Difference between revisions of "Cebu Province News July 2011"

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Province of Cebu - Archived News

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
Cebu metro.jpg
Aerial View of Metro Cebu

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

P-Noy, Asean execs to visit Cebu for City of Culture logo rites

By Doris C. Bongcac (Chief of Reporters)

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario and officials of Asean embassies are coming to Cebu City on July 15 for the installation of the Asean City of Culture logo.

The Cebu City Council approved on Wednesday the appropriation of P1.2 million to take care of the welcome lunch and the dinner for its guests – P940,000 and a cultural presentation which would be held at the Sinulog Hall of the Rizal Library to celebrate the event – P300,000.

“Cebu City is declared as such due to its vibrant creative industries, that have caught the attention of the National Asean Committee on Culture and Information and therefore is definitely a strong indication that Cebu City plays a significant role in the promotion of culture and heritage among Asean countries,” said Councilor Margot Osmeña, chairperson of the council's tourism committee.

ADB grant sought for Cebu City’s drainage

by Doris C. Bongcac (Chief of Reporters)

CEBU City Hall will apply for a grant to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fund its half-a-billion-peso drainage master plan for the city.

“If we qualify for the grant, it may not reach P500 million. But it would be good enough to help the city implement its drainage master plan,” Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said.

Rama said Bo Varquez of the Cebu Investments Promotions Center (CIPC) and City Administrator Jose Mari Poblete are working to complete the city's requirements for the ADB under its Cities Development Initiative for Asia (ADB-CDIA).

The mayor told Cebu Daily News that City Engineer Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez and Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, who chairs the City Council's infrastructure committee, consulted on what projects to prioritize for the ADB grant.

The Cebu City government also applied for a loan with the ADB to finance its proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mass transport system.

Cebu City's drainage master plan include the construction of minidams, rainwater catchments, improvement of its drainage and water channels and desiltation of waterways.

The city already started dredging the Mahiga Creek in barangay Mabolo and will continue with a portion of the creek in sitio Lahing-lahing, located at the back of the sports complex.

The council approved last Wednesday the program of works and estimates for P12.5-million worth of drainage improvement projects for urban and rural barangays in the city.

This includes the implementation of a P4.3-million gabion construction in Lower Tac-an in barangay Budlaan and construction of a P3.9-million drainage system for V. Gullas Street.

Carcar plans to allot city IRA for infra work

by Oscar C. Pineda

WHEN it receives its internal revenue allotment as a city, Carcar plans to use its share of the National Government revenues on the construction of diversion roads and a public utility vehicle terminal, equipped with a public market.

City Mayor Nicepuro Apura said Carcar’s IRA will be about P273 million.

Carcar’s city status, together with 15 other new cities, has been declared constitutional by the Supreme Court (SC) in its latest decision on the issue. The High Court, however, flip-flopped twice on its decision regarding the constitutionality of the cityhood of 16 towns.

Carcar’s IRA before it was first declared a city shot up from P75 million to P200 million in 2008.

Drop

Apura said in an interview that Carcar received its IRA as a city in January to April 2009. By May of the same year, their IRA fell to P58.9 million from about P94 million, following the Supreme Court’s reversal of its previous ruling.

Following the High Court’s latest decision on the cityhood of the 16 local government units, Budget Management Secretary Florencio Abad ordered the re-adjustment of their IRA.

Abad’s memorandum, dated June 27, said the adjustments will take effect next year yet.

The memorandum is posted on the Department of Budget Management (DBM) website.

Lawyer Estelito Men-doza, counsel of the 16 new cities, is preparing a request that the city IRA of the local government units be made retroactive to the time their upgraded status was approved by their residents.

Discipline

Amid all these, Apura called on Carcar residents to adopt discipline.

Carcar celebrated its fourth Charter Day as city yesterday.

When it became a city in 2007, Carcar declared its Charter Day to be July 7 (or 07-07- 07).

Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, first district), on the other hand, urged Carcar leaders to unite.

Humility

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, for her part, called on Carcaranons to remain humble even after the City’s “triumph.”

Abad’s memorandum computation of the IRA, resulting from court decisions issued this year, will be implemented in 2012. But it did not specify actions to be taken on the IRA of the 16 new cities that were affected by the SC’s earlier flip-flopping.

Aside from Carcar, the 16 new cities include Bogo and Naga, Cebu.

Gullas said the Supreme Court decided with finality last June 28 to declare the city status of the 16 constitutional. The decision was promulgated last July 4.

During the charter celebration, Garcia said that aside from Capitol’s P4 million assistance to Carcar, the Province will construct 10 classrooms for the Carcar City College.

The P8-million college was inaugurated yesterday with Garcia, Gullas, Carcar city and Provincial School Board officials as guests.

Gullas said the initial years of Carcar as a city is crucial to the development of the local government unit, so its leaders should be united.

He said Mayor Apura and Vice Mayor Patrick Barcenas should be united in the 2013 polls.

In May 2010, Apura and Barcenas belonged to different parties, although they supported Gullas and Garcia.

Apura and Barcenas, when sought for reaction, said they are willing to work together for the good of the city.

Mayor’s office sought council’s nod on MCDCB pact

IS IT a matter of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?

Mayor Michael Rama had said he does not need the City Council’s authorization to sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the creation of the Metro Cebu Development Coordination Board (MCDCB).

But in a letter dated June 27, the Office of the Mayor asked the City Council to adopt a resolution authorizing Rama to sign the MOA.

Rama, in a news conference yesterday, said he is not aware of the letter.

The letter written by Belinda Navascues, the mayor’s secretary, was addressed to City Councilor Edgardo Labella.

Check

“I will check on that (with Navascues) because I may not need to do that (ask for authority),” Rama said.

Labella endorsed Navascues’ letter to the council and the matter was included in the agenda of the legislative body’s regular session yesterday.

During the session, though, the council did not discuss the letter and only took note of it.

Last February, Rama along with 10 other mayors of Metro Cebu signed the memorandum creating the MCDCB.

The mayor had admitted signing it without getting a nod from the council, saying that he did so as mayor and it was only for “cooperation and coordination.”

No need

The mayor had also said there was no need for a go-signal from the local legislative body because the memorandum does not involve release of funds.

Asked if the council will sponsor a resolution giving Rama authority to enter into a MOA for the creation of the MCDCB, Councilor Margarita Osmeña said “there are just too many questions.”

Osmeña said the council needs to discuss the matter.

The MCDCB is composed of the Capitol, six cities, six municipalities, 14 line agencies and other government organizations, and seven heads of civil society and private sector organizations.

Integrated

The board is tasked to formulate integrated development strategies, policies and standards concerning urban planning, transport management, pollution and solid waste management, flood control, health sanitation, public safety, infrastructure development and environmental management, among others.

The City Council reminded Rama to seek approval from the body before signing any contracts.

The reminder came after the mayor signed the renewal of the contract for the rental of office space at the City Savings Financial Plaza by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA).

Rama said he does not need the council’s approval prior to signing contract renewals.

“You are allowed to sign (renewal of contracts) for as long as exigency requires. You need the permission of the council if you sign the contract for the first time,” he said.

The council has already approved the ratification of the contract of lease that the City entered into with PTA.

The City has been renting three rooms at the City Savings Financial Plaza on Osmeña Blvd. since February 2009 for the use of PTA.

PTA, who used to have an office at Fort San Pedro, was asked by the City to vacate the area as the City was constructing a museum at the Fort.


Comelec starts checking 30,000 Danao signatures

By Carmel Loise Matus(Correspondent)

A budget dispute, breakdown in services and questionable appointments were cited as grounds by barangay and city officials for their recall petition against Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr.

The provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday began the tedious process of verification of the 30,000 signatures of Danao City residents who signed the recall petition presented by Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano and the council last Monday.

“We are confident Comelec will act on the petition signed by 36 barangay captains with dispatch barring any dilatory tactic by the respondent’s lawyers,” Councilor Jorge John Cane said in a text message.

The petitioners cited among the mayor’s violations his directive threatening the council with criminal and administrative sanctions for not approving his proposed budget for calendar year 2011.

The council said the budget doesn’t reflect the city government's program and there were no consultations done with the budget committee.

They also complained about the failure to deliver financial and material assistance to some barangays.

The council cited the waterworks project in barangay Mantija, which was ordered closed by the mayor.

The council said the screening and hiring of employees was done at the mayor’s house in Mabini Street, barangay Poblacion in Danao City.

Among the appointments the council questioned were lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu as City Legal Officer.

League President Cynthia Mahinay was said to be absent during the signing and passage of the resolution by 35 out of 42 barangay captains.

Mayor Boy Durano said in a TV interview that the vice mayor and the council won't win against him.

“Even if they gang up on me, let's see who'll win,” he said.

Rama defends dropping casuals

by Chief of Reporters, Doris C. Bongcac, with Correspondent Edison delos Angeles

AT least six more workers, this time traffic enforcers, are ouf of a job after their contracts were not renewed by Cebu City Hall.

Mayor Michael Rama said their supervisors recommended their exit for reasons such as misconduct and abuses in the performance of their duties.

Last week, 15 workers of the Department of Welfare of the Urban Poor, suffered the same fate.

Rama said this was nothing to be surprised about.

He recalled that his predecessor, former mayor and now Rep. Tomas Osmeña, didn't renew appointments of over 600 employees upon his return to the mayor's office.

From July 1 to July 31, 2001, there were 794 employees who didn’t return after their contracts were not renewed, Rama said.

“For me to give my concurrence, you have to substantiate the recommendation for nonrenewal,” Rama said.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young questioned the timing of the mayor’s decision ,suggesting it was a form of political retaliation. Young said he doesn't question the mayor's authority not to renew the contracts so long as the decision removes nonperforming workers.

“The problem is he announced that he will do a loyalty check after he left the BO-PK. That already raises doubts,” Young said.

In yesterday’s press conference, City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) chief Rafael Yap said he recommended the nonrenewal of contracts of six traffic personnel because of misconduct, abuses in the performance of their works and accusations of corruption.

Most of them had served for five years.

They were no longer required to report for work starting July 1.

Yap said there is “strong information” that the six are engaged in a collection scheme where they receive money from motorists.

Aside from casuals, Rama has ordered the performance evaluation of City Hall consultants.

Cebu City Hall has 42 consultants. Most of them were hired by the past adminstration. Only nine were engaged by Rama.

These nine consultants rendered service to the mayor's office from January to June.

All, except one, receive P18,000 a month.

Only former councilor Nestor Archival, the mayor's consultant on environment, receivesa token P1 a year fee.

Rama said contract renewals depend on how they would rate in their performance evaluation.

“Consultancy is based on trust and confidence. During the time that there is no more trust, they will not be rehired as consultants,” he said.

Pending a review of their performance, consultants can continue to work for the service.

If they pass the evaluation and their consultancy contract is renewed, they would receive back payments.

Rama said he is unafraid of Young's threat that the council may give his office a hard time in renewing the contracts of his consultants in retaliation to the nonrenewal of the contracts of casuals. “Let's just wait when they oppose,” the mayor said.

Rama said he isn't firing anyone since he's only terminating contracts.

He said long before he left the BO-PK in June 2, he already planned not to renew the contracts of some DWUP employees.

“Even if the council didn't say it, I wasn't going to renew some consultants under my office. You must remember that most of those consultants are from the previous administration,” Rama said.


Adapt to environment, Cebu builders urged

By Candeze R. Mongaya (Reporter)

A RENOWNED architect called on Cebu's local government units (LGUs) to use “adaptive architecture” in their structures in order to mitigate flashfloods and other effects of climate change.

In a speech delivered in last week's Environment Congress, architect Felino Palafox Jr. said LGUs around the country should adopt eco-friendly practices in the construction of their buildings in recognition of the changing temperature and rising water levels.

Palafox made the call as proponents of the recent Road Revolution will hold activities today to reiterate their appeal for road reform in Cebu City.

Palafox, a noted ecology advocate, said the environment should be the center of all human activities to sustain a healthy earth.

“The LGUs don’t have budgets for pedestrians and sidewalks, but they have a budget for beauty contests,” he said.

He said the LGUs should be at the forefront in implementing green architecture for their constituents.

Palafox said there is a new trend in architecture called “vertical urbanism” where pedestrian lanes, sidewalks and establishments are elevated.

“Our cities are not ready for disasters,” Palafox said, citing garbage filled sewers that are vulnerable to sudden rises in water level especially during heavy rains.

He said mass transportation should be encouraged to reduce carbon emissions and traffic.

Fewer vehicles would mean more time for pedestrians in the streets.

“We design our roads for automobiles and not for pedestrians,” Palafox said, referring to the current road system in the country.

He said many houses and establishments in the country don't follow the required 20 meter easement zone from coastal areas and river banks.

For their part, Tara Rama of the Law of Nature Foundation said skaters would traverse the roads from Robinson’s mall to the Cebu City Sports Center to call for road closure and road division.

The activity is in tandem with their appeal for the approval of a road reform petition they submitted to the Cebu City council last June 12.

The proposal sought an allocation of 30 percent of the road to pedestrians, 30 percent to bike riders, 30 percent to collective transportation and 10 percent to road gardens.

Last June 12, the 2.5 kilometer stretch of Osmena Blvd was closed from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m for the Road Revolution program which gave room for the city's pedestrians and bicyclists to roam about freely in the area.

A solar, wind- and pedal-powered vehicle, the first in the country, was also used to transport pedestrians along Osmeña Boulevard.

The 18-foot vehicle reated by Cebuano engineer Bryan Yuson of the St James Academy can carry up to 10 passengers and has a capacity of one horsepower. It runs at a slow 20 kilometers per hour.

Vince Cinches of the 350.org cited a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) that recorded a drop in pollutants in Osmena Boulevard after it was closed to motor vehicles last June 12.

“Cebu city stakeholders including political leaders have high environmental awareness compared to other cities and municipalities,” Cinches said.


Bureau tightens watch on Taiwan’s foodstuff

By Elias O. Baquero

SOME food products from Taiwan may contain potentially harmful chemicals usually found in plastics, said a Bureau of Customs (BOC) official who ordered a closer watch on Taiwanese products.

District Collector Ronnie Silvestre of the Port of Cebu alerted the bureau to reports that some Taiwanese food products contained ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). Silvestre ordered bureau officials to hold in abeyance food products and food additives from Taiwan, unless these have a clearance from the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).

Silvestre gave the order to Ahmed Erpe, deputy district collector for operations; lawyer Maximo Reyes, deputy district collector for assessment; Capt. Isidro Estrera, chief of the Enforcement and Security services (ESS); lawyer Rico Rey Holganza, chief of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS); Collector Paul Alcazaren of the Sub-Port of Mactan; and the chief of the X-Ray Inspection Project.

“The food products from Taiwan and other countries must be examined thoroughly by proper authorities to make sure that they are not contaminated or laced with chemicals that could affect the people’s health,” Silvestre said.

DEHP is harmless at low levels, according to a fact sheet form the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

It said DEHP is usually found in plastic products like tablecloths, furniture upholstery, shower curtains and rainwear, among others.

Released

In a separate order, Silvestre released the Vietnamese vessel mv Dai Phat, after its operator paid US$63,000 as settlement with Visayan Agri-Trading Corp.

It was also fined P2,000.

Dai Phat was held at Cebu International Port for three weeks after it was found out that its delivery of 78,000 bags of rice as evidenced in the cargo manifest and bill of lading was short of 1,823 bags.

Customs broker Alvin Palapo and lawyer Ralph Sevilla, who represented Visayan Agri-Trading Philippines, received payment from the management of Dai Phat through its local representative, the Toledo Shipping Agency and Marine Services.

Ma. Lucia Rosales, the regional information officer of the National Food Authority (NFA) 7, said the Visayan Agri-Trading Philippines was awarded by the government the right to import 400,000 bags of rice equivalent to 20,000 metric tons.

Rosales said that the total volume of the firm’s rice imports that have arrived Cebu was already 347,920 as of June 1.

Verify tax payments, BIR reminds public

By Aileen Garcia-Yap(Reporter)

It pays for lot buyers, sellers and taxpayers to verify their payments to avoid being scammed by fixers, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said yesterday.

BIR Revenue District officer Evangeline Abanilla said this in the wake of the Balamban land tax scam where at least 100 lot sellers discovered that their payments for capital gains tax to the BIR were never received.

Bank deposit slips shown to them by municipal employees who were entrusted to remit the cash payments turned out to be fake.

The amount involved in the swindle was estimated to be at least P3 million based on initial findings of Balamban town officials..

A joint investigation is under way by the BIR regional and the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.

“Always validate your transactions,” said Abanilla.

She said the possibility of being issued fake bank deposit slips by fixers is real because of advancements in technology and the lucrative real estate industry in Cebu.

Abanilla said some parties just send representatives to pay for their taxes without bothering to verify the actual payment.

In the Balamban case, at least two lot sellers discovered the discrepancy too late after checking with the BIR office in Mandaue City and the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Capital gains tax is paid to the BIR by the seller from the sale of property.

The Balamban municipal assessor and two of her clerks were tapped by many residents to remit their tax payments to the BIR through deposits with the Land Bank of the Philippines branches in Metro Cebu.

However, this errand is not part of their official duties.

The full extent of the scam has still to be determined.

Abanilla said taxpayers can always check the BIR office database to see if their payments were updated.

“For the documents themselves like the receipts that are currently being investigated for the case in Balamban, we can't tell for sure just by looking at it because some really look so authentic. So what we do is validate that using our system here,” Abanilla said.

Abanilla said there were cases of some fake documents being forwarded to their office like a fake Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR), which the BIR can validate right away with their system.

For the CAR forms, Abanilla said their office usually generates a separate document called OCN, which serves as a clearance each time they create an authentic CAR form that can be used as one way of telling if the form is indeed authentic.

“For those purchasing property we usually ask requirements before they come to us to apply for CAR. Then they go to the municipal assessor's office, which will issue their new tax declaration,” Abanilla said.

Abanilla said there are more than 20 banks, including Land Bank of the Philippines, authorized to receive tax payments to the BIR.

Taxpayers are given receipts and a bank deposit slip that can be used for validation, she said.

“After they have completed payments to their developers, they can also come to us and validate their transactions. That's always the best way. Always validate and follow the correct processes,” Abanilla said.

Abanilla received the memorandum from BIR Regional Director Jose N. Tan directing her to investigate the Balamban incidents and coordinate with the bureau's Legal Department and the Special Investigations Department.

“I will meet with my staff on Monday. We’ll form a five-member investigation team, which I will head,” she said.

Abanilla said they will ask the Balamban municipal government to provide the BIR a list of other complainants.

So far two complainants have executed affidavits.

More than 100 upset lot sellers and buyers went to the Balamban municipal hall on June 15 to demand answers after discovering that fake deposit forms were used by those who were supposedly helping them complete the sale of property.

The municipal assessor and two staffers were asked to go on leave by the mayor. They reported back to work last but were reassigned to different offices.

Mayor Ace Binghay referred the matter to the Civil Service Commission for investigation. He said he wanted to avoid doubts that a local inquiry would be biased.

The BIR regional office and Visayas Ombudman’s Office announced they would conduct their own investigation after reading about the Balamban scam in Cebu Daily News although the BIR Mandaue district had already been visited by complainants.


Councilors will attend Soca - Earlier plan to skip dropped in favor of fulfilling ‘official function’

By Doris C. Bongcac, Chief Of Reporters

Expect a bigger attendance in today's State of the City Address (Soca) of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said he and 14 Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) councilors agreed during a fellowship dinner on Wednesday to attend the mayor’s Soca after all.

“We decided to attend the Soca because we just want to find out what the mayor has to say,” he said.

“Majority of the councilors said that they are attending the Soca also because it is an official function,” said Young.

Councilor Alvin Dizon in an earlier interview said the “majority” of councilors would just send staff members on their behalf to the Soca.

City Hall employees and urban poor groups were asked to attend the mayor’s Soca in a June 28 memorandum from the Office of City Administrator Jose Mari Poblete.

City Hall employees were told to wear white T-shirts or blouses.

“Attendance is a must,” the memo read.

Notices were posted in the civil registrar's office informing the public that work would be suspended this afternoon and that the office “will be back in operation on Monday.”

The Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor sent written invitations to urban poor groups for the Soca.

“There will be Kaoshiung buses that will ferry you back and forth from the area to the venue. Pickup time is 1 p.m. at your place,” said the letter.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said his critics should let him deliver his Soca before they rate his first year in office.

“Wait first. I haven’t even spoken yet. How can they issue a grade when I have not yet given my Soca?”’

He said that his address, expected to last about 45 minutes, would discuss the accomplishments of his year-old administration, what he is doing now and what he intends to do next year.

Rama said he wanted everyone to listen to his Soca because “it is everybody’s.”

He denied compelling City Hall employees and urban poor groups to attend.

He said he did not order the suspension of work in City Hall offices on Friday afternoon.

Government employees are encouraged to attend the Soca but a skeletal force would be left to make sure that important City Hall offices would remain open to the public.

Among those invited to the Soca are Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and members of the Regional Development Council, which Rama chairs.

“I hope she will come,” the mayor said, referring to Garcia.

He said he was also hopeful that Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district, Vice Mayor Young and council members would also be around.

“They can come if they have time. I hope they received their invitations.”

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