2nd Filipino seaman dies in Bermuda safety drill mishap

 News
Sep 192016
 
2nd Filipino seaman dies in Bermuda safety drill mishap

A lifeboat safety drill on the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship killed two Filipino seamen in Bermuda. SAN FRANCISCO – A Filipino seafarer died after spending a month in intensive care in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Bermuda following a cruise ship safety drill accident that earlier killed another Filipino. Ben Buenaventura died from the injuries sustained in the tragic incident when a Norwegian Breakaway lifeboat fell into the water last July 20, during a weekly lifeboat drill while the ship was docked in Kings Wharf, Bermuda, according to a report by Crew-Center.com. http://crew-center.com/2nd-crew-member-dies-hospital-after-ncl-breakaway-accident Four crewmembers were in the lifeboat when line snapped and one crewmember, 41-year old Diogenes Carpio was killed immediately. Buenaventura was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital with fractures to both legs, hip, right arm, punctured lungs and traumatic brain injuries. The maritime and admiralty law firm Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. represents Buenaventura’s family in a legal case against Norwegian Cruise Line. Buenaventura had been a waiter on NCL for more than a decade. He leaves behind a wife and 5-year-old son. RELATED STORY: Filipino sailor dies in cruise ship safety drill accident in Bermuda Latest Duterte on De Lima’s ouster: Senate is not my territory Duterte:  Another bombing may happen Duterte’s war won’t stop until last drug pusher is dead MNLF seen as key to safe release of Abu Sayyaf captives Recommended Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL Read More …

Canada’s ‘top traditional Filipino dance company’ marks 50th year

 News
Sep 192016
 
Canada’s ‘top traditional Filipino dance company’ marks 50th year

WATCH: Canada’s Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe’s 50th Anniversary performance. MARISA ROQUE MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — A riot of shimmering colors, music from exotic musical instruments and intricate choreography took over the Living Arts Center’s Hammerson Hall Sept. 10 when the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe (FFDT) strutted its stuff to mark its 50th year as Canada’s “premier traditional Filipino performing dance company.” Fiesta Filipina is a consistent award winner of accolades from all over the world, including the from the Philippine President Gloria Arroyo in December 2004.  To date, Fiesta Filipina has performed on stages in France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, Azores (Portugal), USA and the Philippines. Kalinga maiden with Banga, earthen jars of water. MARISA ROQUE The anniversary celebration, Gintong Lakbay, lasted more than three hours, taking the viewers through the length and breadth of the Philippine archipelago through dance and music, from tribal dances of the people of the Cordillera in precolonial times (Salidumay) to the Spanish colonial period (Recuerdos), to the festival dances of the lowlands and the regal movements of a Maranao wedding dance (Singkil) that was the piece de resistance of the third (Maharlika) segment. The fourth segment, aptly titled Regional Bridges, presented ritual dances from various tribes that celebrate important milestones such as harvest (Sayaw sa Platu by the Yakans of Basilan), victory in war (Maglalatik, a mock war dance from Binan, Laguna), or space clearing and healing (Pagdiwata by the Tagbanwa tribe from Palawan). WATCH: Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe performance. MARISA ROQUE Read More …

Jollibee thanks Chicagoans, donates $25K to kids’ hospital

 News
Sep 192016
 
Jollibee thanks Chicagoans, donates $25K to kids’ hospital

Jollibee Food Corporation Foundation gifted the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital with $25,000 in appreciation for the warm and successful launching of its first Midwest store in the Chicago area. Pictured from left are Foundation President Grace Tan Caktiong, JFC founder and chairman Tony Tan Caktiong, Comer’s Vice president Karen Stratton, Comer’s Director of Child Life Jennie Ott, JFC CEO Ernernesto Tanmantiong, JFC President for North American Jose Minna and Maribeth dela Cruz, JFC general manager for USA. PINOY/ANONG SKOKIE, Illinois –After its “most successful opening” last July 29 weekend in this village, just north of Chicago, all the top executive officers of the Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC) gathered here, Sept.15, to show their appreciation for the “overwhelming reception” that Filipino Americans in the Chicago area and neighboring states had given to their very first Jollibee restaurant in the Midwest. JFC Chairman and Founder Tony Tan Caktiong and his wife, Grace, president of the JFC Foundation, personally handed an oversized check for $25,000 to the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, which was represented by Karen Stratton, Comer Children’s vice president for Women’s and Children’s Services and Jennie Ott, the hospital’s director of Child Life and Education. Tan Caktiong led his officers including CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong and JFC Group President for North America Jose Minana in expressing their company’s dedication to family and children’s values and their desire to give back to the community. Also attending the appreciation day was Consul General Generoso Calonge, who expressed his Read More …

MNLF seen as key to safe release of Abu Sayyaf captives

 News
Sep 192016
 
MNLF seen as key to safe release of Abu Sayyaf captives

This photo taken on May 28, 2016 shows Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari (C) speaking during an interview at his mountain lair in Indanan town, Sulu province, on the southern island of Mindanao.  AFP PHOTO / MARK NAVALES ZAMBOANGA CITY – Both the Indonesian government and the Philippine military recognized the big role of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Saturday’s release of four kidnap victims — a Norwegian and three Indonesian fishermen. Indonesian Defense Minister Ryanmizard Ryancudu told reporters here, on Sunday night, that they were grateful for the help extended by the MNLF to secure their people safely from the Abu Sayyaf. “We appreciate the assistance of the MNLF. They know very well the terrain, they are very professional and they know what to do, that is why we need the assistance of the MNLF,” Ryancudu said in Bahasa. Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, chief of Western Mindanao Command, agreed. “The MNLF knows the terrain. They know some of the people from the Abu Sayyaf, and they have their own ways of dealing with the Abu Sayyaf,” Dela Cruz said. But Dela Cruz also said President Duterte’s directive to destroy the bandit group resulted in efforts involving military, police, local government and even the MNLF to rescue and secure safely the hostages. “As we all know, the forefront in this endeavor is the President’s directive to really go after this group,” he said, adding that at least 16 battalions of government troops have been Read More …

Duterte gov't to seek donor funding for the first time

 Economy
Sep 192016
 
Duterte gov't to seek donor funding for the first time

President Rodrigo Duterte shows a document listing the names of government officials and law enforcers allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade during his speech at Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz in Isabela on Sept. 17, 2016. PPD/Toto Lozano MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration will pitch for the first time for assistance and support from development partners in November, looking at securing funding, while providing avenue to assure investors rule of law is being followed in its anti-drug war. A Philippine Development Forum (PDF) is in the works and is “tentatively” scheduled two months from now, said Editha Martin, executive director of the central bank’s Investor Relations Office. The annual event is held to secure commitments from the country’s official development assistance (ODA) providers, who will have a chance to dialogue with the government’s economic team. At this early though, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez has moved to get support for the new government’s first spending plan, which included more than 80 percent of foreign borrowings sourced from ODA. After meeting with Japan and China, the finance chief met with representatives from the World Bank last September 14, led by Victoria Kwakwa, the agency’s vice-president for East Asia and the Pacific. “It was a very productive meeting with the World Bank officials,” Dominguez was quoted as saying in a statement on Monday. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Among others, the Department of Finance (DOF) secured the lender’s commitment for a technical assistance for tax reform, including Read More …

Pinoy senior high student tops S. Korean invention competition

 News
Sep 192016
 
Pinoy senior high student tops S. Korean invention competition

Alec Denji Santos poses with the “Securitree” prototype. Screen grab from mapua.edu.ph A Filipino student has received global recognition in an international invention contest. Alec Denji S. Santos, of Mapúa Senior High School, won a gold prize at the 5th World Invention Creativity Contest (WICC) in South Korea last July 28-30. Santos, a grade 11 student under the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand of Mapúa, led his teammates from Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science to victory and bagged the Gold Award for their ingenious invention called “Securitree.” True to its name, the youthful group came up with a device with built-in sensors against illegal loggers and forest fires, which won first place in the Environment and Biology category at the WICC) held at the Seoul Trade and Exhibition Convention. On the outside, “Securitree” is designed as a camouflaged-themed box equipped with sensors, a camera and a solar panel, and is intended to be installed in a tree. The motion sensors detect suspicious activities, which would trigger the built-in camera to take pictures, while a micro-controller board analyses the captured data and sends them to forest authorities through the internet. The innovative project was also made possible through the widely emerging technology of the Internet of Things (IoT), which enables autonomous communication between intelligent devices that are sensitive to the presence of a person. Santos said the massive forest fires in Mt. Apo last March led to his idea. “During the forest fires on Mt. Apo, we decided to come up Read More …

Bato to attend Colombia meeting on anti-drugs, counterterrorism

 News
Sep 192016
 
Bato to attend Colombia meeting on anti-drugs, counterterrorism

ALBAYANOS give Police Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa a warm welcome as the chief of the Philippine National Police joined the Police Regional Office V in their celebration of its 115th Police Service Anniversary and launching of “Kasurog Kontra Droga” Regional Alliance as a guest of honor and speaker at Camp General Simeon Ola, Legazpi City.PHOTO BY GEORGE GIO BRONDIAL/ INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa will attend a conference in Colombia to discuss counterterrorism and anti-drug efforts of the Philippine police to its counterparts in the South American country. The Philippines and Colombia share common issues on insurgency and the proliferation of drugs. “The purpose of his visit is to attend a counter-terrorism, counternarcotics conference so I believe the PNP chief will be presenting our programs here and probably learn how we can improve our ongoing fight against illegal drugs based on the experience of Colombia and other countries conducting illegal drug campaign,” PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said in a press briefing on Monday. President Duterte, whose campaign promise is anchored on solving the drug menace and criminality in the country, has waged a war on drugs and gave the PNP a deadline of six months to do the job. But over the weekend, Duterte admitted that his self-imposed deadline would not be enough to eliminate drugs in the country. He then sought another six months, which will end June 2017, to solve the drug problem. READ: Duterte wants war on Read More …

Electricity rates go down in September

 Economy
Sep 192016
 
Electricity rates go down in September

MANILA, Philippines – Meralco has announced that the residential rate for a typical household will go down this September by around P0.0451 per kilowatthour (kWh), thereby bringing it down to P8.46 per kWh. This translates to a reduction of around P9 in the electricity bill of a household with monthly consumption of 200 kWh. The reduction is due to the downward movement in the transmission charge, which more than offset a higher generation charge.  This month’s overall rate is lower by P0.09 per kWh compared to September 2015’s P8.55 per kWh. This month, there was also an increase in the generation charge, which is P0.0879 per kWh, higher than last month’s P3.85 per kWh.  At P3.94 per kWh, the generation charge is P0.19 per kWh lower compared to September 2015’s P4.13 per kWh. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The higher generation charge was more than offset by a decrease in the transmission charge of P0.10 per kWh, mainly due to the reduction in the ancillary charges of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).   Taxes and other charges also decreased by a combined amount of around P0.04 per kWh. Meralco’s distribution, supply and metering charges, meanwhile, have remained unchanged for 14 months after they registered a reduction in July 2015. Meralco reiterated that it does not earn from the pass-through charges, such as the generation and transmission charges. Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for the transmission charge Read More …

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