Cebu, Manila eyed as major hubs for BPO in the future

An official of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC) suggested that the next major hubs for the business process outsourcing will only be Manila and Cebu.

Joel Mari Yu, managing director of CIPC said that Cebu produces an average of 23,000 graduates every year but it also banks of other college graduates from reputable schools in the Visayas and Mindanao areas which also make up another set of good talent pool, Yu added.

Cebu according to Yu is truly ready for the BPO. It has no problem with the infrastructure that BPO companies can lease. There are already a number of buildings that have been put up to address this need. The Asia-town IT park has been developed to cater to the BPO sector.

To date, Cebu has 25 call centers and more than 70 BPO companies that offer software and animation services; medical transcription and legal services among others. Yu said that the BPO industry here directly employs 40,000 to 50,000 workers.

These do not include the employment from coffee shops, restaurants, bakeshops, novelty and convenience stores that are earning because of the BPO industry, Yu said.

"The BPO in Cebu is definitely not a fad. It will continue to grow and flourish because it has already the infrastructure, talented manpower and an effective public-private partnership that creates conducive business environment," Yu said.

According to Yu, the CIPC receives inquiries from international companies as to where they can put up their centers in Cebu. "Just lately, an Indian company asked us to help them coordinate their plans of putting up a BPO center in Cebu with 1,000 to 1,500 seat capacity," Yu concluded. (PIA-Cebu)

Tourists increase; airport terminals need expansion

MACTAN-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) will expand its passenger terminal because of the rapidly increasing number of foreign and domestic tourists.

MCIAA General Manager Danilo Augusto Francia said domestic and foreign tourists of different nationalities arriving and departing Mactan airport are increasing every year.

Records showed that international passenger arrivals went up from 279,624 from January to September 2006 to 356,762 in the same period this year, or 29 percent above the 266,401 target.

MCIAA recorded total departures of 369,856 from January to September this year, which is higher than the 289,965 in the same period last year.

Domestic

Arrivals of domestic passengers increased from 812,762 in January to September 2006 to 1,009,195 in the same period this year. The departures of local passengers also increased from 864,144 to 1,032,823.

The international arrival flights were recorded at 2,009 from January to September 2006 and went up to 2,733 in the same period this year. There were 2,723 international departure flights this year, from 2,018 in the same period last year.

A total of 778,210 international passenger arrivals were recorded for 2006 from the 57,998 when Mactan was opened to international flights in 1991. Within this period, the domestic passengers also increased from 1.4 million in 1991 to 3.3 million last year.

Approval

Aside from aircraft plying in regular routes and chartered flights, general aviation companies made an average of 8,000 flights annually, while the military has an average 6,000 flights.

There are foreign airline companies operating on regular chartered flights from Mactan to different countries while waiting for the approval of their regular routes.

International and domestic cargo arrivals (imports) and departures (exports) also increased every year, said Francia. (SS)

Negros Oriental Is Among World's Best Islands To Live On In 2007

Negros Oriental, and its capital Dumaguete, lives up to its moniker "the city of gentle people" as US-based Islands magazine listed it as one of the 20 best islands to live on. The province joins the list of other exotic addresses such as the Grand Cayman, Gozo in Malta, Carriacou in Grenada and Vieques in Puerto Rico, which all offer a mix of indigenous culture, friendly neighbors, uncomplicated living and adventure attractions.

Islands magazine is one of the widest circulated and most trusted travel publications in the United States. Its readership of 500,000 comprises mostly of frequent tourists who take more than one annual holiday and stay for an average of seven days at any given vacation.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said this recognition for Negros Oriental speaks of an exceptionally hospitable experience that makes people want to stay for the long haul.

"More than the attractions in a particular province or city, it is the people who play a big role in creating a welcoming and positive impression to travelers," he said.

Durano called on local government units to continue their efforts in building up the tourism potentials of their jurisdictions. While infrastructure is essential, programs should also include creating a community mindset that is tourist-friendly and puts forth the world-famous Filipino brand of hospitality.


IDEAL COUNTRY LIVING

Published in the August 2007 issue, editors of Islands magazine chose 20 islands around the globe that have the best living conditions for foreigners who would like to relocate. Deciding factors included weather, languages spoken, ease of immigration and accessibility to hospitals. Expats were also interviewed for an insider’s opinion.

Negros Oriental earned three out of five flip-flops, or rating, from the magazine. Of note was Dumaguete City’s youthful vibe courtesy of the prominence of academic centers. Also mentioned was the city’s picturesque Rizal Boulevard, the seaside promenade lined with cafes and art galleries. German expat Georg Bender, who moved to the island in 2001, spoke of the great diving experiences awaiting scuba and snorkeling enthusiasts.

Located in Central Visayas, Negros Oriental offers divers colorful and teeming marine life around Apo Island, located in the Negros Oriental Marine Conservation Park. Tourists can also chance upon playful dolphins and pygmy sperm whales in Tañon Strait at Bais Bay. Meanwhile, the 400hectare Bird Sanctuary and Mangrove Park provides sightings of rare birds and wildlife. The province also boasts of spelunking, trekking and beach attractions.

Dumaguete City, the provincial capital, prides itself as the City of Gentle People after the winsome and hospitable residents who help create a tranquil and genteel way of life. Dumaguete is also known as a university town, with several institutions of higher learning located in close proximity to each other and students comprising a fourth of the population. Most notable is Silliman University, the first Protestant college in the Philippines and the oldest American-established tertiary education center in Asia. (MB)

Cebu Ranks Highly In Travel Magazine 2007 Survey

Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards

Asia / Indian Ocean Islands Category

1.Maldives 84.3 and Bali 84.3

3. Phuket 80.6

4. Seychelles 77.7

5. Mauritius 75.0

6. Koh Samui 73.7

7. Cebu 72.3

8. Langkawi 69.5

9. Lombok 63.8
10. Zanzibar 62.8

For the fourth straight year, Cebu has been ranked among the top 10 island destinations in Asia / Indian Ocean in the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards for 2007.

Cebu reached a seventh place finish and scored higher this year with 72.3 points compared to last year's 71 points.

Cebu ranked seventh when it first emerged in the top 10 list of the best island destinations in the region in 2004.

Maldives and Bali tied for first place in this year's number one island-destination. These two islands received received 84. 3 points, knocking off Phuket in Thailand, which slid to number three spot at 80.6 points.

Seychelles, Mauritius and Koh Samui were fourth, fifth and sixth placers with scores of 77.7, 75 and 73.7, respectively.

The rest of the top 10 were Cebu (seventh, 72.3), Langkawi (eight, 69.5), Lombok (ninth, 63.8), Zanzibar (tenth, 62.8)

The Readers Choice Awards have been conducted by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine since 1998.

Some 350,000 questionnaires were sent out to Conde Nast Traveler Magazine subscribers where they were asked to rate their choices for the different categories. The final tabulation was conducted by Media-mark Research, Inc., of New York City.

Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, a leading travel magazine, has a worldwide circulation of around 750,000 a month and 1.8 million hits on its website monthly. Its readers have been described as some of the most affluent, stylish and experienced travelers in the world.

Traveler Magazine is published by Conde Nast along with Allure, Brides, GQ, Vogue, Vanity fair, Tattler and Wired.

METHODOLOGY
Every year since 1988, a select sample of Condé Nast Traveler readers have taken the Readers' Choice Survey. In 2007, the questionnaires were made available to all readers, either as a 16-page partial edition of the survey (enclosed with their April or May issue) or through a secure Web site that contained the complete questionnaire. The final tabulations of 28,104 responses were done by Mediamark Research, Inc., of New York City. Organization Poll categories (Cities, Hotels, etc.) appear below, followed by the criteria by which each was evaluated. Questionnaires contained lists of candidates (individual cities, hotels, etc.), and space was allowed for write-ins. Only candidates that received a required minimum number of responses were deemed eligible for an award.

Evaluation: Each candidate was rated, criterion by criterion, as excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor. Criterion scores, which represent the percentage of respondents rating a candidate excellent or very good, were averaged to determine the final score; e.g., in the Islands category, Bali's 84.3 is the average of its scores for Activities, Atmosphere/Ambience, Beaches, Friendliness, Lodging, Restaurants, and Scenery.

Cebu joins list of top 10 emerging outsourcing centers in the world

First take a look at the list. Don't expect Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida in the list because they are already established centers and the list is all about top and best 10 emerging outsourcing centers in the world. The study is done by services globalisation & investment advisory firm Tholons and media group Global Services.

Rank

1. Chennai (India)

2. Hyderabad (India)

3. Pune (India)

4. Cebu City (Philippines)

5. Kolkata (India)

6. Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

7. Colombo (Sri Lanka)

8. Shanghai (China)

9. Chandigarh (India)

10. Beijing (China)

In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC) executive director Joel Mari Yu said he expects Cebu to reach number one, as the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry here is rising compared to that in India.

Costs are surging in the prime cities in India, which has earned a reputation as the world’s back office, as property values and rentals rise and wages increase at an annual pace of more than 15 percent amid a shortage of skilled employees.

Indian outsourcing firms are also feeling the pinch from an appreciating rupee, which dents dollar-billed earnings, forcing them to cut costs by expanding to less expensive locations.

“With the demand-supply gap widening, newer tier II cities will play a critical role in reengineered globalization models,” said Tholons chairman Avinash Vashistha.

“Destinations will need to provide a greater level of cost effectiveness and operational efficiency.”

Kolkata at number five and Chandigarh at number nine were the other two Indian locations on the list, which contained three Chinese and two Vietnamese cities as well.

The three hot cities for outsourcing from China were Shanghai at number eight, Beijing at 10 and Shenzhen at 13. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi were put at number six and number 12.

The Sri Lankan capital of Colombo placed seventh, Cairo at 11, Buenos Aires at 14 and Sao Paulo at 15, the study’s sponsors said in a statement released in Bangalore yesterday.

The list is based on criteria such as scale and quality of workforce, financial infrastructure, risk environment and quality of life.

India’s outsourcing companies have thrived by winning work from companies in the United States and Europe that sought to tap the country’s low costs and large employee pool by handing over jobs ranging from answering customers’ calls to risk management and financial analysis.

Pure-play outsourcing firms account for about 10 percent of the $50 billion in revenue logged in the year ended March by the entire information technology industry, which also includes software giants such as Tata Consultancy and Infosys.

Yu said that among Third World countries, the Philippines has an edge in that Filipinos speak better English, or that which is closest to the American twang, compared to Indians, who have an accent.

But, he said, the government should start giving the industry more attention in policy direction to keep that advantage.

“It would be better that the industry would not be concentrated in Cebu alone but in other provinces as well so that qualified workers do not congregate in Cebu. And this entails better government planning involving other local government units,” Yu said.

In particular, he said, other places should offer English, computer technology and other information technology-related courses for a better-qualified pool of workers.

RP's First SME Industrial Park Opens in Cebu

Plantersbank sets the pace once more in SME promotion with the establishment of the first SME Industrial Park in the Philippines.

Situated in Cebu, the country's fastest growing and most economically active province, the Plantersbank SME Industrial Park brings forth opportunities for SMEs to utilize property investment to further boost productivity, ensure efficient transactions and meet the growing demands of both local and foreign markets while enjoying special economic zone incentives like tax and duty-free privileges.

"The SME Industrial Park in Naga, Cebu is another pioneering initiative by Plantersbank to provide Filipino SMEs with a platform to consolidate operations, widen exporting potentials, and most importantly, benefit from the fiscal benefits extended to locators in an export processing zone area," states Plantersbank chairman Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting.

Unlike other industrial parks that only lease the land to locators, the Plantersbank SME Industrial Park offers ownership of industrial lots ranging from 1,000 square meters to 2 hectares, making it easier for SMEs to better plan construction and expansion of their manufacturing plant.

As a Special Economic Zone, this project offers incentives to SMEs including exemption on taxes and duties on importation of capital equipment, tax credits for locally sourced capital equipment, exemption on export tax and import fees, a four to eight year holiday on income taxes, and 5% income tax on gross income following the tax holiday.

Beyond SME banking, it is part of the Plantersbank mission to provide Filipino SMEs with novel ways and means to grow and expand their businesses and enable them to profit from unfolding opportunities in the global economy. Prior to this, Plantersbank made internet-based business solutions available to Filipino SMEs, helping them enter new markets through SME.com.ph, a joint venture with the World Bank's International Finance Corporation.

"With the rise of the first ever SME Industrial Park in Cebu, we hope to spur economic, industrial and social development in the area," adds Ambassador Tambunting. "In helping SMEs succeed, we are able to spark economic activities leading to more jobs, higher incomes and a better quality of life, especially in the countryside."

The Plantersbank SME Industrial Park aims to become Cebu's melting pot of the finest and innovative ideas for businesses that will propel the country's overall SME excellence for global recognition. (sme.com.ph)

Bohol Launches 1st Boholano Creative Industry Festival

In the spirit of collaboration among national and provincial government agencies, non-government agencies and local government units, the trade fair, agricultural fair, cultural and heritage showcase and LGU tourism showcase will be integrated in one activity --- the Sandugo 2007 which will be held on July 18 to 22.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)- Bohol, Sandugo 2007 will feature the Boholano Culture and Lifestyle and will highlight how the creative sector contributes to economic growth.

DTI Bohol rationalizes that the integration of two major local fairs and component special activities will result in the upscaling of its overall attractiveness not only to locals but also for institutional buyers.

Sandugo events include the Sandugo Product and Lifestyle Fair, Creativity Agora, Creative Industry Forum, Bohol MagNegosyo Talk Show, Boholano Cookfests, Agricultural Entrepreneurship Fora, Social Development Forum and Cultural Peformances.

“The added attraction of the cultural presentations will ensure that this year’s Sandugo will be a kaleidoscope of culture, crafts, food, agriculture, lifestyle, ideas, creativity and ingenuity.”

The Sandugo Product and Lifestyle Fair showcases the best of Boholano craftsmanship and ingenuity with indigenous materials such as raffia and bamboo.

Aside from Bohol producers, DTI Bohol says that producers of fashion accessories, processed food and home furnishings from other provinces within Central Visayas will participate in the trade fair this year

The Creative Industry Agora will be a multi-media showcase featuring the crafts, agri-products, tourism destinations and programs of Bohol’s special six emerging productivity circuits: Northwestern Bohol, Anda Peninsula and Eastern Bohol, Interior Bohol, Panglao Island, Abatan River Towns and Tagbilaran City.

In the First Bohol Creative Economy Forum, speakers from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Center for International Exhibitions and Missions (CITEM), National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), DTI, Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and the British Council will shed light on the nature, scope, implications of the creative industries on the local economy.

The Bohol MagNegosyo Talk Show will focus on the importance of entrepreneurship towards achieving economic growth and poverty alleviation and highlight success stories to serve as inspiration for the Boholanos.

The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Fair is a major marketing and promotional activity that highlights the display of fresh, organic, agricultural and processed products and tests the marketability of products and farm produce.

For more information, interested parties may call DTI-Bohol at telephone numbers (038) 5018260, 5018828, 4113302 or Email: dtibohol@yahoo.com (DTI 7)

Gov't Officials, Top Traders Join Go Negosyo Cebu!

Top government officials and entrepreneurs are expected to speak before the Cebu Business Month (CBM) Entrepreneurship Conference: Go Negrosyo sa Cebu! at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City on June 26, Tuesday.

Among them are Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary General Cerge Remonde and businessmen Joey Concepcion and Jay Aldeguer.

Karen Davila and Anthony Pangilinan will be the moderators for the keynote forum where Senator Pangilinan, Remonde, Concepcion and Aldeguer will join other speakers.

Organizers said the CBM Entrepreneurship Conference is open to the public and is expected to draw a thousand delegates from across all sectors, including the academe, industry associations, businessmen, government, housewives, aspiring entrepreneurs.

Admission to the conference is free.

The conference is designed to encourage Cebuanos to put up their own business. It also aims to educate our fellow small and medium enterprises especially those who run sari-sari stores and carenderia on how to grow their small businesses.

Free transportation will be provided to the delegates and students who will attend the conference and expo. Pick up points are at SM City Cebu Terminal and Ayala Center Cebu terminal from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A highlight of the conference is the awarding of Cebu’s 12 Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs identified by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE).

They include Norberto Quisumbing Jr. of Norkis Trading Co. Inc., Robert Aboitiz of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Augusto Go of the University of Cebu, Jack Gaisano of Metro Group of Companies, Justin Uy of Profood Int’l. Corp., Bernie Liu of Penshoppe, Kenneth Cobonpue of Interior Crafts of the Island Inc., Julie Gandionco of Julie’s Franchise Corp. and Wilson Ng of Ng Khai Dev’t. Corp.(PNA)

Cebu ICT International Conference & Exhibition 2007

Propelled by the demands of a globalized knowledge-based economy, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will host the Cebu ICT international conference and exhibition 2007 on June 26-28 at the Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort & Spa and the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

The objective is to provide a venue that will bring together significant stakeholders from the ICT capitals of Asia - Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, and India - to discuss their vision for sustaining and accelerating the transformation of Asia into the world's premiere IT investment destination and global outsourcing center.

The conference will feature top executives from the world's leading ICT and BPO firms, suppliers, and associations as speakers and panelists in plenary sessions at Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort & Spa. A three-day exhibition will run concurrent to a series of related meetings and activities, including a Summit of Asian ICT Leaders, Regional Meetings of Implementing Partners, an Asian ICT Quiz Show & Web Design Competition, a Business Plan Competition for ICT Entrepreneurs, and a Job Fair for the ICT and IT-Enabled Services Industry. Twelve breakout tracks on technology and business will also be offered.

Cebu ICT 2007 is being organized with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Bureau of Investments (BOI), and in collaboration with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).

The initiative aspires to help harness the Asian potential in the vital frontier of innovation ecosystem advancement, investment promotion, and human capital development through ground-breaking, regional collaboration. (CCCI)

2nd Visayas OTOP Fair Goes to Boracay

Expected to join the 2^nd Visayas One Town One Product (OTOP) Fair goes to Boracay are 99 OTOP Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Region 6 (39 SMEs), Region 7 (35 SMEs), and Region 8 (25 SMEs).

Department of Trade and Industry Western Visayas Regional Director Dominic P. Abad said that the fair will run for five days from 23 - 27 May 2007 at the La Carmela de Boracay Resort.

Two selling areas will be provided for the buyers. One is at the second floor of the resort for the regular selling from 2:00PM-11:00PM daily and the other is at the beach front of the resort for the night market from 7:00PM-11:00PM daily.

Products for sale are souvenir items, beachwear, novelty items, furnishings, natural fiber, and fashion accessories such as bags, shawls, headgears and footwear, including food items and horticulture inputs.

To add color to the fair, two live mannequins will carry and present Visayas OTOP products under the direction and choreography of International Lifestyle Designer PJ Aranador.

To make the fair more alive, a rolling band will be commissioned to roam from station 1, 2 and 3 in addition to a sailboat bearing the OTOP logo that will sail around the Island.

To enliven the night market, a sand art castle with all the candle lights featuring OTOP will be mounted plus a band to play reggae music on May 25.

Abad said that the Island of Boracay was chosen as the venue because most of the souvenir shops are here, domestic and foreign tourists abound in the area, and it has great market and tourism potentials.

Invited to come are buyers from Manila and from the three regions, governors and mayors and other government officials from the National Government Agencies, among others.

The 2^nd OTOP fair will focus on selling the products produced by the SMEs of the three regions under the DTI OTOP Philippines program.

OTOP is one of the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs in the countryside.

It encourages the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to produce and market distinct products or services using indigenous raw materials and manpower of every municipality or city.

Executives of the Local Government Units (LGUs) take the lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service which has a competitive advantage.

The DTI through the Provincial Offices and the SME Development Group assist the LGUs in identifying the specific product and coordinated other forms of assistance from other government agencies such as the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Science and Technology (DOST), Tourism (DOT) and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), among others.

Package of assistance include business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, marketing, and introduction of appropriate technologies.

The 1^st OTOP fair, which was held in Cebu City last year, focused on the product development initiatives of the DTI highlighting the tourism and market potentials of the Supra Region, the Central Philippines , which attracts more than half of the foreign tourists in the country.

The fair became a vehicle to showcase the OTOPs of Region 6, 7 and 8 and generated sales amounting to P 3.77M for the 4-day fair.

Bent on promoting the products of small entrepreneurs in LGUs, DTI -Regional Operations Group (ROG) Undersecretary Carissa Cruz-Evangelista signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Development Bank of the Philippines for a special window on financing for the OTOP SMEs on April 16 this year. (DTI)

Asian telcos meet in Cebu

More than 300 delegates from over 110 telecommunications carriers and entities from Asia, Europe and the Pacific Rim converged in Cebu Tuesday for the four-day 3rd Asian Carriers Conference (ACC).

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co. and its subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. are organizing the conference which is being held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City until Friday.

PLDT group head for International and Carrier Business Victorico P. Vargas said the event was conceived by the PLDT Group to create a venue for discussion of trends, such as the Next Generation Network and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and the challenges and opportunities in the fast-paced telecommunications industry.

These are in addition to basic bilateral commercial and technical discussions between the various telecom entities.

”This year, we have expanded our guest list to include not only fixed and mobile carriers, but also roaming partners, VoIP and value-added service providers, submarine cable operators, vendors and supplies,” Vargas said in a press release.

”We’re proud to say that it is growing to become the largest telecommunications conference in the region,” he added.

When ACC started in 2005, it was able to attract 150 delegates. Last year, the attendance grew to over 180 delegates.

This year, registered delegates have reached over 300, and the number is expected to approach 350 when the conference commences.

”Asian carriers as well as those from other continents and regions now have an alternative venue in Asia to discuss business and industry concerns," said Vargas.

"We made sure the topics for discussion and opportunities for dialogue would be very comprehensive. Support from the carrier and other Telco players like suppliers and cable operators has been strong and well above expectations,” he added.

Vargas said PLDT and Smart hope to achieve in this conference is to create a venue and environment for carries and telecom players to strengthen existing relations, improve business, help resolve issues, as well as find new opportunities in a relaxed and hassle-free atmosphere.

In addition, PLDT and Smart aim to contribute to the promotion of the Philippines as a tourist destination by allowing foreign counterparts to immerse themselves in Philippine culture and enjoy Cebu and its surroundings.

In the works is a proposal to set up an organization for the conference to make it more potent, more cohesive and able to facilitate sharing and cooperation to help the Asian telecom industry advance much faster.

Aside from PLDT and Smart, major sponsors, speakers and exhibitors of the ACC include major telecom players such as France Telecom, Belgacom of Belgium, VSNL/Teleglobe of India and Canada, IDT of the UK, US Sprint, Verizon Business, Hong Kong Colo, NEC of Japan, Comptertel of Mexico, Mabuhay Satellite and Telarix.

Other countries to be represented at the conference include Japan, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh India, Egypt, Oman, the Untied Arab Emirates, South Africa, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Russia, the United States, and Canada, among others.(PNA)

Central Visayas investments jump to P12B in first quarter

Investments in Central Visayas registered with the Board of Investment (BOI) Cebu extension office jumped a hundredfold to P12.23 billion in the first quarter this year compared to the P120 million registered in the same period last year.

South Western Cement Corp. contributed the bulk of the total investment at P12.14 billion, according to BOI records.

The proposed cement plant, which will be located in the southwestern Cebu town of Malabuyoc, is a fully integrated cement project that will have its own quarry.

Its commercial operation is expected to begin in 2011, with a production capacity of 1.6 million metric tons of cement per year or 39.16 million bags per year.

The other new projects that registered with the BOI-Cebu are Firm Builders Realty Development Corp. (FBRDC), with an investment of P41.5 million, Platinum Premium Seafood Products Inc. with P38.6 million and Fashion Accessories 4 U Corp. with P10.42 million.

The new businesses that came from fashion jewelry, processed fish products and cement are located in Cebu.

FBRDC, which is into mass housing projects, is in Oriental Negros.

The firms, which secured the BOI’s approval, will enjoy incentives, such as income tax holidays, tax and customs duty exemptions on capital equipment and spare parts and net operating loss carryover.

Meanwhile, the data also showed that the employment to be generated by the companies total 670.

The figure represents a 200 percent jump from the 219 jobs created in the first quarter of last year. (PNA)

Cebu sets 3-day grand sales blitz, June 15-17

Taking advantage of its image as the country's premiere tourist destination Cebu's business sector is coming up with a three-day sales blitz next month dubbed "Shop Cebu" that will be participated by key tourism players and sprucing up local businesses.

"Shop Cebu," an undertaking of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) aims to establish Cebu as the region's shopping and dining destination. The event is one of the highlights of the Cebu Business Month (CBM) celebrated every June and spearheaded by the CCCI.

The three-day event will be a grand sales blitz among Cebu retailers as the malls in Cebu City will hold a three-day grand sale from June 15 to 17 with a midnight sale on the 16th. Hotels, restaurants, resto-bars, spas and other establishments will also offer discounts during the period.

The CCCI's tourism committee in-charge of the "Shop Cebu" event urges people to 'shop till you drop' from simple wristbands to T-shirts to musical instruments. It will also be a shopping adventure for shopping enthusiasts as one chooses from among handicraft centers, world-class malls and department stores that sell quality souvenir items like fashion accessories and furniture, handicrafted guitars and shellcraft goods.

Working together with the CCCI for the "Shop Cebu" event are the Cebu City Government, Cebu Provincial Government, ABS-CBN, Cebu Pacific and Taiheiyo Cement Philippines.

The CBM's twin focus for this years's celebration is on information and communication technology and tourism development under the theme "Let's Go Cebu!." (PIA)

SMPHI waits for control over SRP

SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) president Hans Sy has said the company is “willing to wait” on its plan to take full control over the 295-hectare (ha) South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City.

Sy said SMPHI, the company behind SM super malls, will not abort plans of long-term development strategies for SRP to signify its confidence over Cebu’s bullish economy.

”We can’t make any move yet because we are still awaiting a formal position. There’s no firm offer. It has not reached to the level if we are developers or what. There are many things to settle like the master plan, price, technical details, etcetera, but we are willing to wait,” Sy told reporters.

Sy was in Cebu Friday for the soft opening of the SM City Cebu Northwing, which is a five-level annex to its existing 13.8-ha property at the Cebu North Reclamation Area.

He said the company’s multi-billion-peso offer, which includes “taking over the full obligation of paying” for the balance of Cebu City Hall’s P6.3-billion loan with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, involves a mixed-use facility and an information technology (IT) park at the SRP.

”It will be another Mall of Asia type of development,” he said.

Capitalizing on the burgeoning growth of the IT sector, SMPHI initially offered a joint venture with the City Government to develop an IT Park within a government-owned lot, similar to that of the Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp. (CPVDC).

CPVDC, a subsidiary of Ayala Land Holdings Inc., developed the Asiatown IT Park in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.

SMPHI earlier mulled plans to invest P2 billion for the construction of two more malls in the province. The company was eyeing the SRP as a feasible site for one of its malls.

He said the construction of the two malls, which are expected to cost P1 billion each including the land value, will begin once SMPHI finds the lot for the projects. The plan is included in the project to put up four more additional malls in the Visayas.

Other prospective sites are Mactan island and “a little bit farther than Banilad,” Sy said.

”We’re really serious and bullish about Cebu. In fact, it’s our priority area for Visayas and Mindanao projects,” he said.

According to Sy, the company is in the look out for mall expansions, as it foresees growth in the country’s retail sector.

More malls, he said, helps decongest mall traffic.

SMPHI inaugurated last time its MS Bacolod branch in Negros Occidental, bringing to four the total number of malls in the Visayas.

In addition, SMPHI and the Iloilo government are now finalizing the bidding to develop a 54-ha lot of the Iloilo airport for another mixed-use facility, which includes residential and IT park developments.

Meanwhile, the 10.9-ha annex in SM City Cebu, dubbed the Northwing, is estimated to cost between P200 million and P300 million and is expected to open next month.

It has 171 leasable spaces and has 148 tenants. It has parking spaces on three floors and the roof deck can accommodate about 1,946 vehicles.

The Northwing, which is designed for the upper class market, will house upscale shops, specialty shops, a comfort lounge, concierge, entertainment area and restaurants. (PNA)

DTI implements "no-breaks" at BN registration counter

Standing to plug the perceived gap in government service to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and as regards access to support, transportation and infrastructure and chain supply efficiency, the local Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it is implementing a "no noon break" policy on its business name registration counter.

In a press statement, DTI-Bohol through information officer Lucille Autentico said while their office functions break at noontime, their business name counter still accepts business name registrations.

As this developed, applicants may now file their applications from 8:00AM to 5:00PM at the local DTI Office located at 2/F FCB Main Branch Bldg., C.P.G. North Ave., Cogon District, Tagbilaran City, she said.

According to the DTI, original applicants for single proprietorship needs P300 registration fee, must be adult Filipino citizens. If family name is suggestive of alien nationality, applicants need to submit proof of citizenship as PRC ID, birth certificate or voter's ID and latest franchise agreement for franchise holders, a preferred and three alternative business names.

For partnerships and corporations, applicant brings a P500 registration fee, SEC Registration certificate, two sets of corporation articles and By-Laws, a copy of the board resolution or secretary's certificate designating authorized representative to sign in behalf of corporation. They must also prepare one preferred and three alternative business names.

For renewals, applicants bring P300 fee for single proprietorship, P500 for corporations, partnerships and cooperatives while a surcharge of P100 is asked after 90 days from expiry of names. Applicants also need to surrender original BN certificate or Affidavit of Loss and the amended articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, if applicable.

This Bohol DTI initiative also came at the heels of a recent survey released by the United Parcel Service (UPS) Asia Business Monitor concerning 100 MSME respondents. In the survey, the respondents detail a perceived lack of government support on them, Presidential Management Staff Director General and Oversight Official for MSMEs Cerge Remonde said.

Remonde said that the government is currently concocting a new project to further ease the business transaction processes and bring about faster business registration of MSMEs.

He pointed out that the internet-based Philippine Business Registry System "harmonizes all business registration processes performed by different national government agencies and local government units, leading to a seamless transactional environment for business registration."

Even before the survey was conducted, Remonde explained that the government had already thrown its full support for the establishment and propagation of MSMEs and had even implemented a host of initiatives ranging from direct assistance to indirect interventions.

Remonde added that under the Small and Medium Enterprises Development (SMED) Council, the government provided P91.35 billion worth of loans to entrepreneurs from 2004 to 2006 through the SME Unified Lending Opportunities for National Growth (SULONG).

He said government assistance is mainly found in the Medium Term SME Development Plan in the forms of direct assistance as: credit access and guarantees, product development and technology intervention, training and marketing support, advocacy among others.

"Other forms of government assistance include marketing support in trade fairs, local and international, technology upgrades, product development and personnel training," Remonde said.

Over this, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had directed all government agencies and instrumentalities to simplify rules and regulations, reduce reportorial requirements, and eliminate fees and charges on export clearances, permits and other documentation requirements to cut red tape and to facilitate ease in doing business and encourage more investments in the country. (PIA)

Japanese group eyes Cebu hospital as retirement facility

A group running a retirement and nursing home in Japan is now eyeing the Cebu Doctors’ South General Hospital (South Gen) in the southern Cebu town of Naga as a potential retirement facility.

”They want a place where it’s near the hospital and the sea,” Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal Jr., Cebu Doctors’ Hospital Inc. (CDHI) president, said.

Larrazabal said CDHI and the Aiko group of Japan are negotiating to have the group's retirees relocate to the hospital’s 70-bed fourth floor.

”It will be a trial run. But the Japanese are decided. They may be here in a couple of months,” he said.

While waiting for the plans to materialize, the fourth floor will undergo renovation and additional amenities will be put up.

He said CDHI is already contemplating on hiring Niponggo teachers and a Japanese cook.

Larrazabal said once the deal is inked, the nursing staff will have an opportunity to learn the Japanese culture and to speak Niponggo.

While the initial plan was for the Aiko group to hire some of South Gen’s nurses, the CDHI official fears this may cause a “culture shock” for the nurses.

Bringing Japanese retirees here will be a “win-win” situation to both parties.

Larrazabal said the partnership with the Aiko group is a step closer to CDHI’s realization of establishing a retirement village in southern Cebu.

”With the growing aging population, I can see that the Philippines, particularly Cebu, has bright prospects to cater to these retirees who are in need of good healthcare facilities and services,” he said earlier.

He said CDHI may utilize a portion of the one-hectare lot in Naga, where the 250-bed Cebu Doctors’ South General Hospital sits, for the retirement village or acquire other properties nearby.

There are also plans to construct a “mini mall” within the vicinity of the retirement village.

Larrazabal is optimistic that, in the near future, the healthcare sector will be among the province’s booming industries, along with property development and information and communications technology.

While some hospitals in Manila make good retirement facilities, he said Cebu has a stronger probability to attract the medical tourism market because of the province’s peace and order situation, better airport facilities, good telecommunications and the Cebuanos’ proficiency in the English language.

In the past years, CDHI has invested in building and improving its network of hospitals in the province, including Cebu Doctors’ Hospital, North General Hospital in Talamban, Cebu City and South Gen.

”We have committed our resources in building facilities that enhance the country’s medical industry,” Larrazabal said. (PNA)

RDC private sector reps 1st national convention in Cebu

Private sector representatives to the Regional Development Councils in the country will hold their 1st national convention on April 26-27 at the Parklane Hotel, Cebu City with the theme, “20 Years of Regional Development, Partnership and Volunteerism.”

Valeriano Avila, chairman RDC-7 DevAd committee said he hopes that the convention will make the public realize the importance of private sector representatives’(PSR) participation in governance which is essential to the regional growth and development. Avila has been a PSR for almost 20 years now.

This is the first time that RDC private sector representatives meet to discuss various issues and concerns on how they can strengthen their partnership with the regional development councils in the country. The convention serves as a kick off activity for the up-coming celebration of the 20th year of PSR participation in the RDCs.

“The PSRs in Central Visayas have been active and effective in advocating private sector concerns through the RDC and its sectoral committees. I hope this convention will provide a venue for me to network with PSRs from other regions in order for us to consolidate advocacies that have national implications,” said Argeo Melisimo, chairman of the economic development committee, RDC-7.

Melisimo expects that the convention will provide the PSRs the avenue to exchange ideas and learn from their best practices. RDC-7 co-chair, Robert Go echoes Melisimo’s expectations and wants to know the best practices of other RDC-PSRs.

Emmanuel Rabacal, chair of the RDC-7 Infrastructure Development Committee and who has been a PSR for 12 years will present the successful initiatives of the Central Visayas RDC in strengthening PSR participation.

The convention is being funded by the German government through the GTZ-Decentralization Program, with the National Economic and Development Authority as co-convenor. At the end of the 2-day activity, the RDC-PSRs expect to unite to a common stand on interregional and national development through a written declaration or covenant that will be presented to higher authorities.

As can be recalled, the People Power Revolution of 1986 ushered in a policy agenda for people-powered development. For the first time, non-government organizations (NGOs) or the civil society were recognized as active participants in development planning, investment programming, budget review, and project monitoring.

In November 1987, the RDCs were reorganized and its membership expanded to include representatives of the private sector and NGOs. (PIA).

PRA eyes Iloilo as satellite area for Cebu as retirement destination

The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) has identified Iloilo as a satellite area for Cebu as retirement destination, a move that generated a strong endorsement from the Iloilo City government through Mayor Jerry P. Treñas.

PRA Chairman, Ret. Gen. Edgardo B. Aglipay, who met with the business sector and officials of the city government, Thursday said they have already identified various sites in the country that can be developed as retirement centers.

These are Baguio, Subic and Clark in Pampanga, Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Cebu and Davao.

The cities of Iloilo and Bacolod will serve as satellite areas for Cebu.

With this, Aglipay cited the need for Iloilo and Bacolod to have international flights and a tertiary hospital for these cities become at par with retirement destinations.

Nonetheless, he believes that Iloilo City has a great potential to become a good destination for the retirees.

He cited the good climate of the city, the friendly people, the more than five domestic flights a day and the good peace and order situation.

Mayor Treñas, on the other hand, expressed optimism over the project, adding that he has long been waiting for Aglipay to introduce the project to the business sector in the city.

"We have seen that there is a market in the retirees and this will benefit not only our businessmen but the multiplier effect of this investment is tremendous. It will create more jobs, more support services and this will definitely help in making Iloilo City the next big thing," he noted.

Treñas said these efforts are in line with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's thrust of making the Philippines a retirement haven for foreigners.

He disclosed his series of meetings with the interested developers of the old airport site in Mandurriao district whom he requested to provide a theme park, a convention center, a Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-accredited information technology park and a hospital that could cater to the demands of medical tourism.

Treñas was optimistic these facilities would lure foreign retirees to consider the city as a retirement destination. (PNA)

DTI-Leyte awarded Best Sub-National Reform in Asia for success in BPLS

The Leyte Provincial Office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been awarded the Best Sub-National Reform in Asia for 2006 by the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) for its involvement in the Streamlining Business Permits and Licensing (BPL) Procedures in Ormoc City under its partnership program with the German Technical Cooperation- Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (GTZ-SMEDSEP) .

The awards program, known as the "Excellence in Business Environment Reform", aims to highlight excellence in high-impact, sustainable and co-ordinated donor support for business environment reform. For 2006, the award focused on best practices in Asia.

There were only two categories of awards for 2006: the High-Impact, Sustainable and Co-ordinated Reform which is the main award; and the Sub-National which focuses on the reforms within sub-national government authorities such as local municipalities or regional or
provincial government authorities and efforts towards local level implementation of central level reform decrees.

DTI-Leyte beat out best practice entries of other Asian countries in the sub-national category for the impact its reform project on business registration in Ormoc City has had on enterprise development, poverty reduction and economic growth; how it has improved the capability of key agencies to identify reform needs and manage change without future active support by donor agencies; and how coordinated it is to the efforts of other donor agencies as well as aligned to the development goals and strategies of the national government.

With the assistance of DTI-Leyte and GTZ-SMEDSEP, the local government unit (LGU) of Ormoc City was able to simplify the city's business permits and licensing procedures. As a result, an increase of 25% business registrants was realized by year 2006 compared to 2005.

The improved business registration figure was attributed to the reduction of the BPL cycle from 17 to 5 steps; reduction in processing time from 17 days to 2 days; and reduction of required documents from 12 to 6 forms. Moreover, the LGU-Ormoc realized an increase in tax revenues (Php21.16 Million) out of the new improved system. This increase in revenue collection of LGU-Ormoc was then transformed to social services that will uplift the urban poverty
incidence of the City.

The new BPL system adopted by the LGU of Ormoc City is continuously being improved towards installing an on-line business registration in the future. Part of the accrued increase on revenue collection will be utilized for this purpose as part of its sustainability plan. Consequently, the support of donor agencies will no longer be needed to implement the plan.

The experience of LGU-Ormoc is now a documented good practice in streamlining BPL which can be replicated in other LGUs. It will be implemented by DTI Provincial Offices in Visayas or Central Philippines Region hand-in-hand with the various LGUs, both at the provincial and municipal levels.

The reform project of DTI-Leyte complements the efforts of donor agencies as its multiplier effect would ultimately reduce poverty; promote good governance and private sector development which are also the concerns of various donor agencies. It is also aligned with the SME Development Agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which fully supports the promotion and development of small and medium enterprises by providing an enabling business environment. (DTI)

RP's top tourist destination logs 1.25M tourist arrivals last year

Cebu is fast becoming a travel destination among foreigners and locals after the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 reported a double-digit growth in tourist arrivals last year.

The province registered an 11.57 percent increase in tourist arrivals in 2006. The number grew to 1.25 million from the 1.12 million in the previous year, data from DOT 7 revealed.

“All ingredients needed for an ideal destination is here in Cebu. We have the image, the right perception and accessibility,” said DOT Undersecretary Phineas Alburo.

For accessibility alone, the Mactan Cebu International Airport caters to 51 overseas flights to all major tourist destinations in the world, he said.

In addition, a “well-organized” tourism industry coupled with the Cebuanos’ hospitality led by “active” local leaders makes Cebu a popular tourist hot spot, Alburo told Sun.Star Cebu.

According to DOT 7 data, travelers from East Asian countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan account for 67.10 percent of the total number of tourists or a total of 318,527 visitors.

The Koreans continue to top the list of foreign arrivals in Cebu next to the Japanese and tourists from the United States.

The Korean market, which continues to be the fastest growing market of the country’s tourism industry, numbered 165,309 last year, up by 13 percent from the 146,289 in 2005. This is followed by Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

However, in terms of growth rate, both China and Taiwan have shown significant increases.

Tourist arrivals from Taiwan grew by 46.15 percent, while Chinese visitors increased by 43.73 percent.

Alburo said the province needs to capitalize on the growing Chinese market, described to be the new generation of “sophisticated” travelers.

Meanwhile, tourists from the United States and Canada are also seeing bright prospects in Cebu’s tourism sector, as travelers from the two countries increased by 29.23 percent last year.

From 45,306, the figures grew to 58,551 in 2006.

European tourists to Cebu also grew by 29.75 percent from 34,178 to 44,436 in the same period.

Tourists from the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland were identified as the top three visitors frequenting the province.

“The Philippine tourism offices in Frankfurt and London are aggressively moving to get the European market,” Alburo said.

He said DOT is also penetrating the Russian market, whose average length of stay in Cebu is from seven to 14 days.

The report also revealed that visitors from South Asian countries like India have more than doubled its growth, showing a 70.75 percent increase last year. From 1,453 tourists in 2005, DOT recorded 2,481 last year.

Owing to Cebu’s “successful” hosting of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit early this year, even tourist arrivals from neighboring countries grew.

A total of 10,914 Asean tourists traveled to Cebu last year, registering a 14.70 percent increase from the 9,515 visitors in 2005.

In terms of volume, the Singaporeans ranked first with 4,858 tourists but the Indonesians registered the highest growth rate at 83.42 percent.

From 772 Indonesian tourists in 2005, it has increased to 1,416 last year.

In addition, tourist arrivals from Thailand grew to 51.42 percent from 1,060 to 1,605 in the same period.

The province is also a magnet for domestic travelers and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Domestic travelers grew to 772,767 last year, an 8.39 percent increase from the 712,938 the year previous.

OFWs registered a 35.69 percent growth rate or from 1,813 to 2,460.

Alburo is optimistic in getting more “promising” results by the end of the year, as the effects of the Asean summit are slowly trickling down to the local tourism and business sectors, which is also anticipating the entry of foreign direct investments.(SS)

CCCI holds microfinancing seminar for SMEs

Recognizing the vital role small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play in the growth of the country's economy, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will undertake a one-day seminar on micro-financing for SMEs for them to gain easy access and avail of financial programs from government and private financial institutions.

The seminar is aimed at increasing awareness of member SME-entrepreneurs on how to access financing services from banks and other financial institutions and gain more insights on collaterals, collateral substitutes and financial statements. Likewise, the seminar is also a venue for SME entrepreneurs to avail financing programs offered by financial and non-financial institutions.

SMEs are considered the backbone of the country's economy and comprised 99 percent of the total manufacturing establishments and contribute to over 50 percent in employment generation and 28 percent in the value-added in production.

Topics to be discussed during the seminar include: basic loan requirements of financial institutions and the problems encountered by SME entrepreneurs in accessing financing; collaterals (deposit hold-out, real estate mortgage and chattel mortgage and collateral substitutes (guarantee, pledge and assignment, surety bond, standby letter of credit, lodgement of title deed, life insurance policy, listed/unlisted securities and export letter of credit, negative pledge agreement and joint and several signatures); and setting-up of accounting systems for SMEs and preparations of financial statements.

Resource speakers for the seminar are micro-financing experts from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Wealth Development Bank (WealthBank), Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (PhilExim) and Small Business Guarantee Financial Corp. (SBGFC).

CCCI urges its members and even non-member SMEs to avail of this rare opportunity. A minimal registration fee is collected to cover part of the cost for the whole-day activity which is inclusive of meals and snacks as well as seminar kits.

CCCI members are asked to pay P 750 and Php1,000 for non-CCCI members as interested parties may inquire for further details at the CCCI office at tel. no. 232-1423 loc. 109 and look for Jethro/Rhea. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

BOP posts $1.2B surplus

A strong current account (CA) inflows and remarkable improvement in the country's capital and financial account (CFA) resulted in a $ 1.2 billion balance of payment (BOP) surplus in the last quarter of 2006.

In a press briefing, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa Gunigundo said the surplus was a turnaround after posting a $ 303-million deficit in the fourth quarter of 2005.

He stressed the good BOP figure was achieved despite the $ 1.1 billion prepayments made during the last quarter of 2006 by both the national government and the private sector.

Without the prepayment, the BOP surplus for the whole year could have reached $ 6.3 billion.

BOP surplus in the fourth quarter reached $ 1.2 billion, $ 1.7 billion for the CA and $ 800 million for the CFA.

Last year's $ 3.8-billion BOP surplus was the highest since 1999 after the BSP adopted new framework in the compilation of the BOP.

Lou Sicat, BSP Department of Economic Statistics head, in her presentation said exports of goods for the fourth quarter alone reached $ 11.7 billion, boosted by strong sales electronics; minerals and garments; and machinery and transport.

For the whole year, exports of goods reached $ 46.2 billion, higher than previous year’s $ 40.3 billion, up 14.6 percent.

On imports of goods, last quarter’s total imports reached $ 13.5 billion from the $ 12.5 billion during the same quarter the previous year.

Remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for last quarter of 2006 reached $ 3.6 billion, higher than the $ 2.9 billion during the same quarter in 2005.

For the whole 2006, OFW remittances reached $ 12.5 billion, up by 17 percent from previous year’s $ 10.7 billion.

Gross international reserves (GIR) stood at $ 22.967 billion as of end-December 2006 from previous year’s $ 18.49 billion and currently is the all-time high.

As of end-February 2007, GIR stood at 24.542 billion US dollars.

Peso in the last quarter stood at 49.77 to a dollar in the fourth quarter, stronger than the 54.63 to a dollar same quarter in 2005. (PNA)

Cebu's tourism to grow with more international flights

Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano said Cebu’s tourism development got a boost with the decision of three airlines to open more flights to the central Philippine island.

Durano said airline company China Southern will launch its Shanghai-Cebu flights that will fly three times weekly starting this May.

”That first flight is going to be fully booked,” he said during his speech at the opening last Friday of the 3rd Tourism and Lifestyle Expo at SM City Cebu.

He said Cathay Pacific will also increase its United Kingdom-Hong Kong-Cebu flights to four times a week at the end of this month, bringing more tourists not only from Hong Kong but from Europe as well.

National flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will also start its Osaka, Japan-Cebu flights within the year.

Durano said Shanghai, which is the second biggest outbound market in China, will be a “very promising” market for Cebu since tourists from Shanghai are one of the “most cosmopolitan.”

”Most tourists flying Shanghai-Manila, most of them are business travelers. But the tourists we get from the Shanghai-Cebu route, mostly are leisure travelers,” he said.

It means they visit Cebu to shop, eat and go to the beaches, he added.

Although the volume of Chinese tourists to the Philippines only average about 200,000 annually, the growth rate is at 60 percent per year.

There is only one flight daily to and from Beijing, which Durano said, is the top outbound market from China.

PAL can only allocate 20 seats per flight, to the dismay of tour operators.

PAL’s Osaka-Cebu flights will bring in tourists from Japan’s second fastest growing outbound market, Durano said.

Although the growth rate of Japanese tourists is only at two to three percent a year, they average at 500,000 and are known to be heavy spenders.

”They always stay at five-star hotels and spend for the finer things in life, like the most expensive wine in a hotel,” he said.

”But as far as industry is concerned, any of them is good for us. The more, the merrier,” he said.

Koreans remain the number one tourists in the country, with arrivals reaching 590,000 last year and recording a 20 percent growth for the first two months of the year.

The Department of Tourism projects Korean tourists to reach 760,000 this year.

Cebu accounts for 30 percent of the foreign tourists in the country.

Durano said tourist arrivals in the country last month grew 10.6 percent over those in February 2005.

”As long as we stay the course, it’s going to be another good year,” he said.

Durano also commended Cebu City and provincial government officials for being real allies of tourism (PNA).

Singaporeans to invest US$ 400-M US in Cebu shipbuilding industry

Cebu’s shipbuilding industry has attracted two Singaporean firms which are planning to invest about US$ 400 million or roughly P19 billion in the fast-growing industry, a Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) official said.

Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo said he will facilitate the meetings between the Singaporean investors and the National Maritime Leasing Corp. (NMLC) and the Philippine Import-Export Credit Agency (Philexim).

He said the NMLC, a subsidiary of the National Development Council, a Philexim can give sovereign guarantee to assure the Singaporean investors that their investments are safe in the Philippines.

”I will facilitate meetings for these sovereign guarantors and investors to fast-track the placing of investments for shipyard, shipbuilding and ship repair that will not only provide revenues for the government but create employment,” Suazo said.

Suazo declined to name the two Singaporean firms, but said one firm, will invest US$ 300 million and the other US$ 100 million.

He said he recently went to Singapore to conduct a campaign to attract foreign investments in the country’s shipping industry.

He said the campaign is in line with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s directive, as provided under Executive Order 588, to invite foreign investments to modernize the industry, and eradicate second-hand and dilapidated vessels plying various routes in the country.

He said dilapidated vessels endanger the lives of the passengers.

The shipping and repair industries in Cebu are dominated by Keppel Cebu Shipyard and Engineering Works Inc., a Singaporean company; and Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, a Filipino-Japanese joint venture.

Keppel Cebu Shipyard and Engineering Works Inc. is into ship repair and shipbuilding. Last Sept. 29, 2006, it conducted keel laying for the building of two giant tug boats. (PNA)

Tourist arrivals in Bacolod reach peak

Around 250,134 tourists visited the city in 2006 which significantly marked the peak of tourist arrival in the city.

The number reflects the registered visitors in 53 establishments in the city last year.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia said that this would translate roughly to a gross income of P767,685,520 for Bacolod ’s tourism industry.

Figures are based on a tourist’s estimated Daily Average Expenditure of P2,995/day for locals and P3,660/day for a foreign tourists and overseas Filipino workers. The P767.6M estimated figure is only for an average one-day stay and could be higher as tourists usually spend 2-3 days in the city.

OFW’s arrival for 2006 is 7,192 posting a 7% increase compared to 5,642 in 2005. Domestic arrivals are also 9.8% higher, from 202,337 in 2005 to 222,268 in 2006.

With more tourism programs and developments in place, Bacolod City should expect higher tourist arrivals this year. The institutionalization of the BACOLAODIAT celebration of the Chinese New Year as an official festival of the city has become an added tourism event to the already internationally famous MassKara Festival held every October.

Tourism-related sports and athletic events are also another factor in the thriving tourism economy of Bacolod and Mayor Leonardia has already pledged more support and assistance to be given to these tourism programs.

Just recently, the city is also host to the first National Arts Fair in celebration of the National Arts Month. Artists and art enthusiasts from all over the country came to the city to showcase their crafts and witness the series of art activities organized by the National Commission on Culture and Arts.

In related developments, the creation of Information Technology Zones in some areas of the city have already attracted four call centers to invest here, making Bacolod the city with the most number of call centers outside Manila and Cebu boosting the local economy as well as the tourism industry. (PIA)

RP's economic managers assure continuing major investments in Western Visayas

Members of the country's economic team looked forward to making this region more competitive by investing on major infrastructure projects.

This was made apparent during the regional economic briefing attended by representatives of the business community, academe, local government units, national government agencies and other stakeholders at the Iloilo Business Hotel Monday.

Finance Secretary Margarito Teves reiterated that with the big surplus the government incurred in 2006 as a result of the efficient collection of the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT) and other fiscal reforms, some P22 billion would be earmarked for infrastructure projects.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, for his part, announced that they were carefully considering a number of proposed infrastructure projects for Western Visayas.

At present, this region has ongoing projects worth P17.2 billion. These include the construction of two airports with international standards - the Northern Negros Geothermal Project (NNGP), Bago River Irrigation Project and the Iloilo Flood Control Project.

Economic and Development Authority OIC Regional Director Arturo Valero noted that Western Visayas is a significant contributor in sustaining the country's economic momentum this year.

He expressed hopes that with the power supply relief brought about by the 40-49 mw capacity of the NNGP and the positive performance of the region's agriculture sector, Western Visayas will remain a major player as far as enhancing and sustaining the country's economy are concerned. (PNA)