Cebu Province News May 2015

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Province of Cebu - Archived News

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
Cebu metro.jpg
Aerial View of Metro Cebu

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

CBM goes ‘glocal’

By Jeandie O. Galolo

UNPRECEDENTED access to global opportunities awaits the local business community as 10 Southeast Asian economies fully integrate into one economic bloc this year. But for Cebu’s business leaders, disregarding what is local is not part of the global equation.

For Francis Dy, Cebu Business Month 2015 chair, becoming globally competitive means using local solutions to meet the challenges of the global market.

“While we geared ourselves to be globally competitive, this does not mean that we should already ignore our local talents, our capabilities, and our resources to the detriment of our nation’s strengths,” Dy said during the 2015 CBM opening salvo at the Ayala Center Cebu Terraces last Friday.

“In fact, our local solutions will enable us to meet global challenges because our own ingenuity, creativity, and innovations shall bring us to greater heights if only we embrace cooperation, collaboration and strategic alliances with our industry partners and our Asean neighbors,” he added. (Asean stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.)

For this year, CBM, which is held every June, adopted the theme “Glocalized Cebu: Local Solutions to Global Challenges.”

Preserving identity

“This is our response to the Asean Economic Integration 2015. We have to connect with our Asean neighbors and the world of business. We have to be globally competitive without losing our sense of national identity, our local talents, skills, capacities and resources for Cebu’s business to grow and reach new heights.

CBM 2015 will make it possible for us to capitalize on opportunities in an increasingly borderless global economy,” said Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Maria Teresa Chan.

Chan said this year’s activities will highlight sectors like tourism, information and communications technology and business process management (ICT-BPM), entrepreneurship, and creative industries. Events will afford industry players a chance to network with both local and international businesses.

Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI) President Anecito Bisnar, in his speech, advised colleagues in the business community to “strike a balance” between global and local.

He said CHI and Ayala do this is by integrating “global solutions” in their business operations by first strengthening their local partnerships with stakeholders.

“By optimizing our business strategies, with our pool of local talent and resources, we see Cebu to be competitive in the global market,” Bisnar added.

While much attention has been paid to the global market, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said during the launch, the domestic market should be a prime consideration, including its role as a safety net should international markets falter.

The governor pointed to the need for better access to low-interest financing for Cebu’s small and medium enterprises.

Most importantly, he said, the top focus should be on improving the quality of education, which he described as “the most important vaccine against inequality.”

While the Philippines has become one of the fasting growing economies, poverty incidence remains high at 25.8 percent as of the first half of 2014. This is higher than the National Government’s target of 23 to 25 percent.

Cebu was recently identified by the National Economic and Development Authority as one of the provinces in the country with a high number of poor households.

Despite these facts, the international community remains optimistic about the country’s growth. HSBC has forecast that the Philippine economy is set to become the 16th largest economy in the world, fifth largest economy in Asia, and the largest economy in Southeast Asia by 2050.

More heritage lovers join ninth Gabii sa Kabilin

By Rebelander S. Basilan

HERITAGE lovers spent their night visiting historical sites in four cities in Metro Cebu last Friday.

The ninth Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) drew at least 5,000 people, keeping curators and heritage workers busy from 6 p.m. until midnight.

At least 37 heritage sites in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu took center stage as the local government units and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi) indulged heritage lovers eager to explore old Cebu.

Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, executive director of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi), said she saw a lot of new participants this year.

“I met some people whom I know and never really joined before. Now I saw a lot of them,” Gerra told Sun.Star Cebu.

Gabii sa Kabilin brings people to different museums and heritage sites for one night. On offer It is held every last Friday of May to celebrate the Philippines’ National Heritage Month and International Museum Day, which falls on May 18.

Guests enjoyed cultural shows, exhibits, children’s activities, contests, food fairs and other activities.

To get to the sites, one walks or rides buses and tartanillas or horse-drawn carriages.

Around 9 p.m., Dr. Alvin Zamora was busy entertaining guests at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Rizaliana Museum, where he is a curator.

“I wasn’t this busy around this time in the previous runs of the Gabii sa Kabilin. We expect more guests in the next hour,” he said.

The museum has participated in the tour for years. “We exert so much effort for this,” he said.

The tour drew teacher Katherine Celieto Zuñiga, who wanted to know more about Cebu’s heritage sites.

“I want to share what I’d learn from the tour to my students,” said Zuniga, who teaches at the Sage and Cambridge Cebu School in Lahug, Cebu City.

Francis Isidro, a 30-year-old performer, said he was happy to have been part of the Gabii sa Kabilin.

Adaptation

He is part of the Siddharta musical team, which performed at the Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple on V. Rama St., Cebu City.

The tour kicked off at the temple. “The experience is amazing,” he said.

The Gabii sa Kabilin advocates the preservation of Cebu’s historical, cultural and religious heritage in the modern age.

It is an adaptation of Germany’s Lange Nacht der Museen, or Long Night of the Museums, which has become an anticipated cultural event in more than 120 cities in Europe and South America.

Cebu launched the first Gabii sa Kabilin in 2007 and has remained the only metropolitan area in the Asia-Pacific region to hold such an event.

From three museums in its first run, Gabii sa Kabilin has expanded to more than 30 museums and heritage sites across four cities.

In 2012, the Cebu City Council passed an ordinance designating every last Friday of May as Gabii sa Kabilin.

Gerra said the event shows the “dynamics of cultural exchange Cebu has had through the years.”

CCCI creates committee to help nurture startups

By Jeandie O. Galolo

THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has created a startup committee, a move that they hope will spur the startup ecosystem in Cebu.

Anthony Noel, CCCI startup program committee chair, who attended Startup Weekend Cebu’s (SWC) press conference yesterday, said the committee was officially created this month, but plans and discussions of having it was made previously. The startup committee is under the chamber’s business development division headed by Melanie Ng, also one of the top startup supporters in Cebu.

“Before startups were under the ICT committee,” Noel said. However, it did not receive prime attention. This time, the chamber has created a separate committee for startups, having acknowledged the growing startup community in Cebu and the potential of tech entrepreneurship in boosting the economy.

Noel said the committee is tasked to provide mentorship for startups and provide the members of the community access to CCCI’s resources.

“We hope to provide linkages of our startups to the members of the chamber and to the other industries as well,” Noel said, who is also a member of the Cebu City ICT-BPM Council of the Cebu City Government. The council, he said, has also extended its coverage on technopreneurship aside from its main mandate of linking the local government unit to the IT-BPM companies and promoting the city as a prime business area for these players.

For this year’s SWC, it will be the City Government’s first time to sponsor the event in the form of meals to roughly 120 participants. The amount is substantial, said Noel, but no exact figures were publicized because the amount will not be directly downloaded to the organizers of the event.

Instead of the P1,000 registration fee, this was cut down to P700 because of the City Government’s support to the event.

“Starup Weekend is a community event and it makes sense that the government is supporting us,” said SWC organizer Ashley Uy. She said the Bohol Provincial Government also supported the Startup Weekend Bohol.

This year’s SWC will be the fifth, and is set on June 5 to 7 at the University of the Philippines Cebu.

Lead organizer Timmy de Jesus said this year’s SWC may be the last general-themed confab. They want next year’s event to carry specific themes like financial technology, gaming apps, and designing among many other possibilities.

“We have not decided yet for next year’s theme but it will depend on where we see the need and the demand,” de Jesus said.

In the previous SWCs the products developed were diverse, from food, transportation, education, games, and health.

SWC is a 54-hour event, which starts with pitching startup ideas and developing these concepts into workable businesses. On the final day, the product is presented to the judges. Winners will have their businesses undergo development for possible launching to the market.

International and local incubators will also be at the event. An official of the Singapore-based incubator JFDI Asia will be attending SWC, said de Jesus. JFDI has incubated Codetoki, one of the first teams produced by the SWC in 2010.

Since 2007, Startup Weekend events have been hosted in 400 cities in over 100 countries.

DENR retrieves equipment that detects aquatic life

By May B. Miasco / ATO (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - A year since it was installed, the reef monitoring equipment that was submerged in the aquatic sanctuary in Cordova town, Cebu was removed yesterday with the hope to find new species in marine biodiversity.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) led the retrieval of the Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) unit in Cordova on April 27.

DENR-7 director Isabelo Montejo said an organized DENR team dived off the waters in Cordova to retrieve one unit of ARMS for analysis, research and even for public viewing.

He said the reef structure samples were presented to the local community to give them idea about the marine life in their vicinity and to hopefully encourage the residents to help in the conservation and protection of the marine ecosystem.

Montejo said the ARMS will be deployed again for further studies.

The BMB, he added, is planning to increase the number of ARMS units in selected sites to provide additional data for research purposes.

Montejo said the equipment is also helpful in monitoring ecological impacts of climate change, particularly ocean warming and acidification.

To recall, the ARMS unit was lowered at a 15-deep marine protected area in Barangay Alegria in Cordova on May 30, 2014 with an aim to understand the coral reef biodiversity.

After the unit’s recovery, the reef structure samples were analyzed using molecular techniques and were displayed to the public for education and outreach purposes.

Vicente Calizar, technical staff of the Conservation and Development Division of DENR, said it is a potential method to monitor marine reef habitats and species, especially the alien species that are not usually seen.

Calizar was also the appointed person that led the retrieval of the ARMS in the town’s waters.

DENR-7 Information Officer Head Eddie Llamedo said the ARMS equipment, which was first used in Hawaii and Puerto Rico and paved the way for the discovery of some cryptic alien species, is one of the components of DENR’s Sustainable Coral Reef Ecosystem Management Program (SCREMP).

Aside from Mactan Island, the retrieval of ARMS unit deployed in the waters off Corregidor Island in Cavite, Snake Island in Palawan, and Camiguin in Misamis Oriental were done simultaneously.

The retrieval of ARMS is part of the celebration of the Ocean Month whose theme is “Stand Up, Save Our Reefs.”

Medical mission caters to folks in southern Cebu

By Chizle Villeno, CNU Intern/JMO (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - At least 20 residents of Carcar City and neighboring towns are benefitting daily from the ongoing medical, surgical and dental mission at the Cebu Provincial Hospital in the city.

The mission, carried out by at least 34 members of the Association of Philippine Physicians of the Florida Panhandle (APPFP) and local medical workers, started on May 25 and will end on May 29, Friday.

Among the procedures covered by the mission include adult and pediatric hernia surgery, removal of gall bladder stones, thyroid surgery, thyroglossal cyst, anorectal cases, and gynecological cases.

Dr. Jojo Mancao, head doctor of the medical mission, said this is the first time that CPHCC is catering to this number of surgical operations in a day.

The APPFP was invited by the Philippine College of Surgeons – Cebu Eastern Visayas Chapter for the joint mission. The mission is being held every two years.

Mancao said the provincial government is supporting the mission by providing the venue, as well as the food for the volunteers, and some medicines for the patients.

Aside from the province, other organizations are also giving support, including AmeriCares, Brother’s Brother Foundation, Map international and Sacred Heart Health System.

Cebu’s online job portal reports surge in hiring demand

(PNA), FPV/EB/EDS

CEBU CITY, May 26 (PNA) -- Cebu's largest online job portal Mynimo.com registered a surge in hiring demand this year, with over 6,000 job vacancies for both local and overseas employment.

"Cebuanos don't have to leave the country to look for jobs. Fortune 500 companies in the world are even setting up their offices here. The job market in Cebu is much more alive now," said Mynimo.com president and chief executive officer (CEO) Wesley Chiongbian.

Chiongbian's company, which holds an annual job fair every month of May, dubbed "Happy Jobs Fair," noted that there is a surge of employment demand this year, with actual growth of 20 percent, compared to last year.

Due to tight competition, he said local companies are learning to value their manpower pool by providing competitive and attractive pay offers to be able to retain them.

Chiongbian announced the holding of the one-day "Happy Jobs Fair 2015" this coming May 30 at SM City Cebu.

"Over 70 employers have already signed up and more are still expected to join, offering at least 6,300 job vacancies," said Chiongbian.

While Cebu has started to attract back-office-operation from big and Fortune 500 companies like UnitedHealth Group, JP Morgan & Chase Mercedes-Benz Group Services, skill requirement and professional background and line of expertise widened while these companies are not servicing mainly customer service support, ut other back-office jobs like accounting, human resource, claims (for insurance and financial companies) and other administrative works.

"The high-paying overseas jobs are coming to us. As long as you have the skills these companies need, you won’t have to go abroad to support the family," said Chiongbian.

Overseas demand on the other hand is more on vocational skilled workers like technicians, plumber, engineers, machine operators, construction workers, hotel staff.

Of the over 6,000 job vacancies, 3,800 are for overseas employers, and about 2,500 are for local placements specifically high-paying BPOs, Chiongbian said.

Cebu environment body wants entire province as birds, bats sanctuary

(PNA), LAP/EB/SGP

CEBU CITY, May 25 (PNA) -- The Cebu Provincial Development Council (PDC) environment committee is pushing for the declaration of the entire province as birds and bats sanctuary.

If this is done, the hunting and capturing of any species of birds and bats would be banned.

In an earlier PDC sectoral meeting, committee members agreed to craft a resolution asking the provincial government to legislate an ordinance for the said declaration.

The resolution would be endorsed to the PDC during its full council meeting on June 10 for approval.

Leonardo Moneva, PDC environment committee chairman, said there is a need for the declaration because of the indiscriminate hunting of birds and bats in the province.

He cited the importance of birds and bats in the forest regeneration through seed dispersal.

He said these animals should be protected regardless of species.

Many also hunt for the swiftlet birds’ nests, which are made from their saliva, as ingredient for exotic soup.

Bird species in the province are very vulnerable because there is no ordinance yet protecting them, Moneva said.

Cebu has one wildlife and bird sanctuary, the Olango Island where more than 90 bird species were recorded.

Approximately 40,000 migratory birds escaping from the cold winter in Siberia visit the island during peak migration which is November to February.

The island was declared as protected area by late President Corazon Aquino in 1992.

According to the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary’s website, bird species recorded in the island include Little Egret, Little Heron, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand-Plover, Far Eastern Curlew, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Ruddy Turnstone, Great Knot, Rufous-necked Stint, among others.

Vulnerable and near threatened species, such as the Chinese Egret and Asian Dowitcher, are also present in the island.

City assures that Grade 11, 12 students can be enrolled, even in private schools

By Rebelander S. Basilan

ONLY eight out of 23 public secondary schools in Mandaue City will open a senior high school next year.

But all incoming senior high students can find a school, an official of the Department of Education (DepEd) Mandaue City Division assured.

Jaime Ruelan, officer-in-charge of DepEd Mandaue City Division, said DepEd will help send students that cannot be accommodated in public schools to private schools that offer senior high school, or Grade 11 and Grade 12.

The eight public secondary schools that will open a senior high school were chosen because they have space for new buildings, said engineer Cielo Jamora, physical facilities coordinator of DepEd Mandaue City Division.

These schools include the Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School, Jagobiao National High School, Canduman National High School, Labogon National High School and Mandaue City School for the Arts.

“We are hoping to start the construction of the buildings for senior high school by June,” Jamora said in a recent press conference organized by the Mandaue City Public Information Office.

Building

Each of the identified school will have a three-story, six-classroom school building, which will be funded by DepEd.

Ruelan said students who cannot be accommodated in public senior high schools can avail themselves of a DepEd program that helps public school students study in private schools.

Through a voucher system, DepEd enables a student to enroll in private educational institutions under a full or partial tuition subsidy.

Several private schools in Mandaue City offer senior high school.

“We enter into partnerships with private schools,” Ruelan said.

Opening

The senior high school, where students can take technical and vocational courses, will open in June next year.

Grade 10 will accept its first batch next month.

DepEd piloted the senior high school in the Subangdaku Technical Vocational High School last year. The school already produced 25 graduates of senior high, Jamora said.

6 Cebu schools produce LET topnotchers

(PNA), RMA/EB/RSM

SIX topnotchers in the March 2015 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) are graduates of six different universities in Metro Cebu.

Two of the six topnotchers are from the elementary level, while the remaining four are secondary level examinees.

Below are the topnotchers in both elementary and secondary levels:

Elementary

9th - Kim Roxan Onda Arong (University of Cebu in Lapu-Lapu & Mandaue, 86.6%) 10th - Chris Ian Cortes Gargar (Cebu Institute of Technology-University, 86.44%)

Secondary

4th - Melody Ramos Ebuetada (Southwestern University, 89.8%) 8th - Stephen Paul Gayon Cajigas (University of the Philippines Cebu, 89%) 9th - Jocebon Languido Lastimosa (Cebu Doctors' University, 88.8%) 10th - Elmar Ugdoracion Lim (University of Cebu, 88.6%)

A total of 12,103 of the 44,144 examinees in the elementary level and 17,904 of the 56,596 examinees in the secondary level passed the exams given last March 29, 2015 in Singapore and in 17 testing centers across the country.

Mandaue City kids' choir wins int'l tilt in Germany

(PNA), RMA/EB/RSM

CEBU CITY, May 22 (PNA) -- The award-winning Mandaue Children’s Choir won the top prize of the Georg Friedrich Handel Internationales Kinderchor Festival in Halle, Germany.

The 23-member choir returned to Cebu Wednesday night.

The competition was part of their two-country tour in Europe from May 7 to 11.

Choir members, led by choir master Dennis Gregory Sugarol, performed inside the office of Mandaue City Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede during a courtesy call Thursday.

Sugarol said the choir shared the top prize with another group from Ukraine.

They bested five other groups from Ukraine, South Korea, Germany and Italy.

“It’s very overwhelming because the other groups were very good. I told the children to just give their best performance, and if we win, it’s just a bonus,” Sugarol said.

He said they performed five songs for 20 minutes.

The songs included Muslim, Latin and traditional Filipino folk songs.

“We prepared by learning the songs for a month, and learning the dances for another month,” said Sugarol.

The choir has 35 members, but only 23 could join their tour in Sweden and Germany.

In 2011, the group won the top prize of the Hong Kong International Children and Youth Choir Festival.

It also won top prizes in the World Choir Championship in South Korea in 2009 and Asian Choir Games in Indonesia in 2007.

The group started as a school-based choir in 2004. It then won the National Music Competition for Young Artists.

It later evolved to a community-based choir with most of the members residing or studying in Mandaue City.

Sugarol said they were preparing for a tour in the US next year.

They also plan to release their first Christmas album this year. It will be their fourth album.

MCIA targets 10 million arrivals in 2016

By Elias O. Baquero

THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport contributes largely to Cebu’s economy and allows the region to grow at a faster rate than the Philippines, an airport official said.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete noted that the Air Transport Action Group (Atag) of the International Civil Aviation Administration (ICAO) has concluded that air transport has the highest contribution to a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) around the world.

Villarete said that based on their studies, Cebu’s economy would not grow as fast without the Mactan airport. He added that the Department of Tourism (DOT), which is also a stakeholder of the airport, has a target of 10 million passenger arrivals for 2016.

“This is the reason why we are supporting GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) in fasttracking the construction of the world-class Terminal 2 (T2) so these 10 million passengers will not overcrowd the airport,” Villarete said.

GMCAC president Louie Ferrer said they can start the construction of T2 a few months from now. The site is not yet available, as the facilities of the Philippine Air force are still to be replicated.

Gerry Panga, chief of the DOT Market Development Group said that each tourist that comes to Cebu will contribute to Cebu’s GDP because he (tourist) will take the taxi, stay in hotel, eat Cebuano food and buy gift items to bring back home.

Panga said that the 10 million target mentioned by Villarete is the original DOT ideal visitor arrival target at the outset.

To entice international and domestic airlines to open new routes from the Mactan airport to any point of the world, MCIAA is offering incentives to them.

The MCIAA Charter provides that one of the management’s tasks is to “undertake the economical, efficient and effective control, management and supervision of Mactan airport and such other airports as may be established in Cebu province.”

In this connection, MCIAA is mandated to encourage, promote and develop international and domestic air traffic in the Central Visayas and Mindanao regions as a means of making the regions centers of international trade and tourism.


Cebu town to soon have its own state-of-the-art septage plant

(PNA), LAP/EB/EDS

CEBU CITY, May 20 (PNA) -- Cordova, a town adjacent to Lapu-Lapu city, will soon have a state-of-the-art septage plant to help address its problem on water contamination.

Cordova, Cebu Mayor Adelino Sitoy said water contamination is a big problem in his town because about one half of the town’s 12,000 households have no proper toilets.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) on Tuesday held a public hearing on its Septage Management Program Phase 1 for Lapu-Lapu and Cordova.

The attendees had no objection on the water firm’s proposed construction of a septage plant in Barangay San Miguel in Cordova.

Roberto Lastimoso, account manager of Envirokonsult Equipment and Services Inc., the company MCWD contracted to put up the septage facility, assured the residents the plant is environmentally-compliant.

Lastimoso said they will not operate without clearance from the local government unit, the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The clearances are still under process, he said.

Lastimoso added that they hope to be operational by September this year.

Sitoy said once the septage plant is in place, at least a hundred septage tanks will be put in place in the 13 barangays in the town.

MCWD general manager Ernesto Delco said that aside from providing water to its customers, they also have a mandate to ensure that water sources are free from contamination.

Manila-based Envirokonsult will put up the facility on MCWD’s lot in Barangay San Miguel, Cordova within 12 months from the date of the contract signing.

In a separate statement, MCWD said the cost for the desludging and treatment of wastes will be paid by MCWD consumers on installment basis and will be incorporated in the water bill.

Consumers will pay P2.20 for every cubic meter of water they consumed.

MCWD assistant manager for operations Lasaro Salvacion said once the project is successful, they will proceed with the Phase 2 which is from Compostela to Mandaue City and Phase 3 from Cebu City to Talisay City.

Cebu PB okays Php30-M for PhilHealth premium for poor constituents

(PNA), FPV/EB/SSC

CEBU CITY, May 19 (PNA) -- The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has allocated Php 30 million in the provincial government’s second supplemental budget as partial payment for the previous administration’s arrears in PhilHealth premiums for indigent constituents.

Cebu PB Member Peter Calderon said the legislators passed on first, second and third reading the proposed supplemental budget because of a certificate of urgency from the office of the governor.

He told the PB that for 2012 and 2013, Capitol has Php99 million in unpaid PhilHealth premiums.

These transactions were done before Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III assumed office.

Cebu Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Celestino Martinez III said the barangay officials’ PhilHealth cards are no longer honored even if they are up-to-date in paying their PhilHealth premiums.

Martinez said 10 barangay officials have complained to his office since last Friday.

“We are held hostage by past debts,” said Martinez.

“PhilHealth’s release of medical assistance has been stopped even if we are up to date in paying our premiums,” Martinez said.

Calderon, chair of the health committee, told the PB their annual budget appropriated P140 million for PhilHealth, which is more than enough to pay for current premiums and previous arrears.

Mactan airport T2 to break ground in June

(PNA), FFC/EB/EDS

CEBU CITY, May 18 (PNA) -- The GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) has set the groundbreaking of the terminal 2 (T2) of Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) by June and targets completion by August of 2018, an official said.

GMCAC senior advisor Andrew Acquaah Harrison said the T2 is an integral component of the MCIA concession agreement between GMR Megawide, Department of Transportation and Communications and the MCIA Authority.

The 44-hectare Terminal 2, currently has 17 buildings and facilities owned and used by the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

"The additional capacity provided by Terminal 2 will take MCIA's total design capacity from 4.5 million to 12.5 million passengers per annum," Harrison said.

The multi-billion peso T2, he said, is urgently needed to support the growth in traffic occasioned by the new domestic and international routes that GMCAC is introducing to the airport.

Harrison said T2 will have 20 aircraft parking stands with aerobridges and 13 aircraft parking stands to be served by bus transfers.

This, he said, will minimize delays in embarkation.

Harrison said there will also be a dedicated domestic and international terminals connected by a link bridge for the convenience of passengers making connecting flights.

The resort-themed airport will have 149 check-in counters for international and domestic flights, from the current 44.

It will also have "unique" retail and food shops, airline lounges and an enhanced in-line automated baggage handling system.

The airport will also have a village-mall complex adjoining the terminal with retail and entertainment options.

GMCAC is investing some PHP17.5-billion for phase one of the project that includes renovations of the existing terminal and initial costs for T2, among others.

NMYL opens Cebu office

By Gregg M. Rubio/ JMO (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The National Movement of Young Legislators has opened its first provincial office in Cebu yesterday.

The office is located on the second floor of the Legislative Building at the Capitol Compound.

Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and son, Provincial Board Member Miguel Antonio, as well as Catmon Councilor Earl Tidy Oyas led the blessing and inauguration of the office.

Other members of NMYL from other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao also attended the events including the delegation from Valenzuela City led by actress-councilor Charee Pineda.

Board Member Magpale is NMYL’s vice president for the Visayas while Oyas is the Cebu Chapter president.

“This office will serve the interest of young legislators in the Province of Cebu,” Oyas said, thanking Governor Hilario Davide for granting NMYL’s request for an office. He requested for Capitol employees to man the office on a daily basis. Freeman ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

“Nalipay ta nisugot si Gov. Davide after one year in the making,” he said.

PB Member Magpale said the office would also serve their fellow young legislators in other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The provincial government has given P1.5 million to NMYL Cebu to finance the group’s activities such as a medical mission, a feeding program, and distribution of sports equipment, among others.

Vice Gov. Magpale said the provincial government is helping NMYL as an organization and not because of her son.

“Cebu is very supportive of NMYL,” she told the group.

NMYL is composed of vice governors, PB members, vice mayors and councilors including president of the Association of the Barangay Councils below 40 years old.

PHP2.5M allocated for timber, cacao plantation in south Cebu town

(PNA), JBP/EB/PR/SSC

CEBU CITY, May 16 (PNA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 has allocated some PHP2.5 million to establish another 200 hectares of timber and cacao plantation in Daanlungsod, Oslob town in southern Cebu under the National Greening Program (NGP).

Since 2011, the DENR 7 with its partner people’s organization (PO), the Tumalog Daanlungsod Cañang Upland Farmers Association (TUDALCUFA) Inc. has already established over 1,450 hectares plantation under NGP.

DENR 7 Regional Director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo said TUDALCUFA has always been an active partner of the DENR since the start of NGP and showed very good performance and established successful plantations.

“Our Oslob plantations is one of the milestones of NGP in the region, thanks to the efforts of all our DENR personnel and TUDALCUFA members,” Montejo said.

Aside from providing an additional income opportunity to the PO members, through NGP, the PO was able to purchase a red Isuzu Elf worth PHP355,000 from the savings they earned from NGP.

Timoteo Miras, TUDALCUFA president, said they decided to purchase Isuzu Elf to lessen the burden of the members in carrying and transporting seedlings to their plantation sites during the conduct of tree planting and tree growing activities.

“We are thankful to the government for NGP, through this we were able to suffice our daily necessities. It also helped all our members to finance our children’s education. We wish to continue provide good accomplishments in increasing our forest cover here in Cebu up until the end of the NGP,” Miras said.

He also said the NGP was able to enhance their knowledge on their responsibilities in environmental protection and rehabilitation.

Fruits from agro-forestry plantations can also, in the coming years provide them food to eat, he said.

Cebu’s preparation for APEC hosting 80 percent complete, envoy says

(PNA), LAP/EB/RSM

CEBU CITY, May 15 (PNA) -- Cebu’s preparations for the hosting of several high-level meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit later this year are 80 percent complete, an official said.

Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general of APEC 2015 National Organizing Committee, said Cebu City hosts two venues, one at Marco Polo Hotel in Lahug and another Radisson Blu Hotel at the North Reclamation Area.

Paynor said Lapu-Lapu City hosts one, the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort and Spa.

Paynor said some 3,200 senior economic delegates from 21 countries will be attending 35 to 40 meetings on August 24 - September 11, Octobrt 8-10 and October 12-13.

He said 19 of them are heads of state.

Among the meetings that will be held in Cebu are the Senior Officials Meeting, Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting, Senior Finance Official Meeting and Finance Minister’s Meeting.

The Transportation Ministerial Meeting will be held in Cebu on October 10, followed by the Energy Ministerial Meeting from Oct. 12 to 14.

But Paynor, who met for the first time Thursday with local APEC organizers led by Cebu Governor Hilario davide III, said the traffic congestion in Metro Cebu remains a major challenge to APEC summit organizers.

He said eight to 10 meetings will take place simultaneously in a day, so delegates will be moving from one venue to another.

He said one of the things discussed in the meeting with local organizers is how to ensure that the flow of traffic, especially during peak periods, be maintained so that delegates can go from one venue to another.

Dole 7 doles out Php6-M livelihood assistance to Cebu town

(PNA), FPV/EB/PJN

CEBU CITY, May 14 (PNA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 has turned over Php6 million worth of livelihood assistance to 1,690 residents of Poro town in the Camotes Islands off northern Cebu.

Dole 7 Director Exequiel Sarcauga said the agency’s thrust is to take care of the three kinds of workers, namely, those in the formal sector, the overseas Filipino workers and those who belong to the informal and marginalized sector.

“Our thrust is public service and by that, we aim to extend our programs and services to those who need them most. We do this all in the name of supporting the president’s agenda on inclusive growth,” said Sarcauga in a statement.

Sarcauga said is hoping that the beneficiaries will value their assistance and patronize their own products as well.

Projects of the beneficiaries include catering services, cow fattening, tables and chairs rental, goat raising, native chicken raising, meat processing, cattle raising and purchasing of fishing equipment.

Under the Yolanda Rehabilitation and Recovery Program, the agency released Php2.2 million to 14 associations.

Under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process, the Poro Federation of Farmers and Fishermen’s Association received Php3.8 million for pukot pamarungoy, pangdagko, pamo, fish pots, Sinagid floating cage, seaweed production, pumpboat, fish trading, seafood canteen, national Corn program, peanut-mongo-organic and inorganic fertilizer, corn planters, corn shellers, female carabaos, among others.

Poro Mayor Luciano Rama Jr. thanked the Dole 7 for making their town a priority recipient in its programs.

Rama said that during his term as mayor, Dole implemented the most number of programs in Poro.

Multi-sectoral agreement to solve flooding in Metro Cebu signed

(PNA), FPV/EB/EDS

CEBU CITY, May 13 (PNA) -- A multi-sectoral agreement to address the worsening flood and drainage problems in Metro Cebu was signed on Tuesday.

Among the signatories were officials of three urban cities, the Cebu provincial government, various government agencies, private sector and civil society groups.

The signing of the joint declaration of commitment and understanding was spearheaded by the Province of Cebu and the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay.

Under the agreement, an ideal flood mitigating measures and an integrated drainage design should be made to address the social and economic maladies caused by flooding and inadequate drainage.

The signing was the offshoot of the agreement entered into by local chief executives and several sectors during the November 2014 Inter-City Drainage summit.

A multi-sectoral drainage task force would be created soon to solve the problem in Metro Cebu.

The task force will be composed of several stakeholders, including local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations and civic groups.

Based on the agreement, the task force would serve as enforcers of environmental laws, especially the three-meter easement zone law and is expected to coordinate with the local chief executives.

The task force would conduct surveys on the conditions of the rivers, drainage and other waterways, including the conditions of the inhabitants living nearby or along the tributaries.

It is also mandated to conduct educational drive on proper garbage disposal, recycling and sustainable livening throughout the affected LGUs.

Western Visayas lures foreign tourists

(LCP)

THE growing connectivity of Western Visayas with other destinations in the country and its own tourism attractions have enticed foreign tourists to come and make the region as their port of entry to the Philippines.

Department of Tourism Regional Director Helen J. Catalbas said that more nationalities made Western Visayas their port of entry to the Philippines because of its expanding connectivity.

Iloilo is an hour away from Manila, Cebu, and Davao via air, and an hour away from Bacolod via fast craft.

Records from the Bureau of Immigration show that residents from Northern Europe, Central Europe, Western Europe, Central America, South America, and South Africa make Western Visayas their gateway to the Philippines.

Western Visayas has an open market that caters visitors from across the globe, and its development is always anchored to the needs of visitors.

900 households in remote areas in CV get electricity

By May B. Miasco / NSA (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines- Around 900 households in the remote areas in Central Visayas are currently being provided with electricity under the Department of Energy’s Household Electrification Program (HEP).

These households, which are far from power lines, are availing of the Solar Home System, a stand-alone renewable energy which the DOE aims to provide to 3,000 more households in the region by the end of June.

Lourdes Arciaga, DOE – Visayas Field Office senior science research specialist on renewable energy, said the seven-year project is one of the presidential priority programs that started in 2010 to address poverty in the country.

“The HEP is a continuation of the Barangay Electrification Program that supports the government’s target of 90 percent household electrification by 2017,” she said.

From 70%, Arciaga said the program has provided electrification services to 82% or some 5,300 households in Visayas as of this year.

Arciaga said the target areas are those unreachable by power lines especially remote areas, including islets.

“It provides electricity for lighting, radio, MP3 player and phone charger to households in remote sitios including Solar Streetlights and Communal PV Systems to beneficiary households,” she said.

According to Arciaga, operating the program was “very challenging” considering the difficulties in penetrating the target sites or the distance of the areas from power generators or distributors. Another challenge, she added, was the beneficiaries themselves, who need to be trained on the system installed.

“Usually these remote areas make use of kerosene-operated equipment while we provide this renewable energy system, which is more safe and convenient, given to each household. However, they would organize themselves as they contribute on the maintenance of the system,” she added.

In Visayas, there are at least 13 sites for DOE’s household electrification program, including, in Central Visayas, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu and Bayawan and Sta. Catalina, both in Negros Oriental.

Cebu Capitol to hire 98 medical personnel to man provincial hospitals

(PNA), CTB/EB/RSM

CEBU CITY, May 10 (PNA) -- The Cebu provincial government is set to hire 98 medical specialists and other personnel to address the problem on lack of manpower in the province-run hospitals.

Cebu Provincial Human Resource Officer Noli Valencia said these new positions will be for the province's 16 hospitals.

He said the figure is far from the actual need for these hospitals especially that majority of them have leveled up, doubling their requirements for personnel.

The province's 10 hospitals which were upgraded to level one last year are in Bogo City, Danao City, Carcar City, Bantayan, Tuburan, San Francisco, Argao, Barili, Badian, and Sogod.

Last February, Dr. Zoraido Yulango, acting head of Verallo Medical Memorial District Hospital in Bogo City, said they were undermanned with only seven doctors and 25 nurses.

The 50-bed facility serves around 120 patients a day.

Valencia said the 98 positions will not outright solve the problem of lack of personnel the hospitals are facing.

But he said that with Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III's thrust to prioritize the people's health, they hope to address this need one step at a time.

Hybrid electric road train to roll out next year

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

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu, May 9 (PNA) -- The Lapu-Lapu City government has welcomed the idea of rolling out a hybrid electric road train (ERT) next year whose route may extend to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in this city.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said the project needs the coordination of and consultation from the local government units (LGUs) concerned.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Cebu City government signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding to address traffic congestion through the introduction of a 40-meter long hybrid electric road train project that is composed of five interconnected fully air-conditioned coaches.

Four of these coaches can accommodate 60 passengers each for a total of 240 commuters per ride.

The ERT, according to DOST Secretary Mario Montejo, can serve an estimated 650,000 commuters per year.

Radaza said she was open to the plan, but she said she will look into the entire proposal first to avoid future inconvenience, especially on concerns about conflict on routes.

Lapu-Lapu City is expected to start the development of a Php 20-billion, 400-hectare reclamation project along the coastal areas of Barangays Ibo, Buaya, Mactan and Punta Engaño next year, and the ERT project, according to the mayor, may possibly affect the routes.

The ERT is an alternative means of transportation that was launched by the national government last August 2014 and is currently being tested at the Clark Airbase in Angeles City, Pampanga.

It will be implemented ahead of the Php 10.6-billion Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Cebu City which is expected to be operational in 2017.

More ships to be built in Cebu

By Jeandie O. Galolo

A SHIPBUILDING company based in Cebu for more than two decades now is bullish about its prospects, and its newest president wants to focus on cost competitiveness and human resource development.

Speaking yesterday with journalists, newly appointed Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. (THICI) president and chief executive officer Akihiko Mishima said the company envisions to grow its average production to 25 to 30 ships per year.

For 2015, however, THICI will be delivering 18 ships, from 19 ships delivered last year.

“Currently, the company can produce an average of 20 ships per year but capacity-wise, we can build more. In an effort to strengthen cost competitiveness, THI aims to build 25 to 30 vessels per year,” the official said. Mishima has been with the Tsuneishi Group in Japan for more than 30 years. He joined THICI as a director in 2014 before taking over as president and CEO.

Going green

The shipbuilder maintains a shipyard that stretches across 1.4 million square meters in Balamban on Cebu’s western coast. The joint venture between Tsuneishi and the Aboitiz Group was established in 1994.

Aside from volume, THICI is also looking at eco-friendly vessels to survive in this “very competitive” shipbuilding environment, Mishima said.

The company has come up with the Tsuneishi Economical Standard Ship (TESS), which is positioned for its fuel efficiency and large cargo capacity.

Also under Mishima’s leadership, the 200th ship built in Cebu, TESS35, will be turned over to its owner in June 2015.

Last year, THICI introduced its latest ship model, the Eco-Ship TESS64 and TESS58 Aeroline, which were said to have increased fuel efficiency by 20 percent and reduced wind resistance.

Assurance

“Tsuneishi brand ships manufactured by the Tsuneishi Group are of the same high level of quality, wherever they are made,” the president assured. The Tsuneishi Group also has shipyards in Japan, China and Paraguay. Ships built in Cebu now deliver coal, steel, logs, trucks and various cargo all over the world.

To enhance its manpower in the Philippines, Mishima said that THICI will send more of its Filipino employees to Japan for training.

Over the past two decades, the shipbuilder has sent 1,536 Filipino employees to Japan for technical training, language study, and cultural immersion. At present, Mishima said there are 224 engineers, skilled workers and administrative staff who are being trained in Japan.

Expanding local talent

Through its affiliate Tsuneishi Technical Services Philippines Inc. (TTSP), the company is also coordinating with the academe to incorporate the principles of shipbuilding engineering in the curriculum.

Engr. Segismundo “Jun” Exaltacion Jr., who was recently appointed as TTSP president, said it may take two to three years to realize this vision. He is the first Filipino president of TTSP.

He said that the company has started helping bridge the gap between the academe and the industry through their on-the-job training programs.

“There is a challenge in finding technical people (for shipbuilding),” Segismundo said, noting that only 20 percent of the applicants pass the company’s basic technical competency tests.

If more work-ready graduates become available in the next few years, THICI said this will pave way for the “localization” of management.

“Tsuneishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese company, yes. But as for site operation, it is run and managed by Filipinos. In fact, this year, we have three new Filipino presidents from our Tsuneishi Group of companies,” Mishima said.

To date, 792 THI employees, about 93 percent of the total workforce, are Filipinos while the remaining workers are Japanese expatriates.

Declining demand

In the last three years, THI’s revenues have decreased amid weaker demand. From P42 billion in sales in 2012, the company made P30 billion in 2013 and P24.5 billion in 2014. This year, projected sales are at P21 billion.

“The aftermath of the economic crunch since the Lehman shock in 2008 offered declining demands for building new ships. The unfavorable weakening of global ship prices, and a few order backlogs, are affecting the world’s shipbuilding industry,” Mishima said.

In 2014, the Philippines ranked fourth worldwide in terms of the number of ships completed by country. China ranked first, followed by Korea, and Japan. These countries contribute 90 percent combined of the total number, while the Philippines contributes two percent.

THICI’s investments, in its 20 years in Cebu, have reached P22 billion.

“The success of Tsuneishi clearly shows what we in the country can accomplish when competing on the world stage,” said Roberto Aboitiz, a director of THICI and Tsuneishi Holdings Inc. One challenge, he said, would be to replicate this success in other industries.

Countryside destinations boost Cebu tourism

By Ehda M. Dagooc (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - Moalboal, San Fernando, and Medellin are the three fast growing countryside destinations in Cebu province, the latest record from Department of Tourism (DOT-7) revealed.

For the first two months of this year, Moalboal, a diving destination in the southern part of Cebu, registered a total of 1.768 tourists, San Fernando with 1,130, and 1,076 tourists visited Medellin within the period.

DOT regional director Rowena Montecillo said these towns so far top the most visited destinations in the countryside, aside from established sites in Cebu province.

Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO) past president Alice Queblatin said in an interview earlier that the trend now is getting way from urban lifestyle. Both domestic and foreign tourists are now more interested in traveling to the countryside like nature tripping, cultural immersion, and other similar packages.

"Tourists now are going back to nature, even Japanese are demanding this kind of tours," said Queblatin.

The DOT report also indicated 5.39 percent increase in tourist traffic in Central Visayas in January and February this year with 265,662 visitors as compared to 252,068 visitors in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the tourism regional office noted a slight drop in the total domestic tourists visited Cebu in January for the Sinulog celebration.

Montecillo said most of the domestic tourists skipped the Sinulog and went to Tacloban for the Pope Francis visit, which coincided with the Sinulog event.

Domestic travelers for the period registered only 118,488, a 13.17 percent drop from 136,453 in the same period last year.

Tourist arrivals in Cebu up 9% in Jan-Feb period

By Carlo S. Lorenciana (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines – Tourist arrivals in Cebu rose 9% in the first two months of 2015, indicating a continued growth of the province’s tourism industry.

Latest data from the Central Visayas’ Department of Tourism (DOT 7) showed that Cebu logged 550,452 tourists during the January-February 2015 period, up 8.54% from 507,162 in the same period last year.

During the first two months foreign visitors in Cebu significantly grew 31.25% to 298,943 from 227,771 last year.

But the number of local tourists declined sharply by 10.39% from 278,028 last year to 249,148 this year.

Cebu City recorded majority of the domestic arrivals at 75%, followed by Lapu-Lapu City (15%), Cebu Province (7%) and Mandaue City (3%).

The Sinulog Festival in January was a major contributor to the increased arrivals in Cebu City.

On the other hand, foreign arrivals were mostly recorded in Lapu-Lapu City, taking 58% of the total foreign arrival market. Lapu-Lapu is then followed by Cebu City (36%), Cebu Province (5%) and Mandaue City (1%).

CV ARRIVALS

Visitor arrivals in January-February period in the whole Central Visayas, which comprises Negros Oriental, Bohol, Siquijor and Cebu posted a 10.52% rise from 654,109 in 2014 to 722,937 this year.

The market share of foreign tourists for the region's tourism sector was 49.46%, nearing the 50.02% share of the domestic visitors.

Koreans still accounted almost half of the foreign market at 45.40%, followed by Japan (17.68%), USA (10.02%), China (4.57%), Australia (3.82%) and Canada (2.60%).

Last year CV tourist arrivals went up 16% to 4.03 million from 3.5 million in 2013, hitting its 3.6-million 2014 target.

This year the DOT 7 is bent on achieving its 4.4-million tourist arrival target.

Cebu PB okays PHP207.8-M first supplemental budget this year

(PNA), LAP/EB/NOD

CEBU CITY, May 5 (PNA) -- The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has passed on mass motion the provincial government's first supplemental budget this year of PHP207.8 million.

The biggest chunk of the supplemental budget will fund vacant and newly-created positions, at PHP60 million.

This also includes a feasibility study, preparation of a detailed architectural and engineering design, and construction of a building and other facilities at the Cebu Capitol compound, all under the Office of the Governor.

Cebu PB Member Peter John Calderon, committee on budget and appropriations co-chairperson, said a new building is eyed to be erected inside the Capitol compound as replacement of the “Baex” building.

Baex used to house the offices of the Provincial Auditor, Provincial Women’s Commission, Provincial Tourism, Department of Interior and Local Government-Cebu.

But it became unfit for occupancy after it suffered damage after the magnitude 7.2 earthquake last October 15, 2013.

A total of PHP42 million was also allocated for the programs and maintenance and operating expenses of the Provincial Health Office, whose services topped Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III’s priorities in his administration.

At least P1.4 million, on the other hand, was earmarked for the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, while the Office of the Vice Governor was given P866,000; Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator’s office, P7 million for its “community-based monitoring” programs, traveling and training expenses, equipment and software, among others.

The SB also included P23 million budget for the improvement of health facilities and birthing centers; P4.8 million for purchase of ambulances; P5 million for water supply development; and environmental enhancement, resource protection, and P13 million for the Capitol’s solid waste management program.

Second ambassador's tour kick off in Cebu

(PNA), FFC/CARF/EBP

CEBU CITY, 4 May (PNA) -- For the second year, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, under the leadership of Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya, hosts the Ambassador's Tour to the Philippines.

After successfully taking 112 participants on a tour of Manila and nearby provinces such as Quezon in 2013, the Ambassador will be bringing this year's tour group, composed of 121 individuals of different nationalities, to Cebu and Bohol.

According to Malaysian photographer Steven Goh, he is very excited to do the tour. "It is my first time to visit the Philippines. I have Filipino friends who tell me so many good things about it and I can't wait to see it for myself!”

The tour group arrived in Cebu on May 2 and was welcomed by Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III. He lauded the Ambassador’s efforts to bring more tourists to discover Central Visayas – particularly Cebu and Bohol.

Both islands that are part of the tour were devastated by a powerful earthquake in 2013 but both provinces have made serious efforts to rebuild what was damaged in the past two years.

“I think it is important to showcase what has already been rebuilt in Cebu and Bohol to erase the images of devastation on the minds of the foreigners who may want to visit,” Ambassador Malaya said.

“So much has been rebuilt and there’s also quite a lot more to see when it comes to the natural attractions – I’m sure our visitors and tour participants will be happy to see the breath taking landscapes and crystal waters for themselves,” he added.

In 2014, international and domestic tourist arrivals in Central Visayas were already at 4.03 million despite the tragedy. Of this number, 1.6 million are from abroad, making up 39.86 percent of the total. This is 16 percent higher than the tourist arrivals in 2013.

“With the availability of direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Cebu, and the increasing number of halal-certified restaurants in the Visayas region, we can look forward to more Malaysians and other foreign tourists discovering the many wonders of Cebu and nearby Bohol island,” Ambassador Malaya stated.

The tour group is set to visit key places in Cebu such as Magellan’s Cross, the Sugbo Museum, and the Gilutungan and Nalunsan Islands, to name a few. The tour participants will also get to see how the famous Cebu guitars are made at the Alegre Guitar Factory.

They will also be attending an art show featuring the works of Filipino, Malaysian, and Indonesian artists.

In Bohol, the group will be getting up close and personal with the world’s smallest primate, the tarsier. They will also get a chance to admire the Chocolate Hills and see the ruins of Baclayon Church before going on a river cruise along the beautiful Loboc River.

The tour runs from May 2 to 5, and was organized in partnership with the Department of Tourism.

TESDA allots P3.2B for scholarship programs

By Jeramae Prescille P. Casona (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - To boost the employment rate in the country, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has allocated P3.2 billion this year for its scholarship programs with a big portion intended for Cebu.

According to Secretary Joel Villanueva, director general of TESDA, about P70 million of the budget has been allocated for their regional office in Cebu.

Villanueva said the importance of their projects is to give hope to the Filipinos.

“Nagkakaroon ng hope and for me, that’s priceless considering that a lot of our young people now, and even the old ones, they’re having a great time knowing that they have now a career wherein they have the assurance and confidence na mayroong pagbabago sa kanilang buhay,” he said.

Villanueva graced the graduation ceremony of 622 TESDA scholars at the University of Southern Philippines yesterday.

Engineer Mark Anthony Ylanan, regional director of TESDA-7, said last year’s employment rate was more than 28 percent and it increased to more than 63 percent this year.

Villanueva said that people should be looking forward to more programs following the signing of a memorandum of agreement between TESDA and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

“We will be receiving an additional 50 million pesos for mobile training centers so that additional 40 mobile training centers all over the country will be rolled out in the next month or two,” Villanueva said.

He said that TESDA also signed a memorandum of agreement with the Health Information Office Association and the Animation Association of the Philippines.

Villanueva added that the agency would be given another P65 million worth of scholarship programs to ensure that the industry would be able to get quality skilled workers.

Garbage collections nightly in Mandaue

By Flor Z. Perolina (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government announced Wednesday that garbage collections in the city are now done during nighttime.

Mayor Jonas Cortes, during the launch of the night garbage collection scheme, said he asked the help of the Department of General Services chief Engineer Marivic Cabigas on how to go about the problem of garbage collection in the city.

Cortes said the garbage collections, which used to be done during daytime, added to the heavy traffic woes in the city.

"Akong giingnan si Marivic, mag-brainstorming kuno ta kay… gamay kaayo atong dalan sa siyudad unya pwerti kaayong dagko-a sa atong mga garbage trucks," Cortes said.

(I told Marivic that we brainstorm on the problem because our city roads are narrow for our huge garbage trucks.)

Previously, Cortes said, garbage collection would start at 8 a.m., but this did not prove to be a convenient hour since it is also the same time that students and workers go out to report for school and work.

Cortes added that it was during the brainstorming that he and Cabigas came up with the decision to do the garbage collection at night, around after dinner, when household members are already home, thus able to watch out for the coming of the garbage trucks.

"Ang tendency man gud kun buntag mangolekta, biyaan na lang ilang mga basura sa gawas kay magdali-dali padung sa ilang trabaho og eskwela," he said.

(During daytime, people have the tendency to just leave their trash for collection outside their houses because they are rushing for work and school.)

Aside from the loose traffic at night, Cortes also said the scheme will enhance garbage collectors' productivity without the scorching heat affecting them.

"Nahimo man gud ni sa Puerto Princesa ug sa ubang siyudad nga gabii mangolekta sa ilang basura busa mahimo sad ni sa siyudad," Cortes said.

(This scheme of collecting garbage at night was made possible in Puerto Princesa City [in Palawan] and other cities, so this can also be achieved in Mandaue.)

President Aquino graces Cebu job fair

(PNA), LAP/EB/SGP

CEBU CITY, May 1 (PNA) -- President Benigno C. Aquino III Friday graced a job fair in Mandaue City, one of the Labor Day job fairs held in Central Visayas which made available some 43,000 local and foreign jobs.

The President arrived at the JobStart job fair at the J Center Mall on A. S. Fortuna St. in Mandaue City at about 10:30 a.m. Friday.

He toured all the nine booths at the job fair.

The job fair was initiated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 7.

Labor officials earlier said some 43,000 local and foreign jobs were available in Labor Day job fairs regionwide.

President Aquino also graced the soft opening of the University of Cebu Medical Center (UCMed) at the Mandaue City reclamation area.

UCMed, owned by lawyer Augusto Go, is one of two big hospitals being built in Cebu which are expected to cash in on the medical tourism industry catering to foreign clients.

The President also inspected a new facility at the Cemex cement plant in the City of Naga in southern Cebu.

President Aquino left Cebu for Manila at past 2 p.m.

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