BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO NOV. 3,2012

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

Issue No. 121, Volume III • Nov. 2-4, 2012

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Brown-outs

OZAMIZ City -- Consumers of the Misamis Occidental Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MOELCI) II experienced rotating brownouts three days in a row, last week.

These brownouts took place during the following days: October 22, from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; October 23, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and October 24, from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The brownouts were all due to generation deficiency, said Jemilo L. Pelimer, general manager of MOELCI II.

By NELSON V. CONSTANTINO, Editor-in-Chief and MIKE BAÑOS, Correspondent

A

MID the worsening power shor tage in Mindanao, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has disclosed plans to cope with the increasing demand in many urban areas in the island by activating other sources of electricity.

No redtide in SurSur

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)Caraga has released the latest Shellfish Bulletin No. 25 dated October 25, 2012, baring that Bislig Bay in Surigao del Sur is negative from red tide toxin.

BFAR said based on laboratory results, all shellfish around the area of Surigao del Sur are safe for human consumption. However, shellfish from the waters of Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga del Sur, Murchelagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison, and all kinds of shellfish are not safe for consumption.

With these developments, BFAR reminded the people avoid consuming shellfish from the infected areas. They also said fish, squid, shrimps and crabs are safe to eat but must be properly prepared and provided that the fish is fresh and washed thoroughly.

Internal organs, gills and its intestines must also be removed before cooking.

Brgy food terminal

A BARANGAY based food depot and distribution system that will offer safe and quality agri fishery products at low prices to consumers will soon be established in the city.

The Barangay Food Terminal is a project to enable farmers to establish a direct and effective means to offer said products straight to consumers but also encouraging and empowering other barangays to engage in the same venture thereby increasing more business undertakings consequently generating economic growth and, equally important, promoting the welfare of the people of Butuan.

ALL SOULS DAY: Prices of flowers and candles shoot up three-folds as the christian world observes All Saint Day and All Souls Day. (file photo)

In a press statement, Romeo Montenegro, chief of the communications division of the MinDA said after the preventive maintenance of the Iligan City diesel power plant in the next six months, it can deliver 100 megawatts to the Mindanao grid.

He said that by April 2013, power supply from the Iligan City diesel power plant is already available.

Montenegro said government through the Department of Energy and the Filipino Electricity Market Corporation also mulls of tapping the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM).

He explained that the IMEM is a plans/PAGE 9

Laguindingan Airport almost complete

PH unemploymen rate among highest in Asia

bid evaluation is ongoing so that by the end of October 2012, a notice to proceed will already be issued to the winning bidder.

Updates on the airport’s power requirements, water supply system, road network and the proposed seaport were presented to the chairpersons and members of the subcommittees on infrastructure, airport/PAGE 9

NSCB secretary general Jose Ramon G. Albert said despite socioeconomic gains and positive growth in the gross domestic product (GDP), poverty and unemployment in the Philippines remained unchanged.

“The headcount poverty rate and other indicators of poverty have almost remained unchanged for almost a decade – poverty incidence unemployment/PAGE 7

By PELETA B. ABEJO, Contributor

CIVIL works of the Laguindingan Airport in the city is 99 percent complete as of 15 October.

Engineer Edgardo J. Mangalili, Laguindingan Airport project manager, said they are currently checking the procurement process for its facilities.

Yet to be completed are the in-

terfacing items with the air navigation (AirNav) system and support facilities (ANSSF) and the testing and commissioning of equipment installed in all buildings.

Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo M. Lotilla, in his October 2, 2012 letter to Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar S. Moreno, said the ANSSF is under procurement process. The

US allows entry of 3,000 tons of local bananas THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has effectively given its go-signal to the export of 3,000 metric tons of cavendish bananas to continental United States by December this year.

“The workplan [for the export of bananas to the US] has been approved. US Ambassador [to the Philippines] Harry K. Thomas Jr. has expressed satisfaction [with our] preparations when he visited the Dole Philippines plant a few weeks ago,” Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Clarito M. Barron said in an interview

on Monday. The plant is located in Bukidnon province, in the country’s southern Mindanao region.

According to Barron, the USDA’s approval is welcome news for banana farmers who had to contend with lower shipments caused by a decision of China to subject Philippine bananas to more stringent sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

Earlier this year, China impounded bananas from the Philippines purportedly due to the bananas/PAGE 9

Banana growers get a sigh of relief as the US is importing 3,000 tons of bananas from the Philippines for the holiday season.

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November 2-4, 2012

Economy

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DA-12 strengthens food security and safety on meat products

By SHAHANA JOY E. DUERME, Contributor

KORONADAL City -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) 12 through its Agri Pinoy Livestock Program and Regulatory Division is advancing its drive for food security and food safety on meat products in Region 12.

This was given emphasis in a recent seminar forum on the regulations of livestock and poultry feeds, veterinary drugs and biological products held recently in General Santos City.

DA 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia J. Datukan

through Dr. Castor Leo Ejercito, Regional Veterinary Quarantine Officer said the activity aimed at inculcating to concerned vet-related business players the responsible management and regulation of veterinary feeds and products as factors in promoting

food security and safety.

“This has been very important to primarily ensure food security and safety while pushing for food selfsufficiency in the country.

We can attain it through proper knowledge specifically on regulatory laws for a responsible veterinary feeds and drugs business,” Ejercito stated.

The event was attended by manufacturers, owners, sellers and suppliers of animal feeds and biological products from General Santos City

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and Sarangani province.

Ejercito said the forum equipped the participants with information that will help them contribute to the general economic viability of the country by extending their cooperation to the department as well as to the consumers.

Meanwhile, Evelyn Jaruda, DA 12 Licensing Section

Chief encouraged business individuals to observe and adhere to Republic Act 1556 also known as Livestock and Poultry Feeds Act by which regulation, control, manufacture, importation and exportation, advertising and licensing are stated therein.

Primarily, the act envisions producing high quality

veterinary feeds and drugs that will ensure food security and safety for meat consumers.

To further advance this campaign, the Regulatory Division of DA 12 will conduct regular and spot inspections on veterinary feeds and products of companies, stores and establishments in the region.

DAVAO City -- The Indigenous Peoples Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health and Nutrition Project in Mindanao (IP MNCHN ProjectMindanao) has recently went through a process of securing a Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) from the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs).

The FPIC process started in Sitio Gawasan, Carmen North Cotabato last October 8, 2012 and was consequently done in Brgy.

New Dalaguete, Montevista, Compostela Valley Province and Brgy. Sinuda, Kitaotao, Bukidnon last October 10 and 18 respectively of the same year.

“Beyond the necessity to operate in accordance with the law, we are obliged to secure FPIC as we pay high regards to the independence and authority our Indigenous Peoples hold as individuals and as a community. Their decision to accept or reject the project in their respective communities is, above all, a decision we need to solicit and respect,” Project Director Dr. Lilibeth D.

Malabanan stressed.

NCIP Administrative Order No.3 or the Revised Guidelines on Free and Prior Informed Consent and Related Processes provides that the rights of ICCs/IPs should be protected in the introduction and implementation of plans, programs, projects, activities and other undertakings that will affect them and their ancestral domains so as to ensure their economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.

“The conduct of our baseline studies and implementation of projects further requires us to adhere to NCIP Order No. 1 or the research and documentation guideline on the Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs) and Customary Laws (CLs),” Dr. Malabanan added.

Dr. Malabanan further revealed that the Tribal Councils of Montevista and Carmen have already passed a resolution allowing the entry of the project in their respective communities while a resolution from Sinuda has yet to be passed following

a consultation among the members of the community.

The FPIC process in Montevista had also emphasized on the significance of NCIP as the main implementing government agency of the project. “While the implementation of the project is generally in close coordination with the Department of Health, the importance of a culture-sensitive strategy on maternal, neonatal and child health care is an expertise and dedication that the NCIP can best apply in this case,” Dr. Malabanan answering a question from an IP leader of Montevista.

Generally, the FPIC process gathered support and commitment from the IPs themselves. As shared by a certain IP leader of Montevista “pila na ka tuig, wala pa ko’y uban ug karon giuban nako. Sa sige namo og yangongo sa gobyerno, kining grupoha namo, aron lang ang gobyerno makakita ug motabang sa amo ug mopahiluna. Unya karon naa na ato pang likay-likayan? Dili na pwede na. Kinihanglan i-aprob na nato karon.

A MULTI-BILLION river protection project will be implemented in the city, as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has committed to provide P5 billion for the river control project at the Cagayan de Oro River.

Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe and officials of JICA visited the city recently and informed Mayor Vicente Ema no about the project.

Emano expressed his gratitude to JICA for this development, say ing it

will ensure the safety of people, especially those living near the river, from f loods.

“Mahinungdanon kini nga proyekto aron mahalikay sa peligro ug kada-ut ang atong mga kaigsoonan nga na n i muyo duol sa Cagayan de Oro R iver, ilabina kung panahon sa ba ha. Kung wa lay mga kakuli-an, puhon sa tuig 2014, paga-sugdan kini nga proyekto,” the mayor said in a statement.

(This is an important project so the people residing near Cagayan de Oro River will be protected from any hazards and damages, especially during f loods.

With anticipation, this project to start in year 2014.)

The city has embarked on other projects aimed at protecting its constituents from f loods and other calamities.

Aside from the river protection project, t he Japanese government also pledged to provide funds for the construction of 500 houses for tropical storm Sendong survivors.

IP MNCHN Project goes through FPIC process

JICA funds CdO’s river control project AMENITIES : ZORBIT * ATV * TREE TOP ADVENTURE BUGGY * BUNGEE * PICNIC GROUNDS PLAYGROUND * CAFE * LUGE * MINI GOLF ROOM ACCOMODATIONS

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Kia cee’d acclaimed at German Design Award THE second-generation Kia cee’d has once again been recognised for its exceptional design, achieving a ‘Special Mention’ at the prestigious German Design Award 2013.

The cee’d received the accolade for its exceptional design quality in the ‘Transportation and Public Space’ category of the German Design Award, which considered the aesthetics and functionality of all types of vehicle.

The award was judged by a jury of 30 leading experts in design, science and business, who reviewed over 1,500 entries across 10 categories.

“We are proud to receive this award for the cee’d in a competition as prestigious as t he Germa n Design Award,” said Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer. “This prize is further proof of the fact that our European design team, headed by Gregor y Guillaume, has successfully mastered the difficult challenge of

taking a model that was as groundbreaking for our brand as the original cee’d and further improving it.

“The new cee’d displays more emotion and character than its predecessor and it is a car with proportions that give it a very dynamic appeal. It is a striking appearance, and its maturity and its premium allure are immediately persuasive – and obviously this is true even among experts. Naturally, we are very pleased.”

The official presentation of the German Design Awards w ill take place at Ambiente, the world’s largest consumer goods exhibition, on 15 February 2013 in Frankfurt.

The new cee’d, Kia’s best-selling model in Europe, has already been recognised for its design at the Automotive Brand Contest in June 2012. In this compet it ion it won an award for exterior design and received a ‘Special Mention’ for its interior.

Motoring

November 2-4, 2012

3

Honda cuts profit forecast as China backlash hits JAPAN’S Honda Motor Co. cut its full-year net profit forecast by a fifth after sales in China, the world’s biggest autos market, were hit by a popular backlash against Japanese products in a dispute over East China Sea islands.

The substantial cut makes it likely that bigger rival Nissan Motor, and possibly Toyota Motor, will follow suit when they report quarterly earnings early next week.

“It’s likely Toyota and Nissan are going to cut forecasts in the same way. A cut was to be expected because the problems with China weren’t factored into forecasts,” said Fujio Ando, managing director at Chibagin Asset Management.

Demand for Honda, Toyota and Nissan cars slumped in China amid violent protests in September over the territorial dispute, with South Korea’s Hyundai Motor and Germany’s BMW picking up market share. Toyota has said its China sales dropped 49 percent in September.

Sales by Honda and its China joint ventures dropped 40.5 percent last month.

China is Honda’s secondbiggest market after the United States, accounting for 17 percent of 2011 sales.

Honda, whose models include the Accord, Fit/Jazz, Civic and CR/V, cut its net profit forecast for the year to March to ¥375 billion ($4.7 billion) from its earlier estimate of ¥470 billion. Last year, Honda reported net profit of ¥211.5 billion.

Shares in Honda – which fel l 15 percent to nea r 9-month lows amid the China protests – dropped nearly 6 percent on Monday, and last traded down 4.3 percent at ¥2,408.

Honda released its quarterly earnings three hours

earlier than planned, after accidentally posting the results on its website. It took down the numbers, but was told by the Tokyo Stock Exchange to bring forward the full announcement, a Honda spokeswoman said.

Net profit for July-September rose 36.1 percent to ¥82.2 billion ($1.03 billion), some way below the average estimate of ¥107.2 billion from six analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. A year ago, Japanese manufacturers were still reeling from the March earthquake and

tsunami.

Honda’s quarterly profits were also dented by start-up and advertising costs for the new Accord sedan, which went on sale in the United States in September, but the refresh helped Japan’s thirdbiggest automaker increase its share of the US car and light truck market to 8.7 percent in September.

The fa llout from t he Japan-China dispute could run into the current and fourth quarters, analysts have warned. Takaki Nahonda/PAGE 7

4

November 2-4, 2012

Companies

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DOLE-10, Pilipinas Kao forge MOU on labor and safety standards JASAAN, Misamis Oriental -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-10 has partnered with the Pilipinas Kao, Inc. in promoting labor and safety standards.

T he pa r t nership was recently formalized through the signing of memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Kapatiran-WISE-TAV also called as the Big BrotherSmall Brother program.

Lawyer Johnson G. Ca-

ñete, DOLE-10 reg iona l director, signed the MOU with Engineer Eugene C. Ola ndria, assista nt v ice pre sid ent a nd re sid ent head for plant operations of Pilipinas Kao; Dindo P. Cabel lo, chairma n of

Luz Banson Multipurpose Cooperative (LUBAMCO); Requita E. Vega, president of Samahang Kabuhayan ng Luz Banson, Inc. (SKLBI); Engineer Arnel G. Dumalaog, general manager of Metallite Builders Development Inc.; and Antonio V. Aguirre, president and general manager of TCS Manpower Services.

The Pilipinas Kao, which

sibility by assisting small companies (Small Brother), usually their contractors/ subcontractors, in becoming fully compliant with labor standards, occupationa l safety and health standards, and other labor laws.

DOLE-Eastern Misamis Orienta l Prov incia l Head Rogelio B. Doydora said the Big Brother-Small Brother Program is one of

the strategies used by DOLE in cultivating the culture of voluntary compliance with labor laws and standards.

He said through Corporate Social Responsibility, the Big Brother shall assist and guide its Small Brothers in improving their productivity and becoming fully compliant with labor standards through training and technical assistance.

CEMENT MAKER Holcim Philippines, Inc. saw its net income fall in the third quarter as higher import costs and temporary plant closure in a traditionally weak quarter weighed on its bottom line, the company said in a report Tuesday to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

The cement-maker report- only in bulk, which costs as ed a net income of P516.56 much as P2,700 per MT -million from July to Sep- more expensive than locally tember, 17.47% less than the produced clinker which costs P625.91 million recorded in P1,900/MT, Mr. van Wijnen the same three months last told reporters during a press briefing at Tsukiji Restaurant year.

The third-quarter result in Makati City yesterday. brought nine-month net in- Moreover, the company’s come to P2.53 billion, 22.22% production in the latest threemore than P2.07 billion the month period was trimmed due to the temporary closure previous year.

Net sales grew 19.66% to of its plants nationwide.

P6.39 billion in July-Septem- “The slight reduction in ber from P5.34 billion in the net income mainly comes same three months last year. from the fact we had in this In the same comparative third quarter a big number periods, cost of sales added of shutdowns. All our fa27.27% to P5.18 billion from cilities underwent preventive P4.07 billion, resulting in maintenance, save for one,” gross profit that slid 4.8% to Mr. van Wijnen said at the P1.211 billion from P1.273 briefing, referring to the company’s plant in Davao billion.

“We usually use the slow- City. down in the rainy season Aside from Davao City, as time for maintenance the company has three other and repair. But, as demand plants nationwide in the exceeded expectations this provinces of La Union, Buyear, we were confronted lacan and Misamis Oriental. with the possibility of in- Net sales gained 22.49% sufficient supply,” Roland to P20.21 billion as of Sepvan Wijnen, Holcim chief tember from P16.50 billion operating officer, said in a in the same nine months last year, while cost of sales added statement Tuesday.

“Given our commitment 24.22% to P15.13 billion to ensure reliable supply, we from P12.18 billion. These chose to go for more expen- resulted in a 17.7% rise in gross profits to P5.082 bilsive clinker imports.”

Clinker is an intermedi- lion from P4.317 billion. ate cement product created Expenses edged up 1.37% by grinding and burning to 430.400 million in the proportioned mixtures of third quarter from P424.588 limestone, shale and silica, million the previous year, according to Holcim Philip- bringing nine-month spendpines’ 2011 annual report. ing to P1.29 billion, 12.56% Year-to-date, Holcim more than the P1.15 billion Philippines has imported recorded as of September an estimated 600,000 metric last year. tons (MT) of clinker, a semi- The company said it is finished cement product sold adding production facili-

ties to keep up with cement demand which is expected to grow in the next few years.

“We will invest in an integrated plant that is already under way. Our preferred location will be in Norzagaray, Bulacan where we will expand with a new line. We are already doing feasibility studies which will include technical design and construction estimates which will be brought to our board for approval in the first half of 2013,” Mr. van Wijnen said.

“If all goes well, the plant will be up and running by 2016. It will primarily serve Luzon and keep our market share within 34-35%.”

The company expects to spend $350-450 million on the new facility, which will be capable of manufacturing 2-2.5 million MT of cement per year, Eduardo A. Sahagun, Holcim Philippines senior vice-president for Commercial, said in the same briefing.

“Growth will be coming from both sides -- the public and private [sectors]. Our conservative estimate is 5-6% growth on an annual basis ntil 2016 for the industry,” Mr. Sahagun said when asked to comment where Holcim Philippines will be deriving its growth in the near term.

Last July, Holcim Philippines said it was targeting to grow its full-year sales volume by roughly 10% to six million MT, equivalent to about 150 million cements bags, anchored on the continued surge in private and public spending.

Holcim Philippines, the local arm of Switzerlandbased Holcim Ltd., is a listed holcim/PAGE 7

is engaged in the manufacture and distribution of oleochemicals, will serve as the Big Brother while the SKLBI, LUBAMCO, TCS Ma npower Ser v ices a nd Metallite Builders will be the Small Brothers.

The Kapatiran-WISETAV is a DOLE program that encourages big companies (Big Brother) practice corporate social respon-

Aboitiz profit rises 12% on Holcim profits fall in Q3 growth of power business

ABOITIZ Equity Ventures Inc reported a 12-percent growth in earnings in the first 9 months of the year on the back of the double-digit expansion in the contribution of its power and banking businesses.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the conglomerate said its consolidated net income increased to P18 billion in the January to September period from P16 billion last year.

A EV’s core ea rni ngs – which strips off income gained from non-operations - grew 14 percent year-onyear to P17.6 billion.

In the third quarter, the holding firm’s consolidated net profit climbed 7 percent to P6.2 billion from a year ago’s P5.8 billion. Excluding non-operating income or losses, AEV closed the quarter with a core net income of P6.3 billion, up 9 percent year-on-year.

Its power business under Aboitiz Power Corp accounted for 78 percent of the conglomerate’s net profit in the first three quarters, followed by its banking and food units, which contributed 17 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

One of Aboitiz’s diesel-fired power barge.

Aboitiz Power raised its income contribution by 14 percent to P14.1 billion from last year’s P12.4 billion on the back of a 6-percent increase in average selling prices and 10-percent hike in net generation. When adjusted for non-recurring items, the power unit recorded a 16 percent expansion in its profit contribution to P13.7 billion from P11.9 billion a year ago.

The earnings share of the conglomerate’s banking business went up 15 percent to P2.7 billion from last year’s P3.1 billion, buoyed by listed Union Bank of the Philippines. The lender’s income contribution advanced 19 percent to P2.8 billion on the back of higher net interest income and hefty trading

gains.

AEV’s non-listed thrift bank, City Savings Bank Inc, posted a 12-percent decline in earnings contribution of P318 million in the nine-month period as the 33 percent growth in operating expenses as part of the bank’s ongoing expansion program offset the 17-percent growth in gross interest income.

Pilmico Foods Corp recorded a 3-percent decline in its income contribution for the period ending September to P906 million from last year’s P937 million as softer prices and an uptick in input costs took their toll on the feeds and swine divisions. Pilmico’s performance, however, was better than the 20-percent drop in earnings share in the first half.

Panasonic bares new batch of scholars THE Panasonic Scholarship Co. Ltd. of Japa n, toget her w it h the Panasonic Group of companies in the Philippines continu e s t o c ont r i but e to nat ion bui lding through quality education as anot her batch of deser v ing Filipino professionals were nominated to receive scholarship grants during the 2013 Panasonic Scholarship awarding ceremony held recently.

During the event, the certificates were presented to the nominees by t he Commission on Higher Education executive director IV Atty. Julito D. Vitriolo, Japan Information and Cul-

tural Center of the Embassy of Japan director Kiyoshi Takeuchi, Panasonic Scholarship Co. Ltd. of Japan president Kazuhiro Kawano, and Panasonic Scholarship (Philippines) chairman & Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corporation president Naoya Nishiwaki.

The nominees, who were chosen after passing series of tests, interviews, and assessment of their over-a ll performance as students or professionals in their respective schools or work are: Aliya Mari D. Adefuin from Laguna; Fatima Joy C. Cruz from Cavite; and John Jewish A. Dominguez from Pangasinan.

The three will have the chance to do research

and complete master’s degrees in top universities in Japan.

Miss Adefuin, who graduated Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines – Los Baños with a bachelor’s degree in Biology will focus her study on biomedical research, stem cell biology, and neurobiology.

Miss Cruz, on the other hand, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of the Philippines – Manila. She is top 6 in the 2010 Chemists Licensure Exam. She intends to enroll in a master’s progra m focusing on Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Holcim plant in Lugait, Misamis Oriental.

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November 2-4, 2012

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Green group urges PHL to declare GMOs unsafe

Greenpeace made the appeal following the Supreme Court of India’s landmark unanimous decision ordering a 10-year moratorium on all field trials of GM Bt food crops due to serious safety concerns.

India’s Technical Expert Committee (TEC), comprising of the country’s leading experts in molecular biology, toxicology and biodiversity, ordered a ban on all field trials of GM crops — including the controversial Bt eggplant, which is currently being evaluated for approval in the Philppines despite India’s banning it on February 2010 — as well as a moratorium on all field trials of herbicide tolerant crops until independent assessment of impact and suitability has been established.

The TEC also said that all field trials should be stopped until the following conditions have been met: (1) specific sites for conducting field trials have been designated and certified and sufficient mechanisms for monitoring the trials put in place; (2) a panel of scientists, qualified in evaluation of the biosafety data of GM crops has been engaged for scrutiny and analyses of the safety data; (3) conflict of interest in the regulatory body has been removed; and (4) the requirement for preliminary biosafety tests prior to field trials including sub-chronic toxicity in small animals has been included.

“This official unanimous declaration on the risks of GMOs, by India’s leading biotech scientists is the latest nail on the coffin for GMOs around the world,” said Dan-

iel M. Ocampo, Sustainable Agriculture and Genetic Engineering ampaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

“It is yet another proof that GMOs are bad for the health, bad for the environment, bad for farmers and bad for the economy. The Philippines should learn from this expert recommendation and use it as a guide for more stringent policies concerning these transgenic crops,” he added.

Potential harmful effects: The India Supreme Court report said that the moratorium was necessary because of the potential harm GM crops can cause to human health, and biodiversity. They also warned of the possibility that field trials will contaminate regular crops and other food supply. The expert body believes that India’s current regulatory system to assess the safety of GM crops is inadequate and raises questions about the ability to safely conduct field trials.

The Ind ia’s Supreme Court also recommended (1) an independent, longterm and inter-generational studies in the biosafety risk assessment; (2) an assessment of the GM crop technology; and (3) a socioeconomic risk analysis. All these recommendations must be stringently met before open releases are permitted.

It also recommended for a re-examination of all biosafety data for applications in process as well as those that have been approved for release by scientists who are qualified in biosafety science and experienced in evaluation of biosafety dossiers

for transgenic plants. This re-examination should be done “if necessary…by international experts who have the necessary experience.”

Unlike India, however, the Philippines has never rejected approval of any GMO — even those GMOs which are banned in other countries due to health and safety concerns, Ocampo said as he expressed alarm over the government’s lack of transparency in regulating and assessing the safety of GMOs. The Philippines is a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, an international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology from one country to another.

It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September 2003.

The Cartagena Protocol seeks to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements.

In banning GMOs, India’s Supreme Court-created TEC cited the Cartagena Protocol, which recognises the crucial importance of biodiversity as a long term resource, since field trials of transgenics in those crops for which India is a centre of origin or a centre of diversity may contaminate and adversely affect the country’s biodiversity.

PHL approves 1.5 applications a month: The Department of Agrigreen/PAGE 7

THE country’s palay production may fall short of projection for the third quarter of this year because of successive weather disturbances, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.

Dante Delima, DA assistant secretary and National Rice Program coordinator, told reporters that palay production may increase by eight percent in the third quarter of 2012, lower than the projected growth rate of 12 percent.

The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics earlier noted that third quarter palay output, which was based on farmers’ planting intentions,

was projected to reach 3.56 million metric tons (MT), 12 percent higher than last year’s output of 3.17 million MT. “This is based on our field assessment. But we still see that damages to the palay sector caused by the typhoons as minimal,” Delima said.

The DA official, however, said they expect massive harvest in the fourth quarter of 2012 because of the ongoing third cropping.

“We may exceed our production target of 6.36 million MT in the fourth quarter,” he said, noting that over 100,000 hectares have been pledged for the third crop-

ping scheme that started in September and due for harvest in December.

Of the total area, 80 percent, mostly in provinces in Region 2 and Region 3, have been utilized, he added.

For this year, palay production is expected to reach 18.46 million MT. But the National Rice Program said they are setting a conservative target of 17.8 million MT, which is still 6.7 percent higher than the harvest of 16.68 million MT in the same period last year.

Delima believes the target for the year can still be reached.

By BONG FABE, Correspondent

THE international environment group Greenpeace yesterday urged the Aquino administration, specifically the Department of Agriculture, to declare genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) as unsafe as it only harm the environment and public health as well as promote agricultural monopoly by giant agro-chemical companies.

An Ata-Manobo mother feeds her son during the recent 15th Kalibulungan Festival of the Municipality of Talaingod, Davao del Norte. (B en D. A rche)

Govt boosts trade for Mandaya tribe

By BEN D. ARCHE Correspondent

DAVAO City - The Mandaya tribe in Barangay Panansalan in Compostela town in Compostela Valley province will no longer have to carry their harvest by foot as government recently turned over its farm-to-market road project to their community through the PAMANA or Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Peaceful and Resilient Communities) program.

In a simple turnover ceremony, Oliver Binancilan, PAMANA eastern side area manager said the govern-

ment has been aspiring to strengthen communities by building more farm-tomarket roads to bolster the trade of the tribal groups.

Mandaya is one of the oldest ethnic groups in eastern Mindanao, particularly in the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Cotabato. The group is engaged in farming, fishing and hunting as their means of livelihood.

The PAMANA program is the peace building framework of the national government.

Naomi Lamata, Depart-

ment of Agriculture Regional Field Unit representative said that PAMANA’s road project speeded up the completion of the Upland Development Projects (UDP) in the area.

The UDP projects include upland rice, vegetable, peanut and mongo production, agri-water system, goatery, vermin composting, miniwarehouse, and corn sealing machine, said Lamata.

Compostela Governor Arturo Uy also requested the UDP to include water pipes in the project aside from sprayers and other farm implements and inputs to further boost the production.

Mr. Kelan Evans (upper photo) from the US Department of Agriculture gracing the occasion; and (lower photo) the lecturers from Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Ms. Welly A. Ousley (seated leftmost) who lectured on Systems and Procedures Requirements of USDA; Ms. Merle Palacpac, who lectured on Comprehensive Work Plan for the RP responsibilities to be undertaken by BPI-PQS for US market; with Dr. Helen Bignayan from UPLB; and DOLE consultant Mrs. Tuazon; and the participants. # RRE. Paasa (with report and photos from Ricardo Pondoyo, Plant Quarantine Officer, R-10)

Enhancing BPI-PQS capability for banana export to USA THE Bureau of Plant Industry-Plant Quarantine Service (BPI-PQS) hosted a training/workshop for the Mindanao wide BPI-PQS Inspectors on the implementation of banana export

program to the United States of America (USA) held at Pearlmont Inn, this city on September 18-20, 2012.

Fifty plant quarantine officers from the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro,

Cotabato, and General Santos participated in the training.

The training aims to enhance the capability of the BPI- PQS for the purpose

DA expects decline in palay yield due to bad weather

6

Opinion

November 2-4, 2012

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Good and bad poverty IT’S important that we know there is good and bad poverty.

At the moment, it seems people know more about the bad one, the one that demeans us as persons. There’s hunger, ignorance, inhuman conditions that rightly need to be fought if not eliminated.

But while that concern is just perfectly fine, we should not forget that it’s even more important to know and live the good type, because it is truly necessary for us.

Our problem is that we seem to be exclusively concerned about bad poverty and we appear completely clueless about the good one.

We have to exert deliberate effort to correct this anomaly.

The good poverty can be gleaned from one of the beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

(Mt 5,3) I’m sure many of us are familiar with these divine message, but I wonder whether we take it seriously, aware of its practical implications and really eager to attain the goal it is inviting us to reach.

This good povert y is meant for all of us, and not just for some who happen to be more religiously inclined.

This is one of the first battle grounds we need to win to have a proper understanding and attitude toward this virtue.

The current world mindset seems to confine good poverty to convents and monasteries. It does not allow this good poverty to breathe in open air, in the middle of the world. It practically inflicts a stigma on this kind

hints and traces

FR. ROY CIMAGALA

of poverty. It paints it black and ugly.

And yet, hardly anything is farther than the truth.

The good, Christian poverty enhances our humanity. It frees us from unnecessary and bad albeit sweet worldly allurements that separate us from our true and ultimate source of joy and freedom, God. Especially these days when the world is awash with the effects of materialism and commercialism, this good and Christian poverty is becoming an urgent necessity. We have to find ways to show its authentic beauty and value that should attract all of us.

We can use the new technologies to do that, explaining its true nature and our objective need for it. We have to wipe away the smudges of misinformation about it that have hounded it for long.

Christian poverty is actually a happy poverty. While it involves some self-denial and sacrifice, it on the whole and from beginning to end is a very positive element in cimagala/PAGE 7

M I N D A N A O

Talking to the Dead

THINK a minute…

A cemetery in Indiana, America has a gravestone with these words on it: “Stop stranger, when you pass me by. As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare to die, and follow me!”

A person walking by added these words underneath: “To follow you I’m not content, until I know which way you went!”

Do you sometimes wonder where your family and friends who’ve died are now?

Do they want you to come where they are? Don’t you wish they could talk to you?

Where are all those people

now who suddenly died in the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001?

Jesus Christ made it very clear that we already know where we’re going after we die, since it’s only now that we can choose where we’ll live after we die.

He warns us that it will be too late after we die to choose or change our mind.

Jesus said there are only two choices: to completely believe Him and live His way everyday, or, to keep living our own way. Heaven or hell.

Jesus said there’s no inbetween place for nice, good people who won’t ask for His

gift of forgiveness and live for Him every day.

None of us is perfect. We’ve all done some things wrong that we need Jesus to forgive us for and start changing in our character and way of living.

So we don’t need to talk to the dead to find out about life after death. Jesus Christ has already told us the truth and everything we need to know to go where we want to live after we die—together with Him and His true family in heaven.

So for your own peace of mind and safety, won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you for living your own way before

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THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

it’s too late?

Then ask Him to take full charge of your heart and help you start living His way every day, for the rest of your life.

Just think a minute…

Sleepless in Mindanao!

executive Editor

JOE DEL PUERTO FELICILDA Uriel C. Quilinguing Editorial Consultants

BusinessWeek

DRIVEN by a steady 5.6% economic growth in the last six months and expected to hit more than 6% growth at the end of the last quarter this year? The National Economic Development Authority forecasted figures can lead to the probable rise of Mindanao’s middle class and its impact on the property, retail and convention market. The trend is prominently showing with more property and hotel developers shifting their high gear to Davao, General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro. High rise condominium development, hotels and middle class subdivisions are also rising to as far as Butuan City.

Mall developers Ayala Land and SM Prime lead the pack with new retail expansion projects featuring business class hotels and large convention halls expected to be fully operational early next year. Robinson Land breaks grounds in Butuan City with a planned Go hotel brand for construction last quarter this

year. KCC in General Santos will open their Green Leaf Hotel, the biggest in the city.

While in Davao City, two more international hotels are opening early next year. All four locations in Mindanao are expected to roll out these projects to the public before the end of 2013.

Other home grown property developers in Mindanao has partnered with known urban conglomerate in the country like Vista Land and Fil- Invest whose projects in the National Capital Region, Southern Luzon and Cebu were sold out. Traditional Mindanao retail giants like the Gaisano Capital Group, NCC of the Lim’s in Davao City and KCC of the Teng’s in General Santos are all expanding and building new branches in the secondary cities of Southern Mindanao.

While Cagayan de Oro’s Lim Ket Kai group is poised to bring a foreign partner to manage their high rise 224 rooms’ business class hotel.

Mindanao with more

than 2`1,582,540 million populations represents 24% of the total 93 Million people in the Philippines. It has more OFWs working in the Middle East and other Muslim countries of the world. Its export from fruits and other agricultural products are finding good market in Japan and the other smaller countries in the Pacific basin. In spite of some territorial row, Philippine bananas are still sold to China. Tuna from General Santos are turning an average of USD280 Million annual exports to Japan and the US. While mining proceeds in the Surigao Provinces and South Cotabato could not yet be ascertained on its impact to the Mindanao economy due to unresolved national government policies and local government ambivalent pronouncements that have caused irritants among mining investors and policy regulators.

The improving economic development in Mindanao

TRAVERSING THE TOURISM HI-WAY

PED T. QUIAMJOT should spell growth for domestic tourism. High earning middle class can spend on leisure activities for regional travel and real estate to housing acquisitions.

With the expanded airports in Davao City, Ozamis, Dipolog, Pagadian, Butuan City and soon the Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro which can handle bigger wide bodied aircrafts of the A320 – A330 class, travel and conventions will rise in the next 18 months shifting its destination away from the quiamjot/PAGE 7

PH treasures at Paris Museum IT’S about time the world knows how rich the Philippines truly is.

The Musée du Quai Branly (MQB) in Paris, France, will be featuring the Philippines’ pre-Hispanic collection of pottery and gold in an “exhibition of indigenous art and culture” next year.

This will be part of MQB’s mandate as a national museum to feature arts and civilizations in Africa, Oceania, the Americas, and Asia.

The Philippine Exhibition, entitled “Philippines, Art of Exchange,” will be held from April 9 to July 21, 2013.

The MQB is set to borrow 30 pieces from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) pre-Hispanic collection — 27 of which will be from the gold collection and three from the pottery collection.

The total insurance value for the 30 pieces is a staggering P111,159,000.00!

Such treasures only show how distinct and rich the Filipino civilization was even before the Spanish colonization.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, excavations all over the Philippines have turned up fine pottery and gold pieces in sites such as Batangas and Mindoro in Luzon, Samar in the Visayas, and Butuan and Surigao in Mindanao.

“The technology used in making these artifacts is an enduring evidence of the high level of technology during the pre-colonial period,” the Metropolitan Museum said, adding that the artifacts are now considered a national heritage and are part of the BSP’s Gold and Pottery Collection.

The Metropolitan Museum revealed that since ancient times, gold has been one of the main products of the Philippine islands.

“Both ancient and modern-day goldsmiths exude exquisiteness in their craftmanship in making pieces for trade or for personal vanity and prestige,” the Museum said.

The BSP’s gold collection actually started with beads and gold pieces that

were utilized as a means of exchange during ancient times.

The pre-Hispanic gold collection also showcases “barter rings,” or hollow gold tubes that form a circle.

These barter rings, according to the Metropolitan Museum, are bigger than doughnuts in size and are made of nearly pure gold.

Aside from the rings, the BSP also has a significant collection of excavated glass and semiprecious stone beads, which are strung into necklaces and other ornaments.

“The gold belts or waist embellishments, which are also part of the collection, have not been found anywhere else in the world and represent the height of ancient Filipino gold industry,” the Museum said.

So rare are these embellishments that a gold sash from Surigao, which will be included in the Paris exhibition, is set to be insured for R54 million!

Other pieces in the BSP Gold and Pottery Collec-

SPEAKING OUT

IGNACIO BUNYE tion show that Filipinos a thousand years ago “sent” their dead in spirit boats to the afterworld, according to the Metropolitan Museum.

The ancient Filipino dead were extravagantly adorned with “masks,” which covered their eyes, noses, and mouths, made of gold sheets.

The Museum explained that gold was then considered a magical substance that may have been aimed to be kept the soul inside or to keep evil spirits out.

“The gold partially hides the features of the departed, impressing on the mind of bunye/PAGE 7

BusinessWeek M I N D A N A O

November 2-4, 2012

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Lower... from page 11

OVS) based at the DFA’s home office to assist the Office for Overseas Voting, and to direct, coordinate and oversee the DFA’s participation in the implementation of the Overseas Voting Law. The bill also authorizes Comelec to appropriate not less than 10 percent of the overseas voting budget for a n informat ion dissemination and education campaign and may enter into contracts with public or private entities to ensure

Green... from page 5

riculture, through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), has approved 67 GMOs for importation as food, feed and processing, since 2004. And the most worrisome GMO approvals the DA had done are for rice, the country’s staple food.

To date, the Philippines has approved a total of 67 GMO crops. Greenpeace put the government’s approval rating of GMOs at 1.5 GMOs per month since 2004.

Greenpeace lamented that no GMO application in the Philippines has ever been disapproved despite documented cases on questions of their safety and rejection by other countries.

“Unfortunately, while leading experts in India are recommending an end to GMOs, certain Filipino

Cimagala... from page 6

our life.

With it we free our soul, the very seat of our identity and the linking point between God and us, from any obstacle that would impede our relation with God and with others. With our wounded human condition, we tend to have material and temporal concerns dominate our soul, desensitizing it from its true

Quiamjot... from page 6

national capital region.

Among the prominent events brought to Davao City next year is the IBP national convention, the MICE Conference and the Advertising Congress of the Philippines to name

Unemployment... from page 1

t he Fi lipino popu lat ion ranged between 24.9 to 26.5 percent during the period,” he said.

Albert noted that most of the other countries moved from being heavily dependent on t he agricu lture sector to developing the manufacturing sector, which offered better jobs, higher wages and set a decisive impact on the countr y’s economy. Roughly six of 10 poor underemployed belong to the agriculture, forestry and hunting business in 2009.

7

effective and efficient information dissemination.

Co-authors of the bill are Reps. Gloria MacapagalArroyo (2nd District, Pampanga), the late Salvador Escudero III (1st District, Sorsogon), Maria Isabelle Climaco (1st District, Zamboanga City), Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), Edcel Lagman (1st District, Albay), Rexion Gatchalian (1st District, Valenzuela City), Neptali Gonzales II (Lone District, Mandaluyong City), Kaka Bag-ao (party-list, Akbayan) and Rodel Batocabe (party -list, Ako Bicol). PNA

Amisa...

New shopping malls help boost SM Prime Q3 income

spacious balconies, to open grand views of the sea.

Of course, a sense of security is equally essential in the joys of owning a seaside weekend home. With the safety provided by the project’s gated complex, unit owners can afford to lock up and go.

Personalized building management services provide the assurance that the needs of unit owners and the general upkeep of the facilities are attended to in a professional manner.

SM PRIME Holdings Inc., the country’s biggest shopping mall developer, said net income in the third quarter rose 16 percent to P2.48 billion as it opened more shopping centers in the country and as China’s performance improved, a Philippine Stock Exchange filing on Monday showed.

Earnings during the quarter brought net income in the nine months through September to P7.40 billion, up 15 percent, the developer said.

SM Prime said revenues from July to September reached P7.52 billion, for a 15-percent year-on-year increase. For the nine-month period, revenues were up 15 percent P22.1 billion.

In addition, its nine- month

earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) rose 12 percent to P14.6 billion for an Ebitda margin of 66 percent.

In terms of gross revenues, the four malls in China contributed P1.9 billion in 2012 and P1.49 billion in 2011, or 9 percent and 8 percent of total consolidated revenues, respectively.

Gross revenues of the four malls in China increased by 27 percent in 2012 compared with the same period in 2011 due to improvements in the average occupancy level, lease renewals, and the opening of SM Xiamen Lifestyle and SM Suzhou which added 182,000 square meters of gross floor area, the disclosure showed. The average occupancy

rate for the four malls in China is now at 96 percent.

“Our performance for the first nine months of 2012 gives us confidence in reaching our full-year target. We think that consumer sentiment will remain positive on the back of a strong domestic economy,” SM Prime president Hans Sy said in the statement.

“Moreover, we anticipate this trend to continue as we approach the holiday season, when consumer spending is particularly strong,” he added.

Operating expenses during the first nine months of 2012 increased by 14 percent to P10.45 billion due to increase in administrative expenses.

scientists who midnight as paid lackeys of agrochemical corporations, are attempting to railroad GM field trials in the country — without the benefit of a comprehensive and objective study and analysis of safety data. The Department of Agriculture should be the first one to put a stop to such indiscriminate promotion of GMOs as it goes against the interest of Filipino farmers and consumers,” Ocampo stressed.

“The Department of Agriculture should cancel all GMO approvals, including experimental field trials.

It is a fact that the GMO regulatory system in the Philippines is hopelessly flawed. With the growing opposition against GMO crops and the increasing body of scientific research that underlines the threats of GMOs, the government

must wake up and create policies that look after the interests of the people.

The DA has taken the first step Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, but this effort continues to be undermined by continued approvals of GMOs, as well as support of commercial research and field trials to propagate these harmful modified crops,” he added.

GMOs lead to food crisis in PHL: During the observance of the World Food Day last October 16, Ocampo said that the government’s “relentless approvals of GMO crops will lead the country into a food crisis” as GMO corporations will force Filipino farmers become dependent on industrial chemical inputs such as harmful pesticides and herbicides. This will effectively tie the farmers into a “never-ending circle

of debt and less choices.”

“Far from being a solution, GMOs extend all the worst practices of industrial agriculture. And, perversely, its widespread adoption would lead to more hungry people not fewer,” he stressed.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently reported that there are 5.4 percent more hungry people in the Philippines now compared to the previous decade, even as hunger substantially decreased in the same period in all other countries in Southeast Asia.

The report cited Thailand — a country that does not plant GMOs — where the number of chronically hungry people decreased most dramatically at 79.8 percent.

“GMOs do not play a substantial role in addressing the key problems hunger and poverty, and food safety and

security. The government’s rabid support of GMOs is completely irresponsible because it supports industrial farming practices and chemical dependence that would endanger, rather than improve, the country’s agricultural sector. By approving GMOs, the government is actually compounding the food problem, not solving it,” Ocampo said.

GMOs shift the focus away from the real solutions to hunger and it effectively hide the true causes of hunger, which is derived from social and environmental problems, Greenpeace said.

Instead of solving the problem of hunger, GMOs all the more aggravate it, the group added.

The government must acknowledge that a large part of the problem is giant agro-chemical corporations, which are hell bent on

marketing GMOs and the industrial farming system it maintains, with little regard to health, environmental, and economic consequences.

“The government must re-examine its misplaced focus on industrial farming which has diverted government funds from supporting ecological solutions that ensure food security and sound environment. As a start, the DA must cancel all GMO approvals and instead support ecological alternatives that will guarantee a healthy, viable and sustainable agriculture to feed the country,” Ocampo said.

source and end.

That’s why Christian poverty is not so much about poverty in material terms as in poverty of spirit. It does not keep a negative attitude toward material things, but rather considers them always in relation to our duty towards God and others.

And so Christian poverty can be and in fact, should be lived even in the midst of material prosperity. It is not averse to earthly wealth as

long as this wealth is taken as means in our total self-giving to God and to others.

Thus one should not be afraid to be a millionaire or a billionaire as long as he is detached from earthly things and his is heart to totally given to God and others. Christian poverty is compatible with good taste, good grooming and certain level of human comfort.

It is also open to any situation. As St. Paul said: “I know

both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound; both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound and to suffer need.” (Phil 4,12) This is, of course, easier said than done, and so Christian poverty demands of us constant struggle. We need to continually examine our conscience, rectify our intentions, increasingly get involved in the lives of others, always promoting religion and social justice.

This is the only way this Christian poverty can be lived regardless of the situation. We have to see to it that everyday nothing earthly or material or temporal detains us from keeping a lively relation of love with God and others.

If we remain simple, humble and honest, it should not be difficult to see if indeed such is our condition in any given day. The end effect should be joy and an exquisite sense of freedom.

a few. While Cagayan de Oro welcomes January with a series of Pharmaceutical and Medical Conference, the Divine Mercy International Pilgrimage and t he Phi lippi nes Jaycee’s national convention follows in the third quarter.

Dipolog City will host the Mindanao Business Con-

ference and the succeeding BIMP- EAGA gatherings are scheduled in General Santos City. Many of the Mindanao domestic travelers can fill up budget accommodation while national corporate events should sustain the occupancies of business class hotels forecasted to hit 60%. The industry is

not discounting increase in travel of the candidates for national office among the major political parties starting January next year.

Where to shop, dine and buy the latest electronic gadget will become a hotel concierge functions next year in the major cities of Mindanao.

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

However, the Philippines failed to follow suit.

Fresh data show that the Philippines had declining employment share in the manufacturing sector while increasing employment in other sectors and retaining a significant number in the agriculture sector.

Albert said among the classic examples are the cases of Vietnam and China, which have made large strides in poverty reduction.

Pover t y incidence in Vietnam was 63.7 percent in 1993 and went down to 16.9 percent in 2008. In China, poverty incidence was 60.2 percent in 1990,

which dropped to just 13.1 percent in 2008.

In terms of their working poor, Vietnam’s proportion of working poor went down from 71.5 percent in 1995 to 20.4 percent in 2006. China, on the other hand, registered a 73.1 percent proportion of working poor in 1992, which went down to 18.3 percent in 2005.

“In both these countries, the share of employed persons in agriculture, forestry, and hunting has been decreasing while the share of those in manufacturing has been increasing. In other words, the poor (from agriculture) managed to exit

from poverty by getting better employment,” the NSCB head said.

Lack of opportunities for the farmers result in low educational levels in the agriculture sector, which in turn, account for the low employment rate. Nearly three out of every five (59.3 percent) of the working poor are elementary undergraduate or graduate.

The NSCB revealed that poor underemployed Filipinos are aged between 35 and 44 in 2006 and 2009. Most of the poor underemployed are married (72.2 percent in 2006 and 69.9 percent in 2009) and male (71.8 percent

in 2006 and 70.4 percent in 2009).

Poverty among the underemployed consistently decreases as educational achievement increases.

Most of the poor underemployed are working as laborers and unskilled workers (50.1 percent in 2006 and 53 percent in 2009) and, farmers, forestry workers and fishermen (31.1 percent in 2006 and 27.7 percent in 2009).

from page 12

Honda...

from page 3 an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Tokyo, said the impact could, at

Bunye...

from page 6 grieving relatives an eternal, incorruptible visage, not of the flesh that will soon become earth,” it added. *** Note: My book “Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria” will be available in Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, starting November 16. You may e-mail us at totingbunye2000@gmail.com.

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Holcim... from page 4

firm involved in the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cement and clinker to domestic and foreign markets, according to information posted on PSE’s Web site.

It was originally incorporated as Hi-Cement Corp. in 1964, which later merged with Davao Union Cement Corp. and Bacnotan Cement Corp. in 2000, later acquiring Alsons Cement Corp. and assuming its present name in 2002. best, last 3 months, and up to 6 months in a pessimistic scenario.

CEO Takanobu Ito, 59, an engineer who took over three years ago, has set a demanding goal to nearly double global car sales to 6 million in four years. Worldwide production jumped 69 percent in April-September to above 2 million vehicles.

The carmaker on Monday trimmed its full-year global sales forecast to 4.12 million vehicles from an earlier estimate of 4.3 million.

Toyota and Nissan report their quarterly earnings on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, respectively. — Reuters

8

November 2-4, 2012

Developments

CDO bares marked increase in business tax, fees collections CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -Despite the devastations brought by Typhoon Sendong, this City’s business climate remains strong.

According to a city government bulletin issued yesterday, collections derived from business tax and fees this year, significantly increased compared to collections last year.

Based on the comparative report submitted by Acting Assistant City Treasurer Melchie D. Malazarte to Mayor Vicente Emano, collections from business taxes and fees from the first quarter to the fourth quarter (as of October 23, 2012) went higher by 17.24 percent as compared to figures during the same period last year.

The report indicates that the city was able to collect a hefty P608,906,827.25, which is higher by P89.5 million than last year’s collection of P519,350,809.13.

For the first quarter of 2012, collections reached P284,770,609.34, P38.1 million more than last year’s figure which was only P246,575,645.30.

During the second quarter, P132,770,076.34 was added to the city’s coffers,

and on the third quarter the city earned P116,094,952.49.

Two months to go before the fourth quarter ends but the City Treasurers Office was already able to collect P75,264,189.08. This is higher by P15.4 million than the collections during the fourth quarter of 2011 which was P59,786,410.09.

REAL PROPERTY TAXES Collections from Real Property Taxes (RPT) from the first to the third quarter of this year was marked by a 17.08 percent increase compared to figures during the same period last year, the report showed.

From total RPT collections of P266,739,474.54 in 2011, the figure soared to P312,299,290.84 as of October 23, exceeding the city’s projected RPT collection for this year.

Out of the amount, P139,933,503.98 was collected during the first quarter, P90,065,067.27 during the second quarter and P82,300,719.59 on the third quarter.

Financial czars are optimistic that figures will significantly increase next year, as the city continues to rise as one of the prime business districts in the country.

The East and Westbound

Terminal and Public Market (EWBTPM) also, was able to collect an income of P339,872.24.

The actual weekly report submitted by Dr. Perla Asis to the City Council committee on economic enterprises chaired by Councilor Emmanuel Abejuela indicates that the bulk of the amount came from the terminal

operations, which totaled P134,729.

Meanwhile, space rentals at the Westbound Terminal earned P9,246, the market yielded an income of P90,930.63 while the fish landing area earned P32,937.

Based on the report, the income of Eastbound Terminal during the period was P11,245.

Meanwhile, councilor Simeon V. Licayan, chair of the City Council committee on finance and ways and means, will be leading and preparing the schedule of

BusinessWeek M I N D A N A O

marathon hearing on the 2013 executive budget.

Through Resolution No. 11169-2012, the 16th City Council headed by Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas constituted the legislative body as a Committee of the Whole to deliberate on the city’s General Fund and Special Account-Economic Enterprises .

It granted the committee on finance the full authority to schedule deliberations by department or office.

Based on the executive budget submitted by Mayor

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Vicente Emano, the city’s General Fund for 2013 is estimated at P1.98 billion.

Meanwhile, the City Economic Enterprises, composed of four public markets has a proposed budget for operations in the amount of P112,050,000 from market fees and other miscellaneous income and the East and WestBound Terminal and Public Market in the amount of P18,754,000 and the J.R. Borja General Hospital amounting to P129,338,000, totaling P260,142,000.

EMPLOYEES from various offices of the Province of Bukidnon participated the Publication Production seminar held at D Garden, Malaybalay City, October 23-24. Journalism topics were given by the invited lecturer, Mr. Allan Mediante. - (Al Jundano)

SERVICE STAR AWARD: IOLANI MAE AVES-OCTOBER 2012

Congratulations to Iolani (Lani) Aves!

Lani joined St. Catherine in 2006. She has worked as a RN in the Med Surg department for most of her time with us. She has also assisted with Post Partum, the Emergency Room and Telemetry when needed. Her experience has been at the Staff Nurse and the Charge Nursed positions. Recently, Lani joined the Emergency Department Team. Lani consistently demonstrates honest teamwork, a positive attitude, professionalism and making a difference in the care given to our patients. She has been highlighted in many patient satisfaction reports as a truly compassionate and professional Nurse. Her co-workers have noted how she always shows the CHRISTUS Mission, to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, especially by enforcing teamwork and going the extra mile for her team. If there is a need for help, Lani is there.

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

SOURCE: St. Catherine Gazette ,Friday,October 26,2012

Christus St. Catherine Hospital Katy,Texas USA

N.B. Iolani Mae Aves is a graduate of Capitol University and awarded the

CU Florence Nightingale Award batch 2003.

Butuan SP okays Barangay Food Terminal project

BY PAT SAMONTE BUTUAN CITY – The city council has passed a resolution to pave the way for the establishment of a Barangay Food Terminal to serve as distribution system for agricultural and marine products.

City council spokesperson Eldie David announced that the measure gave Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr. authority to sign a memorandum of agreement with the

Caraga Regional Field Office of the Department of Agriculture and the Butuan City New Villages Cooperative for the implementation of the project.

Vice-Mayor Lawrence Lemuel Fortun said the barangay-based food depot will enable farmers to establish direct and effective means to offer their produce straight to consumers at low prices and encourage other barangays to engage in the same venture.

The project is expected to generate more income on the part of the farmers and raise their standards of living, he said.

“Surely, consumers will flock to the Barangay Food Terminal because of the freshness, quality and low prices of the farm products.

In return, the farmers will be encouraged to produce more, knowing their products will be safe at the terminal where buyers or consumers converge,” Fortun added.

leyball, basketball and Pinoy games such as jumping rope, Chinese garter, sack race, egg relay, flour-blowing and straw relay. This particular component of the Children’s Month celebration aims to develop camaraderie among the children, give them an opportunity to play, and enhance their potential in sports.

The Culmination Festival was held last October 29 at the Toril District Hall grounds.

The line up of activities included the parade, quizbowl, yell dance competition and theatrical presentation . More than 150 children coming from Child Alert’s five organized communities - Talomo, Dumoy, Crossing Bayabas, Toril Pobacion and Daliao, participated in the activities.

The children from Toril Poblacion came in first with a total of 715 points, followed

by Daliao with 665 points.

Dumoy bagged the third place with 615 points, while Crossing Bayabas took the fourth place with 550 points and Talomo took the fifth with 165 points.

“The children clearly had fun and they worked hard to make the celebration successful. We hope that through this celebration and our efforts, the government offices would be ‘alerted’ on the plight of most children in our country and they could immediately act on it,” said Bernardo Mondragon, executive director of Child Alert.

According to update s of the International Labor Organization, there are over 5 million child laborers in the country including victims of trafficking and prostitution.

Officials and other service providers from the five barangays also joined the event.

Child Alert Mindanao celebrates Children’s Month DAVAO CITY -As the month of October draws to a close, the non-government organization, Child Alert Mindanao concludes its Children’s Month celebration. Billed as “Bata Atimanon Para sa Maayong Kaugmaon”, Child Alert once again affirms their advocacy to help develop the community mechanisms for child protection.

Through the celebration of Children’s Month, the organization aims to raise awareness on child protection and showcase children’s skills and talents. The tripartite celebration comprising of the Art Showcase, Sports Strife, and the Culmination Festival accomplished the objectives of this year’s celebration.

During the Art Showcase, the children participated in collage, slogan and poster making contests.

The Sports Strife on the other hand consisted of vol-

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Plans... from page 1

mechanism by which generators of big malls and industries will be tapped and auctioned to the market so that immediately, power will be available to the electric cooperatives.

“It is more or less 200 to 300 megawatt-capacity from the embedded generators of Davao Light and Power Company, five-megawatts from SM Malls, seven megawatts from Coca-Cola and other factories,” Montenegro said.

He said pulling this extra power together will yield 300 megawatts available to the market.

“The details of this plan are still being thresh-out, but the first public consultation had been done by the DOE in Cagayan de Oro City two weeks ago while other consultations will be done in other areas of Mindanao to get stakeholders’ comments since the plan impacts on the pricing of electricity,” Montenegro said.

He said another plan is the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) where the Energy Regulatory Commission will come up with a rate that will compensate for the use of generators by the industries.

Montenegro said industries will be paid based on the use fuel and oil and the depreciation of equipment as they pull away from the Mindanao grid during peak hours and turn on their generators.

“It is still subject to ERC approval since it is easier for industries to disconnect from the Mindanao grid, easing the pressure and consequently, providing more electricity to consumers,” he said.

Montenegro said more than a thousand industries have committed to participate in the IMEM and the

ILP. Montenegro also said the plan to move power barges from Visayas to Mindanao have not yet been realized pending the bidding process by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation.

He said it will require three months to move the ba rges f rom Visayas to Mindanao and additional months more for barges to be operational.

Montenegro said that presently, fifty percent of the Mindanao power source comes from hydro-power stations in the rivers of Agus and Pulangi which perform only at sixty percent of its capacity producing only 600 megawatts.

The lack of power supply is exacerbated by the shutting down of a Steag coal-fired power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental which went on a preventive maintenance withdrawing a 200 megawatt- supply from the Mindanao grid.

According the systems advisory issued by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGPC) as of October 26, there was a generation deficiency in the grid which constrained the grid operator to issue a Red Alert from 8AM onwards and impose a power curtailment level of 360 megawatts (MW).

During a media presentation earlier this year, NGCP explained a Red Alert is a notice issued by the System Operator to grid users when either one of three conditions exist: a) when the contingency reserve is zero; b) when a generation deficiency exists, and/or c) if there is critical loading or imminent overloading of transmission lines or equipment.

Grid users refer to bulk power users like generators, distribution utilities, and directly connected indus-

tries. Ordinary household consumers do not receive this kind of notice or alert.

The present curtailment level was attributed to the low water inflow at the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon, low forebay elevation of Agus 4 HEP and the planned shutdown of the Mindanao Geothermal Plant 1.

“Water inflow of Pulangi plant reservoir could not sustain 180MW output,” the advisory said. “It is further reduced to 150MW.” The Pulangi IV hydroelectric power plant in Maramag, Bukidnon is actually designed as a “run-of-river” plant downstream of three other HEPs (Pulangi 1, 2 & 3) and can only sustain its installed capacity of 255MW if water from its reservoir were allowed to flow freely.

For a number of reasons, the three other plants upstream and another downstream (the controversial Pulangi V aimed at producing 300MW) have not been constructed. As a result of the low water inflow, Pulangi IV currently produces only 110MW or -140MW less.

Similarly, Agus 4 was designed with an installed capacity of 158MW but produces only 130MW at present or - 28MW less due to the low water discharge from Agus 1 and 2. Unit of the Mindanao Geothermal in Mt. Apo is undergoing Preventive Maintenance Shutdown (PMS) and so is currently not producing its designed capacity of 54.2MW. The three plants together already account for a 222MW generation deficiency in the Mindanao Grid.

“As of today, we are closed to 300 megawatt-deficit and during peak hours from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, the demand would reach 400 megawattdeficit,” Montenegro said.

He said due to the deficiency in power sources areas

outside the cities of Davao, Cotabato and Cagayan de Oro experience two to six hours of power outage especially cities of General Santos and Zamboanga which are very far from the Mindanao grid.

He said that the power situation in Mindanao in 2013 will be in a critical phase due to the projected dry-spell during summer which might impact on the water level of Pulangi river and Lanao lake.

Montenegro recalled that in 2010, the long dry-spell resulted to ten percent reduction in the power supply by Agus and Pulangi leading to ten to 12-hour brownouts in Mindanao.

He noted that Davao City has been spared from the power outages due to its many embedded generators and power sources like the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato. “ T hey may not have brownouts, but there will be increase in power bills as embedded generators run whenever the power from the Mindanao grid reduces,” Montenegro said.

The Iligan Diesel Power Plant (IDPP) is expected to resume operations by December this year yet but is further expected to roll out its full 108MW output by June next year. The Commission on Audit recently approved the sale of the IDPP to Alsons Consolidated, which will invest another P1.2 billion to rehabilitate its units.

Bananas... from page 1

presence of scale insects in shipments.

The world economic giant is the second-biggest market for Philippine bananas, next to Japan. Banana exports to China reached 358,000 metric tons (MT) worth P4.75 billion in 2011.

In August the BPI declared that China had started to ease its restrictions on Philippine

bananas. As of August 14, the Chinese quarantine office allowed the entry of 17,787 container vans equivalent to 356,092 MT of bananas valued at $71 million.

Despite this breakthrough, the private-sector led group of the Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association continues to conduct trade missions to the Middle East, Russia and Europe to promote Philippine bananas and develop new markets for its members’ produce.

The BPI said the US government is reviewing the final work plan also for the export of cavendish bananas to US trust territories, which include Guam, the Marianas Islands and Palau.

With the opening of its market to local bananas, the US expects the Philippines to allow increased market access to its temperate vegetables.

Despite the restrictions imposed by China, the National Statistics Office said in a recent report that the value of banana exports in January-August went up by 20.16 percent year-on-year to $309.16 million.

Airport...

from page 1 investment promotion, tourism and employment and land use and environment, as well as to the representatives of Ayala Lands, Incorporated.

With the energization of the 10-MVA Moog Substation last July 26, 2012 Misamis Oriental Electric Cooperative-I will be able to provide t he one-megawat t power supply requirement for the testing and commissioning of the Laguindingan Airport facilities. The Energy Regulatory Commission-approved construction of the 40-km alternative 69-kV line (N-1) from Manticao to Laguindingan will also respond to the airport’s requirement for future power demand.

Ongoing initiatives are u nder t a ken by t he loc a l government of Laguindingan to ensure availability of adequate and potable water

9

supply for the municipality and the airport requirement.

Widening and upgrading of the Butuan-Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Road is ongoing.

The Alubijid-Gitagum-Laguindingan cluster of municipalities is actively pursuing activities to ensure proper land use.

On the proposed Laguindingan seaport, the Ayala Corporation suggested to put on hold the conduct of the joint topographic and hydrographic survey on the Ayala property to delineate the port zone of the proposed seaport, since they are still preparing the master plan of the entire land holdings with Ayala Land, Inc. EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AMONG ALL THE HEIRS OF THE CO-OWNERS WITH CONFIRMATION OF SALE IN FAVOR OF JOENA B. AYALA Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the Late BUENAVENTURA LABNAO, who died on November 4, 1994 in Cagayan de Oro City, without any will; left a parcel of Land, designated as Lot 1377, Cad 237, Cad-237, Cagayan Cadastre. Containing an area of (4,705) square meters situated in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City and covered by Original Certificate of Title No. 6995 issued by the Office of the Registrar of Deeds for the City of Cagayan de Oro; is the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AMONG ALL THE HEIRS OF THE CO-OWNERS WITH CONFIRMATION OF SALE IN FAVOR OF JOENA B. AYALA, made and entered into by and between; EFLEDA LABNAO BUHAWE, of legal age, married and resident of Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, herein referred to as HEIR; ENERIO LABNAO, of legal age, married and resident of P Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, herein referred to as Heir; FRANCIS LABNAO, of legal age, single and resident of P Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, herein referred to as Heir; EDNA LABNAO JUAREZ, of legal age, married and resident of P Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, herein referred to as Heir; and VIVIAN LABNAO, of legal age, married and resident of P Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, herein referred to as Heir; For and in consideration of the sum of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00), Philippine Currency. Containing an area of (545) square meters, as per Doc. No. 129; Page No. 027; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2012.

BWM: NOV. 2, 9, & 16, 2012

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region Cagayan de Oro City 2012-458 OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL SHERIFF

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region Cagayan de Oro City 2012-469 OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT SHERIFF

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE File No. 2012-301

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE File No. 2012-287

Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act No. 3135 as amended, filed by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND (PAG-IBIG), Cagayan de Oro City, as mortgagee, against JOSEPHINE N. PEPITO married to NELSON P. PEPITO, with postal address at Block 8, Lot 3, Lourdesville Homes, Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City, or at Kinura, Kalilangan, Bukidnon, as mortgagor, which as of August 24, 2012 amounts to TWO HUNDRED FORTY SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR PESOS & 57/100 (Php 246,674.57) inclusive of interest, and penalty charges, but exclusive of attorney’s fees equivalent to ten (10%) percent of the total indebtedness plus the expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned will sell at public auction on November 29, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. or soon thereafter at the main entrance of the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice, Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine Currency, the following property with all the improvements found thereon, described as follows:

Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act No. 3135 as amended

by Act No. 4118, filed by HDMF (PAG-IBIG), Cagayan de Oro Branch, as mortgagee, against JEFFREY M. SARADOR married to CRISTINE E. SARADOR, as mortgagors, Lot 3, Blk. 21, Pag-Ibig City, Malanang, Opol, Misamis Oriental, which as of August 24, 2012, amounts to THREE HUNDRED NINETEEN THOUSAND THIRTY SIX PESOS & 27/100 (Php 319,036.27) inclusive of interest, and penalty charges, attorney’s fees and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned will sell at public auction on December 6, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Room 110, Hall of Justice, Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine Currency, the following property described below with all the improvements found thereon, described as follows:

“A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot 3, Blk. 21, Psd-10-057664, Being a portion of Lot 1, Pcs-10-003972. Location Malanang, Opol, Misamis Oriental. With an area of 120 sq. m., more or less.xxx

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated date, time and place.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date for whatever reason, the same will proceed on the following working day without further notice, posting and publication.

Prospective buyers/bidders may investigate for themselves the title above-described and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Cagayan de Oro City, October 9, 2012.

TCT No. 80034 “A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot 3, Block 8, Psd-104305-017110, Being a portion of Lot 3045, Cad-237, Cagayan Cadastre) Situated in the Barrio of Carmen (now Balulang), City of Cagayan De Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of EIGHTY EIGHT (88) square meters, more or less”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated date, time and place.

In the event the auction sale falls on a holiday, the same will proceed on the following working day, without further notice, posting and publication.

Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves the title hereinabove described and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Cagayan de Oro City, October 21, 2012.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region BRANCH 38 Cagayan de Oro City 2012-441 NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE File Number 2012-252 UPON EXTRA-JUDICIAL PETITION FOR SALE under Act 3135, as amended by Act No. 4118, filed by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND (otherwise known as Pag-IBIG Fund)., with principal office at the Atrium of Makati, Makati Avenue, Makati City, against ARNOLD A. ALTERA, married to FLORDELYN T. ALTERA, with postal address at Lot 20, Blk 11, Silver Creek Subd., Pull, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of August 24, 2012, amounts to Eight Hundred Eighteen Thousand Eight Hundred Eighty One Pesos & 88/100 (Php818,881.88), Philippine Currency, as principal, interest, charges, attorney’s fees and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned Sheriff or his deputies will sell at public auction on November 14, 2012, at 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. or soon thereafter at the Office of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 38, 2nd Floor, Hall of Justice, Hayes Street, Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder for cash and in Philippine Currency, the following real property, with all the improvements found thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-209132

Lot : 20, Block 11, Psd-10-053352

Portion of Lot : 3891-P-2, Psd-10-050786

Surveyed For : CORELCO, INC., (SILVER CREEK SUBDIVISION)

Land Use : Residential

Location : Barangay Canitoan, now Carmen

Area : Eighty (80) square meters, more or less, registered in the name of Arnold A. Altera, married to Flordelyn T. Altera.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROVINCIAL SHERIFF:

BWM: OCT. 19, 26 & NOV. 2, 2012

REYNALDO L. SALCEDA Sheriff IV

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROVINCIAL SHERIFF BY:

MA. TERESITA QUIBLAT-INSO Sheriff IV BWM: NOV. 2, 9 & 16, 2012

TCT No. T-51162

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated date, time and place.

In the event auction sale cannot take place for whatever legal reason, the same will proceed on the following working day, without further notice, posting and publication.

Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves the title hereinabove described and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Cagayan de Oro City, October 23, 2012.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROVINCIAL SHERIFF

BWM: NOV. 2, 9, & 16, 2012

ENRIQUE M. TALAG, JR. Sheriff IV

10

November 2-4, 2012

Banking / Finance

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Security Bank gains top spots in Asiamoney awards MANILA - Security Bank Corporation received several distinctions at the recent Asiamoney Summer Awards Dinner held on September 27 at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

SBC was recognized as the top Philippine bank in several categories in the Asiamoney FX Poll 2012.

The 22nd annual poll generated more than 3,500 valid responses from senior level financial executives across Asia Pacific representing over 3,200 institutions.

SBC was awarded: Best Domestic Provider of FX Services; Best for FX Products and Services; and Best for FX Research and Market Coverage. The bank was also voted as Top 2 for FX Options in the country.

These multiple distinc-

tions, coming from both financial institutions and corporates, manifest the Asian business community’s solid trust and confidence in SBC. SBC likewise received the award for Best Domestic Debt House in the Philippines in Hong Kong. The recognition was earlier announced in the June issue of the Asiamoney Best Banks Awards 2012.

This is the second consecutive year that SBC was cited as the best and most active trading house in the country.

These achievements underscore the strength of SBC’s Treasury and Fixed Income Securities Distribution (FISD) teams in delivering services of the highest standards.

Veterans Bank EVP and Lending Business Group Head Severo C. Leagogo (rightmost) receiving a Plaque of Appreciation for its commitment to the BBB Program from Philippine Vice-President and HGC Board Director Jejomar C. Binay (center) and HGC President Atty. Manuel R. Sanchez.

PVB partners with HGC for Bankers-Builders-andBuyers Program

ASIAMONEY AWARDS Receiving the FX Poll 2012 awards for SBC were (from left) SVP and Treasurer Raul Martin Pedro, VP and FX Rates and Hedging Head Raul Victor de Guzman, and EVP and Financial Markets Segment Head Rafael Algarra, Jr. Joining them were Asiamoney Editor Richard Morrow.

China Bank is 92 years old China Banking Corporation (China Bank), the country’s first privately-owned commercial bank, celebrated its 92nd anniversary reently.

Grateful for the many years of successful operations, the Bank commemorated the milestone by recognizing its loyal employees, celebrating with clients in all branches nationwide, and helping the victims of the heavy monsoon rains.

A total of 316 employees will be honored at the China Bank Head Office penthouse for their decades of dedicated service and for their contributions to the Bank’s growth over the years.

“I’m very proud of our people, and I am honored to be working with them to achieve our Bank’s vision,” said China Bank President Peter Dee, who is also this year’s sole 40-year awardee.

China Ba n k recent ly unveiled its new v ision: “Drawing streng th from our rich history, we will be the best, most admired, and innovative financial services institution, partnering with

PASAY CITY – Philippine Veterans Bank, a mediumsized commercial bank owned

by World War II veterans and their heirs, is one of 14 banks tapped by Home Guarantee Corporation (HGC) to be a strategic partner for its recently-launched BankersBuilders-and-Buyers Program (BBB Program) which aims to make home-buying through HGC easier and faster for Filipinos.

HGC has launched a micro-site within the HGC website (www.hgc.gov.ph) for the BBB Program whereby

prospective home-buyers can glean relevant information from banks and home developers before the actual purchase of a property. This includes properties for sale and available housing loan programs from participating banks.

Veterans Bank has made available on HGC’s BBB micro-site relevant information on its Veterans Bank Home Loans including a description of its housing loan, terms and conditions, repayment options, as well as loan requirements.

Veterans Bank assures depositors of sure win in latest promo To celebrate 20 years of success since its reopening in 1992, Philippine Veterans Bank has launched Gadgets & GC’s Garantisado! Deposit Promo, a promotional campaign which aims to reward customers maintaining significant deposits in Veterans Bank with incentives i the form of popular gadget or gift certificates.

From September 17, 2012 to March 15, 2013, customers who open or maintain checking accounts or savings accounts (CASA) with any Veterans Bank branch nationwide with at least Php 100,000 in average daily balance (adb) for a minimum 90 days instantly qualify for a redeemable prize.

The highr the adb and

the longer the deposit stays with the Bank (maximum 360 days), the higher the value of the incentive to be received.

The promo is open to all of the bank’s private and government CASA account holders.

Unlike raffle proos in other banks where customers still have to chance the luck of the draw, the Gadgets & GCs Garantisado!,as the name implies, already guarantees the customer will receive a reward as long as he or she meets the promo requirements.

This instant rewards promo also ensures that customers who bring more value to the bank also get better rewards.

Gift checks that can be claimed with the promo include SM Silver Pass,

Robinson’s, Rustan’s, Landmark, Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, and Red Ribbon.

On the other hand, gadgets that can be redeemed include popular mobile phones, gaming consoles,

and the popular iPad tablet.

To know more about the Gadgets & GCs Garantisado promo, customers are encouraged to visit or call the nearest Veterans Bank branch in their area. They may also visit the promo page at www.veteransbank.

com.ph for more details or call the Veterans Bank Hotine at (02) 902-1600 or (02) 902-1700.

Veterans Bank’s GAdget & GCs Garantisado! Promo is approved under DTI-NCR Permit No. 5857 Series of 2012.

our customers, employees, and shareholders in wealth creation.”

With China Bank’s engagement of Towers Watson for an Organization Structure Review and Design, the Bank’s board of directors and senior officers, guided

by Towers Watson consultants, formulated a vision statement early this year that will inspire employees to work harder and contribute more to achieve greatness.

Continuing the tradition of celebrating the Bank ’s anniversary with clients na-

tionwide, all 275 branches, including the two branches opened on the same day as the anniversary, China Bank Cavite-Molino and Bacolod-Libertad branches, had in-branch promotions and served refreshments to customers.

“We are truly grateful to our customers—their trust and loyalty inspire us to scale greater heights. That is why on our anniversary, and even on other special occasions, we make it a point to celebrate with them,” said SVP Samuel Chiong, deputy

head of Branch Banking Group.

The Bank also celebrated its 65th anniversary as a publicly-listed company.

China Bank directors led

by Chairman Hans Sy, rang the ceremonial the bell that opened market trades.

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Congress • Watch

October 26-28, 2012

11

House approves measure giving couples new chance at love THE House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill allowing a Filipino to contract a subsequent marriage in cases where divorce is validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse.

“The objective of this amendment is to put Filipino and alien spouses on equal footing and prevent unintentional discrimination,” Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan), Chairperson of the House Committee on Revision of Laws.

House Bi l l 4368, au-

t h o r e d b y R e p. R u f u s Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), seeks to amend Executive Order 209, otherwise known as t he Fa mi ly Code of t he Philippines by harmonizing with recent rulings of the Supreme Court of the Philippines on divorce obtained by the alien spouse in another country.

“This measure seeks to recognize divorce obtained by the alien spouse in another country without the need to seek judicial recognition or enforcement of the foreign judicial decree of absolute

divorce,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez cited the ruling of the Supreme Court in the case of Garcia-Recio vs Recio on October 2, 2001 which states that a foreign divorce decree be recognized before it can be enforced by the court in the Philippines, thereby putting to naught the concept of equity for the Philippine spouse.

“This ruling made it a requirement that a foreign divorce decree be recognized before it can be enforced by the court in the Philippines, thereby putting to naught

Rodriguez

of House Bill 3966, said the measure provides for the expansion of the coverage of RA 9189 by allowing Filipino overseas voters to vote not only for the presidential and midterm election, but also in all national referenda and plebiscites.

Aumentado said Comelec records showed that in the previous election, there were at least 3.6 million qualified voters abroad. “Out of this figure, 589,830 were registered voters while only 153,323 actually voted, broken down as follows: 39,564 voted by mail, 64,743 voted manually or in person and 49,016 voted through automation,” Aumentado said.

“The present law provides for the voting by mail to only three countries. This limitation effectively disenfranchises many OFWs abroad,” Aumentado said.

Rep. Walden Bello (party-list, Akbayan), another author of the bill, said the measure allows overseas Filipinos with dual citizenship to vote without renouncing their other allegiances and immigrants/ permanent residents need not execute affidavits declaring that they

that the registration of the Foreign Judicial Decree of Absolute Divorce in the Civil Registry shall be sufficient enough for the issuance of marriage license.

Co-authors of the bill are Reps. Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party List, Abante Mindanao), Augusto Syjuco (2nd District, Iloilo), Jeci Lapus (3rd District, Tarlac) and Catalina Bagasina (Party List, ALE).

THE MEDIA CENTER

Lower House okays overseas voting for 2012 elections THE House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill amending Republic Act 9189, otherwise known as the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003, to allow more overseas Filipinos worldwide to exercise their right to vote in Philippine elections.

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. (Lone District, Dasmariñas City), chairman of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, said the bill would make registration for overseas voting more accessible to Filipinos worldwide by way of setting up field and mobile registration centers.

Barzaga said overseas Filipino workers may file their application personally at any post or at designated registration centers in the Philippines approved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and shall submit themselves for live capture of their biometrics.

Rep. Al Francis Bichara (2nd District, Albay), chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs, also endorsed the approval of the bill.

Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol), author

the concept of equity for the Philippine spouse,” Rodriguez said.

Under the measure, the contracting parties who are previously married shall furnish copy of the Judicial Decree of Absolute Divorce obtained by the alien spouse duly authenticated by the Philippine Consul in the country where the decree was obtained.

The measure also provides

BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO Tanleh Bldg., Abellanosa St., Cagayan de Oro City

shall resume actual, physical permanent residence in the Philippines not later than three years from approval of their applications for registration under RA 9189.

“The measure shall be more effective, far reaching and voter friendly to overseas Filipinos,” Bello said.

Under the bill, pre-departure registration shall be conducted in accredited government agencies or facilities to be determined by the Comelec.

The measure also expands the three modes of voting, personal voting, voting by mail and by any other means as may be allowed under Section 52 (1) of Batas Pambansa 881 as amended or the Omnibus Election Code.

The bill mandates the Comelec to explore and adopt more efficient, reliable and secure modes or system, paper-based or electronicbased technology or other latest technology available for onsite and remote registration and elections.

The measure shall also establish the Department of Foreign Affairs Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS) lower/PAGE 7

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November 2-4, 2012

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PHL property sector still enjoying ‘good run’ THE country’s property sector continues to As more projects were enjoy a good run as the second quarter turned launched in the first half of the year, the percentage out to be another encouraging period.

In its Market View for Metro Manila, Second Quarter for 2012, property management and consulting firm CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Philippines said developers are aggressive in development projects and more big-ticket developments are being lined up in the sectors of residential, office, hospitality and retail. In line with their expansion plans, CBRE said developers are also quite keen on the acquisition, which would be included in the ranks of active projects.

CBRE said investments remain concentrated in the business districts of Makati and Fort Bonifacio though developments are becoming more active in the fringe areas.

“As a result of the scarcity in the supply of developable land in Makati; new projects within the central business district are focused on redevelopments and refurbishments. Fort Bonifacio, on the other hand, still has

areas of vacant developable land and remains among the major interests of developers as location for real-estate projects,” said the report.

CBRE said almost 70 percent of pre-selling projects are in Quezon City, Makati, Mandaluyong and Manila. As the most populous and the city with the largest land area, Quezon City has the highest concentration of upcoming condominium supply.

“Approximately 24 percent of all projects in the pipeline are located in Quezon City though most of the high-rise developments priced at the higher end of the price spectrum are found in Makati and Taguig,” the report said.

In 2011 the largest concentration of upcoming supply is on the price range of above 40,000 per square meter (sq m) to 80,000/sq m which is only slightly higher in market supply share than projects within the price range of more than 80,000/sq m to 100,000/sq m.

distribution of projects in terms of price has changed and the concentration of upcoming supply shifted to projects within the above P80,000/sq m to P100,000/ sq m price each.

The shift in the proportion of upcoming supply was a result of the decline in new project launches within the above P100,000/sq m price.

This was also due to the rise in the number of developments within the fringe areas, which are concentrated at the price range of above P40,000/sq m to P80,000/sq m and above P80,000/sq m to P100,000/sq m.

Upscale property developer Rockwell Land Corp. recently reported that the Grove property in Ortigas is 98-percent sold. The company said the first two towers of The Grove is already preparing for the turnover of units to the owners in the third quarter of 2012.

The company said the six towers of 5.4-hectare property are already 70-percent sold.

Amisa Private Residences Tower B(left) and Tower A (right)

Robinsons Luxuria Amisa develops ideal holiday lifestyle AN address for a perfect holiday – that’s where luscious greenery, fresh air, the sound of the waves, and of course, the calming view of the sea, lulls the residents to slow down and relax. Robinsons Land has developed that address in Cebu, and has named it AmiSa. Named after the Sanskrit term for the object of beauty and pleasure, AmiSa is Robinsons Luxuria’s resort-inspired development in Cebu that promises to provide its future homeowners all the ingredients that make up for a perfect holiday living all year round.

This six-hectare residential paradise, located in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island, is expected to redefine “leisure living” that will offer the discern-

ing Cebuanos the soothing comfort that communing with nature brings and at the same time, allow them quick access to the city.

Only a few minutes drive from the airport, AmiSa’s lush landscaping, amenities and building management services guarantee the future residents a slice of a paradise that nurtures recreation and relaxation.

Upon completion, the project will feature six highend residential condominiums that have the alluring views of the beach and Cebu’s coastline as its backdrop.

The development is also set to house a five-star hotel with the finest amenities including pools, sports activity areas, tree-lined walkways, pocket parks, and open spaces that lead to a

pristine white sand beach.

Other amenities spread throughout the complex include a clubhouse, indoor gym/ fitness center, swimming pool, children’s pool, videoke room, game room, mini-theater, biking/ jogging paths, multi-purpose court and playground.

These same set of amenities, according to Robinsons Luxuria, are envisioned to bring unit owners closer to nature and encourage them to enjoy a “live-work-heal-play” lifestyle that has become a must in today’s stressful society.

To provide this kind of lifestyle, Robinsons Luxuria has designed an efficient layout of the whole resortinspired development so that that all units will come with amisa/PAGE 7