TACLOBAN CITY – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has recognized two private companies and four government agencies and financial institution in the region for their continuous support on the bank’s undertakings.
The awards ceremony and appreciation lunch for BSP stakeholders in Region 8, held on Tuesday (Sept.13) at the BSP branch office, is the tenth in a series of 12 regional events for this year, according to the bank’s press statement.
The event is anchored on a theme “Sustained Partnership, Sustained Economic Growth.” Monetary Board Member Valentin Araneta led the awards ceremony for stakeholders.
Samar Coco Products Manufacturing Corporation was chosen as the outstanding respondent among large and medium firms while the Leyte Agri Corp. was recognized as the outstanding respondent among small firms for the Business Expectations Survey in the region.
The National Economic and Development Authority regional office received the award for outstanding partner for the report on regional economic developments of the Philippines.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration regional office was recognized as the outstanding partner for the financial learning campaign.
The BSP conferred the outstanding regional partner for currency programs to the Land Bank of the Philippines for the clean note policy.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development regional office got recognition for the demonetization of the new design series.
“The awards ceremony attests to the successful alliances that have helped the BSP maintain price and financial stability and ensure an efficient payments and settlement system,” the BSP said in a statement.
Araneta and other key officials led the presentation a new trophy, the “Dynamic Balance, Philippine Eagle” to the awardees.
The trophy is a sculpture crafted by renowned visual artist Ferdinand Cacnio, which features the country’s national bird, standing on a half-circle support, with its wings widely spread over three stars.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)

ORMOC CITY-City Mayor Richard “Goma” Gomez welcome the participants of the 25th Visayas Area Business Conference held in the city for the first time on Thursday (Sept. 15).
“This event is good for the city. It will boost the interest of business locators to do business here in the city and improve the arrival of tourists,” Gomez said.
The city mayor said the city extended financial assistance of P500,000 for the activity aside from letting the organizers use the city facilities like the astrodome and the public plaza for the agricultural fair.
Opening the two-day conference was the technology transfer day of the Department of Science and Technology held on Wednesday (Sept.14) at the astrodome.
The mayor expressed his confidence that more businesses will come in after the business conference which attracted 500 participants from Regions VI (Western Visayas), VII (Central Visayas) and VIII (Eastern Visayas).
He told the press that a hypermarket of SM will have its ground-breaking on September 24.
Other business giants are coming like the Ayala in partnership with Metro Gaisano, Robinson’s Mall, Max’s Group of Companies, among others.
Asked if his star power has something to do with businesses flocking to the city, Gomez answered in the positive.
Gomez is one of the country’s most popular movie actors and television stars while his wife, Rep. Lucy Torres also made a short stint in show business aside from being a commercial model.
Long before he became the mayor, Gomez said that he and his wife already had initial talks with the Ayala officials and they just waited until he became the mayor.
He opined that his administration is easy to deal with as long as it’s a legal business and he admonished his employees not to accept “kotong” (bribe) from these companies.
The Ayala Group of Companies is interested in the public market area while the SM-Ormoc will be at the City autobus compound.
The just concluded business conference worked on the theme “Change is Here” include topics for the plenary sessions “One Visayas: Everything Under the Sun”; Empowering Businesses through Science and Technology; Visayan Power (Bizdak Power); Agriculture; Transformative land and Coastal Resource Management among other with powerful speakers. (VICKY C. ARNAIZ)

TACLOBAN CITY- Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan supports the order of Police Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa to dismantle the private armed groups in the province.
Tan said that she has been calling for the police to break down the PAGs in the province but only to receive a deafening silence.
“I am glad that finally the PNP will address our problem regarding the PAGs.We made similar request during the time of Sec. Sarmiento but there were no action taken. We hope this time will be different. We hope they will be arrested, especially those with warrant of arrests,” the governor said in a phone interview.
During his visit at the regional police headquarters at Cam Ruperto Kangleon in Palo town, de la Rosa issued Provincial Police Director S/Supt. Elmer Pelobello to dismantle the PAGs operating in Samar.
The call stemmed from the request of Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino as he claimed that the PAGs were responsible in the spate of killing incidents in his city recently, some involving barangay officials.
Gov. Tan said that with no less than the order issued by de la Rosa, she is confident that finally, PAGs in the province would be busted.
The presence of PAGs in Samar, particularly in Calbayog and nearby towns, has often been cited for the area to be declared as concerned area during elections.
Series of killing incidents in Calbayog were attributed to PAGs.
Tan said that her family, who counts Rep. Mila Tan and brother Vice Governor Stephen James Tan, does not control or maintain any PAGs.
“We have been calling for their dismantling. But instead of heeding our call, the police force in Calbayog were sacked and replaced,” the governor said.
She also said that based on the information that reached her, some of the killing incidents in Calbayog were not “politically related” as claimed by some but were plain cases of robbery. (JOEY A. GABIETA)