...the Louisiana pool champion

Alcano bags Louisiana pool crown

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Monday, October 22nd, 2012
 

Filipino Ronato Alcano ruled the Championship Cloth 5th Annual Pro Classic at the expense of Robb Saez, 11-7, on Sunday (Monday in Manila) in New Iberia, Louisiana.

 

After dropping his first match straight from the airport, Alcano racked up eight wins to annex the title in the international ranking points tournament.

Saez posted a tight 9-8 win over Adam Smith, then ran roughshod over Wang Can, 9-3, and Charlie Williams, 9-2, to arrange the showdown with Alcano, the 2006 World 9-ball and 2007 World 8-ball champion.

Alcano bested compatriot Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Israel Rota, Mike Davis, Can, Ralph Eckert and WiIlliams in succession.

The score was tied at 5-5 in the finals and Saez was in the process of a runout in the 11th rack when Alcano protested that Saez did not call a shot.

This turned the tide of the match and Saez was unable to regain control.

The American champion Shane Van Boening sponsored Alcano, who also knocked him out, in this event. Roy Luarca

...the Apparition

Jodi's indie film wins award in Hawaii film fest

 

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

10/22/2012

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – The independent film “Aparisyon,” starring Kapamilya star Jodi Sta. Maria, bagged the prestigious NETPAC Award 2012 at the recent Hawaii International Film Festival.

 

Directed by Vincent Sandoval, “Aparisyon,” an entry in the New Breed section of this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival about a nun balancing her religious and political beliefs, bested 226 other films from over 41 countries.



(Read our review of “Aparisyon” here.)

The NETPAC Award or Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema is given only at select international film festivals around the world to only one exceptional film from the Asia Pacific. It is presented annually at the Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii international film festivals.

This isn’t the first time “Aparisyon” was shown in an international film fest. It was also nominated for the News Current Award at the recent Pusan International Film Festival. It also competed for the the Dragons & Tiger award at the Vancouver fest.

The Hollywood trade publication Variety gave a rave review of the movie, calling it an “intelligently scripted and deeply moving mood-piece (that) asks hard questions about the reconciliation of spiritual beliefs and physical realities.”

Two other Filipino films were also in the running for the two other top awards at the Hawaii film fest.

However, “Bwakaw” lost “Key of Life” from Japan for Best Narrative Feature, while “Harana” gave way to “Where Heaven Meets Hell,” a Indonesia-US co-production, for Best Documentary Feature.

The production teams of “Harana” and “Bwakaw,” who attended the ceremonies, said that being nominated was honor and commendation enough considering the number of films in contention.

Directors Benito Bautista of “Harana” and Jun Lana of “Bwakaw” expressed pride for having been given the chance to showcase Filipino film talent in a huge event such as the Hawaii International Film Festival.

“Bwakaw” is the country’s official entry to the Best Foreign Language Film at next year’s Oscar Awards.

...the CB Governor for Asia

Tetangco Named CB Gov For Asia

 

 

By FIL C. SIONIL

Manila Bulletin 

October 22, 2012

 

 

MANILA, Philippines --- In recognition of his skillful handling of monetary policy amidst external financial threats, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. was named the Central Bank Governor of the Year For Asia by the international financial magazine, Emerging Markets. 

 

 

 

 “The (Philippine) central bank, under Governor Amando Tetangco’s stewardship has managed monetary policy with considerable skill, not least given the twin threats of China slowdown and spill-over from the Eurozones crisis,” Emerging Markets, in a statement, said.

Tetangco received the award at the sidelines of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund annual meeting recently held in Tokyo, Japan. The yearly Emerging Markets CB Governor and Finance Minister of the Year Awards recognize the leading policymakers in each region. The awards are chosen by Emerging Markets’ editorial team, taking into account the views of leading regional experts. This is the second international recognition Tetangco has received for this year to date. Early this year, the Global Finance magazine named Tetangco as one of the world’s six best central bankers in 2012. For global finance, it was Tetangco’s fourth award.

Tetangco was chosen by Global Finance in recognition of his adept handling of the economy with the country taking advantage of the “receding inflation to cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low 3.75 percent in July, to stimulate growth as the global economy weakens.”

In an interview with Emerging Markets, the BSP Chief admitted that the monetary authorities “needed to sharpen our monitoring of market behavior and be creative in implementing market-based solutions to reduce, contain or eliminate asset bubbles.”

Against the backdrop of a brewing financial crisis in the Eurozone and the narrowing of growth in China, the Philippines economic performance has remained relatively strong, registering a 6.4 percent for the first quarter of the year.

...the PH from expat's eye

Seeing The Philippines From An Expat’s Eyes

 

 

By ANDREW JAMES MASIGAN

Manila Bulletin

October 21, 2012

 

A recent study conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce revealed that most expats of multinational companies working in the Asia Pacific region prefer to be assigned to the Philippines over any other nation. Conversely, expats already working in the country have expressed unwillingness to be transferred elsewhere.  The results of the study come as a pleasant surprise given that the Philippines is placed in direct comparison with countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. The survey shows that foreigners still prefer to live and work in the Philippines despite our lagging infrastructure and the inconveniences stemming from our densely populated cities.

The AmCham study piqued my curiosity. As a proud Pinoy, I wanted to know what made the Philippines so attractive to foreigners. I needed to get firsthand information from an expat who’s spent a significant time in the country, as well as other parts of the world. I found just the guy in Pierre Marmonier.  Pierre is a Frenchman from the southern region of León. He graduated from the prestigious Aix de Provence Business School before earning his MBA at Harford University in Connecticut. He built his career as a corporate man initially working for Swedish Match before moving on to British American Tobacco. As a marketing and export executive, Pierre spent several years working in the U.K., France, Switzerland, Algeria and the Philippines, while constantly traveling around Asia.

Not only did Pierre ask to be stationed in the Philippines twice, he also decided to settle here after his stint with the multinationals. The man from León is now happily entrenched in Philippine life, both as a family man and a thriving entrepreneur.

Why The Philippines?

Over glasses of wine, Pierre and I talked about what made him decide to raise his family and start a business in the Philippines. He is a citizen of the EU, after all, and could settle in most parts of the western world where standards of living are higher.

Pierre told me that among all the races he’s interacted with from all over the world, no one is more open and welcoming of foreigners than the Filipino. The Philippines is perhaps one among a handful of nations in the world where the locals have the compunction to make foreigners feel special. He observes how we Filipinos have it in our nature to make strangers feel welcome if he or she happens to be in our personal space. He cites how we would naturally include a stranger in a conversation if he happened to be within earshot of a chat. How we would offer a part of our meal to a stranger if he were to walk by while we were eating. How we would make the effort to speak in English if we were talking to a white person. These are traits uncommon in other nationalities, but natural to the Filipino, Pierre says.

He also finds the Pinoy to be both open-minded and tolerant of other people’s life choices. Being different in the Philippines is no big deal, he asserts. It is a welcome change from his native France, where people can be close-minded on many issues.

Here, people are not hung up on religion, skin color, cultural idiosyncrasies or even gender, he says.  He was surprised to discover that women are just as respected (sometimes, even more feared) than the men folk. He is amazed that the Muslims, Buddhists and Agnostics among a predominantly Catholic populace are looked upon with curiosity rather than resentment. He is amused that gay people are regarded as creative and “fun” rather than an object of hate. Above all, he notes how we Filipinos manage to smile even in the midst of the most dire circumstances. As far as standards of living goes, Pierre has seen it improve considerably from the first time he stepped foot in the country in 1994. Back then, he relates, brownouts were the norm, proper housing for expats were few and far between, and recreational facilities like parks, malls and country clubs were rare. Things have changed today. While infrastructure is still a problem, albeit to a lesser degree, Manila can now rival any other world cities in terms of quality of life, especially in the realm of education where numerous international schools are now in operation for the expat community. He notes, however, that there is still a lack of facilities to feed the humanities. He misses the museums, theater scene and art scene of Europe and more advanced countries in Asia. This is something not in the priority list of government, but should be.

Doing Business In The Philippines

Pierre started his business some three years ago, just when the economy started to gain traction. His timing could not have been better and he is now reaping the fruits of our favorable economic environment.

Pierre’s company manufactures artisanal jams made in the old-fashioned French manner. His products go by the name of “The Fruit Garden” and can be found in most hotels like the Dusit and Hyatt. It is also the house jam of most luxury hotel chains including the Shangri-La Group, The Peninsula, The Mandarin, The Hyatt, Discovery Shores and Oakwood, among others. Pierre is riding the tourism boom as more hotels are set to open in the next few years. He is already positioned to be part of the Raffles and Fairmont Hotels when they open next year, and he looks forward to the mammoth resorts on the rise at the Pagcor Entertainment City. My wife and I have been fans of The Fruit Garden jams for years, especially their Mango-Ginger, Strawberry-Banana and Pine-Cocorum flavors. As Pinoys, we’re not big jam eaters but this one is different. It’s light, not too sweet, and has more fruit than water and pectin. It’s become our morning fix and a regular fixture in our condiment rack. Pierre is also supplier to some of the country’s top 500 companies for their giveaways during Christmas and special events. His luxury packaging and French heritage recipes speak of class and stature, which makes it a hot seller in corporate circles.

Amidst all his success, he cites his Filipino workforce as one of his true assets. They are loyal, hardworking and have good work ethics, he says. In the manufacturing line, he finds his workers easy to train and able to retain knowledge without need for constant reminders (apparently, this is not the case with other workers in the region). In fact, he boasts of nearly zero production mistakes leading to a product reject ratio of less than one percent. He also appreciates the Filipino’s willingness to multi-task, even if not in their job description. This speaks volumes of their concern for the company.

Irritants

Still, there are irritants in doing business in the Philippines. He complains about the excessive cost of electricity and high cost of agricultural produce. For a country blessed with so much arable land, fruits are unreasonably expensive, he laments. For instance, a kilo of strawberries from Baguio can cost up to P200 while its imported equivalent from China costs less than P100. The country loses out because of its inefficient agricultural sector. Government would do good by giving it the focus it deserves, he opines.  Another issue he grapples with is the Filipino’s lack of “hunger” in generating new business. He finds it strange that companies he intends to buy from fail to act with urgency when filling his orders. They act as if they don’t need the business. Shouldn’t they be hustling to generate sales? Pierre cannot understand the laxity. In Europe, suppliers treat their clients like partners as their (the client’s) success naturally redounds to the supplier’s success. Pierre does not feel that kind of symbiotic relationships with his suppliers. If anything, their view is only up to next month’s purchase order.

But perhaps the biggest drawback in Pierre’s experience is dealing with dishonest people or people who are not forthright in their business dealings. Unfortunately, there are many of them in these parts.

Pierre told me how his landlord, a Filipino, presented his property as being suitable for commercial or industrial use, knowing full well that it was earmarked as a non-commercial zone. As a result, Pierre was unable to secure his business permits for months even after investing millions on improving the property. His landlord duped him and left him to fix the mess. Pierre was able to sort it out eventually, but not without massive setbacks on his business and personal trauma. It is unfortunate that our justice system does not provide quick recourse to address situations like this.


The Philippines Wins

In the next few months, The Fruit Garden will begin tapping the export market of Japan, Korea and China. He believes there is a demand for artisan French-made jams using the best tropical fruits from the Philippines. His closest competitor, Hero Jams, is made in Egypt and cannot compete with the wide spectrum of flavors The Fruit Garden offers.

When realized, the country stands to gain export revenues, not to mention the local taxes and employment from Pierre’s venture. In fact, even now, the country already benefits from his work on many levels. For this, he deserves our gratitude.   We should all continue to do what we naturally do best—make our expat friends feel special. As in Pierre’s case, it pays dividends a hundred-fold.

...the e-vehicles in PH

E-vehicle usage in Philippines slowly growing

 

 

By Ronron Calunsod,

Kyodo

10/21/2012

 

 

MANILA - The usage of electric vehicles in the Philippines has been growing since they were introduced in 2007, albeit slowly due to cost and the unavailability of key parts in the local market.

 

Yvonne Castro of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines is optimistic, however, there will be a boom in the industry because of support from the government and the growing consciousness about clean energy and climate change.

After the introduction of e-jeepneys five years ago, e-tricycles began plying some streets of the capital Manila and some other cities.

The country's first e-bus was launched a few months ago and early this month traffic constables in Manila were equipped with e-scooters.

According to Castro, the Philippines is leading among other Southeast Asian countries when it comes to actual usage of e-vehicles.

"The government is now more open and supportive," Castro told Kyodo News in a recent interview.

"Hopefully, more business will come in so that the whole industry will be developed."

The use of e-vehicles in the Philippines is strongly encouraged by government to help reduce gasoline consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

The latest government records show there are more than 250,000 gasoline-powered public transport vehicles in the country, particularly buses and jeepneys, of which around 30 percent operate in Metro Manila.

Castro said that 150 e-jeepneys have been sold in the country since 2008 by one manufacturer, some of which are being used for hotel and resort services and other private establishments.

They are most visible though in the financial Makati district, ferrying shoppers and commuters.

E-tricycles that are currently operational, meanwhile, are estimated to be only a few dozen in number, most of them going around the Manila suburb Mandaluyong City for public transport, courtesy of the Asian Development Bank.

The ADB is providing a $300 million loan to the Philippine government for the delivery of 100,000 e-tricycles by 2016, aimed at reducing greenhouse gases, boosting drivers' income and stimulating the manufacture of e-vehicle motors locally.

According to the Philippine Energy department, gasoline consumption will be reduced by 561,000 barrels per year, avoiding 260,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually if 100,000 diesel tricycle units are replaced with e-tricycles.

The around 3.5 million motorcycles and tricycles in the country, according to government, emit close to 10 million tons of harmful gases and use more than $2 billion worth of imported oil each year.

The ADB said last year that its study revealed 80 percent of air pollution in Metro Manila comes from the transport sector.

Rex Rejano, a 27-year-old driver in Mandaluyong City who was assigned one of the 20 e-tricycles from the ADB last year for pilot testing, said not only does he enjoy a smoke- and noise-free ride now he also takes home a bigger income than when he was driving a regular tricycle.

The 30 percent rise in his income is due to the increased passenger capacity by at least 50 percent and the cheaper by 65 percent electric charging cost compared to fuel rates.

"This is a very good project. The e-tricycle is better because the passengers are safer and more comfortable, and they are twice in number compared to my former tricycle," Rejano said.

The energy department has tried to allay fears that e-vehicles will put additional burden on the electricity supply by saying that charging is done "during low peak hours or in the evenings, which contributes to higher utilization of available generation capacities."

It also plans to establish solar-powered charging stations, hoping to make carbon footprint of e-vehicles close to zero.

While she views the e-vehicle project as "a solution, in principle," Greenpeace Philippines' Anna Abad is wary that it will not "provide the transformational change" it aims to achieve "if it is plugged to conventional power source like coal."

"For a sustainable transport to be truly sustainable, it should be powered with renewable energy. The project would be better off if married with renewable energy," Abad said.

If the ADB-assisted project succeeds, the Philippines is expected to generate around 10,000 new jobs by 2015 since local manufacturing of the e-tricycles will begin.

It will even allow the country to export the product to its neighbors in the region at a cost of $4,000 to $5,000 each, generating foreign currency, the bank said.

Last month, Japanese e-vehicle manufacturer Terra Motors Corp. announced its plan to open a Philippine factory by 2015 as it also expressed interest in joining in the country's e-tricycle project.

Castro said that aside from the cost of e-vehicles, the absence of appropriate government regulations for their manufacture and operation is preventing the industry from flourishing.

An e-tricycle currently costs more than 200,000 pesos ($4,762), two or three times more than conventional tricycles.

An e-jeepney is worth more than $16,000, around 35 percent more expensive than a traditional jeepney.

And the e-bus is reportedly around $286,000.

"Our lawmakers should craft laws to make it easier to manufacture e-vehicles here, particularly e-jeepneys and e-tricycles. We are not looking at e-buses because we have no capacity for that," Castro said. "One encouragement is zero-tax for parts that will have to be imported. And the government should start working on franchise license regulations for these."

Castro said most of the parts for e-vehicles, especially the controller and the lithium battery, are now sourced from China.

She urged the government to initiate efforts for the training of local technical experts and recommended proper education for drivers because "these are high-tech vehicles."

Without proper training, Castro fears drivers might cause e-vehicles to malfunction sooner than projected.

She also acknowledged the need to include in the development plan the proper disposal of lithium batteries once they reach their end-life, noting there is no recycling facility for lithium batteries in the Philippines, unlike other countries that have a "second-life program and recycling facilities."

"(Still) with the government now giving attention to this industry, hopefully, it will keep us ahead in the region," Castro said.
==Kyodo

...the forecast 2012 (S & P)

S&P sees Philippines economic growth exceeding forecast in 2012


steelguru.com
21 October 2012


 "The Philippine economy continues to grow above expectations despite lackluster export demand..."- Agost Bernard,  S & P analyst


Debt watcher Standard & Poor's Rating Services said that economic growth in the Philippines in 2012 may exceed its 5.1% forecast.

The credit rating agency said in its latest report the economy would more likely continue to maintain its strong growth for the rest of the year, given the robust domestic consumption and remittance flows.

Mr Agost Bernard analyst at S&P said that "The Philippine economy continues to grow above expectations despite lackluster export demand. Second quarter GDP growth of 5.9% was only slightly below the 6.1% in the first quarter."

Mr Bernard said that the country's fiscal performance also remained strong, with revenue collection rising faster than the nominal GDP growth. He added that "For the first seven months of 2012, total revenues increased 12.1% YoY while revenue collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue rose 13.7%."

Mr Bernard, however, said that the outlook in the second half was still subject to risks from falling external demand.

S&P cited recent developments and upcoming events in the country such as the impeachment and dismissal of Supreme Court Chief Justice Mr Renato Corona and the reported peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

...the 2nd Filipino saint

Philippines celebrates canonisation of saint

By Philip C. Tubeza in Manila/Philippine Daily Inquirer |
Asia News Network
21 October 2012

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - As thousands of Filipino Catholics troop to Rome, millions more across the Philippines are gearing up to celebrate the canonization of the country's second saint, a missionary killed 340 years ago who is being promoted as a youth hero.

The Catholic faithful are expected to gather in different church events as the nation's major television networks broadcast live Sunday's ceremony at the Vatican during which Pedro Calungsod, who was hacked to death while trying to convert locals on the Pacific island of Guam, will be made a saint.

Pope Benedict XVI will formally raise Calungsod to the altar.

According to the church website sanpedrocalungsod.com, more than 1,000 young people from across Metro Manila will gather at the Sto. Nino de Tondo Parish in Manila from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to watch the canonization.

Around 600 young people are also expected to gather at the Good Shepherd Cathedral Covered Court in Novaliches while the Federation of National Youth Organization (FNYO) will also celebrate the event in Makati.

Dubbed "Pedro at Ako," the FNYO event will be held at the Savio Dome of Don Bosco Technical Institute-Makati from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In Cebu, the Commission on Youth of the Archdiocese and the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue have invited Catholics to watch a live telecast of the events in Rome.

The gathering, which includes a drama on the life of the second Filipino saint, talks and trivia games, will be held at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.

5,000 Filipino pilgrims

About 5,000 Filipino pilgrims are expected to accompany the Philippines' Roman Catholic Church leaders to the Vatican for the ceremony.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who arrived Friday in Rome, will lead the Filipinos who will witness the canonization of Calungsod.

Binay was designated by President Aquino to head the official Philippine delegation to the ceremony.

He will attend the Holy Mass at Saint Peter's Square that will signal the start of the canonization rites for Calungsod and six others.

Calungsod is the second Filipino saint after St. Lorenzo Ruiz who was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1987.

A procession of the new saint's icons will be held at the Basilica of Santa Pudenziana later in the evening.

"The presence of the thousands of Filipinos here and the millions more around the world who are eagerly awaiting Blessed Calungsod's canonization as the second Filipino saint reaffirms our faith as a nation. I hope his dedication and sacrifice will serve as an example for the Filipino youth to emulate," Binay said in a statement released by his office in Manila.

At home, devotees have begun flocking to Ginatilan on the central island of Cebu, a small farming town that claims Calungsod as its own, while saint souvenirs have become popular items across the nation.

Wood carvers were reporting an increase in the demand for statues of the would-be saint, according to a report on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.

1,000 statues a week

"There are many orders coming from different provinces ... from old and new clients," said Kevin Cagayat, whose father Justino was commissioned by the Jesuits to carve the official statue of Calungsod.

The statues, ranging from eight inches (worth 350 pesos or US$8) to four-feet tall (40,000 pesos or $960), are made of either resin or wood.

"Since August, high demands and orders forced us to produce around 100 statues a week," Cagayat added.

"Also, in times like this where the demand is very high and there are rush orders, we also outsource workers to do the carving and finishing touches," he added.

Limited edition stamps

The Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) will also inaugurate a stamp at the Edsa Shrine in honor of Calungsod during the noontime Mass on Sunday.

"The single stamp design illustrates Blessed Pedro holding a palm leaf on his left hand and his right hand at the chest signifying his deep Roman Catholic faith.

On the right side is the missionary route to the Marianas Island," PHLPost said in a statement.

The postal service said it was issuing 50,000 of the "limited edition" stamps worth 9 pesos each. They will be available from Oct. 22 to Oct. 20 next year at selected post offices nationwide.

Those interested could also call the PHLPost postage and philatelic department at 527-01-32.

"There is something about him that touches the heart of the Filipino Catholics," Fr. Francis Lucas, a media officer with the CBCP, told Agence France-Presse.

Calungsod will be made a patron saint for young people, partly in recognition of his age-believed to be just 17-when killed in 1672.

According to the official account of his short life, hostile tribesmen hacked Calungsod and a Jesuit priest he was assisting to death in Guam where they were trying to convert locals to the Catholic faith.

He qualified for sainthood last year after the Vatican officially recognized a 2002 "miracle" in which a woman in the Philippines already declared dead from a heart attack was revived after a doctor prayed to Calungsod for help.

The Philippines is regarded as Asia's bastion of Catholicism, with 80 percent of the population adherents to the faith, thanks to more than three centuries of Spanish rule that began in the 1500s.

Migrant workers' saint

Calungsod will become only the second Filipino to be canonized after Lorenzo Ruiz, another missionary, who was killed in Japan in 1637 and made a saint in 1987.

Lucas said Calungsod's youthfulness and travel to a foreign land held special resonance in the Philippines, where the average age is 24 and 10 percent of the population have gone abroad to work.

"We consider him to be a saint of migrant workers because he went abroad to represent the Philippines," Lucas said.

The church has sought to maximize Calungsod's appeal to young people with an Internet campaign that includes a website showcasing his life and featuring music videos, as well as a social media drive.

One Facebook site on Calungsod has more than 8,000 "likes" and streams of positive comments, as well as appeals to him for help.

"Dear Saint Pedro, please take care of my good friend Julie who is fighting cancer," one comment on the page said.

Although Calungsod's birthplace is unknown, he is listed as coming from the central Philippines and Ginatilan residents point to the many people surnamed "Calungsod" who have lived in the town over the centuries.

"We have death records, marriage records and birth records ... so we believe, 80 percent, that he is from our town," Ginatilan Mayor Antonio Singco told Agence France-Presse.

Parish worker Salvi Cadungo, 56, said the link to Calungsod was a major source of pride, comfort and hope to residents who largely make their living growing coconut, bananas and corn.

"We are all so happy here. We are a small town in a corner of the Philippines, but now everyone knows we produced a saint," she said.

With reports from AFP and Jerome Aning

COPYRIGHT: ASIA NEWS NETWORK