Durano: Cebu int'l airport needs to expand

Cebu City (8 February) -- Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano bared the urgent need for the expansion of the Mactan Cebu International Airport in order to accommodate the increasing tourist arrivals coming to Cebu.

Durano in a recent forum said passenger traffic at the Cebu airport is growing over 20 percent year after year so the need to expand the airport and its facilities is very necessary especially as Cebu is the top favored foreign tourist destination in the country today.

Cebu leaders need to address this concern to sustain and accommodate the growth of the volume of passengers making Cebu the entrance and exit gateway of air travel, this is said.

Last year, of the total 3.09M foreign tourists that visited the Philippines, 748T came to Cebu which emerged as the number one vacation haven followed by Misamis Occidental with 526T visitors. Third most visited place by foreign travelers was Baguio City with 441T while Boracay came in fourth, the Department of Tourism (DOT) data showed.

The tourism chief said his greatest fear is that if this is not address and the bulk of tourist arrivals get bigger every year, the lapse of infrastructure development will certainly affect the tourism growth of the country.

Cebu can compete with Malaysia, Hongkong and Singapore as an international tourist destination but that it lacks direct flights coming in, disclosed the DOT secretary.

Durano meanwhile, disclosed that the downgrading of the country's international airports as not having met the safety standards of the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) will not affect US-RP air routes.

There are 58 flights per week from the Philippines to the US and vice versa with a total of 900T air seats a year while the DOT's 2008 target quota for American travelers is 640T US visitors, which makes it more than sufficient when it comes to capacity, according to Durano.

What is important is that there is needed government interventions in upgrading the country's international airports as we at the DOT continues to work with air carriers to include the Philippines in their flight destinations, Durano claimed.

Although Durano defended the Air Transportation Office (ATO) after receiving flak due to the FAA downgrade saying that the agency may not be good enough for the FAA standards but is good enough for other nations. "ATO needs to improve but it is not lousy," Durano pointed.

Durano on the other hand, expressed his dismay over the non-membership of the DOT in the proposed Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as its membership in the body is just logical.

Durano said he could not understand why the DOT was overlooked in the creation of membership and instead had members from the DOLE and the DILG in the proposed body.

In the national tourism bills, we are going to push for the amendment to incorporate the membership of the DOT in the proposed CAA, Durano stressed.

This coming October 21 to 25, at least 400 members of Congress from at least 100 countries around the globe will converge in Cebu for the 6th United Nations World Tourism Organization (WTO) Forum. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Global recognition sa Coral Triangle, gikalipay sa BFAR 7

Cebu City (8 February) -- Gikalipay sa mga taga–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Central Visayas ang dakong atensyon nga gihatag sa mga magpapatigayon sa tibuok kalibutan sa coral triangle nga gilangkuban sa kadagatan sa silangang bahin sa Indonesia, Malaysia, og Pilipinas.

Lakip sab sa coral triangle ang kadagatan sa Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste og Solomon Islands.

Matud ni Tiburcio C. Donaire, hepe sa Fisheries Extension Training and Communication sa BFAR 7, ang awhag sa world economic leaders nagpakita lang nga importante sa panginabuhi sa katawhan sa kalibutan ang pagpreserbar sa lugar diin nahimutang ang pinakaabundang kadagatan sa kalibutan.

"Of course yes, dako kaayo ni'g papel sa pagpreserbar sa flora and fauna sa biodiversity sa coral triangle."

Dinhi sa Central Visayas aduna say gideklarar nga coral triangle nga gilangkuban sa kadagatan sa Bohol, Negros Oriental og Sugbo lakip na sa Siquijor.

Matud ni Lourdes Arciaga, tigpamaba sa BFAR sa pinakaulahi nilang pagsusi sa coral triangle nag-anam na og kadaghan ang mga itloganan sa isda kon coral reefs sa nahisgutang lugar.

Nidugang sab si Arciaga pag-ingon nga ang mga coral reefs importante alang sa mga isda og uban pang mga nilalang sa dagat.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA 7 Cebu)

Mahinumduman nga ang mga negosyante nga nitambong sa world economic forum nihangyo kang Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa pagpabiling limpiyo og luwas alang sa mga isda og ubang produkto sa dagat ang coral triangle. (PIA Cebu/RMC)

Anti-frat o gang wars giumol sa Cebu City police

Cebu City (6 February) -- Inihap na lang ang adlaw sa mga salbahis nga miyembro sa fraternities sa Sugbo.

Kini human unya makumpleto ang mga grupo sa mga pulis nga molangkub sa Anti-Frat Wars og Street Violence sa Cebu City Police Office.

Sayo karong buntag, namahayag si Cebu City Police Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador nga ang maong task force panguluhan nila ni Senior Inspector George Ylanan og Inspector Juanito Pajantoy.

Kung mahinumduman, ang kapolisan gihangyo sa mga negosyante sa dakbayan sa pagpuhag sa mga gang og fraternities nga naghatag kaguliyang og hinungdan sa mga patay og pagparegla nga nahitabo sa nagkalain-laing lugar sa dakbayan.

Ang mga negosyante ilabi na ang mga nagsalig sa turismo nityabaw tungod kay ang mga frat wars sa syudad nihatag na man og kahadlok sa pipila ka turista og mamuhunan sa pagbisita sa Sugbo.

Sa nasayran, sobra sa usa ka gatos ka mga pagpamatay nga nahitabo sa Sugbo naglambigit sa frat wars og mga vigilante style killings nga nahitabo sa Sugbo sukad pa niadtong dos mil saez.

Sa iyang panapos nga pamahayag, niawhag si Comendador sa mga ginikanan pagpadayon sa ilang pagmonitor sa ilang mga anak.

Base sa panukiduki sa mga sociologists, ang pagdagsang sa frat og gang wars nagpakita sa kapakyas sa mga ginikanan paghatag atensyon sa ilang mga anak og nagpaila lang kini sa krisis sa mga pamilya sa usa ka lugar.

Ang mga frat wars naglambigit sa mga sakop sa AKRHO og Tau Gamma ingon man Crips og Bloods nga giingong mao ra gihapon nga mga grupo. (PIA Cebu/RMC)

OWWA 7 mohatag scholarship sa mga OFWs

Cebu City (February 6) -- Ang Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) dinhi sa tunga-tungang Kabisay-an nag-awhag karon sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers nga mo-avail sa skills scholarship training program sa maong buhatan.

Sa nasayran, ang mga OFWs dinhi sa Central Visayas wa pa kaayo mahibalo kabahin sa nahisgutang programa.

Matud ni Maria Venidez Dayo, ang skills scholarship training program sa OWWA adunay kapin katorse mil (P14,500) nga kantidad nga madawat sa matag scholars.

Gipahibalo hinuon ni Dayo nga kadtong ubos sa katorse mil kinyentos ang kantidad sa skills training scholarship sa usa ka OFW bayaran lang sa OWWA sa eksaktong kantidad sa scholarship.

Kadtong mga OFWs nga interesado giawahag ni Dayo pagbisita sa ilang buhatan diha sa kanhi Amway Building duol sa Plaza Independencia o kaha pagtawag sa telepono 254 3199 og 2540305 alang sa dugang kasayuran. (PIA)

PNP Cebu di modugang og pulis sa Valentine's Day

Cebu City (6 February) -- Normal lang ang deployment sa kapolisan sa dakbayan sa Sugbo sa Valentines Day.

Kini maoy gibutyag ni Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador Cebu City police Director karong buntag.

Matud ni Comendador wa siya kakitag panginahanglan pagdeploy og dugang polis sa maong adlaw kay lovers day man kini og gilauman niyang way kagubot nga mahitabo sa maong adlaw.

Ang dakbayan sa Sugbo, usa sa lugar sa nasod diin daghan ang mga managhigugmaay nga mosuroy sa Valentine's Day kauban ang ilang mga minahal.

Gipaabot sab nga makasinati ang katawhan og kahuot sa trapiko ingon man mga resorts, kan-anan, hotels og mga motels sa dakbayan atol sa giingong adlaw sa mga managhigugmaay. (PIA Cebu/RMC)

Philpost offers flowers express delivery for Valentines Day

Cebu City (6 February) -- One can order fresh flowers for express delivery at a cheaper rate for Valentines Day at any of the three postal offices in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapulapu.

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC-7) in its annual special project dubbed "Flowers Express" aims to cater to clients who wish to greet their loved ones with a bunch of fresh flowers on Valentines Day.

PPC-7 market specialist Rachel Betos bared one can now book their orders for fresh flowers at any of the three postal offices and for the type of flower arrangement preferred. A corresponding price list on the type of flowers and particular flower arrangement is also posted at the respective postal centers.

Betos cited that a single American Rose wrapped in plastic costs P100 and P150 for a Holland Rose while the price is already inclusive of the delivery charge.

Flower shops who offer the same services for Valentines Day will cost over P200 for a single American Rose alone, the PPC-7 market specialist declared.

At present, the PPC has already received more than 50 bookings as Betos urged those interested to book in advance or at least one day ahead of Valentines Day while 11:00 a.m. is the cut off time, Betos disclosed.

Last year, the PPC-7 has earned more than P30T sales from the project while the heavy bulk of the orders came from the Cebu City Central Post Office.

The project formerly called 'Oplan Pagmamahalan' started in 1996 and since then, has been an extra service for a special occasion offered by the PPC-7, according to Betos.

The three city postal offices will also accommodate those who want to send gift items for Valentines Day with delivery charge ranging between P50 to P100 depending on the size of the item, this is learned.

Meanwhile, PPC-7 information officer Josephine Layco said there is a new guideline for the application of a postal ID which now requires a background investigation on the applicant to verify the accuracy of the information given.

Layco said based on reports, suspected criminals that have been apprehended are using the postal ID for their own selfish purposes which prompted their agency to implement stricter measures in obtaining a postal ID.

The postal ID is particularly useful to those who are unemployed who have no identification card but have plenty of bank transactions, Layco bared.

Those who want to apply for a postal ID may visit the nearest postal office for further inquiries, Layco further said. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Dengue cases in Central Visayas rise over 50%

Cebu City (6 February) -- Just five weeks since the year started, dengue cases in the region have posted over 50 percent growth while fatality rate tripled in number compared to the same period last year as health officials in the region urged more community involvement in the fight against the dengue disease.

Department of Health (DOH-7) data showed that 512 dengue cases have already been recorded from January to the 1st week of February this year compared to only 308 cases for the same period in 2007; an increase of 66 percent in incidence rate.

Out of the 512 cases, 12 deaths were documented compared to only four deaths in 2007.

Cebu City has consistently been the hardest hit in both morbidity and mortality rate recording 136 dengue cases out of the 512 and eight out of the 12 deaths. The other four deaths recorded came from Danao City, Lapulapu City, Consolacion and Oriental Negros, this is learned.

The dense population and congested areas resulting to rapid transmission of the virus has been a major factor that attributed to Cebu City's highest incidence rate, bared Renan Cimafranca, the DOH-7-Regional Epidemiology Services Unit (RESU) Nurse.

Top five barangays in Cebu City with the highest incidence rate of dengue cases are Labangon, Guadalupe, Apas, Lahug and Talamban. The DOH-7 in partnership with the Cebu City Health Office (CCHO) is conducting an entomological survey of the said barangays to determine the common breeding sites of the Aedes Egypti Mosquitoes to serve as baseline before conducting a 'search and destroy' mission of these sites, Cimafranca said.

Based on their survey, findings showed that used tires and cans that store clean and stagnant water were found to be positive of the larvae of the dengue-carrier vector, the DOH-7-RESU nurse claimed.

Because of the growing incidence of dengue cases in the country, the DOH will launch a nationwide intensified advocacy and education campaign drive on February 21 as the DOH-7 conducted a half-day consultative meeting today on anti-dengue campaign with various partners and stakeholders.

7 dengue labs set up in Cebu City

CCHO director Dr. Fe Cabugao during the meeting said seven satellite laboratories have been set up to handle dengue cases in strategic areas namely Pardo, Pari-an, Guadalupe, Bo. Luz, Mabolo, Talamban and Punta Princesa.

These satellite labs offer free Complete Blood Count (CBC) and platelet count tests, Cabugao further said.

The satellite laboratories are open from Monday until Saturday during office hours and beyond that, must be referred to the Cebu City Medical Center where a fast lane for dengue cases have also been arranged, according to Cabugao.

Cabugao said the Cebu City Government last October has appropriated P5M for the dengue program after declaring calamity areas to identified barangays having high incidence of dengue cases.

Last year, Cebu City recorded a total of 53 deaths from dengue.

DOH-7 Regional Director Susana Madarieta said that the DOH-Central Office plans to conduct a training for private and public doctors on the clinical management of dengue this last week of February.

Madarieta stressed the participation and involvement of the community to fight the dengue problem especially in cleaning immediate surroundings and destroying possible breeding sites of the dengue-carrier mosquitoes which is the most effective prevention method.

Central Visayas last year topped nationwide in the ranking of fatality rate of dengue and placed fourth in the morbidity rate. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)