CEBU and DAVAO, hand in hand for a stronger Philippines!

[Khabz02]

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A BIG NO TO SUGBUAK... CEBU MUST BE UNITED FOREVER!!!!!

[diehardbisdak]

Cebu’s furniture makers to display works in CICC
Sun-Star
Tuesday, October 03, 2006

SOME 25 furniture companies have committed to voluntarily furnish the rooms of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) and Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit this December.

“It will highlight the best of Cebu’s furniture industry,” said Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) member unit head Marlene Bedia.

In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, Bedia said the layout of the rooms will be left to the discretion of the companies.

The companies will be pulling out the furniture from their respective showrooms, while others will be manufacturing some of its designs.

Bedia said the designs will be more “generic, simple, yet professional.”

The furniture will include some three-sitter chairs, two big chairs, tables and a coffee stand, among others.

Contribution

“This is the industry’s private contribution for the Asean summit,” Bedia said.

However, Bedia did not disclose the names of the companies for security measures, and because “this is not intended for commercial purposes.”

“Most of these Asean members are among our competitors, so even the lay-out of each room is considered confidential,” she said.

However, Bedia is optimistic the companies are “all-set” to design the rooms assigned to them and hopefully “boost” the industry.

In an earlier interview, CFIF president Michael Basubas said the Asean summit will be a “contributory factor” to the growth of the local furniture industry.

“It’s our chance to put our best foot forward,” he said

Bedia said CFIF, together with the National Organizing Committee, are discussing plans to ensure that the CICC’s “look” is ready for the summit, while providing extra precautions for local players in the industry. (MMM)

[diehardbisdak]

UPDATE on SM City Cebu Expansion named as the NORTHWING

[img width=500 height=375]http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7288/dsc00121copyym0.jpg[/img]


update from @markiiboi

[diehardbisdak]

new project proposal - 30 storey Ramos Tower (update by @markiiboi)

[img width=340 height=500]http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/2400/image470yd8.jpg[/img]

[diehardbisdak]

pics by @sugbuanon

[img width=500 height=328]http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8138/6183226921060bgqo1.jpg[/img]

[img width=500 height=332]http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/633/6136000812060bgkz9.jpg[/img]

[diehardbisdak]

Costume jewelry exports grow 46% in 2005
By Malou M. Mozo
Sun.Star Staff Reporter

DESPITE the low prices of fashion accessories from China, the local costume jewelry sector has spurred “tremendous” growth last year, an official from the Cebu-Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters (Fame) said.

Cebu-Fame president Marose Sobreno said Cebu’s total exports last year increased to 46.76 percent, or reached $63.4 million compared to the $43.2 million the previous year.

Data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-7 information center also revealed the fashion accessories sector contributed 1.36 percent of total exports in Central Visayas during the first six months of the year.

“I am optimistic that the industry will continue to grow this year especially since new players come in every year,” Sobreno told Sun.Star Cebu.

The province accounts for 85 percent of the costume jewelry exports in the country.

Sobreno said the market for local spring-summer line of costume jewelry continues to generate interest, especially in the US market, during the first quarter of each year.

The US remains to be the country’s top market for costume jewelry, with total exports of $6.97 million in the first four months of the year, a 9.44 percent growth from the $6.37 million earned in the same period last year.

Global markets

The other top export markets include the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, Australia and Netherlands.

However, Sobreno said despite the growth, the industry is still faced with several issues that the government needs to address.

“Although the government is helping us in trade promotions, they should also look into exerting more effort to bring in foreign buyers in local shows and exhibits because the attendance of these buyers are dwindling,” she said.

She added that most exporters have risked their finances to put up an exhibit abroad just to generate income.

“Whereas, if foreign buyers come here, we could have saved a lot,” she added.

In terms of mass production and labor costs, the industry is competing with other players in the field including China, Vietnam, India and Thailand since they “produce more at a cheaper rate,” Sobreno said.

She is, however, banking on the Cebuano’s creativity, ingenuity and craftsmanship as the country’s “competitive advantages”.

Trend forecast

“The organization has had a surge of renewed participation,” said Cebu-Fame internal vice-president Jefferson Tio.

Tio said the organization received firm support from the Private Enterprise Accelerated Resource Linkages 2 project of the Canadian International Development in improving market intelligence capability.

He added that through the www.wgsn.com website, designers and exporters are able to forecast trends in the fashion industry for the next 18 months.

He added that the website even caters to the market for men’s fashion accessories since “they have become more concerned with their looks and style.”

Tio said the support from foreign funding institutions and other local stakeholders have improved the organization’s market intelligence, productivity and efficiency as well as materials development and sourcing.

Cebu-Fame has 85 members in the province.

[diehardbisdak]

pics by @rage_cebu

[img width=500 height=375]http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/P1000296.jpg[/img]

[img width=500 height=375]http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/P1000321-1.jpg[/img]

[img width=500 height=375]http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/P1000301.jpg[/img]

[img width=500 height=375]http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/P1000455.jpg[/img]

[diehardbisdak]

Advanced Distribution Process Enables Timex to Ship On Demand Directly to Stores, Saving on Time and Redistribution Costs

(PRWEB) October 3, 2006 -- The ability to provide on-demand fulfillment of merchandise tailored to meet orders by each store and SKU looms as a critical requirement for many manufacturers. This ability to direct ship from centralized manufacturing and packaging facilities can eliminate the need for retailers to inventory and re-handle merchandise at regional distribution centers. The savings and efficiencies of this type of material handling could make the difference in profitability, competitive advantages and customer satisfaction.

You wouldn’t direct ship bicycles from the factory to stores by air, but there are probably logistic operations that could nevertheless significantly improve shipping programs and lower costs.
Timex Corp. (Middlebury, CT), the powerhouse brand in wristwatches, is taking the lead among global marketers of consumer products, in the direct distribution of Timex products to its clients worldwide, especially to its vast US and European markets. Timex will now have the ability to directly ship product from the new Global Distribution Center located in Cebu, Philippines.

The key to the new Direct Ship program is a sophisticated material handling system. Components include an advanced pick-to-light system, automated price and compliance labeling, package sorting and verification plus other powerful tools to expedite air shipment.

"The center is equipped with technology and has a system designed to produce 170,000 watches a day, packed and shipped in 16 jumbo airline containers per day to stores worldwide," explains Andrew Ledesma, manager of the distribution engineering and worldwide transportation of Timex. He adds that, thanks to the highly automated material handling processes designed and installed by Numina Group (Burr Ridge, IL), the process of releasing the order from retailer customers to the loading of their products in airline containers takes less than 60 minutes.

Ledesma says that there are a lot of ramifications to the new Times Direct Ship program. "If you can build on demand with the great number of SKUs Timex has, there are substantial improvements in efficiencies among the material handling and warehouse management systems involved. In the end, these improved efficiencies and accurate through means successful order filling with significantly lower costs."

"The Direct Ship program is no doubt viewed as highly beneficial by the many major chains who carry the broad line of Timex watches," says Dan Hanrahan, Numina Group president. Now the stock of each individual stores is replenished on demand within 48 hours, instead of bulk shipments going to a chain’s regional material handling center where the products have to be inventoried and then re-handled whenever orders have to be shipped to individual stores. The savings in warehousing, handling and re-shipping could be stunning."

Hanrahan adds that the small size and light weight of Timex products allow them to be air shipped to cities around the world. "You wouldn’t direct ship bicycles from the factory to stores by air, but there are probably logistic operations that could nevertheless significantly improve shipping programs and lower costs."

As a system integrator and material handling automation provider, Numina Group has worked with Timex Corp in the past on advanced [distribution processes. "We got involved with Numina on earlier projects when they installed a customized label print and apply system," says Ledesma. "They showed us a great deal of flexibility and innovation. There is no doubt about it that they have tremendous capabilities in these technologies."

[diehardbisdak]

MCIAA receives P100-M for infra and airport improvement

Cebu City (3 October) -- A budget allocation of P100M was given to the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) by the National Government for infrastructure and improvement of the airport in time for the Asean Summit.

MCIAA general manager Danilo Augusto Franzia bared in the 888 News Forum this morning at the Parklane Hotel on the airport's preparations for the upcoming Asean event that the construction of the VIP Lounge costs P50M. The summit delegation from 18 countries will pass through the VIP lounge upon arrival that also houses a media working and press conference areas.

The lounge is 30 percent finished while the target deadline for completion is on November 30, Franzia said.

Another P30M is allocated for the overlaying of the aircraft parking aprons and the remaining P20M for the lighting, this was disclosed in the same forum.

MCIAA's operations chief Captain Romeo Bersonda said the aircraft parking space are categorized into three aprons namely the aircraft parking apron, the military bitominous apron and the commercial apron. The total aircraft space can accommodate a total of eight wide-bodied aircraft and 14 medium-sized aircraft with one aircraft as reserve, this was learned.

Bersonda said the aircraft parking apron fronting the Philippine Air Force is about 13 has. while the bitominous parking area has a total of five hectares. About 21 to 23 aircraft can be accommodated depending on the size but under scheme B where 23 aircraft will use the parking space, the breakdown would be 8 wide-bodied aircraft and 15 medium-sized jets, according to Bersonda.

Bersonda however said, that beyond the infrastructure, they want to focus on the basics which are on security and the cleanliness of the international airport while at the same time doing improvements on major things.

The National Organizing Committee for the 12th Asean Summit is not considering cancellation of flights during the summit but in case of emergencies, there might be a brief disruption due to the arrival of state leaders that will cause a 20-minute delay of commercial flights, Bersonda further said.

Bersonda advised those who want to take a holiday during the summit to leave before December 10, the date of the arrival of the Heads of States and come back by December 16 or 17 as all the foreign delegation has left by then.

Franzia on the other hand, asked for the public's understanding as passengers might be faced with inconveniences such as taking off their shoes as part of the security measures as the summit draws nearer.

In the capital, there are already a lot of streamers advertising about the Asean event happening in Cebu and as such, we have to unite and work together in maximizing and optimizing what we have to make this biggest international event a huge success, Franzia ended.

[diehardbisdak]

Cebu to bid for world gathering of tourism leaders in 2010

Cebu City (3 October) -- A tourism executive plans to bid Cebu province for the hosting of an annual international gathering of tourism leaders in 2010.

According to SKAL International-Philippines president Charles Lim, the World Congress of the tourism-oriented organization gathering around 1,500 delegates worldwide, would open wide opportunities in the country should Cebu get to host the global event.

Cebu's hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in December is an added advantage to this bid, he said.

"If Cebu gets to host the event, it would surely boost the tourism and travel industry of the province and the whole country," Lim said.

Pattaya, Thailand will hold this year's World Congress followed by Antalya, Turkey in 2007 and Taipei, Taiwan in 2008.

Lim said he plans to bid specially for the 2010 World Congress and is banking on the growing SKAL membership in the country to support him in his bid to host the international event.

In the Philippines, there are about 450 individual members in SKAL's four active chapters in Manila, Makati, Cebu and Davao.

SKAL International Makati chapter president Robert Lim Joseph has earlier noted the benefits of hosting international events in the local economy.

"With each foreign tourist spending between $750 and $1,000 for a three-night-four-day stay in Cebu, a minimum of P50 million will go to the local economy once Cebu gets to host the 1,500-delegate SKAL World Congress," Joseph said.

Joseph, however, said a greater challenge awaits Cebu in providing a good impression to the SKAL delegates, who are front liners in the tourism industry.

"Cebu, if it wins the bid, will have the opportunity to promote Cebu directly to the industry representatives," said Joseph.

SKAL, a professional organization of tourism leaders around the world, is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry, he said.

The organization, founded in 1932, promotes global tourism and friendship among its 22,000 members in 500 clubs throughout 90 nations.

SKAL's World Congress gathers delegates to elect a seven-member executive committee that governs the organization. The gathering also allows members first-hand observation of the travel and tourism potential around the world.

Lim said SKAL is going to expand its membership in the Philippines and prioritize in developing several chapters in other cities like Bacolod and Subic.

The organization, he added, is also moving towards forming a "young" SKAL circle, targeting the young professionals aged below 29 years old.

Membership of SKAL is open to managers or executives directly involved in tourism management, sales and promotions, in specified travel and tourism businesses, including: transportation (airlines, cruise lines, railways, ferries), travel and tour operators and agencies, tourism organizations, and travel media, among others.