...the next decade global economic driver

India And The Philippines Will Beat China Over The Next Decade


Panos Mourdoukoutas, Contributor
Forbes Magazine
31 August 2019

India and the Philippines will be the top drivers of global economic growth over the next decade, beating China.

That’s according to an Oxford Economics study published earlier this year, which ranks the top ten emerging market economies to dominate the global economy over the next ten years. In terms of economic growth, that is. China is ranking fourth on that list, behind Indonesia.

One of the reasons behind India’s and the Philippine’s lead on this list is a numbers game according to Louis Kuijs, author of the study.

“Basically, the story is the same for these two countries. They are both still relatively poor, meaning there is a lot of potential for catch up,” says Kuijs.

Indeed, India’s per capita GDP is close to one-fourth that of China’s, while the Philippines’  per capita GDP is close to one-third of China’s—see table.

Country                               GDP                            Per Capita GDP

India                                   $2726.32 billion          $2104.20
Philippines                         $330.91 billion            $3022.00
China                                 $13608.15 billion        $7755.00


Source: Tradingeconomics.com  8/30/19

Meanwhile, the two countries have yet to face “middle income trap” --  a situation where economic growth slows down as an emerging market economy reaches middle income -- and The Lewis point, a situation where an emerging market economy runs out of cheap labor. China is already past the two points.

...the breadshop in the Hague

Pinoy bread shop opens in The Hague

Pia Lee-Brago 

The Philippine Star

August 30, 2019 

MANILA, Philippines — The first Filipino bread and pastry shop in The Hague opened recently, offering Philippine specialties such as pan de sal, ensaymada, puto, kutsinta and kapeng barako to Dutch citizens and resident expatriates.

Café Nordrick, owned and operated by Filipino restaurateurs who are residents of The Hague, offers pan de sal, ensaymada, puto, kutsinta and kapeng barako.

Café Nordrick is owned and operated by Filipino restaurateurs Danton Lacorum and his wife Norma, who have been residents of The Hague for quite some time.

Philippine Ambassador Jaime Victor Ledda attended the café’s blessing and opening.

Norma said she is hoping to introduce on the menu other popular Filipino delicacies when the shop expands in the coming week to attract the interest of Filipinos and Dutch, including expatriates who love Filipino food.

The Hague, or Den Haag in Dutch, is where the seat of government of the Netherlands is located as well as the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which ruled in favor of the Philippines in a territorial dispute against China in 2016.

The Huffington Post described The Hague as the international city of peace and justice. Since the late 19th century, The Hague has played an integral role in diplomacy and international affairs.

The city hosts international courts that hear cases of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Since the 1920s, international courts have proliferated in The Hague.

The oldest among these is the World Court, officially named the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

Aside from the courts, The Hague is also home to many other international organizations and regarded as one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the Netherlands.

...the Filipino scripts in Google keyboard

Indigenous Filipino scripts now available on Google keyboard

Janvic Mateo
Philippine Star
30 August 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Four indigenous Filipino writing systems are now available for users of Google’s virtual keyboard for Android users.

The technology company announced yesterday the inclusion of indigenous scripts Baybayin, Buhid, Tagbanwa (Aborlan) and Hanunuo in Gboard for Android, a virtual keyboard app developed by Google.

The technology company announced yesterday the inclusion of indigenous scripts Baybayin, Buhid, Tagbanwa (Aborlan) and Hanunuo in Gboard for Android, a virtual keyboard app developed by Google.

“We are committed to helping preserve the country’s local languages and scripts through relevant technology. Adding more Filipino languages and scripts on helpful products such as Translate and Gboard is one of the many ways we show this commitment,” said Google Philippines marketing head Gabby Roxas.

“To keep our indigenous languages alive, it is important that we try to continue using them. Today, where typing on our smartphones is a common behavior, making more native scripts available on Gboard will play a vital role in helping preserve them,” he added.

With the introduction of the Philippine scripts in Gboard, the company said it is now easier for users to discover and try writing in some of the country’s ethnic writing systems.

Gboard is an app developed by Google to enhance the keyboard of messaging apps and devices.
It enables users to search and send information right from their keyboard through a dedicated Google search feature.

Aside from the four indigenous Filipino scripts, the virtual keyboard also supports 19 languages from the Philippines.

These include Tagalog, Central Bikol, Koronadal Blaan, Rinconada Bikol, Chavacano, Cebuano, Capiznon, Cuyonon, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Itawit, Kankanaey, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Tausug and Waray.

Cebuano in Word Lens

Aside from the four indigenous scripts in Gboard, the technology company said it has also introduced Cebuano in its Word Lens, a feature within Google Translate that gives an instant camera translation.

The feature works by letting users hold their phones in front of a sign written in an unfamiliar language and instantly see the translation through an overlay in the screen.

Google said Cebuano is among the 88 source languages that can now be instantly translated into more than 100 languages.

Word Lens also supports Tagalog, with company officials saying they intend to include more Philippine languages in the feature.

“This update is helpful for tourists to communicate with the locals better and understand Cebu’s culture more. Users who are familiar with Cebuano can still use the tool to learn other languages as well,” added the company.

It noted that 175 of the 185 officially listed languages of the Philippines are indigenous, citing Ethnologue: Language of the World, an annual reference on global languages. Experts fear that at least 11 languages would soon vanish.

Google announced the inclusion of new Philippine languages and scripts in its products for the celebration of the National Language Month or Buwan ng Wika.

...the top travel pick

10 Reasons Why The Philippines Needs To Be TOP Of Your Travel Bucket List


Eadaoin Fitzmaurice
lovin.ie
28 August 2019

Travelling comes in trends.

You see places come into fashion and similar age groups flocking to specific locations. You start at age 18 in Magaluf/Santa Ponsa/Aya Napa followed by a summer hopping across European countries on an interrailing trip. Next, you're probably heading to Thailand for a piss-up or on a J1 and before you know it, you and your moh are heading to either Canada or Australia for a year...

Sound about right? 

Well, let me tell you about the HOTTEST destination that I guarantee will be the place to be within the next year - The Philippines.

I'm just back from this stunning country and I've honestly never loved a place more. It's like walking into a Pinterest feed - white beaches, crystal blue waters, palm trees and coconut vendors aplenty.

Best of all, it's not bombarded with tourists - get over there before they flock!

Still not convinced?

Here are 10 reasons why you'd be thick not to put this on the TOP of your travel bucket list this year:

1. Filipinos Are The Friendliest People Ever

I have never met a friendlier bunch of people.

The Filipino people are so lovely, always smiling, laughing and having the craic. We had multiple tour guides and we loved each one even more than the last.

They're also really helpful, whenever we got lost they'd always cop it and ask if we needed assistance.

2. You Can Swim With Whale Sharks

During my trip, we travelled to Oslob in Cebu to swim with whale sharks; it was honestly one of the coolest things I've ever done.

The whale sharks were absolutely HUGE and they just swim about, not a bother to them, while we watched in awe from beside our boat.

There are strict rules in place – you can't touch them, wear sun cream in the water or use flash photography and there were marine biologists on-site to make sure the animals were cared for, which I liked.

We had to get up at 3am to do the tour as it gets booked up very quickly and they stop permitting tourists early in the day, so be prepared.

One of the best experiences I had during my trip, hands down.

3. The Beaches Are 10 Times Better Than Any Other In The World

Everyone that travels to The Philippines says that the beaches are the most beautiful they've ever seen and I couldn't agree more.

The whitest sand you can imagine and clear blue waters - it's proper dreamy.

My favourite beach we visited was Nacpan Beach, north of El Nido in Palawan - truly stunning.

4. There Are Over 7,000 Islands To Explore

You could travel this place 100 times and there would still be somewhere new to see. Best of all, they are all so different from one another.

We travelled between four different islands and every single one was completely unique; they all had their own cultures, language, traditions and delicacies.

5. It's Really Affordable

Sure, it's cheap as chips!

Meals will usually cost €3-4, no more than €6, and that'd be for a really fancy place. Hostels will cost you between 700-1000 pesos a night which is just under €20.

You also don't have to purchase a visa to visit which will save you some quid compared to other similar destinations.

The main expense is getting there and back!

6. It's Super Safe

I have to admit, I was a little nervous travelling so far across the world to this country with a completely different culture, but from the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt so safe.

Walking down the street at night was a breeze, we never felt threatened or at risk and the locals are so friendly that they were always there to help us if we had a problem.

I never heard of anyone we met along the way getting robbed or scammed or anything like that.

7. They Are Very Environmentally Conscious - Single-Use Plastic Is Banned

One thing I noticed while travelling was how environmentally conscious they were. All single-use plastic is banned in Palawan and many sites and beaches are protected.

On most tours and activities you are asked to pay an area conservation fee so that they can preserve and develop the land.

We went on one tour and they asked us to pick any rubbish we saw out of the ocean, thankfully we didn't see much but when there was, they jumped out of the boat to get it and dispose of it correctly.

8. A Bottle Of Rum Costs €1.50

We headed to the supermarket to pick up some rum and coke for a night out. Never in my life have I seen my rum being cheaper than my mixer.

The local rum will blow your head off as well - it's the best thing to drink while you party!

9. It's The Only Place In The World You'll See A Tasier Monkey

These tiny creatures can only be found in the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.

They are the cutest, tiniest monkeys I've ever seen!

I mean LOOK at them:

10. Karaoke... Everywhere

The Filipinos ADORE karoke.

You cannot walk down the street without hearing them singing, it's actually GAS. On our tours, they sang and made us sing too, and whenever we dined, the staff would be singing behind the bar.

There's even a singing restaurant in Manila where you can eat while watching a live performance.

Try one of the karoke bars in Manila, lots of fun!

Literally the best country in the world!

...the UC professor

UC professor is first Asian, Filipino to helm

environmental law academy



Cris Evert Lato-Ruffalo
Cebu Daily News
23 August 2019

CEBU CITY, Philippines–Lawyer Rose Liza Eisma-Osorio of the University of Cebu is the newly-elected chairperson of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Academy of Environmental Law (IUCNAEL).

Eisma-Osorio teaches environmental law public and private international law, legal research and writing, and human rights law at the UC College of Law.

Osorio is also the Faculty Adviser and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Research in Law and Policy.

According to the news announcement published in the IUCNAEL website, Eisma-Osorio is also one of the faculty members who acts as official representative to the IUCNAEL.

One of the founders and managing trustee of the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC), Eisma Osorio received the prestigious Tatak UP awards in 2018.UCNAEL noted that PEJC filed several environmental cases in the Philippines.

One of the cases is the  landmark decision of the Supreme Court in Resident Marine Mammals and Dolphins vs. Reyes where she (Eisma-Osorio was one of the “two lawyers who were recognized as the stewards of the dolphins and whales of Tañon Strait Protected Seascape in Central Philippines against illegal oil exploration in a protected seascape.”

Fellow environmental lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos congratulated Eisma-Osorio’s feat and described her as the first Filipino chairperson of the IUCNAEL.

The University of Cebu also congratulated Eisma-Osorio in a Facebook post saying that the UC Law senior professor was recently elected as chairman of the governing board of the IUCNAEL.

She is also reportedly the first person from Asia to hold the post.

The IUCNAEL is an international network of approximately 200 environmental law faculties and research centres from 60 countries.

Its academy secretariat is currently located at the University of Maryland, USA.

According to the IUCNAEL website, the Academy is “uniquely positioned in building environmental law education capacity and promoting the conceptual development of environmental law.”

“It recognizes that environmental legal education is a vital contributor to the rule of law and to robust environmental governance essential for sustainable development,” the statement reads. / celr