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MCIA Cebu’s pride

ORGANIZATIONS across Cebu are gung-ho with the economy even in the midst the challenges the country is currently facing. For one, they are welcoming another milestone, Cebu being known globally for its world-class designs and designers from fashion, furniture, jewelry and more, was designated recently as a UNESCO City of Design.

Public clamor is mounting for the NAIA rehabilitation to commence and for GMR-Megawide’s “Banaue rice terraces inspired design”. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

The cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.

Instrumental in achieving this new status is Megawide’s Mactan-Cebu International Airport which has reaped prestigious awards since its opening. Just last year, it defeated Singapore’s Jewel Changi, touted as the “best airport in the world,” at the World Architecture Festival. MCIA Terminal 2 won the “Completed Buildings-Transport” category, besting Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport and other outstanding global projects.

Ram Base, chairman of the OFW Movement, stated that MCIA is a source of pride and joy for overseas Filipino workers deployed all over the world. “OFWs are the nation’s primary users of the country’s airports. Now we have something that is at par with the world’s loveliest airports and its designed and constructed by local architects, engineers and other local professionals. It’s a showcase of Filipino talent at its best,” Base said.

Philippine Transport Monitor (PhilTram) president Mario Bautista meanwhile said the fact that most companies diverted their employees coming from abroad to arrive in GMR-Megawide’s Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) during the height of the pandemic due to the efficient and quick turn around of COVID testing speak well of the high-level of professionalism, efficiency and dedication of the management and ground personnel of MCIA. “Very impressive, it’s like coming through a first-world country international airport, perhaps even better,” Bautista said.

We need to have more facilities like MCIA in the country that inspire every Filipino to say to the whole world,I am a Filipino,’” said Migz Dygico, lead convenor of Malayang Katipunan Movement. Mactan-based Kapatirang Isip Malaya founding president Junex Doronio opined that the time is ripe for the younger generations, especially daring entrepreneurs to take the lead in pole-vaulting the country to inclusive prosperity.

We can no longer gamble the future of this country by solely entrusting its direction in the hands of politicians, we need to inspire leadership among the younger generations to pick up the shovel and build a better country, just like what we have witnessed with the development of Mactan-Cebu International Airport that is at par with the best of the best in the whole world,” Doronio stated.

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Many of the country’s measures against COVID-19 and for the recovery of the economy depend on laws made by our lawmakers. They should focus on their work this year.

At the House of Representatives, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco should gain all the support to turn the lower chamber into a cohesive body so it can deliver relevant laws. He should be spared from distraction. Velasco shouldn’t pay attention to accusations from detractors.

It appears Velasco’s detractors are the ones bound to make serious explanations and not the current House Speaker who should relax and pay attention to his job. After all, as Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza assessed, the mudslinging against the top congressman has no basis.

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