Northern Mindanao’s labor force grow by 4.2%

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 28 (PIA) -- Northern Mindanao’s labor force went up by 4.2 percent in July 2012, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The results of the July 2012 Labor Force Survey (LFS) showed that the region’s labor force grew from 2.018 million in July 2011 to 2.102 million in July 2012, said Engr. Cecilio Clarete, chief economic and development specialist of the NEDA in the region. 

In terms of employment level, he said the region posted improvement breaching the two-million mark during the reference period. 

The July 2012 round of the LFS estimated the number of employed persons in the region at 2.002 million, or at a rate of 95.3 percent, up by 0.4 percentage points from the 94.8 employment rate in the same period last year, he said. 

This resulted to a 0.4 percentage point decline in the region’s unemployment rate, from 5.2 percent last year to 4.7 percent this year. 

Underemployment rate also fell by 1.9 percentage points, from 22.3 percent to 20.3 percent. 

In absolute terms, the number of workers who expressed their desire to earn more income either by additional work hours or jobs dropped by about 19,000 from 426 million in July 2011 to 407 million a year after, Clarete said. 

According to him, the positive development may be due to a shift in employment growth from agriculture sector to the services sector. 

He said the services sector, which offers higher labor productivity than agriculture, is now the region’s biggest employer engaging more than one million workers. 

Year-on-year, employment in the services sector went up by 94,000 while that in the agriculture and industry sectors declined by 5,000 workers and 4,000 workers, respectively. (APB/PIA-10)

Army settles ‘rido’ in Lanao del Sur

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 27 (PIA) -- The 103rd Infantry (HARIBON) Brigade of the Philippine Army has managed to settle on December 19 the long standing political feud (rido) between Butig town’s current mayor Ibrahim R. Macadato and former mayor Atty. Dimnatang P. Pansar. 

In a simple ceremony held at the Brigade Social Hall, the two contending parties who are running for mayoralty in the said municipality swore before the Holy Qur’an and signed a peace covenant to end their long standing family and political feud that caused the loss of 13 lives and the wounding of 11 persons from both sides. 

The Macadato – Pansar political rivalry is one of the long standing and most intense feuds in the province especially during elections. Both have maintained a solid number of followers for years which oftentimes created chaos and fear among their constituents. 

The two parties, however, remained calm during the meeting. With only few supporters with them, both came willing to finally put an end to their rift in the interest of giving primacy to the welfare of the people of Butig. 

Meanwhile, Provincial Board Member Ansary P. Maongco expressed gratitude to the 103rd Brigade for initiating the rido settlement. 

Maongco, who witnessed the settlement together with the members of the 103rd Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board, is elated with how the 103rd Brigade is leading the way in attaining true peace in the province especially that 2013 elections is nearing. 

He said the event is worth emulating and should serve as an example to other municipalities and prominent personalities to come forward and end existing feuds. (103rd Brigade,PA/PIA-10)

Misamis Oriental posts robust investment growth in 3Q

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 27 (PIA) -- The province of Misamis Oriental recorded the highest growth rate in terms of investments among the provinces in Northern Mindanao during the third quarter of 2012. 

Report from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the region shows that investments worth P375.69 million were poured in the province during the quarter, up by 109 percent from the P179.46 million posted in the same quarter in 2011. 

Bulk of the investments in the province were classified under the services sector at 45.29 percent, followed by infrastructure and trading sectors at 21.63 percent and 21.14 percent, respectively. 

According to the DTI report, major investments in Misamis Oriental included development of new real estate lessors, construction of new hospital, construction of new gasoline stations, and establishment of new trading business. 

In terms of contributions to the total regional investments, Misamis Oriental shared 33 percent followed by Lanao del Norte with P359.93 million or 31 percent. 

Major investments in Lanao del Norte included expansion of commercial building, appliance display center, hardware stores, warehouse and additional hospital rooms. 

Misamis Occidental’s total investments of P220.17 million accounted for 19 percent of the regional total while investments poured in Bukidnon and Camiguin contributed 16 percent at P127.09 million and P60.95 million, respectively.

Constructions of new hotel and restaurant, as well as, expansion of apartments, boarding houses, and mix-used buildings were the major investments monitored by the DTI in Misamis Occidental. 

Investments in Bukidnon, on the other hand, included capital infusion on post-harvest facility project of Davao-Maramag Agri-venture, Inc., expansion of rubber boots/shoes production of Valencia Rubbertex, Inc., cut flower production, corn coffee production, and tourism-related services. 

The DTI-10 classified investments in Camiguin under services and trading sectors. These included the establishment of gasoline stations, tourism-related investments, cable TV expansion, and establishment of commercial space leasing. (APB/PIA-10)

Kauswagan Christmas Tree Festival 2012: “Implementing convergence among stakeholders”

By Lorry V. Gabule

ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte, Dec 27 (PIA)-- Real peace is respect and acceptance of each other regardless of the race, color of the skin, religious belief, and political affiliation. 

Thus spoke Mayor Rommel C. Arnado of the municipality of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. 

“We have to enshrined the value of work and honesty, the value of sacrifice, the value of love of our community, because in so doing we have done our part in history,” Arnado said. “I believe we achieved a milestone in a two-year governance, but we have to continue doing the best in us to achieve even greater than this with God leading our way.” 

Arnado said the town has established name for itself in holding the yearly the Christmas Tree Festivals with coming from Iligan city, and the provinces of Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental. 

It usually opens every 16th December and culminates on 31st of December. 

On its third year of competition this year, seventeen (17) sites of Christmas trees could be seen at the Kauswagan Municipal Plaza, through group clustering. Entries of Christmas trees shall be judged according to the following categories: Most Creative (Originality Using Indigenous Materials); Most Unique (Something Different and Distinct); Most Artistic (Combination of Lighting Effects); Most Significant (Conveying Deep Meaning); Bayanihan Award (Best in Cooperation); and Best Christmas Tree (Over-all Stand Out). 

This is implemented with the help of government agencies, civil society organizations, including the Assisi Development Foundation, Inc. The 13 barangays, this municipality, commit themselves and declare their respective barangays as a Convergence Zone of Peace and Development. 

“We have conducted regular dialogues and assemblies, and we participated in our Muslim brothers and sisters in their celebrations of New Year and Muslim Month of Ramadhan, thus, they too participate in this endeavour,” Arnado said. 

The Assisi Development Foundation, Inc. came and became partner in development, Peace Path activities has been initiated in almost all of the barangays, bringing the services of the government nearer to the people. This development builds strong confidence and camaraderie to all the people of Kauswagan (which means progressive). 

The program is having a new agenda for development, a cohesive, compact, with a specific direction. The framework called the SIKAD PA – Sustainable Integrated Kauswagan Area Development and Peace Agenda. 

This Agenda embraces all our aspirations of development thus promoting Economic viability, Environmental Management, Tourism Promotion, Provision of Basic Needs and Services, Reduction of Poverty Incidence, and above all… the sustainability of Peace and order under the convergence efforts of all sectors. 

Kauswagan Development and Peace Agenda or SIKAD PA, a local term that means ‘to strive more.’ It was adopted as a municipal development policy by virtue of Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 148-2011. 

Kauswagan can be considered a melting pot in the province of Lanao del Norte. As such, the presence of several ethnic groups is eminent considering the strategic location of the Municipality to some neighboring provinces and cities in the country particularly Iligan City, the regional Industrial Hub of the South. 

“I am appealing to my fellow public servants in the Municipal Government of Kauswagan to help in the achievement of these goals.” This is our dream and our objective is common. Let us work double time without reservations.. work and work until the time comes.. We can look back of what we have walked in our pathways for peace, in our journey…. That indeed we have done something even in our own little way, said Mayor Arnado. (lvg/PIA 10-LDN)