By Elena Johnson Regular tofu (not the softer “silken” variety) is sold in the refrigerated case of most grocery stores. Medium or firm tofu is a healthy alternative to cholesterol-laden eggs. And tofu absorbs flavors and spices, so this recipe elevates the tomato and garlic flavors which I associate with “Filipino-style” scrambled eggs. Egg-laying hens […]
by Elena Johnson Bibingka is the richest cake I’ve ever eaten – or baked. But traditionally, it’s loaded with eggs and butter, along with coconut milk, which means it’s also loaded with artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fat. That’s why I created a heart-healthy egg and butter-free version. It’s every bit as indulgent, and your taste […]
Nation’s Top Blind Students to Compete in Unique Academic Competition WHAT: The 13th Annual National Braille Challenge® is coming! The top blind and visually impaired students from across the U.S. and Canada will put their knowledge of the braille code to the ultimate test during this unique competition, sponsored by Braille Institute of America. The National Braille Challenge is […]
By Christine O. Avendaño Philippine Daily Inquirer 2:52 am | Friday, June 14th, 2013 Justice Secretary Leila de Lima: Confirmation. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday confirmed an Inquirer report that the National Bureau of Investigation had recommended the filing of criminal charges against coast guards involved in the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in northern Philippine waters last month. De Lima also confirmed the Inquirer information that the NBI, which investigated the shooting death of fisherman Hung Shih-chen here and in Taiwan, submitted its report to her on Tuesday. In text messages and a phone patch interview, De Lima, who is in Madrid, Spain, for a conference on capital punishment, said she submitted the NBI report to President Aquino before she left Manila on Tuesday night. She said the NBI recommended criminal and administrative charges against coast guards involved in the shooting of the Taiwanese fishing boat Guan Ta Hsin 28 in the Balintang Channel on May 9. De Lima said she was not sure whether employees of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were among those recommended for prosecution. The BFAR owns the coastal patrol vessel MCS-3001, but the vessel is manned by Philippine Coast Guard personnel. There were 17 coast guards and two BFAR employees on the MCS-3001 when the shooting happened. Fourteen high-powered rifles were submitted to the NBI for the investigation. De Lima declined to disclose how many personnel had been recommended for charges and on what Read More …
By Jocelyn R. UyPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:22 am | Friday, June 14th, 2013 This undated handout photo received on April 10, 2013, and released by the Philippine coast Guard (PCG) shows coast guard personnel inspecting the Chinese fishing vessel which ran aground off Tubbataha reef in Palawan island, western Philippines. The 12 Chinese nationals arrested for the alleged poaching in April will not be deported until after their case has been terminated or they have served their sentence, the Bureau of Immigration said Wednesday, June 12, 2013. AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The 12 Chinese nationals arrested for alleged poaching at Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in April will not be deported until after their case has been terminated or they have served their sentence, according to the Bureau of Immigration. Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, spokesperson for the immigration bureau, said on Wednesday that a deportation order had been issued for the 12 Chinese, who were “undocumented,” but they must “remain detained” until the order could be implemented. Mangrobang said the suspected poachers would be turned over to the immigration bureau only if they would be released on bail. Marine park rangers arrested the 12 Chinese when their vessel ran aground on an atoll at Tubbataha in early April. A search of the vessel yielded a large cargo of frozen pangolin meat, believed bound for China’s exotic-food market. The pangolin, or anteater, is an endangered species. It is protected by Philippine and international laws. The authorities seized the pangolin meat, and the Tubbataha Read More …
A ranking official of the National Security Council on Thursday detailed China’s “aggressive behavior” in the West Philippine Sea, as he called for additional defense spending to uphold the Philippines’ interests in the region. Retired Navy Rear Admiral Vicente Agdamag, now Deputy Director General of the NSC Secretariat, said China’s actions confirmed its “clear intention to consolidate its control” over the disputed areas in line with the Chinese government’s nine-dash line claim. “It started, actually, in March 2011 when a Chinese patrol ship challenged MV Veritas Voyager conducting a survey for Forum Energy, 85 nautical miles off Palawan,” he said, referring to an incident at the Reed Bank in the Spratly Islands. Defense and military officials said two Chinese ships harassed the Department of Energy-commissioned survey ship. The Chinese ships told the crew of the Filipino ship to cease their activities because that was part of Chinese territory. The Chinese vessels left when the AFP Western Command, based in Puerto Princesa City, promptly dispatched a Navy BN-2 Islander maritime patrol aircraft and an Air Force OV-10 light attack/reconnaissance aircraft. No armed confrontation was reported. Agdamag also cited how Chinese ships prevented a Philippine Navy vessel, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, from arresting Chinese fishermen caught illegally fishing at the Scarborough Shoal, locally known as the Bajo de Masiloc, in April last year. The incident triggered a standoff between the China and Philippines, though China now is in virtual control of the shoal. The Philippine government withdrew its two ships from Read More …
By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 12:27 am | Friday, June 14th, 2013 Cmdr. Douglas Bradley shows some of the torpedoes of the US Navy’s attack submarine USS Asheville, which is docked at the Subic Bay Freeport. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Coming home to the land of his mother was a longtime dream of Lt. Vincent Mejia. When he finally did so, it was doubly joyful for the Filipino-American sailor who was tasked to steer to port one of the US Navy’s most advanced attack submarines after it had surfaced. “The most exciting was being able to drive the sub back to my homeland. It’s been a dream my entire life to come home,” said Mejia, 24, born and raised in the United States but whose mother hails from Pangasinan. “I would have never thought I would come back here and drive the ship to port,” said Mejia, who spends most of his days doing paperwork but also gets to serve as the sub’s helmsman, steering the vessel from time to time. Mejia is among a handful of Filipino-American sailors on their first Navy deployment aboard the USS Asheville, a submarine that docked here last weekend on a routine port call as part of its six-month Western Pacific deployment. Nicknamed “The Ghost of the Coast,” the 110-meter fast-attack submarine has been in service since 1991 and is the fourth Navy ship to be named after the North Carolina city, known to have a long maritime history. ‘Ghost of the Coast’ The Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Exports of coconut products rose in the first quarter year-on-year in terms of volume and value following slightly higher nut production during the period and increased demand for coconut oil in key markets, government data showed. Data from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) showed that the volume of coconut exports for the period rose 96.88 percent to 391, 231.76 metric tons (MT) from 198, 717.22 in the same period in 2012. The aggregate value of shipments rose 23.17 percent to $292.22 million in the first three months of the year against $237.25 million in the same period last year. Coconut oil remains as the top coconut export commodity of the country with total shipments valued at $202.63 million in the first quarter, up 36.48 percent from $148.47 million in 2012. In terms of volume, coconut oil shipments rose 108.98 percent to 222,299.96 MT in the first quarter of the year against 106,371.53 MT in 2012. Yvonne Agustin, the executive director of the United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCAP), earlier said that the Philippines enjoyed increased demand from key export markets such as United States and Europe during the first three months of the year.
MANILA, Philippines – Sales of car and truck assemblers went up by more than a fifth in the January to May period from last year due to strong demand for vehicles, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) said. In a statement yesterday, the CAMPI said combined sales of the group and the Truck Manufacturers Association Inc. reached 72,988 units as of end-May, 23.3 percent higher than the 59,174 units in the comparable period last year. Passenger car sales rose 35.4 percent to 23,904 units in the five-month period from the 17,656 units last year. Sales of commercial vehicles also grew 18.2 percent to 49,084 units as of end-May, from 41,518 units in the previous year. Light commercial vehicle sales, which reached 30,680 units as of end-May, also posted a 28.9 percent increase from 23,807 units a year ago. “Improvement in the economy is always first manifested by an upward trend in light commercial vehicle sales. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 This is because this type of vehicle could easily double as a family vehicle and a business transport service,” CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez said. Higher sales of trucks and buses were also seen for the five-month period which jumped 58 percent to 778 units from 493 units in the previous year. By company, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. remained the market leader with its 40.34 percent share.
MANILA, Philippines – Moody’s Investors Service is due to evaluate the Philippines next quarter, but an upgrade to investment grade status is not hinged on that, officials said yesterday. “The schedule is still being fixed but most likely, it would take place in the third quarter,” Claro Fernandez, central bank investor relations chief, said in a phone interview. The New York-based debt watcher has refrained from raising the country’s credit rating to investment grade despite similar actions from rivals, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Ratings Services this year. Moody’s currently places the Philippines at Ba1, with a “stable” outlook, which indicates no possible rating movements in the near future since the last action was in October of last year. Fitch and S&P, meanwhile, rank the country at BBB-, the lowest investment grade, months after they had their diligence visits to the Philippines. Fitch made its visit in March and S&P in April. Christian de Guzman, vice-president for Sovereign Ratings Group at Moody’s, said in an e-mail that yearly visits are “surveillance activities and are not a pre-requisite for a rating change.” Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Fernandez agreed, saying the government is consistently in touch with the rating agencies, sending them reports on Philippine economic developments. “We have been in constant communication with them. We send them reports so that even if they do not come here, they know what is happening,” Fernandez pointed out. “An upgrade is not dependent on the visit. It Read More …