China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic said his team need to play smarter after missing out on an Olympic qualifying spot at the Basketball World Cup with a fourth defeat Saturday.
China slumped to a 96-75 loss to the Philippines in Manila to bring an end to a disastrous tournament for the basketball-obsessed nation.
By the time their game had ended, Japan had already claimed the one Asian qualifying spot for the Paris Games available at the World Cup.
Japan beat Cape Verde 80-71 in Okinawa for their third win to finish the tournament as Asia's highest-placed team.
China managed only one win from five games and Djordjevic said his team's "loss of focus and concentration" was to blame against the Philippines, after being outscored 34-11 in the third quarter.
"Once you're tired, once the difficulties start, you have to use your head -- our head was not used in the proper way tonight in the second half," he said.
"Basketball is a game for thinkers. You must think in every possession, you must understand what is happening on both sides of the floor."
Djordjevic said he would not quit as head coach and would lead the team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this month.
He said the team "must learn from this" and vowed to pick largely the same group of players.
"Everybody brings responsibility, the head coach is the first one," he said.
"That's how it happens. It's sport, we've got to try to get better every day, that's our job."
Four spots for the 12-team Paris Olympics will still be up for grabs at next year's qualifying tournament.
Comedienne Noeme Tesorero, popularly known as Mahal, passed away on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. Ayon kay Irene Tesorero - Ang aming kapatid na si Mahal ay pumanaw na. Wala pang schedule sa kanyang burol due ro COVID restrictions.
MANILA, Philippines — Twitter has suspended accounts defending President Rodrigo Duterte under hashtags in support of the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response.
“Hundreds of accounts” were in violation of the social media platform’s manipulation and spam policies, according to a report from The Washington Post on Thursday.
Quoting Twitter, the report said behaviors that violate Twitter’s rules on spam include posting “duplicate” content across multiple accounts, creating multiple accounts and sending large numbers of unsolicited replies or mentions.
Under Twitter’s rules and policies on platform manipulation and spam, it is said that the platform may not be used if it is “intended to artificially amplify or suppress information or engage in behavior that manipulates or disrupts people’s experience.”
This policy prohibits misleading others by “operating fake accounts” which engage in “spamming, abusive or disruptive behavior.”
Several hashtags in support and of dissent to the President recently climbed the top trending topics on Twitter Philippines following his late night public addresses on COVID-19.
These include #OustDuterte, #IStandWithThePresident, #ICantStandThePresident and #OursDuterte.
MANILA, Philippines — Fifteen more individuals were confirmed to have contracted the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the total to 202 as of noon Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.
As of this writing, the DOH has not given details on the 15 new COVID-19 patients.
Meanwhile, three more patients were also reported to have recovered from the disease.
Among those who have recovered is a 24-year-old Filipino man from Makati (PH15) who has a travel history to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He was admitted to a private hospital last March 7 and was discharged last Sunday, March 15, after testing negative twice for the virus.
A 34-year-old Filipino man from Camarines Sur (PH26), one of two Filipinos aboard the MV Princess Diamond cruise ship who tested positive for COVID-19 last March 10, has also recovered from the disease.
Another 34-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City (PH13) with a travel history from Australia was discharged last Sunday after recovering and testing negative twice for COVID-19.
He was admitted on March 6 and tested positive of the virus on March 9.
The World Health Organization declared the disease as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 5,000 people and infected 110,000 others worldwide.
The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.
The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.
Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.
Most people who have COVID-19 can recover as its symptoms are mild, such as fever and cough. But the illness can be more serious for others, possibly leading to pneumonia, especially the older adults and those with existing health problems.
MANILA, Philippines — Hotels and other similar establishments will no longer be allowed to accept new booking accommodations during the enhanced community quarantine of the entire island of Luzon due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the whole of Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine until April 12 to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, which has infected 187 in the country and killed 14.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said no hotels or similar establishment will be allowed to operate during the quarantine period, except those accommodating the following:
* guests who have existing booking accommodation for foreigners as of March 17
* guests who have existing long-term leases
* employees from exempted establishments under the provisions of March 16, 2020, memorandum from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and its subsequent modifications and clarifications.
Duterte’s order stopped all public transportation and strictly enforced home quarantine protocols.
Exempted from the work stoppage, however, are all businesses, services, and activities related to the production or provision of food, medicine and health, banking and finance, public utilities and mass media.
The President also allows BPO establishments and export-oriented industries to continue operations provided that they would observe “strict social distancing measures.”
MANILA, Philippines — Veteran actor Eddie Garcia passed away Thursday afternoon at the Makati Medical Center. He was 90 years old.
A radio report, citing a medical bulletin issued by the doctors at the Makati Medical Center, said Garcia, Eduardo Garcia in real life, died at 4:55 p.m.
“We join the entire Filipino community in praying for the soul of Mr. Garcia and his dearly beloved family and friends. We extend our deepest condolences to the Garcia family,” the medical bulletin read.
On June 8, Garcia was hospitalized after he suffered neck fracture while filming for an upcoming teleserye.
The family first issued a statement saying that the actor had a heart attack on set.
The actor’s family has agreed to a “do not resuscitate” (DNR) instruction in case Garcia stops breathing.
Garcia, a screen legend, was among the pillars of the Philippine showbiz industry.
Recently, the actor was awarded Best Actor at the 42nd Gawad Urian Awards for his role in the Cinemalaya film “ML.”
He was survived by his longtime partner, Lilibeth Romero. He also has a daughter, Lisa Ortega. who lives in San Diego, California. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)
Joey “Pepe” Smith will be laid to rest at 3 p.m. today, Feb. 3, after a five-day wake at Loyola Memorial Park in Parañaque.
When the 71-year-old King of Pinoy Rock died of cardiac arrest Jan. 28, members of three families he left behind were initially worried about funeral and burial costs.
Smith was not financially secure at the time of his death, but, just like in his roller-coaster ride of a career, help came shortly.
A fundraising campaign was launched on the website gogetfunding.com, and it didn’t take long before the target amount of P300,000 was completed. Red Horse Beer, the brand Smith had endorsed for years, pitched in.
Wally Gonzalez, who with Mike Hanopol and Smith, comprised the pioneering Pinoy Rock trio Juan dela Cruz Band, estimated Smith must’ve earned at least P30 million from his past Red Horse sponsorship deal. But apparently he didn’t save some of it, or worse, he didn’t see all the money.
He was too generous, “masyadong mabait,” Wally said.
If it’s an insinuation that Smith was a spendthrift at the peak of his successful comeback, after struggling to regain his rock-star status following his release from jail in 1994, there’s also proof that people felt responsible, if not obliged, to make life easy for him.
Smith had been a working musician since his teens. By 1966, he was famous as the drummer and, later, frontman of The Downbeats.
Almost down and out
But in 1994, he was almost down and out, having spent 19 months in jail on drug charges. He could’ve rotted in the slammer, were it not for auspicious timing—the owners of the then newly opened ’70s Bistro wanted him for a big concert at Luneta.
I was asked to visit him in jail and to get an update on his case, which he said had a good chance of being dismissed, but unfortunately his lawyer from the Public Attorney’s Office died.
One of his well-meaning friends, Apa Ongpin, exerted efforts to have him freed, but it took lawyer Wijohn Reyes of ’70s Bistro to take over and argue Smith’s case, which led to his acquittal.
As it happened, I was also designated to fetch Smith from jail and bring him later in the evening to ’70s Bistro for a celebration. While treating him to merienda of Pancit Malabon in my sister’s eatery, I found myself telling Smith, then 47, that he was not getting younger; however, he could still make music, and that I would help by working as his manager (with Arthur Pimentel).
Those were damn difficult years, although Smith’s first comeback gig, held at Club Dredd, drew a full-house crowd that earned him and his band a princely sum.
Managing Smith meant abono, drawing cash from my own pocket or accumulating a listahan ng utang from my sis’ restaurant, where his kids would get their meals.
But many friends attended to Smith’s needs—dentists, surgeons, eye doctors, and a former manager who facilitated a one-time cash sponsorship of P500,000.
After my stint, Smith had around five more managers, the most financially rewarding being the one who handled the Red Horse Beer endorsement, which Gonzalez said lasted 10 years.
But even as Smith suffered painful setbacks in the last few months of his life, he was happy that his children had grown up fine and found gainful employment, some abroad.
The eldest, Queenie, Smith’s daughter from a past relationship with Gigi Laguyan, flew in from Myanmar where she’s a special education teacher.
Delta and Desiderata, two daughters Smith had with Rose Acuña, and now both living in Australia, also came home for the wake.
Curiously, Smith had sired another daughter, a Japanese, who’s now a scientist, said one of Smith’s musician friends.
Legacy
In the late ’70s, Ricky de Ungria, then writing for Jingle music magazine, asked Smith what he wished to be remembered for. “Basta ni-rakenrol ko ang Pilipinas,” he quipped.
Last week, fans and friends flooded Facebook with recollections and affirmations of Smith’s lasting legacy. Many of them had fond memories of chance encounters and good times with him, accompanied by photos of each of them with Smith.
But while most fans measure Smith’s musical influence via three Juan dela Cruz studio albums (1973’s “Himig Natin,” 1974’s “Maskara” and 1981’s “Kahit Anong Mangyari”) and two solo songs (“Summer Wind” and “Sa ’Yo”), they should also listen to his last recorded work, “Idiosyncracies,” a 12-track CD he did with longtime collaborator, guitarist Jun Lopito and bassist Dondi Ledesma, who also produced the sessions in his then home studio in Pasay.
The album encountered problems with the record label that released it, but is available via streaming on Spotify.
While he said he wasn’t looking forward to flaunting his body on the big screen, actor Kit Thompson claimed he would do so if work required it.
Kit became controversial because of his role in the 2014 Cinemalaya entry “#Y,” where his character Ping Ronquillo had a steamy shower scene. In one media gathering, Kit was asked whether he would be okay to doing frontal nudity, something similar to what American actor Michael Fassbender did in “Shame.”
Kit replied: “I’m open to anything. If I like the script, I will do it. Thankfully, there hasn’t been any similar requirement in the projects that I’ve done so far… When I do work, it’s not about me, but the character.”
Kit was part of the 4th season of the reality series “Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition.” After his stint in the ABS-CBN program, he bagged other projects like “Kahit Puso’y Masug atan,” “Must Be Love,” “Galema” and “Forevermore.”
Kit then went to New York City and then to Los Angeles in California to study acting. “It was more of a personal thing. I love what I’m doing so I really want to be the best that I can be,” he declared.
Kit’s trip to the United States was after he got arrested at a music event in Clark, Pampanga, for marijuana use. The 21-year-old actor claimed to have learned from the experience, but refused to elaborate.
“Feeling free, I guess,” he explained. “You know, I was still young then. It’s all part of growing up, committing mistakes and learning from them.”
When he returned to Manila, Kit joined the cast of Cathy Garcia-Molina’s “The Hows of Us.” He is currently working on another Cinemalaya entry, Joji Alonso’s romantic drama “Belle Douleur,” with Mylene Dizon; as well as a digital web series, where he plays a lawyer.
“I don’t mind going bolder, but it’s not really heading in that direction with the projects I’m doing so far,” said Kit.
Since reuniting with mom Jackie Forster after over a decade apart, pro basketball player Kobe Paras seems to be on cloud nine.
Paras, 20, has revealed on Instagram Stories how thrilled he was to meet his half-siblings in the United States and has been posting pictures of him and his mother. The mother and son even bonded together watching Bruno Mars in Manila.
For Mother’s Day, he dedicated three Instagram posts to Forster, one of which detailed his happiness to be with his biological mom.
“Happy Mother’s Day to my best friend, twin, shopping buddy, other half, super mom!! I have never felt so complete in my life,” wrote Paras in a post where he shared his mother’s portrait.
“Being able to call you my mother is the best thing ever! I am so grateful that God has blessed me with the best mother in the whole universe.
“I just want to thank you for never giving up on me or kuya, for always fighting for us, and for always praying for our well being,” he said.
Paras praised his mom’s inner and outer beauty: “You have the strongest heart, the most beautiful mind, the most charming personality, and the prettiest frickinnnnn face in the world!!!!
“I will never ever let you go. Ever,” he promised. “You’re my inspiration and my motivation, mama. Happy Mother’s day, ma!”
Forster has actively fought to be with her sons with cager Benjie Paras, 22-year-old Andre and Kobe, even if they have explicitly refused to have a relationship with her in the past.
The two were raised by their father and his wife Lyxen Diomampo, with whom Forster has had a public feud.
In an official statement made via GMA Network, Paras said their father never forced them on decisions regarding their mother and that it was on their own that they decided to distance themselves, then later reconcile with her.
Forster has three children with her second husband and is based in the U.S. She marked Mother’s Day with a picture of herself and individual photos of her five children.
“My journey through motherhood hasn’t been easy. I started at 16 and feel like I’m coming full circle early at 39,” she recounted.
She promised her children unconditional love and added, “You will all be mama’s babies even when the day comes that that I can no longer be by your side.” JB
The United States has turned over rocket motors and rockets to the Philippine Air Forces to aid in the government’s counterterrorism efforts.
The US Embassy in Manila said on Saturday that “officials from the Joint United States Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) recently delivered 1,040 2.75” rocket motors and 992 2.75″ rockets to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) through the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA).”
“These timely transfers greatly enhance the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) counterterrorism efforts,” the statement said, adding that munitions and weapons from the US will help AFP members “actively engaged in counterterrorism operations in the southern Philippines, including Marawi.”
It said the latest delivery is part of a “series of upcoming transfers from the US military to multiple branches of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) through both MLSA and the security assistance program.”
“Through the MLSA, the AFP is able to receive select munitions and equipment from US military stock in an accelerated process reserved for allies and close partners of the United States,” the Embassy said.
It said future deliveries include 250 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 1,000 M203 grenade launchers delivered for the Philippine Army.
“The United States is a proud and steadfast ally of the Philippines and will continue to provide support to the AFP’s long-term modernization goals and counterterrorism needs,” the Embassy said.
Inquirer calls for support for the victims in Marawi City
Responding to appeals for help, the Philippine Daily Inquirer is extending its relief to victims of the attacks in Marawi City
Cash donations may be deposited in the Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco De Oro (BDO) Current Account No: 007960018860.
Inquiries may be addressed to Inquirer’s Corporate Affairs office through Connie Kalagayan at 897-4426, ckalagayan@inquirer.com.ph and Bianca Kasilag-Macahilig at 897-8808 local 352, bkasilag@inquirer.com.ph.
For donation from overseas:
Inquirer Foundation Corp account:
Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco De Oro (BDO) Current Account No: 007960018860
It’s the people—they are the Philippines’ best attraction. I love the people,” Jeremy Jauncey told Lifestyle that after his lunch with media recently, when Bench introduced this 32-year-old guy dubbed as the “The Hottest Male Traveler on the Planet.”
Of course, the lifestyle media tried to stay focus on his words, as they tried not to get distracted by his looks. Jauncey is the latest international endorser of the global lifestyle brand, Bench.
What endeared him more to his media audience was his declaration that he loved the Philippines. Jauncey is the founder and CEO of Beautiful Destinations (BD), the award-winning creative agency behind the world’s largest travel community on social media.
With over 13 million followers from 180 countries, BD celebrates the different people, places and cultures of the world.
The BD Instagram alone has an 8.7 million following. Jauncey has managed to build his own social media empire.
He’s been dubbed as “The Globetrotting Hunk” and “The Hottest Male Traveler on the Planet.” He prods everyone to get out there and to go on one’s next great adventure.
Jauncey goes on speaking tours to encourage people to travel and to experience the beauty of the world. As people travel more, the team-up of Jauncey and Bench is a much-needed reminder that if there is ever a good time to discover our country’s hot spots, this would be it.
In line with Bench’s #LoveLocal advocacy, Jauncey is working with the brand to encourage Filipinos to love local destinations.
During his brief stay here, Jauncey had a meet-and-greet at SM Mega Fashion Hall, gave lecture to students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and University of Asia & the Pacific on building a social media platform and how it can be used to promote local destinations.
That’s what the Miss Universe candidates did in their short visit here Thursday.
Less than an hour after they arrived, the 29 candidates were herded into a waiting bus for a very late lunch at the Eden Nature Park and Resort, a mountain haven in Toril District, more than an hour ride from the Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
There, they were welcomed by schoolchildren who waited for more than three hours. The candidates had a brief dance showdown with the Bagobo children, but the resort was off limits to media.
The 29 candidates did not have the time to try the mountain resort’s adrenaline-pumping rides like the Skyswing, Skycycle and the zipline as they had to rush back to the SMX Convention Center for the Mindanao Tapestry fashion show.
With the event already delayed for more than an hour, the paying audience were made to wait outside the venue because the girls still had to do some runway rehearsals.
A pre-show at the mall’s foyer featured local models dressed by Mindanao designers Ronnie Nacua, Toffy Ledesma, John Bonnie Adaza, Bamba Limon, Nicky de Asis, Richie Uy delos Santos, Steffy Dacalus, Joey Hambala, Windel Mira, Grand Crizzel Ravacio, Pepe Quitco, Che Aranjuez, Mark Sayad, Ivan Raborar, Wilfred Yee, Akmad Kari Jr., and Saidali Abdilla Jr..
The main show opened with Miss USA Deshauna Barber wearing homegrown designer Aztec Barba’s gown.
Barba’s creation was followed by nine other Davao designers, including Mindanao fashion czar Alfonso “Boy” Giuno-o’s which was modeled by Miss Philippines Maxine Madina.
The local designers included Silverio Anglacer and Kenny Lagada, and Davao Fashion and Design Council members Emi Englis, Kenny Ladaga, Benjie Panizales, Dodjie Batu, Edgar Buyan, Wilson Limon and Egay Ayag.
Short video presentations on how the Mindanao fabrics are woven and tribal dances served as “in-betweeners” for the show.
The candidates also wore collections made by Manila-based designer Renee Salud who used Maguindanao’s “inaul” for ball gowns, South Cotabato’s Tinalak for long gowns, Basilan’s hand-woven fabric “tennun” for casual wear and Maranao malong for trapeze dresses.
The show was capped with minor prizes given away by sponsor Pheonix Oil– Miss Philippines won Hiyas ng Pheonix, Miss Indonesia Kezia Warouw was Miss Smile, and Miss Venezuela Mariam Habach was named Miss Phoenix. IDL
Filipina-British child wonder Xia Vigor appeared on the local TV show “Your Face Sounds Familiar” on Sunday, shaking it off as none other than Taylor Swift and getting the nod of a Hollywood show-biz writer.
Vigor sang Swift’s 2008 chart-topper “You Belong with Me” and spruced up her stage allure with costume changes. Judges Sharon Cuneta, Ogie Alcasid and Gary Valenciano gave thumbs-up for Vigor’s vigorous imitation of the American pop star.
“That was such a great performance. Nasorpresa ako (I was surprised),” Cuneta told Vigor. “I like your energy tonight.”
Her impersonation made international headlines and impressed Swift’s fans and social media users.One of them was Hollywood gossip columnist Perez Hilton, who shared Vigor’s performance on Twitter. “This little girl doing Taylor Swift is everything I needed right now,” he tweeted on Monday. “The ending, though!”
Good news for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sending home “balikbayan” boxes to their loved ones.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Finance have signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) prescribing the guidelines on duty- and tax-free balikbayan boxes. The two agencies signed Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 05-2016, which serves as the IRR of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) covering the sending of such packages.
“We value the importance of each balikbayan box. (It) symbolizes the hardship of our (OFWs), and the love of Filipinos abroad for their families here in the country,” BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said.
Qualified Filipinos
CAO 05-2016 takes effect on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, and states that only qualified Filipinos abroad may avail themselves of duty- and tax-free privileges on balikbayan boxes containing personal effects and households goods.
Under the new CMTA, the tax exemption ceiling for balikbayan boxes has now been hiked to P150,000 as long as the items inside the box are not in commercial quantities.
3 times a year
OFWs may avail themselves of the duty- and tax-free privilege up to three times a year.
Defined as “qualified Filipinos abroad” are holders of valid passports issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and certified by the Department of Labor and Employment or the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration for overseas employment purposes.
Also included are nonresident Filipinos who have established permanent residency abroad but retained their Filipino citizenship, and resident Filipino citizens who temporarily stay abroad and hold a student visa, investors’ visa, tourist visa and similar visas.
To avail themselves of this privilege, qualified Filipinos must submit: a photocopy of the page of their Philippine passport with personal information, picture and signature, or a photocopy of their foreign passport with personal information, picture and signature, plus a copy of proof of their dual citizenship.
The qualified Filipino must also submit an invoice, receipt or equivalent document covering the goods in the balikbayan box. The sender must sign and submit as well the information sheet to be issued by the agency, with the document serving as the packing list.
Electronic format
The international forwarder or consolidator, meanwhile, must submit the information sheets and supporting documents in secured electronic format to the Philippine forwarder or deconsolidator.
The local forwarder shall then transmit the information sheet and supporting documents in a secured electronic format to the BOC, before the arrival of the balikbayan boxes to the Philippines.
For consolidated shipments by sea that have a three-day shipping time, documents must be submitted 24 hours before the package’s arrival. Those with a seven-day shipping time must have the documents submitted 48 hours before arrival.
For shipments coming from America, Europe, Middle East, and other parts of the world that do not fall under the above-mentioned shipping time, the documents must be submitted 10 days before arrival.
Consolidated shipments carried by aircraft and coming from Asia must have their documents submitted one hour before arrival. Those from other countries must have the documents submitted six hours before arrival.
The BOC said the qualified Filipino sender must also certify that only personal effects and household goods, in noncommercial quantities, are contained in the balikbayan boxes. These include clothes, foodstuff, grocery items, canned goods and other similar items.
A different order covers balikbayan boxes brought in through means other than consolidated shipments.
Faeldon urged all international and local forwarders, foreign consolidators and local deconsolidators to strictly follow the guidelines provided for in CAO 05-2016 to ensure that BOC personnel can expedite clearance procedures, and that all balikbayan boxes are delivered to their receiver with utmost care.
The BOC chief also reminded all port officials and personnel to follow the agency’s “no opening of balikbayan boxes” policy, and to expedite the release and handling of these boxes.
Gains in the fight against hunger in Asia-Pacific countries are slowing while obesity is on the rise as people in the world’s most populous region, including Filipinos, change their diet, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The FAO in its Regional Overview on Food Insecurity report said countries of Asia-Pacific must redouble their efforts if the Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger is to be met by 2030.
The Philippines is among Asia-Pacific countries that met the previous goal of reducing by half the incidence of hunger by 2015, as laid out in the 15-year Millennium Development Goals initiative.
According to the FAO, only 12 percent or 490 million of the region’s population remain undernourished.
“That 12 percent represents some of the poorest and hardest to reach people,” FAO regional representative Kundhavi Kadiresan said in a statement, “So the clock is ticking, but with political will and collective action we can reach our goal of zero hunger.”
The United Nations agency said it was possible to eradicate hunger, provided that a number of steps were followed, particularly by increasing investments in more efficient production methods and agricultural research.
“Most countries in this region are spending too little on agricultural research,” Kadiresan said, “So in order to meet both the zero hunger goal and ensure everyone is well nourished in Asia-Pacific by 2030, we will, collectively, need to put our money where our mouths are to ensure we can meet these twin challenges.”
Also, the FAO report takes into account other aspects of malnutrition arising from poor diets such as the rise in obesity and “hidden hunger” from micronutrient deficiency.
The agency said that while figures differ from country to country, the regional rate of obesity has been increasing by more than 3 percent yearly.
Based on data from the World Health Organization, the prevalence of overweight in the Philippines as of 2014 was close to 20 percent of the population and that of obesity by about 5 percent.
“In a study done in the Philippines, increasing urbanization with association to increasing Westernized food habits such as high fat diets, processed foods and consumption of refined carbohydrates; trade liberalization making available a wide variety of processed and fast foods; increased frequency of eating away from home; influence of mass media and sedentary lifestyles have been implicated in the rise of overweight and obesity,” the report said.
US President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to bring jobs back home as well as curb immigration are seen impacting on the Philippines’ business process outsourcing (BPO) sector as well as remittances, according to Moody’s Investors Service.
In a report released Thursday titled “Americas and Asia Pacific: Shift in US Policies Could Dampen Trade and Investment, Weaken Growth,” Moody’s said that “while the nature of policies under the next US administration is uncertain, President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign proposals indicate that a shift involving lower US imports and foreign direct investment (FDI), and curbs to immigration is possible.”
“While we expect trade agreements that have already been implemented to remain in place, US policies going forward could incentivize onshoring— the repatriation of jobs at overseas-based suppliers back to the US—and a focus on domestic production and sourcing. The countries that are most reliant on exports of high value-added goods and services, which would offer greatest onshoring potential, are more vulnerable to a potential shift in US trade policies,” the debt watcher said.
In particular, “India and the Philippines could also suffer in the event of policies that disincentivized foreign sourcing of business services,” Moody’s said. These two Asian countries are the biggest BPO destinations in the world. In the Philippines, the BPO sector is among the largest dollar earners, seen to surpass cash remittances from overseas Filipinos in the coming years.
As for Trump’s plan to tighten US immigration rules, Moody’s said it could curb remittances. “A tightening in immigration rules in the US would over time dampen growth in remittances from foreign workers, which are significant for some economies in Latin America and Asia-Pacific,” it said.
“In Asia-Pacific, exposure to remittances is smaller, although they still provide an important source of income for a number of countries. Remittances from the US are largest for the Philippines and Vietnam at 3.3 percent and 3.8 percent of GDP [gross domestic product], and 9.2 percent and 4.1 percent of current account receipts, respectively,” according to Moody’s.
The Philippines and Vietnam are nonetheless expected to withstand any negative impact on remittance flows from the US, Moody’s said.
For one, “the two countries’ current account surpluses and ample foreign exchange reserves would buffer any loss in remittance revenues.”
Citing World Bank data, Moody’s said remittances from the US account for about 34 percent of the total.
Remittance inflows to the Philippines account for 9.7 percent of the GDP, World Bank data showed.
MANILA — Malacañang is taking a wait-and-see approach on what the election of Donald Trump as United States President would mean for the business process outsourcing industry in the Philippines.
There have been concerns about whether US companies would continue to outsource certain services to the Philippines, given that Trump has advocated US job protectionism, in order to provide more employment opportunities to Americans.
The BPO industry has been one of the most robust in the Philippines.
On these concerns, the President’s spokesperson Ernesto Abella said it would be better to see first what Trump would actually do.
“While his campaign might have raised some concerns especially in the BPO sector, the reasonable response is to wait and see what the new administration’s policy pronouncement’s will be,” Abella said.
Investors could also be expected to go where it would be most beneficial to them, he said.
“As to the BPO industry investors, in the end they will decide and invest in business-friendly countries where they can get better returns,” he said. SFM
I met food photographer Aldwin Aspillera during a class that kitchen-tested my recipes for Destileria Limtuaco.
In between taking photos of the dishes, my students and I interviewed Aldwin and learned that he was a baker.
His culinary journey began at a young age, surrounded by food. His family owned a small restaurant called Mixmix. His aunt Tessie Lozano owned Pandakeña, a small panaderia in Pandacan, Manila.
Growing up, he felt comfortable in the kitchen, finding great joy in helping whip up their restaurant’s specialties and baking bread at Pandakeña’s.
In 1996, he pursued a Communication Arts degree at De La Salle University, where he discovered photography.
The heart, however, always finds its way home. After 15 years of being a photographer, he could no longer deny his inner calling. Aldwin took short courses at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies and College of St. Benilde to hone his pastry skills.
To him, bread ignites precious memories. He fondly remembered fresh pan de sal coming out of his aunt’s wood-fired pugon.
In February 2013, Aldwin and his girlfriend, Mich Demavivas, opened their own bakery, Tito Panadero, a 24-hour operation that specialized in local breads. While it did quite well, they realized that retail selling was not their thing. Managing the staff also proved difficult. They decided to close the bakeshop.
The closing of Tito Panadero left its old clients, mostly friends who owned small cafes and canteens, without a bread supplier. This led Aldwin to open Crust and Crumb in 2014.
The commissary supplies restaurants, coffee shops and catering companies with different types of bread, based on the customers’ preference. Aldwin works closely with his clients to meet their bread requirements.
Upon our prodding, Aldwin brought samples of his breads. The brioche loaf was fantastic —fragrant, light, with a firm bite. Though soft, it was stable enough to hold moist fillings without becoming soggy—a wonderful, all-around sandwich bread.
The squid ink buns were delightful, too. Like the brioche, it had a nice chew. Don’t be alarmed, it does not taste strange, but rather a well made bun—neutral, with no fishy aftertaste.
And the rainbow bread, what is there not to love? Its soft loaf bread swirled with happy colors. It reminded me of my childhood birthday celebrations. I’m sure the sight of it will do the same for you.
It was the happy colors of the rainbow that led to a tasty conversation on sandwich fillings. Some of my students shared their favorite recipes.
Abby Dichaves’ Chicken and Egg Spread 2 whole chicken breast, boiled and shredded
¼ cup celery, chopped
4- 6 pcs. boiled eggs, sliced
¼ cup carrots boiled and chopped
Salt to taste
White pepper , pinch
Sugar, pinch 1½-2 c mayonnaise, add according to preference
Mix to combine. Season to taste
Imelda Tan’s Tuna Apple Spread
2 cans tuna in brine, drained ½ c celery, chopped ¼ c carrots minced ½ c pineapple tidbits, drained 1 Fuji apple, diced ¾-1 cup Lady’s Choice sandwich spread, add according to preference
Mix to combine.
Judy Uy’s Bacon & Egg Sandwich Spread
9 strips of bacon cooked until crisp, chopped into small bits 6 hard boiled egg, chopped 1 tbsp craisins or raisins 2 chicken legs, cooked and shredded Salt and pepper, to taste 1 ½ tsp mustard 1-2 tbsp. pickle relish 1 ½-2 c mayonnaise, adjust accordingly
Mix to combine. Season to taste.
Alicia Yu’s Chicken Salad Spread (shared by daughter Ana Lee)
2 k chicken breast, thinly flaked 1 k potatoes steamed, small dice 1 kl carrots steamed, small dice 2 regular cans fruits cocktail, drained and cut into small pieces 2 small cans crushed pineapple 2½ bottle ( 700 ml ) of Lady’s Choice mayonnaise 3 tbsp sugar 1/2 tbsp salt 1 tsp MSG
Mix to combine.
Aldwin’s recipe
Aldwin also shared his Smoked Salmon Sandwich on Squid Ink Buns recipe.
Cream Cheese Spread: Combine 3 tbsp cream cheese, ½ tsp fresh dill, ½ tsp garlic powder, and a pinch of pepper. Mix well.
1 squid ink bun Cream cheese spread 3 slices of smoked salmon 2 slices of avocado 1 poached egg
Slice the bun. Spread cream cheese mixture on both sides of the bread.
Lay the salmon. Top with avocados and finish with poach egg.
Other offerings of Aldwin’s commissary include sourdough pan de sal, multigrain and wholewheat bread.
Call 0917-4504688, minimum of four loaves per order. For a copy of my holiday cooking class schedule, call 0908-2372346, 0917-5543700
Viewers of Filipino noontime variety show Eat Bulaga's Kalyeserye welcomed a new character – "Rogelia" the reliever. He is Sinon Loresca in real life. Sinon conquer the attention of Eat Bulaga's Kalyeserye fans because of his good looks, bare chest, hot guy male body but wait, Rogelio a Rogelia with ladylike character....
Sinon revealed on his Facebook that he's working as a Sales Associate and a Partime Model in London, United Kingdom.
Sandwiches have always been the go-to meal for anyone who just wants a quick bite during the day, and usual favorites include simply putting cheese or peanut butter and jelly in between two slices of bread. While these are tasty to some, we somehow still look for something that’s different and would actually fill our stomachs aside from the mainstream delis we see everywhere.
And then, there’s Alley, a restaurant-café that serves up savory sandwiches and other comfort food items that your hungry soul can indulge in any time of the day.
Inspired by her brother’s trip to Spain, Alley co-owner Bern Tenchavez explains that “of all the restaurants he’s eaten in in Spain, what he liked the most were the ones located in alleys,” which is why the restaurant’s interiors are reminiscent of the country.
Meanwhile, head chef Thirdy Dolatre makes sure that their dishes are made fresh to keep up their home-cooked vibe. Even the potato bread that they use for their sandwiches are freshly baked in their kitchen thanks to Thirdy’s previous stint at Wildflour.
One of their popular creations is the Pattycake, which is a meat lover’s dream. This sandwich boasts of a juicy Angus beef patty, along with crispy onion strings, and melted cheddar cheese, all squeezed between two slices of toasted potato bread. You can bet that this is a fancier version of the classic cheeseburger, and instead of french fries, you get a side dish of baked chicharon with a tangy orange and star anise dip.
Another favorite is Breakfast in Bread, which is pretty self-explanatory as it contains almost all breakfast staples like smoked bacon, fried eggs, cheddar cheese, and strawberry jam. There’s no need to order a big morning platter when you bite into this sandwich.
And while you’re chowing down, you can also order a cup of Breaking Bad, Alley’s signature coffee blend, to wash it down. “[It’s] strong and addictive,” Bern assures. “It’s the first thing you’ll look for in the morning.”
But we beg to disagree because the good food from this homey restaurant will be our first and last thought of the day because of how full we’ll be after each meal.
Alley. The Grove Retail Row, The Grove by Rockwell, 117 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City. (0917) 808-3270. Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Source: Renz Nollase for Northern Living, “Ode to Form,” February 2016.
