Development of Cebu’s SRP
February 21, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News, Projects and Construction
CEBU CITY—The Cebu City government is hoping to settle development plans with interested locators at the 240-hectare reclaimed South Road Properties (SRP) in the next three months, City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said.
The mayor said development plans are being shuffled back and forth between interested developers and the city, which he admitted is being “choosy” in the development it wants on the property.
Metro Cebu will have prepaid electric service
February 21, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
CEBU CITY—The Visayan Electric Co. (Veco), the country’s second-biggest power utility, is planning to roll out a prepaid electric service in 2008 in Metro Cebu, company officials said.
Jimmy Aboitiz, senior vice president and chief operating officer, said the company is sending a team to South Africa to study the country’s prepaid electricity service and to try to replicate it in Metro Cebu.
A Daily Dose of Cebu will be moving to a new domain
February 12, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under Site Advisory
As mentioned in the previous post, A Daily Dose of Cebu, will be moving to a new and more recognizable domain within this week so we apologize in advance for any inconveniences or downtime you may encounter as you browse the site’s pages in the next few days.
Thanks!
Carmen perks up economy, boosts sinamay production
February 7, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
Sinamay in Carmen, Cebu
Known for its world-class sinamay products, Carmen is now actively taking on an aggressive commercial promotion of its homegrown handicraft with the help of the government’s One Town One Product program.
The local government of Carmen is focusing on this particular product to bolster the economic development of the town as well as to attract domestic and foreign investors.
This February, Vice-mayor Sonia Q. Pua will be coming out with a “Bisita, Bisita sa Barangay” program, that will focus on the livelihood development of the people in Carmen and bolster the production of their sinamay products.
Durano: Reclassification seen to draw investors to Camotes
February 7, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
To maximize the mixed industry advantage of 12 northern towns in the Cebu 5th district Congressman Ramon “Red” H. Durano VI vowed to further develop infrastructure to support development in tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and lift industrial industries.
In an interview with Durano, he said that part of his priorities is to open up Camotes Island for investors to re-classify the alienable part of the island.
According to Durano, Camotes Island can become a good alternative resort destination to Mactan, provided it has to have five-star resort accommodations and good road infrastructure to provide easy access to visiting tourists.
DOT in talks with foreign airlines for more flights to Europe, China
February 7, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
China Shenzhen Airlines
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) considers the establishment of more direct international flights from target markets as a short-term priority to beef up tourism activities in Cebu.
Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano made the announcement last Tuesday during the 888 News Forum. He said tourism stakeholders are negotiating with China Shenzhen Airlines for the opening of a direct flight between Nanning, China and Cebu this March.
“The lack of direct flights makes Cebu tour packages more expensive,” he said.
WB experts study bus system for BanTal
February 7, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
Bus Rapid Transit in Beijing, China
WORLD Bank traffic experts are in Cebu City today to study the possibility of implementing a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the Banilad-Talamban area and to design an “internal transportation system for the entire South Road Properties (SRP).”
Mayor Tomas Osmeña had just attended a two-day World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) seminar on public transport in Manila.
With him were City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, City Council committee on transportation chairman; engineer Paul Villarete, City Planning and Development Office head; and City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive officer Arnel Tancinco.
Bigfoot project at SRP
February 7, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News, Projects and Construction
THE first company to invest in the 290-hectare South Road Properties (SRP) hopes to complete the first phase of a film-making facility by September this year.
Bigfoot Properties Inc. chief architect Ma. Sarah Abadia said work on the first phase, which includes sound stages, is more than 30 percent complete. She added that sound stages are targeted to be opened by July.
Render for Bigfoot Studios and Soundstages
photo by SleMarKen - SkyscraperCity
Abadia also said the company hopes to have the sound stages fully operational by September.
Philippines’ oldest house found in Cebu
February 6, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
An old warehouse is one of the last places you will expect to find a national treasure.
Philippine businessman Jaime Sy never thought there was something special about the four-decade-old warehouse owned by his family in Cebu.
That is, not until he noticed a 40-centimetre plaque on a wall inside the building.
He said, ‘For old houses, they normally have a plaque which says the year that it was built. So in this case, its ano 1730, it’s in Spanish, but in English, it’s year 1730.’
That makes this the country’s oldest known house.
Now a rundown warehouse, the structure was the residence of Jesuit priests during Spanish colonial times.
They have left carvings of Catholic monograms on the coral stone walls.
One medallion shows the Holy Family - Jesus Christ, Mary, and Joseph.
It is found at the original entrance of the house, which is now covered by a steel gate.
Steel bars have been installed to protect the ancient seals from theft.
Mr Sy said, “In fact, there were also attempts to steal the wooden doors. When they came to know that this whole place is an antique place, I think a lot of these antique collectors have thought of hiring people to steal it for them. So we just have to cover them up to protect them. ”
The pillars in the warehouse are similar to those found in Chinese temples, while the roof made of terracotta tiles resemble those seen in Chinese pagodas.
It is believed the Jesuits chose to live in Cebu’s old Chinese district because they wanted to spread the Gospel to residents.
To preserve their legacy, Mr Sy hopes to tap the support of the city government and private sector.
He is even willing to relocate the building to a more centralised location.
It is important that an 18th-century house be preserved for future generations.
That is why future plans include transforming it back to its original grandeur and converting it into a museum for the public to see.
Article source: Channel News Asia
Osmeña eyes lighthouse in SRP
February 6, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
South Road Properties
photo by leylander - Flickr
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he plans to build a lighthouse off the coast of the South Road Properties (SRP) as new landmark with the lower portion used as a worship area for Muslims.
“It will have to look very Cebuano… It will not be an eyesore,” Osmeña said.
“We need to create an icon for Cebu. We should stop using the Fuente Osmeña or the Magellan’s Cross.”
Lenten season starts, today is Ash Wednesday
February 6, 2008 by CebuDaily admin
Filed under News
photo by The Catholic Sun - Flickr
The Roman Catholic Church observes Ash Wednesday today which marks the start of the Lenten season.
The Cebu Archdiocese has already prepared ashes, which will be used in the marking of a cross on the forehead of believers as a reminder that “as man is dust, so unto dust he shall return”.
