...the sustainable path

PH poised for sustained 7% growth

Economist cites improved governance, infra project

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/28/2011

THE PHILIPPINES is poised to grow 7 percent or better in the next six to 10 years—the same feat that India and Vietnam had accomplished in the last decade, according to economist Bernardo M. Villegas, who co-founded the University of Asia and the Pacific (formerly known as the Center for Research and Communication).

He said the Philippines could even sustain an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7-9 percent in the next six years, given significant improvements in governance and infrastructure as well as strong remittance inflows.

In a briefing, Villegas said that such high level of sustained growth was crucial in curbing the poverty level for the next 10 years to 15 percent from the current 30 percent of the population.

He said inflation could be in the 4-5 percent range. “I would say 4.3 percent. This is nothing to worry about,” Villegas said, adding that he expected interest rates to remain low.

This means investors with good projects will have no problem getting financing.

Villegas said agribusiness and water infrastructure projects would be crucial moving forward as demand for high-value crops was expected to surge in increasingly affluent markets like China.

Another good sign for the Philippines was that there existed a lot of room for investments here, he added.

Villegas said the savings rate was at an all-time high of 30 percent of GDP while the investment rate was only 17 percent, leaving room for big-ticket projects in the high-growth sectors to be funded by local money.

An investment-led growth was getting strong support from the foreign investment community, Villegas said, citing the Joint For eign Chambers’ roadmap dubbed “Arangkada Philippines.”

The roadmap describes how a 7- to 9-percent growth in GDP can be achieved in the next five to six years through investments in seven key industries.

These are agribusiness, business process outsourcing, creative industries, infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics, mining and tourism, medical travel and retirement.

What was encouraging was that these were the same “sunrise industries” in which the local taipans and conglomerates were investing heavily, Villegas said.

He said the likes of San Miguel Corp., the SM group, the Metro Pacific group, the Ayalas, First Philippine Holdings and the Phinma group, among others, were leading the way to an investment-led recovery.

However, foreign investments must complement local investments if the Philippines was to sustain its target growth rates, Villegas pointed out.

..the smart ballers

Smart-Gilas enters finals at Dubai tourney

abs-cbnNEWS.com

01/29/2011

MANILA, Philippines – Pilipinas Smart-Gilas made it to the finals of the 22nd Dubai Invitational Open Championship after beating its Syrian opponent with a score of 77-66.

The Syrian team failed to penetrate the strong defense and the good ball rotation offense play of the Filipinos.

The halftime score was at 51-25, in favor of the Philippines.

With the victory, the Philippines will go up against top favorite Team Egypt for the championship Saturday night at the Al Ahli Gym.

Team Egypt first defeated Smart Gilas during the elimination round.

Meanwhile, Filipino fans showed their support for the Philippine team.

Serbian coach Rajko Toroman was pleased with the display of teamwork that the Filipino players showed.
Mac Baracael, JV Casio, Marcus Douthit and team captain Chris Tiu led the team to its victory.

The Philippine team ranked third in last year’s Dubai Invitational Open Championship. Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN News

...the tribute

Outstanding Filipinos

By Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid

January 28, 2011

 MANILA, Philippines – We are making waves not only in sports and entertainment, but in other fields as well. Just recently, President Aquino was recognized in this year’s prestigious Public Affairs Asia’s Gold Standard Award for Political Communications. Public Affairs Asia is a network of senior government relations, public affairs, and corporate communication professionals in the Asia-Pacific region. Selected over international notables like first Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kwan Yew, British Prime Minister David Cameron, ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, and India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Somi, the award, given in Hong Kong was in recognition of his efforts to put government publications online. Specific mention was made of the Official Gazette which was intended to communicate online all historical documents emanating from the government. These consist of presidential speeches, pronouncements, and other events, thereby allowing easy accessibility by the public. The impact of his message, “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” was likewise noted. Last year, the award was given to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyomo for his successful achievement in addressing corruption in Indonesia through the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Then there are my Fil-American friends from Syracuse and UP, all successful professionals and civic leaders. Honolulu-based Cicero Bernales and his wife Dr. Teresita Bernales are active with the Filipino community in Hawaii as well as Syracuse New York where they lived for about three decades. Bernie, an engineer, has worked in R &D in the food processing and chemical industries. They are in the country helping out with a medical mission in the Bicol region and visiting a Gawad Kalinga project which they help support. Tess, an educator, is coordinator of the Global Youth Center which links young people in Hawaii and youth from around the world. The former Jovy Rodas, formerly of the Manila Chronicle and husband Carl Zimmerman, formerly Manila representative of Associated Press and news editor of the Honolulu Star Bulletin, were regular Manila visitors for many years. Jovy has authored several books and helped establish the Philippine exhibit at the Honolulu Museum. Dr. Ludy Ongkeko, columnist of Philippine News, and husband, the former Col. Hermie Ongkeko, and children, all successful professionals, are also active in the Filipino community.

Amada Valino, a fellow alumna of Syracuse University updated us on the status of old friends Emma and Joe Pagcaliwagan. Emma, herself a civic leader and educator, is here to supervise the establishment of a library and museum in Batangas to honor the memory of her husband who passed away in 2009 She also manages a scholarship program for poor but deserving students. Joe has been a recipient of several medals for heroic deeds as a teenage guerilla fighter for the US Armed Forces during World War 2 With only six years of basic education when he joined the US Navy, he worked his way through college and obtained an electrical engineering degree with honors. For 34 years, he was with the Sonar Defense Systems of General Electric where he designed significant projects.

Another piece of good news is the appointment of a 49-year-old Filipino to the presidency of America’s oldest diocesan university. Amado Gabriel Esteban, a UP alumnus in mathematics and business administration, is now president of Seton University, New Jersey’s largest Catholic university with a student population of 10,000.

Even in pulchritude, our Filipino women are never left behind. After Venus Raj, our own Danica Magpantay, a 17-year-old UP student was chosen the World SuperModel for 2010. It was reported that Danica won this prestigious title when the head of the top Ford model agency “found so striking the fusion of feminine and masculine features on her face, and that hers is a very unusual facial bone structure – squarish on top, but softer toward the chin.” But I am sure there is much more beyond the physical appearance.
Congratulations and good luck Danica.

...the cover boy

Fil-Am pitcher on GQ cover

 

By Balitang America Staff

01/29/2011

 

CALIFORNIA - Filipino-American professional pitcher Tim Lincecum is on the cover of the February 2011 issue of the popular men’s magazine GQ.

Lincecum, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, was named by GQ as one of the 25 Coolest Athletes of All-Time.

Lincecum joins other sports heavyweights in the list like Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Tom Brady, Arnold Palmer and Joe Namath.

Early this week, Lincecum also debuted in a Comcast Sports show called “A Day in the Life”.

...the 'Idol' magnet

Pinay makes it through American Idol audition

 

By Balitang America Staff

ABS-CBN North America Bureau

 01/28/2011

 

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - A young Filipina singer was among the best who auditioned last night on popular FOX talent show, American Idol. 

Fifteen-year-old Thia Megia wowed judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson with her rendition of Adele's "Chasing Pavements". 

During her segment on Idol, the Mountain House, California high school student said that she originally planned on auditioning next year. 

"But when I heard about the age reduction (from 16 to 15 years old), I just immediately booked a flight and hotel and we just flew straight to Wisconsin.  I knew there was going to be an audition in California but I couldn't summon the patience to wait," she said.

Once she walked in and introduced herself, Lopez immediately noted that Megia had a name of a movie star. 

After her audition piece, Lopez commented: "I love you.  You're the total package."

Tyler said: "I love your voice.  I thought it had character."

Megia is going to Hollywood, after receiving 3 votes from the judges.

Megi was a semi-finalist on America's Got Talent, a talent show on NBC, in 2009.  She guested on Balitang America last March to promote her local shows in the Bay Area.

...the all-time figures

Philippine tourist arrivals hit all-time high

 

Agence France-Presse

 01/28/2011

 

MANILA, Philippines - Tourist arrivals in the Philippines reached an all-time high of 3.52 million last year as increasingly affluent South Koreans and Chinese flocked to its tropical attractions, the government said Friday.

Visitor numbers in 2010 beat the previous record despite a bus hijacking that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead in August and a series of travel alerts by Western nations in November warning of an imminent terror attack.

The number of tourists arriving in the Philippines rose 16.68% over the previous year, with East Asians, led by South Koreans, accounting for nearly half the total, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

"The improved economic condition in these markets boosted their outbound traffic," the statement said.
The final numbers topped the annual target of 3.3 million set by President Benigno Aquino's government, which is seeking to boost tourist arrivals to six million by the time he leaves office in mid-2016.

Traffic from fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations members should surge this year after passenger air services were liberalized within the 10-nation economic bloc in November last year, the ministry said.

The previous record for arrivals was set in 2008 with 3.14 million visitors.

The Philippines is targeting 3.7 million tourist arrivals this year, but this is still just a fraction of the tourist numbers enjoyed by Southeast Asian neighbors such as Thailand.

...the inn

Iloilo City hotel wins Global Industry Award in Spain

goodnewspilipinas.com
January 27, 2011



The Grand Dame Hotel, Ilo-ilo City

 One of the finest hotels in Iloilo City won a global award given in Spain recently.

The Grand Dame Hotel based at the corner of Rizal-Huervana Streets in La Paz district received the “Trofeo International De Hosteleria” during the 36th International Awards for Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry held at the Hotel Melia Castilla in Madrid, Spain on January 18-20, 2011.

Local officials said the citation is another manifestation of the city’s growing reputation as an ideal tourism and convention destination with the presence of excellent hotel amenities.

The award has been organized by The Editorial Office and International Publishing House founded in 1950 and The Trade Leaders’ Club based in C/ German Perez Carrasco, 63-28027 Madrid, Spain which comprises over 7,000 companies in 110 countries, representing all manufacturing and services sectors.

“This is a proud moment not for Grand Dame Hotel alone but for Iloilo City and Western Visayas region,” Grand Dame Hotel president and CEO Emil Diez said.

Diez also credited the city’s outstanding leadership and management skills which are evident in all of the city’s flourishing tourism endeavors and the determination in the fulfillment of our common goals and dreams for Iloilo.”

The Department of Tourism (DOT) also conferred the Best Hotel in Western Visayas Standard Class citation to Grand Dame Hotel in 2006-2007 and the Best Frontliner Award in 2007.
(Story courtesy of Philippine News Agency)

...the little voices

Pinoy kids choir in Jeddah set for another benefit concert

01/26/2011

JEDDAH — A choir group composed of 45 children of Filipino migrant workers — to be accompanied by a string chamber orchestra — will hold its sixth major concert next month here.

The event will be the group’s third benefit concert aimed at funding the college education of less fortunate but deserving Filipino students.

Four scholars from different schools in the Philippines have been picked as beneficiaries of the upcoming concert entitled “SERENATA: Touching hearts, Touching Lives" set on Feb. 10, 2011, said Mrs. Charo Hipos, the group chairperson.

Apart from the two batches of college scholars, the group’s previous concerts benefited the landslide victims in Southern Leyte, several Philippine primary schools, and a Maguindanao-based women’s cooperative.

All-Pinoy children's choir is set to wow audience again in its 3rd benefit concert on February 10, 2011. Ronaldo Concha

The two-hour concert will feature choral and orchestral arrangements of Filipino folk songs, pop and Broadway music. Both the choir and the orchestra will perform under the baton of Ms. Sylvia de los Santos.

Ms. Emma Ruth Tolopia directs the concert, which will be held at the American International School of Jeddah at 6 p.m. Mr. Ahjid Sayas will be the master of ceremony.

SERENATA is a non-stock, nonprofit, cause-oriented performing group in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia founded in 2005 through the pioneering efforts of Ms. Sylvia de los Santos, Ms. Desil Manapat and Mr. Louis Bautista. It consists of a string chamber orchestra and a choral group composed of children of overseas Filipino workers.

The members of the choir, aged eight to 16, gained admission to the group through auditions held between June and July last year.

The String Chamber Orchestra, formed in September 2008, is a relatively new section and is composed of violinists, violists and cellists.

SERENATA last graced the stage at the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah on Dec. 10, 2010 performing for the wards housed at the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC). - Ronaldo Z. Concha/KBK, GMANews.TV

...the Italian dream

'Little Italy' rises on Philippine hillside

Agence France-Presse

(abs-cbnnews.com)

01/27/2011

MABINI - On an isolated hillside in the Philippines, a tiny slice of Italy has risen from among the vegetable patches and coconut trees, the product of thousands of overseas workers.

Large stone houses -- often with brand-new vehicles in their driveways -- cover the district, even though the narrow streets can barely accommodate more than one car at a time.

This is a sharp contrast to the lifestyle in the 1980s, recalled district chairman Raymundo Magsino, 63.
"Back then, we depended on farming: vegetables, fruit and corn. We were the poorest district in the province.

These were all just thatch huts," Magsino said, pointing to the pastel-colored houses that dot the hilly area.
This new wealth comes from the remittances of residents -- including entire families -- who have gone to Italy to work, turning a district of subsistence farmers into a relatively prosperous community in a generation.

About 6,300 people from the town's total population of 47,000 have made the trip, said Aileen Constantino-Penas, program director of a non-government organization for migrant workers in Mabini.

The money sent home from Italy by Filipinos doing mostly domestic work and laboring has completely changed the face of Mabini town, located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Manila.

Those who have left have brought touches of Italy back with them.

"The accents of their homes are no longer typical of Filipino homes," Constantino-Penas said.

Italian-style large terraces or wrap-around porches with marble balusters proliferate in Mabini, some with exteriors covered with artificial stone. Other houses look like mini-Pantheons, complete with Roman-style columns in front.

Traces of Italy can also be found inside the houses, even in the bathrooms. Bidets are common here even though they are unheard of elsewhere in the Philippines.

And when speaking among themselves, those from Italy sometimes use Italian words including the occasional "Mama Mia" exclamation, said Constantino-Penas, whose relatives are also among the workers in Italy.

Going abroad to seek higher-paying work is nothing unusual in the Philippines: nine million people, or about 10 percent of the population, are currently laboring abroad.

They work as sailors, nurses, construction workers, musicians, maids and in dozens of other professions in almost every country in the world.

But the people of Mabini have found Italy to be especially welcoming.

District chairman Magsino said some people made the journey to Italy as early as 1977, at a time when this meant sneaking into the country illegally.

Working in Italy really caught on in the 1980s as word spread of the opportunities there, luring even more Mabini residents.

"People who have relatives there talked to (prospective) Italian employers and told them that (their relatives) will work for you so they fixed the papers to bring them in," Magsino said.

Luciana Hernandez, 81, said she was one of the pioneers of the exodus to Italy, having helped arrange for her daughter to go there to work in 1986, back when that meant sneaking into Italy from Austria or the former Yugoslavia.

"An agency took her by plane (to Europe). Then by speedboat, then they crossed the mountains on foot, hiding all the time," she recalled.

Once her daughter was established in Italy, she was able to petition for the rest of her siblings to go there, where they also obtained jobs, said Hernandez.

Eventually all but one of Hernandez's 10 children went off to work in Italy. Most of them are still there and have taken their own children with them, she said.

"When they first left, I cried every time I thought of them. But I am used to it now and these days, they can call very easily with these new phones," she said.

Life as a foreign worker in Italy is easier than in other countries, say those who have worked there. While tales of abused Filipino maids proliferate in many countries, Filipinos in Italy enjoy legal protection and many of them get along well with their hosts, they say.

"Italy is a better place, even if you are just a domestic helper. They treat you well and even give you insurance for hospitalization," said Alona Solis, 39, who first went to Italy when she was 16 years old.

"They are not allowed to hurt you. You can complain about abuse, unlike some other countries."

Since she left for Italy in 1986, she has returned to the Philippines only twice: once in 2005 to get married and last December for a vacation that she is still enjoying. But she plans to go back to Italy soon.

"I am used to working there. My boss there already sees me as his child," she said.

Her husband also has a job in Italy and they share an apartment with her two young children, said Solis, who can speak Italian.

Solis can earn as much as 1,000 euros a month (1,350 dollars) as a domestic helper if she works overtime, far more than she could ever get in the Philippines as a high-school drop-out.

"If the educated people have trouble finding a job here, how much more the uneducated," she said.
Despite the wealth brought by the Italian ventures, officials concede that there are costs to having so many people from the community working outside the country.

Magsino, the district chairman, said family members left behind had become dependent on the remittances of their relatives.

"Many don't want to work in the farms anymore. They just play cards and go to cockfights," he lamented.

Constantino-Penas said her non-government organization, Atikha, had been working to teach the overseas workers how to manage their money and to make sure their relatives at home didn't suffer the ill-effects of separation.

"There is a social cost of migration. Children left behind don't want to study. Their mindset is they should go abroad and not study. We see a lot of drop-outs, most of them among overseas workers' children," she said.

Her organization is teaching children to stay in school, to save their money rather than spend it, while also helping their guardians learn how to budget and invest the money that is sent home from Italy.

Meanwhile, Mabini tourism officer Pacencia Casapao has struggled against the apathy lingering over the town in her effort to give it more touches of Italy.

"I've been asking for someone to come back and set up an Italian restaurant for tourists. But no one wants to do that," she said.

...the vision-giver

Filipino eye specialists at par with foreign experts The Philippine Star January 27, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - Cataract surgery in 10 minutes. Make that both eyes, and have it done in 20 minutes, as if having “brand new” eyes and vision in a jiffy.

This highlights how advanced local technology is in eye treatment and surgeries, making it at par with world-class medical centers.

“Philippine ophthalmology is definitely at par with international standards,” says Dr. Carlos Naval, medical director of the Galileo Surgicenter, which recently launched its renovated facility at the Belson House building along EDSA in Mandaluyong City.

Now on its eighth year, the eye center has upgraded its modern facilities, so it could do eye surgeries like cataract extraction on an outpatient basis, with less expense and shorter recovery time.

“Our mission is to render excellent eye care for our patients and we make sure to have only the latest and most advanced tools and equipment for conducting the services the surgicenter now offers,” says Naval.

Naval also cautions eye patients on haphazard evaluations of their eye conditions. For most people, when they experience some eyestrain, blurring of vision, or other problems with their eyes, they immediately see an optometrist in an optical shop thinking that eyeglasses would quickly solve their problems.

“Not because your vision is clear with the eye glasses does it mean that you are free of eye disease,” warns Naval.

He adds that one could already be developing a more serious eye problem such as cataract or glaucoma.

Cataract and glaucoma are the two leading causes of blindness in people, which is why when Galileo Surgicenter started in 2002, the services it offered were focused on the treatment of these two eye diseases.

Over the years, it has continually improved on and added more to its services and facilities. “We took our eight years of existence as a sign that we were offering something good to the public so we decided to extend our services to include refractive surgery which include laser for myopia, hyperopia and farsightedness, and also eye surgeries for correcting vision problems for patients who are beyond the LASIK treatment,” says Naval.

LASIK is a modern form of treatment of refractive eye disorders which can make one see clearly without the need of his or her previously thick eyeglasses.

The Galileo Surgicenter is also an ambulatory eye care facility. Unlike in hospitals where patients have to go through long, rigorous and tiring tests and procedures which could take weeks before they are finally treated, they could simply walk into the surgicenter and come out a few minutes to a few hours after with their eyes fully treated.

“Some even go and have both eyes done in one sitting and they feel as if they have new eyes,” says Naval.
They at Galileo have modeled their whole facility to have everything their patients will need to get a complete and comprehensive treatment for the eye diseases they have covered in their services.

...the sun, the sea and the wind

Boracay hosts international windsport cup

ANN - Wednesday, January 26, 2011

 

 

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Over a hundred windsport athletes and enthusiasts are expected to flock the shores of Boracay once again for the annual Boracay International Funboard Cup 2011.

Listed last year by CNNgo.com among the Top 52 Weekend Events Destinations in the World, along with other world events such as the Fifa World Cup and Australian Open, the Boracay Funboard Cup is now among the most sought-after windsport events this side of the world.

"The Boracay Int'l Funboard Cup is the biggest windsurfing event in Asia, and the region's longest-running and most successful annual sporting event," said race organizer and international windsurfing champion Nenette Aguirre-Graf.

Graf, who says she fell in love with windsurfing in 1984, has seen how the sport has grown from a mere group of friend-enthusiasts into a major international event. Today, some of the best sailors in the sport are Filipinos.

Expanded competition
Now on its 22nd year, the competition has also expanded to include the fastest-growing windsport in the world - kiteboarding. The rapid rise of kiteboarding's popularity, said Graf, is mostly due to the fast learning curve of the sport. (Kiteboarding was included in the competition five years ago.)

"Girls have a much easier time learning kiteboarding than windsurfing, that's why most women excel in this sport. It's freestyle surfing, less technical and doesn't demand too much strength," Graf said.

Neil Pryde, owner of a top windsurfing company that bears his name, has been a major supporter of the event since the mid-'90s. The Boracay Funboard became popular all over Asia so quickly, he said, that he wasted no time establishing a link between his company and the Cup.

"Boracay is one of the most visited sites in Asia for this kind of sport.

We'd like to help promote it further by bringing in more people from around the world. The real advantage Boracay has over other beaches in Asia is the excellent wind condition. As a windsport company, we are very much dependent on wind to operate, and Boracay delivers just the perfect conditions for us," Pryde said.

Slalom race
Kicking off on Jan. 24 and culminating on Jan. 29, the 22nd Neil Pryde Boracay Int'l Funboard Cup's main event is the Slalom Race, held everyday during the Cup. Windsurfers start 200 meters offshore, turn around five buoys before going full speed to the finish line. The Slalom winner will be crowned Boracay Cup champion.

There will also be a Speed Trial, where speed guns monitor sailors' speeds as they race down a 200-meter course. Participants will be judged daily; the participant with most wins snags the prize.

Kiteboarding, the newest addition to the lineup, will have the Kiteboading Course Race, Speed and Hang Time. All events will be held at the Bulabog Beach.

Graf also said plans are underway for a windsurfing tour this year. Covering six areas (Puerto Gallera, Anilao, Taal, Kaliraya, Subic and Boracay), the tour will be the first of its kind in the country.

...the Oscars

Filipinos among Oscar nominees

abs-cbnNEWS.com

01/26/2011

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-Americans have made it to the list of nominees for the prestigious 83rd Academy Awards.

Young Filipino-American actress Hailee Steinfield was one of those who got the nod of the jury. She has been nominated for best supporting actress for her performance in the film “True Grit.”

Born in California, the mom of the 14-year-old actress is a Filipino.

With her performance in “True Grit,” Steinfield is considered one of the most promising young stars in Hollywood today.

Pinoy Matthew Labatique, meantime, has been nominated under the best in cinematography category for the film “Black Swan.”

“Toy Story 3,” which was created by many Filipino animators, got several nominations including best picture.

"That's the great thing about Pixar. I know that there are a lot of Filipinos there, a lot of really talented people there, helping us make the film," Toy Story 3 producer Lee Unkrich said.

The 83rd Academy Awards will be shown live on February 28, Monday morning, starting at 6:30 a.m. on the Velvet channel and the main ceremonies on ABS-CBN Channel 2 at 10 a.m. –Reports from Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN North America Bureau, and ANC

...the land to explore

Philippines hailed as 'country to explore' in 2011

Manila Bulletin

January 26, 2011

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — The Philippines was recently cited as the “country to explore” in 2011 by Ireland’s leading newspaper, The Irish Times.

The daily broadsheet based in Dublin, Ireland, said the Philippines’ pristine beaches and first-class diving sites were the main reasons the country was chosen over other well-known tourist attractions in the region.

In an article published in T.I.T’s January 8, 2011 weekend supplement entitled “What’s Hot for 2011,” writer Alanna Gallagher was all praises for two “stand-out yet accessible” tourist attractions to visit in the Philippines: the islands of Cebu; and Boracay island in Malay, Aklan.

“It (Cebu and Boracay) offers first-class diving and beaches like Thailand had 20 or 30 years ago before it was over-developed,” Gallagher’s article read.

With these distinctions, aside from many other more tourist attractions to see and experience, Gallaghar says, “the new country to explore in Asia is the Philippines.”

The Irish Times, which was established in 1859, is Ireland’s quality daily newspaper with news reports coming from throughout Ireland and from a comprehensive network of foreign correspondents, as well as sports and business coverage, features and arts sections, lifestyle, jobs and property.

Each issue contains well-informed background analysis and assessment of the events of the day, and diversity of debate in the daily opinion columns.

Alanna Gallagher is a freelance journalist who contributes to publications such as the Irish Times and Sunday Times. She has also recently started her own weekly e-zine (electronic-magazine), The Weekly Edit, which gives Alanna’s top picks in fashion, beauty, interiors, and things to do that week.

Below is Ms. Gallagher’s article which can also be found at: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/travel/2011/0108/1224286988991.html

“You’ve attended full moon parties in Thailand and roasted your bones in Denang on China Beach in Vietnam but the new country to explore in Asia is the Philippines.

“It offers first-class diving and beaches like Thailand had 20 or 30 years ago before it was over-developed. Fly to Abu Dhabi and on to Manila.

“There are two stand-out yet accessible names to drop: the islands of Cebu; and Boracay. Cebu is where Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan first planted the Cross of Christianity in the name of Spain in 1521.

“A nine-night package including seven nights BB at the five-star Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa (on Mactan Island just off the coast of Cebu) and two nights, room only four-star Park Lane Hotel, Hong Kong costs €1,679pps. This price includes return flights with Cathay Pacific via London and Hong Kong to Cebu and is valid from May 5th to June 16th through Trailfinders.”

...Pinoy vs Pinoy in finals

PH’s Pagulayan beats Alcano to win Derby Classic

abs-cbnNEWS.com

01/26/2011

 

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan trounced compatriot Ronato "Volcano" Alcano in an all-Filipino finale to rule the 9-ball banks division of the 13th Annual Derby City Classic being held at the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, Indiana, USA on Tuesday.

The Cabagan, Isabela native took home the top prize of $10,000 for his latest feat.

"This is the first year. I’m not tired yet," said Pagulayan, a stalwart of Puyat Sports of sportsman/ businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat.

The 9-ball banks is a variation of the 9-ball game. The first player to sink 5 of the 9 balls wins a game of 9-ball banks. These balls must be banked off a rail in order for the ball to be counted.

Pagulayan has been spending much time in Las Vegas recently, walking seven miles a day and devoting his life to the game again.

"Matagal-tagal na din tayong hindi nagkampeon kasi matagal din tayong nahinto sa paglalaro," said Pagulayan, a former World 9-ball and US Open 9-ball champion.

Pagulayan’s next event is the Fat Boy 10-ball challenge which begins on Wednesday. Fellow Puyat Sports ace Efren "Bata" Reyes is the defending Fat Boy 10-ball challenge champion.

Reyes, known as the "Magician" in the pool circuit, will not participate in this year's edition due to back problems, according to AZ Billiards.com. – By Marlon Bernardino

...the source of Pinoy pride

Charice gets award for being a source of Pinoy pride

By Karen Flores

abs-cbnNEWS.com

11/26/2010

 

MANILA, Philippines - International singing sensation Charice and her idol, Lea Salonga, now have one award in common.

 

The 18-year-old, who was dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as the Most Talented Girl in the World, is one of the 2 recipients of the BPInoy award this year.

Initiated by Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) in 2005, the award aims to recognize Filipinos who have given the country pride and honor by excelling in their chosen fields at the international level.

Charice was unable to attend the BPInoy awarding ceremony held at the Makati Shangri-La on Friday due to prior commitments abroad.

The pint-sized singer, however, sent a short video thanking BPI for giving her the award.


"Sa bawat kanta na inaawit at aawitin ko, ang Pilipino ang nasa isip ko (The Filipino is always on my mind in every song I sing and will be singing)," she said in the video.

Her manager, Grace Mendoza, accepted the award on her behalf.

"She (Charice) considers this award as an inspiration to sing more and to do better," Mendoza said, adding that Charice continues to suffer from dehydration following a food poisoning incident in Singapore late last month.

Salonga, who received the BPInoy award in 2006 for her highly successful international singing career, congratulated Charice on being recognized as a source of Filipino pride.

"She is a Filipino doing amazingly well in the entertainment industry, bringing focus to her country. Here's hoping the country does right by her," the Tony award-winning performer, best known for her musical role Kim in Miss Saigon, said in a statement.

Doc gets award, too

The other BPInoy awardee for this year is Dr. Manuel Cacdac, founder and chairman of the board of the Hydrocephalus Foundation of the Philippines.

He has been performing free hydrocephalus operations in poor local communities across the globe, including the Philippines, for years.

Cacdac, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008, said he was "honored, privileged and humbled" to receive the award.
"I've been blessed to be able to do this for the Philippines, for the poor people. Hopefully, I'll be blessed with several more years to fulfill this dream," the doctor said.

For her part, BPI executive vice president and head of overseas banking and channels services group Teresita Tan said, "Here are 2 outstanding Filipinos -- true Pinoy prides and testaments of our nation's competitiveness. As we bestow the BPInoy awards to Charice and Dr. Manny, we hope to touch and empower not only them but all Filipino families from all over the globe."

Aside from Charice and Cacdac, other honorees of the BPInoy Awards include White House executive chef Cristeta Pasia-Comerford, international fashion designers Monique Lhullier and Josie Natori, US-based technology entrepreneur Diosdado Banatao, heart surgeon Dr. George Garcia, first Filipino BBC anchor Rico Hizon, chief representative for the Asia and the Pacific of the Bank for International Settlements Dr. Eli Remolona, and renowned painter Anita Magsaysay-Ho.

...the teen sensation

Fil-Am No. 1 teen tennis player in the US

 

By Steve Angeles

ABS-CBN North America Bureau

01/26/2011

CLAREMONT, California - When Gabrielle Andrew first picked up a tennis racket at age five, she didn’t like the sport. But after falling in love with it, she is now ranked number one in the United States Tennis Association’s 18-and-under division.

“I just kept practicing and got better and better and started playing in tournaments,” she recalled.

For her Filipina mother, Evelyn, who works for the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and her father Mike, a Los Angeles policeman, the family never thought she would be this good. Tennis started out as a family fitness activity, when she was five.

“It was 'Hey, lets go out have fun, we’ll socialize, it’d be a good activity, family fun, all in the spirit of togetherness and family,' but I had no idea she’d turn out to be as good as she is,” said her father Michael.

In less than 9 years, Andrew has earned a record of 80 wins and only 12 losses. She finished 2010 by winning the Juniors National Tournament in Arizona and will travel to Spain in February to train for a month.

“To have that high ranking and seeing all of my records--from being 110 to 13 is a really, really good record. And I was proud of myself, and I wouldn’t stop there. I really want to keep going,” Gabrielle said. Balitang America

...the Spanish Idol

Filipino reaches semis in 'Spanish Idol'

By Glenda Villena
For Yahoo! Southeast Asia
January 25, 2011



Alexandra Masangkay Escalona



Another Filipino is making waves in the worldwide “Idol” competition.

After Jasmine Trias, Camille Velasco and Ramielle Malubay, who all reached the final stages of “American Idol,” a Barcelona-based Filipino-Spanish singer is making a name for herself in the popular international franchise.

Alexandra “Alex” Masangkay Escalona, 18, is vying to be the next “Spanish Idol.”

Currently, Alex has reached the semifinals of “Operación Triunfo,” Spain’s local version of the “Idol” franchise. She was one of some 7,000 hopefuls who auditioned for Spain's most popular singing contest.
Alex is not new to singing competitions. In fact, she placed third in dzMM's Global Singing Idol contest held at the Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City last Dec 16, 2010.  Alex is also the first-ever “Mutya ng Barcelona.” Alex is currently pursuing a Chemical Engineering degree at the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña.

Alex drew praise from judges and favorable response from televiewers for her rendition of Thalia’s “Equivocada”.

According to Alex's blog entry (which can be found at http://otlive.es/notes/6-soy-activa-sensible-y-llorona), she enjoys listening to R&B music. Her favorite songs are “One Step at a Time” by Jordin Sparks, “Hero” by Mariah Carey and “When It Was Me” by Paula Deanda. She also dreams of singing a duet with Chris Brown, Mariah Carey and Jordin Sparks.

...the rice apps for mobile

World’s first mobile app for rice production unveiled

 

GMAnews.tv

01/25/2011 |

 

 

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) launched on Monday a new mobile initiative named “Nutrient Management for Rice Mobile (NMRiceMobile)" which allows Filipino farmers and their extension workers to get fertilizer information for free.

Shown during the launch, held at the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Quezon City, are (from left) IRRI deputy director for operations William Padolina, IRRI deputy director for research Achim Dobermann, Jose Luis Reyes of Globe Telecoms, DA undersecretary for special concerns Bernadette Romulo Puyat, and Ramon Isberto of Smart Communications.

Laguna-based IRRI and the DA, through the Agricultural training Institute (DA-ATI), partnered with local carriers Globe and Smart to give agricultural workers toll-free access (2378 for Globe and *2378 for Smart) to expert advice on the optimal timing, amount, and type of fertilizer to apply to their rice fields, not only to maximize production and profit but also to reduce risks to the environment.

NMRice Mobile is the first knowledge-based application for mobile phones that allow users to pull precision agriculture information from designated servers in a rapid, accessible, inexpensive and credible way. It provides crop advisors, extension workers and farmers a comprehensive site-specific fertilizer guideline for their rice fields.

Nutrient Manager for Rice, the online decision tool which NMRiceMobile is anchored, puts into practice the principles of site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) that IRRI developed over the years as a result of extensive research in Asia’s major rice- growing areas.

According to DA, the free service presents an immense potential to enhance, if not revolutionize, the way the agency delivers technical support and education to its clientele.

“Today is a singular moment in the history of Philippine Agriculture as it marks the realization of one complete step towards giving farmers better access to proven, easy to use and cost effective rice technologies," said DA Secretary Proceso Alcala.

“It is truly a milestone in our efforts to provide better service for the benefit of our farmers. This is the first of its kind application in the world. There are many applications for farmers and services thereon but there’s none that captures, process and translate inputs into recommendations and sending it back to the user without a human involved," said Dr. Achim Dobermann, IRRI deputy director for research.

Doberman cited Smart and Globe, with their coming together as partners and even agreed to use the same access number for the service, save the asterisk for Smart, is also a milestone in the business industry.

Nutrient Manager for Rice was first made available in CD format in 2008 but its distribution reach into rice-growing areas was limited. IRRI said that it made sense for the DA to use mobile phones as a way to communicate with farmers because many Filipino farmers do not have an access to computer but most have access to a mobile phone.

Alcala said that with the state of the art and expansive network of Globe and Smart, DA is assured of serving the biggest possible number of farmers and extension workers. NMRiceMobile is designed for farmers and extension workers who do not have access to the internet.

The launched of NMRiceMobile yesterday coincides with the 24th anniversary celebration of ATI. The NMRiceMobile is intended to become an additional service of the DA Farmers’ Contact Center manned by ATI. - Newsbytes.ph

...the helping hands

Pinoy, French civic groups join hands for a cause

By Raquel Bernal-Crisostomo
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

01/25/2011

FRANCE – Filipino organizations and their French counterparts joined hands to help the growing number of less fortunate in the country.

The Filipino Helping Hand Association, Knights of Rizal Dimasalang Il de France Chapter, and Entrade de Chaillot, a French organization joined forces in soliciting donations from banks, hotels, department stores and supermarkets to help those affected by the economic crisis.

Leo Mojica, founder of Filipino Helping Hand Association and Chapter Commander of Knights of Rizal Dimasalang Il de France Chapter, urged those in need, especially Filipinos, to contact his office so he could give them authorization to be able to collect goods from their organization.

“Huwag po kayong mag atubili, kung kayo po ay may kababayan, halimbawa may anak walang trabaho, walang makain, makipag-ugnayan lang po kayo sa akin,” he said.

On the other hand, OFW Susan Zita thanked the group for all the support she’s been receiving. Zita’s husband has been comatose for 5 years. They still have 2 small children. Zita’s family regularly collects goods and clothes from the groups.

“Malaking-malaking tulong po para sa amin lalo na po sa akin, ako’y nag-iisa na nagtatrabaho yun lang po at maraming salamat brother Leo,” she said.

Committed to help

Despite having their regular jobs, members and volunteers of these three groups find ways in serving the growing number of beggars and jobless residents in the country. They even extended their working hours to be able to reach out to those who are in need.

Elizabeth Larmendieu-Benevole, member of Filipino Helping Hand Association, said they are happy to be of help.

“People with difficulties, they come 3 times a week to eat something and to take  some food and clothes for the week, and that is for 1 year and we are happy to have them here,” she said.

But apart from this, they also send relief goods to areas in the Philippines that have been affected by recent calamities.

For those who would like to avail of the services of the group, their office is open on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon (for women only); Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon (for men only); and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon (for men and women).

...the festival goes global

Dinagyang invited to perform in New York

By TARA YAP

January 24, 2011

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City has been invited to perform in New York City.

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog disclosed that the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. (PIDCI) has an invitation for the city’s famous festival that pays homage to the Santo Niño to perform at the 113th Independence Day commemoration in Manhattan, New York this June.

Mabilog stressed that it will be an opportunity to promote Iloilo City to Americans, Filipino-Americans and a large foreign community.

New York City is considered to be the financial capital and the most populated city in the United States. It is also home to the headquarters of the United Nations.

City tourism officer Ben Jimena explained that PIDCI has only given an invitation, but an agreement has not been reached. Jimena also disclosed that a similar invitation has been extended last 2008, but did not materialize.

“We need to know if how much of the expenses will PIDCI shoulder,” Jimena said.
Jimena further stressed that an agreement must be reached to find out if the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) and the Iloilo City government can afford to send a group of performers to New York.

The Dinagyang has performed in the United States, Japan and Singapore over the years. Its latest foreign performances were in the states of Texas and Minneapolis.

At the home front, the Dinagyang Festival has fostered a strong partnership between the public and private sectors. It led to the city garnering numerous awards including citations from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), and the Palladium Group.

The Dinagyang has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) as one of the country’s best tourism events

...the good investment

Investments in electronics break all-time record at $2.32 B in 2010

By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT

Manila Bulletin

January 24, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – Electronics investments in the country broke all time high record as fresh capital grew 380 percent in 2010 to $2.318 billion from $484 million in 2009, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) reported.

“This is the highest in the Philippine semiconductor and electronics industry’s history,” SEIPI president Ernie Santiago said in a statement.

This is also the 7th year the industry hit over $1 billion in investments. The $1 billion investments in the industry were previously registered in the years 2007, 2000, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994.

Santiago further said there were 100 companies that registered their investments in the country last year.
Of these firms, ten are expansions while the rest are new projects. It is expected that these investments will generate 24,552 new direct jobs which include engineers, technicians and operators.

As a rule of thumb, Santiago reported that every one direct job, there are seven indirect jobs created.
Santiago also reported that during the SEIPI meeting with President Benigno Aquino III last year, the industry expressed its desire to double up exports in six years - from $ 22 billion in 2009 to $50 billion in 2016.
The electronics industry exports had a strong start and encouraging finish in 2010.

Its exports this year, too, are expected to hit over $31 billion or at least $9 billion to $10 billion increase over its 2009 exports of $22 billion.

“The industry is bullish for 2011,” Santiago said noting that the electronics sector will continue to be the driver of growth of Philippine exports.

SEIPI is projecting 10% growth for 2011 as no global electronics ‘crash’ appears to be looming for early 2011, Santiago said.

SEIPI, the leading and the largest organization of foreign and Filipino semiconductor and electronics companies in the Philippines, will present the industry’s strong performance in 2010 and its promising outlook for 2011 during SEIPI New Year’s Fellowship Night on Friday, January 28, at M/S Philippines, Manila Hotel.

...the techie dudes

Prepaid electricity metering system is award finalist

The Philippine Star
January 24, 2011


MANILA, Philippines - A team of students from Batangas State University is intent on enabling students at boarding houses to set their electricity consumption for the month, pay the corresponding fee, and monitor and control their usage using their cellphones.

Smart Power Vendo, a GSM-based prepaid electricity system with energy monitoring, SMS inquiries capability and electricity management features is one of the two entries from Batangas State University that have made it to the final 10 of this year’s 7th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards.

The other entry, “Smart Farmbihira,” is an SMS-based automated bucket drip irrigation system designed by fifth year ECE students.

The projects, together with seven others entered by the school to the SWEEP Awards, were among the 133 entries submitted by 26 colleges and universities nationwide to Smart’s annual search for the most innovative wireless solutions designed to address concerns of the community in keeping with the theme “Empowering Communities through Wireless Technologies.”

The team of fourth year ECE students behind Smart Power Vendo zeroes in on boarding houses as potential beneficiaries of their application, citing the usual problem pattern of unmonitored daily consumption that results in over-consumption of electricity that then leads to unpaid bills and debts, to eventual power disconnection.

With Smart Power Vendo, the team hopes to contribute to addressing the global issue of electricity management which is a major concern in developing countries like the Philippines. The prevalent ineffective practice of energy consumption has only led to the depletion of non-renewable sources of energy.

Meanwhile, Smart Farmbihira seeks to make life easier for farmers by allowing them to engage in other activities while caring for and monitoring their crop.

The user-interactive SMS-based application designed by fifth year ECE students is equipped with soil moisture monitoring, automated water filling, efficient monitoring of crop production and automated soil fertilization features.

Aside from farmers, it is seen to benefit the agriculture industry and even gardeners and hobbyists.

The project also aims to promote drip irrigation which presents a more efficient water usage compared to the customary irrigation methods usually applied in crop production. As such, Smart Farmbihira hopes to address problems of water shortage, inefficient water usage, and uneconomical use of water in irrigation.

“We adopted the theme of the 7th SWEEP Awards in our Wireless Communications subject where we require students to conceptualize and design wireless applications per group,” says engineer Albertson Amante, an instructor in the ECE, ICE and Mexe departments of Batangas State University.

As the subject professor, Amante short-listed nine of the projects submitted by the student groups and entered these in the elimination round of the SWEEP Awards.

“We are overwhelmed to have two entries make it to the final 10. Being given the opportunity to be part of the final event and represent our university is already a victory,” says Amante, who is also the project adviser of both qualifying teams.

Their next goal is to finish the prototypes of their projects on time and be ready for the final judging, which includes an evaluation of the working models and team presentations.

The Smart Farmbihira team is led by Josephine Medina, with presentor Roy Brian Sanvictores, and members Josef Moren and Ludyneil Bautista.

Leading the Smart Power Vendo team is Ariel San Diego, with presentor Eugene Ereno, and members Vivien Mecaella Maranan, Hazelyn Dimayuga and Gian Carlo Moreto.

The awards is part of the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), an industry-academe partnership which Smart launched in 2003 to help elevate the level of engineering and technology education, particularly in the field of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE).

...the envied complexion

Brown is beautiful

abs-cbnNEWS.com

01/24/2011

'Stop with the whitening creams,' model tells Pinays

MANILA, Philippines - Model and former VJ Sarah Meier-Albano urged Filipinos to be proud of their God-given brown complexion.

Albano, who is of Swiss, Chinese and Filipino descent, made the call on social microblogging site Twitter following mocha-skinned Danica Flores Magpantay's win in the 2011 Ford Supermodel of the World contest over the weekend.


She also cited how judges of last year's Miss Universe pageant were dazzled by the exotic beauty of Venus Raj, who placed fourth in the beauty contest.


"So to my dear Filipinas - take a look. Venus Raj, Danica Magpantay. Beautiful, dusky, exotic. STOP with the whitening creams already," Albano tweeted.

Filipinos tend to turn to whitening products in an effort to achieve a complexion as fair as most commercial models and Hollywood stars.

Vice President Jejomar Binay earlier noted that a number of skin care companies are distorting the concept of beauty by pushing the use of cosmetics that make a person's complexion lighter.

"Cosmetic firms have been selling their products by subliminally promoting distaste for our natural brown complexion," Binay said in an interview.

He continued, "It is not color that divides us but poverty and hunger. The idea being peddled is that we are not beautiful because we are not fair-skinned. That is not true."

Magpantay, a 17-year-old Fine Arts student of the University of the Philippines, is the first Filipina to win the Ford Supermodel of the World title.

She is the daughter of professional make-up artist Lala Flores, who represented the Philippines in the same contest 20 years ago.

"CONGRATS DANICA!!!!! :) First Filipina to win the Ford Supermodel of the World.. YOU made us proud," Flores said in her Twitter account.

Ford Supermodel of the World, which started in 1980, is the largest and most prestigious international modeling competition, with over 60,000 from 40 countries worldwide.

Another Filipina, Charlene Almarvez, won first runner-up in the said competition last year

...Japanese heart

Japanese NGO supports school building construction in Bulacan

INQUIRER.net
01/24/2011

MANILA, Philippines—Japanese non-government organization Aichi Rescue helped construct a one-story, three-classroom school building for the Tumana Elementary School in Santa Maria, Bulacan, the Japanese embassy here said in a news release.

The project, amounting to $49,005 (about P2.3 million), is funded through the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects, a small-grant funding program of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). It supplemented the school’s originally 17 classrooms to accommodate about 1,000 pre-school and elementary school students.

Before the new building, the situation was such that some of the classes were conducted in makeshift structures comprised of galvanized-iron roof and wooden walls, a situation that was not conducive for learning. In addition, the next school year is expected to bring in new students resulting in the increased number of students. Without the construction of the new building, the problem of overcrowding in classrooms would have been exacerbated.

Japan embassy’s Labor Attache and Economic Section First Secretary Haruhiro Jono attended a turnover ceremony last week. Santa Maria Municipal Mayor Bartolome Ramos and Yoshimi Ando, Director of Aichi Rescue, also attended the ceremony.

“This project, whose grant contract was signed in July last year, is a testimony or proof of our strong conviction that became a reality through concerted actions: the conviction of both the Japanese and the Filipino people that children need a good environment to learn many things in the world for their bright future; and the reality that is the completion of this new and solid school building,” Jono said.

“I am therefore very glad that the government of Japan through the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects was able to help change this situation. Now, I hope the additional classrooms will provide a better learning environment for the students of Tumana Elementary School so that they can concentrate more on their study, be inspired to study harder and reach their highest potential,” he added.

The scheme of Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects started in the Philippines in 2002. Since then, the Japanese government, as a top donor to the Philippines, has disbursed about 260 million Japanese yen (about P130 million) for a total of 23 projects in the Philippines under the scheme. It is hoped thus, through this project, friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines as well as the strategic partnership between our two nations will be further strengthened.

 

...the Frenchman

This Frenchman loves the Mangyans -and everything else about the Philippines

‘This country conquered me,’ says wandering blueblood and now Mindoro resident Hubert d’Aboville, who’s organizing an arts festival to benefit tribal communities.

 ONE OF the first things Frenchman Hubert d’Aboville (pronounced “uber daboveel”) did when he settled in the Philippines in 1981 was to acquire a sprawling piece of land at the foot of Mount Malasimbo, a few kilometers from the then-unsullied seaside resort town of Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. He would develop close kinship with his neighbors, the seven Mangyan tribes who lived in the mountains of the island.

He would imbibe the natives’ customs and traditions, appreciating their craft and learning their dialect, when he was not attending to his business in Makati.

He had come to the Philippines in the early 1980s to head the office of the French global timber company Becob. Later he would put up his own Paris-Manila Technology Corp. (Pamatec), a social enterprise that seeks to bring power-generation technology to the country’s poorest communities. “I wanted to go into high-impact, eco-cultural projects,” he said.

The Mangyan, however, were not the first beneficiaries of d’Aboville’s endeavors; the Masbateños were.

Revolutionary tax

In 1999, Pamatec broke ground for a project that would bring electricity to about 120,000 residents of the poverty-stricken island. Masbate was a hotbed of communist insurgency, and the rebels did not just harass project workers, but also destroyed equipment and supplies worth hundreds of thousands of euros.

They wanted the Frenchman to pay “revolutionary tax.” In a letter, “Luz del Mar, communications officer, Jose Rapsing Command, CPP-NPA Masbate,” after citing what “she” knew of the project’s multi-million euro financing, asked d’Aboville to send as a negotiator “not technical or security personnel)... but (a) finance officer or management personnel who (can) commit to decisions.”
D’Aboville could have just thrown in the towel and pulled out. But instead, he flew to Europe to talk with Luis Jalandoni, one of the rebels’ top leaders in exile.
The Masbate insurgents backed off, and the project was finished in 2009. He would write a book, “Management of an International Project against Poverty,” about the Masbate project, an excellent guide for private sector poverty-alleviation programs.

Now d’Aboville has trained his sights and his unrelenting drive on his “native” Puerto Galera, hoping to transform the island into a top-tier “eco-cultural” travel destination.

200 feet above sea level

On Feb. 18-19, in his Villa Malasimbo, d’Aboville, now 55, is hosting a music and arts festival. The estate, 7 km from the town, is about 200 feet above sea level, overlooking the bay.

Artists will display their works, and musicians from all over the country will perform, but the centerpiece would be Mangyan art and their way of life.

With tickets at P3,900 each, he hopes that the crowd he attracts would be the sophisticated, high-end kind that would make Puerto Galera a favored destination. He shudders at the thought of Puerto Galera becoming another Boracay.

He is so devoted to the place that in the mid-1990s, he went on a personal crusade to get Puerto Galera a membership to the highly exclusive Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World. The club was founded in Berlin, Germany, in March 1997 as a movement to protect the environment and the development and enhancement of marine resources worldwide. It has the blessings of the Unesco.

D’Aboville’s projects in Masbate and now Puerto Galera are just two indications of his deep affection for this country and his commitment to its progress.

Slept at Luneta Park

With nary a clue about the Philippines, he first came to Manila as a backpacker, fresh from college with a business degree in 1977.

With just a few euros in his pocket, he scrounged for the cheapest fares, washed dishes and slept in parks. In Maui, he slept in a hollowed-out bush which he sometimes shared with vagrants. In Manila, the first thing he asked upon landing was where the park was.

In Luneta, he would be accosted by young hooligans, whom he must have charmed because not only did the boys stop harassing him, one of them even invited him to his shack in Tondo, which he accepted.

“I woke up the following morning with my arm as big as my leg,” he said, referring to the mosquito bites he got.

But he was astounded with the generosity and kindness.

From Manila, his meager cash and abundant sagacity would take him to such ultimate destinations as the sun-soaked beaches of Bali and the freezing, treacherous reaches of Afghanistan’s Khyber Pass.

At that time, the Afghans, led by the Taliban, were trying to kick out the Russians, and when d’Aboville reached the capital Kabul, Russian MIGs had just bombed the presidential palace. D’Aboville took pictures of the corpses and sold them, along with his story, to a journalist covering the war.

Cattle class

Once, he discovered that the ticket he bought for a boat trip was literally in cattle class; it was the cargo hold for livestock. “At the last minute, as the boat was about to set off,” he recalled, “I slipped out and went up to the captain’s lounge, where the captain was playing chess. I asked if I could play, and that’s where I was for the rest of the voyage.”

Fact is, d’Aboville could have traveled under more pleasant circumstances, instead of knocking around among the unwashed.

D’Aboville comes from French nobility. In his office at the Pamatec building in Makati hangs a photo of a palace in his native Brittany, in front of which posed a big, elegantly dressed crowd. “That is where we lived,” he said, “and those people are my family.”

But the blue blood that runs in the clan must also be streaked with a sense of high adventure. In 1980, one of his kuyas, Gerard, the fourth child of six brothers and three sisters, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Cod in northeast US to their native Brittany. Eleven years later, he would make a similar journey across the Pacific, from Washinton state in the US to Japan.

D’Aboville said Gerard has been to the Philippines a few times. (Their youngest brother Guillaume and a cousin Guy would also marry Filipinas and settle in the Philippines.)

In fact, he, who is eighth in the brood, and some of his brothers once got on a motorcycle to join the ultimate off-road motor sports event, the 10,000-km Paris-Dakar rally.

D’Aboville says his “personal journey... has taken me to many exotic places on this planet. I came, I saw, but I was not conquered. But the Philippines conquered me.”

He would fall under the spell of Ara Valenzuela, then working in hotel public relations and who, according to d’Aboville, “was as fascinated by France as I was fascinated with the Philippines.”

Ara, a progeny of the illustrious Dr. Pio Valenzuela, would study and work in France, and D’Aboville would plead with her to return to the Philippines to get married. They have four children.

 

...the supermodel

Filipina bags Ford Supermodel of the World 2011 title

MARLON ANTHONY R. TONSON

GMANews.TV

01/23/2011

 Danica Flores Magpantay, 17, a UP Fine Arts student, is named Ford Supermodel of the World 2011 on Saturday in New York (Sunday in Manila), thus bagging a $250,000 modeling contract.

The prestigious Ford Models Supermodel of the World contest was established by Eileen Ford in 1980. It used to be called “Face of the 80s" back then. The contest was held in New York City.

In October last year Danica bagged the Ford Supermodel of the World-Philippines title, like her mom Lala Flores had done 21 years before her. Lala Flores is now a renowned makeup artist.

Models from over 50 countries joined the international modeling contest. Runners-up are contestants from Lithuania and Poland, who get to take home modeling contracts of $150,000 and $100,000. — VS, GMANews.TV