Motorcade to greet Nat’l Maritime Week celeb in Cebu on Monday
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) – Blowing of horns and dressing up of ships followed by a motorcade will greet the celebration of the National Maritime Week (NMW) in Cebu that kicks off on Monday, September 26 until October 1.
Under the theme ‘Piracy: Orchestrating the Response,’ a press conference follows right after the mass to be attended by stakeholders in the industry such as the Maritime Industry Authority, Cebu Ports Authority and the Philippine Ports Authority.
Pres. Benigno Aquino III has been invited to open the celebration at the nation’s capital together with Department of Transportation and Communications Sec. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
Among the talking points for discussion for the presscon are the anti-piracy campaigns, education and training of seafarers and government measures as a response to piracy.
Thirty percent of the world’s crew is said to be Filipinos or reportedly 340,000 to 380,000 Filipino seafarers who form part of our overseas Filipino workers that contribute largely to our national economy through their dollar remittances.
With the growing number of Filipino seafarers making them vulnerable to ‘attacks’ at sea, measures and response by concerned government agencies have been mapped out during such situations which will be thoroughly discussed during the presscon, according to Marina-7.
The weeklong celebration in Cebu include a contest on ‘Seafarers Got Talent,’ ‘Cadet of the Year,’ sports tournament, quiz bowl among marine students, seminars and a port clean up.
Just early this month, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7 held a consultation meeting with the Visayas-Mindanao Maritime Stakeholders in Cebu City on the requirements of the 2006 Maritime Labor Convention aimed at setting standards for the better protection of seafarers and fair and just global competition in the maritime sector. (PIA-Cebu)
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SK-Cebu initiates move to intensify campaign against human trafficking
By: Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY September 23 (PIA) -- The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation of Cebu immediately started the challenge to initiate their own campaign against human trafficking by conducting education seminars to SK members in the province down to the barangay level.
The move was made following the recent launching of their tie-up campaign with the Movement Against Human Trafficking Advocates ( MATA) headed by Governor Gwen Garcia with the support of US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr.
SK-Cebu Federation President Aladin Williame Caminero said the seminar focuses on capability building of the SK members as role leaders of the youth in the crusade against human trafficking in the province.
Caminero added the seminar aimed to make the SK leaders initiate programs in their respective communities that seek to intensify and strengthen the fight against human trafficking and other forms of violence.
Meanwhile, the SK-Cebu Federation also launched a poster making contest as part of their advocacy drive of which the winning entry will be used as the official poster against human trafficking to be placed in the different port areas, airports, bus terminals, schools, malls, hotels and restaurants and other public areas, according to Caminero.
“This is done in order to increase public awareness against human trafficking and also to get their support in the crusade against human trafficking,” Caminero said.
Early this year, the SK Federation of Cebu already made a commitment to Gov. Garcia help in the information and education drive byimplementing Anti-Human Trafficking advocacy activities in the communities and to adopt the MATA throughout the SK network in the province. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)
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Cebu City LGU, Cebu-Korean Assn. launches ‘Korean Day’ in Cebu City
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Sept. 22 (PIA) -- The Cebu City Government and the Cebu-Korean (CKA) Association this morning launched the first-ever annual Korean Day Festival slated on October 1 that will mark a grand parade participated by Korean residents in the city.
Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said that it is already official that every first Saturday of October will be celebrated as Korean Day in Cebu City after the Cebu City Council passed a resolution.
“The event will mark the friendship that binds the City of Cebu and the Koreans. It is important to have an activity that will make Cebuanos understand the Korean community beyond the K-Pop which has made big waves in our music industry,” according to Young.
Young also said it is very good for our local tourism industry as he envisions the annual event to get bigger and bigger every year.
“Since this is the first time we will be holding the event, this will be a simple celebration but the event is being responded warmly by the Korean community as we expect a bigger celebration as each year passes just the same as the Sinulog Festival when it first started over 20 years ago,” Young said.
Charlie Shin, the vice president of the CKA bared there are around 15,000 to 20,000 Koreans now residing in Cebu and an average of 1,000 to 1,500 Korean tourists visit Cebu every day with daily flights including from Busan and Incheon.
“We are very happy that we are given the opportunity to showcase our culture and tradition and that through this event, we can strengthen our existing relationship,” Shin said.
Shin said that the event will mark a parade by the Korean residents at 4:00 p.m. around the Ayala grounds followed by a Korean fashion show while 15 booths will be set up for a bazaar that displays Korean cuisine and goods.
A day before however, a K-pop contest will be held where 18 groups will outdo each other with the group winners to receive cash prizes. On top of the cash prize, the ultimate grand winners will be given free airline tickets courtesy of Asiana Airlines to travel to any preferred destination including Europe, this is said. (PIA-Cebu)