DENR-7 hosts a 2-day Cebu River Basins Multi-Stakeholders Forum

By: Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, July 19 (PIA) --- Around 150 participants from the national government agencies, local government units, academe, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders are expected to attend the two-day Central Cebu River Basins Multi-Stakeholders Forum and Workshop that starts today, July 19 until tomorrow at Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said the activity recognizes the vital role of various stakeholders in the protection, rehabilitation, management, and utilization of the natural resources within the Central Cebu river basins.

“The effective and efficient management of the river systems, water distribution system, and equitable user of water as a resource is an essential factor to sustain Cebu’s economic development,” he added.

The objectives of the activity are to review and present previous efforts in the past related to Central Cebu River Basin Management; to solicit suggestions and proposals from various stakeholders for the effective protection, management and rehabilitation of the Central Cebu River Basin; to define the various responsibilities of participating stakeholders through a Memorandum of Cooperation; and to create the Central Cebu River Basins Management Council (CCRBMC) and its organizational structure.

The Central Cebu river basins with a total area of 68,133 hectares which covers four major watershed areas with corresponding hectarage are Mananga with 8,716; Lusaran-Combado, 26,257; Coastal, 24,849; and Kotkot with 8,311.

Coastal river basins include Guinsaga, Butuanon, Mahiga, Guadalalupe, Lahug, Linao, and Bulacao.  It covers cities of Cebu, Toledo, Danao, Mandaue, and Talisay; and municipalities of Asturias, Minglanilla, Lilo-an, Consolacion, Compostela, and Balamban.

The Central Cebu River Basin Management Council (CCRBMC) will be proposed to be created as one of the output of the activity.

It will be composed of various organizations, academe, government and non-government organizations that are and will be actively involved in the protection, rehabilitation and management of the various rivers that constitute the Central Cebu River Systems.

The purpose and objective of the Central Cebu River Basins Management Council is to address the urgent and critical water problem and attendant issues of land use of the Islands of Cebu by effectively and efficiently integrating the development and management of land, water resources, water supply and sanitation.

DENR Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Demetrio L. Ignacio, Jr will deliver a keynote address.

Resource persons are Metro Cebu Water District General Manager Armando Paredes and River Basin Coordinating Office Executive Director Vicente Tuddao to discuss the River Basins Master Plan and National Water Resources Board Executive Director Vicente Paragas to talk on the integrated water resources management.(PIA-7mbcn/hfg & DENR-7)

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DTI Sec. Domingo to meet with Cebu biz sector by Fayette C. Riñen CEBU CITY, July 19 (PIA) – Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo will meet with Cebu businessmen on Thursday, July 21 and is expected to present the national agenda on enhancing the country’s business and investment climate amid the new challenges in the global business environment. Domingo has been invited as the special guest speaker of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (CCCI) 3rd General Membership Meeting at Marriott Hotel, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City. Expected as inputs during the event are the insights on current trends on international trade, government initiatives to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and addressing the demands of the industry to make it more competitive among others, this is said. Invited participants are industry players, businessmen, chamber members and the media which will surely gain insights from this occasion. A press conference with the trade secretary is also slated. One major program of the DTI, the SME Negosyo Caravan, is also aimed at improving access of SMEs to government and private sector services especially in areas where provision of business development services may be limited. This is done by bringing resource speakers who are experts in their fields, to the regions to conduct training and counseling sessions to promote entrepreneurship, improve access to markets, access to finance, and increase SME productivity and efficiency, this is said. Over 90 percent of the country’s business is categorized under SMEs. The CCCI meanwhile, is one of the biggest and most prominent chambers of commerce in Cebu and the Visayas and has been organized since 1913. Its members are comprised of SMEs, big corporations and sectoral associations. The upcoming event also had the CCCI seek the partnership of the country’s emerging telecoms provider, Digitel Mobile, Philippines (Sun Cellular) which will make a luncheon presentation of their consumer promotions as well as corporate & business applications. (PIA 7-Cebu)

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Pantawid Pasada Cards are now accepted

in almost 50 gas stations in Cebu, DOE-7 says

by Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, July 19 (PIA) -- Pantawid Pasada (PP) Cards are now accepted in almost 50 retail gas stations in the province of Cebu, the Department of Energy (DOE) here made the announcement during a recent press conference on the Pantawid Pasada Program.

DOE-7 Regional Director Antonio Labios distributed to the media the initial list of gasoline stations in the entire Visayas Region including Cebu that has the POS (Point of Sale) machines where the PP cards can be swiped.

“Before, jeepney drivers complain because they do not know where to go once they get the Smart Cards as we do not yet have the list of the gas stations that will accept the cards. Today, we are now furnishing a copy of the names of the gas stations and their locations so drivers will know which gas retail outlets will accept the Smart Cards,” according to Labios.

“In Cebu, there are 47 gas retail outlets strategically located in the major routes of public utility vehicles. Most of these stations are found in Metro Cebu such as the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapulapu and Talisay,” Labios added.

Labios acknowledged the gripes of jepeney drivers before when the PP Cards were distributed because they could not answer their main concern on the particular gas stations that would accept the Pantawid Pasada Cards.

“It is our Central Office that directly negotiated with the oil companies while the Bank of the Philippine Islands or the BPI won the contract for the production of the Smart Cards. It is also the BPI that would provide the POS machine to the gas stations where the cards can be swiped,” Labios declared.

The DOE-7 chief however, was happy to report that soon, more and more gas stations will accept the PP Cards as independent oil stations are currently processing their requirements to install the POS machine in their establishment for the convenience of the jeepney drivers.

In the same press conference, Land Transportation Office (LTO) – 7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos said the Smart Cards are already pre-loaded with P1,050, the amount each card contains under the government’s Public Transport Assistance Program.  

“Drivers need not wait for several days before using the card because the Smart card is already pre-loaded with cash. What drivers need to do is just use the card, in one or installment purchase, in any POS gas station,” Aguilos said.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) -7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon also called on jeepney operators and drivers alike to claim their Pantawid Pasada Card as soon as possible at the LTO-7 Office or any of its district offices and avail of the benefit given by the government.

“The P1,050 amount in the purchase of gasoline or diesel will come a long way to augment the income of drivers especially in these hard times,” Cuizon declared. (PIA 7 -Cebu)