BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO SEPTEMBER 1,2012

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Marine engines

BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) National Director Asis G. Perez is set to visit and turn-over projects in Iligan City and Misamis Oriental.

Perez will lead tomorrow the turn-over and distribution of 50 units marine engine to typhoon Sendong affected fisherfolk in Bayug Island, Iligan city.

During his visit here, the BFAR chief is likewise scheduled to inspect the rehabilitated Kawit, Kauswagan hatchery; lying-in-projects in Tubajon Laguindingan; coral transplantation project in Duka Bay, Medina; including project sites supported

by Cagayan de Oro District Representative Rufus Rodriguez.

BFAR will also turn-over 16 units of marine engines to typhoon affected fisherfolk in Cagayan de Oro City.

RDC-10 okays projects

NORTHERN Mindanao’s Regional Development Council approved during its meeting in Camiguin last week various initiatives to improve disaster preparedness, rehabilitate a key irrigation system and develop a seaport, among others, the body said in a statement last weekend.

The RDC approved specific items during the meeting held capital town of Mambajao.

The council also asked the Department of Public Works and Highways to provide funds for the paving of Bonifacio-Don Victoriano Road in Misamis Occidental.

M

INDANAO is poised to benefit from the 2015 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) economic integration, the island being a focus area in the Brunei DarussalamIndonesia-Malaysiathe Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) subregional cooperation.

Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), voiced such optimism during an ASEAN 2015 Regional Integration forum recently.

The forum was capped by the launching of the Min- ASEAN SINGLE CURRENCY. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Bali, Indonesia has proposed a single ASEAN Ecodanao Trade Policy Center nomic Zone. There are dangers however, that this push toward greater economic integration could be derailed.

(MTPC), a body formed to act as a link for business chambers in Mindanao.

The center is a brainchild of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Mindanao, headed

by Ricardo Juliano, who stressed it will also act as chief finance officer Jose Sio.

By IRENE DOMINGO, Reporter the information center for In a press statement, Sio said they the ASEAN Integration PERHAPS challenged by stiff com- are planning to expand their food programs and initiatives. petition, mall giant SM Investments retail business by 30 stores a year for “We have aspired for Corporation is eyeing to expand its the next five years. SMIC food retail many years for bigger maroperation in the Visayas and Mind- business operates under three brands: kets in trade, tourism, and anao regions, by looking at acquiring Save More, SM Supermarket, and SM investments. Therefore, we supermarket chains in the provinces. Hypermarket. have to be prepared when He said they intend to expand their This strategy would boost their ASEAN member countries presence in the South where they retail business because it is low margin. integrate their economies operate supermarkets in malls in cities “What is important in retail is volume. into one ASEAN community such as Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, General The more volume you sell, the lower EXPANSION/PAGE 10 Santos and Cagayan de Oro, said SMIC ECONOMY/PAGE 10

SM sees stiff challenge, eyes Vismin expansion

Sources: NGCP, TMI wont appeal rate reduction

By MELANIE RIVERA Staff Member

THE principal companies involved in the recent decision of the Energy Regulatory Commission effectively reducing the rates billed for

the Ancillary Services Power Agreement say they will comply with the order and are now meeting to discuss how it can be implemented soonest.

Sources from Aboitiz RATE/PAGE 10

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WB specialist asks DA to improve value chain of agri products DAVAO City -- World Bank’s (WB) lead rural development specialist Carolina Geron underscored the need for the Department of Agriculture (DA) to look into the value chain of different commodities to boost farmers’ productivity.

Speaking during recent wrap-up meeting of the WB review mission for the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), Geron stressed the need to integrate value chain approach in agriculture sec-

tor for growth to be more inclusive and broad-based.

A value chain is a connected string of companies, groups and other players working together to satisfy market demands for a particular product or group of products.

In a agricultural value chain marketing system, farmers are linked to consumers’ needs, working closely with suppliers and processors to produce the specific goods consumers demand. In a traditional

marketing system, farmers produce commodities that are “pushed” into the marketplace and or on independent transactions.

The farmers are largely isolated from the consumer, and from the demands and preferences of consumers.

“Oftentimes our farmers function more as consumers rather producers. They produce goods for their own consumption for failure of meeting production surplus to supply marketing demands,” Geron said.

To integrate supply chain approach in rural areas, Geron said DA must focus on building capacities in rural areas and ensure the provision of s strategic network of rural logistics infrastructure within the priority value chains.

She said infrastructures such as farm-to-market roads and post harvest facilities should be within the identified priority value chain in a particular province or region.

“We have to discern at the lower part of the ladder wherein farmers should be engaged in livelihood na hindi pwedeng ibenta, kailangan maiiangat natin para maka-benta (that can-

not be sold, we have to make it marketable),” she added.

Geron said the proposed up scaling of MRDP into the expanded Philippine Rural Development Program aims on enhancement of value chain to strengthen and develop viable rural enterprise.

Lealyn Ramos, MRDP program director, said the program is now pushing for big-ticket projects where farmers’ association can access bigger funding, from P5 million to P10 million, not only to expand production but also integrate value chain approach in their production.

Ramos said these projects include sago flour produc-

tion in Veruela, Agusan del Sur, where a group of Manobo tribe will be expanding sago flour production to supply the increasing demand of their product.

“In Mati City, a group of rural women are engaged in coco twine production considering that there is a huge demand in international market for coco fiber,” she said.

“These are just some of our initial projects. We enjoin the support of other agencies and the private sectors to help us in strengthening commodity value chains as these requires appropriate technologies and linkages with other agricultural key players,” she said.

Aggie dept expands garlic production area in R-12

By SHAHANA JOY E. DUERME

0917-7154399 088-856-8562/63

AMENITIES : ZORBIT * ATV * TREE TOP ADVENTURE BUGGY * BUNGEE * PICNIC GROUNDS PLAYGROUND * CAFE * LUGE * MINI GOLF ROOM ACCOMODATIONS

KORONADAL City -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) 12 bolsters the expansion of garlic production areas in Region 12 as part of advancing the department’s Food Staples Self-sufficiency Program (FSSP).

This is one of the strategies of the department in giving importance not only to the production of staples but also to other agricultural commodities like garlic.

Jocelyn Torres, engineer, of the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) said that they are encouraging garlic

farmers in the region to partner with DA in promoting FSSP. To help the farmers in this endeavor, DA-HVCDP will provide the needed materials to improve garlic production.

“This project targets to have a total of fivehectare garlic plantation in different provinces in Soccsksargen region to sustain the high demand for garlic,” Torres stated.

Soccsksargen Region includes the provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato.

To start the expansion of garlic planting areas, a

seed system will be put up for the production of garlic planting materials.

This project will be implemented starting October and will last for five years.

Garlic is one of the most important spices which is widely used.

In the Philippines, garlic production for the last five years reached 12,500 metric tons (MT) in 2005 and 9,500 MT in 2010 which is not enough to meet the needed 61,000 MT of garlic every year.

By this initiative if widening garlic plantations, it is expected that garlic production in the country will increase.

Makilala intensifies revenue collection

By AIDA C. AGAD, Contributor

KORONADAL City -- The local government of Makilala in North Cotabato is confident to surpass revenue collection target of P17 million for fiscal year 2012, a local official reported.

Makilala municipal treasurer Ma. Luisa Layos in her report, revealed that they have intensified their rev-

enue collection campaign, especially in the business licenses, stall rentals, slaughterhouses, and terminal fees.

They also adopted the scheme of going down to the barangay, convincing even micro-enterprises to avail of the package P500 to register their business operations.

At the close of the first week of August, their rev-

enue collection reached P6.76 million compared to P6 million for the same period last year.

Based on the P7 million target for 2012, the balance has been narrowed down to P240,000 for the next five months, the report said.

On the other hand, their public market collection also reached 58 percent of the targeted P10 million.

Intensified campaigns enable LGU Makilala to collect P5.8 million from stall rentals and fees from slaughterhouse, terminal and toilet.

Local collections were also increased by fees and penalties from violations of local ordinances against littering, smoking and motorcycle helmets.

Different collection units of the local treasury office have contributed in the intensified revenue collection campaign, the report said.

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers – Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH AƩy. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739a

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Energy firm, ABS-CBN give educ TV packages to schools TAGOLOAN, Misamis Oriental -- Energy-firm STEAG State Power Inc. (SPI) and ABS-CBN Foundation have provided elementary schools with educational television (ETV) packages, with Gracia and Maribojoc Elementary Schools in Tagoloan being the latest recipients.

SPI manager Ghaye Alegrio and Tagoloan Mayor Paulino Emano led the simple turn-over rites for these packages in the area.

Designed to enhance classroom teaching and learning process, the ETV program has so far gained

marked improvements in the public education performance.

Studies show a differential performance of as much as 23 percent between those exposed to the ETV science series and those who were not part of the program.

Grades 2 and 3 pupils exposed to the ETV science episodes absorbed twice as much of the concepts than those who were given regular, non-augmented instruction.

Interestingly, underst anding t he concepts in Filipino appeared to facilitate the transfer of learning to English.

In Villanueva and Tagoloan districts where the program has been running since 2005, students’ performance, as measured

by the National Achievement Test results, also improved.

In Villanueva for instance, NAT rating increased from 55.51 percent to 77.19 percent in 2011.

The program also saw te aching met ho dolog y improvement, such that teachers can deliver in 20 minutes the concepts that they usually teach in two days.

So far, nearly 60 percent of the 22 public schools in Tagoloan and Villanueva

have been provided with the ETV package consisting of a 32-inch, flat screen TV set, a DVD player, and

more than 500 educational TV episodes on Science, Math, English and Civics.

Mitsubishi cites ‘modest increase’ in sales SEAIR appoints Tan as president, CEO SALES of Mitsubishi Motors Phils. Corp. hit 3,275 units in July, 15.7% more than June’s 2,830, the carmaker said in a statement posted on its Web site on Friday.

While comparable yearago data were not immediately available, the company said “year-to-date figures show a modest increase on all segments.” Mitsubishi had reported earlier that sales edged up by a nearlyflat 0.5% 16,956 units in the first half from the same six months in 2011.

The company cited the

compact car and light commercial vehicle segments as driving July sales.

“With the launch of the Lancer EX 1.6 MIVEC in July, sales in the compact car segment dramatically increased by 397.4%. Sales for the compact car category reached 189 units which is so far the highest monthly sales since January this year,” the company said in its statement.

Sales of light commercial vehicles increased 10.2% to 3,021 units.

Sales of the Pajero and

Strada also increased in July.

Pajero sales rose 56.5% while sales of the Strada improved by 26.8%. Actual volumes were not immediately available.

Sales of the locally produced Adventure and L300 models also went up, with the Adventure totaling 576 units, representing 23.3% growth. Data for the L300 were not given.

Sport utility vehicle Montero Sport saw 7,863 units sold.

Truck sales rose 35%, though actual volume was

not immediately available.

Mitsubishi was able to corner 22.6% of the market, the statement read.

“Mitsubishi expects a comeback in the passenger car segment with the introduction of the Lancer EX 1.6 MIVEC and the soon-to-be launched all-new Mirage.

With the introduction of these new models, higher consumer spending, aggressive promotions and bank financing, Mitsubishi is positive that it will sustain its remarkable growth,” the carmaker said.

SOUTH East Asian Airlines (SEAIR), an associate airline of Singapore’s Tiger Airways, appointed Patrick Tan as president and chief executive officer.

Tan, who was previously SEAIR vice president for commercial affairs and chief operating officer, will now lead the budget airline as it seeks to expand its operations.

He was also in charge of SEAIR sales and marketing activities for 7 years, building the company’s relations with travel agents around agement, Major in Marthe world. keting, from De La Salle Tan earned a Bachelor University. of Science in Applied PhysTiger Airways recently ics from Ateneo de Manila acquired a 40% stake in services flights to and from University and a Bachelor SEAIR, its second joint Manila and Cebu, is the of Science in Business Man- venture in Southeast Asia. eighth busiest in the coun- 165,163 passengers in 2011 of Zamboanga del Norte. try, with its passenger traf- and is poised to reach the The region is home to fic hitting the one-million 200,000 mark this year. popular tourist destinations mark last year. In the first The Dipolog Airport such as the Dakak Beach, six months of this year, plays a key role not only in Dapitan Bay, Aliguay and the airport accommodated the development of business Silinog Islands, white water 608,769 passengers. and tourism in the cities adventure in Sungkilaw Tacloban City boasts of Dipolog and Dapitan, Falls, and the Cogon jungle of historic attractions but also in the province adventure. such as the San Juanico Republic of the Philippines Bridge, Calvary Hill, the REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 10th Judicial Region Price Mansion, and the BRANCH 24 Maria Kanon Madonna of Cagayan de Oro City 2012-387 Peace Shrine. Tacloban is also the gateway to tourist IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION SPEC. PROC. NO. 2012-101 destinations including the FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE RECORDS, LCR NO. 90-2739 OF Calbiga Cave complex, the BIRTH GENESIS BADILLA LILAM CHANGING THE beaches of Guiuan, and ENTRY FOR THE GENDER OF THE CHILD MALE TO FEMALE, AND THE SPELLING the new surfing hot spot FROM FOR THE FIRST NAME OF THE MOTHER FROM in Calicoan Island.

TERESTA TO T ERE SIT A, AND DELETING THE FOR THE DATE AND PLACE Dipolog Airport, which ENTRY OF MARRIAGE OF PARENTS, services flights to and from Manila and Cebu, is one of GENESIS BADILLA LILAM, Petitioner, the major air terminals in versus Mindanao, accommodating THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF CAGAYAN

DOTC bids out modernization of Tacloban, Dipolog airports THE Department of Transportation and Communications is seeking bids for the P319 million modernization of the Tacloban and Dipolog airports.

In an invitation to bid published Friday, the DOTC said the development of the Tacloban and Dipolog airports is part of the government’s promise to modernize air transport facilities in the country.

About P251.6 million would be set aside for the Tacloban Airport, particularly for the construction of a new apron and taxiway, completion of northeast shore protection with shoulder grade correction, construction of drainage system with box culvert, and the construction of temporary transition.

Another P66.9 million

would be used to spruce up the Dipolog Airport, which includes the expansion of the apron, widening of taxiway, construction of ramp, construction of river protection with shoulder and the construction of box culvert and drainage system.

Apple targets 17 Samsung products in patent suit NEW YORK - Seeking to capitalize on a major legal victory over its rival Samsung Electronics Ltd , Apple Inc has asked a federal court in a separate case to find that four additional Samsung products, including the Galaxy S III, infringe Apple’s patents.

In February, Apple alleged that at least 17 Samsung products infringe its patents. In a court filing made in San Jose federal court on Friday, Apple added four more products to the

list of allegedly infringing products that have been released beginning in August 2011 and continuing through this month.

Apple won a major victory over Samsung last Friday in a separate case when a jury found that the South Korean company had copied critical features of the hugely popular iPhone and iPad and awarded the U.S. company $1.05 billion in damages.

Samsung representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The DOTC will issue bid documents from August 31 to September 19, with its Bids and Awards Committee to hold a pre-bid conference on September 11. The opening of bids for both airport projects is set on September 24.

Tacloban Airport, which

Vitarich in debt-restructuring mode A LISTED feeds producer is issuing new shares to its creditors, converting its debt into equity.

The new shares – two billion in all – would constitute an increase in its capital stock to P3.5 billion from P1 billion, Vitarich Corporation disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange Wednesday.

The shares are in exchange for the “debts of the corporation or in cash subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the board of directors and the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the rehabilitation court,” the company said.

Instead of allocating earn-

ings to debt and interest payments, the company is restructuring its debts and using revenues to grow its business.

Vitarich will hold a stockholders’ meeting on Oct. 15 to discuss the new shares, Vitarich said. “… [T]he shares shall be listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange subject to the approval of the stockholders,” the company added.

Vitarich was a leading poultry and feeds producer – with facilities such as feed mills, hatcheries and dressing plants – until its debts bloated after the Asian economic crisis in late 1990s and the avian flu outbreak in 2003.

DE ORO CITY, TERESITA BADILLA AGUEL (mother) AND FELIX LADON ULAM (father) X--------------------------------------------------------------/

ORDER Notice is HEREBY GIVEN that before this Court is a verified Petition for Correction of Entry in the Birth Record of Petitioner in the Civil Registry of Cagayan de Oro City, alleging, among others, that she was born on February 26, 1990; that said birth was duly registered in the Civil registry of Cagayan de Oro City; that there were errors in the entries of said registration, as reflected in her Certificate of Live Birth, to wit: a) Gender of the Child - MALE b) Mother of Child - “TERESTA” RAMBUYON BADILLA; and c) Date &Place of Marriage - July 2, 1988, Polomolok, South Cotabato, when the correct entries should have been: a) Gender of the Child - FEMALE b) Mother of Child - TERESITA RAMBUYON BADILLA; and c) Date & Place of Marriage - none or left blank Thus, this petition for correction of the said entry.

This petition will be called for initial hearing on September 24, 2012, at 8:30 o’ clock in the morning, during which the jurisdictional requirements of publication, posting and notice to all persons who have interests or claims which would be affected by this petition, will be proved.

Any interested person may, fifteen (15) days from notice hereof, file his/ her opposition to the petition.

SO ORDERED. ISSUED this 30th day of July, 2012, in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.

BWM: Aug. 27, Sept. 3 & 10, 2012

(Sgd.) HENRY B. DAMASING Acting Presiding Judge

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Opinion

and the attending physician to its possibility.

This is actually a rare disease specially among the healthy population. It is more commonly called as f lesh eating disease or flesh eating bacteria syndrome, which is a misnomer, as the bacteria does not eat the flesh but rather the microorganisms that infect the skin and subcutaneous tissue releases a toxin that cause destruction that extends to the deeper layers of the muscle. This happens when there is a cut, a puncture wound , a scrape or even an insect bite. It affects those whose immune system is compromised, like, persons with Diabetes, alcoholics and drug users, malignancies and chronic systemic diseases. Fever, pain that is so intense which doesn’t seem to relate to the skin appearance. There are instances when the patient may also experience vomiting and have loose bowel movements.

Having knowledge of the possibility of this disease can be life saving. For, the mainstay management

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Bees and Buzzards THINK a minute…

Bees and buzzards are very different in their eating habits. Buzzards fly and circle above looking for animals that are either hurt or dead. Then when they see one, they swoop down to tear and feast on it until it’s gone. But honeybees are the exact opposite. Honeybees only look for the good sweet nectar, as they fly from flower to flower. Buzzards only produce fear, pain, and death in their feeding. But honeybees produce honeycombs full of honey, which gives health and enjoyment to others.

You see, buzzards and bees always find what they’re looking for. Just like a wife

can usually find what she’s looking for in her husband.

She’ll see what she chooses to see: the good or the bad.

So if we’ll focus on our husband’s faults and mistakes, we’ll find them. And the more fault we find in our husband, the less we’ll respect him. So then when our husband feels that we don’t respect him, maybe even see him as a loser and failure, guess who’s the last person he will want to be with? His wife! Since he feels he can never please her or be good enough for her.

But rather, if we try to look for the good qualities in our husband, and focus on those, we can grow to

respect even admire him.

Then when our husband feels this respect from us, because we stop cutting him down and criticizing him, our marriage and relationship will be much happier. As a wise person said: “To your husband’s qualities and good points, be very kind; and to his faults and mistakes—a little blind.”

Fortunately, there is a big difference between us and buzzards and bees. Animals cannot choose their instincts and behavior. But God made us human beings the highest of all His creation, so we can choose what we think, say, and do. So if you’ve not been the kind, loving wife

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

you know you should be, won’t you ask Jesus Christ to forgive you? Right now ask Him to take charge of your heart and nature, so you can start changing to become the wife your husband needs.

Just Think a Minute …

A call for natural disaster management training DISASTER preparedness has not been given a priority in our daily lives. It comes as calamities and accident happen that we do not know how to manage resulting to too many losses of lives or property damage. Few in the government and the private sector are trained and knowledgeable on this discipline. Except perhaps the military, the Red Cross and the national civil defense corps who have been in the forefront of many disasters and calamities that have besieged this country.

The Philippines received an average of 20 tropical typhoons yearly. We are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire which is susceptible to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Many provincial cities have antiquated developmental

Risk Indicator for Flesh Eating Bacteria There are instances when, unless, a casualty is given media mileage, that, the disease or illness isn’t given much attention and more often than not, is only for medical consumption. Thus, it comes as no surprise at all, that, necrotizing fasciitis, became something of a known disease, after it was featured recently. I first came across the illness during my days of training in one of the best centres in the country, when I saw a submitted tissue from the operating room for a diagnosis.

Necrotizing fasciitis, is actually a diagnosis based on microscopic examination of the tissue . There is however, a Laboratory Risk Indicator of Necrotizing Fasciitis ( LRINEC).

The basis of which are serologic tests like C Reactive Protein, Total White Blood Cell Count, Hemoglobin, Sodium, Glucose and Creatinine. There are assigned values for the results of these tests, and if the score is greater than 6, Necrotizing Fasciitis maybe highly considered.

Thus, alerting the patient

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would be the administration of massive doses of antibiotics through the intravenous route. And should there be a wound, debridement and even surgical intervention like amputation may spell between life and death.

K e e p i n g o n e’s s e l f healthy, ensuring that the immune system is capable of doing what it is supposed to do, which is to protect one from invaders that cause diseases, practice of good hygiene and should there be a scrape or break in the skin, to do proper wound care, are simple yet effective steps that will keep necrotizing fasciitis as a textbook disease only....

plans that do not conform to the warnings of geographical hazards. Local governments that do not enforce the national building code of the Philippines and so many other risk mitigating factors as prescription for disaster.

When accident or major calamity happens, we start a participative discussion sometimes as critics and abrogate that we are experts as we see the authorities take action. Many of us become “Uzis” adding risk to become a casualty in the process. We never learned that there is a so called crowd control when it comes to rescue operations.

Disaster preparedness has learning process to follow like contingency planning for rescue, relief and recovery. There are

coordination mechanism and exercise in planning to minimize risk and casualties.

Last Friday evening of August 31 at about 9:17 pm when an earthquake of 7.5 magnitudes hit the Samar trench, we experience in Cagayan de Oro tremendous swinging of buildings and ground rattling. We only learned from CNN, where the epicenter was located otherwise there could have been more panic as people do not know what to do?

Any Kibitzer could have shouted “Tsunami” and more conflagrations could have occurred resulting to chaos and confusions.

Government has the responsibility to protect its population from natural disasters. It has to educate the people on how to take

TRAVERSING THE TOURISM HI-WAY

PED T. QUIAMJOT evasive actions. It is not there only to act for rescue or perform relief operations with photo ops; it has to be in the forefront for prevention and even evacuation.

We have seen how the people of the affected states of Louisiana, Missouri and Illinois were prepared in the eye of hurricane “Isaac” their QUIAMJOT/PAGE10

Religious indifference WE cannot deny that there’s vast religious indifference and even hostility against religion today. That may be intriguing to say, since on the other hand, thanks be to God, we can also notice a surge of religious fervor in some sectors.

This contrast actually has been around since time immemorial, an indication that human history is always an interplay between good and evil, between God’s providence and man’s freedom. But what is interesting to note is the degree of seriousness into which both indifference and fervor have developed.

A complex structure of rationalizations now supports religious indifference and hostility to religion.

It seems that the threads of naturalism, skepticism, agnosticism, atheism, relativism, etc., have become more sophisticated, snuffing whatever religious ember that may still remain in a person or in society.

Some intellectuals and occasional theologians join free thinkers in lending their dissenting voices and expertise to this trend, adding to the string of scandals the

Church has been suffering these past few years.

Try to look at some of our so-called leading Catholic universities, and you will likely find nests of dissenters who invoke an unhinged type of academic freedom (aka, academic license) to retail their heresies and questionable if not patently erroneous ideas. They are quite well-funded and supported by powerful international ideological groups.

Even centers of religious formation and seminaries are infected with this kind of virus. Imagine seminarians and priests now taught about the beauty and practicality of contraception, etc. It’s really about time that a thorough clean-up be made in these places, but, of course, with due process.

In these places, reason and empirical findings are considered the ultimate measure of things, and are made to dispute the claims of faith, steadily removing its attractiveness to the people.

With this approach, piety is slowly eroded until it becomes practically dead.

In these places, if things could not be fully understood and explained, if

HINTS AND TRACES

FR. ROY CIMAGALA they could not be directly verified, if they are not socially, economically or politically practical, then they should be rejected.

They are deemed senseless.

It’s as simple, or rather, as simplistic, as that. Such attitude sorely misses the point that truths of faith, being spiritual and supernatural, require more than human reason to be believed. It’s a tyranny to force everyone to work only within the framework of reason and understanding alone beyond which things simply cannot be true.

It sorely misses the point that we precisely need the gift of faith, because we are CIMAGALA/PAGE 10

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7

PPP Projects in Davao City won’t benefit the public — Bayan

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO

MANILA — The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) in Southern Mindanao Region is not sending off fireworks anytime soon to welcome the advent of public-private partnership schemes in Davao City.

On August 24, the City Council of Davao approved an ordinance allowing PPP projects and programs between the city and the private sector. In a statement, Councilor Jimmy Dureza who chairs the committee on trade and industry and one of the main proponents of the ordinance said the PPP ordinance will benefit the city and the public.

Councilors like Dureza lobbied for the enactment of a PPP ordinance on the prodding of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Inc. (DCCCII) and of Malacañang itself.

The ordinance stipulates that the city is open to PPP projects, which “include but may not be limited to the following: power plants, highways, ports, airports, canals, dams, hydropower projects, water supply, irrigation, telecommunications, railroads and railways, transport systems, land reclamation projects, industrial estates or townships, housing, government buildings, tourism projects, markets, slaughterhouses,

bulk grains handling facility or logistic support system, warehouses, solid waste management, information technology networks and database infrastructure, education and health facilities, sewerage, drainage, dredging, among others.”

Bayan-SMR has been campaigning against the ordinance, saying that PPP schemes in Davao City will be inimical to the public interest.Two councilors voted against the ordinance: Councilors Berino Mamboo and Leah Librado-Yap. “PPP, a centerpiece economic program of the Aquino regime, is a Trojan horse of privatization, which is the same economic policy along with liberalization and deregulation pursued by the much-hated Arroyo regime that contributed to the government’s rising debt woes and the people’s economic hardships,” said Bayan-SMR spokeswoman Sheena Duazo. “Private investors in PPP projects do not bring much investment as often hyped by the government.

These projects rely on foreign loans, frequently with government guarantees or assuring creditors that, in case of loan setbacks, both local and national governments and their agencies will assume responsibility for the repayment of loans which the private investors incurred.”

Duazo cited the high operation and maintenance costs of Metro Rail Transit (MRT), a 25-year BuildLease-Transfer (BLT) contract between the government and Japanese-Filipino firm Metro Rail Transit C orp. (MRTC), which the government agreed to guarantee payments for the $426-million debt incurred

by MRTC in building the infrastructure and a 15 percent return on investment (ROI) per year.

“This is one of the sweet deals that resulted to fare rate hikes, more public debts and more corruption. It costs taxpayers more because private firms that win contracts have to borrow money at a higher interest rate and it deprives them of the needed basic services as well,” Duazo pointed out.

Duazo also warned that the enactment of PPP ordinance will legitimize privatization through PPP and will likely make the city government wallow more in debts.

“The Davao City government has a remaining debt of P2,333,171,937.74 ($55.5 million) based on Mayor Sara Duterte’s estimates, while it paid a total of P461,252,589.87 ($10.98 million) in 2011 and P145,806, 740.00 ($3.47 million) in the first four months of 2012 as certified by Land Bank of the

Philippines (LBP). This explains the local government’s insufficient budget allocations for a housing program and health services due to loan problems and national government’s abandonment of its responsibility to deliver basic services to its constituency,” she said.

Duazo noted that the Aquino regime has proposed to amend the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 7718 or the Amended Build-OperateTransfer (BOT) Law to require government guarantees on PPP projects, including unsolicited proposals such as surface water development projects and schemes for privatization of water and public hospitals through corporatization.

“Bayan, its allied organizations and other antiprivatization groups are now conducting information, education and communication campaigns to raise public awareness on the threats of privatization and to motivate the people to take actions,” she said.

BDO, PCSO to enter PPP fray As local government units like Davao prepare their own PPP schemes, business entities and even government agencies are also doing the same.

In a recent report in the Manila Times, it was announced that the Banco de

Oro (BDO) Unibank owned by business tycoon Henry Sy will raise $2 billion to invest in PPP projects. The bank’s investment arm BDO Capital and Investment Corp. in the meantime is said to be in the process of closing a $1 billion- agreement on financing in the power sector.

BDO announced that it will get into the foreign debt market to raise $2 billion Euro Medium Term Notes as part of its moves to improve the bank’s ability to access longer-term funding for relending to projects like infrastructure under the government’s PPP program.

A Euro Medium Term Note is a debt instrument sold outside the US and Canada.

In the meantime, there are rumors that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), since 2011, has been considering proposals and concepts for PPP projects that are supposedly related to the provision of medical assistance to the poor.

In a column in Businessmirror, it was said that while the PCSO does not require the construction of infrastructure, the agency can participate in PPP schemes by entering into partnerships with nongovernment organizations and other private-sector groups for service delivery, supply of high-quality essential medi-

cines, provision of medical treatments such as dialysis, and other requirements.

“The PCSO will also study how resources can be converged through entering into PPPs in the areas of health-worker and socialworker training and the holding of medical missions and health-information seminars in poor communities all over the country, with the goal of delivering positive health outcomes,” the report said.

More Aquino PPP projects in the pipeline The Aquino administration’s Public Private Partnership Center (PPPC) has already released a PPP Manual for local government units “a detailed how-to guide for undertaking well structured PPP projects,” the agency said. Workshops on the PPP Manual are continuously being conducted by the PPP Center to LGUs. In 2011, the Aquino government’s biggest project roll out was the Daang-HariSLEX Connector Project under the Department of Public Works and Highways, and it was was awarded to Ayala Corp.

In 2012, the government’s implementing agencies identified and selected 21 projects for PPP implementation, 8 of which are scheduled to be finished by the end of the year. The PROJECTS/PAGE 10

Del Monte volunteers: for a greener community CAGAYAN de Oro––From leading pineapple grower Del Monte Philippines, with an 86-year farming tradition, more than 4,000 regular workers actively campaign for a ‘greener’ community.

In 2011 alone, employees at Del Monte’s plantation in Bukidnon and cannery in Cagayan de Oro and community partners planted 80,000 tree seedlings in fields and slopes across Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon. Del Monte Foundation, the company’s social outreach arm, grows seedlings of various trees on a one-hectare nursery in Libona, Bukidnon and distributes them for free to the community. In Camp Phillips (Bukidnon), another nursery with a capacity to disperse 5,000 seedlings per week, supports the Foundation’s green requirements.

As Del Monte volunteers share in the government’s national greening program, Del Monte farmers work closely with other local farmers to adopt agronomic measures that can mitigate adverse consequences of crop agriculture on soil and water conservation. Responsible farming focuses on sustainable crop cultivation and efficient drainage systems, with innovative as well as tried-and-tested practices like routinely cultivating and positioning crop beds across – not along – field slopes, installing short and numerous canals and drains across pineapple fields to minimize buildup of surface water during heavy rain, and positioning grass strips at strategic points to slow down waterflow.

sugar cane (15%), banana (6%) and other crops (2%).

When Del Monte started its farming operations in Bukidnon in 1926, no forests were cleared to give way to its pineapple fields. Additional land acquired later were already cultivated to other crops such as corn, rice, cassava, abaca, and sugarcane.

Del Monte’s green effort goes beyond the farm. Its cannery was honored with the 2011 Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency and Energy Manager’s Award by the Philippine Department of Energy for exemplary performance in the efficient use of energy resources. The company employs best practices to monitor and continuously improve its over-all Carbon Footprint (CF) which remains negative, an indication that its operations are consistently ecofriendly. In the last four years since the company monitored CF, it registered an increasing trend in total carbon capture (sequestration-less-emission) values of 373, 423, and 489 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Del Monte farms some 20,000 hectares of land in Bukidnon. This accounts for five percent of Bukidnon’s 375,000 hectares of agricultural land, or about two percent of Bukidnon’s total land area of 1.04 million hectares.

Eco-friendly operation sustains this key engine of growth of northern Mindanao. Del Monte’s business directly and indirectly supports the livelihood of at least 40 thousand residents – from fruit growers to truckers and harvesters, from fertilizer producers to packaging material manufacturers, from housing maintenance to equipment spare part distributors. As a responsible corporate citizen, Del Monte continues to contribute to the development and upliftment of the quality of life in communities where it operates. Del Monte Foundation reaches out to over 60 rural barangays in the region, serving over 46,000 beneficiaries within the last five years (2007-2012) through scholarships and education, capacity-building, home care and community health, youth development and other programs.

According to 2011 agricultural census, most of the Bukidnon plateau is planted to corn (51%), rice (22%),

The future looks greener – with Del Monte and its community partners.

Del Monte volunteers plant seedlings in barangay Mambatangan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon to step up their campaign for a greener community. Del Monte Foundation produces 5,000 seedlings per week and distributes these for free to the community.

Del Monte farmers share eco-friendly practices with local farmers to highlight the value of sustainable crop cultivation and efficient drainage systems in conserving the environment.

Residents of Sitio Kiantig, Barangay San Jose, Quezon, Bukidnon receive free medical services and medicines from Del Monte volunteers during a Medical Mission. In 2011, some 8,000 beneficiaries in the region were jointly served in community health programs by Del Monte Foundation, Del Monte employees, Del Monte Ladies Civic Assoc., Capitol University Medical Center and medical volunteers.

8

September 3-6, 2012

Congress

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Rufus, Maxi push for measure on Family Code THE House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill seeking to amend the country’s Family Code which seeks to put Filipino and alien spouses on equal footing and to prevent unintentional discrimination.

House Bill 4368, principally authored by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr., was passed by the 284-man chamber last August 29.

The measure seeks to amend Executive Order

Rufus 209 or the Family Code of the Philippines by harmonizing the law with the recent rulings of the

Rodriguezes said HB 4368 allows a Filipino to contract a subsequent marriage in cases where divorce is validly obtained abroad the alien spouse and recognizes divorce obt ained by t he alien spouse in another country without the need to seek judicial recognition or enforcement of the foreign judicial degree of absolute divorce.

Maximo They lamented that the Supreme Court on di- Supreme Court’s October vorce obtained by the 2, 2001 ruling which made alien spouse in another it a requirement that a foreign divorce degree be country.

Comelec ready for 2013 automated elections COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes yesterday assured congressmen that the poll body is now ready for the combined automated congressional and local elections in May 2013.

“We can tell you that we have enough funds for next year’s elections,” Brillantes told a House appropriations subcommittee chaired by Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. He was responding to concerns raised by Andaya and appropriations committee chairman Cavite Rep.

Joseph Emilio Abaya about Comelec’s funding problem Brillantes himself raised a month ago in another House hearing.

The Comelec chief had complained that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had cut the commission’s 2013 budget from P13 billion to P8 billion.

He said Comelec needed the additional P5 billion, and that if the funds were not restored, the poll body would be forced to conduct a manual election.

Brillantes threatened to

resign if the Comelec would have no choice but to go back to manual voting.

Abaya informed Brillantes and other Comelec officials that Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told him two weeks ago that they have already solved the commission’s funding problem.

Brillantes confirmed this, saying Abad has assured him that the P5 billion would be returned to augment Comelec’s P8.4-billion budget for next year.

“The P5 billion would COMELEC/PAGE 10

recognized before it can be enforced by the Philippine court “puts to naught the concept of equity for the Filipino spouse.” “As such, the Filipino spouse is once again put at a disadvantage considering that the foreign spouse is already free to remarry.

This proposed amendment to the Family Code will cure such anomaly,” the brother lawmakers said.

The SC’s Garcia-Recio vs Recio ruling ruled that a divorce obtained abroad by an alien may be recognized in our jurisdiction,

provided such degree is valid according to the national law of the foreigner.

“However, the divorce degree and the governing personal law of the alien spouse who obtained the divorce must be proven.

Our courts do not take judicial notice of foreign l aw s a n d j u d g m e nt s ; hence, like any other facts, both the divorce decree and the national law of the alien must be alleged and proven according to our law on evidence,” the 2001 ruling said.

Delisted groups known this month DISQUALIFIED PARTYLIST groups will be released before the filing of certificates of candidacy in October, with incumbent congressmen whose groups will be included still allowed to serve their term until the end of the third regular session of the 15th Congress next year.

“We will release the list towards the end of September,” said Director James Arthur B. Jimenez, spokesman of the Commission on E lec tions (Comelec) in a chance interview last week.

Filing of intention to run in the May 2013 midterm elections has been scheduled for Oct. 1-5. The third regular session adjourns on June 7, 2013.

The purging of partylist groups, under Comelec Resolution 9513, aims to “ensure that the partylist system is allowed to live up to its spirit” and that the party-list groups “really represent the marginalized and underrepresented,” said Mr. Jimenez.

The issue was raised by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd district), brother of Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr., during the budget hearing last week, particularly on the fate of party-list lawmakers. There are 42

party-list lawmakers out of 283 congressmen. “[The resolution covers] even those who are voted by the people in 2010 as if they are registering anew,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “What is the rationale behind this?”

Comelec Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes, Jr. said that the poll body is only “exercising the option to cancel the registration of existing party-lists.”

“There are 172 new applicants in addition to the 127 existing,” he said.

“If we will not review existing party-lists and continue to accept new applications, there will be no end anymore,” added the chairman, without addressing the fate of incumbent lawmakers whose groups may be delisted.

Mr. Brillantes said groups will be grilled on the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and spending of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, an authority under the General Appropriations Act that allows a congressman to identify projects by as much as P70 million.

“There are representatives of peasants but t he y’re mu lt imillionaires,” Mr. Brillantes said on the issue of proper representation of marginalized groups.

“Is that even possible?”

Mr. Jimenez, meanw hile, s aid par ty-list groups need not worry of being delisted if “your representation is valid and legitimate….”

He said in a separate text message that affected party-list congressmen will be allowed to complete their term.

“No effect [to elected party-list solons]. Sitting congressmen’s terms [will be allowed to] expire.”

Purged groups “that don’t make it can appeal,” he added.

The security guard party-list group, Ang Galing Pinoy, and its representative, Juan Miguel “Mikey” M. Arroyo, did not attend last week’s Comelec hearing to justify its registration, but it may seek another hearing.

“Nothing stops party-lists to request the reschedule of hearing,” said Mr. Jimenez.

The Comelec, meanwhile, reiterated that its proposed 8.49-billion budget for next year as approved by the Budget department is not enough to cover the conduct of next year’s elections.

“We are not happy with the 8.4 billion. We will be spending more than that,” said Mr. Brillantes.

The amount submitted to Congress has been reduced by about 5 billion from the original proposal.

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9

PLDT launches third MVP Bossing Awards THEY came, they worked hard, and conquered.

To a ‘Bossing’, all were unanimous that their individual success did not come easy, and was attained through a dint of hard work, generous dollops of research and sweat, as well as an unshakeable belief in oneself to try and try, until business victory was at hand.

2012 MVP BOSSING SEARCH IS ON. Executives from PLDT SME Nation, Sun Cellular and Go Negosyo, along with representatives from the 2011 MVP Bossing Awards, officially kicked off the nationwide search for the 2012 MVP Bossing at the Milky Way Café in Makati City on August 23, 2012. Flashing the ‘thumbs up’ sign at the campaign launch are (from left to right) PLDT SME Nation Community Consultancy Head Gabby Cui, Go Negosyo Executive Director Mon Lopez, PLDT SME Nation VP and Head Kat LunaAbelarde, VP for Sun Business Marketing Michele Curran, Autohub Group President Willie Tee Ten, Fern Inc. President and CEO Tommanny Tan, and PLDT SME Nation AVP and Marketing Head Amil Azurin.

Davao Cinematheque gives tribute to Dolphy

By RUDOLF IAN G. ALAMA

DAVAO City -- Davao Cinematheque is paying tribute to the departed Dolphy, King of Comedy with a retrospective of some of his movies.

Lolita Lacuesta, head of the Davao Cinematheque said the screenings of Dolphy films is open to the public for free. The retrospective started last August 30 and will run until September 2.

The Dolphy retrospective was conceived to honor Rodolfo “Dolphy” Vera Quizon’s numerous and unprecedented contributions to Philippine cinema. Similar Dolphy retrospectives have been held in Cinematheque Baguio and Cinematheque Iloilo.

Among the flicks which

will be shown during the retrospective are Omeng Satanasia (1977), the Lino Brocka masterpiece,Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (1978), My Juan and Only (1982) and t he iconic Home Along Da Riles I and II (1993, 1997).

Dubbed the King of Comedy, Rodolfo Vera Quizon made a span of over 200 movies from 1946 well into 2010 when he made his last movie.

He was also an acclaimed vaudeville dancer and starred in long-running television sitcoms among these were John and Marsha and Home along the Riles.

Lacuesta said that apart from Dolphy movies, several old Filipino classics will also be shown on the cinematheque. These movies are shown free

aimed at making the public aware of the country’s rich cinematic heritage.

The cinematheque is a 120-seat cinema facility located at the old Department of Education office in Palma Gil street in the city, adjacent to the People’s Park. The facility which was opened last June 29 was built by the Film Development Council of the Philippines under a usufruct agreement signed with the City Government of Davao.

Aside from a movie house for Filipino classics and World Cinema the facility can also be used as a venue for seminars and workshops related to films, it can also host film screenings for local filmmakers and is planned to host a movie archive.

The search for the best ‘Bossings’ who successfully manage the business operations of small and medium enterprises in key industry segments nationwide, kicked off today amidst a plethora of business success stories as PLDT SME Nation officially announced the 2012 MVP Bossing Awards in a grand launch attended by well-known entrepreneurs, and past winners of the unique contest.

Now on its third year, the MVP Bossing Awards paid tribute to local business leaders who exhibit Filipino entrepreneurial and leadership values such as creativity, perseverance and determination in successfully managing their business operations.

Fittingly, this year’s competition trumpeted the theme “Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon: Championing Filipino Values in Business” to recognize entrepreneurs from the past to present who displayed tremendous tenacity to survive and adapt their business operations to formidable challenges using the latest technology methods and solutions.

“The 2012 MVP Bossing Awards is a company tradition in recognizing Pinoy Bossings’ contribution to nation-building, Entrepreneurs who embody core Filipino values in relentlessly pursuing

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their aspirations,” said PLDT Executive Vice President and Head of Enterprise, International and Carrier Business Eric Alberto.

At the launch event were 2011 Bossing award winners who shared stories of their respective entrepreneurial sojourns, peppered liberally with inspirational “s ecrets of their success”, to the gathered media. They included Willy Tee Ten of Autohub Group, Tommanny Tan of FERN Inc. and Go Negosyo Executive Director Mon Lopez.

“It’s been a year since we were given the recognition for the hard work we put in our business to meet the growing demand for our products and keep pace with the developments both in the domestic and international markets,” said Willy Tee Ten, president of Autohub Group. “We are grateful to PLDT SME Nation in honoring our contribution to the local industry; the award helped us to enhance our market reputation, expand our market reach and thus create more local jobs.”

“This early, we want to congratulate the wouldbe winners of this year’s award and encourage them to continuously sharpen their business acumen and show everyone that the Pinoy talent is unique in every way and one of the best in the

world,” said Tommanny Tan, President and CEO of FERN Inc. Judging from the huge number of entries last year, PLDT SME Nation expects the number of nominees this year to surpass the previous submissions.

Similar to last year’s competition, nominations for various industry segments representing ever y SME sector such as Agri-business, Manufacturing, Travel & Leisure, Retail Trade & Finance and Service Industries, will be accepted for the 2012 MVP Bossing Awards.

Qualified for nomination are entrepreneurs and home-grown Filipino business leaders who have been in operation for at least five years. Nominations are now on until 17 October 2012.

“Besides steering their enterprises to success with their excellent business management skills, we want to honor Pinoy Bossings who for many years embraced the fortitude and strength of mind that we Filipinos are admired for,” said PLDT SME Nation VP and Head Kat Luna-Abelarde.

Winners of this year’s award will be featured in a year-long multimedia campaign that will give wide market exposure for their products or services.

D e t ai ls on how to nominate candidates, and the corresponding criteria to qualify for the MVP Bossing Awards are available at the PLDT SME Nation website at w w w. pl dt s m e - n at i on . com.ph or call the PLDT SME Nation hotline at 101-888.

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September 3-6, 2012

Rate... from page 1

Power Corporation, mother company of Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) who however requested to remain anonymous pending the release of the firm’s official statement said refunds are not new since the firm has been refunding its customers for savings realized in CFO/fuel efficiency of operations.

Another source confirmed that TMI will not contest the decision and is even now in talks with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on how to work out the implementing mechanisms for the ERC decision.

Although he said the TMI will drive the process with NGCP, that is no guarantee of what the coops would do with the refund.

“Technically, when they get the refunds, the coops should pass it to their customers,” he added.

For its part, the NGCP said, “For matters that will have an impact on rates whether to be paid by or refunded to consumers, we leave it to the ERC to decide. We’ll abide by the regulator’s decisions.”

“This is certainly a positive development as far as consumers and customers of utility companies/electric coops, said Ma. Teresa Alegrio, Oro Chamber president.

“I was informed Cepalco is waiting for the IRR for computing the refund.

Kudos to KKI for pursuing this advocacy,” she said.

Konsumanteng Kagayanon, Inc. (KKI) was one of the oppositors on record on the ERC case, along with intervenors Cepalco, Daneco, Amreco, Nasecore, Laneco and Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. However, pending official statements from the principals involved, many stakeholders in the Mindanao power industry still doubt the refund process might take some time.

“I recommend widest media coverage of this latest ruling,” said a cooperative official from Western Mindanao. “Hopefully, they would take their medicine like good boys and not file motions for reconsideration (MRs) with the courts ad naseaum to delay the refund until it becomes irrelevant to the passage of time.”

“Sana ngah, di na mag MR pa ang TMI, at dapat lang sa $33M ibase ang Capital Recovery Fee(CRF) and not on the Appraised Value of $86M, subra naman iyon,” Engr. Nestor B. Degoma, chairman of the PALAG-Mindanao (Power ALternative AGenda in Mindanao) and president of LAPOCOF(Lanao Power Consumers Federation) said.

Degoma said PALAG and LAPOCOF both welcome the firm’s other Energy Ventures, especially Renewable Energies, “but please listen to the people on the affected

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communities and moderate your greed at Pabayaan nyo ng Mananatili sa Gobiyerno ung mga nabanggit ko na mga Power Facilities. We know if you distance yourselves from those Valuable Assets of the Government, PSALM may eventually lose its Appetite of Selling it, especially that the People of Mindanao are against such sale.”

Expansion... from page 1

the lower your cost and lesser the expense,” he added.

“The 30 new stores every year are merely organic growth... The direction then is we just open our department store, our food business in the mall where we are operating,” said Sio. He noted though that, “three years ago, we said, ok if it is within the vicinity of the mall. Now we are improving that, where it’s not necessarily within the vicinity (of the mall) but anywhere,” said Sio. Sio added that they are on the lookout for buying opportunities in the Visayas and Mindanao as a way to accelerate the company’s expansion program. “If we see a good opportunity, we would acquire,” he said.

SMIC may close some acquisition deals before the end of the year. “In choosing that, we have to see what location. Second is the number of stores that he has. Five in a small city or small or medium sized area is fine,” Sio said.

He explained that, “if the location is right, we can improve not just the store but the travelling area. If there is a potential then create that into a regional mall with more tenants.”

Plan for ASEAN Connectivity, establishing meaningful physical, institutional, and people-to-people linkages between member countries.

This connectivity will allow for increased trade, tourism, and investments between our country and the rest of the BIMP-EAGA countries, and to the bigger ASEAN community, Antonino said.

She urged the public and private sectors to focus on Mindanao’s key competitive and comparative advantages in assessing the island’s readiness and in firming up goals for this regional economic integration.

“More than ever, now is the time for greater convergence of public and private sector initiatives, and the pursuit for common policy agenda that promotes increased and freer trade, with high premium on ensuring sustainable development,” said Antonino, the country’s minister to the BIMPEAGA. The ASEAN Community, which is expected to materialize in 2015, will be based on three pillars namely “a security community, an economic community and a socio-cultural community,” a PCCI-Mindanao briefer said.

The 2015 ASEAN Integration seeks to make the bloc a key player in international economy and politics like the European Union. pna

dealings. But I don’t think that would be enough. Yes, there is need for friendly contacts and giving good example. But still those would not be enough.

Our Lord, when asked by his disciples why they could not cure a certain very difficult case, simply said that it can be handled only through prayers and fasting. I feel these are also what are needed to take care of this difficult challenge.

Religious indifference and hostility to religion have to be tackled by persistent effort to identify oneself with Christ through prayer and sacrifice. In other words, we have to be ready to be crucified, which is the best form of prayer and sacrifice.

There’s no other way.

Unless we are willing to imitate Christ all the way to his crucifixion, we cannot expect to melt away the thick and sticky layer of religious indifference and hostility to religion among the people.

This crucifixion need not be in a public place. It can rather be in that personal effort to give everything to Christ—our mind, our heart, our feelings, our plans, our time, our honor, etc. Everything!

As Christ assured us, it’s when we lose that we gain, it’s when we die that we live, the last will be first…

Quiamjot...

come f rom this year’s Comelec appropriations, savings and other sources.

So yes, we have enough funds for the 2013 elections, including about P3 billion for the October voting for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officers, if it will not be postponed,” he said.

Brillantes said the poll body could now begin the bidding process for various services needed for the 2013 polls, such as the printing of ballots and other election materials.

If the October vote would be deferred, Brillantes said the Comelec will have savings of at least P3 billion by the end of next year.

He noted that there are numerous bills pending in the House proposing to move the barangay and SK balloting to a later date.

Several congressmen led by Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez wants the October vote postponed to 2015, saying the nation may not be able to afford two elections in six months.

Rodriguez said the billions that could be saved from postponing the October voting could be used for roads, school buildings, health centers, and similar basic infrastructure and social services.

from page 6

Mayors was all over national televisions discussing the typhoon path and preparations. They have summoned the National Guards to carry a force evacuation of the anticipated hardest hit areas and when the disaster came; from page 1 their rescue equipment was and become more globally just magnificent.

But of course that is in competitive,” Ms. Antonino the United States of Amersaid.

She stressed that the ica. opening of a single ASEAN market and production base characterized by freer flow from page 6 of goods, services, invest- are men of belief, more ment, capital, and skilled than of reason. Faith allabor presents tremendous ways respects reason, and opportunities for the coun- always works through it, try, especially for Mindanao. but is beyond it. It cannot Citing the International be fully grasped by reason, Monetary Fund World Eco- much less by our senses. It nomic Outlook Data and has a longer spread, a wider Estimates for 2011, George scope, a deeper reach, a Manzano, economist at the firmer grip on reality.

University of Asia and the This is something to be Pacific, pointed out that understood well, because the 10-member ASEAN many are now so self-abbloc has a market of almost sorbed and self-righteous 610 million people, with an that anything that does not aggregate gross domestic- pass their empirically-based product of US$ 2.339 billion. intellectual criteria just can“With ASEAN looking not be true. closely at regional subWith their vaunted irgroupings, now is the best reverence, they mock and time for the BIMP-EAGA ridicule any reference to to put its best foot forward,” faith, to the spiritual and Antonino explained. supernatural, often not reMindanao, being a focus alizing that they are actuarea to this sub-regional ally acting out the roles of cooperation, is in the best drunks and the drugged, or position to take advantage of kids in tantrums, who can be the opportunities presented eloquent in their locked-in by the ASEAN integration, state of self-righteousness. she said.

How do we deal with Already, BIMP-EAGA this kind of situation? It’s initiatives have been inte- good, of course, to enter grated into ASEAN’s Master into dialogue and personal

Economy...

Cimagal...

Comelec... from page 8

SM, Jollibee outline bold China expansion plans LISTED SM Investments Corp. and Jollibee Foods Corp. remain upbeat about their China units’ growth prospects, with officials yesterday outlining aggressive expansion plans.

“We expect we will continue to expand, so we have decided to accelerate the expansion of our malls,” said Jose T. Sio, SM Investments executive vicepresident and chief finance officer (CFO), during the CFO Forum sponsored by ING Bank N.V. (Philippines), the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines and Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines.

A plan to build a mall in China each year has been changed to two malls per year after 2014, he said.

Mr. Sio pointed out SM’s four China malls’ contribution to SM Prime Holdings, Inc.’s bottom line had risen to almost 15% in the first half from 5% three years ago.

“And this will continue to grow,” he added.

SM Prime is SM Investments’ mall unit.

Mr. Sio said SM will consider a listing in China or in Singapore either through initial public offering or real estate investment trust upon the completion of 10 malls in China, to raise more funds for expansion there.

At the same forum, Ysmael V. Baysa, Jollibee CFO, said: “Our China business is growing by around 30% in revenue per year, and we will be able to maintain this. It presently accounts for 11% of our worldwide sales.”

Jollibee operates three brands -- Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan and San Pin Wang -- and

The project aims to build 9,000 classrooms in Regions I, III and IV-B, helping cut down the backlog on school buildings for public schools.

In May, the National Economic Development Agency (NEDA) was set to approve three projects, the Vaccine Self-Sufficiency Project, the Modernization

a 368-store network in China.

It has earmarked P5.8 billion for expansion this year, a portion of which will be used to fund the construction of more 100 stores in China.

SM Prime has programmed a P21-billion capital expenditure for 2012 -- P14 billion for the Philippines and P7 billion for China -- to be sourced from a mix of debt and internally generated funds.

SM Prime aims to end the year with a mall portfolio of 46 Philippine malls and five China malls, which will have a combined estimated gross floor area of 6.3 million square meters.

The two officials said the Philippines and China’s spat over the Scarborough Shoal has not dampened their enthusiasm for growing their China businesses.

“Whatever is happening in Scarborough Shoal, we don’t feel it affecting our business in China,” Mr. Sio said.

“I believe that whatever is going on [in Scarborough Shoal] will be resolved in a very positive and constructive way…” said Mr. Baysa.

Jollibee registered a 21.2% increase in its first-semester net income to P1.59 billion, boosted by improved customer volume and cost improvements.

SM Investments saw a 13.07% rise in its first-half net income to P10.90 billion, with total revenues climbing by 14% to P105.20 billion as all core businesses met their respective revenue targets.

SM Investments shares fell by 0.42% to P706 versus P709 the day before while those of SM Prime were traded unchanged yesterday at P13.80 each.

of the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital, and the NAIAX elevated tollway.

Other projects in the Aquino government’s pipeline are the the CALA Expressway, Mactan Cebu Passenger Terminal Building and the Automatic Fare collection system. (http:// bulatlat.com)

Projects... from page 7

first one was was the Department of Education’s PPPs for School buildings Infrastructure Project or PSIP.

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Petron hikes LPG by P6 per kilo PETRON Corporation has jacked up the price of its liquified petroleum gas (LPG) Saturday morning due to increasing international market prices.

Petron Corp., the carrier of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) brand “Gasul”, increased its LPG price by a hefty P6 per kilo at around 6 a.m. Saturday, September 1. The price adjustment does not reflect the value-added tax on petroleum products.

“This is to reflect the contract prices of LPG for the month of September,” according to an advisory issued by Petron.

The hike effectively translates to at least a P66 mark-up for every regular household cylinder of Gasul, which weighs 11 kilos.

On top of the cooking gas price increase, Petron said it also raised autoLPG prices, this time by a VAT-inclusive P3.76 per liter.

Other major oil firms have yet to announce an adjustment as of press time.

It can be recalled that Last Tuesday, some memmajor LPG players hiked their cooking gas products bers of the LPG Marketby a whopping P7 per kilo to ers Association Inc. jacked begin the month of August. up prices by P4.50 per kilo,

and implied that a second price hike of P1.50 per kilo would be implemented within the week. The association is

composed of independent (not allied with a major oil company such as Petron) LPG distributors.

Liquigaz likewise increased on Tuesday its LPG prices by a similar P6 per kilo or by P66 per 11-kg cylinder.

Various reports earlier said that the Department of Energy (DoE) had in fact anticipated a new price increase for LPG products, noting the continued tension in the oil-rich Middle East.

Before the latest hike announcement, LPG cylinders from major retail stations retailed between P680 and P700. LPG prices typically adjust once a month.

Incidentally, prices of other petroleum products have also been on an upward movement the past few weeks, constituting a “doublewhammy” for consumers.

Since July 17, price of premium gasoline have gone up by P8.35 per liter, regular gasoline by P 8.15 per liter, kerosene by P7.25 per liter and diesel by P7.40 per liter.

What’s worse is that petroleum demand has yet to reach its peak, something that will occur during the Christmas season.(PNA)

11

US firms may shift business to ASEAN A GROWING number of US companies plan to shift some operations from China to Southeast Asia in the next two years as confidence in countries such as the Philippines improves, a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Singapore showed.

AmCham Singapore said on Thursday its survey of 356 senior executives working for US companies in the region showed that 21% planned to reduce reliance on China by moving some businesses to Southeast Asia over the next two years, up from 15% in a 2011 survey.

Malaysia and the Philippines were the top choices for expansion, with both getting cited by 27% of respondents with plans to reduce their reliance on China. In a survey last year, 21% of those expecting to move some operations favored Malaysia, and 11% cited the Philippines.

In the new survey, the next most favored destinations were Vietnam and Thailand, with 24% each. The proportion citing Vietnam was down from 34% in the 2011 survey, when it was the top choice.

Indonesia was cited by 23%, compared with 11%

last year.

AmCham did not give reasons why US firms had become more interested in diversifying away from China, although rising costs likely were a factor.

Chinese labor costs have been climbing at double-digit rates for several years, and the average wage for migrant workers rose 15% in the first six months of 2012, official figures showed.

An Apple contract manufacturer, Taiwan’s Foxconn Group, for example, may invest up to $10 billion in Indonesia to take advantage of manufacturing wage costs that are just 60% of China’s.

According to AmCham Singapore, 92% of the executives surveyed said they were positive about investment opportunities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, a regional grouping that comprises Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.

“ASEAN is not only a vital US trade and investment partner, it is a bright spot in the global economy,” said AmCham Vice-President Tami Overby. -- Reuters

12

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