Palace: No ASEAN holiday declaration yet

 Entertainment
Oct 072017
 

MANILA, Sept 28 (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Thursday clarified that it has not declared holidays in November coinciding with the Philippines’ hosting of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings. Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella made this clarification in light of a supposed Malacañang document circulating online saying that the government has declared November 13 to 15 as “special non-working holidays.” “It’s not official but I’m sure a statement will be forthcoming,” Abella said in a news conference in Malacañang. The Philippines chairs the ASEAN this year and has been a host to various activities and meetings. The 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings are scheduled to take place from November 10 to 14 in Clark, Pampanga and is expected to gather top officials from the bloc and its partner countries. (MNS)

Taipei asks Duterte admin for proof of Taiwan-based Bamboo triad

 Entertainment
Oct 072017
 

MANILA, Sept 28 (Mabuhay) — Taiwan on Wednesday asked the Philippine government to provide information and evidence on the alleged Taiwanese drug cartel referred to by President Rodrigo Duterte as the major supplier of illegal narcotics in the country. Taking note of Duterte’s statement, Taiwan’s representative to the Philippines Gary Song-Huann Lin said he has already “requested our related agencies in Taipei to look into and investigate this matter.” “We also urged the Philippines to provide information and evidence through mutual legal assistance mechanisms and channels, through these information and evidence,” Lin said in a statement. Lin said Taiwan was committed to strengthen its anti-drug cooperation with the Philippines. Taiwan has no formal diplomatic relations with the Philippines in deference to the One-China Policy, which prevents countries from recognizing the self-ruling democratic island as a state. It is represented in the Philippines by the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO). In his speech on Tuesday night at the 120th anniversary of the Department of Justice, Duterte blamed a so-called Taiwan-based 14K Bamboo triad for supplying illegal drugs into the country. Duterte made the claim even after Philippine authorities recently intercepted a P6.4-billion drug shipment from China to Manila early this year. The drug syndicate, according to Duterte, cooks methamphetamine in the high seas and uses the Philippines as a transshipment point. Lin denied that Taiwan is the source of drugs in the Philippines. “Taiwan do not export drugs to this country,” Lin said. The Taiwanese official cited data by the Read More …

Palace: No ASEAN holiday declaration yet

 Entertainment
Oct 072017
 

MANILA, Sept 28 (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Thursday clarified that it has not declared holidays in November coinciding with the Philippines’ hosting of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings. Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella made this clarification in light of a supposed Malacañang document circulating online saying that the government has declared November 13 to 15 as “special non-working holidays.” “It’s not official but I’m sure a statement will be forthcoming,” Abella said in a news conference in Malacañang. The Philippines chairs the ASEAN this year and has been a host to various activities and meetings. The 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings are scheduled to take place from November 10 to 14 in Clark, Pampanga and is expected to gather top officials from the bloc and its partner countries. (MNS)

PH teams up with China, Japan, and Singapore to ramp up renewable energy projects

 News
Oct 022017
 
PH teams up with China, Japan, and Singapore to ramp up renewable energy projects

The Philippine government is teaming up with Asia’s heavyweights China, Japan, and Singapore, to ramp up the development of renewable energy projects, as economic growth drives up demand for electricity in the country. Bilateral talks were conducted at the sidelines of the 35th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting this week, including talks with the US-ASEAN Business Council on how to speed up the development of clean energy. Bloomberg TV PH reported that Singapore, in particular, committed to helping the Philippines develop the backbone needed for more renewable energy initiatives nationwide. “Singapore very kindly opened their doors to us. There will be a lot of collaboration we will be doing, from micro-grid to e-vehicles, to waste-to-energy, to solar, on top of water. Thank you, Singapore,” says Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi. According to Bloomberg TV PH, there are about four million households in the country still without power to this day. Cusi says the Philippines is presently finalizing policies on natural gas, and may seal agreements with China, Japan and Singapore by the end of the month, “to fully embark on viable liquified natural gas (LNG) cooperation projects.” The DOE is looking at three models on how the country will develop and utilize the natural gas resource: namely, to source indigenous natural gas, like that of Malampaya; to import liquefied natural gas; and to combine both models. Other areas of cooperation are on renewable energies with possible joint ventures with Singapore on waste-to-energy, floating solar photovoltaic and battery technologies; with the International Read More …

Taiwan Approves VISA Free Travel For Pinoys

 News
Oct 012017
 
Taiwan Approves VISA Free Travel For Pinoys

  Looking for a different kind of holiday destination? Well, put Taiwan in your bucket list as the island state has announced that it will soon allow visa-free entry for visitors from the Philippines as part of their “New Southbound Policy.” Taiwanese Premier Lai Ching-te only recently approved the visa-free plan for Filipinos, but concrete details such as the starting date for the privilege have yet to be announced. According to a report by Focus Taiwan, however, visa-free travel to the country will be possible either by October or November. Once finalized, Filipinos who visit Taiwan can stay on the island nation for up to 14 days, without a visa. Winston Chen, director-general of the Foreign Ministry’s Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs said the visa-free policy aimed to promote people-to-people, tourism and commercial exchanges between Taiwan and the Philippines. Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office’s Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin had also teased the visa-free plan as early as July this year, during the 2017 Taiwan Tourism Workshop held in Manila. Dr. Lin said that both Taiwan and the Philippines, despite being separated by a 2-hour flight, “tend to overlook each other,” underscoring the need to beef up relations, strengthen cultural exchange, and boost tourism in both countries. Taiwan already has visa-free arrangements with a number of other countries, which include Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. The post Taiwan Approves VISA Free Travel For Pinoys appeared first on Good News Pilipinas.

Lance Busa wins Michael Bolton Talent competition

 News
Sep 282017
 

Filipino Lance Busa was handpicked by Michael Bolton as the winner of the premiere season of Bolt of Talent on Star World which concluded Wednesday. The singer from Butuan City in Mindanao won a record deal and will perform in Michael Bolton’s Asia Dream Tour as part of his prize. Lance will also be heralded as a Subaru Ambassador. After being announced the winner in the finale show, Busa said, “I think everything is a dream because everything started with my dream. That was my dream. I hope I made the Philippines proud and I hope I made my grandpa proud…” The 22-year-old Busa competed as the Philippines’ representative to the newest Fox Network singing competition hosted by multiple-Grammy recipient and singer-songwriter Bolton, after being scouted by the iconic artist himself in the show’s first telecast that featured the Philippines. The amateur singer went up against artists from Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan. In the finale of Bolt of Talent, the Philippines’ bet sang a cover of Bolton’s iconic hit, “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You.” The post Lance Busa wins Michael Bolton Talent competition appeared first on Good News Pilipinas.

75-year-old Susie Rose breaks 3 powerlifting world records

 News
Sep 212017
 

  The fact that Susie Rose is already 75 years old has not held her back from breaking world records at the Amateur World Powerlifting Congress (AWPC) World Cup held August to September in Idaho; the powerlifting grandmother even picked up 8 gold medals on her way to bagging 3 world best scores. The Filipino-American grandmother broke 3 world records at the AWPC in her age group: Dead lift – 220 lbs Back squat – 110 lbs Bench press – 77 lbs Rose previously qualified for the AWPC in June after setting an American Powerlifting Federation competition national record for dead lift of 209.4 pounds in her 65-plus age division. The Bulacan lass who studied at the University of the Philippines before moving to the United States, credits her fitness lifestyle to her 7 children and 37 grandchildren. “When my husband passed away, then my kids, they tried to help me channel my energy into something more progressive, because they didn’t want me to feel sad,” Rose shared on Balitang America. “Having so many grandkids, then I want to be fit and healthy to be able to help take care of them,” she adds. NBC News described Rose’s daily regimen: “Every morning at the crack of dawn, 75-year-old Susie Rose gets out of bed, makes herself a cup of ginger tea (a recipe from her grandparents when she was growing up in the Philippines) and heads to CrossFit Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) in Draper, Utah, with her son Paul. The two Read More …

Mark Gonzalez inducted into Business of Fashion

 News
Sep 142017
 
Mark Gonzalez inducted into Business of Fashion

Philippine-based retail executive Mark Gonzalez of H&F Retail Concepts has made the elite Business of Fashion 500 list. Industry professionals who are shaping the global fashion industry. Gonzalez popularly known as Jappy in the industry was recognized for his accomplishments with the H&F Retail Concepts’ multi-brand stores Homme et Femme, Univers, and a number of monobrand stores including Comme des Garçons, Balenciaga, Lanvin and Y-3. BoF 500 cited the Filipino fashion retailer’s setting up in 1995 the concept store Homme et Femme which is now “one of the top luxury destinations in Manila, Philippines,” carrying labels including Dries Van Noten, Acne, Marni, and Margiela. “Subsequent years saw Gonzalez diversify into franchising by opening a number of monobrand boutiques under H&F Retail Concepts. He was responsible for bringing Balenciaga, Lanvin, Comme des Garçons and other high fashion brands into the country,” went the BoF 500 bio sketch of the local designer-retailer’s achievements. In 2011, he opened a second Homme et Femme store, Univers, in shopping mall Rockwell Plaza, designed by architect Eduardo Calma. As well as featuring up-and-coming labels and mixing streetwear and luxury together, the store includes lifestyle elements, with waiting lounges, a fragrance collection and a Comme des Garçons Black shop-in-shop concept space. In 2015 Gonzalez opened the first Ladurée store in the Philippines.” Gonzalez is one of the 99 new names selected for the 2017 edition of the BoF 500 index of people who matter to the $2.4 trillion fashion industry, joining two other Filipinos namely, Stephen Gan Read More …

2 Filipinos named in Asia Society Summit Class of 2017

 News
Aug 282017
 
2 Filipinos named in Asia Society Summit Class of 2017

Asia Society has named two Filipinos as part of the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit Class of 2017 to be held in Australia late this year. Cherrie Atalino and Eleanor Pinugu Agricultural Systems International Inc. (AGREA) founder and president/CEO Cherrie Atilano and Mano Amiga Academy founder Eleanor Rosa Pinugu will represent the Philippines in the Asia 21 core group of accomplished young leaders representing multiple countries and a wide range of fields to explore and propose positive actions to critical issues facing the Asia-Pacific region. Atilano and Pinugu were included in the 30-member Asia 21 Class of 2017 for being “change-makers, visionaries, and leaders in their own fields that have made significant contributions to society.” Atilano’s AGREA is an agro-social enterprise with a mission to help farming and fishing families in Marinduque island by bringing together local businesses, academia, communities and local and national governments and international partners towards its vision of “Ecology of Dignity,” with a vision to help eradicate poverty and help establish food security in the Philippines while helping alleviate effects of climate change. The AGREA leader defines her role in the social enterprise: “Leadership is leading the way you like to be led. It is about empowering and enabling people and having the humility to listen, learn and serve.” Atilano previously worked as a consultant for the Department of Agrarian Reform to establish 241 farmer cooperatives in the Philippines. Asia Society, founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller 3rd, recognizes Atilano as a World Economic Forum Global Read More …

PHL and Japan to design Mega Manila Subway

 News
Aug 252017
 
PHL and Japan to design Mega Manila Subway

The Philippines and Japan are set to start designing an underground mass transportation system to connect major business districts and government centers in the National Capital Region. Mega Manila Subway [via Build] Dubbed the Mega Manila Subway, the 25-kilometer underground transport is expected to serve around 370,000 passengers per day in its opening year, according to the DOTr information. Estimated to cost at Php 227 billion, the subway design will begin in November, announced Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a press conference. "The subway I think is going to be the project of the century for the Philippines. Designing of that will be in November when Prime Minister Abe will come for the ASEAN Summit," Secretary Pernia said. The contract signing between the two governments is expected to happen when Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in the Philippines for the ASEAN ministers meeting in November. The subway project began in 2015 under then President Benigno Aquino III, as the Mass Transit System Loop or the Light Rail Transit Line 5. The Mega Manila Subway project study was conducted with a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).   The post PHL and Japan to design Mega Manila Subway appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related posts: Japan’s Sogo Sosha to invest almost P 200B in PH economy Japan Cruise Lines to boost cruise tourism in PHL Japan’s Nomura upgrades PHL economic growth Filipina figure skaters win 12 gold, 6 silver in Japan

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