Cargo ship with 21 Filipino crewmen hits rocks on Greek island

 News
Feb 102015
 
Cargo ship with 21 Filipino crewmen hits rocks on Greek island

popular 5.7 quake rattles Eastern Samar ‘BBL won’t pass if vote is taken now’ Dating and the single dad Man in 8 QC heists sought SAF survivors say ‘only God came to help’ Family of slain SAF to get free housing from NHA Globalport routs ailing Alaska Should I buy a brand-new or a second-hand car? videos Purisima asked: Don’t you trust Roxas, Espina? Napeñas quizzed on US knowledge of role in Mamasapano operation Can the MILF still be trusted? Napeñas had ‘no sense of urgency’ during Mamasapano clash—military exec Honasan hits PNP, AFP for relying on SMS at height of Mamasapano battle ATHENS, Greece — Greek authorities say rescuers are trying to reach a Cyprus-flagged cargo ship with 22 crewmen that ran aground in a strong gale on an Aegean Sea island and is taking in water. The Merchant Marine Ministry says coast guard vessels are heading for the northern coast of Andros where the Good Faith ran aground early Wednesday. The freighter, which was empty of cargo, was heading from the Greek port of Eleusis to Odessa in the Black Sea. The ministry said the crew consisted of 21 Filipinos and one Romanian. The rescue effort was hampered by adverse weather, as Greece was hit by a cold spell with snow falling in central Athens. RELATED STORY 2015: Bad start for Filipino seafarers Get Inquirer updates while on the go, add us on these apps: Tags: cargo ship Filipino ofws Filipino seamen sea accident sea mishap Related Stories: Read More …

Ebola watch continues; more quarantine facilities needed

 News
Feb 102015
 
Ebola watch continues; more quarantine facilities needed

This undated file image made available by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows the Ebola virus. AP FILE PHOTO/CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL MANILA, Philippines—With the 21-DAY quarantine for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other travelers from Ebola-stricken countries continuing, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday it was looking for other places to hold them temporarily. DOH spokesperson Lyndon Lee Suy said the department was considering putting up quarantine facilities in Luzon and the Visayas, preferably near airports. “There are areas currently being surveyed as possible quarantine areas, including Fort Magsaysay, and we welcome such a generous offer from the local government,” Lee Suy told reporters in an interview. Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali had proposed that a portion of the sprawling military camp in the province be turned into a quarantine facility. In the meantime, Lee Suy said, arriving passengers from the Ebola-stricken West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea would continue to be held for 21 days in the former administration building of Nayong Pilipino in Pasay City. “For now, we will continue to use that one near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport,” he said. Lee Suy said the government had never stopped imposing the 21-day quarantine on all passengers arriving from Ebola-afflicted countries. “There was no letup in screening passengers from those countries even if the people had lost interest in the issue the past few months,” he said. On Monday, the DOH announced that arriving passengers from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea Read More …

So-Nakamura showdown at coming US Chess Championship creates buzz

 General
Feb 102015
 
So-Nakamura showdown at coming US Chess Championship creates buzz

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – It’s still nearly two months before the 2015 US Championship, but already there’s a big buzz around this year’s competition. Some are even calling it “one for the ages,” while others say this is the most interesting chess tournament in years. The arrival of Grandmaster Wesley So, who transferred to the US chess federation from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in October is responsible for the heightened interest. Specifically, it’s his growing rivalry with long-time top American GM Hikaru Nakamura that’s causing chess fans to anticipate the championships. The 21-year-old So and the 27-year-old Nakamura, are battling for the No.7 world ranking and the No. 1 spot as US chess player, and the back-and fort is creating excitement among fans of both players. Right now, in the official rating of international chess federation, or FIDE, So occupies the No.7 spot and No. 1 American with a 2788 point, while Nakamura has 2776. However, in the live rating, which is the updated ranking based on the latest tournament results, Nakamura is on top with 2792.1, thanks to a 16.point increase from the recently concluded Gilbraltar Masters tournament. Nakamura drew with Pentala Harikrishna in the 10th and last round and clinched first place with seven wins and three draw. His 8.5/10 result is an emphatic signal that he’s not ready to give up the stage to So just yet. Focus on title “At this point, I’m only truly concerned with one title and not much else,” Read More …

Valentine’s Day cuteness at Daiso

 Entertainment
Feb 102015
 
Valentine’s Day cuteness at Daiso

MANILA, Philippines – Celebrate the season of love with a touch of cuteness at Daiso Japan. For Valentine gifts, the store offers heart cookie cutters, assorted heart boxes, heart sandwich boxes, candy safety pins, heart-shaped microwave oven egg trays, silicone chocolate molds, flower magnets, and glittering clear rollers. You’ve probably seen these stores selling all kinds of merchandise for as low as P88. While these stores somehow look the same from the outside, not all are genuine hyakuen, or what is known in Japan as 100-yen stores. Certainly, customers looking for the best value for their money know better and shop at Daiso Japan, operated by Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., which holds the exclusive sub-license to sell authentic Daiso merchandise from Japan and operates the legitimate Daiso Japan store concept in the Philippines. Quality, variety, and uniqueness of products make Daiso Japan the No. 1 supplier of living ware goods all over Japan. Shelves upon shelves are replenished each week with the latest kawaii (cute) items from Japan, including licensed Sanrio and Disney items, so that customers are always assured of quality, along with big savings. Aside from variety, product aspects such as design, packaging, and functionality are important considerations, making Daiso Japan a favorite haunt for all things cute and practical by discerning shoppers. Because the store carries practically everything under one roof, picking out a gift for any occasion is a lot of fun. Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: After Valentine’s Day, get into Read More …

What do you play for?

 Economy
Feb 102015
 
What do you play for?

The author (center, back row) with STAR Motoring editor Manny N. de los Reyes (center) and Chevrolet Philippine distributor The Covenent Car Company Inc.’s Senior Vice President for Marketing and Customer Services Lyn Buena. For many football fans, winning or losing a game is a matter of life and death. But if you ask the folks around Old Trafford, they’Il tell you that that’s ridiculous. It is far more important than that. Welcome to Manchester, England. Home to the legendary Manchester United football team. In automotive terms, this would be what Scuderia Ferrari is to Formula One, or because love ‘em or hate ‘em, the sport wouldn’t be the same without them. It’s my first time to watch a match live. Well, one of this league at least. But this is not just any match; this is the most epic rivalry in football history: Manchester United versus Liverpool, which loosely translated is Ali vs Fraser, Prost vs Senna, Ateneo vs La Salle, and Roadrunner vs Coyote all rolled into one. Yes, I know. It is strange for a motoring journalist to be covering a football match, but I have been invited by Chevrolet Philippines through their global sponsorship program to understand precisely that. Because even though Chevrolet is pulling out of Europe, they are finding new roads in Asia and other emerging markets where football is the fastest growing sport, and using the power of play to make dreams become possibilities. “Followed passionately by billions of people around the world, Read More …

Love blooms

 Entertainment
Feb 102015
 
Love blooms

Robinsons Department Store style muse Maricar Reyes wears Stella. MANILA, Philippines – Stella, a fashion label of Robinsons Department Store, presents bolder colors and prints, easy mixing and matching, and versatile pieces that seamlessly go from day to night. Start the season of romance in carefree, sleeved dresses with A-line silhouettes emblazoned with floral prints. Seen with the year’s hottest colors of crimson and tangerine in easy, breezy cuts, these dresses go with the rosy season of love. For cocktail dressing, opt for the electrifying shade of blue. Best worn with a scallop neckline, a tapered waist, and just the right hint of sophisticated color-blocking, blue becomes the coolest hue for those sizzling nights. Garbed in these season’s finest threads from Stella  is Robinsons Department Store’s style muse Maricar Reyes.  Just as the brand breaks the boundaries of fast fashion and short-lived styles, Stella offers plenty of lasting practical, style-savvy pieces.

MPIC raises $200M via equity placement

 General
Feb 102015
 
MPIC raises $200M via equity placement

MANILA, Philippines – Infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has generated about P8.9 billion in fresh funds through an overnight equity placement and plans to raise up to P10 billion more through borrowings to support infrastructure investments in the country and refinance obligations. The company, led by business titan Manuel V. Pangilinan, told the local bourse yesterday it raised $200 million following the placement of 1.81 billion in new MPIC shares priced at P4.90 each. The deal involved MPIC’s major shareholder, Metro Pacific Holdings Inc. (MPHI), lending a portion of its existing shares for sale to investors. In turn, it will subscribe in the same number and at the same price which the shares were sold. MPIC said the conduct of an equity fund raising through the placing and subscription transaction allowed the company to raise equity funds “in a most expeditious and efficient manner, with the least cost to MPIC, for use in its debt repayments, expansion and acquisition projects.” MPIC said the placement managed by UBS AG Hongkong was conducted overnight and garnered strong interest from institutional investors in Asia especially within the Philippines, as well as Europe and the US. Following the transaction, MPHI’s economic interest in MPIC was reduced to 52.13 percent from 55.8 percent. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “With recent developments in our new investment in Vietnam, accelerating progress in the Philippines in our roads, specifically the SCTEX, together with rail and further PPP opportunities ahead of us we Read More …

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