ARMM Still RP’s Top Seaweed Producer ; Davao Eyed As Seaweed-Producing Area

Davao City is being eyed as an ideal seaweed production area but the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is still the top seaweed producer of the Philippines accounting for 70% of the country’s seaweed production.

This was bared by Ronald Simbajon, a Marine Biologist and Seaweed Consultant who presented the unique investment opportunities of seaweed farming during the Mindanao Investment Conference held in the city from November 25 to 26.

Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are among the areas with high seaweed production but they are selling raw or dried seaweeds to processors who export it to China and other countries. China alone requires 80 thousand metric tons of dried seaweeds per year.

Seaweeds are farmed not only for its known importance as food but also for the extraction of hydrocolloids which are used as food additives, Carageenan for sauces and salad dressing and alginates for paper coatings, gels, dyes, adhesives, and in textile printing.

Seaweed farming is very profitable, he said because it is in demand in the local and in the export market. About 80% of the total seaweed production of the country is exported. However, he said, there are only about 20 thousand hectares all over the country being used for seaweeds farming as opposed to the hundreds of thousands of hectares available.

“Even the top seaweed producing area like the ARMM is not able to maximize its seaweed production because of factors like peace and order and trader control,” Simbajon said.

ARMM can benefit from the dollar-earning potential of seaweeds but the fact that it still ranked high in the poverty incidence level statistics released by the National Statistical Coordination Board shows that it is not maximizing its production capacity. The NSCB said ARMM appeared to be the poorest region in Mindanao with a 61.8%.poverty incidence rate in 2006.

Seaweed farming may be the answer to the country’s poverty problems considering that it will benefit over 160 thousand families dwelling in islands and coastal areas.

“Seaweed production is a potential dollar earner for the country if only the seaweed production areas are expanded outside ARMM,” Simbajon said. The other seaweed producing areas in the country which contributes about 30% of the country’s total seaweed production are Palawan and Bohol

He said the Davao area is ideal for seaweeds farming because of the large bodies of water here. Seaweed thrives in brackish or seawater with sufficient light.

I Don't Trust Nograles-RRD

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said he is not willing to work together with 1st District Representative Speaker Prospero Nograles regarding the Balikatan problem of Dabawenyo homeowners.

"I don't trust him," Duterte said. "I will never ally or join him in any undertaking kay wala ko'y tiwala kay Nograles," her added.

The Balikatan problem started when the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation sold the housing debts of the homeowners to the Balikatan Corporation who later announced it will foreclose the houses whose accounts have remained unpaid.

Duterte said the Balikatan problem could not be resolved in the local level and it is the national government that can solve the problem. "Balikatan is a universal problem (meaning all over the Philippines) and not just here in Davao," he said. The mayor recently met with the Balikatan people but he said it is difficult to come up with an agreement saying "mas mabuti pa i-class suit na lang natin ito."

He said if the Dabawenyos affected by the Balikatan problem thinks Nograles can help them solve their problems then he is willing to return the problem to him since "he said he has handled the problem before". Nograles is said to be willing to handle the Balikatan problem if Duterte is willing to work closely with him.

Davao's Uyanguren Is Newest Location Of Popular 168 Mall

Davao's very own Chinatown aka Uyanguren is the newest location of one of the 168 malls, famous for selling very cheap goods straight from China.

The mall, which does not really look like your traditional mall but merely a place where stalls are located, is already operational but as of last week only a few stalls have opened to the public.

City councilor Susabel Reta has pushed for the naming of this district as Chinatown considering that most of the stores here are owned by the Chinese. Lately though, the street has been invaded by Korean businessmen so the name might be a misnomer.

The opening of the mall is very timely for Christmas shopping but then again watch out for China-made food and other items that might be dangerous to your health.

Investors Urged: Put Money In Mindanao Livelihood Projects

Mindanao Business Council chair Vicente Lao urged investors attending the Mindanao Investment Conference which opened at the Marco Polo Hotel Tuesday day to put their money on livelihood projects for Mindanao even as he said no amount of economic growth can justify the increase in poverty incidence in the island.

Over 300 participants from the business and government sectors, peoples organizations and non government organizations joined the Investment Conference.

“We have the idea that the region’s economy is doing well but the increase in poverty incidence belies that,” Lao said. Mindanao, he added, is the second largest island but it lags behind in terms of economy as shown by the fact that 16 of the 23 poorest provinces in the country are in Mindanao.

Lao said Mindanao’s insurgency problem is caused by lack of opportunities in the region that is why these people have to do something else instead of making a living.

“Let us throw away the parochial concept of investment because it is no longer economically profitable to grow everything in your backyard,” he said. Instead he added, people should develop the networking concept and the value chain concept of supply and demand.

He said it would be more viable for the island to work as a whole network group where one product is produced by another area, using resources from another area and similar networking arrangements.

Lao also urged the community to help promote small and medium enterprises citing the SME’s role in Davao City’s economic turn-around.

“The 36,860 business permits issued by the city of Davao last year is evident of the SME’s role in promoting development,” Lao said. He said the conduct of the Mindanao Investment Conference will hopefully equip SME’s with inputs to manage their businesses

8 Councilors Say NO To PALC For Shrine Hills Developer

The eight “conscience votes” from Davao City councilors failed to stop the approval of the Preliminary Application and Location Clearance or PALC for the Crown Communities and DM Consunji development project in Shrine Hills.

Among those who voted NO to the PALC application are Councilors Rachel Zozobrado, Pilar Braga, Karlo Bello, Teresita Marañon, Angela LIbrado, Susabel Reta, Louie Villafuerte and Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz. Councilors Danny Dayanghirang and Halila Sudagar abstained while 13 voted yes for the PALC.

“The issues raised have gone beyond mere legalities and zoning,” Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. “I am not convinced by what was presented and I still have doubts as to its safety considering that Datu Luho creek is already stretched to its maximum capacity and they did not present any alternative,” she added.

Councilor Pilar Braga said it has always been her position that Shrine Hills should be a protected area. “It should not be pressured with development to preserve it as the emerald jewel of Davao City.” Instead of a housing development, why not make it a nature park, she said.

“The safety of the Maa residents should also be top priority and I believe that no mitigating measure in the future could give the assurance of safety to the people living downhill,” Braga said.

The approval of the PALC for the DM Consunji development project has been delayed for weeks already due to the ongoing debate in the Council as to the safety of the project.

Maa residents, who cited the Cherry Hill incident, have also expressed their opposition to the project for fear that it will result to more flooding and landslides in the area. Maa is located just below the Shrine Hills and any earth movement will affect the various subdivisions located downhill.

The residents however said they are not against the development per se provided an independent study of the stability of the slope is conducted. They are also asking the developer to present a drainage alternative considering that the Datu Luho creek is already congested resulting to flooding in the area whenever it rains.

Councilor Danny Dayanghirang said the Zoning Ordinance classifies the area as residential so he sees no problem with the PALC approval.

“The applicants have already complied with the requirements,” councilor Peter Laviña said. Laviña, who voted yes, said “I believe that all the engineering measures are available to address the concerns about the project.”

Just like Laviña, Councilor Victorio Advincula also said all the issues taken during the sessions are best discussed during the application for a development permit.

City Approves P25T Financial Assistance For today’s Mindanao Investment Conference

Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Bobby Teo (left photo) welcomes participants to the MinICon.

The City government of Davao has approved a P25 thousand financial assistance for the two-day Mindanao Investment Conference which will open at the Marco Polo Hotel today.

“We are expecting up to 300 participants to join the conference,” Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) executive director Ednar Carlos Dayanghirang said. The organizers of the event said the Conference is doubly significant because it is not only the business sector that have signified their intention to join the MinICon but even peoples organization and non government organizations from various parts of Mindanao have confirmed their participation.

Dayanghirang said they are thankful for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s support for the Conference both in terms of promotion and financial assistance. He also confirmed the P25 thousand financial support from the city government.

The Conference will focus on seven agricultural products including seaweeds, banana, coffee, rubber production, honeybee, Pangasius and moringa or malunggay.

MinBC chairperson Vicente Lao, who presented the agribusiness opportunities (that will be tackled during the Conference) to the members of the City Council last Tuesday, said they are very excited about the prospects of the propagation of Cream Dory or Pangasius since this will clearly augment the region’s aquaculture production.

Pangasius, Lao said, is like a cousin to the catfish. However, Pangasius fish can weigh as much as 40 kilograms and can grow as long as four feet.

Lao said Pangasius growing is fairly new to the Philippine but it is a growing industry in Vietnam and neighboring Asian countries. Pangasius fillet is presently being exported by Thailand and Vietnam for around $3 per kilo.

This was confirmed by Vitarich marketing associate in Mindanao Elvin T. Millan who said there is a big demand for the Pangasius fish in the world market.

Vitarich is one of the companies that is already into the Pangasius business and they are exploring several business options including contract to buy, contract growing, contract processing, commercial growing and trading partner. Vitarich has prospective growers not only in Davao but also in General Santos City and the Cotabato Province. The company, he added, is now ready to disperse the Pangasius fingerlings to these growers.

Gamay'ng Belen Competition

Museo Dabawenyo is sponsoring a miniature Belen competition to symbolize the simplicity and humility of celebrating Christmas.

If you are a Dabawenyo then you are qualified to join the contest. Use your creative juices to come up with a three-dimensional belen depicting the nativity scene.

Participants can use any material but the use of recycled materials is encouraged. The entry should measure 2’ X 2’ X 2’ and any entry that does not conform to this will be automatically disqualified.

You may have several belen ideas but you can only submit one entry.

Get your entry forms from the Museo Dabawenyo and submit the form with your entry at the Museo Dabawenyo, corner CM Recto and Pichon Streets before December 1, 2008.

All entries will be exhibited at the Museo Dabawenyo from December 4 until January 10, 2009.

Interested? Call or visit Museo Dabawenyos and look for Orly Escarilla or Richard Dian Vilar.

The first prize winner will get P10,000 while the four runners up will get P5,000 each. There will also be five consolation prize winners who will receive P1,000 each.