BusinessWeek Mindanao (January 30-31, 2013 Issue)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Issue No. 154, Volume III •

Market Indicators

As of 5:54 pm Jan. 28, 2013 (Monday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P40.91

6,192.42 points

25 cents

X

24.78 points

Briefly

X

Davnor tourism

TAGUM City -- Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario gave out orders to reinvigorate the province’s tourism industry.

In a focus group discussion among tourism stakehold ers recently, Assistant Provincial Administrator Romulo Tagalo said the governor wants to strengthen the tourism industry of the province.

“The governor is mindful of the marching order of the President to increase domestic tourist arrivals to 35 million and international arrivals to 10 million,” said Tagalo. “We would like to transform that target into local targets as well,” he added.

Coal power

Z AM BOANGA Cit y Mayor Celso Lobregat said Monday the signing of the lease agreement for the establishment of a 100-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant is a welcome development for this city.

Lobregat, who described the lease agreement as a milestone, stressed that the establishment of the power plant will solve the power shortage problem that this city has been experiencing. “ When the plant becomes operational it is expected that finally, the regime of power outages and blackouts in Zamboanga City will end,” Lobregat said.

Cagayan de Oro City

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Group bats for reforms to avert more disasters

By CRYSTALINE PINO, Reporter

A

MINDANAO peace advocacy group supporting talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front (NDF), has called on for the immediate institution of a comprehensive social and economic reforms to avert more natural disasters like typhoons Sendong and Pablo in the future.

BACK TO NORMAL. After several devastating disasters that struck the country in the last two years, Filipinos showed resiliency and continue to live normal lives despite economic hardship.

Photo by MIO CADE

Bishop Felixberto Calang, convenor of Sowing the Seeds, stressed that “the roots of our environmental crises today are linked to monopoly of land, extractive industries and land conversions, and an economy that is not pro-Filipino but caters to foreign interests.”

Calang said that genuine agrarian reform and a nationalist development program are “our only way out of these catastrophes since decades of market-oriented, consumerist, and exploitative paradigms have led us into this mess today.”

The GPH should take into utmost consideration the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Rights (CASER) with the National Democratic Front (NDF) “because it provides concrete solutions to the root causes of environmental destruction.” avert/PAGE 8

Advocates to PNoy: ‘Rescue’ FOI from the throes of certain death

By BONG FABE, Correspondent

DESCRIBING the all-important Freedom of Information (FOI) bill as “on the throes of death,” advocates and supporters yesterday urged President Aquino to “rescue” it and so prove his mettle as a leader.

“With just six session days left before the House of Representatives adjourns

for the May 2013 election campaign, one and only one miracle could save it from certain perdition — a certification on the urgency of its immediate enactment by President Aquino himself,” the Right to Know, Right Now! (R2KRN) Coalition said in a statement.

Rescue/PAGE 8 Groups batting for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill are urging President Aquino to save the proposed measure from the verge of collapse.

Bukidnon power coop gets loan loan from PNB

THE Philippine National Bank (PNB), in partnership with LGU Guarantee Corporation (LGUGC) and World Bank, granted a P213.880 million 10-year term loan for Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative Incorporated (BUSECO), a non-stock, non-profit rural electric cooperative.

BUSECO provides electricity to central and northern sides of Bukidnon Province with more than 74,000 household connections covering the City of Malaybalay and 9 other municipalities.

The 10-year term loan will be used to partially finance BUSECO’s capital expenditure projects which aim to reduce system losses, improve the quality of electric service and meet the government’s electrification target as mandated under the Energy Power Industry Reform Law.

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ODA agency heads to tackle climate change in Davao forum DAVAO City -- About 300 heads of the country’s official development assistance (ODA) agencies will tackle climate change and other long-term measures during the Mindanao Development Forum (MDF) this Friday in this City.

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) investment promotion and public affairs officer Romeo Montenegro said that the event would serve as venue to establish stronger cooperation among

development partners in the implementation of various foreign-assisted projects in Mindanao.

Other issues to be discusses at the MDF include the strengthening of peace and development under the

Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro, Mindanao as agri-business destination, and meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

Montenegro said the MDF increases the opportunity of Mindanao to become priority of foreign and local development partners.

He said the rehabilitation of the watersheds and investments priorities in

Mindanao will also be discussed at the forum.

Also, the recovery and rehabilitation of typhoon Pablo affected areas in Mindanao, particularly Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley Province will be raised at the highlevel gathering.

The MDF is scheduled two days ahead of the annual Philippine Development Forum (PDF) on February 3. It will be held in Davao City for the first time.

Montenegro said the resolutions or results of the MDF will be presented at

the PDF with Mindanao considering its significance to the national economy.

The PDF is organized by the World Bank and the Department of Finance. It is key to determining the relevant assistance which ODA can provide, he said.

(PNA)

ARMM eyes agri-fishery as an investment potential

By OLIVER ROSS V. RIVERA Contributor

KORONADAL City -- Officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are positive that they can boost up the potentials of agriculture and fisheries in the region.

ARMM Cabinet Secretary Norkhalila Campong expressed her high hopes on the regions’ agriculture potentials placing ARMM at rank, while rooting on primary crops of rice, corn, and cassava.

The region’s agriculture and fisheries Secretary Engr.

Maritess Maguindra also extended her appreciation to

partners who continuously provide help to improve the quality of the agri-fishery products and services.

The secretary mentioned Japanese partners who gave them technical assistance while instituting technological proficiency which targets to uplift socio-economic condition in the region.

“We express optimism confronting the challenges in agri-fishery development in the region. The ARMM reform agenda is pegged on socio-economic programs geared toward development which in this case embracing farmers’ satisfaction to

alleviate living conditions even at the grassroots level,” said Maguindra.

Late last year, OIC-Governor Mujiv S. Hataman said that the regional government should also push for agribusiness development and enumerated a number of investment meetings with local and international business groups.

Earlier, Del Monte subsidiary Delinanas Development Corporations had poured in P569 million worth of investments for a banana plantation in Maguindanao that targets to generate more than 800 jobs in the region.

World-class furniture exporter firm opens shop in Davao 0917-7154399 088-856-8562/63

AMENITIES : ZORBIT * ATV * TREE TOP ADVENTURE BUGGY * BUNGEE * PICNIC GROUNDS PLAYGROUND * CAFE * LUGE * MINI GOLF ROOM ACCOMODATIONS

DAVAO City -- A world-class artisan supplier of furniture opened a showroom here recently of top quality

and artistic pieces of furniture with the feel of royalty on Ruby corner Turquiose streets here.

Leslie Mendiola, associate marketing manager of Betis Crafts, said by opening a showroom in Davao City, more Filipinos will be able to experience their locallyproduced but export-quality products.

She said they have expanded its operation in Mindanao as it strengthens its presence in the local market where 95 percent of its products are exported to international markets, such as United States, Middle East and United Kingdom.

Established in 1972 in Pampanga as a family business, the furniture shop has truly earned its name as a high-end producer of artistically made pieces of furniture with a variety of concepts from classic European to contemporary designs.

It was only in the mid 1980s that it started to ship out to United States and then Europe.

Mendiola said they have seen the potential of the city considering the upsurge in real estate industry powered by the developments of hotels and condominiums.

“Davao has a huge cultural diversity that’s why, we became very interested. When we come, we’re surprised to see how big and developed Davao is,” she said.

Betis’ Crafts makes different wood arts such as arm chairs, beds, benches, tables, case goods, lounge chairs, mirror frames and sofas. (PNA)

Nanuri International School caps MTAP Math Challenge 2013 N

By RIZA ARES

ANURI International School (NIS) students once again took center stage in the Elimination Round of the annual Inter-School Math Challenge held Januar y 17, 2013 at the South City Central School, Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City.

Nanuri fielded fifth graders Albert Park, Justin Russ Lumagsao, and Faith Calo, together with high school students Carlos Roy Perez, Shin Jaeho (Rony) and Shanelle Silmaro (freshmen), Kim Seyoung (Sally), Jeong Sung Hyun (Ben) and Park Yuno (juniors), and seniors Jung Sangmin (James), Jang Seong Mun (Moon) Nam Kimoon (Robin) who took second place in the competition.

Grade six pupils Manny Bagarinao, Coleen Jessica Andres and Cho Jung Hyun (Jason), also placed fourth overall.

The annual MTAPDepEd Math Challenge sponsored by Metrobank

and participated in by both public and private elementary and secondary schools in the division of Cagayan de Oro, is one of the most awaited events of the year for the Math-inclined teachers and students.

According to NIS contestants, the competition provided them great challenge to excel more in the field of mathematics.

The students said they were excited and nervous when they saw the many other smart-looking Math Contestants, the students, the group of coaches, teachers and parents who were feeling very anxious and excited as well.

The parents were likewise elated over their kids’ performances and thanked the school administration for providing their children with opportunities to explore and prove their worth in high-level competition outside the school.

NIS school Director Pastor Choi Young Yun

and Principal Dr. Juliet E. Fancubit have expressed their congratulations to the students for their satisfactory performance.

The school administration also thanked the student’s math coaches Ms. Jeanette Luzano for the high school, and Ms. Velbeth Rivero, the elementary coach, for providing rigid trainings to their respected students.

Nanuri International School has continuously upgrading its academic standard in order to maintain its status as the first and only officially accredited member of the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS).

NIS looks forward to more improvements and higher achievements in the academic field as well as in other equally important areas like the physical, social, emotional, psychological and most especially the spiritual aspects of the learners.

Shin Jaeho (Rony) G7

Shanelle Silmaro G7

Park Yuno 3rd Year

Carlos Roy Perez G7

Nam KiMoon (Robin) 4th Year

Kim Seyoung (Sally) 3rd Year

Jung Sangmin (James) 4th Year

Jeong Sung Hyun (Ben) 3rd Year

Jang Seong Mun (Moon) 4thYear

Toyota, Nissan bare record sales for 2012

TOKYO — Toyota and Nissan on Monday posted record sales for 2012 as the Japanese car giants benefited from a pick-up in demand, with Toyota recapturing the world’s biggest automaker crown from General Motors.

Toyota said sales last year soared 22.6 percent to 9.75 million vehicles, while Nissan saw a 5.8 percent on-year rise to 4.94 million units.

Honda, Japan’s numberthree automaker, recorded sales of 3.81 million vehicles, up from 3.09 million a year earlier, as strong US and Asian demand boosted its results.

The latest figures confirmed that Toyota regained the global sales crown lost

in 2011 to US-based GM, as the Japanese quake-tsunami disaster hammered the firm’s sales and production.

Robust Asian sales and a pick-up in North America helped drive sales for Japan’s big three, offsetting weak demand in Europe and the effects of Tokyo’s diplomatic row with Beijing, which sparked a Chinese consumer boycott of Japanese goods in the latter part of the year.

Nissan said it posted record sales in the United States last year, underscoring the pick-up in demand in a key vehicle market.

However, Nissan, partowned by France’s Renault, warned in November that its net profit for the fiscal

year through March would be down 20 percent to 320 billion yen ($3.52 billion), citing its heavy exposure to the Chinese market.

Less affected by the dispute, Toyota hiked its profit forecast to 780 billion yen for the same period, up from 760 billion yen, although it trimmed its annual sales forecast to 21.3 trillion yen.

A strong yen and uncertainty in China and Europe dented Japan’s automakers, with Toyota largely crediting its better profit outlook to cost-cutting, including a decrease in labour, research and development expenses.

Honda has blamed the ongoing territorial row — and a strong yen — for a 20 percent cut to its annual profit forecast.

The long-standing row f lared again in September when Tokyo nationalised an East China Sea island chain that is also claimed

by Beijing, setting off huge demonstrations across China and the consumer boycott.

Japanese factories and businesses across China temporarily closed or scaled back operations over fears of being targeted by angry toyota/PAGE 10

Kia proceed GT

Hyundai, Kia rank 4th in British car market SOUTH Korea’s leading carmakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. ranked fourth in the British automobile market last year on the back of brisk sales, industry data showed Monday.

According to the data, their combined sales soared 20.9 percent on-year to 140,914 vehicles in 2011 from 116,515 units sold a year earlier.

The market share of Hyundai and Kia, the flagship companies of Hyundai Motor Group, climbed

one notch to fourth place with 6.89 percent, beating Germany’s BMW AG with 127,530 units sold, the data added.

Officials from Hyundai Motor Group said their popular models of the i30 compact and the Cee’d led the sales increase in Britain last year.

“We focused our marketing on smaller cars and offered various instalment programs to buyers. These efforts appealed to British customers in the midst of the widespread financial crisis

in Europe,” said a group official.

Car sales in Britain rose 5.3 percent on-year to 2.04 million vehicles last year, becoming the second-biggest car market in Europe after Germany with 3.08 million.

Ford Motor Co. topped the list with 281,917 units, followed by Vauxhall Motor, the British unit of General Motors Co., with 232,255 and Volkswagen AG with 183,098.

Meanwhile, the new Kia pro_cee’d GT and cee’d GT hyundai/PAGE 10

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Nestle to increase procurement of local coffee FOOD giant Nestle Philippines, Inc. embarked on a continuous program to reeducate coffee growers as it intends to source more of its raw material locally.

Speaking during a business forum organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) recently, Nestle chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) John Martin Miller announced Nestle will distribute 25 million seedlings to coffee growers and reeducate 90,000 farmers on coffee farming.

He said its Coffee Plantlet Production and Training

Center in Tagum, Davao, Nestle regularly conducts training on coffee farming.

“Coffee is our biggest raw material. We sourced 70 percent of our raw materials abroad,” Mr. Miller said, as he explained that Nestle intends to expand it local sources.

“Knowledge transfer is necessary for better extraction on the local market. We will reach out to coffee farm-

ers anywhere in the country (to expand our sources),” he explained.

Meanwhile, as part of the businesses strong social responsibility, he exhorted other businesses to ensure that their businesses are good both for the society and the communities.

“We have to act together.

We have to organize investment forum in agriculture, financing, among others. We have to ensure that business is good (not just for us but) both for the societies and the communities.”

“With the local economy now growing, this could not be more timely if all members of the society come together.

The opportunity is really for us to grasp, we will be able to address the pressing issues in the country; health, employment,” he said.

He stressed that “the imperative measure is the need to justify the quantity of economic benefit, that we could create a business model which could show that the investment is doing good and contribute economically and socially.”(PNA)

Belo cosmetic surgery group targets Mindanao market BELO MEDICAL Group, Inc. is looking to launch its first Mindanao clinic this year in a bid to further expand its f lagship offerings, the company’s founder said in a recent interview.

“We plan to open two more branches this year.

One provincial -- Davao is most likely -- and we’re also trying to look at another area in Metro Manila. It will be the same clinic model as the current ones,” Victoria “Vicki” G. Belo, Belo Medical Group medical director, said in an interview on the sidelines of the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) SME (small and medium enterprises) Summit at the BDO Corporate Center in Makati City earlier this month when asked on expansion plans this year.

SEXY SOLUTIONS When asked for the rea-

son for Belo’s foray into Mindanao, Ms. Belo -- the so-called “Doctor to the Stars” -- said: “We’re really expanding Sexy Solutions this year,” referring to the company’s main cosmetic surgery line that offers various body-shaping treatments and services, according to Sexy Solutions’ Web site.

From its first 44-squaremeter clinic in Medical Towers Makati that opened in 1990, Belo now has nine clinics nationwide: eight in Luzon (Tomas Morato, TriNoma, Greenhills, Medical Plaza Makati, Greenbelt Residences, SM Megamall, Westgate Center Alabang, and Bonifacio High Street), and one in the Visayas (Ayala Center Cebu), according to Belo’s Web site.

NEW PRODUCT The group expects to sustain this year the “good”

CEBU City -- A real estate developer is allocating P1.5 billion for the construction of 1,500 houses in the Visayas and Mindanao this year.

Of that investment, the bulk will be set aside for three projects in Cebu with a total of 800 units.

The remaining 700 units will be distributed in Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Iligan cities.

Richard Lim, president and chief executive officer of Johndorf Ventures Corp., the capital expenditure (capex) share for Cebu is the biggest so far since the company’s entry in 2004. ”Cebu is becoming progressive. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. In fact, its growing population and bullish property market have attracted big players to expand their projects here,” Lim said.

Lim said their presence in Cebu is a manifestation of how optimistic and confident local players are about Cebu and the booming real estate industry.

A total of nine hectares of land will be developed into affordable subdivisions under the Johndorf and Prohomes brands.

Two of these projects will be located in Mactan and one in Carcar, Cebu.

Lim said the Mindanao projects will have a total of 35 hectares of land to be developed into socialized and mid-range housing projects.

Late last year, Johndorf announced it has taken full control of the management of Prohomes Development Inc., a former subsidiary of the company.

Lim said Prohomes would maintain its role in developing affordable residential units. Johndorf will focus on

sales it booked in 2012 as more customers continue to patronize its newly introduced underarm whitening products.

“It looks like there’s a lot of growth in the economy, so hopefully our industry or business can also ride on this year,” Cristalle B. Henares, Belo Medical Group general manager, said in a separate interview.

“Last year was a good for us because it was the first time we launched a new category: the underarm whitening market,” Ms. Henares said.

“This will also help us this year. Prior to that, we were only creating products for the face and body,” she added.

Ms. Henares declined to elaborate on sales projections for this year.

The group current ly markets its Belo Essentials

assorted whitening products (body bar, lotion, face wash, whitening toner, and vitamin cream) aside from its anti-perspirant deodorant that was launched last year, according to its Web site.

Ms. Henares noted that the company’s Belo Essentials deodorant, which was at first sold only in Watsons drugstores, has been posting robust sales.

‘LIKE HOTCAKES’ “Even if it was the first time we launched into the underarm whitening category, our roll-on deodorants are doing very well today and they are selling like hotcakes,” Ms. Henares said.

“Initially we were exclusively selling at Watsons, but we later found other opportunities in selling them in other department stores and even online,” she added.

Ms. Henares noted further

A PATIENT is shown undergoing treatment at a clinic of the Belo Medical Group in this undated official photo. www. belomed . com

that export markets have also shown promise, especially among Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East.

“On top of local sales, we are continuously exporting our products,” Ms. Henares said.

“As a matter of fact, we have created Arabic packaging for our Belo Essentials products and we are distributed in big supermarkets such as Carrefour (hypermarket) in Dubai and other bigger

chains there,” she added.

Ms. Belo acknowledged that the Middle East has become a key foreign market for products of the group.

“Belo seems to be very popular in the Middle East,” Ms. Belo claimed.

“Even in my clinics here, so many people fly in from there. A lot of the (household) help of these sheikhs and princes, they’re all Filipino, and they are very good promoters of Belo,” she said.

PUBLICLY- listed Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., a leading independent oil company in the country, reported P34.7 billion in revenue for 2012, up by 26 percent from previous year’s P27.5 billion.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the firm said its fuel sales volume grew by 26 percent last year due to the expansion of the independent oil company’s retail network and increase in sales from its retail and commercial/ industrial accounts.

Phoenix Petroleum has 300 retail stations as of December 2012, of which 191 are in Mindanao, 21 in Visayas and 88 in Luzon.

Phoenix Petroleum grew its share of the oil industry from around 5.4 percent in 2011 to around 6 percent in 2012.

The company is engaged in the business of trading refined petroleum products and lubricants, operation of oil depots and storage facilities, shipping/logistics and allied services. (PNA)

Johndorf investing P1.5B to build Phoenix Petroleum posts 1,500 houses in Visayas, M’danao 26% revenue rise in 2012

building residential units for the middle-income market.

Lim said they have already started building one of the Mactan projects.

The company expressed hopes that the construction of the two remaining projects will start in the third or fourth quarter this year.

Lim stressed that despite the presence of big and new players doubling efforts in serving the housing require-

ments, there were segments not fully served.

He expressed belief that demand was still present in all segments, particularly in the low and middle-income market, spurred by Cebu’s growing populations and thriving businesses.

Cebu’s t hree-mi l lion population is one factor that developers consider in terms of putting up projects, he said. (PNA)

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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BSP says protecting Bill allowing foreign capital infusion in rural banks OK’d ‘real economy’ more vital than strong peso THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it would protect the real economy from the destabilizing effects of “hot money” flows, brushing aside a suggestion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the peso be allowed to appreciate freely.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the IMF’s assessment is consistent with the central bank’s exchange rate policy, which is to “accommodate the impact of structural flows from the external sector.”

“What the BSP is wary about are those flows from footloose capital that go into equities market, government securities, money market and even banks,” Guinigundo said, adding that these are non-fundamental inf lows that drive the BSP into buying dollars from the currency market to temper the peso’s appreciation.

By doing so, the BSP is minimizing the “collateral impact” of the appreciating local currency on key sectors like exports and overseas employment.

“While this stance may be interpreted by the Fund as adverse to global rebalancing, we believe the more meaningful adjustment should be done by the big, advanced economies which could easily send powerful impact and signal to the global economy,” Guinigundo said.

“The issues are in these

big markets so therefore the decisive actions to resolve them should originate from them.

There should be fair burden sharing,” he added.

The IMF last week said the Philippines should expect more capital inflows, as risks still remain in the US and Europe.

“We think the real exchange rate should move in line with structural inf lows and our assessment is that what has been broadly been happening,” IMF mission chief Rachel Van Elkan said in a briefing at the close of the lender’s Article IV consultations with the Philippine government.

According to Deutsche Bank, the key driver of the peso’s appreciation against the dollar is the “very strong” underlying strength of the Philippines’ balance of payments (BOP), which has been registering surpluses in recent years, in turn bolstering the country’s gross international reserves.

Filomeno Sta. Ana, executive director of Action for Economic Reforms, said allowing the peso to appreciate according to the amount of dollars coming in “is creating

problems for us.”

Many Filipino products become more expensive when sold abroad while the purchasing power of OFW-dependent families weakens with the appreciating peso. This would put a drag on the economy that has been propped up by household consumption and the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

“That’s not the point [global rebalancing]. What the monetary authorities are doing is to address the impact of the strong peso on the real economy.

I commend the BSP for doing what it can but it seems alike its measures are not enough to hold back those ‘hot money’,” Sta. Ana said.

The actions of the BSP should be in tandem with that of the national government, that is to refrain from borrowing abroad to limit the entry of more dollars into the country, he added.

Last week, the BSP kept interest rates steady but cut the yields on special deposit accounts (SDAs) to 3 percent from 3.5 percent on all tenors.

Aside from making the SDAs less attractive to speculators, the cut in the rates provides the BSP with savings that it can use to buy more dollars from the currency market.

Private banks said the SDA cut has saved the BSP some P10 billion in interest rate payments.

THE Senate Monday approved on third and final reading a bill amending the Rural Bank Act to allow foreign capital infusion in rural banks.

Registered as Senate Bill No. 3282, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said the proposed measure aims to open up the ownership of rural banks to foreign equity and spur economic development in the countryside.

“This measure amends Section 4 of Republic Act 7353 and once enacted into law, allows foreign individuals and entities to acquire equity of up to 60 percent in rural banks,” Osmena, chairman of the Senate committee on banks, financial institutions and currencies, said.

Presently, he explained, Section 4 of RA 7353 allows foreign banks to acquire equity in rural banks but prohibits foreign individuals or foreign entities from doing the same.

“Rural banks need to look beyond their limited resources and take advantage of funds available elsewhere.

The opportunity to forge international equity partnerships would put rural banks on a level playing field with its thrift and commercial banking counterparts that are able to take in foreign partners,” Osmeña said.

He underscored the importance of rural banks in countryside development.

A report from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

The infusion of foreign capital in rural banking is seen to spur economic development in the countryside.

for instance, he said, showed that rural banks involved in micro-financing has steadily increase by end of December 2011 since its launching as one of BSP’s advocates in 2000.

“The report stated that as of end-September 2011, rural banks provided a total of P5.4 billion worth of microfinance loans to 808,021 micro-borrowers,” Osmeña said.

T he sa me repor t, he said, showed that rural and cooperative banks had deployed 233 automated teller machines.

“The rural banking industry is one of our most successful sectors. Total assets as of end September 2011 reached P169 billion, 9.2 percent higher than the P155 billion recorded in the previous year,” Osmeña noted.

He said rural banks extended majority of its loans

to the agricultural, fishery, hunting and forestry sectors.

But even with the high capital adequacy ratio, Osmeña said, the BSP report showed that only 482 out of the total 565 rural banks were able to comply with the minimum amount of capital requirement.

Infusion of foreign equity investments, he said, is vital to rural banks continued existence.

“This legislation will open up a new source of equity infusion, particularly to benefit the smallest lenders who cannot expand and the smallest borrowers who cannot borrow,” Osmeña said.

“It will stimulate more activity among rural banks by creating an environment that is beneficial to foreign investors, local bank ing patrons and the national economy,” he concluded.

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FOI in ICU: A Call for Rescue by P-Noy THE Freedom of Information (FOI) is on the throes of death.

With just six session days left before the House of Representatives adjourns for the May 2013 election campaign, one and only one miracle could save it from certain perdition -a certification on the urgency of its immediate enactment by President Aquino himself.

It should not have reached the ICU, if only the House did something more than nothing on the FOI bill during its three session days last week.

On Session Day 1, the House did not even enroll the bill in its order of business, even as it had been in the Order of Business for reference to the Rules Committee on Dec. 18, 2012 yet. On Days 2 and 3, just when the Bill had already been calendared for sponsorship and plenary debate, a legislator threatened to question the quorum for a motion too parochial and selfserving, and kept the entire House hostage to his whim.

Yet still, the House leaders allowed three privilege speeches, and over an hour of interpellation for one, on Day 3. The legislator and the House leaders did not allow even a single minute of discussion on the FOI bill.

Last week’s events point to a House conspiracy to kill the bill led no less by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, and with the many habitual absentees of the House in cameo role.

After opening the session and immediately leaving the

Editorial

presiding chores to a Deputy Speaker on day 1, Belmonte was not to be seen again on the floor last week. The same goes for his Majority Leader, who showed up for just a few minutes on Day 3. That was as far as they went to demonstrate their leadership of a chamber turned totally inept to take action on the FOI bill by a legislator on tantrum mode.

In recent weeks, Belmonte and Gonzales had assured that they wanted the plenary debate on the FOI bill to proceed posthaste. For a minute, the broad coalition of FOI advocates and authors had thought the duo had stopped their dribble drivel on the bill.

Last week’s events, however, made it all plain to everyone: after the drivel comes now a plot to murder the bill in the House through the sheer ineptitude of its leaders, the chronic absenteeism of majority of its members, and the resort to absurd tantrum ploys of one legislator.

We smell the stench of death in progress for the FOI bill. We see a rerun of the farce on the FOI bill that was staged by the 14th Congress under Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. It’s all the same save for one twist -- Belmonte’s 15th seems more duplicitous. It declares full lip-service commitment for FOI but also employs fullthrottle theatrics to prevent the bill’s passage.

That Belmonte’s House has failed the people on the FOI

editorial/PAGE 10

Wearing masks THINK a minute…

Have you ever pretended to be something you’re not?

Maybe you did it to impress or please somebody. But the longer we act like someone we’re not, the better we get at it. We can even get so good at it that we actually fool ourselves and forget who we really are! It’s sad that the more we hide our real self the more lonely and unsure of ourselves we become.

What mask do you sometimes wear? What kind of person do you pretend to be? Do you act strong and tough, so people won’t know that inside you sometimes feel weak, even afraid? Or do you wear the mask that says you’re a good religious person,

even though in your heart you know you’re dishonest and sometimes lie or cheat other people of their money.

Maybe you wear the funny joker and life-of-the-party mask. You feel like you always need to make a joke of everything so others will laugh and not know how lonely and unhappy you really are inside.

There are many people who get drunk or take drugs because they’re tired of wearing their mask. And it’s only after some drugs or drinks that they feel free to take their mask off and stop acting like something they’re not.

Some of them are actually desperate and lonely. They’re looking for real love and ac-

ceptance, in spite of the bad things they’ve done and who they really are inside.

But it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, you can never shock Jesus Christ. With Him you can be your real self. The person you really are under your mask.

Real Christians will love and accept you, even though they may not approve of everything you do. They won’t be shocked by anything you’ve done because some of them used to do those things too, before Jesus forgave them and gave them the power to change.

So won’t you be honest with yourself and ask Jesus to forgive you for your past wrongs. Jesus will accept you

Think a minute

JHAN TIAFAU HURST just the way you are, but He won’t leave you that way. He will also free and help you to start changing to reach your potential and become the person He created you to be.

Just think a minute…

BSP: A Tradition of Excellence LAST year was a great year for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. And here’s significant proof: BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. was chosen as the Central Banker of the Year 2013 for Asia-Pacific by an international publication.

The Banker, a monthly publication owned by the Financial Times Group of London, held the Central Banker of the Year Awards to celebrate bank officials who “successfully steered their countries through the economic turbulence of 2012.”

Tetangco joined the ranks of Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney (Central Banker of the Year 2013 for the Americas), Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency Governor Fahad AlMubarak (for the Middle East), Banco Nacional de Angola Governor Jose Massano (for Africa), and Gov. Erdem Basci from Turkey (for Europe).

Basci was also chosen as Central Bank Governor of the Year 2013.

Our very own Tetangco has indeed continued the BSP leadership’s legacy of excellence set by the previous Bangko Sentral governors: Gabriel C. Singson, 1996 and 1997 Central Bank Governor of the Year (Asiamoney); and Rafael B. Buenaventura, 2001

Central Bank Governor of the Year in Asian Region (The Banker).

In 2002 and 2003, Buenaventura was recognized as one of the world’s best governors with Grade “A” rating (Global Finance).

Tetangco, for his part, was also one of Global Finance’s best Central Bank governors in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2012.

Tetangco was likewise recognized as the 2012 Emerging Markets Central Bank Governor of the Year for Asia.

According to The Banker, the Philippines’ economy has performed strongly in the past year. Its growth in the third quarter of 2012 was the second highest in Asia after China, the London-based publication added.

“Ratings upgrades in the past year have put the Philippines just one notch away from investment grade — the level of Indonesia — which the country now has its sights on,” The Banker pointed out.

It added: “The sound monetary policy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and its governor, Amando Tetangco, has contributed to these improvements that have recently pushed the Philippines into the spotlight.”

To these praises, Tetangco replied, “We are proud to have contributed to the macroeconomic stability that our country now enjoys.”

The article also noted how 2012 was the fourth consecutive year the BSP has kept inflation under target — as inflation in November, 2012, was only 2.8 percent (well within the BSP’s target of 3 to 5 percent).

“Such a benign inflation environment has allowed us to implement monetary policy supportive of economic growth, which was 6.5 percent for the first three quarters of 2012,” Tetangco said.

The BSP, according to The Banker, is presently considering lowering its inf lation target range in 2015 to 2–4 percent. This new target range, explained Tetangco, should signal to the market that “we are serious about keeping prices low and stable.”

The Banker also mentioned how the Philippines has been recognized for placing importance on both the stability of the banking system and consumer protection.

Tetangco said of this in the article: “Our banking system has remained sound.

It is growing. It is liquid. It

The ‘E-S-I-P’ paradigm Step 1: Learn How to Earn!

The “E-S-I-P” paradigm goes: Earn. Save. Invest.

Protect.

You need money to save.

You need money to invest.

But even before you can buy and accumulate assets that you may opt to protect, first and foremost, you must learn how to earn that precious money!

If you happen to have been down and temporarily penniless once, you might have inevitably come across these questions: How does one really earn? Are there rules inherent to earning?

You deserve to earn, and the power to earn stems from knowing that money is but an idea – it is a concretized concept of monetary value printed on a fancy, small sheet of paper. It is tangibly represented by the coins and

bills you hold in your hands.

In a market-based economy like ours, it is in reality a medium of exchange. But in the olden days, it used to be the direct exchange of goods called barter.

It has often been said there is no such thing as a free lunch. Everything you have of value in this world is earned. Even love and respect you have to earn. By the Law of Exchange, you earn them as a tradeoff for a certain degree of effort you put in. That effort is your equity, your investment. For many people, it all started with sweat equity and pure labor. The rule of earning lies in creating value using the most precious commodity you have in your entire life – your time! A person of diligence who greatly values time and is relentless

in pursuing constant and never-ending improvement in learning how to earn both in thought and action will inexorably attain great wealth in mind, body and spirit.

You are correspondingly paid according to the value you have created out of the product or service that you offer and as perceived by the market in a competitive marketplace. The higher the value you create for yourself and uniquely contribute to society, the higher is the corresponding demand and the higher is the market willing to pay for your valuable contribution. The more sought-after you become, the greater the earnings you generate. It’s the law of supply and demand in action.

Learning how to earn is an essential right everyone

Speaking out

IGNACIO BUNYE continues to intermediate funds to productive use, and its overall balance sheet remains healthy.”

The BSP governor also added that in addition to their work along the traditional pillars of central banking, they have re-energized the Bangko Sentral’s advocacy on financial inclusion, financial education, and consumer protection.

Note: My book Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria is available at Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City. Please call 858-7000 or 858-7004 to reserve your copy.

You may e-mail us at totingbunye2000@gmail.com.

Past articles may be viewed at http://speakingout.ph/speakingout.php.

The Financial Doctor

dr. adonis agcopra, mba, rfc®

deserves to have.

Earn, save, invest, and protect them all. Act now!

(Dr. Adonis Agcopra is a registered international financial strategic consultant and is portfolio director of AFIC Meridian Consultants.

Log in to www.aficfinancialconsultants.com.)

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Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON City of Malaybalay

7

Ticalaan Plain, Talakag and within the headwaters of Bubunawan River, Baungon

OFFICE OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE 1ST REGULAR SESSION OF THE 11TH SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN, PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON, HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2013 AT THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN SESSION HALL, MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON. PRESENT: Hon. JOSE MA. R. ZUBIRI, JR., Provincial Vice Governor Hon. ROLAND F. DETICIO, Board Member(Ex-Officio-rep.

PCL) /Temp. Presiding Officer Hon. JAY S. ALBARECE, Board Member Hon. ALFEO U. BAGUIO, Board Member Hon. NEMESIO B. BELTRAN, JR. Board Member/Floor Leader Hon. RENATO C. CENTILLAS, Board Member Hon. MANUEL L. DINLAYAN,

Board Member Hon. MARIVIC R. MONTESCLAROS, Board Member Hon. RANULFO E. PEPITO, Board Member Hon. RAIZA ANGELIQUE D. PORMINAL, Board Member (Ex-Officio-rep. SK) -on O.B. Hon. MAGDALINO C. PANDIAN, Board Member(Ex-Officio-rep.

IPs) Hon. GORDON M. TORRES, Board Member

Headwater sections of Mangima River; upslope of Guilang-Guilang area; and along Dalirig- Maluko section of Sayre Highway, all within the Municipality of Manolo Fortich Within the middle to upper sections of Kalatungan Mountains, Pangantucan; and steep portions of the hillslope northeast of Kalilangan and at Barangay Kuya, Maramag Within the east-bank of Pulangi River from Dangcagan-Kibawe-Damulog area; and along the Omonay road section, Kibawe

It is the policy of the State to uphold the people’s constitutional rights to life and property by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters, strengthening the country’s institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management and building the resilience of local communities to disasters including climate change impacts.

Moderate-High

WHEREAS, Republic Act 10121 requires, in Section 11 thereof, all local government units to have a Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council with the following functions: (1) Approved, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the LDRRMPs and regularly review and test the plan consistent with other national and local planning programs; (2) Ensure the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into local development plans, programs and budgets as a strategy in sustainable development and poverty reduction;

AN ORDINANCE MANDATING THE STRICT IMPLEMENTATION OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RISK REDUCTION MEASURES AS REQUIRED BY RA 10121 IN THE FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE HIGH RISK AREAS IN THE PROVINCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES -

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Moderate-High

Moderate-High

Parts of Musuan Peak; headwaters of Lumba Creek; midslopes in-between headwaters of Hindangon and Pangalihantukan Creeks; Steep slopes west and east of Malaybalay and Valencia cities, and the towns of Cabanglasan and San Fernando; and parts of the Bukidnon-Davao road section.

ABSENT : Hon. ROELITO A. GAWILAN, Board Member(Ex-Officio-rep. FABC) Hon. CLIVE D. QUIÑO, Board Member

ORDINANCE NO. 2013-072R(11TH SP) (1st Regular Session)

Introduced by: Hon. Jay S. Albarece Board Member-1st District Province of Bukidnon

Moderate-High

(3) Recommend the implementation of forced or pre-emptive evacuation of local residents, if necessary; and (4) Convene the local council once every three (3) months or as necessary.

WHEREAS, Republic Act 10121 further requires, in Section 12 thereof, that local government unit shall have a Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (or Committee for barangays) which shall be responsible for setting the direction, development, implementation and coordination of disaster risk management programs within their territorial jurisdiction.

NOW, THEREFORE, on motion of Hon. Jay S. Albarece, and with the unanimous accord of the Members present, assembled in session, be it: BE IT ORDAINED, by the Honorable Sanguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Bukidnon, this 9th day of January, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand Thirteen, that:

Along this policy, local government units are expected to develop, promote and implement their own local risk reduction and management plans that will strengthen their capacity, together with partner stakeholders, to institutionalize arrangements and measures for reducing disaster risks including projected climate risks and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

SECTION 1 – Title. This Ordinance shall be known as: AN ORDINANCE MANDATING THE STRICT IMPLEMENTATION OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RISK REDUCTION MEASURES AS REQUIRED BY RA 10121 IN THE FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE HIGH RISK AREAS IN THE PROVINCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Towards this aim, the 10th SP passed resolutions requesting the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Regional Office 10, to furnish this Body with a geo-hazard map to aid in the crafting of disaster preparedness and response measures for the most vulnerable in the province.

SECTION 2 – All municipalities and barangays with areas heretofore identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau as flood or landslide prone or high risk areas are hereby required to strictly comply with Republic Act 10121, specially Sections 10 and 11 thereof.

With the posting of the list of landslide and flood high risk areas in the province by the bureau in its website, even without the official copy of the requested official geo-hazard mapping, it is imperative for this Body to now pass measures aimed at pressuring the officers and officials of local government units in the province to perform their duties and responsibilities in the protection of their constituents in the identified high risk communities from calamities and disasters.

SECTION 3 – Dereliction of duty by local government officials or officers of such kind that is not covered by Section 10 of the said law shall be penalized by a fine of P1,000.00 for the 1st Offense, P2,000.00 for the 2nd Offense; and P3,000.00 for the 3rd Offense.

WHEREAS, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR has published the following list of flood and landslide prone areas in the province of Bukidnon:

SECTION 4 – This Ordinance shall be published in a newspaper with general circulation in the province of Bukidnon.

Approved.

IDENTIFIED FLOOD-PRONE AND/OR AFFECTED AREAS IN THE PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON RIVER SYSTEM/ CREEKS/ESTUARY

FLOOD PRONE AND/OR AFFECTED AREAS

Maridugao River Barangays located near riverbanks in the

Municipalities of Kalilangan, Pangantucan and Kadingilan Malitbog River

Barangays located near riverbanks/flood prone and Barangay Sta. Ines, Malitbog

Manupali River

Low-lying barangays located near riverbanks within the junction with the main Pulangi River (Valencia City)

Muleta River

Barangays located near riverbanks of Bangbang, Oata, Lantay and Bagic-ican within the municipalities of Pangantucan and Maramag

Pulangi River

Low-lying barangays located near riverbanks within the municipalities of San Fernando, Maramag, Quezon, Don Carlos, Kitaotao, Dangcagan, Kibawe, Damulog, and Valencia City

IDENTIFIED LANDSLIDE-PRONE AREAS IN THE PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON AFFECTED AREAS Steep slopes within the headwater sections of Tagiti and Calawaig Rivers, upslope of

DEGREE OF SUSCEPTIBILITY Moderate-High

***

I

***

***

HEREBY CERTIFY to the correctness of the foregoing resolution-ordinance.

ATTY. APOLLO A. MAGUALE Secretary to the Sanggunian

APPROVED:

ROLAND F. DETICIO Board Member Temp. Presiding Officer

EMD: lbe/’12

ALEX P. CALINGASAN Provincial Governor

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“The signing of the CASER is all the more imperative in the light of the Typhoon Pablo tragedy that severely hit the provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental. Millions of poor farming folks in these affected places are now demanding rehabilitation of their lands which necessitates, among others, the implementation of genuine agrarian reform as well as the cessation of the environmentally-damaging huge extractive industries and other big business ventures in the said areas,” Calang said.

Calang added: “We have said time and again that significant reforms and genuine peace can only be attained when the root causes of the armed conflict are addressed.

It is unlikely to speak of ending the civil war through laying down of arms in as much as armed resistance persists only when injustices such as landlessness, labor exploitation, unemployment, human rights infringements, among others, abound.”

He said that many programs in the CASER “are worth looking into since it can provide us with an ecologically-sound roadmap for the future.”

Calang further said that the Typhoon Pablo disaster poses an imperative on the GPH and NDFP to resume peace negotiations to revitalize each side’s working groups

and the Reciprocal Working Committees tasked to draft the components of the agreement which includes, as NDFP’s proposals, the following: economic sovereignty and national patrimony; agrarian reform and agricultural development; national industrialization and economic development; economic planning; rights of the working people, livelihood and social services; environmental protection, rehabilitation and compensation; and foreign economic and trade relations.

Rescue...

from page 1 As a candidate for president three years ago, Aquino had promised to support the FOI bill and accord its passage a top priority.

“Now President and also chairman of the ruling Liberal Party coalition in the House, he has both power and duty to fulfil his promise and to do his part to save a bill that will enable the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people to information, and to transparency and accountability in government,” the group said.

But so far, the President has sat idly by while his partymates in the Lower House of Congress has paid only lip-service to the bill that will institute transparency in governance, a key foundation of Aquino’s Daang Matuwid.

Not only are the House leadership paying only lipservice to the bill, they also chose to fail in passing it by

their inaction that advocates of the supporters of the bill dubbed them murderers and killers of the FOI bill.

In fact, the R2KRN Coalition declared as early as November 2012 that the FOI bill is dead because of the failure of the House leaders to act on their promises.

And now in the homestretch, only the “miracle” of President Aquino’s certification will save the bill from the throes of death in the intensive care unit (ICU) called House of Representatives.

“Failing in this, the President would have also failed a most important test of leadership. If he should choose to stand idly by, when in fact he could have intervened to rescue it, by his inaction he will have also joined the ranks of his murderous allies,” the Coalition said.

The FOI bill has been in the legislative mill for 10 years.

And like in the 14th Congress, the Senate speedily passed the bill but the House, under Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. failed to deliver. But unlike the 14th Congress, the present 15th Congress, under Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, “seems more duplicitous.”

“We smell the stench of death in progress for the FOI bill. We see a rerun of the farce on the FOI bill that was staged by the 14th Congress under Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. It’s all the same save for one twist — Belmonte’s 15th seems more duplicitous. It declares full lip-service commitment

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON City of Malaybalay

OFFICE OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE 2ND REGULAR SESSION OF THE 11TH SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN, PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON, HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2013 AT THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN SESSION HALL, MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON. PRESENT: Hon. JOSE MA. R. ZUBIRI, JR., Provincial Vice Governor/Chairman & Presiding Officer Hon. ALFEO U. BAGUIO, Board Member/Temp. Presiding Officer

Hon. JAY S. ALBARECE, Board Member Hon. NEMESIO B. BELTRAN, JR., Board Member/Floor Leader Hon. RENATO C. CENTILLAS, Board Member Hon. MANUEL L. DINLAYAN, Board Member Hon. ROELITO A. GAWILAN, Board Member(Ex-Officio-rep.

FABC) Hon. MARIVIC R. MONTESCLAROS, Board Member Hon. RANULFO E. PEPITO, Board Member Hon. MAGDALINO C. PANDIAN, Board Member(Ex-Officio-rep.

IPs) Hon. CLIVE D. QUIÑO, Board Member Hon. GORDON M. TORRES, Board Member/Temp. Presiding Officer ABSENT : Hon. ROLAND F. DETICIO, Board Member(Ex-Officio-rep. PCL) -on O.B. Hon. RAIZA ANGELIQUE D. PORMINAL, Board Member (Ex-Officio-rep. SK) -on O.B.

for FOI but also employs fullthrottle theatrics to prevent the bill’s passage. That Belmonte’s House has failed the people on the FOI bill is an indisputable fact,” the Coalition said.

R2KRN Coalition blamed Belmonte and the other House leaders for putting the FOI in the ICU, a fact that could have been prevented had they exercise the power vested on them.

During last week’s sessions, the House did not enrol the bill in its order of business for Session Day 1 (Monday) even if it had been referred to the Rules Committee on Dec. 18, 2012. For Session Days 2 and 3 (Tuesday and Wednesday), bill sponsors successfully had it calendared for sponsorship and plenary debate but Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas (1st District, Davao del Sur, Lakas) hostaged the FOI by questioning the quorum.

Cagas, however, allowed other matters to be discussed during the sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. But when the FOI bill was about to be taken up, he then went on a tantrum and insisted on questioning the quorum.

If only Speaker Belmonte and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II exercised their power, there could have been quorum in the House. But they were also “conspicuously absent on the floor on Days 1 and 2. They finally showed up for just a few minutes on Day 3. That was as far they went to demonstrate their leadership of a chamber turned totally inept to take action on the FOI bill by a legislator on tantrum

mode.”

As House leaders, Belmonte and Gonzales has “command responsibility’ to make sure that every congressman/woman, who are “paid handsome fees, on top of fat slabs of pork money, to legislate”, are in attendance as that is their sworn “minimum obligation.”

“Last week’s events point to a House conspiracy to kill the bill led no less by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, and with the many habitual absentees of the House in cameo role,” the Coalition said.

Aside from exercising their “command responsibility,” Belmonte and Gonzales could also have declared the FOI bill urgent pursuant to Rule X, Section 52, of the House Rules, and paved the way for the FOI bill’s debate in the plenary.

Rule X, Section 52 states that “the Committee on Rules, through the Majority Leader, may declare a bill or resolution urgent and consider it in accordance with a timetable.

The timetable, prepared by the Committee on Rules, shall fix the date when the bill or resolution must be reported by the committee concerned, the number of days or hours to be allotted to the consideration of the bill or resolution in plenary session, and the date and hour debate must be concluded and final vote taken.”

The Coalition also blamed Rep. Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar), chairman of the Committee on Public Information,

for sitting on the bill in his committee for months.

When committee members, led by Akbayan Representatives Walden Bello and Kaka Bag-ao, use House Rule IX, Section 37, paragraph 1 and secured the signatures of more than eight committee members needed to put the rule in effect, Belmonte prevailed upon them thus allowing Evardone to further delay committee action.

House Rule IX, Section 37, paragraph 1 states that “the committees shall hold regular meetings at least twice a month. Special meetings may be held by the committee which may be called by the chairperson or by one-fourth (1/4) of its members. Provided, that the members shall be notified in writing and, as far as practicable, through electronic mail indicating therein the date, time, place and agenda of the meeting.”

“In recent weeks, Belmonte and Gonzales had assured that they wanted the plenary debate on the FOI bill to proceed posthaste. For a minute, the broad coalition of FOI advocates and authors had thought the duo had stopped their dribble drivel on the bill.

Last week’s events, however, made it all plain to everyone: after the drivel comes now a plot to murder the bill in the House through the sheer ineptitude of its leaders, the chronic absenteeism of majority of its members, and the resort to absurd tantrum ploys of one legislator.”

WHEREAS, recent development in the field of National Legislation, Congress of the Philippines had enacted Republic Act No. 9640 – An Act Amending Section 140(a) of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991” reducing the rate of amusement tax from 30% to 10%; WHEREAS, there is a need for the provincial government to adopt the provision embodied under R.A. 9640 – An act amending Section 140(a) of R.A. 7160, otherwise known as “The Local Government Code of 1991” reducing the rate of amusement tax from 30% to 10%, and ultimately amend Section 28 of Article VI of the Provincial Tax Ordinance No. 92-03 of the Province of Bukidnon; NOW, THEREFORE, on motion of Hon. Jay S. Albarece, and with the unanimous accord of the Members present, assembled in session; BE IT ORDAINED, by the Honorable Sanguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Bukidnon, this 16th day of January, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand Thirteen, that: SECTION 1 — Title. This Ordinance shall be known as: AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE PROVISION EMBODIED UNDER R.A. 9640 - AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 140(a) OF R.A. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991” REDUCING THE RATE OF AMUSEMENT TAX FROM 30% TO 10% THEREBY AMENDING SECTION 28, ARTICLE VI OF THE PROVINCIAL TAX ORDINANCE NO. 92-03.

SECTION 2 — This Ordinance shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Bukidnon.

Approved. ***

***

***

I HEREBY CERTIFY to the correctness of the foregoing ordinance.

ORDINANCE NO. 2013-073R(11TH SP) (2nd Regular Session) AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE PROVISION EMBODIED UNDER R.A. 9640 – AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 140(a) OF R.A. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991” REDUCING THE RATE OF AMUSEMENT TAX FROM 30% TO 10% THEREBY AMENDING SECTION 28, ARTICLE VI OF THE PROVINCIAL TAX ORDINANCE NO. 92-03 – WHEREAS, the Provincial Government of Bukidnon through its revenue raising power as provided under Section 140(a) of R.A. 7160 had enacted Provincial Tax Ordinance No. 92-03; thereby imposing an amusement tax from the proprietors, lessees, or operators of theaters, cinemas, concert hall, circuses, boxing stadia and other places of amusement at the rate of thirty percent (30%) of gross receipts from admission fees.

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Lot 8 Blk 22 Cor. Mabitad-Quirino Sts., Panabo City, Davao del Norte Tel. No. (084) 628-8165

PANABO BRANCH 2

Blk 10 Stall 7, Panabo Central Market Panabo City, Davao del Norte Tel. No. (084) 628-8529

MALAYBALAY BRANCH

Estrada Bldg., Fortich-Don Carlos Sts., Malaybalay, Bukidnon

November 2011

JANUARY

19

12

26

17

December 2011

FEBRUARY

21

14

28

16

MARCH

20

13

29

15

APRIL

19

12

26

17

MAY

22

15

29

17

April 2012

JUNE

21

14

26

19

May 2012

JULY

24

12

26

19

June 2012

AUGUST

21

14

28

16

SEPTEMBER

20

13

27

18

OCTOBER

18

12

25

16

September 2012

NOVEMBER

20

15

27

20

October 2012

DECEMBER

11

18

18

13

January 2012

February 2012 March 2012

July 2012

August 2012

AUCTION DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 2013 Estrada Bldg., Fortich-Don Carlos Sts., Malaybalay City, Bukidnon

Contact no.:

309-5276

HERMILINO VILLALON

Pryce Plaza Hotel Carmen Hill, CDO, Tel. No.722791 to93/858-4537 E-mail:reservations@pryceplaza.ph

---------------------------------

The Marigold Hotel Velez cor. Luna Sts, CDO Tel Nos. 856-4320, 856-2050, 726937 E-mail: info@marigoldhotel.net

---------------------------------

CHANANTHON BED & BREAKFAST CM Recto Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. #: 856-81-89 / 309-3095 / 231-2103 Email ad : chananthonbb@yahoo.com Room @ P800.00

---------------------------------

NEW DAWN PENSIONNE Velez-Macahambus Sts, CDO Tel Nos. 8571776, 721776 email : gchreservation@yahoo.com

10

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Hyundai... from page 3

– the brand’s most performance-focused production cars ever – will enjoy their world premieres at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show on 5 March.

Designed in Europe under the direction of President and Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the two debutants feature bold athletic styling, LED daytime running lights, dual-exhaust pipes, 18-inch alloy wheels and eye-catching red brake calipers.

The new turbocharged 1.6-litre GDI gasoline engine will produce 204 ps and 265 Nm, powering the front wheels through a six-speed

manual transmission and allowing the Kia pro_cee’d GT and cee’d GT to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 7.9 seconds.

Production of the newest members of cee’d family is scheduled to start at Kia’s Zilina plant in Slovakia in mid-May, and they will go on-sale across Europe from the middle of the year. Prices and specifications will be confirmed closer to the onsale date.

Toyota... from page 3

mobs.

The tension prompted Nissan’s chief executive Carlos Ghosn to warn that the firm would think twice about

making new investments.

It has several production plants in China with a new factory in the northeastern city of Dalian planned for 2014.

On the production side, Toyota said it made 9.90 million vehicles last year, up 26.1 percent, while Nissan posted a 5.5 percent production increase to 4.88 million units in 2012.

Japanese firms have also struggled with the high yen which hurts manufacturers by making their products less competitive overseas and shrinking repatriated foreign income, hitting efforts to cement a recovery after the 2011 natural disasters.

The yen hit record highs around 75 against the dollar in late 2011 and remained strong through most of last year until Japan’s new conservative government swept to power last month, vowing to fix the nation’s long-suffering economy.

Its promises to pressure the Bank of Japan for aggressive easing has weighed on the yen, sending it on steep dive in recent months.

Toyota shares were down 0.57 percent to 4,315 yen and Honda was off 0.58 percent at 3,400 yen while Nissan bucked a fall in the broader market on Monday by closing up 2.40 percent at 895 yen.

Editorial... from page 6

FOI bill is an indisputable fact.

For one, the legislator in tantrum allowed other matters to be discussed by the House last Tuesday and Wednesday but it was only when the FOI bill was about to be taken up did he insist on his quorum question.

For another, the allpowerful Rules Committee led by Gonzales is not exactly helpless to act on matters of agenda. It did not intervene for the FOI bill.

For a third, that the House could not achieve a quorum is not a problem that citizens should have to deal with -- lawmakers are precisely paid handsome fees, on top of fat slabs of pork money, to legislate.

Their minimum obligation is to attend all sessions, without fail. Belmonte and Gonzales have the command responsibility to see to this.

For a fourth, Belmonte and Gonzales could have declared the FOI bill urgent pursuant to Rule X,

Section 52, of the House Rules, thereby paving the way for the adoption of a timetable for debate and voting on FOI. Finally and most important of all, Belmonte and Gonzales could have prevented the deliberate delays on the consideration of the bill by Rep. Ben Evardone at the committee level, which got the FOI bill in its code blue condition in the first place.

Fact is, as Evardone hemmed and hawed, legislators in favor of the FOI bill launched an initiative to use Rule IX, Section 37, Par. 1 of the House Rules allowing 1/4 of the members of a committee to call a hearing.

But presented with the notice of hearing signed by more than the eight Committee members needed to put the rule in effect, Belmonte prevailed upon the group to allow Evardone to call the hearing instead, allowing Evardone to further delay committee action.

With three session days wasted and only six more to go, the last remaining trigger for the House to finally act on the bill is a certification from President Aquino on the urgency of

its immediate enactment.

Three years ago as a candidate for president, Aquino had promised to support the FOI bill and accord its passage top priority. Now President and also chairman of the ruling Liberal Party coalition in the House, he has both power and duty to fulfill his promise and to do his part to save a bill that will enable the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people to information, and to transparency and accountability in government.

Failing in this, the President would have also failed a most important test of leadership. If he should choose to stand idly by, when in fact he could have intervened to rescue it, by his inaction he will have also joined the ranks of his murderous allies.

Today, the people will march again to Mendiola to lay at the doorstep of President Aquino the FOI bill, limp and nearly lifeless. Save it, the President can. Kill it, the President can, too. In the name of the Constitution, the people, and daang matuwid, the correct choice is clear: Certify the FOI bill as urgent!

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10th Judicial Region Cagayan de Oro City OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT SHERIFF NOTICE OF EXTRA JUDICIAL SALE File No. 2013-021

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court of Misamis Oriental 10th Judicial Region Branch 38 Cagayan de Oro City RE: CANCELLATION OF ENTRIES IN THE CIVIL REGISTRAR OF CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, CORA A. GALOPE,

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL NORTE 12TH Judicial Region BRANCH 07 Tubod, Lanao del Norte

SPEC. PROC. NO. 2012-146

Petitioner,

-versusCIVIL REGISTRAR OF CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY AND KEITH R. BACARRO, Respondents.

X-------------------------------------------------/

(Sgd.) EMMANUEL P. PASAL Judge BWM: JAN. 16, 23 & 30, 2013

TCT No. T-27277

PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT AS Pet. for Not. Com No. 024-07-2013 NOTARY PUBLIC FOR THE PROVINCE OF LANAO DEL NORTE. ATTY. NICOLAS J. LIM,

Petitioner.

X----------------------------/

ORDER

Before this Court is a Petition for Cancellation of Entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of petitioner’s granddaughter, Sweet Sofia Ashley Elaco, in the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that said Petition be set for hearing on February 27, 2013 at 8:30 in the morning at the Session Hall of this Court, on which date, time and place, all persons who may have any opposition to the petition herein sought, may appear to show cause why said petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Misamis Oriental once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing.

Likewise, let copies of this Order, with Petition attached, be posted by the petitioner on the bulletin boards of the Court, the City Hall of Cagayan de Oro City and the Provincial Capitol of Misamis Oriental for at least ten (10) days prior to date of hearing.

Furnish copies of this Order and the Petition to the Offices of the Solicitor General, City Prosecutor of Cagayan de Oro City and the Local Civil Registrar of Cagayan de Oro City.

SO ORDERED.

January 2, 2013, Cagayan de Oro City.

Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act No. 3135 as amended by Act No. 4118, filed by HDMF (Pag-IBIG) Cagayan de Oro Branch as mortgagee, against ALVIN R. TUMASIS, as mortgagor of Blk. 55, Lot 9, P.N. Roa Subd., Barra Opol, Misamis Oriental , which as of October 17, 2012, amounts to SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY SIX PESOS & 46/100 (Php 788,856.46) inclusive interest and penalty charges, attorney’s fees and expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned will sell at public auction on March 13, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Room 110, Hall of Justice, Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine Currency, the following property described below with all the improvements found thereon, described as follows:

NOTICE OF HEARING NOTICE is hereby given that a summary hearing on the petition for notarial commission of Atty. Nicolas J. Lim shall be on February 12, 2013 at 8:30 in the morning at RTC, Branch 07, Tubod, Lanao del Norte. Any person who has any cause or reason to object to the grant of the petition may file a verified written opposition thereto, received by the undersigned before the date of the summary hearing.

(Sgd.) WENIDA B.M. PAPANDAYAN Acting Presiding Judge

BWM: Jan 23, 30 & Feb 6, 2013

A PARCEL OF LAND (Lot 9, Blk. 55, Psd 10-020903, being a portion of Lot 5237, Cad-237, Cagayan Cadastre) situated in the Barrio of Barra, Municipality of Opol, Province of Misamis Oriental. With an area of 106 sg.m., more or less.xxx All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated date, time and place.

In the event auction sale cannot take place for whatever legal reason the same will proceed on the following working day, without further notice, posting and publication.

Prospective buyers may investigate for themselves the title herein-above described and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Done this 18th day of January, 2013, in the City of Cagayan de Oro.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIAL PROVINCIAL SHERIFF.

(SGD.) ENRIQUE M. TALAG, JR.

Sheriff IV BWM: January 23, 30 & Feb. 6, 2013

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Top photographer to share knowledge with CDO enthusiasts

By SHAUN ALEJANDRAE YAP UY, Editor-in-Chief The Cagayan de Oro TIMES

EVER wanted to shoot people? No, not with bullets, but with... LIGHT. Starting out in photography, one takes pride in the series of photographs taken from either his compact digital camera or with the mint, brand new DSLR and lens sets.

But as we explore and level up, we tend to feed ourselves with an overflow of information through photography magazines and the internet only to find out that we only learn to make the icing on the cake instead of the cake itself.

There is one way to break that frustration, a workshop.

Jeff Ponce Photography, The Fizz Bar at Marco Hotel and Parc Cruz brings “PORTRAITS: A Photography /

Ambient Lighting / PostProcessing Workshop” to Cagayan de Oro city.

T he “PORT R A I T S ” workshop is designed for all levels of Photoshop users, and lets you explore and discover the capabilities of Adobe Photoshop® for your personal use.

In the workshop one will learn about Photoshop Layers, Objects, Text, Gradients, Adjustment Layers and a whole lot more.

This workshop also covers some advance features of Photoshop such as correcting color & tonal range, creating Layer Masks, Brush & Textures.

Parc Cruz is a Filipino digital photographer who has made a name for himself in the various facets of photography over the years.

One can usually find his works in magazines and of course his website and online photo-sharing sites.

This will be Parc Cruz’s second workshop in the city, the first one being in 2010. Included in the twoday workshop will be actual shooting with models.

According to the workshop’s event facebook page, four known models have confirmed attendance; Nicole Floirendo, Mikaela Montalban, Yssa Neri, and Grace Gift Chua.

“PORTRAITS” is a twoday workshop on February 9 and 10 at The Fizz Bar, Marco Hotel, Alwana Business Park, National Highway, Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City.“PORTRAITS” will also help newbies and advanced photography enthusiasts on finding the right light for your subject whether natural, available or ambient lighting.

Book your slots now!

Contact Jeff Ponce via email at jcpgemini19@yahoo.com. ph or call 0918-906-8040.

DSWD-X celebrates 62nd anniversary THE Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office X is kicking off its week-long 62nd Anniversary Celebration, which started Monday, January 28.

With this year’s theme “Sama-samang Husay, Patu ngog Tag u mpay,” t he celebration includes various sports activities for its employees.

On the last day of its celebration, the Department Field Office shall also present plaques of recognition for its strong partners such as the Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte and the 52nd Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army, Bantay Masaya Foundation, First Community Cooperative and Kaisahang Buhay Founda-

tion.

In the same event, the Field Office shall give recognition to its loyalty awardees and retirees.

The DSWD is considered as one of the public agencies enjoying high trust ratings by the public because of its social protection services and its efforts toward good governance.

It also envisions a society where poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged individuals, families and communities are empowered for an improved quality of life and that towards this end, the DSWD becomes a world standard on the delivery of coordinated social services and social protection programs.

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