Cagayan de Oro City News October 2018

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Cagayan de Oro City within Misamis Oriental

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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Cagayan de Oro City Public Market
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The river of cagayan de oro city
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St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral

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.
Limketkai Center Mall, Cagayan de Oro City.jpg
Flood Waters in the streets of Cagayan de Oro City
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Cagayan de Oro City Buildings
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Bus Terminal, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City

CDO, dairy authority undertake 120-day milk feeding program

By Ercel Maandig (PNA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The local government here and the National Dairy Authority in Region 10 (NDA-10) have agreed to jointly undertake a milk feeding program amounting to PHP1.9 million.

Under the partnership deal signed between NDA-10 Manager Roy Antonio Hojas and Mayor Oscar Moreno on Monday (Oct. 29), the feeding would run for 120 days starting next month up to March next year.

Moreno said the program would provide chocolate-flavored fresh milk to about 1,230 children age three to five. The milk will be supplied by a cooperative-run dairy processing company based in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.

The supplier -- the Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperative -- availed last year of a PHP20 million support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the improvement of its facilities.

Moreno said the program will initially start in at least 14 villages.

"The city government is committed to pursue this program with the support of the City Council (members) who appropriate the budget," Moreno said, adding he hopes the feeding initiative will eventually cover the city's 80 villages.

The mayor said the local government has won the Green Banner Award for Nutrition for two consecutive years because of its nutrition initiatives.

Meanwhile, Hojas underscored the importance of dairy-based nutrition program, pointing out the country's National Dairy Sufficiency rate stands at only 1 percent.

This means, he said, the country cannot cope with the demand of fresh milk for population --especially undernourished children.

Liceo wins ecopark design challenge

By PJ ORIAS

THE design of a group of students from Liceo de Cagayan University was chosen as the concept design for the rehabilitation of the old dumpsite in Zayas, barangay Carmen.

One of the designers, Liceo civil engineering student Larry Jade Bacalares, said the ecopark they envision represents the history of Cagayan de Oro. He said it will also feature and honor the tribes in the city.

Bacalares said the park would showcase a cultural village in a botanical garden setting.

It will serve as a learning center for ecotourism, ethnic arts, and flora and fauna that are endemic to Northern Mindanao.

It will have cozy guest cottages, a camp ground, recreational area, picnic shed, orchidarium, tropical zoo garden, restaurants, amphitheater, and a hall.

It will also have a bike trail and several fun rides such an extreme coaster ride.

It will also have a store where former scavengers can sell their products as their new means of livelihood.

The ecopark challenge was participated in by four universities, namely Liceo, Xavier University, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, and Cagayan de Oro College.

As the winner, Liceo will receive P60,000 cash, while the rest of the participating schools will get P10,000 each.

City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) head Armen Cuenca said all of the designs will be made as reference to the final design of the old landfill.

The final design will be drawn up by the City Engineering Office.

This initiative is part of the city government's efforts to transform the 17-hectare old dumpsite into an eco-park.

Cuenca said the old dumpsite will have a botanical and butterfly gardens, lagoon, basketball court, bike lane, jogging area, and an amphitheater.

The city government recently received a grant of P35 million from the Department of Budget Management (DBM) for the old dumpsite's initial phase of its rehabilitation. It will be used for land development.

The Zayas dumpsite was closed last year for various violations. The city opened an engineered landfill in Barangay Pagalungan, 16 kilometers away from the city proper.

Oro council to deliberate on P6.5-B proposed budget

By PJ ORIAS

THE Cagayan de Oro City Council is set to start its deliberation on the proposed P6.5-billion budget for 2019.

City Mayor Oscar Moreno estimates that the total resources will reach P6.5 billion, or P5.88 billion from the general fund and P619.459 million from the Special Account-Economic Enterprises.

Tax revenues from local sources are expected to contribute P3.207 billion, or 49.35 percent of the total budget, while non-tax revenues are expected to reach P1.022 billion, or 15.73 percent of the total proposed budget.

The city expects external resources to reach P1.761 billion, or 27.11 percent of the total budget.

Meanwhile, the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share is P1.665 billion, or 25.62 percent, an increase of about 10.13 percent from the 2018 level.

Moreno said his objective next year is to provide more responsive services in education, health, adequate shelter, employment opportunities, and agricultural and fishery extension services.

Creating more jobs will also be a priority, by strengthening the City Jobs Placement Bureau.

Already, Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy expressed support for the proposed budget as long as it improves services to the people. He, however, assured that the deliberations will be thorough.

In 2018, Moreno proposed a P5.8-billion budget. He pointed out that when he creates a budget proposal, it is always ambitious.

Kumbira show pushed as tourism event for BIMP

By PJ ORIAS

MAKING Cagayan de Oro’s signature culinary show Kumbira be featured in the other cities that are part of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) is one of the proposals pushed during its joint tourism development cluster meeting here two weeks ago.

City Investments and Promotion Officer Eileen San Juan said it was Tourism Assistant Secretary Rica Bueno who recommended that Kumbira can also be made a signature event in other BIMP events in the different parts of the world.

Kumbira is an annual event of the city held every fiesta celebration which features the best culinary chefs and aspiring chefs all over the country

“We are trying to propose for next year [2019] that there will also be participation of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia delegations in the Kumbira activity as a culinary event. We will look into the certification requirements of tourism industry, so among the BIM countries, we will also look into their certification requirements,” she added.

Also discussed is strengthening Cagayan de Oro’s flight connectivity to other BIM areas, tourism access and support infrastructure, human resource development, ecotourism, and improving tourism in the East Asean growth areas.

The joint tourism development cluster meeting was the last of a series of meeting conducted in the different parts of the country in 2018.

YouthWorks PH launches in Oro

By JO ANN SABLAD

THE youth training and employment project, YouthWork PH, officially launched its program last Thursday, October 25, in Mallberry Suites Business Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City, bringing together partners from the local government, the private sector and the academe.

Co-implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), the P1.7-billion five-year workforce development project seeks to improve access to quality training and employment opportunities by providing access to work-based training to 40,000 Filipino youth in education, employment or training (NEET) and training at least 1,000 youth NEET per year.

"What we really want to do is help the youth feel empowered, to feel that they can achieve things that they can be successful, that they have a lot of options," YouthWorks PH Chief of Party Karol Mark Yee said.

"We want to give everyone the opportunity to also choose training as a path way, that you can do training that is maybe 3 months, 6 months, one year. And that after you train, you can easily find employment. We have to understand the context of our youth. Hindi lahat ng kabataan kayang mag aral ng apat ng taon tapos walang gagawin," he added.

(Not all youth can afford to study for four years and will not be doing anything)

The project has chosen Cagayan de Oro City as its site for its first year of implementation due to the city's promising growth sectors in agriculture, banking and finance, construction, hospitality and tourism, and manufacturing, according to Yee.

At present, the project is on its mapping and designing stage, gathering the local government, private sectors and the academe together in a discussion to design a training suited to each of the five aforementioned sectors.

"And we're coordinating with the youth councils and youth organizations para they can bring us to the youth or introduce us to them," Yee said.

“We give them an opportunity to train and find employment,” he added.

Currently, the Cagayan de Oro Technical Institute has already offered 100 slots for trainees in the construction and hospitality sectors. The Skills Mastery Institute, a private trade school in the city, also committed 100 training slots in the construction and agriculture-fisheries sectors.

Yee said that after the mapping and designing, by January and February, the YouthWorks PH will be holding a career caravan in different communities or barangays to introduce the project to the youth.

"By January and February, we will go down na to the communities and talk to the youth to tell them about the project, to tell them about the opportunities and then give them the chance to already apply," Yee said.

"We are inviting companies to invest in the future of Cagayan de Oro City as we go out to engage the youth for our exciting training programs for our pioneering bath this March 2019," he added.

Apart from Cagayan de Oro, the project is also implemented in Cebu, Manila, Zamboanga, Davao, General Santos City and Iloilo in the coming months.

Power firm teaches host communities how to save lives

By Lloyd Revilla (/Hedcor, AboitizPower)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--Around 70 residents from Barangays Guilang-Guilang in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, as well as Jose Rizal and Sibulan in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, were equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to help save lives.

Much of a person’s survival during disasters depends on one’s ability to act with urgency and make important decisions under pressure as well as the swift provision of medical assistance.

When one is prepared for disasters, not only do they overcome fear and anxiety, but also avert great damage brought by calamities.

Recognizing the need to prepare its host communities for such events, AboitizPower subsidiary Hedcor organized a series of safety trainings for various villages in Mindanao early this year.

“I will make sure to practice everything I learned here so that in case of emergencies, I will be capable of helping others and teaching the same to members of my family,” Barangay Guilang-Guilang Councilor Joy Rosana Sugalang, one of the participants, said.

In partnership with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, Hedcor conducted a First Aid and Basic Community Disaster Preparedness training, which included Basic Water Safety training, to support its host communities’ respective Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils.

“I’m really thankful to Hedcor for giving us this opportunity to be trained in first aid and basic community disaster preparedness,” Sugalang added.

All of these are expected to help the community prepare, manage, and strategize in the event of calamities or emergencies, especially that these barangays are in far-flung areas of Bukidnon and Davao del Sur.

Hedcor also donated medical equipment, medical supplies, and a cabinet to the barangays while each participant was given their own first aid kit.

This firm, Hedcor, is the run-of-river hydropower arm of AboitizPower operating 21 power facilities in the country with a total rated capacity of 245 MW.

By advancing business and communities, Hedcor envisions ‘A Better Future’ through Cleanergy, AboitizPower’s brand for clean and renewable energy.

30 establishments in NorMin bag Bagwis Awards

By JO ANN SABLAD

A TOTAL of 30 business establishments in Northern Mindanao have received the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI's) Bagwis Awards during its ceremony on Tuesday, October 23, in Mallberry Suites Business Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City.

Through the DTI Bagwis Awards, retail establishments that uphold the rights of consumers while practicing responsible business where consumers get the best value for money are given due recognition.

It also encourages the setting up of Consumer Welfare Desks in business establishments which will provide information to consumers and serve as a mechanism for the speedy resolution of consumer complaints, according to DTI-Northern Mindanao Regional Director Linda Boniao.

“For you to have a Bagwis award, ibig sabihin (it means), it’s a confirmation that you comply with government regulatory requirements,” Boniao said.

“It’s goodwill for the company and kung ako yung kliyente (if I’m the client), I know that kung mag complain ko, atimanun gyud ko (I would be accommodated),” she added.

On Tuesday, the DTI-Northern Mindanao awarded 17 retail establishments in the region with bronze, namely: S.B. Store, Jinfats Enterprises, Vedmore Inc., Vic Imperial Appliance Corporation, Lucky C.V.K. Hardware, and Desmark Corporation in Bukidnon; Des Markekting Inc. (Yamaha 3S) in Camiguin; Iligan 3D-Map Corporation/7-Eleven, YC Marketing, and Robinson's Supermarket Corporation in Lanao del Norte; Solidmark Inc., Robinson's Handyman, and Honda Des, Inc.-Oroquieta in Misamis Occidental; and Chams Convenience Store-Kong Hua Branch, Chams Convenience Store-Regatta Branch, Chams Convenience Store-Pueblo Branch, and Chams Convenience Store-Medical Branch in Misamis Oriental.

Further, silver awards went to 13 establishments, which includes: Fabulous Jeans & Shirts & General Merchandise, and Unipace Corporation-Gaisano Valencia in Bukidnon; W & M Premium Store in Camiguin; Lloyd Marketing & Car Service Center, J+ Hardware, Kim's Manufacturing Industries, and Robinson's Department Store in Lanao del Norte; Unitrust Electronis & Electrical, and Abacus Book & Card Corporation/National Bookstore in Misamis Occidental; and Abenson Ventures Inc.-Limketkai Branch, Philippine Seven Corporation-Lifestyle District Branch, Philippine Seven Corporation-Gusa Branch, and Philippine Seven Corporation-Tomas Saco Branch in Misamis Oriental.

At present, no establishment received the gold award.

According to Boniao, silver awardees cannot apply for the same award next year unless the award was pulled out from them due to a violation.

Bronze awardees can apply for the silver award next year.

The Bagwis Award ceremony is part of the DTI's set of activities in celebration of Consumer Welfare in the month of October, anchored on the theme: “Making Digital Market Places Fairer.”

This year, DTI focuses on the impacts of digital technology and how it helps in the attainment of product quality and safety conscious society.

However, for Boniao, E-Commerce still have “hitches that need to be ironed out,” especially the complaint policy.”

“They (consumers) should read the fine lines. Before they will order, they should really check the sizes, the quality, before they order. And then, they should read the fine lines like on 'no return, no exchange,'“ Boniao said.

The DTI-Northern Mindanao regional director advised online shoppers to complain also online if they have issues on their product and to seek for online facility that caters on online complaints.

21 Badjao kids get scholarship

By PJ Orias

THE lives of about 21 Badjao kids are changed forever after being chosen as beneficiaries of Oplan Sagip Mag-aaral project of the City Government and the Department of Education (DepEd).

These kids are formerly living in the streets and begging but are rescued by the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) through a series of operations.

Under the program, the city will shoulder the educational expenses of the children, which includes free school supplies and uniform. They are currently enrolled in St. John Puntod Elementary School.

Julius Pamisa, Division head for Community and Social Development of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) said the city government is ready to shoulder the kids' education until college, if they are willing to continue and finish their studies.

Pamisa said the city can identify a city scholarship program that should suit them.

The city, through its Comprehensive Program for Street Children and Street Families, had since been providing intervention programs for Badjao families residing in the city.

In the past, the city has rescued and ferried over 100 Badjao families back to their respective provinces.

Over the years, Badjao families created a small community in Cagayan de Oro, particularly in coastal areas, such as in barangay Bayabas.

Pride March set to step in Oro

By ANGELO LORENZO

CAGAYAN de Oro City will soon witness an array of colors and diversity as Mindanao Pride, an emerging social movement that advocates for the rights and welfare of LGBTQ-identified individuals, will pave the way for the city’s anticipated pride march this December.

Following the tradition of LGBTQ communities across the globe, the pride march aims to empower, validate, and celebrate the existence and aspirations of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer individuals - most of whom had been marginalized and discriminated against in society for their uniqueness in sexuality and identity.

“The dream that started last 2017 is now becoming a reality,” stated Mindanao Pride co-founder and current president Hamilcar Chanjueco. This statement was echoed by the Mindanao Pride’s official Twitter handle.

The Dream Lives

Consonant to CDO’s identity as the city of golden friendship, the upcoming pride march will unify LGBTQ movements across Mindanao. These will be represented by their various members and allies.

The pride march is part of Kadaiyahan (diversity) Festival. Centered on LGBTQ empowerment, the festival aims to unite all LGBTQ movements across Mindanao. This is set to take place within this city from December 5 to 10.

With the support and partnership of the City Government of Cagayan de Oro, Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran (SPARK - a non-government organization that advances women’s rights and welfare), the Embassy of Netherlands, and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), the festival will comprise a variety of activities centered on LGBTQ issues.

Albeit tentative, planned activities include a free film screening during the opening program at Ayala Centrio Mall, a series of lectures and discussions that will reflect the reality of LGBTQ situations across the region and the Philippines, and a training-seminar at the CDO City Hall for local youth leaders that aim to address issues concerning the LGBTQ community and to empower individuals with their identities.

The festival will conclude with the anticipated pride march which, according to Mindanao Pride, will “paint CDO with the colors of the rainbow.”

Organizers of the festival and the pride march also hope for the community within CDO to improve on their perceptions about LGBTQ individuals and to eliminate discrimination and prejudice. To pursue this aim, every step is necessary for the march and the movement to take place.

MisOr, CDO push for 'farm tourism'

By Ercel Maandig (PNA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The provincial government of Misamis Oriental and the city government here are eyeing for a new tourism scheme that could help farming industry as a way to improve lives of farmers and farm owners.

Edmundo Pacamalan, head of the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAGRO), said officials in the province see farm tourism as an avenue to attract guests to visit farm areas in the province for educational and recreational purposes, and at the same time encourage economic activities that can provide both farms and communities get additional income.

These activities include immersing tourists in feeding animals, collecting eggs, hiking, learning nature-based arts and crafts, harvesting vegetables and wine-tasting, among others.

He said the provincial government also envisions to establishing farm schools and welcomes interested individuals in the province to avail of the program and assist them earn better income.

Tourism development is seen to be more dynamic as the provincial government earmarked PHP159 million for infrastructure in 2019.

"This fund will be utilized for the road concreting leading to tourism sites," he said.

Governor Yevgeny Emano has emphasized the need to concretize roads for easy and convenient access for tourists when visiting tourism sites in the province.

"No matter how spectacular the scenery and tourist sites are, if road projects are limited, it is difficult for the tourists to visit sites," he said.

Meanwhile, the City Committee on Trade and Industry chaired by Councilor George Sio Goking, has collaborated with the Committee on Tourism of Councilor Jay Pascual and Committee on Agriculture of Councilor Annie Daba for the farm tourism program, after Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol declared the four towns of Bukidnon as "vegetable center" of the country.

The town of Talakag is among the four which is the nearest to Cagayan de Oro where farm products from the upland villages pass on their way to the loading areas, specifically to the airport, seaport and markets.

Goking said he already conducted a joint meeting with these committees to tackle the resolution of offloading problem of vegetables from Bukidnon and upland villages here.

Early this month, Goking said the Philippine Airlines (PAL) committed to an additional space for vegetable cargoes coming from Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro while the Philippine Air Force's C130 cargo plane also signified their support to DA and the LGU here and Bukidnon especially in times of calamities.

Goking, however, said he asked vegetable traders not to overprice goods.

CDO wins ICT award for PWD online enlistment system

By Ercel Maandig (PNA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY--This city placed second in a national competition among local governments that have already integrated Information Communication Technology (ICT) in government services.

The "eGov Awards" recognized the city's innovative "Persons With Disabilities (PWD) Online ID Registration" system, said Jong Pamisa, PWD online ID registration head, who received the award on October 12 showcased during Monday's flag raising ceremony.

"This is the first online system throughout the country," Pamisa said. "The local Social Welfare and Development Office is very honored about it, headed by City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a, the concurrent City Social Welfare and Development(CSWD) head."

Pamisa said aside from the online ID application, they also bring "door-to-door services" specially for PWDs whose mobility are limited.

Elmer Villamor, a former officer of the PWD group here, said he was elated that their sector has finally been given attention by the local government through innovative systems that take into account their physical disabilities.

Meanwhile, the local government became one of the only 10 LGUs to receive the Galing Pook Award last week.

Cagayan de Oro has won the award twice, given in recognition to LGUs espousing innovative means and initiatives of governance.

For this year, the city's entry was the "No Vote, Ibot" No More: Ending the Political Bondange in Resettlement Areas by Providing Security of Tenure campaign of the City Government."

The initiative is part of the city's resettlement program that grants irregular settlers with land titles.

BPOI opens new facility in Oro

By JO ANN SABLAD

THE Business Process Outsourcing International Inc. (BPOI) has opened a much bigger and better facility on Wednesday, October 17, located at the 5th floor of One Montecarlo Building, along Corrales-Hayes Street, Cagayan de Oro City.

BPOI is a domestic-owned company which has been part of the Finance and Accounting, and HR Capital Solutions outsourcing industry since the 80s.

The company has been operating for nearly 15 years and has earned the reputation as a leading provider of outsourced service.

According to Cristina Concepcion, the CEO and president of BPOI, Cagayan de Oro City is a good venue for the company, particularly in terms of talents and workforce as they find Kagay-anons competent and willing to grow with the company.

“One of the things that we like about being in Cagayan, the challenge of any outsourcing company is really finding talent. We love our experience in Cagayan de Oro. We were able to find talents that we need, they grow with the company and they really become part in fabric of who we are,” Concepcion said.

“And as we look at the next generation of BPOI, how we will manage our future clients and how we manage our current group of businesses, the decision was made that Cagayan de Oro fits our needs, so we expanded our footprint here. It's very natural for us to do,” she added.

The BPO industry in the city has started to boost as several BPOs made efforts in penetrating the city's business sector.

Although, unlike other BPOs that are part of a larger, multi-national organizations or larger firms, the BPOI, despite being a small firm, has been extending its services for several years and took pride of its track record in the business industry.

“Many of our clients have been with us for decades so we've got a track record for this business. We might be small but we are aggressive. We're doing things in changing the way they work in ways that quite frankly our competition is still unable to do,” Concepcion said.

“And I think a lot of that, in the field of robotics for example, are some of the things that we will introduce here so that will be interesting for a lot of people,” she added.

Another interesting thing is, as opposed to typical BPOs, BPOI has no night shift.

The company also takes into consideration the needs of its employees, as such, the location of their new facility is anchored on their employees concern on food and transportation.

“When we were looking for space, it took us about a year and a half to find this. In fact, there was another space that we looked at actively and we almost pulled the trigger for that space but it was our people who were the ones who said ‘Can we find another space where the food would be cheaper and easier to get to?’” Concepcion shared.

“And I think, perhaps, given the fact that this is like a university area, I think it’s easy for them to find food or transport. We kinda like the fact that just a few steps away, there’s access to public transportation but the moment you come inside, it’s almost like a compound of its own. That, actually for us, is part of the appeal,” she added.

At present, the BPOI is starting to come up with products that can cater to the business network of the city.

“We're beginning to build products that are more bite-size, that are smaller in chunks to be able to cater to the ecosystem that we have here,” Concepcion said.

SM opens CDO Downtown Tower

(SunStar Cagayan De Oro)

THE latest development of SM Prime Holdings Inc., the SM CDO Downtown Tower, is now open for leasing after it was officially launched last Wednesday, October 17.

Strategically located at the heart of Cagayan de Oro City, the Downtown Tower is a premier office building with state of the art facility which aims to provide economical, flexible and conveniently located prime office spaces.

It is the only business process outsourcing (BPO) building in the region with a helipad. It is also equipped with a 24/7 security and engineering support and an uninterrupted electric and water supply.

The tower is interconnected to the mall through the Sky Park at the 5th level access which is expedient for those who wish to dine in the mall's various restaurants, take a coffee break in their favorite coffee shop, do some grocery shopping, watch movies at the cinema, or go to the gym after office hours.

According to Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, who was present during the launching of the Downtown Tower, it was heart-warming that the SM placed its vote of confidence and trust to the city by establishing the tower.

The mayor also expressed optimism in the tower's appeal to the investors who might be interested in investing in the city.

“As far as the BPO industry, we're one of those cities that is in the eye of the investors for them to come. And having this kind of facility is actually a blessing because it’s something that we can offer,” Eileen San Juan, Local Economic and Investment Promotions officer, said.

“Kami naman, in the local government, we will see to it that we work together with them, we make sure that they'll be able to place their business here,” she added.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. is one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia that offers innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities and the development of malls, residences, offices, hotels and convention centers.

It is also the largest, in terms of asset and income base in the Philippines.

SM City Cagayan de Oro awarded well-equipped breastfeeding station

(PR)

THE Department of Health (DOH), Center for Health Development-Northern Mindanao awarded SM City Cagayan de Oro the Well-equipped “Breastfeeding Room/Lactation Room” recognition during its Regional Harmonized Awarding at Pearlmont Hotel last October 11, 2018.

DOH commends SM City Cagayan de Oro for making breastfeeding work in a public place.

The mall is also compliant to Republic Act 10028, under the Infant and Young Child Feeding Program 2017.

The SM Cares’ Program on Women and Breastfeeding, on the other hand, highlights women’s fundamental importance to society as a whole through its various initiatives. One of the initiatives is advocating the importance of breastfeeding and promoting it in all SM malls all over the country.

“All SM malls have breastfeeding stations now to cater to the need of nursing mothers,” mall manager Bernadette Flores said.

“Mothers may breastfeed anywhere in the mall or choose to use the breastfeeding station which is fitted for their much needed privacy and extra comfort,” she added.

CDO hospital opens 'kangaroo' unit for premature births

By Ercel Maandig (PNA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The Justiniano R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) here on Friday opened its "Kangaroo Mother Care Unit" for premature newborns.

Dr. Ramon Nery, JRBGH chief, said the new unit is intended to give a "dedicated care" to premature newborn children without being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which usually are mixed with adult patients.

Nery said mothers are allowed to caress and breastfeed their premature newborns, just like a mother kangaroo would.

“A mother kangaroo keeps its baby in a pouch when it is born. The baby kangaroo is protected, fed and brought anywhere the mother goes in its pouch until it is ready to fend for itself,” Nery said.

With its construction partly funded by the Kagay-anons of Northern California, the new kangaroo mother care unit of the city government-operated hospital has beds made up and ready for occupancy.

Nery said the kangaroo mother care unit aims to prevent infant mortality and morbidity in Cagayan de Oro City among premature newborns.

He added that premature newborns in the city have a very low rate, with only nine out of 5,193 births from January to September this year.

The services of the kangaroo unit are free. Those who gave birth in the city hospital will be given priority.

Luzviminda Subanpan, 43, a mother who recently gave birth, said she is happy with this development.

Subanpan said she lost a prematurely-born baby boy nine years ago.

MisOr eyes 'whale watching' as new tourism attraction

By Ercel Maandig (PNA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The Misamis Oriental tourism office is planning to develop "whale watching" as a potential tourism attraction and a preservation effort for the species found in Macajalar Bay.

Jeffrey Saclot, head of the provincial tourism office, said they are now in coordination with the Department of Tourism Region 10 (DOT-10) for the preservation and promotion of whale watching in the province.

Saclot confirmed that the whale species spotted in the vicinity of Salay to Talisayan waters last week was a sperm whale and not whale shark as earlier reported.

"If there's no holding of the ATOP National Convention in the province last week when several whales spotted in the deep of Macajalar Bay, forces of action could be the focus of tourism players especially in the vicinity of the bay where the sperm whales were spotted," he said. On October 3-6, the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) held a national convention.

After the meeting with the Misamis Oriental Provincial Tourism Department and DOT-10 Regional Director May Salvana Uchuan, Saclot will invite mayors of towns in the province where sightings of sperm whales and whale sharks had been confirmed.

Saclot added that meetings and dialogues for an assessment, spot visit and workshop on how to promote the sperm whale appearances in the province will also be organized.

He is also promoting dive and aqua tourism in this part of Northern Mindanao.

In a separate interview, Talisayan town Mayor Rommel Maslog reported that his local tourism team would spearhead the tracing of the coordinates and patterns of the whales through global positioning system (GPS).

Maslog said there is an abundance of sperm whale and whale sharks in Misamis Oriental.

He said there are more sperm whales in the province, however, a number of these were found dead in the shorelines of Macajalar Bay, from Cagayan de Oro to the tip of the Bay in Talisayan and up across Camiguin Island.

In February 2018, a 37-foot sperm whale was found dead in the shoreline of Baloy Village here, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) laboratory analyst for Northern Mindanao, John Roy Obsioma, said.

The usual causes of death of these whales are poisoning as a result of swallowing plastic waste materials or a shark attack.

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