AFP-CENTCOM hosts 3-day ‘Chemical & Explosive Exploitation Course’ June 14-16
By Fayette C. Riñen
‘activity in partnership with Canadian Embassy’
CEBU CITY, June 15 (PIA) --- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in partnership with theCanadian Embassy is currently conducting a three-day ‘Chemical and Explosive Systems Exploitation Course’ that kicked off yesterday June14 until June 16 at the Central Command(CENTCOM) Headquarters in Camp Lapulapu, Cebu City.
The three-day course aims to instill awareness on the first responders during crisis situations and possible terrorist attacks, according to a release from the Public Information Office -CENTCOM.
Likewise, the activity is designed to help first responders in combating possible threats of unused and unexploded war materials during the World War II.
Among the first-line responders are line agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP),Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Coast Guard(PCG) and the AFP.
This course will help first responders identify potential threats and hazards in responding to a crisis situation.
A total of 55 participants from the said agencies attended the opening day at the De Goma Hall of CENTCOM.
Mark Seniuk, Second Secretary Political/ Economic Relations & Public Affairs delivered an opening remark on behalf of the Canadian Ambassador Christopher Thornley.
A core group among the participating line agencies will be created to serve as a pool of trainers for Visayas.
The training course is under the Anti-Terrorism National Program of the Canadian Government where the Philippines is among the beneficiaries of the program together with other countries likeThailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
This is the third leg conducted in the Philippines. Prior to Cebu, the training activity was also conducted in Manila and Davao. (PIA 7-Cebu with PR from AFP-CentCom)
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1st Cebu Creative Industries Summit set next week
By Fayette C. Riñen
‘event one of the highlights of Cebu Business Month this June’
CEBU CITY, June 15 (PIA) --- Creativity and Innovations as drivers of economic growth will be featured in the two-day “1st Cebu Creative Industries Summit” on June 21 and 22 initiated by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Cebu and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) -7 as one of the highlighted events of the Cebu Business Month this June.
Entrepreneurs, creative professionals, providers of creative goods and services, technology entrepreneurs as well as aspiring entrepreneurs are urged to join the summit next week at the City Sports Club Cebu and learn insights on the massive potential of Creativity and Innovations as driving forces to progress.
The Summit will present valuable insights, updates, and action programs on Creativity and Innovation as drivers of economic development in the Philippines and the world market; strengthen appreciation on the practical value of intellectual property (IP) rights; promote exchange of knowledge, experiences and approaches to creative entrepreneurship and “technopreneurship,” according to a release from the DTI-Cebu.
Furthermore, the activity is also an opportunity to share best practices on creativity and innovation for business excellence, growth and global competitiveness, this is said.
Among the confirmed speakers are Director-General Ricardo Blancaflor of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines; DOST Undersecretary Fortunato de la Peña; celebrity and businesswoman Daphne Oseña-Paez; Henry Schumacher of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP); and Executive Director Rosvi Gaetos of the DTI-Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).
Also speaking on the first day are Nestor Jardin, President of the Cinemalaya Foundation and Festival Director of the annual Cinemalaya Indie Film Festival; award-winning film and TV directorJoel Ruiz from the leading full-service production house, Arkeofilms; and Assistant Dean Robin Serrano of the School of Design & Arts, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the DTI-Cebu stated.
The first day will also witness a web conference arranged by the British Council Philippines with UK-based economist and renowned guru of the creative economy, Mr. John Howkins. Widely acknowledged as the father of the creative industry, Mr. Howkins is the author of the groundbreaking book “The Creative Economy” and the recently released “Creative Ecologies: Where Thinking is a Proper Job.”
To present the Cebu perspective, Zen Pastoriza, President of the Creative Cebu Council, will introduce Creative Cebu and the advocacies of the newly formed Council. Miriam Bacalso,Central Visayas Senior Regional Coordinator of the GIZ (German Development Cooperation) -Private Sector Promotion Program, will facilitate discussions on the next steps to be taken in order for stakeholders to effectively develop and sustain the Creative Industries in Cebu, this is learned.
Other distinguished speakers include DOST Region-7 Director Rene Burt Llanto, Deputy Director-General Andrew Michael Ong of the Intellectual Property Office (IPOPHL), and experts from the GIZ (German Development Cooperation), according to the DTI-Cebu.
On the second day, featured speakers will share developments and practices on innovation and technology such as Prof. Pauline Wade of the DOST-UP Cebu Technology Business Incubator;Pete Delantar of Nature’s Legacy Eximport; Francis Dy of Next Mind, Inc.; and eco-house/green house owner, Engr. Nestor Archival of NA Systems, Inc.
The GIZ consultants Vickie Antonio (Green Growth) and Markus Dietrich (renewables - Made in Germany) will discuss programs on sustaining businesses through green innovation and addressing opportunities brought about by climate change.
Those interested to participate in the two-day summit may contact the Summit Secretariat at the DTI-Cebu tel. nos. 253-2631 local 18; 412-1863; fax: 254-0840; 412-1856 (look for Tessie Emphasis or Kim Estalani), or email cebubusinessmonth2011@gmail.com. (PIA 7-Cebu)
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Biazon urges gov’t. to resolve Spratly issue at ASEAN level
By Eli C. Dalumpines
CEBU CITY, June 14 (PIA) – House Committee on National Defense Chairman Rodolfo Biazon, in an interview this morning over a Cebu-based Catholic station, DYRF, said it is not yet time to enlist the help of the United States in solving the crisis in the South China Sea involving theSpratly Islands.
According to Biazon, the Philippine government should engage in diplomatic talks with the other contending parties that laid claim over some parts of the islands namely; Vietnam, Malaysia,Taiwan, Indonesia and Brunei and with the Asian superpower, China.
Biazon said the parties involved in the conflict should try to resolve the issue at the level of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to prevent the problem from ever deepening.
He also advised Malacanang to approach the issue with logic and sobriety and to refrain from issuing statements that will not contribute to the resolution of the conflict.
He noted that the recent pronouncements made by some palace officials are potentially harmful to the relations of the countries involved in the conflict and called on Malacanang to designate an official spokesperson so as not to muddle the issue.
The former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) urged the government officials not to talk about war to avoid being misunderstood by the other parties of the conflict thus aggravating the issue.
Biazon is confident though that the conflict will not lead into armed confrontation between China and the other claimants including the Philippines.
China, earlier, issued a stern warning to the other countries who claimed ownership of the Spratlys, or part of it, from further exploring the islands as these are presumed to be owned by China.
But Biazon said the Philippines has occupied Spratly Islands since 1968 when he lead the elements of the Armed Forces in building military stations to guard the area from the encroachment of the neighboring Asian countries. (FCR/ECD/PIA 7-Cebu)
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BFAR-7 urges stakeholders to strengthen monitoring,
surveillance against illegal coral traders esp. in Cebu
by Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, June 14 (PIA) --- Regional government agencies in Central Visayas particularly those involved in the law enforcement operations are urged to strengthen monitoring, control and surveillance against illegal coral traders especially in Cebu amid the series of confiscations of endangered coral species in Punta Engaño, Lapulapu City.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) -7 Regional Director Andres Bojos during a recent meeting with the member agencies of the Coastal Law Enforcement Alliance in Region 7 (CLEAR), composed of government agencies, non-government organizations and local government units, stressed the need to heighten the group’s operations to stop illegal harvests of endangered coral species which this year, recorded three confiscations in separate occasions in Lapulapu City alone.
“Corals are in-demand products, may it be raw or processed, and popularly used in fashion accessories and furniture that are exported abroad,” according to Bojos.
In a presentation about ‘Understanding the Underground Coral and Rare Shell Trade,” Mar Guidote, of the University of San Carlos said corals, depending on the type, can be sold here at the cheapest of P6/piece but can fetch a whopping rate as high as US $159 abroad.
Guidote said the Philippines is the second largest exporter of un-worked and unprocessed corals even way back in the 60s.
“Cebu on the other hand, is a major processing area for corals and shells from Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Guidote bared.
Guidote said the white corals or corals that can be bleached have the cheapest rate while the black corals command the highest price.
“There is now even a craze about the Bubble Tea with blue corals as the main ingredient. The blue corals are pounded for use as a tea drink,” Guidote said adding that a high-end establishment inNew York offers this Bubble Tea from blue corals, which the country is said to be one of the suppliers of the blue corals.
Guidote further disclosed to the CLEAR-7 members that a certain Chinese firm named Chen En Food Product Enterprise Co. Ltd. is selling “Blue Coral Syrup,” “If you just search the internet, then you will find out about this. But I am not sure about the medicinal benefits about it,” added Guidote.
“Even Chinese folks in Binondo use the blue tea or syrup and said they got this from the Chinese people in Cebu,” Guidote revealed.
Meanwhile, Bojos told the group that today, a team from BFAR-7 will inspect a space inside a provincial lot to store the confiscated coral items which have been stockpiled in their office which has no adequate security.
During the CLEAR-7 meeting, it was agreed that the confiscated corals will be returned back to the sea to merely augment existing fish sanctuary as the BFAR-7 awaits the recommended marine areas from the Coastal Conservation Education Fund, an NGO funded by the USAID, within Cebu where the corals can be put back.
Since March, this year, thousands of dried corals and clam shells have been seized by authorities in Punta Engaño in Lapulapu City. The latest confiscation was in April 18 where thousands of the items were wrapped in newspaper and placed in boxes ready for shipment, this was reported.
Punta Engaño, a coastal community, is known as a source for illegal harvest of seashells and other marine products in Mactan.
Bojos said cases are now being filed in court. (PIA 7-Cebu)