published April 17 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY — The city government here will issue and renew business permits only of hotels that are accredited with the Tourism department.
City tourism officer Jake Ligan said only three hotels in the city, so far, have met the standards set by the Department of Tourism (DoT).
As of last March, there were 21 hotels, major inns, and pension houses in this city with a total of just 644 rooms.
"We are working out with other city departments to ensure that all investors in the hotel business will comply with (DoT) guidelines," Mr. Ligan said.
The city tourism office inspects local accommodation facilities every six months. Inspections were made early this year in preparation for the hosting of Palarong Pambansa this April 27-May 2.
"Accommodation is a common problem here because many of our hotels are small. With many visitors coming in, we have to grab the opportunity to improve our services,"
Mr. Ligan said in an interview.
The biggest facility in Tacloban now is the Leyte Park Hotel with 48 rooms in the main building as well as 52 cottages.
"Most of our new hotels are small with only 50 bedrooms at the average," Mr. Ligan said.
Tourism regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes said they have been having a hard time booking large groups for the national sports event and other big events held here. "It’s really hard to get reservations. All hotels are fully booked and this will go on until May." - Sarwell Q. Meniano
Friday, April 17, 2009
Rehab center for stranded marine mammals eyed in Eastern Visayas
published April 17, 2009 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is pushing for the establishment of a P1-million regional rehabilitation facility in Guiuan, Eastern Samar to treat stranded marine mammals in Eastern Visayas.
Presently, only the Ocean Adventure Marine Park in Subic Bay Freeport Zone has the capability and resources to provide long-term rehabilitation for the stranded mammals.
The BFAR, however, has an existing laboratory in Barangay Diit in this city which serves as temporary shelter for stranded whales, dolphins, porpoises and other marine animals.
"Our existing facility is not the best place to care for stranded marine mammals," BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo told BusinessWorld.
A stranded marine mammal refers to one that has beached or run aground and is helpless or has lost the capability to return to its natural habitat. Marine mammals strand for various reasons such as physical injury from predators and human activities, errors in navigation, illness, malnutrition and infectious disease.
Lemuel Aragones, a marine zoologist of the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, cited the advantages of rehabilitating these animals, which include gaining new knowledge on animal disease and veterinary therapies as well as the identification of new threats to wild populations and marine resources.
"This also provides opportunity to further educate the public on the threats to marine mammals and their habitat and to promote their conservation," said Mr. Aragones, also a consultant of Ocean Adventure.
The Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network was formed in Eastern Visayas in March. Among others, the network aims to develop regional rehabilitation facilities for long-term care of stranded animals.
At least 16 public and private agencies, including the academe, joined the network in the regional level. A similar group was also organized in the six provinces of the region.
In a recent meeting, Mr. Albaladejo said they expected more sightings of marine mammals especially in Leyte Gulf and Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte due to climate change. The mammals normally beach in Eastern Visayas region, which faces the Pacific Ocean.
In the third week of March, a fisherman found two bottle-nosed dolphins caught in his fishing net in the waters off Macarthur Park in Palo, Leyte. He then set the animals free.
"The dolphins were following their prey when they got entangled in the fishing net," Mr. Albaladejo said.
In February, two Risso’s dolphins were found in the shore of San Sebastian, Samar. The mammals died after a few days despite having been taken care of.
Sightings and stranding of marine mammals in many areas of the region have become common.
Mr. Albaladejo said there was a need to establish a network that will undertake activities to conserve these animals.
The country is home to 26 types of cetaceans ranging from ordinary bottle-nosed dolphins to pygmy blue whales.- Sarwell Q. Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is pushing for the establishment of a P1-million regional rehabilitation facility in Guiuan, Eastern Samar to treat stranded marine mammals in Eastern Visayas.
Presently, only the Ocean Adventure Marine Park in Subic Bay Freeport Zone has the capability and resources to provide long-term rehabilitation for the stranded mammals.
The BFAR, however, has an existing laboratory in Barangay Diit in this city which serves as temporary shelter for stranded whales, dolphins, porpoises and other marine animals.
"Our existing facility is not the best place to care for stranded marine mammals," BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo told BusinessWorld.
A stranded marine mammal refers to one that has beached or run aground and is helpless or has lost the capability to return to its natural habitat. Marine mammals strand for various reasons such as physical injury from predators and human activities, errors in navigation, illness, malnutrition and infectious disease.
Lemuel Aragones, a marine zoologist of the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, cited the advantages of rehabilitating these animals, which include gaining new knowledge on animal disease and veterinary therapies as well as the identification of new threats to wild populations and marine resources.
"This also provides opportunity to further educate the public on the threats to marine mammals and their habitat and to promote their conservation," said Mr. Aragones, also a consultant of Ocean Adventure.
The Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network was formed in Eastern Visayas in March. Among others, the network aims to develop regional rehabilitation facilities for long-term care of stranded animals.
At least 16 public and private agencies, including the academe, joined the network in the regional level. A similar group was also organized in the six provinces of the region.
In a recent meeting, Mr. Albaladejo said they expected more sightings of marine mammals especially in Leyte Gulf and Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte due to climate change. The mammals normally beach in Eastern Visayas region, which faces the Pacific Ocean.
In the third week of March, a fisherman found two bottle-nosed dolphins caught in his fishing net in the waters off Macarthur Park in Palo, Leyte. He then set the animals free.
"The dolphins were following their prey when they got entangled in the fishing net," Mr. Albaladejo said.
In February, two Risso’s dolphins were found in the shore of San Sebastian, Samar. The mammals died after a few days despite having been taken care of.
Sightings and stranding of marine mammals in many areas of the region have become common.
Mr. Albaladejo said there was a need to establish a network that will undertake activities to conserve these animals.
The country is home to 26 types of cetaceans ranging from ordinary bottle-nosed dolphins to pygmy blue whales.- Sarwell Q. Meniano
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Co-ops question Napocor rate hike
published March 24, 2009 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY — The 11 electric cooperatives operating in Eastern Visayas region yesterday questioned the rate increase granted to the National Power Corp. (Napocor), saying that it was not justified because most of the agency’s assets have already been privatized.
"With only 30% (privatization) more to go, there is no reason to increase the rate because majority of Napocor’s generation assets are already in the hands of private companies," said Gerry Gwen Conde, head of the association of the general managers of electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas.
Mr. Conde, who is also the general manager of Leyte II Electric Cooperative, further questioned the lack of consultative meetings and public hearings before the increase was granted.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) held a public hearing on the adjustment only last week. But the rate increase was granted in February.
The electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas, host of the Leyte geothermal fields, have started a signature campaign against the increase.
The Energy Regulatory Commission approved last month provisional increases in Napocor’s generation rates, as follows: P0.4682 per kilowatt-hour in Luzon; P1.15 per kilowatt-hour in the Visayas; and P0.7147 per kilowatt-hour in Mindanao. The adjustments will bring rates to P4.37 per kilowatt-hour in Luzon, P4.03 per kilowatt-hour in the Visayas, and P2.82 per kilowatt-hour in the Mindanao grid effective the billing period from February 26 to March 25.
The commission said it granted provisional relief to Napocor and its co-applicant, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation, to immediately alleviate Napocor’s current financial difficulties, given its current costs of generating power, including the costs of the discounts that it is mandated to extend to certain customers.- Sarwell Q. Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY — The 11 electric cooperatives operating in Eastern Visayas region yesterday questioned the rate increase granted to the National Power Corp. (Napocor), saying that it was not justified because most of the agency’s assets have already been privatized.
"With only 30% (privatization) more to go, there is no reason to increase the rate because majority of Napocor’s generation assets are already in the hands of private companies," said Gerry Gwen Conde, head of the association of the general managers of electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas.
Mr. Conde, who is also the general manager of Leyte II Electric Cooperative, further questioned the lack of consultative meetings and public hearings before the increase was granted.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) held a public hearing on the adjustment only last week. But the rate increase was granted in February.
The electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas, host of the Leyte geothermal fields, have started a signature campaign against the increase.
The Energy Regulatory Commission approved last month provisional increases in Napocor’s generation rates, as follows: P0.4682 per kilowatt-hour in Luzon; P1.15 per kilowatt-hour in the Visayas; and P0.7147 per kilowatt-hour in Mindanao. The adjustments will bring rates to P4.37 per kilowatt-hour in Luzon, P4.03 per kilowatt-hour in the Visayas, and P2.82 per kilowatt-hour in the Mindanao grid effective the billing period from February 26 to March 25.
The commission said it granted provisional relief to Napocor and its co-applicant, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation, to immediately alleviate Napocor’s current financial difficulties, given its current costs of generating power, including the costs of the discounts that it is mandated to extend to certain customers.- Sarwell Q. Meniano
Monday, March 23, 2009
Coconut oil producer, appliance retailer reduce working days
published March 23, 2009 in BusinessWorld and Leyte Samar Daily Express
TACLOBAN CITY — The economic slowdown has become a reality for workers in a coconut processor and an appliance dealer in Eastern Visayas, with their employers resorting to reduced working hours and cutting pay.
Forter G. Puguon, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment, said SC Global Coco Products, Inc. based in Baybay, Leyte has reduced workdays to only 10 to 15 days a month starting February. The company’s 66 workers had to take a pay cut as a result.
Gillamac’s Marketing, Inc., a Cebu-based appliance distributor with branches in Calbayog, Maasin and Ormoc in Eastern Visayas, also reduced working hours as part of a cost-cutting strategy. A total of 19 employees were affected.
"The appliance store claimed in their report submitted to us that they are affected by the global financial crisis. The firm did not indicate in its report the details of the flexible work arrangement," Mr. Puguon told BusinessWorld.
The Labor department has been closely monitoring the operation of eight coconut oil mills in Eastern Visayas.
"We had a meeting with the owners earlier to ask them to immediately report any changes so that we can extend necessary interventions. The general information we got is that they are still able to face the effects of crisis in terms of their market," Mr. Puguon said.
The official said strong ties with the local market should allow coconut processors to survive and preserve jobs.
"We consider the coconut oil mills and our overseas Filipino workers as the most vulnerable sectors. Our contingency plan has been focused on how to help them," Mr. Puguon added.
The Filipino-run SC Global owns a coconut oil refining facility with a capacity to produce 39,600 metric tons of coconut oil a year for export.
"The company has been experiencing weaker export activities prompting them to depart from the traditional or standard workdays and workweek. They have to shut down production from time to time," he said.
Mr. Puguon said the department has tied up with the local government of Baybay to help SC Global employees, who are being considered for emergency employment in road repair work.
Aside from the global slowdown, SC Global’s coconut-based products have also lost ground to alternative products like palm, soya and rapeseed oil.
SC Global’s chief operating officer, Emmanuel Licup, earlier sent an e-mail to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to explain that the unusually high copra price in early 2008 — "at a staggering P43 per kilo" — had made coconut oil less competitive than alternatives like palm, soya and rapeseed oil.
Experts have said that higher demand for coconut oil for use as feedstock by local biodiesel producers and a need to boost domestic stocks would slow down coconut oil exports in 2009.
Major exporters Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. and the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corp. have assured Labor officials that they won’t lay off workers this year.- Sarwell Q. Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY — The economic slowdown has become a reality for workers in a coconut processor and an appliance dealer in Eastern Visayas, with their employers resorting to reduced working hours and cutting pay.
Forter G. Puguon, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment, said SC Global Coco Products, Inc. based in Baybay, Leyte has reduced workdays to only 10 to 15 days a month starting February. The company’s 66 workers had to take a pay cut as a result.
Gillamac’s Marketing, Inc., a Cebu-based appliance distributor with branches in Calbayog, Maasin and Ormoc in Eastern Visayas, also reduced working hours as part of a cost-cutting strategy. A total of 19 employees were affected.
"The appliance store claimed in their report submitted to us that they are affected by the global financial crisis. The firm did not indicate in its report the details of the flexible work arrangement," Mr. Puguon told BusinessWorld.
The Labor department has been closely monitoring the operation of eight coconut oil mills in Eastern Visayas.
"We had a meeting with the owners earlier to ask them to immediately report any changes so that we can extend necessary interventions. The general information we got is that they are still able to face the effects of crisis in terms of their market," Mr. Puguon said.
The official said strong ties with the local market should allow coconut processors to survive and preserve jobs.
"We consider the coconut oil mills and our overseas Filipino workers as the most vulnerable sectors. Our contingency plan has been focused on how to help them," Mr. Puguon added.
The Filipino-run SC Global owns a coconut oil refining facility with a capacity to produce 39,600 metric tons of coconut oil a year for export.
"The company has been experiencing weaker export activities prompting them to depart from the traditional or standard workdays and workweek. They have to shut down production from time to time," he said.
Mr. Puguon said the department has tied up with the local government of Baybay to help SC Global employees, who are being considered for emergency employment in road repair work.
Aside from the global slowdown, SC Global’s coconut-based products have also lost ground to alternative products like palm, soya and rapeseed oil.
SC Global’s chief operating officer, Emmanuel Licup, earlier sent an e-mail to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to explain that the unusually high copra price in early 2008 — "at a staggering P43 per kilo" — had made coconut oil less competitive than alternatives like palm, soya and rapeseed oil.
Experts have said that higher demand for coconut oil for use as feedstock by local biodiesel producers and a need to boost domestic stocks would slow down coconut oil exports in 2009.
Major exporters Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. and the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corp. have assured Labor officials that they won’t lay off workers this year.- Sarwell Q. Meniano
E. Visayas plans organic fertilzer plants
published March 23, 2009 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY — The regional government plans to put up organic fertilizer production facilities in a bid to raise rice production in low-yielding farms in Eastern Visayas.
Arman Arcamo, regional coordinator of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), said a total of 129 organic fertilizer production centers will be set up in Eastern Visayas in the next two years. Some 12,900 hectares of low-yielding rice farms are expected to benefit.
Each facility will provide institutional support to farmers groups and local governments to produce their own organic fertilizer and enable farmers to apply the recommended amount of fertilizer in their fields, Mr. Arcamo said.
Of the 129 units planned in the region, 18 will be in Eastern Samar, 14 in Northern Samar, 30 in Samar, 41 in Leyte, 18 in Southern Leyte, and eight in Biliran. The first set will be delivered within the first half of the year.
The project will give priority to areas where yield is less than the national average of 3.8 tons per hectares, as well as to fourth, fifth and sixth class municipalities.
"Each facility is capable of providing the requirement of 100 hectares of farm per cropping. It will increase yield by up to 30%," Mr. Arcamo said in an interview.
With the rising cost of commercial fertilizers, he said the project is envisioned to reduce the use of imported chemical fertilizers for rice production by at least two bags per hectare.
The putting up of organic fertilizer production facilities is a cost-reduction strategy that would allow a farmer to save as much as P2,200 to P4,130 in one hectare.
"This will also reduce pollution of soils in agricultural areas with chemical residues, and improve ecological balance through the conversion of farm waste into compost fertilizer," he added.
Leo Cañeda, regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture, said they’ve been promoting the "balanced fertilizer" strategy.
"It advocates the judicious use of a balanced fertilizer combination, without sacrificing the yield targets per hectare per cropping season," Mr. Cañeda said.
The region has 57,000 hectares devoted to rice production, with most of the areas currently supported by inorganic — or chemical — fertilizer.
Organic fertilizers address macronutrient deficiency of the soil in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It also improves soil’s water holding capacity. Thus, it facilitates easy absorption of the needed nutrients by the crop’s roots. — Sarwell Q. Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY — The regional government plans to put up organic fertilizer production facilities in a bid to raise rice production in low-yielding farms in Eastern Visayas.
Arman Arcamo, regional coordinator of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), said a total of 129 organic fertilizer production centers will be set up in Eastern Visayas in the next two years. Some 12,900 hectares of low-yielding rice farms are expected to benefit.
Each facility will provide institutional support to farmers groups and local governments to produce their own organic fertilizer and enable farmers to apply the recommended amount of fertilizer in their fields, Mr. Arcamo said.
Of the 129 units planned in the region, 18 will be in Eastern Samar, 14 in Northern Samar, 30 in Samar, 41 in Leyte, 18 in Southern Leyte, and eight in Biliran. The first set will be delivered within the first half of the year.
The project will give priority to areas where yield is less than the national average of 3.8 tons per hectares, as well as to fourth, fifth and sixth class municipalities.
"Each facility is capable of providing the requirement of 100 hectares of farm per cropping. It will increase yield by up to 30%," Mr. Arcamo said in an interview.
With the rising cost of commercial fertilizers, he said the project is envisioned to reduce the use of imported chemical fertilizers for rice production by at least two bags per hectare.
The putting up of organic fertilizer production facilities is a cost-reduction strategy that would allow a farmer to save as much as P2,200 to P4,130 in one hectare.
"This will also reduce pollution of soils in agricultural areas with chemical residues, and improve ecological balance through the conversion of farm waste into compost fertilizer," he added.
Leo Cañeda, regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture, said they’ve been promoting the "balanced fertilizer" strategy.
"It advocates the judicious use of a balanced fertilizer combination, without sacrificing the yield targets per hectare per cropping season," Mr. Cañeda said.
The region has 57,000 hectares devoted to rice production, with most of the areas currently supported by inorganic — or chemical — fertilizer.
Organic fertilizers address macronutrient deficiency of the soil in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It also improves soil’s water holding capacity. Thus, it facilitates easy absorption of the needed nutrients by the crop’s roots. — Sarwell Q. Meniano
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