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BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Issue No. 179, Volume III •

Market Indicators

AS OF 5:56 PM MAR. 20, 2013 (Wednesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P40.73

6,419.62 points

X

X

4 cents

6.63 points

Briefly Tourism roads

DAVAO City -- The Davao Region is getting the biggest chunk of the tourism roads project for 2013.

Based on Department of Tourism (DOT) figures, Region XI was allotted P1.4 billion from the P11.8 billion Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP) budget. It got the biggest share among other regions.

“The Provincial Tourism Officers, Provincial Planning Officers have submitted many proposals, we vetted it and submitted it to Manila,” Art Boncato, regional director DOT-XI said of the huge share the region got from the first convergence project between the DOT and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“The DPWH has also been very good in evaluating our projects,” Boncato cited the support given by the DPWH office in the region. committee wants to cap,” she said in a telephone interview.

Cagayan de Oro City

Friday-Saturday

SOON

March 22-23, 2013

P15.00

Palm oil congress sets eye on foreign investors

By CHENG ORDONEZ, Associate Editor

T

HE 8th National Palm Oil Congress set on April 18-19 in Cagayan de Oro City is set to tackle concerns aimed to lure foreign investments in the country’s palm oil industry.

Organized by the Philippine Palmoil Development Council, Inc. (PPDCI), the said congress will carry the theme, “Utilizing Unproductive Lands and Promot-

ing Economic Stability Thru Investments in the Palm Oil Industry.”

Touted as the biggest gathering of the local palm oil stakeholders, this year’s

palm oil congress will be supported by the City Government of Cagayan de Oro, A Brown Energy and Resources Development, Inc. (ABERDI), API Group of Companies, Kenram Industrial Development, Inc. (KIDI), Filipinas Palmoil Plantation, Inc. (FPPI), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Depart-

ment of Agriculture (DA) and other major industry players, with the support from the Department of Trade and Industry, Regional Board of Investments, Philippine Coconut Authority-PODO, Department of Tourism, Department of Land Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and

other stakeholders.

PPDCI, in its website, said the gathering will be a venue for industry players to know the latest updates on the state of the Philippine palm oil industry, development initiatives, technological advances, banking support, local and international trends PALM OIL/PAGE 7

AboitizPower power barge bogs down

By NELSON V. CONSTANTINO Editor-in-Chief

Tax campaign

BUTUAN City– An estimated crowd of 600 convened recently at the Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort here for this year’s Tax Campaign of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

BIR-Caraga Regional Director Atty. Norberto Vitug welcomed the different sectors from the provinces of Caraga who attended the kick-off ceremony. Dir. Lucita Rodriguez, BIR Assistant Commissioner for Taxpayers Assistance Service is the guest speaker of said activity.

Dir. Vitug urged all individuals to file their taxes before the deadline which is on March 15 while for the business/corporate sector on April 15.

Vitug also stressed the importance of paying taxes.

“It will benefit us all,” he said.

WE’RE GOING

LOOKING FOR GOLD. Small-scale miners gather around a stream to look for gold in Sitio Cacao in Barangay Mat-i, Surigao City on Saturday, March 9, 2013. Miners have intruded the Parang-Parang watershed, the only source of potable water in Surigao City. MindaNews photo by ROEL CATOTO

DOT-10 pushes for MICE in CdeO

ONE of the two barges by the Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) earlier reported to be running uninterrupted to help ease the current power deficiency in Mindanao has bogged down due to technical problems, a company statement said yesterday.

But TMI President Jovy P. Batiquin said only one of the 50-megawatt generators of the company’s 100-megawatt power barge moored in Maco, Compostela Valley developed technical problems as early as March 18, 2013.

Batiquin said the problem requires the unit to be shutdown indefinitely for repairs to prevent further damage to the unit. The generator had ABOITIZ/PAGE 7

By JASPER MARIE OBLINA-RUCAT, Contributor

The Department of Tourism (DOT) region 10 will push for MICE or Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions to gain tour-

ists in the city and entire Northern Mindanao in the coming years.

DOT region 10 director Catalino E. Chan III said

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

the Philippines increased in international tourist arrivals by 9.12% with over five million coming in compared to over four million of foreign arrivals in 2010.

Additionally, more than half or 61.5% of these come from the Asia Pacific region as documented in the 2010 profile of international tourists. Top in the list is Korea by 21%, United States of America (USA) by 17% and Japan by 10%.

DOT-10/PAGE 7

GRADUATION TIME. A vendor sells garlands for families of graduating students in Kidapawan City on March 19.

MindaNews photo by GEONARRI SOLMERANO

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Economy

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More high-rise buildings up for construction in CdO MORE high-rise buildings would soon be constructed in Cagayan de Oro as the city’s excellent business climate continue to lure investors here, City Mayor Vicente Emano on Wednesday said.

Emano disclosed that a new 10-storey hotel would rise at Claro M. Recto Avenue just across the street fronting the Ayala Center here.

“I was invited to lead the groundbreaking for the construction of the new hotel,” Emano said without

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disclosing the exact date of the groundbreaking.

Aside from the 10-storey building, an upscale condominium would also be constructed in the city soon, Emano added.

He said other new buildings scheduled for construction and completion this year where the SM Mall in downtown Cagayan de Oro City also at Claro M. Recto Avenue in Lapasan and Puregold where construction of its building was on-going,

also in Lapasan, this city.

The SM Mall would be the second mall for construction here since SM has already a mall in Upper Balulang along the Masterson Highway going to Lumbia airport, Emano added.

Emano said with more investors and the construction of more high-rise buildings in Cagayan de Oro City, it showed a stable business atmosphere in this trading hub of Northern Mindanao.

(PNA)

Oro dads push creation of Brgy Food Terminal THE city council here ratified the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Agriculture pushing for the creation of Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) here.

Vice Mayor Ian Acenas, chair of the city’s 16th City Council, said that the BFT aims to make quality products such as meat, poultry, dish and vegetables available at lower prices to barangay residents in Cagayan de Oro City.

He said the BFT would serve as an alternative market for the farmers’ produce through direct marketing thereby increasing farmers’ income and ensure stable prices and supply of food commodities in the local market.

The BFT was envisioned to empower the barangays, create employment opportunities and livelihood through the establishment of small food packaging and food processing center for agri-based products,

increase productivity and income of the barangay residents, Acenas added.

Under the MOA, the agriculture department would facilitate the training of BFT personnel on proper food handling, techniques, operation and maintenance of the cold storage facility, as well as the business management and operational system of the food terminal.

The agriculture department would also establish direct market linkages between the BFT and DA accredited poultry, meat, fish, fruits and vegetable producers or suppliers; provide and procure the identified equipment as counterpart and provide technical assistance in the maintenance of the cold storage facility.

The city government, Acenas said, would provide counterpart funds for the equipment and handling facilities, allocate a working capital for the procurement of food products, and man-

age and operate the food terminal project in accordance to the project plans.

Acenas said that the MOA also tasked the city government to hire, appoint or assign qualified operators or workers who will be trained on proper food handling, storage techniques, operations and maintenance of the food terminal facilities.

The Department of Agriculture would provide equipment worth P200,000 per site composed of chest freezers, digital weighing scales, cash registers and an initial operational capital of P100,000 per site and funds for the BFT building.

Pursuant to the MOA, the DA-10 would provide the equipment needed during the opening of the BFT while the city government shall provide P2.4 million for the initial operational funds and for the construction of a building for the food terminal, Acenas said.

(PNA)

DOST 10 announces financial assistance to SMEs for 2013 THE Department of Science and Technology in Region 10(DOST-10) is informing all small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to avail themselves of financial assistance through Set-Up or Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program.

Cecilia A. Aca-ac, provincial science and technology director in Misamis Oriental, said the Program is a nationwide strategy encouraging and assisting SMEs to adopt technology innovations to improve their operations that will boost their productivity

and competitiveness.

At present, it assists 10 priorit y sectors including Food, Furniture, GDH (Gifts, Decors and Houseware), Marine and Aquatic Resources, Agriculture / Horticulture, Metals and Engineering, Health Products a nd Ser v ices / Pharmaceutical, ICT/ Electronics, Packaging, Renewable Energy (energy from wind, biomass, solar, micro hydro, biofuel and marine current).

With this program, an SME beneficiary can address technical problem;

get free technical advice from consultants; avail technical training courses for workers / employees; get financial assistance to acquire new equipment to mechanize and/or improve production lines; standardize and improve the quality of products; and be more competitive.

Any SME interested should write a letter to DOST where their company is based.

If application is granted, an SME will just pay the principal amount in three years and with no interest.

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Indian-made electric car to hit the roads NEW DELHI — Top Indian utility vehicle maker M&M on Monday launched the most advanced home-grown electric car, pricing it at $11,000 and saying it expects to be ready to sell them abroad next year.

The four-seater, two-door e2O — pronounced “ee-toooh” — has zero emissions, a top speed of 80 kilometres an hour (50 mph), is fully automatic and can run for 100 kilometres on a single charge.

“This is our vision of the future of mobility” in the country of 1.2 billion where pollution from an explosion in the number of cars on roads is creating increasingly grave health problems, M&M chairman Anand Mahindra said.

“We need to make a clean energy future,” he told reporters, warning the nation “is at a tipping point” in terms of road congestion, urban congestion and the environment with “eco-friendly transport the need of the hour”.

The hatchback is the fruit of $16-billion M&M’s group’s 2010 acquisition of a controlling stake in Indian electric vehicle maker Reva, pioneered by mechanical engineer Chetan Maini, as part of a push to invest in green technology.

Maini, who stayed with the

company, told AFP the e2O was a “game-changing” vehicle from the tiny, boxy two-seater Reva which was derided by critics as a “golf cart”.

The hatchback boasts 10 on-board computers analysing its core functions and sending alerts if anything needs fixing — features usually found on far more expensive cars — and can be fully charged in five hours from a 15A power socket.

The car can also be charged through a solar “Sun2Car” shield, a detachable canopy fitted with solar panels.

Energy-hungry India’s endemic power outages have raised concerns owners might not be able to get fill their batteries when they want but M&M says such fears are overblown with plans for a network of charging units around major cities.

India’s government has also chalked out an ambitious $4-billion plan to support an electric vehicle network and hopes to have six million electric vehicles on roads by 2020.

M&M said it is targeting urban affluent families who want a vehicle for city jaunts or as a second automobile and is looking at selling the car abroad starting next year in Europe and Africa.

Motoring

Friday - Saturday I Mar. 22-23, 2013

3

European, US carmakers race Japanese in Indonesia JAKARTA — Bentleys and McLarens could become a more common sight alongside three-wheeled pedicabs and Japanese cars on Jakarta’s roads, with European auto giants making a push into the Indonesian market.

Western companies experiencing a slowdown in sales close to home are turning to Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, looking to take advantage of both a burgeoning middle class willing to spend and an elite looking for high-end toys.

In 2012, Indonesia’s car market grew 25 percent to a record 1.1 million units, closing in on Thailand, the biggest car market in Southeast Asia with 1.4 million vehicles, IHS automotive analyst Jessada Thongpak said.

But Indonesia, with its 240 million inhabitants, “will emerge as the largest market in the region from 2014,” Thongpak told AFP. W h i le I ndone sia ha s enjoyed average growth of around six percent in recent years, car ownership is still at 45 vehicles per 1,000 people — compared with 145 percent in Thailand — leaving room for long-term growth in the market.

Indonesians are buying

new motors in big numbers, with 288 new cars hitting Jakarta’s roads every day, worsening its already crippling traffic and polluted air.

However, Western car makers complain they are losing out to Japanese firms owing to Indonesia’s high tariffs on imported sedans and luxury cars and the absence of a free trade agreement. Japanese firms have the benefit of a trade agreement and no levies. Added to this is the fact European makers are subject to higher safety standards than their Japanese competitors.

The EU has been in talks with Jakarta on a deal to open its market and allow European firms to compete on a level playing field.

That comes as new-car registrations in Europe dropped

8.7 percent on-year in January to the lowest level for that month since 1990, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.

But progress is slow and brands such as Mercedes, BMW and Chevrolet, are upping assembly and output Indonesia to get around the taxes — cars face a 40 percent tax if imported as finished products but just 10-15 percent if put together in the country.

“All global brands are already in Indonesia and they are heavily investing and expanding their production capacity,” Thongpak said.

Germany’s Volkswagen is planning to build an assembly plant in the next four years, and Chevrolet has revived its dormant plant outside Jakarta to assemble 40,000 cars a year, including its new

multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) Spin which was designed for the Indonesian market.

But Japanese brands are still the favorites, with firms such as Toyota and Nissan popular thanks to the development of cars that can carry families while also being strong enough to negotiate tough driving conditions.

Taking a spin around the busy Hotel Indonesia roundabout in the heart of Jakarta, every other car is a Toyota or Daihatsu, with those brands having more than 50 percent of Indonesia’s car market.

Taking Mitsubishi and Nissan into account, Japanese brands supply around 95 percent of the Indonesian market.

Toyota’s success began in the 1970s, when it produced the Kijang, a family car and favourite in Indonesia. It scored another success in 2003 when it began producing the Avanza and Daihatsu Xenia, MPVs for under $20,000.

But cars are mostly bought

by Indonesia’s affluent class, those with a disposable income above $7,500 a month and who represent 6.6 percent of the country’s 240 million people, according to a recent report by the Boston Consulting Group.

This figure, says Boston, will reach 16.5 percent in 2020.

4

Friday - Saturday I Mar. 22-23, 2013

Corporate . World

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Metrobank inks loan agreement with Pepsi METROPOLITAN Bank and Trust Co (Metrobank) signs an agreement for a loan facility with Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) to help finance the latter’s expansion plans this year.

PCPPI, t he exclusive bottler of PepsiCo beverages in the Philippines, ser ving at least 440,000 outlets and manufacturing brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mug, Gatorade, Lipton and Tropicana, earlier announced plans to venture into the powdered juice market this year.

“Metrobank, being a ma-

jor banking partner of Pepsi in the Philippines, is happy to support the company in this expansion project. The bank has been consistent in putting our customers at the front and center from across the supply to distribution chain, especially now given the overall bu llish t heme anchored on a very strong domestic consumer market,” said

Puregold owner poised to acquire Mariwasa THE owner of Puregold Price Club Inc has inked a deal to acquire a controlling stake in shell company Mariwasa Siam Holdings Inc, which may be used as a backdoor listing vehicle for Lucio Co’s energy business.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Mariwasa Siam said Invescap Inc executed an agreement with the listed firm’s majority shareholders Klarence Dy, Glenn Paul Garcia, Gilpatrick Garcia and Alfonso Anggala for the purchase of 956.20 million shares or 85 percent of the company for P292.50 million.

Invescap is principally owned by Lucio L. Co, who also owns Puregold. Co is also in the process of transferring most of his businesses under listed Alcorn Gold Resources Corp.

The share-sale is subject to the completion of Invescap’s mandatory tender offer to the remaining

stockholders of Mariwasa Siam for their respective shares.

Previous reports indicated that Mariwasa Siam may be used as the backdoor listing vehicle for Union Energy Corp, which inked a partnership with Sta Clara Power Corp for a P1.9-billion 8-megawatt mini-hydropower project in Oriental Mindoro and a P1-billion investment in a 9.9-megawatt rice husk biomass facility in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija The Co Seteng group, the founders of the local ceramic tile maker, recently transferred control of Mariwasa Siam to the Anggala group after the former sold its entire shareholdings in the company for an aggregate price of P192.33 million.

Mariwasa Siam is a holding company w it h no operations following a recent corporate restructuring.

Anthony Ocampo, Senior Vice President and Head of the Large Corporate Division of the Corporate Banking Group of Metrobank.

As of end-December 2012, Metrobank had total assets of over P1.037-trillion, with total loans extended reaching P509-billion.

The bank offers a wide array of financial services for corporate customers, including cash management, import and export trade products, specialized lending facilities, treasury and investment services.

Metrobank signs a loan agreement with Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines (PCPPI) to help the latter finance its expansion in the country this year. The agreement was signed by Fabian Dee, President of Metrobank, and Partha Chakrabarti, President of PCPPI (3rd and 4th from left); and witnessed by (from left) Metrobank Corporate Banking Group Deputy Head Joey Chan; Bliz Cuna, Senior Executive Vice President and Institutional Banking Sector Head, Metrobank; PCPPI Vice President for Treasury Tae Hong Roh; and Imran Moid, Senior Vice President and CFO of PCPPI

VISTA Land & LIfescapes Inc posted a banner year in 2012 with earnings, revenues and reservation sales for the period reaching an all-time high on the back of the strong performance of its Camella brand.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the property firm of Senator Manuel Villar said its net income grew by 24 percent to P4.38 billion last year, faster than the 17 percent increase to P3.53 billion in 2011.

Revenues ju mped 21 percent to P16.34 billion in 2012 from P13.51 billion in the previous year with Communities Philippines and Camella accounting for 36 percent and 34 percent of revenues, respectively.

Communities Philippines sells Camella Homes in the provinces, Reservation sales climbed 31 percent year-on-year to P40 billion from P30.5 billion.

for housing, particularly for Camella in the provinces, continues to be robust and we don’t see any risk of a slowdown in that segment,” said Tan. Company officials said the strong peso did not affect their sales to OFWs, which account for 60 percent of total.

“Even when the peso was at its highest point, there wasn’t a noticeable impact on sales, Villar said.

The company is eyeing a 15 to 20 percent growth in earnings and revenues this year sales reservations are projected to climb 15 percent.

Vista Land has a landbank of 1,962 hectares nationwide with presence in 31 provinces, 63 cities and municipalities nationwide.

It is the holding company of five business units, namely, Brittany, Crown Asia, Camella Homes, Communities Philippines, and Vista Residences.

Vista Land profit jumps 24% in 2012 on strong sales of Camella Homes

“It’s the best year we’ve had since Vista Land listed in 2007. We exceeded all our targets,” Ricardo B. Tan Jr, Vista Land chief financial officer, said in a briefing.

Vista Land surpassed its net income guidance of about P4.2 billion, revenue target of P16 billion and sales projection of P40 billion in 2012.

“Our strategy is paying off handsomely and given the strength of the property market, particularly housing, we will continue to focus

on bringing the Camella brand to families around the country,” Manuel Paolo Villar, Vista Land president and chief executive officer, said in a disclosure.

Last year, the property developer launched 28 projects with an estimated total value of about P25.5 billion, 22 of which were in the low and affordable segments of the market.

Vista Land expects continued strong performance in 2013.

“The market demand

Sun Cell launches personalized mobile number DAVAO City -- The Sun Cellular, one of the Philippines’ leading mobile telecommunications companies, is introducing the “Name Your Number” promo for the convenience of cellular phone users to have their own desired number.

Vanessa Franchesca Sy, brand manager of Sun Cellular, said that this is the

first-of-its-kind available in the market for only P59 with additional features of 200 text messages to other networks, 200 text messages to Sun and 70 minutes of Sun Calls valid for five days.

Sy, who was here Tuesday afternoon for promotion purposes together with their endorser actress Maja Salvador, said the SIM (Subscriber

Identity Module) has no number yet and once entered into a cellular phone an instruction will be given for your choice to have your own number.

“This is our way of being close to our clients. To let them feel that we are giving them choices. And that using Sun Cellular network is a good choice,” she said.

To choose your own number, subscriber can either follow the instructions upon insertion of the SIM to a mobile device or you can dial *249#.

Sy said that this is only one of the many innovations they are introducing as they continued their expansion and improving their signal in the remote areas. (PNA)

SM Accessories Summer Sale Future looks good for airline industry Are you ready for summer?

Beat the heat in your most dashing ensemble of accessories that will complement your summer look!

SM Accessories, the only fashion accessories authority, brings in the biggest sale of the season with the SM Advantage Sale on March 22-24, 2013!

Present your SM Advantage or BDO Rewards card and get an additional 10% on top of existing sale offers.

You can choose from eyewear, hats, bags, jewelry, and even rain gear for that unexpected summer rainshowers!

What are you waiting for? Head on to the nearest SM Store branch near you on March 22-24!

THE Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA) said the outlook for Philippine airlines is “brighter” as rationalization returns to the domestic market.

In a report, the aviation research firm said Philippine market conditions improved in the fourth quarter last year and first quarter this year leading to a “brighter outlook for Cebu Pacific and other Philippine domestic carriers.”

“Rationalization has come to the market in the form of consolidation and a slowdown in capacity growth,” CAPA said.

It said 2012 was a challenging year for all Philippine carriers as a result of rapid capacity expansion, which resulted in irrational competition and over-capacity in the domestic market.

Data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed AIRLINE/PAGE 7

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Real Estate

WESTWOODS:

A natural enclave in the midst of the Metropolis PUEBLO de Oro Development Corporation (PODC) is proud to introduce its latest innovation in project design: Westwoods.

Westwoods is an exciting and new premier subdivision in the Pueblo de Oro Township in Cagayan de Oro. Surrounded by the Pueblo Urban Rainforest, it is a natural and eco-friendly residential environment where you may also enjoy an urban lifestyle.

Westwoods offers both lots only and house and lot packages. These lots are available at an introductory price of P 4,850/sq.m.

Only five (5) minutes from SM City CDO, Westwoods features the following amenities: • Grand entrance gate and guardhouse • Clubhouse with function hall, swimming pool & cabana, and basketball court • Landscaped parks, playground, and picnic grounds with lots of trees and greenery all around • Jogging, hiking, and biking trail • Perimeter fence • 24/7 Security supported by K-9 and horse-mounted patrol • Wide and well-lit concrete roads • Efficient underground drainage system • SM-Forest View-Westwoods shuttle service PODC will be holding the groundbreaking of Westwoods’ entrance gate on March 22, 2013 at the project site.

Friday-Saturday Mar. 22-23, 2013

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Friday-Saturday I Mar. 22-23, 2013

Opinion

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ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI atty. roberto a. cantago jr.

Legal Counsels Member: -Philippine Press Institute

Baffling lack of info on Laguindingan

THERE’S a baffling lack of information from the government agencies charged with the upcoming opening of the Laguindingan Airport on April 30, 2013.

Take this statement from Candice Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Distribution of Cebu Pacific Air, the airline operating the most number of flights from the Lumbia Airport: “CEB has not received official notice on the transfer date to Laguindingan International Airport (LIA) from CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines).

CEB may have to reschedule and/or cancel some flights because LIA is not night capable and will be limited to sunrise-sunset operations, unlike the Lumbia Airport today.“ For t y days f rom t he planned opening and there’s no official notice to the domestic carriers of the im-

Traversing the tourism hi-way

Marketing Consultants

-Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) -Misamis Oriental - Cagayan de Oro Association of Publishers (MOCAP), Inc.

MIKE BAÑOS

THINK a minute…

Do you usually agree with people when they criticize you? Probably not. But just for fun, try it sometime.

Agree with the criticism that people might give you.

At first, it won’t feel natural or fun because when people criticize us, our natural reaction is just the opposite. We feel hurt like we’re being attacked. So as our blood pressure shoots up, we fire back our own criticism of that person like a counter-attack. But think of all the time and energy we waste reacting with anger to criticism.

A famous, successful person says: “I’ve learned

cheng ordoñez

JOE DEL PUERTO FELICILDA Uriel C. Quilinguing Editorial Consultants

HAMMER & ANVIL

Agree With Your Critics

pending transfer? W hat gives? This doesn’t sound like the transparency promised by the “Tuwid na Daan” of PNoy as well as the “Kayo ang Boss ko” consultative governance repeatedly promised in his previous State of the Nation’s (SONA) addresses.

True, consultation was done by the CAAP in two public hearings but this was only for the proposed terminal fees and not the more substantive issues like passenger safety and convenience. What next, LTO consultation on the taxi fares?

When the Oro Chamber tried to initiate a dialogue with PNoy during his latest visit, they were rebuffed, and the petition personally handed to him by Oro Chamber President Efren Uy immediately given to an aide without so much as a by-your –leave. So far, everyone (except the airlines, it seems) has been made to believe Laguindingan is definitely starting operations on April 30, 2013.

The idle talk that Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno has been pressuring Malacañang to immediately open Laguindingan is pure hogwash from his political opponents. Par que? To take away the glory that is rightfully Donkoy Emano’s who ostensibly pushed for the airport when he was still governor of the province?

As a former employee of the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan BAÑOS/PAGE 7

PED T. QUIAMJOT

TURNING back the pages of history, Julius Caesar was assassinated on his way to the Roman Senate on the 4th Century. It happened on March 15th after he was murdered by Brutus and company in front of the statue of Pompeii.

The murder was planned that even Sooth Sayers foresee it happening. It was recorded as the “Ides of March” the

to take criticism seriously, but not personally.” You see, friend, it just might be true—at least part of it. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got lots of room for improvement.

So let’s take all the help we can get, even if it hurts a little, because the truth hurts sometimes. And if part of that criticism of us is simply not true or fair, then just take the part that is true and do something about it.

Let it change you and make you a better person.

Make it work for you to your advantage. As they say, “Spit out the bones and keep the meat.” It will make you stronger in your character.

So we need just to chew on that criticism of us and think about it for awhile.

God created us to have the character of Jesus Christ.

One of the main reasons He became a human being was to show us the kind of nature and person He designed us to be. And all it takes is one look at Jesus to know we’ve got a long way to go to become that kind of person!

So let’s learn all we can and take all the help we can get—even from our critics.

The truth may hurt, but it also can set us free from our wrong attitudes, motives, and behavior. That’s the only way we can start becoming all we were made to be.

Think a minute

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

Why not ask Jesus Christ to forgive for your wrong way of living? Then ask Him to help you start making the changes you need to make in your character and life.

Just think a minute…

The Ides of March first political murder in the early civilization. Parliamentarians have debated but without accepting its legality called it luck and necessity to transform an empire into a republic. Speakers one after the other, declared inside the presidio and asked the Romans to lend their ears and listen to the sins and evil that Caesar’s did.

After the death of Caesar, a republic was born which is a transactional layer of leadership between collective groups of leaders chosen at large by the majority.

That was the basis centuries later where Abraham Lincoln phrased his famous address at Gettysburg of a “government of the people, by the people and for the people” of America which has remained a misnomer in a democratic country like the Philippines who copied this form of government from USA.

Many of our leaders think like Americans, dress, eat and speak like the Thomasite’s who sets forth in this country in 1903 but lack the discipline and firm tenacity of an American to govern.

Remember the speech of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon during the Commonwealth of the Philippines Inauguration as he declared, “I would rather see the Philippines run like hell by Filipinos than govern like heaven by the Americans”.

Quezon was true to his form and that is what we are getting today as the prize of independence?

Politics in our country caused animosity between friends and political foes. Siblings and relatives contesting juicy elected positions in the government would even face and tear each other apart.

Former political allies who are now contesting the Mayoralty race in Manila are

seen on national television f lexing their muscles with teeth rattling in any moment both personalities may just explode and maimed each other in public?

Many other confrontations all over the country are in familiar situation when uncontrolled emotions shatters peaceful debates and exchange of ideas so the electorate may know their worth and platform of governance?

Politics in the Philippines is no fun.

In 1985, the youngest Governor of the Province of Antique, Evelio Javier was felled by a hail of M-16 bullets while overseeing the election results of the his province whose votes went to his favored candidate Cory Aquino against the incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos. The henchmen of the other side could not have accepted defeat because they QUIMAJOT/PAGE 7

Education for life and beyond SCHOOLS are obviously a controlled environment.

They are like greenhouses for the students. They have to be like that, since the students, like young, tender saplings, need a more favorable atmosphere for them to grow to maturity before facing the world on their own.

In schools, the students are given a kind of pure nourishment of knowledge and other values to prepare them for the challenges in life. They need to be protected somehow from the very fluid if confusing realities of life in the meantime so they can develop the appropriate attitude and skills to be able to sort things out properly.

One of the concerns that we, the elders, should all bear in mind is that the students should be formed in such a way that they can be weaned at the proper time and start to face the realities of life on their own, even if everyone of us always needs the help of everybody else and our education never ends.

We need to see to it that they become fit and able

to live mea ning f u l ly in the world. What should be avoided is to spoil them in the school environment such that they could only “survive” in controlled conditions and would be at a loss when they step out of school.

In other words, the students should come out knowing more or less what their proper place and role are in society, so they can work in solidarity with others for the attainment of the common good.

This will involve acquiring things that are both basic and general, applicable to all, on the one hand, and specific, attuned to the individual’s qualities and capabilities, on the other.

And so the basic questions about man, like who and what he is, where he comes from, to where he is supposed to go, etc., should be made clear to them. The various implications of those questions, both in their theoretical and practical aspects as they impact on the different areas and levels of human life, should be taken up.

Along with this concern should be the effort to know each student personally, so his or her unique and peculiar qualities can be known and given due consideration in planning for each individual’s formation.

In this regard, it is important that each student gets to have a mentor to guide him personally in an atmosphere of friendship and confidence. It’s where students feel a bit alienated in some areas that anomalies can arise-like misconceptions of basic values that can lead to bad practices, habits and vices later on.

The formation in the school should try to cover not only the academic aspect, but also and more importantly, the human and spiritual aspects-like the development of basic virtues like humility, order, sincerity, etc., as well as, interpersonal and social skills, etc.

The students should know how to cultivate their spiritual life, their relationship with God which ought to undergird their relation-

Hints and traces

FR. ROY CIMAGALA ship with others. In the first place, they need to be aware between what is spiritual and what is material, what is eternal and what is temporal, etc., and the many implications these distinctions generate.

Thus, they need to learn how to pray and grow in their spiritual life through the study of the right doctrine, recourse of the sacraments, development of virtues and the art of ascetical struggle, so indispensable in our life marked by weakness, temptations, and sin itself.

They have to be taught CIMAGALA/PAGE 7

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Friday-Saturday I Mar. 22-23, 2013

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Palm oil... from page 1

and prospects, among others.

The Philippines is now eyeing to further develop the local palm-oil industry starting with the survey of farmlands suitable to palm-oil plantations in Bukidnon, the PPDCI said.

According to Jesus Arranza, member of the Philippine Coconut Authority’s (PCA) governing board and president and chief executive officer of the CIIF Oil Mills Group, the PCA is set to conduct a topographic survey of around 100,000 hectares of farmlands in Bukidnon.

This way, we have something to show investors in terms of where they can locate, Arranza’s said in the PPDCI website.

He said the survey is part of a program approved by the PCA three months ago. He, however, could not say how much money was allocated to the initiative.

The CIIF official said he is willing to join efforts that encourage investors, particularly Malaysians and Indonesians to locate in the Philippines.

In a previous report released by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) in 2004, of the 304,350 hectares of land suitable for palm-oil plantation in Mindanao, only 20,000 hectares has been used by the industry, PPDCI said.

It said that Medco noted that Mindanao, particularly Caraga Region, has the highest potential for the palm-oil industry since it is one of the most suitable areas for palm-oil plantation due to good quality of soil type and fair weather conditions.

Oil millers in Mindanao are Filipinas Palm Oil Plantations Inc., Agusan Plantations Inc. (Agumil and Buluan Mill), and Kenram Industrial and Development, Inc, it added.

In its report posted over PPDCI website, Medco noted that palm oil is considered as the world’s most productive oil because its versatile composition is maximized not only for edible oils but also in making food, chemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

Citing a study published by the University of Asia and the Pacific, Medco said palm oil’s domestic demand will continue to increase five percent a year in the next 10 years up to 2020.

In a report posted on its web site, the Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service noted that the government can consider offering special long-term financing for palm oil, with a seven-year grace period, and duty-free importation of planting materials and farm equipment to entice more players in the local palm-oil industry.

Aboitiz... from page 1

been running for 72 hours straight prior to the incident.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this unforeseen event may cause our customers. We are now assessing the situation and the repairs needed so we can come up with a timetable and we will accordingly inform all our customers--the electric cooperatives and distribution utilities--of developments as soon as the information is determined,” Batiquin said.

“We will endeavor to keep the repair time of the unit at its minimum and hopefully minimize the inconvenience to everyone,” the official added.

The oil-fired barge, tradi-

tionally designed for peaking, back up and anciliary services, has been operating for 24 hours for several weeks already due to the critical power situation in Mindanao.

TMI operates two bunker fuel-fired barges with combine capacity of 200 MW. The other Therma Marine barge is moored in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.

A subsidiary of AboitizPower, TMI provides power to 23 distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to complement the supply coming from National Power Corp (Napocor), where more than 70 percent of the power in Mindanao comes from.

The reduction in capacity deliveries of TMI will be shared pro-rata by all electric cooperatives and distribution utilities in Mindanao under contract with the company.

Despite the reduction in TMI supply, Davao City and areas under Davao Light and Power Co., are not experiencing any brownouts because it is suppled by the Hedcor Sibulan hydro power plant and the Bajada power plant.

Data from the National Grid Corp of the Philippines, the country’s grid operator, showed that Mindanao’s power reserves are projected to become short by over 200 megawatts for the week.

The actual impact of the deficiency on Mindanao consumers, however, would depend on actual demand and availability of back-up power supply of their electric utilities.

Aside from supply deficit, TMI said the situation is complicated by the “conservation” efforts of Napocor to control the release of water from Lake Lanao in preparation for the coming elections.

Lake Lanao provides water to the Agus-Pulangi hydro power complex, which in turn supplies 55 percent of the power requirements of Mindanao.

DOT-10... from page 1

The main purpose of these visits is usually to meet friends, relatives and conduct business.

About $83.93 or P3, 608.99 is the average expenditure per day for these tourists with top destinations in the country including Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro in region 10 specifically.

Indeed, tourism means business, he said.

The branding “It’s more fun in the Philippines” is not only to inform tourists of beautiful destinations in the country but also have them experience the great amenities and services these destinations have to offer,” said director Chan.

For region 10 and Cagayan de Oro, he wishes to push for MICE. Director Chan foresees that in 15 years, Cagayan de Oro and the entire region 10 will be flocked by various groups national and international and become venues for huge conventions and getaways of corporate and non-corporate meetings.

So far, DOT-10 is continuously accrediting hotels in the region and their next step is to accredit taxi drivers as they are the main transportation for tourists here.

Airline...

from page 4 that total passenger traffic in the Philippine domestic market was up 10 percent to 20.6 million, but seat capacity climbed 16 percent to 28.3 million. As a result, the average load factor in the Philippine domestic market slipped by

over 4 percent to less than 73 percent.

CAPA had said mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are inevitable in the Philippine airspace amid an 84-percent penetration rate, which is considered high in the region.

The research firm’s more upbeat outlook comes on the heels of Air Asia’s announcement it would acquire a 49 percent stake in Zest Airways.

Under the two carriers’ deal, Zest Air will get a 15 percent stake in the Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s biggest low-cost carrier.

CAPA also said Cebu Pacific and its smaller rivals in the budget segment would benef it f rom Phi lippines Airlines’ (PAL) strategy to position Airphil Express as a hybrid airline.

Recently renamed as PAL Express, PAL’s budget unit will offer complimentary snacks, drinks and reading materials on board and other amenities previously enjoyed only by passengers of full-service airlines.

Last February, AirPhil also dropped its Clark operation, where the airline had operated three domestic and two international routes.

To date, Cebu Pacific has cornered the biggest share of the domestic market at 46 percent, followed by Airphil, 21.6 percent; PAL, 19.9 percent; Zest Air, 10 percent; Southeast Asian Airlines, 1.5 percent and Air Asia Philippines.

Quiamjot... from page 6

were the party in power. In politics, it could be dirty and dangerous.

How many political assassinations or election related violence may happen when the heat is on as the local campaign period starts next month? We have the peculiarity to make a head count and tally the fatalities as if life among the contesting parties and their supporters are valued like dressed chicken in the market. We stooped so low and disregard dignity and respect for human lives when political leaders resort to violence and dirty tactics to win an election. How many is contemplating of doing so?

The stakes are of course high in every elected position in the government. The price of power is the source of money and authority which becomes a license to accumulate wealth and built political dynasties.

Once they are there, there is no turning back until their dreams could turn dust to gold that they cannot bring to their graves.

Why do we wallow in this quagmire that has entangled political leadership in this country only to a few families in succession?

The problem of course lies among our leaders. A constitutional prohibition on political dynasties is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.

But after five elected Presidents and the 15th Congress, it has outlived the fundamental laws of this land, no one dared and nobody ever sponsored a law prohibiting political dynasties because it cannot be approved in a dynasty filled Congress, anyway!

The ides of March in Rome happened in the 4th century for the simple reason that the Romans do not want to be ruled by an Empire. Can it happen again on the political exercise of May 13, 2013, to bring finish to the empire and dynasties which multiplied and overstayed in

Philippine politics? It can only be done with more luck and intelligent issues that must be understood by the electorate.

Baños... from page 6

Corridor Project Management Office (CIC-SDP) I can truthfully say it was former President Gloria Arroyo’s insistence the project be implemented which made the difference between making that airport a reality and not a pipe dream, regardless of the 25 years it took to make the blueprints come true.

Furthermore, it was then Atty.

Oscar Moreno, corporate legal counsel of Ayala Corporation which donated a major portion of Laguindingan’s 400 hectares, who had more a hand in its coming to fruition than the former unlamented governor who was kicked out of his office.

As to the rumors that Oca wants to open it to take credit for it in time for the May elections, let not anyone forget that it was this same person as chairman of the Laguindingan Airport Development Project (LADP) Special Management Committee who insisted the Air Navigation Systems and Support Facilities (ANSSFs) undergo a rigid bidding and awards process to ensure the safety of the air commuters riding in and out of the airport.

The ANSSFs include the instrument landing system, VHF omni-directional radio range, distance measuring equipment, meteorological observing system, precision approach lighting system and precision approach path indicator.

In fact, Gov. Moreno lobbied to have the pertinent agencies make judicious use of the delay in the airport’s opening to undertake badly needed infrastructure support needed for the optimal operation of the new airport

such as the road widening of the Iligan-Cagayan-Bukidnon Road, water supply, power supply, and other support facilities.

Certainly, the contention he is hurrying up its opening is just that: pure hogwash.

What disturbs us most about this whole thing is why government is so tight-lipped about why they are insisting on opening it so soon without instruments when these can already be installed as early as “within the next six months” and “we won’t have to wait till May 2014.”

PNoy reportedly wants to open it by April 30 “bring progress to Misamis Oriental as it will further promote tourism.”

Huh? Mr. President, if you haven’t noticed, Misamis Oriental is one of Mindanao’s most progressive provinces. Tourism has likewise been steadily growing over the years. We can’t figure out why another six months will make a difference in the progress of the province and the promotion of tourism.

The premature opening of the Laguindingan airport will jeopardize passenger safety and all we’re asking is another six months to allow the needed ANSSF to be installed and operational before it is declared safe for civil aviation.

Meantime, what’s wrong with keeping domestic aviation at Lumbia meantime? It is night capable and would not thrown a monkey wrench into the operations of local carriers who would have to reschedule their whole domestic operations just to move up the skeds of early morning and late evening flights which would be cancelled if the sunrise-sunset operating hours of Laguindingan get into play now.

Or, why not run the early morning and late night (that is, before 6AM and after 6PM) flights at Lumbia and the “Visual Flight Rules” flights at Laguindingan? Of course, that could never happen

7

because it’s just plain stupid to have two airports within minutes of each other operating in the same area.

Yup, plain stupid, just like opening an airport without instruments operating under “Visual Flight Rules” when you have a nearby one still night capable of doing just that and it’s only another six months till the instruments are installed.

Bakit ba talaga, Kuyang?

What’s the real deal here?

Cimagala... from page 6

how to deal with all kinds of situations and circumstances, favorable or not, advantageous or not. They have to learn how to develop convictions based on eternal truths as well as skills in flexibility to dynamic temporal factors and immunity to unavoidable negative elements.

These are tough things to achieve, but as long as they are pursued as early as when both teachers and mentors on the one hand, and students on the other are able to undertake and receive such efforts, then we can expect good results.

There’s obviously a need on the part of the school officials to monitor the development of the students,especiallyintheindividual and personal level. Obviously the cooperation of parents is a must here.They,afterall,aretheprimary teachers of their children, though theycandelegatemuchofthedirty work to the schools.

Thus, the healthy linkage between parents and schools is vital here.

That connection has to be nourished in a continuing way. *** Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

8

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

Congress

Friday-Saturday I Mar. 22-23, 2013

YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

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House leader confident of Group lobbies for creation of anti-trust bill’s passage Mindanao Power Corporation SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. expressed confidence that Congress will eventua lly approve t he proposed anti-trust bill.

He said the legislature “strongly supports initiatives enhancing national policies promoting fair and full competition in all commercial economic activities.”

“Meaningful socioeconomic development means, among others, promoting a nd enhancing economic efficiency and full competition in trade, industry and all related activities,” he said.

He added that the proposed Philippine Fair Competition Act aims to level the playing field among companies, reduce business cost and offer product quality and lower prices to consumers.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Ruf us Rodrig uez, one of the authors of the proposed law, said its passage would boost economic grow t h, since it wou ld complement the reforms the Aquino administration has undertaken.

“It seeks to penalize

anti-competitive agreements, arrangements, practices, and mergers for a healthier business environment. Definitely, such law will improve the business climate a nd encourage more foreign investors,” he said.

Rodrig uez said said there is “no major issue” against the anti-trust bill.”

The proposed statute is patterned after similar legislation in the United States.

Under the bill, a Philippine Fair Competition Commission would be established to ensure that businesses do not abuse their “dominant position” and do not resort to uncompetitive and unfair arrangements and practices.

The commission would have the power to investigate “on its own initiative or upon the complaint of any person, any and all violations of this act and other competition laws and cause the issuance of a cease and desist order prior to the commencement of a preliminary inquiry, and/ or the institution of a civil or administrative action.”

The proposed law would prohibit cartels, which it defines as a “combination of firms, providing goods in relevant markets, acting or joined together to obtain a shared monopoly to control production, sale and price, or to obtain control in any particular industry or commodity, or a group of firms that agree to restrict trade.”

Anti-competitive agreements cou ld be eit her “horizontal” or “vertical.”

Horizontal agreements are those “entered into between two or more enterprises operating at the same level in the market.”

Vertical arrangements, on the other hand, are those made “at a different level of the production or distribution chain, and relating to the conditions under which the parties may purchase, sell or resell certain goods or services.”

The bill also prohibits “prize fixing,” which it defines as an “agreement among competitors to raise, suppress, fix or otherwise maintain the price at which their goods and services are sold.”

By NELSON V. CONSTANTINO, Editor-in-Chief

THE Association of Mindanao Electric Cooperative (AMRECO) has urged stakeholders to support the creation of the Mindanao Power Corporation to take care of hydropower plants in Mindanao.

Sergio Dagooc, president of AMRECO, said that a bill authored by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro city was pending in Congress.

He said power and energy stakeholders in Mindanao forged an agreement to support the bill and lobby for the amendment of Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (Republic Act 9136) also known as EPIRA Law. Unknown to many, the EPIR A Law has brought more problems since one of its provisions allows the privatization of the Pulangi and Agus hydropower plants in Mindanao, Dagooc said.

He said the EPIRA Law should be amended to rescind the provision on privatization and thereby allow the creation of the Mindanao Power Corporation.

Dagooc said that AM-

RECO is not amenable to privatizing power and energy in Mindanao since it would mean an increase in power rates detrimental to Mindanao consumers.

AMR ECO a lso lashed a t t h e N a t i o n a l Pow e r C or porat ion for say i ng that the government can-

not ma i nta i n t he hyd ro power pla nts apa r t f rom its cost ly rehabi litat ion.

T he problem is not w it h t he f ac i l it ie s , but w it h t h e of f ic i a l s w ho h av e a p e r s on a l i nt e rest i n t he pr ivat i z at ion scheme, Dagooc added.

(PNA)

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON Malaybalay City

OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR Bids and Awards Committee

INVITATION TO BID ITB NO. CW – 2013-017

1. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon, through the General Fund intends to apply the sum of the:

Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon and inspect the Bidding Documents at the ad dress given below from March 15, 2013 – April 2, 2013.

5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of P 5,000.00.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon now invites bids for:

It may be downloaded to the website of the Procuring entity (www.Bukidnon.Gov.Ph), provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon will hold a Pre-bid Conference on March 22, 2013, 10:00 a.m. at BAC Conference Room, Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before April 2, 2013, 9:30 a.m. at BAC Conference Room, Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids will be opened on April 2, 2013, 10:00 a.m. in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted .

8. The Provincial Government of Bukidnon reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract Bidders should have completed, within one (1) year from the date of submission and award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bid- 9. For further information, please refer to: ders (ITB).

3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regu lations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from BAC Secretariat, Provincial

Engr. Charito G. Yulo Head, BAC Secretariat Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Fax No. - 088-813-2141 Tel. No. - 088-221-3114

Engr. Jose Pastor P. de la Cerna BAC Secretariat/ Section Head (Civil Works) Provincial Capitol, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Fax No. - 088-813-2141 Tel No. - 088-221-3114

OSCAR D. BELDEROL PHRMO BAC Chairman

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Friday-Saturday I Mar. 22-23, 2013

Agrinews

PH starts exportation of premium quality rice FROM being the biggest importer of rice, the Philippines will now be exporting premium quality rice such as the “black rice”, “red rice”, and the long grain “aromatic rice.”

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said he expects the export of premium quality rice to increase in the subsequent years as its production increases “while we cease importing ordinary rice by 2014.”

For this year, Alcala said the country will still import rice to serve as buffer stock, at 187,000 metric tons (MT).

The volume is part of the 350,000 MT which is the minimum volume of rice imports allowed by the Philippines under an agreement with other membercountries of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Since the start of the Aquino administration, the Philippines has greatly reduced its rice imports -from a high of 2.45 million MT in 2010, 860,000 MT in 2011, and 500,000 MT last year -- due to the administration’s increasing infrastructure investments in agriculture that resulted in increased production of palay (unmilled rice).

National palay harvest has steadily grew from 15.77 million MT in 2010, to 16.68 million MT in 2011, and 18.03 million MT last year.

The DA targets to produce more than 20 million MT

this year, equivalent to 100 percent rice self-sufficiency.

Meanwhile, to address the impending effects of an agricultural free trade system in Southeast Asia by 2015, Alcala said he has allotted some P26 million to bankroll a benchmark study on the country’s rice economy in comparison with other riceproducing countries.

He said the study will serve as a management tool in crafting interventions to make the Philippines competitive in rice production, processing and marketing, and in preparation for the regional economic integration under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) two years from now.

The study will also consider effects of climate change on the country’s rice industry, and how to surmount said challenge.

“Makikiisa tayo sa pag-

gawa ng baseline study sa industriya ng bigas, kabilang ng ating mga karatig bansa sa ASEAN,” said Alcala.

“Layunin nating magkaroon ng mas malalim na kaalaman lalo pa at inaasahan nating mabubuksan ang merkado ng Asya sa iba’t ibang uri ng pagkain sa darating na 2015 sa ilalim ng ASEAN Economic Community (AEC),” he added.

The AEC, which was adopted during the 13th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in November 2007, in Singapore, envisions a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, and a region of equitable economic development, fully integrated into the global economy.

It aims to transform ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and

freer flow of capital.

Alcala said the free trade among ASEAN countries by 2015 would definitely impact on local production, marketing, and distribution, and affect farmers’ income.

“Hence, it is imperative to conduct the study, and it is prudent to be prepared,” he noted. “(Kaya) patuloy ang mga pag-aaral sa epekto nito sa ating ekonomiya, ngunit mabut i na a ng mag i ng maagap,” he added.

For his part, DA Assistant Secretary and National Rice Program Coordinator Dante S. Delima said the benchmark study will be conducted jointly by experts from the DA’s Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Delima said the study, which which will be funded by the DA National Rice, — covers the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and China.

It aims to determine various government policies that affect competitiveness in rice production and marketing of commercial and hybrid rice varieties.

Delima said the study is important especially in light of President Benigno S. Aquino III’s recent pronouncement that agriculture, along with tourism and infrastructure, is among the top priorities of his administration to attract foreign investment. (PNA)

AEWs and two NorMin towns honored as rice achievers

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JICA launches road project in Lanao Sur THE Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched the opening of a farm-to-market road (FMR) during a recent site visit in Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte. The FMR is under the SND-ARC Rakim.

JICA consultants led by Engr. Victor Saplala, along with Engr. Mel Lamboon graced the said occasion together with the LGU officials of the SND. The 2.2-kilometer road is located at Sitio Junction National Highway that connects with Sitio

Langgoyo and traverses the MSU-Lanao Norte Agricultural College (MSU-LNAC).

A Barangay Maguindanao communal irrigation project also exists and is traversed by the farm-to-market road project.

A pre-construction conference followed at the Mindanao Convention Center in Tubod, after the site visit at SND, where JICA consultants, DAR regional and Lanao officials with members of the LGU and other national JICA/PAGE 11

PH is merely a sack of palay from rice self-sufficiency: DA JUST how close is the Philippines to achieving its goal of becoming self-sufficient in rice?

In fact, very close, according to a senior official of the Department of Agriculture.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Dante S. Delima, who is also the National Rice Program coordinator, noted on Wednesday that three million rice farmers need only produce one extra sack of palay this year to meet the 20-million metric ton (MT) target.

This would be enough to cover not just the rice consumption of Filipinos for a year but also enough grains for export above the 30 days’ worth of buffer stock in case of calamities.

Delima revealed the numbers during the Region 11 launch of the Year of Rice,

the Agriculture Department’s rice advocacy program, at the Waterfront Hotel in Davao City.

In 2010, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala first announced the goal of making the Philippines selfsufficient in rice by 2013—a target that was moved to 2014.

Since then, output from the 4.5 million hectares of rice paddies in the country has steadily increased. From the usual 3 percent yearly growth, the agriculture sector saw a 6.5 increase in production by the end of 2010 and 8 percent in 2011-2012.

The production growth translated into a total harvest of 16.5 million MT in 2011.

By 2012, production rose to 18 million MT or just enough to feed the 95 million or so Filipinos for a year.

Even if the numbers did DA/PAGE 11

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL NORTE 12TH Judicial Region BRANCH 07 Tubod, Lanao del Norte In re: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH OF EARL Q. DUHAYLUNSOD UNDER REGISTRY NO. 86-721 ( Local Civil Registry, Tubod, Lanao del Norte) EARL Q. DUHAYLUNGSOD,

- versus –

SPECIAL PROC. NO. 235-07-2011

Petitioner,

LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OF TUBOD, LANAO DEL NORTE,

Respondent. x----------------------------/ ORDER

Eleven Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and two municipalities from Northern Mindanao were recognized by the Department of Agriculture for their commendable performance and unwavering commitment to the advancement of the rice sector.

The awardees were the municipalities of Opol, Misamis Oriental represented by Mayor Dexter B. Yasay (top left photo, right) and Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte represented by Mayor Benjie Y. Baguio (bottom left photo, 3rd from left) as outstanding rice municipalities. The agricultural extension workers hailed as outstanding rice achievers were Sagrada P. Alvarez (Oroquieta City), Agnes Gracia Sue S. Butalid (Clarin) and Bonida A. Onos (Clarin) of Misamis Occidental; Emerita P. Capaytas, Fedelina M. Cuaresma, Manuel P. Sabillo, Fe A. Enriquez, Violeta B. Florin, Ma. Luisa Q. Gabutin, Estrella M. Morilla and Josefina J. Sabillo of Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. The awardees received their plaques of recognition with P1-million worth of agricultural projects for the outstanding rice municipalities and P20,000 cash incentive for each of the outstanding AEWs, which were awarded to them by no less than DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala(7th from left) and assisted by Assistant Secretary and National Rice Program Coordinator Dante Delima (7th from right), Undersecretary Joel S. Rudinas (6th from left) and Regional Executive Director Lealyn A. Ramos (6th from right) on March 15, 2013 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. # (VANESSA MAE S. SIANO, DA-RAFID 10)

A petition was filed before this Court on September 21, 2012 by herein petitioner, EARL Q. DUHAYLUNGSOD for the cancellation of his Certificate of Birth under Registry No. 86-721 in the office of the Local Civil Registrar of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, praying among others that after notice and hearing, an Order be issued directing the Respondent, Local Civil Registrar of Tubod, Lanao del Norte to effect the cancellation sought for.

Petitioner alleges that he is 25 years of age, single and a resident of Crossing, Poblacion, Tubod, Lanao del Norte. Respondent is sued in her official capacity as such. Petitioner is born at Zamboanga General Hospital, Zamboanga City on September 3, 1986 and his fact of birth was registered with the Local Civil Registry of Zamboanga City. His birth was also registered with the Local Civil Registry of Tubod, Lanao del Norte under Registry No. 86-07021, and his “sex” is erroneously indicated as “Female”. That the person registered with the Local Registry of Zamboanga City with the name EARL QUIMNO DUHAYLUNGSOD, born on September 3, 1986, and the “sex” is indicated as “Male” and the person registered with the Local Civil Registry of Tubod, Lanao del Norte with the name EARL QUIMNO DUHAYLUNGSOD, born on September 3, 1986, Sex indicated as “Female”, is one and the same identical person.

That the existence of two birth certificates of petitioner, though there is discrepancy as to entry of sex, has cast doubts and confusion of his identity and status for having two birth certificates, it is imperative that one of the certificates be cancelled. That the Certificate issued by the Local Civil Registrar of Tubod, Lanao del Norte which contains erroneous entry as to his “sex” should be cancelled. That there is no civil rights and interest of third party or parties is being and shall be prejudiced, defrauded and affected by the petition.

Set the initial hearing of the petition to March 5, 2013 at 8:30 in the morning before the sala of this Court. Any person/s interested to the petition may come to Court on said date and time to show cause why said petition should not be granted.

Furnish copy of the petition to the Office of the Solicitor General at Makati City, Office of the Public Prosecutor in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Office of the Local Civil Registry in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Atty. Pedro L. Suan, counsel for the petitioner whose address is at Oroquieta City and to the petitioner care of Monaliza Q. Duhaylungsod of Crossing, Tubod, Lanao del Norte. Petitioner is hereby directed to publish copy of this Order to a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Lanao del Norte for three (3) consecutive weeks, at his expense.

So Ordered.

Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

January 22, 2013.

BWM: March 22, 27 & April 3

[Sgd] WENIDA B. M. PAPANDAYAN Acting Presiding Judge

ea

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PH’s Catholic faithful in spiritual pilgrimage

By HONOR BLANCO CABIE, Contributor

MANY of the nearly 90 per cent Catholic Filipinos have started making a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer through the Way of the Cross, culminating next March 28 on Maundy Thursday.

At the Sacred Heart of Parish in Cainta, Rizal, 20 kilometers east of here, Maria Rosa and her family have begun a series of solemn meditations in front of 14 sculptures on the sides of the church.

In Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Ceferina and her cousins have also started the Lenten ritual in front of the Stations of the Cross at the UN Heritagelisted St. Augustine Church; the same solemnity displayed

by Rosemarie in Sagay City in Negros Occidental.

At the Our Lady of the Assumption in coastal Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, Margie, although she works in Manila, has returned for the annual Via Crucis at the hilltop church overlooking the usually calm Luzon Bay. Sixteen-year-old Christle, who just finished high school, and her close family friends do the Lenten ritual themselves at the Saint James Cathedral in the capital town of Bangued, nestled by the meandering Abra River.

Rico, in his 30s, has a different experience in his coastal hometown of Macalelon in Quezon, where many of the barangays construct “kubol” or small makeshift churches which house the 14 Stations of the Cross along the town’s streets.

Rico, who works in Quezon City as a computer administrator, talks of indigenous materials like bamboo, nipa, coconut, talahib grass, log, wood, among others which make the “kubols” where devotees gather all day and into the small hours of the night to recite the traditional “Pabasa ng Pasyon” or the Passion of Christ.

Religion sources say the Stations of the Cross – also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows, or simply, The Way -- is a series of artistic representations which are often sculptural, depicting Christ Carrying the Cross to his crucifixion before he died.

The sources say majority of Roman Catholic churches now contain such a series, typically placed at intervals along the side walls of the nave.

In most churches these are small plaques with reliefs or paintings, like those at the Santuario del Santo Cristo in San Juan City in Metro Manila, or those at the Our Lady of Loreto Church in Sampaloc and the Our Lady of Montserrat, both in Manila.Even some Aglipayans in Ilocos Norte and Tarlac, notably in Pinili in the former and Moncada in the latter, go through the Via Crucis ritual, including chanting the Passion of Christ from sunrise to way past sunset, the fever pitch

RIACFF FIRST QUARTER MEETING. The Department of Social Welfare and Development-10 (DSWD) holds the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Filipino Family (RIACFF) first quarter meeting with the aim to discuss RA No. 10361 known as the “Domestic Workers Act,” present accomplishment for January-March, present RIACFF and DSWD plan of action for Filipino Family CY 2013 and prepare 2014 plan for Filipino Family at Pearlmont Inn on March 20, 2013. (PIA 10)

PhilHealth-10 trains Reach Out team

By LORRY V. GABULE, Contributor

reaching during the last two weeks before Good Friday.

Church sources say the Stations of the Cross originated in pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

According to them, a desire to reproduce the holy places in other lands seems to have manifested itself at quite an early date.

At the monastery of Santo Stefano at Bologna, a group of connected chapels was constructed as early as the 5th century by St. Petronius, Bishop of Bologna, intended to represent the more important shrines of Jerusalem.

This monastery became known as “Hierusalem,” according to some religious documents.

Some theologians believe these may perhaps be regarded as the germ from which the Stations afterwards developed, though it is tolerably certain that nothing that we have before about the 15th century can strictly be called a Way of the Cross in the modern sense.

According to Catholic Church sources, the earliest use of the word “stations,” as applied to the accustomed halting-places in the Via Sacra in Jerusalem, is in the narrative of English pilgrim William Wey, who visited the Holy Land in the mid-15th century, and described pilgrims following the footsteps of Christ to the cross.

In 1521, a book called Geystlich Strass was printed with illustrations of the stations in the Holy Land, according to sources.

According to some religious documents, during the 15th and 16th centuries the Franciscans began to build outdoor shrines in Europe to duplicate their counterparts in the Holy Land.

The number of stations varied between seven and 30; seven being common.

These were usually placed, often in small buildings, along the approach to a church, as in a set of 1490 by Adam Kraft, leading to the Johanneskirche in Nuremberg.

In the Philippines, which received the Cross in 1521, the Catholic faithful follow the standard set from the 17th to 20th centuries which

has consisted of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the following scenes: 1. Jesus is condemned to death; 2. Jesus carries His cross; 3. Jesus falls the first time; 4.

Jesus meets His mother; 5.

Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross; 6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; 7. Jesus falls the second time; 8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; 9. Jesus falls the third time; 10. Jesus is stripped of his garments; 11. Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross; 12. Jesus dies on the cross; 13. Jesus is taken down from the cross (Deposition or Lamentation); 14. Jesus is laid in the tomb.

While not traditionally part of the Stations, some Catholic Church sources say the Resurrection of Jesus is at times included as a 15th station.

Some have asked what spiritual significance is there that one must go through the Way of the Cross.

Sources say the object of the Stations is to help the faithful “make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, through meditating upon the chief scenes of Christ’s sufferings and death. “ Catholic priests say this has become one of the most popular devotions for Roman Catholics, and is often performed in a spirit of reparation for the sufferings and insults that Jesus endured during His Passion.

In his encyclical letter, Miserentissimus Redemptor, on reparations, Pope Pius XI called Acts of Reparation to Jesus Christ a duty for Catholics and referred to them as “some sort of compensation to be rendered for the injury” with respect to the sufferings of Jesus.

Pope John Paul II referred to Acts of Reparation as the “unceasing effort to stand beside the endless crosses on which the Son of God continues to be crucified”.

In the Philippines, the temperature during Lent rising to what some describe as “oppressively hot and humid,” the lines making the spiritual pilgrimage are lengthening despite. (PNA)

ILIGAN City -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) has finally been given the opportunity to interact with institutional health care providers and health care professionals as PhilHealth has now made it’s zeal to deepen its relationship by creating a new team called PhilHealth Reach Out. Around 60 participants from the Philippine Hospitals Association of Iligan City and Lanao del Norte Chapter were the first to be given Reach Out orientation by PhilHealthRegion 10 on March 12 at Maria Cristina Hotel, Iligan City, said Ayesah M. Macumbal, officer-in-charge, PhilHealthLocal Health Insurance Office (LHIO), Iligan City and Lanao del Norte.

The chief of hospitals, budget/accounting/finance officer,

medical director and hospital administrator were among those present in the event, added Macumbal.

The Reach Out team will ensure that the participants are informed about new policies and allows immediate feedback through interactive lectures and open forums, that they are heard when they have complaints or suggestions and to make sure that old policies are reformed and streamlined in line with PhilHealth’s mandate of attaining Universal Health Care.

This will also serve as a venue where they could inquire unclaimed checks and identification cards. In addition, a booth for application or renewal of accreditation and member data record (MDR) issuance will be available on site.

Topics relevant to the needs

of our stakeholders and participants such as taxation, engagement, legal issues, membership/contribution and hospital concerns were discussed by competent speakers from the regional office and LHIO Iligan.

PhilHealth, health care institutions, and professionals stand independent in terms of their respective functions but there has to be that degree of interdependence in terms of giving services and output to ensure that every Filipino people leave health facilities happy and reassured, said Macumbal.

The same activity was also conducted on March 17 at Mercy Community Hospital, this city, with members and officers of the Philippine Medical Association-Iligan & Lanao del Norte Chapter.

a lready been completed.

After the pre-construcfrom page 10 tion conference, the JICA, agencies participated in a DA R a n d DP W H t e a m s briefing with beneficiaries visited another AR ISP-III of the FMR. F M R s u b -pr oj e c t i n t he During the conference, town of Kolambugan.

DAR-10 Regional Director Felix Aguhob thanked the JICA for its support to the road project and expressed from page 10 optimism at the development in SND, especially the not translate to self-sufbenef iciaries of the ARC, ficiency in rice, the dramatic whose standard of living is increase in output reduced expected to improve. the need to import the comDAR-Lanao del Norte of- modity from 500,000 MT in ficials led by PARO Ibrahim 2011 to 187,000 MT last year.

Marmay also attended the “What we’re importing pre-const r uc t ion confer- now is just for our buffer ence, toget her w it h OIC- stores,” Delima noted, saying CARPO for BDCD Alisood 187,000 MT would cover six B. Hadjisocor and the Mu- days of domestic consumpnicipa l Ag ra r ia n Reform tion of the staple food. “Most Officer Cosay Mangca.. of the rice we consume right Other personalities pres- now basically come from our ent i nc lude d E ng r. A le x local farmers,” the Agriculture Gua n Hing, Senior Inf ra official added.

E ng i ne er of t he C ent r a l To increase paddy rice Project Management Office, output and diversif y conDAR-AR ISP, Engr. Manny sumption habits of Filipinos, Bulosan of the DPWH cen- the Agriculture Department tra l off ice in Manila, and a nd its pa r t ner agencies DPWH-OIC District Engr. launched information camK h a l i l D. S u l t a n of t h e paigns on corn, banana, and f irst engineering district kamote or sweet potatoes in Lanao del Norte. . as alternatives to rice while The FMR was originally encouraging ways to reduce designed for a 1.75-k i lo- wastage. meter road at a cost of Access to farm support P12,200,407. However, the and information were being facult y, staff and students improved through the Piof MSU-LNAC requested noy Rice Knowledge Bank, for an additiona l 450 me- Farmers’ Contact Center, ters in order to ser vice the e-Extension Program for Agcommunity college located riculture and Fisheries, and ha lf way bet ween t he t wo subsidies for irrigation, tracsitios. tors, fertilizer and seedlings.

DA R-10 R D F e l i x A g u h o b t h e n r e q u e s t e d Challenges and skepticism the DAR-RSP central office Despite the good news, to increase the road length Filipino farmers still face a lot which became 2.2 k ilome- of challenges that could affect ter s . A s of t h i s w r it i ng , the goal of rice self-sufficiency, about 12% of the road had said Delima.

“Rice smuggling is still a big problem, as well as the lack of funding for irrigation and farm to market roads and bridges,” he said.

He also agreed with the farmers that the National Food Authority should buy rice at higher farm gate prices as motivation to continue planting rice.

Delima assured the farmers they will get support from the local government, like bringing irrigation to far-flung areas and working on getting more tractors for the region.

However, the problems above are the same infrastructure issues that Giap Minh Bui, an economist with the Asian Development Bank’s Southeast Asia Department of Natural Resources and Agriculture, mentioned in an ADB live chat event as hindering the Philippines from truly reaching its target due to the high cost of farming.

The ADB also expressed its concern that the government’s rice self-sufficiency program might do more harm than good in the long run, especially in the international market. In its working paper “Enhancing ASEAN’s Resiliency to Extreme Rice Price Volatility,” the think tank explains how rice self sufficiency could send price shocks in the international rice market and raise the cost of rice of Filipinos.

A DB Practica l Leader in Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development Lourdes Adriano was quoted in an Aug. 30 report as saying, “There [is] no historical data that will support this claim. It is not possible to attain sufficiency next year, not even in the near future.

Not in your or my lifetime.”

JICA...

DA...

12

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