Who wore the Michael Cinco dress better—Marian Rivera or Toni Gonzaga?
Mar 192015
Mar 182015
THE INFORMATION technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry surpassed its 2014 revenue target of $18 billion, driven by health care information management (HIM), the industry association said.
Mar 182015
THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) has set generation capacity limits for companies this year in order to discourage abuse of market power in the industry.
Mar 182015
IT’S NO SECRET that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was strongly opposed to our legislators’ bill to increase the tax exemption ceiling on employee bonuses to P82,000 from the previous P30,000. With the law now in place and the BIR having issued the implementing regulations just this week, most people expect the BIR to find ways to make up for the lost revenue, even as it lowered its income projection for 2015.
Mar 182015
Seniors taking the first step in exercising their right to vote by registering at the Philippine Consulate as overseas voters. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS SAN FRANCISCO – Elderly Filipino-Americans trooped to the Philippine Consulate General on Sutter Street on March 5 for a special outreach conducted by consulate staff. Some 30 Filipino American senior citizens came to the Social Hall of the Philippine Center accompanied by Cecile Ascalon, family support and case manager at West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center and other West Bay volunteers. The lively group of visitors was made up of the elderly men and women who participate in West Bay’s Kapihan, Kasamahan at Kwentuhan (K3) Seniors Program. They fondly dubbed the occasion as the “Field Trip to the Philippine Consulate.” Aside from reacquiring their Philippine citizenship and registering as overseas voters, the seniors had a chance to meet consulate officers and staff. Mariza Bensurto and several Consulate officers and staff assisted and guided the visitors in their applications and attended to all their needs. Elderly Dual Citizenship applicants take an Oath of Allegiance before Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon. Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon T. Ascalon briefed them on the benefits of dual citizenship. He also informed the seniors of the Balikbayan Privilege, a special immigration privilege that is accorded to Filipinos or former Filipino citizens and their immediate family members. Consul Reginald Bernabe explained the procedure for overseas voting. The Kapihan, Kasamahan at Kwentuhan (K3) Seniors Program is a weekly program designed to teach Filipino seniors on leading Read More …
Mar 182015
In its aim to provide world-class customer experience, Chevrolet has partnered with Disney Institute to train its leaders and personnel. Chevrolet Philippines MANILA, Philippines – The Covenant Car Company Inc. (TCCCI), the exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet cars in the Philippines, bolstered its aim to provide top-notch customer experience by further strengthening its partnership with Disney Institute, the corporate university of Walt Disney Company. Following its new theme of ‘Be Chevy Strong’, TCCCI tapped the Disney Institute to learn from them the best practices of leadership, brand loyalty, creativity and an innovative culture of its workforce. “The Disney Institute program has been significantly fruitful to our organization. The Disney way provided us with fresh insights that are key in taking our customer service to class-leading standards. We believe that the collaboration is a progressive step that enables us to achieve the maximum potential for the bowtie brand,” said lawyer Albert B. Arcilla, President and Managing Director of Chevrolet Philippines. Investing in personnel development is a main strategy of TCCCI to strengthen the Chevrolet stewards and inspire them to render the best customer service and offer the best experience to every Chevy owner. The Chevrolet Academy, the company’s learning and development division, was then established to constantly improve the quality of Chevrolet services through skills training, personal development and values formation aimed at engaging every Chevy steward. Through it, Chevrolet Philippines continuously invests in the growth of its leaders and stewards to gain the winning edge in the highly competitive Read More …
Mar 182015
MANILA, Philippines – Infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has expressed interest in the government’s airport project, by purchasing bid documents. MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters yesterday the group bought bid documents for the airport projects, but noted that the firm would still need to study which package would be attractive. “We are in the process of assessing which package we would be more interested in,” he said. The government is set to offer for bidding the operation and maintenance (O&M) of six provincial airports worth P128 billion under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) program. To ensure all airports are awarded to competent firms, the government has decided to split the bidding into two packages. Package A covers Iloilo and Bacolod-Silay airports worth P50.66 billion while Package B comprises of the Davao, Laguindingan, and New Bohol (Panglao) airports worth P66.9 billion. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Package A was supposed to include the P10.27 billion Puerto Princesa airport but it was removed until further notice.
Mar 182015
Marian Rivera (center) will lead the cast of The Rich Man’s Daughter with (from left) Mike Tan, Katrina Halili, Glaiza de Castro and Luis Alandy MANILA, Philippines – With stars moving from one TV network to another and then back again like a merry-go-round, GMA is “never” closing its doors to established stars who wish to join (or rejoin) its stable. Widely rumored to transfer to GMA are Ai-Ai delas Alas and Willie Revillame. Ai-Ai’s contract with ABS-CBN already expired last month and she was spotted recently at the GMA premises to accompany and lend moral support to her son Sancho who has signed up with the network’s talent management arm, GMA Artist Center. Senior VP for Entertainment TV Lilybeth Rasonable said that while there’s nothing definite yet, “We like her (Ai-Ai), it would be nice to have her.” If Ai-Ai makes the move to GMA 7, it will be a homecoming of sorts as the actress/comedienne had her first comedy show on the Kapuso station, the 1997 sitcom 1 For 3 with Vic Sotto. On Willie, who’s been on a showbiz hiatus since the TV host wrapped up his TV5 variety-game show Wowowillie in 2013, Rasonable said, “(As for) Willie, we’re not privy to it (the negotiations). If there are (talks), we’re not included in them.” “Magaling siya, that’s my opinion of him,” Rasonable added. Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Another exciting development to watch for is the possible return of 2013 Miss World Megan Read More …
Mar 182015
Matet de Leon, as Tita Gracia on GMA 7’s InstaDad: I’m fine with any role given to me MANILA, Philippines – Add Matet de Leon to the long list of actors who can swing back and forth between different TV networks for acting projects without a hitch. Count her in, too, among the few who have no qualms about slipping into the shoes of any character being offered to them. “I’m everybody’s bestfriend,” says Matet on the kind of role she often plays onscreen. “As long as I’m not required to go bold (laughs); yung mga tipong pang FHM ‘di ko kaya ‘yan but other than that I’m fine with any role. I’ve never been choosy (with roles) ever since I started in showbiz.” Matet is only thankful that GMA 7 still sees her fit to be part of its latest drama series InstaDad with Gabby Eigenmann in the title role. You see, Matet is five months heavy with her and husband Mickey Estrada’s third child yet no one seems to play the Tita Gracia role best but her. The role, Matet says, was offered to her when InstaDad was still in its initial planning stage and “I wasn’t yet pregnant that time.” Months after, Matet got a call telling her inclusion in the final casting and that tapings would start soon. “I asked them if they still want me because I’m already pregnant so they had a meeting, and, thankfully, I still got the part. So regalo ng Diyos Read More …
Mar 182015
MANILA, Philippines – Today, March 19, French diplomatic representations and restaurants from all over the world, including the Philippines, will be celebrating French cuisine and gastronomy through Goût de France, or Good France. Upon the initiative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and world-renowned chef Alain Ducasse, 1,300 chefs have been selected to participate in this campaign to offer a French dinner that would pay tribute to the culinary tradition of France, which values high quality, innovative, and environmentally responsible cuisine. According to French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius, “France’s heritage is its cuisine, its wines. The gastronomic meal of the French has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2010, but it is a heritage that should not simply be contemplated, glorified and savored; it is a heritage that should be built upon and showcased.” Inspired by Auguste Escoffier, who launched the “Dîners d’Épicure” (Epicurean Dinners) initiative — the same menu, the same day, in several world cities and aimed at as many diners as possible — in 1912, Goût de France/Good France reproduces that idea with the desire to involve restaurants all around the world. Chef Michel Herbert of Le Bistro d’Agathe, chef Ronnie Reyes of Bizu Patisserie, chef Cyrille Soenen of Brasserie Ciçou, chef Marc Aubry of Champêtre, chef Kevin Endaya of Lemuria, chef Thomas Wenger of Restaurant 101, and chefs Bettina Arguelles and Denis Vecchiato of Spiral have been screened and chosen by a committee of experts Read More …