MACTAN, Cebu — Air Niugini, Papua New Guinea's national carrier, launched its new direct route from Port Moresby to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), adding to the long list of direct international flights to Cebu. Air Niugini Chief Executive Officer Wasantha Kumarasiri said the airline company decided to make Cebu its 10th international destination because of expanding trade ties between Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. The Cebu route will be served twice weekly by the carrier’s new Boeing 737-700. Air Niugini also flies from Papua New Guinea to Australian routes in Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney, as well as Honiara (Solomon Islands), Nadi (Fiji), Tokyo Narita (Japan), Singapore, Hong Kong, and Manila. (Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)

ELECTRIFICATION

CEBU CITY, Cebu — The Department of Energy (DoE) announced that the agency is now embarking on targeting for a complete electrification of all households and barangays across the country that have yet no access to power. "The government is eyeing 90 percent household electrification by 2017 and 100 percent barangay electrification by 2015," DoE Undersecretary Loreta Ayson told participants at Tuesday's 2nd Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum-Cebu. Ayson said from 2012 until 2016, the government is targeting to provide electricity access to 4.5 million households to achieve the 88.4 percent household electrification target by 2016. (Malou M. Mozo)

CANADA INVESTMENT

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu (PNA) — The largest Canadian investment so far in the country, at P1.3 billion, is going to be spent in the construction of a recycling and waste-to-energy facility in Lapu-Lapu City. John Negrin, Aquilini Renewable Energy president, said the project is the first of the company’s investments in the country with an initial US$25 million that is expected to generate over US$200 million or P8.5 billion in economic benefits over a period of 30 years. “The project will create good job opportunities and long-term careers for the local workforce,” he said.

RICE LOAN

CEBU CITY — In its aim to have a better partnership with local government units (LGU) on the rice loan program especially during calamities, an official from the National Food Authority (NFA) here announced that they are coming up with a longer Memorandum of Agreement with LGUs regarding the said program. Nestor Alcoseba, NFA 7 Cebu provincial manager, observed that in this province alone out of the 20 LGUs that signed the MOA with NFA last year, only five have renewed their agreements this year. The MOA is only good for one year.  (Phoebe Jen Indino)

EMPOWERMENT

ILOILO CITY — Persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Western Visayas are urged to empower themselves as means of strengthening government policies and changing social attitude. Carmen Reyes Zubiaga, director of the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), emphasized during the 1st Regional Congress of PWDs in Iloilo City last July 16 and 17 that PWDS in the region must harness their knowledge of laws to protect their rights and welfare. Mario Abaygar, vice chairman of Western Visayas Regional Council for Disability Affairs, admitted that PWDs still lack awareness of laws governing them and that has deterred their welfare. (Tara Yap)