Cebu Province News 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.

Riverbasin plan to cost P13M

By Candeze R. Mongaya (Reporter,Cebu Daily News)

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR) 7 endorsed the P13-million budget of the Central Cebu River Basins Management Council (CCRBMC) to the Regional Development Council (RDC).

DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dischoso said that the component of the master plan includes watershed management, environmental conservation, institutional and policy, water resources management, flood control and hazard mitigation, wetlands and river, gender, and information, education, and communication.

The Central Cebu river basins covers four major watershed areas namely, Mananga, Lusaran-Combado, Kotkot and the coastal river basins which includes Guinsaga, Butuanon, Mahiga, Guadalalupe, Lahug, Linao and Bulacao.

It covers a total area of 68,133 hectares and also covers the cities of Cebu, Toledo, Danao, Mandaue, and Talisay; and municipalities of Asturias, Minglanilla, Lilo-an, Consolacion, Compostela, and Balamban.

IT Firm Opens Cebu Operations

By MALOU M. MAZO

CEBU CITY, Cebu – Owing to the bullishness of Cebu’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, an information technology (IT) company, specializing in non-voice services, opened its first Cebu hub recently.

Talleco, with some 100 workstations at the Cebu IT Tower within the Cebu Business Park, is an information technology company offering non-voice account on software development, data entry and other IT-related works and processes.

“Manila is already saturated with BPO companies and we see Cebu as an opportunity to grow our business because of Cebu’s big pool of qualified human resources,” said Talleco managing director Kurt Andrada.

He sees the Cebu Business Park as a strategic location for the company because the Park, according to Andrada “offers a healthy lifestyle which is less congested with no bars and away from stiff competition with other BPOs.”

Andrada said Talleco initially opened in March this year, with an initial 75 employees working on a three-shift operation serving North American clients.

“We’re aiming for a progressive development in our Cebu hub, targeting to add two or more clients by the end of this year or early 2013,” he said.

Talleco, according to Andrada, is set to increase its workforce to 200 people by year-end. Such workforce will consist of software developers, network engineers, data entry professionals, and project managers.

2,000 visitors in Oslob; ‘more solemn’ Holy Week in Bantayan

by Carmel Loise Matus (Correspondent,Cebu Daily News)

ABOUT 2,000 visitors went to Oslob town in south Cebu on Black Saturday to watch whale sharks.

Yesterday’s crowd was double the size of visitors on Holy Thursday, said PO2 Nelson Mendaros of the Oslob Police Station.

There were no whale shark watching guides on Good Friday.

He said most of the visitors were local tourists with a few foreigners. The crowd peaked at 9 a.m. and thinned out towards the 1 p.m. cut-off.

Oslob Mayor Ronald Guaren also dropped by the coastal barangay, which is a distance from the town’s poblacion to check on the visitors.

Meanwhile, in Bantayan Island in northern Cebu, there were a few cases of drunken conduct but police said it was “more solemn” this year for Holy Week.

Mayor Ian Christopher Escario said restaurant and bar owners helped by heeding his request not to play loud music starting Holy Wednesday.

No bikini shows were held in line with a strict Capitol policy against it.

The mayor said despite the ban, it didn’t affect the tourism industry and that resorts and pension houses in the island were fully booked despite charging double room rates for the peak season.

He said at least 10 class reunions were held this week, with on batch organizing an Easter Fun Run today.

Bike lanes in Cebu City

by Phoebe Jen Indino

Cebu City, Philippines – A multi-sectoral citizenry composed of different environment advocacy organizations and private individuals, who want to make a significant change, is campaigning for the creation of bike lanes here.

“This hip campaign allows the people to reclaim their rights in creating public spaces for a healthful and sustainable society, and put back our sense of community“, said Vince Aureflor Cinches of 350.org Pilipinas, whose group is also supporting the same cause.

In a manifesto released recently, the group proposes to put up bicycle lanes in Cebu City roads for the safety of bikers, cyclists, skateboarders, and pedestrians. Further, the group believed that the bikers, skateboarders, pedestrians and cyclists also deserve respect and equal rights to share the road with other vehicle drivers.

It also cited that space on the road should be allocated by number of passengers, not just size of vehicles: one person riding a bike should be given the same amount of space as one person riding an SUV.

Good Friday devotees nailed to crosses

(AP/Tashuana Alemania/Daryl Anunciado/Sunnex)

CEBU CITY -- Thousands of people gathered in Philippine villages to watch devotees being nailed to crosses as they marked Good Friday by re-enacting Jesus Christ's suffering.

In Cebu City, a man in Barangay Guadalupe had himself suffered from carrying the cross to show his acts of penitence.

He was placed between two other men who also portrayed as the criminals who were crucified next to Jesus Christ.

In Pampanga, nine men wearing crowns of twigs on their heads were crucified for a few minutes by villagers dressed as Roman centurions in San Pedro Cutud village. At least eight other people were nailed to crosses in neighboring villages.

Prior to the crucifixions, dozens of male penitents walked several kilometers (miles) through village streets, beating their bare backs with sharp bamboo sticks and pieces of wood. Some of the penitents had their backs inflicted with cuts to keep them bloody.

The spectacle reflects a unique brand of Catholicism that merges church traditions with Philippine folk superstitions.

Many of the mostly impoverished penitents undergo the ritual to atone for sins, pray for the sick or a better life, or give thanks for what they believe were God-given miracles.

Dubbed as “Siete Palabras” (The Seven Last Words), the reenactment depicted the sufferings of Jesus Christ from when Pontius Pilate sentenced and condemned him to the hands of the Roman soldiers, up to his way to his crucifixion, and later, his death.

The yearly rite continues even as church leaders discourage the practice.

"We do not judge and condemn, but we discourage it," Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said of the crucifixions.

Rev. Melvin Castro, also of the CBCP, said "the church's position is there's no need to go through this physical and literal pain on the body because Christ already did that for us."

He said what the church asks is for people to "enter into the passion and death of Christ by internal sacrifices," including going to confession and giving alms.

Meanwhile, Most Reverend Julito Cortes said Friday that the cross where Jesus was nailed dead symbolizes the infinite love of God.

"Ang krus nagpahinumdum kanato dili sa kamatayon ug pag-antos kung dili sa gugma ug kalooy sa Ginoo (The cross reminds us not of death and suffering but of God's love and mercy),” Cortes said in his homily after the Siete Palabras in Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Friday afternoon.

Cortes took over Cebu Archbishop Palma, who is on an emergency leave due to a medical operation, in celebrating the Holy Mass on Good Friday.

He reminded the Catholic faithful to also remember that the cross was the means by which Christ would draw them unto Him and the salvation He offers.

"Gidupa ni Jesus iyang mga kamot aron maabli ang ganghaan sa langit para sa mga tawo (Jesus outstretched His hands to open the door of Heaven for the people),” he said.

Budget for Cebu rivers rehab approved

By Hazel F. Gloria (MBCN/HFG-PIA7/DENR-7)

CEBU CITY, April 5 (PIA) -- The Central Cebu River Basins Management Council (CCRBMC) has approved an estimated P13-million budget to rehabilitate and protect the rivers in the region.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) regional executive director Maximo Dichoso said that the Council issued resolution no. 2012-01 endorsing the integrated river basin management and development master plan.

Dichoso added the components of the master plan includes watershed management, environmental conservation, institutional and policy, water resources management, flood control and hazard mitigation, wetlands and river, gender, and information, education, and communication.

Meanwhile, the said council resolution dated March 7, which was attested by Dichoso and approved by Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma as chairperson of the council, was forwarded to the Regional Development Council (RDC-7) on April 2 for adoption, acceptance, and support.

“The CCRBMC subscribes to the integrated approaches to development using the river basin as a planning and management unit,” he said.

The project has two phases: the first phase reviewed the water policy and development strategy for the river basins, and the second phase involved the formulation of a 15-year master plan, with specific projects for water resources, watershed management, flood control, environment, and institutional arrangement considering current problems and issues.

The Central Cebu river basins has a total area of 68,133 hectares which covers four major watershed areas such as Mananga with 8,716 hectares; Lusaran-Combado, 26,257; Coastal, 24,849; and Kotkot with 8,311 hectares.

Coastal river basins include Guinsaga, Butuanon, Mahiga, Guadalalupe, Lahug, Linao, and Bulacao.

This covers cities of Cebu, Toledo, Danao, Mandaue, and Talisay; and municipalities of Asturias, Minglanilla, Lilo-an, Consolacion, Compostela, and Balamban.

CCRBMC is a multi-stakeholder organization that will use the integrated water resources management principles and adapt the integrated watershed or river basins and ecosystems management approach as an overarching strategy to environment and natural resources management.

Cops Reinforced For Holy Week

By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.

CEBU CITY, Cebu — The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) has fielded 150 policemen starting Wednesday as part of its security and order measures for Holy Week.

Some 42 police personnel are going to Bantayan Island, a known hotspot during the Holy Week, while 44 officers are being tasked to provide security in Minglanilla and neighboring towns. Another 51 police officers will stay in the headquarters and 14 police personnel will be on standby.

The CPPO has also established at least 100 public assistance centers starting Wednesday to provide help to the public and ensure safety and order during the observance of Holy Thursday and Good friday.

The public assistance centers are in strategic areas such as piers, 85 churches in the province, and tourism spots, among others, said CPPO Director Patrocinio Comendador.

There are about 243 beaches in Cebu province, although only 22 of these beaches are considered “busy,” Commendador said. He said the CPPO has divided Cebu in eight areas to be supervised by CPPO officials.

Cebu signs support for PWDs’ right to suffrage

by KARLON N. RAMA (with Erika Lagunzad)

CEBU CITY – The provincial government of Cebu pledged to encourage more persons with disability to take part in the 2013 elections when it signed a commitment to support the Fully Abled Nation campaign that upholds PWDs’ right to suffrage.

Provincial board member Arleigh Sitoy, who some years back survived a stroke that has left him with a limp, signed in behalf of the provincial government.

Sitoy and other PWDs took center stage at the launching of the campaign in Cebu on March 28. Cebu is the 20th province with the most numbers of PWDs, according to the February 2011 data from the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The records of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of July 2011 rank Cebu as the 11th province with the most number of registered PWDs.

Retired navy captain Oscar Taleon, who is blind and is the president and co-founder of the Alyansa ng may Kapansanang Pinoy (AKAP-Pinoy), also signed his commitment to the campaign. AKAP-Pinoy has 56 chapters nationwide and 450 disabled persons organizations (DPOs) as affiliates.

The Fully Abled Nation campaign is aimed at insuring that PWDs’ right to vote is observed in the midterm elections next year.

The event was attended by representatives of DPOs, other local government officials and support groups such as VSO Bahaginan and the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme (GVSP), which led the launching of the campaign.

In his speech, Sitoy said it was time PWDs “live like everybody else.” He is known as a PWD rights advocate in Cebu having earlier proposed an ordinance giving tax incentives to business establishments in the province that have “barrier-free environments” and those that cater to tourism for PWDs.

“This is an important event,” Taleon said, as a troupe of hearing impaired dancers took over the stage and performed the Sinulog to hand gestures a teacher from the local First Integrated School for the Hearing Impaired synced to the drum beat.

A PWD dancer performs the Sinulog, a dance that honors the Sto. Nino (infant Jesus) after the signing of commitment. (Photo by KARLON RAMA)

A recent Social Weather Stations survey noted a decline in the number PWDs taking part in the electoral process. From 60 percent in 2007, only 54 percent of the 1,200 PWDs surveyed were able to vote in the 2010. Among those who voted in 2010, the ortophedically impaired showed the highest percentage of participation at 56 percent, followed by the visually impaired at 51 percent, then the hearing/speech impaired at 48 percent.

While the Comelec has registered more than 700,000 voters as of January, the figure is small given how, said Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento in a previous speech, the actual number of PWDs in the country is about 15 percent of the total 101 million population.

Though the Omnibus Election Code does not discriminate against PWDs and observes their right to suffrage, Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano admits that many are unable to take part because the process of registering and voting is largely not barrier-free.

“Many of our offices are in the upper floors of buildings, many of which don’t have elevators,” Castillano said of the hindrances faced by PWDs during regular voter registration.

The problem of access is as pronounced when voting time comes, he said, as precincts are normally found in upper rooms of public school buildings.

“Comelec does not have any control over that. We can’t choose which buildings local government units place us. If we build our own or rent a place, it gets disallowed in audit. In Mandaue City, they placed us on the third floor. And we have no say in the design of schools,” Castillano added.

The Comelec has nonetheless conducted a special registration for PWDs in the Visayas for the entire month of March.

In May last year, the Comelec national office issued Resolution 9220 which prescribes guidelines for the nationwide registration of PWDs.

“We went off-site. We took our data capturing machines outside our third floor location and placed it in more accessible places in the barangays. We informed the barangays days ahead that they will be coming so they could disseminate the information to the communities,” Castillano revealed of the Cebu special registration that began March 1.

The only requirement for registration is a valid ID card or a birth certificate proving that the registrant is of legal age.

Resolution 9220 does not only mandate better access for the PWD registrants, it also revises the registration form to gather supplementary data like type of disabilities and the form of assistance needed come election day.

“I am thankful that the Comelec has conducted special registrations for people with disabilities, daghan man ma discourage og register og vote sa una kay samok, unya hasol pud labi na namo nga mga naka-wheelchair (a lot get discouraged to register and vote because of the hassle, particularly on us who are on wheelchairs),” said Shiela Padilla who has polio.

She now expects to vote in May 2013.

And there are added perks. ”Sa karon, nag-enjoy man pud mi sa special nga discounts nga gihatag sa mga disabled og sa mga senior citizen sa taga palitunon namo, dako gyud siya og matabang (we enjoy special discounts on whatever we buy, just like senior citizens. It helps),” said Jose Revel who also has polio and gets around with the help of crutches.

The Cebu City government allocates P16.8 million annually for PWDs and P12 million of that is spent for cash assistance. The remaining P4.8 million is allocated for the operation of the city’s Persons with Disability Affairs Office.

Holy Week meaningless unless we make changes

  • Source:www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=793496
  • Monday, April 2, 2012 12:00 AM
By Mylen P. Manto/BRP (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - "Repent and enter into a new way of life with renewed faith in God."

This was how Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma emphasized the true meaning of the observance of Holy Week during his homily yesterday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

He reiterated the important thing to do is to take part in all activities of the Church. He stressed celebrating Holy Week every year will not have much sense and purpose "if we don't impose a change within for the betterment of ourselves."

In order to change, Palma made a special mention of confession.

"It's a time to repent and believe in the goodness of God. We have to repent and change ourselves. We can do that through confession."

"We are called to repent, to live in the good news and to change ourselves through confession," he stressed.

Palma added the love of God is the reason for change.

"We changed to a happy people, a people of faith and a people who express his faith in many signs of solidarities."

In the observance of the most important week of a year, Palma highlighted the significance of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday.

"The pass-over of our lives is a time to depart from our old selves and embrace the new you," he said.

He added the celebration of Easter Sunday when Christ is risen gives "us new life and new beginning."

"At the end of the Holy Week we enter into a new life of faith and of grace and of service to God our maker," he said.

Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday is the celebration of the Christians of the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem a week before His death and His resurrection.

Palma said Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday which marks the beginning of Holy Week.

"It's the week when we enter more deeply into the mysteries of faith that meant or intended to truly make us holy to be able to appreciate the love of God and therefore to open our heart to God and share in God's life in God's holiness," he said.

He, however, said although many people think Holy Week is a time for vacation, he is thankful for the Cebuanos' different way of thinking.

"Thank you Cebu. Thank you because of our greater Christian civilization. We believe that Holy Week is not simply a week for vacation but a week when we enter more deeply into our faith. The best way to celebrate and spend the Holy Week is to participate in the main activities of the church and we started it with Palm Sunday," he said.

Palma said 2012 is more special and meaningful because it has been declared by Pope Benedict XVI as the "Year of Faith."

Outside the church many vendors said they earned well, selling palm fronds shaped into crosses and other designs at P10 to P20 depending on the design.

Cebu International Airport Expansion Set

By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.

MACTAN, Cebu – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) Board said the expansion for the existing arport facility is now being programmed after making a decision to expand, rather than transfer the airport to another location.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) turned over last year its final report on the Feasibility Study for the New Passenger Terminal and Master Plan of the MCIA.

After its board meeting Friday last week, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia who sits in the board said "there is now a particular schedule in the procurement process for the building of this (new) terminal."

Garcia, however, did not divulge to media the exact schedule except that the construction of said new terminal will be on a Build-Operate-Transfer scheme under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) policy.

She asked the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) for a more compressed time schedule within which to implement the study.

The MCIA, when constructed in the 1990s, was designed to accommodate 4.5 million passengers; last year, the airport terminal has already hit some 6.2 million passengers.

For the first two months of this year alone, the MCIA accommodated 296,474 passengers, or 25 percent higher than the 237,946 passengers that arrived in the terminal for the same period in 2011.

Garcia said Cebu "is becoming more interesting and people like to come here as it gives a lot of opportunities for employment and businesses."

With this growth in passengers, Garcia said it is "a challenge" for the Cebu government to see to it that the infrastructure can keep up with this development. "We have an expansion in the existing terminal but we really need a new terminal that should be built not just to serve 6.2 million passengers but for 20 to 30 million in the next 20 years," Garcia said.

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