$10B airport project to replace NAIA?

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Corp. presented to Malacañang on Wednesday a $10-billion plan to build for the government along the Cyberbay reclamation area a brand-new airport seen to beat the existing international gateways of Hong Kong and Singapore.

SMC president Ramon S. Ang confirmed via text message that the $10-billion airport project was successfully presented and that Aquino was “happy.”

In an interview in his office, Ang showed a scale model of the proposed airport, which would be located along CyberBay Corp.’s disrupted waterfront reclamation project along the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road, covering the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas.

The proposed airport will have four runways with a length of 3,600 meters each and can accommodate as many as 250 plane take-offs and landings an hour, dwarfing the 40-an-hour capacity of the current Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Four Airbus 380 planes could land on the new airport at the same time, Ang said.

Included in the $10-billion estimated cost was an elevated tollroad that would connect the proposed airport to the Makati central business district, Ang said.

“If they agree to this, it will be a massive infrastructure project beating Hong Kong and Singapore. It will be the best airport in the region,” Ang pointed out, noting that Hong Kong and Singapore had only two runways in their main airports.

The project will make use of the 157 hectares of land already reclaimed by Cyberbay, which is seeking about P11 billion in reimbursements from the Philippine Reclamation Authority for the relocation of informal settlers in the area and funds injected to run the operations of Central Bay from 1995 to 2002. It is strategically located near the Entertainment City of the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

While the project would rise on the reclamation project begun by Cyberbay, Ang said the entire airport would need 1,600 hectares and that more reclamation would be done while Cyberbay could have a small stake in the project.

For SMC, Ang said the conglomerate was proposing to build this for the government without owning the airport itself. Upon completion, he said SMC would turn over the airport property to the government and get compensated by operating it.

To unlock values from the 400-hectare old Naia airport, Ang suggested the privatization of the prime property, which he estimated could raise up to $10 billion for the government. “This could be another CBD (central business district),” he said.

Since SMC would not own the property, Ang said it was only proposing this as a contractor for the government. Once the airport is built, SMC will earn from terminal fees as well as fees to be paid by airlines for landing their fleet. The conglomerate will negotiate to be allowed to have a return on equity of 10 percent from this project.

Asked how long it would take to build this airport, he said the first two runways could be finished by the 5th year and the entire development completed by the seventh year from ground-breaking.

He said SMC could fund the entire $10-billion cost on its own but it would be open to take in other local partners for the commercial/retail component or even for the airport operation component.

The Cyberbay project was originally envisioned to be a 750-hectare township development but the Supreme Court, in 2002, nullified a joint venture between the state-owned Philippine Estates Authority and Amari Coastal Bay Development Corp., formerly controlled by Ital-Thai consortium. Ang later bought into CyberBay as a personal investment.

Source Philippine Inquirer - Read more: http://business.inquirer.net/170452/10b-airport-project-presented-to-aquino#ixzz324BYrUbZ

Philippines tourist arrivals lag behind ASEAN neighbors

MANILA - The Philippines remains the least favorite tourist destination compared to its peers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2012, data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) show. The UNWTO data show that despite the “More Fun in the Philippines” campaign, the country’s total tourist arrivals only reached 4.27 million in 2012, the lowest when compared to other Asean members. The UNWTO said that in Asean, foreign tourist arrivals were the highest in Malaysia with 25.03 million in 2012, followed by Thailand, with 22.35 million; Indonesia, 8.04 million; and Vietnam, 6.85 million. “Southeast Asia posted the highest growth among Asian subregions, with 9 percent more arrivals, largely due to continued strong intraregional demand. In absolute terms, growth was led by Thailand with a 16-percent increase in tourists over 2011. Cambodia [+24 percent] and Vietnam [+14 percent] also posted strong double-digit growth last year. Myanmar saw the highest relative growth with a surge of 52 percent,” the UNWTO said.

 Read More Here at ABSCBN News 
 by Cai U. Ordinario, BusinessMirror

115th Philippine Independence Day

Image from Google

China unveils oil offensive in South China Sea squabble

SINGAPORE/BEIJING (Reuters) - First came the diplomatic offensive, then the flexing of military muscle.

Now, China is opening a third front to assert its claims in the South China Sea - moving ahead with its first major tender of oil and gas blocks in disputed parts of its waters.

China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), a state oil giant, invited foreign firms in late June to bid on oil blocks that overlap territory being explored by Vietnam, putting the 160,000 sq km of water on offer at the forefront of Asia's biggest potential military flashpoint.

Oil companies have until next June to decide whether to bid for the nine blocks, said a Chinese industry source with knowledge of the matter. CNOOC, parent of Hong Kong-listed CNOOC Ltd <0883 .hk=".hk">, has received many informal enquiries from foreign oil companies, added the source, who did not want to be identified.

Beijing claims almost all the South China Sea, a body of water believed to hold rich reserves of oil and gas and which stretches from China to Indonesia and from Vietnam to the Philippines. Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia claim parts of it.

Any conflict in the sea, one of the world's busiest trade routes, would have global repercussions given the $5 trillion in ship-borne trade carried on its waters each year.

United Nations University ranks the Philippines as the world's third riskiest country

MANILA, Philippines – A recent study carried out by the United Nations University ranks the Philippines as the world's third riskiest country, following Tonga and Vanuatu, Ma Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, executive director of the Manila Observatory said, adding that the ranking was based on country's coping capabilities.
"All of these natural hazards are making us the prime laboratory for the study of disasters all over the world," Loyzaga told the Inquirer during a lecture on how to survive disasters, at Ateneo University in Rockwell Commercial Center

• In addition, a local paper said, some 50 million schoolchildren and 15 million coastal residents live in low-lying coastal areas; about 10 metres below sea-level and are exposed to earthquake hazards and rising sea levels, respectively; confirming Philippines one of the world's riskiest places,.
• A Columbia University study in 2007 also says that the 50 million Filipino school children at risk during quakes topped the number in India and China. This estimate had been made after a powerful earthquake hit Szechuan, China in May 2008.
• Furthermore, coastal areas are subsiding in the Philippines, putting residents of these areas and the entire country at risk in the event of tsunamis, Loyzaga quoted Columbia study's warning.
• "This will give us an indication of where we must be most careful as far as protecting our students. Therefore the Department of Education in the Philippines must look at the places where schools are built, and find out if they are sitting on fault lines,” Loyzaga said..

Loyzaga also cited studies done by the Manila Observatory which showed the Philippines is "getting hotter and this has implications on the country's food security".
A one degree change in minimum temperature will lead to a 10 per cent decrease in rice yields, according to studies by the International Rice Research Institute, Loyzaga said.

Source: Agency

Huge crocodile captured in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — What a croc!

Its mighty snout wrapped tightly with ropes, a one-ton, 20-foot saltwater crocodile was captured and put on display in a town in the southern Philippines — one of the biggest such reptiles to be caught in recent years.
But shed no crocodile tears for this colossal captive.
"Lolong," as it has been nicknamed, is about to become the star attraction of an ecotourism park — unless it is upstaged by an even larger reptile that may be still be on the loose.

image from yahoonews

Residents of Bunawan township celebrated when they captured the croc, with about 100 people pulling the feared beast from a creek by rope, then hoisting it by crane onto a truck. While the beast was safely tied up, they examined its teeth, claws and stubby legs with fascination.
Their party may have been premature, however.
After the 20-foot (6.1-meter) reptile was caught over the weekend, authorities said Tuesday an even bigger crocodile may still be lurking in creeks of the remote region in Agusan del Sur province.
The scaly skinned Lolong — which tips the scales at 2,370 pounds (1,075 kilograms) — is estimated to be at least 50 years old. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

source: yahoo.news to continue reading Click Here!!!

Choose Philippines

"Choose Philippines” showcases travel destinations, regional cuisine, local culture and the colorful fiestas and festivals in the country.  The music video, titled “Piliin mo ang Pilipinas,” was performed by “Star Power” grand winner Angeline Quinto and singer Vincent Bueno.

Iraq request of lifting travel ban from Philippines

 

 

AP

-MANILA - Iraq's ambassador has called on the Philippines to lift its travel ban to Iraq, saying Filipino workers can gain by taking part in his country's reconstruction.

Ambassador Wadee Al-Batti is reacting to a Philippine government reiteration of a travel ban to high-risk countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Lebanon, Jordan and Somalia.

He says peace and order have greatly improved in Iraq since the Philippines first imposed the ban in 2004, but that no country can guarantee against terrorist attacks.

Al-Batti says Iraq needs 3 million houses, thousands of schools and more than 100 hospitals.

The Philippines banned its citizens from working in Iraq in July 2004 but some 4,000 Filipinos were allowed to remain there to finish their contracts.

source: yahoonews

A Letter to The Hongkong and PRC People

 Someone send me this letter asking to share it to my fellow Kababayan's

To the Hongkong and PRC People,

You hate the Filipino people for the hostage fiasco that unfortunate incident that went out of control at the end. This was a hostage situation that was under control and which netted 7 Chinese tourists to be released upon the efforts of our policemen.

You appear and sound sanctimonious and have even stepped upon our sovereignty. You have demanded apology, the moon and the heavens. You hate the Filipino people as if we wanted this unfortunate incident to happen. First and foremost, we offer our condolences to the families of the 8 that were killed in this incident. Secondly, we are sorry for the bungled handling of this hostage taking. It was unfortunate, it was an accident, we never planned it that way. Is it fair to blame a whole nation for a situation that was never planned?

Let me ask you this question, "Should we hate you also for the lead poisoning caused by the paint you used in your baby furniture and toys for the children of the world? Should we hate you also for the use of cardboard in the "siopao" that you sell to tourists? Should we hate you also for the melamine contamination wherein not 8, but hundreds, maybe even thousands have suffered and some even died?

Or, let us talk of Filipino casualties. A few years ago, 3 Filipino tourists, all surnamed Madrigal, a family of 5 were walking on Tienemen Square and Beijing. One Chinese stabbed the father and two of his children, killing all three. Were you even sorry for what this one Chinese did? Did the Filipino people even demand that China apologized for this unfortunate incident. This was PRE-MEDITATED MURDER.

Just as the use of lead, cardboard, melamine was pre-meditated - used because they were cheaper materials, in order to generate PROFITS for the Chinese businessmen. Did you pay damages the same way you are demanding damages from the Filipino nation and people?

Where was the anger of the Chinese and Hongkong people? Did you even apologize to the world? My God in the case of melanine, you even kept this information from the world, until you were exposed for what you are!!!

Enough! We sympathize but don't blame the Filipino people.

So you want to send our OFWs home, that take care of your children? They play an important part in your lives. Both spouses are able to work, earn money because of the tender loving care being heaped on your children by Filipino maids and yayas/amahs. While you pay our OFWs for the work they do, you earn more for the love and care they bestow on your children. Go ahead, send our OFWs home. Let us see how that will affect your family incomes.
~~~ O ~~~
If you love your country, please pass this on to all Filipinos you know. Thanks! 

Presidential Candidates for 2010 Philippines National Election

And then there were 8 presidential candidates

Comelec lets Estrada run, drops Perlas

By Kristine L. Alave, Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:51:00 12/16/2009

MANILA, Philippines—Eight, 8 and 158.

These are the numbers of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) for president, vice president and senator, respectively, that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has initially approved for the national elections in May.

These figures were trimmed from the 99 presidential aspirants, 20 vice presidential hopefuls and 158 senatorial wannabes who filed CoCs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 1.

Comelec Chair Jose Melo Tuesday identified those running for president as follows: Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III (Liberal Party), JC de los Reyes (Ang Kapatiran) and former President Joseph Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino).

Sen. Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan), Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal (Independent), former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), Bro. Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas) and Sen. Manuel Villar (Nacionalista Party).

That the Comelec excluded some people—including environmentalist Nicanor Perlas, who filed a CoC for president as an independent, and gay activist Danton Remoto, who filed a CoC for senator also as independent candidate—did not mean that they were nuisance candidates.

Melo said the poll body did not approve the CoCs of other people because it appeared that they did not have the capacity and resources to launch a national campaign, one of the requirements mandated by the Comelec.

The short-listed candidates for vice president are Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino), Dominador Chipeco (Ang Kapatiran) and Bayani Fernando (Bagumbayan).

Sen. Loren Legarda (Nationalist People’s Coalition), actor Edu Manzano (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II (Liberal Party), broadcaster Jay Sonza (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan) and former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Perfecto Yasay Jr. (Bangon Pilipinas).

Read the full Story on Enquirer.net

Typhoon Pepeng flooded Central Luzon Philippines

We don't know what are we had to ask... But Pleased once again Help Philippines!!!

After Ondoy hits Manila bring more water and flooded most of Metro Manila now typhoon Pepeng hits Central Luzon and flood Pangasinan Province and bring more landslide and death in mountain Province...

Continuous rains in the past two days compounded by the release of water from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town swelled waterways, caused major dikes to give way, and swamped at least 30 towns and cities in eastern and central Pangasinan.

"Hakbang Buhay" (Walk for Life - Flood Relief)

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The Philippine Business Council in cooperation with Giordano and with the support of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai is pleased to announce that we will be holding a fund raising for the flood victims in the Philippines under the auspices of the Red Crescent Society (Dubai Chapter). All proceeds (100%) from this event will be donated to the Philippine National Red Cross.

Event: Giothon
Hakbang Buhay
( Walk for life - flood relief)

Date: 9th October 2009
Venue: Safa Park Dubai
Time: Registration starts at 7AM
Walk starts from 8AM to 11AM
Cost: Dhs 50/-per participant



Pre-registration will be available in most Giordano outlets. Details will be advise as soon as they are ready.

We will be accepting only cash donations. There will be additional cash donation boxes available for those who would like to donate more than the participating fee.

Corporate donations should be in favor of Red Crescent Society (Dubai Chapter) and should be forwarded to PBC.

The Red Crescent Society (Dubai Chapter) will be opening a special account for this event. Details of this account will be emailed to you all as soon as we have it.

Please forward this to all your relatives, friends and colleagues.

We would like to thank you all for your generosity and truly appreciate all your energies, support and most of all time.

Delivery Services for All GOVERNMENT SERVICES in the Philippines

Citizen Services announce it new services to all OFW for all government documents they offer delivery service for just a click away.

According to them it is so easy and very convenient:

Pilipinas Teleserv Inc, in cooperation with the POEA has developed a more convenient service in applying for Overseas Exit Clearances.

This OPTION will allow you to apply for your OEC online via website "www.citizenservices.com.ph" and have your OEC delivered back to you.

Should you choose to apply for your OEC online, aside from accomplishing your OFW Information sheet and submitting supporting documents, you will have to pay for OWWA/Philheatlh membership fees, POEA Processing Fees, Courier Delivery and Teleserv Service fees at an Aboitiz/2Go branch.

Breakdown of Fees to be paid:

POEA Processing Fees -	P 100.00
OWWA Membership*-	P 1,180.00
Philhealth* -	P 900.00
2GO / ABoitiz Courier Fee -	P 160.00
Teleserv Service Fee -	P 310.00
Total =	P 2,650.00

* If OWWA and/or Philhealth membership is still valid, the amount will be REFUNDED back to the applicant.

Stock Photography

Photography is one of my hobby and I consider it as my second profession. As time goes by on my hobby I was thinking on what should I do on all the pictures I have taken, It's now eating a lot of space in my computers hard drive and at the same time a lot of CD's and DVD's used to stock all of this.

One of my friend told me that he is doing a stock photography, as of curiosity I ask what is that, he explain it to me, and one thing I remember on what he said to me. "your picture are stock in your hard drive or CD's, DVD's and earn nothing why not put it in online Stock Photo Agency It's was stock there also but It will gain some money, its not to big but it will help you and it will also helps to depelop your skill as photographer, the best things are it is earning money while you are sleeping. So I follow what he said I search a lot of online stock photo agency and register submit photos and so on. Meaning I do what my friends told me and it works.

Now to explain what is Stock photography I do a research again and hope this will help to other people....

What is stock photography?

Stock photography is photography or imagery that is used repeatedly for commercial and non-commercial purposes. It is a cost effective method for customers to purchase high quality images, and is a great way for photographers to earn money from their collection of imagery.

Often stock images depict common situations, concepts, ideas, issues, landmarks, and people. It is very popular with designers, graphic artists, art directors, advertising agencies, and marketing professionals, in magazine ads, websites, and marketing brochures.

Instead of hiring a professional photographer to create an image, a buyer licenses an image and the photographer is paid a commission. Photo researchers can save valuable time and money by searching for stock photography through online databases. Images are delivered through direct download or email to the customer.
Stock agencies are often called image banks or photo archives, referring to the vast electronic data stored online. Images stored at an agency are licensed on behalf of the photographer or artist and the agency retains a percentage of the sale. Pricing may be set by the photographer or agency as the needs of the audience require. Prices may range from as little as $1 to thousands of dollars.

One of the first major stock photography agencies was the one founded in 1920 by H. Armstrong Roberts, which continues today under the name RobertStock.

To be Continued...

See you on the second part of Stock Photography...

Oil Discovery in the Philippines

While reading the news from the internet I saw a news regarding a new discoveries in the Philiipines. A litle bit happy since it's all about Oil and it was tittle Tittle "Nido's Philippines well flows crude". When I was in my homeland and working as Territory Specialist in one of Oil companies Philippine based I already heared about this company "NIDO Philippines" which started drilling in the Philiipines since 1976.

And Last 23 Sept. 2008 Nido Petroleum Ltd, the Australian explorer focusing on the Philippines, confirmed it made a discovery at the Yakal-1 well, the first oil-find in the southeast Asian nation in 14 years.

Actually oil and natural gas discovery is not new in the Philiipines since Shell was already pumping a natrural gas in the Philippines since September 2001 at the Malampalaya Gas Field located 80km off the coast of Palawan Island.

The Philippine Petroleum Resource Assessment Project developed a petroleum resource classification system and established an inventory of Philippine petroleum resources.
The results showed that the country’s total risked petroleum resources is about nine billion barrels fuel oil equivalent (bfoe). More than half of these or about five billion bfoe is estimated to occur in the offshore West

Palawan and Sulu Sea regions.

TOTAL RESOURCES
(9 Billion bfoe)
Gas 57% , Condensate 2% , Oil 41%

New Seven Wonders of Nature

The "New 7 Wonders of the World" campaign was a resounding success, which took democracy to a new global level. Give your vote to define the New Seven Wonders of Nature from which the Philippines was included in this campaign. The Island Philippines has composed of 7101 island to show its beauty to the world and luckly four (4) of them was included in this wonders.

Please Vote Here

The Four (4) wonders from the Philippines:

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, all about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 sq km The hills are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, giving them the name ''Chocolate Hills.''

Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha Reef is an atoll coral reef in the Sulu Sea that belongs to the Philippines. It is a marine sanctuary protected as Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 kilometers wide. Over one thousand species, including many that are endangered, can be found at on the reef. These include manta rays, lionfish, tortoises, clownfish and sharks.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

Mayon Volcano

Mayon Volcano is an active volcano on the Filipino island of Luzon, 15 km northwest of Legazpi City.It is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano (composite volcano). Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava flows. Mayon is the most active volcano in the country, having erupted over 47 times in the past 400 years, and is a part of what is called the Pacific Ring of Fire.

So to all my Kababayans out there and for those people who believed that Philippines is one of Gods Nature's gift to humankind please support my homeland to its journey.

My Travel to the Philippines Part 3

My Travel in the Philippines (Photos Part 2)

This shots taken during my second day stay in Baler Province of aurora Philippines.

Morning Sunshine at the Beach

Fishing Boat ( color convert to B&W)

My Boats

Boats

Clear Water

Go Fishing

Paradise

Go Fishing 2

More Photo's to come...