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==P2M released for watershed rehabilitation==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1091333098945
*Saturday, March 31, 2012
:(rmn/PIA-7/HFG/DENR-7)
CEBU CITY, March 31 (PIA) -- The Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 7 has released P2 million for the rehabilitation of a 100-hectare watershed area.
The funds were released to Barangay Unity Key to Integrated Development Multipurpose Cooperative (BUKID-MPC), which will implement the rehabilitation project of the watershed area in Brgy. Magsaysay, Balamban, Cebu.
This is in line with DENR’s campaign for massive reforestation to mitigate and address the worsening effect of climate change.
DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said this project is important as it promotes biodiversity conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation through the involvement and direct participation of people’s organization like BUKID-MPS as a project implementer.
Dichoso added that watershed is an area where water drains down from its tributaries and accumulates into a common outlet such as dams, oceans or lakes.
“It also provides habitat to wildlife flora and fauna and promotes higher biological diversity and stable ecosystem,” he said.
The watershed rehabilitation project involves the procurement and planting of 100,000 seedlings of endemic and native species. It includes the purchase of organic fertilizer, ring weeding and staking, hole digging, and patrol works.
He also pointed out that with the loss of vegetation, the sponge effect of the vegetation is gone.
Due to reduced waterholding capacity of the watershed (soil), tremendous runoff occurs during intense or extended rainfall. Eroded soil accumulates in rivers, lakes, and nearby oceans and results to sedimentation and siltation.
The DENR-7 created a regional project implementing unit inspection and monitoring team to manage and supervise the implementation of the forest plantation project and monitor the performance and progress of work in Balamban, Cebu.
==PNP launches Cebu Tourist Police==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061333076852
*Friday,March 30, 2012
: By Jose P. Sollano (PIA7 Cebu)
CEBU CITY, March 30 (PIA) -- To strengthen security measures this summer, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will launch the ‘Cebu Tourist Police,’ on April 2.
Philippine National Police has an earlier directive to implement stricter measures this summer season dubbed, “Oplan SumVac 2012.”
PSupt. Renato Malazarte, deputy provincial director for administration of the CPPO bared that Gov. Gwen Garcia will be the invited special guest for the formal launch of the Cebu Tourist Police.
Malazarte said Cebu is a popular tourist destination not only among foreign visitors but also domestic tourists as well.
“We expect a larger volume of tourists to come during the summer months of April and May as these are the months for vacation when children are off school,” said Malazarte.
Cebu has listed 243 beaches which the police will consider as tourist areas where visitors and locals alike take advantage of the summer period for beach outings.
“We are also focusing on popular tourist destinations in Cebu like the Bantayan Island and Malapascua Island in the North and Oslob, Badian and Moalboal in the south frequented by a larger number of foreign visitors,” Malazarte bared.
For the Holy Week, the CPPO has established 103 public assistance centers starting last Wednesday situated in strategic areas such as RORO terminals, the 85 listed churches in the province and tourism spots among others.
“More personnel however, will be augmented to the island of Bantayan which is famous for its Lenten Season observance akin to a fiesta celebration,” Malazarte disclosed.
The police official assured the CPPO is prepared and ready to provide safety and security to the public during the long break ahead.
==Lapu-Lapu to hire 1,000 students for jobs this school break==
*Source:www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=792229
*Thursday,March 29, 2012 12:00 AM
: By Jose P. Sollano (The Freeman)
CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City government will accept at least 1,000 high school and college students for the one month summer job program, Mayor Paz Radaza said.
Speaking before new graduates of the Lapu-Lapu City College, Radaza said the exact number of students who can avail of the program will depend on the availability of funds.
The city mayor said second year and third year high school and first year college students will have priority.
“Daghan sa atong mga kaigsoonan ang maglisud na sa pagpadayon sa ilang pagtungha mao nga nagpasiugdan ang dakbayan ug sumer job program,” Radaza said.
Students who will be hired will be assigned to the different offices at city hall.
==Gullas pushes for LRT project==
*Source:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=791859
*Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:00 AM
: By Liv G. Campo (The Freeman)
CEBU, Philippines - First district Rep Eduardo Gullas hopes the Regional Development Council (RDC) will give its approval on his Light-Rail Transit (LRT) project, which he believes will boost the economic growth of the province.
Gullas, in an interview with the media the other day, said RDC has yet to calendar it for next meeting, but he hopes that with Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama as RDC head the project will be approved.
He said Governor Gwen Garcia, when she was RDC chief , was “ready to take it up,” but he appealed to forego it as it would be “unfair” to pass it while Cebu City South Rep. Tomas Osmeña was not around.
Osmeña had opposed Gullas’s LRT project.
Gullas said that whether the project gets the nod of all local government leaders, it would still not push through without the Cebu City government’s support.
He said Mayor Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City and Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez have already given their support to it.
“Di man pwede moagi sa langit ang LRT kung molabay na ni sa Cebu City,” he said.
This P740-million project will traverse through the cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay and down to Minglanilla, Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City, Sibonga, Argao and Dalaguete.
Gullas has filed again his LRT bill (House Bill 92) in the current Congress.
Earlier, Gullas had recommended building bridges to link Cebu with central and eastern Visayas.
Gullas, who used to be vice chairman of the House Committee on appropriation, said this project, which he estimates to cost P60 billion, will connect Negros Oriental to Cebu, Cebu to Bohol, and Bohol to Leyte.
He said, “Kinahanglan hatagan og higayon ang mga taga Visayas ug Mindanao para sab makatagamtam ta sa atong gihatag nga buwis.”
Gullas said he has already raised the matter to President Aquino who told him to continue the feasibility study and that he will see how he can fund the project.
He said he is set to get the signatures of the 20 congressmen of eastern and central Visayas.
His term will end next year but even if it does, he still wants to see the project implemented, he said.
==Talisay marks GI landing anniversary==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/167957/talisay-marks-gi-landing-anniversary
*Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:49 am
: By Carmel Loise Matus and Gabriel C. Bonjoc Riñen(Correspondents, Cebu Daily News)
A crowd watched “American soldiers” land on the beach of Talisay City  and launch a mock battle with  students dressed as Japanese soldiers yesterday.
The shoreline drama to commemorate the 67th American troops land in World War II wasn’t meant to be history book-accurate, said Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu’s 1st district but served as a reminder of the heroism of Filipino war veterans.
Only four out of 96 Cebuano WW II  veterans who were present in the actual landing attended yesterday.
The annual observance started with a Holy Mass followed by a military parade, a wreath laying and the reenactment of the landing done by the 82nd Army reservists and students of Talisay City College. Life-size statues of American soldiers also stood in the park by the sea.
The veterans, 94-year-old Pedong Pongcadas of Carcar City, retired Commander Sergio Rivera and retired Colonel Nards Abalo of Talisay City, said there was no actual fighting  during the arrival of the American Division on March 26, 1945.
He said the U.S 8th Army led by Commander  Gen. William Arnold  met  no opposition because the Japanese already fled at the time.
Yesterday was a holiday in Talisay City for the historic event.
In her speech, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the event reminds everyone that it’s better  to cooperate for progress than plunge into war.
Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez said the new enemies of freedom are poverty and unemployment, for which  new heroes are needed.
==Cebuanos urged to join Earth Hour this Saturday, March 31 ‘move aims to promote awareness on climate change’==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061332730726
*Monday, March 26, 2012
:By Fayette C. Riñen(PIA-Cebu)
CEBU CITY, March 26 (PIA) -- Energy officials urged Cebuanos to go beyond its participation in the conduct of the Earth Hour on Saturday, March 31, but to make electricity conservation a way of life.
Engr. Allan Bacudo, senior science research specialist of the Department of Energy (DOE) said putting out the lights for one hour to support the Earth Hour campaign will mean a huge reduction in greenhouse gases emission.
Coal-fired power plants, which are the major source of electricity in the country, use fuel in its operations. The said plants emit greenhouse gases that harms the Earth’s ozone layer eventually leading to global warming due to climate change.
Earth Hour is a global campaign to promote people’s consciousness to combat climate change through switching off the lights for one hour only. The campaign started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia which the Philippines joined a year after.
Bacudo made the appeal to over 200 students, barangay residents, representatives of local government units, non-government organization and business sector during the recent seminar on Electricity Conservation in Households and Schools here.
“Let us all be united in fighting climate change. And let us support the Earth Hour campaign this coming Saturday,” Bacudo asked the participants.
Marlyn Santiago, communications officer of the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature Philippines in the same seminar said that though the Philippines is not a chief contributor of greenhouse gases emissions unlike the United States and Europe, it is however vulnerable to climate change.
“The Philippines has been dubbed as the 3rd riskiest country in the world relative to its vulnerability and susceptibility to disaster risks and natural hazards,” bared Santigao. Such finding is based on the studies published last year by the United Nations University Institute for the Environment and Human Security.
Santiago said Cebu is one of the three sites nationwide that will conduct the simultaneous ceremonial one-hour switch-off campaign from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The other venues are Davao City and Makati City.
The Earth Hour is spearheaded by the WWF-Philippines which the DOE is massively supporting as Bacudo said the campaign has made the Philippines the top participant in terms of the number of people involvement.
“For the past consecutive three years, the Philippines was ranked as the number one participant globally based on the number of Filipinos who joined the campaign. Here you can see the active involvement of public-private participation,” Bacudo disclosed.
Last year, there were over 18 million Filipinos who turned off their lights during the Earth Hour and more than one billion globally as Bacudo expressed optimism that the country will again bag the top participating country worldwide.
DOE-7 Regional Director Antonio Labios earlier said Cebu was able to save around 29MW of power consumption in last year’s Earth Hour.
“Big malls here like the SM City Cebu and the Ayala Cebu and other big business establishments like the Visayan Electric Company are regular participants joining the Earth Hour campaign,” Labios said.
Labios explained the campaign is calling out to only put off the unnecessary lights. “It is not a temporary total power shut-off but only those lights not necessarily in use should be turned off,” the DOE 7 chief declared.
The seminar is a prelude to the conduct of Earth Hour to solicit more support to join the campaign, Labios further said.
This year, households and students have been targeted because everybody belongs to a household and students are enthusiastic partners in any endeavor, Labios said.
A short program will be held at the Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City prior to the countdown to the power switch-off at 8:30 p.m.
==Mayor Rama presents his 2013 partners to urban vendors ‘like a miting de avance’==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/166955/mayor-rama-presents-his-2013-partners-to-urban-vendors-%E2%80%98like-a-miting-de-avance%E2%80%99
*Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:51 am
:By Doris C. Bongcac, Edison A. Delos Angeles (Cebu Daily News)
With 95 percent of his slate ready, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday introduced his 2013 election ’partners’  to a crowd of organized urban vendors in the Cebu City Sports Center.
“Team Rama” includes a lawyer, a media personality, one businessman and a mix of former city government officials, and incumbent barangay officials.
“They’ve been saying that Mike Rama is alone.  They have been saying that I needed to organize a job fair to look for allies. But I am proving them wrong,” Rama said.
The presentation took place before  300 members of the Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA) which celebrated its 13th bi-annual general assembly.
The mayor later said the enthusiasm of Ermita Councilor Felicisimo Rupinta who spoke in the vendors’ gathering, made it look like a “miting de avance”.
Rupinta called on vendors to  prevent a “dictator” from taking back City Hall.
“I ask this group don’t let the Osmeñas rule again,” he said.
Rupinta said  he wouldn’t mind losing the election next year as long as Mayor Rama gets re-elected.
The night before, a Friday, the mayor had dinner with his allies in the Rama compound in barangay Basak, where they discussed his vision and mission till midnight.
Team Rama members took turns attending graduations and daycare center activities in the mountain barangays of Pamutan and Bonbon yesterday morning.
They had lunch at the Baseline Restaurant before going to the vendors gathering at the sports center.
No-shows
Rama didn’t call them his election lineup, with seven months still to go before October’s deadline for the official filing of certificates of candidacy.
He introduced them as his “kauban” (companions).
Eight slots each for the north and south district of the City Council are filled.
Everyone already knows Councilor Edgar Labella will be his vice mayor and former congressman Antonio Cuenco will seek reelection in the south district, a seat occupied by Tomas Osmeña.
However, Team Rama has no clear candidate yet for the north district to run against Rep. Cutie del Mar.
For the south district council seats, Rama presented Basak Pardo barangay captain Dave Tumulak, Poblacion Pardo councilor Althea Lim, Inayawan councilor Lotlot Ignacio-Soon, James Cuenco, lawyer Hans Abella and businessman Ronald Diola.
Rama’s north wing will be have Talamban councilor Ronald Caminade, Lahug councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, Ermita councilor Felicisimo Rupinta, Busay barangay captain Eleodoro Sanchez,  Sambag I barangay captain Jerry Guardo,  former councilor and consultant Edwin Jagmoc, and Agsungot barangay captain Pastor Alcover II.
Other members of “Team Rama” like Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Ciitom) board chairman Jack Jakosalem (north), radio personality Tisha Ylaya (south) and former SK Federation president Anthony Jones Luy (south) – were not present during the vendor’s gathering.
For the north district congressional seat, Rama said in previous interviews that it was too early to disclose a name.
Names were floated – former councilor Nestor Archival, Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal Jr. and former mayor Alvin Garcia  – but they all begged off.
Miting de avance
Councilor Jose Daluz III told Cebu Daily News that “Team Rama” is made even stronger with the support of  Alvin Garcia.
“Alvin won’t run and there’s no Garcia who will run in the city. They will just join  our campaign,” he said.
Friday’s dinner meeting in the Rama compound saw the mayor talking late into the night about his ideas of public service and “orienting” team mates about his plans to promote public-private partnerships and clean up City Hall.
One direction
It started wth dinner at 6:30 p.m. and lasted until about midnight.
“The mayor wanted us to understand his vision so that we will have one direction as a group,” Sanchez told Cebu Daily News.
Ylaya begged off from attending because she had a cold.
“I have always been a supporter of Mayor Mike Rama and I am a supporter of his brand of leadership but I want to think it over because this will be a big decision to make,” Ylaya told CDN.
Daluz said he will  help “Team Rama” as one of its campaign managers.
He said members were chosen based on their track record in public service, bailiwick, clan and endorsements from other barangay officials.
Clan support
He said Abella was endorsed by the large Abella clan in the south district while Ylaya was endorsed by the Gabuya clan.
Ignacio-Soon, a law graduate and daughter of Inayawan barangay captain Rustom Ignacio, was endorsed by officials of large-population barangays Tisa, Basak, Duljo and Inayawan.
She also has a group of at least 3,000 women from barangay Inayawan.
Diola, brother of Fr. Carmelo Diola of Dilaab, is a real estate developer who donated a 3, 000 sq. meter lot in barangay Kalunasan in 2006 which the city used as a road.
Caminade is first councilor of barangay Talamban while Rupinta is Ermita councilor and CCUVA adviser.
==DOT aims for 10M visitors==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/166517/dot-aims-for-10m-visitors
*Saturday, March 24, 2012 7:39 am
:By Aileen Garcia-Yap (Cebu Daily News)
The aim is to make the Philippines a “must- experience” destination in Asia.
How will the country do this?
A “clustering strategy” was discussed yesterday in the first of several forums of the Tourism Congress held in Cebu City.
Cebu is in the Central Visayas Cluster, one of 20 thematic destinations covering 78 priority areas of the Department of Tourism (DOT), which presented its proposed National Tourism Development Plan to stakeholders in the Visayas.
Cebu island remains the country’s top island destination with about 1.6 million foreign and domestic travellers a year.
There will be seven strategic clusters in northern Philippines, six in central Philippines and seven in southern Philippines, said Daniel G. Corpuz, tourism undersecretary for planning and promotions.
He said the strategic vision is to make the Philippines a “must experience” destination in Asia.
For the Central Visayas Tourism Cluster, the plan cites five priority development areas : 1. northern Cebu-Bantayan-Malapascua, 2. Metro Cebu-Mactan-Olango Island; 3. southern Cebu; 4. Negros Oriental-Dumaguete-Siquijor, and 5. Tagbilaran-Panglao Island.
The DOT aims to bring in 10 million foreign tourists and 35 million domestic travelers by 2016.
“The themes for these areas will be MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), business, resort, history, events, sightseeing, entertainment, shopping and eco-tourism,” said Corpuz.
Specific projects include expansion of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport terminal and improvement of runways, designing a gateway marketing program for global routes and establishment of seamless connectivity from the airport.
Building and improving roads using a P2.86 billion this year with the Department of Public Works and Highways is part of the plan.
“We will also be expanding the passenger terminal in Bohol airport where we also need to set up a gateway,” said Corpuz.
Corpuz said they will also identify more Tourism Enterprise Zones in Cebu and Panglao, Bohol.
“We will also need to improve the 17 existing heritage destinations in the region with a budget of P500 million and link communities to tourism supply chain.”
An additional 7,000 rooms will be needed from 2011 to 2016 to accommodate the target number of tourists, he said.
The DOT has to “get married” to and collaborate with other government agencies to get all this done, said Corpuz, especially in improving road networks which is under the Dept of Public Works and Highways, and airports under the Dept. of Transportation and Communication.
A portfolio of nine tourism products will feature nature; cultural; sun and beach; leisure and entertainment; MICE and events; health, wellness and retirement; cruise and nautical; diving and marine sports; and education tourism.
Targets
The national target of 10 million foreign tourists and 35 million domestic travelers by 2016, is ambitious but doable, said Tourism Congress president Marceline Clemente.
“By 2016,” said Corpuz, “the foreign tourists should stay for 9.21 nights on the average spending at least P4,382.53 daily. For the domestic travelers, they should stay for 4.36 nights on the average spending P11,167 daily.”
It these targets are met, the Philippines stands to earn P2.13 trillion, create 6.8 million jobs and 17 percent employment.
According to Corpuz, the outlook is positive and favors strong global tourism growth especially in Southeast Asia which is projected to have 100 million arrivals in 2016 and 120 million by 2020.
“Based on a study by the Australian Tourism Commission in 2008, Chinese outbound travelers are will reach close to 90 million in 2016. That is a huge opportunity for us to tap.”
About 75 million Germans will also be traveling and about 65 million Americans, close to 60 million from the United Kingdom, and close to 50 million from Malaysia among others.
“By 2016, we project to have 1.9 million Korean tourists, 1.4 million Americans, 1 million Chinese, 1.04 million from other countries in the ASEAN region, and over 500,000 Japanese tourists,” said Corpuz.
The Tourism Congress board of trustees will meet today in Mactan resort for a strategic planning session to get inputs from the Visayas.
“We will be coming up with a master plan for our plans, projects and strategies that we will submit to DOT,” said Clemente.
==8 US firms to set up shop in Cebu==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/166253/8-us-firms-to-set-up-shop-in-cebu
*Friday, March 23, 2012 7:43 am
:By Aileen Garcia-Yap (Cebu Daily News)
Cebu is no longer just a call center haven.
It’s maturing into higher value services.
The boom in business process outsourcing (BPO) has actually shown a changed trend with non-voice services leading the way, according to an investment official.
“There are more non-voice processes done here now,” said Joel Mari Yu, managing director of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), the marketing arm of Cebu City government.
Yu said there are more employees working for knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies in Cebu doing higher level work like accounting, research, medical coding, medical billing, and computer programming than those working in call centers.
“Based on our last data, we have 52 companies into KPO hiring 45,000 people out of the 75,000 direct employment in outsourcing companies. This leaves only 30,000 people working in call centers now,” said Yu.
He added that at least eight American outsourcing companies have confirmed plans to set up offices in Cebu since January.
This developed despite fears of the adverse effects to the Philippines of a pending anti-outsourcing bill pending in the United States Congress and supported by US President Barack Obama.
Yu said that even with the US protectionist stance, Cebu is being visited by many BPO firms interested to open offices here.
“In the past, we only got one to two visits every month. I have already met and got confirmations from eight companies within the first two months of this year,” Yu said.
“This is what I have been saying. The bill will never slow down our outsourcing industry but will instead encourage more. Outsourcing is today’s reality if you want to be a globally competitive company,” he said.
He said these companies will need 4,000 and 5,000 employees to man their offices.
“Companies like EXL, HCCA, United Health Care, Promet and Talleco have already confirmed that they will open offices here. Ironically, most of these are American companies,” said Yu.
“These are mostly higher-end outsourcing services that will help provide opportunities for our graduates especially the nurses who can work as medical coders because the company will need people who have knowledge in the medical science,” said Yu.
The outsourcing industry has enjoyed a boom since 2004 in Cebu, starting with call centers that relied on a large pool of young, English-speaking college graduates.
Yu said he expects more non-voice companies to come to Cebu this year because of the availability of capable manpower.
“Cebu will continue to be an attractive destination for these companies. To ensure that we sustain that, we build capability by making sure the three critical areas are taken care of, he said.
He said these are hardware or the infrastructure, software or the business environment, and the “peopleware” or a sustained supply of appropriate manpower.
Cebu City was ranked the no. 1 “emerging global outsourcing destination” among 50 top sites worldwide in a 2009 2009 survey by Tholons, an international consultancy firm.
It was the second year Cebu City received this rating based on criteria of scale and quality of workforce, infrastructure, business catalyst, risk profile, cost and quality of life.
Following Cebu in second and third places were cities of Shanghai and Beijing.
Several industry experts said the Philippines has already overtaken India as the BPO capital of the world.
BPO and ICT (information and communication technology) companies are centered mostly in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao cities.
==DTI to hold trade seminar in Cebu ==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061332394871
*Thursday, March 22, 2012
:By Fayette C. Riñen (PIA-Cebu with DTI 7)
CEBU CITY, March 22 (PIA) -- Doors to more business opportunities are open to Cebu businessmen abroad as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initiates a seminar on ‘Doing Business with Australia and New Zealand,’ which is slated tomorrow, March 23 at a posh hotel here in Cebu City.
The seminar aims to increase awareness of Cebu companies on how to effectively access the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Likewise, the activity will inform the participants on how to avail of the benefits from reduced or eliminated tariffs under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Foreign Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the various procedures and documentary requirements on availing these benefits.
Trade Assistant Secretary Ramon Vicente Kabigting of the Bureau of International Trade Relations will lead the key resource persons from the DTI. Other speakers include Director Senen Perlada of the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion, Anthony Weymouth of the Australian Trade Commission, Hernando Banal of the NZ Trade and Enterprise and officers from the Bureau of Customs.
Such DTI undertaking is part of the agency’s business education drive to improve access of Philippine products and services to non-traditional markets such as Australia and New Zealand, and for Philippine companies to avail of the benefits from reduced or eliminated tariff barriers under the AANZFTA.
Target participants are exporters, importers and customs brokers particularly those who have trade engagements (both export & import) with Australia and New Zealand or those who intend to trade with these countries.
The AANZFTA is a highly comprehensive economic agreement participated in by the Philippines and it covers trade in goods, services, investments, intellectual property, e-commerce, entry of business people, and economic cooperation.
Entered into force in January 2010, the agreement is also the most comprehensive FTA that ASEAN has ever negotiated.
Under the AANZFTA, 96.4 percent and 84.7 percent of all products that may be imported by Australia and New Zealand, respectively, can already enter their markets at zero tariffs. As such, this reduces the cost of doing business for Philippine exporters.
Tomorrow’s activity is in cooperation with the Australian Trade Commission and the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
==8,000 dogs vaccinated in LGU anti-rabies campaign ==
*Source:http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1061332292535
*Wednesday, March 21, 2012
:By Fayette C. Riñen (PIA-Cebu)
CEBU CITY, March 21 (PIA) – The local government of Mandaue City has conducted a massive free vaccination campaign to make the city rabies-free by 2013.
Observing Anti-Rabies Month this March, the Mandaue City Veterinary Office (MCVO) vaccinated and registered a total of 8,475 dogs in all 27 barangays.
The MCVO also regularly conducts awareness campaign on responsible pet ownership, and free registration and vaccination for all pets.
“Pet owners can save a total of P250, i.e., P100 for the registration and P150 for the vaccination fee,” according to city veterinarian Dr. Daisy Penetrante.
The MCVO has registered and vaccinated even as there are only minimal cases of cats with rabies virus.
Pentrante hailed the support of the Melinda Gates Foundation for donating around 200 anti-rabies vials. One vial is good for ten pets.
“With this development I am very confident that we can hit our target to be rabies-free by next year,” Penetrante said.
Under RA 9482 or an Act Providing for the Control and Elimination of Human and Animal Rabies, all local government units (LGUs) are mandated to properly immunize and register all dogs in their respective localities.
==Capitol board OKs P700M Carmen bulk water joint venture ==
==Capitol board OKs P700M Carmen bulk water joint venture ==
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/164513/capitol-board-oks-p700m-carmen-bulk-water-joint-venture
*Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/164513/capitol-board-oks-p700m-carmen-bulk-water-joint-venture
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