BusinessWeek Mindanao (February 4-5, 2013 Issue)

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Issue No. 159, Volume III •

Market Indicators As of 5:55 pm feb. 1, 2013 (Friday)

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EU assistance

THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) is set to concentrate its development assistance in Mindanao and healthrelated projects in the Philippines as it hopes to combine loans and grants as the country’s economy improves.

EU Ambassador to the Philippines Guy Ledoux said aid for the Philippines has been set at P2 billion for this year. “The development fund for 2013 is P2 billion. What we want is to be able to improve the local communities we are helping,” Mr. Ledoux said.

He added the EU also wants to combine loans and grants for aid “as the economic makeup of the Philippines is changing and becoming more middle income so we can leverage our aid.”

More help

KORONADAL City -- More aid are coming to the victims of typhoon Pablo from the local government unit and residents of Koronadal City.

City administrator Cyrus Jose Urbano, who also heads the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), announced early this week that a third tranche of help for typhoon victims in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental is being assembled.

This is ne c es sar y, he reasoned, because so many families in the typhoon-ravaged areas still need help to recover from the disaster that hit them in December last year.

Urbano called on LGU employees and concerned citizens to also extend any form of help.

Donations may be sent to the CDRRMC office located at the basement of the city hall in Barangay Carpenter.

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M’danao performs well, to get better, says exec

By CARMENCITA A. CARILLO, Contributor

D

AVAO City -- Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Secretary Lualhati Antonino reported that Mindanao did well over the last two years but it could perform better if the constraints to its development are properly addressed.

“Mindanao’s performance came as a result of improved peace condition, improved investment climate and improved macro-economic performance,” Antonino

said during the Mindanao Development Forum held in Davao City Friday.

She said there is a slight improvement in Mindanao’s poverty level but

Poor Filipinos in Mindanao down

DAVAO City -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that while the 2009 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey show 9.4 million Filipinos could not afford to lead decent lives, the number of poor people in Mindanao has greatly decreased over the years.

“Malaki ang difference ng pagbaba ng poverty incidence sa Mindanao (there is a big difference in the reduction of poverty incident in Mindanao) based on the latest SWS survey,” DSWD Communication Development and Research Division, Social Marketing Service Chief Ana Marie Daep said during a DSWD Partners’

Forum held in the city last week.

Daep said studies show that the government has been making a difference in reducing the intergenerational cycle of poverty. “Karamihan hindi nakagraduate (many were not able to graduate) so they could not find a decent job and end up in poverty,” she said. When they have children, they could not also send them to school because, starting the cycle of poverty, she added.

She said DSWD has implemented and continue to implement various programs known as the tatlusok or convergence strategy to combat poverty. Among these down/PAGE 7

admitted that they are challenged by the provinces of Caraga, Zamboanga and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Antonino said Mindanao investments approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) increased by up to 663 percent from P11.98 billion in 2010 to P91.43 billion in 2011. She said 99 percent of the equity of these businesses are locally driven.

These businesses, she

said, can increase employment in the island, Antonino added.

However, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Mindanao’s potential could be hastened if the constraints to its development are addressed.

Ba l is ac a n ad m it ted that Metro Manila and the neighboring areas are growing faster than Mindanao “but look around and you will see the potentials

of the island.”

“When you addresses the constraints to growth like peace and order then Mindanao can grow much faster and fulfill its potentials,” he said.

He sa id a mong t he strongest potentials of Mindanao is its agro-industry which has been performing well in the past years.

Antonino said “we have to doubel our efforts to create enterprising business opportunities for the labor force.”

A kid makes a living by collecting trash washed ashore.

photo by mio cade

Power crisis in Mindanao bound to persist until 2016 By mel-ROse dalman Staff Member

THE daily power outages in Mindanao is bound to persist

until 2016 when new coalfired power plants presently under construction will go on stream.

This is unless an out of the box approach to the problem is taken by government.

The conclusion was made by the energy committee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) this week when it reviewed government responses to the resolutions on tackling issues in the power and fuel sector that were submitted to President Aquino at the conclusion of crisis/PAGE 7

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World Bank officials inspect MRDP projects in North Cotabato KORONADAL City -- Top officials of the World Bank visited Aleosan and Libungan towns in North Cotabato recently to witness how the projects of the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) have worked in the province.

Leading the visiting team was John Roome, WB country director for East Asia and Pacific, who said the visit aimed to assess the on-going implementation of MRDP projects particularly in rural infrastructure (RI).

“We are here to personally look into the status of

various MRDP projects here.

We would like also to solicit from you suggestions that we may consider to improve the program,” Roome said.

The team also asked the beneficiaries on what particular areas does the program fall short and what kind of projects the community

wants from the program.

MRDP deputy program director Arnel de Mesa explained further that the visit was part of the series of assessments before the expansion of MRDP into a nationwide program to include areas in Visayas and Luzon.

In Aleosan town, the team visited a 4.45 – kilometer farm-to-market (FMR) road in Barangays Upper and Lower Mingading which is under rehabilitation. The

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project costs more than P 14 million.

Aleosan Mayor Loreto Cabaya Jr., said FMRs they have implemented through the MRDP have been boosted the livelihood particularly of the farming communities in the area.

With these projects, he explained, farmers from the remote and elevated barangays of Aleosan are able to transport their produce to intended markets in much cheaper cost.

With this development, farmers’ profits have significantly increased. At least 800 farm families have gained from the projects, the local chief executive said.

Aleosan farmers produce mainly corn, rice, coconut and other high value commercial crops.

The eight-man team also visited RI projects situated in Libungan town.

These projects included spot concreting of the following FMRs: Sitio Abacanhan

(.47 km), Sitio Nueva Fuerza (.22 km), and Sitio Largo (.24 km). Total project cost was valued at P 6.4-M. At a focus group discussion during the visit Barangay Cabaruyan chair Jose Dalucanong said, “We wholeheartedly thank MRDP and the World Bank because we have now felt that our lives have improved.”

“Before these projects were implemented we had to walk for hours through inspect/PAGE 7

DAVAO City -- The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in the Davao Region recorded an 8.6 percent increase in pork production in 2012.

However, pork importation decreased from 949 metric tons in 2011 to 828 metric tons in 2012, a difference of 12.7 percent.

Dr. Myrna I. Habacon, officer in charge of NMIS 11, said as per their annual summary of slaughter report, 23.1 million kilograms of pork were produced in 2012 compared to only 21.1 million kilograms in 2011.

Me at i mp or t re p or t s showed there were 102 metric tons of imported beef, 253 metric tons of buffalo meat and 34 metric tons of lamb green runners that came into the region last year, she said.

Habacon said the importation of lamb green runners is the first venture of the sheep gut industry to import sheep guts from New Zealand for processing in Barangay San Isidro, Kaputian, Island Garden City of Samal into high end sausage cases for exportation to Japan and Europe.

The annual summary of NMIS 11 also shows an in-

crease in cattle production from 21,914 heads in 2011 to 24,887 in 2012, an increase in beef production from 2.6 million kilograms in 2011 to 3 million kilograms in 2012. But chicken production decreased from 31.4 million kilograms in 2011 to 28.4 million in 2012.

The sa me repor t sa id Davao City leads in pork production with 14,386,556 kilograms of pork followed

by Davao del Norte with 2,889,060, next is Davao del Sur with 2,441,377, Compostella Valley 2,142,063, and Davao Oriental 1,836,649 in 2012.(PNA)

Davao pork production increase by 8.6% in 2012

ARMM strengthens priority programs implementation ZAMBOANGA City -- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has launched a convergence effort aimed at strengthening the implementation of the priority programs on health, education livelihood, peace and governance.

The launching was held Wednesday in the Municipality of Tabuan Lasa wherein more than 100 families received livelihood implements consisting of agar-agar farm inputs, 10 sets of tuna hand lines and lobster gillnets from the ARMM’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (ARMM-BFAR).

AR MM OIC-Governor Mujiv Hataman earlier told the residents the proposed livelihood program which includes solar drier and support implements to boost seaweeds production while noting that the regional government assures priority assistance for rebuilding a school structure in the area.

Amilbahar Mawalil, head of ARMM Communications Office, said the region’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), meanwhile, said that it had poured on assistance to the residents of Tabuan Lasa that include 350 food packs, 108 lighting supplies and social pension checks to 44 senior citizens amounting to P3,000 each.

The Municipality of Tabuan

priority/PAGE 7

No recall for Toyota PH

TOYOTA Motors Philippines last week said local customers are rest assured that their vehicles are not affected by the latest recall announced by the global car company.

Toyota Motor Corporation on Wednesday said that the automotive giant would be recalling nearly 1.3 million vehicles due to faulty airbag and windscreen wipers but the Philippines is not directly affected by this recent announcement according to Rommel Gutierrez, vice president for corporate affairs at Toyota Motors Philippines (TMP) “No, we are not included in the Corolla airbag recall,” Gutierrez said.

TMP imports Toyota models from Japan such as the LC 200, Hiace, Toyota 86, Prius, Prius C, Previa, RAV4, Camry

Q, and Prado but are not part of the recall.

Other models that are available locally from TMP dealerships such as the Vios and Innova are made in the Philippines. While the Corolla Altis, Yaris, Camry models G and V are assembled in

Thailand. The Fortuner, Hilux, and Avanza all come from Indonesia.

Based on reports Toyota would be replacing airbag parts for around 907,000 hatchbacks in Canada, Japan, Mexico, and the United States.

Affected models are the Voltz

in Japan and Corolla Matrix overseas.

The said models were produced between 2001 and 2004 in Canada, Japan and the United States, the report stated.

Last year, the Japanese car brand announced a recall for some 2.77 million Corolla compact models made from 2000 to 2006 and secondgeneration Prius cars made between 2004 and 2011 worldwide for steering and water pump problems.

Later, around 7.43 million Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Vios and Yaris models for 2006-2010 worldwide were recalled because of reported faulty power windows that might result to fire. Locally, 22,000 units were included in that recall.

NEW YORK — The worst is yet to come for Europe’s troubled automotive industry, Ford chief financial officer Bob Shanks warned in an interview Tuesday.

“We need to have a better balance of production with true demand not artificial demand,” Shanks told AFP. “But there seems to be unwillingness or inability on the part of many of the players — both government and companies — to do what it takes to create a healthy environment for the industry.”

Shanks was speaking after Ford released 2012 results which were badly hit by a $1.8 billion loss in its European unit and warned that it will lose another $2 billion this year as demand for vehicles continues to fall, the euro strengthens against the dollar and Ford faces heavy restructuring costs.

Ford forecasts that European vehicle sales will fall to the “lower end” of 13 to 14 million vehicles this year from 14 million last year.

Unlike Fiat-Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne, who spoke

alarmingly at the Detroit auto show that “the machine is broken” in Europe, Shanks believes there is still hope.

“It is possible to restructure the industry in Europe, but it will probably need fewer employees because there is excess capacity there,” he said in a telephone interview.

“The harder things are just beginning.”

Ford announced plans in October to close two plants in Britain and one in Belgium as part of a massive shake-up that includes the loss of 13 percent of

the US automaker’s European workers, some 6,200 jobs.

“A fundamental restructuring is something that takes a while to take to fruition,” Shanks said.

“We just opened the door and we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Unfortunately, some carmakers are still trying to get back in the black without taking the necessary actions to restructure their bloated cost structures, he said.

The problem is that cutting prices to lure buyers away from

Toyota (Corolla) Matrix.

The worst is yet to come in Europe, Ford warns

Integrated Micro-Electronics to produce aircons for Mazda cars in Mexico

LISTED Ayala Corporation’s subsidiary Integrated MicroElectronics Inc. (IMI) will manufacture automotive technologies intended for Mazda cars of Japan Climate Systems Corporation (JCS) in its Mexico facility starting next year.

Japanese firm JCS is outsourcing to IMI the development of small plastic molds and plastic injection and complete product assembly of heating, ventilation and airconditioning (HVAC) and blower units.

“This partnership increases our company’s penetration into our target market of automotive electronics,” said Arthur Tan, IMI president and chief executive officer, in a disclosure.

Tan believes that the company’s global footprint and extensive experience with Japanese partners make the synergy compelling for

JCS to choose IMI. “IMI’s plastic injection and assembly technology and many years of experience with Japanese original electronics manufacturers will definitely help us grow our business in this market,” said JCS President Toshiki Hiura.

Mazda, along with Visteon and Panasonic, is one of the main shareholders of JCS. Aside from Mexico, IMI, a leading provider of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and power semiconductor assembly and test services, has 16 other manufacturing facilities around the world.

It serves diversified markets that include those in the automotive, industrial, medical, solar energy, telecommunications infrastructure, storage device and consumer electronics industries. (PNA)

competitors hurts the entire industry.

“There is tremendous pressure on prices and margins,” Shanks said. “The question is how low can you be?”

Ford does not expect to be able to achieve the same types of profit margins in Europe as it is currently posting in North America even once the restructuring its complete, he added.

The automaker’s once-

troubled North American unit was once again a bright spot with record profits of $8.3 billion in 2012, a $2 billion improvement over 2011.

The unit’s operating margin for the year rose two points to 10.4 percent.

Ford’s net profit fell sharply to 5.7 billion in 2012 from $20.2 billion posted a year earlier as a result of special items, accounting changes and the European losses.

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Property

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Property sales, leases surge, says BCDA Listed property firm THE LEASE and sale of properties owned in Metro Manila by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) generated more than P3 billion, the agency said in a statement.

The agency’s gross disposition proceeds in 2012 surged 126.7% to P3.31 billion from P1.46 billion “due to prudent f inancial management and more efficient collection efforts.”

“The bulk of the proceeds came from Megaworld Corp.’s payment amounting to P1.6 billion for the Jusmag (Joint US Military Assistance Group) lot after BCDA’s successful relocation of informal settlers and other joint ventures, leases and sales of smaller lots in the Bonifacio Global City,” said

BCDA President Arnel Paciano D. Casanova.

B C DA b i d o u t t h e 5,389-square meter Nichols Loop and the 5,005.13-square meter old Nichols Driving Range in October last year.

It was also able to successf u lly hold t he bidding for the 1,244-square meter Sampaguita institutional use property across the Market!

Market! Mall on Aug. 24 and for the 3,099-square meter Eastgate Parking Facility along 14th Drive in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

PRIVATIZATION GAINS From May 1993 until December 2012, BCDA generated P56.657 billion for the government coffers, most of which came from the privatization of the Fort Bonifacio and proper-

ties in the Villamor Airbase.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines was able to get P23.433 billion as part of the remittances paid by BCDA. For 2013, the agency hopes disposition proceeds “significantly increase based on future transactions of sale, lease, and joint venture development the BCDA will undertake.”

“We expect that the amount will grow bigger as we continue to optimize the value of BCDA assets and improve our collection efficiency,” the government official explained.

BCDA has yet to bid out the 33.1-hectare Bonifacio South Pointe area after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on the auction.

The agency earlier said that it is looking for a bidder that

should be willing to enter into a 55%-45% joint venture with the government to manage and develop the said property.

The BCDA said it is willing to take the minority stake in that joint venture.

The Bonifacio South Pointe is located along Lawton Avenue between Newport City and McKinley Hill in the southern portion of the Bonifacio Global City.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, BCDA said global land use advisory group Urban Land Institute has offered its help to the agency in crafting the master plan for the Clark Green City in Pampanga. “We welcome their assistance as they are global leaders and experts in land use and city planning.

bags Pag-Ibig loan for housing project

IRC Properties Inc has secured a loan from Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) to develop the second phase of its subdivision project in Binangonan, Rizal.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday, the real estate

firm said it received the advice from Pag-IBIG that its P40 million loan was approved under the Direct Developmental Loan Program of the agency.

The money would be used to develop the land and construct 510 houses loan/PAGE10

property/PAGE10

CAGAYAN DE ORO Main Branch P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers – Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN Branch B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES Branch Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA Branch Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN Branch Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739a

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Opinion

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The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Advertising and Promotions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the week with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Region 10 with Certificate No. 00875701, and with Business Permit No. 2010-5698, TIN No. 946-396-807 – Non VAT. Tel. Nos.: (088)8578447, 74-5380, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424

Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com

E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com DANTE M. SUDARIA Publisher ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA Manager

THINK a minute…

This is a true story a man told of when he was a young teenager. He was just hanging out listening to the radio one day when his father came in from working outside.

His dad looked at him and said: “Son, in 24 hours you won’t even remember what you’re listening to now.

How about doing something for the next 20 minutes that you’ll remember for the next 20 years? I promise you’ll enjoy it every time you think of it “What is it?” the son asked. His dad said, “Well, our neighbor, Mrs. Brown,

executive Editor

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RIZA O. ARES LIEZL A. DELOSO JOE PALABAO Rene Michael BaÑos

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

Marketing Consultants Legal Counsels Member: -Philippine Press Institute -Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) -Misamis Oriental - Cagayan de Oro Association of Publishers (MOCAP), Inc.

Pathological Gambling THE administration conViewpoints tinuously trumpets its alleged incarnate integrity

needs her grass cut. Why don’t you go cut her lawn while she’s gone, and then get back quickly so she won’t know you are the person who did it?”

The son said he hurried over and cut their neighbor’s grass in just 20 minutes. Mrs. Brown came home later and never knew who had mowed her lawn for her.

That son said his father was right. It’s now more than 20 years later, and every time he thinks of secretly cutting Mrs. Brown’s grass for her he really enjoys the memory.

Jesus Christ said that when we do good so people will see

and praise us, then that’s the only reward we’ll ever get for it. He said we should try to do our giving and helping in a way that doesn’t draw attention to ourselves, but simply do it because we care and want to help people. We shouldn’t tell people what we did or how much we gave.

We know it, God knows it, and that’s all the reward we need. The reward that humans give cannot ever match the reward God gives.

So if all we want is the approval of other people, then that’s all we’ll get. But if we give our help and service secretly, for God and others,

Financial Planning

allan mediante

NELSON CONSTANTINO Editor-in-Chief Dolly pelone Advertising

by going after (few, chosen, and selected) corrupt public officials.

It insistently proclaims its already annoying claim of threading the “Daang Matuwid.”

It is however not a secret that the Philippine government is the most infamous and much addicted gambler in the country.

Not merely does it consider the eradication of jueteng as non-priority – the horrible Atimonan, Quezon massacre notwithstanding.

Not only does it feel pleased and comfortable with the many and pervasive gambling ventures disseminated and sustained by GOCC PCSO. But it also affirms and promotes casino gambling all over the country through another GOCC – PAGCOR. In fact, the administration is even assiduously cooperating and eagerly looking forward to the on-going establishment and eventual operation of some kind of a local Las Vegas in Metro Manila.

To say the least, the main capitalists of the project seem to be dubious characters. The main envisioned patrons thereof once made operational, also appear as dubious gambling tycoons – especially from Asia. Thus, too, comes to fore the probability of the invasion of the Philippines by gangsters, racketeers plus members of

Secret Service

IN my previous column, I discussed some telltale signs of deep financial trouble.

These signs include having little or no savings, living from paycheck to paycheck, missing credit card payments, borrowing money to pay for debts, and not knowing how much money you owe until your bills arrive.

In this article, I am going to talk about financial planning and how important it is to manage our everyday finances.

According to the Financial Consumer Affairs Group of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, financial planning should be taken seriously. It helps us deal with everyday situations better and prepares us for the most unexpected events.

T he FCAG’s Week ly Wealth Watch newsletter lists the following suggestions on how to go about

planning your finances: Assess where you are now in financial terms.

- What is my current financial status?

-How much savings do I have?

-How long will this last if I suddenly find myself without work?

-How much do I owe?

Set goals.

-I would like to have x amount of funds for my children’s education.

-My car is no longer fuel efficient and maintenance costs are mounting; it needs to be replaced. I need to set-up funds for a new car in three years.

-I should have emergency funds of this much in five years.

-What kind of retirement life do I want to have?

Create a financial plan.

-What actions do I need to take (in light of my goals)?

-I have to prepare a budget and spending plan.

-I need to keep track of my cash flow.

-Should I consider investment opportunities to augment my income?

Implement the plan.

-I will choose the best strategy that will help me achieve my goals.

-I should prioritize my “needs” instead of my “wants.”

Monitor and reassess.

-I will review and revise my financial plan based on my current situation.

So what are the benefits of having financial plans?

The FCAG explains that it gives us more control over our financial affairs and the ability to avoid excessive spending, unmanageable debts, and dependence on others.

Having a financial plan also fosters better personal relationships with the people

Think a minute

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

then we’ll be rewarded and blessed much more during this life, and even after we die.

Just think a minute…

Speaking out

IGNACIO BUNYE

around us and gives us a sense of freedom from financial worries.

Lastly, sticking to a plan helps us obtain, use and protect our financial resources even after retirement—benefitting ourselves and our loved ones as well.

Note: You may email us at totingbunye2000@gmail. com. Past articles may be viewed at http://www.speakingout.ph.

Acceptance and abandonment ARCH. OSCAR V. CRUZ (Ret)

dangerous syndicates associated with big gambling from different countries of the world.

Just for the record (again and again), it might not only be useful but also necessary to look into the personal liability and social danger brought about by Pathological Gambling in the country – courtesy of the administration.

Behavioral experts clearly and specifically say that the more common diagnostic criteria of such a personality disorder are the following (Cf. APA DMS-IVtm, 1995, n.312.31): 1. Preoccupation with relieving past and envisioned gambling experience.

2. Need for more and bigger gambling for the desired empirical feeling.

3. Futile and repeated attempts of lessening or stopping gambling ventures.

4. Irritability and restlessness when trying to curve or do away with gambling.

5. Gambling in order to cruz/PAGE 7

IN this life, we need to acquire a good, healthy sporting spirit, because life is actually like a game. Yes, life is like a game. We set out to pursue a goal, we have to follow certain rules, we are given some means, tools and instruments, we are primed to win and we do our best, but losses can come, and yet, we just have to move on.

Woe to us when we get stuck with our defeats and failures, developing a loser’s mentality. That would be the epic fail that puts a period and a finis in a hanging narrative, when a comma, a colon or semi-colon would have sufficed.

We need a sporting spirit because life’s true failure can come only when we choose not to have hope. That happens when our vision and understanding of things is narrow and limited, confined only to the here and now and ignorant of the transcendent reality of the spiritual and supernatural world.

An indispensable ingredient of this healthy sporting spirit is the sense of acceptance and abandonment that we need to deliberately cultivate. This does not come

automatically, as if it’s part of our genes. We have to develop them.

We have to learn to accept things the way they are or the way they can be. Yes, it’s true that we can shape things and events in our life. We can even shape, to a certain extent, persons.

There’s a certain validity to the saying that “life is what we make it.” But this cannot be true all the time.

We cannot succeed in all our plans all the time, no matter how pure our intentions and heroic our deeds. Life has aspects outside our control.

It would be wrong to fall into anguish and bitterness just because of these frustrations. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we are already warned to be ready to accept all kinds of possible situations and predicaments.

“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What does it a profit if one works or not, is wise or not, if he succeeds or loses.

Everything will just be the same in that everything ends and is thrown into Sheol, that is, into darkness and oblivion.

Of course, this Old Testament wisdom has a limited

validity. It is imperfect and incomplete, in that it has not yet known the liberation and perfection brought about

by Christ, the Son of God who became man precisely to save us.

But it is basis enough for us to develop an attitude of acceptance in life, which also has to be accompanied by an attitude of abandonment in the hands of God. This latter attitude is rooted on a richer truth that comes from our faith, our belief that there is God, our Creator and Father, who loves us and provides for us everything that we need.

We need to enliven our faith, detaching ourselves from the suffocating grip of our senses and reasoning alone that can only discern things to a certain extent, but not all the way. We need faith to put ourselves in the omniscient and omnipotent system of God. As Pope Benedict said in his Letter, Porta fidei (Door of faith), that proclaimed the Year of Faith for 2012 to 2013, “there is no other possibility for possessing certitude with regard to one’s life apart from self-abandonment, in

Hints and traces

FR. ROY CIMAGALA

a continuous crescendo, into the hands of a love that grows constantly because it has its origin in God.” (7) Only the doubters and skeptics, the agnostics and atheists subjectively exclude themselves from the allembracing providence of God, who governs everything out of wisdom and love.

A certain sense of abandonment is needed in life. It surely is not the type where we just do nothing. It’s an active, intelligent abandonment, driven by faith and love for God. We can know God, and know him a lot. We can cooperate with him, and cooperate with him a lot. cimagala/PAGE 7

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to implement various programs known as the tatlusok or convergence strategy to combat poverty. Among these are the Pantawid Pamilya Program or Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) which provides financial support to poor families subject to certain conditions, the Kalahi CIDDS and the Sustainable Livelihood Program.

“Our goal is to make the families more capable of supporting themselves after a five-year period,” she said.

DSWD Policy and Plans Division Chief Raquel Nunez said they have no intention of making the beneficiaries dependent on government support which is why there is a strategy for the program which includes survival, subsistence and self-sufficiency.

“While our programs are in place, we are not claiming that the recent survey showing a reduction in poverty in Mindanao is because of DSWD,” she said.

Crisis... from page 1

the 2012 Philippine Business Conference.

The southern region now suffers daily power shortages resulting in brownouts except in the cities of Davao and Cagayan de Oro. The chamber’s sub-committee on power chairman, Robert Calilim, told representatives of the power sector in Mindanao and some of

the country’s biggest power generating companies a solution could be adopted if the government activates the hydro electric generators in the area only during peak hours.

I n h i s pre s ent at ion, Calilim, who is also a senior executive of the power generation subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation, made a bold proposal of making the coal-fired, geothermal, and diesel plants the baseload generators.

The hydros along the Agus and Polangi rivers, he argued, should only be used during peak hours of the day.

He explained that the peak-hour requirements of the whole of Mindanao totals only 1,279 megawatts which is much lower than the generating capacity of power generating plants in the area which he computed at over 1,600 megawatts.

“The region has excess capacity of 400 megawatts.

There should be no shortage there,” Calilim explained.

This approach to the brownout problem has not been made, however, because the policy until today is to use the hydro plants as baseload generators. This means that the electricity they produce are the first to be used.

This policy has continued because electricity produced by the dams is much cheaper than other energy sources.

A trade-off will be necessary though. Consumers will have to pay about one peso per kilowatt-hour more with the

diesel plants including power barges deployed there when the crisis starts worsening.

Calilim said that the sacrifice will only be temporary.

When the coal-fired plants will be connected to the grid, these will replace the diesel plants as baseload sources of power.

There are some tweaking of present policies as pointed out by a representative of the Cagayan de Oro Electric Cooperative. Some of the operational diesel plants are owned by distribution utilities and are not connected to the Mindanao grid.

Inspect... from page 2

dilapidated roads to reach market centers,” he said.

“Vehicles can now reach our areas and our products are now immediately delivered.”

Aleosan is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cotabato which has a population of 32,874 with approximately 6,500 households. Libungan, on the other hand is a 2nd class municipality with estimated population of 43,923 with 9,000 households.

Both towns have been enrolled with MRDP since its APL 1.

In May 2012, similar team headed by Roome also visited Libungan town to meet the livelihood project beneficiaries of the Community Fund for Agricultural Aevelopment (CFAD) component.

Enterprising rural women in the municipality impressed

the visiting team for sustaining their projects which have brought significant impacts to their lives.

Priority... from page 2

Tabuan Lasa comprises of four islands with 12 barangays that was created by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 187, which was subsequently ratified in a plebiscite held on March 29, 2008.

Mawalil said that more t ha n 40 0 chi ldren have availed of a supplemental feeding program also organized by the ARMM-DSWD. Mawalil said the agency also eyes the implementation of a core shelter assistance program and the cash-forwork privilege to the 35 victims whose houses had been razed by a fire incident.

Partners from the military and civil society organizations have also shelled in educational materials, Mawalil said.

Pre-school kits were distributed by an organization called Nagdilaab Foundation while the military sector has provided 17 boxes of assorted books for elementary schools in the island-municipality of Tabuan Lasa, he said.

L o o s e c o o rd i n a t i o n among agencies in the implementation of services and duplication of service delivery were some cited reasons behind the employment of the convergence effort in the autonomous region, he said.(PNA)

Cruz... from page 6

escape the feeling of anxiety or depression.

6. More gambling with more available money, wherever this comes from.

7. Lying in order to hide the extent of gambling involvement.

8. Commission of illegal acts to continue or sustain gambling.

9. Loss of relationships, employment and job opportunities on account of gambling.

Cimagala... from page 6

But we cannot know him completely, nor cooperate with him 100%.

Someone said t hat if anyone claims to know God completely, and by corollary, to cooperate with him completely, we can be sure that that God is not the real God, for God, while knowable and relatable, always

7

10. Dependence on others for the availability of gambling money.

In retrospect, there is something basically wrong when a government does not govern but is instead governed, when a leader does not lead but is instead led, when a public official is basically a private person. So, too, when someone inspires and propagates the culture of gambling productive of pathological gambling. Hopefully, all these observations were untrue, irrelevant, and futile. transcends our ways. So trust, a sense of abandonment, is unavoidable.

Christ, the fullness of divine revelation, himself taught us to live a certain sense of abandonment. And he lived it to perfection when he abandoned himself to the will of his Father by accepting his death on the cross.

Let’s meditate on his passion and death often.

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Ban-aowons give despedida party to ‘adopted’ son from Scotland

By BONG D. FABE Correspondent

BAN-AO, Baganga, Davao Oriental—The torrential rains and blackout did not prevent Ban-aowons from giving a despedida (farewell) party to their “adopted ” brother who came all the way from Scotland to help them recover the tatters of their lives from what remains of their small fishing and farming village devastated

by Typhoon Pablo.

The howling wind outside, the pounding rain on the roof and the crashing waves just a few meters across the street mixed with the din of the celebration inside the hastily-repaired principal’s office of the Ban-ao Elementary School, (which serves as a staff house for the volunteers) as Ban-aowons celebrated life for the first time since Pablo struck them unawares on December 4.

Ed Cox’s leaving the following day was just an “alibi” for “Pablo’s survivors” to celebrate the community’s quick recovery from the disaster as well as a way of giving tribute to those who helped in their recovery efforts and volunteers from the Balay Mindanaw Group of NGOs (BMG), Disaster Aid International (DAI), ShelterBox, The Johanniter International (JOIN) Assistance of Germany, Year of Service (YOS), Xavier University (XU), St. John Vianney Theological Seminary (SJVTS), the Philippine Army’s 67th “Agila” Battalion, and others.

“The folks of Ban-ao really went out of their way to give Ed Cox a despedida.

They roasted pig, although I could not imagine how they managed such a feat as it was raining hard the whole day. Some even brought fruit salad, bihon and chicken,” said Jasmin Gamos, disaster response coordinator of the Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), mother organization of BMG. Cox, at 36, is a veteran humanitarian and disaster response expert from the DAI, a unit of the Rotary Club. He learned about the need of this small village from BMG, which first became DAI’s humanitarian and disaster response partner during the Sendong (Washi) tragedy in Cagayan de Oro City in December 2011.

Unlike other so-called humanitarian and disaster response experts from other organizations, Cox stayed in Ban-ao for more than a month, taking charge of the early recovery and humanitarian efforts here in partnership with BMG’s team of volunteers in coordination with the village council through barangay chairperson Mera Adlawan Ching, most especially in the setting up of the “tent communities” for the survivors

who badly needed decent shelter from the harsh elements.

Cox, the only “white” man who really immersed in the community, once admitted his frustration and disappointment with the response from government and other so-called expert disaster response and humanitarian organizations that he sometimes thought of packing his bags and go home.

(Cox and his “disciple” Ad r ia n Pa rk s f rom t he United Kingdom were the only “whites” who stayed in Ban-ao but Parks went home before New Year).

“But then, I see the survivors and then hope springs back to life. Yes, you can see sadness in their eyes. But you can also see there the fire of hope burning. And it is our job, our work, our responsibility to make sure that this fire of hope in them is not extinguished. It is our job to convert this hope into positive action for them to be able to help themselves.

That’s the meaning of assistance,” he said.

It is this hope that is driving the survivors here to rebuild their devastated community and lives. It is this very hope that they were celebrating the night of January 19 — with lechon — amidst the turmoil of the violent weather outside spawned by the convergence of the tail-end of a cold front and Northeast monsoon—the hope that continues to burn brightly despite the howling wind, pounding rain and crashing waves outside; a clear picture of the resilience of the Ban-aowons.

This resiliency is best exemplified by the children of Ban-ao, who despite being

Veteran humanitarian and disaster response expert Ed Cox (2L) with Lt. Col. Krishnamurti Mortela, commanding officer of the 67th “Agila” Battalion; Ban-ao Barangay Chairperson Mera A. Ching (R); and Jasmin Gamos, disaster response coordinator of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. during the despedida party tendered

by Ban-aowons in his honor. (photo by bong d. fabe)

Disaster Aid International (DAI) volunteer Adrian Parks of the United Kingdom, who was with Ed Cox in helping Ban-aowons get back on their feet after Pablo, teaches a local how to set-up a tent for the survivors in Barangay Ban-ao, Baganga, Davao Oriental. photo by bong d. fabe

“leftovers of the typhoon” easily overcame the traumatic and tragic event that they experienced on December 4, 2012.

The best example of this is 9-year-old Grade Three pupil Em-Em, who described herself and other Pablo survivors as “mga salin sa bagyo (leftovers of the typhoon).”

Em-em’s continuous chatter and dogged determination despedida/PAGE 10

Ed Cox, from Scotland (L), during the despedida dinner party, with some volunteers from Cagayan de Oro City, Nepal and Ban-ao. photo by bong d . fabe Republic of the Philippines Province of Zamboanga del Sur Municipality of Tukuran Office of the Local Civil Registrar R.A. 9048/10172 Form no. 10.1 (LCRO) Notice for Publication

In compliance with section 7 of R.A. no. 10172, a notice is hereby served to the public that JONEL BALANSAG VALLE has filed with this office a petition for correction of clerical error particularly in his gender from FEMALE to MALE in the certificate of live birth JONEL BALANSAG VALLE who was born on November 21, 1993 at Tukuran Zamboanga del Sur in whose parents are CRISPIN VALE and ADELAIDA BALANSAG. Any person adversely a affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than February 4, 2013 (Sgd) GINALYN D. ACUÑA City/Municipality Civil Registrar BWM: Feb. 4 & 11, 2013

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The Infamous ‘Sala’, a Tool for Social Acceptability

By Annalyn Bautista-Alenton

Have you ever heard the term “sala”? It is most common among Indigenous Communities in Northern Mindanao. In fact, when one hears that somebody has to undergo a “sala” or “salaon” by a certain tribe, it is believed that said person has committed a violation to the customary laws of that certain tribe.

And, as a restitution for the crime committed, he has to give to the community something of value like animals, money or machine.

One particular incident I have observed is the involvement of an electric cooperative in the Southern part of Bukidnon.

Since they need to fasttrack preparation for an almost billion peso-investment, the Pulangui V HydroElectric Power Plant, they have to gain acceptance by the affected communities which includes the Manobo tribes of the highlands of Kibawe, Bukidnon and other IP Communities who are seen to be displaced by the proposed project.

At first, the commissioned Project Management Office thought it easy to penetrate the place and gain the nods of the affected communities, not cognizant of the many

cultural and religious violations they had committed. They easily move-in and out of the place, pass through areas the Manobos considered sacred, and allegedly made tactless statements concerning their place and practices, and non-execution of promises and commitments, however small.

Unknowingly, said actuations were seen by the communities as a disrespect to their place, their culture, tradition and laws.

Though said communities looked innocent and harmless, but they were so vigilant of the PMOs every move, taking note of their every violations and crime.

When the day of reckoning came, the Manobo Elders and Leaders of villages in the surrounding areas finally convened on the day the Electric Coop needs the final endorsement for the project. The Tribes decided to hold a “Sala” to the Electric Coop, which requires the “violators” to be present and face their court.

Confused questions arose and fear of getting killed

by IP warriors enveloped each one’s heart, believing that this could be a bloody event as there already were alleged threats of the lives Sala/PAGE 10

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Sala... from page 8

of all those connected with the EC entering their territory . “Why go all the troubles courting these Tribes where an entity with rich financial resources is already capable to push through with the project and relocate the affected communities with ease,” thus the basic question.

But what was so amazing and admirable in them is their structured justice system handed down from generations as evidenced by the way they conducted the “sala”. Just like our Subpoena, the alleged violators and their leaders were called in to meet with the tribal Datus and bring in their valuable assets as restitution of the crime committed.

Hence, the group delivered one work-ready carabao, a cash equivalent to the cost of a one low-cost housing unit, and a lot of foods and meal items. The EC bigwigs, though reluctant, gave in to their request but took with them a Tribal Leader from other un-involved tribes to serve as their advisors and mentors of their customary laws and practices. But the gesture of bringing-in an “outsider” seemed to bring insult to the elders, one of which reacted with a little hostility, the reason of which confused us observers. Thanks to one of the bigwigs who has been exposed to the IP cultures and tradition that he was able to pacify the situation by doing the removal of the “Tangkulo”. The “Tangkulo”, a colorful cloth worn over the head of the male tribal leaders symbolizes power and authority the wearer has in his community. Accordingly, the gesture signifies courtesy and respect to the Tribal Council, and showed that the party is paying respect to their authority as leaders of the tribe and recognizing their customs and tradition as a way of blending in and gaining acceptance by the IP Community.

As the ritual progressed via long discussions and agreements by leaders of both parties, followed by the traditional offering of live animals, I realized that

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the “sala” is not a venue to identify and punish the wrongdoers but a venue to hear grievances of all parties involved with the objective of restoring old and broken relationships. It is rather a mechanism to determine the social acceptability of an entity’s actions to the IP Community in relation to their customs and traditions.

The giving of restitution, which is predetermined by the elders and tribal leaders prior to the “sala” is not actually a sanction for the “crime” committed by the lowlanders, but, foremost, the symbolism of the value or cost of the broken relationship between the alleged offenders and the Community vis-à-vis their customary laws.

In the case of the concerned EC, the “sala” called for by the elders and tribal leaders for them is intended in its entirety to remind the lowlanders of their accountability to pay respect to the cultures, tradition and customary laws of the people living in the “Pusaka” where proposed technological infrastructures are seen by the community as a threat to the preservation of their cultures, tradition and environment. As related by one of the elders, the “Pusaka” is their ancestral land handed down from generation to generation, and as such, considered sacred are protected by their “Magbabaya (the ruler of the universe). Anybody found to have exploited or have disrespected the “Pusaka” must be subjected to a “sala” to determine if such behavior is acceptable by the community or punishable in accordance with their established laws.

Despedida... from page 8

in following this reporter around the village, even volunteering to narrate the tragedy of December 4 and showing the places she, her sister and playmates and neighbors hid during the typhoon were just symptoms of her sunny disposition that a psycho-social expert from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan said only showed her resiliency.

During the psycho-social activity, Em-em drew

a house. Ot her children of Ban-ao similarly drew houses, churches, schools, and fishing boats and farms.

“Their drawings indicated their sincere wish of getting their normal lives back,” said Monalisa Pangan of XU’s Chapel Ministries.

Ban-ao, one of Baganga’s 17 villages, is the hardesthit barangay in the whole municipality with 17 dead and more than 90 percent of its 520 families homeless with literally no source of income in sight as Pablo also “illegally cut” 99 percent of all coconuts.

But despite the abundance of felled coconut trees, survivors in Davao Oriental, not just in Ban-ao, have a hard time repairing their damaged houses.

“We don’t have anything left. Everything we owned, especially our houses, were destroyed. Even our coconut trees were felled…We urgently need chainsaws so we can immediately use some of these trees as lumber with which to rebuild our homes,” Armando Escamillan said.

Pablo destroyed coconut farms totalling 101,356.5 hectares planted with more than 10 million coconut trees in the two provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley estimated at P6 billion, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduc t ion Ma nagement Council (NDRRMC).

But Davao Oriental accounts for the bulk of the damage to coconut farms at over P4 billion.

Davao Oriental has a total land area of 516,446 hectares (5,164 square kilometres). Of its total 223,771 hectares of agricu ltura l land, 160,434 hectares are devoted to coconut, making the province the leading producer of coconuts in the entire Philippines. It is also the leading coconut product expor ter in t he entire country.

But rent for chainsaws here have skyrocketed as owners and operators took unfair adva ntage of t he situation. BMG noted that the usual rent for chainsaws was pegged at P2,000 per hour.

This situation prompted

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BMG chief Charlito “Kaloy” Manlupig to write an open letter addressed to the depar tments of Trade and Industry, and Public Works and Highways to monitor the prices of basic commodities in Pablo-affected areas as well as mobilize heavy equipment and resources to help the survivors rebuild.

But due to the urgency and scope of the situation, BMG and its partner organizations and volunteers did not wait but pour their limited resources here to jumpstart the recovery effort of the village with the help of the survivors themselves.

Manlupig, in underscoring the importance of letting the survivors/villagers have a hand and say in the recovery effort, explained that “survivors are not just mere recipients of aid but key stakeholders in the difficult task of community rebuilding.”

It is through this “working together” through the “convergence of efforts” from all key players—survivors and various volunteer/humanitarian/disaster response groups—that the “new Ban-ao” has started to rise in this eco-tourism resource rich village that bordered the municipalities of Baganga and Cateel.

And no particular group or person can claim the credit for this.

But for Ban-aowons, Ed Cox of DAI deserved more than praise but the best that they can give despite the tragedy —lechon roasted to perfection amid a downpour that did not let up for three straight days and nights.

“Despite the unfavourable fate we had in the past year, there is always a reason to celebrate a new life, a new beginning,” said barangay chairperson Ching.

And yes, Ban-aowons found the perfect alibi in celebrating this “new life” and “new beginning”— Ed Cox.

NCCA to hold visual arts fest in Pagadian City

By CLARO A. LANIPA

PAGADIAN City -- The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), National Committee for Visual Arts will showcase Philippine Visual Arts Festival in Pagadian City on Feb. 7 -11 in celebration of the National Arts Month.

In a media forum held last week at the Subanen Hall, Provincial Government Center, Barangay Dao this city, NCCA Deputy Executive Director Marlene Sanchez said this year’s festival theme is “Ani ng Sining” with its sub-theme, “Celebrating Icons.”

“A number of visual artists from all over the country are expected to come and participate. Various visual art works will also be displayed during the four-day festivity,” Sanchez said.

On t he ot her ha nd , Nemesio Miranda, head of NCCA’s National Committee on Visual Arts, said that in his three years as committee head, it was decided to bring the arts festival down to the

Loan... from page 4

in Sunshine Fiesta Phase 2-Fiesta Casitas Project in Brgy. Tatala.

The interest rate, which is based on the fund’s full riskbased pricing framework,

regions, “considering that there are so many artists in the regions who could not afford to go to Manila to participate in the annual event.”

One main purpose of bringing the arts congress to the regions is to have a head count of all visual artists in the country, Miranda added.

He f ur t her said “t he NCCA will come up with a national visual artist directory, and through this directory we can give them information and updates as to the programs of NCCA, giving them equal footing and opportunities with the artist based in Manila. It also serves as a venue for fellowship among visual artists.”

The congress also aims to listen to the issues and concerns of visual artists in order to thresh out and resolve their problems.

“Nobody will help us, except us – nobody knows the solutions to the problems of the visual artists except the visual artists themselves,” Miranda stressed.

is still subject to certain terms and conditions.

IRC of fered t he f irst real estate mortgage on the transfer certificate of title, which covers an aggregate area of 87.177 square meters, as collateral for the loan.

Until recently, IRC had no commercial activities except for clearing and retitling of its properties in Binangonan. It used to be an oil exploration company until 1978. It owns the 896-hecatare Apo Island in Coron, Palawan.

Property... from page 4

The inputs that they will be providing us will be very useful in making Clark Green City and the other properties better, safer, more energy efficient, and sustainable,” said Mr. Casanova.

The Clark Green City is a 36,000-hectare area inside the former US bases in Clark.

The project is envisioned to spur development in Pampanga and nearby provinces.

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SM RETAIL STORES SHINE AT PRA AWARDS

T

hree SM retail stores – the SM Department Store, Kultura Filipino, and Watsons - recently won three major awards during the recent 16th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year Awards Night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom.

The SM Department Store was named the winner in the Full Line Department Store category.

Acknowledged as the leader and trendsetter in the Philippine retail scene, it has 46 branches around the country that serve millions of shoppers.

Known for its world class interiors, quality merchandise at reasonable prices, and service, it continues to create excitement for a new generation of shoppers by combining great retail and great design, a mastige merchandise assortment, and services that go beyond shopping like foreign exchange, bills payments, and tieups with government agencies like the DTI,

Phil Health, SSS, PagIbig, and recently, the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Kultura Filipino, the place to shop for all things Filipino, won the Category Killer award for the second year in a row, elevating it to the Hall of Fame.

Kultura showcases the best of Filipino talent, craftsmanship, and ingenuity at customer friendly prices at 33 branches nationwide. It does not only highlight Filipino lifestyle retail, but also assists numerous NGOs and micro- entrepreneurs in its Crafts for a Cause section.

Watsons, Your Personal Store, was cited as PRA’s top Foreign Brand Retailer in the Non-Food Category for the second year in a row.

It is part of the Hong Kong based AS Watson chain, the world’s largest health, beauty, and personal care retailer with its network of 2,500 stores across 37 countries.

In the Philippines, the first Watsons stores opened at The Podium

and SM Megamall in 2002. Since then, more than 200 stores have opened in 30 cities across the country, serving more than 160,000 customers everyday.

The annual search for the Outstanding Filipino Retailers seeks to recognize Filipino Retailers who have epitomized the model of a successful business retailer in terms of growth and good ethical business practices.

The award, which started in 1997, is a collaboration between the Philippine Retailers Association and the Department of Trade of Industry. Since that time, over 150 retailers have been given this honor and a total of 37 have been inducted in the Hall of Fame.

In 2011, recognizing that foreign brands are now a new player in the local retail scene, the PRA and DTI opened a new category – the Foreign Brand Retailer – to recognize the Filipino management behind the success of foreign brands in the local market.

The SM Store President Jorge Mendiola receives the 2013 PRA Full Line Department Store Award from PRA VP and Celine Marketing Corp. Chairman and CEO Chan Kok Bin, DTI USEC Zenaida Maglaya and PRA Director and Cinderella Marketing Corp. President Arthur Coronel together with SM’s VP for Marketing Millie Dizon.

Kultura Filipino Vice President for Operations Ivy Yap receives the 2013 PRA Category Killer Award from DTI USEC Zenaida Maglaya and PRA Vice President for External Affairs Atty.

Paul Santos. Also shown in photo is Senior Merchandising Manager Tricia Libongco.

Watsons Philippines General Manager Robert Sun receives the 2013 PRA Foreign Brand Specialty Award from DTI USEC Zenaida Maglaya, and PRA Board Member Lorenzo Formoso. He is shown with the Watsons Philippines team - Marketing Director Maria Victoria Encarnacion, Operations Director Jessamine Jimenez, and Watsons Chain Supply Director Sean Hembling.

Kultura Filipino, a one-stop lifestyle shop for all things uniquely Filipino, offers home and fashion items as well as souvenirs and crafts made by local artisans that showcase Filipino artistry, ingenuity and innovation.

SM’s services go beyond shopping. Customers can pay their bills, exchange foreign currency, buy tickets to the hottest shows in town, and avail of BDO Remit and government services all in one stop. Prestige Card members can also relax at the Prestige Lounge during their shopping breaks.

Watsons Your Personal Store, a part of the A.S. Watsons chain, the largest health, beauty and personal care retailer in the world, gives you a great reason to Look Good, Feel Great and Have Fun.