The GNP Team

UN tourism org tells world to experience Philippines

 News
Jun 252017
 
UN tourism org tells world to experience Philippines

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai has hailed the experience of visiting the Philippines and said the world’s people must come visit because “You haven’t lived if you have not experienced the Philippines.” Dinagyang Festival [via Iloilo Today] The Department of Tourism posted how the UNWTO chief praised the Philippines and the Filipinos for managing to survive difficulties and still come out with their best saying, “The world is lucky to have the Philippines. Culture, nature, upbeat people give the country so much life. The Philippines is a country to travel and respect, and its greatest gift is its people.” Rifai told delegates of the 6th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics, “We are here, ladies and gentlemen, to tell the world to come to the Philippines and make no mistake about it. Anybody who tries to present any other version of the story should come and see with your own eyes.” “All of the countries of the world that have experienced difficulties have come back and have shown their best and their beauty comes out,” the UN organization head said during the WTO meeting hosted by Manila – the country’s second time to host WTO after 1980. UNWTO described the Manila Conference as “a landmark opportunity to discuss methodological advances, explore emerging issues and learn from pioneering country experiences in this area of measurement.” The 3-day conference gathered Tourism Ministers from Thailand, Seychelles, Fiji, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and 721 international and local delegates Read More …

Banaue Rice Terraces access now faster via Clark

 News
Jun 252017
 
Banaue Rice Terraces access now faster via Clark

Access to Banaue Rice Terraces, an “8th Wonder of the World”, has been made faster with the opening of flights linking Bagabag Airport in Nueva Viscaya from Clark International Airport in Pampanga. Banaue Rice Terraces [by George Tapan via Facebook] Visits to the famed man-made rice terraces created by the Ifugao tribes over 2,000 years ago can now be done via the Batanes-based airline Wakay Air Services after it started regular charter flights from Clark Int’l Airport in May. The Banaue Rice Terraces World Heritage Sites are now just five hours away from Manila via Wakay Air. The land drive usually takes 10-12 hours. Bagabag, the closest public airport to the Rice Terraces, is a 30-minute flight from Clark Pampanga. The Department of Tourism announced the opening of the flights and encouraged tourists to visit the Cordillera provinces of Ifugao and Mountain Province during June to July before harvest, and January to March before cleaning and planting. Wakay Air operations manager James Ong said the Clark-Bagabag flights will generate investment opportunities for Northern Luzon, according to an Inquirer article. The Bagabag Airport is classified as a community airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines under the Department of Transportation and Communication.   The post Banaue Rice Terraces access now faster via Clark appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related posts: 300k outsourcing jobs available in Clark Freeport Kalibo, Davao airports named among world’s most efficient Philippine economy grew faster than China in 2016 Huffington Post gives 8 reasons Read More …

Chef Tatung is Best Celebrity Chef Outside Europe

 News
Jun 252017
 
Chef Tatung is Best Celebrity Chef Outside Europe

Filipino chef Mike Tatung Sarthou has been named the World’s Best TV Celebrity Chef Outside Europe at the 22nd Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2017. Philippine cookery: From heart to platter [via Facebook] Chef Tatung won in the Best Authors and Chefs category with his book, Philippine cookery: From heart to platter. The cookbook, the National Winner in the Gourmand Awards in January, won first place against entries from 57 countries.  The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards named Chef Tatung’s book as one of the world’s best, giving it the right to use the “Best In The World” self-adhesive sticker. Chef Tatung’s Philippine cuisine cookbook was hailed one of the world’s best among 211 countries and 569 finalists in the 2017 edition of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.   The post Chef Tatung is Best Celebrity Chef Outside Europe appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related posts: Chef Tatung wins Gourmand Cookbook Awards Claude Tayag triumphs in US Embassy Chef Challenge Margarita Forés is Asia’s Best Female Chef 7 Reasons Why the Filipino Will Change the World

FB celebrity makes $100 tourism video on PHL

 News
Jun 202017
 
FB celebrity makes $100 tourism video on PHL

Nas Daily, a daily video site by Nuseir Yassin who has become a Facebook celebrity after generating over 150 million views, has produced a $100 tourism video on the Philippines. Nuseir Yassin [via Facebook] Nas Daily’s Day 434 video “This doesn’t cost millions” shows the many tourism offerings of the Philippines and the Filipinos, was posted on Facebook on June 17 and has already raked in 412 thousand views after 2 days. Yassin’s video actually lasts 1 minute like his other viral videos – with the feature on the Philippines running 30 seconds. Yassir, an Israeli Arab who has declared the Philippines as his favorite country after visiting it in 2017 and posting videos about his stay, produced the tourism video on his own in New York. In the video post Yassir, an Economics and Computer Science graduate from Harvard University, said he wanted to show how a mere $100 dollars budget can produce an effective promotional video for so much less than what governments spend usually on agency-produced videos. Yassir captioned his Day 434 video with: “I am always amazed by how much money is wasted in the media business. Governments spend millions of dollars to make simple videos while agencies take a huge cut of that. Why? When it's not your own money, it's so easy to spend it the wrong way. And in countries where every dollar is needed, that becomes wasteful. So I tried to take a swing at making a tourism video for the Philippines Read More …

Robbie Antonio’s designer pre-fab homes a big hit

 News
Jun 202017
 
Robbie Antonio’s designer pre-fab homes a big hit

Trump Tower Manila developer Robbie Antonio is collaborating with 48 of the world’s leading architects and designers to bring limited edition designer pre-crafted properties to Manila. Robbie Antonio Antonio, CEO of Revolution Precrafted, is pioneering the pre-crafted home concept to simplify the process of owning a dream home by a dream designer by allowing anyone to hand-pick a design by world-renowned architects, artists, and designers – including Tom Dixon, Sou Fujimoto, Fernando Romero, David Salle and celebrities such as Daphne Guiness and Lenny Kravitz – and have it transported right on the owner’s doorstep. The real estate developer, who himself owns a mansion in Manila designed by Rem Koolhaas, is creating designer homes and pavilions that are made to order and shipped in a span of 3 months. The Revolution pre-crafted home features all essential space functions with complete provisions for utilities. No two homes or pavilions are alike with the real estate developer giving a free hand to his designers. The Century Properties CEO initially instructed designers to create structures from 50 to 250 square meters with components that could fit in a shipping container, allowing the pre-crafted home or pavilion to be shipped to anywhere in the world. The pre-crafted designs are also flexible, with structures that can be dismantled and moved from location to location. The NorthWestern University and Stanford University graduate who has launched Manila projects such as the Trump Tower Manila and Paris Hilton’s Paris Beach Club at Azure Urban Resort Residences, also partnered with Read More …

Bianca Gotuaco wins gold in US archery college tourney

 News
Jun 202017
 
Bianca Gotuaco wins gold in US archery college tourney

Filipino archer Bianca Gotuaco has won the gold at the US National Outdoor Collegiate Championships. Bianca Gotuaco [by Mike McLaughlin via Columbia University Athletics] Gotuaco bagged her first collegiate National Title with the individual recurve gold, leading her archery team from the Columbia University where she studies at Applied Science and Mathematics. "I am very happy and very proud of our team. I know we deserve it, but I'm still very shocked. We worked so hard this year – our practices were very productive now that we have a dedicated practice space and we've had better weather so we were able to prepare very well. I think we're all very happy with how we did,” Gotuaco said in a Columbia University article. Gotuaco is listed in the World Archery rankings as a student who represents the Philippines in archery. She made her international debut in 2009. She finished 15th overall in the recurve at the National Indoor Championships with a score of 1,067. She also finished in the top-ten in the recurve at the AAE Arizona Cup with 580 points. Before studying in Columbia, Gotuaco was in the World Archery Championships Philippine Team, South East Asian Games Philippine Archery Team, 11th Rank, 2014 Youth Olympic Games Nanjing, Gold (Olympic Round), Silver (Ranking Round), Junior Division, 130th US National Target Championship Easton JOAD, and Second Place, Qualified for the Youth Olympic Games, 2013 Asian Archery Championships.   The post Bianca Gotuaco wins gold in US archery college tourney appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related Read More …

Martha Atienza wins Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel

 News
Jun 172017
 
Martha Atienza wins Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel

Filipino-Dutch cinematographer Martha Atienza has received the 19th Baloise Art Prize at the Art Basel 2017 in Switzerland. Martha Atienza [via CNN Philippines] Atienza’s winning video installation, “Our Islands 11°16’58.4”N 123°45’07.0”E, 2017”, is a single channel HD video (00:01:12:00 min, loop) with no sound that shows a traditional Philippine procession done underwater. The prize of CHF 30,000 is presented at the Statements sector of Art Basel by a jury of international experts. The prize includes the acquisition by Baloise of a group of works by the Atienza, which are donated to two important museums in Europe: the Nationalgalerie – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and the MUDAM, Luxembourg. The Art Basel show gallery captions Atienza’s work as a six- screen life-sized projection of an underwater procession moving from one wall to the next that shows men wearing costumes depicting religious and iconic images in the Philippines such as the Santo Niňo, Ati-Atihan, Yolanda survivors, and even Manny Pacquiao’s boxing gloves. “We watch the procession passing by as if in an aquarium: Christ carrying the cross, men in women’s clothes and demonstrators carrying tableaux with political slogans, threatened from behind by menacing, armed henchman. Through her cast of characters and choice of setting, Atienza presents a both critical and humorous take not only on the state of society in the Philippines but also on the threat of climate change to which the country is increasingly exposed through the warming of the world’s oceans,” according to the 2017 Baloise Prize. Atienza’s works are Read More …

La Salle Chorale Bacolod is Vietnam Int’l tilt winner

 News
Jun 172017
 
La Salle Chorale Bacolod is Vietnam Int’l tilt winner

The University of St. La Salle (USLS) Chorale Bacolod has been adjudged the Choral Grand Prize Winner at the 5th Vietnam International Choir Competition. La Salle Chorale Bacolod [via Interkultur] La Salle Chorale Bacolod brought home the Hoi An Choir Prize 2017 awarded by an international jury which crowned the university choir group as the biggest winner of the competition – winning the Golden Diploma in the three categories it joined and ranking first in two categories. Chorale Bacolod [via Facebook] The USLS university choir composed of university and senior high school students, along with some alumni, won in the following categories: Category B1 – Mixed Choirs – Level of difficulty II without compulsory piece La Salle Chorale (Philippines) CATEGORY WINNER conducted by: Serry Repique Category F – Folklore La Salle Chorale (Philippines) CATEGORY WINNER conducted by: Serry Repique Category S – Sacred Choir Music Points La Salle Chorale (Philippines) GOLD III conducted by: Serry Repique With their winning performances, La Salle Chorale has also qualified to perform at the following INTERKULTUR major Events within the next 5 years: Q I =World Choir Games–The Champions Competition; World Choir C hampionships–The Champions Round; Grand Prix of Choral Music Q II = World Choir Games–The Champions Competition; World Choir Championships–The Champions Round.   The post La Salle Chorale Bacolod is Vietnam Int’l tilt winner appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related posts: Filipino choir groups triumph in Vietnam choral competition All- male Filipino chorale triumphs in Japan chamber contest La Salle video in Read More …

Carla Kuaiwa in Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women

 News
Jun 172017
 
Carla Kuaiwa in Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women

Filipino-American Carla Kuaiwa has made it to the 2016 list of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women. Carla Kuaiwa [via Balitang America] Kuaiwa together with this year’s awardees join the over 400 Houston women honorees who have been recognized by the annual “50 Women of Influence” program launched in 2008 by Houston Woman Magazine. “Each in the Class of 2016 is intelligent and interesting. Each spends her time and energy doing what she loves most. Each speaks of her interests enthusiastically and with great joy. Each is actively engaged in activities that move her forward in her career and in life and, at the same time, allow her to make significant contributions to our community. Each gives generously of her time and talents to help local charities and other nonprofits and the clients they serve.  Because of their knowledge and experience, others listen when they speak and follow when they lead. Indeed, all are worthy of special recognition,” said Houston Woman Magazine of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2016. Kuaiwa is the Director of Hospital Operations for Community Relations, Volunteer Services, Community Benefits, & Occ Medicine at the Memorial Hermann Health System. Her Linked In profile also shows her involvement in the MMHS as Regional Service Line Administrator for Medicine, Senior, Orthopedics, & IP Rehab. Kuaiwa said in a Balitang America report, “You don’t think about awards when you do community service, and for me, it’s just really giving back to the community. And to be recognized for that is Read More …

Free Wi-Fi on 24-km stretch of EDSA now available

 News
Jun 142017
 
Free Wi-Fi on 24-km stretch of EDSA now available

High-speed Wi-Fi Internet for commuters plying the EDSA highway in Metro Manila has been made accessible to the public beginning June 12, Philippine Independence Day. The “EDSA Wi-Fi” project is available at street level throughout the whole 24-kilometer stretch of the major highway, including all 13 stations of the MRT Line 3, from Taft Avenue in Pasay City to North Avenue in Quezon City. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima in a media release said the public EDSA Wi-Fi offering is a “gift to the people of this free nation” on the occasion of the Philippine Independence Day. According to Secretary Salalima, this follows through President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to provide free Internet access in public places nationwide. “We work to give Filipinos access to the information and technology that they need in their daily lives. EDSA Wi-Fi will benefit the hundreds of thousands of commuters along EDSA daily.” To ensure the availability and resilience of the free public Wi-Fi service, the DICT has tapped the facilities of the country’s largest Internet service providers Globe Telecom and PLDT, Inc. Both operators have been working with the local government and public works units of Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Makati, Manila, Pasay City, as well as the MRT administration and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), to complete installation of the public Wi-Fi service. With each service provider working on different schemes and access points for this free public Wi-Fi offering, Secretary Salalima highlighted that commuters will have Read More …

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