Davao City News January 2016

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Davao City - Archived News
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The Seal of Davao City
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Davao City Map Locator
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Map of Davao City
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Davao City Hall
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Davao City Montage

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

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Davao City Aerial View
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Entrance to Davao City
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Nat'l Hwy Through Davao City
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Davao City Victoria Mall
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Old Davao City Airport
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Current Davao City Airport
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Mangrove forests are critical for the stability of coastal areas and the sustainability of fish and marine resources which provide food and livelihood to people in more than 800 coastal towns in the Philippines. USAID, through the Philippine Environmental Governance Project, assisted the local government (Davao City) in establishing, through a local ordinance, the mangrove area as a marine protected area.
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USAID, through the Philippine Environmental Governance Project, assisted the local government (Davao City) in establishing, through a local ordinance, the mangrove area as a marine protected area. A crucial part in effective coastal resources management is law enforcement with Bantay Dagat teams playing a crucial role by safeguarding local waters. In Davao City Philippines, Bantay Dagat members protect mangrove areas from illegal cutting, thus conserving areas for fisheries and marine biodiversity habitats.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

City notch higher in top BPO list

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

DAVAO City posted a notch higher this year than last year's spot in the Top 100 business process outsourcing (BPO) destinations in the world.

Tholons, a services globalization and investment advisory firm, recognized Davao City anew as one of the biggest movers in its 2016 annual survey of the top 100 outsourcing destinations in the world, ranking 66th worldwide, some three places higher than last year's 69th place.

“This is a new development that we should be celebrating for, this development proves that the BPO industry in Davao City continues to boom amid challenges. We now ranked 66th in the top 100 outsourcing destinations in the world, that is third in the Philippines after Manila and Cebu City and the only ranked city in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga),” said Samuel Matunog, president of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-Davao Inc.

Ranking in the 66th place, Davao City edged out Penang (Malaysia), San Antonio, Texas (USA), and Thiruvananthapuram (India).

Tholons published its 2016 survey last Friday January 29, 2016 in the morning. The firm regularly publishes a report of the top 100 business process and information technology (IT) outsourcing destinations in the world.

In the 2016 edition of the report, nine Philippine cities made it to the list. These are, Manila which landed in the same rank last year in the second spot, Cebu City (7th), Sta. Rosa (81), Bacolod (85), Iloilo (90), Dumaguete (93), Baguio (94), and Metro Clark (97).

“All the cities in our country showed a positive development, all the nine cities showed growth by all the higher ranks compared to its records last year,” Matunog said.

Cebu City is up 1 notch from 8th to 7th on the Top 10; Manila retains the 2nd spot, Davao City up by 3 notches from 69th to 66th; Sta. Rosa up by 1 notch from 82 to 81; Bacolod up by 1 notch from 86 to 85m; Iloilo up by 1 notch from 91 to 90; Dumaguete from above 100 to 93rd (one of the biggest leap in a global scale); Baguio up by 1 notch from 95 to 94; and Metro Clark up by 1 notch from 98 to 97th.

“After absorbing half of Philippine BPO demand in 2014 and the reported increase of (Full-Time Equivalents) FTEs of over 33,000, the latest rise in Tholons ranking indicates that the multi-stakeholder approach in addressing the demands of the city’s ICT industry continues to bear fruit,” he said.

“With K to 12 adding two years in basic education and the move towards outcomes-based education at the vocational/technical and tertiary levels, it is expected that an even better trained talent pool will continue to attract online jobs and BPO locators to the city,” Matunog added.

48 join 2-week basic health care training

By Christine Joice C. Cudis

THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) teamed up with Japan and Canada for a two-week training on basic health care of 48 participants in Mindanao.

The training, which was funded by the Canadian Red Cross and supported by the Japanese Red Cross, produced 13 graduates who were trained to facilitate future basic health care (BHC) unit trainings while the other 35 were given training on how to operate the units.

BHC units will also be distributed to the 31 PRC chapters in Mindanao. It can accommodate up to 30 overnight beds mainly for diarrheal and observation cases.

It also comes with a pre-packed set of supplies or modules with the following capacity: outpatient curative, preventive mother and health care (MCH) services, simple delivery and community health with primary health care (PHC) education.

PRC chairman Richard Gordon said the training was aimed to ensure that the PRC will be able to provide immediate, basic, essential, curative, preventive, and community health care in emergency situations.

He added that it is important as most of the local medical facilities are insufficient or have been destroyed.

"We have to be prepared because we have a buffet of disasters in the country. We are also preparing for mass casualty incidents," Gordon explained.

He also said that in events where large crowds are expected, PRC will be able to deploy staff, volunteers, ambulances, rescue vehicles, basic health care units, emergency field hospitals, and others to ensure that immediate assistance would be provided.

CanCham announces opening of 10th International ICT Awards in PHL

(PNA), LAP/LCM/ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) -- The Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham) on Thursday announced the opening of the 10th Anniversary International ICT Awards Philippines with nominations for various awards to all eligible companies and individuals in the country. It is open until Sunday, January 31 this year.

Julian Payne, president of CanCham, told reporters in a press conference at Marco Polo Hotel here that the International ICT Awards Philippines that recognizes the very best in the dynamic and fast growing ICT industry is held annually.

“The 2016 will be the 10th anniversary event. This prestigious annual ICT gala awards night has inspired and promoted further development, growth, and innovation of the country’s ICT industry,” Payne said.

The awarding will be held on March 22 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Newport City, Pasay, he added.

The annual award is facilitated with the support of the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) while this year’s event will be sponsored by Globe Business and PLDT ALPHA Enterprise.

Among the ICT Awards categories include the Best Company of the Year; the Best Employer of the Year; Best Filipino-owned Company of the Year; Best Company of the Year Outside the NCR; and Best Global In-House Center of the Year.

Payne said special awards will also be given to the individual contributor of the year; the hall of fame; and the participant’s choice among the participating companies.

He said that last year’s awarding ceremony was joined by more than 400 industry leaders from the ICT industry in the country and business sectors from abroad.

Over a hundred nominations were received last year that competed to the 14 categories of the award, he added.

“The Philippines is leading the economic growth in Southeast Asia and now plays a significant economic role in the ASEAN as well as in the global market,” Payne pointed out.

He added that the ICT industry in the country continues to be one of the leading drivers in the robust growth of the Philippine economy.

Payne also urged ICT business groups in the country to visit the www.ictawards.org.ph for complete information on the 10th International ICT Awards Philippines.

SOS Davao holds ‘Bike for Love’ on Valentine’s Day

(PNA), FPV/LCM/LOLITO T. DELOS REYES/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) – The SOS Children’s Villages Davao is hosting a fun ride for bikers on Valentine’s Day, February 14, in celebration of its 35th founding anniversary.

“It is dubbed as the Bike for Love for a Child and Family,” said SOS Children’s Villages Davao Fund Development Coordinator Roxie Paguyan.

The 40-kilometer fun ride which starts and ends at the SOS Children’s Village in Bajada. It is supported by PhilCycling.

“It kicks off at 6 a.m. The route includes the SM Lanang, Angliongto, Davao Airport, Sun City and Cabantian National High School. Registration fee is P350 with one free jersey, certificate, snacks and raffles,” Paguyan said.

Registration is now on-going at the SOS Children’s Village Davao in Bajada. For more inquiry, contact tel. no. 222-0097 or 0910-8058586.

SOS Children's Village Davao is one of the eight villages in the Philippines. It is a private, non-political, non-denominational organization providing long-term family-based care and education to children in need.

It is a place for orphaned, abandoned and neglected children and children in extreme difficult circumstances to belong to a home and family, where competent and responsible SOS Mothers and co-workers provide unconditional love, inspiration, support and encouragement for these children to take their place in society, enriched with their God-given talents, and contribute their share to the progress of the human family.

“We build families in children in need, we help them shape their own futures and we share in the development of their communities,” said Paguyan.

SOS Children’s Village Davao currently has 178 children.

New businesses in Davao up in 2015

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

DAVAO Region's number of new business name registration (BNR) certificates issued in 2015 posted an increase of nine percent to 12,305 as compared to the previous year's 11,304.

The 2015 figure is the highest recorded, so far, in the past five years. According to the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) data, of the total approved BNR for last year which is at 14,565, 84 percent of which or 12,305 are new Business names.

“These new business names are Micro-Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), this is a concrete indication that there are more new MSMEs coming in and emerging in the region and we can attribute those development to the multi-agencies intervention in support to spur the growth of MSMEs here,” DTI-Davao director Edwin D. Banquerigo said on Wednesday at the Habi at Kape at the Abreeza Mall of Davao.

DTI Davao reported that they hit the target set for last year by 104 percent. DTI’s annual target is 14,000 processed BNR’s.

The BNR being one of the principal front-line services of the DTI “aims to maintain a nationwide registry of business names mainly on Sole Proprietorship.”

For Davao City alone, BNR reached to over 7,800 businesses, 84 percent of which are new registered business names.

Banquerigo said that for the processed BNR’s for last year, the emerging top industries are trade and retail, service and manufacturing.

“Using the Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) data of Davao City, for this year we will be focusing on the manufacturing sector because value-adding to raw materials and products should be the direction now,” he said.

Banquerigo added that they will identify first the percentage of how many businesses are in the manufacturing industry and will focus on providing package of services and programs to help grow the sector.

“Of course the projects, services and programs must be fit on the level of the businesses, for example if they are still under the level one which is for startups then the programs must be fitted for them, if the level is already on the level six which is into exporting already then the program must come in accordance to that level,” Banquerigo added.

Maria Lourdes Monteverde, International property specialist for her part said that for the real-estate property industry, players must not focus on the housing sector but look beyond even to manufacturing.

“We should look beyond just the housing sector, it is also best to go for manufacturing for locators and investors to come in,” she said.

Meanwhile, as 2016 marked the reckoning period for full compliance of member-economies in the Asean Economic Community (AEC), Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) director for Investment Promotion, International Relations and Public Affairs’ Romeo Montenegro earlier said that businessmen must push and invest in the manufacturing sector.

“If Mindanao wants to take advantage of AEC and BIMP-Eaga, starting to have a mindset of creating more manufacturing base is important so that we will not only produce raw materials, but also produce value-added products that can be directed towards other larger markets, the entire Asean and the other big market in the international sphere,” Montenegro said.

“Most of our export products are raw, one factor of this is Mindanao have limited processing center and a manufacturing activities,” he said adding that this is also caused by the costly domestic shipping rates as compared to direct international shipping.

More Davao Pasalubong Center stalls up for raffling

By Karina V. Canedo

MORE businessmen are encouraged to participate in the raffle for the stalls of Pasalubong Center, an official said.

Davao City Administrator Jesus Melchor V. Quitain, in a media interview, said that they still haven't finished raffling the stalls.

"Nagkaroon kami ng raffling doon, but we did not raffle everything. The first raffling involved stalls for eateries," Quitain.

He asked the City Information Office (CIO) to help them disseminate information about the raffle.

"Marami pa kaming stalls to be raffled off. We hope more people will get to participate and we have asked the City information Office to help us in disseminating the information also so more people can participate," Quitain said.

He added that according to Assistant City Administrator Jhopee Avancena-Agustin, many stalls are still vacant.

"According to Atty. Agustin may bakante pa, yun ang concern ko because I want the Pasalubong Center to be the destination of the tourism." He belied report that rent is expensive at the Pasalubong Center.

"Hindi naman mahal ang rent pero ang sabi ni Atty. Jhopee dahan-dahan lang muna. We will take everything one classification at a time," Quitain said.

Tourism industry players embark on aggressive Davao promotion in Singapore

(PNA), LAP/LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 25 (PNA) -- The tourism industry players here are embarking on a more aggressive promotion of Davao in Singapore.

Department of Tourism (DOT)-11 Regional Director Roberto Alabado said SilkAir and Cebu Pacific, which provide the Davao-Singapore air link, makes easier for tourism players to promote the city because air linkage is a factor where they could entice tourists to come to Davao.

He said they will be tapping hotels in Singapore where Davao's best will be featured and also mount an exhibit where information related to Davao will be made available. Information would include must-visit places and other destinations, accommodations and restaurants as well as air linkages.

"We are looking also at a 'B2B' (business-to-business) set-up so we could invite tour operators when we do the promotion," he said.

He added that Singapore is very strategic because it has various connections in the world.

Alabado also said that Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. is giving priority to promoting the cities in Mindanao including Davao.

"There is a plan that the Department will be inviting CEOs of companies in Singapore for an all-expense paid weekend travel to Davao so they could see what is best here and by word of mouth they could share their experiences," he said.

He said they are looking at collaborative effort with the private sector where they could share in the travel requirements of the visitors such as on accommodation, air fare, tours and food.

Alabado disclosed that in the pipeline now is the familiar tour of Singapore-based media as this sector could write, broadcast and report the must-visit destinations of Davao.

"Promoting our city to the world must be sustained so that travelers who haven't been to our place would be encouraged to come," he said.

Alabado admitted that Davao is not yet known in the Middle East countries which comprise a huge market, the reason that "we want to tap with the Halal economy at USD2.3 million".

"But these prospective visitors with little information about Davao would be curious and would start searching online what is in Davao," he said.

"There is no stopping us anymore in our promotional campaign," Alabado concluded.

BIMP-Eaga Vision 2025, new challenge to Philippines

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

THE implementation of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) Vision 2025 will be more challenging for the Philippines being the chair the BIMP-Eaga starting September 2016.

The BIMP-Eaga Vision 2025 is a blueprint eyed to support and complements the Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together roadmap. It will also serve as the successor document to the Implementation Blueprint 2012-2016.

Undersecretary Janet M. Lopoz, executive director of the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda), told reporters that it will be more challenging for the Philippines as it will chair the BIMP-Eaga during the pilot year of the implementation of the BIMP-Eaga Vision 2025.

“This coming February 23 to 26, Davao City will be hosting the BIMP-Eaga Summit- Strategic Planning Workshop session, it is very timely that we are hosting the event because Philippines will also be an incoming chair of the BIMP-Eaga, sometime in September and it will be an extra challenge for us because will be the chair at the time we will be implementing the new roadmap,” she said.

The four-day event will be an avenue for member countries to finalize and consolidate the final inputs of the new BIMP-Eaga Vision 2025.

“New in a sense that we have checked other progress of our projects vis-à-vis our targets for the last 6 years and we have seen that we have achieved much, we are set to plan out the enhancement of our BIMP-Eaga directions vis-à-vis Asean Integration and new development and prospects,” Lopoz said.

The event is expected to draw 200 delegates from the four member countries. The venue in Davao City is still being finalized.

Under the BIMP-Eaga Vision 2025 Tourism component, a proposal for a direct route between Bali in Indonesia and Davao in Mindanao is being eyed now by Minda to pilot “pockets of tourism loops.”

“Bali is an existing tourist destination which is generating a lot of tourism receipts and we wanted to get a percentage of that,” Lopoz said.

Another pocket of tourism loops which are also identified is Davao leading to the cultural communities in Lake Sebu in South Cotabato passing the T’boli cultural village in Davao del Sur, and Davao leading to Davao Oriental to the beaches of Surigao ,a possible community-based eco-tourism destinations.

At present, the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Transportation and Communication and, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and other supporting agencies are now in an ongoing negotiation with two different Indonesian Airlines for the Bali-Davao route as well as with Cebu Pacific which already have existing regular flights but through Cebu going directly to Bali.

“We’re looking on the possibility of having Cebu-Davao-Bali,” she added. Furthermore, the Philippines will also be proposing for connectivity of development corridors in Mindanao to other areas in the sub-region through improvement in infrastructure, inclusion of development of food hubs between Mindanao and other BIMP-Eaga nation members, and developments on socio-cultural aspect for the development of the sub-region.

Davao City, Bacoor ink sisterhood

(KVC)

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in behalf of Davao City signed a sisterhood pact with Mayor Strike Revilla of the Bacoor City last Thursday.

Davao City Councilors Danilo Dayanghirang, April Marie Dayap, Mabel Sunga Acosta, Antoinette G. Principe, Myrna Dalodo Ortiz, Bernard Al-ag, Louie John Bonguyan, Nilo AbelleraJr, Al Ryan Alejandre, and Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo also went to the event.

“The pact meant the continuation of the cooperation in the trade and industry and also exchange of plans and programs even education in both cities,” Dayanghirang said in a phone interview on Friday.

He added that city mayor even invited the constituents of the Bacoor City to have an educational tour in Davao City.

“Ideas will be shared and to be adapted depending on the concerns of each,” Dayanghirang said.

He also added that the sisterhood pact means assistance in calamities, given that even those who are not sister cities of Davao are extended helped by the city.

Procurement of P244-M cacao seedlings ongoing

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

AS 2016 serves as the pilot year for implementation of the Cacao Double-Up Program (CDUP), some five million cacao seedlings, amounting to P244 million, are on the process of procurement.

"Procurement of these cacao seedlings already started and is ongoing. These are targeted to be planted before the planting season of the year," Undersecretary Janet M. Lopoz, executive director of the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda), said.

She added that Mindanao regions are almost done with the procurement process.

"Once the planting materials are delivered, the first batch of the program will take off," Lopoz said, adding that the challenge mow is on how they catch up the availability of the certified quality materials.

The program which is aimed at to double up and even surpass the country's current cacao production, which is anchored by Minda and Department of Agriculture (DA) and in partnership with Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology (Dost) and the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. (Cidami).

For the pilot year of implementation, CDUP has a total of P500 million budget.

"Initially DBM will pour some P500 million for the pilot year of implementation which will be on 2016,"Lopoz said in a recent interview. Of the P500 budget, P169 million of which will be allocated to Minda as counterpart for the initial budget and the rest will be allocated to DA, PCA, and other concerned government agencies.

According to Cidami data, the country’s total cacao production is pegged at some 10,000 metric tons (MT) in 2014.

The projected global demand of the cacao industry is pegged at 5 million MT with global deficit of 1 million MT. The country through the program is targeted to contribute 100,000 MT annual production by 2020.

The program will cover a total of 200,000 hectares and will target to plant 100 million cacao trees. Under the program the cacao seedlings are targeted to be intercropped with the coconuts trees.

It will be composed of three phases, the production, processing and the marketing stage.

“At present, we are working on an inventory of the certified nurseries as we target quality cacao, it must certified of Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) certified,” Lopoz said.

Mindanao business leaders to sustain export to Dubai

(PNA), LGI/LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 21 (PNA) -- The participation of business leaders in Mindanao at the Dubai Annual Investment Forum led to the initial entry of fruits grown from this island to the Middle East.

This was disclosed by Undersecretary Janet Lopoz, executive director of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), in a forum held at Abreeza Ayala Mall on Wednesday.

Lopoz said it has been their objective to penetrate other foreign markets and through business matching between Mindanao businessmen and buyers of their products.

Earlier, Marilou Ampuan, one of the founders and secretary-general of the Mindanao Islamic Chamber of Commerce and who participated in the Dubai AIF said they submitted business venture proposals.

"We are being assisted by MinDA and the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC) to make good with our proposals," she said.

Lopoz reported that initial shipment of mango and calamansi produced in Region XII already entered Dubai market.

She said Rickson Olympus of Tulunan, North Cotabato shipped one ton of mango to Dubai last November 29, 2015 that was sourced from 15 farmers who are members of the Tulunan Cooperative.

This was followed with another shipment on December 18, 2015 of one ton mango and a trial shipment of two boxes of bananas coming from small farm growers of General Santos City and Tampakan, South Cotabato.

She said a shipment of calamansi of 1.5 tons was made on December 27, 2015 that were consolidated from small farm growers in Sultan Kudarat particularly in the towns of Lambayong and Esperanza and in Matalam, North Cotabato.

MinDA is hopeful that this shipment will be sustained considering the huge demand of the Dubai market on agricultural products.

She said the business sector is also looking at the Filipino population there of 523,000 or 21.3 percent of the Dubai population.

At present, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 is assisting in the marketing and scouting for other markets.

Davao Region hits PHP26.7-B tourism receipts in 2015

(PNA), BNB/LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan 20 (PNA) -- The Department of Tourism in the Davao Region has reported an estimated of tourism receipts at PHP26.7 billion for the first 10 months in 2015.

This was disclosed by DOT 11 regional director Roberto Alabado III who said that the figure was based on the industry performance for travel and tourism from January to September last year.

However, Alabado said the figure will still increase with the remaining two months still being processed but already noted a 10.2 percent growth compared to the performance last year of the same period.

He attributed the ten months positive performance to tourist arrivals of domestic travelers at 1,857,099, foreign travelers at 121,604 and overseas Filipino, 4,870.

Compared to last year, he said domestic visitors registered only some 1,690,729, foreign tourists, 104,700 with a slightly higher number for overseas Filipinos at 5,198.

The holding of major projects and activities added to the continuing promotion of the region citing among others the participation in Tourism and Trade Bazaars at the Philippine Travel Mart, Madrid Fusion, he said.

He also said that there were familiarization tours for media coming from other countries and for the ADB directors.

There was also the Singapore marketing, the Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge with participants both from international and domestic, the Samal – Talikud Convergence, and the hosting of Zeghram Cruise ship.

Alabado also reported some major MICE events in the region namely, the midyear PICE Convention, the Palarong Pambansa, Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines, Philippine College of Physicians Midyear Convention, Davao International Travel Expo, NAITAS General Membership and Business Meeting, Philippine Nurses National Convention and Insular Life Convention.

The other contributor to a good performance was the increased connectivity. Alabado cited Air Asia that re-established the Davao-Manila-Davao, Cebu Pacific launched their Davao direct flight to Singapore and SilkAir added more Davao-Cebu-Singapore flights.

In 2015, new tourism products were developed with the creation of new tour packages and the development of new attractions.

He also mentioned an enhanced agritourism through Asia’s Fruit Market, the new Samal tour packages which included agricultural tour, the Taklobo tour and the Talikud tour, the Marilog Highland Agritour.

The development of cultural villages was among the efforts undertaken last year focusing on the Bagobo Cultural Village and the potential Sangab Mandaya Cultural Village, he said.

As to human resource development, Alabado said the region was a recipient of the ADB-CIDA Industry Skills Training Project of 6 grantees to receive free trainings to cover human resource management, CB tourism, security certification, etc. with 414 trainees.

There were also some 40 various trainings for the region’s tourism stakeholders were conducted on homestay program, customer service, communication skills and getting to know you tourists with 2,099 persons were trained.

Davao City to host Red Cross Million Volunteer Run 3

(PNA), LGI/LCM/LOLITO T. DELOS REYES/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 19 (PNA) -– Davao City will be hosting this year's Philippine Red Cross Million Volunteer Run 3 to be held on February 6 in an out and back course at the SM City Davao car park in Ecoland.

“We are hoping to get at least 1,000 runners,” said Gwen Clarise Cachuela of the Davao Red Cross Chapter at the weekly SCOOP Session of The Royal Mandaya Hotel Tuesday.

This is still part of the nationwide PRC Million Volunteer Run 3, which is participated simultaneously by the 38 chapters in the country.

“This year, PRC is targeting to get at least 3 million runners nationwide,” said Cachuela.

The 4K fun run kicks off at 6 a.m. while the route starts at the SM Davao car park going to the Tulip Drive, Quezon Boulevard, Ecoland Drive and back to Tulip Drive and to end at SM Davao car park.

Regular registration fee is PhP400 inclusive of a singlet and a race bib. A discount price of PhP200 will be given for the adults, who prefer without the singlet but only with a race bib. Students and seniors will also pay PhP100 for the race bib only.

For more inquiry contact mobile no. 0928-8096690 or davaocity@redcross.org.ph.

Meanwhile, the St. Paul College of Davao is staging the Run for Care Fun Run this Saturday, January 23 at 5 a.m. at the Riverfront Corporate City grounds in Ma-a.

“(We are) all in one for the mission,” said Sr. Marissa Galvez of SPCD at the weekly SCOOP Session of The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Tuesday.

The categories are the 5K and 3K with the registration fees of PhP300 for adults and PhP250 for kids and teens. Registrants will get a T-shirt, race bib, bottled water, certificate and prizes.

“The runners will just be running inside the Riverfront Corporate City grounds,” said Sr. Galvez.

Proceeds will go to different SPCD projects.

“This is open for everyone including the non-Catholic schools,” said Sr. Galvez.

There will also different fun booths and a bazaar during the event as part of the St. Paul’s Week celebration. For more inquiry, call tel. no. 282-8112.

P6B allotted for 3-year childhood care program

(ICT)

THE national government has set aside close to P6 billion for the three-year implementation of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) intervention package which will start this year.

In Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City, National Nutrition Council (NNC) Davao director Maria Teresa Ungson said the budget comes from different government agencies to help improve nutrition of children in the Philippines.

The program involves agencies, such as Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of Animal Industry (Bai), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), ECCD and NNC.

Of the total allocated budget of P5.973 billion, for 2016-2018, P897.8 million comes from DOH, P3.956 million from DSWD, P2.4 million from BFAR, 396.2 million from BAI, P37.2 million from ECCD, and P683.4 million from NNC.

Ungson said the ECCD intervention package aims to provide integrated services on health, nutrition, early education and social services on the most crucial period of one's growth and development--the first 1,000 days of life.

She said the objective is to reduce mortality and morbidity rates among children 0-23 months old, reduce the prevalence of stunting and wasting among children 0-23 months old, and increase the children's meeting developmental milestone.

"We want to fight malnutrition especially stunting. We want to give necessary services to promote a good pregnancy, child with good brain development and proper growth development of a child physically and mentally," Ungson said.

The ECCD will be implemented in all Accelerated and Sustainable Anti-Poverty Program (Asapp) municipalities from the category one provinces as determined by the Cabinet Cluster on Human Development and Poverty Reduction targeting pregnant women, children 0-23 months old, and parents/caregivers.

Davao del Sur is on the ninth of the tenth list of areas in the country chosen as the recipients of the ECCD intervention package. The NNC is targeting Digos City, and the towns of Hagonoy and Magsaysay, covering 69 barangays.

Records showed that there are 9,526 pregnant women in three areas of the province, with 3,674 0-5 months old and 11,023 6-23 months old children.

"Nagulat nga kami na meron din sa Davao Region. Basically, ito yung mga services ng government na i-strengthen like pregnancy of the mother hanggang sa pagpanganak niya then hanggang sa two-years-old na ang bata," Ungson said.

Other areas chosen as recipients for the ECCD intervention package are Pangasinan, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Leyte, Zamboangadel Sur and Sulu.

"This is a problem of the whole country. I mean the stunting is really staggering... there are 14 countries in the whole world that have high stunting rates, and Philippines is part of those 14 countries," Ungson said.

Citing the Unicef Global Nutrition Database 2012, 80 percent of the world's stunted children live in 14 countries. The Philippines was on the ninth list with 34 percent stunted children.

To help improve the nutrition status of the children, Ungson said the national government will have to push for ECCD intervention package.

Currently, the program is on its preparatory phase and NNC is on its social preparation stage conducting activities to make ECCD intervention package implementation-ready.

Halal trade expo set in Davao

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

DAVAO-BASED Universal Islamic Center, in partnership with the Mindanao Islamic Chamber of Commerce (MICC), is set to stage the Philippine Halal Trade and Tourism Expo on April 22 to 24 this year at the Abreeza Mall of Davao.

The three-day event will be focusing on promoting the growing US $3.2 trillion Halal industry in the global scale.

Marilou W. Ampuan, chair of the Halal committee of the Philippine Tourism Congress and founder of MICC, told reporters in a recent interview that the expo will further position Davao as one of the Halal hubs in Mindanao.

"We will be expecting over 200 participants to grace the event, mostly tourism industry players such as hotels and restaurants," she said adding that halal product producers and certifiers will also be invited.

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has started the implementation of the Philippine Halal-bTourism Project last week.

The project will be tapping 50 major industry players in the tourism sector such as hotels and restaurants in the country to embrace Halal principles and practices by April of this year.

Of the figure, 10 will be tapped in Davao, 20 in Manila, 10 in Cebu and 10 in Boracay.

"For the first 10 players who will submit their intention to be part of the project, we will be shouldering the Halal accreditation and certification fees," Roberto Alabado III, DOT Davao regional director said.

He added that for those interested players who will not be part of the project, they will still assist and guide them for their accreditation and certification.

According to the project primer, the Halal tourism industry global economy value is pegged to double by 2020 at $6.4 trillion with some 150 million Muslim travelers worldwide.

Davao Region is among ATF 2016 focus destinations

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

DAVAO Region will be one of four Philippines’ top tourist destinations that will be showcased during the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Tourism Forum (ATF), an international tourism gab slated on January 18 to 26, 2016, to be held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza and SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) office in Davao and its private partners will showcase the best of the region’s unique mix of diversity, both in landscape and in culture.

Other major tourist destinations in the country that will be showing a strong presentations and promotions during the post ATF tour are Palawan, Cebu, and Bohol.

Roberto P. Alabado III, DOT Davao regional director, told Sun.Star Davao in an interview that some 19 delegates of ATF has confirmed attendance to the prepared post ATF tour on January 23 to 26.

“Last week, we had a talk to the tour organizers, they already finished the site inspection, and we prepared the best in our region to promote our region as one of the major tourist hubs in the Southeast Asia.

The 19 delegates from different countries will visit Davao region’s Philippine Eagle Center, Malagos Garden Resort, Pearl Farm Resort, Banana Plantation and Hijo Plantation tour, and Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) Ecofusion facility at the Abreeza Mall of Davao.

Delegate will also taste the Davao’s very own exotic fruit, Durian. In a separate interview, Mary Ann “Baby” Montemayor, president of the Davao Region Tourism Council and Davao Ecocrafts Association Inc. (DEA) that during the visit, the ATF delegates will witness a tribal living museum.

“In Abreeza Ayala Mall we are doing a tribal living museum, this activity will showcase culture and arts,” she said, adding that tourists is always looking for shopping where there is culture.

Also the region’s micro entrepreneurs and their products will take center stage during the visit.

“It will be experiential because we are doing some bead-making, weaving, handmade paper making, and then we will let them try to do it,” she added. In 1996, Davao City was successful in hosting the international forum; Montemayor described it as one of the most memorable ATF hosting as several years after people are still talking about the event.

This year, ATF centers on a theme “One Community for Sustainability.” It represents the region’s thrust to become a “10-in-one” destination in the global market.

The tourism forum will highlight the adoption of the Asean tourism strategic plan which will provide a framework for regional tourism development from 2016 to 2020, envisioning Southeast Asia into “a quality tourism destination offering a unique, diverse” experience by 2020.

RDC 11 sets 11 priorities for 2016

By Jeanevive D. Abangan (PIA 11)

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA)--Before he ends his term as chairperson of the Davao Regional Devt Council in June this year, at a mature age of 82, Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario sets 11 priorities for the development planning body to pursue in 2016.

Among the RDC 11 priorities are the Implementation of the Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Nino; linking Davao Regions industry clusters with global value chains to significantly bring stability and growth opportunities for small and medium enterprises; and the implementation of the Davao Food Terminal Complex in Toril, Davao City.

Other Davao Region RDC priorities include the review of the Davao Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project proposed by the Davao City Government, the closure of issues related to the Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project, and the completion of the 300 megawatt San Miguel Corporation Global Power Coal Plant Project in Malita, Davao Occ.

The RDC also wants to ensure the conduct of the full blown feasibility study of the Samal Bridge Project which was the recommendation of the pre-FS completed in 2015, secure the implementation of the development, operation , and maintenance of the Davao Airport; and update the Davao Region Human Resource Development Plan to address the job-skills mismatch.

Del Rosario also advocates the passage of House Bill 4412 and Senate Bill 2292 into law to establish the Davao Regional State University system, the first ever regional state university in the country.

Before he bows out of office, Del Rosario wants the RDC to conduct preparatory activities to formulate the Davao Region Successor Plan 2017-2022 together with its accompanying documents, the Results Matrices, the Regional Development Investment Program and the Regional Development Research Agenda.

Del Rosario wanted the formulation process to start before he ends his term as the RDC chairperson. He views the Successor Plan as mechanism to ensure that priorities set will be supported and continued by the next RDC chairperson whatever would be the outcome of the national and local elections.

Meanwhile, Del Rosario encourages his successor to push the set priorities and aim to get a substantial share of the annual budget. However, he said requests for inclusion in the national budget should be in accordance with needs of the Davao Region constituents.

Davao City to tap gov't line agencies focusing halal industry

(PNA), RMA/LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 14 (PNA) -- The Davao City Investments and Promotion Center (DCIPC) sees the emergence of halal industry in the city once Mayor Rodrigo Duterte signs the Executive Order creating the Davao City Halal Development Council (DCHDC), whose work focuses on the proposed programs and projects to address certification and accreditation of establishments and producers.

DCIPC head Ivan Cortez said there were proposals already lined up and they needed to assess and look them in coordination with concerned government agencies with staff members who were technical experts on the Halal certification and accreditation process.

He said that the government offices and their attached agencies were members of the DCHDC with the Mindanao Islamic Chamber of Commerce as chair and the DCIPC as vice-chair.

Among the agencies named in the Council were Department of Agriculture (DA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DPST), Department of Tourism (DOT national and regional offices), National Commission of Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Davao City Agriculturist Office, Davao City Health to name a few.

He said while the DOT embarked in Halal Tourism Project launched in Davao City this week with 10 establishments as beneficiaries, the Council would assist all the other establishments wanting to make their places be friendly to Muslim visitors and tourists also.

"We want to include everybody in this endeavor," he said.

Cortez said the proposal also included the establishment of a Halal certified abattoir although this would be discussed with the DA which has projects of this kind too.

"We will submit proposal on this project to the city government also considering the cost it will entail," he said. He said there has been a clamor of Hala-certified slaughterhouse.

He added that they would also embark on awareness campaign about Halal concerns through briefings and fora and on the production aspect of agri products.

"With the city's readiness on this we can tap the Halal market which is very huge," he said.

He shared his conversation with Mohammad Sabbah, managing editor of Arab Investor Magazine, a business paper based in the Middle East saying, "Muslim tourists don't want to go to the same place that they had visited and would look for new places to travel".

With our preparation to be a Muslim-friendly destination Cortez said, “We could tap this market and besides Muslim tourists would want to go to places that they will enjoy and one of their considerations are accommodations and restaurants that are Halal certified”.

Davao City as Mice destination

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

INCREASING awareness among national and international organizers of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (Mice) about Davao City resulted to the influx of visitors.

"We can attribute the increasing tourist arrivals to the campaign of enabling Davao City as a Mice destination," Roberto P. Alabado III told reporters on Wednesday.

He said Davao City is emerging as the top Mice destination.

According to DOT data, of Davao Region's 1,874,587 tourist arrivals from January to September 2015, most of the tourists were reported in Davao City with 1,290,480 or 69 percent of the region's tourist arrivals.

"Many of the conventions that were not held here before were already staged here because we already have convention centers that can hold national and international conventions," Alabado said.

"With the major conventions, Davao is now one of the preferred destinations for Mice," he added.

To further position Davao as a Mice destination, the tourism department will continue the Mice strategy. DOT is planning to stage more Mice road shows which will be vital to introduce the city, emphasizing Davao's unique offering of Mice incentives to various organizers who intend to hold their conventions in the city.

Also, the tourism department is now finalizing partnership from airlines partners to give Mice participants special fare discounts.

"We have talk already to airlines as partners, because one barrier during a convention here in Davao especially from Manila is the cost of travel. We are now finalizing partnerships from our airlines to offer discounts for our official Mice goers here," Alabado said.

As tourist arrivals in the city continue to grow, Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) said that it contributed to the investment confidence of private sectors.

"Investors in the accommodation sector both Manila-based companies establishing presence here and local firms that are expanding are dependent in the trend of tourist arrivals in a specific area, as the tourist arrival increases, the applications of accommodation and hotel investments here are also moving up," Ivan C. Cortez, DCIPC officer-in-charge, said.

Some of the hotel accommodations that are set to open in the city are GoHotels, Homecrest, Dusit Thani, among others.

By February, city's hotel rooms will reach over 8,000.

EU envoy visits EU-funded projects in Davao City for the first time

(PNA), BNB/FPV-EU-PR/

MANILA, Jan. 12 (PNA) -- European Union's Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen takes his first visit in Davao City to reaffirm the organization's commitment to contribute to development initiatives in Mindanao.

The visit from Monday until Tuesday will look into potential opportunities for further partnership with stakeholders from Davao City and other provinces in the region.

Ambassador Jessen will meet with local government officials from the region, representatives from non- government and civil society organisations and the business community.

This is the second visit to Mindanao following his trip to Cotabato City last December. He will be accompanied by Mr. Thomas Wiersing, Desk Officer, European Commission and Mr. Mattias Lentz, Minister Counsellor, EU Delegation to the Philippines.

The Ambassador will also visit the Indigenous Peoples' MNHCN project (Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition strategy or MNCHN). The design of the action is founded on a rights-based approach, aiming at Mindanao which the EU is currently supporting with a grant of 7 million euros.

This project addresses the maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition needs of Indigenous Cultural Communities / Indigenous Peoples (ICC/IP) and other disadvantaged communities in Mindanao. It is being implemented in the provinces of North Cotabato, Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur, and Zamboanga del Sur.

A landmark program, the initiative has contributed largely to the formulation and passage of the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-01 (Guidelines on the Delivery of Basic Health Services for Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples) signed by the Department of Health, Department of Interior Local Government, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Ambassador Jessen will see first-hand the gains and accomplishments of IP MNCHN Project-Mindanao at Pamulaan Center for Alternative Education at USEP Mintal Campus.In partnership with Pamulaan Foundation, the project helps in strengthening the Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) of the five project sites through “Leadership and Organization Capacity Training” of IP leaders.

Among the achievements of the project is the formulation of the Ancestral Domain Investment Plan for Health (ADIPH) which has become the basis of LGU fund allocation for IP health programs and services at the municipal and provincial levels.The project has also initiated the creation of Service Delivery Networks of health service providers within and outside the ancestral domains of the five project sites.

Its scholarship grant for midwifery courses is supporting 15 IP youths. Financial and technical support for 52 scholars of midwifery board review and examination have also been provided where 24 of them have passed the examination and are now licensed midwives.

Davao City Health Office lines up 2016 projects

By Christine Joice C. Cudis

DAVAO City Health Office (CHO) prioritizes health facility enhancement, population management, and environmental sanitation among their projects lined up for completion this 2016.

Aside from the immunization of more than 10,000 children who did not receive the vaccines last year, CHO vows to improve access to quality hospitals and health care facilities.

Government-owned and operated hospitals are to be upgraded to accommodate more patients and house up-to-date facilities.

"Huge percentage of the government's budget goes to the hospitals so we could provide better health care and assistance to those who needs it," said City Health Officer Dr. Josephine Villafuerte.

At present, there are already 17 established health centers in the city. It houses birthing facilities and machines for the treatment of tuberculosis patients.

However, some of the centers which are still under construction were temporarily put to stop as the budget is still to come on February.

Meanwhile, CHO will concentrate on conducting immunization to children below 12 months, population management, and environmental sanitation.

Indoor archery range opens in Davao

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

BRINGING new life to the art of archery and fulfilling fantasies of many to master the sports of bow and arrow, Gandiva Archery, one of the prime movers in popularizing archery as a sport discipline launched on Saturday its first provincial branch in Davao City.

Perching at the Adventure Zone of Gaisano Mall of Davao, 4th floor, Gandiva, the first-ever indoor archery range in Mindanao is widely open for both archery sports enthusiasts and individuals looking for a new hobby.

“We finally decided to put up a branch here after the very successful and overwhelming response of Davao market when we participated the Denim Festival staged in G-Mall during the Kadayawan Week Festival in 2015,” Gadadhar Bismark, president of Gandiva Inc. said in an interview with Sun.Star Davao.

Joseph Bismark, founder of Gandiva, in his speech during the opening ceremony, said that they are bullish that Davao will embrace the bow and arrow athletics.

“With this Davao launch, we will introduce a new hobby for Davaoenos but not limited to first-timers. As Mindanao already have few enthusiasts in archery, this first indoor range concept will surely keep up to their needs,” he said.

During the launch, the City of Koronadal Archery Team (CKAT) graced the event.

At present, Gandiva initially offers archery packages that include rental, equipment selling, and equipment repairs and servicing. The archery branch is planning to offer soon archery lessons, outdoor archery range setup and facilitation.

In its bid to pursue its mission of becoming a one-stop shop for fitness, focus and fun, archery-goers will be assisted with one main coach and four assistants to keep the “archers” guided, safe and learn the basics of archery.

“One of our main goal here is for the customers to harness archery skills in a fun and fulfilling experience that is good for the mind and body,” Cyvir Sazon Gandiva-Davao operations manager for her part said.

Gandiva, named after the celestial bow of Arjuna, the hero of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, was first put in 2009 at the SM Mall of Asia to support archery as a sport and the Department of Education’s efforts to promote the bow and arrow athletics on a grass-root level.

In its pursuit to push archery to a wider range, Gandiva unfolded a bigger range (nine lanes, 18-meter range) in Ortigas Center, Pasig City in 2011.

Gandiva, living with its mission and vision will continue to promote and introduce archery as a sport as it will train one how to achieve mind focus, target their aim and eventually reach calmness and peace of mind.

For more information, reservations and updates kindly email davao@gandiva.com.ph or visit website www.gandiva.com.ph.

New budget hotel to open soon in Davao

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

DAVAO City’s hotel rooms will reach over 8,000 with the opening of the Go Hotel Davao, a budget hotel by next month.

Go Hotel-Davao, an eight-storey accommodation facility located Km 7 JP Laurel Avenue, Lanang, Davao City has a capacity of 183 rooms.

“When it will be open this February, Davao City as a whole will have more than 8,000 hotel and accommodation rooms,” Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC), Ivan C. Cortez said.

Based on the Board of Investments’ (BOI)-Davao Extension Office data, Go Hotel Davao branch invested some P338.7 million for the project and generating 25 employment opportunities.

The Davao branch is a joint project of Robinson Land and Davao City-based Udenna Development Corp. (Phoenix Petroleum).

“Go Hotel–Davao will be given local fiscal incentives after its applications was approved by Davao City Investment Incentive Board last year,” Cortez said.

Meanwhile, tourist arrivals in Davao Region reached a total of 1,874,587 from January to September 2015, or an increase of 4.10 percent as compared to 1,800,726 during the same period in 2014.

Of the figure, domestic travelers totaled 1,763,173 while foreign visitors recorded 107,421.

“Most of the tourists were reported in Davao City with 411,124,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Davao regional director, Roberto Alabado III earlier said.

This is followed by Davao del Norte (147,848), Davao Oriental (21,273), Davao Del Sur (2,817), and Compostela Valley (4,092).

Tourism players and official attributed the increase of tourist arrivals to the success in the various tourism promotions that position the region as one of the key areas to visit in the country.

This year's staging of the Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) during summer months is seen to further bring the tourism arrivals up a notch higher through big discounts on accommodations, food, mall-wide sale, and tour packages, among others.

President Aquino switches on Mindanao's biggest coal plant in Davao

By Lilian C. Mellejor [(PNA), LAP/LILIAN C. MELLEJOR/LDP]

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 8 (PNA) -- President Benigno Aquino III on Friday led the switching on of the 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant of the Therma South Inc. that is expected to lessen power fluctuations in Mindanao.

“We can count on it to consistently produce 300 megawatts of baseload power, which means that this capacity can be tapped into anytime, rain or shine, with very minor fluctuations,” Mr. Aquino said in his speech during the inauguration ceremony. The plant is located in the borders of Davao City in Binugao, Toril and Inawayan in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

The President emphasized on the plant’s dependable capacity which is roughly equivalent to one-fifth of the Mindanao grid’s highest peak demand in 2015.

He lauded the plant’s operation as it would encourage other private partners to open more baseload power plants. Already, the government private sector partners have committed to undertake at least 11 other power projects in Mindanao that will come online between 2016 and 2020.

The projects, according to the Chief Executive, are envisioned to produce at least another 675.30 megawatts of power which will be more than enough to cover the projected increase in demand in five years' time.

Even with the coming in of other power source projects, Mr. Aquino said the government has not forgotten its goals to develop renewable energy and commitment to mitigate climate change. He said the country cannot just rely on coal.

“We have increased our usage of renewables, and they now make up 33 percent of our energy mix; we have reduced the number of illegal logging hotspots by 88 percent; and in 2011, we started a National Greening Program, the goal of which is to plant 1.5 billion trees on 1.5 million hectares by this year. We did all this even if our nation’s carbon emissions are minimal especially compared to more industrialized countries,” he said.

According to him, the Mindanao situation has made it obvious that the country needs more baseload power.

Mr. Aquino stressed that the operation of the coal plant is timely as Mindanao is now facing shortage in power supply, recalling how the island suffered from very little energy surplus.

The coal plant is the country’s first coal dome. TSI started construction of the plant in 2012 when the country was still reeling from power crisis. TSI of the Aboitiz Group invested P35 billion in the project and hired 4,500 local workers.

Erramon Aboitiz, CEO of the Aboitiz Power, said they are determined to help solve the Mindanao power problem.

Aboitiz disclosed they have 20 electric cooperatives and distribution utilities including its own Davao Light and Power Company, which has contracted 100MW.

“We will help Mindanao sustain its economic growth,” Aboitiz said. Among the areas that will benefit from the coal plant project are Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan and Zamboanga.

Aboitiz also vowed not do anything that is not good for Davao. He said they are delivering clean coal. “TSI will showcase what a coal plant is,” he said.

TSI is importing coal from Kalimtan in three shipments per month. It needs 3,400 tons of coal to run the plant per day.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional director Marcus Fragada assured that DENR will frequently monitor the air quality and implication of the plant's operation to nearby rivers and sea water.

Although the impact of the plant operation cannot be experienced as yet, Fragada said a multi-sectoral monitoring team will meet every month to do assessment of its operation and implementation of safeguards.

“All will be addressed by a multi-sectoral monitoring,” Fragada assured. He said DENR also plans to establish an air quality station.

Davao City Water District constructing 3 production wells

By Christine Joice C. Cudis

THE DAVAO City Water District (DCWD) is currently building three production wells to produce enough water in the city as some areas are experiencing "no water pressure" on some hours of the day.

In an interview with Sun.Star Davao on Wednesday, DCWD spokesperson Attorney Bernardo Delima said that they are targeting to finish the additional production wells in the last quarter of 2016.

Low or no pressure water are experienced by the establishments or residence which are located in areas far from the production wells or those which are on the elevated parts of the city which are in Lanang, Pampanga, and Sasa.

The problem has been experienced some years back but this was already resolved but with the growth in number of residents and establishments, the problem has returned.

"In peak hours, humihina ang flow ng water in those areas kasi marami ang gumagamit. Since, sila yung nasa malalayo o matataas na areas, sila ang naapektohan," Delima explained.

Each of the production wells costs P25 million. This is the reason why it took some time before DCWD could start constructing the three.

At present, there are 55 production wells that supplies water in the whole city. 37 are in the Dumoy area where the additional three are being made. Delima added that if the Hydropower plant in Tamugan River is the ultimate solution. DCWD eyes its completion by 2019. By then, the would be 58 production wells will serve as an alternative source of water as the plant will be able to supply to the whole city.

DOT-11 pushes campaign for "Visit Davao again" in 2016

(PNA), BNB/LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 6 (PNA) -- The regional office of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is kicking off an aggressive campaign to entice tourists to visit Davao again in line with Visit Philippines 2016.

DOT 11 director Roberto Alabado III said the essence of the campaign is to encourage tourists who have visited the city to come back and explore more of Davao's tourism products.

"They still have a lot to do and the three days two nights stay in Davao City is not enough for one who is enjoying what is best in Davao," he said.

The campaign commenced last year when it launched the "Summer In December", a photo exhibit featuring the tourism sites of Davao in coordination with Park Inn.

He said the campaign also includes "where to go" of the best places in Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley Province.

Alabado said it has been their continuing advocacy for the tourists to come.

Meanwhile, Alabado disclosed a continuing increase in tourist arrivals because of the strong domestic market especially that Davao has become a MICE (Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) destination.

The foreign market is there to complement our tourist arrivals, he said.

He said the new direct air connection of Davao-Singapore will add up to the number of foreign tourists and 'balikbayans'.

Monorail project set to go to PPP Center

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

WITH the National Economic Development Authority (Neda)’s acknowledgement of the proposed 28-kilometer monorail mass transportation system for Davao City, the City Private-Public Partnership (PPP) Board is set to endorse the project to the National Government through the PPP Center on Friday.

The project proponent is Korea Engineering and Construction (KEC), a Korean firm.

The proposed project will traverse from Toril to the Davao International Airport.

“After we will finish the preparation of the necessary documents, maybe this Friday then we will endorse it formally to the PPP Center,” Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) officer-in-charge Ivan C. Cortez told reporters Monday at the sidelines of the Kapehan sa Dabaw at the SM City Annex.

Upon endorsement, PPP Center will receive the copies of the monorail project feasibility study and proposal paper.

In an earlier report, the KEC already submitted its feasibility study to Davao City PPP Board in May of this year.

The proponent is eyeing to start commercial operations with initial 36 trains by 2021, the exact year when the National Government projected that Davao City will need a train system to provide service to the transport needs of the Davaoenos.

“As the mass transport system similar to the Light Railway Transit (LRT) and Mass Railway Transit (MRT) is under the jurisdiction of the National Government, we will recommend the project to concerned national agencies like the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and Philippine National Railways (PNR), so after it will be endorsed formally to PPP Center then the ball will be now to them,” Cortez said.

Based on the project description, the project’s total investment cost between 2016 up to 2020 is estimated at P40 billion including land acquisition and contingency.

The monorail’s daily passenger volume is projected at 92,000 in 2021 and is expected to double at 253,000 passengers per day in 2040.

The project’s annual operating cost is pegged at some P880 million.

Passengers proposed fare is P15 for the first three kilometers and an additional of P1.50 per succeeding kilometer.

Meanwhile, DCIPC supports the push of institutionalizing into law the government's PPP infrastructure centerpiece to highlight the role of the private sector as an important driver for national growth and development.

"Any legal support measure to PPP projects is a welcome development. Institutionalizing the PPP Center will enable the center to have more teeth in the implementation of government programs leading toward the PPP projects to materialize,” Cortez said earlier.

He added that as far as the city is concerned, it has already its own enabling law for PPP projects to be implemented which will be undertaken by the city government.

At present, the bill awaits the House plenary action to retain the PPP Center’s existing organization structure and staff, as well as the existing policy-making Cabinet-level PPP Governing Board.

Business boom is real

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

BUSINESS in Davao City continues to boom as capitalization of all the existing, expanding, and new business establishments in the city reached a total of P214 billion as of November 20, 2015.

The November record of the city’s Business Bureau office as reported by the Davao City Investment Promotion Center showed some 1.4 percent increase as compare to last 2014’s annual business capitalization record at P211.9 billion.

Speaking in Monday’s Kapehan Sa Dabaw edition at the SM City Annex, Ivan C. Cortez, officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) told reporters that from January to November 20 of last year, the city recorded a total of 37,785 business establishments, 34, 711 of which were issued with business permits.

“Every after year we really expect and experience growth on the business establishments and capitalization. We can attribute the increase in business capitalization to the increasing number of small businesses being merged into one business entity and of course the business climate and environment here is very alive and healthy, also the good return of investment (ROI) undoubtedly Davao is keep on becoming a big market for investments and businesses,” Cortez said.

Of the total P214 billion business capitalization, P209.8 billion were poured by the business establishments that renewed business permits while P4.2 billion is contributed by the new business establishments.

Based on the data provided by DCIPC, Business Bureau recorded a total of 5,630 new business establishments that applied for permits, 4,880 of which were issued.

Furthermore, the data showed that businesses here in the city have an 81 percent survival rate as of November of last year. The final report is expected to reach around 88.19 percent for the whole year of 2015.

Meanwhile, Department of Trade and Industry Davao region director, Maria Belenda Q. Ambi for her part said that as per Board of Investment (BOI) report, Davao Region reached a total of P1.4 billion in new investments.

“Biggest bulk of the new investments in Davao Region is contributed by the real property development, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), among others,” Ambi said.

Cortez also noted that the retail and service industry take the lead in the city’s economic activities.

However, he underscored that to attain more sustainable growth in the city’s economy, continued increase in investments must be poured down to manufacturing and Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) sector.

“BPO and manufacturing activities will generate real growth because there will be continuous activities of production.

Of the total business establishments here, only 5 percent is for the manufacturing sector but good thing is negotiations is ongoing in establishing manufacturing areas in the city,” Cortez said.

For prospects in 2016, both DCIPC and DTI Davao is bullish that positive growth will continue in the city and the region.

“If Davao will sustain its friendly and healthy business climate and environment, definitely not only international investments will keep on coming but local businesses will also expand,” Ambi said.

Davao-based dessert company to open store soon

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

GET yourself some taste of classic as LaraMia, a Davao-based Dessert Company that is set to open its first and newest concrete dessert parlor in March 2016.

As a budding food business, LaraMia Dessert Company will kick off the year with expansion located at the Talisay St. Juna Subdivision Matina, Davao City to cater the growing dessert-loving customer demand in and outside the city.

"We are very excited to open our very first store here, finally our valued customers can now dine in our dessert parlor," said Lara Tonogbanua, owner of LaraMia.

She said the decision to finally put up a store came after they observed an increasing demand, as orders keep on coming even during ordinary days.

At present, the store is under construction and development.

When asked how the sales were during the yuletide season and the rest of the year 2015, Tonogbanua said that 2015 was a very good year.

"Our sales, so far is performing well, however we have not checked yet if it was better in 2015 than last 2014, but definitely busier this year because we offered and added more range of product and dessert choices," she said.

Tonogbanua said that LaraMia now offers chocolate s'mores broundies, white chocolate matcha broundies, and almond financier, among others.

LaraMia is known as a classic dessert companion with its chocolate walnut fudge, an heirloom recipe that dates back to the 1920s.

A recipe passed by their great grandmother Concepcion "Enas" Sarenas, the wife of Juan A. Sarenas, former mayor of Davao City who served from 1943 until 1944.

The Chocolate Fudge is also available in new flavors for the modern palate such as Vanilla Almond, Sea Salt, Mint and Chili flavor.

"Our love food, travel and family inspired us to recreate our great grandmother's well-loved recipes, as well as innovate," she added.

Aside from fudge variants, LaraMia Desserts Company also offers Fruit and Nut Cakes, French Macarons, Double chocolate cookies, brownies, white chocolate tart, chocolate Financier, Meringue with Davao Chocolate Nibs, Hot Chocolate spoons and more made especially for sweet-toothed beings within everyone.

Also, the budding food business supports Davao Cacao as it offers Meringue Drops with Davao Cacao nibs at a very affordable price.

Power utility installs solar-charging station to benefit lumad barangay in Davao City

By Manuel Cayon

DAVAO CITY—The power-utility firm Davao Light and Power Co. said it has installed a solar-charging station inside the off-grid community of the Manobo tribe in the northern hinterlands of Marilog district.

The solar-charging station would be the community’s most recent access to electricity, and the better alternative to the costly gas lamps they are currently using, said Fermin Edillon, Davao Light manager for community relations.

The charging station is in Sitio Indawhong, Barangay Salaysay, of Marilog District, 60 kilometers north of the northern outskirts of Barangay Calinan, or 90 kilometers north of downtown.

Edillon said the village is within the franchise of Davao Light, but the company could not service it because of its off-grid location.

Sitio Indawhong, populated by the Manobo tribe, is 20 kilometers away from the nearest access to electricity.

“With the newly installed solar-charging station, the residents will now be able to roam around the community at night and enjoy entertainment from radio and mini TV sets,” he said. He said the lumads would no longer depend on kerosene lamps whose gas costs P60 for four days to six days. The families also spend P150 more going to and from the nearest gas station for kerosene.

“As a start, Davao Light has provided batteries and three LED lamps each to 24 households in Sitio Indawhong. Prior to the turnover, electrical house wiring, bulb receptacles and convenience outlets were installed to the houses of these beneficiaries. With this, light is just a click away,” Edillon said.

Davao Light said it would “follow the same concept being implemented in the first three solar-charging station projects of Davao Light in three far-flung barangays in Davao City.” The company said in a statement that it would still be collecting P30 for the charging of the batteries. It said the charged batteries would last for 40 to 60 days.

The company said the income it would derive would be used also by the community for its other projects to undertake.

To sustain the project, Davao Light said it linked up with the Ateneo de Davao University’s Mindanawon Initiative for Cultural Dialogue program to provide the residents training on capacity-building.

“A group of men and women from the tribe would be organized to train them how to handle the day-to-day operations like collection, maintenance and other activities necessary for the solar-charging station. Other related training will follow to help them sustain the operations, including technical assistance,” Davao Light said.

“The most rewarding part of a job well done is seeing genuine joy in many faces for a gift that they have all been waiting for for years,” the company said. The installation of the charging station was done on December 22, two months after the company made a series of visits to install the wiring and the lamps in the households.

Govt set to pursue Davao port bidding

By Darwin G. Amojelar

The Transportation Department said it will pursue the bidding of the P19-billion Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project in 2016, despite the objection by the Davao city council.

Transportation undersecretary for planning Rene Limcaoco said the agency would conduct a series of consultations with the bidders this month to resolve issues surrounding the government’s first port project under the public-private partnership program.

Limcaoco said the department would hold one-on-one consultations with San Miguel Holdings Corp.-APM Terminals Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and Portek International Pte Ltd.-National Marine Corp. Consortium on Jan. 18.

It would also hold talks with International Container Terminal Services Inc. and Asian Terminals Inc.-DP World FZE Consortium on Jan. 19 and with Ballore Africa Logistics on Jan. 20.

The consultations with the prequalified bidders will be held at the Philippine Ports Authority’s head office in South Harbor, Manila.

The department earlier moved the bid submission for the project to Feb. 26 from Jan. 11, 2016.

The agency pushed back the schedule because of numerous requests from pre-qualified bidders and to give them more time to conduct technical, financial and legal due diligence.

The Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Davao had issued a resolution stopping the Sasa port bidding because of “the irregular procedure as well as the various questions raised against the Sasa Port Modernization project now being bid out without prior consultation and expressed approval of the local government as provided for by the Local Government Code.”

The winning bidder will build a new apron and linear quay, expand the back-up area, container yards and warehouses and install ship-to-shore cranes and rubber-tyred gantry.

The government said once the first phases of the project were completed by 2018, the Sasa Port would be comparable to the country’s top ports in terms of speed and quality of service, cutting down cargo unloading from three days to three hours by using modern ship-to-shore cranes and port operating systems.

Davao thrives in banana exports, being the second largest exporter of the fruit in the world. A study conducted by International Finance Corp. and the Development Bank of the Philippines showed that container traffic in the Davao area would increase by at least 6 percent annually over the next 25 years.

The government said without the added capacity of a modernized Sasa Port, there would be a strong chance of shortage in port capacity in Davao Bay, which might affect small banana growers.

Apart from added capacity, the proximity of the Sasa Port to banana plantations will help growers save at least P8,000 in trucking costs per delivery.

Sasa wharf currently has a capacity of 700,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, but the PPA expects the volume to rise to 1.2 million TEUs in the next five years.

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