...the sharks of Donsol

Donsol, Philippines: Up close to whale sharks

The Lonely Planet Adventure: There's no need for a cage when you share the water with these giant creatures

 

The Independent (UK)
Saturday 19 January 2013
 

 

Suddenly an onlooker spots a dark shadow and the shout goes up: "Shark! Everybody get in the water!" At Donsol, the whale-shark capital of the Philippines, the aim is getting close to sharks, not getting away.

Fishermen have known about the butanding that gather in the watery depths off the coast of Bicol for centuries, but the transformation of Donsol from sleeping fishing village to whale-shark spotting centre is a more recent phenomenon. In 1998, a Filipino dive team spotted startling numbers of whale sharks and alerted the World Wildlife Fund, and it set the wheels in motion for one of the most successful community tourism projects in Asia.

 

Historically, butanding were viewed with fear by local fishermen, who noted their resemblance to deadlier denizens of the deep. However, the involvement of marine experts led to an official ban on fishing for whale sharks, and a new-found respect for them among Donsol residents. With money coming in from managed shark dives, butanding suddenly had a greater value alive than dead, providing a powerful incentive for conservation.

From the outset, diving at Donsol was promoted with the welfare of the whale sharks in mind. Scuba diving was banned – sharks are spooked by the noise of bubbles from diving equipment – and swimmers were allowed to enter the water only with a mask and snorkel, in small, managed groups.

 

Without tanks and regulators, the encounter is more intimate; you are a visitor in their world.

While Donsol is firmly on the international diving map, this is not your average diving hub. It remains a sleepy fishing village – aside from the visitor centre, a scattering of Filipino-style resorts and the occasional jeepney, there is little to disturb the peace. In the evening, nightlife takes the form of beers on the balcony and firefly-spotting cruises on the local creek.

The adventure unfolds

There's a tangible excitement in the air as the pump boat chugs out from Donsol. For one thing, there's the knowledge that you have to be ready to leap into the water at a moment's notice when the attending butanding interaction officer (BIO) spots a cruising whale shark. Then there's the thrill that comes from knowing you'll be sharing the water with the world's biggest fish.

As the boat skips across the waves, everyone is on tenterhooks, scanning the surface of the water for telltale eddies or fins … then the call goes up: "Jump!" You grab your mask and leap into the water. First there's the jolt that comes from sudden immersion, then your heart skips a second beat as a fish as long as a bus glides beneath you. You maintain a respectful distance, but the shark seems unperturbed by the strange flapping creatures from the surface.

Whale sharks may be filter feeders, but they're unmistakably sharks. Fears evaporate as the graceful ballet unfolds, however. The opening and closing of the giant mouth. The rippling of the gills. The steady sweep of the gigantic tail. Then the shark turns, drops out of view, and melts back into the deep, dense blue.

The focus at Donsol is not on spotting whale sharks, but on "interactions". On a good day, swimmers can encounter a dozen. To put that into context, the great marine explorer Jacques Cousteau saw just two in his lifetime. It's a wild encounter, and there's an element of chance, but in peak season, when sharks gather to feed and breed, sightings are almost guaranteed.

Making it happen

Jeepneys and air-con mini vans run to Donsol from Legaspi, which is served by regular flights and buses from Manila. Peak season for whale sharks is February to May when plankton provide ample food. No dive certification is needed; you just must be able to swim. There are resorts (Giddy's Place is the pick) and centres in Donsol for dives elsewhere along the coast.

Essential Experiences

* Feeling the spray on your face as the pump boat skims across the waves.

* Glimpsing your first butanding gliding through the silent depths.

* Getting up close and with manta rays off Ticao Island.

* Scouting for fireflies on the Ogod River.

* Admiring the symmetry of Mount Mayon, the world's most perfect volcano, in nearby Legaspi.

Location: Donsol, Sorsogon, Bicol, the Philippines.

Ideal time commitment: Three days.

Best time of year: February to May.

Top tip: Bring your own mask and snorkel for a watertight fit.

...the 2013 Hottest Destination

Major int’l publications agree Philippines is ‘hottest’ destination

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sunday, January 13th, 2013

 

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is at it again.

After the successful “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign, which observes its first anniversary on Saturday, two more respected international publications have included the country on their list of the top destinations in the world for 2013.

New York-based Travel+Leisure Magazine, the rival of Condé Nast Traveler, named the Philippines as one of the 13 “Hottest Travel Destinations of 2013” in its January issue.

On Friday, The New York Times also placed the country at number 17 on its list of “46 Places to Go in 2013,” ahead of Bangkok, Paris and Casablanca.

“A surfing and beach destination goes luxe … Idyllic white sand beaches, secluded, little-known surf towns and pristine reefs are among the natural draws of this country made up of over 7,000 tropical islands,” The New York Times said.

“Now in addition to the more upscale choices cropping up in former backpacking enclaves like Boracay, there is a new generation of luxury hotels opening even further afield,” it added.

The paper noted the new Dedon Island resort on Siargao, adding that it was “close to one of the world’s best surf breaks, Cloud 9, (of which famous American surfer Kelly Slater is a fan), and has an outdoor cinema along with spa and paddle board classes.”

“And the private island resort of El Nido Pangulasian opens this month in the Unesco biosphere of Palawan, right by some of the world’s most pristine diving spots,” it added.

The New York Times said that while the Philippines has been subject to travel advisories in the past, “they mostly focus on Mindanao in the south.”

“For extra security, outfitters like Asian expert Remote Lands organize private transfers and local guides,” the paper said.

Travel+Leisure Magazine, which has 4.8 million readers, noted that while there were safety concerns before about the Philippines, it was now “safe to visit once again.”

“Two countries written off in recent years—Zambia and the Philippines—are safe to visit once again, and thriving with new safari camps and island thatched-roof villas,” Travel+Leisure said.

“The archipelago of Palawan, a Unesco biosphere reserve in the Philippines, just added a resort with a scuba center; hop a two-hour flight from Hong Kong, and you’ll soon be diving with the sea turtles,” it added.

The magazine particularly mentioned El Nido Pangulasian Island and the 125-acre private island of Ariara in Palawan, and the Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa in Panglao, Bohol.

“Boracay hogs the spotlight, but there are thousands of other islands to lure beach lovers,” Travel+Leisure added.

Serious player

Tourism Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said endorsement from these top publications showed that the Philippines was now “a serious player” in global tourism.

“This is a very good development for our country. It is a very concrete proof that foreigners now have a high awareness and appreciation of the great travel potentials of the Philippines,” Bengzon said.

“It shows that we are now a serious player,” he added.

Bengzon said the awareness of foreigners about the country was heightened by the launching of the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign in January last year.

“We’ve advertised and conducted our marketing campaign in all our major markets like Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, India, Korea and China. And in 2013, we will be even more aggressive,” he said.

Bengzon said the Department of Tourism (DOT) expected the number of tourist arrivals for 2012 to reach 4.2 million to 4.3 million.

This is higher than the 3.9 million registered in 2011 but is lower than the 4.5-million target that the DOT set in 2012.

“There was a slowdown from our Chinese market but this is against picking. For 2013, we are targeting 5.5 million and we are very positive that we can reach that,” Bengzon said.

Very positive

“The feedback to [the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”] campaign has been very positive not just in terms of tourist arrivals but also in the response of the private sector, from the airlines, travel agents, the hotels and resorts. More hotels are opening this year,” he added.

The other places that made it to Travel+Leisure’s list were Bahia Ballena in Costa Rica, Basilicata in Italy, Puerto Rico, Minneapolis in the United States, Reunion, Nepal, Charlevoix in Quebec, Uco Valley in Argentina, Zambia, Amsterdam, Australia’s Gold Coast, and Marseilles.

The magazine said it initially considered “40-odd places” for its list of top destinations this year.

“To determine which destinations … are coming up on the radar, T+L asked safari experts and art dealers, cutting-edge chefs and even branding agencies where they’re seeing a new neighborhood emerge or wineries getting more acclaim,” Travel+Leisure said.

“What started with 40-odd places we distilled down to a baker’s dozen: the hottest travel destinations of 2013,” it added.

World’s 5th Best Hotel

In the same issue, the magazine also named the Discovery Shores Hotel in Boracay as the 5th Best Hotel in the World.

“Barefoot elegance is undoubtedly the vibe on this tiny island, where the 2 1/2-mile stretch known as White Beach is often singled out for being the softest in the world,” the magazine said.

It said that Discovery Shores’ 88 spacious suites all have large glass walls that look toward a scenic rock garden, “but chances are you’ll spend more time by the water.”

“Take a dip in the infinity pool, or jet-ski on the crystalline sea. For people-watching, head to The Sandbar, where they stir up delicious mojitos, infused with local flavors like lychee and mango,” Travel+Leisure said.

“Once you’re sufficiently refueled, karaoke your heart out, with over 1,000 songs (mostly in English) to choose from at the resort’s recreation lounge,” it added.

The endorsement from Travel+Leisure came as the UK edition of its competitor, Condé Nast Traveller Magazine, also named the Philippines as one of the top 10 hottest new travel destinations for 2013.

“For travelers willing to go the extra thousand miles for a deserted beach, the Philippines has around 7,000 of the most heavenly islands in the world. It’s still not the most obvious beach-holiday destination, but it soon will be,” Condé Nast Traveller said.

Sorry, Maldives

“Sorry, Maldives… We love you, but we’ve got a new flame,” it added.

The magazine said the Philippines was becoming particularly popular among serious divers, who visit for “the incredible underwater life, unspoilt coral gardens with rainbow-bright fish, green sea turtles and dugongs.”

“In Bicol you can swim with the biggest fish in the world, the whale shark. While fish-fans of a different nature can go deep-sea fishing in one of the deepest trenches in the oceans, not far from the little-known island of Siargao,” the magazine said.

“The archipelago of Palawan ticks all the boxes: palm-fringed white-powder beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, natural lagoons for wild swimming on Miniloc Island—all of it protected by Unesco,” it added.

Condé Nast said Bacuit Bay in Palawan was something like Halong Bay in Vietnam, “only without all the tourists—for the time being, at least.”

“There are just a handful of resorts, which are tasteful and deliberately low-key. Two of the newest are Ariara Island and El Nido Pangulasian Island, a private-island resort with palm-thatched villas, a spa, its own dive center and sea views to melt the heart,” the magazine said.

Palawan in top 10

“Another super-stylish new opening is Dedon Island, on Siargao; it’s owned and designed by contemporary furniture brand Dedon. And a perennial favorite is Amanpulo, yet another high-design private-island hotel on Pamalican Island,” it added.

In October, Lonely Planet, reputedly the largest travel guidebook and digital media publisher in the world, also named Palawan among the top 10 best regions to visit in the world for 2013.

Lonely Planet said Palawan was “the ultimate archipelago for adventurers” and best for being “off the beaten track,” adventure and culture.

“Palawan incorporates thousands of sparkling, rugged islands and is fringed by 2000 km of pristine coastline. So far, Palawan’s natural marvels have only been sampled by plucky backpackers. Not for much longer,” Lonely Planet said.

“The trail these pioneers have blazed is set to explode, with regional airlines waking up to Palawan’s potential and clambering to schedule direct flights to the capital,” it said.

“Throw in the mushrooming growth of style-conscious boutique hotels normally found in places like Ko Samui or Bali, and you can feel that Palawan is ready to hit the big-time in 2013,” Lonely Planet added.

...the PH maid in French Film

Pinay maid lands role in French film starring Sophie Marceau

 

By DICK VILLANUEVA

July 17, 2012

GMA News

 

 

PARIS — Out of hundreds who auditioned for the role, a Filipina domestic worker here in the French capital was chosen to play the role of an Asian maid in a film starring French international actress Sophie Marceau and famous French comedian Gad Elmaleh.

 

Dina Nietes Capistrano, 52, told GMA News Online that it was a great honor to be chosen for a role that almost 500 people auditioned for.

 

Capistrano said her employer received an email asking for permission to allow her to join the cast of ”Un Bonheur N'arrive Jamais Seul” (Happiness Never Comes Alone) which was released on June 27 this year.

 

Capistrano spent 10 days shooting for the film, which took two months to finish.

She earned 5,000 Euros (roughly around 256,000 Pesos) which she will use partly to pay her debts. The rest would be spent for her children in the Philippines.

Having been an undocumented worker before she landed the role, Capistrano also received a "permit to stay," thanks to the film production agency. She has received an entitlement to work from the Prefecture de Police.

Dina Nietes Capistrano, a Filipina maid in France, plays the role of an Asian maid in the film "”Un Bonheur N'arrive Jamais Seul.” Capistrano is shown here with the young actors in the film. Dick Villanueva

Being a maid not a hindrance

Capistrano said she learned that being a maid does not prevent a person from reaching his or her dreams.

 

Capistrano grew up in the Bicol region of the Philippines and obtained a Communication Arts degree before she worked abroad.

 

She used to be a leg woman in an agency in the Philippines, which she thought was ironically the exact opposite of her experience while working in the film.

 

“Noon ako ang sumusundo at nagdadala sa mga artista, pero dito sa Paris ako ang sinusundo para sa shooting namin,” Capistrano said.

 

She first worked in Saudi Arabia and got the chance to escape from her employer when he brought her to Paris, where she worked as an illegal worker for 10 years.
 

After those 10 years, she can now finally return to the Philippines to visit her children who were only nine and 10 years old when she left.
 

Currently, Capistrano holds a health care benefit in France that enlists her profession as a comedian.
 

Her agency also promised that she will be given priority for upcoming French films should there be a need for casting or extras.

 

Good memories

 

Capistrano shared the good memories during the shooting of the film as “Nana,” the nanny of Marceau’s children.

 

She said that Sophie Marceau was kind and very supportive while Gad Elmaleh was impressed with her and told her: “Dina, you’re an actress.”

 

Even James Huth, their director, was impressed with Capistrano’s ability to act naturally beyond the script without being trained to do so.

 

She also memorized her lines with ease.

 

The child actors and actresses also got attached to Capistrano, calling her “Nana” even when the camera wasn’t rolling.

 

She also mentioned that she spoke in Tagalog for her role as “Nana” in the film. — with Andrei Medina/VVP, GMA News

...the Island of Survivors

How Caramoan wowed "Survivor India"

By ANSELMO V. TALAGTAG,JR

October 30,2011

Manila Bulletin

Matukad Island (Photo by TEDDY L. PELAEZ)

No other country can boast of that many returning productions. Such is the appeal of the islands of Caramoan.


MANILA, Philippines -- India is the latest country with the “Survivor” franchise to be dazzled by the beauty of the Caramoan islands.

Coming after France, Israel, Bulgaria, Serbia and the Strix group (made up of Norway, Holland, Belgium and Sweden), the Miditech group, the contracted entity of showbiz giant Star Plus India that owns the “Survivor” franchise, is already thinking of returning to Caramoan for its next series.

“We all fell in love with the place when we visited last March,” said Niret Alva, who together with brother, Nikhil, are the executive producers of Miditech. Nikhil is also a member of India’s National Tourism Promotions Board and is keen on promoting the Philippines to the Indian market, especially after being impressed with Caramoan.


How it all began

Caramoan’s popularity with the “Survivor” franchises in Europe started with the first French production in Palawan.

According to Nikolo Juvan of the Philippine Film Studios Incorporated (PFSI), the event handling company, the French wanted to film again in the Philippines but on a more secluded group of islands because El Nido, Palawan is crawling with tourists.

PFSI was then introduced to Caramoan by the son of Governor Lray Villafuerte; and after seeing the islands’ great potential, the French were informed and then it was their turn to be awed.

“There was, however, a condition by the French that housing facilities should be built on the main island to accommodate all its crew, contestants and VIPs. The French producers promised Gov. Villafuerte that they will do the series if there will be facilities built on the main island that was still bare at the time,” Juvan said.

The rest, of course, is history for Caramoan tourism. Facilities were built in what was to be called Gota Village. The French filmed the series, which was shown all over Europe, and the other franchise holders followed suit.

“The French series is the second largest franchise after the United States; so even if we didn’t make any marketing programs to follow it up, the inquiries came,” Juvan revealed.

The latest, of course, is India, whose producers, just midway in the competition, have already signified their intention of returning for their second season, expecting a big slice of the Indian viewers. The first season was a celebrity edition, with 10 celebrities competing against 10 other contestants from corporate to man-on-the-street.


An Economic Opportunity

The “Survivor” series provides jobs, not just for local labor, but also for Manila based personnel. Juvan revealed that every production brings with them a large international crew with various needs from technical expertise to manual labor. It has also provided an opportunity to showcase Filipino talent, skills and friendly disposition that leave a positive mark with each visiting country.

Juvan related that on the first edition of the Israeli series, the producers brought their own carpenters and labor force; but when they saw the ability of the Filipino counterparts, they didn’t bring any of their labor force the next time.

For their part, Miditech Indian managers are pleased with how the Filipino crew handle pressure. “ We usually shout and feel pressured, but the Filipinos just smile and tell us not to worry because things will be done on time.”


Win some, lose some

Juvan and some of his staff have been living in Gota Village for the last four years to handle all the various “Survivor” productions that have returned, time and again, to do their series in Caramoan.

“One thing that stands out is because the islands, numbering around 20 ( only seven are being used regularly because of proximity to Gota) have so much variety. They come in different shapes and sizes, different characters and topography. Some are forested, there’s one with a sandbar, some with rice fields that add a dramatic appeal,” he said.

Definitely an inviting description that will appeal to tourists, domestic and foreign; but, for now, Caramoan may be losing some tourism revenue because it is an exclusive playground of the “Survivor” franchise with Gota village and its nearby islands being opened to the public just two months in a year at least (November and December). But, it more than makes up for it by showing our country’s beautiful islands to the rest of the world.

No other country can boast of that many returning productions. Such is the appeal of the islands of Caramoan.

...the center of center of biodiversity

PHL biodiversity in ‘The Great Expedition’ wows American TV viewers

10/29/2011
GMA News

A recently aired US television special on the world's richest and endangered biological hotspots – which was also posted online – has viewers saying “wow" to the Philippines’ rich biodiversity from rainforest up in the mountains to reefs underwater.

US-based ABC7 KGO-TV aired “Reefs to Rainforests: The Great Expedition," where Philippine and San Francisco Bay Area scientists discovered 300 new species.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8404396


“The one-hour telecast highlighted the largest expedition of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), a state-of-the-art natural history museum with an aquarium and planetarium. CAS chose the Philippines as the country was believed to be the 'center of the center' of global biodiversity," the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco reported.

Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr. said: “This video presentation left me with a greater appreciation of the richness of our country. I encourage our Kababayans to watch, promote and share this telecast with friends and family to discover the immense biodiversity of animal and plant life in the Philippines."

“The expedition made ground-breaking developments and discoveries, and recommended new protected areas for the preservation of the Philippines’ ecosystem," the Consulate General said.

The Consulate General also provided a link to the documentary available online, which also highlights how aquarium biologists maintain environmentally sustainable exhibits, including a living model of a Philippine coral reef at CAS.

Historic survey of PHL bio-diversity

Aside from being the largest expedition undertaken by CAS, the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition was promoted as the most historic and comprehensive study of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the Philippines’ mega-diverse 7,100-island archipelago.

From April 26 to June 10 this year, the expedition team – whose members included 31 Americans with scores of Filipino botanists, entomologists, herpetologists, mammalogists and marine biologists – explored the shallow-water reefs, deep sea, and terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems of the country, looking for new life-forms never been recorded.

The local scientists in the expedition were from the University of the Philippines (UP), as well as from the De La Salle University, University of Batangas, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture, and the National Museum of the Philippines.

Among the places included in the expedition are Lake Taal, Anilao, the Verde Island Passage in Batangas, Mt. Makiling in Laguna, Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, Mt. Malarayat in Batangas, and Mt. Isarog in the Bicol region.

“Our country is remarkably rich in biodiversity, from coral reefs to forests, rivers and lakes. Conservation of these resources is most critical to species survival, stable ecosystems and economic development on the Philippines and the world as well," said UP Institute of Biology director Perry Ong, who co-chaired of the UP Steering Committee of the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition, on the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity website. — Marlon Anthony R. Tonson /LBG, GMA News

...the Trailblazer of Democracy awardee

Fil-Am leader gives back to community

by Don Tagala,

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

10/27/2011

 

 

 

NEW YORK CITY, NY - Inspired by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s First Lady, The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy aims to build a new generation of pro-choice democratic women candidates, informed voters and political activists throughout New York.

 

 

 

Filipino community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis received the “Trailblazer of Democracy Award” for her great contribution to then Senator Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008.

 

Judith Hope founder of The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy said, “We honored Lewis today because she’s a great inspiration to so many of us. She’s an outstanding woman of great accomplishment, great compassion. She’s a wonderful example for young women and old women all over the State.”

 

Lewis said, “As a Filipina, I am very very proud to receive it so that the rest of the Filipinos can say, Yes we can do it!”

 

Other honorees include US Congresswoman Kathleen Hochul and Citi Foundation’s President and CEO Pamela Flaherty. 

 

New York Senator Charles Schumer said there are now thousands of Filipino nurses in the US saving people’s lives and contributing to the US, thanks to Lewis. 

 

Senator Schumer said, “Loida Lewis is one of the country’s leading Filipino women and 15 years ago when there was a desperate shortage of nurses in this country and the talent of Philippine women to come here and be nurses was being blocked by the same kind of non-thinking approach to immigration that too many exhibit in Washington today, Loida led the charge to change it”.

 

A graduate of UP Law School in the early 60’s, Lewis was the first Asian, Filipino at that, to pass the New York Bar without attending law school in the US. 

 

After the unexpected death of her husband, Reginald F. Lewis in 1993, Loida stepped into the leadership role of the company he built, as Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice - where she turned the company around into what it is today. 

 

Lewis ranked number 1 among the "Top 50 Women Business Owners in America" by Working Woman Magazine in 1994.

 

She also served as the General Attorney in the US Immigration and Naturalization Service and co-authored “How to Get a Greencard,” now on its 9th edition, it continues to be a bestseller on Amazon.com.

 

In her hometown in Sorsogon, Bicol in the Philippines she founded the Lewis College - offering pre-K through college education.

 

She also funded the microfinance “People’s Alternative Livelihood of Sorsogon,’ uplifting at least 20,000 families out of poverty. 

 

“God has been so good to me, he has given me so many benefits and advantages, we have to give back, we have to share and that’s what I’m doing," Lewis said. 

  

An amazing community leader today, Lewis has focused her energies on many issues and advocacies concerning the Filipino community - including overseas absentee voting, the Philippine’s claim to the Spratly Islands and the US Pinoys for Good Governance.

 

For being a successful Filipino businesswoman, a socially responsible community leader and a trailblazer, Loida Nicolas Lewis is a Filipino Champion.

...the Bicol beauty

Bicolana beauty off to China on Thursday, vows to promote PH

 

By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA

October 18, 2011

Manila Bulletin

 

 

MANILA, Philippines — Bb. Pilipinas-International Dianne Necio hopes to promote the Philippines as a popular and friendly destination in the world when she leaves for Chengdu, China on Thursday to compete in the 2011 Miss International beauty contest.

“It’s the warmth and hospitality of the Filipinos that makes our country a good destination,’’ Necio said, during an emotional send-off for the beauty queen, held at the Gateway Suites, Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City Tuesday.

She was also cheered by fellow beauty queens 2011 Miss Universe 3rd runner-up Shamcey Supsup, 2010 Miss Universe 4rd runner up Ma. Venus Raj, Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism Isabella Manjon, 2011 Bb. Pilipinas 1st runner-up Janine Togonon; 2011 Bb. Pilipinas 2nd runner-up Mj Lastimosa; and 2010 Miss International semi-finalist Patricia Hernandez.

She will be spending 17 days in China for the pageant preliminaries and hopes to shine her best at the coronation night on November 6.

Necio, 19, said that she is not in any way pressured with the recent winnings of other beauty queens in international pageants or the reported territorial row between China and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.

Asked to comment on the issue, Necio said: “I think I am not in a position to answer the question because our government is doing its best to solve the issue. And I think that the two countries have already made an agreement about it.”

Necio said that Supsup has been a great help. “Sabi sa akin ni Shamcey, dapat huwag daw ako ma-intimidate. Just believe in yourself. Tapos binigyan niya ako ng tip tungkol sa ibang candidates because some of them also competed in Miss Universe.”

At the send-off event, Necio became teary-eyed when her brother Daniel showed up in the press meet.

It would be recalled that their father passed away weeks after she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-International at the Araneta Coliseum last April.

A veteran of beauty pageants in the Bicol Region since she turned 15, Necio is a sophomore nursing student at University of St. Anthony Iriga City in Camarines Sur. She stands 5’ 5-1/2” and weighs 116 lbs. Her talent and hobbies include basketball, baton twirling, badminton, and watching movies.

Her stint in the Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant was a memorable one.

Last year, Necio finished first runner-up to Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Ma. Venus Raj who later placed 4th runner up in the 2010 Miss Universe beauty pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When Raj was briefly dethroned due to citizenship issue, Necio and Nicolette Henson were considered to represent the Philippines in the Miss Universe beauty pageant.

Both, however, failed to make it to the contest due to age requirements. Raj eventually represented the country in the prestigious beauty contest.

This year, Necio won one of three major titles along with Bb. Pilipinas Universe Shamcey Supsup who later placed 3rd runner-up in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant in Sao Paulo, Brazil last month.

If Necio wins the Miss International pageant next month, she will be the fifth Filipino to win the crown. The Philippines ranks second for the most number of winners in the Miss International pageant with four – 1964, 1970, 1979 and 2005.

...the goddess advocate

Venus Raj is spokesperson for UN program

abs-cbnNEWS.com

 10/18/2011

Venus Raj poses with mothers and children who joined the solidarity walk for Tingog 2015.

MANILA, Philippines - Miss Universe 2010 fourth runner-up Venus Raj was chosen to be the spokesperson for "Tingog 2015," an integrated SMS and online citizen feedback initiative supported by the United Nations Millennium Campaign and Social Watch Philippines.

The program was launched in Albay province of the Bicol region on Monday, making it the first of its kind in the country and in Southeast Asia.

Raj, who grew up in Bicol, said Tingog 2015 (which means "voice" in Bicolano) will help ordinary citizens inform local government agencies when services are not delivered to them.

The feedback gathered by the technology platform will be used by the local government to ensure responsiveness in development planning.

"Sobrang laking tulong kasi sabi nga kapag simpleng pamilya ka... iisipin mo 'yung kakainin nila sa araw-araw 'yung pinapaaral, 'yung basic needs ng mga anak mo, at least kung merong ganitong proyekto, may sasalo na sa ganong pangangailangan," Raj said.

Tingog 2015 aims to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, which range from ending poverty and hunger to providing universal primary education, by 2015.

The Philippines' major telecommunications firms are working to make "2015" as the official number for sending citizen feedback.

Other countries that have launched their own version of Tingog 2015 include Kenya and India. -- With a report from Jose Carretero, ABS-CBN Albay

...the math wizzards at Modena, Italy

4 Pinoy students win math, science medals in int'l tilts

 

By FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD

September 29, 2011

Manila Bulletin

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines — The medal haul of the Philippines in the most prestigious mathematics and science competitions in the world continued as four high school students bagged gold, silver and bronze medals in the recently-concluded 5th International Earth Science Olympiad, the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DoST-SEI) disclosed Thursday.

Bringing honor and pride for the Philippines from Modena, Italy where the competition was held were gold medalist Williard Joshua Jose of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Main Campus, silver medalists Christoper Jan Landicho of PSHS Bicol Region Campus and Charles Kevin Tiu of St Jude Catholic School in Manila and bronze medalist John Allan Olesco of Aquinas University Science High School. Jose earlier won a silver medal in last year’s IESO held in Nigeria.

The winning team was mentored by Prof. Miguel Cano of Bicol University and Dr. Marietta de Leon with PSHS Main Campus Director Dr. Helen Caintic acting as an observer.

IESO, held September 5-14, 2011, is the premiere international earth science competition for secondary school students, 17 years old and below. It was the first time that the competition was held in Europe and in Italy. The Philippines hosted the IESO in Bicol in 2008.

The competition covers areas such as astronomy, geology and geophysics, atmospherics and meteorology.
DoST-SEI Director Dr. Filma G. Brawner extended her congratulations to the team, urging them to venture into science careers.

“The IESO is a good starting point for students to look at the earth from a different point of view and explore it. There is still so much more to be discovered and we are hopeful that the IESO winners will take the lead in looking for new information about the world we live in,” Brawner said.

Brawner said contests, such as the IESO, is a good venue for students to be competitive and to excel in the fields they want to pursue.

“Competitions make pupils go beyond what they learn inside their classrooms. With time pressure incorporated in competitions, students are trained to work with grace under pressure. But, more importantly, exposure to international competitions should translate into entry into science careers,” she said.

Brawner said that beyond the medals, math and science competitions also raise public awareness on how science affects lives and moves the country forward.

“The IESO is intended to raise student interest in and public awareness of earth science, to enhance earth science learning of students, and to identify talented and gifted students in earth science,” she said.

Cano, meanwhile, expressed its gratitude to Philex Mining Corporation, Rapu Rapu Polymetallic Project, Geological Society of the Philippines, Hope Christian High School, Bureau of Mines and Geo-sciences, Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Vibal Publishing House; and APO Central Italy for making possible the trip of the team to the contest venue.

...the small town with a big heart

Small town in Holland helps Pinoys big time

By Loui Galicia

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

07/20/2011

HOLLAND - For more than two decades now, a small community of elderly Dutch has been collecting donations from all over Holland and sending them to the rural areas in the Philippines.

Everyday, big heavy boxes of donations for the Philippines are dropped in a warehouse in Heeten, a tiny community here in Holland of mostly elderly Dutch citizens.

The warehouse will be filled up with boxes of mainly medical supplies and hospital equipment until the day the boxes are loaded for shipment. Every loading day, many elderly Dutch go out of their respective homes in order to assist preparing the crates and filling a 16-wheeler truck.

The huge truck will bring the crates to a shipping company in Rotterdam which will deliver the goods to the Philippines.

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau was invited to witness the loading process. Also present were Vice Mayor Roger de Groot and several staff from the Philippine Embassy led by Charge d’Affaires Frank Cimafranca.

After the last crate was successfully squeezed into the truck, the door was closed and locked.

But the last step is always symbolic. De Groot and Cimafranca jointly put the lock on the door of the truck, signifying the solid ties that remain between the Dutch and Filipinos.

This was the scene, for more than two decades now, at the Foundation Center Relief Supplies Heeten Philippines or HHCP.

HHCP is headed by couple Jo and Truus Schoorlemeer, who initially set up a group that collects goods for the depressed areas in the Philippines to help Jo’s now-deceased brother, who was a missionary in Philippines in the 90s.

“Exactly on the 16 of August this year, we'll be 21 [years] because we started in 1990 with the earthquake in Baguio. That’s the way we started collecting goods for the Philippines,” Jo said.

In fact, the couple just recently received medals from Queen Beatrix for their continued charity work for the Philippines.

The couple received the Knight of the Order of Queen Orange of Nassau, which is the highest award bestowed on a civilian.

Their hard work also did not go unnoticed in the Philippines as they received a medal from former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2008.

HHCP has already extended its gigantic help to many provinces in the Philippines, particularly in the hospitals in Camiguin, Bicol and Batanes.

As a token of gratitude on the day of the loading, a group of Pinays who are married to Dutch nationals and who are living close to Heeten, came over to serenade the elderly Dutch during their break from loading the crates.

“They're here to also, you know, to give thanks to the foundation here in Heeten that is helping our countrymen back home. It's really a very, very, significant event for all of us,” Cimafranca said.

Even de Groot cannot help but marvel at the magnanimity of the work and the volume of goods during loading.

He was impressed at the Dutch Pinays’ musical number but was more in awe of his fellow countrymen’s dedication and hard work for the Philippines.

“I am very impressed and I love the songs from the Philippine women and it was very good. It’s very good what the volunteers are doing for the Philippines,” de Groot said.

Jo and Truus are not getting any younger, yet they still do not plan to retire from running the foundation because they said that they have left, a long time ago, their hearts in the Philippines.

...the carbon key-player

‘PH to become key player in carbon-credit trade’

by Coco Alcuaz

ANC

06/19/2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will be a key player in the growing carbon-credit market because its rains, topography and its geothermal resources are suited for producing renewable energy, an Australian carbon services company said.

The carbon credit market was born out of the European Union’s limits on carbon emissions. Any company that exceeds the limits has to buy credits from renewable energy companies and companies that reduce carbon emissions, such as landfills designed for that.

These companies earn these credits when they are registered under the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC). While limits have not yet been set, some Japanese companies already buy carbon credits voluntarily.

More than 3,000 projects are registered, 32 of which are in the Philippines. The largest is the Ambuklao, Benguet hydro plant controlled by Aboitiz Power at 160,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

First Farmers Holdings Corp.’s bagasse cogeneration plant (120,000) in Negros Oriental and the biogas emission reduction project at Quezon City’s waste disposal facility (116,000) are next. The windpower plant at Bangui Ilocos Norte has 57,000, on the other hand.

Bangui Windmills, Ilocos Norte

(See UNFCC-registered projects)

“The key resource is rainfall,” Andrew Jauncey, financial controller of Perenia Carbon Pty, said in an interview in Sydney. “You need an appropriate amount of rain to be able to capture and harness and turn into hydroelectric generation capacity. The Philippines is excellently positioned on that front.”

“The topography of the Philippines: it’s not flat, which is a problem we often suffer from in Australia: we don’t have the topography to support a lot of hydro. And on the geothermal front, there’s enough capacity within the country because of where it’s situated geographically to support capturing that heat from the earth to generate electricity.”

About 30 pct of Philippine electricity comes from hydro and geothermal sources, according to Department of Energy. Another 30 pct comes from coal, about 18 pct from oil and 20 pct from natural gas.

(See DOE Power Statistics)

Perenia, which helps companies get registered, said it recently got its first Philippine contract for Energy Development Corp.’s 150 megawatt Bacon-Manito hydro power plant in Albay and Sorsogon.
EDC bought the mothballed plant from the government last year and plans to revive it. First Gen officials said Perenia is assessing the project.

Perenia is also in talks for two more Philippine projects, one in hydro and one in solar. Jauncey said declined to divulge more details.

“The Philippines will become a major player in this market,” Jauncey said. “We haven’t seen a lot of investment into the Philippines on the back of carbon but we’re going to see that in couple of years with the government looking to incentivize the people who build these projects. Once projects are built, we can play our part in getting these projects registered so that project owners and the employees and everyone can benefit from the carbon flow to the Philippines.”

...the islands of 'Survivor'

Philippine province may be among the world's top tourist destinations

By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO

June 19, 2011

MANILA, Philippines -- The province of Catanduanes is poised to become the next tourist destination in the Bicol region as almost P700 million in infrastructure projects geared to improving access there rolls off and roars on.

In particular, Gotta beach, in Caramoan town aims to rival the island paradise of Boracay, considered one of the top beaches in the world. Gotta beach was put on the world tourism map with the filming of the international franchise ‘Survivor’ TV series by several countries.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said P682.73 million worth of infrastructure projects have been allotted to Catanduanes this year that seeks to address the access problems there.

“The province has a lot of potential in terms of tourist destinations. They have beautiful and unspoiled beaches which are now gaining popularity for aqua sports such as surfing, scuba diving and sports fishing,” said DPWH 5 Regional Director Danilo Dequito following inspection of the completed Codon Rockcauseway in the municipality of San Andres.

The completion of the Codon Rockcauseway, financed to the tune of P48.2 million, provides a gateway to Gotta Beach. The Port of Codon is just a 30-minute boat ride to Gotta beach, which has become the favorite location shooting of the international reality television show Survivors.

In 2009, Caramoan was introduced to Europe when the Serbian, Bulgarian and Swedish versions of the Survivor series were filmed there.

The place also hosted French version of the series where television director Corinne Valiant gushed at the “powdery sand” and the “wild” natural atmosphere.

In June this year, the Poland edition is set to be shot also in Caramoan.

Dequito said the DPWH project is like hitting two birds in one stone.

“We developed Catanduanes and at the same time opened a convenient gateway to Caramoan peninsula where the future Boracay waits,” Dequito said.

...the must experience place

DoT: PH to become Asia’s ‘must-experience’ destination

 

By Izah Morales, Yahoo! Southeast Asia

The Inbox - 01 June 2011

 

 

Photo by Izah Morales, Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Even without a clear international branding for the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DoT) has laid out its vision to be the "must-experience" destination in Asia.

 

"Wala pang bagong branding (There's no new branding). We're still working on that," said DOT secretary Alberto Lim in a press conference held Monday.

To achieve the vision, the DoT worked to improve market access and connectivity. "We'll be improving our airports with the help of the Department of Public Works and Highways," explained Lim.

In line with this goal are the construction of new airports such as the Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay and Panglao International Airport in Bohol, as well as the rehabilitation of the Puerto Princesa Airport and Cagayan de Oro Airport.

Lim said that the bidding for the said projects have started and are expected to be finished within the next three years.

"We're developing new international gateways to address the congested NAIA terminals," said Lim.

When asked about the negative feedback of tourists on the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, Lim told Yahoo! Southeast Asia that the Manila International Airport Authority is working on the plumbing problems of the terminal.

"We will also have improvements on the look and feel of Terminal 1. The interiors will be renovated to have a brighter atmosphere and modern look," said Lim.

He also disclosed that a new greeting area at the parking area of Terminal 1 would be constructed and finished by 2012. The project costs P 200 to 300 million, revealed Lim. "We want to present a good image when we welcome our tourists here in our country," he added.

Out of the seven tourism markets in the ASEAN region, the Philippines posted 3.5 million international visitors in 2010 and ranked sixth, lagging behind Vietnam and just ahead of Cambodia.

Nonetheless, the DoT said the international market continues to grow by 13.33% year on year with 1.3 million visitors recorded during the first quarter of the year (January to April 2011).

The DoT hopes for 3.75 million international tourist arrivals by the end of the year.