JULY 9,2012 BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO

RURAL TRANSIT BACHELOR EXPRESS

“First in Service, Foremost in Fleet Maintenance”

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Briefly Hotel guests’ records DAVAO City -- The city government of Davao urged hotels and lodging establishments to provide visitors’ statistics to government so that a real picture of the tourism and hotel industry can be made.

Out of 125 hotels and lodging establishments in the city only 52 gave them the data which was asked by the city, said Jason Magnaye, City Investments and Promotions Center chief and current City Tourism officer of Davao City.

Speaking before the Club 888 Media Forum at Marco Polo Davao held on July 4, Magnaye said that with incomplete statistics, they cannot provide industry players and potential investors the true picture of the hotel industry. He said that the city is asking establishments to submit their monthly hotel accommodation reports.

Armm law

MARAWI City -- Lawmakers of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will effectively waive their powers over the region’s version of “pork barrel,” a privilege of allocating funds for pet projects among members of Congress in the national government.

ARMM officer-in-charge Governor Mujiv Hataman met all 24 members of the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) last Tuesday when he signed into law the Muslim Mindanao Act 229 or the region’s Public Works Act. Hataman said the law scraps district impact funds (DIP), the uses of which were normally left to full discretion of RLA members, and were said to be a huge source of corruption, just like its national counterpart, the Priority Development Fund to some members of Congress.

By NELSON V. CONSTANTINO, Editor-in-Chief

I

N A BID to spur economic development in Mindanao, the government is allocating roughly P27 billion to pave national roads in the island next year, a Cabinet official said on Friday.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson, in a press statement, said his department “will be allocating roughly P27 billion to pave Mindanao’s national roads in 2013,” about P7 billion more than what was allocated for this purpose this year.

Asked to confirm if the amount is included in the Executive branch’s proposed P2.006-trillion national budget for next year, Budget Secretary Florencio C. Abad said that it is the “allocation for Mindanao in the 2013 DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) Roads and Bridges MANY STILL POOR. Despite pronouncement that the government has successfully lured foreign investors projects.” into the country, thinkthank Ibon Foundation Inc. said the administration failed to create quality jobs for “In the total regional allocation of Filipinos and its efforts to lick poverty continued to be insufficient.

PHOTO BY MIO CADE the total budget for 2012, Mindanao got the highest percentage increase. I believe the situation will be the same for 2013,” he added.

GOV’T/PAGE 7 TWO years into the Aquino adFurther, Ibon said only the Ibon said. ministration, local think tank Ibon incomes of the rich increased in The lack of quality jobs, low Foundation Inc. said the national the past two years. wages and increasing poverty may government failed to create quality It said the collective wealth of have been caused by the absence jobs for Filipinos and its efforts the 40 richest Filipinos grew by of inclusive economic growth. to lick poverty continued to be $24.6 billion or 108 percent to Ibon said while the country’s insufficient. $47.4 billion in 2012 from $22.8 gross domestic product (GDP) In a statement, Ibon said Presi- billion reported in 2010. in the first quarter increased to dent Aquino’s Daang Matuwid “The perception of economic 6.4 percent, this was mainly due reform agenda has failed to reign in progress is just that and little more. to the temporary increase in economic growth that is inclusive The administration’s governance government consumption. and sustainable. The group said reform agenda has unfortunately After 2011’s lackluster eco- A young Muslim playfully lies on floor as her parents are praying part-time work now accounts for not included an economic reform nomic growth was caused by the inside a mosque. The Muslim world 43 percent of jobs in the economy, agenda of building an economy contraction in government ex- are bracing for the observance of or 16.2 million out of 37.8 mil- biased for directly improving the penditures. the Holy Month of Ramadhan which IBON/PAGE 11 will begin next week. lion employed. lives of the majority of Filipinos,”

‘Daang Matuwid’ fails to create jobs: Ibon

Beside U.C.C.P., C.M. Recto Ave., Nat’l Highway, Cag. de Oro City

Cell No.: 0917-304-6195

AirAsia tops other low cost Ramadhan set to int’l airlines in performance start next week

By GERRY L. GORIT, Reporter

By BONG FABE, Correspondent

BACK TO SCHOOL PROMO!

Trained by:

RICKY REYES & DAVID’S SALON Makati City

AIRASIA, named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline in the annual Airline Survey by Skytrax for three consecutive years, in 2009, 2010, and 2011, added another feather to its harvest

of international accolades by winning Aviation Week’s Top Performing Airlines Report 2012, the leading annual rankings and competitive analysis for the global airline industry.

AirAsia emerged with a total 81 AIRLINES/PAGE 11

NATIONAL Commission on Muslim Filipinos regional director Ombra “Ogie” C. Gandamra said the holy month of Ramadhan will begin next week.

RAMADHAN/PAGE 11

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July 9-12, 2012

Economy

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DTI pushes for agri-tourism to drum up DavNor economy

By JEANEVIVE D. ABANGAN, Contributor

TAGUM City -- An official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) opened the idea of combining eco-tourism with agri-industry development to reinvigorate the economy of Davao del Norte.

Keynoting the Kadagayaan Festival opening, DTI undersecretary for regional operations Merly Cruz echoed the need to widen the tourism industry as an area to focus on developing the economy, aside from the existing

banana industry.

She said a downside on depending on mono-crop production is the setback faced by the industry after stricter quarantine rules were imposed by foreign markets, like the recent incident with China.

Wh i l e C r u z u n d e rscored that the farming industry would still lead t h e a g r i c u lt u re - b a s e d economy of the Philippines, she urged for the exploration of other areas for development in Davao del Norte, taking into consideration “the strength of each of its 11 towns.”

According to her, for the tourism industry, an average spending per day of P1,000 per visitor would create already a value-

adding revenue for the local government of the province.

“Gagawa lang tayo ng atraksyon at dadayuhin tayo (We just need to make an attraction and we visitors will flock),” she said.

In a separate interview, Cruz said tourism and agriculture are major industries that can do well for the Philippine economy.

“These are complementar y because when you have tourist, you should

have products to sell to them like souvenir items; anything that they feel could be worth buying,” she said in an interview.

If developed in tandem with the tourism industry, agriculture production can serve as an enabling factor for local government units to promote health and wellness that tourists can also enjoy.

“You should also be able to ser ve them the right food. It’s healthy; it’s

something that they can remember as they leave the place,” Cruz said.

Citing the presence of infrastructure and potential on right leadership, she said Davao del Norte would go well in developing the two industries as engines of economic growth.

Cruz said the Davao Region is a priority area for tourism development together with Cebu, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro.

Entrepreneurial mindset needed for progress says Davao Sur guv

By CARINA L. CAYON Contributor

DIGOS City– For the country to achieve economic growth, people need to have a paradigm shift—from that of an employee to being an employer.

Speaking before some 400 participants of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Caravan in Digos City last week, Governor Douglas Ra. Cagas said this involves gaining skills before starting a business that would eventually contribute to economic progress.

“I’m an advocate toward the improvement of our economy but there has to be a paradigm shift,” he said.

The governor thanked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for

bringing the SME Caravan into the province since it has given the entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs in the area the opportunity to improve their business.

Cagas said he himself has his own business.

“Hindi ko inaasahan ang sahod ko dahil may negosyo ako (I need not depend on my monthly salary because I own a business.) I’m an entrepreneur,” he stated.

Running down the seminar topics of the two-day caravan, Cagas said that developing an entrepreneurial mindset and culture is very important especially for those who are just starting up.

He further noted that adopting business ethics and green manufacturing are

likewise vital components of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Meanwhile, DTI-Davao del Sur officer-in-charge Eulogio C. Orevillo said the number of participants is a manifestation that many people in the province are eager to become entrepreneurs.

Orevillo said entrepreneurship is not all about luck because before becoming a successful entrepreneur, one must comply with two basic elements first – presence of opportunity and preparedness to take on the challenge.

“Success in entrepreneurship doesn’t rely on luck. One has to work hard and acquire the two basic elements if he aims to be successful,” he said.

NFA ensures food security

By RUBY LEONORA R. BALISTOY Contributor

MALAYBALAY City -- The National Food Authority (NFA) has strengthened its coordination in the province to ensure rice self-sufficiency and food security.

Victoria Real-Duray, provincial manager, said NFA is now focused on increased palay procurement, hands-on training on grains classification, posting of farmers’ kiosks

and post-harvest facilities in far-flung areas, conduct of farmers’ forum, help farmers in selling their produce, and intensification of Iron-Fortified Rice (I-Rice) consumption.

“As part of the Department of Agriculture (DA), we are helping small rice farmers sell their harvests on time and at a better price. Selling rice produce at NFA is now easier and faster as we are financially strengthened to procure

more,” she said.

Currently, NFA buys local unmilled rice at P17.70 per kilo. Included in the buying price are the cooperative development incentive fee, drying incentive fee, and delivery incentive fee.

However, the food authority is considering a change in some of its palay procurement approaches to ensure that more rice farmers will benefit from it.

These include increasing number of sellable bags to 200 from 100 for walk-in farmers; simplifying requirements for farmers’ passbook issuance; issuing the passbook for free, shouldering expenses for unloading and re-sacking of palay will be by the NFA; and paying deliveries on the same day.

While NFA is mandated to ensure food security through palay procurement, maintenance of buffer stocks, rice distribution to market outlets at strategic locations at appropriate time, it also has regulatory functions such as price monitoring, licensing, and registration of persons or companies engaged in the wholesale, retail, processing, manufacturing, storage, transporting, packaging, importation and exportation of grain food products.

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Properties

PHL housing regulator to stop pre-selling scams HOUSING authorities are laying stricter rules and requirements against real estate brokers, developers, and contractors to prevent scams involving the sale of housing units.

Vi c e Pre s i d e nt and Housing and Land Us e Regulator y B o ard (HLURB) head Jejomar Binay said this development stems from the complaints of homebuyers following a meeting with property developers.

“Some developers offer attractive and lower prices and incentives to prospective buyers during the preselling stage, according to the Vice President in a statement on his website.

“This is done to ensure a successful marketing strategy while at the same time avoiding paying a premium for the cost of developing and completing the project,” Binay noted.

“Hence, the law has set certain guidelines to safeguard the interest of the buying public,” he added.

HLURB chief executive Antonio Bernardo recently met with officers of the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), and discussed v ar i ous c ompl ai nt s of homebuyers, according to the Office of the Vice President.

VP Binay

Some developers market lots or housing units without complying with certain HLURB requirements, Bernardo reported.

Under Presidential Decree 957 or “The Subdivision and Condominium Buyer’s Protective Decree,” a project developer, owner or dealer may not sell any subdivision lot or condominium unit unless licensed to sell by HLURB. The transaction should involve a contract to sell, a contract of purchase and sale, an exchange, an attempt to sell, an option

of sale or purchase, a solicitation of a sale, or an offer to sell, directly or by an agent, or by a circular, letter, or advertisement, Binay noted.

Binay said the SHDA pledged to cooperate with HLURB and to remind its members they should comply with the registration rules and have a license to sell for residential subdivision or condominium projects.

System to resolve cases Meanwhile, HLURB is developing a monitoring system to help speed up the resolution of conflicts involving homeowners associations in real estate transactions, the Vice President said.

A committee is writing the guidelines for a system to indicate tasks that should be accomplished and identify the person assigned to perform the task.

The system is supposed to improve coordination between arbiters and their paralegal staff that keeps and maintains case records.

Binay said the HLURB board revised the HLURB Rules of Procedure which significantly sped up the disposition of cases since its implementation.

July 9-12, 2012

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July 9-12, 2012

Puregold finally acquires wholesale grocery Kareila WHOLESALE grocery Kareila Management Corp. is now a subsidiary of Puregold Price Club Inc. after Kareila issued 1,703,124 stock certificates under Puregold’s name, Puregold said in a disclosure Wednesday to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Only one share of Kareila owner Mr. Anthony Sy has yet to be transferred to Puregold as they are still waiting for the Bureau of Internal Revenue to issue a tax clearance.

Last May 28, Puregold agreed to issue 766,406,250 capital stock from its unissued portion to Kareila in exchange for Kareila’s

1,703,125 outsanding shares.

Kareila is owned by Lucio and Susan Co, Ferdinant Vincent Co, Pamela Justine Co, and Anthony Sy, collectively the Co family.

Husband and wife Lucio and Susan Co also own Puregold.

This year, Puregold added 19 Parco supermarkets to its roster of 106 stores, opened three new branches, and slated 19 more outlets – apart from six more S&R warehouse clubs. It is also set to build a new store in Vista Land’s The Lakefront project in Muntinlupa.

Companies

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S&P upgrades credit scores of PLDT, Napocor, PSALM THREE LOCAL utility companies have obtained a credit score upgrade from debt watcher Standard and Poor’s (S&P) Ratings Services after the country bagged an upward revision.

The credit rater yesterday said it raised the long-term foreign currency corporate credit ratings of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), National Power Corp. (Napocor), and Power Sector Assets & Liabilities Management Corp.

(PSALM).

“We also affirmed the long-term local currency corporate ratings on PSALM and Napocor and revised

the outlooks to stable from positive,” a statement read.

“At the same time, Standard & Poor’s raised the issue rating on all three companies. The ASEAN scale long-term rating on PLDT has also been raised to axA- from axBBB+,” it added.

The three companies’ corporate credit ratings for foreign currency, local currency, and senior unsecured

debts have been elevated to “positive” from “stable.”

The upgrade comes after the debt watcher elevated the Philippines’ credit rating to BB+ from the BB it assigned in November 2010, citing the country’s prudent fiscal management, strong external position and stable economic growth, according to reports.

“The foreign currency rating on PLDT continues to be constrained by our transfer and convertibility assessment on the Philippines of BBB-,” the debt watcher said.

“The rating on PLDT also reflects the country and macroeconomic risk of the Philippines and intense competition in the matured domestic cellular market,” S&P credit analyst Paul Draffin said.

“PLDT’s strong position in the domestic market, diversified services, integrated network, and solid cash flow measures temper these weaknesses,” he said.

S&P also noted that credit profi les of PSALM and Napocor are heavily dependent on the governPLDT/PAGE 10

Land Bank backs ABS-CBN Foundation projects

LANDBANK Senior Vice President for Corporate Services Jocelyn Cabreza (center) and ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) Chief Finance Officer Clarissa Ocampo recently signed the agreement sealing LANDBANK’s support for AFI’s Bantay Baterya and Bantay Langis projects.

Tycoons Sy, Packer, Ho in $1-B casino project AUSTRALIAN billionaire James Packer and Macau gambling tycoon Lawrence Ho are teaming up with the Philippines’ richest family to develop a $1 billion casino in Manila, the Philippine partner said Friday.

The Belle casino will form part of a huge gambling development which the government hopes will turn the city into the world’s number-two gaming destination ahead of Singapore and Las Vegas, and behind only Macau.

SM Investments Corp., which is controlled by the Henry Sy family, told the Philippine Stock Exchange its affiliate Belle Corp. signed an agreement with Melco Crown Entertainment to form a consortium to develop the project.

“Subject to (regulatory) requirements, Belle and MCE plan to create a US$1 billion premiere integrated resort facility and enter into implementing and definitive

agreements within the next two months,” the disclosure said.

Melco Crown, which operates a Macau casino, confirmed the signing of a consortium agreement Thursday in a disclosure to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

It said its unit MPEL Projects expects to invest up to $580 million over the course of the project, or more than half its entire cost.

Melco Crown is a joint venture between Melco International Development Ltd. of Ho, son of Macau gaming mogul Stanley Ho, and Packer’s Crown Ltd. of Australia.

Belle holds one of four licenses handed out by the Philippine government to build a casino worth at least $1 billion each at a site on Manila Bay called Entertainment City.

Gaming regulator Philippine Amusement and

Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has also granted licenses to Malaysia’s Genting Group, Bloomberry Resorts Corp., and another casino backed

by Japanese gaming equipment supplier Kazuo Okada.

With the completion of the $4 billion Entertainment City project by 2016, Philippine gaming revenues are expected to draw level with current number two Singapore’s revenues of about $7 billion, Pagcor chief Cristino Naguiat told AFP in a recent interview.

Asia is poised to eclipse the United States as the world’s biggest gaming market in 2013, powered by the region’s growing economic prosperity and fondness for gambling, PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a report in December.

Revenue in Asia is forecast to more than double from $34.3 billion in 2010 to $79.3 billion in 2015, it said.

Two IT companies to bid for GSIS project TOUCH SOLUTIONS, Inc. has set up a joint venture with another information technology company to bid for a Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) project, a disclosure to Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday showed.

“Please be advised that Touch Solutions has entered into a joint venture agreement with Pilipinas Micro-Matrix Technology, Inc….for the re-

bidding of Kiosk Monitoring System,” the disclosure said, referring to P11.- million project being auctioned off GSIS. Under the agreement, Touch Solutions will own 60% while Pilipinas MetroMatrix Technology, Inc. will own 40% of the investment vehicle called “E Technology Solution Joint Venture,” the disclosure stated.

“The joint venture will be represented by the company in all biddings, related procurement transactions, and other official dealings with the GSIS and third parties,” it added.

Last May, Touch Solutions also entered into a joint venture with four Chinese companies to bid for the Transportation department’s pilot testing of a ticketing system of Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

THE Land Bank of the Philippines inked an agreement with ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) to support the Bantay Baterya and Bantay Langis projects.

“This is a significant step we are glad to take with ABS-CBN Foundation as we work towards our mutual goal of environmental protection. By starting with small steps such as proper handling and disposal of used oil and batteries, organizations and individuals alike can help prevent further damage to the environment,”Land Bank senior vice president for

corporate services Jocelyn Cabreza said, in a statement.

Cabreza signed the agreement together with AFI chief finance officer Clarissa Ocampo.

AFI’s Bantay Baterya project aims to reduce pollutants caused by improper handling and disposal of batteries. It involves the collection of used, junk leadacid batteries for recycling into fresh raw materials for the production of new batteries.

On the other hand, Bantay Langis facilitates the treatment and recycling of used industrial and engine

oil.

Under the agreement, Land Bank will donate used batteries and used oil and their equivalent monetary value to AFI. AFI will coordinate the collection of the donated used batteries and oil through the partners – Philippine Recyclers Inc. (PRI) for the batteries and Genetron International Marketing Inc. for the used oil.

Land Bank is committed to sustainable development by maintaining environmentally-sound operations and implementing resource conservation and waste management initiatives.

Globe Chief Financial Officer Albert de Larrazabal (4th from left) and Investor Relations Head Jose Mari Fajardo (3rd from left) received the awards. They are joined in the photo by (from left) Lorenzo Roxas, Chairman and President of Maybank ATR Kim Eng Securities; Manuel Tordesillas, and Ramon Arnaiz, President and Chairman, respectively of Maybank ATR Kim Eng Capital Partners.

Finance Asia names Globe as best managed company in PH FinanceAsia, the region’s leading financial publishing company and premier source for finance, investment banking, economic and capital markets news, awards Globe Telecom as best managed company in the Philippines.

The company reaped awards for the ninth year in a row from the prestigious

publication as it conducted its annual survey of the best managed companies in Asia.

The awarding was held last June 21 at the Makati ShangriLa Hotel.

Globe reaped high marks in terms of corporate governance, investor relations, commitment to a strong dividend policy and corporate social

responsibility.

Globe is consistently one of the most profitable companies in the country, posting improvements in revenues, market share, profitability, and shareholder returns despite the weakening global markets, slower domestic economic growth, and a very competitive telecom industry.

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July 9-12, 2012

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THINK a minute…

Does a thief steal because he’s a thief? Or, is he a thief because he steals? Studies show that over 80% of criminals who have been in prison and then freed after serving their time are back in prison for the same crime in less than 1 year! So back to our question: Does a thief steal because he’s a thief?

Or, is he a thief because he steals? The answer: he steals because he’s a thief.

We do what we do because of what we are inside.

Jesus said that you and I can still be a murderer even if we don’t murder anyone. If we hate somebody and wouldn’t mind if someone else killed that person, then we also are a murderer in our heart.

I wasn’t so keen on eating it, but, as one develops a taste for it, one just loves to have it!

But, more than the fun in eating the fruit, it is touted to be the “ Queen of Fruits”.

It got this title as it was said that Queen Victoria just adored this exotic fruit.

And, here in our city, and in the country as a whole, Mangosteen is not difficult to find.

One time, I happened to join a group of friends and while having dinner, the talk revolved on the topic of anti aging and anti cancer foods.

Among the fruits that they mentioned and which they asked me, were : mango, guyabano and mangosteen.

Of course, when one is in the Medical field, one does not just agree on claims, but, one has to read on scientific researches in order to have an objective, unbiased thought on the issue at hand.

Such was my attitude as I tried to read on the health and medicinal benefits of Mangosteen.

Just as I believed on “ an apple a day keeps your doctor away” I also believe that Mangosteen is one fruit

Jesus said that if we lust and desire to have sex with someone who’s not our wife or husband, then we’ve already committed adultery because in our heart we are an adulterer.

Jesus’ way of living is far above the law. It goes beyond just the minimum, small requirements of the law which simply try to keep society civil. But God did not create you and me just so we would not cheat or steal from our enemy.

He designed us to love our enemy. Jesus knows that if we truly love and care about a person, then we don’t need a law to keep us from cheating or stealing from them!

When you and I do something good to impress and

look good in front of others, Jesus sees and judges our wrong heart and motives even for doing those good things. Jesus wants us to do them because we genuinely love Him and others, not for our own self-centered pride and good image in front of people.

You’re probably thinking: “If Jesus’ commands are that high above the law, then is anyone that good and perfect?!” Of course not! No one is! That’s exactly why Jesus came: to finally change our heart and character inside.

The law can only punish us for our crime, but it cannot change us on the inside.

Jesus came to finally take the dishonest thief out of us, so to speak.

So why not ask Jesus to

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

forgive you for your wrong heart and way of living right now? Ask Him to start changing you inside into a new person. It’s only with His character and nature in charge of your heart, that you can finally enjoy the freedom of living above the law for the rest of your life.

Just think a minute…

A Pagcor Licensed Casino in Butuan City?

WHAT is sauce for the goose may not be good for the gander? Twice the proponents of the Pagcor Casino at Dottie’s Place Hotel in Butuan City suffered rejection after two public hearings on their petition for the opening of a Casino in the City was turned down by the City Council.

Butuan City which has a land area of 81,728 hectares with 59 rural Barangay and only 27 Barangays that falls under the urban classification remains rural and conservative notwithstanding the city’s annual gross income of P811 Million qualifying itself for a first class city in the Philippines.

Butuan City is the seat of the administrative offices of the government in

The color purple WHAT’S in a color? Just, like, what’s in a name? Or, in a fruit?

It is kind of noticeable that people these days seem to have taken a special interest in their health: that is why, you get to see a lot of tea and milk tea stations, fitness establishments, spas, to name a few.

Which is good news , for it simply means that, the increasing awareness in practicing a healthy lifestyle will redound to a decrease in the morbidity and mortality rates of lifestyle related diseases.

And since the past weeks, Health In Focus has been discussing different big C’s and other heavy weight diseases, for a change, let us see the goodness in the color purple.

Mangosteen is one such fruit. It is purple in the outside and the fleshy portion which is what I love to eat, is whitish in color, sweet to tangy though at times, one may get a variety that is kind of sour.

Mangosteen is kind of expensive when off season but when in abundance, it is very much affordable.

There was a time when

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that provides natural remedies helpful in preventing a wide range of diseases, with anti-inflammatory , anti-pyretic effects, not to mention, anti aging and anti- arthritic, with some claims even of anti-cancer properties.

These “ unbelievably good “ benefits of the fruit is attributed to the polyphenolic and other compounds that it contains. In like manner, that, the claim for its anti aging properties lies on the xanthones that is also present in this purple colored fruit.

The beauty with mangosteen , is its usefulness even after eating the fleshy DIAO/PAGE 7

the growing Caraga region which recently landed on the national headlines for their official’s initiatives to stop illegal logging by confiscating illegally cut logs in various trucks loads numbering 1.1 million board feet with an estimated value of P14 Million. The local government effort through the leadership of City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante earns the support of the national government that resulted in the removal of the DENR Regional Director and the Police Chiefs of the identified municipal timber sources in Agusan del Norte. The illegally cut lumbers were destined for Cagayan de Oro City. We have seen hundreds of those 18 wheelers flying daily and tearing the highways from

Magsaysay town to Gingoog City up to the doorstep of Cagayan de Oro. Butuan City has benefited from the tourism and mining growth of Surigao del Norte and the nearby eco-tourism destinations of the Caraga region being the entry point of foreign tourist on holidays at the Siargao Island’s surfing destination. Tourism growth in the area is phenomenal at 17% increment compared to the previous year’s which help accelerate the economies of retails and property development of the two cities once an agricultural and mining municipalities.

Many foreign retirees have found new homes and now live in Butuan City once the biggest sources of timber

TRAVERSING THE TOURISM HI-WAY

PED T. QUIAMJOT in the Philippines lumber industry until the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos cancelled and outlawed all logging concessions in the region when he declared Martial Law in 1972. Marcos is gone and QUIAMJOT/PAGE 7

Strengthening rural banks (Concluded from last week) is to enable the delivery of commercially sustainTHE recent anniversary able microfinance to its celebration of the Rural intended beneficiaries (i.e.

Bankers of the Philippines– micro, small and medium Microenterprise Access to enterprises or MSMEs)— Banking Services (RBAP– with the government only MABS) showcased how the providing a supportive role concept and importance of through policy, regulation microfinance has evolved and capacity building. in the last 15 years.

In accomplishing this, Microfinance today is the BSP studied the success a far cry from what it was of microfinance practices in 1997: products are no around the world. It then longer just loans for mi- set in place regulations that croenterprise, but have ex- recognized and accepted panded to micro-deposits, best practices such as the microinsurance, micro-agri, use of group support or lihousing microfinance, and ability arrangements, cash microfinance plus for grow- flow based lending, and high ing enterprises. frequency amortizations.

Delivery mechanisms The Bangko Sentral also for microfinance are not liberalized entry into the only done through group banking system, encourdisbursements, but are also aging microfinance nonaccomplished through sim- governmental organizaple text messages powered tions (NGOs) that wanted by electronic money. to transform into formal The Bangko Sentral ng financial institutions.

Pilipinas (BSP), as the counIt has likewise liberalized try’s central monetary au- branching regulations, althority and “bank of banks,” lowing for the establishment has taken deliberate steps of micro-banking offices to ensure that such posi- and paving the way for intive developments can take novations. place.

While the BSP allowed The BSP’s main ob- for these improvements in jective in its approach to the banking system, it also bank-based microfinance instituted prudent standards

SPEAKING OUT

IGNACIO BUNYE for the conduct of microfinance operations. It did so by prescribing the use of “portfolio-at-risk” to monitor and measure portfolio quality, in the context of risk-based supervision.

This approach has allowed bank supervisors to fully understand the risk profile of microfinance, and not lead the banks to simply avoid exposure to this market.

MABS, a USAID-funded, technical assistance program that enables rural banks to provide microfinance in a sound and sustainable manner, has been the BSP’s partner in ensuring that its policies remain responsive to the changing needs of the AVES/PAGE 7

BusinessWeek

July 9-12, 2012

MINDANAO

Gov’t... from page 1

“It is very clear that Mindanao should get bigger share of the budget,” Singson said noting that 69% of Mindanao’s national roads remain unpaved.

For the past three years, DPWH has been allocating 26% of its budget for Mindanao, the statement said.

Mindanao Development Authority chairman Secretary Luwalhati R. Antonino said in the same statement that “Mindanao still lags behind in terms of its transport networks, which affects efficiency of flow of goods in the island-region.”

“Despite the positive performance of Mindanao economy, a lot still needs to be done in our road

Quiamjot... from page 6

we have five Presidents who succeeded him one after the other and logging is business as usual in Caraga region.

The casino proponents and investors in Butuan City have seen the growth potential of the region but maybe they have not presented new and convincing arguments on the rationale of a legalized gambling operation to the lives of the local folks dependent on tourism, agriculture and mining.

How much will the government make in terms of taxes? What is the share of the local host city?

How much damage to the moral fiber of the people who will play and lose in the gambling tables?

The church led by the clergies has advanced their usual run of the

Bunye... from page 6

market.

MABS has over 90 partner rural banks that have cumulatively disbursed more than P41 billion to microentrepreneurs through the years. Since the start of the program, MABS partner banks have been able to provide viable microfinance services in the countryside, as well as pioneer various innovations in terms of product and service deliv-

Diao... from page 6

portion. It is common knowledge that if one were to sun dry the inner and outer coverings, , and boil this with clean drinking water, the concoction can be used to treat patients who are wary of taking in prescription drugs for the more common day to day encounters with fever and / or diarrhea ( provided that the necessary diagnostic examinations has been performed and turn out to be negative ) .

I did try this on a personal patient who is drug shy , when one time he was so

networks, especially because these are essential in promoting our role as the country’s food basket,” she added.

Singson agreed, saying “We believe that the national road network is one of the most important aspects of economic development.”

He, likewise, stressed the need to address implementation hurdles like peace and order as well as road right-of-way problems.

“Such issues are not only causing delays but are also adding undue cost to the road projects,” Singson said.

“National agencies alone cannot achieve the needed development without strong governance and support at the local level.”

7

Work and rest

mill argument opposing casinos and all forms of gambling except “Sabong” as a threat to the stability of the families. But have they offered anything to create livelihood or help bring the food to the dining tables of many Butuan City households in need of jobs?

Let us not forget that for tourism to prosper, one of the components is leisure and entertainment as synergies of growth for the industry. Local officials and the people of Butuan City have to weight their stand based on the economic derivatives and impact of a casino business it will bring to their constituents. Perhaps, there could be some safeguards?

Wi n o r l o s e , h o l y are those who favor the church, hungry are those who need jobs for a living.

OUR life is one and we need to protect and strengthen that unity and do everything to guard ourselves from the many elements that can cause its division and fragmentation.

There are many of them, sad to say. We have to be aware of them and do constant battle against them. Foremost of these hostile elements is the prevailing culture that pits our work and rest, our toil and fun against each other.

We have to understand that our work and rest, rather than being considered as antithesis or contrary to each other, should somehow blend and contribute precisely in strengthening our unity of life. We cannot have one without the other.

We have to outgrow the mentality that puts these two vital parts of our life at odds with each other.

They have to work in tandem, and that depends on us. Basic of course is the proper understanding of our life in general, and the role our work and rest play in it.

In the Bible narration of the creation of the world and man, we already have the most fundamental idea about work and rest that offers us the basic pattern of how our work and rest should be.

God, out of love and sheer goodness, created the world and made us the masterpiece of his creation. At the end of each day of the creation, our Lord admired what he made, and found them to be good and was happy.

Then on the seventh day, we are told that he rested.

Here, we are made to

eries.

MABS partner banks are among the providers of housing microfinance, micro-agri loans and microinsurance. They also implement mobile banking for microfinance services.

In line with the BSP’s larger goal of building an inclusive financial system, RBAP–MABS has laid the groundwork in institutionalizing the dynamic approach to delivering much needed financial services to the underserved

market.

It is indeed heartening to know that the cooperation and collaborations between the public and private sector have allowed microfinance to flourish in a sound and sustainable manner.

With this type of PublicPrivate Partnerships, we can all look forward to the eventual attainment of true financial inclusion in our country—where everyone will have access to the financial services that they need.

weak and dehydrated from a two day bout of diarrhea.

And, true enough, after a day of drinking the fluid mixture of dried mangosteen, he was up and about The list of benefits one gains from the fruit is kind of long , but, I would still say, that, this is a not a miracle fruit with a cure all promise.

The nutritional value like per 100 gram of the fruit, it contains 1.8 grams fiber and can you believe it, it has ZERO SUGAR , which is great news for those Diabetic friends of ours , minerals like manganese, potassium , and vitamins, on

top of its other properties as mentioned in the previous paragraphs, is something that should entice our dear readers to hurry and go get your own supply now!

The absence of complications, drug interactions and side effects, when taken into account plus the enjoyment one gains from the delicious taste of this purple colored fruit, I would say “ TARA NA! EAT NA TAYO! Nature has provided mankind with what is needed, and it is up to us, to make use of what is given, for enjoyment, for good health, and the add on privilege of having that youthful look.

understand that resting comes after working, until we reach the final rest on the seventh day, an image of completion and perfection. We have to realize then that our rest comes after our working, and that that rest should be, as much as possible, an expression of our satisfaction and joy derived from our work.

Rest, therefore, is and should be vitally linked to our work. We have to correct ever y tendency to consider our rest as an escape from our work.

Unfortunately, that attitude is rampant these days. For many people, rest has become completely alienated from our work.

Aside from being an escape from work, it has become the moment to engage in self-seeking and self-absorption. Both work and rest have been uprooted from their original meaning and purpose, and that’s the reason the two have become at odds with each other.

We need to recover the original state of affairs. And I know it’s not going to be easy. Formidable barriers are now formed in terms of culturally ingrained biases and prejudices. How to dismantle these barriers is a big question mark.

I feel that we need some kind of revolution

here. A radical change of attitude is needed, a sea change, a break from our wayward past. But for that to happen, we need to ask how many people realize this need? Frankly, I feel only a few, and the few who do realize seem to be resigned to accept the status quo. *** I suppose we have to be extremely patient and hopeful here. The revolution takes a long time to happ en. The gestation period is slow, but let’s hope that we can sustain the focus and concern so that we can attain a critical mass that would trigger this revolution to explode.

We need to do an extensive apostolate on work and rest, starting with our own selves, then at home, in churches, schools and offices, in public gatherings, etc. Fiestas, for example, which are an example of rest, should be used as an occasion to explain to the people the true meaning of work and rest.

The connection and relation between fiestas and the ordinary time of the year should always be highlighted, giving due attention to the religious grounding of work and rest, since that is where these two aspects of our life truly originated and

HINTS AND TRACES

FR. ROY CIMAGALA derived their meaning.

We have to impart the proper values especially to the children, because they are our future. So there in homes, churches and schools, a clear and sustained catechesis about work and rest should be made.

We have to promptly correct the erroneous understanding and practices related to these. When we see them lazy, just melting away in the sofas, or wasting time, we have react immediately.

Therefore, the parents, clergy and teachers should be the first ones to give good example and to articulate through advice, suggestions, corrections, etc., the relevant doctrine. Let’s hope that we ourselves, the elders, also realize we need the appropriate formation for this task.

8

July 9-12, 2012

Aggie News

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

Agri-Pinoy Program persists in advancing corn industry DALWANGAN, Malaybalay City – Having fervor in escalating the production of quality corn for human consumption, feeds and industrial uses, at the same time empowering farmers to increase their income, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) through the Agri-Pinoy Corn Program in collaboration with PhilMaize Federation, Inc., Mindanao Grains, Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Asian Farmers Regional Network, recently spearheaded a Corn Clusters’ Meeting at the Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center this town.

The said ass embly mainly aimed to impart to corn cluster members the different prospects and updates from the department and its agricultural partners can possibly avail or employ that would complement to their farming endeavors for the advance-

ment of the corn industry.

Being the second largest planted crop in 2011, Mr. Milo D. Delos Reyes, head of Agri-Pinoy Corn Program Secretariat, revealed that corn plays a significant fraction to the agricultural sector, noting that corn-livestock-poultry

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integrated industries contributed 26.95% of gross value added in agriculture, fishery and forestry at current prices.

A report from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics showed that last year’s corn production recorded at 6,971,000 metric tons (MT) and area harvested posted at 2,545,000 hectares (ha). Also citing Northern Mindanao’s input to the latter feat, Mr. Delos Reyes disclosed that three of the region’s provinces managed to emerge as the top 10 corn producing provinces in the country.

On one hand, Bukidnon ranked second for yellow corn, producing 761,951 MT. On the other hand, Lanao del Norte and Misamis

CORN CLUSTERS’ MEETING. As corn is regarded as one of the agricultural prime commodities within the country, DA along with PhilMaize Federation, Inc., Mindanao Grains, LBP and ASFARNET conveys the various windows and updates from their end so as to inform corn cluster members on how to access or make use of them, thereby augmenting their respective ventures for the advancement of the corn industry. Above photos show Mr. Milo D. Delos Reyes (right), head of the Agri-Pinoy Corn Program Secretariat and Mr. Larry E. Paraluman (left), Regional Corn Coordinator, imparting the numerous accomplishments and interventions under the said Program.

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Oriental placed third and tenth, supplying 200,561 MT and 55,178 MT, respectively.

With the P 76,385,000 budget for the Program, he disclosed that the fund would be utilized to attain self-sufficiency in corn by 2013; boost income of farmers by at least P 8,000P10,000 per ha; and augment consumption of white corn of at least 1 kilogram per capita per year. These objectives would help rake in the Program’s projected corn production target this year of 7,818,508 MT nationwide and 1,292,228 MT (6.60%) in the regional level.

Despite factors that continue to challenge the corn sector, DA-10 Regional Corn Coordinator Larry E. Paraluman conveyed that the agency will take up strategic inter ventions, including adequate infrastructure facilities, state-of-the-art post harvest facilities, sufficient and innovative production support services and lastly, aggressive research and development as well as extension programs.

For 2012, Mr. Paraluman emphasized the department’s pipelined assistance, ranging from Open-Pollinated Variety (OPV) seed planting material production, OPV corn seeds counterparting with the local government units and the provision of tractors, composting facilities, village type corn cob dryers, hermetic cocoons, granulators or shredders and hammer mills.

Paraluman further explained that the abovementioned facilities can b e avai led t hroug h a counterparting scheme.

Such scheme, he added, would develop an essence of ownership among recipients that would mo-

tivate them to sustain the economic activities or the operationability of projects that would soon be awarded to them.

He also articulated that there are numerous means to obtain the necessary counterpart such as expressing intent in the availment of the department’s projects to the different elected officials of the government. Mr. Roderico Bioco, President of Mindanao Grains, in fact, corroborated his statement by telling the participants that “we do not have the monotony of those creative ways.”

Likewise, windows in support to the corn program were also discussed such as the agency’s Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, the Agricultural Guarantee Fund Pool and LBP’s Corn Productivity Program.

In its drive to surge the corn industry, Engr.

Roger Navarro, President of PhilMaize Federation, Inc. urged the corn cluster members for their active participation so that their organization can craft more scientificbased and site-specific policies, which would further aid them in their farming activities.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bioco stressed that there are many ways to use a fund, which would largely depend on one’s dedication and commitment. He added that the government cannot solely implement their programs without the cooperation of corn farmers, who have an in-depth knowledge of their respective lands.

Also acknowledging the significance of policies “we should not be mere takers or beneficiaries of policies, but rather shapers of policies,” he ended. # (Joanne L. Olson, DA-10)

9 Congress.Watch Belmonte, Rodriguez filed most number of bills

BusinessWeek

July 9-12, 2012

MINDANAO

SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez were among the most prolific lawmakers in the country in terms of the number of bills filed in the House of Representatives, records of the chamber showed.

The House records covered the bills filed by the 284 lawmakers for the first two years of the 15th Congress from July 1, 2010 to June 13, 2012 where a total of 8,902 measures were filed, of which 6,568 were national bills and 2,334 were local bills.

T h e re c ords of t he chamber, however, were only statistical. There was

Rodriguez

no report on the quality of the measures.

Rodriguez, who is serving his second term in Congress, authored 711 national and 69 local bills.

He was also co-author of 186 national and 24 local bills. Two of his bills

eventually became laws, n a m e l y R e p u b l i c Ac t 10151 (An Act Allowing the Employment of Night Workers) and Republic Act 10159, which amended the provision on subsidiary imprisonment in the Revised Penal Code.

Coming in second was Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, who authored 234 national bills and 36 local bills.

Placing third was Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, who authored 227 bills of national scope and nine local measures.

Belmonte filed 104 national bills and one local bill for his district in Quezon City.

Chief justice aspirants down to 22 QUALIFIED ASPIRANTS for chief justice post have been trimmed to 22 from 26, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said on Friday.

In television and ambush inter views, Rep. Niel C. Tupas, Jr. (5th district, Iloilo), ex-officio JBC member, said four candidates were disqualified by the screening body for failing to meet certain requirements by the JBC. The four are Jocelyn Esquivel, a registered nurse who does not have 15 years of practice as a lawyer; former Malabon trial court judge Florentino Floro for having been dismissed from service due to mental incapacity; former Manila trial court judge Amelia Tria-Infante who paid P11,000 worth of fine in an administrative case; and Ferdinand Jose David Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Pijao, Sr., whose age is already beyond the 70-year maximum age requirement for the chief justice post.

Justice Secretary Leila M. de Lima and poll commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento also have pending administrative cases, but Mr. Tupas said they remain in the selection process pending the case resolution.

“If we will outrightly disqualify them, what if their cases are decided before the voting of the JBC… it’s also quite unfair to the candidate,” he said.

“Now our target is we will vote on July 30 to short-list the nominees and we’ll decide [whether] they will not be considered,” Mr. Tupas said.

Other qualified nominees are: • Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justices Arturo D. Brion, Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr., Antonio T. Carpio, Teresita J. Leonardo-de Castro, Ma. Lourdes P. A. Sereno and Roberto A. Abad;

• Andres D. Bautista, Presidential Commission on Good Government chairman; • Soledad M. Cagampang-de Castro; • human rights lawyer Jose Manuel I. Diokno; • Teresita J. Herbosa, Securities and Exchange Commission chairman; • Francis H. Jardeleza, solicitor-general; • family lawyer Maria Carolina Katrina T. Legarda; • Cesar A. Villanueva, chairman of the Government Commission Monitoring Appointments to the Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations; • Raul C. Pangalangan, University of the Philippines law dean; • Rufus B. Rodriguez, Cagayan de Oro congressman (1st district); • Rafael A. Morales, a

managing partner at Sycip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan Law Office; • Vicente R. Velasquez, chairman of the government panel negotiating with the communists; • retired judge Manuel Dj Siayngco, Jr.; • for mer San Juan congressman and executive secretary Ronaldo B. Zamora; and • former government corporate counsel Amado D. Valdez.

Mr. Tupas said the panel interviews of the nominees will be conducted on July 24-27.

After he receives the JBC short list, President Benigno S. C. Aquino has until August 27 to appoint the replacement of former chief justice Renato C. Corona who was ousted for betraying public trust, a constitutional offense.

Other House members who filed numerous measures were Reps. Teodoro Casiño, with a total of 178 national and local bills filed; Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, 169 bills; Angelo Palmones, 159 bills; Marcelino Teodoro, 153 bills; Augusto Syjuco Jr., 153 bills; JV Ejercito, 144 bills; Rafael Mariano, 143 bills; Luis Villafuerte, 129 bills; Salvador Escudero, 128 bills; Anthony Golez, 108 bills; Rodolfo Biazon, 104 bills; Bernardo Vergara, 95 bills; Raymond Palatino, 90 bills; Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David, 82 bills; Roger Mercado, 75 bills; Christopher Co, 73 bills; Erico Aumentado, 72 bills;

Eduardo Gullas, 72 bills; Danilo Suarez, 71 bills; Luz Ilagan, 69 bills; Roilo Golez, 68 bills; and Carmelo Lazatin, 68 bills.

“Clearly, not all bills are the same. Some are more complex than others,” Angara said when sought for comment on the figures.

He also said that the “level of commitment” of lawmaker to make sure his or her measure hurdles the legislative processes - from the discussions at the committee level up to the debates in plenary and bicameral conference meetings – was a major factor in determining a House member’s work.

“Some legislators are

Congress urged to probe PNP’s P1-B license card deal CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez is urging the House of Representatives to investigate the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) P1-billion license card deal.

Rodriguez said in House Resolution 2459 filed before the House committee on public order and safety that the PNP’s license card deal with Nanjing Industrial Tools and Equipment Co. “has circumvented the proper bidding process.”

Rodriguez said the PNP

signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Nanjing for the printing of license cards for the service firearms of police officers and security guards over a 15-year period in March 2010.

The signatories are former PNP Chief Jesus Versoza, PNP Director for Logistics Luizo Ticman and Romeo Macapinlac, president of Nanjing.

He said that under the MOA, Nanjing would print the license cards at P150

each, which when computed based on the average of 21,818 cards per month for the PNP’s Firearms and Explosives Division (FED) and 20,245 cards per month for the PNP’s supervisory Office for Security Agencies that had been printed, would amount to P1.135 billion within the 15-year contract.

“The contract between the PNP and Nanjing allegedly had not gone through the proper bidding and CONGRESS/PAGE 11

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present throughout while others just file but they do nor participate in the process,” he said.

“Maybe some are more environment-friendly than others, they want to conserve the trees by not using too much paper,” House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II said in jest when asked why some lawmakers file so many bills while others author only a few or none at all.

Based on records, Abono party-list Reps.

Robert Estrella and Francisco Emmanuel Ortega III, and Western Samar Rep. Milagrosa Tee Tan did not file any measure.

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10

July 9-12, 2012

Metro CDO

BusinessWeek

MINDANAO

People to People Program serves thousands in CdO THOUSANDS of residents in Zone 10, Carmen and neighboring areas availed of basic government services delivered by the city government during the People-to-People Program (PPP) held here.

Opol Mayor Dexter Yasay speaks to the participants of the non-handicapping environment forum at the Dynasty Court Hotel in Cagayan de Oro. The two-day activity on July 4-5 was spearheaded by the National Council on Disability Affairs in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Yasay presented Opol’s experiences and achievements as a pioneering municipality.

PHOTO BY GERRY L . GORIT

The City Civil Registrar facilitated the mass wedding of 81 couples and the birth registration of 100 children.

The J.R. Borja General Hospital and City Health Office provided medical assistance and free medicines to 2,400 patients, dental attention to 200 and circumcised 28 boys during the outreach program.

The City Public Library made available books and other reading materials, which were availed by 83 residents, while the Office of Senior Citizens served 30 elderly.

For its part, the City Le-

gal Office attended to legal inquiries of five clients.

The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) provided free haircuts to 75 constituents while the Community Improvement Division (CID) also gave the same service, which was availed by 168.

The City Social Welfare and Development Department (CSWD) provided supplemental feeding to 854 and distributed packs of rice to 1,200 families. The City Assessor’s Office attended to verification and appraisal needs of the constituents.

The Office of the Building Official had 12 clients for electrical application.

The City Veterinary served 78 clients and provided rabies vaccines and vitamins.

The Agricultural Productivity Office distributed assorted fruit tree seedlings and vegetable seeds, such as 100 pieces of grafted mango, 100 jackfruit, 100 guava, 150 packs pechay and 150 packs of kangkong.

The holding of the PPP was led by Mayor Vicente Y. Emano, along with Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas, city councilors, department heads and employees to bring the government closer to the people and to ensure that all city residents are reached by basic government services.

Data update on 4Ps beneficiaries in N. Mindanao 85% complete Xavier Ecoville celebrates

By APIPA P. BAGUMBARAN Contributor

THE updating of data on Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries in the Northern Mindanao region is now 85 percent complete.

Kenneth Haze Sanchez, Pantawid Pamilya Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

and focal person of the updating of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10, disclosed that the undertaking is now 85 percent complete, adding that the field office will hit the target deadline this coming July 10.

The data updating is aimed at releasing the bud-

get for retroactive-payment and monitoring compliance of beneficiaries.

As of June 13, Northern Mindanao has 57,651 children whose records need to be updated. They are part of the 1.2 million Pantawid Pamilya grantees in the whole country who need to update their record with UPDATE/PAGE 11

been married; must be at least 17 years old but not a day older than 22 years on April 1 of the year following the date of examination; a high school graduate with a general grade average of 85 percent or higher; and, a minimum of 5 feet 4 inches tall for male and 5 feet 2 inches tall for female.

The PMA Cadetship Application form will be distributed nationwide and it can be downloaded from the PMA official website,

http://www.pma.ph.

All interested and qualified applicants must complete the information in the application form with other requirements.

The form filled shall be mailed back with data to the Office of Cadet Admission, Philippine Military Academy, Fort del Pilar 2602, Baguio City, not later than two weeks before the scheduled examination date.

PMA/PAGE 11

XAVIER Ecoville’s educa- by a series of patintero games. tion cluster headed the Republic of the Philippines opening of “Balik Tanaw REGIONAL TRIAL COURT sa Larong Pinoy” last June 11th Judicial Region 30, Saturday. A celebration BRANCH 14 DAVAO CITY of the Pinoy games and a means of embracing our IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION TO identity as Filipinos, this CORRECT THE SEX IN THE CERTIFICATE will run up to July 21.

OF LIVE BIRTH OF JAREN BALING ELESTERIO BEARING LOCAL CIVIL The event will be held at REGISTRY NO. 91-962, FROM MATE TO Xavier Ecoville, the Xavier FEMALE University-led resettleJAREN BALING ELESTERIO, ment site for tropical storm Petitioner, SPL. PROC. NO. 11,996-12 Sendong survivors, where -versusthe the young ones and THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR the young-at-heart are OF DAVAO, rediscovering patintero, Respondent. sipa bola, takyan and other x-------------------------------------------------------------/ old-time favorites.

ORDER OF HEARING There are four competing teams with three A VERIFIED PETITION has been filed by petitioner, JAREN BALING divisions each team, in age ELESTERIO, assisted by counsel, Atty. Lennie Y. Moreno-Maduay, praying that after due hearing, an Order be issued directing the Local Civil Registrar brackets of 10-12 years old, of Davao City to correct the sex in the Certificate of Live Birth of Jaren Baling 13-16 years old and 17-21 Elesterio bearing Local Civil Registry No. 91-962, from Male to Female. years old.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, set the hearing of the petition on AUGUST 28, 2012 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning. Let The opening day of this Order be published at the expense of the petitioners in a newspaper of “Balik Tanaw sa Larong general circulation in the City of Davao, once a week for three (3) consecutive Pinoy” was jumpstarted weeks.

credit analyst Rajiv Vishwanathan.

“Our outlook revision reflects our opinion that both utilities are almost certain to receive timely and sufficient extraordinary support from the Philippine government in the event of financial distress,” he added.

The debt watcher also pointed out the two staterun utilities affect the government reforms in the power sector. The Philippine government also provides an irrevocable, unconditional, and timely guarantee on all debt obligations of PSALM and

Napocor, it added.

Last May, Moody’s Investors Service had upgraded the three firm’s outlook to positive from stable to match changes to the Philippines’ credit rating outlook amid the government’s continued efforts to curb fiscal deficit and public debt.

PMA to hold entrance exam in CdO on Aug. 26 THE Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Office of the Cadet Admission will be conducting an entrance examination at 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army Gymnasium, Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City on August 26.

It requires all applicants to be set on specific qualifications: he or she must be a natural born Filipino Citizen, physically fit, single and never

PLDT... from page 4

ment.

“We consider the credit profiles of PSALM and Napocor to be weak and heavily dependent on the support of the Philippine government,” said S&P

‘Balik Tanaw sa Larong Pinoy’

All interested persons may appear before this Court on or before the aforesaid date of hearing to show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be furnished together with a copy of the Petition to the City Prosecution Office, Davao City, the office of the Solicitor General, Atty.

Lennie Y. Moreno-Maduay, the office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Davao City, the office of the Local Civil Registrar of Davao City, as well as the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. Given this 31st day of May 2012 at Davao City, Philippines.

(Sgd.) GEORGE E. OMELIO Presiding Judge MDN: JULY 9, 16, & 23, 2012

MINDANAO

BusinessWeek Airlines... from page 1

points, 3 points ahead of Europe’s largest low cost carrier Ryanair (78 points) and 11 points ahead of Singapore Airlines (70 points) in the TPA, which measured the data and rated airlines in five different performance categories, particularly its financial and operational performance.

“This is just amazing. To beat out airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Ryanair and all the other global industry players is almost beyond words. Who would have thought 10 years ago that in just over a decade, AirAsia would reach such celestial heights,” said AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Dr Tony Fernandes in a statement.

“This award is recognition of the efforts of all our AirAsia AllStars over the years to get us to this special place. To be rated the Number One airline in categories that included financial and operational sectors is a clear endorsement of our stewardship of the company and a vindication of the faith that our stakeholders have in AirAsia,” he added.

Congress... from page 9

contained other irregularities,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez expressed concern over the reported ambiguous provisions that

PMA... from page 10

The entrance examination covers algebra and geometry, grammar and composition, reading comprehension, verbal and numerical reasoning and pat-

July 9-12, 2012

Aviation Week, the highly influential aviation industry magazine in the United States, also ranked AirAsia as the highest in the US$250 million-$2 billion annual revenue category.

The magazine is part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries. Aviation industry professionals rely on Aviation Week for analysis, marketing and intelligence.

AirAsia is the leading and largest low cost carrier in Asia, serving the most network with over 152 routes covering 77 destinations across Asia and Australia. In just 10 years of operations, it has carried more than 140 million passengers and grown its fleet from just two aircraft to about 100, said AirAsia Inc. CEO Maan Hontiveros.

Early last month, AirAsia Philippines launched its first international flight to Kuala Lumpur from its hub in the country, Clark, which is expected to shake the tourism industry in the ASEAN region.

According to ASEAN Community Figures of 2011, tourist

arrivals in ASEAN alone reached almost 74 million last year, with Malaysia getting the biggest share or one-third of these arrivals or 24.5 million against the Philippines’ 3.5 million. Thailand ranked in second with 15.9 million tourist arrivals followed

by Singapore with 11.6 million, Indonesia with 7 million and Vietnam with 5 million.

Of tourists who arrived in the ASEAN region, 47 percent came from within ASEAN. Visitors from EU accounted for around 10% of the arrivals, and those from China around 7%.

from 10.9 million in April 2010. As of April 2012, there were 4.4 million unemployed and 7.3 million underemployed Filipinos.

The group, however, recognized that there were over 1 million jobs that were created in April 2012 and that unemployment over the past 2 years fell to 10.3 percent in 2012 from 11.4 percent in 2010.

Nonetheless, Ibon said underemployment rose to 19.3 percent in 2012 from 17.8 percent in 2010. The increase in underemployment, it said, may be due to the 2.5 million additional part-time workers and a large 1.6 million drop in full-time workers.

With insufficient quality jobs and low wages, Ibon said the wage gap is now greater than in May 2002 when the minimum wage was 53 percent of the family-living wage (FLW) at that time. The group said the mandated minimum wage of P446 in May 2012 is just 44 percent of the P1,017 FLW.

“As it is, the real wage that workers actually received was virtually unchanged between July 2010 [P308] and July 2011 [P307]. The administration has categorically dismissed justifiable calls for an acrossthe-board P125 wage hike,” Ibon said.

from page 1 To remedy the situation, the national government implemented a catch-up plan which resulted in government consumption increasing to 24 percent from a 15.8 percent contraction in the same period last year.

Ibon added that public investment also grew 62.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from a 37.9-percent contraction in the same period last year.

However, Ibon noted that this was not enough to pull up

overall investment which posted a contraction of 23.5 percent in 2012 from 36.1 percent last year.

The group said this might be due to the 9.9-percent contraction in private investment from 23-percent growth last year.

This contraction was not offset by an increase in household consumption, which posted a growth of 6.6 percent in 2012 from 5.9 percent last year.

“The most important sectors of the economy actually slowed substantially in the first quarter from last year. Growth of agriculture dropped from 4.4 percent last year to just 1 percent and of industry from 7.3 percent to just 4.9 percent. Yet these are the sectors that are supposed to create the most jobs, have the greatest productivity and be the main drivers of economic growth,” Ibon said.

Ibon said the country continues to have a jobs crisis, which saw the total number of unemployed and underemployed Filipinos has increased by 780,000 in the last two years to 11.7 million in April 2012

included the authority for Nanjing to pull out all its materials and equipment in the event the project was aborted or cancelled prior to its completion.

“A review of this particular contract is necessary

so we can fine tune and strengthen the government procurement reform law for the sake of public interest,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez cited Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform

Act which states that “all procurement shall be done through competitive bidding” and the law “shall apply to the procurement of infrastructure projects, goods and consulting services, regardless of source

of funds, whether local or foreign, by all branches and instrumentalities of government, its departments, offices and agencies, including government-owned and/or controlled corporations and local government

units.”

“One such provision that merits review states that the P150 fee for license cards be paid directly to Nanjing without a standard government payment order,” Rodriguez said.

tern analysis. Examination permits are sent through mail to the address reflected by the applicants in their application forms and also can be verified at the venue during the examination.

All cadets of PMA are granted full scholarships

receiving salary and allowances while studying for four years, earning a degree of Bachelor of Science and a chance to study abroad after graduation.

Also after graduation from the academy, cadets are directly commissioned

as regular officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, joining any of the three branches of service of their choice, the Army, the Navy or the Air Force.

“We encourage you, especially those coming from the island of Mindanao to

take advantage of this opportunity and eventually become a cadet of PMA who will be receiving not only full scholarship but also assured of stable job upon graduation,” MGen. Victor A. Felix, Commander, 4ID said.

For more information and clarifications you may contact the Office of the Cadet Admission or the Public Information Office, Philippine Military Academy, Fort del Pilar, Baguio City, and PMA Liaison Office, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Ibon...

Ramadhan...

from page 1 Gandamra said if there is a moon sighting on July 18 then Ramadhan will commence the following day, but if the moon is not seen then it will be on July 20 of the Gregorian calendar.

Last year Ramadhan fell on August.

Muslims will be fasting during Ramadhan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

During this time Muslims do not eat and drink during the daylight hours of a day.

An Islamic month is composed of 29 or 30 days.

In the history of the religion, Ramadhan is the month during which the first verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed some 1,433 years ago.

Update... from page 10

the program.

These children, reflected on the data compliance verification systems, failed to attend school, failed to avail health services offered by health center, among others.

As a requirement of the program, beneficiaries should be registered and enrolled to schools and health centers in order for them to be included in the list of beneficiaries for compliance monitoring. Once monitored and marked as compliant, they will receive cash grants for the said monitoring period.

Joseph Romualdo, Computer Management Technologist of DSWD Field Office 10, disclosed that all of the five provinces of Northern Mindanao have been encoded, except for Misamis Occidental, which is still on-going.

He said 20 Pantawid Pamilya encoders are fast tracking the encoding of filled-up updating forms from Misamis Occidental.

However, encoding of date is sometimes interrupted by slow or no internet connection.

Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly of children aged 0 to 14 years old.

11

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tdept

BusinessWeek Motoring 12 All-new Ford pickup tested in terrains of 15 countries July 9-12, 2012

H

ERE’S a little backgrounder on the allnew Ranger: Prototypes of this pickup were tested in 15 countries around the world, from the Australian Outback to the German autobahn. The model was subject to severe heat and cold, as well as the worst roads imaginable. This truck had to pass every test because it will be sold in 180 markets.

You could say that the Ranger is probably the most “global” in the entire Ford lineup.

Throughout the course of its creation, there were some cool developments:

The all-new Ranger is now much bigger than its predecessor, but is no less maneuverable. It can also wade through 800mm of water, even when loaded to capacity with passengers and cargo. Its beltline has also been raised, and this makes the cargo area much deeper. Ride height is now 237mm.

Combine this towering ground clearance with short front and rear overhangs, and the Ranger is ready for any sort of off-road challenge.

Comfort is optimized of course, thanks to the new hydro mounts between the cabin and chassis. While on the subject of the chassis, major driveline components are tucked into the

frame rails to prevent damage during off-road excursions. This is good thinking in the part of the engineers. For those who will use this pickup as a heavy-duty hauler, payload capacity is actually more than 1,400kg.

That’s pretty impressive.

The biggest engine is the new Duratorq TDCi 3.2L with a variable-geometry turbo.

It generates 200PS and a whopping 470Nm of torque. The smaller Duratorq TDCi 2.2L variable-geometry turbo engine offers 150PS and 375Nm of torque — still quite considerable for an engine of smaller displacement. We hope both options will be readily available.

We were able to drive

MINDANAO

the all-new Ford Ranger a few months ago, but during that time its specifications for the Philippine market have not yet been finalized. This anticipated pickup will be launched next week during the Manila International Motor Show (I’m sure some have seen the huge billboard on C5), and we hope that all of the clever innovations that are available abroad will find their way here.

I know, I guess you can say that we are being a bit spoiled, but the nevertheless, it would be great to sample these cool features.

We’d like to see tech like the electronic locking rear differential; traction control system; hill-descent control and hill-launch assist; adaptive load control that optimizes stability when the cargo area is fully loaded; and the roll-over mitigation system that helps prevent a situation where the Ranger will end up on its side. And who wouldn’t want an 80-liter fuel tank?

One of the best things

about the all-new Ranger is its cabin. It has been designed from the ground up, and it looks great, very much like what’s found in its Fiesta sibling. Surprisingly, the look works very well in a large pickup such as this. But there’s more than just appearances.

Ford’s designers also addressed the shortcomings inherent in the design of

pickup, the most annoying of which is the lack of storage areas within the cabin.

That won’t be the case if the Philippine-spec Ranger will be fitted with all 20 stowage areas, with pockets on each door; a large console bin with upper and lower receptacles; driver-side storage areas; and underseat storage trays. We’re

certain that the passenger glovebox, that can also fit a 16-inch laptop computer, will be a hit, though.

Whatever the spec package that becomes available, the Ranger already has a very huge following. We can’t wait to drive one on local roads, because once it arrives, the pickup wars are bound to heat up.