Provincial tourism execs to promote Cebu as one

Barely two months from its inception, officials of the Cebu Tourism Officers Association (CTOA), finally took their oath of office before Governor Gwen Garcia recently.

CTOA president Gregg M. Rubio, who is at the same time the tourism officer of Daanbantayan, said it is CTOA’s thrust to provide support service to their respective local government units and the provincial government’s promotion of tourism.

The group is currently composed of 33 tourism officers from the different towns and municipalities in Cebu.

Other elected officers include Nonela Villegas of Aloguinsan as vice president, Florinda Ramos from Mandaue City as secretary, Johanna Grace delos Reyes of Carcar City as treasurer, James Gallarde from Tuburan as Auditor, and Board Members Eric Ybas from Alegria, Paterno Muñez from San Remigio, Trinidad Bubuli from Toledo City and Vicente Sepulveda from Borbon.

Rubio said that the creation of the group is meant to boost the tourism promotion of the province by tackling the concerns of the respective localities in every provincial meeting so that issues concerning the tourism activities and initiatives in their area could be well evaluated.

Although he stressed that there will be no competition within them because they will function as a group in promoting Cebu as one world-class tourism destination and in raising relevant issues concerning the tourism industry in the province.

“We organized ourselves to bring our issues and concerns to the higher authorities because it has been difficult to raise our concerns individually,” added Rubio.

He said that they will also provide help to the Department of Tourism in the region in gathering sufficient information and data regarding visitor arrivals and sales generated from tourist-related activities in the province as well as in establishing linkages with resort and hotel operators and dive shop owners in their respective areas.

However, Rubio stressed the need to provide their members the necessary trainings so that they can efficiently perform their roles as tourism officers.

Hence in the first quarter of next year, CTOA will undergo a capability-building program from the Department of Tourism so that they will get to understand the scope of their duties and functions as tourism officers.

Some of the trainings they will undergo are training on the right protocol in entertaining VIPs and tourists as well skills in data gathering in their respective towns and in coordinating with tourism stakeholders in their local areas.

“There is a need for us to know the proper methods of collecting data such as tourist arrivals and how to interpret the factors behind its increase or decrease as will as in classifying the type of room accommodations provided by our resort and hotel operators,” said Rubio.

“Some of our members expected that their function is to act like tour guides but we have a separate role as tourism officers. Those who do not have background in the duties and functions of a tourism officer encountered problems. So we are currently defining the scope of our duties then we will proceed to undergoing tourism programs of the governor,” he added.

Exporters stay resilient despite the global crisis

Highlighting the resiliency of the industry players and the growing efficiency levels of their existing processes, Cebu’s export sector still continues to collectively hold positive prospects in these times of global economic meltdown contrary to negative reports.

“Bad news has been creating fear and provides a crippling effect to the industry but actually there are still a lot of good things to talk about in the face of challenges because we have much stronger players now and it has been our trademark to weather any storm,” Philexport-Cebu president Jay Yuvallos pointed out in a press conference during their general membership meeting.

Yuvallos said that compared to their high times, it could be noted that these past years has been relatively harder for the export sector considering the softening of their major foreign markets but it does not denote that everyone in the industry is suffering.

“In every situation, there are winners and there are also losers. In today’s hard times with the foreign economies at its downturn, it doesn’t mean that the export industry is no longer a viable business venture,” said Yuvallos.

He said that the closures that have happened in the export sector in these trying times do not directly translate to the fact that the industry is no longer lucrative.

Although some exporters closed due to effects of slowdown, but some of them who closed down operations found greener prospects in other industries, explained Yuvallos.

He said that the good things brought by the crisis is that it made their industry stronger and their players better because they learn to come up with efficient processes, streamlined systems and innovative product designs.

“People in the game are so much stronger because the game requires being so. Only strong players who are resilient enough stayed in the game and these are those who practiced prudence, financial discipline, controlled overhead and did efficient processes,” said Yuvallos.

He advised the sector to look at the crisis as a challenge to improve rather than a threat that will put on hold any opportunities for further growth.

“What will happen if everybody starts to be so afraid and starts to put breaks to everything that we do? It’s our choice if we want to be affected with the crises. It’s up to us on how we deal on these economic challenges but it will be our fault if the recession starts hitting us,” he added.

Apolinar Suarez, a trustee in the furniture sector of Philexport stressed that if there were players in the sector who have closed down operations; there are also many new players who came in.

In fact he reported that the export industry in the national level is still positive that this year they will still achieve a three to four percent increase over that of last year.

Jennifer Cruz, past president of the Cebu Gifts, Toys and Housewares Foundation (Cebu GTH) said that their buyers remain confident with our export sector because they have seen the resiliency of the players.

“The chances for our products are still high especially that now we have more efficient processes. All of us have learned from previous crises we encountered and in the end of this recent crisis we surely will be more efficient,” he said.

In fact just recently, a big store chain from the United States operating over 1, 700 stores was in Cebu to look for products in 2009 and Cruz’ company was among the many vendors who was able to generate pending orders from this company.

Cruz said that this big buyer also went around to its other suppliers in China, Vietnam and Thailand but they gave his factory a top rating over them because the buyer saw that they have learned during the hard times.

“The name of the game is resiliency and Filipinos are good at it considering that we have been able to weather previous storms such as the strengthening of the peso and the internal political struggles in the country such as coup attempts which has resulted to far worse impacts in the export industry than the current global crisis,” Cruz added.

Fertilizer prices drop 20%

As a result of the continuous drop in oil prices in the world market, domestic prices of petrochemical fertilizers have likewise dropped by as much as 20 percent starting late October to early this month.

“The significant drop in fertilizer prices augurs well for our farmers, especially at this time when many of them are already planting for the 2009 dry crop,” said Department of Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap in a statement.

He reiterated his directive to the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) to keep tabs on price movements and report to the DA price-gouging suppliers and dealers who continue selling their stocks at the steep rates.

Having checked the price movements of this essential farm inputs in his recent field trips, Yap said that retail prices of inorganic fertilizers have dropped by 20 percent to 30 percent in the provinces owing to last month’s decline in petroleum prices, which touched off a matching drop in the world market rates of petrochemical fertilizers.

Meanwhile, FPA data showed that the import prices of major grades of fertilizer have sharply dropped as of the last week of October.

For instance, the import price of urea plunged down to $330 per metric ton (MT) from its original $702 rate in September, while the cost of 18-46-0 fertilizer fell from $1,270 to $950 and 21-0-0 fell from $390 to $366 over the same period.

Last month, Yap projected that the continued decline in petroleum prices will set off a matching drop in the retail cost of oil-based fertilizers, and had directed the FPA to monitor domestic prices.

He has also ordered the National Food Authority (NFA) to intensify its palay-buying operations this wet or harvest season by doubling the number of its mobile buying stations especially in faraway areas, following the recent Cabinet directive.

As result of the nonstop surge in oil rates in the world market and big demand by other countries during the first three quarters of 2008, fertilizer prices almost doubled this year resulting from a DA-monitored 30 percent decline in fertilizer usage by farmers during the wet crop.

The price increases led to a corresponding drop in per-hectare yields for those who have declined fertilizer usage.

Yap said that over the January-June 2008 period, the average per-ton rate of urea escalated in the world market from $382.20 to $604 while 21-0-0 from $187.25 reached to $345.95, 16-20-0 increased from $208 to $739.48; then 18-46-0 increased from $525 to $1,170 and 0-0-60, increased from $404 to $525.

Meanwhile the cost of 14-14-14 soared four times during the same six-month period from $208 to $880.

As a result of these price increases, the domestic retail prices of these six major fertilizer grades also sky rocketed this year.

FPA data noted that the average retail price of urea in the local market spiraled from P1, 036.95 per 50-kilogram bag to P1, 797.58 during the same January-June 2008 period while that of 14-14-14 increased from P1, 013.04 to P1, 921.21.

The 21-0-0 grade increased from P725.94 to P993.80 while 16-20-0 increased from P956.02 to P1, 874.04; the 18-46-0 grade increased from P1, 645.52 to P3, 138.40 and the 0-0-60 grade increased from P1, 102.85 to P1, 881.68.

Yap said that oil prices reached the $100 per barrel level earlier this year, reaching an all-time peak of $147 last July but world market prices have since retreated following the US-induced global financial collapse, with the per-barrel cost falling to $64.50 last October which later lead to drops in the domestic prices of high grade fertilizers.

Cebu’s fast-paced lifestyle keeps food industry afloat

Amid the current global crisis, Cebu’s fast-paced lifestyle change and flourishing local economy have kept the province’s food industry on a positive note.

“Food is a cash business so a lot of businessmen are investing in it and here in Cebu, Cebuanos love good food that’s why a lot of businessmen from outside the province are taking advantage of the area as a growth market,” said Eric Ng Mendoza, one of the investor of the new franchised Figaro coffee shop branch at the newly opened Ayala Terraces.

Mendoza, who is also the president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and owns an exporting firm shared that they have invested on a franchised concept after seeing a market and demand for this kind of industry here in Cebu.

Glenn Soco, president of homegrown coffee chain Coffee Dream Company Inc., said that the consumer market in the country is resilient.

“The recent lowered fuel prices and fare is giving Filipinos more spending power so if ever there are effects brought about by the crisis, it is not yet felt. But food will always be a basic need so we are not seeing effect on the consumer market,” he said.

Soco said that the positive growth of the food industry in Cebu is a result of a rapid lifestyle change in the market coupled with the various expansions and developments of more lifestyle and commercial establishments such as malls and mixed-use centers.

Major shopping centers in the city have opened and delegated special areas for food and lifestyle brands to grow such as SM Northwing, which plays host to higher end brands of goods and services.

There is also the recently launched Terraces in the Ayala Center Cebu, which provides a new avenue for lifestyle and dining experience.

Parkmall, a new shopping district in Mandaue has also been recently opened to the public and it promises to deliver new dining and shopping experience to both Cebuanos and its growing tourism base.

The increasing demand for food businesses here in Cebu has paved the way for the entry of Manila-based and international brands such as restaurants and coffee shops.

Soco said that homegrown businesses here in Cebu are facing the challenge to compete head on with local brands in Manila and international brands as well.

Meanwhile, Jill Urbina Viado from Café Laguna, one of the successful homegrown brands in Cebu’s food industry said that the entry of several players has just made Cebu’s food industry more competitive, giving more options for consumers.

She said that they do not feel threatened by the entry of both local and international food brands in Cebu’s market because they have already been able to level the playing field as they have proven that homegrown concepts can be at par with global brands.

She said that businesses like theirs remain bullish with Cebu as a market because the industry has become more challenging.

Outsourcing biz still to prosper

The Cebu Investments and Promotions Center (CIPC) is optimistic that the Business Process Outsourcing industry will remain upbeat despite the victory of Barack Obama, who have been vocal about his anti-outsourcing stance.

"The ideology to protect jobs cannot be bigger than the need to be competitive globally. Globalization has forced America and the world to be competitive in service," said Joel Mari Yu, CIPC managing director.

A source from the BPO sector, who refused to be named, told The Freeman that call centers are now closely monitoring movements in US regulations as President elect Obama takes his seat early next year to lead the economic-troubled country.

She said big call center companies and its thousands of employees are now worried that companies who are getting outsourcing jobs outside their countries, like the Philippines, may pull-out because of Obama's anti-outsourcing bid.

If this will be implemented, BPO stakeholders feared that thousands of jobs will be affected, especially that most call centers are now servicing most if not all companies from the US.

Yu, however, remains optimistic that Cebu will continue to attract BPO companies from the US, amid fears of a slowdown due to Obama's strong views about outsourcing of American jobs overseas.

Yu admitted there were indeed speculations among BPO stakeholders here that Obama's administration might convince American call centers in the country to return to the US for more jobs for its citizens.

CIPC records showed that Cebu currently has 22 call centers with around 20,000 agents, as well as 36 foreign direct IT-related investments.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney for her part has made assurances that call center companies that have branched out in the Philippines would probably maintain their business here.

"Call centers will continue to be strong. They’re successful because the Philippine work force is so talented," Kenney said earlier.

Even local businessmen have earlier expressed optimism of the Democrats' "protectionist policies" under the presidency of Obama will have little, if not, no effect on the local BPO sector.

Yu said that while 82 percent of the clients of the BPO firms are in the US, the industry also service clients in United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and even from outsourcing powerhouse India.

Apart from the US, he said industry stakeholders are also trying to tap potential markets like the European bloc.

The BPO industry is considered as one of the sunshine industries in the Philippines. As of 2007, the industry employed around 300,000 workers and generated $4.9-billion revenue.

By 2010, the industry hopes to provide a million jobs and to generate US$13 billion revenues, or a 10 percent share of the global market.

Moreover, an American BPO practitioner still believes that outsourcing will still continue to flourish.

“In today’s economic crisis, there is all the more need for the Western world to outsource most of its work. So regardless of political issues, outsourced jobs will likely be steady where it is,” said Mike Murphy, an American executive who started the Philippines and India operations of Convergys.

Murphy said that there are far more benefits in offshoring so it will actually make complete sense that companies abroad will continue doing it.

He said that outsourcing jobs provides a company the time advantage to carry out the allotted requirement of its clients.

He said that labor cost is also way cheaper if jobs are outsourced to countries with a lower cost of living.

“When US companies offshore jobs, they could still keep their businesses afloat in the States because they cannot do it back home since operation cost will be more expensive,” said Murphy.

“Bottom line is that it’s actually cheaper to have the business here, there are a lot of benefits such as time differences, holiday differences, skill level differences and when you weight that in there are more advantages than disadvantages,” he said.

Murphy even stressed that with the global economic crisis, there might even be more outsourced jobs in the coming years.

“The good news about the crisis is that there will be more jobs here and even in the States. Outsourcing can boost the economy while creating more jobs, although it may not be the same but there will be a boost in the employment rate. This will be a win-win situation for everybody,” he said.

Murphy said that the Philippines have an edge over other BPO destinations because the nature of Filipinos is more inclined to the Western culture.

3rd OTOP fair highlights the best of Visayas goods

Bringing the bounty and distinctive beauty of Central Philippines, the recently held 3rd Visayas One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) Island Fair in SM City Cebu highlighted the best products and services that Visayas can offer to both domestic and international market.

DTI representatives from Central Visayas (Region VII) and Western Visayas (Region VI) said that the OTOP Fair this year is bigger and better as they have more exhibitors.

The fair which started in November 12 and will end this November 16 have 170 exhibitors selling OTOP products ranging from processed food, gifts, toys, souvenirs, novelty items, furniture, furnishings, natural fiber, and fashion accessories such as bags, shawls, headgears, and footwear as well as tourist destinations.

The exhibitors came from different towns and municipalities in the three regions of Visayas: Region VI (Western Visayas) composed of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental; Region VII (Central Visayas) composed of Siquijor, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Cebu as well as Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) composed of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, and Southern Leyte.

OTOP (One-Town-One-Product) is the priority program of the Arroyo administration to promote entrepreneurship in the countryside, create jobs as well as encourage patronage of native products and even enhance the tourism profile of the country, said Elias Tecson, DTI Region VII Business Development Division Chief.

He said that a town’s OTOP is identified, developed and promoted by the local chief executive of the area but its implementation is comprehensive as its assistance package includes the convergence of services from the LGU, national government agencies such as DTI, DOT, DA, DILG, DOST, TESDA and other GFIs as well as private sectors.

Tecson said that the OTOP program in the Visayas regions is well implemented because around 75 percent of LGUs in the Visayas have already established their OTOP programs and are now aggressively marketing and promoting these products and services.

He said that DTI provides assistance to the beneficiaries of the OTOP program such as business counselling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, appropriate technologies and marketing.

Right now, Tecson said that they are looking at packaging and labelling strategies that will lengthen the shelf life of food-based OTOP such as native delicacies and goodies.

In terms of economic impact, Tecson said that the OTOP program was able to create a multiplier effect in terms of income and job generation especially in the countryside.

Meanwhile, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who participated in the trade fair see the intra-regional exhibit as a good avenue to promote their products and services to the local market and even get contacts for export.

Christina Anggana of Hannah’s Handicraft based in Minglanilla, Cebu shared that she participated in OTOP Visayas Island Fair for three consecutives years now.

She said that last year in Boracay, she was able to generate 65 percent revenue out from the amount of goods show brought and this year she hopes to double her sales.

She said that her positive sales show that there is definitely a huge market for OTOP products even in the domestic market.

A buyer commented that fairs such as the recent 3rd Visayas OTOP Island Fair serves as an eye opener for Filipinos because they are able to realize the vast resources of our country and the beautiful products that can be derived from our own indigenous materials.

BHW industry players bullish to offset crisis-related decline

Despite the global economic crisis, Cebu’s health and wellness industry is still optimistic to offset a possible decline of their services through staging the 4th Beauty, Health and Wellness Show (BHW) which opened recently at the Ayala Center Cebu.

Organizers view BHW as their avenue to showcase new trends and the wide range of products and services that are provided by this broadly-linked industry.

Spa and Wellness Association of Cebu (SWAC) president Johnie Lim said that BHW also aims to widen the awareness of Cebuanos and tourists alike that Cebu has a great potential as a world-class lifestyle destination.

Lim said that spa goers have lied low in going to spas and they have developed a “lukewarm” attitude in availing of the services they were used to.

He said that usually the month of October is their industry’s peak season but their revenues were not as high as last year.

Players are also conservative with their projections and are maintaining a “wait and see attitude” in their businesses as most have withhold of their expansion plans, said Lim.

As far as competition is concerned, new players are now having a hard time establishing their presence in the market because most consumers prefer the more known spa chains, he added.

Lim said that around 30 percent of spa players have closed their operations because they are unable to cope with the operation cost and the stiff competition.

However he stressed that compared to other areas such as Manila, Cebu’s wellness industry is performing far better.

“We don’t get high growth rates but there are no drastic declines as well. Most spa operators have been getting flat sales and this is because psychologically consumers feel the gravity of the crises,” said Lim.

With about 40 exhibitors, the Beauty, Health and Wellness 2008 Show feature more than just spas because it exhibited all major players engaged in the lifestyle business such as health and wellness products, beauty salons and parlors, beauty clinics, fitness studios and gyms, restaurants and healthy food supplements as well as wellness gears.

Under the theme: “Experience Life,” the exhibit at the activity area of the Ayala Center Cebu will run until November 16 and its highlights include: free massages, consultations and make-overs, product service and demos, seminars and forums as well as prizes and promos.

Meanwhile over-all BHW 2008 chairman Jay Yuvallos said that through the synergy of several organizations which include the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philexport Cebu, Spa and Wellness Association of Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu Health and Wellness Coalition and their sponsors, BHW has been taken a notch higher with its new re-branding.

He said that the show now highlights Cebu’s potential as a world-class total lifestyle destination showcasing its wide products and services.

“With the kind of environment that we have, there is a big opportunity for Cebu to prosper in the beauty, health and wellness sector, which is considered as a multi-billion dollar industry. In this activity, profit is not an issue because we want to invest on the future of this industry per se,” said Yuvallos.

He said that BHW will create a platform for branding and promotion not only of Cebu as a lifestyle destination but also the practice of a healthy lifestyle.

Cebu-based upscale beauty salon to expand via franchising

Despite the volatile market that has put a lot out of business, Cebu-based beauty parlor Hollywood Nails Beauty Salon and Spa is still eyeing expansion plans through franchising after a year of operations.

Months after RK Franchising finished putting together its operational manual, Hollywood Nails Beauty Salon and Spa is now ready to accept business partners in different parts of the country, proprietor Terence Connelly said in an interview.

Connelly said that after the successful operation of their business they decided that it is already high time they venture into franchising.

“We looked at franchising because there have been a lot of requests from interested investors which we have asked to wait until the preparatory work is done and legal documents and trademarks are accomplished,” said Connelly.

Hollywood Nails Beauty Salon and Spa is a full service parlor that offers not only the usual nail and hair care services but even spa and a wide range of beautification treatments for both men and women from the A and B segments of the market.

He said that their first year of operations has been quite good despite the fact that their shop is not located inside a major mall.

The first three months of their operations has been a trial and error period but on the succeeding nine months they were able to gain monthly average growth of around five to eight percent through repeat customers, shared Connelly.

Despite being affected by the construction of the Banilad fly-over in Talamban, Connelly said it was still a blessing as residents along their area frequented their salon instead of going to the malls.

Connelly, a British national, is an experienced businessman who founded the Australian investment management and administration company known as Public Securities Nominees Ltd. (PSN) in 1991.

Following the sales of his Australian business shareholding last September 2007, Connelly decided to permanently settle in to Cebu and invest in its growing beauty, health and wellness industry through Hollywood Nails Beauty Salon and Spa together with his wife Gigi Connelly, a trained beautician and therapist from Cebu.

“The beauty salon business is recession proof because there is no downside even with the current crisis. It’s a money market type of business because people go here to relax and get off their stress so in turn we made it a full service salon which completes the concept of beauty, health and wellness,” said Connelly.

But aside from the full service concept of Hollywood Nails Salon and Spa, Connelly will also offer a new homegrown franchise concept called Lush Nails Salon, a specialist service business which will offer state of the art nail care technology such as nail art, nail repair, nail sculpturing, and hand waxing, among others.

He said that the prototype of this venture will soon be opened at Parkmall in Mandaue this December.

Connelly said that their franchising efforts will go full blast next year as they will still intensify their preparations to avoid errors.

For Hollywood Nails Beauty Salon and Spa, Connelly is targeting to open 10 franchised outlets while they expect to open 20 Lush Nails Salon franchised outlets in the next two years.

Norkis new showroom unveils Spider pickups

In its bid to strengthen its position in the country’s transportation industry, the Norkis Group of Companies recently opened its new Norkis Gas Savers showroom in Kasambagan, Mandaue at the same time introduced its new Spider pickups.

The new 700 square meter showroom showcases the wide range of four-wheel and two-wheel vehicle products of the Norkis Group.

It has both outdoor and indoor showrooms highlighting the different brands carried by NGC such as Yamaha, Suzuki, and Sunriser.

The new showroom also highlights the latest product of the Porta Coeli Industrial Company, Inc., a member of NGC and the nation’s leading manufacturer of four-wheel light vehicles more popularly known as the original Multicab.

Porta Coeli was established as a manufacturer of three-wheeled vehicles in 1987 and since 1992 the versatile Multicab has permanently replaced the three-wheeled Wonder cab in the market.

PCIC is the only accredited manufacturer of four-wheel light vehicles category by the Bureau of Investments (BOC), said Alex Abellanosa, managing head of the Spider multicabs.

It was last 2007 when the company introduced the Spider commuter which was designed for family and leisure use as well as a resorts and government service vehicles.

After the success of the Spider commuter line, PCIC saw the need to respond to the market demand for an all in one utility vehicle so they introduced the Spider Pickup.

The Spider Pickup is a sub-compact utility car that offers a comfortable and smooth ride with cab, body and suspension systems designed for light cargo loads which is fuel efficient, said Abellanosa.

“The market trend nowadays is to buy an all for one utility vehicle that can be used anytime, anywhere. So the target for Spider Pickups is to become a second hand vehicle and an alternative for car buyers,” said Abellanosa.

He said that like the Spider Commuter, Spider pickup is also powered by the Japan Daihatsu or Suzuki engines and is available in two transmission variants, 4-speed and automatic.

“The vehicle tailor fits the transportation requirements of business establishments engage in light cargo deliveries and junior executives and salesmen who may use the Spider pick-up as their personal service vehicle,” he said.

Abellanosa said that they target to produce and sell 20 Spider pickup units a month in Visayas and Mindanao.

He said that this projection is not hard to achieve because they offer a better and more affordable alternative.

With their main aim of providing affordable vehicles to the mainstream Filipino market who are now feeling the impact of the economic crisis, PCIC is offering affordable promotions and deals with this new unit.

The Spider pickup is priced at P245,000 and it is available at P13,000 down payment with an P 8,568 monthly amortization scheme which includes complete registration and comprehensive insurance, six months warranty, on and under chassis parts and one year free service check ups.

Being the pioneer makers of these hybrid vehicles, Abellanosa is optimistic that the Spider pickup will be a hit nationwide. (photos courtesy of Aldo Nelbert Banaynal)

SPIN program generates more jobs for recipients

Months after the Subcontracting Partners for Innovation Network (SPIN) program was rolled out to cleared conflict areas in the Visayas, residents in Cebu who have been beneficiaries of skills trainings conducted by the Cebu Gifts, Toys, and Housewares Foundation (GTH) have been starting to deliver booked orders from exporters.

The SPIN program is spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry Region 7 (DTI) upon a directive from President Gloria Arroyo.

Initially, the program has been rolled out in Central Visayas wherein the raw materials used by the program’s beneficiaries are subsidized by the Cebu-GTH Foundation.

Aside from providing the raw materials, Cebu-GTH Foundation led by its past president Jenifer Cruz from the 33 Point 3 Exports Inc. provided the technical assistance in the aspect of sending trainers and training the residents coming from six initially identified marginalized areas in Cebu.

The municipalities of Tuburan and Balamban in the North were the pilot areas of this intervention.

After DTI’s training needs assessment, there has been 33 cleared conflict areas in the whole Visayas shortlisted for the program upon the approval the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) particularly by the 78th Infantry Battalion.

Elias Tecson, the point person for this program here in Cebu said that their trainings is focused on a “market driven” scheme wherein the products to be made by the trained group are actual export orders already so that the training outputs pass the quality standards of the Cebu GTH member-exporters.

The trainees will have immediate purchase orders (POs) which would mean immediate earning for them.

He said that the trainings jive with the needs of most exporters because most of the time they do not have enough workers to finish the job orders of their clients so they need to sub contract some of these processes.

As of November this year, the SPIN program has been rolled out to 12 municipalities in Cebu and 14 trainings conducted have already benefited 673 beneficiaries since June.

The municipalities include Talisay City, Tuburan, Minglanilla, Balamban, Carcar City, Medellin, Borbon, San Fernando, Tabogon, Aloguinsan, and Bantayan.

In Talisay City, 25 beneficiaries were been able to deliver 35 percent of their P101, 000 purchase orders as of September.

Tuburan had 160 beneficiaries with booked orders worth P265, 000 from four exporters and so far they have delivered 65 percent consolidated orders.

Minglanilla’s 45 beneficiaries who have booked orders worth P80,000 has delivered 50 percent.

Carcar City with 43 beneficiaries have booked orders worth P121,250 while Borbon which has 53 beneficiaries have booked orders worth P95,000, and Aloguinsan with 52 beneficiaries has been able to make sales worth P200,000 already.

In Balamban, participants are members of the 78th IB who will later on become trainers in their assigned areas while other areas will still send samples to their respective exporters.

There were five trainings conducted last month and these were focused on hand weaving skills such as basic skills on basket weaving and related handicrafts.

After trainings are done in Central Visayas, training coverage will be expanded to Region 6 (Western Visayas) and Region 8 (Eastern Visayas)

SIG pours P1.3 billion for air separation unit

To enhance its capability of supplying the growing requirements of their customers from all over Visayas and Mindanao, Southern Industrial Gases Philippines Inc. (SIG), a member of the Linde Group recently broke grounds for its 1.5 hectare Air Separation Unit (ASU) plant in Balamban, Cebu.
The ASU is designed to separate various components of air to produce liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen and gaseous oxygen as well as “cryogenic” gases or low-temperature gases which are the major products of SIG, explained Dennis Jordan, managing director of Linde Philippines (CIGI-SIG).
He said that these products have been generating a growing demand from their clients coming from different industries including healthcare, shipbuilding, steel and fabrication, manufacturing, petrochemicals, electronics, and food and beverage.
“The ASU is the biggest investment in the history of the Linde Group here in the Philippines. Overall we will be pouring P1.3 billion of investments in the country which indicates our confidence in its growing economy,” said Jordan.
He said that the ASU will make sure that they are able to support the growing demands of their major clientele in the Visayas and Mindanao areas as well as enhance the capacity of their existing production sites and on site plants all over the country.
Jordan stressed that their vision is to shape the future of the gas industry in the country by focusing on their customers and pursuing excellence in their operational safety.
Amid the worsening impacts of the global economic slowdown, the Linde Group pushed through with this major investment because they see further growth opportunities in the area, said Jordan.
”We always believe that economic downturn is the right opportunity to make investments. The ASU is an important investment for us because it will support our existing customers as well as cater to the future growth of the Visayas and Mindanao regions so when the upturn will return, we will be in the best position to supply these major industries,” Jordan pointed out.
The growing need of Tsuneishi, one of the major clients of SIG in the Visayas has triggered the need to put up the one billion peso air separation facility in Balamban, said SIG general manager Tristan P. Dumlao.
With their increased capacity, SIG will strive to achieve double digits of growth through their existing customers as well as in attracting new markets, said Dumlao.
Currently, SIG supplies industrial oxygen, acetylene, argon for wielding, specialty gases, and liquid gases, among to their clients which include big hospitals as well as large scale corporate enterprises based in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
After the ground breaking ceremonies, the ASU plant’s construction will immediately start this month and it is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2010.
SIG was established through a joint venture between the Aboitiz Company and the British Oxygen Company (BOC) in 1993.
In 1999, SIG was 100-percent-owned by BOC, which turned the company over to the Linde Group, a Germany-based gases and engineering company in 2006.
SIG now has 22 gas and gear centers and five major production sites in the Visayas and Mindanao and its sister company in Luzon is the Consolidated Industrial Gases Incorporated (CIGI).
Both companies are considered to be the leading industrial gases companies in the country as they have the largest network of gas production and distribution centers.

Importer develops niche for South African wines

Optimistic with the huge potential of South African wines in the Philippine market, a Cebu-based wine importer and distributor is looking at huge growth prospects within the next months.

“My wife and I are passionate about wines and we personally select every single wine we sell. We rediscovered South African Wines three years ago and we are just impressed with its quality and different intensities and styles,” said Gordon “Dondi” Joseph in an interview during the opening of the South African Food and Wine Festival at the Marco Polo Plaza.

Joseph and his wife Corrine Joseph own D+B (Darras and Bowler) Wines, a retail and wholesale wine outlet in the Crossroads, Banilad under Corinthia Gourmet Incorporated (CGI).

After CGI’s incorporation last 2003, D+B Wines has since grown and became one of the prominent players in Cebu’s food and beverage industry.

They carry over 350 wine labels in its portfolio, considered to be the largest here in Cebu and among its best selling wines are from New Zealand, Australia and France.

The company is also the leading proponent of South Africa’s greatest and award winning wines bringing around 50 labels on its wine list.

They carry South African wines that produce high quality, hand-made wines that are rich in flavor and aromas.

Joseph said that they have since been selling wines in the Cebu market and they have sold South African wines for about three years already from importers but it was just recently this year that they have decided to directly import these wines from South Africa.

He said that the first shipment of about 200 cases of South African wines will arrive around this week.

“South African wines are made by pure traditional wine makers using natural ingredients. Its price to quality ratio is very great so customers get the quality they paid for,” he added.

In terms of competition, he said that there are also around two to three distributors of South African wines here in Cebu but these are supermarket varieties and not of high quality.

“Our goal is to focus on the niche market of quality. We want to sell and bring quality wines to Cebu but not at a high price,” he said.

Joseph also said that doing business with South Africans has been very easy for them because South African businessmen are nice and they easily trust their partners.

“We do business with South Africans at a more personal level. If you are able to gain their trust, they will be very good to you,” he said.

He said that slowly their South African wines are growing its market base in line with the growth of D+B Wines.

Currently, D+B Wines carry 25 brands of South African Wines and Joseph said that in the next 12 months, they are expecting to penetrate around 10 to 15 percent of the market with the growing acceptance of South African wines in the market.

After five years of operations, Joseph outlaid plans of expand their distributorship to other cities so they can establish their presence nationwide.

Joseph said that generally the wine industry in the Philippines is growing in such as rapid phase with an organized growth of around 10 percent a year.

Currently, there are around 13 major players in the industry and if the country’s tourism industry continues to grow, there is a huge potential for the industry to grow as well, said Joseph.

The client base of wines are proved to be recession proof so despite the current global economic crises, decline of sales is not anticipated especially that its market value wines in their lifestyle, added Joseph.

The South Africa Food and Wine Festival which features the rainbow cuisine of South Africa will run until the 20th of November at the Café Marco of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel showcasing a wide range of South African Wines from D+B Wines.

Bleeding Heart

"You cut me open and i'm bleeding...keep on bleeding love..."

Lyrics from a last song syndrome song (LSS) which also speaks true about my heart and lovelife's condition now a days...
hmmm... (sigh) hmmm....

i'm not crying, i'm not crying now!

I had enough of that melodrama already!

However, i honestly will say that i'm still "bleeding" and that my heart is still torn.
Huh.. yeah good i got that one itsy bit of corny confession out.
Yes, i'm not yet healed and that is because no one in this wide world had taken the effort to do so.

Well, as i've alwways said i don't need a man to be happy but at least i need a person (somebody) to lean on.

I have none. I am living an independent and almost isolated life that only i am aware of.
Oh sure there are people around me. Friends i go out with, watch movie and eat together but no one that i have actually been romantically linked with. (spare my girl friends)

I mean, "kilig" is one factor i'm truly missing and hell, i'm only 21 and it's not fair to say that i should no longer be looking for that now. I'm still young!

No one bothers to share his time and spend effort to show care for me. Where have all the boys gone? Ah...to the mountains!

Well, right now i've hibernated the wild thought of me having another relationship again after that tragic one ended.

I even feel old now. More like i'm thirty because i feel like it, walk like it and damn even speak like it!

Cynical, depressed, frustrated, bitter and damned!

Well, i guess that's my punishment for being too trustful and for giving it my everything...
Maybe that is also the trade-off for recieving so much blessings from the Almighty and for living this kind of life that i have right now.

Yeah, it's definitely a trade-off (that turned out positive for my career) in all the sense of the word. ..

Boracay

BORACAY BABY...

Boracay is one of the counytry's hottest summer destination, where stars and those wanting to meet stars come together. BUt so much for the hype about this temptation island...
I happened to set foot there last week. It was my first time (yeah...yeah...after 21 years!)

Anyway, before i spill my tale, first thing's first! My Bora trip was sponsored by JG Summit, Cebu Pacific and Boracay Tropics (definitely one of Bora's nicest haven!)

Well... let me proceed..

Boracay as we know has always been described as an island paradise like no other. Filled with funfare and every aspect of the word "FUN" that you can think of.

Yeah, no way denying its beauty especially its beach and long stretch of white sand (around 7. something meters)...Gosh it was indeed captivating. First time i have walked in a stretch that long and in a sand that white.

But here's a catch! The water had mosses or "lumot." Walking along the beach you'll see those green slimy things floating on the clear waters.. yes!it's crystal clear, no pebbles but underneath you can clearly see the white sand and of course your reflection (minus the "lumot")

Yes i also agree Boracay is not your typical island because it is in fact an island that mixed nature with "commercialism" however if you'll ask me what the result is: it's to no avail!

There were new constructions everywhere! Walking along the beach will not give your mind some peace and quiete because there were so many people squarming (foreigners and locals alike),actually you can't barely tell because of their tanned and almost burned skin color.

Along the beach are rows of different cafes, hotels, inns, pension houses, bazaars, diners, restos, shops, etc...etc... and take note, each has different and varied concepts! Native Filipino styles, European, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, American ,Thai, and what have you; name it and you'll surely find it in the island.

Yes folks, Boracay is definitely one of the country's emerging tourism destination but its development definitely went out of control---blowing out of proportion.
Even the interior side of the island was not sparred by commercialism and "overdevelopment".

up, u've read that right!
New development here. there and everywhere. The poor provincial town seemed to have been raped out of its wits! tsk..tsk..tsk..

But i've talked to some tourism industry stakeholders (specifically from the hotel industry) and these sources told me that the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) issued last January of this year a moratorium stopping constructions that are going on within the island because these have been destructing the environment and resulted to problems on sanitation, etc..etc..

Well, enough of too much politicism...

In Bora, you can actually do pretty much whatever you want. Whatever you desire and be whoever you want to be. Go crazy, fool around, cheat and no one will care.

As the popular saying goes "whatever happens in Bora, stays in Bora!"

Yes, you can dance your stress away in its multiple night life havens (which is very wild and crazy), drink yourself to death, have an elicit affair and no one will stop you.

Yes folks! Boracay has a lot of stories to tell but these tales would depend upon the person (his or her experiences and perceptions)describing it.

If i may do so, Boracay for me is just another island among the country's 7, 107 islands. I'm not saying it's not special but i prefer other islands than it.

I'm not also saying that its development is negative because locals are actually benefiting from the strong inflow of investments and tourists.

Business is really good in Bora, maybe one major reason why a lot of people have been captivated by its charm. Some of them have chosen to bum around, some decided to work there and some well, jetsetters so what can you expect? they make it as a second home, a secondary base and a sanctuary (however that helps them)...

But all in all, i had fun in Bora, although i was not so charmed with the island's beauty, i enjoyed doing a lot of firsts...

I did parasailing, i did reef walking which enabled me to walk freely beneath the seafloor as if walking in the park and exploring the diversity of the sea, i also did an unforgettable all terrain adventure going to its highest peak called Mt. Luho riding the so-called "all-terrain vehicle," a four wheel vehicle that is way too cool especially for bumpy roads...

In my Bora trip, there are a lot of stories to share because i experienced a lot of new things and of course met and bonded with new friends...

Anyway you look at it, my Bora trip will definitely be remembered for the rest of my life! :-D

Boljoon eyes tourism Infra growth

To Attract Investors: Boljoon eyes tourism infra growth
January 30, 2008
By Rhia de Pablo
Business Section, The Freeman,
Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Blessed with a rich cultural background, the town of Boljoon, in the Southern part of Cebu, is looking at plans of improving its tourism infrastructure to better attract domestic and foreign tourists, especially potential investors.
In an interview with Boljoon Municipal Mayor Deogenes R. Derama, he pointed out that as a fifth class municipality, Boljoon is eyeing for tourism and infrastructure developments in the area as a potential key to help alleviate the living condition of their people.
Annually, Boljoon receives P25 million of IRA, and most of its constituents’ basic source of living is through fishing and farming. The town is located at the Southern part of Cebu and is bounded by the town of Alcoy in the North, Oslob in the South, Malabuyoc in the west and by Bohol Strait in the east. It is composed of six coastal and five upland barangays.
Derama said that they are at the moment qualified to be categorized as a fourth class municipality and sooner they will be applying to become one.
Aside from its rich cultural heritage having been declared by the National Museum in 2001 as a National Cultural Treasure and conferred by the National Historical Institute as a National Landmark in 1999, Boljoon also boasts of having pristine beaches which is being eyed by foreign investors.
Derama said that recently Korean and American firms have been negotiating to acquire beach properties in the town while some have eyed their mountain areas as retirement settlements for the growing foreign retiree market in the region.
Already on his third and last term, Derama is bent on pursuing local projects that can alleviate the living condition of his constituents. Recently, he had employed the expertise of a shoe manufacturer from Carcar City to train Boljo-anons from its 11 barangays with aims of providing livelihood opportunities for these people.
But Derama is very much hopeful that Boljoon can also capture a huge segment of the growing tourism industry in Cebu and be known as one of the top tourism destination in the South.
With this aim in mind, Derama have thought of ways to promote Boljoon’s tourism by proposing a resolution that will implement that all new houses to be built will utilize uniform construction materials. These materials are bricks, which were used in olden times to build houses. In this way, Derama is eyeing prospects of becoming the next Vigan or Las Piñas, which has been known internationally as heritage towns.
Through the town’s own efforts and initiative, several barangays have been making hand-made bricks which are now being utilized for the reconstruction and renovation of their centuries old Church, that have brought national prestige to Boljoon putting the town in the country’s historical map.
But tourism development according to Derama is one of the major steps they consider in uplifting the living conditions of their people and the economic level of Boljoon because this way they can attract more investors that can provide more livelihood opportunities for their people.
“Location-wise, Boljoon is very scenic although it is topographically a small town compared to other local destinations here in Cebu. But we have what it takes to become Cebu’s top tourism destination with our rich cultural heritage,” stressed Derama.
As offshoot of the aggressive tourism promotional efforts of the national, provincial and the local government units, Boljoon have received quite a number of foreign and domestic guests for last year.
This year, they are eyeing more increase in tourism arrivals especially that basic elements like transportation have been well-provided as buses and other mode of transportations have been increased and also basic tourism infrastructures like hotels and resort operations that are of international quality have been starting to increase that can accommodate the growing demand of accommodation in the area.