BusinessDaily Mindanao (April 25, 2013 Issue)

INSIDE LOOK

Muslim youth holds intramurals in Sarangani

Education improves life of IPs

PHL gets $4.6-M for clean power projects Ayala, AboitizLand groups

Kia’s new ‘Horki’ unvield

BusinessDaily Economy

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Motoring

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Volume III, No. 199

Market Indicators

As of 6:07 pm apr. 24, 2013 (Wednesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P41.28

6,972.69 points

X Briefly 9.67 points

X

5 cents

URC ethanol plant UNIVERSAL Robina Corp (URC) recently broke ground for its $35 million ethanol distillery plant, which will produce ethanol fuel in support of the government’s efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on imported ethanol.

The plant, located in the company’s sugar central facility in Manjuyod town in Negros Oriental, will start operations in March 2014. It will produce some 100,000 liters per day or 30 million liters of ethanol fuel each year, according to Renato Cabati, general manager of Universal Robina Sugar Milling Corp (URSUMCO).

The distillery plant will run mostly on blackstrap molasses, a by-product of sugar.

Bio-ethanol is used to fuel cars in 12 countries, Cabati said, including Brazil where one third of their cars use pure bioethanol as fuel while the remaining two-thirds use a mixture of gasoline and ethanol.

Oil crushing mill KORONADAL City -- The province of North Cotabato will construct the first palm oil crushing mill in the province which will be situated in the palm oil factory site in Barangay Tacupan in the municipality of Carmen.

This project is aimed at helping palm oil farmers as well as job seekers to raise their income and to offer them job opportunities respectively.

In the groundbreaking ceremony held yesterday, N o r t h C o t a b a t o G o v.

Em m y l o u “ L a l a ” Ta l i ñ o M e n d oz a s ai d t hat t hi s project is a joint venture between his father, Carmen Mayor Roger Taliño and the Univanich Palm Oil Public Company of Thailand.

She also emphasized that no single amount from the government will be spent for the project as this is his father’s dream as means of helping the people of Carmen as well as the people in the province.

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‘Airport ready for flights’ Laguindingan airport passes safety test: DOTC

By FROILAN GALLARDO MindaNews

L

a g u i nd i nga n, M i s a m i s Oriental -- Two single engine turboprop light planes made successful landings here Tuesday morning proving that the P7.8billion Laguindingan Airport is safe and ready for commercial passenger t ra f f ic, aviation officials said.

Fi rst to la nd at t he airport’s 2,100-meter runway was a small Piper Seneca plane followed by a Pilatus 12 turbo-prop plane carrying several technicians of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

“The airport is fantastic.

Laguindingan airport is safe. It is comparable to the airports in the neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia,” Capt. Harry Lero, pilot of the Pilatus 12 aircraft, said.

Lero said Laguindingan Airport is more suitable for small and big planes compared to the old Lumbia airport which is located at a much higher elevation in Cagayan de Oro City.

“During the rainy season (Lumbia airport) is covered airport/PAGE 11

FIRST LANDING. A single engine turbo-pro Pilatus 12 carrying technicians from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines land at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental Tuesday, April 23, 2013. The Pilatus 12 and a Piper Seneca plane were the first to land at the airport to evaluate its safety and readiness. The opening of the airport was moved from April 30 to June 15. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

Most Filipinos remain poor despite growth: NSCB report

STILL POOR. Despite the reported growth, most Filipinos still live under the poverty threshold.

photo by mio cade

CIty government commends Cag. de Oro’s top taxpayers

By CRIS DIAZ, Sub-Editor

THE city government on Wednesday released the 10 top payers of real property tax here where Cagayan de Oro based Nestle Philippines Inc.

vested nine other companies, City Mayor Vicente Emano said Nestle Philippines Inc. commends/PAGE 11

J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS., (NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY) DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

THE Philippines has failed to make headway in cutting rampant poverty, with more than one in four citizens deemed poor despite the country’s economic growth, according to census figures released Tuesday.

The July 2012 poverty rate of 27.9 percent is practica lly unchanged from 2006 and 2009

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data, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board.

Filipinos forced to live on less than US$0.62 a day are considered poor, according to the government’s poverty threshold.

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said underemployment in rural areas, security poor/PAGE 11

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Villar: Environmental issues now getting attention ON Earth Day, former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar said she is glad that the environment is now getting all the attention as she calls on more people to get actively involved in supporting and fighting for environmental causes.

“It is long delayed actually, but it is good that more and more people are becoming more aware and actively involved in env i ron ment a l issues.

Everyone’s help counts.

villar

This is a universal issue a nd hu ma n concer n that transcends political leanings or even personal interests. We should all be in this together because this is the only Earth we got,” said Villar, managing director of Villar Foundation, which has numerous environmentrelated prog r a ms a nd projects.

On its 21st year, the Villar Foundation’s first project was tree-planting villar/PAGE 11

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NFA-12 surpasses 1Q Education improves life of IPs palay buying target

By ANTHONY S. ALLADA Contributor

GEN ER A L Sa ntos Cit y -- -- The National Food Authority (NFA) in Region 12 has purchased a total of 181,540 bags of palay from local farmers during the first three months of the year, almost doubling from its procurement target for the period.

Raul Chong, NFA Region 12 director, said Wednesday the agency’s palay purchases in the region during the first quarter exceeded its pro c u re me nt t a r ge t of 104,000 bags by 77,540 bags or an accomplishment rating of 174.56 percent.

Region 12, which is also known as the Soccsksargen Re g ion, c ompr i s e s t he provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani a nd Nor t h Cotabato as well as the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Chong said Su lta n Kudarat province posted the highest procurement rating with 196 percent, followed

by South Cotabato with 144 percent and North Cotabato with 134.8 percent.

He s a id t h e i r t ot a l disbursements for pa lay procurement during the first quarter reached P147.5 million.

The funds were sourced

from the NFA central office’s cereal procurement fund, he said.

Chong attributed their accomplishment during the first quarter of the year to the substantial palay harvests in the region during the period and their intensified “Ugnayan” or information campaign in the last quarter of 2012.

The NFA central office l au nc he d t he Ug nay a n project last year to properly inform farmers regarding its procurement activities, especially the government’s support prices for corn and rice.

“We were able to increase our procurement capacity through the activation of our mobile buying stations,” t he of f icia l sa id i n t he Department of Agriculture Region 12’s regular radio program “Agri Watch.”

Un d e r N FA’s p a l a y procurement program, the agency is buying palay at the current support price of P17 per kilo for clean and dry palay or those with 14 percent moisture content and with purity A level.

Palay deliveries falling below t his specif ication can also be accommodated subject to price adjustment nfa/PAGE 11

CARMEN, Davao del Norte– Melecio Bustamante, 66, never thought that he would ever see the day that he will be able to read and write.

Like many members of an indigenous people (IP) community in Barangay Tibulao, Carmen, Bustamante never went to school and was deprived of acquiring basic literacy until two years ago.

The elderly native basketmaker recounted how life was so difficult and sad during his illiterate days.

“Life was so difficult when I was still unable to read and write,” he said in vernacular, adding “my grandchildren and neighbors often trick me.”

That was when he could not even write his name and count money.

Bu st a ma nte a nd h is w i fe, Nen ita , 71, ma ke both ends meet by making ethnic handicrafts, such as beadworks, baskets, and the likes.

The couple just tried to remember the faces of their clients as they were

not capable of writing their names. As they employ the computing skills of their g ra ndch i ld ren i n t hei r transactions, the couple often had the feeling of being tricked by the businessmen and the kids.

“There were times when the payment seemed lesser when in fact we traded more,” he lamented.

Going to the market at the poblacion was further a nightmare for both since they often got lost as they could not read the street signs and prices of grocery items.

Until one day, life made a complete turnaround when the couple, who were both

widowman/woman with five children each from their previous marriages, joined the IP-Basic Literacy Program (BIP) in their village.

The IP-BIP is a component of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) implemented by t he D e p a r t ment of Education and supported by the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte.

Bustamante swore many beautiful things happened from the time they attended the adult literacy class.

“People will no longer trick me nor make fun of me,” he beamed.

A l l t he s e a nd more happened because of the

literacy class, which allowed him to gain self-confidence and trust.

Bustamante and his wife were the oldest among the 120 completers of the IP-BIP, who had their completion exercises at the Bulwagan ng Lalawigan on April 23.

A f ter re a l i z i ng how important education is, he vowed to continue to the higher levels of the ALS so long as his physical condition warrants.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario affirmed the continued support of the province to the program necessa r y in uphold ing t he lea rner’s aspirat ion for further learning and meaningful participation in society.

“Learning is important for you to be able improve your lot and contribute to the progress of your own communities,” he said.

The governor reiterated that education remains a priority of his administration, particularly through his human-centered development agenda, known as P.E.O.P.L.E. (PNA)

PhilHealth reimposes 2 percent surcharge PAGADIAN City -- The Corporation (PhilHealth) is Philippine Health Insurance reimposing the two percent monthly surcharge on late and/or non-remittances of premium contributions by employers.

PhilHealth provincial chief Estrella Manantan on Wednesday said the reimposition of the two percent monthly surcharge is pursuant to PhilHealth Circular No. 0004 series of 2013.

Ma na nt a n s a id t he employers are mandated to remit the monthly premium of their employees on or before the 10th day of the succeeding month.

The payment should be made on the next working day in case the deadline falls on Holiday, Saturday or Sunday based on the Phi lHea lt h g uidelines, Manantan said.

All monthly premiums

beyond the set due dates sha l l automat ica l ly be charged a t wo percent monthly interest, Manantan added.

T h e i mp o s i t i on o f the surcharge is aimed to en ha nce col lec t ion efficiency, she said.

The collection efficiency will pave the way for an improved benefit package and better health insurance program, she said. (PNA)

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Motoring

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BMW X4 concept SUV at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show.

Kia’s new ‘Horki’ unvield KIA Motors Corporation’s joint venture in China, Dongfeng Yueda Kia (DYK), has unveiled a new Chinesemarket concept and a new local brand name at the Shanghai Motor Show.

Unveiled on the joint v e nt u r e ’s s h ow s t a n d , DYK has announced the new brand will be called “Horki” which combines two Chinese characters, “Hor” signifying China and “Ki” signifying driving. Together the word suggests harmony and driving. The brand also revealed a China-market only concept which is based on

Kia’s all-new Cerato (Forte) platform.

Kia announced that the new brand is aimed at better meeting the specific needs of Chinese customers and will allow Kia Motors and its joint venture to follow a dual brand strategy with clear distinction between the passion, sportiness and style of Kia products and t he practica l, economic and trustworthiness of the planned Horki vehicles.

It was also announced that the new brand would make its first appearance on Horki/PAGE 11

Motoring News Briefly MyCars.ph GET SOLD CORP., a Summit Media and Ringier AG joint venture, last week launched its online vehicle classifieds, MyCars.ph, which has rocked the online car buying and selling scene since it went live in September 2012. MyCars. ph is able to attract over 100,000 visitors and close to 1,000,000 page views a month, which has helped boost inquiries and sales conversions for its database of over 15,700 listings for brand-new and pre-owned vehicles.

“MyCars is about moving the car dealerships online and bringing them closer to these potential buyers,” said Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, president of Summit Media. Guests at the launch were told of plans to further improve the web site to deliver better results and greater ease-of-use for both sellers and buyers.

Volvo detection THE VOLVO CAR GROUP rolled out another world first in automotive safety at the Geneva Motor Show: technology that detects and automatically brakes for cyclists swerving in front of the car. Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake consists of a radar unit integrated into the car’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rear-view mirror and a central control unit.

With advanced sensor technology, it is then possible to apply full braking power immediately.

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SHANGHAI — Chinese carmaker BYD gave pride of place to its new S7 SUV at the Shanghai auto show Saturday while another of its models, a fully-electric vehicle, languished in a corner with only a handful of visitors.

The contrast is indicative of the battle in the auto sector with gas-guzzling SUVs blazing past green-energy cars despite state incentives to promote cleaner vehicles in a bid to tackle the country’s air pollution crisis.

The most popular cars are far from the most fuel efficient, undercutting an attempt by authorities to reduce auto emissions and fend off growing smog.

“Certainly in China, you have people who

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afp file photo

want to have a big car because big is still what matters here,” said Klaus Paur, Shanghaibased global director of automotive research at Ipsos.

SUV sales jumped 43.5 percent in the first three months of the year, outpacing the 17.2 percent growth seen for the entire passenger vehicle segment.

In an effort to promote new-energy vehicles, the Chinese government has offered buyers incentives as high as 60,000 yuan ($9,700) while Shanghai gives up to another 40,000 yuan, the state-run China Daily has

reported.

But electric and hybrid car sales were a paltry 7,200 units in the first quarter of this year, according to industry estimates.

T he t rend do e s not bode wel l for Beiji ng’s goal of seeing five million alternative-energy vehicles on the road by 2020.

“Just like ever y where else in the world, China did not make any significant breakthrough” in this area, said John Zeng, head of the Asia-Pacific for LMC Automotive. suv/PAGE 10

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Muslim youth holds intramurals in Sarangani ALABEL , Sarangani (April 22, 2013) – Around 4,000 guests and delegates from the 49 Islamic schools in Sarangani joined this year’s Musabaqah, an event the province is holding to develop sportsmanship among Muslim youth through academic and athletic competitions.

Set on April 23-25, the Musabaqah is an intramurals where pupi ls f rom t he Mada ris centers w it hin the six coastal towns of Sarangani meet every other year.

The activity, according to peace program officer Jocely n La mbac Kanda, is a venue to “develop the character or sportsmanship, physical well-being, self confidence, and will also entice the young Muslims of Sarangani to strive more both in curricular and extracurricular engagements” thru engaging in sports and literary contests.

Arabic education through Madaris school program is among the successful i nit iat ives of Gover nor Migs Dominguez which has become a model for Muslim youth education even in Muslim Mindanao.

Kanda said the program has been implemented as private learning institutions offering informal education “where you ng Musl i ms acquire Arabic literacy, learn good values and understand the Holy Qur’an as guidance in economic, social, and spiritual aspects in their daily life,” Kanda said.

She explained t he

provincial government of Sarangani has been extending suppor t to t he program through the provision of honoraria to the Asatidz or Mada ris faci litators, school materials and regular t e a c h i n g e n h a nc e m e nt trainings.

The project, according to Kanda, “works to promote peace t hroug h mainstreaming the Muslim population through provision of relevant Arabic Education and promotion of cultural practices.” She pointed out the holding of the Musabaqah is an avenue for these youth to appreciate more of their culture.

Ka nd a a lso sa id t he continuous support of the provincial government to the program “ justifies its commitment to peace and development by producing educated and productive young generation of Muslim

The 4th Provincial Musabaqah with the OlymPeace 2013 as highlight opens with a parade Tuesday, April 23, at the Sarangani Capitol grounds. The parade was accompanied by a police brass band. photo by jake t. narte/sarangani information office

youth who are expected to be responsible and law

abid i ng cit i zens i n t he future.” (Beverly C. Paoyon/

Sa r a nga n i I n for mat ion Office)

Peaceful polls TESDA to hold skills training for poorest of the poor in Region 12 inMaguindanao possible- police GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The Technical Education and Sk ills Development Aut hor it y (T E SDA) i n

Southwestern Mindanao is set to launch next month a series of skills trainings for beneficiaries of the national

government’s conditional cash transfer program in the region.

Zeus Ampuyas, TESDA

Region 12 director, said We d n e s d a y t h e y h a v e identified five municipalities in three provinces in the region as beneficiaries of the skills trainings, which is dubbed cash-for-training program or C4TP. He said t he program mainly aims to provide more livelihood opportunities and eventua l ly improve the socio-economic status of t he region’s “poorest of the poor” households that are supported by the gover n ment ’s Pa nt aw id Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato as well as t he cities of Genera l Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

TESDA earlier launched the program as part of the government’s convergence initiatives for beneficiaries of the 4Ps, which is implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“We will start the training program as soon as we receive the endorsement of DSWD12, identifying the priority beneficiaries who will be provided with the skills trainings,” Ampuyas said.

The of f icia l said t he identified priority areas for the program are Maasim and Malapatan towns in Sarangani Province; Lake Sebu and Tboli in South Cotabato; and Senator Ninoy Aquino in Sultan Kudarat.

Ampuyas said t he program primarily caters to “poor and marginal groups, those who cannot access, or are not accessible by formal tesda/PAGE 11

S H A R I F F AGUA K , Maguindanao (VERA Files t hrough Minda News/24 Apri l) — Mag uinda nao gained notoriet y as t he province where 58 people were massacred in 2009, but elections here can be peaceful and orderly, the police provincial director said.

“As long as we help one another, follow Comelec rules and keep our heads cool, I think we can have peaceful and orderly elections,” Senior Superintendent Rodelio B. Jocson said in Filipino.

Jocson, who was interviewed

by VERA Files at Camp Datu Akilan in Shariff Aguak, said the usual reported incidents are family clashes or rido but there haven’t been any hot encounters among political rivals.

Based on the provincial police records from January to March this year, the index distribution counts 57 crimes committed against persons a nd 41 c r i me s a ga i n s t property.

Of the 57 crimes against persons, 18 were murder, five frustrated murder, eight homicide, 23 physical injury and three rape while of the 41 crimes against property there were 18 robberies, nine thefts, eight carnappings and six cattle rustling. Jocson said the statistics include election related incidents but refused to elaborate.

W hen asked if t he Philippine National Police has identif ied watchlist areas in the province, he said they have to draw up a final one. He, however, said that the PNP is monitoring least five partisan/private

armed groups (PAGs) in Maguindanao.

The provincial police’s security plan includes the installation of checkpoints in strategic locations, the conduc t of cont i nuou s patrols, and maintaining high alert against PAGs. Maguindanao is a province located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which is known as the site of the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan Massacre.

The incident made headlines as the worst election related v iolent i ncident i n t he country that claimed the lives of 58 individuals, 32 of them members of the media.

After the massacre, the Independent Commission Against Private Armies (ICAPA) otherwise known as the Zeñarosa Commission was created. Retired Court of Appeals Justice Monina Zeñarosa headed ICAPA. A s of Apr i l 2 010, a presidential election year, the commission reported there were three PAGs in the province with 1,596 members, the most number of members among all PAGs nationwide.

That year, the region also had the most number of PAGs with a total of 20 followed by the Bicol region that listed 15 and the Ilocos region with 12.

But while the police have yet to finalize the watchlist a re a s i n t he prov i nc e , ARMM election watchdog Cit i z en s C o a l it ion for ARMM Electoral Reforms, Inc. (Citizen’s CARE) has identified 59 municipalities in ARMM, 19 of them in polls/PAGE 11

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RealEstate

Ayala, AboitizLand groups partner for Cebu projects

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THE real estate units of the Ayala and Aboitiz with the country’s premier groups have partnered for the development of developer, who we believe shares our vision of creating properties in Cebu.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Ayala Land Inc (ALI) said it “agreed in principle” with AboitizLand Inc to enter into a 50-50 joint venture for real estate projects in the so-called queen city of the south.

“We are excited about the prospect of entering into this joint venture and gaining a well-established and strong partner in Cebu such as AboitizLand,” said Antonino Aquino, ALI president and chief executive officer. “ T h i s i s c o n s i s t e nt with our growth strategy of establishing more

developments in the major urban areas of the country, Cebu being one of the most progressive metropolitan areas in the Philippines,” he said.

ALI expects to “generate synergies by combining the experience of AboitizLand in developing diverse real estate products in Cebu, with Ayala Land’s expertise in building a full range of real estate formats including large scale, integrated, mixeduse communities,” Aquino said. “ We w e l c o m e t h i s opportunity to work with Aya la La nd. Par t nering

long term value for the Cebu community, is a strategic step i n a n i ncreasi ng ly competitive environment,” sa id A ndoni Aboitiz, AboitizLand president and CEO. T his is not t he f irst partnership between the Ayala and Aboitiz groups.

Together with Texas-based A D C & H A S A i r p or t s Inc, t he t wo Phi lippine conglomerates have formed a consortium that is bidding for the project to expand and operate the Mactan-Cebu International Airport under the government’s publicprivate partnership (PPP) scheme.

Ayala and AboitizLand real estate expertise are expected to further boost Cebu’s property sector.

AboitizLand has investments in residential, commercial and industrial developments, as well as property management.

AboitizLand, through its

unit Cebu Industrial Park Developers Inc, operates two economic zones in Cebu: the Mactan Economic Zone II in Barangay Mactan, Lapu Lapu City; and the West

Cebu Industrial Park in Balamban.

Last year, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc gained full ownership of AboitizLand for P3.2 billion.

Melco Crown raises $377M Highlands doubles capex, through equity placement targets two-fold gains MELCO Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. has raised $ 377 million in fresh capital from the sale of about one billion common shares to institutional buyers.

Its stabilization agent UBS said the equity placement

was priced at P14 per share, the top-end of the P11-P14 price range.

“The orderbook was over six times oversubscribed with 140 investors,” said Lauro Baja, managing director for UBS in the Philippines.

Baja said Asia took up 48 percent; United States, 37 percent; and Europe, 15 percent. The 72 percent went to long-only and anchor investors.

Melco Crown Philippines raises/PAGE 10

HIGHLANDS Prime Inc (HPI) is more than doubling its capital expenditures to partly finance the expansion of its la nd ba n k a nd diversification of its product offerings as it aims to double its net income this year.

On the sidelines of the firm’s annual stockholders meeting, HPI senior vice president Shirley Ong told reporters that it is allotting P650 million for capex this year, higher than the close to P300 million spent in 2012.

A little over P500 million will be spent on the second phase of the mountain-resort i n spi re d c ondom i n iu m community Woodridge Place, while P150 million will be earmarked for acquisition doubles/PAGE 10

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CHENG ORDOÑEZ Executive Editor

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Associate Editor

ALLAN MEDIANTE Managing Editor Shaun yap uy Section Editor

Ruel Pelone

CHRISTINE CABIASA

cris panganiban

CLIFFORD SANTILLAN RONALD B. MASTAIL

Online editor

Regional Editor

Cris diaz mike baños butch enerio Sub-Editors JOE DEL PUERTO FELICILDA URIEL C. QUILINGUING Editorial Consultants

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COMMENTARY Church doctrines and economics at the crossroad

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he long wait is over. The RH Bill legislation, House Bill No. 4244, to recall has the Tourism H i - way been in Congress for the last

By Ped Quiamjot twelve months.

It has been advocated for 13 years by the previous Lawmakers of the 13th and 14th Congress.

For many years it hangs the life of our poor families over women’s rights to birth control and contraception’s and support from the government for maternal health care over the stand favored by the Catholic Church that preaches life and the right to be born?

Many of the legislators who purportedly support and cast the “Yes” votes and finally approved the controversial bill have spoken defeating the pro-life advocates which draws their strength from the Church backed doctrines.

Some quarters alleged that “money change hands during the debate period orchestrated by the multinational drug companies who were suspected of lobbying for the passage of the bill”.

The Church on the other hand has “threatened” that the legislators who will support the RH Bill will suffer the backlash in the coming 2013 Elections? Could this be the reason for the delay and why it took time to submit HB No. 4244 to a plenary conference for fear of losing during the division of the house?

The same fear for the RH Bill proponents over their apprehensions and the risk of antagonizing the Church and losing the votes of their constituents in the next year’s election? In fact there were those who abstained by intentionally making their absence during the voting at the lower house?

The President himself who was pushing for the passage of this bill has called on Congress for a dinner conference in Malacañang that has elicited varied reactions from the quiamjot/PAGE 7

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Bread and butter

There was a baker who bought his butter from a local farmer.

One day the baker decided to weigh the butter.

He was surprised that the farmer had been giving him less butter but still charging him the same price.

The baker got very angry!

He told the farmer he was a dishonest crook and took him to court.

In court the judge asked the farmer: “Do you have measuring weights and scales?

The farmer answered no.

So the judge asked: “Then how do you weigh the pound of butter you sell to the baker?”

The farmer said: “When the baker started buying butter from me I wanted to help him too, so I started buying his bread for my family.

Since then I’ve been using the baker’s 1-pound loaf of bread as the weight to measure my butter.

So if the weight of the butter is wrong, that means the baker has been dishonest and selling less than a full pound loaf of bread to me!”

Many of us are quick to see the faults and wrongs of others, but we’re slow to see and admit our own.

In fact, many times we draw attention to other people’s problems and faults precisely because we don’t want to

face our own.

We think we’re wise experts A Minute at k nowing what’s wrong

By Jhan Tiafau Hurst with everyone else, yet we’re completely blind to our own weaknesses and character flaws.

But even if that other person does have something wrong with them, our own wrong of judging them can be even worse than what we’re judging them for!

This is why Jesus Christ warned us that we will end up being judged by the same judgment we made on someone else!

But if we will honestly admit to Jesus what’s wrong with our own character and way of living, Jesus will forgive us and give us His inner power.

He can start fixing and changing our heart, so we’ll be free to genuinely love others instead of looking for their faults.

Just Think a Minute…

THINK

LGU’s can allocate funds to the offices of their local Comelec officers?

T

he omnibus election law already prohibits the disbursement of public funds during election period, and rightfully so; the rationale is to prevent incumbents from using public funds to their advantage to perpetrate themselves into power ad infinitum.

However, the same law also allows LGUs to allocate the so-called “election reserve fund” for the requirements of their respective election officer.

What gives? LGU’s pass these ordinances specifically for this purpose. This highly inappropriate ordinance creates the relationship with the Comelec officer and worst of all generates the “utang na loob” with the incumbent LGU officers and their allies. Imagine, an election officer asking for funds from the LGU for cellphone load cards, meals, transportation allowances, t-shirts, etc.

There is talk of some LGU’s that give up to P5M for favors such like allowing their troop of voters to vote first. They are told to wear gray ribbons for example (for identification) whiles those without disenfranchised.

Such practice is unfortunately sanctioned by law and is also cause for the dreaded dynasties in the Philippines.

Incumbents are allowed to perpetrate themselves into power because they use government funds to do it.

The issue with hiring of job contract casuals, especially during election season is another issue.

This relationship is cause for graft and corruption but is the seeming practice in the local districts. While Comelec elections officers are shuffled to avoid familiarity with the LGU’s, upon entry the traditional practice of “pasalubong” or gifts awarded is the reality.

T

SUPER

This distorts the function of the election officer to favor B randing one candidate or party over By Harry Tambuatco another. And should this practice not be allowed, how is it this practice is authorized

by LGU’s?

Section 10 and 50 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that: “Sec. 10.

Election expenses. - Except in barangay elections, such expenses as may be necessary and reasonable in connection with the elections, referenda, plebiscites and other similar exercises shall be paid by the Commission.

The Commission may direct that in the provinces, cities, or municipalities, the election expenses chargeable to the Commission be advanced by the province, city or municipality concerned subject to reimbursement by the Commission upon presentation of the proper bill.

Funds needed by the Commission to defray the expenses for the holding of regular and special elections, referenda and plebiscites shall be provided in the regular appropriations of the Commission which, upon request, shall immediately be released to the Commission.

In case of deficiency, the amount so provided shall be augmented from the special activities funds in the tambuatco/PAGE 7

Adopting the ‘Emano peace formula’

he proposal to localize peace talks with the communist rebels is a proven methodology to attain a stable peace in the concerned areas.

Former Misamis Oriental Governor Vicente Emano fathered the local peace talk with communist rebels in Misamis Oriental about 25 years ago.

Emano is the incumbent City Mayor of Cagayan de Oro City.

Now, Emano is pushing the same strategy that earned him the accolade as the “man of peace” in Mindanao for attaining the only successful local peace talks with communist rebels in the country in 1988.

Talking with the rebels made Emano controversial then.

The military then tagged Emano as a coddler of the New People’s Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

However, Emano pursued his best intentions of forging peace talks with the NPAs as the only way to foster stable peace in Misamis Oriental.

There was a point that Emano’s overture with the leftist movement became an intense issue raised by the rightist strata of the political spectrum. The overzealous military also suspects the media that covered Emano’s leftist “adventurism.”

Emano’s consolation at that time was the full support and authority extended to him by the late President Corazon C. Aquino to hold peace agreement with the communist rebels.

Cris D iaz

Even the political detractors did not spare Mrs. Aquino, the mother of incumbent President Benigno Aquino, III, as sy mpat het ic w it h the communists. Political det rac tors acc used M rs.

Aquino of appointing sensitive positions in the cabinet.

Mrs. Aquino formed the “revolutionary government” after she catapulted to power in a civilian-military putsch that lead to the downfall of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos dictatorial regime in Feb. 1986.

Detractors accused Mrs. Aquino of appointing known leftist personalities in her cabinet that bore the ire of the military rightist.

Against all odds, Mrs. Aquino went ahead with plans she believed beneficial to the Filipino masses. In the process, military coup d’ etat marred Aquino’s leadership as the martial hangover then continued to test the mettle of her infantile administration.

Like Mrs. Aquino, Emano went ahead of what he believed was beneficial to the people of Misamis Oriental.

He went ahead against all forms of ordeals to forge a peace talk with the local communist leaders. Emano succeeded.

At this time when the rebels threatened the stability of Misamis Oriental, the national government should adopt the Emano peace formula. diaz/PAGE 7

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Quiamjot... from page 6

legislators who wanted their own appreciation of the bill and not the point of view of the President.

Few legislators decided to boycott the invitation but many were confident that irrespective of the call of the President, the controversial House Bill must really be passed with their conscience convinced that it is what we need to alleviate our country from poverty due to inequities and over population.

The separation of power between the church and the state has been enshrined in the old and new constitutions that this country has ever had and were the basis of many legislation that made up our laws.

But it seems the power and influence of the church dating back to the Spanish colonization until today remains deeply rooted and embedded in our culture. The influence could have derailed approval of the controversial bill.

A big percentage among us Filipinos is represented by 96% Catholics and the rest are shared by other denominations. We can see how powerful and influential the Catholic Church in shaping the government? They can make a President a political obscure they can also bring down a regime. The downfall of Marcos and Estrada were clear examples of the influence wielded by the Church.

History tells us time and again, that the Clergy may dictate the affair of the state.

The Shah of Iran was overthrown by the Ayatollahs which catapulted the Muslim fundamentalist to rule Iran.

When new revolutions erupt it is disguised as religious inspired to draw support from the majority.

When it triumphs, religions dictate the rules behind the benevolence of a sect which continues to wield the influence. But times have started to change in the Philippines political setting. It appears that it is no longer the pragmatic thinking that inf luences political decisions.

There is no such thing as a Catholic vote in the Philippines but maybe a regional preference for a particular candidate that has established a bailiwick. Politicians win in election due to name recall, political machineries and performance. A powerful politician believes that he need not go to confession or receive Holy Communion to win votes.

There are many progressive minds in politics who can balance their stand with patronage and economics.

Some of our legislators who have gone to Harvard Law Schools or to a Wharton School of Economics are manifesting changes and articulate their views on new legislation.

Many progressive and independent minded Legislators are emerging from our lawmakers who do not bind their conscience to religion but only to their constituents and their personal interests.

Getting the most in any organization or for any country is to unlock the people’s potential as the key to any success which also holds true in the government. Former President Fidel V. Ramos calls this as “people’s empowerment.”

When people’s talents are not channeled correctly or put to use, their behavior can seriously compromise the success of an organization.

The same as when a vote in Congress is rush to favor some quarters over some controversial issues plaguing our daily lives, people can

Benaldo groundbreaks barangay project

By GERRY LEE GORIT

Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Benjo A. Benaldo led groundbreaking ceremonies Tuesday for the concreting of a basketball court in Upper Carmen.

The project costs P500,000 and will take 37 days to complete.

A roof will be constructed after the concreting to make this a covered court that can be used for other community activities.

A c c o r d i n g t o A n d r ew Bascon, chief of staff of the congressman, the community will also get from Benaldo an extension of their water system costing P1-million.

Bascon said the congressman has 70 more projects to turn over when completed.

Benaldo’s sister Cristina B. Ponce de Leon arrived from the United States to join him in the groundbreaking rites and in his campaign sorties for the coming May 2013mid-term elections.

Benaldo is seeking another

term as congressman of the city’s first congressional district under the Padayon Pilipino party of Mayor Vicente Y. Emano and Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas.

The Padayon candidates in the first district for the city council include Inday Dahino, Gil Banaag, Maya Enteria, Pepe Abbu, Alden Bacal, Dante Pajo and Annie Daba.

Following Tuesday’s activity in barangay Carmen, Benaldo and his party went to barangay Bonbon for another campaign rally and handshaking with the residents.

The campaign period for local positions will end on May 11.

There are 18,053 total elective posts in the national and local elections with 233 posts for district representatives. Cagayan de Oro has two districts.

There are 143 total elective posts for city mayors, 143 for city vice mayors and 1,598for members of city councils.

take on to procrastination, gossips and manipulations. It even once put a senior Senator at the receiving end for “plagiarism” of arguments sideswiping the important issues to a question of ethics.

When the Clergy continue to manifests its hold in the government, perhaps at the end, the country could be the loser as their agitations could be divisive?

To recall our political science subjects in college, we were thought that in any democracy, the people are the greatest assets. Their performance and attitude towards a government can result to the success or failure of any country.

Tambuatco... from page 6

general appropriations act and from those specifically appropriated for the purpose in special laws.”

“S e c . 5 0 . Fu n d i n g . Local governments shall appropriate such funds to defray such necessary and reasonable expenses of the members of the board of election tellers, board of canvassers and the printing of election forms and procurement of other election paraphernalia, and the installation of polling booths.”

Further, in the case of Liga ng Mga Barangay v.

Comelec, G.R. No. 114809, May 5, 1994, the Supreme Court also has mentioned that the allocation of a Local Government Unit during elections can be done.

Note that the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on the matter is merely obiter dictum but it explained the purpose of Sections 10 and 50 of the Omnibus Election Code when the Supreme Court cited the opinions of both the Solicitor General

and the Secretary of Justice. s i n c e t h e i n s u r g e n c y In 2010, COMELEC also problem in a par ticu lar issued Resolution 10-1029, town always differs from wherein they allowed LGUs to allocate funds during the SK elections at that time. It should also be noted that other LGUs also allocate funds for the elections.

News reports about it can also be seen in the internet – http://www.facebook.com/l/ EAQGz3VTRAQHRROJ_

7

the other town.

React: crisguardian@ yahoo.com

READ!

Diaz... from page 6

T h e f o r mu l a i s f o r the national government t o aut hor i z e t he lo c a l executives particularly town mayors to initiate peace talks with communist rebels in their areas.

Emano believes that it is only through a localize peace talk with the communist rebels t hat a peace pact could be attained.

This strategy has worked

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Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Benjo A. Benaldo confers with Barangay Kauswagan Chairman Pedro Balite on concerns of their constituents. Kauswagan is one of 24 barangays in the first congressional district of the city where Benaldo is seeking another term come May mid-term elections. With them is Benaldo’s chief of staff Andrew Bascon who has been leading the campaigns of the congressman in the different barangays. photo by gerry lee gorit

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PHL gets $4.6-M for clean power projects

By BONG D. FABE

THE Philippines, one of Asia’s fastest growing economies, has received at least 3.5 million euros (US$4.6 million) from the European Union to support projects on clean power and energy efficiency.

D e p a r t m e n t of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecreta r y Ma nuel Gerochi said in a release that the financial aid will help accelerate the country’s shift toward sustainable energy consumption and production.

G eroch i sa id it w i l l b e i mplemented u nder t he EU’s SW ITCH-Asia Program, which serves as “an opportunity to reverse t he t rend of econom ic development at the cost of the environment through better

practices in production and consumption, especially by shifting to producing goods and offering services in an environmentally sustainable manner and patronizing t hose w it h less adverse environmental impact.”

Solar integration and development projects in Mindanao is one of the pr oj e c t s pr o p o s e d f o r SWITCH-Asia.

The DENR heads the steering committee for the implementation of SWITCHAsia in the Philippines, with the Department of Energym

(DoE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) as key partners.

S W I T C H-A s i a Programme is a regional grant facility backed by the EU which aims to contribute to green growth, poverty a l lev iat ion a nd cl i mate change mitigation in Asia, specifically by promoting sustainable means of consumption and production.

The Philippines is one of fou r pi lot cou nt r ies getting financial support under the SWITCH-Asia Program. Other countries are Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

In a statement, the EU power/PAGE 10

SOLAR INTEGRATION. Workers install a solar panel on a house roof. Solar integration and development project is one of those proposed for funding and implementation under SWITCH-Asia.

Holcim empowers community with watershed project

What is the economic cost of coral reefs’ destruction?

WHEN news about USS Guardian’s and the most recent Chinese fishing vessel ’s g rou nd i ng i n Tubbataha Reef hugged the headlines, ordinary Filipino citizens asked, “so what? What’s in it for us?”

Citizens of this a rch ip ela g ic cou nt r y, whose primary concern is to survive the day-today g r i nd, such news of ocean-going vessels running aground on a reef declared as “no-go zone” is not a cause for concern as it has no direct connection to their personal and the nation’s economy.

Or has it?

Let’s take a look at some facts (as gleaned from articles produced by the World Bank, United Nat ions Env i ron ment Programme, WWF, PRB, etc.): (1) every Filipino lives within 45 miles of the coast; (2) life in the Philippines is never far from the sea; (3) seventyfive percent of fish caught in the Philippines spent some time in coral reefs and mangroves; (4) one square kilometre of healthy coral reef generates an annual average income of P2.5 million (US$62,500) from fishing and tourism; (5) P70 billion (US$1,750,000,000) is contributed annually by the reefs to the country’s economy; (6) at least 15% of t he cou nt r y’s tota l fisheries come from coral reefs; (7) only about 5% of

the country’s remaining coral reefs are in excellent condition, and one of this is the Tubbataha Reef; (8) as fishing grounds, coral reeds are 100 times productive per unit area as the open sea; (9) 70% of the world’s coral reefs will be lost by 2050 if human impacts are not reduced; and (10) 97% of coral reefs in the Philippines are under threat.

According to the Reef Check, an international organization which conducted a hea lt h assessment of reefs in 82 countries in 2008, the remaining coral reefs in the Philippines that are in excellent condition are Apo Island in Negros Oriental, Apo Reef in Puerto Galera, Mindoro, Verde Island Passage off Batangas, and Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in Palawan.

Tubbataha, which comes from two Samal words that mean “a long reef exposed at low tide”, is one of the Philippines’ oldest ecosystems. It is made up of two coral atolls divided by an eight-kilometre (5 miles) wide channel. The South Atoll, the smaller of the two is five kilometres in length and three kilometres in width; while the North Atoll, the larger of the two is 16 kilometres (9.9 miles) long and five kilometres (3 miles) wide.

The reef plays a key coral/PAGE 10

DAVAO CITY—After the successful first run of a project to help conserve the Davao River watershed, Holcim Philippines has renewed its partnership with an environment group to t ra i n a n i nd igenous community in the Marilog uplands on ideal farming techniques to discourage them from timber-poaching.

Holcim Davao recently sig ned a memora ndu m of ag reement (Moa) to extend by another year the financial support to the Kinaiyahan Foundation, Inc. for the training of 40

more Matigsalug families on Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT).

SA LT is desig ned to put less pressure on the remaining forest ecosystem in Marilog, located about 60 kilometers away from the city proper.

Under t he MoA, the beneficiaries will be trained on SALT to cultivate indigenous and fruit trees as well as cash crops such as rice, corn and sweet potatoes to improve their food security and income thus lessening their need to engage in destructive

activities such as timberpoaching.

The planting activities are also seen to contribute to water, soil and biodiversity conservation of the Davao River watershed, the largest a mong t he cit y ’s eig ht watersheds. Participants will cultivate at least 50 hectares in the area that was formerly part of a logging concession.

“The Davao R iver Watershed is an important resource of the city and we are honored to partner with the Kinaiyahan Foundation to contribute to the watershed’s

Green buildings help curb power shortages, pollution M U M BA I—T he I nd i a n gover n ment must set stricter norms and push for the development of energyefficient buildings so that the country can minimise power shortages and curb burgeoning petroleum import bills.

“Power bills can be cut by almost 30 percent just by upgrading the buildings to energy efficient standards,” Frances Beinecke, president, New York-based Natural Resources Defense Council, told IANS. Bei necke sa id g reen buildings were not only good for environment but also made a sensible business proposition.

“It’s a good profitable i nve st ment . O u r st udy shows that payback period for investment in energyefficient technology is nearly five years. After that, it’s all your saving,” she said.

As India continues to u rba n i z e, it s bu i ld i ngoccupied area is estimated to climb sharply, from eight billion square metres in 2005 to a projected 41 billion square

metres in 2030, according to a McKinsey & Company study.

Beinecke said as per the study, 70 percent of the buildings in India in 2030 would be new structures. “ I mpl e m e nt at ion of green technology is easier in the new buildings. It’s a great opportunity for India to develop green buildings, save energ y and reduce dependence on oil imports,” she said.

Anjali Jaiswal, director of NRDC’s India initiative, said a case study conducted on a building in Mumbai showed that installation of energy-efficient technology can help cut electricity bill by 28 percent. The money spent on new technology can be recovered in less than

READ!

five years through savings in electricity bill.

“With India’s energ y crisis worsening, scaling up energy efficiency in buildings will be critical to ensuring that businesses and cities can continue to grow in a sustainable way,” she said.

Jaiswal said most of the power being used in buildings and adoption of energ y efficient technolog y can help minimise the demandsupply gap of electricity in the country.

According to Central Electricity Authority, India faced power deficit of over 12,000 MW during the peak hours in the financial year 2012-13. Total supply of power was 1,23,294 MW in 2012-13 against the peak hour demand of 1,35,453 MW. (IANS)

conservation. What’s even better is that the project has the added benefit of uplifting the Matigsalug community by improving their livelihood opportunities thus making them more self-reliant,” said Joe Bernal, Holcim davao plant manager.

The project also aims to build on the gains from its first year, which started in 2011 and involved 50 families, by teaching the initial beneficiaries new skills such as agroforestry, organic fertilizer production, crop house development and duck raising. (HP)

‘Fight for envi to go on’

MANILA—Just like what he started when he was in the Senate, United Nationalist Alliance senatorial bet Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has reiterated that his f ight a g a i n s t e nv i ron me nt a l destruction would continue.

In a statement, Zubiri said he would focus his campaign against syndicates behind illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal black sand mining and other environmentally destructive activities.

He said he was aware that even politicians and government officials were in cahoots with these syndicates but this would not stop him from fighting them.

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Raises... from page 5

earlier said the proceeds of the share sale will be used to fund the construction of the $ 1.3-billion Belle Gra nde Ma ni la Bay, a n integrated casino, hotel, retail and entertainment complex project of Belle Corp. which it will manage.

The project’s first phase is targeted for completion by the end of 2013. Its operation is expected to start by the third quarter of next year.

Bel le Cor p. signed a dea l w it h Melco Crow n E nter t a i n ment L i m ited (MCE) of Hong Kong last month for the development a nd operat ion of t he integrated casino resort in Manila.

Apa r t f rom f u nd i ng work on the Belle Grande project, Melco will a lso use the raised funds to buy gaming equipment, fit-out work and other various initial operating costs, such as preopening costs and working capital, as well as for general corporate purposes.

Likewise, the money will be utilized to partly pay Melco Crown’s acquisition cost of MCE Hold i ngs (Philippines) Corporation and its direct and indirect subsidiaries.

Doubles... from page 5

of properties. “ R i g ht n ow we a r e

concentrating on Tagaytay H ig h l a nd s , t he lei su re homes. We’re exploring oppor tunit ies outside Highlands for primary and second homes,” Ong said.

HPI has an existing land bank of 800 hectares inside Tagaytay Highlands and the expansion of its land bank will allow it to “broaden market base and offer other product lines.”

HPI focuses primarily on the high-end of the leisure property market. Its property assets are located around the vicinity of Tagay tay Highlands International Golf Club Inc in Tagaytay City, Cavite and Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club Inc in Batangas.

After swinging to a P32.2 million prof it last year, HPI targets to double its net income in 2013 and is gunning for “sustainable” growth in the next five years.

“It will be coming from the sales of Linden Tower and Aspenhills and recognition of income [from other projects].

We have started selling in the second half of last year,” said Ong. “What we’re doing is we’re pacing the launch of our projects based on the market requirement,” she added.

This month, HPI launched Linden, the second tower of The Woodridge Place Phase 2. This added 113 condominium units to the company’s current inventory,

offering room sizes of 41-240 square meters.

HPI noted the growing interest in the newly launched Aspenhills, a 27-hectare hilltop lot development where families have the freedom to design and build their homes themed after modernranch style, mountain-lodge architecture. “ T he nex t few yea rs will see HPI continuing to st reng t hen Tagay tay H ig h la nd s’ posit ion a s the most exclusive leisure mou nta i n dest i nat ion wh i le pu rsu i ng g row t h opportunities both within and outside of Tagaytay,” Ong said.

HPI is a member of the SM group of companies.

Power... from page 8

said that the Philippines already has a comprehensive sustainable consumption and production legal structure.

However, it is challenged with curbing current practices in order to shift towards new modes of production and consumption.

The EU also noted that the Philippines has several key laws whose full and effective implementation are being impeded by what it calls “structural and budgetary constraints.”

With SWITCH-Asia, the EU will provide technical assista nce a nd t ra ining to concerned government agencies for the effective

enforcement of relevant sustainable consumption and production policies, particularly the Renewable Energ y and Biofuel Acts f o r c l e a n e n e r g y, i n partnership with the DOE; g reen procurement a nd eco-labeling in selected government agencies and loca l government units; and the Clean Air Act, in partnership with the DENR. SWITCH-Asia started in July 2012 and will be operational until December 2016.

The project had already started preparatory activities such as coordination and consultation meetings with officials and stakeholders, data collection, identification of training activities and review of related project framework and activities.

Coral...

from page 8 in the process of reproduction, dispersal and colonization by marine organisms in the whole Sulu Sea system, and helps support fisheries outside its boundaries.

It is a natural laboratory for the study of ecological and biological processes, displaying the ongoing process of coral reef formation, and supporting a large number of marine species dependant on reef ecosystems.

T he presence of top predator species, such as tiger and hammerhead sharks, are indicators of the ecological

balance of the property.

Tu b b a t a h a i s a l s o considered as the Philippines’ best dive site because of the so-called coral “walls” where the shallow coral reef abruptly ends giving way to great depths. Over 1,000 species, many already considered endangered, inhabit the reef.

Tubbataha’s ecosystem is so diverse that it rivals t he Great Barrier Reef.

Many even described it a microcosm of the richness of the Philippines. Then, will Filipinos just stand aside and let other nations destroy their wealth?

The Tubbataha Reef is the largest marine protected area (MPA) in the country at 97,030 hectares. It lies at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the geographic centre or “heart” of world marine biodiversity. The Coral Triangle — which covers an area equivalent to half of the entire United States — spans from eastern Indonesia, parts of Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands.

Scientists’ study that said that if the “heart” of the Coral Triangle is destroyed, the world’s marine biodiversity will soon follow is a great cause for alarm.

Which is why it is very important for every Filipino, especially those in coastal communities, to understand what coral reefs are and their importance to life. (Bong D. Fabe)

SUV... from page 3

“Firstly, the infrastructure in not there, and secondly, the consumer mindset is not there.”

That four in five car consumers are first-time buyers is another factor which inclines consumers toward the traditional combustion engine, Zeng said.

At a preview of the Shanghai auto show for journalists on Saturday, global carmakers unveiled SUVs and multi-purpose vehicles, among them Citroen of France, Germany’s Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes, and Japan’s Honda.

The Chinese preference for traditional cars is not promising for the several electric models from domestic and foreign carmakers which were also on display.

BYD, which once staked its future on electric cars, will launch its model next year but few visitors showed interest in the car on Saturday, an attendant said.

“They are asking how much the government incentives will be,” she said.

Previous incentives to promote greener cars have not been as successful as hoped.

Chinese domestic auto giant SAIC Motor launched an electric vehicle, the Roewe E50, in November, but has only sold about 200 units, said Zhu Jun, head of the company’s technical centre.

The car was originally priced at 234,900 yuan but after subsidies goes for about 130,000 yuan.

But even those incentives are not enough, said Zhu. “This is already much more expensive than a conventional car of that size.”

“If the infrastructure is not building up so fast and the market demand is not reaching volume, we’ll keep low volume production until it (the market) is really mature.”

Today’s HOROSCOPE AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) - Don’t be too quick to jump to conclusions about someone’s intentions regarding a financial transaction.

It’s possible they just overinflated the estimates of prospective return and now look a bit shady. That doesn’t mean, however they intentionally tried to deceive you. Get your hands on the facts and you’ll be able to make a more accurate determination.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - In order for you to share your business with anyone else you first need to understand the full scope of the issue. When you receive news about a work matter don’t feel pressured to tell the inquiring minds what has happened. Figure out what these modifications mean to you first and then if you want you can share the occurrence with others.

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) - When you want love in your life it is necessary to make a few compromises. You can choose to be annoyed by someone’s off-beat personality traits or you can choose to love them. Love is about learning to accept someone as they are and when you are ready to do this you will be ready to feel love.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - It’s best to deal with situations from the past and move on, not carry them with you to the present.

Certain situations can be very painful and difficult to let go of, but you are only hurting yourself if you don’t. Learn what lesson you need to learn and leave the rest behind.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - This is a progressive time for you professionally, but that means you have to stay on your P’s and Q’s. There is no room for shortcuts or delegation to others who you know can’t meet your quality standards. It may seem like a good idea to lighten your to-do list, but if you have to fix it later it won’t save you any time.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) -You can choose to set small goals and exceed your expectations, but a better idea is to shoot for the stars. When you limit your potential you can negate your chances for bigger and better achievements. Instead, think as grandiose as you can and you will push yourself past the limits you’ve set in place.

ARIES (March 21- April 19) - It is wise to practice efficient money management. When you keep tabs on every dollar that comes and goes from your pocket you can easily see where your money is spent.

This allows you to make smarter choices and greater fiscal stability.

Double check your receipts and other transactions for accuracy; you can never be too careful when it comes to your money.

LEO (July 23 – August 22) - You have a multitude of options when it comes to business pursuits, but not every one of them will be worth your time.

In order to make the most out of your time and energy you will need to distinguish the lucrative from the lame. If you need to make an instant judgment call use your instincts, otherwise rely on research.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) - You’ve got major goals to achieve in life, but it can be overwhelming to sit back and stare at the big picture. Break your large goals down into smaller, more achievable ones and you will inspire your motivation. Set more realistic deadlines for yourself and make sure you work on your highest priority first.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - It’s likely you can enjoy a shallow love affair, but it is unlikely to sustain you long term. You can enjoy the mystery of someone unavailable, but will tire quickly of chasing ghosts.

You need to know your partner is as committed to you as you are to them in order to feel satisfied by the union.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - It is a worthwhile activity to learn how to listen and how to use the information you hear. It may be more tempting to try to get your point across first, but you could give yourself an advantage by waiting and listening first. Take what you hear and use it to tailor your message to your audience’s preferences. This way you will always win.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - You may have objectives to achieve, but if someone is already overwhelmed pushing them will not help either of you. When a person has pressing personal issues to deal with and you make demands of them it can cause them to shut down. Be careful you don’t push someone past their capacity of what they can feasibly deal with in a single day.

CROSSWORD puzzle

CIRCLE A WORD church goer

abbey aisle altar angel apse bible bishop

carving cathedral choir christ church cross crypt

evensong god lectern lord marble minister monument

across 1.Steward take a blow, about to be sick (7) 8.Plug another hold to contain the lake (7) 9. Stakes the ani mal i nside the dogs (5) 10.She may present the ex boxer with a child (6) 12.A grey make-up can be more showy (5) 14.Conference suggesting limitation of food supplies (4) 15.In a pine-fruit it should on no account be eaten (7) 16.They can be lucky inclination (4) 17.Main air-line user? (5) 18.Masculine skills are beaters ! (6) 22.The working man might find it a strain to adopt himsekf (7) 2 3 . A d a r k p l a ce, b e fo r e t h e subscription was returned (6) 24.It provides a measure of current expenditure (7) DOWN 2.it’s very hard for the first male worker in the East (10)

3.Girl gave in distractedly as a resort (3,5) 4.Adjusts convulsions (4) 5.Not all the ship’s in port (4) 6.EXpert in the fish trade (4) 7.Dr. No upset a space traveller (4) 10.Corrosive acid is about right (5) 11.Makes ‘Peso’ seem an unusual password (4,6) 13.Swells to very loud point (5) 14.Fixed propeller on it in the river (8) 18.A bad character as one’s sole companion (4) 19.They are not returnable (4) 2 0. It cou l d com p r i se a happy band, well conducted (4) 21.A strange plant (4)

Answers for last yesterday (April 23, 2013)

ACROSS: 1.Secrecy, 5.Rand, 7.Once, 8.Scarf, 9Moon, 10.Font, 12.Grumble, 14.Enable, 18.Men, 19.Thrall, 23.Snigger, 25.Dior, 26.Lava, 27.Drown, 28.Rush, 29.Rubby, 30.Tremble DOWN: 1.Sesame, 2.Cha-cha, 3.Eiffel, 4.Young, 5.Remember, 6.Dance, 11.Trent, 13.Lull, 15.Noon, 16.Burglary, 17.Embed, 20.Hurdle, 21.Aplomb, 22.Lounge, 23.Solar, 24.Right

BusinessDaily

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Horki... from page 3

the Chinese market during the second half of 2015 with vehicles produced at one of the joint venture’s three Yancheng factories.

No final decision on mass production of the debuted concept car has yet been made.

Horki’s product portfolio will be comprised of a range of vehicles, including an alternative powered one. Further details will be announced later.

Tesda... from page 4

training provisions.” “ T hey have low sk i l ls, limited management abilities, and have few economic options.

They have no access to capital or most of them are unqualified for formal credit programs,” he pointed out.

The official said they are currently working on the setting of the schedules, training venues and requirements to facilitate t he commencement of t he program by May. Bai Zorahayda Taha, DSWD Region 12 director, said the agency is currently validating the list of potential beneficiaries for the training program.

She said their field staff and the project development officers earlier conducted training needs assessment (TNA) activities among 4Ps beneficiaries in the C4TP’s priority areas.

The agency will submit the TNA results to TESDA-12 for evaluation and finalization of the training programs, she said.

Ta h a s a i d t h e y w i l l later provide the potential benef iciaries with a list of technical trainings and shortterm vocational programs that may be availed from TESDA. “ We d i s c u s s e d w i t h TESDA-12 the possibility of creat ing a referra l system involving local establishments to provide employment for Pantawid beneficiaries who will complete their trainings,” she said.

Ta h a s a i d a d r a f t memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the initiative was initially discussed by DSWD1 2 ’s c o m m u n i t y - d r i v e n enterprise development officer Ibrahim Sangcupan, external relations officer Lorraine Blanza a nd reg iona l convergence coordinator Florentino Fiel with TESDA-12 officials.

She said they are hoping to finalize and sign the MOU on April 29.

The progra m’s priorit y areas are the localities earlier identif ied by t he Nationa l Statistical Coordination Board’s small area estimates that host the “poorest of the poor” in Region 12.

4Ps serves 2,253 households in Maasim; 3,664 in Malapatan; 4,166 in Lake Sebu; 3,850 in T’boli; and, 2,757 in Senator Ni noy Aqu i no. (A l len V. Estabillo / MindaNews)

Polls... from page 4

Maguindanao, as areas to watch, chairperson Salic Ibrahim said.

“There are places where intense rivalry is likely to break out,” he said, adding that the list was based on reports from their volunteers.

The purpose of the list is to make citizens aware that there are areas that need to be closely monitored, Ibrahim said.

Citizen’s CARE watchlist areas in Maguindanao include Ampatuan, Barira, Buldon, Cotabato City, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Piang, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Guindulungan, Gen. SK Pendatun, Mamasapano, Pagagawan (Datu Montawal),

Paga luga n, Pa ra ng, R aja h Buayan, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Sultan sa Barongis and Talitay.

Usual incidents reported in the areas mentioned usually involve threats and sapakan (fist fights) among supporters, he said.

Citizen’s CARE is a Comelec accred ited g roup w it h 31 member organizations and more than 7,000 volunteers all over ARMM. Ma g u i nd a nao ha s t wo congressiona l districts composed of 36 municipalities and 508 barangays. It has a total of 439,678 voters. (Artha Kira Paredes/VERA Files through MindaNews)

Commends... from page 1

paid P 112,491,722 million real property taxes for 2012 last year followed by SM City by P 17 million payment during the same year.

Emano acknowledged the impor ta nt contribution of international and multi-national companies that have branches here for stimulating the growth of the local economy.

He said the city council would formally pass a resolution commending these companies for their role in helping Cagayan de Oro City’s economic progress and development.

The remaining top eight payers were the Limketkai & S on s (P15, 03 4 ,9 91.76); Smart Communication, Inc. (P12,199,795.73); Mindanao Energ y Systems, Inc (P7,831,758.28); Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (P5, 5 03, 3 61. 5 4); Un ip a c e Corporation (P4,795,591.05; Gruppo Largo, Inc./ Mallberry Suites Bus. Hotel (P4,313,019.00); Koresco Hotel (P4,018,897.57) a nd Phi lcom C or porat ion (P3,745,014.80).

Emano said that the Del Monte Phi lippines topped the list of top ten business tax payers last year paying a hef t y P48, 24 0, 524.17. It was followed by power firm C epa lco (P32 ,638,775.78); Nest le Phi lippines, Inc (P14,204,757.85); Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation ( P 10 , 176 , 7 2 0 . 9 0) ; C o c a Cola Bot t lers Phi lippines, Inc. (P9, 358,153.9 0); Unipace Corporation, Inc. (P8 , 817, 411. 2 8); M a d i s on Shopping Plaza, Inc. (P8,507,288.57); PMFTC, Inc (P8,294,121.24); Supervalue, Inc. (P6,032,817.32) and DDT Konstract Inc. (P5,628,595.75).

Villar... from page 1

alleviate the effects of climate change and to date, it has planted nearly a million trees.

In 2002, it launched the Sagip Ilog program or the Las Piñas river rehabilitation program with the goal of cleaning up the river to address two major concerns: the worsening flood problem in Las Piñas and to allow aquatic life to thrive anew.

To make those environmental projects more sustainable, Villar incorporated a livelihood component. “Most environment-related projects fail because the people involved are not committed enough and community involvement and commitment are critical factors in ensuring the success of any environmental rehabilitation and conservation program.

There should be something in it for them,” she cited.

Thus, the birth of Villar’s green social enterprises or livelihood projects out of wastes and garbage such as water hyacinths and coconut husks from her river rehabilitation program. Villar Foundation’s water hyacinth basket weaving

enterprise, coconet weaving enterprise, organic fertilizer making enterprise, handloom blanket weaving enterprise, citronella oil-making enterprise, among others have benefited more than 500 families in Las Piñas.

The livelihood projects have also been duplicated in 179 municipalities and cities all over the country. “We have built pilot centers nationwide.

So far, we have only covered a little over 10 percent of the 1,600 towns and cities in the Philippines. My goal is to have one livelihood project in each one of them,” said Villar.

Villar’s other environmental advocacy is her stance against the planned 635.14-hectare Manila Bay reclamation project that will affect the Las PiñasParañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA), the most recent addition on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

She f iled a petition for Writ of Kalikasan on March 16 against the said project, which the Supreme Court granted on April 10 last year. The writ of kalikasan was issued but not a temporary environmental protection order or TEPO— without a TEPO, the contractor can still proceed w it h t he projects. The court decision on this is yet to be released, but the hearings at the Court of Appeals were finished.

“I am concerned about the catastrophic effects that t he proposed Ma n i la Bay reclamation project will bring about—including the damage to the bird sanctuary as well as to the mangrove forest and marine habitat. The worst of which, is that it will cause severe f looding in 37 barangays in Bacoor, 11 in Paranaque and 17 in Las Piñas. Floods with a depth of as much as 5.12 meters or equivalent to a two-storey high building,” cited Villar.

L PPCH E A s er ve s a s a sanctuary to migratory bird species from as far as Siberia.

According to the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Metro Manila has 150 species of birds, 72 of which are found at LPPCHEA. It is the only bird sanctuary located in an urban setting, thus it is considered as the ‘last bastion’. Because of its biodiversity, LPPCHEA was declared as a critical habitat in 2007 by Proclamation No. 1412.

A c c o r d i n g t o V i l l a r, e n v i r o n m e nt a l p r o b l e m s need both legislative support and practical solutions. As a congresswoman for 10 years, she has authored and pushed for the passage of environmental bills also. And if and when elected as senator, environment is still among her key legislative agenda.

Poor... from page 1

problems in provinces facing insurgencies and warlords, and the falling price of a number of commodities such as sugar were mainly to blame.

“If the problem of visible under-employ ment in agriculture is addressed, then incomes of farmers wou ld increase, poverty incidence would decrease, and we would not be compromising food security,” Balisacan said in a statement.

The nation of about 100 mi l lion people posted 6.6 percent economic growth last year, and this year obtained its first-ever investment-grade rating from Fitch Ratings.

However the January 2013 jobless rate stood at 7.1 percent, with a further 20.9 percent under-employed, or working fewer than 40 hours a week.

About 41.8 percent of the under-employed are in the farming sector, it said.

Norio Usui, Senior Country Economist for the Manila-based Asian Development Bank, said the government must solve the problem of jobless growth if it hoped to reduce poverty.

“I am not surprised at all.

The benefits of strong economic growth have not spilled over to the people because they still cannot find a job,” he told AFP in a telephone interview.

He said the Philippines’ economic model depended on consu mpt ion, st rong remittances from its large overseas workforce and the outsourcing industry, which employ s h i g h ly e duc at e d workers.

However, the Philippines, with its weak industrial base, has stood out in the region, he added.

“Why do you need a strong industrial base? To give jobs not only to the highly educated college graduates, but also to high school graduates,” Usui said.

The government put the a nnua l per capita pover t y threshold at 9,385 pesos (227.24 dollars).

The state census board found that at least 28.6 percent of the population was considered poor in both 2006 and 2009.

Airport... from page 1

by clouds most of the time,” he added.

D e p a r t m e n t of Tr a nspor t at ion a nd Communication Undersecretary Julianito Bucayan Jr., allowed Lero, the chief pilot who leads the CAAP team, to assess the sa fet y issues su r rou nd i ng t he operations of t he new Laguindingan Airport.

Lero heads the team who

will do the evaluation and make several tests f lights at the new airport.

“Nobody can question the safety of laguindingan Airport.

We have the testimony of the pilots. The issue of safety has been addressed,” Bucayan said.

The undersecretary said that after the test flights it will be the turn of Philippine Air Lines, Cebu Pacific, Zest and Air Philippines to bring in their big planes to start their “probing f lights”.

He said the probing flights will continue until the airline companies are satisfied with the safety at the airport.

On June 15, Bucayan said operations at the new airport will start as scheduled but will be limited from 6am to 6pm.

Cagayan de Oro traders have opposed the opening of Laguindingan Airport this year citing safety concerns.

In paid adver tisements published in national dailies, the traders threatened to place placards around the airport once it opens.

Rudy Mene s , re g iona l d i rec tor of t he Nor t her n Mindanao Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries said they are concerned that the new operations will be operating without radar and Instrument Landing System or ILS that would guide aircrafts to safe landings.

Menes said they are also wor r ied w it h t he l i m ited operations of the new airport that would bring down airplane traffic from 28 f lights to only 12 f lights daily.

He said the old Lumbia airport handles 2,000 passengers a day, many of whom are tourists coming to Cagayan de Oro. Lero brushed aside the safety concerns of the airport having no radar or ILS. He said most modern aircrafts are equipped with Global Positioning System

11

or GPS to guide them to their destinations.

“As long as the pilots have a good visibility of 80 kilometers then it will be okay to land by Visual Landing System. This airport will always have radio contact with the pilots,” Lero said, adding the runway is visible from three kilometers away.

He said the runway is “wellpaved and smooth” and can handle the landing of a Boeing 747.

Lero also dismissed concerns that the east-west orientation of the Laguindingan runway could endanger aircrafts from deadly crosswinds.

He said wind speed around the airport was clocked at around 20 knots.

“Most modern aircrafts can handle crosswinds with speeds up to 30 knots. There will be no problems in the landings and take offs here,” he said. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)

NFA... from page 2

computed in accordance with current NFA equivalent net weight factor table.

Farmers are a lso given drying incentive of P.20, delivery incentive of P.20 and as well as cooperative development incentive fee (CDIF) of P.30.

The accumulated CDIF can be used by the concerned farmers’ cooperative to acquire post-harvest facilities, purchase farm inputs and payment of loan obligations.

Chong said the support price was aimed at ensuring the market for farmers’ produce as well as offer fair returns for their production investments.

The official assured that the agency has set aside enough funds for their palay procurement program and they will continue to implement the program throughout the year.(PNA)

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Blend 45 honors values of Pinoys in new campaign Innately helpful and caring, Filipinos have been known to go out of their way to assist those in need, friends and strangers alike. The Pinoys’ pleasant nature and easy smile can make anyone feel at ease, while their compassion and nurturing spirit can lift spirits even in the most distressing of times.

Blend 45 celebrates these exemplary Filipino traits, and more, with its new “Gising Pinoy!” campaign. Directed by Henry Frejas, the latest series of TV commercials seeks to bring out the good and the admirable in the Filipino.

Depicting the thoughtfulness of Pinoys, Maalalahanin (Blend 45 Puti) shows that a steaming cup of coffee and the kindness of a stranger are all it takes to make a tired soul feel better. Matulungin (Blend 45 Barako) showcases the readiness to lend a helping hand and proves

Maalaga showcases the caring nature of Filipinos in the latest heartwarming commercial of Blend 45.

that acts of help do not go unappreciated. The sweetness and soft hearts of Pinoys take center stage in Malambing (Blend 45 Pula), while Maalaga (all variants) highlights their caring nature.

Just like these timehonored Filipino values, Blend 45 also shows off the best homegrown Filipino f lavors in its new 3-in-1 coffee blends.

Blend 45 Puti captures the richness and creaminess

of carabao’s milk, while the delicate sweetness of brown sugar is showcased in Blend 45 Pula. Those with a fondness for the strong and bold taste of kapeng barako can find satisfaction in Blend 45 Barako.

Watch out for the latest Blend 45 commercials and wake up to the goodness of Filipino coffee f lavors, only P4 per sachet in all leading supermarkets and groceries nationwide.

Joey Pelaez Former DepEd-CSCA Executive Director Joey G. Peláez is a scion of illustrious public servants from Mindanao, descending from the late Misamis Oriental Governor Gregorio A. Peláez and Former Philippine Vice President Emmanuel Neri Peláez. He spent his college life in Cagayan de Oro City, and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Commerce, Major in Marketing at the Xavier University in 1990, which bestowed on him the prestigious Most Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2008 during its 75th year celebration.

He has a Master's Degree in Government Management, a Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Ateneo de Manila University, and the Asian Institute of Management. He has finished his academic requirements leading to a Doctorate in Public Management.

He started working in 1993 at the

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessdailymindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Sun Cellular, MyPhone team-up to bring you most affordable SunDroid Rush Sun Cellular continues its busy streak in providing the best deals in town with its Sundroid Rush series. Launched October last year, the Sundroid Rush gives you at least two amazing gadgets – a tablet and a phone – in one plan!

Earlier Sundroid rush editions featured Alcatel and Samsung devices, which by far have become two of the best deals in the market during their respective launch periods. This time, Sun Cellular is coming up with one more Sundroid Rush edition– this time from local the local mobile phone giant -MyPhone.

Needless to say, this will be another one of those “too good to be true” packages, which only Sun Cellular can give you.

But first, the details.

Media hogs out there might want to check out MyPhone’s MyPad 2 tablet, which boasts of a massive 7” touchscreen and 1gHz of processing power.

Add to that the 2 megapixel camera and Wi-Fi capabilities, the MyPad 2 is more than enough to give you the multimedia fix that you might always want to take with you.

And then we have the MyPhone

A818 Slim, which going by its name, is as sleek and light as they come.

The A818 Slim features a nifty 3.5” touch-screen, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and yet again, a 1gHz processor. Its best feature?

Dual-sim capabilities. Who knew you could fit all that in one tiny package?

Of course, since it’s called the SunDROID Rush, both of these gadgets are running on the Android operating system, expanding both gadgets’ usefulness and wow-factor a few notches higher.

The best part of all this is that you can get both handsets for only P450 a month! SunDroid Plan 450 gives you both of these with unlimited Sun calls and texts, 250 texts to other networks, and 20 hours of mobile internet.

Needless to say, this will be another one of the good choices you can make with Sun Cellular. Join the SunDroid Rush now!

For more information on these and other services that Sun Cellular offers, log on to www.suncellular.com. ph. You can also check for updates by logging on to their official Facebook page: facebook.com/suncellularph or on Twitter: twitter.com/suncelltweets.

Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group

Educator. Entrepreneur.

Environmentalist. People Builder.

Malacañang Palace as a Presidential Staff officer during the term of Former President Fidel V. Ramos.

Three years after, he started serving the Department of Education as a Consultant to the Secretary of Education and concurrently Chairman of the Task Force on Youth Development.

In 1998 he was designated Executive Director of the Center for Students and Co-Curricular Affairs of the Department of Education Central Office. He gained international exposures in numerous occasions as Philippine Ambassador of Goodwill during the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program and headed the delegation in a number of international trainings and conventions in Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, among others, in his capacity as Executive Director of DepED-CSCA. His tireless advocacy for good

citizenship, leadership development, environmental protection, skills and entrepreneurship development are shown in numerous co-curricular programs and projects that he has pioneered and organized such as the Student Government Programs, the Student Technologists and Entrepreneurs of the Philippines (STEP), and the Youth Entrepreneurship and Cooperativism in Schools (YECS). All these initiatives are found in most of the public secondary schools, and they are taking shape in public elementary schools and private schools in the country today.

He is also a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) and several educational and socio-civic foundations and associations.

The national events that his office organizes for the Department of Education such as the Youth for Environment Summer Camp, Go

NeGOsyo Teen Edition, National Leadership Training for Student Government Officers, and the Student Technologists and Entrepreneurs of the Philippines-National Skills Development and Competitions have become a phenomenal success and record-breaking judging from the overwhelming attendance of both students and teachers from all over the country.

This year as a candidate for Vice Governor in Misamis Oriental of the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections, JOEY PELAEZ is bringing to us people in Misamis Oriental his very self so that he will continue his self-imposed responsibility to provide Filipino students with wide opportunities to develop and actualize their talents, skills, and potentials and actively participate in nation-building.

Palang Añora, Contributor