Davao, Philippines

by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (30 May) — Enterprise Bank, Inc. a rural bank that opened its first branch in Lianga, Surigao del Sur in 1976 and took the risk of extending loan to small farmers has now an exposure of P101 million for its micro-agri lending program to over 16,000 farmers in Mindanao.

Enterprise Bank assistant vice president for small business lending enterprise John Jambo Regencia said during the Davao Business Forum on Tuesday at SM’s MediSpa that the loans they gave out to farmers and fisherfolks is their assistance to operate the farmers business operation.

Enterprise Bank at 32 has now 10 branches around Mindanao and 18 kiosks set up in the areas of Iligan, General Santos City, Surigao and Agusan. It will open five branches this year in Bukidnon, Cebu and Panabo.

Regencia said they have to manage the releases of the funds to ensure that the loan would go to the intended operating requirements.

He said for efficient farm operations, the farmer is being teamed up with a technician so that the funds which they borrow from the bank would be utilized in accordance to their operating requirements.

The micro agri loan portfolio is accessed by small agricultural lot owners and/or leasehold tenants or the immediate members of their household, who are actually tilling and working the land.

The loan is to finance the farm inputs and farm labor with maximum loan amount of P50,000 for a term of five to ten months.

The micro agri loan has value added services on community-based health insurance and mutual benefits scheme and funding by premium contributions from member clients plus trainings, seminars on agri-business and agricultural techniques.

Meanwhile, the bank also extends a maximum of P50,000 loan under the micro group fishing that was availed of by 300 clients consisting of marginalized fisherfolk, seaweeds farmers, seafarers and other individual engaged in fishery projects with an average repayment term of three to six months.

This will help borrowers finance the purchase of marine engines, fishing vessels, fish nets and other fishing supplies, including provisions or rations for use while at sea.

For the livelihood loans among agricultural farmers and livestock raisers, the bank extends a maximum loan of P25,000 with a loan term of five years to finance the purchase of livestock fattening and breeding or for use as farm animals.

The other agricultural loans is for farmers owning more than five hectares of land devoted to agriculture but the individual term loans must be secured by real estate mortgage.

The maximum loan is P400,000 for a term of one year to finance the purchase of farm equipment, farm inputs and other supplies and the wages of farm hands. (PIA)

by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (30 May) — The Kadayawan Festival of Davao City this August will be a celebration of abundance.

Art Boncato, chair of the committee on publicity and media of the Kadayawan festivities this year during the Club 888 Forum of the Marco Polo Hotel on Wednesday stressed that as Davao celebrates its bounty there is a need to value the earth, the land, the natural resources and harvest.

He said it will be a grand celebration but will not commercialize the event saying that it is quite challenging but the tourism sector expresses interest in the Kadayawan Festival.

He explained that their objective is to bring in more guests and the event is open to everyone and to tourists both domestic and international.

The festival is a celebration for the Dabawenyos but holding it will not also block people people from other places to celebrate with us, he said.

According to Boncato, the tourism players especially the airline and hotel industries already made some offerings by reducing the rates and many already had availed of the zero ticket offered by airline companies.

He said the celebration is also to promote Davao City all over and direct flights are already open to other countries like HongKong and Singapore of which we have to take advantage of this.

“Many are looking at the market and still they do not know what to do about the access,” he said.

He said now that the access is offered to us then we have to support it.

Boncato also said that during the festivities, the airport will be among their concern where collaterals will be supplied at the terminals.

He further said that they plan to put up billboards in 13 airports nationwide in key cities of the Philippines about Kadayawan Festival where Mayor Rodrigo Duterte endorses the festivities and invite tourists to celebrate with the Dabawenyos in a city that is a must see destination of the country.
“The plans are being finalized and if they get the approval then the billboards will speak of Davao City and the Kadayawan Festival,” he said. (PIA)

By Mai Gevera

Davao City (30 May) — Davao del Norte will be the future sport events host as the planned sports complex is targeted for completion by the first quarter of 2010.

This is the promise made by former Vice Governor Anthony del Rosario who is now the Provincial Sports Coordinator, responsible for the fast development of the sports program in Davao del Norte.

“We are building the best complex that is much better than Puerto Princesa. This is in preparation of the coming sports events that the province is willing to host,” he said referring not just on the 2010 Palarong Pambansa but also international games such as the BIMP-EAGA Games.

Del Rosario also disclosed during the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo Governor Rodolfo del Rosario’s plan of putting up a Sports Academy within the sports complex.

“This is one way of addressing the problem of educational support for our athletes who live away from Tagum City,” he said.

Instead of being pirated by other provinces through the potential schools that offer academic scholarships grants for promising athletes, DavNor wished to preserve and keep their own athletes by providing them enough exposure and academic scholarships.

After the recently held Sports Summit where different stakeholders converged to identify few sports events that the province could focus on, the Davao del Norte delegation in the Mindanao Qualifying Games held in Lanao del Norte brought home five gold medals, 6 silvers, and 11 bronzes.

The whole delegation landed 12th in the over-all ranking. “This is one good start for a province that has just started our efforts to improve our sports program,” he said.

Del Rosario stressed that the ranking may not be that high but they have seen promising young athletes in their respective fields.

The sports council is in the process of bridging the missing links in the system which includes identifying the right authorities to deal with like sports associations.

The sports coordinator also bared that they are serious in strengthening the organization that involves even the different barangays, municipalities and cities.

“We cannot just work with athletes that hail from Tagum City. We wish to tap those potential young athletes that come from far-flung barangays of the province,” he added. (PIA)

THE leader of the notorious Chigo robbery group was arrested in Barangay Angliongto, Lanang, Davao City on Monday afternoon.

The suspect was identified as Nerito Cortez Calimbo with aliases Jun and Cain, 42, resident of purok Pulang Lupa, of the said barangay.

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Southern Mindanao led by Superintendent Johnson Almazan arrested Calimbo at his residence around 2 p.m. by virtue of arrest warrant under criminal case 15435 penned by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 31 in Tagum dated September 13, 2007 for Roberry with Violence Against or Intimidation of Persons case.

The Chico robbery group is believed to be behind several robbery cases in Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley Province.RCO

Sun.Star Davao