A hotel’s “Green Initiative” for a sustainable hospitality sector in Cebu

CEBU CITY – Seda Central Bloc, a Cebu-based hotel located at the IT Park in Lahug is embarking on a “Green Initiative” Solar Panel project to power its essential facilities from the hotel’s 12^th to 17^th floors and to contribute to a sustainable hospitality.

"We are excited about this significant stride in our journey towards sustainable hospitality. This investment not only aligns with our commitment to environmental responsibility but also reflects our dedication to providing efficient and green solutions for our guests," Ron Manalang, General Manager of Seda Central Bloc Cebu said in his opening statement during the launching of the “Green Initiative” at the hotel’s Straight Up Bar & Restaurant on January 31 this year.

Manalang said that the installations of solar panels not only lessen the hotel’s carbon footprint but also demonstrates its commitment to embodying its eco-friendly principles within the hospitality sector. Through the adoption of solar energy, Seda Central Bloc aspires to foster positive change and build a sustainable legacy in the hospitality industry.

Seda Central Bloc Cebu’s Energy Conservation Officer and Engineering Manager, Engr. Alfie Dalapo bared that with the introduction of this outstanding 53 KWP (kilowatt peak) solar panel system using cutting-edge Japanese, the first hotel in the Seda Hotels chain to do so.

Dalapo added that this green approach technology can significantly reduce the hotel's environmental impact by offsetting harmful emissions from carbon dioxide consumption from LPG and generator usage during brownouts. This solar panel system mitigates an equivalent of 36.6 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

“The environmental benefits for the hotel include zero emission, avoid 36.6 tons of CO2 per year, which is an equivalent to approximately 7,000 trees to be planted and power approximately 4,000 units of SW LED bulbs.  The Green Initiative actually saves the hotel some P53,300 every month which can be used for other staff benefits,” Dalapo noted.

According to Dalapo, the “Green Initiative” solar panel covers an impressive 100 square meters of roof space, the solar panel system fulfills daytime energy demands, powering essential facilities from the hotel’s 12th to the 17th floors and the system ensures seamless energy conversion, with efficient online monitoring that enables real-time tracking and optimization of energy production through its HUAWEI inverter system.

The Green Initiative system capacity is at 53kwp with 98 modules/pieces with a surface area of 100sqm in a 1-50kw. The solar panels are monocrystalline, 550W, Japan Technology described as Tier 1 Brand with a 25-year performance warranty with 0.5% annual degeneration, Dalapo revealed.

AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Group Director of Engineering, Chief Engr. Efren Rodrigo also bared that this initiative is an extension of Ayala Corporation’s Green Energy Option Program (GEOP) initiated in December 2022 to go on a 100% LED lights. 

“This is just the beginning, we are moving forward with expansion for additional panels for the available roof space of the hotel and 24/7 sustainability with battery storage, which will power chillers for the hotel’s sustainable food supply.  Savings from this Green Initiative” will be allocated for the hotel’s MALASAKIT CSR program,” Rodrigo said.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama who graced the event, commended Seda Central Bloc’s “Green Initiative” and hopes that all hotels in Cebu do the same for sustainable future in the hospitality sector.

The “Green Initiative” launch on January 31 was attended by Seda Central Bloc Cebu Executives and special guests from Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), Cebu City Mayor’s Office and some media. (Photos: MBCNewman)

 

 

Zonta clubs identify top 5 priority needs to fast track women empowerment

CEBU CITY -- Zonta District 17 Area 3 Zonta clubs singled out top five priority needs culled from the three simultaneous workshops tackling topics on education, entrepreneurship and equitable access to promote women empowerment and entrepreneurship, during the Zonta District 17 Area 3 Meeting on January 26-28 at the Nustar Resort in Cebu with 165 delegates in attendance from the Zonta clubs in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

These top five needs that have to be prioritized include Training, Instilling Values and Motivation, Funding, Marketing, and Opportunities. The workshops also suggested solutions to match these needs which include projects such as Handy Women Training; Seminars; Collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Trade fairs/bazaars and support from Social Media/industrial organizations.

Area 3 Director Zn. Ma. Teresa Chan, in her welcome message explained that the Area Meeting aims to foster camaraderie and fellowship among Area 3 members of the clubs and enhance their skills and respective capabilities to help serve communities.

“That’s why we have workshops so we can listen to insights of people. We listen to speakers who can give us new perspectives. We can look for other beneficiaries, improve what we are doing now and maybe even look for other types of projects,” Chan said.

The workshops were conducted in the afternoon on January 27 after the opening ceremony in the morning of the same day that featured the Parade of Clubs, the Entry of Colors, and dance numbers.

The workshop on Education focused on the top needs of Literacy and Numeracy; Health and Nutrition of Mother and Child; Learning Loss and Remedial Tutorial. Suggested projects for education include Zonta-Department of Education Partnership; Responsible Parenthood, Adopt-a-School project in the locality of the clubs; and conduct of assessment, design program, and training of tutors.

To achieve Equitable Access, there’s a need to prioritize the improvement of women’s economic empowerment and capacity building on laws protecting and promoting rights, workshop inputs said. This can be done through livelihood training based on gender analysis of identified needs and evaluation of impact on women leaders as well as leadership training for grassroots women.

At the end of two-year implementation for Equitable Access projects, Zonta Club Area 3 aims to address the concern of poverty among women by undertaking several projects that include livelihood based on identified needs of target stakeholders; capacity building of grassroots women leaders; increased awareness of women’s human rights; and education through continuing literacy programs.

Zonta also has to undertake participative consultation, conducting gender analysis in designing Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPAs). The implementation of the project also requires the crafting of monitoring and evaluation systems to determine the positive impacts of these projects for empowering women.

District 17 Governor Zn. Ophelia Bautista commended Zn. Chan and Zn. Petite Garcia, chairman of the Area 3 Meeting Organizing Committee for the success of the activity and thanked the various clubs for the overwhelming attendance of the meeting.

Bautista also stressed the need for Zontians to empower themselves to empower women. “The more we understand Zonta, the more we get enabled, the more we want to engage. Let us engage to empower women through education, through entrepreneurship, and equitable access,” she added.

Notable speakers in the meeting

Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Living Heritage Initiative, in her keynote address talked about the meeting’s theme “"Women + Education + Entrepreneurship + Equitable Access EmpowerHer."

“Education is the cornerstone of progress. Entrepreneurship is the catalyst that turns knowledge into action. Equitable access acts as the bridge,” Antonio highlighted the pivotal role of education in the efforts to empower women.

Atty. Cadapan-Antonio served as Deputy Legal Counsel, Faculty of Law, and Director of the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development at Silliman University in the Philippines for over a decade before she and her family moved to the United States.

She also serves on the boards of the Harvard Club of the Philippines Global, Save One Life (Interim President; an international non-profit serving children with bleeding disorders worldwide), and Khan Academy Philippines.

Zn. Dr. Vivien Seno briefed delegates on the three simultaneous workshops that discussed Education, Entrepreneurship, and Equitable Access. The workshop speakers were Atty. Joan Largo, Vice President for Administration of the University of San Carlos for education; Laurie Boquiren, Marketing and R&D Director, Castilex Industrial Corp. and CEO/Founder Jamaica Markets Corp. for Entrepreneurship and Atty. Mylen Gonzales-Esquivel, Executive Director at Child Justice League Inc. for Equitable Access.

Motivational Speaker Mader Perci Cendaňa, former Commissioner of the Philippine National Youth Commission, discussed the topic “Celebrating Differences...Towards a more Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Zonta.”  He cited the need to embrace diversity but should be combined with inclusion so there would be equity in the end.

Cendaňa holds the distinction of being the first openly gay Chairperson of the UP Diliman University Student Council and is currently a consultant of the Quezon City GAD Council and QC Pride Council. He is also the immediate past president of Babaylanes Inc., an NGO working on building capacities of young LGBTs.

The meeting ended with a fun-filled evening during the Fellowship Dinner and a Mass and Memorial Service was also offered as tribute to the Zontians who had passed away.

Zonta District 17 Area 3 Zonta clubs in attendance include Zonta Club of Cebu I, Zonta Club of Cebu II, Zonta Club Davao I, Zonta Club Davao II, Zonta Club Metro Iloilo, Zonta Club Bacolod, Zonta Club Iloilo, Zonta Club Cagayan de Oro, Zonta Club Cagayan II, Zonta Club Zamboanga, Zonta Club Tacloban, and Zonta Club General Santos. (Photos: RMA News/Robby Alugar)

 

 

DSWD launches “Angels in Red Vests" campaign

CEBU CITY – Some 2,000 workforce from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Field Office VII joined the department’s nationwide launch of the “Angels Red Vests” (ARV) campaign during its 73^rd anniversary celebration on January 22, this year.

DSWD secretary Rex Gatchalian, said that the campaign bears the theme “Angels in Red Vests: Naglilingkod ng may Extra Care at Extra Love,” a theme that aims to recognize its workforce as the ‘Angels in Red Vests’, for its hard work and dedication to serve the poor, marginalized, disadvantaged sectors of society.

Gatchalian sees the ARV campaign as a platform that boosts the workers’ morale as the DSWD implements programs and services and innovates new ones to address poverty in the country.

“Without you, our Angels in Red Vests, we will not be able to realize our commitment to the country. That is why we want you to feel proud once you wear that red vest and go out in the field to deliver the programs and services of the Department to the Filipino people,” Gatchalian commended the DSWD workforce for their dedication, commitment, passion, and service.

At the DSWD-Central Visayas Field Office 7, a fashion show featured merchandise items like t-shirts, tumblers, umbrellas, notebooks, ball pens, tote bags, and enamel pins and other collaterals that inspired the workforce to carry on their commitment to delivering social welfare and development programs and services to the people.

A flash mob of performing arts and dance of the DSWD-7 Angels in Red Vests theme song and models showcasing the AVR merchandise items heightened the spirits to bring hope and inspiration to every Filipino with its brand of extra love and care.

 

Social media accounts on Facebook and TikTok, @angelsinredvestsph, and its official hashtag, #AngelsInRedVests, were also launched that will serve as an avenue for all DSWD employees to share their significant and memorable experiences working at the DSWD. (Photos: DSWD7/FB & Google Images)

 

70 responders, humanitarian workers in Cagayan trained on disaster response

CAGAYAN VALLEY –The United States government, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the provincial government of Cagayan jointly held the inaugural “Cagayan Disaster Response Training-Paghahanda 1.24 Workshop” from January 23 to 25 in Anquiray, Amulung, Cagayan to more than 70 local disaster response officials, military personnel, and humanitarian workers to enhance the capabilities and collaboration of civilian and military first responders in the disaster-prone province.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM) Deputy Director Steve Castonguay said they are honored to support this Philippine government-led disaster response training that fostered the ongoing collaboration between the Philippines and the United States.

“Our shared commitment to resilience and preparedness and an increased understanding of each other’s roles and procedures are crucial in facing the challenges posed by natural disasters,” Castonguay said.

The workshop trained these local disaster response officials, military personnel, and humanitarian workers to better understand each other’s roles in implementing humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) principles.

Michael Wylie, an advisor from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM), presented the mission of the CFE-DMHA.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific CFE-DM provided course material and shared best practices on multi-stakeholder coordination in HADR while the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID)-Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance briefed participants on the process of requesting U.S. government assistance in the event of a disaster.

“We believe that an integrated approach, where all parties work hand-in-hand, is vital in providing immediate and sustainable assistance to those in need,” Office of Civil Defense Region 2 Director Leon DG Rafael Jr., commented.

Rafael, who also serves as Chairperson of the Cagayan Valley Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CVDRRMC) added that through this comprehensive workshop, the team aspires to enhance the capacity and knowledge of the participants, equipping them with the necessary skills and understanding to effectively respond and coordinate humanitarian actions.

The workshop culminated with a tabletop exercise where participants applied HADR principles through a simulated major disaster in Northern Luzon, near two Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement locations.

According to the U.S. government, through the CFE-DM partnership with government and non-government entities worldwide can strengthen collaborative capabilities in HADR among civilians, military responders, and humanitarian organizations. 

“The U.S. government is committed to supporting the AFP’s Disaster Response Program to further strengthen civil-military coordination and alleviate human suffering before, during, and after humanitarian crises,” it said. (Photos/PR: U.S. Embassy/Google Images)

Multisector approach to address child stunting linked to malnutrition in PH

CEBU CITY – The Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) joined with the other health services in the country for the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) regional technical session on January 15-19 in Davao City for a unified effort to address child stunting linked to malnutrition in the Philippines.

According to DOH, the PMNP is a joint initiative of the Philippine Government and the World Bank launched on January 25, 2022 that strives to elevate the health and nutrition standards of undernourished children across 235 municipalities nationwide, with a specific focus on 40 municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The main objective of the regional technical session cum training is to provide a platform for implementers to review project guidelines, develop a comprehensive work plan for the 2024 Project implementation and discuss strategies, targets, and deliverables for 2024.

In the initial training segment titled "Barangay Nutrition Action Planning (BNAP), the DOH Central Visayas CHD team shared valuable insights from the BNAP Workshop, emphasizing successful practices, addressed challenges and discussed future plans for the strategic integration of nutrition priorities from the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2023-2028 at the barangay level.

The training session not only provided a space for reflection on past successes and challenges but also paved the way for future plans that will contribute to the success of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2023-2028 at the grassroots level, making the Nutrisyong Sapat para sa Lahat and Universal Health Care a reality.

The also training hopes to focus on aligning actions with management directives and reviewing crucial project guidelines, specifically those related to performance-based grants verification and social and environmental safeguards.

Leading the delegation of trainers were Dr. Jonathan Neil Erasmo, Chief of the Local Health Support Division and Dr. Chona Salang, Head of the Family Health Section with the key team members including PMNP Regional Project Officers, Nutrition Officers, and Project Assistants. (Photos: DOH-CHD/Stanley Cin)

 

 

 

SLP equips PDOs with cyber security awareness, Advance Excel

CEBU CITY – Project Development Officers (PDOs) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) in region VII attended the two-day training on cyber security awareness and advanced Excel on January 11-12 at Dauis, Bohol, to enhance the team’s implementation of the department’s various community projects.

According to Regional Program Coordinator, Ma. Rosana Coritico, the program management office deemed it necessary to equip the field staff with appropriate skills and knowledge for projects’ implementation and hopes these PDOx apply these skills in their respective areas for a faster, more accurate and more efficient delivery and implementation of DSWD’s programs for 2024.

The resource persons for the training included information technology officers Von Brian Adlaon, Reymark Lariosa, and March Lamanilao of the Regional Information and Communications Technology Section (RICTS) of the Department of Information, Communication and Technology (DICT-7).

Lamanilao, discussed the importance of cyber security awareness and how to avoid cyber phishing.  He reminded the PDOs not to trust online applications offering free downloads and to always check links and sources before clicking.

"Never trust the free app because, in this free app online, you will be the product, and it will get all your details, which is a risk," Lamanilao warned the participants during his cyber security awareness talk.

According to Garfield Cielo, a PDO assigned in Bohol, the discussion on cyber security is an eye-opener for him to be more cautious, especially when sharing and posting information online.

Cielo added, the 2-day training provided them with hands-on experience in expediting processes like encoding, trimming, pivoting tables, and name-matching of possible program participants.

The session also helped improve their skills in managing data, master files, program trackers, and databases. With these skill enhancements, the regional program management office hoped for a successful project implementation, Cielo noted.

"I have learned a lot. The pivot table in VLookup will be helpful because we do not have to search the names one by one anymore. It will be easy for us to identify and find name duplication, especially the list that comes from other sources," shared Junelyn Siangco, a project development officer assigned in Bohol

PDOs Cathy Bondad assisted Joan Calubag in maneuvering the VLook-up during the workshop.

Reymark Lariosa of the RICTS provided technical assistance to the PDOs from Siquijor province during the hands-on workshop on advanced Excel.  Marvin Uzarraga, a PDO from Siquijor Province, said the resource person provided practical examples and techniques.

The participants expressed that the training enlightened them, especially the discussion on cybersecurity awareness, data protection, and other important information, like hacking and phishing, which are rampant nowadays. (Photos: DSWD7/Kerwin Marcopia)

Aboitiz Foundation welcomes new batch of scholar beneficiaries

CEBU CITY – The Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Aboitiz Foundation) welcomed its newest batch of scholar beneficiaries under the Aboitiz College Scholarship Program (ACSP) with their parents and guardians during the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on January 15 led by Aboitiz Foundation President Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar and Chief Operating Officer Mardi Mapa-Suplido.

“With immense pride and enduring hope, we welcome this new generation of future leaders – their promise and potential assure me our greatest, most purposeful chapters lie ahead,” Aboitiz Foundation President Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar said at the MOA signing.

The Aboitiz Group envisioned these new batch of scholars to become the future leaders in the country as they set out on this journey that will change today and shape the future for all Aboitiz Group, Malvar added.

 

Aboitiz Foundation Chief Operating Officer Mardi Mapa-Suplido also said that the newest Aboitiz Scholars affirm the group's belief in the pivotal role that they will play in changing today, and shaping the future.

With this year's batch of 10 scholars, the program beneficiaries now totaled to over 180 students. Scholars receive comprehensive support – from yearly tuition fee, monthly allowance, academic excellence incentives, and board review fees of the qualified scholars, Suplido revealed.

The scholarship program aims to provide educational opportunities to deserving students by providing financial assistance and supporting their overall growth and development through learning sessions and internships.

"It is a journey where I hold in high regard the significance of the scholarship bestowed upon me by the Aboitiz Foundation, recognizing it not just as a financial support but as a catalyst for transformation and achievement," Heleina Marei Ong, an Industrial Engineering beneficiary, shared how the scholarship has impacted her journey.

(Lola Elena, one of the guardians of the scholars under the Aboitiz College Scholarship Program, proudly cherishes the moment of her granddaughter delivering her message towards her fellow scholars.)

The Aboitiz Group Scholarship Program establishes a significant standard for private sector efforts that promote fair access to education, ethical leadership, and sustainable development of human resources.

The ACSP aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 by promoting accessible and fair quality education while advocating for continuous learning opportunities for everyone.

Malvar and Suplido underscored the Aboitiz Group’s dedication to fostering the students’ development and empowering them to become transformative forces in society. (Photos: Aboitiz Foundation Fb/Lloyd Revilla)