The city government of Davao is spearheading the celebration of the Universal Children's Day on Nov. 20 in recognition of promoting the best interest of children.
City councilor Angela Librado, action officer of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for children's concern, said the celebration was meaningful because it would be the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
She said more programs had been pushed by the Davao City government and with that, the city was named as most child-friendly city. No other city throughout the nation has been doing it, she said.
Librado said many child related projects had been implemented in the city, although she said more push would needed if only to make a balance between advocacy and issues related to children.
"What is worth knowing is that the level of awareness on the Rights of Children is high among the children themselves and the adults," she said.
She said they were focusing their programs on the rights of children so that advocacies would be sustained.
She admitted, however, that the institutionalization of programs included ordinances and laws for protection of children, but the implementation had remained low.
Meanwhile, Librado said the Children's Month and the City Council for the Welfare of Children, with the active support and participation of the Davao City Sangguniang Kabataan Federation, made possible the three-day Citywide Children's Congress with 100 children representatives elected their representatives to the Executive Committee of the Davao City Council for the Welfare of Children (DCCWC).
She said this was a clear manifestation of the growing children's participation in the city's governance even as she said that the city government had been showing its commitment to the goals of survival, protection, development and participation of the children.
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Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Davao City beefs up monitoring of tourism related establishments
An all out monitoring and inspections of tourism related establishments is being conducted by a team composed of different departments of the Davao City government to ensure that safety and sanitation is being thoroughly implemented.
City tourism department head Rizal Giovanni Aportadera said they conduct unannounced inspections to check whether these establishments adopt what was stipulated in their business registration.
"We pay particular attention on restrooms and the cleanliness of the area and non compliance means their renewal for tourism accreditation be denied," he said.
He said these establishments need to renew their tourism accreditation and they will not hesitate to cancel or deny renewal if they found them violating the rules.
So far he said for those found with deficiencies readily comply with the recommendations given them by the team.
And with the coming Kadayawan Festival he said they warned the establishments that actions against violators will be toughed once tourists and other visitors would complain about the condition of their establishments including poor service.
He said they had been projecting the city as tourist destination and this should be maintained by everybody more especially with the tourism related establishments.
Earlier he said that since last year to this date Davao City ranks third tourist destinations in the country following Cebu and Boracay. Arrivals remain positive and hotels and restaurants continue to be fully booked.
City tourism department head Rizal Giovanni Aportadera said they conduct unannounced inspections to check whether these establishments adopt what was stipulated in their business registration.
"We pay particular attention on restrooms and the cleanliness of the area and non compliance means their renewal for tourism accreditation be denied," he said.
He said these establishments need to renew their tourism accreditation and they will not hesitate to cancel or deny renewal if they found them violating the rules.
So far he said for those found with deficiencies readily comply with the recommendations given them by the team.
And with the coming Kadayawan Festival he said they warned the establishments that actions against violators will be toughed once tourists and other visitors would complain about the condition of their establishments including poor service.
He said they had been projecting the city as tourist destination and this should be maintained by everybody more especially with the tourism related establishments.
Earlier he said that since last year to this date Davao City ranks third tourist destinations in the country following Cebu and Boracay. Arrivals remain positive and hotels and restaurants continue to be fully booked.
Davao ICT master plan for discussion at Summit
The results of the ongoing consultations of key players in the ICT sector will be inputed to a master plan that will set a clear direction with regards business process outsourcing (BPO) businesses in Davao City.
Andrei Fournier, member of the board of advisers of ICT Davao said there has to be clear direction both for the local government unit and the business sector addressing some concens that need to be acted immeditely. And this has to form part of the master plan that will be discussed thoroughly during the Davao ICT Summit on August 6 to 7, 2009.
Among the immediate concern he said is on broadband connection where it is more expensive say for a T1 of 1.5 mbps that would cost about P50,000 to P100,000 monthly which is more than Manila corporate, the cost includes the bringing of the bandwidth from Manila to Davao. The service also has to be improved, he said.
"Putting up the structure here with Davao City considered as the IT hub in the island would save on cost. We need to bring in the Telcos and for them to come up with a disaster recovery plan citing what happened when the line was cut in Bukidnon a month ago causing tremendous damage to the industry," he said.
He said they want broadband networks build newer infrastructures and to also bring down the cost here.
Davao City ranking 4th among the cities in the country as IT destination is an opportunity that should be considered seriously by addressing some problems he said because once not acted might put us down as preferred area.
Power outages that are occasionally experienced here Fourneir noted is an area that has to be studied as this would also affect connectivity.
Davao City right now has five big call centers namely Concentrix, Sutherland, Cybercity, Western Wats and Call Box plus other medium size bringing to 13 the more active ones, he said.
These five big call centers he said are biggest employers of call center agents but these companies also face the problem of lack of middle managers saying that this is also the concern of other prospective investors. Training workers for middle manager positions is one concern that the ICT sector here need to address, he said.
He said for a big size BPO it would need about 20 to 30 middle managers and this estimates include supervisors and team leaders.
Space is also another area to look at as landowners still have to understand the business. This is an area that the city could attract locators because BPOs are looking at better price for space rentals.
He said in Manila cost of rental is about P400 to P600 per sq. m. but here some is offering at P350 to P500 per sq. m., he said.
He said the demand is big and looking at last year's revenues, 2008 registered an earning of 4.8 billion US dollars in the Philippines employing some 650,000 workers. Davao IT call centers agents and support personnel accounted to 60,000 which he said they aim to bring the figure up to 100,000 in 2010. (Digna D. Banzon)
Andrei Fournier, member of the board of advisers of ICT Davao said there has to be clear direction both for the local government unit and the business sector addressing some concens that need to be acted immeditely. And this has to form part of the master plan that will be discussed thoroughly during the Davao ICT Summit on August 6 to 7, 2009.
Among the immediate concern he said is on broadband connection where it is more expensive say for a T1 of 1.5 mbps that would cost about P50,000 to P100,000 monthly which is more than Manila corporate, the cost includes the bringing of the bandwidth from Manila to Davao. The service also has to be improved, he said.
"Putting up the structure here with Davao City considered as the IT hub in the island would save on cost. We need to bring in the Telcos and for them to come up with a disaster recovery plan citing what happened when the line was cut in Bukidnon a month ago causing tremendous damage to the industry," he said.
He said they want broadband networks build newer infrastructures and to also bring down the cost here.
Davao City ranking 4th among the cities in the country as IT destination is an opportunity that should be considered seriously by addressing some problems he said because once not acted might put us down as preferred area.
Power outages that are occasionally experienced here Fourneir noted is an area that has to be studied as this would also affect connectivity.
Davao City right now has five big call centers namely Concentrix, Sutherland, Cybercity, Western Wats and Call Box plus other medium size bringing to 13 the more active ones, he said.
These five big call centers he said are biggest employers of call center agents but these companies also face the problem of lack of middle managers saying that this is also the concern of other prospective investors. Training workers for middle manager positions is one concern that the ICT sector here need to address, he said.
He said for a big size BPO it would need about 20 to 30 middle managers and this estimates include supervisors and team leaders.
Space is also another area to look at as landowners still have to understand the business. This is an area that the city could attract locators because BPOs are looking at better price for space rentals.
He said in Manila cost of rental is about P400 to P600 per sq. m. but here some is offering at P350 to P500 per sq. m., he said.
He said the demand is big and looking at last year's revenues, 2008 registered an earning of 4.8 billion US dollars in the Philippines employing some 650,000 workers. Davao IT call centers agents and support personnel accounted to 60,000 which he said they aim to bring the figure up to 100,000 in 2010. (Digna D. Banzon)
Friday, March 13, 2009
Davao prepares for Earth Hour
Stakeholders of Davao City bond together and discussed the campaign as it will join in the global event of Earth Hour on March 28, 2009 between 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
During the media launch of Earth Hour on Thursday, March 12 at Marco Polo Davao, Margie Moran-Floirendo, chairperson of Southern Philippines Foundation for Arts, Culture and Ecology and president emeritus of Save Davao Gulf Foundation said the event is just symbolic encouraging the people to join the campaign of saving the environment.
She said the activity is beyond Earth Hour even as she said that change of lifestyle start with everyones home.
Davao City Councilor Leo Avila III, council chair of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources said that they already passed a resolution where the Davao City government supports the conduct of the Earth Hour here.
Avila likewise said that several ordinancdes and resolutions are crafted to strengthen the campaign on environmental protection.
The campaign for more participants to this year's Earth Hour is massive as Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan said that they aim to reach 10 million supporters this year as against the 2008 Earth Hour that only had one million.
He said they had been going to places around the country to seek the support of both government and the private sector.
He said in 2008, the Philippines ranked nine among the countries that carried the Earth Hour around the world.
"We want to come big this year and in fact there will be four cities in the country where the Earth Hour will be carried live on television," he said.
He said in Davao City there will be two sites for the holding of the event, one at SM City Davao and the other at the People's Park.
He said if Dabawenyos could mobilize big and interesting event as this could be shown worldwide as part of documentation.
Narzalina Z. Lim, president of Asia Pacific Projects, Inc. encouraged stakeholders to tell the people about Earth Hour.
"Unlike in the global financial crisis, the global warming has not bailout that is why we have to work now to effect mitigation so we can see complete results before the end of the century," she said.
Atty. Armi Jane Borje, liaison officer for Earth Hour Mindanao, Office of Secretary, Department of Energy calls on the people to support Earth Hour by simply Switching Off lights as a way of joining the world in sending global message of hope and action to everyone.
She said this is a step address the signs of climate change even as she urge the public to support SWITCH, a social mobilization movement that seeks to demonstrate how ordinary Filipinos and specific sectors of Philippine society contribute sustantively through fundamental changes in lifestyle, behavior or standard practices needed to address the dire consequences of unstable oil prices and climate change.
She said it is also a call to switch from wasteful to efficient energy practices beginning with lighting in workplaces, buildings, homes and public places.
She also said that individuals are encouraged to switch from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lamp s (CFLs) and other energy-efficient lighting technologies.
In line with the Earth Hour activity, the public is enjoined to sign-up at the Earth Hour official website at www.earthhour.org.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
President Arroyo meets displaced OFWs in Davao City
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo awarded P50,000 individual checks to 25 displaced Overseas Filipino Workers coming from the different parts of Mindanao. The President was assisted by Labor Secretary Marianito Roque in a ceremony held recently at the Apo View Hotel in Davao City.
The 25 displaced OFWs came from Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Hong Kong, Laos, Thailand, Qatar who opted to avail of the livelihood assistance to start or expand existing businesses of their families.
Most of the enrolled businesses are on piggery expansion, food distribution, bakery enhancement, frozen fish trading, sari-sari store, boarding house completion, and banana production.
The initial livelihood assistance given by the President to displaced OFWs on Thursday in Davao City amounted to P1.5 million which was on top of the 35 scholarship certificates to OFWs from Mindanao who were retrenched due to the current global economic crisis.
The event is in recognition of the OFWs contribution to the economy where the Arroyo administraton mapped out this "pay back package" program.
The distribution of checks was witnessed by 600 OFWs and their families who prior to their meeting with the President were extended a techno demo on beadworks and novelty item making, ice cream making, trendy balloon making and Christmas decor making and fresh flower arrangement.
Displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) must first complete a training on livelihood of their choice before they become eligible to a loan under the Filipino Expatriates Livelihood Support Fund (FELSF).
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Region XI director Ronleonil M. Bartolome said the government has earmarked P1 billion for OFWs assistance under the FELSF. The fund he said will come from OWWA with P100 million, National Livelihood Support Fund, P100 million, Land Bank of the Philippines, P400 million and Development Bank of the Philippines, P400 million.
He said they would expect more OFWs to register with them and in Davao Region alone they already listed about 72 as of February 19.
Bartolome stressed that these OFWs must first undergo training on their desired livelihood projects which OWWA will facilitate in coordination with Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education Skils and Development Authority. They must also be able to come up with a business plan, he said.
He also said that they will be taught how to manage and operate the business and OWWA will strictly monitor the implementation of the livelihood project.
"This is a loan extended to OFWs with five percent interest payable in two years with two months grace period," he said.
Bartolome meanwhile said that the livelihood assistance is their regular fund assistance to OFWs which started in 1998 even as he said they would be employing a stricter monitoring system to improve on repayment rates which before in Davao Region was only at 40 percent.
Bartolome on the other hand said that they still receive request from OFWs who prefer overseas employment while the younger ones opted for the scholarship program to augment further their skills which they need for seeking jobs abroad.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
PGMA visits Davao hydro power project; meets beneficiaries in Davao del Sur
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Barangay Sibulan Thursday morning where she was briefed on the Hedcor, Inc.'s P5.1-billion Sibulan Hydropower Project (SHP) that is expected to generate 42.5 megawatts (MW) of power. During the visit, President Arroyo was given the briefing by Hedcor president and chief operations officer Rene Ronquillo.
Ronquillo told the President that the hydro project is expected to be finished in October 2009. With 60 percent of the works completed, they were able to employ 1,100 workers mostly coming from Barangay Sibulan and neighboring areas, he added.
The project entails the construction of two cascading run-of-river hydropower plants that will harness the Sibulan and Baroring Rivers in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
Once operational, the SHP will generate carbon neutral electricity that will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more that 95,000 tCO2e. It is the largest investment of the Aboitiz Power in the hydropower generation business.
Hearing this, the President took note of the efforts of the private sector like Hedcor in helping the government in its "green" programs and job generation.
She said the government's job is to make sure that it (goverment) is hospitable to investors.
She was also pleased to hear of Hedcor's other power projects already in the pipeline like the Tamugan Hydropower Project in Davao City.
The President, while at the SHP Plant B, interacted with some beneficiaries of the hydro project such as Ariel Aninipot, who told her about the development brought by the project to their community including the lighting of some areas in the barangay. He is employed as liaison officer of the project.
George Concepcion, a farmer, told the President that with Hedcor's rehabilitated road, it is easier for him to bring his produce to the market.
Rogelio Manapol, tribal leader, said their sector, the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), will now be able to enjoy their royalty share from the project. The IPs get a share of one centavo per kilowatt hour of energy produced.
After her 30-minute visit to the hydropower project site, President Arroyo proceeded to Cagayan de Oro City for the 18th Convention of the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines at Pryce Hotel and the Bridging and Skills Re-training Program at SM City Cagayan.
Meanwhile, Hedcor, Inc. chairman and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz said they are just awaiting the water rights they applied with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) for their Tamugan hydro power project located in the Davao City area.
He said that they are hopeful to pursue the project this year.
The Tamugan River is the same river the Davao City Water District is developing as another source of potable water for Davao City residents. (Photos by Mae Gevera)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Mindanao posted positive growth in social security
Mindanao posted 16 percentgrowth for SSS benefit paymentsThe island of Mindanao posted double digit growth on benefit disbursements for Social Security System (SSS) members.SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Romulo L. Neri reported that it marked a 16 percent growth in 2008 on payment for all types of benefits.
Neri said from January to September 2008, SSS paid a total of P5.92 billion in benefits, 74 percent or P4.39 billion of which is for regular pensions. Their pension disbursements for the period were actually 20 percent more than the P3.67 billion they paid for the same nine-month period in 2007. Maternity benefits rose from P105.81 million to P176.36 million, or an increase of 12 percent Seven percent more or P853.49 million were paid for lump sum payments for retirement, death, disability, and P306.09 million or five percent more for funeral claims combined payments for sickness benefits and medical services increased by two percent to P188.97 million.
Neri meanwhile encourage members to pay their monthly premiums without fail so they would be eligible for SSS salary loans when they encounter financial emergencies.
He also urged members with delinquent loan accounts to avail of the amnesty program that ends on April 30 in which the SSS condoned the penalties.
In Davao City he said the total contribution collections in Southern Mindanao for 2008 amounted to P3.54 billion. This surpassed the P3.31 billion collection in 2007 by P227.45 million for a seven percent growth.
Meanwhile Davao branch head Manolito Tagalog attributed the increase to options they offer to both employers and employees.He said aside from loan condonation and amnesty program for workers, the employers with delinquent accounts were allowed to pay on installment or through "dacion en pago" where they pay in kind of real property for non payment of workers premium but subject for assessment of the SSS. He said the property among others must be accessible for easy disposal.
He said their delinquency rate from 80 percent had been decreased and in Davao City their delinquency account is only about P70 million.Tagalog also said they now have a good ratio of benefit disbursement against their collection where few years back their disbursement was more than their collection.
Davao City has 800 ,000 active members that covers more than half of Davao Region's combined active and inactive members of 1.5 million. SSS members for both active and inactive accounted to about 24 million.
Eco stimulus fund safe area to invest, says SSS
Eco stimulus fund is safearea to invest says Neri President and Chief Executive Officer Romulo L. Neri of the Social Security System explains to the Davao media on Thursday that SSS will only engage in safe investment like the proposed P300-billion economic stimulus fund.
Neri said they are looking at this scheme because they will be lending under sovereign guarantee even as he said that it would be purely an investment which is expected to earn reasonable yield based on benchmark rates.
SSS he said eyes an investment of about P12 billion or one-fourth of the government financial institutions' share of infrastructure projects or less than five percent of the total assets of SSS. Under the Social Security Law, the SSS can finance domestic infrastructure projects provided that the investment shall be guaranteed by the Philippine government.
SSS will invest 30 percent of their funds to infrastructure and 40 percent on government securities. And all are invested in the Philippines and nothing on foreign exposure. SSS also maintains a solid balance sheet, he said.
The proposed investment still has to be finalized he said and the other financial institutions namely the Government Insurance System, Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines will come in for as long as the investment is sound.He said participating on this investment would create jobs which could probably help those would be affected SSS members because of the financial crisis.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
To pump prime the economy, funds are ready to fund Mindanao rural infra
There is budget for implementation of rural infrastructure project in Mindanao.
Director Helena B. Habulan of the Municipal Development Finance Office of the Department of Finance said there is budget and this is more than the $10 million funding under the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) for the first set of projects for implementation within the first six months this year.
"We have the budget that can cover more than the $10 million fund and there is about P1.3 billion to be spent this year in Mindanao rural projects," she said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) as what Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras said the rural infrastructure is upon instruction of President Arroyo for their department to focus more on infrastructrure development in Mindanao and with the MRDP phase 2 some $10 million is programmed for implementation of infrastructure projects for the first semester this year.
The implementation will take within next two months and this would consists of farm to market roads, cold storage, post harvest facilities and rehabilitation of irrigation systems.
The rural infra project aims to generate employment especially during this time of crisis and the MRDP is a program implemented under DA geared towards alleviation of the poor communities in Mindanao and jointly funded by World Bank, DA and the local government units.
World Bank team leader Carolina F. Geron said the release of funds will given directly to the LGUs even as she said that the process went through consultation with them and the LGUs and the communities and the DA.
The projects pass through national competitive bidding and part of the agreement is to allocate 70 percent of labor to be taken from the local communities and this type of intervention will have impact at the local level.
The implementers of the program are accountable of the project the WB representative said and Geron continued that it is important to really build their capacity.
Anti-corruption measures she said are embodied in the MRDP projects and their role is to ensure that measures are implemented in all the projects.
The $10 million fund or P586 million comprises 90 percent of farm to market road, 6 percent potable water system, 2 percent for single bridges, and 2 percent on irrigiation projects. Another P200 million is for livelihood assistance and P40 million for protection and sustainable management of natural resources.
MRDP 2 covers 27 provinces in Mindanao and 225 town of the 400 municipalities of the island with 75 subprojects. The rural infa component under MRDP 1 covered only 19 municipalities with total project cost of P160.889 million for the 25 subprojects on the ground.
Director Helena B. Habulan of the Municipal Development Finance Office of the Department of Finance said there is budget and this is more than the $10 million funding under the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) for the first set of projects for implementation within the first six months this year.
"We have the budget that can cover more than the $10 million fund and there is about P1.3 billion to be spent this year in Mindanao rural projects," she said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) as what Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras said the rural infrastructure is upon instruction of President Arroyo for their department to focus more on infrastructrure development in Mindanao and with the MRDP phase 2 some $10 million is programmed for implementation of infrastructure projects for the first semester this year.
The implementation will take within next two months and this would consists of farm to market roads, cold storage, post harvest facilities and rehabilitation of irrigation systems.
The rural infra project aims to generate employment especially during this time of crisis and the MRDP is a program implemented under DA geared towards alleviation of the poor communities in Mindanao and jointly funded by World Bank, DA and the local government units.
World Bank team leader Carolina F. Geron said the release of funds will given directly to the LGUs even as she said that the process went through consultation with them and the LGUs and the communities and the DA.
The projects pass through national competitive bidding and part of the agreement is to allocate 70 percent of labor to be taken from the local communities and this type of intervention will have impact at the local level.
The implementers of the program are accountable of the project the WB representative said and Geron continued that it is important to really build their capacity.
Anti-corruption measures she said are embodied in the MRDP projects and their role is to ensure that measures are implemented in all the projects.
The $10 million fund or P586 million comprises 90 percent of farm to market road, 6 percent potable water system, 2 percent for single bridges, and 2 percent on irrigiation projects. Another P200 million is for livelihood assistance and P40 million for protection and sustainable management of natural resources.
MRDP 2 covers 27 provinces in Mindanao and 225 town of the 400 municipalities of the island with 75 subprojects. The rural infa component under MRDP 1 covered only 19 municipalities with total project cost of P160.889 million for the 25 subprojects on the ground.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Dabawenyos bring recyclables @ SM
With SM City Davao initiating the waste market or the "Trash to Cash" project, the people of Davao City have a place to bring unused but recyclable materials and earn some cash from it each month. SM City Davao's bid of increasing environmental awareness and Earth campaigns has inspired a lot of individuals and supported the campaign. 
SM City Davao responded to the planet’s cry for help and made conscious efforts of reducing the company’s carbon footprint and also encourage employees and costumers alike to be more discerning in their actions and choices with partiality to the planet’s welfare. The Trash to Cash promotes recycling as a way of fighting global warming. It corrects the common misconception that recycling is expensive as mall goers are able to sell their recycleables (paper, cartons, plastics, metals, batteries, etc.) to DENR-accredited scrap buyers during the fair ensuring them of proper disposal and earning them cash at the same time! In less than 2 years, the SM City Davao has organized 22 waste market fairs. The paper collection alone, reaching to almost 63,000 kilograms is estimated to have saved 1,258 trees, 188.75 cubic yards of landfill space, 125.83 barrels of oil- enough to fuel an average car for 79,274.88 miles, 257,957.93 kilowatts of energy- enough to power an average household for 31 years, and 3,774.99 lbs less air pollution! The next Trash to Cash is scheduled on February 6 and 7 at SM City Davao’s Parking C. So start collecting your trash and turn them into cash only at SM!Thursday, January 29, 2009
Agri-based economy remains strong in Mindanao
A leader in rural banking sees agri-products to remain strong in the agri-based economy of Mindanao this year despite the global crisis.
One Network Bank (ONB) president Alex Buenaventura said the strong agri-based economy and liquid environment support the high deposit generation targets of the bank's branches especially in the countryside.
Given such upbeat outlook, he said they project a 19-percent increase of their targets this year of P288 million as against their actual Net Income After Tax (NIAT) in 2008 of only 242 million.
ONB's deposit liabilities are raised by 30 percent increase or P7.8 billion as against the 2008's actual of P6.0 billion.
He said they also increased their target for loans at 36 percent or about P8.0 billion as against the P5.9 billion actual loans in 2008.
Buenaventura said although there will be many challenges this year, rural banking in Mindanao will continue to experience growth.
He attributed this to the good prospects in agriculture particularly banana, pineapple, coconut, rubber and palm oil.
Buenaventura also said their banking operation remains strong due to Department of Education salary loans and the One Banana Program growers' loans.
Meanwhile, he said the rural banks play a niche in service of small depositors and borrowers in the countryside.
He said as they continue to improve on their services they are also able to bring their clients to economic opportunities in the financial mainstream.
He said they have given small accounts access to projects with solid fundamentals and services which they thought can only be possible in urban centers.
With 72 ONB branches, he said they have given more Mindanaoans the means to improve their lives.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Davao sees more demand for fresh bananas this year
Many investors are looking for farm lands around Mindanao with the increasing demand of fresh bananas especially in Japan.
Gil Dureza, Board of Investment (BOI) head for Regions IX, XI and XII said the demand of foreigners on (Cavendish) bananas is a great advantage to us.
He cited for instance that with the "morning banana diet" that is popular in Japan, there is an indication that demand for the bananas would increase even as he said that many people now are getting conscious of their health and shifted to eating more bananas.
"Investors for banana production continue to come and this has been going on for years now," he said.In fact he said a new investor for banana production is the biggest among this year's investment leads.
The investor would need some 3,400 hectares either in Davao Oriental or Davao del Sur.
Meanwhile Dureza said that In 2007 banana production was also among the registered investments as Upland Banana Corporation opened new areas in Davao, Cotabato and South Cotabato and was able to employ 10,000 workers.
Data from the Department of Agricultre showed that in 2007 the production area was at 436,783 hectares with volume of production of 7,484,074 MT. The Davao Region attained the highest production area and volume of the same year of 78,647 hectares and 3,180,331 MT.
Other top producing regions include SOCCKSARGEN with 935,565 MT, Northern Mindanao 933,114 MT, Cagayan Valley 386,929 MT and the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) 372,676 MT.
On the other hand, banana remained as the leading export commidity where in 2008 it showed an increase of 13.49 percent as against 2007 figure.
The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics comparative data for the last three years from 2006 to 2008 on production volume for the period January to September showed that banana export in 2006 accounted to only 2,197,894 MT, 2007 had 2,377,424 while in 2008 it registered some 2,698,255 MT.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
peaceful transfer of power
In my Central Park residence in the Philippines (Davao City) and glued on television @ CNN, I watched the inaugural ceremony of the transfer of power peacefully from President George W. Bush to now US President Barack Obama up to the time that the former President took the helicopter that ferried him and former First Lady Lara Bush to Andrew Airport for their trip home til past 1:00 am of Wednesday (Philippine time) .
Out there in Washington, DC and also through the other networks BBC, ANC, GMA, I saw how the people in America received the new President with throngs of them who came for the inauguration. Chanting and high in spirit waving banners amidst the cold weather, I viewed them as one with hope and willing to share in the tough job ahead. With the President were First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia Anne and Natasha "Sasha".
The President in his inaugural speech urged them that they begin the work of Remaking America !
He started his speech by thanking President Bush for his generosity and cooperation. He continued on saying that he is humbled by his task and grateful for that.
As he went on, he said they have to remain faithful to the ideals of their forefathers.
He underscored the indicators of crisis citing among others the collective failures to make choices .... and when these indicators are present, crisis will be next.
"But we chose hope over failure".
"Greatness is never a gift, it must be earned".
"In America, all are equal, all are free and all are given the chance to pursue their own happiness".
"We extend opportunity to every willing heart."
"America is a friend of each nation".
The President also said that people will judge them "on what you build and not on what you destroy".
He said the world has changed and they must change with it.
"All this we can do, all this we will do," he said.
When I saw the jampacked National Mall, it reminded me of the Philippine People Power and whatever aspirations that brought people to this historic activity I hoe it will remain vibrant and that will not only be in America but in the Philippines as well and in any place around the globe so that there will be opportunities for everyone especially to those who haven't had any chance yet of grabbing one.
Out there in Washington, DC and also through the other networks BBC, ANC, GMA, I saw how the people in America received the new President with throngs of them who came for the inauguration. Chanting and high in spirit waving banners amidst the cold weather, I viewed them as one with hope and willing to share in the tough job ahead. With the President were First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia Anne and Natasha "Sasha".
The President in his inaugural speech urged them that they begin the work of Remaking America !
He started his speech by thanking President Bush for his generosity and cooperation. He continued on saying that he is humbled by his task and grateful for that.
As he went on, he said they have to remain faithful to the ideals of their forefathers.
He underscored the indicators of crisis citing among others the collective failures to make choices .... and when these indicators are present, crisis will be next.
"But we chose hope over failure".
"Greatness is never a gift, it must be earned".
"In America, all are equal, all are free and all are given the chance to pursue their own happiness".
"We extend opportunity to every willing heart."
"America is a friend of each nation".
The President also said that people will judge them "on what you build and not on what you destroy".
He said the world has changed and they must change with it.
"All this we can do, all this we will do," he said.
When I saw the jampacked National Mall, it reminded me of the Philippine People Power and whatever aspirations that brought people to this historic activity I hoe it will remain vibrant and that will not only be in America but in the Philippines as well and in any place around the globe so that there will be opportunities for everyone especially to those who haven't had any chance yet of grabbing one.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Wahington DC
At the Capitol and the grounds of the White House I saw by myself squirrels and it reminded me I was not home but in faraway America. Tourists can view the White House from a distance and take pictures too.
From New York City for a week's stay in a downtown Manhattan hotel and walking distance to Central Park, we traveled by bus to Washington, DC for a day tour.
It was indeed educational, my husband who loves geography and history included in our trip the Washington, DC tour.
From the skyscraper NYC, we found Washington, DC a peaceful yet exciting place with the many historical events that unfolded in this city where the seat of the US government is.
The tour guide explained to us everything including the inaugural ceremonies that took place in Pennsylvania Street and she (tour guide) even told us that lamp posts are movable to give way to the holding of the inauguration of the New President.
With President Barack Obama to take his seat on January 20 at the White House, I personally am excited because I had been to Washington DC, where on Tuesday (American time and Wednesday in the Philippines), will be packed with millions of people. I could view it together with millions of people around the world on television.
My experience in Washington DC was enlightening and exciting. I saw the buildings of different government offices including the Lincoln Memorial (the pencil), the Pentagon, White House, Capitol, the Union Station, the different museums and others, everything that a tourist must see.
The cherry blossoms were in bloom when we went there and it was a different feeling seeing all the trees covered with pinkish and white flowers. Tulips of different colors adorned the streets and made the landscape very beautiful.
Travel really gives us a different experience. Anyway with the new US President, everybody including myself wish a new thing to happen. But President Obama can not do any magic for the crisis that hit hard the US but prayers and cooperation could bring people to where the action must be focused inorder to ease the impact of the global crisis. The Philippines is not spared of this but we know that Filipinos, can make a difference because we (Filipinos) are used to hardship and difficulties. As what the business sector had been advocating, everybody must go back to the basics. In doing so, people could cut on cost as well as prioritize spending.
Going back to Washington, it is really a distinct city that I could not forget its being it. From there we proceeded to Orlando, Florida and let our bodies got tired of the huge and beautiful theme parks of Disneyworld.... again another superb experience.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Davao Med ICT school expands offering for legal transcriptionists/transcribers
A Davao-based Medical Transcription School after noting high demand for legal transcriptionists/transcribers has expanded its offering for Legal Transcription Program of eight weeks course.
Using the revolving curriculum for most of its programs allowing classes to start every month, MTC Academy has also restructured its program costs thus enhancing the value for money for all of its courses with low down payment and easy monthly installments extended to all qualified applicants.
She said the MTC Academy is supplying more than 50% of Davao City's manpower requirement to its corporate partners even as it provides free job placement assistance for its transcription graduates to companies here in Davao and as far as Manila and Cebu.
Davao City sees new businesses for 2009
An increase in new businesses in Davao City is expected this year to about 10 percent higher than the total businesses registered last year.
Business bureau chief Atty. Johpee Agustin said they were able to served about 32,000 businesses in 2008 both for new registrants and renewal of business permits and they expect new businesses coming in. She said they are optimistic of the business trend in the city even as she said that they will continue to come up with new strategies so Davao City would generate more revenues. She noted that on the first week of January this year they already received 14,739 applications for renewal and about 170 for new registration. On a daily basis she said they receive some 2,000 to 5,000 applications and inorder to fast track the issuance of permits they came up with a scheme where the applicants after complying basic requirements are given temporary authority to operate (TAO). But this will not apply to those businesses that needs detailed requirements like detailed permits, etc. She said once the TAO is issued the investor can proceed and they still have to comply the other steps as required by other regulatory bodies. She said the strategy enticed other busnesses to come to the city and with proper education and awareness they also noticed that businesses are religiously complying with the requirements compared to their previous years operation. Meanwhile Agustin said that with their successful implementation of collecting occupational permit fee (OPF) where it gave Davao City some P6 million in revenues last year, they will be implementing the Special Mayor's Permit Fee (SMPF) this year. The OPF in 2007 only had a collection of P3 million while P1.9 million in 2006, she said. For the SMPF she said they will start to collect fees on all activities that will be conducted in the city. She said this scheme is also provided in the Local Government Code and they will be implementing such inorder to make use of whatever is allowed by law for the benefit of the people of Davao City. Meanwhile Davao City Treasurer Rodrigo Riola said their target income this year is pegged at P548 million and 60 percent of this will be taken from business taxes. He said based on their experienced 60 percent of this collection will be realized by the first quarter of the year and of the fees the real property tax contributes about 60 percent of the total revenue generated. He said most of the real property owners pay their taxes on the first quarter of the year because of the 20 percent discount. Riola also said that Manila-based companies or those from other areas that operate businesses in Davao City are already paying their taxes here. He said consultation and dialogue with these businesses made them understand that they need to share their income to Davao City considering that they engage business here. (Digna D. Banzon)
Davao City got highest in new registered corporation/partnership for 2008
Davao City raked in the highest number of new registered corporations and partnership that were served by the Securities and Exchange Commission Davao extension office in 2008.
SEC Davao head Atty. Javey Francisco said the city cornered 314 new businesses of the 464 corporations that registered with their office last year around Mindanao.
General Santos City followed next with 36 then Tagum City with 18. Fourth in the row were Mati City, Koronadal City and South Cotabato with nine new registered corporations each. Cotabato City ranked fifth with eignt while Davao del Norte on the seventh with six. Panabo City and Digos City came next with six new registered corporations and partnerships. Davaod del Sur had five while Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur and Mati City with four each and Agusan del Sur, 3. The Compostela Valley Province and the cities of Malaybalay, Bislig and Butuan had two each. Only one new corporations registered in the Island Garden City of Samal, North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Surigao City, Midsayap and Cagayan de Oro City.
Francisco said the 464 corporations had a paid-up capital of P215.4 million which came lower by 38 percent or P134 million compared to the P349.8 million in 2007.
He said of the new corporations last year, Davao City's businesses for paid-up capital accounted to P124.6 million while General Santos City at P27.4 million and Tagum City, P21.5 million.
Meanwhile Francisco said with regards to foreign direct investments (FDI) of 80 new businesses with paid up capital of P15.177 million, Davao City still got high with 67 corporation and paid up capital of P11.4 million.
General Santos City had 3 of P1.1 million, Davao Oriental, 2, P1.036 million, Koronadal City, 2, P1.250 million.
He said according to nationalities, the Chinese top the list followed by Korean and Dutch.
SEC Davao head Atty. Javey Francisco said the city cornered 314 new businesses of the 464 corporations that registered with their office last year around Mindanao.
General Santos City followed next with 36 then Tagum City with 18. Fourth in the row were Mati City, Koronadal City and South Cotabato with nine new registered corporations each. Cotabato City ranked fifth with eignt while Davao del Norte on the seventh with six. Panabo City and Digos City came next with six new registered corporations and partnerships. Davaod del Sur had five while Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur and Mati City with four each and Agusan del Sur, 3. The Compostela Valley Province and the cities of Malaybalay, Bislig and Butuan had two each. Only one new corporations registered in the Island Garden City of Samal, North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Surigao City, Midsayap and Cagayan de Oro City.
Francisco said the 464 corporations had a paid-up capital of P215.4 million which came lower by 38 percent or P134 million compared to the P349.8 million in 2007.
He said of the new corporations last year, Davao City's businesses for paid-up capital accounted to P124.6 million while General Santos City at P27.4 million and Tagum City, P21.5 million.
Meanwhile Francisco said with regards to foreign direct investments (FDI) of 80 new businesses with paid up capital of P15.177 million, Davao City still got high with 67 corporation and paid up capital of P11.4 million.
General Santos City had 3 of P1.1 million, Davao Oriental, 2, P1.036 million, Koronadal City, 2, P1.250 million.
He said according to nationalities, the Chinese top the list followed by Korean and Dutch.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Med Express to expand to other Mindanao areas
A Manila-based medicine distributor will expand its operations in Mindanao after it hit a 12,000 clients in Davao last year.
The Med Express which delivers nedicines and milk formulas right at the clients doorstep is putting up new stores in Davao City and other parts of Mindanao. Med Express business development manager Carlo Lorenzana said with one store servicing their clients in the city, they are putting up two more offices that will be servicing those in the northern and southern areas of Davao City. He said they will open branches within the first quarter this year in the cities of Butuan and Cagayan de Oro. Med Express already has over 200 stores all over the country servicing 200,000 clients. It has three franchise stores in Jakarta, Indonesia, he said. Lorenzana said they are optimistic of the business in 2009 even as he said that they noted a 40 percent growth in 2008 as against their performance in 2007.
Davao bakeshop to open new branches
Panaderia, a local bakeshop in Davao City, is bent on opening new branches in other Mindanao areas this year to be able to achieve a profitable operation.
Samuel M. Abrenilla, owner of CokTek Manufacturing and Panaderia Bakeshop said having multiple outlets means higher revenue.
He said they are looking at the cities of General Santos, Valencia and Cagayan de Oro.
Although he said they would not want to do aggressive steps this year, the additional outlets of at least three to their existing 13 branches would give them better income. This is competitive enough, he said.
"We need to have bigger revenue source to come up with profitable operation," he said.
But Abrenilla admitted that their operation has been affected by the economic downtrend. Their operation already suffered in 2008 getting an income very much lower compared in 2007.
He said the bakeshop operation is highly dependent on imported products and prices of these commodities have gone high.
But he said they would not compromise the ingredients because they have to maintain the quality of their products.
Despite the current financial crisis, Abrenilla said they will not sacrifice the quality of their products.
Panaderia's signature product "hot pandesal" will still be available as early as 5:00 am. even as he said that they will still maintain the same ingredients to any of their products.
Abrenilla put up Panaderia Bakeshop after he invented the Coktek Oven where it is known for its distinct feature of equal heat inside the chamber.
With this feature, he said they were able to save substantially on LPG gas of about 20 to 50 percent.
The industrial oven that Abrenilla invented has a capacity of 12 baking pans costing P50,000.
He said his invention is comparable to the product made in Korea and Taiwan of about P150,000.
Samuel M. Abrenilla, owner of CokTek Manufacturing and Panaderia Bakeshop said having multiple outlets means higher revenue.
He said they are looking at the cities of General Santos, Valencia and Cagayan de Oro.
Although he said they would not want to do aggressive steps this year, the additional outlets of at least three to their existing 13 branches would give them better income. This is competitive enough, he said.
"We need to have bigger revenue source to come up with profitable operation," he said.
But Abrenilla admitted that their operation has been affected by the economic downtrend. Their operation already suffered in 2008 getting an income very much lower compared in 2007.
He said the bakeshop operation is highly dependent on imported products and prices of these commodities have gone high.
But he said they would not compromise the ingredients because they have to maintain the quality of their products.
Despite the current financial crisis, Abrenilla said they will not sacrifice the quality of their products.
Panaderia's signature product "hot pandesal" will still be available as early as 5:00 am. even as he said that they will still maintain the same ingredients to any of their products.
Abrenilla put up Panaderia Bakeshop after he invented the Coktek Oven where it is known for its distinct feature of equal heat inside the chamber.
With this feature, he said they were able to save substantially on LPG gas of about 20 to 50 percent.
The industrial oven that Abrenilla invented has a capacity of 12 baking pans costing P50,000.
He said his invention is comparable to the product made in Korea and Taiwan of about P150,000.
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