LAST November 13 marked the hottest party for the Davao Banking world. Held at Garden Oases, Banker’s Night: A Celebration was truly one memorable event. Attended by members of the Davao City Bankers Association and some guests (who were in attendance to root for their banker friends for the Dance Contest), this was truly one for the books. The entertainment was off the hook as the Lady Assassins ( a female dance group that regularly performs at Studio Onnie) treated the guests to some seductive hip-swingin. 8 Mile (band) was also there to dish out a couple of tunes and set the stage for Davao City’s favorite DJ: Torch; who, once again, brought the house down with his signature brand of crowd-pleasing ditties and thumps. Banker’s Night: A Celebration was presented by FishTank Inc., and was another truly exciting event. Free drinks, delicious pulutan and an overall sense of fellowship from the competing banks made the night remarkable, memorable, and just plain hot. Catch Confessions of a Partyphile (the radio show) on 105.9 Mix FM every Wednesday Nights 6 to 9 PM. For comments, suggestions and more confessions from this partyphile, log on to http://party.i.ph.
THE past few weeks have seen a whirlwind of events that herald the coming of the holiday season. First up was the opening of True Scents and Minerals at Paseo de Legaspi . The store opening was immeadiately followed by Jane Iredale’s holiday make-up styles featuring some of Davao’s most fashionable and beautiful Dabawenyas. Also happening was Chimes’ second Holiday Fashion Show featuring over fifteen fashion, accessory and make-up brands featuring the latest and hottest fashion trends to hit the city. The show was attended by some of Davao City’s movers and shakers, children and grandchildren in-tow, making the fashion celebration a truly famiy affair.
EVER wonder why a lot of our guys are “confused” and would prefer to be women instead of men? Recent research points to chemicals in our toiletries and food that affect the sex of children. Let’s take a look into this. A new report from the Danish Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), highlights the critical risks facing toddlers from gender bending chemicals in everyday products. Chemicals like phthalates (found in PVC and fragrances), parabens (found in lotions and sunscreens), and pesticides are increasingly being linked to hormone disruption – and two year olds have more in their blood than any previous generations.
What does it mean? Today’s boys have less sperm. Sperm counts are falling so fast that young men are about half as fertile as their fathers (and have about one-third the amount of sperm per milliliter as a hamster if you care to compare.) More boys are playing like girls. The DEFRA report highlights research from Rotterdam’s Erasmus University that found that boys whose mothers were exposed to certain hormone disruptors were more likely to dress up in girl’s clothes and play with dolls and tea sets. Fewer boys are being born. According to coverage of the report in the Telegraph, “A Canadian Indian community living on ancestral lands at the eastern tip of Lake Huron, hemmed in by one of the biggest agglomerations of chemical factories on earth, gives birth to twice as many girls as boys. It’s the same around Seveso in Italy, contaminated with dioxins from a notorious accident in the 1970s, and among Russian pesticide workers. And there’s more evidence from places as far apart as Israel and Taiwan, Brazil and the Arctic.” Boys’ unmentionables are getting smaller. Scientists at the University of Rochester in New York discovered that boys born to women exposed to phthalates had smaller penises and other feminization of the genitals. Many of the chemicals being criticized have received their fair share of criticism in the past. What’s new about this report is the emphasis on “chemical cocktails” – or the fact that these chemicals mixed together are far worse than they are alone. And, this is how we are exposed to them – in mixtures from our everyday environments – not isolated like they are often tested in the laboratory. Beyond the machismo these occurrences may invoke in many a male, the overwhelming concern is the threat to reproduction.
What can you do? Reduce your exposure to hormone disruptors like pesticides, plasticizers, and chemically-laden personal care products. Eat organic food, whenever possible. Some of the offending chemicals mentioned in this report are stored in fat. So if you eat meat, choose low-fat cuts and remove excess fat. Also, choose low-fat dairy products. We can actually grow organic veggies in our backyard. Since it’s a household garden, it would nor require chemical pesticides. Avoid using plastic containers, especially for food and beverages. Use glass or stainless steel instead. Find safer personal care products. Cut back on how many and how much you use. And, maybe even try making your own (simple olive oil makes a wonderful skin moisturizer). Go natural. Avoid using pesticides. Don’t give pests food or shelter. Clean up spills immediately, fix leaks, repair cracks, and mend torn screens. Yank weeds or pour boiling water on them instead of resorting to herbicides. Find safer toys, teethers and clothes for your family. Women should also be vigilant and aware of the products they eat or use at home. The role of an expectant woman cannot be understated in this matter. She should make sure that what she uses won’t have any effect on her baby and/or children. I would stress here that breastmilk is the best for babies! Nothing beats being an informed consumer! Make it a habit to read the latest on health and research. We will definitely benefit from all these information and will guide us in our product choices as consumers.
The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) has forged an agreement with IBM Philippines for the establishment of a technology center that can be used for free by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and other industries to improve their business operations. DCCCII consultant for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) committee Andrei Fournier said the technology center will be set up at the DCCCII office along J.P. Laurel Avenue where IBM Philippines is donating software worth P1.4 million, while ICT Davao will also be donating three desktop personal computers. He said the center could also be used by those who want to develop programs for SMEs for free. Fournier said they recognized the basic problem of SMEs which is the non-availability of software applications. He said the center is a place where they could develop the appropriate software for their businesses. IBM Philippines has started moving outside of Metro Manila and has expanded to Davao City lately. The technology center will also be launched on November 26. Fournier said DCCCII has intensified its campaign on environmental protection realizing that the ICT sector is one of the major pollutants and consume a lot of power as the industry relies so much on power. Part of their advocacy is the use of energy-saving computers as they are also campaigning especially among internet cafes to start phasing out Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or the big monitors. This, as most of the parts when not properly disposed, are major pollutants to the environment. Fournier has been urging users to avail of computers or laptops with low energy consumption and reminds the public to shut off these units when not in use. He said internet cafes are among heavy users of power with the kind of units they install in their establishments. On the average, they use at least 400 CRTs and if these things are not properly handled will pause danger to the environment. Meanwhile, Fournier said, they are campaigning on eWaste disposal in partnership with SM City Davao. SM City Davao initiated the waste recycling market where it dedicated the first Saturday of every month as Waste Market Day. The Waste Market is joined by accredited buyers of waste products, including eWaste. He said waste materials from computers, laptops and other electronic device are collected and assessed for recycling. Those parts that can no longer be used will be properly disposed of. “We are advocating simple ways of protecting the environment and by doing so, we can also save on energy,” he said. Fournier said they are in talks with other sectors in the community to come up with similar activities so more people could be reached for them to dispose of their eWaste during organized activities like Waste Market Day. SM City Davao and Nokia Philippines are also carrying out a program of waste disposal for defective cellphones and batteries where a booth is stationed in the mall for this purpose. PNA
YouTube has launched a free tool that allows news organizations to highlight newsworthy video footage from “citizen journalists” on their websites. The Huffington Post, National Public Radio, Politico, the San Francisco Chronicle and The Washington Post are among the US media outlets which have signed up to use “YouTube Direct.” “Almost any event that takes place today has a chance of being captured on camera,” Steve Grove, the head of news and politics at YouTube, said in a blog post, citing newsworthy events such as earthquakes, fires and other disasters. YouTube Direct allows news organizations to “connect directly with citizen reporters on our site so they broadcast this footage and bring it to a larger audience,” Grove said. Media organizations can use the interface to “request, review and rebroadcast YouTube clips directly from YouTube users,” he said. Media outlets can enable a customized version of YouTube’s upload platform on their websites and use it to review video submissions and select the best ones for use. The video would appear on YouTube and on the media organization’s website. Grove said YouTube Direct was not only aimed at connecting “citizen journalists” with news outlets. He said it could also be used by businesses to solicit promotional videos, by nonprofits and by politicians seeking user-generated political commercials.
The birth of Wikipedia, the death of Napster, the iPhone, Facebook, and Twitter were named by the Webby Awards as among the top 10 Internet moments of the decade. Other events singled out by the New York-based International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences which bestows the annual Webby Awards were Iran’s election protests, Craigslist’s expansion and the launch of Google AdWords. “The Internet is the story of the decade because it was the catalyst for change in not just every aspect of our everyday lives, but in everything from commerce and communication to politics and pop culture,” said David-Michel Davies, the executive director of the Webby Awards. “The recurring theme among all of the milestones on our list is the Internet’s capacity to circumvent old systems and put more power into the hands of ordinary people,” he said. The Webby Awards list of the 10 most most influential Internet moments of the decade: • Craigslist online classified site expands outside San Francisco (2000) • The launch of Google AdWords (2000) • The launch of online encyclopedia Wikipedia (2001) • The shutdown of file-sharing site Napster (2001) • Google’s initial public offering (2004) • The online video revolution led by YouTube (2006) • Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter launches (2006) • Apple’s iPhone debuts (2007) • The use of the Internet in the US presidential campaign (2008) • The use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests (2009). The 14th annual Webby Awards are to be announced in April 2010. They reward excellence on the Internet in a number of categories including news and other websites, interactive advertising and online film and video.
Last week I attended a conference in Clark Field on “Convergence 2009: Empowering the Filipino through Information Technology”. As an indicator of the importance of IT to the future of the Philippines, the keynote speaker at the event was none other than President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It was a very inspiring conference and everyone in our group left the conference with renewed excitement for the future of IT in Davao and throughout Mindanao. Accompanying me on the trip to the Convergence 2009 Conference were a number of leading dignitaries and visionaries from the IT community in Davao representing both the public and private sectors. Leading our group was the very distinguished president of ICT Davao, Lizabel G. Holganza, as well as, city councillor Teresita Mata Maranon, Eriberto Barriga, Nelly Sia Agabin, Yvonne Cabada, Mae Jan Villanueva, Edwin Maranon, Marienita del Monte and Gary Dumael . Convergence 2009 was an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) road show that was aimed at pursuing objectives established by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology’s (CICT). The objectives fell into four strategic areas: Cyberservices, Human Capital Development, eGovernment Development, and ICT Infrastructure. The main objectives in each area were: 1. Promote the Philippine Cyber Corridor and the Next Wave Cities; 2. Ensure the supply of talent for the BPO-IT industry; 3. Increase awareness on the use of ICT; and 4. Enable Small and Medium Enterprises to spur its growth through technology. The Philippine Cyber-Corridor is an initiative by the Philippine Government under Executive Order No. 561, signed by President Arroyo that aims to interconnect centers of business process outsourcing services all around the country. This Cyber Corridor extends from Baguio to Davao. I listened to the speech of the president who was the keynote speaker at the opening ceremonies. She congratulated the ICT industry for being selected by the National Outsourcing Association of the U.K. as the Off shoring Destination of the Year. According to the President, the Philippines ranks as among the best off shoring hubs in the world because of cost competitiveness and, more importantly, because of our highly trainable English proficient IT enabled management and manpower. She noted the Off shoring Destination of the Year Award highlights the growing Importance of the Philippine IT-BPO industry in the global market. In her speech, the President recognized BPO and tourism as the key growth sectors for the Philippines, just as she predicted during her first State of the Nation Address in 2001. I particularly liked the following quote from her. “We are guided by the philosophy that it is the market, not the government, that should determine technological outcomes.” I agree. I actually like the fact our government is encouraging our youth to get more excited and interested in ICT. I believe the private sector can make an important contribution to the future of our country by aggressively applying technology to their businesses, thus providing the most highly skilled Filipino a good paying job without the need to leave home. As evidence of the growth potential of ICT, the president pointed out that in 2001 there were 4,000 BPO workers. Today there are over 400,000. The growth speaks eloquently of our competitiveness and productivity as a people. But for me personally, these 400,000 people represent 400,000 families that are intact and together because they found meaningful employment at home and not overseas. To those people who know me, they know that I once worked as a domestic helper for over 20 years. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to study Information Technology while I worked in Hong Kong. It was there I began to fully understand that the technology meant people could perform services without the need to leave home. By the way, for those of you who have never had to leave your children behind… you have no idea how powerful a concept that is. I also realize my country could stop the brain drain. We could stop exporting our best and brightest to other countries. And it was for this passion that my company, Mynd was conceived. Empowering the Filipino through Information Technology is a great challenge. We sincerely need an all out effort from both the private and government sectors to meet this challenge. I would encourage every IT business in Davao to do their part by joining ICT Davao so that we have one voice. I would also encourage parents to invest in their children’s education. We need to educate the youth about the opportunities in ICT available to them if they only empower themselves with technology. When we have the private and public sectors working together to empower the Filipino through IT… then we will have taken a great step toward reducing the number of our Filipino citizens who feel compelled to leave their families behind to work abroad. That is real and meaningful empowerment. As always, email your questions to info@myndconsulting.com or call us at 300-6963.
The Philippine Ports Authority Port District Office-Southern Mindanao in Davao City recently released the Notice of Award (NOA) for P66.87-M worth of projects to the Zet Construction and the MRB Construction and Supply for the construction of the roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ports in Pantukan, Compostela Valley and Tagpopongan, Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte, respectively. This development is in congruence with the directive of President Gloria Arroyo to expand the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) lateral links in the Davao Region 11. The president earlier broached the concept of establishing a RoRo system within the ASEAN during the Fifth Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand last February. SRNH refers to the alliances of major and feeder RoRo capable ports linking the country’s major islands Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, and vice versa with an average of four hours per stopover. Ro-Ro projects have always placed top priority in the PPA Port System and have been expedited to be responsive to the needs of the public and in line with the central government’s vision of linking the Philippine islands through the Road-RoRo Transport System (RRTS), SoMin Port District manager Abdussabor Sawadjaan announced during a press conference with local reporters on Mindanao port developments. RRTS embodies the mechanism of a nationwide operation of both public and privately-managed ports with PPA prescribed charges for vehicles and rolling cargoes. Its concept stemmed from the desire to bring down the cost of maritime transport by paying only the terminal fee. In the same forum, PDM Sawadjaan, who made the announcement in the presence of presidential adviser on Mindanao affairs Secretary Jesus Dureza, also bared PPA’s plan to expand the port of Glan, Sarangani Province and to add a RoRo facility to the existing pier to boost trade, transport and tourism with Tahuna, Indonesia as part of the initiatives of the BIMP-EAGA. Indonesia had earlier committed to put up a port in Tahuna for the purpose. The government of Glan has an existing trade partnership with Bitung, Malaysia and its PPA developed port caters to fishing and passenger vessels to and from General Santos City and Mabila in Balut Island, Sarangani municipality. Tagpopongan is located at the north side of the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte Province which is facing the coast of Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province, hence, the twin Ro-Ro port developments in the two areas. The contract price for Pantukan is P29.76-M, which covers the construction of its RoRo ramp and rock causeway while Tagpopongan, which has a budget pegged at P37.79 M will also include a RoRo ramp and rock causeway. A significant RoRo infrastructure in Babak, Samal Island facing the Davao City mainland completed in 2008 was made possible by PPA’s locally-funded engineering project worth P49.95-M, which also included a reclamation and expansion of its back-up area. Port engineering work at the back side of Samal Island at present with this newly-awarded contract for the Tagpopongan development is projected to spur socio-economic exchanges as well as improve transport of local goods and passengers to neighboring towns through the RRTS. The strategic connection of Tagpopongan to the adjacent Pantukan municipality which is located in another province of the Davao Region through the RRTS would also enable a more efficient consolidation of its distinct agricultural and industrial commodities for trading in other domestic destinations and eventually for export. Samal Island, the nearest link between Davao City and Pantukan town, has been challenged to push for the continuous enhancement of its RoRo and road networks to activate an economic triad similar to that of Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle (JAGS-CT). Pantukan and Tagpopongan RoRo port projects are slated to be completed within 412 and 430 calendar days, respectively, reckoned about 30 days from the issue of the NOA in October 19, 2009.
House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles bared recently that the law he authored naming a school after the late Vicente Duterte, who was governor of the undivided Davao province, was passed by the House last June and approved by the Senate last Nov. 16. It now awaits President Arroyo’s signature. The late governor was the father of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte. House Bill 6435 separates the Mabini National High School-Governor Vicente Duterte Annex in Barangay Bangkal, Talomo District, City of Davao from the Mabini National High School, converting it into an independent national high school to be known as Governor Vicente Duterte National High School and appropriates funds for it. “We build and preserve the legacies of great men like the late Gov. Duterte, for their great deeds.” Nograles said. The proposed law will transfer all personnel, assets, liabilities and records of the Mabini National High School to be absorbed by the Governor Vicente Duterte Nationa High School. To make sure that the measure would pass into law, the Speaker even made personal follow-ups among Senators, aware that local bills are largely ignored by the Senate. The Secretary of Education, Nograles said, shall immediately include, upon effectivity of the Act, in the Department’s program the operationalization of the said national high school, and the initial funding which shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of said school. Thereafter, he added, the amount necessary for the continued operation of the school shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. [PR]
Joining the 8th Mindanao Working Group meeting, Peace Adviser Anabelle Abaya expressed her intention of involving more women and indigenous people in the peace process. Abaya believes that it is very natural for women to talk and work for peace. “Thus, I’d like to harness this natural character of women to protect men from men.” she said. Also, active involvement of the IPs is included in the priority strategies that the new peace adviser is implementing. She admitted that there would be plenty of conversations with the IPs that the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP) will initiate as the talks continue to progress. The OPAPP administration wanted to have a program involving people in the grassroots as this is one of the major recommendations which came out in the series of consultations of the people in conflict areas. Abaya expressed optimism on the ongoing trend of the peace talks. Malacanang bared high hopes for the agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) before the end of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s term. Press secretary Cerge Remonde said that it is better for the MILF to seal a peace deal with the present administration as the latter consistently demonstrated desire to achieve lasting peace.
