Saturday, July 2, 2011

...the friendly investment

Chinese group plans $6-B 'friendly' investments in PH

07/03/2011

MANILA, Philippines - A group of Chinese investors are planning to set up a special economic zone in the country as part of an effort to "revitalize ties" between the Philippines and China.

Hong Kong-based China Trend Investments Inc., represented by Chan Wai Keung, Garic Chung, Gan Hongzi, Charlie Chen and Thomas Ng, said the group will meet with President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III to introduce the "friendly" investment as well as possible ventures in mining and agriculture.

"We see an investment of $6 billion for infrastructure and other development projects, including employment of Filipinos," China Trend director Garic Chung said in a statement.

Chung added that their group has visited the provinces of Aurora, Cagayan and Ilocos.

The same group is also discussing a possible joint venture with Vulcan Industrial and Mining Corp. and Vulcan Materials Corp.

"There are ongoing negotiations between Vulcan and China Trend, and we have presented our projects they can possibly venture into," said Vulcan Materials president Patrick Caoile.

...the World 9-Ball finalist

Alcano settles for 2nd place in World 9-Ball

07/02/2011

MANILA, Philippines – Two-time billiards world champion Ronato "Volcano" Alcano of the Philippines lost his bid for a third title after being outplayed by Japanese Yukio Akakariyama in the finals of the 2011 World 9-Ball Championship.



Akakariyama outsteadied Alcano in a thrilling duel, 13-11, before a partisan crowd at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.

Ranked No. 2 in the world, Alcano made his way to the finals by edging fellow Filipino Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, 11-9, in an all-Filipino semifinal showdown.

Alcano, a former World 9-Ball and World 8-Ball titlist, received the runner-up prize of $18,000.
Akakariyama pocketed the title and the $36,000 top purse that goes with it.

Semi-finalists Orcollo and Mark Gray, meanwhile, both went home with $10,000 each. – By Marlon Bernardino

...the K-POP fans

Two Pinoy fans win in KBS K-pop contest in Seoul


By JONATHAN M. HICAP
July 2, 2011
Manila Bulletin

Performers on “Music Bank” included (clockwise from top left) TVXQ, CNBlue, 4Minute and 2PM (Screen caps by Bulletin Entertainment)
Performers on “Music Bank” included (clockwise from top left) TVXQ, CNBlue, 4Minute and 2PM (Screen caps by Bulletin Entertainment)

MANILA, Philippines – Three K-pop fans, one from Singapore and two from the Philippines, won in a K-pop sing and dance contest held by Korean TV channel KBS World in Seoul, South Korea to celebrate its eighth anniversary on July 1.

Adilla Ayoub from Singapore won first prize in the event dubbed the "K-pop King Wang Jjang Contest," held at the KBS studios in Seoul. She was awarded an iPad and a photo opportunity with a K-pop star.

Filipinos Richard Fernando and Rachel Montalbo won the second and third prizes, respectively. For the feat, Fernando won an iPod while Montalbo won a digital camera.

Special prizes were also awarded to Veronica Lopez from Spain, who won the Popularity Award, and to another group from the US for winning the Effort Award.

KBS President Kim In-kyu graced the event to welcome K-pop fans from all over the world..
“It's KBS World's 8th b-day! Your love and support let us grow into a global channel,” he said.

As part of KBS World's 8th Founding Anniversary celebration, a Hallyu exhibit was unveiled at the event highlighting letters and messages from over 200,000 KBS followers from different social networking sites. Screening of various Korean dramas dubbed in different languages was also held during the event.

On the same day, fans from different countries all over to the world watched the “Music Bank” live.

The star-studded special saw the performance of K-pop artists TVXQ, Kim Hyun Joong, 4Minute, CNBlue, 2PM, f(x) Boyfriend, IU, A-Pink, T-ara, Secret, Sistar, Infinite, G.NA, Rainbow, Navi, K-Will, 8eight, Kim Tae Woo, Wheesung and Eru.

...the performer

Maria Aragon performs before Prince William, Kate

 07/02/2011
MANILA, Philippines – Maria Aragon, the 10-year-old Filipino-Canadian singer who was discovered by Lady Gaga, performed before the British Royal Couple Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, on Friday (Saturday in Manila).

Aragon sang her own rendition of Canada’s national anthem “O Canada” in front of thousands of people as part of the Canada Day celebration.

The ceremony was held on Parliament Hill in the country’s capital city, Ottawa.

Aragon rose to fame after Lady Gaga posted in her official Twitter account a video link of the former’s own cover of the song “Born This Way.”

For only over a week, the video became viral in YouTube and it gained millions of views.

This paved the way for Aragon to reach her dreams.

After that, Aragon had a duet with Lady Gaga in the latter’s concert in Toronto.

She also appeared in popular American shows including “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and “Good Morning America.”

Even Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Aragon in her residence in Winnipeg only because he personally wanted to meet the young singer.

..the mini Warbler

Have you seen The Mini Warbler?

Yahoo! Philippines

http://site-assets2.s3.amazonaws.com/site-assets/article-mini-warbler-1.jpg
 
With upwards of two million hits on YouTube, ‘The Mini Warbler’ is set to steal your hearts more than Blaine from Glee did.

Four-year old Pinoy, Kellen Sarmiento, skyrocketed to fame after the video of him performing songs in a Warbler uniform went viral. In the video, he is seen imitating the performances of his idol Darren Criss, who plays the leader of The Warblers on hit American TV show “Glee”.

Even though Kellen seems like a bona fide Warbler, he is as shy as any 4-year old in real life. His mother Emily Mirador Sarmiento, talked about how he would refuse to perform when asked by family and friends.
“But when they're gone, it's over, he gets into his role and he does his thing," Emily said.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, the preschooler awkwardly revealed that his favourite show was Glee and he aspires to be soccer player. He also said that his dad sings as well, though Kellen is the better singer.

Watch him sing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" here:





Even before becoming famous as ‘The Mini Warbler’, Kellen had already shown signs of his talent in performing. From the age of 2, he would mimic performances by the Black Eyed Peas and choir group Beelzebub from the TV show “The Sing Off”.

"I don't know if it's in the genes, but it's in his genes for a long time. Ever since he was two. Before The Warblers, he liked the Black Eyed Peas... He's got a great memory. I wish I had it," said Emily.

Kellen had help going viral from non-other than Criss himself. Criss loved Sarmiento’s video and t
weeted it. It was also tweeted by the Official Glee Twitter account.


Don't miss out on Kellen singing "Raise Your Glass" here


"That was great. We're big fans of Darren and The Warblers, so just to see that made our day," said Emily.

...the Asian Comic Awardee

Pinoy artist wins Best Asian Comic Book award


The Association of Comic Book Journalists chose Komikero Gerry Alanguilan's "Elmer" from around 1,500 Asian comic books to receive the Prix Asie-ACBD 2011 award.



"I was so ecstatic when I heard about it last night that I couldn’t sleep. I think I will celebrate today with a Zinger sandwich at KFC," wrote Alanguilan in his blog,  where he made the announcement Friday morning.

His preferred manner of celebrating is not as trivial as it may seem – the star in his award-winning comic book is Elmer – a chicken who behaves like a human.


This is the fifth year that the Prix Asie-ACBD 2011 award was given to the Best Asian Comic Book published in France. The nominees included other titles such as Kamui Den by Sanpei Shirato, La Plaine du Kantô by Kazuo Kamimura, Le Voyage de Ryu by Shôtarô Ishinomori, and Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura, Kurokawa.

Alanguilan discovered the nomination when he stumbled upon an online post mentioning his work. "Since the site was in French, I didn’t know exactly what it meant, even when I translated it through Google. I really don’t trust robot translators all that much. It wasn’t until Budjette Tan and my French publisher confirmed what it meant and I saw it mentioned on the Comics Reporter site, ...I finally knew what it was," he wrote on his blog.

Alanguilan was not able to attend the Japan Expo awards on June 30, but his publisher received the award on his behalf.

"Elmer won and the journalist which handed me the award praised about the book for a couple of minutes. You will find enclosed a picture of the award (you will see that I don’t have anymore French copies at home, so I’ve used your edition), I will send you the object itself next week," the publisher told Alanguilan in an email.

"Elmer" is also nominatedfor Best Graphic Album in the 2011 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award, widely considered as the "Oscars" of the comic book industry. — LBG, GMA News

...the food that Pinoys crave

New York ‘dinuguan’ joint draws hungry Filipino cruise staff


Philippine Daily Inquirer
 
NEW YORK—When the towering cruise ships pull into the dock at Red Hook, Brooklyn, their passengers pile into fleets of taxis and shuttle buses, cameras and sunscreen in tow.
 
But many of the housekeepers, waiters, bartenders and engine mechanics of the cruise ships skip the taxi line, heading straight for a former bait-and-tackle shop nearby.

The cruise ship employees, mostly Filipinos, use their two-hour break to grab a meal at Philly-Pinoy.

Its facade is covered in bamboo, which seems to evoke the Philippines. The smell—a mix of grilled fish, coconut milk and pork blood stew—leaves no doubt.



Benjamin David, who once worked as a cruise ship waiter, has used classic Filipino dishes like offal (sisig) with rice and bitter melon (ampalaya) salad to tap into one of the global market’s ethnic niches—the Filipinos who work in the cruise industry.

The smoking grill and plastic tables at David’s shop, Philly-Pinoy, just down the block from the dock’s gate in Red Hook, offer a makeshift cure for homesick Filipinos weary from working other people’s vacations.

‘We miss home’

“We’re missing home, missing the food; everything that we grew up with, we miss,” said Nick Rabaya, 42, a Filipino who has waited tables for five years on the Caribbean Princess.

On a recent morning, sitting amid five Filipino friends from the ship, Rabaya finished up a meal of David’s deep-fried pork (liempo) and rice, which goes for $7 a plate. “When I taste this food,” he said, “it’s like going home.”

Oddly enough, David, 43, is from India, not the Philippines. In fact, he has never even visited the Philippines.

But he understands how the workers feel from his own years on the water.

He offers a Filipino menu—including dinuguan, a pork blood delicacy that is his most popular dish—only when the ships are in dock. The rest of the week, he sells hot dogs, ice cream and, soon, bait and tackle.

“I like to see people comfortable and happy and eating,” he said.

New era of tourism

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which cost more than $50 million to build, opened in 2006.

It ushered in a new era of tourism for the borough, creating unexpected tableaus of glacier-size ships, including the Queen Mary 2, floating past the scruffy warehouses and cobblestone streets of Red Hook.

Last year, some 120,000 passengers passed through the terminal, spending roughly $30 million on souvenirs, meals and hotels in New York, according to city officials.

But only a small fraction of that money was spent in Red Hook. Most tourists spend their time, and money, in Manhattan or in Brooklyn’s more upscale areas.

The cruise staff rarely gets the chance to venture that far. Workers are typically granted a short break between trips, enough time just for catching up on e-mail, a quick errand and lunch.

Prime destination

Philly-Pinoy, which opened last year, has become a prime destination for many of them, especially Filipinos.
A 2008 study found that Filipinos made up roughly 14 percent of the cruise staff, based on a sampling of 116 ships. An earlier study analyzing 2000 data estimated that Filipinos made up 29 percent of the work force.

There are various explanations for Filipinos’ draw to the industry. Filipinos have a long history of seeking work abroad. Many of them speak English, making them valuable in the tourism sector.

Cruise ships pay relatively well, and jobs at sea can be easier to get than jobs in other countries because of work visa issues.

Griping about food

Jeff Flores, 28, a Filipino waiter on the Caribbean Princess, estimated that more than half of the crew members were Filipino. A spokesperson for Princess Cruises, which operates the Caribbean Princess, could not provide statistics, but confirmed that Filipinos made up a large portion of the ship’s workers.

For many of them, a typical pastime consists of griping about the bland dishes on the ship.
“Pasta salad, spaghetti, bow-tie pasta, penne,” Willie Delgado, 33, a Filipino laundry worker, said as his lunch mates rolled their eyes. “That’s why we miss our food.”

At a sidewalk table of Philly-Pinoy, Rodrigo Francisco, 41, a waiter on the ship, scooped rice and pork offal with his fingers, the Filipino way, and pronounced the food as tasty as home-cooked.
But, he quickly added, “No one can be as good a cook as your wife.”


Philippine connection

Although David is from Mumbai, he established a connection to the Philippines through his sister-in-law, Rowena David, who is from the northern mountain city of Baguio in the Philippines.

In spring 2010, Rowena, Benjamin and his brother, Hyen, opened a Filipino grocery store, restaurant and catering service in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

They all had worked for years on ships—Rowena and Hyen met on a cruise—and knew the hardships faced by cruise ship employees, who spend up to 10 months a year away from home.

They also knew what it was like to miss their own dishes.

Immediate response

So Benjamin David tried selling Filipino food at the docks in Baltimore, then Manhattan, but did not find success until he showed up in Brooklyn, his white Chevy Impala filled with Filipino sodas and chips.

“It was an immediate response,” he said. “The first day I made close to $200.”

Soon, David started taking a van on his trips from King of Prussia, and before long, customers were waiting for him, complaining when he was late, and putting in orders in advance for rice, stew and fish that his sister-in-law made back in Pennsylvania. Now he keeps the cruise ship calendar handy and drives a van loaded down with fragrant trays to Brooklyn when the boats are coming in.

Francisco said that as soon as he is back at sea, he begins counting the days until the return to the Brooklyn port. “I think about what kind of fish they’re cooking, what sauce…” He trailed off.

Romanian dishes

With the Caribbean Princess still looming over the street, a contingent of Romanian workers from the ship stopped by for grilled chicken (inasal) and rice.

They said they enjoyed their Filipino lunch, but had a question: Next time, maybe some grilled pork chops? With garlic sauce? Or other Romanian dishes?

“There are a lot of Romanians,” explained Christina Rotunjeanu, 28, a waitress onboard. “We spend a lot of money.” New York Times News Service

Thursday, June 30, 2011

...the Pinoy gastronomy

Filipino food: More than just adobo

 06/30/2011
The lechon, whole pig roasted in a pole, has been called "best pig ever" by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. Photo by Karen Flores, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines - Japan is known for its sushi, America for its hamburgers, Italy for its pizza, France for its foie gras (fatty liver) and China for its noodles.

But what about the Philippines?

Through the years, several people have tried to describe what Filipino cuisine is all about, and most of them say the dish that best defines our country is adobo, or meat (from pork and chicken to seafood and offal) braised in garlic, vinegar and soy. Each household, town, province and region has a different way of preparing this otherwise simple viand.


Others say it's lechon, or whole pig roasted in a pole, usually served in fiestas and special occasions. Well-known boar buff Anthony Bourdain has called this Filipino delicacy the "best pig ever," making it more attractive to foreigners and locals who have a bad case of colonial mentality.

Some beg to differ, saying that the sinigang or sour soup is as Filipino as you can get, while a handful want our country to be associated with dishes like tocino (sweetened cured meat), inasal (roast chicken), paksiw (vinegar-based stew), longganisa (sweet or spicy sausage), binakol (warm chicken soup cooked with coconut water), dinuguan (a savory stew made of pig's blood, meat and innards), tinapa (smoke-cured fish), and chicharon (deep-fried pork rinds).

And that's barely the tip of the iceberg.

Filipino food is way too diverse to be associated with a single dish, said Chef Giney Villar, owner of Adarna Food and Culture restaurant in Quezon City and a big advocate of Filipino heirloom cuisine.

This shouldn't be a problem at all, she said, as it only makes our food more interesting.

"[Filipino cuisine] is worth over 300 years of Spanish influence and [from] other cultures. There's so much more to Filipino food than adobo," Villar said.

"Instead of focusing on one main Filipino dish, same as Japan's sushi or Italy's pizza, we should celebrate the diversity of Filipino cuisine."

Indeed, we Filipinos love variety, even in taste. This is clearly seen in halo-halo, a mixture of shaved ice, evaporated milk, beans, caramelized fruits and starches, different colored jelly cubes, pinipig (pounded crushed young rice), sago (tapioca), nata de coco(coconut gel), kaong (sugar palm fruit) and other sweet things. The icy treat is usually topped with leche flan (custard), halaya (purple yam pudding) or ice cream, or a combination of the three.

And in most cases, a Filipino dish has many different flavors. The kare-kare or peanut stew, for instance, is rich, creamy and mildly sweet at one end, and savory and spicy (because of the meat and the accompanying bagoong or shrimp paste) at the other.

"There are just so many things going on [with Filipino cuisine]. There's still a lot to learn," Villar said.

The fusion trend

This long list of Filipino dishes does not yet include fusion cuisine, created primarily by adventurous cooks and chefs trained abroad.

A number of restaurants in the country serve sinigang na corned beef, where salt-cured meat shreds instead of the usual pork or beef cubes are swimming in sour broth; crispy binagoongan or fried pieces of pork tossed in shrimp paste; and lamb adobo, a tastier and strong-smelling version of an old Filipino favorite.

“There are 2 types of Filipino restaurants today: traditional and innovative. Fusion is not necessarily fusing one cuisine to another, but more of mixing techniques,” said TravelTales Inc. president Tracy Santiago.

TravelTales Inc. has been conducting food tours of culinary hotspots such as Pampanga in Central Luzon for years. Here, participants can discover the best food prepared in private farms and houses.

Santiago believes that nothing beats good old home cooking, but said that she is still very much open to fusion cuisine.

“It’s [fusion] something that cannot be stopped. I do food tours to show how Filipino food has evolved. I want to show them the original, where it all came from,” she explained.

Santiago noted how Filipino cuisine continues to grow, thanks not only to fusion dishes but also to the emergence of food blogs, social networks, and cheap airfare.

When asked to describe Filipino food, she said, “For me, what defines Filipino food is the flavor: salty, sour, masarsa (saucy), strong in garlic and seasoning, unlike other Southeast Asian dishes that are more on herbs.”

“We name our food after the [cooking] process: ginataan (with coconut milk), inihaw (grilled). Very rich, how we call our own dishes. Very unique.”

Promoting our food

Chefs and other groups each have their own way of introducing Filipino cuisine to their fellowmen and to people from different parts of the globe.

Some, like Villar, want to “hew as closely to the original,” while others prefer to give local cuisine a different, more sophisticated twist.

“A lot of chefs are doing a good job. It’s helping us grow,” she said.

Villar noted how there is a resurgence of interest in “patriotistic” cuisine, thus the popularity of themed restaurants, weekend markets and food tours.

Unfortunately, there are still many Filipinos who consciously stay away from local cuisine in the belief that “foreign food is superior.”

Villar and Santiago are only 2 of the many Filipinos who strive to put the country’s diverse cuisine on the world map.

It is a long shot, they said, but it’s still worth a try.

“We can have a restaurant that serves food from different parts of the Philippines, and leave them wanting more. They can then visit the country and sample our many different dishes,” Villar said.

“We can put one Filipino restaurant in every country to represent different regions. I think we’ll be successful,” Santiago ended.

...the barong make-over

100 designers to reinvent 'terno,' 'barong Tagalog'

06/30/2011

Cary Santiago reinterprets the traditional terno for "Metrowear Filipiniana".

MANILA, Philippines – One hundred designers will present their interpretations of the terno and barong Tagalog in a fashion event to be held on Thursday night (June 30).

Participating in "Metrowear Filipiniana" are designers from all major design groups. The event, organized by Metro magazine, aims to commemorate the Philippines’ 113th year of independence.

Different interpretations of the traditional Filipino dress are expected to be seen during the event. The Young Designers’ Guild will present avant-garde, while the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines and the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines will take on red carpet gowns and cocktail dresses, respectively.

International Filipino designers Albert Andrada, Cary Santiago and Ezra will showcase theatrical creations. Those from Cebu will present bridal interpretations, while independent designers will do modern pieces.

The show will also have a men’s wear collection, featuring designs by Anthony Nocom, Gerry Katigbak, Aries Lagat, Joey Samson, Jerome Lorico, Jeffrey Rogador and Barge Ramos, among many others.

A segment during the show will also showcase the works of Filipiniana masters Mike dela Rosa, Loreto, Patis Tesoro, Danilo Franco, Efren Ocampo, Greg Centeno and Nolie Hans.

 Rajo Laurel created this terno design for "Metrowear Filipiniana".

Other well-known designers who will take part in "Metrowear Filipiniana" include Rajo Laurel, John Herrera, Randy Ortiz, JC Buendia, Fanny Serrano, Avel Bacudio and Francis Libiran.

On top of these is an exhibit featuring jewelry, bags, accessories and shoe designs by Amina Aranaz-Alunan, Rocio, Ana Rocha, Nicole Whisenhunt, Michelline Syjuco, Cesar Gaupo and Mich Dulce.

The terno is primarily composed of a baro (blouse), saya (long skirt) and panuelo (a cloth placed over the shoulders and back, just like a shawl) of the same pattern.

Initially considered as daily wear, it has become the attire for formal events and state occasions in the Philippines.

The barong Tagalog, meanwhile, is an embroidered formal garment usually made of piña, jusi or banana fabric.

Photos courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications

...the UNHRC council member

PHL assumes UN rights council membership

The Philippines formally assumed last week its membership in the prestigious United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

Philippine Permanent Representative Ambassador Evan Garcia said it was an honor for the Philippines to serve as a member of the UN body.

A news release on the DFA website quoted Garcia as saying the Philippines "looked forward to working closely with all members and relevant stakeholders of the Council."

The Philippines had received 183 votes in elections held in the UN General Assembly in May 2011 to re-enter the UN human rights body.

It previously served as a founding member of the UNHRC from 2006 to 2010.

Garcia reported on Philippine initiatives at the recently concluded 17th session of the Human Rights Council. Among the items reported are:1. The HRC adopted by consensus the Philippines and Germany's resolution on combating trafficking in persons, especially women and children, which strengthens the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons.At least 87 countries, including the United States, the European Union, and Japan co-sponsored the resolution.2. The Philippines teamed up with Bangladesh to issue a landmark joint statement on the negative impacts of climate change on human rights, particularly on peoples living in developing countries and small island states.The statement called on the HRC and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to give more attention to the implications of climate change on human rights.

Over 100 countries co-sponsored the joint statement, including all the members of the African Group and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), as well as Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala, Cuba, Peru, Sri Lanka, and Singapore.

Philippine Mission Second Secretary Hendrik Garcia led negotiations on the RP-Germany resolution on combating trafficking in persons and the joint statement on climate change and human rights.3. University of the Philippines Professor Virginia Bonoan-Dandan was appointed by the Human Rights Council as Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity. Dandan previously served as the Chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

4. Garcia chaired a consultation organized by the OHCHR on draft guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights.In her opening remarks, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay stressed extreme poverty was both a cause and consequence of human rights deprivation.

For her part, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Magdalena Sepulveda played a leading role in the development of the draft guiding principles.

She received inputs from states and relevant stakeholders, including persons living in extreme poverty.
"She emphasized that empowering persons living in extreme poverty through human rights could help eradicate extreme poverty," the DFA said.

Meanwhile, Garcia said the Philippine government under President Benigno Aquino III attaches highest priority to poverty alleviation.

Garcia also underscored the continuing need to enhance international cooperation and assistance to developing countries to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals and build capacities. — LBG, GMA News

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

...the property boom

Philippine property boom seen to continue


By: Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer


The local real property sector is expected to maintain its growth trajectory in the coming years, driven by huge demand for traditional office and business process outsourcing space as well as retail establishments.

Rick Santos, chairman and chief executive of real estate advisory firm CB Richard Ellis Philippines, said in a briefing Wednesday that the growth that the Philippines was seeing could not be considered a bubble as there was a lot of real demand and the sector’s fundamentals were very strong.


This up-cycle, he said, could be seen across the Asia-Pacific and not just the Philippines. The country, however, had a huge edge in terms of low lease rates as well as the presence of a strong BPO sector.

“In Hong Kong, we’re seeing record values in real estate. We’re seeing the same thing in China and Singapore. But the Philippines is more cost-effective. There’s a huge demand for office space here. Also, because of the [United States] down-cycle, the Philippines is better positioned to get more BPO business,” Santos explained.

“The local office sector has the best fundamentals, driven by BPO growth. We see office space take-up reaching more than 300,000 square meters this year. This is a huge metric for the Philippines. The country has among the lowest rental rates, the highest yields and the biggest demand. We haven’t seen this kind of demand since the time of President Ramos, pre-financial crisis,” Santos added.

Santos said growth in office space take-up, particularly for BPO operations, was expected to extend beyond Metro Manila. Even within the metropolis, there was a lot of demand for space outside the traditional locations, or the Makati and Ortigas central business districts.

CBRE vice chairman for global corporate services Joey Radovan said that even with rising lease costs, vacancy rates in most locations have plunged to low single-digit levels.

“We’re seeing sustained office demand for both BPO and traditional office space. We’re back to 2007 levels, when we saw the height of the office space take-up,” Radovan said.

In areas such as the Makati and Ortigas CBDs, where monthly rentals rates average P808 and P554.36 per square meter, respectively, Radovan said vacancy rates were down to 4.64 percent and 2.96 percent as of the second quarter, with no new developments in sight.

Quezon City and the Fort Bonifacio area in Taguig City have a huge potential to fill the supply-demand gap, he said.

In Quezon City, while the vacancy rate has gone down to just 2.79 percent at the end of the first half, an additional 105,241 square meters in new space will be completed next year.

In Fort Bonifacio, on the other hand, 198,641 square meters of leasable office space is due for completion within the year, with a number of new developments expected to be finished next year and in 2013.

“On a macroeconomic point of view, this is not a bubble. We’re seeing the start of the up-cycle. There’s real demand. There’s also a lot of potential in the retail and gaming sector,” Santos said.

...the Filipino books

Filipino books made available in Netherlands

06/30/2011

THE NETHERLANDS – In countries like the Netherlands where English is not the main language, acquiring Filipino books from the local book stores can be difficult.

The Philippine Trade and Investment Conference (PTIC) in Rotterdam is trying to make it easier by making available selected Filipino books, authored by both Filipino and Dutch writers, in Selexyz, the biggest bookstore in the Netherlands.



During the book fair and film showing entitled "Tales of the Filipino" held at Selexyz Rotterdam, commercial attache Alma Argayoso invited the participants to discover the Philippines not only through tourist books but also through its culture and history, vividly written in the many pages of the books exhibited that day.

For Filipinos who were not able to attend the book fair or buy the books on site, PTIC is making them available through special orders at the Selexyz. The selection contains different books on history, travel, cooking, architecture, children’s stories, cuisine, language and culture.


“We also want to make Philippine books more mainstream by making it available in one of the biggest bookstores in the Netherlands. We want to encourage increased demand for Philippine books thereby helping Philippine publishers export more of their books in the Netherlands,” said Argayoso.

Through the exhibition, Yvonne Belen, a former teacher who now lives in the Netherlands wants to show not only the Dutch but especially fellow Filipinos the richness of her ancestor’s culture in the Mountain Province.

The book "Flavors from my Bontoc Igorot Roots" is Belen’s personal account of the cuisine and the unique culture that the Igorots have preserved throughout the years.

Meanwhile, books about expatriate living were also included in the selection. One of these is "A Tast of Home, Pinoy Expats and Food Memories," a collection of  stories about cooking and living in the Netherlands written by Filipina expatriates in the Netherlands.

“Filipinos have a love affair with food, which we carry in our hearts and our taste buds when we move away from our homeland. It is a link to what one has left behind, a memory of the good old days, an energy source to build a new life, a door to explore a new world, or a reminder of who one is and what it means to be Filipino,” said Annie Adlawan, a Cebuana businesswoman married to a Dutchman, who wrote the piece Eat with a Passion, Cook with Heart.

The Philippine Through European Lenses by anthropologist Professor Otto van den Muijzenberg is one of the two books written by Dutch authors. It contains earliest accounts, including photographs, of the relations between the Netherlands and the Philippines.

The research took years, done both in the Philippines and the Netherlands with the help of the family of Meerkamp van Emden, a Dutch businessman who went to the Philippines to start a tobacco company and later on became an honorary consul to the country.

“My goal was to bring the 19th century photos to the Philippines because there, they belong. Making the book is way of making accessible to the Filipinos what their country and their people were like more than a century ago.”


The complete collection of books are available through PTIC and can be ordered from a special order form at Selexyz Rotterdam. - report from Dheza Marie Aguilar, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

...the cueball Masters

A record 17 Pinoys through to last 64 in world 9 ball


 

Photo by Sid Ventura

Talk about a show of force.

The Philippines showed why it is one of the greatest pool-playing nations in the world when Filipino cue players accounted for 17 of the 64 players left in World 9 Ball Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Antonio Gabica, Caneda Villamor, Roberto Gomez, Venancio Tanio, Joven Alba, Israel Rota, Lee Van Corteza, Ronnie Alcano, and Raymond Faraon all won their do-or-die matches in the losers' bracket yesterday to advance to the knockout stage that reels off today with the round of 64.

The nine survivors join Dennis Orcullo, Django Bustamante, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Carlo Biado, Oliver Medenilla, Jeff De Luna, Allan Cuartero and Antonio Lining, who earlier advanced outright after winning their first two group stage matches.

The lone casualty among the 18 Pinoys seeing action in Doha was qualifier Francisco Olita, who dropped a heartbreaking 8-9 knockout match to Soheil Vahedi of Iran. Were it not for that close loss, the Philippines would have gone a perfect 18-for-18 after the group stage.



Photo by Sid Ventura

Nonetheless, accounting for 17 out of the final 64 is still a very impressive — and unprecedented - feat.

Longtime pool sportswriter Ted Lerner said in his World Pool Association column that he was pretty sure this was a record for a single country in the world pool championships.

But the hard part begins today as the knockout matches get going, and already, the 17 Filipinos are sure to be reduced to 16 after Medenilla and Corteza drew each other in the upper portion of the round of 64 bracket.

In the same upper half of the bracket, Tanio faces the Netherlands' Nick van den Berg, Biado tangles with Iran's Takhti Zarekani, Gabica squares off against 2001 champ Mika Immonen, Cuartero battles Ahmad Taufiq Murni, and Alba plays Chinese Taipei's Chang Jun Lin.

In the lower half, Alcano is pitted against Chris Orme, Rota battles Chang Yu Lun, Lining plays perennial contender Oliver Ortmann of Germany, Orcullo faces Indonesia's Muhammad Zulfikri, Reyes locks horns with Carlos Cabello, Bustamante battles Sascha-Andrej Tege, De Luna plays Fu Che Wei, Gomez faces the man who beat him in the 2007 championship match, Daryl Peach, and Faraon takes on Stephan Cohen.



Photo by Sid Ventura

Should Orcullo and Reyes hurdle their respective opponents, they will face each other in the round of 32. De Luna and Gomez are also on a collision course in the next round if they win today.

Other contenders who advanced include Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, American Shane Van Boening, England's Darren Appleton, last year's runner-up Kuo Po Cheng of Chinese Taipei, and Germany's Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet.

In the tournament's biggest shocker so far, Mariusz Skoneczy of Poland ousted former champion Wu Jiaqing of China, 9-8, after Wu incredibly missed an extremely easy shot on the 8 ball in the deciding 17th rack.

...the poet in Macau

OFW's works featured in poetry reading in Macau

The poems of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) were read in Macau recently, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Poems from the book "Pan Chai: A Filipino Boy in Macau" were read as part of the Philippine Consulate's program to recognize the achievements of OFWs in Macau.

The book was written by Filipino author Oscar Balajadia under the pen name "Papa Osmubal."

"Four Filipino students, two from Escola Sao Joao de Brito Sucursal in Macau and two from Macau Sam Yuk Middle School, and four members of the Filipino community participated in the poetry reading," the DFA said in a news release.

The activity also served as the launching of the book to the Filipino community in Macau.

Balajadia's works

Some of the works that were read included:

  • "Gregoria de Jesus and Andres Bonifacio's Assassination" and "Filipino Diaspora" delivered by Sr. Maria Rosa Nacor Viloria;

  • "Lapu-Lapu Speaks," delivered by Emilia Aguinaldo;

  • "Katipuneros" delivered by Joao Biglete;

  • "Exchange with an American Rights Advocate," delivered by Andrea Vanessa Pangan;

  • "News from Home: 'Avalanche of Rubbish Kills 46 in Shanties'" delivered by Nathaniel Libiternos;

  • "A Filipino Migrant's Day Off" delivered by Violeta Adina;

  • "At the Fortaleza do Monte Macau" delivered by Shirley Llanes;

  • "Volcano Eruption: Pinatubo, Philippines, 1991" delivered by Lina Lawig; and

  • "A Filipino Expatriate Worker in Macau" delivered by Lulette Portuguez.

    "Pan Chai-the Filipino boy, on whom the poems were based, represents every Filipino in Macau, the man perpetually seeking home, for acceptance, and who was left unguarded and naked in this jungle we call society or civilization," the DFA said.

    Author's roots

    The author hails from Magalang town in Pampanga and studied at Holy Angel University in Angeles City on full scholarship.

    He finished his M.A. in English Studies at the University of Macau where he received a rating of "excellent" upon graduation.

    He also studied Associate Philosophy at Christ the King Mission Seminary (SVD) and came first to Macau as Catholic lay missionary.

    He now works at Hou Kong Middle School in Macau.

    Balajadia's book was published by the Association of Stories in Macau with the support of Instituto Cultural do Governo de R.A.E de Macau.

    He was nominated to the 2011 Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net 2010. - VVP, GMA News

  • ...the Billboard topper

    Pacquiao's 'Sometimes When We Touch' cracks Billboard list

    06/29/2011

    MANILA, Philippines - Boxing champion and Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao is now a top 20 recording artist.

    "Sometimes When We Touch", Pacquiao's duet with singer-songwriter Dan Hill, reached number 19 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary top 20 list.


    The song has been climbing up the list up from the number 25 spot last week. It has become the third most added song on radio playlists in the US.  

    In an article on Boxingscene.com, Hill's radio promotion guy, Tom Mazetta, said the song is one of Hill's biggest hits and one that still gets a considerable amount of airplay decades later.

    "Last but certainly not least, there is undeniably a 'novelty' factor at play here. Manny Pacquiao, I mean come on!! I want to know what this guy CANNOT do!!!"


    Made popular by his rendition on the Jimmy Kimmel live show, Pacquiao recorded this latest version with the song's original writer Dan Hill, and released the track earlier this year.  A portion of the song was also featured in Pacquiao's ad for HP. Report by Nadia Trinidad, ABS-CBN News

    ...the Vuitton becomes charity

    A first–Vuitton works with PH group for needy kids

    The luxury goods company’s ‘zero tolerance’ for counterfeiting dovetails with the NGO’s zero tolerance for child abuse


    By: Alex Y. Vergara
    Philippine Daily Inquirer



    At the onset, it seemed like an unlikely pairing: Louis Vuitton, one of the world’s biggest and most recognizable luxury brands, and SOS Children’s Village, one of the world’s largest NGOs dedicated to helping disadvantaged children.

    But this seeming disconnect didn’t stop Paris-based LV from forging a five-year partnership in 2010 with the Imst, Austria-based SOS.

    Dubbed as “Partnership for Children’s Futures,” LV, through its intellectual property department, is donating $500,000 to SOS over the said period, to be divided among the NGO’s key education and intervention programs in four developing countries: China, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic and the Philippines.

    It marks the first time LV is donating to charity in the Philippines in a major way. The company is also expanding its Philippine store at Greenbelt 4, Makati.

    Led by Bienvenido Delgado, SOS’s national director in the Philippines, the NGO runs children’s villages in Davao, Lipa and Tacloban. Through Jean Baptiste Debains, president of LV in Asia-Pacific, the company has allotted $120,000 to SOS Philippines to be used over a two-year period.

    Family-strengthening programs

    The HK-based Debains recently flew to Manila to announce the development. Joining him in a media conference at Makati Shangri-La were Delgado and Rhea De Vera-Aguirre, LV’s country manager in the Philippines.

    Since the partnership’s thrust in the Philippines is on “family-strengthening programs,” the amount won’t go directly to SOS’s villages in the three Philippine cities. Each village is dedicated to raising and educating orphaned and abandoned children.

    Instead, the amount aims to support families at risk of abandoning their children or making them work due to extreme poverty. The ongoing program, which targets kids from needy families within a five- to seven-km radius from the three SOS-run villages, places strong emphasis on preventing kids from being forced into child labor.

    “There are already ongoing programs in Lipa and Tacloban, where we will start to earmark some of the funds,” said Delgado.

    LV gave SOS Philippines a free hand to prioritize projects that need urgent funding, provided these projects are geared toward family strengthening.

    “It’s quantifiable in the sense that you will be able to see healthy kids going regularly to school for the next two years. This is where the series of programs starts. It’s a cooperation to get them healthy and in school,” said Delgado.

    “The program’s thrust of supporting children living outside the three SOS villages involves helping provide for their food, clothes and books,” Debains added. “By supporting their families, we are encouraging them to stay with their families, because we believe that no one or nothing can take the place of an ideal family in bringing up a child.”

    Perfect fit

    It may sound ironic that the money funding this series of global programs came from damages LV has won so far from the string of lawsuits the company has filed in its ongoing war with counterfeiters the world over. But to Debains, the partnership as well as the source of funds sustaining it is a “perfect fit.”



    Rather than reinvest the entire amount it wins in damages, LV’s central office has chosen to give away a considerable portion to charity. The amount LV generates, Debains said, is way below the untold sums it spends annually running after counterfeiters.

    LV’s “zero tolerance” for counterfeiting also dovetails with SOS’s zero tolerance for child abuse. And in the often murky and complicated network of counterfeiting run by criminal syndicates, child labor is invariably involved.

    The choice of a partner, he said, is based more on trust and not the result of endless studies to determine ideal beneficiaries. If that were the case, LV would be bogged down and end up doing nothing.

    “Since the money came from our fight against counterfeits, it was particularly relevant for us to support children’s education,” he said. “Again, it’s a way to keep kids away from child labor, which is one of the ill effects of counterfeit activities.”

    But whether or not child labor is connected to the proliferation of fake LV Speedies and Neverfulls, people at LV have taken it upon themselves to focus on underprivileged children as part of the company’s thrust.

    “There are other forms of child labor, but in a considerable number of cases counterfeiting is involved,” said Debains, himself a father of two young children. “By supporting children’s education, we not only help children to develop a life of their own away from counterfeits, but beyond that, to help them build a life for themselves.”

    Success stories

    Delgado, who assumed the post in 1999 after a life-long career as a banker, has witnessed countless success stories of SOS’s former children-beneficiaries. Assistance in some cases extends up to college and even six months after graduation to help the fledgling graduate find a decent job.

    “A number have since left to work for our Norwegian partners in Norway’s shipping industry,” he said. “They finished their maritime studies and have landed jobs in Norwegian ships. Our SOS Children’s Village director in Davao used to be a child under our care.”

    The lucrative world of luxury fashion, wherein LV is a major player, may seem lightweight, but the underworld of counterfeiting, which it has spawned, is certainly not. It’s a cause for concern not only to LV, but also to its competitors, governments and those in allied industries.

    Through its cooperation with local police, LV has joined in regular raids in Greenhills in San Juan City and other counterfeit hotbeds in the Philippines.

    “But it goes beyond Louis Vuitton and other luxury brands,” said Debains. “You have counterfeit medicines, car parts. Often these are linked to a kind of parallel economy that involves lots of money and various forms of criminal activities.”

    It’s a serious and continuous problem, he conceded, that requires vigilance and the concerted efforts between affected companies, the authorities and the public.

    “As soon as they go outside the legal framework, not only do people involved in these illegal activities avoid paying taxes, they can also freely use substandard materials that can be hazardous to both their workers’ and the general public’s health,” said Debains. “That’s why Louis Vuitton has taken it upon itself to contribute to help solve the problem by running after them and directly helping disadvantaged children. We will not solve the entire problem, but it’s a start. All of us can make small differences

    Tuesday, June 28, 2011

    ...the new species explosion

    Shark that inflates with water discovered in PHL deep


    In the extreme deep of Philippine seas, a newly discovered shark species scares off its enemies with the sudden bulk created by filling its stomach with water.

    This "inflatable" swell shark was only one of an estimated 300 new animal and plant species discovered by a historic scientific expedition in the Philippines organized by the California Academy of Sciences (CAS).

    The other discoveries include a cicada with a “distinctive ‘laughing’ call," a starfish that only eats sunken driftwood, three lobster species that don’t carry shells on their backs and instead hide in sea crevices, a crab with needle-lined pincers and a worm-line pipefish that lives in colonies of soft coral.


    This newly discovered shark species has a special technique for intimidating its enemies. Stephanie Stone, California Academy of Sciences
    According to a statement released by the CAS Friday (Saturday in the Philippines), the deep-sea swell shark “inflates its stomach with water to bulk up and scare off other predators."

    The 42-day 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition took place from April to June.

    Early this month, they announced the discovery of 75 possible new species endemic to the country.

    The collected specimens will be subject to DNA sequencing in the next few months before they can be confirmed and described, according to the CAS website.


    This tree-like soft coral is likely to be a new species of Umbeliulifera. Photo courtesy of California Academy of Sciences
    Regardless of the results, Dr. Terrence Gosliner, Dean of Science and Research at the California Academy of Sciences and leader of the expedition, called the Philippines “the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth."

    “We found new species during nearly every dive and hike as we surveyed the country’s reefs, rainforests, and the ocean floor," he added. The expedition is the biggest the CAS has conducted thus far, and is the most extensive in the Philippines.

    “All of the new species add weight to the idea that the Philippines is a critically important haven for biodiversity, and that its waters likely house more species than any other marine environment on Earth," the statement read.

    The expedition, which included scientists from the University of the Philippines, surveyed different areas in Luzon. While creating species lists and distribution maps for different plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish and marine invertebrates, the team discovered over 300 species that were previously unknown to man.

    Some of the species, the report noted, may have been undiscovered in the past because of their small size and the remoteness of their habitats.

    The goblin spiders, sea slugs and barnacles the scientists found were only a few millimeters long, said the report. The scientists also braved ocean depths to find a species of snake eel and the steep upper slopes of Mt. Isarog in Camarines Sur to find a species of spikemoss, a primitive plant.


    Possible new species from family Oxynaspididae. Photo courtesy of California Academy of Sciences
    An estimated 90 percent of the planet’s species have yet to be discovered, the report noted, and those unknown species might just be found in places like the Philippines.

    “In order to make smart decisions about how to conserve what is left of our planet’s biodiversity, we must make a concerted effort to rapidly increase our knowledge about these life forms and their distribution," said the report.

    Unlike most expeditions, the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition team unveiled every possible new discovery as they made it.

    A likely new species of Petalomera crab from the deep sea, discovered during a 2011 expedition to the Philippines.

    Toxic MolluskCredit: Terry Gosliner, California Academy of Sciences. A new species of Phyllidia nudibranch (also known as a sea slug) that was discovered during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. These brightly colored mollusks don't need shells for protection — instead they produce powerful toxins to keep potential predators at bay.

    A new species of Nembrotha nudibranch (also known as a sea slug) that was discovered during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition

    A new species of deep-water sea star in the family Caymanostellidae that digests wood.

    This colorful worm is likely a new species of the genus Myrianida, which was found in coral rubble in the Philippines.
      
    A potential new species of the urchin Echinothrix, with a distinctive red color that differentiates it from the more brownish, white-banded Echinothrix calamaris.


    The team will also be presenting the results of their expedition to the San Francisco public on Thursday, June 30 during the Academy’s NightLife event (Friday morning in the Philippines). - HS, GMA News

    ...the Hero Acting to End Modern-day Slavery Awardee

    News in Photo
    by Yahoo! Philippines
    28 June 2011


                                                    (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

    Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presents a 2011 Hero Acting to End Modern Day Slavery Award to Darlene Pajarito, a prosecutor from Zamboanga City, Philipines, coinciding with the release of the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, Monday, June 27, 2011, at the State Department in Washington.

    ...the 'Jefferson' awardee

    Fil-Am receives 'Jefferson Award' for fight vs human trafficking

    ...the paintings

    Paintings evoke nationalist sentiments among Dutch Pinoys

    06/28/2011

    A painting of Rigor Esguerra featuring Filipino street vendors. by Loui Galicia, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau


    THE NETHERLANDS – The paintings displayed at an art exhibit in The Hague, Netherlands evoked nationalist sentiment and nostalgic feelings among Filipinos in the country.

    The creative canvases that hung on the wall of the Muzee Scheveningen were very colorful.

    But up close, goose bumps and heavy emotions were felt by many of the Filipinos who looked at the paintings.

    The paintings are part of the exhibit on "Filipinism, what makes art Filipino?" of the Philippine Embassy and the Kunst Gallery, which made a tour of several European cities.

    The exhibit featured the works of 5 Filipino painters.

    The paintings by Max Balatbat, Erick Dator, Ronna Manansala, Vincent Christopher Gonzales and Rigor Esguerra brought back memories of the Philippines among the Dutch Pinoys who are long-time residents of The Netherlands.

    The hit of the exhibit was "Batang Baler" Esguerra, with his paintings depicting the typical life of a street vendor and street food.

    "Nakakatuwa kasi... you go on a sentimental journey. Brings back memories of your childhood and that daily life in Manila. I thank this artist here," said Philippine dance diva Becky Garcia.

    Esguerra explained that he wants to show the importance of Filipino cart vendors, who contribute to the good of the country in their own little way.

    Esguerra said that for a few coins, the common street food will be able to feed a hungry soul who does not have enough means.

    "Yung dati na nakikita nila sa Pilipinas, tulad ng pagtitinda ng chicharon, samalamig at tubig, Marlboro cigarette, then balot. Tapos dito naman yung mga cart vendor ng fish ball, banana que, mais, toknene, 'yan ang karaniwang kinakain ng mga Pinoy," said Esguerra.

    For abstractionist Balatbat, his theme is deep and intense as he aimed to show the beauty of his hometown Caloocan, which has a reputation of being a haven for prostitutes and bad elements.

    "Inspirasyon ko dito kagaya netong mga patterns na to. Top view ng mga shanties sa lugar namin. Yung mismong lugar ng mga puta. Pagtinignan mo para syang tela, pinagsapalsapal na tela. Kinuha ko yun sa pagsasama ng inspirasyon ko yung mga puta, pagsasama ng mga panty ng mga puta," Balatbat said.

    According to Balatbat, one should not judge a place by it exterior.

    One only needs to look more closely into the hearts of its residents and see the smiles on the faces of the people living there in order to see its real beauty.

    Yet again, he refers to his beloved Caloocan.

    ...the economic pace

    Economy seen to grow at a faster clip

    By: Doris C. Dumlao
    Philippine Daily Inquirer


    US banking giant Citigroup this year expects the Philippine economy to grow at a faster pace than its original outlook of 4.8 percent given the “benign” impact of the social unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, and the supply disruption problems in Japan.

    Growth in gross domestic product (GDP) is seen to pick up further next year to at least 5.3 percent while inflation is expected to average this year at 4.8 percent—well within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ target range—before slowing to 3.8 percent next year.

    Based on Citi’s second-half 2011 regional outlook dated June 24, a section on the Philippines cited a slowdown in inflation, prompting the central bank to ease its hike of key interest rates. The bank noted that real rates were in a non-negative range, which meant that interest rates were no longer below the inflation rate.

    “Benign MENA and Japan supply disruption risks raise potential upside to our below-trend full-year ’11 GDP forecast of 4.8 percent. Diversity in remittance and export flows could further offset event risks,” said Citi head of equity research Minda Olonan. “Meanwhile, domestic liquidity is buoyant, with total forex reserves reaching … $85 billion and bank LDR [loan to deposit ratio] at 63 percent.”

    At the equities market, Olonan noted that Philippine stocks would likely come under pressure until the third quarter as weaker consumer sentiment and higher costs could continue to weigh on corporate earnings in the second quarter.

    She said the estimated market earnings growth of 6.3 percent for 2011 would be below historical trend.

    “However, a positive macro backdrop sets the stage for a better earnings outlook in 2012,” Olonan said.
    In terms of valuation, she said the local equities market was no longer trading cheaply relative to earnings outlook for this year, especially when compared with valuations across Asia-Pacific markets.

    Nevertheless, she said, there was room for the main-share Philippine Stock Exchange index to hit 3,667, or a modest 11-percent upside from current levels.

    “Given a neutral market outlook, we believe stock selectivity is the key to superior returns. We favor stocks that are liquid and have been relative underperformers and that have a dominant industry position, specifically Banco de Oro, Ayala Land and Cebu Pacific,” Olonan said.

    Energy Development Corp., on the other hand, was cited as a “top buy” as a play on the power shortage theme. Citigroup also likes Globe Telecom as a yield play.

    In explaining Citi’s stock picks, Olonan said:

    Ayala Land is a “defensive” property developer with integrated business structure and trading at 30 percent discount to net asset value;

    Banco de Oro is the country’s largest bank with a strong current account-savings account deposit base and improving cost efficiency;

    Cebu Pacific is a battered airline stock with strong market position and resilient margins;

    EDC is a play on increasing demand for renewable energy amid an impending supply shortage;

    Globe Telecom is the cheapest Southeast Asian telco with a positive turnaround story.

    The bank said that among the risks to its outlook was that the Philippines remained vulnerable to global instabilities, such as the delayed Eurozone bailout and potential strengthening of the dollar.

    With the PSEi largely stable, and with net positive foreign buying in the second quarter, Citi sees the market at risk of a foreign liquidity outflow. However, it noted that the government execution of its infrastructure agenda by 2012 should be a key milestone for a market re-rating.

    ...the PH natural gas reserve

    Foreign companies interested in PH natural gas projects

    By: Amy R. Remo
    Philippine Daily Inquirer


    MANILA, Philippines—Companies from Australia, Italy, China, including Hong Kong, and South Korea have signified their intentions to invest in the highly capital-intensive Philippine natural gas sector, expressing interest in building either  a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, pipeline or a gas-fired power plant, the Department of Energy said.

    Energy Undersecretary Jose M. Layug Jr. identified these foreign companies as First Pacific Capital, and Energy World from Australia; ENN Energy Holdings from China; Synergy International of Hong Kong; ENI-Saipem of Italy; and SK Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., Korean Western Power, BW Ventures and Hyundai Merchant Marine, all from South Korea.

    GN Power Ltd. of the Netherlands, which is currently building a 600-megawatt coal facility in Mariveles, Bataan, also plans to participate in the local natural gas industry. There are also three Indian companies interested in helping the Philippine government put up the necessary LNG infrastructure, but Layug did not identify them.

    Apart from the foreign companies, local firms are likewise seeking active participation, including the state-run Philippine National Oil Co.; listed firm Abacus Consolidated Resources, which will be partnering with ENI-Saipem of Italy; and the Lopez-led First Gen Corp., Layug disclosed.

    “We are completing our Master Plan for Natural Gas through technical assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and World Bank by yearend. After we complete the plan, and the results are favorable, then we will conduct public bidding for such infrastructures next year,” Layug said.

    The Department of Energy initially estimated that $5 billion in fresh investments would be needed to fully develop the country’s downstream natural gas industry.

    Based on the original masterplan, investments were needed to construct 423 kilometers of transmission and 504 sq. km. of distribution pipelines. Priority projects include a 140-km pipeline from Bataan to Manila (BatMan 2); 40-km Edsa-Taft loop; 35 km from Sucat to Malaya; 40 km from Batangas to Cavite (BatCave); 35 km from Rosario to Biñan (RoBin); 100 km from Batangas to Manila (Batman 1); and the 30-km Calaca-Spurline (CatLine). These investments also included greenfield power plant projects that could generate a combined 3,000 MW and power plant conversion projects that could generate some 600 MW.

    The expected JICA-WB Master Plan for Natural Gas will re-evaluate these opportunities and identify which infrastructure will be deemed  priority projects, and what kind of investments will be needed. It will also evaluate the viability of importing natural gas and the potential sources.

    Possible LNG sources include Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, the United States and Australia, which is known to hold huge natural gas deposits, Layug said earlier. The Malampaya gas power project, which currently provides natural gas to three facilities in Luzon, will not be the main source of gas, he added.

    “Malampaya will not have a role in the masterplan other than what they are providing for currently. The masterplan hopes to provide infrastructure for LNG imports which we expect to be much cheaper because worldwide, the price of LNG is going down. We will import LNG. There’s a lot of supply and the Philippines is being looked at by the LNG industry as a potential market—that’s why they’re knocking on our doors,” Layug said.

    Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras has been pushing for alternative fuels such as natural gas given the global oil price volatility, to which the Philippines is highly vulnerable as it sources most of its fuel requirements abroad.

    Natural gas is deemed to be among the more feasible alternatives that will allow the country to diversify its energy and transport fuel sources.

    The country’s natural gas resources are estimated at 2.135 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

    Monday, June 27, 2011

    ...the ventriloquist


    Wanlu back from acclaimed performance in HK

    June 28, 2011
    The Philippine Star


    Photo is loading...
    Wanlu (center) receives Albani Peace Prize as Asia’s Outstanding Ventriloquist during the 4th Peace and Unity International Forum.
    MANILA, Philippines - Talentadong Pinoy (TP) Hall of Famer Wanlu (Juancho Lunaria in real life) challenged Filipinos in Hong Kong when he and the TP staff and crew performed recently in the former Crown Colony.

    Wanlu formed part of a small group of artists that participated in a TP showcase hosted by Ryan Agoncillo and which also featured Bayani Agbayani and Tuesday Vargas.

    “I reminded our kababayan in Hong Kong that Filipino talent is world-class and that we can draw inspiration from the skills and success of others,” he says.

    Aside from regular shows on TV5 and UNTV and a few guestings on GMA 7, Wanlu is looking forward to attend an international ventriloquists convention on July 14 to 18 in Kentucky, USA.

    The comedian-host says he’s excited to meet the likes of Terry Fator and Jeff Dunham, as well as legendary ventriloquists Jimmy Nelson and Bill DeMar, in the convention.

    Wanlu was recently presented the Asian Entertainer Award and Albani Peace Prize as Asia’s Outstanding Ventriloquist.