...the sweet country

Philippines set to become sugar exporter in Southeast Asia August 19, 2011 (philstar.com)

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippines is set to become a sugar exporter in the region and is poised to export 300,000 metric tons (MT) of raw and refined sugar this crop year after a bumper sugarcane harvest, an official said today.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said with a substantial harvest of 2.39 million metric tons (MT) or 21.3 percent more than last year, "The country is on the way to regaining its previous distinction as a net sugar exporter. This may very well be the start of the country producing more than enough to meet its domestic requirements and quota obligations," Alcala said in a press release today.

Alcala added that the country may no longer import sugar and instead be a major sugar supplier in Southeast Asia.

The supply of raw sugar increased five-fold to more than 623, 500 MT due to lesser sugar consumption and a good harvest, while domestic consumption for refined sugar dramatically dropped to 655, 840 MT, 31 percent less than last year, leaving a balance of more than 300,000 MT.

Alcala said the Philippines remains confident to maintain a high level of production of at least 2.4 million MT of raw sugar.

"We look forward to building from these gains next year, as more farms are planted and program interventions continue for crop year 2011-2012," he said.

...the Fil-Am basketers in Amsterdam

Pinoy basketball team wins tourney in Amsterdam

 

by Loui Galicia

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

08/20/2011

 

 

THE NETHERLANDS - Filipino-Americans bagged the first international basketball tournament held in Amsterdam.

Patience, hard work and dedication in basketball helped the AmPinoy team (American Pinoy) from Germany to snatch the championship trophy in the tournament organized by the United Filipino Dutch Association (UFDA).

“Ilang taon naming pinagpraktis, ibang labanan…pagdadrive sa ibang lugar sa lahat ng labanan. Mabuti sa wakas, kami na nanalo,” said player Crisanto Costes.

The American Pinoys, all working at the US Air Force's Ramstein Airbase, were weaker at the start of the round robin, having been knocked down by the younger Brussels All Stars players.

But the AmPinoys rebounded and beat 4 other teams to face the Brussels All Stars again in the finals.

This time, the AmPinoys proved strong and fierce, beating the Belgian Pinoys who landed second place.

"We are playing our game. They were just bigger and stronger than us,” Jassin Dulnoan from Brussels All Stars said.

The third place went to the Luxembourg Warriors.

The tournament was the very first international basketball tournament organized by UFDA with participants coming from Antwerp and Brussels in Belgium; Ramstein and Bonn in Germany; Luxembourg; and Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam in Holland.

UFDA even hired professional Dutch referees in its aim to hold an organized and clean tournament.

The referees were surprised and impressed at the basketball skills and quality of play of the Filipinos.

"The players are high [level]. They can basketball. It's no street basketball. It's like the competition in Holland," referee Beatrix Lee Ajam said.

The tournament ended well without any injury or fight and the UFDA only had to give credit to two young and energetic Pinoys Archer Escalona and JP Ramos, who organized the hugely successful event.

...the Cosplay finalists

Filipina cosplayers in STGCC finals

By MAUREEN MARIE BELMONTE

August 19, 2011

Manila Bulletin

Filipinos Stephanie Sumbe (L) and Mary Grace Roldan (R) are set to compete in Singapore cosplay contest on Aug. 21 (Photos courtesy of their Facebook Fanpages)

MANILA, Philippines – Unlikely Pinay cosplayers Mary Grace Roldan and Stephanie Sumber were two of the eight finalists in this year's Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention (STGCC) Cosplay Competition, one of the biggest cosplay events in Asia.

As reported by abs-cbnNEWS.com’s Aug. 18, report, Roldan, an accountant whose cosplay name was Kawaimace and Sumbe whose cosplay name was Nikki is a grade 2 teacher will be flying to Singapore on Friday to prepare for the competition to be held on Aug. 21 at the Suntec Convention Center, Singapore.

Asked how she got into cosplay, Roldan replied "Dati attendee lang ako sa cosplay events. Nakita ko 'yung creativity nila, skills, tapos in one event naisip ko kaya ko rin 'yun."

In a taped interview posted on Cosplay Network Philippines’ official Facebook account, Roldan shared that she discovered her knack for cosplay in 2007.

Also a photography enthusiast, Roldan shared that she owns about six costumes, including outfits of Lime from “Saber Marionette,” Witchblade from Witchblade comics and female predator from “Predator.”

 

“Yung mga costumes ko mostly pinapagawa ko, pero yung mga small details pinapagawa ko na lang,” Roldan shared.

Asked what her favorite costume are, she replied, “Favorite ko si female predator kasi gawa siya sa mga recycled materials. Mga karton, mga balikbayan box, mga  old Styrofoam na pinulot lang sa mga nagcoconstruction. Tapos paper mache lang siya na very unique.”

Sumbe, for her part, related to abs-cbnNEWS.com that she was inspired to do cosplay by Amane Misa, a fictional character in Tsugumi Ohba’s manga-turned-anime then film series, "Death Note."

"I really like Amane Misa, so I wore her clothes," she said. As to why she's into cosplay, she quipped, "I find self-fulfillment in cosplay."

The two tied in the first place under the individual category of anime channel, Hero TV’s Face Off cosplay contest last year.

The grand winner in this year's STGCC cosplay competition will take home 1,000 Singapore dollars (or about P35,260).

...the transparent government

Transparency drive lauded by investors

By MAR T. SUPNAD

August 18, 2011

Manila Bulletin

MARIVELES, Bataan, Philippines — President Benigno S. Aquino III’s clampdown on graft and corruption earned a positive review from foreign investors, among them executives of a Hong Kong-based garments firm who noticed an “improvement” in government transactions in this industrial town.

Luen Thai President Raymond Tan said Thursday that the government’s campaign against corruption has improved a lot and this is the reason why his firm signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) for the setting up of a manufacturing plant here.

Tan did not pinpoint which particular agency of government he was referring to about corruption but newsmen gathered that there was a previous incident allegedly involving certain representatives of the Board of Investments (BoI) that hindered foreign investments.

Luen Thai’s project in this town will add to its other branches in Clark, Tarlac and Cebu, employing around 12,000 workers for its export-quality apparel brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Carhartt, Dillard’s and Levi’s, among others.

...the resilent economy

Palace shrugs off WB chief’s warning on 'more dangerous' times

18 August 2011

GMANews 

Cabinet official on Wednesday said the Philippine economy will remain resilient amid the United States’ and Europe’s economic problems, shrugging off the World Bank (WB) chief’s warning of “more dangerous" times ahead.

In an interview with reporters, Communications Strategy Secretary Ricky Carandang said the warning of WB president Robert Zoellick applies more to the US than to the Philippines.

He explained that the country is now in better shape than it was in 1997, when Asia suffered a financial crisis, and in 2008, when the US debt crisis took place.

“I think the Philippine economy is more resilient than we've been given credit for. We survived the credit crunch in ‘08, we survived the Asian crisis in ‘97. I'm not saying there won’t be some effect but the Philippine economy has always been very resilient," Carandang said.

Carandang also said the government is monitoring the situation in the US and Europe, acknowledging that the situation in the two economies will create repercussions on the global economy.

He added that the economic team is visualizing several scenarios to prepare for what could happen.

“What's important for us is that there's no contagion effect. If people are losing confidence in some markets, they should not lose confidence in our markets. And so measures are being considered that would help maintain confidence," Carandang said. — PE/VS, GMA News

...the Pinoy fashion guru

Pinoy fashion guru tapped for reality shows

by Steve Angeles,

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

08/17/2011

 

 

Joey Galon has the chance to launch his own clothing line if he wins in Lifetime's 24-Hour Catwalk reality show/Balitang America

EAGLE ROCK, California - Joey Galon has been in the fashion and beauty pageant scene since he was 18 years old. 

Galon has been chosen to compete in Lifetime’s 24-Hour Catwalk reality competition hosted by British model Alexa Chung. 

 

If he wins, he will receive a cash prize and the chance to launch his own clothing line nationwide.

 

“It’s a dream come true. It’s just the next step in coming closer to launching my line,” said Galon. “And I’m really excited about it.”

 

As a fashion veteran, Galon has coached dozens of Miss Philippines contestants and has helped crown a few winners. 

 

The former fashion show producer has worked for Macy’s, Oscar de la Renta, Armani and Vicky Belo.

 

The San Francisco native, who now lives in Las Vegas, had just finished filming another reality TV series Model Latina on SiTV. 

 

Galon, who appeared throughout the season as the pageant coach, said he approached the show the same way he has always worked with pageants.

 

“Just help them out in every way possible to become their best,” said Galon. “That way it makes the pageant more interesting, makes the pageant much more competitive because all the girls are doing their best.”

...the Bataan freeport

HK firm to invest $30M in Bataan freeport (philstar.com) August 17, 2011

 

 

By Punto Central Luzon

 

MARIVELES, Bataan – A Hong Kong firm on Wednesday signed a memorandum of agreement with the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) signaling the start of its operation here by the first quarter of 2012 with an initial investment of $30-million.

 

Raymund Tan, president of Luen Thai International, said they will be operating in Bataan their fourth unit in the country under Luen Thai Group Philippines.

 

The publicly-listed company in Hongkong will invest in fabric mill and garment-related factory in the former Bataan Economic Zone turned FAB that will create jobs for 6,000 workers.

 

He said that depending in the global market, he will increase investments in five years.

 

Luen Thai has been in the Philippines for 22 years with a unit producing polo shirts in Pampanga, another unit manufacturing Adidas products in Cebu and another area manufacturing coat with combined manpower of more than 20,000 workers.

 

In Bataan, he is eyeing the production of a well-known polo brand like the one he wore in the MOU signing.

 

When asked why he chose Bataan and not establish in Cebu or Pampanga where he already has been operating for some time, Tan mentioned his strategy of diversifying focus. He said that each of his unit focuses on one particular customer.

 

“The company will not fight for the same workers and management team in the same way that workers will not be competing in one area,” he said.

 

Adidas is one particular customer he meant. He said that to be successful, a firm has to partner with the right customer. “I chose my customer and I do not allow customer to choose me,” he said.

 

“There is a need to manage well, balance the market and to have incomes in yen, euro, dollar and other currencies to counter the weakening of the market because of the depreciation of the United States dollar,” he added.

 

Tan admitted that the poor showing lately of the U.S. dollar is a global problem that affects many countries.

 

“But it opens new opportunity because when the American currency weakens, we will see China coming up and other Asian countries growing fast,” he said.

 

Joel Villanueva, director general of the Technical Education Skills Development Administration, said that TESDA is ready to supply Luen Thai with skilled and competent workers.

 

The former partylist representative even announced that Pres. Benigno Aquino by text has sent congratulatory message to Bataan officials, FAB management while thanking Luen Thai.

 

Rep. Albert Garcia of Bataan’s Second District said that FAB is the most strategic location for investments being nearest to Manila.

 

The Bataan Freeport, the congressman said, offers generous incentives, has ready facilities already existing, has highly-reliable manpower and has deep harbor that will complement the seaport in Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and airport in Clark, Angeles City.

 

As add-on advantage, the young Garcia said that Bataan will soon have the cheapest power with the operation of GN Power, a Chinese firm, in Mariveles.

 

The Bataan lawmaker is the principal author in the House of Representatives in the creation of the Area of the Freeport Authority in Bataan (AFAB). He is chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry.

 

For his part, Gov. Enrique Garcia announced that they will be building a temporary port since AFAB is still preparing a master plan for a permanent port facility.