Newtown offers lower lease rates

AS lease and labor rates rise due to a high demand for office space, an official of a real estate developing firm believes locations outside main city centers will be an attractive prospect for firms seeking to relocate or set up shop to cut costs.

Tech conference scheduled in Boracay

THE most promising startups and tech innovators will converge in Boracay for the first “Geeks on a Beach” event on Sept. 26 to 27.

The two-day conference, organized by TechTalks.ph who brought Startup Weekend to Cebu and Davao, will be a techfest, featuring the world’s most-promising tech leaders who will talk about instructive and useful topics on gaming, mobile apps and graphic design.

Limpag: With Hangouts, Google muscles into messaging sector

MOBILE messaging is a fragmented sector. Every few months or so, a messaging app for the phone launches. Unlike SMS, mobile messaging makes use of the Internet for connectivity and offers a multi-media environment with photos, sounds and even animated graphics and virtual stickers.

“K, CU” isn’t enough, we now have to include a graphical smiley, Emoji (an expanded smiley set), or even an animated avatar that reflects our moods. One-on-one texting is old school; group messaging is in.

Smart, IdeaSpace invite devs to hack their way to Silicon Valley

SMART Communications and IdeaSpace Foundation are encouraging developers to hack their way into Silicon Valley by joining the Philippine leg of the AngelHack Spring Global Challenge, the world’s largest coding marathon.

Winners of the June 8 to 9 hackathon to be held at the Pasig City headquarters of Smart subsidiary Voyager Innovations will get a chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes, receive local mentorship for 11 weeks and be flown to Silicon Valley where US-based AngelHack will help turn their idea into a startup.

Uniqlo considering expansion to Cebu

JAPANESE fashion brand Uniqlo is expanding its store network in the country on the back of the thriving retail industry.

Although the company has no definite plans yet for expansion outside Luzon, Katsumi Kubota, managing director of Uniqlo in the Philippines, said they are considering Cebu as their next destination in the future.

Globe launches inbound calling service for Koreans

GLOBE Telecom recently launched Globe DUO Korea, an international inbound calling offer for Koreans in the Philippines.

Globe DUO Korea is a service that allows a Globe or TM subscriber to purchase a Korea-based telephone number. Their friends and family back home can call their Korea-based telephone number and calls will be received in their Globe or TM phones. Calls can now be made between two Korea-based numbers, just like making a local call in Korea, resulting in significant savings.

SM now spans 5.9 million sq.m.

MANILA- SM Prime Holdings’ P5.7-billion upscale civic center in Taguig City officially opened its doors to the public yesterday.

SM Prime president Hans Sy said the company’s latest “high-end lifestyle destination” project reflects their confidence in the retail market and in the country’s thriving economy.

Marriott wants to go after a new, younger market

BEING next to a shopping mall may be advantageous for a business hotel, but the variety of restaurants in the mall could also spell trouble for its food and beverage outlets.

This is one of the challenges Patrick Carroll has noted in running the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

Batuhan: No timid soul

THE electoral process has to be the most inspiringly egalitarian of all popular exercises human civilization has ever known.

Almirante: Completeness of service

Dominador Almirante Labor case digest

RESPONDENTS Analiza Pepanio and Mariti Bueno contend that petitioner University of the East (UE) filed its appeal to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) beyond the required 10-day period. They point out that the postmaster gave notice to UE’s counsel, Atty. Mison, on March 17, 2005 to claim his mail that contained the labor arbiter’s decision. He was deemed to have received a copy thereof five days after notice or on March 22, 2005. UE had until April 1, 2005 within which to file an appeal.

Non-voice overtakes voice operation in Cebu

CEBU has become more than just a call center destination, as non-voice operations outnumbered the voice operations in the number of business process outsourcing and IT companies at the end of 2012 showed.

Polambato port in Bogo seenas convenient hub for shipping

WITH its proximity to inter-regional and national trade destinations, the port in Barangay Polambato in Bogo City, Cebu is seen as a convenient channel for local shipping and logistics.

After its accreditation with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the port was declared an open harbor for cargo and logistics shipments.

Ng: Android going strong

IT looks like Google is going strong with Android. According to the company head of Android, over 400 million Android devices were activated in 2012. This is a huge increase from the 100 million activated in 2011.

Related goods

THE OWNERST of registered trademarks owners have protection from: a) infringers with the same goods; b) infringers with related goods; and c) to market areas that are in the normal expansion of their business. In Mighty Corp. v. E. & J.

Student launches startup in SWC

COLLEGE student Robert Mandin and his friends built kamikini.com, an online advertising platform for anime and cosplay-related merchandises. However, they did not know how to move forward with the business and decided to put it on hold.

Condos in fastest growing sector

RESIDENTIAL apartments and condominiums were the fastest growing sector in real estate construction last year, the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) 7 said.

Pages: Bo’s Coffee: Proudly brewed by Steve Benitez

STEVE Delantar Benitez and I are members of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP).

We call each other “Bro.”

PhilExport asks gov’t: Encourage banks to extend loans to exporters

ALTHOUGH banks reported that they are now more open to provide small and medium enterprises (SME) access to capital, the umbrella organization of exporters in Cebu said otherwise.

In an interview, Philippine Exporters Confederation (PhilExport) Cebu executive director Fred Escalona said the government should urge banks to make capital easier to obtain by the sector.

CV 1Q tourist arrivals up 13.5%

CENTRAL Visayas recorded 840,237 in tourist arrivals in the first quarter this year, an increase of 13.55 percent against the 739,958 recorded in the same period in 2012.

In a partial report released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7, domestic arrivals stood at 471,476 while foreign arrivals were 366,331. Both markets logged increases at 12.33 percent and 16.01 percent, respectively, compared to arrivals last year.

PSE net income grows 27.8%

THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) posted a net income growth of 27.8 percent for the first quarter of 2013 behind the strong performance of the stock market. The stock index breached several record highs during the year as trading activities once again reached unprecedented levels.

Canada ‘needs skilled workers’

CANADA needs skilled workers and this demand can be met by Filipinos, the country’s ambassador said.

Canadian ambassador Christopher Thornley said this last week during the press conference held to inaugurate the Canadian Welding Bureau Facility (CWB-F) and the Hospitality Training Center (HTC) of Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. (PSEFI) on General Maxilom Ave., Cebu City.

Toral: The top senator

AS OF this writing, senatorial candidate Grace Poe has emerged at the top in the partial and unofficial tabulation results. With the tight politicking happening to a lot of reelectionists, it seems there are voters who just want new blood and fresh faces in the Senate.

It reminded me of what Manuel L. Quezon III said at iBlog4 five years ago: the politicians in power will retire sooner or later. Some of them will pass away due to old age. And that beginning 2013, we will see changes on how we will vote. This will be further evident in 2016.

Pinoy exec to judge in int’l science fair

A FILIPINO engineer turned executive and advocate for technology entrepreneurship is set to judge at the coming Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Arizona next week.

Earl Martin Valencia, president of IdeaSpace Foundation, Inc. (IdeaSpace) and head for corporate development and strategic innovation at Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) will join other science and technology leaders as one of the grand award judges of the world’s largest international pre-college science competition.

Sincerity key ingredient in running business, says Rico’s Lechon owner

FOR 53-year-old entrepreneur Enrico Dionson, sincerity is important in running a business.

“Business is based on trust. The reason my lechon business is thriving is that I have been honest since I started this venture,” said Dionson, owner of one of Cebu’s top lechon brands Rico’s Lechon.

Fair trade group to sign agreement with CCCI

A GROUP that aims to support small producers in the countryside is planning to sign a partnership with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) to promote fair trade standards and sustainability.

Appointment seen to strengthen ties with Norway

THE appointment of University of Cebu’s (UC) chancellor as Cebu’s Norwegian consul is seen to further strengthen Philippine bilateral relations with Norway.

“As the new regional consul, I am now ‘married’ to Norway for the furtherance of the country’s influence in the Philippines and vice versa,” said Candice Gotianuy during her official appointment ceremony at Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.

PH needs to work to spread benefits of upgrade: officials

THE recent investment upgrades of the country will benefit small business players but the country needs to work for it to happen, officials said.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Lito Maderazo says he hopes that the officials elected in yesterday’s elections will have integrity and will support good governance to sustain the country’s economic momentum.

McDonald’s names new product endorser

A FASTFOOD company unveiled its latest endorser in an event in Cebu over the weekend. McDonald’s Philippines unveiled 23-year-old actor Xian Lim as its summer refreshments endorser.

“Effective endorsers should understand and fit the advocacy of the brand they represent,” said media and communications officer Puch Calma of McDonald’s Philippines.

Tax notes: VAT on incidental transactions

UNDER Section 105 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, value-added tax (VAT) is imposed on a sale or transaction entered into by a person in the course of any trade or business. A transaction is characterized as having been entered into by a person in the course of trade or business if it is a) regularly conducted, and b) undertaken in pursuit of a commercial or economic activity. Transactions that are made incidental to the pursuit of a commercial activity are considered as entered into in the course of trade or business, and are subject to the 12 percent VAT.

BIR 13 logs double-digit growth

BESIDES making their targets for the first quarter of the year, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) revenue region 13, which covers the provinces of Cebu and Bohol, managed to achieve double-digit growth for all its revenue districts.