Banks’ loans top P2 T in Jan.

The banking sector’s total loan portfolio totalled P2.093 trillion in January, up just 0.86 percent year-on-year but 4.6 percent down compared to end-December of P2.194 trillion. The industry’s total non-performing loans (NPL) ratio, as reported by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) were also up by 0.22 percentage points for the first month or 4.67 percent, but "favorably down" by 0.88 percentage point compared to year ago. BSP data show that NPLs as of January amounted to P97.65 billion from P115.26 billion in January 2007. The sector’s non-performing assets, in the meantime, dropped to P239.38 billion in the same period, from P274.66 billion last year. Net of interbank loans, the NPL ratio went up to 5.53 percent from December’s 5.27 percent but improved from year ago’s 6.95 percent ratio. The increase in the ratio occurred as the hike in NPLs came with the 4.72 percent drop in regular loans to P1.765 trillion. BSP said restructured loans (RLs) to total loan portfolio ratio climbed to 3.09 percent from last month’s 2.97 percent but stood lower than year ago’s 3.79 percent ratio. The month-on-month increase in the ratio took place as the 0.49 percent fall in gross RLs to P65.06 billion was outpaced by the larger drop in loans. The real and other properties acquired (ROPA), gross to gross assets (GA) ratio rose to 3.39 percent from last month’s 3.33 percent but eased from year ago’s 3.82 percent ratio. BSP said the month-on-month increase in the ratio was due to a 0.38 percent drop in ROPA to P152.77 billion.

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Tawi-Tawi has leased its multi-species hatchery to sardine industry leader Mega Fishing Corporation (MFC), under an agreement signed here by Governor Sadikul Sahali and MFC president William Lim. The hatchery, which will produce up to 400,000 fingerlings of grouper and 1.6 to 3.4 million abalone spats annually, will help to ensure a steady and sustainable supply of highvalue marine species for grow-out by fish farmers selling to Asian markets. The hatchery-bred young will be purchased by approximately 1,000 growers in Tawi-Tawi and nearby areas, including former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front who have been assisted by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program to become mariculture farmers. The hatchery is expected to help prevent the depletion of various commercial marine species in the Sulu archipelago, as local growers will no longer have to rely on catching young fish in the wild for grow-out, in order to meet market demand. Zamboanga-based MFC is a deep-sea purse seine fishing company which ships its canned fish products to 22 countries. It reported a 50 percent increase in its volume of exports in 2007. The establishment of the multi-species hatchery, which was turned over by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to the provincial government last month, was assisted by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, and the GEM Program, which is implemented with the oversight of the Mindanao Economic Development Council.

San Mig Coffee Instant 3-in-1 Sugar Free Coffeemix is now the market leader in the sugar free category as figures culled by The Nielsen Company (Philippines) showed. Both in terms of volume and value, the brand consistently ranked first in consumer preference for a 12-month period based on Nielsen’s Retail Index report that covers different trade channels such as supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, sari-sari stores and market stalls. The product by San Miguel Super Coffeemix Co., Inc. has increased its share in terms of volume from 42.1 percent in 2006 to 56.2 percent in 2007. Its value share is also on a continuous upturn from 36.0 percent in 2006 to 51.7 percent in 2007. "Considering that San Mig Coffee Sugar Free was only introduced in 2005, we are happy that most Filipino coffee drinkers consistently showed their preference for our sugar free variant," said Erik Riola, San Mig Coffee’s Brand Manager. Riola explained that San Mig Coffee offers more choices to varied mix of coffee drinkers, including Sugar Free which comes in Mild, Original, Strong and Extra Strong blends. It has no cholesterol and has 50 percent less calories as compared to other regular coffeemixes.