It takes a village to welcome home or send off a Filipino traveler and authorities at the Mactan Cebu International Airport want to create the space and ambience for that…
Listen to spellbinding songs by local storytellers over coffee and delicious cakes on March 16 at 4 pm in The Good Farm Café in Mandaue City (check location). In honor…
World-class masterpiece M. Butterfly will be staged in SM Seaside Centerstage from March 14-17. The theater event of the year is presented by Tony and Grammy award winning producer Jhett…
PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has been cited by the Cebu City local government as an “outstanding institution” for providing free Smart WiFi services at the Cebu City…
Filipinos have some of the best experiences of work-life balance in Southeast Asia, according to a new study by recruitment portal Monster.com. Nearly two thirds (65%) of working professionals in…
Digital is no longer a differentiator for enterprises but “the price of admission to do business,” a top official of a global technology company said in a briefing on Tuesday….
Each day at school, Sibugay Integrated School Grade 6 student Riza Mae Ardiente spends P2 of her P20 allowance to buy water from a decrepit dispenser near the faculty office….
Thinking of your 2019 travel goals? Shop ahead as Marco Polo Plaza Cebu joins Cebu Travel Catalogue International 2019 at the Ayala Center Cebu from today until Sunday, February 17….
What lovelier way to spend Valentine’s Day than celebrating it at Cebu City’s finest – Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. This Valentine season, Marco Polo Plaza is bringing back classic Valentine…
It takes a village to welcome home or send off a Filipino traveler and authorities at the Mactan Cebu International Airport want to create the space and ambience for that…
It takes a village to welcome home or send off a Filipino traveler and authorities at the Mactan Cebu International Airport want to create the space and ambience for that by building an Airport Village.
“We all know in the Philippines one person arrives, half the barangay comes to meet them. So we are creating the space that will allow all of these people to be there, to meet them and welcome them home,” said GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation Chief Executive Advisor Andrew Harrison.
“Our culture has always been for people to meet and greet our visitors as many of us as possible. No airport has that kind of facility – this is the first airport that will allow that,” said Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority General Manager Steve Dicdican.
PEDESTRIAN ZONE. The old MCIA arrivals road will be permanently closed and designated a pedestrian zone as part of the Airport Village.
Better experience
Harrison said, “the Airport Village is designed to provide a much better arrival experience for passengers and significantly expanded waiting areas for meeters and greeters.”
The Airport Village is scheduled to be completed by September 2019.
Escalators and high-capacity elevators will link arrivals and departures in the Airport Village.
The Airport Village is part of the renovation of MCIA Terminal 1 based on designs by Architects Budji + Royal Design. The terminal “will have its own unique identity further building on resort-airport themed concept seen with the newly-opened Terminal 2,” GMR Megawide said in a press statement.
Harrison said the Airport Village will have a range of services, tourist counters, transport counters, and various concessionaires.
PWD-FRIENDLY. GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation Chief Executive Advisor Andrew Harrison demonstrates the ramp that people on wheelchairs can use to get on the bus that takes people from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 with stops on the car park. With Harrison is Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority General Manager Steve Dicdican.
Pedestrian zone
Dicdican said the increased space will allow the airport to have more local stores and products. He said it “is important for this resort-themed terminal to feature local products.”
Harrison said the Airport Village will be located at the arrivals area. The whole arrivals road will be closed to vehicles and “become a pedestrian zone.”
The increased space will also allow the airport to double the capacity for reclaim bags. Previously, 3 belts were set aside for domestic baggage and 3 for international. After the renovation, all 6 will be for domestic baggage.
Harrison said passengers might encounter “minor inconveniences” with work on the terminal and asked them to be understanding. He said the challenge with the project is that they are working with a “live terminal.”
NEW PICK-UP ZONE. Airport authorities recently opened this new Pick-Up Zone for passengers at Terminal 1.
New arrivals pick-up zone
Harrison and Dicdican led the inauguration on March 14 of the new Arrivals Pick-Up Zone in Terminal 1. The zone has several bays where passengers can be fetched by private vehicles. Waiting time in the bays is limited to 2 minutes.
With the opening of the new Pick-Up Zone, the old Arrivals Pick-Up Road in Terminal 1 will be permanently closed. Vehicles fetching passengers have the option of using the main car park between Terminals 1 and 2 or the new Pick-Up Zone.
Listen to spellbinding songs by local storytellers over coffee and delicious cakes on March 16 at 4 pm in The Good Farm Café in Mandaue City (check location). In honor…
Listen to spellbinding songs by local storytellers over coffee and delicious cakes on March 16 at 4 pm in The Good Farm Café in Mandaue City (check location).
In honor of International Women’s Month, 22 Tango Records has lined up a fresh batch of storytellers and poets that are ready to take listeners on a spellbinding journey, fueled by the sweet smell of coffee and cakes.
Mary Anchit
This latest Cuppa Folk features artists Lourdes Maglinte, JRuss & DT, The Labrats, and Mary Anchit, giving you songs that are drawn straight from the heart and played specially to feed your soul. Catch them on March 16 at 4pm at the JDN Square Building, 5th floor P Remedio St. Mandaue City.
This coffee series was organized to provide musicians and supporters alike a safe haven to connect, collect, and appreciate homegrown music. Because we feel that these songs are valuable, conscious listening is what’s encouraged from the listeners; thus, the #shhhhpolicy will be implemented as artists share their stories without the fear of opening up in front of an audience.
The Labrats
For more information and updates, follow 22 Tango Records on Facebook and Instagram. (Press Release)
World-class masterpiece M. Butterfly will be staged in SM Seaside Centerstage from March 14-17. The theater event of the year is presented by Tony and Grammy award winning producer Jhett…
World-class masterpiece M. Butterfly will be staged in SM Seaside Centerstage from March 14-17. The theater event of the year is presented by Tony and Grammy award winning producer Jhett Tolentino and FRONTROW Entertainment, the producer of highly-acclaimed independent films Bhoy Intsik and Bwaya.
The schedule of performances of M. Butterfly in Cebu City are as follows:
Mar. 14 – Thursday – Opening Night – 7pm
Mar. 15 – Friday – 7pm
Mar. 16 – Saturday – 2pm / 7pm
Mar. 17 – Sunday – 2pm / 7pm
Tickets are available in any SM mall or via SMTickets.com.
Producers decided to stage a national tour for M. Butterfly to bring the world-class masterpiece to those who did not have the opportunity to catch its 2018 Manila run. Before Cebu City, it was staged in Iloilo City and Dumaguete City.
Theater companies are rarely able to bring successful productions in Manila to other parts of the country of many challenges. Organizers said Jhett Tolentino and FRONTROW Entertainment are taking this bold step “to carry on their mission and advocacy in the performing arts and to further enhance audience development throughout the Philippine archipelago.”
This revival production of David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly is the winner of the 2018 Aliw Awards for Best Play, Best Actor and Best Director and got nominations for The Best Featured Actress in a Play.
The play tells the story of René Gallimard, a member of the French embassy in China. He meets and falls in love with Chinese opera star Song Liling, a woman whom he considers to be the embodiment of the perfect woman, Madame Butterfly.
Targeting audiences from ages 18 and older, the producers are hoping that this classic drama, inspired by Giaccomo Puccini’s opera ‘Madame Butterfly’, will likewise resonate to theater audiences from Luzon, Vizayas and Mindanao that “love, power and deception hold no boundaries.”
RS Francisco
RS FRANCISCO, the 2018 Aliw Award Best Actor for M. Butterfly will reprise his iconic portrayal of Song Liling, the Chinese opera singer who is Gallimard’s object of affection and seduces him through his biases of the East then exploits their intimacy to collect classified information for agents of the Chinese Communist Party.
RS first essayed this role in May 1990 for Dulaang UP, opposite veteran actor, writer and critic Behn Cervantes. On its debut, M. Butterfly immediately rose to critical acclaim with packed houses and box office success in over 100 performances throughout the Philippines.
In the many years thereafter, RS Francisco’s theater credits in numerous productions and variety of roles continued to hone his craft as a complete artist. In films, his most awards include the SINAG MAYNILA Best Actor, the STAR AWARDS Movie Actor of the Year and the SUBIC BAY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Best Actor.
When M. BUTTERFLY was revived recently on Broadway, RS had thought of bringing it to life once again to the new theater audiences of today. After all, this is the only ‘one’ role that continues to remain as closest to his heart.
Aira Igarta
To add a diverse twist to the M. Butterfly National Tour 2019, young actor AIRA IGARTA will step into the role of Song Liling as alternate in certain performances. As an original member of the Kurogo ensemble of the play’s 2018 Manila run, Aira is a stage and film actor from the Theatre Arts Program of UP Diliman where he took part in several Dulaang UP and Dulaang Labortoryo productions. Trained by the likes of Tony Fabella and Luther Perez, Aira was originally a dance and voice scholar at Quezon City Performing Arts Foundation (QCPADFI).
RS Francisco, Olivier Borten, and Aira Igarta.
French actor OLIVIER BORTEN will essay the role of Rene Gallimard, a former French diplomat, who relates the story of his passionate, disastrous affair with Song Liling from his cell in a Paris prison, where he is serving a long sentence for treason.
Philippine theater royalty JENINE DESIDERIO, who among many other theater, film, television and recording credits, assumed the lead role as Kim in the West End’s original Miss Saigon, will portray Gallimard’s wife – Helga. The pair married as a matter of convenience; Helga’s father had diplomatic connections that helped Gallimard ascend in his career.
After 25 years of stage acting experience in the United Kingdom, Scottish NORM MCLEOD has stepped into the Philippine stage as Manuel Toulon, the French Ambassador to China who also happens to be the dominant and strong-willed superior of Gallimard at the embassy in Beijing. Toulon promotes Gallimard to vice-consul and charges him with collecting information to aid the American war in Vietnam.
Jenine Desiderio
Trilingual American actor LEE O’BRIAN will once more personify Marc, the sexually unapologetic best friend of Gallimard. He encourages Gallimard to take sexual advantage of the women around him without regard for their feelings or even their consent. Although M. Butterfly was Lee’s first theatrical endeavor, his acting skills have already been tried and tested in international films “Edsa Woolworth” and “Forgive Me Father”. O’Brian also portrays Sharpless in M. Butterfly for a brief time.
Portraying the different roles of Suzuki, Comrade Chin and Shu Fang is powerful and well-rounded artist MAYEN ESTAÑERO. Her impressive performance in the 2018 run of M. Butterfly landed her an Aliw Awards nomination for Best Featured Actress. Mayen’s previous theater credits include Dalanghita Production’s Corazon Negro, An Operetta as Maestra, Virgin Labfest’s Mula sa Kulimliman as Leila and Sugid Production’s Buwan at Baril as Asawa. Comrade Chin is a member of the Red Guards, a paramilitary arm of the Communist Party in China. Song communicates with Comrade Chin often, to pass on the classified information he gathers from Gallimard.
Lee O’Brian and Olivier Borten.
Twice a finalist as Best Actress for the Aliw Awards, MAYA ENCILA receives her third nomination as Best Featured Actress for her unique characterization of Renee and Pin-Up Girl in M. Butterfly. The stunning Arizona native plays a young, sexually liberated Danish woman with whom Gallimard has an affair. Renee’s boldness presents a stark contrast to Song’s modesty, which Gallimard finds both exciting and obnoxious. A true expert in performing arts, Maya has taken the stage countless times as Mary Lennox for The Secret Garden, as Belle for Repertory Philippines’ Beauty and the Beast musical and as Lara for Philippine Stagers’ KATIPS, to name a few.
Rising soprano star JASMIN SALVO will be the new Opera Singer for the national tour.
The members of the ensemble playing the role of Kurogo are as follows: PHEITH IENA BALLUG, ULLYSES BASA, SASA CABALQUINTO, FRANCO FERRER and JOHN PAUL ORTENERO.
The artistic team of M. Butterfly are as follows: Jhett Tolentino and RS Francisco (Producers), Ohm David (Set), Eric Pineda (Costume), John Batalla (Lighting), Jethro Joaquin (Sound), Joed Balsamo (Music) and Carissa Adea (Choreography).
The M. Butterfly National Tour 2019 will benefit 10 charitable institutions: Iloilo Prima Galaw, Philippine National Red Cross Iloilo Chapter, The Children of Cebu Foundation, Silliman University Culture and Arts Council, the Arts Council of Cebu Foundation, Halfway Home for the Boys and St. Louis University Culture and Arts Center.
Check out M. Butterfly at the following social media accounts:
With summer fast approaching, make sure you have comfortable footwear in time for your travels or daily commute by stocking up on Fitflop. Primer Group of Companies will be holding…
With summer fast approaching, make sure you have comfortable footwear in time for your travels or daily commute by stocking up on Fitflop. Primer Group of Companies will be holding a sale on Fitflop with discounts of up to 60% this coming March 15 – 17.
Internationally known as comfort footwear brand, Fitflop believes that there is no need to compromise on style to enjoy comfort. Complete your wardrobe essentials and get a new pair of Fitflop at discounted prices. Fitflop items on sale are for both men and women.
Get a new pair of Fitflop to add to your collection. Discounts are up to 60% this coming March 15 – 17, 2019 at the Level 1 of Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
A large number of accounting firms in Australia, New Zealand and the United States are looking to hire accountants, bookkeepers, finance professionals and other support roles. Due to the steady…
A large number of accounting firms in Australia, New Zealand and the United States are looking to hire accountants, bookkeepers, finance professionals and other support roles. Due to the steady demand for different offshore roles, TOA Global anticipates more positions to open in the coming months.
“2018 has been an awesome year for TOA Global. We’ve witnessed an enormous amount of growth—we’re now at over 1,000 accounting and support professionals. This year, we are amplifying our efforts to bring more awesome opportunities to people here in Cebu,” said TOA Global Founder and Chairman Nick Sinclair.
Cebu talent
“The amount of talent here in Cebu is astounding. As a matter of fact, during the last CPA board exam, 11 of the highest scorers are from universities in Cebu. That’s an awesome indicator of the quality of professionals we can tap for our clients,” Sinclair said.
A market leader in dedicated outsourcing solutions for accounting firms. TOA Global is continuously on the lookout for talented professionals. The introduction of the Cebu facility is part of its continued efforts to establish a footprint in the country’s major economic hubs.
Currently, the company houses more than 1,000 employees in its one Manila office and three Clark sites. Construction of another building in the Philexcel compound in Clark, Pampanga is ongoing. The Cebu facility brings to six TOA Global’s base of operations.
Australia training
Thanks to the opportunities made available by TOA Global, several of its Luzon-based employees have already been sent to Australia for training and leisure. It’s only one of the many perks accounting professionals enjoy at the company.
TOA Global aims to bring these sought-after global career opportunities previously available only to those in Luzon to exceptional Filipino accounting professionals in the Visayas and Mindanao region who wish to explore broader career paths.
The thriving business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in Cebu—bullish economy and upbeat atmosphere—gives accounting professionals more reasons to explore career opportunities here, like work-life balance, enhanced learning, skills development, and global career advancement.
Ideal offshoring destination
“Our expansion reinforces the fact that the Philippines is an ideal offshoring destination. The influx of job requests from enterprises not just in Australia but other countries like the UK, New Zealand, and the US, shows that businesses value the work ethic, skills, and knowledge of Filipino professionals,” said TOA Global CEO Craig Mansell.
A significant factor in the company’s robust growth is its focus on people. Empowering its employees through platforms for learning and development has allowed TOA Global to provide excellent services to its clients and create more opportunities for local professionals.
“We are always on the lookout for highly talented and motivated professionals who aspire to grow in their careers,” said Mansell. “If you think you are one of the A-players we are looking for, join us today.”
PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has been cited by the Cebu City local government as an “outstanding institution” for providing free Smart WiFi services at the Cebu City…
Smart received the Mayor’s Special Award for Outstanding Institution from Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña alongside 14 other individual and institution awardees honored during Cebu City’s 82nd Charter Day Anniversary celebrations.
Last year, PLDT and Smart signed a Memorandum of Agreement to make carrier-grade Smart WiFi available to students, researchers and other visitors of the Cebu City Public Library and Information Center, which at the time had just started its 24/7 operations.
AWARD. Representatives from PLDT-Smart, led by Visayas-Mindanao Public Affairs head Atty Maria Jane Paredes, receive the award from Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Access to online materials
“This award is in appreciation of Smart’s invaluable support to Cebu City by providing free Wi-Fi services in the Cebu City Public Library, the country’s first 24/7 public library that gives its clients access to online course materials and allows them to download research subjects and academic journals,” the citation read.
“This is a night of recognition, it’s not about me, it’s about Cebu, and all the people who make this possible,” Mayor Osmeña said, addressing the honorees.
“By providing quality connectivity for Filipinos across the country, PLDT and Smart continue to lead the country’s digital transformation in an ever-evolving digital world,” said Juan Victor Hernandez, Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise for PLDT and Smart.
“With the help of our partners and government, we continue to invest in ICT infrastructure to empower individuals, businesses and enterprises, and improve the quality of life of Filipinos all over country,” Hernandez added.
Best digital experience
“PLDT and Smart are proud to join forces with government partners like Mayor Osmeña and the Cebu City government, in helping build a nation of well-informed citizens across the country and making the wealth of knowledge available on the Internet accessible to more Filipinos,” said Ramon R. Isberto, PLDT-Smart Public Affairs head.
A backhaul capacity of up to 200 megabits per second allows users to have the best digital experience when participating in online classes and interactive learning sessions, as well as when discovering relevant digital content online.
Connected Cebu
Aside from the CCPL, Smart WiFi is also available for students at Cebu Institute of Technology, Cebu Technological University, Sacred Heart Ateneo de Cebu, University of Cebu Banilad, Don Bosco Cebu, Holy Name University, University of Cebu, University of Southern Philippines Foundation, Velez College and UP Cebu, to name a few.
In 2015, Cebu City Hall was the first establishment in Cebu that offered public Smart WiFi. Other areas with Smart Wifi are the Cebu Provincial Capitol, Larsian Food Center, Cebu North and South Bus Terminals, and Cebu Port Terminals 1 and 3.
The nationwide rollout of Smart WiFi complements Smart’s ongoing network expansion and modernization program across the country. Early this year, Smart also fired up LTE sites in the mountain barangays of Bonbon and Guba, Cebu City, where residents, their businesses and livelihoods, and vital facilities like schools and hospitals now can tap mobile data services to improve their lives.
Parent company PLDT has committed historic levels of resources to support network transformation. For 2018, PLDT capex was expected to reach P58 billion, including allocations for the aggressive roll-out of its fiber broadband service, which also supports the stepped-up deployment of the mobile network by providing high-capacity links for cellular base stations.
Filipinos have some of the best experiences of work-life balance in Southeast Asia, according to a new study by recruitment portal Monster.com. Nearly two thirds (65%) of working professionals in…
Filipinos have some of the best experiences of work-life balance in Southeast Asia, according to a new study by recruitment portal Monster.com. Nearly two thirds (65%) of working professionals in the Philippines said they are generally satisfied with their current work-life balance, although 28% said they would like more options to spend time with their friends and family.
The study found 41% of Filipino professionals feel “content” with the balance of their personal and professional lives – significantly higher than employees in Singapore and Malaysia, where just 24% and 32% respectively reported feeling the same way.
● 41% of Filipinos feel ‘content’ with their balance between personal and professional lives.
● 59% of professionals said having flexible working hours that are suited to their lives and needs is a key aspect of work-life balance.
● 44% said their managers are supportive and understand that there is life beyond work
#WorkLifeBalance campaign
The data was gathered from more than 1,000 respondents across Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines as part of Monster’s #WorkLifeBalance campaign, which aims to explore working professionals’ sentiments around work-life balance and raise awareness among employers as to what aspects of work-life balance are most valued by their employees.
The major aspect of work-life balance for Filipino professionals is having flexible working hours that are suited to their lives and needs (59%). Beyond this, Filipinos want to be able to leave work on time (51%), while 47% say they simply strive to find the right blend between work and life.
On the employer side, bosses in the Philippines were more accepting of work-life balance, with 32% offering official flexi-work policies – this is more than double the numbers reporting the same across Singapore and Malaysia. An impressive 44% of Filipino respondents said their managers are supportive of them finding balance – once again trumping Singapore (23%) and Malaysia (31%).
Overall, almost half of respondents across all three countries rated their current overall work-life balance as “average, but could have more balance”. More than 80% felt good work-life balance can enhance productivity and positively impact the business.
Positive impact on business
“The Philippines is considerably ahead of its Southeast Asian peers in terms of fostering a workforce that is satisfied with the equilibrium between their professional and personal commitments. This has a positive impact on the business, increasing engagement and boosting happiness levels, which in turn encourages higher productivity and overall business growth,” said Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO, Monster.com – APAC & Gulf.
“A supportive company culture, understanding managers, and clearly communicated initiatives go a long way in helping employees cultivate better balance. As more professionals seek non-financial incentives, employers need to be proactive in taking necessary steps to attract and retain quality talent.”
Online recruitment platform Monster.com is launching its first #WorkLifeBalance campaign this March, aiming to highlight the the importance of ensuring that professional responsibilities do not overpower other aspects of the lives of employees, and to encourage employers to formulate policies which promote a wholesome, complete and harmonious life.
Please see this infographic for a full breakdown of the survey findings. (Press Release)
Rather than drive to a mall and get stuck in traffic to pay your VECO dues, you can soon just go to your nearest sari-sari store that has a POSIBLE…
Rather than drive to a mall and get stuck in traffic to pay your VECO dues, you can soon just go to your nearest sari-sari store that has a POSIBLE system in place and settle your electricity bill there.
POSIBLE is a Filipino financial technology company that seeks to drive financial inclusion by bringing these services to communities by working with micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“We are talking micro – sari-sari stores, your neighborhood bakeries, auto shops. We are community-based as opposed to those that you can see in the mall. Our thrust is inside the community, your neighbor,” said POSIBLE CEO JG Puzon.
DIGITAL PAYMENTS. POSIBLE CEO JG Puzon demonstrates the use of their digital payments device in an interview with Cebu journalists.
Digital payments centers
Puzon was in Cebu last February 19 to formally launch the system here.
POSIBLE is a system that allows small neighborhood businesses to become digital payments centers.
Those interested to become agents can sign up by paying P45,000 for the package, which comes with the device and marketing materials. After that, they will need to pay P150 as monthly fee.
The device is “Filipino-developed and very localized. It was designed to work with how small Filipino entrepreneurs do business,” Puzon said.
The device offers more than 300 services from bills payment, remittances, prepaid loading, bus ticketing, bank deposits and even government transactions for NBI clearances, SSS, birth certificate and passport payments.
PAY VECO. Among the utilities you could pay using the POSIBLE device is VECO, the power company servicing Metro Cebu.
Bridging the gap
“We want to make the digital world accessible to people who do not necessarily have access to digital. A lot of people have smartphones but they don’t have bank accounts. This bridges that gap,” Puzon said.
He said the system allows stores to become online shops because they are able to sell via a catalogue and purchases are then delivered to their location.
Puzon said there are 3,200 POSIBLE agents nationwide, mostly concentrated in the General Metro Manila area, where they started in 2016. There are 50 agents in Cebu and, after last week’s formal launch, they are targeting 100 in the next 3 months. They are then planning to get 30 to 40 new agents per month as well as expand to nearby areas like Bohol and Dumaguete.
Puzon said they are confident with the prospect of the system in Cebu, which shares a lot of problems with Manila, especially on traffic. He said the ability to pay and transact in your neighborhood will be a big help to consumers.
Like any business, Puzon said potential earnings depend on things such as location and efforts put in by the business owner. The average earnings of their agents run to P4,000 to P5,000 a month. Some, however, earn as high as P30,000, he said.
CEBU LAUNCH. POSIBLE CEO JG Puzon during the launch of their financial technology platform in Cebu City.
Expand quickly
POSIBLE has now processed more than P5 billion worth of transactions, the company said in a statement.
Partnering with POSIBLE will help companies expand quickly throughout the country, Puzon said.
“It’s like having 3,200 branches right away. You can imagine how much it costs them to put up a branch – you rent a place, put a security guard, pay workers, put up aircon, etc. If they go on board with us, they are immediately nationwide,” Puzon said.
“It works both ways, it helps the small entrepreneurs, it also helps the big service providers,” he added.
Lawyer Regal Oliva was elected today as the new Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter President. Oliva, who previously served as vice president, expressed appreciation to the…
Lawyer Regal Oliva was elected today as the new Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter President.
Oliva, who previously served as vice president, expressed appreciation to the chapter for the election and said “the fact that I am unopposed speaks so much of the trust of the Chapter on the previous Board.”
Elected together with Oliva to compose the 24th Board of Officers are lawyers Michelle Mendez-Palmares as Vice President; Bernardino Amago IV as Secretary, Mark Anthony Gaviola as Treasurer, Dan delos Angeles as Auditor, and Elmer Mansanadez as PRO. Also elected as Chapter Directors are lawyers Mark Gregory Avila, Maricris Bathan-Lasco, Hazel Espina, Georgia Herrera and Christine Naranjo.
NEW PRESIDENT. Regal Oliva is the new IBP Cebu City Chapter President.
“The new Board will continue uplifting the law profession and will innovate more services that will not only cater to the members of the chapter, but to the whole community as well.” Oliva said, “I am also very pleased that the IBP National Board has started to elevate Gender and Development (GAD) as a continuing advocacy, and I will make sure that the Board I will lead will conform to a more inclusive IBP and hopefully, a GAD–focused Supreme Court.”
Incoming Vice President Palmares said, “we are at a time where lawyers are placed in volatile situations and we need to make sure, as a Chapter, that the rule of law will always be upheld and preserved.”
NEW IBP CEBU CITY OFFICERS. (From left) Directors Hazel Espina and Maricris Bathan-Lasco, Vice President Michelle Mendez-Palmares, President Regal Oliva, Directors Christine Naranjo and Georgia Herrera, Auditor Dan delos Angeles and PRO Elmer Mansanadez.
The IBP is the official organization of all Philippine lawyers, whose names appear in the Roll of Attorneys of the Supreme Court. The IBP came into being when the Supreme Court created, on October 5, 1970, the Commission on Bar Integration which was tasked “not only to ascertain the advisability of integration of the Bar, but even more, to serve as a common vehicle of the Court and the Bar in fashioning a blueprint for integration and putting the same into actual operation.
The new board will begin their term on April 1, 2019. It will end on March 30, 2021.
Digital is no longer a differentiator for enterprises but “the price of admission to do business,” a top official of a global technology company said in a briefing on Tuesday….
Digital is no longer a differentiator for enterprises but “the price of admission to do business,” a top official of a global technology company said in a briefing on Tuesday.
Digital technologies are already an expectation and no longer a differentiator, said JP Palpallatoc, Managing Director and Accenture Digital Lead in the Philippines in a briefing for media.
“Now that everybody is doing digital, what will differentiate you?” Palpallatoc said in a briefing in Manila and connected via video conferencing with one of their offices in Cebu City.
Palpallatoc gave an overview on key technology trends in the next few years as identified by the Accenture Technology Vision 2019 report. He said the time we are in is “post-digital,” because using technologies is already a given in the enterprise.
“Just as people no longer say they live in the “age of electricity,” the days of calling something digital to insinuate that it is new and innovative are numbered,” Accenture said in its report.
The company said the “post-digital” era means companies need to “double down on completing their digital transformations to get the most value from those investments—and at the same time, turn a strategic eye toward what’s next.”
What’s next, Palpallatoc said, are a new set of technologies that will make a major impact in the next 3 years.
1) New technologies
Accenture lists these technologies as DARQ for Distributed ledger or blockchain, Artificial intelligence, extended Reality, and Quantum computing.
“Future-minded leaders know that mastering the next set of technologies will give them every advantage,” the company said in a video clip explaining DARQ.
Palpallatoc cited as example Volkswagen, which “uses quantum computing to study traffic flow optimization analysis and looking into the chemical structure of batteries to find out how to make better ones.” He said they are also using AI for its vehicles and extended reality through googles that guide its workers in repairing units.
Volkswagen also extensively uses the blockchain to increase the security of its system as well as for payments. Palpallatoc cited UnionBank of the Philippines as a local company “deep into the blockchain,” using it to connect rural banks and for internal processes.
People’s use of technology creates an identity that enriches their demographic, which can then be tapped to created individualized experiences, Palpallatoc said.
“In the past, what we talked about in getting to know your consumer was called personalization. We used traditional demographics – are you female are you male do you live here, etc? ” he said.
“What we’re seeing from a post-digital area is going beyond personalization to individualized experiences and leveraging technology identity. These are the technology choices that individuals make as well as how they are using those technologies. That information is being used to enrich the demographics,” he said.
The Accenture report said 83% of respondents found that digital demographics allow them to identify unmet needs of customers.
Palpallatoc cited as example the SlicePay lending platform in India that targets unbanked students. By going over their social media for information on the vacations that they take or the restaurants they visit, they are able to identify to whom they lend money.
Another use case is the John Hancock Vitality Program, an insurance package that uses wearables like smartwatches to offer consumers discounts on their premiums if they meet fitness goals.
3) Empowered human workers
Empowered by technology and with improved skills and expertise, workers are becoming “human+,” said Palpallatoc.
“In a post-digital era, people are still central to the innovation agenda. We need to keep people front and center,” he said.
He said technologies like AI, analytics, extended reality are extending the capabilities of employees. Companies, however, “still recruit, hire and manage for the workforce of years past,” according to the Accenture study.
Palpallatoc said, “71% of respondents said digital workers are more mature now compared to their organizations. Workers are waiting for the company to catch up. There is a need for company to change the way they organize their work to be able support the human+ workers and enable them.”
He cited as example the use by Unilever of technology and AI for interviews and assessment of entry-level hires. This resulted in a 90% increase in job applications and the shortening of time it took to fill the job from 4 months to a few days, he said.
TECH VISION BRIEFING. Reporters in Cebu join via video-conference a briefing on the Accenture Technology Vision 2019 by Managing Director and Digital Lead in the Philippines JP Palpallatoc.
4) Ecosystem security
Enterprises have found that security today requires that they also keep an eye out beyond their premises.
“In the past, their approach to security was my company first, secure your walled garden, make sure nobody gets in,” Palpallatoc said. “What we’ve seen with the advent of ecosystems is that you cannot just protect yourself, you need to protect each one of your ecosystem as well.”
Security is a team sport and enterprises have to protect each other, he said.
He cited as example the decision by Netflix to open source its security tools.
5) My Markets
Technology and data now allow companies to customize products and services and deliver them fast and on demand, Palpallatoc said.
This trend is “about using technologies like IOT (internet of things) on being able to capture the reality at that point in time and being able to respond,” he said.
“Technology is creating a world of intensely customized and on-demand experiences, and companies must reinvent their organizations to find and capture those opportunities,” Accenture said in its report.
The company reported that 85% of executives they surveyed said “that the integration of customization and real-time delivery is the next big wave of competitive advantage.”
Palpallatoc cited as example of hyper-customization a beverage company in India that offers different flavors depending on where these are sold. He said the company even has a custom flavor sold only for a few days a year – during a festival.
Each day at school, Sibugay Integrated School Grade 6 student Riza Mae Ardiente spends P2 of her P20 allowance to buy water from a decrepit dispenser near the faculty office….
Each day at school, Sibugay Integrated School Grade 6 student Riza Mae Ardiente spends P2 of her P20 allowance to buy water from a decrepit dispenser near the faculty office.
For P1, she gets about a glass of water in a plastic bag that she twirls on top to seal and then bites off on one side to suck in the liquid. She gets one in the morning and another after lunch. She counts herself lucky. Others in school only have P5 as allowance and those who do not have money often ask teachers like Ryan Steve Panerio, “sir, naa kay piso? (do you have a peso?)”
WATER DISPENSER. Grade 6 student Riza Mae Ardiente gets P1 worth of water from this machine near the faculty office of Sibugay Integrated School.
Water supply not safe
The Aqua Tower can serve 1,000 people daily, more than enough for the school’s 765 students from Kindergarten to Senior High School and 25 teachers and administration employees, said Jinn Brunk, Columbia Sportswear Community Program Manager.
Brunk, who is based in the company’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon, was in Cebu to help the group put up the water tower and turn it over to the school community.
Before the tower was put up, the school only had spring water and deep well supply that were found not safe for drinking by a team from the Cebu City Health Department, said school principal Madeline Tinapay. There were cases of people getting sick because of the water, she said.
Tinapay said her school is “very lucky and thankful” to receive the donation.
AQUA TOWER. Volunteers from Columbia Sportswear and The Primer Group prepare to erect the Aqua Tower that will provide potable water to students and faculty of the Sibugay Integrated School in a mountain barangay in Cebu City.
Aqua Tower filtration system
The Aqua Tower stores water and then makes it potable through a two-stage filtration process that uses ultrafiltration technology. The system uses activated carbon to enhance drinking water quality, according to the Planet Water Foundation.
Last Thursday, February 14, the team from Columbia Sportswear and The Primer Group of Companies went to Sibugay to assemble the tower, hold lectures on hygiene for students, and turn over the system to the school.
The group arrived mid-morning and then put together the different parts of the water tower. By lunch, it was up and ready for commissioning.
The community served a sumptuous traditional celebratory feast of lechon or roast pig, pansit, and native chicken soup. Tinapay explained It was a contribution of the parents, many of whom were unable to attend the momentous event for the community. Most families in the area grow and sell flowers and Valentine’s Day was one of their biggest business days.
VALENTINE CARD. Students gave a Valentine’s Day card to express their gratitude to Jinn Brunk, Columbia Sportswear Community Program Manager. Brunk was with the team that built the tower and turned it over to the Sibugay Integrated School last Valentine’s Day.
Environmental conservation
The tower is the 9th installation by Columbia. The company started the project in 2016 and has worked with their factories to build 7 in Vietnam and 1 in India. This is the first time they worked with a distributor, Brunk said.
“Columbia is very committed with environmental conservation. We are an outdoor apparel company. We make products for going outside and if the environment is not clean, is not preserved, people don’t want to go out. It’s that easy, ” Brunk told MyCebu.ph in an interview.
She said the company has been “actively working with NGOs in protecting the environment and we’ve noticed that water is such an important issue, especially in emerging markets.”
Brunk said this is the first time they are working with a distributor. She said they always work with local partners because “they know which communities need clean drinking water.”
FILTRATION SYSTEM. The heart of the Aqua Tower is this filtration system that purifies water to World Health Organization standards. Working on the system are The Primer Group Director Johnny Thai and wife Evelyn (standing left and center) and Regional Manager Dino de Leon (seated).
The Primer Group CSR programs
Primer Group Corporate Social Responsibility Program Manager Kristine Villaflor said they worked with the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City to identify the beneficiary of the project. DepEd shortlisted 5 schools that the Primer Group visited to evaluate in October. They eventually chose Sibugay based on their criteria.
Villaflor said The Primer Group has different CSR programs on such areas as eco-tourism, environment, institutional partnerships, and donations.
Brunk said that to make sure the program is sustainable, Planet Water will send someone to regularly inspect the Aqua Tower and check its water quality.
FIRST GLASSES. Students drink their first glasses of the water made potable by the Aqua Tower put up by Columbia Sportswear and The Primer Group.
Planet Water Foundation Program Manager Dario Operario said the filtration system will last 5 to 7 years before needing replacement.
Teachers and students thanked Columbia, The Primer Group, Planet Water, and the volunteers during the turnover in the afternoon. The commissioning ended with students playfully trying out the water tower in the rain that had been pouring since early morning. The students were washing their hands with soap according to the training they had earlier that day and drinking their first glasses of water filtered by the Aqua Tower.
More photos of the building of the Aqua Tower and its turnover to Sibugay Integrated School
BRIEFING. Planet Water Foundation Program Manager Dario Operario briefs volunteers from Columbia Sportswear and The Primer Group before the assembling of the Aqua Tower.
WATER FILTER. Jinn Brunk, Columbia Sportswear Community Program Manager, talks about the filtration system at the heart of the Aqua Tower.
TURNOVER. Jinn Brunk, Columbia Sportswear Community Program Manager, Sibugay Integrated School Principal Madeline Tinapay and DepEd Cebu City Division Superintendent Dr. Bianito Dagatan lead the ribbon cutting ceremony that marked the turnover of the water facility.
VOLUNTEERS from Columbia Sportswear Company and Primer Group of Companies with School Principal Madeline Tinapay after the turnover of the project.
Volunteers get ready to put up the water tower.
VOLUNTEERS put up the water tower.
HYGIENE LESSONS. Evelyn Thai discusses tips on hygiene and sanitation and how students should make sure their water containers are clean.
MEMBERS of the school’s drum and bugle corps perform during the turnover ceremonies.
COMMUNITY DANCE. The highlight of the event was when students led volunteers, teachers, parents, and fellow students dance “I Love Cebu.”
CLEAN, SAFE DRINKING WATER. The Aqua Tower put up by Columbia Sportswear Company and the Primer Group of Companies will serve clean and potable water to up to 1,000 people daily.
Thinking of your 2019 travel goals? Shop ahead as Marco Polo Plaza Cebu joins Cebu Travel Catalogue International 2019 at the Ayala Center Cebu from today until Sunday, February 17….
Thinking of your 2019 travel goals? Shop ahead as Marco Polo Plaza Cebu joins Cebu Travel Catalogue International 2019 at the Ayala Center Cebu from today until Sunday, February 17. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy great discounts on Room Accommodations, Café Marco Buffet, and Spa Packages.
Spend a staycation in the comforts of our Deluxe Room with a starting rate of P4,300 with a sumptuous breakfast buffet for two waiting for you at Café Marco. Experience the superb Café Marco international buffet spread at a discounted rate of P750 net for breakfast, P980 net for lunch and P1,180 net for dinner.
DELUXE ROOM. Spend a staycation in the comforts of our Deluxe Room with a starting rate of P4,300 with a sumptuous breakfast buffet for two waiting for you at Café Marco.
Unwind and relax in the hands of our spa specialists at our Wellness Zone. Discounted spa vouchers start at P600 and choose from Foot Reflexology, Foot Spa, Hilot Massage, Facial and Dead Salt Sea Scrub & Massage.
Value Vouchers for rooms, spa and restaurant use are also available at increments of P1,000. These are ideal for gift giving. For every P4,000 net purchase of the Value Vouchers, get a complimentary P1,000 voucher.
Property giant Megaworld is expanding its commercial retail portfolio this year, with the opening of 11 commercial properties across its townships all over the country. By end of the year,…
Property giant Megaworld is expanding its commercial retail portfolio this year, with the opening of 11 commercial properties across its townships all over the country.
By end of the year, the company will open new retail spaces in Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo City; Alabang West along Daang Hari in Las Piñas City; McKinley Hill and Uptown Bonifacio, both in Taguig City; Arcovia City in Pasig City; Boracay Newcoast in Boracay Island, Aklan; and Davao Park District in Lanang, Davao City.
These new commercial properties cover around 54,000 square meters in gross floor area.
FESTIVE WALK. During the second half last year, Megaworld opened its first full-scale lifestyle mall in Iloilo Business Park, the P2.2-billion Festive Walk Mall, offering around 90,000 square meters of retail spaces.
“The biggest chunk of the new retail spaces will be in Uptown Bonifacio, as we embark on an expansion of our new retail row in front of Uptown Mall and Uptown Parade. We are also launching a new retail development inside Arcovia City, our newest and must-visit township along C-5 in Pasig fronting Valle Verde. Down south, there is something exciting coming up in Alabang West, which is part of our Beverly Hills-themed commercial row,” said Kevin L. Tan, Megaworld chief strategy officer.
During the second half last year, Megaworld opened its first full-scale lifestyle mall in Iloilo Business Park, the P2.2-billion Festive Walk Mall, offering around 90,000 square meters of retail spaces. It also opened three new community malls in Alabang and Makati, namely, The Village Square in Alabang, Muntinlupa City; Three Central in Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City; and San Lorenzo Place in EDSA corner Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. These three new commercial centers offer around 26,500 square meters in retail spaces.
“Every mall that we build has curated spaces that evoke the character of the township where it is located. We want to create commercial properties that are not just for shopping and dining, but those that help drive tourism,” said Tan.
By yearend, Megaworld’s commercial retail footprint will reach around 771,000 square meters, with presence all over Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
How can you enjoy Valentine’s Day with Cebu’s traffic gridlock? And after you inch your way through the traffic jam, you still have to deal with crowded restaurants. This day…
How can you enjoy Valentine’s Day with Cebu’s traffic gridlock? And after you inch your way through the traffic jam, you still have to deal with crowded restaurants.
This day of hearts, there’s a better romantic dinner option: honestbee delivery. Honestbee is Asia’s leading online concierge and delivery service.
With an extensive selection of restaurant partners that can deliver sumptuous meals, you will be able to express just how much your loved one means to you, without the hassle and fuss of traffic and restaurant reservations.
With just a few taps or clicks on the honestbee app, Cebuanos can have culinary treats delivered from merchants such Acacia Steakhouse, Dolce Café, Dong Juan, Fudge, Ilaputi, Pasta Bella, Raphael’s Sports Café, The Old Spaghetti House, Weekend Kitchen, and Taproom.
Honestbee is an on-demand delivery service that is buzzing in Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila. Through the honestbee app, one can have food and groceries delivered fresh and fast from restaurants and stores straight to your doorsteps to make life easier and give everyone more time for the things and more importantly, the people that matter — like your loved one on Valentine’s Day.
What lovelier way to spend Valentine’s Day than celebrating it at Cebu City’s finest – Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. This Valentine season, Marco Polo Plaza is bringing back classic Valentine…
What lovelier way to spend Valentine’s Day than celebrating it at Cebu City’s finest – Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.
This Valentine season, Marco Polo Plaza is bringing back classic Valentine traditions with fancy dinners, long-stemmed roses, romantic music entertainment, and love letters!
On February 14, bring your date to Café Marco, El Viento or the Lobby Lounge and indulge in our special Valentine feast featuring our international dinner buffet spread at P1,999 net per person with free-flowing standard drinks and wines.
VALENTINE DINNER. Seared scallops make a delicious starter for the Valentine’s Dinner at Blu Bar and Grill.
You may also choose to experience romance at a thousand feet up at Blu Bar and Grill with your special someone. For P2,800 net per person, enjoy an exquisite six-course dinner or make it more extraordinary with a wine pairing at P3,500 net per person. Your date will get a complimentary long-stemmed rose along with a souvenir photo of this special occasion.
Stay in this season of love and take your love one to greater heights in a lavish getaway with “Dear Love.” Spend a night in a Deluxe Mountain View room from a rate of P5,200 net per room night inclusive of an indulgent breakfast buffet for two and a bottle of wine. Stay validity is from January 29 to February 15.
Tomato and prawn bisque.
Celebrate Valentine’s with us and see how we exceed your expectations by making sure that everything is perfect. For inquiries and reservations, call 253-1111 or email [email protected]. Visit the website at www.marcopoloplazacebu.com.
MAIN COURSE. USDA Tenderloin Steak and Grilled Sea Bass are the main course for the Valentine’s Day dinner at Blu Bar and Grill.
The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is on track to be finished by mid-2021 and will transform the economy and social landscape of Cebu, according to officials of the company undertaking…
The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is on track to be finished by mid-2021 and will transform the economy and social landscape of Cebu, according to officials of the company undertaking the project.
The Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) signed on February 7 a P19-billion loan and security agreement with 6 banks: Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, Development Bank of the Philippines, Robinsons Bank Corporation, Union Bank of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Security Bank Corporation. CCLEC is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC).
The total project cost of CCLEX is projected to be P30B. The rest will be funded by MPTC through equity or supplemental loans, said MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo Franco.
LOAN FACILITY. Representatives pose with the finance documents after the signing of the P19 billion loan agreement.
Vote of confidence as investment destination
“This financing facility is also a vote of confidence for the attractiveness of the City of Cebu and the Municipality of Cordova as investment destinations,” Franco said. “The CCLEX is expected to transform the economic and social landscape of Cebu.”
CCLEC President and General Manager Allan Alfon said in welcoming guests to the signing that he looked forward to the ceremonial drive-through to mark the opening in a little over 2 years.
Construction of the CCLEX started last July 5 and all 21 piles of the main bridge’s Tower 2 have been completed while 17 of the 21 piles at Tower 1 have been constructed. These, the company said, form part of the bridge’s main foundation.
Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho said her town has been preparing its people and implementing infrastructure projects ahead of the completion of the 3rd bridge.
Outstanding partnership model
Francisco Fernandez, executive assistant of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, said they could see the project “from our 8th floor office and we would testify that things are progressing very well. ”
Fernandez spoke for Osmeña during the signing and said the Cordova-Cebu City bridge was an “outstanding model for public-private partnership.”
“First, it reflects our philosophy that government should only provide a service that the private and civic sector are unable or unwilling to do so. Metro Pacific and all the other entities are willing to fill a need so please go ahead then we can reserve our resources for the other needs of our citizens.” Fernandez said.
The project is also a “model of bipartisan support.”
“This was approved by the previous administration and continued by the present administration and today it is receiving unanimous support from the council and all the other government and non-government agencies. It is a fantastic example of what unity can do,” he said.
“Most of all, it is outstanding because the taxpayers do not pay for this project, it is the users. Those people who are not willing or are unable to use this project, they do not have to pay for it. In fact, the City of Cebu and the Municipality of Cordova are not going to spend a single centavo of taxpayers’ money for the bridge,” he said. Instead, they will earn from this project.
MORE INFRA PROJECTS FOR CEBU. Secretary Adelino Sitoy of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office talks about other infrastructure projects being undertaken in preparation for the 3rd bridge.
More infra projects
Secretary Adelino Sitoy of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office said that as part of the preparation of the bridge, government has started to build a coastal highway from the CCLEX approach in the Cordova side to the Gabi Bridge “in order to be nearer to the beach areas of Lapu-Lapu.”
Sitoy said P187 million has already been released for the project with a further P400 million to be disbursed soon. He said what is needed after this would be a skyway to connect the bridge to the passenger terminal of the Mactan Cebu International Airport.
And there’s more, said Sitoy, who shared that he had been dreaming about the 3rd bridge for close to 30 years.
“We look forward to another bridge, to Getafe in Bohol from Cordova,” Sitoy added.
Japan, Korea, and Taiwan continue to be popular travel destinations for Filipinos and those who come to the Cebu Travel Catalogue International (CTCI) 2019 can expect great deals on airfare…
Japan, Korea, and Taiwan continue to be popular travel destinations for Filipinos and those who come to the Cebu Travel Catalogue International (CTCI) 2019 can expect great deals on airfare and tour packages to these places.
But the three countries just make up a few of the international destinations on sale during the annual travel event, now on its fifth year, that will be held from Feb. 15-17, 2019 at Ayala Center Cebu, said Cebu Travel and Tours Association (CTTA) president Baby Dy.
Cebu’s top tour agencies will be offering big discounts and exciting incentives as well for travel packages to such places as Scandinavia and Russia, the Lapland, New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Spain and Morocco, Portugal and Spain for a Marian Pilgrimage, India, and South Africa.
TRAVEL CATALOGUE. Organizers of the Cebu Travel Catalogue International after their press conferences announcing the event.
International destinations
Dy added that many Filipinos travel to Israel as part of a Holy Land pilgrimage but the Israel Tourism Ministry is joining CTCI to promote its country for other activities as well. The three-day event is jointly organized by CTTA and CATOS.
According to Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS) Vice President Marget Villarica, a lot of tour packages to China will also be on offer particularly with several Chinese airlines opening new routes to Cebu from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
Taiwan has also become a top travel choice after it waived the visa requirement for Filipinos, said Dy. The no visa policy for Philippine passport holders has been extended by the Taiwanese government to July 2019.
Eco-tourism products
For inbound travel, CATOS President Alice Queblatin said focus will be on eco-tourism products involving areas that are beyond the usual tourist attractions.
She added that the Cebu Provincial Government, one of CTCI 2019 exhibitors, has come up with and will heavily promote tour packages to northern and southern destinations beyond the usual go-to spots like Oslob or Moalboal.
It was also heartening to see that more destinations are joining travel events to promote themselves, Queblatin also said. The Cebu Safari and Adventure Park in Carmen and Danasan Eco Adventure Park, for example, have joined this year’s Cebu Travel Catalogue International.
PRESS CONFERENCE. Organizers of Cebu Travel Catalogue International answer questions from the media during their press conference.
Travel Catalogue participants
A new resort in Romblon that is set for soft opening in March will also be at CTCI 2019 to offer half off on published room rates. The Oceans Edge Resort in Carabao Island can cater to a variety of holiday goals, from relaxation and wellness to adventure, said PR and Communications Manager Jonice Pangilinan.
The resort, which has Caticlan as jumpoff point, will start with 51 villas. Oceans Edge is one of over a hundred participants and exhibitors to this year’s CTCI.
Czech Tourism joins the event for the first time while the Korean Tourism Organization, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hong Kong Tourism Board, and Singapore Tourism Board will return to promote their respective destinations.
Airline partners
CTCI 2019 will have nine local and international airline partners, including Philippine Airlines, AirAsia, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, EVA Air, Korean Air, Silk Air, Tiger Air, and Turkish Air. Guests can expect promo airfares when booking through the different travel and tour agencies.
There will be daily activities throughout CTCI, with Lapu-Lapu City bringing in 200 cultural performers for the opening ceremony, said Queblatin.
Other activities include a fashion show by Rustan’s and travel auction. The Korean tourism group will reportedly bring in a surprise celebrity on the second day.
With its wide roads, tropics-inspired amenities, and spacious homes, Luana Dos aims to create a community where families can live idyllic lives. This is exactly why the fifth and newest…
With its wide roads, tropics-inspired amenities, and spacious homes, Luana Dos aims to create a community where families can live idyllic lives.
This is exactly why the fifth and newest residential project of Primehomes Development Corp. is named after the Hawaiian word for “hayahay”, said Harold Vince See, the company’s business development manager.
He added that while Luana Dos will only have 55 homes, it will still have such amenities as a gazebo, basketball court, and swimming pool.
PRIMEHOMES. The PrimeHomes Development Corporation Team headed by President and CEO Benedict Que.
Luana Dos unveiling
Primehomes unveiled Luana Dos, located in the town of Minglanilla, at dinner or luau in Golden Prince Hotel and Suites last Saturday, January 26, 2019, where it also announced it held a blessing for the model units of the development earlier in the day.
Luana Dos spans an area of about 10,000 square meters and will be primarily composed of single attached and single detached units. The first development in the Luana series had 110 units and was sold out in a year.
“We want to be top of mind choice for medium to high income subdivision with our Luana series. All Luana developments will have a swimming pool, basketball court, lush greenery, community area, 24-hour security personnel, and property management team. We want our residents, the residents of Luana Dos, to have a place to relax, chill out, mingle with their neighbors as well as have peace of mind,” said Primehomes President and CEO Benny Que.
BLESSING. Officiating priest Fr. Jumao-as, President and CEO Benedict Que, Vice President Henry See, and Business Development Manager Harold Vince See.
Upper middle class
He estimated the project cost of Luana Dos, which is being targeted for the upper middle class bracket, to be around P200 million. The price of subdivision units ranges from P3.8 to P7.4 million. The smallest house will be 88 square meters while the biggest unit will reach 156 square meters.
According to Que, Primehomes was formed in 2008 with a mission to deliver quality, safe, and efficient homes.
Its first project was a 306-unit economic housing development named Henaville in Compostela. Henaville was the first residential community of its kind where homes came with a carport, a consequence of the company’s objective to be always on the lookout for innovative ideas.
QUALITY, SAFE HOMES. Primehomes President and CEO Benny Que says the company was formed in 2008 with a mission to deliver quality, safe, and efficient homes.
Sinulog performances, street parade, reenactment of the arrival of the Señor Sto. Nino image in Cebu, and a feast of local cuisine marked the post-Sinulog celebration in the Bamboo Bay…
Sinulog performances, street parade, reenactment of the arrival of the Señor Sto. Nino image in Cebu, and a feast of local cuisine marked the post-Sinulog celebration in the Bamboo Bay Community.
The Halad Kaniño Sinulog Open House last Saturday, January 26, 2019, was in observance of an event that has become a yearly tradition for the community, said Jojie Benitez-Tajanlangit of Contempo Property Holdings, Inc.
She added in her welcome message that traditions of faith and culture like the Sinulog in Cebu serve to bind Cebuanos together and Bamboo Bay contributes to keeping the festival alive through its annual event.
Contempo is the developer behind the three-tower condominium Bamboo Bay Community.
SINULOG AT BAMBOO BAY. Dancers of Tribu Mabolokon from Mabolo perform a Sinulog number during the annual celebration at the Bamboo Bay Community.
Post-Sinulog party
Many homeowners showed up for the post-Sinulog 2019 celebration in colorful festival outfits and some had on the typical Sinulog headdress of lace, ribbons, and feathers. A few brought their Sto. Niño images for the street dancing.
They received a crash course on the Sinulog steps from the Cebu Normal University dance troupe shortly before the parade. To give the event more meaning, residents were also treated to a short historical explanation of the Sinulog through a reenactment of the arrival of Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.
Performers comprising the Sinulog 2019 contingent from Mabolo, the Tribu Mabolokon, wowed guests with several performances. The group placed 7th in the ritual showdown and third in the street dancing categories during the Sinulog sa Barangay earlier this January.
Contempo Property Holdings Inc. Founder and CEO Beverly Dayanan with performers during the annual Sinulog celebration at Bamboo Bay Community. The housing community is a project of Contempo.
Festival food
Bamboo Bay’s sales and marketing team showed interested guests around the community. The condominium also accepted model unit viewing after the Halad Kaniño Sinulog Open House.
The Sinulog celebration entails a feast and Bamboo Bay prepared a sumptuous one for homeowners and guests. Lechon and other local food were served in the lunch buffet held at the community’s multi-purpose hall.
A Halad Kañino exhibit featuring the works of Celso Pepito and several other artists was also ongoing at the Contempo Art Gallery. A few lucky guests won portrait sketching prizes during the event.
More photos of the Sinulog celebration at Bamboo Bay Community
SINULOG DANCE. Residents get a quick lesson from performers on how to dance the Sinulog routine.
A large HD display, 2-day battery life, dual cameras, and an affordable price: that’s what the Nokia 3.1 Plus offers consumers. HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced…
A large HD display, 2-day battery life, dual cameras, and an affordable price: that’s what the Nokia 3.1 Plus offers consumers.
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced the availability in the Philippines of the Nokia 3.1 Plus. It is the most affordable Nokia smartphone with dual cameras and is the latest device to join the Android One family, delivering the best of Google with monthly security patches.
“We went big in a more accessible category to deliver premium experiences at an exceptional value. The Nokia 3.1 Plus delivers a large display, dual cameras, two-day battery life and the power of an octa-core processor – all in an affordable package,” said HMD Global Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas, “And we didn’t stop there. The phone is encased in a metal body with die-cast metal interiors and the craftsmanship and attention to detail you expect of a Nokia smartphone. In short: with the Nokia 3.1 Plus go big without having to spend big.”
Great viewing experience
HMD Global Country Manager for the Philippines Sancho Chak said “I am more than thrilled to begin my journey in the Philippines with the introduction of the Nokia 3.1 Plus to our beloved Filipino Nokia fans. We will continue playing in the ever-competitive Philippine smartphone market, with its constant growth and rising demand for new models featuring enticing innovations. With the Nokia 3.1 Plus, Filipinos can get refined performance without compromising on the experience.”
The Nokia 3.1 Plus delivers great viewing experiences in its category, thanks to its 6-inch HD+ display and 18:9 aspect ratio, which enables users to view more content on their screen. All these make social media browsing through favorite newsfeeds, apps and videos ideal and more fun.
With its 3500mAh battery that lasts two days between charges, the Nokia 3.1 Plus can also effortlessly get you through your Netflix binges without needing a top-up.
Crisp images, fast focus
Bringing crisp images with fast and accurate focus even in low light, the Nokia 3.1 Plus steps up the photography game with its 13MP Phase Detection Auto Focus main camera. The rear camera also includes a 5MP sensor for rear depth sensing imaging, making professional studio style shots possible. The selectable bokeh blur feature allows users to adjust blur even after the image has been taken.
On the front is an 8MP camera designed to make selfies stand out. With its high-quality dual camera photography and AI-accelerated experiences powered by the octa-core chipset, the Nokia 3.1 Plus makes premium photography features available at an affordable price point.
With the MediaTek Helio P22 octa-core processor’s perfect balance of high performance and power efficiency, the Nokia 3.1 Plus delivers only the necessary power by using fewer cores during basic tasks for optimal efficiency. The chipset also provides a boost during intensive tasks such as watching videos to ensure sustainable high performance and a consistently reliable experience.
Android One
The phone’s precision-fit, CNC-machined rear aluminium cover delivers a seamless, pure design which, combined with a die-cast metal structure, provides impressive solidity. The Nokia 3.1 Plus’s matte, highly tactile finish with diamond cut detailing and curved 2.5D glass offers a precision-crafted feel in the hand expected of a Nokia smartphone.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus joins the comprehensive lineup of Nokia smartphones in the Android One family, delivering high-quality experience endorsed by Google. Nokia smartphones with Android One offer great storage and battery life out of the box but also come preloaded with the very latest in AI-powered innovations developed by Google.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus will receive three years of monthly security patches and two years of OS updates as guaranteed in the Android One program. This ranks the Nokia 3.1 Plus amongst the most-secure phones out there and is kept always up-to-date with the latest Google services, including Google Assistant and Google Photos with free unlimited high-quality photo storage.3
Nokia 3.1 Plus availability
The Nokia 3.1 Plus ships with Android Oreo preloaded so you’ll immediately be able to enjoy the latest and greatest features, including Google Lens, picture-in-picture for multitasking and Google Play. Discover and run new apps whilst enjoying the phone longer through Android One’s AI-powered battery-saving features that intuitively limit background usage.
The Nokia 3.1 Plus comes in Blue, White or Baltic, and may be availed at all authorized Nokia mobile resellers, MemoXpress and Megacellular, and at Nokia mobile-branded stores, kiosks and exhibits for P9,990. (Press Release)
