Some 7,300 seniors, solo parents receive aid from Cebu’s 5th district rep

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Some 6,000 senior citizens in Camotes Island and close to 1,300 solo parents and guardians in Compostela town received vitamins supplements and cash assistance respectively from Cebu’s 5^th district representative Duke Frasco.

 
“Saludo ko ninyong mga solo parents sa inyong sakripisyo alang sa inyong mga pamilya. Hinaut nga kining Cash Assistance makatabang kaninyo. Makalaum mo sa tabang ug pagbati sa Team Frasco sa kanunay.” (I salute you all solo parents of your sacrifices for your families.  I hope that this cash assistance can help you and rest assured that Team Frasco is always here to help.) Frasco said during the distribution of over P2.5M cash assistance on August 25.

 Frasco added that the cash assistance of over P4,000 for each beneficiary is intended to provide relief for those whose livelihoods have been lost or gravely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Camotes Island, Frasco personally delivered vitamins and supplements to 1,758 senior citizens so far in San Francisco town in Camotes Island which he did it on house-to-house distribution across several barangays on August 30 as the nation commemorated the National Heroes Day.

Close to 6,000 seniors will receive vitamins and supplements from Frasco who used his own personal funds to purchase these immune-boosting protections for seniors.  It is his way of recognizing the contributions of senior citizens in nation building and as heroes of their respective families.

 

Caring for the elderly has always been one of the hallmarks of Congressman Frasco’s public service programs, from his time as mayor of Liloan when he founded a local pension program for Liloan senior citizens which now have 4,000 beneficiaries.

To ensure strict observance of health and safety protocols, the turnover was clustered to 8 separate times and venues over a period of 3 days.

Joining in the Congressman’s sorties were Provincial Board Member Red Duterte and Mike Villamor and Compostela Municipal and Barangay Officials. (Photos: Team Frasco)

 

 

 

 

 

DepEd, education stakeholders make digital learning easier, more accessible

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Teachers, parents and the Department of Education (DepEd) as well as Senator Joel Villanueva, Globe and other education stakeholders work together to make digital and blended learning in the country possible, easier and more accessible with Globe’s GoLearn platform. 

In a virtual GoLearn Media Launch on August 27, teacher Eric Parungao revealed   that teachers, parents and students are pressured and challenged with the new learning experience brought about by the pandemic. 

  
Home schooling continues to pose major challenges that include lack of connectivity, gadgets, digital/tech knowledge of teachers, parents and learners alike that create pressures at home including small spaces at home especially when there are several students in various learning stages and there are simultaneous discussions, Parungao said.

“Home learning set up must not have pressure, there must be independent learning at home. Parents and teachers must always be prepared at home.  Usually, teachers find ways to create group chats with parents and students for easier modular learning and interactions.  But we are always constraints with lack of access to WiFi, gadgets, online learning platforms which are crucial in digital/online learning systems,” Parungao added.

Parungao with other teachers in the virtual discussion agreed that there is a greater need today to address these learning gaps and challenges for all online platforms, digital technology and appropriate gadgets are accessible and available to all learners, teachers and parents as well.

“We have to address the challenges faced by the education sector on digital learning, special mention on the challenges of limited spaces at home for students; lack of expertise or knowledge of parents and teachers in home schooling and the many submissions that the students are required to,” DepEd undersecretary Tonisito Umali said.

 

 
Umali added that since August this year, there are already more than 27.7M enrollees for public and private schools and DepEd continuously finds ways to improve and make digital/online learning accessible to all. 

DepEd partners with Globe via its GoLearn program that provides WiFi connectivity and other gadgets in schools, learning platforms and other learning management systems for teachers, students and parents, Umali revealed.

Supporting this GoLearn program is Senator Joel Villanueva, Chairman of the Senate Committees on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development and the Higher and Technical and Vocational Education.  Villanueva is a staunch advocate of digital and continuous learning that has paved the way for accessible education for all.

Villanueva mentioned a study conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on possible learning loss due to school closure and remote learning.  The impact on the kids may be long term which can affect their competitiveness and work performance in the future.

“We advocate digital learning and we partner with Globe for the fulfillment of this advocacy. That's why importante ang mga ginagawa o gagawin pa nating mga interventions para hindi tuluyang bumaba ang kaalaman ng mga kabataan.  Makakatulong dito ng malaki ang initiative ng Globe to ensure na tuloy-tuloy ang learning ng mga bata.  GoLearn is a digital solution to widen the access to training.  With GoLearn, learning is at your fingertips, kaya very convenient,” Villanueva said in the same virtual media launch.

Globe head of Small, Medium Business Group, KD Dizon revealed that it is Globe’s commitment to work with the whole education sector to bring forth everyone’s aspiration for better education, ensuring that learning never stops for all, wherever they are, regardless of their status. This is the heart of GoLearn.

“To make the education stakeholders feel more optimistic for this school year, Globe has launched GoLearn, the unified, company-wide platform aimed at helping the country achieve 21st Century Learning.  This is Globe’s unified initiative to bring together products, programs, services, and solutions that will empower the whole learning ecosystem,” Dizon stated.

Dizon added that with GoLearn, Globe joined hands to give educators, parents and students access to highly engaging programs and affordable digital solutions so there will be no reason for learning to stop.

GoLearn is a valuable platform for everyone who aspires to further enrich their education as it opens doors for a brighter future.  It promotes continuous learning and further bridges the digital gaps in the education landscape in the country via access to connectivity solutions, learning platforms, and solutions, DepEd Usec Umali added.

Globe president and CEO, Ernest Cu hopes that the education sector is as excited as Globe to raise the quality of education in the country and how the company places priority to enable online learning.

“With the launch of GoLearn, know that the entire One Globe group is with you to continue to provide affordable connectivity, accessible platforms, and safer learning environment for all,” Cu added.

 

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman of Ayala Corporation said the whole of Ayala Group is in full support to Globe’s GoLearn program as it provides enabling solutions that propel the education sector to progressive digital learning. (Photos: Globe)

 

 

 

 

 

ECCP, PH deepen ties to make PH a more competitive destination for local, foreign investments

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) marked some of its notable milestones in the country as they deepened their ties and advocated for reforms to make the Philippines a more competitive destination for local and foreign investments with ECCP focusing on its  advocacies, flagship programs and priority agenda in a virtual media roundtable discussion on August 25 with its newly elected president, Lars Wittig.

Wittig said he was honored and humble to be elected president of ECCP especially at this critical time for foreign and domestic companies alike.

“Since the start of the pandemic, the Chamber has continued to support the government and the European-Philippine business community in the country’s transition towards the new normal. During my term, I look forward to building on the excellent work that the Chamber has done,” he said.

He added that ECCP has been a steadfast partner with the Philippines in transition to the new normal and for four decades now, both developed ties for more competitive economic partnership in the region for trade and commerce, energy and water conservation and sustainability initiatives.

Wittig also highlighted the deepening ties with European Chamber regional counterparts and fueling the growth of ECCP members in their regional offices in 2020.  ECCP has been in Cebu for almost 30 years now and he noted the increase in membership to the chamber here in Cebu than ever before.

Wittig’s impressions on Cebu’s response to the pandemic must have contributed greatly to the several milestones of ECCP.  He said that Cebu allowed highly adoptable and highly effective programs to ensure that economic recovery and transition to new normal has come earlier in Cebu than in other places in the country.

For the first half of 2021, Wittig said that the ECCP has accomplished some important milestones that started in February this year when ECCP with the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) organized and launched the REPH100.  It is a movement in support of the Green Energy Option Program, a private-sector driven initiative calling all ECCP companies to commit to 100 percent renewable energy operations by 2030.

 In June, ECCP launched the first Europa Awards on Sustainability. It awarded companies that exemplified best practices on smart and safer mobility, clean and efficient energy, circular economy, sustainable food and nutrition, green and inclusive finance solutions, and water resource management.

The ECCP also presented the “Sustainability Whitebook” during the Europa Awards.  The “Whitebook” contains the Chamber’s policy recommendations in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Philippine Development Plan.

Among the Chamber’s succeeding milestones, according to Wittig include the PEZA Galing Pinas Ecozone Investment Partnership Award 2021’ given to ECCP in honor of its contributions to PEZA.

   

ECCP also created the Defense and Disaster Resilience Committee which aims to strengthen the collaboration amongst industry players in the defense sector and enhance the country’s disaster risk reduction and management and the Creative Committee which will bring together relevant stakeholders for the overall development of the Philippine creative economy.

For the quarterly report of 2020 and the first half of 2021, the overall Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) level of 2020 is roughly 24 percent lower than that of 2019.  In the same year, the Philippines received US$6.5 billion in FDI net inflows with US$323.9 million coming from Europe.  

As for January to May 2021, there was a total of FDI net inflows registered at US$3.4 billion with US$24.2 million coming from Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PWD, a person with determination inspires life

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Ritchell Catulmo, now in his 40s, was born with health defect due to polio but this did not hinder his determination to live a fruitful and happy life despite the challenges he faced while growing up and, he still continuously smile and prod on the streets of Talisay City as he vends fruits, ice-candy, sitsaron, bread and other food snacks, his livelihood and ways to earn for his family for the past several years now.

“Ang akong motivation sa kinabuhi mao ang akong pamilya. Kay og di ko molihok gutmon akong pamilya, kinahanglan gyud mag kugi, ug ubanan sa hugot nga pagtuo sa Ginoo, aron ma-kaya ra tanang pagsuway,” Ritchell said in a video interview with the DSWD-7.  (My motivation in life is my family. If I do not do anything my family will starve. I need to strive for them. I must trust in God for me to endure all these challenges.)

Ritchell added that he did not consider his defect (polio) as a barrier even in his teenage years, he played basketball and hand paint as his pastime. His determination to live normally was reinforced when he got married and had children.

For Ritchell, having physical defect was never an issue to make a living.  Onboard his wheelchair, he would roam around the City selling ice candy and fruits.  This beautiful determined person caught the attention of some Netizens.

In 2017, one internet user spotted him and posted him on Facebook which became viral and on soon social media networks reposted his photos as they saw his determination and hard work that caught the attention of the Latter-Day Saint Charity that gave him a customized rickshaw or “trisikad”.  Since then, Ritchell has been using this ‘trisikad” as his business vehicle.

“Dili gyud malikayan nga sa akong kahimtang usahay mawagtangan ta og paglaum pero ako lang gyud gihugtan akong pag-tuo sa Diyos.” (It is inevitable in my situation that sometimes I would lose hope, but my faith in God is greater than the problems I am facing.),” Ritchell said as he narrated some of his lowest moments in life.

He recalled that in November 2018, his child Ellen was hospitalized due to pneumonia and he had to double his efforts in selling to support medications and hospitalization of his daughter.  “That was really the most difficult moment of my life,” Ritchell said in the dialect.

On January 7, 2020, a fire hit Ritchell's residence in Talisay City and then COVID-19 pandemic occurred.  This prompted the enforcement of the community lockdown in March 2020 where many people lost their jobs, big and small businesses were affected, Ritchell included.

Ritchell, more felt the burden. Due to community lockdown, he had to stop selling/vending fruits. The family then used the capital fund to cover the family’s expenses due to the pandemic.  He said he didn’t lose hope.  He believed God brought people to help him.

It was during this time that the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) came and Ritchell was one of the beneficiaries to receive P5,000 and he used the assistance they received for their daily consumption.

On September 8, 2020, Ritchel received the Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) from the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that provides financial grants to small entrepreneurs affected by the pandemic.

“Nagpasalamat ko nga adunay gihimong instrumento sa Ginoo nga matabangan ko, makabalik nakos akong puhonan sa pagpaninda ug prutas,” Ritchell stated.  (I was thankful to God for using people as instruments for me to get back my capital so that I could resume my fruit selling business).

When the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine was changed to General Community Quarantine, Ritchel used the grant to resume his business and doubled his efforts selling fruits and added more food snacks to his “trisikad” street vending.

Today, Ritchell continues to navigate the City streets here in Cebu and Talisay grateful that he is healthy and safe and can support his family with his livelihood in sheer guts, determination, perseverance and strong faith in God.

“Nakaya ni nako tanan tungod sa akong hugot nga pagtuo sa Ginoo", said Ritchell. (I was able to transcend all trials and difficulties because of my stronger belief and faith in God.) https://fb.watch/7FlQ8vb4Qq/

    

Improved, expanded Siquijor seaport enhances its maritime connectivity

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

SIQUIJOR ISLAND—The improved and expanded seaport in Siquijor that was inaugurated on by Department of Transportation secretary Art Tugade on Thursday, August 26 is seen to enhance the Island’s maritime connectivity, boost equitable and inclusive growth in the areas of employment, local trade, and investments.

    

“With the improvements that we are doing at the airport and seaport, Siquijor will soon be known as ‘Isla del Progreso.’ In other words, you will now have a massive change in connectivity at the seaport of Siquijor,” Tugade said in his message during the event.

The port expansion project covers the construction of an RC Wharf with Ro-Ro ramp and a back-up area.  With its improved facilities, the port now can accommodate more vessels and larger ships and allows for faster vessel turnaround time and a shortened waiting period for passengers and shippers. This will eventually reduce the queueing of rolling cargo, DOTr said in a media release after the event.

Twenty-five units of solar lights were also installed in the port. This translates to lower electricity cost and will reduce the port’s carbon footprint.

Prior to the upgrade, the Siquijor Seaport can only service a maximum of four ferries. With the renovation works already completed, it can now serve up to eight vessels with provision to handle a 65-meter cargo ship and can service two Ro-Ro vessels at the same time.

         

When it was being upgraded, DOTr bared that the port generated 35 jobs.  With its completion, the Siquijor Port is expected to further open more job opportunities for residents of the province, particularly in the tourism sector and other tourism-related industries.

Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa, in his message during the inaugural ceremony, told the Transportation Chief that the development projects in the province will truly impact the locals' way of life.

“Before the pandemic, there was a demand for us to upgrade due to the increased number of trips coming from Cebu, Bohol, and Dumaguete. This pressured us to look for additional funding sources,” Villa pointed out.

Earlier in the day, Tugade also inaugurated the Siquijor Airport. These two transport infrastructure projects are vital for the economic and tourism growth of the province. (Photos: DOTr)

DoTr inaugurates airport, seaport in Siquijor Island

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

SIQUIJOR ISLAND-- Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade with Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Jim Sydiongco and local officials of Siquijor inaugurated Thursday, August 26 the modernized Siquijor Airport and the expansion of the Siquijor Seaport in Siquijor Island in Central Visayas.

“The inauguration of the airport and seaport in Siquijor today means the improvement of mobility and connectivity of Siquijor to the other parts of the regions and its continuing progress as a popular tourism site in the region,” Tugade said in his speech during the event, Thursday.

Tugade lauded the local chief executives of Siquijor Province for their persistence in following up the two major infrastructure projects and all other previous projects for the island.  Completed development projects in the airport include the new Passenger Terminal Building (PTB), powerhouse, and vehicular parking area (VPA).

Tugade reiterated his aspiration to further advance the status of the airport, from community to a tourism airport.  “Kailangan, target-in nating maitaas ang antas ng community airport into a tourism airport nang sa ganon ang pasahero will not be limited to 10, kundi magiging 60, at hopefully, in the future, maging 100.  Para nang sa ganon, ‘yung hangarin ninyong ito’y isang maging paraiso at daungan ng mga pasahero at turista upang masilayan at makita ang kagandahan ng Siquijor ay mabigyang buhay, at mabigyang patotoo,” he said.

Tugade also mentioned other projects that were completed ahead of their target dates.  These included the repair and maintenance of the perimeter fence and construction of concrete path walk, runway provision, taxiway and apron markings.  He bared other development proposals for the airport that include the expansion, widening, and asphalt overlay of the airport’s runway, in a bid to cater larger aircrafts.

Meanwhile, DG Sydiongco noted the incessant cooperation and partnership of the DOTr, CAAP and the Siquijor LGU to ensure the effective and seamless progress of the current and future improvement and enhancement projects for the airport.

“The DOTr, CAAP, and Siquijor LGU will continuously work together to ensure the development of Siquijor’s air mobility, accessibility, and connectivity. Given that, proposals for commercial flights in Siquijor airport are currently being studied and processed,” Sydiongco said.

Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa and Congressman Jay Vincent Villa thanked Tugade and President Duterte for the realization of these long-drawn airport.  “With your support, Siquijor now has a new airport that we can be proud of,” Congressman Villa said.

With the current developments, the Siquijor Airport can now accommodate 60 passengers at any given time, six times higher than its previous passenger capacity of only 10.  The public can now experience a more comfortable and convenient air travel.

In another development, the DOTr team also unveiled the upgraded Siquijor Port. The project covers the construction of an RC Wharf with Ro-Ro ramp, a back-up area, and a port lighting system.

With its improved facilities, the port now allows faster turnaround time of vessels and shorten the waiting period for passengers, shippers and reduce queueing of rolling cargoes. The upgraded Siquijor Port will also boost equitable and inclusive growth in the areas of employment, local trade, and investments.

“Siquijor is blessed with beautiful sites, nice food and warm people.  These are the best ingredients for more growth in the tourism industry here.  The two vital transport projects in Siquijor are expected to usher rapid economic and tourism growth in the province and nearby regions,” Tugade stated. (Photos: DOTr)

 

 

Embraer’s Eve and Ascent partnership to bring urban air mobility to Asia Pacific region

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY --- Embraer’s Eve Urban Air Mobility, LLC, Embraer company and Ascent Flights Global Ltd. deepened their partnership to develop a robust Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem in the Asia Pacific region, to operate 100 air taxis, the transportation of the future.

                                        (A helicopter hovering Singapore, the future of urban air mobility)

According to Eve Urban Mobility that beginning in 2026, it will provide Ascent with up to 100,000 hours of flight time per year on its electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, also known in the market as EVA (Electrical Vertical Aircraft), for use in key cities such as Bangkok (Thailand), Manila (Philippines), Melbourne (Australia), Singapore, and Tokyo (Japan).

“Ascent is one of the greatest players of Urban Air Mobility in the Asia Pacific and its strong presence in the region makes it an ideal partner for Eve’s operations. The region holds a massive demand for transportation disruption that can be filled with our low-emission aircraft. This is the right recipe for sustainable growth,” Eve president and CEO Andre Stein said.

Stein bared that Eve plans to deploy up to 100 aircraft to be marketed by Ascent on its current and future routes.  Ascent, which acts as an independent on-demand platform, will pay for flight time utilized on Eve’s aircraft while operating in combination with partners in the Asia Pacific and other markets.

This new agreement signed on August 24, 2021 is part of Eve´s comprehensive UAM strategy to position the company as a leader in the industry, Stein added and that the deployment of Eve aircraft across the Ascent network is subject to the parties entering into definitive final agreements.

Backed by Embraer’s more than 50-year history of aircraft manufacturing and certification expertise, Eve unveils a unique value proposition by offering a comprehensive suite of UAM products and services, Stein said.  

Eve’s zero-emission and low noise EVA represents a simple and intuitive design that continues to reach development milestones.  The first flight of the engineering simulator happened in July 2020, while a proof of concept (POC) followed in October 2020, the company revealed.

In parallel, Eve’s Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) project reached a new milestone in its collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to develop a scalable environment needed to host UAM flights, Stein said.

“Eve’s innovative technology, combined with its manufacturing expertise and global servicing footprint through Embraer, comfort us in bringing a solution fitting the region’s complex requirements,” Ascent Founder and CEO Lionel Sinai- SineInikoff bared.

Sinelnikoff said that with Ascent operating system onboarding Eve’s fleet and connected to Eve’s UATM, air operator partners will be empowered to elevate UAM operations at scale.

The partners for future’s massive urban air mobility

Embraer is a global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, Embraer has businesses in Commercial and Executive Aviation, Defense & Security, and Agricultural Aviation.  Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft. On average, about every 10 seconds an aircraft manufactured by Embraer takes off somewhere in the world, transporting over 145 million passengers a year.

Eve is a new, independent company dedicated to accelerating the global Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. Benefitting from a startup mindset, backed by Embraer’s more than 50-year history of aerospace expertise, its singular focus takes a comprehensive approach to the UAM industry by providing a holistic ecosystem.

Its advanced electric vertical aircraft (EVA), coupled with its comprehensive global services and support network, and a unique air traffic management solution make it a serious contender in this space. Eve is the first company to graduate from EmbraerX.

Ascent is a Singapore based start-up powering Air Mobility in Asia. Ascent is an Air Mobility operating system, that integrates ecosystems and runs operations such as air taxi, touristic, cargo, and medical services, within urban areas and across regions.

Ascent ambitions to democratize Air Mobility, as a convenient, reliable mode of mobility that addresses congestion, connectivity, environmental sustainability, and health issues generated by rapid urbanization and the pandemic.  Ascent is operational in Southeast Asia and waiting for eVTOLs, Ascent makes use of helicopters and planes today. (Photos: Embraer/Google Images)