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Economists believe that the recently approved wage hike in the National Capital Region (NCR) that takes effect this month, as well as pending increases in the provinces, could stoke inflation.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has issued an updated list of value added tax (VAT)-exempt medicines for various diseases such as cancer, hypertension and diabetes.

July 01, 2023 8:45 AM

Hyundai Group chief has been seeking to visit the North’s Mount Kumgang.

For the most part, China hawks in the US have been deeply critical of Blinken’s visit to Beijing. Crucially, however, the trip raised hope of restoring bilateral dialogue and was largely welcomed by regional states keen to facilitate a thaw in US-China regional rivalry.

WEDDINGS become a stylish and delectable fête at Diamond Suites & Residences.

The hotel begins forever with a wedding reception that encapsulates modern sensibilities. First and foremost is an ideal location, conveniently within Cebu's premier business district, and bold designs in aesthetics, and modern preferences in dining.

Menus comprise wide and sumptuous buffet sets in Asian or Western cuisine, and include modern touches with the couple's choice of d'oeuvres or grazing table, alongside two hours of flowing cocktails.

Weddings become a stylish and delectable fête at Diamond Suites. Find out about wedding packages or book a city hotel stay for as low as P2,640/room night. Visit Diamond Suites in “Kasalan at Kotilyon 2023” from June 30 to July 2, Friday to Sunday, at Ayala Center Cebu’s Activity Center.

Diamond Suites is a premier business hotel located across the Cebu Business Park, at No. 8 Apitong cor. Escario Sts., Cebu City. Within the property are 102 indulgent guestrooms, 3 dining outlets, and function spaces for business and social gatherings.

For more information, call Maitah at (0966) 182-6655 or visit Diamond Suites & Residences on Facebook @DiamondSuitesCebu. (SPONSORED CONTENT)

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised on June 8 the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 after it showed an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

Kathija Bibi recently retired after 33 years of illustrious service in India's Tamil Nadu state.

Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines-Jhpiego Philippines successfully conducted a two-day Program Implementation Review and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Workshop on June 27-28, 2023. The event took place at the 1A Express Hotel in Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental, and brought together municipal, provincial, and regional partners from Northern Mindanao who are involved in the Sexual Health and E

Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines-Jhpiego Philippines successfully conducted a two-day Program Implementation Review and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Workshop on June 27-28, 2023. The event took place at the 1A Express Hotel in Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental, and brought together municipal, provincial, and regional partners from Northern Mindanao who are involved in the Sexual Health and E

WHILE Cebu’s hotel industry is now seeing a sustained increase in occupancy since the return of international tourists early last year, hoteliers are also facing a prevailing challenge: manpower.

And their biggest competitor—cruise lines, among others.

There is an “insufficient supply” of hospitality workers in Cebu, as those who left the industry during the Covid-19 pandemic have since found new careers in other industries, while others pursued high-paying tourism jobs like those in cruise lines, according to Mia Singson-Leon, executive vice president of Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) and general manager of Quest Hotel & Conference Center.

Leon said on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, that several hotel workers will eventually seek greener pastures abroad while some find work in the outsourcing industry here, which also pays better.

To cope with the short supply, Leon said hoteliers are forced to hire applicants even if they don’t meet the standards of the company and train them for up to three months. She said Quest, for example, keeps on hiring and training people.

“This year, we started to improve our hiring,” she said, noting that they have adopted a strong training program for their workers.

Challenging task

While manpower isn’t a problem for Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, Paige Ginete, who heads the resort’s marketing and communications, said on Friday, June 30, that hospitality recruitment has become more challenging.

“We are competing against cruise lines,” said Ginete. “Because they are now accepting fresh graduates and the pay is high.”

The number of employees at Plantation Bay is close to its pre-pandemic count of 400. The resort prioritized rehiring those it had to let go during the pandemic. Old and new employees underwent new training under the new normal, especially since post-pandemic travelers have new demands.

Operating even during the pandemic has allowed Seda Ayala Center Cebu to keep its workers.

“We did not have this kind of issue since we did not close and even our casual staff returned to work. I know it’s an issue for some. Some reasons for the shortage are due to cruise ships,” said Gwen dela Cruz, the hotel manager.

In a separate interview, HRRAC president Alfred Reyes said the shortage of hospitality workers is already an old issue, noting that the industry felt it as soon as travel restrictions were lifted.

“Tourism-related businesses, especially hotels, have been in a crisis to hire enough people. And this isn’t only a Philippine issue. It’s a worldwide issue,” said Reyes in an interview Friday.

He explained that local hotels are affected since they did not have on-the-job trainees and new graduates did not have experience. Hoteliers also face the challenge of losing workers to business process management firms that offer generous income packages.

“Working in our industry requires a lot. You’ve got to have the passion, the willingness to sacrifice, and of course, be hospitable,” said Reyes. “So now it depends on how your brand as a property would be able to convince even those with non-hospitality courses to join you. You’ve got to have a strong human resource department to effectively execute strategies.”

Recovery

But while the industry has been facing this challenge for quite some time, Leon reported that the recovery of hotels is on track as foreign guests have since come back, and the industry is trying to lure meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (Mice) activities to Cebu.

It was early last year when Cebu reopened to international tourists after direct flights to and from Cebu were re-launched post-pandemic.

Leon said while the industry has welcomed the return of Korean, American, European and Australian tourists, they are still waiting for the return of the Chinese and the Japanese.

Before the pandemic, tourists from Japan and China accounted for most of the international arrivals to Cebu, along with the island’s top market, the Koreans.

“We are doing well although we haven’t reached the peak in occupancy yet because the Chinese aren’t back,” said Reyes.

But industry-wide, Leon said hotels are continuously seeing higher occupancy because of the return of foreign guests and the stable local market. Quest Hotel, for instance, now attracts new emerging markets, such as travelers from Israel and groups of foreign persons with disabilities.

“We (the hotels) continue to work with the Department of Tourism to push Cebu as a destination once again,” she said.

Cebu has recently been hailed as one of the top travel destinations preferred by Filipinos, according to the recent Pahayag 2023 Second Quarter Survey released by Publicu Asia on Thursday, June 29.

Cebu landed the third spot with nine percent of respondents choosing the province. Notably, Cebu stood out as the preferred destination among Visayans, with a significant 21 percent of respondents from the region expressing their interest in visiting the province.

The survey, conducted from June 7 to 12, had 1,500 respondents randomly picked across five geographical areas in the country — National Capital Region, North Central Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

According to the survey, Palawan emerged as the most preferred travel destination, with an impressive 23 percent of respondents expressing their desire to visit. Baguio City came second followed by Cebu, Siargao, Boracay, Batanes, Bohol and Davao.

Upgrade investment

Moreover, as Quest anticipates the full recovery of the industry and the return of Mice events, Leon said the hotel’s management is investing some P200 million to upgrade all its facilities.

Quest Hotel is operated by the Filinvest Group in partnership with Chroma Hospitality.

The upgrading, which will be done in phases, is expected to be completed in three years, starting with soft renovation in identified areas.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Quest was one of the hotels in Cebu that never closed as it served as a quarantine hotel for returning Filipinos and temporary housing for outsourcing employees. The hotel business was also sustained by its food and catering services, which until now continue to drive its revenue growth. (CSL, KOC)

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has temporarily halted the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) from implementing its culling and zoning map policy for containing African swine fever (ASF) in Cebu Province.

In a resolution dated Friday, June 30, 2023, the CA’s 20th division in Cebu City said that there is an urgency in issuing the temporary restraining order (TRO).

The CA found it reasonable to issue the TRO, saying “the continued implementation of the culling and zoning policy of respondent will cause grave and irreparable damage” to the province.

“The Province of Cebu before the declaration of respondent of the existence of ASF in the province, [had] been one of the biggest suppliers of hogs and meat products in the country,” it said. “The culling and zoning map policy of respondent gravely affected the P11-billion hog industry in the province, which if not abated will cause irreparable damage not just to the livelihood of the constituents but more importantly to the economic growth and sustainability of the hog industry in the Province of Cebu.”

“There appears, at least preliminarily, a right on the part of petitioner that needs to be protected. Aside from the property rights and general welfare of its constituents, the right to local autonomy of petitioner is being threatened by the refusal of respondent to properly coordinate and cooperate with the LGU,” it added.

Garcia’s appeal

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia held a press conference Friday afternoon to announce the CA’s issuance of TRO, which covers a period of 60 days from notice.

She appealed to other local government units (LGUs) to lift their existing policies that prohibit the importation of live hogs and related products from Cebu based on the CA’s resolution.

“They will have to recognize that there is no reason to prohibit the shipment of our hogs or pigs,” Garcia said in the press conference, which was livestreamed on Sugbo News’ Facebook page.

The governor said they filed a petition for prohibition against BAI on April 18, urging the CA to stop its ASF policy in the province. The petition is a special civil action that seeks for a judgment ordering the respondent to desist from continuing with the commission of an act perceived to be illegal.

The CA still has to decide on the petition.

The Provincial Government has also filed charges against BAI officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Re-evaluation

The CA also cited the statement of DA 7 Director Angel Enriquez, who had acknowledged the possibility of reevaluating the current ASF protocols of the BAI.

“Since a re-evaluation and review of such protocols is not yet forthcoming, it is urgent that a TRO be issued to suspend temporarily the culling and zoning policy of respondent in the Province of Cebu, pendíng hearing on the application for a writ of preliminary injunction. This should be done in order to preserve the status quo and to stop the alleged indiscriminate culling of pigs and zoning done by respondent,” read a portion of the resolution penned by Associate Justice Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio.

The CA said it “sees a sense of urgency on the matter considering that there is a constitutional issue raised involving the taking of personal property of the constituents of petitioner (the Provincial Government), without due process of law and without compensation. In other words, public interest is involved in this case because not just the economic well-being of petitioner is at stake, but also the welfare of its constituents.”

Background

ASF was first detected in Carcar City on March 1. On March 10, at least 300 pigs from three barangays in the city were culled.

On March 20, the BAI reported the presence of the viral hog disease in Cebu City, Liloan, Sibonga, Tuburan and Bogo City.

Ten days later, the agency raised the number of infected areas in Cebu Province to 12 from the initial six.

The BAI placed the following towns and cities under the red (infected) zone: the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay, and the towns of Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga and Tuburan.

As of the agency’s latest update from June 2 to 14, the 12 LGUs were still included in the red zone.

Carcar City Mayor Mario Patricio “Patrick” Barcenas has appealed to the BAI to remove the city from the list.

Under the DA Administrative Order 2, series of 2022, red zone prohibits LGUs to export their live hogs, sows, piglets, genetic materials, pork meats and related products to areas under the pink (buffer), yellow (surveillance), light green (protected) and dark green (free) zones.

In the press conference Friday, Provincial Legal Officer Donato Villa said that with the TRO, the pre-ASF status quo in Cebu will be restored.

“It is as if there was no outbreak, no ASF in the province of Cebu,” Villa said.

The governor said BAI’s ASF policy has caused “economic hardship” on hog farmers in Cebu.

THE P76.4-billion fourth Cebu-Mactan bridge project is expected to affect at least 198 structures in Mandaue City and possibly more.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Central Office identified 29 structures that will be affected during Package Three of the bridge’s construction and 169 structures during Package Four.

However, the DPWH expects more structures to be affected as the department consolidates its data.

DPWH data reveals that the structures will include residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

The Detailed Engineering Design (DED) stage already considers a Resettlement Action Plan to cater to the families and business tenants in the affected structures.

The DPWH is working with local government units (LGUs) and other agencies, such as the National Housing Authority and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, to provide compensation, assistance and livelihood programs to affected parties.

Construction

Engineer Nonato Paylado, head of the planning and design division (PDD) at DPWH 7, told SunStar Cebu on Friday, June 30, 2023, that the construction of the bridge will likely start in 2024 and be completed by 2028.

Paylado said the bridge will start from Barangay Ibo in Lapu-Lapu City, cross over the Mactan Circumferential Road, and end near the Cansaga Bay Bridge in the Mandaue City Coastal Road.

He added that the DED was finished in March but is still being reviewed by the Bureau of Design and other consulting bodies for the plans and designs.

The project design consists of a steel box girder bridge with an orthotropic steel deck. The bridge will have a total length of 3.3 kilometers and a total width of 60 meters, of which 40 meters will be the actual road lanes.

“The bridge will have four lanes, two for each direction, but it may be expanded to six lanes,” Paylado said.

The DPWH is also considering adding bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks similar to other bridges.

Paylado explained that the DPWH is complying with the aviation and navigation requirements for the bridge in terms of its dimensions because of its proximity to the airport and marine vessels passing through the Mactan Channel.

He said the project is funded by a loan of about 120 billion Japanese yen, or roughly P50 billion, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency as an Official Development Assistance project.

Meanwhile, the remaining balance will be funded by the Philippine National Government.

TOURISTS and locals in Central Visayas are warned to be cautious when swimming in jellyfish-infested waters as stings could, in fact, kill humans.

Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (Resu) of the Department of Health 7 said jellyfish naturally sting to protect themselves from predators or any other harmful animals.

“It is not the fault of nature that we intruded on their habitat because they are there. Just imagine if someone trespasses on your house, what would you do?” she told SunStar Cebu on Friday, June 30, 2023.

A female tourist recently died after being stung by a box jellyfish while swimming in the sea in Barangay Pooc, Sta. Fe town, Bantayan Island in northern Cebu last Sunday, June 25.

Bohol resident Leslie Mardonero was with friends when she observed that her bust area had turned reddish. She passed out three to five seconds later.

The victim’s body bore several box jellyfish tentacles when the town responders checked on her.

Protective gear

Cañal encouraged the public to wear proper swimming attire as an extra layer of cloth between the jellyfish tentacles and skin to prevent severe stinging.

Rash guards and wetsuits can protect from deadly stings, especially for divers.

“The reason we have these proper suits is to protect our skin. We must protect ourselves when going to the waters,” she said.

Cañal added that putting anti-sting creams and lotions on the skin may not be efficient at protecting oneself against venomous stings, but still advises the public to do so in the absence of proper swimwear.

Dos and donts

Cañal advised those who are stung by a jellyfish to immediately go back to the beach and perform first aid.

According to Red Cross Australia, remedies for jellyfish include rinsing the stung area with vinegar for at least 30 seconds and removing tentacles from the skin with tweezers.

Cañal highly discouraged pouring urine as it could infect the wound and worsen the situation.

She said the best recourse is to bring the victim to the nearest hospital for urgent professional medical attention.

Emergency response

Alan Poquita, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 7, suggested on Friday that every local government unit (LGU) should have an emergency response team on standby.

“Could be in the form of trained fishers and boat operators, tour guides and resort staff conducting first aid and management of jellyfish stings, publicly available first aid kits in coastal areas with a high risk of harmful jellyfish stings,” he said. / KJF

TRANSACTING with the Cebu City Hall may soon have to be done through online and digital means as the City Government plans to introduce a cardless system.

The move should streamline the processes in City Hall and provide a convenient and efficient experience to its constituents.

The Management Information and Computer Services, in partnership with a private firm Traxion Tech, is developing the Cebu Smart City App and the cardless Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

Tax payment and online applications are some of the services which can be done through this innovation.

The cardless ATM was demonstrated at the lobby of City Hall’s legislative building on Friday, June 30, 2023, showcasing the ease of the senior citizen cash assistance distribution.

According to Mike Cubos, head of Traxion Tech, the machine can be accessed through a QR code through the Smart City mobile application. A physical card is also available for senior citizens who might have difficulties using mobile devices.

Once the QR code is scanned, users will be able to perform different transactions including bills payment, remittance of cash assistance, transfer, deposit and withdrawal of cash from any bank or digital wallet, among others.

Dante Arcilla, head of MICS, expects the cardless system will make government services and transactions efficient and convenient for residents.

Arcilla said the initial impact would be the ease of cash distribution to senior citizens because there is no more need to distribute physically in the barangays.

“We intend to launch this before the next distribution of senior citizens assistance,” he said.

Cubos said the application and machine are already developed and they are just waiting for the response from the City Government with regard to deployment.

Cubos also said that it may take up to six months after approval before the system is fully deployed. If implemented, ATMs will be placed in malls, barangays, terminals, markets and other strategic locations that are accessible to people.

TWO projects worth around P27 million broke ground in Barangay Talima, Olango Island.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan and his wife, Lone District Rep. Cindi Chan, spearheaded the groundbreaking ceremony for the planned evacuation center and a multi-purpose building on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

The 1,335-square-meter evacuation center with an allocated budget of P17,810 million is expected to be completed on Nov. 30.

While the planned two-story multi-purpose building on a 153-square-meter lot with an allocated budget of P9,894 million is targeted for completion on Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Pangan-an-Sabang Bridge on Olango Island has started.

Mayor Chan said once completed, the bridge will boost the economy of Olango Island and Pangan-an islet.

He added that through the bridge, they can already provide electricity to Pangan-an 24/7; and water pipes will also pass through the bridge to supply water to Pangan-an residents.

Mayor Chan said the bridge will also give residents easy access to a mini hospital in Olango.

About P300 million was allocated for the bridge project.

The 2.8-kilometer long bridge will feature shaded viewing decks with 500-meter intervals.

It will be accessible only to hikers, joggers and cyclists to avoid disturbing domestic animals and birds in the nearby sanctuary. (WITH PR)

A JANITOR of a mall in Barangay Apas, Cebu City was apprehended by the establishment’s security guard for allegedly trying to steal pork bones while he was leaving the building at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

The 29-year-old suspect, a resident of the said barangay, was later turned over to the Mabolo Police Station at 11:30 p.m.

The pork bones were discovered by the mall’s security guard in his bag during inspection.

The janitor said a cashier and a saleslady instructed him to bring the pack but he was not aware that it contained pork bones.

The bones valued at P116.38 were confiscated by the guard.

“Gipadala to sa akoa sa cashier namo ug tindera. Ingon man siya nga okay nana dalha nana didto og apil (The cashier and the saleslady asked me to bring it. They told me it was okay to bring it.),” he said.

Despite his denial, he was hauled to the Mabolo Police Station and imprisoned there since the operator who could have looked over the CCTV footage to support his claim had already gone home.

The janitor urged his co-workers to tell the truth after he learned that they denied giving him the order to take the pork bones.

The suspect will be charged with theft. (BBT, TPT)

A 680-year-old Shinto festival accused of animal cruelty has promised reforms after a horse died.

July 01, 2023 5:00 AM

Experts believe that the bushfire risk is mounting after three years of high rainfall.

July 01, 2023 5:00 AM

JAKARTA - In the sky above Sumatra, cloud-seeding aircraft have been trying to induce rain, even in these wetter months, to fill up dams and prevent flammable peatlands from drying out.

July 01, 2023 5:00 AM

The first Greek cafes date back to the gold rush in Australia in the 1850s, serving food like steak and chips.