Bentley showroom opens in Manila

 Economy
Jun 122013
 
Bentley showroom opens in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – British premium car maker Bentley recently opened its Manila showroom, marking its entry in the Philippine market. The first Bentley showroom in the country is under car distributor PGA Automobile Inc. The Bentley showroom is located at the PGA facility along EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) in Greenhills. Bentley Manila is the British marque’s foray into its 52nd country. It is also its 183rd dealer worldwide. The car maker’s arrival in the country is seen timely as the Philippines is currently regarded as part of the world’s booming markets given its strong economic growth after posting more than six percent growth in 2012. In the first quarter, the economy expanded 7.8 percent, the fastest rate posted in the last three years. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The country’s positive economic performance is considered to be favorable for Bentley to maintain its growth momentum. Bentley considers their entrance into the Philippine market in the same way their customers should perceive the cars they build, as an investment. “PGA Automobile formally embarks on a new adventure – a partnership with Bentley Motors and we are proud to bring you one of Britain’s oldest motor companies, well known as a manufacturer of exclusive automobiles founded 94 years ago and the world’s most admired luxury brand,” Bentley Manila managing director Amado Del Rosario said. For his part, British Ambassador Stephen Lillie said he is delighted that another exceptional British brand has arrived on Philippine shores. “Bentley’s Read More …

Petronas announces project to export LNG to Asia

 Economy
Jun 122013
 
Petronas announces project to export LNG to Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Malaysian national oil company Petronas has announced a multibillion dollar plan to extract, liquefy and export natural gas in western Canada to energy-hungry markets in Asia, officials said.  Arif Mahmood, Petronas’ vice president of corporate planning, said between $9 billion and $11 billion would be invested to construct two LNG liquefaction plants. Target date for the project’s completion is late 2018. The site will be designed with the potential to add a third plant and LNG storage tank, the company said on its website. Another $5 billion will be invested in a pipeline 750 kilometers (466 miles) long, to be built and operated by TransCanada Corp., to supply gas to the plants, Arif confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press.  The Pacific NorthWest LNG project, located on Lelu Island in the Port Edward district in British Columbia, will liquefy and export natural gas produced by Progress Energy Canada, which Petronas also owns.  Separately, Progress Energy Canada said it plans to spend “several billion dollars on activities related to natural gas extraction.” Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 This will bring the total project cost to around $20 billion, the company said by email through a representative. Petronas recently sold a 10-percent stake in the gas facility to Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. to secure its first long-term buyer, and is hunting for more buyers.

More Americans quit jobs in sign of confidence

 Economy
Jun 122013
 
More Americans quit jobs in sign of confidence

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans are quitting their jobs, suggesting many are growing more confident in the job market. The Labor Department said Tuesday that the number of people who quit their jobs in April jumped 7.2 percent to 2.25 million. That’s just below February’s level, which was the highest in 4 ½ years. Overall hiring also picked up in April, though not as dramatically. Employers filled 4.4 million jobs in April, a five- percent increase from March. Hiring fell in March and April’s level was below February’s. The report offered a reminder that the job market is far from healthy. The number of available jobs slipped fell three percent to a seasonally adjusted 3.75 million. Openings had reached a five-year high in February and remain nearly seven percent higher than a year ago. Still, the growth in hiring and quits provides more evidence of a dynamic job market that is making slow but steady strides. It follows Friday’s May employment report, which showed the economy added a net 175,000 net jobs last month. That’s roughly in line with the average monthly gain over the past two years. Most workers quit their jobs when they have a new position or feel confident that they can find one quickly. And when they do, it opens up more opportunities for other Americans, including the unemployed. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Janet Yellen, vice chair of the Federal Reserve, has said the Fed is monitoring data on quits and Read More …

Rainy Thursday in NCR, parts of Luzon and VisMin

 News
Jun 122013
 
Rainy Thursday in NCR, parts of Luzon and VisMin

Southwest monsoon to bring rain to western side of PHL. PAGASA satellite image shows the southwest monsoon affecting the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas PAGASA Residents of Metro Manila and several parts of the country may expect light to moderate rain Thursday due to the southwest monsoon, state weather forecasters said Wednesday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon is affecting the western sections of Luzon and Visayas. “Metro Manila, Ilocos region, the provinces of Zambales and Bataan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and SOCCSKSARGEN will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. The rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” PAGASA added. In past weeks, residents of Metro Manila had experienced rain from thunderstorms. In some instances, the thunderstorms caused floods in some major thoroughfares. But it was not until Monday that PAGASA officially declared the start of the rainy season. Thursday outlook  For Thursday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 32 degrees Celsius, while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 25 to 36 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 24 to 32 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds from the southwest to south will prevail over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Light to Read More …

10 frat members ordered arrested over death of San Beda law student Marc Andre Marcos

 News
Jun 122013
 
10 frat members ordered arrested over death of San Beda law student Marc Andre Marcos

(Updated 2:53 p.m.) A Cavite trial court has ordered the arrest of 10 members of San Beda-based Lex Leonum fraternity over the hazing rites that led to the death of first year law student Marc Andre Marcos on July 30 last year. In an order by Executive Judge Perla Cabrera-Faller, the Cavite Regional Trial Court Branch 90 ordered the arrest of the following for alleged violation of Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law: Jenno Antonio Villanueva Emmanuel Jefferson Santiago Richard Rosales Mohamad Fyzee Alim Chino Daniel Amante Julius Alcancia Edrich Gomez Dexter Circa Gian Angelo Veluz Glenn Meduen “Finding probable cause to sustain the prosecution of the above-mentioned accused for the crime charged in the criminal information, let a warrant for their arrest be issued,” said Judge Faller in her order dated June 3. “[I]n the meantime send the entire records of this case to the archives until the said accused shall have been arrested,” she added. In October last year, the San Beda College of Law, through its Committee on Student Conduct, approved the penalty of exclusion against 27 of its students found to be members of the Lex Leonum fraternity. The committee also suspended eight other Bedans who “have shown remorse” after violating the College’s students’ code of conduct. The committee came out with the list dated October 23, in relation to an administrative investigation on the violation of the college’s students’ code of conduct. Marcos died from extensive traumatic injuries in his upper and lower extremities Read More …

PAGASA: Monsoon rain over Luzon, Visayas on June 12

 News
Jun 112013
 
PAGASA: Monsoon rain over Luzon, Visayas on June 12

Southwest monsoon to bring rain to western side of PHL. PAGASA satellite image shows the southwest monsoon affecting the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas PAGASA Rain from the southwest monsoon may fall over parts of Luzon and Visayas on Wednesday, even as state weather forecasters continued to monitor a potential low-pressure area off Palawan. PAGASA forecaster Buddy Javier also said the Mindanao area may expect partly cloudy weather due to the inter-tropical convergence zone. “Ang potential low-pressure area sa may Palawan at Mindoro (The potential low-pressure area is near Palawan and Mindoro),” Javier said in an interview on dzBB radio. Earlier, PAGASA had said the potential LPA may bring rain but is not likely to become a cyclone. For Wednesday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 33 degrees Celsius, while Angeles and Olongapo may expect temperatures of 23 to 33 degrees Celsius. But it will still be hot in Tuguegarao City, which PAGASA said may expect temperatures of 26 to 37 degrees Celsius. Wednesday outlook PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin indicated the southwest monsoon is affecting the western sections of Luzon and Visayas. “Luzon and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms,” it said. It added moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southwest to south will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to Read More …

BRP Ramon Alcaraz stops at Florida to test-fire cannon

 News
Jun 112013
 
BRP Ramon Alcaraz stops at Florida to test-fire cannon

BRP Ramon Alcaraz sails for PHL. The newest warship of the Philippine Navy, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF 16) with 14 officers and 74 enlisted personnel lead by Capt. Ernesto Baldovino, departs on Monday, June 10 from Charleston, South Carolina bound for the Philippines. The ship is expected to arrive in August after making port visits to San Diego, Hawaii and Guam for reprovisioning. The BRP Alcaraz will test fire its main gun off the coast of Florida. PN/DFA/Elmer Cato The BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the the Philippine Navy’s second Hamilton-class ship, made a stop at Mayport, Florida in the US Tuesday evening (Philippine Standard Time), the Philippine Embassy in Washington said. In posts on its Twitter account, the embassy said the Ramon Alcaraz was to load and test-fire its 76-mm Oto Melara cannon while in Mayport. According to Italian manufacturer Oto Melara, the 76-mm compact naval gun is a rapid-fire cannon that can be installed on relatively small warships. It shoots 76-mm, 62-caliber shells at selectable rates of either one round or a full rate of fire of 80 rounds per minute. The embassy also said that Florida was the Alcaraz’s first stop in its voyage to the Philippines. It would also pass through the Panama Canal. The BRP Ramon Alcaraz started its journey to the Philippines from the United States Monday night (Philippine Standard Time). It was given an emotional send-off by the Filipino community of Charleston, South Carolina. — DVM, GMA News

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