Coloma credits Cebuanos’ independent spirit for progress
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, April 30 (PIA) -- Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said the independent-mindedness of the Cebuanos is a key factor behind the province’s prosperity.
‘Cebuanos are generally known to be expressive and (they) speak their minds out,” said Coloma.
Coloma was in Cebu last week as guest of honor in the 12th ‘Kadaugan sa Mactan’ at the Liberty Shrine in Lapulapu City.
Expressing one’s views on matters of public interests are crucial to the progress of any province because this means the people are involved, according to the PCOO secretary.
He further said that aside from Cebu, there are also other places in the country that display the same independence that contributes to the overall development of the country.
“A crucial key to prosperity is citizen empowerment and this is what the Aquino Administration wants the Filipinos to be – an empowered people,” Coloma declared.
When people are given the avenue to speak out and their thoughts be heard, we are empowering them to get involved and make a difference in this world, said Coloma.
According to Coloma, people empowerment is what President Aquino envisions the Filipinos to be as several government programs are being implemented towards empowering the citizenry.
“President Aquino welcomes intelligent debates on matters of national interests because he wants the people to express their thoughts on issues concerning them and the country,” said Coloma.
In Lapulapu City, Coloma also watched the reenactment of the historic battle between Spanish conqueror Ferdinand Magellan and Cebuano great warrior Lapu-lapu in the island of Mactan, Cebu some 491 years ago.
Coloma in his speech said that the defeat of Magellan whose purpose was to conquer the island of Mactan is proof that Cebuanos and Filipinos in general are brave and noble people that do not allow invaders to conquer their land. (FCR/AS/PIA-CEBU)
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Sec. Coloma hails Lapulapu City as tourism, business haven
By Amorganda A. Saludar
CEBU CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr. urged the city government of Lapulapu to continue promoting its best assets --- tourism and business.
“Your city is acknowledged as one of the cities perfect to do business in the Philippines apart from being a popular tourist destination due to its white sand beaches and home to world class resorts attracting more tourists to come in,” Coloma said.
In his message as keynote speaker during the 12th ‘Kadaugan sa Mactan’ at the Liberty Shrine in Lapulapu City last week, Coloma said the city is a major hub of commerce and industry as it is host to one of the country’s largest economic zones which is the Mactan Export Processing Zone.
According to Coloma, the city has been acknowledged by his alma mater, the Asian Institute of Management, as one of the easiest cities to do business in the Philippines.
Coloma urged city residents to unite behind Lapulapu City Mayor Paz Radaza in fulfilling the vision of making the city “a healthy haven for tourism, business, investment, residence and recreation.”
The secretary further challenged Lapulapu to be the gateway city for tourism in Cebu and be the number one endorser of tourism in the province.
“In behalf of President Noynoy Aquino, may I call on all of you to join our government’s efforts to make our country a highly competitive center for business and industry, a most desirable venue for investments that will generate even more opportunities for our people,” said. Coloma. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)
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MCBMB requests DPWH-7 to postpone repair, temporarily closing of Mactan Bridge
By Minerva BC. Newman
CEBU, May 1 (PIA) -- Cebu governor Gwen Garcia requested the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-7) to postpone closing the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the repair and replacements of its expansion joints until after a thorough study on the matter is discussed and presented to the Metro Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB).
In an emergency meeting of the MCBMB at the Capitol on the afternoon of April 30, governor Garcia who is also the chairperson of the Bridge board lamented on the DPWH’s neglect to inform her and the MCBMB on the badly needed repair and replacements of the bridge’s expansion joints.
This would mean temporarily closing the Marcelo Fernan Bridge on May 2 up to three weeks of maintenance work.
Garcia knew the information from the news that prompted her to call the emergency meeting. The governor stressed that the closure of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge even for a day greatly impacts on Cebu’s economic and tourism activities.
“Marcelo Fernance Bridge is our gateway to the world. Its closure will negatively affect the movement of goods, services, cargoes and business of our locators at the MEPZ as well as passengers and tourism activities of the province and the region,” Garcia said.
Garcia told the DPWH to find the appropriate construction methodology to minimize the delays, at the shortest possible time and least painful to the business locators, passengers, tourism and the economy of Cebu.
In the same meeting, the MCBMB also passed en masse a resolution that created a technical working group (TWG) that would study the needed and appropriate methodology on how to approach the repair, maintenance and replacements of those rubber and steel expansion joints on the bridge with the least impact to the regions economy.
The TWG’s findings will then be presented to the MCBMB during its next meeting on May 16 and the Bridge Board will then determine the schedule for the temporary closure of the bridge based on the economic and tourism concerns. (mbcn/PIA-7)