The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) launched last July 19, 2022 the annual Mandaue Business Month (MBM), happening this August, with the theme “Ushering the Great Reset: Riding the Tailwinds of Change”.

MCCI aims to encourage Mandaue businesses to look forward and find ways to jumpstart economic recovery.

“Someone said, we find ourselves at a historic crossroads managing short term pressures against medium and long term uncertainties,” MCCI President Kelie Ko said during the media briefing on the upcoming Mandaue Business Month 2022.

“Today we are given a window of opportunity to shape the recovery of our society making it better, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. It is time to usher the great reset,” Ko added.

The chamber, he said, hopes that their small efforts and advocacies, the planned activities will create awareness on how to make things better. “These efforts may just be a drop in the bucket but we need to start somewhere,” Ko said.

MBM 2022 chair Mark Ynoc called on the business sector to join the MBM 2022 activities and become part of the MBM 2022. The series of events will showcase Mandaue’s business potential, world-class businesses and industries that continues to contribute to the city’s economic development.

“We invite you to join our various events and let’s all together push that reset button in here Mandaue and ride the tailwinds of change and opportunities,” Ynoc said.

The various activities included the Mandaue Expo 2022, which will be held on August 5, 6 and 7 at the Mandaue Sports Complex; Trees Brew for Life on August 6 at the Umapad Green Park; Executive Forum – Situational Approach to Leadership Makes the Difference on August 12 at the City Sports Club; Duwa: Cebu Children’s Festival on August 13 and 14, and August 20 and 21 at the Oakridge Business Park; MCCI Business Summit on August 18 at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel; Mandani Bay Dragon Boat Regatta 2022 on August 20 at the Mandani Bay; and Mandaue Investment Forum at Mahogany, Executive Lounge, Oakridge.

The Mandaue Expo 2022 is a weekend market that will showcase various products of Mandaue City. The event chair is Girlie Garces, Communication Officer of San Miguel Brewery. Her co-chairs are Amado Go, president of Cenapro Chemical Corp. and Michelle Co-Lin, CTBC Bank Vismin-Business Center Head.

The Trees Brew for Life is a tree-planting activity in partnership with San Miguel Brewery Inc. and is also chaired by Ms. Garces.

The Executive Forum is in partnership with Blanchard Philippine Partner, CMC Business Solutions, Inc. will conduct a 4-hours brief introduction to SLII for interested MCCI Board and members. The maximum capacity for this program is 50 participants. The chair is Marvey Alcantara, general manager of Uratex while the co-chair is Margo Frasco, creative director of MDF Productions Inc.

The DUWA Cebu Children's Festival, which is organized for children, will provide various experiences for children to encourage their innate curiosity and creativity. The activities include Bakunawa Bridge, Kareton Race, Filipino Games Tourney, The Sorting Cube, workshops and performances. Ko, general manager of KGK Management Inc. will chair this event while the co-chair is Sam Lao, president and chief executive officer of Realty Options marketing and Consultancy Inc.

The MCCI Business Summit 2022 will feature top caliber speakers to share their expertise and knowledge. They will include Fernando Zobel de Ayala, president and chief executive officer of Ayala Corp.; Asian Development Bank senior economist Mateo Lanzafame; Unionbank executive vice president and chief digital channel officer Ana Maria Aboitiz-Delgado; and Cherry Pua-Africa, a transformational coach. The event chair and co-chair are Adrian Lee, proprietor of Ngohiong Express, and Walter Ong, chief finance officer of Worldwide Steel Group Inc., respectively.

The Mandani Bay Dragon Boat Regatta 2022 is a first in Mandaue City and in support of the Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (PADS). Ynoc, vice president of Prime Movers Total Logistics Inc., is the event chair while Calvin Gothong, president and chief operating officer of Carlos A. Gothong Lines. Inc. is the co-chair.

The Mandaue Investment Forum is chaired by Beverly Dayanan, president and chief executive officer of Contempo Property Holdings Inc., and co-chaired by Bambi Gothong, president and chief executive officer of A.D. Gothong manufacturing Corp.

Organized in  partnership with the Cebu provincial government and Mandaue City, the MBM aims to promote sustainable and socially responsible entrepreneurship and position Mandaue City and Cebu Province to be an attractive destination for business and investment.

MBM 2022 forms part of the 53rd Charter Day Celebration of Mandaue City this coming August.

MPT DriveHub app presents itself as the ultimate driving partner for planning, managing, and ultimately, learning to enjoy the journey again—because we forget how incredible it is that we can get around the way that we do - especially when done along an engineering marvel like that of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). Your new driving partner, MPT DriveHub, hits the reset button on the driving experience and is set to put the joy back in joyride. With this innovation from MPT Mobility, you can tap and track your CCLEX RFID account for real-time reloading and balance checking.

“While we anticipate some hesitation from the public to make the technological switch, we believe that this new system will greatly improve not just drives, but lives,” says Rodrigo E. Franco, President of MPT Mobility and CEO of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC). “The current features are just some of many mobility solutions we’re excited to offer Cebuanos. We’re a mobile culture overall; it is only right to do as much as we can to improve and enhance the Pinoy travelling experience.”

On July 13 at Radisson Blu, representatives from both MPT DriveHub and the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) invited members of the Cebu media to join them for a four-course meal, during which they introduced the app and the ways in which it will change the way Cebuanos manage their trips, whatever the duration. Guests were guided through the event by seasoned host and proud Cebuano, OJ Cimafranca.

“This partnership is important because mobility is important,” says Allan G. Alfon, President and General Manager of Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC). “The CCLEX itself is not just a way to get from one place to another, but also a testament to how much Cebu has grown; it’s a mark of our progress. In a similar way, MPT DriveHub is a mark of how driving and our needs around it have changed, but we look forward to seeing it upgrade the ride and customer experience.”

Thanks to easier radio-frequency identification (RFID) reloading and account management via the app, drivers and motorists can be assured of stress-free rides. On top of this more convenient customer experience, MPT DriveHub has also taken into consideration the major hurdle that those on the road face with the RFID system: The inability to check how much is left, and whether you need to reload. With MPT DriveHub, you not only load and reload faster and in real-time, but you can also track your balance and spending history with just a few taps—it just could not be easier. 

So rev your engines for your next drive—with MPT DriveHub, you can really #DriveYourWay. To know more about MPT DriveHub, visit their website. Don't miss all their exciting updates by following them on Facebook and Instagram.  For queries and concerns about the MPT DriveHub app, call their 24/7 hotline (1-35000).

With the opening of Cebu and the rest of the Philippines, Anjo World Theme Park projects growth as more and more people are now coming to the theme park.

“We are very positive of the prospects for Anjo World, which is now a known brand,” says Chester Lim, president of the Anjo World Theme Park.

Mr. Lim also sees the need to increase tourism confidence to enable the industry to recover from the adverse impact of the pandemic.

(L-R) CCLEC Assistant Marketing Manager Kendall Roa; CCLEX Communication and Stakeholder Management Manager Jasmin Suma-oy; CCLEC Senior Legal Manager Atty. Rosemarie Versoza; CCLEC President and General Manager Mr. Allan Alfon; Anjo World Theme Park President Mr. Chester Lim; Ms. Josiefe Lim, Chairman and CEO of CBI Group of Companies; Mr. Cedric Reyes, Head of Sales and Marketing for Anjo World Theme Park; and CCLEC Corporate Communication Specialist Princess Dawn Felicitas

He expressed hope that the government will continue with its efforts to promote tourism since the sector has been a major contributor to the economy as well as help create thousands of jobs and promote small businesses.

Anjo World’s is now experiencing increasing number of guests as more and more people are going to the park, Lim added.

Cedric Reyes, head of sales and marketing for Anjo World, said they are now looking at going into collaboration with other industry stakeholders such as resorts in Mactan and Cordova.

In fact, Anjo World will be signing a memorandum of agreement with the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC) to establish a Sales Promotion Partnership entitled “BRIDGING THE FUN IN CEBU.”

Under this MOA, Anjo World will give Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) motorists a discount of P100 for every purchase of one Day Adventure Pass upon the presentation of a CCLEX toll receipt. However, each motorist can avail of the discount for a maximum of four tickets per receipt in per day.

The MOA will be in effect until November 29, 2022.

“We partnered with Anjo World as part of our vision of connecting communities and people. Through CCLEX, families from Mactan Island will now have a more accessible route to enjoying destinations and sights in the south, including Anjo World, truly bridging the fun that largely benefits Cebuanos,” says Allan G. Alfon, Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation president and general manager.

CCLEX, an engineering marvel and being the longest and tallest bridgeway structure in in the country, has been a tourist attraction in itself, providing added value to the tourism industry in Cebu, Mr. Alfon pointed out.

“The 8.9-kilometer modern toll expressway is also seen to spur tourism activities in the southern part of Cebu Province as it provides direct access from Mactan Island to Cebu City's South Road Properties,” he added.

Anjo World Theme Park signs a memorandum of agreement with the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC) to establish a Sales Promotion Partnership entitled “BRIDGING THE FUN IN CEBU.”

With this MOA, Mr. Reyes says they are expecting a good number of guests from Mactan and Cordova.

Also, he disclosed that they will revive talks with Mactan resorts to tie up with them by giving discounts to their guests.

Even foreign guests are slowly coming back. “We are excited. Lately, we are getting Korean (guests) and a few Americans,” according to Mr. Reyes.

Anjo World is Cebu’s first outdoor theme park, featuring more than 12 world-class rides and attractions for the Filipino family to enjoy. The rides include the 200-foot-high Ferris wheel, the tallest in the Visayas; the “Anjo Eye” and a spinning roller coaster “The Pharoah.”

Family-oriented rides such as Golden Carousel, London Taxi bumper cars, Space shuttle, among others are also available.

Also located inside the park is Snow World, a winter-themed attraction that features the sights of different larger than life ice sculptures in a negative 10 degrees temperature indoor facility setting.

Guests of all ages are welcome, whether vaxxed or not.

The Anjo World Theme Park is open from 12 noon to 8 pm Wednesdays to Fridays and from 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Schools teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas and support service providers are currently preparing for the return of more long-staying students pushed by the pandemic to return to their home countries. Cebu welcomed last week its first post-pandemic batch of foreign learners, a group of over 50 high school students from Nagoya, Japan.

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) Osaka and its other foreign offices in partnership with the Philippine Consulate in Nagoya are now facilitating the arrival of more students for English studies in the country. Another group of over a hundred students from Japan are expected in Cebu within this month. 

The DOT- Central Visayas (DOT7), in collaboration with the DOT Office of Product and Market Development, has beefed up support for the education tourism sector. 

A Master Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certification Course will be facilitated for 200 teachers from June to July this year. The 120-hour online course equips teachers for global competitiveness with current and appropriate teaching methodologies. Graduates will be registered with the American Licensing Authority of International English Language Teaching. 

The development of a framework for ESL will be started by the Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the DOT this year paving the way for further growth of ESL as an education tourism product.

The Online Education Fair to be staged in December will bring education agents from all over the world and Philippine-based service providers onto a common platform.  The event will provide the latter with updated and relevant information to guide promotions initiatives while allowing schools, colleges and universities offering ESL courses to showcase programs, campus facilities and out-of-classroom cultural and social immersion.

The Philippines is a global leader in English language teaching. It holds 10th place worldwide in the Test of English for International Communication, the highest in Asia.

Cebu is the preferred destination for English language learning and holds the distinction of being the ESL capital of the country. Students and their parents are attracted to the island’s quality lifestyle, reliable infrastructure and a wide array of choices for rest and relaxation.

Cebu’s 110 ESL schools and other similar institutions in the country, however, had to suspend operations in the midst of a phenomenal industry boom in 2020 as pandemic-induced lockdowns were ordered. Over 6,000 employees lost their jobs.

Central Visayas picks up where it left off with the strengthening of education tourism through industry enhancement and promotions efforts.

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Cebu and nearby provinces can now easily get the Pinoy OFW Insurance from the PAMICO Management and Insurance Agency, Inc. with the opening of its office in Cebu.

PAMICO provides migrant workers with maximum insurance protection with its lead insurers – COCOLIFE Insurance Company and COCOGEN Insurance Company Inc.

PAMICO Staff assisted the OFW

The two companies, which are among the biggest in life and non-life insurance, have appointed PAMICO as their common management company to administer the compulsory insurance coverage for OFWs.

PAMICO’s appointment as an independent management company provided more focused attention on insurance matters for OFWs, starting with the issuance of the policies and ends with the satisfactory settlement of claims.

(L-R) PAMI Director Angela Atayde; Cebu Branch Head Jodee Tan; PAMI Chairwoman Amy Atayde; Cocogen Visayas Regional Head Junie Cimafranca; PAMI President Rizza Atayde; and PAMI Operations Head Sarah Cruz.

PAMICO provides personal accident coverage for OFWs who are hired and rehired by agency as well as the direct hired migrant workers.

The insurance provides migrant workers hired or rehired by placement agencies and direct hires $15,000 benefit for accidental death; $10,000 for natural death and $7,500 for permanent disablement.

For the agency-hired OFWs, the insurance will also cover the actual cost for repatriation due to termination of employment as well as repatriation of mortal remains. If terminated, they can also get a monthly subsistence allowance of $100, not exceeding six months; money claims of P1,000 each month also not exceeding six months. The insurance will also cover the actual cost for compassionate visit, medical evacuation and medical repatriation of the insured OFW.

The Management & Staff of PAMICO Management and Insurance Agency, Inc.

For the re-hired or direct hire OFWs, the insurance will cover the actual cost of repatriation due to termination of employment, repatriation of mortal remains, compassionate visit, medical evacuation and medical repatriation. If terminated, they are also entitled to $100 monthly subsistence allowance but not exceeding six months.

“We always view our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as our modern heroes. Leaving behind their lives, friends, and families for months to years to work in another country and be of service to other people who are complete strangers,” Atty. Darren M. De Jesus, Cocogen President, expressed.

(L-R) PAMI VisMin Regional Head Mr. Danny Atayde; Henjie Bedra, PAMI Finance Head; Cebu Branch Head Jodee Tan; PAMI Operations Head Sarah Cruz; PAMI President Rizza Atayde; PAMI Chairwoman Amy Atayde; PAMI Director Angela Atayde; Janice Diaz, Cocogen Cebu Branch Manager; and Junie Cimafranca, Cocogen Visayas Regional Head

He noted that PAMICO’s Pinoy OFW Insurance not only provides for the expenses of the OFW, but for their family as well should there be a need to fly out and be with said OFW.

“It’s a huge sacrifice for our Pinoy OFWs to make for a shot at a better life. It’s not just the physical toll of being exhausted from work, it’s coming home to a place that’s half a world away from the people who matter the most,” Rizza T. Atayde, PAMICO President, noted.

“With PAMICO’s Pinoy OFW Insurance, our modern-day heroes and their loved ones are never alone and are sure to be well taken care of,” Atayde said.

PAMICO’s office is located at the Door 6, JSP Mango Plaza, Gen. Maxilom corner Gen. Echavez St., Cebu City.