This Week in Cebu (October 21 to 27, 2018)

Cloudy weather is expected to dominate the week even as the month of October slowly comes to a close. The sun may take a peek from behind the clouds in the morning all the way to the afternoon. After the sun sets over the horizon, rain showers and thunderstorms are expected in different parts of the island. When Wednesday comes, partly sunny weather may rule over the city. But, overcast skies are expected to return by Thursday and Friday. The weekend will see the skyline of Cebu dominated by rain showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will range from 23 0C up to 32 0C [1].

With the Mambaling underpass nearly 80 percent complete, the Department of Public Works and Highways 7 (DPWH 7) may open side roads before December. Roy Dela Cruz, DPWH 7 project engineer, said they are ahead of schedule and he expects traffic to be eased with the opening of the side roads. This is timely with the holidays fast approaching. It is also good news to travelers to and from the southern part of Cebu who have to endure endless hours of traffic in their daily commute. Following the start of the underpass project in August last year, commuters and motorist had to endure heavy traffic in the area, particularly during peak hours [2].

A proposal to rename the Mactan-Cebu International Airport was opposed by a native of Cordova town in Mactan. The bill to rename the airport enjoys the support of all congressmen from Cebu led by Rep. Raul del Mar. It will replace the name Mactan with Lapu-Lapu. In effect, the airport will be called the Lapu-Lapu-Cebu International Airport. But, Presidential Legislative Liaison Secretary Adelino Sitoy wants to retain the old name of the airport. The former mayor of Cordova said removing the name Mactan will remove its place in history. Since the bill is not considered urgent, it will take some time before the name of the airport is finally resolved [3].

Tourism stakeholders in the southern town of Oslob are amenable to lowering the number of whale watchers from 1,000 to 800 every day. The lower limit was agreed upon by the Oslob Municipal Government and Tan-awan Oslob Sea Warden and Fishermen Association (TOSFA) following consultations with different sectors recently. Out of the 800 daily visitors, 600 will be allotted to tour groups while the remaining 200 are allotted for the local government units. Barangay Tan-awan in Oslob has attracted the attention of local and international tourists after over 300 whale sharks have flocked to the area due to the unique waters off its coast [4].

The planned Mangrove Eco-Park in Mandaue City was granted a PhP12.3-million allocation by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Setting up the eco-park has long been a dream of the city and it is gradually coming true. Located in Barangay Paknaan, it is the outfall of the largest waterway of Mandaue City, the Butuanon River. While the river is considered biologically-dead, the eco-park is expected to revive it. The eco-park is a part of the rehabilitation program of the river and is also seen to be a long-term solution to the flooding problem in different parts of the city [5].

A total plastic ban may not be happening in Cebu City anytime soon. Cebu City Ordinance (CO) 2343 was passed in 2012. It aims to regulate the use of plastic shopping bags every Saturday. The coverage was later expanded to include Wednesdays. A recent proposal aimed to expand its coverage to seven days in a week, but objections during the final deliberation resulted in the shelving of the proposal. Instead, a feasibility study was proposed before a total plastic ban is implemented in the city. Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young said it was necessary for the city to check the impact of the first ordinance before looking to expand it [6].