Freshest Minds: Founders of Future (Cebu Directories: What and Who?)

In the midst of its expanding tourism industry to its towering economy, Cebu is really one of the fast developing cities in the country. Cebu’s market has been sparingly developing. For years, Cebu has been a sanctuary of economic city affluence, primarily because of its blooming tourism. Cebu is like a one-stop-shop, name it, Cebu could certainly offer you some. From business ventures like, Hotels, Restaurants, Bars, Malls, Spa and many other establishments, Cebu has it!

But together with Cebu’s escalating market comes the information superfluous that grounded the people, especially tourist, to be baffled and bewildered on where is to which. In order, to find a way out of the perplexity, Cebu Directories was created.

Cebu Directories is an online directory on which it entails an organized list of information about the businesses and services in Cebu, categorized by the nature of the establishment. Through Cebu Directories one could have the easy access to whatever information they are looking for within the Queen city of the South- Cebu.

Behind the successful launching of Cebu Directories in the World Wide Web, are two great names of web creation and design, Paul Winston Villacorta, a BS Information Technology from Ateneo de Davao University; and Michael Gimena, a BS Computer Science graduate from San Jose Recoletos-Cebu.

Two different individuals brought by fate to meet and work together for one good mission and goal, and that’s to create something that would probably be a immense help to Cebu’s flourishing economy and information accessibility. So now a 4-year-project came into being, Cebu Directories existed.

Lucky I am to interview two great men, the young founders of Cebu Directories. Individuals with enthusiasm and fervor, whose contribution is something that would surely facilitate a difference to the society they are living in.

Michael Gimena is a 29-year old gentleman who lives and works in Cebu—a place where also a 26-year old guy, Paul Winston Villacorta was once a stranger when he came to Cebu for the very first time. Since both of them have same specialization and same field of interest when it comes to information technology expertise, their working relationship lasts for almost three years already.

Surprisingly, both of them encountered the same problem in which give birth to an idea they both had in mind. As a stranger, SuperPaul, as Paul Winston call himself, know nothing about the “what and where” in Cebu, “I came to Cebu as a complete stranger. I know nothing not even the streets nor their language. I don’t know where to go, simply saying “I’m LOST”. Not even Google could answer “nightlife in Cebu” that time. Not even the local government web directory could provide. Not even the locals can point to me from which to where,” Paul enthusiastically shared in the interview.

At the same time, Michael or Mike was also experiencing the same difficulty Paul did. “When I was trying to search something in the web for the contact number for this fast-food, I hardly can find the right one,” Mike said in the interview.

Mutually, they plan out and design a project that will soon smooth the progress of the information convenience of whole Cebu. “So it comes to my mind to make an ultimate Cebu directory listings which will help people locate and get what they need to reach businesses,” Mike explained.

“Having Cebu Directories being the expert in Cebu (local) is one of our missions. Business owners would benefit too on our project as they could search for local suppliers or other businesses to have some ties with,” Paul added.

According to Mike, with firm assurance they believed that through Cebu Directories it would most probably help Cebu’s tourism industry that will open some business opportunities, sooner or later.

Moreover, Paul, who elaborates Mike’s statement during the interview, once said, “(one is) Tourism, since we showcase places for tourism and having tourists find our website as a reliable source we could be a bridge too for Tourism. (Second is) Business Opportunities we know some foreign investors searching on the web for new businesses to venture with but their usual question is “WHERE”. If we could provide them that a lot of businesses has been opening up in Cebu that has a good impression for foreign investors that means Cebu is a feasible place to begin with or expand with. If there will be Investors and Business Opportunities jobs will follow.”

Beyond doubt, in this epoch where technological advancement ascends fast, an era where information overloads most likely, Cebu Directories is just one of thousands or even millions of web pages that provides information to billions of people with just few clicks away.

So, what’s Cebu Directories edge among other online local directories? “I think our edge is our team. We are software developers and we know how everything works online and because of that, it is an advantage for us in terms of technology implemented on our site,” Mike said during the interview.

“We are updated with the current design trends, we focus on usability and user friendliness, we have business admin page where business owners/management can update their profile information, we rank in most search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing and not just Cebu Directories but their business will rank too,” Paul seconded.

What made them succeed to be founders at early age? For Mike it is perseverance and hard work while passion is for Paul. But whatever it is, one thing is certain, these two gentlemen still remain to be self-effacing persons though the Cebu Directories is by now on its way to the peak of success.

 

Christine Dianne Aquino

LNU-ABCOM Intern

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