Remittances rise 6.2% to US$11.8B

 Economy
Aug 162013
 
Remittances rise 6.2% to US$11.8B

PERSONAL remittances from overseas Filipinos for January-June 2013 amounted to US$11.8 billion, representing a 6.2 percent increase from the level registered in the same period last year. The Bangko Sentral in Pilipinas (BSP) announced that 75.1 percent of the remittances came from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or longer. These remittances increased by 5.1 percent, despite continuing gloom in some major economies abroad. Remittance flows from sea-based workers and land-based workers with short-term contracts grew by 7.5 percent. For June 2013 alone, personal remittances increased year-on-year by 5.7 percent to reach US$2.1 billion, the highest monthly level recorded during the year. Cash remittances coursed through banks for the first six months of 2013 reached US$10.7 billion, sustaining the 5.6 percent growth in the same period last year. In particular, remittances from both sea-based (US$2.5 billion) and land-based workers ($8.2 billion) expanded by 7.4 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, the BSP also said. Major sources of cash remittances were the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Canada, and Japan. Total flows from these countries represented about three-fourths (74.8 percent) of the total cash remittances coursed through banks. Remittances remained robust partly on the back of continued increase in demand for skilled Filipinos. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported the number of workers deployed overseas in 2012 increased by 6.8 percent to 1,802,031, from 1,687,831 in 2011. “The steady stream of remittances also drew continued support from the efficient network of bank Read More …

Canadian embassy opens new visa application centers in Makati, Cebu

 News
Jul 152013
 
Canadian embassy opens new visa application centers in Makati, Cebu

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:09 pm | Monday, July 15th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines–Hoping to bring its services closer to more Filipinos, the Canadian government has opened new visa centers in two key cities here to ease the application process for Philippine citizens. The Canadian Embassy in Manila announced on Monday its new visa application centers (VACs) in Makati City and Cebu City, facilities that aim “to make the process of applying for a visa to enter Canada easier and more convenient.” Those planning a trip to Canada may now apply at Canada’s VACs at the Ecoplaza Building on Chino Roces Avenue Extension in Makati City and the Keppel Center at the Cebu Business Park, Cebu City. Previously, visa processing was centralized at the Canadian Embassy at the RCBC Plaza on Ayala Avenue in Makati City. The opening of the two Canadian VACs is part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) efforts to widen its presence around the world, the Embassy said in a statement yesterday. “CIC is expanding its VAC network around the world to provide valuable administrative support to applicants before, during and after their temporary resident application is assessed by a CIC immigration officer,” the Embassy said in a statement. The visa services expansion is part of Canada’s plans to encourage more people to visit and work there to bolster the Canadian economy. “The Government of Canada plans to create new jobs and stimulate economic growth by attracting an increasing number of visitors as well as the Read More …

Constellation Energy goes into green architecture

 Economy
Jul 082013
 
Constellation Energy goes into green architecture

MANILA, Philippines – Constellation Energy Corp. (CEC) is expanding its business interests to green architecture, its top official said yesterday. CEC is building Mindanao’s first eco-friendly building in Cagayan de Oro City through a partnership with ItalPinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp. (ITPI), said CEC chairman and ItalPinas president Jose Leviste. “Constellation Energy’s venture into green architecture is but a natural consequence of our company’s full thrust in exploring multi-technology renewable energy (RE) projects,” said Leviste. CEC has RE service contracts with the Department of Energy (DOE) for several geothermal, wind and hydroelectric projects all over the country. The project is a P45-million mixed-used twin-tower condominium, which features eco-friendly design features, an inner courtyard and cross-ventilation layout among the units for natural airflow and illumination, said Italian architect Romolo Nati, ITPI chairman and chief executive officer. The 160-unit Primavera Residences Tower A, which was completed last year, boasts of shaded façades to reduce direct sun illumination on the windows to bring down internal temperature of each unit. The building is equipped with photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftop for renewable energy production. “With ItalPinas, we put our money where our mouth is by going to great lengths to put up eco-friendly and sustainable building,” said Nati, who also sits as vice chairman of CEC. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Leviste said Primavera’s “passive design elements” had resulted in the reduction of energy consumption in air-conditioning expenses for their building residents. Set up in 2009, ItalPinas has Read More …

National Braille Challenge Comes To Los Angeles

 Entertainment
Jun 132013
 

 Nation’s Top Blind Students to Compete in Unique Academic Competition WHAT: The 13th Annual National Braille Challenge® is coming! The top blind and visually impaired students from across the U.S. and Canada will put their knowledge of the braille code to the ultimate test during this unique competition, sponsored by Braille Institute of America. The National Braille Challenge is […]

US, Canada, UK warn vs travel to Mindanao

 News
May 302013
 
US, Canada, UK warn vs travel to Mindanao

By Tarra Quismundo and Michael Lim UbacPhilippine Daily Inquirer 9:51 pm | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Three more countries have issued travel advisories against Mindanao amid the United States’ warning of a “credible kidnap threat” in the Zamboanga Peninsula. This developed as the Philippines said there was “no specific threat” in the area based on monitoring of law enforcement and security officials. In a Palace briefing Thursday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government “respects the prerogative of any country to issue any precautionary measures that they feel their citizens must take while here in our country.” “In fact, when it comes to our citizens abroad, [other countries] also respect our prerogative to issue this kind of advisory to our countrymen [stationed overseas],” said Valte. She cited the recent terrorist attack in Boston—which killed three people and injured 264 others—where the Philippine government issued a similar message to Filipino citizens who may be in the area. In its travel advisory on Wednesday, the US state department cited a report about the resurgence of kidnapping groups, particularly in Zamboanga, that were targeting foreigners. On Thursday, Australia advised its nationals against traveling to parts of Mindanao, particularly Zamboanga and Sulu, citing a similar warning that the United States had issued its citizens. “We continue to strongly advise you not to travel to central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu Archipelago, due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, kidnapping, violent crime and violent clashes between armed Read More …

Irate envoy who berated Filipinos in Canada back in Manila for probe

 News
Apr 302013
 
Irate envoy who berated Filipinos in Canada back in Manila for probe

7:05 pm | Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 Jose Ampeso, the Philippine consul general to Vancouver, as shown in the video posted on YouTube. Screen grab from www.youtube.com MANILA, Philippines — The career diplomat caught on video in an irate mood during a consular outreach in Canada has returned to Manila to face an investigation at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the office’s spokesperson said on Tuesday. Philippine Consul General to Vancouver Jose Ampeso is back in Manila on orders of his home office to air his side on the incident at a consular mission in Alberta, Canada, where Filipinos based there lined up to renew their travel documents. “He is already here. A fact-finding panel is being formed to investigate and determine if there is a case to pursue,” said Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson. Saying foreign service officers should always be professional, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said last week that Ampeso had some explaining to do for his behavior recorded on video and posted on online video-sharing site YouTube. Del Rosario said Ampeso’s behavior appeared “errant” if one viewed the video without hearing his explanation. Canada-based Filipino Proceso Flordeliz Jr. had complained against Ampeso for raising his voice when he offered to donate a dollar to the consulate fund-raising drive during their outreach at the Sheraton Hotel in Red Deer, Alberta two weeks ago. Then applying to renew his passport, Flordeliz posted his narration on a Filipino online forum and later uploaded a video Read More …

BSP: Remittances grew by 6% in February

 Economy
Apr 152013
 
BSP: Remittances grew by 6% in February

MANILA, Philippines – Money sent home by Filipinos abroad grew by 6 percent in February to $1.682 billion from $1.587 billion a year ago, the central bank reported on Monday. The amount represented cash coursed through banks. It brought the two-month tally to $3.363 billion, an improvement of seven percent from last year. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) projects a 5-percent expansion in cash remittances for 2013. A separate gauge called personal remittances- which included hand-carry transfers– rose by a faster 6.9 percent last month and 7.6 percent for the first two months of the year. “The steady deployment of overseas Filipino workers remained a primary contributory factor to the growth in remittances flows,” BSP said in a statement. More than three-fourths of cash remittances were sent by land-based workers, while about a quarter were sent by seafarers, figures showed. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The United States remained the top source of remittances, accounting for 41.5 percent of the total. It was followed by Canada (9.8 percent), Saudi Arabia (7.9 percent), the United Kingdom (5.3 percent), the United Arab Emirates (4.5 percent), Singapore (4.1 percent) and Japan (3.5 percent). The BSP said remittances are poised to increase further in the coming months as indicated by the Department of Labor and Employment. “[O]pportunities for migrant workers through infrastructure projects in Hong Kong and increased minimum wage for monthly paid workers in Taiwan, could support further the sustained inflows of remittances to the country in the Read More …

Canada Announces New Program for Professionals to Open May 2013

 Entertainment
Feb 132013
 
Canada Announces New Program for Professionals to Open May 2013

(screenshot www.moyal.com) By Atty. Henry Moyal As mentioned in previous articles of Immigration Newsweek, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has announced changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program to take effect on May 4th, 2013. While the official launch of the program and its laws are not yet official, there are key elements that have been proposed. In order to qualify for a Canada Immigrant Visa, professional applicants must:   * Have at least one year of continuous full-time work experience in the past 10 years * Pass a minimum threshold of language ability in English or French * Attain at least 67 points based on Canada`s immigration selection factors. To accumulate the required 67 points the following summarizes the selection factors:   Education:  Secondary and post secondary completion is an important part of demonstrating one can be economically established in Canada. As such, up to 25 points are awarded for education.   Language Skills: Applicants who have been educated in the English language and who have a strong command of English will advantage as the points for English have been increased. Now a maximum of 24 points are allotted for English (in the past max was only 16). Therefore, nationals of the Philippines (who in general have high proficiency in English) will be able to score a large amount of points under this factor.   Work Experience: Applicants who have a long history of working will be able to obtain more points for work experience. In the past, any work after four Read More …

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