BusinessWeek Mindanao Feb 6 issue

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www.businessweekmindanao.com Issue No. 46, Volume III • February 6-9, 2012

Market Indicators AS OF 5:16 P.M., FEB. 3, 2012 (Friday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P42.60

4,758.57 points

63.51 points

;

; Briefly 6 cents

Ozamiz investment

OZAMIZ City --The Ozamiz City Development Council (OCDC) has passed a resolution endorsing, for final approval, the program,projects, activities of the city’s 2012 Annual Investment Program (AIP) 20% Development Fund Component, in the amount of P59,770,743.

Said resolution was passed during the first full council meeting of the OCDC, last January 17, held in the city.

The full council passed CDC Resolution No. 001-2012, s. of 2012 after it deliberated the proposed programs/projects and activities and found them in line with the development thrusts and objectives of the city.

The OCDC, pursuant to Article 182, Rule XXII of the Rules and Regulations Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991 serves as the main development advisory arm of the Local Executive and Sangguniang Panglungsod, to set the direction of economic and social development of the city.

Text scams

DAVAO City -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 warns consumers anew against text scams.

Although the office rarely receives reports and inquiries on text scams, DTI 11 Regional Director Marizon S. Loreto said the information campaign relative to this must be made regularly to further empower consumers.

Based on the report of the Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Division (CWTRD) of DTI 11, the office only got an average of four reports/inquiries on text scam during the last quarter of 2011, whereas in previous months, the office recorded more than 10 a month.

Agents for M’nao

ZAMBOANGA City -- Mayor Celso Lobregat on Friday challenged the delegates of the 3rd Philippine Society of Information Technology Students (PSITS) Regional ICT Convention to be agents of the good, the positive, the best and the beautiful about Mindanao even as he lamented that Zamboanga City like the rest of this southern part of the country has been a victim of negative perceptions.

“As information and communication technologists, it is your obligation, your responsibility to bring about the good, the positive and the best of you own places,” Lobregat told the 950 regional ICT convention delegates at the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) gymnasium.

“Western Mindanao is vibrant and a peaceful region. “Unfortunately, there are certain incidents that happened beyond anyone’s control,” he lamented.

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Agri program boosts income of M’nao poor

By ALLAN MEDIANTE Exdecutive Editor

T

HE World Ban k has seen 15.46 percent rise of poor’s income in Mindanao as effect of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) rural program.

WB lead rural development specialist Carolina FigueroaGeron told reporters in a press briefing held recently in Davao City that DA’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) has contributed to the increase in income of its beneficiaries who are mostly small farmers and fisherfolk.

Geron said that from the baseline of P71,822.00 income in 2007 it has increased to P82,926.00 Farmers harvest bell pepper in a farm in Zamboanga del Norte. Better infrastructures like irrigation systems by midterm implementation of and post-harvest facilities have boosted farm production in Mindanao, thus improved farmers’ income, the AGRI/PAGE 9 World Bank report said.

FILE PHOTO

PSALM begins sale of power barges THE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation is pursuing the implementation of the government’s power privatization program, with the issuance of the Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the auction of the diesel-fired Power Barges 101, 102, 103 and 104 capable of generating 32 megawatts (MW) each.

According to PSALM President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr., the bidding of the power barges

continues the privatization efforts of PSALM, which will ultimately lower the universal charge to be imposed on consumers as provided under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

“Although the privatization was temporarily put on hold at the start of the Aquino administration, PSALM is again committed to immediately dispose of our remaining assets pursuant to the EPIRA,” Ledesma said.

Earlier, PSALM announced

the start of its receipt of Letters of Interest from prospective investors for the four power barges until 14 February 2012. The bid covers the generating assets, which are being offered on an “as is, where is” basis, structures and improvements, spare parts, and general plant equipment of the power barges. The four facilities will be bundled in three packages, with Package 1 to include PB 101 and 102, Package 2 to include PB 103, PSALM/PAGE 10

Power deals shield Davao of brownouts DAVAO City – Davao’s power provider Davao Light and Power Co. said that its embedded power agreements with two mini-hydro generation plants here and in Davao del Sur helped this country’s third-largest power distributor to offset the load curtailment imposed by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) over dwindling power supply.

This meant minimizing the number of brownouts suffered by residents and businesses in the city.

POWER/PAGE 9

Coal back as number one power source

New topographic maps for M’nao

COAL overtook natural gas as the country’s top power source in 2010, having produced more than a third of electricity generated that year, data from the Department of Energy showed.

Of the 67,743 Gigawatt hours (Gwh) produced in 2010, about 23,301 Gwh were sourced from coal, up by 41.4% from the previous year’s figure.

Meanwhile, natural gas produced 19,518 Gwh of electricity or 28.8% of the

THE Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) on Wednesday said the P500-million Mindanao Topographic Mapping Project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), seeks to update the 1960s topographic maps of Mindanao as part of updated bases for planning and investment programming of government agencies as well as the private sector in the country’s biggest island grouping.

MAPS/PAGE 10

total. From 2005 to 2009, natural gas was the number one power source in the Philippines, accounting for as much as 32.2% of power generation.

University of Asia and the Pacific economist Peter Lee U said it is not surprising that natural gas placed second to coal in 2010.

“Aside from the fact that [coal is] the cheapest, it is also the easiest to generate,” he explained.

COAL/PAGE 10

Steag’s coal-fired power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

Economy 2 February 6-9, 2012 Meat inspection agency monitors Caraga entry and exit points

B

UTUAN City -- To prevent possible entry of “double dead” meats, officials and personnel of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) is closely monitoring all entrance and exit points in Caraga Region.

NMIS-Caraga Regional Director Desiderio Julaton directed all NMIS personnel to strengthen their monitoring so that such illegal transporting of “double dead” meats will not hap-

pen in the province.

Julaton said the situation is not alarming in Caraga considering that the region does not have big piggeries that may be a source of these “double dead” meats that

might be sold in markets.

Through the monitoring, Julaton said, health of the consumers will be protected.

NMIS also reminded the public to be cautious in buying meat in the market as incidence of selling “double-dead” meats are already noted in some parts of Luzon.

NMIS Executive Director Atty. Jane Bacayo said it is

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MINDANAO

safer to buy meat products and other processed foods in malls and groceries as they have passed the quality control requirements of NMIS. However, report said that the NMIS chief reiterated that if buying in public MEAT/PAGE 10

Dubai market for processed pork export products eyed KORONADAL City -- Processed pork products from Socssksargen Region or Region 12 could soon be exported to United Arab Emirates where the same products can also be sold to other countries, an official of the Department of Agriculture said.

Evelyn Jaruda, feeds and veterinary drugs control officer of DA-12, said that initial shipment destination of “pork-ina-box” will be to Dubai City.

Dubai City, she said, offers a potential market for meat products because of the large population of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there . Residents of the city also include other nationalities such as Indians who also include pork meat in their diet.

She explained, as an open city, Dubai allows entry of pork products.

On January 3, DA-12 organized a meeting between local hog raisers and the country’s agriculture attaché to Dubai City, along with DA’s national director for agribusiness and marketing, to inform the local hog industry of “this major potential.”

Jaruda did not name both officials of DA. “This month, we will start sending samples of processed meat to Dubai,” she said, to determine if local products pass the requirements of the market partner

A shop selling pork in a Dubai supermarket.

in Dubai.

This partner, she said, could also facilitate marketing of the products to other countries.

“This means that demand for our processed meat products is really large,” she said . She, however, confirmed that initial volume of pork-in-a-box to be exported has not been set.

Jaruda added that they have already accredited several hog farms in General PORK/PAGE 10

Six Surigao villages set for electrification

By GREG TATARO, JR. Contributor

TANDAG City -- A series of ceremonial energization activities is set to happen in six far-flung areas in Surigao del Sur. According to Agi Jaluag, Information Officer of Surigao del Sur Electric Cooperative II (SURSECO II), the energization program which covers a purok and five sitios started, Feb. 2 until Saturday, Feb. 4.

Jaluag said these include Sitio Palompon, Barangay Mahaba, Marihatag; Purok 5, Barangay Siagao, San Miguel; Sitio Awasan and Sitio PagAntan in Barangay Jubang, Tago; Sitio Bayabas, Barangay San Isidro, Tandag City; and Sitio Bayabay, Barangay Bugsukan, Cantilan.

Jaluag stressed that said energization program is part of the rural electrification program under President Benigno Aquino III’s administration.

Meanwhile, aside from the respective municipal and city officials, Governor Johnny Pimentel and First District Congressman Philip Pichay are also expected to grace the series of occasions.

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February 6-9, 2012

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4 February 6-9, 2012

Companies

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Banco Filipino set to reopen this month

S

HUTTERED thrift bank Banco Filipino will reopen within the month after the Court of Appeals ruled that its closure in 2011 was illegal, its vice chairman Perfecto Yasay said Friday.

Yasay said the CA decision ordering the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to reopen Banco Filipino and provide it with a P25billion financial aid is “immediately executory” even if the central bank appeals the decision.

“What was filed by us before the CA was a certiorari or petition for review and mandamus. The mandamus is immediately implementable so even if the BSP resorts to an appeal, they can do so but they must implement the mandamus order first,” he said.

Yasay added that the only thing that could stop Banco Filipino’s reopening is a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court.

But he said a TRO from the high tribunal will also mean that Banco Filipino’s receivership and asset liq-

uidation that were ordered by the BSP in 2011 will be put on hold pending the resolution of the case.

‘Illegal’ closure In a 50-page decision last Jan. 27, the CA ruled that Banco Filipino “was not accorded due process” when it was placed under receivership. The court also found that the bank was not insolvent as claimed by the BSP and its Monetary Board.

The MB issued Resolution No. 372-A on March 17, 2011, placing Banco Filipino under receivership for failing to service withdrawals and fund issued checks.

The MB claimed that the bank’s liabilities topped its assets by P8.4 billion. The bank was also prohibited from continuing its business operations in the Philippines due to “unsound banking practices.”

However, Yasay said

Mobile telcos prepare for legal battle vs NTC THE country’s cellular mobile telephone service (CMTS) providers are bracing for a legal battle, even up to the Supreme Court, to prevent the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from mandating the shift from a per-minute to a sixsecond-per-pulse billing system used for mobile voice calls.

Industry sources said the CMTS providers, namely Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Digital Telecommunications Phils. Inc. (Digitel) and Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprise (CURE) will appeal the decision of the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court.

Last Jan. 19, the former special 11th division of the CA ruled that it finds merit in the NTC’s contention that with the implementation of this new billing scheme, the average subscribers are going to realize huge savings.

The CA ruled against the motion for reconsideration filed by Smart, Globe, Innove, CURE and Digitel against the appellate court’s decision handed down on Dec. 28, 2010.

In its ruling, the CA said it finds no sufficient basis to uphold CURE’s claim that the NTC had long deregulated the rates for CMTS service, pointing out that the NTC correctly maintains that there is no showing that the CMTS for voice calls has ever been deregulated.

CURE and Smart have claimed that no law gives the NTC authority to impose a billing system, much less a uniform billing system to be applied by all CMTS providers.

Globe maintained that there is nothing in NTC’s Memorandum Circular 05-07-2009 that requires them to adopt or which prohibits them from adopting a particular method for implementing the sixsecond-per-pulse billing MOBILE/PAGE 7

that Banco Filipino’s assets actually exceeded its liabilities by at least P25 billion. He added that the BSP-assigned comptroller of the bank had reported that as of December 2010, Banco Filipino’s liabilities amounted to about P19 billion, and its assets were around P21 billion, resulting in a net of P1.5 billion.

“Even if there is a net of only 1 centavo, it’s enough to establish that the bank was not insolvent, and there was no basis to close it,” Yasay said.

Rehab plan Yasay said he expects the BSP to be ready with a “viable” rehab plan and a liquidity fund facility, as ordered by the CA, once Banco Filipino reopens this month.

“The liquidity fund facility must be in place so if depositors decide to withdraw their deposits, there will be an amount that will answer to that and the transition from closure to reopening will be smooth.”

Yasay said the BSP must obey the court’s order to

Banco Filipino braces for reopening after the Court of Appeals ruled its closure was illegal.

make sure that “depositors’ interests are properly protected and safeguarded.”

“We should not get into the question of sinong may kasalanan? That’s past. The court has spoken. Sinabi na ng korte na walang basehan ‘yan,” he said.

Banco Filipino had approximately 177,000 accounts worth about P16 billion when it closed down in March, according to Yasay.

Ninety-seven percent of these accounts had deposits of P500,000 and below, and were covered by the Phil-

ippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC).

Yasay said all deposit accounts of less than P5,000 have already been paid by the PDIC. Customer trust Yasay said 3% or over 5,000 of their total depositors have not been able to recover their money.

He said the CA’s decision to reopen Banco Filipino came as a “relief ” to these depositors.

“These are the guys who constitute the P16 billion or so deposit base of Banco Fili-

pino. Many have been keenly following the developments of this case and they are relieved about the decision of the CA,” he noted.

Asked whether he is worried that their clients would no longer patronize them, Yasay said, “the decision of the CA has been carefully crafted so that confidence can be restored.”

“Some depositors have agreed to tentatively keep their money there for the next three years to make sure that the bank will be able to recover,” he said.

NGCP sets capex at P14.3B SYSTEM OPERATOR National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has pegged its capital spending this year at P14.3 billion to bankroll transmission system upgrades.

The figure, as approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), is lower than the P15.3 billion it spent in 2011 as required since transmission of electricity is a regulated industry.

“NGCP’s continuous evolution, reformation and transmission grid. improvement will require T. Sy, Jr. in a statement.

NGCP earlier said it These include the conour sustained commitment, dedication and hard work,” plans to build new sub- struction of 69-kilovolt (kV) said NGCP President Henry stations and upgrade the and 230-kV transmission

lines, earlier reports show.

NGCP is also in the process of bidding out the feasibility study for the Leyte-Mindanao interconnection project.

NGCP was formed after the government sold a 25year license to a consortium led by China’s State Grid Corp. for $3.95 billion.

The NGCP consortium is composed of the State Grid of China (40%), Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp.

(30%) and Calaca High Power Corp. (30%). Syled One Taipan Holdings Corp. bought out Monte Oro Resources in March 2010.

Minola posts 12% net income hike STATE-RUN Coconut Industry Investment Fund-Oil Mills Group (CIIF-OMG) saw its profits rise by 12% last year, even as sales volume fell, owing to strategic business deals, the firm reported last week.

Gross profits reached P1.014 billion in 2011, up from the previous year’s P909 million, a statement

showed.

Last year’s performance was also 6% above its 2011 target of P961 million.

Its financial report was not immediately made available.

Income from operation, meanwhile, grew 29% to P220 million last year from P171 million in 2010, surpassing the company’s 2011

target of P209 million by 5%.

Such growth was made possible despite a 35% annual decline in copra supply to 254,318 metric tons (MT) in 2011.

The firm originally expected a supply of 458,000 MT that year.

This also translated to a 44% drop in crushed copra

-- including tolling production -- to 295,138 MT. “Despite the fact that copra was so short, the CIIF-OMG made money because we were prudent in our selling. We did not enter into forward contracts that might end up incurring losses,” Jesus L. Arranza, CIIF-OMG president and MINOLA/PAGE 10

GSIS to chip in $300 million for donor-led PPP fund STATE-run Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will contribute nearly half of a $750 million infrastructure fund that the country’s multilateral donors are putting up to bankroll the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.

In a briefing, Roberto Vergara, president of the pension fund for state workers, said GSIS would chip in $300 million to the government’s infrastructure effort this year.

“We wanted to stay local.

Our economy has a lot of defensive characteristics,

including the high level of liquidity and the room that the central bank has to lower rates and prop up the currency. If you combine all that, it is not only more fun in the Philippines, but you also make more money in the Philippines by investing here,” said Vergara.

“Infrastructure, power and road projects are competitive and yields could be lower so we are also looking at airports, telecommunication towers and hotels, which could provide higher returns,” he said.

The executive said this was separate from an earlier

plan to chip in P50 billion for a P200 billion PPP fund that would be pooled by GSIS and other state-run firms, namely Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines and Social Security System.

“Our multilateral part-

ners are committed to move ahead with the infrastructure fund. We are just waiting for the partners to get the necessary approvals from their respective boards,” he said, adding that the fund should be ready by the middle of the year.

FUND/PAGE 7

BusinessWeek

February 6-9, 2012

MINDANAO

5

Business as usual for CdO’s famous White Water Rafting

By MIKE BAÑOS, Correspondent

C

AGAYAN de Oro’s famous white water rafting routes are up and running, and safe to traverse despite the devastation wrought by Tropical Storm Sendong.

“We issued a travel advisory last Dec. 27, 2011 informing the public white water rafting in Cagayan River was suspended to allow our rafting outfitters to clear the river of obstructions and ensure its safety for visitors,” said Catalino E. Chan III, Department of Tourism Region-X director. “However, this has since been superseded by another advisory issued by our office dated January 5, 2012 declaring white water rafting operations were now fully operational.”

Mr. Chan said personnel of the six white water outfitters which comprise the Oro Rafters Association used the hiatus to clear the river of logs, debris and other objects which compromised the safety of visitors.

“All the major road networks in the city are generally passable,” the advisory

read further. “Public transportation is available, sea and air transportation are fully operational. Hotels and tourism-related establishments are likewise in full operation.”

Electricity in the city was restored by the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company, Inc. (CEPALCO) on Dec. 18 and water service by the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) restored ahead of the original 30-day schedule except for some areas where distribution pipes damaged or destroyed by Sendong are still undergoing repairs and rehabilitation.

White water rafting outfitters say the basic and advanced courses are now cleared and continually patrolled by members to identify and clear any further debris or obstructions.

“We have sur ve ye d the upstream portions of

Cagayan River where our basic and advanced courses are run and we are happy to report there are virtually no casualties among the residents living near river banks along this areas,” said Vitalino Espulgar, president of the Oro Associatigon of Rafters (OAR).

Visitors who often visit Cagayan de Oro for its white water rafting have been White water rafting is back in Cagayan River after outfitters cleared the basic and PHOTO COURTESY OF MENCHIT ONGPIN shunning the city lately since advanced routes of logs and other debris.

Sendong struck on fears the white water rafting courses along Cagayan River had been affected and other unfounded rumors generally circulating in social media like Facebook.

As a result, white water rafting outfitters report many cancellations, as have hotels that already had conventions and conferences scheduled as far off as March. Local airlines report a drop in passenger load factor from 80 to 69 percent.

OAR and other tourism related organizations such as the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA), Cagayan de RAFTING/PAGE 9

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Opinion

6 February 6-9, 2012

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BusinessWeek MINDANAO

Fairytale or Fact?

THINK a minute…

There was a man who thought he was going crazy, so he went to the doctor for an expert opinion. The doctor examined the man and told him: “I have to agree with you. You’re crazy.” But the man got angry and said: “I want a second opinion!”

So the doctor said, “OK, you’re ugly too.” Sometimes we don’t want to hear the facts.

A survey in America showed that 90% of Americans say they believe heaven is real, but only 25% of those same people say they believe hell is a real place. That’s like saying you believe there is light but no darkness, that there is right but no wrong.

Common sense tells you that doesn’t make any sense! Just

saying a place is not real doesn’t make it true. It’s like saying the North Pole is not real just because we don’t think so.

The fact is Jesus Christ talked about hell much more than he did heaven. He said hell is a real place that’s full of the worst pain and endless suffering for everyone who rejects His good life by choosing to live their own way instead of the true way He created us to enjoy.

Jesus repeatedly explained that the reason He came to give His innocent life was to pay the penalty for all our sins. God the Son came to save us from suffering in hell forever, even though it cost Him His own divine life. You see, we can’t say we believe Jesus Christ spoke

the truth about some things, but that He lied about other things like hell. He can’t be God and be a liar too.

Remember, since God is perfectly good and pure, it’s simply not possible for Him to live together with any kind of wrong or evil.

Otherwise, He wouldn’t be God! Just like light and darkness cannot be in the same place together. But if we want God to leave us alone, He will. After all, He’s the One Who gave us our freedom to choose in the first place. He will never force us to love Him and live the way He created us to enjoy.

Jesus said that even though our body dies, our soul will live forever—either in heaven or in hell. So it’s

• Conquer your fear and bravely face the situation. The first step—and sometimes the most difficult—is to admit that there is a problem that needs to be fixed.

• Assess the damage.

Gather all bills and receipts and tally up your debts.

• Make a serious plan and a firm commitment to pay off and clear all debts within a specific time frame or schedule.

• Pay debts as quickly as possible to prevent interest charges from ballooning and to protect your credit standing.

Resolve to pay debts as soon as possible. Do not

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

up to us to choose whether we want Jesus’ gift of forgiveness and way of living, or our own way. Heaven or hell. But you’re the only one who can send yourself to hell, because God’s already done everything He possibly can so you don’t go there.

The choice and risk is yours.

Just think a minute…

Property management IN the light of the expanding property development in the southern cities of Mindanao and in the whole country which is now seeing skyscrapers horizontal building construction boom, institutions offering academic courses are called to revise school curriculums that will prepare graduates in the science of Engineering or Business management to include in their courses the technical theory in property management and understanding legal terms and compliance to government regulations.

The key in maximizing building and property sales and occupancies is retaining desirable clients. This can be achieved through professional property management. There are business strategies in retaining tenants through quality building administrations.

The same as hotels and condominium unit rentals enjoys continuous or repeat business by way of higher occupancies and more units earning daily or monthly revenues maximizing the developer’s profit.

Ma n a g e m e nt a l on g these areas has to undergo

restructuring attuned to investments and the environmental requirements of a modern city.

Property owners are faced with hypothetical figures on how to recover capital expense that goes to the building construction or return of investments (ROI) for the money used to finance the project and realize the desired profit.

ROI are actualized with the cost of money over a certain period of time it was withdrawn from the banks or borrowed from the financial institutions and sank into the project.

Money spend must bear interests and profits as it is part of the cycle of business.

Students in architectures or management disciplines are challenged with a growing future demands in profitable property management.

The role of building administrators includes budget preparation to cover security and safety programs that calls for a good understanding of modern surveillance equipment or CCTV. It must have understanding on Fire Safety and the applications of technologies on fire detection and suppressions.

The same as the administrator’s practical knowledge in pest control to safeguard the building from degradation and contamination.

These are few insights that must be built up in the curriculum aside from the legal requirements in the preparation of the building house rules and regulations acceptable to the tenants and in consonant with the lease and rental agreements allowed by law.

In some business curriculums there are subjects in obligations and contracts, insurance and corporate laws. This augurs’ well to a good foundation and understanding the legal obligations of the developers to their clients or tenants.

Universities and Colleges offering Hotel & Restaurant management courses have accounting and finance subjects to in calculate in the students mind the cost and revenue aspect in running a hotel or managing a condominium unit. It also offers the technical training in Housekeeping to put order and lodging systems in place in the property.

Taking note of the building boom expansion in the

Dealing with Holiday Debt HAVE you experienced the classic “holiday debt hangover”?

The Financial Consumer Affairs Group (FCAG) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said that this type of hangover is usually experienced during the months following the Yuletide season—when the shopping, parties and gift-giving have practically drained most of your financial resources.

Worry not, the FCAG has come up with another list of useful tips so you could wipe off your holiday debts and still look forward to a bright New Year:

THINK A MINUTE

let them carry over year after year after year.

• Pay as much as you can. Do not pay just the minimum amount due on your credit card statements.

• Prioritize debts. Pay high-interest debts first while paying the minimum amount required on other debts. This will lessen your overall interest payments and shorten the period of time it will take you to repay your total debt.

• Bust open your piggy bank. The holiday debt situation can be classified as one of the rainy days that you have been saving for.

• Maximize windfalls.

If you have received a raise or earned extra cash, use them to pay off debts.

• Don’t pay credit with credit. Avoid obtaining loans to pay off your credit card debts, for example.

• Keep or lock up your credit card for the time being to avoid using it further and accumulating more debts. Use cash for purchases whenever possible.

• Go on a spending diet. Trim the budget fat which may include limiting trips to the mall cafe, bringing lunch instead of eating out, or commuting to work.

TRAVERSING THE TOURISM HI-WAY

PED T. QUIAMJOT modern cities, government has found good sources of raising revenues to imposition of taxes and permits and other governmental regulations compliance exercised by the Housing and Land Regulatory Units as far as selling condominium units. The Bureau of Internal Revenues (BIR) monitors taxes through collection of realty taxes and excise tax after transfer of ownership to the buyers in a form of sales and documentation taxes.

Property development in the country that ranges from hotel owners to condominium builders has a role to accomplish to support QUIAMJOT/PAGE 7

SPEAKING OUT • Sell some old stuff through the Internet or by holding a garage sale.

This is also one way of clearing up the clutter in preparation for the New Year.

• Go for debt restructuring. Negotiate with banks and credit card companies for affordable payment terms or “paylite” schemes to help you pay off your debt.

• It would be wise to start planning for the next holiday season. Put up a Christmas fund, do your shopping the whole year round, and take advantage of store sales. Doing so would spare you from holiday

IGNACIO BUNYE panic and impulse buying, overspending, and suffering another round of financial hangover.

The FCAG said that the best advice it could give would be to stay positive.

Love and forgive yourself for these “mishaps” and learn the precious lessons that go with every life experience.

BusinessWeek

February 6-9, 2012

MINDANAO

Beat That Deadline!

MALARIA is an Infectious disease caused by a parasite, transmitted by a bite of the female mosquito, known as Anopheles. This disease is common in the tropics, and mostly in the rural areas. 58 of the 80 provinces in this country of ours is Malaria endemic, which means that, when you get to travel to these provinces, you need to always put at the back of your mind, to either wear protective clothing or have yourself given prophylactic treatment. Aside from the bite of a mosquito, the disease can be transmitted through blood transfusions or when a mother has it and is pregnant, to her unborn child, which is what we call as congenital transmission. During screening of blood donors ( which I hope to feature in the near future ), Malaria is one of the diseases that is tested, in order to ensure that the recipient of the blood be free from harm.

There are five ( used to be four only ) species of the Plasmodium that cause Malaria. The most deadly is that caused by Falciparum, due to its ability to cause complications and to involve vital organs of the body like the liver, spleen, kidneys and the brain. Fever and chills, which seem to occur in a cyclical pattern or recurrence, headache, body and muscle pains, nausea and vomiting, are manifestations that are likewise common in other diseases, like Viral Influenzae or Bacterial ailments like Typhoid or Leptospirosis.

Thus, it is not uncommon for patients to be treated at first for other infectious diseases!

It is always worth mentioning

that when you get to feel the above symptoms, and you have had a history of travel to an endemic place, to volunteer the information to your Attending physician. This will save cost as well as lessen one’s hospital stay, when the diagnosis is correctly made at the very first instance. Although, one cannot discount the possibility that the said manifestations may be masked by another illness thus the delay in the giving of the appropriate treatment.

One good thing with the Roll Back Malaria ( RBM ) program , which is aimed at reaching its goal to eradicate the disease, is the training of the Microscopists to be able to identify and detect the parasite and the changes in the red blood cells. I remember how difficult it was, way back then, to get a positive malarial result, for it really requires a trained eye to look for the changes under the microscope. With this training, most, if not all of our Laboratory Techs have enhanced their knowledge on identification. The most basic Diagnostic tool, is still the examination of the blood smears, which will then guide our Clinician friends in their choice of treatment.

In targeting eradication of Malaria, the program likewise includes aside from early detection , vector control. The anopheles mosquito thrives in clean, unpolluted water, and can be found in fresh or salt water marshes, rice fields, small temporary rain pools to name a few.

Thus, indoor resident spraying is recommended, though studies have come out that the anopheles mosquito seem to

HEALTH IN FOCUS

DR. MARY JEAN LORECHE-DIAO have developed resistance to certain types of insecticides!

The use of Insecticide Treated Nets ( ITNs ), would come in handy, specially for those who are staying in tents ( Tent City built for the Sendong Victims ), as these nets can ward off these vectors! Monitoring and surveillance is as important as early detection and vector control. The monitoring can determine if the number of cases and deaths have gone down or up, as well as check on presence or absence of drug resistance. Determinants of treatment include: type of infecting specie ( Falciparum is the most fatal of the species ), clinical situation of the patient ( whether adult or child, pregnant or not, mild or severe case ), and drug susceptibility. It is quite amazing to note that in Region 10, comparing data of 2007 and 2011, the number of cases and deaths has tremendously gone down: 460 cases, 2 deaths in 2007 as compared to only 9 cases and 1 death for 2011 ( said data thanks to Dr Dave Mendoza of the DOH, Region 10 ). If this continues on, a Malaria Free Mindanao is not far and soon a Malaria Free Philippines can be a reality.

7

The Storms of Life “The soul of one who loves God always swims in joy, is always on holiday, and is always in the mood for singing.”

- St. John of the Cross

THERE is a story about a learned man who is also a connoisseur of the arts.

Among his vast collection of beautiful and expensive paintings was an obscure and low-priced picture, which stood markedly out of place in his prized collection. But this picture was the one that the learned man liked best.

It claimed prominent place in his library. It was a forlorn drawing of a lonely beach, with an old canoe stuck in the sand among the pebbles and seaweeds. It had nothing to commend itself, except the words written below the drawing. The words bestowed a poignant meaning to the picture.

It said: “The tide always comes back.”

The words signify that the little canoe had been washed to the shore by a storm, and now looks stuck, abandoned and useless. But the tide always comes back, and when it does, the water will carry this canoe to the sea again.

Then the canoe will once more bob and dance over the waves as it was designed to do. Fishermen will haul their catch in it, and fun-loving folks will

fill it with merriment as they ride to their wet appointment.

The learned man said that when he is tossed and turned in the storms of life, when he finds himself dashed in the sands of sadness, he looks at this painting and feels comforted. He is encouraged to hang on and patiently wait, because the tide always comes back.

In life we should expect to encounter thunderstorms of challenges.

Sendong victims do not have a monopoly on difficulties. Our Sendongs do not always take the shape of rushing waters. They can appear in the form of emotional upheavals, rocky relationships, reverses in finances, barrage of disappointments, nameless fears, loads of worries.

God never promised that life will be easy, but He did promise that He will walk with us throughout the way. When the going gets too tough and we feel like giving up, that’s when we deposit ourselves in God’s care, and He will shield us from despair.

The yawning chasm won’t frighten us, because our eyes are lifted up.

What we know, hear and read

As we walk in submission to God’s direction, we should not be so brassy as to expect the journey to be perpetually sunny.

God might allow us to be dumped in the sand, to agonize at the crabs’ painful bites. He is not interested in making us comfortable. He is interested in developing our spiritual muscle. Our afflictions are a mark of God’s favor. When they have served their purpose, they shall be plucked out from under our nose.

Then we will have reason to dance, because we have courageously gained endurance.

We can stay secure in the face of life’s setbacks, because the tide of God’s mercy will always come back!

SUPERBRANDING

THIS is always my opening line for my TV shows. After all how, can one critique, comment or give analysis on issues we know nothing about.

Interestingly enough many do this almost daily especially in media.

The next issue of course is the integrity of the information. Current events have a way of being relevant especially with politics but on hindsight it is a deeper understanding on issues that change points of views.

The integrity of the information as well as the source will spell all the difference. Before we go on, best we define what integrity means; “Integrity is a concept of consistency

of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes.

In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions”.

There are two points on this integrity issue as I see; from the point of view of its source and of course the comprehension of the reader.

I was recently graced a book penned by Atty.

Homobono Adaza who is a frequent guest in the “Talk to Harry” TV show. Having read the book with the riveting political events that unfolded over the decades based on his perceptions and realities; gee and I thought I knew it all – hehe.

My perception over the

years made me realize there were issues not necessarily available to the public that made us all believe many distortions of the truth especially the political developments of Presidents.

It just goes to show how wrong we can be about developing events unless we are the actual players on stage. The integrity of our information is always the key to understanding certain realities. I guess the question that begs to be asked is; is there any integrity to any story we read about - that is not biased?

Everything is biased either way so it seems. And yet interestingly enough many distort the truths for misconceptions.

The problem with perception is the definition itself.

Perception (from the Latin perceptio, percipio) is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the ner vous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs.

Pe rc e pt i on m ay b e factual but from a singular point of view, never general. With media the reportage of events that unfold should be objective and sheer descriptions of how they are experienced but without analysis as to points of truth. We should

never take truths as reported other than its objective presentation.

Let us take for example the current impeachment trial for the conviction of the Chief Justice. To begin with he has already been impeached and now for the validation of the impeachment lodged by congress.

The chief justice is on trial for his integrity by senator judges whose integrity suffers as well. So obviously the final judgment will be on shaky grounds either way.

Many say the orchestrated public opinion is the driving force of the opposition while the defense is grounded with legal technicalities or what we call rule of law.

HARRY TAMBUATCO Strategically there should be no arguments against the rule of law, however as many senator judges have announced, this is no criminal trial but a political exercise.

One thing for sure, consequently it all becomes even more divisive for the Filipino people. So what gives?

Quiamjot...

financial districts pumping rental money to the economy.

Property management plays a success in the expansion of the Cebu Business Park and soon in Cagayan de Oro City.

other ventures. GSIS maintains 45 percent of its investible funds in Treasury instruments.

The pension fund requires at least a nine percent return on investment to meet its actuarial requirements. This is nearly double the 5.875 percent rate that 20-year Treasury bonds fetched during an auction early this week.

“It would be challenging to replicate the 25-percent growth this year because last year, we had the benefit of nonrecurring items such as gains booked from our participation in the government’s debt swaps and the termination of the $600-million global investment program,” Vergara said.

“We are targeting close to 10 percent this year as we expect to make more benefit payments and as we project low yields

on fixed-income instruments.

We are looking at P60 to P65 billion in net income for this year,” he said.

Earlier, Vergara said the pension fund would add P20 billion to its P70 billion exposure to the local stock market.

In 2011, GSIS earned a net income of P57.5 billion, or 25 percent more than the P46 billion the year before.

Revenues came in at P120 billion, divided into P70 billion from membership contributions, P32 billion from investment income, and P17 billion from loan interest income.

runs contrary to law or the rules, the prohibition constitutes an unwarranted interference with petitioners’ sound business judgment in its choice of method for implementing the new regime.

But the court said that the arguments of petitioners are untenable.

On the CMTS providers insistence on their use of prefix dialing to implement the six-second-per-pulse billing regime, the CA said that the same contravenes the mandatory nature of the provision of the NTC circular.

“To allow petitioners to require its subscribers to resort to prefix dialing before the latter may avail of the six-second-per-pulse-billing regime destroys the mandatory

nature of such billing regime and converts the same into a mere option in the same way that the one-minute-perpulse billing regime and the petitioners’ unlimited service offerings are optional on the part of petitioners’ subscribers,” the appellate court said.

It added that it shares NTC’s view that while the conversion of the present system of billing may entail some degree of inconvenience, technical adjustment and expenditures on the part of petitioners, the business and operations of petitioners must ultimately give way to public interest.

On July 23, 2009, the NTC issued MC 05-07-2009 which, among others, imposed a sixsecond-per-pulse unit of billing for CMTS providers.

from page 6 the government’s tourism promotions program and the housing requirements of the middle class. It facilitated likewise the entry of other foreign business looking for headquarters in the modern financial centers of the country.

Big names developers crowd the market and never run out of new projects that modernize the building structures in the entire country. It also makes the Philippines a choice investment destination in the Asia Pacific region for Business Outsourcing Centers (BOC) and other international financial headquarters that leases high rise structures in the Makati, Ortigas and Alabang

Fund... from page 4

“GSIS would not be involved in the actual selection of projects. We would be setting up a general partner that would identify, review and make investments,” Vergara said.

“Based on our discussions with our multilateral partners, it is not unreasonable to target yields of mid- to high-teens on a gross basis. Less the fees, we’re probably looking at 12 percent,” he said.

Lower fixed-income yields led to GSIS’ decision to invest in

Mobile...

from page 4 system. It added that since the prefix dialing system is neither prescribed by the circular nor

Corp.Board

8 February 6-9, 2012

UPDATE : BusinessWeek Mindanao’s Nominees for OUTSTANDING ENTREPRENEURS & BUSINESS LEADERS AWARDS 2012

BUSINESS LEADER ( INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY) A self-made billionaire, Jose “Pepito” Chavez Alvarez of the Columbian Motors Group bought out the Hernandez family’s control of Philtranco (400 buses) late last year. Hernandez is an investor in Sta. Rosa Motor Works Inc. (producers of Nissan buses and trucks), Columbian Autocars Inc. (producers of Korea’s Kia vehicles and Japan’s Mazda), Asian Carmakers Inc. (producers of BMW vehicles).

The 56-year-old Pepito Alvarez also controls Tritran, a leading firm with about 300 buses and which Alvarez bought from the heirs of the late Eugenio Trinidad (a maternal uncle of Johnny Hernandez).

While in Puerto Princesa City a few years ago, Pepito Alvarez recounted his inspiring “rags-toriches” career. He says he used to work for his in-laws the Roa clan of Cagayan de Oro City as manager of a Toyota car dealership in the South. He also learned t h e l u c r at i v e l o g g i n g

business during visits to Indonesia, and he exported logs to Japan and started importing vehicles back to the Philippines.

After earning a fortune from Palawan and Indonesia logging operations, billionaire Pepito Alvarez is now the country’s biggest manufacturer of buses and trucks, as well as a major car producer.

Unlike many politicians with old-fashioned ideas about trade and investments favoring protectionism, Alvarez favors globalization. He is one example of a progressive F i l ipi n o e nt re pre n e u r with a global perspective and with bold ove rs e a s i nve s t m e nt s .

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thac Dinh tells this writer that Alvarez is the biggest Filipino investor in Vietnam today, a booming nation following the reformist policies which are transforming China into a future economic superpower.

A visionary who had

long foreseen the irreversible future trend of globalization that some politicians still refuse to see, Alvarez had been scouting for Vietnam business opportunities since 1989.

In 1991, Alvarez established Vietnam’s first and biggest postwar vehicle manufacturer with Nichimen Corp. of Japan and the Vietnamese government as partners.

T h r o u g h h i s Vi e t nam Motors Corp., Alvare z had alre ady invested billions of pesos in Vietnam and helped establish a strong Philippine presence in Asean’s next “economic miracle”.

The Alvarez business strategy is brilliant and economically advantageous for the Philippines, since Vietnam is the strategic gateway to the resourcerich Indochina region and its huge potential market.

The former owners of Philtranco were American servicemen led by A.L. Ammen before World War II. They sold Philtran-

cut this portion: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

JOSE PEPITO ALVAREZ

co to the Tuason clan of Chinese-Spanish mestizo landowners, then sold to Mantrade of Antonio Lopa (related to the late textile industrialist Ramon Siy Lai, whose mother was also from the Lo clan). Johnny Hernandez controlled Philtranco for only one year, before selling it to Alvarez.

Other leading tycoons of the strategic bus transport industry nationwide include billionaire Ricardo “Ric” Yanson of Bacolod City who controls Satellite Ceres Liner (1,200 buses) in Negros Occidental; the Paras and Nisce clans of Tarlac, Tarlac of Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines (500 buses) and the Tengco clan of Baliwag, Bulacan of Baliwag Transit (500 buses).

BusinessWeek

MINDANAO

DR. WALTER W. BROWN Dr. Wa lter W. Brown, Filipino, 71, is chairman of A Brown Company Inc. Dr. Brown received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Science 1959, Bachelor of Science degree in Geology 1960, both from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

He also received his Masters degree (1963) a nd Ph.D i n Geolog y (1965), Major in Geochemistry from Stanford Universit y. He was a candidate for a degree in Masters of Business Economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific (formerly CRC).

D r. Br ow n ho ld s severa l posit ions as a business leader. He is also the Chairman and CEO (Ja n. 1, 20 0 4 to present), President and COO (Aug. 1 to Dec 31, 2003) of Philex Mining Corporation and Philex Gold, Inc.(Aug. 1, 2003 to present).

Chairman and President of Monte Oro Resources and Energy, Inc. (July 25, 2006 to present) and Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. (Aug. 30, 2006 to present), President and CEO of National Grid Corporation of the

Philippines (Feb. 2008 to present).

Brown is and Director of Philippine Realty & Hold i ngs C or poration (1987 to present); Philodrill Corporation (20 03 to present) a nd Petroenergy Corporation (July 26, 2006 to present), ISM Communicat ions Corp. and FEC Resources (listed over-the-counter in NASDAQ).

He is Cha i r ma n of various non-listed corporation such as: A Brown Energ y and Resources Dev’t., Inc. (ABERDI), North Kitanglad Agri.

Corp., Shellac Holdings Corp. and WAPCO Management Corp.

He is also the Chairma n a nd President of Monte Oro Resources and Energy, Inc. Dr. Brown is also a Director .

STEAG State Power Inc.

Join the Search!!!

p Mindanao Entrepreneurs & Outstanding Business Leaders & Outstanding Business Awards 2012 Leaders Awards 2012

MINDANAO ENTREPRENEURS & OUTSTANDING BUSINESS LEADERS

NOMINATION FORM Full Name/Title of Nominee________________________________________________ (Official Name of Individual or Company)

Business Address: ________________________________________________________

Tel. No.__________ Email ____________ Web Site:______________ Awards Category : ________________________________________________________

Agri-business Banking & Finance Alternative Energy Dev’t - Health/ Food Production & Marketing Housing & Realty Dev’t Cooperatives & Coop Insurance Hotel/Resorts & Tourism Dev’t.

Full Name of Endorser_____________________________________________________ Address/ Tel. No./ Email___________________________________________________ Attach the following: (1) Official Letter of Endorsement; (2) Photos (1 passport size/ pics of establishment bldg/area) (3) Short History (500 words) (4) Documentary Evidence ( Photo copies of citations/ certificates, awards) (5) Biodata or resume

Mail to:

The AWARDS SECRETARIAT

BusinessWeek Mindanao Advertising and Promotions Geleng Bldg, Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City.

E-mail to : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com or: amediante@yahoo.com For more info, call: Tel Nos.: (088)856-3344, (08822)72-33-44 , 74-53-80; (088)587-1390 or 0923-432-0687; 09274795196 Visit our website at : www.businessweekmindanao.com

THE Mindanao Power Plant of STEAG State Power Inc is an integral element of the Philippine’s Power Development Program that was established in response to the power crisis in the early 90s.

Under the Power Development Program of the Department of Energ y (DOE), Mindanao needs an additional capacity of 850 MW to be installed for the period 2006-2014.

Prior to the commissioning of the project, the Mindanao electricity grid was characterized by an installed capacity of approximately 1,700 MW only, of which almost 1,000 MW was hydro, about 100 MW was geothermal, and the balance was oil/diesel fired.

The high demand growth and a large proportion of generation being hydro based, resulted in power

deficits especially during dry years. As a result of this there was a clear imperative to put up cost effective thermal power plants operated at a lower fuel cost than the oil/diesel plants and with more reliability than hydropower.

The Mindanao Power Plant Project has fulfilled this objective. With its timely operation beginning 15 November 2006, the Mindanao Power Plant has helped stabilized supply of electricity to Mindanao.

Furthermore, the grid systems reserve increased from a critical level of 13% prior to start of operation to a comfortable level of 24% after start of operation. The required systems reserve margin for Mindanao is at least 21%.

SPI’s power plant in Mindanao is the newest and most modern power plant

in the island. After barely three (3) years of construction, the power plant began supplying Mindanao’s electricity needs in November 2006 just in time when the island was bracing for a looming power shortage.

It is located within a 55-hectare lot at the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Misamis Oriental.

The plant was established on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Scheme and underpinned by a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with the National Power Corporation.

For the period 20072008, the power plant accounts for about 20% of the island’s total electricity supply and has thus far contributed stability and supply reliability necessary to sustain Mindanao’s promising economic growth and development.

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

Congress.Watch

February 6-9, 2012

9

Congress approves creation of career executive system THE House of Representatives has approved on the third and final reading a measure establishing a Career Executive System, which mandates the infusion of well-selected and development-oriented public managers to improve the country’s Career Executive Service (CES).

Cagayan de Oro 1st district Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez said his proposed House Bill 5624 seeks to provide a strong, competent and accountable corps of public managers who possess the necessary expertise and responsive leadership to meet the needs of the time.

Rodriguez said CES is a

system of professionalization and career development of the executive and managerial component of the third level in the career service.

It covers all executive and managerial positions in the third level in the executive, legislative and judicial branches, including constitutional offices and such other equivalent positions as may be identified by the Board, he said.

“Entry and advancement in the CES shall be governed by the principles of merit and fitness and other requirements as may be prescribed by the Board through the CSC. The CES shall be essentially charac-

terized by the principles of merit and fitness, security of tenure and mobility,” Rodriguez explained.

Rep. Amado Bagatsing (5th District, Manila), a co-author, said the bill will ensure an effective, efficient and responsible administration of the managerial and executive class within the third level to maintain continuity and stability in the bureaucracy.

The bill shall give way to the creation of a Career Executive System Board under the administrative supervision of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), which shall be the policymaking body of the CES, Bagatsing said.

He said the Board shall be responsible for the implementation of the policies, rules, regulations, decisions, directives and instructions pertaining to the third level of the career service.

Rep. Roilo Golez (2nd District, Parañaque) said the executive and managerial component of the civil service plays a significant role in the bureaucracy since they have a direct hand both in the formulation and implementation of policies.

“It is a constitutional mandate for the State to establish a career service and adopt measures that promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness,

progressiveness, and courtesy in the civil service,” Golez said.

Aside from Golez and Bagatsing, other co-authors are Reps. Juan Edgardo Angara (Lone District, Aurora), Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party-list, Abante Mindanao), Rene Relampagos (1st District, Bohol), Andres Salvacion (3rd District, Leyte), Victor Yu (1st District, Zamboanga Del Sur),

Aurelio Gonzales (3rd District, Pampanga), Savador Escudero III (1st District, Sorsogon), Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Angelo Palmones (AGHAM), Daryl Grace Abayon (AANGAT TAYO), Carlos Padilla (Lone District, Nueva Vizcaya), Erico Aumentado (2nd District Bohol), Augusto Syjuco (2nd District, Iloilo), Eduardo Gullas (1st District, Cebu).

Rafting...

Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) have come together to launch an information, education and communications initiative dubbed “It’s a Go for CDO!” aimed at correcting the misconceptions about how the city is doing after Sendong.

“I’ve been doing white water rafting regularly since it started and I’ve noted how the Cagayan River has changed at least four times already following storms and floods like Sendong,” said Tito Noel A. Mora, COTTA president. “Always however, the

river remained navigable and fun, just like how it is now for white water rafting.”

In fact, Mr. Mora said the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) recently agreed to promote COTTA’s innovative “Fun Help” tour packages during

the Travel Tour Expo slated at SMX on Feb. 17-19, 2012.

The Fun Help packages grant visitors concessionary rates for transport, food and accommodation in exchange for their participation in relief operations, stress debriefing

and other similar “immersion activities” with victims of the Sendong flash floods.

“Visit Cagayan de Oro now and do a good turn for the victims of Tropical Storm Sendong,” Mr Mora said. “The City of Golden Friendship awaits you.”

to development has seen positive results in the rural community.

“Aside from the Program’s design of holistic approach to development, we owe this feat to the strong support of the local chief executives who are at the forefront of project implementation,” Ramos said.

The program has a total fund of $123.57 million for its four major components: the Rural Infrastructure (RI), which implements agri-infra critical to enhance productivity, like irrigation, farm-to-market roads, bridges, potable water supply, pre- and postharvest facilities; the Community

Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) that provides resource-based livelihood activities; Natural Resources Management (NRM) that puts in place environment conservation mechanisms; and Investment for Governance Reform, which prepares and capacitates LGUs in the delivery of basic services.

The program also emphasizes on the critical role of the LGUs in terms of the delivery of services to the community as part of the government’s aim of devolution and further support the modernization of agriculture and fishery sector.

Farm and Non-farm income With the infrastructure and livelihood projects now operational, the beneficiaries are earning from both farm and non-farm incomes.

The farm income of P40,093 from the baseline data has increased to P50,869 by midterm. While income from non-farm activities rose to P32,082 from P31,729.00 “As roads have become more accessible, farmers are able bring in more inputs, cultivate more farm lands to expand production which in turn increase their yield and boost income,” Ramos said.

She added that farmers also earned from valueadding as well as save in hauling cost .

“In addition more sarisari stores are opening up, more jeepneys and motorcycles are plying the route of these previously inaccessible barangays,” she added.

Replication Plan As offshoot of the impressive impact of the program, DA Sec. Proceso J. Alcala is keen on replicating MRDP in Visayas and southern part of Luzon through the Central Philippines Development Program

(CPRDP).

“Together with the World Bank team, we have begun preparatory work for the replication of MRDP in Central Philippines. Several features of MRDP are being analyzed by the feasibility study preparation team,” said Alcala.

The department is eyeing about $200-million fund for this proposal to further enhance farm productivity and provide easy access to markets for the islands in central Philippines. (Sherwin B. Manual/DAMRDP)

the generation deficiency.”

He said that Davao Light’s share of the total curtailment is approximately 30 MW. Luga said that the NGCP had been earlier issuing advisories to the power utilities in the Mindanao grid since the first week of January about the generation deficiency situation in the island.

“However, even with its share in the curtailment, Davao Light customers have not been experiencing rotating brownouts unlike electricity end-users in other parts of Mindanao. This is because Davao Light has contracted power supply agreements [PSA] in anticipation of such curtailment given the projected precarious level of supply and reserve in the grid,” he said.

Luga said the HedcorSibulan and Hedcor-Talomo produce at peak capacities 42.5 MW and 4.5 MW, respectively. Hedcor-Sibulan was commissioned in 2010 and Hedcor-Talomo has been operating for more

than 18 years.

“Acting as embedded facilities, these hydro plants feed directly in the distribution network of Davao Light ensuring their availability to supply even in the event the NGCP transmission system is down,” he said.

Davao Light began tapping its TMI agreement of 15 MW contracted on Jan. 17 and has placed on “hot standby basis” the 58-MW rated capacity of the Bunker C-fired fuel power plant in

Bajada. The Bajada plant could produce an average of 40 MW on a sustained basis on 24 hours of operation.

Davao Light has 214,636 consumers in the city, and its expansion areas that cover neighboring Panabo City, Carmen and Sto. Tomas towns in Davao del Norte.

About 85 percent of its consumers are residential, 1.7 percent are industrial users, and 13.43 percent are commercial users.

from page 5

Cagayan de Oro Travel and Tours Association (COTTA), Promote CDO Foundation, Inc. and the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and

Agri... from page 1

MRDP. “Despite the 18-month hiatus on the earlier part of implementation, the program is almost on-track in its implementation but it has exceeded a number its targets as of midterm,” Geron said.

In terms of household income, the Program targets an increase of at least 7% higher than the baseline by midterm.

Program director Lealyn Ramos said the strong partnership of the local government units and the Program’s holistic approach

Power... from page 1

In a statement over the weekend, Davao Light said its embedded power agreements with Hedcor-Sibulan and Hedcor-Talomo, two sister companies in the Aboitiz group of companies, has shielded Davao consumers of expected brownouts that were already being implemented by the other electric distributors and cooperatives in Mindanao.

To bolster its steady power reserve, Davao Light has also began tapping the Therma Marine Inc., the 100-megawatt power barge stationed offshore of Maco town, Compostela Valley. It also placed in “hot standby basis” its diesel-fired plant along Bajada, two kilometers north of downtown.

On Jan. 20, Ross Luga, assistant vice president for communication of Davao Light, said the NGCP issued an advisory that it would “implement a load curtailment of up to 150 MW in the grid in view of

DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AMONG HEIRS Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the late EDWIN E. BANUAG, who died on April 14, 2008 at Sabal’s Hospital, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, due to Cardiac Arrest; that the deceased during his lifetime as, left a BANK PASSBOOK at ALLIED BANKING CORPORATION, LAPASAN BRANCH, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, under ACCT NO. 0980070187 with the balance amount of Php 58,802.15, Philippine Currency, is the subject of DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AMONG HEIRS in Favor to CESARIA E. BANUAG, surviving Mother of late EDWIN E. BANUAG, as per Doc. No. 365; Page No. 73; Book No. VIII; Series of 2012, under Notary Public of Atty. Emelito J. Marquino.

BWM: JAN. 30, FEB. 6 & 13, 2012

RODRIGUEZ

NEW LIGHT PAWNSHOP Gen. Capistrano St., Cagayan de Oro City NOTICE OF AUCTION Starting February 10, 2012 (Friday) at 9:00 A.M. to 5P.M. , this establishment will set an Auction Sale on all pledges since September 2011.

Patrons are enjoined to verify their receipts.

MANAGEMENT PAHIBALO Sa Pebrero 10, 2011 (Byernes) sa may 9:00 sa buntag paingon sa alas 5;00 sa hapon, ang Tanan nga penirenda nga wala malukat sa bulan sa Setyembre 2011 maapil sa subasta. Giawhag ang tanan suki sa pagsusi sa ilang resibo.

ANG TAGDUMALA BWM FEB. 6, 20112 NEW LIGHT PAWNSHOP Don. S. Osmeña St., Fronting Public Market, Cagayan de Oro City NOTICE OF AUCTION Starting February 10, 2012 (Friday) at 9:00 A.M. to 5P.M. , this establishment will set an Auction Sale on all pledges since September 2011.

Patrons are enjoined to verify their receipts.

MANAGEMENT PAHIBALO Sa Pebrero 10, 2011 ( Bernes) sa may 9:00 sa buntag paingon sa alas 5;00 sa hapon, ang Tanan nga penirenda nga wala malukat sa bulan sa Setyembre 2011 maapil sa subasta. Giawhag ang tanan suki sa pagsusi sa ilang resibo.

ANG TAGDUMALA

BWM FEB. 6, 20112

GRAET VALUE PAWNSHOP V. Catro St., Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City NOTICE OF AUCTION Starting February 10, 2012 (Friday) at 9:00 A.M. to 5P.M. , this establishment will set an Auction Sale on all pledges since September 2011.

Patrons are enjoined to verify their receipts.

MANAGEMENT PAHIBALO Sa Pebrero 10, 2012 ( Bernes) sa may 9:00 sa buntag paingon sa alas 5;00 sa hapon, ang Tanan nga penirenda nga wala malukat sa bulan sa Setyembre 2011 maapil sa subasta. Giawhag ang tanan suki sa pagsusi sa ilang resibo.

ANG TAGDUMALA BWM FEB. 6, 20112

BusinessWeek

10 February 6-9, 2012 Agusan Sur gets national award as top 10 rice-performing provinces AGUSAN del Sur -- The provincial government of Agusan del Sur has made it among the top 10 provinces in the Philippines which has laudable performance in rice production since 2008. This was confirmed after the recently-concluded national evaluation on Jan. 26 for the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards.

The Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards program is launched by the Philippine Government through the Department of Agriculture in line with the vision of achieving Rice Self-Sufficiency in 2013. This would identify and give recognition to the highly performing provinces, cities, municipalities and agricultural extension workers in the production of rice. This

is also to sustain awareness, encourage full participation, support and commitment to the program.

The sustained implementation of the BUGAS program or the Boosted Utilization of Grains in Agusan del Sur under the leadership of Governor Adolph Edward G. Plaza and with the all-out support of the Municipal Local Government Units, rice production in the province is very promising and continue to provide income opportunities to rice farmers.

Also, included in the recognition is the municipality of Trento who made it among the top 50 for municipality/ city category, and Alfred A. Gimang of Trento who is one among the top 500 for Agricultural Extension Worker category.

Under the BUGAS program, technology and support

Minola...

Pork..

chief executive officer, said in the statement.

The firm is upbeat on 2012 prospects on expectations of higher prices of crude coconut oil around the world.

“We are also optimistic that the CIIF-OMG Board... will be able to set the right strategies to continue our turnaround from... losses from 2005 to 2008,” the statement read.

Santos City, Koronadal City and other parts of South Cotabato, which may provide the initial products for export.

“We are also looking into linking this opportunity with our backyard hog raisers,” she said.

DA and the Bureau of Animal Industry will work together in assuring that the local livestock industry are able to cope

Maps...

for the maps will guide both national and local development planners in highlighting vulnerable and conflict areas as vital points for targeted peace and development interventions, including the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

“Investing in Mindanao

By JASMIN J. REYES Contributor

from page 4

from page 1

Once the project dubbed “On the Road to Peace and Development’’ is completed, MinDA Chairman Luwalhati Antonino expressed optimism that it will bring more investments in Mindanao

from page 2

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programs to include provision of production inputs like seeds and fertilizers, small scale irrigation and pre- and post-harvest facilities, farmto-market roads, providing more options through research studies and trainings on appropriate technology, increased use of organic fertilizers and marketing assistance to farmers are strengthened.

For the last decade, Agu-

san del Sur is self-sufficient in rice. In 2011, rice production posted 333,160 metric tons bringing an average production of 3.5 metric tons per hectare. Based on the 124 kilograms per capita consumption or a total of 73,387 metric ton-requirement (for projected population in 2011), a surplus of 139,835 metric tons of clean rice is attained.

with the market demands and market standards, she said.

Jaruda also said that the meat products that will be exported to Dubai will come from surplus production.

If the agreement pushes through, Soccsksargen Region will be the first to export processed pork meat to Dubai.

Local market of pork products from Soccsksargen Region include Davao City, Davao Oriental, Caraga,

Cebu, Leyte, Samar, and Manila.

is very profitable,” Antonino said during MinDA’s weekly forum in Greenhills, San Juan.

The implementation of the project is in partnership with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) under its Administrator Dr. Peter Tiangco and Jica.

Considered by the Jica as the biggest topographic map project in the country in

terms of cost and area coverage, the project is designed to update and transform the topographic maps to the Philippine Reference System of 1992 and reformat the maps at a scale of 1:50,000.

Antonino said the issue of peace and order puts the MinDA in a difficult situation, noting that they are enticing investors to help in Mindanao’s development projects.

“Mindanao is a victim of wrong perception,” Antonino said as she expressed optimism that the project will eventually change such perception and contribute greatly to Mindanao’s progress.

“We should maximize the potential that Mindanao has to be able to help the government,” she said.

The MinDa official said that Mindanao is rich in

agricultural produce like pineapple, rubber, sugar cane, rice, corn, banana and other fruits.

The expected project outputs include reports, satellite images, orthimage maps, ground control coordinates, 1:50,000 scale digital topographic maps for printing and 1:50,000 scale digital topographic date for GIS or geographic information system.

Psalm...

bidding will be held in April 2012.

The PSALM Board has approved the sale of the power barges with the condition that they will be transferred to Mindanao to augment the power supply in the region.

The transfer will occur after the power situation stabilizes in the Visayas where three of the power barges are currently moored. All transfer costs will be on the account of the winning bidder.

Commissioned in 1981, PB 101 and PB 102 are currently moored at Bo. Obrero, Iloilo City, while PB 103 and

104, which were commissioned in 1985, are moored at Botongon, Estancia, Iloilo, and at the Holcim Compound, Ilang, Davao City, respectively.

The power barges are movable and can be relocated anywhere with adequate mooring structures. Designed as base-load plants, the structures are bargemounted, bunker-fired diesel generating power stations

that consist of four identical Hitachi-Sulzer diesel generator units rated at 8 MW each.

The National Power Corporation bought the power barges from Japanese firm Hitachi Zosen Corporation.

These barges were used to help ease a severe power shortage in the Philippines, providing the required support in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Coal...

is a function of technology,” he said.

Other energy sources were geothermal (14.7% or 9,929 Gwh), hydro (11.5% or 7,803 Gwh), oil (10.5% or 7,101 Gwh), and other renewable sources like wind, solar, and biomass (90Gwh).

Mr. U noted that power sourcing in the Philippines is more diversified than in other countries.

Nearly 75% or 50,265 Gwh of electricity generated in 2010 came from Luzon.

A total of 9,075 Gwh came from Visayas, and 8,403 Gwh from Mindanao.

from page 1

and Package 3 to include PB 104.

As a prerequisite to the issuance of the bidding package, interested parties are required to execute a Confidentiality Agreement and Undertaking with PSALM and pay a nonrefundable participation fee of USD3,000.00 no later than 15 February.

PSALM will hold a Prebid Conference for interested bidders on 29 February 2012 at its Makati City office. The

Meat.. from page 2

markets cannot be avoided, Bacayo suggested it is necessary to ask dealers first for the NMIS certificates on their meat products.

This move of the NMIS is part of the good governance as promoted by the Aquino Administration that is highlighted in the Philippine Development Plan for 2011-2016.

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from page 1

“Natural gas is large in terms of capacity, but it is difficult in the medium term to increase its share. Here, our main source of natural gas is the Malampaya [gas field], and I only expect plateaus [in growth] since natural gas is fixed by the capacity that we have, unless they build new natural gas [power stations] in Malampaya,” Mr. U added.

“To prolong it, you need additional investment. How much you can take or extract

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

Food& Food &Lifestyle

Celebrate & Feast on Home-Cooked Meals TODAY’s lifestyle is mostly get-up and-go whether at home or at work, we jump from one activity to the other activities. We have to treasure our health as what our elders are saying all the time, to remind us that Health is wealth, and rightly so, thus we say, that health is wealth can be, only if we treasure it and work for it. It is also equated with a good disposition and it is said that a healthy person is a happy person. She or he tends to view life with optimism, is

adaptable, copes well with stress, responds positively to challenges and has a sense of humor.

Good health also means that our bodies do not easily succumb to sickness or if they do, we are able to recover from them easily.

The Tuna Piña Adobo recipe’s from Del Monte is rich with vitamin B1 and A, they’re good for you and kids too! The Piña Mechado is rich of Vitamin B12 and Potassium that will keep you anemia-free and give you

Pineapple Seafoods

strong muscles, kids will LIFE & love the different taste of Leisure your mechado , and will asks for another serving.

Pineapple syrup usage: To sweeten and enhance flavor of your dishes, substitute pineapple syrup for the water.

Example: Dilute cornstarch with syrup instead of water. When thickening sauce replace part of the water with syrup in sauces.

Boil seafood like crabs and RIZA O. ARES, HRM shrimps in pineapple syrup.

To tenderize meat and syrup as part of the mariadd flavor, use pineapple nade.

Piña Mechado

Ingredients: 1/2 kilo beef, cut into chunks 2 medium onions, sliced 1 (227 g) can DEL MONTE Tomato Sauce salt). Simmer in 1 to 2-1/3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1-1/2 cups water and 1/2 Tbsp. sugar pineapple syrup for 1 1 (234 g) can DEL hour or until beef is MONTE Fresh tender.

Cut Pineapple 2. Add onions, DEL MONIngredients: Chunks, drained pan and simmer for TE Tomato Sauce, soy 1/2 kilo medium crabs (reserve syrup) another 5 minutes. sauce, 1 /4 tsp. pepper 1/4 kilo shrimps 3 small potatoes, cut and sugar. Simmer for 1 head garlic, crushed 3. Add shrimps. Cook into chunks and 15 minutes.

1 Tbsp. ginger strips fried for 3 minutes. Stir in 3. Add fried potatoes 1 (234 g) can DEL DEL MONTE Fresh Cut and DEL MONTE Fresh MONTE Fresh Cut Pineapple Chunks and Procedures: Cut Pineapple Chunks.

Pineapple Chunks, green onions. Simmer 1. Season beef with 1/3 Simmer once. drained (reserve tsp. iodized fine salt once. syrup) (or 1 tsp. iodized rock MAKES 8 SERVINGS .

1 (21 cl) can DEL MONTE 100% Unsweetened Pineapple Juice 4 stalks green onions, cut 1”long Procedures: 1. Remove hard back covering of crabs. Set aside.

2. Fry garlic in oil until lightly browned.

Add ginger, pineapple syrup, DEL MONTE Pineapple Juice and crabs. Season with 1-1/4 tsp. iodized fine salt (or 1-1/4 Tbsp. iodized rock salt).

Simmer covered for 6 minutes. Remove and halve crabs. Return to

TIPS:

1. Use Syrup from canned fruits for marinating, making sauces, adding flavor, preventing discoloration and removing unpleasant odor.

2. Frequent stirring will prevent pasta from sticking to each other. There’s no need to add oil to cooking water, since this will make harder for sauce to cling.

3. To have more tender slices of meat , slice across, not along, the grain.

4. Freeze meat for 30 minutes before slicing to make it easy to cut thin and uniform meat strips for stir-frying.

5. Add a few teaspoon of cream to sauce made with milk to make it taste as though it’s made entirely from cream.

February 6-9, 2012

11

HOTELS RESTAURANTS Pryce Plaza Hotel

Carmen Hill, CDO, Tel. No.722791 to93/858-4537 E-mail:reservaƟons@pryceplaza.ph

Hotel Koresco

Pueblo de Oro Golf Course,CDO, fax. No. [088] 858-9748

tel. Nos. 858-9748 to 54, E-mail:hotelkoresco@yahoo.com

Mallberry Suites

Limketkai Drive ,CDO, Tel. No. [088]854-3999 / 854-7999 E-mail:info@mallberrysuites.com

Dynasty Court Hotel

Tiano-Hayes Sts. CDO, Tel. No. 726876 / 726962 / 857-5410 E-mail:dynasty@philcom.ph

The Marigold Hotel Velez cor. Luna Sts, CDO Tel Nos. 856-4320, 726937

Marco Resort Tel. No. 732182 / 855-220

VIP Hotel

A.Velez St. CDO, Tel. No. 726080 / 726590 / 856-2505 E-mail: info@theviphotel.com.ph

Philtown Hotel

Makahambus-Velez St. CDO,Tel. No. 723089 / 856-1813

De Luxe Hotel

Capt. V. Roa St. CDO, Tel. No. 726527 /857-2144

Maxandrea Hotel

J.R. Borja St. CDO, Tel. No. 729943/ 857-2244 / 857-4154

Grand City Hotel

A.Velez- Sts. CDO Tel. No. 723551 / 723658 / 857-1900

Country Village Hotel

Carmen, Cag. de Oro Tel. No. 71-22-03, 71-22-01, 7122-05

Southwinds Hotel

Capt. V. Roa Sts.CDO,Tel. No. 727623 / 724803 / 856-2036 E-mail:i_agudo@hotmail.com

Apple Tree Resort and Hotel

Taboc, Opol, Misamis Oriental, Tel. Nos. 754525/ 754263/ 3091986, Fax No. (8822) 754497

Pearlmont Inn

Limketkai,Drive,CDO Tel. No. 729111 / 856-2654 / 729455

Red Palm Inn

EVChaves Building, Capistrano corner Cruz Taal Sts. Cagayan de Oro City Tel. No. 721197 and 8562671 Cell No. 0908-885-5643 Email: redpalm_inn07@yahoo.com

Chali Beach Resort

Cugman,CDO,Tel. No. 723929 / 855-2108 E-mail:chali_beach@yahoo.com

Nature Pensionne

Toribio Chavez Sts., CDO Tel. No. 723598 / 723718 / 857-2274

NEW DAWN PENSIONNE Velez-Macahambus Sts, CDO Tel Nos. 8571776, 721776 email : gchreservaƟon@yahoo.com

Malasag Eco Tourism Villages Cugman, CDO Tel. No.855-6183 [088]309-3752

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