U.S Pacific Command

'via Blog this'CROW VALLEY, Philippines (Apr. 9, 2013) - North Carolina-based Marines and Armed Forces of the Philippines Marines assemble a .50-Cal Browning heavy machine gun during live-fire training. The live-fire training is part of Exercise Balikatan 2013, an annual bilateral exercise in its 29th iteration, which provides a venue for Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military forces to develop and continue to enhance interoperability across a wide range of military actions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Courtney G. White)

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Ang Matsing at ang Pagong

Koreans keen on investing in PH, says diplomat

'via Blog this'Koreans keen on investing in PH, says diplomat

“We think that recently, the leadership has been very successful in building the economy, especially through PPP and infrastructure. Also, the fight against corruption is very effective,” Min told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“I think it has opened for great potential for closer and deeper cooperation, especially in the economic field, because Korean companies are very much interested in investing in the Philippines, because there are many good elements, favorable elements for investing,” said Min.

“The human resources are fantastic. I think also there are many projects that can be done here, especially in infrastructure. There is still a need to build many bridges, roads, railroads, the telecommunications systems,” Min added.

There remain concerns, however, including high electricity costs and limits to foreign ownership of businesses here.

“Still, we have some expectations especially about the investment climate and the legal environment. If you have a better environment, then it will really stimulate foreign investment,” said Min.

There are some 1,000 Korean firms in the Philippines, said Min, the biggest being Hanjin Shipping with a $2 billion investment in the country.

Total trade between South Korea and the Philippines was estimated at $11.5 billion in 2012, an increase from the 2011 total of $10 billion.

http://business.inquirer.net/117749/koreans-keen-on-investing-in-ph-says-diplomat

-CAAP expects EU to lift ban on Philippine air carriers this year-

'via Blog this'MANILA - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Wednesday said it expects the European Union (EU) ban to be lifted within the year after a "positive" meeting in Brussels last week.

"We are looking forward in getting lifting (EU ban) within the year," William Hotchkiss 3rd, CAAP director general, said, adding that the meeting was "positive."

EU Commission Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) head director Matthew Baldwin invited CAAP to a meeting in Belgium on April 16.

During the meeting, CAAP presented its mandate as well as developments in the past five years in the Philippine aviation sector.

Hotchkiss said the EU noted improvements in CAAP with regard international safety standards.

He said the EU also accepted its invitation for an on-site visit to Manila on June 3 to re-validate what CAAP presented in Brussels.

"The visit will coincide with the EU Air Safety Committee Meeting to be held on the last week of June in Brussels, Belgium," Hotchkiss said.

He said the committee is tasked to determine whether a country can be removed from the EU blacklist.

The on-site invitation came after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) removed the Philippines from a list of member-states with unresolved significant safety concerns (SSCs).

The EU has kept the Philippines on a blacklist since 2010. These negative ratings prevent Philippine carriers from flying to European destinations and expanding in America.

Hotchkiss said John Barbagallo, manager for International Policy and Programs at the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), would also conduct a check-in visit on May 2.

He said the visit will determine if FAA will conduct another audit before the US agency decides on bringing back the Philippines to Category 1.

"We are confident that we complied. Hopefully within the year we will be upgraded," Hotchkiss said.

The Philippines has a Category 2 status, which the FAA bestows on countries that fail to comply with the ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) on international civil aviation safety.

Once the Category 2 status is lifted, Philippine Airlines (PAL) plans to fly to London, Paris, Rome and other parts of the US. Cebu Pacific also wants to fly to the US.

http://www.interaksyon.com/business/60231/caap-expects-eu-to-lift-ban-on-philippine-air-carriers-this-year

Philippine Air Line

Phl a rising star in a gloomy world

'via Blog this'MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is a “rising star” in a gloomy world economy and could grow by as much as eight percent by 2016 if reforms in governance and business policies continue, a unit of debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service said.

Philippines economic growth could register between 6.5 percent and seven percent this year and the next, hittinggovernment targets for both years, Moody’s Analytics senior economist Glenn Levine said in a report yesterday.

“The Philippines has been among the brightest parts of a generally gloomy global picture,” Levine said.

“Some low-hanging fruit has already been picked, but if development and reform continue near their current pace, the Philippines’ potential rate of growth will rise towards eight percent by 2016,” he explained.

Projections compare with the medium-term targets of the Aquino administration: six to seven percent this year, 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent in 2014, seven to eight percent in 2015 and 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent in 2016.

“Sustainable” growth will likely occur as a result of strong government spending that is pushing up construction activities, Levine said, noting that the sector grew 14 percent last year.



The business process outsourcing industry, meanwhile, is expected to offset weakening exports, which already dropped 9.4 percent as of February as electronics shipments “receded.”

Topping it all is a low inflation environment, which allowed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep borrowing costs at their cheapest level to support lending activities and boost growth.

Inflation has “stabilized” at 3.2 percent as of the first quarter, falling at the low-end of the BSP’s three to five-percent target for the year. Consumer prices rose by an average of 3.2 percent in 2012. The overnight borrowing rate is at record-low of 3.5 percent.

But the Aquino administration’s “greatest achievement,” Levine said, was containing the budget deficit which allowed the country to bag its first-ever investment grade rating from Fitch Ratings last March.

The deficit fell to just 1.8 percent of economic output last year, and the government aims to hold it “near two percent” up to 2016. Government liabilities have also been manageable, with more local than overseas debts accumulated.

“The Philippines’ recent performance against a weak global backdrop shows that good governance is far and away the most important driver of growth in emerging markets,” Levine said.

“The crackdown on corruption and (the) encouragement of local and foreign investment, in particular, have worked well,” he added.

Policymakers should, however, treat rising domestic liabilities and asset bubbles as “mild concerns.” The bigger risk is the “complicated” taxation and business processes as well as limitation to foreign ownership.

“If the government wants to attract more foreign investment, it must ease its restrictions on foreign ownership and streamline the rules for starting businesses, paying taxes and dealing with workers,” Levine said.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/04/25/934478/phl-rising-star-gloomy-world

amazing Philippines

(36) Modern Philippines:

'via Blog this'Philippines is just amazing in many ways. Its people, culture, nature and so on. You name it..

Boracay

-Phl, 4 others to pilot World Bank project-

(14) Filipino Global Family:

'via Blog this'MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has been chosen along with four more countries to pilot a World Bank project that helps nations incorporate the value of natural resources in their national accounts.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje announced that the Philippines, Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica and Madagascar will serve as implementing partners for the Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) project of the World Bank.

WAVES is a global partnership that aims to promote sustainable development by ensuring that the value of natural resources is included in national accounts used to measure and plan for economic growth.

The four-year project, which costs US$ 1.45 million, is expected to roll off by the second half of 2013, with the National Economic and Development Authority, National Statistical Coordination Board, and the Laguna Lake Development Authority as collaborating agencies.

Paje represented the Philippines during a high-level ministerial meeting on natural capital accounting (NCA) or “green accounting” organized by the international financial institution in Washington on April 18.

Paje said the Philippines is selected as a pilot country for WAVES because it is one of the very few nations that have been conducting an accounting of natural resources since the 1990s.



“The country was noted for accounting for our natural resources such as minerals and forests to provide policymakers with accurate information that can help them make better decisions regarding development priorities and investments that are feasible and sustainable,” Paje explained.

“It is very important for us to account for our natural wealth, to uphold the principle of intergenerational equity wherein we protect the interest of future generations by protecting our natural resources, especially those that are finite such as minerals,” he added.

Paje cited Executive Order No. 79, which institutionalizes and reforms the mining industry, as a classic example of accounting for natural wealth for future development.

He said that while “increasing excise tax from mining companies makes sure that the State gets its rightful share from mineral resources, which are in fact part of the national patrimony, there is a need to account for the resulting increase in government revenues by investing them in certain long-term infrastructure and programs such as education and research.”

“This way, even though the non-renewable resources are extracted, future generations can still, though indirectly, enjoy them through improved goods and services and additional infrastructure,” he added.

The environment chief also expressed optimism that with WAVES, the government will be able to better address conflicting issues on mining, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection and climate change.

WAVES was initially launched in October 2010 during the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan. The partnership was able to formulate and propose a program of international action on ecosystems accounting at the Rio+20 Earth Summit held in June 2012.

The program of action was endorsed by 62 countries including the Philippines, 90 private sector entities and 17 civil society and international organizations, which all committed to support NCA to move beyond gross national product (GDP) as the main measurement of an economy’s progress.

The NCA is thought to be more accurate in determining economic growth and its sustainability than traditional economic indicators such as GDP.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/22/933478/phl-4-others-pilot-world-bank-project

Manila’s first solar pavilion built out of recycled materials | SciTech | GMA News Online

Manila’s first solar pavilion built out of recycled materials | SciTech | GMA News Online:

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(8) Filipino Global Family

(8) Filipino Global Family:

'via Blog this'-Manila’s first solar pavilion built out of recycled materials-

Rizal Park now houses Manila’s first solar pavilion made from recycled materials. 

Opened last Saturday, My Shelter Foundation explained in a statement that the solar pavilion was built using recycled plastic bottles placed inside plastic crates, which are in turn supported using plastic ties and scaffolding. The foundation spearheaded its construction.


The interior of the pavilion uses a hydroponic design that allows plants to grow without soil, and using only mineral nutrient solutions in water, it read.

A workshop on sustainability and green technology will be held at the solar pavilion from April 20 to June 12 this year, the foundation said.

“Creating sustainable solutions to help ourselves and others around the world is not out of our reach. Flipinos can do it,” said Illac Diaz, founder of My Shelter Foundation.

For his part, world-renowned South African green designer Stephen Lamb, a guest speaker at the launch, noted: “The Solar Pavilion is a great example of combining the needs of people and nature in simple ways and I hope to continue sharing more design ideas to contribute to this campaign of positive change.”

Lamb previously collaborated with Diaz in 2004 for a solar pavilion in China.

After the debut of the pavilion, the non-profit organization also launched its nationwide campaign dubbed as “Green Revolution.” The campaign urged Filipinos to use resources sustainably, and to rethink the way it looks on waste materials.

“We are excited to open the very first Solar Pavilion in the Philippines. 2013 is the 150th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio who began a revolution for freedom; the Solar Pavilion celebrates Bonifacio and symbolizes the birth of a new kind of revolution,” Diaz said in the same statement.

My Shelter Foundation was behind the “Liter of Light” project, which began in 2010. The foundation claimed to have brought sustainable light source to more than 28,000 homes in the country, which were mostly located in shantytowns or disaster-prone areas. – KDM, GMA News

(photo caption:
The solar pavilion was built using recycled plastic bottles placed inside plastic crates, which are in turn supported using plastic ties and scaffolding.)

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/304790/scitech/science/manila-s-first-solar-pavilion-built-out-of-recycled-materials

Let us promote Philippines for his natural beauties
http://www.visitmyphilippines.com/destinationdetails.php?trackId=82

               ang talentadong pilipino ay dapat bigyan ng pagkakataon ng ating pamahalaan upang kanilang                           mapagibayo ang kanilang galing..kung sila ay mapondohan ng gobyerno ay marami ang magkakaroon ng pagkakataong maging maayos at magkaroon ng pagkakilala sa buong bansa at ganun din sa ibang bansa..ito ay napakahalaga bilang isang kultura ng pilipinas.

PHILIPPINE MANGGOES FOR EXPORT...kilalanin natin ang sariling atin

Philippine mango (the national fruit) is known worldwide as the best tasting variety of Carabao mangoes in the world. Philippine mangoes have a distinct rich taste, no turpentine taste, not fibrous and with high nutritional value compared to other cultivars.

Philippine Carabao mangoes are available year-round but the best tasting fruits are those picked during the summer months.

The United States is the world’s biggest importer of fresh mangoes.  The Philippines produces about 1 million metric tons of mangoes a year (3.5% of the world production) – 95% for local consumption & 5% for export -it generates about US$35 million annually for the country.
In Asia, the Philippines is the largest exporter of mangoes while Hong Kong and Japan are the biggest importers of mangoes. Next to bananas and pineapples, mangoes are the Philippines most important agricultural produce in terms of export earnings.  Dried mangoes, mango juice concentrates, puree, mango juice, frozen mangoes, mango in brine, mango glaze and mango preserves are only some of the product variants. The most common variety of mango in the Philippines is what Americans refer to as champagne mango. It’s been called Manila mango, Ataulfo mango (named after its Mexican grower) and Honey mango.  Filipinos call it manggang kalabaw (carabao mango) while the Philippine government refers to it as ‘Manila Super Mango’ and is reputedly in the Guinness Book of World Records as the sweetest in the world. Other popular mango in the Philippines are Pico (Piko), Katchamita (Indian) and Pahutan (Mangifera altissima).he Manila mango is more slender than the large mango varieties such as the Tommy Atkins or Kent with which Americans are familiar. The Filipino mangga has yellow-orange skin which wrinkles once it is very ripe. The flesh has an almost buttery texture and is very, very sweet. In other countries, a mango is peeled with a knife akin to the way you’d peel an apple. This is possible because the mango variety they are peeling has very firm, not so juicy flesh. Peeling a Filipino mango this way is almost impossible because the flesh is too soft.Filipinos slice up a ripe Manila mango lengthwise, producing three flat slices, the middle slice containing the large seed. With the outer slices, you either scoop out the flesh with a spoon or make cubes using the “hedgehog” method — make a crisscross grid with a knife, turn the flesh out with your and then scrape off the chunks. Filipinos also love eating manggang hilaw (green, unripe mangoes) raw either plainly with rock salt or with the fish paste bagoong. Mango juice is popular and is even sold in cans and Doypack stand-up pouches by the Zest-O company. It’s a favorite flavor of locally made ice cream. Dried mangoes are eaten by the locals and are a top export product. Fresh Philippine mangoes meant for export are sent within 12 after harvesting to a factory to receive Vapor Heat Treatment. They stay in the VHT chamber for about five hours from pre-heating to cooling. No chemicals are sprayed on them; they are merely steamed. This process is to satisfy the phytosanitary standards set by Japan to which the mangoes are exported.The Philippine ‘Carabao’ mango,one of the world’s best mango varieties, ranks second among the country’s export fruit crops. It is in 155,240 hectares with a volume production of 1.04 million tons. From 1995 to 2003, it contributed a total of P15 billion to gross value added in agriculture. The country, with a 3.5% share in world production, ranks sixth among mango producing countries. The Philippine mango is exported in fresh and processed forms. Fresh mangoes are exported to Hongkong, China, Singapore, and Japan. Puree and dried mangoes have significant markets in Hongkong, the United States, and Singapore.

SINO ANG DAPAT MAHALAL

Deretsahan

ni Horacio Paredes

            Sa pagpili natin ng iboboto nating mga kandidato — sa anumang pwesto — ang dapat nating sinusuri ay kung makakaya ba niya ang trabahong binibigay natin sa kanya. Kadalasan ang ating pagpili ay hindi sa kakayahan ng kandidato kundi ang ating paghanga sa kanila dahil sa anak sila ng sikat o kaya’y hinahangaan natin sila o kanilang pamilya, ama o ina o kaya’y magagaling silang artista, atleta o magaling magpatawa.

            Ang pagpili natin sa ating binibigyan ng tungkulin ay hindi sa kanilang kakayanan kundi sa ating paghanga sa kanila na wala namang kaugnayan sa kanilang kakayahang maging Senador o ano pa man. Marami sa mga kandidatong mananalo ay, sa katunayan lamang, hindi nararapat maging Senador kung sa gawain at tungkulin ng Senador ang gamitin nating batayan.

            Merong kandidatong nagrereklamo nang pag-aapi dahil natatanong ng marami kung ano nga ba ang kaniyang napag-aralan, natapos, naging trabaho at nagawa na magrerekumenda sa kaniyang pagtakbo bilang kandiato sa Senado. Hindi pang-aapi ito. Sa katunayan, dapat ngang tinatanong natin kung ano nga ba ang magiging papel at ano ang makakaya nilang gawain kapag atin silang iniluklok sa Senado. Baka maging isa na namang miyembro ng Committee on Silence o kaya’y sa Komite ng mga Palaging Absent.

            Maawa tayo sa ating bayang naghihirap habang ang mga Senador natin ay nagiging mga bilyonaryo, sa kanilang hinahawakang kwarta na dapat sana’y ginagastos sa mga proyekto ngunit kadalasan ay napupunta sa kanilang mga mansion, gusali at sasakyang pampersonal. Para sa akin, isa ring mahalaga na huwag tayong  magdagdag pa sa Senado ng isa pang magpapayaman gaya ng marami sa mga kasalukuyang nakaupong mga senador. Sayang nga na mawawala na sina Joker Arroyo at Ping Lacson, ang dadalawang Senador na hindi tinanggap ay kanilang PDAF na umaabot sa sobra sa isang bilyon sa anim na taong termino ng isang Senador. Meron kayang nagpapapiling Senador na susunod sa ginawa nitong dalawang magigiting na taong papa-alis na sa Senado?

* * *

            Alam ba ninyo na sa Senado at sa Kongreso, gumawa ng resolusyon ang ating mga mambabatas na hindi na dapat pang alamin ng Commision on Audit (COA) kung saan napupunta ang mga kwartang binibigay ng mga Senador at Kongresista sa kanilang sarili. Dahil sa ganitong patakaran, kung binbulsa man nila ang mga kwartang dapat sana’y napupunta sa mga proyekto, walang kahit na sinong makaka-alam at walang huli ang kanilang pagnanakaw?

            Sa aking pananaw, lalomg dapat na ini-istriktuhan ang ating mga mambabatas dahil sila rin naman ang nagsusuri sa mga kamalian ng iba’t-ibang sangay ng pamahalaan. Kumg sila mismo’y mga corrupt rin pala, sino ang ating aasahan na maglilinis ng ating bansa?

            Isa pa. Sa aking pananaw, kapag napili natin ang mga inilalagay natin sa iba’y-ibang puwesto, dapat na wala na silang iba pang gagawain kundi ang tungkulin nila sa bansa. Ang kapalit ng ating sinasahod sa kanila ay ang kanilang paglilingkod bilang public servant, 24/7. Dapat na wala silang ibang ginagawa kundi ang paglilingkod sa bansa.

            Sa ibang bansa (Amerika), walang maaaring kitain ang kanilang mga opisyal — walang negosyo, walang kahit na anong pinagkikitaan kundi lamang ang kanilang sahod bilang public servant. Baket dito ay merong Senador na nagpupuyat sa pag-siyushooting ng sine at teleserye at kumikita ng napakalaking salapi habang sumasahod rin siya mula sa kaban ng bayan. Dapat kung anuman ang kwartang kinikita niya sa labas ay sinsuko sa bayan dahil ang ating kinontrata sa kaniya ay ang lahat ng oras niya 24/7, di ba?

maging malaya sa sariling bansa!

DALAWANG DAPAT HINDI IBOTO?

Deretsahan

ni Horacio Paredes

            Sa naging mga desisyon ng Korte Suprema tungkol sa halalan na kinabubwisitan ni Chairman Sixto Brillantes ng Comelec, hindi ako sumasang-ayon sa kanilang hatol sa party-list — na hindi na kinakailangan pang merong kabulohan ang tinatayong  partido sa party-list — ngunit, sa pananaw ko naman ay  tama ang hatol na pabayaang gumastos ang mga kanidato ng kahit na magkano sa political advertising.

            Kaya nagiging tila ika nga’y walang saysay ang pagpili natin sa mga kandidato na tinuturing ng marami na tila-beauty contest lamang at hindi ang pagpili ng mga nararapt na makakapaglingkod bilang mga tinatawag natin na “public servant” ay baka na rin dahil sa hinahadlangan ng Comelec mismo ang “free flow of information.”

            Halimbawa, maliwanag na ang kasalukuyang nanunungkulan sa pwesto ay nakakalamang sa isang nagisimula pa lamang sa pulitika. Papaano siya hahabol kung pigil ang maari niyang gatusin sa publicity?

            Dahil dito ang mga sumikat sa pagiging aktor. atleta, beauty contest at iba pang wala namang kaugnayan sa trabaho ng public servant ay mas madaling nakakapasok at magtagumpay sa pulitika. Iyan rin ang isang sanhi kung baket umuunlad ang mga political dynasty. Kapag hinahadlangan ng Comelce ang “free flow of information” lalong uunlad ang mga pampulitikang dinastiya sa dahilang kilala na ang kanilang pangalan.

            Halimbawa, merong dalawang kanidata na umaasa lamang sa kasikatan ng kanilang mga ama at, sa katunayan lamang, ay wala namang napapakitang kahit na kaunti man lamang na kakayahan, kagalingan o pagnanais ng makapaglingkod sa bayan.

            Ang isa — si Nancy Binay ay walang nilalbas sa kaniyang mga sticker at tarpolin kundi lamang ang kaniyang apelyido “BINAY.” Wala pa nga pati ang kaniyang pangalan. Kaya, parang niloloko tayo na baka isipin natin na si Jojo na ating bise presidente ang tumatakbo at hindi ang kaniyang panganay na anak na walang kahit na kaunting napakitang kakayanan, kagalingan at kahit na pagnanasa man lamang na maging lingkod sa bayan.

            Ang pangalawa ay si Grace Poe Llamanzares na sa kaniyang mga polyeta’y parang ang yumaong FPJ ang kandidato imbes na ang anak ng kapatid ng kaniyang misis na hindi naman nakilalang ampon ng yumaong pinaninwalang nadaya ni Gloria Arroyo noong halalan nang 2004.

            Ako’y hindi tutol sa political dynasty ng mga kandiatong nararapat namang gawaing senador gaya nina Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. na nagpakita na ng kaniyang galing noong kaniyang unang termino, Sonny Angara, Jack Enrile, JV Ejercito at Cynthia Villar na galing na sa kongreso, Aquilino Pimentel III at Alan Peter Cayetano na nagpakita na ng kanilang galing kakayanan bilang mga Senador kahit na sila’y matuturing na mga miyembro ng mga political dynasty.

            Wala namang masama sa isang dynasty kung maaayos ang mga miyembro ng dinastiya. Ang mas masama ay ang pinatatakbo ng mga kamaganakan ang mga wala namang gagawain sa Senado kundi tumanggap lamang ng bilyones na dapat pumupunta sa mga proyekto ngunit mabulbulsa lamang at lalong magpapayaman sa kanilang mga dinastiya.

            Ingat po sa ating pagboto; piliing mabuti ang mga nararapat at makapagbibigay ng tamang servisyo sa ating bayan. Ipakita natin sa mundo na hindi madaling linlangin ang Botanteng Pilipino!

ang lahat ay dapat maging malaya!