by magnolia_eic | Aug 2, 2010 | Local News / Bohol Balita
CASH SALES, including booked and under negotiation purchases surpassed the P31.1M target for this year.
The Sandugo Regional Products Showcase 2010, which started as small provincial products fair in Bohol graduated to one of the region’s most awaited annual fairs. It proved anew the promise available for cottage industries as the materials fusion this year brings a million more in target sales, data from the trade department revealed.
From the department’s unofficial and yet reliable source, cash sales generated from the five-day showcase reached P2.81 million, booked sales racked up P17 million and another under negotiations reached P12.62 million to sum a gross sales of P32, 466, 836.00 a few minutes before the official closing of the fair last Sunday.
Now into its 21st year of showcasing raw materials form Visayas’ diverse environmental resource, the new lines produced our of its research and development initiatives lay out the agency’s efforts to be environmentally conscious about the finite resources, explains DTI information Officer Jojie Villamor during the fair pre-opening press conference last week at the Prawn farm of the Island City Mall.
Working with climate change and its mitigation, the new trend is to fuse recyclables with the indigenous raw materials and showcase the artistic capacity of Visayans to produce stunning designs for the international market, added DTI Provincial Director Ma. Elena Arbon.
We are presented here with a 50% cut in raw materials and another 50% cut in garbage as these [products] end up as hand-woven patterns in bags and fashion accessories, said DTI Regional Director Asteria Caberte at the media forum.
According to Arbon, the showcase marks the culmination of the product development initiatives geared towards providing importers with the raw materials that would make it big in the international markets.
The biggest winners however are the Visayan craftsmen who would ultimately get an increase in income to further boost their economic spending.
Raffia and pandanus, Bohol’s most hopeful raw materials are now slowly engaging rural families who see the promise of providing the designs for the next century’s world fashion. (rac/PIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 2, 2010 | Local News / Bohol Balita
IT could be click alright.
With 55 amateur and professional photographer participants coming out to outdo each other during the PITIK: Tipik sa Sugong Bol-anon 2010 Sandugo Street Dancing Festival Photo Competition, the contest goal was attained and more artistic photographers are now coming out in the main stream, said contest convenor Nilo Sapong.
The shots were spectacular, amazing and it did give top caliber judges a hard time choosing the finalists, said the photojournalist and veteran local lensman.
Cebu Daily News lensman Tonee Despujo and Manila Bulletin’s Visayas-Mindanao photojournalist Cheryl Baldicantos chose ten finalists, but even the non chosen shots are worth a good run for any challenger considering the artistry we never thought was in the Boholano young artists, he added.
55 professional and amateur photographers jostled for positions and crisscrossed the Sandugo Streetdancing Parade route July 25, to be at the exact moment when dancers would show in split-seconds that character that immortalizes a Boholano.
We sought a permit from city deputy mayor Mariano Uy just to be able to allow our participants to go beyond the cordons and get as close to where the action is to get our goal, Sapong added.
Pitik, a photo contest convened by budding photo-enthusiasts in Bohol envisions to capture images immortalizing the Boholano character which has been neatly imbedded in a clash of cultures as a melting pot owing to its becoming a major tourism destination in the Visayas.
The winning entry owning the best in composition award is entry with control number 1016 and entitles the lensman Keith Joseph Sepe an overnight stay for two at the posh Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City. He also gets a specialized trophy from Deputy Mayor Mariano Uy.
On the other hand, entry number 1037 of Benedict Ong earned the nod of veretan judges as first runner up, his winning entry entitling him for an overnight stay for two and breakfast at La Pernela Resort in San Isidro Dauis.
Cebuana artist Cathy Angeles submitting entry number 1049 grabbed second runner up which would allow her a full Cignal Digital Cable TV package with three months free load.
Top three winners also get free rides at Danao Extreme Eco-Adventure at the EcoPark in Magtangtang Danao.
Contest finalists are two entries from Sherwin Sapong 1045, Charlou Cabangal with his entry 1029, Raymund Buslon (1044), Mark Glen Cagampang (1042), Lawrence Uy (1007), Sherwin Sapong (1045) and Rufino Malalis (1011).
Finalists are also entitled to refreshments at Dunkin Donuts, Allison Restaurant and certificates (PIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 30, 2010 | National News
Manila, Philippines — A moderate earthquake has struck the Mindoro Island Friday morning around 150 kilometers south of Metro Manila.
The quake was measured at 4.6 by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). It occurred at 8:22 a.m., with the epicenter estimated at 24 kilometers southeast of Mamburao, Mindoro Occidental.
Click here for full article from Inquirer
by magnolia_eic | Jul 30, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ruled that the sugar mill in the plantation owned by President Aquino’s family had acted in “bad faith” when it’s workers 13th month pay was reduced following the violent strike that resulted to the death of 14 people.
In a July 26 unanimous decision released yesterday, the court’s second division ordered Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) to honor its long-established formula in computing the bonus.
Observing that the benefit enjoyed for over 30 years was only reduced after the violent strike that happened in 2004, the Supreme Court declared that “this act of petitioner in changing the formula at this time cannot be sanctioned as it indicates a badge of bad faith”.
Click here for full article from Inquirer
by magnolia_eic | Jul 30, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III has signed the executive order reorganizing the Office of the Press Secretary into the Communications Group (ComGroup). This is to be headed jointly by two secretaries with Cabinet rank.
The two secretaries will have separate budgets which will be defended during the budget deliberations in Congress this year.
Secretary Herminio Coloma said the EO formally establishing the ComGroup has already been signe by the president but will have to be assigned a number still, adding that the records office still has to complete the process.
Click here for full article from Inquirer
