PHL Japan lash out at China island building

 Entertainment
Jun 082015
 
PHL Japan lash out at China island building

By Natsuko Fukue President Aquino meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Asahi-no-Ma Room of the Akasaka State Guest House during the two countries’ summit meeting on Thursday. Aquino called on Japan to form a united front against China’s increasing assertiveness.(MNS Photo) Tokyo, Japan (AFP)  – Japan and the Philippines lashed out Thursday at Chinese land reclamation in the South China Sea, where Beijing is building infrastructure some suspect will be used by its military. In a joint statement after their summit, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Philippine President Benigno Aquino criticised dredging in the sea, a busy shipping lane, where the United States says Beijing has built 2,000 acres (800 hectares) of artificial islands. “Both countries reaffirm their strong commitment to ensuring maritime safety and security, including in the South China Sea, which is a vital element for peace and prosperity of the region,” the statement said. They “share serious concern on unilateral actions to change the status quo in the South China Sea including large-scale land reclamation and building of outposts” in violation of a 2002 regional agreement, it said. Aquino has passionately courted Japan, along with the United States, to help serve as a counterbalance to China’s claims to almost the entirety of the sea, through which a huge chunk of global shipping passes, and which could harbor oil and gas reserves. Parts of the sea are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. The statement called for “peaceful settlement” of disputes, Read More …

VP Binay floats Erap as running mate in 2016

 Entertainment
Jun 082015
 
VP Binay floats Erap as running mate in 2016

Vice President Jejomar Binay (left) huddles with Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (center) and United Nationalist Alliance spokesperson Toby Tiangco during a visit to the Manila City Hall on Wednesday. Binay and Estrada were mum on the agenda of the meeting. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday floated former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada as his possible running mate in the 2016 elections — a reversal of their tandem in 2010. “Hindi na Erap-Binay, Binay-Erap na,” Binay said in an interview with reporters in Naval, Biliran. “Ang tawag doon, BEST. Alam mo ano ang ‘BEST’? Binay-Estrada.” In 2010, Estrada sought the presidency with Binay, then mayor of Makati City, as his running-mate. Estrada lost to President Benigno Aquino III, but won in Manila when he ran for mayor in 2013. Asked if Estrada is amenable to the tandem, Binay said: “Sa tingin ko.” Told that Estrada is choosing between him and Senator Grace Poe as his presidential bet in 2016, Binay said Estrada has assured him of his support in next year’s elections. “Ang talagang sinabi niya, kami ay magkakasama sa eleksyon sa 2016,” said Binay. Both Poe and Binay have been performing well in pre-election surveys on possible presidential bets, although Poe has yet to announce her plans for 2016. Binay, who is currently embroiled in a corruption scandal, said Estrada is one of those being considered by a committee in his party, the United Nationalist Alliance, in charge of looking for his Read More …

PHL gets G7’s back in China dispute

 Entertainment
Jun 082015
 
PHL gets G7’s back in China dispute

(TOKYO, Japan) President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Press Event with the Japan National Press Club (JNPC) at the Conference Hall of the Nippon Press Center Building on Friday (June 05, 2015) for his State Visit in Japan. (MNS photo) Manila, Philippines (AFP) Sunday 6/7/2015 – The Philippines Sunday welcomed reports that the G7 summit would express concern about unilateral efforts to assert sovereignty claims in the disputed South China Sea. Regional alarm is growing at moves by China aggressively to stake its claim to most of the sea, including a large-scale island-building programme. The United States has also urged China and other nations to halt reclamation. Philippine presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma said Manila had been seeking more global attention on the issue after President Benigno Aquino raised it on numerous overseas visits. John Kirton, director of think-tank the G7 Research Group, has said maritime disputes between China and its neighbours would be on the agenda of the summit starting Sunday in Germany. Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper also said Saturday the summit would take up the issue. Citing sources, the paper said a closing statement would express concern about unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. It said no country would be named. The Group of Seven links the leaders of Germany, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United States. Asked about the reports, Coloma said that “having talks on achieving a peaceful and orderly settlement Read More …

Gov’t prepares to discuss details of PHL-Japan VFA – DFA

 Entertainment
Jun 082015
 
Gov’t prepares to discuss details of PHL-Japan VFA – DFA

(TOKYO, Japan) President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Their Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Kiku Room of the Imperial Hotel on Friday (June 05) during his State Visit in Japan. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The government is preparing to discuss details on the proposed Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and Japan, amid China’s aggressive reclamation works in disputed areas in the South China Sea. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Charles Jose said, “Details still have to be discussed and agreed on after the President proposed the idea.” President Benigno Aquino III on Friday announced the proposed defense agreement while he was still in Japan. In an interview with Japanese reporters in Tokyo, Aquino said he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday agreed to start talks on VFA. Aquino’s four-day state visit to Japan began last Tuesday. Presently, the Philippines has VFAs with the US and Australia. Such a defense deal provides for joint exercises and foreign military presence in the archipelago. On the other hand, both Japan and the Philippines are locked in territorial rows with China. Tokyo has overlapping territorial claims with Beijing over the Senkaku Islands, which the Chinese call Diaoyu. Meanwhile, the Philippines has been engaged in a spat with China over resource-rich parts of the South China Sea, which Manila calls the West Philippine Sea. Manila has already sought international arbitration to resolve the dispute. Boost to capabilities welcomed For his part, Armed Forces of the Read More …

Work-life for millennials

 Economy
Jun 072015
 

Many industries consider millennials, also known as Generation Y or those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s, as their largest market for growth. Given the proclivities of millennials, this seems particularly true in the areas of technology, social media, and information delivery. Yet, companies should also consider millennials not just as a market, but also as a significant segment of their human resources. Studies from the US Bureau of Census have shown that millennials now comprise the largest segment of the American work force, and the same likely holds true for the rest of the world. In fact, projections estimate that millennials will form 50% of the global work force in the next five to 10 years.

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