RURAL TRANSIT BACHELOR EXPRESS
“First in Service, Foremost in Fleet Maintenance”
BusinessWeek
YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER
www.businessweekmindanao.com Issue No. 76, Volume III • May 28-31, 2012
Market Indicators FOREX
PHISIX 4,925.97 points
1.5 cents
;
21.75 points
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III’s economic team is set to submit Monday their proposed package of assistance for banana growers affected by the stricter phytosanitary measures being implemented by Chinese authorities. At a press briefing Friday, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the president met with the government agencies dealing with the banana issue Thursday. “The President asked the eco-
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Briefly Protest vs brownouts
KIDAPAWAN City -- Some 700 members of an alliance of groups of farmers, consumers, workers and urban poor in North Cotabato staged a three-hour protest rally here Friday to demand that the Department of Energy (DoE), through the Energy Development Corporation (EDC), dispatch to the province 25 percent of the power generated by the geothermal power plants located at Mount Apo, which they said is mandated by law. The rally staged by members of Makabayan was held at the intersection along the Old PC Barracks and Daang Maharlika, a 45-minute ride to Barangay Ilomavis where the two geothermal power plants owned by EDC are situated. “This rally is part of what we call noynoying. This is to show to the PNoy administration that we’re really annoyed or we’re not happy with this energy crisis,” said Makabayan convenor Ruby Padilla Sison.
Strike-free
P15.00
Government mulls assistance for banana growers
AS OF 6:10 P.M., MAY. 25, 2012 (Friday)
US$1 = P43.755
Editorial: 088-856-3344 • Advertising: 0917-7121424
GENERAL Santos City -Industries in Region 12 or Soccsksargen have remained “strike-free” in the last three years due to the interventions of the area’s Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC). Feliciano Orihuela Jr., National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB)Region 12 acting director, said the timely intercessions of the TIPC has so far helped quell plans by some local labor groups to stage strikes and related actions. “We didn’t have any single case of labor strike or picket against any company or industry in the area in the past three years,” he said.
nomic team, the respective government officials, to come up with a definitive package assistance plan by next week, Monday,” he said. He said the long-term position of the government is to broaden and increase the markets for banana exports while the short-term is to assist the banana growers. “The exports in China only constitute 30 percent; 70 percent we are doing well. So we need to broaden the market of our banana
exports,” he said. “We are going to identify who the affected banana growers are. The President was very, very emphatic that if we’re going to provide assistance, let’s focus on those who really do need the assistance. Not all the banana exports are suffering as much as what the export association claims it is. We have to identify and focus on the growers who send their exports to China,” GROWERS/PAGE 9
By IRENE DOMINGO, Reporter
T
HE energy crisis Mindanao is currently facing encouraged Hydro Electric Development Corporation (Hedcor) to build five more plants with a total capacity of 54 megawatts (MW) to help address the situation.
Hedcor, a subsidiary of AboitizPower, is now on its 34th year of generating clean energy through its run-of-river hydropower systems in Davao, Benguet, and Ilocos Sur. In Davao, it currently generates 47 MW. The Tudaya project, an expansion of the 42.5-MW Sibulan Hydropower Plant in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur Hedcor, will soon start its construction after the Renewable Energy contract of Department of Energy will be given to them. In the province of Bukidnon, necessary permits are presently applied for by the company for the 28.2-MW Sita-Simod project. The project will harness the Sita and HEDCOR/PAGE 9
SUNSET. A beautiful sunset silhouetting coconut trees in eastern Misamis Oriental town of Magsaysay. PHOTO BY GERRY GORIT
DepEd to post list of authorized private schools Beside U.C.C.P., C.M. Recto Ave., Nat’l Highway, Cag. de Oro City
Cell No.: 0917-304-6195
BACK TO SCHOOL PROMO!
Trained by:
RICKY REYES & DAVID’S SALON Makati City
By RUTCHIE C. AGUHOB Contributor
IN preparation for the 2012 Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE), the Department of Education (DepEd) has required the regional offices to list down the names and ad-
dresses of private schools with permits to operate, recognition and accreditation within their area of responsibility (AOR). Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, in DepEd Order No. 38, issued last May 11, has di-
rected the said list to be submitted to the Office of the Undersecretary for Regional Operations at telefax No. (02) 631-8492 or sent through email address: action@deped.gov.ph on or before May 31, 2012. He also directed the
same list to be posted at the DepEd Regional Offices (RO) and Division Offices (DO), Municipal Halls and other conspicuous places for the public to read. Meanwhile, Secretary Luistro has advised the ROs DEPED/PAGE 9