BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO (NOV 7-8 2012)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

NOW

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Issue No. 123, Volume III •

Market Indicators

AS OF 5:27 PM NOV. 5, 2012 (MONDAY)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P41.24

5,457.82 points

6 cents

X

33.31 points

X

Briefly Flying V depots

DAVAO City -- Independent oil player Flying V plans to up three more oil depots in Mindanao next year.

This was bared by Flying V’s Roland Villavicencio during the recent inauguration here of the company’s newest flagship station, the company’s 78th in Mindanao.

Villavicencio said one depot each will be put up in General Santos City, Zamboanga and Cebu.

Flying V currently has 12 depots including the Davao station.

Cagayan de Oro City

Wednesday-Thursday

every Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays

November 7-8, 2012

P15.00

Steag gets back online, boosts power supply

T

By MIKE BAÑOS, Correspondent

HE power situation in Mindanao improved over back to Mindanao the grid the weekend as a confluence of factors conspired at 1:28pm, more than 10 to raise the available supply of electricity. hours ahead of schedule” “On Sunday, November fired power plant in Vil- said Jerome R. Soldevilla, 4, Unit 1 of the STEAG lanueva, Misamis Oriental SPI communications officer.

SPI’s Unit 1 went offline State Power Inc. (SPI) coal- started supplying power STEAG/PAGE 10

Rice production

KORONADAL City -- The Department of Agriculture (DA)-12 continues to spearhead the advancement of rice production in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) in connection with promoting food sufficiency in the region for the coming years.

To further realize the department’s aim, a total of 90 local farmer technicians (LFTs) from South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani province underwent an educational tour to areas using recommended rice production technologies.

Dr. Evelyn Saldivar, DA 12Extension Services and Education Training Section chief, said the tour was meant to enhance the knowledge of local farmers on rice production by equipping them with information on the observance and use of said technologies.

S and T fair

COTABATO City -- Science and Technology officials and staff of DOST Mindanao Cluster agreed to pursue a just and equitable development as they gathered for the First Mindanao Science and Technology Fair held October 10-14 in General Santos City in celebration of this year’s Science and Technology Week (NSTW).

As a member of the MINDA DOST Cluster, DOST-ARMM regional secretary Abdulgalib Halub expressed support to the commitment to champion peace and development through science and technology and innovation citing the gains of government’s peace efforts with signing of the GPH-MILF peace Framework Agreement.

Steag’s preventive maintenance of one of its units was completed ahead of schedule boosting Mindanao’s power supply. (File Photo)

Expert says:

Utilize local people to protect, watershed areas (Part 2)

By BONG FABE, Correspondent

INCLUSION instead of exclusion.

Former Environment department regional executive director for Northern Mindanao Raoul Geollegue, who is now the technical team leader of the Enterprise Works Worldwide/ Philippines (EWW/P), an affiliate of Relief Philippines, said it is now high time for everyone--not just

policy makers and political leaders--to think out of the box when it comes to protecting the environment.

In a presentation of during the conduct of the Participatory Capacity and Vulnerability Assessment (PCVA) training-workshop for Barangay Carmen here, Geollegue said that instead of viewing indigenous WATERSHED/PAGE 10

Banana growers urged to invest in ripening facility THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has urged local banana grower and exporters, who wish tap the United States market, to invest in ripening warehouses in the mainland.

“Banana exportation does not end with shipment.

After shipment, it has to be placed in a ripening room in a controlled temperature…If you do not have a ripening room, it would be useless to export (to the US),” Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

Editorial and advertising email : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com • Cell Number : 0917-7121424

BANANA/PAGE 3

2

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

Economy

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Confab pushes for inclusive economy, industrial harmony in Soccsksargen

By DANILO E. DOGUILES Contributor

KORONADAL City -- Representatives of labor, management and government sectors across Soccsksargen will meet here on Friday to showcase prevailing peace in workplaces in the region.

DOLE 12 Regional Director Chona Mantilla said, the event, the 5th Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (RTIPC) convention, is also geared toward boosting Region 12’s attractiveness to investors by increasing further competi-

tiveness and productivity of industries here.

Signing of the 5th RXIITIPC Social Accord for 2012 – 2014 will highlight the convention.

The accord, Director Mantilla explained, would bind the sectors to “pro-

mote continuous learning, innovation, productivity, gainful employment, and competitiveness toward an inclusive economic growth and industrial harmony in Region 12.

Region 12 or Soccsksargen Region covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and

Cotabato.

Initial information released by the DOLE 12 indicated that via the accord, labor, management and government sectors would commit to support the four pillars of the Labor and Employment Plan (LEP) 2011-2016, namely: employment, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue; observe the principles of shared responsibility between workers

and employers; Strengthen monitori ng of c ompl i anc e to Department Orders and other issuances pertinent to TIPC; provide employment information center that facilitates effective dissemination and processing of information; and continue provide livelihood programs and immediate response under the Emergency Community Employment Program, in cases of

retrenchment and closure.

The accord also commits the three parties to support the two-pronged approach in resolution of labor disputes, including single-entry approach (SENA) by implementing a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation at the DOLE regional office or field office; and the Efficiency and Integrity Board (EIB) under the RTIPC.

0917-7154399

BUTUAN City -- The Department of environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Caraga Region is adopting the technology of bar-coding to easily track the movement of logs from the source to the woodprocessing plants (WPP) to stop illegal logging activities.

A bar-code is an optical machine-readable representation of date relating to the object to which it is attached. Bar-codes represented data by varying the widths and spacing of parallel lines.

“We are adopting the bar-code as a strategy to discourage the transport of illegal logs which is a perennial problem in this region,” Assistant Secretary Marlo D. Mendoza who is the Re-

gional Executive Director of the DENR Regional Office 13 said during a meeting with the provincial and community environment officers of the DENR-13 on Tuesday.

Mendoza went to an interior village of Batocan in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur where an actual harvesting of trees was taking place and tested the durability of the rectangle-shaped plastic bar-code supplied by the Data World Computer Center.

“We are on a pilot stage yet but we expect the system would be fully operational next year after every system has been corrected and put in place,” Mendoza said. He said the bar-code attached to a felled tree was found to be durable and scratch-

proofed.

As if to emphasize its significance, the first bar-code that was nailed by Mendoza on a felled tree of acacia mangium species that will be used in the manufacture of coffins.

“This day (October 24) is meaningful because the first bar-code was place on a felled acacia mangium which wood materials will be made into coffins,” Mendoza said.

“This means that we have buried the old system of corruption connected with illegal logging and we are starting a fresh system that hopefully would protect our forest from poachers and log smugglers,” he added.

According to DENR Regional Technical Director

088-856-8562/63

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

Bar-codes logs in Caraga to stop illegal logging

BAR-CODES/PAGE 3

MindaComNet congress set on Nov. 28-30 ORO QU I E TA C it y - The Mindanao Communicators Network, Inc. ( M i n d a C om Ne t ) w i l l hold a communicators’ congress and workshop on November 28-30 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao City.

This year’s congress t h e m e i s “C om mu n i cating Mindanao’s Opportunities and B est Practices.”

MindaComNet is an organization of government public information and relations of f icers of national government agencies (NGAs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), government f i nanc i a l i nst itut i ons (GFIs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao.

The congress will be held by MindaComNet, in cooperation with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Mindanao Clusters, Director Efren Elbanbuena of the PIA said.

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Economy

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

11 credit coops get financial aid

By BEN D. ARCHE, Correspondent DAVAO C i t y – At least 11 cooperatives here will bene f i t f ro m t h e C i t y Government’s livelihood assistance and Credit Surety Fund (CSF) amounting to P3.6 million.

E n g i n e e r Ja i m e Adalin, City Cooperative Development Office (CCDO) chief said that some P1.1 million will ser ve as livelihood assistance program and the P2.5 million as the CSF. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and executives of the ov e r s i g ht c om m it tee of the Davao City Credit Surety Fund w i l l t u r n ov e r t h e loan assistance to the small cooperatives in the city this week.

The CSF oversight committe e is com posed of representatives from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and Indust r i a l Gu arante e Loan Fund (IGLF).

Each small cooperative will avail about P100,000 loan under the livelihood assistance program, Adalin said.

The City Governme nt has b e e n e x t e n d i ng l ive l i h o o d assistance to at least 53 small cooperatives since 2005.

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

3

PH trade to support inclusive growth THE export of Philippine products and services is seen added,” Perlada said.

At present, merchanto significantly contribute to the government’s goal of inclusive growth and the priorities of the Philippine dise trade is concentrated in electronics, computer Development Plan 2011-2016. parts and auto parts. There “For the Philippines to In this biennial confer- is also a relative success in attain inclusive growth ence, senior managers of the services sector, parthrough trade, we have TPOs come together to ticularly in the business to sustain growth, create share good practices and d process outsourcing (BPO). jobs, and reduce poverty,” on alternative approaches According to the Business Bureau of Export Trade in meeting common chal- Processing Association of Promotion (BETP) Director lenges brought about by the the Philippines (BPAP), the BPO industry currently Senen M. Perlada said in his current global situation. presentation on the impact “In sustaining the coun- employs 650,000 people.

Aside from this, the Philof exports on employment try’s growth, our export during the Ninth Trade Pro- growth rate should be at ippine government wants motion Organization (TPO) least at par with our ASEAN to increase its annual inNetwork World Conference neighbours. Philippine ex- ternational arrivals to 10 at the Matrade Exhibition ports have been growing million by 2016, from 3 and Convention Centre at a slower rate because of million today. The growing (MECC) Kuala Lumpur, weak demand especially tourism sector is seen to Malaysia. in large consumer market help employ the country’s The conference, which such as the US and EU,” increasing population as it nears 100 million. gathered over 200 high level Perlada said.

“For trade to help in the delegates from the world’s In 2010, the country’s leading TPOs, explored exports accounted for 34.8 reduction of poverty, we topics around the develop- percent of the country’s gave importance on trade that induces income growth ment and implementation gross domestic product. of the TPOs’ operational “To create jobs, more through production and and service innovations to diverse export products and service activities directly address the needs of their services, especially those in poor areas. There are exporters, a statement from which are labor-intensive, a lot of opportunities in the Department of Trade resource-based, and those agriculture, resource-based and Industry (DTI) said. with higher local value- value-adding activities, eco-

tourism and communitybased tourism,” Perlada said.

“If we accomplish our targets to double our total export to $120 billion by 2016, the outcome is increased local employment, and consequently, a better quality of life for more Filipinos,” Perlada added.

As stated in the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2011-2013, the country’s exports target is $80.2 billion for 2012, and $89.2, for 2013. To attain these targets, the PEDP identified key export sectors, which taken together make up 87 percent of our current business whose performance will drive export growth.

These sectors are ITBPO and other services, electronics, agribusiness products (food, coconut and other resource-based products), minerals, shipbuilding, motor vehicle parts, garments and textiles, homestyle products (furniture, furnishings, decors), and wearables (fashion

accessories, shoes, bags, jewelry).

“These products and services have a high probability of success based on current volumes, supply chain attributes, local value-added and total employment. Also, these sectors are consistent with the priorities of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016,” Perlada said.

To explore practices and methods to gain a positive impact from trade development services, this recent TPO Network World Conference brought together top level practitioners from TPOs and other experts.

Perlada joined in sharing the Philippine experience and took advantage of this unique networking opportunity for TPOs in this biennial event.

In 1996, this conference was first established to provide a forum for senior managers of national TPOs worldwide to gather and discuss issues relevant to their work agenda.

Cacao exporters find business partners in Singapore

By BEN D. ARCHE, Correspondent

DAVAO City – The officials of the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao, Inc. (Cidami) have been holding series of business talks with at least three big chocolate firms in Singapore for exportation of their processed cacao products.

Val Turtur, Cidami executive director said that two of the three companies are getting supply of processed cacao products such as powdered cocoa from Malaysia, which also

importing roast fermented cacao beans from Davao Region.

Cidami is establishing trade relations with Monovono, SMC Foods PTY Limited, and Daito subsidiary T and C, a subsidiary of a Japanese chocolate firm.

The cacao group started its tie up with the Singaporean companies during the three-day Davao Tourism, Trade and Investment Mission to Singapore on October 11 to 14.

Monovono committed

to import cacao products from Davao, and that the region’s chocolate processors will commence shipping at least 1,000 packs of tablea to Singapore for the firm by January.

Chocolate drink is not common to Singaporeans, Turtur said.

Turtur added that Davao farmers can directly export their products to those firms, and could benefit from the possible export revenues.

As of this time, these

companies are getting their powdered cocoa from a grind bean company in Malaysia, probably supplied by cacao beans from Davao Region.

Approximately, Turtur said Malaysia is supplying the Singaporean companies with a big volume of refined cocoa power at about 150,000 metric tons a year.

Of the 55,000 MT yearly domestic demands for cacao, Davao Region can only supply around 7,000 MT. In two years time, Ci-

dami predicted that cacao products from the country will finally penetrate the Singaporean market, which poses a big challenge to cacao farmers in Davao.

Cacao trees can be grown even through intercropping with other crops.

As this developed, Turtur said the agriculture department is planning to put up a grinding facility in Calinan District here to produce high-quality cocoa products for export.

Bar-codes...

name of tree owner, location, coordinates, species , length, diameter and the volume of the forest products are contained in the bar-code and fed into the computer server.

“We can be assured through the bar-code that illegal movement of logs are minimized and discouraged since every log transported to wood processing plants are properly accounted and numbered.” Mendoza said.

from page 2

Now comes out 3x weekly!

every Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays BusinessWeek Mindanao is available online, what you see on print is exactly the same on line at www.businessweekmindanao.com find us on facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/BusinessWeek.Mindanao

Contact us: 0917-712-1424 email: businessweekmindanao@gmail.com

Nonito M.Tamayo, each PENRO and CENRO officers have been equipped with ” smartphone” tablet computer, a high technology gadget that can scan all registered data in the bar-codes.

He said the bar-code embedded on each log being transported should coincide with the data entry in the computer which is finally checked through scanning at a forest monitoring point before the logging truck enters a wood-processing plant.

Mendoza said any log without a bar-code , therefore, will be considered illegal and the logging truck carrying the logs will be held outright at the checkpoint.

Mendoza said, “We have required every felled trees and cut into logs must have a bar-code which will be provided by the DENR Forest Management Sector.”

All information such as

Banana... from page 1

Alcala said that they may require exporters to put infrastructure first before they will be allowed to enter the market.

Fruit and vegetable exporter Dole Philippines may have the first access to the US market with a maiden shipment of 3,000 metric tons of Cavendish bananas targeted by the end of the year.

On October 1, Alcala and US Ambassador to the BANANA/PAGE 10

BusinessWeek Corporate . World 4 M I N DA N A O Metrobank says October inflation may have slowed down Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

WITH commodity prices softer, inflation is expected to have decelerated from 3.6 percent in September to 3.3 percent last month, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co said.

In its latest research note, Met rob an k s aid among the food items, only fish posted faster price appreciation given the low supply. Price increases of other food items such as rice and meat were slower last month and even contracted for fruits and vegetables.

This suggests that food supplies had recovered from the disruption caused by heavy rains and flooding in August. Lower domestic prices would, however, be counterbalanced by tight markets abroad, which would be felt towards the end of the year due to seasonal demand.

Oil prices also slowed in October because of signs of weak global economic growth. The average gasoline price of P51.95 per liter so far this year is 8.6 percent

lower than a year ago.

Metrobank said inflation may climb in the next two months because of higher food prices and interest rate cuts implemented by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in the past two quarters.

Despite this, the global economic downturn would prevent upward pressure on inflation from building up - allowing inflation to hit the low end of BSP’s target range of 3-5 percent this year.

Surigao folks back Aussie firm’s mining operations PLACER, Surigao del Norte – Residents of an island mining site here are set to stage a prayer rally in front of the municipal hall Monday morning to show support for the request of the Australian mining company Bundok Mineral Resources Corp. to extend its operations by two years.

The estimated 1,000 Placer town proper is prayer demonstrators will about 32 kilometers away come from five barangays of from Surigao City.

Masapelid Island, Lakandula Last Saturday, more than Barangay Captain Eutiquio 3,000 inhabitants of minSmall-scale miners manually drilling gold in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur. Saga, former Placer Associa- eral-rich Masapelid island tion of Barangay Captains in this province started a president and municipal signature drive to dramatize councilor told PNA. their support for BMRC, They are scheduled to saying the mining firm has first troop to the Municipal provided them livelihood Hall of Placer then to the opportunities and employBureau of Mines and Geo- ment during its exploration Sciences Caraga regional stage.

ZAMBOANGA City -- Ca- the area for more than 30 Some illegal miners -- office in Surigao City and The island nadian-backed TVI Re- years. reportedly backed by some finally to the provincial Masapelid Island, which source Development (Phils.)

The move was made fol- local government officials capitol of Surigao del Norte. has more than 5,000 regInc. (TVIRD) said on Friday lowing a series of raids last and former military officers They will distribute cop- istered voters, is nearly that it is now in preparation week made by government -- had been well-armed, ies of their letters of ap- an hour’s motorboat ride phase for its gold and silver forces implementing cease- prompting the Philippine peal to President Benigno away from the Placer town project in the town of Bayog and-desist orders separately National Police’s Criminal Aquino III with their 3,000 seaport. in Zamboanga del Sur. issued by the Provincial Investigation and Detection to 4,000 signatures, showSix barangay captains The project has been Mining Regulatory Board Group to file charges for il- ing their support for the of Masapelid Island earlier delayed for years due to the and the Mines and Geosci- legal possession of firearms mining firm’s request for vowed to gather signatures operation of illegal small- ences Bureau of the Envi- and explosives. extension of its exploration from their constituents to scale miners. ronment department.

In a recent statement, within the area specified show what they described L ast we ek, T VIRD Eugenio D. Gregorio, TVIRD said it had decided in its mineral production as overwhelming support started sealing off its more- TVIRD public affairs direc- to restrict access to the min- sharing agreement (MPSA). for the mining company’s than-4,000-hectare mining tor, said in a phone inter- ing site “after intelligence They are also expected “social acceptability” in area in the gold-rich Balabag view that security, peace reports from authorities to give copies of their letters the island. mineral reservation after and order are a “rudimental revealed the possibility that to the MGB regional office On Oct. 30, during the dislodging more than 100 and essential part of any an undisclosed number in Surigao City and to the visit of MGB officials for informal miners who were preparation and long-term of high-powered firearms, provincial government of a consultation/assessment illegally extracting gold in viability.” with the islanders, more CANADIAN/PAGE 7 Surigao del Norte.

Canadian miner prepares Zamboanga del Sur project

Toyota to boost profit forecast TOKYO - Toyota Motor will hike its operating profit forecast for the year by 5.0 percent to 1.05 trillion yen ($13 billion) when it releases it earnings later Monday, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported.

The country’s biggest automaker saw brisk sales in North America and Southeast Asia offsetting a drop in China revenue stemming from a territorial spat between Tokyo and Beijing, which rival Honda blamed for a 20 percent cut to its net profit forecast for the fiscal year to March, NHK said.

Toyota, whose shares

rose 2.22 percent to 3,210 yen in morning Tokyo trade, was also on track to boost its full-year net profit from an earlier forecast of 760 billion yen, NHK said without giving a revised figure.

Japan’s top three automakers -- Toyota, Nissan and Honda -- have seen their sales in China plunge since September, when Tokyo nationalised a South China Sea island chain also claimed by Beijing.

The political row set off huge demonstrations across China and an informal boycott of Japanese exports, digging into sales

of a wide range of consumer goods including cars and televisions.

Many Japanese factories and businesses across China temporarily closed or scaled back operations over fears they or their workers could be targeted.

Last week Toyota’s sma l ler r iva l Honda slashed its full-year profit forecast to 375 billion yen from an earlier 470 billion yen, blaming the spat for weighing on its results.

Earlier reports have said Toyota plans to cut its target of producing more than 10 million vehicles this year amid the strained Sino-Japanese ties.

than 100 residents trooped to the meeting site in Barangay Lakandula and told MGB officials they wanted BMRC to conduct further exploration in the area.

Masapelid Island has six barangays, three of which are under the municipality of Placer, namely Barangays Lakandula, Sani-Sani, and Ellaperal. The three other barangays fall under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Tagana-an: Barangays Fabio, Cawilan and PatiÅko.

Earlier, Barangay Captain Eutiquio Saga of Lakandula said he and the five other barangay heads of the island, together with their respective barangay councils, vowed to personally spearhead the signature drive due to the clamor of the resident BMRC operates within 1,480 hectares of the national government-approved MPSA granted to San Manuel Mining Corp., which entered into a joint venture agreement with BMRC. Barangay Captains Alberto Casundo of Fabio, Ernesto Tutor of Cawilan, and Rolando Magdulas of

SURIGAO/PAGE 7

Tanduay buys out other Eton Properties owners LUCIO Tan-led Tanduay Holdings Inc. has bought out minority shareholders of the companies controlling Eton Properties Philippines Inc. to take full ownership of the real estate firm.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Tanduay, which is set to be renamed LT Group Inc., said it entered into deeds of sale of shares with the minority stockholders of Paramount LandEquities Inc. and Saturn Holdings Inc. for the purchase of their remaining issued and outstanding shares.

“Pursuant to the foregoing acquisitions, Paramount and Saturn became whollyowned subsidiaries of the company, with the company holding 100 percent of the respective issued and outstanding capital stocks of the said companies,” Tanduay said.

The firms are the major shareholders in Eton Properties with Saturn owning a 94.35 percent stake in the property company.

Last week, the liquor maker was cleared to acquire up to 100 percent of Fortune Tobacco Corp.,

Asia Brewery Inc. and Eton Properties as part of a series of transactions meant to make Tanduay the listed holding firm for the major assets of tycoon Lucio Tan. Tanduay is also acquiring 34.79 percent of Philippine National Bank and 27.62 percent of Allied Bank Corp., but the completion of the investment may take “longer than anticipated” because these are subject to foreign regulatory approvals.

Tanduay had deferred the acquisition of the airline TANDUAY/PAGE 10

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Motoring

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

5

Car importers’ sales climb in first nine months Foton to upgrade local offerings NEW FOTON vehicles are set to be released next year, with the Chinese brand’s local distributor looking to upgrade its market offerings.

“We are going to come out with new passenger vans next year which are upgraded versions of our current models. This will be marketed to other markets like companies and hotels,” said Anna Maria A. Parado, vicepresident for marketing and customer service of United Asia Automotive Group, Inc., in a recent interview.

Majority of the firm’s clients are in the construction and mining business as well as small and medium enterprises.

The firm sells heavy duty machinery and equipment, trucks and passenger vans and pickups.

United Asia, meanwhile, will this week stage its Big Show 2012 at the World Trade Cen-

ter, which will be an avenue for truck owners to trade-in and upgrade their vehicles.

“We want to strengthen our brand in the country and the Big Show is one way we could do that. Trade-in events allow truckers here to dispose their old trucks and upgrade because many of these truckers are content with their trucks which means high maintenance costs and we want to help them be more cost-effective,” Ms. Parado said.

She said the company hoped to double its visitor count from the 2,000 visitors received last year.

Local manufacturing of Foton vehicles is in the works, with an assembly plant in the Clark Freeport programmed for next year. A lease agreement was signed with Clark Development Corp. late last year.

SALES of imported vehicles climbed by a fifth during the first nine months of the year, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc said on Monday. Although, sales in September alone was down by almost a tenth year-onyear due to lack of supply, the group added.

In a statement, AVID said end-September sales of the six car companies belonging to the group reached 21,762 units, 20.3-percent higher than the 18,086 sold in the same nine-month period last year.

During the first three quarters, passenger car sales grew 38.4 percent to 12,931 units from 9,343 last year, while the number of light commercial vehicles sold inched up by 1 percent to 8,831 from last year’s 8,743.

However, the 1,887 vehicles sold in September this year was 8.7-percent lower than the 2,066 sold in the same month last year, with AVID citing “supply setbacks in the passenger

car category.” This was despite a 30.5-percent increase in light commercial vehicle sales last month on the back of “strong consumer demand,” AVID said.

In September, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. sold 1,421 vehicles; Chevrolet distributor The Covenant Car Company Inc. sold 223 units; Subaru distributor Motor Image Pilipinas Inc. sold 146; CATS Motors,

which distributes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and MercedesBenz in the Philippines, sold 68 units; Volvo distributor Scandinavian Motors sold 16; and Mini Cooper distributor British United Automobiles Inc., 13.

“We are proud to remain a bright spot in overall industry performance. Despite the ups and downs of the global economy, the local business and economic environment

has kept a steady, upbeat pace, which augurs very well for all AVID members,” AVID president Maria Fe Perez-Agudo said. “Backed by favorable economic fundamentals, we are optimistic that our respective markets are more than ready to invest in any of our powerhouse portfolios. And we are all set to offer our customers nothing less than excellent products and services.”

Toyota raises FY 2012 operating profit outlook TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. raised its group operating profit projection Monday for the current business year through March to 1.05 trillion yen, from an earlier projected 1 trillion yen, on brisk sales in Southeast Asia

and North America, despite declining sales in China.

Japan’s largest automaker said its group vehicle sales totaled 4.52 million units in the six-month period through September, up 1.49 million units from a year

earlier, with sales in Asia, excluding Japan, logging a record high of 839,865 units for the period, up from 615,188, due mainly to robust performances in Thailand and Indonesia.

The automaker, however,

slashed its global sales target for the full business year by 50,000 to 8.75 million units, citing the negative impact of a sales plunge in China in the wake of anti-Japan protests in the country over a territorial dispute.

with the closure of a major assembly plant and two smaller factories, starting next year. Ford will shutter a British van factory and associated stamping plant in 2013, with the bigger site in Genk, Belgium to close the following year.

More cuts may follow if these prove insufficient to achieve regional profitability by mid-decade and a 6-8 percent operating margin in the longer term, the company added.

GM, by contrast, has been preoccupied with forging an alliance with struggling French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen that likely will not generate significant gains before 2016. Opel is also mired in union negotiations to close a plant in Bochum, Germany – but not until the following year.

The latest Opel talks deadline expired as GM published its quarterly results on Wednesday. Unions announced earlier in the week that negotiations had been extended and may continue into 2013, with no new date set for their conclusion.

‘Still bloody out there’

“We know we are behind,” said Steve Girsky, GM vice chairman and interim Opel chief, citing Opel’s deteriorating brand image and “poor relations” with German unions. “It’s still bloody out there, but we’re making some progress,” he told analysts. “Small wins lead to big wins.”

GM has repeatedly changed tack over Opel since an abortive attempt to sell it in 2009 to a Russianbacked coalition.

The carmaker declined to comment on a Financial Times Deutschland report that it is hiring Volkswagen executive Karl-Thomas Neumann to take over as Opel CEO in mid-2013. The job has already been vacant for more than three months since the last incumbent was sacked.

The 2009 crisis forced GM to close a factory the following year in Antwerp, Belgium, and the company is trimming more jobs through buyouts and early retirements expected to yield 2,600 departures this year. Opel employs about 40,000 European workers to Ford’s 47,000, excluding joint ventures.

“Despite the terrible economic environment in Europe, we’re not sitting still,” Girsky said this week on a conference call. “There are some green shoots sprouting at Opel, in the mud.”

Unveiling a 15 percent quarterly profit decline, weighed down by European losses of $478 million, GM said new models would improve Opel’s situation next year, even as the European market shrinks a further 4-5 percent by the company’s own estimates. Like Ford, it pledged to break even by around 2015.

The GM plan “allows investors to at least stop obsessing over Europe and

refocus attention on North America”, said Jeffries analyst Peter Nesvold. “While we felt as though Ford’s had more granular details, the end goal is the same.”

GM years behind Ford The European cutbacks at Ford are expected to generate savings of $500 million annually by 2015, compared with a cumulative $500 million in cost savings pledged for Opel in 2013-2015.

But Ford says structural costs also will increase over the next several years as it broadens its product range in Europe to include more expensive, higher-margin vehicles.

GM badly lags Ford in Europe restructuring PARIS/DETROIT — Ford Motor Co, which clung to the road with a timely swerve before the 2009 crisis that bankrupted General Motors Co, may now be pulling a similar stunt in Europe.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker is scrapping three European plants and thousands of jobs while its rival appears to be stuck on the starting grid. The speed of Ford’s restructuring plan – and the comparatively slow pace of GM’s – has become more important during a protracted slump in Europe’s auto market, with sales down another 7.2 percent so far this year.

Both companies unveiled hefty third-quarter losses in the region and warned they could lose a combined $6 billion or more in Europe in 2012-13.

The bad news weighs heavily on GM’s troubled Opel unit, which has lost billions of dollars over the past decade, has a long history of ill will with its labour unions, has seen its products and brand image pummelled in the media and has shown the door to

all but a handful of its top executives.

More than anything, however, the cost of making cars is simply too high, with too many workers still on the payroll given sagging demand in most of western Europe.

Opel is lagging Ford in Europe because it “totally missed the golden opportunity” to make deeper cuts during the last crisis, said Mirko Mikelic, portfolio manager at Fifth Third Bank, who oversees assets including GM preferred shares and Ford debt. “Most investors would like to see some capacity cuts” at GM, he said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same timing as Ford … but we hope GM will take similar steps.”

The euro zone crisis has exacerbated the auto sector’s overcapacity, locking companies into paying high fixed costs to build fewer vehicles. GM and Ford plants in Europe operate at less than 75 percent of installed capacity, analysts say.

Unlike Opel, Ford of Europe now has a clearer path to recovery after announcing 6,200 job cuts

6

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Advertising and Promotions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the week with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Region 10 with Certificate No. 00875701, and with Business Permit No. 2010-5698, TIN No. 946-396-807 – Non VAT. Tel. Nos.: (088)8578447, 74-5380, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424

Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com

E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com DANTE M. SUDARIA Publisher ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA Manager

allan mediante

NELSON CONSTANTINO Editor-in-Chief DOLLY PELONE Advertising

executive Editor

FELIX SANTILLAN RONALD B. MASTAIL Layout Artists

JOE DEL PUERTO FELICILDA Uriel C. Quilinguing Editorial Consultants

RIZA O. ARES LIEZL A. DELOSO JOE PALABAO RENE MICHAEL BAÑOS

Opinion THINK a minute…

Wild horses are such beautiful, powerful animals.

It’s inspiring just to watch them run—fast and free.

Yet their great speed and power would be of no use for transportation or anything else to mankind, if they had not been trained.

But then, we humans also have tremendous natural power and passion in us.

We were not created just to be boring, safe people with no colorful personalities or special abilities.

Just the opposite. God made us with all kinds of strong drives, personalities and ambitions to do great things. We just have

FR. ROY CIMAGALA

WE are supposed to be burning with love. Away with complacency and spiritual lukewarmness that, as some spiritual writers have described, is actually the grave of authentic piety.

The Bible has described this spiritual malaise as having the appearance of life when one is in fact dead, and that’s why it is most delusive. The Book of Revelation, for example, has this graphic description for it: “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth.” (3,16) Eww! Christ was seized with zeal himself in pursuing his sole mission on earth, extreme suffering and all. “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Lk 12,49) If we are conformed to Christ, as we are supposed to be, then we cannot help but take part in that zeal ourselves.

This is something we have to be more conscious about, since right now I believe that many of us are buried under a heavy albeit

things easy in our spiritual and moral life. What would arouse us are mainly material and worldly things.

We need to react to this stranglehold of our spiritual life, helping one another to be more spiritually alive, considering each one’s conditions and possibilities, giving good example and timely pieces of advice and suggestions, and leading the way in actively cooperating in this exhilarating divine adventure God is inviting us to join in this life.

Everyday, we should be seized by that urge to “carpe diem,” to kind of strike while the iron is hot. If we have faith, each day brings with it its own adventure orchestrated by God in his abiding providence, and we are invited to it since we are supposed to be co-agents with God in our life here.

To be sure, our life here on earth is never just an interplay of our plans and the other natural forces. God is very much in it, a fact that we have to be more aware of it and more importantly, better skilled in handling.

We cannot go on unmindful of this fundamental truth.

We should not be afraid to enter and take most active part in this drama with God and others, because even if it involves everything and all sorts of trials and difficulties, it is always worth it. This is what our life is really all about. We avoid making a fiction of our life, CIMAGALA/PAGE 7

to control and channel our passions, so we’ll use their power for our good and the good of those around us.

Whether its our ambition for success in our job and career, our natural ability to lead others, or our passion for fun and adventure.

You see, God wants us to use the strong drives and desires He gave us to reach our full potential and make a difference in this world, which He made for us to enjoy with Him. Jesus Christ came to set us free to become all we were created to be. He wants to give us the inner strength and self-control we need to fully use the power of our

passions. Jesus Himself has strong passions, emotions, and a powerful personality.

And He showed us how to use ours in the right way for the right purpose.

Jesus doesn’t want to take all the fun, excitement and passion out of your life. He wants to help you maximize it and live your life to the fullest—through power under control. Jesus doesn’t want to take the fight out of you; He wants you to learn to fight His way for His truth and the right reasons. He wants you to use your anger for the right things, so you’ll be angry at dishonesty and lying, vicious gossip, religious pride,

Think a minute

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

prejudice, immorality and lack of self-control. You’ll want to stop the abuse of women and children, and all the other wrongs that are ruining people’s lives, HURST/PAGE 7

Honoring our ancient dead special masks made the Metropolitan Museum time.”

Speaking out with of gold sheets, which they said.

In the case of pottery,

Member: -Philippine Press Institute

Zeal sweet yoke of Hints and traces deceivingly spiritual lethargy. We take

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Ride the Wild Horses

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI atty. roberto a. cantago jr.

Marketing Consultants Legal Counsels

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

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

IGNACIO BUNYE

MY previous column on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gold and Pottery Collection has opened doors for a little post-Halloween trivia.

Last week, I ended my article with ancient Filipinos and how they sent their dead in “spirit boats” to the afterlife.

These Filipinos from a thousand years ago decorated their beloved dead

considered as magical substances meant to keep inside the soul or to ward away evil spirits.

Aside from hiding their dead loved ones’ features with these masks, the ancient Filipinos also used a variety of gold coronets, fillets and other ornaments in adorning their dead.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, large burial jars were also made to hold the bones of the dead, along with other objects such as jewelry and other small earthenware.

The Filipinos of long ago believed that a person did not really die completely, and that death was just a door leading to another world.

“As such, that person would need earthly belongings in that world as well,”

Jewelry, according to the Museum, has always been a symbol of wealth and stature. The BSP Gold and Pottery Collection shows that jewelry has also become “an indicator of development as a culture” and “a product of Philippine native genius through the ages.”

“Personal ornaments in the Philippines are more than just applied decoration and belong to the realm of expressive art, created within the discipline of style and in the context of traditions,” the Metropolitan Museum explained.

It added: “Goldworks are more than momentary creations, they are historical objects, from which we may derive an idea of the economic, social and cultural development of the Philippine people through

Sleepless in Mindanao!

DRIVEN by a steady 5.6% economic growth in the last six months and expected to hit more than 6% growth at the end of the last quarter this year?

The National Economic Development Authority forecasted figures can lead to the probable rise of Mindanao’s middle class and its impact on the property, retail and convention market.

The trend is prominently showing with more property and hotel developers shifting their high gear to Davao, General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro. High rise condominium development, hotels and middle class subdivisions are also rising to as far as Butuan City.

Mall developers Ayala Land and SM Prime lead the pack with new retail expansion projects featuring business class hotels and large convention halls expected to be fully operational early next year.

Robinson Land breaks grounds in Butuan City with a planned Go hotel brand for construction last

quarter this year.

KCC in General Santos will open their Green Leaf Hotel, the biggest in the city. While in Davao City, two more international hotels are opening early next year. All four locations in Mindanao are expected to roll out these projects to the public before the end of 2013.

Other home grown property developers in Mindanao has partnered with known urban conglomerate in the country like Vista Land and Fil- Invest whose projects in the National Capital Region, Southern Luzon and Cebu were sold out.

Traditional Mindanao retail giants like the Gaisano Capital Group, NCC of the Lim’s in Davao City and KCC of the Teng’s in General Santos are all expanding and building new branches in the secondary cities of Southern Mindanao. While Cagayan de Oro’s Lim Ket Kai group is poised to bring a foreign partner to manage their high rise 224 rooms’ business class hotel.

Mindanao with more

than 2`1,582,540 million populations represents 24% of the total 93 Million people in the Philippines.

It has more OFWs working in the Middle East and other Muslim countries of the world. Its export from fruits and other agricultural products are finding good market in Japan and the other smaller countries in the Pacific basin.

In spite of some territorial row, Philippine bananas are still sold to China.

Tuna from General Santos are turning an average of USD280 Million annual exports to Japan and the US. While mining proceeds in the Surigao Provinces and South Cotabato could not yet be ascertained on its impact to the Mindanao economy due to unresolved national government policies and local government ambivalent pronouncements that have caused irritants among mining investors and policy regulators.

The improving economic development in Mindanao should spell growth for domestic tourism. High

these were made to suit individual household needs in Neolithic Philippines.

Most pots (palayok) were produced and used for everyday cooking activities.

Small pots with incisions, however, might have been intended for use as grave furniture.

Other forms of pottery during this ancient age included pouring vessels, jugs, dishes, vases and native dippers (tabo). Others were made as ornamental ware such as goblets, footed dishes and globular bottles.

“The Philippine pottery tradition reached its height during the Metal Age, from 200 BC to 900 AD, hence the period is also known as the Golden Age of Pottery,” the Metropolitan Museum said.

It was during that period, BUNYE/PAGE 7

Traversing the tourism hi-way

PED T. QUIAMJOT

earning middle class can spend on leisure activities for regional travel and real estate to housing acquisitions.

With the expanded airports in Davao City, Ozamis, Dipolog, Pagadian, Butuan City and soon the Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro which can handle bigger wide bodied aircrafts of the A320 – A330 class, travel and conventions will rise in the next 18 months shifting its destination away from the national capital region.

QUIAMJOT/PAGE 7

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Hurst... from page 6

Destiny is something we have invented because we cannot stand the fact that everything that is happening in our region is real and not accidental. There are new business synergies and services expected to entice the growing middle class to travel and stay in mall hotels.

including your own.

So today, why not ask Jesus to take complete control of your character, ambitions, and desires? He’s the only one who can help you train and ride the wild horses of your nature. Then, you can make the most of your natural drives and passions to help both yourself and from page 6 others enjoy a satisfying, deluded by its false images. full life.

To top it all, if we have Just think a minute… faith and trust in God, we know, in spite of passing contradictions, that we get from page 6 involved in is always someaccording to the Museum, thing for the good of all of that early Filipinos went into us in all aspects of our life, pottery specialization and from the most personal to experimented with form, the most global. design and techniques.

We know that with God, Aside from using large everything will always work jars to bury the dead, other out for the good. Even our forms of pottery were used mistakes and failures, and for a myriad of purposes. even our own sins no matRound-bottom cylin- ter how big, if handled with ders were used for liquids faith and treated properly, or salted food. They were can occasion greater develequipped with lashing opments in our life. around the neck for easier This is how God works. transport.

He allows us to go through Footed trays, on the the peaks and valleys of life, other hand, were used ei- but he always knows how ther for the household, to to derive good from them. hold produce, or for ritual Even death, the ultimate offerings. evil that can befall us, is Other pre-Colonial pot- emptied of its sting by the tery pieces had rims with death and resurrection of perforations to tie through Christ himself. Thus, if we and hold down the ware die with him, we also will during firing. rise with him, as St. Paul “These forms were pres- tells us. ent from the Late Metal Obviously, before all Age (200) until the Age these wonderful truths of Contact or the Age of our faith tells, we cannot Interactive Trade with the afford to remain passive Great Traditions of Asia,” and complacent. Before the Metropolitan Museum God’s tremendous love explained. for us, we ought to love him in return, for love is repaid with love. God, who is love, loves us first, and from page 6 we just have to love him Among the prominent in return.

It is in the very essence events brought to Davao City next year is the IBP of love that it is given and national convention, the expressed without meaMICE Conference and the sure, without expecting Advertising Congress of recompense. Its language the Philippines to name is generosity, abundance, a few. While Cagayan de heroism to the point of Oro welcomes January with the extreme sacrifice of a series of Pharmaceutical offering one’s life.

It would be good if evand Medical Conference, the Divine Mercy Interna- eryday we try our best to tional Pilgrimage and the read what God’s plan is for Philippines Jaycee’s national us. This should be the ulticonvention follows in the mate and constant context of whatever plans we have third quarter.

Dipolog City will host for the day. Let’s never just the Mindanao Business make plans without referConference and the succeed- ring them to God’s plan.

If we persist in this ating BIMP- EAGA gatherings are scheduled in General titude, we can develop the skill and ease of knowing Santos City.

Many of the Mindanao God’s plan. We just have to domestic travelers can fill overcome the initial awkup budget accommodation wardness and difficulties. while national corporate In time, we would know events should sustain the how to handle them.

Truth is, we need to occupancies of business class hotels forecasted to have zeal, that consuming divine zeal driven by love, hit 60%.

The industry is not dis- and not by bitterness. counting increase in travel of the candidates for national office among the major from page 4 political parties starting explosives and regulated chemicals are being conJanuary next year.

Where to shop, dine and cealed by illegal mining buy the latest electronic operators in the area.”

“The entry restriction to gadget will become a hotel concierge functions next Balabag is a precautionary year in the major cities of measure that the company is taking to protect the safety Mindanao.

Cimagala...

Bunye...

Quiamjot...

Canadian...

of the community,” said Yulo Perez, TVIRD’s vicepresident for operations.

“Earlier geological studies conducted by company geologists likewise revealed that Balabag has become a geohazard area due to the proliferation of illegal miners’ un-engineered underground mine tunnels,” he added.

Bayog Mayor Leonardo L. Babasa confirmed this view, noting that Sitio Balabag has become a danger zone due to polutants left by illegal miners and rising criminality in areas where they operate.

M r. G re g or i o s a i d TVIRD is committed to seeing the project through in all its phases, explaining that “once operations start, we will replicate in Balabag the rehabilitation done in Canatuan [Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte where TVIRD has a commercially operating mine].”

Surigao... from page 4

Sani-Sani said they were preparing a joint barangay resolution of the six barangays appealing to national and local government leaders to allow BMRC and San Manuel Mining Corp., the mining claim holder, to continue exploration in their isl and w hich prov ides employment and liveliho o d opp or tunities to local residents.

The y s aid t he y wi l l appeal to President Benigno S. Aquino III for San Manuel Mining Corp. to be given two-year extension of its exploration period within its MPSA. The results of their signature drive, attached with their letters of appeal, will also be sent to Department of Environment and Natura l R e sources Secretary Ramon Paje, MGB Director Leo Jasareno, MGB Regional Office 13 Director Roger De Dios, Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas, Surigao del Norte Reps.

Francisco Matugas (1st District) and Guillermo Romarate (2nd District), Placer Mayor Felimon Nap u l i a n d Ta g a n a a n Mayor C esar Diaz and their respective municipal councils.

On Oct. 3, 2012, the MGB regional office stopped BMRC operations allegedly due to an expired exploration permit but BMRC officials said they had filed a request for extension two years ago. BMRC officials want to know why the MGB office in Manila issued a denial of their extension application only last Aug. 22, 2012.

BMRC officials claimed that MGB normally informs affected parties on the inadequacies of their application as wel l as appl i c at i on requirement, and then allows mining firms to respond and comply. PNA

7

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON Malaybalay City OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR Bids and Awards Committee INVITATION TO BID ITB NO. CW – 2012-049-A 1. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon, through the 20% Development Fund intends to apply the sum of the: Qty. 1

Unit of Issue contract

Name of Project

ABC

Construction of 26 Houses P 7,764,823.56 with Septic Tank of Bukidnon Housing Project V at Casisang, Malaybalay City

Duration 180.00 Calendar Days

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon now invites bids for: Item No. I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX

Description

Earthworks (excavation, embankments, compaction) Concrete Works Masonry Works Steel Works Carpentry Works Tinsmithry Works Painting Works Electrical Works Plumbing Works

Quantity

16.88 6.136 73.84 654.845 1,216.50 72.06 83.07 1.00 1.00

Unit

cu.m. cu.m. cu.m. kgs. bd.ft. sq.m. sq.m. unit unit

Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders (ITB).

3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from BAC Secretariat, Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from October 31, 2012 – November 20, 2012.

5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of P 10,000.00.

It may be downloaded to the website of the Procuring entity (www.Bukidnon.Gov.Ph), provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon will hold a Pre-bid Conference on November 7, 2012, 10:00 a.m. at BAC Conference Room, Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, which shall be open to all interested parties.

7. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before November 20, 2012, 9:30 a.m. at BAC Conference Room, Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids will be opened on November 20, 2012, 10:00 a.m. in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted .

8. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9. For further information, please refer to: Engr. Charito G. Yulo Head, BAC Secretariat Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Fax No. - 088-813-2141 Tel. No. - 088-221-3114

BWM: Nov. 7, 2012

Engr. Jose Pastor P. de la Cerna BAC Secretariat/ Section Head (Civil Works) Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Fax No. - 088-813-2141 Tel No. - 088-221-3114

PROVO B. ANTIPASADO, JR. Provincial Administrator BAC Chairman

8

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

Agri News

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Broiler, Swine Situation Report released Cagayan de Oro City – To equip stakeholders with adequate knowledge on the broiler and swine industries, the Livestock Sector Division (LSD) of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) hosted a Broiler and Swine Information and Early Warning System (BSI-EWS) Consultative Meeting with the Private Agribusiness (PAB) Sector on October 23, 2012, held at PhilTown Hotel, in this city.

During the assembly, the BSI-EWS Regional Project Team has presented a situation report for the broiler and swine industries alike. On one hand, the broiler situation report consists of data such as inventory by chicken type, by province, volume of production, volume of dressed chicken, inventory in cold storages, commodity flow and retail prices. On

the other hand, the swine situation report covers data like inventory by farm type, age classification, volume of production, inventory of frozen pork, commodity flow, and monthly average farmgate and retail prices.

Mr. Rosalio M. Lorono, Supervising Agriculturist of LSD, DA-10, explained that there is a need to conduct a consultative meeting with the members from the PAB sector as the generated reports will ser ve as a

forecasting tool to predict trends affecting the said industries.

These, he added, can capably project estimates in terms of demand in the future, allowing broiler and swine breeders and i nte g r ators to d el ive r just the right quantity of products over a period of time, thereby avoiding the waste of investments.

Situation reports have s h ow n t h at Nor t h e r n Mindanao is a key player

in the broiler and swine industries, considering the notable supply that the region sends to other parts throughout the country.

An overall of 6,052 metric tons of dressed chicken was shipped from the region to other areas, allocating Manila with a big share of 54%. Retail price of dressed chicken during the first semester of 2012 was higher compared to the same period in 2011, posting the highest price in March at P 121.59 and the lowest in January at P 119.15.

Of the total 6,052 metric tons distribution of dressed chicken, 54% was shipped out to Manila, followed

by Cebu (27%), Ormoc

(7%), Bohol (7%) and the remaining 1% to other provinces.

Reports have further revealed that the farmgate price of hog from JanuaryJune 2012 recorded highest in April and lowest in Febr u ar y, mark ing an average of P 85.38 and P 84.41, respectively. In the similar period, average monthly retail price was noted highest in February and lowest in April, having an average of P 173.45 and P 170.95, respectively.

Likewise, the outflow of lechon during the first semester of the current year increased by 49.84% from 4,912 kilograms (kgs) to 7,360 kgs. Out from the entire hog outflow from

Northern Mindanao, Cebu ranked the highest with 42.83%, followed by Manila with 31.74%.

Ac k n ow l e d g i ng t h e abovementioned project as a crucial undertaking for the broiler and swine industries, Judith Ocang from the Hypig Genetic, Inc. expressed that similar previous reports have helped them in the demand forecast, resulting to an adjustment in their re sp e c t ive pro du c t i on supply.

Nevertheless, the BSIEWS Project Team urged the stakeholders to fully cooperate through the provision of sufficient information on the inventory of stocks and other pertinent details in order to have a more thorough output, yielding an accurate outlook for both the broiler and swine industries.

The BSI-EWS Project Team comprises the DA-10, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, the National Meat Inspection Service in collaboration with the local government units.

(JOANNE L. OLSON, DA-10)

XU, DOE launch cassava ethanol research BSI-EWS SITUATION REPORT. Information on the broiler and swine industries are now made available and accessible to the private stakeholders as the BSI-EWS Project Team has imparted the situation report on the said sub-sectors for purpose of anticipating trends in terms of demand in the near future, in a recent consultation with the PAB members, held at PhilTown Hotel, this city.

DTI Davao to hold business-matching activities in Banana Congress

DAVAO C I T Y - T h e Department of Trade and Industry here is spearheading the conduct of businessmatching activities during the Mindanao Banana Congress here on Nov 7 and 8 to augur influx of investments into the Davao Region.

The two-day conference is a gathering of at least 500 banana industry stakeholders from all over Mindanao which will be conducted at SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier here.

DTI-Davao Regional Director Marizon Loreto said in the business-matching, producers of raw materials and buyers will not be the only ones to be matched

since small and medium enterprises which need funding assistance will likewise be matched with financing institutions.

“The Investment and Industr y Development Division of DTI’s Regional Office and the Provincial Offices here are currently gathering feedbacks from MSMEs about their needs so that we can address such according ly and appropriately,” she said.

The convergence is spearheaded by the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Incorporated (PhilExport) Davao Chapter and it is expected to gather in one venue the banana growers,

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers – Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739a

farmers, cooperatives, suppliers of production inputs, traders, exporters, logistics players, industry associations, agrarian reform communities, research institutions, academe, other support groups and participants from government agencies and local government units involved in the banana industry.

Loreto said the banana industry offers a wide range of opportunities for all the stakeholders and the Congress is among the biggest breaks to unleash these potentials.

“The banana industry isn’t just about fresh Cavendish bananas for export. The industry also includes the processed products like banana chips, banana flour, and other derivatives,” she said adding that the entire banana value chain must be looked into if we are to fully understand the industry.

“We have to look at the processes and the people involved from the planting phase to the market delivery,” she said.

To get a glimpse of the whole industry, stakeholders are urged to participate in the two-day banana event. (PNA)

XU College of Agriculture Dean Roel Ravanera accepts the check worth P3.3M from DOE Renewable Energy Management Bureau Director Mario Marasigan for the research project on bioethanol production potential of cassava varieties in Northern Mindanao.

T h e D e p a r t m e nt o f Energy (DOE) has granted Xavier University (XU) P3.3 M for research and development on cassava as s ource of bioethanol.

The research project seeks to evaluate the p ot e nt i a l of s e v e r a l varieties of cassava in Nor t h e r n Mi n d an a o for the de velopment of a pilot scale cassava bioethanol plant.

“We are very hopeful that the testing will yield positive results,” said D OE Undersecretar y Jose Layug during the launching of the project

at the XU C overed Courts. “This will be a g a m e c h a n g e r f or Mindanao.”

Layug said that one of the priorities of DOE is the promotion of alternative fuels. He shared that the country still lacks 300 million liters of biofuels. The study with XU’s Agricultural Engineering Department can contribute to the countr y’s attempt to b e come energ y s elfsufficient, he said.

Bro Noel Cantago SJ, XU vice president for Mission and Ministry, remarked that the

research is accordant with XU’s promotion of sustainable development.

He added that part of XU’s goal is to align with the thrusts of the government. “Through this project, we hope to bring more development to Northern Mindanao.”

Northern Mindanao is one of the major cassava producing regions in the Philippines. Cassava is being used for food, fe e d s an d for ot h e r industr ia l ac tivities.

Ethanol is pro duced from the fermentation of cassava using bacteria, fungi and yeast.

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Lifestyle

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

En route to the cyber national highways

by OWEN JAEN

T

he cyber-highway just got real.Thanks to the innovation in local transportation, free wireless fidelity (wi-fi) networks can now be accessed while inside a public bus!

That’s definitely good news for people who can’t get rid of their mobile devices (including myself).

Checking mails, updating Facebook statuses, tweeting on Twitter and posting on your Instagram is even more convenient.

Finally, we now have alternative entertainment aside from the piped-in music and movies.

This development in the use of wireless technology is a welcome change for commuters.

With the recent bad road conditions due to subsequent road maintenance and constructions popping up everywhere, it’s great to have a temporary distraction from the clogging traffic.

Here in Mindanao, this is a great way to access the internet and become productive while spending idle hours on the road.

This added service has been available in other countries for quite some time now and since its introduction recently, it is getting good reviews from commuters locally.

I have personally tried the system and it works fast only on certain areas since it depends on the availability of the mobile signal of the service provider.

From Cagayan de Oro to Butuan for example, there are still a few areas that are considered dead spots and w-ifi signal becomes unavailable.

Nevertheless, the experience is still quite fascinating and useful as well.

For the workaholics,

emails can be made, sent and received while hitting the road.

Other possible functions for this wireless convenience for mobile devices are location services to help navigate and acquaint your selves with your current geographical position and familiar the nearest towns and provinces.

It can a ls o become an e m e r g e n c y

communication system to inform rescue units of current location as wel l as war n authorities of possible or ongoing danger while onboard.

On the fun side, taking snapshots of sceneries one passes by and instantly posting it on the internet is a clever way to inform friends of your journey.

The downside?

It is undeniably straining to the

(L-R) Ms. Mieke Schrijver - PUM Country Coordinator, Mr. Ruben Vegafria - PUM Regional Coordinator, Mike Banos, and BWM Publisher Dante Sudaria meet at a coffeeshop in Cagayan de Oro City after a tour of the BWM Media Center. CDO TIMES File Photo | S.Uy

Fun run to mark Sendong anniversary

X

CDO Bloggers thank Kagay-anons for the trust

O

Photo courtesy of REVO ADAN

avier University is organizing a fun run to honor and celebrate the spirit of community that was born out of the experience shared during typhoon Sendong, and also to commemorate its first anniversary.

The event called “Dagan Kagayan” is slated on Dec 16 at 6 am. The assembly area and starting point will be at the Rodelsa Rotonda.

Everyone is invited to join the 2.5k, 5.5k and 8.5k fun run. Registration is P100 for students and P200 for professionals.

Interested groups or individualsmay contact Churchill or Miguel at 858 3116 local 2022 or email dagankagayan@gmail.com.

eyes and may cause motion sickness, so use wi-fi on the bus moderately.

I have enjoyed the experience and had a dizzying spell the first time so on my second trip, I knew better.

Connecting with friends, business partners and loved ones just got better and the road tow ards a more interconnected g l o b a l superhighway is just waiting round the bend.

9

n its 4th year as an established blogging organization, the Cagayan de Oro Bloggers, Inc. or CDO Bloggers would like to thank the Kagay-anons and Mindanaoans for the trust through overwhelming invites to the Cagayan de Oro Bloggers on events, product launching, city events and many more.

“Kagay-anons, in behalf of the Cagayan de Oro Bloggers, we would like to thank the general public, fellow Kagayanons, PR firms, the media and the establishments for inviting us to your events. With that being said you help us fulfill our organization’s mission and vision to promote our loving city and Mindanao to the world.” said Vic Marion Madriaga, the incumbent CDO Bloggers, Inc. President. “Feel free to contact us over the web and the members will be happy to receive the invites.”

Recently, the organization also advised the public of its

official contact details to contact: Official Organization Contact Information Email: cdobloggersinc@ gmail.com Facebook Account: https:// www.facebook.com/ cdobloggers Facebook Page: https:// www.facebook.com/ CagayanDeOroBloggers Twitter: https://twitter.com/ cdobloggers Official Website: http://www. cdobloggers.com CDO Bloggers Network of Blogs: http://cdobloggers. net/ CDO Bloggers 2012 Officers: http://www. cdobloggers.com/ cdobloggers-officers/ The org will only consider official event invites once approved by our incumbent President. Bloggers and other parties' events not recognized by the organization’s Core Group are advised not carry the name of the group.

About CDO Bloggers: CDO Bloggers, Inc. or Cagayan de Oro Bloggers Incorporated is a (SEC) Securities and Exchange Commission registered nonprofit organization composed of Bloggers and Social Media Practitioners from CDO and Northern Mindanao. Our main aim is to promote the city of Cagayan de Oro and the island of Mindanao as a peaceful and thriving place in this part of the world thru social media.

PUM Netherlands senior experts connect entrepreneurs in developing countries and emerging markets with senior experts from the Netherlands who gained at least 30 years of experience in a business environment.

Th es e s en io r ex p er t s voluntarily devote their knowledge to execute shortterm, solid consultancy projects on the workfloor.

PUM stands for ‘Programma Uitzending Managers’ which is Dutch for ‘Manager Deployment Programme’. (www.pum.nl)

Ms. Mieke Schrijver, Mr. Ruben Vegafria, Mike Banos, and BWM Publisher Dante Sudaria during a quick tour at the BWM Media Center. Photos by A.S.Felicilda

On choosing your wedding music

by DEBBIE CABAGUE of D’Blends

C

hoosing wedding songs for “the day” can be very daunting to the bride and groom to be.

Quite often songs to be sung are decided just days before the wedding.

As experienced, requests were given two days before the wedding so we the “band” crammed as well.

For us musicians we have to play the songs confidently and when your songs are not familiar to us it can be delivered halfheartedly.

To avo i d t h i s k i n d scenario do take time in choosing your music ahead of time.

Whether you are hiring professional musicians or your friends and relatives, planning your music ahead will still make a difference

on your special day.

Now here are some tips on choosing your music on your wedding day.

Choose your music style: All of us have different tastes when it comes to music, so choose a style wherein you can imagine both your ceremony and reception.

Ask your partner: Consider each others’ like in music so that both sides will be happy.

Choose meaningful songs: That is meaningful to both of you.

Consider friends and family: When family and friends sing for you it’s more meaningful and practicality wise you can save as well.

When in doubt, hire professional musicians:

Like it or not hiring professional musicians will save you time and energy, they know what to do even if they just show up on your wedding day.

Looking at the audience, they will know what type of songs to play.

Take into consideration the sound system: Take it from us you will not like “basag” speakers.

It also affects us “the musicians” very much, so choose wedding venues with good sound system.

Wedding music is very important because it sets the mood, so choose wisely and carefully.

It’s your special day so prepare and plan ahead so that you can relax on your day and enjoy your once in a lifetime moment.

10

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Property

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Property boom foreseen DAVAO City -- The property sector in this city is expected to flourish even more in the coming years with the entry of Manila-based developers, a local official said.

Jaime G. Adalin, head company’s three-floor shopof the City Building Office, ping mall, also the newest said the entry of major de- commercial/retail project velopers indicates a growing in this city. market in the years to come.

The company said it will “(They) have made the city a initially spend P838.967 very good investment area,” million for the high-rise he pointed out. building and capital expenBased on City Building diture for the project may Office data, capital flows to hit P1 billion. the property sector between Another project is the January and September this 26-floor condominium that year summed up to P2.175 Alveo Land, Inc. is buildbillion for 15 projects, the ing within the 10-hectare newest being the 12-floor mixed-use joint venture structure of Felcris Hotels between Ayala Land, Inc. and Resorts Corp. intended and Anflo Investment and for business process out- Management Corp. of the sourcing (BPO).

Floirendo family. Alveo is The Felcris structure an Ayala Land subsidiary. will be built just beside the Another is the 11-floor

hotel of SM Prime Holdings, which opened its second shopping mall in the city last month. The cost of the hotel is estimated at P284 million.

The Gotianun-led Filinvest Land, Inc., meanwhile, is also building a five-floor condominium and investing about P143 million on the project.

Roberto P. Alabado III, City Planning and Development Office head, earlier said big property firms are projecting a rise in demand, not only for residential projects, but for offices as well.

The entry of investors in BPO and other related businesses has been a major source of optimism for local property owners since two years ago. “This is a natural

Tanduay...

to 370 MW. Industry sources said the reduction was due to the re-scheduling of the Agus 4 Unit 1 PMS from Monday, November 5 to Saturday, Nov. 10 in time for the synchronization of STEAG’s Unit 2 (100MW).

from page 4

business because Philippine Airlines Inc. and Air Philippines Corp. were not expected to make positive contributions to the conglomerate. The listed firm was supposed to take 49.84 percent and 50.97 percent of PAL and Airphil, respectively.

Tanduay has bagged regulatory approval to change its name to LT Group Inc., but it has yet to be reflected on the PSE’s trading system pending the company’s submission of the detailed procedures on updating its stock certificates.

Steag... from page 1

last October 6, 2012 for Preventive Maintenance Shutdown (PMS) while its Unit 2 also went off grid for PMS last October 29 and is scheduled to be back online on Saturday, November 10.

“We are on time so far with Unit 2,” said Mr. Soldevilla. “We are expected to be back as scheduled.”

SPI’s power plant is considered to be the most modern and biggest in Mindanao on a per unit basis. To date it has delivered over 8.3 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity representing about 20% of Mindanao’s total power supply. SPI’s plant expanded the island’s electricity generation mix since 2006 and contributed to the stability of the grid.

Mr. Soldevilla said carrying out the maintenance works as planned and scheduled will bring in long-term benefits to the Mindanao power consumers in terms the power plant’s operational reliability. SPI’s Mindanao Power Plant sustained a 93.3% availability rate and an unplanned outage rate of less than one percent during its first six years of operation.

“Even with that relatively long outage last month, we are confident we can still achieve a high availability rate of 91 percent by the end of 2012,” he added. This was the first time in six years that SPI undertook a relatively long

plant outage since the start of full commercial operations on November 15, 2006.

Since the curtailment level on the Mindanao Grid was increased by the grid operator from 350 to 500MW effective 5PM of October 31st due to a generation deficiency, it was reduced to 420MW for November 5 despite the PMS of Agus 4 Unit 1 (55MW) scheduled for Monday and the 61-day shutdown of Agus 7 Unit 2 (12MW) since Nov. 1st, also for PMS. Similarly, the 24 hour Red Alert of the last few days was downgraded by nine hours due to the improving situation of hydroelectric power plants due to favorable weather and the long weekend. The NGCP explains a Red Alert as a notice it issues to grid users when either the contingency reserve is zero; when a generation deficiency exists, and/ or if there is critical loading or imminent overloading of transmission lines or equipment.

Grid users refer to bulk power users like generators, distribution utilities, and directly connected industries. Ordinary household consumers do not receive this kind of notice or alert.

A Yellow Alert means the contingency reserve is less than the capacity of the largest generating unit used in the grid. Both Red and Yellow alerts have been regularly been issued by NGCP for the Mindanao Grid since the start of the year due to the volatile power supply.

Monday’s curtailment level was attributed to the low water inflow at the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon, and the low forebay elevation of Agus 4 HEP. Industry sources said the 1,188MW capacity of the Mindanao Grid was reduced to 779 MW since October 31st due to the de-rating of all units of the Agus and Pulangi hydroelectric complexes and the PMS of STEAG Units 1&2 (200MW) on top of the PMS for Mindanao Geothermal Unit 2 (54MW).

The curtailment level was further reduced for Tuesday

Watershed... from page 1

communities as “beneficiaries” of programs and projects designed for the protection and rehabilitation of the environment, institutions-local government units, government agencies, private organizations, church, etc.-must view them as partners towards the common good.

“The local communities and indigenous people assume center stage in sustaining the initiatives and gains of rehabilitation,” he said.

He said that instead of viewing local indigenous communities as just stakeholders, they should be tapped to be at the frontline of all efforts to conserve, protect and rehabilitate (CPR) the environment, especially the city’s watershed area -- an area covering 137,000 hectares but with only 13 percent or 18,812 hectares covered by closed canopy forests.

“Their involvement is important for any program or projects for the environment to succeed,” he added.

Earlier, Geollegue proposed a compensation scheme for IP communities who take care of the watershed much like what is being done in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental and in Costa Rica.

Frontline managers: In “Rethinking the Decentralization and Devolution of Biodiversity Conservation”, Thomas Enters and Jon Anderson argued that one of the problems encountered in the implementation of programs and projects toward the protection and rehabilitation of the environment is viewing “local people and their economic activities...as threats to the undisturbed functioning of natural ecosystems.”

“In the classical approach to conservation, people were

Avida Towers Davao.

thing for a growing urban center like ours,” said Mr. Alabado.

Jason C. Magnaye, Davao Investment and Promotions

Center, has said that property development in general has become an attractive investment area in the city that even when the city

government scrapped perks granted to new investments in the property sector, investors have continued to pour in. -- C. Q. Francisco

Be city changers, Architects urged CITY dwellers will make up 70 percent of the world population by 2050, and cities must enact drastic changes now in order to accommodate the city dwellers of the 21st century; and offer them living conditions that are conducive to personal development and well-being.

Architects can play a crucial role in the city evolution with their capacity to meet the challenges of urban sustainability, and develop the tools needed to create resilient, sustainable and livable cities.

Architect Philip H. Recto, the keynote speaker during the Philippine observance of World Day of Architecture celebration conducted by the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) recently, urged architects to be city changers by playing an active role in the city evolution, especially in areas such as mitigating climate change, reducing carbon emissions, and improving management of resources and energy; structuring cities to be more sociallyinclusive, accessible and equitable; developing cit-

the ‘problem’ and were to be excluded from protected areas. Protected areas were conceived and designed in terms of biological concepts and scientific inventories.

However, it became evident that the social costs of exclusionary conservation projects were sometimes high, and that their success rate, even in biological terms, was disappointing. As a result, the classical approach to biodiversity conservation was replaced by Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDP), with the goal to ‘enhance biodiversity conservation through approaches which attempt to address the needs, constraints and opportunities of local people.’ In this latest approach to conservation,

ies that can resist crises and cataclysms; developing economic, educational and creative opportunities for all; and ensuring the security and sanitary conditions essential to all inhabitants.

“Architects alone, and on their own, cannot bring about the ideal change that society needs in the face of climate change. However, we are in a position to initiate and lead the desired change to mitigate the challenge and get our communities more prepared in dealing with the adversities that climate change may bring,” Recto said.

“The task is not really as awesome as it seems. The first step is to work towards getting everyone engaged in the change process, and inculcate the notion that change has to begin with oneself,” he added.

He also said that his architectural office was furnished with 97 percent recycled materials in support of sustainable development.

Recto stressed that “in the context of the U.N. Human Settlements campaign ‘I am a City Changer,’ it begins with an awareness

local people are put at the forefront and viewed (at least in theory) as active partners, if not outright frontline managers,” they said.

Despite this, many still questions the indigenous peoples’ capability in implementing CPR programs and projects in their communities.

But given the proper training and guidance, and constant monitoring, IP communities can be successful.

Banana... from page 3

Philippines Harr y Thomas Jr. visited the Dole manufacturing facility in Bukidnon to inspect the packaging process.

“It seems that when we went there, they were pleased with the process,”

of the urban issues that confront us today; and it is this awareness that should transform our attitude – from one of resignation that things happen by chance, to a victorious attitude that we can make a difference because things happen by choice.”

The World Day of Architecture celebration was initiated by the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) or International Union of Architects which is an international federation of national associations of architects with headquarters in Paris.

Since its founding in 1948, it has grown to encompass the key professional organizations of architects in 124 countries and territories, and counts some 1.3 million members worldwide today.

In 1996, the UIA decided to celebrate the World Day of Architecture on the first Monday of October of each year. This is the same day that the UN observes World Habitat Day in order to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter for all.

said Alcala.

Alcala said there are other companies interested to tap the US market but Dole Philippines has the proper facilities for handling bananas post-transport, already having established a presence in the US. Manila has set its sights at the US market, particularly at defense commissaries, after China imposed stricter sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) restrictions on Philippine banana exports.

Alcala had said that the US market would be bigger than the Chinese market.

Aside from the US, the government is also actively engaging Japan, Korea and Middle East countries to absorb banana exports.

(PNA)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Feature

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

11

SERVICE STAR AWARD: IOLANI MAE AVES - OCT 2012 Congratulations to

Iolani (Lani) Aves!

Lani joined St. Catherine in 2006.

She has worked as a RN in the Med Surg department for most of her time with us. She has also assisted with Post Partum, the Emergency Room and Telemetry when needed.

Her experience has been at the Staff Nurse and the Charge Nursed positions. Recently, Lani joined the Emergency Department Team.

Lani consistently demonstrates honest te amwork, a p osit ive attitude, professionalism and making a difference in the care given to our patients. She has

been highlighted in many patient satisfaction reports as a truly compassionate and professional Nu rs e. He r c o - worke rs have noted how she always shows the CHRISTUS Mission, to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, especially by enforcing teamwork and going the extra mile for her team. If there is a need for help, Lani is there.

Lani inspires others. It drives us to be the BEST! Our sincere thanks and appreciation!

SOURCE: St. Catherine Gazette Friday, October 26,2012 Christus St. Catherine Hospital, Katy, Texas, USA N.B. Iolani Mae Aves is a graduate of Capitol University and awarded the CU Florence Nightingale Award batch 2003.

Philippine Life launches CDO Operations

Noemi L. Lorbis

Henry A. Perfecto

The Launch of Philippine Life Financial Assurance C o r p o r a t i o n (formerly AsianLife Financial Assurance Corporation) Cagayan de Oro Op erations, October 23, 2012 at the Mezzanine floor, State Investment Building, Tiano-Hayes Streets, Cagayan de Oro City.

In t he photo are (left to right) Rene L.

Noble – Operations Head of Regional Branch Office, Noemi L. Lorbis – Senior Manager Marketing Support Division, He n r y A . Pe r f e c t o – Vi c e P re s i d e nt Ordinar y Life Sales Division of Philippine Life, and Marites L. Nepomuceno – COO and Special Assistant to the President, PhilFirst Insurance.

FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS PLACEMENTS CONTACT

Photos by: SHAUN UY

BusinessWeek Mindanao

MEDIA CENTER NOW accepts Political and Business Press Conferences with assured publications on four newspapers

Mindanao STAR Inadlaw’ng Kasayuran ug Kalingawan sa Masa

BALITA

“WE GROW MINDS”

Mindanao STAR Inadlaw’ng Kasayuran ug Kalingawan sa Masa

http://www.businessweekmindanao.com/ | Advertising: 09177121424 |

BALITA

http://www.facebook.com/BusinessWeek.Mindanao

12

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Wednesday-Thursday I Nov. 7-8, 2012

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

www.businessweekmindanao.com

DOLE conducts Caravan at Coke, TESDA launch S3TAR Camiguin Lanzones Festival Program in MisOr By: MILDRED E. DABLIO, Labor Communications Officer

Cagayan de Oro City --- The Department of L abor and Employment through its Camiguin Provincial Field Office via Officer-InCharge Errol Natividad will facilitate government caravan on 24-26 October 2012 in line with festivities for the lanzones celebration.

In synchronization, the DOLE Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) composed of its attached agencies in region joined the OneStop-Shop of government services through the DOLE Caravan in Mambajao on 25-26 October at the UGMAD Site, Tourism Center, Mambajao, Camiguin. This a Provincial Government initiative of Governor Jurdin Jesus “Jj” M. Romualdo. Invited participants are the Mayors and Public Employment Service Officers (PESO) of its 5 Municipalities of Mambajao, Catarman, Sagay, Guinsiliban, and Mahinog and other workers and would-be entrants of the workforce.

Lanzones is a major fruit crop in the Philippines and the whole of Asia. In Northern Mindanao, Camiguin is reputed to produce the sweetest lanzones fruits. In turn the Province always pays tribute by holding the annual Lanzones Festival participated in by the local and foreign tourists. The prevailing good climate, soil of volcanic origin and other biotic factors are believed to favor the growth, yield, and taste of the fruit. CY 2012 festivities started 20th until the 28th October.

DOLE launched the Skills Registry System (SRS) for the Local Government Unit of Mahinog on 24 October 2012. SRS is a revised version of the National Manpower Registry System and a Labor Market Information (LMI) tool in pilot Local Government Units (LGU).

Mahinog Mayor, Alex R. Jajalla received one (1) set of desktop computer and printer for this

purpose.

Mahinog is the 5th municipality of Camiguin composed of 1 3 b a r a n g ay s . In t e r m s o f communications technology, the area is already equipped with its own Camiguin Telephone Cooperative (CAMTECO) as its main internet provider, making the SRS program feasible for a reliable and updated registry of skills of the municipality and also for the entire province.

The said program requires the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in said LGUs to get the total list of skills and job vacancies suitable in the locality in the SRS form to capture the skills data from the registrants.

The accomplished form will then be encoded in the desktop computer with the embedded SRS program. The computers were sourced by DOLE and given without cost to the said LGUs. The data will then be accessed by the national government to assist in job-fit formulation and as a ready source of manpower of investors.

The Caravan will highlight the DOLE programs on Single ENtry Approach or SENA which is a conciliation-mediation approach of settling labor issues between management or vice versa; receiving of applications for the DOLE Special Program for the Employment of Students or SPES and the Alien Employment Program ; registration of Rural Workers’ Association (RWAs); assistance on availing the Youth Entrepreneurship Program, DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program; advocacy on Labor Standards and construction safety.

RCC programs and services featured in the said Caravan is the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) through their assistance to the OFWs and their dependents on applications for death, disability, and dismemberment

benefits; education and training program; repatriation services; family welfare and reintegration program; and welfare assistance.

Joining the team is Technical Education Skills and Development Administration (TESDA)’s advocacy on their offered vocation courses for enrollment.

Me a nw h i l e t h e Nat i o n a l Reintegration Center for OFWs or NRCO through the OWWA and the DOLE will be releasing livelihood assistance to some 18 OFW returnees of Catarman and Sagay municipalities from Hong Kong, Singapore, Lebanon, Kuwait, KSA, UAE, and Taiwan.

The NRCO share worth PhP 10,000 each will be awarded to the said beneficiaries as a start-up or additional capital for individual livelihood projects or as establishment, restoration, and enhancement of their businesses on: • sari-sari store:5 beneficiaries • hog raising: 7 • native snack preparation:1 • garment making:1 • buy and sell (beauty products):1 • vulcanizing shop:1 • fish trading:1 • fast food:1 Joi n i ng forc e s , t h e LG U Mambajao through Mayor Ma. Luisa D. Romualdo also sponsored a Job Fair for applicants agreeing to join the workforce on 25 October 2012 also at the UGMAD Camiguin Tourism Center.

DOLE Regional Office No. 10 Director, Atty. Johnson G. Cañete, welcomed the invitation from the Province as support towards President Aquino III’s directive on labor and employment’s overarching goal of investing in our human resource to be more competitive and employable while promoting industrial peace based on social justice.

TESDA Regional Director Engr. Edgar A. Sales and Attorney Adel A. Tamano, Public Affairs and Communication Director of the Coca-Cola Export Corporation sign the memorandum of agreement for the S3TAR Program, October 18, 2012, Mallberry Suites, Cagayan de Oro City.

The Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources Program formally launched October 18, 2012 through a memorandum of agreement signed by and between Coca-Cola Philippines; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the local governments of Cagayan de Oro, Jasaan - represented by Mayor Redentor S. Jardin (seated, 3rd from right) and Villanueva - represented by Kagawad Edwin C. Dagasuhan (seated, 4th from right), and SMI Learning Employment Success (SMILES) Foundation, Inc - represented by Manuel Floro (seated, 2nd from right).

PHOTOS BY: SHAUN ALEJANDRAE YAP UY

The Businessman’s Newspaper in Mindanao

Now comes out 3x weekly!

every Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays BusinessWeek Mindanao is available online, what you see on print is exactly the same online at www.businessweekmindanao.com find us on facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/BusinessWeek.Mindanao

Contact us: 0917-712-1424 email: businessweekmindanao@gmail.com