July 2013 – Page 13

PAL taps Amadeus for air traffic solutions

Economy

Jul 232013

PAL taps Amadeus for air traffic solutions

MANILA, Philippines – Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has tapped Amadeus, a leading technology provider for the global travel industry, for air traffic solutions and services to support the airline’s ongoing expansion program. Amadeus Asia Pacific head of airline commercial Hazem Hussein said the European based company will assist the airline in its business and help it deal with the challenges and opportunities in the market. “Travel intelligence is a critical asset in a fast-moving, fragmented industry like travel. However, it is not only about having data. It is also about having the industry knowledge and analytical capability to turn it into valuable business insights,” he said. PAL president Ramon Ang, for his part, said: “We are committed to retaining our position at the forefront of the industry in the Asian region and the key to it is fleet modernization, network expansion, and service innovation programs.” “It is important for us to be able to base our network planning and marketing decisions on complete and reliable data that Amadeus solutions offer,” he added. The agreement will allow PAL the use of the Amadeus Market Information (MIDT) and Amadeus Air Traffic solutions to drive revenue growth and increase market share as it expands flights to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 MIDT allows PAL to monitor global market dynamics and identify profitable routes while developing more effective sales and marketing programs. In parallel, Amadeus Air Traffic calculates an accurate estimate of air Read More …

AboitizPower mulls wind power ventures

Economy

Jul 232013

MANILA, Philippines – AboitizPower, the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s power generation, distribution and retail businesses, is eyeing to embark on wind projects, saying the sector could be an attractive venture. “We’re looking at some wind projects but it’s a bit difficult to sell,” said AboitizPower senior vice president Luis Miguel Aboitiz. He noted that wind energy is more expensive than coal and should be sold in a different way. At the same time, Aboitiz said the incentives from the government for renewable energy projects such as the feed-in-tariff (FIT) would help investors. The FIT regime is a form of incentives for renewable energy players. The FIT rate approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the power regulator, are as follows: P9.68 per kilowatt-hour for solar; P8.53 per kwh for wind, P6.63 per kwh for biomass and P5.90 per kwh for hydropower projects. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 AboitizPower is one of the biggest power companies in the Philippines, with plans to invest P125 billion in the power sector over the next five years to double its capacity to 3,500 megawatts (MW). The Department of Energy, for its part, has been enticing investors to the wind power sector. It expects 300 MW of power capacity by 2016 from a total of five wind power projects. This is on top of the approved three wind farm projects that will generate 208 MW, enough to supply power to at least 40,000 middle-class homes. The three projects are Read More …

Maynilad allots P500M for pipe laying

Economy

Jul 232013

MANILA, Philippines – West Zone water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) yesterday announced that it is investing P500 million to lay nearly 33 kilometers of primary, secondary and tertiary pipes in Imus Cavite. The pipes would be laid along Buhay na Tubig road (from Aguinaldo Highway to Barangay Pinagbuklod) and along Malagasang Road (from Patindig Araw to Dasmarinas boundary), both in Imus. The pipe laying projects would start in August and are expected to be finished by early 2014. With the additional pipes, Maynilad could connect 19, 000 households and establishments in Imus. Maynilad said water consumers in Imus currently obtain water from deep wells and water delivery tanks. “We are committed to providing full water service coverage in the West Zone. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 This project will enable us to reach communities in the southernmost portion of our concession area,” said Maynilad president and CEO Ricky Vargas. Maynilad is coordinating with the Imus Traffic Management Office (ITMO) and local government of Cavite for the implementation of measures to minimize traffic and public inconvenience. Traffic aides would be deployed in work areas to assist the traffic flow. Work sites would be enclosed with board-up barricades, with appropriate lighting and warning signs. In areas where primary pipes would be laid, the contractors of Maynilad would only be allowed to work from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. These work sites would be temporarily restored after work hours to make the street passable during the day. Read More …

Filipino artists band together to send message of peace to China

News

Jul 232013

Filipino artists band together to send message of peace to China

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 11:40 pm | Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has a new message for China amid its continued maritime dispute with the country: “FU”. This message however does not mean any profanity, but instead is a call for “peace, love, unity and respect.” An independent group of artists from the United States and the Philippines have banded together and called themselves “The Filipinos Unite” (FU) movement with the aim of using music to call for Filipinos all over the world to unite against China’s bullying of the Philippines. Vonz Santos, chairman of FU, said Tuesday that their movement has several goals, among them are “to inspire the Filipinos around the world to wake up and come together, to show the world that there is another way to deal with conflict so peace can be attained, and to remind the Filipinos around the world about the strength and dignity that belongs to every Filipino.” “We have to do something as responsible citizens and Filipinos. I’ve marched and held rallies, I’ve been in front of the UN [and yet] the situation continues to get worse,” he said in a press conference. Santos was referring to the recent incursions of Chinese ships into Philippine territorial waters. China claims the entire West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) as its own including Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal) and Ayungin Shoal. Recently, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) started the arbitration process between the Philippines and China despite Beijing’s pronouncements that it Read More …

De Lima sees nothing wrong with Aquino publicly naming, shaming govt officials

News

Jul 232013

De Lima sees nothing wrong with Aquino publicly naming, shaming govt officials

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima found nothing wrong with President Benigno Aquino III publicly berating officials of three government agencies during his State of the Nation Address (SONA). In his speech, Aquino blasted the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, and the National Irrigation Authority, saying corrupt officials in these agencies have “makapal na mukha.” “Tama lang iyong isapubliko ni Presidente iyong kanyang frustration at galit sa mga ahensiya na iyon na nasa negative list,” De Lima said on Tuesday., “Tama lang iyong ‘naming and shaming’ kasi mukhang hindi nga sila natatablan kahit nagfa-file tayo ng mga kaso, mayroong mga administratively charged, mayroon din mga criminally charged,” she added. De Lima noted even if penalties had been handed down on some officials, corruption remains in these government agencies. Aquino rebuked the Immigration bureau for the escape of high-profile individuals including murder suspect and former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and a South Korean national wanted for large-scale investment scam. The President, meanwhile, criticized the NIA’s “make-do” culture, saying the agency merely rehabilitates existing irrigation systems instead of laying down new ones. Over at the Customs bureau, Aquino said officials seemed to be “nagpapaligsahan sa kapalpakan” in letting smuggled goods, firearms, and illegal drugs enter the Philippines. Customs chief Ruffy Biazon had offered to resign after Aquino’s SONA, but the latter rejected his offer of resignation. — DVM, GMA News

PAGASA: ITCZ to bring rain to NCR, Luzon, Visayas

News

Jul 232013

PAGASA: ITCZ to bring rain to NCR, Luzon, Visayas

The rain that fell over Metro Manila may continue in the next 24 hours due to the inter-tropical convergence zone, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. bulletin that the ITCZ is across Southern Luzon and Visayas, and indicated the rest of Luzon and Visayas may also expect more rain. “Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. It added Mindanao will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.” Earlier Tuesday, rain fell over parts of Metro Manila, causing floods that rendered some roads impassable to vehicles. Rain continued to fall on the metropolis Tuesday evening. Wednesday outlook Also, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southeast to south will prevail over the western section of Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east to southeast with slight to moderate seas. — BM, GMA News

De Lima: Cases to be filed vs. encroachers of waterways in next two weeks

News

Jul 232013

De Lima: Cases to be filed vs. encroachers of waterways in next two weeks

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said the government would be filing at least two cases in the next two weeks against people who own structures that encroach on waterways. In an interview with reporters, De Lima said President Benigno Aquino III has instructed an inter-agency working group, which included the Department of Justice (DOJ), to concentrate its efforts on eight “priority waterways,” including the San Juan River and the Tullahan River. Encroachment on waterways, either by informal settlers or private establishments, has been one of the factors behind severe flooding in Metro Manila during the rainy season. Aquino, during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, mentioned that the DOJ is preparing cases against those who constructed buildings that prevent waterways from functioning properly. De Lima said the inter-agency group has conducted ground surveys on these waterways based on satellite images and other sources. “Alam po natin iyong mga waterways, esteros, creeks… These are properties of public dominion and therefore not susceptible to appropriation or to private ownership,” De Lima said. “Nadiskubre namin na mayroong mga properties o mga encroachments o structures, may properties na may titulo at ang mga properties nila ay nage-encroach sa three-meter buffer zone,” she added. De Lima said the two cases to be filed in the next two weeks would be considered “pilot cases” and would be for “cancellation or revocation of title.” She also said the inter-agency team is already preparing to send out notices to owners of these Read More …

Customs exec Danilo Lim quits post a day after SONA

News

Jul 232013

Customs exec Danilo Lim quits post a day after SONA

(Updated 9 p.m.) Saying he agrees with President Benigno Aquino III’s observation on the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Danilo Lim, the bureau’s deputy commissioner for intelligence, tendered his resignation Tuesday. “I agree with the President’s SONA observation that the Bureau has not performed in accordance with the expectations of the people,” Lim said in a statement. “In view of this, I see no other recourse but to leave this office.” The BOC was one of the three government agencies Aquino scolded during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. The others were the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). Immediately after Aquino’s SONA, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon offered his resignation, but it was rejected by the President. According to Lim, as a member of the Cabinet, he is “privy to the truths that ring out in (Aquino’s) speech and am profoundly moved.” “It is in this spirit that I tendered my resignation as Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence of the Bureau of Customs,” said the retired military general who was involved in several coup attempts in the past, including one against Aquino’s mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, in 1989. Lim said this was not the first time he asked to be removed from his post in the BOC, which he held for 22 months. “During my tenure, (Executive) Secretary Pacquito Ochoa will attest that I had asked to be relieved of my duties no less than six times, and in all those times Read More …

GMA News' SONA 2013 coverage most viewed nationwide — Nielsen

News

Jul 232013

GMA News and Public Affairs’ comprehensive live coverage of President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) topped overall television household ratings on July 22 based on overnight data, according to the industry’s leading ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. Anchored by GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco and Mike Enriquez, GMA-7’s live coverage bested rival network ABS-CBN in National Urban TV Audience Measurement (NUTAM), Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila ratings. GMA-7’s “SONA 2013” scored an average household rating of 12.8 percent in NUTAM compared to ABS-CBN’s “Sa Gitna Ng Daang Matuwid” with only 12.1 percent. In Urban Luzon, GMA-7’s coverage emerged as the preferred choice with 15.0 percent, ahead of ABS-CBN’s, which only managed 10.3 percent. The Network also triumphed in its bailiwick Mega Manila with 16.1 percent, 5.8 points ahead of ABS-CBN’s 10.3 percent. Leading news channel GMA News TV (News TV)’s “SONA Ni PNoy” bannered by Peabody awardee and three-time Reader’s Digest Most Trusted News Presenter Jessica Soho likewise ruled over TV5’s “Pagbabago” in NUTAM, Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila. News TV recorded an average household rating of 3.2 percent in NUTAM, higher than TV5’s 3.1 percent. News TV’s “SONA Ni PNoy” also led TV5’s “Pagbabago 2013” in Urban Luzon, with 3.7 and 2.6 percent respectively. In Mega Manila, News TV delivered 4.1 percent, ahead of TV5’s 2.6 percent. GMA Network’s SONA coverage used new media platforms like YouScoop, Twitter, and Facebook to measure the public pulse, encouraging Filipinos from all walks of life Read More …

Japan to extend tech assistance for Bangsamoro formation

News

Jul 232013

Japan to extend tech assistance for Bangsamoro formation

By Michelle V. RemoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:51 pm | Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, has agreed to take on a major role in helping form the Bangsamoro government that is hoped to bring sustainable peace and development in Mindanao and is targeted to be operational by 2016. In a press conference Tuesday, JICA officials said the Japanese government-funded institution shall extend technical assistance to concerned people in Mindanao to help prepare them for 2016. Cristina Santiago, senior program officer at JICA, said the technical assistance shall run for three years. Signing of the technical assistance agreement will be held on Thursday. JICA shall be represented by Takahiro Sasaki, chief representative to the Philippines. The Bangsamoro people shall be represented by Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the Transition Commission for the establishment of the Bangsamoro government. The technical assistance, valued at $7 million (about P300 million), covers the formulation of medium- and long-term development plans for Mindanao. The assistance shall come in the form of a grant. The assistance likewise includes training of concerned people in Mindanao on areas of public administration, public budgeting and finance, management, and details of a parliamentary form of government. Chikaraishi Juro, senior advisor at JICA, said in the press conference that people in charge of forming the Bangsamoro government prefer having a parliamentary system in the belief such will be effective in instituting needed security, social, and economic programs in Read More …

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