BusinessWeek Mindanao (October 30, 2013)

INSIDE LOOK

Apple’s earnings beat forecast: But gross margin disappoints market

Economy

PAGE 14

Wendy’s in expansion binge, eyes to triple store by 2016 Corporate World

PDS, Bank of China setting up renminbi transfer service

PAGE 16

Banking & Finance

PAGE 17

Red Cross and DHL join hands for volunteerism Billboard

MINDANAO DAILY NEWS SECOND SECTION

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Huge climb in X X biz rating boosts Briefly jobs creation T

Market Indicators FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P43.15

6,543.46 points

10 cents

3.67 points

Coco farmers

POTENTIAL coconut based agrarian reform communities (ARCs) will soon benefit from the Kaanib Enterprise Development Projec t (KEDP), an integrated resource-ser vice convergence approach which seeks on increasing farm productivity and income of small coconut farming communities.

The Department of Agrarian Reform in Region 10 (DAR-10) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) initiated a joint consultative meeting recently with the coconutbased agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) to identify and prioritize potential areas for coconut plantation as well as other existing plantations to develop within its ARCs. S i m i l a r l y, t h e A g r a r i a n Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) will also provide strategic and sustainable support services to the beneficiaries.

For Inquiries: Call or Text : (02) 577-3812

09178445981 Email: care@rejuvginseng.com Website: www.rejuvginseng.com

IN-DEPTH

As of 6:10 pm oct. 29, 2013 (Tuesday)

HE thirty notches jump of the Philippines in the latest “Ease of Doing Business’ report of World Bank and International Finance Corp.” was seen to significantly improve the country’s employment situation.

Motoo Konishi, Word Ba n k Cou nt r y Director for Philippines, said the major climb, which shows improvement of business policies, will attract more local and foreign investors to job/PAGE 23

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Wednesday - October 30, 2013

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Environment

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BusinessWeek MINDANAO CREDIBLE

Tourism biz plan pushed for tarsiers in S. Cotabato town

Page 13

WB defends business rankings in latest report THE World Bank said on Monday that its scorecard on t he e a s e of doi ng business around the world has spurred thousands of regulatory reforms in the past decade, pushing back against critics who argue t he nat iona l ra n k i ngs stigmatize rat her t han inspire.

In its latest “Doing Bu si ne s s” re p or t , t he bank said Ukraine was the country that has improved the most over the past year in making it easier to run a business, while Rwanda was most improved since 2005. Singapore retained its No. 1 spot in overall

rankings for the eighth straight year, followed by Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United States.

The report judges 189 countries on 10 criteria, such as ease of opening a business or paying taxes, and assigns each country a rank. Since their inception in 2003, the rankings have come to carry a huge weight with governments eager to attract private enterprise.

I n fac t , t he re p or t has directly inspired or informed about a quarter of the 2,100 regulatory changes tracked since 2003, said the World Bank, whose rankings/PAGE 23

Davao to study bulk water supply plan

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

Invention fair THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST-XI) has invited interested professionals and students with research projects and inventions to join in the 2013 Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit (RICE 2013) slated on November 19-21, 2013 at SM City Davao.

In DOST-XI’s emailed invitation, the agency called on professionals and students in groups or individuals to bring their entries on research projects, inventions, prototypes, industrial designs and software applications related to science, technology, engineering, medicine, health and the environment.

The deadline for the submission of entries is on November 13, 2013.

T h e D O S T-Te c h n o l o g y Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) is in cooperation with the Davao Inventors Association (DIA) and the Davao Region Industry, Energy and Emerging Technologies Research and Development Consortium (DRIEERDC) in the holding of the RICE 2013 at the SM City Davao Events Center, SM Annex, Ecoland, this city.

FRESH CATCH. Fish dealers in Barangay New Argao, Malita town, Davao del Sur, weigh a malasugue or blue marlin on Monday. Locally known as marang, the fish weighs 63 kilograms and will be sold in General Santos City. mindanews photo by ruby thursday

Disorder, money rule village polls: group

By WALTER I. BALANE, MindaNews

M A L AY BA L AY C it y – Disorder a nd money politics marked the conduct of the barangay elections on Monday and on events that happened during the

campaign, an advocacy group said.

“Genera l ly t he pol ls showed a lot of disorder,” Emma Molina, chair of Barog Disorder/PAGE 23

Mindanao Daily NEWS

DAVAO City -- The Davao City Water District will start evaluating a proposed bulk water supply plan a c on s t r u c t ion f i r m h a s submitted in the development of the Tamugan River as a surface water source.

Imelda T. Magsuci, water district spokesperson, said the decision to evaluate a proposal filed by JVA Angeles

Construction Corp. to tap the river as a surface water source came after the Office of the Government Corporate Council released an opinion that the proponent would just have to match the pricing of a winning bidder for it to bag the project.

The evaluation of the proposal was stalled, she Water/PAGE 23 VOTE-BUYING. A candidate’s bagman distributing money to voters in Sitio Payawan 1, Barangay Luna, Surigao City on Sunday afternoon, eve of the Barangay elections, in what is known as “tili-tili” (literally driz zle or light rain but which has come to mean as “vote-buying” during elections). mindanews photo by

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roel n . catoto

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Editor : Cheng Ordoñez , e-mail- cheng.ordonez@gmail.com

Singapore Exchange to launch Asian foreign exchange futures

SINGAPORE -- Singapore Exchange is launching Asian foreign exchange futures for some of the Asian currencies from Nov. 11 this year, it said late Monday.

The foreign exchange futures will cover deliverable and non-deliverable Asian currencies. They will include

six currency pairs initially, namely, AUD/USD, AUD/ JPY, USD/SGD, INR/USD, KRW/USD and KRW/JPY. The introduction of the foreign exchange futures is in line with the global G20 reg u lator y reforms where a l l st a nd a rd i z ed launch/PAGE 21

Economy

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Philippines up 25 notches in Doing Business Report 2014 MANILA – The Philippines surged 25 notches higher in the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Report 2014 of the World Bank (WB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), ranking 108th among 189 economies from last year’s 133rd place.

The WB and IMF report said the Philippines is one of the most improved economies in EODB report along with Ukraine, Rwanda, Russian

Federation, Kosovo, Djibouti, Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Guatemala.

T he EODB Repor t

measures regulations of the country affecting its local firms through 10 indices including Starting a Business, Dealing with Construction Permits, Getting Electricity, Registering Property, Getting Credit, Protecting Investors, Paying Taxes, Trading Across Borders, Enforcing Contracts, and Resolving Insolvency.

The country’s ranking

in seven out of 10 indices increased; two of the indices decreased; and one index has no change in ranking.

Meanwhile, Singapore remains its highest rank in EODB Report 2014 followed

by Hong Kong, New Zealand, United States, Denmark, Ma laysia, Sout h Korea, Georgia, Norway, and United Kingdom. (PNA)

NGCP: Continued Apple’s earnings beat forecasts power supply But gross margin guidance disappoints market NEW YORK -- Apple Inc. vis-à-vis Mond ay a n nou nced it s for t he four t h brgy polls earnings quarter of 2013 fiscal year MANILA -- The National Grid Corporation of the Phi l ippi nes (NG CP) on Monday assured continued power supply u nt i l t he completion of the canvassing of votes for the barangay (village) elections.

I n a s t at e me nt , t he grid operator said it has activated the full operations of its over-all and regional command centers in its head office in Diliman, Quezon City as well as the satellite of f ices in Nor t h Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao since 6am last Saturday.

NGCP/PAGE 21

af ter the market closed, which showed the company’s revenue and prof it beat ex pec tat ions, but g ross margin guidance for the next quarter fell short of market estimates.

The company posted quarterly revenue of US$ 37.5 billion, higher than the $ 36 billion a year ago.

The company’s quarterly net prof it reached $ 7.5 billion, or $ 8.26 per diluted share, lower than the $ 8.2 billion, or $ 8.67 per diluted share a year earlier, but better than the market’s expectation of $ 36.93 billion and $ 7.96 a share.

However, gross margin guidance for its first quarter of 2014 fiscal year provided

by Apple stood between 36.5 percent and 37.5 percent, lower than the forecast of 37.9 percent. Its gross margin was 37 percent in the fourth quarter, compared to 40 percent in the same quarter of last year.

The company sold 33.8 million iPhones, compared to 26.9 million a year earlier.

Apple also sold 14.1 million iPads and 4.6 million Macs during the quarter, both more than the same period of last year.

“We’re pleased to report a strong finish to an amazing gross/PAGE 21

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AMENITIES : ZORBIT * ATV * TREE TOP ADVENTURE BUGGY * BUNGEE * PICNIC GROUNDS PLAYGROUND * CAFE * LUGE * MINI GOLF * ROOM ACCOMODATIONS

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CorporateWorld

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Wendy’s in expansion binge, eyes to triple store by 2016 T H E LOCA L f ra nch ise holder of American fastfood giant Wendy’s is launching an aggressive expansion program next year that will nearly triple its existing store count by 2016.

“We need to hit 100 stores by 2016. We will go full blast in franchising next year. That is the fastest way to grow,” Wenphil Corp. Chairperson Elizabet h Pardo-Orbeta said in an interview last Wednesday.

The Wendy’s Co., the Ohio-based franchiser of the international fastfood chain, last year allowed Wenphil to sub-franchise, making it the first among the franchisees to do so.

“We are the only country that is allowed to have a subfranchise. We are still writing the franchising manual for Wendy’s,” Ms. Pardo-Orbeta said.

She added that Wenphil has begun renovating its 34 existing stores in preparation for the franchising, earmarking as much as P8 million per branch.

“After all renovations are done by the first quarter of next year, that is only the

time that we can invite more franchisees. We want to show them the new, beautiful stores we have.”

Ms. Pardo-Orbeta said Wenphil wants to penetrate key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao. Its current stores, as well as those to be built

this year, are all located in Luzon.

The company is looking to end the year with 40 stores, with an investment of P15 million to P18 million per branch, Ms. Pardo-Orbeta said. wendy’s/PAGE 21

A GROU P of Fi l ipi no, Ch i nese a nd Ma laysia n companies is putting up a wind farm in Cebu City next year.

I n a st atement , Jack Rodriguez, Amihan Energy Corp chairman, said it will build a 50-megawatt (MW) wind farm next year.

T he c ap a c it y of t he windmills will be expanded to 200 MW in the coming years, “hopefully combining the project with solar power to be able to create a stronger b a s e e n e r g y p r o j e c t ,” Rodriguez said.

The wind power project i s e x p e c te d to s t a r t i n Febr ua r y nex t yea r a nd should be completed in the

middle of 2015.

T he w i nd f a r m w i l l rise on an 18,000-hectare leased lot within Cebu City, Balamban and Toledo City.

Amihan Energ y is composed of Visayan Wind Energy Holdings, Mudajaya Berhad of Ma laysia a nd Dongturbo Electric Co Ltd of China.

The consortium signed t he memorandum of ag reement for t he w ind project last Saturday. The dea l i nvolves a n i n it ia l investment of $180 million for the project.

“Our intention is to make this as one of the largest integrated wind farms in farm/PAGE 21

Rockwell Land Corp bagged a high credit score for its planned P5-billion debt sale.

In a statement, Credit Rating and Investors Services Philippines Inc (CRISP) said it assigned an ‘AA+’ rating on Rockwell Land’s fixed-rate bonds. The Lopez-owned property developer next month will sell the IOUs, which will mature in seven years and a quarter.

CRISP said the ‘AA+’ rating reflects the “borrower’s very strong capacity to repay debt with a low probability of default and a high recovery rate in a worst case scenario.”

In assigning the rating, CRISP noted Rockwell Land’s “very strong presence in

the top segments of the p r o p e r t y d e v e l o p m e nt market, impressive income growth, and prudent fiscal management policy.”

“CR ISP believes t hat Rockwell Land management’s deliberate strategy to focus in the high-end and uppermidd le segments of t he market has provided the c omp a ny a n i mprove d leverage in the competitive p r o p e r t y d e v e l o p m e nt market,” the ratings agency said.

Rockwell Land is the company behind Rockwell Center, an upscale mixedu se com mu n it y t hat is home to seven residential rating/PAGE 21

Cebu’s first wind Rockwell’s P5-B bonds farm eyed in 2014 get high credit rating

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Banking&Finance

PDS, Bank of China setting up renminbi transfer service THE Philippine Dealing System Group (PDS) and Bank of China are putting up infrastructure for renminbi t r a nsfer ser v ice i n t he Philippines.

Ba ng ko Sent ra l ng Pi l ipi nas (BSP) Deput y Governor Diwa Guinigundo said PDS and Bank of China lau nched t he Domest ic Renminbi Transfer Service, which would integrate with the renminbi global payment system.

“We expect this to provide bank members and their clients the facility to execute real-time payments in and transfers of, renminbi to domestic and international counterparties,” Guinigundo said.

Guinig undo said t he facility would encourage more tra nsactions in renminbi, a currency that is gaining significance and generating interest in the global market given China’s role as the world’s second biggest -- and fastest-growing -- economy.

In 2006, the Monetary Board included the renminbi in the list of convertible currencies, encouraging banks to exchange clients’ holdings of the Chinese currency direct ly to Phi l ippi ne pesos a nd c on s e quent ly f ac i l it ate financial transactions of Chinese businessmen and tourists.

I n 2 0 0 8 , t he B o a rd allowed direct conversion of the renminbi in recognition of the currency’s increasing role in trade transactions within the region.

China is the Philippines’ third largest foreign trading

partner, accounting for about 14 percent of total trade as of July this year.

C h i na w a s a l s o t he Philippines’ biggest source of imports at end-July this year, with a 13 percent share or $4.6 billion of the total import bill. This is 23.5 percent higher than the $3.7 billion recorded in the same period in 2012.

Exports to China c o m p r i s e d a b o u t 10 . 5 percent of Philippine goods shipments, rising 26 percent from $381 million in August last year to $480 million this year.

Foreign direct investments (FDI) f rom China have also been rising in the last few years amounting to $2 million in the first seven months of this year, a reversal of the net outf low of $0.08 million recorded last year.

“Considering the magnitude and importance of the country’s transactions w it h C h i n a , it i s on l y appropriate that we have a safe and efficient payment and transfer ser v ice for ren mi nbi,” Gu i nig u ndo said.

There are 11 banks offering ren m i nbi- denom i n ate d

products and services such as deposits, remittances, and trade settlement.

Renminbi-denominated deposit liabilities stood at P3.9 billion or R MB589 million as of December 2012.

From 20 0 9 to 2012 , ren m i nbi deposits rose from 0.05 percent to 0.22 percent of the Philippine banking industry’s deposit liabilities, and comprised around 0.22 percent to 1.04 percent of the total foreign exchange deposit liabilities, respectively.

The ability of renminbi account holders to denominate, settle and clear transaction with parties c ondu c t i n g bu s i ne s s e s in renminbi minimizes exposure to exchange rate f luc t uat ions of a t h i rd currency.

Since the service will use an electronic real-time payment system, this will also be cost efficient since it will reduce the friction cost for renminbi trade payments to/ from clients who settle them in US dollars; and transfer charges of transactions that a lso pass t hrough more intermediaries and manual processes. InterAksyon

THE NEED for mandatory insurance has been underlined by the earthquake that hit the Visayas region, devastating structures from homes to heritage sites, industry players said.

“The earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol and other parts of Visayas is a wakeup call. Now, the public realizes that earthquakes can happen anywhere, anytime,” Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel F. Dooc said.

“Wit h t he recent d i s a s t e r, t h e r e i s a n increasing awareness in our population to secure earthquake insurance. You cannot predict when it will happen, so I t hink t his will be welcomed by our people to know that there is an insurance cover that will protect them against earthquake disaster,” he continued.

A 7. 2 - m a g n i t u d e earthquake jolted the Visayas on Oct. 15, causing P2.2 billion worth of damage to roads, bridges, flood control facilities, schools, hospitals and other public buildings in Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, latest data from

the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed.

More than 45,000 houses were partially destroyed and nearly 13,000 were totally destroyed in those areas along with Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Guimaras, displacing more than 71,000 families in Bohol alone.

T h e Insurance Commission (IC) has been pushing for a bill to make ea r t hqua ke insura nce mandatory for homeowners a nd sma l l a nd medium enterprises (SMEs).

The draft of the bill is still being finalized but the regulator targets to endorse it to a sponsor in Congress before the year ends, Mr. Dooc said.

He ex pla ined t hat while there are earthquake insurance products in the ma rket now, only la rge companies avail of them since coverage is expensive.

“Right now, [insurers] can sell and develop products but mostly, those who buy are industrial property and building owners.”

M a k i n g e a r t hqu a k e insurance mandatory will

distribute its cost across the population, therefore bringing down its prices.

“Right now, it is more expensive than fire insurance and the reason why it is expensive is because of the very few takers,” Mr. Dooc said.

“We need to get the [100%] penetration rate so that we can lower the premium for this product. It’s expensive and it will remain expensive unless we get the desired penetration rate.”

He added that the IC is looking at the possibility of tying the payment of ea r t hqua ke insura nce premiums with the payment of real estate taxes or utility bills.

A s id e f rom m a k i n g insurance coverage more affordable, the other objective of the proposed bill is to t r a n sfer r i sk f rom t he government to the private sector, Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association Chairman Emmanuel R. Que said.

“R i g ht now, on t he earthquake experience in Cebu and Bohol, only 12% is quake/PAGE 21

Visayas quake a ‘wake-up call’

Mindanao Daily 17 NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

Editor : Nelson Constantino , e-mail- nelconstant@gmail.com

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

The

CAGAYANTIMES de Oro

LIFESTYLE

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How times flies, and the engagement continues 30 years after. On October 26, 2013 local volunteers of the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) celebrate Pearl Anniversary of its active existence, remembering the history, evolution, personal stories, Mr. Richie I. Lamosa - Marketing Officer, Mr. Kevin Jorolan and challenges, fulfillment and unyielding spirit of Ellisea Mae P. Cid of BPI are on duty until November 6 to process volunteerism in the existence of civic duties toward the credit card loans at Centrio Ayala Mall. promotion of electoral reforms and protection of suffrage Photo by Glenn Palacio in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental. text by Robert de la Serna & photos by Jett Torres

The Installment Madness of BPI. first time, first ever exhibit for bpi card holders in Cagayan de Oro. The concept is that the card holders will have a bonus limit to buy high priced items from their current credit limit. Partner merchants such as Samsung, Octagon, Sony, Solidmark and so much more have displayed their items on the ground floor of Centrio Ayala Mall.

Photo by Glenn Palacio

MEET THE SELLER. Irene Molina of Valencia City, Bukidnon sits with her "piggybanks" made out of coconut husks, on one of the islets of Gaston Park, Cagayan de Oro City. Ms. Molina sells the coin banks for P150 for the bigger ones and P100 for the smaller ones. She travels to Cagayan de Oro occasionally to sell these items, her main selling area is Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Photo by Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

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The

CAGAYANTIMES de Oro

BILLBOARD

Red Cross and DHL join hands for volunteerism

Mindanao Daily 19 NEWS northmin . westmin . caraga . davao Your Mindanao-wide Community Newspaper

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

(from left): Hope Atienza, Marketing Manager, Regine Chua, Chief Financial Officer, Gavin Conboy, Operations Director, Nurhayati Abdullah, Country Manager, Philippine Red Cross volunteers, Andy Lim, Sales Director, Norberto Dela Cruz, Jr. Sr. Business HR Manager.

M akati , P hilippines — D H L E x p r e s s ( P h i l i p p i n e s) Cor poration in par tnership with the Ph i l i ppi ne Red Cros s, recently launched the G l o b a l Vo l u n t e e r D a y.

The day-long line-up of activities included a b l o o d d o n a t i o n a c t i v i t y, pack ing of relief bags fo r d i st r i bution to com mun ities af fected by the recent floods, clean up and prepa ration of clas s room s fo r the new school yea r in suppo r t of the Depa r tment of E d u c a t i o n’s “ B r i g a d a E s k w e l a ”, a n d t h e do nat i o n of veg etab l e seedlings and seed

packet s fo r th e ben ef it of the Philippine Nationa l Red Cros s a n d t h e We s t R e m b o E l ementa r y Schoo l, r e s p e c t i v e l y.

“This par tnership is ve r y i m po r ta nt to us because it w i l l help us reach out to peop l e in need especially in times of disaster s. These rel ief goods w i l l come in ha ndy w h en we have to r e s p o n d t o c a l a m i t i e s .”

Sa id Be r nadet te V i l l af ue r te, Ph i l i pp i n e R e d C r o s s Vo l u n t e e r.

“Our par tnership with D H L i s ve r y i m po r ta nt to us and to the com mun it y w e s e r v e .”

Cagayan de Oro fashion designer Benjie Manuel and Attorney Sam Tan pose in front of the HIV and Aids gallery in Limketkai Mall. Photo taken during the Flights of Fantasy fashion show at the Limketkai Center, October 27. Photo by Glenn Palacio

CEB offers domestic, international seats as low as P199 for immediate travel

T

he Philippines’ leading low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air (PSE:CEB) holds a select domestic and international seat sale as low as P199, from October 28 to 31, 2013 or until seats last.

Domestic seats on sale are for travel from November 12, 2013 to March 31, 2014. Seats on sale range from P199 to P599, for inter-island routes f rom the ai rli ne’s Cebu, Davao and Iloilo hubs. New routes from Cebu to Masbate, Camiguin and Coron, as well as seats from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi and from Bacolod to Cagayan de Oro, are included in the seat sale.

Inter national seats are also on sale, for travel from December 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. Guests can buy P499 seats from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Siem Reap, Xiamen or Phuket.

Phuket, a destination launched just last August, is a worldrenowned beach paradise in Thailand.

P999 seats are also up for grabs, for those traveling from Manila to Bali, Brunei, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or Taipei. Guests can also buy P1,499 seats from Manila to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakar ta, Macau or Singapore.

CEB is a l so of fe r i ng P2,999 seats from Manila to Dubai, which translates to 60% savings compared to this route’s lowest year-round fare of P4,999. P3,899 seats are also available from Manila to Busan or Incheon.

“We are proud to offer the lowest possible fares this coming holiday season, to continue boosting domestic and foreign travel. We encourage guests to take advantage of

our extensive network when plan ning their vacations, to make the most of their holidays,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog.

Iyog also gave passengers some travel-friendly reminders for the holiday season: BEFORE THE FLIGHT Check in from your home or office with Cebu Pacific’s web check-in service through www.cebupacificair.com .

Remember that CEB allows only one hand car r y bag (maximum weight is 7 kilos).

Purchase your baggage allowance upon booking, with options ranging from 10 to 45 kilos. This lets you save up to 44% as compared to paying excess baggage fees at the airport.

Place easily identifiable markers on your check-in luggage, and hand car r y

valuable items.

DURING CHECK-IN Check in using CEB’s self check-in kiosks available in Philippine airports with Airbus flights.

Make time for expected long lines at the security scanners and immigration.

We encourage guests to be at the airport 3 hours before the flight. CEB counters will close 45 minutes before the scheduled time of departures so we can be ready to depart on time.

Check in umbrellas and liquids, aerosols and gels more than 100ml.

BEFORE BOARDING Be at the boarding gate 30 minutes before the f light’s published time of departure.

Guests will pass through another security check before getting to the boarding gate, so wear shoes that can be easily

removed and avoid wearing belts with metal buckles.

Those still booking flights and planning their holiday itineraries may also sign up to be a CEB Club member through the Cebu Pacif ic website, for seat sale alerts, easy management of flights and travel funds, and a faster booking process. For bookings and inquiries, guests can go to www.cebupacificair.com, or call the reservation hotlines (02)7020-888 or (032)2308888. The latest seat sales can also be found on CEB’s official Twitter and Facebook pages.

In 2013, CEB took delivery of f ive brand-new Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklets, as well as two brandnew Airbus A330 aircraft for long-haul services. Its aircraft f leet is now composed of 47 aircraft, one of the most modern fleets in the world.

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

Editor : Cheng Ordoñez, E-mail: cheng.ordonez@gmail.com

Environment

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Tourism biz plan pushed for tarsiers in S. Cotabato town GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 12 has started crafting a tourism business plan for the development of a proposed tarsier village in Tupi town in South Cotabato.

A l i H a dji n a s s e r, DENR-12’s Protected Area Wildlife and Coastal Zone Ma nagement Ser v ices division chief, said the move is part of the agency’s efforts to help protect and preserve the tarsier sanctuary in Sitio Bagong Silang, Barangay Linan in Tupi.

“The business plan is necessary to facilitate the operation of t he tarsier village as a tourism venture,” the official said.

Hadjinasser said a team

from their office initially conducted data evaluation and assessment in the area as part of the formulation of the tarsier village tourism business plan.

He said they are now formulating the business plan in coordination with the municipal government of Tupi, the barangay council of Linan and some local stakeholders.

The of f icia l said t he business pla n w i l l be tarsiers/PAGE 21

500 marine scientists converge Tropical depression ‘Vinta’ enters PHL for 12th PAMS National Confab TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – The Philippine Association of Marine Scientists (PAMS) has finally reached Eastern Visayas for the first time through the efforts of PAMS President Dr. Margarita Dela Cruz who hails from University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College.

More than 500 Philippine marine scientists, academe, coastal managers, national gover n ment agencies, nat iona l government organizations, development partners, researchers and marine science students all over the countr y are participating in the three-day 12th National Conference/Symposium on Marine Science under the theme “ Marine Biodiversity C on s er v at ion : Ke y for

Sustaining Ecosystem Goods and Services”.

PA MS President Dr. Margarita T. Dela Cruz underscored the significance of the convergence for it will serve as the venue for sha r i ng k nowledge a nd e x p er ienc e s of m a r i ne s c i e nt i s t s , r e s e a rc h e r s a nd ot her sta keholders on the present state and management of biodiversity not only in the region but the whole country as well.

More than 300 research p ap e r s /s t u d ie s w i l l b e presented by the researchers duri ng t he t hree-day c on ferenc e on v a r iou s topics ranging from the conser vat ion of ma rine resources, issues affecting marine biodiversity and its impact to human life,

Aftershocks now at 3,019 – Phivolcs MANILA -- The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday announced that aftershocks from the Oct. 15 7.2-magnitude earthquake has now reached the 3,109 mark.

The NDRRMC said that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) earlier said that aftershocks may continue for weeks after the quake, but would eventually become less frequent.

The NDRRMC also said the national and local government have so far provided P52.6 million in assistance to those affected.

As of Tuesday morning, the death toll had risen to 218, including 204 in Bohol, 13 in Cebu, and one in Siquijor.

Some 768 were injured, while eight are still missing.

The NDRRMC said the quake had affected 671,779 families or 3,217,094 people in 1,527 villages in 60 towns and six cities in six provinces.

Of these, 18,043 families or 90,854 people are staying in 367 evacuation centers. (PNA)

including managing marine ecosystems for resilience to climate change.

Reports disclosed that t he Ph i l ippi nes coa sta l ecosystem is one of the most vulnerable to the effects of global climate change.

Hence, experts deemed it proper to provide the government polic ymakers, non-government organizations and loca l communities the necessary information in order to properly ma nage a nd c on s e r v e t h e v a lu a b l e marine resources.

The PAMS Conference which is a bi-annual event begins Thursday, October 24, and will end on October 26, 2013, at the University of the Philippines, Tacloban City. (PIA-8)

MANILA -- The tropical depression spotted over the Pacific Ocean entered the country Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and A s t ronom ic a l S er v ic e s Administration (PAGASA) said.

In a interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez sa id t he t ropica l depression, locally named “Vinta,” is the fifth cyclone to enter the country this month and the 22nd for the year.

Perez said that as of 4:00 a.m., tropical depression Vinta was located at 1,150 km East of Virac, Catanduanes (14 . 5° N, 135.7 °E) w it h maximum sustained winds of 45 kph.

It is forecast to move west northwest at 20 kph.

He added that so far Vinta

is not affecting the country and no public storm warning signal is raised. However, Vinta can still intensify since it is still in the sea.

Pe re z not e d t h at i f the cyclone maintains its present direction and speed, it may make landfall over Northern and Central Luzon

by Wednesday or Thursday.

“Sa ngayon si Vinta hindi pa nakakaapekto sa bansa pero sa susunod na mga araw at base sa ipinapakita ng mga models, kung hindi ito magbabago ng direksiyon, posibleng mag-landfall ito sa may area ng Northern o Central Luzon by Wednesday or Thursday,” he said.

He added they expect stormy weather in these areas before the end of the month.

Vinta is forecast to be at 600 km East Northeast

of Virac, Catanduanes by Wednesday morning.

It added that Vinta is predicted to be at 300 km East of Baler, Aurora by Thursday morning, and by Friday morning at 180 km West of Baguio City.

The estimated rainfall a mount is from 5 - 7.5 mm per hour (moderate occasionally heavy) within the 300 km diameter of the Tropical Depression.

Perez said for Tuesday forecast, northeast monsoon will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains over Metro Manila and the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon while the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening. (PNA)

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently conducted I n for mat ion E duc at ion C om mu n ic at ion (I E C) seminar on the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or Project NOAH at the Crown Legacy Hotel here.

The IEC seminar involved experts from the DOSTNOA H, t he Ph i l ippi ne Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services

Administration (PAGASA), and the National Institute for Geological Sciences (NIGS) in UP Diliman who discussed the available technology and other initiatives currently being developed by t he government for disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Projec t NOA H is i n r e s p on s e t o P r e s i d e nt Aquino’s instructions to put in place a responsive program for disaster prevention and mitigation specifically for

the Philippines’ warning agencies to be able to provide a 6 hour lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against impending floods and to use advanced technology to enhance current geohazard vulnerability maps.

Oscar Victor Lizardo, Chief Science Resea rch Specialist (SRS), WebGIS of the DOST said hazards will always come to us because of the geographic location but disasters can be mitigated

and people prepare for it.

The Philippines is prone to hazards such as typhoons, ea r t hqua kes, la nd sl ide, volcanic eruption and many more. Almost all kinds of hazards can happen in our country, he said.

Yowee Gonzales Project O f f i c e r I I o f We b G I S explained the NOAH website and the NOAH Mobile Apps Moses Tablet. According to Gonzales, Project NOAH noah/PAGE 21

DOST holds IEC seminar on Project NOAH

DENR organizes fun run to save environment In its advocacy to save the environment, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Office No. VIII has organized the firs-ever fun run for a cause called “Race to Save the Environment.”

Relative to this, DENR Regional Executive Director Manolito D. Ragub invites the various government offices, non-gover n ment orga n i z at ions , private entities and individuals to be a par t of said f un run which is scheduled to be conducted on November 30, 2013.

It was learned that the participants will have to select from the three

categories which are the 3K, 5K, and 10 K, wherein the starting point will be at the DENR regional office going to Magsaysay Blvd., Real St., Sagkahan, and back to DENR. Interested individuals may choose from the said three categories wherein the run for the 10K will start at 4:30 a.m., 5:00 a.m. for the 5K, and 5:30 a.m. for the 3K. A registration fee of Php200.00 will be collected from each participant, wherein one w i l l get one t-shir t and a breakfast after the run plus a Certificate of Participation. Further, it was bared that the first top three

of each of the three categories who reaches the finishing line will each be receive a medal from DENR. It w a s l e a r n e d t h a t D E N R conceptualized the said fun run in its efforts to save the environment and to show t hat t hey care, and likewise to improve the wellbeing of the participants.

For further queries relative to the activity, wherein the pre-registration have already started, one may get in touch with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Environmental Management Bureau, PENRO Leyte and CENRO Leyte. (PIA8)

Mindanao Daily 21 NEWS

wednesday | October 30, 2013 Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Launch... from page 14

OTC (over-t he-counter) derivative contracts should be traded on exchanges or electronic trading platforms, where appropriate, a nd cleared t hrough centra l counterparties.

The trading on a regulated excha nge plat for m w i l l promote greater transparency and better serve investment and risk management needs in the Asian time zone.

“We will be adding more currency pairs to our Asian FX suite over the next 12 to 18 months,” said Magnus Bocker, chief executive officer of the Singapore Exchange.

Singapore is currently the world ’s third largest foreign exchange center.

(PNA/Xinhua)

NGCP... from page 14

The Power Task Force will operate on a 24-hour basis “until the completion of the canvassing of votes to mon itor t he s y s tem cond it ion, restorat ion activities, and reports from t he Regiona l Comma nd Centers.”

The statement said copy of the Task Force’s reports will be submitted to the “Department of Energy and other external agencies.”

It s t re s s e d t h at t he grid operator “is ready to organize a similar task force to ensure reliable power transmission services during crucial national events such as elections.”

“The corporation continues to conduct regular m a i nt en a nc e a c t i v it ie s a nd ex pa nsion projec ts to en ha nce t he qu a l it y of electricity delivered to customers and the public,” it added. (PNA)

Gross... from page 14

year with record fourth quarter revenue, including sales of almost 34 million iPhones,” said Apple’s CEO Tim Cook in a statement He added “we’re excited to go into the holidays with our new iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, iOS 7, the new iPad mini with Retina Display and the incredibly thin and light iPad Air, new MacBook Pros, the radical new Mac Pro.” Apple’s sh a re s were closed at $ 529.88, but the shares fell about 0.5 percent in after-trading hours and last traded around $ 527.16.

(PNA/Xinhua)

Wendy’s... from page 16

Wendy’s expansion comes at a time when Jollibee Foods Corp. and Golden Arches Development Corp., franchise holder of McDonalds, enjoy a lion’s share of the local fastfood market.

Publicly listed Jollibee Foods operates a total of 2,102 branches in the country across all brands, which include Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal and Burger King.

McDonalds, meanwhile, has more than 400 stores.

Despite this, Ms. PardoO r b e t a w a s c o n f i d e nt Wendy’s could corner a bigger chunk of the market.

“I think it’s about time that we expand.”

Farm...

from page 16 the Southeast Asian region,” Anto Joseph, Mudajaya chief executive officer, said.The Mudajaya group is one of Forbes Asia’s 200 Best Under a Bi l l ion compa n ies. It has $541 million in sales, $78 million in net income and $463 million market capitalization.

The Malaysian firm is engaged in construction, t r a d i n g , pr op e r t y, m a nu f a c t u r i n g , p ow e r s e c t o r. D o n g t u r b o i s primarily engaged in the m a nu f a c t u r e of p owe r and electric equipment.-InterAksyon

Rating... from page 16

condominium towers, two office buildings, a graduate school, and a shopping mall.

Cit i ng a t h i rd-pa r t y sur vey, Rockwell Center sa id it comma nds t he hig hest capita l va lue in the countr y at P133,000 per square meter, which is expected to improve by eight percent in the next 12 months.

Rockwell Land is ex pec ted to st reng t hen its hold on the high-end prop e r t y m a rk e t w he n its completes by 2018 the development of Proscenium, a f lagship project designed by a world renow ned architect of L’ Opera de la Bastille fame in Paris, CRISP said.

Since 2008, Rockwell Land has increased its net income by an average of 20 percent. The compa ny’s earnings are expected to grow by 22 percent t his year.

“CR ISP assigns a positive outlook to signify its confidence that Rockwell Land’s focused growth strategy will result in stronger f inancia l outcomes, increased market share and a more diversified m a r k e t pre s e nc e . T h i s out look is prem ised on stable interest rate, robust overseas remittance trends and calm overall political environment,” the rating firm said.

Quake... from page 17

insured against fire and only 25% of that 12% is covered by earthquake insurance,” Mr. Que said.

“So you could just imagine the CAGAYAN rest ofDEthe residential ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg.,SMEs...

Tiano Brothers t he ow ners and Kalambagohan Sts., government will727-829 be exposed Tel. # (08822) * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 to those kinds of risks.”

CAMIGUIN BRANCH The ICSt., chief B. Aranas Poblacion,agreed Mambajao, it Camiguin Tel. #for (088)households 387-0491 would be better CORRALES BRANCH to be and small businesses Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City independently protected DIVISORIA BRANCH against disasters.

Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City “I think, instead Tel. # (088) 857-3631 of just relying on the government’s LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City relief efforts, is critical Tel. # (088) it 231-6739 that property owners and CARMEN BRANCH Blvd.,have Cagayaninsurance de Oro City SMEVamenta owners Tel. # (088) 231-2011 protection,” he said.

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

Tarsiers...

NOAH...

presented for consideration later on to the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).

T h e PA M B o f M t .

Matutum had declared the more or less 1,094 hectares of forestland in Linan as sanctuary for the tarsiers.

PA M B is t he pol ic ymaking body of MMPL as provided for by Republic Act 7586 otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Area System Act. Matutum was declared as a protected area pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 552 issued by t hen President Fidel V. Ramos on March 20, 1995.

Through the business plan, Hadjinasser said they are looking at implementing various projects that will help improve the lives of local residents within the tarsier village.

“We’re not coming in to displace them but help them find ways to improve their lives so they would not be totally dependent on illegal activities such as logging, charcoal-making or slash-and-burn farming that have been threatening the tarsier sanctuary,” he said.

“Definitely, there will be stoppage in their practices but part of the business plan will be measures that will address those issues,” Hadjinasser explained.

The official said these measu red i nclude t he c re at ion of a lt e r n at i ve livelihood cottage industries and ot her bu si ne s s opp or t u n it ie s for residents through ecotourism.

Meantime, Hadjinasser s a i d DE N R-12 h a s initially allotted P80,000 as counter par t f und for t he c on s t r uc t ion of a n eco-tou r ism center a nd monitoring station in the area.

He said fruit giant Dole Philippines committed an additional P120,000 for the construction of the facility.

E n d a n ge re d S p e c i e s I nter nat iona l (E SI), a n international conservation group studying the habitat of the area’s tarsiers, vowed to provide more funds for t he const r uc t ion of t he center and its amenities.

(PNA)

website is designed to feature t he fol low i ng: we at her outlook which shows the probability or likelihood of rain in a particular area; flood map which shows location or areas prone to f lood, including the flood height; and the weather stations which shows the amount of rainfall, temperature, wind speed and direction, air pressure and humidity in an area.

Accessing the www.noah. dost.gov.ph enables anyone to have a closer look of a particular place, to learn the probability of rain, to identify f lood-prone areas and to know the weather condition of a specific area.

Gonzales also reported t hat t he DOST t hrough Project NOAH has come up with a tablet device aptly called MOSES or Mobile Operat iona l System for Emergency Services. This is capable of receiving realtime weat her and f lood information reports from DOST’s PAGASA and Project NOAH that local officials, down to the barangay level can access.

The device can provide access to accurate information which can aid in the decision-making process of local government units that eventually, may prevent the loss of life and property, Gonzales added.

On the other hand, Joida Prieto, Senior SRS, Data Processing UP DR EA M LiDAR discussed the Light Detec t ion a nd Ra ng i ng ( L i DA R) C omp on e nt s .

She ex pla i ned t hat t he topographic maps will show elevations up to barangay level, citing that the “real” terrain can be identified with the three-dimensional (3D) maps of areas.

Aika Alemania, Senior SRS Landslide Mapping component ex pla i ned t he landslide modelling and mapping using High Resolution Imagery.

Other resource persons include Judd P. Tablazon who discussed the System to identify, quantify, and map the storm surge threat to Philippine coasts; Jericho Jan Andres, Hydromet Sensors Development ASTI, - NOAH Hydromet Sensors and Danilo Flores, of PAGASA tackled Community-Based Flood Early Warning System.

(JDP/MAWC-PIA CAR)

from page 20

from page 20

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Fun Page

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

Editor : Clifford Santillan, E-mail: santillan.clifford@yahoo.com

wednesday | October 30, 2013 Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

New looks and a familiar favorite for NBA 2013-14 Dwight Howard moved on and Derrick Rose came back, though Kobe Bryant won’t quite yet. Nine first-time coaches are coming in and Commissioner David Stern will soon head out.

With different looks all around the NBA in 2013-14, one familiar sight remains: LeBron James and the Miami Heat are entering another season as the team to beat.

The two-time defending cha mpions w i l l col lec t their rings Tuesday night (Wednesday, PHL time), then open against the Chicago Bulls, who with a healthy Rose might be the team that can unseat the Heat.

Or maybe it’s San Antonio or Indiana, both a game away last year — actually, the Spurs were just seconds away — from finishing off Miami. Perhaps it’s the Nets or Clippers, after both picked up pieces of the old Celtics that had the Heat’s respect but not their number.

If someone does dethrone King James, it won’t be because he was satisfied with two titles and lost his edge.

“When the hunger is gone, I’m going to give it up,” James said. “I’ve got a talent and I’m going to take full advantage of it. So I’m hungry.

clifford’s

Daily HOROSCOPE AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) - You’ve got to be wary of others today, if only so they know you’re watching. It’s a good time for you to step up and warn someone before they cross the line, rather than letting them feel your wrath.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - It’s way too easy for you to go overboard with criticism today -- which isn’t usually your style. Even if someone asks directly for your input, you need to just keep it positive as much as possible.

ARIES (March 21 – April 19) - You are dealing with one detail too many today -- so do what you can to pass them off on others who can tackle them more effectively. The good news is that your allies can come to the rescue!

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - Your affectionate side is on display now -- and you may find that your people are hungry for more! Give as much as you can, because there’s no telling how it will all be repaid.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - You need to get some straight talk from a good friend or close colleague. Their advice can make the difference between spinning your wheels and racing over the finish line, so listen up.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - Your analytical side is dominant today. That could mean you’re better at math, or it could mean that you alienate a friend -- it’s up to you how you want to deploy this cold, hard logic.

his first opportunity. In total, 13 teams changed coaches.

James did miss in the closing seconds of game six of the NBA Finals, but the Heat got the rebound to set up Ray Allen’s tying three-pointer, pulled it out in overtime and won game seven to deny the Spurs a fifth title.

San Antonio may get another chance to finish the job, or may not even be the best team in Texas after Howard joined James Harden in Houston.

Howa rd bolted a f ter one unf u lf il ling season in Los Angeles, where he and Bryant never found a

“I love the game. There’s nothing I would do more than play this game of basketball.

So the championships are all great, but I’m playing for more than that. I’ve got a bigger calling than that.”

If he means becoming the best ever, he might be on his way. With four MVP trophies and no noticeable weaknesses, the gap with his peers is getting larger and the one with the greats before him is shrinking.

“He’s the best on the planet right now. I don’t know what you can do, but just hope that he misses,” said Nets coach Jason Kidd, one of the nine coaches getting

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CIRCLE A WORD what a gem

CORDIERITE DIOPSIDE EMERALD GARNET JADE JASPER LAPIS

MOONSTONE OBSIDIAN ONYX OPAL PEARL RUBY SARDONYX

and Kevin Garnett went to Brooklyn after Boston’s breakup. That also could make both longtime losers not only the current kings of t heir cities, but a lso contenders to reach the NBA Finals — which are returning to the 2-2-1-1-1 format after 29 years of 2-3-2.

Here are five other things to watch around the NBA this season: SITTING SPEEDSTERS: While Rose returns after sit t i ng out la st s e a son with a torn ACL, Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo remain out recovering from knee surgeries. A healthy nba/PAGE 23

-MovieWatch-

Social Section

amber amethyst aquamarine bloodstone chrysoprase citrine corAL

working partnership. The center already seems happier and healthier in Houston, where he and Harden can build a potent inside-outside tandem.

As for Bryant, he’ll watch the Lakers’ opener, and who knows how much more, while he continues to rehab from a torn Achilles’ tendon.

Questions over how well he can play at 35 after such a serious injury, along with Howard’s departure, created unusually low expectations for the Lakers.

Instead, the buzz in Los Angeles is about the Clippers, who hired Doc Rivers to coach while Paul Pierce

SCAPOLITE SPINEL TOPAZ TOURMALINE TURQUOISE ZAIRCON

The first movie poster for Summit Entertainment’s Ender’s Game highlights the massive scope of this sci-fi adaptation, based on Orson Scott Card’s novel. Asa Butterfield stars as Ender, who is recruited by the government to join the elite trainees at the Battle School, to help the humans win their ongoing war with alien forces known as the Formics.

Ender’s Game begins on Earth after an alien attack, when gifted children are recruited by a government desperate to fight back. The kids are taught a competitive game that’s a cross between the Quidditch matches of Harry Potter and the Jedi light saber battles from Star Wars. Only the best and brightest will be chosen. A young boy emerges as a genius strategist, and the planet’s best hope to destroy the alien Formic race.

Director Gavin Hood described the battle room as seen in the teaser poster below, saying, “This is the high school football field, only it’s in three dimensions. It’s the size of a football field in all directions: up, down, left, right. And the idea is teams jump out from opposite ends of this amazing space and play this amazing game of 3D paintball, almost.”

The battle room is a cube in the book, but the film will turn it into a sphere. Gavin Hood adds, “What if we could see through?

What if we could see out of the space, and we’re moving around the Earth and turning at the same time?”

ENDER’S GAME release date :

N ovember 1, 2013

SUDOKU How to play the game?

Fill in completely every rows, columns and diagonals of each puzzle without repitition

of the same digit.

Yesterday’s Answer

LEO (July 23 – August 22) - You are as predictable as a fine timepiece today -- and there’s nothing wrong with that! Sometimes you like to act on impulse, but for now, you’d rather just stick to your routines.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - You may need to go out of your way to tidy up at work or at home -- something just doesn’t sit right with you. Fortunately, it’s easy to address, and you should find smooth sailing thereafter.

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) - Take in everything that goes on around you today -- it’s all grist for the mill, and your listening skills serve you better than almost any of your other amazing talents. Reflect what you hear!

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) - You acquire a new source of information that should prove to be quite reliable -- if a little out of the ordinary. Test it at first, but you will likely come to trust it in the long run.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) Try to focus on the little details today -- they are more important than usual, and while they might start to feel like they’re dragging you down, they’re really keeping you grounded.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - You dig up the one missing clue that has been keeping you from breaking this case wide open. It could be romantic or work-related, but it should all start to fit together very soon.

Amazing Facts!

Did you KNOW?? ..

Because beavers’ teeth never stop growing, they must constantly gnaw on objects to keep them at a manageable length.

Their teeth would eventually grow into their brain if they didn’t maintain them.

CROSSWORD puzzle across 1. Very 3. LRT stops 10. Hole in one 12. Past 13. Container 14. Cracker dish 16. Reject 17. Unpaid 18. Marshland 19. Library item 21. Type of fruit flakes 22. Atlanta’s state: abbr.

24. Uncooked 25. Mongrel 26. Useful set 27. Either’s partner 28. Total 29. Harvard’s competitor 30. Take 31. Auto 32. Whitish

34. Whimper 37. Utilize 38. Bogota’s country: abbr.

39. Land measure 40. Outbursts 41. Commercial DOWN 1. Body pouch 2. Mr. Orbos 4. Recording medium 5. Ripen 6. Enroute for 7. Unwrap 8. Negative prefix 9. Pen 11. Give 15. Sea bird 16. Moisture 18. Distant 19. Male title: abbr.

20. Paddle

21. Buzzing sound 22. Rosemarie of film 23. Consumed 25. Slice 26. Fate 28. Church district 29. Gabi in English 30. Campbell or Capacio 31. Tranquil 32. Place 33. Film speed letters 34. Pronoun 35. Stage 36. Carmine 38. Chromium’s symbol Yesterday’s Answer

Mindanao Daily 23 NEWS

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Job...

from page 13 do business in the country.

“The ranking improvement did one thing; this allowed businesses to really ramp up their investments,” Konishi told a press briefing.

Konishi said investments will then translate to more jobs, allowing Philippines to address the problem in unemployment and reach the needed job generation in the coming years.

“The World Bank estimated that the Philippines needs to generate around 14.6 million jobs over the next four years,” he stressed.

“So why is it important? ‘Doing Business’ report measures the time and money that cost firms to operate with the various rules and regulations in the country.

We focus to some cost of small and medium enterprises, which play a key role in generating jobs (in the Philippines),” he added.

Micro, small and medium enterprises hire over 95 percent of the labor force in the Philippines.

WB Financial Sector Specialist Nataliya Mylenko also echoed Konishi, adding the report will also allow policy-creating bodies to review business regulations in the country, to be able to maintain if not improve the ranking.

Mylenko said better policies shall make easier, faster and less costly business transactions, which will later on allow MSMEs and the Philippine economy to grow. (PNA)

Rankings...

from page 13 mission is to eradicate extreme poverty.

But some governments and watchdog groups say the ratings are misleading, subjective, or overly focused on cutting red tape for businesses at the expense of workers.

Countries like China—ranked 96 in the latest report—have also complained the ratings unfairly stigmatize fast-growing developing economies. “’Doing Business’ is not about less regulation but about better regulation,” the World Bank said in the report. Countries can get lower ratings if they reduce investor protections, for example.

But in a seeming nod to critics, the bank also said the ratings should be considered in the broader context of how much countries have improved their business regulations, and should not be taken as representative of every factor that impacts economic growth.

The overall ranking reflects how a country compares to others, but may not capture how much it has done in absolute terms to reduce red tape. It also does not show the huge variations that can exist among various indicators.

For example, Estonia ranks 22nd overall, but is 68 on the specific criterion of protecting investors, and in seventh place for trading across borders.

“I would just like to underscore ... this effort we’re making quite deliberately is to de-emphasize the rankings and move to measures of overall improvement,” Augusto Lopez-Claros, director of the World Bank’s global indicators, told reporters.

But he said the bank decided to keep the overall rankings because they helped countries aspire towards the best practices in the world, such as the regulations in Singapore, New Zealand and Denmark.

“The World Bank decided

to continue with the rankings because there is really overwhelming support for them in the world,” he said.

The bank also said research shows business regulations are tied to broader measures in a society. Cumbersome regulations can crimp economic growth and entrepreneurship, while business reforms often accompany other reforms, such as rule of law and control over corruption. “(Dat a) sug g est t hat economies ... are likely to be reforming regulation more broadly, not just business regulation,” the report said.

Wo r l d B a n k Pr e s i d e n t Jim Yong Kim appointed an independent panel last year to review the “Doing Business” report after criticism about it from some of the bank’s board members.

The panel, headed by South Africa’s planning minister Trevor Manuel, said in June the bank should scrap the headline rankings altogether, and instead provide scores for various indicators.

But Kim said he would keep the rankings anyway since they help countries improve their business climates. The United States, the bank’s largest and most powerful member, also said it strongly supports the rankings.

Kim pledged to make changes to improve the report’s data and methodology. Lopez-Claros said next year the bank would consider broadening some indicators and adding others, such as for intellectual property protection.

—Reuters

Disorder...

from page 13 Bukidnon said, citing the perennial problem of missing names of voters and vote-buying.

Molina said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) only based its assessment that the polls were generally peaceful on “reports of no untoward incidents.”

She said it is unacceptable for Comelec officials to treat as normal the scenario of voters who could not find their names on the list on election day. “They have to find ways and means to ensure this won’t happen again.”

She said the problem was causing a lot of trouble for affected voters, some of whom ended up not being able to vote.

Molina also said money politics was evident in the run-up to the elections and on election day itself.

She cited the sight of drinking sprees along the city streets during the last days of the campaign. “It’s just anywhere.

Only God knows where this will lead us.”

She said candidates for village council gave P20-50 per voter while aspirants for village chair shelled out P50-200 per voter.

Candidates did not limit their handouts to cash. Some gave non-cash incentives like free rides to polling places, free breakfast, free accident insurance cards, noodles, and in many barangays, matchboxes pasted with names of candidates.

Those who did not give cash gave freebies instead. For instance, a candidate for barangay council offered “free entrance” to the family-owned swimming pool, and issued a card per household good for five persons and valid only for two weeks.

Supporters of a candidate who handed P50 bills to voters said the money was for snacks on election day.

Some voters were delighted to see that aside from cash, a

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

candidate for village council supplied their precinct number.

“Good that we don’t need to look for it,” a resident of Barangay Kalasungay in Malaybalay City told MindaNews on Monday.

Supporters of some candidates in Valencia City were reported to have put up assistance desks near polling places to help voters find their precincts. They jotted down the precinct numbers on a sample ballot or a piece of paper printed with the names of some candidates.

A candidate who vied for the village council in Barangay 7 in Malaybalay City said it is difficult to run for a village post because the voters are just in your neighborhood.

“You will be forced to shell out money even if you just walk by a corner where bystanders take rest over some refreshments,” he said.

He said he had P2,000 one day and it was used up even before dusk. He said he avoided walking around those neighborhoods simply because he has no money.

“I felt awkward campaigning where everybody gives anything and I don’t. I just think of the things I did in my last term and what more I can do if I win again,” he added.

The incumbent candidates, he added, have the advantage but still need to give out some cash. “If you don’t, you might be surprised your votes already went to those whom voters think are more generous.”

He added that some candidates for village chiefs also received funding support from local officials.

Molina said that what is worse is that it’s no longer just a case of the politicians using money to lure votes. “It’s the voters who demand for it. They are the ones looking for the candidates who offer ‘ulan-ulan’ (a euphemism for cash offered in exchange for votes).”

Molina said this is one reason why the problem will be here to stay unless earthshaking change happens.

She said the voters no longer ask about a politician’s platform.

“They look for the immediate gift.”

As observed, most campaign materials did not contain the advocacies or platforms of the candidates, just their names and the positions aspired for. “ For t hese voter s, t he candidates forum or the miting de avance, opportunities to hear the platforms of candidates, became a waste of time,” Molina said.

In Kalasungay, a village of 3, 645 registered voters, more people flocked to where breakfast was served and gifts were distributed by supporters of rival candidates for village chief on election day than the miting de avance on Saturday night.

A total of 3,045 or 83.5 percent of the voters actually cast their votes in the village.

Molina noted that candidates and supporters were creative and resourceful, and even conducted surveys and research on voters’ data before handing out cash and non-cash incentives.

She, however, stressed that even if poverty continues to influence such behavior on the part of voters there is still hope for change. “There are still people who stand and continue to choose candidates based on character, performance and platform.”

She said advocates for good governance must look into the change needed at the village

level.

“This is one area where a lot should be done, where a lot should be initiated,” she added.

She said that although this has become cliché, there is still no alternative venue for forming values other than the family.

“Really, only God knows how this will work,” she said.

Water... from page 13

explained, as the water district wanted to know which of its two policies should prevail after JVA Angeles Construction submitted an unsolicited proposal to the water district in May. In the 2008 policy, the proponent has to match the winning bidder while in the 2013 policy, the proponent has to outbid the winning bidder.

“We need to know which policy to follow before we proceed with the evaluation of the proposal so that we will be guided what steps to take,” Ms. Magsuci said.

The bidding system, dubbed the “Swiss challenge,” allows other companies to bid for a project that a proponent has submitted.

The water district earlier announced it was planning to use the Tamugan River as its surface water source within the next 15 years.

In the proposal, JVA Angeles Construction partnered with Aboitiz Equity Ventures, the holding company of the Aboitiz Group, to supply bulk water to the city water district.

Ms. Magsuci said the proponent is required to supply 280,000 cubic meters a day.

At present, the water district is extracting about 250,000 cubic meters daily, mostly coming from its Dumoy wells.

She noted that tapping surface water would allow the ground water source to rest.

NBA... from page 22

Westbrook makes Oklahoma City a title contender while Rondo could help the Celtics exceed expectations — or perhaps become the next player they trade.

UP and COMERS: They’re not ready to contend for a title, but keep an eye on New Orleans, Washington and Cleveland, all with dynamite young players who may be good enough to carry their franchises back to the postseason.

CHANGING COMMISSIONERS: Adam Silver replaces the retiring Stern as commissioner on February 1, exactly 30 years after Stern took office. Silver has done much of the heavy lifting for years, but he’ll be replacing one of the greatest executives sports has seen.

“I’m excited for the league and for the future, and for the fact that having been at the league now for 36 years, we’ve reached this point and there’s a really extraordinary executive in Adam ready to take it to the next level,” Stern said.

SUMMER STORIES: Business will really pick up after the next NBA champion is crowned. Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins, should he decide to enter the draft, could become the most sought-after prospect in years. Free agency will then open on July 1 with James and Carmelo Anthony perhaps set to top the class.

WHO WINS?: The Heat are the choice of everyone from odds makers to the executives who voted in the NBA.com GM survey. But they were enormous favorites last season after a 27-game winning streak during a 66-win regular season and almost fell.

This time, there’s even more teams capable of finally knocking them off.

“They are the favorites, but I don’t think they’re the heavy favorites,” Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley said. “Everybody’s picking the Heat right now, but there’s some teams, they’re going to have some stiff competition.”

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

The

CAGAYANTIMES de Oro

FEATURE

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Globe Business SVP of Enterprise Group Nikko Acosta fires up the 2013 Enterprise Innovation Forum through an augmented reality execution of his welcome address.

Globe Business asserts Philippine ICT industry leadership with annual Enterprise Innovation Forum

G

Gathering of world-renowned experts, leaders instill value of innovation to drive business success

lobe Business gathered important business leaders, executives and “captains of industries” anew as it presented the fourth Enterprise Innovation Forum (EIF) last October 23 at the Makati Shangri-La, living up to its billing as the “most awaited and exclusive business event of the year.”

The event provided them strategies and ideas to maximize and instill innovation as a key value in their respective organizations, as the company continues to play an important role in the growth of ICT in the country with the EIF. “This year’s theme, ‘Transcending Business Boundaries,’ was a natural progression from the initial stagings of the EIF: from ‘shaping the future business landscape’ four years ago, then ‘transforming the future of businesses’ in 2011. Last year we inspired the delegates to consider revolutionizing their businesses. Now, we are encouraging them to go beyond the borders of their enterprises in order to remain relevant, stay agile and survive the ever-changing business landscape of today, with innovation as their impetus,” affirmed Globe Senior Vice President of Enterprise Group Nikko Acosta.

Highlight of the 2013 EIF were the keynote messages of leading innovation purveyors flown in

by Globe Business who sparked inspiration with business leaders in attendance. Globally-recognized expert on innovation leadership Prof. Luke Williams took to the stage first during the main plenary session tackling the premise, “Disrupt: Sparking Business Transformation with Innovation.”

The executive director of Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation challenged businesses operating in mature industries to

consistently make bold moves, even at the peak of their success.

Williams was followed by an equally distinguished authority on customer-focused relationship management strategies in the person of Martha Rogers, Ph.D., with her topic, “Dancing Shoes for Honeybees.”

Bringing her expertise for the first time in the country, Rogers expounded on the philosophy that “customer trust should now be part of branding strategies necessary for building a good experience as good product, fair pricing and excellent service.”

For the main plenary, Williams and Rogers were joined by distinguished top local industry leaders led by Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu, Shell Philippines country chairman Edgar Chua and Philamlife president and CEO Rex Mendoza, with seasoned international broadcast journalist Veronica Pedrosa moderating the discussions.

In true EIF fashion, the plenary was formally opened with an augmented reality execution featuring Acosta, much to the delight of the attendees on hand. He said that “2013 is looking to be a monumental year for us here at Globe Business.

Not only are we in anticipation of the completion of our network transformation, we are also strengthening our core businesses to serve our customers better.

That being said, in this year’s Enterprise Innovation Forum, we emphasize how innovative businesses will succeed by embracing change.

Through change, enterprises will discover how to turn challenges into profitable opportunities and become role models in their respective industries.”

The biggest gathering for business innovation kicked-off with the CEO

Breakfast Forum, where heads of companies converged to dialogue on high-level perspectives and insights on business innovation.

Cu earlier welcomed his counterparts from various industries and trades both here and abroad, noting that “in the past year, Globe has been the benchmark of innovation as we have heavily embarked on transformation initiatives, with massive investments on our network, IT infrastructure, customer support systems, and its people.”

Globe Chairman of the Board Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala followed suit with his message to the men and women who keep the wheels of Philippine businesses in perpetual motion, saying that “Globe has consistently been in the forefront of innovation by introducing best-in-class solutions to the market as it continues to re-shape itself to bring its clients, partners and affiliates beyond their business borders.”

Afternoon breakout sessions featured topics on culture change, new workspace with mobility, tomorrow’s technology, the rise of analytics through big data discussed by thought leaders from key Globe Business partners Amdocs, Blackberry, ECI Telecom, F5 Networks, Huawei, Microsoft, Oracle, SingTel, Tata Communications and Tellabs.

A special track on cyber security was also conducted by Arbor Networks’ Jeff Buhl, Huawei Australia’s Peter Rossi and Comsec Consulting’s Moshe Ishai before select IT executives and members of the media. New ICT services and solutions were also exhibited, highlighting the current portfolio of Globe Business to enhance corporate as well as smalland-medium enterprise operations.

The entire proceedings were also

beamed live to business leaders in Cebu and Davao which kept them abreast and up-to-date with the exchanges of ideas on innovation as they happened in the main 2013 EIF venue.

Globe Telecom to launch iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c on Nov 15, unveils preregistration portal

G

lobe Telecom recently announced it will offer iPhone 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and iPhone 5c, the most colorful iPhone yet, to customers beginning November 15, 2013.

Customers may pre-register interest today at http://beta. globe.com.ph/iphone5c or http://beta.globe.com.ph/ iphone5s.

For more information, please visit https://iphone. globe.com.ph/. For more information on iPhone, please visit: www.apple.com/iphone.