It never saw print (A News Story on Pag-Ibig Citihomes)

Below is an article I wrote and submitted to Sunstar-Cagayan de Oro. Unfrotunately, said writing was not publish, until now, by the paper. It was all about the exploit of a subdivision developer in Misamis Oriental. You can check Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board website and you’ll be surprised that developers in Region are full-compliant of the law as against othe regions in the country. This is, however, a different picture from the reality on the field. I personally had experienced it.

So you can make many guesses why there such a case here in the region.  And why said article was not publish though it’s Editor-in-Chief said “This is one informative, well-written article.” I am not saying anything against the paper because few of my write-ups were published by them. You’ll be the judge.

Here’s the article:

Take-over of Citihomes Water System Oppose

Malanang, Opol, Misamis Oriental – Pag-ibig Citihomes homeowners strongly oppose the take-over of the subdivision’s water system by its developer, Johndorf Ventures Corporation (JVC).

In a letter to Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) Region 10, Pag-ibig Citihomes Phase 2 homeowners urged the Board to stop the developer’s plan take-over stating that Contract to Sell and other documents contracted between the homeowners and JVC expressly provided that water connection will be with the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (CWD).

The takeover will increased the homeowner’s initial cash outlay for water connection from P1,360.00 (CWD’s price) to P3,500.00 and the minimum consumption rate from P168.00 to P222.00, which the homeowners firmly disagree.

The P3,500.00 Application and P270,000.00 Maintenance Fees

 “The application fee comprises P1,550.00 water meter fee, P950.00 installation fee and a P1,000.00 deposit,” according to Engr. Ricardo Pacheco, Citihomes Project Manager of JVC.

“The P5.40 per cubic meter difference on the minimum consumption rate is for maintenance fee,” he added.

Pag-ibig Cithihomes located in Malanang, Opol, Misamis Oriental is a 5,000 low-cost subdivision housing units project. JVC is bound to get a hefty P270,000.00 monthly maintenance fee from the takeover.

Bulk Buying

In CWD’s September 19, 2009 letter to JVC, it informs the latter that it has no fund at that time to undertake the construction of the transmission line going to the subdivision.

CWD also discussed in another letter their proposed rate, subject for further discussion, if JVC will consider bulk-buying scheme.

JVC initiated the construction of the transmission line.

“Water supply will be readily available by 2012, if we will wait for CWD. It’s the developer’s initiative to build the transmission line so water services will be delivered to homeowners as fast as possible.” Engr. Pacheco said in a meeting conducted last weekend (April 17, 2010).

The Homeowners Stand

The homeowners want the transmission line turned-over to CWD and for the developer to honor the contract entered by homeowners and JVC.

Pressed by homeowners to show the contract or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between JVC and CWD, Engr. Pacheco said, “We are in the process of securing the MOA.”

ME, SBC and VCCCII

I was quoted in the Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Newspaper on March 6, 2010. I didn’t know about until I tried to search my name on the Sunstar online. 

I just want to correct some of the information that was reported. I believe that if I left it as it is, it would be a deservice to my company or my big boss may interpret it differently. I may be reprimanded on sowing mis-information to people and making them believe that we really does these things. This is just to clear things up and point that I didn’t misrepresent my company.

Correction on the 5th paragraph, I am actually a Cagayan de Oro Desk Officer of Smal Business Corporation, not Department of Trade of Industry (DTI). We are actually totally different from DTI though we are one of the attached agencies to the department. Secondly, my company does not do financial leasing, secondary mortgage and venture capital operations. Our programs are direct lending (business loans), credit guarantee, and wholesale lending (microfinance, graduating micros, and SMEs).

Here’s the article from Sunstar:

LGU supports biz program

Saturday, March 6, 2010

 

THE City Government of Valencia City is fully supporting the Business Development Services (BDS) program implemented by the Valencia City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (VCCCII).

In a financing forum organized by VCCCII, Valencia City Mayor Leandro Jose H. Catarata expressed his support to the move as he hopes for a better partnership with the chamber in the future in developing the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the city.

The forum was conceptualized in the last quarter of 2009 as part of the BDS program to address the financing needs of MSMEs in Valencia City who were looking for new financing windows other than those already offered by existing banks in the locality.

Through the assistance of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the chamber was able to avail of the services of the Small Business Corporation (SBGFC), the financing arm of DTI.

Jade M. Montero, Cagayan de Oro desk officer of the DTI, gave a presentation of its various financing programs which include, among others, guarantee, direct and indirect lending, financial leasing, secondary mortgage and venture capital operations.

A total of 40 MSMEs attended the event and 30 of them were able to confer with Montero during the one-on-one consultation in the afternoon. It was held at Café Maria and organized in coordination with DTI-Bukidnon provincial office.

Imelda Quizo, president of VCCCII, was overwhelmed with the turn-out of the forum.

Because of this, a second forum was held on March 4 at the Taipan Restaurant in the city to accommodate the request of other MSMEs who were not able to attend the activity. (DTI)

Voters Education for 2010 Poll

The Philippines will have its first automated election in grand scale this coming May 10, 2010. It is automation in epic proportion since the 2010 Poll is a national and local election.  As such, various organizations, watchdogs and concern individuals have expressed fear for failure of such constitutional exercise. The fear is understandable since this is the country’s first automation and people are still haunted by the Garci’s scandal that plagued the 2004 national exercise.

As has been said, this is the country’s first and it is but right that a massive campaign on educating the electorate must be undertaken. Sadly enough, people were only asked to join a one-day orientation in my town. I believe this is also of the same scenario in the other parts of the country.

We are grateful that large TV networks had taken part in the education drive for voters. The first ad I saw regarding educating the voters on the new election system “how to” was the song “Ang Bilog” that was endorsed by the Sex Bomb Dancers. The other ad was with DJ Mo Twister telling grandma how simple the voting process would be. I also heard Rey Langit, a Lakas-CMD-Kampi candidate for Senate, giving tips to radio listeners.

All the mentioned ways of informing the voting public is not enough. These infomercials can only reach those people with TV and are avid listeners of FM and AM stations. My concern is the people who live in the mountain areas and those who are in the provinces. I once heard during my last visit in my province in Surigao del Sur that if you vote for 10 candidates for senate instead of 12, your vote for the 10 candidates will be declared invalid.

Posters printed and distributed by COMELEC is a potent tool to educate our voters. On the ground, some people who listen to radio and watch TV could not understand Tagalog particularly those from Visayas and Mindanao. We should not disregard this fact. Some can read Tagalog terms but they lack understanding of the language or the message. Posters can be reproduced and translated into the dialect of a particular place and can distributed/posted in public places where people converge.

Probably 95 percent of the youth voting population is familiar on how the system works. The youth are tech-savvy but the older generation actually hates computer. Some even believe that the system can be hacked but most of them own a credit card and ATM cards. Some are even shopping online.

The success of the 2010 May Poll will define our future. This is the right time that we believe in the system. This can solve the dagdag-bawas problem which cheated my lolo in the 1992 election. I was young then but I can still remember how they manipulated the results of the counting. We should start the automating our election process now for the same questions will be thrown and similar fears will be felt if we forgo this chance.

The questions can be answered and fears be allayed with massive education drive across the country.

Atty. Alex Lacson for Senate

He is my number one choice for senate this coming May 2010 poll. Why? We need a person who has this kind of breed and talent in the Senate. We need new faces in the Senate floor so we can effect change on people’s perception about our government and eventually bankroll development to the countryside and thereby attaining a steady pace of progress for our ailing nation.

I believe he is not related by blood to Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who is now hiding in foreign soil due to the warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court for the Dacer-Corbito double murder case. I also believe that he does not belong to any  local political dynasty, which is so rampant in our country. The like of father-mother-daughter-son playing a political position relay game. But we can be sure that he is connected with World Vision Development Foundation as Secretary of the Board of Trustee.

Atty. Lacson is a lawyer by profession; had finished law from University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law and had post-graduate studies at the Harvard Law  School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also studied at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and presently a partner at Malcolm Law Office in Makati City. He is a Galing Pilipino Awardee for 2005 and Young Filipino Achiever’s Awardee for 2006.

I came to know him in the news magazines way back in 2007. I was in Cebu then and I heard him speak before community, religious and student leaders. He is actually the author of the book called “12 Little Things Every Filipino can Do to Help Our Country.”

Only few people knew about him but I am hopeful that he could make it to the Senate.