DTI, IP Philippines open Intellectual Property Satellite Office in Cebu

The Intellectual Property Satellite Office (IPSO) - Cebu recently opened at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Central Visayas Office to cater to entrepreneurs and IP generators in the Visayas who want to protect their intellectual creations for business benefits.

In cooperation with DTI, the IPSO Project is part of IP Philippines' strategic move to promote intellectual property such as patent or invention, utility model, industrial design, trademark and copyright as a strategic tool for business success.

At present, the IPSO in Cebu only accepts applications for trademarks and patents including utility models and industrial designs, IP Philippines' IPSO Area Manager for Visayas Cecilio M. Fernandez said.

Fernandez explained that his Office's initial assessment of the response of businessmen in the Visayas towards the Project indicates a positive feedback as reflected in the increasing trend of IP filings in the region, and that all IP documents will still be processed at the IP Philippines Head Office in Manila.

Processing time for trademarks is within 4 to 6 months if all requirements are met; while that of patents is within an average of about 4 ½ years which is good enough based on IPOs' international standards, and that of utility models and industrial designs is within an average of about 9 months, Fernandez added.

Fernandez underscored that the primary goals of the IPSO Project are to bring IP Philippines' services to the countryside and to build an IP inspired culture of innovation and creativity that will bring about countryside and national development.

With Cebu and Davao IP Satellite Offices launched, IP Philippines will likewise launch its satellite offices in Luzon where the bulk of applicants are also based.

To encourage entrepreneurs' adherence to IP creation, IP Philippines has provided seminar workshops, promotional information campaign, partnership and networking collaboration and commercialization assistance.

Recently, IP Philippines conducted a seminar on strategic management and use of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Cebu City.

Experts from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) provided the necessary expertise and experience.

During a break in the seminar, the Cebu Gifts, Toys and Housewares; Cebu Fashion Accessories, Manufacturers and Exporters; Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Cebu Furniture Industry Foundation and Association of Negros Producers signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IP Philippines in support of intellectual property rights and the IPSO project.

NERBAC 7 staff adopts Knowledge Management

In order to better serve its clients, the staff and governing board of the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (NERBAC) Region 7 recently underwent a Knowledge Management Workshop in Cebu.

The workshop was made possible with the joint efforts of the Department of Trade and Industry Central Visayas Office and the German Technical Cooperation known as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) under the Private Sector Promotion Program called the Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (SMEDSEP).

According to NERBAC 7, Knowledge Management is a method of organizing the sharing of experience and knowledge efficiently.

For the client, adoption of knowledge management at NERBAC can improve efficiency of service and quality of information given, particularly in the area of business counseling.

The Knowledge Management Workshop was participated by representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Internal Revenue, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, Social Security System, Cebu City LGU, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bohol Investment Promotion Center, Negros Oriental Investment Promotion Center and the University of San Carlos.

NERBAC, located at the ground floor of the LDM building, Lapu-lapu and Legaspi Sts. in Cebu City, was created In line with Republic Act No. 7470 to facilitate business transactions in Cebu and fast track investment entry in Central Visayas.

It houses representatives from different government agencies that are tasked to process business permit and licenses.

The NERBAC provides prospective entrepreneurs/investors basic information on various business options that are open to them in accordance with the government's IPP (Investment Priorities Plan).

The SMEDSEP is a technical cooperation project between the Republic of the Philippines and the Federal Republic of Germany conceived to help improve the Philippine business and investment climate for Small and Medium Enterprises.

OTOP Visayas trade fair rakes in Php 26.3 million

The 3rd One-Town One-Product (OTOP) Visayas Island Fair has proven the Visayas entrepreneurs' flair for business by generating total sales of Php 26.3 million.

Held recently at the SM City Cebu Atrium, the OTOP Fair showcased products ranging from gift items, home decors, natural fiber, processed food to fashion accessories produced by 116 small and medium sized firms from regions 6, 7 and 8.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Central Visayas Office, the top seller for non-food category is Bohol Beads and Fibers; while top seller for food category is Maexel Chi Cha Bites.

Among the exporters and merchandisers that visited the trade fair include 33 Point 3, Angelique's Craft, Ran Bros Incorporated, Atin Ito Handicrafts, CTC Export Philippines and Manex Handicraft.

Special guests during the opening ceremony included Cebu Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and DTI Undersecretary Merly Cruz.

More than just a regular buy-and-sell event, the fair showed the originality and uniqueness of Central Philippines – the intricate designs of ethnic decorative ornaments, the distinctive native touch in classy fashion jewelry and the bursting flavors of local delicacies, DTI said.

The OTOP trade fair is an annual marketing event that aims to generate significant sales; train producers in dealing and negotiating with local and foreign buyers and exporters and develop new exporters from among the participants.

The OTOP Philippines project is a government program to strengthen countryside development by promoting entrepreneurship and creating jobs.

Under the OTOP, local chief executives take the lead by identifying a unique product or service offered by local folks, as well as developing and promoting these.

They have the task of consolidating services needed by industries to develop as a trademark for their respective localities, the DTI explained.

OTOP-Philippines provides a comprehensive assistance package through a convergence of services from LGUs, national government agencies and the private sector. This includes business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, appropriate technologies and marketing.

The DTI said the OTOP-Philippines is designed to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME's) in the manufacturing and marketing of distinctive products and services to a much better level and achieve measurable results.

Cebu will benefit from weak global economy

Cebu is considered as one of the few "recession proof" economies in the world that will benefit from the global economic meltdown, according to the world's largest commercial and real estate services firm CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc.

Based on its extensive survey, CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. projected that Cebu's economy will be saved by its booming Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and tourism sectors.

Officials of the CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc, headed by chairman Rick Santos, were in Cebu the other day to give a briefing on the economic outlook for 2009. The company's chairman presented a rosy picture of Cebu economic development starting next year, backed up by realistic figures and extensive market study.

According to CB Richard Ellis Philippines chairman Rick Santos Cebu is seeing "life" amid the gloomy global economic prospects, and Cebuanos will expect abounding opportunities for employment and other money-making activities next year.

Tourism and BPOs have increasingly made Cebu a hub of foreign direct investment, a trend the company has noticed.

“For the past couple of years, Cebu City has become an emerging hub for the outsourcing industry,” said Santos. He said the BPO industry was Cebu's “biggest opportunity.”

The terror attacks in Mumbai, India where terrorists occupied the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels and the political turmoil in Thailand where protestors took over Bangkok's two international airports present rare opportunities for more investments in the IT and tourism industries in the Philippines, particularly Cebu.

CB Richard Ellis officials also dismissed speculations that the United States (US), under the leadership of President-elect Barrack Obama, will impose restrictions on companies outsourcing or off-shoring certain services to keep jobs within the US.

Santos said the economic factors that make a company decide to outsource or off-shore certain functions or services are “very compelling.” He pointed out that the high salaries and health care costs, as well as labor union issues, are just some of the factors that make a company in the US

Victor Asuncion, director for research and consultancy of CBRE Philippines, said it is “politically correct” for Obama to declare that jobs in US-based companies should be for Americans, but the issue of whether to outsource or not is a matter of economic viability on the part of companies.

“Unless Obama provides margins (for these companies), which he cannot do (at this time), he cannot stop them from (establishing) global operations,” he said in the same press conference.

He pointed out that the US Government has to deal with multi-billion dollar bailouts of its financial sector.

CB Richard Ellis is a Fortune 500 company with headquarters in Los Angeles and is considered the world's largest commercial real estate services firm with more than 300 offices worldwide.
resort to off-shoring or outsourcing.

OTOP Visayas Island Fair boosts business of small entrepreneurs

"Dako kaayo ug natabang ang kining OTOP trade fair sa akong negosyo," (The OTOP Trade Fair has been a big help to my business), thus enthused Christina Angana, a small-time exporter of fashion accessories in Cebu City.

Angana is one of the 160 entrepreneurs coming from Regions 6, 7 and 8 that is joining the five-day '3rd One Town, One Product (OTOP) Visayas Island Fair' in Cebu City.

During a PIA forum this morning that featured the marketing event, Angana bared that since the annual OTOP Trade Fair was launched three years ago, her establishment called Hanas has since then participated in the yearly activity.

Last year, Hanas was able to sell all its displayed products in Boracay Island in Aklan during the 2nd OTOP Trade Fair held in Region 6.

Angana said that last year, she paid P5,000 for the booth and displayed an array of products mostly fashion accessories and bags made of local raw materials from Cebu worth P120,000. After the fair, her capital grew by 60 percent more, Angana added.

Angana said her small company is still very new of about five years so she needs all the promotion and marketing she could get to attract new and potential buyers.

The annual OTOP Visayas Island Fair is initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) from Regions 6, 7 and 8 as an effective marketing strategy to provide an avenue for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their products using raw materials indigenous to their hometown or services that promote their area as a tourism destination.

As the trade fair kicked off today that will last until Sunday, Angana said she paid P4,000 for the booth displaying products worth P150,000 as she is optimistic that all her items will be sold and since the venue is Cebu City, she will have no problems getting stocks once all her items will be sold out.

Angana said her products are made of raw materials found in Cebu's various towns like the coco shells of Pardo, the wood from Asturias and other local materials from Bohol, Carmen and Badian.

Some of her bags are already exported to Japan and Dubai, according to Angana.
Through the annual OTOP Trade Fair, "my products will be able to get more attention and attract the local market," claimed Angana.

Elias Tecson, DTI-Cebu Project Management Division Chief said the OTOP Program said there are 33 MSMEs from Cebu that are participating in the trade fair while the total participants from Central Visayas number 57.

Tecson said the OTOP Program which basically supports MSMEs to manufacture, offer and market distinctive products or services through the use of indigenous materials and local skills and talents is designed to encourage entrepreneurship and local patronage of native products as well as generate employment in the countryside.

Business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, appropriate technologies and marketing are the assistance provided to MSMEs under the OTOP Program, Tecson further said.

In case a small entrepreneur lacks capital to go into mass production, the DTI also helps in facilitating a financial loan to the government financial institutions, Tecson said.

The DTI is the OTOP project's marketing arm although it is a collaborative effort among national government agencies like the Department of Science and Technology, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Tourism, government financial institutions and the private sector as most importantly, the local government units (LGUs), this is learned.

Tecson urged the public to patronize local products to help the MSMEs as this will also have an impact to the local economy and help provide jobs. (PIA)

160 exhibitors join OTOP Visayas Island Fair in Cebu City

Around 160 exhibitors are showcasing their products and goods made of raw materials distinctively found in the Visayas in the five-day '3rd One Town, One Product (OTOP) Visayas Island Fair' that kicked off today until Sunday at SM City Cebu.

Several booths have been set up displaying an array of products such as souvenir and novelty items, gift items, home decors, natural fiber, processed food, footwear and wearables that include fashion accessories, bags, shawls and head gears among others.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Regions 6, 7 & 8, the annual trade fair is a marketing event that aims to assist the small and medium entrepreneurs to showcase and promote their products and boost sales revenues as well as find potential buyers for their items.

Elias Tecson, DTI-Cebu Project Management Division Chief during the Kapihan sa PIA this morning that featured the trade fair, bared there are 57 participants coming from Central Visayas and of this figure, 33 entrepreneurs from Cebu are joining the annual event.

Tecson said this is the second time Cebu has hosted the annual OTOP Fair, the first time was when the event was launched in 2006 while last year, the trade fair was held in Boracay Island, a popular tourist destination located in Region 6.
Lea Gonzales, DTI-6 Business Development Division Chief in the same forum disclosed there are 27 participating entrepreneurs from Western Visayas occupying 22 booths.

Well-known products and goods from Region 6 on display include delicacies such as biscocho, baked specialty products, casoy nuts from Guimaras, Barong Tagalog made of pina cloth from Kalibo in Aklan, cut foliage from Capiz and a mixture of gift and home items.

The annual trade fair is an identified marketing strategy under the OTOP Program of the DTI, which is a flagship program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs, according to Tecson.

Through the program, local chief executives tale the lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service that has a competitive advantage, Tecson added.

The essence of the program is basically to help and support the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to manufacture, offer and market distinctive products or services through the use of indigenous raw materials and local skills and talents, it is said.

Apart from encouraging entrepreneurship and local patronage of native products and generate jobs, the program also provides the means to experience their culture and heritage through the various towns and their specialties or delicacies, this is learned.

Tecson said the OTOP Program is a comprehensive assistance package through a convergence of services from national government agencies, local government units and the private sector. DTI is responsible for the advocacy of the program and marketing of the OTOP products while the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) focuses on the technology development assistance while the Department of Tourism takes charge in the tourism promotion of the cities and municipalities that are selling their areas as tourist destinations like Moalboal in Cebu, a world-class diving spot while the government financial institutions provide the financial aid to entrepreneurs.

Specific assistance given to entrepreneurs is business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, appropriate technologies and marketing, Tecson revealed.

The program however, targets MSMEs with an asset size of not more than P100M which accounts for about 99 percent of business establishments. (PIA)

Raw materials showcase highlighted in 3rd OTOP Visayas Fair

The 3^rd One Town One Product (OTOP) Visayas Island Fair promises to be another best selling marketing event this year as it brings to the fore the bounty and distinctive beauty of Central Philippines on November 12-16 at the SM City Cebu Atrium.

To attract more exporters, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will set-up a special setting showcasing different raw materials and how it can be transformed into novelty artworks.

"We would like to show to the public, especially our institutional buyers, what other natural resources the Visayas has to offer thru the "Raw Materials Showcase", DTI Central Visayas regional director Asteria Caberte said.

Raw materials on display at the trade fair will include Kawayan Tinik, Gmelina or Melina, Ipil-ipil, Fibers of Banana plant, Fossilized Flowers, Corn, Recycled Materials, Woven Fibers, Coconut Husk, Bayog, Tinik, Tickling, Bolo, Lanao, Buho, Fossilized/ Skeletonized Leaves, among others.

Caberte added that for this year's trade activity, new products and new designs will be offered for sale and order-taking. "We hope to generate robust sales with the coming holiday season."

Several new products/designs coming from the different MSMEs were developed thru the product development efforts of the DTI. "Products under the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) program will be the main feature in this fair," Caberte said.

More than a hundred entrepreneurs from Central, Eastern and Western Visayas regions will be selling their wares ranging from souvenir items, novelty items, gift items to home decors, natural fiber, processed food, footwear and wearables.

A side activity during the trade fair is a financing forum on November 14 at the SM City Cebu function room.

The financing forum will have representatives from DBP, LBP, Quedancor, SB Corp. and Planters Bank as speakers.

OTOP Visayas Holds 3rd Trade Fair in Cebu on Nov. 12-16

Expect five days of pure local goodness as the Visayan leg of the ONE TOWN ONE PRODUCT (OTOP) holds its third annual fair at SM City Cebu Atrium this November 12 to 16, 2008.

Entrepreneurs hailing from different corners of Visayas will be putting their local goods up for sale.

Products for sale are souvenir items, novelty items, gift items, home decors, natural fiber, processed food, footwear, wearables to include fashion accessories, bags, shawls, headgears and many others.



The marketing event is focused on the OTOP products of various municipalities in the Visayas highlighting the tourism and market potentials of Central Philippines which attracts more than half of foreign tourists in the country.

An intra-regional exhibit like the OTOP Visayas Island Fair is a good opportunity to showcase the best of the Visayan Islands.


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

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

While DTI is the project’s marketing arm, OTOP is a “collaborative” effort of all sectors in the society, including local government units (LGUs).

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.

Cebu now number 1 emerging BPO destination according to worldwide survey

Southeast Asia’s Cebu City, Philippines, emerged No. 1 on the Top 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing Cities list, followed by the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing respectively.

The choice of the city has become more important than the choice of the country to set up an outsourcing center, according to a study by CyberMedia’s Global Services and investment advisory firm Tholons.

Cebu City currently hosts at least 17 BPO companies (Accenture, Convergys, eTelecare, Sykes Asia, PeopleSupport) and its strengths lie in key processes such as customer service, finance and accounting and HR services. The Filipino city received top ranking for its high literacy rate (97%), strong infrastructure and excellent quality of living which means better workers and lower staff turnover.

Six Indian cities are recognized as among the well-established Top 8 global outsourcing centers, namely Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. Ireland’s Dublin and Makati City from the Philippines are the other two destinations.

In addition, the study has identified the top 50 Emerging Cities for Western companies sourcing IT and BPO services, out of which 19 are from Asia (6 cities among the top 10) and 13 from Central and Eastern Europe.

China has emerged as a strong contender in offering product development, R&D and testing with Shenzhen ranked 10th, Dalian at 16th, Guangzhou at 23rd and Chengdu at 37th position.

Shanghai is already known as a mature destination for providing offerings such as F&A (finance and accounting), product development, R&D (research and development) and testing, and Guangzhou is known for engineering-services. Outsourcing services such as application development & maintenance and business analytics are now being offered from Shenzhen and Shanghai respectively.

Three of the above-mentioned six Chinese cities appear in the emerging top 10 while India is represented by Kolkata (6th), Chandigarh (12th), Coimbatore (17th) and Jaipur (31st). The other Asian city in the top 10 is Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

There are 5 newly-emerging outsourcing hotspots in Asia making their first appearance on the 2008 Top 50 list - Quezon City, Philippines (21st), India’s Jaipur (31st), Singapore (36th), China’s Chengdu (37th) and Mandaluyong in the Philippines (45th).(trendsniff)

Cebu lands on global tourism map as venue of World Tourism Forum

The conduct of the five-day United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) International Tourism Forum in Cebu next week highlights the province as an ideal tourism destination in this part of the region.

Tourism Usec. Phineas Alburo recently bared the international forum on tourism development puts "Cebu on the global map on tourism as an ideal place for international gathering."

Almost 500 participants consisting of parliamentarians and local authorities from 135 UN-member nations are expected to attend the event which will be opened by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on October 22 at Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort and Spa in Lapulapu City.

Alburo said the UN-WTO global forum is similar to the 12th Asean Summit but on a smaller scale. The Asean Summit was also held in Cebu in January 2007.
The gathering to be held here as mandated by President Arroyo is mainly due to the success of the Asean Summit, according to Alburo.

The tourism undersecretary once again appealed to the Cebuanos to support the government and show the foreign visitors the popular Filipino hospitality and be courteous at all times.

Alburo said he has met with top officials of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) and the Cebu Taxi Association for the latter's cooperation and support as he asked taxi drivers not to overcharge the foreign visitors who might want to explore Cebu on their own.

The foreign delegates will be treated with two complementary tours namely the historical and cultural tour and the other will be an industrial tour. Cebu's old-age museums and other historical attractions will be showcased as well as an array of fashion accessories of export quality as they go on a site tour of export companies that cater on fashion jewelries, this is learned.

A book featuring Cebu, its history and tourist attractions as well as other significant information with brilliant photos of some of the tourist spots will be given to each delegate as a souvenir which is one means to promote the province and maintain its strength as the favored international tourism haven among foreign visitors, this is said. (PIA)

Second largest Duty Free Philippines opens in Cebu

Duty Free Philippines (DFP) marks another milestone as it proudly launches its newest store and the 2nd largest outlet in the country right here in Cebu City at the ground floor of the north wing of SM City Cebu tomorrow.

DFP General Manager Michael Christian Kho leads the top officials during the inaugural rites as the new DFP occupies a space of more than 1,800 square meters.

The new DFP is fashioned on a more spacious and upscale setting that is more accessible to customers.

It also aims to maximize the opportunity of the mall's development towards becoming a premier tourist destination of Cebu.

With Cebu fast becoming a major tourist attraction and the opening of a Sofitel Hotel near SM City Cebu, DFP went into talks with the SM Group about a year ago on opening up the outlet in the mall.

Having another mall inside a mall is a unique and challenging idea for a retail business and provides shoppers with an exciting and wide array of products such as chocolates, confectionery, snacks, liquors, perfumes and fashion apparel and is believed not only to capture the tourists' attention but to increase DFP's revenues as well.

Through the years beyond development and challenges, DFP maintained its prevalent status as a performing business institution with improved service facilities, new brands and products as well as the implementation of aggressive merchandising and marketing campaigns.

With its mission to satisfy the international traveler's needs, DFP reassures the people that this pristine outlet will continue to provide world-class products and the same exceptional services showcasing Filipino warmth and hospitality.(PIA)

ALI turns golf course plan in Cebu City mountains into nature park

Real estate giant Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) has dropped plans to develop its property in the hinterlands of Cebu City into a golf course and instead opted to establish a nature park in the area.

Ver de la Cerna, corporate communications head of ALI affiliate Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI), said park opened its first phase Wednesday, covering 20 hectares.

”When the company realized the land is part of a protected landscape, it decided to reposition its original plans into what it should be, an educational facility,” said de la Cerna, whose office serves as the park’s secretariat.

The park is within the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), which covers what used to be known as the Mananga and Kotkot-Lusaran watersheds, and the Sudlon and Central Cebu National Parks.

ALI will open the park to nature lovers, researchers and anybody who wants to see a green zone in Cebu Island where the forest cover is reported to be less than one percent of the total land area

The park was inaugurated and turned over to the Ayala Heights Nature Park Foundation after the launching Wednesday.

Under the park project, ALI is reforesting about 72 hectares of company-owned property within the Kotkot-Lusaran watershed.

The project, which involves residents in surrounding barangays, is meant to be an ecological tourism destination, to serve as an educational facility, and become a habitat of Cebu’s endangered plants and animals.

The park is also developed to become a model for proper watershed management that will showcase biodiversity restoration and stakeholder partnership, involving the public and private sectors.

ALI senior vice-president Emilio Tumbocon said the park will also complement the adjacent Ayala Heights Cebu by “providing a healthy and desirable environment for village residents.”

Ayala Heights, a 20-minute drive from downtown Cebu City, is ALI’s upscale residential project.

ALI partnered with CHI, Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water (CUSW), Soil and Water Conservation Foundation and the University of San Carlos Water Resource Center to form the Ayala Heights Nature Park Foundation, which will serve as the “steward” in the enhancement of the park. The park will be managed according to the Protected Area Management Plan for the CCPL.

”We are confident that with the help of our partners and the community, we can create a world-class nature park,” said ALI vice president Francis Monera.

Planning for the rehabilitation started three years ago. Last November, ALI completed the building of facilities at the park, such as interpretive trail, administration office or park ranger outpost, reception office, staging area, tree nursery, restrooms, information stations and a small restaurant.

It also replaced exotic tree species that were grown there with native trees to attract endemic animals and restore the area’s biological diversity.

CHI reported that there are about 27 bird species found in the area, including the white-collared kingfisher, olive backed sunbird and the Asian glossy starling.

”The construction cost is less expensive because facilities are made out of light materials sourced from around this area. It is also built by workers from the community,” said de la Cerna.

He said maintaining the park would not entail a lot of cost as the park is “economically sustaining.”

There is no target date for the completion of he development, he said, because it will depend on how the public will accept it.

The park can hold a maximum of 60 people divided into 15-member groups. Trained local residents will serve as tour guides.

Entrance fees are as follows: P50 for adults, P25 for children. It will be managed by the Ayala Heights Nature Park Foundation to maintain the facility.

”We are maintaining this park to be low-impact, environmentally-sound, and community-participatory tourism activity,” said CUSW executive director Socorro Atega.

As phase two of the development will deal with swampy areas, the foundation is already thinking of having a nature center that will serve as a major educational facility where visitors and researchers can get information about the park’s history and the various plant and animal species inside the park.

It also plans to establish a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) zone and a bird watching area, put more food plants and build a historical perspective of the park with the help of senior citizens from the community. (PNA)

Cebu To Host 6th World Tourism Forum In October

Cebu takes the global center stage as the chosen venue to host the 6th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Forum in October 2008 focusing on climate change, poverty reduction and role of women in tourism.

Cebu in Philippines takes the global center stage as the chosen venue to host the 6th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Forum where at least 400 members of Congress from at least 100 countries worldwide are expected to attend.

China would have bided for the hosting of the 2008 UNWTO Forum but retracted its intent to give way to the Philippines and instead will host the same event in 2010.

The international tourism forum for parliamentarians held every two years is the first time that will be held outside the country's capital.

Dominique Bernadette, UN-WTO Conference Secretariat Chief said Cebu has been chosen as the venue of the international forum because it meets the UN Conference's criteria of certain standards in terms of facilities such as an international air service connectivity which is highly important.

Bernadette added that Cebu being the most favored international tourism destination is also a factor behind the decision as it serves as a role model in giving more awareness to local authorities on their significant role in the development of communities through tourism.

Shaping global tourism needs policy changes and adjustments to have a substantial impact which is basically the essence of the forum but local chief executives likewise have a critical role as they are the ones that implement these policies in the local level.

A technical tour to Bohol is also part of the itinerary to showcase how the local government unit (LGU) of the province managed to balance development and sustained eco-tourism growth together.

Bohol is the fastest growing destination in the country because of the efforts of the LGU to strike a balance between development and the preservation of nature, the tourism secretary added.

The WTO Forum is an additional economic activity for Cebu and Bohol on top of what it is enjoying right now, DOT Secretary Ace Durano claimed. Cebu and Bohol are the top tourist destinations among foreign visitors.

A post conference tour will also be offered to the delegates if they want to travel anywhere in the country like in Boracay, Palawan, Cagayan, Davao and Manila among other tourist destinations, Durano said.

Negros Oriental Product Bags Top Award in International Fair

A product from Central Visayas won the most trendy product award out of 378 food products from all over the Philippines at the recently concluded International Food Exhibition (IFEX) 2008 held at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

This award, usually won by more established large companies in the country, was the first in the five-year history of the IFEX to be given to a small enterprise --- Orient Foods Inc. of Negros Oriental.

What is even more remarkable was that the product, a fruity bar, was a direct result of the Partner Region Program (PRP) of the government which provides assistance in food packaging development to make products competitive in both domestic and international markets.

According to judges from the private sector, Orient Foods’ chewy fruity bar won based on packaging design, product innovation and adaptation to consumers’ lifestyle.

The fruity bar concept is similar to granola bars sold in high-end health food stores. However, it uses all natural local ingredients such as rice crispies and native dried fruits, making the product not only nutritious but also cheap and convenient since it is wrapped in foil. It also has an attractive packaging design that appeals to consumers of all ages.

Meanwhile, Chantilly’s budbod kabog, still from Negros Oriental, came in a close second.

The budbod kabog of Chantilly is unique because aside from its ingredients which are bird seeds or millet, the product also uses banana leaf to wrap the delicacy and is vacuum packed and retorted in foil to increase shelf life without using preservatives. Its packaging not only retains the fresh food flavor but also gives the product an ethnic look.

The other contestants representing Central Visayas were Eco Nuestra (bottled sardines, amahon), Andre Choco (chocolate products), Lola Pureza (broas), Bohol Bee Farm (honey spread, honey products), Jojies's Bakeshop (bakery products), Tienda Boholana (oatmeal cookies), BQ Bread Basket (kalamay, star peanuts, breads, cakes), Bohol Quality Pastries (tajada cookies, broas, kinatloan), Candabong Ric Multipurpose Cooperative (ginger tea, salabat candies), Jose’s Budbod Delights (budbod sa Tanjay), Ivon's baye-baye, Tessies's Sweets and Pastries (bakery products), Sans Rival (jam squares, sylvannas), Orient Food Industries (dried tropical fruits), Ever (peanut broas), Duran's (banana fries) and Jainin's Pastries (tortalita).

The Trendy Awards was first introduced during the Asian Ethnic Food Festival, the original name of what is now called the international Food Exhibition (IFEX)

IFEX 2008 board of judges are: Margarita Fores – chef and restaurateur, Linda Floro – food stylist and restaurant owner, Engr. Abner Villahermosa – technical consultant for food packaging and branding.

Because of its participation in the PRP, Central Visayas food producers were given priority in terms of promotion, and location of product display during the IFEX 2008 (at the forefront of the main exhibition hall).

IFEX 2008 gathered several industry authorities and key stakeholders from various food sectors to the show to meet and discuss the latest trends and opportunities in the global food market and how to approach local and export markets in today’s fast, highly competitive environment.

The show introduced new food trends that help boost the marketability of food products and related commodities through innovative trends and concepts -- sustainable packaging, healthful eating practices, green production and marketing techniques, and new technology and allied services for catering and retail industries.

The IFEX was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Center for International exposition & Missions (CITEM) Partner Region Program (PRP).

The PRP is made possible with the cooperation of the Philippine Trade Training Center, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Science and Technology.

Under the program, food companies have been getting assistance in food packaging development/ enhancement to make their products competitive in both domestic and international markets.

The DTI has provided appropriate assistance to SMEs under the PRP in the form of trainings, seminars and updates on food quality and safety, food packaging, marketing and branding.

After application of the relevant technical and marketing related interventions, these products are showcased in a special setting at the IFEX Philippines for market testing.

The PRP gives focus on regional food products that have potentials in both domestic and international markets.

Bohol: Country's model for eco-tourism

Eco-Cultural tourism was then an unthinkable word, until the Boholanos showed what it is.

Entirely packaging a tourism that is a spin-off from the traditional definitions, Bohol's eco-tourism has made it a model for the Philippines, admits Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, during awarding ceremonies of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Turismo Mismo grantees in Magtangtang Danao, Bohol, May 1.

"Even at a time when eco-tourism was not crafted yet, the Boholanos were able to define it," he said after going through the Eco, Educational, Extreme Adventure Tourism (EAT) in Danao.

The eco-tourism concept is one where there is responsible travel to nature areas, doing activities like birdwatching, caving, farm visits and rice field walks, kayaking or simply sightseeing.

In Danao, local officials led by Mayor Thomas Louis Gonzaga also put in a twist in their adventure tourism by introducing river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock and root climbing and even bungee jumping.

The concept is to integrate all these in a huge nature park which has been the base camp of a revered Boholano hero; Francisco Dagohoy, while instilling in the tourists' mind the idea of preserving nature, the natural landscape, the watershed, the forest ecosystem and the town's history and cultural heritage, said a billboard at the park's jump-off point.

In fact, even Bohol Representative Edgar Chatto also confessed that when the House of Representatives deliberated on the bid for Bohol to be declared an eco-cultural tourism destination in the country, legislators called it a misnomer.

Legislators said [being] cultural also encompasses the ecology and the environment.

Chatto said he argued that it took the Boholanos about seven months to craft the vision for Bohol, and eco-cultural tourism is what they meant.

He said the House legislators finally agreed to adopt the term, after the local representative detailed the meaning of the word according to the Boholanos.

Chatto, who was a vice governor then was a key instrument in the crafting of Bohol's tourism vision as a province.

On eco-tourism, Durano asserts that Danao Bohol's tourism direction is basically what the DOT's Turismo Mismo is all about.

The department spun a campaign of not just giving people jobs, which seems to be superficial, but on giving people livelihood, which would make the projects sustainable.

Turismo Mismo is one where it is the people of the place who benefit from the resources, one he calls as Pilipino Mismo.

In Danao, the DOT brought Grass Roots Entrepreneurship and Employment in Tourism (GREET).

Meanwhile, Danao Mayor Gonzaga agreed that tourism to be sustainable should not just be about jobs but about livelihood as well. (PIA)

BOHOLANO food products go international in IFEX 2008

In no time at all, favorite peanut kisses, calamay, caycay, tajada, mango spread, salabat (ginger tea) and broa would be gracing international market shelves as they debut in the upcoming International Food Exhibition (IFEX) this month at the Mall of Asia in Pasay.

The event, an exhibit component of the Partner Region Program (PRP) by the Asian Ethnic Food Festival now commonly called IFEX 2008, would feature local food and processors, which benefited technical help from experts and resources of Conventions and International Trades Expositions and Missions (CITEM) a trade promotion organization.

In Bohol, up to take their respective spots in upcoming IFEX are BUCAREZ Food Processing’s Peanut Kisses, BQ Breadbasket’s Calamay, Jojie’s Bakeshop’s Caycay, Bohol Quality Pastries’ Tajada, Bohol Bee Farm’s Mango Spread, Candabong RIC Multipurpose Cooperative’s Salabat Ginger Tea, Tienda Boholana’s Mango cookie and Tessie’s Sweets and Pastries’ ladyfingers or Broas.

These Bohol food products benefited mainstreamed and developed food packaging systems from government and technical experts, bared local Department of Trade and Industry authorities.

The Citem, the country’s export management authorities said the named Bohol products were identified through their PRP, and were assessed as having the potential in both domestic and international markets.

Under the program, select food companies from the identified regions are given assistance in food packaging development and enhancement to make their products competitive in both domestic and international markets.

For nine months, trainings and seminars were given to company owners in production and marketing-related topics to help them improve their production towards safe and quality products and equip them with knowledge in negotiating better with both local and foreign buyers.

During these periods the selected food companies underwent trainings and seminars on food packaging and labeling, current good manufacturing practices, brand management, food process cost management, marketing management, visual merchandising and negotiation techniques.

One-on-One consultancy and In-plant assessments are likewise provided by the PRP experts to these firms.

The products, in their enhanced packaging and labels, are showcased in a special setting during the International Food Exhibition or IFEX.

For this year’s edition, the Central Visayas Region has been identified as the Partner Region for IFEX 2008, set for exhibition this coming May 16-18 at the SMEX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

The Central Visayan food products identified went through rigorou screening by CITEM experts, the Department of Science and Technology-Packaging Research and Development Center (DOST-PRDC), Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) and San Miguel Packaging Products.

Capitol plans to connect entire island of Cebu to the internet

The Cebu Provincial Government wants the entire island of Cebu connected to the Internet through WiMax or Worldwide Inter-operability for Microwave Access Technology.

Malaysian company Prosat Technologies proposed a joint venture with the Cebu provincial government regarding this matter.

Prosat officials Andre Foresti, chief executive officer, and Stephen Chia, chief operating officer, recently visited the Office of the Governor to present their proposal before the economic enterprise council (EEC).

Sugbo, the Cebu Province’s official publication, reported that Prosat aims to establish high-speed broadband wireless network infrastructure for Cebu to support future information and communication technology (ICT) needs.

If this is realized, remote barangays will have access to the Internet.

Sugbo stated that one of the goals of the Provincial Government is to bring ICT to the towns.

The Capitol distributed at least 10 computers for each high school in the province.

However, Cesar Atienza, Capitol consultant on information technology, said only 42 percent of the high schools in the province have Internet connection.

”Existing internet service providers are still looking for commercial viability. They won’t go beyond the poblacion, because doing so has no attractive commercial returns and they could not survive,” Sugbo quoted Atienza.

Prosat first visited Cebu last year for the ICT summit. It is there that they were “encouraged” by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s ICT aspirations for Cebu.

“Our vision is to develop an effective broadband wireless telecommunications facility to support government and industries, based on open global standards,” said Chia of the proposed joint venture with Cebu Province.

The Provincial EEC is still scrutinizing the proposal.

WiMax is a wireless digital communications system intended for wireless metropolitan area networks. It can provide broadband wireless access of up to 30 miles for fixed stations and three to 10 miles for mobile stations.

WiMax is similar to the more popular wireless fidelity (WiFi), but the latter is limited to 100 to 300 feet. It is gaining popularity as an alternative to cable and DSL-enabled broadband access. (PNA)

Cebu Pacific opens direct flights from Cebu to Bangkok and Macau

Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) has opened two direct flights from Cebu to Bangkok in Thailand and Mactan over the weekend, strengthening Cebu’s position as an international gateway.

Romulo Orense, CEB corporate communications manager, said the new routes will make it easier for tourists to reach the two destinations.

The Cebu-Macau flight will fly twice a week on Tuesday and Saturday, while Macau-Cebu flight is every Wednesday and Sunday.

The Cebu-Bangkok route and vice versa will fly thrice a week every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Orense said the new flights will also increase the number of tourists coming to Cebu especially Bangkok, which is a destination for European tourists.

The Macau route will also serve the overseas Filipino workers’ market, said Orense.

Orense said around 130 passengers flew to Bangkok last Saturday, while more than 100 passengers flew to Macau last Sunday during the inaugural flights.

Jenny Franco, president of National Association of Independent Travel Agencies, Cebu Chapter (Naitas-Cebu), considered the Bangkok and Macau routes as positive development in the travel industry.

”Travelers from Visayas and Mindanao have been clamoring for those direct flights. It is also an opportunity for us to promote Central Visayas in Thailand,” Franco said.

”But we are targeting not only Thai tourists but mainly the expatriates living in Thailand and tourists coming to Thailand. We want them to extend their holidays in Cebu,” she added.

The Department of Tourism welcomed the new routes as “good news that will benefit the tourism industry.”

”This is a very helpful intervention. The more direct flights, the better to increase accessibility and convenience of tourists,” said Phineas Alburo, DOT undersecretary for Visayas and Mindanao.

Alburo said airlines, such as Cebu Pacific, also serves as an effective promoter of tourist destination in the country.

”Because of this, we are more than confident that we will reach the three million tourist target this year,” Alburo said.

Orense said they will soon be launching direct flights from Davao to Hong Kong and Singapore and vice versa.

”The market in Davao is already developed. It is already very strong with a healthy pool of tourists and business travelers in Davao. We are the potential of these routes,” said.

Orense also said another local route --Davao to Iloilo will also be opened soon.

Last week, CEB also launched its new Avion Regional Transport (ATR), a 72-passenger aircraft from Toulouse, France, which will fly from Cebu to Caticlan in Aklan province daily.

The new flight will support the increasing number of tourists going to Boracay.(PNA)

Online recruitment firm opens Cebu branch

A pioneering online recruitment firm recently launched its Cebu office in time for the company’s 10th anniversary, after two years of checking out the local corporate scene.

JobsDB.com, which started operations in Hong Kong in 1998, has established presence in more than 10 countries. It chose Cebu for its first regional branch in the Philippines.

Jayjay Viray, JobsDB general manager, said after holding two successful job fairs in the Cebu City, the firm decided to establish the regional branch at the 10th floor of Keppel Center, Cebu Business Park.

“There is an overwhelming and vibrant atmosphere in Cebu that pushed us to do it now,” Viray said, adding that JobsDB.com should have opened its Cebu site sometime ago.

The online recruitment company wants to give clients and jobseekers in Cebu the same access that its clients in Manila are enjoying.

Viray said although jobseekers can access the company’s services through the Internet, there are still those who want to drop by JobsDB.com’s office and ask for assistance on how to go about their job applications.

Viray could not disclose how many clients the company has in Cebu, but she said that since JobsDB.com started campaigning for its Cebu opening, through a soft launch in 2006, the number of resumes deposited in their database has “picked up.”

The firm has also partnered with local schools and universities in Cebu to allow graduating students to fill out their online resumes, which are deposited in JobsDB’s database.

Expansion efforts in Cebu, Viray said, also included forging partnerships with 1,500 Internet cafes, which use the JobsDB.com website as their homepage.

Aside from being an online recruitment firm, Viray said, JobsDB also organizes seminars to assist and update jobseekers on the latest techniques in applying for jobs.

She said she has also made a commitment to government leaders in Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City that the company will help hold job fairs in local government units.

“This is our goal, to be part of every Cebuano’s life,” Viray said.

Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president Eric Ng Mendoza, who attended the opening of JobsDB.com Cebu office, said the online recruitment company has come at an “opportune time, when Cebu has dramatically grown in information and communication technology, as well as in the business process outsourcing industry.”

In his keynote speech, JobsDB chairman Samuel Sung said that the firm recognizes Cebu as having achieved “spectacular growth” and that he was amazed at the transformation of the city since his last visit 10 years ago.

Aside from JobsDB.com, Sung also promoted 88DB.com, which the company considers as a “racket central,” since budding entrepreneurs can post their products and services at the site for free.

Sung said he supports entrepreneurs since they are “they new drivers of the economy.”

In line with this effort, JobsDB and 88DB will hold the Career and Entrepreneurship Fair 2008 in July, in Cebu. The activity will include a paperless job fair through the use of the Career Card System, which Jobs DB initiated.

The system allows the applicant to give his career card during job fairs and his resume can then be downloaded online.

There will also be a multi-sectoral exhibit by multinational companies, private organizations, government agencies, universities and colleges and recruitment agencies.

JobsDB has 10 million jobseekers with free accounts in the firm’s website. These registered jobseekers have access to job postings from 200,000 companies. The company also said that its website gets 12 million visits monthly.

The JobsDB Cebu office opening was also attended by Cebu City Councilor Eduardo Rama, who came on behalf of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena, and Bonifacio Belen, executive director for the Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology.(PNA)

NERBAC-Cebu One-Stop Business Registering and Licensing

Link

We're aggressively promoting the services of NERBAC-Cebu. Cebu NERBAC is being made as a pilot project by the Philippine government for fast business registering and licensing.

Created through the Republic Act 7470, NERBAC is an all-in-one center that houses all concerned agencies in the government. It processes all regulatory requirements in starting a business and provides investments information on Central Visayas.

I hope businessmen will support this government move and have their businesses registered at the NERBAC-Cebu to reduce graft and corruption.

Negros Oriental food products go international

Five locally produced food delicacies from the province will be highlighted in the International Food Exhibition Philippines (IFEX Philippines 2008) together with other selected food products from the Central Visayas Region 7, on May 16-18, 2008 at the SMEX Convention Center, Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

According to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Information Officer, Tammy Sevilla to be featured in this year's IFEX under the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions' Partner Region Program are: Orient Foods' "energy food", a combination of ampaw and dehydrated fruits; Sans Rival's jam squares; Ivon's baye-baye; Chantilly's bod-bod kabog; and the bod-bod of Tanjay.

Under the program, the above food companies have been getting assistance in food packaging development/enhancement to make their products competitive in both domestic and international markets.

The owners are given trainings/seminars in production and marketing-related topics to help improve their production towards safe and quality products as well as equip them with the knowledge to improve their negotiation skills in dealing with local and foreign buyers.

Sevilla said, during the IFEX all products from Region 7, in their enhanced packaging and labels will be showcased in a special setting at the main exhibition hall, where local and foreign buyers are expected to visit. (PIA)

More Revenues In Software Development For Cebu

Cebu is expected to generate $255 million or 20 percent of the $1.275 billion revenue in software development by 2010 as it continues to be a premier outsourcing destination in the country.

Executive director of Cebu Educational Development Foundation Bonifacio said these figures are based on the studies conducted by the Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT) and Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP).

Cebu earned $60 million and employed 3,500 software developers in 2006, Belen added.

In his presentation during the launching of Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2008, Belen said this target puts forward the “enormous growth opportunity” for Cebu. “The challenge for Cebu is to serve substantial share or 20 percent of the national target (of $1.2 billion in 2010),” he said.

Belen said CBM 2008 features the First Cebu Open Source Summit which is one way of addressing challenges faced by the ICT sector.

“For the very first time, the major stakeholders of Open Source Technology across the world will converge in Cebu to discuss how the Open Source movement is changing the rules of the game for ICT,” he said.

The summit will have speakers from Cebu and other countries, who will discuss issues such as open source applications, infrastructure and technical success factor, challenges and risks of open source, and best practices for open source governance.

Filipino entrepreneur Winston Damarillo, who is chairman and co-founder of BPO company, Exist Global and software company, Morph Labs will be one of the speakers.

Belen said the summit will help Cebu reach its revenue target in the BPO and ITES sectors in 2010.

International Tourism Forum Highlights Bohol And Cebu

Tourism stakeholders are currently preparing for the United Nations-World Tourism Organization’s (UN-WTO) 6th International Tourism Forum for Parliamentarians to be held in Cebu on Oct. 22 to 25.

“Once again, Cebu will be the center of the world stage,” Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said. “It is an opportunity for Cebu to look forward to and grow, and an effective way for Cebuanos to look inward and present its competitiveness and strength as a people to the rest of the world.”

Cebu received international recognition for its hosting of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in January 2007.

The international forum, which is held every two years, is expected to gather some 400 delegates from 156 countries.

Durano was in Cebu with other Department of Tourism (DOT) officials and representatives of the UNWTO for the 888 News Forum yesterday at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Durano said the international tourism forum would have been held in China, but local stakeholders defended the country’s interest to host the event.

He said the Philippines’ bid drew support from other Asean member-nations and even earned the backing of China.

In an interview, Durano said tourism-related discussions to be tackled during the forum will deal on infrastructure projects, climate change, poverty reduction and the role of women in the industry.

He said infrastructure, especially airport development, will always be a vital component to increase tourism activities in a country.

A change in the climatic conditions will also be crucial in the traffic of foreign visitors, thus the tourism sector must be prepared for whatever changes in terms of trends and travel habits of tourists during wet and dry seasons, he added.

Durano also spoke of “immeasurable benefits and trickle-down effects” that the international tourism fair will bring to Cebu, as the main venue, as well as Bohol, which will be visited by delegates.

“The visit will show the sustainable eco-tourism of Bohol. It should be a role model for a balanced tourism development and nature preservation,” he said.

Durano lauded the efforts of tourism stakeholders and local government units in Bohol, “who have become the pillars in making the province one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the Philippines.”

DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque Jr. said with the international media mileage that Cebu and Bohol will be getting, both provinces — “with their renowned capacity to attract visitors” — is guaranteed to be in the world map as a destination for leisure, and international meetings, conventions, incentives, and exhibitions.

DTI, DOT ink pact for marketing of OTOP products in Central Visayas

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7, in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7, will hold a familiarization tour of towns taking part in the One Town, One Product (Otop) project.

The tour will enable DTI 7 and DOT 7 to effectively market Otop products and services among foreign and domestic tourists.

DTI 7 presented some Otop products in Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas to a group of local tour guides and tour operators in a briefing last Monday.

The joint venture of DTI 7 and DOT 7 is the first in the region and the second nationwide, said DTI 7 Director Asteria Caberte.

Caberte said the familiarization tour of successful Otop areas by tour guides and operators “will help provide a new dimension in the region’s tourism packages,” especially since Central Visayas is described as the tourism gateway of the Philippines.

“They can incorporate Otop stories into the town’s history and narrate it to tourists,” she said in an interview. She pointed out that since tour guides are likened to “walking billboards,” they would be the right people to tap in the promotion of Otop products. (wowphilippines)

New Schedule Of Business Permitting And Licensing At DTI NERBAC - 7

The Department of Trade and Industry’s National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center in Region 7 (DTI NERBAC – 7) announces that, effective January 14 this year, the BIR, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG will be posting their representatives at the NERBAC only in the morning (8:00 am to 12:00), from Monday to Friday.

With the very limited staff of the four mandatory agencies, resulting from the implementation of the Rationalization Law, the BIR, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG are presently unable to detail their representatives on a whole day basis (8:00 am to 5:00pm), from Monday to Friday, at the NERBAC until the volume of transactions would justify the hiring of additional personnel.

It is to be recalled that DTI-NERBAC-7, as a one-stop-shop for business registration (for sole proprietorships), permitting and licensing has already been operating since October of last year, with the Cebu City Government and the four mandatory agencies, the BIR, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, having their respective representatives posted at the NERBAC 7 office which is located at LDM Bldg., Lapu-lapu St. cor Legazpi Sts., Cebu City.

Processing and procurement of the Cebu City Mayor’s Permit by new partnerships, corporations and cooperatives, as well as new licenses involving the four mandatory agencies, as mentioned, can be done at the DTI NERBAC 7 office.

With NERBAC as a one-stop-shop, new applicants for business permits and licenses are spared from the tedious process which they had to go through without the NERBAC facility. This process involves registering their business names with DTI and securing a business or Mayor’s permit from the Cebu City Hall (for Cebu City based businesses) and registering with the four mandatory agencies in separate locations.

Housing these six (6) offices under one roof would really be a great relief for applicants who would register their new businesses, as they will be saving not only the cost of going from one office to another, but also valued time.

As improvements in the operations of NERBAC progress, rolling out the reforms in the BPLS out to other provinces, cities and municipalities of Region 7 are now contemplated, in the hope of creating a uniform process flow for business registration, permitting and licensing throughout Region 7, with the end goal of improving the overall investment climate. (ends)

Central Visayas lists one of lowest unemployment rates among regions

Unemployment rate in Central Visayas dropped to about 5.9 percent as of October 2007, compared to the 7.5% in the same period in 2006, says the latest NSO labor force statistic report.

According the report, underemployment (those persons that desires additional hours of work) also dropped to 11.3 percent in 2007, the second lowest among the country's 17 regions. In 2006, region 7's underemployment rate hit 17.8 percent.

Nationwide unemployment also dropped to 6.3 from 7.3 percent. Among the regions, only the NCR recorded a double-digit unemployment rate of 10.6 percent, the highest among the regions, said the NSO report.

According to the report, more than half of those unemployed nationwide were men at 63.5% and 46.2% of all jobless persons had attended high school. Those that managed to reach college were not also better off, they accounted for 39.5% of the unemployed.

The Cagayan Valley region reported to have the highest employment rate at 97.7 percent. Central Visayas has 94.1 percent, lower than the employment rates reported in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Eastern Visayas and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, among others,

The report further said that of the estimated 35.9 million people in the country's labor force, 93.7 percent were employed or 9 out of 10 persons were employed.

Laborers, unskilled workers, farmers and fishers make up about half of all workers. Nearly 50% (48.8) were in the services sector; 36.1% were in the agriculture and the rest, 15.1% were in the industry sector, the NSO report went on.

Finally, about 6.1 million of all workers were underemployed, placing the national underemployment rate at 18.1% in 2007 or lower than the 2006 estimates of 20.4 percent. (PIA)

Cebu outsourcing facility opened by India’s Wipro

GLOBAL IT SERVICE provider Wipro Technologies has set up shop in the Philippines, opening a business process outsourcing (BPO) center in Cebu.

The Bangalore-based company, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, plans to hire some 900 employees for the 45,000 square-foot facility. Officials said it was also looking at establishing additional centers in other fast-growing Philippine cities.

"The Philippines is one of the largest English-speaking nations and with a talent pool of 29 million. This is one location that we definitely want to expand our presence in," Wipro BPO President T.K. Kurien said in a statement.

The firm did not detail its Cebu investment, nor its Philippine plans. Company officials were not available for comment as of presstime.

Wipro BPO Vice-President Sanjeev Bhatia, in the statement, said the Cebu facility would address the requirements of a global market.

"Our business objective is to enable delivery of multilingual services to our global customer base. With a strong and robust game plan for the year, we are very clear in announcing Wipro’s arrival towards global serviceability, and Philippines is a major milestone in this journey" he added.

In a telephone interview, CB Richard Ellis Philippines director Ryan Isip said the property management firm had been tapped as lease manager.

"Wipro will locate at Cebu IT Plaza. The province was their preference. They are also interested in looking at other provincial sites," he told BusinessWorld.

Cebu, said Mr. Isip, has gone beyond being a premier tourist destination as it is now the second most popular Philippine destination for BPO companies next to Metro Manila.

Wipro’s move to locate in Cebu, said Business Processing Association Philippines executive director Mitchell Locsin, "It shows the Philippines continues to grow and attract global outsourcing companies.

"This is good for the country; they are employing thousands of people. We welcome them." — BW