Maniolas

Last April, President Aquino transferred the coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of all disaster-related programs projects and activities (PPAs) from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery to NEDA.Marcelino Pascua/PCOO MANILA, Philippines – More than two years after the massive destruction brought by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), only 13,335 housing units have been completed, with construction of 79,219 houses ongoing and scheduled for completion by December 2016. In a report released by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), it attributed the slow pace of building resettlement sites to policies on procurement and land acquisition and the many required permits and clearances needed to start certain projects. “NEDA is intensively coordinating efforts to address these policy and implementation issues with the concerned agencies,” Arsenio M. Balisacan, Economic Planning Secretary and NEDA director general, said. Last April, President Aquino transferred the coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of all disaster-related programs projects and activities (PPAs) from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery to NEDA. Balisacan noted that resettlement of the survivors from the danger zones remains the most challenging among the recovery efforts. “Nevertheless, the Philippine government – working closely with its development partners, the private sector and non-governmental organizations – continues to see steady progress in the Yolanda recovery and rehabilitation efforts,” he said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The overall weighted physical accomplishment (OWPA) of completed and ongoing Yolanda PPAs now stands at 63.2 percent – or 30.3 percent completed and 33.1 Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – Listing properties through online real estate portal Property24 proved to be a boon for award-winning broker Ramil Alquieta. Hailed as Broker of the Year by Banco de Oro for three consecutive years (2013-2015), Alquieta is the entrepreneur behind My Saving Grace Realty and Development Corp. (MSGRDC), a firm that provides a wide selection of properties – from bank-foreclosed assets to value-for-money homes – to potential buyers and property investors. MSGRDC currently has a sizable number of properties listed on Property24.com.ph, assuring the company access to a viable market and substantial returns. By listing on Property24, MSGRDC has sold thousands of properties to satisfied customers. This is a far cry from where Alquieta was barely a decade ago, when mounting debts rendered him broke and homeless for a while. But, barely three years since setting up MSGRDC, the firm has sold over P500 million worth of houses and foreclosed properties which Alquieta claims was mostly due to hard work, perseverance and doing one’s best at a job. Alquieta and MSGRDC pride themselves on professional integrity and optimal customer service. He adds his company treats clients with due respect, given that every centavo they invest come from hard work and sacrifice. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Likewise, the company makes it a point to help others, specifically overseas Filipino workers, improve their standing in life by helping them get their dream homes and even start their own businesses. Property24 Philippines is a subsidiary of Property24.com, Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – Ascott Limited’s Citadines Salcedo Makati, a premier serviced residence, was recently awarded the Green Mark Award by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). The property had undergone BCA’s stringent comprehensive framework of assessment, which is focused on the building’s sustainable design, construction, and operational practices aimed at reducing the adverse impacts of the building on the environment and occupant health over the entire building life cycle. Citadines Salcedo Makati is the first serviced residence in the Philippines to be BCA Green Mark-certified. The BCA Green Mark evaluates buildings to primarily shape a more environmentally friendly and sustainable built environment. The buildings are assessed based on energy and water efficiency, environmental protection, indoor environmental quality, and green and innovative features that contributed to enhanced building performance. Ascott Limited has been a strong advocate of green living, adopting a global campaign “Go Green @Ascott.” With the vision of being the leading green-serviced residence company, Ascott is constantly on the lookout for breakthroughs in green technology and practices, and more green products available. Citadines Salcedo Makati has incorporated energy-and water-saving features throughout the property help reduce carbon footprint. The building was built to conform to global environmental specifications by using energy-efficient lighting, which makes use of LED lights that burn less energy, practically maintenance free and lasts longer than traditional incandescent light. Apartment toilets feature water-saving fittings such as dual flush toilet cisterns to cut down on water consumption. Citadines Salcedo Makati is also designed to make good Read More …

Filipino workers arrange metal rods at a government road project in suburban Quezon City. The government said it is joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, aimed at boosting infrastructure development and connectivity. AP/Aaron Favila MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will officially join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), becoming its last member before the end of the year, the government announced on Wednesday. “The Republic of the Philippines will be signing the Articles of Agreement (AOA) of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank before year-end, joining the newly created multilateral institution aimed at boosting infrastructure development and connectivity,” the Department of Finance (DOF) said in a statement. According to the DOF, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima was given authority by President Aquino to sign the AIIB Articles of Agreement. If unable to do so, Erlina Basilio, Philippine ambassador to China will sign the pact on behalf of the Philippines. The authority was just given on Wednesday, two days before the deadline for prospective founding members (PFMs) to sign with AIIB. The country will be the last of the 57 PFMs which have signified intention to join the AIIB early this year. The AIIB pact came into force on Christmas Day with the ratification of the agreement by 17 countries. The AIIB will have a paid-in capital of $20 billion and total authorized capital of $100 billion. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Days before the deadline, there was little sign the Philippines will join the Beijing-based multilateral lender Read More …

In 1956, our president was Ramon Magsaysay. Our country was surging with confidence. We were doing well on the 10th year of our political independence as a nation. Almost 60 years ago, in 1956. Only recently, I became aware of the memoirs of Rodolfo T. Reyes who published his book, Memoirs of a Newsman, in 1990 while I was living abroad. To celebrate the end of 2015, I use an episode in this memoir that happened in 1956 as the starting point of my piece today. Chapter 7 of Rod’s memoir, “Four Hours in No Man’s Land,” told of the tense adventure of a group of Filipino students as they were entering the border of Vietnam from Cambodia on a goodwill visit. A Chinese communist flag was found in the bag of one of the students by a border guard as they were entering anti-communist South Vietnam. I was a member of that group of student leaders. The four of us from UP included Rod Reyes (who became a journalist par excellence), Homobono Adaza, and Amado Luis Lagdameo. Rod and Bon were student editors of the Philippine Collegian. Louie and I were from the UP Student Council, the elected UP student “politicians.” Nine other student leaders came from the University of Santo Tomas, University of the East, Lyceum, Philippine Women’s University, Philippine Christian Colleges, and Centro Escolar University. The trip was sponsored by the Office of the President of the Philippines and suggested by Rafael Salas, then adviser on student Read More …