..the Philippine FDI 2019

Investments in Philippines double up in January -September 2019, hitting 15.14 bln dollars

Xinhuanet.com
08 November 2019

MANILA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) said on Friday it has recorded cumulative investments worth 764.7 billion pesos (roughly 15.14 U.S. dollars) as of September 2019, a 105 percent increase from 327.9 billion pesos (roughly 6.50 billion U.S. dollars) approved in the same period of 2018.

"The sustained high growth of investments is a proof of the business sector's strong confidence in both the Philippines' economic fundamentals as further shown by the acceleration of the third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 6.2 percent and the reform agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte," Philippine Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Ramon Lopez said.

The BOI said approved investments from domestic sources topped 524.9 billion pesos (10.40 billion U.S. dollars), a 54.7 percent increase from 339.3 billion pesos (roughly 6.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the same period in 2018.

On the other hand, the BOI said approved projects by foreign investors amounted to 239.9 billion pesos (roughly 4.8 billion U.S. dollars) or 613 percent increase from just 33.6 billion pesos (roughly 665.7 million U.S. dollars) a year ago.

According to the BOI, Singapore continues to set the pace among all foreign entities with 170 billion pesos (roughly 3.37 billion U.S. dollars) in the capital. It added that South Korea is now second with 34.1 billion pesos (roughly 675.62 million U.S. dollars), while The Netherlands places third with 9.2 billion pesos (roughly 182.3 million U.S. dollars).

According to the BOI, all projects once operational will generate employment of 41,862, which is 38.5 percent higher than last year's figure of 30,218.

"We are particularly pleased to highlight that the share of foreign investments in BOI projects have increased from just eight percent during January to September 2018, to already 31.4 percent this year," Lopez added.

This is expected to continue as Lopez noted that Duterte's policy of furthering relations with non-traditional partners has been yielding results.

Philippine Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo said investments from the information and communications technology (ICT) and power sectors accounted for 85 percent of the total figure or 652.9 billion pesos (roughly 12.94 billion U.S. dollars).

"This massive infrastructure buildup for more power and connectivity across the archipelago is critical towards addressing binding constraints to the Philippines' competitiveness," he added.

...the breadshop in the Hague

Pinoy bread shop opens in The Hague

Pia Lee-Brago 

The Philippine Star

August 30, 2019 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...the Miss International 2013

Miss Philippines wins Miss International 2013

by Rappler.com
12/17/2013

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Miss Philippines Bea Rose Santiago was crowned Miss International 2013 on Tuesday, December 17, at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo.

This is the 5th Miss International title for the Philippines and the 3rd major crown by a Filipina this year, following wins by Megan Young at Miss World and Mutya Datul at Miss Supranational.

Minutes before her crowning, Santiago delivered her final statement using the opportunity to thank the world for standing with the Philippines during the onslaught of Typhoon Haiyan. Calling for unity among nations, she said, "If I win the crown, I will help promote camaraderie among countries."

Santiago dedicated her win to her countrymen. "This is for the Philippines. I love you, Philippines.”
Miss Netherlands was crowned first runner up and Miss New Zealand was second runner up. Other members of the Top 5 were Colombia and Hungary.

The Top 15 were Gibraltar, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Hungary, Netherlands, United States, Philippines, New Zealand, Lithuania, Iceland, Colombia, Russia, Thailand, and Spain.



Special Awards:
Miss National Costume: Miss Aruba Erialda Croes
Miss Friendship: Miss New Zealand Casey Radley
Miss Internet: Miss Macau Adela Ka-Wai Sou
Miss Photogenic: Miss Lithuania Elma Segzdaviciute



Over 60 candidates from all over the world competed in the pageant held to "promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges as international contributions."

Since 1960, the pageant has been strengthening ties among nations through international exchanges and social programs geared toward "world peace and mutual understanding."

The Philippines has a rich history in the Miss International pageant beginning with Gemma Teresa Cruz (Araneta) who was the first Filipino and first Asian to win the pageant in 1964. Other winners include Aurora Pijuan in 1970, Melanie Marquez in 1979, and Precious Lara Quigaman in 2005. – Rappler.com

 

...the 2013 World Cup of Pool Champions

Filipinos Corteza and Orcollo capture World Cup of Pool crown

By Bob Guerrero

• Posts

By Bob Guerrero

The Passionate Fan

23 September 2013

 

Image courtesy JP Parmentier and Matchroom Sport.

It was messy. It was ugly. It was nerve-racking. And for Pinoy fans from all around the world, it was also beautiful.

The Philippine pair of Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza etched their names in Pool history by emerging 10-8 winners over Holland in a sloppy but thrilling final on Sunday at the 888.com World Cup of Pool in London, England. It's the third title for the Philippines in the eight editions of the team 9 Ball event. Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante lifted the cup in 2006 and 2009.
 
The final rack was a tense affair for both the Pinoys and the Dutch team of Niels Feijen and Nick van den Berg.

Leading 9-8, Dennis Orcollo broke dry, and it seemed that the Dutch could force a final-rack decider. But van den Berg muffed a four ball down the rail, ceding the table to the Philippines.

Orcollo played poor position in sinking the seven ball, leaving a difficult thin cut on the eight for Corteza, whose form had been shaky all throughout the final.

But the Davaoeño displayed no nerves at all in draining the shot and leaving his partner with shape on the nine ball. Orcollo knocked it in, sending the dozens of Filipinos at York Hall into rapture.

The last eight ball was fitting redemption for Corteza, who made some uncharacteristic errors in the roller-coaster title match.

"The fans here are why we won" said Orcollo afterwards."There was a lot of pressure and things became very difficult but the Filipino community in London who supported us throughout really helped us through."

The Philippines sprinted to an early 2-0 lead before Holland steadied the ship to lead 3-2. Then the Philippines reeled off five consecutive racks to gain a stranglehold on the match at 7-3, with Holland always finding awkward situations on the table and making mistakes in crucial moments.

Then Lee Vann missed a two ball in rack eleven to permit the Europeans to peg one rack back. In the next rack Corteza again stumbled, completely whiffing a tough but doable jump shot on the eight ball. That allowed the Dutch to pull to within two, 5-7.

Feijen and van den Berg then broke-and-ran out the next two racks to level at 7-7. A weak safety by Orcollo in rack fifteen gave the Dutch yet another opening which they seized for 8-7.

In rack 16 Feijen rattled an awkward but makeable 8 ball to allow the Pinoys first access to the hill at 9-8. The former 14.1 world champ needed to put follow on the long shot to avoid scratching and to get position on the nine, which probably caused him to miss.

That set up the memorable final rack that propelled Corteza and Orcollo into the pantheon of World Cup of Pool champions.

The Philippines reached the final thanks to a superb 9-7 semifinal win against Chinese Taipei stars Chang Jung Lin and Ko Pin Yi. Like the final, the Philippines put up a big lead, 7-2, before the Formosans found their groove and reeled off five racks in a row, the last four break-and-run-outs, to knot the match at 7-7.

Orcollo and Corteza then took the last two racks to secure a finals berth.

Holland booked their finals ticket with a 9-4 win over defending champs Finland. Mika Immonen and Petri Makkonen will be pleased that they won eight straight matches in this event dating from last year.

The Philippine duo will split the US$60,000 top prize while the Dutch settle for US$30,000. The victory should help erase the memory of Orcollo's last final appearance in the WCOP, in 2010, when he and Roberto Gomez were upset by China's Li He Wen and Fu Jian Bo 10-5 in Manila.

This year the Philippines bounced Croatia 7-4 in the first round, then defeated Singapore 7-3 before downing Hungary 9-1 in the quarterfinals.

The win extends a terrific year for both Pinoys. Orcollo recently won the US Open One Pocket championship while Corteza triumphed in the 2013 China Open.

 

...the Dutch-Pinoy flick at Copenhagen fest

Dutch-Filipino film wins at Copenhagen filmfest

byIra Agting
09/19/2013

 

SNOW WHITE. Sandy Talag in a brave role. Screen grab from the trailer


MANILA, Philippines - "Once upon a time," opens the film's trailer, "there was a girl in the Philippines named Snow White. But one day, her mother and stepfather made her eat a poisoned apple."

"Lilet Never Happened," a riveting narrative on the Philippines' underground sex trade, won Best Youth Film at the 2013 Copenhagen International Film Festival held September 5 to 15.

The film, by Dutch director Jacco Groen, stars Sandy Talag, as 11-year-old Filipino-American streetgirl Lilet.

The young girl, introduced as Snow White to "clients," has big dreams of becoming an actress in order to lift herself and her brother from poverty.

Meanwhile, Gloria, a foreign social worker, tries desperately to save Snow White.

In an interview with Filmz TV, Groen recalled meeting a real-life Lilet who inspired him to make this film. He met the young girl in a mental hospital a day after she tried to commit suicide.

Despite the film's earnest and complex themes, Groen said the movie is not meant to be depressing.
"This story never left my mind," he said. "It's not a depressing type of film because the girl I met is a tough kind of girl."

Groen said a psychologist was on the set for consultation.

Sandy Talag, the film's 15-year-old lead actress, said her imagination helped her to act out the scenes.
"I would imagine, 'Okay, Sandy, this is not a taping, this is real. You're on the streets and you're selling your body just to have money, just to eat something.' I just imagine things and, voilà," she told Filmz TV.

Groen said the film is meant to reach out to the youth.

“'Lilet Never Happened' is made for the younger audience, you need to reach the new generation who will say enough is enough, we cannot accept this anymore in a society that we call civilized.”

“With this movie, we really hope to raise awareness about the sad reality of child prostitutes not only in the Philippines, but all over the world."

Watch the trailer here:



"Lilet Never Happened" has already been shown in more than 22 international film festivals in 2012.
In the coming months, the film will travel to Switzerland, Australia, Armenia, Dubai, and India. It will be shown in the Philippines in December.

Others in the cast are John Arcilla, Marife Necesito, and Dutch actress Johanna ter Steege. - Rappler.com

 

...the 2013 MTV EMA Nominee

Sarah Geronimo nominated at 2013 MTV EMA

             

By Eunice Blanco

philstar.com

September 18, 2013

 

 

Sarah Geronimo is nominated for Best Southeast Asia Act in the 2013 MTV EMA. File Photo

 

MANILA, Philippines – Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo has been nominated for Best Southeast Asia Act in the upcoming MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA).

The Kapamilya singer’s recognitions were enumerated on MTV EMA’s page, including the Best Asian Artist (Philippines) at the 2012 MNet Asian Music Awards held in Hong Kong, making Sarah the first Filipino to receive such award.

They also recognized the local awards that the Popstar Princess received through Awit Awards, namely Most Promising Female Entertainer in 2003; Entertainer of The Year and Record Breaker in 2010; Best in Collaboration For A Concert for What Love Is in 2011; Best Female in Major Concert for 24/SG and Best Selling Album of the Year for “One Heart” in 2012.

Also in the list is her Nickelodeon Philippines' Kids' Choice Award in 2004.

Other nominees for the Best Southeast Asia Act are Hafiz from Malaysia, NOAH from Indonesia, Olivia Ong from Singapore, Slot Machine from Thailand and My Tam from Vietnam.

Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus are likewise among the nominees.

The MTV EMA will be held on Nov. 10 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

 

 

...the PHL medalists at Czech rifle meet

PHL team wins six medals at air rifle meet in Czech Republic

August 30, 2013

GMA News

 

 

The Philippines won six silver medals at the 2013 Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest Federation (WRABF) European and World Cup Championship at the Plzen Shooting Range in Plzen, Czech Republic from August 3 to 15.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Philippine National Benchrest Team includes the country’s top benchrest shooters.

"Participating countries include Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela," the DFA said in a news release.

The WRABF Championship is held every four years, and is the biggest so far with over 130 registered competitors.

Winning the medals were the Heavy Varmin Team of Bernie Paras Gan, Louie Gonzales, and Randy Paronda in the 25 meters rimfire; and the Sporter Team of Dondi Santos, Marlon Palmario, and Felino Neri in the 50-meter rimfire event.

Mission chief Richard Fernandez, team statistician Mariano Manuel Cacho III, Team Captain Tony Olbes, Co-captain Enchong Formoso, Team Coach Randy Paronda, and Gun Smith and Athlete Ronaldo Hejastro led the mission.

The 19-member team consists of Josefino Alvero, Eleuterio Canivel, Jose Maria Esteban, Augusto Estrada, Lorenzo Formoso, Augusto Gan, Bernadette Gan, Luis Gonzales, Edwin Jeremillo, Frumencio Lagustan, Eugene Manalastas, Jimmy Maniwang, Felino Neti, Antonio Olbes, Marlino Palmario, Randy Paronda, Maria Blanca Parsons, Francis Purez, and Paulo Santos.

"(A)lthough this is the first time that the Philippine team joined the World Cup, Filipinos must be proud of the Philippine benchrest shooting team’s excellent showing in the shooting matches" Philippine Chargé d’affairés Consul and First Secretary Juan Dayang Jr. said.

Dayang added the Philippine team earned the respect of powerhouse international benchrest shooters through their hard work, dedication and sportsmanship. - VVP, GMA News