Dolefil, labor unions ink 'industrial peace accord'

KORONADAL CITY -- Various stakeholders forged an "industrial peace accord" at Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil) as the giant fresh fruit producer gears for the election of the labor union that will be recognized by the management as the workers' bargaining agent, a top Labor executive said Tuesday.

Forum tackles rampant smuggling at Davao port

YOUNG professionals, students, members of the academe, civil society leaders and other advocates of transparency in governance will converge at the Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto campus, to hold a multi-sectoral forum on how their groups could help in the campaign against graft and corruption in the government.

Stock trading forum slated

RESPONDING to more requests from people who want to learn stock trading, the Fourth Stock Trading Forum has been set tentatively for February 27, 2-5 p.m. at the My Hotel function room on San Pedro street, according to organizers.

Manufacturing propels GDP growth in 2010

THE flourishing industry sector has propelled growth of the country's 2010 gross domestic product (GDP), which expanded to 7.3 percent from a low 1.1 percent in 2009.

Exec vows support for Mindanao agri development

AGRICULTURE Secretary Proceso J. Alcala is keen on capitalizing the vast agricultural potential of Mindanao.

Processing of SMI permit continues amid open-pit ban

KORONADAL CITY -- Foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines Inc. has completed the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Esia) for the Tampakan copper-gold mining project, an Australian mining executive said Monday.

MGB regional heads told to act on pending mine applications

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has directed all regional directors of the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MGB) to act on all pending and inactive mining applications this year.

LGUs play key role in addressing climate change

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said that local government units (LGUs) play a key role in climate change adaptation and disaster risk mitigation.

Revival of private investment urged to stop peso appreciation

THE Philippine government must revive private investment to stem the unwanted peso appreciation that puts exporters and domestic manufacturers at a disadvantage.

Citi opens wealth management center

CONFIDENT on the potential of the Davao market, Citibank (Citi) opened Friday its first wealth management banking center outside of Metro Manila.

City traders form stock market club

STOCK traders in Davao City organized themselves recently into a group called the Davao Stock Traders Association or Dastrada.

Jerson Remo, a local businessman who attended the Third Stock Trading Forum recently, said the group agreed that it was necessary for them to get together regularly and learn from each other.

Banana industry is government's best partner vs poverty

THE country's banana export industry is the government's best partner in promoting economic development and alleviating poverty in the countryside.

This was the main gist of the message of Alex Valoria, the newly-installed president of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters, before House Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr., other guests and members during induction rites on January 15 at the Marco Polo Hotel here.

Smart brings 1st affordable Android smartphone to PH

LEADING wireless services provider Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) is making a major push to promote Internet access for all Filipinos by introducing a line of affordable, high-quality Smartphones.

Smart is starting off by offering IDEOS, billed as the world's first affordable Android Smartphone with Google by its manufacturer, Huawei - a global telecom solutions provider.

WB holds program review in 'Pantawid' areas here

A WORLD Bank team visited the Pantawid Pamilya recipients of Barangay 23-C in Davao City as part of the bank's review on its anti-poor program in Davao Region.

Mobile service for farmers assures stable rice prod'n

TELECOMMUNICATIONS company Globe Telecom, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the International Rice Research Institute (Irri), has come up with a special mobile service for farmers to help ensure that the country's rice production will remain sustainable and stable.

Davao invest gab slated next month

STAKEHOLDERS are set to hold the Davao Investment Conference next month, centered on natural resources management.

Smaller tuna catches worry Gensan bizmen

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- High-quality large tuna stocks caught and unloaded daily in this port city, the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines," are getting smaller apparently due to overfishing, a disturbing trend exporters and small fisher folk observed since last year.

Camella's Mintal project goes full blast this year

CAMELLA Communities, a subsidiary of the country’s largest homebuilder, Vista Land & Lifescapes, will go full blast in its development of its newest subdivision project in Mintal, Davao City.

Cebu Pacific to expand flight operation by 18% in 2011

THE country's largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific plans to increase flight frequencies by 18 percent in 2011, making available a total of 14.5 million airline seats for its passengers.

JIB, iBPI partner to bring 10,000 foreign studes here

A DAVAO CITY-based institution on Tuesday signed a partnership agreement with a leading provider of cross-boarder educational services in the country in a bid to bring in some 5,000-10,000 Chinese and other Asians to study in the city.

Monteverde is new prexy of DCCCII

AFTER more than a decade, another lady is set to spearhead call for developments in the Davao business community.

Davao gets biggest irrigation fund chunk

DAVAO Region is taking steps to be rice sufficient soon.

This as the region gets to access the biggest portion, so far, of the irrigation funds from the Department of Agriculture's (DA) Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

Mayor is new MinDA rep to Neda Board

OFFICIALS of the Regional Development Councils (RDCs) of Mindanao area have unanimously chosen on Wednesday Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to represent the island to the Neda (National Economic Development Authority) Board-Regional Development Committee.

Café Demitasse: A one-stop café

IF YOU are craving for pasta, cakes, sandwiches, nachos, coffee, then you don't have to go out of the downtown area because Café Demitasse is just the perfect place for you.

WB to assess Davao's anti-poverty program

A WORLD Bank team will visit this week the municipalities that are beneficiaries of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (Kalahi-Cidss: KKB) to review the implementation of the anti-poverty program.

Minda Board to approve IRR for budget release

MEMBERS of the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) board of directors discussed the agency's Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) Wednesday, which they will soon approve to finalize the board's organizational structure and hasten the release of its budget.

Minda Secretary Luwalhati Antonino said the IRR is necessary to carry out the functions prescribed by the Minda law.

PBSP, Akfi assist 694 coops, orgs

A TOTAL of 96,030 landless rural workers, sustenance fisherfolk and marginal upland farmers, urban poor and indigenous people were sheltered for the last 20 years in a building project for livelihood and community development.

The community shelter project for the past two decades is a joint effort of the Angelo King Foundation Inc. (Akfi) and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the country's largest corporate-led social development foundation and pioneer in corporate citizenship.

Sun Cell strengthens presence in Minda, to build more sites

TELECOMMUNICATION company Sun Cellular is eyeing Mindanao for its expansion program this year, with focus on improving its facility and offering affordable packages for its growing number of subscribers on the island.

Neda, Jica partner to improve development planning, policy analysis

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) have partnered to enhance the government's development planning and policy analysis by improving and utilizing further available data and analytical tools.

Davao students propose new energy-saving method

COMPLAINTS over increasing power and gasoline rates have compelled students from two schools in Davao City to propose innovative ways to reduce power consumption and increase savings by using renewable, low-cost sources of energy.