BusinessWeek Mindanao (September 27-28, 2021)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE

Volume XII, No. 46

Market Indicators FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P 50.65

6,951.53

0.31 cents

X

36.25 points

YOUR MINDANAO-WIDE BUSINESS PAPER

RELIABLE

X

Briefly Camiguin water expansion CAMIGUIN Water Co. will invest up to P400 million for the development and expansion of water services in the province, a company official said on Friday.

Zenon Dimaranan, lead for water at Camiguin Water, said in a virtual briefing that a water system masterplan will be undertaken to serve 47% of the provincial population without access to clean and safe water.

“We are committed to investing P400 million for the development of the existing [water] system including the expansion,” Mr. Dimaranan said.

Makar port upgrade GENERAL Santos City -- More major projects are lined up at the Makar Port here in the coming months in line with the continuing modernization of the country’s port operations.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the development plans are being finalized for the further upgrading and expansion of the existing facilities at the port, which is a key part of the country’s domestic and international shipping routes.

Tugade personally led on Thursday afternoon the inauguration of the wharf’s new PHP62.8 million Port Operations Building (POB) and other support facilities implemented by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

IN-DEPTH

P15.00

Labor sector hailed for eco growth in NorMin www.businessweekmindanao.com

AS OF 6:00 PM SEPT. 25, 2021 (SATURDAY)

We strive for Excellence!

Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press awardee for the following: 2013 Best in Business and Economic Reporting 2014 Best in Environmental Reporting 2017 Best in Business and Economic Reporting 2018 Best in Business and Economic Reporting

Mon-Tue|September 27-28, 2021

Thank you for trusting us!

By ERCEL MAANDIG, Reporter

T

HE Cagayan de Oro city government on Friday acknowledged the contribution of laborers working either locally or overseas in the growth of not only the local economy in Northern Mindanao but also in the country.

City Mayor Oscar Moreno, in a speech during the event organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said the labor sector is very important to national growth and prosperity.

"We cannot imagine as a country growing without the strong labor sector," he said.

DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III led the turnover of P6,540,000 worth of programs and assistance to 1,358 beneficiaries in this city. This was part of the two-day aid distribution FRIDAY RELAXATION. Residents relax on the white beach of General Luna, Siargao Island, the country's conducted by the agency throughout surfing capital in Surigao del Norte. mindanews photo by roel n . catoto HAILED/PAGE 11

Marawi rehab Asian countries urged to adopt '85 percent' completed tobacco harm reduction strategies – del Rosario

By FROILAN GALLARDO, MindaNews

THE reconstruction of wartorn Marawi City is “about 85 p ercent” complete d almost four years after it was ruined in the five-month fighting between government troops and the Islamic Stateinspired Maute Group in 2017, Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) chairperson Eduardo del Rosario said.

Speaking before the Senate Special Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation chaired by Senator Ronald de la Rosa on Tuesday, Del Rosario said they have completed the construction of five mosques, major road systems and facilities like barangay halls in the most affected

area (MAA) in Marawi City.

Del Rosario said residents of Sectors 4 to 7 in the MAA “would be allowed to return and build their houses next month” in time for the fourth anniversar y of Marawi’s liberation from the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group, which seized the city on May 23, 2017.

He said that residents of Sector 1 to 3 have already been allowed to return and construct their homes early this year.

Del Rosario said that at least 4,916 temporary shelters have been completed and occupied by 4,214 families REHAB/PAGE 11

Policy experts urged Asian countries to follow the path of Japan, New Zealand and the UK in adopting tobacco harm reduction (THR) strategies to deal with the smoking epidemic, saying it is a very good example of how to cut smoking prevalence.

THR is a public health strategy to mitigate cigarette related harm by using less harmful alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs).

Among the HTPs is IQOS, which heats without burning tobacco-filled sticks wrapped in paper called HEETS to release a water-based aerosol. IQOS does not burn tobacco and produces no smoke and

Image from IQOS.COM

no ash unlike cigarettes. It was made available last year for adults 21 years old and above in the pilot area of Metro Manila. The online store IQOS.com now also covers delivery of the device and heat sticks to Davao City, General Santos City, Palomok, Cagayan de Oro City, Opol, El Salvador, Tagoloan and Villanueva in Misamis Oriental.

THR is regarded as an international best practice in public health strategy for

Asian countries that aim to reduce smoking rate, said academicians and experts who scrutinized the merits of innovative approaches during the recent Property Rights Alliance policy webinar where the white paper, “International Best Practices for Tobacco and Nicotine Public Policy” was also presented.

The Property Rights Alliance is an international research and advocacy TOBACCO/PAGE 11

Editorial and advertising email : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com • Cell Number : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Local 2 DOLE distributes P28-M aid in NorMin T

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 10 (Northern Mindanao) on Thursday began giving assistance worth almost PHP29 million to 5,330 beneficiaries in the region.

DOLE-10 Director Albert E. Gutib said in a statement that the distribution of the P28,752,616 worth of aid will run until September 24, covering Iligan City; Barangay Alae in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon;

Misamis Oriental; and Lanao del Norte.

Secretary Silvestre Bello III led the region-wide turnover of assistance, with an initial amount of P13,464,580, to some 1,944 beneficiaries in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte.

"This is a reminder that the money of the DOLE, is the money that comes from the people. And the money in our department should be given to the people," Bello said in his

speech in Alae.

The cash assistance came from DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, Integrated Livelihood Program, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration's Balik Pinas Balik Hanapbuhay.

Other beneficiaries received the aid through the Education and Livelihood Assistance Program, Overseas Filipino

Workers' (OFWs) Dependent Scholarship Program, and Tulong Pangkabuhayan Para sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang-OFWs. Bello also awarded establishments in the private sector with the DOLE Safety Seal, after complying with the government’s health and safety guidelines in preventing the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in their workplaces.

In Bukidnon's Barangay

Alae, 750 beneficiaries are set to receive financial assistance worth P6,861,036.

On Friday, Bello will award 1,358 beneficiaries in Cagayan de Oro City with P6,540,000 during an event for the DOLE's BikeCINATION Program.

For Misamis Oriental beneficiaries, the DOLE’s package of assistance worth P1,887,000 will be awarded to some 1,278 beneficiaries of the province. (PNA)

DTI-10 bolsters biz interventions amid COVID-19 pandemic

Commerce in the New Normal. DTI-10 OIC Regional Director Ermedio Abang shares their various consumer and commerce interventions amid the COVID-19 pandemic during the CORDS-X podcast with Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, September 25. (CORDS X)

BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL National Highway Balingasag, Barangay 4, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental Mobile Number/s: 0933-823-3161, 0933-823-3304 Tel. Number: 333-5161 CAGAYAN DE ORO P&J Lim Building, Tiano Kalambagohan St., Barangay 14, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel No. (08822) 727-829 / 231-6629 Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0933-823-3303 / 0943-708-7065 CAGAYAN DE ORO WAREHOUSE Warehouse 7, Bonbon Road, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Mobile No. 0917-825-4149 / 0943-708-7065 CARMEN, CAGAYAN DE ORO Vamenta Blvd., fronting CEPALCO, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 233-2011 Mobile No. 0933-823-3159 CORRALES, CDO Corrales Ave., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 231-2055

In accordance with the government’s We Heal As One initiative, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-10 intensifies its assistance to various affected business establishments and owners in northern Mindanao to help counter the economic disruption wrought by the coronavirus disease

DIVISORIA, CDO A. Velez St., Barangay 9, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0917-841-4000 / 0933-823-3164 GINGOOG CITY G/F Wyne Militante Bldg., Lugod St., Barangay 22, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 861-0104 Mobile No. 0933-823-3168 LAPASAN, CDO National Highway (FICCO Bldg.), Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 231-6739 Mobile No. 0933-823-3160 PUERTO, CDO Purok 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 859-0574 Mobile No. 0943-708-7537 CAMIGUIN B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Telefax No. (088) 387-0491 Mobile No. 0943-708-7539

(COVID)-19 pandemic, which has vastly changed the consumer landscape.

“Pagsulod sa pandemic, nag-adjust ta, ang atong gihimo, naghimo nalang ta og virtual regional trade fair. Didto nato gi-exhibit atong mga products gikan sa atong micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)

sa region. Nakaabot lang gihapon ilang produkto didto sa ilang mamalitay,” shared DTI10 OIC Regional Director Ermedio Abang during the CORDS-X podcast with Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, September 25.

(When the pandemic BOLSTER/PAGE 8

BUTUAN City – The Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 (Caraga) formally handed over to the local government a PHP3million food production facility that would help boost the city’s food sufficiency efforts.

In a statement sent to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Saturday, the DA-13 said the facility was turned over on Friday by DA-13

Executive Director Abel James Monteagudo to Butuan City Mayor Ronnie Vicente Lagnada.

The facility, situated in Barangay Pigdaulan, features a greenhouse, hydroponics, and a nursery with a fertigation system.

“Fertigation is an irrigation system in which the nutrients needed are already mixed with the water. Another component of the project is a seasonlong training that started in June,” the statement said.

Lagnada thanked the department for its continued technical and project support for the agricultural development of Butuan City.

“This project will support the food production initiatives of the city, especially in this time of pandemic where the need for food sufficiency is really felt,” he was quoted as saying in the DA-13 statement.

Lagnada also assured the agency of the project’s sustainability, noting Butuan’s vast lands that can be developed for agricultural purposes and food sustainability.

Monteagudo, meanwhile, said the sustainability of the facility would greatly benefit the residents of Butuan.

“This facility will serve as a model for farmers to see farming as a business enterprise. One of the thrusts of the agriculture department is to change the mindset of the farmers from production only towards farming as a business,” he said.

The project is funded

by DA-13 under the ENHANCE/PAGE 9

P3-M facility to enhance food sufficiency drive in Butuan

3

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

Developing Young Tech Talents is Crucial to Support the Growth of E-Commerce Shopee equips individuals with industry knowledge essential in the digital landscape E-commerce continues to play a significantly important role in the Philippine market and is estimated to be worth US$12 billion by 2025.

As more consumers turn to e-commerce, and as more businesses capitalize on the potential of the emerging digital economy, there is also a rising demand for qualified tech talents.

According to Linkedin, tech roles make up the majority of “emerging jobs” in the region, with robotics engineer, cyber security specialist, and javascript developer roles making the job trend list.

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, prepares and nurtures students and professionals for the digital landscape through its various talent development initiatives. One of these is the Shopee Apprentice Program which is an internship program designed to develop young tech talents into leaders through high-impact projects, specialized learning and development training, and mentorships led by Shopee leaders.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “As the demand for tech roles rises, Shopee will continue to train and equip the next generation of leaders through initiatives like the Shopee Apprentice Program.

We will ramp up our efforts to provide proper mentorship and a wellrounded work experience for individuals joining our internship program.”

These Participants of the Shopee Apprentice Program highlight how they gained significant professional and personal growth to jumpstart their careers in e-commerce.

For Kyla, the Shopee Apprentice Program was an enriching experience.

With a specialization in data science and analytics and equipped with advanced coding skills, she created end-to-end training portals during her stint with the Shopee Business Intelligence Team. “Even though

the entire program was held virtually, Shopee translated their work culture online which is a great factor in my whole experience as an apprentice. I learned a lot from my mentors and also improved my skills in terms of presentation, time management, and communication. The program encouraged me to step up and be more confident to drive better results with what I do. I am glad a lot of people supported me throughout my whole Shopee journey,” Kyla shared.

Lance, another Shopee Apprentice Program participant, said that his experience was eye-opening, improved his problem-solving skills, and helped him understand the industry better. He worked with the People Team and displayed exemplary standing not only when it comes to his studies but also with his work at Shopee. “With Shopee, I learned how to look at a multifaceted problem, break it down into its constituent parts, and build it back together to form a comprehensive, results-driven strategy.

With this mindset, I was able to drive concrete impact by implementing workable solutions that will help drive the business forward.”

After finishing the program, Kyla highly recommends other individuals check out the program for growth and new learnings. “For those who want a career in e-commerce and tech, the Shopee Apprentice Program can definitely equip you with the necessary skills through their mentorships, training, and projects.

You can definitely drive your own growth as well as bring value and positive impact to Shopee through this internship. If you are up for a challenge to do meaningful work, the Shopee Apprentice Program might just be for you,” Kyla shared.

For more information about the Shopee Apprentice Program, visit https://careers.shopee.ph/ apprenticeprogram/. To

check out other career opportunities at Shopee, check out https://careers. shopee.ph/.

Buy Load, Pay Bills, and Scan to Pay with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

4

Opinion

The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Corporation every Monday to Friday with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Company Registration No. CS201531633 with BIR Certificate of Registration No. 2RC0000831068, TIN No. 463-826-272-000 – VAT. Reg., and with Business Permit No. 2020-04015. Tel. Nos.: (088)856-3344, (088) 810-100, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424

Amazing Life of Service of Mayor Oscar S. Moreno KIM'S DREAM

Motoring Editor

Regional Editor - Caraga

MIKE BAÑOS Contributing Editors

ATTY. ANTONIO S. SORIANO

“From time to time, there appear on the face of the earth men of rare and consummate excellence who dazzle us by their virtue, and whose outstanding qualities shed a stupendous light. Like those extraordinary stars whose origins we are ignorant and whose fate once they have vanished we know even less, such men have neither forebears nor descendants, they are the whole of their race.”

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI

There is no g re ater grandeur sight in the world than a great leader, fired with

THERE is now a frantic declaration of presidential wannabes as the October 8 deadline draws near.

Despite the still rampaging threat of Covid-19, the shades of politics has become the menu of the day on digital platform.

Indeed it will be a lot of fun on the campaign trail amid the turbulent pandemic.

That said, PH politics has taken us to an exciting ride this early as we get nearer to next year’s national election.

And to dispel the thinking of political doomsayers, it’s not Isko, Ping, Leny, Bongbong nor Pacman who will land in Macanang.

It will be Inday Sara, like it nor not.

It’s still a Duterte who will reign supreme in the next six years, and even beyond.

Take note of the deafening silence on the side of Sara’s camp in Davao.

Team Inday Sara is cooking something big and will surprise everyone in the coming days.

With due respect to the early declaration of fellow Mindanaoan Manny Pacquaio, his mantra of leading this nation is nothing but a product of a series of nightmares in the ring, latest of which was his defeat to a Cuban fighter.

He has the same hollowed mindset with VP Leny. A weakling in governance to say it upfront.

With that, the opposition is having sleepless nights where and what party will they affiliate and eventually campaign against the welle nt re n c h e d DU 3 0 a n d

Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com

BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO CORPORATION Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO ALLAN MARIO MEDIANTE Vice President for Corporate Affairs

VICENTE C. DELA VICTORIA Vice President for Operations JOE FELICILDA Vice President for Administration JOE PALABAO Vice President for Marketing ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA, PhD Vice President for Finance MIKE BAÑOS Vice President for Digital

NELSON CONSTANTINO Editor-in-Chief

MIKE BAÑOS

JUN AYENSA

JOE PALABAO

Feature Editor

2f, ICS Building Tel.No.: 881-0176 Tiano cor. Montalvan sts.

Legal Counsel

CLIFFORD SANTILLAN

Juni Law Office Cruz Taal St., CDO Legal Counsel

RIVA FELICILDA Advertising

MANILA OFFICE: 9th Floor, Unit 918, CityLand Herrera VA Rufino Cor. Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City Tel. # : 5555392,Cell Nos.: 0955-366-5968 | 0918-527-5898 CECILIA FRESNIDO-HONRADE - New Marketing Manager

DAVAO MARKETING OFFICE Door 223, Doña Segunda Bldg., CM Recto Ave., Davao City Telephone #: (082) 298-8815 Regional Mktg Manager-JOE PALABAO- 0926-8430152 Circulation-JOHN PAUL AQUINO, 0907-331-5640 OSCAR LEDESMA Bureau Chief, Bukidnon Contact No.: 0916-910-0019

Member: Philippine Press Institute Oro Chamber

Limits Think a minute . . . A familyowned pastry company had been successful for over 40 years. In the 1990’s the owners decided to expand their bakery business into other kinds of products.

They worked harder than ever to make their new products. But in return for all their hard work, they lost so much money they almost went bankrupt and completely out of business.

The businessman who bought their failing company said: “These people could not have worked harder, but they could have worked smarter.” Instead of working hard at what they did best, they worked hard at too many other things, and that is what caused them to fail.

Remember, our goal is to “get results” not just “get tired.”

That is why it is not enough to work hard, we also must work smart by knowing our limits. We must understand not only our strengths but also our weaknesses. Remember: “A leopard cannot change its spots.” So why try? Don’t fight the facts! Simply be

ORLAN R. RAVANERA

Cell No: 09352379999

Layout Artist

THINK A MINUTE

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

Transformative Leader for People, Planet, Prosperity & Peace a great purpose, dominated by one unwavering aim – to serve the people especially the poor and the oppressed and to protect the integrity of the environment. The honorable Oscar S. Moreno is so amazing leader whose life of service as an elected official is always in the maximum: first elected as Congressman, serving the 1st District of Misamis Oriental for six years (two terms), then as Misamis Oriental’s governor, serving maximum period of nine years. then as Mayor of Cagayan de Oro, again elected three times. Indeed, he is a leader sui generis (one of a kind) as he excels where ever or when ever he serves, exemplifying to the highest degree the Constitutional mandate that “a public office is a public trust, serving his constituency to the highest degree of service, dedication and commitment.” A man of integrity, he exemplifies the qualities of a transformative leader, putting in clear

RUFINO T. MAGBANUA Vice President for Business Development

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

categorical term the essence of “salus populi est suprema lex!” (The welfare of the people is the supreme law!”

Transformation is indeed the imperative call of the times as shown by this great leader.

Why is this so?

For thos e who have dreamt, struggled, sacrificed and even died for it, social change has been so illusive all these years despite 14 years of Martial Law and two-people powered revolutions. The ingredients, systems and structures breeding poverty, oppression, corruption, gross inequities and social injustices are still as formidable as ever. As the 2022 National Elections is fast approaching, let us be reminded of the Constitutional Declaration that in a Republican and D e mo c r at i c St ate, “Sovereignty resides with the people and all governmental powers emanate from them.”

In exercising that right of suffrage, the people always choose Oscar S. Moreno, be it

as Congressman, as Governor or as Mayor. No doubt, glaring is his exemplification of that amazing life of service. As a friend for almost three decades now, may I share how amazing this leader really is.

There are leaders who are posturing themselves as spiritual liberators or environmental defenders but when unmasked are nothing but perpetuators of colonial mentality that imprisons the poor people to a mind that makes them willing victims of oppression. Thus, we have lost our ecological integrity b ecaus e many of thes e politicians have sacrificed mother Earth and the people to the altar of greed and profit. In the ‘90s, some fifty ten-wheelers were passing Cagayan de Oro from 12 midnight to 5am, transporting illegally cut logs from the hinterlands of Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon. These logging activities then were all illegal as these finest of SERVICE/PAGE 9

company.

Indeed, PH politics is now brewing hot, regardless of the urgent need to get back to our toes and exigently address hunger, poverty and all the economic dislocations that Covid-19 pandemic has taken its deadly toll on us.

These inter woven challenges brought about by the pandemic must be the number one in the list of priorities of the next President.

And it must be responded with a sense of urgency because at stake here is the overall health and economic pulse of the nation.

And t here is st i l l possibility of a surge of the pandemic midway through the holidays (ber months are just a wink away) and onwards to the campaign

UNRUFFLED

Shades of PH politics

Saving the SEMEs JHAN TIAFAU HURST who you are, and become the very best you can be.

Make the most of your assets and natural abilities. This means knowing your limits and not wasting your time and energy tr ying to be something you are not.

Pigs can’t fly and fish can’t climb trees. We need to work in areas where we are competent and confident.

In a way, your personality is like your shoe size: you do not get to choose it. You do, however, get to choose whether or not you “fill your shoes” in life by reaching your potential and making the most of your natural abilities and personality.

Remember, your selfLIMITS/PAGE 9

The self-employed microentrepreneurs (SEMEs) in the Philippines continue to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the country remains at high risk amid the recent surge of coronavirus cases, SEMEs are finding it difficult to sustain their operations given stricter quarant ine rest r ic t ions and even abrupt shifts in guidelines. Considering these challenges, it would come as no surprise that SEMEs would sound the alarm, signaling a desperate call for help.

In a paper titled “C OVID-19 imp ac t on micro, small, and mediumsized enterprises under the lockdown: Evidence from a rapid survey in the Philippines,” published by the Asian Development Bank Institute in February 2 0 2 1 , re s e arch e rs s ai d “most MSMEs immediately lacked the funds necessary to maintain their business after the lockdown. The

magnitude of the working capital shortage was more serious in smaller firms.”

At the time of the survey, the study found out that there were 43.8% of micro, 23.2% of small, and 3.9% of mediumsized enterprises with no cash or savings. Furthermore, 61.4% of medium-sized, 53.1% of small, and 37.8% of microenterprises reported that they would run out of funds within a month.

Given this scenario, BPI Direct B anKo, the microfinance arm of BPI, re cent ly sig ne d a memorandum of agreement w it h t he Inte r nat i ona l Finance Corporation (IFC) to identify opportunities to improve and expand the products and services it offers to self-employed micro-entrepreneurs.

BPI Direct BanKo President Jerome Minglana said the micro-businesses are a huge contributor to the local economy, accounting for 89

percent of companies and 30 percent of jobs. However, they have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 due to factors such as the lack of financing options and a heavy reliance on domestic demand.

Wit h t his mi lestone p a r t n e r s h i p, I F C w i l l support BPI Direct BanKo in t he de velopment of additional loan products, the digitalization of existing processes and services, and the development of additional credit scorecards.

“The challenges in gaining access to credit for microentrepreneurs and in granting credit for lenders like BanKo have been further exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Mr. Minglana.

But instead of being discouraged by these developments, Minglana said BanKo is even more motivated to provide financial products and services to the unbanked and underbanked

RUFFY MAGBANUA period early next year.

Covid-19 has turned our way of life completely upside down — from the economic side of it to the adjustment disorder we are now facing on a global scale.

In fact, an unprecedented level of anxiety has been spreading like wildfire for almost two years now with no exemption in sight — rich POLITICS/PAGE 9

SPEAKING OUT

IGNACIO BUNYE by i n n ov at i n g a n d by partnering with IFC, which is also a staunch supporter of micro-entrepreneurs and women in business. “ We t r u s t t h at t h e technical expertise and global experience of IFC will help BPI Direct BanKo develop and implement relevant products and services that will benefit Filipino SEMEs in the short term and in the long run,” he said.

Financial inclusion Under the agreement, the partnership would also SAVING/PAGE 9

CorporateWorld 5 PH e-vehicle industry Support companies that growth hinges on advocate recycling: DTI government measures Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is encouraging consumers to patronize businesses that are promoting sustainability like reduced use of plastic products for packaging.

In a webinar on Friday, Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau Director Melquiades Marcus Valdez II said consumers must take action and demand for more sustainable alternatives from

businesses and government.

“The consumers can re-evaluate their consumption habits to minimize plastic use (and) refuse unnecessary plastic whenever possible,” Valdez said. “We must reduce plastic waste towards sustainability consumption and production.”

Private sector stakeholders have partnered with DTI in promoting sustainable products and businesses

among consumers.

One wellness shop and drug store vowed to reduce the use of plastic in their packaging by 50,000 kilogram of plastic bottles or equivalent to 2.5 million bottles in a year.

The shop said it is the company’s vision to eliminate unnecessary packaging, minimize use of recycled plastic at 20 percent, and promote recyclable and reusable packaging.

(PNA)

THE Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) is still optimistic with the growth of the industry as long as key government policies will be in place.

During the two-day 9th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit from Thursday to Friday, EVAP president Edmund Araga said the pandemic has further

slowed down the growth of the local EV industry.

Araga said EV registration in the country dropped 35 percent to 1,015 units from 1,570 units in 2019.

For the past decade, total EV registration in the country reached 12,965 comprising of e-trikes, e-motorcycles, e-jeepneys, GROWTH/PAGE 9

CEB is cautiously optimistic, Iyog remarked, noting that passenger load has been improving.

With this development, the airline will expand flights to Siargao from five times to six times weekly; Boracay from four to five times daily; and Bohol from nine to 10 times weekly, by October.

CEB also plans to resume operations in several international destinations: daily flights to Dubai starting on September 30; twice weekly to Nagoya, Japan beginning October 2; Osaka on October 4; and Fukuoka on November 5.

Likewise, flights to Kuala Lumpur will resume on October 4.

Meanwhile, Iyog

said the carrier has been continuously working with the government for repatriation flights. She commented that the airline prefers no passenger cap will be imposed on international airports like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The country's main gateway has been imposing a cap of 2,000 inbound international passengers daily, in consideration of the quarantine capacity. "This cap is not enough to bring Filipinos, those stranded abroad, to the country," Iyog said.

The airline also hopes that the quarantine days for international travelers be reduced, she said. (PNA)

GenSan’s Makar port No retrenchment, fleet reduction for Cebu Pacific up for more upgrade GENERAL Santos City – More major projects are lined up at the Makar Port here in the coming months in line with the continuing modernization of the country’s port operations.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the development plans are being finalized for the further upgrading and expansion of the existing facilities at the port, which is a key part of the country’s domestic and international shipping routes.

Tugade personally led on Thursday afternoon the inauguration of the

wharf ’s new P62.8 million Port Operations Building (POB) and other support facilities implemented by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

“There will be more projects coming in that we will announce in due time,” he said in a press conference.

The PPA said the POB complex is a “stateof-the-art facility” that is expected to ease the movement of vessels, cargo, and other portrelated traffic compared to its old complex.

Lawyer Cesar Dataya, UPGRADE/PAGE 8

AN executive of low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) assured on Thursday there will be no retrenchment this year, and that it will also not reduce its fleet as it gears for travel recovery. "(There are) no retrenchment plans for Cebu Pacific," CEB vice president for marketing and customer experience Candice Iyog told reporters in a virtual presser.

It may be recalled that CEB had to retrench about 1,300 employees last year, as the airline industry was among the hardest hit by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Iyog said the airline is currently gearing for the gradual resumption of travel.

Among the preparations is having its workforce vaccinated, as this helps in rebuilding trust in air travel.

Currently, 96 percent of CEB workforce were already inoculated, and Iyog said the company targets to complete the vaccination by October.

Compared to Philippine Airlines (PAL) that will slash fleet size by 25 percent, Iyog said CEB has no plans of fleet reduction. About half of CEB's 73 aircraft are operational.

The executive said that since the start of the implementation of general community quarantine (GCQ) with granular lockdown, CEB has had an average of 40 percent load factor.

6

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

9th Globe Media Excellence Awards launched to honor VisMin journalists, content creators Globe continues to celebrate and promote press freedom through the 9th Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA).

GMEA recognizes media practitioners and content creators from Visayas and Mindanao who excelled in their field of work amid the challenges posed by the

global health crisis.

The theme for this year is Padayon Digital—a play on the Visayan word, padayon, which means to continue.

It is a tribute to the media’s diligence in moving forward to digital spaces and a symbol of Globe's consistent support to the Visayas and Mindanao

Infinite category theory

By CHRISTOPHER S. SEMILLA Teacher III Sunirap National High School

THE aim of theory really is to a great extent that of systematically organizing past experience in such a way that the next generation, our students and their students and so on will be able to absorb the essential aspects in as painless a way as possible and this is the only way in which you can go on cumulatively building up any kind of scientific activity without eventually coming to a dead end.

Category theory arguably plays this role in modern mathematics. If mathematics is the science of analogy and the study of patterns, then category theor y is the study of patterns of mathematical thought.

The reason that we can cover so much ground in K-12 education today is that our understanding of various mathematical concepts has been simplified through abstraction which may be thought of as the process of stepping back from the specific problem b eing considere d and taking a broader view of mathematics.

A lot fine details are invisible from this level but it is a remarkable fact that theorems in algebra, s e t t h e o r y, t o p o l o g y and algebraic geometry sometimes are true for the same underlying reason and when this is the case, these proofs are expressed in the language of category theory.

press. Support is crucial in the new normal and GMEA brings that message across by spotlighting stories that uplift lives and communities.

“We’re proud to host the Globe Media Excellence Awards, now in our ninth year, to recognize the outstanding work of the VisMin press. Amid the ongoing pandemic, the roles of media, bloggers and social media influencers have been most crucial in keeping the public credibly informed and have played a part in helping people see through the health crisis,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior VP for Corporate Communications.

There will be nine awards for digital and print, two for broadcast, and three special awards. All entries must be anchored on at least one of four Globe sustainability pillars: Care for Environment, Positive Societal Impact, Care for People, and Digital Nation, in line with Globe's commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Categories for digital and print are Explanatory / Investigative Story of the Year, News Report of the Year, Column of the Year, Explanatory / Investigative

Video Story of the Year for Digital, Photo of the Year for Digital, Breaking News of the Year for Digital, Social Media Advocacy of the Year for Digital, and Digital Storytelling (Best Blog Post and Best Social Media Video).

For broadcast, the categories are News Report of the Year for Radio and News Report of the Year for TV. The special awards are Newsmaker of the Year, Editor of the Year, and

#KwentoNgTagumpay: Uplifting Lives Through Digital Technology. This last award recognizes inspiring stories of triumph amid adversities of communities and individuals.

Globe first launched its Media Excellence Awards in 2012 to encourage excellence among traditional media organizations and, later on, digital media practitioners to create positive societal changes. GMEA 2021 covers Bacolod, Cebu, Tacloban,

Bohol, Dumaguete, and Iloilo in Visayas and Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Bukidnon, and Zamboanga in Mindanao.

Cash prizes await winners of each category. Entries may be in English, Bisaya, Hiligaynon, or Chavacano.

The deadline for submission is December 31, 2021.

To know more about the Globe Media Excellence Awards, visit https://www. globe.com.ph/globe-mediaexcellence-awards

Nicole Ann Taboclaon of Zone 1 is the third placer in the recently held Araw ng Lumbia Kasoy Queen Festival in Cagayan de Oro City.

STRUGGLES OF TEACHERS IN DELIVERING LESSONS IN THESE TRYING TIMES ISRAFEL A. JUTBA TEACHER - II LANAO DEL NORTE NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL

THERE is another group of front-liners who, amidst this health crisis, has also shown a great deal of loyalty to their professional calling. As we celebrate National Teachers’ Month this September, I would like to give tribute to the dedication, sacrifices, and true heroism of our educational frontliners, who displayed extra courage and resiliency, during this pandemic.

For most of us, next to our parents, our teachers were our idols, role models, and aspirations. Many of us dreamed of being a teacher when we grow up. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I just love

the opportunity to inspire hope, stretch the imagination, plant the seed of learning and cause my students and trainees to take action. Never mind the long hours spent preparing for the lessons.

As it has done to other professionals, the ongoing pandemic has also taken its toll on our teachers. As they are expected to be the source of learning, to lead the change, and to "show and tell” their students, the pressure to quickly learn, adjust and adopt was on the shoulders of our teachers. Many struggled, and many are still struggling under the new normal.

Basics in bookkeeping KATHERINE H. OCAMPOS Administrative Assistant-II (Disbursing Officer) Accounting Office Division of Tangub City

ACCOUNTING or accountancy is the measurement, processing and communication of f i n a n c i a l i n f or m at i on about economic entities.

The modern field was established by the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli i n 1 4 9 4 . Ac c o u nt i n g , which has been called the language of business, measures the results of an organization’s economic activities and conveys this information to a variety of users including investors, creditors, management and regulators. Practitioners of accounting are known as accountants. The terms accounting and financial

reporting are often used as synonyms.

Ac c ou nt i ng c an b e divided into several fields including financial accounting, management accounting, auditing and tax accounting. Accounting information systems are designed to support accounting functions and related activities. Financial accounting focuses on the reporting of an organization’s f i n a n c i a l i n f or m at i on incuding the preparation of financial statements.

To external users of the information such as investors, regulators and suppliers. Management accounting focuses on the

measurement, analysis and reporting of information for internal use by management. The recording of financial transactions so that summaries of the financials may be presented in financial reports is known as bookkeeping of which double entry bookkeeping is a common system.

Accounting is facilitated by accounting organizations such as standard setters, a c c ou nt i ng f i r ms an d professional bodies.

Financial statements are usually audited by accounting firms and are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Students’ Perception on Video-Aided and Log-Monitored Learning (VLOG) NILSON M. AMAS, Teacher II Valencia National High School Lapu-Lapu Street, Poblacion, Valencia City

Video lessons as supplementary materials in learning have become a promising intervention to students and educators while transitioning from physical classes into modular, online, or blended learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With modular learning as mostly adapted, many students complained about the difficulty in comprehending some topics without elaborations from the teachers. In response to this need, the researcher innovated the VLOG (Video-Aided and Log-Monitored Learning) intervention which employs video lessons with two to three questions at the end part for students to answer in a learning log.

After validating the videos by the subject experts, they were uploaded on platforms such as Youtube and Private Facebook Page. One section consisting of 40 Senior High School students of Valencia National High School, taking up TechVoc Home Economics in the second semester for the school year 2020 – 2021 were given access to these videos. After two months, a survey questionnaire was utilized to assess the perception of the students towards the use of VLOG intervention in Practical Research 2. The questionnaire used a 5-point Likert

scale with 10 statements about VLOG which can be answered with 1- Strongly Disagree, 2- Disagree, 3- Undecided, 4- Agree, and 5- Strongly Agree.

Results revealed that the indicators that gained high mean scores were “The VLOG helped me understand the lesson in Practical Research 2” (4.58), “The presentation of the concepts in the VLOG is clear and is fit to my needs ” (4.43 ), “ VLOG used words and terms suited to my reading comprehension” (4.43 ), and “VLOG inspired and encouraged me to learn more topics in Practical Research 2” (4.48).

These responses of the participants showed that the use of VLOG has a positive impact to students in Practical Research 2 class. The VLOG improved students’ understanding of the lessons and clarified complex concepts from printed modules.

This could be accounted to the accessibility of videos that can be watched, reviewed, or downloaded anytime, and its being localized and contextualized. Nevertheless, further research is still suggested to be conducted. This is to test if the result of the study would be the same to another group of learners.

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

OFW remittances seen to rise as more economies reopen

G

AINS in the vaccination program of countries where overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are, along with economic recovery around the world, are expected to further boost remittance growth in the Philippines.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Wednesday reported a 2.6-percent year-on-year growth of remittances last July to $3.167 billion, while year-to-date expansion stood at 6 percent to $19.783 billion.

In a report, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said last July’s remittances growth is

surprising and “impressive given that this was the highest non-December level recorded with the funds sent home in July matching that which is usually sent home during the Christmas season.”

“Secondly, the higher dollar amount also surprised us as OFs (overseas Filipinos) had in the past opted to send home less remittances whenever the peso tends to weaken as exchange rate dynamics help beneficiaries cover peso needs with less dollars sent home,” he said.

The local currency closed at the 49-level on Wednesday, but it has

weakened to the 50-level these past days on growth concerns due to the pandemic, among others.

“In the coming months, we can expect remittance flows to sustain their upward trajectory with OFs still finding a way to help support domestic consumption,” Mapa said.

He said with job losses remaining up and the economy still weak, OF remittances is expected to accelerate to pick up the slack and boost local spending.

“Sustained OF remittance flows coupled with the recovery in BPO (business process outsourcing) receipts will

SSS members get P2.6-B unemployment insurance benefits THE Social Security System (SSS) has so far provided about 196,000 members of its pension fund a total of PHP2.62 billion in unemployment insurance benefits, most of it released during the pandemic.

Finance Secretary and Social Security Commission (SSC) chairman Carlos Dominguez III said PHP2.35 billion or 90 percent of the cash grants under the SSS unemployment insurance benefit (UIB) program were released during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic period from March 2020 to June 2021.

In his letter to the Senate, Dominguez said 173,791 out of the total of 196,021 SSS members who availed of the UIB received them during the pandemic period as of June this year.

“Implemented effective March 2019, the UIB program is among the key institutional responses of the SSS to the Covid-19 pandemic for its affected members since March 2020. From March 2020 until June 2021, the SSS has paid out P2,354.33 million in UIB, and this has benefitted 173,791 members,” Dominguez said in his letter addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III. His letter was in response to the query of Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares, one of the vice chairpersons of the Senate finance committee, regarding the provision of financial assistance to unemployed workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The inquiry was made during the Sept. 9 briefing by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on

7

Banking&Finance

the proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2022 to the Senate finance committee chaired by Sen. Sonny Angara.

Angara and Poe were furnished copies of Dominguez’s letter.

Under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of

Republic Act (RA) 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018, Dominguez said the UIB shall be granted provided that the separation or involuntary unemployment of the members was a result of any of, but not limited to, authorized causes of termination of employee, BENEFITS/PAGE 8

help offset the widening trade deficit and limit the impact on the country’s current account,” he added.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort believes that with some OFW-host countries reaching or at near community-level protection against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), demand for OFWs and remittances growth will increase further.

Ricafort said remittances being sent to the Philippines have been “somewhat defying the pandemic” as a lot of OFWs are economic and medical front-liners, which he described “a sign of resilience/bright spot/ greenshoots.”

He said continued reopening of more economies, especially the hard-hit sectors like leisure, travel, and tourism, would require more workers, thus a plus for OFWs. “Continued growth in OFW remittances would support recovery in consumer spending, RISE/PAGE 8

DIRECTORY

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Regional Branch 21 Cagayan de Oro City IN RE: PETITION TO IMPUGN THE LEGITIMACY OF ZHYNNE IVAN BUGSAHAN GALON AND CANCELLATION OF HIS CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH BEARING REGISTRY NO 2019-24219 DONALD B. GALON

-versus-

SPEC.PRO CASE. NO. R-CDO-21 01592-CV

Petitioner,

THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, ANTON NORKIN, Respondents.

-----------------------------------------------------x ORDER Notice is hereby given that filed before this court is a verified Petition to Impugn the Legitimacy of Zhynne Ivan Bugsahan Galon and Cancellation of his Certificate of Live Birth Bearing Registry NO. 2019-24219.

Finding the petition sufficient in form and substance, let the initial hearing be made on SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 at 8:30 in the morning at the Ground Floor, Hall of Justice, Masterson Avenue corner Macapagal Road, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

At the expense of the petitioner, let a copy of this Order be published at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Cagayan de Oro City, Let also a copy of this Order be posted at the Bulletin board of the Barangay Pigsag-an, Cagayan de Oro City, where the persons named in the petition are a resident thereof; at the Bulletin Board of the Office of the City Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City and the Bulletin Board of this Court at the Ground Floor, Hall of Justice, Masterson Avenue corner Macapagal Road, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City at least fourteen {14} days prior to the date of hearing.

Any person having or claiming any interest over the property subject of the lost title is directed to file their written opposition and may appear on the said date of hearing. The City Prosecutor's Office shall appear on behalf of the State.

Let Summons be issued.

SO ORDERED.

Done this 16th day of June 2021 in Cagayan de Oro City.

A PUBLIC SERVICE BY: (SGD) GIL G. BOLLOZOS Presiding Judge

8

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

Bolster... from page 2

arrived, we adjusted, we held a virtual regional trade fair, wherein we exhibited our products from our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region. So their products can still reach their market) Based on the data from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), around 37,212 businesses have been affected due to the global health crisis here in the region, with 135 establishments closing, affecting 1,743 employees with the bulk of establishments coming from Cagayan de Oro City (101), followed by Misamis Occidental (14), Bukidnon (7), Misamis Oriental (7) Iligan City (5) and Camiguin (1).

In response, the DTI10 OIC Regional Director disclosed that they are focusing on aiding MSMEs transition to the digital marketplace or e-commerce through training, webinars, and virtual trade fairs, citing t hat t he y have alre ady successfully assisted 1,858 MSMEs move to the digital space as of June 2021.

Brick and mortar business establishments that successfully implemented health safety protocols for the mitigation of COVID-19 were also given Safety Seal Certifications to ensure consumers of their safety and as another tool for easier contact tracing.

“Ang idea ani kay among gintanaw katong mga establishments kung gasunod ba sila sa minimum health protocols, para ang atong mga consumers kampante nga musulod aning mga business establishments nga naa'y safety seal certification,” he said.

(The idea for this is so that we can inspect our establishments to see if they follow the minimum health protocols, so our consumers are ensured of their safety w hen t he y enter t hes e business establishments) Under the Bayanihan Act, the DTI-10 also aided businesses in barangays affected by the pandemic by distributing livelihood starter kits to various types of businesses through their Livelihood Seeding program and provided business loans to 535 approved business owners amounting to P124,486,000 under their Bayanihan COVID Assistance to Restart Enterprises (Cares) program.

Further, in collaboration w it h O ro C h amb e r of Commerce, USAID, Ateneo De Manila, MSU-IIT, Iligan C h a m b e r, a n d X a v i e r University, the DTI-10 also strengthened public and private partnership through their Innovation Bussiness Recovery Plan.

Despite the challenges wrought by the pandemic, Ab ang re af f ir me d its department’s commitment to assisting consumers and businesses alike in transitioning to the new normal and aid in the region’s

economic recovery.

“Ang DTI Region-10 padayon nga gahatag og mga programa ug serbisyo para sa pagpalambo sa mga negosyante ug pagprotekta sa mga konsumante diri sa Region 10,” he said.

(DTI Region-10 will continue to provide prog rams and s er v ices for the development of e nt re pre n e u rs an d t h e protection of consumers here in Region-10). (VPSB/ PIA-10)

Upgrade... from page 5

head of PPA-Socsargen Port Management Office, said the new POB building hosts its Port Integrated Clearance Office, which is a one-stop shop for various shipping transactions such as the processing of permits and necessary documentation for marine and terminal services, berthing, public assistance and complaints, and assessment and collection services.

“All transactions are now being processed in the same building. Requirements that previously took seven days or more can now be accomplished in a matter of minutes and a few hours for complicated matters,” he said, adding that the improved services will mainly benefit cargo shippers and other port clients and stakeholders.

Tu g a d e u r g e d P PA employees to make good use of the new improvements and further strive to perform better.

He directed them to f u r t h e r c u t d ow n t h e processing time for all their transactions and build a “culture of no corruption.”

“Erase the fixers and kill corruption in whatever form. Let us strive to work for the people and for good governance,” he said.

The PPA is also pushing for the revival of passenger ferry services at the Makar port.

Jay Daniel R. Santiago, PPA general manager, said they are negotiating with various shipping companies for the possible expansion of their operations in the city and other parts of the country.

He said the move was based on instructions from the Transportation secretary.

“We’ve been talking with the shipping lines for the opening of more ferry routes,” he said in Thursday's press conference.

Santiago said among their accomplishments so far was the resumption of passenger services of 2Go Travel in Davao City.

Dataya said the domestic passenger ferry services at the Makar port initially ceased in 2008 due to the lack of clients.

He said 2Go Travel revived the route in 2018, serving Davao, Zamboanga, Iloilo, and Manila, but it only lasted for eight months.

The shipping line was forced to cease operations due to mounting losses as a result of the lack of passengers, he said.

Dataya said the port is being considered for a planned international sea route within the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-E ast As ean Growth Area but is “still on the table.” “(Concerned) officials are still sorting out what routes to open,” he said.

Rise... from page 7

which accounts for nearly 70 percent of the economy, as well as supporting recovery of t h e c o u nt r y ' s G D P (gross domestic product), as consistently seen in 2Q (second quarter) 2021,” he said.

The country’s balance of payment (BOP) position and gross international reser ves (GIR) are also expected to benefit from the sustained resiliency of OFW remittances.

However, Ricafort said risks remain on account of more contagious Delta and Lambda Covid-19 variants, among others. (PNA)

Benefits... from page 7

i n c lu d i n g re du n d a n c y, retrenchment/downsizing, and closure/cessation of o p e r at i o n ; j u s t c au s e s for ending employment rel at i onsh ip ; e conomi c downturn; natural or humaninduced calamities/disasters; and other analogous cases.

Amid the pandemic, the SSS has made it easier and more convenient for members to apply for UIB claims by allowing applications online through the My.SSS member portal in the SSS website, Dominguez said.

The SSS also started using electronic payment systems in releasing the UIB and other benefit claims in line with Dominguez’s instructions for the pension fund to digitize its system to speed up the grant of loans and benefits to its members.

Under Section 14-B of RA 11199, a member who is not over 60 years of age and who has paid at least 36 months of contributions, of which 12 should be within the 18-month period immediately preceding the involuntary unemployment or s eparation, shall b e paid benefits in the form of monthly cash payments equivalent to half of his or her average monthly salary credit for a maximum of two months.

As an example, Dominguez said that if a member’s average monthly salar y credit (AMSC) is at P16,000, he or she may receive a two-month UIB cash benefit amounting to P16,000 (or P8,000 for each month), subject further to eligibility conditions and submission of supporting documents, including the certification from the Department of Labor and Employment on the employee’s involuntary separation.

Un d e r t h e l a w, a n employee who is involuntarily unemployed can only claim the UIB once every three years.

In case of the concurrence of two or more compensable contingencies, RA 11199 states that only the highest benefit shall be paid, subject to the rules and regulations that the SSC may prescribe.

(PR)

9

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

Limits... from page 4

confidence must be in your real self. You must know the truth of who you are and who you are not. It is the One Who made you Who can show you exactly who He designed you to be. So won’t you ask Jesus to take charge of your heart and way of living for the rest of your life? He is the only One Who can help you know your true limits. He will set you free to make the most of your personality and abilities He gave you—so you become the very best He created you to be. Just think a minute.

Service... from page 4

trees were cut in areas with a topography of more than one thousand meters above sea level or in slopy areas with more than 50% gradients. As environmental defenders, we stopped these illegal logging activities through human barricades. Illegal logging and illegal mining activities then stopped when we were able to secure a “Writ of Kalikasan” with the support then of this leader during his stint as Governor of Misamis Oriental.

During his stint as Mayor of Cagayan de Oro, Mayor Moreno understands very well why Typhoon Sendong happened on December 17, 2011. I told him that one-inch of rainfall in the two hundre d t hous and hectares denuded area in the Kalatugan Range that had been massively logged by six logging companies for four decades will be about one meter high when the floods reach the 200-hectare urban center of Cagayan de Oro. Ten inches of rains from that range means ten-meter floods – that was Sendong when 3,000 people died. Thus, when he became Mayor of Cagayan de Oro, reclaiming back the integrity of the environment was foremost in the mind of Mayor Moreno, the reason why he fully supported the replanting of the denuded areas in the uplands, fully supporting the Payment for Ecological Services (PES) Program of the Cooperatives when the cooperatives collectively launched the program during my stint as CDA Regional Director.

It is so amazing to know that the City of Cagayan de Oro got the top five

r at i ng n at i on - w i d e on the Government Energy Management Program with 93% outstanding mark as the City has exemplified to the highest degree the roadmap to counter climate change as verified by no less than the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently.

C ongratulations Mayor Moreno for that outstanding performance, serving notice to one and all that at the time that the Earth is now in the emergency planetary stage facing its 6th extinction, here is a leader who shows the way on advancing sustainability in an unsustainable world.

What is even so amazing was when he appointed a good friend, Eng’r. Armen Cuenca as the City Local Environment Officer (CLENRO) and recently as the City’s Energy Czar. Eng’r. Armen is one of the core organizers of Climate Smart Livelihood Advocacy Cooperative as a countervailing force against climate change and violent extremism. We are now in the state of planetary emergency and it has become imperative to have a robust movement to stop our accelerating drive towards ecological disasters.

The Philippines is the 3rd country in the world worst hit by climate change according to the United Nations’ Disaster Risk Index. Mayor Moreno understands very well that the rural people are the most affected by climate change and the protracted war. This is the conclusion of the Study by the World Bank as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) categorically stating that poverty is worse in the rural areas as the agricultural communities only have .02 percent growth in the Gross Domestic Product. Because of this painful truism, three out of four young farmers have already left farming and have gone to the urban centers to work as janitors, drivers or waiters. As a counter measure being done by the City of Cagayan de Oro, rural development is foremost in the mind of the present leadership and the CLENRO has scaled the heights not only to regain back the lost ecological integrity but to empower those in margins to be drawn into the mainstream of development processes.

As the City’s Energy Czar, Engr. Armen is promoting eco-friendly products such as the use more energy and economically efficient bulbs which are made locally to

Republic of the Philippines Region X Province of Lanao del Norte Municipality of Kapatagan R.A. 9048(CFN)

Office of the Municipal Civil Registrar NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In Compliance with section 7 of R.A. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that JONATHAN M. POLLOJAN has filed with this Office, a petition for Change of First Name from ANACELA FE to ANACILA in the Certificate of Live Birth of ANACELA FE ACLAO CAAMIÑO who was born on MARCH 13, 1973 at Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte and whose parents are ALEJANDRO KAAMIÑO and ROSITA ACLAO. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than 15 days.

BWM: Sept. 20 & 27, 2021

(SGD) IVY REYES TONGCO Municipal Civil Registrar

stop the importation of some three million bulbs from China annually that are not eco-friendly and destroying our rich marine and fishery resources as these are made of plastics.

Empowering the poor and the oppressed and regaining back ecological integrity – these are just some of the legacies of Mayor Oscar S. Moreno! To him, our firm salute!

Politics...

from page 4 or poor, the healthy and the weak, young and old alike are all easy victims of the pandemic.

Now that Doc Willy Ong has thrown his hat for the second highest post of the land, he might have the solution of ending the pandemic following their campaign slogan ‘Bilis, Kilos’ with presidential partner Isko Moreno.

Meantime, the lifting of restrictions would likely result to a dramatic and devastating effect as vaccines are coming in by trickles.

The pandemic has now incited the worst economic slu mp s ince t he Gre at Depression.

And here is the takeaway and why : the economic impact of the pandemic may last a little longer even if the underlying cause is contained quickly amid the smell of PH politics this time of pandemic.

Sadly, we are not over on this yet. The task ahead is unbearable indeed with politics now shaping up in the four corners of the land.

Keep the distance. Wear your mask, now without necessarily using face shield as ordered by Malacanang. (ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo. com)

Saving...

from page 4 help advance the bank’s digitalization and further promote financial inclusion in the Philippines.

Under the plan, SEMEs will be able to gain easier access to a range of products and services, with the added benefit of new digitalized processes that will be introduced. This will be part of a new loan growth strateg y for BPI Direct BanKo that will not be highly dependent on the expansion of brick-andmortar offices. The project is also being supported by t h e gove r n m e nt s of

Au s t r a l i a an d Jap an , a s w e l l a s t h e Wo m e n E nt re pre n e u r s F i n an c e Initiative (We-Fi).

Jean-Marc Arb ogast, IFC’s C ountr y Manager for the Philippines, also s ai d wome n have b e e n disproportionately affected by the pandemic as more than half of the country’s MSMEs are led by females.

The IFC looks forward to a bigger footprint in the rural areas for BanKo through capacity building in r isk ass essment and digital lending, a catalyst for inclusive recovery from the pandemic.

BPI Direct BanKo is expecting not only to expand its products and services and make these easily accessible to SEMEs, but a ls o to d e vel op an improved credit scoring model aided by IFC’s global knowledge and experience.

This strengthened model will allow BPI Direct BanKo to make more informed and st rateg ic de cisions relating to lending risk and ultimately provide SEMEs more access to financial services.

With more innovative partnerships like this in t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y, there will be fewer SEMEs sounding the clarion call for deliverance, and more microentrepreneurs t h r i v i n g , w it h h op e f u l expectations of brighter days ahead.

How banking has changed during the pandemic In a recent inter view conducted by veteran journalist Roby Alampay, B an k of t he Phi lippine Islands (BPI) President and CEO Jose Teodoro “TG” K. Limcaoco had this to say on how the pandemic has affected banking : “Clearly, people are so comfortable with digital now…. Second, because of the pandemic , people now have a greater realization to save and to save intelligently, to invest. (Third,) people are looking for value for what they are doing… That’s why we need to give the best products or we need to give the best service. And fourth, the customers today are more willing to engage, to talk and let their feelings (be) known, and we need to understand that.”

Note: You may wish to share the foregoing article v i a Fa c eb o o k , Tw i t t e r, Linked-In or Viber.

Enhance... from page 2

Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or the Bayanihan 2, through t he Ur b an Ag r i c u ltu re Program.

The B ayani han 2 is designed to respond to the impact of the pandemic on the economy while the Urban Agriculture Program aims to establish a resilient food system through urban farming to ensure food availability and accessibility.

Caraga also has Urban Agriculture facilities in Patinay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur; Bislig City, Surigao del Sur; Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur; and Surigao City, Surigao del Norte. (PNA)

Growth... from page 5

and e-cars among others.

“We are hopeful about the passing of the Senate Bill No. 1382 or the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act last May. At the same time, the House Bill 4075, the Lower House’s version of the Electric Vehicle and Charging Stations Act has already passed the second reading,” Araga said.

He added that the issuance of the charging infrastructure guidelines and policy by the Department of Energy (DOE) will help in motivating

businesses to put up and adopt EV charging stations by providing fiscal incentives.

Low-cost charging for EV is one of the top three factors for consumers to motivate them in purchasing EV, a recent study

by Frost & Sullivan said.

Araga said the administrative order of the Land Transportation Office consolidating guidelines on the classification, registration, and operations of types of EV paves the way for further guidance for consumers’ purchase decisions and for local manufacturers to plan out their strategies.

DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi a ls o e cho e d t hat government support will help the local EV industry thrive even amid the pandemic. “…(P)olicies and guidelines for all stakeholders must be in place to attract the necessary investment and effectively integrate EVs and EV charging stations in a robust and sustainable energy system,” Cusi said.

The energy chief added that the DOE is pursuing the project of deploying 20,000 imported EVs and putting up 5,000 EV charging station for the next five years.

Cusi said this project cut fuel use by over 145 million liters or equivalent to nearly P8 billion fuel costs. (PNA)

AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION Re: Estate of Alex T. Cabornay REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES CITY OF ILIGAN I, ALFONSO A. CABORNAY, of legal age, Filipino, widower, resident of Purok 10, Tibanga, Iligan City, having duly sworn to in accordance with law, depose and say that.

1.

I am the father and the lone surviving heir of my son, the late ALEX Tuastomban CABORNAY, who died intestate and without issue on AUGUST 26, 2019 at Cagayan de oro City where he was stationed:

2.

Upon his demise, my said son left a certain residential lot and house thereon, identified as LOT 5923-A-1-5, PSD-10-012095, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) square meters and embraced by TCT NO. T-130720.

3.

He left no unpaid debts and aside from me, there are no other claimants of his said property, whatsoever.

4.

As such, I now extra judicially adjudicate to myself, the abovedescribed lot and the house thereon pursuant to the provisions of Section 1, Rule 74 of the Rules of Court, subject to the limitations under Section 4 of Rule 74;

I am executing this Affidavit of Adjudication, to attest to the foregoing facts and declarations, and in support of my intention of adjudicating to myself the subject property left by decedent uncle pursuant to law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto affixed my signature on this __th day of September 2021, in Iligan City.

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me on this __ day of September 2021, in Iligan City, personally appeared ALFONSO A. CABORNAY, with his identification card above-indicated, known to me to be the same person who executed the foregoing AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION.

BusinessWeek MINDANAO CREDIBLE

RELIABLE

BILLBOARD IN-DEPTH

10

Mon-Tue|September 27-28, 2021

Cebu Pacific all set for domestic travel recovery in Q4 Supports Department of Tourism push for local tourism and responsible travel

C

EBU Pacific (PSE: CEB) will increase its flights in October to tourism havens Siargao, Boracay, and Bohol as the country’s leading airline push for domestic travel recovery, following the easing of quarantine restrictions.

In October, the airline will expand its flights to Siargao from five times to six times weekly; raise its frequencies to Boracay from four to five times daily; and bump up flights to Bohol from nine to 10 times weekly.

“We believe reopening domestic travel and the promotion of responsible travel

is critical to rebuilding the trust and travel confidence in the industry,” said Candice Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience at Cebu Pacific.

“We also know that the situation continues to be fluid, that is why we make it a priority to always make travel convenient for everyJuan, on top of providing the muchneeded flexibility during this time,” added Iyog.

For international destinations, Cebu Pacific will also resume its daily flights to Dubai on September 30. For Japan, Cebu Pacific will fly twice weekly to Nagoya starting

October 2, and Osaka on October 4; and resume Fukuoka on November 5. Cebu Pacific will restart its flights to Kuala Lumpur on October 4.

To encourage everyJuan to travel safely and affordably, CEB has an ongoing PHP 99 seat sale until September 26, to and from key cities like Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Dipolog, Iloilo, and a lot more. Travel period began on September 17, and may be used to book flights up to June 30, 2022.

CEB continues to offer the most flexible options with unlimited rebooking available for everyJuan, following the

permanent removal of change fees in March 2021. Passengers are encouraged to travel responsibly and ensure their requirements are complete prior to proceeding to the Airport. Guests may refer to the list of travel requirements per destination via https://bit.ly/ CEBTravel-Docs.

CEB has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its COVID-19 compliance as it continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, in accordance with global aviation standards.

These include daily extensive cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and

facilities, antigen testing before duty for all frontliners and crew members, and contactless flight procedures. These are all in accordance with global best practices and the highest safety standards. The aircraft are equipped with hospitalgrade HEPA air filters, keeping viruses at bay.

CEB operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines covering 32 destinations, on top of its eight (8) international destinations.

Its 73-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two (2) dedicated ATR freighters and one (1) A330 freighter.

Manananggal: not your usual Halloween movie THERE’s nothing but love and laughter and aswang in VIVA Films and blockbuster director Darryl Yap’s new romantic comedy film, ANG MANANANGGAL NA NAHAHATI ANG PUSO. Starring two of the most in demand young stars of today, Aubrey Caraan and Marco Gallo.

ANG MANANANGGAL NA NAHAHATI ANG PUSO is about a college student named Giuseppe (Marco Gallo) who went to a small barrio to research for his thesis about the mythical Filipino creatures called

“aswang”. There, he meets the eccentric barrio girl Giniper (Aubrey Caraan) who takes the opportunity to help Giuseppe with his research. With Giniper’s help, Giuseppe will not just learn about mythical creatures in the barrio, but he will also experience enchanting encounters with different people.

Also starring in the movie are comedians and viral YouTube vloggers Chad Kinis, Lassy Marquez, and MC Calaquian collectively known as the Beks Batallion, who play the roles of Gudong, Gingging

and Gimo respectively; and Teresa Loyzaga as Guinta. With also the special participation of veteran actors Gina Pareño and Johnny Revilla.

In the midst of the pandemic and lockdown situations in a lot of places, Siquijor opened their doors to the production team, and they caught on camera the enchanting and mesmerizing beauty of the island. That’s why the movie teaser alone is enough to get people excited about the movie.

Since his first

blockbuster movie “Jowable”, up to his most talked-about films like “Paglaki Ko Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar” and “Tililing”, director Darryl Yap has been non-stop in doing films that easily clicks with the audience.

And with its bizarre combination of comedy, love story and “aswang”, ANG MANANANGGAL NA NAHAHATI ANG PUSO will definitely be another hit for movie viewers.

Mark your calendars on October 1, as ANG MANANANGGAL NA NAHAHATI ANG

PUSO streams online on VIVAMAX Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Middle East and Europe.

Vivamax is available at web.vivamax.net. You can also download the app and subscribe via Google Play Store, App Store, and Huawei AppGallery. For only P29, you can unliwatch all Vivamax titles for three days. You can also subscribe for P149/ month and P399 for 3 months for bigger savings.

You can also cast your screen from your device to Smart TV with Google Chromecast or Apple TV for better viewing experience.

You can pay through GCash, Globe, Smart, Visa/Mastercard, PayMaya or PayPal account that’s linked on your Google or Apple account. You can also subscribe at web. vivamax.net, select a plan and you can pay through EC Pay outlets: 7 Eleven, and All Day, or through PayMongo, GrabPay, and GCash or through PayMaya. For payment thru E-commerce, you may choose from

Lazada, Shopee, GCash, ComWorks Clickstore, PayMaya, or Globe One. For payment thru authorized outlets, you may choose from Load Manna, ComWorks, and Load Central partner outlets: Cebuana Lhuillier, Palawan Express. You can also call your local Cable Operators to subscribe to VIVAMAX: Sky Cable, Cable Link, KCAT Fiber, Air Cable, Aklan Cable Television Co., Inc. Cebu Cable HD, Cotabato Cable Television Network Corp., Concepcion Pay TV Network Inc., BCTVI, Paradise Cable Television Nework, Inc., Wesfardell Connect, Z-energy Cable TV Network Inc. Vivamas is also available in the Middle East! To our dear fellow Pinoys in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar, watch all you can for only AED35/month. In Europe, Vivamax can be streamed for only 8 GBP/ month. Filipinos in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore can also access Vivamax. Vivamax, atin ‘to!

11

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

MON-TUE|SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2021

Hailed... from page 1

the Northern Mindanao Region.

Moreno extended his gratitude to DOLE, through Bello, saying he was thankful for the latter's leadership in the agency as well as for his love not just for Northern Mindanao but the whole island of Mindanao.

In the said program, 15 individuals received bicycles for the BikeCINATION Project in this city, which is a special project under the D OLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) to incentivize workers who have completed the doses of Covid-19 vaccines and cushion the impact of the pandemic to the workers in the informal economy.

Another 12 individuals from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) sector received a home-based salon starter kit amounting to P250,000.

Fo r t h e K a b u h ay a n Program, eight groups in the city received aid from DOLE Region 10 of about P250,000 per group. The groups handle food processing business, massage clinic, convenience store, dressmaking business, and fishing.

A total of 226 fire victims in the city also received cash assistance that amounted to P824,900.

For the assistance of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) helped two OFW associations through the Tulong Puso Program and two OFWs via Balik Pinay Balik Hanapbuhay where each OFW received P20,000 cash assistance.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AND WAIVER OF RIGHTS KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

That the late ANTHONY BAHIAN BALABA, who died on February 22, 2021, that the decedent left a property with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-92294 situated in the Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Island of Mindanao, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AND WAIVER OF RIGHTS, filed by the heirs of ANTHONY BAHIAN BALABA, per DOC #28; PAGE #6; BOOK #XXXI; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. ROBERT N. GUMALING, JR. BWM: Sept. 27, Oct. 4 & 11, 2021

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF SHARE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

That the late JOSE ROCERO PAJELA, SR., who died in Cagayan de Oro City on September 30, 2020 and without any will and testament; the said deceased at the time of his death left a parcel of land with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-191246 situated at Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of THIRTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN (13,927) SQ.M, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF SHARE, filed by the heirs of JOSE ROCERO PAJELA, SR., per DOC #444; PAGE #89; BOOK #57; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. JOHN MARK CO MARQUIÑO. BWM: Sept. 20, 27 & Oct. 4, 2021

Scholarships were also provided to two collegelevel dependents of active member OFWs whose employment were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Each received P10,000 cash assistance. Another three students earned P10,000 each for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program.

Meanwhile, in one of the events on Thursday in Iligan City, Bello said the government has exerted efforts to provide livelihood and aid to informal workers affected by the pandemic, especially those beneficiaries under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers (Tupad) Program.

"We give jobs to all i n for m a l wor ke rs w h o have lost their businesses, lost their jobs due to the pandemic. That includes balut vendors, sidewalk vendors, tricycle drivers, laundress, and masseurs. We give them jobs and we will give them a salary," he said in his speech.

Under the Tupad program, beneficiaries are provided with temporary employment that runs between 10 and 30 days, and paid at the prevailing daily minimum wage in their respective areas.

One of the beneficiaries was Bilma Pagsidan, who hails from Barangay Mandulog, said the financial assistance will help her family buy medicines and food.

"I am thankful to DOLE as this will help me a lot especially now that we are in a pandemic. What we will receive, we can spend for our family so we can buy rice, medicines, and viands. I am very happy for this Tupad," she said. (PNA)

Rehab... from page 1

displaced by the conflict and that 558 permanent shelters have been constructed out of the planned 2,706 houses.

He noted the government is on track to complete the rehabilitation of Marawi in December 2021.

For his part, Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra said they have already approved 1,000 of the 2,000 building permits that were filed by residents.

Gandamra said the delay in approval is caused by land ownership and the difficulty of applicants to meet some requirements.

He said they have required l and ow ne rs to pre s e nt documents that they gave their consent in case there

are other applications on their property.

“Mostly, the applicants are siblings. The land was not legally divided by their parents,” Gandamra said.

The testimonies of Del Rosario and Gandamra before the senate committee drew flak from some Marawi civil society groups and leaders.

For mer Rep. Fays ah Dumarpa ( 1st district, Lanao del Sur) said that only 207 shelters and not 4,916 have been completed by TFBM. Only f ive out of 25 barangay halls and five out of 37 mosques have been finished, she added.

“But all of that will not be used if the Marawi residents are not allowed to go back to their homes,” Dumarpa told the senate committee.

“What use will be the mosques (and) barangay halls if there are no people to use them,” Dumarpa said.

Anna Tarhata Basman, a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the interim body tasked to govern the Bangsamoro government, said the nonreturn of Marawi residents to their ancestral homes inside the city has become “an emotional issue.”

Aside from returning to their homes, Basman, a lawyer, said the unresolved issues of the looting during the Marawi siege and the killings of Meranaws have “thinned out the patience of the residents.”

Another BTA member, Maisara Dandamun-Latiph, said she received complaints that the local government of Marawi City is allegedly asking “excessive property taxes.”

Latiph said it would be unfair to require landowners to pay the taxes considering they lost everything during the siege.

Mayor Gandamra denied this, saying the city council had passed a resolution in 2020 condoning the payment of taxes as a requirement for the application of building permits.

Tobacco...

from page 1 organization founded in 2005 to promote innovation, freemarket intellectual property rights and free trade.

Prof. Adam Hoffer and Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, authors of the white paper tackled the tobacco nicotine policy in Asia, focusing on Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan to illustrate that adhering to

Kagay-an Festival 1st Oro Lechoneros Encuentro Champion

for Orders, Contact Yoyong:

09354145759 09169249371

international best practices will achieve tobacco harm reduction and smoking cessation.

The paper show that failure to adopt THR policies negatively affects public health and disproportionately targets those in low- to middle-income countries.

Nearly 8 million people die from tobacco-related use each year, and 80 percent of the more than 1 billion tobacco smokers are from developing countries.

A keynote speaker, Dato’ Sri Idris Jala, a former Malaysian official and one of the leading experts in innovation processing in Asia, said THR offers Asian countries an opportunity to reduce smoking rate.

He said countries like Malaysia are not expected to meet their targets to reduce smoking rate with the current restrictions and taxation policies. On the other hand, the use of electronic nicotine delivery system or vapes and HTPs had promising results—with 60 percent to 70 percent of smokers trying them eventually quitting smoking.

"There is a lot of research that showed that if you combust a particular cigarette, ab out 10,000 har m f u l che m i c a ls are emitted, but if you use a heated tobacco product, 90 percent of those harmful chemicals are eliminated. So, there is a lot of other research that show that you can look for alternatives that are less harmful. So therefore, we need to examine very closely, a less harmful strategy and approach going forward," he said.

He said while other c o u nt r i e s c o nt i nu e t o embrace the idealist or blackand-white approach, others have become more successful in reducing smoking rates through the pragmatist approach. "These countries simply take the approach that if you don't smoke, don't start. If you smoke, stop. But if you can't stop, shift to a less harmful alternative product.

This is called a pragmatist approach," he said.

"So you can see clearly, if you adopt a less harmful approach, a more pragmatist approach to it, you will see much greater success at doing it," said Jala.

"The harm reduction strateg y is a ver y good

example of how to reduce tobacco prevalence.

Secondly, you need to have differentiated regulations for the less harmful alternatives to smoking, which is called non-combustible nicotine products. So if we take this approach, I am convinced that we will follow the path of Japan, New Zealand, and also the UK," he said, referring to countries that support the use of less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes.

The white paper cites the international best practices for tobacco policy, including three principles: 1) change should b e incentivized through rewards, not restrictions like tariffs and taxes; 2) polic y should focus on decreasing usage of harmful, combustible products like cigars and cigarettes rather than less harmful products like heated tobacco and elec tronic cigarettes; and 3) efforts to decrease tobacco usage should nurture innovation to develop safer, better products than before and propel consumer choice.

It says that restrictive policies had disastrous consequences as seen in Indonesia, the second-largest global cigarette market. When the Ministry of Finance imposed a maximum excise tax rate of 57 percent on e-cigarettes, this resulted in increased use of cigarettes among the youth.

The paper concludes that tobacco-induced taxes disproportionally affect those of lower socioeconomic status and taxes increase activity in the black market.

In Malaysia, for example, black market sales of tobacco

products increased from 24 percent in 2008 to 65 percent in 2019, making the country the world’s largest black market for tobacco in terms of prevalence. “ The illicit trade of cigarettes is dangerous given these products are likely to be of bad quality and can hurt or even kill consumers.

Likewise, sales of illicit and counterfeit products benefit criminal syndicate groups,” it says.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has implemented differential excise taxes between tobacco products and e-cigarettes.

Taxes on 20-pack cigarettes will increase by P5 each year until 2023, while the tax levy on heated tobacco will only increase by P2.50 a year.

“This policy is in line with the harm-reduction framework,” the paper says.

The paper recognizes Japan as the leader for former smokers switching to tobacco alternatives, with 25 percent of the nation’s market doing so. This rate is attributed to differential excise taxes between cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

In South Korea, e-cigarettes use is declining because the government treats electronic cigarettes like conventional cigarettes.

E-cigarette usage fell from 4.7 percent in 2011 to 4 percent in 2015 as a result of the heavy taxation policies on quit aids.

“Other countries in East Asia and ASEAN have not adhered to the international best practices approach.

E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are either banned or not regulated,” the paper says.

BusinessWeek MINDANAO CREDIBLE

RELIABLE

FEATURE

IN-DEPTH

Mon-Tue|September 27-28, 2021

12

Another milestone achieved for thriving 'Mindanaoan' green developer W HAT had started as an operation with a naked desk in the offices of Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation in Uptown Cagayan de Oro has now finally reached its milestone of inaugurating its own offices in the newly built Primavera City tower in Phase 1, just beside SM City in Pueblo de Oro Business Park, Uptown CDO. When I was first invited to visit Cagayan de Oro in 2011 I was welcomed in a small container office just next to the long completed Primavera Residences.

There was just a desk, a cabinet, and a decorative plant next to a model unit manned by Ms. Gladys Echano, the most loyal and long-lasting of all employees and currently the Sales and Marketing Director of the company. Nobody would have imagined Italpinas to grow so fast and list at the PSE after only 6 years into their existence.

Architect Romolo Nati was convinced about Uptown CdO from the very beginning and had a vision that has been materializing step by step, project after project. The new offices feature a modern and spacious design. The most successful and

regarded developer of Cagayan de Oro, many would say, because when there was still no condominium building in town, IDC launched their first project, amidst a mixture of enthusiasm and unmissable critics.

As a fierce sustainability and green building advocate, Architect Nati brought his experience of Italian green architecture and design and applied it here in the Philippines.

The office blessing was somehow adapted to the current circumstances where larger gatherings are still not allowed but it was nevertheless a festive occasion with an enthusiastic atmosphere.

Employees, key stakeholders, and some loyal investors gathered accompanied by the priest, who conveniently spoke Italian due to the 3 years he spent in Italy.

The majestic building, which is apparently soon for turnover to the many buyers, had a greatly decorated and elegant lobby, including the unmissable Christmas tree, a Filipino classic for September. Compared to Primavera Residences, the developer's a finished project that lays just around the corner, this structure and its interior details seem a level above, lush and luxurious.

Now I understand what Architect Nati means

when he asserts at times that "we learned from the experience of our first project and always try to do better".

So, talking about the offices on the second floor, they seem to be a sort of call center with its many decks and large spaces. It reveals maybe the developer's plan and intention to expand their operations and probably add more projects. Just a guess, but probably not too far-fetched. Aside

from the large space for the regular employees, I could see also various enclosed office spaces, most likely for the management. Maybe 6 or 7 with furnished office interiors, a pantry, a conference or board room, and 2 smaller meeting rooms.

All in all a top-ofthe-notch office that could impress many in Northern Mindanao as well as in Makati. This is also evidence that the

provinces are growing and more companies are settling out of Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.

Now it’s time for Metro Cagayan de Oro to thrive and conquer the headlines. Italpinas has certainly chosen their location very well as Uptown Cdo is widely considered the BGC of Cagayan de Oro where in fact the price of the land has more than quintupled over the past 10 years.

The sales office for

Primavera City Phase 2 is located on the ground floor of the building, clearly visible from P. N. Roa Boulevard, amidst other retail spaces that will soon be populated by shops and restaurants.

A great location to attract more curious buyers to avail of the opportunity to enjoy the true condo lifestyle in this green, Edge certified building with an incredible infinity pool and a view from the top.