Philippines will start exporting Beautiful Rice to Europe & US

Although it will continue to import commercial rice as part of its buffer stock, the Philippines will start exporting quality rice varieties to selected markets abroad next year.

According to Assistant Secretary Dante Delima of the Department of Agriculture, the country would be exporting traditional rice varieties such as colored rice (black, red, pink, brown and purple) , aromatic white rice, and long grain white rice.

The Philippine beautiful Rice for exports local demand is low compare to ordinary rice with a higher demand in the other countries such as

• Pink Rice
• Red Rice
• Purple Rice
• Brown Rice
• Black Rice
• Aromatic White Rice
• Long grain white rice

Delima, the head of the government's national rice program, said that the Philippines cannot compete in the exportation of ordinary rice so it will focus on premium rice which can be competitive because these varieties cannot be found in other countries.

Among the markets the Philippine government is eyeing for its rice exports are the Middle East and India for long grain and aromatic rice varieties; the United States, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong for colored and heirloom rice varieties; and the European countries, such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

According to Delima, the Netherlands and Belgium are particularly interested in alternative rice varieties.

Delima said that the government would seek the help of the private sector in the rice exportation business. "We will support them rather than do it ourselves. This would be easier," he said.

Earlier Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has assured the public that the Philippines will attain rice self-sufficiency next year despite the damage wrought by the successive typhoons and the massive flooding that hit the country during the last few weeks.

Alcala said that the current rice production of the country is enough to feed the 90 million or so Filipinos.

The government will also keep its cap on rice importation at 100,000 metric tons (MT) in 2013 if rice production target is met this year.

The DA has recently readjusted its 2012 rice production target to 17.8 MT from 18.4 million MT.

The 2012 target tonnage would place the country's sufficiency level at 95 percent. The sufficiency level in 2011 was 94 percent.

Delima said that the government had already made provisions for typhoon-related losses in rice production tonnage in 2013's importation forecast.

The country should achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2013 with a target output of 20.04 million MT. By 2014, rice production is expected to reach 21 million MT with 22 million MT projected for 2015 and 2016.

"The effect of that (rice self-sufficiency) will be felt in 2014 wherein the government will no longer import rice," Delima said.

The Philippines is also studying the possibility of exporting yellow corn this year to take advantage of high grain prices brought about by the worst drought in US history.

DA Assistant Secretary Edilberto de Luna, who is also the director of the national corn program, said that an inter-agency committee has been created to review the appeal of the Philippine Maize Federation Inc. for the commercial export of corn.

The Philippines expects corn production to reach a record-high of 7.819 million metric tons this year and about 8.450 million by 2013. By next year, the DA expects the country to have a surplus of 149,000 metric tons.

According to de Luna, they have already advised Secretary Alcala not to wait for the surplus but to start exporting rice, even in small amount "to test the international market".

Aside from the United States, the country is also eyeing Taiwan and South Korea as possible markets for corn.

Agriculture analysts have said that corn exports would not result in a shortage in the local market since the 1.4 million metric tons of feed-wheat, imported earlier by feed millers, will be enough to cover the requirement for this year.

As a member of the World Trade Organization, the Philippines is also free to export rice and corn to any part of the world.

philSTAR 

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Russia Govt imported 72 Cebuano Hospitality for 20th APEC summit

 

20th APEC summit Russia -  Vladivostok is a city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, not far from Russia's borders with China and North Korea. Photo from Wikimedia

Vladivostok — When President Benigno Aquino III and the leaders from other countries arrive here for the 20th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, they will experience Filipino hospitality in a Russian Far East setting, officials said Thursday.

They said 72 of about 150 Filipino hotel workers here were from Cebu's Movenpick Resort and Spa, who had been imported by the Russian government's Apec organizing committee to serve as receptionists, bellboys and chambermaids.

"We are well known for our hospitality services," said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura del Rosario.

"This is a good opportunity for us to showcase our abilities as a people. These are people who will be attending to the heads of state as well as other high-level officials."

At least 21 leaders from the Pacific Rim countries were expected to attend the  summit. About 50 venues and facilities have been built from scratch, including a four-lane bridge linking the city to the nearby Russky Island.

Organizers expect about 10,000 guests to attend the meetings on the island, which used to be an isolated military base. The Russian government has deployed warships, warplanes and ground-based air defense systems to protect the delegations.

In addition to the Filipinos, the organizers also recruited workers from South Korea and more than 900 trained volunteers from various regions of Russia, according to Apec Business Summit's deputy head Zamir Shukhov.

He said the volunteers went through various tests on foreign languages including English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.

But some Filipinos told reporters many of them had picked up a few Russian phrases and the Russians had tried to master some Binisaya or Cebuano words.

They expect President Aquino, a Pampango, to feel at home with the Cebuanos.

Manila Standard Today

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KYODO: U.S. Marines to Set Up Command Post on Palawan Island

Guam - Japan's Kyodo News Service is reporting that a contingent of  U.S. Marines is planing to set up an "advance command post" on the Western Philippine island of Palawan facing the South China Sea.

According to Kyodo, the plan calls for stationing 50 to 60 American marines on Palawan.

The news agency quotes an un-named "senior Philippine marine officer".

Construction on the command Post is slated to begin this month ahead of the annual Philippine-U.S. amphibious landing exercise in Palawan, reports Kyodo.

READ the Kyodo posting in FULL below:

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

U.S. Marines To Set Up Marine Command Post Facing South China Sea

MANILA (Kyodo)--The U.S. Marines plan to set up an "advance command post" on the western Philippine island of Palawan that faces the South China Sea, a senior Philippine marine officer told Kyodo News Tuesday.

An aerial view shows the Pagasa Island, which belongs to the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of the western Philippines.

"The plan is to station 50 to 60 American marines in Palawan as an advance command post in the region," said the officer privy to the plan.

Palawan is an island province closest to the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea being claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

According to the officer, the plan includes converting a 246-hectare Philippine Marine Corps reservation in Samariniana town in Brooke's Point, in southeastern Palawan, into a joint marine operational command.

The officer said the 1.1 kilometer airstrip inside the reservation will be extended to 2.4 km to accommodate big U.S. military transport planes.

Construction work will begin in September in time for the annual Philippine-U.S. amphibious landing exercise in Palawan, he said.

"U.S. Marines will hire Filipino contractors to do the works because it will be costly if they bring their equipment over," he said.

More buildings will also be erected there, the officer said.

Aside from Samariniana, the source said the U.S. military is also looking at developing joint "operational bases" in other parts of Palawan, including Oyster Bay, Ulugan Bay, Macarascas town, Puerto Princesa City, Tarumpitao Point in Rizal and San Vicente town.

Palawan is just one of the areas identified both by Manila and Washington where U.S. Marines will train in a rotating deployment, the officer said.

He said that several military facilities in the Philippine main island of Luzon and Mindanao island in southern Philippines have also been "opened for access" for U.S. troops.

"These are choke points. These are very strategically located areas that can be used by both the U.S. and the Philippine forces," he said, adding that Americans can berth their warships and park their planes in the Philippines for "servicing and maintenance."

"The officer said the airstrip in Balabac, the southernmost island in the Palawan archipelago that was used by U.S. forces during World War ll, will also be restored and improved.

Another source said the Philippine military offered Palawan to Lt. Gen. Duane Thiessen, commanding general of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, during his visit to Palawan last April to attend the joint U.S.-Philippine war games.

Diplomatic and military sources said the United States specifically wants more access to Philippine airfields and ports for "servicing and maintenance" including refueling and repair of U.S. aircraft and ships.

These areas include military facilities in the former U.S. military bases Clark in Pampanga and Subic Bay in Olongapo, Poro Point in La Union, Sangley Point in Cavite, Laoag City on Luzon Island and Zamboanga on Mindanao, sources said.

Also being considered are similar facilities in Batanes, the northernmost Philippine island province closest to Taiwan, General Santos City in Mindanao and Cebu City in the central Philippines.

The sources said the number of U.S. troops that will be rotated through the Philippines reportedly hovers between 4,000 and 4,500, including U.S. Marines based in Okinawa, Japan.

But the sources said that the final size of the U.S. troops and details of the plan are still being finalized.

Philippine and U.S. officials are mum about the plan to increase the American presence in the Philippines, a long-time U.S. ally which 20 years ago kicked the U.S. forces out from their huge naval and air bases in the country.

U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas told a business forum last week that "the close partnership we have with the Philippines, as we work together to advance our shared interests on regional strategic issues, on security and economic cooperation, means that the U.S. and the Philippines are writing a new chapter in our longstanding alliance, and building a relationship for the coming century, and beyond."

China has territorial disputes with U.S. allies, including the Philippines, over islands, shoals, cays and reefs in the South China Sea. It has behaved assertively in recent years, alarming the Philippines and other claimants.

The United States has repeatedly said it will not take sides, while urging claimants to resolve the dispute peacefully.

The Philippines' 1987 constitution bans permanent foreign military basing in its soil. But the U.S. maintains strong security ties with the Philippines through a 1951 mutual defense treaty.

In 1998, Washington and Manila forged a visiting forces agreement, paving the way for increased military cooperation under the 1951 treaty.

Under the agreement, the U.S. has conducted ship visits to Philippine ports and resumed large combined military exercises with Philippine forces.

Currently, at any one time since 2002, there are about 600 combined U.S. troops "rotating" in Zamboanga, mainly providing "counterterrorism assistance and training" to Philippine soldiers combating Muslim extremists in southern Philippines.

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Philippine Closed 10 Philippine Embassies and Consulates Offices in Europe

Closed Philippine Embassy in Havana, Cuba

Five of the 10 Philippine diplomatic posts due for closure this year have already ceased to operate, a senior Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said.

Rafael Seguis, DFA Undersecretary for Administration, said the diplomatic posts that were closed were:

1. Philippine Embassy in Caracas in Venezuela;
2. Philippine Embassy in Koror, Palau;
3. Philippine Embassy in Dublin, Ireland;
4. Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona, Spain, and
5. Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany.

The operation of these embassies and consulates ended as of July 31, 2012.

Seguis said the other five diplomatic posts scheduled for closure have already started scaling down operations for their closure on October 31. These are the:

1. Philippine Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden;
2. Philippine Embassy in Bucharest, Romania;
3. Philippine Embassy in  Havana, Cuba;
4. Philippine Embassy in  Helsinki, Finland and
5. Philippine Consulate General in Saipan in Northern Mariana Islands.

The closure of the 10 diplomatic missions is part of the DFA's restructuring plan and austerity measures, Seguis said.

Savings from the closures are estimated at P100 million, which can be allocated to other cash-strapped posts that serve a greater number of Filipinos, he added.

"We are re-aligning our budget where they are most needed like in the Middle East," Seguis told reporters in an interview on Monday. "We need to maximize our resources and budget."

The nearest Philippine embassy or consulate will assume jurisdiction and functions of the closed diplomatic missions.

Before the closure of the five diplomatic posts, the Philippines had 94 diplomatic posts abroad, including:

• 67 embassies,
• 23 consulates, and four missions to international organizations.

The posts to be closed down were selected based on each of the post's performance as well as economic and political importance.

Filipino diplomatic personnel displaced by the shut down were absorbed by existing embassies and consulates, mainly in the Middle East, Seguis said.

The others, whose tours of duty have expired, were automatically recalled to the Home Office in Manila.

GMA News

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Philippine start banning domestic helper export- Malaysia affected

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia - The shortage of maids is set to get worse with the Philippine embassy here tightening the rules for new agencies to bring in maids from the country.

The changes come in the wake of the Philippine government's decision last week to phase out the sending of its citizens overseas to work as domestic helpers.

Sources in the industry said the embassy was no longer giving accreditation to new maid agencies.

However, the embassy's labor attach Dr Alicia Santos, told The Star that accreditation for new recruitment agencies to bring in Filipino domestic helpers had not been stopped but it would not be easy to get as before.

"Not everyone who applies will get the endorsement. We are becoming stricter to ensure that agencies abide by all requirements and terms," she said.

Dr Santos said existing agencies could continue operating but the embassy was conducting a thorough assessment on all of them.

"Many agencies which pledged to follow regulations have not been keeping to their word," she added.

Dr Santos said there had also been discussions on imposing a moratorium, but nothing had been finalized.

On whether accredited agencies would be stripped of their status if they were found to have breached rules, she said the matter was still being discussed with higher authorities.

"The major issues faced with employment agencies here concern payment of salaries as well as the welfare and protection of our citizens," she said.

Last week, the Philippine government directed the Overseas Employment Agency to reduce the deployment of Filipinas to work as hired help in foreign households, in stages, over the next five years.

The programme to slow down and stop the migration of domestic workers abroad is aimed at protecting Filipinas from abuses.

The phase-out plan would affect about 180 countries where Filipinas work as maids or nannies.

However, the Philippine government said it might allow such workers to parts of Europe where salaries were high for certain types of domestic labour.

The Philippine embassy here cited the country's improved economy and the availability of quality jobs at home as the reasons for the decision.

It said those seeking jobs as domestic workers were often over-qualified, adding that Philippines preferred to send only skilled and semi-skilled workers abroad.

Dr Santos said the demand for Filipina maids in Malaysia had increased since 2009 as they were highly trained in performing household chores and could speak English.

The minimum wage for Filipina domestic workers is set at US$400 (S$502) per month, compared with between RM600 and RM800 for Indonesians.

The number of Filipina domestic workers in the country reportedly rose from 4,000 in 2009 to about 10,000 currently.

According to the Philippines' Overseas Employment Agency records, 499,495 household service workers went abroad over the past six years.

More than 70,000 of them secured jobs overseas in the first half of this year.

asiaone

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Philippines climbs 10 notches to 65th in WEF competitiveness ranking

Enjoying a favorable performance in its economy and having a government with a determined anti-corruption drive, the Philippines leaped by 10 notches in the global competitiveness ranking for the year to 65th out of 144 countries.

The country's latest performance followed a similar 10-notch jump to the 75th spot in 2011, thereby resulting in a 20-notch overall jump so far in the Aquino administration.

"The Philippines makes important strides this year in improving competitiveness—albeit often from a very low base—especially with respect to its public institutions," The World Economic Forum (WEF) said in its 2012-2013 Global Competitiveness Report, which was released Wednesday worldwide.

According to the WEF, the Philippines was one of the few countries that registered a double-digit improvement in ranking this year.

The Philippines landed on the 65th spot after it registered an overall score of 4.23 points (out of 7 points) across all 12 categories considered by businesses as major areas for determining a country's competitiveness.

Guillermo Luz, co-chairman of the Philippines' National Competitiveness Council (NCC), said in a press conference on Wednesday that this year was the first time the country landed on the list of upper 50 percent of countries ranked in the global competitiveness survey.

He said the NCC has been targeting the Philippines to land on the list of the upper one-third of the global competitiveness rankings by 2016, the end of the Aquino administration.

The survey on global competitiveness, which taps businesses as respondents, grades countries based on the following 12 categories or "pillars": [government] institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, higher education and training, goods market efficiency, labor market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication, and innovation.

Luz said the Philippines registered improvement in 11 out of the 12 categories.

The Philippines gained the most in the "institutions" category, where it jumped by 23 places to 94th from last year's 117th.

In the "infrastructure" category, the country improved its ranking by seven places to 98th; for "macroeconomic environment," up 18 places to 36th; for "higher education" and training, up seven places to 64th; for goods market efficiency, up two places to 86th; for labor market efficiency, up 10 places to 103rd; for financial market development, up 13 places to 58th; for "technological readiness," up four places to 79th; for "market size," up one place to 35th; for "business sophistication," up eight places to 49th; and for "innovation," up 14 places to 94th.

The only category where the Philippines registered a ranking slippage was in "health and primary education," where it fell six places to 98th.

Luz said the country's favorable performance in the "institutions" category reflected the success so far of the Aquino administration to convince the business sector that there has been improvement in governance so far in his term.

Out of the 15,000 businesses that served as respondents to the global competitiveness survey for this year, 132 came from the Philippines.

On the "macroeconomic environment" category, Luz attributes the country's improved ranking in the country's favorable economic performance.

The Philippine economy grew by 5.9 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, making the country one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia. This brought its average growth for the first semester to 6.1 percent, keeping the government's full-year growth target of 5 to 6 percent attainable.

Ramon del Rosario Jr., chairman of the Makati Business Club, however, said a lot of work still has to be done in several areas to help ensure the Philippines meets the 2016 target as far as its global competitiveness ranking is concerned.

To reach the upper one-third of the rankings by 2016, he said, the country must improve significantly on the area of infrastructure development and market efficiency, particularly labor market efficiency.

Despite increases in government spending on infrastructure this year, infrastructure investment in the Philippines remains one of the lowest in the region. Infrastructure spending in the country is estimated to be equivalent to less than 3 percent of the country's gross domestic product, below the 5 percent average for Southeast Asia.

"Despite these very positive trends, many weaknesses remain to be addressed. The country's infrastructure is still in dire state, particularly with respect to sea and air transport, with little or no progress achieved to date," Del Rosario said in the same press conference.

He said businesses have always considered infrastructure a vital area considered by firms in deciding whether or not to invest in a country.

With its improved ranking this year, the Philippines has beaten Vietnam, which enjoyed better rankings than that of the Philippines in the past years. This year, Vietnam ranked 75th.

The Philippines continues to lag behind other major Asian economies in the global competitiveness rankings.

Hong Kong ranked 9th, Taiwan 13th, South Korea 19th, Malaysia 25th, China 29th, Thailand 38th, Indonesia 50th, and India 59th.

Inquirer 

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AFP: 2 Marines Battalion will position to the Spratly Islands + Brigade

 The Philippine Marines will beef up its presence in its command post in Palawan, the western part of the Philippines facing the disputed West Philippine Sea for "internal and territorial defense operations."

Lieutenant Colonel Neil Estrella, spokesman of the Western Command, said that there is "plan in motion" to deploy a brigade headquarters in Palawan.

The brigade headquarters will provide support to the two battalions already stationed in Palawan.

Setting up a brigade headquarters will allow easier access to artillery and armor support units.

Estrella said they need to beef up the two Marine battalions with a brigade because a brigade has more armor, more artillery, and support units. "It's not actually an expansion but more of realigning the troop deployment to enable them to give ample support to their requirements,'' Estrella said in Filipino.

The Philippine Marines used to have a brigade headquarters in the 1970s, but was moved to Mindanao due to the ongoing conflict there.

Meanwhile, Estrella denied being the officer quoted in a report by the Japanese news organization Kyodo as saying US Marines were also seen to set up "an advanced command post" in Palawan.

The report, quoting a senior military officer, said the plan includes deploying 50 to 60 US Marines and converting a 246-hectare Marine Corps reservation in Samariniana town in Brooke's Point, in southeastern Palawan, into a joint marine operational command.

The officer added in the report that the 1.1-kilometer airstrip inside the reservation will be extended to 2.4 km to accommodate big U.S. military transport planes. The construction work was reported to start in September in time for the annual Philippine-U.S. amphibious landing exercise in Palawan.

But Estrella did not confirm the report, and also denied he was the officer quoted in the article.

He said there were also no US Marines the area.

"Sabi ko hindi naman ganun kadali yun, why would I mention that eh hindi naman ako US Embassy (I said it's not really that easy and why would I mention something like that when I'm not from the US Embassy)," he told reporters.

He also said the plans of expanding the airport have been long considered, but for commercial purposes and not for the military.

Inquirer 

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Expired Visa: Filipino girl adopted by Palestinians in Israel awaits miracle

K.'s Palestinian adoptive family (Photo: Moti Kimhi

Girl from Philippines was left outside monastery as baby, adopted by Palestinian family. Authorities who recently detained girl's biological mother decide to deport her; 'I'd die before having her taken from me,' says Palestinian mother

Behind every deportation story hides a touching story about a family torn apart, but it is doubtful there are many stories like K.'s, an eight-year-old girl from the Philippines.

When K. was just a few months old, she was left outside a monastery in Jerusalem. A Palestinian woman who found her, decided to illegally adopt her.

Eight years later, K.'s biological mother was detained with her other two daughters as part of Israel's attempts to deport illegal migrants. Once detained, she told authorities about K., who is now fighting together with her adoptive Palestinian mother to remain in the country.

Judge Avraham Yaa'kov effectively prevented the deportation of the family, having extended an interim order. K.'s deportation is now up to the Ministry of Interior's decision, which will be based upon receiving the professional opinion of key social welfare professionals.

In a hearing held in August, Justice Aharon Makover decided to release the family. K. returned to her home in east Jerusalem, while the Filipino mother and her other two daughters returned to their home in Tel Aviv.

Ahead of the hearing at the Petach Tikva District Court, S., the Palestinian adoptive mother, told Ynet that she was delighted when K. returned to her home after being detained. "I can't even imagine what will happen if the judge makes the final decision that will take her away from me. She's my daughter, my blood and my life," S. the adoptive Palestinian Mother said.

While the state demands the immediate deportation of the family, the Filipino mother's attorney, Yael Katz-Mastbaum, has appealed to transfer the decision to welfare services and prevent K.'s.

Attorney Marvin Nisan-Cohen has also joined the appeal on behalf of the Palestinian family.

The biological mother, a foreign national from the Philippines who has been illegally residing in Israel with her two young daughters, was recently detained by the Population and Immigration Authority, after her visa expired. When taken to a detention facility, she told authorities that she has another child who was born in Israel and is currently living with a Palestinian family in east Jerusalem.

It appears that the biological mother, who at the time of K.'s birth was in financial trouble, left the baby at a Jerusalem monastery which also served as a boarding school, where S., the Palestinian mother, was working at.

The then 20-year-old adoptive mother, who bonded with the baby, decided to adopt her after a few months with the biological mother's consent, but without going through any legal or official channels.

During the past eight years, the biological mother visited K. at the Palestinian family's home on a regular basis.

"She's my blood, she's more than just my daughter," said the adoptive mother. "She calls me 'mommy.' I can't imagine her being taken back to the Philippines. I raised her with my heart and soul, her place is here. I would die before having someone take her away from me. She became one of us, she speaks Arabic."

Attorney Katz-Mastbaum, who represents the biological mother, claimed that foreign migrants' children such as K. have in the past been granted immigration status in Israel. "In this case, the state's decision to grant K. immigration status is problematic because the child resided at the Palestinian family's home in Jerusalem with the mother's consent, and the steps necessary in order to grant K. immigration status were never taken.

"We demand that the welfare authorities take the necessary steps that would benefit the child in order for K. to be released together with her mother and sisters. We further urge the state not to separate K. from the Palestinian family that raised her and not to deport her from Israel," Katz Mastbaum added.

According to Katz Mastbaum, "We must remember that K. is very attached to her Palestinian family. These are wonderful people who have taken care of K. during the past eight years without asking for anything in return. All they care about is the child's benefit."

Sabin Hadad, a spokesperson for the Population and Immigration Authority explained that "K. would not be able to be granted immigration status because she does not meet the criteria established by the government."

Ynetnews

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Philippines beats Bulgaria, 2.5-1.5 ISTANBUL CHESS OLYMPIAD

Philippine Participants in Ankara Turkey "Istanbul Chess Olympiad 2012

• 1-3 Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, 11/12
• 4-8 China, Philippines, Ukraine, Hungary, Spain, 10/12
• 9-23 Germany, Moldova, India, USA, France, England, Mexico, Croatia, Argentina, Georgia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Italy, Israel, FYROM, 9/11

Total of 150 participants

Once every two years all of the chess world meets in the Chess Olympiad to determine world supremacy in this Game of Kings. The 40th edition is currently ongoing in Istanbul, Turkey, and a record-breaking 277 teams (men and women) have arrived in this historic city to meet in friendly combat. Defending champion is Ukraine but of course Russia, generally regarded as the strongest team and Armenia (champion in 2006 and 2008) will both try to grab the crowns this year. After six rounds tied for 1st place is Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In the Olympiad's biggest upset so far the Philippines defeated chess powerhouse Bulgaria 2.5-1.5 and continued its dream performance by climbing to no. 5 in the official standings. The RP bets were outranked in every board and indeed the Bulgarians tried hard to win, but Wesley So, facing former world champion Veselin Topalov, Eugene Torre and Mark Paragua gave as much as they took and held their opponents to draws.

Oliver Barbosa, playing against former world top-10 Kiril Georgiev, saw an opening and gave up his queen for two rooks and the attack. However Georgiev rebuffed all threats and seemed on his way to a win until a shock 55…g5+!? confused him and caused a blunder. He resigned on move 59 when Barbosa won his queen.

Georgiev, Kiril (2682) -- Barbosa, Oliver (2554) [D16]

40th Olympiad Open Istanbul TUR (6.5), 03.09.2012

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 cxd4 10.exd4 0-0 11.Rd1 Nb4 12.Ne5 Bd7 13.Qf3 Bc6 14.Qg3 Nfd5 15.Bh6 Bf6 16.Ne4 Kh8 17.Nxf6 Qxf6 18.Bg5 Qf5 19.Bd2 Rac8 20.a5 f6 21.Nxc6 Nxc6 22.Be1 Nf4 23.Bf1 Rfd8 24.Qe3 a6 25.Rac1 Rd7 26.Rc5 Qxc5!? 27.dxc5 Rxd1 28.g3 Nd5 29.Qxe6 Rd8 30.Kg2 Nd4 31.Qe4 f5 32.Qe5 f4 33.Bc4 Nc2 34.Bc3 Nxc3 35.bxc3 fxg3 36.hxg3 Ne1+ 37.Kh3 Nd3 38.Qf5 Rd2 39.f3 Nf2+ 40.Kh4 Nd1 41.Qe5 Rh2+ 42.Kg5 Rh6 43.g4 Rc6 44.Kh4 Nb2 45.Qe7 Rcc8 46.Be6 Rb8 47.Qc7 Na4 48.c4 Nc3 49.Bd7 Ne2 50.Qe5 Ra8 51.c6 bxc6 52.Bxc6 Rac8 53.Be4 Rd1 54.f4 Rf8 55.Qh5 g5+!? 56.Qxg5 Nxf4 57.Qe7? Rh1+! 58.Kg3

No choice. If 58.Bxh1 Ng6+; and 58.Kg5 h6#

58...Rh3+ 59.Kf2 Ng6+ 0-1

GM Wesley So 2652 vs. GM Veselin Topalov 2752 1/2

GM Oliver Barbosa 2554 vs. GM Kiril Georgiev 2682 1-0

GM Eugene Torre 2469 vs. GM Ivan Cheparinov 2681 1/2

GM Mark Paragua 2508 vs. GM Alexander Delchev 2596 1/2

The Philippines' next opponent will be another powerhouse: Hungary!

Philippine Participants

The contingent was led by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Executive Director Grand Master (GM) Jayson Gonzales, head coach of Team Philippines.

Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Marilyn J. Alarilla met with members of Team Philippines upon their arrival in Istanbul.

The members of the Philippine Men's team are GM Mark Paragua (ELO 2508), International Master (IM) Oliver Dimakiling (2428), GM Wesley So (2650), GM Oliver Barbosa (2554) and GM Eugene Torre (2469). The Philippine Women's team is composed of World IM Catherine Perena (2091), World FIDE Master (WFM) Rulp Ylem Jose (2061), Women National Master (WNM), Jedara Docena (2061),  WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda (2022),  and  WNM Janelle Mae Frayna (2061).

NCFP Chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. and NCFP Secretary-General Abraham Tolentino Jr. arrived in Istanbul on September 2 to support the team and to attend World Chess Federation (FIDE) Council meetings.

Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Suat Kilic, with FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, and Turkish Chess Federation President Ali Nihat Yazici opened the competition in the evening of August 27 at the WOW Congress Hotel in Istanbul.

Chess National Federations from 158 countries are participating at the biennial Chess Olympiad.

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DA - ₱1.7-Billion Investment to Boost Coconut Export

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will invest ₱1.7 billion to increase the export of non-traditional coconut products such as coconut water and virgin coconut oil (VCO).

"President Aquino is confident that the coconut industry has the potentials to make it big in the world market, and instructed that assistance be given to coconut farmers especially now that there is big hype on coconut water," Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

"We will devise and implement strategies to take advantage of the growing export demand on coco water, VCO, and coconut sap sugar," he added.

PCA Administrator Euclides Forbes said the export of coconut water during the first six months of 2012 have increased to 10.2 million liters (worth US$11.2 million), doubling from 5.7 million liters (worth US$ 5.6M) during the same period last year.

He said the DA-PCA is working with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) to develop respective processing and postharvest technologies that would further lengthen the shelf life of coconut water for domestic and export markets.

Forbes also said export of VCO also doubled to 4,422 metric tons (MT), worth US$18.2M from January to June 2012, from 2,072 MT (worth US$8.4M) during the same period of 2011.

Alcala said the coconut industry should take advantage of available matured technologies to enable coconut farmers and entrepreneurs create new and innovative by-products from the "tree of life."

Further, to sustain the productivity and further increase the incomes of small coconut farmers and their families, the PCA will implement a nationwide coconut planting and replanting program.

As of July 31, some 14.6 million seed nuts were planted, accounting for 71 percent of this year's total target.

The PCA also aims to fertilize up to 25 million coconut trees in 2013, and will implement a coconut livelihood and intercropping program, called Kasaganaan sa Niyugan ay Kaunlaran ng Bayan (KAANIB), in 300 sites throughout the country.

Forbes said coconut products and by-products remain as the country's leading agricultural exports, totaling US$1.96 billion last year, 20 percent more than in 2010, worth US$1.63 billion.

He said some 39 coconut products and by-products are exported to at least 100 countries.

Last year, the top export was coconut oil worth US$1.4B, followed by desiccated coconut (US$287 million), and coco chemicals (US$35M).

Other coconut export products are VCO, coco water, chips, jam, vinegar, frozen coco meat, liquid coco milk, coconut milk powder, macapuno, coco liquor, coco coir and coconut handicraft, among other by-products.

Manila Bulletin 

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France Total oil Explorer signs deal to begin Oil Exploration in Sulu Sea

Total of France has entered the oil and gas exploration industry in the Philippines after acquiring a 75-percent interest in a contract area in Sulu Sea.

Total E&P Philippines B.V., a unit of the oil giant, said it acquired the 75-percent stake in offshore block service contract 56 from Mitra Energy of Malaysia. The 75-percent stake was previously owned by ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Philippines B.V. (50 percent) and BHP Billiton International Exploration Pty Ltd (25 percent).

The block covers 4,300 square kilometers, in water depths ranging from 200 meters to 3,000 meters.

ExxonMobil announced last year its decision to withdraw its 50-percent stake in SC 56 after finding "non-commercial quantities of gas" in South Sulu Sea.

ExxonMobil drilled the four wells in 2010 and 2011 and invested $400 million before declaring SC 56, which covered 8,200 square kilometers, including the gas-rich Sandakan Basin, as non-commercial.

Mitra Energy will retain a 25-percent interest in SC 56 after the farm-in agreement was signed.

Total is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. Its upstream business encompasses oil and natural gas exploration, development and production, along with coal, gas and power activities.

"With this new acquisition, Total continues to pursue its strategy to further expand its acreage in significant potential plays in new exploration areas, notably in deep offshore Asia Pacific," Marie Guillermou, Total senior vice president for Asia Pacific exploration and production, said.

Energy Assistant Secretary Ramon Oca welcomed Total's entry into the country's oil and gas industry, although he clarified the department had yet to accept a formal application from the company.

"It is a sign of growing investor trust and confidence in doing business in the Philippines plus the attractive fiscal regime we have for petroleum exploration in the Philippines," Oca said.

A new exploration phase actually started on Sept. 1, 2012 and Mitra will initially operate the seismic works including the re-processing of existing data and the 3D acquisition of additional 500 sq. km.

The operatorship will then be transferred to Total E&P for the drilling operations. The transaction is subject to approval of the Energy Department.

Total E&P previously partnered with Nido Petroleum Philippines Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of Nido Petroleum Ltd. of Australia to look at opportunities offered under the Philippine Energy Contracting Round 4.

The partnership, however, failed to submit a bid in any of the 15 blocks offered under PECR 4.

Manila Standard Today

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Canadian Helicopters wins US$40Million Philippines offshore oil and gas contract

Canadian Helicopters Group Inc. says its HNZ subsidiary has won a US$40 million, four-year Philippines offshore oil and gas helicopter support contract from Shell Global Solutions International B.V.

The Montreal-based company said Helicopters NZ Ltd. will provide crew change helicopter services from Manila to Shell's offshore petroleum platforms beginning in September 2013.

A second helicopter will be deployed beginning in the second quarter of 2014 to support oil and gas exploration and development work by Shell in the Philippines.

The initial term of the contract is four years with potential five one-year option periods. Revenues for the initial terms are about US$40 million. The aircraft will be obtained by purchase or lease.

"We are extremely pleased to have been selected by Shell for this major piece of business in Asia" stated president and CEO Don Wall.

"This is not only a win in terms of building on the strong relationship we have built with Shell in New Zealand, but it is also consistent with our strategy to grow the business and expand from our historical areas of strength in Australia and New Zealand deeper into the Asian market."

Canadian Helicopters Group (TSX:CHL.A) is an international provider of helicopter transportation and related support services in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and regions of Southeast Asia. The group also delivers contracted on demand support in Afghanistan and Antarctica.

It operates about 140 helicopters and employs approximately 800 personnel.

Canadian Business 

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Meralco’s $1.2 Billion USD Subic Power Facility picked 3 Hyundai’s - Korea lead bidder

The power generation subsidiary of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has entered negotiation phase with South Korea's Hyundai Group for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract of its $1.2-billion Subic coal-fired power facility to be sited at the Subic Freeport zone in Zambales.

"We had three bidders… we are negotiating now with the lead bidder," Meralco executive vice president Aaron Domingo has disclosed in an exclusive interview.

While he did not name their chosen turnkey contractor, other parties privy to the negotiations have divulged that Meralco PowerGen is now in talks with the consortium of three Hyundai companies, namely Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. (HDEC) ; Hyundai Corporation and Hyundai Engineering Co. Ltd. (HEC)

Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. will be the corporate vehicle for the 600-megawatt Subic coal-fired project. Meralco PowerGen will be the major stakeholder, in partnership with Aboitiz Group's Therma Power Inc. and Taiwan Cogeneration Corporation.

Domingo noted that they are still on track when it comes to the October target on the issuance of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for the second 300-MW unit of the facility. The ECC for the first unit of the same capacity was already issued earlier by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

 "We will be able to satisfy the requirements of the DENR. Actually, we're doing more than the requirements because there are also some requirements of stakeholders, like for us to conduct some studies," he stressed.

Despite the recent legal snag in the facility's implementation, Meralco PowerGen is eyeing that it can still move ahead with construction next year as the Supreme Court had not issued the temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) batted for by the parties which have been trying to stop the project.

"We need to issue the notice to proceed. We're targeting December … we will start mobilizing for construction early next year," Domingo said. Nevertheless, he indicated that the facility's commercial operation may already skid to 2016.

While project developers are already certain on financial closure as well as on the power supply agreement (PSA) for the project, the Meralco executive has emphasized that their focus now is resolving the other major concerns.

"There are only three main issues now, and those are not within our control and we would like to get the cooperation of everyone," he said.

These concerns will cover the ECC, interconnection issues with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and finalizing the documentation process for the land lease development agreement (LLDA) with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

For the concern with SBMA being its project host, Domingo has emphasized that "we already have the framework of agreement; we will just need to document it."

On grid interconnection issues, he noted that concerns are "being resolved already. Now, it's just a matter of agreeing on the technical parameters for the interconnection."

Manila Bulletin 

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Usad-pagong with Juan Tamad attitude for West Philippines Sea Japanese Patrol Boats - HIT

Juan Tamad (Lazy John) is best to describe a man who just love to lie down the shed of the tree waiting when the fruit fall into his mouth. - This best describe to the Philippine government who are just keep waiting when this deal fall down to the hand of the Navy which making effort. (an embarrassing moment as Japan Noticed it) The Philippine government should not make an alibi of being approved by any government department concern if the national Security is at stake. Priority and selflessness is important not a personal and political interest.

Japan to Philippines: Do you want Coast Guard ships or not?

Saying that "the ball is in the Philippines' court," Japan has revealed that its plan to provide the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) with 12 brand new patrol boats had yet to officially take off.

In a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Japanese Embassy-attached Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) said over the weekend that "the status (of the aid program) has not changed."

"It remains a plan since we have not yet received any official request from the Philippine side," said the JICC, which added, "Please contact the Department of Transportation and Communications, the PCG or the National Economic and Development Authority for updates.

Contacted shortly before he was named interior secretary by President Benigno Aquino, then Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas said: "We, the DOTC, and the Coast Guard are working with the Japanese government and with the Department of Foreign Affairs on this."

"I understand the DFA is already requesting formally (for the boats)," Roxas had told the Inquirer.

For its part, the DFA said "the plan of Japan to provide patrol boats to our Coast Guard has already been approved by the Neda."

"We will formally inform the Japanese authorities as soon as possible," said Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson.

Minister Shinsuke Shimizu, head of the Japanese Embassy's chancery, said in an earlier interview that unlike the decades-old and stripped-down ships the Philippines has been getting from the United States, the patrol boats the PCG will get from Japan will be brand new.

Japan, he said, "has yet to decide which of the vessels will be built and transferred to the Philippine government on official development assistance or grants."

He pointed out that "since 1990, Japan has been helping the Coast Guard in its capacity-building program."

Fourteen years ago, Tokyo gave Manila a marine accident response and buoy tender ship that the agency named the BRP Corregidor.

(Inquirer)

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