ASEAN SUMMIT in CEBU

[tolstoi]

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Seniang’s rains soak CICC

AS typhoon Seniang moved to the Visayas yesterday, rain also found its way inside the spanking Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Buckets were seen at the main entrance while some traces of water were found on the carpet at the lobby of the second floor.
Water leaks were also seen at the International Broadcast Center (IBC).

But Architect Manuel Guanzon, who designed the P515-million structure, assured that the matter would be addressed immediately.

He, however, said that leaking in buildings is “normal.”

A day after the postponement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit was announced, the broadcast media occupying booths at the (IBC) were given until last night (Dec. 9) to pack up.

Notices were posted at the IBC saying the center will cease operations by 11:59 p.m.

Many journalists were still filing stories to their respective media outfits yesterday morning but by afternoon, some media booths were already closed.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, about seven broadcast outfits have pulled out from the IBC.

Some persons were also seen carrying their equipment out of the IBC.
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Summit, Sinulog kick-off overlap

CEBU CITY -- Some activities for the Sinulog will coincide with high-level meetings of Southeast Asian leaders, if the proposed schedule of the postponed Asean summit is approved.

While this opens the doors to greater international exposure for Cebu's signature festival, it will also test to the hilt the Asean summit and Sinulog festival organizers' security, traffic and crowd control preparations.

"The initial feeling was disappointment, but as reality sank in, the postponement somehow feels like a blessing in disguise," Cebu City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said by text message.

"If held on the days prior to the Sinulog, it will surely be a great opportunity to promote to the world the country's biggest festival."

Summit organizers proposed Sunday to hold the Southeast Asian leaders' gatherings from Jan. 11 to 14, just when local hotels start to get fully booked for the Sinulog festival.

"We will have to work around this," said Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. of the National Organizing Committee.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama said he will not allow the Sinulog celebration to be adjusted to the summit's schedule.

"We have sacrificed enough. We will not depend on the Asean kay lisod nga hasta ang Sinulog affected pa," said Rama, the foundation's overall chairman.

A novena that starts the religious side of the annual festivity is scheduled on Jan. 11. The next day, the Sinulog will be launched with a mini-parade from the Basilica to the Cebu City Sports Center, which usually requires that traffic be rerouted.

On Jan. 13 is the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan followed by the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan the next day.

Sinulog Foundation executive director Ricky Ballesteros acknowledged, though, the international exposure the Asean could give to the Sinulog celebration.

Ballesteros said the usual trade fair along Osmeña Blvd. was intentionally delayed to Dec. 15 because of the Asean, which was originally scheduled from Dec. 11 to 14.

The fair usually opens on Dec. 1.

Ballesteros said that since he is also involved in the production of the Laag-Laag sa Sugbo, the Cebu City tour of the Asean leaders' spouses, he will have to explain the trade fair to the visitors.

"They just have to make the product presentation better," he said.

Rama will meet within the week with Sinulog Foundation officials to discuss the effects of the Asean's postponement on the Sinulog, Cebu City's top tourist attraction.

Compared to previous years, this year's Sinulog will have more Cebu landmarks presented in montages along the carousel route, he said.

[cc_3125]

wa madayon kay naa typhoon, pero pwerte mang inita krn.

s der anoder reson?

[slakker]

maayo na lang wala makakita ang mga foreign ministers sa leaking convention center...

[tolstoi]

Metro Cebu hotels offer ‘super discounts’


METRO CEBU hotels are facing a severe shortage of guests as a result of the abrupt postponement of this week’s 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

Tourism Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque said many hotels, including the five-star, would have a mere 20 to 30 percent occupancy rate in the next two weeks because of booking cancellations by summit participants.

“It’s supposed to be peak season in Cebu, but there are some hotels that will be left with so few guests,” Jarque said in a phone interview. The affected hotels include Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu Plantation Bay, Hilton, Marriott, Waterfront, Marco Polo and Maribago.

Even with the travel advisories issued by some governments abroad regarding possible terror attacks in Cebu during the summit, hotels there remained fully booked and no foreign guest cancelled their stay, Jarque said.

But after the government announced it was postponing the summit to next month because of Typhoon “Seniang” (international codename: Utor), the participants packed their bags and left.

Super clean

Jarque said foreign guests taking part in the summit who arrived early were “impressed by what they saw and experienced in Cebu.”

“They said Cebu was ‘super clean,’ and that the people were working together to make their stay hassle-free and become a wonderful experience,” he recounted, quoting members of the 200-strong Chinese advance party.

He said Seniang also disrupted tourism traffic in Cebu and Boracay, the country’s top two destinations.

The typhoon left Boracay’s beaches littered with debris and some resorts made of light materials were damaged. Local residents and even tourists were helping clean up the beach yesterday while the damaged resorts were being reconstructed, Jarque said.

“Seniang caused a skip in our beat but we didn’t lose the rhythm; the combined marketing network of the Department of Tourism and the private sector is in high gear to maximize tourist arrivals in the remaining weeks of the year,” Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said in a statement.

“Though Seniang disrupted tourism traffic in Cebu and Boracay… we will still achieve a 9 to 10 percent increase in foreign tourist arrivals,” he added.

Huge discounts

Jarque, quoting the hotel association in Cebu, said “discounted super rates” would be offered to local and foreign guests who wanted to spend Christmas in Cebu and sample the upgraded facilities and services intended for those coming for the summit.

Cebu City has about 5,900 “top-level” rooms, while Mactan has about 2,600, according to the official.

Jarque said the department had also activated its foreign offices, particularly in its top three nearest markets -- China, South Korea and Japan -- to contact tour operators and organizer to find guests for Cebu.

Initial target of these “tourist hunt” were those who were wait-listed when Cebu’s hotel rooms became fully booked with the approach of the summit.

The contingency plans appear to be gaining some success.

Jarque said Sharon Samarista, Shangri-la communications director, reported that a group of 35 Koreans would be arriving in the hotel next week, with two more groups having their schedules finalized.

Carl Hudson and Efren Belarmino, general managers of Cebu Marriott and Plantation Bay, also reported that reservations for next week were starting to trickle in, he said.

[pacey101]

two reason ra gyud...1 is ang bagyo ang ikaduha kai ang treat sa mga terorista...1 of this things mu abot dli baya basta basta ang catastropic mga mahiagom...dli masukod ang gidak on sa mangaguba...

[SPRINGFIELD_XD_40]

MOSIMOS ...

Of course it DIDNT hit Cebu because it went somewhere else but from the precautions of the weather experts , it is supposed to HIT Cebu . Unya ug wala gi postpone then ni HIT sa Cebu ? Ok lang ni HIT sa CEBU unya signal number 3 unya nangapalid ang mga ka utok nimo na left and right nga ma RALISTA ok ra but not the DELEGATES MOSIMOS ... not the DELEGATES .

[kyla_bacs]

swerte ang commitee sa asean, kay naay perfect excuse naabot sa pinas - si SENIANG!!!

klaro kau dili pa ready sila. pero unsaon taman, naabot man si seniang mao hinoon napasanginlan.

bisan si booby larzaro og mel tiangco murag galibog gud, sige sila pangutana balik balik kung mao ba gyud nay rason nga cancel ang summit. tsk tsk..

[tolstoi]

kataw an lang sila ni LEO LAS ganina sa arangkada =)

[LytSlpr]

it's the typhoon period. let's not make our own conspiracy theories. it was not only PAG-ASA who predicted the weather...

[sumaganday]

And what do you think of Thomas in this government where he belongs? Mao bitaw nga he will not get my vote on election day.

Mabuhay ka Mayor Tomas Osmeña!