Olongapo students help shape positive picture of PHL in US

 Entertainment
Mar 272014
 
Olongapo students help shape positive picture of PHL in US

Strengthening people-to-people ties. Ambassador Jose L. Cuisa, Jr. congratulates the students from Olongapo who are participating in the first ever exchange program between Olongapo City and Virginia Beach (Philippine Embassy Photo by Majalya Fernando) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nine public school students from Olongapo City are helping shape a positive picture of the Philippines and strengthen people-to-people ties with the United States through an educational exchange program with the city of Virginia Beach in Virginia. The nine students make up the first delegation from Olongapo to participate in an exchange program under a sister city agreement with Virginia Beach that was made possible with the help of Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and the Philippine Embassy. The nine students from the Regional Science High School (RSHS) and Olongapo City National High School (OCNHS) arrived in Virgnia Beach last week to participate in the exchange program with Tallwood High School. They are accompanied by Councilor Jong Cortez and teachers Miguel Esporas and Lovella Jarobel. The students, who are staying with foster families in Virginia Beach, are: Thea Ysobel Cortez, Frezniel Bien Salinas, Jonas Exequiel Soriano, John Daniel Mendoza, Ethan Arcelao, Keana McCoy, Via Ronquillo, Juliana Mendoza and Dainty Jewel Manuel. The students paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Cuisia, who initiated the exchange between during a visit to Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach last year. During their call, the students told the Ambassador that aside from discussing Philippine history and culture, they also try to get their American classmates to learn Read More …

OFWs vulnerable to nuclear terrorism, Binay warns ahead of world nuke summit

 Entertainment
Mar 252014
 
OFWs vulnerable to nuclear terrorism, Binay warns ahead of world nuke summit

Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Binay payS tribute to seven marines killed last year in a clash with Abu Sayyaf militants in Jolo, southern Philippines, during the wake at the Philippine Marines headquarters at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig city, east of Manila, Philippines last May 27. At least seven Filipino marines and an equal number of Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in a clash in a new U.S.-backed offensive aimed at rescuing six foreign and Filipino hostages and stopping the al-Qaida-linked gunmen from staging more kidnappings in the country’s south, a military commander said Sunday. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – It does matter that the Philippines does not have nuclear weapons nor operate nuclear power plants; millions of Filipinos – particularly those working abroad – are vulnerable to any act of nuclear terrorism. This was the warning of Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on Saturday, just before leaving for the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands. The Vice President is representing President Benigno S. Aquino III in the biennial summit. He is also the Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns. “With over 10 million of our kababayans living and working overseas, any act of nuclear terrorism in any part of the world will inevitably victimize scores of Filipinos,” Binay said. “The Philippines does not possess nuclear material that may be turned into a nuclear weapon by terrorists or other non-State actors, nor does it operate nuclear power plants. Yet the relevance of nuclear security to the Philippines cannot be underestimated.” North America Read More …

NHMFC bonds retain high ratings

 Economy
Mar 232014
 
NHMFC bonds retain high ratings

MANILA, Philippines – The National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC) retained its PRS Aa rating from the Philippine Ratings Services Corp. for its P420 million residential mortgage backed securitization issue. NHMFC likewise retained its PRS Baa rating for its P183.74 million class C subordinated notes. Obligations rated ‘PRS Aa’ are of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.  This means the issuer’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.  Obligations rated ‘PRS Baa’, on the other hand, exhibit adequate protection parameters.  Adverse economic conditions and changing circumstances, however, are likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.  The ratings reflected the following considerations: sustained strong credit enhancement and standby liquidity facilities; additional layers of protection, as well as collection efficiency enhancements, considering the weakening asset quality of accounts included in the pool and the material amount of restructured loans included in the portfolio; and the relatively positive economic outlook for the Philippines.    PhilRatings said the interest and penalty collections from the asset pool for the collection period  April 2012 to December 2012  as well as from January to May 2013 have more than adequately covered senior expenses, coupon payments for the Class A and B Senior Notes, as well as servicer fees.    Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Philratings said “excess spread has continued to accumulate from April 2012 to May 2013 and were thus transferred to the Read More …

AFP intensifies offensives as NPA anniversary nears 

 News
Mar 222014
 
AFP intensifies offensives as NPA anniversary nears 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has  raised the alarm on possible hostilities by the New People’s Army as the Communist Party of the Philippines’ armed wing approaches its founding anniversary, a military official said on Saturday. In a text message to GMA News Online, Armed Forces public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said they have intensified “combat operations in all areas of interest against [the communist rebels] to prevent them from launching attacks and for [government troops] to dictate on the momentum of the focused military operations.” “This increase of operational tempo is inherent in every command as we deny the enemy from their terroristic acts against our people,” he added. Last week, at least four suspected NPA rebels, two of whom are allegedly high-ranking officers, were captured by the military after a firefight in Sorsogon. Captain Bethany Cadungan, spokesperson for the Army’s 903rd Infantry Brigade, said Elias Florentino Pura, Rodrigo Lasar, William Doroja, and one alias “Ino” were captured after around 10 minutes of fighting. Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, 9th Infantry Division spokesman, said Pura surrendered and yielded an M653 baby armalite rifle. The military also seized a cal. 45 pistol, two improvised explosive devices, a hand grenade, a laptop, and backpacks containing personal belongings. Pura is the secretary of Larangan 1, Komprob (Komiteng Probinsya) Sorsogon while Ino is the finance officer of the NPA in Sorsogon, the military said. He is also reportedly the finance officer of the Bicol regional party committee. Colonel Joselito Kakilala, commander of Read More …

AFP standing by to resume search for missing Malaysian jet 

 News
Mar 222014
 
AFP standing by to resume search for missing Malaysian jet 

The Armed Forced of the Philippines is ready to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 even as the focus of the search has shifted to the Indian Ocean. “We will continue should the need arise,” AFP spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala told GMA News Online on Saturday. Zagala added that the military suspended the search last Sunday after finishing the scan areas within Philippine territory where the missing plane could be. In an earlier report, the AFP said they searched all areas within Philippine territory but found nothing. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing past midnight on Saturday, March 8, an hour after it took off from Kuala Lumpur.  During the initial search and rescue operations, the AFP sent out three Navy ships and two airplanes to help international efforts to locate the missing plane. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News

UNDP chief to meet with PNoy on post-Yolanda recovery efforts

 News
Mar 212014
 
UNDP chief to meet with PNoy on post-Yolanda recovery efforts

The head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will meet with President Benigno Aquino III next week on the government’s recovery efforts, four months after super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck central Philippines. In a statement, the UNDP said its administrator, Helen Clark, will travel to Tacloban City in Leyte “to see first-hand the ongoing recovery activities in the areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda.” Clark will meet with Aquino, Cabinet officials and Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Takehiko Nakao during her three-day visit to the Philippines, the statement added. During her stay in the Philippines, the UNDP chief will also sign an agreement with Japan on “increased support to Yolanda recovery work.” Clark will likewise witness the historic signing of the final peace deal between Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), scheduled on March 27. Clark’s visit to Yolanda-hit areas was announced days after Audit chief Grace Pulido Tan noted

Fairer skin, in an instant

 Entertainment
Mar 182014
 
Fairer skin, in an instant

Who’s the fairest of them all?: (from left) Mian Datu David, Unilever’s marketing manager for skin; Kaye Paras, Vaseline’s assistant brand manager; Julian Gollayan, Vaseline’s brand manager; Maxene Magalona, Vaseline’s brand ambassador; and Apples Aberin, Unilever’s PR head for personal care While there is a plethora of whitening products on the market, how many can claim instant results? That you’ll look immediately whiter after — not a month or two weeks — but after one application? Vaseline can. After doing consumer research into what Filipinas wanted in a whitening lotion, the bodycare brand found that women are more discerning — as well as a bit more demanding — now. “They always say, ‘We want a more effective whitening lotion,’ and when they say ‘effective,’ it’s really the speed of the results,” says Julian “Jules” Gollayan, Vaseline’s brand manager. “So that’s why we came up with Instant Fair.  How fast do you want it? ‘We want it in one application,’ and we give it to them.” How is this possible, you ask, barring skin bleaching on a Michael Jackson level? Vaseline’s Healthy White Instant Fair lotion has micro-reflector technology that adds an additional layer to your skin that is fair, so you look instantly lighter, according to Gollayan. “For real whitening, it also has vitamin B3 or Niacinamide, which is our patented whitening ingredient, so that has long-term effect,” he adds. “In seven days you’ll see a noticeable difference, but in two weeks, skin will really be fair based on clinical tests. Lifestyle Feature ( Read More …

Saudi visitors to the Philippines up by 104% from 2009

 Economy
Mar 182014
 
Saudi visitors to the Philippines up by 104% from 2009

MANILA, Philippines – Saudi Arabian visitors to the Philippines more than doubled since 2009, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Tuesday. “From only 19,101 Saudi visitors in 2009, the Philippines attracted a record 38,969 last year, a growth of 104 percent. Last year’s total was a growth of nearly 29.7 percent from the previous year, while the average growth of visitor arrivals since 2009 has been at 19.8 percent,” the state agency said. DFA said the spike in Saudi Arabian tourist arrivals came from the Embassy’s tourism promotion campaigns in the Middle Eastern country, in partnership with Saudi travel agencies accredited with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT). Last December, DOT officials went to Saudi Arabia to promote Philippine tourism in Riyadh. The event was attended by officials from the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and tour operators in the country. In April 2013, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and DOT also participated in the Riyadh Travel Fair. “The event drew 998 visitors, with many inquiring about holiday packages to prime destinations like Boracay, Palawan, Bohol’s Chocolate Hills and Panglao Island, and Davao’s Pearl Farm,” DFA said, adding that DOT and the embassy will be joining the event again this year. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The DOT, in coordination with the Philippine Tourism Office in Dubai, also held a familiarization tour of Manila, as well as Tagaytay, Clark and Subic, for selected Saudi travel agents.  “It was an opportunity for them to personally see Read More …

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