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Sunday
Vol. I No. 4 12 Pages, 1 Section P18.00 SUNDAY, July 22, 2012
MST
ALACAANG on Saturday took potshots at several groups that claimed that the PhilHealth cards were intended for use in the 2013 election campaign.
hospitals, rural health units and barangay health centers so that they can provide services to indigents for free? she said. With this budget, will incumbent candidates be giving out PhilHealth cards in 2013 as they did in 2004 and 2007? she said. Meanwhile Filipino workers in Italy and Afghanistan expressed their strong opposition to any increase in the premium contributions of PhilHealth. In a statement released Saturday, Federation of Filipino Communities in Italy spokesman Juan Felix asked the House of the Representative to investigate the PhilHealth on the planned premium rate hike. Felix said that 200,000 migrant Filipinos are against the increase stressing that the assistance of PhilHealth would not benet them and their families who are already living abroad. Migrant Filipinos are against the increase since most of their dependents are in Italy and they themselves cannot use the medical coverage offered by PhilHealth, Felix said. Recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said that more than 8,000 Filipinos in Afghanistan also shared the same sentiments with the foreign workers in Italy. In fact seven to eight workers out of 10 all over the world do not use the PhilHealth coverage for themselves and their dependents who avail of other medical coverage provided their own international companies, Geslani said.
But even before the Palace could parry the blows came another group, the Federation of Filipino Communities, which demanded a congressional investigation on the increase in contributions planned by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda dared the party-list lawmakers to stop politicizing a project that is meant to serve the Filipinos. Can they not distinguish what is politics and what is for the people? We are serving the people. Our promise is we are going to alleviate poverty, Lacierda said. The Palace was reacting to Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan who said that the Aquino administration wanted to distribute health insurance cards worth P12.61 billion during the election campaign next year. She claimed that a huge chunk of the Health Departments budget would be used for election purposes. We are serving the people. Our promise is we are going to alleviate poverty. This is one way of doing that, Lacierda said.Thats a myopic view coming from the Left. Ilagan criticized President Aquino IIIs policy of privatizing health care services and taking the funding from public hospitals and transferring it to PhilHealth. Why spend P12.6 billion for the distribution of PhilHealth cards when the same amount can be allocated to public
Rare earth. Patches of green are all thats left of the concrete
jungle that is the Ortigas Center. Photo by MANNY PALMERO
BUSINESS A10
TECH
A6
FOREIGN NEWS A4
Belmonte
WHATS INSIDE?
GREEN MERCHANDISING
Industries produce millions of outdoor advertising materials and marketing collaterals each year. Smart has eco-friendly solutions for a sustainable environment.
JAMES HOLMES
The Batman shooter who killed 12 and injured 58 people in a Colorado theater.
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NEWS
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APART from the P2-trillion national spending plan, priority bills that have a ghting chance in the House of Representatives include the measures on reprodutive health and the freedom of information.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte said on Saturday that the 15th Congress will exert efforts to set both measures in full swing as soon as Congress resumes session on Monday. We will try our best to have these measures approved at least before the year ends, Belmonte told the Manila Standard. Charter Change will likely be included in the legislative mill, although Belmonte has yet to give any categorical statement on whether such a proposal will get priority or shelved altogether. The proposal to amend the 1987 Constitution focusing only on the economic provisions has been pending before the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments. The House committee chairman Rep. Loreto Leo Ocampos has admitted that it would be hard for his committee to act on the measure without the marching order from Malacaang. Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on Tuesday was expected to turn over to the House leadership the proposed General Appropriations Bill for 2013. Abad admitted earlier that the 2013 GAB would include the governments increased allocation for the conditional cash transfer program by almost 20 percent, from this years P39 billion to roughly P45 billion in 2013. At least 3 million poor families are currently enrolled in the program, and the government plans to raise that number to 4.8 million by 2014. While the FOI bill is pending for action at the House Committee on Public Information chaired by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone,
the RH bill still has a chance to make it. Theres a good chance the bills will get enacted, Belmonte added when asked for the prospects of the controversial bills. The RH bill, filed on July 1, 2010, was awaiting committee approval. Proponents were pushing for the measures approval as they expressed alarm over the countrys ballooning population which reached 92,337,852 as of 2010. The burgeoning population could grow to 100 million by 2015, estimates showed. The proposed freedom of information law will also likely pass muster at the committee level, according to Evardone. And hopefully, we will be able to have it discussed and debated thoroughly on the oor, Evardone told the Manila Standard. About 15 bills were led on the measure. Consolidating the 15 versions of the proposed Freedom of Information law was the crucial part, Evardone said. The FOI bill was led on July 27, 2010. Evardone, former journalist, said FOI is going to be the priority agenda of his panel in August.
Chaos on the streets. A chaotic situation ensued in most parts of Metro Manila in the aftermath of heavy rain dumped by tropical depression Ferdie. But when all else fails, you can depend on pedal power (inset) to do the job. EY ACASIO/DANNY PATA
FEATURES
Members of a militant group Alliance of Peoples Organization put the nishing touches on a giant efgy of President Aquino who will deliver his state of the nation address on Monday. MANNY PALMERO
Finishing touches.
Sona...
The SONA is a constitutional obligation, as written in Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution: [t]he President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session. Moreover, Article VI, Section 15 prescribes that the Congress shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session. The President of the Philippines appears before Congress upon its invitation, for which purpose a joint session is held in the
Session Hall of the House of Representatives. Congress issues tickets, and all preparations are undertaken with Congress as the ofcial host. On Monday morning, both the House of Representatives and the Senate hold their respective sessions in their respective chambers and elect their ofcials. For this years SONA, at least P3 million has been earmarked by Congress as the ofcial host, on top of the funds set aside to spruce up the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City. A few days before the SONA,
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. lead the blessing of the North Wing extension, which entailed P57 million. The North Wing extension now houses a lounge on 2nd oor and meeting rooms on the 3rd oor. The extension building was not only built in symmetry with the entire Batasan structure but also allowed bigger functions. I have been guests of some parliaments and activities were always within the parliament building. I would like to follow the same patern to give prestige to the people, Belmonte said. Maricel Cruz and Sara Fabunan
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NEWS
A3
world have F-16 jet ghters as the backbone of their defenses, Philippine ofcials are having second thoughts about buying second-hand F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States because of their huge maintenance cost not to mention the short remaining ying hours before they become obsolete.
the F-16, there life span shall have lapsed, Okol said. The advice of the US security ofcials was right for the Philippines not to get a second-hand F-16. The F-16 is a multirole jet ghter aircraft developed originally by General Dynamics and later by Lockheed. It was designed as a superior jet interceptor that can y in all kinds
Excess defense materials are not economical, said PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Okol after Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia said the US was prepared to sell the Philippines two supersonic F-16 jetghters but cautioned of the jets high maintenance cost. By the time our pilots shall have nished training how to operate
Newest assets. The Philippines took delivery of four of these Polish Sokol helicopters earlier this year.
of weather conditions. The Fighting Falcon saw extension action during the Gulf War against Iraq with great success and at least 25 countries have F-16 in their Air Force because of the jets versatility. In fact, the PAF has been craving to have F-16 aircraft to replace the retired F-5 ghters which were decommissioned in 2005, leaving the Air Force without a single jetghter. As a consequence, Philippine airspace is devoid of air defense the past seven years and intrusions by foreign aircraft have remained unchecked. Okol said that a brand F-16 costs US$60 million without the weapons and training. He said the weapons such as airto-air missiles are very expensive but buying these weapons will have the nod of the US government or any foreign government that sells defense materials. The Philippines badly needs modern ghter aircraft to protect its sovereignty from foreign intrusion like what is happening at the Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal. The Department of National Defense has been scouting for the purchase of supersonic jetfighter
interceptors for the Philippines. Aside from the F-16, the government will also look for other sources of fighter jets that are comparable to the Fighting Falcon but at a lesser price. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said that the upgrade and modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is in full swing. Gazmin said the defense department is working speedily on the approval of contracts for the upgrade and modernization of 138 projects to be implemented over the next ve years. The deadline for the approval of these contracts is on July 31. These projects would surely provide the Philippine Air Force with brand new and reliable assets for its operations, along with the operational requirements of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Army, Gazmin said. The acquisition will include surface attack aircraft, lead-in ghter trainer, attack helicopters, light transport aircraft and medium transport aircraft to be delivered in 2014. There are several countries the Philippines can purchase jet ghters such as the Mirage jets of France, the Tornado jets manufactured by Britain,
Germany and Italy, the Kr of Israel, to name a few. Congress had passed the AFP Modernization Law in 1995 allocating P331 billion spread over 15 years, but its implementation is snail-paced with only about P33 billion spent during the period. The PAF acquired early this year four of the eight Sokol combat helicopters from Poland and the remaining four will be delivered late this year. On the other hand, the Philippine Navy also acquired a refurbished cutter from the US and another will be delivered shortly but these vessels are already 45 years old and considered as US excess defense materials. Like the Air Force, the Navy also needs modern warships and gunboats two guard the countrys territorial waters which are twice as long as that of the United States. Some of its ships are World War II vintage and the Navy has no missile capability. The Center for a New American Security, a US think-tank, recently said that the Philippines needs 48 F-16 jet ghters, four to six mini submarines, more armed frigates and corvette-size combat vessels and minesweepers if it is to have a credible military defense capability.
Whale shark experience. A Cebu sherman feeds krill to a whale shark in Oslob town. GREENPEACE
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
WHALE sharks were rst spotted off Barangay Tan-awan in Oslon town only around September last year, but the number of people who have been ocking to the small town in southern Cebu has steadily increased over the past few months. Last January, about 3,000 tourists lined up for interaction with the whale shark, but the success has began to worry ofcials who are concerned about their new tourism goose that lays the golden egg. Local ofcials, led by Mayor Ronald Guaren, sought the help of the Department of Tourism which took the initial steps of teaching the local community how to handle whale shark tours via seminars for boatmen on basic frontline services, lifeguard techniques and effective communication. The local government has also been convening with several groups to regulate and manage the emerging tourism destination, as well as preserve these sea creatures and empower the locals in the community. In fact, Guaren said Oslob shermen have taken responsiblity for feeding and protecting the whale sharks at their own expense without support from the municipal government. The shermen spend P2,000 a day to buy krill, locally called uyap, from other places in Cebu. Faustino Hudar, chairman of the Barangay Tan-awan, said uyap is scarce in the waters of the barangay, particularly in February, March and April, so they have to buy krill from shermen in the cities of Toledo and Danao and the towns of Maolboal and Alegria at cost raning from P40 to P90 per kilo. More recently, town ofcials went on a study tour to Donsol, Sorsogon where the whale sharks rst made their appearance some years ago. Accompanied by DOT Central Visayas regional director Rowena Lu Y. Montecillo, the Oslob officials
went to Donsol to learn from Donsols best practices in the management of its whaleshark watching tour, human-cetacean interaction, visitor supervision, as well as enterprise development, community involvement, and partnership approaches. During the workshop, Donsols Butanding Interaction Ofcers shared their experiences and expert advice on responsible whaleshark interaction. Both parties exchanged ideas and views on the differences of their respective whaleshark watching tours and on how they can further improve their tourism product. Bicol regional tourism director Maria Ravanilla noted that the success of the whaleshark watching tour in Donsol is due to the cooperation and collaboration between the local government, community, the DOT, and private sector. I have high hopes that the successful and sustainable practices will be replicated in Oslob, she said. Already, the town has increased its fees for swimming or diving with whale sharks in order to regulate the number of tourists. Guaren said they increased their fee to P300 for local tourists and P500 for foreiners. The fee covers only watching the whale sharks from a non-motorized banca steered by local shermen. If the visitor wants to swim with the whale shark, locals will have to pay P500 fee for 40 minutes of snorkeling while foreigners will be charged P1,000. Local divers have to pay P600 while it will cost foreign divers P1,500. Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez lauded the local governmen of Oslob and stressed the greatest successes we have in tourism are always hinged on active local government participation and initiative. We depend highly on our local community partners to implement sustainable tourism practices, as we work towards our common goals of economic growth and job creation in the country, Jimenez said.
Replicating success
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FOREIGN
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A4
Casualties of war. Syrians wait under an Arabic sign reading arrival to Lebanon, as they cross into Lebanon at the
border crossing point in Masnaa, eastern Lebanon, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Damascus, Syria. Private cars as well as taxis and buses carried thousands of people eeing the violence in the Syrian capital. Syrian troops regained control of a rebellious neighborhood in Damascus Friday as more than 300 people were reported killed the day before in a sharp escalation of the countrys civil war. AP
James Holmes
parked outside the building, donned a helmet and ballistic vest, armed himself and returned. Police apprehended Holmes behind the shopping mall movie theater in the Denver suburb after the rst 911 call at 12:39 a.m. Three weapons were retrieved at the scene. A fourth, a 40caliber Glock handgun, was found in Holmess car. Police arent sure if that was used and its unclear how many rounds the suspect red. Holmes, who had been a graduate student in neuroscience at the University of Colorado, Denver, doesnt have a
Heloisa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto, the inspiration behind the classic bossa nova song The Girl from Ipanema.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
sways so gently first stepped out in public on August 1962, in a cramped Copacabana nightclub. On stage together, for the first and only time, were the architects of bossa nova: Tom Jobim on piano and Joao Gilberto on guitar, with help from the poet Vinicius de Moraes, who gave The Girl her lyrics. Bossa nova was still young then, somewhat of a novelty even in Rio. The name meant new trend or new way, and thats what it was: a fresh, jazzy take on Brazils holiest tradition, the samba. The 1962 show at the club Au Bon Gourmet established bossa nova, wrote Castro in his book about the genre. It didnt just introduce the Jobim-penned Girl; other bossa classics, such as So danco samba and Samba da bencao, also were played publicly for the first time. The small club 20 by 130 feet sold out every night as patrons realized something extraordinary was happening on the cramped little stage. That was also the year most Americans rst heard bossa nova. The 1962 record Jazz Samba, by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd, took the sound of Brazil and ltered it through the sensibility of American musicians, making it palatable to the countrys listeners. Although
an instrumental jazz album, it remained on the Billboard charts for 70 weeks. After that, everyone wanted a bit of Brazil. Jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald made bossa-inspired recordings. Performing Songwriter magazine says only The Beatles Yesterday has been recorded more often. Still, it wasnt until 1964 that The Girl came to the U.S., with its English lyrics written by American Norman Gimbel. The words are different from the original Portuguese ones but remain true to their spirit. Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilbertos then-wife, sang the English words in the album Getz/Gilberto. It was her first professional gig. Her voice is young, breathy, but theres a little hesitation; she trips over her English oh-so-lightly. As it turns out, she was perfect: exotic but accessible, sultry and innocent at once. Like the girl in the song, Astruds voice suggested a beauty that was enticing but just out of reach: Each day, when she walks to the sea, she looks straight ahead not at he. She was Heloisa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto, then 17 years old, known among her friends as Helo. The teenagers days were spent between home, school and the
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OPINION ManilaStandardTODAY
SUNDAY JULY 22, 2012
A5
EDITORIAL
BONG C. AUSTERO
So yes, I agree with our health ofcials. We should transition towards a more sustainable model. The use of medical insurance platforms such as the Philhealth where funds can be made contributory and therefore self-sustaining is a good idea. Having said that, I would like to register my utter exasperation with how government is trying to fast track the whole setup as if it could be done in a day. I cannot understand why government has suddenly imposed a deadline for phasing out charity wards without adequate consultation or preparation. We need to rst put in place the necessary mechanisms and foundation blocks to transition to such a set-up. We need to educate people, do parallel runs, strengthen PhilHealth capability, etc. This is not something that we can afford to do on a whim precisely because lives are at stake. Are our technocrats so totally isolated from the real world that they do not know the actual conditions in public hospitals? Many public hospitals have started to set up PhilHealth wards. The problem is that these wards are almost always full; in short, theres just not enough wardswhether PhilHealth or charity wards, period. So even if people have PhilHealth cards, our hospitals would still be hard put responding to the medical needs of our people. The other problem is that the process of securing a PhilHealth card and making it active is actually complicated for most people to comprehend. There are rules about number of payments that have to be made before the benets can be availed of. People need a steady source of income to be able to make regular contributions. We need to make the system of payments more convenient for everyone. We need to put in place mechanisms that would protect the system from abuse, particularly by politicians who are salivating at the idea of using the set-up to further their political agenda. We need to educate people about the wisdom of becoming a PhilHealth member. Whats even more important to stress is that regardless of everyones best efforts, there will always be people in this country who would not have access to a PhilHealth card either because they are simply not qualied, or just dont have the means to get enlisted. By phasing out charity wards, is government saying these people do not deserve medical care and attention? Once again, we have a promising idea that is doomed to fail because of the absence of strategic, or any kind of planning at all. What will it take for our leaders to realize that good intentions are never enough, that leadership is needed to push ideas into fruition?
Numbers as snapshots
NUMBERS help us understand what is going on in our environment. When statistics are released by government agencies or reputable polling rms, we take them at face value. It seems natural to form opinions and then make decisions based on the gures. Take, for instance, the recent report that the number of crimes in Metro Manila for the rst six months of the year increased to 29, 231 from 18,671, or by 36 percent, from the same period in 2011. By itself, the news is alarming Philippine National Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome has to emphasize that the rate in Metro Manila does not reect the general downward trend for the rest of the country. The rate is higher in the metropolis, Bartolome said, because of the huge population here. Another police ofcial however says that crime volume has gone up because more crimes are being reportednot necessarily that more are taking place. On the economic front, the administration is crowing about the 6.4-percent growth in the gross domestic product observed during the rst quarter of 2012, compared to the GDP level in the rst three months of 2011. The gure beat expectations; even the government expected a more modest 4.9-percent expansion. The rst-quarter gures made the Philippines the best performer in Southeast Asia and the second best in Asia, next only to China. President Benigno Aquino III is likely to invoke this growth rate when he makes his State of the Nation Address tomorrow. These are only two of the gures we have encountered in recent weeks. But we wonder: how many Filipinos actually make the effort to dig deeper and ask what makes the numbers what they are and how they were arrived at? The bottom line to the crime rate is whether Filipinos feel safe in their homes, in their schools and workplaces, and on the street. If they dont, are their fears grounded? What are the authorities doing to assuage this fear? Why are so called riding-in-tandem criminals becoming bolder? Similarly, can the ordinary wage earner feel the better-than-expected economic growth gures, and does he feel more optimistic that he can provide for his or her family in the years to come? It is just as important to step back and appreciate the gures over the long term. Unfortunately, there is no data readily available on crime volume trends in Metro Manila and in the whole of the country over, say, ve or ten years. Only then can we know whether the police have been doing their jobor whether the criminals are getting more audacious. Only then can we know, too, whether the growth is sustainable, and, when measured against the number of Filipinos, whether life is getting better for the ordinary man and woman. Numbers are good, but we must remember they are mere indicators they point to a situation that is the result of a confluence of factors. Saying that the situation is getting better takes more than a snapshotit is a continuous stream of action, a story that is unfolding as we tell it.
MST Sunday
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN FRANCIS LAGNITON ARMAN ARMERO EDITH D. ANGELES EDGAR M. VALMORIDA MARIEROSE ANG LINO SANTOS Publisher Managing Editor News Editor Senior Deskman Advertising Manager Circulation Manager Graphic Design Photo
OPINION ADELLE CHUA ARTS & LIFE DINNA VASQUEZ Staff JOBA BOTANA GRACE CORTEZ CARLA MORTEL-BARICAUA TECH MARLON MAGTIRA CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE BUSINESS RODERICK DELA CRUZ SPORTS REUEL VIDAL
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SUNDAY
ON-THE-GO
One-Stop Guide for Shutterbugs
By Marlon C. Magtira Photos by Kin Enriquez
DIGITAL PHOTOS
Q
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TECH
A7
uick
shooting advice
USE faster shutter speeds. Set a higher shutter speed if you want to capture fast moving action, most caameras have Shutter Priority mode or Sports mode settingwhich allows you to shoot at higher shutter speeds and freeze a fastmoving action. Use autofocus mode. Cameras with an autofocus option enables you to track your target images. This feature detects your photo subject and it automatically adjusts the lens focus to provide crispier photos. Plan. Get more information about the place where you plan to take photos. Check the weather so you will be prepared on unlikely situations. Undertake proper for your gadget. New cameras are built to take some beating, but you should take proper care and maintenance to ensure their efciency. Make sure you have all the important accessoriese ready. Clean your equipment accordingly to remove residual stains and other elements that might be harmful to your camera. The beach can dip you camera with salt.Check of the efciency of waterproof or rubber seal accessories to ensure that they work when you need it. Regularly clean your camera. Dust off any foreign particles from your camera lens with a soft micro-ber for stubborn stains after the day. Double check batteries. Make sure that you have fully-charged your battery before you go. Dont forget the bring the battery charger as well. Theres nothing more disastrous than beaing in a spectacular location only to nd out that your cameras batteries are dead. Also, bring spare storage devices. Some situations might require you to have more than one piece of storage media. Dont let the water ruin your device. If you need to go the locations with really wet conditions, make sure to bring along a waterproof case to protect your camera. Some special waterproof cases can allow you bring your camera under water.
Memory Cards
A MEMORY card is one of the most important device in storing precious memories. Even if your camera has builtin memory that can hold some photos, you will dentely come to a point when you will realize that the best of your built-in camera storage is never enough. A larger memory card is a must if you are to take high-resolution images or full-HD videos. Lets take a close look at the various media storage formats available in the market today. Things you should know about memory cards Formats. Most new model cameras are usually compatible with MicroSD cards formats that are now appearing in ultracompacts forms. Regular cameras, some entry-level DSLR usually use the Secure Digital or SD cards. There are still DSLRs that use CompactFlash or CF cards. SD card speed. Card speed determines how fast the card can read or write data. Th slowest cards usually start from Class 2 and the fastest models are in Class 10. If you just need to shoot small sized images or occasional video for viewing, cards in Class 2 to 6 should be enough to hold such images. But if youre going to shoot higher
resolution RAW images or full-HD movies, size of the SD cards). Class 6 to 10 cards are recommended. But Most CF cards feature higher speeds than the faster the speed the more expensive the SD cards. This is the reason why CF cardsare card will be. more commonly used by professional DSLR pjotographers. Secure Digital (SD) cards The speed ratings of CF cards are usually SD cards are the standard memory indicated by the amount of data thats being format used by most regular compact transferred per second, or megabytes per camera today. Some DSLRs are design to second (MB/s). hold SD cards as a secondary card format to be used as a backup. XQD cards For more advanced applications, there are The XQD card is a new format which improved versions of the format including was recently announced by the Compact the higher-capacity SDHC(High Capacity) Flash Association. and SDXC(Extended Capacity) cards for The XQD card was designed to be a more advanced compacts and DSLRs. high performance card that provides faster These cards are available speed class speeds and higher storage that the rest. ratings between Class 2 to Class 10,. With a fast 125MB/s or higher transfer speed, the XQD is designed for use in MicroSD cards professional-series DSLRs. MicroSD card is one of the smallest card The XQD card can allow allow formats available today. More cameras are photoshoots at up to 100 frames continuously starting to adopt the MicroSD card becuase in the RAW format. of the cards ultrathin compact features. Some MicroSD cards are bundled with an Other card formats external adapter which transforms it into There are cameras that use proprietary a SD card for use with regular compact card formats like Sonys Memory Stick/ cameras. Like the SD card, MicroSD cards Memory Stick PRO Duo and Olympus smaller versions are also rated with class es xD-Picture Cards. according to their read rate speed. These memory cards tend to be more expensive than SD or CF cards, but it CompactFlash (CF) cards pretty much do the same storage capacity. First produced by SanDisk, the CF card These cards in proprietary formats are is bigger than the SD card (about twice the not usually supported on most devices.
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A8 SUNDAY
The Body Shop Philippines managing director Dr. Mike Muoz (right) and marketing director Jo-I Kapunan (second from left) with celebrities Robi Domingo and Martin del Rosario.
Pulse
the
By Dinna Chan Vasquez
The Body Shop sources its products and ingredients from countries like Nepal, Ghana, Namibia, Paraguay, India, Ethiopia and Samoa, just to name a few, and the local communities they work with have beneted greatly. Thus, the launch of the brands new beauty movementBeauty with Heartis welcome news for The Body Shop fans. We know that our brand delivers more than beauty; our products truly contain heart as well. Today, were looking to a future where our vision of beauty can be experienced by new generations for whom it is all about looking good, feeling good, and doing good, too, says Sophie Gasperment, The Body Shops executive chairman. Shopping for beauty products is a sensory experience. One needs to see, smell and touch everything before making a decision. You would want the store to represent what the brand is all about and by that, we dont just mean lipsticks and lotions. You want to know what the brand stands for and what it believes in. Beauty with Heart comes to Manila via The Body Shops rst Pulse store at the Mall of Asia Complex. The Pulse stores reect the ve core Values at The Body ShopProtect The Planet, Activate Self Esteem, Defend Human Rights, Support Community Fair Trade and Against Animal Testing. The Pulse store brings a fresh new look together with sustainable design to The Body Shop, and aims to sig-
FEEL
THE Body Shop, for me, is synonymous with super moisturizing body butters, which I cannot live without. Beyond the products like the best-selling lip and cheek stain, I like the way The Body Shop does business, especially how Community Fair Trade empowers small communities worldwide. In the 1990s, I was even lucky enough to meet founder Anita Roddick when she came to the Philippines. A trip to the mall would not be complete without stopping by The Body Shop. I have a healthy relationship with the brand, which may not be that good for my wallet.
Lily Coles makeup line for The Body Shop is pretty in pink
nicantly reduce store impact on the environment even further. With energy consumption reduced by up to 49 percent compared to regular stores, this has been achieved by replacing uorescent lights in the bays with LED strips, reducing to 35w ceiling lamps, more efcient air-conditioning system design and a building management system which improves energy efciency by automatically shutting off air conditioning or heating when the shop is closed. The Pulse store aims to create a natural feeling space, to reect the natural ingredients which power products from The Body Shop. As a result, the wooden xtures and ttings in the store are all 100-percent FSC certied.
Every Pulse store will have a dedicated makeup artist and skin care expert to help advise customers.Every Pulse store worldwide will have a dedicated space which will act as a gallery of The Body Shops core values, supported by unique images from around the world. In addition, each store will have a resident Values Ambassador who will be able to talk to customers about the work undertaken by the company. Antique-style shopping carts that are replicas of those found in traditional French market place hold merchandise like soaps and lip treatments. The signs are hand-written. There are story-telling tables which encourage customers to interact with the products, be informed, experiment and try new looks.
The products are beautifully displayed on the shelves with their respective Community Fair Trade Ingredients for you to be well informed of where each jar, tub and bottle came from. There is also a Top 10 display of the bestselling Body Shop products. It will be a different display for every country, says says Jo-I Kapunan, marketing director for The Body Shop Philippines. The brand has tapped English model and actress Lily Cole as its rst global brand advocate. Cole last appeared in the movie Snow White and the Huntsman. We dont necessarily call her an endorser because she has also believed in the values we also believe in, says Kapunan.
MERCHANDISING PROGRAM
Green
reduces
These bags and candle holders are made out of recycled Smart merchandising materials. These bags are carried by Nautilus brand of designer PJ Araador.
GK site in Sooc, Iloilo were trained to lead the production of tarp-based outputs. Green Merchandising makes business sense since we are not only helping the environment, we are also helping the company save on costs, said Frances Ching, Smarts manager for Merchandising and Out of Home. The oxo-degradable materials ensure that the promo materials will degrade in three to four months, the normal period of the telcos offers, so no manpower is needed to dismantle the expired materials. These awnings should be costlier to produce by ve percent than the regular plastic but Smart was able to procure it from suppliers at the same cost as regular plastic due to the sheer volume of its orders. Using recycled paper, meanwhile, gives Smart ve to six percent savings on posters and as much as 60 percent for yers. The tarp recycling program, meanwhile, saves the company money normally allocated for storage cost of used tarpaulins. Smart continues to look for other environment-friendly solutions, including the use of plastic made out of cornstarch and launching an alternative to tarpaulin banners using recyclable materials. We are still in search of environment-friendly materials. The company is also starting to invest on more permanent and practical materials to avoid wastage such as road signage, barricades, barangay signage, poster holders, and bulletin boards for schools and barangay halls, said Ching.
Sunday
ARTS & LIFE
ManilaStandardTODAY
Local music
celebrates rebirth
By Joba Botana
A9
industry
MUSIC is a reection of life in general. All feelings, experiences and contemplation can be expressed through a song. The Philippine Popular Music Festival (PhilPOP) Foundation Inc. sees Filipino music as a cultural treasure and an indication of Filipinos identity.
PhilPOP is a nationwide search for some of the most talented Filipino musical composers. Whether these artists reside here in the Philippines or are living abroad, they continue to showcase Filipino musical ingenuity and passion to an overwhelming degree. Thus, the foundation seek to resound and preserve the vanishing, perhaps forgotten musical gems from the rural areas. We seek to empower Filipino songwriters whose fresh music can inspire and motivate a nation, says Ryan Cayabyab, PhilPOPs executive director. In the PhilPOP Music Festival Grand Finals at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center, 14 finalistscomposed of both professionals and amateurs showcased their talents in songwriting. The event was hosted by singer and songwriter Ogie Alcasid and singer-actress Nikki Gil. Of the finalists, Karl Vincent Villuga, whos an amateur in song writing contests, took home the grand prize of P1million pesos and a trophy created by renowned Filipino glass sculptor Ramon Orlina. Villugas Bawat Hakbang performed by popular crooner Mark Bautista together with The Akafellas, won the favors of the judges. The two runner-ups, Toto Sorioso with his song Tayo Tayo Lang and Soc Villanueva with his song Kontrabida, each received P500,000 and P250, 000, respectively, as well as their own Orlina-made trophies. According to Sorioso, his rock-ballad entry, performed by former Sugarfree frontman Ebe Dancel, talks about the loneliness of playing music on stagewith no one really paying attention. Sorioso, who started writing songs in high school, is a sound engineer and singer. On the other hand, Villanueva, whos currently based in Australia, has created beautiful songs for artists such as Angeline Quinto and Bituin Escalante. Young hearthrob Sam Conception took the lead role for his entry Kontrabida. Songwriting contest rookie James Leyte won the Smart Peoples Choice Award and took home P200,000 for his song Brown performed by the reggae group Brownman Revival. Many of the entries were fresh, daring and edgy. In the end, judges chose songs that, according to them, would still be played and loved by Filipinos of all ages years and years from now. Among the veteran songwriters who made it to the finals were Trina Belamide, Mike Villegas, Gary Granada and Edwin Marollano. Present during the event were PhilPOP Foundation chairman, Manuel V. Pangilinan as well as PhilPOP president Ricky Vargas and Cayabyab. Among the local music industys big names who performed and graced during the finale night were Basil Valdez, Hajji Alejandro, Sharon Cuneta, Bituin Escalante and Rachel Alejandro. Kitchen Musical star Christian Bautista, singer-actor Gian Magdangal, Philippine Idol alumnu Jan Nieto and Reymond Sajor, RnB singer Kris Lawrence, Fil-Am violinist Bryson Andres, hip-hop artist Gloc 9, singer-songwriter Kitchie Nadal, comedic duo Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola, The Ryan Cayabyab Sing-
ers, theater actress Cris Villonco and balladeer Erik Santos also graced the evening. The show was directed by veteran Rowell Santiago. Excerpts of the final 14 songs maybe listened to online at PhilPOP. com.ph while the CD containing the compilation of the finalists will soon be made available at all music stores nationwide.
Villuga (third from left) with PhilPOP executive director Ryan Cayabyab, Mark Bautista, PhilPOP Foundation chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, and PhilPOP president Ricky Vargas
Sunday
BUSINESS ManilaStandardTODAY
extrastory2000@gmail.com
A10
MARIA Fe Perez-Agudo, a product of an all-girls Catholic school in Manila, believes in the capability of women to climb the corporate ladder even in industries known to be mens turf.
Her own ascent to the top position at the fastest-growing car distributor in the Philippines changed the face of the once male-dominated automotive industry. I believe in the power of the feminine genius, the amiable Agudo says, as she encourages women to explore more avenues. Unleash and maximize that inner power. Choose to seek opportunities, add value, deliver results, and most importantly, love what youre doing, she says. Agudo speaks from experience. Married and a mother of two, she is the president and chief executive of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., the ofcial distributor of Hyundai cars in the Philippines. A decade ago, Hyundai was a Korean car brand looked down in the Philippines and other markets. Things changed, as Hyundai employed the best hands in engineering and the best brains in marketing. Back in 2001, Hyundai was literally a dwarf to the Japanese and American motoring giants that dominated the industry at that time. Korean cars then were considered of poor quality and it was a huge challenge to change public perception on that, she adds. Agudo took the challenge head-on. Under her leadership, Hari grew by leaps and bounds and is now considered the leading distributor of imported vehicles in the Philippines. Now, she says Hyundai takes St. Scholasticas pride in integrity of design. alumnus Hyundai vehicles are a total She nished Bachelor of package in terms of power, Science in Commerce, Major in beauty, fuel-efciency, and ecoAccounting under a full scholarship friendliness, she says. at St. Scholasticas College, an allHyundais girls school run by the Benedictine Sisters in Manila in 1983. This turnaround is the same college where the late Hari has consisPresident Corazon Cojuangco tently placed among Aquino and 1969 Miss Universe the top three car firms Gloria Diaz studied. in terms of sales over Agudo also completed the past two years. It a Leadership Development distributes 13 models Program at Wharton School in three different segof Business in University of ments. Pennsylvania in 2003. For her exemAgudo admits that as a young plary management girl in the 1970s, she never thought of Hari in its 10 she would nd herself involved in years as a corpothe automotive industry, especially ration and for her in the distribution in the Philippines role behind its of the now-considered world- success as a major leading Korean cars. player in the auA real estate professional tomotive industry, for over 20 years, Perez-Agudo Agudo was named says a rare opportunity knocked the Woman Entreon her door in 2001, requiring a preneur of the Year by advisory group total career shift. Ernst & Young in A career shift I was already enjoying a career 2011. Agudo says Hari in the real estate industry when an will not rest on opportunity arose. I was asked to spearhead the selling in the its achievements Philippines of this still-unknown attained over the years, and will Korean car brand, she says. continue expanding its eet of vehicles. After the launch of Eon and preview of Veloster during the International Motorshow in March, she says they will launch the allnew, upgraded Santa Fe later this year.
Expanding dealerships
Hari also aims to expand its number of dealerships in the country in a bid to meet the increasing demand of
customers. Agudo says the plan is to add seven more dealerships, bringing to 45 its nationwide network this year. Despite criticism Hyundai is undercutting competition, Agudo says the Korean car maker is in fact promoting healthy competition. As the countrys third topranking brand in terms of local industry sales, Hari is engaged in friendly competition with the countrys leading Japanese brands, she says. Hari chooses to co-exist with and engage in healthy competition with them because healthy competition challenges everyone to outdo themselves in delivering the best possible products and services to the consumers. She says Hari aspires to be the Filipinos most trusted lifetime partner in motoring and beyond. Hari wants Filipinos to experience Hyundai not just as a car but a space where customers experience lifes most brilliant moments, she says.
are happy that Ford Philippines will continue to do business here as a distributor, she says.
Importers group
Aside from leading Hari, Agudo also serves as the president of the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors. Other members of Avid include The Covenant Car Co., Motor Image Pilipinas, Cats Motors, PGA Cars, Scandinavian Motors and British United Automobiles. Avid saw its sales rise 4 percent to 24,880 units in 2011 and expects a double-digit growth this year, on improved supply condition and stable economy. This would allow the group to increase their combined market share to 20 percent from 15 percent in 2011, cutting into the share of rival group Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. Agudo says the recent announcement of Ford Group Philippines to stop manufacturing operations in the country should serve as a challenge to both the government and the automotive industry to review current policies, strategies and directions. This is an opportunity to seek the best program to advance the growth and development of the Philippine automotive industry, in the interest of boosting the countrys overall economy. We
A growing industry
An exciting career
Tan, the vice president and head of research at online stock brokerage rm COL Financial Philippines, is at the forefront of promoting nance as an exciting profession among college students. A career in nance is very exciting. It is not at all boring. The perception that it is a boring desk job is not true, she says. The 36-year-old mother of two is currently the president of CFA Society Philippines, the local chapter of Chartered Financial Analysts Institute, a global network that accredits nancial professionals. CFA Institute has more than 109,000 members worldwide. When we say careers in nance, people usually think about frontline banking, accounting, bookkeeping and backroom jobs. We feel we have to create an awareness that nance is much more than those jobs and in fact those are not even nance jobs. Those are backroom jobs. Finance is so much more, she says. Tan says nance offers various careers such as
CFA designation
Opportunities in nance
People who have CFA designation have exciting opportunities here and abroad, says Tan. Many of their members have in fact left for high-paying jobs in the nancial hubs of the US, Hong Kong and Singapore. Only 122 CFA charter holders remain in the Philippines. She says at CFA Society, we have ethics at the core. She says the group promotes ethical nance profession. When speaking of ethics, she says: You have to put clients interest rst and foremost before yourself. It is especially relevant now given all the scandals going on globally. The end goal of the CFA program is to be wellequipped nancial professional who can handle well other peoples money and have these good ethical bearings. This means you are using what you know for the betterment of your clients, she says. Tan says nance offers equal opportunities for both men and women. We have speakers coming from
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
SPORTS
A11
Cortuna VICTORIOUS IN
Hong Kong
By Reuel Vidal
Veteran bodybuilder Dondon Cortuna has collected a hefty number of rst place trophies from tournaments here and abroad in his 20 years of competitive bodybuilding. He adds to the collection with his victory in Hong Kong. Jerome Miranda (above, left) displays the form which earned him the gold in the Mens 65 kilogram and below category. Reysan Nonepara ruled the Mens Novice Overall and 75 kilogram and below categories. ERIX LEAO AND JAMES LEETONG
Filipino athletes went home last week without fanfare after ruling the 2012 HKFBF International Bodybuilding and Fitness Invitational Championship at Star Hall, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
career that spans two decades. Unlike other sports where athletes face a steep decline after they reach their peak in their late 20s the nature of bodybuilding is such that after all the long years of competition Cortuna is now probably at his peak condition. He expressed his pride at being able to represent the Philippines in competitions abroad. He said he was happy to show the world that local athletes can also conquer the international stage. I was honored to represent my country especially when I got the championship. I was pleased to hear them call my country and then announce my name as champion, said Cortuna. I really worked hard to prepare for that competition. I spent ve months preparing religious-
Veteran internationalist Dondon Cortuna added another bodybuilding gold medal victory to his collection by ruling the 75 kilogram category of the international tournament. Cortuna is not the only Filipino bodybuilder to emerge victorious in the Hong Kong meet. Local athletes won the gold in ve other categories. Jerome Miranda was triumphant in the Mens 65kg and below category. Reysan Nonepara ruled the Mens Novice 75kg and below category as well as the Mens Novice Overall. Joseph Fernandez was triumphant in the Mens Novice 70kg and below category. Finally, Paolo Lobo Daligdig took the gold in the Mens Novice 65kg and below. Cortuna is at the zenith of a
ly. The diet was tough and I had to work out extremely hard. After all that sacrice I was condent of winning because of my 100 percent dedication, self-discipline and determination. Rocky Dauden of the Unied Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of the Philippines likened Cortuna to Manny Pacquiao who, for a while, seemed unbeatable. He won in his category at the Arnold Amateur early this year. From then until now, this guy has continued his winning ways thats why he is considered to be the Manny Pacquiao of bodybuilding. Champions have no off-season, said Dauden. Cortuna bagged the gold in the 75 kg category in the recent Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Dauden explained that Cortuna was able to overpower his competitors through his superior symmetry. In the stage kasi its all about symmetry. I was able to talk to Dondon (Cortuna) and he said karamihan daw ng kalaban mga Americans and some Europeans. They may have big upper bodies pero pagdating sa legs, medyo
mahina, said Dauden who noted that Cortuna had the whole package. HKFBF is a competition of different nations from different parts of the world. It started a few years ago and has virtually exploded in popularity with the best bodybuilders in the region competing. And next up for Cortuna and other local bodybuilders is the 2nd Phil Asia 2012 International Bodybuilding championship to be held September 21 to 24 at the Mariners Court, Cebu. Registration is September 21, 8 to 12 noon at the Workout Fitness Center. Interested parties may call 032-255-5531, visit the Web sites http://www.strongpinoy.org and http://maximummusclemag.com or send email to strongpinoy@gmail.com. It will be the biggest and most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the Philippines and will actually serve as qualier to the Mr. Universe. Its a safe bet that local bodybuilders, including Cortuna and the other local winners of the past HKFBF tournament, will again step up and dominate to bring honor and glory to the country.
The Magician
THE MORNING AFTER
THE most popular cue artist of all time is Efren Bata Reyes, who after racking up hundreds of titles in more than three generations, is still feared by his inveterate enemies and revered by his adoring fans as the most cunning magician in the world of billiards. Bata Reyes, at 57, owns one of the most recognizable faces on television among local athletes, having been cast alongside the most bankable talents in the Da King, the late Fernando Poe, Jr., and recently boxing icon Manny Pacman Pacquiao. Since he began knocking down colored balls from the most toilsome angles, Bata Reyes has established a cult of his own. Ambitious and restless, Bata Reyes grew up in the hobo jungles of old Manila in downtown Sta. Cruz where he played the game to survive. He made the billiard tables his satin bed and dreamt of becoming a star player someday. Even in his tender age, Bata Reyes, armed with rmness of purpose, was already considered a barracuda in the game at a time when the nations most prolic money maker was the affable Jose Amang Parica. Even when he lost closely-contested games, Bata Reyes never once railed or
RAY ROQUERO
complained against the luck of fate. He never uttered bitter remarks, except to murmur in his soft voice: Amang got all the breaks. I guess it was in the 80s when Parica and Reyes joined forces to establish the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines(BSCP) along with the amboyant pelotari, Joaquin Perez de Tagle, at the old Sports Grille of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila. Before that, there were only the rare tournaments. Their exploits seldom landed in the sports pages nor broadcast on TV. But soon, billiards became a passion and an ubiquitous sight in many street parlors. Through the guidance of Tagle, the BSCP gathered the countrys best players, calendared tournaments year round and rated the competitors to separate the men from the boys. There was order and lucrative competitions that enriched everyone in the group followed. Reyes and Parica were now the foremost entertainers with their brilliance and amazing skills. They became household bywords and their names were quickly added to the roster of Filipino champions in international meets as billiards took a convivial turn for fame and glory. This was of course before the days when big time event organizers and promoters took over from the BSCP which was then crippled by a leadership crisis. Billiards became an instant money maker with Bata Reyes, joined by a plethora of eminent pool maestros like Django Bustamante and Ronnie Alcano, among others.
Times have changed but despite the wealth and accolades, Reyes has remained unspoiled and carefree. The only variations in his life are his brittle bones and his dimming sight. Yet, he has never run out of tricks. It would not be fair to Bata Reyes to say that he did not take himself seriously in all those rich tournaments he had conquered. His amiable spirit and comic demeanor belie the strength and resolve he displayed to rule numerous tournaments. In recognition of his exceptional accomplishments, the Filipino champion was bestowed the singular honor by the US Billiard Media Association as the sports Player of the Decade for 2000 to 2009. Thrice, he was named Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA), rst in 1999; the second in 2001, sharing the plum with golfer Dorothy Delasin; and the third in 2006 with fellow player Ronnie Alcano and four other athletes. Bata Reyes was among the few picked to grace the Nintendo DS World Cup of Pool game alongside Earl Strickland and Ronnie OSullivan of the US. Now in the market, the video game allows players to duel against the worlds top 60 cue artists in a reality match. In the yearend money list two years ago, Bata Reyes earned $93,709, second only to Darren Appletons $118,494. Well, what more can we say of the Magician, now with the capital M. Efren Bata Reyes is a gracious companion and a gentle human being. He is everybodys friend and there is always laughter in his heart and a smile on his lips.
Philippine Memory Team skipper Roberto Racasa (center) demonstrates how to memorize the order of a full deck of cards in less than a minute. Looking on are rst Filipino Grandmaster (GM) of Memory Mark Anthony Castaeda (right) and journalist Marlon Bernardino Jr.
MoreFun
A12
SUNDAY JULY 22, 2012
in the Philippines
DUTY FREE OPENS NEWLY RENOVATED NAIA T3 OUTLET
Manila, Boracay
Duty Free Philippines (DFP) partly opened its new outlet that was undergoing major renovation at the Terminal 3 arrival area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Paraaque City recently. This is in fulllment of the companys commitment to enhance its retail footprint through an aggressive store expansion and improvement project, and as part of the Manila International Airport Authoritys rehabilitation and beautication program.
Based on the 2011 Visitor Sample Survey for Inbound Visitors, the most popular destinations are Manila, Boracay, Cebu, Laguna, and Tagaytay. These destinations are most visited by tourists because these places continue to o er varied types of products and activities, namely, sun, sea and beach, entertainment and shopping, sightseeing, and recreation. In terms of popularity, fast-rising destinations from the Visayas are Albay, Camarines Sur (especially Caramoan), and Samar. Tourist interest in these places is steadily growing due to their untapped natural resources and beautiful sceneries. The Tourism Department (DOT) also projects that the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas will be the next favored tourist destinations once the needed infrastructure and investments in accommodation and tourism products are completed. According to the Department, the country remains on track in achieving its year-end target with a total of 1,819,781 million foreign visitors from January to May. The gure is 13.05 percent higher compared to last years
1,609,651 visitors. The Department also reported that all key markets registered a positive growth from January to May, with Korea, USA, Japan, China, and Taiwan maintaining their positions as the countrys top tourist generators. Korea remains to be the biggest source, contributing 397,170 visitors for a share of 21.83 percent of the total volume and posting a 12.41 percent growth. Overseas Filipinos supplied 5.16 percent to the total tourist traffic with 93,814 arrivals, exhibiting a steady growth rate of 4.26 percent. To further boost the arrival of visitors, the Department intends to maximize available resources and focus on channels that will yield higher mileage come September. With about
25M Facebook and Twitter users in the Philippines, the Department is tapping the power of social media to push the campaign locally. Its website, www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com, is currently being developed to feature more information about the Philippines places to see and go depending on tourists interests To encourage participation in the on-going campaign, Tourism chief Ramon Jimenez rallies the whole Filipino nation around a very simple idea: Tourism is the peoples business. More than any other country in Asia, the Philippines has the power of buzz and buzz creation is beyond anything our competition can generate. This same insight has been at
the core of our new tourism campaign, Its more fun in the Philippines, a campaign with a central strategy executed and spread by millions of active, enthusiastic Filipinos who feel they have the power to persuade people to visit their country. Its phenomenal and viral success so far is greatly due to the people who have participated in the campaign with their catchy and witty versions, each proving to the world how it is indeed more fun in the Philippines. It is hoped that every Filipino will continue to support the campaign and engage in becoming tourism ambassadors who will ensure that our foreign guests will always have a positive, memorable, and fun experience, Secretary Jimenez said.
The revitalized airport store has adopted a more innovative, modern and sleek design. The improvements aim to provide a better shopping experience for its customers, specically the international travelers and tourists. As of this date, the outlet has proven to be more protable as it already gained an outstanding 36 percent year over year increase in sales since it opened last May 6. Renovation plans of DFPs departure store at the NAIA Terminal 1 are already underway. The Tourism Departments attached agency is hopeful that the new duty free stores more attractive and functional retail environment will be instrumental to the achievement of its goal of contributing to the countrys tourism efforts.
Sky blue Mary Janes with embellished bows CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK