Oslob Port reopens, seen to boost trade and tourism links in Cebu, Central Visayas

OSLOB, Cebu – Maiinit Port in Oslob, Cebu reopens on May 22, after 15 years of inactivity marked by the launch of a new sailing route linking Oslob, Larena in Siquijor, and Dumaguete City, which is expected to boost Cebu’s maritime network giving southern Cebu towns faster access to inter-island trade and tourism routes as well as strengthening sea connectivity for both tourists and local trade in Central Visayas.

The Oslob-Siquijor-Dumaguete route is services by the Super Shuttle Ferry boats of the Asian Maritime Transport Corp. (AMTC).  

“While the route is presently on dry run or soft launch and we’re also opening the passenger terminal at Mainit Port, Oslob to provide greater convenience to the riding public by establishing a direct and efficient maritime link from the southern part of Cebu to the neighboring islands of Siquijor and Dumaguete,” shared Paolo Rodriguez, AMTC chief operations officer.

Rodriguez, who is also the president of Super Shuttle Ferry and a key figure in the PCSA has pushed for stronger collaboration between government and operators to address gaps in southern Cebu routes.

“We envision Southern Cebu not merely as a stop along the way, but as a destination and gateway that seamlessly connects travelers to Siquijor and Dumaguete while showcasing the beauty and tourism potential of Cebu’s southern corridor,” Rodriguez said.

He added that AMTC also plans to put up solar-powered EV charging stations at the Oslob Port; an integrated transport with Ceres buses for easier travel from Cebu City to Siquijor via Oslob and more more boats plying the Panglao, Bohol to Oslob routes to complete the Central Visayas trade and tourism corridor.

Cebu governor Pamela Baricuatro, in her message at the Port inauguration said the opening of Oslob Port port will shorten travel time for both passengers and cargo moving between Cebu mainland, Negros Oriental, and the southern Visayas corridor.

Oslob, already a top destination for whale shark watching and heritage tourism, stands to gain from improved connectivity.

“For Cebu and for the wider Visayas, maritime transport is truly a lifeline. As an island province and a regional hub, what happens in our ports, shipping routes, and maritime policies directly affects our economy, our tourism, and most importantly, the everyday lives of our people,” Baricuatro has repeatedly stressed the role of maritime transport in Cebu’s economy at the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association (PCSA) meeting in September 2025.

Maritime stakeholders and provincial officials envision this development to significantly boost tourism - including the continued growth of Oslob's renowned whale shark tourism - stimulate local economies, and strengthen inter-island connectivity among these key destinations.

Oslob draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually for whale shark watching. A dedicated port in Maiinit can ease congestion at existing landing points and make day trips to nearby Dumaguete and Dauin more viable.

Local officials say the Oslob port project aligns with that push — turning southern Cebu from a transit point into a stronger node in the province’s maritime economy.

Southern Cebu towns rely heavily on sea links for agricultural goods, construction materials, and consumer products. Faster, safer berthing reduces transport costs and spoilage, AMTC said.

Baricuatro also noted that efficient maritime services are crucial during emergencies and disasters for delivering aid to affected communities.

Cebu’s maritime sector has received  renewed focus in 2025-2026. The Cebu Maritime Expo in April 2026 highlighted job generation, shipbuilding, and workforce development as priorities. The provincial government has also pushed for better services on island routes to support both residents and the tourism sector.

Baricuatro pushed for stronger maritime infrastructure across the province saying efficient ports are central to Cebu’s economic and tourism goals. She said that the provincial government is working with national agencies and industry stakeholders to improve port efficiency, safety, and inter-island connectivity, ensuring that growth delivers tangible benefits to passengers and local communities.

Rodriguez on the other hand has been advocating for upgraded routes and facilities in southern Cebu. In recent meetings with the provincial government, he emphasized the need for safer, more convenient travel options for both residents and tourists.

Oslob mayor, Ronald Guaren said the reopening of Oslob Port helps address long-standing gaps in the Camotes–Cebu and Bantayan–Cebu corridors, and make it easier to expand services to southern towns.

“The new port can streamline tourist arrivals and improve links to nearby destinations in Negros Oriental,” Guaren said.

“When tourism grows, livelihoods grow too—from our small businesses and transport sector to the food industry and local communities,” Baricuatro added. (Photos: MBCNewman)

 

 

 

 

 

Some 𝟑𝟎𝟕 vo𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 dive 𝐟𝐨𝐫 c𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐫 s𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬

CEBU CITY — Some 307 volunteers from 61 partner organizations joined the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Region VII for the May 21 nationwide simultaneous Scubasurero Drive dubbed, “Dive? Linis Din! Ano, Tara?”, a coastal and underwater cleanup campaign promoting marine conservation and environmental awareness. 

The simultaneous cleanup was conducted in Moalboal and Malapascua in Cebu, and Panglao, Bohol, gathering

 a total of 355 kilograms of trash and 61 sacks of waste from coastal and marine areas.  Among the three sites, Panglao recorded the highest collection with 250 kilograms of waste, followed by Malapascua with 61 kilograms, and Moalboal with 44 kilograms.

“Our oceans are lifelines that sustain communities and future generations. Protecting our seas is a shared responsibility of every Filipino,”DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Laudemir Salac said and thanked all volunteers and partner organizations for supporting the initiative. 

DENR-7 continues to encourage communities and stakeholders to take part in protecting coastal and marine ecosystems through sustained environmental action and responsible waste management, Salac added. 

The activity forms part of the celebration of the Month of the Ocean 2026 with the theme, “Sustaining Ocean Health, Sailing a Resilient Nation.”  (Photos: DENR7)

PTFoMS conducts workshop to protect, empower women journalists in Cebu

 CEBU CITY – The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) conducted a national workshop to empower and institutionalize gender-responsive media protection to some 25 women journalists in Cebu, May 21 at the Crown Regency Hotel, with the goal of finding solutions to some of the nagging issues of safety and security of women journalists in the Philippines.

“The Presidential Task Force of Media Security was established in 2016 in response to the growing number of threats and attacks against journalists in the country.  Its primary mandate is actually to assist in the investigation and the prosecution of cases of media killings, and also to investigate and possibly prosecute attacks or threats against the media,” said PTFoMS undersecretary Jose Torres, Jr. in a side interview with Manila Standard.

Torres said that through the years the task force reviewed safety protocols and realized that the most vulnerable sector in the media when it comes to attacks are women, especially when it comes to online cyber security, and even through physical attacks and issues.

“So, we said that we might as well have focus training workshop for women journalists.  This is the second training workshop to ensure the safety and security of journalists. We had a workshop in Metro Manila for photojournalists and cameramen who are covering disasters, we also had workshops in Mindanao for journalists who are covering conflicts,” Torres added.

According to Torres, most of the attacks now are not about shooting and killings, most attacks are targeting the psyche, the minds, and it's more harmful because it hurts the individual. It would result in people not able to work properly because they are mentally distracted by all these threats, attacks, and even demeaning comments especially against women journalists.

“Empowering Women Journalists: A National Workshop To Institutionalize Gender-Responsive Media Protection”

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) ASEC for Executive and Institutional Affairs, Mariel Eduarte said that all the challenges that women journalists face in Cebu, in the provinces, in community media are real and they are very specific.

“These deserve specific solutions. We are deeply grateful to the European Union and the international media support for making this possible. The EU's commitment to press freedom is not just words, it is funded, it is sustained, and shows up in practical ways, in training, in protection frameworks, and the kind of institutional support that keeps journalists safer on the ground,” Eduarte added.

She noted that this workshop has the power to reshape how this industry protects its own.  Every protocol, every standard, every guardrail that gets built for women journalists in this country, it starts with conversations like the ones the training have today.

Louie Domingo, Head, Emergency Management Center presented insightful lecture, workshops, hands-on guide and practical tips on how to protect and empower women journalists through personal safety and wellness.

Shaira Eve Goc-ong of the Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) gave the women journalists Workshop on Understanding Stress and Mental Health.   From Breaking News to Breathing Space and Journalist Survival Kit, a comprehensive guide to cope with stress in work as a journalist, specifically women journalist.  "afety and protection mechniYou can carry the story without losing your own story," Goc-ong said guiding the participants how stress management can be essential to cope with work-related stresses.

Towards the end of the training, PTFoMS team guided the participants to a workshop on the baseline safety standards for the protection for the women journalists by asking question like, “Is there a safe space in your Newsrooms and/or in your place of work?  As women journalists, what are the issues and concerns that you want to be addressed by the government and the media industry?

Seven groups brainstormed on these questions, raising issues on women journalists being harassed, abused while working, covering news events. Common answer to question 1 was that most newsrooms are not that safe for women journalists.

Common issues that needs government urgent attention included low wages for journalists; weak safety and security protocols when covering in conflict areas and during disasters and emergencies; lacking in protective measures against abuse and violence against women at the workplace; and there is no institutional system for grievance especially for women journalists’ who have experience abuse at the workplace and or during coverage. (Photos: MBCNewman)

SM Seaside Cebu Arena is set to open in June 2026

CEBU CITY -- SM Seaside Cebu Arena, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) second mega-arena and the first purpose-built, multipurpose indoor arena in Cebu Province, located at the South Coast City, SM Prime’s integrated estate in Cebu is set to open in June 2026.

“The enduring success of SM MOA Arena shows the strong demand for world-class entertainment venues, so we are bringing the same proven model to Cebu.  We believe Cebu is a key growth center, and this arena will help attract major events, support tourism and create more economic activity for the region,” SM Prime President, Jeffry Lim said.

By building a venue of this scale in Cebu, SM Prime is strengthening the Visayas as a destination for international events, domestic tourism, and long-term investment.  SM Prime is already in talks with concert promoters, sports federations, family entertainment producers, and corporate event organizers ahead of the opening, securing advance bookings since late last year.

A local band is set to be the first performer of the SM Seaside Cebu Arena, with BINI on July 11, IV of Spades on July 18, TJ Monterde and KZ Tandingan on September 5 and LANY on November 6 and 12 already confirmed for this year and with talks ongoing with a global artist for the grand launch, Lim bared.

Located within the SM Seaside Complex, the arena benefits from direct access to retail, hospitality and transport infrastructure, creating a seamless ecosystem for visitors and event organizers.  Its proximity to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and surrounding lifestyle developments strengthens its appeal as a regional destination for international acts and large gatherings.

A glimpse of the SM Seaside Cebu Arena

The project is being developed directly under SM Prime Holdings Inc. as part of their South Coast City estate.  This is SM Prime’s bet that demand for world-class venues extends beyond Manila. It’s designed to be flexible for everything from Lady Gaga-scale concerts to basketball games and corporate events.

With seven storeys and a capacity of up to 25,000 people, with 16,000 fixed seats, making the SM Seaside Cebu Arena larger than the Mall of Asia Arena, which seats 20,000.  This will be one of the largest indoor arenas in the Philippines. Its flexible event bowl allows seamless configuration for both large-scale concerts and more intimate events, giving promoters greater versatility in staging productions.

The SM Seaside Cebu Arena features one of the most advanced center-hung displays in the country, supported by immersive LED ribbon boards that deliver a 360-degree viewing experience. These are complemented by high-capacity digital infrastructure, including 5G connectivity, high-capacity digital infrastructure for real-time engagement.

It has multi-level spectator areas, professional-grade sports and entertainment systems, Corporate suites, VIP lounges, food and beverage concepts, practice court, breakout rooms and Skybridge connecting directly to SMX Convention Center Cebu and SM Seaside City Cebu for seamless visitor flow.

Why SM Prime built it? The goal is to make Cebu a hub for international events so people don’t have to fly to Manila for concerts and sports. SM Prime says Cebu’s accessibility to Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Japan, etc. makes it viable for regional and international shows. (Photos: SM Seaside Arena FB/Google Images)

 

 

 

 

 

Converge reaches 3M subscribers, gains ₱11.2B revenue 1st quarter 2026

CEBU CITY – Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (PSE: CNVRG) reached 3M subscribers in its prepaid fiber internet users, sustaining growth with P11.2 billion in revenues in the first quarter of 2026.

“We are focused on expanding our fiber footprint, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao, to serve more Filipinos with world-class connectivity.  Our enterprise customers will also get a boost with the completion of our national digital infrastructure that sets the stage for providing cloud and data heavy services,” said Converge Co-Founder and CEO Dennis Anthony Uy, in a zoom media briefing on May 14.

Uy bared that as of end-March 2026, the total Converge subscriber base reached 3.09 million, representing a 14% year-on-year (YoY) improvement. A key driver of this growth was the Surf2Sawa (S2S) prepaid fiber service, which saw its subscriber base skyrocket by 86.7% YoY to reach 674,000 customers.

The company’s Enterprise business has also sustained its growth trajectory, with revenues seeing a 16% growth during the quarter to reach P 2 billion.

For the first quarter of 2026, Converge registered P 3.02 billion in net income. Its EBITDA grew by 3.3% to P 6.9 billion with an EBITDA margin of 61.8 %, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) standing at 15.6% by the end of the period.

 “Despite geopolitical turmoil affecting the local economy and its growth prospects, we are able to insulate much of our operations from these. Our financial performance in the first quarter remains steady and we assure our subscribers - now at 3 million - that we hear them, and we’re improving resolution of our network challenges,” said Converge President and Co-Founder Maria Grace Uy.

Converge Chief Finance Officer Robert Yu bared that total cash capex for the first quarter of 2026 amounted to P 2.9 billion and the company maintains its capex guidance range at P18 billion to P23 billion as reported at the start of the year.

The company’s capex would mainly be used for the continued expansion and reinforcement of the network to continuously deliver reliable services, and at the same time, to prepare the   company for future demand. “As we anticipate growth for both our consumer and enterprise segments, we want to keep our infrastructure resilient to support evolving customer needs and deliver more digital services,” said Yu.

Converge recently marked the completion of its future-ready national digital infrastructure designed to prop up its delivery of cutting-edge technologies and cement the Philippines’ position as a vital node in the global digital economy. The said architecture consists of its extensive fiber backbone and satellite network, international subsea cable systems, cable landing stations, and scalable data centers.

In April, Converge again took home the majority of the Ookla broadband performance awards, specifically the titles of Fastest Fixed Network, Best Fixed Network, Best Video Experience, and the Lowest Latency in the second half of 2025, marking its leadership in broadband in the country for three straight years.

“While challenges remain, we’re seeing steady improvement in outage frequency and repair speeds. The number of subscribers impacted by network trouble has also been coming down. Response and handling times of our customer support teams are likewise improving. We’re investing in network upgrades and proactive maintenance, so you can expect us to keep improving on these metrics,” noted Benjamin Azada, Converge Chief Operations Officer. (Photos: Converge)