CEBU's Modern Skyscrapers, new constructions, IT Parks, and UPDATES about CEBU

[SamuraiArcher]

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i hope na-a na mga comdominiums nga afordable for the average income cebuanos...okay na kaayo ngapareha ug floor areas anang mga low cost housing but condominium lang.....

[arnoldsa]

^^

Kanang WINDLAND Towers sa Capitol bai ay pero mass housing hinuon na siya..

[diehardbisdak]

Furniture maker bares Cebu expansion plans

A German-owned furniture manufacturing company based in Cebu will put in additional investments in the province that would generate about 300 jobs within the year.

Furniture export firm Dedon Manufacturing Inc. has informed the Philippine Trade and Investment Center office in Berlin, Germany that the firm plans to expand its production facilities in the Philippines with an additional investment of $5 million within three years.

According to an article on the Department of Trade and Industry’s Tradeline News and Market Development website, Dedon plans to increase its workforce in Cebu to 3,000 within this year.

Dedon has a workforce of 2,730 in its plants in Mandaue City at present.

Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) president Michael Basubas told Sun.Star Cebu that Dedon will be putting up a third plant in Mandaue City this year.

Basubas said he welcomes the expansion as an indicator that the local furniture exporting industry is growing.

“This is a very good development and an opportunity for employment in Cebu,” he added.

He said Dedon’s expansion plans show it has confidence in local craftsmanship, which he considers as the country’s edge over other furniture exporting countries.

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Dedon contributed $23 million in export revenues to the Philippines’ total furniture exports of $303.86 million in 2005.

Dedon recently introduced to the international market its new signature collection dubbed, Yin Yang.

The company’s website stated that the idea for the collection “came to designer Nicolas Thomkins” on a beach in Olango Island.

The article on Trade-line’s website read that Dedon prides itself for products that show the fusion of Philippine ethnic designs and German technology, a combination that appeals to the international market.

Basubas, in a talk last Monday, said the local furniture industry will employ new strategies that will encourage manufacturers to produce globally competitive products.

He said because of the growing trend for designer-type furniture, CFIF will be tapping expert furniture designers in Europe to train local manufacturers.

He said the move aims to bring more quality export produce, not just to Europe, but to the US and Middle East as well, which are the industry’s top markets.

Dedon, which is known for all-weather furniture pieces, is one of the country’s leading furniture makers.

The company maintains showrooms in Austria, Spain and Germany. (MMM)

[diehardbisdak]

German gov't funds study of Cebu ecozone proposal
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman 09/28/2006

The German government through the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) is allocating 10,000 to 20,000 Euro or roughly P600,000 to P1.2 million to fund the study on the Cebu Ecozone Proposal, initiated by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).

The CCCI led by its president Francis O. Monera, and the Cebu Ecozone Study chairman Gerry Sta. Ana, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) yesterday with GTZ, for the latter to provide technical assistance and financial assistance for the extensive and comprehensive study in making the entire Cebu province into an economic zone.

"GTZ has come to our rescue. We had two main problems in pursuing this project-we needed some technical assistance, and funding," Sta. Ana said.

Sta. Ana said that the study is expected to be completed by the end of November, and that a series of roadshows will be done by the group to introduce the concept to the different local government units (LGUs) within the province.

The CCCI Board of Trustees passed a Resolution No. 031-2006 on April this year Creating a Study Group to evaluate the viability of proclaiming the entire Mega Cebu Province as an EcoZone. The proclamation of Cebu as an EcoZone is envisioned to encourage the influx of more investments into the province by building up necessary capabilities, creating an enabling environment and reducing the cost of doing business in the area.

Although, this has not been done anywhere else in the Philippines, the Cebu private sector, through CCCI believes that this concept can be started in the Philippines, but a comprehensive and extensive study must be done first in order to back up this ambitious plan.

GTZ, through its Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (Smedsep) is going to provide foreign technical experts to focus on the study, together with local experts on economic zones setting in the Philippines.

The study shall provide the decision makers in the Government and stakeholders with sufficient information to justify acceptance of the proposed proclamation of the entire Province of Cebu into a Special Economic Zone.

Smedsep program director Martina Vahlhaus said GTZ, which is a result-oriented agency, will see to it that the study could strongly back-up further works to pursue the plan.

Discussions will be explored on the advantages and disadvantages of the concept, implications of this move with other provinces, how to justify Cebu as a test or trial area, implication of this move to the proposed mega regions, among others.

The study would also look into an appropriate model to follow for the Cebu Special Ecozone proposal, either Penang model, Hong Kong, or Singapore.

Although, this move is expected to go through several scrutiny, both from LGUs and national government, as it still has to pass through the Congress' , and other bureaucratic red tapes, Cebu private sector prime movers are confident that it can be done.

"We are optimistic that we could come up with very good study [for the sake] of the Mega Cebu Province," Sta. Ana said.

[diehardbisdak]

What's new in Cebu?
The Freeman 09/28/2006

Philippine Airlines once again re-opens another oasis for their passengers. The newly renovated Domestic and International Mabuhay Lounge at the Mactan Cebu International Airport will now cater to its business and leisure travelers in utmost style and comfort.

Top interior designers, Ivy and Cynthia Almario of Atelier Almario were once again tasked to refurbish PAL's Mabuhay Lounge in Cebu this time, as part of PAL's campaign on standardizing its corporate look and image, and most importantly giving its passengers the best PAL has to offer.

The new lounge boasts of a "modern-minded classic interior", made famous by the Almario sisters. It adapts a cleaner, simple and functional design. They have given the lounge a touch of warmth and character with the subdued color scheme chosen to uplift the lounge's sense of space, comfort and luxury. With their expertise and attention to detail, they have even captured Cebu's local charm and flavor with the use of furniture from Axentwood, a Cebu-based furniture manufacturer well known for their craftsmanship in their veener-type and woven designs.

The lounge is divided into sections that each showcase specific functions. There is the central lounge area, refreshment bar, video corner, massage room and business center. The buffet table "floats" in the middle of the room so people can easily move around it and partake of the delicious selection of hot and cold dishes, not to mention, it's famous Chicken Arroz Caldo.

Beyond the aesthetics , the Mabuhay lounge comes equipped with the basic and useful necessities for business travelers. Wi-Fi or wireless broadband connectivity is available from Airborne Access, so travelers who need to catch up with their business tasks can access the internet from anywhere in the lounge using their own laptops. Other amenities like telephones, fax machines, and PCs are provided in the business center. For those who want to while away their time with some visual entertainment, plasma flat screen televisions that are capable equipped are also made available by LG Collins.

Indeed, Philippine Airlines has raised the score once more for quality in its service. The total care PAL gives to its valued passengers is present on all stages of their travel, evidently seen even during the start of their journey, here at the new and improved Mabuhay Lounge.

[diehardbisdak]

...proposal for another residential condominium in Cebu

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[img width=500 height=375]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2067/8996781991060bgjw8.jpg[/img]

....though only 27 levels, this is going to be as tall as a 36-storey building. as explained few months back, this will have higher floor to ceiling height as it is designed for loft-type condo units (or bi-level). this is exciting, but i'm so anxious to know how the nearby 30-storey F. Ramos Condo Tower will look like.

[diehardbisdak]

.... pics taken from Google Eearth

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the future site of RAMOS RESIDENCES - a 20-plus storey residential condo ...i don't know where exactly but it should be somewhere in this area...
[img width=500 height=400]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/diehardbisdako/ramos-residences.jpg[/img]


also, this is the future site of another high rise hotel and shopping center of Philippine-Beijing Corporation ...i hope someone will take photo of the rendering in Banilad
[img width=500 height=400]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/diehardbisdako/beijingmotors.jpg[/img]

[nItO/pIrEnA]

speaking of high-rise residential buildings, hugaw lagi tan-awon ang windland tower ug ang berjaya suites...

[arnoldsa]

^^

Of course, Winland Towers is a highrise mass housing just like the ones that you can find in others countries especially Hongkong.. It's actually the first highrise mass housing in Cebu according to a billboard at its entrance.

[diehardbisdak]

... i think this is the start of making the port area alive again for tourist and shoppers alike and I can see in the making of Cebu's counterpart of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf

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Prince Warehouse opens new venture
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman 09/29/2006

Noting the economic upswing of Cebu, the Prince Warehouse Club Group spent about P35 million for a retail expansion facility near the port area, the first major investment made by the company in the last five years.

The Prince Warehouse Club Inc. is set to open a two-story MC City Square, transforming the old MCWD (Metro Cebu Water District) building to an entertainment, shopping and leisure destination in the downtown area.

"We see that in the next few years, business in Cebu, especially in retail and entertainment will be much more in good shape," said Prince Warehouse Club president Robert Go in an interview.

Go said aside from opening a department store type in the second floor of the building, the ground floor which measures 1,300 square meters will be turned into a Tiange-Tiange, wherein tenants will offer RTW, accessories, handicrafts, shoes, bags, products, of a mini "Greenhills" in Cebu.

For the renovation of the century-old building, Go said the company has spent P10 million, another P25 million is spent for the inventories of the new retail and lifestyle facility that is set to open this coming October 6, 2006.

The Prince Warehouse Club chain of "bodega" type department store and grocery has six outlets in Metro Cebu, the MC City Square, will be the 7th store opened by the company since 1991.

Aside from the department store and the Tiange-Tiange, MC City Square will also open a "decent" food strip, and coffee shop, that will primary serve tourists, and passengers waiting for their boats in the pier.

The MC City Square is located near City Hall, and the port area. According to Go, the company has already planned to strengthen the security in the upcoming commercial and lifestyle complex.

Go's eldest daughter, Rhea Go will manage the Tiange-Tiange operation via Prince Warehouse' sister company VisCebu Development Corporation.

The Tiange-Tiange, at the ground floor of the complex will be positioned as a major shopping center for visiting tourists, especially those who are going to Sto. Niño Church, Fort San Pedro, Plaza Independencia, Magellan's Cross, and other tourist spots located in the down town area.

The Tiange-Tiange component will have 50 tenants.

"We will be housing souvenir shops, delicatessen, export goods, and other products that are primarily marketed to tourists," Rhea Go said.

About 160 square meters to 170 square meters are commercial spaces available for service-oriented businesses, like cellphone shops, Internet café, Spa, among others.

Moreover, Go emphasized that the opening of MC City Square, will have the biggest parking area among establishments located in the down town area, which can accommodate up to maximum of 46 cars at one time.

source: http://www.philstar.com/philstar/fre...0609292001.htm