Cebu City News February 2013

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View of Cebu City from the bay
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Aerial View of Cebu City
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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.

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Cebu City Cathedral
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Magellan's Cross in Cebu City
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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:
  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.
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Mormon Temple Lahug cebu city philippines

Company VP dies in condo plunge

By Jodee A. Agoncillo


His last written message was brief as it was chilling: “Please cremate me immediately.” A top executive of a major car dealership firm died early Thursday in a fall from the 10th floor of his Makati City condominium, where the police said a note was found indicating that he committed suicide. The family of Cesar Genato, vice president for finance of Citimotors Inc. based on Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo), had “accepted the fact that he committed suicide and requested (us) not to conduct further investigation by signing a waiver,” according to city police chief Senior Supt. Manuel Lukban. Genato, a 70-year-old bachelor, was found dead with head injuries in front of Le Triomphe Condominium on HV dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, just before 4 a.m. Montatip Meteesutipong, 33, another resident of the condominium, recalled hearing a loud thud that sent her rushing to her terrace. From there she spotted Genato’s body on the pavement. Investigators said Genato apparently jumped from the terrace of his own unit on the 10th floor. In a statement to the police, the victim’s driver Mark Anthony Assen, 32, said that prior to the incident, Genato’s sister Sylvia Ching phoned him around 6 p.m. Wednesday and instructed him to “keep an eye” on his boss and “never leave him alone inside his unit.” Assen was still on his way to the condominium when he got the call. When he arrived there at 7:47 a.m., Genato asked him to take some of his clothes to his other house in Silang, Cavite province. After doing the errand, the driver made it back to the condo around 10 p.m. and tried to call Genato on the phone to tell him that he was leaving his car keys with the security guard. But Genato did not answer his calls, Assen said. Lukban said a note conveying a request for an immediate cremation was found on Genato’s bedside table. Genato’s family confirmed that the note was in his handwriting. Lukban, quoting the family, said the Citimotors executive had been having personal problems prior to his death. Despite the waiver calling off a police investigation, the victim’s body was brought to Veronica funeral homes in Pasay City for autopsy. Citimotors has been the distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in the country over the last 25 years.






City Health records 7K cases of STD

By Linette Ramos Cantalejo


THERE were 188 new cases of HIV reported in Cebu City last year, according to records of the City Health Department (CHD), which also reported a total of 7,175 new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Five of the 188 new cases of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) already developed into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids), said City Epidemiologist Dr. Ilya Tacan.

Of the 188 HIV cases, 164 are male and 24 are female. Some 77 percent or 145 are users of injectable drugs who may have shared needles with other HIV-positive individuals.

The rest are male persons having sex with male, according to CHD’s records.

Based on the CHD’s earlier surveys, the injectable drug users are mostly from low income families, some of whom are students as young as 15 years old. They inject Nubain, a regulated drug.

Records of the CHD also showed that majority of the individuals with STDs are registered female sex workers aged between 18 and 24 years old.

The most common STDS are non-gonococcal infection or chlamydia (5,858 cases), bacterial vaginosis (1,016), gonorrhea (243), genital warts (42), syphilis (23), genital herpes (5) and trichomoniasis (2).

The number of STD cases in 2012 is slightly higher than the number of cases recorded in 2011, which saw 6,867 cases of STDs. Of the number, 6,613 are female and 254 are male.

In an interview yesterday, Ervyl Aballe, nurse-in-charge of the STD-HIV Clinic of the CHD, said their prevention campaign focuses on health education among commercial sex workers and injectable drug users.

“At least once a year, we conduct an establishment-based health education. We would go to the workplace of the sex workers and educate them on condom use and the common STIs and their causes and cure,” she said.

Abella said the Cebu City Multi-Sectoral AIDS Council also requires establishments like night clubs to have a peer educator who can brief sex workers on STD prevention.

Freelance sex workers, male sex workers and men having sex with men, their sex partners and clients are also encouraged to visit the CHD STD-HIV clinic for their regular HIV test so the infection can be detected early.

The screening fee is P15 and is subsidized by the City Government.

The CHD also appeals to drug users not to share needles and syringes to avoid acquiring the virus, and for sexually active individuals to practice safe sex by using condoms to prevent HIV and Aids infection.

There are no clear symptoms for Aids, but most individuals living with it suffer from recurring fever, cough and rapid loss of weight. In its later stage, other infection and complications may set in and develop into tuberculosis or pneumonia.

KALAHI-CIDSS earn admiration of developing member countries

By y Juju Manubag-Empuerto


Cebu City, Feb. 26 (PIA) --- The national government’s poverty reduction program has earned the admiration of the seven Developing Member Countries (DMC).

Representatives from Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Timor-Lester, and Vietnam early this month praised the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) for being effective in empowering the beneficiary-communities into becoming active participants in local development.

The representatives’ impressions were revealed during the reflection and output presentation held recently in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

The DMC delegates earlier held a three-day learning visit in Bohol province from Feb. 5 to 7, 2013 to study the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS and its community-driven development (CDD) strategy.

Kalahi-CIDSS is one of the flagship anti-poverty projects spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

Dinh Quang Thang of Vietnam said that although his country has already implemented CDD strategy, it did not involve volunteers as strongly as that of Kalahi-CIDSS.

Thang said he would like to see a similar involvement of volunteers to be adapted and replicated by his country.

Dulce Guterres Junio, a representative of Timor-Leste, said the CDD is able to empower citizens by putting the power back in their hands.

“Kalahi-CIDSS involves volunteers, from the planning to implementation to project management stages,” Junio said.

Cambodia representative Ny Kimsan, on the other hand, said that the clear volunteer structure of Kalahi-CIDSS provided check and balances in the system, increasing transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, A.K.M Rezaul Islam of Bangladesh noted: “The community participation in planning, implementation, and maintenance allows them to own the infrastructure which they themselves have built.”

Aside from aiding in poverty alleviation, Kalahi-CIDSS also aims to improve local governance by increasing transparency and empower the citizens of beneficiary-communities.

The DMC’s cross-learning experience visited a Health Centre, a Farm-to-Market Road, and a Level II Water System in the Municipality of Carmen, and a Footbridge and an Electrification project in the Municipality of San Miguel.

Central Visayas region will obtain 55 more beneficiary municipalities with the recently-approved National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) by President Benigno S. Aquino. (rmn/JSME/PIA-Cebu/DSWD)

Rama cites record, chides Tom in Charter message

By Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac


WITH 14 city councilors absent, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama took the opportunity to enumerate his achievements, chide his predecessor and make his case with Cebu City residents in yesterday’s 76th City Charter Day celebration. In his Charter Day message, Rama noted the change of heart of his predecessor, Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district, towards the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) which he previously wanted to privatize. “Maybe he and the others also had a change of heart towards the senior citizens,” Rama said in reference to Osmeña and his Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan’s (BO-PK) stance towards releasing the senior citizens assistance. The BO-PK bloc in the council recently passed a resolution that would mandate the release of the senior citizens assistance on a monthly basis instead of twice a year. Rama also criticized the BO-PK for insisting on a P150 million settlement with the Rallos heirs over a property that he said was donated to Cebu City. He also said he and his allies are reviewing the city’s scholarship program. “It’s unfortunate that we need to do some modifications (on the city scholarship program) because we have discovered that one school (Asian College of Technology CT) has a larger number of beneficiaries,” the mayor said. The ACT is owned by Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa who is seeking election for south district congressman against Team Rama candidate Aristotle Batuhan. In his hour-long Charter Day message, Rama also cited his achievements such as raising the senior citizens assistance from P7,000 to P10,000 and increasing the number of registered senior citizens from 20,000 to 60,000 this year. He also mentioned about his decision to close the Inayawan landfill and recommendation to relocate the city jail from near the Asia Town IT park to barangay Kalunasan. “The IT Park is now free of security threats which was why buildings have started to mushroom in the area,” he said. Rama said contrary to Osmeña’s criticism, he is determined to pursue the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. “Like the South Road Properties (SRP), I will continue to making it (BRT) operative and functional,” Rama said. The mayor also cited his revitalization projects in Osmeña Boulevard and the roads at the North Reclamation Area. Rama said he asked the Beautiful Cebu Movement to also work on the revitalization of sidewalks along Mango Avenue, B. Rodriguez Road, Escario Street and N. Bacalso Avenue. The mayor likewise reiterated his commitment to sustain the CCMC’s operations and pursue the reconstruction of the Carbon Market Unit II. The Charter Day celebration began with a 7 a.m Mass held at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral followed by a flag-raising ceremony at the City Hall grounds and Rama’s one-hour message. From the City Hall grounds, the group moved to the San Nicolas fire department grounds for a floral offering at the monument of the late Don Vicente Rama. Rama introduced to the crowd his Team Rama candidates led by his running mate Councilor Edgar Labella. “I offer myself to all of you with Team Rama. I hope we can do our share to do public service above self,” Rama said.

Second female president for IBP Cebu City

By Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol and Correspondent Edison delos Angeles


THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cebu has a new set of officers, one of whom is the second female president in its history. Lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan was elected president of the IBP Cebu City chapter while lawyer Erwin Rommel Heyrosa was picked to lead the Cebu province chapter. They and other elected officers ran unopposed. The biennial IBP elections was held from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon in the courtroom of Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 9 for the Cebu City chapter while Cebu province lawyers voted in the social hall of the IBP building. Bathan said she was “happy and relieved” with the results. Bathan is the assistant dean of the University of San Jose-Recoletos’ College of Law where she graduated in 2004. She was admitted to the bar in 2005 and became one of the directors, secretary, and vice president of the IBP Cebu City chapter. Her aunt, Dean Cora Evangelista Valencia, was the first IBP female president elected in the late 90s. Valencia, who used to head the University of San Carlos law school, is the current vice president for academics of the Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) University. The 34-year-old Bathan, one of the youngest presidents in IBP Cebu history, said she plans to strengthen the legal aid program and improve health benefits for lawyers. Networking with different law schools for projects is another priority. “We intend to go to different government units to make the IBP known to the public,” Bathan told Cebu Daily News. She also said she hopes the Cebu Palace of Justice will be renovated and have an elevate installed. Meanwhile, Heyrosa said he intends to transform what used to be the IBP canteen to a lawyers’ lounge. “We have been planning to have a lawyers’ lounge since 2009. But the lawyers have not benefitted from that yet,” he told Cebu Daily News. He said he will continue the programs of the IBP Cebu Province chapter which includes feeding and lecture series in various localities in the province. “I’m grateful to my fellow lawyers for putting their trust on me,” said the 43-year-old Heyrosa who has two children with his wife Dr. Tess Heyrosa. Heyrosa graduated law at the University of San Carlos in 1995. He passed the bar examinations the following year. Heyrosa receieved 100 votes while Bathan received 190. Though all the candidates were unopposed, lawyers were still ask to cast their votes. Bathan and Heyrosa will succeed incumbent IBP presidents Earl Bonachita and Ferdinand Pepito respectively. The new set of IBP officers will hold office starting April 1. The other elected officers in the IBP Cebu City chapter are Hidelito Pascual, vice president; Leslie Reyes, secretary; Christine Naranjo, treasurer; Piedad Gonzales, auditor; and Fillmore Gomos, public relations officer. Elected directors for IBP Cebu City Chapter were lawyers Jose Glenn Capanas, Chad Rodolfo Miel, Mark Anthony Gaviola, Sue Belarmino, and Michelle Mendez-Palmares. For the Cebu Province Chapter, Gonzalo Malig-on Jr. was elected vice president; Orpha Aredain, secretary; Angelito Ortiz, treasurer; Winifredo Orcullo Jr., auditor; and Mundlyn Misal-Martin, public relations officer. The directors for the IBP Cebu Chapter includeVirginia Redelosa Jr., Ria Lidia Espina, Janice Monterola, Lielani Villarino, and Jarred Cabilte.

City Hall can fund Charter Day bonus

By Doris C. Bongcac

Cebu Daily News


Employees of the Cebu City government may get as much as P10,000 as Charter Day bonus if the city council gives the green light to Mayor Michael Rama’s recommendation. City Accountant Diwa Cuevas said there are more than enough funds to pay the bonuses of close to 4, 800 regular and casual employees. She said the release of a bigger amount “is not generosity because its election season. The mayor promised that. Dili pwede nga mag sige lang ta ug istorya unya dili tumanon. Madamay man sad ang council ana kay mo ingon na sad siya nga dili mosugot ang council,” Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., the City Council’s majority floorleader, said. Pe was also banking on the assurance of Rama’s ally, Councilor Jose Daluz III, who told the City Council in yesterday morning’s budget hearing that the city government could spend the 2012 surplus funds on bonuses. “ Councilor Daluz said we can use 2013 income to pay prior years obligations. But whether or not they can raise the needed amount is their problem,” he told Cebu Daily News. Councilors agreed to ask Rama and the Local Finance Committee (LFC) to resubmit an amended supplemental budget that will reflect the bonus increase as well as an amended certification on where the funds will be sourced. Rama laughed when sought for comment on the outcome of the budget hearing. “Why should I be the one to submit when they are the ones who changed it?” he said. Rama said he will have to consult the LFC on the council’s proposal to make sure City Hall does not exceed the Personal Service limitation. “Lets see. We can’t do this hastily. We have to be careful at the same time,” he said. He said that he was inclined to give out Charter Day bonuses. The P10,000 balance from the additional Christmas bonus may be given when he gets re-elected. Rama submitted to the City Council on Wednesday his draft Supplemental Budget 1 amounting to a total of P36.7 million. Of the amount, P31.3 million will be spent on cash incentives while another P5.4 million will be spent on city sponsored activities, the charges of which come from prior years. City-sponsored activities refer to the honorarium of personnel from the Department of Public Services (DPS) who worked during the Sinulog 2012 and 2013 and Citom personnel who manned traffic during the two events, City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said. The 1,201 cleaners and enforcers who rendered service in 2012 and the 1,497 personnel who worked in the 2013 Sinulog will each get an honorarium of P2,000 per service rendered. SB1 will be funded from 2012 surplus funds of P26.4 million and prior years adjustments and other deferred credits amounting to P10.3 million. Income from deferred credit come from advance payments made by Bigfoot for their lease of a portion of the South Road Properties (SRP). Diwa said since they already closed the 2012 book of accounts earlier than usual, they were already able to identify surplus funds of about P140.58 million from the general funds – P47.2 million, Local Development Funds (LDF) – P58.5 million, hospitals – P20 million, markets – P12 million, Cremdec – P1.48 million and housing – P1.4 million. Pe asked Cuevas where the surplus funds would come from when the city government still has prior year’s obligations which have not been paid. Diwa replied that the surplus funds where actual funds in bank and vault but she clarified that having earned surplus funds does not necessarily mean that the city is already free of any payables. Councilor Daluz said that as a policy, payables from prior years may still be paid from the income of the current year, thus there is no need for the council to fear payables that are yet to come.

Cebu rally worth P.8M

By Ares P. Gutierrez


THE opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) spent a total of P842,224 for its proclamation rally in Plaza Independencia in Cebu City on Feb. 12. In a statement obtained by Cebu Daily News last night, UNA spokesman Tobias Tiangco said they made the disclosure in a “Statement of Expenses for Public Rally” which they submitted to Marchel Sarno, election officer of the Cebu City’s first district. The Comelec received the statement yesterday or nine days after the proclamation rally. The disclosure said the amount were spent on food, gasoline, campaign vests, water, materials used in stage, printing, airfare, office supplies, tarpaulin, bus and car rentals, permits and talent fees for singers and hosts. The notice for the public rally was initially submitted to the Comelec’s Cebu second district office. But when UNA representatives went back to the office where the opposition alliance filed the notice, staffers of the Comelec’s second district refused to accept the statement of expenses after learning that the rally was held in the first district. Plaza Independencia, where the rally was held, is at the boundary of the first and second election districts of Cebu City. “UNA filed their notice for the proclamation in the second district, but the actual rally was held in the first district,” Sarno was quoted saying by the UNA statement.

City Hall severs contract with contractor

By Jujemay G. Awit


MAYOR Michael Rama has terminated the Cebu City Government’s contract with Young Builders Corp. (YBC) for the multi-million renovation of Unit II Carbon Market.

Rama signed the order of termination of contract on Feb. 18, 2013 citing “abandonment and undue delay in the prosecution of contract work.”

The City Government has asked YBC to continue the renovation of the market building and issued two work resumption orders on June 18, 2012 and later on Sept. 17, 2012.

“Despite the issuance of the orders and as of Jan. 13, 2013, the Office of the City Engineer found that there had been no contractor or activity at the project site,” read the mayor’s order.

It pointed out that more than six months had passed since the last work resumption order.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) recommended the termination of contract based on abandonment or undue delay in the prosecution of contract work.

Request

But DEPW assistant department head June Nadine Sison earlier said YBC can still participate in the bidding for the project.

YBC, in a letter to Rama on Feb. 13, said it has requested the Cebu City Government to clear the area so that it can proceed with the fencing of the project site.

The letter, signed by Gilbert Yu, read: “Clearing of the area is vital to YBC's resumption of work because of the presence of vendors, occupants, shanties, etc.”

The construction firm said its workers have been threatened by vendors when it tried to fence the project site and resume work. The company attached a copy of a police blotter report dated Nov. 27, 2012.

The contractor said vendors tore up the tarpaulin mounted by YBC. The incident was reported by Charlie Medrano, a YBC engineer.

Price adjustment

YBC also pointed out that it asked the City Government for an “equitable adjustment” in the fees as the costs of materials and labor are now higher than the amount stipulated in the contract, which was based on 2001 prices.

“We need to follow the proper procedures in order to avoid any problems later on,” Yu said in his two-page letter to Rama.

He cited the contract price escalation provision under the Presidential Decree 1594 or the guidelines on government infrastructure contracts.

If YBC requested payments for board piles and billed the City Government on the balance from the first billing, this was meant to imply that there was no abandonment of work.

YBC also asked the City Government for a certification of availability of funds, which the company deemed important in proceeding with job.

Funding

“Young Builders reiterates its commitment to proceed with Carbon Market 2 Project in compliance with its valid and existing contract with the City of Cebu,” Yu said.

The City Government allotted P170 million for the Carbon Market but Market Administrator Racquel Arce needs an additional P190 million.

Rama said he talked to Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) president Gil Buenaventura on the possibility of a loan or grant for the Carbon Market project. He did not give details.

Rama said Buenaventura made a courtesy call on his office a couple of months ago and mentioned interest in helping the City with the Carbon Market project.

Value

Rama said the DBP found the idea an attractive project. He added that the DBP found “historical and heritage value” in the Carbon Market.

Rama asked President Benigno Aquino III for funding when the latter visited Cebu in June 2011. But Aquino advised Rama to apply for a foreign loan.

Last October, officials held the groundbreaking rites to signal the start of the renovation of the market that was gutted down by fire in 1998.

The contract for the renovation project was signed in 2001 but project implementation was supposed to start late last year.

Classes suspended in 3 Cebu cities due to bad weather

By Doris Bongcac, Jhunnex Napallacan


CEBU CITY — Classes in all levels were suspended Wednesday in three cities in Cebu due to the incessant rains brought about by tropical depression “Crising”. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced the suspension over station dyLa early Wednesday morning that he had ordered the suspension of classes in all levels from kindergarten to college in both public and private schools. Rama said the suspension of classes was a preventive move to avoid accidents involving students. Rama said he immediately called up the Cebu City Schools Division to disseminate the information. Several schools, including the CIT University and Asian College of Technology, also announced the suspension of their classes. The University of San Carlos only implemented the suspension of classes in the elementary and high school levels. Lapulapu City administrator Teodulo Ybañez also said that classes in all levels, also in public and private schools, in their city have been cancelled due to possible flooding because of heavy rains. Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao said Mayor Soc Fernandez had also issued a similar directive in their city. Meanwhile, acting Cebu Governor Agnes Magpale also said she has given the mayors in the different cities and towns in Cebu the discretion to decided if there was a need to suspend classes. Magpale said there were different weather conditions in the northern and southern Cebu based on the information she got from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PNoy scheduled to grace two events in Cebu

By Rachelle M. Nessia


CEBU CITY, Feb. 19 (PIA) -- President Benigno S. Aquino III will grace two events in Cebu province today,Tuesday, and tomorrow. utomorrow.

The President will kick-off his two-day visit here by meeting with local leaders and the community in Talisay City at around 6:30 p.m. today.

A crowd of around 5,000 is expected to gather at the site in Talisay City near the city hall.

Senatorial and local bets of the Liberal Party will attend said event.

This is the second time Aquino met with local leaders in Cebu for this year, the first of which was last month at the Mandaue City Sports Complex.

On Wednesday at 9 a.m., the President will lead the inauguration of the Mactan Newtown Big Launch here, signaling the inauguration of the flagship project of Megaworld Corporation.

He will be assisted by Andrew Tan, chairman and chief executive officer of Megaworld Corporation.

Also present during the inauguration are the project's six foreign investors and top officials of Megaworld.

Simultaneous with the Mactan Newtown inauguration is a jobs fair expected to attract around 2,000 jobseekers in the province.

The jobs fair offers employment opportunities in business process outsourcing (BPO) and service-related companies.

Prior to visiting Cebu, the President was in Dumaguete City for the launching of Sy Industrial Technology (IT) Park where Qualfon now stands.(RMN/PIA-7 Cebu)

Fire gobbles up P1.2 million in property

By Jill B. Tatoy


THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 said P1.2 million worth of properties were damaged in the fire that hit Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City last Saturday evening.

The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) listed 22 families or 79 individuals left homeless by the fire on Cardinal Rosales Ave., Ayala Access Road, Barangay Kamputhaw.

BFP 7 investigator Lowel Opolentisima said in a phone interview 10 houses were destroyed while four persons were injured.

The injured were identified as Rey Zamora, 43, Francisco Bracamonte, 65, Betina Arnan, 77 and Ramon Rocca, 25.

Opolentisima said Arnan suffered a mild heart attack while the other three sustained bruises and minor burns while trying to put out the fire.

The fire reportedly started in the second floor of the house owned by Simplecio and Crisencia Niñeza.

The fire department received the alarm at 7:32 p.m. and placed it under control in 24 minutes.

The fire was raised to a general alarm, which meant all fire brigades in the city were required to respond.

Interior

Because the fire occurred in an interior part of the barangay, the firefighters had a hard time reaching the area.

“Dako og damage kay though light materials ang balay, they were ancestral houses,” the fire investigator said.

Opolentisima said they are still investigating the cause of the fire.

“We will still have to interview more witnesses that might help us determine how the fire started,” he said.

Barangay Kamputhaw Captain Lorenzo Basamot Sr. said they declared a state of calamity in the area so the barangay can release its calamity fund to help the victims.

The victims are temporarily houses in a chapel in Sitio Macroville, a few meters from the fire scene.

Basamot said they will provide meals of the victims for three days.






Seeking assistance at CH

By Jujemay G. Awit


A BARANGAY and urban poor representatives want the Cebu City Council to intervene in various issues. But Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) Chief Collin Rosell said sometimes it is best to go straight to the department concerned.

In the case of Barangay Luz, it passed a resolution urging the City, through the DWUP, to take immediate action on the “lamentable condition” of the families affected by a demolition last year.

The resolution was passed last Jan. 5. The barangay noted that the 32 families evicted from a private property have been living by the side of the road in Sitio Mabuhay since their houses were demolished last Oct. 8.

The court order only allowed them to stay there for 15 days.

Councilor Alvin Dizon was furnished a copy of the resolution and the councilor endorsed it to the council. During last Wednesday’s session, the resolution was referred to the DWUP.

Allegations

Rosell said communication for the DWUP can be submitted directly to the division.

He cited the letter of a certain Zorina Aniñon, a member of the Upper Stephenson Homeowners Association in Barangay Apas. She and several others were relocated to Barangay Budlaan.

In her handwritten letter to Dizon, Aniñon asked why they would have to pay another P1,500 to a surveyor when they already had the area surveyed.

“How many times do we need a survey?” Aniñon said in Cebuano.

Rosell said a survey can only be conducted if there’s a subdivision plan. However, the relocation site’s subdivision plan has not yet been approved.

As to the amount, he said the DWUP has nothing to do with that.

Rosell said that during a consultation, the DWUP told the beneficiaries of the relocation site to hire their own geodetic engineer to do the subdivision plan and survey. He said he told them a survey usually costs P1,500.

However, Aniñon said the geodetic engineer that was hired was the same one who conducted a survey in 2001, also for P1,500.

Denial

Aniñon also claimed that Rosell said their memorandum of agreement (MOA) was a “fake.”

“It can only be a fake if there is a true copy and then there is another copy, which can be considered fake. How can I say ‘fake’ when I haven’t seen the document? They are inventing an issue and they go directly to the council because they want to make an issue out of it,” said Rosell.

He told Sun.Star Cebu that what he said was that the document was only between the beneficiaries and the homeowners association. The lot is owned by the City Government and a binding contract would be between the City and the beneficiaries.

He said Aniñon should have approached DWUP instead of going through the council.

Linda Paracuelles of the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Association wrote Dizon about the rampant cutting of trees in an area in Barangay Apas that was declared as a socialized housing site.

Illegal structures have also been built there, although there are no informal settlers yet. The area is also a provincial property.

The council referred Paracuelles’s letter to Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale and the DWUP.

Tomas wants ATM cards issued to Cebu City seniors

By Doris C. Bongcac

Cebu Daily News


Beneficiaries of Cebu City’s senior citizen’s assistance program will be issued with ATM cards so they can easily claim their financial assistance in full as a birthday gift from the city government. Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district said the release of financial assistance once a year is easier to process and will resolve the problem of long lines of claimants at City Hall. “That way, you won’t have 60,000 people to collect (their assistance) in one day,” he said in yesterday’s press conference . Mayor Michael Rama wanted the P10,000 senior citizen cash assistance released every quarter at P2,500 each starting in April. The Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) bloc in the City Council wanted the assistance released at P800 per month to take care of the food and medicine needs of the seniors. “The treasurer says we have money so why not give it monthly. In their petition they say they need it for their daily subsistence so why don’t they release it daily,” said Councilor Margot Osmeña, the congressman’s wife. If he were to have his way, Osmeña said he wanted senior citizen assistance which Rama promised to increase to P12,000 next year during the recipient’s birthday. He also intends to hire full-time staffers to only focus on the processing of the senior citizens cash assistance and set up a system that would hasten the release of the assistance. Osmeña said lapses and delays in the processing of senior citizen’s cash assistance under the Rama administration is evident due to inadequate personnel. Since personnel assigned to do the job are borrowed from other City Hall offices, one cannot expect them to be efficient in their new task. “They do not know how to handle that because that is not their regular job,” Osmeña told reporters.

Overseas calls ‘illegal,’ halted

By Jill B. Tatoy


CEBU -- Law enforcers arrested Thursday two call center representatives and seized some P1 million worth of their office equipment allegedly used in engaging in illegal overseas call system.

Globe Telecom sought the help of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 (CIDG) after finding out that We Talk Direct information center, a company that services calls from abroad, was reportedly engaging in illegal transactions.

The company offers international phone calls at a cheap rate using an alleged illegal system and tapping into Globe’s services, resulting in millions of pesos in losses on the part of Globe.

We Talk Direct representatives Rebecca Paracuelles and RJ Avendula were arrested during the raid in their office on Don Pedro Cui St. in Barangay San Antonio, Cebu City yesterday morning, Police Inspector Delfin Bontuyan said.

The two declined media interviews after their arrest.

Some equipment allegedly used for making long-distance phone calls were confiscated from the office, including computer sets, modems, SIM packs and servers.

The raid was conducted based on a search warrant issued by Judge Eric Menchavez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 21.

Jojo Viray of the security operations Visayas Division of Globe Telecom said that because of the alleged illegal operations of the company, Globe lost about P3 million since We Talk Direct started operating in 2011.

We Talk Direct reportedly offers incoming calls to at least 31 subscribers from different countries.

The company is said to have contacts abroad who look for subscribers.

“They are using our SIM packs for our services but they changed the rate through their system so that they will pay us a much lesser amount,” Viray said.

He said that through the illegal system that it installed, We Talk Direct was allegedly able to convert the international calls into local calls, resulting in a lower phone bill from Globe Telecom.

“For example, instead of paying P15 per minute for inbound calls from abroad, they will only pay us P1 since they illegally converted it. But the rate they offer to their subscribers is still the same or even higher,” Viray said.

A complaint for violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access Device Regulation Act of 1998 will be filed against the company.

According to its website wetalkdirect.com, the company offers unlimited two-way calling to the US for as low as $19.99 a month, with discounted international rates for calls to over 200 countries.

To place a long-distance call, a subscriber needs to buy a We Talk kit that includes an IP phone, network cable, power adapter and telephone wire from the company.




11 houses gutted in Cebu City fire

By sunstar.com.ph


CEBU CITY (2nd Update)-- Approximately 11 houses were razed to the ground when a fire hit a residential area in Sitio Santo Niño, Barangay Capitol Site, Thursday morning, a radio report said.

According to Fire Officer 1 (FO1) Butch Cabasbas, the Cebu City Fire Department received the alarm at 10:13 a.m. which happened at a residential area at the back of Petron gasoline station along B. Rodriguez St.

Firefighters and Chinese volunteers responded to the scene where they initially categorized it as "general alarm" fire.

In an interview by radio dyAB, FO3 Emiliano Daño said they had a difficult time battling the fire due to the narrow paths leading to the affected houses.

However, no casualties and fatalities were reported.

The fire was declared under control around 10:50 a.m.

According to reports, the fire started at the house of Vicente David.

As of this posting, the city fire department is still investigating the cause of the fire. The amount of damage to properties is also yet to be determined.

Manuel Guanzon, Capitol Site village chief, said they will set up tents for the affected families. He will also call for an emergency session to declare the area under state of calamity (Sunnex)






Osmena Blvd. expansion to start this year

By Linette Ramos Cantalejo


THE expansion of S. Osmeña Blvd. into an eight-lane highway will start in the middle of this year, one of the two projects that will help cut travel time from Mandaue City to Talisay City by half.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) said the Department of Public Works and Highways will start the bidding process for the P150-million road widening project this month.

The project will include the acquisition of lots for the service road, removal of the center island and widening of both sides of the six-lane boulevard into eight lanes.

In a news conference yesterday, Osmeña said the road expansion is in preparation for the construction of a tunnel from the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City to downtown Cebu City.

Tunnel

The tunnel component will cost the National Government another P1.5 billion, he said.

“Right now, we’ll bid out the road widening first, then we will evaluate the construction of the tunnel from Mandaue to downtown Cebu City,” the congressman told reporters yesterday.

“Hopefully, from boundary of Mandaue City to the boundary of Talisay City, it will take 20 minutes, or maybe 25 minutes, compared to 45 minutes,” Osmeña continued.

Marketability

He believes the road projects will increase the value and marketability of the South Road Properties (SRP).

The congressman is also working on the closure of the intersections at the Cebu South Coastal Road at the SRP, leaving only two U-turn slots on both ends of the highway—one under the bridge on the Talisay City side and another one under the viaduct in Cebu City.

“So if you want to go to Kawit Island and you’re coming from Cebu City, you have to go all the way to the end, before the bridge, stay on the right and make a U-turn under the bridge. That will make traffic on the coastal road very fast and very smooth,” said Osmeña.

He said he will work on the road improvements at the SRP when he becomes city mayor again.

Donated sludge to give organic farming a boost

By Aileen Garcia-Yap

Cebu Daily News


FOUR tons of dewatered sludge from San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMBI) are expected to increase production of locally-grown organic farm produce. Cebu City Agriculture head Joey Baclayon gave this observation of the daily sludge that the beer-making firm would donate daily to the Mandaue and Cebu City government for the use of organic farmers. Baclayon said the domestic demand for organic farm produce had grown at an average daily rate of 10 percent to 20 percent. “We don’t have the exact figures for the local demand but it’s safe to say that we have not yet supplied even half of the demand from local establishments like hotels and restaurants that use the organic products for salads and other dishes,” said Baclayon, during last week’s signing of the memorandum of agreement between SMBI, IPI Foundation, and the Mandaue City and Cebu City governments. The dewatered sludge or “bagaso” in Cebuano is a waste product of the beer that SMBI produce everyday which is rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphoros. “All these are essential for the plants. We have been getting sludge from San Miguel over the last six years and the signing is just to formalize the agreement. Over the last six years, we have been getting good results in produce from our farms,” said Baclayon. farm lands He said that in Cebu there are 28 barangays with farm lands tended by 15,000 farmers. He said of this number, 1,800 were practicing organic farming using the dewatered sludge from SMBI. In Mandaue City, Subangdaku chairman Ernie Manatad also said that they had been getting a lot of good produce from their barangay farms. “We have 35 farmers who volunteered for the organic farming program which the city government has also been pushing for our communities. We used the sludge in our vegetables,” said Manatad. Farmers Manuel Labrador from Barangay Babag in Cebu City, Emelio Secretaria from Sudlon 2 and Rowena Zanoria from Adlaon also attended the MOA signing last Friday. These farmers were among those who used the sludge in their farms for at least two years now and had since won themselves outstanding farmer awards because of their good produce. According to Baclayon, some farmers were also combining the sludge with vermicast now and had also gotten good produce. “With the formal signing, we hope to institutionalize the projects that we have done using the sludge and increase production of organic produce in Cebu,” said Baclayon. In 2011, Secretary Angelito Sarmiento, presidential adviser for agriculture modernization, painted a bright picture of the organic farming sector as he saw the increase of global demand for organic produce particularly in the domestic front and from neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea. products The major organic products from the Philippines are rice, fresh vegetables, muscovado sugar, crude coconut oil and chips, and fresh banana chips. The major markets for organic produce include developed countries like members of the European Union, United States, Canada, Japan, Denmark and Switzerland. Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Prudencio Gesta lauded the partnership between SMBI and the local government units, saying it would help encourage more farmers to embrace organic farming which the CCCI had been advocating through their Cebu Going Organic program launched in 2011.

PRO-7 pleases annual general inspection team

By CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON


Official says the police regional office qualifies to become best nationwide THE Police Regional Office (PRO-7) can become a contender for the search for the Best Police Regional Office nationwide. Chief Supt. Sonny Cunanan, the team leader of the Annual General Inspection (AGI), said that despite of the minor demerits, PRO-7 was able to perform well during the week-long Operational, Readiness, Security Inspection and Test Evaluation. Cunanan said problems faced by PRO-7 are also being experienced by other regional offices in the country, especially on the lack of firearms. It was noted that 677 policemen in Cebu Province have not been issued firearms and 43 police stations occupy on the lots not owned by the Philippine National Police (PNP). In Cebu City, most of the police units are occupying dilapidated buildings, which are fire hazards. Police station 1 in Centro Mandaue is also in dilapidated condition, while the police station 5 has to be evicted because it is situated on a creek. But these demerits did not apply to other police stations. Five police stations in Cebu City were built on the lots donated to the PNP through the Adopt-A-Police station program, such as the Fuente, Parian, Mabolo, Waterfront and Sawang Calero police stations. In Mandaue City, two police stations have comfort rooms inside their detention cell. The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), headed by Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador Jr., has noted numerous best practices. These include the expanded night watch patrol, the activation of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), personality enhancement and media relation, police reservist, monthly hostage situation rehearsal, police olympics and synchronized checkpoint. Cebu province is also number 1 in Government Performance System. In Cebu City, the AGI team noted best practices, such as the creation of motor-cops riding unit, Police-MIND (Media Interaction Day), Movements Against Drug (MAD rally) and Papa Lab program.

COA asks City: Explain P190M

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas


THE Commission on Audit (COA) has called the attention of the Cebu City Government to over P190.5 million in financial assistance given to 54 barangays in the city, as well as 14 other provinces, cities and municipalities.

Recipients of the cash assistance, some of which dated back to the time of former mayor now Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), failed to submit liquidation reports.

State Auditor IV Atty. Eva Cabrera said the failure to submit liquidation violates COA Circular 94-013, which requires an accounting of the funds and disbursements made to implement a project.

In an audit observation memorandum (AOM) obtained by Sun.Star Cebu, COA said seven provinces and cities that received financial assistance in 2006, when Osmeña was mayor, failed to liquidate their cash aid.

These balances are from the Province of Cebu (P203,008.29), Province of Davao (P209.80), Calbayog City (P5,744.56), Dumaguete City (P252.40), Marawi City (P505.71), Pasay City (P151.27), and Toledo City (P362.50).

Asked about the matter, Osmeña said he can no longer remember the cash assistance given some seven years ago.

COA also noted the cash assistance extended by Mayor Michael Rama to seven municipalities and cities, as well as to the 54 barangays of Cebu City last year and in the previous year.

These, too, have yet to be accounted for.

Calamity

For 2011, City Hall gave cash assistance to the municipalities of Cordova (P258,000) and St. Bernard in Southern Leyte (P300,000).

The latter was hit by landslides.

For 2012, Rama extended financial aid to the municipalities of Daanbantayan amounting to P500,000 for its Haladaya Festival and Compostela, amounting to P38,400.

In the same year, the mayor also gave cash aid to the Province of Negros Oriental amounting to P1 million after it was hit by a 6.9-earthquake, and P3 million to Cagayan de Oro and P2 million to Iligan City when they were hit by Typhoon Sendong.

Assistance totaling P183,232,119 was also given by the mayor in 2012 to 54 out of 80 barangays in Cebu City.

The recipients are Barangays Adlawon, Apas, Babag, Bacayan, Banilad, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Binaliw, Budlaan, Buhisan, Bulacao, Busay, Calamba, Capitol Site, Cogon Ramos, Ermita, Guadalupe, Guba, Inayawan, Kalubihan, Kalunasan, Kamagayan, Kasambagan, Kinasang-an, Labangon, Lorega and Lusaran.

Used

Also included are Parian, Paril, Poblacion Pardo, Pulangbato, Punta Princesa, Quiot, Sambag I, Sambag II, San Antonio, San Jose, San Nicolas, San Roque, Sapangdaku, Sawang Calero, Sinsin, Sta. Cruz, Suba, Sudlon I, Sudlon II, T.Padilla, Tabunan, Tagba-o, Talamban, Taptap, Tinago, Tisa, and Toong.

“Verification of the subsidiary ledgers disclosed that the implementing agencies failed to submit the report on the utilization (of the funds), thus proper accounting of the expenses has not been made,” said Cabrera in her two-page AOM. “Considering the length of time the financial assistance was given to the various local government units (LGU), and in view of the urgency of its purpose, it is evident that the said funds have already been utilized,” she added.

Agreement

Based on the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the City and the recipients, Cabrera said, it was clear that a liquidation report had to be submitted to comply with accounting and auditing rules.

The MOA further states that if there will be unused funds after the implementation of a program or project, the balance will be turned over to the City.

Because of this, Cabrera recommended to the City to monitor the financial assistance given to various provinces, municipalities, cities and barangays and enforce the submission of a liquidation report.

Cabrera also asked the City to issue demand letters to the LGUs concerned to refund any balances of the financial assistance given.

City Accounting Diwa Cuevas told Sun.Star Cebu they have already complied with the recommendation of COA.

“We sent them demand letters,” she said.

Cuevas said she hopes the concerned LGUs will positively respond to their letter. If they fail to account for the cash assistance given, Cuevas said, they would no longer receive assistance from the City.

Rama ‘avoids’ suspension

By Jujemay G. Awit


CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama will not be suspended based on the case filed against him by Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), his opponent in May’s mayoral election.

The Visayas Ombudsman ruled that the evidence Osmeña presented was not enough to merit suspension.

“The record, thus far, is wanting of sufficient proof that the guilt of respondent is strong, particularly relative to the presence of criminal intent or bad faith on the part of respondent Mayor Rama,” read the nine-page order signed by Graft Investigator Amy Rose Soler-Rellin and approved by Ombudsman Conchita Morales.

Prayer denied

The order denied the prayer for immediate preventive suspension that Osmeña incorporated in his administrative complaint for grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and grave abuse of authority filed against Rama.

The ombudsman can order the preventive suspension of a government official if the evidence of guilt is strong.

This does not mean Rama is off the hook on the complaint related to the 2011 deliberation of the 2012 budget of the City Government where the congressman identified few issues against him.

Soler-Rellin said the issues can be clarified in further proceedings.

One of these is the “boycott” purportedly maneuvered by Rama on Nov. 4, 2011 when the City Council called for a budget hearing but the mayor called all department heads and members of the local finance committee to an emergency meeting.

It was shortly after former city treasurer Ofelia Oliva was transferred by the Bureau of Local Government and Finance (BLGF) and Rama designated Assistant City Treasurer for Administration Emma Villarete as her replacement.

The BLGF, though, appointed Assistant City Treasurer for Operations Tessie Camarillo to the post.

The council chose to recognize the BLGF’s appointee instead of Rama’s designated treasurer to defend the budget.

‘No malicious intent’

On another issue, Osmeña claimed that Rama concealed official communications from the Department of Budget Management intended for the council regarding appropriated funds worth around P203 million that were tagged as “inoperative.”

“Suffice it to note that the subject letters did not bear any indication that it was received by Rama or his office,” the anti-graft order also read.

“There was no bad faith, there was no malicious intent,” Rama said.

As to his choice of city treasurer, the anti-graft office said the mayor can clarify this.

“Complainant’s prayer for preventive suspension of Rama is hereby denied without prejudice to this Office’s exercise of its preventive suspension authority over respondent should subsequent evidence so warrant,” Soler-Rellin said.

Rama to Caib: Find sex video sellers, stop its spread

By (PDF/KAL/FMG/Sun.Star Cebu)


CEBU CITY -- Support from various sectors poured for the female student involved in a sex video, including the city mayor who gave orders to prevent the reproduction and sale of copies of the video.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama ordered the City Anti-Indecency Board (Caib) to go after downtown stall owners who sell copies of the sex video involving two students of two local universities.

Rama said the reproduction and sale of the videos have to stop, adding that it doesn’t even have the consent of the people involved.

The Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) will even go as far as tapping international agencies like the US Department of Homeland Security to track down the person responsible for uploading the video.

“I wish they (DVD vendors) would not be adding insult to injury because these students have not decided to become bomba stars,” Rama said on Thursday.

When asked if Caib will also have to confiscate other lewd videos and pornographic materials sold in the downtown area, Rama said he would prefer that the group focuses on stopping the spread of the sex video first.

“We should focus on this first because this is what’s being talked about now, because it affects innocent people,” he said.

No more business

In his regular news conference on Thursday, Rama warned those who will be caught selling copies of the sex video that they will no longer be allowed to do business in the city.

“We will not allow them to sell anywhere in the city. We are talking about the morality and the future of our children,” he said.

They will also be penalized, Rama added, since they have violated Republic Act (RA) 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009.

RA 9995 “prohibits any person from taking a photo or video coverage of a person or group of persons performing sexual acts or any similar activity, or to capture an image of the private area of a person, such as the genitals, pubic area, buttocks or female breast without the consent of the person involved and under circumstances in which the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.”

Selling, distributing, publishing and broadcasting of such photo or video or recording of sexual act are also prohibited.

A penalty of imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P500,000, or both at the discretion of the court, shall be imposed on any person who violates the law.

Not selling

Vendors of pirated DVDs in downtown Cebu City said they are not selling copies of the sex video.

They said personnel from Cebu City Hall and the police have inspected their stalls and asked them if they sell copies of the video.

A male vendor said he only saw the video on his cell phone and he did not dare make copies of it when the controversy spread last week.

They will be arrested if they did that, said the vendor, who owns a stall on Osmeña Blvd.

Vendors at the Vision Theatre on Colon St. also said they don’t have a copy of the video but have other x-rated DVDs.

At the Capitol, Acting Governor Agnes Magpale, chairman of the PWC, said they are willing to help the 24-year-old student through stress debriefing and psychosocial intervention if she seeks their help.

Magpale said they will tap international agencies like the US Department of Homeland Security to try to trace who uploaded the video on the Internet.

Cebu City readies tax bills of telecom firms

By Doris C. Bongcac

Cebu Daily News


TELECOM firms operating in Cebu City will receive their tax bills soon. City Treasurer Emma Villarete said she “already has a figure in mind” but has to confer with Mayor Michael Rama and City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete on the matter. Rama directed Villarete and Poblete to review the tax dues of telecom companies so they can be assessed their taxes. Mobile phone service providers Globe, Smart and Digitel used to have a compromise agreement with the city for each to pay P20 million per year in franchise taxes but the agreement lapsed in March 2012. In a press conference yesterday, Rama said officials of the telecom companies have been sending him text message to assure their willingness to settle their tax dues. “They are not objecting to the idea… They just wish to be assured that everything they pay will go to the city’s coffers,” he said. Aside from collecting the tax dues of telecom firms, Villarete said the treasurer’s office is working to dispose of forfeited real properties. She plans to publish nationally the list of properties that Cebu City is offering for auction so that delinquent owners are notified in case they want to redeem their properties. A proposed City Ordinance would require an owner of real property to buy back from the city government forfeited property over unpaid taxes – if the property has not yet been sold in a public auction. The proposed ordinance according to Councilor Jose Daluz III would discourage real property owners from reneging on their obligation to the city. Forfeited properties that have remained “idle” and “unproductive” have to be sold, he added to raise needed revenues. Daluz’s draft is pending before the council’s laws committee for review. While the City Council decides on the proposed disposal of forfeited real properties, the City Treasurers Office is also reviewing the books of accounts of telecom companies operating in the city to determine the exact amount of real property, business and franchise taxes they have to pay.

COA probe on scholarship sought

By Elias O. Baquero and Jujemay G. Awit


CONGRESSIONAL candidate Aristotle Batuhan has asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to investigate Cebu City’s scholarship program.

Batuhan, who is running for the Cebu City south district seat in Congress, wants Comelec to find out why the Asian College of Technology (ACT), which is owned by his political rival Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, got the lion’s share of the program.

Speaking before the 888 News Forum, Batuhan said that 15,658 scholar-beneficiaries—or more than 50 percent of the total number of scholars—enrolled at ACT since the scholarship program began in 2010.

Batuhan earlier said he also filed a complaint for grave abuse of authority aganst Abellanosa before Malacañang.

But Abellanosa said yesterday he has yet to receive a copy of the letter from the Office of the President directing him to reply to the complaint filed by Batuhan.

No comment

“I cannot make a comment as I have not received a copy of the letter and I'm wondering why he knew about it,” Abellanosa told reporters.

He said he also does not have a copy of Batuhan’s letter to COA.

In his letter to COA Chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido Tan, Batuhan said that at P10,000 per scholar, ACT may have earned P156.5 million for one semester alone or P313.1 million in the first year or two.

“Given that a college degree can take at least two years to complete, ACT can earn and may have already earned double that amount in the last three years alone,” Batuhan said.

Batuhan also asked COA to look into the accreditation process of schools under the scholarship program.

Standards

“We believe that there must be certain minimum standards that a school must meet in order to be accredited at the outset, and it must maintain the same standards to be eligible for continuing accreditation,” read Batuhan’s letter to Tan.

He said that in 2010, during the time of then Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the City established the Cebu City Government College Scholarship Program and allocated P100 million each year for the program for the scholars’ tuition and related expenses.

Aside from P10,000 per semester, an additional allowance of P1,000 per month is allotted for students living in the mountain barangays, Batuhan said.

He said there is a “glaring disparity” between the number of scholars enrolled in ACT and those in the 18 other accredited colleges and universities.

But Abellanosa suspects that Batuhan is only using the media for publicity.

“He's using all of us, including the media, so that he will be talked about,” he said.

He suggested that Batuhan give him copies of the letter and complaint so that these will be studied by his lawyers.

Slug removed from Casiño’s head

By Mylen P. Manto/FPL


CEBU, Philippines - Assistant city prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño yesterday undergone a three-hour operation to remove the bullet slug lodged in her head during a shooting rampage by a Canadian at the Palace of Justice two weeks ago.

Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane said the operation which started at 7:00 am and lasted until 10:00 am was successful.

Gubalane said Casiño is now recuperating in a private room at a private hospital in Cebu City where she was confined for 15 days now.

He said he does not know yet when will Casiño be discharged, saying it will depend on how fast her recovery would be.

Casiño was shot by John Pope on January 22 at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 1 where she is a resident prosecutor. She is handling one of the cases filed against Pope.

Pope also killed Dr. Rene Rafols and Lawyer Jubian Achas inside the MTCC Branch 6.

He shot himself in the head after being neutralized by two policemen. 

Meanwhile, a Mass was held at 11:30 a.m. yesterday inside the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office. It was celebrated by Fr. Luigi Martinez.

Gubalane said the Mass was offered for the successful operation and for the fast recovery of Casiño.

Gubalane said they still need financial assistance for the hospital bills of the lady prosecutor. (FREEMAN)





City’s tire supplier to bid

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas


THE supplier of tires of some of the Cebu City Government’s fleet of vehicles will continue to participate in the bidding for the City’s tire purchases.

CFG Car Accessories and Service Shop clarified that the tires they delivered to the City are all brand new.

Earlier, the City Council had recommended to the General Services Office (GSO) to have CFG blacklisted and no longer be allowed to participate in the bidding for the City’s tires, following reports that some of the tires exploded.

The GSO reportedly bought 120 Pirelli tires worth P2,200 per piece and 160 Falken tires worth P2,618 each from CFG in 2011.

The tires are being used for the vehicles issued to the city councilors and the motor vehicles issued to the Mobile Patrol Group of the Cebu City Police Office.

One brand

In a one-page press statement given to Sun.Star Cebu, CFG clarified that what they delivered to the City are only Falken tires.

“Upon review of (our) records, it appeared that CFG did not sell any Pirelli tire to the City,” the supplier said.

CFG said the Falken tires they delivered to the City had conformed to the specifications set by the City’s Bids and Awards Committee, such as load range and number of ply.

“The tires CFG delivered to the City were all brand new as said goods were specifically ordered for that particular transaction,” the supplier added.

CFG said they have been a tire supplier for the City for almost a decade now and it is the first time that they have heard of a tire failure on their products.

“Since we started selling and distributing Falken, the company did not receive any failure incident report. The reported tire failure involving the City vehicle was the first CFG has ever received,” they said.

Start

The report that the City’s tires surfaced after Councilor Alvin Arcilla complained that his tire exploded while returning from the city from his visit in the mountain barangay of Binaliw in December last year.

According to the CFG, they already inspected the burst tire of Arcilla and opined that it exploded because of an external source.

To further validate the matter, CFG said they welcomed the move of Arcilla to have the burst tire inspected by the Department of Trade and Industry.





Cebu City-run hospital turns to DOH for help as JICA nixes grant request

By Philippines News Agency


CEBU CITY - The Cebu City Government-run Cebu City Medical Center’s has turned to the Department of Health for financial assistance after the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) disapproved its request for a grant of USD10 million (or roughly P430 million).

The grant was supposed to be used by the CCMC to build a six-story building across or adjacent to its compound.

”We were told that the building of hospitals was not their priority. Their priority at the moment is the construction of sewerage systems,” CCMC chief Dr. Gloria Duterte said.

CCMC re-filed its grant application with JICA last year. JICA deferred CCMC’s grant application in 2011 as Japan was still suffering form the damage caused by an earthquake and a tsunami.

Without funding from JICA, Duterte said, the hospital hopes that its request for a P300 million financial assistance from the DOH will be approved this year.

“If not, we still have until 2016,” she added.

Of the P300 million, CCMC plans to use P100 million to purchase additional medical equipment.

The remaining P200 million will be spent on the expansion of the CCMC hospital building, said Duterte.

CCMC listed the financial assistance from DOH in its health investment plan for 2012 to 2016, which was submitted to the DOH 7 March last year.

Duterte said the DOH has yet to respond to the hospital’s request for assistance.

In the meantime, she said, CCMC will continue to improve health services to the city’s indigents within its budget.

Duterte said CCMC plans to purchase more medical equipment this year.

CCMC acquired 57 pieces of medical equipment last year, including an ambulance, a dental unit, new stretchers, a pediatric apparatus, and laparoscopy.

Duterte said some facilities of the hospital, such as the emergency room, need renovation.

She said this will have to be funded by CCMC’s P380-million budget for 2013.

CCMC reported that it earned P166 million from hospital services last year, exceeding its P100-million target.

CCMC’s revenues include P57.2 million from hospital bills, P66.7 million in account receivables, and P42.2 million in terms of free services.





Rama asks Crame to replace Garbo

By Rene U. Borromeo and Niña G. Sumacot/JPM


CEBU, Philippines -Mayor Michael Rama will formally ask Camp Crame and Malacañang on Monday to replace Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 Director Marcelo Garbo for abuse of power. 

The mayor met with his lawyer-friends at the Cebu City Hall yesterday noon where they also discussed the case that Rama wants to file against the top police official in Central Visayas.

Among those who attended the closed-door meeting were City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete, the mayor's cousin-lawyer Ernesto Rama and lawyer Jade Ponce.

Rama said he will write letters asking Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Allan Purisima, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay to relieve Garbo from his post and designate a competent official to replace him.

The mayor is angry with Garbo's move of sending several uniformed policemen at the Capitol Compound because this might create a bad image for Cebu City.

He said there is no need to send several troops to the Capitol and make the place look like a garrison because there was no trouble there, and being the mayor of the city, he should have been informed about it.

According to the mayor, he is given the authority to supervise and control the policemen being a deputy of the National Police Commission, but Garbo just ignored his power, which is provided for by the law.

But Rama's number one critic, Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña, was quick to defend Garbo: "Rama is entitled to make a fool of himself."

Osmeña said Garbo was just responding to a possible disturbance when acting governor Agnes Magpale ordered the office of suspended governor Gwendolyn Garcia closed.

"Since when is a police officer supposed to ask the mayor permission to do his job? The public knows that Rama is biased politically towards Gwen. To me, his statement is just making 'sip-sip' to Gwen. Is Rama running out of supporters? How low can he go?" Osmeña said. 

Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Law defines the term "operational supervision and control" given to the mayor as "the power to direct, superintend, and oversee the day-to-day functions of police investigation of crime, crime prevention activities, and traffic control in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by Napolcom."

The law further provides that other powers of the mayor over their policemen include the "power to direct the employment and deployment of units or elements of the PNP, through the station commander, to ensure public safety and effective maintenance of peace and order within the locality."

Garbo said Rama has the right to file charges against him, but said that the deployment of police personnel at the Provincial Capitol was a standard procedure and based on the order of the acting governor.

Garbo said he is not obliged to inform the mayor of the order the police received, which was about the padlocking of the office of suspended governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

"Maybe it's not me to inform him. I am not under any mayor or any governor," said Garbo.

With regards to Rama's request to have him replaced, Garbo said the mayor can ask it from the hierarchy of the Department of Interior and Local

Government and from President Aquino himself.

Garbo reiterated that the PNP is apolitical and he himself is not a political personality.

"As much as possible, I want to shy away from this kind of environment for me to protect our organization and the regional director of PRO 7. I wouldlike to isolate the police from political fighting, iyon po ang objective natin dito. Ours is to preserve and protect, maintain peace and order," Garbo added.(FREEMAN)





Cebu City mayor eyes raps vs cops for padlocking Gwen Garcia's office

By LBG, GMA News


The Cebu City government is mulling charges against members of the Central Visayas police involved in the padlocking of suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia's office earlier this week.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, an ally of the suspended governor, said the padlocking smacked of Martial Law, radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate Orchids Lapincao reported Friday.

Rama was quoted in the report as saying those to be charged may include Central Visayas police head Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr.

Earlier this week, police padlocked Garcia's office at the Capitol when she went out for a public engagement.

The governor had been holed up at the Capitol since December, when Malacañang issued a six-month suspension against her for alleged abuse of power.

Garcia refused to leave the capitol, and questioned the suspension order before the Court of Appeals. However, the court has not yet issued a temporary restraining order against the suspension.

In considering charges against the police, Rama said the padlocking of Garcia's office was damaging to Cebu City's image.

He also pointed out he is qualified to file the charges since the provincial capitol is in Cebu City.

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