The Pampanga-based Mekeni Food Corporation, producer of Pinoy favorites "tocino" and hotdogs, and the Red Dragon Farm, one of the biggest chicken growers/suppliers in Central Luzon, have valid reasons to be grateful to the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for its lending assistance that has helped in their expansion and enjoyment of bigger profits and market share at present.

Prudencio S. Garcia, president of Mekeni Food Corporation, and Robert H. Lo, owner of Red Dragon Farm, narrated to Presidential Management Staff Director General and oversight official for micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) development, Secretary Cerge Remonde, over a national television program recently how the DBP, the country’s most progressive development banking institution, helped lift their former small enterprises to their better place now in the business community.

According to Garcia, like many other businesses, Mekeni has had its own share of ups and downs. Established by his parents in 1986 in Porac, Pampanga out of their retirement packages, Mekeni was affected when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991. He and his two other brothers, who were then based abroad, had to return to the Philippines for good. Raised as loving children, they helped in their family business while, at the same time, assisting their other "cabalens" rebuild their lives after the eruption. But bad fate struck the second time with the emergence of the foot-and-mouth disease, which was a big blow for Mekeni.

Nevertheless, the Garcias did not lose heart. They fought and survived together with their business. Through a P100-million assistance from DBP, the Garcias expanded their Mekeni business by building new facilities and purchasing additional equipment. They are grateful to the DBP for believing in their business proposal despite the devastation brought about by the volcanic eruption.

For three consecutive years – from 2004 to 2006 – Mekeni has been the recipient of the Best AAA Meat Establishment Award in the National Meat Processing Plant AAA Category. In 2006, it got the ISO Certification for Food Safety Management for Hotdog Processing Requirements from a Germany-based technical monitoring association – the first in the Philippines, first in Asia, and second in the world.

The Garcias revolutionized the family’s business by changing the sound of Mekeni, which in Kapampangan means "Come here," to "May K Ini," which stands for passion for excellence and quality. Starting with 40 employees, Mekeni has more than 700 workers at present and is now a buzz word in every home and community patronizing "tocino" and hotdog.

Red Dragon Farm owner Robert H. Lo, meanwhile, is thankful to DBP for its trust in his business. His poultry/chicken growing business started in 1989, but it met a lot of problems along the way, among them the rampant smuggling of chicken. He ventured into the piggery business but it did not expand due to high cost of inputs. Besides, assistance then was very limited for agricultural ventures.

After receiving several denials from other commercial banks, Lo was granted by the DBP financial assistance worth P70 million for a two-phase project. He bought a new technology called the Cool Cell System, which helps control the temperature of animals in the production area, and results to better conversion and lesser production cost.

A graduate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of the Philippines, Lo knew he could make it through the support of financing agencies like DBP. Today, Red Dragon Farm has 35 meat shops, with daily production of about 80 to 100 pigs and 7,000 chickens.

"Whatever your passion, go for it," advised Lo, to which Remonde added during the TV program: "Pursue what you want to do most, come up with the best ideas and you will earn from it and succeed. If one loves what he is doing, it’s not work."

Through the TV show the PMS Forum, the DBP assured its continuing support to small and medium enterprises through its retail and wholesale lending programs

Cresenciana R. Bundoc, senior vice president and assistant sector head of DBP’s branch banking sector, said DBP’s branches nationwide with five Super Region Management Offices and its 16 Regional Marketing Centers, are ready to assist the SME sector.

The President instructed the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Philippine Coast Guard to look into the circumstances surrounding the sinking of a private ferry bound for Masbate.

She ordered the DOTC to issue a stern reminder to all sea vessels to heed weather forecasts and assure passenger safety and welfare at all times.

• We must invest in the vital infrastructure that is the backbone of a modern nation:  mga bilyon sa mga bag-o nga kalsada, airports kag energy reliability, agod maka-kumpetensiya ang Pilipinas.

• Investing in the vital infrastructure includes building up our environment as a reflection of our commitment to our quality of life.  People need to breathe clean air and swim in clean water while we also build manufacturing and bridges to span our waters.

• In last year's State of the Nation Address I unveiled the theme of the Super Regions that spread development from concentration in Manila.  It was not just a State of the Nation gimmick.  It is a concept that will be carried all the way to 2010.  For instance:

• The majority of tourists visiting the Philippines go to Central Philippines. Boracay is the top overall destination while Cebu is the top destination for foreign tourists.

• Roads:

• Boracay beachcombers reach up to Libertad and Pandan in Antique.  More so when the road awaiting Japan's approval of the bid documents is completed.  Meanwhile, we are improving other Panay roads.  The Iloilo-Santa Barbara Road and the Metro Iloilo Radial Road will be completed in 2009. 

• From Metro Iloilo we go to Guimaras through the Jordan Wharf. In 2009 we will build the road from Jordan to Sibunag Roll-on, Roll-off (RORO) Port, which we started building last May.  Governor now Congressman Rahman Nava chose Sibunag as the best connection to Bacolod Port.

• Investors in Boracay are expanding in Palawan. In March last year we opened the Puerto Princesa-Taytay Road, followed in March this year by the Taytay-El Nido. The Puerto Princesa-Bataraza Road will be completed by December 2009.

• Cebu tourism can spill over to other destinations through the road and roll-on-roll-off ferry system that we call the Central Nautical Highway:  

• Going south, Cebu Port to Tubigon Port in Bohol, to Jagna RORO Port, opened last May 9 and Ubay Port through the Bohol Circumferential Road which we also inaugurated last May 9.

• Ubay to Maasin Port in Southern Leyte, completed last October, or Limawasa Port, to be completed in September.  Governor Mian Mercado will have lots of scuba divers.

• Jagna to Mambajao Port in Camiguin, to be completed in November, then by road on to Guinsiliban Port, the gateway to the Mindanao mainland and Loloy Romualdo's Lanzones Festival.

• Going north from Cebu City, North Cebu Coastal Road, which will be declogged when the Mandaue-Consolacion Bridge is completed in 2009, to the Bogo Port.

• Bogo to Naval or Maripipi Port in Biliran, or Esperanza of Cawayan in Masbate.  Naval Port will be finished in December; Maripipi, Esperanza and Cawayan next year.

• Esperanza or Cawayan to Aroroy Port by a road to be completed in 2009.  

• Aroroy to Claveria, Burias Island whose RORO ramp will be finished next April.

• Claveria to the Pasacao Port, where RORO operations started in 2002, and onto the rest of Bicol.

• Airports:

• Last month we started operating the Iloilo International Airport, which was Art Defensor's dream ever since he was Governor of Iloilo. 

• Kalibo Airport has likewise gone international with Asian Spirit operating direct flights from Korea.  Hopefully by August Governor Carlito Marquez shall have completed the acquisition of the land for the instrument landing system.  We will also build an P80 million passenger terminal building on the strong representation of Congressman Joben Miraflores to accommodate the hordes of Boracay fans.

• As we can see the new Bacolod Airport is also finished, but we will await the completion of the access road in November before opening it.  I assure Congressman Monico Puentevella that the airport fees will stay the same.

• Other deadlines:  September for Guian Airport in Eastern Samar so that Governor Ben Evardone will have more surfers. November for the San Vicente airstrip in Palawan. December for Siargao Airport in Surigao and, courtesy of KOICA of Korea, Busuanga Airport in Palawan.  January for the runway overlay and shore protection of Tacloban Airport.  February for the Puerto Princesa airport terminal.  April for upgrading the Dumaguete runway which then Governor now Congressman George Arnaiz said should be done so that electronics firms can be encouraged to locate in Oriental Negros where electric power rates can be subsidized.

• We thank the local government of Kabankalan, Negros Occidental which will start civil works on its airport in October to access the Mediterranean ambience of the Sipalay beaches.

• The local government of Bohol will acquire the land for the Panglao International Airport by December.

• Last month in Legazpi, Albay, upon recommendation of Governor Joey Salceda I instructed the release of P85 million for the advanced engineering study for the international airport in Daraga, Albay, which will serve the whole Bicol peninsula.

• Energy Reliability:

• In the Visayas, an electric power gap of 100 megawatts will appear in 2009.  The Korean Electric Power Company project in Cebu will come in only at 2010 with 200 megawatts.  So five power barges of 100 megawatts will be on standby to fill in the gap.

• But the real solution is to privatize ASAP as is where is the geothermal power plants in Oriental Negros, Southern Leyte, Albay and Sorsogon so that the private sector can expand their capacity before 2009.  With the successful privatization of PNOC-EDC, the development of new geothermal power resources has gained additional momentum.  It is attractive enough for the private sector so that the government need not be the one to spend.

• Last May we turned on the lights in Masbate.  But that was also temporary.  The final solution will come in 2008, when a new 13-megawatt clean coal plant will increase customer coverage from 125,000 to 500,000. I hope to visit Representatives Lina Seacheon, Tony Kho and Bong Bravo on the ground when that happens.  

• In Negros Occidental, the San Carlos bioethanol plant will start its commercial operation in October 2008.  Let us create an ethanol corridor in Negros Island from San Carlos City to Tamlang Valley.

• Environment:

• As our investment in natural parks, since 2001, we have declared eight new protected areas in Central Philippines:  Tubbataha Reefs and Rasa Island in Palawan, Mt. Isarog in Bicol, Northern Negros, Northwest Panay Peninsula in Antique, Panglao Island in Bohol, Samar Island and Central Cebu. 

• We monitor water quality in 24 Central Philippines beaches, including Boracay, Panglao and El Nido.

• Two years ago, Southern Leyte suffered a deadly mudslide.  Today it is back on its feet and implementing a $3 million Japanese project to manage its fragile ecosystem. 

• Guimaras has also made a dramatic comeback from last year's oil spill. Thank you, Congress, for allocating almost P900 million to address their calamity. For the long term, initiatives have started on studying their mangroves and replenishing the populations of the organisms living in their shores.   

• Thank you also, Congress, for allocating P10 billion for the Bicol Calamity Assistance and Rehabilitation Effort.  P7 billion has been released, the biggest single one-time calamity fund release in our history.  

• Together with the World Bank, we are funding the Bicol River Basin and Watershed with $15 million over the next three years for irrigation, flood control and water resources conservation.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to conduct a thorough investigation on the sinking of a ferryboat bound for Masbate on Thursday, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said today.

In a statement, Bunye, who is also the Presidential Spokesperson, said the President likewise directed the DOTC to issue strict warnings to all sea vessels to assure the safety of passengers and prevent the occurrence of similar incidents.

"She ordered the DOTC to issue a stern reminder to all sea vessels to heed weather forecasts and assure passenger safety and welfare at all times," Bunye said.

Reports said at least 12 people died when the M/V Blue Water Princess carrying more than a hundred passengers encountered rough seas less than an hour after leaving Dalahican Port in Lucena City early Thursday morning.

BACOLOD CITY - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded today the Ten Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneurs for their exemplary achievements in the field of entrepreneurship.

The President presented trophies to the awardees led by Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Maraņon during the Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneurship awards held at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) Coliseum here.

She was assisted by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III; Bro. Rolando Dizon, chairman of the Bacolod Economic Business Council and La Salle University president

"Congratulations to our awardees. Our icons and role models for entrepreneurship," the President said in her brief message.

The other Nine Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepeneur awardees are: Ms. Josephine Locsin of the Tumandok Crafts Industries; Dianna Lyn Agustin and Maria Corazon Bitong of BAYO; Olivia Yanson of Yanson Group of Companies and Ceres Liner Bus Co.; Jose Maria Cajili of Chicken House;

Cecille del Castillo of Dungganon Bank and Negros Women for Tomorrow's Foundation; James Chua of Foodman; Roberto Montelibano of GH Foods Inc.; Joaquin Torre of Riverside Medical Center, and Benjamin Lopue of Lopue's Group of Companies.

The President urged the more than 7,000 Negrense youth present at the awarding rites to follow the footsteps of the awardees.

"Hopefully, our youth here will become the object of adulation of the next generation of successful entrepreneurs," the President said.

Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneurs is an award given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) as part of the Go Negosyo sa Bacolod.

Go Negosyo sa Bacolod is part of PCE's latest campaign of the Go Negosyo Caravan which aims to bring Go Negosyo forum and expositions to key cities outside of Metro Manila.

The President also inspected the two electric power jeepneys (E-jeepney) displayed just outside the USLS Coliseum.

SILAY CITY, Negros Occidental -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inspected here today the 98-percent completed new Bacolod-Silay Airport which is expected to increase the levels of living of Negrenses when it becomes operational in November.

The airport is dubbed Bacolod-Silay Airport even as it is completely in Silay City, two towns north of Bacolod City past Talisay town. This, as the international airport codes list Bacolod as the airport in that part of the country, the President explained.

The new international-standard airport in Barangay Bagtic lies west of the scenic Kanlaon Volcano, and is reminiscent of the Legazpi Airport that has the Mayon Volcano as its eastern backdrop, a welcome treat to visiting tourists.

The P4.37-billion airport is to handle all-weather and night-landing operations. It is equipped with crash, fire, and rescue vehicles and airport maintenance equipment.

Its 2,000-meter long and 45-meter wide runway, and 678-meter by 23-meter taxi ways could accommodate A-320 aircraft with a maximum of 160 passengers, while the apron can hold five aircraft at any one time (with two on "hard stand" mode).

The terminal building, on the other hand, is equipped with three state-of-the-art passenger boarding bridges, flight information display system, mechanized baggage handling system  for inbound and outbound baggage, security X-rays, elevators and escalators.

It was built to cater to the increasing number of air passengers and cargo traffic in Negros Occidental.

The President cited differing opinions about the opening date, with some local officials wanting it opened only after the access and diversion roads leading to the airport have been completely paved.

The President said the airport could be opened in November after the completion of the access road – and then added in jest that they could always wait till the diversion road is completed in 2010, eliciting laughter.

"That is something you have to decide among yourselves," the President stressed even as she repeated her motion that the airport is ready to be opened today. She later agreed that local officials decide on the date of opening during their meeting among themselves tomorrow. 

After her 20-minute speech in which she gave an update on the ongoing infrastructure projects in the Central Philippines super region, the President sat down to a working lunch with the group for an entire hour.

Among those present were Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon and Silay City Mayor Jose Montelibano.