The document summarizes efforts to improve coordination between donor agencies and local governments in providing rehabilitation assistance to areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. A donor forum was held in Tacloban City to clarify procedures and match the needs of local governments with available resources from agencies like UNICEF, WFP, and JICA. While some funds have been delayed due to issues like the pork barrel controversy, coordination between different stakeholders needs to be improved to speed up recovery. Local governments also face difficulties in relocating homeless residents and acquiring land for relocation sites.

1. Breaking news in the countryside
TACLOBAN, Leyte – A
donor’s forum here has been
conducted to help clarify
and sort out needed pro-
cedures and information
related to the status of re-
leases of assistance funds
in Haiyan affected towns.
The forum sough to accel-
erate the actual realisation
of various rehabilitation and
shelter programs of the local
governments in areas severely
affected by the super typhoon.
Attended by representa-
tives and leaders from local
government units including
that of the Province of Leyte,
the donor’s forum was meant
“to speed up the recovery ef-
forts of the affected local
governments,” according to
Vol. I, No. 1 10 Sections P12 Tuesday, 1 April 2014twitter @Visayanbizpost
P15.00 Nationwide
web pagevisayanbizpost.com
Inside
Rehabilitation: improved coordination sought between fund agencies
Dr. Andreas Lange, Chief
Adviser and Team Leader
of the GIZ reconstruction
group working here in Leyte.
Among the donor agen-
cies represented in the fo-
rum were UNICEFf, World
Food Organization, the Red
Cross, the United Nation
Development Program, Save
the Children, OXFAM and
the Japanese international
cooperation agency JICA.
The forum sought to “match
the needs” of the Yolanda-
affected local governments in
Eastern Visayas with what
available resources exist-
ing donor agencies have at
the present in the region.
GIZ, which co-sponsored
the event with the Leyte
remained was a potent
mix of warplanes, helicop-
ter units, artillery, infan-
try, and commandos with
field hospitals and suffi-
cient logistics to sustain
an incursion into Ukraine.
We believe that it can
movewithin12hours,hesaid.
Essentially, the force is ready
to go. We believe it could
accomplish its objective
between three to five days.
General Breedlove said
the Russian presence might
be intended as a coercive
force during the West’s
talks with Russia about
Ukraine’s future and as
Ukraine prepares for a presi-
dential election in late May.
If the Kremlin decides to
intervene militarily, Gen-
eral Breedlove added, the
force could be used to estab-
lish a land link to Crimea,
the peninsula in southern
Ukraine that Russia an-
nexed last month, so that it
does not have to supply it
by sea. The Russian force
is also capable, he said, of
carrying out a thrust to
Odessa; moving to Transn-
istria, the Russian enclave
in Moldova; or intervening
in areas in eastern Ukraine.
I think they have all the
NATO Sees threat from Russia
EUROPE –– Gen. Philip M. Breedlove said
Wednesday that the Russian troops near Ukraine
were poised to attack on 12 hours’ notice.
Brussels top commander
said on Wednesday that
the 40,000 troops Russia
has within striking dis-
tance of Ukraine are poised
to attack on 12 hours no-
tice and could accomplish
their military objectives
within three to five days.
President Vladimir V.
Putin of Russia told Chan-
cellor Angela Merkel of Ger-
many on Monday that the
Kremlin was beginning to
withdraw troops from the
border area near Ukraine.
But the NATO command-
er, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove,
said in an interview with
The New York Times that
so far only a single battalion,
a force of 400 to 500 troops,
was on the move and that
NATO intelligence could
not say whether it was ac-
tually being withdrawn.
What we can say now is
that we do see a battalion-
size unit moving, but what
we can’t confirm is that it
is leaving the battlefield,
said General Breedlove, of
the United States Air Force.
Whether that movement is
aft to a less belligerent con-
figuration or returning to
barracks, we do not see that.
General Breedlove said
that the Russian force that Russian Troops/p7
provincial government, the
United Nation’s Office for the
Coordination of Humanitar-
ian Affairs, and the Alliance
for Safe and Sustainable Re-
construction gave technical
support for the various reha-
bilitation plans of the partici-
pating local government units.
Meanwhile, explaining the
apparent delay of the release of
Xiamen Lifestyle, p8 Entertainment, p9
funds for post Haiyan rehabili-
tation efforts to reporters also
invited to the forum, Leyte
provincial Governor Leopoldo
‘Mic’ Petilla said that the pre-
sent national pork barrel issue
and the reported substandard
construction of bunkhouses
has made the national gov-
ernment more careful in the
By Michael R. Gordon
NYT News Service
Visayan
BusinessPost
Indigenous people support Iloilo water project
ILOILO –– The Nation-
al Irrigation Administra-
tion (NIA) here is positive
that the informed consent
of indigenous communities
needed for the stage 2 im-
plementation of the Jalaur
River Multi-purppose Pro-
ject will soon be completed.
Project manager Gerardo
P. Corsiga confirmed that the
P11.212 billion economic as-
sistance program funded by
the Korean Export-Import
Bank is gaining wide sup-
port from indigenous people
and other communities who
are starting to appreciate the
need for potable water, devel-
opment irrigation and power
generation facilities in Panay.
Philippine senator Franklin
Drilon who helped facilitate
the project stressed that the
implementation of the project
by NIA and its Korean coun-
terparts will not only gener-
ate 17,000 jobs in Western
Visayas but also augment agri-
cultural production, stimulate
agri–industrial activities, and
spur the local economy as well
Rex Rapi
Staffwriter, VBP
FOREX: US$=P44 UKL=P74 HK$=P5.72 BRUNEI$=P34.90 EURO=P61.65 JAPAN Y=P0.43 AUST$=P40.35 BAHRAIN D=P117.87 SAUDI R=P11.84 UAE DIR=P612.09 SING$=P35.04
Marooned. One of the many sea vessels that plowed through houses and lives of the residents of Anibong, Tacloban City during
the onslaught of Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda). Photo by Aaron J.P. Almadro
4,606 jobs/p5
4,604 jobs waiting in Cebu
Cebu City –– Seventy-one
of the companies who joined
in the recent Mega Local Job
Fair at the Cebu City Sports
Development Center have
announced the existence of
4,604 job vacancies still wait-
ing to be filled up in this city.
Mostly call center firms,
these potential employers
were given the go signal by
the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) to assist
the Cebu City Department of
Manpower Development and
Placement as it conducted
Greggy Jiggs Santos
Staffwriter, PIO Cebu
Codilla: Grow your own food
City Hall –– Ormoc city
Mayor Edward Codilla is
working to strengthen the
city’s backyard garden-
ing program. The mayor
is aiming to achieve faster
food sustainability for the
city’s almost 200,000 citi-
zens after typhoon Yolanda.
The city government is
distributing varieties of
vegetables and corn seeds,
planting materials for root
crops, as well as fruit seeds
so that these can be grown.
Root crops like sweet po-
John Alfred Kabalican
Staffwriter, VBP
Grow your own food/p3
Jean Mamaspas
VBP Leyte
Indigenous support/p3
Rehabilitation/p2
Special Report
Muslim deal signed:
will the guns now go
away? /3
IMF: Slow Economic
Recovery /p4
The Game Vortex
experience /p5
Child learner /p7
‘Needs-match’forHaiyantowns
Motoring&Sports, p12

2. Editor John Alfred Kabalican
editor@visayanbizpost.combreakingNews
Tuesday, 1 April 20142
The truth as it happens.
Godofredo’s Car Care CenterRepair and maintenance of all types of vehicle models including heavy equipment.
Services offered:
Engine overhaul
Body & chassis repair
Body work and repainting
Change oil and general engine work
Electrical, mechanical & car-aircon systems repair.
We repair ‘Yolanda’ damaged vehicles.
Come and visit us at our shop at Maharlika Highway
(in front of Tacloban Ultrasteel), Tacloban City.
Contact: 0998-171-1428 or 0949-429-1868
UK’s Alex Jones climbs rock to raise P96M for Haiyan victims
By Nicola Christeen Bevan
VBP London, UK
Rehabilitation: needs-matching sought for Haiyan towns
release of Yolanda rehabili-
tation funds. “There is that
tendency because they don’t
want those things to happen
again,” Petilla said. He said he
was optimistic, however, that
the funds will be downloaded
within the next several days.
Improve coordination
In an interview with the
Visayan Business Post Mr.
Yolando De Guzman of the
GIZ stationed in Leyte, mean-
while, also noted the need to
improve efficiency in the co-
ordination of rehabilitation
efforts between local gov-
ernment units, the national
government agencies, foreign
governments, international
humanitarian agencies, pri-
vate donors and nongovern-
mental organizations who
are all overseeing their indi-
vidual approaches to rehabili-
tation management activities.
The GIZ has an ongoing en-
vironment and rural develop-
ment program in Leyte, assist-
ingLocalGovernmentUnitsin
reformulating their Land Use
Plan, disaster management
needs, and integrating climate
change adaptive strategies.
Difficulty relocating
Meanwhile, local govern-
ment units are still finding
it difficult to acquire per-
manent sites for the reloca-
tion of Haiyan victims whose
houses were totally washed
out by the super typhoon.
Municipal mayor Reme-
dios Petilla of Palo, Leyte
which was one of the lo-
calities hardest hit conceded
the lack of sufficient lo-
cal funds for this purpose.
“This problem is shared by
all LGU’s. Our municipality
is not wealthy. It is difficult
to find a cheap tract of land
that we can readily acquire
for relocation”, the mayor ex-
plained. Mayor Petilla how-
ever added that there are do-
nors who have “committed to
help build the shelter units”.
A total of 500 houses are
presently being built by the
local government here for the
survivors. Many families re-
main homeless in this munici-
pality despite efforts by the
local government five months
after Haiyan struck. “We are
veryconcernedoftheirwelfare
and safety, the mayor added.
‘No building’ zones
In the city of Tacloban,
residents whose houses were
From Page 1 once situated prior to the
storm surge in what have
now been declared as ‘no
build zones’ by the govern-
ment are also finding it diffi-
cult to establish homes. Some
have resorted to0 rebuilding
abodes in the prohibited ar-
eas where monitoring is low.
“We have to build homes or
we will be forever under the
mercy of the elements”, Er-
linda Nolasco, 41, a resident of
Barangay San Jose reasoned. “I
have children to feed and they
need shelter too”, she added.
She is not alone in this tight
spot. Complaining that the
bunkhouses are taking too
long to be built and seeing that
these bunkhouses may not be
enough for everyone, many
families have started rebuild-
ing homes in the hazard-prone
areas like Barangay Anibong
and coastal areas, making
do with whatever scrap and
light materials they could find.
“This is going to become
a problem in the near future
even if relocation areas are
provided. We have been try-
ing to convince them not to go
back”, said Governor Petilla.
He expressed concern that,
despite government efforts to
forbid rebuilding in hazard-
identified places, many still
wanttoreturntotheiroldresi-
dences. “There is a probability
that they will oppose reloca-
tion later”, the governor said.
The provincial government
is also looking to provide
livelihood for the families sev-
erly affected by the typhoon.
Leyte Governor ‘Mic’ Petilla
Inpatient Coverage
PhilHealth provides subsidy for room and board, drugs
and medicines, laboratory exam, use of operating room
complex and professional fees for confinements of not
less than 24 hours.
(Please refer to the table of rate ceilings/maximum allow-
ances for inpatient coverage.)
Outpatient Coverage
Day surgeries, dialysis and cancer treatment procedures
such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy in accredited
hospitals and free-standing clinics.
Special Benefit Packages
• Case Rates
• TB Treatment through DOTS
• SARS and Avian Influenza
• Novel Influenza A(H1N1)
Exclusions
The following shall not be covered except when, after
actuarial studies, PhilHealth recommends their inclusion
subject to approval of its Board of Directors:
• Fifth and subsequent normal obstetrical deliveries
• Non-prescription drugs and devices
• Alcohol abuse or dependency treatment
• Cosmetic surgery
• Optometric services
• Other cost-ineffective procedures as defined by Phil-
Health
For individually paying members
Benefit Coverage
LONDON –– The UK’s ‘The
One Show’ television presenter
Alex Jones visited Tacloban
City early in March to see for
herself the devastation ty-
phoon Haiyan left in its path
back in November 2013.
During her time there she
met with some families, heard
their miraculous stories of
survival, and visited the grave-
yards of lost relatives. From
her report on ‘The One Show’
it was clear she was visibly
moved by the experience, but
deeply shocked by what she
had seen. “The typhoon hit in
November, but it looks like it
only happened two days previ-
ously, it’s a mess”, said Jones.
Miss Jones then turned
those feelings into determina-
tion, when she bravely accept-
ed Sport Relief’s challenge to
climb the ‘Moonlight Buttress’,
a staggering 1,200ft rock-face
in Utah, USA. The challenge,
named ‘Alex Against the Rock’
saw Miss Jones spend two and
a half days climbing the rock,
one of North America’s tallest
vertical rock faces.
Alex raised an incredible
£1.3 million (96.2 million pe-
sos) for the charity. A large
part of the money raised will
be spent to help the families
affected by the typhoon.
Every two years the British
non-profit charity Sport Relief
holds a series of events across
the UK, with hopes of raising
money for causes both in Brit-
ain and worldwide. Ms. Jones while visiting with victims of typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban.
(Photos by Sport Relief)

3. Editor Rex Rapi
editor@visayanbizpost.com
Tuesday, 1 April 2014 3Visayan Business Post
Topstories
Task Force
Cocaine
DAVAO City -- The
local chief executive here
has declared total war
against the smuggling
of cocaine into the city.
Acting mayor Paolo Du-
terte has issued Execu-
tive Order No. 17, creat-
ing Task Force Davao
Against Cocaine and
Illegal Drugs. The task
force, composed of EIIB,
PDEA, PNP, Customs,
Navy , and Coast Guard
was given investigation
and enforcement pow-
ers. It will look into all
types of cases involving
illegal drugs in the city.
The issuance was in
response to the recently
discovered cocaine at a
private shipment yard
in Tibungco, Bunawan,
Davao. (LGU Davao)
New Cebu
Tour Points
Cebu City has now
officially listed its Free-
dom Park, the Warwick
Barracks, Carbon and
the Taboan Public Mar-
kets as tour destinations.
These places, considered
to represent the city’s
heritage, will be adopted
in the itineraries of Tour
Operators in the city.
Mayor Michael Rama
who visited the new
tour sites with City
Tour Guide Operators,
Cebu City Tourism
Commission, and Media
announced that the in-
clusion of these sites for
tourism purposes is part
of the city’s program to
help the city become a
more pleasant and beau-
tiful place to visit and
live in. (GJ Senados)
Refugees
No More
CEBU CITY – After
almost five months of
seeking refuge at the
Tent City provided by
the city government at
South Road, all of almost
3,000 refugees from East-
ern Visayas who flocked
to this city after super
typhoon ‘Yolanda’ have
now been able to return
home to their provinces.
The local government
bid farewell to their
guests with Mayor Mi-
chael Rama announcing
that the typhoon vic-
tims will be going home
through the ‘Balik-Probin-
sya Program’ which gave
the refugees not only free
fare to Leyte and Samar
but some pocket money.
(GJ Senados)
NewsBrief
as its eco-tourism industry.
“As a multi-purpose pro-
ject, it will provide potable
water to Iloilo and give en-
vironmental benefits such
as flood mitigation and con-
trol. And with the project
expected to be completed by
year 2015, we are confident
that this enterprise will make
Western Visayas the rice gra-
nary of the Philippines once
again”, the senator added.
Sen. Drilon earlier stated
that the Jalaur project, the
first large-scale reservoir dam
to be built outside Luzon, will
provide uninterrupted irriga-
tion water supply to 32,000
hectares of farm land and ben-
efit more than 783,000 farm-
ers. He said he is confident
that, with the project’s com-
pletion, annual rice produc-
tion in Region 6 would signifi-
cantly increase. The project is
also expected to expand the
production areas of sugarcane
and other crops in the region.
Korean Finance Minis-
Indigenous people support Iloilo water project
From page 1
ter Bahk Jaewan supported
Drilon’s statements saying
“this project will significantly
help improve the agricultural
productivity and ultimately
increase the rice self-suffi-
ciency of the Philippines.”
The project’s detailed
engineering plan is cur-
rently being prepared by
Korean consultants with
their local counterparts.
Irrigation and power generation project. An interim design for a dam to be built through Phase 2 of the Jalaur River Multi-purppose Project.
The plans are being prepared by Korean Consultants with their Philippine counterparts in Iloilo. (NIA Region 6)
Development project will give potable water, environment and economic benefits -- Sen. Drilon
Muslim deal signed: will the guns now go away?
MANILA – The govern-
ment has recently signed with
the secessionist Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF)
what Senator Miriam Defen-
sor Santiago fears to be an ‘il-
legal document that creates an
independent sub-state in the
southern Philippines’.
The deal requires the Phil-
ippine legislature to pass a
new ‘Bangsamoro Law’ that
will allow the Muslim com-
munity to effectively govern
themselves in definite parts of
Mindanao.
Guns decommissioned
The peace framework re-
quires all rebels of the greater
MILF faction to decommis-
sion their arms and embrace a
peaceful manner of existence
so that development efforts
can be pursued as an alterna-
tive to the protracted war in
the south.
The military establishment
was quick to clarify that the
peace deal brokered in Ma-
laysia in no way automati-
cally mean that full cessation
of hostilities have finally
been gained. “There is a lot of
groundwork to be covered”,
says Defense Secretary Vol-
taire Gazmin who pointed out
that crucial to the peace ac-
cord would be the sincerity of
the MILF to follow the various
‘stages’ described in the deal
necessary to achieve lasting
peace in Mindanao.
The full political dexterity
of the Aquino administration
would now be summoned
as the Bangsamoro law goes
through the delicate plenary
of both House of Representa-
tives and the Senate.
Reduction of forces
The peace accord is a sig-
nificant step towards the dis-
mantling of not only the MILF
armed organization but those
of private armies that are com-
mon in Mindanao. The De-
partment of National Defense
is keen on ending the presence
of armed groups in the area
because of the cost of forces
and equipment necessary to
maintain its peace.
The military seeks to re-
duce its forces in the region
under the accord’s program
for normalisation, with the
maintenance of peace and or-
der to be taken over by a civil-
ian police force composed of
Bangsamoro elements.
AFP security forces can
then be repositioned to take
assignments related to the
protection of the country’s
territorial sovereignty against
external threats.
The deal is a positive and an
ambitious high point in the re-
lationship between Mindanao
and Manila. Though it will
‘not be a walk in the park’ for
those who will ultimately be-
come responsible for the min-
ute details necessary to avoid
misunderstanding between
government’s national securi-
ty intentions and the future of
supposed 11,000 MILF armed
combatants.
Expectations
MILF leader and chief ne-
gotiator Mohagher Iqbal has
warned that the decommis-
sioning of MILF firearms will
be an emotional matter for
MILF fighters. It is has been
considered a norm for them to
carry arms.
The MILF then will cease
to exist as an armed group and
start positioning itself as a so-
cial movement, said Iqbal.
Meanwhile, a lot is expect-
ed from the MILF itself as its
members maintain close fam-
ily ties with private armies
and other armed groups like
the MNLF and Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters.
This is where the implementa-
tion of the peace deal becomes
tricky.
Private armies
Under the new accord,
the MILF and the Philippine
military will cooperate and
“From this shared security, we shall enhance the era of prosperity that is drawing upon our region”.
–– Pres. Benigno C. Aquino III, 27 March 2014
act jointly to control not only
loose firearms and private ar-
mies but to keep the ceasefire
in Mindanao.
The BIFF is a breakaway
group of the MILF and is still
seen together with the MNLF
as a significant threat to the
peace process.
For most observers in
Mindanao, including experi-
enced military operatives sta-
tioned there, the BIFF ques-
tion is something the MILF
will have to deal with squarely
in order for the peace accord
to gain proper momentum on
the ground and for develop-
ment to move forward in all
aspects of the soon to be en-
acted Bangsamoro law.
Respect for culture
But there is a genuine rea-
son to celebrate the signing of
this much awaited deal owing
to the changing of relations
between military and MILF
elements in the region.
“There is a marked improve-
ment in the way Bangsamoro
members are behaving in re-
lation to peace efforts, some-
thing that was uncommon a
few years back”, said Col. Ra-
mon Zagala, military spokes-
man. “Part of the change can
be attributed to how Filipino
soldiers have learned to re-
spect Muslim culture”, he
added.
At the day’s end, the posi-
tive leaf growing from the
peace that has germinated
from this new deal must not
be taken lightly. Zagala was
correct to emphasize that
the problems of insurgency
are multi-faceted: economic,
political, religious, and leg-
islative issues need to be an-
swered. (visayanbizpost.com news team)
News Analysis
MILF child warriors are sought to become a thing of the past.
> Your dream Our focus <

4. Editor Andy Bevan
info@visayanbizpost.combusinessWeek
Tuesday, 1 April 20144
IMF: Slow economic recovery will keep interest rates at historic lows
A slower-than-expected
recovery across the global
economy will keep interest
rates in rich countries at his-
toric lows for several years,
the International Monetary
Fund has warned in its
World Economic Outlook.
Interest rates will rise
gently over the next cou-
ple of years in response to
higher GDP growth, but will
likely be pegged back by a
stuttering performance by
Europe and slower growth
in China, the Washington-
based organisation said.
The gloomy diagnosis will
dismay savers, who have
seen the value of their sav-
ings whittled away by infla-
tion since the financial crisis.
Savers are seen as the big
losers from the financial
crash, which forced cen-
tral banks to slash rates
to almost zero to prevent
commercial and residen-
tial borrowers from go-
ing bust in large numbers.
The IMF blamed the
Asian savings glut along-
side a longstanding demand
for safe haven assets and a
lack of investment oppor-
tunities, especially in the
developed world for the
persistence of low inter-
est rates across the world.
It said that while the 2008
financial crisis had exacer-
bated the problem, low in-
terest rates stretched back
30 years and many of the
fundamental drivers will
remain in place when the
crisis is a distant memory.
It has been known for
many years that the accu-
mulated savings of Asian
workers, western pension
savers and the oil rich coun-
tries in the Middle East have
outstripped the capacity of
the world economy for in-
vestment. Many economists
have highlighted how savers
cannot find enough produc-
tive industries in which to
invest and have increasingly
come to rely on buying gov-
ernment bonds to supply an
income. The traditionally
low interest rates paid by
government bonds has fallen
further since the financial
crash in countries seen as
a safe haven, including the
UK, US and Switzerland.
The IMF said low interest
rates might spur risk-taking
behaviour by investors who
demand a higher rate of re-
turn on their investments. It
said: “A protracted period of
low real interest rates would
have negative implications
for pension funds and in-
surance companies with
defined-benefit obligations.
An environment of contin-
ued low real (and nomi-
nal) interest rates might
also induce investors and
financial institutions more
broadly to search for higher
real (and nominal) yields
by taking on more risk.
“Increased risk tak-
ing, in turn, might increase
systemic financial sec-
tor risks, and appropriate
macro- and micropruden-
tial oversight would there-
fore be critical for main-
By Phillip Inman
Economic Correspondent
taining financial stability.”
The World Economic
Outlook is the IMF’s ma-
jor analysis of the global
economy ahead of its spring
conference in Washington
next week. The meeting
runs alongside the annual
meeting of the World Bank
and get-togethers of G20
ministers and the Finan-
cial Stability Board, an off-
shoot of the G20 of nations
that is attempting to bring
calm to global markets.
Analysts at the IMF said
a slowdown in China and
many emerging markets
would slow the general
pace of the recovery and be
another reason for cen-
tral banks to keep interest
rates low. It said a return to
health in the US would not
be enough to reignite the
Asian tiger economies that
did so much to propel global
growth ahead of the finan-
cial crisis and in the years
immediately afterwards.
The analysis ties in with
predictions that interest
rates will begin to rise in
the UK and US next year,
but only slowly and peak-
ing at no more than 3%.
The G20 has urged
greater cooperation and
co-ordination by govern-
ments to prevent rising in-
terest rates from slowing
the recovery. Some coun-
tries have borrowed heavily
to maintain growth in the
past few years and encour-
aged capital inflows with
higher than average inter-
est rates. The prospect of
higher rates in the US has
caused a reversal of the flow
of funds to the detriment
of many emerging markets.
In a speech in Washing-
ton on Wednesday, the
IMF head, Christine La-
garde, said that without
greater co-ordination and
reforms to outdated labour
protections and cosy busi-
ness arrangements, global
growth would remain sub-
dued for many years. (TG)
IMF Chief Christine Lagarde
The WORLD BANK Headquarters in Washingtton DC
East West to merge with Greenbank
BSP, MANILA -- Here’s
good news to East West
bank depositors and inves-
tors: there is no stopping
now to the expected merger
of EastWest Banking Cor-
poration, which owns East
West bank, and the Green
Bank Inc., an Agusan del
Norte concern which is
popularly known as the Ru-
ral Green Bank of Caraga.
The Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas has approved
the deal between the two
banks. Awaiting the green
light from the Securities
and Exchange Commission,
the merger will have East
West as the surviving entity.
The Philippine Deposit In-
surance Corporation which
insures the deposits of both
banks has earlier given
its go-signal for the deal.
East West is publicly
listed. It has made a disclo-
sure to the Philippine Stock
Exchange that it will make
its announcement once
the Philippine SEC gives
its approval to the merger.
Both banks have formally
informed the SEC that the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-
nas has formally approved
the Plan of Merger and
East West, one of the fast-
est growing financial institu-
tions which offers affordable
small and medium business
loans has branches in Lu-
zon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The institution is try-
ing to boost its position in
the national banking scene,
with its strategy of spreading
fast services to people in un-
banked places, EW president
and chief executive Antonio
Moncupa in a statement said.
By Jean Mamaspas
Bizpost Leyte
Avida Towers. Cebu City
Dare to be cool.
The new Nissan Navara.
Nissan Palo Tacloban

5. Editor John Alfred Kabalican
editor@visayanbizpost.com
Tuesday, 1 April 2014 5Visayan Business Post
themetro
starTravel &Tours™
Ormoc City -- People play video games to have fun
or relax after a hard day’s work. Unfortunately, modern
video game consoles are expensive. However, here in Or-
moc City, gamers can actually rent one.
Loijentech Game Vortex Electro Computer Shop
which is located at Coching building along Bonifacio
Street in District 7, allows one to use the latest Xbox ONE
for a mere P45.00 per hour. This next generation game
platform employs kinect sensors and high end virtual
graphics that gamers look for. Yet, with the shop’s wide
variety of game genres and selections, relaxation and even
competitive games at Game Vortex is truly an amazing ex-
perience in this quaint city.
Introduced as a small concern by Mr. Loije Efrim
‘Maning’ Calixtro, the business initially used the family’s
personal game consoles. It made a good turn with an in-
vestment of P100,000 from his father who later bought his
own Xbox for the shop. Game Vortex strengthened its po-
sition in the city’s game scene by using posters and face-
book although it took a while before people really started
to realize the nature of the business. Its owners also saw
the need to establish a strong bond between the costum-
ers and the shop, so they started to conduct Xbox gamers’
tournaments and Christmas parties. The shop gave free
t-shirts as souvenirs, free extra game times, and extended
discount promotions for longer gaming hours. This strat-
egy significantly improved the bond between the shop and
its customers.
To further promote this bond, Game Vortex has taken
its Xbox community tournaments to a new plane. When
it conducted the Diablo III tournament earlier this year,
for instance, the gamers had to have at least a Level 60
character and a flash drive for them to save their game pro-
gress so that they can play in any unit. This summer, plans
are up for an NBA 2k sports game tournament to further
excite the gamers. The tournament winners in all cases
usually get a competitive prize.
Game Vortex is friendly to newbees in the Xbox plat-
form, but new gamers just have to tell the owners what
kind of genre they want to play and the kind of game-play
they can handle. The shop owners will give suggestions to
help narrow the customer’s game search down.
Although equipment and game selection upgrades are
costing the shop more with the influx of demand caused
by their growing community of customers, Game Vortex
is looking forward to expand its operation through a pos-
sible new and bigger business space that can accommo-
date its clients. Mr. Calixtro is crossing his fingers on this
but says he is keeping an open mind and is very interested.
The Game Vortex experience
By John Alfred Kabalican
Staffwriter, VBP Leyte
Business Sense
Tourism at its best!
‘Active tour packages with local counterparts is the next
big thing in world eco-tourism’ -- Joy Martin, CEO STT
From page 1
4,604 jobs
Increase in prices of fruits noted in Ormoc
ORMOC City ––People
here eat fruits as a delicious
and rich source of healthy
sustenance. But what if their
market price has reached
levels that ordinary people
could no longer afford them?
This is a question people
now ask as prices of fruits con-
tinue to go up in this city after
super typhoon Yolanda (Hai-
yan) transformed productive
farms into desolate spaces.
The agriculture sector
in this part of the coun-
try is still trying to recover,
including the fruit grow-
ing and selling industry.
Vendors here have been
continuously jacking up
the prices of most of their
commodities because of
the dwindling fruit sup-
ply reaching Ormoc City.
“Before, we grew our own
fruits and vegetables. Peo-
ple could buy fruits here for
a very low cost. Vendors
even lowered their prices to
compete with others. This
has now become a thing of
the past”, says Luisa Delan-
tar, 36, a local fruit vendor.
“But there is a steady de-
mand for fruits in this city.
To fill this need, we are forced
to buy from traders supply-
ing from Cebu, Luzon and
Mindanao”, Delantar added.
The price of ripe man-
goes in this city has risen to
between P80.00 to P90.00
per kilo, up from the usual
P60.00 to P70.00 before the
super typhoon. Bananas here
sell nowadays for P70.00
to P85.00 per kilo, up from
the usual P40.00 to P60.00.
“We cannot do otherwise.
Either we raise the prices
or not sell at all”, says Ed-
gar, 27, another local vendor.
The prices retail sell-
ers pay to fruit suppli-
ers for their products are
steep because of freight
and other overhead costs.
Vendors have to pay for
the products that cost more
because, at source, suppliers
pay laborers and for trans-
port to have these delivered
from Davao, Mindanao or
from Luzon. “So in order
for us to earn a little bit, we
also increase the prices of
what we sell here to recov-
er our capital”, said Edgar.
Hehopesforthelocalsupply
chain to normalize because,
according to him, fruit prod-
ucts for sale costs lower when
sourced and abundant locally.
By John Alfred Kabalican
Staffwriter, VBP Leyte
From Page 1
Fruit of life. Dwindling local supply have increased the prices of
fruits and vegetables in the City of Ormoc.
Codilla: Grow your own food
Easy to grow and harvest. Ormoc Mayor Edward Codilla urges
city residents to plant vegetables in their own backyard.
tato are being prioritized as
these can withstand drought,
strong winds and typhoons.
The mayor’s program is a
response to the expectation
that the narrow supply of ag-
ricultural food products will
continue over the next sev-
eral months in the province of
Leyte. “We are encouraging
not only the farmers but local
residents to plant their own
vegetables and fruits in their
own backyards”, employees of
the city’s agriculture depart-
ment said. Ormoc residents
are advised to re-plant basic
leafy and green vegetables like
malunggay, alogbate, or other
crops that can be harvested
within a short span of time.
Presently, funds for the
city’s agriculture programs are
being sourced locally while in-
ternational organizations are
also helping the city recover
from the widespread destruc-
tion caused by the super ty-
phoon. The local government
was able to store 70 bags of
corn, 1000 bags of rice seeds,
and some vegetable seeds be-
fore the super typhoon made
its landfall. It now has plans to
distribute these to farmers to
help them restore their crops.
The Ormoc government
has been invited by inter-
national organizations to
submit long-term propos-
als for the food security of its
constituency. The growing
of livestock is also a current
priority. The Department
of Agriculture predicts that
within 3 years Ormoc will ex-
perience significant improve-
ment in the agriculture sector.
this year’s job placement fair.
DOLE-7 Supervising Labor
and Employment Officer Mr.
Efren Vito reminded the ap-
plicants during the job fair to
work hard if they get hired.
He also gave tips on how to
behave when applying for a
job.
“The aim of the job fair is to
help more people get jobs and
keep the unemployment rate
down”, Vito said.
Stinelle Legarde, 23, of
Alegria who was one of only
129 successful job applicants
said that the recent Cebu job
fair was really a big help con-
sidering the difficulty of quali-
fying for an office work these
days.
An Associate in Hotel and
Restaurant Management
graduate from Cebu Techno-
logical University, Stinelle
was hired by Qualfon, a busi-
ness processing office based in
this city.
The Department of Labor is
monitoring the country’s an-
nual rate of jobless persons.

6. Editorial
Publisher Urbano B. Mamaspas, PA (Ret.)
Editor-in-Chief Jean Mamaspas
On-line Editor Elizabeth Bevan
News Editor John Alfred Kabalican
World Page Editor Nicola Christeen Bevan
Business Editor & Web Page Administrator Andy Bevan
Editorial Consultant Aaron JP Almadro
Art & Design Jeia Mamaspas
Legal Affairs Atty. Isidro Sarona Jr.
Columnists, Correspondents, Staffwriters, & Contributors: Rex Rapi (News),
Alvin Arpon (Column), Joy MArtin (Column), Shannah Castillon (Tech-
nology), Mean Flores (Beauty & Fashion), Kristina Macapagal (Faith &
Inspiration). Marketing & Circulation: Jonamel Cabalo & Regie Gratones.
Our mission is to provide a link between communities, government, and busi-
nesses by delivering news and information that educate, motivate and inspire.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted by law, no part of Visayan
Business Post may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any
means without its prior written permission.
The Russian leadership has recalled its
ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) two days after its
member countries suspended cooperation
with Russia over the Ukraine crisis, Rus-
sian state media reported.
Gen. Valery Yevnevich will return to
Moscow in light of NATO’s actions, said
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly
Antonov. Antonov protested what he con-
sidered NATO’s ‘policy of whipping up ten-
sions’. He says this is the reason why Rus-
sia “see no possibility to continue military
cooperation with NATO”.
This is a delicate development since Rus-
sia is questioning NATO steps to bolster
its presence in Eastern Europe. Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asked
NATO about its alleged plans to strength-
en its defences also in Eastern Europe
Russia’s move to annex the Crimea re-
gion from Ukraine last month has sparked
the worst East-West crisis since the Cold
War. The West deems Moscow’s annexa-
tion of Ukraine’s Crimea region as illegal.
Responding to criticism from Kiev and the
West over the presence of Russian troops
along the border with Ukraine, Lavrov
however said Russia had the right to move
forces on its territory and said they would
return to their permanent bases after com-
pleting military exercises.
NATO has warned that Russian troops
could begin moving on Ukraine within 12
hours of being given an order. There are
40,000 troops massed near the Russian
border.
All in all, Russia’s troop movements
near Ukraine have been viewed as a state-
ment of a new Russian policy of extend-
ing its hand into other territories near
it borders. World wars have been
sparked by national territorial annexa-
tions, history repeatedly tells us.
With the geopolitical situation in
the Afghanistan, Iraqi, Libyan, Syr-
ian and Israeli fronts not panning out
according to planners in Obama’s
Whitehouse, the recent policy shifts
by China in the West Philippine Sea,
North Korea’s ballistic missile test-
ing, and now by Russia in Crimea, the
world is looking at how the US will try
to stabilize peace in these areas and re-
spond to challenges against the West’s
capacity to maintain the status quo.
Let us just hope that these excur-
sions by Russia and China will not
lead the world into another kind of
cold war. The signs are disturbing.
The guns have been drawn and a single
shot is all that is to be taken.
Gearing for another cold war
Opinion
Tuesday, 1 April 20146
With Editorial and Business address at Rizal Street
Zone 21, Ormoc City, Leyte, 6541 Philippines
The Quick
Much is to be desired from the multi-party
system of Presidential elections in this country.
Intelligent consideration of national concerns take
a vow when banal issues take centre stage with so
many candidates vying for that cool place called
Malacañang. This probably explains our lack of
direction in terms of lasting policies that a Presi-
dent should have explained to the people prior to
being elected by them, and for those reasons. Re-
gretfully, ours is a kind of “hell” Manuel L. Quezon
may not have wanted us to cover.
The possible menu for 2016: Cayetano, Rox-
as, Binay, Marcos, Revilla, Escudero. Lacson and
Grace Poe might join in the melee, too. These are
the politicians who have indicated, or are ‘being
pushed’, to make the try out. So, they say. Don’t
forget the preachers, dreamers and attention grab-
bers who usually take the last minute in filing
COC’s at the Commission on Elections. Sad list?
Take the cue.
Hefty ambition can make the mind spin. In
the national plane, it has taken credit for quick
mistakes that easily kill a country’s competitive
future. That is the thought supposed aspirants
should consider ahead of their plans for the next
presidential elections.
The Dead
Liberal Party’s Mar Roxas is hoping to keep
his end of the bargain when he agreed to hold his
own and ran for vice president in 2010. Members
of the official family are presently towing the line,
hoping to see Roxas somehow recover in the mid-
term surveys. But Roxas, whose constituents in
Capiz doubt could win the mayoralty race in his
own hometown, is looking at a very wide, blank
space. It may be sensible, heroic in fact, for him
to hold his own again so that the ruling party can
consider a more viable option for 2016 ‘for the
country’s welfare’.
At the moment, the LP is much like Nemo’s
ship, formidable yet without a captain –– at least
for its expedition in 2016. This perception is mak-
ing recent LP members think about their future. It
will be for LP stalwarts to decide amongst them-
selves who should stand for the next Philippine
presidential race.
The Liberals lag poorly behind Jejomar Binay’s
fluid machinery. Binay’s crew, it is said, prepared
his Certificate of Candidacy for President in 2010.
Nobody is really taking a hard look at how they
operate.
“A lie travels around the word while the
truth is putting on its boots”, so said old
Winston Churchill.
The truth has walked far from what is
happening today in ‘Yolanda’ areas where
there are various local and international en-
tities trying to help ordinary citizens slowly
recover from what they lost to the super
typhoon. The lie is that relief goods have
been or are being distributed and received
at once.
The truth is that so many relief goods
have been missing. The relief goods reached
the areas where they are supposed to be
distributed, delivered by donor groups. But
these have not been completely received by
the people who need them.
Research conducted by the Visayan Busi-
ness Post News Team reveal the contin-
ued existence of a practice during post ty-
phoon scenarios in the rural setting: relief
goods are held by local authorities usually
involved in relief operations. The relief
goods are often re-classified, repacked,
and re-allocated. A significant number of
the goods would slowly end up in com-
mercial concerns to be sold, or at the resi-
dences of the authorities, never to be seen
again.
Rumours persist that in the City of
Tacloban these relief goods are sold.
Whoever sells them does not sell per kilo,
in the case of rice, but in sacks. Whoever
buys them acquire by the lot at so pittance
a price.
It is difficult to understand even by one
raised in Leyte how this norm came to be
in a place where people are all victims and
are supposed to understand the needs of
the time.
It is illogical to see social workers
and local officials hoard, at the dead
of night, foodstuff that the economic
constitution of their own families do
not need. It is difficult to accept the
truth that these authorities will never
want as much as the ordinary citizen
who skip meals to see their families
through for the week.
The hoarding, stealing and selling
of relief related goods by any person,
public official or not, could only be
attributed to the vociferous greed of
people who see the misfortune of oth-
ers as an opportunity to enrich them-
selves.
No social sin is greater than that
which prolongs or abets human suf-
fering. That is the reason why even
hardened criminals sentenced to
death are allowed to accept their ex-
ecution with proper dignity.
A travelling lie
The truth in perspective.
Building a country with responsible
Visayan
BusinessPost
Every time I open my computer to check
on my facebook, twitter and instagram ac-
counts, ‘selfie’s’ of my friends welcome me.
But what really is a selfie? Why is it a
trend that even the president of the United
States, UK’s prime minister and no less than
the Pope himself has submitted themselves
to doing one?
The art in an arm’s length is what they
call it. A self-portrait may it be in a restau-
rant, at work, or in the comfort of our own
homes (talking about the very popular mir-
ror selfie), can be so quick and easy to do
especially with your very popular smart
phones and top of the line handy cameras.
It is as quick as finding the right angle,
checking the photo for adjustments and
uploading it to any of one’s registered net-
working sites. As easy as A-B-C.
However, an unknown psychologist
claims that doing ‘selfies’ may be a mani-
festation of a mental disorder of some sort,
a ‘growing narcissism at its finest’. I hope
that this claim will be subjected to a reli-
able clinical study because, if that is the
case, all of us would somehow have an ex-
isting “ailment”.
In this technologically advanced soci-
ety, one way or another, we are all guilty
of it. Clicking the “like” button on face-
book would, in this kind of understand-
ing, show an approval for an unclassified
level of insanity.
This is not to say that it is a bad thing.
However, in this time and age, people do
a selfie for so many different reasons. For
instance, those who live miles away get a
boost when they see close up pictures of
their loved ones. It has become a form of
communication, updating relationships.
Because photographs speak more than
words, selfies have also significantly emo-
Has#tag Selfie
By Joy Martin
Columnist, visayanbizpost.com
By Guillermo Lopez
Columnist, VBP
tionally connected families.
Celebrities have likewise made
their selfies an opportunity to pro-
mote their sponsors and careers. It
has, in fact, become part of the grow-
ing facilities in the advertising in-
dustry, permeating into the realm of
practical life, what media buffs call
‘real time coverage’.
And some simply just want to see
how they look; unhesitatingly shar-
ing it to others hoping that someone
will click the “like” button. For sim-
ple souls, taking a picture of one’s
self, or one’s food, or one’s dog and
posting these works of wonderful
personal art is an expression of hu-
manity, of feelings, and state of being.
Whatever the reason may be, I
say Selfie is promoting confidence in
oneself, may it be too much or a lit-
tle less. By and large, if it makes one
happy, by all means go for it.
By Alvin Arpon
Columnist, VBP

7. 1. Give every dollar a job –
balance your budget to zero
every month, budget for sav-
ings as well.
2. Save for a rainy day –
always put a little into the
budget every month to save
for unexpected bills.
3. Roll with the punches
– don’t worry, adjust your
budget to cover any over-
spends that happen.
4. Live on last month’s
income – save a little every
month into a buffer and then
relax! You can pay your bills
this month because the money
is already there!
The YNAB software pro-
vides all the tools needed to
follow the four rules, but im-
portantly, it only looks for-
ward. You don’t have to enter
months or years of previous
transactions, as most other
financial software will want
you to do, in order to give some
Gizmo101
YNAB -- You haven’t budgeted like this
A budget is an essential
tool in helping keep track of
finances in our busy lives. But
what if you don’t have the
time or patience, to record
manually, all your income and
outgoing on paper, or the skill,
to create a computer spread-
sheet? Enter YNAB, or You
Need A Budget!
YNAB is one of the most
user-friendly money manage-
ment programs we’ve seen and
promotes its own financial
planning philosophy to help
manage your budget. The ob-
jective is to rearrange your fi-
nances so, eventually, you can
live off your previous month’s
salary, rather than living pay
check to pay check and strug-
gling to pay the bills at the end
of every month.
YNAB’s Method introduces
us to four basic principles,
explained in detail on their
website:
The best thing about us-
ing YNAB, however, is the
company does not just sell
you their software and forget
about you. Rather than calling
themselves a software com-
pany, they prefer to be known
as an education company that
also sells software. To back
this up, YNAB provides free
daily webinars, teaching users
how to get the most from the
software. Best of all, at the end
of every class, one of the par-
ticipants receives a free copy
of the software.
YNAB has also recently an-
nounced that their software is
insight into you future spend-
ing. YNAB is only interested
in what you spend NOW and
balancing that with what you
earn NOW.
You should still enter
all your new spending into
YNAB, of course, either from
your PC, the mobile app on
your Apple or Android phone,
or from financial data down-
loaded from your bank. Im-
portantly however, the soft-
ware deliberately avoids the
tools that allow automatic
downloading and synchroni-
sation of bank data. You still
need to verify every transac-
tion, so you remain aware
of your spending. It’s far too
easy to lose control over your
money these days, when we
swipe or click to spend. YNAB
reminds us of the importance
of the counting that used to be
done before a financial trans-
action took place.
Editor Nicola Christeen Bevan
editor@visayanbizpost.com
Tuesday, 1 April 2014 7Visayan Business Post
World headlines
2. You cannot be too lov-
ing. What we think of as the
product of spoiling a child is
not the result of showing a
child too much love but is the
consequence of giving a child
things in place of love like
leniency, lowered expecta-
tions, or material possessions.
3. Be involved in your child’s
life. It Being involved means
rethinking and rearranging
your priorities. It means sac-
psychoParentis
Do you have a ‘problem child’?
A child’s behavior reflect
how his parents brought him
up. The Ten Basic Princi-
ples of Good Parenting, a new
book by Dr. Laurence Stein-
berg, gives us a view on how
to better raise our children.
1. What you do matters.
Your kids are watching you.
Don’t react on the spur of the
moment. Ask yourself: What
doIwanttoaccomplish,isthis
likely to produce that result?
rificing what you want to do
for what your child need. Be
there mentally and physically.
4. Adapt your parenting
to fit your child. Keep pace
with your child’s develop-
ment. Your child is grow-
ing up. Consider how age
is affecting his behavior.
5. Set and establish rules. If
you don’t manage your child’s
behavior in his youth, he will
Fashionable child-rearing.
Russian troops ready to strike Ukraine - NATO
From page 1
Gen. Breedlove weights NATO’s options.
Jean Mamaspas
problem child/p8
opportunities and they can
make whatever decision they
want, General Breedlove
added. This is a very large,
very well-equipped force
to be called an exercise.
InJanuary,theUnitedStates
informed NATO allies that
Russia had tested a ground-
launched cruise missile, rais-
ing serious questions about
Moscow’s compliance with
its arms control obligations.
American officials have
sought without success to re-
solve the issue with the Rus-
sians, and the Obama adminis-
trationisreviewingwhetherto
formally declare the test to be
a violation of a 1987 treaty that
bans medium-range missiles.
While making it clear that
he was not prejudging the
outcome of that review, Gen-
eral Breedlove described the
Russian missile test as a mili-
tarily significant development.
A weapon capability that
violates the I.N.F. that is in-
troduced into the greater Eu-
ropean land mass is absolutely
a tool that will have to be
dealt with, he said, using the
initials of the Intermediate-
Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
I would not judge how
the alliance will choose
to react, but I would say
they will have to consider
what to do about it, he said.
“It can’t go unanswered.
General Breedlove said
that he did not know if the
Russians had deployed the
cruise missile, adding that
this would be hard to deter-
mine since it resembles per-
mitted short-range systems.
A former US Air Force F-16
fighter pilot, General Breed-
love commanded Air Force
units in Europe before he was
named the NATO commander
in the spring of 2013. (TNYNS)
now free for all College Stu-
dents, on proof of registration,
for each calendar year of reg-
istration.
For the rest of us, YNAB is
offered free for a 34-day trial
(enough to cover a full month-
ly budget cycle) and then sells
for $60 (P2,700), if you are
convinced. A single license
covers as many computers as
you want, PC and Mac, so the
whole family can manage their
budgets and synchronise data
via Dropbox.
YNAB claims it will save
the average user much more
than the purchase price, in the
first month alone! I’m not sure
if I have achieved that level
myself, but using YNAB for a
month, it’s already highlight-
ed a problem my bank balance
was headed for in May. I’ve
now been able to reorgan-
ise a few payment dates and
saved myself some hefty bank
charges!
If you think YNAB might be
the answer to your budgeting
problems, I would strongly
recommend giving it a try. To
get you started, use this link,
http://ynab.refr.cc/FBNPB-
WM, with our compliments
and qualify for a 10% discount.
By Andy Bevan
VBP London, UK
TOKYO — With Ameri-
can officials distancing
themselves from the Bu-
dapest Memorandum in
light of Russia’s takeover
of Crimea, Japan is seek-
ing more reassurance that
its own security agreement
with the Unikted States will
hold.
US Defense Secretary
Chuck Hagel, who arrived in
Tokyo on Saturday for two
days of talks with Japan’s
leaders, including Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe, has
been asked about America’s
promise to protect Japan
against China and N. Korea.
Secretary Hagel who
spoke at Yokota Air Base in
Japan on Saturday said that
the US remains committed
to the defense of its allies in
the Pacific.
One Japanese official said,
speaking on the condition
of anonymity, “We are just
looking for a commitment
from the American side.”
Obama administration of-
ficials say they stand by the
American commitment to
protect Japan, while refrain-
ing from explicitly stat-
ing that the United States
would intervene militarily in
case of a dispute.
“There is no indication
or weakness on the part
of the United States as to
our complete and absolute
commitment to the security
of Japan,” Mr. Hagel said,
speaking to reporters aboard
his flight to Japan.
Upon landing at Yokota
Air Base just outside To-
kyo to speak to a group
of American and Japanese
troops, Mr. Hagel said he
was in Japan to reaffirm
America’s “continued com-
mitment to our partnership,
our friendship and our treaty
obligations.”“We are serious
about that,” he said.
Mr. Hagel announced
Sunday morning that the
United States will deploy
two additional ballistic mis-
sile destroyers to Japan by
2017.
The additional ships will
bring to seven the number
of American destroyers in
Japan, and will help Tokyo
to defend against missiles
launched by North Korea,
defense officials said.
Mr. Hagel cited Pyong-
yang’s pattern of “provoca-
tive and destabilizing ac-
tions” toward Japan and
other neighbors. His com-
ments came at a news con-
ference with the Japanese
minister of defense, Itsunori
Onodera. The United States
and Japan has mutual secu-
rity treaty. (NYTNS)
Japan worried about China, N. Korea
US: “We will protect Pacific allies”

8. Tuesday, 1 April 20148
fred. “It’s a family tradition
to cook and eat at home in
much the same way that all
Filipinos are accustomed to.
So, other than the fact that
we found it expensive to eat
our favorite dishes at sassy
restaurants, we sort of natu-
rally gravitated into the res-
taurant business”, he added.
“Xiamen is a name of a Prov-
ince in China where food is
great”, said Uy. So his family
decided to adopt it together
with food preparation tech-
niques famous in that part of
the country. “But the most
exciting thing about owning
a restaurant is that you can
cook your favorite food and
earn from it too”, Uy muses
with youthful enthusiasm.
But ‘sir Alfred’, as his staff
respectfully calls him, admit-
ted he did not have a single
idea how to cook when he
first opened up Xiamen Cui-
The territorial row be-
tween China and the Phil-
ippines should not affect
our eating preferences one
bit. Dispute or not, we love
how the Chinese cook food.
We want to eat crossover
menus between Chinese
and Filipino inspired dishes.
This unique mix is one of
the many reasons why many
members of the Filipino-
Chinese community con-
tinue to stay and prosper
in this country. In a logical
sense, we share the same
value of love for glorious food.
One should not wonder,
then, how an electronics and
computer engineer like Al-
fredo Uy ended up cooking
meals for a living. “Our fam-
ily loves to eat good Filipino
and Chinese food”, says Al-
Editor Jean Cabalo Mamaspas
visayan.bizpost@gmail.com
World-class cooking.
sine back in February 14,
2008. “But I taught myself”, he
quipped. “In this business you
have to know everything that
happens in the kitchen. And
it means everything, including
knowing how the food is pre-
pared by the kitchen staff for
your customers”, he insisted.
“Part of what the pa-
trons pay for is the precise
quality of the food they
want to eat”, Uy explains.
But how did he choose
what menu to serve? “Well,
at first, we cooked only
food unique to the Chinese,
but realized not all of them
were moving. So we started
to cook food that Filipinos
loved to eat, like seafood, al-
though these were prepared
the Chinese way”, Uy said.
This process brought him
to what he has now in terms
of variations in dishes. “Cus-
tomers decide what we retain
Cebu’swonderful
XiamenCuisine
The Gospel this Week
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
“The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”
Reading: Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath; this raised a veritable storm of indigna-
tion from the religious authorities who ruled that such act was not sanctioned by God. But
people where divided: how could something that good come from someone evil? The blind
as rebuked as a sinner when he dared declared his healer a prophet, for his blindness before
was indicative of his sinfulness. Cast out from the Temple, he was found by Jesus and conse-
quently, through an act of faith, he found his Saviour.
Reflection: Some love the fact that someone is inferior to them. They take delight in the
misery of others and legitimize their pettiness. Such is the case of the people and the Pharisee
of today’s gospel. They would not believe that the blind man who was a sinner in their midst
could find healing and wholeness. That as too scandalous since he had to suffer more as pun-
ishment for sins committed in this life. So they maligned him and his healer and declared un-
holy the healing that had taken place on a holy day. The blind man who now could see should
have been the sign that told them God is now walking in their land. Their deeds reveal that
their spiritual blindness was far greater than the physical blindness of the man.
We live and pass by His amazing grace.
God is Good!
in the menu. I think it’s a ‘se-
cret’ in successful restaurant-
management that they cook
no longer the food which
takes lesser orders”, he said.
At Xiamen Cuisine if you
are a health buff, a vegetar-
ian, or have a special medical
condition like a particular
food allergy, you can tell the
waiter in-charge. They will
inform the kitchen about it
and prepare your food ac-
cordingly. “The service must
be smooth and good so that
the customer will feel that he
gets the value of what he is
paying for: great food, good
ambience and good service.”
Asked how a restaurant
can be gauged in terms of the
quality of their dishes, Alfred
Uy has this to say: Start by
trying their home specialty
and best-sellers. Then try
the same variety in another
restaurant for your next stop.
“In our case, we adapt to the
needs of customers. What-
ever they want in the wasy
that their food is prepared, we
follow. This is true with veg-
etarians and health conscious
customers alike”, Uy said.
But he was quick to add: “just
make it tasty and healthy”.
Uy said he is not keen about
opening a franchise for Xia-
men Cuisine in any other area,
even in Cebu. “It is difficult to
make sure that the same food,
quality and taste will actually
be served” according to him.
“Cooking in our kitchen is
a matter of feeling, taste and
technique. It may be easy to
say that this can be done for
a franchise. But, I don’t see
how. To me, what is being
cooked here in our kitchen
will never really be replicat-
ed. Each food preparation is
just so unique”, he explained.
But for those who want to
enter into the food business,
Alfred Uy has this to say: “Be
hands-on. There is no bet-
ter alternative to the owner’s
presence”, he assures. “There
are lots of things to consider
when you operate a business
like a restaurant no matter
how small it may be”, he says.
“Being the owner, you have
to sort things out yourself.
From dealing with suppliers
and the inventory, to train-
ing of staff, and maintenance
of cleanliness. The list just
goes on and on”, he counsels.
In short, you have to be
physically present. If you can-
not do it, then do not even
think of owning a restaurant.
It will just give you a sore
headache”, Uy concluded.
Xiamen Cuisine is lo-
cated at the ground floor
of One Mango Building
along Mango Avenue (Gen-
eral Maxilom) in Cebu City.
By Jean Mamaspas
VBP Leyte
perhaps a little easier and
less stressful for those that
earn more.
Lots of people practice
what I call ‘memory budget-
ing’- which is fine, except it
is virtually impossible to re-
member every single thing
that we spend our money
on. I was one of those peo-
ple, until six years ago when
my husband got made re-
dundant from his job after
15 years of employment.
Suddenly I found myself
in a panic, worrying how
we would be able to pay
the mortgage and other
household bills on my sal-
ary alone! After a few sleep-
less nights I decided to de-
vise my own simple budget
planner, a concept totally
alien to me. It was the best
thing I ever did!
Where to start: Budget-
ing is simply about know-
ing exactly how much mon-
ey you have and what things
you need to pay for.
If ‘memory budgeting’
does not work for you, then
why not try the following
easy and simple guide to
Ask a couple on average
salaries what their main fi-
nancial worries are and the
words rent, food, electricity
& water bills, school fees
,fuel bills, telephone bills,
credit card bills, clothing,
kid’s allowance, family va-
cation, will surely be men-
tioned among others.
And if you then ask how
they ‘budget’ or if they use
any type of budget planner
to manage their finances
and many of them would
probably shake their heads
and say “we just manage
somehow”.
Like many people, I used
to think that budgeting was
only for the wealthy. You
know, the kind of people
who owned businesses and
had money coming in from
different sources so that
they needed to keep track of
everything! But as I realized
later in life, whether you are
a high income or a low in-
come family, simple proper
budgeting is the only practi-
cal way to manage the fam-
ily finances effectively.
Though I do agree it is
Plan your household budget
By Beth Bevan
Web Editor & Correspondent, BizPost London
Home Affairs
Budget Planning:
• Start by writing down
your total household in-
come on a notepad. Include
the dates when these are re-
ceived.
• List all your monthly ex-
penditures- in order of prior-
ity i.e. mortgage/rent, food,
water, electricity, health in-
surance. Again, include the
dates when bills are due.
• Be realistic with your
amounts. If you are unsure
then is better to over budget
than under budget.
• Set aside an amount for
family entertainment. These
may be a once a month din-
ner in a restaurant or trip to
the movies.
• Tick your list off each time
a bill is paid and keep all re-
ceipts including ATM with-
drawals
• Regularly update your re-
cord to ensure your cash bal-
ance is up to date.
If you have access to a
computer then you may try
setting up your budget plan-
ner on an Excel Spreadsheet.
From page 7
Do you have a ‘problem child’?
LifestyleMenuFamilia
not learn how to manage him-
self when he gets older. Ask
yourself every day: Where is
my child? Who is with my
child? What is my child do-
ing? The rules your child has
learned from you will shape
the rules he applies to himself.
6. Foster your child’s in-
dependence. Setting limits
helps your child develop a
sense of self-control. Encour-
aging independence helps
her develop a sense of self-
direction. To be successful in
life, he’s going to need both.
7. Be consistent. If your
rules vary from day to day or
enforce them intermittently,
your child’s misbehavior
is your fault. Identify non-
negotiables. The more your
authority is based on wisdom
and not on power, the less
your child will challenge it.”
8. Avoid harsh discipline.
Parents should never hit a
child, under any circumstanc-
es. Children who are hit, or
slapped are prone to fighting
with other children or using
aggression to solve disputes.
9. Explain your rules and
decisions. Good parents have
expectations they want their
child to live up to. Gener-
ally, parents over-explain
to young children and un-
der-explain to adolescents.
10. Treat your child and his
opinion with respect. Give
your child the same courtesies
you would give anyone else.
Speak to him politely. Pay at-
tention when he speaks to
you, treat him kindly. Chil-
dren treat others the way
their parents treat them.
Your relationship with your
child is the foundation for
her relationships with others.

9. Puzzle Game No. 0001
Editor Mean Flores
info@visayanbizpost.com
Tuesday, 1 April 2014 9Visayan Business Post
perfect song for a person’s voice
will eventually come around, and
her latest single “Made in the
Philippines,” proves just that. The
song, composed by singers Billy
Crawford, Jay-R, Kris Lawrence,
and Marcus Davis is a bubbly pop
tune, somewhat similar to the
Katy Perry beat.
3. Big numbers, a grand pro-
duction: What she lacks in sing-
ing she makes up for the grandeur
of her concernt production. From
the costumes, to the stunts, the
audience can expect a theatrical
performance, meant to wow.
Vice Ganda who is one of Anne
Curtis’ main co-hosts in ABS-
CBN’s noontime show “Show-
time” said Curtis never fails to
amaze. “Anne has matured to
become a very responsible artist.
She has learned to re-invent hewr-
self’, Vice Ganda assures.
Anne Curtis has recently fig-
ured in new showbiz spats but
says she knows how to handle
herself more now, especially that
she has grown into a bankable Ka-
pamilya star with a big network of
projects. (Mean Flores)
After the the late brouhaha
over her “I can buy you, your
friends & this club” controversy,
Anne Curtis proves that she is
still on top of her career. Not only
is she the newest endorser of the
famous Creamsilk product, she is
also the face of the newest ABS-
CBN ‘Dyesebel’ series.
After her successful AnneBisy-
osa (ambitious) concert last 2011,
she is now moving to perform yet
another second major concert
entitled The Forbidden Concert:
Annekapal (over-confident).
During a press conference held
recently, the actress said that she
has earned the public’s support
not just for her voice, but for her
crazy antics and all-out produc-
tions.
Here are a few things to expect
from Anne’s upcoming concert:
1. She won’t be taking things
too seriously: “I just don’t want
people to take me seriously,” she
said, adding that her main goal
is to hold a fun concert, to have
the guests bringing their laughter
home.
2. It’s all in the song choice: The
Former best friends Kim
Chiu and Maja Salvador have
reportedly settled their differ-
ences after one year of being on
bad terms with each other due
to the latter’s romantic involve-
ment with Gerald Anderson.
Kim was reportedly hurt that
hes former boyfriend, Gerald,
had to take on her bestfriend,
Maja, for his next girlfriend.
The two ABS-CBN prin-
cesses have reconciled, ac-
cording to showbiz buzz Ogie
Diaz. Diaz wrote, mention-
ing the Twitter accounts of the
two actresses (Mean Flores).
Kim Chiu & Maja
Salvador, Friends
Again?
plusentertainment
Republic of the Philippines
Department of Transportation and Communication
LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING
AND REGULATORY BOARD
Regional Office No. VIII
Ormoc City
Application for Reconstitution of Records with
Extension of Validity of a CPC to operate a PUJ
service.
With prayer to Adopt Trade Name.
CASE NO. VIII-2014-0531
RODRIGO ENSOMO
Applicant/Petitioner
x--------------------------------x
NOTICE OF HEARING
Applicant request authority for the issuance of a Certifi-
cate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ for the transpor-
tation of passengers and freight on the route: FROM ISABEL
TO MERIDA & VICE VERSA with the use of One (1) unit
which Certificate is still valid and subsisting.
In the present application, applicant request authority for
reconstitution for records of the said certificate on the same
route with the use of the same number of unit/s.
Notice is hereby given that this application will be heard
by this Board on APRIL 22 2014, at 9:00 A.M. at its Office of
the above address.
At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date, applicant/s
shall publish this Notice once in one (1) daily newspaper of
general circulation in Visayas.
This application will be acted upon by this Board on the
basis of its records and documentary evidence submitted by
the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive ad-
ditional documentary and/or oral evidence.
WITNESS the Honorable ARTHUR L. SAIPUDIN, Re-
gional Director, this 13th
day of FEBRUARY 2014.
(Sgd.) GUALBERTO N. GUALBERTO
Clerk of Board
NoticeYour Lucky Week
Aries (March 21-April 19): A new moneymaking oppor-
tunity will. Unexpected bills will be incentive for you to ex-
plore possibilities that could help increase your earnings.
Taurus (April 20-May 20): Your skills and knowledge
should be put to better use. Finding ways to budget and
increase skills will help you financially and ease stress.
Gemini Gemini (May 21-June 20): Don’t let restlessness get you. Use pent-up energy
to improve your home or self. Updating your image can move you forward.
Cancer (June 21-July 22): Widen your social circle. Get involved in group activi-
ties or a club. Your generous nature will be put to good use, and you will make some
interesting new friends.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Now is a favorable time to make a move. Use every resource
available to you. Employment possibilities will open. Impress with your insight.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are hardworking, recreate. Mix business with pleasure
and make new allies. Stimulate your creativity, explore cultures and customs.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): It’s time for a change. If an emotional situation is causing
you anxiety, consider moving on. Take a look at a community that interests you.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22): Spice up your love life with a little romance. Go dining or
dancing, tune out any distractions and be with someone you enjoy being with.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21): Strive to get into a position that allows you to help
others. Improve your professional relationships. Help others and get high returns.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Interacting and socializing with clients and co-workers
will help you gain valuable business connections. Consider taking in a sporting event,
or devise your own friendly competition.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19): You’ll face opposition regarding a decision that chang-
es the landscape at home or your workplace. You will win in the end, but don’t go over-
budget if you want to avoid being ridiculed.
Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20): Whether you are involved in group functions or meetings,
compromise will be the key. Get together with loved ones and plan a trip or activity that
everyone will enjoy.
All about AnneMarian Rivera has agreed
to do a “very daring shoot” for
FHM. She appears topless on
the March 2014 cover of men's
magazine, FHM, in a photo
shoot dubbed her ‘most dar-
ing ever.’
In the cover photo unveiled
on FHM's official website, the
29-year-old actress is seen
wearing only earrings and a
necklace.
The sultry Rivera, who de-
buted on FHM's cover in Jan-
uary 2013, was photographed
by lensman Mark Nicdao for
this latest summer-themed
pictorial.
Asked why she agreed to
grace the magazine's pages a
second time, Rivera said, “Ibig
sabihin malaki ang tiwala ko
sa FHM dahil ginawa ko ulit.
Siguro bilang second time
ko na ito, at alam ko na kung
paano makipag-trabaho sa
FHM.”
“Mas masarap makipag-
trabaho nang walang wall.
Mas transparent ka na sa kung
ano'ng gusto at ayaw mong
gawin. Very amenable naman
ang FHM sa mga gusto kong
gawin,” the actress was quot-
ed as saying on the magazine's
website.
FHM's March 2014 issue
also marks the magazine's
14th anniversary in the Phil-
ippines. The men’s magazine
is followed widely by Filipi-
nos locally and abroad. Mar-
ian’s longtime beau Dingdong
Dantes could not be reached
for comment. (Ricky Jolasco)
MANILA - Kapam-
ilya stars Vice Ganda
and KC Concepcion
bagged major awards
at the 30th Philippine
Movie Press Club
(PMPC) Star Awards
for Movies, Sunday
night.
Marian goes topless for FHM
The two frames above differ in so many ways. Can you spot
and count the difference? This game requires a good eye and a
keen, observant mind. Good Luck!
Test your observation skills

10. Visayan Business Post
Can Manny do the classic again?
Boxing insider’s William
Holmes believe that Timo-
thy Bradley (28-0) is the
toughest opponent Manny
Pacquiao (54-3-2) has had to
face in a very long time. This
is his analysis: The last time
Pacquiao had fought some-
one who was undefeated
was Jorge Solis in 2007, and
Solis has never been any-
where near as dominant in
his division as Bradley was
when he fought in the Jun-
ior Welterweight division.
Those who are knowl-
edgeable about boxing also
know that Pacquiao is not a
full-blown welterweight. He
regularly weighs in for fights
in the welterweight division
between 142-144 pounds.
If he had to, he could prob-
ably make weight for the
lightweight division, easily.
Bradley is the same height
as Pacquiao and will have
a two-inch reach advan-
tage. Bradley is also a high-
ly technical fighter who
doesn’t mind boxing rough,
similar to Juan Manuel
Marquez–the lone fighter
to give Pacquiao serious
trouble in recent history.
If there’s one knock on
Bradley, it is his lack of pow-
er. Only 12 of his 28 victories
have come by KO or TKO.
Bradley defeated Devon
Alexander in January of
last year to retain the WBO
and win the WBC Light
Welterweight title. He de-
feated Lamont Peterson,
the man who beat the other
light welterweight king-
pin, Amir Khan. He has also
fought and defeated Kend-
all Holt, Edner Cherry, Luis
Abregu, and Junior Witter.
If you’re reading this ar-
ticle, chances are you al-
ready know about Manny
Pacquiao’s incredible run
through eight divisions. He’s
fought and defeated Juan
Manuel Marquez, Shane
Mosley,Antonio Marga-
rito, Miguel Cotto, Ricky
Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya,
Marco Antonio Barrera,
Erik Morales, and Lehlo-
honolo Ledwaba. His last
loss was in 2005 to Morales.
Pacquiao brings an in-
credible combination of
speed, power, and aggres-
siveness inside the ring.
38 of his 54 victories have
come by way of KO or TKO.
But Pacquiao is aging,
now 33, and has fought
a lot of wars that has to
have taken a toll in his
body. Floyd Mayweather
is a defensive master, Pac-
quiao is not. His last TKO
or KO victory was in 2009
against Cotto. He’s won
four fights in a row by deci-
sion, and recently squeaked
out a victory over the
aforementioned Marquez.
There are many who feel
Marquez deserved the nod
in the Pacquiao’s last fight.
It’s a stretch to say it was
robbery. I don’t remem-
ber the last time a chal-
lenger won a title fight
when he was out-struck in
power shots, out-thrown
in nearly every round, and
had zero knockdowns.
Perhaps a noted boxing
historian can enlighten me.
It isn’t a stretch however
to say that Pacquiao’s talent
is on the decline. He appears
to have been at his peak
when he brutally knocked
out Ricky Hatton in the sec-
ond round in May of 2009.
I still think it’s more than
likely that either Pacquiao or
Mayweather will lose before
they meet inside the ring.
That loss won’t come
on Saturday. It will be a
tough fight, but Pacquiao
should win by decision.
The question is, will
Pacquiao win by a wide
enough margin to convince
the pro-Mayweather fans?
By JC Anastacio
Sports Contributor, VBP
motoring&sportsEditor Shana Nollitsac
cfracky@gmail.com
Tuesday, 1 April 2014 12