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Volume VIII, No. 234
Moreno graft case dismissed By MARK FRANCISCO Correspondent
Moreno
THE Office of the Ombudsman has reversed its earlier stance and dismissed the graft complaint against Mayor Oscar Moreno. In a 13-page document penned by assistant ombudsman Pilarita Lapitan and concurred by Ombudsman Samuel Martires dated February 4 this year, the Tanodbayan discarded its own February 2016 and June 2018 resolutions (after an appeal) that recommended Moreno and then treasurer Glenn Bañez be prosecuted for allowing the city government to settle with food giant Ajinomoto in a tax dispute. It stemmed from a complaint filed by private citizen William Guialani, accusing See DISMISSAL, page 11
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Duterte lauds Misuari’s patience in peace talks
PRESIDNT Rodrigo R. Duterte “admired” Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari’s patience in peace negotiations, Malacañang said on Tuesday. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte and Misuari met at the Malacañan Palace on Monday. “ The President told the chairman that he admired his patience and he apologized for not having implemented or enforced whatever agreements that they had previously with respect, I think, to federalism or something,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing. He said Misuari had no complaints about the composition of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority. “If the MNLF was complaining about it, the chairman did not mention it,” he Nur in Malacañang. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte greets Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur said. Misuari at Malacañan Palace Monday (February 25, 2019). Presidential
Murad names 10 ministers
photo
See TALKS, page 11
Vows government ‘free of all the ills of governance;’
By CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS
INTERIM Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the 80-member body that will govern the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) until June 30, 2022, vowed on Tuesday a government that will “really be free of all the ills of governance,” and named the first set of Cabinet ministers during the turnover rites from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to the BARMM at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex.
“Now we acknowledge that we are entering another level of our jihad. Our jihad will be more intense and more challenging, our jihad firstly will be against our own self,” Murad said, adding “our enemies are all the ills of governance… our enemy is graft and corruption, our enemy is the manipulation of government, our enemy is nepotism, our enemy is all those ills of government.” In his 24-minute speech, Murad said that aside from taking their oath as BTA members before President in Malacanang on February 22, “we will also take oath
to Allah, over the Koran, Inshallah. This is to ensure to you that, Inshallah, we will work for a government that will really be free of all the ills of governance.” He told reporters after he was ushered into his new office at the Office of the Bangsamoro People by the previous occupant, Mujiv Hataman — the last Governor of the 28-year old ARMM — that they would hold their inaugural session as BTA sometime in March, that he would reside in the Astana, the Governor’s House inside the ARMM compound, and that See NAMES, page 11
Interim Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the body that will govern the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) until June 30, 2022 vows a government that is “free of all the ills of governance” during the turnover of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the BARMM at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City on February 26, 2019. MindaNews photo by Manman Dejeto
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Thursday, February 28, 2019
Community
NICA orients gov’t executives on EO 70
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No declaration of measles outbreak in Region 10
they will know their proper course of action and implementation. (PIA/Cagayan de Oro)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- There has been no declaration of Measles in Northern Mindanao as the Department of Health was able to manage the situation well, thus, the number of cases have been declining. This was disclosed by Dr. David Mendoza, head of Research Epidemiology Surveillance and Disaster Response Unit (RESDRU) in the Region who said the conduct of Measles immunization was stepped up even on Saturdays. He disclosed that from January 1 to February 17, a total of 449 suspected Measles cases with seven deaths were reported by disease reporting units regionwide. This, he said, is 222% higher compared to the same period last year. The ages of the suspected Measles cases ranged from one month to 74 years old with two years old as the median. Among the provinces and cities in Region 10, from January 1-February 17, 2019, Bukidnon reported the high-
CAGAYAN DE ORO -State-run Social Security System (SSS) over the weekend said its contribution collections jumped by more than P22.19 billion in 2018 on the back of the aggressive collection efforts of the agency. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said members’ contributions hit P181.92 billion in 2018, up by 13.89 Displaced families in Bito Buadi Itowa evacuation center percent from the P159.72 line up for the distribution of family food packs by the billion recorded in 2017. Department of Social Welfare and Development. Photo by James Umaran/ PIA ICCC “We are very pleased that we have ended the year 2018 on a positive notch. Contribution collections comprised more than 86 percent of our total revenue last year,” Dooc said. Based on the unaudited financial records of the pension fund, total revenues of SSS reached P212.57 billion By LOU ELLEN L. ANTONIO partment of Social Welfare lief assistance to the families in 2018, registering a growth and Development (DSWD) affected by Marawi siege, See JUMP, page 10 MARAWI CITY -- The De- has continued to provide re- which happened almost two years ago. Two family food packs were distributed to each family currently residing in transitory shelters and evacuation sites in the city particularly those in the Lake View Shelter in Barangay Boganga, Titanic Building in Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol, Bito RPN Radyo Ronda Buadi Itowa evacuation Stations Nationwide center and Bahay Pag-asa 1, Bahay Pag-asa 2 in BaDZBS 1368 Baguio DZRL 639 Batac rangay Mipaga, Sarimanok DZTG 621 Tuguegarao Tent City and Biyaya ng DZKI 1332 Iriga Pagbabago Transitional DYKW 936 Binalbagan DYKB 1404 Bacolod Shelter Site in Barangay DYKC 675 Cebu Sagonsongan. DXKO 1368 Cagayan de Oro CNN Philippines Stations Nationwide DXKS 1080 Surigao Fatima Manardas, a forDXKD 1053 Dipolog CNN Philippines TV-9 Manila CNN Philippines TV-8 Bacolod mer resident of Barangay DXKP 1377 Pagadian CNN Philippines TV-12 Baguio CNN Philippines TV-9 Cebu Sabala Manao 1 and is now DXXX 1008 Zamboanga CNN Philippines TV-12 Dagupan CNN Philippines TV-5 Cag. de Oro DXKT 1071 Davao CNN Philippines TV-26 Tarlac CNN Philippines TV-5 Zamboanga residing at Bito Buadi Itowa DXDX 693 General Santos CNN Philippines TV-10 Iriga CNN Philippines TV-7 GenSan evacuation center, expressed CNN Philippines TV-4 Iloilo CNN Philippines TV-9 Davao her gratitude for receiving
food packs from DSWD. “Masaya po kami na nakatanggap kami ng relief. Salamat po sa DSWD at sa Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) kasi tinulungan nila kami,” said Manardas. [We are happy that we received relief assistance. Thank you to DSWD and Task Force Bangon Marawi for supporting us.] “Ang DSWD ay masaya na naibahagi ang relief goods. Nais po naming iparating sa inyo na sana ito ay makabigay ng ginhawa sa buhay ninyo bilang internally displaced persons (IDPs). Kami ay patuloy na sumusuporta sa inyong pangangailangan,” said Social Welfare Officer II Ramiel Guinandam of DSWD- 10. [DSWD is happy to provide relief goods. We want to convey that these will give comfort to your lives
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental -- The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) has started an information and education campaign on Executive Order No. 70, which calls for the institutionalization of the whole of nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace. NICA 10 Regional Director Manuel Orduna said the agency has so far conducted about eight awareness briefing on the orientation for government executives on EO 70 aimed at making them aware of the said EO so they will know their proper course of action and implementation. He said government officials and employees must National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)-10 Regional Director Manuel Orduna says the agency has so far conducted about eight awareness briefing on the orientation learn EO 70 which calls for for government executives on EO 70 aimed at making them aware of the said EO so See ORIENTS, page 10
est number of Measles cases with 211 cases, with two deaths. This is 1,407% higher than that of last year which was only 2 cases and zero death. Cagayan de Oro City recorded the second highest number of Measles cases with 115 and five deaths. This is 297% higher than that of last year with 29 cases and zero death. Misamis Oriental recorded 77 cases with zero death which is 450% higher than the 14 cases it has recorded over the same period last year. Misamis Occidental reported 38 cases which is higher than last year’s 25 cases. The province of Camiguin reported only one Measles case this year while last year it has zero Measles case. Meanwhile, Lanao del Norte recorded 42 Measles cases which is 19% lower than the 52 cases reported last year. Iligan City recorded 15 suspected Measles cases, lower than last year’s 21 cases. (PIA 10)
SSS contribution collections jump by P22B in 2018
DSWD sustains conduct of relief operations for Marawi IDPs as IDPs. We will continue to support your needs.] DSWD conducted the distribution with the help from the Joint Task Group Tabang of the Philippine Army. Lt. Col. Andres Soriano, commander of the 12th civil-military operations battalion also urged the IDPs to utilize the food packs in the right way. “Sana during sa ganitong distribution ilagay ang sarili nila sa maayos. Dapat iyong relief goods na ay gamitin nila sa tama at huwag sana nila ibebenta,” said Soriano. [During the distribution, I hope the IDPs will behave. They should use the relief goods the right way and not sell them.] Meanwhile. Mary Joy Juson, executive assistant of the TFBM Field Office See SUSTAINS, page 10
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SoCot eyes more college scholars
A group of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps take a rest after a day of physical activities in a school here. photo by gerry lee gorit
Group calls for action on water security as El Niño nears A COALITION from the private sector, business groups, non-government organizations (NGOs), and civil society groups has called on the government to address the looming water shortage. The call was made following a report from the weather bureau that the country will experience El Niño phenomenon from
March to June this year. In a press conference Thursday, Movement for Security (MWS) chairman Ernesto Ordoñez said there is a need to ensure water security immediately “because we have a serious global water crisis today.” Ordoñez cited the World Economic Forum (WEF) which has listed water as the largest global risk in
terms of potential impact in the next decade, noting water demand is expected to outstrip supply by 40 percent. In the Philippines, which is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change, WEF said the situation is more critical. It noted more than 50 persons die every day due to water-related diseases
and nine million have no access to safe water. Ordoñez said major challenges of inadequate water, poor water quality, floods, and droughts are needed to be addressed. “Our mission is to increase and expand our water initiatives, promote coordination and synergy within the private sector, and fully See WATER, page 11
Happy birthday, Mayor Oscar Moreno! Wishing you good health and happiness as you celebrate your special day and for the years to come. Greetings from:
GENERAL Santos City--The provincial government of South Cotabato is targeting to enlist more tertiary scholars this year under its flagship Kabugwason Paglaum Scholarship Program (KPSP). Ruel Bagunoc, KPSP executive director, said Wednesday they are set to open the application for the program’s grantin-aid component, which mainly offers scholarships for bachelor degrees. He said the application forms will be available starting March at their office inside the provincial capitol in Koronadal City. As in the previous years, he said all applicants will be subjected to stringent screening and evaluation process through a panel composed of representatives from various sectors. Last year, at least 151 new scholars were absorbed by the program out of around 1,500 applicants. “This is to ensure that we enlist the deserving and best qualified scholars,” he said in a briefing. Bagunoc said scholarship slots will be opened for all five categories of the grant-in-aid program, which was set by a provincial ordinance. Category A caters to
scholars with an annual family income of less than PHP200,000 while Category B is for those with family income of PHP200,000 and above. Category C is for those who received recognition or have won regional, national and international competitions, Category D for persons with disabilities and Category E for the indigenous peoples. Scholars under Categories A, C, D and E will receive PHP3,500 monthly stipend and PHP15,000 per semester for tuition and other school fees. Grantees under Category B will only receive monthly stipend of PHP1,500 but will also get PHP15,000 for the school fees. The provincial government allots an annual budget of PHP25 million for the implementation of the program, which currently caters to 467 undergraduate and 17 post-graduate scholars. Bagunoc said the undergraduate scholars are enrolled in four to five-year degree courses in colleges and universities in this city, Koronadal City, Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat and in Davao City. Seven scholars are See EYES, page 11
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Thursday, February 28, 2019
Opinion
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Open-door policy
THIS is a true story about a 19-year-old girl who rebelled against her parents and ran away from home. Soon she found out that life was not easy on her own. She could not find a job, and her friends grew tired of her living off them so they kicked her out. She finally became so desperate she started making money by working on the street as a prostitute. Years passed. Her father died. Her mother grew older. All the while the daughter’s life grew even worse. But she still would not write or go home to see her mother. One day the mother heard that her daughter had been seen in a certain part of
town, so she went looking for her. The mother went to every cheap hotel asking to put a picture on their walls. It was a picture of herself, now an old, gray-haired mother. Beside her picture she wrote: “I still love you! Please come home!” Months went by and nothing happened. Then one day the daughter, who was now extremely skinny and sick, could not believe her eyes when she saw her mother’s picture on the wall of that dirty, cheap hotel! As she read her mother’s message to her she began to cry. That night she started walking the many miles back to her home. It was early in
the morning when she finally arrived at her mother’s house and knocked on the door. To her surprise, the door was open! Afraid that someone had broken into the house, she ran inside and woke up her sleeping mother to tell her she had finally come home. Mother and daughter cried as they hugged each other. The daughter said: “I thought someone had broken the door open!” The mother shook her head and said: “My dear, since the day you left, that door has always been open.” Remember, it does not matter what wrong things we have done or how badly we have lived, our heavenly Father’s door is al-
Jhan Tiafau Hurst
ways open—for us to come home. Even though we have rebelled against Him and chosen not to live His way, the moment you decide to ask His forgiveness, Jesus will forgive and accept you just the way you are. That is when He can help you start a new life—but this time daily living His right, true way in a loving relationship with Him. Today He wants you to know He’s waiting… and His door is still open. Just think a minute.
Letters from Davao
Campaign, libel and all that jazz
WHEN boredom sets in after the hearing, reading and watching all the dramatics about Maria Ressa’s libel and tax evasion case, try focusing on what’s happening in the senate campaign trail. It’s more exciting and comic. What could beat “sexy”, “pogi” and “tanda”, all facing plunder cases seeking re-election and Pres. Rodrigo Duterte telling ousted Speaker Bebot Alvarez “sorry” he cannot stop daughter Davao City Mayor Inday Sara from ousting him. Asked why he is voting for Bong Revilla, an elderly quipped: ”ang guapo kasi”. In Davao del Norte, Bebot’s propagandists tweaked Duterte’s joke declaring that the President has apologized to the ex-speaker.
If that can evoke laughters, this one can draw tears. “Otso Deretso (OD)” inspires classic parodies like: Otso Deretso sa poso negro, Otso Deretso zero and Mar Roxas goes on solo. Hugpong ng Pagbabago which is chaired by Mayor Inday Sara continues to draw huge crowd in all their sorties while OD is drawing flies which gives additional tickler to the jab that they are consigned to the septic tank. Actually, that attribution is quite unfair. I would blame it to their choice of a campaign manager, Kiko Pangilinan, whose juvenile delinquency law is a big factor why thousands of minors are involved in crime. I don’t think his wifey Sharon Cuneta, a
diehard, Duterte fan, will allow herself to be used as campaign attraction for the OD, 8 which is now down to 7. Even Leni Robredo or Noynoy Aquino has yet to go out and campaign for the beleaguered 8-1. Leni is scared she will pale in comparison to the feisty Dabawenya when it comes to attracting people. I have yet to hear a campaign pitch from Robredo for Romulo Makalintal -- her lawyer in her Comelec case. It’s either she believes her lawyer will not win or he thinks an endorsement from the VP will draw negative vibes from his campaign. This year’s midterm elections is a war of trolls. You find them in Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rapplers’
By JULKIPLI WADI MindaNews
Admittedly, who can best answer these questions should be core leaders of the MILF as they are the ones who started their version of Moro struggle; they were the ones who experienced the crucible of wars and eventually realized the need to forge peace deals with the Philippine government. We’d long expressed our respect with their decision. Certainly, the reading of those who’d once embraced jihad is different from those who had not. People’s Views Yet, people’s views including their questions on Moro struggle should not be dismissed as irrelevant or critical. Now that MILF’s “paradigm shift” has been finally realized, people deserve clarity and guidance amid twists and zigzags of its revolutionary steps with which the previously ascribed Moro struggle for freedom and independence was originally lunched on their behalf. Now with BOL,
people are invoked anew with recycled rhetoric of “peace and development.” People deserve answers as they are often the ones who perpetually suffer from pangs of war while their leaders could usually transition to new life and move on just like that. Some Moro youth, with many cases in the past, were forced to embrace radicalism due to failure to get enlightenment from their elders after they were indoctrinated with what was previously conceived as a cause of sacred struggle that eventually resulted into shifts from integration to secession now back to integration and other “political experiments” in between. My contribution in this forum would be a reading using what I call “strategic analysis” on current state of Moro struggle. More particularly, it underscores the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the extent to which it resonates with the cause of
Jun Ledesma
post. Employing trolls to denigrate a candidate is cowardice and using these to promote a candidate is stupidity. Crucifying one self over a case of libel and tax evasion will not create another story of Golgota especially when no crown of thorns is forced into one’s swelling head. For a country like the US of A whose Internal Revenue Service sends a tax evader to jail or slap the dodger a stiff fines, it should be the last intruder in the community of nations to lecture on the Philippines to go slow on one accused of a lesser See LIBEL, page 11
BOL and Self-determination (1)
(An expanded lecture that was delivered extemporaneously during the forum:“Self-determination at Last? Bangsamoro Organic Law – Limits, Challenges, and Possibilities” held at the Center for Integrative Development Studies, University of the Philippines Diliman, on 21 February 2019). QUEZON City--Selfdetermination, a subject close to many hearts among conscious Moro youth and professionals, has elicited many questions. The most crucial, I believe, are these two: what drives the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to barter its revolutionary struggle with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through transition process, decommissioning, and normalization? Would it advance or stifle the Moro quest for self-determination?
Moro struggle and the vision of self-determination. Major documents of the United Nations show that the concept of self-determination has undergone much development from the mandate of U.N. Charter that recognizes the rights of self-determination among nations and peoples. In fact, the U.N. Special Committee on Self-determination came up with declaration on decolonization in the 1960s until quite recently with the project “Third International Decade in the Eradication of Colonialism.” This principle has, in many ways, inspired many minorities worldwide as their movements invariably tried to advance their struggle to new levels. This development is not exceptional with Moros. Previously, Moro struggle was simply anchored in history driven with the imperative to resist aggression since colonial and post-colonial period. There was no clear See BOL, page 11
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DAR showcases achievements in gov’t expo THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed informational materials and displayed products of its farmer-beneficiaries in a government expo launched yesterday, February 26, 2019, held at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. The Kabisig Philippine Government Expo and Trade Fair is an annual event held in different parts of the country. This year, the Kabisig expo will visit Davao on March, Cebu on July, and Pampanga on September. Daniel Guillen, president of the exhibition, said the event, now on its 20th year, seeks to inform the people of the government agencies’ services, programs and successes. “For instance, those who went to the booth of the DAR learned the signifi-
cance of this agency to the farmers of our country. They provided agricultural lands to millions of our landless farmers to till and supported them with various services to boost their economic lives,” Guillen said. The Kabisig chief also encouraged other government agencies to join and support the trade fair because they owe the Filipino people the right to be informed of what is going on in their offices. The three-day fair is participated by the following agencies, Home Mutual Development Funds, Philippine National Police, Department of National Defense, Department of Justice, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, among others.
THE labor department batted anew for zero-accidents in workplaces and called on enterprises to join the government in enhancing social accountability. Addressing the launch of the nationwide search for occupational safety and health (OSH) champions, Labor Undersecretary Ana Dione also underscored DOLE’s resolve in intensi-
fying OSH advocacy programs. The search for OSH champions, dubbed Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (GKK), is on its 11th year. “We take on the leverage of championing zero accident accomplishments in order to raise the bar not just on work safety, but more importantly, in our duty to promote social
The DAR is one of many government agencies participating in this trade fair, now on its 20th year.
Zero-accident pushed
accountability,” Dione said. The biennial search, implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), is given to establishments and individuals across the country with outstanding OSH practices, programs, innovations, and contributions. It aims to encourage materials and samples of products made by agrarian reform benefiaries institutions to implement Informational organizations are available at the DAR booth at the Kabisig expo. See PUSHED, page 9
MINDANAO DAILY
We innovate... and we lead! Editor: ALLAN M. MEDIANTE
PTTC Marks 32nd Year With Global MSME Academy THE Philippine Trade Training Center, the training arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), marks its 32nd year this February. Marking this milestone is the establishment of the Global MSME Academy (GMEA) under PTTC’s auspices. “Secretary Mon Lopez expanded the role of PTTC to cover the development and upgrading of MSMEs to become innovative and competitive for the local and foreign markets,” says PTTC Executive Director Nestor Palabyab, CESO III. GMEA pushes PTTC’s training framework to the next level – that is, helping MSMEs globalize. “PTTC has always provided our entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs with cohesive training programs that will allow them to pursue either an export-oriented business, or one that is focused on the domestic market. But through the Global MSME Academy, our MSMEs can be equipped with the necessary knowhow to take their operations to different parts of the world,” says Palabyab. Republic Act No 9501, See MARKS, page 10
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DTI LAUNCHES PRD PROGRAM IN WALTERMART. The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) affordable rice campaign offering imported well-milled rice at Php38 per kilo is now available at all 33 WalterMart supermarkets nationwide as Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (5th from L) and WalterMart Managing Director Walter Lim (4th from R) launched the program in Pasay City on 26 February 2019. According to Sec. Lopez, the Presyong Risonable Dapat (PRD) program is a preview of the rice tariffication regime, which increases access points of cheaper rice to benefit Filipino consumers as well as enhances competitiveness of Filipino farmers. In WalterMart, varieties of well-milled rice are also available at Php 34, Php 35, and Php 37 per kilo. The retail group also sells sugar at Php 50 per kilo. With this launch, PRD is now available in 471 major supermarkets nationwide. DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo (4th from L), Asst. Director Lilian Salonga (3rd from L), WalterMart Vice President for Business Development Rose Caalam (3rd from R), Operations Manager Marcelo Trinidad (leftmost), and General Manager for Operations Gilles Lecuit (rightmost) were also present during the launch. photo supplied
BTr sells P113.8-B RTB in rate setting auction By JOANN VILLANUEVA
MANILA -- The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Tuesday raised PHP113.772 billion from the year’s first rate setting auction of fiveyear Retail Treasury Bonds (RTBs). Coupon rate rose to 6.25 percent from the 4.625 percent it fetched during the same tenor’s last auction in November 2017. Initially, the offer was set at PHP30 billion but it quickly rose to PHP120 billion due to the strong demand, with tenders totaling PHP121.807 billion. National Treasurer Rosalia De Leon told journalists that the auction committee is “very pleased” with the outcome of the rate setting auction. “We see that investors view this as what we call a last call, last trip to be able to get these good rates because of the expectations that eventually rates will be trending downwards with inflation expectations also
De Leon
to continue to decline,” she said. De Leon said investors’ confidence was boosted by the passage of the Rice Tariffication Act and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Charter amendment, both measures which can help government mitigate inflation.
Rate of price increases decelerated to 4.4 percent last January and monetary officials expect this to go back to within the two to four percent target of the government this quarter. Inflation is seen to benefit from the rice tariffication since it is projected to help decline inflation by 0.7
percentage points. RTBs are intended for small investors and minimum placement is set at PHP5,000. For the first time, BTr will be selling the debt paper through online platform to individual account holders of Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). De Leon said the online ordering form is available on the websites of the government financial institutions (GFIs) because these are the ones that are ready for this option. Offer period for the RTB will be until March 8, 2019 while issuance will be on March 12. Aside from the two government-owned banks the other Joint Lead Issue Managers are BDO Capital & Investment Corporation, BPI Capital Corporation, China Bank Capital Corporation, First Metro See SELLS, page 10
PHOENIX Petroleum concluded a banner year in 2018 with the strongest revenue and earnings in the Company’s history, driven by record volume from new businesses and sustained strength in its core fuels business. Reported net income surged 82% to P2.77 billion. Revenues grew 99% to P88.61 billion in 2018 as volume of petroleum products sold grew by 49% year-on-year to an all-time high of 2.75 billion liters. The Company showed stellar growth in 2018 despite a confluence of industry challenges in the fourth quarter arising from the sharp decline in benchmark crude. The Company saw accelerating growth in its domestic business driven by fuels and LPG, which delivered a 15% volume increase. As a testament to stronger awareness and patronage of the brand, retail volume grew 5% from last year. As of end 2018, 600 stations have been opened nationwide. Commercial volume grew 13% year-on-year and See POSTS, page 9
2 DOF offices get ISO recertification
MANILA -- Two offices of the Department of Finance (DOF) tasked to provide frontline services to the public have been recertified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in meeting the criteria for quality assurance and consistency and efficiency of services. Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko said in a statement on Tuesday that the DOF’s Revenue Office and Municipal Development Fund Office (MDFO) were recertified up to April 16, 2020 after they provided proof by means of an audit that the requirements of the ISO 9001:2105 standard
have been met. The MDFO and Revenue Office secured their first ISO-certification in 2017. The ISO certificate issued to the two offices covers the “granting of tax exemption on importations; fund administration of Municipal Development Fund and Official Development Assistance.” An ISO certification validates that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has met all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance. This certification is issued by the ISO, which See GET, page 9
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Amcham official reaffirms investor confidence in Cagayan de Oro, Misor By MIKE BAÑOS Editor-at-large
A high ranking official of one of the foreign chambers of commerce based in the Philippines has reiterated his confidence in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental as favored investment destinations. During a meeting with members and local government officials at a local restaurant held last week, Ebb Hinchliffe, executive director of the American Chamber of the Philippines, Inc. (Amcham) reaffirmed his conviction that Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental province are two of the best investment and tourist destinations in Mindanao. “For many years I’ve worked to judge the cities and provinces for the Philippine Competitiveness Council and we’ve always chosen Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental among the first, second and third provinces and municipalities to do business in,” Hinchliffe said in his welcome remarks. “This is a business friendly city and we do what we can to encourage but it’s not enough, we need to do more.” And the facts do bolster his trust and faith in the two destinations. After topping the initial ranking of the Philippine Competitiveness Council’s (PCC) Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) in 2013, Cagayan de Oro has never dipped below the Top 10 in the annual rankings in the Highly Urbanized Category, ranking 5th in the 2018 CMCI Index. For its part, Misamis Ori-
ental ranked second in the same index when the provincial category was introduced in 2015. Of the 81 qualifying provinces nationwide, Misamis Oriental ranked second with 38.9 percent after Davao del Sur (1st) followed by Cebu province (3rd). The selection of the overall ranking is based on 30 weighted indicators measuring the four pillars of Resiliency, Infrastructure, Government Efficiency, and Economic Dynamism. More specifically, these indicators include rankings on governance; power and water rates and connections; number of hotel rooms, cell sites, hospital beds, among others; length of travel to airports and seaports, and the ease of business permits and licensing systems in a particular area. The NCC awarding body is composed of business and private sectors and members of the academe. The annual ranking aims “to improve the country’s overall competitiveness, through collaborative efforts between the national and local government agencies, and the public and private sectors,” according to the NC council. CMCI is an annual ranking of the cities and municipalities in the country developed by the NCC over the RCCs with the help of the United States Agency for International Development. Misamis Oriental further justified its lofty ranking when it was awarded the 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Executive Director Ebb Hinchliffe, Amcham Philippines.
Former Oro Chamber President Elpie Paras asks a question to the panel of Amcham ED Ebb Hinchliffe and Gov. Bambi Emano during the Amcham Meeting’s Open Forum moderated by Jerome dela Fuente.
Launched in 2014, the SGLG is a scaled up version of the Seal of Good Housekeeping introduced in 2010 by the late Sec. Jesus Robredo to promote transparency and accountability in local government operations. The DILG scaled up the assessment criteria for SGLG with the inclusion of peace and order as one of the core areas in 2018, on top of financial administration, disaster preparedness, and social protection. In SGLG 2017’s ’4+1’ assessment criteria, LGUs must pass the four core areas
and at least one essential area — either Business Friendliness and Competitiveness, Tourism, Culture and the Arts, and Environmental Protection. Awarded local government units receive an SLGL marker, access to other programs and capacity development assistance from DILG, and can be eligible to access the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) to finance their local development initiatives. Not the least, in perhaps the most telling affirmation yet of business confidence in the province, Misamis Oriental garnered three-fourths of Northern Mindanao’s (Region 10) record-shattering investments registered with the Board of Investments (BOI) in 2018. With three of the five big ticket investments locating in two of its eastern towns, the province accounted for P172.3-B of Region 10s P228.8-Billion (B) total for the period. AFP Group Holdings Corp. P158.4-B facility at Park 5, Villanueva, Phividec Industrial Estate-Misamis Oriental will manufacture slabs and hot rolled coils, and generate an estimated 10,000 new jobs. Nearby in Sitio Kirahon, Bgy. San Martin, Villanueva Steel Asia Villanueva Works P12.15-B expansion will produce concrete reinforcing steel bars
and wire rods, and generate 1,200 new jobs. That’s not even counting the five factories under the aegis of San Miguel Corporation rising in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental which are expected to be completed in the next two years. Or the planned P2.4-B relocation from China of Head International Holding GmBH’s tennis ball factory at the same industrial area to start construction this year and be completed 2020 employing between 100-200 workers for its first phase, and 700 at full capacity for its second phase which would involve additional production equipment. However, once the Philippine Iron and Steel Project (PISP) gets going in the Phividec Industrial Estate in eastern Misamis Oriental and Ayala Land’s 526 –hectare Habini Bay development in Laguindingan, west Misamis Oriental goes full steam ahead, these two mega projects by themselves would need over 100,000 workers over the next seven years. HBIS Group, China’s second-biggest steelmaker, recently signed a memorandum of understanding on the $4.4 billion PISP which would be the Philippines’ first integrated steel complex and biggest industrial investment from China in the Philippines to date and
create over 20,000 job opportunities over three to five years. Located at the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate of the Misamis Oriental-Special Economic Zone, the facilities in the complex would include sintering, coking, pelletizing and steel-rolling, producing basic iron and steel products for further processing. On the western side of the province, Ayala Land Inc. will initially invest P3.8 billion to develop the master-planned 526-hectare integrated estate Habini Bay in Laguindingan. To be anchored by an industrial park managed by Laguna Technopark Inc., initial development is projected to generate 2,580 jobs. Once fully operational, total employment from locators is expected to breach 40,000, once the light industrial park takes off. “This is a great place to do business. People call me on the phone and ask where should I do business? First thing I say is look in the Philippine Competitiveness Council (PCC) website and they will tell you Cagayan de Oro is no. 1 in ease of doing business,” Hinchliffe stressed. “And I say you should go to Misamis Oriental. That’s been Amcham’s position and it’s been that way for two to three years now, and we will continue to do so,” he added.
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Thursday, February 28, 2019
Davao
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Davao City IPs lauded for standing up vs. CPP-NPA
The Ovu-Manobo tribe of Barangay Tambobong, Baguio District, holds rally against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-NPA) on Monday. (Photo courtesy of the 3rd IB)
Davao City top cop calls for jail revamp over drug trade DAVAO CITY -- The chief of Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has called on the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) for personnel revamp at the Maa City Jail, following the discovery of illegal drugs inside the facility last weekend. Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum, DCPO director, made the call Tuesday as he vowed to continue building up the charges against BJMP
personnel involved in the alleged drug trade inside the city jail. Saturday’s surprise search by DCPO and other law enforcement agencies yielded two plastic sachets of white crystalline substances believed to be shabu valued at PHP160,000, drug paraphernalia, and other deadly weapons. A surprise drug test also found a BJMP officer posi-
62 rebel returnees in Comval receive Enhance-CLIP COMPOSTELA VALLEY Province -- Another sixty two (62) rebel returnees receives their immediate cash assistance of the government during the turnover ceremony of the Enhance Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) to Compostela Valley beneficiaries on February 19, 2019 at the 4th Floor, Social Hall, Capitol Building, Cabidianan, Nabunturan, Comval. The 62 rebel returnees received a total of Php65,000 each; Php15,000 immediate assistance and Php50,000 livelihood assistance from the Department of Inte-
tive for drug use. Tagum said the local police already has a list of inmates and BJMP personnel allegedly running the illegal drug trade inside the jail. He declined to name names pending investigation. Moreover, he said several arrested drug personalities have also confirmed that the city jail is a source of shabu in the city. In January, the
DCPO recalled that a female courier was arrested as she tried to sneak in a large volume of shabu into the facility. But Tagum said the illegal drug activity inside the city jail is not unique to Davao City, as the same problem has been happening in other prison facilities. Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, Police Regional Office-11 director, said he
has already coordinated with BJMP officials to reform the system and procedures inside the facility to avoid entry of illegal drugs and other contraband. Morales also proposed the regular rotation of BJMP personnel not only within the region but around the country. Morales said the BJMP personnel must be held See REVAMP, page 10
DAVAO CITY -- The chief of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Battalion has lauded the OvuManobo tribe for “standing up” against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People Army (CPP-NPA), as he underscores the role of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the government’s campaign against communist insurgency. Lt. Col. Oscar Partuza, 3IB commanding officer, said Tuesday he was elated with the outcome of the three-day peacebuilding seminar attended by tribal communities that concluded Monday here. Attended by over 600 participants, the seminar resulted in the declaration of the CPP-NPA as “persona non grata” in the tribe’s ancestral domain in Barangay Tambobong, Baguio District, here. The seminar also saw the surrender of hundreds of underground supporters among the IP group. “It’s not the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines and PNP (Philippine National Police) alone that must address the issue on peace, security, and insurgency--it should be a whole nation approach wherein all stakeholders must take part in it,” Partuza said. Partuza thanked Mayor Sara Duterte and the city government for supporting the peacebuilding seminar, and for the Ovu-Manuvu Tribal Council of Elders for organizing the activity. First Lt. Marcelo Amora, civil-military operations officer of 3IB, said the seminar also became a venue for local officials and government agencies to be aware of the current security situation in the city’s upland villages. Amora said the initiative resulted in the convergence of government services to help address the basic needs of the hinterland residents, who are vulnerable to the recruitment of the NPA. (PNA)
rior and Local Government (DILG) “Balik Loob” Program of President Rodrigo Duterte. The turnover ceremony was led by Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy together with DILG Provincial Director Noel Duarte and the high ranking officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). Governor Uy happily expressed his gratitude to the 62 former rebels who are now in the side of the government as he also en- Stunning contestants hailing from different areas within the province wearing gilded outfits for the campaign for couraged others to Bulawan Queen Competition, 2019 as one of the highlights for the 12th Bulawan Festival and 21st Founding AnniverSee RECEIVE, page 10
sary celebration of Compostela Valley Province on March 8, 2019 . ( photo: Compostela Valley Province Facebook Page)
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continued to strengthen its position with key wins in fast growth industries such as marine, road transport, and construction. LPG made tremendous headway in 2018. Total volume surged by 23% yearon- year on the back of the continued expansion in Luzon and consistent strength of its VisMin business. Luzon accounted for 10% of total LPG volume versus 4% preacquisition. VisMin meanwhile, continued to outpace industry growth and grew volume by 14%. Further driving the Company to new records was the trading operations at PNX Petroleum Singapore, which contributed 758 million liters of volume sold to third parties. This was equivalent to 28% of the consolidated volume sales. Of said sales, 44% were sold mostly to customers within the fast growing markets in Southeast Asia, laying a strong foundation for Phoenix’s regional expansion. One year after acquisition, the convenience store retailing business, through Philippine FamilyMart (PFM), delivered significant efficiency improvements for customers through higher fill rates and improved equipment uptime. This was complemented by an expanded and food-centric offer that is anchored on the evolving lifestyle shift towards convenience. Average daily sales increased by 8% yearon-year while store operating costs and back office costs were down by 14% and 13%, respectively, turning store EBITDA positive in 2018 from a loss in 2017. In addition, post acquisition, PFM has been realizing the synergies within the Udenna Group ecosystem with the first Generation 2 FamilyMart store being opened in August 2018 in Clark Global City. Currently, there are already four FamilyMart kiosks aboard four Starlite ferries. Furthermore, at least three Phoenix stations are slated to have FamilyMart stores on-site. “Despite industry headwinds in fourth quarter, we worked together to deliver a strong close to 2018. We are positioning ourselves for more success in 2019 and beyond, with a focus on growth, execution, and delivering for our customers and shareholders,” said Phoenix Petroleum Chief Operating Officer Henry Albert Fadullon.
is an independent, nongovernment, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems. “We are recertified up to 2020 for our Revenue Office and MDFO. Both groups had zero non-conformities,” Tionko said in her report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III during a recent DOF executive committee (Execom) meeting. Dominguez said other DOF offices rendering frontline services, including the Department’s attached agencies, such as the Bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR) and of Customs (BOC), should likewise be ISO-certified to ensure that the quality of service they render pass the international standards set for consistency, quality and efficiency. “Let’s make an effort on that, particularly the departments that contact the public directly, like you two (referring to BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay and BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero),” Dominguez said during the Execom meeting. Last year, the DOF became the first Philippine government agency to formally adopt global principles and standards in internal auditing after Dominguez approved the Department’s Internal Audit Service (IAS) Charter. It also became the first state agency in the country to comply with international standards on managing and protecting its critical and valuable data under its Information Security Management System (ISMS). The IAS Charter institutionalizes within the DOF a systematic and disciplined approach to independently evaluate performance, internal controls, operations and programs. This IAS Charter is in keeping with the adoption by the Commission on Audit in 2016 of the Philippine Internal Auditing Framework for the Public Sector, which adheres to global professional practices. The Philippine Internal Auditing Framework “provides authoritative guidance essential for the professional practice of internal auditing,” and is “aligned with the prevailing international principles and standards.” (DOF PR)
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Thursday, February 28, 2019
DepEd CDO Division Holds SHS Expo and Job Fair 2019 By NORMA B. DELIMA
Cagayan de Oro City Division conducted the two-day 2019 Senior High School Expo and Job Fair with the theme Empowering Senior High School Learners for Employment, Entrepreneurship and Education Opportunity at Bulua National High School, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City with its opening day held on February 26, 2019. The event was indeed a “come together stay together” one, as mentioned by DepEd Regional Director of Region 10 Dr. Arturo S. Bayocot, CESO IV, during his talk time. The DepEd personnel from Region 10, from the CDO Division, CDO company managers, industrial and commercial establishment heads, all gathered on the said occasion to show appreciation and support to the Senior High School learners’ display of outputs, products and skills. SDS Dr. Jonathan S. Dela Pena highlighted the importance of knowledge acquisition to knowledge creation, which makes the learners relevant to the world of work, while ASDS Madam Alicia E. Anghay mentioned that the division ensures that the graduates of senior high school are at par with the college students in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude. She also comprehensively stressed her motivating view on abilities over credentials.
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safety, health and environment programs, and in the process, achieve productivity and zero accident in their workplaces. Applications are open to private companies that are compliant with the General Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Standards based on DOLE Inspection results. Other entities that may be nominated are government offices, micro-enterprises, informal sector, and DOLEaccredited OSH professionals like practitioners and consultants. The four categories under
RD Dr. Bayocot congratulated SDS Dela Pena for effectively working on his job as “film director” of the division, as the former mentioned, while guiding the school heads and teachers who are the front-liners of the “stage play”. He also recognized the efforts of those partners, present or not, in making sure that the learners do not just obtain their non-negotiable National Certificates upon graduation but rather, are ready for the different SHS exits. He added that based on last school-year’s statistical data on Graduation Rate, which was the first batch of SHS graduates, only one-tenth of did not proceed to college, an indicator of the Filipino peoples’ support to the implementation of Senior High School in the Philippines. He further appreciated SDS Dela Pena for leading the child-mapping, child-finding and child-nurturing. He ended his talk with the three motivating statements from Henry Ford: In collaboration, there is always a better opportunity; Coming together is staying together; and, Working together is success. The Regional Director of TESDA, Region 10 Dr. Tarhata S. Mapandi likewise, informed the audience about the universal access to Unified TVET Program, which is the provision of free education with the Technical Vocational Institutions, that both the Junior and Senior High School may avail. She also reminded the
the Search include the Private Sector-Industry, Public Sector-LGU Government Offices, Microenterprise/ Informal Sector, and Individual. Some of the notable recipients of the GKK award that have already received international recognition particularly in the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network Awards were the Sunpower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd, 9th and 10th GKK winner under Industry Category, and the Bagnos Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which won in the 10th GKK under MicroEnterprise/Informal Sector Category. The GKK is in line with
L-R (Front Row): DepEd RD Dr. Arturo S. Bayocot, ASDS Dr. Alicia E. Anghay, SDS Dr. Jonathan S. Dela Pena, TESDA RD Dr. Tarhata S. Mapandi, Priscella Batica , Dr. Edith Ortega and Dr. Bienvenido Tagolimot. body that the registration of the program/s offered by the Senior High School is a requirement for certificate accreditation. Priscella L. Batica, the Senior Labor Officer of DOLE mentioned some emerging jobs which the learners may opt to prepare for: business process analysts, nanotechnologists, hair transplant experts, social media analyst, and many others. Moreover, Executive Director (CDO ICT) and Business Development Officer Jonathan Arvin Adolfo, during his talk also emphasized the four basic skills required for and ICT employee and they are as follows: Communication Skills, Creative problem-solving skills, Leadership Skills, and Strategic Skills.
Amazing testimonies on their experiences and accomplishments from select Senior High School students preceded the awarding of certificate of recognition to partner industrial offices, and was followed by the ribbon cutting, which indicated that the Senior High School Expo was then official, and the Job Fair Orientation and Interviews begun. All around the big open space of the venue, colorful tents gave shed to the creative and marvelous display of SHS students’ outputs and products. Competition of technical and vocational skills follows the next day. Indeed, as RD Bayocot stated, working together is success.
the OSHC’s Vision 1 Million Program which aims to develop OSH Champions and advocates to improve the ef-
ficiency of OSH policies and programs and strengthen the culture of safety and health in the Philippines.
Republic of the Philippines) Province of Lanao del Norte)S.S Municipality of Tubod AFFIDAVIT OF SELF-ADJUDICATION with DEED OF DONATION I, FELICITA TORRES-PEPITO, of legal age with residence and postal address at P.O. Box 5810, PagoPago, American Samoa, represented by JAMES V. TORRES, Filipino of legal age, married and resident of Poblacion, Tubod, Lanao del Norte, per SPA hereto attached made an integral part of this Affidavit, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, depose and state: 1. That I am the surviving mother of MARIA FELIZ PEPITO who died single on March 05, 2007 at LBJ MEDICAL CENTER EMERGENCY ROOM, FAGA’ALU CENTRAL as evidenced by her Death Certificate issued by the _________________________ attached as Annex “A” and made an integral part of this Affidavit; 2. That at the time of her death, my daughter had o liabilities or obligations to any persons, agency or institution; 3. That she left REAL PROPERTY to wit: Lot No. 3080-N, PSD-123522-018768 TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE No. T-22, 390 A parcel of land (Lot 3080-N of the subdivision plan Psd-123522-018768 being a portion of Lot 3080, Pls-13) situated in the Barrio of Crossing, Municipality of Tubod, Province of Lanao del Norte containing an area of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT (128) SQUARE METERS. Covered by TCT No. T-22, 390 registered in the name of MA. FELIZ T. PEPITO, HAZEL T. PEPITO, all of legal ages and RACQUEL AVIEN T. PEPITO, minor represented by Felicita Pepito. That pursuant to Rule 74, Sec.1 of the Rules of Court, I hereby Adjudicate unto myself the aforementioned REAL PROPERTY by means of this Affidavit and hereby files the same with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, The Municipal Assessor of Tubod, Lanao del Norte and Registry of Deeds for the Province of Lanao del Norte with the request that the said adjudication be made effective without judicial proceeding as prescribed by the aforementioned provision of the Rules of Court. FURTHERMORE, for and in consideration of LOVE AND AFFECTION to her daughters, the Donnes, the said Donor by these presents do herby Transfer and Convey by way of Donation unto the said DONNESHAZEL T. PEPITO, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Poblacion, Tubod, Lanao del Norte and RACQUEL AVIEN T. PEPITO, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of, Batigue, Ormoc City, Leye, the aforementioned real property hereof, free from all liens and encumbrances whatsoever. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of June 2017 at Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. HAZEL T. PEPITO DONEE Represented by: JAMES V. TORRES
FELICITA TORRES-PEPITO DONOR
(Sgd.) RACQUEL AVIEN T. PEPITO Represented by: DONEE JAMES V. TORRES Represented by: JAMES V. TORRES _______________________________ Signed in The Presence of ______________________ SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this 14th day of June 2017 at Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. Doc. No. 497 Page No. 100 Book No. LXXXVIII Series of 2017 MDN: Feb 28, Mar 7 & 14, 2019
MDN: Feb. 28 & Mar 7, 2019
Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Agusan del Norte City/ Municipality: Butuan City Publication Notice R.A. 10172
In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular NO. 2013-1, Guidelines in the Implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), Notice is hereby served to the public that GERSAM ARAÑAS ELIOT has filed with this office a Petition for Correction of Clerical Error of the child’s sex from “MALE” to “FEMALE” in the Certificate of Live Birth of GERSAM GUSTON ARAÑAS who was born on June 15, 1984 at Banza, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Philippines and whose parents are FRANCISCO HONDIT ARAÑAS and MARIA RADAZA GUSTON. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than 12 March 2019. MDN: Feb. 28 & Mar 7, 2019
(SGD.) JUDITH ALVIZO-CALO, LIB, MPA City Civil Registrar
Atty. DOROTHEA SALIGAN-BASALO Notary Public Until December 31, 2018 PTR No. 306702/Jan. 03, 2017/Tubod, LDN IBP LIFETIME ROLL NO. 015392 MCLE Certificate of Compliance No. V-0001294
RA Form No. 10.1 (LCRO) Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province: Agusan del Norte City/Municipality: Butuan City
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
CCE-323-2018(R.A. 10172)
MDN: Feb. 28 & Mar 7, 2019
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NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that RENE KUIZON BURDEOS has filed with this office a petition for Change of First Name from “JUANITA” to “TERESITA” in the Certificate of Live Birth of JUANITA MONTILLA who was born on June 24, 1954 at Santos Clinic, Butuan City, Agusan and whose parents are ALEJANDRO MONTILLA AND BONIFACIA MAKILING. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than 8 March 2019. MDN: Feb. 21 & 28, 2019
(SGD.) JUDITH ALVIZO-CALO, LIB, MPA City Civil Registrar
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Orients... from page 2
the creation of a National Task Force headed by the President as Chairman and the National Security Adviser as vice chair, to end local communist armed conflict. Speaking before regional government executives during an interagency meeting, the NICA regional director underscored that addressing the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) problem is not the concern of the government security forces alone but of all stakeholders. EO 70 which was signed by Pre s i d e nt R o d r i go Duterte in December of 2018, authorizes the new task force to formulate and start to implement a National Peace Framework that includes the mechanism for localized peace talks within the next six months. The same order also provides that the national task force must ensure interagency convergence in the implementation of the peace program in conflict-affected area. Hence, all government agencies have been directed to provide support to the task force. The members of the task force include the Secretaries of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Department of Agrarian Reform, Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Education, National Economic and Development Authority director general, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency director general. The other members are the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Presidential Adviser for Indigenous People’s Concerns; Armed Forces chief of staff, Philippine National Police director general, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples chairperson, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary, and two representatives from the private sector. (PIA10)
in 2017. Total expenditures of the pension fund, on the other, slightly rose by 5.33 percent to P189.84 billion in 2018 from the P180.23 billion recorded a year ago. Broken down, benefit payments contributed largely to the increase in total expenditures in 2018 with P180.08 billion following the adjustments in Employees’ Compensation (EC) benefits in the middle of the year while operating expenses barely increased to P9.76 billion from the P9.54 billion recorded a year ago. “As you can see, benefit payments was P9.39 billion higher than last year. Increase in the number of benefit claims rose by an average of 7 percent in the last six months of the year. The implementation of the EC benefit adjustment also contributed to the increase in benefit disbursements along with the release of the 13th-month pension of qualified pensioners and their dependents,” Dooc said. SSS, the administrator of EC claims for private employees, said more than P442.38 million was disbursed to 17,619 EC pensioners for the additional benefit of P1,150 starting on January 2017 until October 2018 including the 13thmonth pension for the year 2017 and for the additional P425 carer’s allowance per month starting May 2018 to October 2018. SSS’ financial standing remained well-managed with total resources of P507.32 billion or P2.45 billion higher than the 2017 year-end level of P504.87 billion as of end-December 2018. “We hope to continue this growth in performance in terms of our collections this year. We are hopeful, especially with the passing of the SS Act of 2018, to
continue to post growth in performance and further serve our members and pensioners quality programs and privileges,” Dooc said. (SSS Cagayan de Oro)
Sustains... from page 2
manager, reiterated that TFBM would continuously provide support to the IDPs. “Ang TFBM ay naninigurado na hindi kayo iiwanan ng gobyerno. Nandito ang lahat ng ahensiya na binubuo ng TFBM. Asahan niyo po na lagi kami nandito at susuporatahn namin kayo,” said Juson. [The TFBM ensures that you will not be left behind. All agencies under TFBM are here. We are always here to support you.] Sleeping kits, hygiene kits, drinking kits, and family kits were also distributed to the affected residents in Barangay Mipaga, Barangay Timbalangan and Barangay East Caloocan, Marawi City. (LEAntonio)
Receive... from page 8
surrender and to support the “balik loob” program. “Dili lamang ang pagtabang sa panginabuhian ang gilantaw sa gobyerno kundi lakip na ang kaugmaon sa mga rebel returnees sanglit andam ang DepEd nga kamu mapahiluna aron nga makaeskwela pagbalik pinaagi sa Alternative Learning System (ALS),” said Gov. Uy. On the other hand, a twenty-two year old beneficiary said that “sa sinugdan sa akong pag apil okay pa man apan sa nagkadugay nabatyagan nako ang kalisod labi na sa panahon nga wa mi makaon sa bukid tungod kay walay bugas ug magkasakit walay tambal kay nahutdan ug walay pundo”. “Sa maong tabang nga nadawat namu gikan sa gobyer no, plano namu
nga magsugod sa bag-ong kinabuhi uban ang among pamilya ug mga anak ug magpuyo nga malinawon ug layo sa kagubot,” said aka Janice. Meanwhile, Governor Uy in his closing statement said that he is also planning to replicate President Duterte’s moves that the former rebels can also explore and experience what is life in the city especially in Davao. “Sama sa gihimo ni Pres. Duterte plano usab nako nga isuroy mo sa siyudad sa Davao para masinati sad ninyu ang kinabuhing siyudadnon nga wala ninyu matagamtami samtang naa mo naglihok sa mga kabukiran ug nakigbatok sa atuang gobyerno,” said Gov. Uy. (Rey Antibo, ID Comval)
Revamp... from page 8
accountable as to “why illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and bladed weapons were found inside the cells during the operation.” “ There were reports from inside that there were BJMP personnel who allowed the entry of illegal contraband...that the y themselves acted as courier of illegal drugs at the city jail,” he said. He vowed that all BJMP personnel would be investigated after the incident. (PNA)
Marks... from page 6
t h e Ma g n a C ar t a for MSMEs, recognizes the vital role of MSMEs in economic growth. DTI’s MSME Plan 2017-2022 envisions MSMEs that are regionally integrated, sustainable and among the key drivers of innovation. PTTC’s MSME mentorship role is articulated in the Administrative Code of 1987 and Executive Order no. 133, series of 1987.
Teachers’ work stress: Its effects in Education By JOSE GLENN B. PAYOT MATUGNAO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATUGNAO, TANGUB CITY
The educational world today has become so stressful that burnout on the job or just simply becoming dead sticks are the common tendencies of teachers. Since teachers are viewed as the facilitator of learning, teachers work in socially isolated environments surrounded by hostile views and sometimes treat of physical abuse of both own self and that of pupil. Teachers are less likely to experience work-related stress when demands and pressures of work are matched to their knowledge and abilities. Control can be exercised over their work and the way they do it. Support is received from supervisors and colleagues - participation in decisions that concern their jobs is provided. Unfortunately, stress
Sells... from page 6
Investment Corporation, RCBC Capital Corporation, and SB Capital Investment Corporation as Joint Issue Managers. Investors who are not account holders of Landbank and DBP can invest in the debt paper through the authorized
is one of the least understood problems. Teacher preparation programs have devoted so much attention to helping prospective teachers learn academic skills and effective teaching methods that little time has been left for addressing the personal development needs of teachers. Stress is not necessarily bad in itself. It also has a positive value particularly when it resulted to positive gain. An example of this is the superior performance that an athlete gives in a critical situation. Such individuals often use stress positively to rise to the occasion and perform at their maximum level. The stress is highest to the teachers who are uncertain whether they will win or loss and lowest for those who think that winning or losing is a certainty. selling agents namely BDO Capital and Investment Corporation, BDO, BPI Capital Corp., Chinabank, Citibank, PBCOM, CTBC Bank Corp., East West Bank, ING Bank, Maybank Philippines Inc., Metrobank, PNB, Philippine Business Bank, RCBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Security Bank, Union Bank, and UCPB. (PNA)
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Jump... from page 2
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Libel... from page 4
lesser crime of libel...and tax evasion. My gosh this is not the first time a journalist or a private person is accused of libel in the Philippines. This is not the first time that a person or a company is accused of tax evasion. On a personal note, my first libel case was filed by a coterie of top provincial officials of Davao del Norte the first year Martial Law was proclaimed by then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. It was that time when Marcos ordered the purging of government bureaucracy of corrupt officials. I exposed what I believed was technical malversation and other malfeasance of the provincial officials. The cabal attempted to circumvent the law of bidding by dividing supply contract into P5,000.00 per transaction to dispense with the bidding. One of them also used government workers and engineering equipment to construct his house. All four officials jointly filed a libel case against me. Because it was martial law, lawyers refuse to handle my case. I was indicted by the city fiscal. Then a fellow journalist who looks like Jesus “Jess” Dureza, a correspondent of the Manila Bulletin passed the bar landing as 9th placer. He came to my rescue. My case was to be his first case and we won it on appeal. (Up to this time I have not paid his services). It was a double victory for me because my expose’ was later made the basis for all four to be dismissed from their job. Of course, that libel was not to be the first and the last and all those never stopped me from writing. Hazard of the trade. That is true today as it was before. So let’s stop this crap of acting like a prima donna of local and international media. Face your private accuser Maria and cut trivializing your case by dragging President Duterte into your legal trouble. And yes pay your tax due. There’s no way you can escape that because even the notorious professional destabilizer donor had acknowledged he gave you a huge sum of money. From investments to donation. Any which way you’d call it, you still have to pay tax. You have no right to choose your enemy as well. Your accuser is Wilfredo Keng.
BOL... from page 4
direction until the formation of Moro movements like Moro National Liberation Front, and later, MILF as these latter groups espoused “Moro right to struggle for self-determination.” History provides lever in the struggle of Moro movements as it conjoins in subsequent years with generally accepted principles of selfdetermination. Is BOL the answer to Moro struggle for self-determination?
Before elaborating a discourse on this question, let me return to the theme of this forum: “Self-determination at Last? Bangsamoro Organic Law – Limits, Challenges, and Possibilities.” By the way, I am not part in framing the theme of today’s forum. For consistency, allow me first to organize my thought along the areas inquired. The theme “self-determination at last?” impresses double-meaning. One, that Moro self-determination is now in its “last” stage; hence, the “end” with certain form of Moro struggle. Two, it expresses an enthusiasm or euphoria that now, with BOL, self-determination is at hand. This is, I think, the major pulse in Moro areas, despite the chagrin, too, in certain quarter. Yet, the question mark tells all. It evokes uncertainty or question whether BOL is the answer to Moro struggle for self-determination. On the issue about limits of BOL. For one, to simply raise limitation connotes a wholly negative impression on the new law. Thus, one must primarily speak of BOL’s opportunities before being pinned down on limitation of said organic act. Understandably, as “opportunities” are already outlined in the said law with commitments and supports expressed by President Rodrigo Duterte and other government officials and international entities, it must be the reason why the issue on limits of BOL is raised. [MindaViews is opinion section of MindaNews. Julkipli Wadi is Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of the Philippines]. (To be continued)
Dismissal...
from page 1 Moreno and Bañez of entering into a P300,000 tax settlement with Ajinomoto covering 2006 to 2012 sans the actual amount of P2.9 million. Guialani said then that the agreement was a violation of Republic Act (RA) 7160 since it did not have consent from the City Council, citing Local Government Code provisions. In the June 2018 resolution, the then Ombudsman opined that Moreno and Bañez erred in settling with Ajinomoto minus City Council approval and echoed Guialani’s contention in citing Section 22 (c) of the Local Government Code as the basis of its resolution. But in this latest twist, the Ombudsman claimed that the resolution it issued earlier was flawed. “However, the June 20, 2018 Resolution failed to notice that Section 22 (c) is not an absolute rule. The Supreme Court thoroughly discussed the application of Section 22 (c) in the case of Quisumbing v. Garcia, establishing that the provision only applies to contracts entered into by the LGU bearing new obligations,” the Ombudsman stated. The Ombudsman further argued in this latest resolution that what Moreno and Bañez
Thursday, February 28, 2019 settled with Ajinomoto is not a new obligation but a continuing obligation that traced its roots from a 2013 assessment of Ajinomoto’s tax delinquencies by City Hall which Ajinomoto responded with a civil suit that was referred by the court for mediation. The settlement was the result of the mediation. This latest resolution was not due to a motion for reconsideration as that had already been resolved in 2018 but was a review initiated by the current officials at the Ombudsman. (When the second resolution was issued, the Ombudsman then was Conchita CarpioMorales.) Moreno’s lawyer Dale Mordeno theorized that the Ombudsman initiated its own review of the case as a result of a separate Court of Appeals (CA) decision that also dismissed the administrative complaint against Moreno and Bañez for the same matter. In the press conference yesterday, Moreno thanked his constituents for siding with his administration throughout the legalese. “In the end, justice has prevailed,” the mayor said.
Talks... from page 1
Panelo echoed Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr.’s statement saying there is an “equitable” representation in BTA membership. “Siguro ibig niyang sabihin ng equitable (When Galvez said equitable it may be) not equally in terms of numbers but on how effective the representation would be with respect to goals of the BTA,” Panelo said. Panelo said Duterte and Misuari are set to meet again to talk about issues like federalism. “They didn’t have much time to talk so they will meet again,” he said. Duterte earlier said the newly-established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region i n Mu s l i m M i n d an a o (BARMM) is a realization of everyone’s dream to end the armed struggle in Mindanao. (PNA)
Names... from page 1
that he would hold a “People’s Day” every week to listen to and address the concerns of his constituents. He told MindaNews they would swear on the Koran “possibly sa inauguration kasi hindi pa complete ang BTA” (possibly during the inauguration because the BTA is not yet complete). The MILF-led BTA is supposed to be composed of 80 members but in the February 22 oathtaking, only 72 took their oath. One of the MILF’s 41 nominees was unable to attend as she was recuperating from an ailment. Only 32 of the supposed 39 nominees from government took their oath. Malacanang as of Tuesday has not released the final list and the appointment papers of the 80 members. Murad named the first set of members of his Cabinet during his 24-minute speech at the
SKCC. The ten are Architect Eduard Guerra as Minister of Finance, Budget and Management; Raissa Jajurie as Minister of Social Services; Mohagher Iqbal as Minister of Basic, Higher and Technical education; Dr. Zafrullah Dipatuan Minister of Health; Timuay Melanio Ulama as Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo as Minister of Local Government; Abdulraof Macacua as Minister of Environment and Natural Resources; Mohammad Suaib Yacob as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform; Hussein P. Munoz as Minister of Public Order and Safety: and Murad as concurrent Minister of Public Works and Highways, in the meantime. Murad inadvertently missed reading number 5 on his list – the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs — but he did so immediately when his attention was called, erroneously describing it as the 11th ministry. Murad also belatedly announced the names of his two Deputy Chief Ministers, the announcement done only during the photo session after the program ended at noon. Under RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the BARMM, the Interim Chief Minister is to appoint two Interim Deputy Chief Ministers, who shall also be members the BTA. He named Ali Solaiman of Lanao del Sur, the MILF’S 2nd Vice Chair and member of the MILF Central Committee, as Deputy for the mainland while Abdul Sahrin, SecretaryGeneral of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is the Deputy for the Islands. He also named MILF 1st Vice Chair Ghazali Jaafar as Speaker but added that while he is recuperating, the Deputy Speaker, Pangalian Balindong of Lanao del Sur, will serve as Speaker. Jaafar, chair of the now defunct Bangsamoro Transition Commission that drafted the basic law, was absent during the February 26 handover but was present at the oathtaking in Malacanang on February 22, entering Rizal Hall on a wheelchair. But he insisted on standing up during the oathtaking. Cabinet members Murad, Iqbal, Guerra, Macacua, Yacob and Munoz are all members of the MILF Central Committee; Jajurie and Sinarimbo served as members of the legal panel of the MILF peace panel; Ulama was a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission from 2013 to 2016 and 2016 to 2019; Dipatuan is Executive Director of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA). Iqbal is chair of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel and Information Chief; Guerra is Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs and concurrent chair of the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) on the MILF side; Macacua is Chief of Staff of the soon-to-be-decommissioned Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF); Yacob is BDA Chief Executive Officer and Munoz is Deputy Chief of Staff of the BIAF. Iqbal, jajurie and Munoz,
like Ulama, were members of the BTC from 2013 to 2019 while Macacua was BTC member from 2016. Of the 10 Ministers, only Sinarimbo, who served as ARMM Executive Secretary from December 2009 to 2011 and is now Deputy Secretary General of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, is not a member of the BTA. Under RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the BARMM, the Interim Cabinet shall be composed of 15 primary ministries: Finance, and Budget and Management; Social Services; Trade, Investments, and Tourism; Labor and Employment; Transportation and Communications; Basic, Higher and Technical Education; Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs; Health; Public Works; Local Government; Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy; Human Settlements and Development; Science and Technology; Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform; and Public Order and Safety. Common good Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, stressed the need for “unity in diversity.’ “Just like a rainbow, it is composed of different hues. Each color is uniquely beautiful and has a special purpose. It is reflective of the various tribes and beliefs that co-exist in the Bangsamoro homeland. But we can only maximize its beauty and power if we work harmoniously and collectively,” he said. Galvez noted that the transition process is a daunting taks but “there are no challenges that we cannot surmount if we all work together as a team.” We should put personal interest behind and work for the common good of the Bangsamoro People He urged the new leaders to “put personal interest behind and work for the common good of the Bangsamoro People.” “From individual to organizational, let’s transcend it to societal change in our desire for peace, progress and prosperity. The bottomline here is to bring good governance through clean governmental transaction,” he said. Unleashing the potentials of the Bangsamoro In a 13-minute speech that left the audience teary-eyed, Hataman fought back tears while saying that the Bangsamoro is “lahat ng nanalig na isang araw ay mababawi natin ang ating dangal, at kikilalanin tayo bilang mga taong mayroong dignidad at angking kadakilaan. Tayo ang Bangsamoro” (everyone who believes that one day we will reclaim our honor, and be recognized as people with dignity and greatness. We are the Bangsamoro). He urged the Moro to unite, treat their fellow Moro as allies, as partners in the struggle, to love and trust each other, “dahil alam po nating lahat: Moro ang unang tutulong sa kapwa Moro. Moro ang unang dapat maasahan ng kapwa niya Moro” (because we all know: the Moro will be the first to help the Moro, the Moro can
11
rely on his fellow Moro). Iisa tayo, kaya ipakita natin sa lahat kung ano ang kayang gawin ng nagkakaisang bayang Bangsamoro He asked his fellow Moro to stop pitting the Moro against the Moro because the Bangsamoro is “iisa” (one) – whether you are Tausug or Mernaaw, Yakan or Maguindanaon or Sama. Hataman, who served as OIC ARMM Governor from December 22, 2011 to June 30, 2013 and elected governor from 2013 to 2016 and 2016 to 2019, appealed to his fellow Moro to let go of the old conflicts and forgive, as they begin a new chapter. “We are one, so let us show what a united Bangsamoro can do, let them think: So this is how it is when the full potentials of the Moro are unleashed,” he said in Filipino. “Pormal ko ngayong ipinapasa ang pamunuan sa BTA sa pamumuno ni Interim Chief Minister Al Haj Murad. Pormal kong isinisara ang kabanata ng ARMM, at binubuksan ang ating bagong kabanata ng BARMM,” (I am formally passing on the leadership to the BTA under Interim Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrhaim. I formally close the chapter of the ARMM and open our new chapter as BARMM,” Hataman said. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
Eyes... from page 3
currently taking medicine, with four of them enrolled at the West Visayas State University and three at the University of Northern Philippines, he said. Bagunoc said 10 scholars are enrolled in law studies at the Mindanao State University- General Santos campus and at the Sultan Kudarat State University. For this school year, 2018-2019, he said 235 undergraduate scholars are expected to graduate and two others will finish postgraduate medicine. In 2018, Bagunoc said program produced 39 new professionals, with six graduating as cum laude and two with honors. (PNA)
Water... from page 3
support (the) government in their programs to achieve water security,” he said. He noted that damaging floods and droughts have resulted to the destruction of some 5.7 million hectares of forests and 300,000 hectares of mangroves. Ordoñez also underscored the need to monitor the 18 major water basins in the country which were identified by the government by using the integrated water resource management scheme. “We are sounding the alarm for action today. Our people will suffer greatly if we do not address the water crisis. We must now unite among ourselves and work with the government with a high sense of urgency to attain our elusive, important, and long-neglected water security,” he added. (PNA)
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