Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Planting The Roadsides

The other day, a person was sideswiped by a speeding bus in Bacan, Banga, Aklan. That person was walking on the road when suddenly a bus at normal speed passed and side swiped that person.

The accident happened because the pedestrians are forced to walk on the vehicle lane as the sidewalks are either fenced or planted.

This kind of road accident can be minimized if not totally stopped if the road shoulders are left open, and improved for pedestrians’ use. Fencing the road shoulders, planting it or re-greening it defeat security and safety.

Japan Imports from RP Decrease

The Japanese imports from the Philippines decreased from US$ 5.1 billion to only US$ 3.5 billion for the first seven months of 2009. This is 32 percent less compared to the same period last year.

For the period January to July, the Philippines’ export products to Japan accounted for 1.2 percent of its total imports while Japan exports to the Philippines for the same period made up 1.4 percent of total Philippines imports. Japan made up a trade surplus of US$ 650.2 million of her trade with the Philippines.

This trade deficit of the Philippines with her trading partners explains why our foreign debt is increasing annually. We import more than what we export. One way to repay foreign debts is to produce and export more goods and services and balance our foreign trade. Better still to refrain from borrowing and service the old accounts.

DBP Kalibo Insufficient Fund

Mr. Ernesto Tambong went to the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Kalibo to in cash a check sometime last week. Upon entering the bank, the security guard issued him a number. Mr. Tambong waited for more than one hour for his number to be served.

When his number was called, he showed his DBP check issued by a cooperative group. The woman teller told him: "Basi koeang ro deposito kara iya sa bangko, magbalik ka lang sa pilang adlaw". (This bank check might have insufficient deposit with the bank, you may come back in another day.)

"Ganyan sila sa DBP Kalibo. Sana hindi kayo ganyan". (They are like that in DBP Kalibo. Hoping you are not like them.)

After learning of the incident I called up DBP Kalibo and was able to relate the story of Mr. Tambong to Ms. Teofilo. She checked with the woman teller who told her "I cannot remember such incident".

That is negligence of duty. That woman teller could have checked how much money is still available of the issuing cooperative deposited in the DBP Kalibo. That woman bank teller has damaged the integrity of the one who issued the bank check and caused undue inconvenience to Mr. Ernesto Tambong.

Tambong just deposited that bank check to his account with the Philippine National Bank, Kalibo without any trouble. "Ganon sila sa PNB, Kalibo." (They are like that at PNP, Kalibo.)

The purpose and intent in the establishment of DBP are to hasten economic development and serve the people well. But a few personnel in that bank is making it difficult for its clients to transact business with that bank and retard progress. /MP