the city of cebu
with my airline official seatmate, angela
silent city hall in a non-working holiday
the family that poses together, stays together
four glorious jumps in historic fort san pedroTuesday, June 15, 2010
with my airline official seatmate, angelasilent city hall in a non-working holidaythe family that poses together, stays togetherfour glorious jumps in historic fort san pedro
Sunday, May 30, 2010
wedding at tuscany
Saturday, May 15, 2010
expanding the stable
Below are the 5 links to send out the items:
nail
http://apps.facebook.com/o
horseshoe
http://apps.facebook.com/o
harness
http://apps.facebook.com/o
woodenboard
http://apps.facebook.com/o
brick
http://apps.facebook.com/o
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
taking travel portraits
We planned to make this vacation just to shoot the place. So add to the packing nightmare the equally scary 11th hour lessons on how to use the Canon 40D, since we just decided that I must outgrow the Canon 1000D for this trip.
I have tucked my camera bag in the dusty part of our room for more than four months already. And I was amazed how the mind forgets. I couldn't set the proper ISO. I even forgot how to view and move from one image to the other!
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Getting off from my online games, I brought to the table all the magazines and photography books from the shelves for a quick scan.
At the end, I decided on settle on a few notes from Manny Librodo on taking travel portraits:
1. interact with the subject
2. get close with the subject
3. set the stage, then be spontaneous
4. look for a face with character
5. watch out for light and shadow
6. train your eyes to see colors
7. tell a story
I haven't even started on how to shoot landscapes!
I haven't even started on how to shoot landscapes!
Yes, the single luggage will be crammed. The photography tips are in a jumble in my head. But the heart beats with anticipation. Vacation and photography with the best man in the world - I am a lucky woman!
photo: it's about the hat
Friday, April 30, 2010
the botanical garden
the floral bracket
http://apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/gifts_send.php?gift=floralbracket
the white trellis
http://apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/gifts_send.php?gift=steelbeam
the irrigation pipe
http://apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/gifts_send.php?gift=irrigationpipe
the glass sheet
http://apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/gifts_send.php?gift=glasssheet
the green beam
http://apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/gifts_send.php?gift=greenpillar
Thursday, April 29, 2010
logistics study completed
To support local exporters and establish an updated document on the state of competitiveness of transporting key commodities of Northern Mindanao, the Confederation of Philippine Exporters Foundation Region 10 Chapter, Inc. (PhilExport-10A) recently completed its study entitled “Shipping Cost and Competitiveness in Northern Mindanao – A Closer View on Northern Mindanao’s State of Competitiveness”.
The focus of the study is the Cagayan de Oro base port and the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT), being Mindanao’s strategically-located gateways. Aside from referencing with government offices, the study team of Mr. Noel Tan and Mr. Mike Ignacio conducted a survey among shippers, truckers, shipping lines, cargo handlers and importers within Northern Mindanao.
With the data gathered, the study tried to identify present and pressing transport-related issues detrimental to Northern Mindanao’s competitiveness of selected export and import commodities. The study also showcased the best practices done on the different segments on the logistics chain, aimed at reducing costs and maximizing efficiency. Finally, the study attempted to provide recommendations which would lead to policy changes in the ports, shipping and infrastructure at all levels of government.
Among the study results, it was discovered that exporters are raising the issue of double charges when shipping their goods. An examination of the costs of shipping would illustrate that an exporter has to pay terminal handling charges (THC) to the shipping line aside from paying the port charges to the port operator for the same activities on the ground. Aside from that, another pressing issue is the difficulty in procedures as a result from policy disconnects. Initiatives from the central offices of the national government agencies do not easily translate to areas like Cagayan de Oro. Laws which were passed in order to simplify procedures for exporters are also not strictly implemented.
Nevertheless it was also learned that both ports have accommodated the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for free in their respective areas, which resulted to the BOC’s non-charging of inspection site fees and to comparably low charges for importers. The bureau also ensures that all new exporters undergo a full inspection before given the clearance to send their products overseas. Perhaps one best practice that shows the initiative of the local stakeholders is the setting up of a vessel tracking system for the whole Macajalar Bay. The system utilizes the tower and radar system of the MCT, enabling the Coast Guard to monitor all incoming and outgoing vessels within the stretch of the bay.
While it can be summed up in the study that Northern Mindanao is a competitive place due to the presence of fair roads and infrastructure facilities as well as comparably low trucking and handling rates, results also show that exporters and other stakeholders are endorsing for the full compliance of EO 554, which orders the appropriate agencies to improve the competitiveness of the country’s export sector by simplifying exporting procedures and documentation or cutting down the fees of such requirements. It was noted that while other regional offices of national government agencies complied with the directive, other offices have not.
If the EO 554 shall be fully implemented, PhilExport 10-A, through the study, sees that the establishment of One-Stop-Shop facilities within the ports can be made possible. An improved system that can issue exporters their commodity clearance at a shorter period and enable the transport of their goods on time is expected to further enhance the competitiveness of Northern Mindanao.
The study highlights and draft report was presented last April 23 to representatives of the Local Implementation of National Competitiveness for Economic Growth (LINC-EG) program and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which facilitated and funded the study.
Mindanao's distance to the traditional markets and exports is a major competitiveness issue since logistics costs are deemed higher in terms of freight and associated costs. Mr. Wilson C. Amad, PhilExport-10A President, looks forward to using its recently concluded logistics study to push for the economic growth and development of its members and other players in the export business.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
the nursery barn
Ecco i link per farvi inviare i materiali!!!
Biberon (Bottle)
http://apps.facebook.com/o
Coperta (Blanket)
http://apps.facebook.com/o
Chiodo (Nail)
http://apps.facebook.com/o
Mattone (Brick)
http://apps.facebook.com/o
Tavola (Wooden Board)
http://apps.facebook.com/o
Friday, March 12, 2010
reforming a bpl system
Department heads of the Cagayan de Oro City government office, together with representatives from the business community, translated lessons from their March 4-5 2010 benchmarking activity in the cities of Lapu-lapu and Cebu into strategies for the improvement of the existing business processing and licensing system (BPLS) in the city.
As part of the streamlining project of Cagayan de Oro, the post-benchmarking workshop was held at the Conference Room of the Mayor’s Office last March 8 2010 where participants evaluated the two areas for improvement in the BPLS – the process and technology of the system, and the inspection component.
Among the major strategies identified were the institutionalization of the streamlined BPLS process, the establishment of a year-long Business One-Stop-Shop, the development of the Citizen’s Charter of the city, the creation of its MIS department, the amendment of present ordinances on validity periods of permits, and the establishment of a monitoring scheme through a Joint Inspection Team composed of the regulatory agencies like the city building, fire and health offices.
These strategies were ascertained after the team, under the leadership of the project Management Committee Chair and Promote CdO Foundation President Ruben Vegafria, evaluated the existing BPLS practices of Cagayan de Oro against those observed in the cities of Lapu-lapu and Cebu during the benchmarking activity. Also using the BPLS National Standard as point of reference, the group identified gaps, the areas for reforms and the proposed strategies for these reforms.
The strategy identification is marked as one of the milestones in the BPLS project that the local government unit (LGU) is undertaking and it will soon be followed by the setting up of an action plan that will ultimately recognize and implement the official streamlined BPLS process in the city.
The BPLS enhancement project is executed by a three-party group composed of the LGU of Cagayan de Oro, Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Oriental Office, and the Promote CDO Foundation. This project, which officially started last February 5 2010, is aimed to simplify business licensing and encourage the entry of business in the city. As Technical Assistance Package (TAP) 1.2 of the Local Implementation of National Competitiveness for Economic Growth (LINC-EG) Project, it is implemented with the support of USAID.
Friday, February 05, 2010
building a stable
To all Farm Ville players who want a home for their horses! Below are the links to each of the stable requirements. Lots of help for specific gifting to friends.
http://apps.facebook.com/o
http://apps.facebook.com/o
http://apps.facebook.com/o
http://apps.facebook.com/o
http://apps.facebook.com/o
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