Iloilo Metropolitan Times Volume 1 • Issue No 26

ILOILO

the first business newspaper in metro iloilo

metropolitan VOL. I ISSUE NO. 26

developmental news | critical views www.iloilometropolitantimes.com

times

July 28 - August 3, 2013 Php 12.00

THE IRONIC MURAL. This beggar positioned himself in front of a mural with an inscribed verse of the significant John 3:16 and did his usual routine in that side of the street. We may think, for a while, that the scenario is a little bit ironic but it’s a reality we need to confront. The beggar may not have lived a wonderful life here on Earth but maybe God loves Him in ways we may not understand.

Business courses need extra push

BY MARY PAULINE BALMES

With the current economic status of the country today, the state of Business Education is continually bumping up due to the strong demand in the business industry.

Professor Mary Ann Tupaz-Gumban, Dean-University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV) College of Management said Business Education has played a major role in constructing a strong foundation in the business industry.

“The academe is always a partner of development in any field – whether it’s business, investments, etc. You could not continue development unless you have education”, Gumban said.

The Commission of Higher Education (CHED) Region 6 identified Business Education as the leading preferred course among colleges in the region. For the past two years, Business Education topped the ranking of disciplines followed by Teacher Education, Information Technology, Maritime Education, Medical Related, Law and Criminology, Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Industrial Technology, and Agriculture.

Gumban added that they are closely monitoring the demand in the field in order to meet the needs of the industry.

“We are continually upgrading and updating our curriculum. Every year we conduct an assessment to know what is happening for us

to upgrade and update the curriculum. We try to revise our curriculum in such a way that we can also anchor those changes in the business world,” she said.

Gumban recognized Accountacy, Management and Marketing as the leading academic degree programs and functional areas in the field of business. Marketing, however, is being pushed as this is an important aspect of business.

“What we do, in line with business education, we push marketing because that is the lifeblood of the business. The revenue of the business depends on how we market the product. If there is no marketing, there is no demand. Without demand, there is no revenue and you cannot continue to sell the product”, she

Palm Concepcion inks deal with China bank

BY MARY PAULINE BALMES

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Provincial PUJ’s to city no more

BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN

Iloilo City councilor Plaridel Nava wants the total banning of all the provincial passengers’ jeepneys to enter the city proper to help decongest traffic woes in the city’s main streets here.

Nava said the present congested streets here could only be decongested by amending the Regulation Ordinance No. 2002- 408 or known as the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO).

As chairman of the Committee on Transportation, Nava stressed he is proposing

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that all provincial vehicles should only until their designated passenger terminals and could no longer be allowed to enter the city proper.

Nava added he is now finalizing its draft about the proposed amendments to be presented to City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and later to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

“I’ve already talked this proposed amendments to the mayor and he assures me of his support. I believed that the present PBO Provincial PUJ’s /p9 Mini Hotel

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explained.

In order to live up with its mission to provide their students adequate jobs and lessen unemployment rate among their students, UP has also ventured into industry partnering.

Knowing the needs of the industry is important for institutions to cater those needs and eventually help their students find an adequate job after graduation.

“Business education is always a support. All the needed human resources that fit to the industry comes from the academe. We have adopted the role of being partner to the industry. Through, partnering, we are also able to help our graduates land a job suited for them. We train them to acquire higher positions in the company,” she disclosed. IMT

Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC), the owner and operator of the proposed 135 MW Clean Coal-Fired Power Plant (CFPP) which is located in Iloilo Province signed on July 19, 2013, a term loan facility agreement with China Banking Corporation. The agreement ensures portion of the financial requirement

of PCPC for its power generation facility in Concepcion, Iloilo.

A joint venture of Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corp. (A Brown’s subsidiary) and Jin Navitas Resource, Inc., PCPC will use the proceeds of the loan amounting to Php3.5 Billion to partially finance the Engineering, Procurement, Palm Concepcion /p9

METRO NEWS

2

July 28 - August 3, 2013

PNoy boasts P11.2 B Jalaur project

BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN President Benigno Aquino III gave emphasis on the realization of the proposed P11.212billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project -Stage II (JRMP- Stage II) in Calinog, Iloilo during his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Aquino gave credit to the big man in the Senate, newly-elected Senate Pres. Franklin Drilon on the realization of the biggest project outside Luzon area.

The president said the project will be completed before his term ends in 2016.

Once completed, Aquino said the irrigated areas of Iloilo will expand from 22,340 to 31,840 hectares and will also benefit 783, 000 farm workers and improve rice yield of farmers from 3.25 to 5.20 metric tons per hectare every cropping season.

Aquino also said the project will also employ 17, 000 workers during actual construction which equivalents to approximately P1.3 billion in basic wages per year as well as provide livelihood opportunities on eco-tourism.

Aside from increasing the rice production and fishery livelihood, Aquino added Jaluar River is one of the major rivers in Panay Island that could provide required water resources for multi-purpose utilization such as water resources for irrigation, 6.6 Megawatts hydro –electric power, domestic/industrial water supply, and other related water resources development.

In previous interview with Drilon, he said the goal of the said project is to increase economic growth and improve irrigation services while strengthening the institutional capacities of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) and other stakeholders that identified

a key opportunity to address sufficiency and security of rice production and other related economic development that comes along with the infrastructure development/rehabilitation through the implementation of JRMP Stage II. The JRMP State II purposes is regulating and controlling floods caused by the Jalaur River, storing its waters and using them irrigate agriculture lands in the Jalaur Valley and generating and transmitting electric power and energy.

Drilon added the said project will supply potable water 1.2 cubic per sec. that will address present and future demand in 180 villages in Iloilo City and nearby municipalities such as Calinog, Passi City, Lambunao, Badiangan, Janiuay, Cabatuan, Sta. Barbara, Pavia, Alimodian, Leon, San Miguel, Oton, Tigbauan, Duenas, San Enrique, Anilao, Dingle, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Mina, New Lucena, Pototan, Zarraga, and Leganes.

He said the overall objective of this project is to sustain the regional’s rice self-sufficiency and contribute to the annual increase in the country’s rice production target of 7.6 percent (food staples self-sufficiency roadmap 20112016).

Drilon added that the project also has potential in hydro-power that will address the need for additional power supply in Panay municipalities.

Out of P11.212 billion, P8.95 billion will be funded by the Korean Eximbank as an official development assistance (ODA) loan and P2.2 billion will be funded by the Philippine government. The loan is for 50 years at 6 percent interest per annum with a 10 year grace period. IMT

Study on Iloilo-Batiano River Basin aims sustainable water supply

BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Research on the integrated river basin management and development master plan for the Iloilo-Batiano River Basin is in progress and aims to provide answer to flooding and sustainable water supply in Iloilo.

The study is spearheaded by Dr. Lope Villenas, consultant for hydrology and study team leader of the Center for Environmental Studies.

Iloilo-Batiano River Basin comprises the municipalities of San Miguel, Sta. Barbara, Oton, Pavia and Iloilo City.

According to Villenas, the methodology of the study includes gathering information from stakeholders. His team will also do actual observations and considers information from a key intervening basin such as the Tigum-AgananJaro River Basin.

Other names for river basin are drainage area, drainage basin or catchment area. It is the horizontal projection of an area from which a stream or lake receives surface water, which is formerly rainfall.

Efficient management of river basin will result to enhanced quality of living through sustainable water supply, accessibility to clean drinking water as well as income-generating livelihood.

“The Iloilo-Batiano Integrated River Basin Management and Master Plan, once done and implemented, will provide many benefits not only to the stakeholders but to other people as well. It will help improve many lives economically as it is also seen to boost environmental conservation and protection,” said Adeluisa Siapno, Regional Executive Director-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Local chief executives in Western Visayas affirmed their commitment and support to reduce and manage risks from disasters.

Department of the Interior and Local Government 6 Director Evelyn Trompeta led LCEs in the region in the reading of the declaration of commitment before they affixed their signatures to the agreement during the first day of the first Regional Summit on DRRM in Western Visayas participated in by more than 300 local chief executives, DRRMOs and other representatives of local government units in Iloilo City from July 24 to 26, 2013.

Local chief executives who signed the agreement declared their commitment to work with the National Government and other stakeholders in preventing and mitigating the impact of hazards and related disasters affecting their communities; preparing and building of their communities to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of likely, imminent or current hazard events or conditions; and responding to disasters and ensuring the preservation of the lives and properties of their communities.

As lead actors of DRRM in their localities, the executives also committed their involvement in restoring their communities livelihood and improving their local facilities and infrastructures in the aftermath of a disaster; maximizing the application of relevant tools in DRRM; strengthening partnerships with civil society and humanitarian organization in DRRM efforts; mainstreaming DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation in all local development plans; incorporating DRRM in the delivery of services by the local government; serving their people with utmost unity, cooperation and mutual assistance regardless of political and religious affiliation; and securing and safeguarding their citizens and the environment against natural

and human induced calamities as moral obligations.

In order to ensure the fulfillment of the said commitments, the local chief executives further committed the formulation of local DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation Plans in consultation with stakeholders.

As mandated in Republic Act 10121, LCEs are designated as Chairperson of their LDRRMCs and must take the lead in ensuring the integration of DRMM and climate change adaptations in their local plans, programs and budgets. They also approve, monitor and evaluate the implementation of their Local DRRM Plan and responsible in the establishment of their local DRRM offices.

Trompeta emphasized the need for local government units to create their local DRRM Councils which is in line with the directive of President Benigno Aquino to all LGUs to aim for zero casualty at all times during disasters in a press conference held prior to the summit.

Likewise, she said it is imperative for LGUs to formulate their local DRRM plans for effective DRRM in their areas and in the allocation and utilization of the DRRM fund.

“The first line of defense in every disaster is the LGUs. Usually, when disaster comes and then there are casualties, they point fingers at the LGUs because that is there responsibility,” said Trompeta.

According to Trompeta, one of the aims of the summit is to familiarize and prepare LCEs, especially those new in the positions on their roles not only as chief executives but as DRRM managers.

The region has 1 new, 4 re-elected and 1 comebacking Governors after the May 13 elections this year. For City Mayors, there are 3 neophytes, 13 re-elected and 1 comebacking and for municipalities there are 36 newly minted Mayors, 72 re-elected and 7 comebacking. mayors. (JCM/LAF/PIA) IMT

WV local executives affirm commitment to DRRM

Full implementation of ‘door-to-door’ payment for senior citizens

BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN The Department of Social Welfare and Development 6 (DSWD-6) is eyeing to continue its door-to-door payment of social pension for indigent senior citizens in Western Visayas after the successful pilot test in Iloilo City and three towns in the province recently.

Judith Marte, focal person of the Social Pension program said the scheme may be implemented in the whole region once proven that it is effective and more beneficial to the indigent senior citizens.

During the pilot test, the DSWD-6 tapped the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) to do the door-to-door delivery of social pension to several villages of Iloilo City and municipalities of Anilao, Calinog and Pavia, all in Iloilo.

One beneficiary Pacencia Gravino, 93, of Brgy. Tap-oc, Molo, Iloilo thanked the DSWD for the blessings she received from them.

I could already buy my milk, Milo and food,” she said while the postman handed to her the cash.

Aside from having money to buy her food,

Gravino is very thankful because she no longer needs to go to the barangay gym and bear long queues and the crowd just to be able to claim her pension just like what she had experienced in the previous claims.

Gravino is living with her jobless son Vicente, 52.

Data from the Philpost show that out of the total 787 beneficiaries from four pilot areas, 724 senior citizens were able to receive their grants of P1, 500 each representing their stipend for the second quarter of this year.

A total of P1, 086,000 cash was delivered to the beneficiaries. Of the 63 who did not receive their pension, 51 were deceased and 12 transferred residence to another place.

The provision of Social Pension for indigent senior citizens is mandated by law stated in Section 5 of the Republic Act 9994, otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. It is an additional government assistance in the amount of P 500 monthly stipend to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of elderly persons. IMT

High-impact projects soon in Iloilo City

BY REYMAR LATOZA Aiming to boost the Iloilo’s efforts to secure premier city status in Western Visayas, various government agencies are currently prioritizing high-impact projects in Iloilo City for immediate implementation.

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) project, roll-on, roll off and fastcraft wharf are now under construction in Barangay Progreso, Lapuz district. While the Parola wharf at Port San Pedro will soon to be started to accommodate pumpboats and ferry boats from Guimaras island.

On the other hand, the Department of Agriculture (DA) had already started the expansion and upgrading of the Iloilo fishport complex in this city to accommodate fishing vessels and make the fish port more productive.

Through the National Meat Inspection Commission, the DA’s initiative to rehabilitate and upgrade the city’s slaughterhouse into a Triple A abattoir, including refrigeration to ensure safer meats for consumers will soon be completed.

Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority (NHA) is completing the construction of the first 1,000 houses in Barangay Lanit, Jaro to accommodate over 3,000 informal settlers displaced from riverbanks, tributaries and other danger zones as a result of calamities.

Another relocation site in the city, in

Barangay Sooc, in the city’s Arevalo district, can accommodate another batch of 1,000 families.

The city government is currently looking for other lots to be purchased to accommodate more informal settlers.

A R300 million fund has been provided for relocation expenses by the Office of the President, the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The Department of Health (DOH) is also currently funding the reconstruction of the La Paz Maternity Clinic into a full hospital, even as it is also assisting in the building of a city hospital annex at the Western Visayas Medical Center compound.

Meanwhile, Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon is instrumental in the proposed construction of a P500-million Iloilo International Convention Center which the city government hopes to finish in time for the hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting in 2015.

Funding for that particular project is sourced mainly from Drilon’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Department of Tourism-Tourism Infrastructure Enhancement Zone Authority fund.

Another DOT-funded project is the upgrading and rehabilitation of seven historical sites in Iloilo City. IMT

Akeanon and Kinaray-a added on MTB-MLE program

BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Two new dialects from Western Visayas are added on the seven additional languages as medium of instruction from Kinder up to Grade III under the Mother-Tongue Based-MultiLingual Education (MTB-MLE) Program.

The Department of Education (DepEd) declared that Aklanon/Akeanon and Kinaray-a will be added to MTB-MLE; where pupils from the province of Aklan and some areas in Capiz will use the former while students from Capiz and certain areas in Aklan will utilize the latter.

Other seven languages are Ybanag for pupils in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, and Isabela; Ivatan in Batanes; Sambal in Zambales; Yakan in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); and Surigaonon in Surigao City and near provinces.

“The use of the same language spoken at home in the early grades aids in developing pupil’s language and cognitive development in addition to strengthening their socio-cultural awareness”, said DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro.

At present, MTB-MLE utilizes 12 local languages, including Hiligaynon, Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao and Chabacano.

MTB-MLE is implemented as learning/ subject area and as a medium of instruction.

DepEd said that utilizing the mother tongue inside the classroom helps produce better and faster learners who are adaptable to learn the second and third language, Filipino and English respectively, as cited in local and international studies. IMT

July 28 - August 3, 2013

METRO BUSINESS

Garments industry seen

3

as potential spots for PHL exports

BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PhilExport) said that garment industry is perceived as one of the promising brightest spots for Philippine exports as it struggles to meet the 10 percent target for 2013.

“One of the bright spots for exports is, surprisingly, the garments sector. Orders are up around 100%, and there are good indications for it as Bangladesh, which is one of the largest sources, was taken off a tax perks list of the United States,” PhilExport President Sergio R.

Tan sells stake at country’s flag carrier

BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA

Business tycoon Lucio Tan is letting go his airline business and blames the departure to “the union” of workers.

Tan said he is selling his 51 percent stake in Philippine Airlines (PAL) Holdings Inc to both local and foreign investors, depending on the offer he will receive.

In 2010, PAL’s ground crew, flight attendants and pilots held strikes after 2,600 of the airlines’ employees lost their jobs.

PAL signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (Fasap) for the 2010-2015 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), however, it continues to face further labor problems with the unions.

PAL Employees Association (Palea) president Gerry Rivera said that the airline is going to be better without Tan.

“It’s time for PAL to fly to greater heights without Lucio Tan on board,” said Rivera.

Rivera added that the conflict between PAL and the 3 unions shows Tan’s bad business management, and is not the cause of the problem.

Tan’s acquisition of PAL from the government in the mid 90’s was surrounded by controversy.

“Their business paradigm of outsourcing the company’s profit centers in the hands of unskilled workforce shows lack of knowledge and skills in the airline business. Their philosophy of profitfirst over quality service drove away PAL’s valued customers,” Rivera continued. “It is grossly unfair to the loyal and dedicated workers of PAL to pass the blame on them for what PAL has become,” he disclosed.

San Miguel Corp., the country’s biggest business group, currently controls and administers the flag carrier.

The Department of Trade and Industry, Guimaras Provincial Office headed by Officerin-Charge Maria Carmen Iturralde, strengthens campaign on Consumer Welfare through a series of information driveon Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Fair Trade Laws (FTLs),as well as functions of the different government agencies involved in consumer welfare.

Theinformation drive aims to inform and enlight enconsumers of their Rights andResponsibilities tomake themmore vigilantandfeel protected.

So far, DTIhas conducted 13 information drivesattended by 318 participants from 11 barangays in the province. These are: Rizal, Sta.

Teresa and Lawiin the Municipality of Jordan; M. Chavez and Constancia in the Municipality of San Lorenzo; San Roque, Mabini, and BanBan in the Municipality of Buenavista; Dasal and Sabang in the Municipality of Sibunag; and Poblacion in the Municipality of Nueva Valencia.

School-based information drive was also conducted at Cabalagnan National High School in Nueva Valenciawith the officers of the Consumer Advocate Club.

The information drive was conducted in coordination with the provincial, municipal and school-based consumer groups organized by the DTI. (Ruby M. Melliza/DTI-6)

DTI strengthens campaign on Consumer Welfare

GIZ and DENR officials tackled issues on faspo projects in the region

Officials and key persons from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammernarbeit (GIZ) sit down together just recently to update one another of the status of implementation and accomplishments of the various Foreign Assisted Projects being implemented in the Dr. Jurgen Schade of the GIZ suggested to arrange for a Joint region, such as the Workshop with Region 7 to be attended by all Project Management Community-Based Forest Unit (PMU) staff and the Technical Assistance Team (TAT) as Management (CBFM) participants for knowledge exchange and sharing of experiences component, Forest and which is seen to help fast track accomplishment of agreed targets Climate Protection in the approved Program of Operation (PoP).

Project in Panay Island (ForClim-Panay) and the Community were achieved. Under the CBFM component, Based Forest and Mangrove Management target hectares for area development in the five Program (CBFMMP). Also discussed were the provinces have the following accomplishments: GIZ-Financing Agreements in Panay and GIZ- In Aklan, the total area for development is Assisted Natural Resource Management (NRM) 1,110 hectares 622 has. were developed or 56% Measures. accomplishment; in Antique, 2,172 has. with “We encouraged this discussion with 1,548 or 71% accomplishment; in Capiz, 120 our key officials and yours (DENR and GIZ has. with 100% accomplishment; in Iloilo, 454 officials) so that we can update one another has. with 139 has. or 32.4% accomplishment on the status of implementation of the various and in Negros Occidental, 1,020 has. with 615 foreign-assisted projects in the region. This is one or 60% accomplishment. avenue where we can help each other fast track Environment and Rural Development our accomplishments and be able to clear gray (EnRD) Programs were implemented to areas or make decision for a win-win solution support forest management and the National of the problems we may encounter in the course Greening Program (NGP) as mandated by of our project implementation,” said DENR 6 Executive Order 26 issued by President Noynoy Regional Executive Director Adeluisa G. Siapno. Aquino. Moreover, the EnRD Program adopts For the second quarter of this year, notable Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) accomplishments with project implementation as the primary project implementation strategy.

Ortiz-Luis said.

On the contrary, most garments producers are laying low thus resulting to insufficient suppliers at present. PhilExport said garments export can grow this year and the succeeding year.

Exports of apparel reached $1.5-billion in 2012.

Bangladesh was removed from the general system of preferences (GSP) program of the United States of Trade Representative due to the country’s failure to raise its standards for workers’ rights.

GSP is a trade assistance program that provides duty-free treatment to select goods coming from beneficiary developing countries that convenes particular labor and human rights standards.

However, according to Ortiz-Luiz, the said industry cannot lift the country’s exports figures.

He added that it cannot suffice for the slack of slowing electronics exports.

“The single industry that can prop up exports is mining, and that is one low-hanging fruit we cannot yet tap because it is not moving,” he stated.

PhilExport together with the government aims 10 percent growth in exports this year, but Ortiz-Luis said that in order to achieve this goal, all goods should post a total of 16 percent in the remaining months.

Exports drop down to 6.03 percent to $21.092-billion in the first five months of 2013 compared to $22.445-billion of the same months in 2012.

Electronics, which comprise the bulk of the country’s exports, fell 21.83% to $8.065 billion from $10.31 billion the year previous. IMT

PH economy continues to soar higher

BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA On his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno Simeon Aquino III boasts evidence exhibiting continued resurgence of the country’s economy.

Aquino said the increase confidence in governance resulted to two ten-place jumps in the global competitiveness index of the World Economic Forum as well as marked the first investment grade status from two of the three respected credit ratings agencies in the world.

“It is possible that the third will soon follow suit”, Aquino said.

Budget allotted for paying debts continued to trim down while funds allotted for social services increased. In 2012, Philippines recorded a 6.8 percent gross domestic product (GDP) and surpassed the number within the first four months of 2013 with 7.8 percent GDP – the highest in East and Southeast Asia.

“Special mention must be made of the 28.5 percent contributed by the manufacturing sector to the growth of the economy”, Aquino added.

On his first five months in the office, Aquino was able to cut down the deficit to P9.54-billion from P162.11-billion, which later improved the country’s debt rating and labeled by the president’s economy team as the “best grade” Aquino had for his performance.

The president also talk full of pride how the country is considered as the rising tiger by

World Bank and the brightest spark according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, among other accolades.

Aquino also noted how far PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) projects have gone.

Several airports from different parts of the country have been upgraded and modernized while Daang Hari-NLEX link road was the fastest PPP project that have been done in any administration, with no shortcuts in the processes.

In 2011, Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) president Aurelio Montinola disclosed that PPP is the most promising of the economy yet also the most challenging. There were several difficulties faced when the partnership began but with honest, transparent and clear way of implementing the projects, the partnership showed early success.

Pnoy said everyone can expect more progress in the years to come and greater opportunities for every Filipino – from farmers to the rising numbers of businessmen investing in the country.

“We implemented the right projects for the right price; we completed these projects with the right quality; and we finished, or we will finish these projects right on time, because right people worked on them”, Aquino declared. IMT

Global demand to boost electronic exports

BY REYMAR LATOZA The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that export of semiconductors will likely improve in the remaining months of the year due to the anticipated increase in global demand.

This statement came after the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported last Wednesday a lower value of exports in May 2013 compared with a year ago. Exports of goods and services declined by 0.8 percent amounting to US$4.89 billion.

“Prospects for semiconductor exports may improve as global demand for electronics is anticipated to increase in the near term.

Industry sources have projected a moderate growth for semiconductor industry in 2013,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

The Cabinet official explained that this prospect is consistent with the higher global sales of semiconductors in May 2013 due to the expected expansion in demand, mostly for memory and logic products.

Balisacan said that the almost-flat exports growth in May 2013 was due to the performance of manufactured goods, whose earnings were reduced by 11.3 percent compared to the same month in 2012.

Outward shipment of electronics, which are under manufactured goods, was also lower by 9.3 percent for the same period.

“After posting a year-on-year increase

in April 2013, the value of export receipts from semiconductors dropped in May 2013, due to reduced shipments to Hong Kong, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia. These Asian neighbors accounted for 45 percent of our semiconductor export revenues during the period,” he said.

In a keynote speech for the 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Balisacan emphasized the importance of increasing investments for science and technology (S&T) in improving the exports sector.

“At present, high-technology exports in manufacturing are largely concentrated in three product groups, namely electronics, garments, and machinery and transport equipment. Thus, we need to harness appropriate S&T to address the constraints and challenges facing the sector,” he said.

These challenges include weak forward and backward linkages of low value products with other industries, problems of smalland medium-scale enterprises (SME) in terms of their competitiveness and linkages with large industries, among others.

“To lessen our export dependence on mainly electronics and semiconductors, we hope that our private sector partners will also diversify and expand production of high value products and increase investments on the linkages of our industries,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA DirectorGeneral. IMT

METRO TOURISM

July 28 - August 3, 2013

Enjoying the Shores to the Max in Concepcion

Lumpatan Island

Bulubadianga

BY BOMBETTE G. MARIN A huge percentage of Iloilo Province’s tourists go to the beaches because it provides a place for relaxation and with assortment of activities, including water sports, scuba diving, snorkeling and fishing, among others.

The northern district of Iloilo’s extensive northern coastline opens up to different bodies of water and there are beautiful beaches you can find in the area, all offering different pleasures.

One of the most popular beaches in the area lies in Concepcion.

The municipality of Concepcion is located on the northern portion of Iloilo, and although the town has several beautiful island beaches, they

Agho Island

n Island

often get overlooked by many Ilonggos. This could be a great reason to visit the area as you will get a great spot to relax in your Iloilo vacation while at the same time spend just a fraction of the money that you would anywhere else.

When visiting the island beaches in the area one of the biggest decisions that you will have to make is which island beach you should visit. There are 11 island and are approximately a 30-minutes motorized boat-ride apart and have great reasons to visit them.

LUMPATAN is one of the nicer island beach stop in Concepcion. This side of the Island is mainly made up of granite rocks. The first thing

A synthesis of culture and talent

HMUA by: BaBes (Beauty and Blends Exclusives) Ria and Ralf Lenz (Make-up Direction) Mary Anne Maglasin Panistante Quenne Macam Gallon Stephanie Quiatchon Princess Ann Marin Photography by: Steve Francis Quiatchon (Photographic Direction) Keith Christian Armada Jhureen Tolosa Gabalunos Cyril Odalibah Adrian Denila Brigs Maravillo Andrew Sayo (Videographic Direction)

BY MARY PAULINE BALMES Home to a number of culturally-preserved houses and edifices, the district of Molo remains a humble epitome of the rich culture of the city of Iloilo.

Molo was formerly called the Parian or Chinatown due to the large number of Chinese residents establishing their businesses in the vicinity during the Spanish era.

From Parian, it was then altered to Moro when Muslim pirates from Mindanao frequent the place. Years after, the name evolved to Molo and became a part of the Iloilo City districts during its charter in 1937.

The St. Anne Parish, also known as the Molo Church, is one of the many significant churches in Iloilo. This Gothic-Renaissance architecture cathedral is believed to be a feminist church where women who patronize for empowerment are being graced by the women saints found inside the sacred place.

History would also say that this church was once passed by our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal on his way back to Manila. He prayed inside and viewed the collection of biblical paintings in the interior. He fell in love with the grandeur of the church exclaiming “La Iglesia Bonita”, which means “a beautiful church”.

To celebrate its annual patronal fiesta, a synthesis of culture and talent was produced to commemorate the historical contribution of the district to Iloilo’s glorious past.

The “La Iglesia Bonita” Fashion Fiesta Bazaar Fashion Show featured The House Emmangelo talents (The Emma(s) for the female models and The Angelo(s) male models) in collaboration with

fashion designers: Rey Orrica, Bhon Sherwin P. Trasadas and Ruffy C. Mondia with the BaBes (Beauty And Blends Exclusives).

Michaelangelo D. Ferrer, owner and founder of The House of Emmangelo, said this event will help enrich and educate the local community about the historical significance of Molo in the life and works of Dr. Jose Rizal who called St. Anne Molo Parish as ‘La Iglesia Bonita’. It will also remind us why Molo Church is known as a feminist church in the Philippines belonging to the National Historical Landmarks as designated by the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for the preservation and safeguard together with more than 30 other Spanishera churches and including the 4 Baroque Churches in the Philippines upon its inscription to the UNESA World Heritage List in 2003.”

Each featured designer showcased two collections using fabric and materials procured from local Iloilo textile stores with a special participation of a local fashion bazaar.

The House of Emmangelo continuously aims to produce events like this that would showcase the best of Ilonggo talents thru fashion, theatre, music, dance, art and creativity with its mission to develop fresh talents and harness the untapped potentials of selected individuals in Iloilo City. The House of Emmangelo is a convergence of FASHION, EVENTOLOGY, and TALENT Management in Iloilo City, Philippines. IMT

visitors will probably want to do when in the area is to walk to its 300-meter trail that frames almost half of the island. The beach, however, is rocky, with corals and pebbles, but is a place for a gentle swim capped by happy hours of sunbathing. It is a great spot to relax where its turquoise waves crash upon its huge rocks.

AGHO is more secluded and private that is why it offers a more tranquil beach holiday, as this destination is typically less developed and less well-known. This 9-hectare beach has white powdery, soft sands and is a great place for those looking to spend some relaxing time. This is also a great beach to go for a swim because it has clear blue waters—an ideal escape for anyone looking for a beach vacation to get away from everyday life. The water is calm so the snorkeling condition is excellent here. The island provides its visitors with ample beach space and access to as volleyball and basketball. It also provides visitors with sweeping views of the islands of Igbon, Mangalabang and Tambaliza. And if you are looking for a place to get some sun at one of the hottest Iloilo beaches, Agho Island is definitely a spot you should consider. It has five native open cottages good for 4 persons at P100 each cottage; 1 open cottage good for 6-7 persons at P700; 1 Open cottage good for 8-10 persons at P800; another cottage good for 10-12 persons at P1,000 and a tree-house for an overnight stay at P1,500 good for 6 persons. A minimal entrance fee of P25 is charged to every visitor to the island. It is only accessible by a motorized boat from the Municipal Fish Port.

BULUBADIANGAN is a 21-hectare private

owned island famous for its beautiful 200-meter stretch of sandbar. It is a beautiful place to walk through and view the waters from up close. It is simply a must for every incoming tourist to Concepcion since it is actually considered as its main island beach destination. It is renowned for its backpacker outlook. If you are looking for a bit of peace and quiet, Bulubadiangan Island is probably the place for you. It has 3 native cottages perfect for an overnight stay. Entrance fee is at P25 per person.

The best time to go to the beaches of Concepcion is generally from March to May. Holidays also attract a lot of tourists. So when it comes to swimming, sunbathing and relaxing, especially if you are trying to travel on a budget, Concepcion is the place to be.

The municipality of Concepcion is located 111.4km from the city of Iloilo. It is possible to take a bus or van from Tagbak Terminal in Jaro. The trip from Iloilo City takes close to 2 hours. For more information, please contact Mr. Jim Pendon – Municipal Tourism Officer at 09997710086 or at the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism, Province of Iloilo at telefax (033) 3384910.

METRO ENTREPRENEUR

July 28 - August 3, 2013

A Portal to Ilonggo Micro-Businesses

BY MARY PAULINE BALMES

Committed to work for the continuing development of the Philippines and the prosperity of the Filipinos through exports, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) is truly living up to its mission to lead the export community and work with government in the pursuit of a sustainable export-led national growth and development.

PHILEXPORT Region 6A formally launched the Iloilo Showroom at the Ground

WEESAM EXPRESS

ILOILO - BACOLOD - ILOILO DEPARTURES 6:30 am 8:10 am 9:50 am 11.30 am

1:10 pm 2:50 pm 4:45 pm

Floor Maryville Bldg., ValeriaDelgado Sts., Iloilo City FARE: (All charges in) Way in consonance with the One Non-aircon (W3 only) P250 ECO. aircon P340 celebration of the Small and FC. aircon P435 Medium Enterprises week.

ROUND TRIP PROMO aircon P585 With the theme “SMEs: ECO. FC. aircon P665 Key to Economic Progress”, Schedule subject to change without prior notice. the leading and dominant For details please call: export organization ILOILO (033)337-3282 / 09228660338 BACOLOD (034)709-0630, 433-9125 showcased a variety of Ilonggo woodcrafts and accents, corral and woven products such as homedecors, bamboo crafts, products, cosmic crafts, fashion designs, herbal products and food pasalubong that are of export quality.

Ruth Fe S. Salditos, PHILEXPORT 6A President said, it is important that we recognize the role of the micro entrepreneurs in the country and Iloilo showroom is a venue to give recognition to Ilonggo products.

“We are here to help promote livelihood programs to Ilonggos. We want to make investments by reaching our fellow entrepreneurs to give them opportunity to earn out of their products. We know our products more than anyone else because we know every bit of the ingredients,” Salditos said.

SMED Council president Val Maravilla encouraged all micro, small and medium businessmen to take advantage of the current economic progress of the city to expand their business and push for the use of local products so as to boost local tourism.

“Iloilo is truly and fortunately in its progressive time, more probably with the rest of the country. It is the hope and commitment of the SMED Council and Foundation to ensure that positive development will be extended to our small and medium manufacturing enterprises. And it can only possible by working together, by being innovative and by patronizing our own products. We also have to make sure to keep united with the public and private sectors who are committed to empower and improve our MSMEs . The launching hing of the showroom opens opportunity to benefit both our producers and consumers,” Maravilla stressed.

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5

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On the other hand, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Director Wilhelm Malones also upholds the participation of the youth in SMEs. “Somehow majority of the SMEs are owned by the retirees or old ones, and so it is an opportunity for us to touch the lives of the young,” he said.

Malones plans to coordinate to provincial schools to help in promoting and inculcating the spirit of entrepreneurship.

“I’d like to believe that this is one way to educate our children that education is not all about going to school because you have to land a job later on. They should look also for other ways to generate income. Their eyes should be set in two goals- employment and entrepreneurship,” Malones said.

Malones disclosed that 99% of the SMEs comprise the backbone of the economy leaving it paralyzed when a large number of them will be taken out of the proportion. IMT

METRO OPINION

6 EDITORIAL

PNoy’s Public Scolding

W

hen we were young and we we’re scolded by mom or dad for a mistake, we usually just sit and cry in the corner of our house. There is that feeling of innocence that is trying to battle against that pinch in our arms, spank in our asses, and verbal reprimands from our dear parents. But you know for sure that those little mistakes will be repeated until such time that scolding you repeatedly for the same mistakes will finally get into your nerves and realize that what you did was totally wrong. Forgive them. They’re young, anyway.

Now, that we have grown matured, we are expected to be responsible individuals. This stage is where verbal reproach is even more hurtful than those pinched skins and spanked asses. More so if we are professionals, or we assume a public position and the President of the Republic scolds us publicly.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s way of scolding government officials has created a stir among members of the society. His usage of unusually strong words to warn culpable officials has been his way of disciplining civil servants to do their job.

Here are some of the remarkable public scolding of the president: PNOY ON BAD NEWS. Aquino whined few months back on media’s priority reporting requesting them to balance negative news over positive ones. This bothered many media-related organizations as this would curtail their rights as members of the press. The President, however in his defense, said this is only to at least give the public of a clearer and positive perspective about the country.

PNOY ON KABAYAN. During the ABSCBN TV Patrol Anniversary, Aquino vented his frustrations over former Vice President Noli De Castro’s negative extemporaneous comments about the government belittling his administration’s projects particularly the problems raised about the old NAIA 1 terminal in the said current affairs program.

PNOY ON CORRUPTION. If there is one person Aquino would usually mention when corruption is being discussed, the prominent name of former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Augusto Syjuco would always surface, holding him accountable on the alleged overpricing of purchases made by the agency during his term.

PNOY ON BUSINESSMEN. Last April, during the 29th Biennial Convention of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), Aquino called out the businessmen to fulfil the simplest civil duty of paying the taxes correctly.

PNOY’S ON AGENCY PERFORMANCES. After being publicly reprimanded by the President during his 4th State of the Nation Address last July 22 due to his agency’s performance, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ruffy Biazon offered his resignation initiating a number of tweets in her twitter account. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) was one of the three government agencies berated by the President in his mid-term SONA along with the Bureau of Immigration (BOI), whose and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

This ‘bombastic’ style (according to Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Francis Pangilinan) of authority regulation by the president is one way to discipline our officials to be more cautious, responsible and accountable to their actions. If you don’t want to be berated in front of the public then probably it’s time for us to let honesty, integrity, and credibility take over our conscience.

“SONA” ay ikaw na nga

I

am not sure if the President’s SONA was the best that I have heard so far.

But haters or neutrals who have lost their faith in previous Presidents’ SONA rhetorics won’t heed anyway.

Everything has been said, but more than what figures convey, it’s Pnoy’s call for selflessness and sense of personal contribution that strike me. A policewoman named PO3 Adlyn Arbo wounded herself in a chase to a jeepney hold up man in her off duty. Two other policemen did not go unnoticed for similarly situated acts of altruism.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario was cited for leaving the comforts of private life to join the bureaucracy. In his few days in office, he flew to Libya, passed 20 risky check points and led 200 thousand Filipino expatriates to seek solace to much safer grounds.

A person named Nino Aguirre who has walking impairment was also praised for the effort in climbing up the fourth floor polling precinct just to cast vote last elections to make his voice be heard.

For me, the SONA catch phrase was, “Ako si Noynoy Aquino, Pilipino ako, at napakasarap maging Pilipino sa mga panahong ito”. Being challenged to participate more than to belong is a great step to march forward. To haters, this is nothing but another stroke of senseless play with

July 28 - August 3, 2013

words, but to believers, this is worth noting.

The President challenges us to simplify complicated things rather than complicate simple things. As the adage says, “Think not what your country can do for you but on what you can do for your country”.

He hopes for a better Filipino for a better Philippines to convert this sick man of Asia to an upgraded investment tiger.

In the growing number of unemployment, cycle of poverty and extremely difficult life situation, why blame the President for it? Did you ask permission from the office of the President when you decided to marry your wife? Did you seek his authority when you keep on conceiving unmindful of the reasonable birth spacing?

Did he have a hand when you got terminated in your job because of your own employment issues?

If your answer is yes, that’s hypocrisy! If you say none, then why blame the President for your life’s misfortune? There have been a lot of Filipinos who struggled more in life, but instead of passing on the blame to the powers-that-be, they strive harder taking into account the sole responsibility to make their lives better. In a family of three, control oftentimes go astray.

How much more if you govern close to a hundred million people? What about the cigarettes you puff for the day or the bottle of brandy you drool over before sunset and you would throw up moments later? What happened to your daily cellphone load? A conservative estimate of fifty pesos per day has been repeatedly spent to health-risking practices and extremely unbeneficial use of money. Did anyone in the house complain about it? Ahhh, if symptoms persist, blame the President! This is one bad thing about our third world mentality: we pull people down on their way up and we always look for scapegoats when trapped. Fifty pesos is fifty pesos.

I don’t know if you have come across

with a magazine article entitled “Retire a Millionaire at Fifty Pesos A Day? ” If you are impatient, the article is kinda weird.

But be patient and take this figure analysis assuming you are now 30 years old and you will retire at 60: 50 pesos X 30 days = 1,500 pesos X 12 months = 18,000 pesos X 30 years = 540,000 pesos. If a husband and wife do this, double the figure and you will definitely retire a millionaire regardless of your employment status or salary bracket. Imagine in thirty years, all Filipino family would become millionaires.

See the benefits if we only choose to be selfreliant? Being poor is a choice. If there are no opportunities, we are capable of creating opportunities ourselves.

I remember my wife’s Chinese friend who happens to be a bigtime cement company COO in Beijing when he said that he buys winter jacket on summer season because it’s way cheaper if the product demand is at its lowest. To me, it makes sense, that’s wisdom from a millionaire himself! Same holds true when economists would tell us not to spend higher than our income or better known as living within your means. Income less expenses equals CHAOS if our financial management makes the latter bigger than the former. If “Government is for the people, by the people and of the people”, why demand too much of something from the government when we as a people are “government” ourselves? Tsktsk!

While criticisms encourage healthy democracy, criticisms do not define democracy especially when you get paid over than what you deserve. To those who have made criticism a way of life, perhaps this phrase is an awakening stage to move forward, “If at the close of the office hours today, you can swear before God and before man that you are worth the salary you were paid for the day, then you are an honest man ”.

In a nation where its people border to a hundred million, it’s impossible to hear leaders of spotless caliber, but I think Noynoy Aquino, with all his imperfections, is way, way better.

I eventually succeeded in visiting the website.

Anyway, at the local level, the NDPR Week was celebrated with certain activities by the ADPI and the Iloilo Provincial Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities (IPFAPWD).

Among these activities were the chess tournament and the dental mission held in Oton, Iloilo, supported by Mayor Vicente Flores, Jr., according to Mr. Bonifacio C. Castigador, the president of IPFAPWD. The chess tournament was held at ADPI canteen at Jaro Plaza in partnership with the Iloilo Lawyers and Professionals Chess Club, Inc. and participated in by persons with different disabilities. I served as its tournament director and arbiter and gave a short talk to the participants. It dawned on me that this game of chess eliminates discrimination. This game welcomes anyone to play or join a competition, regardless of the person’s physical condition. Even those with cerebral palsy have found this game fulfilling. I will write more about chess or its value in the future.

Meantime, during the tournament, I learned from Mr. Castigador, that they have accounted 18,573 persons with disabilities in the province of Iloilo. Their number grows.

In the words of the United Nations: “There are persons with disabilities in all parts of the world and at all levels in every society. The number of persons with disabilities in the world is large and is growing.”

The IPFAPWD is composed of PWD organizations from 36 municipalities and the City of Passi. According to Mr. Castigador, there are still six (6) municipalities in the province of Iloilo whose persons with disabilities have not been organized, namely: Anilao, Alimodian, Banate, Lemery, Carles and Balasan. He hopes to visit these municipalities and encourage the organization of PWDs therein.

On the part of the government, under Republic Act No. 10070, which amended the RA 7277 - the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, a local government unit has the

obligation to organize and establish the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) to be headed by a PWD Affairs Officer. Said law prioritizes a PWD to be appointed to this position.

The establishment of PDAO in every city, municipality or province is essential for the promotion and realization of the interests and welfare of PWD. It symbolizes the end of discrimination of PWD, and a recognition of their value and dignity as human persons, capable of running the affairs of government, promoting their welfare and interests. It will make more meaningful the yearly celebration of NDPR Week.

For local government units without this PDAO, I hope that their newly elected local chief executives will see to it that this law is implemented, that PDAO is established in their respective local government units before their term ends in 2016. After all, no law is effective unless it is implemented; and no chief executive is effective, unless he or she implements the law – a just, fair and reasonable law.

I am writing this piece with my father in mind, who himself is now a person with disability. Both his eyes can no longer see, despite medical intervention. In this present state of my father, he would usually ask from me some little things he feels he needs. And I would usually grant them. What more can we do for our PWD? So, beyond the NDPR Week, let us see, feel and hear - our sublime mission to appease - the dejected experience of PWDs expressed in this short poetry of UNICEF’s Coralie Severs of United Kingdom: “I have no legs, but I still have feelings; I cannot see, but I think all the time; Although I’m deaf, I still want to communicate; Why do people see me as useless, thoughtless, talkless, When I am as capable as any, for thoughts about our world.” *** Send feedback to: arnoldcares@yahoo. com

National Disability PR Week W

hen a staff from the Association of Disabled Persons – Iloilo, Inc. (ADPI) recently called me over the phone talking about NDPR, I was wondering what it is. But my guess was right: NDPR stands for National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation. It is a yearly weeklong celebration from July 17 to July 23, the last day being the birthday of the “Sublime Paralytic” Apolinario Mabini whose statesmanship has been stressed by some historians.

I later learned that the NDPR Week intends, among others, to stimulate public awareness on disability issues and concerns; to encourage every Filipino Citizen to take active responsibility in the upliftment of the economic and social conditions of persons with disabilities.

Its main theme for this year is: “Building an Inclusive and NonHandicapping Environment for Persons with Disabilities”; while its subtheme states: “ Patatagin ang Karapatan sa Katarungan ng mga Taong may Kapansanan”.

I also knew later that the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is the focal point of the government on disability concerns. I tried for several times to access the website of NCDA at www. ncda.gov.ph but I could not access it. At one time, the webpage showed that it is a restricted account. But before I sent this article for publication,

July 28 - August 3, 2013

METRO OPINION

Near Misses I

ordinary people like Mr. Niño Aguirre who, in spite of his disability, climbed his way to the fourth-floor precinct so he could cast his vote… the heroics of our police officers like PO3 Edlyn Arbo, PO3 Felipe Moncatar, and PO2 Dondon Sultan who risked their lives for better public safety.

Fast forward. Near the end of his message, the President said that it was the SONA of the Filipinos. With due respect, it was one of those times when the President had deafening near misses.

The English translation of his nearend report says, “As we continue doing our part—and as we continue placing faith in our fellow men and in God—I tell you: It will still be you who will make certain that what we have begun here will continue; you will be the ones who will make sure that we will completely eradicate corruption; you will be the ones who will make sure that we will never again stray from the straight path”.

There. He subtly missed acknowledging and praising God for His leading and bountiful blessings upon us and our nation.

Should we place faith in our fellow men or in God first? Are men more supreme than God that they can responsibly shape our future without divine intervention?

In most public or private events in the

D

What has the Peter Solis Nery Foundation done so far?

Since most of our program is about delivery of services and creating linkages, we deemed it necessary to buy a transportation vehicle. I didn’t want the foundation to look cheap. I mean, I wanted us to have a positive image and to attract attention and support so we purchased a slightly used high-end van.

I thought that with a pretty van, with the name of the foundation tastefully scrawled over it, we didn’t need to pay media outlets to advertise the foundation.

That was our first big expense. Then, we published two landmark books in Hiligaynon literature: my 100 sonnets in Hiligaynon, called “Kakunyag,” and my Hiligaynon short story collection called “Stories in a Mellifluous Language.” Of course, they have to be my books! And why not? Am I not among the towering figures in Hiligaynon literature? Wasn’t it my money that started the foundation?

Who better understands the mission and vision and programs of the foundation?

Those who can’t take that can just go halukbuliko! The foundation has also released funds as thesis grants to two college students who wrote their graduation thesis on Hiligaynon

was one of the millions of Filipinos who watched or listened to the 4th SONA of Pres.

Benigno Simeon C. Aquino, III last July 22, 2013. It was the longest delivery so far compared to the previous SONAs, in all lasting for one hour and 44 minutes.

Mixed reactions followed.

Cheers, praises, criticisms, attacks, dismissals, ho-hum… you name it. We are a nation divided indeed.

Much have been said and written about the 65 most salient items in that SONA. Not very comprehensive and inclusive enough; lacking in policy directions and the road map to sustainable development; foreign relations with China glossed over; food security issues inadequately addressed; pork barrel matters skipped; integration plan for the APEC 2015 left out. But you can attribute all what the SONA lacks to the spinners of the President even when his spokespersons kept espousing the line that he wrote the SONA himself.

C’mon, people. Any sane leader will always highlight what are good rather than the bad news. We are inspired when we see and hear that our nation is a success rather than be told that it is in distress. We get emotional when we hear the story of on’t you need to have at least a million pesos to start a foundation?

Yes, a million pesos in the bank is a SEC requirement. Needless to say, I bankrolled the foundation. Well, actually, Randy Graydon and I provided the initial funds. Now, Randy Graydon is a name you also have to remember since it will be a recurring name in this very extended interview. But mostly, it was my money. You see, although the foundation was my lifelong dream, I didn’t see it becoming a reality sooner than 2015, when I thought that I would have the money to give away just like that. But my induction to the Palanca Hall of Fame in 2012 was such a personal milestone for me that I wanted it marked by some big charity. So, I withdrew all my savings, borrowed some money from Randy, and put it in the bank for the foundation. But because I want to have a bigger control in the foundation, I paid off whatever I borrowed from Randy. In the end, from the initial fund of P1,000,003, all P999,999 of it came from me, and the P4 came from the four other incorporators who gave one peso each.

Are we all we are

I

t was comprised of 55 pages, all single spaced. It was full of adjective words meant to describe thoroughly the changes this country has undergone. For the first time, since my consciousness slap me on the face, I have cared about politics and governance. I have been participative in arguments and debates that tackle about change, not for me but for my fellow countrymen.

Since time immemorial, critics have been present to make our lives meaningful and colorful. They were meant to oppose to everything we said and done. They’ll come up with anything just to find loopholes that they can use against us. However, at the end of the day, we will realize that we are all breathing the same air, standing on the same land and given the same hours to live; the only difference is how we spend that opportunity.

Philippines is a rich archipelago. It has been blessed with abundant natural resources for the people to consume and take care of. It has been the habitat of several one-of-a-kind species that cannot be found in any parts of the world. Long time ago, the country was a peaceful

country but the peacefulness was put at stake when people from the western world colonized the country. It was then the first corrupt officials were born.

Filipinos have been severely influenced by the different nations who colonized the country: the Spaniards, the Japanese and even the Americans.

They did not only change our lifestyle but also the way how we think, how we act and how we adapt to changes. Being hospitable and helpful is our distinct character but apart from it, we made our own “Filipino time”, crab mentality and “mañana” habit that significantly reflect on how we run our country.

Filipinos help each other. Haven’t you remembered about “bayanihan?”

I can still remember how several men in our barangay carry the house of my lola on their shoulders. Not all of them are our relatives but because we live in the same barangay, we make sure we help our neighbors. Can you see what is happening now? No more bayanihan for the Filipinos. We became greedy of our own selfishness that we forget we still have neighbors who are also in need. Power overtook us and controlled our minds. Money became our gods. We thought that because we have money, we

7

country, we recognize God’s sovereignty over our lives by having an opening prayer or invocation first before singing the national anthem. And we also conclude such activity with a closing prayer. If not, Christian leaders would always invoke God to bless the people and the country as their parting statement. Cursory review of past SOTUs (State of the Union) addresses will show that such had been an ingrained practice of any POTUS or President of the United States.

During his 3rd SOTU report, for example, Pres. George W. Bush, Jr. said: “The liberty we prize is not America’s gift to the world, it is God’s gift to humanity.

We Americans have faith in ourselves, but not in ourselves alone. We do not know — we do not claim to know all the ways of Providence, yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving God behind all of life, and all of history. May He guide us now. And may God continue to bless the United States of America”.

To me, it’s tragic that our country is abundantly blest yet God was inadvertently left out in the concluding part of the 4th SONA. While it had two out of three vital ingredients of a good message – a dramatic beginning, focused in between – it fell short of a terrific ending. Instead, the ending was a close mimicry from an uttered speech of Andrew Shepherd played by Michael

Douglas in “The American President” 1995 movie.

Some years ago, I did an ex-post evaluation on income disposal of unskilled and skilled workers employed by the Department of Public Works and Highways for its labor-based projects. Results showed that before employment, about 60% of the workers’ income went to food needs, 30% to other family needs, and 10% to vices (smoking, drinking hard liquor, gambling, etc.).

After employment, however, expenditures on vices nearly doubled. The findings underscore the greater picture that more jobs generated under the present dispensation may translate to higher income and movement towards a more egalitarian income distribution.

However, such changes can also result in social distortions unless a holistic transformation takes place in our nation. Needless to say, our people need spiritual rebirth.

“This nation under God” is a phrase that most of us learned from Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address. His rhetoric was deliberately Biblical. It is said that Lincoln had mastered the King James Bible that he could recast abstract issues of constitutional law in Biblical terms.

If only our leaders and people are wellanchored in the Christian moorings, our nation under God will surely be a shining example to the rest of the world.

literature, and who else, but me! Two more are candidates for this new school year. Then, there is the Peter’s Prize for Hiligaynon Literature.

foundation, we hope to campaign more for these contests among people who have no internet access. More categories will be added next year, that’s for sure.

Remember, we are just getting started!

Can you tell more about the Peter’s Prize?

Every decent successful man or woman should give a prize, especially if they can afford it. The prize should inspire others to aim for greatness, and improve the human condition. The Peter Solis Nery Prize wants to be one of those coveted and uplifting prizes like the Nobel, or the Pulitzer, or the Palanca.

I want to be the official sponsor of the word “inspire,” and the phrase “aspire for greatness” wherever I go, so I do not discount the possibility of awarding a Peter’s Peace Prize in the future. But for now, Peter’s Prize is limited to excellence in Hiligaynon writing. And for 2013, we have opened two categories: Very Short Story, and Love Poetry. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it is only available online at this time. I mean, it is good that it is available online because I am able to reach Ilonggos and Hiligaynon writers around the world. When we have more reasons to visit schools and villages, as when we deliver other services of the can buy everything in this world. What is worse is that even in other nations, we are bullied and discriminated by our own kababayans.

During the early years of Marcos regime, our country was far more competent than Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. But the once called “tiger of asia” became drowned on its own power that it lost its track and went to take a shortcut. Unfortunately, the captain forgot to bring a map and so Philippines lost its place in the map.

Almost 3 decades has passed and the Philippines remained under the influence of drugs. Three decades have been wasted and Filipinos became contented with where they are. Now, a true-to-his words man stand up in the midst of the chaos and accept the challenge to change the course of the sailboat. A man who said to himself, “this is not how our country should be” and took over the power from those who fooled us not once but twice, yet we stayed blind about it and accept shortterm money in exchange of our future.

Now, we have a different captain.

Someone who is starting to change the system, which have been infected and covered with rust and dust, yet we still criticize him. You know what is wrong with us people? WE WANT IMMEDIATE CHANGE. We want results soon after we take the exam. We

Do you envision Peter’s Prize to be like the Palanca Awards?

You can say that because, in a sense, I want Peter’s Prize to be a long-running and respectable literary contest like the Palanca. You must understand that I owe so much of my writing confidence to the Palanca Awards that I cannot steal the thunder from it. I am a Palanca Hall of Famer, pordiosporsanto! For the moment, I’d be happy for Peter’s Prize to be dubbed as the breeding ground of future Palanca winners. I mean, right now, Palanca has a Hiligaynon short story contest category, but they require something like 3,000-5,000 words. I only require 500 words or less for my short story contest. The Palanca’s first prize in the category gets P15,000 and a medal, a Peter’s Prize winner wins at least P5,500 and a U.S.-minted medal. I’m thinking that if people can master their storytelling craft in 500 words, they can just move on to be more ambitious and aim for the Palanca. Tilawsilae! want to reap our harvest when in fact we just planted it. We want our trees to bear fruits immediately after we throw the seed. But fellow countrymen, that is not how everything works! We need patience, hard work and determination.

When you’re knife becomes blunt, do you not sharpen it? When you go on a diet, do you immediately see the results after an hour? NO. It takes time.

This is how it is in our government.

We may not see all the changes immediately but look deeper and you will know that something, even slightest of that something, is changed. We are now back in the game though I will admit we really need to do more. But you see, our president will not be able to do it if WE, ORDINARY CITIZENS of this country remain passive of the things we see. Do you think an old woman will be able to save herself from robbers without anyone’s help? NO. WE HAVE TO HELP. We have to do it together for our country to become better and livable. Let us change “what can I do, I’m just ordinary” to “I am ordinary but I can do such things”. Because just like what chef Gusteau meant about what he said in ratatouille, “Not everybody can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere”. Likewise in our nation; we can’t all be the captain of the boat at once, but it can be one of us.

July 28 - August 3, 2013

METRO AGRICULTURE

9

Tomatoes and the Rainy Season

BY MARY JANE UBAY Here in the Philippines, tomatoes are usually grown and abundantly harvested on summer time, and are usually planted outdoors. Nowadays some farmers have been practicing to plant it indoor and they find it very rewarding. Planting tomatoes indoor or in a green house will increase the production of tomatoes even during rainy season.

To plant tomatoes indoor you will need a crack-resistant variety of seedling. Growing it organically is more tasty compare to storebought. Crack-resistant is known to be better sauce/paste tomatoes.

Here are some of the steps in growing tomatoes indoor.

Prepare a good starting soil mix. Use a standard potting soil mix with about 10% worm castings added. Standard potting soil is usually equal parts perlite, vermiculite, and sphagnam peat and is adjusted to the right Ph by adding 1 teaspoon of hydrated lime for every gallon of soil mix. Ph adjusting your mix this way for tomatoes is good because the lime is a good source of calcium, which prevents blossom end rot in tomatoes later on. Moisten the initial mix little by little, using plain water and Thrive Alive B1. The mix is just right when you squeeze a handful and get a few drops out of it... but only a few. If you mix it a little too wet, just add a little dry vermiculite and remix.

Start your seeds. Start with a regular nursery tray full of your soil mix. Tomato seeds should be planted 1/4 inch deep, and about

8 seeds/inch. You may want to cover them for the first few days to keep them from drying out. Tomato seeds germinate best at 80 degrees, and should be mostly up in 5 to 12 days. Remove any cover you may have on them as soon as they begin popping up. The fresh sprouts should be kept 4 to 6 inches under a fluorescent light. The light should be kept on 18 to 24 hours a day. When they are 1 1/2 inches tall, carefully transplant them into their own 6 inch containers.

Keep the tomatoes under 2 or 3 fluorescent lights for 18-24 hours daily.

Feed them Maxsea 16-16-16 at this point, although they could probably use even more nitrogen (the first number). The strength of the solution is about 600 ppm, which is 1 rounded teaspoon of Maxsea/gallon. Add 10 ml/gallon Thrive Alive B1. The ideal temperatures for growth are 70-75 degrees during the day and 65-67 degrees at night.

When the plants reach 12 inches or more, they may need transplanting to one gallon containers. After 6 or 8 weeks, your plants should be just about ready to begin fruiting them.

Be familiar with how to force flowering in plants. Some tomatoes flower in 60 days and others take up to 80 days, beginning from the time you force flowering. Just as you begin this process, you want to make your final transplant into 3 gallon containers.

For the first two weeks, you want to feed them heavy with a 10-52-70 or similar

A man selling tomatoes in La Paz Public Market weighing the tomatoes while describing how hard it is to grow tomatoes during lean season.

fertilizer. Each time they need water, give them food also at 800 ppm, which would be a little over half of the recommended “full strength” on the directions. Keep in mind you are feeding them each time you water them. For the rest of the season, feed them 16-16-16 or similar at 800 ppm.

Pollinate the flowers everyday while it is warm and humid. Ideally, the humidity will be 65 to 70 percent. Greenhouse growers usually do this between 11:30am and 12:30pm (basically noon) when these conditions occur naturally. For them, early and late day pollination often will not produce proper crops. The tomato flowers consist of two parts. The male anthers will drop the pollen. The female carpels will catch the pollen. The resource link below

includes pictures of both and of tomato flower pollination. Most male anthers produce their pollen on the outsides of the anthers, making it easy to release pollen into the wind for pollination. In the tomato plant, however, pollen is produced internally, as if trapped in a straw. This is the biggest problem for tomato pollination. The plant needs vibration at the right frequency, such as the buzzing of bees wings, to dislodge and release the pollen. Take an electric toothbrush to each support truss and main branch. The more pollen to successfully fertilize the plant, the more seeds will be produced in the fruit (and therefore the meatier the tomato will be). Larger tomato growing operations should consider bees for pollination. http://www.wikihow.com/GrowTomatoes-in-a-Green-House

Provincial PUJ’s ...from page 1

WVSU grad tops Forester Licensure Exam

BY MONTESA GRINO-CAOYONAN A graduate of West Visayas State University (WVSU)-College of Agriculture and Forestry Lambunao Campus made it to the Top 10 in the Forester Licensure Examination released by Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Wednesday.

Leizel Baron, 24 of Brgy. Cubay, San Dionisio, Ilolo has been in the Top 6 with 84.75 percent rating.

Baron, who is the youngest among the 12 siblings said, she is very happy and emotional when she learned that she did not just pass the examination but she also made it into the top 10.

Prior to her present course, Baron has been enrolled in BS Education at the said school but she did not pursue her course due to poverty however, a scholarship was offered to her by the school which pushed her to shift to BS Forestry.

Baron used to work as machine operator at

a laundry shop, secretary in an electronic shop in Manila and as household helper in Iloilo.

Baron is among the 638 examinees who took the examination administered by the Board for Foresters in two cities of Manila and Davao this month but only 189 had passed.

Passing rate this year, however, is higher compared to last year’s rate with 166 passers out of 440 examinees who took the licensure examination.

In Western Visayas, aside from Baron, eight others from the same school passed the examination while two are from Aklan State University.

The eight who graduated in WVSU- College of Agriculture and Forestry Lambunao Campus were identified as Airde Jay Caserial, John Carlo Legada, Ian Casumpang, April Erael, Faith Hope Palestra, Jory Provido, Sunny Boy Sargento and Sara Jane Silomenio. IMT

Palm Concepcion...from page 1

Construction (EPC) and financing costs of the power plantproject,under anEPC contract.

“We value the trust and confidence of our partners, to China bank-for believing in the project and the team who’s working behind

it and to BDO Capital and Investment Corporation, the Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner of the term loan facilities for this project,for their relentless efforts in order to attain this significant project milestone,” PCPC President/CEO, Mr.Roel Z. Castro said.

needs an urgent revisit and review to solve the present traffic situation”, he said.

Nava hopes that he could pass the proposed amendment during this week’s regular session of the City Council.

Nava said since the PBO has been approved and implemented since 2002 but traffic congestion in the city proper remain a headache to traffic auxiliaries.

Meanwhile, Zarraga Mayor John Tarrosa said the proposed banning of provincial passengers’ jeepneys should need a public consultation because of possible effects to the drivers as well as to the commuters.

He also said the city government should also take a consideration on additional fair, effort, time to be spent waiting at the terminals and sufficient numbers of jeepneys that could accommodate the volume of passengers coming from the province.

“We will wait and see if they could able to find solution to the possible problems during the implementation”, he said.

Although, Tarrosa said he is willing to cooperate with the city government if this could be the long-term solution to solve traffic problem in the city proper.

On his part, Leganes Mayor Adolf Jaen expressed discontentment on the proposed banning of provincial jeepneys to enter the city proper.

Jaen said it is an additional cost for Leganesnon if this proposed amendment will be realized since commuters will only take less than 2 kilometers of travel from its town going to Tagbak Terminal in Brgy. Tagbak, Jaro District here.

“Instead of paying P 11.00 transportation fee going to Jaro plaza, it will be doubled to P 20.00”, he said.

The mayor said he wants to ask consideration from the city government to consider the present situation of Leganesnon.

Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) driver Leonard Olette of Leganes Operators and Drivers Association (LODA) said he is not in favor to the proposal because this will shorten their travel distance which means they will have only limited passengers and he is doubtful if he could raise P 700 to pay his daily rental.

Passenger Terry Caoyonan of San Miguel, Iloilo also does not want the proposal because this will add cost to her daily budget as businesswoman who directly gets her supplies from the city. IMT

10

METRO SPORTS

July 28 - August 3, 2013

CPU champions DBT ‘14-under’ category

BY REYMAR LATOZA

Keeping its unbeaten record all the way to finals, the basketball team of Central Philippines University CPU was adjudged champion in the Developmental Basketball Tournament (DBT) ’14-under’ category organized by Iloilo Basketball League (IBL).

CPU proved their supremacy in the hard-court after defeating Pototan in their all-out clash in the finals, 42-28.

Managed by their coach, Aaron Blanca, CPU maintained its lead from first quarter until they finished the final game, 11-8, 23-13, and 32-21 respectively.

Blanca said they worked hard with his team to bring home the bacon; they practiced a lot and they studied the strengths and weaknesses of their opponent to be physically and mentally prepared and up for the game.

“If you are eager to win, it is very important to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent.” Blanca said.

On the other hand, DBT ’16-under’ category is set to start on July 28. IBL president Alfie Lagman confirmed that there will be nine teams to battle in the said category.

IBL’s Developmental Tournament aims to discover and develop potential Ilonggo Basketball players. IMT

The Defensive Man

BY REYMAR LATOZA

“Never give up, always believe in yourself and most of all stay humble” Fiel Anthony Fegarido, 19, is a basketball fanatic. He is been playing basketball for how many years. His father thought him how to play from the very basic until he reached the mastery of his sport.

Feil stands 5’10’’ and weighs 79 kilograms. He is taking up BS Marine Transportation in a maritime school in Iloilo City. He is a 2-time MVP in the Toyota league mythical 5 and Milo best center “Best Defensive Man Level 3” Here’s the uncut interview of IMT with Fiel Why Basketball? What makes it special to you?

Basketball is so special to me because it makes my body physically fit, it makes my muscle mature, and MOST OF ALL IF YOU’RE A GOOD PLAYER IN BASKETBALL, GIRLS ARE COMING IN YOUR WAY..:-). Aside from physical development, basketball also gave me scholarship.

My parents are paying less for my schooling.

How did you learn playing basketball?

When I’m still young my father thought me how to play basketball. He taught me how to dribble, to pass, to shoot and most of all how to do the defense.

To encourage and inspire me more, he would always bring me to watch his game.

When moved to high school, my coach developed my skills, correct my attitude inside the court. I became more sincere and serious in my trainings.

What kind of basketball player are you?

I am respectful to my coach, my teammates, and I always remind myself to remain humble inside and outside the court. I never pressure myself to make a score; I just focus in playing defense in every game.

How do you prepare yourself before the competition?

I do proper conditioning. I jog in a five-kilometer long way three times a week. Constant practice inside the court to develop my speed, my shooting skills, my dribbling skills, my passing skills and most of all

my defense. Two days before the competition I make myself refreshed, with enough rest for the competition.

What are your learnings?

I’d learned many things in basketball, especially my attitude inside and outside the court.

Basketball has made me more friendly to other players of every team we face inside the court.

Who is/are your inspiration/s?

My inspirations are my Family, my friends, and my girlfriend for almost six years.

What advice can you give to those who are interested in playing basketball?

To those who are interested in playing basketball, practice hard, play smart, never give up, and always believe in yourself and most of all stay humble.