Cebu BRT Hailed by Foreign and Local Advocates

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) push to modernize urban mobility by introducing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to the country has garnered praises from foreign and local advocates of democratized, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly transport systems.

“The goal is not simply to modernize transport facilities and improve commuter experience, it is also to provide the public with a better quality of life. Due to the fast, efficient, and convenient features of BRTs, they save passengers the time normally wasted in traffic jams. BRTs allow people to be more productive and to have better access to opportunities,” remarked DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

The Cebu BRT project of the DOTC, recently approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), was first conceptualized as early as the 1990s. This P 10.6-Billion project is financed by the World Bank through its Clean Technology Fund.

Nigel Paul Villarete, who was City Administrator and later City Planning Officer of Cebu, was in charge of project development. Villarete says that: “The fulfillment of the Cebu BRT will change the face of Metro Cebu forever, and will auger well for the metropolis to become a people-oriented, humane, sustainable, and livable city in the future, where the rich share the same ride with the poor. The BRT is not just a transportation project, it’s an urban improvement project.”

DOT Partners with Cruise Lines International Association to Develop Cruise Ports, Itinerary, and Guest Experience

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Tourism (DOT) sees strong interest from international cruise lines increasing their ports of call and expanding visits to more islands in the country.

Speaking before guests and industry stakeholders during the Philippine Cruise Industry Workshop held last week at the Makati Shangri-la, Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said that cruise arrivals in the Philippines grew by 48 percent in the last two years since 2011 amounting close to 20,000 in 2013. And while the country’s cruise infrastructure is being developed, international cruise lines calling in the country have increased substantially, with 16 cruise vessels last year from just 10 in 2011.

“We are expecting some 18 cruise ships this year that should bring in more than 20,000 tourists. Our country’s proximity to major cruise source markets like China, Japan, and Hong Kong positions us at a competitive and comparative advantage in the Asia-Pacific region. This should give industry stakeholders greater prospects and our local communities new jobs and opportunities,” the tourism chief added.

Secretary Jimenez believes that what is now considered a niche market will see an increase in demand in the years ahead. “Preparation is absolutely essential. And that is what this workshop precisely calls for—to formulate a national cruise development plan that will chart the Philippines’ role in the cruising business in Southeast Asia,” he further explained.

The Evolution of a Blogger: The Top Blogger of the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

There should be no exceptions! Yes! Except for press releases? Nah! Except for very technical topics? Nah! Except for events or products that were not worthy of any praises? Nah! To blog or not to blog? That is the question! But please don't min my ramblings as I am purely talking to myself. In the end it is still all up to me. I chose to put whatever I want in my blog. My blog, my rules! Like it or hate it, you don't dictate to me what I want to put in my blog, so accept it as the only truth, for I am the only one liable to its contents.

The blogger has evolved. That's for sure! Modern day professional bloggers now exist because the needs and demands call for it.  Only a few remain that are truly keeping to the original intention of what a blog is all about. Bloggers have adapted to the times, and the technology.

Some would even be identified as "top" bloggers - forming themselves into groups and calling themselves elite, authorities, and A-list... laughable but merely a branding strategy to uplift themselves in the eyes of potential clients. Yey! We're above and beyond the rest of the indies out there! We're an exclusive batch of self-declared prominent bloggers backed by years of experience and maturity - in other words, we are old and desperate for some attention.

It is good to create a union, but it is bad to close the opportunities to newbies because we all know that the new generation may also have fresh innovative ideas that even experienced bloggers may be unable to realize. The rookies were newly-trained and are most probably backed by more advanced learning that could be better appreciated by majority of their readers.