Davao City News April 2016

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Davao City - Archived News
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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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Old 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.

P12.6M service facilities for 610 MSMEs in Davao set

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

A TOTAL of 25 Shared Service Facilities (SSFs) worth P12.6 million has been set up in Davao Region by the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) assisting a total of 610 micro-small medium enterprises (MSMEs) cooperatives, associations and local government units in the region.

DTI-Davao turned over the projects Monday during the regional grand opening of the Negosyo, Konsyumer at Iba pa (NKATBP), a three-day one-stop service caravan at the SMX Convention Center.

"This turnover ceremony of SSFs is part of DTI program designed to increase the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises by providing them with machinery, equipment, tools, systems, skills and knowledge under a shared system,” DTI-Davao regional director Maria Belenda Ambi said.

The 25 projects are the combined list of the established and due for establishment projects. The 25 turned over SSFs generated a total of 2,220 jobs.

Of the P12.6 million worth of projects, bulk of which are in Davao City with five projects amounting to a total of P4.7 million. This is followed by Davao del Norte with P4.2 million, Compostela Valley (P1.5 million), Davao del Sur (P1 million), Davao Oriental (P777,000) and Davao Occidental with P370,000.

Of the 25 projects, four went to the province of Compostela Valley, five each Davao City and the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur and one to Davao Occidental.

For Davao City, the recipients are Talomo River Multipurpose Cooperative for decorticating machine facility, Fatima Multipurpose Cooperative for Corn Milling facility, Macabatug Cooperative Federation for Cacao (Tablea,) processing, Federation of Davao Dairy Farmers Coop for milk processing and Food Processors Innovation Center of Davao Inc. for the upgrading of Food Processing Innovation Center of FPIC, Davao.

Other beneficiaries were LGU Kiblawan for the organic fertilizer production equipment, Tribal Handicraft Makers Association for addendum, Viscaya Plantation Inc. Employees Cooperative for noodle production center, LGU New Bataan for Moringa powder processing facility, among others.

According to DTI website, the SSF project is the major component of the MSME Development (MSMed) Program. It was aimed at improving the competitiveness of MSMEs by providing them with machinery, equipment, tools, systems, skills and knowledge under a shared system.

The SSF Project is being implemented nationwide with project partners termed as Cooperators. The projects have appropriated project funds of P770 million for its implementation nationwide.

DOLE-11 lists 33,927 job vacancies available in Labor Day Job Fair

(PNA), LAP/LCM/LDP/SGP

DAVAO CITY, April 29 (PNA) -- The Department of Labor (DOLE) - Region 11 has listed 33,927 job vacancies for the Labor Day Job Fair in the three big malls in Davao region.

The number of vacancies is expected to increase as the biggest job fair draws near in line with the 114th Labor Day Celebration on May 1.

Of the 33,927 job vacancies as of April 28, DOLE Regional Director Joffrey Suyao said 7,963 are local vacancies from 93 participating local employers while 25,964 are for overseas employment by 28 agencies.

Applicants may apply for about five positions during the job fair.

Suyao said call center agents, production workers, sales personnel, office staff/ admin clerks, accountants, cashiers, customer service representatives, machine operator, waiters/waitresses, and technicians (electronic, computer, auto, production, ECG, HVAC) remain the top ten occupations with most number of vacancies for local employment.

For overseas employment, Suyao said hotel restaurant service workers, household service workers, laborers, technicians (electronic, hull, telecom, auto, and physiotherapy), cleaners, delivery man, sales personnel, and machine operator are top positions for recruitment.

The Job Fair will be held in SM City Davao, GMall Davao, GMall Tagum and GMall Digos. GMall Davao will run the job fair until May 2.

But DOLE regional office advised job seekers to avail of the pre-registration which already started on Tuesday until Saturday, April 30 for SM City Davao, GMall Davao and GMall Tagum. Interested participants in Davao del Sur may pre-register in the nearest municipal Public Employment Services Office (PESO).

Mini job fairs are also being simultaneously held in SM City Davao and GMall Davao.

As of Wednesday, DOLE has already pre-registered a total of 227 applicants and 34 have been hired on the spot (HOTS) during the mini job fairs.

Suyao said applicants should bring bio-data, resume, and supporting documents such as school credentials, training certificates and employment records during the pre-registration and the actual job fair.

Suyao encourages all interested job seekers especially the fresh graduates to “grab the opportunity this coming Labor Day because this is the chance that you can acquire the skills and beef-up our resume for a better opportunity in the future.”

Moreover, a One-Stop Shop will also be available on May 1 in all malls where government agencies such as Social Security System (SSS), PAG-IBIG, Philhealth, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Education and DOLE 11’s Regional Coordinating Committee members will be present to offer services not only for the applicants but will also accommodate walk-in clients.

In line with the job fair, DOLE released some essential tips for job seekers who want to participate in the Labor Day Job Fair 2016.

They are advised to bring multiple copies or photocopies of their documents like: bio-data, resume, school credentials, training certificates and employment records to show your employer; prepare these ahead of time and organize them by sets in an expanding folder to avoid the hassle of searching for a lot of papers during the job fair; know skills, talents, abilities; wear comfortable business attire and bring essentials.

This year, the country is celebrating the 114th Labor Day Celebration with the theme “Kinabukasan Sigurado sa Disenteng Trabaho.”

World-class Children’s home opens in Davao

(PIA/RG Alama)

DAVAO CITY April 28 (PIA)- A modern and cozy residential facility for destitute children was formally inaugurated today (April 28).

The P42-million Children’s Joy Foundation Inc. (CJFI) Residential Care Center located in Barangay Indangan, Buhangin District in Davao City is touted to be the first of its kind in the country.

According to Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, executive pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the founder of the CJFI, the center will house children with the utmost need.

Pastor Quiboloy said that with the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the kids are identified and they will be housed in the center until they graduate from college.

The three-story CJFI Residential Care Center has modern amenities with fully-air-conditioned bedrooms (with beddings and closets), spacious dining room, a playroom, mini-library, social activity rea, clinic, isolation room for sick children, a persons with disability room, counselling room and an observation room for emotional and psychological concerns.

There is also a computer laboratory facility funded through a grant from Dell International Services, a leading computer brand in the world, thus children will have access to Dell’s latest computer technology.

The center can accommodate about 120 children though presently it can initially house 60 kids.

The facility which is eyeing a Level 3 accreditation from the DSWD is funded by the Children’s Joy Foundation Canada and Japan.

Apart from modern facilities the Children’s Care Center offers social services case management, home life, educational, spiritual, psychological, medical and dental , skill development, after-care and sports and recreation services.

“We can accommodate more destitute children, investing in their future to become active contributing members in the community and in the country. This is a small endeavor to help these children. I’m very happy. This is only the beginning, this is not the end.” Pastor Quiboloy said.

Top business execs, leaders gather in Davao

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

SOME 100 business leaders and executives gathered Tuesday during the second Asia CEO Forum at the Marco Polo Hotel-Davao for business matching, benchmarking and networking in a bid to position Davao City a hub for better business operations.

The second edition of the one of the most well-attended business events in the country has brought international key speakers and coaches who discussed on focused topics including “Driving High Performance across Functions” and “Unleashing Incredible Performance in Your Team.”

Lars Wittig, Country Manager of Regus Philippines, the world's leading provider of office space, virtual office services, meeting rooms & business services, in his speech during the event underscored that in succeeding and leading a business, one must familiarize and know the customer’s demands and understand one’s products and services “by heart.”

“It is important to know both your customer and product through that one can harness success in the business industry,” he said.

He also shared that one must identify new key success factors, own new practices and be innovative all the time, to be responsive to change.

Other key speaker who shared their thoughts and techniques in running a business are Carmie de Leon, VP for Sales and Marketing of Healthway Medical; Bjorn Martinoff, President and Founder of The Fortune 100 Coaches Network; and Rebecca Bustamante of Asia CEO Awards.

Asia CEO website bared that the forum “functions as an activist to promote the activities of local and multinational organizations across Southeast Asia."

Asia CEO Forum is staged annually in the country, this year, for the second time Davao City will be hosting the event furthering its bid of being as a premier business destination in the country.

The first Asia CEO Forum staged in the city was conducted last December of 2015.

National Children’s Day held in Davao City

(PIA/RG Alama)

DAVAO CITY (PIA)- Superman, Darth Vader, Elsa, Alladin, Snow White, these are among the many movie and cartoon characters that came to life during this year’s National Children’s Day.

The NCD now on its 11th year was initiated by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, coinciding with his birthday on April 25. Instead of personally celebrating his birthday, he has organized a grand birthday party for children particularly the destitute and the neglected.

Pastor Quiboloy, is the founder and executive pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a Davao City-based Christian denomination which counts 6-million followers in the Philippines and around the world.

A Disneyland-inspired parade with over 100 Children’s characters from Superheroes, robots, fairy tale princesses and cartoon characters began at the morning and is the highlight of the event.

There is free food, refreshments and free rides in a carnival which is situated at the back of the sprawling Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound beside the Davao International Airport.

Aside from the thousands of children, the event is also attended by hundreds of photographers and videographers vying for a P100,000 top prize in the photo and video contest.

The Pastor recounted his poverty-stricken childhood as his motivation in creating the NCD.

“My mother would ask me to go to the store owned by a Chinese to borrow rice. I was so shy to ask; I would stay all day near the store. One day, a kind Chinese took pity on me, gave me rice along with some cans of sardines. I will not forget it.” The Pastor recalled his childhood during the media night held last April 23.

He said he used to bring children to Hongkong Disneyland and realized many other children cannot be accommodated thus he decided in bringing Disneyland to them it became the seed of the present National Children’s Day.

TV network expands digital service in Davao

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

DAVAO CITY, April 25 (PNA) -- Television network ABS-CBN has expanded to Davao market the distributorship of its digital service via the TV Plus.

Sharon Tanganco, marketing head of the network's Digital Terrestial Television (DTT), said they are targeting the C and D market for their product.

"It is also under our Corporate Social Responsibility program," she said.

Tanganco said this is the market that we want to offer a one-time payment for specialized program on television using the digital set top box with no monthly subscription fee or installation fee.

Tanganco said they have designed the programs where it has channels for each member of the family from educational, entertainment and information channels.

"Through the black box Dabawenyos will now enjoy exclusive channels, programs and features in dramatically clear picture and sound," she said.

It also includes Cinemo, the first all-day movie channel on free TV; Yey, the first all-day kids channel without subscription, DZMM Teleradyo, the first all-day news channel, and Knowledge Channel, the first curriculum-based educational channel.

According to her, as they progress they will be adding more channels but programming will be research-based.

Tangango said the television industry has evolved into digitalization and "we want the public to be provided with quality digital service."

Jim Casim, DTT head for sales and distribution said since the launching of the product in February 2015 and up to February 2016 about 1.1 million units of the black box had been sold. In March 2016 their sale accounted to 75,000 unit.

Aside from Davao City, he said they will also service the Island Garden City of Samal.

Casim said they tapped Adtel, technology provider for telecommunication and broadcasting and Iontech, distributor of information technology products that would give Dabawenyos access to a superior entertainment experience.

Halal-tourism project expands

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

WITH a surge in demand in halal tourism, the Department of Tourism (DOT) expanded the scope of the Philippine Halal Tourism Project, engaging more areas that are bent to take advantage of the $3.2 trillion global market.

DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato Jr., during the opening ceremony of the Halal Tourism Expo Friday at the Abreeza Mall of Davao, said Zamboanga, Koronadal, General Santos City, Caraga, Bohol and Siargao intend to be part of the project.

“Originally, we only implemented it (project) to four areas (Manila, Boracay, Cebu and Davao) but we are expanding it to Zamboanga, Koronadal, Gensan, Caraga, Bohol and Siargao as there is a big demand in these areas for Halal. The tourism-oriented establishments there including hotels, restaurants and resorts would also like to welcome the halal project and become part of it,” he told Sun.Star in an interview with Sun.Star Davao at the sidelines of the expo.

Halal food is that which adheres to Islamic law.

The project, which started in January, will look into the whole Halal ecosystem from food, travel, lifestyle and finances.

Originally, the project is targeting 50 tourism-oriented establishments nationwide to be a certified “halal-friendly” by Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines (HICCIP) adhering to international halal standards within this year.

“We had managed to certify with HICCP a total of 16 hotels, resorts all over the Philippines, the other remaining are due end of May,” Boncato said.

Of the figure, Boncato said that six are from Davao City which include Marco Polo Hotel-Davao, Villa Margarita, Zabadani and Southern Phil. Medical Center (Hospital in Davao with Muslim-friendly kitchen), among others. While over 10 establishments are still working on their compliance.

Boncato also said that Baguio and Palawan have showed interest in participating in the project.

Crescent Rating, a Singapore-based halal accreditation body, Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines (HICCIP) and the tourism department will assess the participating establishment on how “halal-friendly” their businesses are.

On the rating, it will be based on the suitability of an establishment as holiday destination, family friendliness, safety with combined percent weight of 40 percent, Muslim friendly services and facilities availability (40 percent) and halal awareness and reach out to Muslims (20 percent).

With the global market value for the halal industry is expected to double from $3.2 trillion to a $6.4 trillion by 2018, major tourism players have been urged to seize opportunities offered by the growing halal industry.

Dole-Davao eyes surpassing 2015’s job fair record

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

THE regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) intends to be at par with or surpass its 2015 employment performance this year in its annual Labor Day Job Fair slated on May 1.

Joffrey M. Suyao, regional director of Dole-Davao Region said 18 percent or 1,624 applicants were hired last year out of the 5,968 qualified applicants during the 2015 Labor Day job fair, three percent higher than their target of 15 percent hiring.

“We still set that target of 15 percent but we are hopeful and bullish that we will level or surpass that record for this year,” Suyao said at the pre-Labor day press conference held at their office.

This year marks the 114th Labor Day Job Fair of Dole. A memorandum of agreement was signed with participating employers on Friday.

In 2016, the labor regional office gathered a total of 127 participating employers. Of the figure, 98 are local employers while 29 are overseas companies. As of April 21, a total of 20,837 (7,011 – local, 13, 826 – overseas) job vacancies will be made available during the job fair.

The number is expected to grow until the cutoff date set next week.

The region-wide job fairs will be staged in Gaisano Mall of Davao, SM Ecoland, Gaisano Mall of Tagum and Gaisano Mall of Digos.

There were a total of 8,628 vacancies for overseas employment with hotel and restaurant service worker having the most vacancies at 1,777, followed by nurse (1,259), household service (1,234), laborer (1,005), and technician (793). Other in-demand overseas jobs include cleaner, driver, delivery man, sales personnel and machine operator.

For the local scene, there were a total of 3,423 jobs posted with call center agent having the most vacancies at 1,781, followed by sales personnel (329), production worker (298), office staff/admin clerk (197), and accountant (169).

Other in-demand jobs include cashier, customer service representative, machine operator, technician and waiter/waitress.

Bulk of the job vacancies are from the overseas manpower industry at 69.55 percent. The remaining are from the agriculture, manufacturing and construction, and service sector.

Dole-Davao Region data bared that for 2015, 28 percent of the total qualified applicants of the 34 job fairs last year were hired.

“Our advise to all the jobseekers, fresh graduates or not, grab every opportunity that is right in front of you, accept whatever job that is being offered and available, this could be your stepping stone and a way of building and honing your skills and talents and to add up for your experience,” Suyao said.

Dole-Davao also encouraged job seekers to join its online pre-registration to seize better opportunities.

Davao City eyes 300K in Guinness bid

(KVC)

THE City Government of Davao targets 300,000 participants for its bid to set a new record of "Most People Singing Simultaneously the Philippine National Anthem" in the Guinness Book of World Record.

Davao City Information Office head, Leo Villareal in a statement sent to Sun.Star Davao, the city now extends invitation to different participants all over the city to join the historical event set at Crocodile Park, Maa, Diversion Road on May 7 at 5 p.m.

He also said that the event is set to be participated by the regional center and other urban cities and municipalities, universities and schools, religious groups, barangays, associations of professionals, family clan and others.

The event was first announced through a Facebook post of Philip Dizon, the chief executive officer of the Crocodile Park, who received a letter from Executive Director and Secretariat of Duterte Camp Marcelino Escalada asking for the camp to be authorized for using the area as the venue for the event.

The letter read that the city is eyeing to break the Guinness Book of World Record of Bangladesh with around 254,250 participants set last March 2014.

"We intend to gather around the country to participate but most of the number will be here in Davao," the letter read.

Cacao project impresses World Bank

(Sun.Star Davao)

THE World Bank gave positive feedback on Davao City’s cacao beans production enterprise funded under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), citing the involvement of 18 farmer cooperatives and associations which will benefit from the project during their field visit here in Barangay Subasta in Calinan.

World Bank task team leader Frauke Jungbluth said that they are happy and satisfied of what they saw in the field.

“The project which has been in preparation for more than a year, has a good potential because it is exactly the type of enterprise subproject that addresses the value-chain,” Jungbluth said.

She also added that PRDP’s development objective in helping the farmers increase their income will be applied through the enterprise project.

The Cacao Production and Marketing of Dry-fermented Beans Project is worth P26 million and will be implemented by the Subasta Integrated Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperatives (SIFMPC) as lead proponent group.

The enterprise project will benefit 465 member-farmers of 18 farmer cooperatives and associations in four districts including Calinan, Baguio, Tugbok and Marilog.

As lead proponent group, SIFMPC will act as the main consolidator of cacao from the 18 cooperatives. SIFMPC has a marketing agreement with the Filipinas Oro De Cacao.

Among the interventions include production and postharvest support such as provision of seedlings, fermentation facility, mechanical drier, hauling truck and material outputs which will come from the 60 percent loan proceeds from World Bank worth of P5.4 million.

Under PRDP’s enterprise development component, the National Government, city local government unit (CLGU) and the lead proponent group provide 20 percent counterpart each. In this project, the proponent group was able to provide a counterpart of 65 percent of the total project cost.

The enterprise development or the Investments in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) aims to elevate agricultural production by installing production and market support facilities, establishing enterprises and high-end product at the exactly commodity value chain.

Under I-Reap component, Mindanao has a total of 21 subproject proposals worth P627.28 million. In terms of the number of approved I-Reap subproject proposals, Soccskargen Region has 4 out of 8 approved subprojects worth P98.25 million which includes the ongoing Cassava Granules Production and Marketing project in South Cotabato worth P38.83 million.

The PRDP, through its I-Reap component, aims to increase productivity and marketability of agriculture through value-adding activities.

PRDP is a six-year government platform designed for an inclusive, value chain-oriented and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. It will be implemented by the Department of Agriculture and jointly funded by the World Bank, national government and local government units.

DVO gov't, tourism stakeholders promote Davao as MICE destination in Beijing

(PNA), RMA/LCM/DDB/LDP/PJN

DAVAO CITY, April 20 (PNA)--The Department of Tourism and tourism stakeholders have started promoting Davao as prime destination for meetings and conventions before the heads of companies in an international trade and tourism gathering in Beijing, China.

DOT XI regional director Roberto Alabado said Davao was presented as destination for meetings, conference, conventions and exhibition under the B2B (Business-to-Business) scheme where among those present came from Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, Singapore and the United States (US).

"It was a B2B exchange where the prospective buyers were briefed on what Davao could offer as a MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibits) destination," he said.

Alabado said the officers showed interests on the business and tourism products of the region. Alabado was optimistic these international buyers would be coming to the city anytime this year.

Alabado said they also hosted a product presentation in Shanghai where Davao was given an opportunity to present the destinations among 25 tour operators of Shanghai.

Such opportunities, Alabado said allowed DOT and other tourism players to market Davao products to international agencies that would catch the interests of foreign tour and business industry players knowing that Davao was new destination to them.

Meanwhile, Alabado said the corporate officers of the prospective companies were looking at the familiarization tours offered by tour operators, who could coordinate their activities with their head office in Manila through the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corp. (PCVC).

Alabado cited the Malaysia team which showed interest in wildlife events such as the Dugong Watching and the sea turtle sanctuary in Davao Oriental then segway to the Philippines' 9th ASEAN Heritage Park at the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary.

"Eco-tourism is what we will be promoting also and in the highland we have Eden Nature's Park, the Philippine Eagle, and Mt. Apo and others," he said.

For those interested in beaches, Alabado said they bannered the Pearl Farm Resort and Buenavista Island Resort all located at the Island Garden City of Samal.

He said the two resorts were previously the venue of the Asean Tourism Forum and the Ministerial Meeting of the BIMP-EAGA.

"We are ready for MICE and other international gatherings," he declared.

"What we are finalizing is the package," he added.

Travels that fall under MICE are incentivized travel with special features and arrangements that command premium cost," he said.

He said it would be a high level package, offering top of the line amenities, service and the food including details where a traveler's experience was worth a come back.

As a comparison, Alabado said if an ordinary tourist in Davao spent about Php 4,000 per day, the incentivized traveler would spend some Php10,000 a day.

"And this would mean big return to the host city," he said.

He said MICE would also support travel operators, the airline industry, hotels, tourism related establishments, the business sector and industry in general.

‘Biodiversity 101’ for reporters to be held in Davao

(YSELI)

DAVAO CITY, April 19 – Around 25 young communication officers and community journalists will gather in Davao City on April 23 for the Mindanao leg of Biodiversity Reporting 101.

Supported and funded by the US Embassy in the Philippines through the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSELI), Biodiversity Reporting 101 aims to increase the level of awareness of media practitioners on the region’s biological diversity.

The project is co-implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), Philippine Eagle Foundation, and the Silliman University Research and Environment News Service.

According to Atty. Roberto Oliva, ACB Executive Director, the project contributes to the crucial need of increasing public awareness on biodiversity conservation.

“About 600 million people depend on biodiversity to survive—and that’s in the ASEAN region alone. We need to work together to make people aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.”

Around 45 participants have attended the previous sessions of the seminar-workshop in Luzon (Metro Manila) and the Visayas (Dumaguete City), some of whom have been writing stories on biodiversity conservation.

ACB is also looking into holding ‘Biodiversity 101’ for media practitioners in other ASEAN Member States. The Centre is also planning to produce a media toolkit to encourage more journalists to cover biodiversity-related issues.

“We recognize the role of media practitioners in effectively communicating the need to conserve biodiversity. We also aim to link these young communication officers and journalists with potential news sources,” said Karen Lapitan, YSEALI grantee and Biodiversity Reporting 101 coordinator.

Launched in 2013, YSEALI has been supporting the youth of Southeast Asia to help resolve issues that affect them most. YSEALI focuses on topics identified by youth in the ASEAN region: civic engagement, environment and natural resources management, and entrepreneurship and economic development.

'Halal lanes' in Davao City lauded

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

INDUSTRY players in Davao City have lauded the City Government's move of requiring supermarkets, grocery stores and other establishments to set up "halal lanes" through a city ordinance.

Marilou Ampuan, chairperson of the Halal Committee of the Philippine Tourism Congress and founder of Mindanao Islamic Chamber of Commerce (MICC), told Sun.Star Davao that this move will create ripples of positive impact in promoting halal as one of the fast-growing market globally.

Halal (permissible) food is that which adheres to Islamic law.

“It is a welcome development to our endeavor in promoting halal in Davao City as Muslim friendly environment,” she said.

The ordinance was approved on second reading by the City Council last April 12, the lanes, as described, aim to segregate Halal food from non-Halal food items in the market.

She emphasized that Davao City is the first and only city in the country to do such move. Once the ordinance will be passed it will be a landmark ordinance for the city.

“This is a milestone for Davao City Council for supporting Halal Industry. We are so proud that Davao is the only city in the Philippines able to pass an ordinance segregating halal products.

Davao City Councilor Bai Halila Sudagar, chairperson of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, said there is a need to pass such ordinance for the welfare of the Muslims who are vulnerable in violating their Islamic laws due to improper segregation of haram (forbidden) and non-haram goods.

"Unconsciously, we already violated, ate and touched haram products," Sudagar said.

The lead agency that will implement and monitor this ordinance is the Business Bureau, in close coordination with the City Health Office, City Veterinarian’s Office, and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

These agencies are mandated to ensure that the provisions of the ordinance are strictly implemented and complied with by the covered supermarkets, shops, stores, centers and suppliers and other establishments with the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City.

Meanwhile, in a bid to harness a better position for the country’s tourism, especially in Davao Region, through aligning programs for halal tourism, the Universal Center in partnership with the Mindanao Islamic Chamber of Commerce is set to stage the Philippine Halal Tourism Expo 2016 slated on April 22 to 24 at the Abreeza Mall in Davao City.

The expo is part of the Department of Tourism (DOT) campaign under Philippine Halal Tourism Project and Crescent rating program of the office of DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato Jr.

"Ultimately, this is aimed to gather industry stakeholder and discuss how we can tap the growing and huge opportunities in halal tourism, one of the fastest growing global tourism concept through aligning our programs to the halal market,” Ampuan said.

Ampuan said the expo will further position Davao as one of the halal hubs in Mindanao.

Davao City nominated anew for child-friendly award

By Maria Patricia C. Borromeo (davaotoday.com)

DAVAO CITY – This city is again is once again nominated for the Presidential Award for the Most Child Friendly City.

Maria Louisa T. Bermudo, head of the City Social Services and Development Office announced on Thursday, April 14 that the city is one of the five finalists in the highly-urbanized cities category of the award.

“The other nominated cities are Baguio City, Cagayan de Oro, Mandaluyong City and Bacolod City,” she said.

She explained that the awarding was supposed to be scheduled last April 5, but it was moved due to the unavailability of President Benigno Aquino III that time.

Bermudo said that until now there is still no fix date of the awarding and the declaration of the winner will be announced during the awarding.

The child-friendly award was launched by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to promote the need to protect children’s rights among provinces, cities, and municipalities.

Davao City garnered the Most Child-Friendly City in the country under the Highly-Urbanized Category in year 2013 and 2014.

DENR-Davao to hit National Greening Program target

By Ivy C. Tejano

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Davao Region plans to expand the scope of areas to be rehabilitated under the National Greening Program (NGP) of the administration before the change of administration in June.

DENR-Davao Regional Director Joselin Marcus Fragada said the bureau is planning to rehabilitate 10,920 hectares or more with 18,194,000 seedlings this year, especially with the recent fire incident at Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines.

“The target would be 14,000 hectares. This is the last year of the NGP and we are nearing already the national target of being able to plant 1.5 billion trees over 1.5 million hectares,” Fragada said.

Based on the initial list, the DENR aims to plant 4,909,000 seedlings in Davao Oriental; 2,165,500 in Davao del Norte; 4,521,000 in Compostela Valley; 4,232,000 in Davao del Sur and 2,366,500 in Davao Occidental.

The DENR-Davao said it has so far accomplished about 50 percent, in terms of the total areas planted, under the NGP this year.

DOLE-11 launches communication strategy to strengthen advocacy vs child labor

(PNA), LAP/LCM/PR/LDP

DAVAO CITY, April 15 (PNA) -– The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here has launched Thursday a communication strategy that will push better advocacy against child labor and draw support from other stakeholders especially people at the community level.

The strategy called “HELP ME” will include the holding of orientation and information dissemination activities, social media and tri-media presence to address the low level of awareness in child labor and encourage support and involvement among stakeholders.

HELP ME, which is a compilation of messages and materials on child labor related laws, best practices of child labor free barangays, was created by DOLE-11 and will be implemented for a year targeting community members, barangay council down to the parents of child laborers. The plan was worked out during the communication and strategic planning of DOLE last April 6 and 7.

"HELP ME" stands for: H – for health services and medical assistance; E – for education and training; L – for livelihood opportunities to parents of child laborers; P – for prevention, protection and prosecution; M – for monitoring; and E – for evaluation.

DOLE-11 Regional Director Joffrey M. Suyao is hopeful that the communication plan will be able to raise awareness to everyone about child labor.

Melanie Jadulang, DOLE-11 Child-labor Prevention and Elimination Program focal person, said the workshops will really help in addressing child labor in the region.

“This communication plan on child labor prevention and elimination is really a big step for us to strengthen our advocacy,” she added.

The communication planning lecture was given by Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Assistant Secretary and Region-11 Director Efren Elbanbuena.

The HELP ME convergence program was created pursuant to Republic Act No. 9231 (An Act Providing For The Elimination Of The Worst Forms Of Child Labor And Affording Stronger Protection For The Working Child, Amending For This Purpose Republic Act No. 7610, As Amended, Otherwise Known As The "Special Protection Of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation And Discrimination Act"), Republic Act No. 9208 ("Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003"), and other related laws.

Members of the convergence other than the DOLE as its head and the PIA include: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Local Government Units and Non-Government Organizations.

As of the 1st quarter of 2016, there was a total of 10 child-labor free establishment and 3 child labor-free barangays recorded in Davao Region.

Foreign investor eyes partnership on renewable energy investment in Davao

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

DAVAO CITY, April 14 (PNA) -- A private investor from Belgium is mulling on a possible investment partnership on renewable energy (RE) in Davao to address the increasing demand of supply in the region.

This was disclosed by Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) president Bonifacio Tan, who met the Trade Commission of Belgium in the Philippines and Head of the Commercial Department of the Belgian Embassy, Mia Abela to discuss the prospects for RE investment.

In an interview Wednesday, Tan said there was nothing definite as yet but said "we welcome any investment that would address the power problem here."

The meeting between the Belgian Trade Commission with DCCCII was part of the continuing efforts of exploring trade and business opportunities in Davao by foreign and domestic investors.

Tan said RE investment was just one of the planned collaborations for developing trade and business partnership between industries and companies that focused more on agriculture sector.

Tan said they would welcome the move if government would ask those currently operating Independent Power Plants (IPPs) would also invest on renewable energy like the solar power.

He said it could be an alternative source of power in the region given the increasing demand of power supply.

Tan said the rotating brownouts in Davao have affected everybody, the business sector as well.

Although he did not give figures as to losses incurred by the business sector he said it has an effect to the operation.

Among those that badly affected are the manufacturing business although most of them had acquired generating sets.

"We are hopeful that this will normalize soonest," he said.

DCCCII being the main anchor of the annual Davao Agri Trade Expo (DATE) has invited Ms. Abela to DATE 2016 on Sept. 22-24, 2016 at SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier where an exhibit is also being mounted for both foreign and local exhibitors.

Davao mobile, web developer to conduct summer training on programming

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

DAVAO CITY, April 13 (PNA) -- Ingenuity Global Consulting, Inc., a Davao homegrown web developer and mobile application opens its doors to children, students and professionals for a summer course on programming skills that is easy to learn yet very affordable.

Business development and community manager, Betsy Tulio said the summer course dubbed as Hackademy is part of their Corporate Social Responsiblity (CSR) program.

She said they opted to offer a summer course because they noticed that IT graduates who are considered to work in their company don't have the skills required by global IT companies.

"They lack the knowledge and skills in handling work for most of our international clients that's why they have to undergo series of training before they are given specific assignments as software engineer," she said.

She said their human resources in Davao have good potentials considering the fact that what is being used in the field was not taught in school.

For instance, she said, the global trend now is the Python programming which is foreign to IT graduates because not one of the IT schools offering it.

The Hackademy, she said has module courses on Project Management with Agile methodologies and also on Introduction to Programming using Python as well as the Python Programming Fundamentals.

There will also be courses for kids under the Hackademy Jr. featuring separate module that would cater to the needs and interests of kid coders.

She said that by offering it to kids will create a new generation of programmers, engineers, creatives and computer scientists who will make the world a better place with technology.

She said both kids and teenagers will be taught programming design, robotics and game development.

According to her, the Hackademy Jr. does not require prior programming exposure.

Ingenuity was launched six years ago in Davao City starting with 10 employees. It has grown with a workforce of 45.

Tulio said they have at present 32 software engineers, five front end and design programmers, four quality assurance testers, three project managers, one system administrator.

The company is also catering 20 foreign clients from Sweden, Japan, Canada, Ausralia and the US.

She added that they could develop applications for smart phones although they have already develop products for Apple and Android units depending on the requirement of the client.

Meanwhile, Tulio said they are on a test run for SWAP Application wherein parties swap items online with no cash involve.

They are also finalizing a program on Enterprise Research Plan (ERP) which they tailored on the current system for their business operation.

Tulio said they are finalizing the program with an intention of offering it first to Business Process Management (BPM) companies.

"In the future maybe we could offer this unified platform for business or office operation to both private companies and government given the delivery of fast and reliable system application," she added.

Outreach activities marks JCI week

(PIA/RG Alama)

DAVAO CITY (PIA) - A series of outreach activities conducted by the different Junior Chamber International (JCI) chapter in Davao will be held this April 10 to 16 as part of the JCI Week.

During a press conference held at the White House Fusion Cuisine Restaurant in Davao City early this morning (April 11) the five JCI chapter presidents outlined their respective activities. There are 10 JCI chapters in Davao which will also be conducting their projects in the week.

JCI Duwaling will have Book Bed project which is a form of book giving where the beneficiaries are children. The chosen community is in St. Jude Elementary School in Buhangin, Davao City where the school library was razed by fire.

JCI Dabawenya will have a coastal clean up and mangrove planting on April 13. The mangrove planting will be held in Samal Island’s Sanipaan Shoal or popularly known as Vanishing Island.

The Kadayawan Chapter will have a personalized course on public speaking with Jose Mari Benedicto, World Speaking Champion in 2009. It will be held on April 12.

JCI Davao will conduct a Business Seminar on April 13 with topics on distribution and Information Technology. The seminar would cater to entrepreneurs and is a step in promoting decent work and economic growth in Mindanao.

On April 1JCI Davao will conduct a Business Seminar on April 13 with topics on distribution and Information Technology. The seminar would cater to entrepreneurs and is a step in promoting decent work and economic growth in Mindanao

On April 14 JCI will be holding a nationwide project, “Beyond the Prison Wall.” Which according to JCI Kadayawan president Cathy Binag is bigger than the previous stagings of the event.

It aims to help and assist the inmates of the Ray of Hope the women facility of the Davao City Jail.

Binag says there will be legal assistance and legal forum manned by six lawyers, medical outreach where ophthalmology, dental and general medicine services are given. Religious services are also present for Catholic, Moslem and Christian inmates. Popular social media comedians Digos Good Vibes will be there to provide entertainment. Inspirational books will be distributed.

The current JCI week which carries the theme “Celebrating Brotherhood to Create Bigger Impact.”

Visit Davao Fun Sale features biggest art fest in Davao City

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

DAVAO CITY, April 11 (PNA) –- The Atrium of SM Lanang here has become the biggest Art Market where a total of 300 artworks of 30 Davao homegrown artists are exhibited in the summer tourism program dubbed: Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) 2016.

Calling themselves the "Tabulara sa", Davao artists gathered together for the biggest art exhibition as their contribution to VDFS, which is the widest and longest-running tourism sale on shopping, accommodation, dining, tours and adventure. It is Davao region’s big pitch to make Davao among the top-ranking summer destinations in the Philippines.

One of the artists, Dinky Munda, explained that "Tabulara sa" is a Latin phrase and often translated as blank slate. “It is the same principle that artists like us believed. When we came into this world we liken ourselves to a blank sheet where images are stored by the experiences we go through life," he added.

Like the artists, he said they start their work on a blank canvass where images are painted.

According to Munda, it is the first time that Davao artists exhibit their best pieces for the longest time that will run for over a month in major malls and hotels in the city as their contribution to the tourism industry.

On the side of the exhibition, artists will also hold lectures to create awareness about arts and the works of Davao artists.

"Unknown to many our homegrown artists had been making good not only locally but also both in the national and international level," he said.

Other than lecture, he said there will live sketching and the holding of artist workshop. He said they want to entice people to discover their ability as an artist.

Artist Ega Carreon said, "Painting carries with it attitude because your biggest competitor is yourself." Carreon is a homegrown artist who joined and won several international competitions.

Carreon was a New York based artist from 2005 to 2009 where he also broadened his experience and outlook on art.

While in the US, Carreon joined the 54th Annual Art Exhibit of the Hudson Artists and won first place with his entry Breath #2.

Carreon said exposure is important but when one intends to join competitions. "Winning the competition is a bonus because competing within you is basic," he said.

Meanwhile, Munda said the VDFS Art Market would be a good platform to explore Davao’s tourism where visitors could spot art pieces as souvenir and token of their visit to the city and the region.

"We want them to appreciate our art pieces that will become a representation of Davao City," he said.

Munda said art has been strongly developed as tourism attraction in major cities in the world.

The group, according to Munda, is also looking at Mindanao art to follow the steps of other known art exhibition in Malaysia, Tokyo, Korea and the Venice Biennale.

"This dream could be big but we also want Mindanao art to level up as world class pieces," he said.

He said the Venice Biennale for instance started small but now it has grown big and is being looked forward to every year.

What is good with the Davao public is that they are starting to appreciate art and many young boys and girls are undergoing art workshops.

Home-based online jobs growing

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

HOME-BASED online outsourcing industry in Davao City has a huge potential to go big, an official said.

Samuel Matunog, president of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-Davao, Inc. said that home-based online jobs is fast becoming a trend apart from the corporate online jobs offered in the city by multinational and/or local IT-Business Processing Management (BPM) firms.

“Our home-based online outsourcing here I think is only small time but the figures from US-based E-lance and O-desk online platforms showed that for 2010-2014, we generated, according to them P124 million in revenues,” he said.

Mstunog said even they have not secured yet a data for the year 2015, they are expecting that this figure has gone up as home-based online works are emerging here.

“The P124-million figure is from the years when the people are not yet that active online, what more today?” Matunog said.

Matunog cited that for Cebu City, for instance, the home-based online workers there have generated some P700 million for the same period.

“There is a big potential here in Davao that this will go big because of our young, highly-educated, multicultural workforce and we are already far beyond computer-literate, we have a lot of technology-savvy individuals here,” he added.

When asked how much will an home-based online worker can earn, Matunog was quick to add that on an average, online workers compensation is comparable to corporate online workers which is set at some P15,000 per month.

The ICT-Davao Inc. also laid out the challenges faced by the online job sector. These are the slow and high-cost broadband services and the lack of power supply that can potential affect their performance and productivity.

“We really need very good broadband services in the city, because the opportunity for online workers is not only for corporate, it is also a potential industry for home-based online workers. Also, the most hard-hit by the present rotating brownouts here are them especially home-based workers as most of them lack generator sets, we need reliable and adequate power supply,” Matunog said.

At present, the ICT-Davao Inc. showed interest to the city government to be working with to the city to find out whether the city on its own can look at broadband as a strategic investment of the city wherein all can take advantage especially on employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, as the ICT-Davao here was recognized as one of the industry’s Center of Excellence during 2015-2016 Awarding Ceremonies for IT-BPM Operations in the country, the industry players here are bent on doubling the 33,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) BPM employees within three years.

7,000 4Ps beneficiaries in Davao City get dengue kits

By Ivy C. Tejano

AROUND 7,000 beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Davao City received dengue kits during the "Tepok Lamok-Anti Dengue Campaign" project of RGMA Super Radyo Davao, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Davao Region on Friday.

Carmela Duron, public information officer for DSWD-Davao, said the project prioritized the barangays with high cases of dengue based on the records from the City Health Office's Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Division (CHO-TDPCD).

The barangays with high cases of dengue in Davao City are Matina Crossing, Matina Aplaya, Talomo Proper, Toril Proper, Baliok, Ulas, Buhangin Proper, Sasa, Tibungco and Biao Joaquin in Calinan District.

[Know how to prevent the spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes]

Duron said the team distributed dengue kits containing Ovicial and Larvicidal Traps, a device used to control aedes mosquito population; organic insect repellent (citronella oil); groceries and other giveaways. There was also a feeding program, she added.

She also said that an orientation on the prevention of dengue was also conducted per barangay to ensure that the families are knowledgeable on health issues like dengue outbreak and how to maintain cleanliness in their communities.

"Aside from the DSWD, the RGMA Serbisyo Publiko was also made possible with the support of the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), CHO, and Church of the Latter-Day Saints Charities," Duron said.

The RGMA Super Radyo has been using the Listahanan data for their programs since 2013. All programs and services it offers prioritize the Listahanan-identified poor families. It also actively refers to DSWD and to other appropriate agencies those listeners needing assistance.

Listahanan is a data management system of the DSWD that identifies who and where the poor are, while 4Ps is a human development program of the National Government that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-18.

Duron said the DSWD-Davao has 233,985 4Ps beneficiaries in Davao Region.

DSWD intensifies delivery of food assistance

By Ivy C. Tejano

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao have intensified efforts to speed up the delivery of assistance to families affected by the drought.

Carmela Duron, DSWD-Davao public information officer, said the agency recently turned over food packs worth P1,518,000 to three provinces in Davao Region adversely affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

The DSWD-Davao, in coordination with LGUs, provided an initial 2,000 family food packs worth P744,000 to Davao del Sur; 1,000 packs worth P387,000 to Compostela Valley; and 1,000 packs worth P387,000 to Davao del Norte.

On the other hand, DSWD-Soccskargen field office director Bai Zorahayda Taha met North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza and Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista on Wednesday to identify areas hardest hit by the drought.

The local government agreed that the DSWD-Soccskargen will extend food assistance to 150,000 families in the province with at least 15,000 bags of National Food Authority (NFA) rice, wherein each family will be given five kilos of rice.

According to Taha, the distribution of the food assistance will be coursed through the provincial, city and municipal social welfare development office.

The DSWD-Soccskargen also vowed to extend burial assistance worth P5,000 each for the two bereaved families of the farmers who died, and P3,000 each for the families with injured member during the incident in Kidapawan City last month.

It will also provide psycho-social support to those emotionally disturbed rallyists and will extend P1,000 each as “balik barrio assistance” through the department’s field office in Soccsksargen.

Duron said their colleagues in Zamboanga will also have validation and assessment of affected farmers in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga City.

The DSWD in Zamboanga Peninsula has also been coordinating with the provincial social welfare and development office in Basilan in the Autonomous Region in Mindanao (Armm) for the list of names in the affected municipalities.

In Caraga Region, the DSWD field office is continuously coordinating with the Regional Disaster Response Committee and Inter-Agency Monitoring of the Roadmap to address the impact of the El Niño.

"The field office has prep[ared 5,000 food packs for LGU in strategic areas, another 6,859 packs are available at the bodega in Butuan City and 1,000 in Surigao del Sur, which will be delivered to requesting LGUs anytime," Duron said.

Duron said the DSWD has earlier released P1,270,645,194.13 billion worth of assistance to LGUs, for families affected by the prolonged period of the low rainfall in regions of NCR, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, and Armm.

The amount includes the cost of the family food packs, hygiene kits and the implementation of Cash-for-Work funded under the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Quick Response Funds of the Department.

Halal Tourism Expo set in Davao

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

IN a bid to harness a better position for the country’s tourism, especially in Davao Region, through aligning programs for Halal tourism, the Universal Center in partnership with the Mindanao Islamic Chamber of Commerce is set to stage the Philippine Halal Tourism Expo 2016 slated on April 22 to 24 at the Abreeza Mall in Davao City.

The expo is part of the Department of Tourism (DOT) campaign under Philippine Halal Tourism Project and Crescent rating program of the office of DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato Jr.

"Ultimately this is aimed to gather industry stakeholder and discuss how we can tap the growing and huge opportunities in Halal tourism, one of the fastest growing global tourism concept through aligning our programs to the Halal market,” Marilou Ampuan, chairperson of the Halal committee of the Philippine Tourism Congress and founder of MICC said.

Ampuan said the expo will further position Davao as one of the Halal hubs in Mindanao.

“Will be expecting over 200 participants over 200 participants to grace the event, mostly tourism industry players such as hotels and restaurants with halal product producers and certifiers,” Ampuan said.

Meanwhile, DOT’s nationwide campaign under Philippine Halal Tourism Project and Crescent rating program, which was implemented starting last January will tap 50 major industry players in the tourism sector such as hotels and restaurants to embrace Halal principles and practices within this year.

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

The project aims to promote inbound destinations attracting market especially tourists who are in Halal, as a way of life.

For the implementation of the project, the tourism department tapped a Singapore-based halal accreditation body, Crescent, to look into the situation of Philippine establishments in relation to Halal tourism. Crescent rating is the world’s leading authority on Muslim travel connecting an establishment to the Muslim tourists.

The rating is based on the suitability of an establishment as holiday destination, family friendliness, safety with combined percent weight of 40 percent, Muslim friendly services and facilities availability (40 percent) and halal awareness and reach out to Muslims (20 percent).

According to the project primer, the Halal tourism industry global economy value is pegged to double by 2018-2020 at $ 6.4-Trillion with some 150 million Muslim travelers worldwide.

P309-M risk reduction investment plan approved

By Karina V. Canedo

THE Davao City Council approved on Tuesday the ordinance appropriating P309,454,707 for the Davao City Risk Reduction and Management Fund Investment Plan for 2016.

The item has been approved under the committee on finance, ways and means and appropriations chaired by City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang.

Based on the approved committee report released by the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means and Appropriations, a hearing was held last March 8, which resulted to the favorable endorsement of the item for approval on second reading.

Davao City Risk Reduction and Management Council prepared the city's Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund Investment Plan (LDRRMFIP) in compliance to the joint memorandum circular issued by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Audit (COA), requiring an Annual Investment Plan (AIP) that will serve as the basis for the disbursement of the disaster funds.

The 30 percent of the fund will be allocated as Quick Response Fund or stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs while 70 percent are intended for disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, rehabilitation, and recovery.

Based on the annexes provided in the committee report obtained by Sun.Star Davao, P193,618,294 was allotted for non-infrastructure projects while P23 million was allotted for infrastructure projects.

Both infra and non-infra will be sourced from the P216,618,294.90 worth of 70 percent mitigation fund of 2016 LDRRMF.

The huge chunk of fund for non-infrastructure project goes to acquisition of the rescue and response vehicles (motor vehicles) for emergency and disaster response program in the city which has a share of P85 million.

Meanwhile, the P15 million allotted for the infrastructure project will be allotted for the construction of Central 911 Satellite Station and P8 million will be for the improvement of the Central 911 Main Headquarters.

Present during the session were City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Head Emmanuel Jaldon who answered some clarifications asked by councilors on the item.

Davao City targets P20-B investments in 2016

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

INVESTMENTS target for Davao City this year is set at P20 billion, the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) bared.

Ivan Cortez, DCIPC officer-in-charge, told reporters on Monday that they are confident to achieve this target as more investors have expressed interest to put up shops in the city.

“Property development is still the top sector investing in the city, and our prospects continue. This is followed by Business Processing Management (BPM) and tourism,” he said.

Cortez bared some of investors who have showed interest to operate in the city. These are a Luzon-based company engaged in steel manufacturing business and the 33-hectare township project in Binugao, Toril.

Cortez emphasized that the battlecry of DCIPC is to promote the manufacturing sector to further position Davao City as a sustainable development economy.

Meanwhile, 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 2015 record of the city’s Business Bureau Office, as reported by the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, showed some 1.4 percent increase compared to 2014’s annual business capitalization record at P211.9 billion.

ICT-Davao bent to double 33,000 job target in 3 years

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

TO FURTHER boost the Business Processing Management (BPM) sector in Davao City, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-Davao Inc. with other industry players identified talents and facilities as crucial factors in achieving their target of doubling the 33,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) BPM employees within three years.

As the city was recognized recently as one of the few cities in the country to be awarded with Center of Excellence Award during 2015-2016 Awarding Ceremonies on Center of Excellence, Top Next Wave Cities, and Top 10 Emerging Next Wave Cities for IT-BPM Operations, industry players are in works of improving the skills and abilities of the pool of talents in the city beyond English speaking and expanding facilities to cater the incoming potential BPO locators.

“The figures and facts showed that BPO industry here is booming as we are now part of the Center of Excellence for IT-BPM operations in the country, we can attribute this to the increasing number of FTEs we have in the city at 33,000 and we intend to double that within three years or less,” he said at the Kapehan Sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Monday.

Davao City was awarded along with Iloilo City. Other areas that were previously recognized were Cebu, Clark and Bacolod.

Giving emphasis on addressing the present challenges pressed by lack of qualified talent pool as the locators are now looking for talents that are qualified for Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) and language specialization and lack of BPM-designed facilities, Matunog said that they are in talks of some educational institutions and investors to answer the problem.

“We are talking now with universities and colleges to be our partners in achieving this goal, and they are positively showing support on revamping and reforming of the present curriculum pursuant to the Commission on Higher Education’s (Ched’s) memorandum dubbed as “Outcome-based Education”. Property investors also showed to build more facilities that can cater the locators demand,”Matunog said.

These universities and colleges are University of Mindanao, Ateneo de Davao University, Holy Cross of Davao College, University of Southeastern Philippines, among others. The SM Malls also is willing of providing facilities for the expanding BPO locators here.

Ivan Cortez, Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) officer-in-charge (OIC), for his part said that BPM firms operating here are one of the top employers in the city generating more and more job offerings to Dabawenyos.

The BPO sector, it was noted, that it started the year 2015 with 20,000 jobs and ended the year with some 70 percent growth to 34,000 jobs.

The combined value of the BPM sector in Davao City reached some P5.6 Billion per year.

In an earlier report, Next BPO Solutions chief executive officer and president of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Association of Davao Inc. (ADI), Xavier Eric Manalastas said that more information and communication technology (ICT)-centered companies, mostly multinational corporations, are expanding their operations here. These are the largest web development company in New Zealand, the Zealed Pty. Ltd and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), an American multinational information technology enterprise company.

Meanwhile, the next wave cities for IT-BPM Operations are the cities are Baguio, Cagayan De Oro, Dagupan, Dasmariñas, Dumaguete, Lipa, Malolos, Naga, Sta. Rosa in Laguna and Taytay in Rizal.

PPP eyed for airport rehab

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

AS THE bid submission deadline of the P108.19 billion bundled maintenance project for five regional airports including the P40.57 billion development and maintenance of the Davao International Airport (DIA) or the Francis Bangoy International Airport was put on hold, the business sector in Davao City is now looking on the viability of pushing through with it as a Public-Private Partnership project.

Bonifacio T. Tan, DCCCII president said in his speech during the 3RD General Membership Meeting Thursday at the Seda Abreeza Hotel that they are looking on the extent of the project if the indicated project cost is reasonable.

“We would like also to follow up about the P40-billion development project of the Davao International Airport because we are not privy of what is the scope of that. If we improve our airport with a P40-B budget without doing anything with the runway I think it not really viable spending that much money,” he said.

A total of six firms were identified by the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center as project prospects to pre-qualify and bid.

These are the GMR-Megawide, Metro Pacific-JG Summit Consortium, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Skylanders Inc., and Union Equity.

In a General Bid Bulletin No. 25-2016 issued last February 22, the PPP Center said that “the Bid Submission Date for the Regional Airports Development, Operations and Maintenance Projects scheduled on 29 February 2016 shall be moved to 30 calendar days from the issuance of the final Concession Agreement and Instructions to Bidders.

“A separate bid bulletin shall be issued confirming the new Bid Submission Date,” it added. The project is composed of two bundles.

The first bundle includes airports in Bacolod-Silay amounting P20.26 billion and Iloilo (P30.40 billion).

The second bundle includes the DIA, P14.62 Laguindingan and New Bohol (Panglao) worth P2.34 billion.

The DIA project will include the expansion of the passenger terminal building from 65,000 to 125,000 square meters (sqm.), and the cargo terminal building from 13,000 to 27,000 sqm. Construction of a full parallel taxiway and apron Area will also be included under the project.

The winning bidder will develop, operate and maintain the airport with a cooperation period of 30 years.

“The project aims to decongest the airport which is currently operating beyond its capacity. It is in fact, the third busiest airport in the Philippines,” PPP Center said.

30-second tourism video contest launched

(PIA/RG Alama)

DAVAO CITY (PIA)- A 30-seconder video contest that aims to highlight the different tourism attractions in the Davao Region was launched March 28.

Davao-in-30 seconds is organized by SM City Davao in line with its Arts Festival. The theme of the contest is Experience Davao: Sights, Sound and Soul.

The contest is open to all individuals, the videos to be submitted must be 30 seconds or less with 5 seconds allowed for credits, Resolution of the video must comply with Facebook’s aspect ratio that is not larger than 1280 x 1080 px or 740 X 4980 px, avi format.

Video entries are to be submitted thru USB, placed in a sealed envelope and labeled with the following information; Contestant’s Name, mobile number and email address. The videos must be original and is compliant with copyright laws.

Contestants must submit their videos on or before April 14 at the SM City Davao Marketing Department Office (Ecoland, Davao City).

Jurors will pick the winners using the following criteria; Creativity and Originality- 20%, Interpretation of the Theme- 40%, Entertainment Value-10%, Video Quality- 10% and Virality-10%.

Winners will receive P15,000 for the grand prize, P10,000 for the second prize and P5,000 for the third.

Davao City awarded as Center of Excellence for ICT-BPM operations

(PNA), LAP/LCM/JENNY GRACE M. MENDOZA/LDP

DAVAO CITY, April 1 (PNA) -- This city is once again recognized for its efforts to continue improving the business environment as the leading destination for Info and Communications Technology-Business Process Management (ICT-BPM) companies.

The latest recognition was given during the 2015-2016 Awarding Ceremonies on Center of Excellence, Top Next Wave Cities, and Top 10 Emerging Next Wave Cities for IT-BPM Operations held at the Makati Shangrila Hotel, Manila on Wednesday.

Organized by the Department of Science and Technology-ICTO and BPAP (Business Process Association of the Philippines) Atty. Samuel R. Matunog, president of ICT Davao Inc., received the Center of Excellence for ICT-BPM Operations Award on behalf of the Davao City Government from Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim of DOST-ICTO and Dan Reyes, president of IBPAP.

Matunog thanked all the stakeholders for their hard work and infectious enthusiasm in promoting Davao as a leading ICT destination in the world.

Engr. Edwin O. Banquerigo, Assistant Regional Director, DTI-11, congratulated all the trustees of ICT Davao Inc. and champions namely DOST, Department of Labor and Employment, Davao City Government-Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the academe for this outstanding achievement of Davao City.

Earlier, Davao City was ranked 66th out of the 100 outsourcing destinations in the world by Tholons Survey, an improvement from its 69th ranking in 2014.

On the other hand, as part of the One DTI Services Caravan, the Department of Trade and Industry will host the ICT Industry Cluster Investment Promotion and Networking Services on April 19, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang, Davao City.

The event aims to gather all ICT stakeholders in the region for networking and business matching and to showcase cutting-edge ICT products and services of local companies. Joining the event are executives from Experts Global Services (EGS), and HPE who will give talk on the ICT outlook in the Philippines.

Other activities during the One DTI Services Caravan slated on April 19 to 21 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang, Davao City include Presyo Diskwento, Consumer Forum, Fair Trade Law seminars, among others.

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