Cebu Province News March 2013

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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.

Estonian first lady showered with vintage Cebu hospitality

By Jaime Picornell (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Cebu welcomed the visit of Madame Evelin Ilves, first lady of the Republic of Estonia, who came to spend a weeklong holiday at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa. A welcome dinner for her was held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol. The red carpet was literally laid out for her from the street to the stately portals.

Dancers in Philippine costumes lined the path as acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Almendras Magpale greeted Mme. Ilves and daughter Catherine. Also in her group were Tiit Kepp, who heads the airport management board in Talin, Estonia’s capital; and Fernando Peña, the honorary consul of Estonia, based in Manila.

Mme. Ilves is tall, very beautiful, with blonde hair and blue eyes. For her age (early 40s), she has received important honors such as knighthoods from the monarchs of Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands; as well as from Romania and Latvia.

We gathered that she is a physician by profession and that she has edited a lifestyle magazine in her country. “These are your colleagues,” Gov. Agnes Magpale said as she introduced local journalists Flor Ynclino, Chinggay Utzurrum and Cookie Newman.

In her welcome speech, Governor Magpale described Estonia as a dynamic country with a high-income economy. She admitted surfing the Internet and being highly impressed with the Baltic nation’s history and development.

Mme. Ilves is very much concerned with the welfare of women and their empowerment. “We open our hearts to you,” said the governor who has also made that her advocacy first as a provincial board member, and as vice governor of Cebu.

Cebu’s acting Vice Gov. Julian Daan joined the ladies on the dais for a presentation of handcrafted sculpture to Mme. Ilves, as a souvenir of her Cebu visit.

An elaborate program emceed by Vince Escario was presented depicting the festivals of the cities of Danao and Mandaue, and the municipality of Argao. Philippine foil dances were nimbly performed by the University of San Carlos dance troupe.

Present were Provincial Board Member Miguel Magpale, the governor’s son; Provincial Board Member Peter Calderon and his pretty wife Patsy Cinco Calderon; Department of Foreign Affairs director in Cebu Elias Balawag, and his protocol officer Angel Espiritu.

Glimpsed: Hembler Mendoza, Lapu-Lapu City’s tourism officer; Prudencio Gesta, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Eva Gestopa Encabo who is with the province’s information office; and Evangeline de Paula who has written a book about Cebu City’s history.

Dawn Roa was in charge of the excellent Philippine menu served on long buffet tables, catered by Café Laguna. Compliments came from Tetta Baad, Nelia Navarro, Carmel Salvador, Ahmed Cuizon, Alice Queblatin and more.


Chartered city

Cebu may have been the first city in the Philippines founded by royal decree after Miguel Lopez de Legazpi came in 1565. Yet, its status as a chartered city is of relatively recent vintage—1937.

That was thanks to the late Sen. Vicente Rama, whose grandson Michael Rama is the mayor of Cebu City. Feb. 24 marked the 76th anniversary of this charter, celebrated with the usual panoply at the ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

The celebration has through the years served as occasion to present awards. Cited this year as outstanding individuals were architect Socorro Atega and Raymundo Abao. Outstanding institutions were the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation, International Pharmaceuticals Foundation and the Rotary Club of Cebu West.

The mayor’s special awards went to SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, 888 Forum led by Ricky Poca, Jose Navarro, and Dr. Lourdes “Odette” Jereza, who led the core group to research on Cebu City’s families of distinction.

This has been a yearlong project to acknowledge contributions of more than 75 families to the governance, prosperity and the development of the arts in Cebu City. Representatives from all these families received plaques of recognition.

Quite touching were the awards for eight Cebu centenarians who aside from a citation were each given a check for P100,000. They came in wheelchairs, leaning on canes or propped at the elbows by relatives. One did go up the stage on his own.

Their names: Teofila Fernandez Aliño, Irene Famador Leyson, Nazaria Matig-a Bantilan, Maria Isip Ochia, Lucila Villarta Yncierto, Conrado Canaya Regis, Justina Umacob Arenasa and Simeon Rama Suplac.

The evening’s highlight was a fashion parade featuring the designs of Cebu Fashion Inc. members. It opened with Ruffa Gutierrez in a dramatic gown by Cary Santiago, and closed with beauty queen Carla Henry in Filipiniana by Philip Rodriguez.

Mayor Mike Rama was a proud uncle as he presented Ruffa with a bouquet and led her to the table of her parents—Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez. A crowd surged toward them, everyone wanting to have a picture.

Vis-Min Rotary Club members conclude meet in Cebu

(PNA), HBC/EB/BH

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, March 9 (PNA) -- Some 700 delegates from the Visayas and Mindanao to the Rotary International District 3860 Convention Saturday concluded their three-day convention in Cebu, which highlighted the theme “peace through service.”

The convention was held at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.

Rotary 3860 District Governor Peter Rodriguez said they picked peace and service as the central theme of the convention because of the rapidly growing new districts in Muslim-dominated countries, particularly Indonesia.

”We noticed that we are spending so much in livelihood programs but if we don’t achieve peace in the area, nothing will happen,” Rodriguez said.

Rotary International District 3860 is composed of 94 Rotary clubs from 17 provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao. It has about 3,600 members.

Among the different clubs’ community services are in water and sanitation, disease prevention, maternal and child health care, literacy, environment, and peace and order.

Rodriguez said all Rotary clubs in Cebu have been aggressive in implementing community-based project tin the province.

He said the thrust this year is to widen the scope of its Anti-Dengue Larvicide Campaign.

He said Rotary Clubs in Cebu already spent P2 million to activate the campaign.

He said they started with small scale campaigns in the past two years and the goal this year is to cover the whole province to lower dengue cases.

Aside from this, Rotary will also push programs on mangrove planting, water and literacy in coordination with the local government units.

For the past 30 years, eradicating polio had been the primary thrust of the members of the Rotary International of which more than USD1 billion has been raised for the vaccine.

Since then, only three countries have been left with polio cases mostly in Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Philippines became polio-free seven years ago.

Capitol won’t sell CICC

By AJ De La Torre (MBG, The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Government will hold on to the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) and rehabilitate it for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which the Philippines will be hosting in 2015.

Acting governor Agnes Magpale said that they will not be selling the CICC as earlier considered because of financial concerns and repairs that need to be done.

Instead, they will rehabilitate and upgrade the facility for the APEC meeting in 2015.

Land Transportation and Franchise Regulatory Board-7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon said that the Department of Transportation and Communication has contacted him to discuss the initial plans for the APEC meeting and some activities are planned to be held in Cebu.

Cuizon said the APEC meeting is even bigger than the Associa tion of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and more dignitaries like President Barrack Obama of the United States are expected to join.

Cuizon revealed he was initially asked by DOTC if Cebu can provide 90 units of Mercedes Benz and BMWs.

“I told them that we do not have that much Mercedes and BMWs here that are for hire,” he said.

He suggested that these luxury cars be shipped from Manila to Cebu for the event.

Magpale said that they would have to prepare for the event, especially the CICC which was specifically made for the ASEAN summit in 2007.

Earlier, Magpale said that they are hoping to partner with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the rehabilitation of the CICC to make it a ‘world-class facility.’

Magpale yesterday said that the DPWH expresses willingness to help but they have to get a proposal from Capitol.A P66-million repair proposal was already sent to DPWH.

Capitol earlier reported that the CICC has been not been earning because it is spending more than its income.

Since 2008, CICC’s losses already totaled P44 million, mostly due to the high utility bills.

Magpale hopes that with the planned repairs and proposed rehabilitation, they can turn the property into a convention center that can host more events apart from international conventions like that of the APEC.

She said they will discuss the matter on Monday as they convene the new CICC management board.

Cebu trade group leaders back bank mergers

(PNA), CTB/EB/BH

CEBU CITY, Mar. 7 (PNA) -- A top official of a Cebu business chamber has said he is supporting the mergers and acquisitions in the banking industry to allow it to compete in the region.

Prudencio Gesta, outgoing Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, said he supports the advocacy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in encouraging banks to merge to strengthen the stability of the country’s banking industry.

”Our banks are not only meant to compete domestically but also regionally,” he said.

Gesta said mergers and acquisitions are one way our banks can compete with other banks in the Asean region.

Gesta, who is also Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.’s first vice president and regional sales and marketing head for the Visayas, said bank consolidation will also encourage the public to avail themselves of services of financial institution and push them to place their money in banks.

He also noted that depositors need not worry when banks consolidate as they will ensure safety of deposits even if it will go through some transitions.

“When banks merge they will see to it that service to depositors will not be compromised,” he said.

Two large banks controlled by taipan Lucio Tan completed the merging of Philippine National Bank (PNB) and Allied Banking Corp. last month.

”Mergers and consolidation will further promote a positive image that we are a country that is financially healthy,” said Gesta.

Although, RCBC still has no firm plans for consolidations, Gesta disclosed that the private sector arm group of World Bank, the International Finance Corp. (IFC) has approved USD100 million in the common shares of RCBC to shore up the bank’s capital base in anticipation of the implementation of Basel III in 2014 and to increase lending to micro, small and medium enterprises and other under served communities.

Basel III is a global standard on banks’ financial health.

IFC currently owns USD50 million worth of shares or 6.7 percent of RCBC.

According to Gesta, IFC’s investment reflects its optimism and confidence on the bank as it focuses on expanding its financial products to better serve the community.

Cebu triathlon set on April 7

(PNA), FPV/ EB/MJT/BH

CEBU CITY, March 6 (PNA) -- The National Age Group Triathlon race set to be held at the Alegre Beach Resort, Sogod town in northern Cebu on April 7 will be the second Youth Olympics Games (YOG) qualifying race.

The Supertrikids Multi-Sports Festival on April 14 was supposed to be the YOG qualifier but it was cancelled due to disagreements between the organizers and the Ayala Alabang Village Association.

”The event on April 14 was supposed to be the second YOG but due to the cancellation, it gave us an idea to bring a YOG qualifier in Cebu,” Triathlon Association of the Philippines (Trap) youth developmental coach Melvin Fausto said.

Fausto said the race will attract the best young triathletes from all over the country who are vying for the 2014 YOG slots.

The 2014 YOG will be held in Nanjing, China, where triathlon will be making its debut race.

Trap executive director Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez said they usually hold this race in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City but due to the growing number of participants, they decided to move it to Sogod, 6-5 kilometers north of Cebu City.

”We just started opening up a supertrikids division last year and now we have Justin and Yuan Chiongbian among the country’s top young triathletes,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said Justin Chiongbian, who is now among the top four contenders for the YOG slots, is one of the favorites to make it because he has achieved a lot in just one year.

Aside from Justin, the other contenders are Jimuel Patillan, Sixto Louie Llanto, OJ Nobles and Samuel Ranque.

Investment body says Cebu’s FDI at P6B monthly

(PNA), PDS/EB/BH

CEBU CITY, Mar. 5 (PNA) -- Foreign direct investments (FDIs) pour some P6 billion to Cebu’s economy each month, the Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC) said.

CIPC managing director Joel Mari Yu said the amount does not include an estimated P1.6 billion brought about indirectly by businesses benefiting from these FDIs.

Yu said Cebu outperforms all other provinces in the country because of the presence of FDIs.

Yu cited figures from the Philippine Export Zone Authority (Peza) showing some P3.29 billion in wages being paid to employees in the manufacturing and information technology/business process outsourcing (IT/BPO) sectors in Cebu each month.

An additional P3.29 billion is estimated for maintenance and operating expenses, bringing to P6.5 billion the cash infused into the economy each month.

The presence of FDIs in Cebu allows for annual indirect employment of 202,150 due to an increase in number of support industries such as cafés and restaurants, boarding houses, apartments and condominiums, insurance, banks, bars, massage parlors, education, transport, shopping centers and malls.

The CIPC estimates that wages paid indirectly reach P1.6 billion a month.

The employment opportunities brought about by FDIs contribute to the purchasing power of Cebu’s residents.

Six manufacturing economic zones in Cebu exported a combined USD3.58 billion from 278 locators last year.

They employed 107,150 workers, figures from the Peza stated.

The IT-BPO sectors counted 139 locators based at the Cebu IT Park, Cebu Business Park, HVG IT Park and 52 IT buildings with an estimated 95,000 employees.

Mandaue City to tap teachers' help in tax collection

(PNA), LAP/EB/RE

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, March 4 (PNA) -- The Mandaue City Treasurer’s Office is planning to tap public school teachers in collecting real property taxes.

Mandaue City Treasurer Regal Oliva said he will ask teachers to help his office send demand letters to property owners that have yet to pay their taxes.

Last December, Oliva said the city sent demand letters to about 3,000 real property owners.

The letters helped the city raise its collection to P258.3 million last year, an increase of 103 percent from 2011.

”The demand letters we sent to real property owners were a factor in the increase,” Oliva said.

Apart from real property, taxes the city was also able to increase its collection of business taxes. As of January 25, it collected P236 million, an increase of 26 percent from last year’s.

Despite the demand letters, some property owners have yet to settle their unpaid taxes.

Oliva said about 500 real property units are set for public auctions.

But owners can still save their properties from getting auctioned if they heed the final demand letters the city will send soon with the help of public school teachers.

Oliva said he decided to tap teachers because a portion of the real property taxes goes to the Special Education Fund, which is used to construct school buildings and pay for the salaries of teachers hired by the city.

Hundreds venerate St. Camillus’ heart in relic’s Cebu visit

By Ador Vincent S. Mayol (Reporter, Cebu Daily News)

FOR the first time, the heart of St. Camillus De Lellis visited Cebu for public veneration especially of the sick.

Placed in a glass case, the St. Camillus relic arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport last Friday. It was brought to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where a welcome Mass was celebrated by Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emilio Bataclan.

Hundreds of people lined up to touch the glass case containing the saint’s relics.

In an interview, Fr. Rolly Fernandez of the Order of the Ministries of the Infirm said St. Camillus’ heart was taken an hour after his death on July 14, 1614.

Fernandez said the heart, which is a “symbol of love” was then preserved.

“Why heart? Because he (Lellis) was loving and caring for the sick. Everyone should be reminded to love especially the sick,” he told reporters.

PATRON OF THE SICK

St. Camillus is the patron of the sick, hospitals, nurses, and healthcare workers.

“He saw in the sick his love for God. You have to see Christ in the sick,” Fernandez said.

From the cathedral, St. Camillus’ relics was brought to the Daughters of St. Camillus Convent Chapel in Talamban, Cebu City. It was later transported to the Daughters of St. Camillus Novitiate House and Night Vigil.

Yesterday, the relic was brought to the San Isidro Parish in Talamban before it was brought back to the airport.

Fernandez said the relic has visited Manila, Baguio, and Iloilo before it came to Cebu. He said it will remain in the country until March.

After the Philippines, the relic will be brought to Rome.

St. Camillus was born on May 25, 1550 at Bucchianico in Italy. He was the son of an impoverished nobleman. St. Camillus became a soldier.

However, he turned into a “incorrigible gambler.”

In 1575, he was converted to God and became a servant and later an assistant of St. James’ Hospital for incurables in Rome where he had been a patient with an ulcerated leg and rapture that impeded him his whole life.

St. Camillus was ordined priest in 1584 and obtained approval for the congregation of priests he foudned.

He devoted his life to hospital service. He insisted on the utmost care for both the soul and the body of his patients.

Though his health eventually worsened, he exhausted himself for charity.

St. Camillus died on July 14, 1614. He was canonized in 1746.

Cebu’s craftsmanship to help keep furniture industry afloat

By Ehda M. Dago-oc (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The furniture export industry may continue to suffer from the shaky market abroad, but an international home furnishing designer believes that Cebu will be able to go through the challenging times, with its strong advantage in design and craftsmanship.

“Cebu has a special niche. It has an excellent craftsmanship, [sophisticated] design skill,” said Gregg Huettel, who has been working for international signature brands for furniture designing and engineering.

According to Huettel, the Philippines, specifically Cebu will continue to charm the discriminating home furnishing market in the world, with or without financial difficulties, as it has now moved from mass production, to personalized or customized products.

It is for this reason that Huettel, together with Cebuana wife Agnes Taborada-Huettel recently opened a retail outlet for luxury home furnishings in Cebu, mostly locally made, the “Allison Tyler Designs”, located at the Design Center building along A.S. Fortuna in Mandaue City.

In an interview with Huettel, he said that the 170 square-meter store, is design-driven furniture and home furnishing store will serve as the window for both local and foreign customers what Cebu has in terms of good furnishing products, and what Cebu’s craftsmanship can offer in terms of customized furniture making.

At present, the store is working with eight to 10 furniture makers in Cebu, and Huettel, whose other company Asian Link Design, does furniture and home furnishing design consultancy for signature brands like Ralph Lauren, among others, said local market is now coming in strong and customized furniture making is believed to be next “big thing” for the industry.

He said from the conventional mass production, now the market has moved to customized and personalized furniture making, wherein clients and posh boutique shops from all over the world work with the designer, and manufacturer according to their design preferences.

He reiterated that Cebu’s special niche in the furniture making, is no longer the “mass production’ style, but for personalized or customized boutique service.

Huettel believes that if furniture exporters will take this opportunity for market strategy twist, Cebu’s furniture making industry is going to thrive amid difficult and competitive environment.

The “Allison Tyler Designs” will not only sell and showcase unique and rare finds of luxury furniture and home furnishing, it also accepts services for personalized design for residential, commercial and institutional clients.

In fact, the company is up to partner with architects and interior designers in Cebu.

He said while the Philippines still has edge in the high-end furniture and home furnishing market in the world, the downtrend of the mass production demand for these type of products is also being saved by the growing number of Filipinos demanding for export-quality pieces of furniture.

“The Philippines’ middle class has emerged,” he said explaining that this development has kept the furniture making industry thrive, while the big markets in the world are still struggling.

“There is no project too big or too small to undertake,” he said.

Huettel’s design inclination is into "Biedermeier", a homey and cozy style of home furnishing. Globally, he said Cebu is known for its accent (home accessories), and that aside from promoting the high quality furniture designs made from Cebu, “Allison Tyler Designs” also boasts of the collectible pieces of home accessories made of exotic materials like sea-grass, among others.

Seminars and lectures mark start of fire prevention month

By Flor Z. Perolina (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - Seminars and lectures will be held in the different barangays and establishments as the Mandaue City Fire Department marks the opening of Fire Prevention Month.

SFO3 Sherwin Porcia, chief of the Fire Safety Enforcement Section of the city fire department, said seminars and lectures remind people of the do’s and don’t’s in preventing fire and on what to do when a fire strikes.

He said this year’s theme is” Sunog at Sakuna Paghandaan,Kalikasan ay Paghandaan,Nang Matamasa ang Pag-unlad ng Bayan.”

He said that at 4:00 a.m. today, there will be a ‘walk for fire free and fire safety nation’ in Cebu City.

It will be participated by different government employees.

Tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., a Mass at the Bureau of Fire in Mandaue will be held.

At 9:00 a.m., a program will follow. Mayor Jonas Cortes will be the guest speaker.

Porcia also encourages residents to watch the competition of Barangay Fire Olympic on March 23.

Barangay Tipolo, the champion last year, will be the officiating barangay during the competition.

During yesterday’s press conference, Porcia also encouraged the 24 barangays to procure their own fire truck.

“Akoa jud e-encourage ang mga barangay captain nga naa silay fire truck bisan ug mini tanker lang unta kay sila man gud ang naa didto ug sila jud ang mag ona ug response,” Porcia said.

At present, only barangays Tipolo, Paknaan, and Opao have fire trucks.

The Action Emergency and Rescue Team (ACERT) has a fire substation with one fire truck located in barangay Basak.

Having a fire truck in each barangay said Porcia is important.

“Sila baya duol sa ilang barangay maong nindot jud kong naa sila fire truck nga ilaha kay ang uban naa man pud,” Porcia added while pointing out that barangay Tipolo owns a supertanker while Paknaan and Opao own two mini-firetrucks.

Porcia said Mandaue needs three sub-stations to be placed in strategic locations.

He said sub-stations will be either in barangays Subangdaku, Banilad, or Cabancalan.

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