Cebu Chamber lauds government s response for economic recovery
CEBU CITY, Nov. 9 (PIA) -- With an allocation of P39.4-B for capital infusion for government financial institutions under the Bayanihan 2, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (CCCI) lauded the gover.....»»
Agdao Public Market vendors want variety and vegetable sections merged
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) – Vendors of Agdao Public Market here are asking the city government to merge the Variety and Vegetable Sections into one section claiming they have difficulties in getting customers because of their location. In a letter addressed to Mayor Sebastian Duterte, the City Administrator’s Office, the City Economic Enterprise […].....»»
Poe: State of calamity won’t solve Metro traffic
With an estimated P3.5 billion in economic losses incurred per day due to traffic congestion, the government should listen to experts and stakeholders to address the monstrous traffic jams in Metro Manila, Sen. Grace Poe said yesterday......»»
Business groups laud passage of Salt Industry Development Act
Business groups Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) welcomed the approval of a law that aims to revive the salt industry which is seen to support economic growth and help create jobs......»»
Over 40 defective weighing scales seized in Carbon Market
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Office of the City Markets (OCM) of the Cebu City Government has confiscated over 40 defective weighing scales in Carbon Public Market as of March 21. Led by Market Administrator Robert Barquilla, the operation, dubbed “Operation Timbangan,” aims to ensure accurate measurements for customers. Barquilla, with assistance from Task Force.....»»
Rama wants state of calamity declared in Cebu City due to El Niño
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Mayor Michael Rama wants to place Cebu City under a state of calamity or a state of emergency due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon. The declaration will allow City Hall to use government funds to assist those who are badly affected by the worsening El Niño, especially the.....»»
MAP wants Metro under ‘state of traffic calamity’
Business group Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) is calling on the government to declare a “state of traffic calamity” in Metro Manila, citing the economic losses from the congestion on roads......»»
Teen centers in Cebu City pushed amid rising teen pregnancy cases
CEBU CITY, Philippines — In response to the alarming rise in teenage pregnancy cases across Cebu, a local legislator penned a resolution urging the establishment of local adolescents and teen centers in Cebu. City Councilor Rey Gealon stipulated in the resolution the importance of providing essential support and education to empower young individuals in making.....»»
PPP Code IRR out; 20 projects up for approval
Around 20 solicited projects that are part of the government’s infrastructure flagship program are expected to be submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee for approval this year, the Public-Private Partnership Center said, following the signing of the implementing rules and regulations of the PPP Code......»»
Palarong Pambansa 2024 earns support from Mandaue, Cebu business leaders
CEBU CITY, Philippines– The Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) will give out their full support to the organizers of the upcoming Palarong Pambansa 2024 scheduled in July. In a meeting last March 18 at the board room of the Aboitiz Corporate Center, CCCI President.....»»
Why planned power boost to Cebu Island welcomed and needed
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — A business leader in Cebu’s industrial and logistics hub welcomes a firm’s plan to give the island a power boost with its planned expansion and construction of its power facilities. Mark Ynoc, incoming president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), told CDN Digital in a message, why the.....»»
40 India-based Companies Join the Cebu-leg of India Business Roadshow in Cebu City
For the first time, India took at least 40 of their country’s biggest industries in Cebu to promote possible partnerships with the local businesses under a two-day “India Business Roadshow.” Collaboration meetings were held in the event between the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the India Business Forum (IBF). The roadshow also […].....»»
Iconic Italian home brand marks 16 years in Phl
Sixteen years of bringing joy to Filipino homes. This was how SMEG Philippines presented itself to its guests to mark its recent anniversary celebration at The Ayala Museum. SMEG, the world-famous Italian brand of modern lifestyle home and kitchen appliance that incorporates technology and style into every product, is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Mondo Cucina Inc., owned by the power couple Ton and Karen Concepcion. SMEG stands for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla (roughly translated to English as Metal Enameling Plant of Guastalla, Emilia). It is best known for its outstanding performance and sleek, retro-style designs for refrigerators, washing machines, stand mixers, toaster ovens, microwaves, wine cabinets and coffee machines – all in striking colors of red, blue, orange, yellow, white and what-have-you. The iconic global brand has elevated the culinary experience with a touch of sophistication to numerable kitchens, making them truly a functional pieces of art. “Sixteen years ago, my wife Karen and I went to a town called Guastalla in Emilia Romagna in the northern Italy, where SMEG’s headquarters are located,” said Ton, founder and owner of MCI. “We immediately fell in love with SMEG. Never have we seen such beautiful appliances made with careful attention to design and technology. We knew we have to bring SMEG into the Philippines. And so, in 2006 driven by a passion for excellence into bringing the best experiences to the customers, we open the first SMEG experience center at Serendra in BGC.” Concepcion added: “Today, SMEG is an iconic brand — a household name desired by many. It can be found in top luxury homes all over the Philippines and nearly 10,000 luxury condominiums across Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao, all having SMEG kitchens. Our customers understand that SMEG products are actually pieces of art and not just appliances. We are excited for the future as we continue to innovate and launch new products and expand our stores and service centers nationwide.” Functional pieces of art Since SMEG products have been recognized as functional pieces of art, it was just apt that SMEG Philippines anniversary was held at the Ayala Museum, where guests were first transported to Italy via a delightful indoor garden installation, then ushered to view a great Philippine masterpiece. The venue was transformed into a lush Italian garden playfully adorned with SMEG appliances like an art installation reminiscent of the Emilia Romagna region. It was filled with lemon trees, flowers and verdant greens that came alive with the stunning colors of SMEG appliances showcased as pieces of art. Then, guests were ushered to an exclusive preview of a great Philippine masterpiece -- Juan Luna’s long-lost artwork, “Hymen, oh Hyménée.” This prized work by Luna stayed with him for a decade until his death in Hong Kong in 1899, when it mysteriously vanished. Italian ambassador to the Philippines, Marco Clemente, and SMEG Export director for Asia Matteo Lupi graced the event. Business leaders from the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and stalwarts from the country’s property development, design and architecture industries were also present. “Our brand’s commitment to outstanding design and quality remains,” said Karen, SMEG Philippine creative director. “SMEG technology is very important and unique. It’s energy saving. It’s a big plus.” SMEG Philippines continues to push the envelope in terms of design and innovation. The long tradition and history, combined with new creations continue to bring even better SMEG appliances to more homes. “For the next 16 years or maybe not just 16 but many more years, we continue to innovate and market the brand. We always want to think out of the box and that’s the spirit of SMEG — artistic, high quality and unexpected,” Karen concluded. The post Iconic Italian home brand marks 16 years in Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Domestic aviation rebounds this year
The local aviation industry, which was badly hit by the global health crisis, is seen to achieve full recovery this year. This was according to the International Air Transport Association in a recent forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. During the Aviation Forum last week, Yuli Thompson, area manager for the IATA in Southeast Asia, said the Philippines and the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s aviation market is swiftly recovering and seeing a consistent rise in terms of growth in international and domestic travel. Thompson said passenger traffic trends for international flights in the Philippines were logged at 75 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023. As for the Asia Pacific passenger forecast, Yuli maintained that domestic travel will fully recover in 2023, while international travel will occur sometime in 2026. Further, Asia Pacific will be seen to lead in traffic growth in the next 20 years. “However, overcoming current challenges riding on the current momentum, and meeting full recovery will require strong interventions from all players in the aviation sector,” he said. Infra investments For his part, Cebu Pacific Air chief executive officer Michael Szucs emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, citing that “Philippine carriers will need to quadruple in size to cater to growing demand.” In her keynote speech, Secretary Grace Poe urged stakeholders to support necessary infrastructure investments, especially following the air system glitch incident earlier this year. The senator called for the acquisition of a new Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management. Poe also recommended the hiring of a third-party maintenance provider for the CNS/ATM system. “It is my hope that the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders can work together and collaborate on air transport projects which will not only generate economic growth but also provide our people with excellent and affordable public services that can improve the quality of life for all,” she said. Also filed by Poe is Senate Bill 1121 which proposes the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. Under the directive of the current Marcos administration, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim highlighted the government’s key priorities, including aviation safety and strengthening of learning institutions. Lim further noted the agency’s priority of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Center and engaging with the private sector as close partners for Air Transport Skills Training and Development. “If we are able to train our air traffic controllers, we would not only meet our own requirements, but the requirements of other countries. We can develop this on an institutional basis,” said Lim. Open up the industry Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council, also raised the fact that much could be gained “by opening the industry and making it more known to people.” In terms of managing safety risks, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, shared initiatives to advance safety capabilities in the aviation sector through the State Safety Program. The program employs a risk-based approach to regulations, capacity building and integration of a new organizational structure for monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista stressed that the DOTr’s goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through a public-private partnership agreement, which he said, will present a “landmark opportunity for economic growth, improved infrastructure, and a world-class travel experience.” Added Bautista, “We are also developing regional airports, such as the unsolicited proposals for the operations and maintenance of the Bicol International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport.” The post Domestic aviation rebounds this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mandaue biz chamber seeks waste reduction collab
The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry disclosed on Monday that it is prepared to work with the city government to come up with a “win-win” solution to reduce plastic waste in Mandaue City, Cebu province. “The Mandaue City Government understands this predicament. Thus, they are willing to discuss with us to come up with a win-win solution, to ensure better compliance and ultimately, to move forward in our sustainability goals. We are working with them to create an enabling environment to follow the spirit of the law,” said MCCI president Kelly Ko in a statement. This comes as Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Architect Araceli Barlam announced that they will talk with City Councilor Jennifer del Mar — chairperson of the City Council’s Committee on Environment — about proposing a local ordinance patterned with Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 or Republic Act 11898. Under the EPR law, large businesses must properly and effectively recover, treat, recycle or dispose of their products once they have been sold and consumed. Medium-scale enterprises are likewise urged to adhere to the guidelines, although they are not required to. The law covers flexible plastic — whether single-layer or multi-layered with other materials such as sachets, labels, laminates and other packaging used to carry, protect, or pack items for transportation, distribution or sale. However, Ko acknowledged that should the rule will be put into practices, the Mandaue plastic makers may have trouble coming up with effective strategies to speed up plastic recycling. He pointed out that some city-based plastic producers distribute their goods outside of Mandaue, adding that a lot of high-value garbage which include PET bottles used for soft drinks and mineral water are collected and taken to junkyards and recycling facilities, making it challenging to monitor and assign credit to any particular company. Barlam said that in addition to meeting with MCCI, they will coordinate with the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office to identify how many plastic-producing companies in Mandaue may be impacted once the law is implemented. The post Mandaue biz chamber seeks waste reduction collab appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sweden, Mandaue eye development pact
The Swedish government is set to partner with Mandaue City on transportation and waste management systems to make the city as sustainable smart locality. In her recent visit to Cebu, Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Annika Thunborg said there are a lot of ideas for partnership with the city government and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “We are very like-minded. Mandaue as a city has won different awards as sustainability and smart city development. I have been to different events where I have spoken and Mandaue City often gets a prize or a winner, so that bodes very well for the future,” Thunborg said. Thunborg was one of the speakers at the MCCI Business Summit 2023. She cited that a transportation system is one area that has been discussed for collaboration with Mandaue City. “Another area is waste management and waste-to-energy and that we also discussed with Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia previously,” Thunborg said. “Of course, as we know there is a lot of interest in moving towards a more sustainable waste management system in Cebu,” she added. Meantime, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes welcomed the proposed collaboration with the Swedish government as he reiterated the goal of his city to become a smart and sustainable city. “I am confident that we are on the right track, Mandaue is doing good, with the good partnership with the business sector, and we do hope to take advantage of the momentum. The momentum is on our side,” Cortes told DAILY TRIBUNE. Sweden is known for a very efficient transportation system which includes Bus Rapid Transit systems, ferries, trains and subway systems. The post Sweden, Mandaue eye development pact appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Infra drives more tourists, tech firms
Cebu is expected to attract visitors and technology firms with the planned construction of 65 flagship infrastructure in the Visayas region under the Marcos administration, local officials and the business community leaders there said last Friday. “That’s what we’ve been waiting for. An increase in government spending means a high multiplier effect that is felt in the economy,” Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Central Visayas regional governor Melanie Ng said in an economic briefing by several government agencies in Cebu City on Friday. In the event, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the Visayas-based projects are estimated to cost P1.7 trillion out of the total P9 trillion for 194 flagship projects nationwide. Socioeconomic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the projects will be partly funded through public-private partnerships while the government raises annual infrastructure spending to 5 percent to 6 percent of the gross domestic product. United stand “The private sector and the government are in one mind on how to go about fostering the kind of development that we want in the Visayas region. We can create not only more jobs but also high-quality employment in the region,” National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Joseph J. Capuno said. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the new infrastructure projects would bring more tourists to Cebu and its neighboring provinces in Central Visayas. “Cebu is now the number one most preferred traveler’s destination in the country, outranking its last year’s tourism performance. The shining star of tourism, especially post-pandemic, has really been Central Visayas,” she said. Tourism data showed Cebu attracted over 2.7 million tourist arrivals last year, with 81 percent of them coming from domestic visitors amid the reopening of the global economy. Apart from the tourism industry, PCCI officer Ng said the technology sector will likely see more workers in Cebu and the rest of Visayas as more infrastructure eases mobility from homes to business districts. “Tourism, information technology and business process management, and creative industries are the key growth sectors in Visayas that the Philippine government should invest in,” she said. Property consultancy Colliers Philippines said 31 percent of the country’s IT-BPM workers were found in the provinces last year, with Cebu residents seizing some of the 70,000 jobs in that industry during this period. Colliers Philippines expect 91,300 square meters of office space will open In Cebu City in the next two years, with 51 percent of them located in Cebu Business Park and Cebu IT Park. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said 42 infrastructure projects in Visayas are already being built, including the P9.2-billion New Cebu International Container Port and the P16.9-billion Cebu Bus Rapid Transit. The post Infra drives more tourists, tech firms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Power transmission strife probe sought
A lawmaker on Monday is seeking an investigation into the country’s series of power interruptions and electrical disturbances for the past weeks, insisting that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines should be held liable. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian — who is also the vice-chairperson of the committee on Energy — filed Resolution 607 calling for a Senate inquiry into the series of disturbances in the country’s power transmission system “in the hope of ensuring a reliable and continuous electricity supply.” “These successive transmission system disturbances caused inconvenience to communities and losses to businesses,” said Gatchalian. “The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines as the operator of the transmission system in the country should be held to account for the root cause of these disturbances.” The senator made the call after the NGCP placed the Luzon grid under red and yellow alerts after reporting the power plant outages due to the tripping of the Bolo-Masinloc 230kV Line 2 on 8 May. He also cited that it led to the tripping of 2 units of the Masinloc Coal Power Plant which, in turn, caused a power loss of 659 megawatts in the Luzon grid. “Such disturbances brought power interruptions in the franchise areas of various distribution facilities across Luzon island,” said the senator, adding that in the Meralco franchise, in particular, more than 300,000 customers in Paco and Sta. Mesa in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon, Batangas, Antipolo in Rizal, San Pedro and Biñan in Laguna, and San Rafael and Pulilan in Bulacan were affected by the tripping activity. To recall, Meralco on 9 May reported power supply cuts due to a temporary system imbalance caused by a sudden plant outage, saying that the power supply disruption was caused by an automatic load dropping of approximately 290 MW as a result of the tripping of the Duhat-Hermosa 290kV line. On 27 April, the NGCP reported a system disturbance in the Visayas, causing a loss of 322.3 MW and power interruptions that persisted until 30 April. More than 1.5 million households were affected by the power interruptions in the islands of Panay, Guimaras and Negros. The power outages last up to 12 hours. Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito is seeking to review the NGCP’s franchise and assessment of its performance after receiving reports that foreign shareholders have more control of the company. “Utilities that are concerned with national security should remain with the national government, controlled by the Philippines,” Ejercito said. As this developed, more senators on Monday expressed their openness to the call to review the Congressional franchise given to the NGCP due to the recent power outages in several parts of the country. Senator Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said that her panel is open to the review of the congressional franchise of the NGCP “as it concerns a critical need of Filipinos.” “The recurring power outages being experienced by millions of households amid the scorching months should not be the norm,” Poe said. “We must also exercise vigilance when it comes to our power lines, to ensure that electricity running from Luzon to Mindanao remains under the control of Filipinos amid security concerns raised by senators.” Senator Risa Hontiveros echoed the same sentiment, saying there is nothing wrong with the Upper Chamber if it would review the franchise of the privately-owned corporation. “Even during the previous Congress, we have started, in a way, the review of at least some provisions in the franchise because the government is not only one that has an obligation in this contract but the corporation itself,” Hontiveros said. In other developments, the Energy Regulatory Commission is already doing its part by auditing the NGCP on the completion of the transmission projects as part of the ongoing rate reset process of the grid operator, ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta told Daily Tribune. Dimalanta’s remark came in response to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda’s call to ERC to use its powers under Republic Act 9511 or the NGCP franchise to mandate performance improvements in the transmission company following blackouts caused by delays and damage to the company’s transmission lines. “If you recall, NGCP’s allowable revenues are set on a 5-year cycle supposedly, but the last one happened back in 2010, which set NGCP’s allowed revenues and corresponding rates for 2011-2015,” Dimalanta said. She added that the power regulator is already “conducting the review and reset now for the past years (2016-2022) and in parallel the process to set their revenues based on forecasted expenses for 2023-2027.” Salceda tapped the ERC to conduct a performance audit on the NGCP after its supposed deadline for its major three major projects -- the Cebu-Negros-Panay connection and the Mindanao-Visayas interconnection -- that was due by August this year. With Edjen Oliquino The post Power transmission strife probe sought appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Talisay establishments told to have ‘competent security plan’
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The president of the Talisay City Chamber of Commerce and Trade and Industry encouraged co-business owners to have a competent security plan to ensure safety in their respective establishments and personnel. Cyril Velasco, president of Talisay City Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry, made this statement on Friday, February 17, following […] The post Talisay establishments told to have ‘competent security plan’ appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Business sector in Cebu City urged ‘let’s discipline ourselves’ amid Delta variant
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A key figure in the business sector here urged fellow businessmen and employers to institute discipline within their establishments as COVID-19 cases here rise due to the presence of the more transmissible Delta variant. Felix Taguiam, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president, said they advised members of the private […] The post Business sector in Cebu City urged ‘let’s discipline ourselves’ amid Delta variant appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cebu biz leaders honor Noynoy for valuing private sector
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Business leaders here in Cebu joined the nation in mourning the untimely passing of former President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), in separate statements, extended their condolences to the Aquino family. Both also gave honor to […] The post Cebu biz leaders honor Noynoy for valuing private sector appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»