BusinessDaily Mindanao (April 29, 2013 Issue)

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Market Indicators

US$1 = P41.22

FOREX PHISIX

AS of 5:59 Pm APr. 28, 2013 (Sunday)

7,025.44 points

XX4cents

29.98points

BrieflyJob vacanciesDAVAO City -- Job seekers in the region will be given oppor tunit ies for possible employment in loca l and overseas companies that will offer 30,893 vacancies in job fairs set on Labor Day. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 will lead three simultaneous job fair events at SM City Davao and Gaisano Mall in Davao City and at Gaisano Mall in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, in celebration of Labor Day on May 1. DOLE regional director Joffrey Suyao bared that about 2,980 job vacancies from 131 local firms will be opened at the two malls in Davao City, while 17,977 overseas jobs come from 51 companies.

tESDA on Labor dayB U T U A N C i t y – T h e Techn ica l Educat ion and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has extended its full support for the conduct of the 2013 Labor Day Celebration on May 1, 2013. TESDA B u tu an C i t y -Agusan del Norte Provincial Director Randy Devilla said that as attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), TESDA has been regularly coordinating with DOLE officials in the region to ensure that the annual Labor Day celebration will succeed. Devilla said they are doing this not only during Labor Day celebrations since it is their mandate to provide the people with technical education and skills development. “It is our mandate to provide technical education and skills development of the people especially the youths so we are regularly educating them and developing their skills to become better citizens of our country,” Devilla said.

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BusinessDailyC R E D I B L E R E L I A B L E I N - D E P T H

Volume III, No. 201 April 29, 2013MondayCagayan de Oro City P15.00

Motoring news Agri-Business Agri-Business

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Economy pAgE 2 pAgE 3 pAgE 4 pAgE 8pAgE 8

As widespread brownouts continue to grip Mindanao, the government expects its end as soon as more power plants are established by 2015. (Photo by PHOTOVILLE International)

P-Noy: ‘More power plants in Mindanao’

Local official says rising poverty is caused by ‘labor only’ scheme

NGCP seeks to upgrade Agus plant switchyard

LABOR ONLY. Davao workers call for an end in labor-only- contracting, the government policy that has made the country’s millions of labor force stuck in lowly paid and temporary jobs. file photo courtesy of davaotoday.com

By BWm NeWs BureauWith Wire Reports

OZAMIZ City – In his recent sorties in Mindanao region, President Benigno

S. Aquino III remains defensive in regards to the worsening power crisis besetting the island. On Saturday in Ozamiz City, the President said his administration will put an end to the energy crisis in 2015 “by establishing power plants” in the region. In his speech during his meeting with local leaders a nd t he commu nit y at the Misamis University Gy m n a s iu m here , t he

Chief Executive said the government is pushing for projects particularly in the energy sector to boost the power sources in Mindanao. The President said the government started taking measures to ef fect ively address the power crisis in Mindanao as he assured

By WALTER I. BALANE, MindaNews

MALAYBALAY City -- Bukidnon Vice Gov. Jose Ma. R . Zubir i blamed yes terd ay t he r i se of the province’s poverty

incidence to the “ labor only” contractual scheme resorted by agricultural plantations. Buk idnon’s pover t y

incidence rose to 43.3 percent in 2012 from 38.8 percent in 2009 and 40.4 percent in 2006, according

By IRENE DOMINGO, Reporter

IN a bid to improve the t ra nsm ission of power from its main source, the National Grid Corp of the Philippines (NGCP) will repair its lines that connect the Agus hydroelectric plant to the grid. Last week, the NGCP

f i led a pet it ion before t he Energ y Reg u lator y Commission (ERC) asking the regulatory board that it be allowed to upgrade the 59-year old switchyard located in the vicinity of the Agus 6 hydropower facility.

POWER OUTLOOK

DOE thumbs down solar power

to ease shortageTHE Department of Energy (DOE) has thumbed down proposals to tap solar energy in addressing Mindanao’s power supply woes. Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said solar power may do more harm than

ADB grants $1-Mfor SWM

PH’s car parts makers draw crowd

Investments in NorMin reached P1.82B : NEDA

SulKud as pilot areas

Gov’t intensifies campaign for abaca extraction

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2 MONdAy APRIL 29, 2013economy

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AMEnItIES : ZORBIT * ATV * TREE TOP ADVENTURE BUGGY * BUNGEE

* PICNIC GROUNDS PLAYGROUND * CAFE * LUGE * MINI GOLF ROOM

ACCOMODATIONS

ADB grants $1-M to Surigao Norte for Solid Waste ManagementBUTUAN City -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has chosen a fishing town in Surigao del Norte as recipient of the US$1-million grant that will fund the Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA) for the Philippines Solid Waste Management Project.

“The town of Del Carmen in Siargao Island has been selected by the ADB for its program as pilot site for the eco-tourism project “DENR 13 OIC, Regional Executive Director Nonito M. Tamayo said. The other potential sites being considered by the ADB are the cities of Tagaytay and Baguio, Puerto Galera and Boracay. “A l l of u s mu st be considered of this program to preserved the aesthetic beauty of Del Carmen and be able to preserve a good environment for the next

generation,” RTD Mario L. Eludo of PAWSCZMS said. Del Carmen, a smal l Island in Surigao del Norte facing Pacific is also the site of the international fishing game activities in which thousands of foreign and local tourists come and enjoy a season of catching fishes in April yearly. Among the fish that abound in this place during this season are the sword fish locally known as “barracuda and blue marlin” fish among others. A S p e c i a l i s t f r o m

DOST gives financial boost to 2 MSMEs in Region 9ZAMBOANGA City -- Two micro, small and medium e n t e r p r i s e s ( M S M E s) here in Reg ion 9 have received a financial boost worth P866,500 from the Depar tment of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Small Enterprise Technology U p g r a d i n g P r o g r a m (SETUP). SETUP is a nat ionwide s t r ateg y to encou r a ge a n d a s s i s t M S M E s i n i m p l e m e n t i n g technological innovations

a nd i mprove me nt s i n their operations to boost t hei r product iv it y a nd competitiveness. D O S T R e g i o n a l Director Brenda Nazareth-Manzano on Friday said the beneficiaries of the financial assistance are Care Cakes and Pastries of Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte, and Isabela Seaport Bakery and Restaurant in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province. M a n z a no s a id t h at

P262,000 of the P866,500 f inancial assistance was received by the Care Cakes and Pastries and the P604,500 to the Isabela Seaport Bakery and Restaurant. The Care Cakes and Pastries located in Barangay Tu r n o , D ip o l o g C i t y, produces delicious cakes and delectable native products while the Isabela Seaport Ba ker y and Restaurant located at the port area of Isabela City offers sumptuous bread products and tasty

local delicacies like junay (spicy peppered rice), waked (sticky rice), pasung and tabid-tabid (also known as chikalang). Ma n z a no s a id t he y approved the release of P262,000 financial assistance to t he Ca re Ca ke a nd Pastries af ter its owner, Mariles Regencia, applied for innovat ion suppor t assistance from the DOST as the enterprise yearns to produce good quality

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3MONdAy APRIL 29, 2013motoring

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2013 TAIPEI AMPA & AutoTronics Taipei.

2013 TAIWAN AMPA SHOW:

PH’s car parts makers draw crowd in TaiwanFILIPINO car parts makers drew crowd during the recently concluded 2013 Taiwan AMPA Show, Taiwan’s premier annual trade show for automotive and motorcycle parts, components and accessories.

”The Philippine pavilion was one of the biggest crowd drawers in the trade exhibit,” Philippine delegation head Wilbert Yuque of Hardware Labs said as he stressed the importance of the event that gave a very good opportunity for local parts makers to break into the export market. Members of the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP) attended the exhibition with the able suppor t of t he Ma ni la Economic and Cultura l Office (MECO). “Both local and foreign visitors were made aware that the Philippines is capable of making high-quality export products. This inspires local

parts makers to come up with more export products that are at par with those from other countries,” Yuque added. MVPMAP President Ferdi Raquelsantos said that this year, AMPA had over 1,000 exhibitors occupying over 3,000 booth spaces. “It was so successful that it drew about 45,000 local and 6,500 foreign visitors, most of them buyers. Our products were exposed to foreign buyers from Japan, China, USA, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Australia.” Initial reports from the six companies that participated in AMPA showed that on-site sa les generated was

close to USD2 million while prospective sales from serious inquiries could amount to about USD10 million during the next nine months,” Raquelsantos enthused. For his part, Rommel Juan, CEO of MD Juan Enterprises, said that they have been exhibiting at AMPA since 2009 when MECO f irst supported MVPMAP. “We export jeep bodies and parts worldwide and some of our new dealerships were established through exposure at AMPA. We are very excited with the success of the 2013 AMPA and with continued support from MECO, we hope to have a bigger and better

Honda CR-V hailed as best compact crossoverTHE Honda CR-V 2.4 EX was recently awarded by the Car Awards Group Inc. (CAGI) as the best in the Compact Crossover AWD category for the year 2012-2013 Car of the Year (COTY). D u r i n g t he aw a rd s night on April 4 held at the Philippine Trade Training


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A worker files boxes containing the official ballots for Cagayan de Oro’s 277,931 voters at the City Treasurer’s Office Wednesday night, April 24, 2013. The ballots stored in 360 boxes would be opened only on Election Day, May 13, 2013. miNdaNeWs photo

A fisherman repairs his boat under the sun in the town of Opol, Misamis Oriental, on 23 April 2013. The National Economic Development Authority reported that Misamis Oriental was down by 87 percent in investment last year brought about by the decrease in investment in the infrastructure and servicing sector. miNdaNeWs photo

NEDA: Investments in NorMinreached P1.82B in 4Q of 2012Bukidnon tops investment with 36.20%; MisOr down by 87%

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office 10 recorded P1.82 billion in new investments for the fourth quarter of 2012.

expansion of a subdivision project, construction of a new commercial building and the procurement of additional machines and equipment for Misamis Occidental while that in Lanao del Norte were the renovation of a hotel and resort, expansion of a f lour production area, construction of a new commercial building and establishment of food chains and grocery stores. Meanwhile, investments in Camiguin were mostly One Town, One Product-related projects and monitored bank releases. A decrease of 87 percent was also noted for Misamis Oriental brought about by the decrease in investment in the infrastructure and

Eng i neer Ceci l io Y. Clarete, chief economic development specialist of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), disclosed during a media forum that most of the new investments went to Bukidnon with 36.20 percent or P659.48 million. Misa mis Occidenta l ranked second with 25.61 percent or P466.59 million; followed by Lanao del Norte with 18.68 percent or P340.27 million; Misamis Oriental with 11.61 percent or P211.50 million and Camiguin with 7.90 percent or P143.91

million. Clarete said majority of the investments in Bukidnon include the construction of an industrial building and storage facility, expansion of agri-based production of cassava, corn, tomato and cut f lower, expansion of shoes production, construction of pump stations for banana production and infusion of capital on livestock. He added that the bulk of investments in Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte were derived from the infrastructure and servicing sector that included the

THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Office 10 has conducted a consultation with regional stakeholders to update the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016 and revalidate the results matrix (RM) containing development indicators for the remaining plan period. Regional Development Council (RDC) officials, representatives from regional government agencies, local government units, academe, non-government/people’s organizations, labor groups and the private and business sector participated in the regional consultation held last week here. NEDA National Planning and Policy Staff Renz S. Torillos and NEDA Project Monitoring Staff (PMS) Ma. Sittie M. Olalia presented the inclusive growth framework and plan updating process and results matrices during the consultation. Representatives from six planning committees particularly on economic development; infrastructure development; security, justice and peace; good governance

and anti-corruption; human development and poverty and climate change adaptation and mitigation also presented the PDP goals, strategies, expected outcomes and development indicators considered in the midterm PDP assessment. They also revalidated the core indicators which will be included in the PDP results matrix for the remaining plan period to eventually achieve inclusive growth. T h e PDP m i d t e r m assessment highlighted, among others, the increasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grow th which is closer to the 7-8 percent PDP target; an integrated and coordinated transport n e t w o r k ; i m p r o v e d government’s responsiveness to public needs; expanded National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) coverage; digital connectivity and enactment of Republic Act 10121, an act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System). Chal lenges presented include, among others, the need to sustain high GDP growth; low compliance

on disclosure of budget information among several government agencies; high cost of renewable energy development ; access to clean water for about 14 million Filipinos and the full enrolment of the informal sector to achieve universal coverage for Phi l ippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) benefits. Meanwhile, NEDA-10 Regional Director Leon M. Dacanay Jr. thanked the participants for their inputs for inclusion in the PDP, noting that what has been considered priorities at the national level should also be considered priorities at the regional level. (NEDA-10/APB/PIA-10)

DILG-10 orients LGUs on Full Disclosure Policy PortalT H E D e p a r t m e n t o f t he Inter ior a nd L oca l G over n ment i n reg ion 10 h a s c o n d u c t e d a n orientation-workshop for mu nic ipa l i n for mat ion technology focal persons on the Full Disclosure Policy Portal (FDPP) at the Local G over n ment R e s ou rc e Center (LGRC) here. Regional Director Rene

K. Burdeos said the activity is in line with Republic Act (RA) 10352 or the General Appropr iat ions Act FY 2013, RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines and the Full Disclosure Policy as stated in DILG Memora ndu m Cicular 2010-83. These require the posting of local budget f inances,

bids and public offerings and status of programs and projects including the utilization of Local Risk Reduct ion Management Fund (LDRRMF) in three conspicuous places in the LGU and in the FDPP. By logging on to the FDPP at fdpp.d i lg .gov.ph, the public can v iew i mp o r t a nt d o c u m e nt s

of LGUs such as annual budget repor ts , a nnua l p r o c u r e m e n t p l a n s , statement of debt service, statement of receipts and e x p e n d i t u r e s , S p e c i a l E duc at ion Fu nd (SEF) income expenditure and e s t i m at e , a nd G e nd e r a n d D e v e l o p m e n t accomplishment reports. Also avai lable in the

FDPP are quarterly reports which inlcude: reports on SEF utilization, trust fund utilization, items to bid, bid results, abstract of bids, 20 percent component of internaI revenue allotment u t i l i z a t i o n , L DR R M F uti l ization and monthly supplemental procurement plans. Throug h t he por ta l ,

t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s f a c e d by LGUs in post ing the required documents, such as the absence of a website and the prohibit ive cost of pr i nt s pac e w i l l b e addressed. Focal persons uploaded their financial documents in the portal for the last part of the activity. (Liza D. Ladres/DILG/PIA10)

servicing sector. Clarete said majority of t he i nves t ment s i n t he prov i nce were t he

construction and expansion of Centr io Aya la Ma l l, Primavera residences, Paseo del Rio, Bavarian Motor

Works (BMW) showroom and Gaisano Department Stores which are already operating this year. (PIA10)

Consultation on remaining2011-2016 dev’t plan held

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Policies towards inclusive,sustainable dev’t pushedASIA-PACIFIC economies that include the Philippines need to implement supply-side pol icies to remove structura l impediments to growth, such as energy shortages and inadequate infrastructure, according to the United Nations (UN). The UN Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) 2013

said that supply-side and demand-side policies towards “inclusive and sustainable development” can contribute to supporting broad-based economic growth in the region. UNESCAP made this recom mend at ion a s i t forecasts subdued growth for the region in 2013 at 6 percent from last year’s

5.6 percent as a result of the double-dip recession in the euro zone and the tepid recovery of the United States (US) economy. To b o o s t e c onom ic growth, it noted that after decades of neglect , the agriculture sector deserves special attention especially in the light of challenges


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“A tricky problem”Think a minute.Have you ever stood by a fire when the

smoke was so thick you almost thought you could grab it with your hands. But if you try, the smoke just disappears right through your fingers. It’s like that when we try to be humble. We grab for humility, but as soon as we think we’ve got it, it disappears like smoke through our fingers. You see, we trick ourselves when we start to think that we’re humble, because in our mind and heart we actually start feeling proud of ourselves that we’re humble. So you see, we’re still very proud. Our problem is the subtle, deceptive nature of pride. It makes us self-conscious, thinking about ourselves and how we good we are or look in front of others. Our pride competes and compares ourselves with others. That’s why we get angry when someone treats us like we’re not important. Our pride makes us want to act and impress others with how humble we are, when inside we still think we’re more important than some people. This is also why many people want to become rich millionaires. You see, if everybody in the world had a million dollars, then not many people would really want to be a millionaire

because they would not be richer than anyone else. If everyone in the world had a high political position of respect and power, then not many people would want that kind of position because they would not be more respected and powerful than anyone else. Did you know that it is our pride which causes most of the problems in our life, whether it’s in our family, at work, school, or with friends and neighbors. Our hidden, tricky pride is the reason we get hurt and angry at others. It’s also the reason we will not forgive them, but instead even try to hurt them back. So is there any hope for us? Can we ever start becoming genuinely honest and humble in our hearts? Yes, that’s the great news! God the Son humiliated

By Jhan Tiafau HurstA Minute

tHinK

The slip once again is showingwith the KKK at the helm

We need only a few good men and women to run government to service the people if not to tow the

line for a civilized society to follow the law and yet this has become elusive. Those entrusted by the president to run the country are showing signs of fatigue if not incompetence for the jobs they were authorized to manage. Need we continue to suffer an authority that is unable to address what the people is due? Today’s aggressive China with its assertion to the seas around us has rendered us immobile only to succumb to their pleasure. In school we remember the South China Sea today we need to be educated it is now the West Philippine Sea to stay nationalistic. The poor performance of the judiciary with its tail between its legs having lost its leader has the court supreme following the dictates of our ruler petrified the rest may follow suit. Its current resolutions show of its dependence rather than its adherence to law and justice. The police meantime are having a hay day harassing the people with no up dated registrations when these taxes were already collected with the LTO incapable of releasing car plates and stickers. Meanwhile, the battle between its suppliers rage on with no end in sight. Our successes are measured by the finance sector to be superficial with monies registered as investment when no manufacturing and jobs are created. The playground of the rich and powerful and our stock exchange may reap benefits possibly to the detriment of

the poor. The finance chief is snug in his position possibly awaiting a juicy position after retirement just like the rest who have followed orders form the international banks. The infamous FFCCCII have been reprimanded and shamed by the president but rightfully so to be tax cheats but as always business as usual. The BOC is plagued with smugglers its authority can no longer control proposing its abolition but to who, the SGS that have brought financial distress to many other countries (not to exclude us). Its incompetence has to be the most glaring never having met its target in a single month after close to two years. The smuggling on the oil alone is significant endorsed by the oil wholesalers allegedly suffering having paid tax (as if ). And of course let us not leave out the comelec and its chosen leaders who are above the law. Smartmatic will obviously choose this year candidates.

ALLAN MEDIANTEManaging editor

regionaL editorCRIS PANGANIbAN

A patient friend called up and was in a panic mode: she complained of stiffness and pain on the left

side of her face, and when she looked at the mirror, she noticed that her face on the left side seemed to droop. So, I told her to come and see me so I can look at it. I could just imagine, what a scare it is, when, upon waking up and on looking at yourself in the mirror you find that the beautiful / handsome face isn’t the same! The nerve that controls the movement of the muscles in the face, facial expressions like smiling, grimace or frowning, eye blinking and closing, even with the lubrication of the eyes ( through the lacrimal glands ) is the facial or 8th nerve. The facial nerve also has a say on the taste sensation. Thus, should there be problems affecting the 8th nerve, these functions are compromised. We call the disorder as Bell’s Palsy. Though, it is a temporary event, that can affect both men and women, of any age group, it is kind of distressing really. Bell’s Palsy or facial nerve paralysis can occur when there is nerve compression or, when the 8th nerve is inflamed or swollen. Going back to this patient friend, when I interviewed her, all she ever recalled was that, she went river rafting few days prior to its occurrence. She was thrown off the raft and must have hit one side of her head into the onrushing waters. Trauma and viral infections, with herpes zoster or even the influenza virus are known to predispose one to having Bell’s Palsy.

That Funny Look n Feeling Symptoms actually vary. It can be mild or severe, and can start suddenly. The face will feel stiff, giving one that funny, weird feeling, or the face is pulled to one side, looking different. Others may have difficulty closing one eye, or there may be twitching. Eating and drinking may be difficult as food or liquid intake will have the tendency to spill over the side of the mouth. The eyes will feel dry, and the patient may have headaches, twitching, loss of appetite. Any of the above symptoms may be present and usually, will resolve also on its own, although, I have encountered cases wherein the symptoms persist for a month or two. It is a known fact that if one did not lose all the nerve functions and the symptoms begin to improve in less than a month, that, the patient is likely to regain the strength of his/her muscles more easily than one whose symptoms are prolonged and more severe in nature. A very good history of the patient’s illness, coupled with complete physical examination including neurologic tests will clinch the diagnosis. At times, our neurologist friends may request for a

Two d ay s f rom now, the countdown for the

midterm elections in May 13 this year starts. Although the excitement of the election season started in August last year, nothing is more thrilling than the election month of May. S t a r t i ng We d ne s d ay, the campaign strategy of all political parties would definitely shift to high gear. Now, we would hear the traitors singing different tunes. Efforts of the opportunist to get a pie of prospective winners would become visible, too. The undecided would make decisions as the mediocre starts to join the bandwagon. Like in past elections, the scenario as the Election Day approaches has changed nothing much. Again, the weeks ahead are opportune times for voters to take a second look of candidates – their sincerity, track records, their platforms of government, and the contributions they have (if they are running for re-election) to undergo serious scrutiny. Certainly, if would be easier for voters to identify candidates who thrived on deception and hypocrisy. It would be easy to determine the candidates who hunger for power. It is not hard to differentiate opportunistic candidates who joined the political fracas to advance personal interests. After all, people know these candidates. The electorates, therefore, should get rid of candidates who promised to do things. The voters should support candidates who have already accomplished many things that the public now enjoyed. Of course, this is not only for Misamis Oriental and for Cagayan de Oro City. Candidates in almost all places in the country have many things in common. The worse, however, are candidates who exert all efforts to deceive people to vote for them. Who are these candidates but those who dwell on promises and deception?

Unite to elect worthycandidates

By Dr. Mary Jean Lorechein Focus

HeALtH

cris DiAz

By Harry TambuatcoBrAnDing

suPer




Diaz...from page 6

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Loreche...from page 6

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unite to campaign against them. Now is also the time to unite to fight “tooth and nail” against those candidates who have been trying to steal the people’s sense of pride. React cr [email protected]

There is the AES law only to be rationalized by the comelec with excuses seemingly unacceptable yet its chief honcho blurts out impulsively to its citizens doing their job of oversight towards a set of rules set for its regulation. The source code, the usb and its “worm” applications are a requirement, the digital signatures and what of the ballots, the pens and worst of all the poor performance of the pcos machines coming out of storage? It’s true, some people are above the law. Meanwhile the people are entertained by the brat who no longer has any integrity only to amuse the poor people who know no better.

CT Scan or an MRI if he/she thinks that the cause of the nerve paralysis is a space occupying lesion like a tumor. Treatment is directed towards the alleviation of the symptoms: paracetamol

by becoming a human being to die and pay the penalty for our sinful pride which separates us from God. But He also will set us free from the power of our sinful pride. Jesus Christ will forgive you right now-if you ask Him. Then He will also give you His power and love, so you can start changing to become the truly humble, honest, and successful person He created you to be. Just Think a Minute.

The worse candidates are those who employ the “hate propaganda” in order to get the sympathy and attention of voters. “Hate propaganda” is employed in many forms from personal attacks to trump up charges. A candidate employs this tactic to trick the voters in gaining sympathies. These kind of candidates are not worthy of any support at all. One must get rid of these candidates. There are the impressions that pretentious candidates inf luence those in power in order to advance their hideous motives. This condition is prevalent in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental. There is no need to extrapolate on this issue because the people know that this is the truth. Consequent ly, voters in Cagayan de Oro City should take extra efforts to block these power-hungry candidates from entering the city’s political spectrum. W hen dur ing t rag ic period, people unite to help and assist those who were in dire need; these candidates execute plots a imed at frustrating the people. T h e s e u n d e s e r v i n g ca nd idates encou raged people to hate those who work hard to bail them out of misery. Now is also the time to

or mefenamic acid for the fever or headache or pain. There are Doctor friends who may also prescribe steroids to address the swelling or inflammation of the nerve. It is important too, to follow the advice of one’s attending physician specially if therapeutic exercises are recommended. All in all, the prognosis or outlook for Bell’s Palsy is good.

ABD...from page 2

Solid Waste Management, Emmanuel A. Vargas along with his team and a group of DENR officials and DENR 13 Regional personnel have paid courtesy call to Del Carmen Mayor A l f redo Coro to bring the news about the ADB grant. Va rgas was l i kew ise

a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e R e g i o n a l Te c h n i c a l Director of the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Mario L. Eludo, Mayor Coro of del Ca rmen, a nd ot her representatives from the Mines Geosciences Bureau ( M G B) , E n v i r o n m e n t M a n a g e m e n t B u r e a u (EMB) and the staff from the Foreign-Assisted and Specia l Projec ts Of f ice a nd t he S e c re t a r i a t i f the National Solid Waste Management Commission based at the Central Office in Quezon City. The grant will be used i n t h e c ompr e h e n s i ve solid waste management plan, investment program for pr ior it y sol id waste m a n a ge me nt f a c i l i t i e s such as sanitary landfills, material recovery facilities, waste handling equipment, project management and capacity development for the implementation and sustainable development for selected LGUS. M a y o r C o r o h a s expressed happiness when he was informed of the ADB program. “This will enable the people to be more aware of the necessity of having a proper solid waste ma nagement .” He sa id . “We wil l ensure a clean and green environment in this remote island in the midst of a booming tourist industry here” Mayor Coro said.

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nEDA/PAGE 10

SuLkuD/PAGE 10


8 MONdAy APRIL 29, 2013agriBusiness


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

ABACA FIBER EXTRACTIONM. A worker at an abaca-fiber factory in Mindanao inspects abaca fibers being dried udner the sun. The Fiber Industry Development Authority of the Philippines is intensifying its campaign for mechanized extraction of abaca fibers in an effort to increase supply and quality of fibers in abca-producing areas of the country. Abaca, originally called Manila Hemp, is originally used for making twines and ropes. Now, most abaca is used in a variety of specialized paper products, including tea bags, filter paper and banknotes. It is classified as a hard fiber, along with coir, henequin and sisal. It is also being used in the making of carpets, clothing and furniture as abaca fiber is very durable, flexible and resistant to salt water damage.

UN-FAO initiative namedSoCot, SulKud as pilot areas

NEDA sees sustained growth of agri exportsMANILA—The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) believes the growth of agriculture exports may be sustained with the opening up of new markets for sugar and bananas.

NEDA Deputy Director-General Emmanuel Esguerra said the Philippines could take advantage of the demand in

the United States (US), Russia, China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India, which are among the major importers of raw (cane) sugar.

The Sugar Regulatory Ad m i n i s t r at ion (SR A) announced that Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) identif ied export opportunities for refined

and raw sugar in India, South Korea, Indonesia and the Middle East.

The government is still coordinating with buyers on their specific requirements.

Esguerra noted that the exportation of bananas to the US market is also a good development for Philippine agriculture exports.

An initial shipment of 3,000 metric tons to the US was targeted for April 2013, according to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

“This is a lso in l ine with the US Department of Agriculture’s announcement t hat a l lows Ph i l ippi ne highland Cavendish bananas to be shipped to their country,”

he said.The National Statistics

Office (NSO) said that exports of centrifugal and refined sugar and bananas grew by 27,094.6 percent and 95.5% year-on-year in February 2013, respectively.

This made total agro-based exports rise by 43.7%, amounting to $343.9 million

in February 2013.Agricu ltura l expor ts

earnings in 2012 made up 9.62% of the country’s total export earnings of $51.9 billion for the year, reaching $5 billion. This was down by 7.88% from $5.4 billion in 2011.

The highest record of

KORONA DA L C I T Y—South Cotabato and Sultan Ku d a r a t pr ov i nc e s i n SOCCSKSARGEN Region has been selected as pilot sites of the “Regional Rice Initiative for Asia” that will be funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Ludivina Dumaya, officer-in-charge of the Regional Crop Protect ion Center (RCPC) of the Department of Agriculture-12 disclosed this in a meeting here of the integrated pest management provincial coordinators.

Besides South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, Region 12 a lso includes North Cotabato and Sarangani provinces as well as the cit ies of General Santos City, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan, and Cotabato.

Dumaya added that each province would have two sites where the FAO project will be implemented. These sites should be within or near schools.

Besides the Philippines, FAO will also carry out the same project in Indonesia and Vietnam.

The initiative, which will be implemented following the concept of farmers’ field

school (FFS), is geared toward encouraging students to take agriculture as a college course.

FAO, based in Rome, Italy, is a UN agency whose primary efforts are geared towa rd ach iev i ng food security, making sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.

Its mandate is to “raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the l ives of rural populations and contribute

to the growth of the world economy.”

Meanwhile, IPM regional c o ord i n ator D io s d a do Miro, reported during that meeting that DA-12’s FFS across the region has been an effective means to teach farmers the right technology and methods of ra ising agricultural commodities.

Usi ng t h is concept , farmer-students undergo a season-long course and hands-on training on the cultural management of specif ic crop, including

scientific and appropriate means of controlling pests and diseases.

Miro added that they have already established 54 FFS-IPM sites for rice and 60 FFS sites for corn across the region. More FFS sites are scheduled to be put up soon in coordination with local agricultural officers and local government offices, he added.

In this regard, Dumaya added t hat a l l ex ist ing FFS should be completed

THROUGHOUT the years, we have seen how the agricultural sector, particularly the farmers, have rescued our economy from collapse. Raising their living standards is decided largely by the priority and investment. One of the many ways to achieve this is by enhancing farm productivity and sustainability.In a typical rural setup, households need a sizeable expansion of credit for investing in agriculture and cushion seasonal f luctuations in earnings. However, the use of high-yielding varieties, fertilizers and other improved inputs entails higher capital deployments. Since cash f lows and savings in rural areas for the majority of households are small, they likewise tend to heavily rely on credit for other basic consumption needs like food and education. They also need access to financial institutions that can provide them with lower credit rates and at reasonable terms, compared with traditional moneylenders that only place them on debt-traps. This is where the rural banks step in.Rural banks have been established to help farmers through the stages of production, from buying inputs up to marketing their products. Also, they exist to provide adequate and timely credit to farmers in order to reach desirable outputs. Unlike informal credit markets, rural banks give lower interest rates.As rural banks are extending credit to farmers, they absorb all the risks involved in the endeavor. However, through a risk management tool recently introduced by the Department of Agrarian Reform in partnership with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. and the Department of Agriculture, dubbed as the “Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries—Agricultural Insurance Program [ARB-AIP],” agricultural risks are evened out and potential consequences of natural disasters to make losses are bearable.Officially launched to facilitate sustainable access of ARBs and ARB households for their on-farm and non-farm enterprises, this insurance program is also designed to lessen the cost of borrowing by ARBs where the cost of crop insurance is being shouldered not by the borrower but subsidized by the government. The ARB-AIP program has an initial appropriation fund of P1 billion for 2013, which will be exclusively used to finance the premium subsidy for agricultural insurance coverage of farm investments of ARBs.

Sustainable Agriculture

T H E g o v e r n m e n t i s intensifying its campaign for mechanized extraction of abaca fibers in a bid to increase supply and quality of fibers in abaca-producing areas.

F i b e r I n d u s t r y De ve lopment Aut hor it y (FIDA) Administrator Cecilia Gloria Soriano said they are closely coordinating with local government units (LGUs) and private manufacturers on the continuous production of fiber extraction machines, tools and devices.

S o r i a n o s a i d t h e developed technologies on f iber extraction processes using machines and devices were transferred to private machine fabricators through accreditation.

“The accreditat ion of machine fabricators aims to produce standard and uniform designs of fiber extraction machines in terms of proper specifications, materials used and FIDA markings on the fabricated machines indicating the patent numbers issues by the Intellectual Property

Office, Bureau of Patent and the date of its publication,” she said.

Soriano said the agency

is also strictly monitoring the output of abaca farmers associations as beneficiaries of production and postharvest

facilities.To i m p l e m e n t t h e

mechanized fiber harvesting program, she said they are designing and developing a spindle stripping machine that has the capacit y to increase output by three times producing the same quality of fiber.

FIDA is also improving the handstripping device it developed to address the problem on the extraction of fibers from abaca farms situated in steep and rolling areas.

Moreover, Soriano said t hey a re en ha nci ng t he prototype of FIDA-designed improved autofed decorticating machines to increase quality of decorticated abaca fibers needed by the pulp sector.

“Decorticated abaca fibers are needed by one of the six pulp mills operating in the Philippines. The abaca pulp produced from the decorticated fibers is utilized for specific product needed in Europe,” she said. (PhilExport News and Features)

Gov’t intensifies campaign for abaca fiber extractionNFA-12 surpasses palay procurement target in Q1GENERAL SANTOS CITY—The National Food Authority (NFA) in Region 12 has purchased a total of 181,540 bags of palay (unmilled rice) from local farmers during the first three months of the year, exceeding its procurement target for the period by 75 percent.

R au l Chong , N FA-12 director, said the agency has exceeded its f irst quarter procurement target of 104,000 bags by 77,540 bags.

Region 12, also called the Soccsksargen Region, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Chong said Sultan Kudarat province posted the highest procurement rating with 196%, followed by South Cotabato with 144% and North Cotabato with 134.8%.

He s a i d t h e i r t o t a l d isbursements for pa lay

procurement during the first quarter reached P147.5 million.

The funds were sourced from the NFA central office’s cereal procurement fund, he said.

Chong attributed their accomplishment during the first quarter of the year to the substantial palay harvests in the region and their intensified “Ugnayan” or information campaign in the last quarter of 2012.

The NFA central office l au nc h e d t h e Ug n ay a n project last year to properly inform farmers regarding its procurement activities, especially the government’s support prices for corn and rice.

“We were able to increase our procurement capacity through the activation of our mobile buying stations,” the official said in the Department of Agriculture Region 12’s regular radio program “Agri Watch.” (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

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10 MONdAy APRIL 29, 2013


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Today’s HOROSCOPEAQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) - Week ahead: An epiphany is likely after the last piece of information crosses your desk. Personal: You can’t force a situation to work; be patient and it will happen when the time is right. Professional: Don’t overanalyze or be too critical of yourself. Uplift your spirit with positive self-talk. Possibilities can arise from talking to family. Angel note: Your domestic space can use your attention.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - Week ahead: Pay close attention to media and the different ways it may affect your life. Personal: If you have found the right partner your heart will let you know. Professional: In order to make your career aspirations a reality you must believe you are destined for great things. Your future looks bright. Angel note: Don’t miss an opportunity to self-promote.

ARIES (March 21- April 19) - Week ahead: Rid yourself of any system or person who has become outdated and no longer serves the intended purpose. Personal: You will find a suitable partner once you are happy with yourself. Professional: Compromise shouldn’t mean abandoning your values; aim for give and take. Make well thought out purchasing decisions and you will not have to deal with buyer’s remorse.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - Week ahead: Astral energy in your sign inspires you to chase your dreams and listen to your heart. Personal: Love goddess Venus occupies your sign and spurs a love connection. Professional: Put your own needs first and worry about everyone else later. Continue to make moves that will improve your chances of stability in the future.

LIbRA (September 23 – October 22) - Week ahead: Keep your ears open for word on an official matter. Personal: Share your time between work and home and you will enjoy what you work so hard to maintain. Professional: If you are generous with your time it can provide you a healthy return of favors. You can benefit fiscally from someone else’s decision.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) -Week ahead: Rework your goals and implement a new plan to reach them. Personal: The love duo, Venus and Mars occupy your seventh House of love and relationships making this an opportune time to connect with a special someone. Professional: Make quick decisions when unexpected opportunities land at your feet. Make fiscal decisions with your future in mind.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) - Week ahead: Set new fitness goals and rework your routine to achieve them. Personal: If your instincts support it and your logic agrees, take your partnership to the next level. Professional: Think about more effective ways to manage your time to increase your productivity. Your fiscal situation may need your attention.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - Week ahead: A fun event can turn the spotlight directly on you. Personal: Love sparks are kindled and a relationship can grow out of a flirtatious exchange. Professional: Work steadily now and review options as they arise. Keep your budget intact and avoid impulse buys.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - Week ahead: Be aware of what your intuition is trying to tell you. Personal: Before you make changes to your current situation clarify what you truly want. Professional: Spend time with your thoughts and let your mind do what it does best. To add funds to your account add skills to your repertoire.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - Week ahead: The contacts you make over this period can elevate your professional status. Personal: Build your confidence and esteem and love will find you. Professional: If your plan fails take it back to the drawing board and try a different approach. Giving up is not an option. Wait until you have all the key details to analyze a situation.

LEO (July 23 – August 22) - Week ahead: Professional concerns occupy the majority of your time. Personal: Choosing the right partner is no small task; check in with your heart and do what feels right. Professional: You have a laundry list of influential contacts; make use of them and the astral energy that abounds right now. VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - Week ahead: Business may take you around the globe, at the very least electronically. Personal: You should always be honest, but should find a way to avoid being brutally honest. Professional: No matter how small a task is it is still necessary to complete the end goal. Set more realistic monetary goals.

Answers for last Friday(April 26, 2013)

ACROSS: 1.Suffolk, 4.Loved, 7.Harbour, 8 . D r e a d , 9 . S t o c k s , 1 2 . A p p r o a c h , 1 5 . R i n g s i d e, 17. D ea r e r, 1 8 . S t o o l , 21.Ireland, 2.Larry, 23.Flotsam

DOWN: 1.Spinster, 2.France, 3.Knox, 4.Lard, 5.Veteran, 6.Dodd, 10.Sahib, 11.Speed, 13.Heirloom, 14.Uncover, 16.Magnet, 18.Soil, 19.Lily, 20.Serf

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CIRCLE A WORDdANgEROus

dARk VIcTORydEcEPTION

Ex-LAdyHOTEL

HOusEWIfEjEzEBEL

STAR TuRNALL ABOuT-

EVEfAMILy-

REuNIONTHE LITTLE-

fOxEsTHE dARk

CROSSWORD puzzleACROSS

1.sanctify (5)7.Marlene, german actress (8)8.Ben, scottish mountain (5)10.England’s Rugby union ground (10)12.Vanessa, Actress (8)14.Madcap (4)16.concoction (4)17.skilled performer (8)20.sorcery (10)23.Night, Bee gees hit (5)24.star of dirty Harry (8)25.greatness (5)

DOWN

1.golfing hazard (6)2.set of cards (4)3.Light metal (4)4.scatter (5)5.stubborn (3-6)6.Ragtime dance (6)9.under oath (5)11.Publicise (9)13.Irritate (3)15.Explode (2,3)

16.Man’s hat (6)18.Prickly (6)19.Exhibited (5)21.chess piece (4)22.small waterfowl (4)

NEDA...from page 8

SulKud...from page 8

before October for DA 12 management to identify other technologies that may be needed and useful to the farmers.

DA 12 regional executive d irec tor Ama l ia Jayag-Datukan also ordered project implementers to harmonize implementation of FFS sites.

Also discussed during the meeting were the projects being carrie out under the Agri-Pinoy Palayan Program, such as the community-based focus group discussion Usapang Palay and other approaches to disseminate information with the aid of trained local farmer-technicians. (DA-12/PIA)

DOST...from page 2

to improve its production faci l it y, speci f ica l ly on system improvement; product improvement; manpower development; and, process improvement. The P262,000 financial assistance f rom DOST-SET U P w i l l cover t he acquisition of dough mixer, bread slicer, stainless steel working table, proofing rack, siopao steamer, and counter-t y pe bread showc a ses , Manzano said. The DOST’s interventions will improve and standardize the firm’s product quality; increase the volume of production by 20 percent; create jobs locally; increase income by at least 20 percent; and meet customers’ demand of the products in the market. Manzano said that it was with the tasty vision of Regencia that urged her to put up the bakeshop in 2001. M a n z a no s a id t h at Regencia, to highlight her avid drive and passion for baking, named the bakeshop Care Cakes and Pastries which formally opened for business in January of 2002. “It t u r ned out t hat the bakeshop has drawn a signif icant number of customers. Their delicious cakes and delectable native products have earned the customers’ loya lt y a nd patronage,” she said. Meanwhi le, she sa id financial assistance given to the Isabela Seaport Bakery

earnings from agricultural exportation in 2012 was seen in December at $547.60 million, while the lowest was seen in August at $226.06 million.

Export earnings from the country’s top 10 agricultural exports fell by 15.24% in 2012 to $3.38 million from $3.99 billion in 2011. (TPS)

products. Through the project, Regencia’s firm is expected

and Restaurant wi l l be used for the acquisition of bakeshop equipment such as dough roller, oven with 24 plates, bread slicer, spiral mixer, cake mixer, stainless steel stove, steel racks (36 plates cap), stainless steel working table and planza. S he s a id t he f i r m , through the project entitled Up g r a d i n g o f B a k e r y Equipment and Facilities, is expected to increase its volume of production by 30 percent; create local jobs; increase income by at least 30 percent; develop at least two new product lines; meet customers’ demand of the products in the market; and, acquire equipment and facilities needed to improve quality of bread and pastries. S h e s a i d D O S T ’s interventions also include t he fo l low i ng : s y s tem i mprovement ; pro duc t improvement; manpower d e v e l o p m e n t t h r o u g h trainings on food safety and good manufacturing pract ices ; and, process improvement. She said the Isabela Seaport Bakery and Restaurant, which was established in 2008, has gradually taken its foothold as the native Tausug’s favorite bread and food service in the city. (PNA)

Policies...from page 4

emanating from a growing

population and an increased incidence and intensity of extreme weather events. “The agriculture sector plays a fundamental role as a producer of food and employer of approximately 60 percent of the working population in the region, including the majority of the poor,” said the UNESCAP. It also called for supply-s ide pol ic ie s a i med at r e d u c i n g t h e c a r b o n intensity of growth aimed to minimize the adverse impacts of economic activity on natural resources and commodity prices. Apart from such policies, the Survey also underscored the need for these countries to st imu late sources of aggregate demand which can have beneficial spillover effects across the region through trade. For one, it cited the effort of China to rebalance its economy towards a more pro-poor and consumption-led pattern of development. Such initiative could spur an additional $13 billion worth of exports from other countr ies in the reg ion during the period 2013-2015, representing an additional 0.5 of a percentage point to the region’s rate growth of exports, it noted. Moreover, the UNESCAP said that setting of minimum wages is another pol icy that can contribute to both addressing rising income

disparities and supporting aggregate demand. It argued that a minimum wage policy, if it is designed ca ref u l ly a nd conta i ns supp or t ive adju s t ment measures, boosts workers’ productivity and income and improves long-term job prospects without adversely affecting businesses. U N E S C A P s a id t he implementat ion of such demand-side and supply-side policies depend on the ability of the governments to allocate public spending and to create a conducive environment for private investments in key economic and social sectors of the economy. It proposed a package of socia l protection and sustainable development policies comprising a job g u a r a nt e e pro g r a m , a universal pension scheme, disability benefits, increased publ ic hea lth spending, universal school enrolment and universa l access to modern sources of efficient energy. The Survey also listed three energ y goa ls that need to be achieved by 2030: universal access to modern energy services, doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. “ T he s e p ol ic ie s a re e x a mpl e s o f for w a rd-

looking macroeconomic p o l i c i e s b e c au s e t h e y can promote sustainable development and lead to sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth,” it said. In the Philippines, the cost of such package is est imated at 9.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. U N E SC A P Ba ng kok Economic Affairs Officer Yusuke Tateno said most countries can self-finance these through broadening t a x b a s e s , i m p o s i n g t i g ht e r re g u l a t ion s to ensure ta x compl iance, f ighting corruption and reducing non-development expenditures. Meanwhile, UNESCAP forecasts the Phi l ippine economy to expand 6.2 percent in 2013, slightly lower than last year’s 6.6 percent, but is higher than growth of some Southeast Asian neighbours. “Speedy growth could mater ia l i ze i f prog ress i n t h e p u b l i c - p r i v a t e partnership (PPP) gains more momentum, helped by the upgrade of the country’s rating to investment grade s t a t u s i n M a rc h . T h e government plans to raise infrastructure spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2016 f rom 2 percent in 2012,” the Survey noted. (PHILEXPORT News and Features)




Honda...from page 3

Taiwan...from page 3

participation next year with more MVPMAP members participating,” he added. The six Filipino companies that joined the 2013 AMPA were: Centro Manufacturing Corporation (the only ISO/TS 16949 truck body builder in the country), Famous Secret (high quality airplane parts), Hardware Labs (high-performance radiators), MD Juan Enterprises (export-quality jeep bodies and parts), Narida (remanufactured automotive starters and alternators) and Nito Seiki (premium machined parts such as the Elite racing components exported to Australia). (PNA)

Center in Pasay City, the CR-V 2.4 EX stood out among four other nominees in its class. Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) President and General Manager Tatsuya Natsume said that they are grateful for such recognition awarded to the CRV. “The CR-V nameplate has won the hearts of the Filipinos since it was first introduced in the country in 1997,” Natsume said. “From generation to generation, the CR-V has remained on top of its game. Its continued evolution, with its bold and sophisticated styling, technology and improved comfort and convenience features, shows Honda’s commitment to provide its

Poverty...from page 1

P-Noy...from page 1

NGCP...from page 1

DOE...from page 1

that the plants will produce sufficient energy to sustain the needs of the residents and business sector in Mindanao

“It is high time for NGCP to rehabilitate the Agus 6 switchyard to improve its condition and ensure its rel iable operat ions. An outage from the switchyard would be very critical to the stability of the power supply in Mindanao, which is badly needed,” Cynthia P. Alabanza, NGCP spokesperson, said. The project will have three components: the construction of a new 69-kilovolt (kV) facility; rehabilitation of the existing 138-kV facility; and construction of a new control room building. NGCP est imates t he

good for Mindanao because using the renewable source could cause electricity rates to shoot up. “Solar power may be cheaper now given that one of the options that the government is offering is to avail of gensets. However, if we opt for a long-term contract ut i l izing solar energy, it will eventually be more expensive than the power that will be generated from plants that wil l go online in 2015,” he said. Petilla’s pronouncement was in response to critics who say the government should turn to solar power instead of diesel-f ired gensets to secure Mindanao’s electricity supply. Parts of the region have been hit by hours-long power outages because of its reliance on hydroelectric power plants, the output of which depend on weather and reservoir conditions. T h e D OE s a i d t h e situation would improve by 2015 when a number of coal, geothermal, diesel and hydro projects in the region go on stream. Solar energy requires long-term contracts of up to 20 years to make the projects viable, Petilla said. Likewise, solar power pl a nt s may not b e a s susta inable and readi ly available since such plants have a low availability factor of only 22 percent, because of their heavy dependence on available sunlight.

to the “First Semester Per Capita Poverty Threshold and Poverty Incidence among Families, by Region and Province: 2006, 2009 and 2012” released by the National Statist ica l Coordination Board (NSCB) last April 23. In other words, 43 out of 100 families in the province are poor. This placed Bukidnon as the 7th in Mindanao and the 13th in the country with the most number of families considered poor in 2012. Bukidnon ranked 18th in 2006 and 20th in 2009 among the country’s 80 provinces in terms of poverty ranking. Blaming the “labor only” contractual scheme, Zubiri noted that workers in the agricultura l plantat ions received “very low wages,” although he did not provide figures. In 2011, he summoned agriculture companies to pressure them against their labor contracting practices in the prov ince, which hosts pineapple and banana plantations. The provincial board in 2010 also conducted a hearing on labor contractualization, a scheme where manpower agencies supply the labor needs of the agricultural plantations. Zubiri admitted, however, that the practice has persisted. In Mindanao, Bukidnon’s poverty incidence was better than the provinces of Lanao del Sur (68.9%), Maguindanao (57.8%), Zamboanga del Norte (50.3%), Davao Oriental (48.0%), Sarangani (46.5%) and North Cotabato (43.9%). Lanao del Sur has the worst poverty incidence in the country, NSCB data showed. Bukidnon was among the 12 of 26 Mindanao provinces with increased poverty incidence in 2012. The others were Lanao del Sur, Mag uinda nao, Davao Oriental, Sarangani, North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Camiguin, Davao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and South Cotabato. Maguindanao has the highest increase in poverty incidence at 20.2 percent from 37.6 percent in 2009 to 57.8 percent in 2012. On the other hand, Tawi-tawi had the lowest poverty incidence among Mindanao provinces at 20.8 percent. T h e l a t e s t r e p o r t f rom NSCB u sed d at a from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) conducted by the National Statistics Office last July 2012. It measured poverty incidence or the proportion of people below the poverty line to the total population. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)

by 2015. He thanked the people of Misamis Occidental who affirm his administration’s commitment to tread the straight and righteous path in transforming the Philippines into a progressive nation. “ M a s i g a s i g n a t i n g it inata ma a ng ma l i , at i w i n a w a k s i a n g m g a gawaing tiwali. At kung dati, para bang tanggap na ng marami ang pagiging kulelat ng bansa dahil sa matamlay na ekonomiya, ngayon, kinikilala na tayo ng mundo sa kakayahan nating makipagsabayan sa kaunlaran,” the President said. “Lahat po ng ito ay dahil sa pagtitiwala ng ating mga Boss – ang sambayanang Pilipino – ang nagpunla, nagdilig, at patuloy na nagpapalago n g m a k a b u l u h a n g pagbabago. Gaya ng lagi kong bukambibig: Kayo ang gumawa nito,” he said. Earlier in General Santos City, the President said that the government is now finalizing the mechanism for the planned acquisition and deployment of diesel-fed modular generator sets to help ease the prolonged daily rotating brownouts in the locality and in other key areas in Mindanao. In a meeting with local government and community leaders, he said the DOE and other concerned agencies are specif ically harmonizing some processes to facilitate the purchase of the generator sets. “Bago pa ho matatapos ang 2013, meron na ho tayong makukuhang generators na pagdagdag dito po sa Mindanao (Before the end of 2013, we’ll have the needed generator sets to augment the power supply in Mindanao),” he said. The President said the national government is setting the proper arrangements on the matter to avoid possible conf licts with the law. Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, he said the National Power Corporation is prohibited from acquiring generator sets. “We have the funds to purchase these generator sets. But we just want to make sure that we follow the right processes and the provisions of the law,” he said. O n S a t u r d a y, t h e President reiterated that the government remains committed to strengthening the country’s fiscal position, intensify investments in infrastructure and enhance the business, agriculture and tourism sectors. “Ang hangad po natin: kung anong paghakbang pasulong ng mga lungsod sa Luzon o Visayas, ay ganoon din ang ikukumpas, kundi man higit pa, sa Mindanao. Na ia ngat na nat i n ng dalawandaan at animnapu’t walong porsiyento ang pondo ng DSWD (Department of Soc ia l Wel fa re a nd Development); pitumpu’t walong porsiyento naman sa DOH (Department of Health);

apatnapu’t apat na porsiyento sa DepEd (Department of Education); at dalawampu’t tatlong porsiyento sa DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways)— ginawa po natin ang lahat ng ito nang hindi nagtataas ng buwis,” he said. The President also stressed that the institutionalization of educational reforms remain his administration’s top priority in order to improve the country’s educational system. “Ngayong napu nua n na natin ang backlog sa mga a k lat at upuan, at mawawakasan na rin natin ang 66,800 na kakulangan sa classroom bago matapos ang taon,” he said. He assured the people that his administrat ion will continue to provide government funding for va r iou s i n f r a s t r uc t u re projects to further develop the commercial and tourism industries in the province. “ N a r i y a n p o a n g pagpapalawak ng serbisyong hatid ng inyong Ozamis at Plaridel Port, pati na rin ng Ozamis Airport— na higit na magpapaunlad sa inyong komersiyo at turismo. Nariyan din ang pagsasaayos ng inyong Ozamis City Coastal Bypass Road at ng Ozamis-Oroquieta Road, na susuporta naman sa mas maginhawang daloy ng kalakal, at sa pagdagsa sa inyo ng mga turista. Ang mga imprastraktura’t kalsadang ito ay magbibigay-daan sa mas maraming pagkakataong umasenso para sa mga kababayan nating Misamisnon,” he said. He said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has instituted several programs to boost the country’s rice production. “Ngayong malapit na tayong maging self-sufficient sa bigas, o kung papalarin ay magiging exporter pa, bago rin matapos ang taong ito,” he said. Anchored on the principle of “Tuwid na Daan,” the President pointed out that his government was able to build on the gains of the anti-corruption campaign and reduce poverty. He also expressed hope that his administration’s allies in the local government wi l l f ina l ly resolve the problem on violence in the province. (PNA)

project would cost P721 million. A l a r ge p or t ion of Mindanao’s power supply comes from the Agus 6 plant. It also provides contingency reserve to the grid. However, the facility’s switchyard, which connects it to the grid, is already old, defective, a nd prone to f requent breakdowns. Further, the equipment installed in the switchyard is already obsolete, making replacement and repairs difficult for NGCP. NGCP is a pr ivately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines and towers, substations and related assets.

“However, if there is any investor on solar who can convince a cooperative or distribution utility to sign up for 20 years at prevailing solar rate of P9.70 to P12.00 per kilowatt-hour, we would be more than happy to facilitate the transaction,” Peti l la said. Mindanao’s average generation charge stands at about P6 per kilowatt-hour. The DOE earlier offered three stop-gap measures to improve Mindanao’s electricity shortfall. These include the formation of an electricity market where commercial and industrial establishments may sel l electricity from their gensets; a program that will provide compensation to consumers willing to be cut off from supply; and the use of gensets by electric cooperatives through a financing that wi l l be provided by the National Electri f icat ion Administration.

customers with products that are relevant to their needs,” In a statement, HCPI said that the all-new CR-V “displays modern innovation and continues to set the new standard for its market segment in terms of quality and refinement – combining the efficiency of a passenger car, the functionality of a mini-van, and the security and confidence of an SUV.” “Furthermore, the design of the new CR-V of fers features that exceed customer expectations – more sporty a nd dy na m ic . Inter ior detailing is enhanced to offer a sedan-like experience in terms of comfort, quality, stable driving and modern innovations,” HCPI noted. “We thank CAGI for believing in what the CR-V can offer and we hope our customers will be able to take time and experience the award-winning performance of the CR-V by test driving one at any of our 28 dealers nationwide”, Natsume added.

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12 MONdAy APRIL 29, 2013


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NorMin registers 94.4%high employment rate

By CHENG ORDONEZ, NewsCon Director

This was revealed by NSO Misamis Oriental OIC-provincial statistics officer Dr. Janith Aves, who was guest, along with NSO 10 re-gional director Dr. Marilou Igdon, at the BusinessWeek Mindanao weekly News Conference (NEWSCON), being held at the BWM Me-dia Center.

Dr.Igdon, meanwhile, told media practitioners pre-sent during the NEWSCON that NSO 10 can now make available requested records in30 minutes in its effort to speed up processing of requested records or docu-ments, provided, however, there is no problem on the validation of the requested records or documents.

This, Dr. Igdon, said this is a manifestation of NSO’s commitment to better its ser-vice in serving the Filipino people.

Dr. Aves revealed during the NEWSCON that topping the high employment rate re-

cord were the services, agri-culture and industry sectors.

“It can be said that nine out of 10 people are em-ployed in the region,” Dr. Aves said, referring to the re-sult of the 2012 survey con-ducted by the NSO.

The remaining unem-ployed are due to the follow-ing: (1) Tired/believed no work available; (2) awaiting results of previous job appli-cation; (3) temporary illness/disability; (4) Bad weather; and (5) waiting for rehire/job recall.

The same survey indicat-ed high employment rate for women in the services sector while the agriculture sector showed high employment rate for men, Dr. Aves said.

The survey also revealed the age bracket of 25 to 50 as among those employed.

Dr. Aves said Northern Mindanao’s employment rate is even higher than the entire country’s employment rate of 93.2 per cent, as of the Octo-

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The National Statistics Office (NSO) here has reported high employment rate in Region 10 with 94.4 percent employment rate, as indicated by the result of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted in 2012.

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ber 2012 survey results.Ca-gayan Valley tops the survey with 97.6 per cent employ-ment rate in the 2012 survey, which allowed a five percent margin of error.

The employment rate in January 2013, however, is estimated at 92.9 percent, results from the more recent January 2013 Labor Force Survey showed.

The overall results of the January 2013 Labor Force

Survey revealed that there were approximately 37.94 million employed persons in January 2013. This figure translates to an employment rate of 92.9 percent, which is similar to the employ-ment rate reported in Janu-ary 2012 (92.8%). Among the regions, Cagayan Valley (96.7%), and Zamboanga Peninsula (96.6%) had the highest employment rate. The National Capital Region

(NCR) recorded the lowest employment rate at 90.5 per-cent.

The population aged 15 years and over was estimated at 63.7 million in January 2013. Out of this estimate, 40.8 million persons were in the labor force, or were either employed or unemployed. These figures resulted in a labor force participation rate (LFPR) of 64.1 percent, which is similar to the LFPR recorded in January 2012 (64.2%). Northern Mind-anao had the highest LFPR among the regions, with 68.5 percent, while Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had the lowest LFPR with 58.1 percent, NSO Admin-istrator Carmelita Ericta, re-ported over the NSO official website.

She said that of the es-timated 37.94 million em-ployed persons in January 2013, majority (54.1%) were working in the services sec-tor. Among the workers in

this sector, those engaged in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles comprised the highest percentage (18.9% of the total employed).

Those who worked in the agriculture sector comprised the second largest group making up 30.4 percent of the total employed while workers in the industry sector made up the smallest group regis-tering 15.5 percent of the to-tal employed. Workers in the industry sector were mostly in the manufacturing and construction sub-sectors, comprising 8.3 percent and 6.0 percent, respectively, of the total employed.

Among the major occu-pation groups, laborers and unskilled workers constitut-ed the largest group making up 32.8 percent of the total employed in January 2013. Farmers, forestry workers and fishermen were the sec-ond largest group compris-ing 12.7 percent of the total employed. This percentage is lower than that reported in January 2012 wherein farmers, forestry workers and fishermen comprised 15.6 percent of the total em-ployed.

Employed persons fall into any of these categories: wage and salary workers, self-employed workers without any paid employee, employer in own family-operated farm or business, and unpaid fam-ily workers. Wage and sal-ary workers are those who work for private households, private establishments, gov-ernment or government-controlled corporations, and those who work with pay in own family-operated farm or business.

At the BWM Media Center - Tanleh Bldg., Abellanosa St., Consolacion, Cagayan de Oro City

Documents

BusinessDaily Mindanao (April 29, 2013 Issue)