Cebu local news (daily update)

[brandnewbien]

grabeha sa mga balita ron bro. puro patay ug accidenti

[reypel]

aguy! patay nsad...grabe na ani oi

[cobraKing]

daghan jud ug aksidenti n crimes ron..

[Htennek]

laina anang woman hacks boy oi. waaaaa.. naa jud na deperensya if cya jud. laina oi! bata pa jud. X_x

[keyran]

nahimata nana siya..nakalitan lang..kay iyang tan aw abi niya mao na kataposan sa kalibutan..hehehhee

[cobraKing]

--------------------------------july 31,2010------------------------------

Cebu now holds record for fireworks launch

CEBU, Philippines – A year after establishing the world's biggest dance class, Cebu City's name becomes bolder and brighter with the Guinness World Record for the most fireworks [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]rockets[/COLOR][/COLOR] launched in less than a minute.
The latest feat was through the efforts of Pyroworks International Inc. (Philippines) headed by Brian Lim that successfully launched 125,801 firework rockets last May 8 at the South Road Properties.
The Cebu-based Pyroworks broke the record of 56,405 rockets launched in 30 seconds during the 10th British Firework Championship in Plymouth in August 16, 2006 organized by Dr. Roy Lowry of the United Kingdom.
Bournemouth and Boscombe Piers reportedly launched 110,000 fireworks in only 6.5 seconds on August 20, 2009 but the record was not confirmed by GWR.
"We are pleased to confirm that you have set the new Guinness World Record for "Most firework rocket launched in 30 seconds," said Aleksandr Vypiralenko of the GWR's records management team based in London in its letter dated July 16, 2010 to Lim.
Specific guidelines were outlined for the attempt in lieu of an adjudicator from the GWR with each rocket to be launched separately from its own tube or [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]platform[/COLOR][/COLOR] within a 30-second window from the instant of the first launch and must be designed to reach a minimum altitude of 30 meters as well on how the attempt should be documented.
It would have been very costly for organizers to request for a GWR representative to evaluate the attempt made, though the results will be known right away.
Initially, Lim targeted a total of 100,000 then added 20,000 more rockets until it resulted to launching more firework rockets, a strategy which also worked well for Dancesport-Team Cebu City for its biggest dance class. The bigger the number, better the chance of breaking a record and the longer the time to enjoy such a feat before another city or individual attempts to break a certain GWR.


Over a million pesos was reportedly spent in the attempt since organizers had to use custom-made equipment to launch the rockets plus the materials used for the fireworks itself, documentation and other expenses.
Lim wanted to showcase not only their company's creativity and but also the Cebuanos' ingenuity.
The Cebu City government was then eyeing to have two GWR attempts in one occasion last May 8 during the launching of the South Road Properties -the most fireworks rockets launched in less than a minute and the longest barbecue line. An attempt was first made for the longest barbecue line here in 2004 but it fell short.
However, former mayor and now city south district representative Tomas Osmeña decided to forego the plan for the longest barbecue line so people visiting the SRP will not be inconvenienced by it.
The SRP's grand launching aside from the successful GWR attempt also had the Cebu Fest also led by Lim where different sporting events took place like a run at sunset, boxing, batted sports, motocross, mixed martial arts, flag football, among others plus numerous food stalls, a concerts, bazaar, and a carnival.
The success of the Cebu Fest had pushed Lim who just been appointed one of the newest commissioners of the Cebu City Sports Commission to spearhead the event annually.
Lim, however, had not yet disclosed whether another GWR attempt will be made in the next Cebu Fest at the SRP.

[cobraKing]

Concern raised over high coliform content in wells

CEBU, Philippines – The City Council has requested the city health department to immediately treat and rehabilitate deep wells in different barangays here that reportedly have high coliform content.
There are over 1,000 deep wells in Cebu City and those found with the highest contamination are situated in Barangay Talamban and other upland barangays.
In a resolution, Councilor Nida Cabrera, chairperson of the committee on environment, said she is worried about reports that some deep wells here have coliform content reaching 16 MPN (most probably number) per 100 millimiter.
The acceptable level of bacteria per 100 millimiter of water is reportedly only 1.1 MPN.
Coliforms are bacteria present in the digestive tracts of animals, including humans, and are found in their wastes.
The Council also asked the health department to submit a report of its progress.
Water pollution caused by fecal contamination is a serious problem due to the potential for contracting diseases from pathogens.
Laboratory experts explained that the disease-causing organism cannot be seen, tasted, and smelled that is why they have recommended that well owners should test their water for coliform bacteria at least once a year.


But if a deep well have experienced bacteria problems in the past, it is recommended that it must be tested frequently. If coliform bacteria are present in the drinking water the risk of contracting a water-borne illness is increased.
Cabrera advised the public to always boil their water until disinfection and retesting can confirm that contamination has been eliminated.

[cobraKing]

Council asks RTWPB to raise salaries of workers

CEBU, Philippines – The City Council is asking the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board to grant workers a reasonable increase in their salary to respond to the rise in the prices of basic needs.
The Council made the request through a resolution passed by Councilor Alvin Dizon.
Dizon said if the RTWPB in Central Visayas will not issue a new wage order increasing the salaries of workers, many ordinary employees will experience hardships because of the growing prices of prime commodities.
The Visayan Electric Company, for one, announced that power rates will go up by a little over three percent starting tomorrow after the Energy Regulatory Commission approved the increase.
The last time RTWPB-7 ordered an increase was on June 16, 2008 wherein the daily minimum wage was set at P267 for workers in big companies.
"It cannot be denied that since in 2008 up to the present, the cost of living in the entire country, particularly in Cebu City, has significantly increased without corresponding increase in the minimum wage of the ordinary workers," Dizon said.
The neophyte city councilor, himself an urban poor leader, said it is imperative that RTWPB-7 review the existing minimum wage in the region, particularly in Cebu City, in order to give life to the Constitutional and statutory mandate to afford workers a "just and equitable living wage."
RTWPB-7 Chairperson Elias Cayanong, also the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment, had announced RTWPD had rejected the twin demands to increase daily wages to P100 and P128 because employers insisted they cannot afford to give in to the demand.


Cayanong explained employers are willing to grant an increase, but they cannot afford the amounts requested. The RTWPB members are expected to meet anew next week to finalize the amount they will be requesting.
The RTWPB in Region 11 in Davao City already issued ordered to increase by P21 the daily workers salaries. The Board also granted an increase of P22 in the National Capital Region.

[cobraKing]

BOC commissioner vows zero smuggling in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines – Bureau of Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez yesterday vowed to stop smuggling in the ports here.
In a press conference during the Port of Cebu's 124th Founding Anniversary yesterday, Alvarez said he will fight smuggling with a "clenched fist."
"Smuggling will not be a good venture anymore," Alvarez said.
He said it is about time that smugglers and their cohorts at the BOC, as well as brokers, who connive in the smuggling activities, are punished.
Alvarez said eliminating smuggling in Cebu will help ensure that BOC will meet its P280 billion target for the year. BOC was able to collect P120 billion in the past six months for which Alvarez commended BOC-Port of Cebu district collector Ronnie Silvestre.
"Cebu can do it and Cebu is a barometer for any successful initiatives. I am confident that we can meet the target at the end of the year," Alvarez said.
Meanwhile, Alvarez assured that Silvestre will stay put as the district collector in Cebu amid his good performance in the bureau.
"The collector has a good performance and I see no reason why he should be replaced. But for those who are not performing, they will be guided accordingly," the commissioner said.


Meanwhile, in a report, BOC's X-ray Inspection Project said it has facilitated the release of thousands of containers without human intervention.
Moreover, by paying only $5.00 (roughly P250.00) per twenty equivalent unit (TEU) as x-ray scanning fee, importers or brokers can already save substantially compared to paying the P7, 000 stripping fee.
Lawyer Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, head of the said project, said in her report that it only takes around 15 minutes for the x-ray scanning process to be completed as compared to the physical examination that reaches up to a day to finish.
Mangaoang cited the historical roots of the X-Ray Inspection Project which could be traced to the creation of an elite unit called the Task Force X-ray organized after BOC accepted a donation of a mobile x-ray van for cargo inspection from the Societe Generale de Surveilance, Inc. (SGS) in May 1993.
To effectively use the newly-acquired equipment at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, former Customs Commissioner Guillermo Parayno organized the Task Force X-Ray composed mostly of officers and personnel coming from the Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and the Assessment Division, who were all rendering part-time duties in the Task force, in addition to their respective regular work assignments at the NAIA Collection District.
Mangaoang said the task force made significant accomplishments in apprehending prohibited and regulated cargoes including the discovery of eight kilos of heroin, seizure of highly-dutiable assorted pieces of jewelries and the discovery of five kilos of heroin.
She said that because of these remarkable performances by the task force and the effectiveness and efficiency shown by the equipment in detecting contraband items, Parayno initiated a move to acquire more state-of-the-art equipment in cargo examination with a long term vision to institutionalize the equipment as part of the bureau's organizational and operational set-up.

[cobraKing]

Mother sues teacher for embarrassing her teenage son

CEBU, Philippines – A mother of a high school student filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against a [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]public [COLOR=blue ! important]school[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] teacher in Naga City, Cebu for embarrassing her son twice.
According to the complaint, the teacher, Mrs. Joselyn Diaz, told her third year high school student, Qynn V. Manulat, "Ngano misulod pa ka diri? Nagdala kag samok sa klase." The incident allegedly happened during their Math subject last July 2008.
Rytt Gabriel S. Valencia, in a letter to the anti-graft office, said that her son was "so ashamed" that he did not stopped going to all of his [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]classes[/COLOR][/COLOR] at the Tuyan National High [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]School[/COLOR][/COLOR].
Qynn was a transferee from the San Roque Child Development School. He submitted his card from San Roque to Diaz. But Diaz, according to the complaint, lost the card because she placed it in her bag, which was snatched.
If the claim of the mother is true, Diaz admitted this during a confrontation at the office of the principal, Mrs. Phoebe Alvaran, and with the presence of the school's guidance counselor, Mrs. Colina. Diaz even manifested her willingness to sign an affidavit of loss.
"However, without my consent and contrary to our agreement at the principal's office, my son who is a minor, was made to sign an affidavit of loss at the insistence of Mrs. Diaz," read Valencia's letter.
The loss of the report card was discovered when another teacher required Qynn to submit it.
Valencia further narrated that a Mrs. Villordon, the fourth year adviser, arranged for her son's Math subject, handled by Diaz, to be transferred to mornings because it was his only subject in the afternoon. Diaz reportedly agreed with Villordon's request but when Qynn showed up during her morning Math class, Diaz told him for every student to hear that he did not belong in that class.


"(It caused) too much embarrassment to my son. My son felt so humiliated. She did the same act as what she had done in the 3rd year Math class of my son. Because of the incident, my son never went back to his Math subject until he was dropped from the class," read the letter.
She said she complained to the principal, but nothing happened. She is asking the anti-graft office to conduct an investigation on whether Diaz is not administratively and criminally liable for child abuse.