Cebu Province News February 2015

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Province of Cebu - Archived News

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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: 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. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

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.

Tsunami drill eyed in Olango

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/02/09/1421798/comprehensive-development-mulled-kinatarcan-island
• Tuesday, February 10, 2015 12:00 am

By Christell Fatima M. Tudtud (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines – The Lapu-Lapu City government plans to conduct a tsunami drill in order to prepare residents in Olango Island for a possible seismic sea wave.

Andy Berame, deputy action officer of City Disaster management Office, said in a recent news conference that his team will hold a drill in Barangay Tingo next on March 8.

“The barangay may be vulnerable to tsunami because the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded an earthquake off Camotes Island in 1920s,” Berame said.

Tingo, according to Berame, is one of the 11 barangays situated in the island of Olango reportedly facing Camotes Island.

Last year, around 60 city disaster responders were trained by skilled instructors of Metro Manila Development Authority on search-and-rescue skills both in water and collapsed buildings.

The training that took place within 11 days from November 26 to December 5 last year was supervised by Aldo Mayor, chief of Public Safety Department of MMDA.

Mayor Paz Radaza earlier said the city plans to get more equipment such as chainsaws, rubber boats, generator sets and communication gadgets intended for barangay use.

Lapu-Lapu City has been doing hazard-mapping for 30 barangays so that the city’s disaster management team can create contingency plans ahead of natural disasters.

Comprehensive development mulled for Kinatarcan Island

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/02/09/1421798/comprehensive-development-mulled-kinatarcan-island
• Monday, February 9, 2015 12:00 am

By Jessa J. Agua / FPL (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - To achieve forward-heading, holistic and full recovery after suffering from super typhoon Yolanda, a comprehensive development plan for Kinatarcan Island in Sta. Fe town is being pushed by a religious congregation.

The Kinatarcan Island Development Plan is a brainchild of the Sto. Niño de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation, the social development arm of Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu.

Father Tito Soquino, SNAF president, said they are currently sealing the funding for the comprehensive project which aims to cover multiple aspects of development.

For the moment, SNAF has conducted sociological profiling of the community and has started informing the residents, leaders, and elders of the three barangays of Kinatarcan, Langub, and Hagdan.

Also, livelihood assistance has been given to families active in the Catholic chapel. Aiming for a comprehensive development plan, residents of different religious denominations will be included in the interactive assembly and consultations, apart from barangay officials and Catholic chapel officers.

Even local government unit is participating in this endeavor as Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Baltazar Tribunalo participated in the very first consultative meeting on January 31 where the idea was presented and explained to the residents.

Kinatarcan Island is most conveniently accessible via Daanbantayan town from mainland Cebu province. It is one of the mission areas of the Augustinian Community in Cebu.

On February 1, the pilgrim image of Señor Santo Niño visited the island and gave the locals the experience of Fiesta Senyor from fluvial, foot procession, to the religious Sinulog dance while chanting petitions responded by “Pit Senyor!”

Coastal cleanup marks World Wetlands Day

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/02/08/1421462/coastal-cleanup-marks-world-wetlands-day
• Sunday, February 8, 2015 12:00 am

By Jessa J. Agua, ATO (The Freeman) | Updated February 8, 2015 -

CEBU, Philippines - A coastal cleanup marked the state environment agency’s World Wetlands Day yesterday and a decline in the trash collected gave more reasons to celebrate.

The February 2 activity yielded around 100 kilograms of trash at the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary which is 100 percent lower than last year. The collected trash were mostly plastics, bottles, cans, and other residual wastes, according to Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“Feb. 2 of every year is observed globally and in the Philippines as Wetlands Day to give significance on the value of wetlands to human beings as they act as water purification systems, regulate flow and precipitation, flood control, and provide shoreline stability,” said DENR Regional Director Isabelo Montejo.

The garbage gathered was 130 percent lesser from the 260 kilograms in 2013, which has been the biggest in the past three years.

“The decrease of garbage collected could be attributed to the aggressive information and education campaign on proper solid waste management with a strong support from our local government units and other people’s organizations,” Montejo added.

The celebration is in adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian City of Ramsar. Around 100 participants attended the one-day coastal cleanup led by the OIWS Assistant Protected Area Superintendent Reginaldo Bueno, along with DENR-7 staff members and personnel.

Participants included the members of the Olango Eco-tour Association (OIETA), San Vicente Fisher folks Association (SVFA), and youth volunteers of Barangay San Vicente, Olango.

“We always encourage the public especially those living near the coasts to always take good care of our wetlands because they are very helpful as they protect our shoreline from wave actions, mitigate the impact of floods, absorb pollutants, and provide habitats for various plants and animal species,” said Montejo.

Montejo lauded the youth who participated in the cleanup, adding this is a good manifestation that youth of today is now more aware of their critical role in environment conservation, protection and rehabilitation. In the Philippines, February 2 has been declared as the National Wetlands Day by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 74, series of 1999 with this year’s theme, “Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth.”

The Philippines is one of 159 Contracting Parties of the convention that are committed to the conservation and wise use of all wetlands. Wetlands are lands that may be permanently or seasonally inundated. These include lakes and rivers, swamps and marshes, peatlands, estuaries, tidal flats, mangroves and coral reefs, and even man-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies and reservoirs.

Wetlands include swamps, lakes, marshes, mudflats, mangroves and marine water.

Group wants to introduce dragon boat racing in Cebu

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=5&rid=733479
• Saturday, February 7, 2015

(PNA), RMA/EB/MP/

CEBU CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) -- Two sports enthusiasts want to introduce Dragon Boat Racing to Cebu and hope Cebuanos will take to the sport that way they have taken up triathlon.

Gen. Carlos Holganza and Alfonso Alvarez, the leaders of Dragon Boat Cebu Central Philippines, hope to make Cebu the Dragon Boat Capital of the country, owing to its strategic location.

Alvarez said dragon boat racing has already spread to Pangasanin, Zambales, Camarines Sur, Boracay, Davao City, Laoag City and just recently, Bohol.

And now it's Cebu's turn.

"Cebu has lots of spots that could host dragon boat racing and it could be the place where world-class athletes could be trained," said Alvarez.

Holganza, who started dragon boat racing in Bohol two years and branched out to Davao, said those who took up the sport just recently were able to compete internationally.

"The Filipinos are a force to be reckoned with in the world and are feared in dragon boat. This is the sport where we can excel. We do not need height in this sport but coordination, teamwork and unity," said Holganza.

The pair has already approached officials from Cebu City and province and the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation for their project in Cebu.

However, they admit they face a lot of challenge.

"The challenge in starting is the boat, because a competition boat costs P400,000, while a training boat costs P220,000. Right now, we have ordered two from Manila," said Holganza.

Alvarez said the national team recently finished second of 15 countries in China last year with two gold medals in five events.

"This goes to show our potential in dragon boat. This is growing in the country and Cebu has to be in the map," he said.

Alvarez said Cebu is perfect because of its location.

"The waters in Cebu is clean, we have an international airport, we have the hotels and we have the Cebuanos, plus those from Bohol and Dumaguete, who can engage into this sport," he said.

They have already identified possible venues for dragon boat racing such as the South Road Properties, Liloan, Bogo and Bantayan Island and the two want to bring an international competition in Cebu.

"An international competition is really our culminating event. We will be bringing in teams from other countries to compete here. We will now another sport that will put Cebu in the international map, again," he said.

Japanese school, Capitol tie up

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2015/02/06/japanese-school-capitol-tie-390692
• Friday, February 6, 2015

By Flornisa M. Gitgano

THE Asian Public-Private Partnership Institute (APPPI) of Toyo University (TU) in Japan will look for investors to fund projects in Cebu Province.

After a one-week visit in Cebu, the study team of TU showed Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday initial recommendations on how to address concerns on disaster preparedness and emergency response, health facilities, idle Province-owned properties and urban issues.

The TU study team came to Cebu to try to find solutions to these concerns.

The Province provided TU’s team the transportation and accommodations as stated in memorandum of agreement signed last August 2014.

The study team visited several properties and facilities owned by Capitol and the private sector.

The team also went to the town halls and district hospitals in Malabuyoc, Danao City, Oslob, Bogo City, Tuburan and Carcar City.

The preliminary presentation of recommendations was done in a closed-door meeting with the governor.

In an interview, Davide said one of the recommendations was to offer a scholarship program to medical students to resolve the problem on lack of medical doctors and nurses in the provincial and district hospitals.

“We will set an agreement that after graduation, after passing the board, the doctors will serve in our district hospitals from eight to 10 years to make sure we have enough doctors,” said Davide.

A penalty will be imposed on those who will violate the contract.

Davide said this is what Japan is doing.

Rural hospitals

APPPI Director Sam Tabuchi said most of the doctors in the province do not want to work in rural hospitals and choose to go abroad.

“Rural hospitals also don’t have enough equipment to operate and do full service... We have come up solutions copying the Japanese system, how we can produce medical equipment enough to local hospitals so they can operate in a much better condition using much better equipment,” he said.

TU officials also recommended that the Baex building located within Capitol compound will be replaced with a 10-story building, with its top three floors to be used as a command center for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).

TU also recommended to Davide to have capacity building for disaster preparedness and make Cebu a major training center for DRRM.

“PPP is the method of formal delivery of public services and facilities,” said Tabuchi.

The TU study team will go back to Tokyo to complete the report for one and a half month.

The university will invite Davide to Japan for the final presentation in March and introduce him companies and bank who are interested with the recommendations.

DSWD to meet Cebu mayors on typhoon aid

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/02/05/1420392/dswd-meet-cebu-mayors-typhoon-aid
• Thursday, February 5, 2015 12:00 am

By Jessa J. Agua/NSA (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - To clear doubts and answer questions on the Emergency Shelter Assistance guidelines, the state social welfare agency is set to meet with local chief executives of northern Cebu.

Jenifer Abastillas of the Disaster Risk Reduction Unit of the Department of Social Welfare and Development said this is what the agency intends to do following reports of complaints from mayors of recipient local government units.

“With what’s happening, we planned to meet the mayors to explain to them the guidelines for ESA on Yolanda victims in northern Cebu. It is unfortunate that some are saying they will not claim the assistance. How about those who deserve and need it?” Abastillas said.

If all nine mayors of recipient LGUs cannot be gathered in one venue, the consultative meeting will be done in cluster or per town.

“We’ve offered to the municipal social welfare officers and mayors that we can help them explain to constituents as to who qualifies and otherwise. This is not required for all distributions but we can extend this technical assistance to them just so questions will be clarified,” Abastillas added.

The Yolanda ESA guideline was released in November 2014.

Prior to this, the guideline used was the omnibus guidelines, which provide general requirements for typhoon victims to comply.

The nine LGUs where the P1.9 billion ESA is allotted include Sta. Fe, Bantayan, Madridejos, Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Medellin, Bogo, Tabogon, and Borbon.

The ESA prioritizes survivors with monthly income of not more than P15,000, based on the latest guidelines.

The total ESA to be distributed to the nine LGUs in northern Cebu amounted to P1,909,630,000.

This was downloaded from the Department of Budget and Management to DSWD central office in December 29.

Of the amount, Sta. Fe will receive P95,830,000, Madridejos P125,725,000, Bantayan P375,880,000, Daanbantayan P425,870,000, San Remigio P188,130,000, Medellin P211,580,000, Tabogon P103,790,000, Borbon P99,205,000, and Bogo P283,620,000.

South Cebu town to host Enduro Challenge 2015 on Feb. 22

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=5&rid=732199
• Wednesday, February 4, 2015

(PNA), FPV/EB/MP/

CEBU CITY, Feb. 4 (PNA) -- A light Enduro race dubbed as the San Fernando Enduro Challenge 2015, a mountain bike competition, will be held for the first time in San Fernando town in southern Cebu on Feb. 22.

The event is sanctioned by Enduro Pilipinas, which enables riders to get points and carry it over to the major Enduro leagues.

“The route and the difficulty level is the same as that in major leagues. However, this one is shorter with a minimum of 20-kilometer distance. The major races are around 40K,” one of the lead organizers Aaron Papas said.

Another organizer February Canoy said the race will have three stages and the riders must take their mountain bikes going up.

“In Enduro, you get your time on the downhill part. The uphill will not be timed. Your downhill time in three stages will be totaled and the one with the lowest time will win,” said Canoy.

The competition is open to all riders with three different categories to choose from—the open, beginners and women’s.

“We are inviting riders who are into trail to join this event and try the fun on the Enduro discipline. We highly encourage the cross-country and downhill riders to try this because their bikes are also capable for our route,” said Papas.

Canoy said that for those who wanted to try Enduro, this event would be a good start since it is a lighter series, compared to the major ones.

Organizers said they allocated 120 slots for the competition and expecting riders from Visayas and Luzon to join.

The open category requires a mountain bike with a setup of 120mm suspension, while the beginners and women’s need a 100mm front suspension.

To secure the safety of the participants, they are required to wear protective gears. Wearing of helmet is mandatory and knee pads are strongly advised.

Cash prizes and certificates will be given to the top three for each division.

The registration fee is at Php400 for every category, online registration is available at the event’s official Facebook page.

The Enduro challenge is a prelude event to the SF Trail Riders: the 2015 San Fernando XC Challenge on May 10.

FMR projects ‘near fruition’

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2015/02/03/fmr-projects-near-fruition-390113
• Tuesday, February 3, 2015

By Oscar C. Pineda

THE Capitol’s P189-million farm-to-market-road (FMR) project is under review for implementation this year.

Estella Rodriguez, project officer of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), said she hopes the P50-million Alegria water system will also be reviewed so the two projects can be implemented simultaneously, considering there’s only one funding agency.

Rodriguez said she hopes the FMR project will be approved this month, so the bidding can start in March.

Rodriguez said the proposed 20.7-kilometer long FMR will benefit coconut and vegetable farmers in Bogo City, San Remigio and Daanbantayan.

“This aims to improve the living condition of the poor in rural areas,” she said.

Costs

Rodriguez said the FMR in Bogo City is 5.7 kilometers long, connecting Barangay Anonang to Barangay Lambusan in San Remigio.

Another FMR has three segments: from Barangays Dapdap to Tambongon; Tambongon to Toong; and Toong to Batad, all in San Remigio, for a total of 5.7 kilometers.

Another FMR is 2.7 kilometers from Barangays Kinawahan to Canagahan.

In Daanbantayan, the FMR is 6.6 kilometers, stretching from Barangays Agoho to Tapilon.

The World Bank (WB) estimated one kilometer to cost P10 million, Rodriguez said.

The proposed projects are part of the WB’s P27.48-billion soft loan to the PRDP.

Part of the fund, or P239 million, will be implemented in two towns and a city in northern Cebu plus the town of Alegria in the south, Rodriguez said.

Payment scheme

The soft loan will be paid by the National Government with a 10-percent counterpart fund shouldered by the Capitol, which is already included in its 2015 annual investment plan.

Gerry Avila, Department of Agriculture 7 agribusiness and marketing assistance chief, explained in an earlier interview that the PRDP is a six-year project (2014-2020) designed to establish a market-oriented, agri-fishery sector through priority investments.

Rodriguez said the PRDP recipients are farmers and fisherfolk nationwide, especially those who were affected by super typhoon Yolanda and the earthquake in 2013.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez met with the PRDP’s project support office personnel in Alegria town yesterday to validate the site and feasibility study for its proposed water system.

“The pipe system will connect water source to households in six Alegria barangays, which were hit twice in recent years with water-borne diseases,” she said.

Japanese uni reps in Cebu to assess disaster solutions

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2015/02/02/japanese-uni-reps-cebu-assess-disaster-solutions-389894
• Monday, February 2, 2015

By Flornisa M. Gitgano

OFFICIALS of a Japanese university will immerse themselves in Cebu Province for a week.

Toyo University (TU)officials arrived in Cebu yesterday and dropped by the Capitol to meet with Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, on behalf of Gov. Hilario Davide III.

“We were requested by Gov. Davide to come to this island to work on three subjects, which the Province is interested in. Our PPP (public private partnership) graduate school (program) can work on it as well as other possible projects that we can propose for the solution of the problems the Province is experiencing,” said Sam Tabuchi, professor of the university's PPP Graduate School.

Davide prioritized disaster preparedness, health issues and urban problems as the areas where the TU can recommend interventions.

Tabuchi, who is also director of Asia PPP Institute, will stay in the Province until Sunday while his colleagues will leave on Friday.

After Cebu was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake last Oct. 15, 2013 and super typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8, 2013, Tabuchi said there is a need to “mitigate the disaster issues.”

In the area of health service, Tabuchi said the university will look at ways to bring in private sector assistance in improving health service in the Philippines.

TU, headed by team leader Adachi Hiroaki, will also study the province's trash collections, flooding, transportation in urban areas, as well the properties available in Cebu for economic opportunities.

Tabuchi said his team will find Japanese investors who can invest in projects in Cebu.

The TU officials will interview the local citizens, members of the chamber of commerce and local organizations in a bid to formulate “better or fair solutions” to the issues presented by the Capitol.

Tabuchi said they will coordinate with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

Jica has been coordinating with the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board in realizing the Mega Cebu Vision 2050.

Tabuchi has worked with Mandaue City and Butuan City but this will be the first time that TU will be working with the Province.

CAAP to develop island airports

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2015/02/01/caap-develop-island-airports-389730
• Sunday, February 1, 2015

By Flornisa M. Gitgano

THE airports in the islands of Bantayan and Camotes may soon be developed after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) agreed to work with the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) and Province of Cebu.

Aside from these two airports, MCIAA General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete said they are also looking at the possibility of putting an aerodrome in northern Cebu for the relocation of general aviation facilities of MCIA.

Villarete said last week that CAAP sent a technical team to Camotes and Bantayan for the upgrading of the island’s airport facilities.

“There are specific provisions in the concession agreement that do not allow us to operate airports that are competing with Mactan in the next 25 years, but it excludes Bantayan and Camotes. And that’s why we are looking at these with the Department of Tourism and MCIAA and CAAP who are very interested in upgrading the facilities of Bantayan and Camotes. You know the potential of these two islands,” Villarete told reporters.

As to the plan of putting an aerodrome in northern Cebu, he said it depends on CAAP what town it will be located.

General aviation

“Traffic forecast in the next decades show that we will encounter a lot of increases in flight movement in Mactan before the end of the 10th year and that’s why we really have to resolve the issue of general aviation,” Villarete said.

The airports are owned by the Province and were operated by CAAP under a memorandum of agreement. CAAP stopped operating the airports after the MOA expired last January 2013.

In July last year, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III filed a motion for the MCIAA board to include the airports in Santa Fe of Bantayan and San Francisco of Camotes in the Department of Transportation and Communications study.

Private airplanes

Currently, Sta. Fe airport accommodates small private airplanes for chartered flights while the one in San Francisco is not used.

In a separate interview, Davide, member of the MCIAA board, said they will give a copy of the original plan of the two airports to CAAP.

Airports

The construction of the airports started during the term of former governor and now congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia.

Davide said the upgrades of the airports will include pavement of the runway and probably a passenger terminal.

“Any plan to do an airport should carry the approval of the CAAP. Katong pagsugod-sugod na sa Camotes wa man to ma-aprobi sa CAAP (When the construction of the Camotes airport started, it did not have an approval from CAAP),” Davide said.

Villarete said that the officials from CAAP will come to MCIAA board for a discussion about the airport together with the Provincial Government.