ILOILO
the first business newspaper in metro iloilo
metropolitan VOL. I ISSUE NO. 32 33
developmental news | critical views www.iloilometropolitantimes.com
times September 15 - 21, 2013 Php 12.00
Psalm 37:37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. HISTORICAL EXCHANGE RATE Weekly MIDPOINT Rates - Aug. 29 - Sep. 4, 2013
USD/PHP
44.4000 44.3000
44.3753
44.3753 44.2646
44.2000
44.2550 44.0900
44.1000 44.0000 43.9000 43.8000
43.7521
43.7000 43.6000 Sep 6, 2013
43.6550 Sep 8, 2013
Sep 10, 2013
Sep 12, 2013
DTI PRICE MONITORING Prime Commodities (6 Sep 2013) Prime Commodities (6 Sep 2013)
CANNED SARDINES Current Price INSTANT NOODLES Current Price
Paradiso (155g) Young’s Town Bonus (155g) Lucky 7 (155g)
12.15 Lucky Me! (55g) 13.00 Payless (50g) 13.25
PROCESSED MILK Current Price
7.10 6.30 Current Price
BREAD
Alaska Sweetened Filled 49.50 Milk - Condensed 300 mL Pinoy Tasty (400g) Alaska Filled Milk 34.50 Pinoy Pandesal Evaporated 370 mL Angel Filled Milk Evaporated 410 mL
35.75
37.00
(pack of 10 pieces) 22.50
DA PRICE MONITORING Processed and Manufactured Commodities (6 Sep 2013) Processed and Manufactured Commodities (6 Sep 2013)
Commercial Rice Regular Milled Well Milled Premium Special (Fancy) Sugar Refined Washed Brown Sugar Cooking Oil Lapad (bottle)
Current Price 33.00/kg 37.00/kg 42.00/kg 45.00/kg 45.00/kg 42.00/kg 38.00/kg
20.00
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 120.00/kg 4.50/pc
Current Price 120.00/kg
FROM WASTE TO GOOD PRODUCTS. The Municipality of Oton takes initiative to strengthen environmental programs by reducing wastes, recycling and reusing them.
bizmen welcome new coal plant
BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN
The Iloilo Business Club (IBC) welcomed the new development on power supply in Iloilo as Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) is now finalizing its construction plan for the P6.2 billion additional power investment of 150 megawatts coalfired power plant beside their present plant in Brgy. Ingore, La Paz district here despite receiving opposition from the militant groups. IBC executive director Lea Lara said the power demand in Iloilo City this year has increased to 90 MW due to increased of business activities and construction works. “It is a welcome development for us. At least the sustainability supply is
now being map out by this investor”, she said. Lara said opposition could not be ignored sometimes but this thing could be channeled to agency-incharge of regulating this business to comply with the set requirements. “PEDC which is a subsidiary of Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC) is with the business for a long time. They already knew the risk involved and they have their own expertise. We submit this concern to the proper authority to settle things in order”, she said. Above all, Lara said the proposed coal-fired will have a big economic impact to the city because this will generate more jobs.
Meanwhile, the PEDC is now finalizing its Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a cement factory from Manila before the construction of another coal-fired will start next month. Part of PEDC plans is to convert the coal fly ash and backfill materials into useful one. PEDC vice president for operation Petronilo Madrid said this cement company will get their ash and backfill materials directly here and convert these materials into cements or hallow blocks. Once approved, this cement factory will construct its bagging area beside their plant, repack these waste Bizmen welcome /p9
IMT Special: Barangay-based Best Practices
The Bible and Barangay Dungon B, Jaro
Christ-oriented people are never a problem of the society. This is the belief and has become ultimately the foundation of Barangay Dungon B in Jaro Iloilo City under the vibrant leadership of Punong Barangay Irene Sumindol. While a many of her counterparts focused their resources in proposing and implementing infrastructure and small-scale economic projects, Kap Irene aimed her sights in strengthening the moral foundations of the younger generation and their parents in her barangay since she took over the position on December 2011. The mother of four and wife of a seafarer implemented the Vacation
Mila’s Hill
Bible School (VBS) in her locality with the help of her church the Dungon Christian Church. Its students are the children in the barangay. The parents joined their children during the Bible sharing activities. The one week program designed as a summer class eventually found its way to weekly program that has stretched its way to date. The involvement of the parents in the weekly activity has strengthened the moral and spiritual fibers of her community. Kap Irene now finds it easy for her to relate to her constituents especially in handling the day to day affairs of her community government. The lady barangay leader explained Mini Hotel
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that the children are easier to mold and handle. She said that eventually the people of today will pass their community to their children. At least she is certain that Barangay Dungon B is in the good and stable hands of the new generation. Punong Barangay Sumindol quips that her “no church, no baon” policy among her children which has already produced a new seafarer and two registered nurses in the family was her inspiration in implementing the exceptional program in her barangay. She believes that a good thing that happens inside a family will eventually spread in the community.
Oton intensifies VF- YES Program BY MARY PAULINE BALMES Garbage and its disposal had always been a problem everywhere. In a fast growing municipality like Oton, the problem is compounded by the lack of a municipal landfill where garbage may be properly disposed. Improper garbage disposal could be harzardous to the health particularly to the children. In order to be consistent of its environmental programs and public health, Oton Mayor Vincent Flores strengthens his Very Friendly Young Eco-Savers as VF-YES Program. This is in line with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act which encourages members of the community to ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practice in ecological waste management excluding incineration. “The programs wants the people to realize that this is not the sole responsibility of the government but of everybody who produces waste”, Flores said. The VF- YES Program aims at introducing a waste reduction program that will involve school children; educating the school children in the importance of recycling as a means of preserving the environment; instilling waste segregation and recycling practices in households and school premises; involving other sectors of
the community in the solid waste management efforts. Launched last December 2010, the local government had a joint coordination with the public and private elementary, high school and college institutions; accredited junk/recycling shop owners; crafted IEC committee and identified stakeholders to pursue the program. Also, an Eco-Friendly Day is adopted by each school wherein students bring recyclable materials to school while junk shop representatives will come to buy the raw materials. The funds from these collections are used for school projects, school enhancement, school celebrations or occasions as well as to pay unpaid miscellaneous fee in school. Thus, this encouraged more students to bring recyclable materials. The local government is also allocating incentive to schools after the end of the school to show full support in the implementation of the program. Another facet of positive results and impacts that could not immediately be measured is in the form of attitude change that may be experienced not only by the student themselves but by their immediate families and may have ripple effect in the community. “Children advocates for the protection of the environment can send very powerful messages to older persons and can be catalysts for change,” he ended. IMT
METRO NEWS
2
NEWS
on the road
DOH Proclamation of Boracay, Guimaras as rabies-free set As the world celebrates World Rabies Day on September 28, the islands of Boracay and Guimaras will be declared rabies-free by the Department of Health (DOH) in an awarding ceremony. Western Visayas has met the target percentage for the vaccination of dogs in 2012 posting 71.83 percent, as per data from DOH-6. The DOH added that the recorded animal bite cases in the region decreased from 41,108 cases last year to 12,759 this year and has recorded only one rabies fatality from Iloilo. PIALeonard Pineda
DepEd
DepEd, CHEd support MTAP training for Ilonggo math teachers The Department of Education and the Commission of Higher Education have officially endorsed the holding of the training in mathematics of math teachers in Western Visayas set September 27-29, 2013 at Iloilo Grand Hotel, Iznart Street, Iloilo City. Harold Cartagena
PhilHealth Philhealth6 advises continued vigilance against dengue, leptospirosis The regional office of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation in Western Visayas continues to urge the public not to let their guard down against dengue and leptospirosis with the wet weather conditions still favorable to the spread of the diseases.PIA6-Lilibeth French
NEDA
NRO6 Conducts Research Utilization Forum The National Economic and Development Authority, Region VI conducted its annual Regional Research Utilization Forum last September 6, 2013 at Casa Real Function Room, Iloilo Grand Hotel in Iloilo City. The forum aimed at maximizing the utilization of research outputs to promote good governance thru informed decisionmaking and also to enhance the stock of updated reference materials for easy use by researchers and other stakeholders. It was attended by regional line agencies, academe, local government units, and private sector groups.
PIA PPA reviews LGUs’ capacity to manage ports The Philippine Ports Authority here has been evaluating the capacity and profiles of the local government units, in the latter’s bid to manage their local ports. So far, according to PPA Manager Engr. Manuel Buholano, the towns of Guimbal, Estancia and Dumangas have expressed their desire to manage their ports.PIA6Elsa Subong
September 15 - 21, 2013
Mabilog signs PBO, implementation delayed
BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN
Finally, City Mayor Jed Patrick has already approved the comprehensive Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO) Tuesday last week but preferred to set aside the implementation while waiting the completion of all the road development projects within the Metropolis. Mabilog said he and City Councilor Plaridel Nava, chairman of Transportation Committee agreed to set aside the implementation after their consultation meeting. “I will hold the implementation until such time our traffic lights, drainage system, radial, circumferential and other alternative roads will be fixed already. I want to see all these reforms”, he said. On his part, Nava said it was a frustration to him that the ordinance was not implemented immediately upon the mayor’s approval however, the councilor said he wants to respect the mayor’s decision to temporarily suspend the ordinance. Once enforced, the amended ordinance will ban all the provincial utility jeepneys (PUJs) from entering
the city except the four towns of Oton, Pavia, Leganes and San Miguel. Under the comprehensive PBO, these PUJs coming from the said towns could enter the city without any car pass but only have designated slots where they could load and unload their passengers before going back to its original routes. Also, PUJs coming from Oton Anhawan and Oton Derecho jeepneys shall pass through Osmeña Street, Arevalo to Avanceña Street, Molo and upon reaching the Iloilo City Community College, shall make a U-turn to San Pedro, Molo and traverse the same route going to Oton town. The San Miguel PUJs shall pass through R. Mapa Street, Mandurriao, make a left turn towards the Old Airport Road, pass through the Megaworld development site and make a left turn to Q. Abeto Street. Then, they shall pass Western Visayas Medical Center, proceed to the Mandurriao Plaza and back to its same route going to San Miguel. Leganes Hi-way PUJs shall pass through McArthur Drive, Jaro Plaza, and El 98 Street, and shall make a left
P2.5 M pipeline extension to lessen water shortage BY REYMAR LATOZA Additional supply of water was provided in Iloilo City after the P2.5 million completion of pipeline extension project. According to Le Jayme Jalbuena , general manager of Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD), the residents of Mandurriao, Molo, and Arevalo in the city will greatly benefit the said project. The pipeline extension situated in Pavia town stretches to about a kilometer with a parallel increase of 10 inches in width will increase the amount of water delivered to MIWD concessionaires.
Jalbuena said in a report of Philippinr News Agency (PNA) that with the project, an additional 2,000 cubic meters of water per day has been assured from MIWD Talanghawan treatment plant in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo province. On the other hand, the additional deep wells in Oton, the first town outside Iloilo City, will help assure the MIWD to address the lack of water problem for the concessionaires in the area. He said that the pumping station in Sta. Monica, Oton is presently undergoing repair causing water shortage in the area.IMT
Toilet bowl program prioritizes Iloilo’s coastal, far flung towns
BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN The Iloilo Provincial Government will be prioritizing households living in coastal and far-flung towns in the province to be the beneficiaries of toilet bowls program of the provincial government this year. Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. identified these coastal towns as Concepcion, Estancia and Carles while far-flung towns are Miag-ao, Lambunao, Tubungan and Igbaras. “Mostly households living in those towns were really poorest of the poor that they could not even provide their own comfort rooms. We will help them to avail the program because aside from toilet bowl there is a cash component that they could use for their materials”, he said. The provincial government has set aside P 5 million for the purchase of toilet bowls and bags of cement. Defensor said he is looking an additional budget for the program so that the present fund will be augmented. The governor is hoping to materialize the project using this development fund because there’s a big possibility that the populace might be exposed to various diseases having unsanitary toilet practices like the old use of open pit while others have no toilets at all. Earlier, the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) has been identified more than 3, 000 beneficiaries that could
avail the said program. PHO chief Dr. Patricia Trabado said they are now finalizing its list to prioritize those beneficiaries who are under the National Household Targeting System of Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR). Trabado added once their record will be ready, that’s the time the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will proceed to the bidding process.’ “We are hoping to distribute the toilet bowls within the third quarter of the year to address the growing numbers of households without sanitary toilets in the province”, she said. There are about 98, 066 households out of 378, 439 households in 42 towns and one component city of Passi have no access to sanitary toilets based on the record of Iloilo Provincial Population Office (PPO) on its household survey result as of March 2011. Out of the number, PPO department head Ramon Yee said 20, 180 households have no toilets while 77, 886 households have toilets but using unsanitary toilet like open pit. Among the top five towns without toilet are Carles with 3, 356 followed by Ajuy -1, 733; Concepcion- 1, 681; San Dionisio- 1, 255; and Oton - 1, 252. Top five towns with unsanitary toilet are Lambunao- 6, 024; Passi City- 5, 736; Calinog- 5, 417; Janiuay4, 941; and Sara – 3, 183. IMT
turn towards Sen. Benigno Aquino Avenue, passing SM City and make a U-turn at a designated slot back to Leganes via the same route. Leganes La Paz PUJs shall pass through McArthur Drive and Jaro Plaza, and shall make a left turn towards Luna, Jaro, proceed to Commission Civil towards Burgos-Mabini in La Paz district, and return to Leganes via the same route. Pavia hi-way PUJs shall pass through Sen. Benigno Aquino Avenue
and upon reaching SM City, shall make a U-turn at a designated slot and proceed via the same route back to Pavia. Also, Pavia La Paz PUJs shall pass through Sen. Benigno Aquino Avenue and shall make a left turn at El 98 towards Jaro Plaza, turn left to Luna, turn right towards Commission Civil, proceed to Burgos Mabini in La Paz and return to Pavia via the same route. The comprehensive PBO aims to decongest traffic problem in the city. IMT
Iloilo city experiences effect of pending PDAF
BY REYMAR LATOZA
Are all on-going projects, services, and programs in Iloilo city supported by the priority development assistance funds (PDAF) will be temporarily stopped? Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said that despite the holding of the release of pork barrels funds of the senators and congressmen, all the projects in the city that had been started will continue. Mabilog, however, admitted in a report of Philippine News Agency (PNA), the city health services were
affected especially those needing financial assistance for medicines and hospitalization, as well as for educational scholarship programs. Despite of these, Mabilog has assured that the city will continue its financial assistance program to the Ilonggos, but they will prioritize only those who really need assistance. The report added that the free coffin services to indigent families will be taken over by the city government from the office of the city congressman with city allocation until the end of the year.IMT
Solar Power benefits Northern Iloilo BY MARY PAULINE BALMES
The Department of Energy (DOE) and Iloilo Electric Cooperative III, Inc. (ILECO III) is providing solar energy to benefit 423 households in remote areas in Northern Iloilo namely Sara, Ajuy, Concepcion, Carles by means of the Solar Home System (SHS). The project is part of the admnistration’s Household Electrification Program (HEP) which aims to contribute in the realization of the National Government’s Rural Electrification program goal of reaching 90 percent household level electrification by 2017. A ceremonial switch-on was conducted recently at Brgy. Preciosa, Sara, Iloilo headed by Mario M. Marasigan, Director of Renewable Energy Management Bureau of DOE.
The DOE official said the project involves the provision of electricity service in remote off-grid households usually located in islands and areas inaccessible to vehicles. Labios said electricity is produced for these off-grid households using mature renewable energy systems such as SHS, Micro-hydro systems and Biomass systems. Currently, a total of 416 households in the island barangays of Buenavista, Carles; Bagongon, Concepcion; Tagubanhan, Ajuy; and Punta Buri are using SHS. HEP is in line with DOE’s aim at targeting to complete the electrification of all barangays and households still identified without access to power in the whole country.PIA/IMT
Megaworld upgrades investment to P35 B BY MARY PAULINE BALMES M e g a w o r l d Corporation steps up another milestone in the property development industry as it tot up another P10 billion investments in the city of Iloilo. From P25 billion capital outlay for the 54-hectare Iloilo Business Park (IBP), it R-L: Harold Geronimo, Director for Strategic was upgraded to P35 Marketing and Communications; Jericho Go, billion for 72 hectares in Megaworld Vice President the next 10 years. committed in making IBP the largest, This would make it the single most exciting business and tourism largest property project outside Luzon district in Western Visayas. He added and the largest business-tourism that this is an opportune time to eye avenue in Western Visayas. and investment in the city due to to “We have exciting plans the robust growth of its local economy. for the additional 18 hectares “The best time to invest in Iloilo that we have acquired. A unique Business Park is now, because things leisure, commercial and residential are already happening. We see great development concept will soon be opportunities in Iloilo City, and our introduced to the Ilonggo market,” township will help realize the city’s Megaworld Vice President Jericho Go vision to become a major driver of said. economic growth in this part of the Go also added that they will bring country,” said Go. first-time BPO locators to Iloilo that Notable Megaworld will help provide more employment properties are McKinley Hill for Ilonggos. in Bonifacio Global City; and Go said the company is Newport City in Pasay City.IMT
September 15 - 21, 2013
METRO BUSINESS
3
Agriculture products insured soon BY MARY PAULINE BALMES Typhoons have been one of the destructive phenomena almost losing not only lives but a large scale of properties in the country. But farmers need not to worry for in next to no time their products are to be insured. International Finance Corp. (IFC) is now working with stakeholders to come up with ways to insure typhoon-related losses among farmers. “Farm insurance has not taken off in the Philippines because premium costs are high and payment delays discourage potential clients,” said IFC resident representative Jesse Ang. “The lack of insurance makes farmers vulnerable to losses from calamities. We hope that our latest initiative will help address this problem.” According to their report, Filipino farmers lost an estimated amount of $2.5 billion due to
inclement weather since 2009. An average of 20 typhoons per year enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) making it the third-most disaster-prone country in the world in the 2012 World Disaster Report. IFC is said to collaborate with the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Insurance Agency (CARD) and Pioneer Insurancce and Surety Corp. for the new insurance products. “This new partnership will help our farmerclients, who make up nearly half of our 1.8 million clients, mitigate risks,” said CARD chair Jaime Aristotle
Alip. Pioneer Life president Lorenzo Chan Jr. said this was a step to help farmers manage the risks they were facing.
In an Inquirer report, agribusiness contributes about 11
percent to the domestic economy and provides more than a third of the total number of jobs in the country. IFC said insufficient risk management was a major disincentive to agricultural investment, further hindering economic growth. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in developing countries. provides and mobilizes capital to encourage private investments in the Philippines, especially in underfinanced sectors such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, water, and agriculture. We also work with the government to attract investors to much-needed infrastructure projects.PDI/IMT
DTI exemplify guidelines for buying Christmas lights BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Christmas is just around the corner as “BER” months began. The Department of Trade and Industry - Bureau of Product Standards (DTI-BPS) instructs the public to be meticulous on buying products like Christmas lights to prevent accidents. Christmas lights are regulated by DTI for they are not locally manufactured in the country. Manufacturers and importers should apply for a Philippine Standard (PS)
license and Import Commodity Clearance Certificate (ICC) before they are able to sell the product. Only those with valid licenses and certificates are permitted to use PS and ICC marks.
PH money supply at its highest after a decade BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Philippines’ money supply rose rapidly in nearly a decade amid the release of nonpooled funds from the central bank’s special deposit accounts (SDA) and the continued development on the country’s economy. Under the standardized report reforms (SRF) format, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ new method for reporting monetary statistics, domestic liquidity or M3 grew by 30.1 percent in July to P6.034-trillion from 2012. The last time the country’s money supply grew fast was in December 2002. “Money supply growth was driven largely by the expansion in credits to the domestic sector, which climbed by 11.3 percent in July from 11.1 the month before”, BSP said. However, monetary officials ignore the increase in liquidity as temporary, dismissing fears that the excess liquidity would lead to acceleration in the increase of consumer prices. BSP ordered the pull out of nonpooled funds out of the SDA facility that was originally meant as a
tool used to mop up liquidity to lead in inflation. Banks are expected to remove 30 percent at the end of July and the remaining 70 percent by November this year. Nevertheless, BSP said the growth is expected to decline once the adjustments are finished. BSP added that the temporary period of increased M3 is not expected to translate into significant inflationary pressures. “Latest baseline forecasts of the BSP continue to show that inflation will remain manageable over the policy horizon even with the stronger pace of growth in domestic liquidity in the next few months,” BSP explained. The adoption of SRF is part of the Central Bank’s “adherence to international best practices for statistical compilation” and is coherent with the framework of the Monetary and Financial Statistics Manual, the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual 6th edition and the System of the National Accounts of the International Monetary Fund.IMT
DTI classifies lights as indoor or outdoor and DTI-BPS only checks the quality and safety requirements of the lights for indoor use. According to Grace Benidicto, Account Officer- DTI 6, in buying Christmas lights, consumers should look for the name and address of the importer/distributor, rated voltage and wattage of the set and the lamp, description such as “indoor” or “outdoor” use, PNS number and country of origin, batch/lot number or bar codes, and ICC mark. It is also important to look for the ICC sticker on the package to be sure that the said product passed the DTI inspection. From January to September 2013, only three companies were added to DTI-BPS’ list of licensed importer in the country. Since 2012, there are 16 registered importers with ICC stickers. Judith Degala, DTI 6 OIC-
Business Regulation and Consumer Welfare, said that in Iloilo, it was five years ago since the last time they seized and destroyed second-rate lights. “The last time we confiscate substandard Christmas lights in Iloilo was way back in 2008. Since then, we have not had complaints, maybe due to the intensive campaign of the agency as well as the consumers are now more cautious in buying products”, she said. Degala added that DTI continues their campaign against poor quality Christmas lights and advice the buyers to cooperate by not patronizing these products. Also, she said ICC stickers have new features such as customized serial numbers only intended for Christmas lights. “It is still better for the consumers to buy quality products rather than looking at the price”, Degala ended.IMT
LRA, BIR toughen system BY REYMAR LATOZA The Land Registration Authority (LRA) has strengthened its system on the property transfer through a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to stop the tax leaks. The said MOA ensures that taxes are collected before the registration of transfer of real properties is done by the Registry of Deeds. Robert Nomar Leyritana, LRA Deputy Administrator said in a report of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) the partnership is for the efficient collection of appropriate taxes as a result of the execution instruments involved in the transfer of ownership of real property. The said agreement mandates BIR to send an electronic copy of the certificate authorizing registration (CAR) issued to a person who wants to transfer ownership of property, after the buyer paid the documentary stamps, capital gains, and estate tax. The owner will proceed to the LRA to register the deed of transfer, the latter will have to scan the CAR copy using a barcode, to check on the consistency of the data. According to Leyritina, the CAR and its accompanying tax clearance from the BIR is proof that proper taxes on the transactions were paid. He added that the system is important in the wake of many fake CARs designed to avoid payment of applicable taxes on transfer of ownership of real property. It will also eliminate fake CARS and will increase the revenue collection of BIR.PIA/ IMT
There is no problem in the issuance of PTC – BIR BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Provisionary tax clearance (PTC) will be released only if the assessment for tax liabilities against a taxpayer is not yet final and executory according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. A tax clearance certificate confirms that a person or business is in compliance with the government tax requirements and is also needed when offering for government business contracts, and in quest of citizenship, residency and the extension of work permits. BIR clarified the issue in the midst of reports that some taxpayers with tax obligations on the bureau erratically appeal their cases to the courts even after the receipt of final decision denying their protest. “It has been observed that taxpayers with record of tax liabilities with the BIR, in their desire to secure contracts with government procuring entities, resort to indiscriminate filing
of appeals at the Court of Tax Appeals or the Supreme Court even after the assessment has become final and demandable,” BIR commissioner Kim Henares said. Henares added that PTC issuance shall not be done automatically as the processing office is obliged to assess each application first. Moreover, PTCs for bidding purposes should be released by BIR only if the taxpayer gained tax amnesty program and was issued a certificate of availment by the task amnesty task force so as to avoid undue disruptions in the business operations of the involved taxpayers. T h e
commissioner added that accounts receivables monitoring division should ask the concerned office which released the assessment against the taxpayer for a memorandum on the status of the case. For instances, like the case has already been endorsed to the litigation division at the National Office of Legal Divisions at the regional offices, the said offices shall be responsible for the issuance of the memorandum.IMT
METRO TOURISM TAMBOBO FESTIVAL BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA As the country welcomes the months of “BER”, the Municipality of Ajuy celebrated its Tambobo Festival on September 6 to 10, a presentation of the municipality’s incomparable bliss of human, material and natural wealth. During the five-day festival, people of Ajuy held exhibits, cultural performances, and extravagant fiestas a thanksgiving to another bountiful year God has given them. The annual festival began with the opening of food festival, followed by Group Trail Race (Banas sa Pukatod) and a band on the second day. On the third day of the festival, a parade on Sitio Ubos,
Poblacion was held followed by the opening of the program, ballroom and Gab-e Sang Pasidungog – LGU Night in the evening with live band after. Meanwhile, a cooking contest and SK Night was organized on the fourth day while a motocross was convened on the morning of the fifth day, followed by a Mass at the Roman Catholic & Iglesia Filipina Independiente Churches. The highlight of the festival, the Search for Lin-ay sang Tambobo, ended the five days celebration. Tambobo is a Hiligaynon word for storage or warehouse where agricultural products such as rice and other goods are kept until the need or demand arise. IMT
1st Vice Mayor Jose C. Rojas IV Motocross Invitational With special participation of National Motocross rider Glenn Aguilar
Lin-ay sang Tambobo 2013 - Ms. Cyrel Citoy of Brgy. Mangorocoro, Ajuy, Iloilo 1st Runner up - Ms. Rachel Salaber of Brgy. Luca, Ajuy, Iloilo 2nd Runner up - Ms. Maria Alison Pearl Garcia of Brgy. Culasi, Ajuy, Iloilo
ENTREPRENEUR
September 15 - 21, 2013
5
A Family Business Success Story Fast belt-never happen as fast as its name, it was taken slowly through perseverance amidst difficulties. Tested by hardship Eleneo Jardael Jaspe proved that determination and diligence can help a person reach his or her dreams. Eleneo was an elementary graduate. He used to sell pandesal to his classmates. Sleeping in a bakery, and waking up as early as 2am was his daily routine. At the end of the day he would contribute all his income to his mother with nothing left for him. Eleneo never had the chance to study in high school. At the age of seventeen (17) he sold pinipig. At twenty (20) he worked in Bacolod as a barber and house boy. All of his experiences are never in vain; it stabilized Eleneo’s thoughts and emotions through the years. It made him reach his dreams. Behind achieving Eleneo’s dream is his wife Alicia Tupas Jaspe. She is his ultimate partner in all the hardships in life. From being a farmer to being a business man, his wife is in full support. Like Eleneo, Alicia never reach high school. Despite that, Alicia performs her job well. She takes charge of all the financial details in their business. For her children, Alicia is virtuous, a woman behind the success
of a man. Eleneo got married at the age of twenty five (25). They venture into selling candles, medalya in the church at first. Later on, selling leche con yelo, and peanuts at the carnival. Middle of 1970’s, they started selling baye-baye, and out of this, the Fast Belt Thresher was borne. It was in 1980 when Fast Belt launched their first project. It was at first difficult, but since the couple are used to facing hardships, they never surrendered until their dreams were realized. Through the years of hard labor, they made it known to the farmers of Iloilo. Through their thresher business all of their children finished college. Two of them are licensed civil engineers. One is a licensed electronics and communication engineer, who is now affiliated with CAAP. The last two are political science and accountancy graduates. Alicia and Eleneo’s joy are beyond what they were expecting. Tears are coming down from Alicia’s eyes as she reminisce all the difficulties that they have experienced, but those are tears of joy. The life of these couple will always remind each one of us that at the middle of discouragement and encouragement there’s always courage Noruel & Irene, Nole to move on and find our dreams.IMT
Upper Left - Right: Norman, Mary Ann & Noel, Lower Left - Right: Eugenio & Marivic, Lino & Alice, Marisol & Joanne
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METRO OPINION
6
Let’s Make Dinagyang More Fun
EDITORIAL
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Urban War
eptember 8 evening, in the middle of the place once was called the “Asian’s Latin City”, a plan was about to take place taking away the serenity of the night. One by one, their inner selves were again put to fire asking for the freedom they have been asking for years. In a blink of an eye, the plan has been executed. Night turned into day. And they have conquered the place in the form of an urban war. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is a rebel group that was founded by Nur Misuari in 1969. This group have laboured versus the Philippine Government (GPH) to achieve independence of the Bangsamoro Land (or Bangsamoro Nation, or Mindanao Nation). It’s idealogy affirms, promotes, or characterizes a principled belief in the equality of all people in the political, economic, social, and civil rights aspects regardless of differences in religion, race, ethnic origin, age, and gender. It’s called the egalitarianism. However, contrary to the notion that MNLF is an Islamic Organization, the MNLF claims to be composed of Muslims, Christians, tribal Lumads, and any other religions who respect each other under the harmony of religious tolerance. Around 400 MNLF members were suspected to have taken over four barangays in Zamboanga City. In a report of Rappler, they said that the Zamboanga attacks came on the day that both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are scheduled to resume the final leg of their peace talks. Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco said the group wants to march to the City Hall to raise their flag there and declare independence from the government. This might be a battle of political beliefs between these people and the government however it is not reasonable to drag civilians. A number of innocent civilians have died. Some are still in their captivity using them as human shields. Commercial businesses were closed. Families are evacuating to safer areas. The city has become a war zone for rebels and military while it has become a ghost town for Zambo people. Now, the crisis is causing a ripple effect on the neighbour cities. When will this tug-of-war end? We don’t know. But for as long there are these people who do not care about other people’s lives, everything will be in chaos.
September 15 - 21, 2013
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verything has been in place as far as the annual Dinagyang Festival is concerned. Year after year, competitions evolve to nothing but greatness. We owe this to the unselfish minds from the business and civic groups in our beloved city as well as to the great mind of Iloilo City’s Tourism Officer Ben Jimena who in his tenure, the festival have been subjected to major facelifting from a domestically known merrymaking event to a global tourism phenomenon. There have been foreign tourists and “balikbayans” who
in their busy days, oftentimes go for the last-minute decision to witness the event but have been restrained due to non-availability of hotel rooms. In the “BER” months of the preceding year, hotel rooms are already fully booked thereby subjecting them to massive detour procedures. Efforts by Dinagyang authorities to accomodate them don’t usually come to fruition. I venture not to presume to get an affirmation from our local tourism officials but I think our suggestion will make sense. I don’t know if this is some sort of a coincidence but not so long ago, we toyed the idea to give the proceeds of the festival to the welfare and advancement of the minority group where the festival is rooted, and it now has become a reality. The same proposition that we once ventilated to explore the possibility of making use of the nearby towns and provinces for billeting more tourists who can no longer be accomodated in the city proper. We’re glad that our unsolicited advisory ideas now jibe with our Dinagyang organizers’ list of options. Better ideas that become policies may be a great step to helping the government without return. Dinagyang Festival must not just be a city event. This must be an
event for the city and the province. Resources-wise, this will relieve the City Mayor from pursuing ROI-driven donors whose stake for profit precedes the desire to help. By welcoming the idea, this will also afford the city government a wide financial breathing room every year. There is no quarrel to the fact while the city manages the event, it’s the province that hosts the resorts, the caves, the mountains and the amusement parks that will definitely add reason for these tourists to stay longer and experience adventure at its optimal best. Tourism success is best equated with teamwork. Why not consider having a “camp site” concept to accomodate more tourists who can no longer be accomodated in our fully booked hotels? They certainly love adventures. If boy scouts and girl scouts survive living in tents for a week, tourists can surely do the same as they are adventurous in nature. They would love to experience the untried and the “never before” scenes in their billeting centers. We can make use of our government offices, old and aniquated ancestral mansions of old-rich families, rotary park, vacant private and government city lots, school campuses (especially our Iloilo City College) and even
commercial vessels that will be temporarily docked in our sea ports -- in Fort San Pedro and in Loboc for such purpose. Who would not be thrilled with a refugee-type accomodation in a friendly city like ours? A container van-type room accomodation may also be utilized as tourists’ transient refuge. Various religous congregations engaged in humanitarian missions may also be tapped for our version of “adopt-a-tourist” for a week. Afterall, this is an event for Señor Sto. Nino; their help is chargeable to the event’s religious significance. In the area, security fences may be set up, security personnel may be assigned and in-house helpers may be designated. The kitchen manpower may be taken from our city job hires or TESDA scholars to add color to the experience. The “bayanihan” spirit will give it a package of fun to visiting aliens while at the same time generating revenues for the city the fun way. It’s time to level up and explore more. Sometimes embracing the weirdest of things may not always be good but it makes you different. Now I am seducing the city government with my awkwardness. Here I am, trying to do my solemn oath to the battlecry “I am Iloilo, proud to be Ilonggo!”
CEREBRAL PALSY and CHESS W
hile on our way to Iloilo City, I chanced to tune in to RMN Iloilo Sunday morning program and heard the interview with Mark Espesor whom I had met at the Association of Disabled Persons – Iloilo, Inc. (ADPI) canteen at Jaro Plaza where the Iloilo Chessmates – me included - regularly play on weekends, or at least, with a once a month invitational chess tournament. I learned from Mark in that interview that on September 1622 the nation celebrates the Cerebral Palsy Awareness and Protection (CPAP) Week. On the following day, I visited the website of the National Council on Disability Affairs but nowhere did I find some emphasis on the celebration. The website is supposedly updated on this celebration, but I got no hint. But I searched
on to find some legal basis on this celebration and I was able to find Proclamation No. 588, signed on March 25, 2004 by then President Gloria MacapagalArroyo. The celebration started from the year 2004 and is on its 10th year celebration now. In promulgating said proclamation, then President Macapagal-Arroyo reasoned, among others: “the causes of disabilities can be prevented, and in cases when such disabilities exist, early detection and prompt and appropriate intervention can be performed by raising the state of awareness and concerns of the public”; “the active and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all levels of policymaking, planning, monitoring and evaluation are essential factors in equalization of the opportunities for persons with disabilities”. I personally contacted Mark to get some accurate information from him and in our conversation, I learned that this year’s theme is: “Making the Rights of Persons with Cerebral Palsy Real: A Decade and Beyond”. Persons with CP have the same rights of persons with no disability, in addition to those special rights granted by laws for persons with disabilities. Recently, I heard of a report that there is a proposed ordinance in the province of Iloilo that will specially grant scholarships to PWDs. If this proposal will ripen into law, this will help PWDs in the province of Iloilo make real their right to education. Mark himself, however, will most likely not benefit from such ordinance because he is from the city of Iloilo, although he is one PWD, one with CP. He was born weighing two pounds and was subjected to intensive rehabilitation. He finished his college degree at the then Pius XII Institute of Catechetics and Social Studies with the degree Bachelor of
Science in Education with major in Catechetics and Social Studies. He is soon to finish his Master’s degree in Special Education at West Visayas State University. Now, Mark is the president of the Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy and of the Federation of Persons with Disability Associations in Iloilo City. He hopes to advance awareness on CP through symposium, especially for the parents, teachers and guardians of persons with CP. I then remember Marie Louise Kathryn “Kate” Cebras, who also has a CP but has managed through life and earned her college degree in Psychology at the University of San Agustin, after studying from Nursery to High School at Hijas de Jesus, Iloilo City. For Kate, it is good for a person with CP to start and end his or her schooling in the same campus because this helps him or her avoid discrimination or feeling of being discriminated or any kind of insecurity. She explained that usually, in such a school, like her experience with Hijas de Jesus, Iloilo City, the person with CP will generally have the same classmates, from early childhood to adolescence. Now, Kate plans to run for elective public office this coming barangay election so that her sector can be represented in the Sangguniang Barangay. She calls for understanding of PWDs and encourages families with PWDs to open their PWD children to society, so that they can learn to understand themselves and eventually be understood by their community. On the matter of chess, when Kate was 5-6 years old, she learned to play the “Royal Game” and played it everyday with her father, every time the latter arrived home from work. Kate said playing chess helped her physically and psychologically. She justified that she had to pick the chess pawns
and pieces, thereby making her physical exercises by exerting efforts to move her arms, hands and fingers, while her mind works for some logical or purposeful plan or make the best out of the losing position on the board. The game which is for all ages and for all peoples was especially an instrument of priceless and striking bonding with her father during her tender age. Playing chess requires a lot of patience , and Kate has a lot of patience. Just imagine how difficult it is for her to live her life without somebody assisting her. Every time I see her at ADPI Canteen, her personal assistant is usually by her side. Even in this state, Kate makes herself useful as a person for others by being an online writer, and Board Secretary of ADPI. In playing chess, one is also required to think and make up one’s mind. On his part, Mark believes that persons with CP are thinkers. They are potential chess players. Mark himself also plays chess but usually for fun. Like Kate, he is not a competitive chess player, though they played in their schools for chess competition. Both, however, support and value the game of chess for persons with CP. Persons with CP will have no regret to spend their time to learn, play and enjoy the game of chess. They can learn it for fun, for competition, for bonding, for socialization, to avoid boredom, to develop their reflexes, their confidence, or apply their plans and objectives, make decisions, find solution to the problem at hand, purposely to win not only in the board game but also in life. And I will have no regret to spend some of my time teaching, learning, or playing chess with them. # ***Send feedback to: arnoldcares@yahoo.com
September 15 - 21, 2013
METRO OPINION
Exotic Asian Foods
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ranging from 24-30oCelsius. Scuba diving and snorkelling are the major tourist attractions in nearby Bunaken National Park and the island of Bunaken itself. It has seven sister cities that include Cebu and Davao. What I like about Manado aside from the cheap and abundant seafood is its proximity to the highlands. In the city of Tomohon, the altitude ranges from 700 to 1,000 meters above sea level for an average temperature of 22o Celsius. I stay mostly in the town of Tondano which has cool weather at 800 meters above sea level. Tondano is famous for its 4,278-hectare lake and its majestic mountains of Lembena and Kaweng. Nike, a small fish, is indigenous to the lake and is sold as fish balls or waku bolanga (grilled fish). Now, about the exotics foods. The Manadonese eat dogs, cats, rats, bats, monitor lizards, monkeys, and snakes. I tasted only three – rat, bat, and dog – as I was not tough enough for the others. Probably you think that eating these exotic foods is not a big challenge to your palate. Watch out, Manado’s local food holds the record of being the hottest and spiciest in the world. You have to be extra cautious about what you are eating here. Otherwise, your digestive system will get confused
and run wild with diarrhea. It is always a struggle because saying no to your hosts for the offered food is tantamount to offending them. As far as other bizarre foods go, I recall the tarantulas being sold in Cambodian wet markets. My Khmer friend said that the spider tastes like squid or chicken. Then there are also those white fried ant eggs peddled by ambulant vendors in Thailand and Vietnam. How about bee larvae and wasps? Legend says that Emperor Hirohito’s favorite food includes fried wasps. Our country is also famous for exotic foods. Take balut, for instance. While we dismiss this simply as nothing but hard-boiled, half-fertilized duck or chicken egg, westerners cringe at the thought of eating the partially developed fetus. There is dinuguan, as well. Bagoong or fish sauce is another story. Several times during my trip to Baguio, I saw many earthen jars beside some restaurants in Pangasinan. On one occasion, I looked inside the container and was appalled by the massive population of maggots thriving with the fermented fish. The owner told me that after 30 days, he would screen out the maggots from the mixture and bottle the liquid for subsequent sale. He added that without the maggots, the taste is not real bago-
ong. What a way to lose one’s appetite for fish sauce! Filipinos who live in rural areas are very flexible when it comes to food sources. What others dismiss as weeds, Filipinos consider as source of nourishment. Not commonly available in supermarkets, these weeds termed as indigenous vegetables by the Department of Agriculture help ensure food security. Alugbati, Katuray, Kulitis, Alum-alum, Tugabang, Apat-apat, Lupo, and Alusiman are some few examples of these indigenous plants in Western Visayas. Others include Balunggay, Tambo, Ubad, Ubod, Kapayas (green fruits and leaves), Langka (young fruit), Kamote, and Saging (fruit and flower), and Gabi. Remarkably, these native plants are resistant to pests and diseases, thrive organically and, therefore, very safe for consumption. When I was a child, I helped my aunts gather kadupdop, a fungus from decaying woods, bamboo, and sugarcane. Even when it was rawmixed with vinegar, salt, tomato, garlic, and onion and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes prior to eating, kadupdop remained bland and rubber-like to me. We also harvested edible mushrooms (uhongs and pakols) which were abundant after thunderstorms. These were good enough when you live in a landlocked area where
fresh fish and other protein sources are seldom available. Unlike other cultures, Filipinos have an interesting way of eating almost all parts of the chicken. The head, skin, feet, intestines, blood, gizzard, liver, lungs, and heart are not wasted. Maybe someday, someone can even concoct a recipe for eating the feathers, too. Durian is a local fruit that tourists and even many Filipinos cannot handle. It tastes like heaven, however, if you get past the smell. In Davao, the durian varietal diversity is amazing but the best kind that I ever tasted was in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. It was like a cross between milk and chocolate. There’s one exotic food that I want to see one day but will never dare to eat. Papua, the easternmost part of Indonesia, is where I am slated to visit sometime this year. In remote villages there, a friend in Jawa told me that it is still customary to bury a slaughtered pig below the ground and allow nature to slowly decompose the animal. Three to five days later, the maggot-infested pig is exhumed for human consumption. Now, that is absolutely revolting. This simply proves, however, that what are repulsive exotic foods to some are in fact yummy treasures to others.
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students to see that a 44 year old, who can afford to be driven around in his car, can run 16kms every other day. The challenge, therefore, is for them to start walking the kilometer, or half off it, from their home to school to save the pedicab fare money while engaging in a healthy exercise, too. Valedictorian and all, I used to walk half a mile from home to school when I was in high school. Nowadays, I seldom see students walk to school in Dumangas. I think that it’s a downward development because as a result, more people get diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and laziness syndrome at a very early age.
her Education students, and college publication writers. Then, I had an overnight theatre workshop with the high school students and their teachers from the Dumangas National High School - Special Program for the Arts from the morning of September 10 until the afternoon of September 11. “Pagdihon: An Integrated Theatre Production Workshop” was requested by DNHS Principal Marilyn Dolendo. I virtually wrote, choreographed, designed, and directed a complete 45-minute production in less than 48hrs! Then, I had a whole day seminar “The Artist, the Creative Process, and the Relevance of Humanities and Art Appreciation in the 21st Century” sponsored by the Iloilo State College of Fisheries - Dumangas campus for their whole school system on September 12. It was organized by Dr. Salita Dimzon, Ms. Aima Cristina Dusaban, and Ms. Eva Fernandez. I got a kick out of students and teachers from all over the fourth district coming and listening to me talk for a whole day! Then, on September 13, I spoke to Education
students and teachers of the Southern Iloilo Polytechnic College in Miag-ao on “The Creative Writing Process.” It was organized by my friend Elmer Gwyn Capilitan, who also organized screenings of my movie “Gugma sa Panahon sang Bakunawa” for his schoolmates. Now, if anybody can beat that schedule, I’ll give up the traveling lecturer crown!
and I am very proud of its success. But of course, the stress and the tension of having to arrange everything about it took out much of my enjoyment. Then, there were my two interviews with Charm Gabileo at RMN Radio. The first was about my Palanca win on August 24, and the second was with the 2013 Peter’s Prize winners on the state of Hiligaynon literature and my Foundation’s role in it on September 8. Plus the week-long lecture series that I gave, I think that the most enjoyable part of my vacation is actually spending time with people, and sharing with them my ideas and resources.
his week brings me to Manado, North Sulawesi for lectures to locals on food security. Our organization is also looking at the possibility of making Sulawesi as another hub for deployment of Filipino community development workers to the various regencies there with the end-goal of “Helping Needy Asians Help Themselves”. Last week I wrote about entomophagy or eating of insects for nourishment. This trip to Manado is very instructive in the light of what I learned about the popular exotic foods in the area. First, some notes about North Sulawesi and Manado. North Sulawesi (1o15’N 124o50’E) is the closest province of Indonesia to the Philippines, just below the tip of Balut island. It is divided into four regencies and four independent cities. Based on the latest census, it has a population of 2.3 million, the majority of whom are Christians. Out of seven ethnic groups, the largest is Minahasan. Manado, on the other hand, is the capital with a population that is almost identical to Iloilo (about 450,000). A coastal city, Manado is partly surrounded by mountains and features a tropical rainforest climate with average temperature o u ’ v e been seen running around Dumangas, some even say up to Barotac Nuevo, in your neon green track suit every day. What’s up with that?
By now, you all know that I ran more than 42kms at the Los Angeles Marathon last March, so what’s the big deal? I try to run as much as I can when my schedule allows it. Being on vacation gives me such luxury. I only wanted to do 10kms every other day, but at my 5km marker [a local college with a high school, and an adjacent elementary school], the people on the street usually cheer me on so I feel embarrassed to turn around right there and then. I didn’t want them to think that I’m a softie runner so I just show off, and run 3kms more in the forward direction, and then run another 8kms back home for a total of 16kms. The idea for the show off is this: I want
You’ve announced that you’ll be giving lectures while in Iloilo. What happened with that? It killed me! I had a back-toback-to-back schedule of lectures and workshops. On September 9, I was at Western Visayas State University for “The Creative Writing Process: From Concept to Paper,” which was organized by Ms. Hazel Villa for
What did you enjoy most during this vacation? I was thrilled to be at the Palanca Awards again because it was my first year to return as a Hall of Famer. But I didn’t get to wear my yellow Hall of Fame ribbon because I am also a winner this year. I didn’t mind because the red ribbon for winners matched my shirt more; the yellow ribbon would have clashed with the beautiful red embroidery of my shirt! As far as excitement is concerned, I was more excited for the Peter’s Prize for Hiligaynon Literature Awards Night. I think that it was prettily pulled off,
Any regrets? Only that I didn’t have enough time for myself. But I am such a giver that the joy of being with, and ministering to others trumps all regrets. I am just so happy to be able to give others a brand of my sunshine. I have several friends who tell me that they have never laughed so hard since they last saw me. That speaks volume of me. Diinkapa?
REALITY CHECK: OF FRANK AND FRANZ
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mid the troubles, severed-friendships and mistrust of the populace created by the multi-billion peso pork barrel fund scam created by Janet LimNapoles and her accomplices in the Senate and House of Representatives a breather of hope and a glimpse of the bright side must and has come to be a necessity for the sanity of every Filipino. Who could imagine Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla Jr. denying personal knowledge of Ms. Napoles after it was established that a part of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund went to the bogus NGO recipient created by the suspect and a few days later their picture with Ms. Napoles went viral online? Even a low profile Juan de la Cruz could not help but laugh at the situation.
Then just when Ms. Napoles has started heating her prison bed in Fort Sto. Domingo, Laguna the candid and smiling pictures of Senate President Franklin Drilon with Napoles herself spread like wild-fire in the internet raised not only the eyebrows but including the balls of even the most timid warrior. Drilon, a known political butterfly and turn-coat has issued stern statements prior against corruption and even on the issue of abuse of the pork barrel funds. He explained it was more of a social event. While it is a good way out of the road from involving himself with Napoles, Drilon should have been cautious about his affairs if he really is an honest leader. Ms. Napoles could easily claim closeness with him with that picture. It will then create an atmosphere of calm among senator and congressmen contacts
of the suspect. Who is who? To whom is who connected with whom? The people are left not only wondering but in disbelief. Everybody has benefitted from the operation of Ma’am Janet if Interior Secretary Mar Roxas is to address the dirtiest suspect on earth. Generalization as it may be but whom can you trust these days? This government’s campaign for good governance has become an insulting joke. Taking each day’s development in the political scene by heart is gruesome for well-being. This column must shift its focus and along this, the writer wishes to share a passing discussion with a girl the other week. It was more of a candid conversation about life and love to which she shared the story of her heart albeit less the color. It was in black and white mode. She was forced to tell her
story when another friend teased her about a high school friend, er, to be exact special friend. She shared notes and laughters with the boy. They even exchanged some material stuffs as symbols of the shy butterflies in their hearts. Then the twist of the sweet affair came. A misunderstanding set in and then the tragedy happened. The boy returned all the sweet stuffs she had given him. Poor boy. But is it not sweet? I asked her if its the reason why she has not engaged herself into a relationship to date. Negative was her curt reply. And she continued telling me when I asked where those stuffs are now that she is thankful to Typhoon Frank who swept away all her things in an enourmous flood. (not related to Frank the Liar). The conversation ended with a hearty laugh and a recital of the famous song with the following
lines, “ I remember the boy but I don’t remember the feeling anymore”. The girl left for the States a day after our conversation. She told me to regain my sanity and I replied by saying I will if and only if I can write about her puppy love with some thoughts on it. I wish my life today will be like their past sweet life before when all that matters is the heart. Funny, she has remembered the punctures of the little boy’s act. I hope the little boy will get to read this. I know he has aged a little mature already. Com’on little boy. Buy the girl a drink or two and talk about yesterday. Oh, did I say that the little boy’s name is Franz? On hindsight, I have measured my mind. In the middle of all these political and corruption scandals, my reality check tells me my mind is still sane. Love is always a measure.
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September 15 - 21, 2013
ILOILO METROPOLITAN TIMES
9
More for Tanza Esperanza! BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Iloilo is now the second most competitive city in the Philippines as it continues to welcome investments and expound its tourism campaign “I AM ILOILO, PROUD TO BE ILONGGO”. The city, as a whole, will never be able to achieve its goal without change coming from its components. Barangay Captain Noel “Nene” Odicta of Tanza Esperanza, City Proper boasts the changes in his
barangay through cooperation with the city government and foresees the community to be highly urbanized in 3 to 5 years. Kap Nene said that Tanza Esperanza is far more peaceful than the way people see it before. He is proud that his community is united in achieving its goal – peace and order. “We make sure that every problem is discussed properly. I don’t let opposing parties to leave the hall without shaking hands and hugging
Guimaras’ Schools do it.. even before Gulayan sa Paaralan Started BY SHERYL GALVAN The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in cooperation with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) are presently implementing the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program in all public schools in the Province of Guimaras. The program aims to address problem of malnutrition among school children and this can be addressed by the Gulayan sa Paaralan project which serves as the main source of commodities to sustain supplementary feeding. It’s so heart-warming to note that the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program is long been implemented in the Municipality of Sibunag, Guimaras particularly by the Desiderio Gange National High School in Maabay, Sibunag. The program started as SIGA or the School inside the Garden strongly imposed by the Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) department headed by its TLE Coordinator Mr. Ray Mercolino. With SIGA, different vegetables were planted in many vacant areas of the school premises. Even then that the program was not given emphasis on its later part of implementation, the DGNHS continuous to stood by itself even widening the scope of the
program by reviving it into “Barangay SIGA” wherein areas for vegetable production have increased and were added with banana plantation with beautiful landscape providing enough area for each variety of vegetable to grow. Seeds produced were utilized by planting it again and part was distributed among students for home gardening. In 2000, the Barangay SIGA took another step of development when Mr. Merculino revived it into Agri-SilviPoultry and Industrial Area (ASPIA). With this, vegetable gardening was then added with the propagation of ornamental, forest and fruit trees integrated with the raising of poultry and livestock and the learning on the fabrication of native and hand made handicraft out from the indigenous materials found in the local areas such conversion of recyclable materials into usable and income augmentation among student entrepreneurs. The DA helps in providing planting materials as well as encouraging the organic gardening technologies. Organic gardening is emphasize as a technique in planting vegetables without the use of any chemicals or synthetics. The objective is to produce crops which have the highest nutritional values with least impact on nature. With its great reap from SIGA to
each other. When I say that there should be no more fights, they follow”, said Odicta. During his two-terms in service, the barangay captain was able to implement several changes in the community such as widening of the road, fire hydrants, barangay hall and streetlights among others. He added that the city government is in full support in barangays with efficient governance. Tanza Esperanza is now equipped with water system, lying in (birthing center), drainage system and fire hydrants. City health, Alternative Learning System (ALS) and curiculture are also located on the barangay. On the implementation of cleanliness, Kap Nene strictly prohibits the residents to allow their pet dogs ASPIA, not only teaching students on how to properly plant the seeds and even gain profit out of it, how to raise poultry animals, moulding students to become young entrepreneurs but also multiplying the good effect to the community. More barangay folks are already having vegetable garden within their backyard from the seeds distributed to students in school out from their produce. Former Guimaras Schools Division Superintendent Nerio Osano in 2004 declared the Desiderio Gange National High School as an Agro Indutrial Training Area in the whole Division of Guimaras as again Mr. Rey Mercolino as the school coordinator. In the year 2011 the school rank number one in the Search for the Most Functional Gulayan sa Paaralan in Guimaras high school category. TLE coordinator Mr. Mercolino, said the project raises public awareness that the schools are also the best venue to disseminate information to children on the importance of producing and eating vegetable. He also emphasized the significance of establishing vegetable school gardens or “Gulayan sa Paaralan” in public elementary schools to address malnutrition problem which affects some children in public schools thus, the program continue to go on through the years.
WV needs more labor law officers BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN The Department of Labor and Employment 6 (DOLE-6) here is now accepting interested applicants to be part of the new system approach on Labor Law Compliance System (LLCS). DOLE-6 director Ponciano Ligutom said they will be hiring 21 new personnel in Western Visayas to help assist establishments in complying with the LLCS. He said the 21 new personnel are part of 374 personnel to be hired nationwide after the department has switched its system from regulatory to developmental approach to encourage all establishments
tovoluntarily comply with the new labor law. “No inspectors anymore at the DOLE. Personnel to be hired are not to inspect but to assess and help establishment to voluntarily comply with the labor law in a holistic approach to improve working conditions with many establishments”, he said during the recent press conference at the DOLE compound in Jaro District here. Ligutom said applicants are preferred to be engineers, Certifide Public Accountant (CPA), lawyers, and medical professionals, among others that will serve as assessors. Presently, Ligutom said six
applicants had already submitted their credentials at his office and all these applications will be submitted to their Central Office in Manila. Ligutom said the mode of implementation under this new LLCS has three approaches, namely, joint assessment, compliance visit, and occupational safety and health investigation. Under the new system, the DOLE could issue Certificate of Compliance on General Labor Standards (GLS) and Certificate of Compliance on Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS). The GLS could be issued to establishments found to be
from roaming around the barangay. He said that aside from the waste these animals leave on the road, they are also dangerous, if by chance, they get to bite individuals. “Before I handled the community, dogs are everywhere and cases of people bitten by dogs are higher”, he further declared. “We have barangay resolution and barangay ordinance that stray dogs are forbidden”. In education, the barangay official also encourages the parents to allow their children to go to school as well as the children to study through ALS where everything is free. “I am telling them that eventhough we are not well-off with material things, as long as we are educated, we are going to succeed. That is why when the teacher say
something is wrong with the student, we immediately call the parents of the child to discuss the matter”, he added. In settlement, Odicta said that he is doing his best, even making impossible possible, in finding places to relocate illegal settlers. “Everything is so far so good. Almost every project we proposed are being implemented”, he added. Kap Nene assures that anyone who will pass through their community even early in the morning is safe. He added that one thing for the community to prosper is to have mutual understanding between the officials and the residents. He said that no conflicts will arise if everyone is coordinating in implementing all ordinances and regulations in the barangay.IMT
Ilonggo icon conducts lecture series
Ilonggo literary icon Peter Solis Nery toured Iloilo last week for a weeklong lecture series that started at WVSU in Iloilo City, and ended at the Southern Iloilo Polytechnic College [SIPC] in Miag-ao. Nery lectured the whole day on “The Creative Writing Process: From Concept to Paper” to Education students and Silak Publication writers, advised by Hazel Villa, of WVSU on September 9. On September 10 and 11, he gave a two-day workshop with an overnight stay, “Pagdihon: An Integrated Theatre Production Workshop” to the students and teachers of the Dumangas National High School - Special Program in the Arts headed by principal Marilyn Dolendo. Nery also gave a whole day lecture on “The Artist, the Creative Process, and the Relevance of Humanities
and Art Appreciation in the 21st Century” to the Humanities students and teachers of the Iloilo State College of Fisheries [ISCOF] on September 12. The system-wide lecture, with delegations coming from all other ISCOF campuses in the fourth district of Iloilo, was sponsored by ISCOF Dumangas campus, where Nery also obtained Education units in 2000 to become a licensed professional teacher in the Philippines. In the morning of September 13, Nery’s first full-length feature film in Hiligaynon, “Gugma sa Panahon sang Bakunawa” [“Love in the Time of the Bakunawa”] had special screenings at the SIPC. Nery also gave a two-hour lecture on “The Creative Writing Process” in the afternoon. It was organized by SIPC student leader Elmer Gwyn Capilitan.
Literature ambassadors announced Jesus Insilada and Early Sol Gadong were named literature ambassadors of The Peter Solis Nery Foundation for Hiligaynon Literature and the Arts for 2013. The commissioning was done by award-winning Ilonggo icon Peter Solis Nery, founder and CEO of the Foundation, during the first Peter’s Prize awards night held at Al Dente in the Sarabia Manor Hotel complex on September 7. This was after Insilada and Gadong won the 2013 Peter’s Prize for Mga Binalaybay sang Paghigugma [Love Poetry] and Labing Malip-ut nga Sugilanon [Very Short Story], respectively. Insilada, a high school English
teacher in Calinog, will be the ambassador for poetry; and Gadong, a Math teacher at UP High School in Iloilo City, will be the ambassador for fiction. They are expected to tour around Western Visayas to read their works, and give lectures and workshops on creative writing as part of the Foundation’s missionvision of preserving, promoting, and propagating Hiligaynon literature. The 2013 Literature Ambassadors Program is the brainchild of Palanca Hall of Famer and multi-talented Ilonggo artist Peter Solis Nery from Dumangas, Iloilo, who is now working as an orthopedic nurse in Los Angeles, California.
compliant on labor standards, monetary benefits and to establishment which was initially found to be non-compliant but was able to correct the deficiency within the 10-day correction period. Meanwhile, the OSHS could be issued to establishments found
to be compliant on the OSHS, and to establishment which was initially found to be non-compliant but was able to correct the deficiency within the three months remediation period in joint assessment or 10day correction period in compliance visit. IMT
of GBPC on top of the existing 164MW which consisting of two 82-MW coal- fired power plants in Brgy. Ingore. Madrid added the project aims to answer the growth and requirement of consumers so that we will be prepared by 2016 which considered as the critical stage if they could not come-up with additional generator. The vice president also said with the 150-MW, it will help bring in a total of 400 -MW to stable the power requirement of Panay and neighboring provinces to continue
giving out reliable, cost- effective and electricity generate energy for community. “Western Visayas has power shortage two years ago because of unstable power supply and we want to stabilize the power by creating another one. Also, Iloilo City has fast growing development with the continued construction of high rise buildings here and it is really need to double the power consumption before these buildings will be operational”, he ended. IMT
Bizmen Welcome...from page 1 materials and transport to Cebu City or in Luzon area for the said purpose. “Every day, we are producing 80 metric tons of ashes and waste materials which are being stocked to our ash pond. For this new development, these waste materials coming from our coal- fired could be converted already into useful materials”, he said. Madrid added this process is now being practiced by their office in Cebu City and soon will be applicable here. On the other hand, Madrid said the toxicity level particularly on mercury
and lead is under the tight watch of its monitoring team which is composed of different sectors such as Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), religious sector and other government agencies. “I have been working at the coalfired for more than 18 years already and even my family is living with me but I did not see any bad effect on our health contrary to the claims of the military groups”, he said. Earlier, the Freedom from Debt
Coalition- Iloilo Chapter (FDCIloilo) and KADAMAY (Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap)-Panay claimed that the additional coal-fired will just make Iloilo a dumping ground of its coal pollution and other waste materials. Madrid said the new investment is not purposely to pollute the community but to cater the needed power supply requirement of Iloilo City and neighboring provinces in Panay Island by 2016. He stressed the proposed 150MW is already the third unit generator
10
IBL
Iloilo Basketball Leauge
METRO SPORTS
September 15 - 21, 2013
Westbridge bows to CPU BY REYMAR LATOZA Central Philippine University (CPU) prevailed over Westbridge in game 1 of Developmental Basketball Tournament finals, 67-61. CPU maintained its lead from first until the end of the last quarter, however it wasn’t an easy win for them as their opponent had been vigorously attempted to mangle them. The fire erupted inside the court as the two sizzling teams battle in the first quarter of the game. Both teams did well in the said quarter, but CPU grabbed the first lead with 1 shot margin over Westbridge, 14-12. In the second quarter of the
game, Westbridge tried to recover, however, CPU became more aggressive and stretch their lead to 9 points, 36-25. Heated up actions in the second half made the game intense and more exciting. Westbridge persist to break the lead of CPU, but unfortunately, but the third quarter wasn’t still for them, 50-37. In the last quarter, Wesbridge remained hopeful, they had almost succeeded in their attempt to advance their score over CPU. In the last six minutes, Westbridge made their scores close, but they failed they were still short
of few points to trounce their opponent. Westbridge is expected to bounce back from their defeat in game 1. The said tournament was organized by Iloilo Basketball League (IBL). It aims to discover and develop potential Ilonggo Basketball players.IMT
Playing with sports enthusiasts The writer’s cut
writer’s
The writer’s cut writer’s cut The writer’s BY REYMAR LATOZA Life is a race. It requires hardship, courage, and faith for us surpass all the obstacles that may come to our way as we keep on reaching the finish line. Despite of our uncertainties, we still strive to survive in whatever there is to be faced. Our ultimate dreams in life ignite the fire within us to become unstoppable. Everyday is always an ultimate battle, although we don’t win all the time, but our defeats mold us to become fighters in a borderless battleground. We were all created with purpose. We were blessed of different talents and skills. Some are still in search, while others had
found their ways already. We may fall in different fields, but there’s only one thing that stitches us – our determination to maximize the talent and skills that God has given to us. Iloilo Metropolitan Times has been recognizing young Ilonggo athletes who are excelling in different sports. IMT discovered lots of potential and competitive sportspersons in Iloilo. In line with our practice of developmental journalism, part of our goal is also to promote sports development by inspiring sports enthusiasts to believe in themselves and pursue prove what they’ve got. Dhannylaine Mae Cajilig Demontanio, volleyball player: “I am a competitive player. When I want
something, I am determined to get it even in the most trying circumstances.” Salvador Bacinillo, taekwondo player: “There was a time when I was almost giving up, because my parents were very worried about my injury, but I never lose faith and God answered my prayers. He gave me strength and another chance to play the sport that I love, taekwondo.” Juliette Castro Gayoso, table tennis player: “Passion for the game is what fuels you to go on and endure the hardships of training and competitions. My father taught me to value discipline, obedience, and respect that you give to your coach trainers.” Rikka Michel Duarte, swimmer: “Actually it applies to everything, if
you don’t really want it, STOP IT! Don’t waste your time and you parent’s time and money.”
player: “Never give up, always believe in yourself , and above all, stay humble.”
Thea Camila Lim, badminton player: “If you really want something all it takes is just practice…practice… practice, and everything will flow naturally. No one is perfect but I really believe that if you practice hard enough you’ll be near perfection (with God’s help).”
Sandra Ruth Sta. Ana, volleyball player: “Stay focused and dedicated to whatever you love to do. Practice seriously and properly. Perform well during trainings. Listen and obey your coach. And respect your teammates.”
Mary Anne Muleta, table tennis player: “Losing is not an option. Don’t be discouraged to those who say that you can’t. If you really want to be good the best in any sport, you have to pass through hardships. Love and enjoy what you do.” Fiel Anthony Fegarido, basketball
Gizelle Drilon Vidrio, volleyball player: Confidence is very important you have to be aggressive during tryouts. Communications, unity, and perseverance are the keys to be a good player.” Katherine Draheim, lawn tennis player: “Start young, A good player would not be called good if he or she has no discipline.”IMT
Villanueva boasts Concepcion’s dev’t goals
BY MARY PAULINE BALMES With its current development in the aqua-tourism industry, Concepcion is undeniably one of the developing municipalities in the province of Iloilo. Located on the North-eastern part of the Island of Panay, it is bounded by the municipality of San Dionisio on the north, by the municipality of Ajuy on the south , municipality of Sara in the west, and the Visayan Sea in the east. Mayor Milliard Villanueva is in high spirit about these developments taking place in his municipality. During his State of the Municipality Address (SOMA), he acknowledged all the support from different sectors as he humbly reported the achievements under his leadership. “We are here so that together, we can evaluate what we have in the past year and its effect to our fellow Concepcionanons because they are the very reason why we are here. We are here so that hand in hand, we will face another chapter of challenges for our second term,” he said as he began his speech. Villanueva emphasized the importance of humility in his term as Mayor citing a very popular maxim from our national hero and stating his own philosophy about modesty. “That old saying in Filipino, ‘Ang di marunong lumingon sa kanyang pinanggalingan ay di makararating sa kanyang patutunguhan’, still holds true. Likewise, ‘Ang di marunong lumingon sa kanyang nakaraan ay hindi rin makapagwasto sa kanyang naging kamalian,” he further elaborated. Concepcion is politically subdivided into twenty-five barangays namely Aglosong, Agnaga, Bacjawan Norte, Bacjawan Sur, Bagongon, Batiti, Botlog, Calamigan, Dungon, Igbon, Jamul-awon, Lo-ong, Macalbang, Macatunao, Malangabang, Maliogliog, Nińo, Nipa, Plandico, Poblacion, Polopińa, Salvacion, Talotu-an, Tambaliza, Tamis-ac. Eleven of these are identified as Island barangays, and fourteen of which are part of the mainland Panay. Villanueva and his councillors are doubling their efforts to sustain the momentum in the municipality sticking true to their commitment to be of service to their constituents. “It is the responsibility of the leader to provide opportunity and the responsibility of individuals is to contribute. Leaders, followers and
make up the three equally necessary supports for leadership. Everything in this world is a give and take process and I am thankful that many were able to receive from my term and more also gave in return”, he said. During his SOMA, he presented his four-point agenda in Effective, Efficient, Responsive Delivery of Services to Constituents; Transparency, Accountability & Participative Governance; Basic Services; and his Plans and Directions for Concepcion. “When I became the leader of this humble municipality of Concepcion, I came to realize that the best way to find myself is to lose myself in the service for others. Indeed, there is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something. It is therefore my pleasure and my pride to present to you what we have accomplished. Each of you is a significant part of what we have done,” he said. Effective, efficient, Responsive Delivery of Services In its aim to improve the lives of its constituents, the Municipality of Concepcion through effective, efficient, responsive implementation of services. Workplaces are being enhanced by providing airconditioned units and converting offices with glass panels. Also, part of the program is to increase employee’s benefits with higher productivity incentive bonus per year. This includes Bonus, Grant Medical Allowance; Grant Monetization of earned leaves; Grant loyalty pay P 10,000.00 for 10 years service; Timely issuance of salaries/wages to employees; Liberal access to legal financing institutions for employees financial needs; Observed “No Noon Break” policy for front line service providers; Improved Public Assistance Service Counter to guide clients in their service needs; Implemented “Serbisyo Karaban sa Barangay” to bring Local, government services closer to the people. Transparency, Accountability & Participative Governance Public office is a public trust. In order to gain the confidence of the people to the local government, Mayoy Villanueva believes that Honesty, Integrity & Credibility in Public Service play a major role in making a transparent, accountable and good governance. Basic Services All aspects should also be considered in the progress of the
municipality particularly the basic services that comprises the basic needs of the community- Health Services, Social Services, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Education, Tourism and Environmental Protection. “We are aware that any change, even any change for the better is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomfort. But leadership is more than choosing sides; it is also bringing sides together. We can’t always please everybody. As the successful businessman Bill Cosby said: the key to failure is trying to please everybody. As I’ve said during the oath taking ceremony, every time I make a choice or make a decision, rest assured, it is always for the growth and development of our constituents,” Villanueva said. Plans and Directions Villanueva firmly believes that the significance of leadership is not only in what it attains but in what it longs to attain. Thus, he still envisions a lot of good things for his beloved municipality. 1.Continue to push for reforms in Local Governance & institutionalized best practices. 2. Increase revenue & create opportunities to achieve this goal in order to finance programs and projects & activities. 3. Pursue & operationalize the Municipal Economic Enterprise Department to provide opportunity for the total LGU re-organization to make it an effective and responsive organization. 4. Finalize the CLUP & EcoTourism Masterplan in line with our Long Range Development Masterplan. 5. Develop the 23-Ha LGU Loong property into an integrated farming system. 6. In recognition of the strong support of the 25 barangays, again I am increasing barangay assistance from P20,000.00 in 2013 to P40,000.00 in 2014 in order for them to support barangay council identified priority project. 7. Pursue with DOH FEP the construction of RHU building (P5M) & acquisition of sea ambulance (P1M) 8. Maximize job placements of concepcionanons in the CFTPP 9. Operationalize the P20M PPA Pier as revenue earner “Reforms in placed we have initiated since July 2010 must be expanded today till 2016 & if possible even beyond 2016,” he said. Villanueva ended his speech quoting Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s line “It is my resolve to soldier on the path towards good governance & face the challenges of the next three (3) years knowing our fellowmen are solidly behind this leadership”.IMT
Concepcion, Conception, Iloilo