Washington Sycip in Davao

The SGV, the country’s and perhaps Asia’s best accounting and business consulting firm, marked its 50th year in Davao with a lavish dinner last night at the Marco Polo Hotel.

The golden anniversary was complete with songs and dances, tributes to past and present employees, thank yous to all clients and guests, and sumptuous dinner with an open bar.

What was unique about the event was the message of its founder, Washington Sycip, one of the most respected business leaders in the country and in the Asian region.

His words were not about the glory of the firm he built after the war to become was it is today. His speech was a tale of lament and a challenge.

He said the country was seen 50 years ago as the leading country in Asia after Japan. He said being democratic and a Christian nation were seen as the country’s asset for development. But now, he said the country lagged behind our neighbors, and has become a bottom-dweller in almost all categories in Asia. He cited though that the Philippines was No. 1 in corruption!

He expressed worry about the continuing decline in the quality of education, the rising poverty, and the ballooning population.

He said the country is now realizing that being “democratic” and a Christian nation have become instead obstacles to development.

The anniversary may not have been appropriate to promote his passion for certain advocacy such as education and raising the living standards of the Filipinos.

Yet, he said he was concerned about the country that we will leave behind for our children.

It was a message that struck the hearts and minds of most in the audience of accountants, business leaders and government officials.

SGV gave out copies of his new bio “Wash: Only a bookkeeper” as the program closed. I rushed to get mine and had it autographed by this great man, who at 88 was still sharp and witty. His citation of statistics during his speech was admirable.

I told him his speech was great. He just smiled knowing that he has inspired or challenged another human being, a fellow Filipino.

Software Freedom Day in Davao

Davao is once again celebrating Software Freedom Day on September 19.

The SFD is an annual event celebrated worldwide to honor contributors to Free/ Open Source Software.

The event is spearheaded by Holden Hao of DabaweGNU, Inc., a non-profit organization of ICT professionals and enthusiasts promoting the use of Free/ Open Source Software or FOSS.

Hao said the event aims to promote awareness on the advantages of using FOSS compared to proprietary software, which are expensive.

This year’s Software Freedom Day will be celebrated at the University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC) Gym at Bankerohan from 1 – 5 pm. Last year, we held the event at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USP).

The event will feature various presentations on the technical and social issues on using FOSS.

Noynoy tops, reshapes poll rankings

Many are asking and wondering whether the so-called “Cory Magic” and the surging popularity of Senator Noynoy Aquino would translate into votes for next year’s presidential elections.

Well, here is our first glimpse to answer that question. Noynoy topped the survey conducted yesterday in the First District of Davao City.

The survey was conducted by Paelarkaed Communications with 270 respondents in nine barangays with a margin of error of +/- 5% and an accuracy level of 90%.

Please note that Noynoy was in Davao City during the time of the survey on his way to his spiritual retreat in Zamboanga City. The names of Senator Mar Roxas and Jejomar Binay were no longer included in the list of presidentiables in the survey that asked respondents “Who from among the list do you like to be President of the Philippines?”

Please note also that all the presidentiables lost support compared to last month’s survey. This means that Noynoy’s appeal can generate support from almost all political forces.

President
Rank	Name	Aug	Sept	Difference
1	Noynoy	0.0	37.4	37.4
2	Erap	27.8	24.1	-3.7
3	Chiz	20.0	14.8	-5.2
4	Villar	15.0	13.0	-2.0
5	Noli	13.9	9.3	-4.6
6	Loren	5.0	1.1	-3.9
7	Villanueva	1.1	0.4	-0.7
8	(Roxas)	10.6	0.0	-10.6
9	(Binay)	3.3	0.0	-3.3
10	Fernando	1.1	0.0	-1.1
11	Teodoro	0.6	0.0	-0.6
12	Gordon	0.0	0.0	0.0

Noynoy in Davao

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, after announcing in Manila last night that he is going on a spiritual retreat and discernment before deciding on his plans for the 2010 presidential race, flew to Davao City this morning.

He is on his way to the Carmelite Monastery in Zamboanga and decided to take the connecting flight in the city. He is now in a private meeting with a close friend of his mother, Jesus V. Ayala.

Local media are finding a way to interview him.

He will proceed to Zamboanga after lunch.

Meanwhile, the K NA! (Kabataang para kay Noynoy Aquino), a local youth group organized last week, are massed up at the city’s Centennial Park continuing to gather signatures to convince the young senator to run for president.

Milestones

IID

Warm greetings to the Initiative for International Dialogue (IID) for 20 years in promoting people-to-people internationalism. IID, a baby of my kumpare Gus Miclat, is one of the few NGOs based in Davao involved in advocacies on the international level. Its campaigns include promoting democracy, peace, human rights and self-determination in Timor Leste, Nepal, Burma and other Asian countries.

Among the guests I met at the anniversary party last night were Rep. Luz Ilagan of Gabriela, IID Chair and Department of Health Usec Alex Padilla, recently hostaged Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo, Palanca-awardee Mac Tiu, Malaysian Consul-General Nik Mustafa Kamal Nik Ahmad, Mahmod Adilao of the Bishop-Ulama Conference and Iligan Institute of Technology professor Geoffrey Salgado.

Club 888

Welcome to our friend Antonio Ajero, veteran newsman, as the new host of our Club 888 Tourism and Business media forum at Marco Polo Hotel. His appointment after the demise of Gil Abarico last March was just in time for the start of the club’s tenth year.

Tony Ajero, PTV host Ethel Cantor and me (Mo Billacura)

Birthday

Happy 100 years to Lola Luding, Lourdes Bantolinao. I believe she’s one of the oldest living persons in the city. She is my wife’s grandmother. The family threw out a big lunch party yesterday for her centennial birthday. She’s still alert and travels downtown by herself.

Her grandchildren played a trick on her by having 101 candles on her cake.

July 29 City Council Agenda

Calendar of business for today’s regular session of the City Council:

Invocation by Councilor Louie Villafuerte (3rd District);

National Anthem; Davao City March – Tayo as Dabawenyo

Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Session

Privilege Hour

First Reading – 22 items, e.g. Item No. 1284 – Application for Development Permit (DP) of White Rock, a family subdivision of the Quintos at Shrine Hills, Matina; Item No. 1288 Letter of Pedro Godinez, Jr. seeking the assistance of the City Council to extend the licenses of security guards from 2 to 3 years and provision for a study-now-pay-later program; Item No. 1296 – Request of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry for exemption from the Sinage Ordinance to set up promotional banners for the Davao Trade Expo 2008; Item No. 1300 – Application for Preliminary Approval & Locational Clearance for Hacienda, a 9 hectare subdivision of DMC-Urban Property Developers at Catalunan Grande; Item 1301 – Application for PALC by Villa Monte Maria Subdivision for a 9 hectare property also in Catalunan Grande;

Unfinished Business – 2 items, Item No. 1208 – Ayala Center Davao and Item No. 1184-B on the World Bank – International Finance Corporation Report on Doing Business. The drainage and traffic plan for the proposed Floirendo-Ayala development will be presented by Floirendo Group Exec VP Ricky Floirendo today.

Deferred Committee Reports – 6 items, e.g. Item No. 875-B – Tax exemption request by the Samaham ng mga Musikero sa Davao, Inc. (SAMADHI); Item No. 165 – Restructured schedule of accounts for awardees, buyers and undocumented occupants of the city’s Slum Improvement & Rehabilitation (SIR) Projects;

New Committee Reports – 6 items, e.g. Item No. 893 – Legislative authorization for the expansion of cable television services by Panabo Satellite Television Network to Lasang and Bunawan; Item No. 1156 – Letter from Purok Leaders requesting the relief and transfer of the Sasa Police Station commander;

Items under Suspended Rules

4:24 a.m.

July 15 City Council Agenda

Here are the Items up for discussion at today’s Regular Session of the City Council:

First Reading – 30 Items including an application for poker gaming operations at the casino( No. 1237); reclassification of a property for a softdrink bottling plant (No. 1247); legislative authority for the Metro Davao Overlay Fiber Optic Project (No. 1257); and endorsement for the “Call to Save the Mountains of the World” to the United Nations (No. 1265);

3rd & Final Reading – 2 Items – No. 875-E tax exemption for the concert “Los Suenos a estan compliendo/ Dreams fulfilling;” No. 1067 – deed of donation of Alsons Development Corporation of parcel of land located at Barangay Lasang;

Committee of the Whole – 2007 Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project;

Unfinished Business – Item No. 1184-B – IFC Report on Business Permit Processing;

Second Reading (Deferred Items) – 4 Items

Second Reading (New Items) – 9 Items including Ordinance on the mandatory ear-screening for newborn babies (Item 251); Barangay boundary disputes (Item Nos. 477, 642 and 759);  reclassification of property for the  Ayala Center Davao.

6:11 a.m.

Jeepney-bashing

I do not agree that mass transit systems like Metro Manila’s LRT/MRT will cause buses and jeepneys to stop running and just phase out.

The prognosis of this DOTC official is simply outrageous. He said “buses and jeepneys will voluntarily leave Metro streets” once the government complete its railway system.

The rail system cannot simply accommodate all commuters in Metro Manila. In fact, today it is running at full capacity and its operators plan to acquire more coaches.

In Davao, a university professor proposed that the city government adopt a bus system and do away with jeepneys.

During the 1970s, many subdivisions in the city have their bus system mostly owned and ran by homeowners associations. DDF in Mandug, Dacoville in Dumoy, Monte Maria in Catalunan Grande and our own subdivision in Maa, Gem Village, were among those with several units of 30-35 seater mini-buses.

High cost of maintenance such as spare parts, tires, fuel and labor led to the eventual death of this bus system. A number were taken over by commercial bus companies like those at Catalunan Grande. Even this did not prove viable.

A number of schools likewise had their bus fleets during the 1960s to 1980s. Ateneo and Philippine Women’s at Matina, Assumption in Agdao and Immaculate Conception at Bankerohan ferry their students from the outlaying suburbs of the city to the schools and vice versa. Now, Ateneo has totally stopped this service and the fleets of the others are now reduced to a few units.

Today, there are commercial buses plying routes in the outskirts of the city like Calinan. But they are outnumbered by jeepneys by as much as 100 to 1.

There are proposals for Davao to adopt a rail system too. But its taking too long for proponents to decide on it not to count the huge cost it would entail in building such as system in a market that may not have reached yet a critical mass.

I believe jeepneys would continue to be the main mode of transportation for our people and our cities. Even if the price of oil rise in the next ten years. I simply cannot imagine any alternative.

I think the greater challenge is how to make jeepneys more fuel efficient rather than propose its death.

5:52 a.m.

New police chief

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, still recuperating from his recent gall bladder operation, made his first public appearance Monday to receive the city’s new police chief, PSupt. Ramon Apolinario.

Apolinario paid a courtesy call at the City Council yesterday and vowed to maintain or even “surpass” the performance of his predecessor, PSupt. Jaime Morente, who is now assigned in Region XII.

Our new police chief has a very impressive academic and service background. He hails from Manila and graduated from the Philippine Military Academy Batch 1985. He has an MBA from Ateneo and also studied at the Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge.

Prior to his posting in the city, he headed the Human Resource Department of the Philippine National Police in Region XI.

We expect him to lead the Davao City Police Office as one of the best in the country.

6:03 a.m.

July 8 City Council Agenda

Up for discussion at today’s City Council Regular Session includes the following:

12 Items under First Reading, e.g. Item No. 1225 – Opposition by residents of Virsare Village and Gulf View Executive Homes at Barangay Bago Aplaya on the installation of a Sun Cellular tower in their area; Item No. 1234 – Proposed Ordinance to promote the use of bicycles by providing incentives and amenities (This one is mine);

3rd & Final Reading – Ordinance granting legislative authority to Supplemental Budget No. 1 in the amount of P157,055,922.58;

Committee on the Whole – Collection of taxes and fees on the city’s share on the utilization of national wealth on the operation of the Davao City Water District;

Unfinished Business – Development Permit Application of Forest Lake Memorial Park at Barangay Maa and various committee reports by the Committees on Energy, Transportation & Communication; Games and Amusement; and Housing and Urban and Rural Development

5:52 a.m.

Davao Business Week

Davao City’s A-one performance at the Philippine Cities Competitive Survey will add luster at this week’s celebration of SME Week organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council led by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

A motorcade will kick off the activities at 8 this morning with formal rites set at 10 at the NCCC Activity Center. I will be wearing two hats at the opening – represent Mayor Rody Duterte and as key partner of the SMED Council. My office provided funds for the celebration including the cash prize for the Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Various fora, seminars, trade exhibits and the annual Davao Business Conference on Friday will highlight the week-long festivities. A potential hot issue at the business confab is the concern of the business community on increasing attacks by rebels on businesses.

A sidelight is the business meeting of the Consular Corps in Davao on Wednesday. Invited by the corps, which groups consuls from Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and honorary consuls from the Czech Republic, Palau and Spain, are the presidents of the local chamber of commerce and the American and Japanese chambers.

My friend Hiroshi Mitsuya, Director of the Japanese Consulate will host the meeting at Marco Polo Hotel.

Also this week, the University of the Philippines (UP-Mindanao) in partnership with the Curtin University of Technology based in Western Australia will hold an international seminar on supply chains in transitional economies. About 60 participants from Australia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Ukraine, US and the Philippines will meet at Waterfont Insular Hotel.

I will open the conference tomorrow in behalf of Mayor Duterte.

5:52 a.m.

Davao City is still No. 1

Thank God, Davao City is still the No. 1 most competitive city in the Philippines. It remains as the best place to do business in the country.

Results of the latest ranking by the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center presented last night showed Davao City beating local government units in the capital Metro Manila. In the last survey two years ago, Davao City was tied for No. 1 with Makati City, the nation’s premier financial center.

A total of 90 local government units were included in the survey, metropolitan, mid-sized and small cities. Davao City topped two of six key competitive drivers and scored the highest rate among highly urbanized cities.

Key drivers:

Cost of doing business – No. 1 – Davao City

Infrastructure – No. 1 – Davao City

Dynamism of local economy – No. 1 – Makati City; No. 4 – Davao City

Quality of life – No. 1 – Mandaluyong City; No. 7 – Davao City

Responsiveness of local government – No. 1 – San Juan City; No. 3 – Davao City

Human resources & training – No. 1 – Marikina City; No. 7 – Davao City

Overall among the metro cities:

1. Davao City

2. Quezon City

3. Makati City

4. Manila City

5. Marikina City

6. Lapu-lapu City

7. Paranaque City

8. Muntinlupa City

9. Cebu City

10. Pasay City

Olongapo City topped the mid-sized cities while San Fernando, La Union was No. 1 among small cities.

Check the complete rankings here.

Noteworthy is Davao City’s improvement in two key drivers – Responsiveness of the local government – ranked No. 6 in 2005 to No. 3, and in Human resources and training – from No. 11 in 2005 to No. 7.

Kudos to the people of Davao City and its leadership led by Mayor Rody Duterte. Thank you too to the Philippine-Australian Human Resource Development Fund (PAHRDF) for responding to the city’s needs in improving HR development.

7:01 a.m.

Fourth of July

The Association of Descendants of American and Filipino Veterans and Masons in Davao City will mark tomorrow, July 4, the Filipino-American Friendship Day with a memorial at the Davao American and Masonic Cemetery at Father Selga St.

I received an invitation from its chair, Anthony Lutz, who wrote that this wil be the first time that they will pay tribute and honor the veterans on this historic occasion.

There are over 250 American citizens, veterans and masons buried at the cemetery just beside the city’s Catholic cemetery. A former Davao City Mayor, Pantaleon Pelayo, Sr. (served in 1940-41) and three City Councilors, Federico Opada (1938-41), Tiburcio Cervantes (1948-51) and Desiderio Dalisay, Sr. (1950-54) were buried in this cemetery.

The US marks July 4 as its independence day although the American Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 2.

The Philippines used to celebrate it own independence day on July 4 but changed it to June 12. Hence the fourth of July is now celebrated as Filipino-American Friendship Day.

5:45 a.m.

Cash in trash

Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Simeon Marfori (2nd right) tests the weight of scrap tin cans at Saturday’s Recycling Fair at the parking lot of SM City Davao.

Aside from household reusable wastes, over 30 firms in the city sold their scrap to 10 recyclers as part of the city’s and the chamber’s solid waste management program to turn trash into cash.

Joining him during the opening were myself (right), Councilor Edgar Ibuyan (center), Mila Teves, president of the Soroptimist International Davao (partly hidden), and my wife Evelyn (left) who is a Board of Trustee member of the Chamber of Commerce and environment committee head of Soroptimist International Davao.

Photo courtesy of Bing G.

6:24 a.m.

Loan it is

At the City Council public hearing yesterday on the unreleased IRA, the city government has opted to take out a loan from the government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines.

This is the most advantageous option available.

The Provincial Board of Pangasinan is going the same way in collecting its P79 Million IRA differential.

What to do with P142 Million? Another reader has posted a comment. Please check the sidebar. He wants roads to be paved in his village.

6:03 a.m.

Update on Activities

Yesterday, I represented Mayor Rody Duterte at the opening of the new showroom of Canon Marketing (Philippines) at Bajada. The expanded sales and service center is proof of the imaging company’s growth in this part of the country. An executive from the company flew in from Singapore to grace the occasion. In my brief remarks, I said the city government adheres too in Canon’s philosophy – living and working together for the common good! Canon’s Philippine CEO Ramon Arteficio was somewhat surprised to hear these words from me. I told him I read it in their website. Canon’s Regional Head here is Nelson Perez. Visit them infront of the Davao City Water District.

Today, my office will host an orientation seminar on the Botika ng Barangay Project of the Department of Health. Last year, I partnered with DOH in helping 21 barangays set up their village pharmacies. The project does not only make affordable medicines available in communities but also help train BNB operators become entrepreneurs. DOH provides seed capital of P25,000 worth of medicines which the BNB must replenish with their sales. I am hoping another batch of beneficiary-barangays would be granted their BNB.

On Saturday, the National Coalition Against Child Labor in Commercial Agriculture will spearhead once again the marking of the World Day Against Child Labor in the city. I have been a permanent fixture in the activities of this coalition and so I was invited again to speak at its rally at the Almendras Gym. A march will precede the program from Rizal Park to the Gym.

7:26 a.m.