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Women shaping Philippine monetary policy
Women have made significant strides as leaders in the Philippine financial services industry even as challenges continue to persist. At the helm are two distinguished female members of the Monetary Board (MB) – the policy-setting body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) –both of whom are breaking the bias for women in finance......»»
BSP issues guidelines for payment systems
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has released its first Manual of Regulations for Payment Systems (MORPS), a formal compilation of all payment system regulations approved by the Monetary Board as of end-December 2023......»»
Free ride at Edsa Bus Carousel back next month
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III on Monday happily announced that Libreng Sakay (free ride) for Edsa Bus Carousel and jeepneys will return this November until the end of 2023. At a press conference in Quezon City where jeepney associations are supposed to air their grievances over the government subsidy, Guadiz said the free ride program for jeepneys and buses will return on 1 November. Guadiz said this was after the joint circular for releasing the P1.3 billion fund for the service contracting program had been approved. The particular vehicles offering free rides will ply across the National Capital Region, and not just along Edsa. "This month we will release the budget. We will bring back Libreng Sakay. We will start with Metro Manila. It will include jeepneys," he said. "Iyong P1.3 billion tapos na po iyong joint memorandum circular. Ibaba na po ang pera. Alam mo ang hinahabol namin doon November-December para maagang pamaskong handog ng LTFRB," he added. The fund he explained is intended to pay the service contracting program. “Kung dati po, hanggang sa mga bus sa Edsa Carousel, ngayon pati mga jeepneys," the LTFRB Chair said. The post Free ride at Edsa Bus Carousel back next month appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hybrid rice milestones wow AsPac producers
A field study tour organized by the over 50 member-country Asia Pacific Seeds Association, or APSA, had the latter “very impressed with the milestones achieved by the country in hybrid rice seeds production” as well as the close collaboration among stakeholders in the hybrid rice sector, the Department of Agriculture’s Rice Industry Development reported Thursday. DA-RID Undersecretary Leo Sebastian said this is the first field study tour in the Philippines which stemmed from an invitation by Dr. Frisco Malabanan, who is the current executive committee member from the Philippines who is now with the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program. Sebastian, who was former chairman of the Special Interest Group on Field Crops, was replaced by the Malaysian delegate starting this year. APSA is the largest regional seed association in the world with more than 600 members, according to its website. Headquartered in Bangkok, APSA promotes sustainable agriculture through the development, production and trade of quality seeds within, to and from the Asia-Pacific region, and continues to maintain strong links with a number of key international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the World Trade Organization. Heidi Gallant, executive director of APSA, provides more insights into what the association means to its members. Entire spectrum of the seed industry Its members represent the entire spectrum of the seed industry — both public and private sectors — including national seed associations, government agencies, public and private seed companies, and associate members, which represent organizations outside the Asia region. Majority of the members are seed enterprises, including breeders, producers, distributors, retailers, exporters and importers. Countries with the highest number of members are China with 20 percent; India with 19 percent, Pakistan, seven percent; Bangladesh, seven percent; Japan, seven percent; Thailand, four percent; South Korea, four percent; and Taipei, four percent. Sebastian said of the 15 companies that joined the just-concluded field study tour, three were from China and others from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. The APSA study tour was timed with the holding of the 16th National Rice Technology Forum of the private sector group, Rice Board, in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur — which showcased clustered demo farms of hybrid rice companies, soil nutrition companies and digital companies involved in the rice sector, Malabanan said. Delegates impressed The delegates, according to Sebastian, were impressed with how the Philippines could pool all seed production companies in one site, as seen during the NRTF tour in Davao Sur. Malabanan said this was a result of close collaboration between the government and private companies. They site-visited seed facilities (from drying, cleaning and sacking of seeds) in SL Agritech in Lupon Davao Oriental and had a whole day of farm visits to SL Agritech, Tao Seeds, Longping and BioSeeds farms where they saw actual parental lines (male and female) of the seed companies in their flowering stages. The post Hybrid rice milestones wow AsPac producers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Asia Pacific seed producers impressed with Phl hybrid rice achievement
A field study tour organized by over 50 member countries of the Asia Pacific Seeds Association (APSA) was very "impressed with the milestones achieved by the country in hybrid rice seeds production" as well as the close collaboration among the stakeholders in the hybrid rice sector, the Department of Agriculture's Rice Industry Development reported Thursday. DA-RID Undersecretary Leo Sebastian said this is the first field study tour in the Philippines, which stemmed from the invitation by Dr. Frisco Malabanan, who is the current executive committee member from the Philippines and is now with the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program. He was a former chairman of the Special Interest Group on Field Crops (SIG-FC). APSA is the largest regional seed association in the world with more than 600 members, according to its website. Headquartered in Bangkok, APSA promotes sustainable agriculture through the development, production, and trade of quality seeds within, to, and from the Asia-Pacific region, and continues to maintain strong links with a number of key international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the World Trade Organization. Heidi Gallant, executive director of APSA, provides more insights into what the association means to its members. Its members represent the entire spectrum of the seed industry—both the public and private sectors—including national seed associations, government agencies, public and private seed companies, and associate members, which represent organizations outside of the Asia region. The majority of its members are seed enterprises, including breeders, producers, distributors, retailers, exporters, and importers. Countries with the highest number of members are China, 20 percent; India, 19 percent; Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Japan with 7 percent each; and Thailand, South Korea, and Chinese-Taipei with 4 percent each. Sebastian said, that of the 15 delegates that joined the just-concluded field study tour, three companies were from China and others were from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The APSA study tour was timed with the holding of the 16th National Rice Technology Forum of the private sector group, Rice Board, in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur — which showcased clustered demo farms of hybrid rice companies, soil nutrition companies, and digital companies involved in the rice sector, Malabanan said. The delegates, according to Sebastian, were impressed how the Philippines could pool all seed production companies in one site (during the NRTF tour in Davao Sur), which Malabanan said was a result of the close collaboration between government and private companies. They went to the seed facilities (from drying, cleaning, and sacking of seeds) at the site of SL Agritech in Lupon Davao Oriental. They had a whole day of farm visits to the farms of SL Agritech, Tao Seeds, Longping, and BioSeeds where they saw the actual parental lines (male and female) of the seed companies in their flowering stages. Last Thursday, they participated in the 16th NRTF forum in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur where they witnessed 18 companies (each with more than a hectare) of currently standing palay crops (both hybrid and inbred) as well as soil enrichment producers and a company that promotes drones for direct seeding of palay seeds, fertilizers and pesticide application. There, Sebastian added, the delegates were awed by the contiguous areas of planted farms by competing companies, which is rather inconceivable in other countries. That same day, they visited the farms of commercial seed companies, Bayer Crop Science and SL Agritech in Barangay Ruparan, Digos City, and in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. From here they visited the hybrid corn farms in Kapaling, Davao del Norte, and Tagum of Bayer Science and Syngenta Phils. At the Bayer field visit, a 50-hectare integrated farm of a farmer that used to be planted with bananas before the pandemic had been converted into hybrid rice, corn, and high-value crops. The participants who left the Philippines last Saturday, also visited a learning site by DA Agriculture Training Institution showcasing an integrated farming system — high-value crops, poultry, and dairy farm — as part of the farm diversification to further increase farmers’ incomes. The post Asia Pacific seed producers impressed with Phl hybrid rice achievement appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rice Board to hold 16th National Rice Technology Forum in September
The Department of Agriculture on Friday said the private sector-led Rice Board is holding the 16th National Rice Technology Forum on 19-12 September in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. Dr. Frisco Malabanan of the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program said the Rice Board is collaborating closely with the National Rice Program of the DA, particularly for the clustering program where farms of at least 100 hectares of hybrid and inbred rice lands in 15 provinces will be consolidated. Malabanan said they are expecting 1,000 members per day of the clustered farms, technicians of the seed companies, machinery providers, soil nutrition producers, fertilizer companies, other industry players, and the Philippine Rice Research Institute to participate in the forum. Farmers from the entire Region 11 and those from different regions in the country are the target audiences of the three-day technology forum. "Two to three varieties of hybrid rice at 85 percent maturity stages will be showcased so that farmers can better appreciate the qualities of the planted seed varieties," Malabanan explained. He added that the three-day technology forum would provide farm visitations by farmers (members of irrigators associations, farmers cooperatives, and associations) while in the afternoon is the technology forum and techno tiangge, where farmers would be exposed to new technologies like biofertilizers. new seed (hybrid and inbred) varieties and soil nutrient forums. Exhibits of hybrid technology providers, machinery, PhilRice, and soil nutrition companies will also be installed so farmers can better appreciate the latest farming trends and best farm practices they can use when they return to their farms. "Since each day would be devoted to farmers from different regions of the country, the itinerary follows a similar pattern such as a keynote speech, field visit, techno forum, and an overview of the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program by different MIRDP heads," the DA official said. Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food will deliver his keynote address for the first day after which Dr. Andrew Villacorta of the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program will provide a program overview while Rice Board president Recher Ondap will explain the rationale for holding the NRTF. A digital agriculture and farm machinery equipment demonstration (TekTok) with technical sessions will be conducted in the afternoon. On the second day, a field tour of the demo farms using hybrid seeds will be held to be followed by a presentation on the overview of MIRDP by Director Glenn Estrada of MIRDP and a talk by Rice Board’s Ondap on why the technology forum is being held to be followed by a techno tiangge in the afternoon. On the last day, the schedule includes a field tour, an overview of MIRDP by Director Emerson Yago, and the presentation of the rationale of the Technology Forum by Rice Board president Ondap as well as the Digital Agriculture and Farm Machinery and Equipment exhibit. Participants in the APSA (or Asia and Pacific Seed Association) study tour on hybrid rice and corn will also visit the 100 hectares clustered demo farm, Malabanan explained. The post Rice Board to hold 16th National Rice Technology Forum in September appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jeepney fare hike petition still up in air
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has to deliberate first with the fare hike petition filed by different jeepney drivers and operators organizations before it will order a green light. This was announced by LTFRB Technical Division Chief Joel Bolano at the weekly Laging Handa, Malacañang press briefing, where the official said a lot of things have to be considered and the voices of stakeholders especially the commuters must also be heard. Jeepney associations earlier filed a P1 peso “surge fee” to be added to commuters’ fare during rush hours, because of perennial traffic. However, the recent succeeding oil price hikes, prompted them to file another petition for a P2 fare increase. Help from fuel subsidy Bolano said, the LTFRB is fast-tracking the delivery of ‘fuel subsidy’ for drivers and operators of public utility vehicles to cope up with oil price hikes and other commodities. The post Jeepney fare hike petition still up in air appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DTI meets Germany’s ZVEI, explores opportunities in manufacturing services outsourcing
On 3 July 2023, DTI Secretary Fred Pascual, together with Board of Investments Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo, and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. president Dr. Dan Lachica, met with Dr. Gunther Kegel, president of the German Electronics and Digital Industry Association (German: Verband der Elektro- und Digitalindustrie or ZVEI) and CEO of Pepperl+Fuchs. During the meeting, they discussed the possible outsourcing collaboration in the field of electronics manufacturing between ZVEI, SEIPI and the Philippine government in creating Original Design Manufacturer, Original Equipment Manufacturer and electronics manufacturing outsourcing opportunities in the Philippines. This is in light of the continuing challenges of the lack of skilled labor, the rising cost of production and the diversification and de-risking aspirations in Germany. ZVEI is one of the most important industrial associations in Germany, representing the interests of a high-tech sector covering over 1,100-member companies. They employ around 90 percent of the employees and staff of the electrical industry in Germany. Its members include global players and medium-sized and family-owned companies. The sector also has 879,000 employees in Germany with a combined turnover in 2021 of approximately EUR 200 billion. Meanwhile, Pepperl+Fuchs, a member of ZVEI, is a Tier I automotive supplier involved in electrical explosion protection and sensor technologies. The company’s Factory Automation Division is a manufacturer of industrial sensors. It makes a range of inductive, capacitive, photoelectric and ultrasonic sensors, identification systems, barcode and camera systems, rotary encoders, position measurement systems, cord sets and other accessories. Pepperl+Fuchs employed over 6,000 in 2022 with revenues amounting to EUR 1 billion. In the meeting, Pascual emphasized the huge potential of the Philippines to create an enabling business environment for a manufacturing industry given its strategic location that covers the ASEAN market and nearby countries. The post DTI meets Germany’s ZVEI, explores opportunities in manufacturing services outsourcing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PEZA’s May projects swing higher to P14.9B
With the greenlighting of 20 new and expansion projects last May 2023, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority will be providing its fair share of P14.933 billion worth of investments. Also, PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said they are on track to realizing its conservative 10 percent growth target for this year. “This brings PEZA’s total approved investments for the Jan-May period to P48.027 billion, which is 153.74 percent higher as compared to the P18.928 billion in the same period in 2022,” Panga said. He said among the 20 projects approved by the Board as of 26 May, 11 are into export manufacturing, seven on information technology, a facility, and an ecozone development, which will be in Makati, Pasig, Taguig, Baguio, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Cebu, Iloilo and South Cotabato. Biggest project The biggest project pre-qualified by the PEZA Board for the Fiscal Incentives Review Board approval is engaged in the manufacturing of solar wafer cells with Maxeon 7 technology to be located in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, with investments worth P11.633 billion. Moreover, these projects are expected to generate about $293.55 million in exports and create some 4,480 direct jobs. “We are continuously seeing an uptrend with our investment approvals as we enter the first half of the year, and we are more aggressive in our initiatives to help our investors make the Philippines their smart investment choice, taking the cue from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who has been most active in promoting the Philippines in his outbound missions,” according to Panga. Addressing pain points Adapting a whole-of-government approach, PEZA is constantly partnering with government agencies and various industry associations to address the pain points that hinder investors to unlock the untapped potential of the Philippines. Panga and his team recently met with Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Commission on Election chairman George Garcia, and National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan to discuss the concerns of investors and present initiatives in support of the investment attraction and facilitation strategy for the government to bring in much-needed foreign direct investments. PEZA also discussed with Senator Loren Legarda about creating more ecozones in Antique and other provinces nationwide to spur countryside development. “We likewise signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to ramp up digitalization in government to ensure fast and efficient delivery of services to the public and to carry out Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual’s directive to adopt digital transformation and boost the country’s competitiveness as an investment destination, particularly for high-tech and innovator accelerator companies,” said Panga. Testament He said PEZA continues to serve as a testament to the government’s successful investment and export-led growth strategy. Of 3,431 total registered business enterprises (excluding multi-sites), 98 percent are export-oriented; only two percent are domestic-oriented (into manufacturing). In terms of sales ratio, 94 percent are export sales while six percent are local sales. As efficiency-seeking investors that compete in the global export market, PEZA locators account for 82 percent of the country’s total annual commodity exports and 60 percent of services exports. The post PEZA’s May projects swing higher to P14.9B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gilas Pilipinas’ sweet, vengeful SEA Games win
GILAS Pilipinas’ vengeful win against an import-laden Cambodian basketball team marked its return to the top spot of the Southeast Asian Games or SEAG men’s basketball championships. It was a sweet victory for the Philippines men’s basketball team, as it was glaring how the Cambodians, the 32nd SEAG’s host country, took advantage of the rules by fielding more naturalized players than other competing countries. Though this may be allowed, it does not bode well for the tournament and the sport. Why so? Other countries, including the Philippines, continue to identify and develop players from the grassroots levels. And if tournaments, such as the recent SEAG Men’s Basketball competition, allow host countries to field more naturalized players than others, how does this promote fair play among competing nations? Luckily, after losing to Cambodia in the early group stage, Gilas booked a rematch against the home team for the gold medal. And this time, the Philippine squad came prepared with a sound plan despite unfavorable court conditions and the lopsided lineup of mainly naturalized Cambodian players. Gilas’ offensive and defensive strategy helped them stave off comeback attempts and left the Cambodians to settle for a silver medal. The three-point shooting of naturalized forward Justin Brownlee, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Newsome, and CJ Perez helped Gilas spread the floor, allowing our big men to dominate and score in the shaded area. Gilas shot slightly better with its 47.8 percent field goal percentage versus Cambodia’s 41.9 percent. Gilas also outrebounded the Cambodians by four boards at 40 rebounds versus 36 rebounds. The intense shooting, ability to draw fouls, minimizing turnovers, the solid defensive performance resulting in six steals and three blocked shots helped propel Gilas Pilipinas to win its 19th Southeast Asian Games Gold Medal. ‘This is a reminder to our country and the Southeast Asian Region that upholding the values of fair play, sportsmanship, and the love for country triumphs all’ In his congratulatory message to Coach Chot Reyes, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Chairman Emeritus Manuel V. Pangilinan said he was happy to be proven wrong with the gold medal victory of Gilas. MVP earlier tweeted his concern over Gilas’ defeat to Cambodia in the group stage. SBP President Alfredo S. Panlilio also commended Gilas, saying, “Gilas showed that the pride of fighting for our country is stronger than any motivation. The team played through substandard conditions in the court under the sweltering heat and overcame bumps and bruises to make us all proud.” He added, “This is a reminder to our country and the Southeast Asian Region that upholding the values of fair play, sportsmanship, and the love for country triumphs all.” Gilas Head Coach Chot Reyes acknowledged that the earlier defeat to Cambodia brought the team together. “They’re united, and they stuck together. I’m just so proud of what we’ve done. We came here for the gold medal, and we’ve done it.” SBP also expressed gratitude to the Philippine Basketball Association and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for allowing players from both leagues to represent the country in the 32nd SEAG. “On behalf of the SBP, I would like to thank UAAP, the PBA, its team owners, and the Board of Governors again for allowing its players to be part of the Gilas Team that won the Gold Medal in a hard-fought match against the host country,” Panlilio said in his letter to the two basketball associations. He added that SBP is aware of the PBA’s contribution to basketball’s growth, development, and success in the country. “The competitiveness in the league allowed Gilas to rise above the challenge it faced in Cambodia,” Panlillio added. The PBA players participating in the SEA Games were Justin Brownlee, CJ Perez, Christian Standhardinger, Chris Ross, Calvin Oftana, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino, and Chris Newsome. Among the UAAP collegiate players were Adamson’s Jerome Lastimosa, Ateneo’s Mason Amos, and La Salle’s Michael Philips. As the country prepares to host the most prestigious World Cup FIBA basketball championship in August this year, Panlilio calls on all basketball stakeholders to unite in supporting Gilas Pilipinas as we compete in the international arena. Gilas Pilipinas’ strong performance, fueled by its heart and will to succeed, should inspire every Filipino to give their best in all the challenges they meet in life. The post Gilas Pilipinas’ sweet, vengeful SEA Games win appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bataan organic agri info drive launched
BALANGA CITY, Bataan — The Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon, under its National Organic Agriculture Program and the Provincial Agriculture Office of Bataan, recently conducted an information caravan on Organic Agriculture at the Bunker here. The caravan aimed to provide knowledge and urge everyone to cooperate in enforcing organic agriculture ordinance under the Organic Agriculture Law or Republic Act 10068 amended by RA 11511, and to provide support to the organic practitioners in Bataan. DA NOAP director Bernadette San Juan; Field Operations Division chief Elma Mananes; Regional Organic Agriculture focal person Eduviges Pelayo; Provincial Agriculturist of Bataan Engr. Johanna Dizon; Bataan Governor Representative Gaudencio Ferrer; Bataan District 3 Board Member and vice chairman on Committee on Agriculture Romano del Rosario participated in the information caravan. Officials from the provincial government, municipal and city agriculturists and OA focal persons and Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations who practice organic farming also came to the caravan. San Juan revealed the contents of the Joint Memorandum Circular or the responsibilities of the LGUs in the implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Program under the RA 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010. She also presented the LGUs’ Long-term Organic Agriculture Plan to the DA for 90 days, the availability of the OA investment program na short, medium at long term; the role of the DA Regional Field Offices in monitoring OA projects, planning of ordinances in line with the food security program of the country, submission of a yearly OA profile, support the Patricipatory Guarantee System that is a form of organic certification, creation of organic fertilizers from solid waste, and consultations from the farming industry for the successful implementation of the program. The official also bared the contents of the Organic Agriculture Profile enrolment form that will be the basis for the registration of FCAs that are also organic practitioners in the province. The post Bataan organic agri info drive launched appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PH eyes modest $31-M export deals at China expo participation
The Philippine delegation is targeting to attract over 1,300 buyers and generate a modest $31 million worth export deals at the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE), significantly lower than the $300 million the Philippines realized during last year’s China International Import Exposition (CIIE). Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the apparently lower sales target this year may mean on the spot deals only and may not include post CIIE sales attributed to said expo. “Factoring also that this year is Pandemic year. This is a hybrid show this year, where the goods are displayed but negotiations are done via the online B2B facility. The target is also based on the reduced pavilion size this year, as well as the projected decrease in the number of buyers attending CIIE this year,” said Lopez. Philippine mango and pili nuts are among the products that will be showcased under the FOODPhilippines Pavilion. Already, DTI’s Export Marketing Board and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) facilitated initial talks with the Philippine delegation and 40 Chinese buyers in a video conferencing. These Chinese buyers are importers, distributors, and retailers. During last year’s CIIE, Philippine exhibitors booked around $300 million in sales at the second CIIE, more than double the $124 million recorded sales in 2018. This year’s third CIIE will be held on Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai. In the B2B session, Chinese buyers expressed interest in working together with Philippine companies that produce fresh fruits and vegetables, chocolates, healthy snacks, seafood, beverages, and condiments. For this hybrid participation, there will be a mix of physical product presentation in the pavilion that will be facilitated by onsite officers from the DTI trade posts in China and online B2B matching activities between our companies in Manila and the Chinese buyers who will visit the Philippine booth in Shanghai, according to CITEM Executive Director Pauline Suaco-Juan. With the theme “Healthy and Natural,” 40 Philippine companies will exhibit and sample the country’s wide range of tropical fruits and vegetables, processed fruits and nuts, healthy snacks, seafood and marine products, and other premium food selections. The FOODPhilippines pavilion will feature interactive conference pods for the first time in CIIE to enable virtual business-to-business (B2B) activities and video conferencing. In place of actual Philippine exhibitors manning the booths, Philippine Commercial Counsellors will represent the government and exhibitors, promote exhibitor brands and products onsite, and relay all business leads and contacts generated during the show. The participation in CIIE is organized in partnership with the Foreign Trade Services Corps (FTSC) through the Philippine Trade & Investment Centers (PTICs) in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, and the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB). Government partners are the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Office of the Agricultural Counsellor in Beijing (DA-OAC-Beijing) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The Philippine mango and pili nuts are among the products that will be showcased under the FOODPhilippines Pavilion.project is likewise supported by business associations such as the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII). Leading the FOODPhilippines’ opening in CIIE are representatives from the Philippines and China, namely the Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana, Philippines’ DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, FFCCCII President Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, and Deputy Director General Yang Weiqun from the Department of Asian Affairs of China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). Under the FOODPhilippines delegation, 40 companies that will highlight tropical fruits and vegetables will be Hilas Marketing Corporation, Agrinurture, Inc., Mancoco Food Processing, Inc., Excellent Quality Goods Supply Company, Castillo Import Export Ventures Inc., Doxo International Trading, Magsasakang Progresibo Marketing Cooperative, See’s International Food Mfg, Corp., Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures, Inc., Team Asia Corporation, Eau de Coco, Inc., Eng Seng Food Products, Greenlife Coconut Products Philippines, Inc., Tongsan Industrial Development Corporation, Islandfun Inc., Limketkai Manufacturing Corporation (LMC), KLT Fruits, Inc., Zigmund Enterprise, Business Innovations Gateway, Inc., Sangkutsa Food Products, Inc., AG Grays Farm, Marigold Manufacturing Corporation, and the Federation of People’s Sustainable Development Cooperative. To show its goodwill to the Chinese market, the Philippine delegation will donate healthy products to Food Bank China as part of the launch of the Shanghai Food Bank Project with Liwayway China on November 5. The donation will include 200 packs of banana chips from Excellent Quality Goods Supply Company, 50 tuna packs of premium handline tuna from Century Pacific Food Inc., and bundles of virgin coconut oil (VCO) and various coconut products from Team Asia Corporation. The food donation to the Food Bank China serves as a way of giving back and a token of appreciation to the Chinese community for its continued support towards the Filipino representatives and communities in China, according to Commercial Vice Consul Mario Tani of the PTIC in Shanghai. Meanwhile, healthy snack varieties will be showcased by Magic Melt Foods Inc., Sandria’s Delicious Concept, Vegetari Vegetarian Products, Market Reach International Resources, SL Agritech Corporation, and the Philippine Franchise Association. Tuna and other seafood selections will be presented by Century Pacific Food Inc., Universal Canning, Inc., Fisher Farms, Incorporated, Jam Seafoods, Inc., Phil. Union Frozen Foods, Inc., and Gerabuenas Trading. Likewise, premium food selections will be offered by Global Basic Co., Ltd, Subic Superfood Incorporated, Chocoloco, Inc., Filipinas de Oro de Cacao, Inc., and Seabeth Food Processing......»»
IATF clears basketball, football to resume training
PBA teams can now return to practice after the government gave the green light for basketball and football training to resume after months of halt due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two team sports were cleared to resume activities by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. “Pinayagan na po ang practice at yung conditioning ng basketball at football sang-ayon po sa request ng PBA at ng iba pang football associations,” said Roque in a press briefing on Friday. The clearance was given to the professional basketball and football leagues with the Philippine Sports Commisision, the Games and Amusement Board and Department of Health drafting the guidelines for training. The PBA last month submitted a request to the IATF to allow teams to resume training under strict health and safety protocols during the general community quarantine in Metro Manila. According to the protocol submitted by the PBA, practices will be strictly for conditioning purposes only. Coaches will be barred from attending while teams will be holding practices by batches of four players, with one trainer and one health officer. Tune-up games and scrimmages are not allowed. The training clearance could pave the way for the return of the PBA’s single-conference season late this year as well as for the Philippine Football League’s resumption. Earlier, national sports association leaders from athletics, basketball, volleyball, football, rugby, gymnastics and karate crafted a one-month trial program for athletes to resume training under a strict health and safety protocols. The IATF’s approval for the resumption of basketball and football training also raises hopes for other sports to return to training activities especially another popular team sport in volleyball......»»
Subdivision guards have no authority to take visitors licenses — PNP
It also cited an administrative order from the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, saying that associations are "not authorized under traffic laws to take custody, even on a temporary basis, the license issued by the LTO.".....»»
Baltimore bridge accident: Freighter pilot called for tugboat help before plowing into bridge
BALTIMORE — The pilot of the cargo freighter had radioed for tugboat help and reported a power loss minutes before the Baltimore bridge accident, federal safety officials said on Wednesday, citing audio from the ship’s “black box” data recorder. The head of the National Transportation Safety Board also said that Francis Scott Key Bridge, a.....»»
DMW sets April 15 deadline for kin of deceased Saudi OFW wage claimants
DMW sets April 15 deadline for kin of deceased Saudi OFW wage claimants.....»»
Infrastructure projects get better loan terms from Japan
The Philippines has secured better financing terms for two big-ticket infrastructure projects funded by the Japanese government aimed at improving public transport and road connectivity......»»
Hoffman sets new Philippine hurdles record at Florida meet
Paris Olympics-hopeful Lauren Hoffman on Wednesday set a new national record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a gold medal performance in the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational in Coral Gables, Florida......»»
K-pop group Unis releases debut mini-album, Superwoman MV
After surviving the reality show "Universe Ticket," the eight-member K-pop group Unis, with Filipino members Gehlee and Elisia and Filipino-Korean Jin Hyeonju, launched its mini-album......»»
Public utility trike operators urged to renew franchise, warned vs overpricing
THE Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) conducted a dialogue with the different Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Associations (Todas) of Toril District to remind drivers of the provisions of the Traffic Code of the City......»»