METROPOLITAN
ILOILO
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TIMES
VOL. II ISSUE NO. 73
July 13 - 19, 2014 Php 12.00
developmental news | critical views www.iloilometropolitantimes.com
Acts 4:19-20
But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” HISTORICAL EXCHANGE RATE Weekly MIDPOINT Rates - July 4-10 , 2014
USD/PHP
43.6000
43.5893
43.5500 43.5134
43.5000
43.5241
43.5000
43.5000
43.4500
43.4282
43.4000 43.3500
43.3472
43.3000 July 4, 2014
July 6, 2014
July 8, 2014
July 10, 2014
DTI PRICE MONITORING Prime Commodities (April 2014) Prime Commodities (April 2014)
CANNED SARDINES Current Price INSTANT NOODLES Current Price
Paradiso (155g) Young’s Town Bonus (155g) Lucky 7 (155g)
12.15 Lucky Me! (55g) 13.25 Payless (50g) 13.75
PROCESSED MILK Current Price
7.10 6.30 Current Price
BREAD
Alaska Sweetened Filled 51.30 Milk - Condensed 300 mL Pinoy Tasty (400g) Alaska Filled Milk 37.00 Pinoy Pandesal Evaporated 370 mL Angel Filled Milk Evaporated 410 mL
37.00
(pack of 10 pieces) 22.50 36.80
DA PRICE MONITORING Processed and Manufactured Commodities (April 2014) Processed and Manufactured Commodities (April 2014)
Commercial Rice Regular Milled Well Milled Premium Special (Fancy) Sugar Refined Washed Brown Sugar Cooking Oil Lapad (bottle)
Current Price 38.00/kg 40.00/kg 42.00/kg 50.00/kg 46.00/kg 42.00/kg 40.00/kg
Meat & Poultry Pork Liempo Pigue (Ham) Beef Rump Brisket Chicken Fully Dressed Egg (Medium) Fish Bangus
Current Price
190.00/kg 180.00/kg
260.00/kg 200.00/kg 130.00/kg 4.50/pc
CRIMES WORRY BIZ 27.00
Current Price 120.00/kg
IMPORTED RICE FROM VIETNAM. Workers unload sacks of rice from a Vietnam cargo ship carrying some 12,700 tons of rice, at the port in Manila on Saturday. The Philippines will import an additional 200,000 tons of rice from Vietnam this year to boost local supply and stabilize retail prices that have risen to record levels, fanning inflation pressures, a senior agriculture official said.Photo by Reuters
Hundreds of families in Negros Occ. face displacement BY VERMI C. ESMALLA
Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Evelio R. Leonardia, senior vice chairman of the House Committee on Transportation said that they are concerned about the plight of more or less a thousand families who will be possibly displaced should the port development project being proposed by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Negros Occidental particularly the Banago port pushes through. “We are not against development but we should not also leave the people who are facing possible displacement Hundreds /p11
BY REYMAR LATOZA
Badiangan, Balasan, San Dionisio and Estancia as well as in the cities of Passi and Iloilo. IPPO Director Senior Supt. Cornelio Salinas said the number of crimes is expected to increase from June –September or lean months. Salinas considered the possibility that drug syndicates were initiating robbery incidents to turn away police’s attention from the anti-illegal drug campaign. Meantime, Salinas has directed his investigation and intelligence officers to be on alert all the time.
The Iloilo Business Club (IBC) called on the authorities to give “quick resolution” to the subsequent robbery incidents and other crimes that occurred in the city and province of Iloilo recently. “It is the business sector’s hope that strategies to address these criminalities be determined, and that the crimes committed be given quick resolution to restore community confidence on peace and order in Iloilo,” IBC Executive Director Ma. Lea Victoria Lara said. “This is to also prevent future crimes from happening because police presence becomes a deterrent,” she added As Iloilo becomes a metropolitan area, crimes are expected to increase, Lara noted. “This is a continuous challenge to our Philippine National Police (PNP),” she said.
SANCTUARY OF CRIME GROUPS Sara Mayor Neptali Salcedo Sr. was irked over Salinas’ statement calling her town a “sanctuary of crime groups”. According to Salinas, the town of Sara has become the hiding place of criminals and illegal drug pushers from other towns in the province and nearby province of Capiz. The reconciliation has been immediate made between the two after a closed-door meeting with Governor Crimes /p11
SERIES OF ROBBERY INCIDENTS The Iloilo Provincial Police Station (IPPO) recently recorded several robbery incidents in the towns of Sara,
Mila’s Hill Luna St., La Paz, Iloilo City
Overpass to have elevators
Ongoing construction of the overpass with elevators along Benigno Aquino Avenue in Mandurriao district, Iloilo City BY ELYROSE S. NAORBE Primarily intended for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens, two elevator units will be installed on both sides of the overpass along Benigno Aquino Avenue or formerly known as Diversion Road in Mandurriao district, Iloilo City. Mini Hotel
According to Regional Director Edilberto Tayao of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VI, the installation of elevators is part of their overpass project worth P19, 302 321. This mechanical overpass Overpass /p11
Are Ilonggos BIZ prepared for disasters?
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Emergencies, natural calamities, they can happen anywhere and anytime. This rainy season, typhoons or deluge might be the new normal and one may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice. One will probably does not have any time to search or shop for the supplies needed. The flooding brought by Typhoon Florita last week may irate most Ilonggos. But in truth, how ready are our citizens? It looks like Ilonggos are seemingly prepared based on a poll by Iloilo Metropolitan Times. We gave respondents ratings of how they brace themselves with 1 as unprepared and 10 as prepared. An average of 6.5 were taken from respondents. “I gave mine a 6. This is the Philippines, we don’t have drills like Japan. Kung ano na lang da,” said Cyril, 42, a process server at a law firm. Are Ilonggos /p11
WESTERN VISAYAS
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July 13 - 19, 2014
METROPOLITAN
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aklan
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P10-M for Aklan’s mangroves and are categorized by the following development scheme: mangrove with 124.74 has.; mangrove enrichment with 41.97 has.; and beach forest with 131.859 has. “Our people’s organizations have already established and are now maintaining their respective nursery
operation activities. Quality planting materials will be ready for planting by August to September this year,” said PENR Officer Ivene Reyes of DENR-Aklan. “We are now feeling the effects of climate change. It’s time we do something together to rehabilitate our mangrove forests. In doing so, we protect not only
the seas and the coastal zones but we also preserve the lives of our people among coastal communities. DENR alone cannot do this gigantic job and that is why through the National Greening Program, we enjoin the participation of all stakeholders,” said DENR 6 Regional Director Jim O Sampulna.
Aklan redistricting long overdue
A total budget of Php 10,635,000.00 was released to the seven municipalities in the province of Aklan that will embark on mangrove rehabilitation after signing their respective Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, recently. Mangroves, which serve as buffer zones in times of natural phenomena such as storm surges, tsunami, tidal waves and typhoons, are strengthened to protect the coastal communities in
the province of Aklan. Most of them are damaged by super typhoon Yolanda late last year. The seven municipalities in the province of Aklan that will conduct a massive mangrove rehabilitation are the following: Batan with 45.528 has.; Kalibo, 54.058 has.; Makato, 21.138 has.; New Washington, 81.809 has.; Ibajay, 36.389; Nabas, 18.776 has.; Tangalan, 33.560 has. Over all, the province has a total of 291.258 hectares for mangrove rehabilitation
antique
Antique gets P.46-M for crisis situations Antiquenos in crisis situation are given assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the program Aid to Individual in Crisis Situation (AICS). Luna Moscoso, Head DSWD Antique Field Office said a total of P464,500 were released to 155 Antiquenos who are indigent and in crisis situation in dire need of financial assistance. The processing of AICS started April this year, Moscoso said is quite easy and can be accomplished within a day as long as the requirements are complete. These are provided under the Memorandum Circular of DSWD Strengthening the assistance to persons in crisis situation. However, Moscoso emphasized that beneficiaries should seek first the assistance of the Municipal Social Welfare Office because their allocation is just an augmentation to that of the LGUs. AICS covers transportation for indigent families in going home or visiting a sick family member. Victims of trafficking wanting to return to their places are also eligible to avail of this support.
It also provides burial and medical assistance, food and non-food items and education assistance, said Moscoso. Maximum amount the beneficiary can get is up to P5,000 depending on the assessment of social worker in charge. For medical and burial assistance, DSWD is giving the payment directly to the hospital or funeral parlor contracted by the beneficiary. Requirements needed are case study made by the Municipal Social Welfare Officer where the beneficiary resides, certificate of eligibility like death certificate, documents as proof of hospital admission, school ID for educational assistance among others. Likewise, it is important that the beneficiary will bring photo copy of identification cards, Barangay certification stating that he or she is an indigent or in crisis situation. Moscoso assured that they are willing to cater to the request of support of all Antiquenos in crisis situation as long as they comply with the requirements. DSWD6, she said is facilitating the reimbursement of their funds when needed. PIA-6
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL The redistricting of Aklan has been long overdue, according to Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores. Asked for his reaction on redistricting efforts, the governor said the redistricting bill should have been passed in the Senate last year since the province of Aklan deserved additional seat in the House of Representatives. House Bill No. 112 authored by Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco, Jr. is pending with the House committee on local government. Last June 11, the committee suspended its deliberations pending the submission of the updated endorsement from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan. Last week, the Aklan SP already
BY VERMI C. ESMALLA NEGROS OCC., July 2 (PIA6)-Students who wish to apply for DOST scholarship qualifying examination have until August 21 to file their application forms. DOST Provincial Director Engr. Allan Daraug said the program is open to graduating fourth year high school students but has lately been expanded to cover first year to third year college students also. High school student applicants should belong to the top five percent of their class and whose parents’ income should be lower than P156,601 supported by a BIR document under the R.A. 7687 scholarship program. Successful examinees will receive monthly stipend book allowance, and other financial aid. In Negros Occidental, those who pass the examination may enroll at the University of St. La Salle in its Chemical and Computer Engineering programs.
In TUP–Talisay, DOST accredited courses are Electronic and Communications Engineering and Mechanical Engineering; Carlos Hilado Memorial State College–four year courses in Math, Science and Information Technology and in Central Philippines State University- B.S. in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Computer Engineering. Those who cannot qualify in the R.A. 7687 may still be considered for scholarship under the Merit Program where annual income of applicant’s parents is higher than P156,601. In 2013, there were 111 students who passed the scholarship exam. About 80 of them enrolled in Negros Occidental schools while about 20 opted to enroll outside the province, Daraug said Forms and other information on the scholarship can be downloaded from www.sei.dost.gov.ph or www. science-scholarchips.ph or call local DOST office at Tel. no. 433 9182. IMT
Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos already assured the town mayors his endorsement of support during his recent Aklan visit for the redistricting measure. Marcos is presently the chairman of the Senate committees on local government and public works. “Aklan province deserves to have two congressional districts. Sa mabahoe nga contribution it Aklan sa national development sa turismo, kinahaeang-an nga ibalik man it national government sa Aklan paagi sa pag-krear it daywang distrito,” the governor said. Miraflores further appealed for the Aklanons to support the bill for the proposed reapportionment of Aklan into two congressional districts. Western Visayas Informer
CAPIZ
Capiz readies war against cocolisap
BY TARA TANYA SULTAN DUERO Capiz Governor Victor Tanco has assured the public that cocolisap will not get into the province of Capiz. Tanco stated that the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is already coming up with the measures to prevent the widespread of such coconut infesting pest. The provincial government has been placing checkpoints for PNP to monitor the entrance of palm trees into the province. Confiscation will be made and contaminated palm trees will be burned, Tanco stressed. The whole island of Panay is currently under quarantine due to cocolisap. Tanco further said that the fight against cocolisap is a collaborative effort among all Capicenos. He exhorts coconut farmers to actively take part by reporting early signs of contamination. A single contaminated coconut plant
when reported to PCA will enable immediate and early actions to be taken. As a matter of fact, in Capiz, the coconut industry is yet in the process of recovery after having been ravaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda. The provincial government is
ready with financial assistance in case of an outbreak occurrence. The 2013 calamity fund might have been used up but once declared under state of calamity due to cocolisap, 2014 calamity fund will be used.IMT
2nd streetfood fest set
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
Applications for DOST scholarship ‘till Aug.21
endorsed a resolution supporting the creation of an additional district in Aklan. “Pag daywa ro distrito, ro budget it national government magadugang man ag matatapan man ro mga banwa sa eastern district. Mabahoe kara ro implications sa development it Aklan. May minimum nga P200 million sa kada congressional district ro mga government agencies sa pagpatigayon ku anda nga mga programa,” Miraflores said over Barangay 92.9 Super Radyo Kalibo. “Ku nagtaliwan nga dag-on, nasubuan kita kara sa pagbaeabag ni Senator Osmena. Hopefully sa dayang bill ni Congressman Haresco, it will gained approval of the Congress and the Senate,” Miraflores said. The governor said Senator
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, - The Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) will again stage the Streetfood Festival on July 15 in view of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Week celebration. PTCAO head Alphonsus Tesoro said that the Streetfood Festival will once again feature popular Capiznon street foods near Dr. Jose Rizal monument in front of the Provincial Capitol here. “We encouraged the participating
streetfood vendors to develop and showcase seafood-based streetfood during the festival,” he added. The participating vendors are among those who attended the a two-day streetfood culinary seminar-workshop conducted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) – 6 and PTCAO last May. The training was designed to teach the participants knowledge on basic hygiene, kitchen safety and sanitation, plating and presentation which are
important elements in providing quality streetfood and quality service to their respective customers. Streetfood are among PTCAO’s latest innovations to promote the province among local and foreign tourists. The first streetfood festival in time with the June 12 Independence Day celebration was witnessed and savoured by the cluster heads of the various ethno-linguistic groups in Central Visayas, among others.PIA -6
guimaras
Guimaras province declares war vs. illegal drugs BY MONTESA GRINO CAOYONAN The Guimaras provincial government has declared all–out-war against illegal drugs in the province. Guimaras Gov. Samuel Gumarin said the war against illegal drugs contributed a big factor in the entire province since drug is no longer a big problem to them because it has been controlled by the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the leadership of Senior Supt. Ricardo Dela Paz. Records from the Guimaras Police
Provincial Office (GPPO) revealed that from January to June this year, only eight drug pushers were arrested. p>Gumarin said illegal drug activities in the province are just ‘on’ and ‘off’ and supplies based on the information they gathered mostly came from provinces of Iloilo and Negros Occidental. Although not alarming, Gumarin said they are now trying to activate their Provincial Antidrugs Abuse Council (PADAC) so that high school students would be
aware of the situation around them. “High school students are mostly the target of these drug pushers that’s why we are now initiating some moves to counter this”, he said. Gumarin also denied that there is an existing marijuana plantation in the island, but admitted that in previous years there were several marijuana plants uprooted in villages of Tastasan and Avilla in Buenavista town but which were only backyard growing for self consumption. IMT
July 13 - 19, 2014
METRO BUSINESS
3
WV Economy: Nowhere but up
BY REYMAR LATOZA
The ongoing billions of pesos worth of power projects in Western Visayas (WV) are among the manifestations of the region’s rapidlygrowing economy, Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon said.
Drilon envisioned not just Iloilo but the entire WV to become the country’s major contributor to economic development. This year several power projects in the region have been inaugurated including the following: the San Carlos
Solar-powered street lamps to save electricity cost
BY ELYROSE S. NAORBE
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog positively responded to the proposed solar-powered street lamps in Ioilo City by a Canadian investor. Mabilog said he is very much interested to have solar lighting in the whole city. “It will help lessen our electricity cost,” Mabilog noted. The Vancouver-based businessman Alan Yong, during his visit to the mayor, proposed to the City Government to initially install 10 solar-powered street lamps at the Iloilo Esplanade. From 10, according to Mabilog, they able to convince Yong to light
the whole stretch from Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue to Tabucan Mandurriao, with 31 total posts. Yong is married to a Filipina and was one of the 300 Canadian and American investors who came to the city for the Winter Escapade Tour last January. He said he was really awed by the developments happening in the city and he wants to take part in its rapid growth thus, he wants to make all lamp posts in the esplanade solar-powered as challenged by Mabilog He also extended invitation to the mayor to attend a trade fair in Vancouver sometime in May next year.IMT
Solar Energy (SACASOL) worth P1.9billion, 99MW-Biomass Power Project worth P3.5-billion, the P5.4 Billion50MW-Nabas Wind Power Project, the first wind power project in Aklan, the P13 billion-Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) 135 MWCoal-Fired Power Plant in Concepcion, Iloilo and the P15.6 billion-Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) -Coal-Fired Power Plant’s Third Unit in Iloilo City. These projects, according to Drilon, will ultimately translate to various benefits that will accrue to the region. In the form of jobs for the
residents and communities, as well as, additional sources of income to the concerned local government units or LGUs (business taxes, real property taxes, share to host communities under the Renewable Energy (RE) Law, and additional benefits to host communities under Energy Regulation (ER) 1-94. The Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC), in its report, stated that these projects will likewise “boost the tourism industry in the region. In anticipation of the influx of tourists upon completion of these projects, particularly the wind farm projects.”IMT
The sin tax law not only helped discourage or decrease the prevalence of tobacco use in the country but also provided funds for health services and facilities, the Department of Health (DOH) Region VI said. The health department in the region is set to receive P1-billion from sin taxes to be used on the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP). “The good news that we received was that an additional P14 billion was generated from the sin tax law for this year on top of the P35billion projection. This will fund the enrollment of folks belonging to households Q1 and Q2 category, or the poorest and the not-so-poor individuals in the country, with the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP),” DOH Assistant Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial said She added that the total excise tax from tobacco products and alcoholic beverages reached P53 billion since the passage of the law in 2012.
Around 85 percent of the revenues will go to healthcare, and the 15 percent will go to tobacco farmers whose livelihoods have been affected of the increase in sin taxes. For health care spending, 80 percent of the incremental revenues will be allocated for the universal health care under the NHIP and 20 percent will be set aside for medical assistance and health enhancement facilities program. The Sin Tax Law or Republic Act 10351 enacted in 2012 imposes additional taxes on different kinds of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages to discourage consumption of alcohol and tobacco and raise much-needed revenues to fund the government’s health programs. Based on the recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey, the prevalence of smoking among Filipoinos belonging to socio-economic Class E, or the very poor, decreased from 38 percent in December 2012 to 25 percent in March 2014.IMT
houses, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Chief Jerry Bionat disclosed. Other portions of the budget will go to infrastructure, with P7.3 billion; social services, with P2.5 billion; agriculture, with P2.3 billion and livelihood, with P2.4 billion. Defensor presented the rehabilitation plan to the CCR and to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery headed by former senator Panfilo Lacson in Manila. According to Lacson, based on the Post Disaster Needs Assessment during a visit to Iloilo last month, the government had allotted a total of P104.644 billion for distribution to 171 typhoon-hit areas. Out of the said amount, he said that Western Visayas would get a big portion of the total fund.IMT
a lot of policies and guidelines,” the newly elected president said Moraleda also disclosed that the number of rural banks closing continues to increase, causing them to suffer poor reputation. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. shared the same outlook, saying that rural banks face increasingly stiffer competition.
Tetangco said “more cooperatives and nongovernment organizations NGOs now operate in the countryside, with relatively lower cost than most rural banks.” “These entities may acquire portions of your market,” Tengco added. “We also see the increasing presence of larger financial institutions in various municipalities.” IMT
P27.4-B ‘Yolanda’ rehab plan for Iloilo awaits PNoy’s sign
WV gears up for disasters
BY GLORIA CONCEPCION MORALIDAD Some 20 agencies have come up with programs geared towards the disaster preparedness of the community, said Margie Biligan, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region VI Assistant Director in a press briefing on National Disaster Month. The accomplishments of the preparedness committees are mostly implemented in the region, but most were undertaken by several members in close coordination with local government units (LGUs), she added. The committees’ accomplishments has been divided against hazard trainings which are the outcome of an area’s preparedness The first outcome has something to do with increasing the level of awareness, knowledge and scope of the community as far as disaster preparedness is concerned. In these outcome areas some of the activities the committees have undertaken include all sensation activities on how to better understand the multi-hazard maps available to the LGUs by the concerned agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. On the side of the Department of Education, the disaster risk reduction concerned is already integrated in schools’ curriculum.
Several drills and contingency plans were conducted to barangays and household levels and audits to beef up disaster preparedness. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST ) Region VI proposed to install an additional of 24 units of weather monitoring equipment in Western Visayas this year. DOST-6 Director Rowen Gelonga said that there are currently 101 weather monitoring equipment in the the region. Gelonga stated that some of the equipments have still undergoing technical difficulties, yet most of them of them are already operational. The Department of Agriculture (DA ) Region VI have conducted damage report generation for the assessment of agriculture status in the region. Prepared but... The deluge brought about by Typhoon Florita had left the streets flooded. Iloilo City Emergency Responders (ICER) Head Darwin Jerome Papa said that the drainage index was one reason because they found out that sand, cement and garbage blocked the system drainage. The ongoing construction and road widening projects also attributed to the flooding. IMT
BY ELYROSE S. NAORBE The P27.4-billion “Yolanda” recovery and rehabilitation plan for the Province of Iloilo is one step away from from being approved by the president. After securing the endorsement of the Cabinet Cluster on Rehabilitation (CCR), the budget for the rehabilitation is now awaiting for the sign of President Benigno Aquino III. The rehabilitation includes 32 towns in the province affected by super typhoon Yolanda almost eight months ago. Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said the fund is intended for the infrastructure sector that would undertake the repair of damaged roads, bridges, irrigation, health, and education facilities. The biggest allocation is P12.8 million for 43,987 totally damaged
BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN Three office towers of Megaworld are scheduled to be completed within this year. The country’s leading real estate developer is fast tracking the construction of its commercial and residential towers in the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao district due to the strong demand, brisk sales and rental inquiries for residential, commercial, and office spaces. These three office towers, according to Megaworld Senior Vice President Jericho Go, are One Global Center, Two Global Center and Richmonde Tower. The three towers with a total of 25, 000 square meters of leasable space will be able to accommodate more than 10, 000 fulltime employees of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies. Go said two more other office towers will start its construction in August this year. These are the Once Techno Place and Two Techno Place, which will generate an additional 8, 000 employees. Go added they have to hasten the construction of more towers to meet the strong demand of more companies especially BPO that are interested to be part of the multi-billion investment. “Despite the shortage of cement in Iloilo, we are assured by our cement suppliers that the two towers are scheduled on time to be completed in early 2016,” he said. Apart from office towers, Go said they also started constructing the Megaworld central Mall, Festive Walk, 11.-kilometer commercial and retain strip parallel to Iloilo’s Diversion Road. He added these projects will be completed by second half of 2015. The 3,700-seating capacity Iloilo Convention Center is also 70 percent completed which is in preparation for the city’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meetings in 2015.IMT
WV to get P1-B worth of health facilities BY ELYROSE S. NAORBE
Megaworld’s three office towers done by year-end
Rural banks struggle to survive
BY REYMAR LATOZA
Rural banks in the country are struggling to survive against bigger banks, according to Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) President Jose Misael B. Moraleda. Moraleda revealed that more and more rural banks are in difficulties to compete with the superior products and efficiency being offered by bigger banks. “Rural banks continue to operate in a challenging environment. “The efforts and costs in order to survive, compete, and meet the demands of the market are greater that before,” Moraleda said. “As the country goes through a positive economic transition, we find ourselves in a constant struggle to prove our relevance in the societies we serve.” Moraleda cited the regulatory requirements being imposed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to professionalize the management. “We are actually forced to adapt to the new and prudent ways in running the banks, so it is really a challenge. It’s either we address this or we face some of the penalties,” he said “The board has to be active, management has to be guided with
METRO NEWS
4
METRO
on the road
DSWD An additional AU$12.2 million grant was extended by the Australian Government to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the construction of early childhood care facilities in the country. Under the grant, a total of 468 classrooms and day care centers will be constructed by the DSWD through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa KahirapanComprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services-National Community-Driven Development Program (KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP)
BOC The Bureau of Customs (BOC) turned-over 3,915 laptop computers to the Department of Education (DepEd) to beef up its computerization program which deploys computer packages to public elementary and high schools nationwide to support the teaching and learning process. The computers, entry-level ASUS laptops, were seized in December 2011 from consignee ORZA Marketing for undervaluation and misdeclaration. Section 2503 of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines mandates outright seizure and forfeiture in favor of the government if the discrepancy between what the importer declared and what was found by the customs examiners has a difference of over 30% in terms of value, volume, or weight.
DENR In observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month this July, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is calling on all local government units (LGUs) to revisit the geohazard maps distributed by the national government and use them as guide for disaster preparedness.Secretary of Environment Ramon J. P. Paje said the LGUs should take a look at the geohazard maps prepared by the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and take note of areas declared as highly susceptible to flooding and landslide, especially now that the rainy season has begun
SEC lacks manpower to monitor bogus NGOs in WV BY REYMAR LATOZA The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Iloilo Extension Office admitted that they lock resources and personnel to monitor nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), charitable institutions and foundations involved in unscrupulous activities. The agency has too small number of personnel to monitor hundreds of registered NGOs in the region, Director Russell I. Ildesa told Iloilo Metropolitan Times. “Sa dami dami ng mga NGOs hindi namin kayang puntahan isa isa yan kasi kaunti lang kami,” Ildesa said. “Sobrang kulang talaga. Twelve lang kami dito, tatlo lang accountant namin, isa lang and lawyer …. Halimbawa pagpinaalis pa namin sila para magmonitor, so wala ng tao dito,” he
further said. According to the director, the SEC only conducts “table monitoring”. They rely on the records submitted by the NGOs. Hindi na namin magawa na pumunta sa mga opisina nila kasi nga aside sa manpower kulang din ang resources namin,” Ildesa disclosed. Just recently, a bill has been filed at the Congress mandating the SEC to monitor and investigate the activities of some NGOs, foundations, and similar organizations which may be involved in unscrupulous transactions similar to the groups implicated in the pork barrel scam. Laguna Representative Joaquin Chipeco Jr., author of House Bill No. 4449, said that “the continuing saga involving PDAF accountabilities has brought to the fore widespread abuses
BY REYMAR LATOZA Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. has given the go-signal for the release of more than P700 thousand for climate change mitigation in the province this year. The governor approved some P708,816.7 worth of local greening projects which include the adaptation of rainwater harvesting technology. The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), with a total budget of P652, 650.0, is set to establish rainwater harvesting tanks in nine villages in the province. These villages are: Brgy. Tinocuan, Dingle; Jayubo National High School, Lambunao; Panuran National High School, Lambunao; Brgy. Maribong, Lambunao; Brgy. Pararinga, Janiuay; Brgy. Monte Magapa, Janiuay; Brgy. Carvasana, Calinog; Brgy. Del Pilar, Barotac Viejo; and, Brgy. General Luna, Barotac Viejo. Each ferrocement tank can store 4,000 liters of rainwater. A series of trainings and symposia will also be held
in the areas to educate the beneficiaries of the benefits of rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is an accepted freshwater augmentation technology in Asia and stored supply is good for domestic use. Aside from this, the governor also agreed to reforest the 19,333 linear meters of riparian area within Ulian River in Lambunao town. The reforestation, costing Php29,000, is pursuant to the mandates of 1991 Local Government Code – establish, maintain, preserve, protect and conserve communal forest and watershed areas. Based on the agreement, the municipality has to provide 3,223 endemic seedlings and necessary cuttings and grasses as planting materials. The host town is also responsible for the project’s maintenance. Lastly, the governor also approved the construction of five units of small farm reservoir (P27,166.67) in Barangay Malinao in Leon.PNA/IMT
Who’s to blame for floods?
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said today (July 4) the Philippines’ rice output grew by 2.7 million metric tons from 20102013.Assistant Secretary for Field Operations and concurrent director of the National Rice Program Edilberto de Luna said our rice production rose from 15.7 million metric tons (MT) in 2010 to 18.4 million MT in 2013. “For the past three years, our rice production grew by an average of 900,000 MT yearly,” de Luna said.
Inflation rate slowed to 4.4 percent in June 2014 from 4.5 percent in May, supporting a manageable and within-target outlook for the year, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). “NEDA expects that the country’s headline inflation rate for full year 2014 will average around 4.4 percent, still within the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s full year target of 3.0 to 5.0 percent,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan. Decelerating growth in prices of non-food items tempered the inflation rate in June 2014. However, faster growth in food prices pushed up the rate at the higher end of the target.
and malpractices committed by some NGOs. Registered as non-stock, nonprofit organizations, these fraudulent organizations have put honest-togoodness foundations and NGOs as a
whole into disrepute.” The measure, according to Chipeco, also aims to address the reported problem in resources and number of personnel on the part of the SEC.IMT
BY REYMAR LATOZA
Currently, the education department is implementing “Busog, Lusog, Talino”, a feeding program, to all schools nationwide to address the issue of malnutrition in the country. In the previous report of Iloilo Metropolitan Times, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) 6 urged parents to invest in their children’s nutrition. “I know parents invest in books, uniforms, tuition and the likes, but they must not forget about their children’s nutrition, so that he or she can perform mentally, physically and emotionally well in school. Fruits and vegetables must be incorporated in their meal,” NNC-6 National Program Coordinator Nona Tad-y said.IMT
Malnourished pupils in WV up by 19.15%
P700-K worth of projects to mitigate climate change approved
DA
NEDA
July 13 - 19, 2014
BY ELY ROSE NAORBE The flurry of finger-pointing took place after the heavy rains intensified by Typhoon “Florita” (international name: Neoguri) flooded the streets, schools, communities and houses in many areas around the city of Iloilo last week. The Iloilo City Government claimed that the flooding was caused by the ongoing construction of drainage systems, road-widening and reblocking projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Councilor Joshua Alim cited, as example, the ongoing road widening and drainage system project of DPWH at M.H. del Pilar Street in Molo district that caused flooding in the area. On July 7, Iloilo City Mayor Jed sent a letter to the DPWH ordering them to fast-truck all ongoing road projects in the city. In his letter the city mayor stated that “flooding situation is worse as heavy rains brought by Typhoon Florita
starting Sunday, July 6 continue to place several barangays underwater.” On his part, Rodney A. Gustilo, district engineer of DPWH-Iloilo City, said their ongoing road rehabilitation and drainage projects may have contributed to the flooding in the city but they cannot link with the city drainage system, because they are not sure whether they are still functional or not. “Also one of the factors that contributed to the flooding is the high intensity of rainfall and given that the city is located below sea water level, “he said “According to the weather bureau, PAGASA, the normal rainfall is supposed to be 50 millimeters (mm) but on Monday, July 7, they registered 95mm.” Another reason, according to Gustilo is that Iloilo City is below sea level. If the downpour coincides with the high tide, the discharge of our drainage system will slow down because the sea tide pushes back the water. IMT
There are 55,250 malnourished schoolchildren in Western Visayas (WV) this school year, up by 19.15 percent from the previous school year. Eden D. Deriada, Department of Education (DepED)Region VI Resource Mobilization Special Program chief said the biggest number of malnourished school was recorded in Negros Occidental, with 27,563. The Province of Iloilo came in second, with 10, 911 higher compared to the previous record, with 10,759. Antique ranked third, with 3,610 malnourished pupils. DepEd-6 weighed a total of 1.2 million pupils in the region
Investing in young people can help attain economic dev’t
BY REYMAR LATOZA
The Commission on Population (POPCOM) Region VI amplified the voice of young people through different activities in line with this year’s celebration of World Population Day with the theme “Investing in Young People.” POPCOM-6 with the support of the Provincial and City Population Offices in the region joined the entire world in the significant celebration for the young people on July 11. The commission said the focus of the celebration brought to light the crucial role of young people in the region as special sector of the community and the support they need to attain their
fullest potentials as individuals. Young people were given an opportunity to be heard by stakeholders as partners in the implementation of programs and activities that address the threats that they are confronting. POPCOM shared that 25 percent or almost 1.8 billion of the world’s population constitutes the young people age 10-24 as of 2013. With this percentage, they are considered as key players in terms of attaining economic development. Among the significant activities during the celebration were Social Media intervention “Selfie”- through the Facebook and Twitter and Youth Fairthrough a “youthful event”. IMT
Iloilo fast-tracks unsolved admin cases of town officials
BY MONTESSA G. CAOYONAN
The 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Iloilo is fast-tracking all the unsolved administrative charges filed against the municipal officials even after almost a year following their assumption into office at the capitol. Vice Gov. Raul Tupas said the cases they are now handling are that of Maasin Mayor Mariano Malones versus his former employee Elsa Maternal and the complaint of San Enrique Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Rhaylan Cordero regarding the unnamed town officials who allegedly purchased National Food Authority rice using the town’s name right after Typhoon Yolanda. Tupas said the case of Malones vs. Maternal has already been referred to the Provincial Legal Office for review so that whatever decision would come up will be based on the recommendation made by
the legal office. “The case is about to be decided but we preferred to refer it first to the legal office so that we will have also some legal basis on our decision”, he said. On the part of San Enrique, Tupas said that they asked some documents from Cordero as basis of his claims but until now the latter has not submitted any such document. “Only the letter was given to us and this could not substantiate. We need form and other substance that could justify the claims but they did not comply with our requirement”, he said. Tupas said the case is not yet considered closed so that the respondent could still have time to comply with the requirement. “The SP acts as a quasi-judicial body and we are trying to settle those cases as much as possible so that these will not become backlogs,” he stressed. IMT
July 13 - 19, 2014
METRO HEALTH
5
lifestyle influences sperm For couples struggling with infertility, there are few lifestyle changes men can make to improve the size and shape of their sperm, suggests a new study.
Sperm shape and size—known as morphology—were worse in semen samples collected during summer months and from men who smoked marijuana. Morphology was better
Watching TV may double early death risk People who watch three or more hours of television daily may be twice as likely to die prematurely than people who watch less, according to a study on Wednesday. The research in the Journal of the American Heart Association is the latest to describe the potential dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, which include high blood pressure, obesity, cancer and heart disease. “Our findings are consistent with a range of previous studies where time spent watching television was linked to mortality,” said lead author Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez, chair of the department of public health at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. The research was based on records from more than 13,000 people who had graduated from Spanish universities. Their average age was 37, and 60 percent were women. Researchers wanted to find out if there was any link between dying young and the amount of television watched. They also looked at how long people spent at a computer and daily driving time and whether these influenced death risk. Participants were healthy when
they began the study and were followed for a median, or midpoint, of 8.2 years. Those who watched television more than three hours per day were more than twice as likely to die young as those who watched an hour or less, the report said. The most common cause of death was cancer, which killed 46 people. Thirty-two died of other causes, and 19 deaths were linked to cardiovascular problems. Research did not find any association between computer time and premature death, or between driving and dying young. It also did not prove that television watching caused the early deaths, just that an association could be found between more TV-viewing and a higher chance of dying, even when researchers adjusted for other potentially confounding factors. “Our findings suggest adults may consider increasing their physical activity, avoid long sedentary periods, and reduce television watching to no longer than one to two hours each day,” said Martinez-Gonzalez. The American Heart Association recommends people do some form of moderate exercise for nearly two hours each week. — Agence France-Presse
among samples collected after a man abstained from sexual activity for a few days. But alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking were not associated with misshapen sperm, researchers found. Neither was a man’s weight. “It’s always my recommendation to my patients to improve their
health as much as possible,” Dr. James Smith said. “A study like this doesn’t discourage me from saying those things to my patient.” Smith, who was not involved with the new study, is a male reproductive health specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. It’s believed that sperm with
the most normal size and shape are most likely to survive in the female reproductive tract, Allan Pacey from the University of Sheffield in the UK and his colleagues write in Human Reproduction. Little is known, however, about the impact that certain lifestyle factors have on sperm morphology. — Reuters
Processed red meat linked to heart failure among men
Men who report eating lots of sausages and cold cuts are more likely to wind up in the hospital for heart failure, according to a large study from Sweden. Eating large amounts of red meat has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease and stroke, but there is less research on heart failure, the authors write.
“Processed meat besides having quite a lot of salt may include also nitrites and phosphate-containing additives,” said Alicja Wolk, who worked on the study at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. “Moreover, smoked processed meat products and grilled meat are sources of polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons,” Wolk told Reuters Health in an email. “Each one of these chemicals has been shown to have some adverse health effects.” Heart failure affects more than 5 million people in the United States, half of whom die within five years of diagnosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to all areas of the body but does not stop beating altogether. People with heart failure often experience shortness of breath and general tiredness. Heart failure is usually progressive and long term, but can be managed with medications, exercise and a reduced-sodium diet. Processed meat, and salt consumption in general, is a significant public health problem in Sweden, she said. Ham sandwiches are very popular there, she added. Americans are among the top per capita meat consumers in the world, and nearly a quarter of that meat is processed, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.REUTERS
T E C H N O L O G Y
Tablets to overtake PCs by 2015 Facebook experiment ‘messed with people’s minds’
Tablet computers will outsell personal computers by 2015 globally in another sign of the shifting tech landscape, a survey showed Monday. A report by the research firm Gartner said that the shift comes despite a cooling of the tablet market in 2014 and some stability in PC sales, due to upgrades of aging devices. The research firm said it expects total PC sales this year of 308 million units, with some growth in “ultramobiles” offsetting declines in traditional desktop and laptop purchases. For 2014, PC sales will still hold a lead over tablets -- with sales expected of 256 million units. But by 2015, tablet sales will hit 320 million to 316 million for PCs, it sales. The prediction came in a report which said total device sales including PCs, tablets and mobile phones hit 2.4 billion units this year. Gartner analysts said the tablet market is cooling a bit, with growth slowing to 23.9 percent this year, around half the pace of 2013. The PC
market meanwhile is seeing relative stability -- with a decline expected of 2.9 percent after a 9.5 percent drop last year. Gartner analyst Ranjit Atwal said PC sales are being helped by upgrades and replacements of aging devices. “This year, we anticipate nearly 60 million professional PC replacements in mature markets,” he said. Sales of mobile phones are
expected to reach 1.9 billion units in 2014, a 3.1 percent increase -- with smartphones accounting for two-thirds of the total. Taking into account all the devices, Google Android is expected to represent around half of all sales -- 1.16 billion, Gartner said. Windows devices will account for 333 million while Apple’s iOS and MacOS will total 271 million, the report said. — Agence France-Presse
At Google I/O 2014 on June 25 (June 26, Philippine time), Google released the latest version of the Android operating system, introduced as Android L. Android L is what they’re calling a consistent vision for mobile, desktop, and beyond, expected to release in the Fall of 2014. Android L is based around Material Design, which uses shadows and elevation to create user interface layers for the operating system. There is easier transition between apps, as well as a better overall experience when new elements appear.
Android L also reworks the notifications system, with the lock screen giving a full list of notifications you can act on. There is also a new type of notification, known as headsup notifications, which appear over an open app and can be acted on too, allowing for swiping to dismiss the notification and tapping to open the app connected to that notification. A smart unlock feature, described as Trusted Environments, is also available as part of Android L, where the security of the device automatically changes based on the proximity of
nearby devices that it recognizes. When there’s a nearby friendly bluetooth watch, for example, the device will easily open on a swipe; without it, a lock screen will show instead. Android L will also be optimized to improve both application performance and battery life. Battery life will be improved through an internal initiative by Google – called Project Volta – that Google says will dramatically increase or otherwise improve Android device battery life. Android L’s developer preview will launch for developers later in the day. – Rappler.com
Google previews latest version of Android
A controversial Facebook experiment on mood manipulation “messed with people’s minds,” privacy activists said in a formal complaint to US regulators Thursday, seeking an urgent investigation. In its complaint to the US Federal Trade Commission, the Electronic Privacy Information Center said the study -- which has been widely criticized online -- deceived consumers and violated an agreement on privacy settings. “The company purposefully messed with people’s minds,” the complaint said. It said that Facebook’s manipulation of the news feeds of Facebook users to elicit positive and negative emotional responses also “failed to follow standard ethical protocols for human subject research.” The complaint asks the US regulatory agency to investigate, to order a halt to any similar practices and to require Facebook to make public its algorithm used for the news feed. An FTC spokesman declined to comment on the complaint. The privacy group, which joined other groups in complaints in 2009 and 2010 that led to Facebook’s 20-year agreement with the FTC on privacy, said that the huge social network did not get users’ permission to
conduct the study and failed to notify participants that their data would be disclosed to researchers. The complaint came a day after British authorities announced an investigation over the Facebook experiment. Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg apologized this week for communicating “terribly” about the research and maintained that “we take privacy at Facebook really seriously.” Facebook clandestinely altered the emotional content of feeds of nearly 700,000 users, giving some sadder news and others happier news in the 2012 study aimed at better understanding “emotional contagion.” The research, published last month, prompted online anger and questions about the ethics of the study, and put the world’s most popular networking site on the defensive. A 2012 settlement with the FTC prohibits Facebook from misrepresenting the privacy or security of its data. — Agence France-Presse
METRO OPINION
6 EDITORIAL
The right attitude
T
he recent uproar brought about by the proposal of the city government to increase the amount of real property tax in the city has unveiled the kind of businessmen that Iloilo city has. There were those who immediately condemned the proponents - the city assesor, the city treasurer and the city mayor. Some suddenly became so concerned about the development of the city lamenting that the increase is ill-timed as it will discourage new investments from pouring in the city. Others joined the fury by saying that while they are working so hard to invite investors, the city officials on the other hand are only sowing trouble. It is interesting to note though that among the negative voices, Leah Lara of the Iloilo Business Club (IBC) voiced a very sensible apprehension. She said that while they are not amenable to the proposal, the members of the organization she represents are in a listening mode and are open to further exploratory talks with the city officials. The statement of Lara speaks of maturity that is much needed from the private sector to off-set the often immature attitutude exemplified by the government side. Afterall, looking into the state of business in Iloilo City and the capacity of the ruling rich to spend their money, one can fairly see that profit is definitely coming in. While it is true that any increase in the variable of doing business will affect the struggling ones, all must agree that doing business includes the consideration of such increases as these are realities that must be entered in the book of accounts every month necessary to ge Real property tax is not a whim of any political leader. It is a responsibility needed to sustain basic education that the state cannot sustain; barangay programs and projects needed to encourage sustainability; and other locally funded programs of the local government units that benefit those who have less in life.
July 13 - 19, 2014
The blaming game; casino hullabaloo “P
eople spend too much t i m e finding other people to blame, too much energy finding excuses for not being what they are capable of being, and not enough energy putting themselves on the line, growing out of the past, and getting on with their lives.” J. Michael Straczynski Like Brazil’s semifinals shellacking from Germany in the FIFA 2014 World Cup, Ilonggos already anticipated with absolute certainty the floods that hit the city last July 7 due to heavy downpour brought by typhoon “Florita”. Several days before the Germany vs Brazil showdown, everyone was already talking about the host country’s impending exit from the world’s most prestigious soccer conclave when it was crystal clear that Neymar and Thiago Silva would miss the important match. Each time there was non-stop monsoon rain in Iloilo City, Ilonggos were expecting the water level to rise rapidly due to our poor drainage system and clogged manholes. Waterways were blocked by garbage and other debris thrown by irresponsible characters. Aside from the inefficient flood control program from our local government that dates back during the incumbency of post-EDSA
OIC mayor Rosa “Tita” Caram, lack of discipline did us in. We are actually not blameless. We also neglected our social responsibility; we were complacent and passive. We move only like a house on fire when calamity is already knocking on our doorsteps. When it comes to blaming others, we are World Cup winners. STRIKE When calamity strikes, we resort to endless buck-passing and the blaming games commence. We denounce our public officials and unload unrestrained brickbats at city hall without letup to emphasize our disgust and outrage. We always expect too much from our authorities. We think they are supermen and wonder women who can solve the crisis overnight. We forget the fundamental factor why these public officials are also hard-pressed to address the gnawing problem that has bedeviled the Ilonggos for more than forty years now. We lack a comprehensive urban planning. The city’s physical layout and infrastructure is tailormade for floods. Since time immemorial, we elected politicians, not urban planners and highly skilled engineers. Our squalid electoral system has goaded or
programmed our psyche to vote for glib-tongued punks and tantalizers. We have parsimoniously avoided or refused to vote for candidates not gifted with eloquence in speaking but are genius in architecture and engineering works. We are suckers to debaters and smart alecks who mesmerize us with empty rhetoric during the campaign period. And now that these ninny lobcocks are in power and can’t solve the flood problems in one fell swoop, we angrily raise the whimper and resort to trouncing them with unsavory remarks. And we get a high blood pressure. -o0oSome members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod who unraveled a can of worms involving the Casino Filipino’s failure to secure a business permit from the Iloilo City hall since 2012, are now the objects of a smear drive. Some city hall minions who authorized Casino Filipino’s monthly remittance of P500,000 cash to the city treasurer’s office and allowed the gaming establishment to operate without a business permit, are jittery since no less than the Iloilo Business Club (IBC) has issued a terse statement that no one should be given a special treatment when it comes to securing the mandatory business permit before being allowed to
operate a business anywhere in the city.
REASON They have more reason to be panicky now that the local legislative body has hinted that it would conduct a committee hearing on the hullabaloo. The persistent question has not been answered as of press time. Who authorized Casino Filipino’s P500,000 cash donation to the city hall? And why was it allowed to operate without any business permit? We have emphasized earlier that operators of Casino Filipino can’t invoke the weight of the monthly largesse they gave the city government as a bargaining chip so they could be exempted from their obligation to secure a business permit. The caveat is clear and categorical: the city tax ordinance does not exempt any individual or entity from securing a business permit. There is a whale of difference between a donation (in whatever amount) and a fee paid for the business permit. No one is above the law. Not even operators of the Casino Filipino. No business permit means no authority to operate. The ordinance or law can’t be circumvented or held hostage only because somebody is willing to shell out P500,000 cash as a monthly donation.
7 Things You Need to Stop Putting Yourself Through I
’d like to share a recent article that I got thru email from life coaches Angel and Marc Chernoff on how we need to let go of some things that are putting our lives on hold. Enjoy reading! Pause for a moment and think about how much effort you put into certain routines, habits, situations and people that are not actually benefiting your life in any way. It’s time for a change. And positive change can happen. As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Here are seven crucial things you need to stop putting yourself through:
1. Stop holding on to negative thoughts from your past. – It’s often our own thinking that hurts us. There’s no reason to imprison yourself. Don’t think outside the box; think like there is no box. And never regret your past mistakes, because they
gave you strength. The one who falls and gets up is much stronger than the one who never fell. Sometimes you have to accept the fact that things will never go back to how they used to be, and that this ending is really a new beginning.
take you for granted – friends who won’t leave you hanging.
Every human thought, word and deed is based on fear or love. Fear is an inner energy 4. Stop hurting yourself that contracts, closes down, by hating people. – As draws in, hides, hoards Gandhi once said, “An eye and harms. When you live for an eye will only make through fear, you pull back the whole world blind.” from life. Love, on the other Regardless of how despicable hand, is an inner energy that another has acted, never let expands, opens up, sends 2. Stop attaching hate build in your heart. out, reveals, shares and heals. yourself to what’s not meant Fighting hatred with hatred When you live through love, to be. – We all have this idea only hurts you more. When you open to all that life has in our heads of how things you decide to hate someone to offer with presence and are supposed to be, but you automatically begin acceptance. sadly this is why we end up digging two graves: one for disappointed. Expect less. your enemy and one for 7. Stop telling yourself Enjoy more. Sometimes life yourself. that you don’t have what it doesn’t give you what you takes. – As Abraham Lincoln WANT because you NEED 5. Stop blaming others so profoundly said, “We are something else. And what for your troubles. – The just about as happy as we you need often comes when extent to which you can make up our minds to be.” you’re not looking for it. achieve your dreams depends Happiness is the result of When it’s meat to be, it will on the extent to which personal choice and effort. be. you take responsibility for You fight for happiness, strive your life. When you blame for it, switch careers, build 3. Stop letting the same others for what you’re relationships, and sometimes people take advantage of going through, you deny even reinvent your lifestyle you. – Sometimes people responsibility – you give entirely as you uncover it. don’t notice the things we others power over that part Why? Because you have to do for them until we stop of your life. actively participate in the doing them. This is NOT manifestations of your own right! Realize this. You 6. Stop letting fear run joys and good fortunes – deserve better. You deserve your life. – Are you doing they are not ready-made for to be with people who make what you’re doing out of the taking; they are available you smile – friends who don’t fear, or love? Think about it. for the making.
July 13 - 19, 2014
METRO OPINION
7
SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE (Last of 4-Part Series)
N
early all the Thai and Vietnamese farmers said they used some types of protective gear, such as plastic boots (83 percent), hats/ caps (77 percent) and masks (70 percent), but only 26 percent used gloves despite the fact that the hands are usually the area most exposed to pesticide residues. All respondents were aware that when they spray pesticides they should avoid eating, drinking and smoking in the field. Almost all respondents said they normally wash themselves after spraying, although 42% did not usually change their clothes after washing. Detailed input and output data were collected from each respondent for the main field for growing yard-long bean. Consistent quantitative data on the monetary costs of all inputs could not be provided by every respondent, and we therefore used data for only 70 growers in Thailand and 18 growers in Vietnam. Inferences from the data for Vietnam should be made with caution because of the small sample size. In Thailand, the average cost of variable inputs was USD3080/ha; pesticides accounted for 13 percent of these. Growers of yard-long bean mostly relied on own family labor, but some farmers also used hired labor. The average labor use/ha was 231 person-days. Family labor accounted for 66 percent of the
labor use; the rest was hired locally. Farm managers hired both male and female workers, depending on the work to be performed. More male laborers were hired for plowing, operating tractors, irrigating and pesticide spraying; more female laborers were hired for harvesting, sorting, grading and packaging. Cleaning, sorting, grading and packing are notably labor-intensive activities, as bean pods are sorted one by one according to length, size, maturity and blemishes. Pods are weighed and packed into plastic bags at 10 kg/pack. Sorting and grading 50 kg of yardlong bean takes about 30 minutes. Labor costs were converted to value terms using the price of hired labor. The average labor cost, including the opportunity cost of own family labor was USD1295/ha. Pesticide spraying accounted for about 4 percent of the total labor use. In Vietnam, the substantially higher average cost (USD6266/ ha) reflects the greater intensity of land use related to the small average farm size. Although yields are significantly higher than in Thailand, the average selling price was much lower, and the difference in gross revenues was therefore less significant than that in crop yields. The profit/ha was USD2454 in Vietnam compared with USD453 in Thailand. The profit margin – defined as the ratio of net profit and net revenue – was 12.8 percent in Thailand and 28.1 percent in
Vietnam. In Thailand, farmers have only a limited interest in adopting integrated pest management (IPM) because they know very little about these methods and feel that pesticides provide an effective means of control. For an IPM strategy to succeed, it will be important that these methods do not increase on-farm costs and preferably increase profits. If it is possible to completely eliminate the use of synthetic pesticides, the cost of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy, including the cost of own family labor, should not be more than USD223/ha per cropping cycle (the amount currently spent on pesticides). Any additional costs need to be offset by short-term yield gains. These monetary incentives are essential because farmers do not see their use of synthetic pesticides as a problem that needs to be solved. Creating a greater awareness about the risks to which farmers are exposed could benefit the adoption of IPM, but only in the long term. Small improvements in current pesticide handling methods, such as the use of protective gear and correct practices in the mixing of pesticides, could make a relatively large contribution to human health. An IPM training program can build on the fact that farmers are literate, have a long experience in growing yard-long bean (18 years on average), like to experiment on their farms (as indicated by frequent
BOOKS OF SUMMER W
h a t ’ s your first summer in Baltimore like? I wish that I could say that it’s all fun under the sun, especially that I am retired now. But, no! I like taking on challenges, and sometimes, I give myself unnecessary challenges. Summer could have been much, much nicer for me if I just learned to relax and read a book or two, or even five! But no, silly goose me, I chose to publish five books, maybe even add a sixth, this summer. It is an enormous job, a huge responsibility, but yes, I am making good on my promise to publish at least five books for The Peter Solis Nery Foundation this year.
You are publishing five books? It is my modest contribution to Hiligaynon literature. Already in my hands are the first proofs of Peter’s Prize Very, Very Short Stories with a flaming red cover, Love Poems in a hot pink cover, Children’s Stories and
Poems in orange, and The Saddest Love Stories Ever Told in bright purple. I am currently working on the poems from the Poem-a-thon with Peter Solis Nery, which will constitute the fifth anthology, which I will also publish along with the four. These five books are collections of the best new writings in Hiligaynon edited using the new Hiligaynon orthography [with 28 letters] that I so certainly advocate. And then, there is the Ten Elegies book project, which I may or I may not release along with the five. I mean, I can always publish the Ten Elegies later in the year, but the five Hiligaynon anthologies are set to be launched in September. So, you have planned a book launch in September? If you still haven’t noticed, I go on an annual trip to the Philippines in August and September. In the last seven years, it was all about the Palanca Awards night on September 1, but starting last year, I have also established my own Peter’s Prize
awards ceremony. This year, I want to make Peter’s Prize Night extra special by launching these books that are a product of the Peter’s Prize contests. We’re seriously looking at September 6, which is much closer to anniversary of the establishment day of The Peter Solis Nery Foundation, or if the schedules are so messed up, maybe September 13. We might have the event at the same place as last year, although I’m also thinking that this year, we can have a longer Peter Solis Nery Festival in my hometown of Dumangas, where, in addition to the awards ceremony and book launching, I can also run another Audrey Hepburn film festival, direct a live-in writing workshop, maybe do some performance art, and maybe even make another movie in the guise of a filmmaking workshop. I plan to make a longer visit to Iloilo this year. Any interesting read for the summer so far? I have definitely ordered from Amazon.com all the books that I
changes in cultivar selection) and have a broad willingness to try IPM methods if these are provided. In Vietnam, yard-long bean is grown on extremely small plots (750 sq m on average). This poses a challenge to the introduction of IPM methods based on biocontrol because the continued use of broadspectrum insecticides on other crops in neighboring plots would reduce the population of natural enemies. The use of pheromone traps as a monitoring or mass-trapping tool is also not effective unless it is practiced at a community level. A further challenge lies in the fact that most growers appear to be very satisfied with the synthetic pesticides that they currently use. An IPM training program in Vietnam can build on the fact that farmers have a long experience in growing yard-long bean and show great interest in trying IPM methods on their farm. Most farmers have contacts with the government extension system, although private shopkeepers and pesticide traders are also influential in the farmers’ pest management decision-making. There is a distinct gender pattern in activities connected with yard-long bean cultivation, with men doing most of the spraying and women doing most of the daily management; both men and women will, therefore, need to be involved in an IPM training program. A wide range of arthropod
pests and plant diseases affect the production of yard-long bean in Thailand and Vietnam, but the legume pod borer (M. vitrata) is by far the most significant problem. Farmers rely almost entirely on the use of synthetic pesticides in managing pests and have only a limited knowledge of alternative methods. Most growers are satisfied with the level of control offered by synthetic pesticides, and feel that their use improves the marketability of their crop and the price they receive. Together with the very small scale of production systems, these factors pose serious challenges to the introduction of IPM methods. An IPM strategy needs to allow farmers to experiment with the methods on their farms while raising their awareness about the risk of pesticide exposure on the health of their families, consumers and the environment. For making this study possible, this author acknowledges the invaluable contributions of his colleagues from AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center: Pepjin Schreinemachers, Ph.D; Ramasamy Srinivasan, Ph.D; Ms. Mei-Huey Wu, and Ms. Sopana Yule; Madhusudan Bhattarai, Ph.D, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, and; Vu Hong Quang, Ph.D., and Buithi Huy Hop, Ph.D., Department of Science and International Cooperation, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
wanted to read for the summer. But I don’t think that I’ll seriously pick up a book if I don’t have a clear schedule of a day or two to read it. I don’t like putting down books half read, and I also hate putting off some projects just because of certain books. Right now, my priorities are clear: finish the five Hiligaynon anthologies, and feel good about delivering things that I promised. After that, I can read more peacefully and seriously. I’m still intent on reading Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables this summer, and I have had the book for a year already. I thought that I could read it during my trip to the Philippines last year, but life happened. Anyway, the tedious editing job this summer can make me crazy so I break down the project into smaller tasks; and to relax, I indulge myself reading gossip stories of dead Hollywood celebrities. I especially like reading the dirt on the sex lives of Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, James Dean, Montgomery Clift, Anthony Perkins, Tab Hunter, Troy Donahue, Rock Hudson, Errol Flynn, and Laurence Olivier. I think gay celebrity gossip is my guilty
pleasure this summer. Haha.
Trick or treat: MIWD Privatization (1) I
t was more than 15-years ago that the move to privatize Metro Iloilo Water District (LIWD) was first made public. Before the public pronouncement, behind the scenes arrangement and maneuvering with the local government officials both in the city and province of Iloilo and the respective agencies tasked to exercise regulation over water districts was a talk of the town. One financial analyst pointed out that the attempt to privatize MIWD did not materialize as a result of the Asian Financial crunch which hit the interested investor together with other players in the first wave
of water privatization effort outside Metro Manila in the post-EDSA One era. The failure of the first attempt, however, could not be treated as a collapse in the privatization effort, but rather a momentary setback as investors struggled to regain strength in order to get back into position. Since 2000, local players and racketeers in the regional power industry sector has come into the picture putting a local image from a broad effort of national scope. What they did is to develop a more systematic approach by using corporate powers of power industry players, which are effectively harnessed during elections, to push for the privatization plan. The lobbying effort was intense and the
influence among national politicians manifested in the regional and local levels as ally local politicians became partners in carrying out the multi task of ensuring that each step of the way is according to the plan. It is around these period that appointing authority changed hands from the Iloilo Provincial Government into Iloilo City’s chief executive without passing through the court for proper determination of its legitimacy. When Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog assumed as chief executive following his election, he right away demonstrated his authority to appoint members to the Board of Directors maybe assuming that the power to appoint rests at the Iloilo City government
and can be exercised by the Mayor. The legal battle that followed in the last three years and which was recently resolved by the Regional Trial Court only illustrated that the city’s chief executive was unaware how his predecessor was able to acquire the authority and that it was not automatically transferrable to him. Moreover, it was a slap on the face that he was at the wrong position to assert authority over appointments to MIWD Board of Directors. In short, Mayor Mabilog is also part of the problem that aggravated what already a problematic set-up at MIWD. We hear today the problem of mismanagement at the MIWD. By far, the problem of mismanagement at the MIWD is more historical than
Any big plans for your Philippine trip in August? The Peter’s Prize Night and the book launch are already big events, don’t you think? Haha. And as I said, I have hopes for a Peter Solis Nery Festival in Dumangas. Right now, I see myself at the Palanca Awards on September 1. As a Hall of Famer, I don’t have to win to attend the ceremony. While in Luzon, Randy and I might decide on a few days in Baguio, or Laguna. There are plans for me to conduct writing workshops in Mindanao mid-September, but we haven’t finalized the details yet. I really, really want to do another Hiligaynon movie, maybe a short, but I am still looking for materials that will blow me away. Experience tells me that there isn’t a good market for Hiligaynon films, but if the story grips me enough, I might just shell out my own money again to do it. Life is tough, but tougher still is to be Peter Solis Nery—Hiligaynon advocate, writer, editor, publisher, producer. the terms of office of then Mayor Jerry Trenas and the current Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog. From Trenas to Mabilog, however, there was no concrete intervention to address the various irregularities at MIWD. The latter, for instance, has used the same issue of mismanagement to appoint into the Board of Directorship his own set of cronies in the guise of instituting reforms. In the end, it only deepened the financial problems and mismanagement of the water district through improper prioritization and utilization of funds. On top of the internal operational irregularities, water end-users in Iloilo City and neighboring municipalities covered by MIWD were becoming scant while water rates gradually increased. (To be continued)
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July 13 - 19, 2014
METRO TOURISM
9
A thousand and one reasons to see Caluya’s finest BY LEAH MARLIE PAGUNSAN-TAMBANILLO Maybe it was this yearning to get away from the humdrum of the urbane that made me accept the invitation of Sir Arjee to accompany him to Caluya Island, a four-hour boat ride from Libertad port, which is also a good three- hour bus ride from San Jose de Buenavista, our place of work. Armed with fully-charged adrenaline, my bags were packed in less than 20 minutes, the fastest I had ever done in ages and off I went to the bus terminal. When was the last time I stepped on Caluya’s white-pinkish beach? Three years ago, during the 2011 Tatusan Festival, and yet it seems a century. I really missed the place, its beautiful beaches, the beat and the rhythm of its festival theme song....”O Caluya, paraiso namun....ikaw gid lamang amun inspirasyon, mapabugal sa taguipusuon.” This was the song that my heart hummed as we alighted from the ship that brought us to its shorelines. We were greeted with a new yet livelier beat...”Sadya Caluya, sadya... tatusan selebrahun ta...mga Caluyanhun nagapauli... sadya caluya, sadya, bisita naga-arayan dige...sadya, Caluya, sadya!” “SADYA” as its 2014 flyers said, “is a term used almost everywhere in this country. It has different meanings as to the place where it is being used. To Caluyanhun, it means great, good, beautiful, wonderful.” I told myself I will find out if it is really “Masadya” in Caluya, during its Tatusan festival 2014.... The three-day affair (May 23-25, 2014) started with the “pamukaw” and the Grand Parade. It was also during the opening ceremonies that the gorgeous and charming lady mayor Hon. Genevieve G. Lim-Reyes formally declared the opening of Tatusan Festival 2014. In her message, she stressed that “this festival calls for a paradigm shift in promoting Caluya as a destination of your choice and a festival to endure” thus the theme “Sadya, Caluya” speaks for the greatness, wonders and beauty of Caluya that deserves to be promoted at the milestone of Antique’s tourism industry.” During that evening, there was an “extravaganza” showdown of singing and fire dancing. There were also local entertainers invited to grace the occasion. The street dancing was the most exciting, I should say. The tribes were earli-
er introduced to the “tatus” beat and steps, thus they incorporated these into their choreography during the actual street dancing. As in the past festivals, each participating tribe , thru its narrator, freely interpreted how its Barangay came to be (history), its livelihood, culture and its own festival, and to relate this to the current theme, as stated, to “sadya Caluya”. The Tatusan Challenge was another new feature this year. As each barangay has its booth displaying its products and nature’s endowment, the barangay that has a live tatus can participate to this contest. The tatus are weighed to see which Barangay has the heaviest and the biggest tatus. The run-away winner for this “tatus mo, show mo” was Brgy. Sibay. W(Tatus, for those who do not know yet, is a blueshelled crab that feeds on coconut and is found only in tropical islands like Caluya). There was also “panabur” tatus cooking contest. Four Barangays joined the contest and the island-barangay of Semirara bested them all with its tatus simmered in vegetables and sauce. Superbly delicious, believe me, I ate every morsel of that dish on my plate. The “hurma baras” participated in by almost all barangays showed how artistic and visionaries Caluyanhuns are. Barangay Semirara again bested them in this contest. That evening, the world stood still as visitors and residents let out all their “ohs” and “ahs” when seventeen (17) lovely and young daragas paraded on stage on what seemed to be a show of a lifetime – the Search for Lin-ay Kang Caluya featuring the ladies in their production number and talent showcase. Putting the spotlight on these 17 gorgeous ladies , the Search...was the “road” in choosing Caluya’s representative to the province-wide search for Lin-ay Kang Antique 2014 scheduled in December. As in every contest one will surely emerge as the winner and bring home the crown and will enjoy the privilege of being a beauty queen.IMT
My favourite portion in this contest was the question and answer portion or the interview wherein the judges (whose name was picked by the contestant herself )would ask the contestant questions about present issues and other “women” concerns. I liked what one candidate replied to the question : what are the two words/adjectives that you can liken the Caluyanhun to a tatus? Her answer was brief : The tatus is resilient and rare, and that is what a Caluyanhun is. I should like to add that the same characteristics attribute to the Antiqeño as well. The third day of the Festival saw the faithful going to hear the Tatusan Mass held at the San Antonio de Padua Church. The present parish priest, Fr. Erzal Tortal hailed the Caluyanhuns for putting God in their daily lives. For indeed it is God who gave them their bounties they are currently enjoying now. As Caluyanhuns are dependent to the sea for their living, their adeptness was tested in the “Bugsay sa Baybay”. It was awe-inspiring and breath-taking to see husky men sweating it out rowing their frail bancas. Sadya gid!!! There was also the usual “panguyang” were foods and Caluya’s delicacies were shared by locals and visitors alike. The Laro ng Lahi or native games like kadang, sack race, palo sebo, pokpok palayok and lagsanay idik brought everyone to run, jump and to laugh to their hearts’ content. But I loved the water fest activity of all. This was participated in by the municipal officials including the lady mayor. They splashed all the colors contained in balloons into their fellow-employees, into the white-pinkish sands and out into the waters. It was funnier, more hilarious and it surpassed the adjective one felt when “painting the town red”. You see, all the colors had been used in this “game”. Care to know who won in this game? No other than the town’s most eligible and youngest Sangguniang Bayan Member, Hon. Jerick Guisihan. Dusk at Caluya , especially during this Tatusan Festival will never be complete without the spectacular “Lupad sa Kasanag” or the sky-lantern display facilitated by UA extension campus in Caluya. It was so awesome one couldn’t help but say, the lanterns represented the glamour and the fervour of the Caluyanhuns as they take pride in achieving their goals towards making the town as the realm of tourism at the same time preserving the natural wonders of the island as well as the cultural heritage of its people. The sights of those lantern reaching out to the dark heavens gave me goose bumps! The last night of the festival was allotted to the Awarding ceremony of the preliminary activities done days before the actual threeday festival. These are the Caluya Hymn writing contest which was won by Mr. Loreto Pon-an III, and this was presented through a powerpoint media; the opening salvo and exhibition by the tribes (composed of cluster barangays), the singing contest; and the mega showdown which was won by K-Squad Society of Brgy. Sibay. The Grand Coronation Night of the search for Lin-ay Kang Caluya was also held on this night. The minor awards and the corresponding winners are : Best in Production Number and Miss Telegenic – Lin-ay kang Brgy. Bonbon, Mary Joy Borbon; Best in Swimsuit – Lin-ay kang Brgy. Salamento, Julia Novel Gonowon; Best in Talent – Lin-ay kang Brgy. Salamento , Julia Novel Gonowon; She also bagged the Best in Interview; Best in Gown and Miss Congeniality – Lin-ay kang Semirara, Jan Krisnah Catague; Darling of the Production Staff – Lin-ay kang Banago , Gina Santos; and Miss Photogenic,
Sea creatures in Caluya, Antique. Photos credits to Emie Princess Malutao. Lin-ay kang Brgy. Sibay, Dessa Mae Valero. The grand winners are the following : 4th runner up, Lin-ay kang Dawis, Zairah Marie Agsaluna; 3rd runner up , Lin-ay kang Brgy. Borbon, Mary Joy Bornon; 2nd runner up, Lin-ay kang Brgy. Dionela, Sigrid Grace Flores; 1st runner up, Lin-ay kang Semirara, Jan Krisnah Catague and the run-away, Lin-ay kang Caluya 2014, Lin-ay kang Brgy. Salamento, Julia Novel Gonowon. She will be tasked to act as Ambassadress of Goodwill for Caluya and represent the town in the province-wide Binirayan Festival come December 2014. The festival ended with a grand fireworks display after which the Caluyanhuns , the visitors and guests enjoyed the non-stop disco until the wee hours of the following morning. My second trip to Caluya Island was very memorable in the sense that I was “nourished” with the beauty of the place, I was able to watch the sun rise and glow in the sunset, for a great although brief moment, I marvelled at the ripples of the sea and felt the breath of the breeze and yes, it was more marvellous witnessing these natural wonders in Caluya. Its beauty, needless to say brought air into my soul. I walked to the boat terminal, my heart a bit lighter with the memories and the Republic of the Philippines Province of Antique joy I experienced during the three-day festival. And akin to what a real Caluyanhun MUNICIPALITY OF TIBAO feels when leaving his native place, I wanted to sing : “O Caluya, paraiso namun, -o0oOffice of the Municipal Mayor ikaw gid lamang amun inspirasyon.” NOTICE OF VACANT POSITION OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL TREASURER: Position Title: Local Revenue Collection Officer I - (SG-11) Item No.
57
Education requirement: Bachelor’s degree relevant to the job Experience requirement: None required; Training requirement: None required;
O ti, sadya gid man sa Caluya!
Eligibility requirement: Career Service ProfessionalAppropriate Eligibility for 2nd level position. Approved: June 17, 2014
MetroMisc
10
July 13 - 19, 2014
The Experience of a Lifetime Takes Place at Spring Hills Resort And Garden BY TARA TANIA DAIRO
Welcome to Spring Hills Resort and Garden. Situated on pure lush and greenery lies a paradise reincarnate that is home to the weary soul seeking refuge and peace of mind. It is that lovely creation on the peaceful and quiet town of Ivisan, barangay of Malocloc Norte, conveniently a 15 minute ride from the country’s Seafood Capital of the Philippines Roxas City. Exploring Spring Hills means preparing yourself to be swept away by the beauty of a place where life’s unforgettable experiences are to take place. Spring Hills Resort and Garden is home for life’s unforgettable moments to be celebrated. Spring Hills is a masterpiece, a lovely creation of a lovely and powerful woman herself, Rebecca Bowns. The resort and garden is situated on a hilltop surrounded by a unique beauty that is a combination of a breathtaking mountainous view and a refreshing sight of swimming pools dotted by trees and cottages. Spring Hills was conceptualized by Ms Bowns to be both a wholesome place to cater to all ages and walks of life and at the same time a venue that’s close to perfection where life’s significant events and memories are to be celebrated. To the weary soul looking for
some peace and quiet, Spring Hills is a place to recharge. Tired from the hustle and bustle of noisy life, one can completely unwind by immersing one’s self in the peace and quiet place of Spring Hills. Various cottages were designed to cater to different preferences , lifestyles and choices. Life’s memories are for keeps and Spring Hills provide the atmosphere where memories will be remembered forever. Take a dip in their spacious swimming pool designed for all ages. Spring Hills aims to serve the whole family in their bonding moments. It ensures parents that their children are safe while having utmost fun. Swimming pools are designed in such a way that parents can actually have an eye on their children. Swimming at Spring Hills means exactly a hundred percent bonding time for the whole family. What sets Spring Hills apart from the others is its uniqueness. Water comes from a never ending source that is a spring itself flowing from the mountains surrounding it down to this lovely paradise. Life’s unforgettable moments are indeed for keeps. A pavilion is also available for group meetings, birthday parties, seminars and other functions. For wedding celebrations, Spring Hills is the perfect venue for a
garden wedding moreso reception. It’s true, memories are worth remembering. There are memories that linger long and memories that linger forever. At Spring Hills, the memories of a lifetime are most likely to take place. For inquiries ,text or call 09995046689 or 09094273219,look for Realin.IMT
IMT Fun Time
ARIES:
You have a goal in mind big time on Monday. Be careful about trampling on others to get there -- it’s bad for your karma! Around Tuesday and Wednesday, you’re more of an idea person rather than an action go-getter. Get in cahoots with someone who thinks like you do for double the brainpower (and double the fun, too). Then after all that conscious thought, your subconscious has a message for you at the end of the workweek. Write down those dreams and tune into those visions. This weekend, toss the schedule aside and see what allures you from moment to moment.
TAURUS:
LIBRA:
If you find yourself dragging a bit on Monday, consider why you’re feeling this way. You’ll want to have your emotional state sorted out by Tuesday and Wednesday. Expect some pretty spectacular energy from the stars, including a possible romantic interlude. Your knack for ‘getting’ others is hot now. Don’t expect big results. You might be disappointed at the end of the workweek, but smaller plans will go rather nicely. As for the weekend, find opportunities to cooperate and compete. Have some fun -- create something or play a game, one-on-one or in a group. You’re a people person and super aware of opportunities on Monday, so seize this day big time! Around Tuesday and Wednesday, family and/or household matters should be a priority. A little maintenance of your relationships and surroundings now prevents issues later. Then it’s time to leave mundane stuff (mostly) behind and stretch that imagination at the end of the workweek. Think big, think bold, think beautiful -- and think romance! This weekend, look for common ground rather than conflict. Being the one to make the first overture feels fantastic.
GEMINI:
SAGITTARIUS:
CANCER:
A penny saved is a penny you can spend on something bigger and better later on Monday. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, you have a bright, shiny quality that attracts others; your genuine interest in them keeps ‘em around. Don’t forget to share your latest odd fascination. At the end of the workweek, it’s a good thing your head is securely attached. You’re prone to lose most everything else, including track of time at a crucial moment if you’re not careful. A great date or an outing with friends this weekend might involve a game -- wanna watch or play?
MEDIUM
Answer for June 29- July 5, 2014
The rule of the game are simple: You simply fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the 3x3 squares contains all the digits from 1 to 9 without repeats or omissions.
CAPRICORN:
Playing hooky or working from home might not be a bad idea on Monday because your regular routine may present some irregular issues now. Around Tuesday and Wednesday be sure to direct negative feelings appropriately. You don’t want to end up tangling with your boss when your relationship’s the source of your frustration -- or vice versa. But spread the good stuff around. By the end of the workweek, the stars are sending plenty of mojo your way. You’ll click with others now in a most satisfying way. This weekend, do what it takes to truly unwind.
Hop out of bed early on Monday, and make the most of the limitless possibilities the stars are sending your way. By Tuesday and Wednesday, you’re busy refining a scheme or looking for an alternative approach to a certain situation -- good ideas both. The imaginative oomph you need, however, might not arrive until the end of the workweek. You’re able to come up with all sorts of things now, especially in cahoots with someone super. Balance work or projects and play this weekend -- too much of one throws you off big time now.
Wanna make a good impression on Monday? It’s easy -- make it all about them. They’ll think you’re the cat’s pajamas (accurately, of course). Around Tuesday and Wednesday, somebody’s quirks may make you crazy, but even you can admit you’ve got a few of your own. Try to loosen up or laugh it off. Your work or personal priorities require attention at the end of the workweek. The most appealing possibilities may not ultimately satisfy you. This weekend, almost anything’s fun, so why not try something entirely different?
If being ‘on’ on Monday is essential, consider hitting the gym to get your blood pumping, stopping for more coffee or both. If possible, delay bigger, better agenda items until Tuesday and Wednesday when the stars serve you some electric, inspiring stuff, and (bonus) give you natural allure and extra shine. What do you want now? Go for it! At the end of the workweek, it may seem like a hassle, but confirm plans, do the math and so forth; otherwise things are liable to go awry. As for the weekend? It looks great for self-discovery and possibly some revelations about others, too.
LEO:
KU
SCORPIO:
If you’ve been thinking about getting out of town, go ahead and firm up those plans on Monday when the stars smile on future journeys. Tuesday and Wednesday bring some unusual energy your way, perhaps in the form of a work or a personal challenge. This could be a bend-or-break situation -- which will you do? After this, fun with friends (or a romantic interest) is in order at the end of the workweek. Those who know and love you best energize you, and vice versa. And this weekend you just might be impetuous, spontaneous and ready to dive into something new. If you’re confused or indecisive, don’t expect a sudden flash of insight on Monday. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, however, if you apply yourself, you’re likely to experience the dawning of a useful point of view. To prompt it, consider the most outlandish of options and seek out advice from an odd source. An email, a text or other communique could be misunderstood at the end of the workweek; beware of assumptions now. When the weekend comes, your feelings will come across beautifully.
S U DO
AQUARIUS:
Across 1 Lucky in making unexpected discoveries (13) 8 Clown (7) 9 Large stringed instrument (5) 10 Blow over (4) VIRGO: PISCES: 11 Sensational (8) On Monday, fit in some fun -- a little flirtation, a quick Why be a martyr on Monday when a friend or coworker’s 13 Hail (6) coffee with a friend, whatever it takes to kick the week off happy to help? If you feel funny asking, arrange for a mutually right. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, you have the tenacity beneficial trade. Around Tuesday and Wednesday, fuse your 14 Italian brandy (6) to apply yourself to a task or situation, but then again, if you think more imagination and your intellectual side for amazing results. Some free-form 17 Notorious (8) freely first, an entirely new and improved approach may present itself. thought might give rise to surprising next steps for your relationship, career 19 German composer, d. 1750 (4) Don’t overlook esoteric ideas. Try saying ‘I hear what you’re saying’ at the or life at large. Be glad you’re you on Thursday and Friday, and be ready 21 Spectral (5) end of the workweek even if you’re thinking ‘You’re a total wingnut.’ You for additional appreciation from those around you, too. You’re just extra just might change your mind. Watch your wallet and any intertwined great (and extra hot) now. This weekend, get to the bottom of a puzzling 22 Loving (7) finances this weekend. situation. 24 (Of small children) accustomed to the potty (6-7)
Answer for June 22-28, 2014 Down 1 Wail (3) 2 Denial (7) 3 The middle of the day (4) 4 Dismiss (6) 5 Privately (2,6) 6 Young bird of prey (5) 7 Snail (9) 10 Likely to spread epidemic disease (9) 12 Sudden rush (8) 15 Infantry unit (7) 16 Being up to date in the knowledge required (2,4) 18 Iranian language (5) 20 French novelist, defender of Dreyfus, d. 1902 (4) 23 Piece of turf (3)
July 13 - 19, 2014
METRO SPORTS
11
James Yap’s one-hander leads Mixers to historic grandslam
BY ELYROSE S. NAORBE
Upholding an eight game winning streak all in their Do or Die matchup finals, SanMig Coffee Mixers able to record its fourth straight win in the league as they proved to be called “Grandslam” champions after Rain or Shine Elasto Painters failed to rewrite history wasting series of triple opportunities hoping to even the score in the remaining seconds of the fourth which can lead to an overtime if ever in the Governors’ Cup 2014, 92-89. Big Game James Yap’s impressive one-hander right into the rim leads Mixers to the coveted Governors Cup 2014 trophy and declared him as Most Valuable Player of the season in front of 23, 234 cheering fans inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Mixers swept all three league championships this season, making it a total of four in a row since winning this tournament last season. San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone, already the winningest in PBA history, became the first man to win a Grand
Elevator...from page 1
equipped with elevators for PWDs, senior citizens & pregnant women is 50.235 meter long and 3.0 meter wide across. Tayao said the project is in
Hundreds...from page 1 in the name of development,” he said. During his term as Mayor of Bacolod, this issue is already pending thus they also consulted the affected families in Barangay Banago and their barangay officials. But now, many Barangay officials were surprised that the proposal was approved by the City Development
Slam twice, after piloting Alaska to the same feat in 1996. The opening quarter started with a triple from Paul Lee after a Joe Devance’s missed. But Pinoy Sakuragi Marc Pingris answered back with an easy lay-up to give his team their first points. Series of missed shots and steal balls happened in the half court. James three point shot extend their lead to seven points plus his amazing onehand shot to post a 23-16 score in favor of the Mixers at the end of the
first.
compliance with the PWD-related laws. RA 9442 (An Act amending Republic Act NO. 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, and for other purposes), and
Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 (An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions, Establishments and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other Devices. Rlatoza/ENaorbe/IMT
Council (CDC) and PPA also requested a Port Zone Delineation (PDZ) from the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod. The House Committee on Urban Housing and Development chaired by 3rd District Rep. Abelardo Alfredo “Albee” B. Benitez with his committee members Leonardia, Rep. Stephen Paduano, Abang Lingkod Partylist;
Cong. Barry Guttierez, AKBAYAN Partylist and Cong. Rodel Batocabe, AKO BICOL Partylist conducted a consultation to the people of Banago and a site inspection at the Banago port and to the relocation site of the city last July 2, 2014. They want to ensure the welfare of the people with the proposed development of Banago Port.IMT
Offensive fouls was recorded in the second quarter sending different players of ROS in the charity stripe, Tim Cone reserved Yap not allowing him to enter the ball game early. At 4:35 Paul Lee’s triple able to post the first deadlock of 32 all. At 3:34 Yap entered the game and once again converted a beautiful one hander plus throwing his cold-blooded triple to end the second, 43-38. The Painters showed fierce
momentum to a great run after a call for fifth personal foul on Pingris with 4 second remaining in the game clock at the third. Dreadlocked Best Import Arizona Reid returned later in the quarter to spark Rain or Shine’s uprising, scoring two free throws to cap a 17-4 run that brought the Elasto Painters within three points, 73-70, heading into the final period. The Elasto Painters came to within one after making the first basket of the fourth quarter, but Yap responded by stringing together five straight points for a 78-72 edge for the Mixers.
Crimes...from page 1 Arthur Defensor Sr. Salinas decided to withdraw his statement naming the town of Sara as a “sanctuary of crime groups”. He said he will no longer use those words but he clarified that the pursuit operations against lawless criminal elements in Sara and other towns continue. Salinas has already deployed
Are Ilonggos...from page 1 “I’m a 7. Medyo prepared ako, kay na-anad na ako sa mga tag-ulan,” stated May, 28, an office secretary of a law firm and a coworker of Cyril. “Ako, 6. You can be prepared but you cannot control the heavy rains,” remarked Lourdes, 52, a receptionist. “I’m 8. I was trained not to panic,” affirmed by Deniesse. Others stated in anonymous. “I give an 8. I know where to go, what to do, whom to call for help like the police stations or the barangay council. We have stored water, food and lighting. Pretty much ready, but not yet perfect.”
Trailing 92-89, the Elasto Painters had a shot to tie the game, but Paul Lee’s three-pointer from the corner rimmed out. With another chance shots to equalize in the next possessions, top guns Jeff Chan and Lee both missed badly on three-point area. Barroca tipped the ball out on the Rain or Shine inbounds pass, leaving the Elasto Painters with just 2.6 seconds left for their final attempt. But Arizona Reid’s last shot hit front iron, allowing San Mig Coffee to finish atop and successfully clinched the coveted Grandslam. IMT additional 30 police officers to Sara from the Iloilo Provincial Public Safety Company as part of ICPO’s intensified action versus illegal drugs and other criminalities. He added that the area is strategic. As an amicable agreement, Salcedo promised to cooperate with the PNP in maintaining peaceful and orderly situation of Sara town.Rlatoza/ MontesaGC/IMT “Ako, 5. Kulang pa equipments and materials for survival, food, water, lighting, and clothing.” “5 man ako. Kulang man sa materials, flashlight, food stock and equipment.” “I’m a 5. Dalawa lang kami sang brother ko sa balay. Indi namon makaya mahakwat tanan nga gamit to safety.” “Ako, 7. Na used na ako sa mga tag-ulan, so na integrate na na sa system namon nga ma ready.” “8 – I have medicines, stored food and water, extra batteries at home, extra clothes, blankets, first aid kit and much more.” IMT
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METRO BACOLOD
July 13 - 19, 2014
PPA officials need to explain anomalous projects in Neg. Occ. BY VERMI C. ESMALLA Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) officials need to explain before the House Committee on Transportation as several of their port projects and operations are believed to be anomalous. Abang Lingkod Party List Rep. Stephen Paduano said that there is a House resolution by Cong. Giordidi Aggabao of the 4th District of Isabela for the conduct of a congressional inquiry on the PPA projects by the House Committee on Transportation chaired by Cong. Cesar Sarmiento of the District of Catanduanes. Paduano said that PPA has a lot to explain before Congress and also to President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III for misguiding the President about the port in Aguisan, Himamaylan City. The President was made to issue an Executive Order No. 85 declaring and delineating the Himamaylan Port Zone and placing it under the administrative jurisdiction of the PPA as the reported to the President that the port in Aguisan is one of the major and busiest ports in the country.
“How come that port became the busiest port? The road leading to it is rough and the bridge can only accommodate 12 tons and one way traffic. The government spent P108 million for that project but the operation could not compensate what has been spent by the national government,” Paduano said. The port in Pulupandan is also a white elephant wherein the government spent more than P300 million. Paduano also cited the P741 miilion Banago Port. He said PPA has already implemented millions of pesos for the phase 1 and moving towards the 2nd phase which PPA eyes a budget of P426 million. This project will dislocate a thousand families if pushed through, but PPA needs to explain first the alleged anomalous projects they have implemented in the province that apparently became white elephants. Paduano said that even if he is not a member of the House Committee on Transportation, he will be there should a congressional inquiry is held.IMT
iloilo
Floods disturb tourism
BY GLORIA CONCEPCION MORALIDAD
“It hampers the stay of our guests. It’s detrimental to the coming of tourists to Iloilo.” That’s what Iloilo City Tourism Officer Ben Jimena stated if floods or typhoons swarm the metropolis. Moreover, he said that while tourism has no control on the flooding, they still make sure that infrastructures, destinations or attractions would have proper drainage system to hold water. “They are constructed in a way that flooding will not stay in the area. The resorts, too, should make their facilities are properly constructed to mitigate the effects of flooding,” Jimena pointed out. He noted that, usually, rainy seasons have low tourist arrivals due to the weather and, thus, tourism has limited to offer. “Nobody wants to go under the rain, unless the sidewalks or destination are connected by canopies. These are developed to lessen the outcome of heavy rains,” he said. Additionally, Jimena advised the public to make themselves safe from the effects of the element. He urged citizens
Several areas in Iloilo City were flooded due to heavy rain intensified by super typhoon “Florita” (international name: Neoguri) on Monday last week, July 7.Photo by Eb Blaire S. Penaranda to prepare for more heavy rains to come in the future. Lauding the Iloilo Flood Control System for sparing Iloilo City from floods, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog stated thus“If not for the floodway project and cleanup of the river, we could have experienced the same fate. So instead of whining or complaining, let us thank the Lord for the graces and the government officials for doing their jobs,” he said.
“Climate change has been causing extreme weather events like torrential rains so there’s no point blaming each other. Let’s just work with each other to create mitigation and adaptability measures to address climate change,” he added. Drainage projects under the supervision of the City Engineer’s Office are already 90% complete as stated by the mayor. (With a report from Iloilo City PIO ) IMT