BOI holds regional cold chain roadshows in Cebu, Davao, and Pampanga

Aiming to grow investments in cold chain to increase warehousing capacity in the

Philippines, BOI holds regional cold chain roadshows in Cebu, Davao, and

Pampanga.

In an aim to grow investments in the country’s cold chain industry that is seen to eventually

increase the cold chain warehousing capacity nationally, the Philippine Board of

Investments (BOI) is holding a series of Supra-Regional Cold Chain Industry Roadshows

initially in three major regions of the country from October to November 2022 and the rest of

the other regions next year.

Described as inclusive, stakeholder-driven, and market-oriented, the Philippine Cold Chain

Industry Roadmap eyes to increase local cold chain warehousing capacity by 50,000 pallet

positions each year in the short term by generating investments in the industry and address

the increasing demand, particularly in the agribusiness sector.

The first leg was held in Mandaue City in Cebu on October 12. The subsequent roadshows

will be held in Davao City on October 25, and Clark in Pampanga on November 9.

The Cebu-round covered those coming from Regions 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central

Visayas), and 8 (Eastern Visayas). The Pampanga-round, meanwhile, will cover

participating firms from Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley Region), 3 (Central

Luzon Region), and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) . On the other hand, the Davao

roadshow will include Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), 11 (Davao Region), and 12 or South

Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City

(SOCCSKSARGEN region).

During the roadshows, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) will provide

the regional economic situation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will present the

Agriculture and Fisheries Performance and Cold Chain services needs while Land Bank of

the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines will present financing

opportunities. Also, initiatives of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization

(UNIDO) through its Food Cold Chain (FCC) Project specifically the Cold Chain Innovation

Hub will be discussed.

A significant part of each roadshow is the one-on-one consultation between the prospective

investors and the BOI, DA, UNIDO, LBP, and DBP.

The roadshows are BOI’s platform to inform prospective investors on the recent

legislative/policy developments such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for

Enterprises (CREATE) Act and the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) and

amendment of the Public Service Act (PSA) that liberalized foreign equity participation in

cold storage warehousing activities.

Significantly, the development of the country’s cold chain industry will lead to reduced post-

harvest losses, longer shelf life of food, a deeper linkage of the production and

manufacturing sectors, and deeper integration with the domestic and global value chains.

FOR MORE INFORMATION/REFERENCE, PLEASE CONTACT:

BOI Information and Communications Division

Office Address: 3/F Board of Investment Bldg. #385 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Makati City 1209

Telephones: 8897.3086 / 8897-6682 local 277 | E-mail: infocomms@boi.gov.ph

PR2022-090

Moreover, the roadshows will not only result in leads in generation for the cold chain but will

also be critical in meeting the BOI’s target to generate new cold chain capacity to serve

particularly the agribusiness sector.

The BOI is focused on the development of the country’s cold chain industry. Last February,

the BOI, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), and InsightSCS Corp. signed a

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a cold chain integrated supply chain

solution in the Philippines – the “Development of a Cold Chain Integrated Supply Chain

Solution for Evidence-based Policy Making and Investment Programming.” The said

partnership aims to utilize data analytics to identify best locations for prospective cold chain

projects and digitally onboard cold chain operators through the DELIVER-E 2.0 platform.

Oslob Shark Tourism cited by National Geographic

By: Catherine Talavera (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines — National Geographic has cited Oslob in Cebu for its shark tourism industry, describing it as a booming business despite its effects on wildlife still being debated on.

“In the Philippines, whale shark tourism is a booming business. But questions have arisen about how this activity could harm the animals,” Kennedy Warne of National Geographic said in a story posted on its website.

Shark viewing or shark watching uses baiting or provisioning to attract animals.

“In this town, near the southern tip of Cebu island in the Philippines, whale sharks are a big draw. Tourism is booming for people who want to watch, swim with and take photographs next to the world’s biggest fish,” Warne said.

Warne said the shark tourism in Oslob has become the largest such venture in the world since it began in 2011.

“But the operation is controversial, because whale sharks don’t naturally gather here, unlike other such sites in the country. The Oslob sharks are hand-fed, and this essentially guarantees they will show up to thrill guests, who can snap close-range photos,” he added.

Warne emphasized that while shark watching is still an industry being debated on due to its impact on the wildlife, the Oslob shark tourism industry has seen some benefits, particularly the conservation of these sharks.

He added that there has been reduction in fishing pressure around Oslob.

“The 170 or so members of the local fishermen’s association, who feed the sharks and ferry the guests, no longer need to catch fish for food from increasingly depleted reefs. Likewise, fishers nearby can earn a living supplying the several hundred pounds of shrimp needed for each day’s shark food, thus placing less pressure on declining fish stocks,” he said.

The article added that the shark tourism industry also benefits the local Oslob economy as it attracts tourists.

“At night, the Oslob coastline twinkles with the lights of more than 50 hostels, resorts and guesthouses, as well as local homes,” National Geographic said.

Despite the benefits of the shark tourism industry to Cebu, scientists worry that sharks that take advantage of the free feed for prolonged periods may suffer ill effects, both physiologically and behaviorally. However, these effects are still unknown today.

“While research has begun, conducted for example by the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, basic questions about the influence of this feeding remain unanswered. The shrimp they’re fed is a less diverse mix of planktonic creatures than what they would consume naturally. It’s not junk food, but neither is it necessarily a healthy diet,” National Geographic said.

Moreover, the article also pointed out while whale sharks have been nationally protected by the Philippines since 1998, some form of danger may still harm these sharks, particularly caused by boats, since they associate boats with free food.

“Almost half of the whale sharks studied at Oslob have propeller cuts on their bodies, which must have happened elsewhere, since the operation uses only hand-paddled vessels. These animals may also be more likely to one day approach a shark-fishing vessel,” National Geographic said.

According to earlier reports, the provincial government of Cebu is eyeing to implement a carrying capacity for BarangayTan-anawan in Oslob, an area popular with tourists for whale shark watching.

The said barangay sees an average of 1,000 tourists a day.

Near Oslob: Another Vessel Stucks

 By 

ELIAS O. BAQUERO and 

OSCAR C. PINEDA

Rose in reef. A salvaging company will try to move today the mv Bell Rose (photo) from the reef it struck when it ran aground off Malapascua last Monday. (Capitol Public Information Office Foto)

ANOTHER vessel ran aground in Cebu’s seas, this time near Luisan point in Nueva Caceres, Oslob, Cebu at 1:30 p.m. last Jan. 15.

The vessel, LCT 788 of Seen Sam Shipping, ran aground while on its way from Naga City to Toledo City. The accident came two days after a foreign vessel, the mv Belle Rose, ran aground five nautical miles off Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan, Cebu.

In the LCT 788’s case, however, its captain and crew managed to move the vessel after 30 minutes. The Belle Rose remains in place.

A team from the Capitol and a salvaging company will try to remove the Belle Rose today, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III announced. The ship owner is willing to settle the damage amicably, he said.

Commander Agapito “Butch” Bibat, chief of the Coast Guard’s Cebu Station, said that officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported to the Oslob police that LCT 788 ran aground and may have damaged the underwater environment.

Bibat said that the DA and the police prevented the vessel from departing pending an investigation by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the Coast Guard.

Bibat said that Marina conducted an underwater inspection the other day, and that Marina 7 then issued a Certificate of Seaworthiness to LCT 788.

He said that the DA also reported there was no damage to marine life.

Based on Marina’s certification, Bibat said they cleared the vessel to sail for Toledo City to load vehicles and other rolling cargo.

Spill

Meanwhile, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 is still waiting for the consolidated report of its team before announcing the results of its investigation and recommendations on a reported oil spill in the tourism area of Moalboal, Cebu.

EMB 7 Director William Cunado said that their technical team took water samples from the shoreline of Bas Diot, as well as the Pescadores North, West, South and East stations.

Of the five sampling stations, Pescadores North, West and East failed to pass the sampling standard of 1mg/L.

“As per our laboratory analysis dated June 14-15, 2016, the said three sampling stations revealed two mg/L of oil and grease,” Cunado said.

But Cunado said they cannot yet make a conclusion and recommendation unless the consolidated report of the technical team will be submitted to EMB 7 and tackled thoroughly.

In Malapascua, drivers inspected the site to figure out the best way to move away from the reef the vessel Belle Rose, which is still carrying 48,000 metric tons of clinker, which is used in manufacturing cement.

Compensation

Right after the dive, lawyer Pedrito Faytaren Jr. said that the local council, mostly those who attended the emergency meeting last June 16, will again meet in Malapascua to approve the final salvage plan. He represents Salvor Marine Towage.

Governor Davide said that the joint group will take advantage of the highest tide between June 15 and 18.

A marine protest will still be pursued, but the Province is open to a compromise settlement to avoid a drawn-out investigation, Davide said.

“As far as compensation for damage, the vessel’s owner is willing to pay,” he told reporters yesterday.

Diving and marine experts will be at the site when the ship is removed, Davide said, so they can immediately assess the damage it caused.

He said the ship owner has to pay for the damage to the corals, based on the assessment done by a marine biologist from the University of San Carlos, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) and Atty. Ben Cabrido, an environment lawyer and advocate.

“I can assure Daanbantayan, especially those from Malapascua, that they will be compensated for the damage brought about by the ship,” the governor said.

The Panama-registered Belle Rose cut through bed of corals 10 meters underwater, located four nautical miles southeast of the island of Malapascua, at 3 a.m. last June 13. The ship was reportedly trying to avoid fishermen when it ran aground.

Coming from a port in Tsukumi, Japan, the ship is carrying clinkers bound for San Fernando town in Cebu, where two cement factories operate.

Ten Refreshing Local Summer Destinations - That Are No Beaches

There are so much more you can do in our islands other than beach-bumming!

By Mars Salazar

FHM Philippines

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A summer in the Philippines won’t be complete without a trip to at least one of the country’s numerous beaches. Here's the thing: There’s so much more to do in our islands other than beach-bumming!

While we won't stop you from going to your usual summer hangout spot, we remind you that there are plenty of other refreshing destinations within the Philippines that are not beaches. We're talking about places like...

1) La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag, Ilocos Norte 

A fun-filled day awaits you at the La Paz Sand Dunes, where you can ride an ATV and surf down sandy slopes all day long. Head there early morning or late afternoon to avoid getting a nasty sunburn!

Rates: Package 1: P2,500 for 4-5 persons (inclusive of a 4x4 ATV ride and unlimited sandboarding); Package 2: P2,000 (for a one-hour ATV ride)

2) Chico River, Kalinga 

The mighty Chico River eagerly awaits thrill seekers looking for a different kind of adventure up north. Gather the whole gang for a whitewater rafting experience you’ll never forget!

Rates: Chico River Quest offers complete whitewater rafting packages, including equipment, accommodations, and transport. Prices range from P4,000 per person for a 2D/1N trip on beginner-level rapids, to P8,500 per head for a 3D/2N adventure.

3) Minalungao National Park, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija

Looking for a sweet escape from the city’s madness? Head to Minalungao National Park, a hidden gem (that probably won’t stay secret for long) in Nueva Ecija. The park houses the Peñaranda River, a crystal-clear stretch of water bordered by towering limestone cliffs. Bask under the sun by the river, or explore the park’s sights—either way, you’ll never run out of things to do.

Rates: The park has a registration fee of P20 per person and another P20 for each vehicle, tricycle or car. Hire a local guide (prices are negotiable) to show you around the park’s sights and avoid getting lost.

4) Masungi Georeserve, Tanay, Rizal 

Just a short road trip away from Metro Manila lies the 1,500-hectare Masungi Georeserve, a haven for nature explorers. Get the whole group and climb limestone peaks, relax on a gigantic hammock, see various plant and animal species, and gain a new appreciation for the world around you along the way!

Rates: It’s P1,400 per person from April 2016 onwards for a group of seven to ten people. Slots get filled up real fast, so book early—like months before your trip!

5) Apo Reef, Sablayan, Mindoro Occidental 

This is one of the country's best dive sites, and the second largest contiguous coral reef in the world next to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Getting there is tricky, but this underwater beauty’s worth it. Needless to say, if you’re planning to take scuba diving lessons, this is a great destination!

Rates: The reef itself is a two-hour boat ride away from the town of Sablayan. Chartering a boat will cost you P7,500 for a snorkeling trip (for 10 people) and P8,000 for a diving trip (for six people, maximum of four dives).

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6) Canyoneering in Southern Cebu 

The quiet town of Alegria in Southern Cebu is the gateway to an adrenaline-packed canyoneering adventure where you’ll be leaping off waterfalls, swimming in crystal-clear waters, clambering up boulders, and basking in lagoons. You’ll eventually emerge at Kawasan Falls in the nearby town of Badian. Not for the faint-hearted, a day here will leave you in awe of Mother Nature’s beauty.

Rates: Many tour groups offer canyoneering packages, starting at around P1,200 per person. It’s cheaper if there are more of you, so get the whole barkada to join in!

7) Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, Basey, Samar 

If caving’s more your thing, head to Sohoton National Park, where you can explore a number of magnificent caves teeming with stalactites, stalagmites, and in some cases, natural pools (cave swimming, anyone?). You can also go kayaking on the Sohoton River to see the Sohoton Natural Bridge up close!

Rates: There’s a mandated P25 entrance fee and a P50 environment fee per person, plus a P300 lighting fee (for a maximum of 10 people) so you could see inside the caves. The rest, as with several other tourist attractions in the Philippines, would depend on your haggling skills. Chartering a pumpboat to the park would cost you anywhere from P500 to P1,500, while hiring a tour guide would be P300. Kayak rental, meanwhile, costs P50, while a kayak guide would cost P150.

8) Dahilayan Adventure Park, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon

Channel your inner Superman at Dahilayan Adventure Park, where you can test two ziplines (including Asia’s longest dual line zipline!), a canopy glider, a zipride, a freefall ride, and a base jump ride, plus a rope course perfect for team building activities. Complete the group bonding experience by staying at the Pinegrove Mountain Lodge, which offers reasonable rates for overnight stays.

Rates: A ride on the 840-meter zipline costs P500, while the shorter zipline costs P250 (you can also ride on both ziplines for P600). Other rides range from P250 to P750. You can also avail of the park's packages, which range from P1,200 to P2,500 per person inclusive of transportation to and from Cagayan de Oro City. 

9) Aliwagwag Falls, Cateel, Davao Oriental

Avid waterfall chasers shouldn’t miss Aliwagwag Falls, the highest waterfalls in the Philippines. Towering at 1,100 feet, with 84 curtain-like cascades, it resembles a stairway to the skies when viewed from afar. You can also cross the monkey bridge over the falls and ride the zipline across the cascades.

Rates: Entrance to Aliwagwag falls costs P50 for adults and P10 for kids.

10) Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur 

Crystal-clear turquoise waters beckon visitors to take a dip in the mystical Enchanted River, which, according to local lore, is the haven of fairies and other mystical creatures. This river flows into the Pacific Ocean, but its source remains unknown until now. More mind-bogglingly, no one—not even the most skilled swimmers—have been able to reach the bottom of the river.

Rates: Entrance fee is P30 per person, and you can rent life jackets for P15 an hour.

Images via Kingscourthotel-laoag.com, Ambot-ah.com, Manongunyol.blogspot.com, Masungigeoreserve.com, Triptheislands.com, Freedomwall.net, Jontotheworld.com, Zamboanga.com, Philstar.com, Islandsofthephilippines.com

Rising Number of Trafficked Fishermen in Tawi-Tawi

by Jake Soriano

 

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi—Tawi-Tawi authorities are alarmed at the growing number of fishermen from the Visayas who end up here after being recruited by human trafficking syndicates to engage in dangerous compressor diving.

The latest case involves 13 fishermen rescued from a fishing village here on March 15 by a team composed of the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office (PPO), Philippine Marines and the Bongao Inter-agency Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (BIATFAT).

The case is the eighth recorded by BIATFAT since December 2012, and brings the total number of rescued fishermen to 80, all of them from Cebu and Bohol.

 

 

 

Not just a backdoor transit point, Tawi-Tawi is also a destination for human trafficking victims.

“They have taken a huge risk in accepting compressor diving work here,” said Inspector Elmira Relox, chief of the Tawi-Tawi PPO Women and Children Protection Desk, who led the rescue.

Compressor diving, a dangerous deep-sea fishing method, requires the fishermen to dive into the water without any gear, except for a plastic hose attached to an air pump on the surface. The diver inhales air through the hose when deep underwater.

Police said compressor diving killed one fisherman and incapacitated another. The casualties, both of who had been recruited along with the 13 rescued fishermen, were not identified.

The rescued fishermen told police they started working for a certain Nelson Mohammad in September 2013, with the contract supposed to expire last February.

Mohammad, however, reportedly detained them in his residence after they complained of unfair pay and refused to extend their contract. He also claimed the fishermen still owed him money he had advanced to them in Cebu and their transportation expenses going to Tawi-Tawi.

Police said one of the fishermen escaped by swimming in the shallow waters off the edge of Bongao island and alerted the local authorities to the group’s situation.

Prosecutor Ivy Damayo of the Sea-based Anti-trafficking Task Force said hundreds more fishermen are trapped in dire working conditions on the islands.

The 13 rescued fishermen are from Lapu-Lapu City. The youngest is 19, the oldest 48.

“They were exploited and harassed by their employers,” Relox said.

According to police, fishermen from Cebu and Bohol are lured by recruiters who are known or related to them.

These recruiters advance the fishermen a portion of the promised salary ranging from P10,000 to P15,000 to get them to agree to work in Tawi-Tawi usually on a six-month contract. The fishermen are also promised a share of the profit from the catch.

But the agreements are made only orally. Once in Tawi-Tawi, the deep-sea divers are left to the mercy of their employers, and the promises forgotten.

BIATFAT focal person Rosabella Sulani said the fishermen usually work from 3 p.m. until 7 the next morning.

When their contracts are about to expire, the fishermen are told they still owe their employers money and they would have to stay to be able to pay their debts. The victims, therefore, get caught in a vicious cycle of debt bondage, Sulani said.

 

 

Fishing is a leading source of livelihood in Tawi-Tawi.

 

Fishermen are also regularly threatened with violence, according to police. Their employers usually carry firearms and claim to have a network of contacts among the local authorities in Tawi-Tawi.

Mohammad managed to evade capture when local authorities raided his residence to rescue the 13 fishermen and, according to Sulani, has become the newest addition to the growing list of suspects behind the trafficking of fishermen from Cebu and Bohol to Tawi-Tawi.

He is the first to be identified operating in Languyan town near Bongao, capital of Tawi-Tawi, said Sulani.

The victims told police that Mohammad lives in Sama-Kasulutan in Simandagit, Bongao, reputedly a den for lawless elements, including members of the Abu Sayyaf. He is known to carry firearms, and once fired a gun in the air when he got mad at his employees.

One of the rescued fishermen told police that Mohammad also claims to be well connected to law enforcement officials in Tawi-Tawi.

Three other suspects identified by Sulani allegedly employing compressor divers in the island municipalities of Sibutu and Sitangkai are Anthony Jumat and the brothers “Ugly” and Jimmy Haibit.

BIATFAT records of Bongao cases referred to Zamboanga City show that Jimmy Haibit was charged with human trafficking on July 16, 2013. The case is awaiting resolution.

Also charged was Policarpio “Paul” Mantos, who reportedly recruits fishermen from Cebu and Bohol.

BIATFAT, meanwhile, referred on Jan. 29 a trafficking case against Jumat to the Zamboanga City Prosecutor’s Office. Task force officials said Jumat is also known as a notorious drug pusher in Tawi-Tawi and that he allegedly works with recruiter Jefferson Daño.

Last Sept. 5, BIATFAT rescued a fisherman from Bohol who said as payment for the amount given to him in advance in Bohol, Jumat made him peddle the illegal drug methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu.

Sulani said some fishermen are forced to use “shabu” to combat tough sea conditions, particularly the extreme cold at night.

No cases have been filed against Mohammad, his recruiter, identified as Eduardo Tumulak, and “Ugly” Haibit. They are at large.

The Tawi-Tawi PPO and the BIATFAT turned over the 13 rescued fishermen to authorities in Zamboanga, who in turn facilitated their return to Cebu.

Relox said catching the employers and recruiters remains a problem for the police. “They are just too good,” she said, referring to human traffickers’ skills at evading authorities.

While many victims have been rescued, only a few are interested in pursuing cases, Damayo said. Among the 80 rescued, she said, “only about three are interested” in legal action against their former employers and recruiters.

(This story is part of VERA Files' project “Human Trafficking Casewatch” supported by the U.S. Embassy's Small Grants Facility and the Embassy of Canada. VERA Files is put out by senior journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. VERA is Latin for true.)