BusinessDaily Mindanao (May 9, 2013 Issue)

INSIDE LOOK

Your dream vacation unfolds at Stargate

Inflation eases to 2.6% in April 2013

BMW Car Club of the Philippines holds tenth Bimmerfest

M’nao coops can tap cheaper solar energy in lieu of DOE’s modular gensets

Rodriguez to PNoy : ‘Resolve all issues’ before opening Laguindingan Airport

BusinessDaily Economy

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Motoring

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Volume III, No. 209

Market Indicators

As of 6:05 pm may 8, 2013 (Wednesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P40.83

7,172.34 points

4 cents

X

26.22 points

X

Briefly Tech-voc training A TOTAL of 3,471 young people, ages 18-30, underwent technical-vocational training under the joint program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) dubbed Cash for Training Project (C4TP).

C4TP is a training program that responds to t h e g ove r n m e n t ’s t h r u s t i n p r ov i d i n g s u s t a i n a b l e intervention to improve the plight and condition of the youth and empower them through skills training and assistance towards gainful employment and entrepreneurial activities.

It intends to assist 4,695 youths in the region who cannot afford to enroll in degree programs and who wish to find employment.

The beneficiaries for the C4TP are divided among the five provinces of the region as follows: Bukidnon - 1,050 , Camiguin - 250 , Lanao del Norte - 925 , Misamis Occidental - 893 , and Misamis Oriental - 1,577. These beneficiaries will become certified Tesda Specialitas by this month.

Action center FOUR functional teams are currently manning the newly reactivated the Department of Agriculture Central Action Center (DACAC) for disaster preparedness and response.

It is operating 24/7 and running in all provinces within the region, with Misamis Oriental and Camiguin operating jointly.

Au d y M a a g a d o f t h e Department of Agriculture region 10 repor ted during the recent technical working group meeting of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDRRMC), here in the city, that their agency’s action calamity core team is now doing briefing to the different local government units (LGUs) on profiling, data base, and mapping of highly vulnerable areas.

They also provide them damage assessment report format/matrix to facilitate easier and faster consolidation of reports.

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Electric coops urged to tap solar energy Cagayan de Oro City

Thursday

May 9, 2013

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By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large

UR AL electric cooperatives in Mindanao should seriously consider renewable energy options to mitigate the effects of their long-term supply contracts with coal-fired power plants and as a faster and cheaper alternative to the modular diesel generators being pushed by the Department of Energy (DOE).

SOLAR PROJECT. Engr. Winston Mendoza (L), chairman of Lim Solar Philippines, talks with Engr. David A. Tauli, an engineering consultant, during the “lunch and learn” session with private investors and electric cooperatives officials. Tauli endorses the Lim Solar Philippines’ business model since it is cheaper than coal and/or modular gensets. photo by bong d. fabe

BOC-10 posts P5.7-B collections in 2012

In a recent communication to t he S out h C ot abato II Elec t r ic Cooperat ive (S o c ot e c o I I) a nd t h e Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) Engr.

David A. Tauli, engineering consultant with the Office of Rep. Florencio T. Flores, Jr. (2nd District, Bukidnon) endorsed the business model of Lim Solar Philippines which he says is cheaper than both coal and the modular

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gensets.

“I find their proposal appropriate for bot h SOCOTECO 2 and ZAMCELCO, who are the only electric cooperatives in Mindanao that have longterm contracts with coal plants,” Mr. Tauli noted. “It is certainly better than the offer being touted by the DOE for ECs to purchase modular diesel generating energy/PAGE 11

ADVERTORIAL

By APIPA P. BAGUMBARAN Conributor

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Regional Office 10 posted a total collection of P5.7 billion in 2012, up by 10 percent compared to the total customs collections recorded in 2011.

Records from the BOC-10 show that while there was a slowdown in collections in the fourth quarter of 2012, the annual figure still exceeded the BOC’s annual target by P181 million.

The same records further show that collections in

Cagayan de Oro Port and the sub-port in Iligan City went down by 19 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

The decrease in Cagayan de Oro Port, from P969.1 million to P789.5 million, was due mainly to the stoppage

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

of the importation of palm oil in mid-2012, the BOC-10 said.

This commodity accounted for 29 percent of the region’s base port’s total collections in 2011.

BOC/PAGE 11

Rodriguez bats P4.8B budget for NHA in Normin next year

CAGAYAN de Oro Cit y Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District) batted for a P4.8 billion budget for the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Bats/PAGE 11

Iligan City Vice Mayor Henry C. Dy receives a cheque worth P1 million from Michael Regino (right) and Frederick Cerro (not in photo), who both represented LP senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar, managing director of Villar Foundation, for the establishment of a memorial for the victims of Typhoon Sendong in Iligan City. The same memorial has been put up in Cagayan de Oro City last October. photo by shaun alejandrae uy

Villar Foundation turns over P1M for Iligan City Sendong memorial ILIGAN CITY – The City government of Iligan has expressed gratitude to the Villar Foundation for the

release of the cheque worth P1 million to put up the memorial for the victims of Villar/PAGE 11

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Economy

2 Going Beyond Flashy Technology thursday may 9, 2013

MOBILE phones are getting more complex by the day and come with more and more bells and whistles. But at the end of the day, keeping people in touch remains their core function.

Cellular operator Sun Cel lu lar has ta ken t hat insight to heart. Ten years after its bold entrance into the mobile phone scene, the company continues to gain ground by addressing the dynamic demands of modern telephony while s t ay i n g g r ou nd e d a nd keeping in mind the basic communication needs of mobile phone users.

“We have been aggressive in introducing new technologies, knowing that the local market is quick to embrace these changes,” says Ricky Peña, Sun Cellular’s Senior Vice President for Postpaid, Broadband and New Business Marketing.

“For exa mple, t he m a rk e t h a s re s p ond e d ent hu sia st ic a l ly to ou r “Sundroid ” of ferings which feature attractive smartphones and tablets running on the popular Android operating system.

Peña added however that the company still makes a conscious effort to anchor its plans on its signature unlimited services.

“In almost ever y touchpoint, product

inquiries are usually driven by quest ions about t he availability and specifications of a particular smartphone or gadget,” Peña reveals. “But we have always been grateful that the market eventually goes beyond these and continues to embrace unlimited with Sun.” “New trends and gadgets may come and go, but when it finally comes down to adding depth and putting all these into relevance, Sun never loses sight of its primary role in helping bridge distances and connect people through best-value communication services,” shares Peña.

With a network inf rast r ucture t hat was originally built to support unlimited ser v ices, Sun Cellular remains to be a clear carrier of choice due to the reliability of its unlimited subscriptions and its no-frills charging system.

“The unlimited call and text Sun Plan 350 remains to be the most power-packed at its price point. And this actually holds true for all our regular plans, even including the Sun Call & Surf 999 with the winning combo of unlimited call, text and data services, as well as the pioneer Sun Group Plan 999 which remains to be a favorite unlimited plan for families and business partners,” Peña adds.

“A nd for t hose w it h particular gadget preferences, and those who already have their dream smartphones, we have an enhanced roster of SIM-only plans which can power-up and go well with any smartphone or gadget.”

As a leading postpaid service provider, Sun Cellular was t he f irst to hit t he 1-million subscriber mark in 2010 and has since been Flashy/PAGE 10

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

WAITING FOR FATHER -A child sits on the wooden beam as he waits for his father’s return from fishing in Barangay Day-asan, Surigao City on May 4, 2013. MindaNews photo by Roel N. Catoto

Inflation eases to 2.6% in April 2013 SLOWER price increases of food, electricit y, and petroleum brought inflation down to 2.6 percent in April 2013, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Tuesday.

“The average inflation rate for the first four months of 2013 settled at the low-end of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)’s inf lation target of 3.0 to 5.0 percent for 2013,” said Secretar y of Socioeconomic Planning Arsenio M. Balisacan.

Head line inf lation decelerated anew in April 2013 after posting at 3.2 percent in the previous month and at 3.0 percent a year ago.

B a l i s a c a n s a id fo o d inflation eased to 2.1 percent in April 2013 from 2.8 percent in the previous month as most food commodity items posted slower annual price increments relative to the previous month, owing to better conditions in the supply of food products.

These food items include fish (2.1% vs. 4.9% in March 2013); rice (1.4% vs. 1.6%); corn (5.3% vs. 5.7%); and milk, cheese and eggs (2.3% vs. 2.8%). Also, the price i ndex of non-a lcohol ic beverages moderated from 3.6 percent in the previous month to 2.8 percent in April 2013.

As for non-food items, price indices of electricity, gas and other fuels (-1.5% from -0.8%), and transportation related commodities (-0.7% from 0.5%) also declined in April 2013.

“The reduction in prices of these commodities can be attributed to lower prices of domestic petroleum products during the period,” said Balisacan.

The recorded price decline of unleaded gasoline (-8.2%), kerosene (-9.9%), diesel (-11.2%), and household Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG (-11.6%) April 2013 partly reflected the reduced price of Dubai crude (-8.3%)

in the international market.

“The international crude oil prices declined after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reduced its growth forecast for world oil consumption in 2013 by 0.9 percent,” he said.

Furthermore, electricity prices also dropped as the Manila Electric Company or MERALCO reported another reduction in generation cha rge s i n Apr i l 2 013, amounting to a year-onyear decline of 4.9 percent (-P0.27/kWh) due to a stilldepressed cost of supplies.

Mea nwhi le, head line inf lation in the National Capital Region (NCR) eased to 1.7 percent in April 2013, lower by 20 basis points (bps) compared to 1.9 percent in March 2013, and 2.5 percent in April 2012. Also, the inflation rate in areas outside NCR fell to 2.8 percent in April 2013, equivalent to an 80 bps decline from previous month’s 3.6 percent. (NEDA)

By Allen V. Estabillo

voter.

Huevos advised voters to refuse such offers and reject the candidates of political camps or parties that will attempt to buy their support.

He urged voters to report to them any form of votebuying, cheating and possible violent activities related to the elections that they might witness or encounter.

“It will depend on the voters’ conscience if they decide to accept them or not.

But it’s important for our voters to realize that they must really choose the right candidate and not get swayed by offers of any compensation from politicians,” he said.

Cit i ng t hei r g roup’s ongoing monitoring, Huevos said certain parties have made promises to some voters that they will give out rice and food packs days before the May 13 midterm national and local elections.

He did not identify the political camp that made such

offer but noted that “both parties” were supposedly preparing for such dubious acts.

Two major p ol it ic a l camps here have been wooing local voters for control of the city hall and the first congressional district of South Cotabato, which covers this city.

Incu mbents Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio and South Cotabato (1st District) Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. are seeking reelection under the administrationb a c k e d L i b e r a l P a r t yAchiever’s with Integrity Movement (LP-AIM).

They are being challenged by top city councilor Ronnel Rivera and Sarangani Rep. E m m a n u e l P a c q u i a o ’s younger brother, Apopong barangay chair Rogelio, of the People’s Champ MovementUnited Nationalist Alliance (PCM-UNA).

Cu stod io re pe ate d ly vote/PAGE 10

Vote-buying doesn’t have to be cash, warns watchdog GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews )– With less t han a week lef t before the May 13 polls, election watchdog Kont r a Day a urged residents here and in the neighboring areas to be more vigilant against possible attempts by candidates and political camps to buy their votes in cash or in other forms.

Pastor Anthony Huevos, Kontra Daya co-convenor, said reports of rampant votebuying activities usually emerge during the last leg or final days of the campaign period as they had observed in past elections.

The supposed vote-buying schemes, he pointe out, could be in the form of cash, rice or food packs and other basic goods.

Speculations earlier came out that some candidates in the area had been “buying votes” at P300 to P500 per

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BMW Car Club of the Philippines holds tenth Bimmerfest The BMW Car Club of the Philippines successf u lly hosted its 10th annual BMW car show at the Filinvest Tent last May 4, 2013. Titled Bimmerfext X, the show allowed the club members sha re t hei r pa ssion for BMW and their prized car collections to the general public.

"We do this show every year during the summer month of May to celebrate our passion for the marquee" says Edwin D. Reyes, club president of the BMWCCP. "BMW has two taglines, 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' and 'Joy'. We want to share the joys of the ultimate driving machine to the general public during Bimmerfest."

To ma rk t he bra nd 's 10th year of presence in the Philippines, Asian Car Makers Corporation, the exclusive i mpor ter a nd distributor of BMW in the Phi lippines a l lowed t he

guests to experience this joy by letting t hem test drive various BMW vehicles during the event.

"To experience 'Joy' it must be shared" added Reyes.

Awarding The highlight of Bimmerfest X is the show and shine competition where club members and guests vie

Trans Sport Show 2013 set on May 30 The country's longest running automotive show is back on its 22th year and will once again feature unique and innovative show cars at the SMX Convention Center in the SM Mall of Asia grounds, Pasay City. The 2013 Trans Sport Show (TSS) will be running from May 30 up until June 2, 2013.

“The uniqueness of the Trans Sport Show lies in its deep connections with the exhibitors, the visitors and the competitors,” observes Andy Dysangco, a wellknown car enthusiast and vintage car collector. “Other shows are for brands and cars people already see in the dealer showrooms. At the Trans Sport Show what the visitor sees are cars borne out of creativity, care and attention to detail.”

For over two decades, the Trans Sport Show has served as an avenue for the automot ive indust r y by creating niches to which the mainstream car-makers can pick up new ideas. It also served as a powerful brand in the realm of competitions, auto restoration, aftermarket

produc ts, a nd c a r club networking.

“It always starts with a n i n s p i r a t i o n ,” M r .

Dysangco, who is also a frequent judge at the event’s i nt e r n at ion a l- s t a nd a rd vehicle competitions. “The originality and creativity of others drives those who witness it to follow suit and create and modify on their own.”

For the 22nd running of the show, Phoenix Petroleum continues its partnership as the main sponsor, and will feature the 2nd Philippine Nostalgic Motor Show—a perfect segue to the launch of 'Driving Generations,' Trans Sports Show’s newest slogan.

“Driving Generations is perfect platform for the enthusiast to understand why the car crazy Filipinos love their cars, no matter what age or genre they come from,” explains Tradeshow Internationa l President, Sophie de los Santos. . Crossover 105.1, DRZH 666, DWIZ 883, DZRJ 810, E a s y Rock 96 . 3, Home Radio 97.9, Inside Motoring

for a chance to win in several categories. The winners of this year’s competition are the following: Best in Show - Martin Aguirre E9 3.0 CS; Best in Heritage - Galie Santana e30 325i ; Best in Modern - Edwin Reyes e90 320i exec. ; Best in Special - Ferdi Sia e60 M5; Best in Interior - Chiko Ward e46 M Sport; Best in Exterior - Carlo Aguilar e46 M3; Best Newbie Moe Carandang; Best Motorrad - Roy Bolisay R69S; Bimmerfest Fanatic - Chiko Ward & Ogie Abastillas; Hall of Fame - Jun Veloso e92 M3; People's Choice - Rom mel Grageda e36 325ci; Best Guest Club Display - Jojo Bautista (BMW Owners Society of Saferiders) with his BMW R1200 GS (official live radio partner), RJ 100.3Racing Beat Wave for radio. Auto Focus, Auto Review, Manibela, Motoring Tod ay, Pi noy E x t reme , Solar Sports, Stoplight TV, Sunshine Television, TFC Bro Channel, Turbo Zone, UNTV for television. C!Magazine, S p e e d , Powe r W he e l s , Top Gear Philippines for magazines. Autoindustriya. com, Custompinoyrides. com, Kotse.com, Mycars.ph, Topgear.com.ph for online automotive websites. Other sponsors include: Café Puro, Padi’s Point, Gotcha Paintball Adventure Games, Lazer Ma x x Laser Tag Arena, Motorola, Petrol.

Ticket outlets include SM Tickets, SM Cinema, Snack Time and Digipost.

T h e s h o w ’s m a i n support organization is the independent Porsche Club of the Philippines.

motorrad.

BOSS: Bimmerfest X this year was also participated in by the BMW Owners Society of Sa fer iders or BOS S .

The official BMW club for

motorbikes.

AutoIndustriya.com is the leading automotive resource for the Philippines. Featuring daily headlines and breaking news from the Philippine auto industry and around

the world. AutoIndustriya. com comprehensively covers the industry with features, test drives, car show reports, t e c h nolo g y a nd s a fe t y updates, motorsports, and a car buyers guide.

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‘Mindanao coops can tap cheaper solar energy in lieu of DOE’s modular gensets’

By Mike Baños

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY-- Rural electric cooperatives in Mindanao should seriously consider renewable energy options to mitigate the effects of their long-term supply contracts with coal-fired power plants and as a faster and cheaper alternative to the modular diesel generators being pushed by the Department of Energy (DOE).

In a recent communication to t he S out h C ot abato II Elec t r ic Cooperat ive (S o c ot e c o I I) a nd t he Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) E n g r. D av id A . Tau l i, engineering consultant with the Office of Rep. Florencio T. Flores, Jr. (2nd District, Bukidnon) endorsed the business model of Lim Solar Philippines, which he says is cheaper than both coal and the modular gensets.

“I find their proposal appropriate for bot h SOCOTECO 2 and ZAMCELCO, who are the only electric cooperatives in Mindanao that have longterm contracts with coal plants,” Mr. Tauli noted. “It is certainly better than the offer being touted by the DOE for ECs to purchase modular diesel generating sets at a cost of PhP 18 per kilowatt hour (kWh).”

During a presentation made in Zamboanga City last 15 March 2013, Michael O. Sinocruz, OIC-Chief Pla n n i ng of t he DOE’s Energy Planning and Policy Bureau, disclosed the agency has programmed some 199 megawatts (MW) of modular

gensets for Mindanao: 56 MW (Region 12), 48MW (Region 10), 39MW (Region 11), 30M W (Reg ion 9), 2 2 . 5M W (C a r a ga) a nd 3.5MW (ARMM).

Lim Solar Philippines is offering electric cooperatives (ECs) in Mindanao the lease of its 5-MW hybrid power plant (2 MW solar PV and 3 MW gas-turbines) at a fixed price of PhP 7.47 pesos per kWh for 15 years. Coops have the option to purchase the hybrid plant after the 15 yr. lease expires.

“The price compares favorably with your coal contracts, which I expect will cost you PhP 8 per kWh or more when it is operationalized in 2016.

In contrast, Lim Solar can have t he hy br id power plant operational within six months from signing of the lease contract.”

Howe ver, si nc e L i m Solar’s initial offer is limited to 5 MW, only one of the electric cooperatives can avail of it, and the others will have to wait for a future offer. This will have to be on first- come-first-served basis.

Although Lim Solar also

offers affordable financing for the coops, Mr. Tauli suggests the coops instead avail of the soft loans being offered by the DOE to coops through the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for the purchase of modular diesel gensets.

Energy Sec. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla earlier said solar energy power plants need long-term contracts of up to 20 years to make them viable, and may not be a sustainable solution due to their low availability factor of 22 percent.

“However, if there is any investor on solar who can convince a cooperative or distribution utility to sign up for 20 years at prevailing solar rate of P9.70 to P12.00 per kilowatt-hour, we would be more than happy to facilitate the transaction,” Mr. Petilla said.

E n g r. W i n s ton L .

Mendoza, chairman of Lim Solar Philippines, said he is not deterred by DOE Sec. Jericho Petilla’s bias against solar energy in Mindanao.

A mechanical engineering graduate of Mapua Institute of Technology, he is also a member of Lions International and the global TAU Epsilon fraternit y.

He is a retired aerospace informat ion technolog y at McDon nel l Dou g la s Corporation and former project executive at IBM. Mr. Mendoza said that for Mindanao, Lim Solar is willing to offer electric cooperatives very minimal prices for solar power as well

An engineer of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (CEPALCO) checks the rows of photovoltaic solar panels in its two-hectare plant in Barangay Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City. Lim Solar Philippines is offering electric cooperatives (ECs) in Mindanao the lease of its 5-MW hybrid power plant (2 MW solar PV and 3 MW gas-turbines) at a fixed price of PhP 7.47 pesos per kWh for 15 years. Coops have the option to purchase the hybrid plant after the 15 yr. lease expires. mindanews photo

as 100 percent financing scheme for residential and small businesses.

“For Mindanao, I will offer P7.47 per KWh to the electric coops and large megawatt level users and P8.50 to small users. I will also straight finance residential and small businesses,” he said.

Lim Solar Phils. (LSP) is a subsidiary of Mendoza Solar, LLC is a renewable energy company registered in California and Nevada, USA. LSP is the biggest promoter in the country of the use of state-of-the-art portable fuel cell electric systems that gensets/PAGE 11

No irregularity in CDO’s election paraphernalia – Namfrel

By Froilan Gallardo

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – There was no irregularity found in the inventory of the election paraphernalia for Cagayan de Oro that went overtime Tuesday night, according to the election watchdog National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).

Nestor Banuag , local Na mfrel chief, said t he inventor y that started 2 p.m. Tuesday and ended at about 5 a.m. Wednesday morning found t hat a l l election paraphernalia were “all accounted for.”

“The inventory was done in the presence of Namfrel, volunteers of the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) and representatives of the political parties. Nothing was missing,” Banuag said.

Lawyer Dolette Banzon, Comelec 10 assistant regional director, also confirmed the Namfrel findings, saying their office here also found no “ irregularity” in the election paraphernalia for Cagayan de Oro’s 277,931 voters.

“Our cit y of f ice a lso repor ted a l l election paraphernalia were accounted for,” Banzon said.

T he Com mission on Elections ordered a n i nventor y la st Tuesd ay after watch groups spotted three City Hall employees spiriting four boxes from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) where the election paraphernalia were stored.

Banuag said Namfrel volu nteers a nd CTO personnel checked all poll forms, envelopes for voting and counting, pens and indelible inks, comparing them with a list provided by the Comelec.

After these items were checked, Banuag said the items were brought to a secured storage room beside the CTO at the City Hall.

“Namfrel and PPCRV i nsta l led t heir ow n set of padlocks to the room to ensure these (election paraphernalia) will not be pilfered,” he said.

Banuag said the room will be opened on election day on May 13.

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BOC-10 posts P5.7-B customs collections in 2012

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran, Contributor

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Regional Office 10 posted a total collection of P5.7 billion in 2012, up by 10 percent compared to the total customs collections recorded in 2011.

Records f rom t he BOC-10 show that while there was a slowdown in collections in the fourth quarter of 2012, the annual

figure still exceeded the BOC’s annual target by P181 million.

The same records further show that collections in

Cagayan de Oro Port and the sub-port in Iligan City went down by 19 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

The decrease in Cagayan de Oro Port, from P969.1 million to P789.5 million, was due mainly to t he stoppage of the importation of palm oil in mid-2012,

the BOC-10 said.

This commodity accounted for 29 percent of the region’s base port’s total collections in 2011.

Customs collections in Iligan City also decreased due to the implementation of a n exec ut ive order exempting wheat

importations of PILMICO Foods Corporation from payment of customs duties until 2015.

However, the increase of customs collections in the Mindanao Container Terminal Sub-Port (MCTSP) more than offset the declines in the two ports.

MCT-SP now accounts for 82 percent of the region’s customs collections in 2012 from 75 percent in 2011.

C ol le c t ion s i n t he MCT-SP rose by 20 percent reaching P4.6 billion, partly due to the entry of the Phoenix Petroleum Inc. in the region.

DOE gives tips on conserving energy

By Recthie T. Paculba, Contributor

The Department of Energy (DOE) on May 6 conducted an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Seminar that provided information on household energy saving concepts and tips here.

In order to extend supply of fossi l f uels, save t he environment, contribute to a susta inable f uture, boost limited government resources and save money, Nor it a Froi la n, Senior Science Research Specialist of Department of Energy Manila, shared some household energ y saving concepts and tips e sp e c i a l ly on l ig ht i ng , cooking, laundry/washing/ i r on i n g , r e f r i ge r a t or s , cooling a nd vent i lat ion and entertainment.

For such electrica l appliances mentioned above, similar tips for energy saving

were basically to choose the right size of the unit that the consumer’s need, limit or shorten use since energy consumption is dependent on the wattage/rating/size of the appliances or equipment, to only use such appliances when needed and as much as possible, turn off any appliance when not in use.

I n c o ok i ng , Froi l a n mentioned that a consumer must prepare everything l i ke t haw i ng meat a nd getting ingredients on time for continuous cook ing.

The heat must be turned to low or medium when it is already boiling and pans or cookware should match with the heating plate.

I n w a s h i ng c lot he s , consumers should find time soaking clothes overnight before using their washing machine. When using iron,

consumers must select the appropriate heat level for clothes and avoid doing other things while ironing such as watching television b e c au s e i r on i n g a lone already uses up so much energy.

In addition, consumers can actually skip ironing of clothes and save both time and money by using fabric conditioners and by using a hanger upon drying them.

For lights and cooling/ vent i lat ion, consu mers should always remember to on ly i l lu m i nate t he corner of the house that need s l ig ht i ng , replace incandescent bulb with a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL), clean the tubes of t he la mp reg u la rly a nd use natural lighting when feasible.

Froilan also shared that

consumers must set a timer for air conditioner to make sure that it will not be left turned on whi le deeply asleep and avoid electric fan oscillation because the

pressure consumes more energy.

To cap up t he topic, Froilan left the participants with the basic parameters in electricity conservation

such as reducing the number of units being used, making use of low rating smaller unit appliance/equipment and to find other alternative way of doing things.

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R

Residents chase Moreno’s team

ESIDENTS at the city’s relocation sites in Cagayan ris iaz de Oro Cit y last Sunday reportedly chased candidates under the Liberal Party ticket of Oscar Moreno.

Moreno’s party reportedly scampered for safety as bolo wielding residents ran after them. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Unconfirmed reports said that survivors of the Sendong tragedy were angered when LP candidates talked about Emano’s alleged neglect at the height of Sendong on Dec. 17, 2011.

They said that survivors recalled the physical and emotional pains they suffered when LP candidates start talking about the Sendong tragedy.

Instead of talking about hope of the future or a promise of a brighter day ahead, Moreno’s group reportedly took turns in lambasting and blaming City Mayor “Dongkoy” Emano of the tragedy. They talked about the “recall campaign” at the time when people were nursing from the loss of their loved ones and the destruction of their properties.

Perhaps, Moreno’s team was telling the people at the relocation site that they (LP) were responsible for the distribution of free houses and lots to Sendong victims.

Perhaps, Moreno’s group did not realize that using the Sendong tragedy in their campaign to discredit “Dongkoy” would incite people’s outrage.

Honestly, Oscar Moreno and the Liberal Party have no moral ascendancy to talk about the tragedy brought about by Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro City.

The people know pretty well that, right from the start, the Aquino administration has not done so much to bail the victims of Sendong out of misery.

Everybody remembers when Pres. Aquino came to Cagayan de Oro City two days after the Sendong disaster.

On that day, Pres. Aquino gave only P 50 million to the city government as an aid to typhoon victims.

Aquino then proceeded to Iligan City where he extended P 300 million for Sendong victims there.

Mayor “Dongkoy” Emano did not complain of the diaz/PAGE 7

C

D

Castaway

hink a minute…You may have heard the famous true story of the Mutiny On The Bounty.

English sailors rebelled against their captain, William Bligh, in the South Pacific.

They took over his ship, and then put him and his few loyal men on a small row boat out in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

These rebel sailors knew that they had committed one of the worst, most serious crimes with the punishment of death.

So they escaped to a lonely island named Pitcairn.

There they sank their own ship to hide from the world for the rest of their lives.

Less than 20 years later, only one of those rebel sailors was still alive.

Their little island paradise had become a living hell.

They had fought so much among themselves that they killed each other off one by one.

When the last Bounty mutineer was finally discovered, he had completely changed into a different person.

Instead of the alcoholic thief and murderer he had been, he was now a gentle, loving father.

The British government was so impressed by the change in this old rebel sailor, that instead of executing him, they

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forgave and pardoned him for his crimes.

A Minute What happened to that

By Jhan Tiafau Hurst rebel sailor and criminal to completely change his heart and character?

Well, he had become so depressed and hopeless from all the fighting and killing of his former shipmates, he became an alcoholic who was almost constantly drunk.

One day when he was ready to kill himself, he found Captain Bligh’s old Bible.

He began to read about Jesus Christ’s mercy and love for him, so He asked Jesus to forgive Him and help him change.

From that day forward, he began to obey and live Jesus’ way every day.

Friend, maybe you also have rebelled and know that you’ve been living wrongly.

Maybe you even feel like a castaway, rejected by your hurst/PAGE10

THINK

Poverty and internal migration

T

he recent poverty statistics which showed that the poverty figures are unchanged reflects the hard data on the ground.

Given the phenomenon of internal migration in the different cities such as Cagayan de Oro, the burden of inequity remains.

However, some positive trends have emerged.

There are several factors that trigger migration.

The first factor is food shortage in the outlying regions.

The drop in agricultural production in the key staples like rice and corn brings this about.

Climate change issues has severely affected the rice and corn harvest.

The second factor is the unemployment dilemma that is characterized by the absence of job vacancies in the provinces.

Since most of the businesses located there are familyowned, the available jobs are offered only to relatives.

This situation leads to long-term unemployment, e.g., people are out of job for a period of one or two years.

The third factor is the situation of weak and domestic markets; in the provinces there are few buyers of products and services.

The fourth factor is the unstable family income. Since the production of agricultural crops is uncertain and the job market is almost nil except for government employment, the family income is subject to severe fluctuations.

Hence, family members have to forego even the basic three square meals a day and bear constant hunger.

The fifth factor is the limited educational facilities for the children.

There are few public schools in the province.

The sixth factor is the inflationary pressures in the province. The high cost of freight and the state of bad roads in the barangay level make it more expensive to transport

T

ECONOMIC

food and other items to the rural areas. All these factors B uttresses converge and inf luence the

By Amparo Pamela Fabe family to move in Cagayan de Oro City in search of solutions to solve their dilemma.

The migrant families have access to a new set of services.

First, they have a constant access to ample food supply.

The public markets offer a variety of food commodities.

Second, the family has a constant access to regular employment even if majority of these are in the form of non-formal employment.

The father and the mother work and, in very few cases, the children also work.

Third, the family enjoys a new setting and a new environment.

They have access to video games, movie houses, computer games and internet service.

Fourth, they have a stable family income.

Local ordinance imposes a minimum wage condition on business employing workers.

The compensation in non-formal work is equivalent to two-thirds of the minimum wage, which can already support a minimum lifestyle.

Those engaged in selling, since they face a bigger consumer market, have a higher income.

Fifth, the children of migrants families are able to go to school since there are many public schools in the city.

Sixth, the low inflation rate in the city enables families to plan their family expenditure well, and to buy things as they need these.

Victory in defeat

HAT may sound funny, or a literary oxymoron, but in the lives of saints, in the life of Christ himself, yes, there can be victory in what may largely be considered as defeat.

Just look at Christ’s own crucifixion and death. That event, from all human angles, could only mean defeat, a crushing defeat. But it was what led to his resurrection.

It was what paid the price for all our sins to attain our redemption. From the spiritual angle, it can only mean victory.

We need to look more closely at this very mysterious phenomenon, so that we can be more in line with God’s logic and ways, rather than remain in our very limited, time-and-earth-bound understanding of things.

We need to expand and deepen our perspectives to accommodate this wonderful spiritual and supernatural reality offered to us. Of course, for this to happen, we have to pray, meditate, be humble enough to ask for God’s grace, for this is a truth of faith that can only enter our mind and heart when faith that requires humility is alive in us.

Truth is, in this life of ours here on earth, often described as a “vale of tears,” we cannot help but experience contradictions, difficulties, mistakes, insults, ridicule, and all the other forms of failures. This is part of our human condition.

It would, however, be naive on our part if we choose to get stuck with the merely earthly and temporal aspects of our life, when the reality that governs us includes the

HINTS

spiritual and supernatural that requires us to use our faith, and Traces more than just our senses and By Fr. Roy Cimagala intelligence.

With faith operative in us, we may experience all sorts of weaknesses, but we still can manage to have hope and to wage an appropriate battle to tackle them. With faith, we can avoid falling into the paralyzing state of cowardice.

We can spring into action.

Faith lets us share in the power of God who knows how to draw life from death, rest from hard labor, light from darkness, good from evil. We have to learn how to access this reality that is abundantly offered to us by God himself.

With faith, we can echo St. Paul’s: “In all things, let us exhibit ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses...as dying, and behold we live; as chastised, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as needy, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.” (2 Cor 6,9-10) With faith, we would know the value and meaning of pain, suffering and trials. These are sources of purificacimagala/PAGE 10

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SMEs urged to harness power of e-commerce

By ROMELDA ASCUTIA Contributor

ELECTRONIC commerce (e - c o m m e r c e) b r i n g s m a n i fold b ene f it s for small and medium-sized enterprises and promotes the economic growth of developing countries like the Philippines.

E-commerce provides opportunities for SMEs to overcome log ist ica l and geographic hurdles to ma rket access, sa id Patricia Francis, executive director at the International Trade Centre, a subsidiary organization of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. By selling products online, the need for middlemen disappears, a l low ing businesses to reduce transaction costs and become more competitive.

Online commerce also creates opportunities in services trade, and online micro-work and freelance marketplaces enable entrepreneurs in developing countries to bid for work they previously did not have access to.

In this way, e-commerce helps close the income gap and “provides the possibility of leap-f rog g i ng for countries across the income spectrum,” said Harsha Singh, deputy directorgeneral of the WTO. He cited the mobile phone market, where an increasing number of rural farmers in developing countries sign up for subscriptions, enabling them to engage in mobile money services, open

savings accounts, and earn interest on their deposits.

But the full benefits of e-com merce ca n be rea lized only when the gove r n me nt c re at e s a business environment that supports Internet growth, said Francis.

R i g h t n o w, m a n y developi ng cou nt r ies have insufficient Internet c o n n e c t i v i t y. O n l i n e payment systems remain u nava i lable i n ma ny countries, and SMEs often lack the skills needed to engage in e-commerce.

Francis pointed out that while developing countries have passed regulations in support of e-commerce growth, they need to do more to build business environments with a focus on the digital economy.

They shou ld a lso look at engaging in intergovernmental discussions on areas such as cross-border data flows, data privacy, and access to data storage infrastructure.

“More ne e d s to b e done to exploit t he potential of e-commerce as a development tool,” Francis said; otherwise, “it is a missed opportunity for exports and economic development.”

Growth in e-commerce w i l l pr ov i d e b e n e f i t s related to foreign-currency generat ion, ta xat ion, poverty alleviation, and job creation for young workers, she added.

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7

Benaldo’s camp responds to health centers issue

By GERRY LEE GORIT

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - In response to a radio broadcast last Saturday about the barangay health centers in the first congressional district of Cagayan de Oro City, the chief of staff of Congressman Benjo A. Benaldo has issued a clarification regarding the issue.

A nd rew Bascon sa id it should be Benaldo who is to be credited for the establishment of the health centers because he is the

representative of the first district.

Bascon, in a rad io interview, said Congressman Benaldo has been part of the

city-wide investment plan for health under Mayor Vicente Y. Emano and that among his projects in all 24 barangays of the first district are health programs.

Bascon la mbasted at Barangay Carmen chairman Rolando Uy for allegedly not providing enough projects for all the barangays in the first district during the latter’s term as congressman.

He said it is Congressman

Benaldo who has improved the road networks between the rural barangays especially at Lumbia, Tumpagon, San Simon and Besigan.

“Congressman Benaldo has given each of the 24 barangays at least three or four projects including Barangay Carmen,” he added.

Bascon said that because Congressman Benaldo is the assistant majority floor Benaldo/PAGE 10

Re-electionist Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Banjo A. Benaldo speaks to residents of one of the 24 barangays under his district about his platform of governance and projects to be implemented if he gets another term of office. Benaldo said he can get more projects from Congress being the assistant majority floor leader at the Lower House. photo by gerry lee gorit

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Rodriguez to PNoy, Hotchkiss: ‘Resolve all issues’ before opening Laguindingan ‘International’ Airport

By BONG D. FABE

rep. rufus rodriguez

RDC-10 urges CAAP to put Duty Free Shop in L’ngan Airport THE Regional Development Council-X (RDC-10) has urged the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) through a resolution “to prov ide a space i n t he s o on-to -b e - op ene d Laguindingan International Airport for the sale of dutyfree and ta x-free goods, merchandise and articles.”

RAC Resolution No. 16 (s.2013), passed during the recent RDC-10 full council meeting through the efforts of Rodriguez, requested the CAAP to put up a Duty Free Shop in the airport to cater to the needs of returning OFWs and foreign tourists.

“I believe that this would improve the services offered by the airport and generate foreign excha nge a nd revenue for the government,” Rodriguez said.

The Laguindingan Airport, built at a budget of $167.09 million (P7.853 billion), sits on a 4.17-squarekilometer site in barangay Moog in the municipality of Laguindingan some 32 kilometers west of this city and 46 kilometers from the present Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro. The airport is the flagship project of the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor Special Development Project, which covers the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, as well as five coastal towns in Lanao del Norte and 22 towns of Misamis Oriental ’s f irst and second congressional districts.

Once fully operational, RDC/PAGE 10

REELECTIONIST Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has, once again, urged President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III and Lt. Gen. William K. Hotchkiss (retired) to first “resolved all issues” surrounding the international-standard Laguindingan Airport before opening it as scheduled on June 15.

In a letter to the President, Rodriguez raised for the nt h t i me t he i s s u e of passenger safet y for his vehement opposition to the opening of the airport, even if t he Depar tment of Tr a n s p or t at ion a nd Communications (DOTC) already moved its opening to June 15 instead of April 30 as scheduled by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

“While I understand and agree with His Excellency t hat t here is a need to open the Airport as soon as possible, I believe that we should not sacrifice the safety of our passengers just because the warranty period of the contractor will start running,” he said.

During t he Ma rch

15 meeting of Regiona l Development Council-X Special Committee on the L a g u i nd i n g a n A i r p or t Development Project, one of the main reasons cited for the “premature and haphazard” opening of the airport, as the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fou nd at ion, I nc . (O ro Chamber) described it, is that the “installed facilities’ one-year warranty will start countdown upon the official turnover by the contractor, Hanjin, to the Philippine government on April 15.”

“On the matter of the warranty, we implore you to help us extend the warranty period to the date when the Laguindingan Airport has already completed the insta l lation and testing

HALF-FINISHED. The terminal of Laguindingan Airport in the town of Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental on September 25, 2012. Called the gateway to Northern Mindanao, the airport is still unfinished after more than 20 years. Officials said the airport will be ready in first half of this year. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

of t he a i r nav igat iona l facilities. Hanjin’s works actually interfaces with the completion of the ANSSF [Air Navigational System and Support Facilities] such

as the duct banks and the testing and commissioning of equipment installed in the buildings. A year of extended warranty will coincide with the total operation, at full

capacity, of the airport thus ensuring public safety and efficient ground operations,” the Chamber said in its own letter to the President last rodriguez/PAGE 10

Davao solon pushes establishment Creation of nat’l manpower, of nat’l center for missing children placement center urged TAGUM CITY—Alarmed by t he rec ent spate of disappearance of children in various parts of the country, a law ma ker is st rong ly pushing for the creation of a National Center for Missing Children (NCMC), which seeks to boost efforts to reunite missing children with their families.

The proposal contained in House Bill 5042 also known as the National Center for Missing Children Act, is in response to the need for a strategic procedure to facilitate prompt recovery of missing minors.

The establishment of the Center shall provide

information and coordination with the public and private initiatives towards reuniting missing children with their families.

Missing children telephone hot l i nes w i l l be disseminated to loca l government units, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, school districts, and the general public by the Center to receive i n for m at ion re ga rd i n g missing children, which include pictures, bulletins, police reports biographical references, and other relevant data that can help efforts to locate missing children.

Rep. Anthony Del Rosario

(1st District, Davao Del Norte) said children are one of the most valuable assets of the nation and the future’s best implements in nation building.

“Children are our most vulnerable human resource, always susceptible to danger especially when alone and outside their home,” he said.

According to Del Rosario, “in these times when syndicates f lourish in the organ transplant trade, parents have become panicstricken and it pains me to hear accounts of parents about t hei r m issi ng or abducted children.”

Solon/PAGE 10

MANILA—In order to fulfil the government’s policy of promoting the welfare of all workers in terms of harnessing their ta lents and skills to the fullest as well as provide an efficient system in tapping these sk i l l s a nd t a lent s , t he government should create an agency that will serve as a national labor pool that may be tapped by companies and the government if the need arises. “ T here is a need to establish an agency serving as a national manpower data bank that will have a ready listing of all available m a n p o w e r, c l a s s i f i e d according to their skills,

technical or otherwise,” said Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara (Lone District, Aurora).

“The proposed agency can serve the government and the private sector in terms of specific labor supply and shall provide an efficient inventory and classification of the labor and skills supply for maximum use of manpower,” he added.

During the 15th Congress, Angara has filed House Bill 1501 creating the National Ma npower Data a nd Placement Center that will gather and collate all available data and statistics on the present labor force in the country both employed and urged/PAGE 11

Law banning use of mobile phones while driving mulled

DANGEROUS PRACTICE. If passed into law, using mobile phones while driving will mean a fine and the revocation of the driver’s license of the violator.

MANILA—Lawmakers have expressed hope that members of t h e i nc om i n g 16 t h Congress would prioritize the enactment into law of a proposal regulating the use of hand-held mobile c om mu n ic at ion de v ic e while driving, providing appropriate penalties on violations.

House Bi l l 4571 was approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives on May 31, 2011 and remains pending in the Senate.

“While cellular phones have become an integral part of both business and personal lives, the alarming figures on cell phone-related accidents transform this technological gadget into a dangerous device,” said Rep. Susan Yap (2nd District, Tarlac), one of the authors of the bill.

A study conducted by t he Nationa l Statistica l Coordination Board (NSCB) in May 2007, one of the causes of traffic accidents for the period 2001 and 2006

was using cellular phones while driving, which ranked 12 with 14 cases registered in 2001 and with 91 cases registered in 2006.

“The danger is not only to the lives and limbs of the general driving public but also to the innocent pedestrians,” she said.

She added that since the necessity of using mobile phones does not prevail over the need to ensure road safety, the bill promotes hands free devices so that drivers may not be distracted

while driving.

Rep. Romeo Acop (2nd District, Antipolo City) said multi-tasking behind the wheel, a situation where the driver is simultaneously doing another thing or act while driving, is a dangerous predicament not only to the driver and his passengers but to the general public who may be riding in other vehicles or simply walking along the road.

“Di st r ac ted d r iv i ng , or using a cell phone or mulled/PAGE 11

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Flashy... from page 2

reaping incremental growth in its share of subscribers. By the end of 2012, its postpaid base has climbed up to reach 1.6 million.

“We remain positive in sustaining growth and even regaining market leadership in the coming years. And as the telco landscape continues to shif t w it h t he rising popularity of smartphones, expect Sun Cellular to be at the forefront in defining the best postpaid offers for the changing times,” Pena concluded.

Vote... from page 2

declared that her party had never resorted to vote-buying in its almost 30 years of existence and dominance of the local political scene.

She acknowledged to have monitored reports on some vote-buying activities in the area but cited that her camp was not behind them.

“Our integrity is intact and we always depend on our good performance to win the people’s support. I don’t think we need to buy votes just to get us elected,” she said in a recent forum.

For their part, Rivera said the reports on supposed vote-buying activities by some politicians in the city were not new and come out every election time.

“I’m not really privy to

the specific details of these activities since I’m also new to politics but rest assured that we’re not into this kind of activity,” said Rivera, who is only running for the second time after topping the city council race despite being an independent in the 2010 elections.

Benaldo... from page 7

leader he was able to get more projects for the city’s first district.

“He has truly represented his constituents,” Bascon said of Benaldo.

Asked why the people should re-elect Benaldo, he said it is because Benaldo is in the best position to continue his public service to the barangay residents and that he could add more to his already numerous projects covering infrastructure, agriculture, health, livelihood programs, education and others.

Benaldo is running under the Padayon Pilipino party of Mayor Emano and Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas.

T he pa r t y ’s c a nd id ates for the city council in the first district include Inday Dahino, Alden Bacal, Pepe Abbu, Gil Banaag, Maya Enteria and Annie Daba.

Hurst... from page 6

your family and friends, but especially rejected by God.

Entertainment Did you know that you can never become too wrong or bad for God to love and accept you.

He will never cast you away or rejec t you , no matter what you’ve done!

In fact, right now, Jesus is just waiting for you to ask Him to forgive you and start changing you from this day forward, for the rest of your life.

Will you do it?

Just Think a Minute…

Cimagala... from page 6

occasions to grow in maturity and other virtues, moments to refine our awareness we are children of God who “chastises whom he loves, and scourges every son he receives.” (Heb 12,6) Thus, we need to exercise our faith more forcefully and consistently, something that we can do if we pray, meditate on God’s word, study the doctrine of our faith, develop the virtues, have recourse to the sacraments, wage a lifelong interior struggle, etc.

Unfortunately, these are activities that are hardly appreciated by the people of today. They are even considered as a waste of time, a repression of the human spirit and freedom, useless relics of antiquity and of the dark ages, etc., the exact opposite of what these activities actually achieve if done properly.

We need to rescue ourselves from such ignorance or misinformation. That’s why we have to talk a lot about the role of faith in life of all of us. Faith, like our reason, is not supposed to be practiced by a few.

Though we can refuse the use of faith, just like what we can do with reason, we have to understand that faith is meant to be used by all. We are actually beings not only of senses and reason, but also of faith. We use faith, knowingly or unknowingly.

So, we have to realize that faith also has a valid and legitimate place in our public discourses—be it in the media or in the halls of congress and government.

We cannot say that just because it is a Catholic faith or a Protestant or Muslim one, it is optional and therefore does not have a necessary role to play in our discourses.

Truth is, faith is always in the middle of our discussions—if not a faith in God, then a faith in something else, including a faith only in oneself. Whether we are aware of that or not, the fact is some kind of faith is always involved.

Rodriguez... from page 8

March.

Rodriguez also said in a separate letter to Hotchkiss, director general of the CAAP, t hat t he airpor t “ is not equipped with the proper

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navigational aids that will allow night time flights.”

“Fourteen (14) f lights will be cancelled because of the lack of night time landing Iights, which will lead to economic dislocation of the business community here. Another concern is the incomplete infrastructure suppor t of t he a ir por t.

Yet another concern is the alleged lack of power for the Airport. It is estimated that the Laguindingan Airport needs at least 4MW to be able to operate all the necessary airport facilities but only 2MW are available to the Airport,” he said.

“In view of this, may I request t hat t he Civ il Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) look into these concerns and recommend the opening of the Airport only when all the issues are resolved,” he added.

relating to innovative and model programs, services, and legislations that will benefit missing and exploited children.

The NCMC shall conduct national incidence studies annually to determine the actual number of children reported missing, the number of children who are victims of abduction, and number of children who are recovered each year. (HoR)

RDC... from page 8

Mindanao’s newest airport is expected to cater to the increasing demand of air passengers and cargoes, and boost the economic activities of the CagayanIligan Corridor, and the Northern Mindanao region.

T h e ne w a i r p or t i s also expected to become a major hub for the export of agricultural and trade products, and the import of tourists to areas around from page 8 Cagayan De Oro and Iligan “There are still missing City. (Bong D. Fabe) children out there that need to be found and perhaps rescued,” he said.

The establishment of the NCMC shall be under t he sup er v i sion of t he Department of Justice (DOJ).

The NCMC shall maintain an updated computerized l i n k n at ionw id e a b out missing children through established reporting systems or clearinghouses. It shall www.businessweekmindanao.com disseminate information

Solon...

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Today’s HOROSCOPE AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) -Your domestic area is heavily influenced by astral activity right now. This time is conducive to reaching out to family and those close enough to call family. Don’t miss an opportunity to connect with the dearest people to your heart. Just be careful if a touchy subject arises that you handle it as carefully as possible.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - You have a lot to look forward to this year including fiscal stability and professional pleasure. You get an opportunity to participate in an activity you are totally passionate about. You take great pride in working hard and now you can do so in a way that doesn’t feel like work. Trust the best is yet to come and make the most of it when it does.

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) - Every person in your life has a different place in your heart. Some have a firmer grip than others and those are the ones whose influence you allow. Don’t get caught listening to someone who isn’t really that significant to you. They may think they know what is best for you, but only you can decide that.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - Someone else may have be a great leader to follow, but you need to learn how to make your own way.

You march to your own beat anyway and it’s time for you to set your own path down and follow it. Trust your instincts will lead you when confusion sets in or complications occur. Take the initiative to be proactive and create your own destiny.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - Even if you usually have a handle on your fiscal situation it may be worth looking at reviewing your procedures. Over time your situation changes as does the market. There may be updated ways to reinvent your financial identity. Do some research and decide what if any changes you can implement.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) - Good fortune swings your way and touches every area of your life. Be alert to new opportunities to chase success and increase your value and satisfaction. You can take giant leaps forward right now if you are able to identify the right opportunities and follow them through. Just make sure you check the fine print before you get involved.

ARIES (March 21- April 19) - If you are monitoring others to ensure a deadline is met try not to be too intense. When a project has a time limit and your hand isn’t the one actually involved in the task, but the management of it you may get stressed. It can be difficult to look on instead of do, but your role is crucial.

LEO (July 23 – August 22) - Mars sheds positive influence over your life right now in particular with your career. You have fought long and hard to win the position you’re in now and it’s only a few more steps until you reach your goal. You may experience an obstacle in the coming days, but overcoming them means you are on the cusp of success.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) - A conversation can occur to jolt your professional life into overdrive. Success is just around the corner, but you still need to take action in order to ensure things go as you’d like. Just because fate seems to smile upon you that doesn’t mean you get to sit back and relax. Take the necessary action and you will be thankful you did.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - Love may not be easy to describe, but when you feel it you know it. If a special someone tries to get your attention don’t be too stubborn to oblige. You may have been hurt before, but that doesn’t guarantee it will happen this time. Change your perspective on love and welcome it into your life.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - You can organize yourself so well that you can hammer out a month’s worth of work in one day. However, don’t get so lost in ironing out the details of a project that you forget what purpose you’re working to achieve. It may be necessary to delegate a few minor tasks to someone else so you can regain your focus.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - With a list full of agenda items to accomplish you cannot afford to be sidetracked. You don’t usually decline extra work, even if it is someone else’s responsibility, but right now it wouldn’t be wise. You cannot always pick up someone else’s slack. At one time or another you will just have to let them fall.

CROSSWORD puzzle

CIRCLE A WORD On course

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doncaster edinburgh epsom fakenham goodwood hexham kelso

leicester newbury newcastle new market perth plumpton redcar

across 1. A s se r ted a s va l i d, if f ra m ed incorrectly (8) 5.Urges the provision of layers (4) 8.Change course when the vicar out East returns (4) 9.Dance for girl musicians (8) 10.I’m sure I am in a sort of trance (7) 13.Later if may be wide-awake (5) 14.Led a postman to experiment with marzipan (6,5) 18.As unstable as the mountains (5) 19.Lee lets her run wild (7) 23.And so I repaired to an ancient place to find an ancient beast (6) 24.Restoration mark found in most etchings (4) 25.Food that upset Eric (4) 26.Stable measures on new order for the best type of binding (4-4) DOWN 1.It is least heeded when most needed, the say (6) 2.Refer elsewhere for pardon (5) 3. Af r ican people l i ke mo r ni ng rising, one concludes (5) 4. What the irate husband said

when he found a hole in his sock (4) 6. Serious way to become most sober (7) 7.Seated somehow composed (6) 11.Try to disrupt any torment (5) 12.Leaves sta r t- points, with no design in view (5) 13.Diminish a temptation, say (5) 15.Very brief, like shattered image set in loer case (7) 16.Man of commerce set back by marxist cunning (6) 17.Continental going by rail to school (6) 20.Wader in a spot of bother on the water (5) 21.It goes up on the tenth (5) 22.Cut out fifty to make one belt (4)

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Urged... from page 8

unemployed, updated every semester.

The Center shall serve as a counterpart of the Philippine O v e r s e a s E m p l oy m e nt Administration (POEA) under the Department of Labor a nd Employ ment (DOLE).

Also, the Center shall provide the pertinent data ne e de d i n s t ud ie s a nd formulation of strategies to fight underemployment and unemployment. (HoR)

Mulled... from page 8

ot her elec t ron ic dev ice while driving, particularly texting and reading messages, effectively removes the visual focus of the driver from the road and diminishes his degree of concentration on the safety of his driving,” Acop said.

Under the measure, the use of mobile communications devices while is regulated and penalties are imposed for violation thereof in order to promote road safety.

Violators will be slapped with a P10,000 fine. (HoR)

Gensets...

from page 4 address base energy needs, especially of isolated areas.

“O u r v i sion for t he Philippines is to transition 30 percent of our electric generation to RE and reduce our power cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) by 30 percent by t he yea r 2020,” Mr. Mendoza said. “Our goal is to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. Currently most of our electrical power is generated by coal-burning, diesel generators, natural gas, geothermal and hydroelectric power plants.”

Lim Solar Philippines, which is also chaired by Mendoza, has ongoing solar integration and development projects with De La Salle Un i v e r s i t y, S u b i c B a y Metropolita n Aut horit y a nd C a mp A g u i n a ld o.

Another affiliate, Lorenzana Energy International has ongoing solar integration and development projects in Malaysia, Hawaii, Guam, California and Nevada.

“Solar energ y as well as other renewable energy sources is very appropriate for Mindanao if we look at the long term and the impact of climate change, which exacerbates natural phenomenon such as t y phoons a nd stor ms ,” Mr. Mendoza sa id i n a present at ion to pr ivate i nve s t o r s a n d e l e c t r i c cooperatives at a local hotel here last week. “For the last several years, Mindanao is now the favorite of natural disasters, whose impacts were exacerbated by climate change-inducing fossil fuels.

We can no longer afford to let Mindanao suffer. Solar energy is abundant in the island and it provides clean energy.”

The DOE earlier offered three stop-gap measures

to i mprove Mi nda nao’s power crisis: the creation of an Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) where industrial/commercial firms could sell electricity f rom t hei r genset s; a n Interruptible Load Program (ILP) that would compensate consumers who would give up their power allocations to other users by running their own gensets; and the lease/purchase of modular diesel gensets by electric cooperatives through soft loans to be provided by the Nationa l Electrif ication Administration (NEA).

BOC... from page 1

Customs collections in Iligan City also decreased due to the implementation of an executive order exempting w he at i mp or t at ion s of PILMICO Foods Corporation from payment of customs duties until 2015.

However, the increase of customs collections in the Mindanao Container Terminal Sub-Port (MCT-SP) more than offset the declines in the two ports.

MCT-SP now accounts for 82 percent of the region’s customs collections in 2012 from 75 percent in 2011.

Collections in the MCT-SP rose by 20 percent reaching P4.6 billion, partly due to the entry of the Phoenix Petroleum Inc. in the region.

Bats... from page 1

Northern Mindanao in 2014.

Rodriguez said that the earlier proposa l of P3.8 billion NHA housing budget for Region-10 in 2014 was not enough considering that NHA is the main government agencies instrumental in the recovery of the thousands of calamity victims.

He cited t he v ictims of typhoon “Sendong” in Cagayan de Oro City where a higher budget for NHA would allow them to continue doing their mandated task in putting up a viable relocation site.

According to Rodriguez, there are other relocation sites in Northern Mindanao that the NHA should attend to since until now many typhoon “Sendong” victims have yet to be relocated to these permanent sites.

While Cagayan de Oro City has already constructed almost 14,000 free houses and has relocated almost 8,000 “Sendong” victims to permanent relocation sites, victims in other cities and provinces in the region have not been relocated to permanent sites.

Rodriguez said that an increase of P 1 billion as against the current P 3.8 billion proposed budget for the NHA in 2014 would certainly provide NHA an opportunity to accomplish their mandated task. (PNA)

Villar...

from page 1 Typhoon Sendong in Iligan City, which was ravaged by the storm on December 17,

2011, when some 150,000 people were affected and d e s t roye d a g r ic u lt u r a l products and properties worth P1.3-billion.

Vice Mayor Henr y C . D y received t he P1 million cheque from Villar Foundation representative Michael Regino, who turned over the cheque, in behalf of senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar, managing director of the said foundation, to the City Government of Iligan, through Vice Mayor Dy, yesterday, May 8, 2013, at the latter’s office.

Last December, former Las Pinas representative Villar graced the groundbrea k ing ceremony of a memorial that will be built to honor the memory of those who died and went missing when Typhoon Sendong hit Iligan and Cagayan de Oro badly. She was joined in the ground-breaking ceremony at the Serate Property on Hinaplanon Highway by Rep. Vicente Belmonte and Iligan local government officials.

Vice Mayor Dy said the out of the 7,000 Sendong victims in Iligan, more than 5,000 of them have already been relocated and given livelihood projects to cope with. The others, however, has remained being attended to due to lack of property for their relocation.

In her speech at t he ceremony, Villar said that the Foundation is donating the amount to put up the memorial “not to prolong our sadness for losing our loved ones or our hardships for having lost our homes and livelihood. Rather, we will build this memorial so that we and the future generations will always remember those whom we lost and those who risked their own lives to help others survive.”

The Iligan memorial is is the second that the Villar Foundation is building for Typhoon Sendong’s victims.

The first one now stands at Golden Haven in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City. It was inaugurated last October 25.

To f u r t her help t he residents of Iligan Cit y, Villar donated a coconet d e c or t ic at i n g m a c h i ne a nd prov ided tech nica l training to 40 families.

Coconet weaving is among the livelihood enterprises of the Villar Foundation.

Coconets, which are cheaper alternative to cement, are weaved using fiber produced by decorticating machine from waste coconut husks.

Vice Mayor Dy said the coconet project provided by the Villar Foundation for the Sendong victims in Iligan is doing good. “The DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) has ordered 100,000 rolls of coconet coir, but because there is not enough machine yet, they cannot produce that much.

We are still looking for ways to have more machines to meet the demand,” Dy said.

Regino also revealed that Rep. Belmonte continue to patronize the coconet products from Iligan by

purchasing them for the DPWH’s use. Belmonte help finance the establishment of the building that now houses the coconet decorticating machine in Iligan City.

“The coconets that the families (of Sendong victims) will produce will be used as rip raps or slope protection for roads and highways that will be developed in Nor t hern Mi nda nao. It ca n prov ide t hem w it h sustainable income,” said Villar during the groundbrea k ing ceremony last December.

Villar also emphasized the urgent need for the people to participate in protecting the environment.

“This memorial will also serve to remind us of our important role as stewards of our environment that many lives were lost because of some people’s utter disrespect of the environment,” Villar said.

Sendong was one of the worst natural calamities that ever hit Mindanao and one of the deadliest cyclones to hit the Philippines in the last 12 years. It claimed the lives of more than 1,200 people and hundreds went missing.

(Cheng O./Shaun Alejandre U./Arjay F.)

Energy... from page 1

sets at a cost of PhP 18 per kilowatt hour (kWh).”

During a presentation made in Zamboanga City last 15 March 2013, Michael O. Sinocruz, OIC-Chief Planning of the DOE’s Energy Planning and Policy Bureau, disclosed the agency has programmed some 199 megawatts (MW) of modu la r gensets for Mindanao: 56 MW (Region 12), 48MW (Region 10), 39MW (Region 11), 30MW (Region 9), 22.5MW (Caraga) and 3.5MW (ARMM).

Lim Solar Philippines is offering electric cooperatives (ECs) in Mindanao the lease of its 5-MW hybrid power plant (2 MW solar PV and 3 MW gas-turbines) at a fixed price of PhP 7.47 pesos per kWh for 15 years. Coops have the option to purchase the hybrid plant after the 15 yr. lease expires.

“The price compares favorably with your coal contracts, which I expect will cost you PhP 8 per kWh or more when it is operationalized in 2016. In contrast, Lim Solar

can have the hybrid power plant operational within six months from signing of the lease contract.”

However, since Lim Solar’s initial offer is limited to 5 MW, only one of the electric cooperatives can avail of it, and the others will have to wait for a future offer. This will have to be on first- comefirst-served basis.

Although Lim Solar also offers affordable financing for the coops, Mr. Tauli suggests the coops instead avail of the soft loans being offered by the DOE to coops through the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for the purchase of modular diesel gensets.

Energy Sec. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla earlier said solar energy power plants need longterm contracts of up to 20 years to make them viable, and may not be a sustainable solution due to their low availability factor of 22 percent.

“However, if there is any investor on solar who can convince a cooperative or distribution utility to sign up for 20 years at prevailing solar rate of P9.70 to P12.00 per kilowatt-hour, we would be more than happy to facilitate the transaction,” Mr. Petilla said.

Engr. Winston L. Mendoza, cha irma n of Lim Sola r Philippines, said he is not deterred by the DOE Sec. Jericho Petilla’s bias against solar energy in Mindanao.

A mechanical engineering graduate of Mapua Institute of Technology, he is also a member of Lions International and the global TAU Epsilon fraternity. He is a retired a ero s p a c e i n for m at ion technology at McDonnell Douglas Corporation and former project executive at IBM. Mr. Mendoza said that for Mindanao, Lim Solar is willing to offer electric cooperatives very minimal prices for solar power as well as 100 percent financing scheme for residential and small businesses.

“For Mindanao, I will offer P7.47 per KWh to the electric coops and large megawatt level users and P8.50 to small users.

I will also straight finance the residential and small businesses,” he stressed.

Lim Solar Phils. (LSP) is a subsidiary of Mendoza Solar, LLC is a renewable energy company registered in

11

California and Nevada, USA. LSP is the biggest promoter in the country of the use of state-of-the-art portable fuel cell electric systems that address base energy needs, especially of isolated areas.

“Ou r v ision for t he Philippines is to transition 30 percent of our electric generation to RE and reduce our power cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) by 30 percent by t he year 2020,” Mr. Mendoza said. “Our goal is to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. Currently most of our electrical power is generated by coal-burning, diesel generators, natural gas, geothermal and hydroelectric power plants.”

Lim Solar Philippines, which is also chaired by Mendoza, has ongoing solar integration and development projects with De La Salle Un i v e r s i t y, S u bi c B ay Metropolitan Authority and Camp Aguinaldo. Another affiliate, Lorenzana Energy International has ongoing solar integration and development projects in Malaysia, Hawaii, Guam, California and Nevada.

“Solar energ y as well as other renewable energy sources is very appropriate for Mindanao if we look at the long term and the impact of climate change, which exacerbates natural phenomenon such as typhoons and storms,” Mr. Mendoza said in a presentation to private investors and electric cooperatives at a local hotel here last week. “For the last several years, Mindanao is now the favorite of natural disasters, whose impacts were exacerbated by climate change-inducing fossil fuels.

We can no longer afford to let Mindanao suffer. Solar energy is abundant in the island and it provides clean energy.”

The DOE earlier offered three stop-gap measures to improve Mindanao’s power crisis: the creation of an Interim Mindanao Electricity Ma rket (I M E M) where industrial/commercial firms could sell electricity from their gensets; an Interruptible Load Program (ILP) that would compensate consumers who would give up their power allocations to other users by running their own gensets; and the lease/purchase of modular diesel gensets by electric cooperatives through soft loans to be provided by the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

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Feature

Your dream vacation unfolds at Stargate

By CHRISTINE CABIASA, Reporter

Once a daze now a vacation resort sealed with beaming pied-à-terre and naturerooted artistry and craft.

Wanna spurt the city’s noise and venture a paradise just inside the city? Wanna wander to majestic villas? Wanna experience continental fare and taste Asian-inspired dishes? Wanna relax and bathe to a cool and soothing swimming pool? Wanna explore a magical place in touch with nature? Oh! That big “yes” of yours, well every one of us does, right?

Enticing local and foreign tourists alike, there is a great new getaway for family get together and group bonding i n t he C it y of G ol d e n Friendship, an abode for sure every individual will like and that upon entering it, you will utter “Wow!”. All heads up for Stargate Dream Vacation Resort.

Stargate came to life with the owner’s reverie of achieving stars, stars she used to yield as her dreams in life, when she was still a kid. But now, those stars she thought

she’d never achieve are in her hands.

Drawn from a dreamer’s wit, Stargate comes into as any one’s dream to jaunt. It offers best vacation houses for your best choices.

T h e s e c ompr i s e t h e Bungalow vacation homes such as the Cowboy’s House, the White House, the Colonial House, the Mediterranean House, and the Victorian House.

Those featured vacation houses will give you and your family the luxury of pure bliss and will let you feel life’s precious moments spent together.

To c e l e b r a t e h a p p y living at its peak, Stargate also offers one-of-a-kind vacation homes; the Butterfly House that will let you soar into a magical experience anchored on its mesmerizing exteriors and limitless form of elegance, the Royal House that will give you the comfort

SM Accessories Cool School Must - Haves

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Choose from the best character school bags, trolleys, lunch kits, tumblers, socks, hankies and so much more with just one stop!

The best part is you get to save as much as 800.00 when you are given the Cool School Savers Coupons distributed at select newspapers and areas inside the mall.

What are you waiting for? Head on to SM Accessories, the one and only destination for the back to school season!

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of being a king and queen with an enchanted thrust only suited for royalty, and the Flower house that will let you experience the most unique designs crafted on an epitome of relaxation and calming ambiance.

They also have resto bars, gazebo, and infinity pool plus 101% safety assurance with its 24-hour security monitoring.

The aptitude at Stargate Dream Vacation Resort, one thing is for sure, nothing less than the best with their services and the treatment will be rendered. We will make all our guests feel like family giving equal priority to all. It is their strive to create a friendly environment and to assure that each experience is a promising return visit.

Above all, to supply a world class ser vice with ever y attendant and personnel highly skilled in the art of putting a smile on everyone’s face and retaining the “wow” feeling.

Visit Stargate at South Diversion Road, Upper Macasandig now so that those 347 aforementioned

The infinity pool at its coziest.

words will come into life and turn your dream vacation into reality.

Your dream vacation is far from impossible and ready for the taking. No need to think twice, Stargate Dream Vacation Resort promises nothing less than the best.

The Royal House. Experience the 'royalty' treatment.

A Man in Half Queenie Joy Faelnar Liceo U MassComm Intern

It’s unlikely to believe that Tommy Tañola can endure hopeless circumstances and opt to continue than to give up.

Tommy was born literally half on July 13, 1991 at Mabatao Salvador, Lanao Del Norte. He has seven brothers and the succeeding son from the oldest.

At a very young age he already experienced the abuses and neglect by his family. When he was Ten years old, his parents got separated, and it was the very last time he saw his father.

He did not finish his high school years due to his mother's stepfather. At the age of 18, he left and became a homeless person.

He reached several places, from Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, General Santos City, and Manila, hopeful that he will find his father. Manila is also his lucky place, on

February 25, 2011 “Wish ko lang”, a GMA TV program has chosen Tommy to be their fortunate recipient of a sarisari store and lots of gift certificates. Not expecting his flash blessings, Tommy went

home and shares it to his family. Of course he was accepted whole heartedly. The big question, did Tommy live happily ever after then?

Unfortunately no, just how swift it comes, it goes.

Currently, Tommy is now at Westbound terminal Bulua,Cagayan de Oro city, still begging for help. He is not alone though, he has genuine friends who support and accept him as a family.

“Wala man koy pamilya, wala man pud ko nag inusara, makaingon gihapon ko na mas swerte ko kay pinalangga man ko sa ginoo." Tommy said.

For Tommy, he might seem don’t have everything including his family, what matters most is he was given the opportunity by god to survive, for that he is still very blessed. Regardless of his clause, his faith makes him whole as a human being.

A strong man like Tommy Tanola deserves a better life.

In the future, someone will accept and love him unconditionally and won’t leave him.

By remembering God’s promised, that after then trials there will be blessings.