METROPOLITAN
ILOILO
VOL. I ISSUE NO. 45
the first business newspaper in metro iloilo
TIMES
developmental news | critical views www.iloilometropolitantimes.com
December 8 - 14, 2013 Php 12.00
1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. HISTORICAL EXCHANGE RATE Weekly MIDPOINT Rates - Nov 29 - Dec 5, 2013
USD/PHP
43.9000 43.8282 43.8500
43.7522
43.8000 43.7232 43.7500
43.7112
43.7124 43.6613
43.7000 Nov 29, 2013
Dec 1, 2013
43.6576 Dec 3, 2013
Dec 5, 2013
DTI PRICE MONITORING Prime Commodities (25 Oct 2013) Prime Commodities (25 Oct 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 (25 Oct 2013) Processed and Manufactured Commodities (25 Oct 2013)
Commercial Rice Regular Milled Well Milled Premium Special (Fancy) Sugar Refined Washed Brown Sugar Cooking Oil Lapad (bottle)
Current Price 35.00/kg 38.00/kg 42.00/kg 45.00/kg 45.00/kg 42.00/kg 38.00/kg
Meat & Poultry Pork Liempo Pigue (Ham) Beef Rump Brisket Chicken Fully Dressed Egg (Medium) Fish Bangus
Current Price
190.00/kg 180.00/kg
260.00/kg 200.00/kg 120.00/kg 4.50/pc
P10 WAGE HIKE STARTS 20.00
Current Price 120.00/kg
The Iloilo Metropolitan Times extends help to Brgy. Binon-an, Batad, Iloilo. Residents are ecstatic upon seeing the relief goods being unloaded from the truck. IMT/Clark V. Antiquiera
BY REYMAR LATOZA
Workers in Western Visayas (WV) will receive an additional P10 in their daily pay after the Wage Order RB VI21 took effect, just recently. “Effective November 29, Friday the minimum wage rate in WV will be added by P10,” Director Ponciano Ligutom of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-6) said. The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-6) approved the new wage order before the super typhoon hit the country and it was implemented 15 days after it was published in a newspaper.
Ligutom explained that RTWPB-6 considered various conditions that led them to implement the wage increase before the year ends. Workers in non-agricultural, commercial and industrial businesses with more than 10 workers will be receiving a minimum pay of P287 a day. While workers employed in establishments with less than 10 workers will be paid by P245. Also those who were employed in agricultural sector will be paid between P245 to P255 a day. The said new wage order covers the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan,
Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental including the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo. DOLE said that displaced workers, who will be hired by the government for its temporary emergency employment program are included in the new wage rate. Establishments with total assets of less than P3 million and those which identified severely affected by any natural calamities are exempted from imposing additional wage. Ligutom said they could appeal to the Regional Office in WV to be partially or fully exempted. IMT
This city has been included in the Honors List of Cities for Life - a worldwide festivity that supports the abolition of the death penalty. “The people of Iloilo City join the global campaign in upholding respect for human rights,” Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog said.
The local government celebrated the 12th International Day of the Cities for Life during a program held at City Hall, just recently. This is in response to the invitation of the Community of Sant’Egidio, an international organization based in Rome, Italy which advocates for the
universal abolition of death penalty, Mabilog stated. A candle was lighted by the mayor together with regional director Charito Zamora of the Parole and Probation Regional Office 6. Other participating cities show Iloilo City /p9
Iloilo City joins roster of ‘Cities For Life’
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Gazebo
‘Pedestrianization’ finally snags city council
BY REYMAR LATOZA The efforts of pushing the ‘pedestrianization’ of Calle Real have finally yielded a positive result as it was passed for implementation by the Iloilo City Council last week, December 4, 2013. “I’m joyful. This is a humble victory for all Ilonggos and there is much work to be done. I want to thank everyone, the heritage advocates, the transport groups, the councilors who helped make it happen, and to Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog for supporting it all the way,” Councilor Jason Gonzales said. Gonzales authored the said ordinance, closing the Calle Real from the corner of JM Basa, and Arroyo streets to plaza Libertad every weekend.
All private and public vehicles are not allowed from passing the said streets starting 5 p.m. of Saturday to 11:59 p.m. of Sunday to give walkers, bikers, and tourists the chance to enjoy and appreciate the 18 heritage structures dotted in one of the most significant places in Iloilo City – Calle Real. Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog was glad that the down town Iloilo City will be pedestrianized. He said it will bring more life and glory to the old business district of the city. “A heritage treasure that people must protect and promote,”he said. In the previous report of Iloilo Metropolitan Times, Gonzales said that the road pedestrianization Pedestrianization /p9
METRO NEWS
2
METRO
on the road
DBP DBP to temporarily freeze salary loans The Development Bank of the Philippines is giving a 6-month moratorium to those who have existing salary loans with said bank, said a top DBP official during the meeting this morning in Capiz with Sec. Mar Roxas and party with local executives. DILG Sec. Mar Roxas said that the 20% Development Fund for 2014 of the Local Government Units can be used for the repair and rehabilitation of the municipal facilities such as the public infrastructure that were damaged by typhoon Yolanda.PIA6
NSCB
Retail sector affected Data from the National Statistical Coordination Board here showed that the services sector has propelled Western Visayas’ economy after growing from 4.8% to 7.6% in 2012, and the sector is seen to make up for the slowdown in the retail sector because of typhoon Yolanda. Iloilo Business Club Exec. Director Lea Lara said the retail sector will tend to slowdown meantime because of typhoon Yolanda having ravaged the retail outlets in the badly-hit towns. PIA6
DOH DOH ensures availability of medicine for Xmas and New Year DOH-6 assured the public that medicines and drugs needed during the holiday season particularly for fire-cracker related injuries are already prepositioned in DOHretained hospitals and rural health facilities. PIA6
CSC CSC reminds gov’t workers to refuse bribes The CSC reminded gov’t workers not to accept gifts in exchange for performing their duties, especially from clients, suppliers & contractors with whom they are facilitating business as accepting gifts especially this Christmas may be construed as a bribe or reward for better treatment. RA No. 6713 prohibits civil servants from soliciting or accepting gifts, loans or anything of monetary value in the course of their official duties. PIA6
PIA
Award winning ‘Iloilo’ movie premiers in Iloilo City Ilonggos got the opportunity to fully watch the award-winning Singaporean movie ‘ILOILO’ on Sunday, December 1 before it hits theaters nationwide on Wednesday, December 4. “It is so wonderful actually to bring this film back to the Philippines and before we have our premiere in Manila tomorrow(Monday) it’s great that we stop here first in Iloilo. This is a very pleasant journey for me and I would like to share with all of you.” said Mr. Anthony Chen, the director of the movie who together with some of the casts attended the premiere held at SM City Iloilo Cinema 6. PIA-6/Lilibeth A. French
December 8 - 14, 2013
11 tribes join ‘pamukaw’ for 2014 Iloilo Dinagyang
BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN
As a wake-up call reminding everyone that Dinagyang season is here, 11 competing tribes for the 2014 Ati-ati contest will make noise around the city’s main streets for the ‘street dancing’ on Friday next week.
The 11 competing tribes are defending champion Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School, Paghidaet of La Paz National High School, Atub-atub of Veterans Village, Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School, Obreros of
Iloilo gov’t to file charges against PSALM BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN ‘Meet the deadline or be charged’. This was the statement of Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. as he warned to file charges against the barge owner -Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) which is being operated by the National Power Corp. (NAPOCOR) if they could not meet the deadline to refloat the damaged barge in Brgy. Botongon, Estancia, Iloilo on or before December 6, 2013. Defensor said the oil spill incident happened November 8 when typhoon Yolanda hit northern Iloilo and the clean- up contract was awarded to contractor Kuan Yu Global Technologies Inc. last November 21 however, the removal of barge and clean up operation is very slow which pushes affected residents living within 150 meters away from the oil spill site to temporarily evacuate to Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NPSC) for their own safety. The governor told PSALM acting vice president Atty. Elmer Cadano that the slow movement of its contractor resulted to wide damages and losses of marine resources including the livelihood which is subject for the suspension of its contract. On their part, Cadano said the deadline they had issued after the signing of contract with the winning contractor is already impossible after the hired contractor met several problems while conducting the siphoning and clean up operation. “The operation will take one week more to finish”, he said.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Manuel Roxas suggested the PSALM to hire another contractor to fast track the operation to cover up the delays so that those affected residents could already return to their respective homes. Roxas said the contractor should look for equipment to effectively use on the operation particularly the pump, the barge oil where the collected oil to be deposited, absorbent booms and other actions to prevent more damages on lives, livelihood and environment. As of the latest, the Philippine Coast Guard 6 (PCG-6) reported that a total of 157, 000 liters of spilled bunker oil and 60 tons of debris were already collected. PCG-6 commander Commodore Athelo Ybañez said around 200,000 liters of bunker fuel was spilled into Estancia’s coastline after the power barge originally carried 1.4 million liters. Meanwhile, around 498 families composed of 5, 000 individuals are now at the evacuation center. As of Monday, the five-day ‘cash for food’ sponsored by the Estancia LGU has already started. Each registered evacuee at the center will receive P30.00 food allowance per day apart from 15 kilos of rice and canned goods given to per family. Next week, the Iloilo provincial government will shoulder the cash for food for the remaining weeks of the evacuees until such time they will be returning to their respective homes. IMT
‘Coastal homes dangerous’ During his talk, Roxas emphasized
From now on, coastal dwellers will no longer be allowed to build houses within 40 meters from the high tide mark of beaches. This is to save the people’s lives in times of strong typhoons that could bring strong storm surges, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas, who arrived in Aklan December 3 together with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. Secretary Roxas’ group first met with provincial and municipal officials of the province of Antique led by Governor Exequiel Javier, and then with Aklan provincial and municipal officials led by Governor Florencio T. Miraflores. The two sets of meetings with the Cabinet Secretaries were held at the Conference Room of the Provincial Guest House, Provincial Capitol Compound. At the start of both sets of meetings, Secretary Roxas assured the provincial officials that even as most of the media dateline reports involved Tacloban and Samar, the government did not forget the plight of the people of Western Visayas in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, and they were sent by President Aquino to assess the damage in the areas to know the priorities of the officials in the rehabilitation and recovery phase.
the need for local government officials to prevent their constituents from coming back to build their houses along the coastal areas, saying that such areas, especially within 40 meters, are now considered “no-build-zones”. Roxas said local government officials will be held accountable should this regulation be violated. For her part, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman assured municipal mayors that the DSWD will be providing assistance to typhoon victims through Cash For Work and Cash for Training Programs. She also said that as a form of assistance, the Pantawid Pamilya cash payout this December will be given in full and doing away with conditions as some school children cannot go to school anyway due to destroyed school houses. She also urged local officials to submit their list of validated houses totally or partially destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) or at the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team by Thursday, December 5, so that these data will be e-mailed to the DSWD Regional Office by Friday, December 6 and during the weekend, would be validated by the DSWD Central Office. The list will then be forwarded to the Department of Public Works and Coastal homes /p9
Brgy. Buntatala, Jaro; Angola of Quezon-Delgado Street, Molave sa R.G. Hechanova of Brgy. MV Hechanova, Jaro; Aninipay of Don Esteban, Lapuz; Salognon of Jaro National High School, Baybayanon (former Tribu Pag-asa) of Melchor Nava National High School, and Milagrosa of Brgy. Poblacion Ilawod in Passi City. City Tourism Officer Benedicto Jimena said the street dancing will start around 3:00 p.m. from Bonifacio Drive (in front of the Iloilo Capitol building) to Fermin Caram Street going to J.M. Basa Street and proceed to Freedom Grandstand for a short program.
“The pamukaw is a wake- up call for everybody that Dinagyang Festival on January 24-26 is near and this is also the proper venue for us where we could assess the performance of each participating tribe”, he said. Jimena said the activity will give them a view on how prepared the tribes are in terms of their performance, attendance and readiness adding that those lousy tribes will be stopped from participating. Presently, the IDFI has already released a total of P 2.5 million out of P 3. 6 million total budget for the subsidy allowance of all the participating tribes. IMT
Oil spill needs new contractor, ‘old one ill-equipped’
Under scorching heat, a boy finds his pleasure by playing a kite while inside the evacuation center of Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NIPSC) in Estancia, Iloilo. The boy’s family is part of 492 evacuated families who were affected by oil spill from the damaged barge in Brgy. Botongon when typhoon ‘Yolanda’ hit Western Visayas few weeks ago. (MGC) BY MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Manuel Roxas asked the barge owner - Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) to hire another contractor to fast track the siphoning and oil spill cleanup to cover up the delays made by the first contractor Kuan Yu Global Technologies Inc. Roxas said PSALM should look for a contractor that is equipped with effective equipment to use on its operation particularly the pump, the barge oil where to put the collected oil, absorbent booms and other actions to prevent more damages on environment, livelihood and lives of the people living near the oil spill site in Brgy. Botongon, Estancia, Iloilo. Roxas’s statement came after PSALM admitted that they could not meet the December 6 deadline to totally siphon the remaining 1.2 million liters of bunker oil inside the damaged power barge being operated by National Power Corp. (NAPOCOR). PSALM acting vice president Atty. Elmer Cadano confirmed that the siphoning and clean up operation will extend another week to finish. As of the latest, the Philippine Coast Guard 6 (PCG-6) reported that a total of 157, 000 liters of spilled bunker oil and 60 tons of debris were already collected. PCG-6 commander Commodore Athelo Ybañez said around 200,000 liters of bunker fuel was spilled into Estancia’s coastline after the power barge originally carried 1.4 million
liters. The delays also caused Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. to warn PSALM and its contractor to file charges against them if they could not meet the deadline. Defensor said the oil spill incident happened November 8 when typhoon Yolanda hit northern Iloilo and the clean- up contract was awarded to contractor Kuan Yu Global Technologies Inc. last November 21 however, the removal of barge and clean up operation is very slow which pushes affected residents living within the 150 meters away from the oil spill site to temporarily evacuate to Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NPSC) for their own safety. The governor told Cadano that the slow movement of its contractor resulted to wide damages and losses of marine resources including the livelihood which is subject for the suspension of its contract. Around 492 families composed of 2, 500 individuals are now at the evacuation center. As of Monday, the five-day ‘cash for food’ sponsored by the Local Government Unit of Estancia has already started. Each registered evacuee at the center will receive P30.00 food allowance per day apart from 15 kilos of rice and canned goods given to per family. This week, the Iloilo provincial government will shoulder the cash for food for the remaining weeks of the evacuees until such time they will be returning to their respective homes. IMT
December 8 - 14, 2013
METRO BUSINESS
3
‘q4 economic slowdown insignificant’
BY REYMAR LATOZA
The devastation of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ was seen to affect the economic performance of the country in the final stretch of 2013. According to an economist, the Philippine economic growth will slowdown because of the great damages in major sectors such as agriculture and infrastructure caused by the ‘Yolanda’ and other natural calamities. Victor Abola, economics professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific said in a report of interaksyon.com that the economic growth in fourth-quarter would be a little weaker than the previous quarter. “Zamboanga crisis, typhoon in Central Visayas, and earthquake which cause major damages in some provinces in Visayas region would have an impact in the region. But overall, the impact is ‘very small’,” Abola said. He believed that the primary factor for the slowdown are not the recent calamities, but the weak US economy. Cayetano Paderanga, former socioeconomic planning secretary also said that the overall impact
of the calamities may not be that substantial. “The areas seem to be in areas with less population and economic concentration. The infrastructure damage needs to be addressed urgently, though, so socioeconomic impact is minimized,” Paderanga said. Citing the effects of ‘Yolanda’, Jonathan Ravelas, chief investment strategist at BDO Unibank in an interview of ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) agreed that ‘slower growth is expected in the last quarter because of the damages brought by the recent calamities. “Taking into account the recent calamities and the adjustment we’ve seen in the third-quarter , we’ve seen the slowdown around seven percent. This is just, I guess, a normal transition. We’ve been growing in the first half
at around 7.6 percent so I guess the seven percent is just a pause,” Ravelas said. In a report of Reuters, Daniel Martin, at Capital Economics, pointed out in a note that looking at GDP alone can under-represent the negative impact of a disaster and overstate the recovery. “GDP does not capture the destruction of assets but does record spending to replace them,” he said. Gross Domestic Products (GDP) is the total output produced within the geographical boundaries of the country regardless of the nationality
‘Vendors to occupy main sidewalks’
BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA
As an annual pledge to more than 2,000 sidewalk vendors during the Christmas season, City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said that an executive order will be released to permit vendors to occupy main sidewalks of JM Basa Street where they can sell their wares from December 7-31, 2013. Mabilog said that Calle Real or
that the region can quickly rebound because of the pouring financial aides from private sectors and international groups.IMT
The Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOHCHD)-6 is reminding the public to take precaution in buying toys as gifts for children this holiday season. Delia Tarrosa, Chief of the Licensing and Regulatory Division of DOH-6, said that people should choose toys which are not only appealing and interesting but suitable to the child’s physical abilities, mental and social development. Tarrosa said that a good toy should be well constructed, durable, and safe for the child’s age. She said that buyers should check the labels on the packaging and observe precaution appearing on the labels to ensure the safety of the child. She said that a new law, Republic Act 10620 otherwise known as “Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013” requires that all toys and g a m e s
labels to protect children against potential hazards to health. “The label should give information about the toy’s components, ingredients, attributes, and directions for use, as well as safety warnings,” she also said. The DOH official is also reminding parents to ensure that the child will play with a toy suited for his/ her age under adult supervision. She also said that for children under age three, the following toys should not be bought: (1) balls with a diameter of 1.75 inches or less so as to prevent choking; (2) toys that easily breaks into small parts; (3) toys containing small detachable parts or pieces that could become lodged in the throat; (4) those with sharp points, edges and with electrical parts, and; (5) those with parts that could pinch or entrap fingers, toes or hair. She added that plastic packaging should be disposed accordingly and keeping it out of reach of children. (JSC/LTP-PIA6 Iloilo)
DOH issues toy guidelines
manufactured here or abroad that Fruit stands along Calle Real are beginning two double in number as Christmas season starts. Photo by Reymar Latoza are imported, distributed, the whole stretch of JM Basa Street garbage during the night. and sold in the will be opened up for vendors without Mabilog added that he had seen any charge from the City Government loads of wastes left by the vendors P h i l i p p i n e s c o n t a i n as a gift from him to them. during the night and he has to seek the c a u t i o n a r y Vendors can sell toys, house attention of the Sheila Gil, in-charge of and safety decors, cheap Christmas gifts, special service unit fruits, household appliances, (SSU) to remind kitchen wares, clothes, and the vendors again shoes, all at an affordable price. of their cleaning In return, every vendor should r e s p o n s i b i l i t y. keep the sidewalks clean and free from IMT
Faster processing of permits to begin in 2014 BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA
of the entities producing the output. In Western Visayas, a professor of economics at the Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) said
Business permit and license processing time will be less than eight hours by 2014 as the City Government gear up to a fully-computerized processing system. A dry run for the digital processing permits is now ongoing to the business permit and licensing office at the City Hall. Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said
that the United States Assistance for International Development (USAid), one of three pilot areas in the Philippines with full computerization, supports the upgrading of processing in the City Hall. Mabilog explained that from a week of processing, with the use of computerization, entrepreneurs and businessmen applying or renewing their permits can get their documents
in less than eight hours on the same day. T h o s e transacting business are required to bring all their necessary documents to avoid hassle. IMT
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is now in the process of assessing small and medium enterprises(SMEs) in Iloilo province so they could avail of shared service facilities fund (SSFF) which is a grant to help them return back to their operations. DTI Iloilo Dir Wilhelm Malones said that they are assessing the SMEs, particularly in the northern towns of
Iloilo province that have been severely affected by typhoon Yolanda. He said that SMEs could avail as much as P1 million as approved by the provincial technical working group so that the SMEs could reacquire equipment they needed for their operations. “This is a grant,” Malones explained. He cited the SME in Estancia
engaged in marine product that has 400 dislocated workers and also in the towns of San Dionisio and Carles. (PNA) LOR/ AJPETINGLAY/ VLO
The Department of Education Regional Office (DepEd)-6 said more aid from foreign humanitarian assistance groups are coming for typhoon Yolanda affected schools in Western Visayas including the 66 tents pledged by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Wendyl Mae Villaprudente,
DepEd-6 Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Focal Person, said that five of these 66 pledged tents of UNICEF have arrived here to be used as temporary classrooms. She said that one tent is good for two classrooms and they have distributed these tents to three priority
divisions in Region 6. “Three tents were given to the Division of Capiz, one for Iloilo, and another one for Roxas City,” she said.
SSF Fund for SMEs
Damaged schools to get more aid
4
METRO TOURISM
December 8 - 14, 2013
Kasadyahan 2014 contest no more
BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA Kasadyahan 2014 will not be as grandiose as before as the cultural event of Dinagyang will not hold a contest for participating festivals this 2014. Department of Tourism (DOT) 6 regional director Atty. Helen Catalbas said that Kasadyahn will still be a regional cultural showcase or presentation of festivals and fiestas from different areas of Western Visayas but will not compete with each other. “We are doing this in answer to the appeal of local government units who really want to join but cannot mount a grand presentation due to the effects of typhoon Yolanda,� Catalbas said. Catalbas added that several local festivals interested to join lack resources while some are also victims of the typhoon. Provinces of Aklan, Antique, Northern Iloilo, Capiz are among the most devastated areas in Panay and Negros Occidental. Kasadyahan committee chairperson Eden Deriada said that they will modify the guidelines according to the changes in the cultural show. Meanwhile the organizers of the 2014 Dinagyang festival guarantee the public that the participants will be recognized. Ben Jimena, Iloilo City tourism officer said that the despite the scrap the competition in the festival, they will still give a token of appreciation to the participants. As of the press time, four festival groups have confirmed their participation; Kaing of Leon, Salakayan of Miagao, Kasag of Banate and Pan-ay from Fort San Pedro National High School. Tribu Salakayan was the Kasadyan champion this year. Participants in the Kasadyahan will be subsidized by the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. at P160,000 each. Kasadyahan is the first part of the two-day highlights of Dinagyang Festival followed by Ati Tribe Competition on the second
day.IMT
December 8 - 14, 2013
METRO ENTREPRENEUR
5
Bibingka: A roadside favourite
BY REYMAR LATOZA
More and more vendors are flocking along the streets as Christmas day comes near. Aside from ‘balut’, fish balls, barbeque, ‘taho’, ‘Puto bumbong’ as well as ‘parols’, and other Christmas decors, ‘bibingka’ is one of the most sought-after in Filipino cuisine. Bibingka is a street dish and considered as one of the varieties of rice cakes being sold commonly near the churches as part of the Filipino tradition – Christmas. Bibingka is a perfect match for a cup of hot coffee or chocolate after attending the ‘simbang gabi’, a nine-day novena masses at four in the morning. While the bibingka is sold all year round, it is most popular during December. Rice and coconut are the common ingredients of bibingka and each vendor has their own style of preparing it. Bibingka is wrapped with banana leaves to prevent the batter from sticking while imparting a sweet, subtle flavor to the rice cake. A small piece of banana leaf is also placed on top of the bibingka to prevent it from burning from the heat of the hot coals above. In Iloilo City, there are lots of bibingka vendors on roadside stalls close to churches. Mary Ann Salmingo, 47, is among the old timer bibingka vendors outside Jaro Cathedral. She has been selling bibingka for more than five years. She lives in a small house in Barangay Sto. Nino Norte, Arevalo. She has four children and three of them have their own families. With her and his husband is his youngest child who is still schooling up to now. Her husband is a carpenter and not everyday he is earning. Mary Ann said there are weeks and sometimes months that her husband earns nothing. ‘My mother was also selling bibingka before and I learned making bibingka from her,’ Mary Ann said. There are days that she was earning P1,000.00 or less is P700.00. But during holiday season she can earn as much as P2,000.00 and more.
She starts selling at 6 a.m. in the morning and closes at 6 p.m. everyday. Asked about her expenses, everyday she spends P400.00 for ingredients and the rest of her earning goes to other expenses in their family. The origins of bibingka are unclear, as it is associated with the Christmas dawn masses. Perhaps it can be traced to the use of rice as offerings. Like its Asian neighbors, rice is a central part of the Filipino culture. There are over 80 different varieties of rice cakes in the Philippines, with some ethnic communities planting over 50 different types of rice. During harvest time from November to January, rice and rice cakes are offered as thanksgiving to the pagan harvest gods, a practice that dates back to ancient times. Christmas falls during the harvest season, thus making it easy for the Christian missionaries to introduce the celebratory season to Filipinos. The Filipino farmers accordingly adapted the offering and eating of rice cakes to the Catholic faith. It is not clear when this began. But the earliest recording of bibingka dates back to 1751 in Fr. Juan Delgado’s book, where the Catholic priest devotes a long chapter to rice. Delgado mentions “bibinca” as taken with chocolate and eaten for breakfast. Historians suggest that the bibingkahan (clay pot used in cooking the rice cake) is of a Chinese vintage, while the process of milling wet rice is similar to the way the Mexicans grind corn for tortillas, which can be traced to Spanish colonial rule.(Maidtouch.com) IMT
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METRO OPINION
6 EDITORIAL
No BIG or small
A
fter how many weeks of receiving and collecting donations of goods and contributions from individuals and organizations, the Iloilo Metrpolitan Times (IMT) team went to Brgy. Binon-an, Batad, Iloilo to deliver the relief goods of the affected residents of the area last November 29. Along the way, the realities of life keep striking our inner selves. Eyes were darted on our service vehicle as if they were guessing who are or what are inside it. Children were running along the side of the narrow roads extending their hands, and families were preparing to follow the convoy to the center of the barangay. Men of all ages were there- young and old- enduring the scourging heat of the sun waiting for their names to be called. These hopefuls lined up outside the hall on tenterhooks to receive one of those plastic bags we brought. One by one, names were called. As soon as the team have handed to them those packs containing noodles, canned goods, rice and clothing, you can see in their eyes how much thankful they are of our presence. These things may not be enough, but the little help meant a lot for them. After the disastrous effect brought about by super typhoon Yolanda, they all deserve all kinds of help- shortterm aides to sustain their daily needs and a long-term assistance to rebuild their lives. In giving, there is no BIG or small. Mother Theresa once said, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” The spirit of giving boils down not only to the effort we put into giving but also to the intentions we set when doing it. As they begin to rebuild their own lives now, IMT acknowledges the efforts of all private and public people and groups who, in way or another, have contributed to help our brothers and sisters regain their dignity as human beings, restore what has been wrecked and replace what has been lost. Truly, we are all part of the solution in every problem.
The Whole Nine Yards
O a
ur nation received beating
these past few months from natural and man-made disasters that shook the foundations of our consciousness and left a scar deep in our souls. From the PDAF Scam involving billions of the people’s money spanning a decade of cheating the nation to the tempest that is Yolanda grounding the lives of millions of Filipinos to a halt, our nation is still reeling from the dizzying effects. Despite of the forward looking steps our country has made towards change we still face unprecedented and insurmountable odds. The question that always pops up in our minds is: how much more beating can we take until we, once and for all, stand up and unite to alleviate ourselves from the grasps of these manmade and natural calamities?
When it comes to the PDAF Scam and corruption in the government, when are we going to stop selling our votes and electing politicians who abandons you during crises and denies you your relief goods because you are ‘kontra-partido’? As the typhoon alley, the Philippines is smacked right on the tracks of these tempests every year consuming all letters of the alphabet like one big, extended family. With the present laws on disaster mitigation and DRRM structure, how resilient are we to face another Yolanda and her cousins, Frank, Quinta and grandmother Undang? The aftermath of Yolanda showed the grisly and ugly truth not only about the government’s disaster preparedness but also its supposed rehabilitation plans. On this point, Pnoy is partly right to put blame on
HOPE T
h e re h a s been so m u c h said about Super Typhoon Yolanda, but there has never been much focus on the virtue that shines forth from the victims themselves. That virtue I am referring to is the virtue of hope. This virtue of hope proceeds from the fact that Filipinos value their spiritual life, their faith in the Supreme Being, that brings forth in themselves hope. No matter how Super Typhoon Yolanda devastated their lives, they still have that solid hope. They are certain that from their present situation they can come out triumphantly. The hope of most Filipinos who are catholics are even more enlivened during this season when catholics around the world celebrates advent, the coming of Christ. They are certain that a Savior is coming, that Christ is coming, to bring them good news, to help them out of the multi-billion destructive effects of Super Typhoon Yolanda. This Savior is represented by the persons vested with temporal powers to generate funds and make use of those funds to rehabilitate, reconstruct the public buildings, the houses of the homeless, the means of livelihood of the jobless. They are also those persons who are supposed to clean up promptly the oil spill in Estancia, Iloilo. It is therefore the duty of those in power to help realize this hope of the Filipino people, and never to frustrate it. **** Ruffy Biazon finally
has to leave the Bureau of Customs. Unlike the previous instance when he himself handed down his resignation in a text message to P-Noy after the latter lambasted the Bureau of Customs in his State of the Nation Address, this time, P-Noy himself took the initiative to let go of his close ally Ruffy Biazon who was implicated in the P10billion PDAF scam of the lady who bathed in milk. With this development, I think P-Noy earned a full point for his drive for good governance courtesy of Ruffy Biazon. If Ruffy was given his way earlier, he himself got that point himself, and not P-Noy. Anyway, it is the Executive himself who has the primary responsibility in cleaning up his house, free from any taint of corruption or decadence, free from suspicion of insincere thrust for transparency and credibility. It is the President himself who must show that he has the leadership in advancing good governance. Unfortunate though it seems, time to go for Ruffy, time to go up for the country. **** Though business is burgeoning in the metropolis, with an “international airport” situated in Cabatuan, Iloilo, this is far behind development to reclaim what was ours long ago, the state of being the “Queen City of the South”. It is no longer a political statement that Cebu is the “Queen City of the South”, rather, this title is now a common knowledge that it is Cebu that possesses this title. This impressed in my mind, when recently
December 8 - 14, 2013
the local government units because it is in the hands of the LGUs where disaster mitigation and preparedness are placed. They have the funds to utilize and the guidance of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management law. The next time another Yolanda arrives, do we need to suffer the patronage system in utilizing the calamity funds up until the distribution of relief goods to ‘kapartidos’ only? With the exception of a few, most LGUs have a laughable and flimsy disaster preparedness plans. If we dig deeper we can glean the inclinations of how the calamity funds were disbursed: building political clout. Most LGUs do not even listen or does not involve frontline national agencies, like the BFP, in their disaster preparedness plans. I have known one municipality in Capiz which did not allow
the BFP rescuers to respond during typhoon Yolanda, instead insisting on the barangay officials to call for help from the provincial rescue group. After a month, rehabilitation efforts are slowly catching up but we ask again: can we learn from our mistakes from Yolanda? Can we shorten the delay of government response AFTER a typhoon strike or earthquake the next time they hit? Can we turn our lessons into learning and finally go the whole nine yards towards real resiliency up to the barangay level? Like the odds that wreaked havoc in our country this past few months, the odds of going the whole nine yards for real resiliency and rehabilitation is as farfetched as solving who really is the mastermind of the PDAF Scam.
the steward in the plane I was on board from Iloilo to Cebu announced welcoming everyone to the “Queen City of the South” as the plane touched down the runway of Mactan International Airport, an International Airport, indeed. How come that it was our very own – the late Senator Roding Ganzon - who coined such a title, only to be taken away from us. What a beautiful title in this part of the country, but deprived of it, what pain it brings us. Probably, our very own Senate President Franklin Drilon can coin a new title for our city and province that no other place in the country can take away from us, a new title that can inspire growth, progress, development, of unprecedented quality and pace. **** I do not know what is happening to the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD), but I can see how its services have degenerated. It failed to serve the demands for its services, even from the source of its water, particularly the Municipality of Maasin. Gone were the days when one can drink or fetch its water for free. When I was an elementary school child, in front of our school there was plenty of water from the faucet of MIWD, used in common by residents around, by those who passed by, or even by the school children who fetched water therefrom to water the gardens, to water the plants therein. The MIWD is even short of serving those who are paying for its services, for the use of its water supply. Just take a look at its
water pipes placed along the footwalk of the bridge of Amerang-Bacan, Cabatuan. I don’t think that that is the standard of services of MIWD. But how come it appears to be that is? I thought those were just temporary water pipes after typhoon Frank had destroyed its main water pipeline and said bridge, but it seems, they have now become permanent pipes as these pipes are in existence for five (5) years now. If such pipes remain, there is no hope that there can be sufficient supply of water to the city or in the nearby municipalities. I still think though that MIWD is capable of improving its services and its powers are sufficient to bring back its glorious days, not only for people dependent on its services, but also for its employees, some of whom are still contractual employees who possess sensitive positions for its operation. There is a better way that MIWD can serve better. No need to tell of what it has to do. But I just hope it will soon realize an effective way of delivering sufficient potable water to the people of Iloilo.# **** Thank you to the UNAIDS, the TLF SHARE COLLECTIVE, the AECID and the US Embassy’s Global Equity Fund for making happen the Training-Workshop on HIV and Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) for the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines on December 4-6, 2013 in Cebu City.# Send feedback to: arnoldcares@yahoo.com
December
8
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14,
METRO OPINION
2013
7
Oversharing: Why Do We Do It and How Do We Stop? Grown And Flown Authors, Goldman Sachs: The Culture of Success
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entered the world of social media much like I enter my kitchen at night, in total darkness with my hands stretched out in front of me. I forged ahead in this global orgy of oversharing with the certain knowledge that I knew nothing and would soon be stubbing my toe, or worse. This week, I saw photos of a young teen having her face stitched in the ER. Knowing how carefully most teens attend to their images, I wondered if she really wanted this one, showing her in extreme pain and covered in blood, spread widely across the pages of her mother’s Facebook page. ER photos, in all their gory glory, seem to cross the line into oversharing. I have seen report cards, graphic potty training updates, disparagements about children’s weight and a mountain of medical complaints, gynecological and otherwise. Ignoring the gross factor, is there any chance that this is the digital footprint people hope to leave for themselves or their children? Is there any chance that parent’s don’t realize that their kids can read? Is talking about your children’s and your own problems online “brave” or simply misguided? As a kid, nothing scared us more than our “permanent record,” the mysterious record of everything we did. Social media is our permanent record writ large... a permanent digital record that will live on long after we are gone. Do we really want it clogged up with oversharing and complaints about our marriage, the details of our sex lives and giant invasions of the privacy of our children? Why do we share and then, at times, slip into oversharing? At what point are we invading our children’s privacy when we share the details of their lives? How do
A
ll things considered, how good was 2013 for you? 2013 was very kind to me, that much I can say. My family and I are well, thank you. Super typhoon Yolanda comes and goes, and here we remain standing. We are not getting any younger so some health issues arise and develop, but we deal; and we deal pretty well. I finished a marathon this year, didn’t I? On the side of my extended family, my brother-in-law died at 81 years old. We are saddened, of course, but he lived a good life so it is not like we are miserable. What are your biggest expenses this year? It’s still the travel and trips that took the big slice out of my finances—
we stop?
Social media and television call to us to overshare. We control the medium and the message, but sometimes, it is hard to remember that it is not the other way around. Social media apps sit on our phones calling to us to join the fray. First, we post pictures of our kids being adorable, then losing a tooth, and later getting a scraped knee. Soon we are documenting other family ailments in painful and graphic detail and the oversharing has begun. It is a slippery slope with no clear markers along the way. It is easy to begin with the cute and to slip into the gross or invasive. Reality TV is professional oversharing as we leer into others’ homes and lives, surveying all that was once considered private. Witnessing the private emotional meltdowns that are the staple of this genre may have signaled to the rest of us that not only is sharing and oversharing acceptable, it may even be desirable. Finally, there is the thirst for fame, that little voice inside us crying out for our 15 minutes. Our desire to be noticed by the larger world, or at least a subset of it, lulls us into sharing attention grabbing information that our more measured selves might think twice about. And let’s be honest, selfies are just so damn easy to take. Why not amuse your friends and the larger world with an unending stream of photos of yourself? Computers, and worse, handheld devices, do not yet come equipped with a breathalyzer. Some of the answer to the question of why we share has its roots in when we share. Recent research suggests that heightened emotions or physical arousal two trips to the east coast, two trips to the Philippines, two cruises, but books and videos from Amazon.com come very close. I made two trips to the Philippines this year, and was planning on a third when Yolanda hit the Visayas, so instead of spending my dollars on airfare, I decided to help in the relief efforts. The third biggest slice of my budget went to live theater, cinemas, and entertainment. But the most expensive single event for the year was the awards ceremony for Peter’s Prize for Literature 2013. More than the awards night banquet, I spent much on cash prizes, thesis grants, gifts, made to order medallions, certificates, and those Peter Solis Nery busts. But it was all worth it, and we will do it again.
of any kind may fuel our oversharing. The decision to share or not share has less to do with the piece of information we are passing along and more to do with our own mental and physical state. Anger, pain, elation or the adrenaline high from a good workout are all more likely to make us effuse online or in real life. Drunk dialing used to be a problem. Have a few too many, dial an old flame and, bam, an ugly and very forgettable phone call. The good news, of course, was that in the morning, there were only two people who knew about the indiscretion and both of you could work on the assumption that it never happened. Keyboards connected to 2.5 billion people are an entirely different story, one that is far harder to cover up in the morning. Venting our anger or pain or frustration online seems like a good idea, right up to the moment when it does not. We care too much what others think. Experts say that oversharing is fueled by our insecurities, the need to compensate for deficits, socially or professionally that we perceive in ourselves. We worry about what others think, try desperately to make ourselves look good, giving away far more information than we should. When it doesn’t work, which of course it wouldn’t, we share even more, Ouch. In person we are, at least, receiving the social clues that this is not working. Online, we are operating in a vacuum and the brakes that should be applied, that awkward look that someone gives you when you have said too much, just aren’t there. Despite the constant barrage of exhortations to think of ourselves as a brand, we are not brands. We are neither brands nor products and thinking of ourselves as such can be dehumanizing; once that very human barrier is broken
down, oversharing can begin. It is fine, even funny, for Geico to look stupid in their constant plea for our attention, but is the same true for us? We are people with complex lives that inevitably involve the privacy of others. Brands advertise and they spend billions of dollars in the unending quest for attention and for them almost any attention is good attention. Not so for us. Spilling online is strangely easy. Anyone who has even faced an angry parent, teacher or boss knows how difficult it is to admit something while staring someone in the face. Admissions of guilt or misbehavior have always been easier to spill in a letter, without the eye contact that inhibits us. The Internet requires no eye contact and permits us to write a letter to the world. It’s far easier to write, yet far from private. It may be one of the great ironies of the Internet age -- that it is easier to confess our misjudgments and misdoings to the world than to a single person. Is it right to write about our kids? New parenthood is a time awash with new love, perhaps life’s most heightened emotional state. There is nothing more gorgeous than a new baby (in this mom’s opinion), so it is no wonder that we cannot wait to share this new-found love with everyone we know. We start writing about our kids before they can read, somehow forgetting that is inevitable that they will see every word we have typed. And they will see these words through their highly critical, easily embarrassed 13-year-old eyes. What may seem loving to us will be mortifying to them. Many parents argue that they do not post without their children’s consent. But, of course, children cannot give consent and cannot begin to imagine how their futures
here are science books on my shelves. Most of them are more expensive than the award-winning literary titles I prize. All of them I enjoyed, and continuously do in every instance of revisiting, such as in rechecking facts in the process of constructing probable scenes: as a novelist, I have to get my science right, because ‘the truth of fiction is the truth of probability.’ But most of all, because these science books are written in what we in creative writing brand as creative non-fiction (CNF), a collective label for what we used to call as essay – a genre where the keyword is personal, or that which appeals to ‘human interest.’ Reading is an experience. The personal narrative binds us in a circle of human experience, human ecology. This is alive, and what I experienced, in the Introduction of the Handbook
How to stop oversharing. There is a great deal of advice out there about how to stop oversharing. But when looked at closely, it all seems to boil down to just one thing: Think, or more specifically, think ahead. Imagine the ripple effect of the piece of information you are about to share. Imagine your mother, children, partner/spouse, boss and any other relevant person knowing what you are about to divulge. Imagine meeting new people who posses the piece of information you are about to disclose. Think about that information in the public domain today, and think about it in the public domain decades from now. Still OK with it? Then wait, and think again. Time, consideration and reflection are the antidotes to oversharing, so take and use all three. (This post originally appeared on Grown and Flown and was also posted to Huffington Post. No copyright infrigement intended in publishing this article on this newspaper.)
Side Story,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and “Evita” from the list of my top seven stage musicals that I’d like to see before I die. I’ve also seen the controversial Philip Glass opera “Einstein on the Beach,” but I think that I greatly enjoyed the most “Sister Act” and “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” I’m seeing “The Lion King” again at The Pantages Theatre this week, and I’m sure it will be as enjoyable as I first saw it in L.A. in 2006.
I’ve seen Sandra Bullock in Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity,” and I admire the director’s use of 3D technology. But so far, I’ve also been impressed by Paolo Sorrentino’s Fellini-esque film “La Grande Belleza/The Great Beauty,” which is Italy’s official entry to the Oscars. And whatever else is said about Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” I like it.
What was the best thing you have seen on screen this year?
This year, I’ve checked off “West
It’s too early to say. I still haven’t seen Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in “Dallas Buyers Club,” and I am so looking forward to watching Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep in Tracy Lett’s play turned into movie, “August: Osage County.” I saw the play a few years back, and I’m excited to see how it translates into the film medium.
I didn’t finish many books this year. I wanted so much to read the unabridged version of “Les Miserables,” and I have downloaded it on my Kindle, but I never got around to reading it. I also bought E. L. James “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy, but they remain in their packing. I did push myself to read Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” though. It is pretty short, and who would think that I haven’t read it all through these years,
I watched plenty of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals this year because I finally got the courage to take up tap dance lessons, but my biggest fun really was the Mel Brooks movie collection: “The Producers,” “The Twelve Chairs,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Silent Movie,” “High Anxiety,” “History of the World Part I,” “Spaceballs,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” and “Dracula: Dead and Loving It.” And then, there is “The Princess Bride.”
of Mangroves in the Philippines-Panay published in 2004 by the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) stationed in Tigbauan, Iloilo, and funded by the Man and Biosphere ASPACO Project of UNESCO. This is the result of the many field studies done by Filipino scientist and Iloilo homegrown Dr. Jurgenne H. Primavera and her team composed of Resurreccion B. Sabada, Ma. Junemie H.L. Lebata, and Jon P. Altamirano. I feel in love with this handbook on first browse. The cover is a photospread of the mangrove plantation in New Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan. I visited this site many years ago during the AtiAtihan season as one of the guests of John Barrios, my Filipino professor at UPV in Miag-ao, Iloilo and a top-rate fictionist in both Aklanon and Filipino. I remembered being in awe of the beauty and usefulness of mangroves
and yet saddened by our lack of responsible stewardship. Walking out of that site, one could experience a heightened sense of urgency to help in the task of rehabilitation. The handbook is printed in white paper with quality-colored photos and sturdy spine. The writing is objective, clear, concise, with a page titled ‘How To Use This Handbook.’ This is really where my love for this handbook lies. The content is both a catalogue and a curatorial work. It starts with taxonomy (i.e. family, scientific and local names) and proceeds on the form/habit of the identified mangrove and details the characteristics of its leaves, flowers, fruits, roots, special features, and uses. Ah, how could I have known that the nipa is a mangrove, ‘the only palm among true mangrove species’ and its Sanskrit name Nypatithau ‘was that of a generous man who gave everything of himself ’? That the bantigi of my childhood with its scientific name
Pemphis acidula is ‘a favorite material of bonsai enthusiasts’ because of its small size and sturdy nature? I swear, itaga sa bantigi, my 2nd-novel set in Boracay Island will evoke the texture, the smell, the color, and the amazing characteristics of the mangrove species as an organic character! My research assistant Emmanuel Lerona procured this handbook for me. Damo gid nga salamat. This handbook education on mangroves further inspired me to produce into an animation the short story for children in Kinaray-a titled ‘Alimango sa Bakhawan’ (The Crab in the Mangrove) by Michael Q. Orquejo. It is my hope that the visual spectacle of the animation could refuel conversation and engagement between teachers and students and other intended communities on issues such as climate change and environmentfriendly lifestyles. That this piece was drawn from and inspired by Orquejo’s
own field work with the Division of Social Sciences of UPV with Alice Joan C. Ferrer, Kinly C. Hopanda, Alan Dino E. Moscoso, and Resureccion B. Sadabaon titled ‘Reversion of Disused Fishpond Lease Agreement Areas to Mangrove Forest in Region VI, Philippines’ made this creative production worth venturing into. I commissioned three students majoring in animation from the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde. ‘Alimango sa Bakhawan’ premiered at the Balay Sugidanun Animation channel in vimeo.com on November 30, the 3rd-year anniversary of Balay Sugidanun, the 150th anniversary of our revolutionary hero Andres Bonifacio. Yes, rehabilitation and revolution. Interesting keywords in an interesting time that solicit embodied response: personal engagement, communityinvolvement. The bakhawan continues to call.
What was the best thing you have seen on stage this year?
What were your best reads this year?
Mangroves, A Handbook and an Animation
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selves will perceive their parents’ current blabberings. And in truth, as their parents, neither can we. We may have decided to live with any future consequences of our own oversharing, but is it fair to ask our children to do the same? A larger and perhaps more insidious problem is that by recounting their lives online, we are creating their public persona. We are telling the world who our children are and because that record will never be erased that view of them, frozen in time, will live on. Is fair to do this? Is it fair to paint an ineradicable picture of them as a tantruming toddler or petulant teen? Just as we once did, I think our children need to have the opportunity create their own personas without trailing behind them the legacy of their parent’s views.
big Audrey Hepburn fan that I am? Well, I have now, and in fairness to me, I have read the screenplay by George Axelrod! Oh, the one book that really affected me this year was “Monty: The Biography of Montgomery Clift” by Robert LaGuardia. I really love old Hollywood stories. What were the best video movies you saw this year?
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December 8 - 14, 2013
METRO AGRICULTURE
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WV hurting of P1.5B agri damages Some 54,536 farmers in Western Visayas were affected by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ with an estimated damage of P1,562,897,038.34 to the region’s agriculture sector as of the latest report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 6 (RDRRMC 6). According to the RDRRMC 6 report as of 5 PM, December 2, more than half of the affected farmers were from the province of Capiz numbering to 26,070 who are engaged in palay and corn productions. The number of affected farmers in
the other provinces of the region such as in Antique reached 13,772; Iloilo, 8,244; Negros Occidental, 4,730; Aklan, 1,646; and Guimaras, 74. Of the over P1.5 billion damages in agriculture brought by the super typhoon as of Monday, the palay sector incurred the biggest losses at P763,868,647.16. Damages in the corn sector are now pegged at P68,366,276.87, cassava at P121,500.00, and other crops at P520,314,835.11. Some P 137,425,779.20 were also lost in poultry and livestock and
P72,800,000.00 in the abaca industry. RDRRMC 6 said the province of Capiz suffered the most devastation in agricuture in the region with 671,950,668.86 worth of damages in its palay, corn, other crops, abaca and livestock and poultry sectors. Iloilo province lost about P481,848,581.24 worth of crops, abaca and livestock and poultry. The typhoon also left damages to the agriculture sector of the following provinces: Negros Occidental worth around P244,221,674; Antique around P85,049,920.79, Aklan around
P78,967,197.00, and Guimaras around P858,996.25. The Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division of the Department of Agriculture 6 reported that Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala recently assured farmers in the municipality of Libacao, Aklan of the government’s long-term solutions and relief assistance to the victims of
typhoon Yolanda. One of the interventions cited among others is the giving of insurance benefits to affected farmers by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation. Alcala was in Libacao, Aklan on November 23 to attend the Farmers’ Forum.
Golden Rice: using agricultural biotechnology for nutrition
Iloilo eyes massive replacement of mangrove BY MONTESA GRINO-CAOYONAN The Iloilo provincial government will engage into massive mangrove plantation in coastal towns of Iloilo as part of the province’s rehabilitation plan aftermath of typhoon ‘Yolanda’. Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. said mangroves act as seawall that protects shorelines against storm surges. He exampled the help brought by mangroves to several coastal villages in
Ajuy town. The governor said they will start planting mangroves next month to replace those that were damaged by typhoon in some coastal municipalities. The planting of mangrove is a component of ART (Action for Re-greening and Transformation) program to help restore the natural resources in the province. Presently, there is an existing
mangrove plantation in Brgy. Pidada, Ajuy, Iloilo which is under the project of London Zoological Society in tieup with municipality of the Ajuy and provincial government. The mangrove seedlings from Ajuy will be planted to other coastal areas in the province. As of this year, Defensor said he allocated P700, 000 as counterpart of the province in the implementation of the mangrove project. IMT
DA provides immediate agriculture response BY KHARIZA JOY SOFIA As an immediate response and part of the rehabilitation works for damaged agriculture, fisheries and livestock, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 6 starts to distribute vegetable seeds to farmers of Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Capiz. This includes corn seeds, rice seeds, vegetable seeds and upland seeds. According to Juvy Gaton, DA Information Officer, around 84
kilograms of various seeds each have already been given to the different provinces in the region. “We have given vegetable seeds because they can grow within a span of 22-35 days. Rice will take 4 months to harvest”, Gaton said. She added that DA Regional Director Larry Nacionales is giving all his efforts to provide the needs of the farmers and other agriculture sectors. Aside from seeds, the agency also
provides drugs and biologics to the local government units. Gaton further explained that Regions’ 10 and 12 also provide additional buffer stocks while Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) gave 4,000 seeds and 51 egg machines. DA has set aside P154-million rehabilitation fund to help restore the damages brought by the super typhoon in the region. IMT
P40.4M up for construction of new motorboats in Iloilo The private sector committed P40.4-million donations for “Adopt a Fisherman Program” that will help restore the livelihood of those affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda on Thursday. Of the total amount, about P21million will come from an anonymous donor and P15-million will come from Concern Worldwide, an international charity dedicated to help poor people anywhere else in the world. The remaining P4,463,000, on the other hand, are cash donations from various individuals and corporations that were deposited in the province’s trust fund account at the Land Bank of the Philippines. Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said the donations, except those in the province’s trust fund account, can build at least 2,400 brand new motorboats for the affected fishermen
Photo credits to Dr. Raul Bañas in Northern Iloilo. “The program will focus on the marginal fisherman using passive and non destructive fishing gear and will receive a maximum financial assistance, mostly materials and motor engine, in the amount of P15,000,” Banias said. Meanwhile, Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. lauded the private sector for their “tremendous and encouraging response” to the program.
Pedestrianization...from page 1 would explore the viability of a vision set forth in the 2011-2020 Iloilo Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Clup) in consonance with plans of the city for the revitalization of the central business district and restoration of heritage structures along the street. “Calle Real can compete with other international cities with its walkable street with dotted heritage
Iloilo City...from page 1
their commitment for life and against the death penalty by illuminating a symbolic monument. By this action, these cities demand a stay of all executions
buildings,” Gonzales said. He added that the plan would also open a good opportunity for business groups. “People who walk are most likely to buy products than those who are riding. “ Aside from tourism and economic impact, the said experiment also promotes healthy lifestyle by disallowing public utility vehicles and private cars for walking.IMT
worldwide. There were 1,625 cities, mostly in countries that maintain the death penalty that joined the cause in 2012. Iloilo City PIO
Defensor assured the donors that all their donations will be accounted for through a monitoring and evaluation system which the province will establish soon. The “Adopt a Fisherman Program” aims to generate funds and donations for the construction of motorboats for 9,000 affected fishermen in the towns of Carles, Banate, Estancia, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad and Ajuy. Donors also have the option to choose their beneficiaries from the towns of Barotac Viejo, Banate and Anilao. (PNA) LOR/AJP/ JANEPOMOCENO/VLO
Photo courtesy of www.zmescience.com Golden Rice was developed using genetic modification, with genes from maize and a common soil microorganism that together produce beta carotene in the rice grain.irri.org
Biotechnology is one of the several means to achieve and sustain food security, equitable access to health services, a safe environment, and industry development. Each year, the Philippines commemorates the National Biotechnology Week (NBW) on the last week of November. Through Presidential Proclamation No. 1414, NBW highlights the safe and responsible use of biotechnology and its products. In agriculture, biotechnology can be applied in many different ways, and one of the most well-known and talked-about is through the development of genetically modified (GM) crops. Farmers and consumers benefit from rice genetic research because it leads to new rice varieties that have higher yield, higher quality, and are more resistant to pests, diseases, and the effects of climate change. The potential benefits of GM rice are also important, particularly around improving nutrition. Here at IRRI, only about 5% of our rice breeding work is GM, which is only used when all other breeding methods have been exhausted and when it offers a potentially very high humanitarian, environmental, or productivity benefit. The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) is collaborating with IRRI to develop and evaluate Golden Rice because of its potential to help reduce vitamin A deficiency. If approved by government regulators, Golden Rice would be the first type of GM food that can help improve people’s nutrition. It is also important to note that Golden Rice is being developed on a nonprofit basis; it is an application of biotechnology for public good. Golden Rice is being developed as a potential new food-based approach
to improve vitamin A status. It is intended to complement other existing approaches to address the devastating impact of vitamin A deficiency, a condition that results from the lack of sufficient vitamin A in the body. Young children and pregnant and nursing women are the most vulnerable to vitamin A deficiency because of their increased need for micronutrients—it causes children to get sick, go blind, and even die. In the Philippines, vitamin A deficiency affects approximately 1.7 million children (15.2%) aged 6 months to 5 years. Subclinical vitamin A deficiency affects one out of every ten pregnant women. There are many ways people can get vitamin A, starting of course with a diverse and nutritious diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and with animal products such as eggs, liver, cheese, and whole milk. Some people, however, have limited access to meat and other animal-based food products, fruits, and vegetables that contain beta carotene. Therefore, a variety of options are needed to help people get enough vitamin A. Providing adequate amounts of vitamin A, on the other hand, reduces overall child mortality by 23-34%. Golden Rice contains beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A when eaten. Because rice is so popular in the Philippines, providing rice that is more nutritious and that contains beta carotene could help boost people’s vitamin A status. In turn, this could reduce the extent and impact of vitamin A deficiency among Filipinos. Golden Rice is certainly an exciting development, and while it is not yet available, it is one that deserves attention during the NBW as we look at the ways biotechnology can help Filipinos.
Coastal Homes...from page 2 Highways (DPWH) which is the lead agency for shelter assistance, according to Soliman. Within the week, Soliman said the local government units would know if there will be delivery of housing materials, as she disclosed that the government is more into providing materials than cash to those who lost their houses.
She said the government will be providing P30,000.00 to those whose houses were totally destroyed, and P10,000.00 for partially destroyed. In the two meetings, however, the province of Antique pegged the amount for totally destroyed houses at P15,000.00 each, while Aklan placed the amount to construct a house at P10,000.00.
To both these proposals, Secretary Mar Roxas said the national policy in providing aid for shelter will be applied to all. “We are all Filipinos, it would be unfair if a province gets a bigger amount, while the other one gets less. What is important here is for victims to be included first in the validated list,” Roxas said. (JSC/ VGV-PIA6 Aklan)
10
IBL
Iloilo Basketball Leauge
METRO SPORTS
December 8 - 14, 2013
WVSU, USA defeat opponents by a neck to take game 1
BY REYMAR LATOZA
The University of San Agustine (USA) and West Visayas State University (WVSU) hit the bull’s eye after defeating their opponents, Philippine Electronic Institute (PEI) and Textus respectively in game one of their best-of-three Iloilo Basketball League (IBL) Women’s Basketball Tournament semi-finals
series. USA defeated PEI to take the game one, 44-41. USA cagers drew the first blood, dominating the first quarter, 20 – 8. In second quarter, PEI struck out in their attempt to rise over USA. The Q2 went to both teams,scoring 24-point each. The third quarter turned more
exciting as both teams played in a neck to neck match but USA won the Q3 by a nose, 32-31. Early in fourth quarter, PEI tried to use a full-court-press but they failed to bungle USA. On the other hand, WVSU won over Textus to gain a game 1 lead, 40-37. WVSU maintained its edge
30-29. The domination of Sta. Cruz continued in the third quarter, 1436. The Rebels managed to bounce back and tied their scores in the fourth quarter. The game was extended, however, Rebels failed to defeat Sta. Cruz and they were down for count. On the other hand, Goducate trounced Brgy. 1 by a neck, 38-37. San Jose also pounded Brgy. 16, 49-44. Stag, meanwhile, halted the winning streak of Sta. Cruz. After its victory, powerhouse Sta. Cruz bowed to powerhouse Stag, 57-41. It seemed like the odds were
against Sta. Cruz. The said team received its second loss after defeated by Roxas, 59-54. The Mayor Dunstan S. Claudio Cup basketball tournament spearheaded by Hon. Frince Sales, Sangguniang Bayan member, and Chairman of Committee on Sports is part of the town’s annual ‘Pasidungog Festival’. The tournament has a total of 36 teams slugging it out. The following teams are: Sta Teresa, Sto Nino, Sta. Cruz, Stag, Barangay 16, Barangay 3, San Jose, Warriors, SRN, Barangay 1, Rebels, Riyogeco, Jokers, Smash, Giants, ABC rebels, Barangay3-4, Barangay 9, Barangay 10, Barangay 14, Ritarians, Roxas, Santiago, Hacienda, Barangay 2, and SRS.
as Barca, who holds the record for the most number of goals a FC Barcelona player ever scored (369 goals in 357 games) and was given the name “El Rompe Redes” for breaking nets with the power of his goals. “Our main sources of information were two biographies of Alcantara, one was published in 1924 by Alcantara (himself ) and the
other was made for the centennial of the club. By luck, we can speak with the family here in Spain, the two grandchildren of Paulino. And she told us many things about the footballer of the family,” Valero said. While making the book, several interesting facts about Alcantara were revealed. The authors discovered that Alcantara was related to Hollywood
against PEI from first to fourth quarter, 11- 6, 23-15, and 33-30 respectively. The said tournament was participated by the following teams: West Visayas State University (WVSU), PEI, University of Agustine (USA), Iloilo National High School, Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U)
Mayor’s Cup: Powerhouse Sta. Cruz suffers 2 losses
BY REYMAR LATOZA The tournament is hard to call and it’s still early to tell who is going to hoist the championship trophy. All competing teams showed a strong fighting chance in this year’s Mayor Dunstan S. Claudio Cup Basketball Tournament in San Miguel, Iloilo. The match between Sta. Cruz and Rebels became astounding as they showcased a now or never battle. Sta. Cruz outgunned Rebels with a 61-58 overtime victory. Both teams proved a better game plan after tying in the first quarter, 12 points each. Sta Cruz made a 1-point edge against Rebels in the second quarter,
Edicions Saldonar and Futbol Club Barcelona published a biography book entitled “Paulino: El primer de la historia del Barca, in honor of the half-Ilonggo, half Spanish Paulino Alcantara – the man considered as the best Asian football player of all time. Alcantara was a Futbol Club Barcelona player, commonly known
as well as two others teams namely, Avengers, and Textus. It was organized by Iloilo Basketball (IBL) League, headed by Alfonso Lagman as President of the said league. It aims to promote and flourish the field of sports in Iloilo by developing and discovering potential Ilonggo basketball players. IMT
Book commemorating Paulino Alcantara launch actor Juan de Garchitorena and that he was a med student while playing for Barca. Catalan, one of the official languages of Catalonia, was the language used in publishing the book, but the authors plan to translate it into Spanish, English, and Filipino in the near future. Present in the book launch was
the 10-year old Pinoy football player Sandro Reyes who was admitted to the football academy for kids FCB Escola and is primed to follow the steps of Alcantara. The authors added that they will present the book again this time to the Filipino community in Barcelona on December 9 at the Philippines Club de Catalunya. (ABS-CBN)
Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. and Provincial Treasurer Melba Sullivan, Ph. D. recognize the Top Performers in Municipal Treasury Services for CY 2012 TOP REAL PROPERTY TAX PAYERS FOR CY 2012 No.
Top Realty Taxpayers
1 2
Communities Iloilo Inc. Pepsi Cola Products Phil Coca Cola Bottlers Phils. Inc. Profriends Vitarich Corporation jamandre Agro Industrial Enterprises New Panay AgriVentures Devt., Inc. Prycegas
3 4 5 6 7 8
RPT Paid
Municipality
TOP BUSINESS TAX PAYERS FOR CY 2012
No. of Plaques
No.
4,825,273.82 2,828,427.05
Oton San Miguel
1 1
1
2,523,956.96
Pavia
1
2
2,252,609.00 1,570,525.38
Pavia Pavia
1 1
3
1,272,406.91
Zarraga
1
1,237,397.28
Pavia
1
1,050,348.48
Ajuy TOTAL
1 8
4 5
Top Business Taxpayers Coca Cola Bottlers Phils. Inc. Pepsi Cola Products Phi. Inc. Heva Management & Development Corp. SPC Power Corporation New Panay AgriVentures Devt.
RPT Paid
No. of Plaques
Municipality
7,426,631.08
Pavia
1
2,514,202.00
San Miguel
1
2,134,905.90
Oton
1
1,315,196.92
Dingle
1
1,053,630.18
Pavia
1
TOTAL
5
TOP MUNICIPALITIES IN REALITY TAX COLLECTION
Category A: 10 Million and Above Target No.
Municipality
Total Collection
Collection Efficiency
No. of Plaques
1 2 3 4 5
Leganes Cabatuan Pavia Sta. Barbara Lambunao
15,703,225.52 13,078,169.91 33,197,809.91 13,317,346.17 14,015,926.28
134.16% 112.16% 111.83% 90.67% 86.76% TOTAL
3 3 3 3 3 15
Cash Award for MTO
Cash Award for Assessor
15,000.00 12,000.00 10,000.00 6,000.00 6,000.00 49,000.00
7,500.00 6,000.00 5,000.00 3,000.00 3,000.00 24,500.00
TOP MUNICIPALITIES IN REALITY TAX COLLECTION
Category B: Below 10 Million Target No.
Municipality
Total Collection
Collection Efficiency
No. of Plaques
1 2 3 4 5
Concepcion San Joaquin Anilao Mina New Lucena
5,086,777.84 7,377,480.55 7,654,505.81 6,199,379.78 5,712,618.32
141.60% 114.85% 106.29% 102.43% 92.72% TOTAL
3 3 3 3 3 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Municipality Bingawan Guimbal Mina Oton Cabatuan San Miguel Calinog Due単as San Rafael Igbaras TOTAL
No. of Plaques
Cash Award
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 20
15,000.00 12,000.00 10,000.00 8,000.00 6,000.00 3,000.00 3,000.00 3,000.00 3,000.00 3,000.00 66,000.00
TOP FIVE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COLLECTION OF ANNUAL FIXED TAX FOR DELIVERY TRUCKS AND VANS No.
Municipality
1 2 3 4 5
Leganes Cabatuan Pavia Oton Pototan
No. of Plaques
Cash Award for MTO
Cash Award for PNP
3 3 3 3 3 15
10,000.00 8,000.00 6,000.00 4,000.00 3,000.00 31,000.00
10,000.00 8,000.00 6,000.00 4,000.00 3,000.00 31,000.00
Cash Award for Assessor
14,000.00 11,0000.00 9,000.00 5,000.00 4,000.00 43,000.00
7,000.00 5,500.00 4,500.00 2,500.00 2,000.00 21,500.00
TOP FIVE MUNICIPALITIES IN TAX RECORDS MANAGEMENT
TOP TEN MUNICIPALITIES IN PROMPT REMITTANCE OF PROVINCIAL TAX SHARES No.
Cash Award for MTO
No. 1 2 3 4 5
Municipality Cabatuan San Rafael San Dionisio San Miguel New Lucena TOTAL
No. of Plaques
Cash Award
2 2 2 2 2 10
8,000.00 6,000.00 5,000.00 4,000.00 3,000.00 26,000.00
TOP TEN MUNICIPALITIES IN THE EARLY SUBMISSION OF E-SRE No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Municipality San Miguel San Rafael Cabatuan Mina San Joaquin Btac. Nuevo Dingle Calinog Igbaras Sta. Barbara TOTAL
No. of Plaques
Cash Award
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 20
8,000.00 6,000.00 5,000.00 4,000.00 3,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 36,000.00
62,000.00
SPECIAL AWARDS Excellence Award in Tax Records Management
Municipality
No. of Plaques
Cash Award
Mina
1
8,000.00
PLEASE PAY YOUR TAXES PROMPTLY!