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==Capitol board OKs P700M Carmen bulk water joint venture ==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/164513/capitol-board-oks-p700m-carmen-bulk-water-joint-venture
*Tuesday, March 20, 2012 10:57 am
:By Carmel Loise Matus (Correspondent, Cebu Daily News)
Who doesn’t want low-cost, plentiful water?
The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday authorized Gov. Gwen Garcia to sign a joint investment agreement with Manila Water Consortium to roll out the P700-million Carmen Bulk Water project.
But members paused to ask who would sit in the new company that would be formed to operate the project and other details.
Since the province would pay P124 million as its initial investment, PB Member Arleigh Sitoy said those who sit in the joint investment company (JICO) that will be formed must be “qualified and accountable.”
How and when will payments be paid, asked PB Member Ribomapil Holganza Jr.
At the end of a two-hour discussion, the board agreed to authorize Governor Garcia to push ahead with the deal.
They also agreed to let Sitoy draft a supplemental ordinance to spell out who would sit in the five-member board of the company.
As agreed, the Manila Water Consortium would own 51 percent and name two board members.
The Cebu provincial government would own 49 percent and name two board members as well.  The choice of the fifth member will be mutually agreed by both parties.
Sitoy said his draft ordinance will spell out the qualifications of those who will represent the province in the JICO and “include the requirement that the representatives of the province will report quarterly to the PB and to the governor.”
The PB yesterday invited representatives of Manila Water Consortium and the Joint Investment, Evaluation and Selection Committee to brief them on the water project.
The Province of Cebu has set aside  P300 million in its Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for the water project, said engineer Adolfo Quiroga, head of the Capitol’s provincial planning and development department.
Manila Water representatives said the bulk water project, which is expected to cost P700 million, does not comprise more than 10 percent of the company’s total assets.
The initial investment of the province of P124 million will be paid during the incorporation.
Virgilio Rivera of the Manila Water Consortium said this is the “first long-term bulk water supply” in Cebu.
The sum of P255 million that represents 30 percent of the total project cost will be paid immediately upon the creation of the joint company.
As Manila Water’s equity, the remaining 70 percent will be loaned from a bank.
“Right now we need to take advantage of the liquidity of the bank system,” he said, adding that they have  good standing in availing of a long-term loan.
Last January, Manila Water challenged the top bidder, Cebu Bulk Water Consortium, at the same tariff of P13.95 and with an income return rate of 19.26 percent.
Manila Water Consortium includes Vicsal Development Corp. and Stateland Inc.  It plans to start commissioning the water supply in the last quarter of 2013.
The project aims to supply 35 million liters of potable water per day from the Luyang River in Carmen, partly meeting water demands of north and central parts of Cebu province.
It is also expected to improve the groundwater status of the province, which suffers from overextraction.
Last month, three bidders—Cebu Bulk Water Consortium, Metro-Maynilad Consortium and Manila Water Co.—joined in the submission and opening of the technical and financial proposals for the project.
Cebu Bulk Water emerged the top bidder.  Manila Water, as the original proponent of the project, was given until Jan. 15 to match Cebu Bulk Water’s bid.
==RAFI Conducts Camotes Participatory Mapping ==
*Source:http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/354774/rafi-conducts-camotes-participatory-mapping
*Monday, March 19, 2012, 4:08 pm
:By PHOEBE JEN INDINO
CAMOTES ISLAND, Cebu — In its aim to address vulnerabilities and mitigate or prevent disasters from affecting young children attending the day care center in Barangay San Isidro, San Francisco town in this island, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) recently conducted a participatory mapping activity here.
Said activity is part of the day care construction program of the Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF) Day Care Center which aims to come up with a plan to identify and minimize risks and disasters in communities surrounding day care centers.
Participants in the activity included parent representatives, barangay councilors, auxiliary police officers and day care teachers with Camotes Island Emergency Response Team (CIERT) members providing informative expertise.
“The session’s goal was to involve the community in ensuring the safety of the youngest stakeholders, and contribute to the barangay’s overall disaster preparedness capacity,” DACF Amaya C. Aboitiz said.
==Leaders promise to enforce road map==
*Source:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=788297&publicationSubCategoryId=531
*Sunday, March 18, 2012 12:00 AM
: By Flor Z. Perolina (The Freeman)
CEBU, Philippines - With a vision of making Mandaue City a premiere business destination in Central Visayas in 2016, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, other government leaders, and sectoral representatives have signed a “covenant” committing themselves to implement the newly-crafted Mandaue City Development Strategy Road Map.
Assisted by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia, a non-government agency, the city represented by the mayor, presented the road map including measurable targets and a scorecard to a multi-sectoral group.
The panelists during the half-day activity was held at Days Hotel in Mandaue City were Eric Mendoza, president of Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dominica Chua, chief operating officer of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Vicmando Suliva of Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, Francisco Eizmendi, president of ISA, Ruy Moreno of ISA, Archt. Joseph Michael Espina, dean, USC College of Architecture, Ofelia Oliva of BLGF, DTI regional director Asteria Caberte, DepEd provincial supervisor Arden Monisit, Engr. Zoilo Cortes, and Guadalupe Latonio of CLEAR, an environmental group.
Eizmendi, president of ISA said the success of the project requires a shift in paradigm from business as usual to actual transformation in all aspects of government.
He said the Performance Government System (PGS) they have introduced in Mandaue helps transform the organization.  He said the city is now prepared for the final presentation in Manila on March 30 before a national and international audience.
==Capitol carpools to save on fuel==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/162917/capitol-carpools-to-save-on-fuel
*Saturday, March 17, 2012 8:41 am
:  By Carmel Loise Matus (Cebu Daily News)
The Cebu provincial government is seriously cutting on fuel expenses as it implements car pooling measures.
Bernard Calderon, head of the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) told Cebu Daily News that buying diesel fuel by bulk from Petron results in discounts that helped them save up on ‘excessive’ fuel expenses.
Department heads, he said, are now directed to coordinate their trips to be able to share vehicles in their trips.
“Instead of using individually their service vehicle, sharing of service vehicle if there is only one destination,” Calderon said.
Aside from the car pooling, they also practice the “No trip ticket, No travel order, No issuance of fuel” at Capitol.
All vehicles are also directed to be parked every Friday at the Capitol’s parking lot.
If there’s a scheduled travel in the weekends, drivers must secure a travel order from the office of the Provincial Administrator.
Meanwhile, Calderon also showed a record of the fuel allowances they give to the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) and the 78th Infantry Battalion (78IB).
Every month CPPO gets 1000 liters of diesel per month and 150 liters of gasoline per month while the 78IB gets 500 liters per month for diesel.
Other units like the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) gets 500 liters of diesel per month and the Special Reaction Unit (SRU) receives 200 liters per month from the Capitol’s oil depot.
==DTI provincial director is new Icanserve – Cebu coordinator==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/162557/dti-provincial-director-is-new-icanserve-cebu-coordinator
*Friday, March 16, 2012 11:57 am
:  (Cebu Daily News)
THE provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry – Cebu is the new coordinator of Icanserve Foundation,  an advocacy group for early breast cancer detection.
Nelia F. Navarro took over the position from Me’anne Alcordo-Solomon, who was elected as the foundation’s national president.
Navarro was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2003.
She joined the Kahayag,  a group organized by her oncologist to address the psycho-social needs of member breastcancer survivor/patients and their caregivers.
She then joined the Icanserve as a volunteer and was active in the conduct of the 2nd Silver Linings in Cebu in 2007 and in the Pink October annual activities of the Cebu Chapter.
Through Icanserve’s high-impact information campaign and community-based screening programs, it empowers women with breast cancer. Its mission is to arm women with breast cancer information so they can make informed decisions about their health.
It also provides access to special services that will help the breast cancer survivor recover and heal more effectively.
==Cebu to host PH’s first freediving competition==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/161783/cebu-to-host-ph%E2%80%99s-first-freediving-competition
*Thursday, March 15, 2012 7:35 am
: by Jonas Panerio (Correspondent)
CEBU will play host to a different kind of international competition as the Blood Red Philippine Depth Challenge kicks off on March 31 at the Club Serena Resort in Moalboal.
Competitors from Germany, Taiwan, the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Czech Republic, Austria, Canada, Sweden and Australia among others, will compete in the tournament organized by Austrian freediver, Wolfgang Dafert.
Freediving means diving on a single breath of air and it is a sport that is being promoted by Dafert, who has taught and practiced the sport for more than 15 years. This marks only the second time that an Asian country has hosted a freediving tournament with Japan hosting the very first one in 2010.
The competition will be recognized by AIDA, the international governing body of freediving with international judges coming over to certify the records that will be made during the two-day event. The panel of judges include German Richard Wonka, Sarah Whitcher of the United Kingdom and JP Francois of Belgium.
In addition, since this is the first competition of its kind in the country, the winners will thus hold the national records.
There will be four disciplines that will be competed in including Static Apnea which is a competition to see who can hold their breath the longest in a pool and the free dive competition consisting of the constant weight, the unassisted and the free immersion dives.
==DENR 7 Bares Full Implementation Of NAILTF's No-Logging Resolution==
*Source:http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/354272/denr-7-bares-full-implementation-of-nailtf-s-nologging-resolution
*Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 5:39pm
:By PHOEBE JEN INDINO
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso bared the full implementation of Resolution No. 6 by the National Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force (NAILTF) which started last March 1.
Said resolution provides that logs and lumber derived from the country’s natural and residual forests and which have been confiscated shall be considered state property.
The same resolution states that no DENR official or employee is authorized to issue any processing, milling, and transport permit for logs and lumber derived from said natural or residual forests except those duly exempt under Executive Order (EO) No. 23, dated February 1, 2011.
Dichoso said under a new system in forest resource development, the move to establish tree plantation development is given a push in recognizing the sustainability of tree plantations as a viable source of timber.
He said all confiscated forest products should be turned over to the Department of Education to be made into school chairs and desks.
Natural and residual forests are forests of indigenous trees and which are not planted by man, which is why Dichoso said timber firms in the region could no longer transport their products since the deadline set in transporting inventoried timber harvested from natural and residual forests by the National Anti-illegal Logging Task Force has already ended.
To recall, timber licensees were granted a 90-day extension period, from November 28, 2011 to February 28 of this year to transport their products, provided they have paid the necessary forest charges prior to May 21, 2011.
In a related development, it was learned that EO 23 implementation in Central Visayas in 2011 resulted in the confiscation of 439.2205 cubic meters of undocumented forest products worth an estimated cost of R13.546 million, and the apprehension of 30 conveyances, tools and equipment.
Cebu had the most number of seized forest products with 250.6671 cubic meters worth R12.669 million, followed by Negros Oriental with 59.1924 cubic meters worth R547.378 million and Bohol with 129.361 cubic meters worth R329.386 million.
Dichoso said the DENR plans “a more razor-sharp” campaign against illegal loggers, with emphasis on strengthening DENR’s in-house capabilities to fight illegal logging and continuing on with its advocacy of enjoining citizen participation in reforestation efforts and community-led forest resources management.
==Cebu tech community supports local entrepreneurs via Startup Weekend==
*Source:http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/251331/scitech/technology/cebu-tech-community-supports-local-entrepreneurs-via-startup-weekend
*Tuesday, March 13, 2012 8:39pm
:By Fleire Castro
Aiming to support local entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts, Cebu's local tech community via TechTalks.ph, along with volunteers, is organizing the first Startup Weekend event in Cebu. This event will be happening on May 11-13, 2012 at the UP Cebu in Cebu City.
 
Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event that gives the participants a venue to come together and share ideas, create business plans, build  prototypes, and learn whether an idea can be a viable business. This hands-on experience is done over the course of the weekend starting on Friday to Sunday only.
These 54-hour events are organized by volunteers of Startup Weekend, a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, Washington, USA. In 2010, the organization received a grant from the largest foundation for entrepreneurship in the world - Kauffman Foundation. Right now, there had been 468 events done, 190 events in planning, with almost 5000 teams created since its conception.
The event is perfect for developers, designers or even non-technical people who want a hands-on experience building a business. This is the kind crowd expected in the event where they will blend together, learn new skills, build their network, educate themselves on how to launch a business, mentorship and engage in "co-founder" dating.
Startup Weekend Cebu is also expected to bring in mentors, not just from technopreneurs in Cebu but also from different parts of the country and Asia, including Eric Su from Piclyf. It will also bring in judges that includes Winston Damarillo, CEO of Morphlabs.
Event organizers include techies and entrepreneurs like Dave Overton from Sym.ph, Mark Buenconsejo from Caresharing, Ms. Tins from TechTalks, freelancers, and business owners too. SWCebu has also partnered with local online media sponsors like zerothreetwo.com and Cebu Bloggers Society to increase the mileage of the event.
So far, the confirmed organizations who have showed their support through sponsorships already include Globe who has sponsored last year's Startup Weekend in Manila, UP Cebu  and CebuinIT who also graciously offered their resources for the venue for the 54 hour event, Microsoft Bizspark, Startupr, and Third Team Media Contributing sponsor include TechTalks.ph, Devcon, Nextcue and the companies of volunteers.
==Cebu Traders, DA Partner In Creation Of Organic Certifying Body==
*Source:http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/354092/cebu-traders-da-partner-in-creation-of-organic-certifying-body
*Monday, March 12, 2012, 4:17pm
:By MALOU M. MOZO
CEBU CITY, Cebu – The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will undertake a recycling program by urging the public to segregate their own waste and convert this into a thriving business.
CCCI chairman Samuel Chioson said such a recycling program will be piloted among established residential subdivisions in Cebu, especially those with high garbage volume.
“There is money in recycling and we would like to see the public segregate their waste and earn additional income, while setting aside items that can still be recycled,” Chioson said in an interview.
The CCCI chairman also emphasized that more than just earning additional income, the project is aimed at helping minimize the volume of waste being dumped at existing landfills.
To realize the said project, Chioson revealed that the CCCI will organize a core group under the chamber’s environment committee that will manage the project. CCCI targets to launch the program during the Cebu Business Month celebration in June this year.
In the meantime, Chioson said the Chamber will set aside P500,000 for the creation of a local certifying body to serve businesses seeking to have their organic products accredited.
CCCI will tap the technical expertise of the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation.
Chioson said this project aims to further push organic farming in the province and, at the same time, help local farmers market their organically produced products among commercial establishments and international hotels, among others.
==Stakeholders join disaster risk mapping for day care center==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1091331437107
*Sunday, March 11, 2012
:By Hazel F. Gloria (MBCN/HFG-PIA7)
CEBU CITY, March 11 (PIA) -- Nineteen stakeholders from Barangay San Isidro and San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu have gathered recently to conduct a disaster risk mapping for the area surrounding the future Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF) Day Care Center in the said barangays.
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) with the parent representatives, barangay councilors and tanods, and day care teachers initiated the mapping.
Members from the Camotes Island Emergency Response Team (CIERT) also joined the activity and provided expertise and resource on the activity.
The participatory mapping is part of the day care construction program of DACF of RAFI, wherein the fund works with barangay stakeholders to come up with a plan to identify and minimize risks and disasters in the community surrounding the day care centers.
DACF chair Amaya Aboitiz explained that the goal of the planning session was to involve the community in ensuring the safety of the youngest stakeholders, as well as to contribute to the barangay’s overall preparedness for disasters.
During the session, community stakeholders gained knowledge and skills on identifying hazards and vulnerabilities in the area surrounding the day care center.
They also assessed their current capacity and readiness to prevent and prepare for the effects of these hazards.
Participants then walked around the site to observe the area surrounding the day care center and to locate hazards and vulnerabilities.
These observations were translated into a map, showing the various areas of risk which needs to be addressed to ensure the safety of the children at the day care center.
==DENR Urges Conservation Of Caves==
==DENR Urges Conservation Of Caves==
*Source:http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/353813/denr-urges-conservation-of-caves
*Source:http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/353813/denr-urges-conservation-of-caves
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