Exec Advises Oro Chamber: Benchmark Opposition for Increased Competitiveness

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MIKE BAÑOS / June 7)– Asked what Cagayan de Oro needed to do to further increase its competitiveness as the leading economy in Mindanao, the chairman of one of the city's real estate development firms replied : "Benchmark the opposition."

Speaking at the 2nd Quarter General Membership Meeting of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber), Guillermo D. Luchangco, chairman of Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation, outlined a five-point program which included benchmarking the opposition, being proactive in making the city attractive and friendly to potential investors, organize teams to personally share first hand experience with visitors, brief "champions" in government on Cagayan de Oro's potentials by personally inviting them to experience the city, and more pragmatically, tempering the city's vaunted 'opposition" stance so as not to make it a deterrent to potential investors.

"Few people may actually come to you just because your team exists," Luchangco cautioned. "You may have to work at becoming the organization to which investors are automatically referred if they are looking at Cagayan de Oro."

To make that possible, Luchangco turned over a lot at the Pueblo de Oro Business Park which will house the Oro Chamber Business Development Center (OC-BDC) in groundbreaking rites yesterday afternoon attended by City Mayor Vicente Emano, Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno and Romeo Serra, chairman of the Mindanao Business Council.

"We are very pleased with the fact that the dream f the board of directors and the general membership, even that of the past chamber officers is finally seeing fruition," said Oro chamber president Ruben Vegafria. "With the support of corporate partners like Pueblo de Oro, our business development and investment promotion undertakings are slowly but surely materializing."
The future business office of the Oro Chamber, OC-BDC will offer business advisory and information services, events management, investment promotion, policy advocacy, market development and entrepreneurial and marketing trainings for its clients and Oro Chamber members. Construction is slated to start in two months.

Luchangco said the latest Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Survey of Competitiveness of Philippine Cities in which to do business, shows Davao city among the top five for Metro Cities and Iligan City among mid-sized cities.

"Maybe the chamber can take upon itself to study what enabled Davao and Iligan to qualify for this ranking," Luchangco said. "I suggest that the chamber set a goal for itself, and that is, to put Cagayan de Oro among the Top 5 next year! I believe that if you can do this, you will be making a real contribution to the economic expansion of the city. And it will also be good for your business!"
Perhaps equally important, albeit sensitive, was the frequent comments regarding Cagay-anons' "chip-on-the-shoulder".

Luchangco related how he heard about the survey of the attitude of the potential work force commissioned by a foreign company for its call center which eventually decided not to locate here due to the survey results which showed that "employees would likely have a tendency to be difficult to deal with, to often clash with management, rather than cooperate, to be defiant."

Although he indicated that the recent decision of Pueblo de Oro IT park call center locator Link2Support to double its work force appears to debunk this finding, Luchangco said it is incumbent upon business leaders "to exert influence to temper that tendency in appropriate degrees whenever you see the problem arising."

"Do not just seek back and watch such events transpire," he urged. "Get involved and try to intercede and explain to your people where they are too quick or too negative in reacting."
Not the least, he cited the key role played by meticulous preparation.

"In the case of Pueblo de Oro, when we set about to attract a call center to locate here, we studied what was important to operators of call centers. We prepared a presentation that addressed the facts they wanted to know, from power rates to supply, to telecommunications availability to supply of the types of people they would want to hire," Luchangco stressed. "One call center company told us this was the most impressive and comprehensive presentation they had see.

"And of course, do your homework. Don't expect to just sit down with the visiting businessman and talk small talk. Know your statistics and facts about Cagayan de Oro versus the rest of the Philippines."

"MIKE BAÑOS501 V. F. Cabaraban St.,

Cabaraban Subdivision,Puntod, 9000 Cagayan de Oro City

PhilippinesMobile 0921-469-6305IM

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Maya tries to rebut DBM findings on city hall overspending

CAGAYAN de Oro Councilor Maryanne Enteria on Saturday criticized the budget department, describing its call on city hall to go slow on its spendings as ‘‘unfair.’’

The department’s call ‘‘is not fair to the city since there is no legal basis," Enteria said.

Enteria referred to the result of the review of the Department of Budget and Management which thumbed down city hall’s 2006 budget because of ‘‘excess in expenditures.’’

In a gist, the DBM’s findings show that city hall plans to spend more than what it would earn this year. Also, the budget does not jibe with the city government’s internal revenue allotment (IRA), the department said.

Enteria, an ally of Mayor Vicente Emano, said the finding that city hall was bound to overspend based on the 2006 budget ‘‘is purely [an] observation and projection.’’

"That’s not true,’’ said Enteria. ‘‘DBM’s assessments are mostly projections. They just give an estimated amount."

Enteria also said it would be ‘‘too early’’ for DBM to conclude that the budget approved by the city council for this year is illegal.

The councilor, a lawyer by profession, also questioned the basis for the DBM’s rejection of the granting of personnel economic relief allowances (Pera) to city hall’s non-regular employees.

The 2006 budget of city hall shows a P96 thousand excess in the Pera, said DBM.
The department disallowed the granting of the Pera to Emano, Vice Mayor Michelle Spiers and the councilors.

Budget Circular No. 12 dated April 7, 1997 provides the updated rules and regulations on the grant of Pera. It is based on the General Provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The GAA General provisions states that the Pera is to be given to "all appointive national and local government employees occupying itemized plantilla positions."

Since the law explicitly specified "appointive" officials, those elected are not entitled to the Pera, the DBM said.

Enteria argued that any excess in the budget, especially on the personnel services, ‘‘can be justified since allowances and bonuses given to employees are within the mandate of the law.’’

Enteria said allowances and other perks, while set by law, can be augmented by way of an Executive Order from Malacañang. She said the Palace has issued a dozen EOs in the previous years.

Enteria said city budget officer Creselda Joson assured that no new expenditure was added to city hall’s personnel services fund. The fund set aside for this in the 2006 budget is P476,496,119.

According to Enteria, the city budget office would disallow the creation of new city hall positions this year to comply with government budget regulations on fixed expenditures ceiling.

Enteria said city hall’s technical working group, composed of officials from the budget, finance and accounting offices, cited a law that states that any excess in the budget could only be determined at the end of the year.

"We’ve just ended our second quarter and we’re about to start the third quarter... we can’t make conclusions [in regard to] excess allocations," she said.

It was DBM director for northern Mindanao Romeo Melad who called the attention of Mayor Emano in regard to "excess in expenditures" in city hall’s 2006 budget.

City hall’s 2006 budget simply exceeded government guidelines, according to Melad.
The DBM earlier thumbed down the granting of incentives to some 2,588 city hall employees. It said to do so would be illegal.

"The same cannot be allowed for lack of legal basis and considering that there is an excess in the personnel services limitation," Melad said in a letter, a copy of which was furnished Gold Star Daily.

In the 2006 budget, city hall set aside bonuses amounting to P15,528,000 for all regular and casual employees.

But in the letter, dated March 6, the DBM said city hall has been overspending for salaries, way above a 45-percent ceiling.

In 2004, city hall had an income of P874,989,478.73. Forty-five percent of this––P393,745,265.43––is the salary cap.

City hall however set aside P476,496,119 for personnel services in the 2006 budget or P82,750,853.57 above the salary cap.

Melad said the budget for the City Economic and Enterprise Department (CEED) alone exceeded by over P10 million. The CEED is the department that handles the operations of the city’s public markets and terminals.

Melad also called Emano’s attention in regard to his P9-million intelligence fund. He asked the mayor to go slow on the fund. The intelligence fund is not subject to strict auditing and can be used at the local executive’s discretion.

"[Budget officer] Joson assured that Mayor Emano has complied with all auditing rules in disbursing his intelligence fund," Enteria said.

The DBM also called city hall’s attention in regard to its budget for representation and traveling allowances (Rata) which it said exceeded by P1,378,000.

"can be read at Gold Star Daily>Link

Oro cops arrest 22 robbery members; recovered stolen bikes, clothes

ACTING Cagayan de Oro City director police Superintendent Antonio Montalba (right) as he exchanging words to the suppose owner of one stolen bike, while City's Anti-Theft and Robbery Section chief SPO1 Mario Pelaez looks on. Other photos below are shoes, clothes, and other personal belongings inluding 28 mountain bikes that allegedly were all stolen by the suspected theives arrested on Friday during police joint hot pursuit operation at barangay Consolacion, in this city. (Photo by Cagayan de Oro Journal) Link">"email me at celaben96@yahoo.com>Link

Bridge will be safe for public use June 5

THE regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Adhi Karya-VT Lao Construction on Wednesday assured that the Ysalina Bridge would be safe for motorists’ use on June 5, the day half of the bridge would be opened to traffic.

The firm would continue repairing the bridge on that day but officials said the public need not worry.

Northern Mindanao Public Works and Highways assistant regional director Norma Geronilla said the bridge would be fully opened to traffic 10 days later or on June 15.

"We always monitor their work 24 hours a day. The bridge will be the same as it was," Geronilla said.

VT Lao deputy project engineer Rick Galera also made the same assurance after Councilor Reynaldo Advincula said many people were afraid that the bridge might give in if it is opened before the retrofitting work is finished.

But Galera said the firm would put in place equipment to support the bridge. He said even trucks can use one lane of the bridge starting on June 5.

"The support is sturdy and well made, and cannot be easily damaged," Galera said.
Over local radio, Mayor Vicente Emano he would leave matters in the hands of engineers

"The consequences will be on the contractor," Emano said.

"can be read at Gold Star Daily>Link

Advincula calls on Trampe to resign

COUNCILOR Reynaldo Advincula on Thursday called city police director Senior Supt. Aurelio Trampe "inutile" and ‘‘ineffective’’ even as he urged the city’s top cop to quit due to the alarming crime rate.

"Trampe should have delivered results... The city needs strong man to fight criminals," said Advincula, adding that city hall officials were already tired of advising Trampe since he took over as police chief last year.

He said Trampe should immediately resign, citing complaints against the rising crime rate supposedly from business people in the city.

"He is so kind but his kindness has been affecting his work,’’ said Advincula.
What the city needs, according to Advincula, is a police chief who would be tough against criminals.

Advincula cited the increasing cases of wire theft in the city which cost business establishments’ millions of pesos.

He said the wire thieves have also adversely affected telecommunication companies like the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) located in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental and Philippine Calling Office based in Cagayan de Oro City.

Advincula did not give specific figures.

On Tuesday, thieves destroyed and stole a fiber optic cable and a modem cable in barangays Bulua, and Lapasan. They cut a thick steel pipe covering the cable wires.
Chief Insp. Antonio Montalba, who served as acting police director before Trampe took over, said he suspected a crime syndicate was behind the cable thefts. Montalba said similar cases have been reported across the country.

The theft affected communication services in Gusa all the way to Villanueva and Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, for 24 hours.

"We are still thankful to the police officers who arrested the suspects,’’ said Advincula. ‘‘But what we are seeing is only the tip of the iceberg.’’

Advincula faulted Trampe, saying the police chief should have made police officers visible in areas considered to be crime-prone.

Advincula said the weekly meetings of city hall officials with Trampe have become useless because the police director has not been acting on the local officials’ suggestions.

Resolutions have been passed in the city council calling on the police to ensure police visibility but these have not been fully implemented, he said.

‘‘They’re just good at the start,’’ said Advincula.

Trampe was out of town, according to his staff.

"can be read at Gold Star Daily>Link

Emano, councilors a no-show on Ledesma installation

CAGAYAN de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano and local legislators were conspiciously absent during Tuesday’s installation of Archbishop Antonio Ledesma.

There was no immediate explanation but many perceive their absence as a breach of protocol given that Ledesma is an appointee of Pope Benedict XVI, the head of the State of the Vatican City.

There were reports that the only city hall official who attended the installation rites at the St. Augustine Cathedral was Vice Mayor Michelle Spiers but this could not be independently verified at presstime.

‘‘If he (Emano) did not give an explanation, that means it was a deliberate snub,’’ said lawyer James Judith, a known critic of the Emano adminisration.

Judith added, ‘‘It could mean a lot of things. He is either indifferent to church affairs, bears a grudge against the church officials or the clergy, hates church politics, uncomfortable with its (Church’s) tradition or (it could just be) plain arrogance. It could be any of these.’’said Sen. Aquilino Pimentel: ‘‘He’s (Emano’s) running true to form. He has no need for God and things spiritual.’’

‘‘It’s a pity,’’ reacted former vice mayor Antonio Soriano. He did not elaborate.

President Arroyo, who was reported by another paper earlier to be coming over for the affair, did not show up. Neither did anyone represent her during the formal assumption of the 63-year-old Jesuit priest as head of the Cagayan de Oro archdiocese.

Ledesma is the vice president of the influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) which has voiced apprehensions over moves to quickly change the 1987 Constitution. The Charter change campaign is something that Arroyo and her allies, including Emano, have been preoccupied with.

The new archbishop is said to be personally against the Charter change campaign.

The only prominent political ally of Arroyo who attended the affair was Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno.

But Moreno declined to comment on the absence of city hall officials. Ledesma’s installation, he said, is a ‘‘purely Church affair.’’

But Tagoloan-based priest Raul Bagongon said he felt disappointed because ‘‘political alliances’’ became evident during the archbishop’s installation.

"There is a clear division between those in the administration and the opposition," said Fr. Bagongon.

The VIP guest list included prominent opposition figures: Senate President Franklin Drilon and Sen. Pimentel and their wives, Black and White Movement lead convenor Dinky Soliman, and Mila Roco whose late husband Raul was a senator and one of Arroyo’s challengers in the 2004 presidential elections, among others.

"We sent invitations to city officials," said Fr. Butch Zayas, overall chairperson for the installation rites preparation. The invitations were sent out three weeks ago.

Zayas said a committee even called local officials to follow through on the invitations. "We called them by phone."

Said Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya: "No comment. Better ask the vice mayor, the invitations were sent when she was the acting mayor."

Councilor Reynaldo Advincula said he was surprised because he received no invitation.

"I was really surprised why the city council was not invited," said Advincula.

Speaking at the jampacked St. Agustine Cathedral for the first time since he was appointed by the Pope, the archbishop stressed the need for the Church to promote a ‘‘culture of peace’’ through interreligious dialogues and intercultural understanding.

Ledesma also stressed the need for the collaboration of efforts of the Church and State to attain peace and development in Mindanao. He also cited the work of ‘‘civil society’’ groups which he also called the ‘‘NGO community’’ for helping address social concerns.

Gov. Moreno said Ledesma’s pronouncement’s only showed that the archbishop is an "activist and a reform-minded Church leader."

‘‘His message to Cagayanons was so deep," said Moreno.

"Very inspiring,’’ said former Social Welfare secretary Soliman. ‘‘He became an archbishop at the right time and in right place.’’

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