Cebu to host eco-tourism meet

CEBU City will host the fifth World Eco-tourism Conference this November, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced yesterday.

DOT signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday with Discovery Mice, an affiliate of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), for the three-day activity that aims to gather more than 400 participants from member-countries of UNWTO.

With impact of climate change, green economic dev’t urgent

WITH the Philippines ranking third in the world as having the highest risk of vulnerability to climate change, the need to promote green economic development has become even more pronounced.

For Volker Steigerwald, program manager of the German Development Cooperation’s Promotion of Green Economic Development (ProGED) initiative, micro, small and medium enterprises are the most vulnerable among registered businesses in the country.

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!

Bunny Pages Business Is A Team Sport

I LOVE to memorize quotations, especially the ones that inspire. This is one of my favorites: “It is better to be prepared and not have an opportunity than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.” I try to live my life by it. I’m what you may call a “life-long learner.”

Contractor starts building model unit

A CONTRACTOR of a residential development in Mandaue City broke ground Tuesday on the construction of its model house.

Homilee Inc., the official development contractor of Maria Luisa North-The Heritage in Jagobiao, Mandaue City, hosted the groundbreaking of its Ebiza model, a 180-square meter, two storey house with three bedrooms.

UCPB Savings Bank logs higher 1Q earnings

UCPB Savings Bank logged P106 million in net income by the end of the first quarter of this year, 58 percent higher than the P67 million earnings it recorded in the same period last year.

Both interest and non-interest income bolstered this growth with 30 percent and 73 percent increase respectively. Income from loans was a primary growth driver, reaching P246 million or 36 percent better than the P181 million posted in the same period of 2012. At the same time, the bank was able to keep its operating expense increase to a minimal 18 percent.

Southern Cebu next big location for Prime Homes

SOUTHERN Cebu is the next big location for homegrown residential developer Prime Homes Development Corp.

Boom in devices makes good case for this business

THE first provider of customizable smartphone protective cases in the country officially launched the company on Friday with the opening of its third outlet.

InstaCase, a company-owned store by Cebu-based Insta Concepts Co. Ltd., opened a mall kiosk in SM City Cebu following its branches at the Mactan International Airport in Cebu and in Cagayan de Oro, which had their soft openings about two weeks ago.

Students drawn to Johndorf’s downtown condo

SINCE many of their clients are college students from neighboring provinces, Johndorf Ventures Corp. (JVC), developer of 148 Residences condominiums in downtown Cebu City, turned over units to the first batch of homeowners in time for the school opening.

Some 15 homeowners have moved in and will benefit from an in-house property management team organized by JVC, which not only handles 148 Residences, but its other projects and those of its direct subsidiary, Prohomes Development Inc.

New Office banks on ease of cloud

FOLLOWING the announcement of ending the support for the 11-year-old operating system Microsoft XP, technology firm Microsoft announced the availability of the New Office, a reinvention of the company’s flagship Office line for consumers, education and enterprises.

According to the firm, the new Office is a cloud service designed for the modern-day users whose devices for work and play have merged. It provides the latest and most complete set of Office applications such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel, among others.

Licensed designers see boost in credibility from new law

AFTER the Philippine Interior Design Act of 2012 or Republic Act 10350 was signed into law, interior designers are expecting their industry to be more professionalized.

The new law, signed by President Benigno Aquino III last Dec. 17, aims to provide for and govern the examination, registration and licensing of professional interior designers. It also provides for the supervision, control and regulation of the practice of interior design and the development of the professional competence of interior designers, through continuing education.

‘Better data, better art’

CONTRARY to what most believe, it takes more than an individual to make creative ideas work.

Council to draw Cebu, Davao into groundwork for Asean integration

THE Asean Business Advisory Council (BAC) plans to bring in a series of road shows in Cebu and Davao within the year to boost awareness on the 2015 Asean integration.

Jay Yuvallos, Philippine representative to the Asean BAC, said business chambers like the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) have already adopted the Asean Economic Community road show in all of their area business conferences.

Wilcon: 10 new branches in 3 years

MANILA - based building materials supplier Wilcon Depot is planning to open 10 new branches across the country in the next three years.

The company officially opened its second outlet in Cebu and 30th branch, located on UN Ave., Barangay Umapad in Mandaue City last Friday.

‘High-standard’ highway among DPWH’s P4.2B pledges for Cebu

EXCLUDING airports and seaports, government plans to spend P20 billion on tourism infrastructure this year and another P20 billion in 2014, a public works official said.

Of that amount, Central Visayas was programmed to receive P2.8 billion from 2012 to 2013 and P1.4 billion next year, said Undersecretary Raul Asis of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Asis supervises technical services.

Tax notes: New O.R. deadline moved to Aug. 30

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has extended the deadline on the issuance and use of new principal and supplementary official receipts and invoices under Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 18-2012 from June 30, 2013 to Aug. 30, 2013.

If old receipts are still issued starting Aug. 31, 2013, it will be deemed as if no receipts were issued, and the issuing taxpayer shall be subject to a penalty of P50,000. 

Agency beefs up digital services to stay current

WITH the phenomenal consumption of social media at present, the digital platform is a strategic marketing channel to expand interaction with clientele, a management and promotions agency contends.

“Advertising outfits must adapt to the latest because, in a way, the industry is about being current,” said events director and manager Sol Eugenio of Sol Eugenio Management and Promotions Agency (SEMPA).

‘Business cannot be as usual’

CABINET Secretary Jose Rene Almendras urged business leaders to do their part to make Cebu City livable and sustainable by employing responsible business practices.

Meat processors see need to upgrade standards, prepare for Asean integration

THE Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. (Pampi) has some beef: it wants members to update standards and get ready to compete globally, but government is being selective with its help.

BSP Monetary Board approves BayadLoad

THE Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) granted Smart subsidiary Smart Hub, Inc. its electronic money issuer license and approved the use of BayadLoad, making the mobile payment service for Smart, Talk N Text and Sun Cellular subscribers certified as compliant with national standards on financial services security and protection.

The service was demonstrated to BSP Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr. by PLDT, Smart and Sun executives led by PLDT and Smart chairman Manuel Pangilinan.

Limpag: MVP on going mobile

IT’S happening pretty fast, PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said about the move to mobile Internet.

Pangilinan, during a press conference with regional journalists after the PLDT annual stockholders’ meeting, talked about the huge potential for mobile Internet in the country.

‘Let investors choose’

BUSINESS leaders welcomed a court decision that stopped the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) from implementing a board resolution that removed a five percent gross income tax incentive given to developers and operators of IT parks and centers in Cebu.

Aboitiz selects Lapu-Lapu as outlet mall site

THE first outlet mall in the Visayas and Mindanao by homegrown property developer AboitizLand Inc. demonstrates Cebu’s bustling retail scene and the south’s vibrant economy, officials said yesterday during the groundbreaking ceremony in Lapu-Lapu City.

Officials said The Outlets is scheduled to rise in Pueblo Verde, Mactan Economic Zone 2 in the last quarter of this year in time for retail’s peak season.

Russia-PH trade set to hit $2B

THE Philippines and Russia are seeking new ways to strengthen trade relations, even as the trade volume between the two countries is expected to hit $2 billion this year, a top official said.

Batuhan: Crisis and cost-cutting

CRISIS has a way of separating men from boys. That is, of course, in the case of men. In matters of organization, a mechanism exists to choose between the winners and the also-rans. After all, as they say, with every crisis comes an opportunity.

I think where the winners differentiate themselves from the also-rans and eventual losers is how they react to the challenges of a crisis, and this reaction eventually determines their fate.

Siam targets 15% growth in PH

THE Siam Cement Group of Companies (SCG) is projecting to grow its Philippine operations by up to 15 percent this year, on the back of private real estate and government-led construction activities.

SCG, through Jakkrit Suwansilp, vice president of sales and marketing for Mariwasa Siam-Ceramics Inc. and brand marketing director of SCG in the Philippines, said they are confident they will grow their operations given the developments in key cities in the country.

Almirante: Abandonment

Dominador Almirante Labor case digest

RESPONDENT Mary Anne Oco worked as a clerk and later as a material controller for petitioner Tegimenta Chemical Philippines Inc. (Tegimenta), owned by Vivian Rose D. Garcia.

Court stops removal of incentive

THE Regional Trial Court has stopped the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) from implementing a regulation removing a tax incentive granted to developers who are building projects in IT parks and centers in Cebu City.

Public invited to creative summit today

IN CELEBRATION of Cebu Business Month (CBM) this June, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Cebu in partnership with Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and leaders from the Creative Cebu Council is inviting the public to the “2nd Cebu Creative Industries Summit” the whole day today in SM Cinema 1 in SM City Cebu.

Building on the momentum of the first Summit in 2011, this year’s conference will be a gathering of even more players from the creative industries, partners, development agencies, students and members of the education sector.

Wilcon program ‘makes shopping convenient’

AS WILCON inaugurates its second depot store in Cebu today, it announced plan to make shopping more convenient with its planned Sales Mobility Program.

The company said the Wilcon Sales Mobility Program, which they said was created to accommodate customers’ needs, will provide fast and hassle free service to clients through a tablet equipped with features such as item list, promotions, product prices and inventory per store or warehouse.

Hyundai offers Father’s Day treats

THE Hyundai Amazing Show trains its spotlight on car-loving dads and dads-to-be this June.

From June 16-30, customers can drive over to the nearest Hyundai dealership for Father’s Day treats and surprise gifts.