Victims in Cebu shooting brought to hospital; suspect in police custody

 News
Oct 212015
 
Victims in Cebu shooting brought to hospital; suspect in police custody

Inquirer Visayas By: Jhunnex Napallacan and Doris C. Bongcac, October 21st, 2015 03:55 PM CEBU DAILY NEWS PHOTO/Christian Maningo CEBU CITY, Philippines — Chinese Consul General Song Ronghua and two of his staff members, who were wounded in a shooting incident inside a restaurant here, Wednesday, have been brought to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the suspect identified as Li Qing Liang, was already in police custody, according to Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of Cebu City’s Command Center. The consul general and his staff members, Sun Shan and Hui Li, were among the nine persons who had lunch at one of the function rooms of Lighthouse Restaurant  along General Maxilom Avenue. Tumulak said he received a call from the Chinese Consulate Office shortly after the shooting incident broke about 1:30 p.m. to verify reports on Ronghua. Some members of the Chinese community in Cebu had been calling other city officials to verify reports on the shooting, he added. “It’s sad that the incident happened in the city especially during a time when Mayor Michael Rama is out of town,”  said Tumulak. Rama is on official travel to Japan. Homicide investigators were still trying to find out what triggered the shooting, said  Cebu Sr. Supt. Mariano Batiancela, City Police Office director. Batiancela  said he could not yet give details as to the circumstances of the incident since his men are still in the area. RELATED STORY Chinese consul general, 2 others hurt in Cebu City shooting Latest Paul Lee-less Rain or Shine foils Webb’s Read More …

Levorg: Subaru’s blockbuster is coming soon

 General
Oct 202015
 
Levorg: Subaru’s blockbuster is coming soon

The Levorg’s front end features Subaru’s unique hexagon grille and hawk eye headlights. It has two varieties: the 1.6GT and the sportier 1.6GT-S. Blockbuster movies usually have that perfect mix of elements to appeal to wide audiences, such as the right combination of romance, action, drama or comedy.   If Subaru was a movie company, its popular hits in the Philippines (i.e., the Forester and XV, both crossover SUVs) seem to reflect a successful connection with the adventurous or sporty audience. Subaru’s newest addition to its line-up is as interestingly complex as the audience it seeks to relate with—adventurous yet practical, family-oriented yet sporty, stylish yet capable.  As with a movie, the prospect of a car that can blend these diverse qualities excited me, enough to make me travel to Taipei for its regional premier. Last October 14, Motor Image (the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Southeast Asian region) launched the Subaru “Levorg” in Nangang Exhibition Hall at Taipei, Taiwan. Glenn Tan, Executive Director of Tan Chong International Ltd., personally unveiled the Levorg.  The unique name “Levorg” is a combination of the words ‘Legacy,’ ‘Revolution’ and ‘Touring,’ which sums up what this car is about. It’s a brand new model that combines the performance and practicality of a tourer with the stylish design and feel of a sports car. It’s also designed to be a luxurious and spacious car capable of long-distance driving. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 While the Philippine market has been very Read More …

Time to explore luxury

 Sports
Oct 202015
 
Time to explore luxury

Montblanc SEA managing director Anouar Guerraoui welcomes guests to the men’s watch event at Smith Butcher and Grill Room. When you’re Montblanc, a 150-year-old company that’s etched its name in time by making to-die-for fountain pens, moving into the world of luxury watches must have seemed a grand leap. But Montblanc is now in the big leagues, spoken in the same breath as other luxury watches thanks to in-house Swiss movements that lift their Villeret and Heritage Chronometrie watches — shown off to great aplomb at Makati’s Smith Butcher and Grill Room during a steak luncheon with media — beyond newbie competitors to serious contenders for that targeted demographic: the obsessive male collector.  What Montblanc has noticed, in fact, is that people who collect fountain pens also tend to collect watches. (Montblanc customers tend to be 70 percent male, 30 percent female.) The whole “collecting” thing, in fact, is by and large a male activity (well, except for shoes and bags, maybe). And Montblanc just happens to be one of the few brands that focuses its luxury line squarely on… men. We sat down next to charming ladies, watch lovers, and the company of Montblanc South East Asia’s managing director Anouar Guerraoui, a Moroccan-born global citizen who loves the Miami Heat, especially their erstwhile star, LeBron James. Not surprisingly, Guerraoui said he admires athletes a bit more than, say, singers or even actors. And that makes sense, from a watchmaking point of view, because watches perform at a very high Read More …

Citem gears up top Philippine brands for Dubai international brand licensing fair

 General
Oct 202015
 
Citem gears up top Philippine brands for Dubai international brand licensing fair

MANILA, Philippines – Amid reports of Arab investors eyeing Philippine brands for master franchises, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is gearing up 11 of the country’s top food, fashion and personal care brands for the Middle East and North African markets. The brands are fully compliant with international standards of quality, and ready to be exhibited at the 8th Dubai International Brand Licensing Fair on Nov. 3 and 4, according to a press statement issued by the DTI’s export promotions arm Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) recently. CITEM executive director Rosvi C. Gaetos said the brands were specifically targeted at the fair’s over 4,000 trade buyers and visitors from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), having an aggregate consumer population of 357.3 million and regional gross domestic product of $1.523 trillion as of last year. Gaetos also cited MENA’s $30-billion franchise economy and flourishing retail industry as the main draw for the Philippines’ participation in the fair slated at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center. “We are joining the fair to open an alternative market for Philippine brands and companies, establish their global presence and build a strong image for Philippine manufacturers  and SMEs in offering top-quality, reliable, and valuable products,” Gaetos said as she described the event as a “first-class business platform for partnerships and updates on brand licensing and merchandising programs and deals.” This development comes amid reports of Middle Eastern investors eyeing Philippine brands for national or master franchises in Read More …

Government limits award of 3-year T-bonds

 Economy
Oct 202015
 
Government limits award of 3-year T-bonds

MANILA, Philippines – The government made yesterday a partial award of three-year Treasury bonds in a bid to cap interest rates seen too high compared with prevailing market rates. A total P16.22 billion worth of re-issued three-year notes, with a remaining life of two years and seven months, was awarded by the Bureau of the  Treasury at the auction yesterday. The paper fetched a rate of 3.169 percent. Tenders reached P36.17 billion as against the P25 billion offer. Had the government awarded the full amount, it would have paid a higher rate of 3.18 percent. The debt paper charged 3.089 percent during the previous auction.  “We awarded it based on our internal guidelines which put the rate near the upper-end of our guidance. It is a little over our R2 (rate),” National Treasurer Roberto Tan told reporters after the auction. R2 pertains to the secondary market rates used by investors to trade with each other. The paper fetched 3.1 percent at this market yesterday. Treasury bonds are investment outlets issued by the government in exchange for borrowed money. Tan said the “uncertainty” coming from the looming interest rate hike of the US Federal Reserve still persists, “although there’s been a change in view” especially after the latter’s meeting last month. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Investors seeking higher yields have been awaiting the US central bank to raise its rates for the first time since 2006 as the world’s superpower showed some recovery from the global Read More …

Northern Mindanao targets 3.2 M tourists this year

 Economy
Oct 202015
 
Northern Mindanao targets 3.2 M tourists this year

MANILA, Philippines – Northern Mindanao is banking on festivals and conventions in the remaining months of 2015 to reach its target of 3.2 million tourist arrivals by year-end, a ranking tourism official said. Department of Tourism Region 10 director Catalino Chan III said the region is close to reaching its 12 percent growth projection this year after posting two million arrivals from January to July. In 2014, Northern Mindanao recorded 2.9 million arrivals, 32 percent of which are foreign tourists. Despite the recent Samal kidnapping case in the neighboring Davao region, Chan said he is upbeat the region will catch up with the remaining 1.2 million target as around five festivals and two major conventions are still lined up until December. “We increase more on our festivals because it’s the best way for people to be entertained in our place,” he said. Chan added Northern Mindanao greatly depends on the agricultural ecotourism in Bukidnon and adventure sites in Cagayan de Oro, which is now one of the top 10 destinations in the country. Meanwhile, the region also considers proposing new flights for the Laguindingan Airport to further sustain tourist arrivals, particularly from the Korean market. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 He said infrastructure in the region can support tourist inflow as one big hotel is set for opening and another eyes construction next year. Furthermore, DOT-accredited establishments in the region increased 32 percent, from 2,900 rooms in 2014 to this year’s approximately 4,000 rooms, in its Read More …

PLDT eyes $40-M cable landing, data center in Mindanao

 Economy
Oct 202015
 
PLDT eyes $40-M cable landing, data center in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is looking to invest about $40 million for a cable landing station and data center in Mindanao to boost its network. Eric Alberto, executive vice president and head of enterprise at PLDT and Smart Communications Inc., said the company wants a cable landing facility and data center in Mindanao within the next two to three years. He said the company may invest a minimum $40 million for the cable landing station and data center in Mindanao. The final amount would depend on what is agreed upon with telecommunication firms from Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. “We are looking at a variety of consortium, with the Indonesian, Bruneian and Malaysian telcos… We have about two or three options. We are finding out which is the most feasible for us,” Alberto said. The cable landing station would link to Japan and then to the US. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The company is looking to invest in a cable landing station and data center in Mindanao to augment existing facilities in Luzon. The company has cable landing stations in Nasugbu in Batangas, Bauang in La Union, and in Daet, Camarines Norte. PLDT has earlier injected $55 million to the $550-million Asia-America Gateway project in La Union involving a 20,000-kilometer undersea cable network. The project connects Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, and the US West Coast using 40 gigabits per second (Gbps) technology and Read More …

Can we learn any values by watching AlDub?

 News
Oct 202015
 
Can we learn any values by watching AlDub?

Chinkee Tan They are all over Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TV, Radio and newspapers. I am talking about Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza (a.k.a Yaya Dub) or better known as “AlDub,” the stars of Eat Bulaga’s Kalyeserye (literal meaning “street series”). Who are they and how did they manage to catch the attention, admiration and romantic itch of each child, adult, male or female, within just a mere three months? Is it because they are a good-looking pair? Well, yes…but all of us, whether love teams or individuals, showbiz people or not, are really created beautiful and handsome. Is it because they are a new love team in showbiz? Hmm, if this were the case, then I’m not too sure, because it shouldn’t be this fast. This is considered only “warm up” period. Is it because of the DubSmash trend? It surely helped, because that’s where Yaya Dub’s character started. Is it because of their literal “LDR” relationship? Perhaps. They have this chemistry even if they are in an “LDR” or Long Distance Relationship due to their split screen communication and interaction. All of these are true, but I believe that there is a much deeper reason why millions of fans support the tandem AlDub and here they are: VALUES Values that we have forgotten. Values that we have thrown away. Values that lead us back to what is morally acceptable. What are these evident values that we have seen, so far, in Eat Bulaga’s Kalyeserye? RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY “Ma! Read More …

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