Archive for the ‘Philippine Regions’ Category

Ayala Corporation recently declared that it has bag first the money allotted for PNoy’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program amounting 2 billion pesos for the project Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Link Road which is considered to be the very first project auctioned by the Aquino administration for its Public-Private Partnership(PPP) program; to be the winning bidder and were so very excited to bag more.

“We are delighted to have submitted a competitive proposal for the first project under the government’s public-private partnership program. This is a good initial foray in the transport infrastructure space and we believe this successful experience working within a public-private partnership framework would be helpful in pursuing future projects under the ppp program”, said by Ayala Corporation president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala.
They bag the fund last December 22,2011 hand over by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and were also expected to complete all the requirements for the right-of-way within six months upon signing the concession agreement.

However, the Ayala Corporation is not alone on this project but in partnership with a Spanish Engineering company, Getinsa; that will help the Ayala conglomerate in their expertise in infrastructure projects the detailed design of the project is expected to be complete within four months.

The Link Road project is named “Daang Hari” because the road will start at the Daang Hari if one is in Imus cavite and desire to enter the south Luzon expressway near the Susana Heights Interchange and would enter Cavite.

Actually, this road project is a major arterial road that will connect the towns of Imus, Dasmarinas, and Bacoor Cavite to Metro Manila via South Luzon Expressway (SLEx).It is a Cavite bound road or a road that will provide strategic access to Cavite.

This road project handled by the Ayala Corporation under PNoy’s Public-private partnership program is expected to start its construction by February 2012(segment 1) and will end on September 2012(segment 2)

The expected starting toll rate once this project is finally running or open: P17 for class 1 vehicles,P34 for class 2 vehicles and P51 for class 3 vehicles; all the toll rates are valued-added tax(VAT) inclusive or have already value-added tax(VAT) included on each.
This road project is advantageous to Ayala Corporation because through this road, their real estate properties within Cavite can now be easily accessible to their estate owners and clients.

Another road in the Philippines that is mostly the few rich clans in the Philippines has more advantage of.

Looks like the Aquino administration have hatch another zero or failed management again instead of gaining a star on regards to disaster management and its goal of “zero casualties” through poor preventive management of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and PNoy’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to prevent the disastrous effects of forthcoming effects of typhoon Sendong on the southern part of the Philippines, as it shows apparently on the news the havoc and casualties it has inflicted especially on Cagayan De Oro city Philippines and Iligan city Philippines which have repeated their poor and incompetent management on the previous large flooding on the Luzon or northern part of the Philippines due to typhoons Pedring and Quiel that has happened earlier this same year 2011.

But National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) undersecretary Benito Ramos have categorically denied they lack on informing the Mindanao people and preparing for the coming of typhoon Sendong but the Mindanao people themselves lacks the initiative to move and heed their early warning.

However, according to the first bulletin posted by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), their warning post was just posted hours ago or less than 24 hours before typhoon Sendong attack northern Mindanao while the residents of Northern Mindanao are fast asleep without any “pre-emptive evacuation” or actual warning from the local government of Mindanao to their residents. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said they will not move unless they have a “cue” from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA),thus they pass the burden of blame on Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) if in any case the Filipino people will be enraged with the poor management and incompetency of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) just like their master from Malacanang who loves to play blame game rather be responsible and accountable for whatever happens in their sphere of management.

But Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) have transfer the blame to their own policy or they are just following their policy of raising a storm signals at least 36 hours before the storm hits the bull’s eye, though there are already warning from Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the US Navy that they have tracked a super typhoon headed on the Mindanao part of the Philippines, five days or four days before Sendong hits Mindanao between December 16-17.

Yes, this Aquino administration can break any known legal proceedings just only to satiate its administration and its believer’s obsession and insanity to persecute and incarcerate former Philippine president and now Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo without any solid concrete evidence, but they cannot break their own policy just for the sake of the safety of the Mindanao people. What a “fucking” governance this Noynoy have! And instead of admitting their own mistake and incompetency, they resort of playing blame games which is indeed so annoying and could raise one’s blood pressure thinking that these incompetent government officials just waste taxpayer’s money by their incompetency and hypocrisy.

Will the Filipinos just bear the growing incompetency and blatant hypocrisy of Aquino administration upon knowing that Aquino and his officials were being paid by people’s money to serve the Filipino nation?

Even the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of US have forecasted nearly a week the course of Sendong before it hits the Philippines but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is fast asleep in picking up this urgent information that could somehow save lives if they just heed the international forecast.

If Metro Manila Philippines have annual film festival so called “Metro Manila Film Festival(MMFF)” during the Christmas period, likewise also, Olongapo city Philippines is planning to have its own too ,but not yet clear if it is during Christmas season or just part of the “fiesta” in Olongapo city via Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. collaboration.

For recently, the Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. have invaded Olongapo city and held a film festival last November 26-30,this year 2011entitled “Cinemalaya Sa Gapo” at the Olongapo City Convention Center wherein the government officials of Olongapo city were inspired to have their own film festival which they will entitled “SineGapo Film Festival”, since according to them, the recent film festival brought by Cinemalaya to them have somewhat connection to their vision for Olongapo city and according to Olongapo city Mayor James “Bong’ Gordon jr., their city is a best place to build film production studios that is similar to Universal Studios in California for the city’s forest hubs, seaport, airport, bays and the Subic Bay Freeport Zone says it could be. Moreover, having a film festival will benefit more the city’s tourism industry. As Olongapo city councilor De los Reyes said:

“We see Cinemalaya as one of the more appropriate avenues to carry out our vision. We have begun our efforts in encouraging and exposing Olongapenos to the arts, particularly by sending a delegation during the opening of the recent Cinemalaya Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, “

But actually, it was the Olongapo councilor Bugsy De la Torre who brought or do the initiative to bring the Cinemalaya on their city as part of their fiesta events being him as the fiesta executive committee chairman. For the purpose why he brought the Cinemalaya on their city because according to him, he or the local government of Olongapo city wants to discover and support young filmmakers that could arise and could be in their city thus, he wants to have a collaboration of the city with Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. and will eventually create their annual film festival entitled “SineGapo Film Festival” similar to Metro Manila Film Festival but their own film festival is different compare to Metro Manila Film festival because theirs are from Cinemalaya rather than from the mainstream film studios.

As Olongapo city councilor Edic Piano says,being a vice chairman of the fiesta committee:

“We hope to screen Cinemalaya films yearly..The plan is to eventually make our own films and create what we would call a ‘SineGapo Film Festival’”

The Cinemalaya Foundation Inc, have no any hesitations regarding the plan collaboration since it is the aim of the foundation to bring their films on the regions of the Philippines. As Cinemalaya Festival Director Nestor O. Jardin says “

“The CCP and Cinemalaya Foundation have always worked together in the past to bring Cinemalaya to the regions. This is part of our outreach program aimed at promoting Philippine independent cinema to as many Filipinos as possible by showcasing films that speak of the unique Philippine culture, experience and values which one would not normally see in the mainstream cinema. We therefore look at this project as educational in thrust.”

Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit or according to them no-for-profit and non-government foundation that is dedicated and committed on the development and promotion of Philippine Independent Film that held annual film competition and festival by Filipino independent film makers which aims “…to encourage the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers – works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. It also aims to invigorate the Philippine filmmaking by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers….”

“Mega Epal” case is what Bayan Muna party list Representative Teddy Casino see at Bohol Representative Rene Relampagos’ propose bill to rename again the main circumferential road and highway of Manila that stretched from Balintawak in Quezon City to Pasay City which is originally known as 19 de Junio (June 19) and then as Highway 54 and then EDSA; from Epifanio de los Santos Avenue(EDSA) into Cory Aquino Avenue which violates the “Anti-Epal” Bill of not attaching the name of any Philippine politicians in any government infrastructure.
Aside from violating the “Anti-Epal” Bill, Bayan Muna party list Representative Teddy Casino, said that what happened on People Power on the grounds of EDSA is not about Corazon (Cory) Aquino but the uprising that took place on EDSA is about the people’s struggle against “tyranny” of Ferdinand Marcos, according to him. Thus, according to him, it is not right to rename EDSA into Cory Aquino Avenue.

With the same sentiments, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said that that it is difficult to erase the name EDSA because according to him, that is already an institution that Filipinos should honor rather than discard it and that should not be tampered. Moreover, he even suggest that the Aquino administration that wants highway that can be name in his late mother should instead rename the road that leads to Hacienda Luisita (perhaps, Lagman refers to SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway))

Filipino netizens also disagree about the proposed bill and utterly say “No” to it and even scoff Cory because Cory was not really present during the People Power but some says she is in Cebu during those times, as well Bohol Representative Rene Relampagos who propose the bill was scoff and label as “sip-sip” on the Aquino clan.

But Bohol Representative Rene Relampagos said that he has an idea to rename EDSA into Cory Aquino Avenue because according to him that one cannot think of 1986 EDSA Revolution without thinking of Corazon C. Aquino, thus, according to him, it is only fitting to give her the tribute.

However, actually, this idea of renaming again the Highway 54 into a new name or from EDSA into Cory Aquino Avenue was not originally an idea of Bohol Representative Rene Relampagos but rather it was first an idea of former senator Mar Roxas who propose it days after when Cory died of colon cancer.

By the way, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) was constructed during the presidency of Manuel L.Quezon and was originally named after the birthday of the famous Filipino hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, thus the highway got its first name as 19 de Junio or June 19.And then was renamed into Highway 54 under Republic Act No. 2140 in 1959 and again was further renamed in honor of a noted Filipino historian, Epifanio de los Santos. Thus, EDSA or Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

So far, this city in the Philippines is the first to recognize gay rights within their city and create a rights desk for the gays, transgender, lesbians, and bisexuals city within their Anti-Discrimination Ordinance compare to other cities in the Philippines that still promotes discrimination among their gays transgender,lesbians and bisexual constituents – Angeles City, Pampanga.

Angeles city Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan has ordered the creation of “Gay Rights Desk” that will link to Angeles City Multi-Sectoral Consultative Council (ACMCC) wherein the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender will also have privileges to experience the services and promotions that promote their welfare and rights in the society like to those class of people that has been discriminated unjustly in the society. According to Mayor Pamintuan, he wants his city or he wants Angeles city to be a kind of city in the Philippines that is sensitive to equal rights and welfare of all types of people in the society and that values equality and human rights.

“I want Angeles City to be the most sensitive city and local government in the Philippines to gender equality and gay rights!…… Here in Angeles, one’s right is everyone’s right. Consider Angeles City as a hallowed ground insofar as respecting and advancing the rights and welfare of all citizens are concerned,” – he said.

Consequently, spokesperson of the Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines (ProGay), Goya Candelario commend and praised Mayor Pamintuan for his sensitivity among the LGBT community within his city and for recognizing the LGBT community as part of a society that contributes to the progress of a community or society.

“…our way of recognizing the role and potentials of the gay sector in the development and progress of our city.” –Mayor Pamintuan.

The Philippines’s bet for the new Seven Wonders of the World or New Seven Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa Underground River from Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines is now one of the new Seven Wonders of the World or New Seven Wonders of Nature but only at provisional state last November 11, 2011 or just temporarily as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World or New Seven Wonders of Nature. Among those nominees that make it on the provisional state are The Amazon Rainforest or Amazonia by Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela; Halong Bay by Vietnam, Iguazu Falls by Argentina, Brazil; Jeju Island by South Korea; Komodo by Indonesia; and Table Mountain by South Africa.
The vote for the real winners of the New Seven Wonders of Nature is still going on and will be officially announce at the first quarter of year 2012 on the official inauguration ceremonies for the Real New Seven Wonders of Nature which means the Philippines’ bet for the New Seven Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa Underground River is still in the brink of being eliminated from the top seven unless the Filipino people will continue to vote for it until the official inauguration of the real confirmed winners.

So therefore, let’s hope the Philippines’s bet Puerto Princesa Underground River will be included on the final and official New Seven Wonder of Nature this coming year 2012; so vote now!

Almost Pinoy Indie Films when screen abroad on international award giving bodies, it wins an award compare to mainstream films that sometimes could no able to make it. For Pinoy indie films are really Films that have substance wherein audience could pick up something important or could learn something; indie films are not just pure entertainment film like the mainstream films which are sometimes are just pure entertainment to gain large sum of money, thus the quality and essence of the film is compromise always; but indie films are educational films that awakens the senses and mind of the audience watching it. Therefore, the reason for this type of Pinoy films to be successful always on international award giving bodies.

The latest on the list of successful Pinoy indie films that have been given international recognition is the Indie Film directed by a Filipino from Mindanao region of the Philippines and theme is also regional. This latest Pinoy Indie Film that has garnered an international recognition is the indie Film – “HALAW” (Ways of the Sea).

Halaw is a Pinoy Indie Film that tackles the struggles of Filipinos crossing the Sulu Sea in a makeshift boat just to work in Malaysia, illegally. This Pinoy Indie Film is directed by a Pinoy Mindanaon Filipino – Sheron Dayoc, who now works in Singapore for Xtreme Productions as a program director for TV content and documentaries for the Asian area. I guess his job at Singapore is brought by the success of his first Pinoy Indie Film “Halaw” which have received some big recognition and awards, namely, as the best picture in the World Cinema Narrative festival tied with British film “Lost in Italy”; have won the Top prize in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen Film Festival and Special Mention prize at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival; a special selection at the Adana Golden Boll International Film Festival at the “Asia to Africa” section of the festival, and currently received recommendation from the Philippine Consulate General to watch it at the Chicago International Film Festival.

According to Sheron Dayoc, his film Halaw is a regional film which should every Filipino watch especially those in Manila in order to discover that the Philippines doesn’t revolve only on Manila stories but there are untold stories outside Manila that should be brought into the mainstream consciousness of every Filipinos that has been accustomed to common usual Manila stories. He says “there are many untold stories outside Manila. It’s about time that the richness of the culture of our provinces, whether from the northernmost part of Luzon or the southernmost point of Mindanao, was shown to the world..”

Crocodile have been known in the world to be the monster on the still waters of a lake, swamp and marsh that attacks anyone who step in their body on the waters they dominated similar to killer sharks that king over the deep oceans; the Philippines is not spare from having such reptilian animal of course. But what is now shocking is the latest news about the discovery that the Philippines so far have the largest crocodile in the world.

Who would imagine that the largest crocodile species in the world so far can be found in the Philippines? Is not it?

The discovery was led by the handful reports of attacks on a schoolgirl, a fisherman and grown Carabao from the town of Bunawan Agusan del Sur through which the town mayor was prompted to ask assistance from Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) to capture the big predator on the shallow waters of Agusan marsh.

The Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) team was headed by a veteran crocodile hunter Mr. Ernesto “Lolong” Conate who later dies because of too much stress on waiting to catch the big predator before he and his team have caught finally the big crocodile wherein the big pinoy crocodile was named after him – Lolong.
Lolong, the largest Pinoy Crocodile and the largest crocodile in the world so far measuring 6.4 meters of 21 feet was captured at the Agusan marsh the day the “Lolong” man died or the day Ernesto “Lolong” Conate was then turn into the cage and care of Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC). Shortly, after Lolong, the largest Pinoy crocodile have caught; another two more crocodiles have been spotted on the marsh of Agusan. Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) later said that the marsh of Agusan is a home or sanctuary of wildlife thus another crocodiles have appeared on it.

The Philippine Wildlife also clarifies that crocodile attacks in the Philippines is seldom to happen because according to them, crocodiles are not aggressive reptilian animals contrary to the public consciousness or public perception about crocodiles; crocodiles just attack when they felt threaten or under attack by humans or by other being that provokes them to do the attacks.

According to the Philippine Wildlife, crocodiles actually have no any willful inclination and intention to attack humans for food. For according to their records, there are many wildlife sanctuaries in the Philippines wherein crocodiles live peacefully together with humans there. It is just the human versus wildlife species like crocodiles conflicts brings forth the onslaughts of crocodiles on humans as some cases of crocodile attacks on humans.

Actually, there is a request of Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to bring back “Lolong” the Philippine largest crocodile so far on its sanctuary at Agusan marsh but there are also some who opposes this request.

However, the people of Agusan town themselves though opposes the killing of “Lolong” refuse to bring back “Lolong” to the Agusan marsh but rather instead the local government of Agusan wanted to erect a wildlife park if in case “Lolong” will return. For they do not wanted anymore the fear they had when “Lolong” was still at the Agusan marsh.
Actually, some people also there wanted to catch more the other crocodiles lurking on the 13,910 hectare Agusan marsh which they believe to be more bigger than “Lolong” and though relived temporarily, the town people of Agusan still believe that “Lolong” could not be the man eater crocodile which have victimized handful of people in their towns and there could be another crocodiles on the marsh which needed to be caught.

Hotel accommodation is very important if one travels and stay for tourism purpose on a foreign land compare to a little cottage or a hostel; hotel is a preferable place to stay and rest instead. However, it depends on what kind of hotel one will check-in; if these hotels have all the service one needs while staying on a foreign land.
In the Philippines, there are many first-class hotels, tourists both locals and foreigners could check-in; now lately a new first-class hotel has been erected to serve the tourist population of Samar Islands – the Ciriaco Hotel & Resort – which have opened last November last year.

The first class hotel and resort was erected to serve the tourist population of Samar Islands since Samar Islands is one of the best tourists places in the Philippines that have all the tourist spots and adventures, tourists would like to see, experience and enjoy. That is, Samar Islands have beautiful islets with white beaches, historical places to learn, have good surfing and diving sites, waterfalls, rivers; caves and other natural wonders of nature Samar Islands is blessed with.

Actually, Ciriaco Hotel & Resort is the only hotel of its kind in Samar Islands compare to others. For it offers first class Hotel accommodation that features many amenities and facilities which modern tourists could enjoy.

Among them are:

1. Spacious fully air-conditioned rooms with 37” LCD TVs with cable connection and phone connection. The rooms have of course own T&B with rainforest showers; rooms have also work desks and luggage racks and with high speed internet access.

2. A two function rooms

3. A Business Center with secretarial, fax, photocopying, computer rentals, presentation equipment rentals, and a courier service.

4. A Café Bar with bands playing nightly from Thursday to Sunday weekly.

5. A laundry and pressing service

6. A Money Exchange Service

7. A personalized wake up calls Service

8. A Free Breakfast
…and More..

If you are interested to check this first class hotel in Samar Islands, the next time you want to visit the islands, Ciriaco Hotel & Resort is located along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Bagacay, Calbayog City Samar.

By the way, Ciriaco Hotel & Resort is still ongoing improvement to make it more first class hotel in the Samar Islands wherein both local and foreign tourists could enjoy their tourist stay at the Samar islands and their tourist experience on the Samar Islands.

Makati city Philippines is known in the world as one of the cities in the Philippines that thrives on commerce and banking and innovative business technology; recently, the Makati city have tried another new advanced technology to boost more its economic standing within the Metro. However, the Makati city government said that this technology is still “free of charge” until it is proven effective on the field test, only then the Makati city will enter a financial agreement of its usage within the city.

The technology is about capturing traffic violators accurately or a traffic control system called QPAX Traffic System that will capture traffic violators within the city.

Makati city Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay and his fellow government officials in Makati city have recently entered an agreement with the said traffic technology with an Australian based company who owns the QPAX Traffic System technology to be field test on the road realm of Makati city free of charge for feasibility study purposes until it is proven effective only then the Makati city government will bring out funds to fund the usage of the technology within the city.

As it is said on their agreement, once the traffic device (the QPAX Traffic System) have collected enough datas to certify the feasibility of the traffic device system, to caught correct and accurate traffic violators as well as establishing a strong traffic control management, then this traffic control technology will permanently installed and use on Makati city traffic lights wherein the Makati city government will shouldered the finance of it through getting taxes from its people to generate funds for its usage within the city.

The QPAX Traffic System device will capture traffic violators and even jaywalkers within the Makati roads which will be mounted next to a traffic light for about three months free of charge.

The traffic device is using a red light camera that will capture image of a driver or people that violate traffic laws which will ensure filing of cases or imputing punishment on correct and accurate traffic violators compare to human traffic enforcers that is ineffective and even corrupt. An IT specialist even boast that QPAX Traffic System technology is incorruptible compare to human traffic enforcers, but the IT specialist overlook that QPAX is just a machine that is susceptible of making errors if it malfunctions. Thus, it is also corruptible.

By the way, Makati city is the first city in the Philippines to use such traffic control technology.