Cebu City News February 2015

From Philippines
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

Cebu City Photo Gallery

Cebu City Realty

Philippine News

Cebu city map locator.png
Cebu City Map Locator
Cebu City001.jpg
View of Cebu City from the bay
Cebucity-aerial view.jpg
Aerial View of Cebu City
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.

Cebu-City-cathedral01.jpg
Cebu City Cathedral
Cebu city Magellan cross02.jpg
Magellan's Cross in Cebu City
Cebu city Magellan cross03.jpg

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.
Mormon temple cebu city 1.jpg
Mormon Temple Lahug cebu city philippines

Coaches to meet for Summer Basketball League

By Rommel C. Manlosa

THE Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) will meet the coaches and team representatives of the different schools and ball clubs in Cebu for the upcoming 2015 Cebu City Mayor’s Cup Summer Basketball League which is slated to open tentatively on March 22 at the Cebu Coliseum.

Tournament organizer and CCSC commissioner Lorenzo “Chao” Sy informed Sun.Star Cebu that representatives of the seven Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) members schools and other ball clubs in Cebu will be joining the organizational meeting to discuss the guidelines and tournament details.

“It is my vision to provide more tournaments to our local basketball players. So that aside from the Cesafi tournament, there will be other competitions to help in the players’ maturity and develop their skills. The lack of it has been detrimental to the growth of basketball in the city,” Sy added.

The meeting is slated on Monday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at the function rooms of Hotel Fortuna in Boromeo St.

Sy noted that since Cebu’s commercial basketball died down, the number of players who reached the national level and the elite Philippine Basketball Association, has also dwindled in years.

The last commercial tournament that Cebu had was the Cebu Basketball Federation (CBF) in the early 2000s and it has produced PBA players in the likes of JR Quiñahan, Niel Rañeses, Chico Lanete, Ardy Larong and Reed Juntilla.

But since then, only a handful of players made it to the PBA that includes the exceptionally endowed Junemar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter, and skilful Eluid Poligrates and Brian Heruela.

According to Sy, interested parties who were not served with invitation letters are still welcomed to join the meeting.

CH may apply for loan even without DILG seal

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas

THE Cebu City Government is qualified to avail itself of a P120-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and a grant from the World Bank (WB) for the construction of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), an official said.

This, even without the Seal of Good Local Governance: Good Financial Housekeeping from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The Seal has been required by the LBP, a government financial institution, before a loan can be given to a local government unit.

However, City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said the Seal is no longer required because of the nature of the LBP and WB’s Support for Strategic Local Development and Investment Project (SSLDIP).

The SSLDIP is a “lending operation” being implemented by the LBP and supported by the WB that aims “to improve local public service provision and management by facilitating local government unit (LGU) access to viable financing to implement strategic infrastructure investment.”

It seeks to finance the reconstruction, rehabilitation, expansion and upgrading of basic local infrastructure in LGUs affected by disasters such as super typhoon Yolanda and the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in October 2013.

No seal needed

“It was really my first question to LBP if we can avail ourselves of the loan even without the Seal. They said the Seal is no longer needed. In as much as this grant is for those affected by the calamities, they said we qualify for the grant,” she said.

According to Cuevas, it was LBP Cebu Lending Center head Elsie Fe Tagupa who told her about the matter.

Under the SSLDIP, LGU’s will have to make loan of 10 percent of the total cost of any infrastructure projects it seeks to undertake while the remaining 90 percent will be a grant from the WB.

In the case of the construction of the new CCMC that has an estimated cost of P1.2 billion to P1.5 billion, the City will have to make a loan of P120 million.

The City Council, however, has questioned the move, saying that the City has already appropriated P600 million for the project.

Also, Councilor Margarita Osmeña had asked if the City can avail itself of the loan since the City was not given the Seal by the DILG.

City has money

Cuevas also belied allegations yesterday that the City has no money that is why it wants to avail itself of the LBP-WB program.

“I am the treasurer so I know (the finances of the City),” she said.

Cuevas again reiterated that funds of the City does not only mean actual cash in bank and on hand but also refers to the receivables such as real property tax and business tax among others.

Before the City can avail itself of the LBP-WB program though, Mayor Michael Rama will have to be authorized first by the Council to apply for the loan and the grant and sign the agreement covering the matter.

In a related development, all contractors who participated in the first bidding for the construction of the new CCMC, including the one that was disqualified, can still participate in the new bidding that the City will be conducting for the project.

This was disclosed by Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) chief Engr. Jose Marie Poblete, who has also been designated by Mayor Michael Rama as the chairperson of the special bids and awards committee (BAC) for the new CCMC.

In a separate interview yesterday, Poblete said there are no regulations or prohibitions that will prevent the contractors, including WTG Construction and Development Corp. with Manila-based A.M. Oreta and Co. Inc., from participating in the next bidding.

To recall, WTG, in consortium with A.M. Oreta, submitted the lowest bid during the first bidding conducted by the City but was later disqualified after the BAC found some discrepancies and inconsistencies on the bidding documents they have submitted.

Poblete said though that the contractors will still have to comply with all the requirements and documents that will be asked by the City.

On when the bidding for the CCMC will be, Poblete said he doesn’t know yet.

Mayor Michael Rama said he will focus on the matter starting next week.

On Feb. 18, the mayor signed the memorandum covering the composition of the CCMC special BAC.

Aside from Poblete, it is composed of Atty. Jose Daluz III as the vice chairperson.

Its members include CCMC chief of hospital for operations Dr. Gloria Duterte, the mayor’s chief of staff and assistant city administrator for economic enterprise Atty. Dominic Diño, City Legal Office chief Atty. Jerone Castillo, City Health Department head Dr. Daisy Villa and City Budget Officer Marietta Gumia.

21 farmers get cash aid from PCIC

By Rolando Balondo Jr. (NSU AB Comm Intern)

TWENTY-ONE farmers from the mountain barangay of Adlaon, Cebu City yesterday received financial assistance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).

Each farmer received an indemnity check worth P12,782 in a ceremony held at the Cebu City Hall, attended by Barangay Captain Elvis Narra, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, PCIC vice president Tony Uy, and Tisa Barangay Captain and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Philip Zafra.

The amount will be used by the farmers for their rehabilitation and recovery from the devastation caused by typhoons Queenie, Ruby and Seniang that hit Cebu and other parts of the country last year.

Labella said the financial aid was realized because of the collaborative efforts of the PCIC, ABC, Department of Agriculture and the Cebu City Government.

Labella said that the farmers should not only know how to plant but they should also learn effective marketing strategies for added income.

Cebu City awards 4 centenarians

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas

A FORMER senator, incumbent and previous local officials, police officers, environmental advocates, schools and civic groups were among this year’s awardees of the Cebu City Government.

The awardees received outstanding individual and outstanding institution awards and mayor’s special awards during the City’s 78th Charter Day celebration held at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu last Tuesday night.

The award serves as a tribute to the more than 50 individuals and institutions who contributed to the city’s growth.

Four centenarians were also awarded and given P100,000 cash assistance. They are Gerardo Cabalfin, Concepcion Velasco, Miguela Campos and Araceli Kiener.

Before recognizing them, Mayor Michael Rama challenged the awardees and the public to continue to do their part in further improving and developing the “Queen City of the Philippines.”

“All of us should do our part. This is not your city alone. This is not my city. This is our city, our Cebu City. I believe together we can make the best things happen for Cebu if we all are one,” he said.

For the outstanding individuals, one of the recipients is disability specialist Adela Avila Kono. She has been advocating for a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities in the city. She also helped with the passage of the Barrier-Free Tourism Ordinance authored by Councilor Alvin Dizon.

Another awardee is former senator Rene Espina for instituting road detours when the Mactan Bridge was constructed. Espina was named the “road building governor” of Cebu.

Also named outstanding individuals are Atty. Napoleon Rama for being a “defender of democracy” during Martial Law years and Supt. Romeo Santander of the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office for his anti-crime efforts.

Other awardees included Alvan Claude Evangelio (theater and arts), Luz Mancao vda. de San Diego (culture and arts), Hernando Streegan (scouting community), Dr. Suga Sotto Yuviengco (public health), Dr. Jose Gullas (culture and arts), and Dr. John Robinson Gokongwei.

For the outstanding institutions, the awardees are the Cebu Eastern College and the Cebu Normal University for the field in education, and Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Zonta Club I and Zonta Club II on the field of community service.

Special awards

As for the mayor’s special awards, a total of 31 individuals and institutions were named recipients. This included City Councilor Nida Cabrera (environment), Councilor Dave Tumulak (public service), former councilors Joy Pesquera and Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem (governance), and barangay captains Jose Navarro of Punta Princesa, Petronilo Fat Jr. of Hipodromo, Jerome Lim of Sta. Cruz and Carl Stephen Belarmino of Sambag II (public service and volunteeerism), as well as Oscar Tabada for having served the country’s weather bureau for 35 years as well as Kitakyushu and Yokohama City in Japan and Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi for environment protection.

Other awardees included Jack Rallos, Clarence Paul Oaminal, Antonio del Mar, Teresa Fernandez, Stella Domingo, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos-Visayas, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Atty. Emannual Gimarino, the City Legal Office, former CCPO chief Senior Supt. Noli Romana and Msgr. Roberto Alesna.

It also included journalists Rene Borromeo and Luis Arevalo as well as Wilton Uykintian, the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative, McDonalds, Vicente Ayllon of Insular Life and the Lhuillier family.

During the awarding ceremony, the City also gave posthumous awards to Estelita “Tetang” Diola, Alan Jayme Rabaya, Daisy Baad, vice mayor Renato Osmeña and Basak San Nicolas Barangay Captain George Rama.

100 beds more for temporary CCMC

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas

THE Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) will soon have an additional 100 beds to accommodate more indigent patients.

This, since the CCMC’s expansion in the building previously occupied by the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) is almost finished.

With the additional bed capacity for CCMC, this would mean that the hospital will have more than 200 beds.

Advertisement

The temporary CCMC, which is located at the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) compound, only has 108 beds.

Yesterday, Mayor Michael Rama inspected the ongoing improvements at the Citom building. He said it should be finished soon.

“This (expansion and improvement of CCMC) is going to be treated temporary-permanent because if you don’t think of it as permanent, you will also not fix approximately to meet tolerable, manageable needs,” he said.

At present, the ramp from the first floor to the second and third floor of the building is still being constructed. Some finishing touches are also being made.

CCMC Chief of Hospital for Administration Rey Cris Panugaling said that the renovation at the Citom building is expected to be completed next month. They are targeting to make the annex building fully operational in the middle of March.

The first floor of the building will house the emergency room for CCMC’s pediatrics department. It will also house the nutrition and the labor rooms.

The second floor, on the other hand, will house the pediatrics and obstetrics wards, pediatrics intensive care unit, dengue ward, pulmonary ward, gynecology ward and the sick neonate care unit.

As for the third floor, it is where the medical records section will be located as well as the administrative offices, conference rooms, personnel services, procurement unit and the management offices.

By March 1, though, CCMC Chief of Hospital for Operations Dr. Gloria Duterte said they will transfer ahead the pediatrics department and ward from the BFP compound to the Citom building.

This will be done so that the pediatrics department will be accredited by the Pediatrics Society, and doctors can already be sent to CCMC for training, she said.

Those that will remain at the BFP compound are the surgical and medicine departments. Once the annex building is done, Panugaling said CCMC will apply for the hospital’s level two accreditation from the Department of Health (DOH).

DOH had earlier downgraded CCMC from a level three hospital to a level one hospital due to the cramped space at the BFP compound, among others.

CCMC transferred to the BFP area after their old building was demolished since it sustained heavy damage during the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in October 2013.

The hospital management is optimistic that it will be granted a level two accreditation with the expansion of the facility.

Cebu City fetes Charter Day awardees

By Jean Marvette A. Demecillo / RHM (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - In line with the celebration of Cebu City’s 78th Charter Day, City Hall last Sunday awarded its most outstanding departments and employees.

In handing the recognition, Mayor Michael Rama challenged all recipients to continue their good performance even when other people cast doubts on them.

“Work without thinking of awards,” he said, as he reminded them not to be consumed by the desire for fame and glory.

The Cebu City Legal Office was chosen as Outstanding Department and received P50,000 and a plaque of recognition.

City Attorney Jerone Castillo accepted the award along with his 15 “young, dedicated, and brilliant” lawyers.

He took pride of the fact that his office has not lost a single case since 2013, when he took over as the office’s chief. Castillo said that before he took over as city legal officer, the office received flak due to several issues and that there was lack of cooperation within.

He said that in appointing him, Rama challenged him to run his office like a legal firm, which he said was a challenge. Castillo, though, was glad to have accomplished it because he had the “best team of lawyers in the city.”

“We want to make sure that we will fight until the end. With God as our source of our wisdom, and with the law as our guide, and with these people beside me, who can beat against the City Legal?” he said during his acceptance speech.

He said that one of the biggest cases that his office fought for was that against the heirs of the late Reverend Father Vicente Rallos. The Regional Trial Court had ruled for the city government and ordered that part of the South Road Properties and the city’s garnished bank accounts be returned to the city.

Today, he would be facing another legal battle by defending the P20,000 calamity assistance given to each of the City Hall officials and employees last December 2013 before the Department of Interior and Local Government -7.

Meanwhile, City Agriculturist Joelito Baclayon, who has been in public service for 22 years, received P50,000 and plaque of recognition after he was awarded as the Outstanding Department Head.

Baclayon said he started as agriculture technician in 1993 and that he worked with utmost commitment and dedication to improve the lives of the city’s farmers in the upland barangays.

He said creating an organization of farmers in the upland barangays was one of his unforgettable contributions for the city.

The other awardees were of the Cebu City Medical Center’s Fulton Lunod rank and file outstanding employee followed by finalists Jean Marie Brual (Department of Manpower Development and Placement) and Sofrorio Tabigul (City Accountant’s Office); DMDP’s Anthony Aguhar as outstanding section head with finalists Porcia Basmayor (Department of Social Worker and Services) and Phoebe Ina Oracoy (City Budget Office).

The outstanding Division head was General Services Office’s Alberto Bontuyan as Outstanding Division Head with finalist Mark Jason Tirol (Office of the City Accountant) while GSO’s Ronaldo Malacora was picked as Outstanding Assistant Department Head.

Rama also handed out the special Mayor’s Awards to Castillo; Engr. Jose Marie Poblete (Department of Engineering and Public Works); Apollo Dante, Ceromedes Tindoy, and Guillermo Viola of DEPW; Atty. Dominic Diño (City Administrator’s Office); Vicente Esmeña (City Mayor’s Office); Raquel Arce (City Markets Administration); Ma. Suzanne Ardosa (DMDP).

Belinda Navascues, Judith Cabardo, Elmer Labella, Simeon Romarate, Candelaria Arado, Juvelyn Montecillo, Atty. Janeses Ponce, Atty Collin Rosell of the City Mayor’s Office; Cebu City Traffic Operations chief Jonathan Tumulak; Atty. Leslie Ann Reyes (City Legal Office); City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas; Dr. Ester Concha and Lucia Mahusa of DSWS; and Grace Luardo of the Department of Public Services.

CCSC to stage Mayor’s Cup for badminton

By Rommel C. Manlosa

BADMINTON players are looking forward to the 2015 Cebu City Mayor’s Cup-Charter Day Badminton Doubles Challenge on March 14 and 15 at the MetroSports Badminton Center in Lahug.

The event, which was originally scheduled on Feb. 21 and 22, was moved so organizers could iron out the final details. It is organized by Cebu City Sports Commission, which has allocated a total of P110,000 in cash prizes for the top two winners of the 12 categories in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

The addition is the Women’s Open Doubles event, which is expected to draw the finest and toughest women players in Cebu.

The other categories to be contested are the men’s open, the Level C Mixed Doubles, the Levels D, E and F for the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles.

Customized medals will be also handed to the top two finishers.

In addition, this tournament is also a qualifying event for Team Cebu City Badminton for the POC-PSC National Games in June.

Cebu City is set to send athletes in the Junior’s and Youth Singles and Doubles tournament in the annual national competition.

Registration is still going on at the PSC Regional office at the Cebu City Sports Center. Registration fee is P550 per player.

Cebu City brgys to earn, too

By Jean Marvette A. Demecillo / RHM (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - All barangays in Cebu City would soon have their share in the revenue once amendments to the city ordinance on the collection of garbage fees are adopted and implemented.

The Solid Waste Management Board was the one that asked for legislative action for changes to City Ordinance 1361 (An Ordinance Establishing a System of Garbage Collection, Imposing Fees Therefore, and Expropriating Funds and for Other Related Purposes).”

In a City Council executive session yesterday, SWMB Chairman Janeses Ponce said collection of garbage fees should not be based on the floor area of an establishment but on the volume of garbage it generates each a day.

“The basis on the collection of fees should be on the volume. You generate it, you pay for it,” he said.

He cited as example a local university with more than 20,000 students where the city earns in terms of garbage fees just P800 a year.

Ponce said amending the ordinance would also help improve garbage collection since it would result to more funds, as compared to the current situation where the city government is having difficulty hiring haulers and renting the 10-wheeler trucks to collect garbage.

City Councilor Gerardo Carillo requested Ponce to submit to the City Council its proposal to have legislative interventions on the amendment.

Carillo said the amendment could also benefit the barangays since they are participating in the collection of garbage.

“It is one way of empowering our barangays, raising their revenues, finance their garbage collection, para sad atong barangays naay source of funds, maka-deliver og services, maka-subsidize sa residents, and maka-earn pa sila ngadto sa mga dagkong producer sa garbage,” he said.

He added that like the city, the barangays would then likewise buy their equipment, improving garbage efficiency in their respective jurisdictions.

City Councilor Sisinio Andales, however, opposed the plan to raise garbage fees by basing it on the volume of garbage establishments generate.

“I would vehemently oppose any increase of garbage fees because that would not solve the problem. Can we solve the problem by increasing (the fees)? I don’t think so,” he said.

Amancio Dongcoy of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau said all stakeholders should be properly informed before any increase is implemented.

Meanwhile, on the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill that Mayor Michael Rama permanently closed down last January 15, Carillo said the SWMB has not submitted anything to the City Council as to its recommendations and plans on the closure of the landfill, particularly on how to better prepare for the effects of the closure.

“Nganong pugson man nato ang mga barangay nga mo-transport sa tanang garbage ngadto sa Consolacion landfill nga ang mandato is naa man nato,” Carillo said, as he reminded that garbage segregation must begin from the source, which are the households.

He said that the problems experienced now after the landfill’s closure could have been prevented had there been better preparations made.

“Ang uban basura karon gilabay nalang sa kalsada, sapa or kanal maong nakadungag sa problema. We are one government maong we are one in finding solutions. But what can we (at the City Council) do kon wala mi kahibawo? Wala gani mi ka-receive og report.” he said.

Dongcoy, who is also an SWMB member, said that it was relayed late that all bio-wastes should be handled by the barangays while all residual wastes would be handled by the city government and supposedly dumped at the Inayawan landfill.

“If that was complied, waste in the landfill would be reduced unta unya gipadayon man, maong nidaghan gyod nang solid wastes sa landfill,” he said.

Ponce, though, said that the barangays were informed prior to the closure of the landfill.

Also, City Councilor Margarita Osmeña said some barangay garbage trucks could not make it to the new landfill in Consolacion town due to the distance and the conditions of the garbage trucks.

To address this, Ponce said SWMB set up recently a “transfer station” that caters to the barangays that could not make it to Consolacion.

City Councilor Ma. Nida Cabrera said that she already proposed to the SWMB to set aside a portion of the Inayawan landfill as transfer station so the city would no longer have to rent a space for this purpose.

“I have proposed it to the board nga mogamit og area sa landfill para temporary transfer station para dili nata mag-rent. Basta malimpyohan ra pod unta before 24 hours,” he said.

She said, though, that there should be strict monitoring if the transfer station would be located at the Inayawan landfill.

North Face rock climbing team bolts 16 new routes in Cebu City mountain village

(PNA), CTB/EB/MP/

CEBU CITY, Feb. 20 (PNA) -- The visit of the North Face Rock Climbing Team led by legendary rock climber Yuji Hirayama, and elite climbing couple James Pearson and Caroline Ciavaldini paved way to the bolting of 16 new routes in Barangay Tagbao in the hinterlands of Cebu City.

The group bolted 12 routes in Mansorela from Feb. 11 to 14 and added four more in Monsterela from Feb. 16 to 18.

The visit of the group was part of the Spot Project and Climbers Without Borders.

Patrick Costelo of Cebu Rock Climbing Community said the visit of renowned rock climbers has marked a new era for rock climbing in the country.

“People may not realize it yet but they have inspired local climbers to climb harder, and by putting up multiple hard routes (Graded 7c+ to 8c+). The locals will have routes to project and in the process, raise the level of local climbing,” he said.

“The visit yielded the first 8c+ routes in the country. Our hardest before their visit was 8b+,” he added.

Hirayama, a two-time lead climbing world champion, and known for his technical climbing, promised the locals that he will be back in Cebu next year to bolt more routes.

Hirayama, who stayed here for 10 days left Cebu Thursday.

Pearson and Ciavaldini are staying until March 1 to continue bolting the routes in Barangay Tagbao.

The trio also visited the Jack Sparrow 8+b route in Cantabaco, Toledo City in western Cebu.

Costelo said Jack Sparrow is the highly-developed crag in the country and has the hardest route too.

“They went there to assess if we have the right grade on the route and evaluate the state of our outdoor development and quality of our outdoor climbing. They graded it as 8+b the same grade the locals have given it,” he said.

The three of them also on-sighted Lust for Lime in Cantabaco and graded it as 8a+ route, the same grade rated by the locals.

“Hirayama is looking to be back next year, but Pearson and Ciavaldini they haven’t said yet, but who knows, they like it here,” Costelo said.

The visit of the North Face Team was supported by the Cebu Rock Climbing Community and the Vertigo Climbing Center.

Cebu grad tops doctors’ exam

By Jessa J. Agua/ATO (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - A graduate from a Cebu university topped this year’s licensure examination for doctors.

Of the 832 takers and 594 passers, Venil Lovely Estella Bolambao from Southwestern University College of Medicine ranked first with an average score of 88.33 percent.

Two other Cebu school graduates also made it to the top ten. Mark Malalay Ando of Cebu Doctors’ University-College of Medicine (86.83 percent) bagged third place while Rodrigo Go Monleon, Jr., also from CDU (85.75 percent), placed eighth.

Monleon shared the eighth place with University of Sto. Tomas graduate Angela Pauline Patawaran Calimag-Loyola and University of Perpetual Help System Laguna graduate Edward Harry Marfil Vallejera.

The other top ten passers were: Jean Paolo Montoya Delfino from Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela (87 percent), second; Maria Rosalie Go De Guzman from Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela (86.67 percent), fourth; Lynn Daryl Feliciano Villamater from Emilio Aguinaldo College Manila (86.25 percent), fifth; and Al-Rayyan Abdulmonap Anuddin from Ateneo De Zamboanga (86.17), sixth.

The seventh place went to Alrick Anthony Roxas Gonzalez from University of Sto. Tomas (86 percent), Kezia Lorraine Heyasa Rosario from West Visayas State University La Paz (85.50 percent) bagged the ninth place while Harold Jay Siggaoat Baytec from Far Eastern University- Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation (85.42 percent) got the tenth place.

PAL Interclub-PHL's biggest team golf tournament kicks off in Cebu this week

(PNA), FFC/EB/MP

CEBU CITY, Feb. 18 (PNA) -- The country's biggest club team golf tournament--the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub--returns for another staging in Cebu City this week.

The tournament, now on its 68th year, is expected to attract close two 2,000 golfers from all over the world for two weeks.

It will kick off with the Seniors' Tournament on Feb. 19 at the Mactan Island Golf and Country Club, while the men's regular tournament will be played at Club Filipino de Cebu and Cebu Country Club (CCC).

Former champion Canlubang will try to grab the title from Luisita in the seniors division and has fielded in the legendary Tommy Manotoc, who skipped the tournament the past two years.

"I'm excited to see old friends and play with them again. Playing in the Interclub, especially for Canlubang and doing battle with Luisita is something we look forward to every year," said Manotoc.

Manotoc is a many-time individual champion of the Seniors division.

"The competition is fierce but friendly at the same time," he said.

On the other hand, former two-time champion CCC will try to take advantage of its familiarity with the local courses to wrest the title from Orchard, which won the title in Bacolod last year.

The event was supposed to swing to Cagayan de Oro for this year but the participants requested that it would be held in Cebu, which hosted the event for the first time in 13 years in 2013.

"We're ready and raring to go," said Raymund Sangil of Orchard.

He added the team has been preparing to defend their title since October last year.

Sangil will be joined by national team member Kristoffer Arevalo, King and Ace Stehmeier, Niko Santiano, JP de Claro, Rodel Mangulabnan, TJ Benitez, Aian ARcilla and Paul Salvador.

On the other hand, CCC, which won the championship division in 2012 and 2013, will bank on local aces Bayani and Montito Garcia, Jovi Neri, LJ Go, Gen Nagai and a slew of other jungolfers.

Other favorites in the Championship division are Del Monte and Alabang.

Last year, Orchard won the title with 477 points, 18 ahead of Alabang, while Del Monte was at third place at 453.

CCC, which was hoping to score its first three-peat in the tournament, finished at fourth place with 437 points.

Aside from the Championship division, the PAL interclub also has the Founders, Friendship and Sportswriters Divisions.

Each team is required to field 10 players with five to play in each of the four-day competition. Only the best four scores in each day will be counted.

World Football Fives qualifiers set

By Edri K. Aznar

LOCAL amateur football teams get a chance to showcase their talent and an opportunity to represent Cebu in the national tournament of a unique 5-a-side tournament, The World Football Five’s (F5WC).

The Cebu qualifier of the F5WC is slated on Feb. 28 at the Cebu City Sports Complex football pitch.

A total of 14 teams have already registered for the tournament – four Leylam FC squads, Erco FC, Bro Nationals, University of Cebu, Don Bosco Technology Center, two University of San Carlos teams, University of Southern Philippines Foundation, KTEC Trading, two Bangon Isabel teams of Tacloban City and one team from Manila.

According to local organizer Dino Musni, there are still a few slots available.

The deadline for registration is on Feb. 23 on the coaches meeting at the Cubanas Bar and Grill along Mango Ave. Registration fee for each team is P2,500.

For inquiries, interested teams may contact Musni at 0923-711-3100 or 0923-739-0040.

Musni said that two slots are at stake for the national tournament. The national finals will be on March 28 and 29 in Manila. The best football team that will win the national tournament will face 47 other nations in the world championships in Dubai, UAE on April 23 to 25.

The Philippines’ winning squad will be up against teams from Argentina, USA, Colombia, Brazil, Guatamela, Costa Rica, Canada, Panama, Mexico, Uruguay, Peru, Austria, Finland, England, Germany and Ireland among others.

$200-M new port in Cebu pushed; location under study

By Kris Bayos

A$200-million new port will rise in Cebu to help decongest Cebu City port, but authorities are yet to determine the exact location of the new maritime facility.

Transportation Undersecretary for Project Implementation Julianito Bucayan said the final site for the new port in Cebu will depend on the outcome of the feasibility study that is still being conducted. The Japan International Cooperation Agency is helping the Philippine government conduct the feasibility study for the new port planned for Cebu.

“I cannot say yet the specific location. There are several candidates but it depends on the outcome of the feasibility study,” said Bucayan, who sits as alternate chair of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Board.

Bucayan likewise clarified that the tag price for the project may still adjust depending on the final location of the facility.

“It’s hard to give a figure now on the cost because it will depend on where the location will be because the location will define how much work is needed to be done. It can be in the ballpark figure of $200 million but again it depends on the location. It can be much lower or higher,” he pointed out.

“If you go out to the sea, you have to reclaim and that will make the development cost higher unlike if you have a natural deep draft and you don’t have to reclaim. It will be cheaper and more efficient,” he added.

Earlier, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya disclosed a plan to build a new port in Northern Cebu that will cater exclusively to container traffic. In an interview last year, Abaya said the preferred site is Tayud, Consolacion, which he said is suited for container traffic considering its natural depth of around 16 meters. Tayud is eight kilometers away from Cebu International Port.

Tayud reportedly has a 14-meter draft while Cebu International Port’s draft is under 8.5 meters while the domestic port zone is even shallower at under 6.5 meters.

But citing latest information on the plan, Bucayan said government remains open to designing the port for both container and passenger traffic.

“What we’re looking at is a container terminal but it will still depend on the recommendation of the feasibility study. We’re keeping all options open and we’re not closing our doors to anything yet. The best is to approach it with an open mind,” he pointed out.

Bucayan said the feasibility study for the new Cebu port will be completed by the second quarter of the year and the project roll out targeted within the year.

“Target completion of the feasibility study is by the second quarter but we want to fast track it. The Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) is helping out in doing the feasibility study. We expect to do the tender within the year,” he added.

The Cebu International Port is designed to handle 250,000 twenty equivalent units (TEU) but it is currently handling around 300,000 TEUs. The new port facility will have a design capacity of 500,000 TEUs.

The DOTC and the CPA target to conduct the groundbreaking of the new port project before the end of the term of President Benigno S. Aquino, III by mid 2016.

Cebu hotel maintains rosy outlook in 2015

By Eddie O. Barrita [(PNA), CTB/ EB/]

CEBU CITY, Feb. 15 (PNA) -- The Cebu City Marriott Hotel maintains a rosy outlook for the hotel business this year, projecting a growth of 4.5 percent, an executive said.

Patrick Carroll, the hotel’s general manager, is confident occupancy levels will remain high on the back of the large conventions happening in Cebu, particularly the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) ministerial meetings.

“The momentum is there. We will continue to see growth because of the Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) market and the supposed Apec meetings,” he said.

Carroll said the Ayala-led hotel is already prepared to host Apec guests.

“Fifty rooms are already on hold and we will adjust the number of rooms as we get more information,” he said.

The 299-room business hotel logged an “impressive” seven percent growth last year.

“2014 was the best year after we experienced cancellations due to the calamities in 2013. This hotel continued to attract individual and large group of travelers,” said Carroll.

The rooms accounted for 65 percent of the growth, followed by the food and beverage.

The hotel continues to draw growth from its diverse customer base, primarily the business process outsourcing followed by finance, banking and insurance, among others.

To improve guest experience and hotel service, Carroll said the hotel is spending P5 million for the upgrade of air conditioners and guest rooms starting last January.

Carroll said the 100 Mbps Internet service they offer will continue to attract the younger generation of travelers.

Drivers told to carry chalk or crayons

By Razel V. Cuizon

THE Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Board wants all drivers of public and private vehicles to always carry with them either white chalk or waterproof crayons.

These materials, City Administrator Lucelle Mercado said, can be used by the drivers to mark the exact location of the vehicles involved in minor traffic accidents.

This is also required under Section 1 of City Ordinance 1946, which requires “drivers to use chalk or waterproof crayons in marking (on the pavement or street) the exact location of the vehicles involved in vehicular accidents regardless of the amount sustained from damage to property, except however, when accidents result in injury or death of any person or where it is impossible to mark the road due to bad condition of the same such as rough or muddy roads.”

Mercado, who sits in the Citom Board, said that the move will help avoid traffic congestion when an accident occurs on a certain road.

“After the markings, they can move already their vehicles to avoid disturbing the traffic flow,” she said.

Mercado explained that both drivers involved in a minor accident can respectively mark the positions of their tires during the accident, while waiting for the responding traffic enforcers to evaluate the situation and make an official sketch of the accident.

Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, also a member of the Citom Board, explained that if a vehicle has turned upside down or in a position where the tires are not on the road, the driver must mark only the exact position of the body of the vehicle that touches the ground.

Remind

“Not everyone is aware of this. That is why we have to remind them,” Castro said.

Citom will start informing all the drivers on Monday about the matter.

The traffic group will also include this in their seminars to drivers, so they will be aware of this policy.

Robinsons Galleria to open later this year

By Katlene O. Cacho

PROPERTY firm Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) will open Robinsons Galleria Cebu, its biggest mall outside Metro Manila, later in the year.

Robinsons Galleria Cebu, which will have a gross floor area of 155,000 square meters, is midway its completion. It is scheduled to open toward the latter part of this year.

The six-storey commercial building stands on a 4.7 hectare lot on General Maxilom Avenue in the North Reclamation Area. The development will “reinvent, revitalize and increase property values in an area of Cebu City that was previously underutilized,” the company said.

RLC’s Commercial Centers Division general manager Arlene Magtibay said the mall is the key component of the mixed-use development that will include the second Summit Hotel in Cebu, two residential condominium buildings, as well as office building for business process outsourcing firms.

“RLC’s sustained investments in Cebu City via Robinsons Galleria Cebu and other projects signifies the company’s commitment in contributing to the city’s robust economic growth. RLC supports the Queen City’s vibrant retail industry as well as its booming property, business and tourism sectors,” Magtibay said in an email.

Key tenants

Robinsons Galleria Cebu is expected to attract shoppers and tourists from nearby government offices, consulates, churches, hotels, shipping terminals and schools.

It is projected to thrive as a hub of business activity and cultural exchange.

The mall’s anchor tenants will include Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, True Value, Robinsons Appliances, Daiso, and Toys R’ Us.

It will also have six cinemas, including two 3D theaters, with a total seating capacity of 1,774. Of these, cinemas 1 and 6 have been designated as VIP cinemas and each will be equipped with a wide screen, wide chairs and Atmos surround sound systems.

The mall will also have over 300 tenants offering a mix of international brands and popular local brands. Tenants will also include homegrown Cebuano retail shops, restaurants, amusement centers and new entertainment attractions.

Recently, the Gokongwie-led company disclosed it plans to put up seven new shopping centers and expand three existing malls in the next two years.

This year, the property developer is already looking at opening two of the seven new malls and complete one of the three planned expansion projects.

RLC is allotting a portion of its P17 billion capital expenditure in its 2015 fiscal year to construct and complete the Cebu, Antique and Novaliches malls.

LTFRB 7 starts profile of 3,000 jeepney drivers, operators to be affected by BRT on Feb. 16

(PNA), FPV/EB

CEBU CITY, Feb. 10 (PNA) -- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 will start on Feb. 16 the profiling of about 3,000 jeepney operators and drivers in Cebu City who will be affected by the city’s Php10.6-billion Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

Cebu-BRT Office head lawyer Rafael Yap said the Base-Line Survey for PUJ drivers and operators will run until March 13.

Within the period, he said the affected drivers and operators are encouraged to fill out personal data forms at LTFRB 7 to avail themselves of the training and employment assistance program through the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (Tesda).

The profiling includes the personal information of the drivers and operators, what the driver wants to pursue for an alternative livelihood, personal attainment and other concerns.

Yap said the data collection is vital as it would show the target and affected audience, percentage and number of recipients and comprehensive and mitigating factors to help them.

He said the survey will help them come up with an appropriate and practical social management plan for those who will be displaced by the said development.

Other identified measures are: helping operators to move to other franchise routes including feeder routes to the BRT; offering existing transport operators the opportunity to be involved in service contracts for the BRT service; and assisting industry workers to find employment within the new bus system.

The LTFRB 7 is required to submit the statistical or analysis reporter together with the survey form to the national office on March 31.

The introduction of high quality buses operating on a dedicated bus lane will mean that some jeepney routes would be taken out by 2018.

There are 2,614 jeepney drivers involving 1,307 jeepney units to be affected by the BRT implementation, as well as 912 operators, 1,191 franchises and 22 routes.

“We want to address all the concerns of the PUJ industry, drivers operators and their family members. We want to know these people individually not as sectors or groups but on individual basis,” Yap said.


VSMMC buying equipment in answer to trash problem

By Jessa J. Agua/RHM (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - Following their having to bear with the stench of uncollected garbage, officials of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center have announced that they are in the process of procuring non-burn microwave shredder.

The device, said Housekeeping Section chief Ma. Victoria Villarojo yesterday, will help the hospital so that it would no longer be completely dependent on the city Department Public Services in the disposal of their general wastes.

Hospital wastes, on the other hand, are not a concern of the hospital as these are regularly collected by its private contractor, Pollution Abatement Systems Specialists Incorporated (PASSI).

Villarojo said they also learned following what happened that segregation is everybody’s responsibility, not just of the hospital utility workers.

“Since this problem has been exposed, I would like to emphasize that segregation must be done by patients, significant others (watchers), hospital employees and even doctors and nurses,” she said.

Villarojo also reported that after what happened, when uncollected trash piled up and repeated pleas with the DPS went unanswered, disposal of their garbage has already normalized.

Yesterday, she showed members of the local media improvement at the storage area after DPS picked up the accumulated general wastes after.

DPS trucks have already started collecting their garbage at the hospital. As of Wednesday night, a total of 11 truckloads of general wastes have so far been brought out.

“Nag-overtime intawn among mga personnel kay gabii man tig anhi to collect ang truck,” Villarojo said.

Cebu City Administrator Lucelle Mercado has also personally inspected the garbage storage area, while DPS Chief Rolando Ardosa met with VSMMC Director Gerardo Aquino to discuss the hospital’s solid waste management woes.

Villarojo admitted that non-collection of their general waste was due to a City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team citation for violation of the city’s “No Segregation, No Collection” ordinance.

The hospital was fined P500 for this violation, which was accordingly settled yesterday afternoon.

Cebu City to renew ties with Kortrijk

By Kristine B. Quintas/ATO (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City is set to renew its partnership with Kortrijk in Belgium in an aim fortify international linkages.

The City Council has authorized Mayor Michael Rama to renew the sister-city cooperation agreement with Kortrijk.

The new memorandum of agreement would only cover a two-year partnership contract, contrary to the three-year contract proposed by the City Council of Kortrijk last November 2013.

However, the sister-cities shall assess the cooperation agreement when it expires next year as stipulated in the MOA. The evaluation report forms the basis of drafting of any possible new agreement.

Kortrijk became Cebu’s sister city by virtue of a sustainable urban development partnership agreement signed on May 17, 2005. It has over two million residents.

In the intervening years, both cities worked together in terms of waste management, citizen participation, education and affair.

Kortrijk Mayor Vincent Van Quickenborne said there is a necessity to continue the sister city-relationship.

In August 2013, the city has evaluated the Kortrijk-Cebu cooperation particularly its impact to both cities if the partnership would be extended.

In the same year, Arnold Vandenbroeck also conducted an evaluation in Cebu City as to the terms and reference, efficacy, impact and sustainability of the international link or partnership.

Quickenborne pointed out that the expenses of the “twinning arrangement” were taken from the Municipal Development Cooperation Understanding via an impulse policy with the Flemish Government.

Based on their evaluation, of the total 399 personnel, city council, north-south board of Kortrijk, receivers, job seekers, young people and trainees, 235 (about 60 percent) agreed to continue the sister-city relationship. However, 56 (17 percent) disagreed while 108 had no opinion.

Most of those who agreed pointed to “open borders, learning from each other based on parity (openness works in an inspiring way and putting things in perspective), to make global topics more concrete and to make cooperation more tangible” as reasons.

RAFI opens 9th season of Young Minds Academy

By May B. Miasco, FPL (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - To develop young people on becoming accountable leaders and responsible citizens, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. – Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (RAFI – EADSC) yesterday opened the 9th season of its Young Minds Academy program.

A number of students from elementary and secondary schools in Cebu City and province filled the Eduardo Aboitiz Hall during the launching event. Out-of-school youths were also present.

RAFI – EADSC executive director Evelyn Nacario-Castro said the program has been consistent in their design to the 3Cs namely; building competence, strengthening character and promoting active citizenship.

“We would like to call young people, to explore the possibility of becoming YMA scholars,” she further said.

Part of the academy, she added, is to allow the qualified scholars to see the concerns and issues affecting the community in relation to the theme, which is the disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

“It actually creates an impact to the community. The experience is also having an effect on them,” Castro said.

One of the Season 8 graduates shared that through the YMA program, it gave her the chance to help the community as she was able to build her character and pursue her passion in making a difference.

“It (YMA program) gave me the opportunity to be able to help the community aside from strengthening my character and promoting active relationship in the community,” said Moca Charity Cañal.

The 20-year-old joined the YMA program while she was attending her studies as graduating student at the University of the Philippines.

“Lisod i-balance ang duha pero personally, it’s about the dedication to help the community,” she said.

She was recognized as the Don Ramon Aboitiz Awardee among other graduates.

Young Minds Academy is a youth leadership and citizenship development program aimed at developing young emerging leaders aged 12 – 20 years old.

The program has opened for application to all qualified young people, who are committed to serve the community in the areas of social development. The scholarship will be granted on a team basis per category.

Interested candidates will undergo the process of application and screening before they will be admitted to the Academy and awarded with the scholarship.

Since the program started in 2006, it has already trained 761 youth leaders.

CH ‘to raise’ waste collection rates

By Razel V. Cuizon

THE Cebu City Government’s Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) wants to raise the garbage fee that the City is collecting from private establishments.

The City is already spending extra for the collection and dumping of garbage in a landfill in the northern town of Consolacion since it shut down the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

Janesis Ponce, SWMB chairman, said the new collection rate should be based on the actual disposal cost. Outdated

“Our garbage collection fee was based on a 1991 ordinance nga murag di na (that is no longer) responsive,” he said.

Under City Ordinance 1361, or the ordinance establishing a system of garbage collection, the City charges a minimal annual garbage collection fee from private establishments, such as educational institutions, hotels and restaurants, among others.

However, the cost of dumping garbage has reportedly gone up.

The Consolacion landfill charges P700 for each ton of garbage the City dumps there.

The amount, Ponce said, does not include the City’s expenses on personnel who collect the garbage and on fuel for the trucks, among others.

Suggestion

“There is a need to increase the fee kay alkanse na daan ang City (because the City is being shortchanged)... the council should revisit the ordinance,” he said.

Ponce said they’re suggesting to the City Council to base the garbage collection fee on the volume of waste that is collected from an establishment.

He said a school with a population of more than 20,000 students should pay more compared to a school with fewer students since the former is expected to pay more garbage.

“The more garbage they produce and generate then the more they should pay and if they don’t want to pay that much then they should reuse and recycle,” he said.

New group for CCMC formed

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday announced the composition of the new special Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) that will focus on the rebidding of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

Its members are composed of the old BAC formed by the mayor last year but it will no longer include Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos in compliance with provisions of the procurement law.

The special BAC members are Department of Engineering and Public Works chief Atty. Jose Marie Poblete, former city councilor and City Hall committee on awards head Jose Daluz III and Rama’s chief of staff and assistant city administrator for economic enterprise Dominic Diño.

The other members are lawyer Ferdinand Cañete from the City Legal Office, City Health Department head Dr. Daisy Villa and City Budget Officer Marietta Gumia and the end user.

On who will represent CCMC, being the end user of the project, Rama asked the City Legal Office to submit names to him.

In the previous BAC, delos Santos only became a member of the previous BAC to represent CCMC since she is the head of the hospital’s ad hoc committee.

It was City Legal Office chief Atty. Jerone Castillo who recommended to the mayor yesterday to “disqualify” delos Santos in the BAC, citing the implementing rules and regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Qualifications

It states that the BAC will be “composed of one representative each from the regular officers under the office of the local chief executive such as but not limited to the following: office of the administrator, budget officer, legal office, engineering office, general services office. The end user office shall always be represented in the BAC.”

Further, it states that “the chairman of the BAC shall be at least a third ranking permanent official of the procuring entity. The members of the BAC shall be personnel occupying plantilla positions of the procuring entity concerned.”

Castillo said that delos Santos is not occupying a plantilla position at City Hall, being an elective official.

“We decided not to include those who are not qualified under the law so there will be no legal question as to the composition of the BAC. The BAC has voting powers so if somebody who is not qualified to be there casts his vote, the proceedings will be nullified. That is why we have to be consistent so that later on, we won’t encounter problems,” he said.

The inclusion of delos Santos in the BAC was earlier questioned by the lowest winning bidding in the first bidding for the new CCMC after they were disqualified.

WTG Construction, in consortium with Manila-based contractor A.M. Oreta and Co., said Delos Santos cannot sit in the BAC since she is a councilor. Delos Santos is among those who voted for the contractor’s disqualification.

Replacement

As to who will replace Delos Santos, Castillo said he will recommend that it will either be CCMC chief of hospital for operations Dr. Gloria Duterte or chief of hospital for operations Atty. RC Panugaling.

Rama, in his regular news conference yesterday, said it has never been his intention to implement changes. He is just following the legal office’s recommendation.

But while delos Santos lost her membership in BAC, Rama yesterday said that all members of the CCMC ad hoc committee will be retained. Its chairperson, he said, will still be Delos Santos.

As this developed, Rama said it is good that the management of CCMC already made an official statement concerning an incident in the hospital where the nose of a shooting victim was allegedly gnawed by rats.

He agreed on the need to conduct pest control measures. He also welcomed the apology issued by the hospital about the incident, although the cause of the “avulsed wounds” on Harold Siton is still undetermined.

Because of the incident, the mayor believes there is a need for the new CCMC to rise soon.

The remains of Siton was placed in a cadaver holding area when his nose was allegedly nibbled by four rats.

The holding area is a one big container van located at the front of the Bureau of Fire Protection compound where CCMC is temporarily operating.

Dead patients of the CCMC are placed there for two to three hours until their families claim their bodies.

Due to limited space, the holding area doesn’t have tables so the bodies are placed on the floor. The facility can accommodate a maximum of three bodies.

The management of CCMC though said they will soon establish a morgue once their expansion at the City Traffic Operations Management building will be finished.

Coldest day so far this year but farmers ready

(RSB/JGA/Sun.Star Cebu)

CEBU CITY -- If you’ve spent recent mornings huddled under a blanket or found early baths a cold ordeal, you now have official confirmation of your troubles.

The state weather bureau recorded this year’s lowest temperature in Cebu at 22.4 degrees Celsius at 5:10 a.m. Wednesday.

Nedz Saletrero, weather specialist at the Pagasa Mactan, Cebu station, said January is the country’s coldest month, but the low temperatures extend to February. A northeast monsoon is responsible for the cold mornings recently felt in Cebu.

Last month’s temperature ranged from 24 to 29 degree Celsius. Last year’s lowest temperature was recorded on January 25 at 20.8 degree Celsius.

The winds prevailing over the country come from cold Siberia, where it is winter. But Saletrero said rising temperatures can be expected in the coming days, with the daily temperature for the rest of the month to range from 24 to 30 degree Celsius.

Saletrero also said the northeast monsoon is expected to weaken in the coming days. “Cebu will have party cloudy skies and sunny weather,” she told Sun.Star Cebu.

Warmer days will start in March as the southwest monsoon takes over. Pagasa forecast cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms in the Visayas today (Thursday) until Monday. (Pagasa stands for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.)

About the same time last year, crops and cattle were dying in the mountain barangays of Cebu City due to the cold spell.

The mountain barangays are currently experiencing cold weather, too, but City Agriculturist Joelito Baclayon said that the weather this year is relatively better and the farmers, having learned their lesson last year, were ready.

“They have improvised technology to protect the crops while also covering these with nets. They have also improved their barns to protect the animals from the cold,” Baclayon told Sun.Star Cebu.

Calamity

About P11.5 million worth of crops and 36 animals died due to the “extreme weather condition” experienced last year, and the City had to declare 17 Cebu City barangays under a state of calamity.

Baclayon said he and the personnel of the City Agriculture Department have been monitoring the mountain barangays to ensure that no more deaths will be experienced this year.

Baclayon said he visited the mountain barangays of Bonbon, Buot, Sudlon I, Sudlon II, Tabunan and Taptap last Tuesday to monitor the situation.

“There were no reported deaths for either animals or crops,” said Baclayon.

The farmers, he said, have invested on nets and barns to protect their crops and animals.

The Cebu City Council also supports the farmers in the upland barangays.

Through a resolution of Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, the Council approved over P2 million worth of irrigation projects in Barangays Agsungot, Tabunan and Lusaran.

Another resolution sets aside P310,000 for the purchase of 100 hoses and 100 plastic drums for the farmers of Barangay Pamutan.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña reminded her colleagues, though, that in the past six to eight months, the Council has approved a total of P11.3 million to buy hoses and drums.

Following the declaration of a state of calamity last year, P2.2 million worth of seedlings and crop and animal supplements were purchased by the City.

The farmers, Baclayon said, have already harvested the results of those seedlings.

Crisis center to rise in Lahug

By Flornisa M. Gitgano

A P20-million Cebu Women and Children’s Crisis Center (CWCCC) will soon rise in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City after Capitol officials broke ground yesterday.

This was the third groundbreaking ceremony so far conducted by the Provincial Government.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III led the groundbreaking, along with Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, Provincial Board members, mayors and officials of the Provincial Women’s Commission.

Davide said the center will cater to women and children who are victims of abuse, violence and trafficking.

“And I’d like to call this a monument of love. Atong concerns atong kababayen-an labi na gayud (ang mga kabatan-onan) kay nahibalo ta tanan (Our concern is for the women and children because we all know that) this is the advocacy of the vice governor. This is her legacy,” Davide said.

Facility

The center will be functional by July this year.

Based on the project proposal, the center will have a capacity of 40 beds.

Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora said the CWCCC will be built in the 1,000-sq.m. Provincial lot.

The Provincial Government provides P10 million for the construction of the building from the Annual Investment Plan of 2014.

Another P10 million will be given by the National Government through the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

The main building will serve as the Child Protection Services Unit. It will include the legal, psychosocial, direct social services, medical and administrative offices.

It will also have a mess hall and social hall that will serve as an activity area for the children.

Three cottages will be built to serve the victims of child abuse and trafficking.

The women and children who are victims of abuse can stay in the center “for one day to three months minimum and from four months to one year maximum.”

Deferred

In an interview, Magpale told reporters that she did not know why the facility did not push through in the past, “but we did have some groundbreaking ceremonies already.”

Sun.Star Cebu reported on Oct. 13, 2005, that former governor and now congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia led the groundbreaking of the Cebu Women’s Development Center in Camp Marina.

WDC, which was set to rise in a province-owned lot where the Cebu City zoo stands, was for the PWC to provide services for the women-victims of abuse.

Magpale, who was Provincial Board member then, was present during the groundbreaking.

On Aug. 29, 2012, Sun.Star Cebu once again reported that Garcia led the groundbreaking of the P20-million facility in Sudlon.

The project is funded by the Capitol’s Gender and Development Fund.

Provincial Board (PB) Member Peter John Calderon, who was the chair of committee on budget and appropriations in the past administration, said he has no idea why the construction of the center was not realized.

PB Member Grecilda Sanchez, who is now chair of the committee, also did not know the reasons behind the failure to construct the building.

“I thought it had support because there was a groundbreaking,” said Magpale.

Support

The vice governor is confident that, this time, the center will be built because she personally went to Manila to see Sec. Dinky Soliman for help.

She said there was an assurance from the National Government to extend financial assistance.

“I’d like to announce we’re the only Province that has a center for CIC (that we are only the Province that has a center for children-in-conflict),” Magpale said.

16th Cebu Franchise Expo set on March 6-8 at SM City Cebu

(PNA), FPV/EB

CEBU CITY, Feb. 3 (PNA) -- At least 60 franchise companies are joining the 16th Cebu Franchise Expo set on March 6-8 at SM City Cebu Trade Hall.

Rudolf Kotik, founder of the Filipino International Franchise Association (Fifa), said the expo will have 80 booths featuring diverse sectors, including food, education, beauty and wellness, health, petroleum and convenience stores.

Kotik, who is also founder of RK Franchise Consultancy, said 80 percent of the new exhibitors of next month’s Cebu Franchise Expo are interested in looking for more franchisees in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Kotik said this indicates that most Manila-based companies are looking at secondary emerging cities in the south as potential areas for expansion.

Kotik said franchising remains attractive because of its proven system, with a 95 percent success rate compared to starting a business from scratch.

He noted that over the years, the industry has attracted investors or franchisees who are retirees, overseas Filipino workers and young professionals.

“With a lot of businesses venturing into the franchise business model, would-be entrepreneurs now have wider options. Whatever your interests are, you can find something in the expo,” said Kotik.

One can get a franchise package for around Php250,000.

Kotik said the convenience store and petroleum businesses are two of the hottest business franchises these days.

Convenience stores have become a sought-after franchise because of the increasing demand among consumers and the Filipino’s attachment to sari-sari stores.

Petroleum, on the other hand, is growing fast because of accelerated developments in almost all economic sectors.

Kotik said the food sector remains the strongest franchise business, followed by health and wellness.

Aside from the home-grown brands that compose the majority of franchisors in the industry, the three-day expo will also feature international brands that are available for franchise.

Kotik said he will also conduct a four-hour franchise seminar during the expo, which will tackle all about franchising: how to select and buy a franchise and how to develop one’s business into a viable franchise.

After Cebu, Kotik said they are planning to mount franchise expos in the Caraga region and Palawan.

SWU scores double sweep in Cesafi men’s, women’s beach volleyball

(PNA), FPV/EB/MP/EBP

CEBU CITY, Feb. 2 (PNA) -- The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras scored a double sweep Sunday, winning the collegiate crown in both the men’s and women’s beach volleyball competition of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) at the Aznar Coliseum sand court in Cebu City.

The Cobras displayed lethal force to dethrone the University of Visayas, 21-17, 21-17, in the collegiate men’s beach volleyball competition.

Their women’s team completed the sweep with a 21-17, 21-19, win over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation.

SWU’s Dave Cabaron and Rommel Pepito came out blazing in the first and to a 10-5 advantage. UV’s Joseph Noval and Mark Fernandez fired back with a 4-0 run to close the gap within two, 12-10.

Late in the first set, Pepito, who was named the Most Valuable Player, scored the final five to take a one-set lead.

The Cobras took the lead in the second, 12-8, but UV rallied to tie the game at 16 before taking the lead with Fernandez’s block on Pepito, 17-16.

But that proved to be their last hurrah and point as Cabaron and Pepito piled up five straight points—including an impressive save for 20-17 and a spike by Pepito at match point.

“We did not expect to win the title, because this is Cabaron’s first time to join beach volleyball. The key to this win was our hard work in training and the willingness of these players to learn beach volleyball. I shared my experience in beach volleyball in our trainings,” SWU coach Dave Arreza said.

“We got this win through hard work, since we finished fourth in the men’s last year,” he said.

Arreza also praised his women’s team of Florenel Rodriguez and Janelle Cabahug.

“In the women’s, I saw the potential of the players from the start. I am happy that we are able to improve them more this year and win the title again,” said Arreza.

In the high school division, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) swept the boys and girls titles, defeating the University of San Carlos twice.

USJ-R won, 11-21, 21-19, 15-10, in the girls finals and 21-17, 15-21, 15-7 in the boys finals.

Mayor creates new bids, awards committee

By Razel V. Cuizon

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama has formed a new Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for infrastructure.

The creation of a new BAC is an offshoot of the declaration of a failure of bidding for the construction of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) in December last year.

The new BAC is now composed of City Administrator Lucelle Mercado, Rama’s chief of staff and assistant city administrator for economic enterprise Dominic Diño, City Legal Office Chief Gerone Castilo, City Planning and Development Office Head Engr. Kenneth Enriquez, City Budget Officer Marietta Gumia and Engr. Joel Reston of the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW).

Their technical working group includes, among others, City Accountant Mark Solomon, City lawyer Ferdinand Cañete, former city councilor and now City Hall’s committee on awards head Jose Daluz III, councilors Dave Tumulak and Roberto Cabarrubias, and South Road Properties Management Office Chief Roberto Varquez.

Those who were no longer included in the BAC are DEPW Chief Engr. Jose Marie Poblete, City Health Department head Dr. Daisy Villa and Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos.

Delos Santos was previously included in the BAC being the head of the CCMC ad hoc committee. The mayor though has recently said he wants the composition of the ad hoc committee reviewed.

The new BAC is headed by Castillo.

With the mayor already approving the members of the new BAC, Mercado in an interview said, they will already convene this week to discuss the rebidding of the new CCMC.

Before December ended last year, the mayor declared the initial bidding of the CCMC failed and ordered that another competitive bidding be held “to avoid or preclude any suspicion of favoritism and anomalies.”

That time, the mayor also sought the review of the BAC membership.

The previous BAC had disqualified the lowest bidder in the first bidding-the WTG Construction in consortium with Manila-based A.M. Oreta and Co.-over alleged inconsistencies in the bidding documents.

Retrieved from "http://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Cebu_City_News_February_2015&oldid=825744"