BusinessWeek
YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER
www.businessweekmindanao.com Issue No. 99, Volume III • August 17-19, 2012
*Limited to Silver 700, Gold 950, Platinum 1,150 and Premium HD 1,350 packages. Contract of 24 months lock in period z One month advance required.
Call: 8572663 762112 8573837
Editorial: 088-856-3344 • Advertising: 0917-7121424
P15.00
Market Indicators
AS OF 5:56 PM AUG. 15, 2012 (Wednesday)
FOREX
PHISIX
US$1 = P42.09
5,257.16 points
8.78 points
;
16 cents
;
Briefly Kahimunan trade fair
By NELSON V. CONSTANTINO, Editor-in-Chief and PAT SAMONTE, Caraga Bureau Chief
THE Kagay-an Festival 2012 has now 10 core events. The city fiesta committee chaired by Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas has included the Kahimunan Trade Fair as one of the highlights of the fiesta celebration. To be spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DIT-10), the trade fair will showcase products from other cities and municipalities in the region such as fashion jewelries, furnitures, housewares, among others. About 50 MicroSmall-Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) will be participating in the activity, which will be held at the SM City entrance from Aug. 25 to Aug 31.
B
UTUAN City – While Mindanao continues to be within the radar of foreign investors, several limiting factors hinder the island’s development, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said.
IT project
DAVAO City -- The e-UP, an information technology project of the University of the Philippines (UP) system, will greatly benefit UP Mindanao, says UP Mindanao chancellor Gilda Rivero. “A lot, it makes it more efficient,” Rivero said when asked if the IT project would yield benefits to the Mindanao campus. Rivero cited e-UP’s benefits in terms of enhancing manpower efficiency. “UP Mindanao is lean particularly on manpower,” she said, adding that the IT project will help them perform their tasks more efficiently.
OFF FOR A FISHING EXPEDITION. Fisherman Dodong Libres of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, inspects his net as he prepares his gears for another fishing expedition as the weather becoming clearer. PHOTO BY JUN AYENSA
Moratorium on plantation expansion eyed By NEF T. LUCZON, Correspondent
MALAYBALAY City – In an effort to avert further denudation of the province’s remaining forest reserves, the Bukidnon provincial government is keen on adopting a moratorium in expanding fruit plantations following a resolution filed by the Malaybalay and Valencia city governments. The measure is aimed at preventing flash floods and forest denudation similar to what happened in Luzon last week. PLANTATION/PAGE 10
PCCI President Miguel B. Varela said the much-detested cabotage law and the drawn-out licensing-and-permitting process are among the major policies that stif le the advance of investments in Mindanao. “Mindanao has very high potentials. Sadly, development in this part of the country has been marred by limited dynamism,” Varela said during the recently concluded 20th Mindanao Business Conference held here from August 2 to 5. He said Mindanao’s agriculture sector, for instance, “has difficulty taking off because of insufficient demand and limited market at the domestic level.” POLICIES/PAGE 10
Davao City approves new incentives code By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent
Bukidnon’s forest reserves are endangered by continued plantation expansion.
DAVAO CITY -- The city council has passed an ordinance that amends the 1994 Investment Incentives Code with new priority investment areas. The amended code, yet to be signed by Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio, would lift the moratorium imposed on incentives offered to new investments. The amended ordinance will make the city responsive to the needs of those who will bring their capital to the city, said Davao City Investment and Promotions Center CODE/PAGE 10
Aboitiz to build new hydro plant in Davao LISTED Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower) said its wholly owned Hedcor Inc. recently broke ground for the construction of the 7-megawatt (mw) Tudaya hydropower-2 plant in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. AboitizPower said the Tudaya-2 is estimated to cost HYDRO/PAGE 7