Edge Davao 4 Issue 45

highlights

THIS ISSUE: P15 20 PAGES

VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

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SUBURBIA p14

Cancer Center

The Business PAPER

AGRITRENDS p6

Good Prospects GOVERNANCE p13

Health for All

figures of the week STOCK MARKET PERFORMANCE

Philippine Stock Index As of December 29, 2011

US DOLLAR = philippine peso As of December 29, 2011

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VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

On the cover

THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

Pantukan count: 28 dead, 44 missing

More areas prone to landslides: MGB n 402 landslide-prone areas in the Davao Region n 503 flood-prone sites

A

SIDE from the ill-fated sitios Diat Uno and Dos in barangay Napnapan, there are still 18 more active smallscale mining sites identified to be within landslide-prone areas in the municipality of Pantukan, Compostela Valley.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau 11 Regional Director Edilberto Arreza said local officials up to the barangay level have been informed about the dangers of allowing people to mine and reside in these places.

There are about 1,000 mining tunnels in Pantukan alone, it was bared.

Aside from publishing in the website the list of landslide (and flood) prone areas as identified by the MGB, Director Arreza and his staff have been meeting with local government unit (LGU) officials to discuss the geo-hazard map.

He had asked the assistance of government and private media in the Davao Region to help the bureau in the information drive. Days before the Pantukan landslide, Arreza held a series of media appearances precisely to advice residents to evacuate from the hazardous sites and be wary about abnormal weather patterns.

This developed as the Municipal Risk Reduction and Management Council in Pantukan headed by Dr. Arnulfo “Bong” Lantaya reported that as of 12 noon Sunday, a total of 28 bodies have been retrieved from landslide site, while 44 are still missing. Of the retrieved bodies, five still have to be identified.

A total of 16 victims have been rescued, six of whom are still confined in the hospital, one of

P1 million

REWARD put up by the Philippine government for anyone who can furnish information that would lead to the capture of reired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. Palaran and three other soldiers are charged with being behind the forced disappearance of two students of the University of the Philippines.

720,900

ESTIMATED number of individual victims of Sendong struggling to survive the effects of the tropical storm that left more than 1,260 dead, hundreds of thousands homeless and P1.3 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

P857 million

Past cover stories of Edge Davao—Volume 1, No. 28 on September 15-21, 2008; and Volume 2, No. 31 on October 5 to 12, 2009. them in critical condition. ron; 17 personnel of the Naval The MGB geo-hazard Closure of all mining tunStill in the area participat- Forces in East Mindanao; four mapping findings have been nels inside sites identified to be ing in the search, rescue and personnel from the Philippine tackled in two past cover stories “high to very high risk” areas retrieval operation are one team Coastguard medical team; and of Edge Davao—Volume 1, No. Including those in the Mt. of the first company of the Phil- additional vehicles from the Ar- 28 on September 15-21, 2008; Diwalwal goldrush site, an estiippine Army’s 10 Civil Military my’s 66th Infantry Battalion and and Volume 2, No. 31 on Octo- mated 40 to 45,000 familes are Operation Battalion; two pla- 25th Infantry Battalion, aside ber 5 to 12, 2009. (Please see dependent on smallscale mining toons of the 71st Infantry Bri- from civilian volunteers from photos of the two editions). operations in Comval gade; one Cafgu Detachment; mining companies, the municiOther developments: Of the 28 dead, only four one team from the Philippine pality and the province.

The Department of Interior come from Pantukan, none National Police; one section The MGB earlier identified and Local Government headed from Barangay Napnapan. rescue team from 534th Engi- in its geo-hazard mapping a to- Secretary Jesse Robredo will in- Some of the fatalities come as neering Construction Battalion; tal of 402 landslide-prone areas vestigate Pantukan Mayor Celso far as from Bontoc, Mountain three teams from 10th K9 com- and 503 flood-prone barangays Sarenas Sr. for possible failure to Province, Surigao del Sur, Genpany; 20 personnel from 505 in the four provinces and six cit- implement the DILG’s “no habi- eral Santos City and Dinagat 3rd Search and Rescue Squad- ies in the Davao Region. tation” policy issued in 2011.

Island. (GD)

Abundant supply of fruits, vegetables and fish brings inflation down to 4.2%

A

It figures

N abundant supply of fruits, vegetables, and fish, coupled with a series of price roll backs on petroleum products, pulled down consumer prices in December 2011 and kept the full-year inflation rate within the government’s target, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The 2006-based headline inflation rate in December 2011 further eased to 4.2 percent from 4.8 percent in November 2011, although higher compared to the 3.6 percent growth in consumer prices in December 2010.

Headline inflation rate is the percent increase in the

prices of goods and services commonly purchased by households, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The average inflation rate for full year 2011 is 4.8 percent, well within the 3.0 to 5.0 percent inflation target for the year. The government inflation rate target is set by the NEDA Board’s interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).

“The slower growth in prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages can be attributed mainly to the abundant supply of fruits, vegetables and fish in the market during the holiday

month of December,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr. Inflation rate decelerated for major commodity groups, such as food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as housing, water, gas, electricity and other fuels, and prices were much lower compared to the previous month.

“Also, most major oil companies slashed the price of kerosene and diesel in December 2011,” the Cabinet official said.

Paderanga cited data from the Department of Energy that kerosene price was cut by an average of PhP0.30 per liter on December 6, and another

PhP0.50 per liter each on December 19 and 27, 2011. For diesel, the PhP0.40-per-liter average price cut on December 19, 2011 was followed by another Php0.30-per-liter average reduction on December 27, 2011.

He added that the year-todate net increase in the price of diesel was lower at PhP6.39 on December 27, 2011 compared with PhP6.69 on November 29, 2011.

Meanwhile, 2000-based core inflation rate also slowed down to 3.4 percent in December 2011 from 3.7 percent in the previous month. Core inflation rate in December 2011 was also 3.4 percent and the aver-

age core inflation rate for full year 2011 was recorded at 3.6 percent, slightly lower than the 3.7 percent rate in 2010.

Core inflation represents a more long-term inflation trend, as it excludes certain items that have volatile price movements.

“This expected lower inflation may provide the Monetary Board room to adjust its policy stance in the first quarter of 2012,” said Paderanga, who is also NEDA Director-General.

On December 1, 2011, the MB maintained the borrowing and lending rates at 4.5 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively, due to manageable inflation and weak economic growth.

HE Mindanao Tourism Council (MinTC) is bent on advancing responsible and communitybased tourism to help boost the industry.

Jonallier Perez, MinTC corporate secretary, said responsible tourism would mean the ridding of the misconception that tourism is an elitist industry.

“This can be realized by involving people in the communities in tourismrelated activities to acquire a sense of ownership of

the industry. With the cooperation of the ‘common tao’, tourism will be more community-based and responsive while the same time helping improve the socio-economic life of the communities,” Perez said.

He cited the promotion of festivals in a locality as one mechanism that will promote responsible tourism because it showcases the culture, stories, and activities of a community, thereby enticing visitors while at the same time

creating livelihood for the people in the communities.

Still part of its thrust towards responsible tourism, he said MinTC, pursuant to its Action Agenda 2009-2012 will implement the first phase of the Mindanao Tourism Training Institute Program beginning the first quarter this year.

The program focuses on the conduct of mobile full-blown trainings and enhancement courses, targeting newly employed and unemployed individuals in

Mindanao.

Perez said the project is designed to upgrade tourism manpower services and further generate jobs and alternative livelihoods.

He said the first phase of the project will target 3,000 scholars from the six regions of Mindanao, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Modular programs will be packaged to suit the specific needs of the local tourism and related indus-

tries. An assessment survey will be conducted on January 12, he said adding that with modern manpower services, the tourism industry will become responsive.

MinTC is piloting its thrust of responsible and community-based tourism through the Glan Tourism Master Plan.

Perez said the plan, after five years of making, was finally turned over to the Glan local government in Sarangani province on Dec. 27, 2011. [PNA]

Tourism body vows to boost local industry T

AMOUNT of back taxes paid by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) seven years after being taken off the list of tax-exempt government controlled corporation. The tax arrears were settled last December 2011.

P1.16 billion

FUNDS to be infused by the Aquino government to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal as part of the government’s effort to transform it into a world-class transport facility.

P19.5 billion

TOTAL pork barrel funds received by members of the House of Representativesnd the Senate for projects in their district in 2011. The Department of Budget and Management showed that total of PP19,535,540,873 had been released to lawmakers in the form of the so-called priority development assistance fund (PDAF)).

P10 million

DONATIONS made by the SM Group so far to the victims of Typhoon Sendong in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. The amount consists of P3 million in cash which SM Prime Group representatives turned to Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano, and P7 million in goods distributed by SM Foundation, SM Prime and the SM Supermarket Group.

P13.4 billion

WORTH of infrastructure projects earmarked for implementation early in 2012 to support tourism which contributes about six percent to the country’s gross national prouduct. The figure represents 351.4-percent increase from the P1.8-billion allocation in 2011.

P67.1 billion

COST of modernization program of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., (PLDT).

The group expects the complete the program this year, three-year implementation period. PLDT officials said they aim to transform their fixed and mobile infrastructure into robust high-speed and high-capacity networks within 2012.

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

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4

THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

The economy

VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

as of august 2010

Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Silk Air Mon/Wed/Sat Cebu Pacific Thu Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat

5J961 / 5J962 Z2390 / Z2390 5J593 / 5J348 PR809 / PR810 PR819 / PR820 5J394 / 5J393 5J599 / 5J594 5J347 / 5J596 5J963 / 5J964 PR811 / PR812 5J595 / 5J966 MI588 / MI588 5J965 / 5J968 5J965 / 5J968

STAT WATCH INDICATIOR

LATEST

1. GNP Growth Rate (At Constant 1985 Prices)

1.9 % 2nd Qtr 2011

2. GDP Growth Rate (At Constant 1985 Prices)

3.4 % 2nd Qtr 2011

3. Exports 1/

USD 4,128 million Jun 2011

4. Imports 1/

USD 4,503 million Jun 2011

5. Trade Balance

USD -376 million Jun 2011

6. Balance of Payments 2/

USD 222 million Jun 2011

7. Broad Money Liabilities

P4,423,849 million Jun 2011

8. Interest Rate 4/

4.48% Apr 2011

9. National Government Revenues 10. National government outstanding debt 11. Peso per US $ 5/ 12. Stocks Composite Index 6/ 13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100 14. Headline Inflation Rate 2000=100 15. Core Inflation Rate 2000=100 16. Visitor Arrivals 17. Underemployment Rate /7

5:45 5:45 6:00 6:10 7:50 7:50 8:00 9:10 9:40 11:30 12:00 18:55 12:55 13:35

Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Iloilo Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga Cebu-Davao-Cebu Iloilo-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Manila Davao-Cebu-Singapore Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

19.4% Apr 2011

18. Unemployment Rate /7

7.2 % Apr 2011

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2009 - January 2011)

Month Average December November October September August July June May April March

2011

43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52

2010 45.11 43.95 43.49 43.44 44.31 45.18 46.32 46.30 45.60 44.63 45.74

February

43.70

46.31

January

44.17

46.03

2009 47.637 46.421

47.032 46.851 48.139

48.161 48.146 47.905 47.524 48.217

48.458 47.585 47.207

Silk Air Thu/Sun Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri Philippine Airlines August Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippines Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Tue/Sat/Sun Cebu Pacific Daily Airphil Express Daily Philippine Airlines Daily except Sunday Philippine Airlines Sunday

MI566 / MI566 5J507 / 5J598 15:55 Z2524 / Z2525 5J967 / 5J600 PR813 / PR814 5J215 / 5J216 5971 / 5J970 5J973 / 5J974 5J969 / 5J972 2P987 / 2P988 PR821 / PR822 PR821 / PR822

18:55 15:00 Mani2Mani 16:05 16:35 16:55 18:00 18:40 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:20 22:20

Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu 16:50 Cebu-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Cagayan de Oro-Davao-Cagayan de Oro Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

15:20 15:30 16:45 17:05 17:45 18:20 19:10 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:50 22:50

Robust i n vestments noted i n Davao A

robust influx of investments in the city was noted last year, marking a growth of 47.6 percent in terms of the amount of investments from new businesses.

Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC) chief Jason Magnaye reported that Davao City gained total investments of P3.68 billion from the new businesses in 2011 compared to the P2.5 billion investments in 2010.

Magnaye said the

total investments reached P187 billion, earning a growth of 2.6% for the city last year. In 2010, Davao City gained P183 billion, he added.

Though the DCIPC chief noted a decline in business permit renewals last year, substantial business ventures poured in, saying that these “largely came from property development projects or real estate investments.”

Aside from real estate investments, Magnaye said business process

outsourcing (BPO) “continue to be upbeat.”

He said the growth of BPOs has provided employment to about 16,000 people in the city.

He mentioned that two more BPO firms visited the city in December last year to look for possible sites for their business.

The tourism industry also performed well last year, and is expected to be more aggressive in 2012, Magnaye told local media.

He cited the num-

ber of tourist arrivals at 700,000 in 2011 with some 375,000 being recorded as of middle last year. Based on hotel arrivals, about 10% of the tourists were foreigners while 90% were domestic visitors.

Magnaye said the city government is eyeing to bid for two big ASEAN conventions this year, expecting to gather visitors from all over the Asia Pacific region.

Related to this, he also shared growing over

the soon to be opened, and biggest, convention center in a major mall in Davao City.

Meanwhile, Davao City Business Bureau chief Tristan Dwight Domingo reported that his office processed a total of 31,747 active business permits last year.

Domingo announced that a one-stop shop offsite business permit processing will be held soon at a big mall in Matina, Davao City. [PIA 11/CARINA L.

CAYON]

Filipino group increases stake in Australian mine company

F

ILIPINO-OWNED Alsons Power Holding Corporations (AHPC) has acquired additional P 4,777 billion shares in the exploration May 2010 company Indophil Resources NL, allowing it to nominate two board seats P 42.81 in the publicly-listed AusJul 2011 tralian mining exploration company.

4,503.6 AHPC is the power group holding company Jul 2011 of Alsons Group owned by the Alcantara family.

126.4 In a release, IndoJul 2011 phil said AHPC is pouring in US$99.4 million 4.6 (AUS$97.7M) in fresh investments to increase its Jul 2011 stake in the company at 19.99 per cent.

3.7 Indophil owns 37.5 Jul 2011 per cent of the Philippinebased Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) which holds the 317,443 multi-billion dollar TamApr 2011 pakan Copper and Gold Project.

P100,139 million Jun 2011

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 13:35 13:25 14:05

By Edwin Espejo

Xstrata Copper, a subsidiary of Xstrata Plc, controls the remaining 62.5 per cent of SMI. Alsons Group earlier delivered its remaining 3.5 per cent stake at SMI to Indophil when the latter unsuccessfully tried to sell its minority stakes at SMI to Chinese mining giant Zijin Mining Group Limited.

This after Alsons Group also failed to acquire Indophil Resources at a premium price of AUS$1.20 per share after Xstrata Plc reportedly vetoed to the proposed deal.

Xstrata Plc also owns 19.99 per cent of Indophil.

Last year, Xstrata announced it is increasing its capital exposure to SMI which forced Indophil Resources to seek investors that would infuse new capital in order to main-

tain its 37.5 per cent share in SMI. “Indophil Resources NL (Indophil) has moved to strengthen its offshore strategic alliance by entering into a placement agreement to raise US$99.4m (A$97.7m) with Alsons Power Holdings Corp (APHC),” Indophil said in a statement.

The placement will be in two tranches that will be completed by February this year.

The first tranche includes the issuance of 66,666,667 shares to AHPC valued at ASU$30M at AUS$0.45 per share or a premium of 17 percent of the Indophil’s share value at the time of the agreement.

The rest of the shares 141,041,667 shares at A$0.48 per share to raise A$67.7m, representing a

premium of 26% on the three-month VWAP will be issued in February or after the approval of the shareholders of Indophil.

AHPC has already named Nicasio Alcantara, former Petron chair, as one of its nominee to the board of directors of Indophil.

On December 29, Indophil announced it appointed Alcantara as a non-executive director of Indophil.

Indophil chief executive officer Richard Lauffman also announced it will seek additional listing in the Philippine Stock Exchange to generate more local investors and investment.

SMI is facing rough sailing as the provincial government of South Cotabato refuses to amend or recall an ordinance passed

in 2010 which bans open pit mining in the province.

The main mine site of the Tampakan Copper and Gold Project is located in the remote mountain village of Tablu in Tampakan, South Cotabato.

Indophil earlier announced it was expecting the Philippine energy department to issue an environment clearance certificate (ECC) on December 15 last year.

This did not materialize however.

SMI is also facing strong opposition from environment groups and all the Catholic dioceses where it has ongoing exploration and community projects.

In addition, the communist-led New People’s Army has been attacking the mining company.

DTI to exporters: Be more competitive

T

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) encourages exporters to rise above the global challenges and boost their performance by adding value to their products and services.

In the recently concluded National Exporter Congress, the Philippine exporting community learned more of what they can achieve in global economies despite a continued slow recovery. “Since the global financial crisis, trading worldwide has shifted to multi-country sourcing, domestic and international integration, and vying for preferential regimes,” said DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo said.

With the theme, “Rev Up to Double Up!,”

this year’s celebration of the National Exporter’s Week not only focuses the contribution of the export industry to national income but also to identify and foster linkages between value-creating activities for competitive advantage.

The theme also highlights the implemented Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2011-2012. It is the document that lays down the broad strokes and strategies to realize the national export targets.

“The PEDP seeks to double up value of export from US $ 51.5 billion in 2010 to US$ 120 billion by 2016,” Domingo said.

The three-pronged strategic framework covers product, market and promotions. There

are key several key export sectors that could spur substantial growth. These are IT/BPO and other services, electronics, agribusiness (fresh/ processed/marine food products and coconut), minerals, shipbuilding, motor vehicle parts, garments/textile, home style, and wearable. “We also target a 5.8%-real GDP growth and additional 9.1 million job opportunities by 2016,” added Domingo.

The core product strategy is for the local export supply to move along the value chain which means for businesses to be more unique to be competitive in the global market. Exporters have to achieve strong creative input, reliable raw materials and effective branding. [PNA]

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

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THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

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agritrends

VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

Good prospects for coffee business T

Former NFA chief bats for hybrid rice

A

Davao-based coffee shop owner is optimistic of business this year as the number of coffee lovers continue to grow over the years with an increasing number of the younger markets.

Gatchi Gatchalian, Blugre owner, said although there are other internationally known coffee shops that already entered the Davao market, they saw this as a friendly competition that motivates them to do more.

“Their presence is a challenge,” he said.

Blugre Coffee which opened in 1998 here serves the famous Durian coffee as well as other flavors like espresso, cafe latte, mocha, cappuccino and specialty breads, cakes and pastries like Banana Cream Pie, Choco Dome, Oatmeal Fudge Bar, and Choco Torte among others.

Gatchalian said they will continue to expand their reach and Blugre will have nine branches within the year by opening an additional four

Coffee Beans Medium

HE National Food Authority provincial office personnel in Davao City were paid a surprise visit by former NFA administrator Jesus T. Tanchanco last Dec. 28. He was welcomed by regional director Edgar S. Bentulan, provincial manager Antonio C. Arañas and employees.

During his vacation in Davao City with his family, he found time to drop by the office to reminisce on the time when he ran the agency prior to the EDSA Revolution. Citing among others the reasons and circumstances why the agency was created, Tanchanco said Presidential Decree No. 4 which created the National Grains Authority (NGA) was a product of a two-year careful deliberation and consultations by members of the Cabinet and Congress before the declaration of Martial Law. It may be recalled that the NGA was the first agency created by President Ferdinand Marcos after Martial Law was

branches in Davao City, Makilala, Kidapawan and Laguna.

The total number of cups they sell in a day in their five branches is 1,000, he said.

Gatchalian said they are sourcing their coffee beans among local farmers as their way of helping them.

The need for coffee beans is high and they source out

their raw materials from as far as Mountain Province.

“But we are bullish of the fact that the coffee industry is growing as more people love our coffee,” he said.

Gatchalian added they are eyeing and already exploring international markets such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. [PNA]

of this agency’s P61.7-billion budget for 2012 is for agriculture- and fisheries-supporting infrastructure nationwide.

Among such infrastructure are irrigation systems and farm-to-market roads (FMRs).

“We make sure we don’t only build roads and dams -- we build them better, monitor them more closely and ensure they serve the purpose for which they were built,” Alcala said.

Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) earlier identified infrastructure as the main driver of farm yield improvement at the national level, accounting for some 40 percent of such enhancement.

The other drivers and corresponding estimated contribution to yield improvement are research and development (25 percent), extension services (15 percent) and environmental factors (20 percent), PhilRice reported.

Aside from helping boost agriculture and fisheries, DA said its FMR program alone generated from January to October 2011 a total 10,907 jobs nationwide.

“The 12 corn post-harvest processing and trading centers we established through National Agri-Business Corporation were also able to generate a total 3,668 jobs during the same period,” Alcala added. [PNA]

comprehensive study on shellfishes, focusing on the development of a culture method patterned from those in other countries now exporting the commodity.

“Hopefully with this study, we can develop a high-impact project that could be introduced to farmers throughout the country, to make it easier for them to raise seashells in bigger quantities for export abroad,” Rosario added.

Noting that shellfish culture in the country is mostly undertaken by marginal farmers, Rosario expressed optimism that the country has a potential to become a top exporter of this commodity considering its long coastline where oysters, mussels, clams and scallops are presently growing only on limited scale.

He said NIFTDC will first conduct profiling of all areas where shellfishes grow abundantly and with the help of its laboratory pinpoint areas where there are large concentrations of heavy metals that fish farmers should avoid. This is necessary to

ensure that shellfishes would be grown only in areas where there is cleaner water so that the product can pass the strict standard imposed by importing countries.

The Philippines does not export shellfishes yet owing to the fact that data on this product demanded by exporters are scanty.

Dagupan in Pangasinan is being eyed as one of the areas where shellfishes may be grown on a commercial scale.

A national project, this research will first start in Luzon before expanding to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Seashells are more expensive than cucumber, another specie put under study by NIFTDC since two years ago. When completed, this would make it easier for fish farmers to raise this crop in the coastal areas.

As to the problem of red tide which is seasonally prevalent in some areas of the Philippines, its effect can be avoided by not harvesting when the marine phenomenon is in full bloom. [PNA]

ITH an increased budget this year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will vigorously pursue initiatives to attain sufficiency in major staples by 2013 that include rice, white corn, cassava, and other basic commodities.

In his 2011 year-end report, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said a big chunk of the DA’s 2012 budget of P61.73 billion will be spent to implement the Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP), which is the centerpiece program of the Aquino administration.

An important feature of the FSSP is the frontloading of investments, particularly on infrastructure like irrigation, farmto-market roads, and postharvest facilities.

“We hope to regain momentum in irrigation, with particular focus on cheaper and shorter gestating small-scale irrigation system,” Secretary Alcala said.

The DA, through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), with an approved budget of P24.5 billion for 2012, will

change,” said Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

The DA’s initiative includes creating a “climate information system” for agriculture and fisheries, investing in agricultural research and infrastructure, and designing relevant finance policies such as weather-based insurance.

Previously, Legarda already called for an agricultural adaptation program that would include the abovementioned ef-

forts including improved water governance and land use policies, better forecasting tools and early warning systems.

“Climate change will put our food security at risk as the unusual weather patterns we have been experiencing have already caused decrease in crop and fisheries yield. The DA’s step is crucial and badly needed to alleviate the impact of the changing climate on the agriculture and fisheries sector,” she stressed.

The Senator also noted

that the DA has sought convergence with other agencies of government— the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Agrarian Reform (DAR), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)—to ensure optimal results of its programs. As such, she also called on these agencies and all other departments of government to integrate climate change adaptation measures in their programs.

declared to replace the defunct Rice and Corn Administration (RCA). The agency later morphed into the National Food Authority when it was mandated to cover other nongrains food products, including wheat flour.

The former NFA head reminisced on the time when he was its administrator, saying that in the early days of the cereal agency the Philippines exported rice and other food products to countries like Brazil, Indonesia and the United States.

He also shared that the NFA was even then acknowledged by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank in their studies as a model agency because of its performance. Boosting employees’ morale, Tanchanco added that negative reports about the NFA these days are not true and employees should not believe in the zarzuela going around.

Saddened by the damage

to lives and agriculture done by the heavy rains and floods that recently hit Mindanao and other parts of the country, and wary of those still to come, the former NFA chief said the government should promote the production of hybrid rice.

He said this is the key to ricesufficiency.

Tanchanco is an advocate of the SL8 hybrid variety of rice because of its high yield of 12 tons per hectare. He said the SL8 hybrid rice is a variety developed by one Henry Lim, who also has his hybrid seed production station in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental, after his visit to China where the original variety came from.

He said he has known Henry Lim to be a Filipino who loves his country and intends to stay here here for the rest of his life. Lim is exporting this hybrid rice to Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, In fact, he had being hired by these countries to assist in their rice production, Tanchanco said.

DA enhances infra monitoring

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HE Department of Agriculture (DA) is further improving the monitoring of its infrastructure projects to help ensure public funds appropriated for these are spent accordingly and work is carried out in accordance with specifications.

“We’ve started geo-tagging infrastructure projects so we’re able to track these online from project identification to bidding and at various stages of completion,” DA Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

He noted information on such matters is available at the Mindanao Rural Development Program website.

DA instituted geo-tagging as Alcala said some 62 percent

Former NFA administrator Tanchanco (in violet shirt) had a surprise visit at NFA Davao City last December 28, 2011.

P61.7B allotted to attain food staple sufficiency, Nationwide shellfish study underway build more infrastructure

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HE National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC) will focus on the study of shellfishes this year in a bid to discover the appropriate technology in raising this commodity.

This will also ensure more food on the Filipino dining table and make this another export product of the country.

Dr. Westly Rosario, NIFTDC chief, said shellfishes have a big potential to become one of the export commodities of the Philippines because these are regarded in some countries as medicinal.

But, sadly, the Philippines is still using crude methods in raising the commodity, thus the need to find the proper technology in growing oysters, mussels, clams and scallops. armers, who are raising the commodity only as a backyard industry, sadly lack the proper know-how in growing shellfishes on a commercial scale.

Rosario submitted to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in late 2011 a proposal for the conduct of a

W

construct new irrigation systems, and restore and rehabilitate existing ones, servicing a total of 224,850 hectares, broken down as: new areas - 87,405 has; rehabilitated areas - 79,246 has; and restored - 57,199 has.

For its part, the DA’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management will spend P500 million to construct 4,584 small-scale irrigation projects that include: 1,283 shallow tube wells, 75 small water reservoirs, 56 small water impounding projects and 3,130 spring development.

For postharvest and other infrastructure, the DA has allotted a budget of P11.28 billion.

This will be spent to construct 2,777 drying, storage and processing facilities, and 4,526 units of dryers, storage and milling equipment, including dairy equipment and machineries.

The DA will also construct major agri-fishery trading centers such as in La Trinidad, Benguet; Urdaneta, Pangasinan; San Jose, Camarines Sur; and in Argao, Cebu.

For banner or commodity programs, the DA will spend a

Legarda lauds DA’s climate adaptation initiatives, urges other agencies to follow BizQUIPS

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ENATOR Loren Legarda commended the Department of Agriculture (DA) for carrying out the integration of climate change adaptation measures in all its programs and projects.

“The agriculture and fisheries sector has always been vulnerable to natural hazards, particularly typhoons. As a nation that is highly reliant on this sector for livelihood and sustenance, we have to make it resilient to disasters and climate

total of P11.35 billion, broken down as: P6.2 billion for rice; P951 million - corn; P1.3 billion - high-value crops; P1 billion - livestock; and P1.9 billion – fisheries.

To hasten the transport of farm and fishery products from production areas, the DA in partnership with local government units will construct and rehabilitate more than P5 billion worth of farm-to-market roads (FMRs), totaling 1,284 kilometers, under foreign-assisted and locally-funded projects.

“We have redesigned FMRs so that at least 50 percent of the budget goes to concreting critical road sections. This would ensure that the roads do not disappear after a flood,” said Secretary Alcala.

“We want to make sure that we do not only build roads and dams. We should build them better. Monitor them more closely, and ensure that they serve the purpose for which they were built,” said Alcala, who is a civil engineer by profession. [PNA]

‘WE have previously suggested that the economy can benefit from further fiscal spending as this relates to build-up in productive capacity.’

--Governor Amando Tetangco Jr, of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

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VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

My thoughts on the impeachment process

Commentary

By Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV

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OR the past several weeks, numerous distinguished lawyers, political analysts and opinion columnists have given their take on the upcoming impeachment trial. Most have stressed that it is a judicial trial whose verdict shall be determined solely by evidence. However, during the impeachment trial of US Pres. Bill Clinton, all the evidence pointed to the fact that he committed perjury and obstruction of justice and yet he was acquitted by the US Senate in a vote where all Democrats sided with Pres. Clinton. Now, following the line of our local experts, was it merely coincidence that all the Democrats appreciated the evidence exactly the same way, or it was never treated as a judicial trial by the US Senators to begin with?

Moreover, if an impeachment trial were meant to be solely evidence-based, then why didn’t our Constitutional framers just give that power to the Supreme Court whose members are supposed to be experienced judges? And whenever a SC justice committed an offense, the SC could just expel him through an ethics case similar to our current procedure in the Senate.

I researched on the true nature of impeachments to guide me on how I should eventually make a decision.

To this, I focused on the US version of impeachment since it is a virtual copy of our own. True enough, what I found out was, there is not a single book or reference I encountered that says that impeachment is a judicial trial solely based on evidence. To the contrary, all of these references defined or referred to impeachment as a political process. Matthew J. Franck, in his 1996 essay, The Supreme Court and the Politics of Impeachment, stated clearly and I quote, “And although the Senate sits as a court during impeachment trials, it is not a court, but a political body deliberating on what are properly considered political offenses.” The closest reference was when Alexander Hamilton described in the Federalist No. 65, the judicial character of the Senate in relation to its function of judging in impeachment trials. But the political nature

of impeachment was immediately made clear by Hamilton when he stated that the Supreme Court could not be relied upon with this task because “it is still more to be doubted, whether they would possess the degree of credit and authority, which might, on certain occasions, be indispensable towards reconciling the people to a decision that may happen to clash with an accusation brought by their immediate representatives” which may be “dangerous to the public tranquility.”

Having established that impeachment is a political process, therefore, my verdict should not be based solely on evidence as it now becomes a matter of public policy. And the over-arching policy issue in this whole impeachment episode is, whether the conviction or acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona would be good for our country? To resolve this, I intend to use political acceptability as the sole criterion to evaluate the projected outcomes of either policy alternative of conviction or acquittal.

To determine political acceptability, I intend to use policy research tools such as quantitative and qualitative researches and stakeholder analysis. These, along with extensive consultations, could very well filter the noise of the mob and undue media influence from the true will of the people.

As regards the appreciation of evidence, we have to bear in mind that the Constitution and the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials did not specify the quantum of evidence required to convict. Is it beyond reasonable doubt as what is used in criminal proceedings? Is it preponderance of evidence as what is used in civil cases? Or is it substantial evidence as what is used in administrative proceedings? Since it is not specified, therefore, a senator can just raise or lower the quantum of evidence required to suit his or her inclination.

In the end, regardless how the impeachment trial ends, it will be one of the defining moments in our nation’s history as we would have shown the whole world that our Democracy works.

BizQUIPS ‘THIS means there are still illegal loggers operating in the mountains, defying President Aquino’s Executive Order 23 which orders a total log ban in the country.’

--Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy, commenting on the recent confiscation of 200 logs in Loreto, Agusan del Sur.

editorial

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Lack of political will

AST week’s landslide in Pantukan, Compostela Valley which claimed some 30 lives is not the first and certainly not the last. Yes, despite the dramatic actions and fighting words of the Cabinet officials who have visited the ill-fated site. We’ve had similar disasters several times before and the ensuing drama after each one had almost always never changed.

Everything now seems predictable--upon learning about the catastrophe, government factotums, media, genuine do-gooders and plain kibitzers would descend on the disaster site. However, after the last media story has been written, everybody hurries back to Manila and back to business as usual. Until the next disaster.

Sorry about the seeming cynicism, but really after six Presidents, we still have to see a real honest-togoodness solution in the horizon to this particular problem in Compostela Valley. In fact, we have reason to fear that the problem will worsen with more mineral rich

areas found and attracting more small scale miners made more daredevil by their hungry stomach.

Some people would say that the Pantukan landslide, like the killer floods in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan last month, was a natural occurrence. Of course, it was. However, unregulated mining in the already landslide-prone area was manmade. The failure of local government officials to enforce the “no habitation” policy in hazardous mining tunnels was a human failure, as was building tunnels in the loosening mountainsides.

We think blame should be placed entirely, as usual, on the lack of political will of all levels of government to enforce applicable laws. This perennial problem in governance , we ‘re afraid, is going to worsen with the mid-term elections just around the corner.

Still, we look up to President Noynoy’s transformational government for deliverance and pray to the heavens that we are not wrong in hoping.

vantage POINTS

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

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believe that most everyone wants to be healthy.

The hardest thing is doing something about it! I have been hearing about these fun runs for a long time and this is the first time that I finally joined one.

It was my youngest son Tommy’s idea. It was encouraged since it was a school activity. He came up to me one morning announcing matter-of-factly, that he was going to run-10 kilometers, at that! He asked simply if I wanted to join him. I almost choked.

Of course, I wanted to. It’s just that...the MIND is so willing!!

The Route was People’s Park, Quirino Ave. going to Gaisano Mall Bajada then straight to Victoria Plaza and vice versa.

Schedule was 4:00am, Assembly 4:30 am – Registration 5:00 am – 10 K Run 5:15 am - 5K Run 5:30 am – 3K Run

D

OING BUSINESS with the government, national or local, can be both tempting and daunting to many businessmen who still haven’t wet their feet in this area.

For engineering contractors and bigtime service providers doing business legally and legitimately, this could be profitable, especially if they have the patience of a prophet who can wait for 3,000 years (!) before their bills are paid by government accounting offices.

Here at the City hall, before you ever take the first step, the guys at General Services will tell you from the start that you need to be an “ACCREDITED” supplier or contractor . Accreditation, as you already know by now, will need you to “COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS”.

These three fearful words, in fact, have terrorized many suppliers, contractors and traders hoping to do business with the government.

Naturally, this means you need to have the basics for starting a real, honestto-goodness, legitimate business : getting a business permit, business name registration by DTI, income

Fun run

That was where we belonged. The humble 3K. In my mind, I thought to myself..easy. It’s about time my malling (SM, Gaisano, Abreeza,etc) pays off. 3- 5 hours of window shopping?? What harm can a 3K run do to me? But was I wrong!! I was out of breath from just a few minutes of steady running. I didn’t expect it to be that hard. Children and teenagers were getting ahead of Trix and I. And what’s funny was, some people were already coming back from their 5K run and we had just started ours!

While I was panting, thoughts run through my head. One of them was to take a taxi back to the starting ground! I could think of a lot of reasons why I ended with 52 minutes for a 3K run. Let me state them: 1.) I had no consistent and regular exercise 2.) I didn’t have enough sleep from watching DVD from the night before (and had to wake up at 3:30am) 3.) There were a lot of stop signs 4.) I couldn’t catch my breath and feared I might collapse

Doing business with the government

tax returns, identification cards, bank statements, etc, etc But the General Service guys also told us that even if you have all these “Requirements” --- you still WON’T GET PAID” even if you have already delivered the goods or services to the government office that contracted you to supply the service or goods.

If that office failed to follow the “legal and proper procedure” of submitting the “Service Contract” to you BEFORE you even started to work on the project you were contracted for---- you’ll have a big difficulty in getting paid after submitting your Billing Statements to the City Hall accounting office.

It’s a very frustrating process even if you’re “accredited” and have already

5.) My knees were making creaking sounds 6.) I had to tie my shoelaces several times 7.) My socks kept sinking (they are actually called sinking socks!) so I had to stop and bring them back up.

8.) The sole of my rubber shoes finally gave in!

It’s flapping like crazy!

What a sense of accomplishment when we were given plastic bands to mark half of our run and at the end of the line-- finisher’s certificate!

Lessons learned? Reread all of my excuses.

Don’t run alone, if you can help it. Running is so much more enjoyable with company…and when you’re about to give up, your run buddy tells you… you can do it and that you’re closer to the finish line…on my next run, urgent note to self... buy a new pair of socks and running shoes. quirements”

‘

“complied with requirements” demanded by City Hall accounting and auditing offices.

But it’s even far worse if you’re NOT accredited and you CANNOT “comply with requirements” and yet, a government office got you to do a type of special project that cannot be supplied by an accredited and legitimate outfit.

It’s a real dilemna for both the government and the service provider who isn’t doing the job as a fulltime business.

And this happens so many times here, it makes you often wonder why these guys haven’t come up with a system or a “process” that’s acceptable to both government accountants and auditors who won’t give a damn unless you’re “accredited” and ready to “comply with re-

Here at the City hall, before you ever take the first step, the guys at General Services will tell you from the start that you need to be an “ACCREDITED” supplier or contractor .

Accreditation, as you already know by now, will need you to “COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS”.

To be honest with you, it’s easier for a carabao to enter the eye of a needle than for a contractor to get paid by the government…

(Comments?

Email : tradingpost_davao@yahoo.com )

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HELPING YOU MAKE INFORMED BUSINESS decisions.

9

The year ahead

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HE year 2011 is gone.

But not the memories.

Some bitter, others sweet, and still others bittersweet. No need to repeat them here. As a Dabawenyo who was here when those memories happened , you ask yourself whether 2012 will be different from 2011.

Of course, it will be different in many ways, yet the same in some ways, too. The same problems because they don’t just go away in a year’s time. The poorest of the poor will be less poor , we hope, with the intercession of the local government. Through job creation, for one, as well as other interventions.

The global warming phenomenon is expected to cause continued weather tantrums in the form of unusually heavy rainfall which in turn swells rivers and other waterways thereby posing an ever constant threat of flashfloods in the same flood-prone areas of the city. Riverside communities remain at risk, given the Pinoy mentality of ignoring warnings of dire things to come unless dwellers relocate themselves out of harm’s way.

For, how do you stop the rains from falling? Recall the recent tragedy in Northern Mindanao and even closer to home— in a small scale mining site in Pantukan Compostela Valley.

Our beloved city will, against all odds, continue to move on because of the indomitable spirit of the Dabawenyo under the the guidance of an enlightened leadership. Note Bloomberg’s assessment of “better things to come for the Philippine economy in 2012!” That holds the same for Davao City whose economy is booming which only the blind prophets of doom cannot see because they simply refuse to admit it. Our only real worry is what the future has in store for our city in terms of availability of power supply that will guarantee sustainability of its economic progress.

But as far as the year

2012 is concerned, who can deny that Davao City is in a position to continue to lead the way to progress for others to follow, especially in Mindanao? We have the land (broad and fertile as it is).

We have an ideal climate.

‘

Riverside communities remain at risk, given the Pinoy mentality of ignoring warnings of dire things to come unless dwellers relocate themselves out of harm’s way. For, how do you stop the rains from falling? Recall the recent tragedy in Northern Mindanao and even closer to home—in a small scale mining site in Pantukan Compostela Valley.

We have the right mix of people (Christian, Moro, Lumad). And, thank goodness , we have the right type of nononsense political leadership with an enviable track record in governance.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, it is said. Let’s have more of the same in 2012. And beyond.

After all, Life is Here!

BizQUIPS ‘IMPEACHMENT is a constitutional process. That is part of the fabric of the democracy in this country.. but we don’t see it affecting the economy because the process is precisely stated in the Constitution.’

--Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda

10 VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

competitive edge

THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

City to improve tourist arrival data T

HE Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC) intended to develop this year the establishment of an efficient tourist arrival records in the city.

DCIPC chief Jason Magnaye said his office will “try to improve” a database of tourist arrivals for 2012, urging the cooperation of the private sector.

Magnaye said that capturing the actual data on the number of tourist arrivals and the visitors’ profiles in Davao City continued to be a challenge for the tourism industry.

He raised the difficulty of

gathering the accurate data on tourist arrivals based on hotel occupancy, noting that only 50 percent of the hotel establishments in the city submit reports to the tourism agencies.

Establishing a data system would help determine the ideal number of hotels and rooms to accommodate foreign and local visitors, Magnaye said.

He said that an established record on tourist arrivals would also help ascertain the state and the actual performance of the tourism industry, he said.

Tourist arrivals were estimated to reach around 700,000

in 2011, Magnaye reported, admitting though that data were still being consolidated.

He reported that about 375,000 tourists were recorded as of middle last year.

He said that based on hotel arrivals, about 10% of the tourists were foreigners, while 90% represented the domestic visitors.

The DCIPC official reported a robust performance of the tourism industry last year, and is expected to be more aggressive in 2012.

He said that the aim of improving the tourist arrival data system would be part of

DCIPC’s program in calibrating its investment and promotion activities for Davao City.

Also in the line-up of DCIPC’s activities for this year is its tourism and marketing campaign in other Asian countries.

Magnaye said that part of the plan is to bring the campaign in Singapore. Said marketing strategy has been started in China last year.

He said promotion and marketing materials and reference documents which would have different language translations have also been improved for foreign investors, he added.

[PIA 11/CARINA L. CAYON]

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contributing their outstanding talent and creativity to the making of a true Sineng Pambansa or National Cinema,” said Chairman Santos.

According to FDCP the finalists shall be awarded seed money to finish their films, which will then compete in the Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival, to be held in Davao City in June 2012, organized by the FDCP in partnership with the city government of Davao.

The finalists for the fulllength feature category are: Luzon: Ang Mga Kidnapper ni Ronnie Lazaro, Sigfried Barros-Sanchez, from Metro Manila; Pauwi Na, Jose Paulo Villaluna, from Manila and Bicol; Qwerty,Eduardo Lejano Jr., from Manila; Anac Ti Pating, Martin Masadao, from Kalinga; Kanana Kanu, Joc-

elyn Banasan-Kapuno, from Benguet.

Visayas: Ang Mga Aswang, John Raymund Macahilas, from Iloilo; Beadworks, Ronny N. Poblacion, from Iloilo; Gugma Sang Panahon Sang Bakunawa, Peter Solis Nery, from Iloilo.

Mindanao: Tambara, Orvil C. Bantayan, from Davao; Duwaya (Polygamy), Najib Alyhar Benito-Zacaria, from Marawi; Malan, Agustin Pagusara Jr., from Davao; In Banka Halit Sin Duwa Sapah, Fyred Alsad Alfad III, from Jolo, Sulu; Qiyamah, Gutierrez Mangansakan II from Maguindanao.

The finalists for the Documentary are: Luzon: Jingle Lang ang Pahinga, Dominador Escasa Jr., from

Tagaytay; Illustrated by, Levi “Pepper” Marcelo, from Manila; Martial Law Stories, Jose Lorenzo Diokno, from Manila.

Visayas: Walay Tumo’y ng Punterya (No End in Sight), Cierlito Espejo Tabay, from Cebu; Ginabuhi It Bulig (Binubuhay ng Pagtulong), Lester G. Babiera, from Aklan.

Mindanao: Tagurih: The Kites of Sulu, Dempster P. Samarista, from Sulu; Married to Danger, Sheron Dayoc, from Zamboanga The finalists in the Animation category are Katalina, Jose Ramon S. del Prado, from Taguig; Kalon, Blecyrezza E. Piluden, from Baguio; and Ceiling, Danilo Montano of Holy Cow Animation Inc. from Manila The chairman also announced that there will be an Ikalawang Yugto or second phase of the Sineng Pambansa National Film Competition, which will consist of meritorious entries drawn from the same batch of this year’s First National Film Competition. These finalists will also be provided seed money by the FDCP and their films will compete in another FDCP film festival in November.

Three entries have been initially selected for the Ikalawang Yugto: Sheikh Makduhm by Abraham I. Dalagan from Tawi-Tawi (feature film); Ang Pagbabalik ng Bituin by Sheryl Manalastas from Manila (documentary); and Si Matsing at si Pagong by Analyne Pineda (animation).

The complete batch of finalists for the Ikalawang Yugto of the Sineng Pambansa First National Film Competition will be announced in March 2012. The FDCP said that all the other current entries will still be eligible for selection in the Ikalawang Yugto.

Globe makes ultimate step to help subscribers avoid bill shock; launches bill cap on data plans

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LOBE Telecom recently made its Postpaid PowerSurf plans even better with the implementation of a P999 bill cap to help users to avoid bill shock. With the new billing policy, postpaid subscribers registered to any of the PowerSurf plans need not worry about exceeding their allocated megabytes (MBs) because charging stops at P999.

Postpaid PowerSurf is a mobile internet plan that gives Globe Postpaid subscribers MBs of mobile data, consumable per kilobyte (kb) and valid for 30 days. The plan

FDCP announces 23 finalists of National Film Competition

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HE Film Development Council of the Philippines has announced 23 finalists in the three categories of the First Sineng Pambansa National Film Competition: thirteen for Full-length Feature, seven for Documentary, and three for Animation. Except for Animation, the winners were chosen according to geographical area (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao). A unique aspect of this competition is that the language of the locality was used in the dialogue or the narration, in order to underscore the vitality of the country’s indigenous cultural heritage through the medium of film.

“I am happy to note that some of these finalists come as far north as Kalinga and Benguet, and as far south as Davao, Marawi and Jolo, which means that the regionbased filmmakers are now

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Erich Gonzales on the cover of M. Dabawenya television and movie actress Erich Gonzales graces the cover of the latest issue of M (Life & Living in Mindanao) Magazine. Mindanao’s newest travel destinations, culinary pursuits, unique fashion creations, successful business endeavors, exemplary personalities, and modern arts and culture pack the pages of the magazine, available in more than 200 outlets nationwide.

PLDT to pay Digitel minority shareholders same as JG Summit HE Philippine Long Dis- which amounts to about P5.2

T

tance Telephone Co. last Wednesday said minority shareholders of Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc. would be paid the same price as the majority owner of the operator of Sun Cellular.

In a statement, Ramon Isberto, PLDT spokesperson, said the tender offer price of P1.6033 per share being made by the company to minority shareholders of Digitel was the same price paid to JG Summit Holdings Inc. and other related parties.

The JG Summit Group was the majority shareholder of Digitel with 51.55 percent equity stake before the buyout.

Isberto said the total consideration of P69.2 billion paid to the JG Summit included not only its 3,277,135,882 Digitel shares,

billion at P1.6033 per share, but also the zero-coupon convertible bonds issued by Digitel and its subsidiaries that are convertible into 18.6 billion shares as of June 30 amounting to P29.8 billion at P1.603 per share and the advances made by JG Summit to Digitel and its subsidiaries amounting to P34.1 billion.

The minority shareholders holding 3,079,840,418 Digitel shares, representing 48.45 percent stake in the company, will be paid a total of about P4.9 billion (at P1.6033 per share) in cash, or in PLDT shares valued at P2,500 per share should all the concerned shareholders accept the tender offer.

The tender offer for Digitel minority shareholders commenced Dec. 7, 2011 and will

Davao to host int’l air fora

D

AVAO City, positioned as a MICE destination or Meetings, Investments, Conventions, and Exhibitions is ready to play host to three tourismoriented exhibits this first quarter of 2012.

Tourism Region 11 director Art Boncato Jr. announced this first international tourism event to Davao media in Wednesday’s media briefing at Chippens Restaurant.

These three fora are the Equator Asia Air Access Forum, the Airline CEO Summit, and the Air Network Exhibit, all slated to happen on April 17 here.

The Equator Asia Air Access Forum is a convergence of airport authorities where they can discuss challenges and future steps to be undertaken by the industry.

The CEO Summit, on the other hand, is intended for all airline executives.

Boncato said the Air Network Exhibit is a perfect opportunity for airline companies to showcase their packages and products and have it shown to all participating airline companies in the said forum. “ We are still thinking of one or two more events to tie up with these three major for a,” Boncato added.

Aside from these slated international forum, the local government is also eyeing to host the next Ad Congress which was recently hosted by Camarines Sur. Boncato is optimistic that Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio can make it happen given that the city can now accommodate more than 4,000 visitors all at the same period.

“She’s the perfect person to do that for Davao”, he said. [PIA 11/Mai Gevera-Macapagat]

BizQUIPS

THE quest for transparency and accountability will never be complete without an FOI (Freedom of Information) law in effect.’

--Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

competitive edge JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

11

Bloomberg view on economy The Phoenix is gone heartens Davao City leaders Dr. Tino de Jesus, 80

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AVAO City Rep. Isidro T. Ungab said he was happy to learn about Bloomberg’s positive assessment of the Philippine economy for the year 2012.

Ungab, now chairman of the House committee on ways and means, said he was in Hong Kong when he learned about Bloomberg’s New Year assessment.

The Bloomberg report stated that “The Philippines is the economy to watch. The fundamentals are, no overlending by banks, no real estate bubble, BPO (business process outsourcing) booming, OFW remittance strong, Aquino doesn’t want to commit mistakes of past, Filipinos’ confidence in themselves and the new leadership strong.”

Ungab said the positive reading of the economy augurs well for the country’s contin-

ued growth, a feeling shared by many, particularly foreign and domestic capitalists, who are encouraged to pour investment into the Philippines.

Vicente T. Lao, chairman of the Mindanao Business Council, said “this year is a very bullish year. It’s the year of the Dragon and it is a leap year.”

This seldom happens, he said.

“All these depend on sustaining domestic demand because our traditional export markets are in recession,” former Davao Oriental congressman Gico Dayanghirang said. “This is why P-Noy (President Aquino) vetoed the debt cap that the Senate inserted in the budget bill.

Dayanghirang, an economist by training, said “the devil is in the details and good governance is crucial.”

“I don’t disagree with that (Bloomberg assessment) but there’s still a lot to be done,” said Simeon P. Marfori II, former president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII. “Our infra needs to be improved, especially here in Mindanao” and especially in shipping, Marfori said.

“Then, there’s the Muslim conflict and the New People’s Army, Then, there ‘s the need to ensure that all the new prosperity redounds to the poor,” he said.

“Amid all these, there’s also the need to preserve the environment,” Marfori said, adding, “the greatest obstacle now is our justice system.”

“After his term, we need to ensure the sustainability of PNoy’s reform. And that is just for starters,” he said. AMA

City targeting 10% hike in tourist arrivals

T

HE Davao city government is targeting a 10-percent increase in tourist arrivals and is spending money to achieve this goal through a more vigorous promotional drive.

City Tourism Officer Jason C. Magnaye told Davao media that the city government will initially spend P10 million, adding that the budget could increase as Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio plans to set aside a bigger amount for the city’s promotional activities, like road shows in Singapore and China. The number of tourists who visited the city last year increased by 7% to about 670,000 compared to the previous year. However, about 90% of the tourists were locals.

The campaign, aside from road shows, will include helping airline companies sustain their flights, Magnaye

said, adding that some small airline companies in the past had to stop their operations because of lack of traffic.

Two companies, SilkAir and Tiger Airways, have been servicing the Davao City-Singapore route, with SilkAir reportedly eyeing to expand the number of flights from five times a week to a daily basis while the Cebu-based Midsea Express has already started servicing the Davao City-Tagbilaran City route with threeflights a-week.

Magnaye said another airline company is exploring the possibility of a Davao CityClark route. “We heard they are finalizing the plan.” Both airline companies officials and tourism industry stakeholders have asked the city government to help them sustain flights between the city and local destinations.

Taking note that since

his company started servicing the Davao City-Singapore route, traffic has been growing by about 10% annually, said Steven Tan, head of SilkAir Mindanao office, adding that promoting the city as a destination will help his and the other airlines to sustain their operations.

Tan said his company, and any other company, cannot expand operations in the city unless the market grows to make it viable for them to add more flights. He added that his company has also been doing promotional campaigns to increase traffic between the city and Singapore.

Arturo P. Boncato Jr., regional tourism officer, said the servicing of routes between the city and the other destinations must be sustained not only to attract more tourists, but also to attract other airlines to consider servicing the city.

D

R. Eufracio “Tino” A. Jesus, a prominent professional and civic leader, who had served Davao City as dentist, outstanding educator, Rotarian, Free Mason and JCI senator during the last 65 years, passed away December 27 due to aneurysm. He was 80.

Tino’s spouse Ester; children Arsenio Emmanuel, Joann Carol and Dominic, their respective espouses; and grandchildren; and other surviving relatives thanked all those who have in countless ways, condoled and comforted them in their hour of bereavement.

Tino, who also served as dean of the College of Dentistry of the Davao Medical School Foundation, was well-loved and admired for his warmth, passion for service and consistency in altruistic efforts.

He impressed those who knew him up close because of his perseverance and ability to rise from the

Tino

extreme challenges in life.

In a recent article, writer Ricardo Jimenez Jr. likened Tino to the mythical Phoenix bird that rises from its ashes to fly again because of his “remarkable ability to pick up the pieces and move on from devastation, professional and family tragedies.”

Tino and wife Ester, a nurse he met during a medical-dental mission in the city’s depressed communities, were devastated when the first dental clinic that they established and their residence nearby were

reduced to ashes during the great fire in 1964 which gobbled up the city’s central business district bounded

by Pichon Ave., Legaspi St., Rizal St. and Bolton St.“We lost everything except the clothes on our back, ”Tino recalled.

In 1988, their second son John, 24, an electronics and communications engineer, died in a vehicular accident. Six months later, youngest son Michael, 17, a 4th year high school student, succumbed to leukemia.

At the age 25, Dr. de Jesus first came to the city in 1957, two years after topping the 1955 board exams.

A native of Aparri, the northernmost town of Cagayan where he was born on May 14, 1931, he “cried every night” for missing his birthplace. He recalled carrying “one suit case and one mosquito net” upon arrival in this city “on the invitation of a classmate (Dr. Carlos Chan, now in the USA) from the University of the East.

A snapshot of the economy

By Gico Dayanghirang

(

The author, an economist who once served as member of the House of Representatives representing the the first district of Davao Oriental, has been requested to provide Edge Davao readers his brief analysis of the economic performance of the Philippines from the 3rd quarter of 2010 to the 2nd quarter of 2011.-The editor).

THERE has been good reason to expect that the country is on a roll on account of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) performance on the third and fourth quarters of 2010. But the surge has been short-lived and GDP performance has been on a downward trajectory beginning the first quarter of 2011.

Note that GDP (Gross Domestic Product) has largely been sustained by domestic economic activities (trade, real estate, services, finance, business activities, manufacturing and agriculture). Export has figured only in the 4th quarter of 2010. It has in fact dragged down GDP performance in second quarter of 2011.

The top ten export markets of the Philippines and their respective contribution to export revenues of the country in the year 2010 are Japan 15.2%, USA 14.7%, Singapore 14.2%, China 11.1%, Hongkong-China 8.4%, Germany 5.2%, Netherlands 4.7%, Republic of Korea 4.4% and Thailand 3.5%. AlQuarter 2010 3rd Quarter

GDP Growth 6.5%

Driver Trade, Real Estate, Services, Finance Export, Election Spending, Industry, Services, Agriculture Manufacturing, Services, Real Estate, Business Activities, Agriculture Agriculture, Manufacturing, Services

2010 4th Quarter

7.3%

2011 1st Quarter

4.9%

2011 2nd Quarter

3.4%

Damper Agriculture, Government Spending, Mining and Quarrying

Trade, Government Spending Export

together these export markets comprise 81.4% of the total export revenues of the Philippines.

The decline in export revenues is of course a consequence of the ongoing global economic crisis particularly affecting Japan and USA which are the two largest export destinations of the Philippines. Further decline is expected if Japan continues to languish in recession and the recovery of the USA economy continues to be lackluster. Even more decline in export revenue is expected should the EU fail to resolve the financial crises affecting some of its member

countries notably Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The resulting contagion is expected to affect the other trading partners of the Philippines in the EU making export as a source of revenue even more remote.

The GDP decline in the 1st Quarter and 2nd Quarter of 2011 is due to under spending by government as the P-Noy administration has been preoccupied with putting together a new government. It has also withheld fund releases until contract prices of projects initiated by the GMA administration are reviewed suspecting that a substantial portion of them are overpriced. Indeed they are and to a large extent.

The P-Noy administration has further sought to design and install safeguards to guard against corruption.

Although these prior events have slowed down the economy as a consequence, they now prove to be wise.

More public funds are available for spending now and in the immediate future when they are most needed. Safeguards like standard costing, centralized procurement and cash-less transaction now promise to extend the utility public funds for economic pump priming.

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad promises more reforms forthcoming.

The P-Noy administration is aware of the looming danger to the Philippine economy of a further deterioration of its export markets. It is therefore preparing to pump-prime the domestic economy with more public spending. This is why P-Noy has vetoed the debt-cap provision inserted by the Senate in the 2011 national budget law. More borrowings may be necessary to sustain the domestic economy. Apparently, the Senate is clueless of the economic situation of the country.

Domestic pump-priming has its downside, particularly, if it is misplaced and misused.

It can lead to severe budget deficits without the expected higher tax revenues from heightened domestic economic activity. Public spending must therefore be directed towards projects with the greatest multiplier effect such as public infrastructures in areas of the

country where economic activity is low and poverty is more prevalent. Any extra liquidity directed towards these areas is almost wholly and immediately translated into consumption expenditure, greater economic activity and more tax collection. Moreover, improved local infrastructures lead to even more economic activity form otherwise moribund economic sectors of the country which multiplies the trickle-down effect even more.

Public spending must also be protected from graft and corruption. Otherwise, liquidity spread is likewise restricted with the same dampening effect on consumption expenditure, economic activity and tax collection. In more mature nations, graft and corruption is a mere anomaly. But in the Philippines, it is a norm afflicting almost every level of government. A significant portion of public spending is therefore lost as it flows down the government pipeline to its desired destination. This makes it a serious threat to the economy as it is to the moral fiber of society. Investing in good governance right at the onset now ensures that domestic pump priming may attain its intended economic multiplier effect and corresponding higher tax revenues.

The three most important considerations to reviving and sustaining GDP growth therefore is adequate pump priming, proper targeting of public spending and keeping leakage to a minimum. Should the PNoy administration do well at the onset, foreign investments and financial transactions are expected to rise because of increasing confidence. Any turnaround in exports is unlikely but nonetheless welcome should it occur.

From a political-economy standpoint, it seems likely that P-Noy will succeed. Unlike the previous GMA administration where public spending is directed towards projects which promise the largest commission to decision makers, the P-Noy administration now seems dead serious about doing things well. In this regard, the Philippines indeed may be the country to watch in the East Asia Pacific region.

THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

communitysense

12 VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

Mining company helps in landslide operations P

Davao Light’s Noel Magallon and Cyril Louie Nanali spearhead the unloading and accounting of the donated canned goods, blankets, towels and used

clothings at the Xavier University grounds in Cagayan de Oro City.

ANTUKAN Gold and Copper Project sent an ambulance and a rescue helicopter to the landslide area in Pantukan Thursday after authorities requested assistance in the search, rescue and retrieval operation.

Mae Puyat, PGCP media coordinator, said the ambulance was sent to the landslide area in Diat 1, Barangay Napnapan while the company’s rescue helicopter was

on standby in a nearby area ready to transport anyone needing immediate medical attention.

Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command, earlier requested for assistance from the PGCP for the use of their heavy equipment in the search, rescue and retrieval operation.

In the April 2011 land-

slide, PGCP also lent its heavy equipment in similar operation in Barangay Panganason where 14 small-scale miners died.

Thursday’s landslide in Diat 1 reportedly buried 50 houses where more than a hundred miners were sleeping. As this was being written 25 bodies had been were retrieved while more than 100 were feared to be still unaccounted for. [BOT]

OME 30,000 runners in the city and from other parts of the region are expected to join on January 22 a nationwide unity run dubbed as “Kahit Isang Araw Lang” in a bid to gather help and support for education.

The runners from the Davao Region will be part of the 300,000 who are projected to participate in the one-day unity run which will be held simultaneously on said date at seven key cities in the country.

The “Kahit Isang Araw Lang” unity run was launched yesterday in Davao City being one of the identified event sites in Mindanao. The starting point of the fun run in the city will be at SM City Mall of Davao.

The UNTV television network in partnership with event organizer Avant Garde Creatives, Inc. initiated this first synchronized fun run in their advocacy to aid the government in providing the best education for the Filipino children.

Avant Garde chief operating

officer Ryan Ramos said that the proceeds of the event are intended for computer classrooms packaged with high-end computer and aircondition units for public schools from all over the country.

Ramos said that the Department of Education through its Adopt-A-School Program will recommend its priority schools that are in dire need of computer facilities.

The city government of Davao and DepEd Region XI responded positively to the unity run advocacy for education, and expressed support to the event on January 22.

Vice-mayor Rodrigo Duterte expressed his support through a message delivered by Councilor April Dayap, saying that the highest priority of the city government include the infrastructure needs of public schools in Davao City.

The participating runners in each key point will get a chance of winning in three categories such as the three-kilometer, five-

kilometer and ten-kilometer run.

The three top winners for female and another three top champs for male will each be awarded with a medal and cash prizes ranging from P15,000 to P35,000.

Those who will finish the ceremonial run and the race will also be entitled to a raffle draw after the race, with prizes to include brand new car, motorcycle laptops and cellphones for Metro Manila.

For all other locations, finishers will have the chance to win from the raffle draw motorcycle, laptops and cellphones.

The first 20,000 registrants will be provided with free official unity run singlet and canvass bag.

The registration period ends on January 16, 2012, with registration fee of P200 (3K), P250 (5K) and P330 (10K) for Davao City.

The registration hubs in the city include Chris Sports at Abreeza Mall, Reebok at Gaisano Mall of Davao and Holiday Fitness Gym and Spa. [PIA-11/CARINA L. CAYON]

and disaster response institutions.

BALSA Mindanao hoped to express its solidarity with the people of Northern Mindanao before the coming of the New Year. On December 29-30, it held the Mindanao Caravan to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan with 350 volunteers mostly composed of religious and young people coming from General Santos, Davao, Bukidnon, Butuan, Pagadian, and Dipolog cities.

The relief operations served a total of 3,100 families in Macasandig ang Consolacion vil-

lages in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City. These areas are regarded as the most gravely affected by the calamity.

The citizen-led mission included feeding, distribution of relief packs, medical services, and psychosocial therapy/debriefing. It mobilized nearly 200 volunteers and served about a thousand affected families in Iligan City. The relief operations were the second it conducted after it also distributed relief and food packs before Christmas in various affected communities in the poblacion area.

Davao Light employees Thousands to run for education give to Sendong victims S

D

AVAO Light employees from all levels - from contractuals to executives - dipped into their pockets or skimmed their bonus to mobilize financial resources to help the victims of the destructive flash floods that hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities barely a week before Christmas.

Other than the employees a restaurant specializing in native chicken menu, and a service provider of Davao Light also donated some amount to the overall fund kitty. The non-employee donors were Conching’s Native Chicken and PROCSERV service cooperative which gave P10 thousand and P10,500, respectively.

The resource mobilization came about after the company’s social development arm, the Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., sounded the call for support to the flood victims. Exec. Vice President Art Milan echoed the call immediately and thus started the pouring of cash commitment.

By December 24 the total

donation totaled almost P145 thousand. Some gave direct cash while others have theirs deducted from either their salary or bonus.

Upon recommendation of the Aboitiz Foundation whose men were stationed at Xavier University in Cagayan manning the receipt and distribution of donations from the member companies of the Aboitiz Group, Davao Light purchased readyto-eat canned goods such as sardines, meat and beef loaf, luncheon meat, large blankets and towels from out of the funds generated. The goods and the cost of delivery cost over P142 thousand.

In addition to the food items some employees also donated inkind materials mostly used and new clothes. Some eight (8) large boxes of these were added to the canned goods. The value was estimated at P7,500.

The donated goods were enough to fill a Nissan van and were delivered by a team of three last December 27 to Cagayan de Oro City. These

were first endorsed to the Aboitiz Foundation operation center before the formal turnover to the receiving team of the Jesuit-run Xavier University.

Forty percent of the donated goods were allocated for Iligan City victims. These were in turn delivered to the team from GMA Channel 7 Network Foundation based at the compound of the Capitol University also in Cagayan de Oro City.

The GMA team undertook the distribution of relief goods to the victims in Iligan.

While the donations could not certainly make any dent against the magnitude of the need, the employees of Davao Light feel that what they did was a fulfillment of duty in times of dire need.

They were also happy to at least contribute to the total Aboitiz Group assistance which by now amounts to millions of pesos in terms of material and financial donation.

For survivors of Sendong, a new year of struggle awaits

“

I lost three of my children in the floods,” laments 30-year old Winnie Abalayan, resident of Sitio Kala-Kala in Macasandig town, Cagayan de Oro City.

Her entire community of some 400 households was completely wiped out by devastating floods after Typhoon Sendong struck the city last December 16.

Abalayan was one of the survivors assisted by the two-day relief and rehabilitation mission led by BALSA MINDANAO (Bulig Alang sa Mindanao/Help Mindanao), a network of concerned citizens, organizations,

RELIEF MISSION. Relief and rehabilitation mission led by BALSA MINDANAO (Bulig Alang sa Mindanao/ Help Mindanao), a network of concerned citizens,

organizations, and disaster response institutions in Isla Delta, barangay Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City.

Sun Cellular strengthens family ties

F

AMILY comes first to every Filipino. To be in touch is one of the best ways to show love to our relatives near or far. Our country, being a home to many Filipino families with members working abroad, needs a communication tool that will keep families connected at an affordable cost.

The Castaneda’s are frequent travelers and keeping in touch was so costly. Fides Castaneda- Bernabe was looking for a means that would keep them in constant communication while abroad but will not be so heavy on their pockets. A loyal Sun Cellular subscriber in Davao, she figured that if Sun Cellular offered the lowest rates in local calls and texts they must have an equally affordable offer for their international service.

“Ang mahal mahal ng roaming!

When I discovered that I can be in touch with my family while I’m in the States using sun IDD rates tuwang tuwa talaga ako.

Imagine for less than 5 pesos a minute pwede nako maki-balita sa pamilya ko dito sa Davao!”

Sun IDD 10 offers US$0.10 per minute IDD rate for calls to the USA (mainland), China, HongKong, Canada, Singapore,

BizQUIPS

Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Guam and Macau. For other countries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Spain, Sun IDD 30 for US$0.30 per minute apply. For text, there’s Sun iSMS which offers PhP 9 per message to over 200 countries abroad.

‘WE anticipate a more robust spending in the first two quarters. This is due to the spending momentum that will carry over from the last quarter.’

--Budget “Butch” Abad

Secretary

Florencio

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

governance

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

Cenro collecting lesser wastes due to mandatory segregation D

avao city’s mandatory segregation of solid wastes policy has resulted in less garbage being collected daily in the last few months of 2011.

City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Atty.

Joseph Dominic Felizarta said the “No segregation, No collection” policy caused the decline of collected waste to about 380 tons per day from the 480 tons since the start of the policy’s implementation.

Prior to the execution of the mandatory waste segregation on July 1, 2011, waste collections reached to 600 to 700 tons per day.

However, Felizarta said during Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw that the collection in December last year reached

385 tons per day due to the holiday activities.

He added that there was no strict execution of the segregation policy on December 24 and during New Year’s day.

With the stringent implementation of waste segregation under the city’s Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2009, Felizarta disclosed that already 1,600 violators had been apprehended.

The figure included the 90 violators who were arrested in the period of December 1-23, 2011.

Felizarta said 400 cases have been filed against the violators for non-segregation of wastes, with one conviction resulting in a fined P1,000.

“Others will follow as summons have already been

issued to them,” Felizarta said.

Under Section 10 of the solid waste management ordinance, “the segregation of waste at source by generators as household and all establishments is mandatory.”

The penalty for violating this particular provision is a fine of P300.00 and mandatory seminar for the first offense.

Second-time offenders are required to pay a fine of P500.00 or five-day community service, while third-time violators have to pay a penalty of P1,000 or ten-day community service.

For the 4th and succeeding offense, violators shall be prosecuted in court with a maximum penalty of P5,000 or six months imprisonment if convicted. [PIA 11/CARINA L. CAYON]

OWER supply in Mindanao has fallen below the system capacity due to generation deficiency, an official from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said on Tuesday.

Milfrance Capulong, NGCP communications officer for Mindanao, said that lack of supply during the system peak in the island would lead to a load curtailment.

“Load curtailment gridwide is 50 MW [megatwatts] based on the December 2011 load to maintain matrix of NPC/PSALM [National Power Corp./ Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp.,” she said in an advisory.

Capulong said the Mindanao grid would have experienced load curtailment from 2 p.m to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday due to insufficient contingency reserve caused by the generation deficiency.

However, she did not say what was the reason for the generation deficiency; whether it was caused by maintenance shutdown of plants of power companies, reduced capacities of others, or rising demand these days.

NGCP is the private operator of the nation’s power transmission network.

Based on the NGCP website, the power outlook for Mindanao as of 6 a.m. Tuesday, it has a system capacity of 1,235 MW. But the system peak was pegged at 1,241 MW, or a deficiency of 6 MW, it said.

Such figures basically put Mindanao’s power system condition under “Red Alert” status.

“Red Alert” refers to the system condition when the contingency reserve is zero or a generation deficiency exists, NGCP said in an earlier statement.

Mindanao was placed last November under “Yellow Alert,” a system condition when total of all reserves is less than 13.2 percent of the required capacity.

When system reserves are more than sufficient to meet the reserve requirements of the grid, the system is considered to be under normal condition.

The system alert, and the corresponding power curtailment, if any, is lifted once demand recedes or once there is enough available capacity coming into the grid from the power plants.

On Monday, Capulong said the Mindanao grid also suffered a load curtailment for the evening peak from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The load curtailment grid-wide was also 50 MW due to insufficient contingency reserve caused by a generation deficiency, she said. [PNA]

The program has been allotted about P2.9 billion and the Department is just waiting for the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Davao City will be allotted about 360 more personnel to include 55 doctors, 200 nurses and a hundred more medical staff, Busuego said.

The Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City will also be hiring 50 doctors plus a hundred nurses. The DRH is a 200-bed

tertiary hospital.

The hiring is planned under the normal hiring processes of the government and will be considered as plantilla positions.

He said the SPMC will need more doctors and nurses since it is already a 1,200 bed capacity tertiary hospital.

More medical professionals will also be deployed within the peripheries particularly in the provinces and would not just concentrate in the urban centers. [PIA 11/RG ALAMA]

ENSURING HEALTH FOR ALL. A KALAHI-CIDSS health station in Brgy. Concepcion, Laak town, Compostela Valley could readily respond to the health and nutrition conditions that must be complied by

T

HE Department of Health is looking at augmenting its manpower in its hospitals particularly in the countryside.

This was bared by Dr. Romulo Busuego, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health while guesting at the weekly Club 888 media forum at The Marco Polo Davao.

Busuego said the DOH is eyeing to hire about 7,000 health workers from doctors, nurses, medical technicians and other staff for 2012.

CTING Governor Mujib Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said on Monday political patronage in the region will be a thing of the past.

Hataman is currently searching carefully for appointees who will form part of his official family in running the affairs of the autonomous government.

“Cabinet members and bureau heads will be selected according to their capability, qualifications, track record and

Toril; Ilang, Tibungco; and Lacson, Calinan.

He said the city government has already allocated P10 million for the project.

He added that one system provider has already submitted its concept proposal to the local government.

“It’s just a matter of implementation,” Adalin said.

The PSCC chief also bared the installation of more CCTVs in key areas of the citym like the City Hall building, Sanguniang Panglungsod, People’s Park, Rizal Park

and Sta. Ana wharf.

The city government had much earlier put in place CCTVs in 16 major intersections of the city as part of the Traffic Signalization System aimed at addressing traffic concerns and reducing traffic accidents.

Adalin said the system caused the apprehension of some 13,000 drivers for violating traffic regulations last year.

He said most of the violations involved cases of obstruction, illegal parking and

dedication to public service, among others,” Hataman said, adding that he will not entertain “interference” from politicians like governors, congressmen and “kingmakers.”

He assured the public that religious and tribal affiliations are not the only criteria in choosing cabinet officials who will help him institute reforms in the “graft-ridden and violence prone” regional government.

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi

and Hataman’s home province of Basilan.

He said cabinet officials will also be chosen based on their “conviction and courage” to help him enforce the necessary reforms President Benigno has envisioned for the ARMM. Lawyer Anwar Malang, ARMM executive secretary, said the number of aspirants for cabinet portfolio is increasing by the day but Hataman has the final say.

“He will officially announce it anytime this week,” Malang said. [PNA]

these efforts for better and detailed explanations,” Lacierda said.

Secretary Abad said the objective of the good governance and anti-corruption cluster is to fight corruption and ensure that public services are given to the people. The government also expects the business and economic environment to improve once the measure is in place.

The administration is pursuing three initiatives through the plan: transparency, accountability and citizen engagement, Abad explained.

“Pursuing transparency, accountability and citizen engagement requires us to also look into the necessary legislation and policy that need to be reviewed and strengthened.

And then promote the digitization and innovations in governments operations. And finally, undertake an aggressive advocacy and communication campaign,” he said.

To ensure transparency in government transactions, the anti-corruption plan calls for mandatory disclosure of budget information of agencies and local government units (LGUs), Abad said.

The government is also expanding the operations of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System to promote transparency, he said.

At the same time, Abad said that as a punitive action, the government will work for speedy resolution of different cases particularly those about graft and corruption. It targets to improve the annual case resolution rate of the Department of Justice (DOJ) from its present level to about 85 percent.

The Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) output will also be increased, Abad said adding the government is also strengthening its single portal for government information.

Aquino govt approves anti-corruption plan

T

HE AQUINO administration approved Tuesday the Good Governance and Anti-corruption (GGAC) Plan for 2012-2016 aimed at simplifying and integrating government database to fight graft and corruption.

Tuesday’s meeting in Malacanang was the second meeting of the Cabinet Cluster on Good Governance and Anti-corruption chaired by President Benigno S. Aquino.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad presented the GGAC cluster plan to the Cabinet Tuesday and following a twohour deliberation the proposal was approved without objection.

According to Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda the components of the cluster plan address problems of graft and corruption by timely analysis and reporting of government data.

“It also aims to harness a stable society as a partner in

Davao to install CCTVs at checkpoints T

HE Davao city government is pushing through a plan of installing closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at three checkpoint sites in the city.

Davao City Public Safety Command Center (PSCC) chief Magno G. Adalin Jr. told local media t putting up of more CCTVs in the city is part of strengthening its security measures.

Adalin said the wireless security and surveillance cameras will be positioned at checkpoint sites in Sirawan,

Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries residing in the village and in nearby communities. DSWD/Carmela CadigalDuron

Hataman choosing ARMM Cabinet officials carefully

Mindanao power supply down A P

More hospital personnel eyed

13

swerving.

He noted though that there was a decline in the number of traffic violators in 2011, saying that drivers have become more disciplined.

“Even without traffic enforcers, drivers have learned to follow traffic rules,” he said.

In April last year, the Traffic Management Center reported that between 70 and 100 traffic violators were monitored everyday through the CCTVs. [PIA 11/CARINA L. CAYON]

BizQUIPS

‘WE felt the need to improve the mass transport and connectivity of central business districts coming from Makati to Ortigas and the airport.’

--President Arnel Casanova of the Bases Conversion and Development Administration on the construction of a new monorail system.

THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

suburbia

14 VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

Davao Norte officials fete National Gawad Saka awardees F

UNCTIONARIES of Davao del Norte bestowed recognition to a lady farmer and a banana processing company for bringing honor to the province by winning the most coveted national Gawad Saka awards last year.

Vice Governor Victorio Suaybaguio, Jr. led local officials in paying homage to Anna C. Cagulada of Braulio E. Dujali and Four Seasons Fruits Corporation (FSFC) of Tagum City, during Capitol’s first convocation program of the New Year at the Bulwagan ng Lalawigan.

Cagulada, 47, was adjudged as the country’s best integrated rice farmer for turning her family’s five-hectare land into a rice-based bio-intensive farming with an average yield of seven tons of palay per hectare. It was intercropped with bananas, coconuts, and a tilapia pond.

On the other hand, FSFC,

which manufacture and ships processed banana products here and abroad, won as most outstanding agri-entrepreneur for its significant contribution to the output and livelihood of small banana growers in the province and nearby areas.

Cagulada ang FSFC were part of the 14 individuals and nine groups from around the country who bagged the National Gawad Saka annual search for outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries for 2011.

They received their awards from President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in simple ceremonies at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang Palace on December 13, 2011.

The winners each received a Presidential citation and trophy, and corresponding cash incentives worth P100,000 each for individual and group winners.

WINNER. Vice Governor Victorio Suaybaguio, Jr. confers the citation to the Four Seasons Fruits Corporation for winning the National Gawad Saka award as the most outstanding agri-entrepreneur in the country.

FSFC Chairman Ian Neo received the award at the reenactment rites during Capitol’s first convocation program of the New Year. [NOEL BAGUIO/DAVNOR

Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario, who did not make it in time for the reenactment rites as he just arrived from vacation, earlier hailed the awardees as heroes in tilling the land.

agricultural endeavors.

Under del Rosario’s leadership, Davao del Norte has already produced eight National Gawad Saka awardees.

Last year, the Department

The awardees, he said, are the epitome of hard work, innovation and resilience, as they provide inspiration and motivation for other farmers and institutions to excel in their

PIO]

of Agriculture has declared the province as Hall of Famer, after winning the grand slam in the Regional Gawad Saka Awards for three consecutive years.

Gov’t cancer center opens in Tagum City Floods test new disaster response unit of Comval T

HE first government cancer center for Mindanao equipped with state-ofthe-art facilities opened last Sunday, January 8. It is part of the state-run Davao Regional Hospital (DRH) in Barangay Apokon, Tagum City in Davao del Norte.

DRH administrator Carlito U. Pillerin said that the hospital, one of the few government institutions in the country recognized for being run efficiently, was able to obtain a P200 million budget from the national government to start the operations of the center.

According to Department of Health Assistant Secretary for Hospitals Romulo Busuego, who is the concurrent DRH chief of hospital; the center has a funding requirement of about P600 million when it was initially approved in 2006. But it was only in 2009 when the P200 million fund was made available.

The hospital spent P37 million for the construction of the center on a two-hectare lot which was donated to the hospital by the University of Southeastern Philippines through the intercession of Tagum City

T

NUCLEAR AND RADIOTHERAPY CENTER

Mayor Rey T. Uy. With the remaining amount, the hospital was able to buy the P134 million linear particle accelerator, a facility usually referred to as the one used for nuclear therapy as it is used to kill cancer cells.

“The DRH is the only government hospital in the country with this kind of equipment,” Busuego said.

Asec Busugeo said the center will allow people of Mindanao to access better

treatment facilities comparable with those in Metro Manila. “This will slowly erase the notion that only the medical providers in Metro Manila and other urban centers of the country can provide better services,” he added.

Busuego conceptualized the design for the center himself. “He (Mr. Busuego) worked hard to make this project a reality,” Pillerin said of his superior whom the Aquino government named as as-

sistant secretary in charge of supervising government hospitals in the country.

At present, the DRH is already waiting for the approval of the Senate to make itself a 500-bed medical center.

The proposal was initiated by Rep. Maricar ZamoraApsay of Compostela Valley, Rep. Antony G. del Rosario of Davao del Norte’s 1st congressional district and Rep. Anton F. Lagdameo of the 2nd district of Davao del Norte.

center, said Mr. Pillerin.

“Our worry is where to get those doctors because we can easily recruit nurses,” he said, adding that the government is always perceived as paying less to physicians compared to those in private practice, although he did not mention the rate for the physicians.

He said most of physicians have either left for greener pasture or worked in private hospitals.

Based on the website payscale.com, physicians working in the Philippines can make between P200,000-P500,000 ($4,566.21-11,415.53 @ $1=P43.80) annually depending on their expertise.

To recruit more physicians, Mr. Pillerin said Mr. Busuego is looking at coordinating with association of medical practitioners to lure them to work in government.

This predicament was confirmed by Dr. Jonathan A. Alegre, presidentboth of the Tagum Doctors Hospi-

tal and the Davao Medical School Foundation, who said that even those graduates of the medical schools would consider going abroad after just completing their residences in the city.

“It is hard to lure them back because of the lower pay,” Mr. Pillerin said.

The recruitment of more human resources is doubly important for the regional hospital as it opens its cancer center for Mindanao on January 8.

Mr. Pillerin, also the administrative chief of the regional hospital, said the hospital management has started looking at the staffing requirements of the cancer center as it will deal with cancer patients in Mindanao.

Mr. Busuego, he added, wanted to make sure that the center will be as efficient as the regional hospital, known for being efficiently run as the hospital management instituted policies that declog even its emergency section.

“We would like to show to patients that the services that they can avail even from big Manila-based cancer centers are available in the center,” said Mr. Pillerin, adding that the center needs an additional P200 million to fully-equipped it.

Built with budget of P200 million, the hospital only used P37 million in setting up the center even when the supposed budget for its construction was P120 million, Mr. Pillerin said. This was done through tapping the human resources of the hospital in its construction and with the help of Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy, who also helped acquire the two-hectare lot from the nearby campus of the University of Southeastern Philippines.

The hospital used the remaining amount in buying the needs of the center, including its P134 million linear particle accelerator, a machine used in killing cancer cells.

SPMC, DRH to recruit hundreds of doctors and nurses

T

WO big state-run hospitals in the Davao Region will soon recruit hundreds of new doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. This was bared by Department of Health (DOH) assistant secretary for hospitals Romulo Busuego.

Busuego said the Davao Regional Hospital (DRH) in Tagum City which he concurrently heads and the Davao City-based Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) are set to recruit about 100 physicians this year.

Each of the DRH and the SPMC will need 50 physicians this year as part of the program to intensify their services, said Carlito U. Pillerin, executive assistant of Health Assistant Secretary Romulo A. Busuego.

The two hospitals will also recruit about 300 nurses with 120 of them going to the regional hospital based in Tagum City, Davao del Norte while the rest will be absorbed by the medical

HE spate of flooding which hit Compostela Valley Province has has put to test the capabilities of its fledgling emergency response team.

The newly-formed Emergency Response Team which just completed its Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) Training was deployed during the December 16 flooding in the municipality of Compostela.

PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration) hoisted Storm Signal no. 2 in the provinces of Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Sendong.

Heavy rains brought about by the storms brought flooding in several areas across Compostela Valley particularly the municipality of Compostela, which trapped several families. Using the three

provincial government’s rescue boats the already mobilized rescue team saved about 100 families during flashfloods that inundated Purok 13 Centennial in Compostela town.

Also last December 27, the team rescued 33 families also in another flood that struck Compostela Town. Another 40 families were also rescued in Montevista.

The ERT was formed by Governor Arturo T. Uy as a quick response mechanism during disasters and calamities particularly flashfloods and landslides which regularly occur in the province.

The team is composed of selected employees of the provincial capitol and are trained in Medical First Responder (MFR), WASAR and Mountain Search and Rescue. [PIA RG ALAMA/IDS COMVAL

GILBERT CABAHUG]

Mayor Uy tells DENR to enforce logging ban

T

AGUM City Mayor Rey T. Uy urged the AntiIllegal Logging Task Force of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to strengthen the implementation of the logging ban, following the delivery of almost 200 logs to the City Government of Tagum confiscated in Loreto, Agusan del Sur last December 30, 2011.

Uy said this means there are still illegal loggers operating in the mountains, defying President Benigno S. Aquino Executive Order No. 23 for a total log ban in the entire country.

Mayor Uy wants the DENR to put teeth to the law, both at the sources of illegal logging activities and along roads where hot logs

are being transported.

In a press conference last November 8, the mayor had challenged the DENR said there are still some DENR personnel who are involved in the illegal practice.

Meanwhile, confiscated logs - mostly of Lauan – are being fabricated into school chairs for distribution to schools in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley. As of press time, 14, 435 pieces of school furniture had already found their way to various schools in the Davao region, with some 4,000 pieces at the Tagum City Motor Pool for distribution this month.

About 3,000 chairs can be produced monthly from confiscated logs, according to Mayor Uy.

BizQUIPS ‘THERE are good leads in the ongoing search for (retired Maj. Gen.) Palparan but we want to be very sure. We want this to be over and done with the soonest.’

--Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

15

E-mail: edgedavao_editorial@yahoo.com.ph

UP AND ABOUT

Yuletide for is also for the dogs

L

ast December 23, dogs and dog owners alike celebrated the Christmas season by participating in the Yuletide Dog Pageant, which was held at the Restaurant Row of Abreeza Mall.

The event started with a Dachshund YuleRace hosted by the Dachshund Club Davao.

The cute dachshunds raced while wearing antlers to feel the Christmas spirit. Ramy, owned by Melvier Dando, won first place. Twinkle, owned by Claudine Villaruz, and Kimmy, owned by Deoffrey Amora, placed second and third re-

spectively. A dog obedience demo was presented by Arvin Serra from the Davao Canine Sports Club with his Belgian Malinois. Following the obedience demo was a pet blessing was attended by more than twenty pets. Mike Abarquez even brought with him a Burmese python and a few leopard geckos. The rest were a variety of dogs ranging from Pitbull Terriers to Chow Chows to Shih Tzus and mixed breeds.

The Mindanao Pitbull Terrier Club, meanwhile, collected donations to be sent to the affected families in Cagayan De Oro City and Iligan City. The main event was the Dog Pageant where dogs and dog own-

Blossom, a Shih Tzu, rests during the event. PHOTO BY TOM ABATAYO

ers showed off their gorgeous Christmas attire as well as their formal ensembles. Trisha, an Italian Greyhound, with her owner Jazzyl Arcena won as the Queen of the Night. Lyka, a Lhasa Apso, with her owner Flora Mae Amante, placed first runner up while Sofia, a Shih Tzu, won as the second runner up with her owner, Avvy Lee. Meanwhile, Cody, also an Italian Greyhound, with his owner Teejay Arcena won as the King of the Night and Papi, a Mini Pinscher, won as the first runner up with his owner Kerbie Villar.

During the event, a PhoDOGraphy contest was also held. Rafael Aquino bagged first place, while Alvin Bucia and Rolando Villejo, Jr. won second and third place respectively. The event was presented

by Purpleworks Events Organizing Services, Abreeza, Ayala Malls, co-presented by The Ark Veterinary Clinic and Alpo and sponsored by One Fab Pooch and Roland Jumawan Photo and Video Studio. The Yuletide

Dog Pageant was also supported by the Dachshund Club Davao and the Mindanao Pitbull Terrier Club.

The winning shot of the PhoDOGraphy Contest by Rafael Aquino.

Cresa Garcia.

MPTC collecting donations for the Bagyong Sendong Victims.

A Dachshund wearing his cute antlers and race jacket. PHOTO BY TOM ABATAYO

The Pet Blessing officiated by Reverend Neil.

YOUTH TRENDS

New Year’s resolutions: Put a stop to it

W

hen we think of the New Year, many things come to mind.

Most popular of all is the beloved Resolution list people make year after year after year.

Although I’m sure you are not at all interested to know about my New Year traditions, or the lack of it, I would like to share the fact that I have never been one to create such a list. Here is why:

I think it makes no sense to create a list of things you want to resolve once the New Year has started. Why? Because a New Year’s Resolution list is simply a collection of things you want to change about the way you live your life. And although that is commendable, the fact that you waited, or are waiting, for a new year to come before you start to change things that you already know are wrong about your lifestyle just does not make sense. I mean, if you have already addressed the problem, then why

not start creating a solution right away? Why must one wait for January 1 before deciding “Hey, I need to lose weight” or “I MUST pay off all my credit.” I think it just promotes procrastination.

If you haven’t noticed, most people’s lists remain unchanged for years. That means one thing: people do not proactively create a plan to actually change their lifestyle to reach the goals they have set in the guise of a resolution list. I know you’re thinking that I’m trying to complicate things or am creating an issue where there isn’t really one for the purpose of writing an article that sounds (or reads) somewhat sensible, and that may be true (because we all know I need to submit something every week for this paper) but I truly believe that creating a list is superfluous, and although traditional and followed by masses, is not

sensible. As much as this article may seem to you a waste of time, creating that list is an even bigger waste.

Of course, if you actually view the process of creating a Resolution list as some personal time to reflect on what you need to change about yourself, then I have no complaints. You and I both know that you can do that any time of the year, so if you choose to do it in anticipation of the new year, it does not change things. If you actually take the time out to analyze what you have been doing and how you can change things that are wrong about your lifestyle and actually create concrete courses of action to change these habits, then that is commendable. But if you simply create a short list of things you wish you did or things you wish you had or things you wish you live without and post it on social networking sites or

If you haven’t noticed, most people’s lists remain unchanged for years. That means one thing: people do not proactively create a plan to actually change their lifestyle to reach the goals they have set in the guise of a resolution list.

announce to friends whenever the opportunity comes up; then please, stop wasting energy and everyone else’s time.

I know it sounds like I’m complaining a lot about a very small issue but at the very core

of Confessions of a Partyphile, it is a Youth Trends column.

And the last thing I would want is for some young student to start creating lists just because society tells him to do so; just because all he reads on his Facebook and Twitter feeds is a list of resolutions; and because people tell him that it’s tradition.

I wish any kid who is reading this article would realize that looking at your self objectively to acknowledge mistakes and opportunities to change is a serious matter. I know it does not sound very Partyphile-ish, but the truth is kids these days are surrounded with things that can easily feed into their insecurities. If you haven’t noticed, Resolution lists are simply complaints made to sound positive.

So what is a teenager expected to think when he is in the most awkward stage of his life and all he reads as he welcomes the new year is a list of things that announce to the world that people everywhere are not contented with how they look, how they act, how they live their life, their job, their financial status, their place in the social ladder,

or their relationships? I would think it would push a teenager to realize that: 1.) it is not alright to simply be yourself and be content with what you have and 2.) it is perfectly normal to strive to live someone else’s life.

And that is probably why it irks me so much. The fact that creating Resolution lists is part of our Holiday tradition means that generations more of teenagers and young adults who are already awkward and unsure of who they are may be pushed to follow the union of people who actually wear discontentment as a badge. And I’m sorry, but that is not how I wish the generations after me would be living their life.

So this year, you might want to consider putting this at the top of your Resolution list: 1.) Stop creating these stupid lists.

Listen to Confessions of a Partyphile on the radio every Wednesday evening from 6 to 9 PM. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile log on to Confessions of a Partyphile Blog on http:// party.i.ph or follow the columnist at twitter.com/zhaun

STYLE

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THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

Trend-tacking 2011 A s we shimmy into a new year full of the promise of great fashion ahead, allow me to once again look back fondly at the year that was. The best way I can think

to describe the past year was fashion on the bend with trends that threw curve balls, thus bringing unexpected new twists to the way we dress up. The winning looks that dominated 2011 still remain burned in our psyches and the fact that there were no hard and fast rules was enough to inspire a newfound bravura in many. Whether it was swiping on bright red lipstick or donning a sheer maxi skirt

for the first time, it was all mostly in the spirit of a speakeasy where being experimental earned the most applause. Of

in the 1990s? A conservative of local brands such as Soul shirtfront could reveal a deeply Lifestyle, the forces moving rescooped back. A long-sleeved tail are certainly pulling out all dress would come with cutouts the stops to impress us. that bared the ribcage or the Wild at the Heels collarbone. This trend was and Shoes were a major obsesstill is great for those who want sion last year. Many will argue alternatives to showing off that they are fashion’s new art some flesh and celebrating body pieces. Six to seven-inch heels parts you didn’t even know was weren’t impossible anymore sexy. with shoes given front plat Bold Tints forms that catapulted wearers It was as if to sky-highdom. “Heel” was the makeup re- operative word in innovation as fused to be a designers took shoes to heelless mere support- heights and radical treatments ing player to that included skulls and enclothes last crusted in crystals. Many went year. Girls even wild for the Jeffrey Campbell went so far brand, which prompted local as to make it brands like Gold Dot and Virtuthe focal point al Mae to up their game. On the of their day- classic front, it wasn’t unusual to-day looks. to see more red Louboutin soles Even in their and signature YSL Tributes most casual milling about. tee and cutoff The Art of Clash shorts, girls From the onset of color donned bright blocking in spring, pairing of red lipstick to contrasting colors and prints kick up the was the big thing of 2011. Color Kermit Tesoro helped mold this transformative year in shoes. drama. Think was the new black. Prints such course being bold didn’t always Anne Curtis’s signature red lips. as animal skins and florals were win others proud moments but Bubblegum pinks and oranges rehashed and looked fresh once it didn’t fail to add to the drama. were also fast favorites, making again worn with geometric pat Sheer Everything last year all about being a loud terns or stripes. It was an exer No longer are chiffon and mouth. cise of knowing when to reign it other flowy fabrics confined Davao Retail Scene in and let it all out and the jourto the realm of evening gowns. With new malls sprouting ney to mastering this is really These see-through fabrics were like mushrooms all over the city both of one’s mind and fashion the revelation in casual clothes, and region, shoppers were treat- sense. usually sans any lining under- ed to the arrival of many new neath. Long-sleeved tops but- brands in 2011 and the promise toned to the throat and floor- of more to come this year. From grazing maxi skirts exposed international retail titans like just enough of the skin beneath Debenhams and Gap joining in and a sure hint of underwear to the fun to the further developbe sexy and proper all at once.

There is a sense of liberation to sheer clothes that many fell in love with and a lot took to rummaging their mom’s closets and vintage and bargain stores for more of this trend.

Peekaboo Details One thing that had fashion Born lippy for bright pinks and reds.m e n t Color blocking by Gucci fans inspecting clothes closer was the trend in cutouts in the most unexpected palces.

Who knew Toni Braxton was The Business PAPER onto something in her “Unbreak my Heart” music video

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HEALTH THE BUSINESS PAPER EDGEDAVAO

Sugar baby H

appy New Year to all readers of Edge Davao!

I hope 2012 is loaded with sweetness, good will and tidings for all!

A lot of parties have been conducted and attended to welcome the new year and a lot of us has given in to the hunger pangs for festive foods and drinks! Now, we have to start the year right by making steps to live healthy.

During the holiday season there were lots of foods to eat from parties. Now think about this. Did you binge on sweet food? Do you crave for sweet foods? Are you a sugar baby?

Here’s the truth about sugar cravings, sugar addiction, and how to tame an unruly sweet tooth right now.

You say you can’t live without your daily donut -- but are you really “addicted” to sugar?

The answer is complicated.

Researchers think a pattern of withholding and binging -- not sugar itself -- may lead to addictive-like behavior and even brain changes. Sugar influences the same “feel-good” brain chemicals -- including serotonin and dopamine -- as illicit drugs.

But scientists aren’t quite ready to lump sugar in with heroin.

Whether you call it an addiction, an eating disorder, or simply a bad habit, there are signs of an unhealthy use of sugary foods. You may lose control and eat more than you planned. You may have withdrawal symptoms when you skip your regular cookie “fix.” “You can get low blood sugar symptoms, which would include a little bit of anxiety, shakiness, jitteriness… a cold sweat,” says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD. Sugar fuels every cell in the brain and influences brain chemicals, too. And overloading on sugary foods may alter the brain receptors that regulate how much we eat. In laboratory studies, rats that binged on sugar had brain changes that mimicked those of drug withdrawal.

In humans, just seeing pictures of milkshakes triggered brain activity similar to what’s seen in drug addicts -- and that activity was stronger in women with a high food-addiction score than in women who didn’t report addictive eating.

When you eat cake, the sugar in that treat -- called a simple carbohydrate -- is quickly converted to glucose in your bloodstream. Your blood sugar levels rise and spike when simple carbs are eaten alone, as when you grab a candy bar mid-afternoon. All simple carbs are absorbed quickly, most especially the processed, concentrated sugars found in syrup, soda,

candy, and table sugar. Simple carbs are also found in fruits, veggies, and dairy products -- but fiber and protein slow absorption and provide wholesome nutrients.

Your pancreas releases the hormone insulin to move glucose out of the bloodstream -- and into your cells for energy.

As a result, your blood sugar level may “drop pretty dramatically,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD. That lonely afternoon candy bar has set you up for more bad eating. “When you have a very high spike followed by a very low drop, you tend to get hungry again.” Low blood sugar leaves you feeling shaky, dizzy, and searching for more sweets to regain that sugar “high.”

Do you overdo it with bagels, chips, or french fries? These starchy foods are complex carbohydrates -- but the body breaks them down into simple sugars. When eaten alone, without better foods, some starches such as white flour, white rice, and white potatoes can trigger the same surge-and-crash cycle of blood sugar seen with sugary foods. Highly refined starches are the worst culprits: white bread, pretzels, crackers, and pasta. Grain-based desserts can be a double-whammy of sugar and refined grains.

Can you beat your sugar addiction by quitting cold turkey?

Some sugar detoxes urge you to eliminate everything sweet -including fruit, dairy, and all refined grains -- to purge your system of sugar. Diet changes like this are too drastic to be realistic. “If you are doing something that is not sustainable, that you can only do short-term, then you will ultimately go back to your old habits,” says dietitian Kirkpatrick.

You don’t need sugar as much as you think you do. “If we wean ourselves off [sugar], we can train our taste buds to enjoy things that aren’t as sweet,” says Kirkpatrick. Try eliminating one sugary food from your diet each week. Pass on dessert after dinner. Slowly reduce the sugar in your coffee or cereal. “Over time, you will

lose your dependence on that sensation,” she says.

You don’t have to give up sweetness -- just get it from other sources. Try fresh fruit or pureed berries on oatmeal instead of sugar. Fruit in many different forms beats table sugar: dried, frozen, or canned fruit (without too much added sugar). A glass of low-fat milk or low-sugar yogurt can satisfy, too. These contain the milk sugar lactose, which doesn’t taste sweet. And of course, these dairy foods are packed with protein and calcium.

Don’t get drastic. Make small, simple changes to your diet that you can sustain over time, Kirkpatrick suggests. Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink extra water, and use fewer processed products. Start buying unsweetened foods and add just enough sugar to satisfy your taste. Cut out a little bit of sugar each week. After a few weeks of trimming back the sugar, you’ll be surprised at how little you miss it.

When you’re starving, every cookie cries out to you. Hunger robs you of the willpower to resist sugar cravings. Eating protein is an easy way to curb those cravings. High-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Protein doesn’t make your blood sugar spike, like refined carbs and sugars do. When you pick a protein snack, choose healthy sources like lean chicken, lowfat yogurt, eggs, nuts, or beans.

“Fiber always helps with fullness,” says nutritionist Gerbstadt. High-fiber foods also give you more energy, and they don’t raise your blood sugar so there’s no hungry crash afterward. Look for soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables, as well as insoluble fiber from whole grains. Or, smear some peanut butter on an apple for a protein/fiber combo. As a bonus, fiber can also protect against heart disease and some types of cancer.

Exercise doesn’t “cure” sugar addiction, but it could change the way you eat in general.

“People who get into an exercise program and start to feel bet-

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

ter about themselves are more likely to try another healthy behavior -- like eating less sugar,” Gerbstadt says. Whatever exercise you prefer -- walking, riding your bike, or swimming -- try to do it for at least 30 minutes at a time, five days a week.

Before you sprinkle that packet of artificial sweetener into your coffee, consider this: Researchers have found that sugar substitutes may leave you craving more sugar, making it harder -- not easier -- for you to control your weight. “You never get out of the sense of needing sweet, and eventually you’re going to grab the real stuff,” Kirkpatrick says.

Honey, brown sugar, and evaporated cane juice all sound healthy -- but are they really any better for you than white table sugar? Not really. Sugar is sugar. And whether it comes from bees or sugar cane, it can cause your blood sugar to rise.

Honey and unrefined sugars are slightly higher in nutrients than processed table sugar, but they still contain calories, which will go straight to your hips if you eat too much.

Just because you don’t see the word “sugar” on a food label doesn’t mean it isn’t hiding inside the package. Sugar goes by many different aliases, including: Agave nectar, Brown rice syrup, High-fructose corn syrup, Dextrose, Evaporated cane juice, Glucose, Lactose, Malt syrup, Molasses and Sucrose. Packages that list any form of sugar in the first few ingredients, or contain more than four total grams of sugar aren’t worth the calories.

Sugar isn’t just in ice cream and candy. It can hide in foods where you least expect it. Although you don’t think of them as being sweet, ketchup, barbeque sauce, spaghetti sauce, and reduced-fat salad dressings can all be loaded with sugar.

Bread may also be high in sugar.

So are baked beans and some flavored coffees. Get in the habit of reading labels, and filtering out high-sugar foods before they go into your shopping cart.

You may have heard that too many sugar splurges can lead you straight down the road to diabetes. Sugar doesn’t cause diabetes, but it can trigger a chain of events that make you more likely to get the disease. Eating too much sugar can contribute to weight gain. Being overweight makes your body more resistant to the effects of insulin. And insulin resistance increases your risk for diabetes.

When you first cut back on sugar, you will go through a sort of withdrawal. You may feel tired, listless, or edgy. “It’s very shortlived,” Gerbstadt says. Having goals -- like vowing to lose 10 pounds or cut out desserts for a week -- can help you get through your sugar withdrawal. Knowing that you’ll soon be free from your sugar addiction and on the road to better health can also be a real motivator.

So, to all the Sugar Babies....

Be Sweet but lessen the sweetness in your diet! A Happy and Prosperous New Year to all!

17

EVENTS LIVING

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Greeting 2012 in style

T

hings are different in Davao City, you cannot just smoke anywhere, you cannot drink until sunrise, and pyrotechnics are illegal. So how you may ask, do Dabawenyos celebrate the coming of the New Year?

They celebrate it with family and in style. And the options are many, some opting to travel abroad, some going to Samal Island or Tagum City to experience the many pyro shows, while some other ur-

banites choose to stay at home and bang on their pots and pans. I on the other hand chose to greet the new year at the Marco Polo Hotel’s Hollywood Glam New Year’s Countdown.

Style was the byword of the evening as the ladies were dressed from top to toe with the most stylish dresses. The men were also looking pretty

dapper with their dashing suits and dress shoes. One can say that this was not a typical party in Davao where the men and women would feel content to wear a comfortable tee and jeans.

The party was not an adults only affair as the younger set were given confetti cannons, whistles and clappers, all to make greeting the new year a loud affair. And loud it was, as the clock winds down to midnight, balloons and confetti dropped from above and the banging of pots and pans filled

the air thanks to the chefs on parade.

Definitely a fit and fabulous start for 2012!

C y n t h i a Arwind Santos Dominguez and

Mrs. Patricia Montemayor, Sonny Dizon, Jackie The younger generation of the Garcia Clan.

Dizon and friends.

F. Torres St., Davao City Tel No. 227-3773 - (72) Fax: 295-3485

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Atty Jose Claro Velez with friends Patricia Bermudez Arch. Michael Dakudao, PR Executive and Vince Hizon.

Patty Basa-Tan,Marco Polo Davao General Manager Bruno Simeoni, PR Manager Meg Sta. Ines, and moi.

Dr. Philip Valencia with wife Arch. Agatha Valencia and their Son Miguel Santino

Mr. Tim Lowndes and Fiancee Genevieve Ubales and Ms. Elsa Echevarria and Mr. David Evans.

Dela Paz Family

EDGEDAVAO THE BUSINESS PAPER

games

PHL Azkals vs Korea game to aid Sendong’s victims

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HE United Statesbased Dragon Promotions headed by Charles Williams has sent a message to the Philippines News Agency that the Phil Youghusband-led Azkals will take on one of the top football teams from South Korea on January 21 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

“This will mark the first time the Philippines has faced a South Korean football team, a country where soccer has long been the top sport for decades.

ABS-CBN in partnership with Dragon Promotions will produce and air this highly anticipated match,” said Williams.

South Korea is the most successful Asian country in football in the history of the FIFA World Cup. It has participated in

eight World Cup tournaments, which is the most amount of appearances for an Asian country. It has the most organized football program structure in Asia from juniors to the pro level.

The Azkals have been getting valuable experience against top tier football teams. They will take on one of the top pro teams in South Korea from Inchon.

Many members of the Inchon Korean Team have World Cup experience.

ABS-CBN hopes that Filipinos and Koreans alike should see this as an opportunity for the two Asian communities to bond further. About one million Koreans reside in the Philippines.

The Philippines vs Korea match will be supporting the victims of the flood

from tropical storm “Sendong” (international name: Washi.) Players from both Azkals and Korea will be making appearances and appeals to the Filipino and Korean communities to rise up and support the cause. All ticket proceeds from the game will be donated by ABS-CBN to the charities helping the needy families recover from the disaster.

“We are really excited about our first venture into a new sport. Football is the sport of the world, and we are amazed at the growth of it in the Philippines. It literally feels like an overnight sensation due to the diligent work of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and vast support of ABS-CBN,” added Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions. [PNA]

JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012 VOL. 4 NO. 45

19

Golfer of the week

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Angela Stanford

ROWING up in Texas, Stanford began collecting golf accolades early, winning the Fort Worth Girls Championship four times, the 1996 Texas State 4A High School Championship and the 1996 PING Texas State Jr. Championship. While at Texas Christian University, Stanford won nine collegiate tournaments, was a four time All-American and a four time All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) selection.

She was named 1997 WACFreshman of the Year and 1999 WAC Player of the Year.

Stanford was a member of the 2000 U.S. Curtis Cup Team, a semi-finalist at the British Amateur Championship and winner of the 2000 WAC Championship.

In 2000, Stanford turned professional and won the Futures Tour Championship on the Futures Tour. She tied for fourth at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn exempt status for the 2001 LPGA season. In 2001, her best finish was a tie for 15th at the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic. In 2002, Angela›s best finish was a tie for second place at the First Union Betsy King Classic.

In 2003, she became a Rolex First- Time Winner at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, where she led wire to wire. She was also a member of the 2003 U.S. Solheim Cup Team.

In 2004, Stanford recorded two top 10s: McDonalds LPGA Championship presented b y Coca-Cola and the KelloggKeebler Classic, where she tied for fifth. At the Michelob ULTRA at Kingsmill later in the year she crossed the $1 million mark in career earnings.

Stanford recorded a season- best tie for third at the BMO Financial Group Canadians Women›s Open in 2005.

Later that year, she went to tie for 10th at the U.S. Women›s Open.

In 2006, Stanford›s best finish was a second place finish at the CN Canadian›s Women›s Open. Later that year, she tied for second at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship benefiting the Monroe Carell Jr. Children›s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Stanford was a member of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup Team; posted a 2-0-1 record in her second apperance on the

U.S. adally posted 1 2

Team in 2007. ditionshe top- 1 0

finishes in 24 starts.

Wase tied for third at the MasterCard Class i c Honoring Alejo Peralta where she crossed the $ 2 Milllion mark in career earnings.

In 2008, she recorded her second and third LPGA victories. Stanford carded a career- low 62 in the first round of the Safeway International and crossed the $3 Million mark in career earnings at the SemGroup Championship presented by John Q. Hammons, where she finished tied for third.

In 2009, won the seasonopening SBS Open at Turtle Bay, where she crossed the $4 million mark in career earnings. she was the runner-up at the Sybase Match Play Championship, helping her cross the $5 million mark in career earnings.

Donaire, Chavez headline doubleheader Shakey’s girls volley

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HREE-DIVISION world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire and undefeated world middleweight champion and the son of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will headline a world title doubleheader, Saturday, February 4, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Donaire will rumble with former junior featherweight champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight title. The fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Chávez Jr. will be taking on No. 1 contender Marco Antonio Rubio.

Donaire (27-1, 18 KOs),

resumes January 14

title in as many weight divisions. That victory has been named the 2011 Knockout of the Year. Ten of Donaire’s last 12 victories have come by way of knockout. In his last fight, Donaire successfully defended his World Bantamweight Championship blitzing undefeated Omar Narvaez and winning virtually every round

en route to a unanimous decision win.

Vazquez (21-1-1, 18 KOs), of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, strung together a fouryear, 21-bout unbeaten streak, beginning with his pro debut, culminating with Vazquez winning the WBO junior featherweight championship. Vazquez captured the world title in 2010, knocking out Marvin Sonsona in the fourth round. He successfully defended the title twice during the following eight months, scoring knockouts of Zsolt Bedak and Ivan Hernandez in the 10th and 11th rounds, respectively. After losing the title to Jorge Arce in May, he bounced back in October with a thirdround knockout of Roberto Leyva. [TOP RANK BOXING]

But while the 42-0 winloss record owner remains behind bars, perhaps the whole of 2012, no thanks to his other cases, Pacquiao will be busy in the ring and as a congressman.

“Yes, Manny will be as busy fighting even without Mayweather,” Pacquiao’s American trainer Freddie Roach declared. “The Mayweather fight can wait, but we can’t wait for him.”

“We’re going to fight in May or in June,” Roach said in an interview with this writer.

“We don’t know yet the exact date, but for sure, our first fight in 2012 will in the spring

as a tradition the past several years. The regular scheduled second bout could be held as usual in November.”

“If Floyd is available and is willing to accept the challenge, then we’ll go for him because not only has Manny already reiterated his willingness to face him but, as we already know, that’s the fight the entire boxing world has been craving,” Roach said.

Four names are being mentioned -– world lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, former victim Miguel Cotto, world junior welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson. [PNA]

OTTIE Ardina hopes to nail the only missing jewel in her wide trophy collection as she shoots for her first Philippine Ladies Open diadem against a tough international field beginning Jan. 11 at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s East course.

The many-time Junior World champion actually got a crack last year, taking charge in the first day only to lose steam in the last two rounds, losing by six to twotime champion Chihiro Ikeda at The Country Club.

But the 17-year-old spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad is all primed up this year, raring to open her cam-

paign with a victory right on the golden staging of the country’s premier ladies golf championship sponsored by Champion Infinity.

“I’ve prepared hard for this and I’m in tip-top condition,” said Ardina. “But it will be tough since there are a lot of good players. Kung para sa akin, sa akin talaga, kung hindi okay lang.”

The reigning Queen Sirikit Cup champion will be facing a hordes of challengers in the 54-hole event organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Phils., including fellow ICTSI teammates Andie Unson, Sarah Ababa of Davao, Sunshine Baraquiel, Lovelynn Guioguio

and former champions Jayvie Agojo and Cyna Rodriguez.

The event also drew a slew of foreign players, including SEA Games silver medalist Pinrath Loomboonruang, who will lead a talentladen Thailand squad out to end the Filipinas’ domination of the event.

Loomboonruang, who nipped Ardina for the individual gold medal in last year’s year’s Santi Cup, the ladies side of the Southeast Asia Amateur Golf Team Championship, is seeking to become only the third Thai player to win the country’s premier ladies championship after Rika Dila in 1984 and Yupaporn Kawinpakorn in 2007.

ners, four males and two females, for the 42-km marathon.

Thousands of local runners from General Santos and Mindanao are likewise expected to take part in the 3k, 5k, and 10k fun runs that will be open to both men and women runners. zetch of General Santos City to Alabel, Sarangani and back. [MinDA] “The BIMP-EAGA Mara-

thon Friendship Run officially launches the 7th BIMP EAGA Friendship Games of 2012, which will be discussed in a special meeting by all ministers and delegation heads next week,” PSC chair Ritchie Garcia bared.

He added that this year’s 7th BIMP EAGA Friendship Games are tentatively scheduled in December and will be jointly hosted by General Santos City and theProvince of Sarangani.[MinDA]

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hand to them as a second beneficiary of the run.”

The 12K champion will receive RunClub Gift Certificates worth P6,000 while the runner- up will get P4,000 worth of gift certificates. The next three finishers will go home with P3,000, P2,000 and P1,000 worth of RunClub Gift Certificates.

The top three 5.5K finishers will claim RunClub Gift Certificates worth P5,000, P3,000 and P2, 000. Registration is on-going at RunClub Davao at Plaza del Carmen Loyola St., Barrio Obrero.

a native of General Santos City, Philippines, now living in the Bay Area of San Leandro, Calif., is a consensus topfive pound for pound fighter. He enters this fight riding a nine-year, 26-bout winning streak, which includes an IBF/ IBO flyweight title fifth round knockout victory over defending champion Vic Darchinyan, and a fourth-round blasting of former WBA bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko, December 4, 2010. However, Donaire’s most impressive victory occurred on February 19, when he knocked out defending WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in the second round, ending Montiel’s 25bout winning streak while also claiming his third world

Donaire

A

CTION in the ninth Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League resumes Jan. 14 with the staging of the Northern Luzon leg elims at the University of Cordilleras in Baguio City and the Central Luzon qualifiers at the Angeles University Foundation in Pampanga.

The event drew a total of 98 teams representing eight regions with Pajo National High School clinching the first finals berth after topping the Cebu regional elims recently.

Berths in the national championship, also known as the Shakey’s Tournament of Champions, is slated March 21-24 in Davao City, with Imus Institute, University of Perpetual

Help-Laguna, Holy Rosary College, Christian Values School and De La Salle Lipa raring to step up their bid in their respective divisions in the Southern Luzon leg.

The Western Visayas regional elims, backed by Toby’s Sports, Mikasa, Asics, Philippine Volleyball Federation, Metro Sports and Volley Prep, will start Jan. 21 in Iloilo and on Jan. 22 in Bacolod, according to Metro Sports tournament director coach Johanz Buenvenida.

The NCR qualifiers, on the other hand, will be held Jan. 29 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City while hostilities in the Eastern Visayas and Davao regional legs will start Feb. 17.PR

Pacquiao’s possible 2012 fights Dottie seeks first Ladies Open crown D S

By Eddie G. Alinea

TARTING January 7, undefeated American World Boxing Council welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. starts his 90day jail term handed down by a Las Vegas Justice of the Peac Judge Melissa Saragosa following his plea of guilt on a lesser domestic violence charge filed by his ex-wife in 2010.

Meaning, he will be living behind bars until no earlier than March in the process killing all the hopes of seeing him face Filipino World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) 147-pound division champion May 5 in Las Vegas.

BIMP-EAGA Friendship Run kicks off in General Santos

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UNNERS from all across the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) are set to compete in a Marathon Friendship Run slated on January 12 in General Santos City.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), which is organizing the event, said BIMP-EAGA countries will each field a team of six run-

NB RunClub race for a cuase

HE New Balance RunClub Challenge 2012 will have a second beneficiary. RunClub Davao announced recently that aside from the Agdao-based beneficiary, they will also extend help to the Sendong victims through the Philippine Red Cross.

Monchit Mackay of RunClub Davao said that “We want to extend help to the severely affected people in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

So, we decided to extend a

The New Balance RunClub Challenge 2012 already announced late last year that they will help the elderly indigent people of an Agdaobased organization.

The footrace set on January 15 features the twelvekilometer (12K) and 5.5K categories and will start at the Pryce Business Park going to Quirino Ave. and McArthur Highway towards Matina.

eVENT 20

VOL. 4 NO. 45 JANUARY 09 - 15, 2012

You can now buy your favorite Business Paper from any of these establishments still at Php 15.

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Gen. Santos Drive, Koronadal City Telefax No.: (083) 520-0816 Mobile No.: 0922-843-9427 email: manggorio09@yahoo.com

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2F Meetrovi, South Osmeña St., General Santos City Tel No. (083)- 301-1991

Tel No. (083)- 553-2211

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A fun-filled christmas for barangay children

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IDS from Barangay 20-B headed by Brgy Captain Gina Murillo were treated to an afternoon of fun, music and games at a Christmas party sponsored by Abreeza Mall & Robinsons Dept Store, as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities last Dec 29, 2011.

Abreeza Mall’s activity center was jam-packed with over 100 kids, aged between 5 to 12 years old, along with some mall goers who dropped by and witnessed the program. The barangay kid’s party was a fun-filled entertainment showcase of magic and amazing car-

nival exhibitions with lovable mascots and hosts in their Santa Claus costume.

The children took part in a number of games and were presented with prizes and lootbags.

“It was a fabulous event which brought joy to our kids”, said Capt. Murillo.

“Some of them were firsttimers to join such a wonderful party, their joy was infectious and their spirit inspiring. We enjoyed the event as much as they did.”

The celebration is an expression of Abreeza Malls’ & Robinsons’ commitment to give something back to the community.