Ceboom architect still upbeat,cites how Cebu can keep lead
Pachico A. Seares Seven Questions
1.) You’re known as the architect of Ceboom, when Cebu’s economic strides first caught the attention of the nation and the world. Much of what Cebu is today economically may be credited in a large part to the foundations laid when you were governor of the province. Do you see Cebu’s growth to continue or do you see the threat of a bubble bursting, such as the collapse of the call center industry and oversupply of condos, hotels, and other housing units? Tell us how Cebu can still survive and prosper despite any turmoil in the economy elsewhere.
Congress to probe SM expansion
KABATAAN party-list Representative Raymond Palatino recently asked his colleagues to investigate the proposed mall expansion along Luneta Hill set to be implemented soon.
Palatino claimed he is against any cutting or uprooting of some 182 trees in the Luneta Hill property to give way to a seven-storey mall expansion.
39 votes save aspiring chief
BARANGAY Calamba in Cebu City has a new captain.
The court yesterday declared Esther Concha as “the winner and duly elected punong barangay” of Calamba during the October 2010 elections.
Gold Fields picket enters 3rd week
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – There is no let-up in the picket against Gold Fields Philippines Inc. at the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation Far South East site.
Flora Belinan said the picket will not disperse until the company pulls out its drilling equipment from the site.
National police applicants may register online
APPLICANTS who wish to join the Philippine National Police (PNP) or get a promotion may now apply through the Internet to schedule their appointment with the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Pursuant to its constitutional mandate to administer and control the PNP, Napolcom will conduct again the PNP Entrance and Promotional Examinations on April 29 at the University of Baguio.
2 suspects in Talisay ambush identified
TWO of the four suspects in the ambush that killed three people in Talisay City last Wednesday afternoon, possibly over a land dispute, were identified.
A team led by SPO4 Daniel Tarucan went in pursuit of one suspect yesterday, but while no one was arrested yet, authorities assured some progress was made.
CSC adopts new service exam form
TO CONFORM with the new policies on examination and make the application more comprehensive, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has adopted a new form for the Career Service Examinations.
Additional features of the new form include information on the educational background of applicants and the requirement for signature appearing on the pictures of the applicants.
Group, Swat shut down Internet cafe, billiard hall
AN Internet café and a billiard hall in Lapu-Lapu City were ordered closed yesterday for failing to secure business permits and for admitting high school students during school hours.
Members of Lapu-Lapu City’s Advocacy for Responsible Enterprise (Care) and operatives of the city’s Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) enforced the closure orders against the two establishments, which are housed inside the residences of Vincent Onahan and Julian Misa in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Bangkal.
Public hearing on Jarco case set Feb. 10
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Committees on market and environment has set a public hearing on February 10 to determine the pulse of the people if they want a mall here.
A public hearing at the municipal gym will determine the pulse of the public, compelling local lawmakers to finally decide on the thwarted Jarco Mall deal.
After the public hearing, the entire local council will take the committee report of each group and deliberate on the issue aiming to get a decision from the legislative body.
Capitol saved P90M in 2011, got over P157M from taxes
CAPITOL earned P2.95 billion in 2011 and spent only P2.86 billion, according to the Statement of Receipts and Expenditures (SRE) of the Cebu Provincial Government at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
THe SRE showed that Capitol had savings of almost P90 million in 2011.
Boundary rows still plague Benguet towns
LOCAL boundaries continue to place neighboring towns at odds with each other. This is true for the municipalities of Kibungan and Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.
Kibungan, headed by Mayor Benito Siadto, with its intent to maintain camaraderie with its neighbor town, is willing to cede portions within the disputed area to Sugpon.
Kibungan is willing to settle the problem amicably.
Both parties scheduled a site validation on Nov. 28–29, 2011 for an ocular inspection. However, it was rescheduled to December 13–14, 2011, because of the series of activities Kibungan lined up last November.
Taxable properties total: P25B
REAL property taxes in Cebu City may double next year once the City Assessor’s Office finishes the tax mapping and revalidation of real property (RPU) units in the city.
City Assessor Eustaquio Cesa said they were able to assess 212,315 RPUs in the city from January to December last year, as well as 12,780 RPUs that are exempted from taxes.
The total assessed value of taxable RPUs totaled to at least P71.8 billion while the value of non-taxable RPUs totaled to P46.5 million.
Cesa said non-taxable RPUs include government offices and buildings, schools and churches.
Media organization schedules ‘12 elections
THE Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) will hold its annual general elections on February 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the BCBC Club House along Wright Park.
BCBC past president and lifetime member Ramon “Mondax” Dacawi, chairman of this year’s election, said members who are running for any position should file their duly notarized certificate of candidacy at the Public Information Office of City Hall or at the Philippine Information Agency office on or before the deadline on February 10.
Executive dep’t. ‘need not’ get council nod to buy fuel, oil
THE executive department of Cebu City Hall won’t comply with the condition the City Council has set under the appropriation ordinance for the purchase of gasoline, oil and lubricants for motor vehicles.
The appropriation ordinance of the City for 2012 provides that the lump sum appropriations for gasoline, oil and lubricants amounting to P100 million requires prior authorization of the council before it can be used.
Top rice producers to be feted
THE Department of Agriculture is set to honor the country’s top achievers in rice production in the first ever 2011 Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers’ Awards on February 10, 2012 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala will lead the ceremonies to award P4 million worth of agricultural projects each to the top 10 rice-producing provinces, and P1-million worth of similar projects to the top 50 municipalities and 10 irrigators’ associations (IAs).
Anti-narcotics agency outlines action plan
THE TOP official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera Administrative Region (PDEA-CAR) reported a successful campaign against illegal drugs in the region last year.
PDEA-CAR OIC Director Gil Cesario Castro reported that, in partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, and other peace and order units or public safety groups in the region, more than P388-million worth of illegal drugs were seized in 2011.
Court disallows use of Balili pond
THE court has disallowed the use of a coal ash landfill owned by Capitol, for environmental reasons.
This, as a Naga City-based power producing company expressed a “very urgent” need to look for alternative disposal sites.
Mandaue City Regional Trial Court Branch 28 Judge Marilyn Lagura-Yap denied the motion for the use of the Balili coal ash facility by the Cebu Provincial Government and the Kepco-Salcon Power Corp. (KSPC).
Yap said the precautionary principle doctrine disallows the use of the ash pond, which doesn’t have the required bentonite clay layer.
Beer joints near schools threatened with closure
THE Liquor and Licensing Commission (LLC) in Cebu City Hall will recommend the closure of restobars, karaoke bars and other beer joints in the City operating within 100 meters from schools.
This was after the LLC refused to approve the application of some business establishments selling and serving liquor near the academic institutions.
LLC Vice Chairman Leonardo Chiu said members of the commission agreed to shut down establishments that violated City Ordinance 1413 or the Liquor Licensing Ordinance.
Illegal vendors face uncertainty
MAYOR Mauricio Domogan warned illegal street vendors selling their wares on congested streets and pedestrian pathways to cooperate and stop illegal vending activities.
The Anti-Peddling Task Force has launched a saturation drive to rid the city from illegal vendors targeting areas with high concentration of illegal vending such as lakandula area.
Domogan said he has made instructions to the police to conduct a dialogue with peddlers to educate them about city rules on vending while warning unlicensed sellers that their goods will be confiscated once they sell in prohibited areas.
Family of engineers produces topnotcher
THE first call Ruelan Mira received Thursday afternoon informed him he passed the Architects’ Licensure Examinations. He was overjoyed, but more so when he got another call informing him he ranked seventh among the passers.
“I didn’t expect it,” said Mira, a 23-year-old graduate of the Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT).
The architecture graduate, who hails from Isabel, Leyte, comes from a family of engineers.
Asin mini hydro project bidding up
THE City Government has finally bid out the operation and rehabilitation of Asin mini-hydroelectric plants in Tuba, Benguet to private investors here, Mayor Mauricio Domogan bared on Wednesday.
The mayor said the bidding was undertaken last January 27 and the offers are currently being evaluated by the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to determine if a bidder qualified for the project based on the terms of reference (TOR) set by the city.
Councilors probe fire equipment pricing
THE City Council sought an “intelligent study” of the pricing for equipment and other requests of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Safety city office.
The body approved a resolution for said purpose after concerns on the alleged overpricing of fire safety gadgets were raised during the budget deliberations.
Fire mars Friday night in Cebu
CEBU CITY (Updated) -- At least 28 houses were gutted while three others were damaged Friday night in Sitio Sto. Nino, Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
Fire officials received the alarm at 9:12 p.m. and declared the fire under control after 20 minutes, although narrow and pitch-dark alleys tested them.
Smoke emits at Oro dumpsite
RESIDENTS living near the dumpsite in Zayas, Barangay Carmen are complaining about the thick smoke that emits from the piles of garbage at the landfill, especially in the afternoon.
Natividad Adobas, 61, said they were particularly disturbed by the thick smoke coming from the dumpsite last week, which she said might have caused by cigarette butts being thrown into the garbage.
Senator wants local governments to enforce total log ban
SENATOR Francis Escudero is urging local government units to police their own area to ensure the proper implementation of the total log ban.
This came after local government officials blamed the massive devastation brought by Tropical Storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities last December 2011 to illegal logging activities.
