BusinessWeek Mindanao (March 27-28, 2013 Issue)

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Issue No. 181, Volume III •

Market Indicators As of MAR. 25, 2013 (Monday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P40.83

6,597.59 points

X X Briefly 1 cent

78.88 points

Cagayan de Oro City

Exchange scholars

T WENT Y year old Jo hannes Zlatkov from Germany has been in the Philippines for the past nine months, as a Gawad Kalinga (GK) volunteer.

He worked as pre school teacher assistant at Sibol School, GK Village Pasil, Barangay Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, but since 30 of his pupils already graduated, last March 22, he is on the look-out for more open-air and out-door exercise.

There are two months more for left for him to spend in the country before he joins the American Field Service, he said.

“I find it pretty exciting to join the Bayani Challenge set from March 2327, and see how I can be of help in rebuilding houses and refurbishing schools among its the activities,” he said.

SOON

March 27-28, 2013

P15.00

Oro Chamber assures PNoy:

We’ll pay correct taxes!

By IRENE DOMINGO, Reporter

CBI’s program

SOME ten companies in the metal sector will be provided training in European export-related matters this October to better prepare themselves for their participation in a trade show in Europe sometime March or April next year.

The export coaching program (ECP) designed for qualified companies to penetrate the huge European Union (EU) market is being undertaken by the Netherlands-based Center for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI).

“These are select, small to medium-sized enterprises ranging from 80 to 200 people in company size. The ten (beneficiaries) most probably supply to almost a hundred different companies...The program now covers companies based in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Manila,” said Jimmy T. Chan, trustee of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) for the metals sector.

Wednesday-Thursday

WE’RE going

THE Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Oro Chamber) on Monday said they are taking the challenge posed by no less than President Benigno Aquino III for businessmen to pay the correct taxes or else face prosecution.

Oro Chamber President Efren Uy vows to help in government’s tax campaign. Photo by SHAUN UY

Oro Cha mber President Efren Uy, during the weekly news conference at the Businessweek Media Center, said the chamber has been religiously providing constant guidance to its members—individual and establishments—on their obligations to pay taxes.

Uy said the Oro Chamber has been actively involved in the government’s tax information campaign to make sure [local] businessmen pay correct taxes.

He said the organization and the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Region 10 have joined hands in the bureau’s

“I Love the Philippines, I Pay Taxes Correctly” campaign program.

The program is aimed purposely to attain BIR’s collection target for 2013, Uy said. This helps the internal revenue office to record a collection surplus of P30.51 million for the first two

months of 2013 alone.

Likewise, in order to weed out the organization from tax-evading members, Uy noted that Oro Chamber membership requires applicants to submit all tax declaration documents before they can become regular members.

Last week, President Aquino chided Chinese businessmen for not payORO CHAMBER/PAGE 7

Stakeholders converge for National Caravan on World Water Day

By MIKE BANOS, Correspondent

PLEDGE OF SUPPORT. Stakeholders from the Department of Tourism sign their pledge of commitment to reduce their water footprints. (Photo by Mike Banos, NPN)

8 power projects to boost Mindanao’s power supply

By APIPA P. BAGUMBARA, Contributor

CAGAYAN de Oro City -The Department of Energy (DOE) projected that eight power projects in Mindanao will boost the region’s power supply by 588 megawatts

(MW) and help ease power shortfalls starting this year until 2016.

DOE Policy and Planning Bureau Chief Michael POWER/PAGE 7

J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS., (NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY) DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

STAKEHOLDERS from government and civil society joined the March 22 global celebration of World Water Day at the Limketkai Rotunda last Friday, March 21.

The United Nations proclaimed the first World Water Day on March 22, 1993.

Since then it is celebrated every year to highlight the need to protect fresh water

sources around the world.

The theme for the 2013 celebration is Water Cooperation which focuses on the need for countries that share fresh water sources to cooperate in the management of their resources.

“In line with this year’s World Water Day theme of Water Cooperation we STAKEHOLDERS/PAGE 7

Villar to donate decorticator machine for Surigao farmers

By GENEVIEVE CANTOR, Correspondent

SENATORIABLE Cynthia Villar has assured local residents in Surigao del Sur of a decorticator machine.

Villar said the decorticator machine will be placed in Cantilan town.

The wikipedia defined decorticator (from Latin: cortex, bark) as a machine for stripping the skin, bark, or rind off nuts, wood, plant stalks, grain, etc., in preparation for further processing.

In donating the machine, Villar is optimistic that it can help boost the productivity of coconut farmers.

“They will no longer use the traditional way of husking coconut,” said Villar who earns the respect of being called as “Mrs Hanepbuhay” for her eco-friendly

Aside from being dubbed as agriculture province, Surigao del Sur is also abundant in metallic and non-metallic minerals such as copper, chromite, nickel, gold and zinc.

In her speech, Villar encouraged local residents to make use of their time in money-making activities such as handicraft-making.

Surigao del Sur has two cities and 17 municipalities. Farming is the main source of livelihood of many residents of the province.

The municipality of Cantilan has one of the largest coconut plantations that produce copra.

Meanwhile, farmers in the livelihood projects nationwide. province of Surigao del Sur were Majority of the residents in elated after learning that Mrs. the province of Surigao del Sur Villar will donate a decorticating are into farming. machine.

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Water Philippines 2013 expo, confab draw stakeholders

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THE country’s biggest gathering of water stakeholders was recently held in conjunction with the Water Philippines 2013 Expo at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

The twin event, dubbed Philippine Water Works Association International Conference and Water Philippines Expo 2013, are touted as the country’s number one international water, sanitation, industrial wastewater and purification event.

The opening rites was graced by youth leader and senatoriable Beningo Paulo “Bam” Aquino, as well as Mr. Edgar C. Lopez, President of Philippines Water Works Association (PWWA0) and Ms. Stephany Dianne D. Stefanowitz, Miss Philippines Earth 2012.

“I would like to congratulate the Philippine Water Works Association and its Malaysian partner, the united business media, for putting up these twin events, the PWWA international conference and the water Philippines international exposition,” said the young Aquino, who is running under the ruling Liberal Party or Team P-Noy. The event, which is anchored on the theme, “Sustainability of Water Resources and Environmental Solutions to Climate Change,” captures the imperatives the Philippine water sector and the water sector in both the developed and

BAM AQUINO

developing countries are confronted with; which are ensuring water resource sufficiency and security to meet the demands of growing population and to sustain continuous economic growth and coming up with environmental measures to deal and cope up with the challenges of global warming and climate change, Aquino said.

The expo was attended by all water and wastewater industry players.

The Water Philippines 2013 Expo has been specially designed to help you make new contacts, build business, review the latest industry technology and contact new markets.

“We were excited to see the Water Philippines Expo establish itself as the most important industry gathering in the Philippines,” said Mr. M. Gandhi, Managing Director of UBM Asia (Asean Business).

“This 2nd edition was over

40% larger than last year’s inaugural event and showcased over 316 companies from 28 countries and feature seven National Pavilions,” Gandhi said.

“The PWWA was pleased to organise the PWWA International conference in conjunction with the Water Philippines 2013 Expo,” said Philippines Water Works Association (PWWA) President Edgar C. Lopez.

The 2013 exhibition also featured a constructive Water Philippines Technology Seminar with the theme “Water Safety and a Sustainable Environment in the 21st Century”.

Universal Techno Piping Corp also introduced the latest products and technology at the technology seminars.

“The event was a great platform to generate business.” said Ms Bernadette D. Galve, President, Universal Techno Piping Corp.

Reactivation of old power plants to solve power shortage pushed DAVAO City -- The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has proposed for the reopening of inactive power plants to help solve the growing power shortage in Mindanao.

MinDA chairperson Luwalhati Antonino called for the reopening of power plants in Iligan City and two others as immediate solution to the current eight-hour power outages.

Addressing the Zamboanga Power Summit in Zamboanga City recently, Antonino aired her concern in finding immediate solutions to the crisis.

“Among the solutions identified includes the reopening of the Iligan diesel power plant and the commissioning of two other power plants in the region,” Antonino said.

She added that once the Iligan diesel power plant will be opened, it can provide full generating capacity of 100 mega-

watts and will significantly ease Mindanao’s current daily power shortage of 100-300 megawatts.

Antonino also added that two more power plants will add 30 megawatts of additional power to Mindanao namely: the 15-megawatt Mapalad diesel power plant operated by the Mapalad energy Generating Corporation (MEGC); and the 15-megawatt Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) or the bunker fuel Peaking Plant of the EEI Power Corporation.

She also pushed for immediate rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi plants that will supply more than 50 percent of the power requirement in Mindanao. adding that the 59-year old facility has since deteriorated its capacity to just a little more than 570 megawatts while it used to supply almost 1,000 megawatts when commissioned in 1953.

“The mechanical parts of

hydropower plants are good for only 30 years before replacement and the plant’s capacity has been reduced due to heavy siltation of the river systems and dams that feed into the facility,” she explained.

Meanwhile, as an immediate solution to the current power woes, the Department of Energy (DOE) offered to distribute power generators to Mindanao electric cooperatives that do not have embedded generators.

“These generators will be able to provide power supply immediately, while we are waiting for new capacities to come online by 2015 and onwards,” said DOE Secretary Carlos Jerecho Petilla during the summit.

Petilla assured that the cooperatives will find the most viable options to keep the capital expenditures of acquiring the generator sets as minimal as possible. (PNA)

10 metal firms benefit CBI’s export coaching program SOME ten companies in the metal sector will be provided training in European exportrelated matters this October to better prepare themselves for their participation in a trade show in Europe sometime March or April next year.

The export coaching program (ECP) designed for qualified companies to penetrate the huge European Union (EU) market is being undertaken by the Netherlands-based Center for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries

(CBI).

“These are select, small to medium-sized enterprises ranging from 80 to 200 people in company size. The ten (beneficiaries) most probably supply to almost a hundred different companies...The program now covers companies based in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Manila,” said Jimmy T. Chan, trustee of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) for the metals sector.

Chan said CBI experts assist

companies that are qualified to export to EU market prepare all requirements in the exhibition, including product brochures and company profiles.

“The program also provides market study so experts will bring in information on what products that some potential clients (in Europe) will be buying. They will match it against the products that we have,” he noted.

However, Chan bared that some changes are being formu-

CBI/PAGE 5

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Truck line-up boosts Isuzu’s sales at end-February ISUZU Philippines Corp (IPC) on Monday said its a 39.6-percent share in Japan’s truck lineup boosted end-February sales, reflecting two- and three-ton payload segment last year. The N-Series has the performance of its parent company in Japan.

IPC sold 269 N-Series lightduty trucks at end-February, over a fifth more than last year.

Sales of medium- and heavyduty trucks grew by over a fifth to 46 units during the first two months of the year from 38 a year ago.

“For decades, the market has placed its demand on Isuzu trucks because of their known strengths. These strengths—durable, reliable, fuel-efficient— are key to Isuzu trucks earning their reputation as dependable business partners. These workhorses are not only invaluable to the various enterprises they serve but are true contributors

to the country’s economy,” IPC president Ryoji Yamazaki said in a statement.

IPC’s end-February sales stood at 1,750 vehicles, of which 1,006 units were Crosswind Asian utility vehicles (AUVs).

Last month’s 916 unit-sales were almost a tenth higher than January’s 834. Sales of Alterra sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and D-MAX pickups both doubled in February.

IPC said its parent-firm Isuzu Motors Ltd (IML) also dominated truck sales in Japan last year.

“Figures released show that the N-Series has commanded

led this category for 12-straight years, and all but one year since 1970,” IPC said.

“Isuzu’s F-Series mediumduty trucks as well as the C&E Series heavy-duty trucks have also captured a combined 34.9-percent share of the four-ton payload segment in the Japanese market in 2012.

This means the models have reclaimed the top spot in this category after last holding it in 2010. Combined with the results of the N-Series, Isuzu last year emerged as Japan’s top-selling brand among all trucks from two-ton payloads,” the company said.

“Bolstering IML’s perfor-

mance in its domestic market are Isuzu’s buses, which in 2012 secured a 35.8-percent share among models that can seat 30 or more passengers. This marked the first time that Isuzu buses have topped the category in 44 years,” IPC said.

“Isuzu’s sales dominance

in Japan in 2012 signaled the first time that the company has simultaneously led all three categories, and making the feat even more remarkable is that this was achieved during IML’s commemoration of its 75th anniversary,” it said.

“IML’s sales success is in-

deed significant as Japan is one of the world’s most demanding automotive markets for quality and environmental performance. The achievement inspires us here, and also serves as a concrete proof of the competence of Isuzu vehicles,” Yamazaki said.

Hyundai Heavy Ind. wins Gov’t dangling non-tax US$2B order from Total perks to Jap automakers HYUNDAI Heavy Industries Co., South Korea’s leading shipbuilder, said Tuesday that it has secured a US$ 2 billion deal to build two offshore facilities for France-based Total SA. Under the deal with Total’s South African affiliate Total Congo, Hyundai Heavy will build a floating production unit for $ 1.3 billion and

an offshore platform for $ 700 million.

The two facilities will be installed in the Moho Nord oil field, about 80 kilometers from Pointe-Noire, a southern coastal city in Congo.

The floating production unit, 250 meters long and 44 meters wide, can process 100,000 barrels of crude oil and 2.5 million cubic meters

of natural gas a day. The facility will be completed by the first half of 2015.

Hy u nd a i He av y ha s clinched orders worth $ 3.2 billion so far this year to build offshore facilities.

The shipbuilder, also the world’s largest shipyard, is targeting to win $ 6 billion worth of orders for offshore facilities this year.

THE Philippine government has dangled a number of non-fiscal incentives before Japanese carmakers in a bid to revitalize the local auto manufacturing and parts industry, the Philippine Automotive Competitiveness Council Inc (PACCI) said on Friday.

In a statement, PACCI,

wh ich g roups Japa nese carmakers with assembly operations in the Philippines, said a seminar hosted by the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry on March 13 drew a record 150 participants.

“The venue was overflowing. Sixty people have to be turned away. Our com-

mercial attachés in Japan said two equivalent events for Thailand and Indonesia which happened before had only 85 participants each,” PACCI executive director Ramon Vicente T. Kabigting told reporters in a chance interview.

Du ri ng t he semi na r, HYUNDAI/PAGE 5

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Sun Cellular postpaid revenues up by 15% SUN Cellular’s Postpaid segment registered a 15% growth on the back of increasing average revenue per user (ARPU), and the strong take up of its mid-level plans. By end 2012, Sun Postpaid revenues climbed up to almost PhP8 billion.

“It is not just our entry-level plans that are getting the attention of the market. Since last year, our industry-leading mid-level plans that we introduced through our ‘Sundroid Rush campaign’ have fueled our revenue increase,” said Orlando Vea, Chief Executive Officer of Sun Cellular.

In October last year, Sun Cellular brought another first to the market by offering postpaid bundles that feature a smartphone handset paired with a tablet for as low as P600.00 a month.

Dubbed as the “Sundroid Rush”, Vea said that this campaign signaled a turning point in the company’s efforts to attract subscribers to Sun’s higher plans and thus making this a significant driver in increasing ARPUs. These plans also became platforms for increasing mobile internet usage which further boosted revenues.

Sun Cellular increased its postpaid subscribers by 16% to 1.6 million subscribers in 2012.

“Being the first in the market to have reached one million postpaid subscribers more than two years ago, we are positive Sun Cellular is on a clear trajectory to regain the market leadership in postpaid subscriptions,” Vea added.

Elaborating on the growth in ARPUs, Sun Cellular’s Chief Op-

erating Officer Charles Lim said that more and more subscribers signed up for high-range plans from Plan 600, Plan 999 up to Plan 1699.

“Sun has been known for its strength in the entry-level postpaid segment, and these remain to be our growth drivers. We are just glad that the innovative plans that we launched last year towards the higher plans were also warmly received by consumers,” Lim explained.

Sun Cellular’s Senior Vice President for Postpaid, Broadband, and New Business Marketing Ricky Pena explained that the ‘Sundroid Rush’, while originally intended as a promo, has become one of the categories in Sun’s postpaid line-up.

Following the success of the Plan 600 Alcatel bundle, Sun introduced just last month its Sundroid Plan 999 – Samsung

bundle edition, and very recently, a Plan 450 variant that carries the MyPhone bundle edition.

“We continue to build our brand equity by addressing new market segments, hence the launch of the most affordable Sundroid Tablet+Smartphone offer for as low as P450 a month.

We also recently introduced our Phablet series -- a device that’s bigger than a regular phone yet smaller than a regular tablet.

These 5-inch Phablet devices are available for as low as Plan 450 all the way up to our Plan 1699,” Pena said.

He said that to strengthen the entry level segment, Sun has assembled a very strong Plan 350 Android phone line up headlined by the new 3.5 inch screen Alcatel Glory 2 that carries the most updated Android software Jellybean, and the very popular Cherry Flare 4.0inch screen.

To further strengthen the line up at Sun Plan 350, Sun introduced its first Qwerty Touch Android phone from Samsung with the Samsung Galaxy Ch@t free at Sun Plan 350, Pena added.

“We continue to work with our partners to bring the best choice of devices for our customers, and pairing these with the best-value service inclusions that Sun is so known for. As the telco landscape continues to shift with the continuous explosion of smartphones, expect Sun Cellular to be at the forefront in defining the best postpaid offers for the changing times,” Pena concluded.

Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group.

Union Galvasteel gets P300-M loan UNION Galvasteel Corp.

(UGC), the unlisted steel manufacturing unit of holding firm Phinma Corp., has borrowed P300 million from Sy-led BDO

Unibank, Inc. via a term loan, Phinma said in a disclosure on Monday.

“Please be informed that UGC, a subsidiary of Phinma,

has obtained a five-year term loan from BDO in the amount of P300 million,” the disclosure read.

UGC’s real estate mortgages, plant site improvements, buildings, installations, machinery, and equipment in Calamba and Davao cities served as collateral for the term loan, Phinma said, referring to UGC’s steel manufacturing plants in Ilang, Davao City (built in 1968) and Calamba City, Laguna (built in 1990).

No other information was given on the term loan; officials of UGC and Phinma were still being reached for comment as of Monday morning.

UGC, formerly known as Bacnotan Steel Corp., was formed in 1963 as a maker of galvanized sheets for roofs with its first plant in San Fernando, La Union. It is the company behind the Union Galvasteel pre-painted coils, sheets, and zinc-coated heavy gauge roof products.

Phinma -- formerly known as Bacnotan Consolidated Industries, Inc. -- was incorporated in 1957 as a holding company, adopting its current designation in 2010. Its ultimate parent is Philippine InvestmentManagement (PHINMA), Inc. Aside from steel manufacturing, the holding firm is involved primarily in energy, business process outsourcing for animation services, education, and real estate development.

Shown in photo receiving the awards are members of the Globe corporate communications division led by Corporate Communications Head Yoly Crisanto (7th from left), External Affairs Head Jocel De Guzman (far left), Corporate Brand Management Head Cris Lacuna (2nd from left), and Internal Communications Strategy Head Andy Bengzon (6th from left).

Network transformation awareness program leads Globe’s Anvil loot THE Public Relations Society of the Philippines’ (PRSP) recognized the Globe Network Transformation Program Transparency Plan including four other public relations (PR) programs and tools during the 48th Anvil Awards.

Globe was recognized for the following programs: Globe Network Transformation Program Transparency Plan, an extensive communications campaign employed by the company to create and sustain subscriber

awareness on the ongoing network modernization program; the Globe 2011 Annual & Sustainability Report (ASR), the first B+ externally assured telco annual & sustainability report; and the Globe Gets Me Campaign, considered a landmark in the industry as the country’s first augmented reality print campaign.

The Globe International Business Group also won for its highly successful OFW Christma s event, ‘Buo A ng Pasko: The Biggest Kris

Kringle.’ as an outstanding PR tool.

In add it ion, Globe t hrough its corporate s o c i a l re s p on s i bi l it y (CSR) arm Globe Bridging Communities (Globe BridgeCom) was also recognized for its My Fair Share Progra m under the Entrepreneurship/Job Generation/SME category.

The 48th Anvil Awards is considered the most coveted award for local public relations initiatives was held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City last March 6.

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CBI...

from page 2 lated in the coaching program wherein small companies who have potentials could be also developed to enable them reach a level that they could export.

He believed that participation in exhibitions in Europe can pave the way for more companies to enter the huge market even as it is experiencing difficult economic situation.

“In the past, there are few companies who did it,” he said.

“Europe’ s economy is very bad, so many companies have scaled down so they are not buying too much from abroad. But we anticipate that in two years, the European economy will bounce back and there will be another surge (in product demand). I’m quite confident that when the change comes, the demand will be more. We have already these data at hand which the exporters can use,” he added.

The CBI is undertaking export coaching programs for different sectors, including the metalworking, food ingredients and tourism. Exporters are assisted to determine the characteristics of the EU market, how to deal with the buyers, and how to improve their production and processes and product quality, among others.

Hyundai... from page 3

Trade Undersecreta r y a nd Board of Investments (BOI) managing head Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. presented the features of the National Automotive Manufacturing Industry Strategy (NAMIS), which will be implemented in three months’ time.

NAMIS showcases the follow i ng non-f isca l suppor t policy measures: stricter implementation of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Scheme; eliminating duplication in the Certif icate of Payment Requirement for the import of completely knocked down (CKD) kits to be assembled in the Philippines; and establishing shared services such as testing facilities for parts manufacturers, among others.

Quoting the BOI official, PACCI said these non-fiscal perks “will help local car manufacturers quick ly use their idle plant lines, taking the utilization from the current 36 percent to full capacit y of 200,000 units in the next two years.”

According to the BOI, “additional capacity needs to fall into place [by 2016], and the fiscal component of NAMIS should be kicking in to facilitate the investment build-up.”

“It is contemplated that the government might help in the fixed investment costs for new assembly and parts manufacturing projects. Variable production cost support is also being considered, tied to volumes and possibly the share of locally manufactured vehicles to the Asean totals,” the agency said.

Under NAMIS, locally assembled vehicles should “gain a healthy share” of domestic auto sales seen growing from about 180,000 last year to ha lf-a-mi l lion by 2022.

Philippine-based assemblers should also be able to export to neighboring Asean markets.

Asean Automotive Federation (AAF) data showed that the Philippines (http://www.interaksyon.com/business/54768/

philippine-vehicle-assemblycontracts-despite-record-carsales) churned out 75,413 vehicles last year or 16-percent more than the 64,906 units assembled in the country in 2011 but comprising a measly 1.78 percent of Asean’s total output in 2012.

Last year, Thailand assembled almost 2.5 million vehicles; Indonesia, over a million units; and Malaysia, more than half a million.

Pay-out...

Hurst...

Awards...

word in your life? Not if you choose to live for Jesus Christ!

Only Jesus ca n get you through death—safe and alive!

Only He speaks the last word!

And it’s the word not of death but of eternal life to ever y person who will truly believe and live for Him. So today, why not ask Jesus to forgive you for living your way and ask Him to take full control of your life? That’s when you ca n sta r t l iv i ng every day with no fear… not even of death!

Just think a minute…

from airline, airport, and tourism authorities, as well as aviationrelated companies and investors.

There is one global event (World Routes Development Forum) and several regional events held in key markets throughout the

from page 6

Cimagala... from page 6

is the climax of the liturgical year since it represents the sha r p t ra nsit ion f rom our state of sin, expressed in all our suffering we live through the Holy Week, to our state of glory and victory with the resurrection of Christ.

The darkest and t he br ig htest moment s of ou r life are acted out in the Holy We ek . T he u g l ie s t of ou r malice and the fairest of the love of God which is offered to us to live out is dramatized and sacramentally presented to us in Holy Week.

Let’s be quick to savor this true character and value of Holy Week therefore, from the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem on Passion Sunday that starts the Holy Week, to Holy Thursday when Christ instituted the Holy Orders and Holy Eucharist, to Good Friday and then Easter Sunday.

We are great ly blessed, but through the cross!

Bunye... from page 6

the BSP vision: “..to deliver a high quality of life for all Filipinos.”

Note: My book, Central Banking for Ever y Juan and Ma ria, is now ava i lable at the following outlets: Fully Booked – Bonifacio Globa l C it y, Powe r pl a nt M a l l (Rockwell), Katipunan. Power Book s – A laba ng Tow n C ent er, Gre enb e lt 4 , S erendra. National Book Store – Greenbelt 1, Power pla nt Mall (Rockwell), Cash and Carr y, Market Market, SM Mega Mall.

You may e-ma i l u s at totingbunye2000@gmail.com.

Past articles may be viewed at ht t p: //s p e a k i n gout .ph / speak ingout.php.

Cruz... from page 6

The Ten Commandments are imperative upon people of every race, color and creed – the People of the Philippines wellincluded – for their own good, more specifically in terms of accepting the truth, observing justice and enjoying peace.

from page 10

of PhilPost as scheduled.

Pantawid Pamilya Financial Analyst 3 Joy Suzon also said she has informed all Municipal Roving Bookkeepers to continue payment of cash grants as scheduled.--Oliver Badel Inodeo, Pantawid Pamilya Information Officer

from page 10

year in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the CIS. Routes Asia 2013 gathered more than 700 key players in the airline and airport industry for the presentation of awards and strategic networking on air service development. The awards are given to “recognize and reward the highest standards of marketing activities.”

In the past years, Routes Asia only honored airports, but this year marked the first time to split the awards into two categories – Under 20 Million and Over 20 Million passengers – and the first time to confer a tourism award for best destination marketer.

Clark International Airport (CIA) also bested six other international airports and won the 2013 Routes Airport Marketing Award - Under 20 Million Passengers category.

CIA was recognized by the

airline community and industry experts for its marketing initiatives and effective growth in passenger traffic, aircraft movement, and revenues for the year 2012.

The other shortlisted airports were the Auckland International Airport (Highly Commended), Bangalore International Airport, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, Juanda-Surabaya International Airport, Kansai International Airport, and Siem Reap Airport. Meanwhile, Singapore’s Changi Airport Group won in the Over 20 Million Passengers category.

Changi was commended for reaching Over 50 Million Passengers, securing five new air services, and introducing a product innovation.

“This distinction marks another great leap for Philippine tourism and aviation. We owe

5

this to the strong support from all our stakeholders, who have invested their resources and trust in our bid to make tourism work for everybody. This gives us a reason to celebrate, but more importantly to work harder in strengthening partnerships with various sectors to make the Philippine experience a worthwhile option for travellers and investors,” Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. enthused.

These recognitions came on the heels of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s recent lifting of significant safety concerns in the Philippine aviation system and the rationalization of the Common Carrier Tax, which are both expected to help regain the confidence of foreign carriers to reinstall direct services in the country.

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Ten Commandments of the Ten Commandments. And the predictable Viewpoints more and pitiful victims of all these

TO order or to direct, to ordain or to charge, to demand or to impose – all these mean to command. If man can and does command others as his subordinates, God can and does command man as His creatures. If man may not question the commands of his superior, much less may man question the commands of God his Lord. If man may refuse to obey the commands of his superior, this is because the superior being but man may be wrong. If man must obey the commands of God, this is because He is always right.

The Ten Commandments were given by God for the obedience of man. And the obedience of man to the Ten Commandments is for the common good of humanity, for the public welfare of human society. When man presumes to be god, acts with inhumanity to man by doing away with human loves, by trampling upon human dignity, by violation human rights – all these are downright violation of one or

THINK a Minute…

Someone said: “Death is the worst part of life!”

A famous entertainer once said: “I’m not afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens!” Unfortunately, when it’s our time to die we don’t have any choice but to be there! Death is a fact of life that none of us can escape! Sooner or later, every one of us is going to stand alone and look death in the face!

Don’t forget, the statistics and chances of death are 100%, it never fails: one out of every one people die! No

Hints and traces

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-Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) -Misamis Oriental - Cagayan de Oro Association of Publishers (MOCAP), Inc.

ARCH. OSCAR V. CRUZ (Ret)

Who Has the Last Word?

atrocities and anomalies are infallibly men, woman, and children themselves.

You shall have no gods beside Me. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

You shall keep holy the Sabbath day.

You shall honor your father and your mother.

You shall not kill.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

You shall no covet your neighbor’s goods.

The following basic and salient truths are always noting and remembering. That the Ten Commandments come from God. That the Ten Commandments are about God and man.

That the Ten Commandments about man. That the Ten Commandments of God are enough to rule the world, to govern humanity.

That this is precisely why the violation of one or more of the Ten Commands destroys families, causes social disorder and/or makes a country miserable.

That the Ten Commandments are intrinsic in the human heart, ingrained in the human mind, intrinsic to the human conscience.

CRUZ /PAGE 5

FR. ROY CIMAGALA THE Holy Week somehow reminds us of the true character and value of time which we often take of granted. Time, for many of us, is just an unavoidable element in life which we try to measure in terms of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc.

For sure, if we limit our attitude toward time in that level, nothing beyond the calendar year, we would have a very poor and shallow understanding of a very important resource in life.

But thanks to God, because of the inescapable demands of life and our needs,

one has ever gotten out of it alive! It doesn’t matter how rich, powerful, strong, or healthy we are—we’re all going to die! It may be a few more years or next week. So are you ready now?

But almost worse than the fact of death is the fear of death. In the back of our minds we know that every day we’re getting closer and closer to the day we die. But is our death the end of us?

Does death have the last word? Does it destroy our plans for living and take away all our hope? The answer’s quite simple: it

depends on how and who you’re living for.

When it comes to death, Jesus Christ has been there and done that. He walked right into the grave and jaws of death…and came right back out alive! Jesus Christ, not death, is the One Who has the last word. He’s the only person in history who could do it—for one simple reason: He’s God Himself.

So we never again have to fear death! You see, if you’re living His way every day in a personal relationship with Him, Jesus said He’s going to lead you safely

Holy Week

we can’t help but put more meaning and purpose to our time.

That’s why we have schedules, plans, deadlines, and we classify time into school years or fiscal years, for example.

Just the same, we need to realize that time has a much deeper meaning and purpose than just the practical one or other considerations and criteria that only give us some earthly benefits.

Our time is actually a time with God. We need to reinforce this belief, making it an abiding conviction that should guide us always in our thoughts, words and deeds.

God is with us. That’s what Emmanuel, another name for Christ, means. We are not left alone. We are never alone even if physically we are in solitary confinement.

Time, therefore, is the basic resource given to us by God himself, our Creator and Father, to work out the very purpose he created us or put us into existence. Far from the common attitude that considers time as just pure time without God, we need to reinforce the belief that

our time is a time with God. Whatever we do in time, whatever happens to us in time, is supposed to take place not only with us alone, but also with God. Thus, a fundamental attitude we need to cultivate is that we need to live always in the presence of God. It would be an anomaly if we live otherwise.

While we, through sin, can disengage our time from God and his wonderful plans for us, we can always make up because our time has also been redeemed by God through Christ with his redemptive work and made to continue throughout time in the Holy Spirit and the human instrumentalities made by Christ to make this ideal real.

Our time is now objectively connected with the eternity of God, and has shifted from conditions perishable to imperishable. This is the ideal level which we have to aim at if we want to have a complete and proper understanding of time.

This affirmation is based on what St. Paul once said

Think a minute

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

through death into eternal life with Him. Will death have the last HURST/PAGE 5

about the “fullness of time.”

“When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Gal 4,4-5) So aside from considering time as calendar, school or fiscal year, we need to be more aware of what is called as the liturgical year which considers our time as a time with God, with Christ in the Holy Spirit, coming to us, sharing what he has with us, bringing us to him which is where we truly belong.

The liturgical time makes time sacred and not just mundane, and infuses it with spiritual, redemptive and supernatural dimensions.

The liturgical time plays out the infinite and abundant value of the redemptive work of Christ that took place in history but is now stretched out all throughout time and into eternity.

This is the context in which we have to consider the Holy Week. The Holy Week cimagala/PAGE 5

Dollars: The Problem of Plenty SPEAKING OUT

IGNACIO BUNYE Last week, we described the problem of too much dollars coming in and the possible adverse effects on a significant segment of our economy, our millions of Overseas Filipinos, our exporters and the BPO sector.

We also explained some of the reasons for this heavy inf lux.

So what is the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas doing about it?

Obviously, doing nothing is not an option. If the BSP were just to stand by,

(Second of a series)

the peso would become so strong – more t han our OFWs and their families and our exporters can bear.

So the BSP intervenes in the foreign exchange market by buying the excess dollars.

This way, the BSP is able to smoothen the volatility in the exchange rate. (In a reverse situation, where the dollar is scarce and the peso depreciates, the BSP sells dollars.)

Buy ing dollars, however, will definitely affect the pesos in circulation.

The supply of pesos will increase – an inf lationary situation. An oversupply of pesos would drive up local prices, eventually weakening the peso.

Consistent with its mandate to keep the inf lation rate low and stable, the BSP will now have to remove from circulation some of the pesos that it had earlier released. In BSP lingo, this process is called “steriliza-

tion.”

The BSP performs “sterilization” (of course, we don’t mean this in the physical sense) by selling government securities or by luring these pesos to the SDA or Special Deposit Account.

Mind you. “sterilization” is a very expensive operation. The cost comes in the form of interest expense.

Just imagine the BSP paying 3 percent on P1.8 trillion worth of SDAs! What happens to the dollars which the BSP purchased?

The dollars eventually form part of the Gross International Reserves which over the last five years has grown to more than 85 billion US dollars. Everybody (at least almost everybody) is hailing the BSP for this terrific achievement of piling up such a huge reserve.

Our international reserves by conventional reckoning can pay for more

than a year of imports. Our reserves are one and a half times more than our international debts. Hooray for that!

But wait a minute. When we reinvest our reserves for example in US treasuries, we only get a fraction of a percent. Compare that to the 3 percent that we are paying on the SDA. Worse, when these dollars are revalued and the peso appreciates, we have fewer pesos than we started with.

As Ted Failon would say: You see what I mean?

No commercia l ba nk would go into such operation knowing the tremendous cost involved.

But the Bangko Sentral is not a commercial bank.

The BSP was created for t he primar y pur pose of maintaining price stability.

The BSP has its own bottom line, as emphasized in BUNYE /PAGE 5

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Wednesday-Thursday I Mar. 27-28, 2013

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Oro Chamber... from page 1

ing correct taxes.

Speaking before the 29th Biennial convention of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) last Friday, President Aquino bared that a recent government investigation led to “strange” and “truly unexpected” findings that just 8% of member-firms of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce paid taxes.

“Based on your own 20112013 directory, I understand that your federation includes 207 firms and organizations as members. Of this 207, I am told, only 105 have a Tax Identification Number.

I wonder what happened to the others. I wonder what happened to the others. Of these 105 firms, only 54 filed tax returns. To make matters worse, 38 f irms and organizations actually filed returns with zero tax due. This means that only 16 out of the 207—or only around eight percent—of your member-organizations paid taxes. The 6.6 growth did not seem to affect your members,” President Aquino said.

“There are also 552 of you who are individual members.

And of this number, 424 of you have Tax Identification Numbers. It is interesting to note that of that number 185, or almost 44 percent, filed income tax returns. Of those that filed tax returns,

at least only 14 filed returns with zero tax due. What this means is 354 out of 552 members—or 64 percent of you—did not pay taxes for the same reasons: no TIN, no tax due, or nothing filed at all,” President Aquino added.

President Aquino assured the businessmen of the national government’s continuing commitment to tread the ‘tuwid na daan’ through the removal of hindrances to the success of the Filipino people, the Chinese-Filipino community included.

“Gone are the days when your taxes disappeared into the pockets of an unscrupulous few, or when bending the rules may have been the only way for otherwise honest companies to keep operating,” the President said.

President Aquino told the businessmen that there is still time to correct the situation and fulfill their civic duty referring to the approaching annual deadline next month for filing tax returns.

“There is still time. After April 15, you will have to deal with Commissioner Kim Henares herself and with Secretary Leila de Lima,” the President said.

Stakeholders... from page 1

organized the National Water Caravan to involve the water regions in all regions of the country,” said Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Administrator Eduardo C. Santos in his

message delivered by Engr.

Edgardo C. Demayo, OIC/ Sr. Deputy Administrator.

“This show of force and number is an imperative given our current position in the order of national priorities and in view of our continuing mandate to develop potable water supply systems in the countryside,” he added.

LWUA designated certain water districts as convergence points, one of which was the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD), said Ladele A. Sagrado, COWD public affairs manager. The theme for the simultaneous national observance of World Water Day for 2013 was “Tubig Para sa Lahat, Lahat Para sa Tubig.”

“The goal of this activity is to enhance awareness of all stakeholder s on the importance of water as a finite resource which needs to be judiciously used and conserved to attain sustainability for future generations,” said Rachel Beja, COWD general manager.

Among the water districts which converged on Cagayan de Oro for the water caravan were Balingasag, Claveria and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental; Wao from Lanao del Sur; Tubod, and Baroy from Lanao del Norte; Malaybalay, Maramag, Valencia and Manolo Fortich from Bukidnon; Mambajao from Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro City.

Present during the program led by COWD were

COWD Board Chairman Ruben Vega f r ia , Boa rd Member and immediate past chairman Joel Baldelovar, COWD GM Rachel Beja, COWD AGM Ray Tablan and Jong Batar, and Rio Verde Water Consortium Vice President for Operations Joffrey E. Hapitan. The affair was co-hosted by the NorMin-Natural Resources Management Council, Inc. (Normin-NRMC).

“We are happy to be part of the World Water Day convergence by helping reduce our water footprint,” said Engr. Hapitan. “As bulk water supplier for Cagayan de Oro, we are appreciative of our role in reducing our rising consumption of ground water by processing raw water from our rivers through our treatment plant.

In this manner, we can give our ground water sources time to recover and recharge in consideration of the future users of this valuable resource.”

The highlight of the program was the simultaneous reading by all stakeholders present of the Commitment for Water Cooperation and the turnover of a commemorative World Water Day Plaque to COWD and Normin-NRMC by Engr.

Demayo in behalf of LWUA. In 2013, in celebration of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water.

“Cooperation must be

our byword. This is essential to preserve our ecosystems, to eradicate poverty and to advance social equity, including gender equality,” noted Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Water Day 2013.

Power... from page 1

Sinocruz disclosed during the Regional Media Workshop on Power Industry and Renewable Development in Mindanao last March 22 that three of these committed power generation projects is expected to generate additional 38 MW this year.

These include the 15-MW Mapalad Diesel Power Plant in Iligan City, the 15-MW EEI Power Corporation Peaking Plant in Tagum City, and eightMW Cabulig Hydro project in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental.

He said Mindanao will also have additional 150 MW power from the Phase 1 of the Therma South Coal project in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur in 2014 and another 150 MW from the project’s Phase 2 in 2015.

The Mt. Apo 3 Geothermal project in Kidapawan, North Cotabato will likewise contribute 50 MW in 2015.

This is in addition to the 100 MW that will be generated from the first phase of the Southern Mindanao Coal project in Maasim, Sarangani in 2015 and another 100 MW under the second phase of the project in 2016, he added.

Romeo Montenegro, Investment and Public Affairs

M essage Niining panahon sa pag-bangotan, hinaut nga atong kanunay’ng hinuklogan nga ang pag-hinulsol sa atong mga sala maoy labing tim-os nga gasa ngadto kang Hesukristo kinsa miula sa iyang kaugalingong dugo pinaagi sa pag-palansang sa krus bugti sa atong kaluwasan. Ako, ug ang akong tibuok banay, hiniusang miduyog sa kinabag-ang Kristohanong Katilingban sa pag-balaan sa Semana Santa, uban ang panghinaut nga mag malinawon ang tibuok dakbayan atol sa Semana Santa.

VICENTE Y. EM ANO City M ayor

7

Director of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), meanwhile stressed that the Mindanao power situation is expected to improve only until 2016 when committed projects come on stream.

He said the outlook for cheap hydro-electric power from the Agus and Pulangi is compromised by the siltation of river systems and dams, as well as, of aging plants.

The long dry spell in the summer months, he further said, is also expected to reduce the output of the Agus-Pulangi hydro-electric plants (HEP).

According to him, deficit could persist with around 300 to 400 MW if no immediate measures are taken.

Sinocruz reiterated that the DOE is fast tracking measures to ease the power supply in Mindanao in the immediate terms.

Among these immediate measures is the utilization of available capacity such as the uprating of the HEPs which will increase the capacity of Agus 1 HEP from 45 to 80MW and the Agus 2 HEP from 120 to 180 MW. The operation of the 100MW Iligan Diesel Power Plant will also contribute 15 MW in April, 30 MW in May, 50 MW in June and 98 MW in September, he said.

Another initiative is the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) where around 200-300 MW power can be tapped through the utilization of the embedded generators of distribution utilities and other voluntary load participants.

8

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“We Grow Minds”

Oro Chamber prexy offers 2-prong approach to Laguindingan airport

By CHENG ORDONEZ, NewsCon Director

THE business sector has reiterated its call to postpone the opening of the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental, calling it “premature”, but recommended a two-prong approach to cushion the impact in the economy should the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) pushes through with the soft opening of the new airport on April 30, 2013, despite the lack of aviation facilities.

Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. President Efren Uy told media practitioners during the weekly BusinessWeek Mindanao News Conference (NewsCon), where he was special guest, Monday, March 25, 2013, that stakeholders in Northern Mindanao are preparing for another resolution addressed to the Office of the President, the DOTC and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), reiterating their stand against the “premature opening” of the Laguindingan airport.

Uy said businessmen can only agree to the opening of the new airport despite the commissioning of the Air Navigation and Support Services Facilities (ANSSF) if and when the service flights numbering to 24 are accommodated with the day-time 6:00 am to 6:00 pm operation of the Laguindingan airport.

Earlier reports indicated that the new airport can only operate from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but this has been expanded to 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. following protestations made by stakeholders who were alarmed by the almost 70 percent slashed in the cur-

rent flight loads.

Uy revealed that airlines are contemplating of fielding bigger aircrafts for the Laguindingan airport if only to accommodate the passengers and cargoes within the prescribed time of airport operation.

Other airlines are planning to have five to six flights a day to cope with the daytime schedule of the Laguindingan airport operation.

“These are their plans – to compress the flights day time – but these cannot assure good results,” Uy told newsmen covering the NewsCon. “We find it not convenient for the passengers, especially those who will need to fly back to their destinations immediately and detrimental to the perishable goods that need to be transported out early in the morning to avoid the heat of the sun, including chicks of poultry farms that need to be shipped out early, as well,” he said.

Though cognizant and appreciative of the importance of the forthcoming opening of the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental, stakeholders who were signatories to the first resolu-

Mr. Efren T. Uy tion are apprehensive of the implication to safety of passengers and its effect on the economy of the region.

“The people of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and the surrounding areas are likewise expectant of the opening of the Laguindingan Airport, fully aware of the importance

of such a vital infrastructure project and the benefits it would give to the region as its next window of competitiveness,” the resolution read.

Uy said on top of economic concerns is the safety of the passengers, saying that neighboring areas, which do not have airports, like Bukidnon and Iligan, rely on Cagayan de Oro’s airport, as well, so that it is expected that flight schedules will be very rigid if all the 24 fkights are accommodated during day time.

Another approach that

Uy emphasized during the NewsCon is for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to use the Laguindingan airport temporarily instead of forcing its way to Lumbia.

“Why not let our PAF transfer to Laguindingan temporarily instead of using Lumbia at this point in time when Laguindingan isn’t ready yet? As soon as everything is ready in Laguindingan, then they can proceed with transferring the commercial flights to Laguindingan,” Uy said.

According to information gathered by the stakeholders, the Philippine Air Force will be moving its 15th Strike Wing from Danilo Atienza Air Base in Sangley Point, Cavite, once the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental becomes operational.

The PAF base in Sangley is being moved to Mindanao to make way for the transfer of general aviation from NAIA to relieve congestion at the country’s premier airport.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado confirmed in a report filed in a national broadsheet the sequential movement of general aviation services from NAIA to Sangley, where the 15th Strike Wing is now headquartered once Lumbia airport’s domestic operations are successfully transferred to the new Laguindingan Airport. The transfers have already been by the Department of National Defense in a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Transportation and BEING BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Communications.

The 15th Strike Wing is tasked to conduct tactical air operations in support of Armed Forces of the Philippines units. It has three major groups: Tactical, Maintenance and Supply, and Air Base.

The Wing’s tactical elements included the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 20th Attack Squadrons and the 25th Composite Attack Squadron. Many of these units were forward deployed under the operational control of the Philippine Air Force’s numerous Tactical Operations Groups, including the 10th TOG which is now operating out of Lumbia airport.

Uy stressed that the signatories to the resolution are not against the Laguindingan airport, but with the “premature opening.”

When asked about the right time for the Laguindingan airport to operate: “First Quarter of 2014, that’s when the needed facilities are said to be in place,” he said.

Uy revealed that they were surprise to know from DOTC during the meeting last March 15 that the rush opening of the airport is because DOTC wants to operate the new airport within the “warranty period” so that the contractor can be held liable to correct whatever defects in the construction of the Laguindingan Airport.

Uy said warranty period for big projects can be moved to a later date and not necessarily be stiff as it appears with Laguindingan Airport’s. (with a report from Mike Baños)

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Ensure message is clear: DSWD

By Oliver Badel Inodeo

and delisting processes of the program.

“This is to empower the beneficiaries to know their rights and to be vigilant of individuals and/or groups who plan to use the program to push for their personal agenda,” she emphasized.

Meanwhile, Pantawid Pamilya Regional Project Coordinator Kenneth Haze Sanchez disclosed that posters and tarpaulins are now displayed during pay-outs to shun partisan politics.

“We want to insulate the program from partisan politics,” Sanchez said.

The Bawal ang Epal Dito campaign focuses on the message that only the DSWD can delist a beneficiary if he or

she is not following the conditionalities of the program.

Bawal ang Epal Dito confronts the issues of external pressures and eliminates the misconception of the beneficiaries about the control of politicians or parties over Pantawid Pamilya and other programs of DSWD. More importantly, it seeks to empower the beneficiaries to know their rights and to be vigilant of individuals and/or groups who plan to use the program to push for their personal agenda.

With the upcoming mid-term elections, some politicians may use the program to gain leverage.

Through the Department’s Grievance Redress System (GRS), beneficiaries are encouraged to continuously give feedback if they find some politicians who are allegedly claiming to have the authority to enlist and delist them from the program.

Over the past years, the DSWD has been consistent in performing its functions within the tenets of accountability and transparency.

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JV grateful for big jump in latest SWS survey

On Bawal ang Epal Dito campaign

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10 here has reiterated its call to all Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) workers to make clear on the message they are disseminating to both beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries.

This is to ensure the elimination of misconception of the beneficiaries about the control of politicians or parties over Pantawid Pamilya and other programs of DSWD. Lawyer Araceli F. Solamillo, DSWD Field Office 10 Regional Director, said both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries must be accurately informed on the selection

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Wednesday-Thursday Mar. 27-28, 2013

U NITED Nationa list Alliance (UNA) candidate San Juan Cit y Rep. JV Ejercito Estrada expressed his gratitude to the public after he ranked 3rd in the March pre-election survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

T he M a rc h 2 013 P re -E le c t ion Su r ve y fielded on March 15 to 17 showed that Ejercito Estrada was one of the biggest gainers among senatorial candidates as he improved his ranking by six notches. He was favored by 48 percent of

jv ejercito

No changing of pay-out schedules Regional Project Coordinator explained that only DSWD Central Office can change the venue, mode of payment, and date of the pay-out upon recommendation by the regional office.

She added Regional Project Management Office of Pantawid Pamilya will assess and recommend any changes if it is feasible and

Meanwhile, Sanchez also stressed the scheduled payout in every locality cannot be altered or changed.

This, after some mayors in Northern Mindanao requested DSWD Field Office 10 to change the venue, mode of payment, and date of the pay-out for no apparent reasons.

The Pantawid Pamilya

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) recently received high commendation in the Destination Marketing category during the recent 11th Routes Asia Conference and Exhibition held last week at the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel, Mumbai, India.

The country’s tourism department was among the five shortlisted to win in the category which include Tourism Australia, Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau, Singapore Tourism Board, and Tourism New Zealand. The award was

Upon extrajudicial for sale under Act No. 3135 as amended by Act No. 4118, filed by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND or PAG-IBIG FUND – Cagayan de Oro Branch Officer, a government financial institution with principal office address located at the Atrium Building, Makati Avenue, Makati, Metro Manila, against EVANGELINE G. ARGABIO of legal age, Single, Filipino Citizen with postal address at B3, L8 CRISTAN VILLA, DICKLUM, MANOLO FORTICH, BUKIDNON, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of OCTOBER 23,2012, amount to THREE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TWENTY ONE PESOS & 38/100 (Php. 325,921.38) Philippine currency, inclusive of interest & penalty charges, attorney’s fees and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned or duly authorized deputy will sell at public auction on APRIL 29, 2013 at 10:00 a.m or soon thereafter at the main entrance of the RTC-BR.21, Hall of Justice lobby, Hayes St., Cagayan de Oro City to the highest bidder, for CASH in the Philippine Currency, the following property/ies described below with all the improvements included thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERT. OF TITLE NO. T-195931 Lot : 32, Block 16, Pcs-10-003948 Portion of : Lots 3615-B, Psd-10-004675, 24178-A, Psd-10-009444,

3614-A-1-B, Psd-10-009566, 24178-B-1, Psd-10-010320,

24178-B-2-A, Psd-10-052968, 24178-B-2-B-1, Psd-10054199,

24178-B-2-B-6, Psd-10-05499, 4178-C-1, Psd-10-054997,

3605, Cad. 237, Cagayan Cadastre As Surveyed for : Liberty Land Corporation Land Use : Residential Location : Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City

SE., along line 1-2 ……………. Lot 30, Block 16, Pcs-10-003948

SW., along line 2-3------------ Road Lot 17, Pcs-10-003948

NW., along line 3-4 ----------- Lot 34, Block 16, Pcs-10-003948

NE., along line 4-1 ----------- Lot 33, Block 16, Pcs-10-003948 Beginning at a point marked “1” on the plan, being N.03 deg.32” 237, thence;

1-2 S. w., 10.00 m.

2-3 N. W., 5.00 m.

3-4 N. E., 10.00 m.

4-1 S. E., 5.00 m.

W., 718.44 m. from BBM#19/Cad. 49

deg.

07’

40

deg.

53’

49

deg.

07’

40

deg.

53’

Area : FIFTY (50) SQUARE METERS Bearing True : TRUE Description of Corners : Corners 1, 2 & 4 by P.S, cyl. Conc. mons.

15x40 cm.

Date of Original Survey : Nov. 1926 to July 1932 Date of Subdivision Survey : March 20-30, 2007 OCT No./ TCT No. : _________ / ________ Date Approved : May 15, 2007 Geodetic Engineer : Fernando B. Gurrea xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event Auction Sale cannot take place for whatever legal reason, the same will proceed on the following working day, without further notice, posting and publication.

Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves the herein above-described and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, March 19, 2013

(SGD)EFRENG.MACABAYA

Sheriff IV BWM: March 27, April 3 & 10, 2013

eventually won by Australia.

Routes, an organization focused entirely on aviation route development, spearheads and operates world-renowned airline and airport networking events attended by representatives AWARDS /PAGE 5

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL NORTE 12TH Judicial Region BRANCH 07 Tubod, Lanao del Norte

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE EJF File No. 2013-066

safe for Pantawid Pamilya workers, service providers and beneficiaries.

As it is, the 350 beneficiariesunder Set 6 Period 1 from Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte have received their grants at the Philippine Postal Corporation Office in Iligan City since its mode of payment is over the counter pay-out /PAGE 5

PH reaps awards at Routes Asia 2013

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region Branch 21 Cagayan de Oro City OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL SHERIF

the respondents.

“Muli, salamat po sa sambayanang Pilipino sa patuloy ninyong pagpapakita ng suporta at tiwala sa akin. Sakaling mapabilang sa Senado, gagawin ko ang aking makakaya upang mapaginhawa ang buhay ng mga Pilipino,” said the young lawmaker.

The San Juan solon is consistently included in the top 10 senatorial candidates preferred by respondents in recent surveys conducted by the SWS, Pulse Asia, and StratPOLLS.

In re: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH OF EARL Q. DUHAYLUNSOD UNDER REGISTRY NO. 86-721 ( Local Civil Registry, Tubod, Lanao del Norte) EARL Q. DUHAYLUNGSOD,

- versus –

SPECIAL PROC. NO. 235-07-2011

Petitioner,

LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OF TUBOD, LANAO DEL NORTE,

Respondent. x----------------------------/ ORDER

A petition was filed before this Court on September 21, 2012 by herein petitioner, EARL Q. DUHAYLUNGSOD for the cancellation of his Certificate of Birth under Registry No. 86-721 in the office of the Local Civil Registrar of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, praying among others that after notice and hearing, an Order be issued directing the Respondent, Local Civil Registrar of Tubod, Lanao del Norte to effect the cancellation sought for.

Petitioner alleges that he is 25 years of age, single and a resident of Crossing, Poblacion, Tubod, Lanao del Norte. Respondent is sued in her official capacity as such. Petitioner is born at Zamboanga General Hospital, Zamboanga City on September 3, 1986 and his fact of birth was registered with the Local Civil Registry of Zamboanga City. His birth was also registered with the Local Civil Registry of Tubod, Lanao del Norte under Registry No. 86-07021, and his “sex” is erroneously indicated as “Female”. That the person registered with the Local Registry of Zamboanga City with the name EARL QUIMNO DUHAYLUNGSOD, born on September 3, 1986, and the “sex” is indicated as “Male” and the person registered with the Local Civil Registry of Tubod, Lanao del Norte with the name EARL QUIMNO DUHAYLUNGSOD, born on September 3, 1986, Sex indicated as “Female”, is one and the same identical person.

That the existence of two birth certificates of petitioner, though there is discrepancy as to entry of sex, has cast doubts and confusion of his identity and status for having two birth certificates, it is imperative that one of the certificates be cancelled. That the Certificate issued by the Local Civil Registrar of Tubod, Lanao del Norte which contains erroneous entry as to his “sex” should be cancelled. That there is no civil rights and interest of third party or parties is being and shall be prejudiced, defrauded and affected by the petition.

Set the initial hearing of the petition to March 5, 2013 at 8:30 in the morning before the sala of this Court. Any person/s interested to the petition may come to Court on said date and time to show cause why said petition should not be granted.

Furnish copy of the petition to the Office of the Solicitor General at Makati City, Office of the Public Prosecutor in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Office of the Local Civil Registry in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Atty. Pedro L. Suan, counsel for the petitioner whose address is at Oroquieta City and to the petitioner care of Monaliza Q. Duhaylungsod of Crossing, Tubod, Lanao del Norte. Petitioner is hereby directed to publish copy of this Order to a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Lanao del Norte for three (3) consecutive weeks, at his expense.

So Ordered.

Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

January 22, 2013.

BWM: March 22, 27 & April 3

[Sgd] WENIDA B. M. PAPANDAYAN Acting Presiding Judge

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Wednesday-Thursday I Mar. 27-28, 2013

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

11

RCBC sells stake in realty arm for up to P5.5 billion RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) disclosed on Tuesday that it is selling its stake in its property arm to companies also owned by the Yuchengcos for a maximum of P5.48 billion.

RCBC told the Philippine Stock Exchange that it is selling its 34.8 percent interest in RCBC Realty to Pan Malayan Management and Investment Corp and House of Investments for at least P4.31 billion.

In the same disclosure, the Yuchengco-led bank sa id it is decla r i ng a nd p ay i n g c a s h d i v id e nd s amounting to P1 per share or a total of P1.14 billion to common share holders and P342,000 to preferred share holders. This is still subject to the final approval of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

On Mond ay, RCBC ’s board approved the issuance of Basel 3-compliant Hybrid Tier 1 capital notes of up to $130 million. The bank is raising additional capital to comply with the

Basel 3 guidelines issued of the BSP. “This t y pe of capita l note has been tested in the market in Europe, Switz erla nd a nd Berl i n. We are quite conf ident that there would be investors interest,” John G. Deveras, RCBC executive vice president and head of strategic initiatives told reporters during the signing of an ag reement covering t he sale of the bank ’s bad assets to the International Finance Corp (IFC) earlier this month.

The bank has engaged Morgan Stanley & Co International PLC as dealer manager, the Bank of New York-London Bra nch as pr i ncipa l pay i ng agent , transfer agent and agent

bank. RCBC’s board also aut hor i z e d cont r ac t i ng other financial and other institutions to offer, issue, service and redeem these securities as necessary.

Also earlier this month, RCBC raised P4.1 billion af ter it sold more of its shares to a key stockholder.

IFC Capitalization (Equity) Fund L .P. invested $100 million in RCBC, raising t he st a ke of t he World Bank ’s private sector investing arm to 12 percent from 6.4 percent.

RCBC wou ld have to raise a total of $430 million to comply with the January 1, 2014 deadline of the BSP under Basel 3, which is the latest set of capital standards agreed upon by the world’s central banks.

BDO ready for the Holy Week BANCO de Oro Unibank (BDO) assured the public of its readiness to cater to people’s banking needs this Holy Week.

In a statement, the Sy-led bank said all of its branches nationwide will be open until Wednesday, March 27, 2013.

“All BDO ATMs (automated teller machines) will be ready to handle withdrawal transactions expected during the Holy Week,” it added.

FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS PLACEMENTS CONTACT

MEDIA FORUM with First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative (FIBECO),Inc.

Dir. Felix Vergara

M

edia Forum with Fibeco was held last March 21 this year at 9:00 am12nn at FIBECO Training Center, main office, Anahawon Maramag, Bukidnon.

Program proper was opened by the welcome address of the ISD Manager Mr. Armando a. Cantoy where he recognized all the guest , partners in media and gave some information about the forum .

Engr. Renato S. Cortezano FIBECO General Manager gave the updates of the current pow-

er situation in Mindanao, Fibeco challenges and Fibeco’s accomplishment and action plans.

There was an open forum about issues and concerns in the energy sector: Cooperative, Community and National level.

Present also were BOD members dir. Felix, Engr.

Antonio N. Obice,Jr. (TSDManager),Mdme Luzminda A.Pallasigue(FSDManager),Engr. Japhet P. Nermal(CorPlan/Info tech Dep’t Managar), all area managers,amembers of the FIBECO Management & Staff.

Engr. Reynato S. Cortezano General Manager

Mr. Jose Eric Barilea

12

Wednesday - Thursday March 27-28, 2012

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

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www.businessweekmindanao.com

Villar elated over inclusion of LPPCHEA on Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance Former Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar said she is happy that the Las PiñasParañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) is included on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

“The inclusion of LPPCHEA on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance is very good news indeed. We should be proud of the recognition, and at the same time, we are encouraged even more to protect it,” said Villar.

LPPCHEA is t he si x t h Philippine site designated as ‘Wetlands of International Importance’, it was included on the list on March 15.

The others on the list are: the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park in Sulu (listed on December 11, 1999); the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary (listed on December 11, 1999); the Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro (listed on December 11, 1999); the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Cebu (listed on January 7, 1994); and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan (listed on June 30, 2012).

The Philippines joined the Ramsar Convention in 1994.

Signatories to join the Convention agree to “include wetland conservation considerations in their national land-use planning,” and commit to implement and promote “the wise use of wetlands in their territory.”

The Convention on Wetlands—signed in Ramsar, Iran on 1971— is an intergovernmental

CYNTHIA VILLAR

treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the “wise use”, or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories “The international treaty organization has recognized LPPCHEA’s global importance to biodiversity and the need to give it special protection from various threats. LPPCHEA is the so-called ‘last bastion’ in Metro Manila and faces various threats” said Villar.

Ramcar Convention cited on its website that LPPCHEA “faces threats” such as “ongoing land reclamation projects and mangrove cutting”, and “waste from nearby cities (that) accumulates along the coast” Despite being declared as a critical habitat in 2007 by Proclamation No. 1412, there are existing plans to reclaim the area.

Villar is very vocal about her opposition on the planned 635.14-hectare Manila Bay rec-

lamation project that will also affect LPPCHEA. She filed a petition for Writ of Kalikasan on March 16 against the said project, which the Supreme Court granted on April 10 last year. The writ of kalikasan was issued but not a temporary environmental protection order or TEPO—without a TEPO, the contractor can still proceed with the projects.

A series of hearings, which wrapped up only a few weeks ago, was held at the Court of Appeals.

Villar herself took the court stand on October 12 as petitioner and witness. Villar’s group is aiming for the issuance of a permanent environmental protection order, so that the reclamation project will be junked altogether.

“I have repeatedly talked about the catastrophic effects that the proposed Manila Bay reclamation project will bring about—including the damage to the bird sanctuary as well as to the mangrove forest and marine habitat. The worst of which, is that it will cause severe flooding in 37 barangays in Bacoor, 11 in Paranaque and 17 in Las Piñas.

Floods with a depth of as much as 5.12 meters or equivalent to a two-storey high building,” cited Villar.

LPPCHEA serves as a sanctuary to migratory bird species from as far as Siberia. According to the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Metro Manila has 150 species of birds, 72 of which are found at LPPCHEA. It is the only bird sanctuary located in an urban setting, thus it is considered as the ‘last bastion’.