...the UN body chief

Phl heads UN body on status of women

              

By Pia Lee-Brago

The Philippine Star

September 23, 2013

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has assumed chairmanship of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Libran Cabactulan has assumed the chairmanship of the Bureau for the 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, a move that is seen as the international community’s recognition of the Philippines’ leadership.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. Every year, representatives of member states gather at UN headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide.

In a statement, Cabactulan said that the Philippines is thankful for the “confidence placed by the international community” in an important UN body.

“The Philippines is honored by this position of leadership which recognizes the country’s long-lasting and continuing commitment to gender equality and the advancement of women. Under the Philippines’ leadership, we will continue to build on the Commission’s accomplishments and help ensure that current efforts contribute to a future of gender equality and empowerment of women,” Cabactulan said.

The priority theme for the 58th session of the CSW, which will take place in March 2014, is “Challenges and Achievements in the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for Women and Girls.”

Other members of the bureau for the 58th CSW session include Christine Loew (Switzerland), representing the Western European and other states group; Neli Shiolashvili (Georgia), representing the Eastern European states; Mohamed Elbahi (Sudan), representing the African states, and Carlos Garcia (El Salvador), representing the Latin American and Caribbean states.

The Philippines served as vice chair representing the Asia Pacific group during the 56th and 57th sessions of CSW.

It facilitated the agreed conclusions of the 57th session of CSW and played an instrumental role in breaking an impasse from 2003, when states were unable to reach common ground on ending violence against women and girls.

A record 146 UN member and observer states and 11 groups of states addressed the meeting.
Nearly 3,000 representatives of nongovernment organizations attended.

Media coverage in more than 50 countries was unprecedented, including a prominent editorial in The New York Times.

 

...the next potential popes

Cardinal Tagle in Reuters list of potential popes

 

By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor

published in abs-cbnnews.com

02/11/2013  

 

 

 

PARIS - With Pope Benedict's stunning announcement that he will resign later this month, the time may be coming for the Roman Catholic Church to elect its first non-European leader and it could be a Latin American.

The region already represents 42 percent of the world's 1.2 billion-strong Catholic population, the largest single block in the Church, compared to 25 percent in its European heartland.

After the Pole John Paul and German-born Benedict, the post once reserved for Italians is now open to all. Who gets the nod depends on the profile of the new pope that the cardinals who elect him at the next conclave think will guide the Church best.

Two senior Vatican officials recently dropped surprisingly clear hints about possible successors. The upshot of their remarks is that the next pope could well be from Latin America.

"I know a lot of bishops and cardinals from Latin America who could take responsibility for the universal Church," said Archbishop Gerhard Mueller, who now holds the pope's old post as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"The universal Church teaches that Christianity isn't centred on Europe," the German-born archbishop told Duesseldorf's Rheinische Post newspaper just before Christmas.

Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, head of the Vatican department for Christian unity, told the Tagesanzeiger daily in Zurich at the same time that the Church's future was not in Europe.

"It would be good if there were candidates from Africa or South America at the next conclave," he said, referring to the closed-door election in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

Asked if he would vote for a non-European over a European candidate if they were equally qualified, he responded: "Yes."

If the next conclave really is Latin America's turn, the leading candidates there seem to be Odilo Scherer, archbishop of the huge diocese of Sao Paolo, or the Italian-Argentine Leonardo Sandri, now heading the Vatican department for Eastern Churches.

Peter Turkson from Ghana, now head of the Vatican's justice and peace department, is often tipped as Africa's frontrunner.

About half the cardinals who can vote are from Europe, even though only a quarter of the world's Catholics live there. If the conclave tilts to the Old Continent, Vatican watchers say Angelo Scola of Milan is in pole position.

Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, a former student and close ally of Benedict, is also considered a strong candidate.

FRONTRUNNERS FOR NOW

While there are no official candidates, here are "papabili" (potential popes) the most frequently mentioned recently. The list is in alphabetical, not in order of their chances, and will probably change between now and when the conclave is held, most likely in March.


- Joao Braz de Aviz (Brazil, 65) brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011. He supports the preference for the poor in Latin America's liberation theology, but not the excesses of its advocates. Possible drawbacks include his low profile.

- Timothy Dolan, (USA, 62) became the voice of U.S. Catholicism after being named archbishop of New York in 2009. His humour and dynamism have impressed the Vatican, where both are often missing. But cardinals are wary of a "superpower pope" and his back-slapping style may be too American for some.

- Marc Ouellet (Canada, 68) is effectively the Vatican's top staff director as head of the Congregation for Bishops. He once said becoming pope "would be a nightmare." Though well connected within the Curia, the widespread secularism of his native Quebec could work against him.

- Gianfranco Ravasi (Italy, 70) has been Vatican culture minister since 2007 and represents the Church to the worlds of art, science, culture and even to atheists. This profile could hurt him if cardinals decide they need an experienced pastor rather than another professor as pope.

 

- Leonardo Sandri (Argentina, 69) is a "transatlantic" figure born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents. He held the third-highest Vatican post as its chief of staff in 2000-2007. But he has no pastoral experience and his job overseeing eastern churches is not a power position in Rome.

- Odilo Pedro Scherer (Brazilia, 63) ranks as Latin America's strongest candidate. Archbishop of Sao Paolo, largest diocese in the largest Catholic country, he is conservative in his country but would rank as a moderate elsewhere. The rapid growth of Protestant churches in Brazil could count against him.

- Christoph Schoenborn (Austria, 67) is a former student of Pope Benedict with a pastoral touch the pontiff lacks. The Vienna archbishop has ranked as papal material since editing the Church catechism in the 1990s. But some cautious reform stands and strong dissent by some Austrian priests could hurt him.

- Angelo Scola (Italy, 71) is archbishop of Milan, a springboard to the papacy, and is many Italians' bet to win. An expert on bioethics, he also knows Islam as head of a foundation to promote Muslim-Christian understanding. His dense oratory could put off cardinals seeking a charismatic communicator.

- Luis Tagle (Philippines, 55) has a charisma often compared to that of the late Pope John Paul. He is also close to Pope Benedict after working with him at the International Theological Commission. While he has many fans, he only became a cardinal in 2012 and conclaves are wary of young candidates.

- Peter Turkson (Ghana, 64) is the top African candidate. Head of the Vatican justice and peace bureau, he is spokesman for the Church's social conscience and backs world financial reform. He showed a video criticising Muslims at a recent Vatican synod, raising doubts about how he sees Islam. (Additional reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Giles Elgood)

 

...the GM Korea's CFO

GM Korea's first female CFO is Filipina

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

01/29/2013

Minerva Matibag

MANILA, Philippines - GM Korea, the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., has appointed Filipina Minerva Matibag as vice president and its first female chief financial officer.

Matibag will replace Carlos Zarlenga effective Feb. 1.

The Korea Times last week reported Matibag will also serve as vice president and CFO for GM Vietnam and GM Uzbekistan. She currently holds the position of CFO at GM Brazil.

"As GM Korea's first female CFO, she brings a wealth of experience in finance in Asia Pacific and North and South America to her important new position," GM Korea President and CEO Sergio Rocha has said.

Matibag has been with General Motors since 1997 and has held finance leadership positions for the firm's units in Singapore, Japan and Thailand.

Zarlenga, meanwhile, will start serving as CFO for GM Brazil and GM South America effective Feb. 1.

...the world's Best Letting Agency

CBRE Philippines named ‘World’s Best Lettings Agency’

 

The Philippine Star

January 14, 2013

 

 

Rick Santos (left), chairman and CEO of CBRE Philippines, holds the award from the IPA with Estela Cancio, marketing and sales director for global corporate services of CBRE Philippines.

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - Leading real estate services and advisory firm CBRE Philippines was awarded “World’s Best Lettings/Leasing Agency” at the recently concluded 2012 International Property Awards (IPA) in London. Earlier, the company also won at the national and Asia Pacific level, besting other lettings firm in the world.

 

CBRE represented both the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region at the world awards, where it was pitted against top-scoring champions from other regions like Aidan J Reed for the United Kingdom, Global Investment Properties for Africa, Smith & Ken for Arabia, as well as the other winners from Europe, Canada, Caribbean, Middle East, Central & South America, and the US.

 

“We are proud to have represented the country for this prestigious awards-giving body. Our success is an indication that the Philippine property market is thriving. This has been the best market I have experienced in my 20 years in the industry,” beamed Mr. Rick Santos after the win.

 

CBRE is the only company from the Philippines to have joined the awards and successfully made it to both the Asia Pacific and the World categories.

 

Established some 18 years ago, the IPA is the world’s most prestigious property competition that covers both residential as well as commercial categories. Premier developers, architects, interior designers and real estate agents from around the globe await the announcement of the winners of the awards to find out which companies have shown the highest levels of achievement by operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry.

...the UK outlook

UK paints bright outlook on trade with Philippines

By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

CEO Nick Baird of UK Trade and Investment PHOTO FROM UKTI.GOV.UK

LONDON—The Philippines is a “hugely exciting” market where the United Kingdom is keen on boosting reciprocal investment.

Key trade officials here bared this bright outlook, noting that the UK has been setting its sights on Southeast Asia as a priority growth area amid the continuing dim prospects in Western economies.

They said the UK hoped to step up trade with growing markets to combat a general sense of pessimism over economic numbers here and in the eurozone.

Nick Baird, chief executive of the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the state body that links UK firms to the global market, said that British firms were looking at ways to tap the Philippines’ robust economy and invest in major infrastructure, health care and retail-related projects.

“I think that for us, the huge opportunities there are certainly around big infrastructure projects, health… We’re also very interested in areas I would describe as building on and working with countries’ growing middle classes, so [it’s about] providing better education, health services, accessing the consumption of these middle classes through the retail sector,” Baird told Asean reporters on a visit here.

Baird said the Philippines enjoyed the confidence of the UK business community, particularly of Richard Lambert, former head of the UK employers group, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), and now chancellor of the University of Warwick, a top British university.

“We have a lot of very strong champions for the Philippine market. I was talking recently to Mr. Lambert, former head of CBI, which is our biggest business organization and he’s saying the Philippines is a hugely exciting market,” said Baird.

The Philippines is currently regarded among the world’s booming markets and is expected to retain in the second semester the 6.1-percent growth rate it posted in the first half of the year.

International credit ratings agencies Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings, and Standard and Poor’s upgraded the country’s rating to a notch just below investment grade, citing the Philippines’ steady growth pace.

The UK is sending a trade mission to the Philippines this week to touch base with the government and business sector and discuss possible partnerships in social infrastructure and transport.

Participating UK companies include Arup, Tata Steel International, Kier Construction, Tony Gee & Partners, GE Healthcare, Ryder Architecture, IMC Worldwide, SKM Colin Buchanan and KM&T, top firms in construction, design and architecture, project management and consultancy, services and supply chain management, according to the UK Embassy in Manila.

Total bilateral trade between the Philippines from January to August this year was placed at 512.9 million British pounds (P33.8 billion), a 5-percent growth over the same period in 2011.

Such an economic glow in the Philippines, also mirrored across the region, is a bright spot amid continuing economic troubles in the eurozone and the slow recovery in the United States. The latest UK growth rate was placed at 1 percent and the struggle to raise this is expected in the next few years.

“The Asean is really very important to us not just because this is such, collectively, a huge economy, comparable in size to China and Japan, bigger than India, but also because in many of the countries, we have good strong positive relationships,” Baird said.

He said the UK hoped to establish greater two-way trade with Asean firms, stepping up both export and inward investments. Currently, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are among the UK’s major trade and investment partners.

More than half of UK exports go to the developed but currently struggling markets and it has only a 1.2-percent share of imports in major growth markets, including the whole of Asean.

“Britain wants to hugely expand its export capacity, with particular focus on the growth markets and, in that, the Asean markets have a special place for us. And second, this is a country that is massively open to foreign investors and companies of all kinds. It’s very easy to set up business here,” he said.

He said the UK aimed to double its trade with each of the Asean countries by 2015. And while concerns about political stability, corruption and business ease might remain, the UK has seen “far less risk to trade with Asean than there is to trade with China, Africa or India,” he said.

“We have been trading successfully in the last few years in our European backyard and with the United States, but of course those markets are still weak and we need to get much better trading into the big growth markets of Asia, Latin America and Africa,” Baird said.

The UKTI, through the year-old UK Asean Business Council, is hoping to facilitate this exchange through spreading greater Asean market awareness to UK firms, said the council’s executive director, Tom Burden.

“We are working on raising awareness of Asean markets in the UK. It’s really about giving Asia the attention it deserves,” Burden told reporters in a separate briefing.

...the home of the great debaters

Cheers! Four PH universities in top debate societies

By Shielo Mendoza

Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom 

20 February 2012

Four Philippine universities are in the top 50 debate societies in the world, according to the latest rankings of

the International Debate Education Association (IDEA).

The Ateneo de Manila University ranked 7th, with 3,070 points scored by 31 teams, is the only Asian university in the top 10 of the World University Debate Rankings.

The University of the Philippines Diliman came in 23rd, with 2,171 points scored by 22 teams, while UP Manila followed at the 40th spot with 1,511 points by 15 teams.

De La Salle University Manila placed 42nd with 1,485 points scored by 23 teams.

“The World University Debate Rankings draw from the results of 33 high-profile tournaments across the world to show an accurate representation of the comparative strength of debating societies against each other,” IDEA said on its website.

Emeritus member and former Chair of the World Debating Council Colm Flynn maintains the rankings which include 500 debating societies.

“The totals are calculated by adding the results of all the teams that society fielded in the tournaments we track over the course of the year, right up to the largest event – the World Universities Debating Championships,” IDEA added.

The Philippines hosted the 2011 World Universities Debating Championships, considered as the “Olympics of Debate,” last December. It was held in DLSU Manila with 1,400 participants from 43 countries.

As of January 2012, the scores included in the ranking were from tournaments held in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Austral Asians, Europe, United Kingdom, North and South America.

IDEA said it will expand the number of tournaments in response to criticisms that the list is not comprehensive enough to be called a “world ranking.”