...the PH IMO seat

Philippines re-elected to IMO

By John Carlo Cahinhinan
Sun Star

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

MANILA (Updated) -- The Philippines once again bagged a seat in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) during its 28th Annual Assembly in London, United Kingdom.

The IMO is the United Nations' specialized agency responsible for ensuring maritime safety, security and protection of marine environment, while its assembly serves as the executive organ of the agency that is responsible for overseeing the work of the entire organization.

Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator Maximo Mejia said the country was placed under "Category C," which includes countries with "special interests in maritime transport or navigation."

The Marina administrator explained that a "Category C" nation has special interest in maritime transport or navigation and whose election into the council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

Those member states that belonged to the same category include Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey.

Around one-third of the world's seafarers' population comes from the Philippines.

Mejia noted that the country, as a maritime nation, is deeply committed to the goals of the IMO in a very concrete manner, particularly on the benefits from the operation of safe and secure ships on clean oceans.

"We rely on the seas to connect our thousands of islands and on its bounty for our food and our economy," Mejia said.

He also reassured the international maritime community of the Philippines' adherence to the conventions, rules and regulations set by the IMO and other international regulatory bodies.

"Being the source of more than a quarter of all seafarers on-board ships in the international trade is a position of great responsibility, and the Philippines reassures the international maritime community of its commitment to the letter and intent of the STCW Convention and to ensuring that the world’s ships are manned by able, competent, and qualified seafarers," Mejia said. (Sunnex)

 

...the most gender equal nations

Women on top: Phl among most gender equal nations

            

By Camille Diola

(philstar.com) 

Updated April 19, 2013

 

File photo from the World Bank Photo Collection.

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - The World Bank identified the Philippines as a world leader in gender equality, particularly in the fields of legislation, management and government.

In its World Development Indicators report released on Thursday, the international organization cited latest data showing that 55 percent of Filipino lawmakers, senior officials and managers are female.

The number, taken from 2007 to 2011 statistics, is the highest in the World Bank report with data from 88 countries.

The Philippines is among the two only countries in the world with more women than men in the said professions, using the International Labour Organization's standard classification of occupations.

Although the report said that gender inequality is most prevalent in developing countries, the Philippines, a lower middle income nation, is one exception.

"The share of women in high-skilled occupations ... indicates women's status and role in the labor force and society at large," the report explained.

Following the Philippines' lead is The Bahamas, a chain of island in the Caribbean, with 52 percent of leaders who are female.

Barbados, another island country in the Caribbean, is in relatively far third with 47 percent.

Ranking fourth is Latvia with women landing in 45 percent of top occupations, while the Cayman Islands are fifth with 44 percent.

The United States, the largest economy in the world, is tied with Latin American country Puerto Rico with 43 percent.

Indonesia, one of the Philippines' peer in Southeast Asis for one, only records 22 percent of high government and business positions given to women.

The world's most gender unequal nations in the world include those that have a dominant Muslim population, the lowest being Pakistan with women occupying only 3 percent of seats in legislation, governance and management.

Also at the bottom of the scale are Azerbaijan (7 percent), Lebanon (8 percent) and Saudi Arabia (8 percent).

"These patterns of inequality begin at an early age, with boys routinely receiving a larger share of education and health spending than girls, for example," World Bank said in the report.

The study, World Bank said, is a compilation of "relevant, high-quality and internationally comparable statistics about global development."

Other indicators cited in the report under people development are prevalence of malnutrition, HIV, unemployment and underemployment, as well as maternal mortality, adolescent fertility and under-five mortality.

 

...the hiphop nation

PHL teams sweep int’l hip-hop dance tilt in Sydney

 

GMA News

December 4, 2012

 

 

 

Boyz Unlimited, a team from the Philippines, emerged the Grand Slam Champion of the World Supremacy Battlegrounds (WSB 2012), a competition among international hip-hop dance groups held in Australia’s Sydney Olympic Park over the weekend.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, four other Philippine groups won major awards in the same competition, besting rivals from Australia, the Bahamas, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States.

The winning teams in the International Open Division included

 

• Boyz Unlimited: Gold

 

 

• FlipendemicKru: Silver

• Pinoy Hip Hop: Bronze

• Rockstars: Fourth Place (no pic)

Unschooled and ADDLIB, also from the Philippines, placed seventh and tenth, respectively, in the same category.

Unschooled, 7th place

 

ADDLIB, 10th place

Another Pinoy group, the A Team, clinched a silver in the WSB 2012’s Varsity Division.

A Team, Silver Placer

Two-year winning streak

This is the second year in a row that Boyz Unlimited, a group of seven dancers from Mangaldan, Pangasinan, has won the World Supremacy Battlegrounds.

Formed in 2004 and choreographed by Marion Evangelista, Boyz Unlimited has won in numerous local competitions, including:

• Hundred Islands Dance Showdown in Alaminos, Pangasinan in 2011 (Champion),
• Groove 2010, North Luzon elimination in 2010 (Champion),
• Amplified Hip-hop Dance Competition in Baguio City in 2009 (Champion), and
• Smart’s Best Dance Crew in Dagupan City in 2010 (Champion).

In its Facebook page, the group said its members were brought together in the objective of dancing “for the glory of God.”

The group believes that “as long as we continue to learn . . . we will achieve our dream—to be the best dance crew not only in our country but in the whole world.”

After winning the championship at the WSB 2012, the group expressed its gratitude in a Facebook post:

“Hindi naming alam kung pano naming sisimulan ang sobrang pasasalamat naming sa inyo at sa lahat ng tumulong sumuporta, naniwala, at higit sa lahat nagdasal po para sa amin at sa lahat ng Team Pilipinas,” the page’s administrator said.

Dedicating its award to its Filipino supporters, the group added, “Sobrang maraming salamat po! Iba talaga ang pusong Pinoy!”

Fil-Australian businessman and WSB founder Marco Selorio said the Philippine teams consistently impressed international judges and competitors. - with Karla Maquiling, VVP, GMA News

...the countries with least gender gap

Philippines on Top 10 list of countries with least gender gap

By Michelle V. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines, where women enjoy the same access to education as men, remains on the Top 10 countries with the least “gender gap,” according to the 2011 Global Gender Gap rankings by the World Economic Forum.

From the 9th spot in the 2010 survey,  the Philippines ranked higher to 8th in 2011, with a score of 0.7685, among 135 countries. It performed favorably in the four categories that determine gender gap: (1) educational attainment, (2) health and survival, (3) economic participation and opportunity, and (4) political empowerment.

The Philippines got the perfect score of 1 in the first two categories.

In the first category, the Philippines shares the top rank with 21 other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Australia, among others.

The Philippines’ favorable performance in the first category comes amid official reports showing that women attending primary, secondary and tertiary education number about the same as, if not more than the men.

The country’s top rank in the second category showed that women in the Philippines have just about the same life expectancy as that of men. Life expectancy is affected by various factors such as disease, malnutrition and violence.

For the second category, the Philippines shares the top rank with 37 other countries, including Finland, Lesotho, Latvia, Bahamas and Argentina.

In the third category of “economic participation and opportunity,” the Philippines ranked 15th with a score of 0.7632. In this category, countries are evaluated based on gaps between men and women in terms of work participation, remuneration and advancement opportunities.

In the fourth category of “political empowerment,” the Philippines ranked 16th with a score of 0.3314. In this category, countries are evaluated based on gap between men and women in terms of women-to-men ratio in  government positions.

According to the WEF, the world ranking in terms of gender gap is aimed at increasing the awareness of countries on the importance of closing the gender gap.

“The rankings are designed to create greater awareness among a global audience of the challenges posed by gender gaps and the opportunities created by reducing them,” the WEF said in the Global Gender Gap Index report.

Global efforts to close the gap between men and women in various aspects, including access to education and employment, are supported by economists who say that promoting gender equality helps achieve developmental objectives of economies.

This is because tapping the skills of women helps increase an economy’s overall productivity.

On the contrary, they say, economies have been missing out on growth opportunities if women were not tapped to contribute their skills and talents.

“The rankings are designed to create greater awareness among a global audience of the challenges posed by gender gaps and the opportunities created by reducing them,” WEF said in the report.

...the "lucky cities"

Manila one of world's top gambling spots

abs-cbnNEWS.com

07/25/2011

MANILA, Philippines - Manila is one of the best places in the world to try your luck and splash your cash, according to an online travel company.

Expedia Australia said the Philippines' sprawling capital is one of the world's top gaming destinations not only for its favorable exchange rate and world-class casinos, but also for its wide range of shopping and entertainment options.

"Manila provides great value for Aussies wanting to live the high life overseas," it said in a statement.

Macau and Las Vegas, 2 of the world's largest gambling destinations, are also included in the list. The former Portuguese colony has no less than 33 casinos as well as local horse and greyhound racing venues, while the most populous city in Nevada, United States has over 1,700 licensed casinos in operation.

Expedia Australia said Monte Carlo, home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, "provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and wealthy wannabees" while Paradise Island in Bahamas offers a "sprawling Vegas by the sea."

Below is the online travel company's complete list of the world's best holiday spots for high rollers:

• Monte Carlo, Monaco
• Paradise Island, Bahamas
• Melbourne, Australia
• Macau, China
• Baden-Baden, Germany
• Las Vegas, United States
• Manila, Philippines
• Sun City, South Africa
• Atlantic City, United States
• Genting Highlands, Malaysia