businessdaily mindanao (may 7, 2013 issue)

Power/PAGE 11 barge/PAGE 11

davao/PAGE 11

solar/PAGE 11

Editorial and advertising email : [email protected] • Cell Number : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Market Indicators

US$1 = P40.91

FOREX PHISIX

AS of 6:35 Pm mAy 5, 2013 (Sunday)

7,170.65 pointsXX14

cents44.70points

Brieflyland titlesCARMEN, Agusan del Norte -- A total of 54 farmers from Brgy. Manoligao, Carmen, Agusan del Norte received their individual certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) following the handing-over ceremony in the barangay multi-purpose building on Thursday. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Reg ional Director Faisar Mambuay led the d ist r ibut ion wi th Carmen Vice Mayor Willy Taglocop and DAR Asst. Regional Director Andre Atega, covering 95 hectares of agricultural land. Mambuay congratulated the recipients emphasizing the confidence it will bring if the name is printed in the title. “I hope this is just the start, as I intend to come back with more support services for the area,” said Mambuay in his message. He a lso encouraged the benefic iar ies to stay united in their cooperative as government pro jec ts a r e c o u r s e d t h r o u g h organizations.

sea travelDAVAO City -- The Maritime Industry Authority in Davao R e g i o n swo r n i n t h e i r r e s p e c t i ve p r o fe s s i o n s Thursday 101 deck and 102 engine officers in an unprecedented move to professionalized domestic sea travel. Atty. Gloria Banas, deputy administrator for operations of the Marina who presided o v e r t h e o a t h - t a k i n g -ceremony spoke with pride on the achievement of the Marina XI in professionalizing the ranks of local seafarers. She said the act iv i t y realizes one of the Marina’s objectives to promote safety of life and property at sea. “ I hope that as boat of f icers, you cont inue to act responsibly for the safety of your passengers at all times,” Banas said. J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS.,

(NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY)DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

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. 207 May 7, 2013TuesdayCagayan de Oro City P15.00

Corporate world News eco-business billboard

INSI

DE

LO

OK

economy Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 2Page 8

IN TIME FOR MAY 13 ELECTIONS:

50mw barge back online

Mindanao industries turn to solar energy

MinCARED: Power barge transfer expensive

Davao consumer groups to federate for stronger voice

Host community fishermen in Maco, Compostela Valley harvest bangus from fish cages installed around the Therma Marine barge. file photo

By CHIRSTINE CABIASA, Reporter

MINDANAO consumers get s ig h of re l ief after Aboitiz Power

subsidiary, Therma Marine Inc. (TMI), puts back online one of its power barges after undergoing repairs that lasted about a month. In a press statement yesterday, Therma Marine President Jovy Batiquin said the Mindanao grid is getting back 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity supply from its power barge moored in Maco, Compostela Valley, just in time for the May 13 elections. The returning capacity has been distributed to 23 electric cooperatives and distribution utilities who have signed up with Therma Marine since last weekend. Hard hit areas like Gen. Santos City and Zamboanga City, both experiencing up to eight hours’ brownouts every day will have some relief, with the additional capacity from Therma Marine. South Cotabatao Electric Cooperative 2 (Socoteco) will gain additional 8 MW. This will bring its Therma Marine capacity to 30 MW, out of the 112 MW peak demand of the area. For Z a m b o a n g a C i t y E le c t r i c Cooperative, Therma Marine capacity will go back to 18 MW, from the previous 11 MW. The area’s peak demand is 85 MW. Majority of the power supply in the two cooperatives, as well as the rest of Mindanao, is supplied by government-owned National Power Corporation. TMI Chief Operating Officer Jovy P. Batiquin said the repair works were completed ahead of schedule and additional

By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large Development 2013 held here on April 29, Romeo M. Montenegro, director for Investment Promotion and Public Affairs of the Mindanao Development Authority, said it is not feasible to move those barges here at this time. “It will cost up to P1.6 billion to rehabilitate each of the 32-megawatt (MW) power barges, excluding the cost of transferring and mooring them to new locations in Mindanao,” Mr. Montenegro noted.

THE government has not acted on proposals to move power barges based in the Visayas to Mindanao as a short-term solution to the island’s power crisis because it would take too long and would be too expensive. During a press conference for the launching of the Mindanao Congress of the Advocates for Renewable Energy and Rural Electrification &

By MIKE BAÑOSEditor-at-Large

W I T H t h e p r i m a r y source of its power mix compromised by climate change, two industries in one of the regions in Mindanao hardest hit by the perennial energy shortage are turning to solar energy. C a r g i l l O i l M i l l s Philippines Inc., one of the top 20 companies operating in General Santos City, recently visited the only grid-connected solar

energy plant in the country in this city for a first-hand

look at what it hopes would

By CARINA L CAYON, Contributor

DAVAO City -- The 24 consumer organizations (COs) in Davao Region are

forming a federation in a bid to make a stronger stance

Property developer

hikes capex

Q1 tourist arrivals validate ‘More Fun’ with 1.27M visitors

DENR backs solid waste plan

First NBA Cafe in Asia to open in the PH

Kris Aquino eyes investment in Sarangani’s

Gumasa beach district


2 tuEsday may 7, 2013economy

Advertising and EditorialE-mail : [email protected]

Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776Editor : Christine Cabiasa

Philippine’s 455 waterless towns will allhave water supply by 2016, says DILG

By Franklin P. Gumapon, Contributor

PAGADIAN CITY -- The country’s 455 waterless municipalities will have their own water supply system by 2016, according to Ms. Fe Crisilla Banluta, Program Manager, Water Supply Sanitation Unit (WSSU) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

gets funding support from the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDGF) 1919 whose goal is to help the poor families and their waterless communities in the country gain and sustain access to clean and safe water. In implementing the program, the DILG partners with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and the local government

units (LGUs) including the local communities and local water service providers. In Zamboanga Peninsula, the municipa l it ies with ongoing SaLinTubig-funded projects are Tungawan, Alicia, Ipil and Payao of Zamboanga Sibugay, Midsalip, Lapuyan and Tigbao of Zamboanga del Sur and Katipunan, Kalawit and Sindangan of Zamboanga del Norte. The forum also tackled the five Cs plaguing poor com mu n it ie s , na mely :

corruption, climate change, culture, conf lict and weak communities. Ms. Banluta also reported that 122,000 households from depressed town in 12 provinces have now access to safe water. To ensure sustainability of SaLinTubig projects, citizens’ monitors would be organized in t he communit ies to serve as integrity watch, en l ist ing suppor t f rom people’s orga nizat ions , religious leaders and other

stakeholders. Attending the forum were representatives from the municipalities of Katipunan and Kalawit of Zamboanga del Norte, Tungawan, Alicia, Ipili and Payao of Zamboanga Sibugay, Midsalip, Lapuyan and Tigbao of Zamboanga del Sur, DILG-IX personnel headed by Regional Director Paisal Abutazil and local media practitioners. The fund for MDGF 1919 was established in 2006 by the Spanish government.

Speaking in a forum held here Tuesday on human rights-based local water and sanitation governance, Ms. Banluta said potable water systems were already given to 36 of the 455 waterless towns in the country under

the Sagana and Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat (SaLinTubig) [Sufficient and Safe Water for All] project. These 36 towns belong to the pilot regions comprising regions 2, 5,9,10 and 13. The SaLinTubig project

Kris Aquino eyes investment in Sarangani’s Gumasa beach districtBy Allen V. Estabillo of mindanews

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Saying it could be the country’s “next Boracay,” movie and television celebrity Kr is Aquino expressed interest Thursday of putting up an investment in the famed white sand beaches of Gumasa in the coastal town of Glan in Sarangani province. Aquino, who joined the campaign sorties here of

administration senatorial bets re-electionist Senator Francis Escudero and Grace Poe, disclosed that she made some inquiries to possibly acquire a property along the popular beach strip. The presidential sister said she is presently looking at bringing in a partner to joint ly invest in the development of a resort in the area.

“I t h i n k we shou ld promote more the tourism here because you have a b e aut i f u l a i r p or t a nd beautiful roads,” she said in a press conference. Aquino hinted that she has been trying to work out an investment arrangement in Gumasa with Escudero whom, she said, has been “looking for something to procure” for his girlfriend,

actress Heart Evangelista. “I’ve been calling some of my friends (to help out) so we can procure that gift for their first year anniversary,” she said. Aquino said she was immediately smitten by the pristine white sand beaches of

Gumasa during her first visit in the last week of January to shoot her birthday episode for her daily talk show Kris TV. She adde d she w a s specifically charmed with the beauty of the place, the good food and the amiable

folks in the area. Aquino, who spent some time then at the Rosal beach resort, pointed out that it only takes about an hour and 10 minutes from this city to reach Gumasa and enjoy its natural beauty. “It’s less hassle to get there than going to Boracay,” Aquino said, referring to the world-famous Boracay Island in Aklan. Aquino said it’s been her “dream” to put up a resort project, noting she has found “the opportunity to make it happen in Gumasa.” “Who knows? I hope it wi l l become our next Boracay,” she said. Gu masa , which was christened by locals and visitors as the “Boracay of the South,” boasts of natural white sand beachfronts that are lined with lush greenery. It’s clear waters have been popular among tourists for swimming, diving, snorkeling as well as other leisure and adventure activities. The area hosts seven beach resorts that had been declared by the Department of Tourism as “tourist-ready.” On May 24-25, Barangay Gumasa’s seven-kilometer beachfront will take anew the center stage as the main venue of the 8th Sarangani Bay (SarBay) Festival. Around 70,000 local and foreign tourists are expected to join the SarBay fest, which is dubbed as the “biggest beach party in the country.”

CaPex/PAGE 112go/PAGE 11


3tuEsday may 7, 2013corporateWorlD

Advertising and EditorialE-mail : [email protected] nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776Editor : Nelson Constantino

Property developer hikes capexCENTURY PROPERTIES Group, Inc. plans to ramp up its capital expenditure (capex) this year to as much as P8.2 billion, a 13% jump from last year’s spending, in order to bankroll ongoing construction at four flagship mixed-use projects, the property developer said in its 2012 annual report.

Parañaque City that will have a man-made beach and club designed by socialite Paris Hilton; and • Canyon Ranch, a25-hec ta re subd iv ision within the 77-hectare San Lazaro Leisure Park in Cavite City.

FUNDING SOURCES In February last year, C e n t u r y P r o p e r t i e s earmarked as much as P8.3 billion for capex but actually spent P7.26 billion, according to the annual report. Century Properties said it plans to bankroll spending this year through various sources. “The Group expects to fund budgeted capital

“The Group (Century P r o p e r t i e s) b u d g e t e d between P7,200 million to P8,200 million for capex for 2013 primarily to fund the development of its four master-planned community project,” read the report. T h e c o m p a n y w a s referring to its four ongoing master-planned projects: • C ent u r y C i t y, a3.4 -hec ta re m i xed use

project in Bel-Air, Makati City that will have eight condominiums, a shopping mall, and a medical outpatient facility when completed; • A c q u a P r i v a t eResidences, a six-tower residential development in Mandaluyong City beside Pasig River; • Azure Urban ResortResidences, a nine-building, six-hectare development in

expenditures principally through existing cash and c a sh f rom oper at ions , through borrowings and through its share offering,” the company added in its annual report. Last March, Century P r o p e r t i e s r a i s e d approximately P1.64 billion from an overnight, discounted sale of 800 million shares at P2.05 apiece to various institutional investors.

GROWING C ent u r y Proper t ies , a developer of high-end properties, debuted on the Philippine Stock Exchange v ia backdoor l ist ing in September 2011, replacing dormant energy firm East Asia Power Resources Corp. As of end-2012 , t he de veloper had a l ready completed 5,560 residential units in 21 condominium buildings in Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Quezon, and Taguig cities, all with a total gross f loor area of 669,857 square meters (sq. m.), the annual report read. It was also managing 51 residential and commercial properties by the end of last year. Century Properties more than doubled its net income to P1.86 billion last year from P866 million in 2011 on the back of a surge in revenues from the f irm’s property projects, which more than doubled to P9.60 billion from P4.70 billion.

Jetti Petroleum to open 20 new retail stationsJETTI Petroleum Inc plans to expand its retail network by a fifth this year. L e o B e l l a s , J e t t i corporate affairs manager, said the company aims to construct 20 stations this year. “We will be spending P80 to P100 million. The 20 stations will be scattered i n Lu zon, Visayas a nd Mindanao,” he said. At present, Jetti has 100 pump stations nationwide. Besides the new stations, the company is building an oil depot in Bataan, Bellas said.

T h e f a c i l i t y w i l l complement Jet t i ’s sole bulk and import terminal i n Ta golo a n , M i s a m i s Or ienta l , which ser ves the requirements of the company’s operations in Iloilo City, Mandaue, Cebu and in Naic, Cavite. Jetti ’s retail expansion w i l l he lp b o o s t s a le s , which stayed f lat in the first quarter “because the industry has become very competitive,” Bellas said, without disclosing figures. Last year, the company sold 268 million liters of fuel.

2GO trims losses on higher freight revenuesT H E cou nt r y ’s la rges t shipping company cut its losses by more than half last year on higher freight revenues. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, 2GO Group Inc said its net loss fell 62.17 percent to P386 million last year from P626 million in 2011.

Revenues rose 5.81 percent to P13.72 billion from P12.97 billion over the same period. Of the tota l revenue, 2GO’s f reight business accounted for P6.32 billion, up 11 percent year-on-year. The passage business suffered an 11 percent drop in revenue to P2.12 billion


4 tuEsday may 7, 2013neWs


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776Editor : Cheng Ordoñez

boraCay/PAGE 10

tourist/PAGE 10

Visitors enjoy the cool waters of Asik-asik Falls in Alamada, North Cotabato. This waterfall is unique, with waters gushing out of the side of a cliff, shooting through the thick foliage, unlike other falls that are basically rivers falling into a ravine. Setting the pace for the Department of Tourism’s 5.5 million target arrivals for this year, the First Quarter has reached 1.27 million visitor arrivals and accounts for 23 percent of the target. mindanews photo by bobby timonera

Foreign firms accused of takingadvantage over energy situationUNQUALIFIED FIRMS ALLOWED TO BID WITH OVER-PRICED CONTRACTS

A consumer group in General Santos is decrying the recent events where foreign companies are allegedly taking advantage of the Mindanao power crisis to the detriment of the Filipino people.

pointed out that while EI submitted the lowest bid, it reportedly did not comply with the bid ’s terms of reference (TOR). T h e T OR r e q u i r e d the bidders to post a cash performance guarantee in the form a check or remittance to be deposited to the account of SOCOTECO 2. EI, however, only submitted a Letter of Credit. “Ngano man ipa-lusot nila ning bidder kung wala siya ka-comply? Ing-ana na ba gyud ka babaw ang pag-tan-aw nila sa amo-a? Ngano pa ipa-agi sa bidding? Ginaliba lang mi!” (Why did they allow the bidder to submit a non-complying bid? Is that how low they (SOCOTECO 2 officials) think of us? So why go through a bidding? Just to hoodwink us?),” Sande and his group lamented. If the TOR were to be fol lowed st r ic t ly, since an LC is not eligible as a performance guarantee, EI would have been disqualified from the bid. Only cash bonds were supposedly acceptable to ensure that only qualified bidders would participate. Nonetheless, SOCOTECO 2 allowed EI to participate, he said. Sande pointed out that if it were a Filipino company, it

R o y S a n d e o f t h e C o n s u m e r s A g a i n s t Exploitation (CAE) decried the signing of the Power Sa les Contract between SOCOTECO 2 and Peak Power, a subsidiary of an A mer ica n compa ny, A Brown. “ T h i s US c omp a ny did not only sign a very expensive contract. The signing itself was anomalous as the essential provisions of the contract were left blank,” Roy said. “Clearly,” he said, “this is a firm trying to take advantage of us here in General Santos City.” The group also pointed out that this company has been singled out by human rights groups in Mindanao for its participation in the harmful expansion of palm oil plants.In General Santos, A Brown, through its subsidiary Peak Power, signed a contract with blank pages, the same group claimed. Pointing out the essential provisions that were left blank, Roy likened it to SOCOTECO 2’s “signing a blank check.” “Murag nakamenos sila (SOCOTECO 2 officials) sa amo mga consumers, porke wala me suga, bisag unsa na lang puede nila ilabay sa amo-a. Abi nila dili me makakita.”

They (SOCOTECO 2 officials) think we are stupid. Just because we have no lights, they think they can throw anything at us because we won’t see anyway), Sande lamented. “Diha sila nasayop!” (That’s where they are mistaken), Sande warned. He said that they wil l not stop unti l SOCOTECO 2 scraps the Peak Power contract. He a lso pointed out t hat last week, Energ y I n t e r n a t i o n a l ( E I ) participated in and won the bid by SOCOTECO II for a two-year diesel power supply for the EC. EI is not too well known in the local power industry. Their website (http://www.l inkedin.com/company/e n e r g y- i n t e r n a t i o n a l -corporation) states the EI, based in Michigan, USA, was established in 1979 a s a compa ny ser v i ng the HVAC Industry. EI is supplying contractors, consultants, municipalities, government agencies, airport & seaport authorities, as well as end-users and OEM manufacturers. “Unsa ang pagtan-aw nila sa amo, bo-ang?” Roy asked. He said SOCOTECO 2 is not buying mere air-conditioners but power plants. The consumer group

would have been disqualified right away. The group also claimed that this same consortium did not deliver power plants they were supposed to deliver in the past. Cesar Hernandez of the consortium is the President of 3i that failed to deliver in 2007, 30 MW in Marinduque, Tablas, and Romblon. This failure to deliver, according to the group, was in spite of the approva l of the Energ y regulator y Commission (ERC). “ I n s p i t e o f t h i s information, SOCOTECO 2 accepted their bid,” according to Sande. “We, the consumers, will stand to lose because if the bidder cannot deliver, they have nothing to lose because they did not deposit any CASH bond,” said Sande. The group vowed not to stop going against what they believe is a systematic exploitat ion by foreign companies of the Filipinos. “They might have the money and power now, but we are not going to stop until people, like EI’s and A Brown’s, are stopped by the Fi l ipino people. The group has cal led on SOCOTECO 2 to stop entering into contracts with these firms.

Q1 tourist arrivals validate‘More Fun’ with 1.27M visitorsFIRST quarter visitor arrivals reached 1.27 million, a 10.76 percent growth from last year’s 1.15 million for the same period. This marks the second time that foreign tourist arrivals breached the one-million mark in the first quarter, setting the pace for the Department of Tourism to reach its 5.5 mil l ion arrival target for 2013. The first quarter performance accounts for 23 percent of the target arrivals for the year. Ko r e a r e m a i n s t h e leading visitor market, which captured 25.83% of the total inbound traffic with 328,454 arrivals, followed by the United States with 186,065 or 14.63% of the overal l visitor volume. The Japanese market contributed the third biggest arrivals with 114,269 or 8.99%. Rounding up the top five visitor markets for the first quarter are China with 98,242 and Taiwan with 53,867 visitors. The Korean market rose by 23.93%, the highest among the top five major markets. O t he r k e y m a rk e t s contributing signif icant volume of arrivals include

Aust ra l ia w it h 53,679; Singapore w it h 41,524; C a n a d a w i t h 3 8 , 4 8 6 ; Hongkong with 36,005; United Kingdom with 32,475; Malaysia with 27,212; and Germany with 22,491. Double-digit gains were

recorded by the Russian F e d e r a t i o n ( 2 6 . 9 %) , Hongkong (25.04%), Korea (23.93%), India (22.1%), Singapore (15.42%), Australia (12 .65%), and Ma laysia (11. 8 6%). T he A SE A N source markets grew 14.82%

while East Asia increased by 14.15%. Visitor arrivals for March 2013 also saw a double-digit increase of 11.28% with 417,392 visitors compared to the previous year’s volume

THE President ia l Task Force composed of t he Department of Tourism (DOT), Depa r t ment of Justice (DOJ), Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), in cooperation with the local government unit of Malay and the Depar tment of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), lauds several DOT-accredited enterprises which have voluntarily cleaned the beach area fronting their establishments and cleared structures in support of the 25 plus 5 meter easement regulation in the island of Boracay. The DOT Region VI office reported that among those which have complied are the Ambassador in Paradise and Seawind Beach Resort, both high-end resorts located at Brgy. Balabag. Ambassador in Paradise was the first resort to implement the clearing of the seawall built in front of the establishment that encroaches the easement. The clearing was made after the resor t management attended the Consultation with the Business Cluster spearheaded by DOT Region VI last 17 January 2013, in which representatives of tourism establishments were advised to tear down the said structures to protect the area from further damage caused by sand erosions during south

Boracay establishments heedcall for voluntary redevelopment

monsoon season. Other establishments located at Sitio Mangayad in Brgy. Balabag such as The Mandarin de Boracay Resort, Le Soleil de Boracay Beach Resort, Boracay Uptown, Chez de Paris Restaurant, and Nigi Nigi Nu Noos Resort also did their share by relocating fish bars and seafood display tables inside their respective establishments to allot space for the walkways. Ea rly t h is yea r, t he task force announced that several establishments were found to be not complying with the redevelopment plans for Boracay and were issued notices to act on the plan by the end of March. However, since the volume of tourists had peaked as early as February and continues to do so, the deadline was extended unti l af ter the summer season. The government task force enjoins the rest of the establishments concerned to comply with the voluntary redevelopment directive as soon as possible. The order pertains to the illegal s t r u c t u r e s , i n c l u d i n g embankments to prevent f loods. The community was assured of an upcoming flood control project that will start soon and be completed within the year. “With the rise of tourism arrivals comes a heightened sense of protect ion and


5tuEsday may 7, 2013

Advertising and EditorialE-mail : [email protected] nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

hurst/PAGE 10


6 tuEsday may 7, 2013opinion

suaN/PAGE 10

diaz/PAGE 10 daNNug/PAGE 10


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776Editor : Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

Website: www.businessweekmindanao.comE-mail : [email protected]

The BusinessDaily is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Advertising and Promotions daily with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Region 10 with Certificate No. 00875701, and with Business Permit No. 2013-10946, TIN No. 946-396-807 – Non VAT. Tel. Nos.: (088)8578447, 74-5380, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNILegaL CounseL

DANTE M. SUDARIAPubLisher

ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA, Ph.D.Manager

CRIS DIAzMIkE bAñOS

bUTCh ENERIOsub-editors

NELSON CONSTANTINOeditor-in-Chief

DOLLY PELONECoMPtroLLer

CRYSTALINE PINOadvertising

ChRISTINE CAbIASACoPy editor RUEL PELONE

Online editor

ShAUN YAP UYseCtion editor

CLIFFORD SANTILLANRONALD b. MASTAIL

Layout artists

JOE DEL PUERTO FELICILDAURIEL C. QUILINGUING editoriaL ConsuLtants

ChENG ORDOñEzexeCutive editor

bONG FAbEassoCiate editor


Member:

Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber)

Good directionsThink a minute…A man from the city was taking a

drive out in the country and got lost. He stopped to ask a farmer for directions: “Where’s the main highway to the city?” The farmer answered: “I don’t know.” So the driver asked: “Well where does this road go?” Again the farmer answered: “I don’t know.” Frustrated, the driver said to the farmer: “You don’t know much, do you?” The farmer answered: “No, but I ain’t the one who’s lost!” It reminds me of the true story about the famous scientist, Albert Einstein. Einstein was taking a trip on a train. When the clerk came through asking for everybody’s ticket, Einstein couldn’t find his. Worried, he quickly searched through his pockets and suitcase. Recognizing the famous scientist, the clerk kindly said: “It’s OK, Mr. Einstein, I know who you are.” A few minutes later the ticket clerk saw Einstein still looking for his ticket. Again he said: “It’s OK, Mr Einstein, I know who you are!” Einstein replied: “Young man, I know who I am! I have to find my ticket because I don’t know where I’m going!”

The well-known preacher, Billy Graham, recently spoke at an important ceremony. He told the audience that he had bought a brand new suit and tie just for that special occasion. Since he is now old and frail, he told the audience he didn’t think he would be attending any more public ceremonies like this so he probably wouldn’t wear his new suit again, not until he dies and is buried in it. “However,” Billy Graham went on to say, “unlike Albert Einstein, I not only know who I am, but I also know where I’m going.” The well-known preacher, Billy Graham, recently spoke at an important ceremony. He told the audience that he had bought a brand new suit and tie just for that special occasion. Since he is now old and frail, he told the audience he didn’t think he would be attending any more public

By Jhan Tiafau HurstA Minute

tHinK

ALLAN MEDIANTEManaging editor

regionaL editorCRIS PANGANIbAN

AS the May 13, 2013 election day nears, the true nature

of candidates surfaced. What have these candidates (local) achieved in the last 45-day campaign period? These candidates exposed the rotten election system where personal destruction became the main focus of campaign platforms. It is very frustrating that in reality, most candidates who delved on the platform of personal destructions were those who have more to explain about themselves and their accomplishments. These candidates, especially the ambitious and power hungry candidates, believed they could get the sympathy of the voters through deceptive antics. By the way, Oscar Moreno, a Liberal Party mayoral candidate in Cagayan de Oro City, has yet to answer allegations of his extravagance at the provincial capitol. Moreno has been accused of squandering more than P 100 million through cash advance that has remained unsettled. Is Moreno leaving Misamis Oriental scot-free? It is sad to say that Moreno has not made a convincing explanation of his failure to settle the cash advances. Although Moreno argued that the cash advances were availed of by capitol workers, there were still suspicions that Moreno benefited from those cash advances. One could not imagine that an ordinary employee (some were casuals) could get hundreds of thousands to millions of cash advances. How could these workers pay the loan when these workers received only a little more than the required monthly minimum wage? Moreno must have learned the strategy from his predecessor who has the penchant of making cash advances through his staff. This method is one way of getting away with possible graft charges. The point is that the governor is not directly involved in the transaction. The cash advanced was made through the employee

The cash advancecontroversy in MisOr

Cris DiAz

Happiness in purpose We have a God-ordained purpose. I was unhappy because I have missed my purpose, by a long shot. Isaiah’s complaint was my own, “I have toiled in vain, and for nothing. I spent my strength uselessly..” (Isaiah 49:4.) My work of many years was for my own purpose, not God’s. If God is not our Supreme Master, life has no meaning. There is no reason for our being. We are not only a body, we are also a spirit. We are not human beings trying to have a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings going through this temporary human experience. Note the word temporary. Many of us exchange or trade-off the eternal for the temporary. We throw away the Pearl of Great Price for the passing fancies of the world. That’s why we suffer from soul sickness. People who have turned their lives over to the Lord, attest to the unbelievable joy and indescribable adventure they experience with Him. The doubting Thomasa that I was, I thought this testimony was a lot of corny baloney. But now the baloney is on me. I discovered for myself that it is true. I’m now mouthing the same testimony, and in more flowery language. Ever since DXRU Radio Ultra started broadcasting, I

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. -Aristotle

In our generation of materialistic occupation and frivolous distraction, it is not farfetched to say that we are so busy with the business of life that we have forgotten to live. The hours, the days, the years flash swiftly by in an endless blur of hurrying and scurrying. We have the seeds of our dreams to plant, the tree of ambition to grow, and the sweet fruits of success to harvest. So engrossed are we with filling our barns to overflowing, we hardly notice that the years behind us are increasing, and the years in front of us are dwindling. We have consumed them in the pursuit of wordly living. Now the autumnal season is upon us. I have yearned to celebrate the autumn of my life in the pleasure of leisure, graciously enjoying the rewards of my labour. And for a time I did. I savored the fabulous life: travelling, partying, shopping, reading, gardening, relaxing. I have worked most of my life. A big chunk of my time was spent slaving away on a job, and later in the family business. I define success as owning my time.If you are the master of your time, to use it as you please, then in my book, you are a success. So there I was, believing myself a success, sipping at the nectar of an indulgent lifestyle. You’d think my cup runneth over, filled to the brim with happiness and contentment. Think again! Incomprehensible as it may seem, I was anxious, restless, discontented and unhappy. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why. Being a voracious reader, I soon found the answer on the pages of good books. We were put on this earth, not for selfish pleasure, but for service.

By Girlie Gualberto-SuanOf HAppiness

Business

Social Justicea succession of first-born male heirs. In many instances in Europe, the perpetuation of the monarchist system of government is done via inter-marriages among so-called noble families. Lore, history and literature describe the throne, that is the symbol of authority and rectitude, as a “throne of blood.” This is due to the fact that the authority of the king or monarch is defended at all cost by violent means and long internecine wars within the family and among noble houses. In kingdoms that brook no opposition, any pretender to the throne is murdered, including loyal forces and minions. In America, it is amazing that the Presidency hasn’t been keenly dynastic although the bug had bitten a few families, like the Adams and the Bushes. It is sufficient to state that there is an acceptance of families with political acumen, like the Kennedys, to hold public office, but the US electoral processes diffuse power holding.

If you stare at the face of political dynasties and see a social justice issue, then you are not alone.

The shared argument is that the attainment of social justice among the poor and the dispossessed, the unlettered and the under-skilled, the unborn and the aged, and the rest of agonizing humanity has been hindered, impeded and exacerbated by dynasties of the political kind. A political dynasty is control of governmental authority by a family, starting with the paterfamilias, the wife, children and close relatives by means of undue advantage, whether by rank, wealth or position, including corruption of the election process, to the exclusion of others over an indeterminate period. The political dynasties are taipans of government. Because of their compelling presence, political dynasties build and preserve the power structure of society, and thus suffuse the culture with their own dynamics and ethos. This is the case of the Mongol Genghis Khan and the succeeding dynasties. They became a dominant force in the syncretic growth and the economic development of what is now China. The English monarchies in the past and the present are essentially dynasties. So too are the kings and emperors and the tribal chieftains of great nations in Asia, such as Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia. The capacity of the dynasty to continue is ensured via

By Crispin Dannug Jr.BreAK

COffee




Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Benjo A. Benaldo and his chief of staff Andrew Bascon buy fish from a resident vendor of barangay Bonbon. The congressman continues his campaign for the May 2013 mid-term elections as he seeks another term in Congress. photo by gerry lee gorit

Benaldo’s popularity risingBy GERRY LEE GORIT

A recent survey in Cagayan de Oro City has shown that re-electionist Congressman Benjo A. Benaldo of the first district is rising in popularity with barely two weeks to go before the May 13 election day.

Benaldo’s visits to all barangays have resulted in people understanding better the work of a congressman. “The people have come to appreciate the services provided by Congressman Benaldo,” Bascon added. “It i s not t r ue t hat Benaldo can’t be seen by his constituents. That is just propaganda by his political opponents,” Bascon said. He said that Benaldo is anti-EPAL that is why there are no tarpaulins in many of his projects. “But the people know who’s project is it in their barangay,” he added. Bascon said the voters in the city’s first congressional

district would do well to re-elect Benaldo as their representative so that the s er v ic e s c a n c ont i nue inasmuch as Benaldo listens to their concerns and gives time to his work. “We are gaining much more popularity,” he said. Benaldo is running under the Padayon Pilipino party led by Mayor Vicente Y. Emano and Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas who are also seeking re-election. The party’s candidates in the first congressional district for the city council include Dante Pajo, Annie Daba, Maya Enteria, Pepe Abbu, Inday Dahino, Alden Bacal and Gil Banaag.

The survey results show Benaldo gaining 38% while his closest rival Klarex Uy posted only 14%. According to Andrew Bascon, chief of staf f of Benaldo, the congressman’s popularity soared in recent days when his constituents learned of his hard work in Congress that brought more than 168 projects for the 24 barangays of Cagayan

de Oro’s first district. In a radio interv iew, Bascon said each barangay received at least 3 or 4 projects f inanced by the P r i or i t y D e ve l o pm e nt A s s i s t a n c e F u n d o f Congressman Benaldo who is the assistant majority f loor leader, He said the projects range from livelihood programs to infrastructure.

FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS PLACEMENTS CONTACT

790 PCs deliveredto GenSan public schools

for computerization programBy Allen V. Estabillo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The city government has delivered a total of 790 personal computer (PC) sets to local public schools in the last 20 months as part of the implementation of its expanded school computerization program. P e r c i v a l P a s u e l o , i n f o r m a t i o n a n d communication technology division head of the city mayor’s office, said Tuesday the new PCs were distributed by the local government to 58 speech and computer laboratories that it upgraded and established in various publ ic elementar y and secondary schools in the city from July 2011 and until last month. “ E a c h o f t h e s e laboratories was provided with 10 to 20 PCs, depending on the school’s population,” he said in a statement.Under the program, Pasuelo said schools with over 1,000 students received 20 PCs while those with less than 1,000 students got 10 PC units. A s i d e f r o m t h e computers, he said they provided the recipient-schools and students with the necessary software, reference materials and trainings through the city’s enhanced SHEEP-Computer Literacy Program (CLP). He s a id t he y a l s o es tabl i shed e lec t ron ic libraries or e-Libraries in all public elementary and secondary schools within the city’s 26 barangays to provide students and teachers with wider access to various educat iona l references and related learning materials. SH E E P s t a nd s for Socia l Transformation, Human Empowerment, Economic Diversification,

Env i ronment Secu r it y a nd Regenerat ion a nd Participatory Governance and Transparency, which are the city’s main development thrusts. The city government earlier launched the CLP as a major component of the SHEEP program’s education-related initiatives. Pasuelo said the city’s school computerization program started in 1999 with Labangal National High School as init ia l beneficiary. L a b a n g a l Nat ion a l High School, which serves students belonging to the “poorest of the poor,” was prioritized then for the first 20 PC units delivered by the city government, he said. In 2000, he said the local government expanded the initiative to 16 public high schools, with each getting 20 PCs. The program covered elementary schools by 2001. Pasuelo said City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio pushed for the upgrading of the school-based computer laboratories in 2011 to address the growing demand for global competitiveness, especia l ly the need to increase human capital. H e s a i d t h e c i t y g o v e r n m e n t t h e n “reengineered” the SHEEP-CLP by providing more training modules to meet the demands of the city’s emerg i ng i n format ion technology-based Business P r o c e s s O u t s o u rc i n g industry. “At the grassroots level, basic computer trainings were i nt ro duc e d . We also offered modules on computer programming, basic robotics, multimedia art, AutoCAD, animation, call center trainings, among others,” he added.

host/PAGE 10


8 tuEsday may 7, 2013ecoBusiness


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776Editor : Bong D. Fabe

An answerto deforestation quandaryWHY should government agencies and other organizations search for a reforestation program from other countries when there is already a system in the Philippines proven to be viable and sustainable? The Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc. has developed a scheme that combines farming and reforestation together. “We have been doing the system since the late 1980s but it didn’t catch the attention of the government and funding agencies,” said Roy C. Alimoane, the first Filipino director of the center. Alimoane is referring to the Sustainable Agroforest Land Technology (SALT 3), a modification of the original Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT 1). There are two more types of the system: Simple Agro-Livestock Technology (SALT 2) and Small Agrofruit Livelihood Technology (SALT). All these systems are considered as agroforestry, a collective name for all land-use systems and practices where woody perennials and crops are planted together in the same area. “The principle of SALT is the same as that used by the Ifugao tribes,” explained Alimoane. “But instead of using rocks as wall, we are utilizing natural barriers, particularly nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs.” In SALT system, double hedgerows of nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs are planted at 4-5 meters intervals on equal-elevation contours. The hedgerows are pruned frequently (every 5-6 weeks when moisture is adequate) and the prunings are applied to the crops as mulch and as source of fertilizer. In the space between the hedgerows, a combination of permanent, semi-permanent, and annual crops are planted. “We are doing this so as to rebuild the ecosystem and maximize yields while enabling farmers to organize their work time efficiently,” says Alimoane. The hedgerows serve also as a block against soil erosion. “Soil erosion is an enemy to any nation – far worse than any outside enemy coming into a country and conquering it because it is an enemy you cannot see vividly,” said Harold R. Watson, former MBRLC director who received the 1985 Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace and international understanding. “It’s a slow creeping enemy that soon possesses the land.” Some years ago, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that 22 provinces in the country had an “alarming” soil erosion rate. Batangas and Cebu reportedly had lost 80% to 85% of their topsoil to erosion. “Without soil, there would be no food apart from what the rivers and the sea can provide,” reminded Edouard Saouma when he was still director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. “The soil is the world’s most precious natural resource. Yet it is not valued as it should be. Gold, oil, minerals and precious stones command prices which have led us to treat soil as mere dirt.” A 10-year study conducted at the MBRLC farm showed that a farm tilled in the traditional manner erodes at the rate of 1,163.4 metric tons per hectare per year. A SALT farm erodes at the rate of only 20.2 metric tons per hectare per year in the same period. Aside from soil erosion, another problem that farmers face is deforestation. “Strip away the trees, and the soil is totally exposed to the full force of rain,” said Watson, who retired in the mid-1990s. When Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan “rediscovered” the Philippines in 1521, the Philippines was teemed with virgin forests. But when Ferdinand Marcos became the president, mountains were devoid of trees and became denuded. “As the t imber boom gained momentum, the government was unable to supervise concessions effectively or enforce logging regulations,” wrote Robert Repetto, author of The Forest for the Trees? Government Policies and the Misuse of Forest Resources. “Links between timber companies and politicians further eroded government control.” Logging, whether legal or illegal, denuded the country’s forests. “The attitude of loggers in the Philippines has always been: get the trees before someone else does,” wrote environmental journalist Alan C. Robles. “This attitude puts a premium on short-term profits, but its effect is long-term irreversible environmental damage like decreased soil fertility, loss of groundwater and extended dry seasons. To save what remains of the country’s forest cover, the MBRLC developed SALT 3. In a two-hectare lot, one hectare is to food production following the SALT system. “This is the source of income for the farmers

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT. A scavenger tosses a sackful of scrap recovered from an open dumpsite in Iligan City. RA9003 or the Ecological Solid Management Act of 2000 prohibits, among others, open dumpsites such as this. photo by bong d. fabe

DENR backs solid waste planBy BONG D. FABE, associate Editor

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lend is full support to the Office of the Ombudsman’s initiative requiring all cities, municipalities and provinces to fully comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA9003).

prosecution, said Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon and Environmental Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera. The 3-year Solid Waste Management Compliance Program recognizes the best-performing LGUs based on their conformity with RA9003, which not only provides the legal framework to ensure the protection of public health and the environment but also seeks the creation of mechanisms and incentives for effective solid waste management at the LGU level. RA9003 mandates LGUs to segregate solid waste, establish materials recovery facilities (MRF). It also ban the use of open dumpsite and littering as well as open burning of solid waste, among others. (BDF)

T h e O f f i c e o f t h e O mbud sm a n i n i t i a t e d recent ly the three-year Solid Waste Management Compliance Program for all local government units. “The DENR commits itself to lending its technical expertise to the Office of the Ombudsman in monitoring the LGUs’ compliance with the law and to cooperate with other agencies and environmental groups to ensure the success of the program,” Environment

Secretary Ramon Paje said in a statement. Of t he 1, 610 LGUs nationwide, only a dismal 414 or 25.7 percent have complied with the law while only 9 of the 17 LGUs in Metro Manila or 52.9% submitted solid waste management plans, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. Admittedly, the Office of the Ombudsman deviated from its usual responsibility of mere investigation and

Greens Partychosen hostof 3rd APGN

reg’l congressTHE Philippines’ own Greens Party (Partido Kalikasan) has been selected as host of the 3rd Asia Pacific Greens Network (APGN) Regional Congress that will try to draw up, among others, a Greens Charter for Asia-Pacific. The Congress, to be held in Cebu City on March 15-16, 2014 will strategize ways and means to advance green politics all over the world starting in the Asia-Pacific region as well as the best innovative methods in green governance. The Partido Kalikasan, founded in December 6, 2003 is the emerging national green political party of the Philippines. It will be fielding local and national candidates in the 2016 national and local elections. It is a member of the Asia Pacific Greens Network, a federation of national green parties, social and environmental organizations all over Asia and Oceania, which is cultivating green policies and implementing the Global Greens Charter. Adopted during the First Global Greens Congress in Canberra in 2001, the Global Greens Charter spells out the principles that bind together Greens from around the world such as ecological w isdom, socia l just ice , participatory democracy, nonviolence, sustainability and respect for diversity.

Philippinesjoins world

climate talksTHE Philippines is among the developing countries which joined the talks to urge developed nations not to stray from the principles a nd prov i s ions of t he United Nations Framework Convent ion on Climate Change treaty and raise climate action ambition at the opening of this year’s first round of climate talks. The current c l imate talks are pursued by the Like Minded Developing C ou nt r ie s (L M D C) i n two discussions. The first dea ls with negot iat ions of a post 2020 agreement and the second primarily refers to addressing the lack of developed country emission reduction ambition and financial support for developing countries between now and 2020. “ I f on l y d e ve lop e d countries have fu lf i l led t he i r o b l i g a t ion s a nd remained faithful to our ‘constitution’, we would be on our way to a fair and successful climate regime

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”

—Mahatma Gandhi

‘PPP perpetuate abuses against lumads’

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. This Matigsalug mother and her children patiently wait for their turn at the free medical mission conducted by a non-government organization in Barangay Matupe, San Fernando, Bukidnon. photo by bong d. fabe

REPRESENTATIVES of at least 18 ethno-linguistic t r i b e s i n M i n d a n a o converged at the Guingona Park in Butuan City recently to denounce the Aquino administration for its alleged continued destruction the lumads’ ancestral land as well as the unabated rights abuses against the indigenous peoples. An est imated 10,000 lumads gathered together and expressed their outrage and vehement opposition to projects in IP communities approved by the Aquino administration through its highly-touted private-public partnership (PPP) program. “The PPP policy of Aquino government effectively sells our natural resources to foreign capitalists,” said G ena s que E n r ique z , a Manobo from Surigao del

Sur. Enriquez said the PPP has fast tracked the entry of large-scale mining companies in Caraga Region, now dubbed

as the “Mining Capital of the Philippines” and the subsequent militarization of the region to secure the

QuaNdary/PAGE 11

lumads/PAGE 11

Climate/PAGE 11


9tuEsday may 7, 2013classifieDaDs


KIMBERLITE PAWNSHOP MALAYBALAY BRANCH

Kimberlite Pawnshop will be having an AUCTION SALE on all items that expired on March 2013

AUCTION DATE: MAY 21, 2013Estrada Bldg., Fortich-Don Carlos Sts.,

Malaybalay City, BukidnonContact no.: 309-5276

HERMILINO VILLALON

Pryce Plaza HotelCarmen Hill, CDo,

Tel. No.722791 to93/858-4537E-mail:[email protected]

---------------------------------tHe Marigold Hotel

Velez cor. Luna Sts, CDoTel Nos. 856-4320, 856-2050, 726937

E-mail: [email protected]

---------------------------------cHaNaNtHoN Bed

& BreaKFaStCM Recto Avenue, Cagayan de Oro CityTel. #: 856-81-89 / 309-3095 / 231-2103Email ad : [email protected]

Room @ P800.00

---------------------------------NeW daWN PeNSioNNe

Velez-macahambus Sts, CDoTel Nos. 8571776, 721776

email : [email protected]

AMJJ HOG BUYERANDSUPER JJ EXPRESS

MANAGED BY :

Hilda Enday Abellanosa & Abraham G. AbellanosaHome Address: Bagor Kadingilan, Bukidnon

Home Address: CDO Barangay 17 Corner Burgos Abellanosa St.WE ACCEPT ORDERS: LECHON, HALANG-HALANG or SAMPAINA

Contact: 09353742908 / 09265949729

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN bRANChP & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers – Kalambagohan Sts.,

Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947CAMIGUIN bRANCh B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao,

Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491CORRALES 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 CityTel. # (088) 231-6739a

KC COMMERCIALInstaller Water Refilling Stationalso available in Water accesories

and water station needs

Tel. No. 310-3605Mobile No. 0917-5099632

Door#5 GOGO Bldg., Gaabucayan CornerCorrales Extn., Cag. de Oro, Misamis Oriental

Tel. No. 310-3605Mobile No. 0917-7033462

Heaven’sCool Water

Purified Drinking Water& Alkaline Ozonized Water

Main Office: Door#6 YMCA Bldg., JulioPacana St., Brgy 21. Cag. de Oro, Mis Or

Branch Address: Block 21 Lot 1 NHA Phase 2Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

THE BEST CHOICE FOR ADVERTISING

CONTACT ADS DEPT: 0917-71214240947-8935776

856-3344, 72-33-44

o TARYOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER


10 tuEsday may 7, 2013entertainment


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

Today’s HOROSCOPEAQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) -Internal satisfaction is enough to motivate you to do your best at all times, but there are additional benefits to giving your all. Not only will your superiors or potential clients be impressed by your work ethic, but your pay check can also be bolstered by attention to quality. When you perform above expectations it usually leads to multiple referrals.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - If someone tries to treat you as if you were inferior don’t let it get under your skin. You can’t allow other people to determine what your value is and it is your responsibility to yourself to eliminate negativity. If someone doesn’t see your worth it may be time to cross them off your roster.

ARIES (March 21- April 19) - More than likely you have a laundry list full of dreams waiting to be accomplished. Don’t abandon these dreams, but instead keep them alive and inspired. When you keep your dreams fresh in your mind you can keep better track of your progress and stay motivated. Keep pushing yourself and you will always exceed your expectations.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - You may have your focus on your biggest goal right now, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore your other obligations. Even if a task seems insignificant it still needs to be managed so it doesn’t get in your way later. When you stick to a regular schedule of clearing your administrative tasks they tend not to pile up allowing you to focus on bigger issues.

LIbRA (September 23 – October 22) - When it comes to people variation is the one commonality. Everyone has unique characteristics that make them different from anyone else. When you look for a love partner try not to keep your love list too narrow. If you cancel someone out before you give them a chance you could miss out of something you didn’t even know you wanted.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) - Positive thoughts achieve positive results. Keep this in mind as you go about your daily grind and look for ways to boost your moral. Inspiration can be found in the most unlikely of places and the harder you look the more you’ll find. You are entering a powerful phase where you will need to maximize the positive input in your life in order to get the results you want.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) - Your ability to visualize the results of a project long before they are achieved keeps you motivated. You create your dreams every moment and work tirelessly to get what you want. With this in mind keep your focus on the future. If you get caught too long looking back at the past you may not move forward.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - You have a schedule to keep and no matter how many other people vie for your attention, you must accomplish your goals. You don’t have a problem generously lending your assistance to others, but make sure your responsibilities are handled first before you go doling out your time.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - If you choose to block out certain aspects of a situation don’t be surprised when clarity escapes you. If you aren’t willing to look at the entire situation you can’t expect to clearly understand what is going on or what you should do. Open your mind a bit and expand your perspective. Instead of applying preconceived notions worry about gathering information.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - Even if you trust someone else wholeheartedly it wouldn’t be a wise idea to give up your power, particularly where money is concerned. In order for you to maximize your income you will want to know exactly how and where your money is spent. When you are abreast of all your fiscal circumstances you can multiply your chances of increasing your bank balance.

LEO (July 23 – August 22) - Keep in mind what you do today sets the standard for later. When you behave in a certain manner it tends to become habitual and when it relates to other people you’ll want to be consistent. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you and cause you to neglect your fitness routine or regularly scheduled obligations. VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - In order to get the best results from a sensitive conversation make sure you and your audience are not distracted. It is far too easy to pay attention to everything but an uncomfortable situation so you will want to take the necessary precautions. Be honest and speak on how you feel to get the situation resolved effectively.

oiLyominousLyonE-way

onLyopaCity

opaquELyopEnLy

CIRCLE A WORDoBEy

oBituaRyoBviousLy

oCCupyoddity

odyssEyoffiCiaLLy

O TO YoRaLLy

oRatoRyoRdERLy

oRgyoRnatELy

oRthodoxyospREy

CROSSWORD puzzleACROSS

1.half a diameter (6)5.type of saxophone (4)7.squeeze (5)8.Crippled (4)9.golfing stroke (4)10.two-mastered boat (5)11.walk warily (6)13.skin complaint (4)14.hazard (6)18.Lure (6)21.Blaze (4)22.motionless (6)24.Chris, us tennis star (5)25.sign of affection (4)26.Jumping parasite (4)27.the muhammadan religion (5)28.disarray (4)29.solemn promise (6)

DOWN

1.Connected (7)2.Lifeless (5)3.sharp metal point (5)4.Roman sea god (7)

5.pavement material (5)6.ill-fated liner (7)12,mining extract (3)15.offensive (7)16.old testament book (7)17.divulges (7)19.singer, ‘King’ Cole20.minority group (7)22.terence, British actor (5)23.michael Caine film of 1966 (5)

Boracay...from page 4

Tourist...from page 4

preservation of our natural resources. I am thankful that we already have the support of several stakeholders who understand the importance of sustainability. With the many international accolades the country is getting at the present, we cannot be complacent. We have just managed to breach the one million visitor arrival mark in the first quarter leading towards our f ive million target this year. We can only be confident when we have the support of all stakeholders beyond Boracay in protecting the tourism assets in their respective destinations. This is, definitely, part of the more fun campaign that is keeping the hosts proud and

in the years to come. “With key policy reforms such as the lifting of significant security concerns by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the rationalization of the Com mon Ca r r iers Ta x (CCT), the focus is shifted t o t he t a n g i b le a re a s such as connectivity and improvement of tourism products,” Secretary Jimenez concluded.

Suan...from page 6

Dannug...from page 6

h a v e r e i n v e n t e d myself. I a m n o w a n anchorwoman of my own inspirat iona l program, “Kalipay Nga Molahutay”. I glorify the Lord with the words I speak over the airwaves. I endeavor to teach truths that are soul-nourishing and life-enriching. There is new meaning a n d p u r p o s e i n m y life. I feel I have found my calling, which is preaching. The self-indulgence and frivolous pursuits are things of the past. My time is not my own anymore. I have bequeathed it to the Lord. My schedule is bustling and buzzing as I dai ly p r e p a r e f o r my r a d i o program. Yet I am at peace. My life is simple but beautiful. When we are faithful in our purpose of serving God, the tension, stress and confusion are swept away like yesterday’s garbage. Then we rece ive i t s r a d i a n t r e p l a c e m e n t , which is happiness and contentment! (C atch my prog ram “Kalipay Nga Molahutay” 7:30-9:00PM Mon-Thurs @ DXRU 1188AM Band)

In our countr y, the perpetuation of the political l ine by fami l i e s we l l -

Host...from page 8It is the foundation of Greens movement all over the world. In the Philippines, the Partido Kalikasan unifying principles are ecological integrity, socia l just ice, participatory democracy, national solidarity and active non-violence and personal integrity. As a political organization, it aims to achieve genuine sustainable development for the Philippines and ensure sufficient adaptation to the ill-effects of climate changes; represent in Phi l ippine government the interests of poor communities who are dependent on natural capital for their survival and development; and implement and institutionalize the Green Governance Agenda.

of 375,083. For the fourth consecutive month since December 2012, the country has been surpassing the 400,000 visitor arrival mark. The upward trend may be attributed to the upcoming summer season, which is a peak season for the tourism industry. “Month af ter month, we bear witness to a steady upward performance and new record highs. This only means that the efforts of the Department and its partners are bearing fruit. To achieve our 2013 target of 5.5 million and 2016 target of 10 million, the Department and its industry partners are actively working on stimulating greater demand overseas, while infrastructure agencies have committed to step up our convergence programs to facilitate entry and access to the different destinations in the country,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. said. He a d d e d t h at t he expansion and development of secondary gateways could ease the volume of traffic in the primary gateways of Manila and open the country to more visitors by bringing them closer to their end destinations. Significant investments in the air transportation, as well as in the accommodation sector, are seen to beef up capacities

known in the locality can be considered the result of Spanish colonialism. The so-called principalia, e d u c a t e d a n d g i v e n responsibility by the colonial officials-- in the mode of accommodation peculiar to the age--were the same ilustrados preferred by the new American colonial regime. With English language as a catalyzing tool, political families evolved in the different ethno-linguistic subdivisions and provinces of the country. Of course, the politicians that toed the nationalist line of Aguinaldo in the failed Revolution cooperated with the Americans. But new leaders also rose to challenge colonial policies and sought independence from Mother America. The emergence of political dynasties in the country followed after independence. Coupled with varied experiences from World War II, the pro-dynasty politician staggered onto the center stage of development as a savior and progenitor of better things. That he was avid to prove himself is also tantamount to the need to assume and amass power. In general, at least two ruling families in each province vied for attention. Even in the pugnacious Communist insurgency, two ideological variants existed.

The jaded dictum of “power out of the barrel of the gun” soon took over the political landscape. Violence before elections was anticipated with much apprehension, on one hand. On the other hand, the buying of votes on the eve of, or a few days before, the elections was an unfailing reality in highly-contested areas. The social justice issue enters this discussion in three ways. One, that attention is much given to winning votes rather than in presenting any socio-economic development platform. There is also the inability of the political dynasty to prov ide convinc ing governance in a closed system wherein proteges and family-members are employed. Here, the “winner takes it all” attitude holds sway. S econdly, the Papal encyclical, Rerum Novarum, is a must read on the social just ice issue ; i t i s the touchstone . The Communists, the trade unionists, the democrats and the bureaucrats, even those in the UN and the ILO, have taken cognizance of its contents. T h e l e f t i s t s , t h e M a l t h u s i a n s a n d t h e totalitarians pervert it to this day. Finally, look to the future by learning from the past. Question the assertions

of leaders who hold on to their positions at any cost. Recognize the traps and the trappings of politics. Resist the temptations and the blandishments. Lord Acton said: “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Last point. A new take on the nursery rhyme: “Ba, ba, black sheep, have you any wool? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full! One for the master, and one for the poor, And one for the little girl down the lane.” Re-quote: “Tell the truth and tell the slant.” - Emily Dickinson

making sure our visitors are satisfied” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said.




CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN bRANChP & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers – Kalambagohan Sts.,

Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947CAMIGUIN bRANCh B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao,

Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491CORRALES 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 CityTel. # (088) 231-6739a

Lumads...from page 8

Climate...from page 8

Quandary...from page 8

mining companies. “This resulted to the massive displacement of lumad communities. Also, human rights v iolations continue to be perpetrated by the military and other government-sa nc t ioned armed groups such as the CAFGU,” he said. Aside from mining, the Aquino administration also allegedly causes the opening of mega-dam projects which, l ike mining, ef fect ively displaced the lumads from their communities. “If we will not leave, we will eventually be drowned,” he lamented. Beverly Longid, a member of the Bontok-Kankana-ey tribe, president and f irst nominee of the Katribu Partylist urged for unity of a l l lumad peoples in the Phi l ippines so they can successfully counter

marked by international cooperation for equitable and ambitious action by all” said Philippine Climate Change Commissioner Naderev Sano. “We lost the last decade because developed countries refused to lead. While they procrastinated, the world experienced the increasing consequences of a changing climate,” said the Philippine official. The LMDC stressed in its opening statement, read by Ambassador Jaime Hermida Nicaragua head of delegation, that the ADP negotiations and the outcome shall be “under the Convention” and that the negotiations and the outcome shall be guided by and must be consistent with the principles and provisions of the Convention, especially the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities. The A f r ica n, Asia n, and Latin American and Caribbean developing and

while waiting for the trees to grow and mature,” says Alimoane. The other hectare is planted to different trees like mangium, narra, acacia, and other timber trees. While the trees are stil l young, the ground can be planted to various crops like mung beans, ginger, sweet potato, and taro. Once the trees are tall enough, rattan is planted below the trees. “The system is suited for smal l farmers,” says Alimoane. “We think if this system is largely promoted, we might be able to reforest the country again. But we cannot do it alone. We need support from every citizen of this country.” SALT 3 is one hope the Philippines should adapt now – before it’s too late. “When a nation loses the capability to feed, clothe, and shelter itself, it loses the capability to chart its own destiny,” Watson reminded.

Capex...from page 3

2GO...from page 3

The company aims to grow its net income to P3 bil lion, and its pre-sales to P30 billion by 2015 -- the firm’s 30th year in real estate -- on the back of more projects in key growth cities outside Metro Manila and the development of some 100,000 sq. m. of land for commercial projects.

from P3.02 billion in 2011. 2GO blamed the decline on the aggressive price cuts of budget airlines. C ost s a nd ex penses climbed two percent to P13.64 billion from P13.32 billion in 2011. “This is mainly attributable to increase in fuel prices for the full year mitigated by stringent cost management,” 2GO said. At end-2012, 2GO and its subsidiaries had a total f leet of 19 operating vessels, of which 13 were company-owned ships. 2 G O c o n t i n u e s t o dominate Philippine sea travel with a 96 percent market share in the passage service, specifically in ports it serves, owing to the addition of the Batangas-Caticlan route to the market base. As for the freight business, the company cornered 31 percent of the market.

Power...from page 1

Barge...from page 1

Davao...from page 1

Solar...from page 1

T h e t i m e f o r t h e rehabilitation and transport of the facilities could also take too long for them to address the present power shortage, he added. Earl ier, Eng ineer ing consultant David A. Tauli said the least-cost solution to

towards consumer protection and empowerment. Department of Trade and Industry-Davao Region (DTI-Davao) Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Division (CWTRD) chief Rachel S . Remit io sa id such move of the region’s consumer organizations is a manifestation of their strong commitment as consumer advocates. “As a federation, these consumer organizations will be working as one. Thus, their advocacies wil l be felt more and they will be moving towards a common direction,” she said. The province of Davao del Norte has the most number of COs wherein all of its 11 municipalities have their respective consumer group. Meanwhile, Davao del Sur has seven, Davao Oriental has three, Compostela Valley has two, and Davao City has one. Remitio said the leaders of the COs will meet anytime this month to further discuss their next steps in setting up a federation. It is targeted that by October this year, which is the Consumer Welfare Month celebration, the federation’s conceptual framework will already be firmed up. Meanwhile, DTI-Davao Regional Director Marizon S. Loreto said such move of the COs will greatly help the agency with its mandate to continuously protect the consumers. “A s a d v o c a t e s o f consumer protection and empowerment, they can def initely help us out in cultivating this particular mandate. And DTI is indeed thankful and appreciative of this move,” she said. This move of the Davao COs was among the outputs of the World Consumer Rights’ Day (WCRD) Symposium conducted in Davao City last March. Among the information that will be shared by the COs in their campaigns are the eight basic rights of consumers as well as their five major responsibilities. The eight basic rights are: right to basic needs; r ight to safety; r ight to information; right to choose; right to representation; right to redress; right to consumer education; and right to a healthy environment. Meanwhile, the five major responsibilities of consumers are: critical awareness (Ask questions on the quality, use, and prices of goods and services); action (know your consumer rights); social concern (care for senior

and has a capacity of 1,500 granite wall panels daily. It also manufactures brick tiles made from indigenous materials. “We a re in ta l k s to construct a 1.6MW solar plant for their factory,” sa id Amado V. Santos , vice president-marketing, Scinti l lant Corporation, d ist r ibutor of Enf init y Ph i l ippi nes Renewable Resources Inc. (EPRRI). EPRRI, the local arm of Belgian renewable energy developer Enf inity, has committed to push through with its planned solar power portfolio in the Philippines despite the low feed-in-tarif f (FiT) rate granted for solar power generation, said Santiago S. Navarro, managing consultant/deputy general manager, enfinity Phi l ippines Technolog y Services Inc. Enfinity is the world’s 6th largest solar developer with annual revenues of 500-million euro and projects with a combined capacity of 500MW as of 2012. It plans to roll out a 500MW solar power portfolio in the Philippines over the next 3-5 years. It has 11 sites under development mainly in the National Power Corporation’s Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) in various islands in Mindanao. Data from the Department of Energy show the 11 projects total 53MW with four small (1-2MW) projects in Luzon, 21MW in Cebu City and the nearby Mactan Export Processing Zone, and five small projects in Zamboanga City, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi-Tawi and Surigao del Norte. “The other Mindanao projects are for SPUG areas. We are awaiting DOE/NPC circular as to how we are going to be paid, and then we can begin the projects,” Mr. Navarro said. “We are going to all areas approved for us by DOE including far-away regardless of perceived security concerns.” Enfinity has two service contracts, 50-MW Clark Freeport Zone solar power proje c t i n M a b a l a c at , Pampanga; and the 30-MW Cavite Export Zone solar power project in Rosario, Cavite. “A third DOE service contract has been awarded to us: 20 MW in Digos, Davao del Sur,” he said. “It’s in same category as Clark (50MW) and Cavite Peza (30MW). These were predevelopment contracts awarded to us by DOE in pursuit of the FiT projects. As you know, DOE has now “converted” these to first come- first serve, but we are still continuing with our efforts.”

power ha s be en made available to the 23 Mindanao electric cooperatives and distribution utilities starting over the week-end. “The repairs required us to replace some major components of the generator but thanks to our contractors and our team we were able to accomplish the task earlier than scheduled,” Batiquin said. “Al l our generator units are running and we hope to do our share in providing power not only for the upcoming elections but through our summer.” One of two generator of Therma Marine Mobile 1 in Maco, Compostela Valley went down for needed repairs in March after several days of 24-hour operations. The TMI barges have been running almost like a baseload power plant just to help ease the effect of the debilitating power crisis in Mindanao. The Maco barge and another barge moored in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, produce a combined total of 200-MW of peaking power for Mindanao. Each barge is composed of two generators. Ninety-percent of TMI’s power cost is for fuel, which is a pass through charge. Only 10-percent remains for salaries, maintenance, spare parts, capital recovery and other company expenses.

someday soon be its main source of energy. “We are putting up a 2.3 megawatt (MW) solar power plant for our copra crushing plant in Bgy. Tambler as our first option given the lengthy brownouts we’ve been experiencing through the years as a result of the power shortage,” said Ruther S. Baroy, senior plant manager. “At present, we are sourcing our power from the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) with our back-up diesel generator as a second option.” However, Mr. Baroy said the extended brownouts in Gensan have forced them to increasing ly operate their back-up genset which is prohibitively expensive and greatly degrades the price competitiveness of their crude coconut oil product. This, despite the plant’s consistent operations at one of the highest utilization rates in the industry using the mechanical, full press oil extraction technology. Prov ided its copra raw material is available, Mr. Baroy said Cargill runs the 700,000MT capacity plant 24/7. Another industrial plant which is considering solar energy as a viable main option for its power needs is the Japanese-owned Nakayama Technology Corporation in nearby Davao del Sur. The plant employs 1,010 workers at its seven hectare plant site in Bgy. Cogon, Digos City, Its siding board factory

the short-term lack of power capacity in Mindanao is for the government to transfer to Mindanao three PSALM (Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management)-owned power barges in the Visayas, now lying idle because there is sufficient power supply there from other sources.

citizens and persons with disabilities); environment awareness (help and maintain a clean environment); and solidarity (join consumer organizations and be heard as a consumer). (DTI-11/JenMendoza)

least-developed countries of the LMDC have a combined population of 3.5 billion, or around half of the world’s populat ion today. They are developing economies that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, a large number of which are already experiencing extreme weather impacts from floods, droughts, extreme rainfall, melting glaciers and dust storms of climate change. “ T he c re d ibi l i t y of developed countries to ask developing countries for bigger efforts on climate action lies on their ability to show leadership. Leadership from developed countries needs to happen now and should not be postponed to 2020, as this sets the stage for more effective climate action beyond 2020,” said Rene Orellana, head of delegation of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. “Now is the opportunity for developed countries to step up to the plate, ta ke responsibi l it y and demonstrate leadership of the global efforts made in the context of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. If they do this, leading all countries, with a high level of climate action ambition, then the world will be on its way to a successful climate regime.” Orellana added. (Eco-Business)

the government’s alleged continued abuses against them. “We have to united, we must unite. Only in unity will we have the strength to continue our advocacy and campaign in protecting our environment against government-endorsed and g o v e r n m e n t- a p p r o v e d plunder of our resources and militarization of our lands,” she stressed. Longid said that for the lumads, land is life and what the government is doing is slowly taking the IPs’ life away. “We must uphold our right to self-determination,” she added.


12 tuEsday may 7, 2013


Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776BusinessDailyC R E D I B L E R E L I A B L E I N - D E P T H

12 BillBoarD

CAPT. V. ROA STREET, COGON, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (0882) 857-4930G LAVINIA ST VALENCIA CITY 8709 (088) 828-20510004 SAYRE HIGHWAY DON CARLOS SUR DON CARLOS BUKIDNON 8712 08822-62594NATL HIWAY TAGLATAWAN BAYUGAN CITY AGUSAN DEL SUR 8502 (085) 830-2128CARISMA BLDG. GEN SANTOS DRIVE ZONE II KORONADAL CITY 9506 (083) 228-2058BELISARIO BLDG. J.P. LAUREL AVE. BAJADA DAVAO CITY 8000 (082) 224-6423SAN PEDRO COR ILUSTRE STS DAVAO CITY 8000 (082) 227-6438A VELEZ ST. CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY MIS ORIENTAL 9000 (088) 857-2456MONTILLA BLVD. COR. ANDAYA ST. FORT POYOHON BUTUAN CITY (085) 816-0933AGUSAN DEL NORTE 8600 ROXAS AVENUE VILLA VERDE ILIGAN CITY 9200 (063) 223-3442MAGSAYSAY AVE CORNER ROSAS ST GEN. SANTOS CITY COTABATO 9500 (083) 552-2123QUEZON AVENUE EXT. PALA-O ILIGAN CITY LANAO DEL NORTE 9200 (063) 223-8666TOWNSVILLE PAVILLION ATEGA ST BRGY 11 CABADBARAN AGUSAN DEL NORTE 8605 (085) 818-118844VELEZ-CRUZTAAL STS CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY 9000 (088) 857-2924PUROK 3 SAYRE HIGHWAY POBLACION VALENCIA CITY 8709 (088) 828-2051SAAVEDRA ST. TORIL DAVAO CITY 8000 (082) 291-4722DALISAY GANTE ROAD MAGUGPO WEST TAGUM CITY DAVAO DEL NORTE 8100 (084) 400-3305COR. QUEZON AND OSMENA ST., MAGUGPO CENTRAL TAGUM CITY (084) 400-3305DAVAO DEL NORTE 8100 J C AQUINO AVE TANDANG SORA BUTUAN CITY 8600 (085) 341-5116AQUINO STREET ZONE II KORONADAL CITY 9506 (083) 228-4856J CATOLICO SR AVE LAGAO GEN SANTOS CITY 9500 (083) 552-1421MAGSAYSAY AVE GEN SANTOS CITY 9500 (083) 551-2123DUPOINT BLDG., P-17 CALINAN DAVAO CITY (082) 295-0247MC ARTHUR HIGHWAY MATINA DAVAO CITY 8000 (082) 303-1010BALANGAY 3 SAYRE HIGHWHAY QUEZON BUKIDNON 8715 (088) 222-5392NATL HI-WAY BGY 17 GINGOOG CITY 9014 (088) 861-4130QUEZON ST BRGY. 2 SAN FRANCISCO AGUSAN DEL SUR 8501 (085) 839-0318MARKETSITE POBLACION KALILANGAN BUKIDNON 8718 (088)-222-5392ESPIRITU ST. MANGAGOY BISLIG CITY 8311 (086) 853-2255NATIONAL HIGHWAY BRGY.17 GINGOOG CITY 9014 (088) 861-4130SAN PEDRO STREET BARANGAY 3-A DAVAO CITY 8000 (082) 227-4849CHIPECO BLDG., RIZAL ST., CALAMBA CITY LAGUNA 4027 (049) 834-3795DUPOINT BLDG., JR BORJA ST., BRGY 37, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (088) 852-1072# 6618 SAN ANTONIO LOS BAÑOS LAGUNA (049) 827-0502SOUTH TIMBERLAND BLDG. KM 50 NATIONAL HIGHWAY BRGY. SAN CRISTOBAL (049) 834-6336CALAMBA CITY LAGUNA A REGIDOR ST POBLACION V SANTA CRUZ LAGUNA (082) 295-0247 DUPOINT BLDG. PUROK 17 NATIONAL HIGHWAY CALINAN DAVAO CITY BRGY. NEW SOCIETY J.C. AQUINO, BUTUAN CITY (085) 815-5478BRGY. NUEVA, SAN PEDRO LAGUNA UNIT 1, 2 & 3 G/F CONSOLACION BLDG., NATIONAL ROAD,BRGY. DILA SANTA ROSA CITY LAGUNA 4026 J.P. LAUREL CORNER CARANDANG ST., BARANGAY 2, TANAUAN CITY, BATANGAS LEVEL 3, SPACE 3020 & 3021 CENTRIO CM RECTO AVE. CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY 323-1018LEVEL 3, SPACE 3093 & 3094 CENTRIO CM RECTO AVE. CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY 323-1018P. GUEVARRA ST. POB II SANTA CRUZ LAGUNA #25 J.P. RIZAL STREET BAGONG ILOG PASIG CITY

Capt. Vicente Roa St.Cogon, Cagayan de Oro City

BRANCHES:

Visit our website atwww.panasonic.com.ph

First NBA Cafe in Asia to open in the Philippines

NBA Café will be managed and operated by Hoopla Inc. and located in new SM AURA Mall in Manila

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, MAY 6, 2013 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Hoopla Inc. today announced that the first-ever NBA Café in Asia wi l l be coming to Mani la, Philippines, at the soon-to-open SM AURA Mall in the Bonifacio Global City.

S c hedu led to open i n September 2013, the NBA Café will feature a unique dining and entertainment experience that captures the excitement of the league through memorabilia displays, NBA highlights and programming, an NBA retail area, and will host viewing parties and appearances by NBA talent.

At the NBA Café, fans will enjoy quintessentially American bar and grill favorites and a selection of Asian-Filipino classics, giving it a local twist. It is the first sports bar and restaurant in Manila catering spec if i ca l ly to basketbal l fanatics and enthusiasts, in a nation where 40 mil l ion people play or have played the game.

This is the second league-owned restaurant set to open outside the U.S.; an NBA Café also is planned for Madrid in 2013. NBA City, the league’s

first themed restaurant, opened in 1999 at the Universal Studios Resort in Orlando.

“Basketbal l fans in the country now have a place ded i ca ted and des igned specifically for them,” said Nian Rigor, Assistant Vice President, Hoopla Inc. “NBA Café will provide them a taste of the authentic NBA experience that they can share with family and friends, complete with great food, custom-made NBA Café Man i la merc handise and the finest in basketball entertainment. This stays in line with our goal to bring new experiences and concepts to Filipinos.”

“The NBA Café will be a unique destination that will bring NBA basketball closer to our fans in the Philippines,” said Carlo Singson, NBA Country Manager, Philippines. “Given their vast knowledge in the food and entertainment industry, Hoopla is an ideal partner to bring the NBA Café to life and to provide fans another authentic NBA experience.”

N B A L e g e n d M u g g s y Bogues, who was in Manila for the finale of the four-month long Jr. NBA program, made a special stop at the

site, conducting a hard hat inspection with NBA executives to monitor the progress of the NBA Café (see photo caption).

“ T h i s i s my f i r s t t ime in the Ph i l ippines and I ’m overwhelmed by the passion the people have for basketball h e re ,” sa id N BA Legend Muggsy Bogues, who at 5-3 is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. “More than a restaurant, the NBA Café will be a destination where fans here can watch games in an entertaining atmosphere that captures the history and excitement of the NBA.”

The NBA recently announced a comprehensive global games schedule that will include a total of eight games in six countries this October, including the first ever preseason game in the Philippines. In addition, each year the NBA conducts local events in the Philippines, including the Jr. NBA youth development program, which has reached more than 60,000 students, parents and coaches over the past five years, and NBA 3X, the league’s global basketball competition and lifestyle event which will be conduc ted in 14 countr ies outside the US this summer.

FIRST NbA CAFé IN ASIA COMING SOON TO MANILA. The first NBA Café in Asia will open in the Philippines later this year at SM Aura, the new shopping mall set to rise at the Bonifacio Global Center in Taguig soon. NBA Café is a full-service, basketball-themed restaurant and bar where NBA fans and basketball enthusiasts can have a fun dining experience inside a veritable NBA fan’s heaven. There are authentic NBA memorabilia, lots of TV screens for watching basketball, NBA décor everywhere, a sports lovers’ menu offering an uncompromised NBA atmosphere.. “NBA Café will give local basketball fans, their families and friends an authentic NBA experience complete with great food and lots of basketball entertainment. “Our goal is to introduce new concepts and experiences to Filipinos,” said Nian Rigor, Assistant Vice President of Hoopla Inc. NBA Legend Muggsy Bogues, famously known as the NBA’s shortest player ever at 5’3”, visited the site of the future NBA Café along with NBA Asia staff and Hoopla Inc. officials, franchise owners of NBA Café to toast the future. Above (from left), NBA staff Francesco Suarez, Vice President for Business Development & Marketing Partnerships, NBA Asia; Carlo Singson, NBA Asia Country Manager-Philippines; Scott Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, NBA Asia; NBA Legend Muggsy Bogues; Vicente Cheng, Chairman, Hoopla Inc.; Nian Rigor; Chico Sy of SM Engineering Design and Development; and Steven Tan, Vice President for Operations, SM Premier Malls celebrate their partnership with a champagne toast.

businessdaily mindanao (may 7, 2013 issue)

Documents

o v e r t h e o

e i n d e p t hvolume

t h t

i n g ceremony

s ig h

therma marine barge

mw barge

traveldavao city