AWARDED BEST DEPARTMENT – SANGGUNIANG PANGLUNGSOD OFFICE. * AWARDED LONGEST SERVING OFFICIALS - VICE MAYOR – HON. ROLANDO P. LAVIÑA * SANGGUNIANG PANGLUNGSOD OFFICE CONTENDOR FOR REGIONAL LOCAL LEGISTATIVE AWARD 2015 * WINNER IN PROVINCIAL EVALUATION CONTENDER FOR REGIONAL EVALUATION.

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Power... from page 1

Development Authority.

“The [NGCP] has assured us,” said Mr. Montenegro, adding that the no-brownout guarante e includes t he elections, which are scheduled for May 9, 2016.

Based on the latest forecast of the State weather agency issued Sept. 30, the current El Niño could “further strengthen and is likely to persist until the second quarter of 2016.”

Bryan H. Diosma, MPMC technical head, said the expected supply deficiency during El Niño is about 128 megawatts (MW), which can be covered by power plants embedded in the distribution utilities.

“If the deficiency does not go beyond 200 MW, it can be covered by the embedded plants,” Mr. Diosma told BusinessWeek Mindanao.

He pointed out that by March, even when the dry spell reaches its peak and with demand projected at 1,600 MW, Mindanao could have a surplus of about 300 MW with the entry of new coal-fired power plants.

As of yesterday, the Mindanao grid had a reserve of 95 MW out of a system capacity of 1,570 MW, based on the NGCP Web site.

The first among the new power projects to go online last month was the first 150MW unit of Therma South, Inc. (TSI).

Other plants that are expected to be operational in the coming months until June 2016 are: the second 150-MW unit of TSI; the first 100-MW unit of Sarangani Energy Corp., which is now in the commissioning stage; the first 150-MW of SMC Global Power Holdings, Inc. in March and the second unit in June; and the first 105-MW unit out of three units of FDC Utilities, Inc. HYDROPOWER PLANTS M r. D i o s m a a l s o explained that the water level at the two governmentrun hydroelectric power complexes -- the Agus in Lanao del Sur and the Pulangi in Bukidnon -- would have to be managed efficiently to ensure the generation facilities keep running.

“The hydroelectric power plants need to be managed in order that when the dry spell takes place, they will have enough water,” Mr. Diosma said.

He a d d e d t h a t t h e hydropower plants have been slowly put under “economy shutdown” to reduce the water used. The Agus and Pulangi plants have a combined installed capacity of 982 MW, but this could go down to as much as 352 MW with the continued drought.

“Mindanao will still enough power when all the committed power plants come on board,” Mr. Diosma said.

During the dr y spell in 2010, many parts of Mindanao, which at that time was sourcing about 70% of its power requirements

from the two hydroelectric plants, experienced up to eight hours of daily rotational brownouts.

Funding...

from page 1 and in reinforcing in-house capacity-building.

“Scope of works for the winning bidder will include the hydropower potential assessment of workable river basins in the SPUG areas,” the power firm said.

It s h a l l a l s o c o v e r preliminary screening “to identify the more attractive hydropower projects and schemes, and technoeconomic evaluation of the proposed projects to determine their technical, economic and financial viability including their social and environmental acceptability.”

As specified, the study shall be completed within a period of 15 months “from the date of receipt of the notice to proceed of the winning bidder.”

Sta. Rita has reckoned that the study will underpin “the overall roadmap of the countr y towards power efficiency and sustainability” and also very much aligned w it h t he obj e c t ive s of rene wable energ y (RE) technology deployments along off-grid areas.

The power firm has added that the study will “examine available financing options that can be used to implement the identified hydropower projects.”

NPC vice president for power engineering and ser vices Katambayan S. Celino has noted that “the study shall have nationwide coverage beginning with islands that have river basins with significant potential for hydropower.”

DTI... from page 1

right to information, right to choose, right to representation, education and healthy environment, among others. In a nutshell, he said that if product is defective, consumer has the right to refund, replacement and repair.

In celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month this October with the theme “Consumer Protection in t h e A S E A N E c on om i c Community,” DTI together with the private sector and CONSUMERNET, a group composed of 16 national front line agencies in region 10 have come up wit h activities to promote welfare of consumers.

Atty. Brillantes s aid that consumer protection must be upheld especially

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 10th Judicial Region Cagayan de Oro City NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE, EJF FILE NO. 2015-227 FINANCE CORP., (NHMFC),

Mortgagee, -versus- FOR : EJF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 GAUDENCIO R. BACABIS JR., married to MARVELYN B. BACABIS Mortgagors.

X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -/ SHERIFF’S NOTICE OF SALE Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under ACT 3135 as amended filed by NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE FINANCE CORPORATION., mortgagee, against SPS. GAUDENCIO and MARVELYN BACABIS, mortgagors, resident of VILLAMAR SUBDIVISION, Lot 18, Block 16, Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of May 31, 2014, amounts to (P 701,384.38) excluding penalties, charges, attorneys fees and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned Sheriff will sell at Public Auction on November 16, 2015 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter at the main entrance of the Tourism Hall, City Hall Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder, for CASH and in Philippine Currency, the properties with all its improvements to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T – 72810 A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot 18, Block 16, Pcs-104305001035, being a portion of Lot 6631, Cad-237, Cagayan Cadastre, Lot 24235-F, Psd-10-005313, Lot 1, Lot2, Pcs-10-000059) situated in the Barrio of Iponan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao. Bounded on the N., along line 1-2 by Lot 17 of Block 16, of the Consolidationsubdivision plan Pcs-104305-001035, on the E., along line 2-3 by Lot 3632-B, Cad-10-0000647-D; on the S., along line 3-4 by Lot 19, also of Block 16. Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT (168) square meters more or less.

Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves, in the event of Auction Sale cannot take place for whatever legal reason the sale will proceed on the following day, without further notice, posting and publication, the title here in above describe and encumbrance thereon, if any there be.

Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, October 9, 2015 (SGD.) TERESITO C. ESTENZO

Sheriff IV BWM: Oct. 19, 26 & Nov. 2, 2015

in the ASEAN integration.

Consumer rights must not be lessened and make sure products have high quality and proven safe since there will be freer flow of goods and as member of ASEAN, complaints will be easily endorsed to other ASEAN country.

He said this collaboration with different line agencies is so important to have synergy to protect consumers especially on resolution of complaints, since after all consumer welfare is not just the business of DTI but everyone’s.

F i rst a c t iv it y w as a motorcade around Cagayan de Oro City and two more upcoming activities are the Regional Quiz Bee for high school students and awarding of DTI BAGWIS to establishments with excellent customer service and laws compliant.

Meanwhile, Natalie Igot of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and president of ConsumerNet region 10 said that aside from these activities, they will also have Mangrove Clean Up on 16 October 2015 in Taytay, Elsalvador in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Environment Management Bureau (EMB).

Igot said that there is a

big connection of consumers and the environment. She said we cannot have just the business side such as factories because we are part of the environment. So part of the goals of ConsumerNet is greening and clean up.

In terms of education, she said CHED aims to deliver quality education through identifying and awarding schools with competencies.

Igot said that in every five years, CHED give recognition to schools whether they fall under Center of Excellence or Center of Development.

The difference, she said, is with the rating. For ratings 95 and up, schools will get Center of Excellence while a rating of 80-90 will get Center of Development where they are dubbed leaders of the industry. This recognition will also assure parents of the quality education and service for their children.

However, she emphasized that these recognition is field specific. In region 10, Center of Excellence is awarded to Central Mindanao University (CMU) in the field of Agriculture, Veterinary, and Forestry; while Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technolog y (MSU-IIT) for fields in Biology, Chemistry and Math.

For Center of Development, Xavier Univeristy (XU) was awarded

11

2014 ppi’S Best in ENVIRONMENTAL Reporting

in the field of Agriculture, C hemic a l Eng ine er ing , Civil Engineering Literature Studies, Education and Electrical Engineering; MSUIIT for Civil Engineering, Physics and Information Technology; CMU for Biology and Math; Capitol University and Cagayan de Oro College for Criminology; Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) for Math and Electrical Engineering and MSU Naawan for Marine Biology.

Igot said this list is up to December 2015 only and next year, they will have a new list again. (JMORucat/PIA10)

Unity... from page 2

the Bangsamoro and the Filipino people to take the side of justice and be united to strongly support the President of the Philippines and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) towards finding final, just and lasting solution to the Bangsamoro question.

“Under t his pres ent situation of the peace process, we realized and feel dutybound to strengthen and consolidate our unity and our people under the blessings of universal brotherhood for the common good and interest of all,” both fronts emphasized. (OPAPP)

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Oro Best Expo 2015 at Limketkai Center N

Story and Photos by MARK FRANCISCO, Lifestyle Editor

OW on its eighth year, Oro Best Expo 2015 netted a total of 40 exhibitors from the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in this part of Mindanao.

Shortened from Cagayan de Oro Business Enterprises, Services and Trade Exposition, the exhibit had a high profile visitor by the names of Antonio Malacuso, commercial attaché of the Italian Embassy and Luca Vezzaro, vice president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

There were also product presentations during the three-day event from October 16 to 18, 2015 at Limketkai Rotunda, Cagayan de Oro City bearing

the theme Promoting Inclusive Growth for a More Competitive and Productive Northern Mindanao.

According to Oro Chamber president Cerael Donggay, Oro Best Expo was conceptualized in 2007 to give chance to small and business enterprises to showcase their products and services in a one-stop yearly roadshow.

“Majority of the business community of Cagayan de Oro and Northern Mindanao are made up of small and medium enterprises.

Usually, these firms rely on their existing contacts.

Thus, they must be provided an avenue to meet new contacts and expand their network,” Donggay said.

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The BB-8 is now available for pre-order at the Globe GEN3 Store Greenbelt and will soon be in all GEN3 Stores nationwide

Globe Telecom has once again upped the Filipino digital lifestyle experience by signing an exclusive deal with Sphero, an industry-leading robotics toy company which creates connected toys that fuse emerging technology with the latest innovations in robotics. Globe is the only Philippine telco to bring the revolutionary Star Wars BB-8 appenabled droid to the country, much to the delight of Filipino Star Wars fans and gadget geeks.

Customers can already pre-order the

Sphero BB-8 at the Globe GEN3 Store in Greenbelt Makati and soon in other GEN3 Stores nationwide.

Offered at P12,499.75, the BB-8 is iOS and Android-compatible, housed in a durable polycarbonate shell and boasts of a Bluetooth smart BLE connection of up to a 100-feet range.

BB-8 was a character first revealed in the first teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in November last year.

BB-8 is an astromech droid, which operates approximate 30 years

The Star Wars BB-8 display at the Globe GEN3 Store in Greenbelt, Makati.

after the Battle of Endor. It has a domed head, similar to the R2 series of astromech droids, with the bulk of its body made up of a ball that the droid rolls on. The BB-8 has something unlike any other robot: an adaptive personality that changes. Based on its user interactions, the BB-8 will show a range of expressions, learn the obstacles in an environment, and even perk up when given voice commands.

Sphero Channel Director for Asia Pacific Aurelien Joly highlighted that “the Disney partnership takes Sphero to the next level” as he showcased the hologram feature of BB-8 similar to R2-D2’s transmission of Princess Leia’s message in Episode IV: A New Hope.

“We are starting the Star Wars fever early in the country as we bring the muchcoveted BB-8 to Filipino fans with our exclusive telco partnership

Welcoming the Star Wars BB-8 at the Globe GEN3 Store in Greenbelt Makati are Globe Retail and Transformation Management Head Joe Caliro (right) and Sphero Channel Director for Asia Pacific Aurelien Joly.

with Sphero. There is so much demand globally for this toy and we are very happy and excited to be carrying it in our Globe GEN3 Stores,” said Joe Caliro, Head for Retail and Transformation Management at Globe. “Starting this month, Star Wars fans can head over to our GEN3 Store in

Greenbelt Makati to pre-order the BB-8 and soon in other GEN3 Stores nationwide.

This is a wonderful experience to kick off the excitement that we all have for the showing of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens this coming December.”

In May this year, Globe signed a comprehensive

and multi-year collaboration with Disney, giving customers access to video-on-demand, interactive content, theatricals, promotions and other related services across multiple devices, thereby affirming its relationship with other Disney brands such as Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel, and Maker.

SCG Training Center opens in Mariwasa Factory

SCG TRAINING CENTER OPENS. Inauguration and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies of SCG Training Center in MARIWASA SIAM CERAMICS, Inc. factory in Sto. Tomas, Batangas held last 28th July 2015. (From left to right) Ms. Emilie Maramag, VP-Finance & Adminstration, Hon. Edna P. Sanchez, Mayor of Sto. Tomas, Batangas, Mr. Phaskorn Buranawit, SCG Philippines Country Director and President, Mr. Piyarat Promtong, VP-Manufacturing, Mr. Jakkrit Suwansilp, VP-Sales & Marketing and Mr. Gerardo Mercado, Training Administrator of TESDA-RTC CALABARZON

SCG TRAINING CENTER located in MARIWASA SIAM CERAMICS, INC. factory in Sto. Tomas, Batangas

The TESDAaccredited SCG Training Center officially opens following an inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremonies last July in Mariwasa factory.

The said training facility is a joint project of Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc. (MSC), the country’s leading tile maker and SCG, one of Southeast Asia’s leading industrial conglomerate and MSC’s parent company.

SCG Training Center is the first of its kind outside SCG’s headquarters in Thailand. The training center aims to develop skills related to construction such as installation of building products such as tiles, roofing, bathroom, wall and ceiling as well as to enhance service skills of SCG and Mariwasa frontilners or sales personnel

in dealership. The short training course is TESDA-accredited and will be offered to select contractors, construction workers, specifiers, SCG employees and SCG frontliners. Upon completion of the course, trainees can increase their chances into landing a more rewarding job and enhance the quality of their lives and their families. As part of Mariwasa and SCG’s commitment to social responsibility, the training courses are offered free of charge.

“We believe that education is the key for sustainable growth, especially with the ASEAN integration challenging the productivity fundamentals of the industry sector, this has led our organization to develop the SCG Training Cente , an educational support

assistance initiative for all stakeholders we engaged with”, said Mr. Phaskorn Buranawit, SCG Philippines Country Director and President of Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc. during the inauguration ceremony.

Training will begin this month and is expected to impart skills to over 100 trainees before the year ends. ”With our common vision of fostering social development in the Philippines, I hope we continue to bring alternative avenue of developing talents and helping out- ofschool youth in our society to learn trade skills we can offer”, added Mr. Buranawit.

The opening of SCG Training is part of multi-activity kickoff celebration of Mariwasa brand’s 50th anniversary in 2016.

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monday|october 19, 2015

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

YOUR Mindanao-wide BUSINESS NEWSPAPER monday | OCTOBER 19, 2015

EMPRESS M

by

Michelle Francisco

www.EmpressMichelleFrancisco.com

T

aking you to Hong Kong with my article today. Visited one of my favorite destinations two weeks ago with my husband, Elmer, and my son, Dominic. I remember submitting my last article early because I had to leave town. I’m the type of person who plans and I make sure that everything is in order before I leave.

It’s a vacation that the family was excited about.

It’s been long overdue.

Before the trip, we were all excited to have fun, eat, shop and go to Disneyland.

And, so we did. So happy and grateful for this fun vacation.

If you haven’t brought your family yet out of the

​Love the lights at night

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Hong Kong Is Always Fun

Philippines, then I suggest that make Hong Kong your first out of the country trip.

Why? Because it’s just so near from The Philippines (only a two hour flight), you don’t need a VISA, the costs of the flights are reasonable with all the promo fares right now, there are so many flights in a day, you get to eat good food, see nice places, visit Disneyland and enjoy shopping all in one place. You can also take a side trip to Macau. Just take the ferry early in the morning, go around Macau and go back to Hong Kong late at night. A day trip is enough.

I don’t suggest joining a tour because it will just eat up your whole day. Besides,

it is so easy to go around Hong Kong. Just take a map from a rack in the airport with a list of tourist attractions and you can just take the taxi or subway going to places since public transportation in Hong Kong is very efficient and safe. With this set-up, you will have a complete control of your time. But if you’re not the type who’s into reading maps or you get lost with subways or you don’t speak English or Chinese, then you might as well join the tour.

There are also so many hotels to choose from.

From luxury to budget hotels, you can just choose whichever is best for you and your budget. We stay at The Peninsula Hotel. The grandeur of this place is something that my family love. They have beautiful and clean rooms, great location that you can just walk going to the shopping area, great service and good food. It’s always nice to relax on vacations so I believe that staying in a nice hotel is an important part of the vacation.

When you visit Hong Kong, I suggest you visit this Michelin Star restaurant, Din Tai Fung, at their Tsim Sha Tsui branch.

Very good food. Their Xiao Long Bao, Buns, Noodles, Steamed Dumplings and desserts are all so good.

You can also check online before your trip so that you could choose from the top restaurants that you want to try. We also love the afternoon tea buffets at Cova in Harbour City Mall.

We also love eating Chinese food at the restaurants in nice hotels. But of course when it’s too tiring to go out after a long day of walk, there’s always room service.

Of course, shopping!

I love shopping in Hong Kong because there’re just so many brands to choose from. I usually just go around Harbour City, Lane Crawford and The Peninsula Hotel shops. Those are my Top 3 shopping places.

Never leave Hong Kong without visiting Disneyland.

It’s the best theme park in the Universe! Well, the one in Hong Kong is smaller than the other Disneyland theme parks but it’s still so much fun there. And the lines are not that long unlike the other Disneyland theme parks. I suggest that you go early upon opening so that you have the whole day to watch all the shows, have your photos taken with the characters and enjoy all the rides. Remember to get a park map and guide from a rack so that you will see the showing times of the attractions like Festival of the Lion King, Frozen, Mystic Manor, etc.

Room service for breakfast at The Peninsula Hotel

You will have to be at the attraction venue at least 20 minutes before so that you could surely get in for that schedule; otherwise, you will have to wait for the next schedule which will surely eat up your time. Check out also the photo op schedules of the Disney characters all over the park. It is also highly advisable to experience the parade. One thing that I also look forward to visiting this theme park is the food. Did you know that one of my favorite fried chickens could be found at Tomorrowland beside the Buzz Lightyear ride?

So good! Tasty and Crispy.

They also have the best Mango Pudding, caramel popcorn and ice creams!

Save some time as well for shopping and fireworks before they close. So yes, one whole day is enough.

It’s best to visit Disneyland during winter time because

since you would walk the whole day, it’s better when the weather is cold than hot.

If it’s summer and the Sun is too hot, you would easily get tired. Such a magical place.

So, plan that family trip now. Start checking out plane tickets, theme park tickets (Disneyland costs around Php3,000 per adult but costs a little less for children, senior citizens and PWDs) and check out some hotels so that you will have an idea how much you will be spending and still have time to save money. Go out there and have fun with life!

Live life to the fullest!

One of my favorite Walt Disney quotes… “All out dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

For more photos from this trip, visit my website www.

EmpressMichelleFrancisco. com

M

Love,

You can follow me at the following social media: https://www.facebook.com/EmpressMCF https://instagram.com/empressmichellefrancisco Disneyland

Din Tai Fung

https://twitter.com/empressmcf