Airport makes international plans; Soldiers get a pay raise; Orchestra concerts resume; Guayaquil-Cuenca bus robbed on coastal highway; Get permits online

Lunes, 4/9/2023

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/9 (1 article):
Inician conciertos de la Sinfónica (Symphony concerts begin) – On el 8/9, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca will start its 2nd season of free concerts a las 18:00 in the Girón church. The next concert will be el 15/9 a las 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo with guest conductor Norman Gamboa and flautist Crista Jobson. On the 22/9, the orchestra will be in the Casa de la Cultura theater with conductor Augusto Carrión returning. On el 29/9 the concert will be in the Pumapungo with conductor Patricio Aizaga together with Reinaldo Arce y Patricia Martínez.

Titular –

Cuenca’s Marsical la Mar airport has completed the fourth of a five-phase process for international certification by the country’s civil aviation authority. (El Mercurio)

Permisos para arreglos ahora se hacen en línea (Alteration permits can now be done online) – Minor construction projects also need permits from the city which has set up the digital platform, “Cuenca en Línea.” You can apply for permits for mediagua (accessory structures?), additions, enclosures, various alterations, or changing roofs without modifying the shape or slope online. Also, online permits include changing flooring, plumbing fixtures, general painting and more. The article explains how to navigate the website, first by indicating what type of user you are, an ‘Usuario Básico’ or a professional (architect, civil engineer, or surveyor. Lawyers used to be able to pull plans, but that’s limited now). Then it gets more complicated. There is a step-by-step guide in the paper.

If you need to submit plans, get an architect. <I can’t count how many clients who tried to draw their own plans got referred to me by cities in the US because they tried to go thru the permit process on their own. Building department employees know when you don’t know what the heck you’re doing and don’t want to be your private architecture school.> You must have a design professional if your lot is rural and the area of the project is greater than 50 sq. m. or if the property is in the Centro Histórico, in the urban area, and the project is larger than 37 sq. m. If owners construct their projects without a permit, monetary sanctions will be imposed depending on the infraction and the project will be suspended either temporarily or permanently.

Cuenca –

Avances en la fase 4 para la cerificación de aeropuerto (Progress on phase 4 of airport certification) – The Corporación Aeroportuaria de Cuenca (CORPAC) announced that a delegation from the Dirección General de Aviación Civil de Ecuador (DGAC) visited the ‘Mariscal La Mar’ airport to verify the operational processes in the field. This is part of phase 4 out of 5 phases for international certification. The results will be received in a few days. The obtaining of the certification will be done considering the limitations and restrictions the airport has due to its location. To finally get the certification, the airport needs to install facilities for Migration, Customs, Anti-Narcotics, Agrocalidad, and the Ministerio de Salud. <And then direct flights to ? Let the dreaming begin.>

De El Mercurio del domingo, 3/9 (1 article):
Productos al peso para economizar (Products by weight to save money) – The CompacXpres franchise is promoting savings in cleaning and personal care products as well as contributing to the recycling of single-use plastics. Customers can bring their own containers, refill them at CompacXpres, and pay only for the product and not the packaging which can save from 30-50%. Cleaning products include detergent, fabric softeners, floor disinfectants, dishwashing soap, wood and piso flotante cleaners, stain removers, kitchen degreasers, glass cleaners, bleaching gel, and more. Personal care products include shampoo, conditioner, alcohol, and liquid hand and body soaps. All the products are liquids and biodegradable. Other products include sponges, microfiber cloths, mops and clothes for cleaning. There is an environmentally friendly bamboo line with tooth and hairbrushes, brushes to clean dishes, and baby utensils.

There are 30 locations in Ecuador, and this is the first in Cuenca. The cost of a franchise is about $10,000 for a basic location and between $12-13,000 for a full location with more equipment. The franchisor supplies the furniture and supplies to start the franchise. The store is on Calle del Batán y Edwin Sacoto. Its hours are lunes a viernes, 9:30 a 18:30, sábados de 10:00 a 16:00 y domingos de 10:00 a 14:00. <What a good idea! I’ve got boxes of plastic bottles I keep thinking I’ll find a use for. Maybe their time has finally come.>

Sucesos –

Delincuentes asaltan bus interprovincial (Criminals hold up interprovincial bus) – Passengers on a Santa Cooperative bus on the Guayaquil-Cuenca route were robbed in the redondel in El Triunfo, vía La Troncal. One of the suspects boarded as a passenger and threatened the driver with a gun. The driver was forced to go to Vainillo where accomplices were waiting. Police responded after an ECU 911 alert but weren’t able to locate the ciminals. The police said there were members of the Fuerzas Armadas riding on the bus. The assailants took military uniforms. <So the next bus is going to be stopped by “soldiers.” Who can you trust?>

Nacional –

De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/9 (1 article):
Sueldo de militares (Military salaries) – <This is for all of you who are curious about what Ecuadorians earn.> The Ministerio de Trabajo issued a resolution that the Government has increased salaries of active members of the Fuerzas Armadas. A general will earn $5,560 and a new soldier will make $933. <I wonder if a new soldier makes more than an experienced teacher?>

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne