Page 10 - Hello Philippines January 2016 'A' Issue

10 www.hello-philippines.com BUSINESS & FINANCE January 2016 – No. 01 • UK & Europe Edition

DOST’s science and tech fair highlights
industry benefits to Mindanao
MANILA - The Department of
Science and Technology’s (DOST) On the other hand, Monmon The program Complementary Food Visitors view food exhibits in the 2015 Mindanao Cluster S&T Fair at the Marcian Garden Hotel in Zamboanga
Science and Technology (S&T) Fair Bakeshoppe was also given assistance Production for the CARAGA Region City. Photographed by Ma. Lotuslei P. Dimagiba, S&T Media Service
for the Mindanao Cluster, held in through upgrades of the bakery was also rolled out, featuring food
Zamboanga City from December 3 to facility to meet the growing demand of technologies introduced by DOST’s Better Mine can increase gold principle that what we do ultimately
5, focused on S&T’s impacts on the customers. It increased gross sales by Food and Nutrition Research Institute. recovery by 40-50% to as high as benefits Aling Maria and Mang Juan,
rubber, mining and food industries, 11.3%, improved product packaging, These include the Rice-Mongo Curls, a 80%, recover other valuable minerals, that science is being felt by the people,”
including the halal sector. and now employs eight additional nutritious snack made from rice flour like copper and zinc, has a tailings said Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara,
employees from the previous five and mongo flour; and the Rice-Mongo disposal and treatment system, flexible DOST undersecretary for S&T services
The fair showcased the many regular workers. Baby Food Blend, a ready-to-eat baby operation, as well as low capital and during the S&T fair opening ceremony.
benefits of DOST’s Small Enterprise food. operating expenses for small-scale
Upgrading Program or SETUP, The S&T Fair also saw the launch miners. A Sci-Tech Campus Journalism
with project visits to the program of various DOST initiatives, such as These technologies are part of Training-Workshop, research forum,
beneficiaries Philippine Pioneer the rubber testing laboratory inside DOST’s strategies toward meeting “With DOST and the science and and exhibit, were also held, among
Rubber Product Corp. (PPRPC) and the DOST Region IX compound at one of the Philippines’ Millennium technology agenda, we Filipinos must others. n InterAksyon.com / December 22, 2015
Monmon Bakeshoppe and Snack Haus Pettit Barracks in Zamboanga City, Development Goals, namely, to reduce chart our own course guided by the
in Zamboanga. as well as the Food Innovation Center by half the proportion of people who / 5:27 pm
in Northern Mindanao located at suffer from hunger and to solve the
Organized in 2000 as a federation the Mindanao University of Science persistent problem of malnutrition
of six agrarian reform communities, and Technology in Cagayan de Oro among 0-5 year-old children.
PPRPC provides milling services to City, which will serve as a hub for
rubber-producing cooperatives, rubber innovation of food products. Yet another launch was held for
farmers and traders. With SETUP’s Better Mine, a DOST and University
assistance, the company managed Also launched was the Halal of the Philippines collaboration for
to increase production by 25%, Laboratory at the DOST Compound the mining industry that eliminates
improving quality and accelerating in Cotabato City, which is projected to the use of mercury and cyanide,
service delivery to rubber farmers increase the integrity of locally made thus promoting a non-hazardous
and traders. It has become compliant halal products and give credibility to and environment-friendly method
to ISO 2000 quality standards and certifying bodies, local halal product to extract gold in the Philippines
generated 23 additional jobs, from 127 manufacturers, producers, and for small-scale mining applications
to 150 employees. processors for local and international through integrated gold-copper
trading. mineral processing.

Ople: Govt must assess impact of collapse in oil prices on OFWs
MANILA - With the Saudi economy more vulnerable household service hit because of the collapse of world “Once the Saudi economy sneezes, Saudi government are especially

taking a hit from plunging oil prices workers. oil prices. Uncertainty is in the air hundreds of thousands of Filipino at risk because of its reliance on

and both the government and the “The Saudi economy is heavily reliant because of the unavoidable cutbacks households get the chills. It’s best government projects that may now

private sector adopting austerity on oil revenues, and it is now taking a and austerity measures that the Saudi to be prepared in case the price of be or will soon be put on hold,” Ople,

measures, millions of Filipinos in the government must put in place while oil declines even more, given its dire a former labor undersecretary, said.

Middle East are starting to feel the coping with a growing deficit and an effects on our OFWs in the Middle The labor leader urged the DFA

brunt of cutbacks. This, according to economic downturn,” Ople said in a East particularly Saudi Arabia,” Ople, and DoLE to send a joint technical

OFW advocate Susan Ople, mandates statement Sunday. a senatorial aspirant, said. group to Saudi Arabia to assess the

an urgent response from the The assessment should include Part of the problems faced by implications of a regional economic

Philippine government, which must how to ensure that Saudi companies affected OFWs are immigration downturn on millions of OFWs in

assess the impact of declining oil accepting OFWs will be able to maintain penalties due to non-issuance of the Middle East.

prices on the workers, and determine its foreign workforce without violating residency permits by beleaguered The Ople Center is a non-

the kind of safety nets needed. contract provisions on pay and other employers, difficulty in obtaining exit government organization that

Ople made this recommendation benefits, according to the head of the permits and end-of-service benefits, assists distressed overseas workers.

after receiving reports of delayed and Bl;as F. Ople Policy Center. and lack of financial resources for Susan Ople is the daughter of the

non-payment of salaries from OFWs in OFW advocate Susan Ople, Interaksyon.com file Among the companies facing numerous everyday needs while waiting for late senator and foreign affairs
photo. The former labor undersecretary is pressing
Saudi Arabia. What is extraordinary, government to assess the impact of declining oil complaints from foreign workers are their employers to resolve budgetary secretary Blas F. Ople, known as
Ople said, was that such complaints prices on millions of OFWs in the Middle East, as more Saudi Oger, MMG and the Saudi Bin Laden problems. the architect of the country’s labor
now include that of skilled workers workers are complaining of delayed salaries from Group that is allegedly looking at a layoff export policy in the 70s. n InterAksyon.
and professionals rather than the Saudi companies impacted by the dip in oil prices. of 15,000 workers next year. “Companies that enter into
subcontracting agreements with the com / December 27, 2015 / 10:56 pm

Second MRT-3 coach arrives on schedule
MANILA – The Metro Rail Knorr-Bremse, and the overall and proper manufacture of the new

Transit’s second new light rail performance of the LRV to ensure trains.

vehicle (LRV) or coach has arrived that it is safe, reliable, and at par The 48 new LRVs are part of the

as scheduled, the Department of with international standards. DOTC’s MRT-3 capacity expansion

Transportation and Communications After this, two more coaches project, which aims to decongest the

(DOTC) said Thursday. are expected to be delivered over metropolis’ busiest railway system

The new MRT Line 3 coach was the next two months. DOTC said by boosting its capacity to over

delivered at the Manila International passengers can already expect one 800,000 daily passengers.

Container Terminal on Wednesday new running train by the end of the To recall, the DOTC announced

(Dec. 23), the DOTC said. first quarter of 2016. the delivery of the first MRT-

It will be transported to the DOTC earlier said that the 3 prototype train car by its

MRT-3 depot at the corner of delivery of the coaches would be at manufacturer early September.

North Avenue and EDSA in Quezon four units per month by March, and After assembly, the unit’s components

City, where tests on the different was scheduled to be completed with such as the doors, seats, poles, and hand

components will be conducted until the 48th unit in January 2017. straps underwent dynamic testing

February. The department’s project in November. DOTC began ordering

These include testing the implementation team has been coaches after the unit was tested to be

German-made traction motors closely monitoring the production compatible with the rail system. n PNA /

from Voith and brake systems from process to ensure the rapid progress December 24, 2015 The first of 48 new MRT coaches is assembled at the MRT depot in Quezon City. TV5 screenshot