Cebu Province News November 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.

Firm tests Cebuano locals, tourists’ appetite for ‘flying motorcycles’

By Katlene O. Cacho

AUSTRALIAN investor Ferris Kauley has brought to Cebu gyrocopter technology, a development that may help boost the province’s tourism and trade sectors.

Kauley, AutoGyro Germany’s partner and distributor in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, thinks it’s the best time to introduce gyrocopters because of the country’s archipelagic nature.

According to Wikipedia, a gyrocopter or gyroplane is “a type of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust.”

This type of low-level flying aircraft, Kauley said, is commonly used in agricultural practices, military and law enforcement duties, island-hopping activities, and inter-island transport, among others. Gyrocopters are also popular for recreational activities.

AutoGyro Germany pitches itself as one of the world’s market leaders in the development, production, and distribution of gyroplanes. It has distributed over 2,000 gyroplane units since 2012 in over 40 countries worldwide.

Cebu is said to be the first city in Southeast Asia to have a gyrocopter distribution business, said Kauley.

“You have a promising tourism industry, which gyrocopters can be fully utilized for. A lot of tourists go to islands to see new attractions. You can seamlessly bring them to nearby islands of their choice using this safe, fast and flexible motorcycle in the air,” said Kauley, in an interview over the weekend.

Add to that the country’s large pool of aviation workers whose technical and communication skills are widely recognized in the global aviation industry, he noted.

To enter the market, Kauley has partnered with Mactan-based Professional Air Maintenance Services (Pams) to jumpstart the distribution business. Kauley said he will be selling at least six gyrocopters, whose average price is P3.5 million.

“We wanted to gain acceptance in the market first and focus on creating a strong safety record before we venture into other ventures, including making the gyrocopters available for rent,” said Kauley.

Guido Platzer, AutoGyro Germany sales director, said the purchase of gyrocopters comes with a 20-hour free training.

At present, Kauley and Pams have three local gyrocopter-certified pilots. Kauley said he is also working on his permits with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines through Pams.

Group pushes office for architects in City

By Rebelander S. Basilan

A GROUP of architects is lobbying for the creation of a city architect’s office in Mandaue City.

Jensen Racho, director of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) District C1, said a separate department for architecture will ensure a well-planned urban design for the growing city.

“With the city’s development, the rise of condominiums and factories, we feel and we believe that Mandaue City needs an architect’s office,” he said in a press conference last Thursday.

Lobbying

Racho said the UAP is advocating for the creation of an office that will focus on urban design in major urban centers.

He said the Architectural Act of 2004 mandates cities to create an architect’s office. He cited Toledo City, Cebu as one of the cities with an architect’s office.

As of now, there’s only an architectural section under the Office of the Building Official, Racho said.

But he said a separate department for architecture should be created.

He noted that Tacloban City has had an architect’s office for five years, and the office has helped in ensuring a well-planned reconstruction after the city was devastated by super typhoon Yolanda.

He added that a city architect’s office is “good for visioning” and will help develop urban design where heritage structures are preserved.

Celebration

The UAP will celebrate the 44th National Architecture Week on Dec. 6 to 15.

In Mandaue City, the group will mark the start of the week-long celebration with the unveiling of a billboard at the city plaza and another one in Barangay Subangdaku.

The activities include an exhibit in Parkmall from Dec. 11 to 13.

Sheraton resort to rise in Mactan

By Katlene O. Cacho

APPLEONE Mactan Inc., yesterday broke ground on the first branded resort residential development of Sheraton in Southeast Asia in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City.

The firm, which is a subsidiary of AppleOne Properties Inc., earmarked P4 billion to construct the 250-room The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort due in 2019 and the 186-unit The Residences at the The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort, which is expected to open by 2020.

The upscale development in Mactan sits on a five-hectare site overlooking both the Hilutungan Channel and Magellan Bay.

“We are excited with this auspicious start of our partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., as we believe the project would boost local tourism as well as ramp up a higher level of hospitality industry for the region,” said Ray Go Manigsaca, president of AppleOne Mactan.

“Our vision is to be a significant part of the region’s tourism growth, as well as developing leisure properties that will continue to attract both international and local travelers,” he added.

Sheraton is the second oldest brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., a hotel and resort management firm. The hotel brand has about 435 hotels and 88 resorts present in more than 70 countries.

The Sheraton hotel brand, though, has been absent in the hotel scene in the Philippines for decades now after tycoon Lucio Ton rebranded his hotel in Manila to Century Park Hotel.

Charlie Dang, Starwood Asia-Pacific regional vice president for Southeast Asia, said their project in Mactan marks their “return” to the Philippines. It also reflects their confidence in the Philippine economy, whose growth in the past years has been getting international attention.

Dang considers tourism as one of Cebu’s strengths and the beach as one of its major tourism drawers.

“We are confident the hotel would do well because when people visit the development, it will all be about the beach,” he said, noting that 83 percent of their rooms and residential units will have an ocean view.

The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort will also have a 1,313-square meter function space ideal for Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) events. The resort development is designed by Clint Nagata, founder of Blink Design Group, which specializes in creating luxury hotels.

“The hotel and leisure living would introduce a new residential lifestyle in Mactan, and Cebu in general,” said Cyndy Tan Jarabata, president of Tajara Leisure and Hospitality Group, AppleOne Mactan’s exclusive marketing partner.

The Residences at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort will feature units consisting of one to three bedrooms with price sizes ranging from P160,000 to P180,000 per square meter.

It will also have lounges, meeting rooms, upper garden amenity floor, recreational facilities like fitness center, yoga room, large lagoon pools and access to the beach club, among other amenities.

Jarabata noted they aren’t focusing on the demogprahics of would be unit-owners. They want to focus more on buyers’ psychographics. “We want to capture buyers who are into the resort living lifestyle,” she said.

More than attracting foreign guests, the firm will also banks on the country’s strong domestic tourism to grow the hotel business.

As of 2014, Lapu-Lapu City has 75 accommodation establishments with total available rooms of 4,493. Rooms under construction stood at 153.

Aside from Cebu and Manila, Dang said Starwood is actively scouting other potential locations in the country where they can expand or bring its other brands.

He, however, noted that finding the right local partners, who strongly believe in their brand, is essential in pursuing their expansion programs here. Population and the presence of infrastructure, which includes air connectivity to other countries, are also equally important factors in Starwood’s growth strategy.

The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort is also meant to complement Sheraton Manila Hotel that will rise in Resorts World Manila in Parañaque in 2017.

The company said that The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort and The Residences will not only strengthen their presence in Asia Pacific, but will also allow the Sheraton brand, the company’s money-making brand, to realize its goal of opening more than 150 new hotels globally over the next five years.

SunAsia to build biggest solar farm in Cebu

(PNA), CTB/PR/JLD

MANILA, Nov 27 (PNA) -- Renewable energy developer SunAsia Energy will build the biggest solar farm in Cebu, with a capacity of 60 megawatts (MWs), the company said in a statement Friday.

The Toledo solar project has an estimated cost of USD 120 million, composed of 200,000 European standard solar panels that will be built 70 meters above the ground.

It will occupy about 70-hectares of the Baltao farm, while maintaining the livestock production in the area.

SunAsia Energy targets to finish the construction of the power plant by Feb. 15, 2016.

According to a study from the Power Systems Research and Consultancy Group (PSRCG), it will generate 861,199 Megawatthours (MWh) of electricity each year and offset 1.72 million metric tons of carbon emissions.

Aside from installing ground-mounted solar farms, the firm also offers grid-tied solar installation starter kits for households, grid-integrated commercial solar rooftop solutions for businesses and customized large solar rooftop for industries.

First half report of NEDA 7 shows agri-fisheries sector improving

By Jeandie O. Galolo

THE agriculture and fisheries sector in Central Visayas slightly improved in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, latest data released by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 7 showed.

“The region’s agriculture sector continued to exhibit signs of recovery in the second quarter of 2015, the recovery of which was first observed in the first quarter. Except for the crops subsector, all the other subsectors--fishery, livestock and poultry--recorded positive performances in production,” a NEDA 7 report said. Government interventions to uplift the region’s agricultural output contributed to the improvement of this sector, it added.

Total volume of agricultural production stood at 2.5 million metric tons (MT), lower from the 2.6 million MT recorded in the first half of 2014. NEDA 7 Director Efren Carreon explained that the numbers were pulled down by the low production of crops.

“Since the crops subsector accounts for a lion’s share of the sector’s production, total production in the first semester remained on the red (low),” the report noted.

Poor performances of the crop subsector (including palay, corn, fruits, vegetables, industrial and commercial crops) in the first and second quarters led to the slump in production by 2.7 percent in the first semester of 2015. Unfavorable weather conditions were cited as grounds for poor harvests where crops were the most vulnerable.

Among the agriculture subsectors, poultry became the top performer, growing at 12.7 percent, following double digit growth rates in the first and second quarters.

Fishery production was up by 1.8 percent in the first semester of this year, compared to that of the same period last year. The livestock industry rebounded during the first semester of the year to register a growth of 3.41 percent, up from a negative performance (-2.8 percent) in the same period in 2014.

At the later part of 2015, Carreon hopes for a continued recovery of the agri-fishery sector, following increased government intervention in the form of more programs and projects.

However, the El Nino phenomenon may adversely affect the agriculture output of the region and may cause a slight spike of commodities, particularly of food items in the last quarter of 2015 to early part of 2016, NEDA said.

Capitol gives cash incentives to barangay workers

By Brenda D. Batuto/NSA (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Government yesterday distributed more than P2-million cash assistance to barangay tanods, health workers, day care workers, and barangay nutrition scholars in Pinamungajan and Toledo City.

Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said a total of P1,563,300 cash incentives were given to the barangay workers in Pinamungajan while a total of P782,700 were given to barangay workers in Toledo City.

In Pinamungajan, at least 407 tanods each received P1,500 cash incentive; 329 barangay health workers each received P2,400; and the same amount also to each of the 42 day care workers and 26 BNS.

In Toledo City, 301 tanods, 36 BHWs, 56 day care workers, and 46 BNS respectively received their share of the incentives.

Natera said since the administration of Governor Hilario Davide III, the Capitol has been giving cash incentives every year to the barangay frontliners.

She clarified that the distribution of the incentives was not tainted by any political color as it is only one of the Capitol’s ways of thanking the barangay workers for doing their job.

Natera said barangay workers only receive small honorarium.

The amount of the honorarium depends on the capacity and on the allocation of the local government unit, she said.

DAR Cebu holds climate change resiliency forum

(Sun.Star Cebu)

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Cebu recently conducted a climate change resiliency farmers’ forum with a theme, “Empowering Small Holder Farmers toward Climate Resiliency.”

About 50 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from the different agrarian reform communities in Cebu attended the forum held at the Dohera Hotel, Mandaue City on Nov. 16 and 17.

Antonio A. del Socorro, assistant regional director concurrent provincial agrarian reform program officer (PARPO) II of DAR Cebu, said that the activity was part of the awareness campaign for the ARBs on climate change, and to integrate issues of climate and disaster risk.

Emma E. Melana, regional technical director of Ecosystems Research Development Services of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 discussed her topics on understanding climate change, its causes, impacts, integration and adaptation.

Also in the forum were Roberto Bajenting, Cebu Coalition for Food Security (CCFS) chairman, who provided an input on resilient sustainable development, and Rey Ramos of CCFS, who facilitated the workshop on determining the level of awareness and adaptation to climate change.

Varinia Fabillar, chief of the Beneficiaries Development and Coordinating Division of DAR Cebu, also took charge of the action planning for integration to the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization’s Operational Plan on building resilience and ensures sustainable development.

Robinsons Galleria to showcase ‘best of the region’, opens Dec. 10

By Mia A. Aznar

ALL six floors of the Robinson’s Galleria Cebu will be opened to the public on Dec. 10.

At a briefing held for reporters yesterday, mall officials said the mall will be the focal point of their 4.7-hectare mixed use complex at the corner of Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Sergio Osmeña Blvd.

The mall features over 200 merchants occupying a gross floor area of 157,000 square meters.

Considered their biggest full service mall in the Visayas, this is Robinsons Land Corp.’s third commercial establishment in Cebu.

Although not as large as the recent mall developments, marketing and leasing consultant Cristina Angan said they set themselves apart by showcasing the best of what the region has to offer.

Aside from Robinson’s global specialty brands and affiliate brands, they reached out to those behind local food brands that have not yet opened branches in malls such as the Abaca Baking Co., Phat Pho, The Luncheonette, The Chocolate Chamber, Azabu, Fat Cow, Pueblo and favorites from neighboring provinces such as Bohol Bee Farm and Dumaguete’s SansRival.

It will also house the second Robinsons Selections in the country, a supermarket with a wider assortment of gourmet and imported products and food-to-go options, six cinemas, al fresco dining areas and greenery.

They also have the Lingkod Pinoy Center for government offices such as the Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Land Transportation Office, Bureau of Immigration and Securities and Exchange Commission.

For Angan, Robinson’s Galleria Cebu is for a different set of shoppers--the 30 years old and above set in the broad upper C and A and B market.

Initially slated for a September opening, regional operations manager Floramie Vega said they pushed back the grand opening to December to “fine-tune” their design.

Vega said they received approval to remove some trees that could block the entry and exit areas of the mall and transfer them within the complex.

They are also working on getting more routes to pass by the mall, including the MyBus operated by SM. They also hope to provide shuttles to the port area, which is across the mall.

Angan said they could not have chosen a better time to open, as the Christmas shopping season is underway. She added that it will be busy time for Cebu as the Sinulog Festival and International Eucharistic Congress approach.

Megaworld launches country’s Reindeer Park

(Sun.Star Cebu)

SANTA Claus has been known to cheer kids with presents, but who helps him do the task of delivering each special gift to make sure that all children get a smile on their face during the happiest time of the year? It’s the reindeers!

This Christmas, Megaworld and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm Megaworld Foundation are helping deliver to kids a priceless gift--the gift of smile.

The real estate giant will transform all of its townships across the country into a Reindeer Park filled with reindeer displays made of wooden cut-outs in different sizes ranging from 10 to 15 feet tall, all of which with a corresponding amount.

All proceeds will then be handed to the Operation Smile Philippines Foundation, which gives free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children throughout the country.

Painting of donated reindeers in various Megaworld townships has started last Nov. 7, which coincided with the “Smile Day” Philippines celebration.

At The Mactan Newtown, Megaworld’s first township project in Cebu, Operation Smile’s Cebu partner and chairperson of MSY Holdings Corp. Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung and Megaworld Cebu Properties Inc. president Noli D. Hernandez led the launching of the charity program.

To know more on how to take part of helping change the lives of some kids this Christmas season, call (032) 232-3030 or email info@themactannewtown.com.ph.

COA says Cebu richest PHL province in 2014 with Php 28.181-B equity

(PNA), RMA/EB/SSC

CEBU CITY, Nov. 21 (PNA) -- Cebu Province, with an equity of Php 28.181 billion, was the richest province in the country in 2014, a Commission on Audit (COA) annual financial report said.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III said he was glad about the province doing well in equity and assets in the COA report.

“Well, that probably explains why we are the third most competitive province in the country,” Davide said.

He said the Department of Interior and Local Government has recognized Cebu and granted the province the seal of good governance.

Cebu was followed by Rizal with Php 6.715 billion in equity and Cavite with Php 4.918 billion.

The COA annual financial report is based on the financial performance reports of all 80 provinces, 144 cities, and all but 11 of the 1,490 municipalities in the country.

The 11 municipalities failed to submit their reports.

Aside from Cebu, Rizal and Cavite, the other seven local government units with large amounts of equity were Negros Occidental, Laguna, Batangas, Pangasinan, Negros Oriental, Isabela and Pampanga.

Equity is the difference between a local government’s assets and liabilities.

Among high-equity cities, Cebu City ranked sixth with Php 7.855 billion in 2014.

Cebu City is the only city in Region 7 that made it to the top 10.

Makati City is the richest city with Php 34.461 billion.

Among towns, Cainta in Rizal Province, with Php 1.819 billion, ranked first in equity.

Cebu Province also reported the largest assets, at Php 29.695 billion.

Quezon City, with assets of Php 47.687 billion, and Cainta of Rizal, with assets of Php 2.826 billion, ranked first in the lists for cities and municipalities, respectively.

But Cebu Province only placed third in income.

Negros Occidental reported the highest income in 2014, at Php 3.33 billion, followed by Bulacan with Php 3.25 billion and Cebu with Php 2.76 billion.

Income includes the internal revenue allotments and fees collected for permits and services.

Cebu Province is not on the top 10 list in liabilities, while Cebu City ranked third among cities.

Cebu City’s liabilities in 2014 amounted to Php 8.87 billion. Only the cities of Quezon with Php 15.77 billion and Manila with Php 9.38 billion had bigger liabilities.

Among the provinces, the top three on the liabilities list were Bohol with Php 3.59 billion, Negros Occidental with Php 2.78 billion and Bulacan with Php 2 billion.

Mandaue mayor okays start of PhP129-M repair of first Mandaue-Mactan bridge

(PNA), SCS/EB/RSM

MANDAUE CITY, Nov. 20 (PNA) -- Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has given the go-signal for the start of the PhP129.6-million repair of the first Mactan-Mandaue bridge at any time after the Lapu-Lapu City fiesta celebration on Saturday.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 said the bridge repair, awarded to Jegma Construction, includes replacing the expansion joints, reinforcing the steel, replacing the drain pipes, applying anti-corrosion paint, removing damaged asphalt and rehabilitating the access road on the Mandaue approach.

But Mandaue City Development and Planning Officer Florentino Nimor Jr. said the city prefers that the bridge repair would be done only after the Sinulog festivities and the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in January.

The Sinulog grand parade in Cebu City will be held on Jan. 17, the third Sunday of January, after a series of religious and cultural activities during the week.

The Sinulog Festival is one of the biggest drawers of both local and foreign tourists with hundreds of thousands in attendance.

The IEC, to be held from Jan. 24 to 31, is expected to gather at least 15,000 pilgrims from across the country and around the world.

Both events are expected to generate heavy traffic in both Cebu City and in Mandaue City, the gateway to Cebu.

Jegma Construction has 11 months to finish the bridge repair but it began working on the approach last August.

Nimor said the DPWH might have to wait until February to start on the PhP50-million upgrading of A. Soriano Ave. because the Mandaue City government cannot allow it while Sinulog festivities and the IEC are ongoing.

Nimor said the local World Youth Day, one of the highlights of the IEC, will be held in Mandaue City on Jan. 28 and 29.

The activity includes a walk of about 5,000 youth members from Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City to the Mandaue City Reclamation Area, where they will camp out.

Cebu PB wants to put social workers in each district hospital to aid poor patients

(PNA), LAP/EB/RSM

CEBU CITY, Nov. 19 (PNA) -- The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) committee on budget and appropriations has suggested the assignment of a social worker in every district hospital in the province to attend to the needs of indigent patients.

The suggestion came after the death of a one-year-old child early this month.

The committee made the suggestion when the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) presented its 2016 budget during the budget hearing at the vice governor’s conference room Wednesday.

PSWDO head Rose Zosa proposed a budget of PHP104.8 million for next year, an increase from PHP84 million this year.

Zosa also proposed to increase the “assistance to individual in crisis situation (AICS)” from PHP13 million this year to PHP20 million next year.

Zosa said AICS is the assistance given to the indigent patients from the different municipalities that are referred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Cebu PB Member Grecilda Sanchez said the AICS should also be available in every provincial and district hospitals and a social worker should be assigned in the district hospitals for 24 hours.

She said this is to prevent the incident in the Minglanilla District Hospital where one-year-old Mary Jane Bariquit died after she was reportedly not properly attended to when she was brought there in the evening of Nov. 7.

8 barangays drive home new vehicles

By Flornisa M. Gitgano

MORE than P1 million worth of multicabs that may serve as mini-ambulances were given by the Provincial Government to the eight barangays of a number of local government units.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III led the distribution of the vehicles at the Capitol parking lot yesterday morning.

The recipients were Barangays San Isidro of San Fernando, Obong of Dalaguete, Tapul of Talisay City, Sta. Rosa and Tabok of Danao City, Mangayan and Candaguit in Sibonga and the municipality of Sibonga.

The multicab of Candaguit was already given last month.

Each multicab costs P134,000.

Yesterday, barangay and municipal officials drove home the multicabs with sufficient fuel in their tanks.

Fortunate

Tapul Barangay Captain Mary Ann Nolasco said that without the multicabs that also serve as mini-ambulance, they would end up borrowing privately-owned multicabs to bring her constituents during emergencies.

“Kung walay multicab nga kahulaman, mapugos mig pasakay sa pasyente sa habal-habal (If no multicab is available, we will be forced to hire motorcycle to carry our patient),” she said.

Nolasco said the multicab can serve as service vehicle of the barangay officials and the barangay pulis.

Request

In his speech, Davide said the barangays requested the multicabs.

“As we all know, it’s part of our program nga mohatag og ayuda (to give assistance) in terms of mobility, especially para sa mga barangays nga naa sa lagyo kaayo nga dapit (for the far-flung barangays),” he said.

Davide said there are still requests for multicabs, ambulances and mini-ambulances in addition to the pending requests for the different LGUs.

The governor assured that the Capitol will continue to provide these as long as funds are available.

“Inyo kini, wa ni MOA (memorandum of agreement), donation kini silbi sa (These are yours, no MOA, which means that you now own the multicabs. This is donated by the) Provincial Government,” Davide said.

Since Davide started his term in 2013, the Capitol distributed 25 ambulances, 33 mini-ambulances, 109 multicabs and nine units of mini-dumptrucks.

Yesterday, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and Provincial Board Members Jude Thaddeus Sybico, Miguel Antonio Magpale and Raul Alcoseba assisted the governor during the distribution of multicabs.

Magpale said the Capitol has spent P59,255,580.90 for the 176 units of ambulance, mini-ambulance, multicabs and mini-dumptrucks.

She explained the distribution of the vehicles indicated the current administration’s focus on heath and social services.

Esquire Financing opens in Cebu ‘to serve’ those unserved by banks

By Jeandie O. Galolo

NON-COLLATERAL business loan provider Esquire Financing Inc. (EFI) is expanding in Cebu reach out to more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Visayas.

“EFI is dedicated to building a distribution network that allows businesses (SMEs) in the country to conveniently access our loan offerings,” said EFI president and chief operating officer Navin Uttamchandani, who was in Cebu yesterday for the company’s press launch.

“Our first branch in Cebu is but a small step in realizing this strategy,” he added. The EFI Cebu branch is located at the ground floor of 148 Residences on Pelaez St. in downtown Cebu City.

Since its establishment in 2011, EFI claims its “fast” and non-collateral business loans are tailor made for SMEs’ needs, goals, cash flows, capacity, and financial position.

Uttamchandani said the company releases loans not beyond seven days, in contrast to banks that would normally take three weeks to process.

Over the past four years, the financial company has served about 5,000 clients, availing of loans that range from P100,000 to P10 million. Of the number, only five percent came from the Visayas and Mindanao while about 95 percent came from Luzon. With the opening of the Cebu office, EFI aims to grow the regional market, the official said.

“We see so many SMEs in Cebu, so we had to build the operational scale in Manila first to support the demand,” said Uttamchandani.

Its current client base is mostly composed of businesses that are in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, construction, accommodation and food services.

From September to October, the company released P4 million worth of loans.

Interest rates are flexible, Uttamchandani said, but this will not exceed to 3.5 percent per month.

He expressed optimism that EFI will perform well in Cebu, as there remains to be a big number of SMEs that are left unserved by the formal banking institutions.

According to EFI, only 20 percent of the one million SMEs are served by the banks, attributing this low number to the extensive collateral requirements, the revenue-driven structure of the banks, and high minimum loan amounts.

EFI has recorded P15.2 billion of total loan releases from 2011 to 2014. The company records a delinquency ratio of less than two percent.

“The core of our business is risk management. We pride ourselves of our own in-house credit evaluation process, which enables us to successfully manage risk levels,” the company said.

For 2014, the company generated total revenues of P641.38 million, which is P5.45 million higher than the 2013 revenues of P635.93 million.

6 far-flung villages get mini-ambulances

(PNA), LAP/EB/SSC

CEBU CITY, Nov. 16 (PNA) -- The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has passed a resolution giving mini-ambulances to six far-flung villages in municipalities in the province’s second district.

The mini-ambulance costing PHP205,000 each, or a total of PHP1.23 million, will be distributed to Barangays Cabadiangan in Alcantara, Colawin in Argao, Calabawan in Ginatilan, Buguil in Moalboal, Manlapay in Dalaguete and Daanlungsod in Oslob.

They will share the vehicles in case of an emergency in their neighboring barangays.

Cebu PB Member Peter John Calderon, who drafted the resolution, said all barangays are located in the mountains, except for Daanlungsod.

He said they will give a mini-ambulance to Daanlungsod because the barangay has difficulty gaining access to a municipal ambulance.

Calderon said these ambulances will be given on top of the ones previously distributed.

The provincial government distributed in August 13 mini-ambulances, an ambulance and nine mini-dump trucks worth PHP18 million to different LGUs.

Singing Cebu’s praises

By Jeandie O. Galolo

CEBU’S new branding tagline, “Cebu, where the heart sings”, has earned praise from various sectors.

They believe that the brand, created out of tourism advocates’ shared love for Cebu, will sustain Cebu’s footing in the tourism and business arenas, and expand further its gains.

“I think it is spot on. It has a sense of place and captures, more than anything else, the soul of Cebu. This soul, this Cebu, is something worth sharing with the world,” said Gordon Alan Joseph, president of Cebu Business Club. A festival dancer holding up a bright red heart is the brand’s main image. She stands next to the word Cebu, marked in four colors, under which is the tagline “where the heart sings.”

“The choice of colors reflects how fun Cebuanos are and, yes, true enough the line ‘where the heart sings’ really reflects how Cebuanos put their love in everything,” said travel agent Mary Yuletide “Juliet” Amazona.

The red in “Cebu” stands for faith and passion; yellow for warmth and friendliness; green for nature and creativity; and blue for the sea and resilience.

“Personally, I love the brand. They say when you can’t express your feelings through words, you sing. When your heart sings, it is a good reflection of Cebu as a multi-sensory experience,” said Cebuano travel blogger Sinjin Pineda.

The creation of Cebu’s brand took months of collaborative work among Cebu’s key tourism stakeholders, led by the Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC), Cebu Provincial Tourism Commission, Cebu Association of Tour Operators and GMR-Megawide, along with Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Mega Cebu, Department of Tourism, Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu and individual volunteers. “After so much consultation and brainstorming...Yes, the brand best represents Cebu and its people. People say Cebu is nice yet they cannot identify any specific reason for that comment or feeling. Yes, Cebu makes one’s heart happy, makes it love the world... makes it sing,” said CCCI President Ma. Teresa Chan.

By Jeandie O. Galolo

‘What Cebu really is’

Gov. Hilario Davide III, in a message read by Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino during the brand’s launching last Friday in Ayala Center Cebu, said the unveiling of Cebu’s new brand comes at the right time--immediately after Cebu’s hosting of international events such as the APEC meetings, which gave the province positive exposure.

The challenge now is to use the brand to rev up the tourism industry as an engine of economic growth of Cebu. “(This new brand) will reinforce our standing in both tourism and trade. Moreover, the brand represents effective collaboration of all stakeholders,” Davide said.

CCTC chair Tetta Baad said the brand marks Cebu’s official entry to the world stage of tourist destinations, where a multitude of brands all compete for a good share of the global tourism market. She likened Cebu to David, the Old Testament shepherd boy who faced and conquered Goliath.

“The brand truly captures what Cebu is identified for—talent, culture, faith, and people, among others. It’s a fitting triumphant banner to recognize more of what Cebu really is and what it can offer to the world,” said Alfred Compra II, a BPO employee in Cebu who is also a frequent traveler.

After its launching, the Cebu Brand team will now work on creating marketing materials to promote the brand and engage all Cebuanos to own it.

Chan is confident the brand will be supported by whoever wins in the 2016 elections, as its creation is a product of a private and public partnership.

“There is much work to be done to support the brand... We want tourists to leave the island with a smile on their faces and lasting memories that will draw them back again and again. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It takes a communal effort to achieve this,” said Baad.

Mandaue products at exhibit

By Rebelander S. Basilan

ORGANIZERS of the Expo Mandaue, an exhibit being held at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Manila, hope the exhibit will push President Benigno Aquino III to hasten the release of funds needed to restore the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Aside from showcasing the best products from the city, the exhibit will underline calls of local business leaders for a permanent venue where the city’s manufacturers can display their products for prospective buyers and investors, said Clayton Tugonon, a furniture exporter and curator of the exhibit.

The exhibit opened last Wednesday night in the World Trade Center in Pasay City, with Presidential Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma Jr., APEC National Organizing Committee director general Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (Cebu Province, sixth district) gracing the ceremony.

APEC attraction

The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and the City Government set up the exhibit as one of the attractions during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Nov. 18 and 19.

“Hopefully, this will remind (President Aquino) to release the funds for the refurbishment of the CICC,” Tugonon said in a recent press conference.

The Cebu Provincial Government, which owns the building, and the Mandaue City Government, which owns the lot, submitted a program of works for the rehabilitation of the building to the Department of Trade and Industry last August, upon the instruction of President Aquino.

Cost to refurbish

MCCI executive director Marlene Bedia said refurbishing the structure will cost almost P300 million, based on the submitted program of works.

Aquino vowed the National Government will help restore the building, which was abandoned after getting severely damaged by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda in 2013, after visiting an exhibit organized by MCCI during Labor Day last May 1 in Mandaue City.

Once restored, the building will become an expo center for products made in the province.

Mayor Cortes earlier expressed an intention to buy the building from the Province, but the two parties failed to agree on a price.

The City had planned to make the building into the Mandaue Investment Promotions Action Center, which will showcase locally made products.

Exposure

It had also eyed the building as a potential City Hall, before it abandoned the plan to prioritize the construction of a new public market.

In Manila, organizers of the Expo Mandaue are hoping world leaders will visit the booths. Among the leaders expected to attend the meeting are US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The exhibit features furniture, bags, accessories and souvenir items that APEC delegates can buy and take home with them.

Tugonon said the exhibit stands to gain international exposure, as it is located beside the international media center.

South Cebu town ecotourism group wins international tourism award

(PNA), LAP/EB/RSM

CEBU CITY, Nov. 13 (PNA) -- The Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (BAETAS) in the southern Cebu town of Aloguinsan won this year’s Tourism InSPIRE Award for Best Community-based Tourism Initiative in Asia Pacific.

The award recognizes the association’s “serious commitment to sustainability principles and evident benefits to community members.”

BAETAS bested other entries from 26 countries.

Boboi Costas, Grassroots Travel consultant, said the recognition means Cebu is not only beaches and dance festivals and whale shark feeding.

Cebu, he said, has local communities working for sustainable and responsible tourism.

“This global recognition confirms that Aloguinsan is doing the right things right for sustainable tourism,” he said.

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced on its website Wednesday night the six winners of the Tourism InSPIRE Awards 2015.

The award recognizes organizations and businesses that have demonstrated excellence in social, environmental and economic sustainability in tourism.

The Tourism InSPIRE Awards are presented to outstanding applications in six categories: Best Branded Accommodation, Best Independent Accommodation, Best Marine and Wildlife Tourism Provider, Best Culture and Heritage Tourism Provider, Best Responsible Tourism Destination, Best Community Based Tourism Initiative.

Winners of these awards, according to PATA, exemplify use and application of sustainable consumption approaches resource efficiency, value chain approach, eco-innovation, sustainable consumption, sustainability reporting, community action, cultural heritage, and collective impact.

BAETAS, formed on June 14, 2009, became the official caretaker of Aloguinsan’s 1.4-kilometer Bojo River in Barangay Bojo, which covers riparian zone of 61 bird species and native flora.

With the help of the local government, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 and local eco-cultural organizations, BAETAS developed Bojo River into an ecotourism asset and a livelihood resource.

Fishermen who became members of BAETA now worked as river cruise guides of the Bojo River.

Members of BAETAS also became recipients of various trainings on ecotourism, housekeeping and accommodation, handicraft, and other livelihood programs.

Currently, there are more than 50 family members under BAETAS.

In 2012, it started helping other neighboring communities in Aloguinsan until three new associations were organized.

Costas said the group this year has started helping Tabuelan town for mangrove species identification and Asturias town in community consultations.

“Even before these towns, its members have been speaking and inspiring communities from Luzon to Mindanao,” he said.

Rudney Carcuevas, president of BAETAS, said he was surprised when he learned about the award.

Carcuevas credited the success of the organization and its initiatives to the commitment and loyalty of the members, as well as the support of the local government unit.

He estimates the organization was able to generate gross receipts of PHP3 million to PHP5 million from the Bojo River Cruise last year.

“BAETAS is here to stay. Sustainability is already embedded in its operation and culture. Its serious commitment to sustainability and its positive impact to other communities was the main reason it won the award,” said Costas.

PATA will present the six Tourism InSPIRE Awards at a special awards ceremony on Nov. 27 at a dinner gala by the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines during the PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2015 in Legazpi, Albay, Philippines.

Construction of third Cebu-Mactan bridge to start in Q1 2016

(PNA), FFC/EB/EDS

CEBU CITY, Nov. 12 (PNA) -- The construction of the third bridge linking Cebu mainland to Mactan Island will start in the first quarter of next year, an official said.

Cordova, Cebu Mayor Adelino Sitoy said they are hopeful the construction of the bridge will start by February 2016.

The groundbreaking for the third bridge was held last January yet and construction was supposed to begin after three months, but project proponent Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), still has to finalize some project details.

MPTC offered to build and operate the toll bridge in a joint venture with the Cordova Municipal Government and Cebu City Government under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.

The proposed bridge will span eight kilometers from the mouth of the Guadalupe River in Cebu City to Shell Island and then Cordova town.

Cebu City Administrator Lucelle Mercado said the cost of the third Mactan-Cebu bridge rose to PHP27 billion from PHP17 billion.

Ramoncito Fernandez, MPTC president, said the cost estimate of the project rose because of capitalized interest and inflation adjustment from 2014 to 2015 and 2016 prices.

Fernandez said the MPTC is in the final stage of completing the draft 35-year concession agreement with the local government units of Cordova town and Cebu City which will get one percent each of gross sales.

Sitoy said the project will be presented this month for a Swiss challenge in which the government publishes details of the bid and invites third parties to match or exceed the offer of the original proponent.

The proponent of the unsolicited bid, MPTC, has the option to match the most competitive bid.

Sitoy said the project does not need President Benigno C. Aquino III’s approval because both Cordova and Cebu City have PPP ordinances.

France-Phl group to continue building disaster-resilient houses for Yolanda survivors in north Cebu

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

CEBU CITY, Nov. 11 (PNA) -- The France-Philippines United Action Foundation (FP-UA) will continue to build disaster-resilient houses for super typhoon Yolanda (International Name: Haiyan) survivors in northern Cebu, an executive said.

Clementine Turgeon, FP-UA project coordinator, said these houses, designed by Filipino Architect E. Florentinoto, can withstand up to intensity 8 earthquakes and 275-300 kilometer-per-hour winds.

These houses will be able to resist future storms, which are predicted to become increasingly strong in the coming years due to climate change, Turgeon said.

Turgeon said the FP-UA, a consortium of leading French companies operating in the Philippines, was created in order to coordinate the relief and rehabilitation efforts lead by the French business community in the Philippines.

Turgeon said the FP-UA was launched to address coordination and communication issues and improve the efficiency of French-led actions for victims of the super typhoon which devastated central Philippines on Nov. 8, 2013.

In the face of massive devastation in 2013, Turgeon said then French Ambassador to the Philippines Gilles Garachon, convened representatives from leading French companies, the Conseillers du Commerce Exterieur and the French Chamber of Commerce to form the consortium, which is also tasked to encourage optimal allocation of goods, define key evaluation areas, provide various opportunities for involvements, and communicate all these efforts to the public.

Turgeon said the FP-UA recently marked two years of coordinated relief efforts from the French private sector by delivering its two sites in Daanbantayan town in northern Cebu to the beneficiary families.

The first village is a partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines, which completed the construction of 76 disaster-resilient houses as well as a multi-purpose center on a 5,488-square-meter site in Barangay Agujo, Daanbantayan.

The companies involved in this project include Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc. (formerly Lafarge), Schneider, Commanderie de Bordeaux, Megacem, Archetype, ParexGroup and ManilleBienvenue.

Led by the Philippine Red Cross in partnership with the French Red Cross, another village, referred to as the Red Cross Village, was built on a 13,500-square-meter site in Barangay Paypay, also in Daanbantayan.

The village was built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines as well as FP-UA, with donations by Total, Sanofi, the French Red Cross and Caisse des Dépôts.

The village includes 128 houses, a multi-purpose center as well as a livelihood center, a day-care center and a barangay health center.

Turgeon said the FP-UA will soon start the construction of a third site for 46 houses in a 5,000 square-meter lot in Barangay Cayang Bogo City, also in northern Cebu.

The houses, funded by CitésUnies France (CUF), will of the same design as those built by Habitat for Humanity in Site 1.

Turgeon said Site 1 has a total budget of USD500,000, USD1 million for Site 2 and USD259,292 for Site 3 or a total of USD1.759 million.


PHP376M project to provide potable water to 1,000 families in 2 villages in Cebu, Mandaue cities

(PNA), LAP/EB/EDS

CEBU CITY, Nov. 10 (PNA) -- A PHP376-million project will provide potable water taps to more than 1,000 families in two villages in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.

The project, called the “Tubig Pag-asa,” is a joint project of Vitens Evides International (VEI), a Dutch non-government organization (NGO); Eau et Vie or E&V Water and Life Philippines, a French NGO, which initiated the Tubig Pag-asa concept; the Red Cross; the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD); and the local governments of the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.

The beneficiaries of the five-year water supply project are residents of Lower Sto. Nino, Barangay Inayawan in Cebu City and Lower Tipolo, Mandaue City.

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), through its Sustainable Water Fund (SWF), is funding PHP208 million or 55 percent of the PHP376-million project.

VEI project manager Patrick Egan said The Netherlands contributed USD5 million to their projects to provide potable water to the needy.

The partnership was initiated in June 2014 and the project began last January 2015.

E&V Country Manager Stephane Drouillard, who supervises the Inayawan and Tipolo water projects, said they now have 388 service connections in Lower Tipolo, Mandaue City.

About 60 to 80 families more will also enjoy water from Tubig Pag-asa once their relocation site becomes ready.

Under the project, E&V also targets to serve 500 to 600 families in Inayawan, Cebu City.

Noel Dalena, acting MCWD general manager, said MCWD will install the water pipelines and split the cost, 50-50, with Tubig Pag-asa.

Under the Tubig Pag-asa system, each beneficiary will pay PHP5,000 for the service connection, materials and labor.

They will pay on installment every day for 18 months.

DSWD programs benefit 21.4T folk

By Justin K. Vestil , Flornisa M. Gitgano

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) continue to provide livelihood assistance to residents of northern Cebu who were affected by super typhoon Yolanda two years ago.

All in all, some 21,462 residents in these areas have benefited from DSWD’s Cash for Building Livelihood Asset (CBLA) and the livelihood assistance grant, or the Provision for Capital Seed Fund (PCSF) programs.

Leah Quintana, DSWD 7 public information officer, said the agency has allocated more than P154 million to implement the CBLA and the PCSF.

Projects under the CBLA include mangrove rehabilitation; construction and management of communal gardens; contour farming, construction and management of communal pig pen; construction of sugar mill; and construction of fishing boats.

Biggest recipient

As for the PCSF, the types of businesses funded by this program include Bigasan ng Barangay, Farmers and Trading Hog Production, General Merchandising, Basic Hardware Supply and Organic Farming.

The PCSF also includes skills training for swine fattening.

The 16 local government units with beneficiaries under the CBLA and PCSF are Bogo City and the towns of Bantayan, Borbon, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, Pilar, Poro, San Francisco, San Remegio, Sogod, Sta. Fe, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Tuburan and Tudela.

As of last September, Tuburan received the biggest allocation for the sustainability of its CBLA and PCSF programs.

This was followed by Tuburan, which has 3,225 registered beneficiaries, with a total project allocation of P25.4 million.

Next is Bogo City, which had a total project allocation of P13.6 million for 1,615 beneficiaries.

Quintana said the allocations are directly transmitted to the LGUs and the progress of the beneficiaries is monitored by project development officers assigned in the affected areas.

In Bantayan Island, Yolanda wrought damage worth P2.79 billion to livelihood and employment sectors. This is the biggest damage in Cebu, according to the Cebu Province Rehabilitation, Recovery and Development Plan.

But mayors said new stores and beach resorts have opened in Madridejos and Sta. Fe.

Madridejos Mayor Salvador Dela Fuente said Caritas Philippines, Red Cross and Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation continue to hire skilled and non-skilled workers to build houses as part of the NGOs’ housing assistance.

Some 300 residents have benefited from this.

Work will continue until the NGOs complete the number of houses they’ve targeted to rehabilitate.

For instance, Caritas targeted to rebuild 1,000 houses on-site. The group has completed 160 houses in Barangay Kaongkod and has started evaluating beneficiaries in Barangay Pili.

More stores, resorts

Dela Fuente said each individual receives a daily minimum wage.

“Mas nidaghan ang naninda kay sa sa una (More residents have put up their own stores because of the livelihood assistance from the NGOs),” he said.

In Sta. Fe, the DSWD 7 allocated P4.7 million to the town for the implementation of the CBLA and the PCSF programs in its 10 barangays.

Ramolin Depeño, project development officer II of DSWD 7, said the 10 barangays will each get P200,000 for the CBLA and P270,000 for the PCSF.

Depeño said the P270,000 will be given to the barangay association, which will be required to deposit the money in the bank.

For Barangays Maricaban, Ocoy, Poblacion, Talisay and Pooc, the grant will be used to buy goods for their general merchandise.

Barangay Hilantagaan proposed a business for organic farming, Balidbid for meat processing, Langub for the purchase of fishnets and motor bancas and Kinatarcan and Hagdan for seaweed culture.

“Tanan madawat sa association i-deposit sa bangko (The grant that will be received by the association will be deposited to the bank) because it’s a group enterprise and not an individual’s,” Depeño said.

For the CBLA, residents will build farm-to-market roads and earn P275 daily.

Meanwhile, Sta. Fe Mayor Jose Esgana said new beach resorts have popped up in the town.

Some resorts that were damaged by the typhoon availed themselves of the loan program offered by the Department of Trade and Industry.

So have the small stores, the mayor said.

Drumming up interest in Cebu’s brand

By Katlene O. Cacho

FOUR days from now, on Nov. 13, Cebu will unveil its new brand.

Although she declined to reveal the new Cebu brand until its official launch this Friday at the Ayala Activity Center, Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC) Chair Tetta Baad said the new brand is going “to rev up the tourism industry as an economic driver and engine of growth.”

In an email interview, Baad said it took months of collaborative work among Cebu’s key tourism stakeholders to finally come up with a brand that reflects the true identity of Cebu. These included the CCTC, Cebu Provincial Tourism Commission, Cebu Association of Tour Operators and GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. along with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mega Cebu.

The initiative kicked off with a branding workshop conducted by Jacqueline Thng, followed by consultations. The multi-sectoral team then zeroed in on “key values” that make Cebu “unique and, therefore, differentiated and authentic.”

“A brand is not something that can be developed overnight. It has to be based on market trends as well as intuitive reading and insights that can be culled from the numbers,” she said.

“Marketing gurus will tell you that a brand is more than a catchy phrase, it has to be true and authentic. A brand is more than an attractive and colorful image, it has to capture the essence of the product. So the process involves numerous sessions and review of outputs to zero in on the ‘soul’ of the product or service,” she said.

A matter of character

The team considered Cebu’s global recognitions in crafting the brand. For instance, it analyzed survey results where Cebu shone versus other destinations and the criteria used in determining what values are important to tourists.

In the Top 5 Islands of Asia survey where Cebu/Visayas islands ranked third, for instance, the destination scored the highest among the five in terms of beaches and second in terms of friendliness. It also scored well in terms of scenery and atmosphere (safety, access, etc.) but needed improvements in activities, restaurants and lodging.

“Many people speak about Cebu’s qualities and find themselves at a loss for words to describe their impressions. But always, they agree that it boils down to the character of the Cebuanos themselves and how they have created, as a natural consequence of their passion, faith, warmth, creativity, musicality and generosity, this wonderful place we call home,” said Baad.

In the creation of the logo, on the other hand, Baad disclosed they had to study different logos of tourism destinations to avoid duplication.

“Our challenge is to avoid replicating symbols and to have a very distinctive image that we own in the minds of tourists,” she explained.

Cebu is Central Visayas’s major tourism attraction. In 2014, it welcomed 2.97 million tourists, of whom 1.3 million were foreign tourists.

“Our overall objective is to rev up the tourism industry as an economic driver and engine of growth. More domestic and foreign tourist arrivals mean more jobs, more investments, more economic activity which is inclusive and redound to the benefit of the entire community,” said Baad.

After the brand launch, Baad said, the team will work harder to make sure that the brand promise is delivered. She said it would take a unified effort from the entire community to achieve the goal.

Red Cross Village opens in north Cebu town 2 years after 'Yolanda'

(PNA), JBP/EB/PJN

CEBU CITY, Nov. 7 (PNA) -- The “Red Cross Village” in Barangay Paypay, Daanbantayan town in northern Cebu opened its doors to a total of 128 families on Friday, some two years after super typhoon "Yolanda" battered central Philippines.

The village, whose houses were designed to withstand 300-kilometer per hour winds, accommodated approximately 640 men, women and children.

The typhoon-resilient village was built with the help of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), the French Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity.

A total of 128 houses painted in white and red were built in the Red Cross Village which sits on a 1.3-hectare lot in Barangay Paypay, Daanbantayan, some 152 kilometers north of Cebu City.

Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Augusto Corro’s sister Elaine donated the land located some 200 meters away from the sea.

Several French businesses in the Philippines funded the project through the France-Philippine United Action (FPUA).

French Ambassador to the Philippines Thierry Mathou and PRC Chairman Dick Gordon headed the turnover of houses to the Yolanda survivors in the Red Cross Village.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and Mayor Corro joined them.

FPUA identified the leading donors for the construction of houses in the Red Cross Village as Total, Sanofi, Caisse des Depots and French Red Cross.

Their total budget amounted to USD1 million or almost PHP47 million.

Each 30-square-meter housing unit has concrete walls and a restroom.

The houses share a 33-kilowatt photovoltaic power plant and the village has its own water distribution system.

Operation Waterfall to include tourism in lessening El Niño’s impact on economy

By Katlene O. Cacho

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 is encouraging all tourism establishments to pledge their support for the agency’s water conservation campaign to lessen the impact of the dry spell that is expected to take a heavy toll on the region’s economic output.

Called Operation Waterfall (Water for All), the campaign calls on all tourism establishments to conserve water in their daily operations and encourage their customers and guests to also do the same.

“Cebu, as stated in reports of Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), is one of the provinces that will be very much affected with the dry spell, so we in the tourism sector have to help in anyway we can to lessen its impact,” said DOT 7 Director Rowena Montecillo.

Montecillo said DOT Manila has already called meetings with the different regional heads to inform about the agency’s role in the El Niño issue. Hotels and restaurants, for example, are businesses with heavy water consumption. They hope that by with their participation, the effects of the dry spell on the province is lessened.

Through a series of focus group discussions and workshops, the DOT said it has already come up with a Hotel/Restaurant Water Efficiency Checklist to effectively monitor water consumption and implement water conservation measures in five critical departments of hotels and restaurants, namely, food and beverage, laundry, housekeeping, engineering and grounds. The checklist also covers customer/guest engagement and communication tools to increase awareness.

Some 38 DOT accredited tourism establishments have attended last month’s workshop on Operation Waterfall.

“We are happy to note that while these tourism establishments have their own in-house policies on water efficiency and conservation, they are very supportive of this bigger campaign, which we envision to be sustainable and not just limited to the El Niño crisis,” Montecillo said.

The regional tourism chief added that her agency will submit to the DOT Manila its terminal report containing the private sector’s support to sustain the campaign and recommendations for more trainings and workshops.

The Water Efficiency Checklist will also be submitted to the head office, as the agency is collating suggestions and recommendations from regional offices to come up with a standardized checklist for formal implementation in all tourism establishments.

According to Montecillo, implementing water efficiency and conservation shouldn’t be a difficult habit to practice since problems on water supply have long been discussed and widely debated. But, she admitted all customers/guests should be constantly reminded.

“There are hotel policies but they (hoteliers) notice that guests need constant reminding, especially that they are not in their own premises or homes. Most of the guests don’t take water conservation seriously,” said Montecillo.

Among those included in the proposed checklist to raise awareness and engagement of guests/customers are the visibility of water efficiency signages in public areas; designing communication tools that inform and seek support from guests for specific greening measures like bed linen and towel changing program; reminding guests of the water conservation campaign throughout their stay; and identification of other attractive guest engagement measures such as providing rebates to award water efficient behavior.

CCCI adds chapter in City of Naga

By Katlene O. Cacho

THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is adding the City of Naga to its list of chamber chapters to be formed this year, alongside the creation of business chamber chapters in the cities of Bogo and Toledo.

CCCI president Ma. Teresa Chan yesterday said the City of Naga is one of those localities with a business community and local government that have expressed interest in forming a chamber chapter so they will be linked to more business opportunities and professionalize their local business organization.

“We welcome this interest because this is a big help for CCCI in realizing our goal of spreading economic opportunities in the countryside through the presence of chamber chapters,” said Chan, adding that setting up the chamber chapter will allow CCCI to share whatever opportunities they enjoy to more local business organizations and entrepreneurs.

The City of Naga is one of the first-class cities of Cebu that consists of 28 barangays. According to Chan, the city’s location, being in the middle of Minglanilla and San Fernando, opens opportunities for the chamber to reach out to more entrepreneurs residing in nearby towns.

The City of Naga is a home to big companies like Salcon Power Corp., a power plant situated on a 30-hectare site in Colon, Naga; Apo Cement Plant; Kyocera Kinseki Philippines Inc. in Cantao-an, which produces high quality semi-conductors and crystals for use in mobile phone equipment; and SME industrial park that houses a variety of medium sized companies.

“We will help these local business chapters become like CCCI so they could become drivers of growth in their own locality. Moreover, they will become a local extension of the chamber,” said Chan.

CCCI has a local chapter in Bantayan Island, which was created after super typhoon Yolanda hit the area, causing huge damage to livelihood and industries.

Among the benefits chamber chapters will get include the shared service facilities, investor awareness and representations during trade mission here and abroad.

According to Chan, having a well-structured and professionally-run business organization has an advantage, especially in promoting events, industries, clusters, products and services. It would also add confidence to potential investors.

“What we want is for growth, not only to be concentrated in Metro Cebu, but be spread out in all emerging municipalities. We also want these chamber chapters to be sustainable,” said Chan.

NGO group WECan will assist CCCI in institutionalizing the formation of cluster business chambers in the countryside.

Condé Nast readers vote Cebu property as third among top 25 Asian resorts

(Sun.Star Cebu)

IN the recently concluded Condé Nast Traveler 28th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu ranked third among the “Top 25 Resorts in Asia” and 51st in the “Top 100 Hotels and Resorts in the World.”

The resort was the only Philippine property recognized at the award ceremony.

Over 128,000 travelers took part in the survey—reportedly the highest number of voters in the awarding body’s history—submitting ratings and comments on the world’s best in hospitality. Condé Nast Traveler is the luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by international media group Condé Nast.

“It is an honor to have been selected as part of such a prestigious list. It is also very heartwarming to know our colleagues’ care and efforts have been recognized by travelers around the world. More than anything, this only encourages us further in creating delightful experiences for all our guests,” said the resort’s director of sales and marketing Albert Lafuente.

Condé Nast also recognized the Shangri-La property as one of the top resorts in Asia in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2005. In 2008, the resort was cited in the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Award.

CCCI concludes Turkish mission

By Katlene O. Cacho

ANOTHER group of Turkish businessmen is expected to visit Cebu on February 2016 as a result of the recently concluded trade mission of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) to Turkey last month.

Thirteen Cebuano businessmen went to Turkey last Oct. 15 to 25 to meet potential business partners and investors.

CCCI president Ma. Teresa Chan, in an interview yesterday, said the Cebu delegation had business matching with three different business organizations, whose members are from the various industries like solar energy, construction, cooking ingredients, cosmetics, dairy products, mozzarella cheese, and textiles.

One interesting development, Chan said, is the upcoming visit of top representatives of one of Turkey’s biggest conglomerates, Mir Holding, to Cebu this month.

“The company is very keen on exploring opportunities and possible partnerships here,” said Chan.

According to the company’s website, Mir Holding has the highest number of patents turned into industry in all sectors across Turkey, with more than 100 patents. The group has about seven companies engaged in plastic pipes, connector sale and indoor heating systems; construction technologies; and ecological agriculture technologies, among other high-end innovations.

CCCI also inked a sister-chamber agreement with the Tuckson Confederation of Chambers of Commerce, Masaid Chamber in Izmir and Diad Chamber in Denizli.

The chamber visited companies like Boydak Holdings, STV, IGID, Sutoglu, Ezinc Group, Info Group, Kahve Duragi and Melissa University, which will be sending representatives to Cebu for a joint conference with the Finance Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) Cebu.

“A student-teacher exchange program is also being looked into with them.”

The chamber’s visit to Turkey followed the Turkish business delegation’s visit to Cebu, which according to Chan, reaped potential ventures.

“We hope that cultural exchange and understanding between our people will be enriched as trade and commerce flourish,” said Chan.

CCCI also co-facilitated two business fora and business matching sessions with Sri Lankan companies last Oct. 24 and with German companies last Oct. 28.

In a press statement, the chamber said 12 Sri Lankan businessmen came to Cebu to establish good trade partnerships.

The delegation met with potential business partners interested to undertake projects in Sri Lanka on real estate and development, agriculture, newsprint, wood-free writing paper manufacturing, LED street light systems and inbound travel agents/operators, among others.

German companies also explored opportunities on energy investments.

“There are all positive developments for Cebu. Foreign investors are now starting to see our potential,” said Chan.

DTI launches loan program for MSMEs

By Ehda M. Dagooc (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines – At least 29 entrepreneurs were given access to loans to expand their existing businesses through a program initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry-Cebu Provincial Office.

DTI-CPO director Nelia F. Navarro said that this is just a start of connecting the entrepreneurs to the appropriate institutions such as the Bank of Makati Inc., (BMI) to assist their capitalization needs without having to resort to informal loan facilities.

BMI recently participated in DTI's "Financing Forum", as part of the activities of the offer by "Negosyo Center", and allowed the micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) to learn the step-by-step procedure on how to avail of the "Power Negosyo Loan 300 Program."

The loan program allows MSMEs to loan up to P300, 000 to expand their business with low interest rate.

Built on more than 50 years of experience in community banking, BMI was originally founded as a rural bank in July 1956. Since then, it has helped countless Filipino savers and entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.

The forum is the first activity conducted in DTI Negosyo Center – City of Bogo which was officially launch on August this year. The Center offers key services such as business registration, business advisory, conducts training, seminars and dialogues to increase MSMEs’ productivity and efficiency.

DTI, both the Cebu provincial office and the regional office had been calling the attention of MSMEs to start off checking the services designed to help them at the Negosyo Centers.

In Central Visayas, Negosyo Centers are ready to serve MSMEs at DTI Cebu Provincial Office, Bogo City Hall, DTI Negros Oriental Provincial Office; Dumaguete City Hall, DTI Bohol Provincial Office, Tagbilaran City New Capitol Building, DTI Siquijor Provincial Office, and DTI 7 Regional Office in Cebu.

DTI regional operations group head, undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya, said that the problem of access to finance will be addressed if financial institutions, and the entrepreneurs will converge in one venue. Negosyo Centers were established in order to bridge this gap.

Access to finance is one of top concerns of entrepreneurs, the center on the other hand will try to gather together the credit providers to display their respective loan packages, for the clients to choose.

Initially, the Negosyo Centers in Cebu — both regional and provincial offices of the DTI got the commitment from some financial institutions like SB Corporation, Land Bank of the Philippines, Bank of Makati, and Bank of Philippine Islands.

Capitol to construct 12-story building

By Gregg M. Rubio, FPL (The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines – A 12-story building will soon rise at the Capitol compound after the provincial government has started to invite interested bidders to undertake the architectural and engineering design, feasibility study and construction supervision of the project.

Lawyer Mark Tolentino, chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee, said the consultancy services for the project is worth P57 million. The amount was earmarked in the 2015 Annual Budget.

Capitol Information Officer Ethel Natera said the proposed 12-story building will be constructed at the site where the old BAEX building was.

The old building which housed different offices was destroyed by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake on October 15, 2013.

“The plan is primarily for disaster center but might be for other purposes too. We are looking for a consultant to prepare the complete detailed engineering plans,” Natera told The Freeman.

Natera added the plan is to enter into a public-private partnership (PPP).

The BAC shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted eligibi-lity documents and Expression of Interest and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

The short list shall consist of five prospective bidders who will be entitled to submit bids.

The contract shall be completed within 120 calendar days from the date of issuance of the notice to proceed.

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