Difference between revisions of "Cebu Province News March 2012"

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==P2M released for watershed rehabilitation==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1091333098945
*Saturday, March 31, 2012
:(rmn/PIA-7/HFG/DENR-7)
CEBU CITY, March 31 (PIA) -- The Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 7 has released P2 million for the rehabilitation of a 100-hectare watershed area.
The funds were released to Barangay Unity Key to Integrated Development Multipurpose Cooperative (BUKID-MPC), which will implement the rehabilitation project of the watershed area in Brgy. Magsaysay, Balamban, Cebu.
This is in line with DENR’s campaign for massive reforestation to mitigate and address the worsening effect of climate change.
DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said this project is important as it promotes biodiversity conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation through the involvement and direct participation of people’s organization like BUKID-MPS as a project implementer.
Dichoso added that watershed is an area where water drains down from its tributaries and accumulates into a common outlet such as dams, oceans or lakes.
“It also provides habitat to wildlife flora and fauna and promotes higher biological diversity and stable ecosystem,” he said.
The watershed rehabilitation project involves the procurement and planting of 100,000 seedlings of endemic and native species. It includes the purchase of organic fertilizer, ring weeding and staking, hole digging, and patrol works.
He also pointed out that with the loss of vegetation, the sponge effect of the vegetation is gone.
Due to reduced waterholding capacity of the watershed (soil), tremendous runoff occurs during intense or extended rainfall. Eroded soil accumulates in rivers, lakes, and nearby oceans and results to sedimentation and siltation.
The DENR-7 created a regional project implementing unit inspection and monitoring team to manage and supervise the implementation of the forest plantation project and monitor the performance and progress of work in Balamban, Cebu.
==PNP launches Cebu Tourist Police==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061333076852
*Friday,March 30, 2012
: By Jose P. Sollano (PIA7 Cebu)
CEBU CITY, March 30 (PIA) -- To strengthen security measures this summer, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will launch the ‘Cebu Tourist Police,’ on April 2.
Philippine National Police has an earlier directive to implement stricter measures this summer season dubbed, “Oplan SumVac 2012.”
PSupt. Renato Malazarte, deputy provincial director for administration of the CPPO bared that Gov. Gwen Garcia will be the invited special guest for the formal launch of the Cebu Tourist Police.
Malazarte said Cebu is a popular tourist destination not only among foreign visitors but also domestic tourists as well.
“We expect a larger volume of tourists to come during the summer months of April and May as these are the months for vacation when children are off school,” said Malazarte.
Cebu has listed 243 beaches which the police will consider as tourist areas where visitors and locals alike take advantage of the summer period for beach outings.
“We are also focusing on popular tourist destinations in Cebu like the Bantayan Island and Malapascua Island in the North and Oslob, Badian and Moalboal in the south frequented by a larger number of foreign visitors,” Malazarte bared.
For the Holy Week, the CPPO has established 103 public assistance centers starting last Wednesday situated in strategic areas such as RORO terminals, the 85 listed churches in the province and tourism spots among others.
“More personnel however, will be augmented to the island of Bantayan which is famous for its Lenten Season observance akin to a fiesta celebration,” Malazarte disclosed.
The police official assured the CPPO is prepared and ready to provide safety and security to the public during the long break ahead.
==Lapu-Lapu to hire 1,000 students for jobs this school break==
*Source:www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=792229
*Thursday,March 29, 2012 12:00 AM
: By Jose P. Sollano (The Freeman)
CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City government will accept at least 1,000 high school and college students for the one month summer job program, Mayor Paz Radaza said.
Speaking before new graduates of the Lapu-Lapu City College, Radaza said the exact number of students who can avail of the program will depend on the availability of funds.
The city mayor said second year and third year high school and first year college students will have priority.
“Daghan sa atong mga kaigsoonan ang maglisud na sa pagpadayon sa ilang pagtungha mao nga nagpasiugdan ang dakbayan ug sumer job program,” Radaza said.
Students who will be hired will be assigned to the different offices at city hall.
==Gullas pushes for LRT project==
*Source:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=791859
*Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:00 AM
: By Liv G. Campo (The Freeman)
CEBU, Philippines - First district Rep Eduardo Gullas hopes the Regional Development Council (RDC) will give its approval on his Light-Rail Transit (LRT) project, which he believes will boost the economic growth of the province.
Gullas, in an interview with the media the other day, said RDC has yet to calendar it for next meeting, but he hopes that with Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama as RDC head the project will be approved.
He said Governor Gwen Garcia, when she was RDC chief , was “ready to take it up,” but he appealed to forego it as it would be “unfair” to pass it while Cebu City South Rep. Tomas Osmeña was not around.
Osmeña had opposed Gullas’s LRT project.
Gullas said that whether the project gets the nod of all local government leaders, it would still not push through without the Cebu City government’s support.
He said Mayor Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City and Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez have already given their support to it.
“Di man pwede moagi sa langit ang LRT kung molabay na ni sa Cebu City,” he said.
This P740-million project will traverse through the cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay and down to Minglanilla, Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City, Sibonga, Argao and Dalaguete.
Gullas has filed again his LRT bill (House Bill 92) in the current Congress.
Earlier, Gullas had recommended building bridges to link Cebu with central and eastern Visayas.
Gullas, who used to be vice chairman of the House Committee on appropriation, said this project, which he estimates to cost P60 billion, will connect Negros Oriental to Cebu, Cebu to Bohol, and Bohol to Leyte.
He said, “Kinahanglan hatagan og higayon ang mga taga Visayas ug Mindanao para sab makatagamtam ta sa atong gihatag nga buwis.”
Gullas said he has already raised the matter to President Aquino who told him to continue the feasibility study and that he will see how he can fund the project.
He said he is set to get the signatures of the 20 congressmen of eastern and central Visayas.
His term will end next year but even if it does, he still wants to see the project implemented, he said.
==Talisay marks GI landing anniversary==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/167957/talisay-marks-gi-landing-anniversary
*Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:49 am
: By Carmel Loise Matus and Gabriel C. Bonjoc Riñen(Correspondents, Cebu Daily News)
A crowd watched “American soldiers” land on the beach of Talisay City  and launch a mock battle with  students dressed as Japanese soldiers yesterday.
The shoreline drama to commemorate the 67th American troops land in World War II wasn’t meant to be history book-accurate, said Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu’s 1st district but served as a reminder of the heroism of Filipino war veterans.
Only four out of 96 Cebuano WW II  veterans who were present in the actual landing attended yesterday.
The annual observance started with a Holy Mass followed by a military parade, a wreath laying and the reenactment of the landing done by the 82nd Army reservists and students of Talisay City College. Life-size statues of American soldiers also stood in the park by the sea.
The veterans, 94-year-old Pedong Pongcadas of Carcar City, retired Commander Sergio Rivera and retired Colonel Nards Abalo of Talisay City, said there was no actual fighting  during the arrival of the American Division on March 26, 1945.
He said the U.S 8th Army led by Commander  Gen. William Arnold  met  no opposition because the Japanese already fled at the time.
Yesterday was a holiday in Talisay City for the historic event.
In her speech, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the event reminds everyone that it’s better  to cooperate for progress than plunge into war.
Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez said the new enemies of freedom are poverty and unemployment, for which  new heroes are needed.
==Cebuanos urged to join Earth Hour this Saturday, March 31 ‘move aims to promote awareness on climate change’==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061332730726
*Monday, March 26, 2012
:By Fayette C. Riñen(PIA-Cebu)
CEBU CITY, March 26 (PIA) -- Energy officials urged Cebuanos to go beyond its participation in the conduct of the Earth Hour on Saturday, March 31, but to make electricity conservation a way of life.
Engr. Allan Bacudo, senior science research specialist of the Department of Energy (DOE) said putting out the lights for one hour to support the Earth Hour campaign will mean a huge reduction in greenhouse gases emission.
Coal-fired power plants, which are the major source of electricity in the country, use fuel in its operations. The said plants emit greenhouse gases that harms the Earth’s ozone layer eventually leading to global warming due to climate change.
Earth Hour is a global campaign to promote people’s consciousness to combat climate change through switching off the lights for one hour only. The campaign started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia which the Philippines joined a year after.
Bacudo made the appeal to over 200 students, barangay residents, representatives of local government units, non-government organization and business sector during the recent seminar on Electricity Conservation in Households and Schools here.
“Let us all be united in fighting climate change. And let us support the Earth Hour campaign this coming Saturday,” Bacudo asked the participants.
Marlyn Santiago, communications officer of the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature Philippines in the same seminar said that though the Philippines is not a chief contributor of greenhouse gases emissions unlike the United States and Europe, it is however vulnerable to climate change.
“The Philippines has been dubbed as the 3rd riskiest country in the world relative to its vulnerability and susceptibility to disaster risks and natural hazards,” bared Santigao. Such finding is based on the studies published last year by the United Nations University Institute for the Environment and Human Security.
Santiago said Cebu is one of the three sites nationwide that will conduct the simultaneous ceremonial one-hour switch-off campaign from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The other venues are Davao City and Makati City.
The Earth Hour is spearheaded by the WWF-Philippines which the DOE is massively supporting as Bacudo said the campaign has made the Philippines the top participant in terms of the number of people involvement.
“For the past consecutive three years, the Philippines was ranked as the number one participant globally based on the number of Filipinos who joined the campaign. Here you can see the active involvement of public-private participation,” Bacudo disclosed.
Last year, there were over 18 million Filipinos who turned off their lights during the Earth Hour and more than one billion globally as Bacudo expressed optimism that the country will again bag the top participating country worldwide.
DOE-7 Regional Director Antonio Labios earlier said Cebu was able to save around 29MW of power consumption in last year’s Earth Hour.
“Big malls here like the SM City Cebu and the Ayala Cebu and other big business establishments like the Visayan Electric Company are regular participants joining the Earth Hour campaign,” Labios said.
Labios explained the campaign is calling out to only put off the unnecessary lights. “It is not a temporary total power shut-off but only those lights not necessarily in use should be turned off,” the DOE 7 chief declared.
The seminar is a prelude to the conduct of Earth Hour to solicit more support to join the campaign, Labios further said.
This year, households and students have been targeted because everybody belongs to a household and students are enthusiastic partners in any endeavor, Labios said.
A short program will be held at the Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City prior to the countdown to the power switch-off at 8:30 p.m.
==Mayor Rama presents his 2013 partners to urban vendors ‘like a miting de avance’==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/166955/mayor-rama-presents-his-2013-partners-to-urban-vendors-%E2%80%98like-a-miting-de-avance%E2%80%99
*Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:51 am
:By Doris C. Bongcac, Edison A. Delos Angeles (Cebu Daily News)
With 95 percent of his slate ready, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday introduced his 2013 election ’partners’  to a crowd of organized urban vendors in the Cebu City Sports Center.
“Team Rama” includes a lawyer, a media personality, one businessman and a mix of former city government officials, and incumbent barangay officials.
“They’ve been saying that Mike Rama is alone.  They have been saying that I needed to organize a job fair to look for allies. But I am proving them wrong,” Rama said.
The presentation took place before  300 members of the Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA) which celebrated its 13th bi-annual general assembly.
The mayor later said the enthusiasm of Ermita Councilor Felicisimo Rupinta who spoke in the vendors’ gathering, made it look like a “miting de avance”.
Rupinta called on vendors to  prevent a “dictator” from taking back City Hall.
“I ask this group don’t let the Osmeñas rule again,” he said.
Rupinta said  he wouldn’t mind losing the election next year as long as Mayor Rama gets re-elected.
The night before, a Friday, the mayor had dinner with his allies in the Rama compound in barangay Basak, where they discussed his vision and mission till midnight.
Team Rama members took turns attending graduations and daycare center activities in the mountain barangays of Pamutan and Bonbon yesterday morning.
They had lunch at the Baseline Restaurant before going to the vendors gathering at the sports center.
No-shows
Rama didn’t call them his election lineup, with seven months still to go before October’s deadline for the official filing of certificates of candidacy.
He introduced them as his “kauban” (companions).
Eight slots each for the north and south district of the City Council are filled.
Everyone already knows Councilor Edgar Labella will be his vice mayor and former congressman Antonio Cuenco will seek reelection in the south district, a seat occupied by Tomas Osmeña.
However, Team Rama has no clear candidate yet for the north district to run against Rep. Cutie del Mar.
For the south district council seats, Rama presented Basak Pardo barangay captain Dave Tumulak, Poblacion Pardo councilor Althea Lim, Inayawan councilor Lotlot Ignacio-Soon, James Cuenco, lawyer Hans Abella and businessman Ronald Diola.
Rama’s north wing will be have Talamban councilor Ronald Caminade, Lahug councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, Ermita councilor Felicisimo Rupinta, Busay barangay captain Eleodoro Sanchez,  Sambag I barangay captain Jerry Guardo,  former councilor and consultant Edwin Jagmoc, and Agsungot barangay captain Pastor Alcover II.
Other members of “Team Rama” like Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Ciitom) board chairman Jack Jakosalem (north), radio personality Tisha Ylaya (south) and former SK Federation president Anthony Jones Luy (south) – were not present during the vendor’s gathering.
For the north district congressional seat, Rama said in previous interviews that it was too early to disclose a name.
Names were floated – former councilor Nestor Archival, Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal Jr. and former mayor Alvin Garcia  – but they all begged off.
Miting de avance
Councilor Jose Daluz III told Cebu Daily News that “Team Rama” is made even stronger with the support of  Alvin Garcia.
“Alvin won’t run and there’s no Garcia who will run in the city. They will just join  our campaign,” he said.
Friday’s dinner meeting in the Rama compound saw the mayor talking late into the night about his ideas of public service and “orienting” team mates about his plans to promote public-private partnerships and clean up City Hall.
One direction
It started wth dinner at 6:30 p.m. and lasted until about midnight.
“The mayor wanted us to understand his vision so that we will have one direction as a group,” Sanchez told Cebu Daily News.
Ylaya begged off from attending because she had a cold.
“I have always been a supporter of Mayor Mike Rama and I am a supporter of his brand of leadership but I want to think it over because this will be a big decision to make,” Ylaya told CDN.
Daluz said he will  help “Team Rama” as one of its campaign managers.
He said members were chosen based on their track record in public service, bailiwick, clan and endorsements from other barangay officials.
Clan support
He said Abella was endorsed by the large Abella clan in the south district while Ylaya was endorsed by the Gabuya clan.
Ignacio-Soon, a law graduate and daughter of Inayawan barangay captain Rustom Ignacio, was endorsed by officials of large-population barangays Tisa, Basak, Duljo and Inayawan.
She also has a group of at least 3,000 women from barangay Inayawan.
Diola, brother of Fr. Carmelo Diola of Dilaab, is a real estate developer who donated a 3, 000 sq. meter lot in barangay Kalunasan in 2006 which the city used as a road.
Caminade is first councilor of barangay Talamban while Rupinta is Ermita councilor and CCUVA adviser.
==DOT aims for 10M visitors==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/166517/dot-aims-for-10m-visitors
*Saturday, March 24, 2012 7:39 am
:By Aileen Garcia-Yap (Cebu Daily News)
The aim is to make the Philippines a “must- experience” destination in Asia.
How will the country do this?
A “clustering strategy” was discussed yesterday in the first of several forums of the Tourism Congress held in Cebu City.
Cebu is in the Central Visayas Cluster, one of 20 thematic destinations covering 78 priority areas of the Department of Tourism (DOT), which presented its proposed National Tourism Development Plan to stakeholders in the Visayas.
Cebu island remains the country’s top island destination with about 1.6 million foreign and domestic travellers a year.
There will be seven strategic clusters in northern Philippines, six in central Philippines and seven in southern Philippines, said Daniel G. Corpuz, tourism undersecretary for planning and promotions.
He said the strategic vision is to make the Philippines a “must experience” destination in Asia.
For the Central Visayas Tourism Cluster, the plan cites five priority development areas : 1. northern Cebu-Bantayan-Malapascua, 2. Metro Cebu-Mactan-Olango Island; 3. southern Cebu; 4. Negros Oriental-Dumaguete-Siquijor, and 5. Tagbilaran-Panglao Island.
The DOT aims to bring in 10 million foreign tourists and 35 million domestic travelers by 2016.
“The themes for these areas will be MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), business, resort, history, events, sightseeing, entertainment, shopping and eco-tourism,” said Corpuz.
Specific projects include expansion of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport terminal and improvement of runways, designing a gateway marketing program for global routes and establishment of seamless connectivity from the airport.
Building and improving roads using a P2.86 billion this year with the Department of Public Works and Highways is part of the plan.
“We will also be expanding the passenger terminal in Bohol airport where we also need to set up a gateway,” said Corpuz.
Corpuz said they will also identify more Tourism Enterprise Zones in Cebu and Panglao, Bohol.
“We will also need to improve the 17 existing heritage destinations in the region with a budget of P500 million and link communities to tourism supply chain.”
An additional 7,000 rooms will be needed from 2011 to 2016 to accommodate the target number of tourists, he said.
The DOT has to “get married” to and collaborate with other government agencies to get all this done, said Corpuz, especially in improving road networks which is under the Dept of Public Works and Highways, and airports under the Dept. of Transportation and Communication.
A portfolio of nine tourism products will feature nature; cultural; sun and beach; leisure and entertainment; MICE and events; health, wellness and retirement; cruise and nautical; diving and marine sports; and education tourism.
Targets
The national target of 10 million foreign tourists and 35 million domestic travelers by 2016, is ambitious but doable, said Tourism Congress president Marceline Clemente.
“By 2016,” said Corpuz, “the foreign tourists should stay for 9.21 nights on the average spending at least P4,382.53 daily. For the domestic travelers, they should stay for 4.36 nights on the average spending P11,167 daily.”
It these targets are met, the Philippines stands to earn P2.13 trillion, create 6.8 million jobs and 17 percent employment.
According to Corpuz, the outlook is positive and favors strong global tourism growth especially in Southeast Asia which is projected to have 100 million arrivals in 2016 and 120 million by 2020.
“Based on a study by the Australian Tourism Commission in 2008, Chinese outbound travelers are will reach close to 90 million in 2016. That is a huge opportunity for us to tap.”
About 75 million Germans will also be traveling and about 65 million Americans, close to 60 million from the United Kingdom, and close to 50 million from Malaysia among others.
“By 2016, we project to have 1.9 million Korean tourists, 1.4 million Americans, 1 million Chinese, 1.04 million from other countries in the ASEAN region, and over 500,000 Japanese tourists,” said Corpuz.
The Tourism Congress board of trustees will meet today in Mactan resort for a strategic planning session to get inputs from the Visayas.
“We will be coming up with a master plan for our plans, projects and strategies that we will submit to DOT,” said Clemente.
==8 US firms to set up shop in Cebu==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/166253/8-us-firms-to-set-up-shop-in-cebu
*Friday, March 23, 2012 7:43 am
:By Aileen Garcia-Yap (Cebu Daily News)
Cebu is no longer just a call center haven.
It’s maturing into higher value services.
The boom in business process outsourcing (BPO) has actually shown a changed trend with non-voice services leading the way, according to an investment official.
“There are more non-voice processes done here now,” said Joel Mari Yu, managing director of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), the marketing arm of Cebu City government.
Yu said there are more employees working for knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies in Cebu doing higher level work like accounting, research, medical coding, medical billing, and computer programming than those working in call centers.
“Based on our last data, we have 52 companies into KPO hiring 45,000 people out of the 75,000 direct employment in outsourcing companies. This leaves only 30,000 people working in call centers now,” said Yu.
He added that at least eight American outsourcing companies have confirmed plans to set up offices in Cebu since January.
This developed despite fears of the adverse effects to the Philippines of a pending anti-outsourcing bill pending in the United States Congress and supported by US President Barack Obama.
Yu said that even with the US protectionist stance, Cebu is being visited by many BPO firms interested to open offices here.
“In the past, we only got one to two visits every month. I have already met and got confirmations from eight companies within the first two months of this year,” Yu said.
“This is what I have been saying. The bill will never slow down our outsourcing industry but will instead encourage more. Outsourcing is today’s reality if you want to be a globally competitive company,” he said.
He said these companies will need 4,000 and 5,000 employees to man their offices.
“Companies like EXL, HCCA, United Health Care, Promet and Talleco have already confirmed that they will open offices here. Ironically, most of these are American companies,” said Yu.
“These are mostly higher-end outsourcing services that will help provide opportunities for our graduates especially the nurses who can work as medical coders because the company will need people who have knowledge in the medical science,” said Yu.
The outsourcing industry has enjoyed a boom since 2004 in Cebu, starting with call centers that relied on a large pool of young, English-speaking college graduates.
Yu said he expects more non-voice companies to come to Cebu this year because of the availability of capable manpower.
“Cebu will continue to be an attractive destination for these companies. To ensure that we sustain that, we build capability by making sure the three critical areas are taken care of, he said.
He said these are hardware or the infrastructure, software or the business environment, and the “peopleware” or a sustained supply of appropriate manpower.
Cebu City was ranked the no. 1 “emerging global outsourcing destination” among 50 top sites worldwide in a 2009 2009 survey by Tholons, an international consultancy firm.
It was the second year Cebu City received this rating based on criteria of scale and quality of workforce, infrastructure, business catalyst, risk profile, cost and quality of life.
Following Cebu in second and third places were cities of Shanghai and Beijing.
Several industry experts said the Philippines has already overtaken India as the BPO capital of the world.
BPO and ICT (information and communication technology) companies are centered mostly in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao cities.
==DTI to hold trade seminar in Cebu ==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061332394871
*Thursday, March 22, 2012
:By Fayette C. Riñen (PIA-Cebu with DTI 7)
CEBU CITY, March 22 (PIA) -- Doors to more business opportunities are open to Cebu businessmen abroad as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initiates a seminar on ‘Doing Business with Australia and New Zealand,’ which is slated tomorrow, March 23 at a posh hotel here in Cebu City.
The seminar aims to increase awareness of Cebu companies on how to effectively access the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Likewise, the activity will inform the participants on how to avail of the benefits from reduced or eliminated tariffs under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Foreign Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the various procedures and documentary requirements on availing these benefits.
Trade Assistant Secretary Ramon Vicente Kabigting of the Bureau of International Trade Relations will lead the key resource persons from the DTI. Other speakers include Director Senen Perlada of the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion, Anthony Weymouth of the Australian Trade Commission, Hernando Banal of the NZ Trade and Enterprise and officers from the Bureau of Customs.
Such DTI undertaking is part of the agency’s business education drive to improve access of Philippine products and services to non-traditional markets such as Australia and New Zealand, and for Philippine companies to avail of the benefits from reduced or eliminated tariff barriers under the AANZFTA.
Target participants are exporters, importers and customs brokers particularly those who have trade engagements (both export & import) with Australia and New Zealand or those who intend to trade with these countries.
The AANZFTA is a highly comprehensive economic agreement participated in by the Philippines and it covers trade in goods, services, investments, intellectual property, e-commerce, entry of business people, and economic cooperation.
Entered into force in January 2010, the agreement is also the most comprehensive FTA that ASEAN has ever negotiated.
Under the AANZFTA, 96.4 percent and 84.7 percent of all products that may be imported by Australia and New Zealand, respectively, can already enter their markets at zero tariffs. As such, this reduces the cost of doing business for Philippine exporters.
Tomorrow’s activity is in cooperation with the Australian Trade Commission and the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
==8,000 dogs vaccinated in LGU anti-rabies campaign ==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061332292535
*Wednesday, March 21, 2012
:By Fayette C. Riñen (PIA-Cebu)
CEBU CITY, March 21 (PIA) – The local government of Mandaue City has conducted a massive free vaccination campaign to make the city rabies-free by 2013.
Observing Anti-Rabies Month this March, the Mandaue City Veterinary Office (MCVO) vaccinated and registered a total of 8,475 dogs in all 27 barangays.
The MCVO also regularly conducts awareness campaign on responsible pet ownership, and free registration and vaccination for all pets.
“Pet owners can save a total of P250, i.e., P100 for the registration and P150 for the vaccination fee,” according to city veterinarian Dr. Daisy Penetrante.
The MCVO has registered and vaccinated even as there are only minimal cases of cats with rabies virus.
Pentrante hailed the support of the Melinda Gates Foundation for donating around 200 anti-rabies vials. One vial is good for ten pets.
“With this development I am very confident that we can hit our target to be rabies-free by next year,” Penetrante said.
Under RA 9482 or an Act Providing for the Control and Elimination of Human and Animal Rabies, all local government units (LGUs) are mandated to properly immunize and register all dogs in their respective localities.
==Capitol board OKs P700M Carmen bulk water joint venture ==
==Capitol board OKs P700M Carmen bulk water joint venture ==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/164513/capitol-board-oks-p700m-carmen-bulk-water-joint-venture
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/164513/capitol-board-oks-p700m-carmen-bulk-water-joint-venture

Revision as of 06:46, 10 April 2012

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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.

P2M released for watershed rehabilitation

(rmn/PIA-7/HFG/DENR-7)

CEBU CITY, March 31 (PIA) -- The Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 7 has released P2 million for the rehabilitation of a 100-hectare watershed area.

The funds were released to Barangay Unity Key to Integrated Development Multipurpose Cooperative (BUKID-MPC), which will implement the rehabilitation project of the watershed area in Brgy. Magsaysay, Balamban, Cebu.

This is in line with DENR’s campaign for massive reforestation to mitigate and address the worsening effect of climate change.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said this project is important as it promotes biodiversity conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation through the involvement and direct participation of people’s organization like BUKID-MPS as a project implementer.

Dichoso added that watershed is an area where water drains down from its tributaries and accumulates into a common outlet such as dams, oceans or lakes.

“It also provides habitat to wildlife flora and fauna and promotes higher biological diversity and stable ecosystem,” he said.

The watershed rehabilitation project involves the procurement and planting of 100,000 seedlings of endemic and native species. It includes the purchase of organic fertilizer, ring weeding and staking, hole digging, and patrol works.

He also pointed out that with the loss of vegetation, the sponge effect of the vegetation is gone.

Due to reduced waterholding capacity of the watershed (soil), tremendous runoff occurs during intense or extended rainfall. Eroded soil accumulates in rivers, lakes, and nearby oceans and results to sedimentation and siltation.

The DENR-7 created a regional project implementing unit inspection and monitoring team to manage and supervise the implementation of the forest plantation project and monitor the performance and progress of work in Balamban, Cebu.

PNP launches Cebu Tourist Police

By Jose P. Sollano (PIA7 Cebu)

CEBU CITY, March 30 (PIA) -- To strengthen security measures this summer, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will launch the ‘Cebu Tourist Police,’ on April 2.

Philippine National Police has an earlier directive to implement stricter measures this summer season dubbed, “Oplan SumVac 2012.”

PSupt. Renato Malazarte, deputy provincial director for administration of the CPPO bared that Gov. Gwen Garcia will be the invited special guest for the formal launch of the Cebu Tourist Police.

Malazarte said Cebu is a popular tourist destination not only among foreign visitors but also domestic tourists as well.

“We expect a larger volume of tourists to come during the summer months of April and May as these are the months for vacation when children are off school,” said Malazarte.

Cebu has listed 243 beaches which the police will consider as tourist areas where visitors and locals alike take advantage of the summer period for beach outings.

“We are also focusing on popular tourist destinations in Cebu like the Bantayan Island and Malapascua Island in the North and Oslob, Badian and Moalboal in the south frequented by a larger number of foreign visitors,” Malazarte bared.

For the Holy Week, the CPPO has established 103 public assistance centers starting last Wednesday situated in strategic areas such as RORO terminals, the 85 listed churches in the province and tourism spots among others.

“More personnel however, will be augmented to the island of Bantayan which is famous for its Lenten Season observance akin to a fiesta celebration,” Malazarte disclosed.

The police official assured the CPPO is prepared and ready to provide safety and security to the public during the long break ahead.

Lapu-Lapu to hire 1,000 students for jobs this school break

  • Source:www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=792229
  • Thursday,March 29, 2012 12:00 AM
By Jose P. Sollano (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City government will accept at least 1,000 high school and college students for the one month summer job program, Mayor Paz Radaza said.

Speaking before new graduates of the Lapu-Lapu City College, Radaza said the exact number of students who can avail of the program will depend on the availability of funds.

The city mayor said second year and third year high school and first year college students will have priority.

“Daghan sa atong mga kaigsoonan ang maglisud na sa pagpadayon sa ilang pagtungha mao nga nagpasiugdan ang dakbayan ug sumer job program,” Radaza said.

Students who will be hired will be assigned to the different offices at city hall.

Gullas pushes for LRT project

By Liv G. Campo (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - First district Rep Eduardo Gullas hopes the Regional Development Council (RDC) will give its approval on his Light-Rail Transit (LRT) project, which he believes will boost the economic growth of the province.

Gullas, in an interview with the media the other day, said RDC has yet to calendar it for next meeting, but he hopes that with Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama as RDC head the project will be approved.

He said Governor Gwen Garcia, when she was RDC chief , was “ready to take it up,” but he appealed to forego it as it would be “unfair” to pass it while Cebu City South Rep. Tomas Osmeña was not around.

Osmeña had opposed Gullas’s LRT project.

Gullas said that whether the project gets the nod of all local government leaders, it would still not push through without the Cebu City government’s support.

He said Mayor Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City and Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez have already given their support to it.

“Di man pwede moagi sa langit ang LRT kung molabay na ni sa Cebu City,” he said.

This P740-million project will traverse through the cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay and down to Minglanilla, Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City, Sibonga, Argao and Dalaguete.

Gullas has filed again his LRT bill (House Bill 92) in the current Congress.

Earlier, Gullas had recommended building bridges to link Cebu with central and eastern Visayas.

Gullas, who used to be vice chairman of the House Committee on appropriation, said this project, which he estimates to cost P60 billion, will connect Negros Oriental to Cebu, Cebu to Bohol, and Bohol to Leyte.

He said, “Kinahanglan hatagan og higayon ang mga taga Visayas ug Mindanao para sab makatagamtam ta sa atong gihatag nga buwis.”

Gullas said he has already raised the matter to President Aquino who told him to continue the feasibility study and that he will see how he can fund the project.

He said he is set to get the signatures of the 20 congressmen of eastern and central Visayas.

His term will end next year but even if it does, he still wants to see the project implemented, he said.

Talisay marks GI landing anniversary

By Carmel Loise Matus and Gabriel C. Bonjoc Riñen(Correspondents, Cebu Daily News)

A crowd watched “American soldiers” land on the beach of Talisay City and launch a mock battle with students dressed as Japanese soldiers yesterday.

The shoreline drama to commemorate the 67th American troops land in World War II wasn’t meant to be history book-accurate, said Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu’s 1st district but served as a reminder of the heroism of Filipino war veterans.

Only four out of 96 Cebuano WW II veterans who were present in the actual landing attended yesterday.

The annual observance started with a Holy Mass followed by a military parade, a wreath laying and the reenactment of the landing done by the 82nd Army reservists and students of Talisay City College. Life-size statues of American soldiers also stood in the park by the sea.

The veterans, 94-year-old Pedong Pongcadas of Carcar City, retired Commander Sergio Rivera and retired Colonel Nards Abalo of Talisay City, said there was no actual fighting during the arrival of the American Division on March 26, 1945.

He said the U.S 8th Army led by Commander Gen. William Arnold met no opposition because the Japanese already fled at the time.

Yesterday was a holiday in Talisay City for the historic event.

In her speech, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the event reminds everyone that it’s better to cooperate for progress than plunge into war.

Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez said the new enemies of freedom are poverty and unemployment, for which new heroes are needed.

Cebuanos urged to join Earth Hour this Saturday, March 31 ‘move aims to promote awareness on climate change’

By Fayette C. Riñen(PIA-Cebu)

CEBU CITY, March 26 (PIA) -- Energy officials urged Cebuanos to go beyond its participation in the conduct of the Earth Hour on Saturday, March 31, but to make electricity conservation a way of life.

Engr. Allan Bacudo, senior science research specialist of the Department of Energy (DOE) said putting out the lights for one hour to support the Earth Hour campaign will mean a huge reduction in greenhouse gases emission.

Coal-fired power plants, which are the major source of electricity in the country, use fuel in its operations. The said plants emit greenhouse gases that harms the Earth’s ozone layer eventually leading to global warming due to climate change.

Earth Hour is a global campaign to promote people’s consciousness to combat climate change through switching off the lights for one hour only. The campaign started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia which the Philippines joined a year after.

Bacudo made the appeal to over 200 students, barangay residents, representatives of local government units, non-government organization and business sector during the recent seminar on Electricity Conservation in Households and Schools here.

“Let us all be united in fighting climate change. And let us support the Earth Hour campaign this coming Saturday,” Bacudo asked the participants.

Marlyn Santiago, communications officer of the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature Philippines in the same seminar said that though the Philippines is not a chief contributor of greenhouse gases emissions unlike the United States and Europe, it is however vulnerable to climate change.

“The Philippines has been dubbed as the 3rd riskiest country in the world relative to its vulnerability and susceptibility to disaster risks and natural hazards,” bared Santigao. Such finding is based on the studies published last year by the United Nations University Institute for the Environment and Human Security.

Santiago said Cebu is one of the three sites nationwide that will conduct the simultaneous ceremonial one-hour switch-off campaign from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The other venues are Davao City and Makati City.

The Earth Hour is spearheaded by the WWF-Philippines which the DOE is massively supporting as Bacudo said the campaign has made the Philippines the top participant in terms of the number of people involvement.

“For the past consecutive three years, the Philippines was ranked as the number one participant globally based on the number of Filipinos who joined the campaign. Here you can see the active involvement of public-private participation,” Bacudo disclosed.

Last year, there were over 18 million Filipinos who turned off their lights during the Earth Hour and more than one billion globally as Bacudo expressed optimism that the country will again bag the top participating country worldwide.

DOE-7 Regional Director Antonio Labios earlier said Cebu was able to save around 29MW of power consumption in last year’s Earth Hour.

“Big malls here like the SM City Cebu and the Ayala Cebu and other big business establishments like the Visayan Electric Company are regular participants joining the Earth Hour campaign,” Labios said.

Labios explained the campaign is calling out to only put off the unnecessary lights. “It is not a temporary total power shut-off but only those lights not necessarily in use should be turned off,” the DOE 7 chief declared.

The seminar is a prelude to the conduct of Earth Hour to solicit more support to join the campaign, Labios further said.

This year, households and students have been targeted because everybody belongs to a household and students are enthusiastic partners in any endeavor, Labios said.

A short program will be held at the Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City prior to the countdown to the power switch-off at 8:30 p.m.

Mayor Rama presents his 2013 partners to urban vendors ‘like a miting de avance’

By Doris C. Bongcac, Edison A. Delos Angeles (Cebu Daily News)

With 95 percent of his slate ready, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday introduced his 2013 election ’partners’ to a crowd of organized urban vendors in the Cebu City Sports Center.

“Team Rama” includes a lawyer, a media personality, one businessman and a mix of former city government officials, and incumbent barangay officials.

“They’ve been saying that Mike Rama is alone. They have been saying that I needed to organize a job fair to look for allies. But I am proving them wrong,” Rama said.

The presentation took place before 300 members of the Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA) which celebrated its 13th bi-annual general assembly.

The mayor later said the enthusiasm of Ermita Councilor Felicisimo Rupinta who spoke in the vendors’ gathering, made it look like a “miting de avance”.

Rupinta called on vendors to prevent a “dictator” from taking back City Hall.

“I ask this group don’t let the Osmeñas rule again,” he said.

Rupinta said he wouldn’t mind losing the election next year as long as Mayor Rama gets re-elected.

The night before, a Friday, the mayor had dinner with his allies in the Rama compound in barangay Basak, where they discussed his vision and mission till midnight.

Team Rama members took turns attending graduations and daycare center activities in the mountain barangays of Pamutan and Bonbon yesterday morning.

They had lunch at the Baseline Restaurant before going to the vendors gathering at the sports center.

No-shows

Rama didn’t call them his election lineup, with seven months still to go before October’s deadline for the official filing of certificates of candidacy.

He introduced them as his “kauban” (companions).

Eight slots each for the north and south district of the City Council are filled.

Everyone already knows Councilor Edgar Labella will be his vice mayor and former congressman Antonio Cuenco will seek reelection in the south district, a seat occupied by Tomas Osmeña.

However, Team Rama has no clear candidate yet for the north district to run against Rep. Cutie del Mar.

For the south district council seats, Rama presented Basak Pardo barangay captain Dave Tumulak, Poblacion Pardo councilor Althea Lim, Inayawan councilor Lotlot Ignacio-Soon, James Cuenco, lawyer Hans Abella and businessman Ronald Diola.

Rama’s north wing will be have Talamban councilor Ronald Caminade, Lahug councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, Ermita councilor Felicisimo Rupinta, Busay barangay captain Eleodoro Sanchez, Sambag I barangay captain Jerry Guardo, former councilor and consultant Edwin Jagmoc, and Agsungot barangay captain Pastor Alcover II.

Other members of “Team Rama” like Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Ciitom) board chairman Jack Jakosalem (north), radio personality Tisha Ylaya (south) and former SK Federation president Anthony Jones Luy (south) – were not present during the vendor’s gathering.

For the north district congressional seat, Rama said in previous interviews that it was too early to disclose a name.

Names were floated – former councilor Nestor Archival, Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal Jr. and former mayor Alvin Garcia – but they all begged off.

Miting de avance

Councilor Jose Daluz III told Cebu Daily News that “Team Rama” is made even stronger with the support of Alvin Garcia.

“Alvin won’t run and there’s no Garcia who will run in the city. They will just join our campaign,” he said.

Friday’s dinner meeting in the Rama compound saw the mayor talking late into the night about his ideas of public service and “orienting” team mates about his plans to promote public-private partnerships and clean up City Hall.

One direction

It started wth dinner at 6:30 p.m. and lasted until about midnight.

“The mayor wanted us to understand his vision so that we will have one direction as a group,” Sanchez told Cebu Daily News.

Ylaya begged off from attending because she had a cold.

“I have always been a supporter of Mayor Mike Rama and I am a supporter of his brand of leadership but I want to think it over because this will be a big decision to make,” Ylaya told CDN.

Daluz said he will help “Team Rama” as one of its campaign managers.

He said members were chosen based on their track record in public service, bailiwick, clan and endorsements from other barangay officials.

Clan support

He said Abella was endorsed by the large Abella clan in the south district while Ylaya was endorsed by the Gabuya clan.

Ignacio-Soon, a law graduate and daughter of Inayawan barangay captain Rustom Ignacio, was endorsed by officials of large-population barangays Tisa, Basak, Duljo and Inayawan.

She also has a group of at least 3,000 women from barangay Inayawan.

Diola, brother of Fr. Carmelo Diola of Dilaab, is a real estate developer who donated a 3, 000 sq. meter lot in barangay Kalunasan in 2006 which the city used as a road.

Caminade is first councilor of barangay Talamban while Rupinta is Ermita councilor and CCUVA adviser.

DOT aims for 10M visitors

By Aileen Garcia-Yap (Cebu Daily News)

The aim is to make the Philippines a “must- experience” destination in Asia.

How will the country do this?

A “clustering strategy” was discussed yesterday in the first of several forums of the Tourism Congress held in Cebu City.

Cebu is in the Central Visayas Cluster, one of 20 thematic destinations covering 78 priority areas of the Department of Tourism (DOT), which presented its proposed National Tourism Development Plan to stakeholders in the Visayas.

Cebu island remains the country’s top island destination with about 1.6 million foreign and domestic travellers a year.

There will be seven strategic clusters in northern Philippines, six in central Philippines and seven in southern Philippines, said Daniel G. Corpuz, tourism undersecretary for planning and promotions.

He said the strategic vision is to make the Philippines a “must experience” destination in Asia.

For the Central Visayas Tourism Cluster, the plan cites five priority development areas : 1. northern Cebu-Bantayan-Malapascua, 2. Metro Cebu-Mactan-Olango Island; 3. southern Cebu; 4. Negros Oriental-Dumaguete-Siquijor, and 5. Tagbilaran-Panglao Island.

The DOT aims to bring in 10 million foreign tourists and 35 million domestic travelers by 2016.

“The themes for these areas will be MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), business, resort, history, events, sightseeing, entertainment, shopping and eco-tourism,” said Corpuz.

Specific projects include expansion of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport terminal and improvement of runways, designing a gateway marketing program for global routes and establishment of seamless connectivity from the airport.

Building and improving roads using a P2.86 billion this year with the Department of Public Works and Highways is part of the plan.

“We will also be expanding the passenger terminal in Bohol airport where we also need to set up a gateway,” said Corpuz.

Corpuz said they will also identify more Tourism Enterprise Zones in Cebu and Panglao, Bohol.

“We will also need to improve the 17 existing heritage destinations in the region with a budget of P500 million and link communities to tourism supply chain.”

An additional 7,000 rooms will be needed from 2011 to 2016 to accommodate the target number of tourists, he said.

The DOT has to “get married” to and collaborate with other government agencies to get all this done, said Corpuz, especially in improving road networks which is under the Dept of Public Works and Highways, and airports under the Dept. of Transportation and Communication.

A portfolio of nine tourism products will feature nature; cultural; sun and beach; leisure and entertainment; MICE and events; health, wellness and retirement; cruise and nautical; diving and marine sports; and education tourism.

Targets

The national target of 10 million foreign tourists and 35 million domestic travelers by 2016, is ambitious but doable, said Tourism Congress president Marceline Clemente.

“By 2016,” said Corpuz, “the foreign tourists should stay for 9.21 nights on the average spending at least P4,382.53 daily. For the domestic travelers, they should stay for 4.36 nights on the average spending P11,167 daily.”

It these targets are met, the Philippines stands to earn P2.13 trillion, create 6.8 million jobs and 17 percent employment.

According to Corpuz, the outlook is positive and favors strong global tourism growth especially in Southeast Asia which is projected to have 100 million arrivals in 2016 and 120 million by 2020.

“Based on a study by the Australian Tourism Commission in 2008, Chinese outbound travelers are will reach close to 90 million in 2016. That is a huge opportunity for us to tap.”

About 75 million Germans will also be traveling and about 65 million Americans, close to 60 million from the United Kingdom, and close to 50 million from Malaysia among others.

“By 2016, we project to have 1.9 million Korean tourists, 1.4 million Americans, 1 million Chinese, 1.04 million from other countries in the ASEAN region, and over 500,000 Japanese tourists,” said Corpuz.

The Tourism Congress board of trustees will meet today in Mactan resort for a strategic planning session to get inputs from the Visayas.

“We will be coming up with a master plan for our plans, projects and strategies that we will submit to DOT,” said Clemente.

8 US firms to set up shop in Cebu

By Aileen Garcia-Yap (Cebu Daily News)

Cebu is no longer just a call center haven.

It’s maturing into higher value services.

The boom in business process outsourcing (BPO) has actually shown a changed trend with non-voice services leading the way, according to an investment official.

“There are more non-voice processes done here now,” said Joel Mari Yu, managing director of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), the marketing arm of Cebu City government.

Yu said there are more employees working for knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies in Cebu doing higher level work like accounting, research, medical coding, medical billing, and computer programming than those working in call centers.

“Based on our last data, we have 52 companies into KPO hiring 45,000 people out of the 75,000 direct employment in outsourcing companies. This leaves only 30,000 people working in call centers now,” said Yu.

He added that at least eight American outsourcing companies have confirmed plans to set up offices in Cebu since January.

This developed despite fears of the adverse effects to the Philippines of a pending anti-outsourcing bill pending in the United States Congress and supported by US President Barack Obama.

Yu said that even with the US protectionist stance, Cebu is being visited by many BPO firms interested to open offices here.

“In the past, we only got one to two visits every month. I have already met and got confirmations from eight companies within the first two months of this year,” Yu said.

“This is what I have been saying. The bill will never slow down our outsourcing industry but will instead encourage more. Outsourcing is today’s reality if you want to be a globally competitive company,” he said.

He said these companies will need 4,000 and 5,000 employees to man their offices.

“Companies like EXL, HCCA, United Health Care, Promet and Talleco have already confirmed that they will open offices here. Ironically, most of these are American companies,” said Yu.

“These are mostly higher-end outsourcing services that will help provide opportunities for our graduates especially the nurses who can work as medical coders because the company will need people who have knowledge in the medical science,” said Yu.

The outsourcing industry has enjoyed a boom since 2004 in Cebu, starting with call centers that relied on a large pool of young, English-speaking college graduates.

Yu said he expects more non-voice companies to come to Cebu this year because of the availability of capable manpower.

“Cebu will continue to be an attractive destination for these companies. To ensure that we sustain that, we build capability by making sure the three critical areas are taken care of, he said.

He said these are hardware or the infrastructure, software or the business environment, and the “peopleware” or a sustained supply of appropriate manpower.

Cebu City was ranked the no. 1 “emerging global outsourcing destination” among 50 top sites worldwide in a 2009 2009 survey by Tholons, an international consultancy firm.

It was the second year Cebu City received this rating based on criteria of scale and quality of workforce, infrastructure, business catalyst, risk profile, cost and quality of life.

Following Cebu in second and third places were cities of Shanghai and Beijing.

Several industry experts said the Philippines has already overtaken India as the BPO capital of the world.

BPO and ICT (information and communication technology) companies are centered mostly in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao cities.

DTI to hold trade seminar in Cebu

By Fayette C. Riñen (PIA-Cebu with DTI 7)

CEBU CITY, March 22 (PIA) -- Doors to more business opportunities are open to Cebu businessmen abroad as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initiates a seminar on ‘Doing Business with Australia and New Zealand,’ which is slated tomorrow, March 23 at a posh hotel here in Cebu City.

The seminar aims to increase awareness of Cebu companies on how to effectively access the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Likewise, the activity will inform the participants on how to avail of the benefits from reduced or eliminated tariffs under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Foreign Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the various procedures and documentary requirements on availing these benefits.

Trade Assistant Secretary Ramon Vicente Kabigting of the Bureau of International Trade Relations will lead the key resource persons from the DTI. Other speakers include Director Senen Perlada of the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion, Anthony Weymouth of the Australian Trade Commission, Hernando Banal of the NZ Trade and Enterprise and officers from the Bureau of Customs.

Such DTI undertaking is part of the agency’s business education drive to improve access of Philippine products and services to non-traditional markets such as Australia and New Zealand, and for Philippine companies to avail of the benefits from reduced or eliminated tariff barriers under the AANZFTA.

Target participants are exporters, importers and customs brokers particularly those who have trade engagements (both export & import) with Australia and New Zealand or those who intend to trade with these countries.

The AANZFTA is a highly comprehensive economic agreement participated in by the Philippines and it covers trade in goods, services, investments, intellectual property, e-commerce, entry of business people, and economic cooperation.

Entered into force in January 2010, the agreement is also the most comprehensive FTA that ASEAN has ever negotiated.

Under the AANZFTA, 96.4 percent and 84.7 percent of all products that may be imported by Australia and New Zealand, respectively, can already enter their markets at zero tariffs. As such, this reduces the cost of doing business for Philippine exporters.

Tomorrow’s activity is in cooperation with the Australian Trade Commission and the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

8,000 dogs vaccinated in LGU anti-rabies campaign

By Fayette C. Riñen (PIA-Cebu)

CEBU CITY, March 21 (PIA) – The local government of Mandaue City has conducted a massive free vaccination campaign to make the city rabies-free by 2013.

Observing Anti-Rabies Month this March, the Mandaue City Veterinary Office (MCVO) vaccinated and registered a total of 8,475 dogs in all 27 barangays.

The MCVO also regularly conducts awareness campaign on responsible pet ownership, and free registration and vaccination for all pets.

“Pet owners can save a total of P250, i.e., P100 for the registration and P150 for the vaccination fee,” according to city veterinarian Dr. Daisy Penetrante.

The MCVO has registered and vaccinated even as there are only minimal cases of cats with rabies virus.

Pentrante hailed the support of the Melinda Gates Foundation for donating around 200 anti-rabies vials. One vial is good for ten pets.

“With this development I am very confident that we can hit our target to be rabies-free by next year,” Penetrante said.

Under RA 9482 or an Act Providing for the Control and Elimination of Human and Animal Rabies, all local government units (LGUs) are mandated to properly immunize and register all dogs in their respective localities.

Capitol board OKs P700M Carmen bulk water joint venture

By Carmel Loise Matus (Correspondent, Cebu Daily News)

Who doesn’t want low-cost, plentiful water?

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday authorized Gov. Gwen Garcia to sign a joint investment agreement with Manila Water Consortium to roll out the P700-million Carmen Bulk Water project.

But members paused to ask who would sit in the new company that would be formed to operate the project and other details.

Since the province would pay P124 million as its initial investment, PB Member Arleigh Sitoy said those who sit in the joint investment company (JICO) that will be formed must be “qualified and accountable.”

How and when will payments be paid, asked PB Member Ribomapil Holganza Jr.

At the end of a two-hour discussion, the board agreed to authorize Governor Garcia to push ahead with the deal.

They also agreed to let Sitoy draft a supplemental ordinance to spell out who would sit in the five-member board of the company.

As agreed, the Manila Water Consortium would own 51 percent and name two board members.

The Cebu provincial government would own 49 percent and name two board members as well. The choice of the fifth member will be mutually agreed by both parties.

Sitoy said his draft ordinance will spell out the qualifications of those who will represent the province in the JICO and “include the requirement that the representatives of the province will report quarterly to the PB and to the governor.”

The PB yesterday invited representatives of Manila Water Consortium and the Joint Investment, Evaluation and Selection Committee to brief them on the water project.

The Province of Cebu has set aside P300 million in its Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for the water project, said engineer Adolfo Quiroga, head of the Capitol’s provincial planning and development department.

Manila Water representatives said the bulk water project, which is expected to cost P700 million, does not comprise more than 10 percent of the company’s total assets.

The initial investment of the province of P124 million will be paid during the incorporation.

Virgilio Rivera of the Manila Water Consortium said this is the “first long-term bulk water supply” in Cebu.

The sum of P255 million that represents 30 percent of the total project cost will be paid immediately upon the creation of the joint company.

As Manila Water’s equity, the remaining 70 percent will be loaned from a bank.

“Right now we need to take advantage of the liquidity of the bank system,” he said, adding that they have good standing in availing of a long-term loan.

Last January, Manila Water challenged the top bidder, Cebu Bulk Water Consortium, at the same tariff of P13.95 and with an income return rate of 19.26 percent.

Manila Water Consortium includes Vicsal Development Corp. and Stateland Inc. It plans to start commissioning the water supply in the last quarter of 2013.

The project aims to supply 35 million liters of potable water per day from the Luyang River in Carmen, partly meeting water demands of north and central parts of Cebu province.

It is also expected to improve the groundwater status of the province, which suffers from overextraction.

Last month, three bidders—Cebu Bulk Water Consortium, Metro-Maynilad Consortium and Manila Water Co.—joined in the submission and opening of the technical and financial proposals for the project.

Cebu Bulk Water emerged the top bidder. Manila Water, as the original proponent of the project, was given until Jan. 15 to match Cebu Bulk Water’s bid.

RAFI Conducts Camotes Participatory Mapping

By PHOEBE JEN INDINO

CAMOTES ISLAND, Cebu — In its aim to address vulnerabilities and mitigate or prevent disasters from affecting young children attending the day care center in Barangay San Isidro, San Francisco town in this island, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) recently conducted a participatory mapping activity here.

Said activity is part of the day care construction program of the Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF) Day Care Center which aims to come up with a plan to identify and minimize risks and disasters in communities surrounding day care centers.

Participants in the activity included parent representatives, barangay councilors, auxiliary police officers and day care teachers with Camotes Island Emergency Response Team (CIERT) members providing informative expertise.

“The session’s goal was to involve the community in ensuring the safety of the youngest stakeholders, and contribute to the barangay’s overall disaster preparedness capacity,” DACF Amaya C. Aboitiz said.

Leaders promise to enforce road map

By Flor Z. Perolina (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - With a vision of making Mandaue City a premiere business destination in Central Visayas in 2016, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, other government leaders, and sectoral representatives have signed a “covenant” committing themselves to implement the newly-crafted Mandaue City Development Strategy Road Map.

Assisted by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia, a non-government agency, the city represented by the mayor, presented the road map including measurable targets and a scorecard to a multi-sectoral group.

The panelists during the half-day activity was held at Days Hotel in Mandaue City were Eric Mendoza, president of Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dominica Chua, chief operating officer of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Vicmando Suliva of Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, Francisco Eizmendi, president of ISA, Ruy Moreno of ISA, Archt. Joseph Michael Espina, dean, USC College of Architecture, Ofelia Oliva of BLGF, DTI regional director Asteria Caberte, DepEd provincial supervisor Arden Monisit, Engr. Zoilo Cortes, and Guadalupe Latonio of CLEAR, an environmental group.

Eizmendi, president of ISA said the success of the project requires a shift in paradigm from business as usual to actual transformation in all aspects of government.

He said the Performance Government System (PGS) they have introduced in Mandaue helps transform the organization. He said the city is now prepared for the final presentation in Manila on March 30 before a national and international audience.

Capitol carpools to save on fuel

By Carmel Loise Matus (Cebu Daily News)

The Cebu provincial government is seriously cutting on fuel expenses as it implements car pooling measures.

Bernard Calderon, head of the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) told Cebu Daily News that buying diesel fuel by bulk from Petron results in discounts that helped them save up on ‘excessive’ fuel expenses.

Department heads, he said, are now directed to coordinate their trips to be able to share vehicles in their trips.

“Instead of using individually their service vehicle, sharing of service vehicle if there is only one destination,” Calderon said.

Aside from the car pooling, they also practice the “No trip ticket, No travel order, No issuance of fuel” at Capitol.

All vehicles are also directed to be parked every Friday at the Capitol’s parking lot.

If there’s a scheduled travel in the weekends, drivers must secure a travel order from the office of the Provincial Administrator.

Meanwhile, Calderon also showed a record of the fuel allowances they give to the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) and the 78th Infantry Battalion (78IB).

Every month CPPO gets 1000 liters of diesel per month and 150 liters of gasoline per month while the 78IB gets 500 liters per month for diesel.

Other units like the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) gets 500 liters of diesel per month and the Special Reaction Unit (SRU) receives 200 liters per month from the Capitol’s oil depot.

DTI provincial director is new Icanserve – Cebu coordinator

(Cebu Daily News)

THE provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry – Cebu is the new coordinator of Icanserve Foundation, an advocacy group for early breast cancer detection. Nelia F. Navarro took over the position from Me’anne Alcordo-Solomon, who was elected as the foundation’s national president. Navarro was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2003. She joined the Kahayag, a group organized by her oncologist to address the psycho-social needs of member breastcancer survivor/patients and their caregivers. She then joined the Icanserve as a volunteer and was active in the conduct of the 2nd Silver Linings in Cebu in 2007 and in the Pink October annual activities of the Cebu Chapter. Through Icanserve’s high-impact information campaign and community-based screening programs, it empowers women with breast cancer. Its mission is to arm women with breast cancer information so they can make informed decisions about their health. It also provides access to special services that will help the breast cancer survivor recover and heal more effectively.

Cebu to host PH’s first freediving competition

by Jonas Panerio (Correspondent)

CEBU will play host to a different kind of international competition as the Blood Red Philippine Depth Challenge kicks off on March 31 at the Club Serena Resort in Moalboal.

Competitors from Germany, Taiwan, the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Czech Republic, Austria, Canada, Sweden and Australia among others, will compete in the tournament organized by Austrian freediver, Wolfgang Dafert.

Freediving means diving on a single breath of air and it is a sport that is being promoted by Dafert, who has taught and practiced the sport for more than 15 years. This marks only the second time that an Asian country has hosted a freediving tournament with Japan hosting the very first one in 2010.

The competition will be recognized by AIDA, the international governing body of freediving with international judges coming over to certify the records that will be made during the two-day event. The panel of judges include German Richard Wonka, Sarah Whitcher of the United Kingdom and JP Francois of Belgium.

In addition, since this is the first competition of its kind in the country, the winners will thus hold the national records.

There will be four disciplines that will be competed in including Static Apnea which is a competition to see who can hold their breath the longest in a pool and the free dive competition consisting of the constant weight, the unassisted and the free immersion dives.

DENR 7 Bares Full Implementation Of NAILTF's No-Logging Resolution

By PHOEBE JEN INDINO

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso bared the full implementation of Resolution No. 6 by the National Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force (NAILTF) which started last March 1.

Said resolution provides that logs and lumber derived from the country’s natural and residual forests and which have been confiscated shall be considered state property.

The same resolution states that no DENR official or employee is authorized to issue any processing, milling, and transport permit for logs and lumber derived from said natural or residual forests except those duly exempt under Executive Order (EO) No. 23, dated February 1, 2011.

Dichoso said under a new system in forest resource development, the move to establish tree plantation development is given a push in recognizing the sustainability of tree plantations as a viable source of timber.

He said all confiscated forest products should be turned over to the Department of Education to be made into school chairs and desks.

Natural and residual forests are forests of indigenous trees and which are not planted by man, which is why Dichoso said timber firms in the region could no longer transport their products since the deadline set in transporting inventoried timber harvested from natural and residual forests by the National Anti-illegal Logging Task Force has already ended.

To recall, timber licensees were granted a 90-day extension period, from November 28, 2011 to February 28 of this year to transport their products, provided they have paid the necessary forest charges prior to May 21, 2011.

In a related development, it was learned that EO 23 implementation in Central Visayas in 2011 resulted in the confiscation of 439.2205 cubic meters of undocumented forest products worth an estimated cost of R13.546 million, and the apprehension of 30 conveyances, tools and equipment.

Cebu had the most number of seized forest products with 250.6671 cubic meters worth R12.669 million, followed by Negros Oriental with 59.1924 cubic meters worth R547.378 million and Bohol with 129.361 cubic meters worth R329.386 million.

Dichoso said the DENR plans “a more razor-sharp” campaign against illegal loggers, with emphasis on strengthening DENR’s in-house capabilities to fight illegal logging and continuing on with its advocacy of enjoining citizen participation in reforestation efforts and community-led forest resources management.

Cebu tech community supports local entrepreneurs via Startup Weekend

By Fleire Castro


Aiming to support local entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts, Cebu's local tech community via TechTalks.ph, along with volunteers, is organizing the first Startup Weekend event in Cebu. This event will be happening on May 11-13, 2012 at the UP Cebu in Cebu City.

Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event that gives the participants a venue to come together and share ideas, create business plans, build prototypes, and learn whether an idea can be a viable business. This hands-on experience is done over the course of the weekend starting on Friday to Sunday only.

These 54-hour events are organized by volunteers of Startup Weekend, a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, Washington, USA. In 2010, the organization received a grant from the largest foundation for entrepreneurship in the world - Kauffman Foundation. Right now, there had been 468 events done, 190 events in planning, with almost 5000 teams created since its conception.

The event is perfect for developers, designers or even non-technical people who want a hands-on experience building a business. This is the kind crowd expected in the event where they will blend together, learn new skills, build their network, educate themselves on how to launch a business, mentorship and engage in "co-founder" dating.

Startup Weekend Cebu is also expected to bring in mentors, not just from technopreneurs in Cebu but also from different parts of the country and Asia, including Eric Su from Piclyf. It will also bring in judges that includes Winston Damarillo, CEO of Morphlabs.

Event organizers include techies and entrepreneurs like Dave Overton from Sym.ph, Mark Buenconsejo from Caresharing, Ms. Tins from TechTalks, freelancers, and business owners too. SWCebu has also partnered with local online media sponsors like zerothreetwo.com and Cebu Bloggers Society to increase the mileage of the event.

So far, the confirmed organizations who have showed their support through sponsorships already include Globe who has sponsored last year's Startup Weekend in Manila, UP Cebu and CebuinIT who also graciously offered their resources for the venue for the 54 hour event, Microsoft Bizspark, Startupr, and Third Team Media Contributing sponsor include TechTalks.ph, Devcon, Nextcue and the companies of volunteers.

Cebu Traders, DA Partner In Creation Of Organic Certifying Body

By MALOU M. MOZO

CEBU CITY, Cebu – The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will undertake a recycling program by urging the public to segregate their own waste and convert this into a thriving business.

CCCI chairman Samuel Chioson said such a recycling program will be piloted among established residential subdivisions in Cebu, especially those with high garbage volume.

“There is money in recycling and we would like to see the public segregate their waste and earn additional income, while setting aside items that can still be recycled,” Chioson said in an interview.

The CCCI chairman also emphasized that more than just earning additional income, the project is aimed at helping minimize the volume of waste being dumped at existing landfills.

To realize the said project, Chioson revealed that the CCCI will organize a core group under the chamber’s environment committee that will manage the project. CCCI targets to launch the program during the Cebu Business Month celebration in June this year.

In the meantime, Chioson said the Chamber will set aside P500,000 for the creation of a local certifying body to serve businesses seeking to have their organic products accredited.

CCCI will tap the technical expertise of the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation.

Chioson said this project aims to further push organic farming in the province and, at the same time, help local farmers market their organically produced products among commercial establishments and international hotels, among others.

Stakeholders join disaster risk mapping for day care center

By Hazel F. Gloria (MBCN/HFG-PIA7)

CEBU CITY, March 11 (PIA) -- Nineteen stakeholders from Barangay San Isidro and San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu have gathered recently to conduct a disaster risk mapping for the area surrounding the future Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF) Day Care Center in the said barangays.

Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) with the parent representatives, barangay councilors and tanods, and day care teachers initiated the mapping.

Members from the Camotes Island Emergency Response Team (CIERT) also joined the activity and provided expertise and resource on the activity.

The participatory mapping is part of the day care construction program of DACF of RAFI, wherein the fund works with barangay stakeholders to come up with a plan to identify and minimize risks and disasters in the community surrounding the day care centers.

DACF chair Amaya Aboitiz explained that the goal of the planning session was to involve the community in ensuring the safety of the youngest stakeholders, as well as to contribute to the barangay’s overall preparedness for disasters.

During the session, community stakeholders gained knowledge and skills on identifying hazards and vulnerabilities in the area surrounding the day care center.

They also assessed their current capacity and readiness to prevent and prepare for the effects of these hazards.

Participants then walked around the site to observe the area surrounding the day care center and to locate hazards and vulnerabilities.

These observations were translated into a map, showing the various areas of risk which needs to be addressed to ensure the safety of the children at the day care center.


DENR Urges Conservation Of Caves

(Manila Bulletin Article)

CEBU CITY (PIA) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso recently urged the public to support the campaign for the protection and conservation of caves.

Dichoso made the call as caves are non-renewable natural resources with important scientific, economic, educational, cultural, historical, and aesthetic values.

Caves are any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess or system of interconnected passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge located either in private or public land. It is large enough to permit an individual to enter and is either naturally-formed or man-made.

Caves are also home to specialized mineral formations with unique and diverse flora and fauna, he said.

Cave protection and conservation is one of the priority programs of DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje.

The protection and conservation of caves is mandated under Republic Act 9072 otherwise known as the “National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act” which was passed on April 8, 2001.

House panel okays bill creating Cebu sports academy

(Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)

MANILA -- The House Committee on Youth and Sports Development has approved a proposed legislation creating a sports academy in the town of Minglanilla, Cebu.

House Bill 4107 filed by Cebu Representative Eduardo Gullas seeks to establish a Cebu Sports Academy, which “shall be constituted as the primary sports development and training center for athletes, coaches and other sports personnel in Cebu and other parts of the Central Visayas region.”

The sports academy will provide necessary physical facilities and the provision of expert training resources in the various disciplines.

“With the establishment of the Cebu Sports Academy, the sportsmen in the Central Visayas region will have a venue to train and develop the athletes’ skills and competitive spirit to prepare them to bring honor to the region in the national competitions, and the country in the future Asian, World games as well as the Olympic games,” Gullas stated in the measure.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) shall take part in upgrading existing facilities, equipment and personnel and incorporating them into the sports academy.

Establishment and operation of the sports academy shall be funded by the municipal government of Minglanilla, the province of Cebu and its legislators.

The PSC and the Office of the President may also allocate budget for the academy. Grants and endowments may be obtained from local or foreign sources intended for sports development.

$10,000 to go to rehab of three reefs

By Liv G. Campo (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - Contrary to reports that the city government is unable to decide what to do with donated funds reportedly meant for other purposes, Talisay City Bernard Odilao has assured the US$10,000 donation of MV Majuro will go straight to the rehabilitation and preservation of the city’s three marine protected areas (MPA).

“Nagsige pa mi og canvass sa presyo sa mga boya ug gamit for the floating guardhouse. After that, maghimo nami og program of works. So, definitely once we have accomplished that the city will release the funds,” Odilao said.

The third-term councilor said the US$10,000 donation will be divided among the Lagundi Reef in barangay Poblacion, Makatol Reef and Pungaton Reef in barangays Pooc and Tanke, respectively.

“Hopefully, this month floaters be can installed on these three reefs, and a floating guardhouse in Lagundi,” he said.

Last month, Odilao said the city-commissioned divers headed by Anthony Nator and Roland Remolino have started cleaning up the almost-abandoned Lagundi Reef, a two-hectare MPA. And temporarily, floaters were installed in this area to prevent anyone from fishing.

The city may not have plans to re-open Lagundi Reef, which was earlier groomed to become a dive destination, to the public, but Odilao said they may get to that once the reef gets fully rehabilitated.

In March 5, 2009, the Chinese cargo vessel MV Majuro ran aground in Lagundi Reef which damaged a wide expanse of the MPA.

After paying a P5,000 fine, as stated in a city ordinance regulating the Lagundi Reef, the shipmaster left the country, with no case filed against him.

Before leaving however, he donated $10,000 for the rehabilitation of the damaged reef. And since then, the reef has become neglected, which has raised allegations that the city government had no plans to use the money to rehabilitate it.

But in October last year Odilao filed a proposed resolution, which was then approved, requesting for the release of the money.

Community builds Calungsod church

By Jason A. Baguia(Cebu Daily News)

Toledo City – The Catholic faithfuls here are rushing to finish the church of the Blessed Pedro Calungsod before his canonization in the Vatican on Oct. 21 this year.

From a chapel made of wood and tin roof in 2006, the churchgoers are now rushing to finish the Pedro Calungsod church that sits atop a hill with a 360-degree view of the lush mountains of the city.

In 2006, the Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal approved the establishment of the parish church in the name of Calungsod whose origins was traced to the Visayas.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was all praises to the Blessed Pedro Calungsod parishioners during Sunday’s seventh annual fiesta, which also marks the sixth anniversary of the parish in barangay Cantabaco.

“I am glad to see that there have been many improvements in your church since my last visit,” Archbishop Palma told a congregation of about 1,000.

He was impressed with the church’s newly tiled floors, stained glass windows depicting the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, and scenes from Calungsod’s life.

The rectory, flooring, sanctuary finishing, churchyard landscaping and other parts of the church have yet to see completed though.

Palma was the main celebrant of the fiesta’s concelebrated mass that was participated by Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Rañola, Msgr. Ildebrando Leyson, Msgr. Gerardo Jumao-as.

Monsignor Leyson is one of the lead promoters of the cause for Calungsod’s canonization. The 94-year-old Monsignor Jumao-as along with Fr. Michael Hisoler persuaded Architect Servillano Mapeso and his wife Josephine to donate the one-hectare land where the hilltop church now sits.

Mapeso who worked on the architecture of the church said so far, P4 million was spent on the structure and another P4 million may be needed to complete it. “We need more benefactors,” Mapeso said.

Fr. Russel Emmanuel Sungcad, parish priest of Blessed Pedro Calungsod church admits that although the parish is poor, his parishioners are not losing hope of finishing the church that honors the soon-to-be second Filipino saint.

“It is bayanihan spirit of the faithful,” he said.

Having a patron saint who was young when he was martyred is something young people in the parish community can strongly relate, the parish priest said.

Fr. Sungcad recalled that Fr. Jumao-as thought it was a miracle that the church started to rise.

From its humble beginnings, the parish church has grown from two sacristans to 80, 21 chapels to 35, and five lay ministers to 60 persons serving at least 21,000 churchgoers.

Monsignor Leyson said one of Blessed Pedro Calungsod’s tasks when he went with the Jesuits on a mission to Guam was the construction of chapels in 16th century.

“The Blessed Calungsod can relate to your need for a church. He was a carpenter,” he said.

Cebu lawmaker seeks early voting for senior citizens, PWDs

(Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)

MANILA -- A lawmaker from Cebu is pushing for the early voting of senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) for the upcoming 2013 midterm elections.

Cebu Representative Gabriel Luis Quisumbing on Monday filed House Bill 5964 to be known as the Early Voting for Persons with Disabilities Act of 2012.

Under the proposed legislation, qualified voters may cast their ballots early in the office of the municipal or city election registrar where they are registered during office hours within one working day before the day of the elections.

"During the 2010 national and local elections, many senior citizens and people with disabilities left their polling places because they cannot endure the long lines and lengthy procedures in order to cast their votes. Hence, they were deprived of the opportunity to exercise the very basic right of suffrage," Quisumbing said.

It was in the May 2010 elections that the first automated polls were implemented by the government. Voters lined up for hours before they could cast their vote since precincts were clustered.

The measure proposes that at least 30 days before the elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) shall coordinate with the local government units, National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) in designing systems and assistance to be accorded to senior citizens.

The poll body shall also designate accessible polling places where PWDs may be able to cast their vote, ensuring that such polling places are provided with the necessary mobility, communication, visual and other forms of assistance for concerned voters.

IC to hold 3-day micro-insurance seminar in Cebu on Mar 6

By Fayette C. Riñen(PIA-Cebu with IC PR)

CEBU CITY, March 5 (PIA) – To strongly push for a wider acceptance of micro-insurance among the informal and low income sectors, the Insurance Commission (IC) in partnership with the Department of Finance (DOF) will be holding a three-day training and advocacy seminar among key stakeholders in Central Visayasin Cebu on March 6 to 8 .

The activity aims to develop advocate-partners in promoting microinsurance among the informal and low-income groups.

Part of a nationwide microinsurance literacy campaign, the IC and the DOF recognize the need to provide appropriate risk protection to the identified sectors and wish to help them.

At present, the IC together with the DOF is implementing various initiatives on microinsurance. These initiatives are supported by micronisurance projects under the Asian Development Bank-Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (Developing Microinsurance Project) and the German International Cooperation (Microinsurance Innovations Program for Social Security)..

In Cebu, the IC will also conduct the ‘Magpaseguro Para Protektado: Advocacy Seminar on Microinsurance on March 9.

IC Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc will deliver the keynote address tomorrow while Finance Usec. Gil Beltran will close the day’s activity.

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