Cebu Pacific flew 11% more passengers in ‘12

CEBU Pacific flew 13.26 million passengers from January to December 2012, an increase of 11 percent over the 11.93 million passengers it flew in 2011.

http://www.mediahub360.com/virtual-tours/robinsons/final/amisa/index.html

Cebu Pacific attributes this increase to the expansion in its domestic and international operations in 2012. It launched direct flights from Manila to Hanoi, Siem Reap and Xiamen, as well as from Cebu to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur last year. The airline also started direct flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore.

This expansion, as well as seat sales and strengthened tourism promotions, led to notable passenger growth in the following international markets: Malaysia (21 percent), Taiwan (22 percent), China (29 percent), Vietnam (30 percent) and Brunei (32 percent).

A total of 10 domestic routes were also launched, paving the way for more air travel in various parts of the Philippines. This includes flights from Davao to Dipolog and from Zamboanga to Cagayan de Oro, routes which were previously served by buses plying 12-14 hour rides.

Domestic passengers from the airline’s Cebu hub grew by 20 percent, while its Davao hub grew by 16 percent.

“It is very fulfilling for us in the Cebu Pacific team to continue giving travellers new destinations, the lowest fares and direct flight options. The Philippines’ momentum when it comes to tourism buzz will be supported by Cebu Pacific’s expansion to more regions in the world,” said Cebu Pacific vicew president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog.

Cebu Pacific is slated to launch twice weekly Manila-Bali (Denpasar) flights on March 16. It will also launch its long-haul operations with its first Manila to Dubai flight on Oct. 7, 2013.

Lowest year-round fares to Bali start at P3,499, while lowest year-round fares to Dubai are as low as P6,999.(PR)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/01/24/cebu-pacific-flew-11-more-passengers-12-264644

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Sustained momentum

IF past trends are to be made basis, the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) 7 has reason to believe the economy of Central Visayas grew by six percent “at the very least”.

http://www.mediahub360.com/virtual-tours/robinsons/final/amisa/index.html

An economic situation report prepared by Neda 7 Assistant Regional Director Efren Carreon stated that past trends show the region’s growth is faster than that of the national economy.

According to the report, Central Visayas posted 12.5 percent GRDP (gross regional domestic product) in 2010, the highest growth in the country that year, and 7.5 percent in 2011, second to the Caraga’s 9.6 percent growth.

Carreon pointed out that compared with the Philippine economy, which grew by 7.6 percent in 2010 and 3.9 percent in 2011, Central Visayas has consistently shown stronger growth.

“I am glad to report that preliminary indicators suggest that the Central Visayas economy was able to sustain the economic growth momentum realized in 2010 and 2011,” Carreon said.

Carreon said that many leading industries continued to turn in good performances in 2012.

With the Philippine economy growing 6.5 percent for the first nine months of 2012, they are confident that the region posted a high growth for the whole year, citing the last two years showing Central Visayas surpassing the national average.

For Neda 7, industry and services are what drive the region’s economy. Carreon said the sustained expansion of outsourcing and tourism markets fueled the growth of construction, real estate, transportation, retail trade and banking sectors. The high level of consumption among families of overseas Filipino workers is also seen as benefitting the retail trade and real estate sectors.

Retail expansion

Citing a report from the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), Carreon said 17 new foreign business process outsourcing companies opened in Cebu, majority of which were from the non-voice sector, a sector that requires high value-added skills.

Aside from the new locators, existing companies like Accenture Philippines and Stream Global Services expanded, providing more employment opportunities in the region.

In retail, store chains expanded operations while Cebu also saw new players joining the retail industry in Central Visayas. These included the new operations of SM Consolacion, Gaisano Grand Mall in Talamban, 7 Eleven, Mini Stop and Wilcon Builders Depot.

Carreon said retailers took advantage of increased consumerism and improved spending capability among residents here, as the purchasing power of consumers has risen due to the availability of well-paying jobs in the BPO sector and the steady remittances of OFWs.

The report also cited real estate and construction as among the sectors that benefitted from the expansion of other industries.

“More and bigger projects were stated in 2012 to support the expansion of the outsourcing, retail trade and tourism industries. The real estate and construction industries benefitted from the steady demand for real property investments from OFWs,” the report said.

The report noted data from the National Statistics Office showing an increasing trend in the number and value of construction projects of hotels, office buildings, stores and residential condominiums.

The Board of Investments also indicated 13 out of 24 projects registered with them in 2012 were for mass housing and hotel construction. The total estimated cost of these projects reached P4.3 billion, representing nearly 10 percent of total investments registered with the BOI in 2012.

Growth of real estate and construction has remained steady in the past two years as both sectors posted double-digit growth since 2010. They are also considered among the key contributors to the region’s economic growth.

Construction was the highest performing industry in 2011, with a growth rate of 21.5 percent while real estate services were the best performing sector at 10 percent.

The report also showed positive figures in tourism, shipping, aviation and exports, although the data available only covered the first half of 2012.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/01/25/sustained-momentum-264850

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DOT to explore new marketing strategies

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Tourism (DOT) is embarking on a market development thrust this year, which entails expanding the potential market for new users and new uses.

“We will look into segments that we have not thoroughly explored. We will explore more creative executions geared towards sustaining the fun we have started. We hope to have stronger representation and be part of the future of tourism in Asia,” said tourism secretary Ramon R. Jimenez.

Jimenez admitted that it is going to become increasingly challenging to meet the future targets, which is to hit 10 million arrivals by 2016, “but we know that Filipinos are the biggest believers of our slogan. It’s more fun in the Philippines.’

The secretary is confident however, that the country will be able to cross the five million milestones in 2013.

The country, bringing the slogan of “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” ended the year 2012 with a total of 4.3 million foreign visitors, a 9.07 percent increase from 3.9 million visitors recorded at the end of 2011.

The year 2012 marks the first time in the country’s tourism history to surpass the four million visitor arrival mark, said Jimenez.

South Korea set a new all-time high by supplying a total of 1,031,155 visitors or 24.13 percent of the total visitor volume to the Philippines.  Registering 11.45 percent growth from 2012, South Korea remains the biggest market and the first to contribute one million visitors.

The United States of America came in second with 625,626 visitors, equivalent to a 15.27 percent share. Japan ranked third with 412,474 visitors or 9.65 percent of the total inbound traffic.

Other markets consistently providing significant volume and positive growth are China with 250,883 arrivals (5.87 percent), Taiwan with 216,511 (5.07 percent), Australia with 191,150 (4.47 percent), Singapore with 148,215 (3.47 percent), Canada with 123,699 (2.90 percent), Hongkong with 118,666 (2.78 percent), Malaysia with 114,513 (2.68 percent), United Kingdom with 113,282 (2.65 percent), and Germany with 67,023 (1.57 percent). Overseas Filipinos supplied 5.05 percent to the total tourist traffic at 215,943 arrivals, exhibiting a steady growth rate of 4.24 percent.

“Crossing the 4-million mark is a feat in itself and puts us well on track to achieve our ultimate goal of 10 million visitor arrivals by 2016,” Jimenez enthused.

Three significant source markets have also surpassed their respective target arrivals for the year in review. Japan’s actual visitor arrival output of 412,474 is 3.86 percent higher than its target of 397,141. Taiwan surpassed 10.46 percent by registering 216,511 arrivals. Russia, an emerging market, yielded 22.12 percent more than its target of 23,149 arrivals.

The country achieved 93.8 percent of its 4,556,582 visitor arrival goal for 2012. Some shortfalls were felt due to economic and political pressures from traditional markets such as US, Europe, and China.

 However despite a few bumps on the road, all key source markets still registered positive growth for the year. (FREEMAN)

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Mactan Island, Cebu Developments

Amisa Private Residences' aerial photo for the 3 of 6 tower condominium complex.Currently, it has 6 hectare master planned development with 210 meters beach front with hotel and entertainment center components. According to information, adjacent lot with an area of approximately 3.5 hectare was acquired as an addition to the estate and will expand the area to 9.5 hectares with an aggregate beach frontage of approximately 350 meters. Beach development will start within the quarter and tower C will start its turn over by 4th quarter of 2013, a year ahead of original schedule which is 2014.

Mactan Island, Cebu along Barangay Mactan and Punta Engano showing upbeat development. This will be the next "leisure and retirement district" in the future

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Inputs and descriptions herein are subject to verification and perspectives are "only" the writer's point of view and initial information gathered and known.

Morticians to hold confab in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Mortuary Association will hold its 5th Annual Convention in Cebu to discuss updates and concerns of the mortuary industry in the country.
The convention will start today and will run for three days with line up of different activities, including discussions on various topics that members need to know as service providers for the care of the departed.
During the first day, Mr. Renato Tanquintic of La Funeraria Paz will discuss on the topic “Surviving the trials of tragedies.”
Dr. Josephie Hipolito, secretariat of the Committee of Examiners for Undertakers and Embalmers (CEUE) under the Department of Health will report about updates on policies and programs of the government.
CEUE is in-charge of accrediting or licensing embalmers and ensuring that unscrupulous practices of unlicensed embalmers are prevented.
 Other topics to be discussed include health care

waste management in mortuary setting by Engineer Vicente Vosotros, “Lead, follow or get out of the way,” by Jeffrey Kevin Chancellor, “Managing perspective to success” by Francis Kong and the “Role of Mortuary Professionals in Philippine disaster protocol” to be tackled by Dr. Raquel Fortun.
The PMA holds annual conventions in its efforts to “professionalize funeral service and upgrade the standard of death care in the Philippines by providing a unified voice to the Government offering education, information, programs and services to help members enhance their quality of service to families.”
As the society keeps on transforming to modernity, PMA sees it vital to be updated with the modern technology as according to the international standard in delivering such services.
The PMA also make sure that members are always reminded of the waste disposal practices, which is the group’s primary concern at all times, to protect the environment. It also sees to it that best waste disposal management is adhered to by the mortuary operators while sanitary condition in and out of the mortuary establishment is kept.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

PhilHealth covers prenatal care for normal child birth

CEBU, Philippines - To ensure safer pregnancy

for expecting women, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) made prenatal care a key component in its benefit package for normal child birth.
Prenatal care is important not just for pregnant women but also for their unborn babies. Maternal difficulties such as diabetes and high blood pressure which are harmful both to the mother and the child may be detected earlier through prenatal visits with a skilled or trained health care provider. Constant check-up and monitoring during these visits ensure a healthier pregnancy and delivery for both the mother and child.
Members may avail themselves of P1,500 as prenatal care benefit covering drugs and medicines, laboratory tests and ancillary procedures. Reimbursement for prenatal expenses is generally paid to the member. But corresponding official receipts for the procedures and/or drugs and medicines availed of must be submitted in support of the claim.
Prenatal care in lying-in clinics has been an integral part PhilHealth’s maternity care package. But it was only with the recent expansion of its normal delivery package that expenses for prenatal care in hospitals also became reimbursable. This is PhilHealth’s way of encouraging pregnant women to really undergo prenatal care in support of the Department of Health’s safe motherhood campaign.

Source: The Freeman

Your Skin Is Your Soil

CEBU, Philippines - It took me by surprise that the councilor isn’t exactly a beauty care specialist but his strong advocacy for environment preservation and restoration far exceeds his care for physical beauty. He endorses organic and health care products more for its effects on the environment rather than the skin.

Just in case you haven’t noticed, when you take a shower, you use chemically processed shampoo, conditioner and bath soap or body wash. When you have rinsed your body of these, the chemically saturated effluents go to the sewage systems, to the soil or even to the sea. To simplify the equation, for every sachet or bar of bath soap that you use, you pollute the environment because of its chemical contents.

If these chemicals go to the soil, you eat of the harvest or produce from the soil. If these go to the sea, you eat of the harvest of the sea like the shrimp in tempura or the fish in sushi. And that’s not the only thing, you make the multinational manufacturers of health care products richer, while inadvertently hurting farmers and fisherfolks.

From the soil to the soil.

Organic health care products by Human Nature do not use artificially manufactured chemicals. The products are manufactured from the fruit or grass in your backyard. They have shampoos made from cucumber, guava or mandarin oranges, body wash from guava, beauty oil from sunflower seed, toner from tomatoes, facial scrub from cocoa butter and brown rice and even hand sanitizers from pineapple and watermelon.

“When you use these, it won’t harm the environment because these already come from the environment,” said Councilor Archival.

If you think you have splurged your skin by pampering it with imported and expensive beauty products, you may be doing the exact opposite. The harmful and allergy indications of artificially manufactured products are real. Though you may not own up, how many times have you found your hair turn like chicken wire or maybe barbed wire because the shampoo was just too strong for you? Or how many times did you experience your face erupt into pimples because the chemicals were just too harmful for you? Even the Bureau of Food and Drug warned that skin whitening products can be harmful.

What this is saying is that anything artificial you apply on your skin, is not exactly for your skin. Making an analogy with the soil, Archival said “your skin is your soil. When we apply chemicals like fertilizers to the soil to increase production, we make the soil acidic until such time it can no longer produce nutrients on its own or it becomes useless for planting. But compost or its enzymes brings back the nutrients of the soil. The moment you bring back the nutrients of the soil, the soil will be fertile and you will have these plants growing and growing strong.”

He went on to say that, “acid weakens the growth of plants and trees and because these are weak, pests feed on it. While the pests can be killed with pesticides, the toxins remain on the plants like vegetables and fruits. So when you eat these, you eat including the toxins from pesticides.” It’s a pretty scary thing to be saying but we are not afraid to use those expensive and imported shampoo, conditioner or body wash from which effluents can literally pollute the soil and water.

Bring back skin nutrients.

When you use organic products on your skin, you bring back the nutrients of your skin naturally. That besides, you don’t pollute or degrade the environment. More than anything else, you give the farmers a nice favor. That means they will be encouraged to plant more bananas, oranges, watermelon, sunflowers, calendulas and earn from these. That mango in your backyard can make a nice hairstyling cream.

By using organic products, the cycle of nutrients nourishes and feeds on itself. Councilor Archival calls it green entrepreneurship. For the farmer and the consumer, these are not expensive. Me, I use Human Nature’s organic beauty oil for my hair because it’s like having a rebond everyday. And while a rebond or cellophane can cost P1,000, the 50 ml beauty oil is only P99.75.

Archival said there are no legislations yet that would urge or endorse people to use organic products. He said it takes a lot of mind-setting to imbibe behavioral change and choices. “He deplored that while he has been advocating environment-friendly products and methods for the past six years, nobody believes him. Maybe people want to see the environment go to waste first before taking the caution.

People generally never take heed of a warning until a disaster or tragedy happens at the skin of their teeth. By that time, it maybe too late to do any caution. Blessed are those who don’t see but believe, they are spared from the affliction of unbelief.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

Facts about breast cancer

CEBU, Philippines - Fact # 1 All women are at risk. Approximately 70 percent of breast cancers occur in women with none of the known risk factors.

Fact # 2 Only about 5 percent of breast cancers are inherited. About 80 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer will be the first to be victims in their families.

Fact # 3 Breast cancer is the leading killer of women ages 35 to 54 worldwide. More than a million women develop breast cancer without knowing it and almost 500,000 die from it every year.

Fact # 4 One out of four who are diagnosed with breast cancer die within the first five years. No less than 40 percent die within ten years.

Fact # 5 The incidence of breast cancer has been rising for the past 30 years. And the supposed authorities and experts that should know, don't know why.

Fact # 6 Risk factors are not necessarily causes of breast cancer. Enough evidence exist linking environmental pollution and contamination to cause breast cancer.

Fact # 7 Mammography fails to detect as much as 20 percent of all breast cancer and as much as 40 percent in women under the age of 50.

Fact # 8 Early detection does not prevent breast cancer. Avoiding and eliminating known causes will prevent breast cancer.

Fact # 9 One out of eight North American women will develop breast cancer. The San Francisco Bay Area has the highest incidence rate in the entire world.

Fact # 10 The Philippines has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia and is today considered to have the 9th highest incidence rate in the world today.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

Walk as one against cancer

CEBU, Philippines - Breast cancer has claimed thousands of lives around the world. To date, it is considered as the number one killer of Filipino women. According to the Philippine Breast Cancer Network, the Philippines has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia and is considered to have the 9th highest incidence rate in the world today. While there is no cure yet for this dreaded disease, helping those who are afflicted with cancer has become an advocacy for many companies.

Avon, the leading global beauty company and the world’s largest direct seller, has made women’s health, particularly breast cancer awareness, one of their foremost corporate advocacies with their Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer program. Launched in 2002, the program has helped establish the Breast Care Center at the Philippine General Hospital and has successfully funded the treatment of indigents, initiated support groups, conducted regular gatherings for those with breast cancer and survivors and has provided much-needed equipment to selected provincial hospitals. In Cebu, the Cancer Center at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center is the beneficiary of Avon’s Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer program.

This year, to further promote its advocacy on breast cancer awareness and to raise funds for their beneficiaries, Avon launched the We Walk As One – Avon Walk Around the World for Breast Cancer 2009.

We Walk As One is a non-competitive event to be held on October 4, simultaneously in seven key cities in the country – Manila (SM Mall of Asia), Cebu (Avon Cebu branch), Cagayan de Oro (Avon CDO branch), Legaspi (Avon Legaspi branch), Malolos (Bulacan Provincial Capitol), Vigan (Plaza Burgos) and Iloilo (SM Iloilo).

“Avon is committed to breast cancer advocacy because breast cancer is the number one killer of women. Awareness and early detection are the closest things to a cure,” said Faith Aranton, Avon Brand Communications Manager. Avon, Aranton said, has been holding walks for the past four years to raise funds, as well as awareness. “Walking As One will bring us closer to helping those with breast cancer,” she added.

Aside from joining the walk, one can also show support to the breast cancer cause by purchasing the limited edition Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer shirt for only P149. P20 from each shirt sold will go to Avon’s beneficiary here in Cebu, the VSMMC Cancer Center. Another way of supporting the cause is to purchase Avon’s Water Lily and Aloe Hand and Body Lotion for P109. P5 from each bottle of lotion sold will go to the breast cancer fund.

During the We Walk As One launch here in Cebu, one of Avon’s speakers, Jennifer Pastedio, a working mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2B last 2007, said that although she is not used to speaking in front of people, she did not hesitate when she was asked to talk about her battle against breast cancer. “After all that I have been through, I want to step up and make a difference. I want to show others that in our own little way, we can make a difference,” she said.

Breast cancer chooses no one. Anybody can be a victim and the disease can strike anytime. Make breast cancer one of your advocacies. Walk as one against breast cancer on October 4.

For more information about We Walk As One, call or visit the Avon Cebu Branch.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

Wellness industry players hope to gain from SEMP

CEBU, Philippines - Stakeholders of Cebu’s health and wellness industry are hoping to take advantage of the multi-million earning sector, which includes the medical tourism market, after it completes a market guidance blueprint that will be supported by the Center for Promotion of Imports from Development Countries (CBI)-Netherlands.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-Cebu Provincial Office) provincial director Nelia F. Navarro said the health and wellness players through the Cebu Health and Wellness Council (CHWC) put their hopes on the upcoming completion of the Sector-Export-Marketing-Plan (SEMP), that will pave the way for dramatic growth of health and wellness sector in Cebu in the next few years.

The SEMP, which will be developed by foreign and local experts in export industry, with the support of CBI-Netherlands, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), will provide an intensive marketing plan for the identified priority sectors like seaweed, health and wellness, fashion accessories, furniture, and gifts-toys-housewares.

Navarro said it is important for Cebu players to have updated information on market intelligence, in order to benchmark with competitor countries in health and wellness, such as Thailand, India, Malaysia, and Singapore.

“We will be expecting experts from Netherlands to coach with our players here especially hospitals. Our major concern now is the market access,” said Navarro.

As far as facilities are concern, Navarro said Cebu is already close to competitors like Thailand, India, Singapore and Malaysia, but the problem is how to access the huge health and wellness market in the world, especially the medical tourists.

Once Cebu gains market access, growth in the health and wellness sector is expected to soar, and Cebu will be able to have another economic revenue backbone through health and wellness.

For the meantime, Navarro said the industry is trying to attract the “Balikbayans” to avail of the world-class standard health and wellness services in Cebu, specifically the most popular vanity and dental services.

Navarro said while it will take some time to engrave Cebu’s emerging position as health and wellness destination in Asia, the players can easily start with attracting millions of Filipinos working and residing abroad.

Earlier, the Spa and Wellness Association of Cebu (SWAC) announced that it is closely working with CHWC along with other organizations in the health and wellness sector, to provide a sound package for the Medical Tourism market.

Source: The Freeman Cebu