Davao Region [Archive] - SkyscraperCity

kiretoce

May 1st, 2008, 03:09 PM

Davao Region, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur. The region encloses the Davao Gulf and its regional center is Davao City. Davao is the Hispanicized pronunciation of daba-daba, the Bagobo word for "fire" (the Cebuano translation is "kayo").

Region XI was originally called Southern Mindanao, and in addition to the three Davao provinces also included Surigao del Sur and South Cotabato. At that time, Compostela Valley was still part of Davao del Norte. Republic Act No. 7225, ratified on March 16, 1992, created the province of Sarangani from South Cotabato. Then, Republic Act No. 7901, signed on February 3, 1995, by President Fidel V. Ramos transferred Surigao del Sur into the newly created region of Caraga (Region XIII). Finally, on September 19, 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Executive Order No. 36 reorganized the regions and provinces in Mindanao. This moved South Cotabato and Sarangani to SOCCSKSARGEN region and renamed Southern Mindanao as Davao Region.

This region also bears the nickname Silicon Gulf.

CULTURAL GROUPS The region is an in-migration area, with a mixture of migrants, which include Cebuanos (making up the majority), Ilonggos and Ilocanos. Its ethnic groups include Manobos, Bagobos, Maiisakas, Maguindanon, T’boli, Tirurays and Muslims.

CLIMATE The region has a generally uniform distribution of rainfall through the year. It lies outside the typhoon belt.

NATURAL RESOURCES Aside from its forestland and fertile fields, Southern Mindanao has mineral resources of chrornite, iron, nickel, and manganese, gold, copper and other non-metallic minerals. Five of the major fishing grounds of the Philippines are located in the region.

ECONOMY While the region’s economy is predominantly agri-based. it is now developing into a center for agro-industrial business, trade and tourism. Its competitive advantage is in agri-industry as its products, bananas, pineapples, fresh asparagus, and fish products are exported abroad. The region can be a vital link to markets in other parts of Mindanao, Brunei Darussalam and parts of Malaysia and Indonesia.

There is a gradual shift to industrialization as shown with industry’s growth rate of 8.1% in 1996. Other economic activities are mining, fishery, forestry and agriculture.

FACILITIES The region’s principal ports are the Sasa International Seaport in Sasa, Sta. Ana Pier in the Chinatown District, Panabo Seaport in Davao del Norte, and Mati Seaport in Davao Oriental. Infrastructure developments in the cities within the region are considered excellent.

The airport in Davao City is the largest and most developed in Mindanao. The region is accessible by land, air and sea. The region has adequate communications facilities, reliable power and an abundant water supply.

Source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davao_region)

shaKEIRa

May 1st, 2008, 05:07 PM

oi... may davao region thread na... are you from davao sr kiretoce?

kiretoce

May 1st, 2008, 05:15 PM

^^ Nope. My roots are from Ilocos Sur (paternal) and Negros Occidental (maternal). Have never set foot on Mindanao before. :( Hopefully soon, I will get that chance to. :D

shaKEIRa

May 1st, 2008, 05:29 PM

yah... sure... you are very welcome to davao...

glenntoy15

May 2nd, 2008, 04:11 AM

go davao..!! post tahan na

dinabaw

May 2nd, 2008, 04:34 AM

The Frog is Back ! it's nice to see mr. kermit again i hate you're former avie :colgate: , thanks kimber for opening this thread!

Il Tenore

May 2nd, 2008, 02:00 PM

At last! a thread for Davao Region!

cheers!!

kiretoce

May 2nd, 2008, 02:26 PM

The Frog is Back ! it's nice to see mr. kermit again i hate you're former avie :colgate: , thanks kimber for opening this thread!

You're welcome! With all this talk of federalism, it's only timely that we let these regions shine and start promoting themselves to gauge whether they indeed can stand alone with little or no assistance from the central government.

Oh yeah, the Frog is indeed back! :okay:

neyoneyo80

May 2nd, 2008, 08:57 PM

Saturday, May 03, 2008
Davao-Samal bridge project starts soon
By Grace L. Plata

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/05/03/news/davao.samal.bridge.project.starts.soon.html

THE longtime goal of connecting Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) through a bridge is finally going to be realized.

"We will immediately start construction after the feasibility study is completed. That would take about three months," Faisal Kasim, Chief Executive Officer of the MCC Capital Projects (MCCCP) Ltd. of UK, the financial institution that will invest on the bridge project, said in a press conference Thursday evening.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Kasim added that the bridge would cost around 120 million dollars and MCCCP would extend the financial assistance to Igacos in terms of a no-interest loan payable in 30 years. A leeway of 5 years will be given to Igacos from the completion of the project to start paying its loan.

"We carried out the feasibility study at our own cost. What we ask is the chance to develop commercial communities and opportunities in the island itself," Kasim said.

James Dugan, executive vice-president of Private Banking in the United States which is one of MCCCP's partners in the venture, said that aside from the bridge, they are also going to concentrate on two more projects in the island - sewage system and medical care.

"Sewage treatment is a major consideration as the island attracts visitors through its beautiful beaches," Dugan said.

For their commercial pursuits, Kasim said they are eyeing a hotel investment as well as the establishment of a convention center in the island.

"We aim to have these structures blend with the island and not stick out as a sore thumb," Kasim said.

Igacos Administrator Cleto Gales Jr. was also quick to add that even with the influx of development that may be brought about by the bridge construction, they are committed to preserving a big portion of the island.

"We will only have 20 percent of the island as built-up areas or those that can be developed. Eighty percent will remain as it is. We also have established 15 Marine Protected Areas that are off-limits to any kind of development," Gales said.

"If we will not preserve our natural endowments, then we will no longer be deserving of being called the island garden city," Gales added.

Former Igacos Mayor Rogelio Antalan, under whose term the bridge was first proposed, said they are hoping to convince the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to issue an order to have ships currently passing in front of the island to pass at the back portion.

"We are hoping to construct a bridge with at least a 25 meter-distance from the water level. This will be from Kilometer 10 in Sasa, Davao City to Babak in Igacos," Antalan said.

Antalan added that most ships often pass through the back portion these days, thus they are just lobbying for a formal order.

In consideration of the limited power supply in the island, Dugan, the American investor, said that hydropower generation would also be looked into. This is in anticipation of the wave of migration and investments upon the completion of the bridge.

The main transportation to the island city is now on a ferryboat where fare for a regular-sized four-wheel vehicle is already P270, one-way.

(May 3, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.

Il Tenore

May 3rd, 2008, 01:07 AM

^^YES!!! after 2 years of waiting...

here it is!! The Davao-Samal Bridge!!

:banana::banana:

anyway.. hi po kuya neyoneyo!

tj_brewed

May 3rd, 2008, 02:44 AM

^^ baka two decades of waiting po......gradeschool pa ako, way back in the early 90s...pangarap and pinaplano na yan eh... :D

Il Tenore

May 3rd, 2008, 06:08 AM

^^ganun ba? hindi ko nabalitaan ah...

but thanks for the info..

tj_brewed

May 3rd, 2008, 07:00 AM

Hi guys...If you gotta choose, what are your 7 wonders of Davao ....(man made constructions and landmarks) :okay:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/7wonders.jpg

You can also nominate through visiting
NEO*DAVAO. (http://neodavao.wordpress.com)

shaKEIRa

May 4th, 2008, 05:56 AM

^^what are the choices?

tj_brewed

May 4th, 2008, 06:31 AM

^^what are the choices?

Wala pong choices...that's why I posted the word "nominate". Kayo po yung magnominate...I didnt say vote. :D After the nomination, then we can start the poll!

shaKEIRa

May 4th, 2008, 06:41 AM

Wala pong choices...that's why I posted the word "nominate". Kayo po yung magnominate...I didnt say vote. :D After the nomination, then we can start the poll!

ok, kaya pala NOMINATE...

oradude23

May 4th, 2008, 06:21 PM

Vol. XXI, No. 194
Corporate News
Landco Pacific to develop resort and hotel in Samal; eyes 2012 completion

DAVAO CITY — Landco Pacific Corp. is investing about P600 million in a 33-hectare property in Samal City owned by the Floirendo family and will develop it into a high-end resort subdivision with a hotel component .

The company is seeking to develop the property in four years to make the hotel operational by 2012, as it tries to get a chunk of the booming property market.

Francis V. Ceballos, Landco executive vice-president, said the company would divide the property into 800 lots and set up a 200-room hotel that will be the anchor of its Plaza Azalea project.

But what could hinder the development of the project, which will begin as early as 2009, is the lack of infrastructure facilities in the island city, Mr. Ceballos said.

"Our main concern now is the lack of infrastructure. So we will have to coordinate with the utilities," he said, adding that if worse comes to worst, the company is ready to convert seawater into drinking water.

Don Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr., patriarch of the Floirendo family and founder of the Antonio O. Floirendo Corp., welcomed its joint venture with Landco.

Mr. Floirendo said he hopes the partnership would lead to more projects since the property arm of his company, Damosa Land Inc., is continuing its diversification.

Early last year, the Floirendo property company also signed a joint partnership agreement with Ayala Land, Inc. for the development of its 10-hectare property in downtown Davao City into a mall complex.

Under Landco’s Samal project, the property will be divided into the hillside cluster, where each unit is about 250 to 300 square meters, and the beachside cluster, where each unit will be more than 300 square meters. The cheapest unit will be sold for P1.2 million to P1.3 million.

The company is also setting up a convention hall that can accommodate a thousand people, the first on the island known for its beautiful beaches.

Mr. Ceballos said the company is partnering with the Floirendos after finding out that there are not so many facilities for tourists. The hotel will be packaged as a three-star establishment.

Mr. Ceballos said the project would focus on the locals, some of them Filipinos working abroad looking for comfortable homes. — CQF

Il Tenore

May 5th, 2008, 07:30 AM

^^it means.. mataas ang hotel?

henji

May 5th, 2008, 02:37 PM

By then Samal will be having a hi-rise. galing!!!

shaKEIRa

May 6th, 2008, 08:32 PM

By then Samal will be having a hi-rise. galing!!!

ilang rooms ba ang marco polo?

dinabaw

May 7th, 2008, 03:52 AM

SC orders Landbank to pay Davao landowners P1.38B
05/06/2008 | 08:08 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court has ordered government, through the Landbank, to pay Davao del Norte landowners the amount of P1.38 billion as compensation for 1,388.6 hectares of land which they gave up under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program or CARP.

In a 13-page decision penned by Associate Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, the SC's Third Division declared its ruling final as it dismissed the second motion for reconsideration filed by Landbank for being a prohibited pleading.

The Landbank had earlier filed a second motion which had questioned the December 19, 2007 ruling of the Third Division upholding the decision of the Tagum City regional trial court.

That ruling had directed the bank and the Department of Agrarian Reform to pay the amount of P1.38 billion to the Davao landowners for the said parcels of land.

In its motion for reconsideration, the Landbank sought the Court's reversal of its December 2007 resolution which affirmed the Special Agrarian Court's valuation for the 1,388.602 hectares of land owned by AFC and HPI amounting to P1.38 billion.

Landbank insisted that the Court should approve its revaluation for the said properties in the amount of P411.6 million as just compensation.

In its decision, the SC also denied for having no basis the request of Landbank to refer the case to the Supreme Court en banc.

"The SC sitting en banc is not an appellate court vis-a -vis its Divisions, and it exercises no appellate jurisdiction over the latter. Each division of the Court is considered not a body inferior to the Court en banc, and sits veritably as the Court en banc itself," the Court said.

The high court also assailed the DAR Abjudication Board (DARAB), an agency of the DAR which was tasked to determine just compensation for lands acquired under Republic Act No. 6657 or the CARP Law, for sitting on the complaints for determination of just compensation filed by Apo Fruits Corporation (AFC) and Hijo Plantation, Inc. (HPI).

"The omnibus motion of Landbank, to the extent that it seeks reconsideration of the amount of just compensation which the court affirmed in its decision dated February 6, 2000, is a second motion for reconsideration, because the Court already denied an identical prayer in its previous resolution dated December 19, 2007," the SC ruled.

The SC noted that DARAB failed and refused to render a decision on the valuation of the subject parcels of land despite the lapse of more than three years prompting AFC and HPI to elevate the complaints before the Tagum RTC.

However, the Court denied AFC and HPI's motion for partial reconsideration seeking the Court's re-imposition of the 12 percent interest on the balance of P95.2 million, representing the difference between the judgment award of P1.38 billion and the amount already paid for the subject properties.

The SC earlier modified its February 6, 2007 decision by deleting the award of 12 percent interest rate per annum in the total amount of just compensation.

"The Court has already thoroughly discussed in its December 19, 2007 resolution the reasons for reversing its award to AFC and HPI of interest and attorney's fees. It has duly considered all matters attendant to these issues in its assailed December 19, 2007 resolution, and since AFC and HPI failed to present any new arguments thereon, there is no reason for the Court to delve further on the same," it added.

Based on court records, AFC and HPI voluntarily offered to sell two parcels of land in San Isidro, Tagum with an aggregate area of 640.3483 hectares and three parcels of land with a total area of 814.5308 hectares, respectively.

On October 16, 1996, AFC and HPI received separately from the DAR's Provincial Reform Officer (PARO) of Davao province a notice of land acquisition and valuation, informing AFC that the value of the properties has been placed at P86.9 million while HPI's properties were valued at P164.4 million.

However, both AFC and HPI found the valuations unreasonably low and inadequate as just compensation for the properties. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/93647/SC-orders-Landbank-to-pay-Davao-landowners-P138

dinabaw

May 7th, 2008, 04:02 AM

DTI-11 recognized during Philippine Quality Award Ceremony »

May 7, 2008 | By janice

Davao City — TRADE Secretary Peter B. Favila presented recently a special citation to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 during the PQA Ceremony held at the Rizal Hall of Malacañan, recognizing the regional office’s efforts in pursuing ISO 9001:2000 certification for its Quality Management System.

The occasion was attended by Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

With the citation, DTI 11 joins the ranks of organizations, both government and private, which were recognized by the Philippine Government for championing quality and productivity in their business endeavors. Among the recipients of the PQA are: Airlift Asia, Inc. (2007), which received its award together with DTI 11, First Sumiden Circuits, Inc. (2006), Johnson and Johnson (Philippines), Inc. (2006), National Transmission Corp. (2006) and NEDA Region 1 (2006).

ISO certificates were also presented to:

# Land Bank of the Philippines, Trust Operations and Asset Management Services and Wholesale Commercial Lending Operations; and

# Civil Aeronautics Board, Processing New Applicant and Renewal of Permit for Authority to Operate Business in the Field of Aviation and/or Engaged in Air Commerce.

The secretary’s citation recognized DTI XI as a “pioneer and trailblazer in the delivery of government’s basic services, pushing the limits of excellence, having re-engineered itself to become the First National Government Agency in the country whose entire management system has been ISO 9001:2000 certified.”

Alongside Secretary Favila, the following assisted the President in giving out the awards: Antonio Kalaw, president of Development Academy of the Philippines, Angelica Fraginal, president of Philippine Society for Quality, Amb. Donald Dee, chair Emeritus of PCCI and Amb. Cesar B. Bautista, co-Chair of the Private Sector National Competitiveness Council.

DTI Center for International Competitiveness, which spearheaded the PQA ceremony, sees the need for DTI 11 to actively involve in the PQA roadshows, to share best practices and to provide a benchmark in establishing and maintaining Quality Management System in the government.

With the urgency of implementing EO 605, which mandates institutionalizing the structure, mechanisms and standards to implement the government quality management program, and with the publication of the 1st Government Quality Management Systems Standards (GQMSS), DTI 11 foresees greater responsibility in providing expertise for government agencies in pursuing quality management system.

The Philippine Quality Award is the highest level of national recognition for exemplary organizational performance, conferred annually to qualified organizations that garner the qualifying conditions per year. It sets a standard of excellence to help Filipino organizations achieve world-class performance and serves as a “template” for competitiveness based on the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM). It is comparable to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) of the US and those in Europe and Asia. (DTI-PIA XI)

http://mindanao.p7107.com/davao/2008/05/07/dti-11-recognized-during-philippine-quality-award-ceremony/

davaob4now

May 7th, 2008, 04:17 PM

ilang rooms ba ang marco polo?

240 rooms ata...im not sure...basta more or less 240 rooms...

punta ka nlng sa link na to... www.marcopolohotels.com

federalist

May 7th, 2008, 07:43 PM

^^it means.. mataas ang hotel?

means high class

Il Tenore

May 8th, 2008, 01:35 AM

^^ah.... basig taas pud ang hotel... malay natin...

lancerski

May 8th, 2008, 06:21 AM

Boom time for Philippine banana plantations

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20080508-135348/Boom-time-for-Philippine-banana-plantations

By Cecil Morella
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 11:27:00 05/08/2008

DAVAO, Philippines -- Crop dusters skim like dragonflies above the low green canopy of the banana plantations stretching as far as the eye can see on this southern Philippine island of Mindanao.

The intrepid landowners of the coastal plains and low lying hills around the Davao Gulf are cashing in on a surge in demand for fresh fruit in the Middle East, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea.

While the vast majority of the country's farmers produce rice on small lots, barely producing enough to survive, big land owners like Antonio Floirendo supply a growing global market with bananas and pineapples.

"That's been one of our problems, we can't produce enough rice. Rice farmers, they come to us wanting to sell land," said the 92-year-old, silver-haired former car salesman.

The country's biggest banana plantation owner is in the process of building a horseracing track outside his 400-hectare (988-acre) thoroughbred stud farm on the Marapangi hills above Davao city.

"You cannot blame them, that's (banana and pineapple farming) where the money is," he told AFP.

Free from typhoons and blessed with rich sandy-loam soil and year-round rainfall, Mindanao, twice the size of Belgium, accounts for a third of the country's agricultural output and 60 percent of its farm exports.

Residents are flush with cash as mining, agriculture and other industries pick up, said John Sison, a senior manager at the Hijo Resources farm in nearby Tagum city.

"There are no food lines here," said Tagum mayor Rey Uy. "But some rice farmers are shifting to bananas."

Although rice is the Philippines' main crop, less than a third of the country's farm land is suitable for growing the staple, according to the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute.

Unlike much of the country, where rice farmers hand-tend tiny plots that rely on seasonal rainfall with little or no credit access for purchasing fertilizer and other inputs, the half-million hectares planted to bananas and some 50,000 hectares for pineapple are worlds apart in terms of scale and use of mechanization.

But developing a hectare of bananas for planting costs half a million pesos (about $12,000) and entails a 10-year wait to recoup the investment, apart from heavy use of fertilizer and fungicides.

The local planters, some of them backed by Japanese trading houses such as Sumitomo, are contract growers for huge Western multinationals. A few operate their own ports and the industry employs on average 1.3 workers per hectare of farmland.

"Markets are opening up and everybody is expanding," said Floirendo's son, also named Antonio. "We need maybe close to a thousand hectares just to cover the additional demand."

His company is also planting an extra 1,500 hectares of pineapple in the Bukidnon plateau, where he said large areas of sugar cane farms are being replanted with bananas.

'LAND REFORM FAILED'

He said there are "hundreds of thousands of hectares" of irrigated farm land in Mindanao that are optimal for bananas, but there are political as well as cultural constraints since most are in the mainly Muslim western side, which is torn by a separatist rebellion.

Communist rebels also pose an ever-present threat. They destroyed a refrigerated container truck in mid-April, and stole more than 100 firearms in a raid on the Davao Penal Colony last year.

The Philippines earlier this month banned the use of farmland for real estate.

There was no ban on shifting from rice to other crops, but the big planters want to be politically correct. "We can't move because of that," the younger Floirendo said.

In the early 1990s, the Hijo farm shrank by half to 760 hectares through land reform as the government moved to break apart the big farms to solve widespread landlessness that it blamed for the poverty of farm workers who make up a fifth of the country's labor force.

The company sued to compel the government to pay market rates for the expropriated land, but had to wait 10 years to win a court order.

The farm now has a mere 200 workers, and 300 hectares of what was left was redeveloped for tourism. The owners' 88-year-old colonial house fronting a 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) beachfront was transformed into a bed-and-breakfast hotel. Another 75 hectares went to export-oriented light industry.

But the Floreindos' 7,000-plus hectare farm, a joint venture with the government's Bureau of Corrections, was untouched.

Some 1,200 low-security inmates at the Davao prison do voluntary, non-sensitive farm work alongside thousands of ordinary workers. The prisoners' families are paid stipends equivalent to the minimum wage, and the government a guaranteed P28 million ($668,000) annually.

"Land reform failed," the younger Floirendo said. "After they got the land, the beneficiaries turned around and either sold it or leased it back to somebody else until they lost their capital."

A 2007 study by GTZ, an arm of the German Ministry of Development Cooperation, conducted in April 2006 in conjunction with the Philippine government's Department of Agrarian Reform, agrees.

"At the macro level, the social and economic conditions in the rural communities are not any better than they were 10 years ago," said the study, called Scenarios and Options for Future Development.

Sison, the Hijo manager, said Mindanao "will still be the breadbasket of the Philippines. There is still a lot of farm land to develop."

However, conversion for the owners was "the best way to move forward."

Copyright 2008 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

coolerman

May 10th, 2008, 05:08 AM

dont forget the environment pls... sana hindi magaya sa boracay. pero i know mas-disiplinado ang taga-DAVAO!! hahaha!

Il Tenore

May 10th, 2008, 05:13 AM

^^siyempre naman po! mababait tayo eh! sumusunod sa batas...

henji

May 10th, 2008, 12:45 PM

banana is said to be cash crop

while

rice is food crop.

maybe ppl prefer lots of cash than a grannery of rice.

Peng Hok

May 10th, 2008, 12:47 PM

^^
people do not realize that they cannot eat money once rice supply runs out.

dulcepixels

May 10th, 2008, 10:51 PM

I agree with you. Unless when the time comes when rice runs out, there will be something that will replace it as our staple food.

dinabaw

May 11th, 2008, 03:07 AM

^^
people do not realize that they cannot eat money once rice supply runs out.

well we eat bananas :banana::lol:

Il Tenore

May 11th, 2008, 07:30 AM

^^kung banana naman po ang ating staple food...napaka-yucky po! pwede 2 bananas lang a day...

henji

May 11th, 2008, 07:36 AM

^^kung banana naman po ang ating staple food...napaka-yucky po! pwede 2 bananas lang a day...

pag-hunahuna pa lang... mura nakog maconstipate.yuck

Il Tenore

May 11th, 2008, 07:46 AM

^^agree... pwede iba nalang?

henji

May 11th, 2008, 07:52 AM

Camote anyone..... daming fiber neto.... lots of fiber.........:banana:

WawaY[625]

May 11th, 2008, 07:52 AM

at sineryoso naman :lol:

Il Tenore

May 11th, 2008, 08:03 AM

Camote anyone..... daming fiber neto.... lots of fiber.........:banana:
banyo naman ang ending! :lol:

kiretoce

May 11th, 2008, 08:57 AM

well we eat bananas :banana::lol:

Eating too much bananas can elevate Potassium in your body to unhealthy levels.

Camote anyone..... daming fiber neto.... lots of fiber.........:banana:

Roughage from fibrous rich food will help you regulate your bowel movements. :lol:

Ibex

May 12th, 2008, 03:26 AM

Largest cities

The following is a list of the 13 largest cities in the country in terms of population.

Rank http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) City http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Population (2007 census) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Population http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Image http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Description

1. Quezon City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quezon_City) 2,679,450

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Libisqc.jpg/150px-Libisqc.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Libisqc.jpg)

This is the former capital of the country (1948-1976); largest city in Metro Manila

2. Manila City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_City) 1,660,719

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Big_Manila.jpg/150px-Big_Manila.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Big_Manila.jpg)

This is the Capital of the country (from 1571-1948 and 1976-present).

3. Caloocan City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloocan_City) 1,378,856

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7f/Balintawak_Toll_Barrier.jpg/150px-Balintawak_Toll_Barrier.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Balintawak_Toll_Barrier.jpg)

This was called "The Nice City"

4. Davao City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davao_City) 1,363,337

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/Landpryce2.jpg/150px-Landpryce2.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Landpryce2.jpg)

This was called "The Land of Promise" and the Largest City in the World in terms of Land Area

5. Cebu City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cebu_City) 798,809

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5f/Cebu1.jpg/150px-Cebu1.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cebu1.jpg)

This was called "The Queen City of the South"

6. Zamboanga City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamboanga_City) 774,407

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Climaco_ave..jpg/150px-Climaco_ave..jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Climaco_ave..jpg)

This was called "the City of Flowers"; branded as Asia's Latin City

7. Pasig City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasig_City) 617,301

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/C5-highway.jpg/150px-C5-highway.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:C5-highway.jpg)

"One of the top business districts in the metropolis"

8. Valenzuela City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valenzuela_City) 485,433

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e1/DSC06311.jpg/150px-DSC06311.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DSC06311.jpg)

This was called "The Vibrant City"

9. Las Piñas City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Pi%C3%B1as_City) 472,780

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Ph_locator_ncr_las_pinas.png/150px-Ph_locator_ncr_las_pinas.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ph_locator_ncr_las_pinas.png)

This was called "The Bamboo Organ Of The Philippines"

10. Antipolo City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipolo_City) 470,866

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/08/Ph_seal_rizal_antipolo.png/150px-Ph_seal_rizal_antipolo.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ph_seal_rizal_antipolo.png)

This was called "The Pilgrimage City"

11. Taguig City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taguig_City) 467,375

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/44/Taguig_Bonifacio_Skyline.jpg/150px-Taguig_Bonifacio_Skyline.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Taguig_Bonifacio_Skyline.jpg)

This was called "Home of the Global City"

12. General Santos City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Santos_City) 529,542

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/31/Pioneer_ave.jpg/150px-Pioneer_ave.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pioneer_ave.jpg)

This was called "The Tuna Capital of the Philippines"and also called as the "Boom City of the South"

13. Cagayan de Oro City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cagayan_de_Oro_City) 553,966

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d4/Limketkaimall.jpg/150px-Limketkaimall.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Limketkaimall.jpg)

This was called " The City of Golden Friendship"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines

dinabaw

May 12th, 2008, 03:52 AM

GearX

May 12th, 2008, 03:59 AM

Largest cities

9. Las Piñas City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Pi%C3%B1as_City) 472,780

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Ph_locator_ncr_las_pinas.png/150px-Ph_locator_ncr_las_pinas.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ph_locator_ncr_las_pinas.png)

This was called "The Bamboo Organ Of The Philippines"

:bash: :bash: :bash: :bash:

Il Tenore

May 12th, 2008, 05:06 AM

I hope Caloocan "Nice city" is pertaining to Nice of France , bec CC it's not so nice today ..lol

can we change Davao's " Land of Promise" tag , para atang pangit na sa ngayon , it's better "City in Bloom" wadda you think? :)
ok rin ang "City in Bloom". makit-an man sa developments.

oradude23

May 14th, 2008, 03:58 AM

Top 10 civil engineers
MANILA, Philippines -- The top 10 civil engineering board examinees:

1. Jency Borromeo Lim, University Of San Carlos -- 97.00

2. Richard Grumez Naragas, University Of Mindanao-Davao City -- 95.25

3. Jaypee Abellanosa Lapiz, Central Mindanao University -- 94.20
Francis Ortanez Macatingrao, University Of Nueva Caceres -- 94.20

4. Melvin Gutierrez Singayan, Polytechnic University Of The Philippines-Main-Sta. Mesa, Manila -- 93.15

5. Bernard Zerna Duran, Negros Oriental State University (CVPC)-Dumaguete -- 93.00

6. Jennyl Resuello Estil, University of the Philippines-Los Baños -- 92.95

7. Andra Charis Sehob Mijares, University of the Philippines-Diliman -- 92.25

8. Daniel Bernardo Bangit, FEU-East Asia College -- 92.10
Erick Christian Villanueva Cruz, University Of The Philippines-Diliman -- 92.10

9. Ailyn Marcial Abrea, La Salle University–Ozamiz City -- 91.95
Romeo Jr Juanite Mata, Father Saturnino Urios University (Urios Coll) -- 91.95

10. Carlos Alfonso Ventura Fabie, De La Salle University-Manila -- 91.75

henji

May 14th, 2008, 04:35 AM

^^nice one for UM

GearX

May 14th, 2008, 05:49 AM

konti na lang, Richard Gomez na pangalan niya...:cheers:

henji

May 14th, 2008, 10:43 AM

Peng Hok

May 14th, 2008, 10:48 AM

konti na lang, Richard Gomez na pangalan niya...:cheers:

Harharhar

davaob4now

May 14th, 2008, 11:49 AM

I hope Caloocan "Nice city" is pertaining to Nice of France , bec CC it's not so nice today ..lol

can we change Davao's " Land of Promise" tag , para atang pangit na sa ngayon , it's better "City in Bloom" wadda you think? :)

fwede pud...but gusto ko yung ultimate name talaga...is ok if "the crown city of the south" as described by other forum sites?
napaka royal at respected kasi ng dating...:)

davaob4now

May 14th, 2008, 11:52 AM

Ibex

May 14th, 2008, 12:21 PM

My Bad... I visited the site again pero na change na ang naka post :bash::nuts::nuts: Baka di pa na update yun.

here's the latest...

Largest cities

The following is a list of the 10 largest cities in the country in terms of population, ordered according to their 2007 census population.

Rank http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) City http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Population (2007 census) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Population http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#) Image http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#)Description http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_of_the_Philippines#)

1. Quezon City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quezon_City) 2,679,450

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Libisqc.jpg/150px-Libisqc.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Libisqc.jpg)
This is the former capital of the country (1948-1976); largest city in Metro Manila

2. Manila City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_City) 1,660,719

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Big_Manila.jpg/150px-Big_Manila.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Big_Manila.jpg) T
his is the Capital of the country (from 1571-1948 and 1976-present).

3. Caloocan City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloocan_City) 1,378,856

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7f/Balintawak_Toll_Barrier.jpg/150px-Balintawak_Toll_Barrier.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Balintawak_Toll_Barrier.jpg)
This was called "The Nice City"

4. Davao City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davao_City) 1,363,337

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/Landpryce2.jpg/150px-Landpryce2.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Landpryce2.jpg)
This was called "The Land of Promise" and the Largest City in the World in terms of Land Area

5. Cebu City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cebu_City) 798,809

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5f/Cebu1.jpg/150px-Cebu1.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cebu1.jpg)
This was called "The Queen City of the South"

6. Zamboanga City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamboanga_City) 774,407

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Climaco_ave..jpg/150px-Climaco_ave..jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Climaco_ave..jpg)
This was called "the City of Flowers"; branded as Asia's Latin City

7. Pasig City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasig_City) 617,301

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/C5-highway.jpg/150px-C5-highway.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:C5-highway.jpg)
"One of the top business districts in the metropolis"

8. Taguig City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taguig_City) 613,343

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/44/Taguig_Bonifacio_Skyline.jpg/150px-Taguig_Bonifacio_Skyline.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Taguig_Bonifacio_Skyline.jpg)
This was called "Home of the Global City"

9. Valenzuela City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valenzuela_City) 568,928

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e1/DSC06311.jpg/150px-DSC06311.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DSC06311.jpg)
This was called "The Vibrant City"

10. Cagayan de Oro City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cagayan_de_Oro_City) 553,966

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d4/Limketkaimall.jpg/150px-Limketkaimall.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Limketkaimall.jpg)
This was called " The City of Golden Friendship"

Source: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=618156

oradude23

May 14th, 2008, 08:13 PM

Jewel of Samal unveiled

SOON an exclusive and luxurious resort living community will rise on the Island Garden City of Samal.

Landco-Pacific, the company behind the conceptualization, building and management of the country's high-end lifestyle communities, and Anflocor, Davao City's leading corporation with Damosa Land Inc., as the property management and development arm, forged their partnership to the creation of Samal Island's most exciting and upscale seaside community enclave -- the Playa Azalea.

The Marina of the Pearl Farm Beach Resort was transformed into a stylish tropical setting for the soft launching and initial public presentation of Playa Azalea.

It was an apt setting for the event that will give the same feel for the soon-to-rise resort village along the Davao Gulf. Davao's A-list guests from the business, political and corporate spheres were entertained with nothing less than grand.

To publicly present this joint venture, Landco Pacific's president and CEO Alfred Xerez-Burgos Jr. and chairman and founder of Anflocor, Antonio O. Floirendo Sr., gave their speeches and expressed their gratitude and desire for a successful collaborative undertaking.

The exchange of trust between the two prime movers was represented in the company's exchanging of presents.

Following the partnership salutation given by the vice-president of the Anflo Group of Companies, Antonio Floirendo Jr., was the highlight of the celebration -- Playa Azalea development plan unveiling.

The Playa Azalea site development presentation proved more significant with the presence and representation of the VIPs of the two forging companies.

Representing the Anflocor Group of Companies as the landowner were Antonio O. Floirendo Sr., with his wife Nenita; vice-president of Damosa Land Inc. Ricardo R. Floirendo; Antonio R. Floirendo Jr., and Maricris F. Brias, VP-Anflo Group.

The partner and developer, Landco Pacific Corp. was represented by the president and COO Alfred Xerez-Burgos, Jr. with Francis V. Ceballos, EVP and chief operating officer; Gerard C. Marcelo, AVP/Strategic Business Unit; Ging Relativo, chief financial officer, and Shella Laxa-Sarmiento, marketing manager for VisMin.

Capping the event was the spectacular display of fireworks over the Playa Azalea on Samal Island.

The resort-village development, which is very visible from the Marina, gave a perfect vantage point of view for the nightscape extravaganza, a special treat every Davao city-dweller surely enjoyed and missed for the past few years.

The P600 million Playa Azalea development will sit on a 33-hectare property and will take four years to complete.

The luxe resort village will have 800 lots for sale cut at 250-300 square meters each and the villagers will enjoy amenities befitting of a high-end seaside resort including a private white sand stretch.

A posh hotel will rise beside the village that will be operational in 2012. (Jinggoy Salvador

Ibex

May 15th, 2008, 12:17 PM

Thursday, May 15, 2008
Talks start to intensify trade links between Sulawesi, S. Mindanao
By Carlo P. Mallo

ANOTHER round of exploratory talks to intensify cooperation among key trade and tourism industry players from Northern Sulawesi and the cities of Davao and General Santos in Southern Mindanao have started early this week with the arrival of 16 delegates in Davao City.

Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana told reporters Wednesday that this is just only the start of exploratory talks between Northern Sulawesi and Southern Mindanao, which are also under the sub-regional group of the Brunei-Indonesia-Philippines-Malaysia East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga).

"We want to have more talks between the two areas in the future and more cooperation between the two," Partawana said.

The consul general also stressed the importance of the cooperation among the three areas -- Northern Sulawesi, Davao and Gensan -- due to their close proximity with each other and the numerous commonalities shared.

"We are almost like the same. We are like long lost cousins," Partawana said, adding that by helping each other, these areas will benefit more from each other.

"We will not be competing with each other, but rather complimenting each other," he said.

Among the issues to be discussed are the feasibility of a bilateral cooperation on the development and production of agricultural products, especially coconuts and palm oil.

But another concern that will be discussed is the problem on the entry of illegal fishers on the common sea border shared by the Philippines and Indonesia.

Shelley Sondakh, executive secretary of the Bimp-Eaga Secretariat, headed the Indonesian delegation, while Angel Puentespina, president of the Davao Association of Travel Agencies, headed the Philippine delegation.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/05/15/bus/talks.start.to.intensify.trade.links.between.sulawesi.s..mindanao.html

coolerman

May 15th, 2008, 03:03 PM

sana madayon na ang RAIL PROJECT SA DAVAO REGION!

Il Tenore

May 16th, 2008, 09:09 AM

^^let's cross our fingers!

peace! \m/

neyoneyo80

May 26th, 2008, 12:18 AM

Davao region earns P4.7M
in trade fair for SMEs

By Manuel T. Cayon
Reporter

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/05262008/economy03.html

DAVAO CITY—The Davao Region earned P4.719 million in the last-day tally of the recently held National Trade Fair (NTF) in Metro Manila, making the region the second-best performer among regional exhibitors.

The national total sales reached only P32.031 million from all 14 regional exhibitors of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

Of the region’s aggregate sales, Davao City got the biggest share with P2.193 million, which was 46 percent of the region’s sales.

Davao Oriental was in second slot with P1.76 million, which was 37.49 percent of the regional share.

Davao Oriental’s coconut baskets were a surprising crowd drawer after a US company offered a supply arrangement worth P1.34 million. The province accepted the offer.

The coconut baskets were included in the government’s One Town, One Product campaign.

DTI Assistant Regional Director Marizon Loreto ascribed the region’s performance to the previous government assistance that prepared the participating SMEs in the national trade fair.

“These SMEs actually received a full-cycle package of assistance from DTI. They underwent seminars and trainings, such as product development and advisory course, which included the development of the participants’ negotiation skills,” Loreto said.

Regional participants to the event were (Davao City) Crystal Seas and Handcrafted Products, Porky Best Products and Kanegie Food; (Davao Oriental) RV Berato Pebble and Concrete Products and Mandaya Dabaw Dagmay and Weaving; (Davao del Sur) RER Lumad Designs, SR Mango Processors Cooperative, Elisha’s Food Products,and AG Pacific Nutriceutical Corporation; (Compostela Valley King Real Laundry Manufacturing and Cocolife Cooperative; (Davao del Norte) Silagan Handicrafts and Lucille’s Food Products.

This year’s NTF focused on the theme, “The Best of the Islands.”

The NTF was spearheaded by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, an attached agency of the DTI. The other DTI bureaus that helped were the Regional Operations Group, Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines, and Bureau of SME Development.

dark_knight_detectve

May 26th, 2008, 11:51 AM

Ex-Moro rebel eyed in armory raid (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/05/26/news/ex.moro.rebel.eyed.in.armory.raid.html)

Monday, May 26, 2008

By Ben O. Tesiorna

THIEVES believed to be former Moro rebel integrees of the Philippine Army ransacked the Army engineering brigade's armory in Monkayo, Compostela Valley, Saturday evening.

The rebels were able to run off with several high-powered firearms.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed that the 534th Engineering Battalion's armory was ransacked around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Fifteen M16 rifles, two M203, three M14 and one M60 machinegun were carted away by the thieves.

A member of the battalion unit is said to be the suspect. He was identified as one Pfc. Mama who is an integree and is said to have a brother who is an active member of the New People's Army (NPA).

Military authorities, however, remained mum about the raid as of Sunday evening.

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila.

neyoneyo80

May 26th, 2008, 12:19 PM

these rebels from the north are nearing davao bwahhhhhhhh :runaway:

dhawell

May 27th, 2008, 03:21 AM

AsiaBIZ Strategy conducted an Asia-wide survey in 2007 to rank both big and small Asian cities involving 200 over cities. Below are the results:

ASIAN CITIES OF THE FUTURE

1, Hong Kong, China

2, Singapore, Singapore

3, Taipei City, Taiwan (Republic of China)

4, Melbourne, Australia

5, Dalian, China

6, Shijiazhuang, China

7, Quezon City, Philippines

8, Cebu City, Philippines

9, Guangzhou, China

10, Davao City, Philippines

MOST COST EFFECTIVE

1, Shijiazhuang, China

2, Dalian, China

3, Quezon City, Philippines

4, Cebu City, Philippines

5, Guangzhou, China

6, Davao City, Philippines

7, Colombo, Sri Lanka

8, Taipei City, Taiwan (Republic of China)

9, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

10, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)

BEST HUMAN RESOURCES

1, Singapore, Singapore

2, Melbourne, Australia

3, Hong Kong, China

4, Taipei City, Taiwan (Republic of China)

5, Davao City, Philippines

6, Quezon City, Philippines

7, Seoul, South Korea

8, Chongqing, China

9, Shijiazhuang, China

10, Guangzhou, China

Source:

http://www.investasiapacific.com/Awards.htm

Peng Hok

May 27th, 2008, 05:10 AM

dinabaw

May 27th, 2008, 06:29 AM

^^hmmm it's ok i think it's better we know our enemies than kurakot politicians :colgate:

hmm how about the high-end subdivision? it's shame they can only lure 30 lots hehe

WawaY[625]

May 27th, 2008, 06:42 AM

cheap and desperate shot..wala na kasing ibang masabi :lol: kawawa naman

Peng Hok

May 27th, 2008, 07:11 AM

Murag bata nga napildi sa dula mao na nanglabay nalang ug bato. Pikon? :lol::lol::lol:

xzibit31

May 27th, 2008, 07:26 AM

^^hmmm it's ok i think it's better we know our enemies than kurakot politicians :colgate:

hmm how about the high-end subdivision? it's shame they can only lure 30 lots hehe

30 lots of the availabe 150 lots at their high end subdivision have been sold....grabe only 30% have been sold..and they have been selling it for over a year now....hahahahahahaha....kaluoy......:lol:

dinabaw

May 27th, 2008, 07:29 AM

^^ i did the math less than 30% po koya :D

xzibit31

May 27th, 2008, 11:55 AM

^^ i did the math less than 30% po koya :D

ah mao ba? hehehehe...estimates lang po yun sa akin uncle...:lol:

Ibex

May 27th, 2008, 12:59 PM

MAY 27, 2008
Davao National FIDE Rated Open Chess unfolds into action

The Davao National FIDE Rated Open Chess tournament organized and supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) region XI, Pro Sports, the NCFP Mindanao Grassroots Development Program, JCI Durian Jaycees, the City Government of Davao, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Office of Councilor Leo Avila III officially opened yesterday and will culminate on May 31 at the Gaisano South Citimall which is a qualifying event for the National Chess Olympiad in Manila and Tagaytay next month.

No less than NCFP president former congressman Prospero “Butch” Pichay and Malaysian Peter Long, the executive director of the ASEAN Chess Confederation who also happens to be a FIDE Master and FIDE Arbiter was on hand for the opening ceremonies of this huge tournament which hopes to give the youth and chess enthusiasts of Davao City a chance to earn FIDE and NCFP ratings with minimal expense.

Also present for this event is IA (International Arbiter) Willie Abalos who will be giving a special arbiter’s seminar for those who would like to acquire this title and certification.

This will also be an opportunity for wood pushers in the neighboring cities and municipalities of the city to play and earn their ratings here.
The champion for this event will get P20,000, a certificate plus a trophy, while the second placer will pocket P10,000, a certificate plus a trophy as well.

The third placer will receive P7,000 a certificate and a trophy while the fourth placer will go home with P5,000 plus a certificate and medal.
The fifth placer will receive P3,000 and the 6th – 10th placers will take home P1,000 with certificates and medals also.

In addition, there will also be special regional awards namely the top 5 region XI non-master best performers who will be receiving P1,000 each, certificates plus a JCI Durian City medal as well as the chance to compete in the Olympiad selection national semis in Manila, the special open awards for the top senior citizen, the top executive, the top employee player, the top class B (below NCFP 1900) and the top unrated (zero NCFP rating), and the special youth awards for boys and girls which has citations for the different age groups (8-18 years old).

The tournament for-mat will be 9 rounds Swiss-System with a time control of 1 hour and 15 minutes with 30 seconds increment. Rules and Rating to be used are FIDE and NCFP.

The registration fee is set at P500 per player inclusive of a tournament ID and for those who would like to join the Arbiter’s Seminar a registration fee of P1,000 will be collected (with arbiter’s title and certificate to be given after the seminar).

For more information contact Manuel G. Alba, the Secretariat at (082) 2215922, (0916) 373 4934, NA James G. Infiesto, NCFP Region 11 at (082) 297 6776, (0920) 914 8297 or NA Engr. Allan H. Diez, NCFP Mindanao Grass-roots at (082) 234 5868, (0920) 951 6535.

Source: http://www.dailymirror.ph/

paulkrps

May 27th, 2008, 01:04 PM

^^ whatever happened to that once davao chess great peter tidoy?

dhawell

May 27th, 2008, 05:24 PM

dinabaw

May 27th, 2008, 06:45 PM

^^ whatever happened to that once davao chess great peter tidoy?

I think he is now a reverend in a protestant church

paulkrps

May 27th, 2008, 06:52 PM

thanks. chess' loss but the Lord's gain.

oradude23

May 27th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
The Economy

Davao’s nonmetallic mineral production doubles in 2007

DAVAO CITY — Nonmetallic minerals extracted in the Davao Region more than doubled in volume to 953,000 metric tons in 2007 from 419,000 metric tons in 2006, data of the economic section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) regional office showed.

The volume produced in 2007 was worth P102 million, a 36% increase from the P75 million recorded in 2006. Except for Davao Oriental, the data showed significant improvement in the production of minerals in all other areas.

Davao City alone produced about 1,168 metric tons of limestone last year, compared with 974 MT processed in 2006. Major contributors of limestone production in Davao City are Holcim Philippines, Inc. and the Solid North Mining Corp.

On the other hand, production of silica in Davao Oriental posted only about 1,928 MT in 2007, compared to 29,000 MT produced in 2006 valued at P12 million. The decrease was attributed to the shutting down of Holcim’s plant facility in Davao Oriental. Holcim is one of the region’s key producers of silica, a principal component in the production of glass and concrete.

For sand and gravel, aggregate production of Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley reached 750,000 cubic meters last year, a reduction from the 793,000 cu. m. posted in 2006. MGB listed 149 permit holders and contractors producing or processing sand and gravel last year.

MGB Regional Director Edilberto L. Arreza said that stone quarrying, clay and sandpits nationwide posted double-digit growth in the second half of 2007.

"As a whole, the increase could be attributed to a surge in construction activities that were undertaken during the period," he told reporters here. — Joel B. Escovilla

MtApoStandard

May 28th, 2008, 05:24 PM

Davao Region proposes P11.55B 2009 budget

The Regional Development Council (RDC) 11 has endorsed the P11.55 billion proposed budget for 2009 of national government agencies (NGAs) and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) of Davao Region at a special meeting last Thursday.

RDC 11 chair and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) 11 regional director Nicasio Agustin clarified that the 2009 budget proposals which the council has endorsed to Congress for approval is not the total amount of national government investments in the region since there are agencies that failed to submit their proposals during the consultations.

The budget proposals only covered 11 NGAs and five SUCs in the Davao Region, he said.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) proposed the largest budget of P6.34 billion, accounting over 50 percent of the total amount of the entire proposed budget.

Department of Education (DepEd) followed at P1.2 billion or roughly 10 percent of the entire proposed budget.

Agustin said RDC 11 endorsed the 2009 proposed budget through sectoral distribution. The council endorsed P7.2 billion budget proposal of infrastructure agencies (63 percent), P3.9 billion of social sector agencies including the SUCs (34 percent), and P461 million of economic sector agencies (3 percent).

The five SUCs include the University of the Philippines-Mindanao, Commission on Higher Education Central Office (for the SUCs), University of the Philippines System (for UP-Mindanao).

The national agencies that presented their budget proposals were DPWH, Philippine Ports Authority, National Irrigation Administration, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, DepEd, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and National Housing Authority.

The endorsement of the Davao Region 2009 budget proposal is in compliance with National Budget Memorandum No. 101 issued by the Department of Budget and Management in preparation for the 2009 national budget.

Under the memorandum, DBM directed Regional Development Councils (RDCs) to conduct consultations with NGAs, SUCs, and LGUs to reconcile and confirm their respective thrusts and priorities. Judy Quiros

http://www.dailymirror.ph/business05282008&01.html

oradude23

May 31st, 2008, 06:51 PM

Business
BOI okays perks for P1.7-B projects
By Ted P. Torres

The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved the grant of fiscal incentives to P1.7 billion worth of various project investments such as low-cost housing, tourism, manufacturing, business process outsourcing (BPO) and cold storage.

The largest among the new businesses is Hotel Specialists Inc.’s 133-room first class hotel in a 3.8-hectare property in Tagaytay City costing P650 million.

Another property developer CDC Realty Inc., will put up a cluster of five to six-storey buildings totaling 1,000 units on a 1.9-hectare land area in SunValley, Paranaque City. It has a project cost of P429.19 million.

The package price is from P1.2 milion to P1.68 million per unit.

Meanwhile, Davao Bay Coconut Oil Mills Inc. will establish a manufacturing plant with 14 copra expellers that will produce coconut oil and copra meal/cake as its by-product. The plant will be located in Madaum, Tagum City.

The products will be sold to the domestic market comprising coconut oil refineries, soap and oleo chemical companies in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The project cost is estimated at P358.4 million.

The plant will have a capacity of 65,625 metric tons per year for crude coconut oil and 36.225 metric tons for copra meal/cake.

The manufacturing plant will help boost the income of coconut farmers from within the localities and immediate areas. The local government will directly benefit from the project through taxes, licenses and fees. It is also in support of the alternative energy program of the government.

Another categorized as low-cost housing is the P247.62- million project of Primegates Property Inc. for the construction of 450 units of 13-storey residential condominium with package prices ranging from P1.3 million to P3 million.

Called the Royal Palm Villas in Pamplona Dos, Las Pinas City, the primary targets are the middle-income earners and families of overseas Filipino workers.

davaoeagle

May 31st, 2008, 08:28 PM

Nation
Mindanao processed fruits draw global buyers at market exchange
The Philippine Star

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Foreign institutional buyers are purchasing more processed fruit products from Mindanao, attracted by the high quality and year-round availability of produce in this typhoon-free region.

This was the feedback from food suppliers who joined the Mindanao market exchange held as an adjunct to the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) in Manila this month.

The market exchange, organized jointly by the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Mindanao and USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, gave fruit consolidators and processors an opportunity to hold one-on-one meetings with foreign and non-Mindanao buyers with a specific interest in food items produced in the region.

Among the most popular products were banana chips and dried mango, as well as purees of mango, papaya and pineapple.

In 2007, Mindanao shipped almost 2,000 metric tons of fresh mango valued at almost $3.6 million to foreign markets. The region also exported almost 2,300 metric tons of dried mango and other dried fruits valued at more than $1 million, and more than 2,200 metric tons of fruit purees and juices, valued at almost $1.3 million.

Mindanao’s emergence as the country’s primary supplier of fresh mango for export has enticed processors and supply chain firms to locate in the region.

“Mindanao can provide a steady supply of fruit all year long, unlike other parts of the country, where there are no harvests during typhoon season,” said Amy Chua, operations manager of Amley Food Products, a dried-fruit supplier which established linkages with mango growers who were trained by the GEM Program in improved production practices.

Mindanao’s primary export markets remain Japan, North America, and Asia Pacific countries, but growers and processors note the growing popularity of Mindanao fruit in the Middle East, China and Europe, which have their own distinct tastes and niche markets.

“Cavendish banana is a global favorite, but the Chinese market is attracted to sweeter varieties like lacatan,” said Paulino Gabunada, president of the Mindanao Fruit Shippers Association, a 48-member cooperative with an aggregate growing area of 600 hectares.

Chua noted that Europeans prefer organically grown products, with no added sugar, while Middle Eastern buyers favor more industrial food ingredients such as mango and pineapple puree, according to a report by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), organizer of IFEX.

“Market exchange participants also discussed possible joint ventures for improving product packaging and processing,” said Bai Dido Samama, DA chief of agribusiness and marketing assistance in Region 12. “Mindanao is building up its competitive edge.”

In line with the surge in fruit production and export, the region’s supply chain has expanded considerably in recent years.

For example, the Mindanao Federation of Shippers Association (MINFESA), with GEM assistance, has worked with large growers and smaller-scale producer associations to consolidate shipments of fresh fruit and other products, and thereby lower shipping costs. The Federation also advocates improving port management practices.

MtApoStandard

June 3rd, 2008, 05:17 PM

Home > Business > Economy

200-MW coal power plant to rise in Saranggani
06/03/2008 | 03:49 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us MANILA, Philippines- A 200-megawatt clean coal power plant is expected to rise in Barangay Kamanga in Maasim, Saranggani, at an estimated cost of $450 million, officials of a local firm said Tuesday.

Alcantara-controlled Conal Holdings Co. will be building the Kamanga Power Plant, which is expected to supply part of the baseload power requirements in Mindanao when it becomes operational in 2012.

Gregorio S. Gonzales, KPP project manager, said the plant will be designed to accommodate an increase in its generating capacity of up to 900 MW.

“We expect power supply to become tighter and tighter over the next three years, edging towards a shortage 2012 onwards. This is the main objective of the Kamanga Power Plant project. To fill the gap between supply and demand," Gonzales said.

Mindanao has an existing generating capacity of 1,850.4 megawatts (MW) beginning 2008 but the dependable capacity is only 1,520 MW. Peak demand starting this year is projected to hit 1,440 MW.

Industry regulations require the Mindanao Grid to maintain a reserve capacity of at least 23.4 percent of their generating capacity.

Peak demand for power supply by 2015 is expected to hit 1,750 MW but only the Sibulan 70MW Hydro Power Plant Project in Sta. Cruz, Davao is under construction.

Gonzales said they are now validating technical surveys of the project site and are wrapping up their feasibility studies. Construction is expected to begin middle of next year.

CHC is a joint-venture between the Alcantara Group (Alsons) and Thai-power firm EGKO.

Alsons also owns a 60MW bunker C-fired diesel power station in Sulawesi, Indonesia and operated power plants in Vietnam, China, and Pakistan .

The KPP project, aims to initially generate 200 MW of electricity by 2011 with two incremental expansions of 350 MW over a period of 15 years. When fully completed, the planned power plant will be able to generate 900 MW of electricity. It will serve as a major source of energy for Southern Mindanao and will be able supply 15 percent (the 200MW) of the power needs of Mindanao. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/98890/200-MW-coal-power-plant-to-rise-in-Saranggani

davaoeagle

June 4th, 2008, 07:38 PM

EU Whiz challenges Davao university students
The Mindanao Daily Mirror

As Europe increasingly becomes more diverse, especially with the enlarging of the European Union to 27, 2008 has been marked as the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID). The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID) 2008 recognizes that Europe’s great cultural diversity represents a unique advantage and thus, intercultural dialogue has an increasingly important role to play in fostering European identity and citizenship.

In line with this celebration and to emphasize the youth’s important role in society. The Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines will hold, for the first time in Mindanao, EU Whiz Mind Encounter – Kaya mo to! It will be held in SM Davao on July 10, 2008.

Universities from Mindanao will be competing in this inter-collegiate quiz. The quiz will focus on basic facts and figures about the European Union as well as EC co-operation programmes. It is open to colleges and universities offering International Studies, History or other allied courses. Prizes will be awarded to the winners and recognition from the Delegation will be given to all schools that participate in the event.

The contest is launched for the first time in Davao and for the third time in the Philippines with the aim to generate awareness and a deeper understanding of the European Union and the European Commission and to also reiterate the importance that the EC attaches to.

Mr. Gabriel Munuera-Vinals, head of the political, economics, trade and public affairs section of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines, will deliver welcome remarks on behalf of Ambassador Alistair Mac-Donalds and will present the awards to the grand winner after the elimination rounds and grand finals on July 10.

davaoeagle

June 4th, 2008, 07:40 PM

Consultation on Samal special economic zone set
The Mindanao Daily Mirror

The Committee on Economic Affairs led by Congressman Ramon “Red” Durano VI will be having a public consultation activity on June 6, 1:30 p.m. at the Peñaplata Gymnasium, City Hall Grounds, Island Garden City of Samal. The said consultation is about the House Bill No. 1486 – An act establishing a special economic zone and freeport in the Island Garden City of Samal, province of Davao del Norte, Creating for this purpose the Samal Island Special Economic zone and free port authority.

Representatives from various regions in the country will be attending on the said day, namely, Congressman Anton Lagdameo, Congressman Ramon Romulo, Congressman Marc Cagas, Congressman Ronald Sing-son and Congressman Vincent Garcia.

neyoneyo80

June 4th, 2008, 10:19 PM

mag-aapply po si uncle rajah as coach :lol: :cheers:

trivia: how far is Davos from Davao?

EU Whiz challenges Davao university students
The Mindanao Daily Mirror

As Europe increasingly becomes more diverse, especially with the enlarging of the European Union to 27, 2008 has been marked as the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID). The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID) 2008 recognizes that Europe’s great cultural diversity represents a unique advantage and thus, intercultural dialogue has an increasingly important role to play in fostering European identity and citizenship.

In line with this celebration and to emphasize the youth’s important role in society. The Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines will hold, for the first time in Mindanao, EU Whiz Mind Encounter – Kaya mo to! It will be held in SM Davao on July 10, 2008.

Universities from Mindanao will be competing in this inter-collegiate quiz. The quiz will focus on basic facts and figures about the European Union as well as EC co-operation programmes. It is open to colleges and universities offering International Studies, History or other allied courses. Prizes will be awarded to the winners and recognition from the Delegation will be given to all schools that participate in the event.

The contest is launched for the first time in Davao and for the third time in the Philippines with the aim to generate awareness and a deeper understanding of the European Union and the European Commission and to also reiterate the importance that the EC attaches to.

Mr. Gabriel Munuera-Vinals, head of the political, economics, trade and public affairs section of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines, will deliver welcome remarks on behalf of Ambassador Alistair Mac-Donalds and will present the awards to the grand winner after the elimination rounds and grand finals on July 10.

davaoeagle

June 5th, 2008, 12:26 AM

^

Just a matter of a S and an A...:lol:

MtApoStandard

June 6th, 2008, 04:35 PM

Corporate

Apex Mining P1.26-B project acquires investment perks
Business Mirror
6 June 2008 | 9:25 AM

Print this article Email to a friend Digg this Add to del.icio.us

Apex Mining Co. is investing P1.26 billion in reviving a mine site rich with gold and other minerals in the Davao region.

The company, owned by Mapula Creek Gold Corp. and Crew gold Minerals of Canada, will mine an area of 2,237 hectares in Maco, Compostela Valley under a mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA).

The mine prospect, which was shut down in 2000, will be revived to produce 52,700 ounces of gold bullion per year. Apex is also targeting to extract 205,000 ounces of silver, 74,000 pounds of lead, 1.66 million pounds of copper concentrate, and 5.59 million pounds of zinc annually.

Once fully operational, the mining site will provide employment to 1,125 individuals. Commercial operations are expected to start in January 2010.

The Board of Investments approved the grant of full incentives to the project under the 2007 Investment Priorities Plan.

Apex is 70-percent owned by Norwegian-British Crew Gold. As part of its social responsibility programs, the company has built schools buildings to be used for the surrounding communities, composed mainly of indigenous people.

dinabaw

June 7th, 2008, 05:39 AM

^^ whatever happened to that once davao chess great peter tidoy?

sorry paul i mistook peter tidoy for Jun Tan :colgate: i guess he is still actively playing ....

Saturday, June 07, 2008
Tidoy leads qualifiers

PETER Tidoy Jr. spearheaded the Southern Mindanao qualifiers for the coming Olympiad Selection-National Semifinals following his excellent performance in the recent Davao National Fide-Rated Chess Open.

Tidoy amassed seven points for a share of second to fifth places in the 9-round Swiss System event won by Carlo Rosaupan.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Joining Tidoy in the Southern Mindanao team are Jerwell Andoy, Werner Priete, Ruel Nuttal and Reynaldo Qui¤onez. All the five qualifiers are from Davao City.

The names of the five qualifiers were released by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Southern Mindanao director James Infiesto.

The Olympiad Selection-National Semifinals will be held from June June 22 to 27 either at the Mall of Asia or Market Place.

The NCFP Southern Mindanao also released the special awardees during the national tournament held last May 26-30 at the Gaisano South Citimall.

They are Servando Nudas of Holcim Phils. Inc., (executive), Arnel Aton of the Holy Cross of Agdao (employee), Romeo Alvarez of Matina Barangay 74-A (senior citizen), Jose Glenn Aleria of Panabo Chess Club, Dennis Bernas of Koronadal (unrated), Jester Andoy of Jose Maria College (18 boys), John Carl Aunso of the University of Mindanao (16 boys); Mary Israel Palero of the Holy Cross of Davao College (16 girls), John Ray Batucan of Don Juan dela Cruz Central Elementary School (12 boys), Rowelyn Joy Acedo of Jose Maria College (12 girls), Mark Isaac Bernadas of Our Lady of Montserrat Camp School (10 boys) and Michael Varquez of Pampanga, Davao City (8 boys).

Chess backer JCI Durian City Inc., meanwhile, expressed support to the development of chess in the region.

"Our organization, JCI Durian City Inc., is the partner in the Southern Mindanao elimination and will take part in the development of chess in our region, and will come up with its own chess development program as part of our organization's commitment to community through sports," said the group's president Erich Alba. (CRAM)

dinabaw

June 7th, 2008, 07:13 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/06/07

RDC XI pushes speedy completion of Kapalong-Talaingod-Bukidnon road

Davao City (7 June) -- NEDA XI Regional Director Nicasio Angelo J. Agustin who also chairs the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC), headed a composite team of technical representatives of NEDA XI, DPWH XI and Provincial Engineering Office of Davao del Norte that inspected the Kapalong-Talaingod-Bukidnon Road project recently.

Director Agustin said that the road project involves the concreting of the existing dirt road and the opening of portions that will connect the towns of Talaingod, Davao del Norte and San Fernando, Bukidnon.

As an alternate road to the Davao-Calinan-Bukidnon Road, he said the road project will cut by half the travel time between Davao del Norte and Bukidnon. The project's total length from Talaingod to the Bukidnon boundary is about 56 kilometers. This stretch is divided into 8 packages including the construction of 6 bridges and the opening of the remaining 10-kilometer stretch to the boundary of Bukidnon. The project's 8 packages have been bidded out. Work is being done in 2 packages and implementation of the remaining 6 will commence anytime.

Director Agustin said that the project is one of the commitments of President Gloria Arroyo through the "supra-region development blueprint" to spur economic opportunities in the region and the whole of Mindanao.

Director Agustin, who is also the Vice-Chair of the RDC XI, bared that RDC XI is determined to push for the completion of the project as it is seen to promote not only the agri-business but also the tourism industry of the Davao Region.

He added that the municipality of Talaingod, Davao del Norte, which is home to many indigenous communities, will surely benefit from this project. "Tourists, especially foreign tourists, are very interested to see this unique municipality and if this project will be realized, the place will be accessible for them to experience," Agustin said.

In his conversation with Mayor Pilar Libayao and Mayor Leandro Jose H. Catarata of Talaingod, Davao del Norte and Valencia City, Bukidnon, respectively, Director Agustin revealed that the two local chief executives are looking forward to the various opportunities that await their municipalities after the project's completion.

Agustin assured the two mayors that he will bring this concern to Mr. Vicente T. Lao, Chairperson of Regional Development Committee (RDCom) for Mindanao, who also chairs RDC XI so that the project's timely completion will be prioritized. (RDC-PIA XI) [top]

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080607.htm&no=08&r=ALL&y=&mo=

paulkrps

June 9th, 2008, 11:14 AM

sorry paul i mistook peter tidoy for Jun Tan :colgate: i guess he is still actively playing ....

Saturday, June 07, 2008
Tidoy leads qualifiers

PETER Tidoy Jr. spearheaded the Southern Mindanao qualifiers for the coming Olympiad Selection-National Semifinals following his excellent performance in the recent Davao National Fide-Rated Chess Open.

Tidoy amassed seven points for a share of second to fifth places in the 9-round Swiss System event won by Carlo Rosaupan.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Joining Tidoy in the Southern Mindanao team are Jerwell Andoy, Werner Priete, Ruel Nuttal and Reynaldo Qui¤onez. All the five qualifiers are from Davao City.

The names of the five qualifiers were released by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Southern Mindanao director James Infiesto.

The Olympiad Selection-National Semifinals will be held from June June 22 to 27 either at the Mall of Asia or Market Place.

The NCFP Southern Mindanao also released the special awardees during the national tournament held last May 26-30 at the Gaisano South Citimall.

They are Servando Nudas of Holcim Phils. Inc., (executive), Arnel Aton of the Holy Cross of Agdao (employee), Romeo Alvarez of Matina Barangay 74-A (senior citizen), Jose Glenn Aleria of Panabo Chess Club, Dennis Bernas of Koronadal (unrated), Jester Andoy of Jose Maria College (18 boys), John Carl Aunso of the University of Mindanao (16 boys); Mary Israel Palero of the Holy Cross of Davao College (16 girls), John Ray Batucan of Don Juan dela Cruz Central Elementary School (12 boys), Rowelyn Joy Acedo of Jose Maria College (12 girls), Mark Isaac Bernadas of Our Lady of Montserrat Camp School (10 boys) and Michael Varquez of Pampanga, Davao City (8 boys).

Chess backer JCI Durian City Inc., meanwhile, expressed support to the development of chess in the region.

"Our organization, JCI Durian City Inc., is the partner in the Southern Mindanao elimination and will take part in the development of chess in our region, and will come up with its own chess development program as part of our organization's commitment to community through sports," said the group's president Erich Alba. (CRAM)

nice to read this. peter tidoy was a batchmate in assumption (grade 6, 1974).

Ibex

June 12th, 2008, 12:43 PM

New VHT plants open export markets for Mindanao mangoes

Davao City (12 June) -- New vapor heat treatment (VHT) plants in southern Mindanao are enabling local mango suppliers to improve the post-harvest quality of their fruit and thus to meet the strict quarantine standards of key export markets.

Southern Philippines Fresh Fruits Corporation (SPFFC) began operating its new VHT plant here late last year. The P52-million facility is capable of processing 12 metric tons (MT) of mango per VHT run, with each run lasting about 18 hours.

SPFFC exported 21 metric tons of VHT-treated fresh mangoes to Japan in a trial shipment in December, said Christine Legaspi, vice president of SPFFC.

"Japan has very stringent standards, both in terms of hygiene and fruit quality, so we were happy when the whole shipment made it through quarantine," Legaspi said, adding that SPFFC was assisted by USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program in establishing links with growers of high-quality mango.

Japan is the biggest market for Mindanao mangoes. In 2007 the island-region shipped 1,092 MT of high-grade fresh mango valued at $2,750,328, directly to Japan, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

In the period 2006-2007, the total volume of fresh mango exports from Mindanao rose 46.8% (from 1,357 MT to 1,992 MT), while the value of fresh mango exports doubled (from $1,795,653 to US$3,592,770), said the NSO. The number of importing countries increased from 11 to 14.
Other major buyers of Mindanao mango in 2007 included South Korea (484 MT; US$ 484,408); United States (28 MT; $ 154,810); Hongkong (185 MT; $ 88,850); Iran (17 MT; $43,950); Malaysia (4 MT; $ 23,149); and China (128 MT; $21,439).

Some countries, like China, accept mango imports that have undergone the more commonly employed hot water treatment. However, VHT is a requirement for all mangoes exported to Japan, South Korea and the U.S.
Until recently, only 20 percent of Mindanao mangoes produced for export met Japan's standards, but the recent entry of SPFFC and other processors is now helping raise export volumes.

Diamond Star, one of the country's biggest fresh mango exporters, has also constructed a VHT plant in Mindanao, located, in Carmen, Davao del Norte.
Mindanao is typhoon-free, which gives the region a major advantage, said Antonio, the, president of the Southern Mindanao Mango Council.
"Mindanao growers can produce mangoes from July to December, the period when production in Luzon and the Visayas drops due to the prevalence of typhoons," said Teh.

The Mindanao Fruit Industry Council (Minfruit), in partnership with the GEM Program, has assisted farmers in developing off-season mango production and has worked with industry proponents to strengthen the production supply chain.

Growing mangoes during the rainy off-season may be more costly, but this can be offset by meeting the high import standards of markets like Japan, which pays as much as P85 per kilo.

"With the new VHT facilities and the entry of other processing plants, Mindanao mangoes have a better chance of finding their way onto the shelves of lucrative foreign markets. These are exciting times for the mango industry," Teh said. (GEM-PIA XI)

Ibex

June 12th, 2008, 12:58 PM

"Business in Development" launched in Davao City
by Prix D Banzon (pia_davaoregion@yahoo.com)

Davao City (12 June) -- "Bid Challenge 2008" was launched in Davao City on Wednesday to encourage Mindanao participants to join and take an active part in the challenge.

Philippine BiD Challenge Team country manager Rene M. Fortuno said there are not enough participants in Mindanao that is why they came to campaign for more entries from the island.

The Business in Development (BID) he said promotes poverty reduction program through profit in developing countries.

It is done actively by engaging Dutch companies and their employees in initiatives for market-oriented sustainable development. It is funded by the Dutch National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development (NCDO), the main civil society promoting the Millennium Development Goals in the Neatherlands.

The NCDO is fully funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Fortuno said the BiD Challenge is both a business plan competition and a matchmaking mechanism that provides a platform for entrepreneurs and investors to interface. It is meant to spur innovation and stimulate transfer of wealth, knowledge and skills through small and medium scale enterprises.

In 2007, he said, two of the participants made it to the international competition in The Neatherlands.

The two winners were Gene Bonggo for tire recycling and Romy Miranda of Kings Grill for the coconut based charcoal briquette project.
The opportunity, he said, accorded the winners to interface with investors and promote their product that brought in fresh investment and new markets for the two firms.

He said about 50 to 75 of the most innovative and most feasible proposals will be chosen from among the entries this year. Professional coaching shall be extended to the proponents of these proposals so they can develop these into solid, bankable and full blown business plans and better participation in the investment matching forum. The best 10 of them will be awarded seed capital from a pool of prize money while the top two will be represented in the International Challenge in Amsterdarm, The Neatherlands along with 11 other participating countries.

The international winner will receive 20,000 Euros.
Fortuno said the other countries participating the BiD Challenge aside from the Philippines are India, Columbia, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Tansania.

He also said that the plan could be a start up business or an expansion and must be profitable in the next three years with funding requirements from P420,000 to P4.2 million. It has to double its sales and employment within three years and must meet social and environmental requirements. (PIA)

dinabaw

June 19th, 2008, 06:33 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/06/19

PGMA to conduct inaugural drive-thru of Marihatag-Borobo section of Surigao del Sur-Davao Coastal Road project

San Agustin, Surigao del Sur (19 June) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will conduct an inaugural drive-thru of the Marihatag-Borobo section of the Surigao del Sur-Davao Coastal Road when she visits this town today (Thursday).

The President, who will be coming from the Boston National High School in Davao Oriental, will be arriving in the afternoon for the inaugural drive-thru ceremony.

This will be the second trip of the President to Surigao del Sur in two months after visiting nearby municipalities of Siargao, Dinagat Island and Carrascal last April.

In her last visit here, the President said a big portion of the 2008 budget has been allotted for the construction of farm-to-market roads so that the goods can easily and efficiently transported to its target market.

She said Surigao del Sur would receive a bulk of this allocation - some P2-billion - for the construction of the Surigao-Davao Coastal Road (SDCR) project to complement the Claver-Carrascal Road project which is about to be completed.

The SDCR is one of the SONA commitments made by the President to link the Philippines through an efficient and reliable road network.

The P200-million Claver-Carrascal Road project, which is located on the northern portion of Surigao del Sur, is a vital link of the "Carrascal Nobenta (90)" known as such because the road project stretches some 90 kilometers between Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

The Marihatag-Barobo section of the SDCR is a P124-million road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that began construction last Feb. 16, 2007.

It consists of the concreting a 5-kilometer stretch of said road project portion and the construction of 15.55 and 21 lineal meter bridges.

Once completed, the Marihatag-Borobo section will serve as a vital link not only between the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur but of Davao as well. It will enable tourists coming from Davao or Butuan and Cagayan de Oro to reach Surigao del Sur in record time and allow the safer delivery of goods and services and increase economic activities.

It will also enhance the agricultural development potential of the province and provide safe and efficient transport mobility and accessibility within and outside the region.

Also, it is expected to spur economic growth of the province of Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Davao Oriental and neighboring regions by strengthening economic linkages between nearby provinces.

Joining the President in the inaugural drive-thru ceremony are Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr., Surigao del Sur Gov. Vicente Pimentel, Jr., San Agustin Mayor Manuel Alameda and Marihatag Mayor Tito Pascual. (PIA-MMIO) [top]

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&sec=reader&rp=2&fi=p080619.htm&no=11&date=

Chrisvenz

June 20th, 2008, 12:45 PM

click her: Davao beach resort supervisor shot dead - report (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/102322/Davao-beach-resort-supervisor-shot-dead---report)

MANILA, Philippines - An unidentified gunman shot dead a supervisor of a beach resort in Davao City late Thursday, leaving police investigators still puzzled over his identity and motive.

Radio dzBB's Davao affiliate reported that the gunman and a companion got inside the Jones Beach Resort, and shot dead supervisor Mary Ann Caspe.

Sketchy initial reports showed the gunman's companion chatted with the security guard, supposedly to distract him, while the other went inside the premises and shot Caspe.

The two made off with the guard's firearm before escaping. - GMANews.TV

davaoeagle

June 20th, 2008, 06:29 PM

^^

Hey dude, this is not a thread for bad news like that...have some delicadeza!! :ohno:

paulkrps

June 20th, 2008, 07:30 PM

Puno: Proof indicates Isnaji masterminded kidnapping (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/102312/Puno-Proof-indicates-Isnaji-masterminded-kidnapping)

(Updated 3:55 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government on Friday maintained that investigators have basis to charge Alvarez Isnaji and his son in the kidnapping of television reporter Ces Drilon and her crew, adding that the Indanan mayor might have masterminded the abduction and pocketed most of the P5-million ransom.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said information received by his office indicated that Isnaji might be a "principal player" in the incident.

"Ang unang nakarating sa akin...ang nag-isip ng kidnap at namuno sa kidnap ay isang Laring-Laring. Nang tinanong namin sa tao namin sino yan, yun pala isa sa mga alias na gamit ni Isnaji (When news of the kidnapping first broke out, our local sources said a certain Laring-Laring masterminded it. It turned out Laring-Laring was an alias used by the mayor)," Puno said.

He said Isnaji extracted a P5-million ransom ...

bai, be selective when you are posting news of mindanao. things do happen, but wouldn't it be better to post something that is more objective to the development of mindanao? those news you are posting are reinforcing what manila media have of us, gyera intero mindanao.

WawaY[625]

June 21st, 2008, 11:22 AM

HOY CHRISVENZ! GROW UP! MATUTO KA KUNG ANONG DAPAT PINOPOST O HINDI!

UULITIN KO GROW UP!

neyoneyo80

June 21st, 2008, 05:29 PM

:lurker: :dunno: :runaway:

Peng Hok

June 22nd, 2008, 04:25 AM

;21908921']
HOY CHRISVENZ! GROW UP! MATUTO KA KUNG ANONG DAPAT PINOPOST O HINDI!

UULITIN KO GROW UP!

I agree! (Ala tinore na post) Wahihihihihihi! :lol:

glenntoy15

June 22nd, 2008, 07:30 AM

nako negative thinker tong taong to ah... also the same in mindanao.

dinabaw

June 25th, 2008, 06:37 AM

CEO working overtime
to solve flood problem
BY EDITHA Z. CADUAYA

The City Engineer’s Office (CEO) is working 24/7 to catch up with the 15-day deadline set by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to ease the flooding problem in the city.

To accomplish this, city engineer Joaquin Cui Jr. said the city government has added 150 workers to the “canal brigade” which clears the city’s canals.

The multi-million-peso truck-mounted vactor cleaners are also being maximized to suck clogged materials in waterways, Cui said.

Joselito, a member of the canal brigade, said he and his teammates have encountered all sorts of materials during their ope-rations to clear the canals.

“Refrigerator doors, dilapidated electric fans, clothes, rotten house partitions, you name it,” he said.

The city government has also rented additional dump trucks and other equipment to help clear the waterways and canals.

Cui said the CEO has also had to demolish some pavements constructed in the first district because they were blocking the water passage and were contributing to the flood problem.

“We demolished them because they caused the water to clog up. In some cases the laterals were even closed just to have the pavement done,” Cui said.

In some areas, however, the CEO cannot demolish pavements, including those located in Roxas Avenue where the contractor closed the laterals.

Cui said the laterals are too small to accommodate the huge volume of water, especially during heavy downpours. “Gagmay jud ang imburnal, which is why we are replacing them now,” he said

Many waterways have also been occupied by store owners. In Suazo Street, for example, the canal was used as an extension by an eatery, which is now being demolished by the CEO.

Duterte had ordered the CEO to undertake all means to ease the flooding problem within 15 days.

Duterte has also been asking Davaoeños do to their share in making the waterways work by observing proper waste disposal.

http://www.dailymirror.ph/June/headlines06252008&01.html

geraldpatrick

June 29th, 2008, 11:11 AM

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7661/45spreadumhisturytp0.jpg

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THE UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO
The University of Mindanao Main Campus is located at the heart of Davao City. Formerly the Japanese School site, Atty. Guillermo Torres saw the property’s potential as the ideal site for the Mindanao Colleges despite the devastated and idle appearance left by the American bombings in 1944. He determinedly acquired the lot for the noble cause of education for all – the poor and the rich alike – that they may have a better future. Construction of the first one-story building at Bolton, the nucleus of many other constructions that soon followed, started as soon as the property was awarded. All classes from the previously occupied Club Royale were transferred to the Bolton campus in the school year 1947-48. With the expanding population of the school, there was a need to have more space. The Japanese Embassy grounds in front of the Mindanao Colleges eventually became the property of MC in 1964. After several years of hard work and dedication, a permanent and ideal home for Torres’ dream was realized.

At present, the UM Main Campus occupies two adjacent lots namely the Administrative Building and Research Tower Area and the Embassy Area. The Administration Building and Research Tower Area consists of the 4-storey Social Science Building, the 4-storey Technology Building and 7-storey Research Tower Building. The Embassy Area, which took its name from the previous occupancy, is composed of the Gymnasium, College of Accountancy and the College of Criminology Buildings. The Colleges of Business Administration, Law and Graduate Programs are also housed in this campus.

Along with the aim of giving the best leadership education for the students, providing adequate spaces conducive to an educational environment for the students further strengthens this. From a 4-room educational institution, a big university was established. The University of Mindanao, yesterday’s vision is now a realization.

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/3122/pp894895boltonbuildinget8.jpg

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THE UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO
G.E.T. 1(GUILLERMO E. TORRES BUILDING 1)
A plan to expand and create a bigger and more conducive place for learning was envisioned by Atty. Guillermo E. Torres. The site for the new campus was bought in 1981 and plans for developing the place campus into a sprawling center for learning took place. In 1983, the College of Engineering and Architecture transferred to the Matina Campus.

Completed in the year 1996 is the GET 1 building of the UM Matina Campus. The GET 1 building, named in honor of Atty. Guillermo E. Torres, follows the concept of formal balance and symmetry. The protractor-shaped building deviates from the usual square building – relevantly symbolizing a common measuring instrument of the colleges housed namely: the College of Engineering and the College of Architecture. This was designed by Arch’t. Digna Claudio of Manila.

GET 1 was inaugurated during the 50th Founding Anniversary of the University. Its columns with distinctly designed capitals – originally colored gold – represent the “golden” celebration. Exposing the columns essentially exhibits the strength, capability and potential of the university which had been ambiguously hidden for several years. Tropical design was also considered as a major factor in the design. Comfort and efficiency were introduced through natural lighting and ventilation. The interior landscaping in the atrium provides a scenic view from the classrooms and enhances a healthy environment.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/7373/p900901ge1tbuildingrt1.jpg

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UM MATINA ENGINEERING LABORATORY BUILDING

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THE UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO
GUILLERMO E. TORRES BUILDING 2
( College of Arts and Science Building)
Completed in the summer of 2003, the GET 2 building was all set for use in the school year 2003-2004 to house the College of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Each college has been equipped with their respective modern laboratories for the students’ simulated practice exercises. The University Auditorium and Conference Room is also located in this building.

The building was designed by the university’s very own Arch’t. Iluminado Quinto, Jr., Arch’t. Manuel De Luna and Arch’t. Jaime Gonzaga. Replicated from GET1 is the exposure of the columns as to express “strength is being exposed”. Aside from this, unity and harmony with GET 1 is intended to be achieved. The two large blocks at the façade serves as contrast to the grid of intersecting exposed columns and beams, further accentuated by the difference of colors.

On the plan, GET 2 building’s main entrance has been located at the left of the center of the building. This particular decision was made because of two basic reasons. The first one is related with the visual identity and distinction between GET 1 and GET 2. GET 1 is symmetrical (formal balance) while GET 2 is asymmetrical. The second reason is rather functional. Immediately to the left of the lobby is the auditorium. The direct connectedness between these two major areas offers great advantage on way finding for guests whose prime destination is the auditorium. Through this, the rest of the building which is mostly classrooms would be left undisturbed. The south-western wing of the building is a double loaded corridor, initially designed to accommodate the laboratory and library facilities.

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the university of mindanao

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MtApoStandard

June 30th, 2008, 04:05 AM

your school is very nice:okay: infrastrucures looks very nicw to me

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 06:52 AM

your school is very nice:okay: infrastrucures looks very nicw to me

salamat po sir :)

Ibex

June 30th, 2008, 09:03 AM

We were the first ones to use this facility... :cheers:

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1765/p914915engrlaboratoryan7.jpg

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 09:59 AM

We were the first ones to use this facility... :cheers:

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1765/p914915engrlaboratoryan7.jpg

talaga po! taga UM din kayo?

Ibex

June 30th, 2008, 10:22 AM

talaga po! taga UM din kayo?

Yes yes yo!!! Pero sa old campus pa kami... :lol:

Ibex

June 30th, 2008, 10:25 AM

Si @Dinabaw architect din galing UM...:cheers: giyagyag na nako Ambie :)

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 10:39 AM

dinabaw

June 30th, 2008, 11:01 AM

Si @Dinabaw architect din galing UM...:cheers: giyagyag na nako Ambie :)

architect po pala yan c @dinabaw hehee wow galing,ako po d pa naka take sa board, pero am planning 2 take dis yr po dyan sa pinas, iba kac pag architct talaga, kahin na jr. architect trabaho ko d2 sa abroad

lol grad lang bro , nag bizness man ,showbiz:lol:, and @Rall too! btw patrick anong batch ka? ginawa mo ba yang GET bldg?

waway is the the architect :)

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 11:57 AM

lol grad lang bro , nag bizness man ,showbiz:lol:, and @Rall too! btw patrick anong batch ka? ginawa mo ba yang GET bldg?

waway is the the architect :)
batch 2007 po, ako po nag layout for um vinta yearbook po, last yr po iisa na po ang yearbook, dati per college but nw po iisa na po ang yrbook sa um, and lito sy studio was the one who took the photos po

post ko po i2ng mga layout po para ma update po namn ang mga Alumnus sa um po!

paulkrps

June 30th, 2008, 12:20 PM

Yes yes yo!!! Pero sa old campus pa kami... :lol:

took my first 2 years in architecture sa u.m bolton (among mga drawing table sigeg uyog:lol:). then the 3rd sa n.u. sa manila. after that decided fine arts was for me.

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 12:43 PM

took my first 2 years in architecture sa u.m bolton (among mga drawing table sigeg uyog:lol:). then the 3rd sa n.u. sa manila. after that decided fine arts was for me.

ok din namn ang fine arts tol. yn ang gus2 ka b4 , ano major mo tol?

paulkrps

June 30th, 2008, 01:31 PM

painting. but, learned graphic design after school.

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 02:04 PM

painting. but, learned graphic design after school.

talaga po wow yan din hilig ko po

Ibex

June 30th, 2008, 02:15 PM

batch 2007 po, ako po nag layout for um vinta yearbook po, last yr po iisa na po ang yearbook, dati per college but nw po iisa na po ang yrbook sa um, and lito sy studio was the one who took the photos po

post ko po i2ng mga layout po para ma update po namn ang mga Alumnus sa um po!

So very thick na pala ang yearbook ngayon...^^ noon Pentagon ang yearbook ng Engineering & Achitecture and makapal na yun. :cheers:

geraldpatrick

June 30th, 2008, 02:23 PM

So very thick na pala ang yearbook ngayon...^^ noon Pentagon ang yearbook ng Engineering & Achitecture and makapal na yun. :cheers:

2 vol. po hehehe 1000 pgs. lahat lahat, view mo po sa
e2 lang link
http://www.friendster.com/viewphotos.php?a=587233825&uid=5709731

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1852/vintazb5.jpg

oradude23

July 1st, 2008, 03:53 AM

^^ Nice yearbook. Good job! I'm a UM graduate too , CE batch 85 :nuts:
*************************************************
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Corporate News
Chinese miner eyes copper deal in Davao

DAVAO CITY — A Chinese mining company is negotiating with Davaoeño Minerals Corp. for a possible joint venture for a copper mining project in the village of Tagbinonga, Mati City in Davao Oriental.

But the regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau declined to name the company so as not to pre-empt ongoing talks.

Deposits in the 7,000-hectare area include copper, gold and iron, the bureau said.

Another Chinese company, Sinophil, Corp., has started exploration on a 3,000-hectare site in Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental.

The bureau dismissed concerns that the Chinese would be wanton violators of environmental laws, adding that both the government and civil society would be monitoring their activities.

The most controversial and biggest project in the province is the 11,799-hectare nickel project in Pujada, Mati City, which is under the claim of Asiaticus Management Corp.

Asiaticus has severed ties with its foreign partner, Australian giant BHP Billiton, accusing it of failing to deliver on its investment promise. The case is pending before the Court of Appeals. — CQF

dinabaw

July 1st, 2008, 04:16 AM

^^ hmmm kaila ka ni Edmund Banal?

Tuesday, July 01, 2008
LTO re-deputizes 25 city policemen

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Southern Mindanao has re-deputized 25 members of the Traffic Group of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to enforce traffic laws and apprehend erring motorists in the city.

Lawyer Gomer Dy, LTO regional director, said the return of the apprehending power to the elements of the Traffic Group was only made after a thorough study wherein the possibility of the traffic enforcers extorting from motorists was eliminated.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

"I have only signed 25 identification cards this morning," Dy said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday at SM City's Cafe Rysus.

Dy added that the selected members of the city's Traffic Group have been vested with authority to apprehend and enforce traffic laws until December 31 this year.

"Today (Monday) is their first day," Dy said.

Another measure to be imposed by the LTO for the Traffic Group is the Temporary Operating Permits issued upon revocation of the driver's license. This will be limited to only 25 sets per pad.

"Some use the TOPs to scare the drivers which eventually lead to kotong," Dy said in explaining why there is a need to limit the TOPs.

The LTO director said traffic enforcers are no longer allowed to use pencil in the issuance of TOPs (Traffic Citation Ticket). They can only use black ink. (CPM)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/07/01/news/lto.re.deputizes.25.city.policemen.html

oradude23

July 1st, 2008, 04:29 AM

[QUOTE=dinabaw;22151032]^^ hmmm kaila ka ni Edmund Banal?

Medyo kaila gamay ... :) Yup same batch.

dinabaw

July 1st, 2008, 04:39 AM

^^ he now owns a hardware in Bajada, si Archt./engr. Hector Magno , the Sandoval brothers?

paulkrps

July 1st, 2008, 04:55 AM

si poldo, bador and mau sandoval kaila nako.

geraldpatrick

July 1st, 2008, 06:27 AM

si poldo, bador and mau sandoval kaila nako.

a c archtct sandoval ba, mabaiit yn c sir poldo and magaling na teacher, sayang nga eh 1 sem lang cya nag teach sa um, galing pa namn mag teach

Ibex

July 1st, 2008, 06:36 AM

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1852/vintazb5.jpg

:) siguro isang volume ang engineering & architecture nyan. Ganyan ka kapal ang YB namin ni ambie noon :lol:

geraldpatrick

July 1st, 2008, 08:46 AM

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1852/vintazb5.jpg

:) siguro isang volume ang engineering & architecture nyan. Ganyan ka kapal ang YB namin ni ambie noon :lol:

Alphabetical na kac so ang architecture nasa vol.1 ang engineering sa vol.2, pero sir ang pina ka marami na grad is ang CBA po nasa 900 sila :cheers:

dinabaw

July 1st, 2008, 10:27 AM

si poldo, bador and mau sandoval kaila nako.

mao ba tol ? para ingnon bata :lol:

paulkrps

July 1st, 2008, 12:49 PM

^^ hehehe. salamat tol.

MtApoStandard

July 1st, 2008, 04:39 PM

2008/07/02

Davao mango predicted to be next export product to America
by Romy Sabaldan

Davao City (2 July) -- The country's rejuvenated economic trade ties with one of its strongest allies get another boost with the sweet mangoes of Davao del Sur possibly taking the first base in the recent trade talks led by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Fresh from his latest visit to the US, Arroyo on Tuesday visited a festive 41st Founding Anniversary of the Province of Davao del Sur bringing with her some good news of a successful trade talks with American investors.

"We met with a number of investors and business leaders in New York. We secured new commitments for job creation and investments in the Philippines," Arroyo revealed before top government officials and employees and well-wishers at the jampacked provincial gymnasium in Matti, this province.

Soon to take its lead as the area's sunshine industry, the export of fresh mangoes to the US will be made possible by the signing of Agriculture Secretary Yap and his American counterpart on the following: 1. Collaboration on sanitary and phytosanitary measures; 2. Agricultural market, institutional, and rural development; 3. Biotechnology and other new technologies and 4. An improved climate between entrepreneurs of both countries for agricultural trade and investment.

All set to embark on a 45-city swing nationwide starting with the province's capital city of Digos following her successful trip to the American soil, Arroyo also announced a number of ongoing and incoming infrastructure projects particularly the highways and bridges that will link the different municipalities of the province to the neighboring provinces.

Her busy schedule is bringing her next to Iloilo leaving with his audience a n expression of grief over "The terrible tragedy left in the wake of typhoon Frank and the ferry accident was constantly on our mind during our trip to the United States."

The president further said "Overseeing relief efforts was part of our daily action agenda. We were in constant contact with our officials. We directed our operation practically on a minute by minute basis." (PIA XI) [top]

dinabaw

July 2nd, 2008, 07:11 AM

^^ in connection w/ that...

Fast-track food terminal project, say councilors

THE CITY council passed a resolution yesterday creating a body that will study the establishment of the Davao City Food Terminal in Daliao, Toril.
Based on the resolution, the team will be headed by City Planning and Development chief Mario Luis Jacinto, the City Agriculturist Office, Davao City Investment and Promotion Center, the city council and other private and business sector representatives.
Councilor Leonardo Avila III, vice-chair of the committee on agriculture who authored the resolution, said the the feasibility study for the project should be fast tracked since other local government units are interested in a similar project.
“This is urgent as Tagum Mayor Rey Uy has publicly announced that if Davao City will not show interest in the project, Tagum city will,” he said.
During the privilege hour, Avila presented the gains to the city government if the food terminal will be built here.
He said the complex could promote the city as a trade and commercial hub of the region and could pave way for the “rationalization” of the marketing of agricultural products as well improvement in the food technology and service.
“The complex will respond to issues of excess food production, low-quality and poor product presentation, inefficient marketing system, among others,” he cited in his presentation. He added it would also create more employment opportunities
Avila said other components which could be expected from the complex are Halal processing; manufacturing and packaging of products; research and development among others.

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=20581

dinabaw

July 2nd, 2008, 07:14 AM

News Article
Biz tells city gov’t to improve 1-stop-shop
By Rizalene P. Acac

DAVAO CITY Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Simeon Marfori asked the city council during the session yesterday to streamline the one-stop-shop in registering and renewing businesses and other transactions following the dismal assessment of the World Bank of city’s competitiveness in luring in investors.
Marfori said the result of the survey should become a “wake-up call” not only to the city government but to other stakeholders in the business sector as well. A survey on doing business conducted by the International Finance Corporation ranked Davao City at 19th place in three categories — starting a business, registering a property, and dealing with a license – among the 21 local government units surveyed in the country. Davao City is the only area surveyed in Mindanao.
While not explicitly saying that the processes are “unfriendly” to entrepreneurs, Marfori said the period to apply for permits to start a business should be shortened since it usually takes two months for the city government to process the permits unlike the 42 days stated in the survey.
He said the first step that the city government should do is to incorporate the national government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission; the Bureau of Internal Revenue; the Social Security System and Philhealth, in the one-stop-shop.
“Let’s leapfrog everything. After all, we are in the digital age. We can create a new system and we have the talent to do it,” he said.
Another option that the government could, Marfori said, is to create a single document which will cover all the needed requirements for easy transmittal between agencies.
He said streamlining the processes would especially help the micro-small and medium enterprises that comprise majority of the businesses in the city.

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=20577

MtApoStandard

July 2nd, 2008, 05:22 PM

Mining group wants clearing-house in South
By Manuel T. Cayon

DAVAO CITY�An influential mining group in Mindanao has asked the national government to consider putting up a clearing-house in Mindanao for all applications of mining permits and licenses to remove a major obstacle to a vibrant mining activity, at least in southern Philippines.

Edgar Martinez, president of the Mindanao Association for Mineral Industries (Mina), said he would suggest that such a clearing-house be put up, �probably within the Medco [Mindanao Economic Development Council] office so that all mining applications be cleared here for fast approval.�

Agreeing with local government officials and business leaders on the observation that approval of applications �has become centralized than decentralized,� Martinez said that the clearing-house would entail �Manila to come here to the clearing-house and help in the process.�

�Instead of our applications going to Manila only to stay dormant there, this time, it would be the regions that would clear the applications and send them only to Manila for approval,� he said. He said this would �remove the alibis of Manila on why they were sitting on our applications.�

He also confirmed that often applications get approved in the regions, �sometimes in just three months,� but when sent to the head offices of approving agencies, �they suddenly stay there for a long time.�

�They just sit on our applications,� he said.

Ednar Carlos Dayanghirang, executive director of the Mindanao Business Council, said on Monday during a press conference hosted by the Davao Press Club that �this is what we would like to petition [the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)] to return the approving power back to the regions because that is already in the law, but which the government has put some new resolutions so that it has been back to the secretary to approve all applications.�

Director Edilberto Arreza of the Davao office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) also said that the law has already allowed the approval of mining applications in the level of the regional director. �But in practice, it is still the secretary that approves the applications.�

�It is also advantageous for both mining companies and the local governments and other regional agencies to make the clearing-house in Mindanao because our experience before was that it was easier and faster to haggle with each other and to find out what still needs to be done in the areas, and the requirements to be complied,� he said.

The MGB has identified 34 major projects in the Davao region�composed of the three Davao provinces and Compostela Valley, and the cities of Davao, Panabo, Tagum and Samal�but Arreza said that only two projects were ongoing but already old.

These were the mining for cement by Holcim of France and for gold by Apex Mining Co. in upper Maco, Compostela Valley.

Four others remained in their exploration stage, despite the MGB projection that in the revitalized Mineral Program of the region, the four projects should have been operating already by this year.

The MGB, DENR, National Econo-mic and Development Authority and the MinBC would hold a summit and forum next month here to determine why the mining industry performed way below expectation from a hype that the industry would deliver an economic miracle for the nation.

Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana, chairman of the Medco, said he was open to the suggestion of Martinez to base the clearing house inside his office. �But it needs some modifications and improvement in the status of Medco, to make it a permanent office, for example, so that it can really attend to the industry for as long as it is there.�

�We must revisit the mining law also, and to make sure that the local governments must be empowered because they are the key to solving the problem in the industry,� he said.

He said �the law thrives on experience and must be responsive to the needs of the time�. �If a law has become old and unresponsive, it must be refashioned and retailored.�

Also, Leyretana added, �There should be cohesiveness, consistency and continuity in the policy regarding responsible mining.�

�The implementing rules and regulations of that policy must also ensure a mechanism on monitoring and evaluation, with a multisectoral body to compose it, and to be kept abreast of the developments,� he said.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/07022008/economy03.html

oradude23

July 2nd, 2008, 09:16 PM

Chinese firm to put up P1B cassava plant
By Ben O. Tesiorna

A CHINESE company is putting up a cassava processing plant in Davao Oriental to the tune of P1.2 billion.

Governor Corazon Malanyaon said the investment is so far the biggest in their province that is now operational.

She said that aside from the processing plant, Guangzhi State Farm is also developing 15,000 hectares of cassava plantation in six towns namely, Banaybanay, Lupon, San Isidro, Governor Generoso, Mati City and Tarragona.

Malanyaon said the Chinese firm is allotting P600 million more for the development of the cassava plantation.

She said the coming in of foreign investors in their province is an indication that Davao Oriental's investment promotion effort is already taking off.

Aside from the Chinese firm, a Spanish firm is also set to develop thousands of hectares for their biofuel project in the said province that would entail $200 million investment.

The Pujada Nickel Mining project in the City of Mati is another big project with a $1.5 billion investment from an Australia-based mining company BHP Billiton.
Malanyaon, however, said that she is still not counting on the biofuel and mining projects as they have still not started their operation.

davaoeagle

July 4th, 2008, 08:20 PM

Friday, July 04, 2008
Davao mangoes to be exported to US: Arroyo
Sunstar Davao

THE country's rejuvenated economic trade ties with one of its strongest allies get another boost with the sweet mangoes of Davao del Sur possibly taking the first base in the recent trade talks led by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Fresh from his latest visit to the US, Arroyo on Tuesday visited a festive 41st Founding Anniversary of the Province of Davao del Sur bringing with her some good news of successful trade talks with American investors.

"We met with a number of investors and business leaders in New York. We secured new commitments for job creation and investments in the Philippines," Arroyo said before top government officials and employees at the jam-packed provincial gymnasium in Mati.

Soon to take its lead as the area's sunshine industry, the export of fresh mangoes to the US will be made possible though the signing of an agreement by Agriculture Secretary Yap and his American counterpart on the following: 1. Collaboration on sanitary and phytosanitary measures; 2. Agricultural market, institutional, and rural development; 3. Biotechnology and other new technologies and; 4. An improved climate between entrepreneurs of both countries for agricultural trade and investment.

All set to embark on a 45-city swing nationwide starting with the province's capital city of Digos following her successful trip in the US, Arroyo also announced a number of ongoing and incoming infrastructure projects particularly highways and bridges that will link the different municipalities of the province with neighboring provinces. (PIA 11)

davaoeagle

July 4th, 2008, 09:14 PM

Business
Aboitiz Power facility certified as ‘clean energy’
By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Saturday, July 5, 2008

Hedcor Sibulan Inc. (HDI), a unit of Aboitiz Power Corp., has registered its 42.5-megawatt Sibulan hydropower plant (SHP) in the United Nations-led Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project.

The HDI plant being constructed in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur will specifically be part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a CDM project.

The registration comes just over a year after the project was formally endorsed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and a few months after it was validated by Norway-based Det Norske Veritas Certification AS.

The CDM is a market-based flexibility mechanism which allows developed countries earn “certified emission reduction” units (CERs) to help meet their greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

“Our project’s clean energy will reduce GHG emissions by more than 95,000 TCO2e (tons of carbon dioxide equivalents) annually by displacing energy that would have come from fossil fuel-fired power plants,” HDI president Rene Ronquillo said.

The SHP is the first registered CDM hydro project in the Philippines and the largest among registered renewable energy projects in the country in terms of generating capacity. Its registration will allow HDI to sell CERs in the worldwide market up to 2012.

Ronquillo further explained that with current market prices, the company “expects to earn approximately $2 million per year selling these CER units.”

The SHP involves the construction of two cascading run-off-river hydropower plants that will produce 212 million kilowatt-hours of power annually starting August 2009.

This energy, branded as Cleanergy, will be sold to Davao Light and Power Co. (DLPC) as formalized in a power purchase agreement signed last March 2007.

Cleanergy will ensure DLPC will have enough power to supply its customers next year, when the energy supply in the Mindanao grid is expected to be at a critical level.

While providing affordable and non-polluting energy, the facility will also contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of its surrounding communities.

KulasKusgan

July 6th, 2008, 11:18 AM

MtApoStandard

July 9th, 2008, 07:01 PM

RDC XI pushes fasttracking of mineral exploration in Davao Region

Davao City (10 July) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) XI, during its 2nd Quarterly Regular Meeting held July 8, 2008 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City, passed a resolution requesting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow its Regional Office here to directly issue mineral exploration permits.

RDC XI Vice-Chair Nicasio Angelo J. Agustin, who presided the meeting, said this recommendation of the Council aims to support government's decentralization efforts and fasttrack mineral exploration in the region.

Agustin, who is also the NEDA XI Regional Director, clarified that this action of RDC XI was based on the proposal of the newly-organized Regional Mineral Development Council (RMDC) XI chaired by DENR XI Regional Executive Director Ricardo Calderon. The RMDC XI proposal was adopted by the Council's Economic Development Committee.

Agustin added that taking out one layer in the approval process of mineral exploration permits will hasten the development of the region's mining industry. Davao Region has one of the country's largest mineral deposits. In particular, the region has vast deposits of gold in Compostela Valley with a value estimated to run to US $ 18 billion.

It has also deposits of other valuable minerals in Davao Oriental that has prompted the Council to declare the Compostela Valley - Davao Oriental area as the region's mineral hub. Plans are underway to build a railway system that will connect the mining areas in the two provinces to the port of Mati City, which has been designated the region's mineral port.

Agustin also bared that facilitating the issuance of mineral exploration permits is one of the ways the Council will be pursuing to successfully implement the region's industry cluster strategy, especially for mining.

The RDC XI Vice-Chair also believes that cutting down the time and cost of doing business with the region's mining industry could spark more investments that will ultimately develop the industry and reduce poverty in the two provinces. (PIA) [top]

MtApoStandard

July 9th, 2008, 07:04 PM

RDC XI calls for more private sector investments for power supply in Davao Region

Davao City (10 July) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) of Region XI is urging the private sector to invest in power supply generation in the region in the face of an expected rising power demand in the next 3 years. This call was made by RDC XI during its Second Quarterly Regular Meeting today at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City.

RDC Vice-Chair Nicasio Angelo J. Agustin said that the Council believes that investments coming from the private sector are needed even as government is embarking on major projects that would bring power supply from Northern Mindanao to the Davao Region.

Agustin, who also heads the regional office of NEDA here, revealed that big private corporations are about to establish more malls, other consumer-oriented centers, business process outsourcing facilities and condominiums here, particularly in Davao City. He said these additional facilities will likely put pressure on the region's power supply.

The RDC XI Vice-Chair, however, said that the government's Transmission Corporation (Transco) in its report to the Council has assured that with the completion in 2009 of the Maramag-Bunawan segment of its Abaga-Bunawan 230 kv transmission line project, the region would have additional power supply next year. Once completed, the segment, which runs from Maramag, Bukidnon to Bunawan, Davao City, can be used to tap into the 385 MW Pulangi hydropower plant in Maramag and bring electricity to Davao Region.

Agustin also said that Transco is expected to fully complete the other segments of the transmission projects by 2011, which will allow more power supply from Northern Mindanao to flow to the region.

Notwithstanding these efforts, Agustin said that the Council is pushing for the private sector to supplement government investments in power supply not only to ease pressure of the region's power supply brought about by increasing economic activities, but also to further entice more investments in the region.

The Council is also now encouraging the tapping of other energy sources, such as wind energy. Agustin said that the use of wind energy is being explored by the private sector and the government in Davao Oriental. (PIA) [top]

paulkrps

July 10th, 2008, 01:00 AM

Congrats Davao City & Tagum! Ok kaayo noh 2 cities ng Davao region pasok sa most competitive cities ng Pinas. No sweat! Wala man gani naga invite og investors, ang investors mismo ang nagpupumilit dito. Haha.

if only mawala napud ng mga sigeg mangotong nga mga opisyales, mas dako pa unta ang mga investments.:nuts:

dinabaw

July 10th, 2008, 03:32 AM

Business
DOE inks 3 geothermal exploration contracts
By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Thursday, July 10, 2008

The Department of Energy (DOE) is set to sign geothermal exploration contracts with three firms under the Petroleum Exploration Contracting Round (PECR) 3.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said Guidance Management Corp., Biliran Geothermal Inc. and Basic Energy Corp. have been awarded the contracts to explore and develop the geothermal areas in Amacan in Compostela Valley, Biliran and Mabini in Batangas, respectively.

Reyes said he sees the need to develop more indigenous sources of energy amid the continuing volatility of crude prices.

The DOE launched in 2004 the contracting round for oil, coal, geothermal exploration areas to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel.

After PECR 3, Reyes said they would proceed with PECR 4 to offer more exploration areas.

“We are now moving in that direction and my instruction is to have these people who are wanting to do exploration and development work to present to us,” the energy chief said.

In 2006, the DOE offered under the PECR nine petroleum contract areas covering 7,263,900 hectares within the prospective basins of East Palawan and Mindoro-Cuyo as well as in the promising basins of Cagayan, Central Luzon, Visayas and Agusan-Davao.

Government hopes to generate more than $200 million worth of investments under PECR 3.

Aside from oil and gas prospects, 14 coal prospects with a combined estimated reserves of 421million metric tons (MMT) in Quezon, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental and Zamboanga Sibugay were also offered for bidding under PECR 3.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=200807094

dinabaw

July 15th, 2008, 06:14 AM

projects on the rise...

Davao City

Ayala Center Davao
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=559916&page=13

One Oasis Condominiums
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=555163

12-storey Central Park Hotel
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=557527

Magallanes Residences
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=624033

RiverFront Corporate City
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=447485

Mindanao Jockey and Country Club, Inc. [oth] San Antonio Racetrack, Davao City
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=608022

IGACOS(Samal) projects

Holiday Ocean View Resort
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=529639

Kembali
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=484892

Playa Azalea
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=615872

Azure
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=477169

Tagum Davao del Norte

Tagum City Hall
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=483365

Davao del Norte Sports Complex
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=653975

junax

July 15th, 2008, 07:49 AM

add ko lang.

projects on the rise...

Davao City

Ayala Center Davao
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=559916&page=13

Robinsons Cybergate Davao
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=622807

One Oasis Condominiums
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=555163

12-storey Central Park Hotel
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=557527

Magallanes Residences
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=624033

RiverFront Corporate City
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=447485

Mindanao Jockey and Country Club, Inc. [oth] San Antonio Racetrack, Davao City
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=608022

IGACOS (Davao del Norte) projects

Holiday Ocean View Resort
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=529639

Kembali
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=484892

Playa Azalea
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=615872

Azure
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=477169

Panabo City, Davao del Norte
Gaisano Panabo Grand Mall - Underconstruction

Tagum City, Davao del Norte

Tagum City Hall
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=483365

Davao del Norte Sports Complex
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=653975

Gaisano Mall Tagum (Briz) - Underconstruction

Gaisano Mall Tagum (Apokon) - Underconstruction

dinabaw

July 16th, 2008, 04:49 AM

Regions
Home > Regions > Mindanao
Davao projects vie for farm modernization funding
07/16/2008 | 02:16 AM

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Agriculture department’s regional office has recommended 42 applications for support from the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

A statement quoted Rogelio C. Chio, regional Agriculture director, as saying that his office found these applicants viable, based on their feasibility studies.

"Any project proposal that we found viable, feasible, profitable, and could generate jobs, will be recommended for approval and speedy release of funds," Mr. Chio said.

Although the agency did not release the list of applications and the total amount involved, it said a number of them involved swine production, fisheries culture, banana production and post-harvest facilities for rice.

One such project was designed to increase the drying capacity of a rice producer in Davao Oriental, considered the rice granary of the Davao Region.

The department estimates that the entire agriculture sector loses about P50 billion annually to wastage due to poor or improper post-harvest storage.

Ricardo L. Cachuela, Bureau of Post-harvest Research and Extension executive director, said that, of this amount, rice accounts for an estimated P23.8 billion worth of 2.27 million metric tons lost each year.

He said rice losses could be brought down from a high of 15% currently by using mechanical driers and other modern post harvest facilities.

Created under Republic Act 8178 of 1996 and funded through the tariffs on imported agricultural products, the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund was designed to cushion the impact of opening up agriculture to global competition by enhancing production.

Scheduled to end last year, the government extended its term to 2015 with additional P6 billion that will be used to extend loans without collateral and interest, payable in seven years, said Mr. Cachuela. — C. Q. Francisco, BusinessWorld

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/107174/Davao-projects-vie-for-farm-modernization-funding

WawaY[625]

July 18th, 2008, 06:52 PM

S. Mindanao gets share of construction boom (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/07/19/bus/s..mindanao.gets.share.of.construction.boom.html)

THE Davao Region or Southern Mindanao placed fourth in having the highest number of approved building permits in the country during fourth quarter of 2007, trailing behind the industrial region of Calbarzon, Metro Manila, and Cebu.

This was revealed in the private building construction statistics released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in its website Friday.

Southern Mindanao issued 2,122 permits or 10.23 percent of the total 20,727 building permits approved nationwide.

The figures, however, are smaller compared to the same period in 2006.

The number of approved permits lowered by 14.8 percent compared with 24,330 building permit applications recorded during the last quarter of 2006.

Although there were less construction activities, the total aggregate value of construction in 2007 amounted to P26.3 billion which is .5 percent higher from the P26.2 billion recorded during the same period of 2006.

Topping the ranks is Region 4A (Calbarzon) with 4,466 or 21.54 percent, followed by the National Capital Region with 3,158 or 15.22 percent, then Central Visayas where Cebu is with 2,805 or 13.53 percent.

Closely behind Southern Mindanao and in 5th place is Central Luzon with 2,097 or 10.11 percent. (GLP)

MtApoStandard

July 19th, 2008, 03:26 AM

http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/sr08352f2.gif
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/sr08352tx.html

;22819306']S. Mindanao gets share of construction boom (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/07/19/bus/s..mindanao.gets.share.of.construction.boom.html)

THE Davao Region or Southern Mindanao placed fourth in having the highest number of approved building permits in the country during fourth quarter of 2007, trailing behind the industrial region of Calbarzon, Metro Manila, and Cebu.

This was revealed in the private building construction statistics released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in its website Friday.

Southern Mindanao issued 2,122 permits or 10.23 percent of the total 20,727 building permits approved nationwide.

The figures, however, are smaller compared to the same period in 2006.

The number of approved permits lowered by 14.8 percent compared with 24,330 building permit applications recorded during the last quarter of 2006.

Although there were less construction activities, the total aggregate value of construction in 2007 amounted to P26.3 billion which is .5 percent higher from the P26.2 billion recorded during the same period of 2006.

Topping the ranks is Region 4A (Calbarzon) with 4,466 or 21.54 percent, followed by the National Capital Region with 3,158 or 15.22 percent, then Central Visayas where Cebu is with 2,805 or 13.53 percent.

Closely behind Southern Mindanao and in 5th place is Central Luzon with 2,097 or 10.11 percent. (GLP)

MtApoStandard

July 19th, 2008, 03:29 AM

Real property tax collection up 3.5%By Rizalene P. Acac Published : 2008-07-18

THE REAL property tax collection of the city from January to June this year has improved 3.5 percent compared to the same period last year.
Condrado Lapido, chief of the real property tax division, said from only P353.110 million from January to June of 2007, the first half collection this year improved to P365.417 million or an increase of P12.307 million
The biggest collection came from Poblacion district with P75 million or a growth of 3.5 percent followed by Talomo District with P50 million collection from P47 million last year. All the districts posted across-the-board increases in collection except for Bunawan, Tugbok and Paquibato, which netted negative yields.
Lapido said the improvement in the performance could be attributed to the computerization system adopted by the City Treasurer’s Office and City Assessors Office. “With computerization, it becomes faster. We avoid human intervention. There is no more hanky-panky because the system does not allow it,” he added.
However, he said the city government has been consistent in recording an upward trend in collections each year.
In 2003, the total collection was P319.3 million but the following year it went up to P319.6 million or an increase of 0.11 percent. By 2005, the collection shot up to P349 million or a growth of 9.28 percent. In 2006, the office more than doubled its collection over the previous year when it recorded 20.65 percent growth after posting P421 million in real property taxes.
Lapido said only last year, the city was awarded as the top RPT collector for the region.
He said for 2008, the collection target is pegged at P432 million, representing 60 percent of the total collection of real properties for whole region.
From January to March this year, Davao City bested five other cities and four provinces with a collection efficiency of 71.5 percent. The closest local government unit next to Davao City was Panabo with 47.47 percent after collecting P15.663 million of its target P33 million; Digos City with 41.68 percent collection efficiency rate after noting P8.336 million of its target P20 million.
Jesus Victor S. Ranada, coordinator of Task Force on Large Delinquent RPTs, said they are in the process of clearing their records to determine the exact number of delinquents.
“There are a lot of deficient data. There are double declaration so it is hard to say for sure how much the delinquency is,” he added.
He said the recorded delinquency before was “unbelievable” because it amounted to the city’s total budget for three years. He said the task force is focusing on the top 1,000 delinquents which is about 80 percent of the total delinquencies.

Lord_Cedric

July 20th, 2008, 04:41 AM

Wow, my beloved Davao soaring high! Bravo...

MtApoStandard

July 21st, 2008, 07:32 AM

More Korean retirees settling down in RP

AN OFFICIAL of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) said the number of Korean retirees who prefer to invest and reside in the Philippines has increased in the last three years.

Noehl Bautista, officer-in-charge of the Servicing Division of the Resident Retirees Servicing Center of the PRA, said that for the last three years, the number of Korean retirees increased by 20 percent.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

However, she failed to mention the exact number of Korean retirees today in comparison to the previous years.

"Many Koreans now want to retire in the Philippines, some of them initially want to learn English language then eventually set up their own businesses here," Bautista told Sun.Star.

Bautista said PRA now has a total of 18,000 principal retirees. Most of them, she said, are Chinese, which share about 60 percent of the total retiree population, followed by Taiwanese, Koreans, and Japanese.

She added that PRA retirees are not only identified foreigners, but also those Filipinos who have become citizens of other countries.

She further said that Metro Manila caters to most of the retirees of the PRA, followed by the Visayas, and then Mindanao.

"Ten to 20 percent of our clients are located in Cebu. About 300 to 350 retirees are in Mindanao and, of this number, about 200 are located in Davao," Bautista said.

Bautista and another PRA official were here in Davao City for the launching of a new office to be set up inside the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The launching of the PRA desk at the DTI-National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (DTI-Nerbac) will be held on Monday highlighting the MOA signing between the DTI and PRA.

PRA chair General Egdar Aglipay will grace the event. (JGRS)

http://sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/07/19/news/more.korean.retirees.settling.down.in.rp.html

oradude23

July 24th, 2008, 07:45 PM

Friday, July 25, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

The Economy
P3.1-B investments committed to Mindanao in Q1

DAVAO CITY — Mindanao attracted P3.1 billion in investment commitments in the first three months of the year, about P2.353 billion more than the same period last year, data from the Board of Investments showed.

A press release yesterday of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) cited this data in saying that these first quarter investment commitments were made by 12 companies, whose planned projects are expected to generate 2,000 new jobs.

MEDCo chairman Unsec. Virgilio L. Leyretana projected that Mindanao will surpass the P7.227 billion committed in 2007, with power generation and business process outsourcing investments taking the lead this year.

Investing in Mindanao’s power sector are the Aboitiz Power Corp. which plans to build four hydroelectric plants in the Davao Region, and Alcantara-controlled Conal Holdings which is setting up a $450-million 200-megawatt coal-fired plant in Maasim, Sarangani.

Philippine Sinter Corp. plans to invest P1.03 billion for power generation at the Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corp. Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

In Iligan City, Pilmico Foods, an animal feed producer, plans to start its P660-million investment.

Another big investment was the P139.38 million housing project of Liberty Land Corp., which is expanding its mass housing project in Cagayan de Oro City.

Bioenergy 8 Corp. has also started the predevelopment stage of its first bio-diesel production facility in Sasa, Davao City.

Nanoscript Inc., a medical transcription company that is conducting training under the MTC Academy umbrella, has started operating here.

Other investors included the Bongreen Corp., Far East Seafood Inc., and International Pipe Industries Corp. in Northern Mindanao; Mommy Gina Tuna Resources Inc. in Central Mindanao; the Caraga Oil Refining Inc. and the Krominco Inc. in the Caraga Region; and the Pacifica Agro-Industrial Corp., which will operate in Western and Central Mindanao. — CQF

dinabaw

July 25th, 2008, 12:41 PM

Establishments on top of canals to be demolished
By Rizalene P. Acac

THE DRAINAGE Maintenance Unit will start demolishing establishments on top of canals starting next week as an initial step to address the city’s flooding problem.
Yusop Jimlani, the unit’s action officer, said the government will mow down these structures, whether houses or basketball courts, because these prevent them from cleaning up portions of the drainage system.
He admitted it’s a tough job because some “big fish” will be affected but Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has directed them to do everything possible to control flooding in the city.
The team is working with the barangay officials to identify which of the structures are built on top of the canals. The barangays are tasked to furnish the team with a copy of the drainage plan and list of problems faced by the community.
Once they verified the list, Jimlani said the team will schedule the demolition together with the City Engineer’s Office.
Aside from permanent structures, the team will also clear the stilt houses of poor families in the city’s seashores since some irresponsible residents throw their wastes directly into the sea.
The city has an inspection team that checks the drainage every now and then while another team is on a stand-by that could be tapped anytime they receive complaints. There team has 172 members, 162 of whom are in the field.
“We also had these teams clustered so that they could immediately respond to a particular area,” he added.
One of the clustered teams, which is responsible in cleaning up the canals along Sta. Ana Street, are the Badjaos who live near Magsaysay Park.

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=21009

paulkrps

July 25th, 2008, 02:15 PM

dinabaw

July 25th, 2008, 04:32 PM

it's not tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo late :D

paulkrps

July 26th, 2008, 02:11 AM

i don't thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.:lol:

dinabaw

July 26th, 2008, 06:38 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/07/26

DPWH certain of on-target Davao Norte-Bukidnon road completion

Davao City (26 July) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is determined to hit the December 2009 completion date set for the Talaingod-Bukidnon road project, which is part of the super region development program.

"We are committed to complete this before the end of PGMA's term." DPWH Regional Director Jerome dela Rosa said in an interview.

A P1.6 billion-project, the Talaingod-Bukidnon Road stretches a total length of 51 kilometers which includes an 11-kilometer stretch to be opened for the road to pass through San Fernando in Bukidnon, Dela Rosa said.

Starting at the juncture in Kapalong going through Talaingod up to San, Fernando in Bukidnon, the road project is divided into eight work packages involving road improvement, concreting, widening and opening.

Dela Rosa has bared developments of the road project saying the remaining six contract packages have been on-going and that contractors have been given notice to proceed last month.

Since the Talaingod-Bukidnon Road started in 2006, one contract package has been completed and another one has been on-going even before the rest, Dela Rosa explained.

The contractors which are working on the remaining six contract packages are Rely Construction, PL Sebastian, ARN, Person, Ulticon Builders with Person Construction.

ARN Construction has cornered contract packages 8 and 4.

Once finished, the road project which is part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Super Region Project is expected to cut travel time in going to Bukidnon.

It is also seen to spur economic development of Davao del Norte and Bukidnon particularly of the areas where the road traverses.

"The road will improve the living condition of the people in the area. They can easily transport their products to (urban centers) in Davao del Norte or in Bukidnon; they can be accessible by the social services of the government." Dela Rosa said.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa gave credit to Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario who was the one who hatched the idea of connecting Davao del Norte to Bukidnon through connecting road passing through Talaingod.

"This is his brain-child," he said.

In a separate interview with the DXRP Radyo ng Bayan Davao, Del Rosario said the opening of Talaingod-Bukidnon road would spell economic development as this would trigger direct trade between the two provinces. He said the road project will primarily benefit the indigenous people communities in the areas where the road traverses. (PIA-DavComval/JMDA) [top]

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080726.htm&no=09&r=ALL&y=&mo=

Ibex

July 26th, 2008, 08:58 AM

KulasKusgan

July 27th, 2008, 05:46 AM

should have been done a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long time ago.

it's not tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo late :D

i don't thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.:lol:

mura man og tua sa pikas bungkot ang kaistorya.

Peng Hok

July 28th, 2008, 03:47 AM

^^
Murag nag puyo sa bukid kay naga syagitanay. :lol::lol::lol:

scarletwitch.wanda

July 30th, 2008, 04:07 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/07/30

Davao region social workers assist social workers in Aklan

Davao City (30 July) -- A team of four volunteer-social workers from DSWD Davao Region recently concluded its augmentation and relief efforts in Numancia town in Aklan to assist local social workers in disaster relief operations.

For two weeks, social welfare officers Dalmin Faith A. Igaña, Gemma dela Cruz, Caroline F. Isugan and Charito A. Blanco conducted Rapid Assessment and Validation, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing and Counseling sessions to victims of super typhoon 'Frank'

According to Igaña, they also assisted in the delivery of relief goods and other food packs. "Numancia mayor Elverita Templonuevo warmly welcomed us for they badly needed social workers to assist the municipal social welfare and development office (MSWDO)."

Igaña said, it was a good thing they came as municipal social worker Ethel Reunir was also a victim who relayed to them a rough estimate of the total affected population, number of families, and number of houses that were totally and partially damaged.

The team's first assignment was to assess and validate the victims of the 17 barangays. Utilizing barangay officials and community leaders like the barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, and day care workers, they set to interview the victims.

It was a blessing that the electricity at the town hall was immediately restored, enabling them to draft their reports very early in the morning and late at night. Thus, upon completion of data gathering, the team immediately prepared a Disaster Operations Report on the Validated Barangays, Six-Month Rehabilitation Plan, Relief Distribution, List of Totally Damaged Houses, and Family Record Sheets of the 17 Barangays.

The team also submitted the Individual Folders of the 17 Barangays containing a Masterlist of Families with Totally and Partially Damaged Houses, List of Families Recommended for Emergency Shelter Assistance, Damaged Assessment Forms Per Barangay, and Summary Per Barangay.

Throughout their stay in the town, they maintained close coordination with barangay officials, MSWDO and the mayor. "The local government unit of Numancia, DSWD Iloilo, non- government organizations, the provincial office, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, and other agencies requested the Validated Report of the 17 barangays as basis for relief distribution," Igaña said.

Despite the absence of water and electricity in the area, the team was able to easily adjust to the situation. Igaña revealed, "team work was the secret to all the success we experienced in Aklan."

Even Numancia mayor Templonuevo openly expressed her gratefulness and was genuinely impressed of the team's thoroughness and professionalism albeit some difficulties.

Igaña admits, "a social worker with a willing and committed heart is very much needed even without any experience on disaster relief. It is of great help to the victims considering the knowledge, attitude and skills in managing clients or victims."

"Cutting of trees is indeed a threat to the environment that resulted to the death of innocent people wrought by natural calamities like flash floods and mudflows. This is a wake up call to all of us, whether we are victims of disaster or not, to renew our relationship with God and strengthen our faith in God always, Igaña fervently stressed. (DSWD-PIA XI)

scarletwitch.wanda

August 6th, 2008, 02:43 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/08/06

PGMA to approve recommendations of RPOC

by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (6 August) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to approve the recommendations submitted by the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of Southern Mindanao.

RPOC chair Governor Douglas RA Cagas in an interview said they had forwarded their recommendations through Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno over the weekend and they were assured that their concerns will be acted favorably.

Cagas said the Council saw the need to restructure the RPOC and to remove those non functioning units.

He said they also proposed for the establishment of a permanent office in Davao City probably at the DILG XI office which approved the proposal.

Cagas also said they included in their recommendation that RPOC will dedicate 25 percent of its function to peace and order and internal security as they deemed it appropriate that their remaining task be focused in rehabilitation and development of individuals and communities involved in conflict areas.

Meanwhile Cagas also bared that the business sector also asked for their support in the wake of series of attacks by the New Peoples Army which affected some business establishments and individuals.

He said they have plans with the business sector and they will be together in working for it.

Although he did not elaborate Cagas said they will be working with the business and private sectors in their plans for defense, rehabilitation and development of the communities.

"The private sector should assist in the matter of peace and order and community development because they are affected and we understand their point," he said.

He said the war with the New Peoples Army and the military and police has been there and the government forces will be there to defend. The war has been there and besides there is no peace negotiation," he said.

But the local government, he said, are given free hand to negotiate with the rebels in the local movement because there could be old members in the group who wanted to surrender and rejoin their families.

"For all we know these people are just like us who wanted to live with their families with the assurance of assistance offered by the government," he said. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080806.htm&no=05

junax

August 7th, 2008, 02:27 AM

Davao Region building three food terminals

DAVAO CITY — A billion-peso food terminal complex is being planned in Davao City to reduce wastage of products — the first of three planned for the region.

The technical working group of the Davao Regional Development Council met last Tuesday at the Department of Trade and Industry regional office to discuss the project.

Ramon F. Allado, president of the Southern Philippines Construction Core Group and head of Allado Construction, Inc., said a businessman is interested to bankroll 60% of the cost, while the remaining 40% would be offered to other stakeholders. Regional officials added that official development assistance could be tapped for the remaining capital. The city government will provide, as its equity, the land for the facility.

Presently, the technical working group is looking at the 25-hectare National Development Corp. in Toril District, about an hour’s drive from the downtown area.

Mr. Allado said the food terminal complex will feature a cold storage facility that could be leased to canneries, processors, and growers "per cubic meter."

Teolulo T. Pasawa, DTI-Davao City director, said two more food complexes will be built in nearby Tagum City in Davao del Norte and Digos City in Davao del Sur.

Mr. Pasawa said that the planned food complex will have an agri-processing center and a technology and business incubation, to prime Davao City for greater participation in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area and other Asian markets.

Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas R. Cagas, who also chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council, said the Japan International Cooperation Agency is also interested to fund the project, committing no less than $50 million.

source: http://www.bworldonline.com/BW080708/content.php?id=053

jhunix

August 7th, 2008, 10:37 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/08/07

New big investments to cost more than P15-B

by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (7 August) -- Four new big investments will locate in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur this year with the biggest project worth t about P15 billion.

Mayor Joel Ray Lopez in an interview said the biggest investor is the shipyard project of Mitsubishi where investors are already complying with the requirements.

The other three investments are the Jetty Oil depo and plant, banana chips factory, and the 60 hectares farm lot subdivision.

The three investors are already complying with their requirements, he said.

Lopez said the developer of the real property project has been working on the road right of way and said that they want to convert the place into a high-end resort residential area.

This project will fall under eco-tourism, a priority program which the municipality is also pushing, he said.

The banana chips project on the other hand is an expansion project of Coco Davao and is expected to employ additional 200 workers. It is expected to operate by the end of 2008 with the ongoing construction of its facilities.

Meanwhile the Franklin Bakers had infused P100 million investments in its expansion project that become operational last year.

HEDCOR with P6 billion investments is expected to operate next year, he said.

Given these industries Mayor Lopez said they expect additional income to fund their priority projects on environmental protections and other basic services.

Sta. Cruz is a first class municipality with an IRA of P80 million and local income of P40 million.

Lopez attributed the growth of investments in their area because of big industry leaders that already located in their municipality.

He noted that with the entry of San Miguel Corporation more investments has considered their town making their municipality a choice area to locate big industries even as he said that investors find it easy to locate in their area because the cost of doing business is reasonable. (PIA)

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

Sarcasticity

August 8th, 2008, 10:50 AM

Guys, has anyone heard of Zooxanthella project? Sa may malita?

dinabaw

August 8th, 2008, 10:58 AM

^^ is that the dugong & dolphin watching?

Sarcasticity

August 8th, 2008, 11:12 AM

^^ is that the dugong & dolphin watching?

^^ Hmm. hindi.. I have their brochure? or whatever you call it. Sabi dito its a project that would have 60 room 5 star resort, a marine ecology research centre, 40 room property for research and dive course client base, a world class diving centre, a 300 hectare coral nursery and marine protected area. I tried to browse the net for the project, but none.. Anyway, it slated to open january 2010..

It supposed to be a project to promote the area as a world class diving site for coral reefs and mammal viewing. It would also bring jobs to the peole living there.

I think this is the place.. Tubalan, malita
http://www.malita-info.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/tubalan-port.jpg

dinabaw

August 8th, 2008, 11:15 AM

^^ ah ok i heard about it, i guess it is owned by an Iranian , kasali diyan yung sight-seeing at yung parang ocean park .

oradude23

August 8th, 2008, 06:31 PM

Foreign miners to participate in Mindanao mining summit next month

DAVAO — Big investors have shown interest in partnering with local counterparts for mining exploration in Mindanao as shown by the number of foreign company officials wanting to join the Mindanao mining summit next month. Arcel B. dela Cruz, senior research specialist of the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said about 100 foreign mining company officials have asked that they be allowed to join the summit so they would know the potentials of Mindanao mining areas. "They are very interested in possible business matching with local companies," Ms. Dela Cruz said in an interview, adding that the interest of foreign companies to join the event has prompted its organizers to postpone it to next month to accommodate them. Ms. dela Cruz, however, did not identify the foreign mining experts and their companies. "One of the items of the program is the discussion on the minerals that can be found in Mindanao. This has generated a lot of interest," she said. Originally scheduled to be held this week, organizers have moved the two-day event to September 18-19. The event was first scheduled in Mati City, Davao Oriental, but was transferred here due to possible problem on accommodation. Ednar G. Dayanghirang, Mindanao Business Council executive director, said: "It is high time for Mindanao to develop its mining potentials and the summit is one venue where we can attract investors to consider our mining areas." Both industry executives and government officials have complained over the failure of the industry to take off in recent years despite aggressive promotion. Among the problems, said Edgar D. Martinez of the Mindanao Association for the Mining Industry, was the failure of the government to efficiently process applications of mining companies. The same problem was also cited by Edilberto L. Arreza, regional director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. Both said that because some mining companies found it hard to secure permits — the fastest being two years upon filing the application — some have lost interest in developing their sites. This prompted Mr. Martinez to suggest to the government to set up a clearing house, with the Mindanao Development Council running it, to fast-track the processing of mining applications. Another problem, said Mr. Arreza, was the attitude of some companies to just speculate while looking for a bigger investor. This led other companies that are capable to develop and area to shy away. Among those to be featured in the mining summit is the Diwalwal mining project in Monkayo, Compostela Valley. The project is under the control of the government-run Philippine Mining Development Corp. — CQF

oradude23

August 9th, 2008, 09:48 PM

S. Mindanao issued 1,775 building permits in Q1

SOUTHERN Mindanao region placed 5th among the regions nationwide to issue the highest number of building construction permits during the first quarter of 2008.

This is based on the report released by the National Statistics Office on August 8.

Davao Region issued a total of 1,775 permits or 7.79 percent of the total 22,787 permits.

Topping the ranks is Region 4A (Calabarzon) garnering a total of 5,127 or 22.5 percent and was followed by the National Capital Region who took a share of 17.84 percent or 4,066 building permits.

In 3rd place is Central Luzon with 12.57 percent or 2,885 permits and in 4th is Central Visayas with 9.57 percent or 2,180 permits.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) was listed as having the lowest number of permits issued at 0.02 percent or a mere five permits.

However, the total number of 22,787 for the 1st quarter of 2008 is lower by three percent compared with the 23,499 permits issued during the same period in 2007.

Approved building permits for non-residential building construction also fell by 17.3 percent to 2,931 from 3,543 recorded during the same quarter of 2007.

On the other hand, approved building permits for residential building construction went up slightly by 1.6 percent from 15,899 applications to 16,159. (GLP)

dinabaw

August 10th, 2008, 11:20 AM

China businessmen to invest $ 6.4 B in the Philippines
spacer

By FIL C. SIONIL

BEIJING (via PLDT) — President Arroyo has solicited a whooping $ 6.4 billion worth of Chinese investments in the country for housing, cement, mining, and manufacturing projects.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila said the largest investment comes from Sunshine 100 at $ 5 billion for housing development; nearly $ 300 million from the Fujian Loonglin Group Co., Ltd. for a cement manufacturing plant; and $ 100 million from the Wei Wei Group for a nickel smelting plant.

The President met with the three top Chinese businessmen here before she joined at least 85 world leaders at a luncheon tendered by President Hu Jintao in the Great Hall of the People, a 30-minute ride from the Asia Hotel, where Mrs. Arroyo, First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo, and some members of the Cabinet were billeted.

China Fiber Corp. will invest $ 1 billion for a thread manufacturing plant using banana and palm fibers to produce thread that will be used in the manufacture of clothing, said special envoy and Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Emeritus Francis Chua.

The plant will be set up in Davao that could churn out 20,000 metric tons of thread annually, Chua added.

Favila, who was present when the President met with the heads of the three corporations here yesterday morning, said Sunshine 100 Chairman Lucio Tai Yen informed Mrs. Arroyo of his company’s intention to expand its investments in the country.

Sunshine, considered one of the fastest growing firms here focusing on residential development, has an existing exposure in the Philippines under a joint venture undertaking with a local partner.

Favila said the plan is to enter the housing market across all categories - - low cost; middle market and high-end. For a starter, Sunshine signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Retirement Authority to build housing units for retirees.

Fujian Chief Executive Officer Yujian Xu has expressed a desire to open a cement plant in Antipolo City, Favila added.

Mrs. Arroyo welcomed the investment, which will not only mean additional dollars coming in, but also more economic activities and jobs, Favila quoted the President as saying.

The entry of Fujian, one of China’s biggest cement manufacturers producing high-yield, quality cement, using 1000t/d clinker line with 100 percent burning anthracite production, in the local cement industry could benefit the real estate sector of the economy in the country.

The Wei Wei Group, meanwhile, plans to increase its investments in the Philippines through its domestic partner, Golden Harvest, for the construction of a nickel smelting plant in Zambales.

Since 1992, Sunshine 100 had 18 real estate development project in 12 cities of mainland China from Beijing to Chongquing, Jinan, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Tianjin with a total developed area surpassing nine million square meters..

It has been recognized as one of China’s 500 most valuable brands, 10 most valuable real estate branches, Blue Chip real estate enterprise of China, and China top 100 property enterprises.

http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/09/MAIN20080809132059.html

dinabaw

August 12th, 2008, 03:43 AM

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Davao's export revenues increase: DTI
By Joy Romares-Sevilla

THE product promotion of the One Town One Product (Otop) of the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has contributed to the significant increase in export revenues generated in the region as of the first semester of the year.

In its accomplishment report, DTI-Southern Mindanao said exports income with the Otop promotion reached US$8.4 million, from January to June, more than US$1 million as compared to the same period last year.

Visit the Beijing Olympics 2008 blog

Otop is one of the activities of the DTI to maintain or further improve the level of exports generation in the region.

Other activities are through international trade fairs and through the One Stop Export Documentation Center (OSEDC).

DTI said the increase shares of international trade fairs and Otop implied more pro-active endeavors from the agency since OSEDC processes are regulatory requirements needed prior to exporting, and are dependent on walk-in clients.

Earlier, DTI said that domestic sales from various activities conducted by its office have increased by 62 percent in the first semester of this year, as compared to the same period last year.

Domestic sales as of June this year were placed at P273.72 million, from P167.98 million posted in the same period last year.

DTI said the bulk of domestic sales accomplishment originated from monitored declarations of clients as a result of their participation to core activities of the agency, which comprised 88.8 percent; followed by sales generated from on-site trade fair sales with 10.06 percent; and financing facilitation with 7.2 percent.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/08/12/bus/davao.s.export.revenues.increase.dti.html

dinabaw

August 12th, 2008, 02:21 PM

kawawa naman si Jollybee at Ronald McDonald :lol:

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hearing on bid to ban motorcades set
By Grace L. Plata

MOTORCADES in Davao City will soon be a thing of the past if the proposed ordinance banning it gets the City Council's nod.

A hearing spearheaded by the City Council committee on energy, transportation and communication is set August 15 to discuss the "Ordinance Prohibiting Motorcade Within the Territorial Jurisdiction of Davao City" proposed by Councilor Bonifacio Militar.

Militar said the proposal will be part of the city's "austerity measures" in this time of crisis.

"Due to unabated rising cost of gasoline and other petroleum products, holding of motorcades and other similar activities is considered a senseless extravagance that must be discouraged," Militar said.

He said it will not only address environmental concerns but will also help ensure unimpeded flow of traffic in the city's major thoroughfares.

Based on the proposal, only motorcades held during the "Araw ng Dabaw" and "Kadayawan sa Dabaw" celebrations are exempted from the ban.

Violators will be subject to a fine of P5,000 and/or imprisonment of not less than six months.

The same ordinance has been made by Baguio City last June 2008 when Baguio Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. ordered local police to "deny outright" application for motorcades.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/08/12/news/hearing.on.bid.to.ban.motorcades.set.html

scarletwitch.wanda

August 13th, 2008, 01:43 AM

Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Davao is top producers of native chicken

DAVAO Region is among the top producing regions of native chicken in the country, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).

In a recent report, BAS said Southern Mindanao is ranked fifth among the top producing regions in the country.

BAS added that Southern Mindanao shares 7.3 percent of the more than 50 percent of total number of native chicken produced by top producing regions, namely: Western Visayas with 17.3 percent share; Central Visayas with 9.9 percent share; Central Luzon with 8.4 percent; and Ilocos Region with 3.1 percent share.

The report revealed that as of January 2008, the total population of native or village chicken was placed at 76.9 million. This was higher than the 2007 total population with only 73.9 million.

Meanwhile, the gross value of chicken and chicken egg production in 2007 increased by 6.25 percent and 10.99 percent, respectively. BAS said the increase was attributed to higher farm prices during the year.

BAS also claimed that the chicken and the chicken egg production in the country contributed 12.3 percent to the gross agricultural output.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/08/13/bus/davao.is.top.producers.of.native.chicken.html

elie_darz

August 14th, 2008, 01:54 AM

dinabaw

August 15th, 2008, 01:50 PM

News Article
Promote Davao River as nat’l basin to ensure support, say
By Jose G. Dalumpines

LOCAL officials should push for the declaration of the Davao river as a national basin to ensure continued support as local efforts proved to be insufficient to ensure its sustainability and protection, an official of a non-government group advocating for the river’s development said.
Engr. Cristy Gallano, convenor of the Davao River Initiatives, pointed out that all efforts to sustain the protection and preservation of the river will be assured of financial support if it is declared as national river basin like the Cotabato and Agusan basins.
“Davao river will get its share of financial support once the national government would declare conducting reforestation activities on these basins, especially if it is also recognized by the president,” Gallano said.
Speaking at the public forum on the issues and concerns of the Davao River in line with the Davao River Festival as part of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw 2008 celebrations held at the Taboan, Matina Time Square yesterday, she said that in the absence of national recognition, the state of Davao river will continue to deteriorate.
Gallano lamented that under the current circumstances, Davao river is not important to policy makers. The Davao river has a length of 160 kilometers from its headwater in Marilog District to Barangay 76-A, Bucana, traversing 51 barangays along its riverbank.
The forum was attended by local barangay officials, top environment officials, a city councilor, non-government environment organizations and local residents from the communities along the river banks.

Barangay councilor Vilma Ang, the representative of Brgy 2-A Magallanes, said barangay officials are strictly monitoring and imposing stiffer penalties on their constituents to prevent them from throwing garbage on the river.

She said the barangay government also charges garbage collection payments to households, stores and boarding houses ranging from P20-50 to ensure that garbage is disposed properly.

“Our barangay chair simply shows strong leadership, consequently everybody follows,” Ang said.
She said there are 3,000 informal settlers residing at the riverbank of Davao River in their barangay.

Barangay 76-A chair Robert Olanolan urged the local environment officials to implement the 30-meter easement from the river banks to drive away the informal settlers along the river banks, bringing along problems ranging from improper garbage disposal and lack of toilet facilities.

Olanolan said political will is needed to impose the policy and this includes titling the properties close to the riverbanks and prohibiting residents from quarrying sand which causes siltation of the riverbed.

Councilor Leonardo Avila III, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources at the city
council, said the forum is important for the stakeholders to ventilate issues concerning the Davao river.

“The river mirrors the community. It reflects how the community cares for the environment,”
Avila said.

Environment Assistant Secretary Gerry Calderon, speaking in behalf of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, lauded the holding of the forum and called the activity as a best practice that is worth sharing to other parts of the country.

“It is great to discuss the laws and protection of the environment as a community,” Calderon said. JGD

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=21350

rally

August 19th, 2008, 07:41 AM

Peng Hok

August 19th, 2008, 09:08 AM

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hearing on bid to ban motorcades set
By Grace L. Plata

Paano yung mga motorcades featuring Kapamilya and Kapuso artists? :lol:

Funny, because at first glance, akala ko ang iba-ban are motorcycles. Eh naisip ko, bakit naman iba-ban ang motorcyles eh wala na namang motorcycles na namamasada sa major avenues of Davao City. So when I read more closely, ayun, motorcades pala. Geez! I'm so buta! :lol:

paulkrps

August 19th, 2008, 11:57 AM

read well kuya peng hok, otherwise you will be reprimanded by the nyor goy.:lol:

chico_knot

August 29th, 2008, 10:51 AM

i'm doin' a thesis and i need data or justification about the urban sprawl in davao.. its growth, development, etc.. thank you!!.. :)

or email me.. chico_knot@yahoo.com

tj_brewed

August 31st, 2008, 01:56 AM

Sunday, August 31, 2008
Davao City also eyed as 'halal' hub of RP
Sunstar Online (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/08/31/bus/davao.city.also.eyed.as.halal.hub.of.rp.html)

FROM being built-up as the information technology (IT) hub of Mindanao, it looks like Davao City will also become the "halal" hub of the country.

This as the Department of Agriculture (DA) has reportedly held initial talks with officials of Brunei and Kuwait to discuss investment opportunities in the P3.04-billion "halal" hub being proposed by the Davao City Government.

The proposal, initiated by Councilor Peter Laviña, was sent to the Sultan of Brunei, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in February 22, 2007, offering Davao City as the site for this investment.

The city's excellent supply for halal meat products, being free from avian flu and the existence of Halal Food Council were cited in the proposal as main reasons for the city to be considered.

Laviña said Thursday that he furnished Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap with the proposal.

"I am glad that his office is pursuing the plan for the halal food processing center here in Davao," he said.

Reports from a national business paper said: "the government is offering foreign investors an investment proposal worth P3.04 billion to develop the domestic halal industry in Mindanao and enable local manufacturers to corner a chunk of the $500-billion world market".

"The Halal Food Industry Economic Hub project includes the Halal Economic Zone in Davao City and a halal model poultry farm in Cagayan de Oro City," the report stated.

The proposed Halal Economic Zone in Davao City, which will cost at least P2.2 billion to establish, is the core of the halal investment portfolio being offered to investors. (GLP)

dinabaw

September 4th, 2008, 09:25 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/09/03

HEDCOR commissions Pontmain Resources for slope protection

Davao City (3 September) -- Fully committed to implement a sustainable reforestation program in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, Hedcor Sibulan, Inc. (HSI) recently signed a P1.4 million contract with Pontmain Resources, Inc. for the roadside re-greening and slope protection of the newly-opened access road leading to the company's Sibulan Plant B hydropower plant.

The protection involves the use of the indigenous coco mat material to cover and stabilize about one hectare of slope. The mat will also promote the growth of trees and vegetation in the area located in Barangay Darong.

"This project is a strong indicator that Hedcor is really serious in maintaining the ecological stability and balance in the project area," said Pontmain Resources' Engr. Apolinar Gaite, who signed the re-greening contract with Hedcor vice president for Mindanao operations Gregorio Jabonillo.

Hedcor's environmental initiative is the first installment of the Watershed Management Plan they signed last July to protect 1,000 hectares of the Mt. Apo Natural Park. Programs included in this plan reforestation, agro-forestry, and erosion control measures.

"We are committed to maintain and care for our watersheds, not just for our hydro plants but more importantly for our communities," said Jabonillo. The vice president also explained HSI is currently constructing the Sibulan Hydropower Project, a two-plant, run-of-river hydro project with a total capacity of 42.5 megawatts. These plants will supply Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) with 212 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually starting 2009 to address the projected energy shortfall in the region.

HSI also recently embarked on a re-greening activity in Barangay Sibulan where they partnered with local government officials and high school students to plant 1,000 Narra, Tinikaran, and Malatambis seedlings along the access road that they opened leading to the foot of the majestic Mt. Apo. (DLPC) [top]

PIA News (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=R11&y=08&mo=09&fi=p080903.htm&no=08)

dinabaw

September 7th, 2008, 07:44 AM

Front Article
CEO bent on destroying signage deemed ‘illegal’
By Jose G. Dalumpines Published : 2008-09-05

AN OFFICER of the City Engineer’s Office warned to demolish signages of operators who do not comply with the requirements set by the city and the national government.
Engineer Gloria Lomapas, chief of the enforcement and building permit section of the City Engineer’s Office, said their campaign is anchored on the provisions of City Ordinance 092 Series of 2000, regulating the construction, repair and renovation, erection, installation and maintenance of outdoor advertising materials and for related purposes.
She also cited Department Order number 52 of the Department of Public Works and Highways directing the removal of obstructions within the right-of-way of the national roads.
“Our mandate to pursue this campaign has the entire legal bases. We have to pursue putting the signage industry in proper perspective especially for those who are remiss in complying with their requirements, especially in paying what’s due to the coffers of the government,” Lomapas said.
She revealed the basic infractions committed by local signage operators range from non-compliance of the sign permit for the billboards and road obstruction.
Lomapas explained that under the provisions of the city ordinance 092, the installation of billboards, posters and a signage of the same kind without the sign permit is illegal.
She explained the sign permit is filed with the office of the local building official and approved by the city mayor or duly designated representative.
“The application is accompanied with location plan, structural design, written consent of the owner of the premises and other pertinent data required by our office. Payment is made at the City Treasurer’s Office,” Lomapas said.
She revealed that one of the delinquent signage operators owed the city government nearly two-million pesos for non-compliance of the sign permit alone since 2001.
Lomapas said their office has solicited the support of the city legal office to add teeth to the campaign.
“We have to impose the law as a way of instituting reforms to the signage industry. Gone are the days when they can circumvent the law,” she said.
Lomapas said they already had demolished eight billboards since they launched the campaign in February, 2008.
She admitted that their office also works with the canal brigade of the city, consequently making their work multi-focused.
Efforts to get the side of owners of outdoor media companies proved futile. JGD

Mindanao Times (http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=21623)

oradude23

September 9th, 2008, 09:06 PM

Investor confidence in Davao Region unaffected by peace and order problem in Central Mindanao
by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (10 September) -- Investors confidence in the Davao region are not affected by the peace and order problem in Central Mindanao as shown by the total investments reaching P900million registered as of July 2008.

Engr. Gil Dureza, head of the Board of Investment Davao extension office covering Region 9, 11 and 12 said that except for one investor that deferred its project in Central Mindanao for Cavendish banana in a 4,000 hectares area with P8 billion investments, all the rest proceeded and availed of the incentives given by the BOI.

He said this would only indicate that investors' confidence is there and are not afraid of locating despite the problem.

In fact, he revealed that on the average BOI conducts two to three times weekly briefing to foreigners.

The area for the banana project he said is within PALMA (Pigcawayan, Aleosan, Libungan Midsayap, Alamada) where there is an ongoing conflict the reason why the Filipino investor deferred the project.

But another Japanese investor is looking at the PALMA area although Dureza said they have not inspected the area and because of the ongoing problem BOI would look for other sites perhaps in Davao del Sur.

They would also need 4,000 hectares where investment would be about P8 billion, he said.

Dureza said once this project is realized they would be able to hit higher this year by 10 percent as against the P8 billion generated investments in 2007 even as he said that the Japanese investor showed great interest in locating.

In the meantime Dureza said the registered investments as of July 2008 included the P400 million expansion of Flying V, P174 M A & J Processing in General Santos City, P6M Hog Tech Corporation also of General Santos City, P4 M Monkayo Commodity Corp for banana chips production, P260M low-cost housing project of HLC Corp in Davao City.

Other than these investments he said they also facilitated the requirements of nationally registered projects like the condominium projects of Filinvest and Consunji and the business process outsourcing of Western Wats and HLC call center.

Dureza meanwhile said that they plan to conduct promotional activity for the tourism sector of Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental in Boracay and Thailand.

He said tourism is among the investment priority areas and their proposed activity in Thailand will be in cooperation with the provincial and local government units and the Foreign Trade Attaches. (PIA) [top]

MtApoStandard

September 11th, 2008, 07:40 AM

Mindanao confident of 10% raise in investment pledges
09/11/2008 | 03:29 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - The Davao-based Board of Investments (BoI) extension office covering regions 9, 11 and 12 — Western, Southern and Central Mindanao, respectively — is optimistic that investment pledges in the area will increase by at least 10% to as much as P10 billion by yearend despite the Central Mindanao conflict.

The forecast comes even as an investor deferred an P8-billion investment for a banana plantation in Central Mindanao, the BoI office said in a statement yesterday.

Division Chief Gil M. Dureza said in a telephone interview that a Japanese investor looking to invest roughly P8 billion is expected to make up for the postponed venture. "They want to put up a banana plantation [too], maybe in Davao del Sur. They’re scheduled to visit the area this month," Mr. Dureza said.

Investment pledges for the said regions amounted to around P900 million as of last July. The total includes the P400-million infusion for the expansion of gasoline retailer Flying V, a P260-million low-cost housing project in Davao City, and a P174-million investment by food manufacturer A&J Processing in General Santos City. Hog Tech Corp. also pledged a P6-million investment, while banana chips producer Mokayo Commodity Corp. pledged P4 million.

More investments are expected, Mr. Dureza said, citing his recent meeting with an India-based business processing operator last Friday. The BPO firm, he said, plans to open a contact center with an initial project cost of P60 million for 250 seats.

"Applications [for incentives] for smaller investments from robotics, housing, tourism, and food processing firms are on my desk right now," Mr. Dureza said in Filipino. "[The investors] are not afraid. They tell us, ’We need to do business’."

Mr. Dureza said the P8-billion investment pledges in the three regions last year were roughly 4% of the total P215.3 billion nationwide tally. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa, BusinessWorld

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/119486/Mindanao-confident-of-10-raise-in-investment-pledges

MtApoStandard

September 11th, 2008, 07:43 AM

Hedcor construction sources P200M from Davao suppliers

THIS EARLY, Hedcor Sibulan, Inc. (HSI) is making its presence felt in the economy of Davao and Davao del Sur. In just over a year since HSI’s construction of its 42.5-megawatt Sibulan Hydropower Project (SHP) in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur started, the clean energy developer has been able to source a significant amount of construction materials and services from local suppliers.

Hedcor civil works project contractor JV Angeles Construction Corp. recently disclosed in a report that from March 2007 to June 2008 the company has so far sourced P200 million of its construction requirements in the Davao region. This includes P76 million worth of construction materials and more than P47 million in sub-contractor works.

“We are committed to patronize local contractors and suppliers because we believe the Davao region has a lot to offer. Our existing plants, for example, are already serviced by DECO Machine Shop,” said Gregorio Jabonillo, Hedcor vice president for Mindanao operations. DECO has been Hedcor’s local contractor since the company started operating the Talomo mini hydropower plants in 2004.

Another one of Hedcor’s sub-contractors, ESBE Industrial Builders, a supplier of steel support ribs for the plant’s water tunnels, says they consider the Sibulan project as their priority. “We allocated about 80 percent of our fabricating assets and equipment and about 15 of our workers for the Sibulan plants,” said ESBE sales engineer Erwin Caroz, whose company maintains a steel fabrication shop in Tibungco, Davao City.

Caroz also added that the construction of the plants has been good to business in the area. Aside from the added economic benefit to local business, Hedcor also lined up projects and programs for the benefit of its host communities in the Municipality of Sta. Cruz. These benefits include a community share from the power plants’ revenues, construction of access roads, rural electrification, support for educational projects, and environmental preservation projects worth about P700 million.

The SHP is a pair of cascading run-of-river hydropower plants that will supply Davao with 212 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy starting August 2009. These plants will help augment the electric requirements in the region and prevent an impending power crisis as projected by the Department of Energy. (PR)

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=21728

MtApoStandard

September 11th, 2008, 04:06 PM

PPA completes five town port projects in R-XI

Davao City (11 September) -- The Engineering Services Division (ESD) of the Philippine Ports Authority Port District Office-Southern Mindanao (PPA PDO-SoMin) revealed that the PhP 125 million worth of various new projects in Babak, Banay-Banay, Glan, Maco and San Isidro have been accomplished on schedule by mid-year of 2008.

"Our commitment to the public is to be transparent by letting them know the progress of every penny that government spends particularly on port infrastructure," Port District Manager Abdussabor Sawadjaan expressed during the 2009's budget deliberation.

The Babak Port located in Barangay Villarica, Island Garden City of Samal in Davao Del Norte received PhP 49.95 M for its Development, Reclamation, and Reconstruction of Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) Ramp. This port is known as the traditional berthing area of motor launches ferrying passengers from the island to mainland Davao City, and vice versa. Passenger volume reached about 1.43 million in 2007.

It is also being groomed to be part of the expanded RoRo port links within the Region and eventually be a lateral link of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH), specifically as part of the Eastern Seaboard. SRNH refers to the seamless inter-island connections of mostly Ro-Ro capable ports of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and vice versa.

Banay-Banay town, in Davao Oriental Province got PhP 15.91 M from PPA's local funds for its RoRo Ramp project while another municipality in the same province, San Isidro received PhP 16.55 M to finance the construction of a Rock Causeway and Reinforced Concrete (RC) Pier. These two new ports are being propped up for short distance inter-island routes as well as a launching pad for small and medium-scale fishing vessels and eventually for export-oriented trading.

Maco, in Compostela Valley Province received a PhP 28.4 M funding from PPA this year for the Phase II of its Port Development project which expanded its quay area by 348 sq.m. to accommodate larger domestic and foreign-bound ships, particularly those ferrying wooden chips for export which had its maiden voyage in early 2006.The Philippine Tagum Chips Corp. holds a lease contract for a hectare of the reclaimed area for the said purpose since 2005.

Glan, a municipality located in Sarangani Province in Region XII, likewise implemented a PhP 20 M worth of port infrastructure project geared towards the reconstruction of its damaged wharf. This port is conventionally known as the fisherman's wharf and where nearby beaches are known for their pristine sands and as tourist drawers.

The port has earlier been identified as one of the potential hubs of Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperative Triangle (JAGS CT) which would be later connected to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). All these plans, however are still on the drawing board while Glan has to work on its domestic product and industry development.

PPA's engineering thrust has since taken a complementary stance on the development of regional terminals and municipal ports to boost local trade, transport and tourism potentials apart from the continuous upgrading of baseports in major cities nationwide. In 2007 for instance, about 80% of the total budget of SoMin Port District worth PhP 1.81 billion of the PhP 2.21 B was allocated for five terminal ports (Ipil, Margosatubig, Malangas, Mati and Pagadian) and five other municipal-based ports (Babak, Banay-Banay, Glan, Maco and San Isidro). (PPA-PIA XI) [top]

CGYanon

September 13th, 2008, 07:08 AM

tj_brewed

September 13th, 2008, 07:20 AM

Davao Region to feel pinch of high unemployment rate
Ofelia B. Domingo, Labor assistant regional director, said there has been a notable rise in unemployment figures in Davao City since many evacuees expect to find jobs in one of the few urban centers in Mindanao.

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW091308/content.php?id=053

Sad...but what can we do....evacuees from Northern Mindanao specifically Lanao Del Norte and other war torn areas in Mindanao have no choice but to move and live in a safer and most urban place in the island - and that is Davao City.

MtApoStandard

September 13th, 2008, 07:27 AM

Davao Region to feel pinch of high unemployment rate

DAVAO CITY — A confluence of students graduating in October and migration of people from conflict-stricken areas is expected to put pressure on the limited employment prospects in Davao Region.

Official data showed the number of underemployed workers in the region grew 24.4% in the first half compared to 18.6% in the same period last year.

With a work force of 1.788 million, the region’s 6.3% unemployment rate is the highest in Mindanao, followed by Caraga at 5.5% and Northern Mindanao at 5.%.

Ofelia B. Domingo, Labor assistant regional director, said there has been a notable rise in unemployment figures in Davao City since many evacuees expect to find jobs in one of the few urban centers in Mindanao.

The labor department is also linking with guidance counselors in high schools and universities to address the jobs-skills mismatch.

In response, the research arm of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. — Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade (U-ACT) — will set up a database to address the problem in partnership with the Presidential Task Force for Education, industry groups, foreign chambers and academe.

Donald G. Dee, U-ACT chairman, earlier said they will present the database to schools so that they can tailor-fit the curricula to fir industry needs. He said Philippine schools are good in theory, but poor in application. — JBE

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW091308/content.php?id=053
unemployment explained by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE XI) assistant regional director Ofelia B. Domingo said Southern Mindanao:

1. As an urbanized city she said Davao is being compared with the National Capital Region with 13.8 percent unemployment rate while Cebu, 7.7 percent.

2. displaced workers due to conflict affected area that seek shelter to safer place like Davao

3. fresh graduates also contribute to the increasing rate of unemployment. In Region XI alone as based on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED XI) figure she said there are about 800,000 graduates and unless they are hired, they fall under the unemployed workers of the region

Meanwhile Domingo said Caraga posted highest in underemployment ratio at 29.8 percent followed by Region X at 26.7 percent, Region XI- 24.4 percent, Socsksargen-23.8 percent, Region IX- 20.2 percent and the ARMM- 11.3 percent.

Domingo said underemployment is when the worker lacks the appropriate job in order for him or her to achieve the desired income.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080913.htm&no=25

tj_brewed

September 13th, 2008, 07:32 AM

^^ so basically, Region 10 or Northern Mindanao has a higher underemployment rate than Region 11 or the Davao Region? :dunno: but that can't be....considering it is "Mindanao's biggest economy". Aight?

MtApoStandard

September 13th, 2008, 08:01 AM

ironically, yes. industries that made the bulk of gross regional production are not labour intensive. imo. choice of work could not match qualifications. restrictive bec of limited opportunities i guess

MtApoStandard

September 13th, 2008, 08:18 AM

second quarter2008 visitor arrivals in mindanao

1. zamboanga city- no data

2. butuan city- no data

3. general santos city

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/gensan.jpg

4. cdo city and misamis oriental combined

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/cdo-1.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/cdo1.jpg

5. davao city

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/dvo-7.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/dvo1-3.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/cdo2.jpg

dinabaw

September 13th, 2008, 08:42 AM

^^ wow the tourists arrival of Davao City alone almost surpasses the whole Region 10 hmmm

tj_brewed

September 13th, 2008, 09:21 AM

^^ grabeh naman yan....totoo ba yan....pero diba they are Mindanao's gateway daw? so Davao City alone has more visitors compared to Misamis Oriental as a whole? :dunno:

dinabaw

September 13th, 2008, 09:35 AM

^^ grabeh naman yan....totoo ba yan....pero diba they are Mindanao's gateway daw? so Davao City alone has more visitors compared to Misamis Oriental as a whole? :dunno:

lol lahat naman puede mag sabi ng gateway , di ko lang alam anong klaseng gateway hehe.

ona

September 13th, 2008, 09:48 AM

To Clarify the Totals per region;
Northern Mindanao:
9,871 + 37,767 + 22,690 + 102,918 + 70,678 = 243,924

Southern Mindanao/Davao Region:
22,489 + 8,861 + 7,581 + 10,189 + 152,881 = 202,001

Based solely on this data in a Regional Level Northern Mindanao has the Largest Number of Tourist Arrivals. In a city level Davao City has the largest tourist arrivals. So the argument that NorMin is a gateway is still valid based solely on this data.

MtApoStandard

September 13th, 2008, 11:37 AM

dinabaw

September 13th, 2008, 11:49 AM

^^ yeah i guess they include travellers who do business in there region.

but the real indication of a booming tourism is based on foreign arrivals along w/ data of hotel/inns occupancies....

Philippine Travel Blog Rotating Header Image
DOT bares increase in tourist arrivals in Davao City
Jan 25th, 2008
by davaoguide.

Hello there! Seems it's your first visit on Philippines Travel Blog. You can stay up to date by subscribing to our RSS Feed or even receive updates in your e-mail.

davao tourist destinationThere’s an increase in the number of foreign travelers who visited Davao City according to Department of TourismÂ regional director Sonia Garcia who said some 49,057 foreign visitors visited the city as of November 2007.

Garcia said visitors from East Asia had the most number with 22,396 and those from Japan having the most number with 10,795, Korea, 7,135, China, 1,896, Hong Kong, 1,497 and Taiwan, 1,073.

Travellers from North America followed next with 9,923 and those from U.S.A accounted to about 8,923 and Canada, 988.

Those from the ASEAN numbered about 3,001 andÂ from Singapore, 801, Indonesia, 689, Thailand, 684, Malaysia, 677, Vietnam, 125, and Brunei, 25.

Visitors from Europe numbered about 2,383 and these were from the United Kingdom, 615, Germany, 433, Switzerland, 330, France, 269, Denmark, 230, Netherlands, 114, Italy, 107, Norway, 72, Ireland, 47, Sweden, 46, Austria, 39, Finland, 30, Belgium, 22, Spain, 19, and Holland, 10.

There were 1,950 from Oceania with Australia numbering about 1,872 and New Zealand, 78.

About 134 visitors came from the Middle East while other unspecified numbered 8,621.

The Filipino overseas workers/balikbayans numbered about 7,154 and the total domestic travelers comprises about 530,538 and adding it to the total foreign travelers, the overall total of visitors both foreign and domestic was placed at 586,749.

Visitor arrival in 2006 of the same period accounted to 43,098 for foreign travelers with 7,280 overseas workers/balikbayans making a grand total of 478,815.

Garcia said about 10.80 percent was noted in the increase of visitor arrivals in Davao City last year as against 2006.

She however said that the statistics was based on the hotel occupancy report by country of residence and this includes 19 hotels, six inns, and nine pension houses.

Philippine Travel Blog (http://www.lakbaypilipinas.com/blog/2008/01/25/dot-bares-increase-in-tourist-arrivals-in-davao-city/)

xzibit31

September 13th, 2008, 03:29 PM

why the hell are we again comparing northern mindanao, which is basically a region, versus davao, which is basically a city?

dapat kung mag compare tayo ay city to city and not region to city....:lol:

and yes, a city should be a gateway para specific and and not a region. para one entry and exit point lang at hindi multiple entry and exit.

sandman.ink

September 13th, 2008, 07:51 PM

madaming tao dito sa Davao kaya ang % ng unemployment eh expectedly higher din...
I'd like to see the unemployment rate compared to the total population, it will give us a better perspective

WawaY[625]

September 16th, 2008, 11:15 AM

why the hell are we again comparing northern mindanao, which is basically a region, versus davao, which is basically a city?

dapat kung mag compare tayo ay city to city and not region to city....:lol:

why should we even bother comparing Davao to NorMin? i just realized were just bringing them "up" to our level by doing that..IMO best thing is just to ignore such comparisons kasi pag pinapatulan natin sila parang inadmit na rin natin na ka level natin sila

xzibit31

September 16th, 2008, 11:28 AM

;25387084']why should we even bother comparing Davao to NorMin? i just realized were just bringing them "up" to our level by doing that..IMO best thing is just to ignore such comparisons kasi pag pinapatulan natin sila parang inadmit na rin natin na ka level natin sila

korek! just ignore the wannabees.....:lol:

MtApoStandard

September 16th, 2008, 04:46 PM

korek! just ignore the wannabees.....:lol:

;25387084']why should we even bother comparing Davao to NorMin? i just realized were just bringing them "up" to our level by doing that..IMO best thing is just to ignore such comparisons kasi pag pinapatulan natin sila parang inadmit na rin natin na ka level natin sila
by the level of difference, i know its not worth dignifying. sorry davao folks if i got and can get overboard. couldnt help say what should be said. the more it gets under the skin, the more it opened interest to explore real score each time new thing is uncovered. i will show it as i see it

i dont know why should there be comparison for a while thinking the size of economy nad urbanity. davao city has annual operating budget of P4.5 bil and a supplemental budget of P250mil. as against small city with the size of annual budget of something like P1.5bil only. registered business estab in davao city standing at 32,000+ against 16,000 in there. the market class difference is obviously more developed in davao city with huge number of total fastfood stores than just jollibee of the lower market. nowhere comparable to the number size of highend dining places and cafe shoppes

MtApoStandard

September 16th, 2008, 05:33 PM

there some claim on recent press releases has brought the city to the next level. i dont know if they realised there were same masterplanned communities with cbds complete with colonies of office complex highrises. were there investor takers to build thoes hirises since inception in early 1990s?, and another in 2006 complte with a mall, office res condominums and entertainment complex that were so anticipated to breakground in the same year? and theres another one . and another one. dubai could afford a glut of unused office spaces but i guess not in philippines investor situation where it needs to "bankroll" (meager) profit to keep investment afloat

krissybee14

September 17th, 2008, 07:32 AM

I am happy that investors are finally putting on their money to Davao... Davao is such a beautiful city. I hope with all the malls being built also a lot of houses, it will become the premier destination of a lot of tourists...

Peng Hok

September 18th, 2008, 12:48 PM

paulkrps

September 18th, 2008, 12:57 PM

Peng Hok

September 19th, 2008, 12:34 AM

what's the point of contention here? it's like counting people going to a mall, but how many are actually doing the shopping?

Sheer stupidity to proclaim greatness.

Much blabbering that shows nothing.

Pathetic!

:rofl:

WawaY[625]

September 19th, 2008, 01:47 AM

Sheer stupidity to proclaim greatness.
di ka na nasanay

Much blabbering that shows nothing.
as usual

Pathetic!
as always

paulkrps

September 21st, 2008, 03:34 PM

dinabaw

September 23rd, 2008, 04:41 AM

To Take A Stand
By Oscar P. Lagman, JR.
Untapped vast farmland

According to an article written by Silverio J. Berenguer for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, there seems to be great interest in "owning structure" — like farm- lands in the United States, Argentina, and England, where investors plan to consolidate small plots of land into more productive large ones, introduce new technology, and provide capital to modernize facilities.

The article says that Susan Payne , founder-CEO of Emergent Asset Management, is raising up to $750 million to invest in farmland in sub-Saharan Africa, that big institutional investors are buying thousands of hectares of cropland in Brazil, that Russian agribusiness firms are raising millions of dollars to acquire and put money into Russia’s open lands, and that Saudi Arabians are investing in large-scale agricultural ventures in Kazakhstan and Sudan.

Here in the Philippines there are thousands of hectares of arable land that are underdeveloped and thousands more that are not cultivated at all. These vast tracts of cropland are in the five penal colonies of the Bureau of Corrections: Iwahig in Palawan, Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro, Abulog in Leyte, San Ramon in Zamboanga City, and Davao in Davao City. The colonies only produce crops and raise livestock with which to feed the inmates as the Department of Justice to which the Bureau of Corrections belongs had set long ago the policy that prison land is for prison use only.

Clearly, there is much that can be done with the penal colonies’ agricultural and natural resources not only to increase food production for the inmates’ consumption but to enhance the inmates’ rehabilitation program. As part of the rehabilitation program, inmates can develop a wide variety of farming skills that would serve them well when they are integrated back into mainstream society by being able to set up small agriculture-based enterprises. Increased earnings for inmates and improved production of marketable food products would be happy consequences.

Some parts of the colonies are suited for growing high-value crops such as high-value vegetables, fruits, and super fruits. The former include organically grown vegetables, semi-temperate vegetables like asparagus spears, cabbage, and carrots, and fruits such as mangoes and bananas. Super fruits are those consumed for their nutritional values and nutraceutical or health benefits. These include mangosteen, passion fruit, dragon fruit, cashew nuts, and pomegranate.

Mangosteen prices have jumped from P25 per kilo three years ago to P350 in public markets, to P600 in supermarkets. Meanwhile, the price of dragon fruit, the top fruit export of Vietnam, has been stable at P150 per kilo. Being part of the cacti family, this plant can thrive well in marginal land.

Passion fruit, dragon fruit, mangosteen, and other super fruits can be processed into juice, puree, and powder without significantly reducing their efficacy. The processed forms command higher prices than the fresh products. Vegetables such as squash, asparagus spears, and cucumber can also be transformed into higher-value products. Noodles and flour can be produced from fresh squash while asparagus spears and cucumber can be pickled.

Iwahig has wide tracts of land planted to cashew trees, which can grow on marginal land. The colony sells the fruits to processors of cashew nuts. However, cashew has other uses such as raw material in the manufacture of herbal cream to cure "basal cell carcinoma," a common skin cancer afflicting a million people. It is now exported to Australia and Canada.

Century-old mango trees abound in the forested area. While fresh mangoes are not allowed to be shipped out of Palawan because of mango weevil, the fruits can be processed by inmates as only low technology is required to convert the fruit into juice, concentrate, or dried chips for sale in major markets.

The colonies also raise chickens (layers and broilers), goats, swine, carabao, and cattle. Some parts are marsh land suitable for aquaculture production. An area in Iwahig is already producing tilapia. In the case of livestock, processed meat such aslongganisa, hotdog, tocino, and tapa can be produced in small scale, again by the inmates as the process is simple.

Value-added products could be generated from waste products from agricultural production. Two products with lots of income generating potential are organic fertilizer and soil ameliorants from organic wastes. The Davao, Sablayan, and Iwahig colonies are producing a huge volume of carbonized rice hull, a by-product of the use of rice hull as fuel for cooking. Rice hull combined with decomposed organic materials (cattle dung, dried water lilies, and dried corn cobs) and inorganic fertilizer can be used as soil ameliorant and fertilizer for food crops. Sablayan is collecting large quantities of decomposed water lilies which make good material for organic fertilizers especially when mixed with cattle dung.

However, improving productivity requires the right inputs of production, adoption of the suitable technology and culture-based management approach, and an appropriate project management structure. Fixed capital is needed to acquire farm machineries and equipment for production purposes and to construct storage and post-harvest facilities. The former include tractors and their accessories, irrigation pumps, rice threshers, dryers, corn shellers, trailers, and haulers.

Warehouses are needed to store inputs as well as the outputs of production. Working capital is needed for rehabilitating existing warehouses, repair of farm machinery and equipment, and providing other production and post-harvest and processing facilities.

The Bureau of Corrections does not have the huge capital required to improve and sustain productivity of its agricultural resources. Moreover, it does not have the manpower and the expertise to effectively and efficiently manage these projects to generate maximum returns from investments. But the bureau can enter into contracts similar to what it has with Tagum Agricultural Development Company in Davao, while projects with great impact on inmate rehabilitation can be managed by the bureau itself. True, the contract with TADECO, owned by Mr. Antonio Floirendo, was entered into during the Marcos regime in 1979 but was renewed in 2004 for another 25 years.

Considering that other countries, including oil-rich ones, are pouring huge investments into farmland to achieve food security, the Philippines should exploit its agricultural resources to the hilt by tapping the vast tracts of land in the penal colonies that lie undeveloped and underdeveloped and by utilizing the available manpower in those colonies.

BusinessWorld (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW092308/content.php?id=141)

dinabaw

September 23rd, 2008, 04:47 AM

Davao region leads country's mango production

By Mai Gevera

Davao City (23 September) -- Davao Region provinces contribute the most number to the mango supply in the country with 18,115 hectares of productive area.

Southern Mindanao Mango Industry Development Council bared during the Kapihan sa Dabaw yesterday that the region is the leading producer of the said fruit in Mindanao, while Mindanao is considered the top exporter of fresh mango.

Region XI is also tagged as the third largest area with mango produce following Central Luzon and Ilocos Region.

"Mango price will continue to go up here in Mindanao because Luzon mango producers would experience a low volume of production brought by typhoons." said Mindo Cuda of the Mango Development Council.

The shortage of mango production in Luzon is expected to extend until 2010. This paved the way for Mindanao mango farmers to take advantage of the situation by producing more export quality mangoes to fill in the lack of supply from Luzon.

However, Cuda said that small-scale farmers in Mindanao still do not feel such advantage since the exporters and middle men buyers still manipulate the pricing.

"Even if there is low mango supply in Luzon, they would usually offer low pricing to our mango produce by reasoning that there is not enough mango export demand," he said.

Davao region mango produce is classified into three. The good quality produce that reach the standards set by importing countries are classified as export quality which is averagely sold at P60 per kilo.

The supply that failed to reach the export grade are classified as local grade and sold at P55 per kilo. While most of the mango produced in Mindanao are classified as dry mango. These are bought by mango buyers from Luzon and Visayas and later processed to be exported.

Data showed that fifty percent of mango produce in Mindanao are classified as dry mangoes subject for processing.

bared that Davao Region has only one processing plant; however, it only serves as a buying station of mango produce from the various provinces in the region.

Most of the processing plants are based in Visayas which is the reason why mango farmers in Mindanao could not dictate a good price for their produce.

"Even if how hard we try to spend for our inputs just to arrive on an export grade produce, our small scale farmers still do not earn much. Instead, only the middle men take the advantage of the effort." said Antonio Teh of the Mango Industry Council.

Thus, he urged small farmers to help themselves by organizing as a group to sell larger volume of mango produce to command better price.

He explained that mango buyers would want larger volume of supply and dictate better pricing to growers who can sell large volume. (PIA) [top]

PIA News (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080923.htm&no=08&r=ALL&y=&mo=)

STINGRAY31

September 23rd, 2008, 05:59 AM

GMA declares October 1 non-working holiday.
President Arroyo has declared October 1 as a regular non-working holiday in observance of Eid'l Fitr or the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The declaration of the holiday that is observed every year is contained in Proclamation No. 1625, issued by the President last Friday.
After a month-long period of sacrifice highlighted by day-long fasting during Ramadan, Muslims around the world celebrate the end of the holy month with a three-day feast called Eid'l Fitr.

dinabaw

September 23rd, 2008, 11:12 AM

The Davao Region
Saturday, January 26th, 2008

When people talk about Davao, they usually mean the Davao City. But did you know that there are three more Davao provinces? Yes, they are the Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. Add the province of the Compostela Valley and you get a larger land mass known as the Davao Region. Just how large really? Well, I can’t remember exactly but the short video shown below provides the answer plus a couple of other information that you might be interested with, such as the following:

* Gross Regional Domestic Product
* The Davao Region Economy
* Population And Growth Rate
* Literacy Level

6-pDrRMxYzE

And the million-dollar questions is: Do you think it would eventually become the Philippines’ most livable region?

Davao Travel Blog (http://www.davaotraveler.com/blog/2008/01/26/the-davao-region/)

MtApoStandard

September 24th, 2008, 05:45 PM

Region XI geohazard and assessment map almost complete

by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (24 September) -- Mines and Geosciences Bureau which is under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is working for the completion of geohazard mapping and assessment of the region.

Noel Angeles, officer-in-charge of Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of Southern Mindanao bared that Davao Oriental already completed their geohazard and mapping last year while Compostela Valley Province is expected to finish its mapping this year.

He said geohazard mapping is important as it indicates danger zones vulnerable to disasters such as landslides, flashfloods, liquefaction and other natural disasters.

Angeles said that during rainy season, local government units through the hazard map could issue early warning to residents who are living near the critical areas indicated in the geohazard map.

He said the map could also be used for further development plans in the area as it would indicate which of the areas are critical or outside the danger zones.

It may be recalled that in the mining village of Masara in Maco town of Compostela Valley Province, 24 people were killed in a double tragedy (landslide) that killed 24 people early September 2008. Nine others remain missing buried under the rubble of earth and swamped about 83 houses.

The MGB has declared Masara a "high risk area" that could be hit by another landslide and has ordered all residents to move out.

Meanwhile the government is accelerating the conduct of the geohazard mapping throughout the country which is expected to be finished by 2009.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080924.htm&no=03

MtApoStandard

September 25th, 2008, 06:53 PM

BOI grants more fiscal perks
09/25/2008 | 07:47 PM
Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us

MANILA, Philippines - Thirteen new and expansion projects, including a wellness services venture and housing developments in the provinces, will enjoy fiscal incentives from the Board of Investments (BOI).

The BOI recently approved fiscal perks for more than P3 billion worth of projects.

The biggest project to qualify for BOI’s incentives is Makati Medical Center’s (MMC) P1.7 billion expansion plan, which involves the construction of a 12-storey building to house additional healthcare and wellness facilities of the hospital.

Other projects getting fiscal perks include the P413-million low-cost and mass housing project of P.A. Alvarez Properties and Development Corp. in San Pedro, Laguna; the P307-million economy housing project of Stateland, Inc. in Imus, Cavite; the P200-million fishery and agribusiness venture of A&J Seafoods and Marine products; and the P44-million banana chips production project of Prime Xynergies Food Corp. in Davao del Sur.

MtApoStandard

September 26th, 2008, 07:19 PM

2,000 Davao Residents Get Free Medical Care Cards
Friday, September 26, 2008 08:53:42 PM

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – House Speaker Prospero Nograles has ordered the distribution of some 2,000 PhilHealth cards to mostly poor residents in Davao City.

The cards will provide its holders with free medical care from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, an attached agency under the Department of Health.

Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son of the politician, led the distribution of the cards in the village of 35-D on Thursday. He said it was part of his father’s “Oplan Kaalam” program which will benefit poor families in the Davao.

“Having a PhilHealth card is a great help to the poor for them to be able to avail huge discounts from their hospital bills,” he said.

He said the money paid to avail the cards came from the solon’s Priority Development Assistance Fund. “Since January this year, we have already released 3,000 of these Philhealth cards,” he said.

The distribution of PhilHealth cards was originally started by President Gloria Arroyo and continued by Nograles to help the poor, who cannot afford to pay the medical care premiums.

With the PhilHealth card, the enrolled families may avail themselves of the regular hospitalization benefit package provided by the agency in any of its accredited hospitals and other institutional health care providers in the country.

dinabaw

September 30th, 2008, 11:24 AM

Eye on the Honeybees in Davao Region!

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/8031/18746048gc4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Beekeeping, or scientifically called Apiculture is said to be the newest alternative industry that will contribute to the economic growth of Davao Region and Mindanao as a whole. This new industry is expected to be mass-produced soon especially that China expressed a great export demand for this product.

“The poverty in this region is ballooning. More people are getting poorer. The production and export of honey bee is one of the region’s solutions to prevent the situation from getting any worse”, told Vicente Lao, chairman of the Mindanao Business Council (MBC).

Lao also assured that China is looking for new suppliers of honey bee in Asia saying that “the Chinese traders are eyeing on the Philippines, especially Davao Region to supply them with tons of honey bees”.

According to Lao, the Davao Region and Mindanao itself has a “competitive advantage in this industry because unlike other parts of the country, the bees can produce all year round here due to absence of typhoons. We also have a very good production of coconut, which is the bee’s staple food. All these factors contribute to potentiality of this industry to be successful in this region”.

To start this new industry, a massive Beekeeping Training Program has been set up here in the city for various stakeholders. The weeklong training was spearheaded and conducted by the University of the Philippines in Mindanao (UPMin). Dr. Cleofas Cervancia, director of UP Los Baños Institute of Biological Science, along with other resource persons, led the training. A total of 30 stakeholders from Mintal together with private institutions, and non-government organizations joined.

The training produced the first batch of beekeepers and they were given 22 beehive pilot farms to start their own livelihood project. The pilot farms were set up in Mintal, around the vicinity of UPMin.

The stakeholders can earn additional 2500 per month by attending three to five hives from this new backyard industry.

Lao expressed great confidence in this new emerging industry especially that this venture is supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“We are looking at beekeeping as a top-priority in the one-town, one-product (OTOP) program. This industry has a very bright potential”, DTI Undersecretary Engr. Merly Cruz said.

The stakeholders were assured by Lao and Cruz that constant funds can be sourced out from government agencies and foreign agencies who have expressed their interest to support this budding industry in the Philippines, in Mindanao, and more importantly, in Davao.

allvoices.com (http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/1327242-davao-region)

dinabaw

October 1st, 2008, 04:45 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/10/01

RDC XI committee bats for retention of Davao Region's priority projects in the 2009 national budget

Davao City (1 October) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) XI Advisory Committee (AdCom), during its second meeting for the year in Davao City last Friday, September 26, pushed for the retention of the region's priority programs and projects that were excluded in the 2009 National Executive Budget.

The AdCom passed a resolution requesting the region's congressmen to lobby for the inclusion of these priority projects for funding starting in 2009. The AdCom is composed of RDC XI officials, provincial governors and selected city mayors, and the congressmen of Davao Region.

According to NEDA XI Director and RDC XI Vice Chairperson Nicasio Angelo J. Agustin, this activity is part of RDC XI's efforts in pushing for a sufficient share in the national budget for the Region's priority programs and projects to ensure that necessary services are delivered to the public.

Director Agustin said that a number of the region's proposed priority projects were not included by the national government agency central offices in their proposals for the 2009 National Expenditure Program (NEP), now being deliberated by Congress. Those not included were road and flood control projects of DPWH, forest and land management programs of the DENR, infrastructure training, research and development and new curriculum projects of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and hospital infrastructure and equipment projects of DOH.

Director Agustin said that the proposed budget for programs and projects were mostly above the ceiling proposals of regional line agencies and SUCs but were considered by RDC XI as critical for the region's needs.

The RDC XI Vice Chair also revealed that it was argued by the national government that the proposals of SUCs and UP Mindanao were scrapped because these institutions are allowed by law to utilize their income from operations for their project priority projects.

He said, however, that the expected income of these institutions could not fully finance their proposals hence the need for additional budgetary allocation from the national government.

Director Agustin is still hopeful that Davao Region's priorities will be favorably considered in next year's budget. He also said that the issue on the slashing of budgets, especially for schools and hospitals, will be raised by RDC XI and the Regional Development Committee (RDCom) Chairman for Mindanao Vicente T. Lao during the upcoming NEDA Board-RDCom Meeting on October 8.

The NEDA Board RDCom is a special committee under the NEDA Board with the function of formulating and monitoring the implementation of policies that reduce regional growth disparities and promote equitable allocation of resources among regions. (NEDA-PIA XI) [top]

PIA News (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p081001.htm&no=07)

dulcepixels

October 1st, 2008, 06:56 AM

When kaya matapos ang Ayala sa Bajada?

tj_brewed

October 1st, 2008, 07:43 AM

When kaya matapos ang Ayala sa Bajada?

Abreeza’s Development Timetable

Land Development Phase - Fourth Quarter of 2008
Start of Construction - First Quarter of 2009
Mall Component:
Phase 1 - 35,000 sqm will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Phase 2 - 26,000 sqm will be completed in the third quarter of 2011.
BPO/IT Component:
BPO Building One - 10,000 sqm (5 levels) will be completed by the fourth quarter of 2009.
BPO Building Two - 8,000 sqm will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2011.

MtApoStandard

October 2nd, 2008, 02:57 PM

RDC XI committee bats for retention of Davao Region's priority projects in 2009 national budget

Davao City (1 October) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) XI Advisory Committee (AdCom), during its second meeting for the year in Davao City last Friday, September 26, pushed for the retention of the region's priority programs and projects that were excluded in the 2009 National Executive Budget.

The AdCom passed a resolution requesting the region's congressmen to lobby for the inclusion of these priority projects for funding starting in 2009. The AdCom is composed of RDC XI officials, provincial governors and selected city mayors, and the congressmen of Davao Region.

According to NEDA XI Director and RDC XI Vice Chairperson Nicasio Angelo J. Agustin, this activity is part of RDC XI's efforts in pushing for a sufficient share in the national budget for the Region's priority programs and projects to ensure that necessary services are delivered to the public.

Director Agustin said that a number of the region's proposed priority projects were not included by the national government agency central offices in their proposals for the 2009 National Expenditure Program (NEP), now being deliberated by Congress. Those not included were road and flood control projects of DPWH, forest and land management programs of the DENR, infrastructure training, research and development and new curriculum projects of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and hospital infrastructure and equipment projects of DOH.

Director Agustin said that the proposed budget for programs and projects were mostly above the ceiling proposals of regional line agencies and SUCs but were considered by RDC XI as critical for the region's needs.

The RDC XI Vice Chair also revealed that it was argued by the national government that the proposals of SUCs and UP Mindanao were scrapped because these institutions are allowed by law to utilize their income from operations for their project priority projects.

He said, however, that the expected income of these institutions could not fully finance their proposals hence the need for additional budgetary allocation from the national government.

Director Agustin is still hopeful that Davao Region's priorities will be favorably considered in next year's budget. He also said that the issue on the slashing of budgets, especially for schools and hospitals, will be raised by RDC XI and the Regional Development Committee (RDCom) Chairman for Mindanao Vicente T. Lao during the upcoming NEDA Board-RDCom Meeting on October 8.

The NEDA Board RDCom is a special committee under the NEDA Board with the function of formulating and monitoring the implementation of policies that reduce regional growth disparities and promote equitable allocation of resources among regions. (NEDA-PIA XI) [top]

MtApoStandard

October 2nd, 2008, 06:21 PM

Mindanao reports uptick in investments despite conflict

DAVAO CITY — Concerns about security led to one big investor running and yet the Board of Investments’ Davao extension office registered P900 million in new investments as of August, mostly in property ventures.

Gil M. Dureza, regional investments chief, said one investor, which he declined to identify, dropped its P8-billion project involving 4,000 hectares in Central Mindanao to produce Cavendish banana because of concerns about peace and order.

The area for the banana project, he said, would have been located within North Cotabato’s "special growth area alliance," or the Palma Complex composed of the five towns of Pigcawayan, Aleosan, Libungan Midsayap, Alamada.

But he said another Japanese investor is interested in pursuing the botched project though an ocular inspection is not possible at this time because of the ongoing conflict between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and government troops.

Mr. Dureza said his office might recommend other sites for the project, perhaps in nearby Davao del Sur which still has vast agricultural lands that could be utilized to meet the 4,000 hectares required for the project.

Among the registered investments at the board are the expansion of Flying V worth P400 million; the A&J processing plant and Hog Tech Corp., both in General Santos, worth P180 million; the P4-million banana chips production facility of the Monkayo Commodity Corp.; and the P260M low-cost housing project of HLC Corp. in Davao City.

Meanwhile, an investor from Thailand also requested the board’s assistance for a P500-million beach resort in Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur.

But Mr. Dureza said the board has yet to register the project because the documents are still being processed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. However, he is optimistic the project will be included in the board’s performance report by the end of the year.

The volatile peace and order condition in Central Mindanao failed to dampen investors’ confidence in the region for the first half of the year, although the key drivers mostly fall under the micro, small and medium enterprise category, latest government data showed.

The region posted a 61.33% investment growth in the six months to June, to P3.29 billion from P2.02 billion in the same period last year, a report from the regional National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed.

Ma. Lourdes D. Lim, NEDA regional director, said the figure is based only to activities conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) such as investment missions, business matching, loan facilitation, business name registration and "One Town, One Product"-related activities. The largest investment, worth P1.46 billion was recorded in General Santos, the economic hub of the region, Ms. Lim said.

Elaine Nita L. Ferolino of DTI-Central Mindanao said the investment growth was spurred by small investors in the food and agriculture sector.

"About 85% of the figure for the first semester was culled through our agency’s business name registration," Ms. Ferolino explained.

Ms. Lim noted the rise in investments in some parts of the region came despite the failure of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to arrive at a peace deal over the issue of ancestral domain.

Central Mindanao covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. — Joel B. Escovilla and Romer S. Sarmiento

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW100308/content.php?id=054

dinabaw

October 5th, 2008, 08:18 PM

naa diay sperm whales ug killer whale diri !

Nation
Rich biodiversity of Davao Gulf threatened – EcoGov

Monday, October 6, 2008

Pressure from rising population and economic growth is threatening the rich biodiversity of the Davao Gulf, and local government units (LGUs) in its surrounding areas are urged to join hands to protect animal species from being pushed further to the brink.

The Philippine Environmental Governance Project 2 (EcoGov) made this call as it sounded the alarm for some of the world’s most vulnerable and endangered animal species found in the Davao Gulf that are feared to become extinct “by the lack of concerted initiatives to address the environmental concerns” in the area.

Citing the observation of the Davao Gulf Management Council, the coordinating body for initiatives to address environmental concerns in the gulf, the EcoGov said the “fragmented initiatives by national government agencies and LGUs… deter integrated coastal management.”

The EcoGov, in particular, said “weak inter-LGU mechanisms for coastal and fishery law enforcement” were some of the pressing concerns in the Davao Gulf, which covers 23 LGUs.

“The pressures of economic and social growth have to be addressed through a concerted effort by gulf stakeholders, especially LGUs, because Davao Gulf is the source of livelihood for the people around (it),” Save Davao Gulf Foundation president Leo Avila III said in a statement.

The Davao Gulf is the feeding ground of 11 species of cetaceans, including sperm whales, killer whales, and bottle-nose dolphins.

It is also the nursing ground of five endangered turtle species, including the hawksbill, the leatherback, and olive ridley.

In fact, the Davao Gulf is a key biodiversity area (KBA) in the Philippines, which is listed as one of the world’s 34 “biodiversity hot spots.”

KBAs, which are considered “globally significant sites,” are building blocks for conservation programs that maintain effective ecological networks and prevent biodiversity loss.

On the other hand, five terrestrial KBAs in the uplands of the Davao Gulf region are also home to some of the world’s threatened mammals and birds, including the Philippine eagle.

An estimated 80 percent of Mindanao’s mammal species are not found anywhere else in the world. These include the Mindanao moonrat and the Mindanao pygmy fruit bat.

However, the rich biodiversity of Mindanao faces threats from economic growth and population pressures. And this condition can best be seen in the Davao Gulf region, where the population reached 4.1 million in 2007, the EcoGov said.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza has also called for initiatives to address the environmental threats to the Davao Gulf.

“We have to develop that awareness that what we do to our coastal areas would affect all our life-support systems. The impact of the degradation of the country’s coastlines will not only be felt by coastal communities but even by the people in the upland areas,” Atienza said.

The EcoGov is a technical assistance project in the Philippines funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The project is a collaborative effort of the DENR, LGUs and other partners to enhance the capabilities of LGUs to preserve and manage natural resources through good environmental governance and sound, sustainable management practices.

Currently, the EcoGov is assisting six LGUs in the Davao Gulf in the areas of forest and forestland management, coastal resource management, and urban environmental management.

It is also providing advice on environment-friendly livelihood activities to communities, cooperatives, and people’s organizations.

For instance, the EcoGov, which began helping LGUs in 2005, teaches coastal communities how to manage coastal resources and prevent overfishing or stop illegal fishing practices.

Moreover, the USAID, through EcoGov, also funds assistance programs for solid waste and wastewater management in the gulf area.

According to EcoGov, the Davao Gulf is a catchment area for industrial, agricultural, and human waste, as well as siltation from upland regions.

“Waste generation continues to be a serious threat to the Davao Gulf,” it added. – Katherine Adraneda

PhilStar (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p=49&type=2&sec=28&aid=2008100594)

MtApoStandard

October 6th, 2008, 02:53 PM

98,500 Davao light firm customers to benefit from PGMA’s electric subsidy
October 6, 2008 10:45 am by pna

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 6 -– About 98,500 Davao Light & Power Co. (DLPC) customers will benefit from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's program on the P500 electricity subsidy during its October 2008 revenue billing cycle.

DLPC corporate communications officer Ross Luga said the President's program, dubbed "Pantawid Kuryente: Katas ng VAT", is aimed at helping marginal consumers pay their electric bills to cushion the impact of the prevailing cost of fuel and other commodities.

Luga said DLPC customers whose energy usage last May 2008 revenue billing were the equivalent of 100 kilowatt-hours and below every 30 days (or a maximum daily average consumption of 3.33kwh/day) benefited from the National Government's subsidy program.

The local electric service provider will notify the subsidy recipients through a credit memo and will print a separate line and an appropriate message in the text box of their electric bills, he said.

He said if the customer's bill is less than the P500 subsidy, the balance will be applied to his subsequent bills until it is fully applied.

Charged with undertaking the subsidy program is the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which tapped the services of Private Electric Plant Owners Association (PEPOA) where Davao Light is a member. (PNA)

http://news.balita.ph/2008/10/06/98500-davao-light-firm-customers-to-benefit-from-pgmas-electric-subsidy/

MtApoStandard

October 6th, 2008, 02:55 PM

Davao light firm mulls tapping biogas from hog farms

DAVAO City, Sept. 29 – The Davao Light & Power Company (DLPC) has explored the possibility of buying excess electricity churned out from bio-digesters of hog farms in Sirawan in Toril, this city.

Hog and poultry farms in Toril have constructed giant bio-digesters as part of cost-saving measures and environmental protection programs but are producing electricity more than they need.

Among them are Surico Farms and Judith Farms which have spent millions of pesos in construction of giant bio-digesters.

Bienvenido Garcia, a top official of the power company, discussed a proposed deal to purchase excess electricity with hog farm operators, said a source, who adds there is no final result.

Garcia said DLPC was interested in buying excess power to support its electrification program in Sirawan.

The bio-digesters, which produce methane that fires off giant generating machines, are the biggest arguments by DIAF Integrated Farmers Association against environmental pollution in Sirawan.

DIAF has asked the city council to reclassify as agricultural area about 200 hectares in upland Sirawan, which for more than 40 years has been home to about 20 hog and poultry a farm operator.

The area was reclassified as residential zone by the 1996 Amended Zoning Code and threatens the existence of the existing farms.

The opposition to the reclassification is being spearheaded by Uraya Land Development which is building an 80-hectare high-end housing subdivision near the DIAF farms. (PNA)

http://news.balita.ph/2008/09/29/davao-light-firm-mulls-tapping-biogas-from-hog-farms/

Colonel Burger

October 8th, 2008, 05:05 AM

Nice.... davao made it to the Skyscrapercity Banner. Congratulations!

concern

October 8th, 2008, 06:32 AM

kudos to davao.. banner today..

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/headers/8.jpg

KulasKusgan

October 8th, 2008, 08:31 AM

2005
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/pano7.jpg

2006
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/davaosscbanner.jpg

2007
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/kadayawan.jpg

2008
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/8.jpg

dinabaw

October 8th, 2008, 11:23 AM

Davao-based oil player expands to metro, Luzon
By: Willy Rodolfo III | Business Mirror
6 October 2008 | 11:29 AM

Listed Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. (PPPI) is opening its first retail station in Metro Manila, the 75th outlet of this Davao-based oil player.

“While we are focused on Mindanao, we want to grab opportunities to build in good locations in other areas. With this new station, we are happy to serve motorists in Marikina,” said PPPI president and chief executive, Dennis Uy.

The Phoenix retail and service station in Marikina is located in the gateway to San Mateo and Batasang Pambansa. It held its soft opening in September and will officially open on October 10.

The company is planning to further expand to the north and open retail stations in other areas in Metro Manila, Northern Luzon as well as in Cebu. Phoenix is targeting to open a total of 100 stations by year-end.

To support this expansion effort, Phoenix will be constructing and expanding terminals and depots in strategic sites.

Phoenix currently operates retail service stations in major parts of Mindanao, such as Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Surigao, Bukidnon, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Sur and Sultan Kudarat.

PPPI currently has a market share of 23 percent in the Davao region and 9 percent in the entire Mindanao.

The company posted a net income of P122 million in 2007, a robust growth of 65 percent from the previous year’s earnings. Revenues likewise grew by 59 percent to P2.377 billion in 2007 from P1.494 billion the previous year. The growth was fueled by a substantial increase in sales of petroleum products and revenue in other services.

Yehey (http://www.yehey.com/finance/level3.aspx?id=226052)

MtApoStandard

October 8th, 2008, 06:47 PM

Hedcor, Davao’s water district discuss to jointly tap river water
By Manuel T. Cayon
Reporter

DAVAO CITY—Aboitiz-owned Hedcor Philippines and the Davao City Water District (DCWD) have been conducting talks to jointly tap the still-pristine waters of a northern river here both for power generation and additional potable-water source for city residents.

Rene Ronquillo, president of Hedcor Philippines, said executives of both agencies have been holding talks to break their competition to obtain the rights to tap the Tamugan River, a tributary of the Bukidnon mountains and which still flows potable quality of water, and whose volume could also potentially provide additional hydroelectric power requirement for another Aboitiz-owned company, Davao Light and Power Co.

DCWD wants to use the river water as additional supply for city residents. This clashes with Hedcor’s plan to use the water for power generation.

“We have been holding talks, and [this] week, we would be holding marathon talks to find a final solution,” Ronquillo told reporters here during the party it threw to members of the press on Friday, at the Marco Polo Hotel here.

He said that the final arbiter, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), which grants water rights, has also been waiting for them to come to a settlement, although the DCWD said earlier it has been granted the rights already in May 1997 but it was not immediately ascertained if the permit has an expiration.

The two agencies have staked their claims to the Tamugan River, about 40 kilometers northwest of downtown Davao City, each one already announcing their respective plan of operating their plants in the same portion of the river.

The Davao City Council has also stepped in, holding public hearings to determine how it would position itself in a controversy that only the NWRB has the final authority to grant permit.

The environment and energy committees of the council said they may come up with only an endorsement as to which of the contending agencies, or even both, should tap the river waters.

But Ronquillo said the talks they conducted between the two agencies were intended to find an agreement on possible mutually acceptable terms of operations for both.

In the case of Hedcor Tamugan Inc., the company that the Aboitizes formed to take charge of the operation of its 20-megawatt power-generation facility, Ronquillo said it has already a feasibility study “and this puts us in a better position to look for options.”

He said the DCWD has none yet and it would take one year to come up with that.

DCWD general manager Rodora Gamboa earlier also told reporters the agency already finished last year its pre-feasibility study on tapping the Tamugan River. She said the study indicated “that using the gravity system to bring the water to its treatment plant and up to the end-users in the northeastern barangays would also prevent doubling the cost of power that it currently pays with the Davao Light and Power Co.”

DCWD currently taps 99 percent of its supply from its aquifers but Gamboa warned that “contrary to popular belief, groundwater is finite and must be utilized wisely and managed carefully to be able to sustain it to the future generation.”

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/10082008/economy06.html

MtApoStandard

October 8th, 2008, 06:59 PM

Thursday, October 09, 2008
10T jobs to be made available in Date 2008
By Joy Romares-Sevilla

AN OFFICIAL of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Southern Mindanao said that around 10,000 jobs will be made available during the Davao Trade Expo (Date) 2008 at the Davao Convention and Trade Center on October 23-25.

"We are targeting vacancies for both local and overseas," Ofelia Domingo, assistant regional director of the Dole-Southern Mindanao, told reporters during Wednesday's edition of the Club 888 press forum at the Marco Polo Davao.

Get updates and join Dabawenyos Kadayawan 2008 celebration

Dole has already coordinated with the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) and with the ABS-CBN local TV network in the conduct of one of the biggest jobs fair of the year.

Domingo added that they have also invited at least two agencies from Canada seeking for various skills.

She said jobs under the services, construction and seafarer sectors will be made available to qualified applicants during the three-day jobs fair.

"The event will really a venue to provide employment for jobseekers," she said.

Meanwhile, Antonio dela Cruz, chair of the Date 2008, said the activity is even made bigger with the partnership of the ABS-CBN local news network in Davao City.

With this year's Date theme: "Davao: Land of Great Opportunities and Endless Possibilities", Davao will be again be the forefront in offering industry players, students, and visitors great opportunities.

Ad Roel Alcober, TV News chief of the ABS-CBN, on the other hand, said the jobs fair is part of the company's Lingkod Kampamilya Program which they regularly conduct.

"Our major role is to disseminate information about the activity. The company will not only conduct jobs fair in Davao City, but also to other provinces," Alcober said.

MtApoStandard

October 9th, 2008, 09:43 AM

Jobs fair to be held this month
By Rizalene P. Acac

Around 70 companies have committed to participate in the three–day joint jobs fair scheduled in two weeks’ time in response to the clamor of the people in the region for gainful local and international employment. Ofelia Domingo, assistant regional director of the Department of Labor in the Davao region, said the event will be done along with the 10th Davao Trade and Expo on October 23-25 at the Davao Trade and Convention Center spearheaded by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated. She said some 10,000 jobs could be offered by the invited companies representing service and construction industries. The labor department is also planning to invite two agencies looking to hire workers for Canada as the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency is also awaiting job orders to determine the vacancies and number of people needed there. Antonio dela Cruz, vice-president for trade and commerce of the chamber, said their members might also field in human resources personnel to the event to hire people. The chamber has 400 total members though the businessman could not ascertain how many exactly are joining. Ad Roel Alcober, ABS-CBN Davao director for TV news, said they decided to combine their jobs fair originally slated on October 25 with the chamber and the labor department to gather more companies under one roof. ABS-CBN is the media partner of the event and Alcober said the undertaking is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility dubbed as Lingkod Kapamilya: Trabaho Patrol. Domingo, in an earlier interview, said unemployment and underemployment rate in Davao region will likely increase in the remaining months of the year, with in-migration likely to rise particular from the conflict-affected regions in Central Mindanao. She said the current unemployment rate is 6.3 percent or 112,644 people of the 1.8 million workers as of April, which is still lower than the national unemployment rate of eight percent. Domingo said they invited 70 companies hiring employees in industries like service and construction among others with job targets that could reach to 10,000.

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=22118

dinabaw

October 9th, 2008, 01:00 PM

Big business assaulting Davao City aquifer
October 9, 2008 · No Comments

2 soft drink bottlers seek permit in aquifer area

By ROGER M. BALANZA

The Davao City Council is looking seriously at the application by two companies seeking permit to operate bottling plants in Binugao, Toril identified as water resource areas and sitting atop the aquifer.

SMI Corporation and Interveb Corporation are seeking reclassification into heavy industrial zones of their properties for plants for bottled water and soft drinks operations.

The applications were heard yesterday during a committee hearing by the committee on housing, rural and urban development chaired by councilor Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling.

At the hearing, Rey Chavez, head of the Davao City Water District engineering division, said the water district is interposing no objection to the project being outside of the DCWD area of operations.

But Chavez bared water extraction from the aquifer by both private and public wells currently stand at 5,000 liters per second or a mere 2,000 liters below the threshold of 7,000 liters per second.

The bottling projects are water resource-intensive and would be digging wells for the bottling and operational needs.

Chavez’s position appears to downplay present efforts by DCWD to tap surface water in Panigan and Tamugan rivers in Calinan district to ease pressure on the aquifer, where the water firm pumps out water for the city’s needs.

But Chavez also said the surface water project is also prodded by DCWD’s long-term program to raise water supply through cost-efficient strategies through the gravity-powered system in the Panigan-Tamugan project.

He explained the project would save huge expenditures for electricity in pumping out water for distribution from its water wells in the Dumoy aquifer.

The applicants assured the aquifer would be spared from contamination with the companies setting into place elaborate water treatment systems approved by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

durianburg (http://durianpost.wordpress.com/)

dinabaw

October 9th, 2008, 01:21 PM

Hedcor loses battle to DCWD over Tamugan, Panigan rivers
October 9, 2008 · No Comments

Duterte backs DCWD dam project in Tamugan

By ROGER M. BALANZA

The battle over two major rivers in Davao City has tilted in favor of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) as Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night said he is supporting the water firm’s proposed surface water development project in Tamugan and Panigan rivers in upland Calinan district.

But in the spirit of fair play, Duterte gave a week to the Aboitiz-owned Hedcor Inc. to justify its project to tap the rivers for a hydropower dam that would be located in the same area.

DCWD proposed the dam, expected to generate 220,000 cubic meters a day to supply the city with its water need, in a stretch where the rivers converge. Hedcor however is eyeing the hydropower project in the same area in a project to backstop projected power lack in Mindanao in the next five years.

DCWD, who has been given a permit by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), is contesting the Hedcor project, which has yet to secure a permit from the NWRB. The water firm said the Hedcor project, upstream of the dam, would affect the water project, and has slammed a proposal by the Aboitiz firm to locate the dam downstream.

Duterte bared his position to media shortly after meeting with DCWD officials led by manager Rodora Gamboa in a local hotel.

I am giving them (Hedcor) up to Wednesday to defend their position, said Duterte. “When I make the final decision, one of them has to go and find another source.”

The local government has a crucial role to play in the Hedcor project. Its endorsement is needed before issuance of an Environmental Clearance Certificate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and water permit by the NWRB, documents already secured by the DCWD.

DCWD finance manager and spokesperson Imelda Magsuci said the “win-win” solution proposed by Hedcor to tap the upstream hydropower to feed the DCWD dam downstream would make the gravity-powered surface water project no longer feasible.

She had also said the Panigan and Tamugan rivers are the only rivers identified by hydrology experts as potential source of water for the city. The DCWD project is expected to ease pressure on the aquifer in Dumoy area, where the water firm pumps out an estimated 200,000 cubic meters a day.

durianburg (http://durianpost.wordpress.com/)

dinabaw

October 9th, 2008, 04:12 PM

sandman.ink

October 9th, 2008, 05:47 PM

Finally, an IPO office
October 6, 2008 — Peter

My sked for today includes a meeting at 9 a.m. with the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry and a consultant of the Civil Aviation Authority on the proposal to convert into a cargo and trade hub the old airport facilities at Sasa.

The old airport is idle for the past four years now and is deteriorating into disrepair. During the 8th Davao City Business Conference hosted by the Chamber last July, a Resolution was approved to convince national authorities to develop the old airport into a cargo-cum-trade center. In turn, the City Council endorsed the request to the Department of Transportation & Communication.

We are happy that the CAA has sent a consultant to make an initial study.

At 6 p.m. tonight, I am meeting the officers and members of the Davao Inventors Association and the Mindanao Inventors Society. Finally, our efforts for the establishment of a branch of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) here in Mindanao are coming to fruition.

The IPO office will open on October 21 at the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) Regional office along corner Monteverde and Sales Sts.

I authored the City Council Resolution on this regard two years ago to help our many talented local inventors to register their studies and inventions with trademarks, patents and licenses. It was prohibitive for them to travel to Manila and hire Manila lawyers to assist them in registering their works.

This IPO office here would now make it more accessible and affordable for them to gain patents for their inventions.

Peter Laviña (http://ptlavina.wordpress.com/)

Hedcor loses battle to DCWD over Tamugan, Panigan rivers
October 9, 2008 · No Comments

Duterte backs DCWD dam project in Tamugan

By ROGER M. BALANZA

The battle over two major rivers in Davao City has tilted in favor of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) as Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night said he is supporting the water firm’s proposed surface water development project in Tamugan and Panigan rivers in upland Calinan district.

But in the spirit of fair play, Duterte gave a week to the Aboitiz-owned Hedcor Inc. to justify its project to tap the rivers for a hydropower dam that would be located in the same area.

DCWD proposed the dam, expected to generate 220,000 cubic meters a day to supply the city with its water need, in a stretch where the rivers converge. Hedcor however is eyeing the hydropower project in the same area in a project to backstop projected power lack in Mindanao in the next five years.

DCWD, who has been given a permit by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), is contesting the Hedcor project, which has yet to secure a permit from the NWRB. The water firm said the Hedcor project, upstream of the dam, would affect the water project, and has slammed a proposal by the Aboitiz firm to locate the dam downstream.

Duterte bared his position to media shortly after meeting with DCWD officials led by manager Rodora Gamboa in a local hotel.

I am giving them (Hedcor) up to Wednesday to defend their position, said Duterte. “When I make the final decision, one of them has to go and find another source.”

The local government has a crucial role to play in the Hedcor project. Its endorsement is needed before issuance of an Environmental Clearance Certificate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and water permit by the NWRB, documents already secured by the DCWD.

DCWD finance manager and spokesperson Imelda Magsuci said the “win-win” solution proposed by Hedcor to tap the upstream hydropower to feed the DCWD dam downstream would make the gravity-powered surface water project no longer feasible.

She had also said the Panigan and Tamugan rivers are the only rivers identified by hydrology experts as potential source of water for the city. The DCWD project is expected to ease pressure on the aquifer in Dumoy area, where the water firm pumps out an estimated 200,000 cubic meters a day.

durianburg (http://durianpost.wordpress.com/)

I like both news...sana makahanap ng win-win and hedcor and DCWD.

dinabaw

October 10th, 2008, 04:30 AM

Friday, October 10, 2008
Panabo mariculture park is fastest growing in RP

THE mariculture park in Panabo City is now identified as one of the most developed mariculture parks in the country today.

George Campeon, regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) told Sun.Star Davao recently.

"Next week, representatives of national papers will be here to visit the area. The mariculture park in Panabo City is one of the fastest growing parks in the country today," Campeon said.

He said that there are already 60 to 70 local investors in the area since it started its operations two years ago.

"The park has a total area of 1,000 hectares with 20 units of fishcages stocked with fingerlings," Campeon said, adding that the mariculture park is the biggest in Davao Region. Bfar-11 also developed mariculture parks in Pantukan and the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos).

Campeon said that Bfar-11 will also launch the Mati Mariculture Park on October 16.

"We will launch two units of fishcages in Mati. Actually, there are eight, but we will initially launch two," he said.

From January to September this year, it was learned that a total of 197 metric tons of fish were harvested from the existing mariculture parks in the region.

He said the interest of the fisherfolk in producing more fish was revitalized since Bfar is providing and ensuring them the market.

"The area in Panabo where the mariculture park was established was really suitable for fishcages. Before we set up in the area, we had a technical evaluation with the local government and the result was very satisfactory," Campeon said.

The mariculture park is located in the municipal waters of Barangay Cagangohan, just a few meters away from the Panabo City public market. By bus, Panabo City is just 45 minutes away from Davao City. JGRS

Sun-Star (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/10/10/bus/panabo.mariculture.park.is.fastest.growing.in.rp.html)

henji

October 10th, 2008, 06:59 AM

oii goys. naa may separate thread ang DCWD... sa transpo forums

dinabaw

October 11th, 2008, 04:17 AM

Saturday, October 11, 2008
Body awaits mayor's decision on Hedcor's proposal
By Grace L. Plata

THE City Council committee on energy will need to have the Davao City mayor's decision on the Hedcor Tamugan proposal before it can submit a report and recommendation to the City Council as a whole.

Energy committee chair Pilar Braga, who earlier committed to endorse Hedcor, said the committee will hold its presentation of the report in deference to the mayor's move on the matter.

What's your take on the Mindanao crisis? Discuss views with other readers

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has given Hedcor and the Davao City Water District (DCWD) until Wednesday next week to negotiate in hopes that they will come up with a workable solution to the problem. Duterte will make his decision whether or not to endorse Hedcor's application by Thursday.

"We are waiting for the mayor's go signal; hence the delay in submitting the committee report. We have to respect the decision of the mayor. Besides, the committee really asked for his intervention," Braga said Friday.

Braga added that though the committee on energy has finished the report, they will have to consolidate it with that of the environment committee chaired by Councilor Leonardo Avila III.

Avila, for his part, said the matter must be based on the local Watershed Code.

With a provision of prohibiting any development in critical recharge areas such as Tamugan, Hedcor would have to sway the City Council to amend the code if it hopes to have its application approved.

Aside from that, the energy firm also has to contend with the resistance of the DCWD who has prior rights to the area and is eyeing to tap the Tamugan River as a potable water source.

"If they tap Tamugan, they would not have to pump anymore kay ang tubig gikan man sa taas. It is with the pumps that they use electricity. Without the use of pumps, electric bills of DCWD will be lessened. Thus a possibility of cheaper water rates," Avila said.

DCWD spokesperson Imelda Magsuci confirmed this.

"If we can tap Tamugan, our power bills will lessened by about 50 percent. Right now we are paying 11 million. Magsuci also said it is mostly the residents of Districts 2 and 3 who have no water supply at present who will benefit from the project and the savings.

"Less na ang gastos sa kuryente so magamit na for other projects and pera. About 300,000 families ang maka benefit. Katong naa na'y connection pero paputol-putol ang tubig, ma-solve na rin yun," Magsuci said.

The study, Magsuci, said would take about a year to finish and the construction of the water reservoir would take about three years to complete.

Sun-Star (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/10/11/news/power.situation.not.that.bad.energy.department.html)

dinabaw

October 11th, 2008, 04:26 AM

Davao Region economy faring well
amid rising inflation rate: NEDA

The economy of Davao Region has fared well despite the sharp increase of inflation rate due to soaring oil prices during the first six months of 2008, National Economic and Development Authority regional director Nicasio Agustin said.

At the Regional Development Council 11 third regular quarterly meeting held in Nabunturan, Com-postela Valley province last Tuesday, Agustin reported that Davao Region’s major agricultural products particularly banana and coconut posted improved levels of 15 percent and three percent, respectively, in the spate of oil price hikes during the first quarter and the regression of the peso against the US dollar.

The production growth of banana generated P263 million in export revenues and P31 million revenues for coconut.

Agustin said the increase in production can be attributed to the growing number of plantations and increased technical assistance provided by the Department of Agriculture.

However, Agustin attributed the declining production of some agricultural crops such as coffee and cacao due to the move of some farmers to the shift to other crops. He also reported a sluggish growth of the region’s grains production since many grain growers have shifted to banana growing.

He said fish production increased by three percent while the huge growth in aquaculture production made up for the declining municipal fishing production.

The region’s tourism industry also grew by eight percent generating tourist receipts of P5 million.

Agustin further reported that the region’s employment rate continued to inch up to 93.4 percent despite an increase in labor cost in the light of the implementation of the seven percent average increase of the minimum wage.

The launching of posh mid-rise condominiums and subdivisions in Davao City and in the Island Garden City of Samal also proved that Davao Region has weathered the impact of the increasing inflation rate.

Although capital infusion has slowed down, investments remained high with the ongoing construction of Robinson’s Gateway and the forthcoming construction of the Ayala Center-Davao in Bajada, Agustin said.

On the part of govern-ment, it has completed 15 infrastructure projects worth P802 million. The P250-million Governor Generoso Bridge project in Davao highlighted the government’s infrastructure projects, Agustin added.

Hosted by Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy, the meeting was also attended by RDC 1I chair Vicente Lao, Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas, Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon, Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy, Nabunturan Mayor Macario Humol and other local chief executives, regional directors of line agencies and representatives of the region’s private sector.

Mindanao Daily Mirror (http://www.dailymirror.ph/Oct/business10112008&02.html)

Govinda

October 11th, 2008, 07:19 AM

Gateway to what? :dunno:

i second the motion haha!

Govinda

October 11th, 2008, 07:28 AM

unemployment explained by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE XI) assistant regional director Ofelia B. Domingo said Southern Mindanao:

1. As an urbanized city she said Davao is being compared with the National Capital Region with 13.8 percent unemployment rate while Cebu, 7.7 percent.

2. displaced workers due to conflict affected area that seek shelter to safer place like Davao

3. fresh graduates also contribute to the increasing rate of unemployment. In Region XI alone as based on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED XI) figure she said there are about 800,000 graduates and unless they are hired, they fall under the unemployed workers of the region

Meanwhile Domingo said Caraga posted highest in underemployment ratio at 29.8 percent followed by Region X at 26.7 percent, Region XI- 24.4 percent, Socsksargen-23.8 percent, Region IX- 20.2 percent and the ARMM- 11.3 percent.

Domingo said underemployment is when the worker lacks the appropriate job in order for him or her to achieve the desired income.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080913.htm&no=25

yup exactly..

As a metropolis with a workforce base of almost 2 million, Davao stats should only be compared to other metropolitan centres like Manila and Cebu and not a metropolis against a mid-size city with a workforce of less than half a million.

Govinda

October 11th, 2008, 07:39 AM

can anyone explain if misamis occidental figures are actual tourists. for its count? or regular commuters to visayas and back? any big hotels in the area? or probably can any northern neighbours justify the count by the activities of its airport, seaport? looks like the province is the hub of tourist activities than anywhere in the region. cdo and misamis oriental combined lagged behind by 30,000

as a member of the airline industry, i should say the figures are inaccurate. the local government included in the count the regular commuters within mindanao and between visayas and mindanao. misamis occidental does not have big hotels in the area, almost none in terms of airport activities, minimal tourism facilities not even at par with other popular tourist destinations like Baguio, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Boracay and Davao.

davaob4now

October 11th, 2008, 08:01 AM

yup exactly..

As a metropolis with a workforce base of almost 2 million, Davao stats should only be compared to other metropolitan centres like Manila and Cebu and not a metropolis against a mid-size city with a workforce of less than half a million.

what can i say?...."of course"...:)

as a member of the airline industry, i should say the figures are inaccurate. the local government included in the count the regular commuters within mindanao and between visayas and mindanao. misamis occidental does not have big hotels in the area, almost none in terms of airport activities, minimal tourism facilities not even at par with other popular tourist destinations like Baguio, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Boracay and Davao.

figures should have been taken from different accomodations so that it will be accurate...figures fro m hotels, inns, apartels and etc...are accurate...IMO.

dinabaw

October 12th, 2008, 11:34 AM

Inventors
October 8, 2008 — Peter

The leadership of the Filipino Inventors Federation has shifted from Metro Manila, home to most of the country’s top scientists and inventors, to Davao, home to the most active inventors group in the country.

Three Davaoeno inventors were elected September 30 to lead the Federation, which groups together 25 inventors associations throughout the Philippines.

Congratulations to Sam Abrenilla, president of the Mindanao Inventors Society, as the new FIF national chairperson; Vir Sangutan, president of the Davao Inventors Association, as the new FIF national president; and Edgar Delibo, spokesperson of the Davao Inventors Association, as the new FIFI vice president for advocacy.

The City Council passed a Resolution yesterday commending the feat of the three local inventors for bringing honor and presitige to the city. Their leadership of the FIF augurs well to the promotion of inventors in the countryside.

Peter Lavina (http://ptlavina.wordpress.com/)

davaob4now

October 13th, 2008, 12:07 AM

Davao Region economy faring well
amid rising inflation rate: NEDA

The economy of Davao Region has fared well despite the sharp increase of inflation rate due to soaring oil prices during the first six months of 2008, National Economic and Development Authority regional director Nicasio Agustin said.

At the Regional Development Council 11 third regular quarterly meeting held in Nabunturan, Com-postela Valley province last Tuesday, Agustin reported that Davao Region’s major agricultural products particularly banana and coconut posted improved levels of 15 percent and three percent, respectively, in the spate of oil price hikes during the first quarter and the regression of the peso against the US dollar.

The production growth of banana generated P263 million in export revenues and P31 million revenues for coconut.

Agustin said the increase in production can be attributed to the growing number of plantations and increased technical assistance provided by the Department of Agriculture.

However, Agustin attributed the declining production of some agricultural crops such as coffee and cacao due to the move of some farmers to the shift to other crops. He also reported a sluggish growth of the region’s grains production since many grain growers have shifted to banana growing.

He said fish production increased by three percent while the huge growth in aquaculture production made up for the declining municipal fishing production.

The region’s tourism industry also grew by eight percent generating tourist receipts of P5 million.

Agustin further reported that the region’s employment rate continued to inch up to 93.4 percent despite an increase in labor cost in the light of the implementation of the seven percent average increase of the minimum wage.

The launching of posh mid-rise condominiums and subdivisions in Davao City and in the Island Garden City of Samal also proved that Davao Region has weathered the impact of the increasing inflation rate.

Although capital infusion has slowed down, investments remained high with the ongoing construction of Robinson’s Gateway and the forthcoming construction of the Ayala Center-Davao in Bajada, Agustin said.

On the part of govern-ment, it has completed 15 infrastructure projects worth P802 million. The P250-million Governor Generoso Bridge project in Davao highlighted the government’s infrastructure projects, Agustin added.

Hosted by Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy, the meeting was also attended by RDC 1I chair Vicente Lao, Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas, Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon, Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy, Nabunturan Mayor Macario Humol and other local chief executives, regional directors of line agencies and representatives of the region’s private sector.

dailymirror.ph
---------------------------------:):):)

dinabaw

October 13th, 2008, 05:12 AM

No Contest
EDITORIAL

There has been a nasty row raging over the last few months. It is the argument on the use of the Panigan-Tamugan River in Marilog—for purposes of either water or energy. Hedcor, Inc., a major energy company, wants to put up a hydroelectric facility in the area. There’s a power “crisis” looming in the horizon, its executives warn the public, and what better way to address the inevitable than to harness existing resources? Of course, the company makes a fortune out of the whole benevolent gesture, but that’s just free enterprise for you.

The Davao City Water District has opposed Hedcor’s plans, saying that the twin rivers are our only hope for clean, reliable drinking water in the years to come. District engineers have mapped out technical blueprints explaining how and why the rivers are the logical sources of future water, considering that our traditional groundwater sources are nearing depletion. Hedcor has insisted on a compromise.

Now, the mayor has stepped into the fray.

Last week, Duterte called on the two entities for a meeting with him. At the end of the presentations, he deferred decision pending possibilities the two sides could reach a happy consensus.

Yet it is difficult to see a decent compromise between a primordial human need such as water and a modern amenity such as electricity. Electricity powers light bulbs and small appliances, “comforts” elusive to the simple folk in Tamugan who will fight for their “right” to listen to uncouth radio commentators and watch Wowowee episodes.

Water, on the other hand, is as basic as clean air. If authorities contend that the twin rivers are our last remaining source of it, it behooves us to err on the side of caution and not to contest it, especially over the dubious pretext of a so-called power crisis. To do so betrays only our ignorance of our essential needs, and lays bare our lack of critical thinking.

We hope our good mayor stays true to his nature by standing firm on the side of the greater good. Such an inspired decision not only upholds the primacy of water, but mirrors its unfair comparison with a finite, renewable by-product such as energy.

Mindanao Daily Mirror (http://www.dailymirror.ph/Oct/opinion10132008&01.html)

MtApoStandard

October 15th, 2008, 02:16 AM

Cargo throughput posts steepest drop in 2008

PDF Print E-mail
Shipping
Written by VG Cabuag, Reporter
Monday, 13 October 2008 17:10

CARGO throughput that passed through Philippine ports in the first seven months of the year recorded the steepest decline so far, according to data from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

Total cargo volume dropped by 10 percent to 81.31 million metric tons (MTs) during the first seven months of the year, from 90.4 million MTs in the same period last year, the PPA said in a report.

Both domestic and foreign volumes performed poorly with total volume dropping by 7 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

Only seven of 24 PPA port-management offices posted increases in volume of handled domestic cargo, according to PPA data. These were in Calapan, Cotabato, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Pulupandan, Tacloban, and General Santos.

Ports in the Visayas region processed a combined increase of close to 4 percent, but combined domestic cargo of ports under the Port District Office of Manila/Northern Luzon fell by 10 percent.

The same was down 11 percent for Southern Luzon, 13 percent for Northern Mindanao and 3 percent for Southern Mindanao.

On foreign trading, export and import cargoes posted negative growth of 20 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

Ports in the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), Southern Mindanao, Iloilo and San Fernando were among a handful that managed to post gains on volumes that were weak to heave the country’s cargo throughput.

Containerized cargo, on the other hand, went up by more than 3 percent, with the volume of foreign container traffic at MICT, Davao and General Santos contributing gains that cushioned the impact declines in domestic containerized cargo handled in North Harbor and Cagayan de Oro, the PPA said.

MICT and Manila South Harbor accounted for about 60 percent of the 2.31 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) processed in the seven-month period, or about 1.34 million TEUs.

Other government ports handled 836,428 TEUs, or 36 percent of the total, while private ports handled about 5.75 percent of the total or about 132,668 TEUs.

Domestic ship calls rose by about 1 percent mostly in South Harbor, Jagna, Tubigon, Calapan, Pulupandan and Cotabato.

Meanwhile, passenger traffic, which posted increases in the earlier in the year, went down by 83,834 or 0.31 percent by the end of July.

The reduced rates of airlines in an ongoing promotional campaign, continue to put pressure against shipping operators plying long-haul routes reduced ship movement. The situation has affected operations in South Harbor, Iloilo and General Santos, the PPA said.

http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=287:cargo-throughput-posts-steepest-drop-in-2008&catid=29:shipping

dinabaw

October 15th, 2008, 03:57 AM

Foreign missionaries put
premium on education in Davao

Foreign missionaries dare to spark what the present economic crises seem to undermine — availability of affordable and quality education.

The Brothers of the Holy Family, a French missionary congregation, takes the challenge of providing quality education by putting together its resources and some donors to establish Gabriel Taborin College of Davao, Inc. (GTCD).

GTCD named after the French founder Gabriel Taborin was established in 2001 as the only Catholic technical/vocational school in the region situated in the Lasang, Davao City, has now blossomed to a tertiary institution offering Hotel and Restaurant Management as its maiden four-year degree course.

Executive Director Bro. Davide Del Barba in his message noted that GTCD is the fruit of people’s common vision of helping others attain better goals in life regardless of culture and race.

“The mingling of culture here is fulfilling Christ’s invitation to go to the world and bring the good news of God’s love to all creations,” Davide said.

Recently the school inaugurated its new buil-ding intended for the four-year HRM course.

The event was graced by Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Luis Arias who said that helping the Philippines is one of the agenda of the Spanish government as a sign of their lasting friendship to the Filipino people.

“Education among others is our contribution in promoting peace and de-velopment in Mindanao,” Arias said.

Among the biggest sponsors of the school are the Manos Unidas of Spain, The American Women’s Club in the Philippines, Assisi Foundation and other private donors and agencies in the country and abroad.

Manos Unidas, which supported for the construction of the new building, is a Catholic non-government organization (NGO) of Spain that implements development projects in Asia, Africa and South America.

Fatima Velez, a volunteer worker of Manos Unidas, commended the Brothers of the Holy Family and the entire GTCD staff for their dedication and diligence in complying the necessary requirements for the project’s approval.

“Bro. Davide and his staff are very responsive, that’s why it’s easy for any organization particularly Manos Unidas to work out projects with them,” Velez said.

The NGO also sponsored the construction of the GTCD dormitory for ladies in 2004.

In Mindanao, Velez said the organization has implemented the reconstruction of the St. Mary’s Academy in Caraga, Davao Oriental, health education, the schooling of kids and the culture preservation project of the Bajaos in Zamboanga and Basilan.

On its infant years, GTCD has amassed a number of accolades to its name. Among which are the various medals from the Mindanao Culinary Fes-tival and the distinction of being consecutive cham-pion in Durian Festival culinary arts competition in Tagum City.

True to its mission, the school remains a leading Catholic institution in promoting solidarity and fraternal relationships in the world and forming young men and women on Gospel-based values. Sherwin Manual

Mindanao Daily Mirror (http://www.dailymirror.ph/Oct/pep&events10152008.html)

dinabaw

October 15th, 2008, 06:24 AM

News Article
Council approves body against climate change
By Yas D. Ocampo

THE city council approved a proposal that will authorize the executive department to create a multi-sectoral task-force that will suggest plans in minimizing the impact of climate change in the city.

The resolution, authored by Councilor Leonardo Avila III, chair of the city council’s committee on environment and natural resources, is in response to the Department of Interior and Local Government Memorandum 2008-69 which encourages all chief executives and Sanggunians to implement measures against climate change including disaster risk-reduction methods.
Avila said based on hearings on June 11 and July 14, his committee concluded that climate change has become the greatest challenge in the world. Actions in response to this challenge, he said, is “no longer called prevention, but adaptation.”
Avila cited the absence of the fruit lanzones in this year’s “Kadayawan sa Dabaw” festival as a result of climate change, adding that because of low rainfall, production was very low.
The presentation, shown through light-crystal display (LCD) projector, showed photographs taken by Times photographer Rene B. Lumawag which showed elevation of the Sta. Ana wharf during high tide. Councilor Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling wanted to know whether the photograph showed that “sinking” of Sta. Ana wharf was only an “engineering defect” or also a climate change issue.
Lumawag explained to the Times that the picture phenomenon at the wharf could not simply be the result of an engineering defect. “I have been taking photographs of the sunrise at Sta. Ana wharf since 1983,” he said. “Never had I experienced the sea level rise without leaving at least a foot of space from the wharf surface until late last year,” he added.
Cabling also asked why there was a need to create a task force when the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is also tasked to look into the issue.
Avila replied that climate change is not just an environment issue as it has something to do with developments and other factors. This, he said, was the reason that the CENRO should not be alone in tackling the matter.
The proposed measure elicited various comments from the councilors, most of whom agreed that there was an immediate need to address the global effect of climate change.
Councilor Pilar Braga said that the city should “not scrimp money which would go to a good cause.” Braga added that the matter should be looked into as it was a worldwide issue.
Councilor Laviña questioned the use of “task force” as the body that will look into the issue, saying that its function will only be temporary. “This issue requires a high level body, not just a task force. Climate change is a long term problem,” he added.
The resolution also includes the creation of an Earth Day Summit on April 22 where input from different sectors will be considered. Avila said that holding the summit in April would give the task force enough time to meet regarding the global phenomenon which was publicized by Nobel prize awardee and former American vice president Al Gore.
Councilor Teresita Mata-Marañon said that this might be a high time to tax carbon-dioxide emitting companies to possibly minimize greenhouse gases, adding that the Philippines was a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement directed at reducing emission of harmful gases.
Marañon added that there was a need to create a central nursery where people can plant trees, adding that her district, dominated by agricultural land, has “bald spots,” on some of its mountanuous parts.
Vice Mayor Sara Duterte commented that “April 22 may be too late.” The task force and the summit must be held ASAP (as soon as possible),” she added.
Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang observed that there seemed to be no strong objection to the proposal, except on the methodology.
The task force would include CENRO, the departments of Health, Transportation, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resource, Mines and Geosciences, Civil Defense, as well as the City Disaster Coordinating Council, Kinaiyahan Foundation, PCEEM, University of the Philippines, DACS, USEP, and the Davao City Water District, Avila said.
Avila emphasized the need for immediate action, citing that one of the reasons to the floods in the city during the rainy days was also caused by seawater not being able to subside as easily as it used to, settling in areas near the coastline at the gulf.
Avila said that Davao City is directly affected. “Remember that we have communities in Davao City which are just beside the sea,” he said.
The resolution was approved, with amendments clarifying that the task force may exist until the summit in April, and beyond that if the summit should insist.

Mindanao Times (http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=22215)

Il Tenore

October 15th, 2008, 06:33 AM

^^tamad akong magbasa ng ganitong kataas eh! hehe!

but all I can say is.. the title alone speaks for itself!
mabuti na at alert sila when it comes to climate change..

I hope permanent na ilang buhaton for the sake sa city.;)

Peng Hok

October 15th, 2008, 06:59 AM

dinabaw

October 16th, 2008, 03:00 AM

Thursday, October 16, 2008
Cardava banana to be RP's next gold mine

THE owner of the sole company in Mindanao, which is into the production of frozen ripe cardava banana, claimed that the potential of Philippine cardava banana in the world market is very huge, saying it is going to be the country's next gold mine.

Ferdinand Marañon, owner of the Sagrex Foods Inc., an exporter of frozen ripe cardava banana, frozen banana fries, and turon (ripe banana glazed with sugar), said during Wednesday's edition of the Club 888 at the Marco Polo Davao that their company is advocating to farmers to plant cardava banana to idle lands.

"We don't want rice or corn farmers to shift to banana planting, instead, we encourage them to plant cardava banana on idle lands, which are not being utilized," Marañon told Sun.Star Davao.

He added that during the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in July this year, the latter said that Mindanao, though considered as the food basket of the country, still has some of the highest hunger cases.

"The solution may just be staring at us under our very own noses. It is just there at the backyard looking at our eyes. A possible way out of this dilemma is the lowly, neglected cardava banana, the lowly poor man's diet just might be the next gold mine," he said.

Marañon also asserted that should a person plants 300 banana trees, his family will never be hungry anymore.

Meanwhile, Marañon, who is engaged in exporting ripe frozen cardava, told Sun.Star that their product may be preserved up to two years.

"The problem of store owners abroad who sell fresh banana is that some of them only throw the products because the shelf life of fresh banana is very low, nahihinog at nalalata. We made a study and developed the frozen banana products. The products have no preservatives," he said.

He said that at present, Sagrex is still at the introductory stage of exporting these frozen products to some parts of the world such as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United States of America, and Korea.

He said the production level of the company today is 500 kilos per hour. It targets to produce 3,000 kilos per hour in five years time.

Undersecretary Merly Cruz of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Southern Mindanao meantime said that banana, being the region's enrolled commodity under One Town One Product (Otop) Program, keeps on soaring high as manifested by this development.

Otop is a priority program of the government that aims to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs.

Based on the report of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and DTI-Nerbac Davao, the region already recorded a total export value of US$320.38 million for fresh and processed banana during the first semester of 2007. (JGRS)

Sun-Star (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/10/16/bus/cardava.banana.to.be.rp.s.next.gold.mine.html)

dinabaw

October 16th, 2008, 03:07 AM

Thursday, October 16, 2008
DTI launches 1st Otop showroom
By Joy Romares-Sevilla

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Southern Mindanao has successfully launched the One Town One Product (Otop) showroom, not only for products produced and manufactured in Davao Region, but also products of other regions in the Philippines.

In an interview, DTI Undersecretary Merly Cruz said the showroom is a satellite of the Philippine Depot Project in Manila, and will provide an access to goods coming from the different parts of the country.

"This is the first in Mindanao. It is a good venue for the exchanging of products, skills and strengths of the different regions," Cruz said, adding that the showroom will also be a selling and an order-taking outlet.

Cruz added that the idea of having a showroom of Otop products in Davao has been thought to provide and to develop a marketing mechanism for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

"We had a virtual way of marketing, but of course, it has to be reinforced by something physical. We allow micro, small and mediun enterprises to grow and we are committed to provide them the market," Cruz said.

"With this in place, we can develop a mechanism to institute operation, we offer access to the buyers," she added.

Meanwhile, Marizon Loreto, DTI-Southern Mindanao acting regional director, said the showroom was put up in order to promote both food and non-food products of the country.

The Otop showroom was located at the second floor of the DTI-Southern Mindanao building along Monteverde Street, Davao City. The venue was the former office of the Small Business Guarantee Finance Corporation, the financing arm of the DTI, now housed in at Landco Corporate Building.

Sun-Star (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/10/16/bus/dti.launches.1st.otop.showroom.html)

dinabaw

October 16th, 2008, 03:21 AM

2008/10/16

Lapanday assists DOLE micro incubation center

Davao City (16 October) -- The Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC), Dona Luisa R. Lorenzo Center for Community Community Development Foundation, Inc. (DLRLCCDFI) turned over financial funding through a check from the Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE) to Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC) amounting to Five hundred fifty thousand six hundred pesos (P555,600) as initial investment to the micro incubation project which they plan to give a total of One Million Seven Thousand pesos (1,700.000.00) for three years.

Gerardo Ignacio Ongkingko AVP for Human Resource & Admin Services Group of LFC said, The Grow Micro Incubation Center is a joint project of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-XI), Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC) and Doña Luisa R. Lorenzo Center for Community Development Foundation, Inc. (DLRLCCDFI).

The general objective of this project is: By the end of three years (2008-2010), the program intends to improve the quality life of the two hundred (200) beneficiaries and/or their families through technical and financial assistance to improve their capability to access employment and for implementation of SMEs for self-employment in a sustainable development perspective.

The beneficiaries of this projects are the displace employees of LFC. The launching was attended and graced by Vice Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, Hon. Tomas Monteverde Jr (read a message from Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte), Assistant Regional Director of DOLE-XI Ms. Ofelia Domingo, Labor and Employment Officer of DOLE XI Mr. Paul Cruz and DLRLCCDFI Executive Director Ms. Priscilla Salahid.

Also present in the event is the Admin Manager of LFC Mandug Mr. Windell Rabaya and the four barangay captains of Mandug, Tigatto, Waan and Callawa. (LFC/PIA - ET Isidro) [top]

PIA News (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=R11&y=08&mo=10&fi=p081016.htm&no=02)

MtApoStandard

October 17th, 2008, 04:45 AM

Davao exporter ships 20 tons of frozen cardava banana to US
October 17, 2008 12:49 am by pna

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 16 — A Davao exporter of cardava banana has penetrated the US market and shipped 20 tons and sold in 500 Filipino-owned supermarkets in the US.

Ferdinand Maranon, owner of Sagrex Foods Inc., said his company, aside from exporter of the banana, is also into growing the variety of cardava banana.

Maranon said they export frozen ripe cardava banana, frozen banana fries and turon (ripe banana glazed with sugar).

He said they are still introducing the product in the foreign market. The frozen products are also being introduced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Korea.

He said they have also distributor in Hong Kong where the products were moved to China and other neighboring countries.

Meanwhile, Maranon said in order to sustain the supply, their company is also into growing the giant cardava, the variety they propagate because it has about 16 to 18 hands while the ordinary variety only has about seven to eight.

He said the variety is propagated through tissue culture which they sell at P18 per seedling and plantable.

Right now, he said, they are into contract growing in an area of 300 hectares that could produce the supply that is commensurate to their plant capacity.

"Our production level now is 500 kilos per hour," he said.

But they plan to increase their production next year, that is why they are also increasing their production area to 600 hectares, he said.

He said by 2010, their target is to make 1,000 hectares planted to giant cardava banana. (PNA)

DCT/DDB/lvp

http://news.balita.ph/2008/10/17/davao-exporter-ships-20-tons-of-frozen-cardava-banana-to-us/