Proudly Cebuana Raki Vega sings duet with Martin Nievera on “Ikaw ang Pangarap”, the official soundtrack of ABS-CBN Primetime teleserye, Lobo. Raki is the 2005 Born DIVA Champion, won several awards from Broadway last year and an NGenius IT Hub product endorser in Cebu. The MTV is directed by Mark Ocampo and edited by Ramil Aznar.

The Cebu provincial government has planned to install solar-power system in Malapascua Island, after the island fell into a blackout, from April 28 to last week, when its only generator conked out.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia had raised this idea earlier when she saw the solar and windmill power system installed at the 4-hectare property of environmentalist lawyer Antonio Oposa in Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island.

Oposa named his property the “School of the Seas” and he told the governor then that his sources of energy could generate a total of 1,000 watts. More…

THE future of the tourism industry in Cebu is made more promising as projects prompt academe to forge partnerships with the private sector.

For one, the University of San Carlos (USC) is contemplating of opening a hotel-school for its courses that will be producing graduates for the tourism industry.

The Network of Independent Travel Agencies (Nitas) president Robert Lim Joseph announced this during the 888 News Forum yesterday at Waterfront Hotel Lahug. More…

It is Praise and Worship Night with the Grammy-nominated worship band SonicFlood at the Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel on June 14, a Saturday.

SonicFlood’s brand of modern worship - including the hits “Here I am to Worship,” “I Could Sing of your Love Forever” and “Cry Holy” - has made a major impact on worshippers all over the world having released eight albums since their debut in 1999, sold over two mllion records, and received numerous Dove awards and a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Rock Album in 2001.

For sales and reservations, call 4124512, 2326888 and 5169387 or visit the official SonicFlood ticket outlets at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, Ayala Center Cebu Customer Care Counter, SM City Customer Service Counter and Wings Travel and Tours Ayala (2317391). Cebu Daily News

REPRESENTATIVES from the business sector in South Korea are interested in putting up real estate projects in Cebu.

Chito M. Recamadas, head of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) delegation who went to Korea for a trade mission last month, said Koreans are already confident in putting up investments in Cebu noting its reputation as a premier tourist destination.

“We just promote Cebu companies and products to them. Cebu is already known to Koreans as honeymoon city,” he told reporters in a press conference. Cebu Daily News

Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, Philippines - Marine sanctuaries should be considered part of the income-generating systems of coastal communities as these are also considered as tourism hotspots by the Tourism department.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said creating marine sanctuaries would eventually result to an improved fish catch for fisherfolks, but these can also be seen as “eco-museums” that would educate locals and tourists alike on the importance of the marine ecosystem.

Durano, together with Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn and Law of Nature Foundation president Tony Oposa, attended the launching of the Filipino-made glass bottom boat at the School of the SEAs (Sea and Earth Advocates) in Barangay (village) Okoy, Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island on Friday. More…

DESPITE rising fuel and food prices, a global savings bank remains confident in the Philippine economy, particularly Cebu’s growth.

John Hickey, GE Money Philippines chief operating officer, said the bank intends to focus more on global growth through emerging markets like the Philippines.

“The Philippines had the strongest growth in 31 years (last year). And in the Philippines, Cebu has the fastest growing (provincial) economy,” he said, citing the province’s tourism and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries. More…

Ayala Land-affiliate Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI) will transform a portion of its 200-hectare property in the uplands of Cebu City into a nature park.

CHI assistant vice president Ver dela Cerna said they will set aside 71 hectares of the property located in Cebu City’s mountain barangays.

“This facility will be open to students and the public who wanted to enjoy nature,” dela Cerna told BusinessMirror.

The Ayala Heights Nature’s Park is geared to become an ecotourism destination and is expected to be completed within a year. Yehey.com

Festival dancers from Cebu City continued to dominate their counterparts from all over the country when the Lumad Basakanon on Cebu City won the grand prize yesterday in the Aliwan Festival 2008 held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

This is the third straight year that the multi-awarded Lumad Basakanon troupe from barangay Basak San Nicolos won the Aliwan grand prize, having also emerged champion in 2006 and 2007.

Adding glory to Cebu was the third place finish of the Sinulog contingent from Carmen town. The Freeman

A total of P323,824,635.97 has been earmarked by the Cebu provincial government for the construction of its various road asphalting projects involving 26 road spans in the province.

The Capitol Bids and Awards Committee-Infrastructure has already invited contractors, registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, to apply for eligibility and bid for the projects.

The biggest part, worth a total of over P84.55 million, is for the circumferential road in Pilar and the Lanao-Biasong road in the same town in Camotes island. More…

CEBU has become the country’s fastest-growing metropolis, being the top choice of business process outsourcing (BPO) companies as an expansion area outside Metro Manila.

While bullish on the Metro Cebu property market, real estate services firm CB Richard Ellis Philippines said economic growth and the environment must be sustained, such as by addressing power supply.

“This growth in Metro Cebu comes with a price. The rapid expansion has led to a strain in the supply of power and potable water in the area,” CB Richard Ellis said in its property market overview. GMANews.TV

Getting her first piano tutorials from her pianist-mother at age three, Cebuana Aima
Maria Labra-Makk is now a solo concert pianist who is leaving a mark in
the Vienna music scene with her expressive piano playing.

Labra-Makk’s first studied piano at the
age of three under her mother’s tutelage. In her teen-years, she
further received rigorous and intensive piano lessons.ABS-CBN.