CeBu CeBoom CeBlog

We are participating in some of hte events, and have posted more pictures in our own gallery to commemorate Cebu’s hosting of this historic ASEAN summit.

One of the resolutions that was announced bythe Cebu ASEAN Summit is the Open Skies with regards to the regions of the BIMP-EAGA. This is a growth triangle consisting of some of the eastern provinces of Indonesia, Brunei, East Malaysia as well as the Southern Part of the Philippines ( specifically Mindanao anad Palawan).

that means in principle, any carrier may open up air landing rights for routes within this region.

One of the outputs of Cebu, which may well impact more on the PHilippines more than most, is the agreement on the declaration of rights on Migrant Workers. The PHilippines has almost 10 million people working abroad, and is one of the leading suppliers of migrant labor. This declaration effectively recognizes the rights of people to a better life, as well as recognition of nations in ASEAN that migrant workers not only benefits the individual, the sending state but also the receiving state as well, and it is important recognition that ALL should work together to protect and control this.

It effectively puts obligations also on the receiving state on various issues other than persecution, and hopefully will go a long way to regulate as well as promote the rights of these workers, which PHilippines has rightfully claimed as the modern day heroes.

Sun.Star Cebu - Soon-Ruiz opens salon in Mactan

SEEING hair salons to be a growing business in Mactan Island, a local politician has decided to open one.

Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu, sixth district) led last Monday the formal launching of Kumadre, a salon and souvenir shop located across the entrance of the Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

“It started more as a hobby. The name was consigned by my kumadres,” Ruiz told reporters during the launching.

Philippine News — Manila Standard Today — Aboitiz Power readies public offering — jan12_2007

The board of Cebu-based conglomerate Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. yesterday approved the planned initial public offering of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aboitiz Power Corp.

The board in a special meeting also cleared the consolidation of all of Aboitiz Equity’s power assets and their transfer to Aboitiz Power in exchange for shares. The transfer will be subject to a fairness valuation by an independent party prior to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SE Asia vows to help break trade talks impasse | Reuters.com

Southeast Asian countries vowed to play their part in helping to revive global trade talks and urged major players to make concessions, according to a statement obtained by Reuters on Thursday.

The 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will make its declaration on the stalled five-year old trade talks at its annual summit in the central Philippine island of Cebu on Jan. 13.

“The impasse in the negotiations must be broken and to this end, WTO members, particularly the major players, must demonstrate flexibility by moving beyond their current positions in key areas,” the statement read.

Sun.Star Cebu - Lead bares plan to establish call center for local firms

A TRAINING center for those who want to find jobs in the business process outsourcing industry plans to establish its own call center this year.

Learning Elements for Advanced Development (Lead) Career Mover general manager Jerry de Leon said Lead plans to open its own call center in August to help facilitate employment of its trainees.

12th ASEAN Summit: delegates start arriving in Cebu

Informed summit sources said that ministers of ASEAN countries and its partners would be the first to arrive. They said there would be nine foreign ministers - Win Nyan of Myanmar, George Yeo of Singapore, Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar of Malaysia, Dr. Nur Hassan Wirajuda of Indonesia, Namhong Hor of Cambodia, Thonglun Sisoulith of Laos, Nitya Pibulsonggram of Thailand, Katsuhito Asano of Japan, and Song Min-soom of South Korea.

Trade Ministers Tha Soe of Myanmar, Lim Hng Kiang of Singapore, Dato Seri Rafidah Aziz of Malaysia, Nam Viyaketh of Laos, Kim Hyun-chong of South Korea, Singapore senior official Peter Ho and Thai senior economic official Krirk-Krai Jirapa-et are also expected to arrive here today.

Philstar.com - The Filipino Global Community

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit security task force has prepared more than 2,000 anti-riot policemen to maintain order during protest actions to be staged by militant groups during the duration of the summit, which will officially kick off tomorrow.

The Crowd Dispersal Management troops, who come from Regions 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and the National Capital Region to augment the Central Visayas’ troops, will also include female policemen from different regions. The Region 6 police had sent 14 policewomen out of their 80-man CDM.

Supt. Mariano Natuel, the CDM task group commander, told The Freeman that he has 1,700 CDMs at his disposal to disperse possible violent protest rallies in any part of Metro Cebu, especially near the summit venues.

A few days ago, Police Regional Office director Chief Supt. Silverio Alarcio Jr. said additional policemen will beef up the security for the summit in spite of the estimated 10,000 policemen who are already deployed.

Asean in spotlight before UN, world stage

Apart from the fact that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself will bring the political and economic momentum garnered by the 12th Asean Summit in the World Economic Forum (WEF) slated late this month in Switzerland, there is also a strong possibility that the regional grouping’s engagement will be elevated to the United Nations itself.

In a recent press conference, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary and Director General for Asean Affairs Luis T. Cruz said Asean foreign ministers are now studying the possibility of holding an Asean-UN meeting sometime in July together with newly-installed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

‘The show will go on’: Asean leaders start arriving - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Southeast Asian leaders began arriving here yesterday for a summit to forge a common front against terrorism and poverty, a day after deadly bomb attacks hit three cities in Mindanao.

“The show will go on,” Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said hours after blasts hit the Central Mindanao cities of General Santos, South Cotabato and Kidapawan, North Cotabato on Wednesday night.