Senator: Name traders in duty-free rice imports

FORMER Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has urged the National Food Authority (NFA) to identify the 19 traders, of which each of them would be allowed to import duty-free 10,000 metric tons (MTs) of rice.

“It would be in the public’s best interest for the names of the 19 entities to be fully disclosed, along with their controlling owners,” Zubiri said. “This will ensure transparency in the NFA’s plan to allow a new round of private sector-financed rice importation, which we presume are required to secure the country’s supply of the staple.”

Lawmaker fears Mindanao power summit ‘for show’

PARTY-LIST Representative Teddy Casiño expressed fears that the upcoming Mindanao Power Summit was already a done deal, with agreements to jack up power rates in Mindanao and put up environmentally hazardous coal plants already sealed during a pre-summit meeting organized by the Department of Energy last week.

2012 investments growth seen

COTABATO CITY – Local and foreign investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) are seen to grow this year following the signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the Armm government.

Signed during the 1st Armm Economic Summit held here recently, the MOA is aimed at boosting local and foreign direct investments in Armm area, which is among the three-pillar thrusts of the new regional government, along with reforming its bureaucracy and upholding peace and security.

Folk upset over LPG ‘Holy Week overprice’

DESPITE clear announcements over television networks that the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) last week was significantly lowered by more than P100 per 11-kilogram cylinder, some stores selling it allegedly retailed it still at P940.

Trade department opens job vacancies

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Northern Mindanao announced vacancies in six job positions.

Linda O. Boniao, DTI regional officer-in-charge, said there are openings for senior development specialist, development specialist, development analyst, administrative officer I, accounting clerk II, and clerk III for the regional Trade agency.

Circular results improved power situation in Mindanao

FEWER electric cooperatives are experiencing power outages now after the issuance of a department circular that aims to rationalize the power supply in Mindanao.

The Department of Energy (DOE) said not all areas in Mindanao have power outages such as the areas of Cotabato, Panabo, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Davao.

Independent LPG refillers enter VisMin market

INDEPENDENT refillers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have started to enter the Visayas and Mindanao markets, in a bid to provide consumers less costly supply of the cooking and auto fuel.

“Independent refillers are putting up a new refilling plant in Metro Cebu. It will likely be operational by midyear,” said Arnel Ty, the representative in Congress of the sectoral party LPG Marketers Association (LPG-MA).

Night café ‘suspended’

THE City Government of Cagayan de Oro temporarily suspended the weekly night café at the Divisoria in observance of the annual tradition of Holy Week.

Furniture industry roadmap readied

FURNITURE industry players have developed a market-driven roadmap crucial for achieving a 10 to 15-percent growth this year.

"We just presented the furniture industry roadmap to BOI (Board of Investments). We are just waiting for a schedule with (Department of Trade and Industry) Secretary (Gregory) Domingo to present the roadmap," said Salvio Valenzuela, executive director of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP).

Electronics firms rake $2.47B in investments

THE electronics industry in the Philippines sacked in $2.47 billion in investments last year despite a dive of 25.63 percent in export sales.

Ernesto Santiago, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI), made the report during the exporters' forum held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas recently.

Oro’s major malls close

MOST major malls and superstores in Cagayan de Oro are set to temporarily close shop today, Thursday, and Friday. But last minute shoppers would not worry as SM Holdings’ Save More branches at Agora Terminal in Lapasan and in Kauswagan are open for business on Thursday but are close on Friday.

Ivy Guantero, SM Cagayan de Oro’s public relations officer, said they cannot afford to deprive last-minute shoppers considering that not all local residents are Catholics that would spend the rest of the Holy Week meditating and abstain from hard food.

Sun Business launches new corporate plans

SUN Business, the corporate solutions arm of Sun Cellular, launched subscription plans exclusively to Mindanao-based businesses for as low as Php199.00 per month.

“We realize how important it is for enterprises to have a reliable communication partner for their operations. And now, over and above our best value added corporate solutions and packages that are available nationwide, we proceed to serving better our regional clients by bringing them these exclusive plans for all their mobile communication needs,” said Michele Curran, vice president for Sun Business Marketing.

Minerals now 2nd top Phil export

PRECIOUS and industrial metals extracted from Philippine mines emerged as the second biggest export of the Philippines behind electronics last year, bumping off garments in that position.

New record sales of US$2.65 billion in exports for the whole of last year proved higher than revenues from garments which reached $1.89 billion in the same period.

Fish to dominate demand

FISH at public markets and grocery stores is expected to dominate the demand during three remaining days of the Holy Week as thousands of devotees would abstain from consuming pork or beef meat on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday. But on Easter Sunday, expect the substantial meat requirement.

On Wednesday, the prices of fish have started rising by P20 to P30 a kilo and as the demand gets higher during the start of the three-day meat abstinence today, Thursday, expect the triple-fold of the increased figure, fish vendors at the Cogon public market in Cagayan de Oro said.

Fire bureau in Ozamiz collects P1.58-M fire code fees

OZAMIZ City, Misamis Occidental – The city’s Bureau of Fire Protection was able to collect a total of P1.58 million in fire code fees last year.

City fire marshal Clint Chua attributed the good collection performance to the timely renewal of business licenses and building permits in the city.

Rotational brownout in Mindanao: Withdrawal of investors feared

DUE to the continuous power outages experienced in Mindanao following claims of power supply shortage, several investors are feared to withdrew ventures in the region, according to Misamis Oriental second district Representative Yevgeny Vincente “Bambi” Emano.

Emano said investors would consider the brownout incidents as threat to their businesses.

Land abroad as supervisors

THE Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) in Northern Mindanao, an agency conducting safety construction training to safety officers and contractors, opens doors for opportunities to interested individuals who wish to land a job abroad to avail of the training center’s module.

Engr. Alex Marlo V. Sacabon, OSCH’s training officer, said aside from their close coordination with Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in promoting zero accident of workers while at work especially in the construction industry, the agency also extends services to those skilled workers in the overseas.

For ‘church vendors’: Palm Sunday, business day

YESTERDAY was Palm Sunday, a time not only for religious festivity but also for a religious and flower vendors group in Saint Augustine Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro to shine in selling “palaspas” or a cross made of palm leaves.

Visitacion “Vising” Cairel, a member of the Saint Augustine Religious and Flowers Vendors Association (SARAFVA) selling religious articles and candles, said as early as Saturday morning, they were able to prepare hundred of crosses for display at the church premises.

PhilHealth offers 50% discount to members

INDIVIDUALLY paying members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in Northern Mindanao can avail of a 50 percent discount on their annual premium contribution.

They can avail of the 50 percent discount if they are going to pay their whole year premium contribution within the first semester this year, said PhilHealth-10 Information Officer Merlyn H. Ybañez.

Job cuts feared due to brownouts

FORMER Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has warned of potential job losses due to the persistent two to four-hour daily brownouts in many parts of Mindanao.

“National agencies should find ways to help distressed economic sectors cope with the constant brownouts,” Zubiri said.

Revenue bureau to taxpayers: Pay taxes early to avoid penalty

A 25-PERCENT surcharge on taxes awaits delaying taxpayers.

The Cagayan de Oro Revenue District of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Northern Mindanao warned taxpayers anew of add-ons to the actual obligations should they settle it after the April 16 deadline.

Florsheim products shine at SM

AMERICAN shoe brand Florsheim introduces another top of the line products.

Florsheim, maker of quality stylish and comfortable shoes since 1892, now displays a new line of comfort technology shoes at its SM Supermalls branch in Cagayan de Oro.

Holy Week vacation? Stay at Hotel Koresko

IN adherence to the Holy Week observance, most Christians observe the death of Christ through penitence but some people tend to spend their time together through a long vacation.

Some also prefer to stay in a hotel during these times, to relax after long months of hard work.

Cup hires coordinators anew

THE Consumers and Users Productive (CUP) association is hiring additional coordinators for its planned expansion of coverage in Northern Mindanao.

Association President Arlene Maagad said CUP would be releasing another round of financial assistance to its new members this year that need the necessary briefing of the policies and benefits of joining the group through its regional, provincial, municipal and barangay coordinators.

Villanueva town’s B-Meg feeds plant opens 2013

B-MEG-San Miguel Foods Company Incorporated, the largest Filipino-owned feeds milling firm in the Philippines, held a groundbreaking ceremony at sitio Tagbalogo, Barangay Dayawan in Villanueva town, eastern part of Misamis Oriental province, Thursday where its 15-hectare plant will be established.

Lawmakers bat schools’ exemption from VAT

IN EFFORT to ease the burden of parents and working students to acquire education, Cagayan de Oro second district and Abante Mindanao Representative Rufus and Maximo Rodriguez are pushing to exempt the educational institutions from the value added tax (VAT) on the purchases of their goods and services.

In a statement, the Rodriguezes said House Bill 5916 seeks to amend Republic Act 8424, known as the Tax Reform Act of 1997, by exempting from VAT goods purchased by the school and services rendered to it by its suppliers and service providers.

Pag-Ibig declares over P8.4-B dividends for 2011

THE Pag-Ibig Fund (Pag-Ibig) Board of Trustees has approved the declaration of P8.491-billion worth of dividends for 2011 to be divided among its 10.2 million members.

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, who is concurrently the chairperson of the board, said the amount of dividends is equivalent to 71 percent of the Pag-Ibig’s net income for 2011.

Korean firm’s contract nears end

KOREAN firm Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Company’s (HHIC) contract of operation with the local government unit of Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, ends by April, and town officials could not yet confirm the company’s plan to renew its operation.

Soriano: The new competitive edge: spirituality in business

SOCIETY is becoming more individually oriented. More and more single occupancy homes are being sold. People are marrying less and later in life. They are also divorcing more. Single parent families are on the rise while birth rates are on the decline. Some couples opt not to have children. There is less social interaction between parents and children.

Councilor wants solar-powered cars on streets

CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor Juan Sia urged the transport sector to consider alternative means of transportation in the city amid the continuous oil price hikes (OPH).

Sia said oil price increases is already a global dilemma that must be addressed through alternative and innovative ways.