Sarah Duterte Walks-the-Talk by Supporting Honda’s Road Safety Advocacy

Daughter of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Attorney Sarah Duterte Carpio, better known as Inday Sarah to Davaoeños, begins her Safety Riding training at the Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC) in Sucat, Paranaque as part of her support to Honda’s Road Safety Advocacy.

A lawyer by profession and a certified motorcycle lover and rider as influenced by her father, Atty. Duterte is known to go around her hometown of Davao on her Honda XR200.She is also an avid rider of Big Bike models.

Despite her current skill set, Duterte still opted to enrol in HSDC to learn from its extensive courses that focus on safety.

As a politician well-versed in the country’s road and traffic conditions, Duterte wants to set an example to the Filipino people, whose lives heavily depend on various modes of land transportation. Adding to this is the fast growing number of motorcycle riders, with sales growing at 115% from the previous year.

Statistics also tell that human errors caused by inadequate skills and lack of a proper safety mindset cause 90% of road accidents, which results in delays, losses, and even fatalities. This is what HSDC wants to counter with its several courses focusing on safety practices for both two-wheels and four-wheels.

Located at km South Superhighway, 17E Service Road, Paranaque, the Honda Safety Driving Center is the largest and only training facility for both motorcycles and automobiles in the Philippines, employing safety instructors that received world-class training. Courses include informative classroom sessions that tackle safety attitudes and practices, while actual riding sessions are held at the world-class circuit that simulates actual road situations – from intersections, to roundabouts, s-courses, bumpy roads, and more.

The establishment of the facility is part of Honda’s obligation as a motorcycle manufacturer to provide road safety education and programs for all by equipping Filipinos with road discipline, proper safety mindset and superior driving skills. Ultimately, Honda’s goal is to build a community of safe riders, so everyone can safely feel the joy of mobility.

Atty. Sarah Duterte-Carpio shares Honda’s vision for road safety for every Filipino, so with her enrolment with HSDC, she advocates safety not only in words but also in practice.

For more information, follow Honda Philippines, Inc. on Facebook – www.facebook.com/hondaph/ or visit their official website –www.hondaph.com. To know more about safety riding and HSDC, visit www.hondaph.com/hsdc/

Duterte’s Independent Foreign Policy benefits Philippines economically & strategically, will make country safe from possible nuclear attack in any superpower rivalry, analysts say

At the February 8 Pandesal Forum with media at Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City, it was the consensus of various geopolitics and economics analysts that President Rody Duterte’s independent foreign policy of balancing Philippine diplomacy with a pivot to Russia and China has numerous strategic and socio-economic benefits, and it safeguards the country from the danger of a possible nuclear attack during a conflict between rival superpowers.

            The analysts said that not only has this reform in foreign policy direction gained new trading partners and allies such as the world’s second largest economy China and energy superpower Russia, Duterte’s independent foreign policy has gained record-high economic gains from traditional ally Japan and also expected to boost USA’s traditional ties with the Philippines under new President Donald Trump.

            The geopolitics and economics experts who shared their multi-disciplinary analyses were General Victor Corpus, former Senator Francisco Tatad, former Undersecretary Butch Valdes, analyst Rod Kapunan, ex-diplomat Ado Pagkalinawan, Catholic University of Louvain graduate and strategic analyst Celso Cainglet, Phil-Brics Strategic Studies, Inc. founder Herman T. Laurel, and the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI) director, Wharton-educated economist and geopolitics analyst George T. Siy.

            The experts said that an independent foreign policy is mandated in the Philippine constitution, that President Duterte is the only Philippine leader in modern times to have upheld this policy not only in terms of balanced and pragmatic diplomacy to make the country an equidistant friend of all major powers, this policy also seeks to uphold the all-important goal of economic sovereignty.

            The analysts said that President Duterte’s reform of seeking neutrality of the Philippines with regards to the strategic rivalry and possible military conflict between the big powers USA and China, USA and Russia will ensure the long-term safety of the Philippines from any nuclear attack by the powers, in the same way most Asean countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and others are not militarily tied up with or strategically beholden to any of the major powers.  

            The analysts said the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the U.S. was signed in 1951 at the height of the Cold War between the capitalist countries and Communist countries, but the world has changed a lot since then and the Cold War ended in 1991, but the country’s leaders had failed to renegotiate the Mutual Defense Treaty and to reform Philippine foreign policy directions.

            The experts said that in March 2015 at the highest point of the tensions over the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea controversy the SWS conducted a survey of the Filipino public sentiment over the prospect of armed conflict between the Philippines and China. The survey showed that 84% of the Filipino public were “worried” about armed conflict with China and half of the people were “worried a great deal”. This is the wisdom of the Filipino people speaking, a sentiment President Rodrigo R. Duterte respects.

            In September 2016 President Duterte set the new pro-Philippines direction, “We will observe and I must insist – I repeat, I must insist – on the time honored principles of sovereign equality, non-interferen ce and commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes to best serve our people…”

            President Duterte launched the Philippines’ Independent Foreign Policy (IFP) with uniquely Filipino characteristics, re-opening bilateral dialogue with China which immediately bagged $ 25-Billion of investments, soft loans and assistance from China, boosted tourism and agricultural exports.

China’s initiative and prompted other other competing countries such as Japan playing to play catch up and offering $ 19-Billion of its own funding and support to the Philippines. President Duterte’s IFP has also opened the huge potential markets of Russia for Philippine agricultural exports and imports of 4-million barrels of cheaper Iranian oil.

            The normalization of ancient close ties with China also brings the Philippines a special seat on the gigantic 21^st Century “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) project of infrastructure, communication, innovation and trade links that cross from Asia to Europe and back to Asia via the sea, and the Philippines offers the unique prospect of making that New Silk Road circumnavigate the global as OBOR’s eastern hub to the Pacific.

            The experts at the Pandesal Forum said that the Philippines under Spanish colonial rule was an entrepot between the robust China trade with Mexico, Spain and Europe via the fabled “Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade”, that the new independent foreign policy of President Duterte can revive this strategic trade importance of the Philippines via the China-led trans-continental “One Belt, One Road” project.  

            As part of efforts to diversify sources of economic support, the Philippines’ new independent foreign policy reform can also help expand the country’s source of huge infrastructure development funding through the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure International Bank (AIIB) of which even many USA allies Canada, South Korea and Germany are also already founding members.

            Most important of all is the crucial emerging role the Philippines now plays under President Rodrigo R. Duterte as the Pivot for Peace in the Asia-Pacific, being the fulcrum for the balance-of-power in a Multi-Polar World, especially this year 2017 when the Philippines is assuming the role as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Salinlahi pushes CASER, challenges Duterte: Do this for Filipino children

'To achieve a just and lasting peace, the Duterte government needs to sign and implement the CASER (Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms). The agreement will help improve the lives of millions of impoverished Filipino children and their families,' this is the challenge of Kharlo Manano, secretary general of Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns, an alliance of child rights groups in the Philippines.

Talking about the recently concluded third round of the peace negotiations between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Duterte government, the child rights group mentioned the importance of national industrialization and genuine land reform among other programs included in the proposal of the NDFP.

Manano explained that 'Nationalizing industries will provide jobs for Filipinos and will contribute to eventual eradication of exploitation of child labor, children in conflict with the law and even the perilous involvement of children in drug trades and use.'

Likewise, the group said that genuine land reform will help lower down hunger and malnutrition rates among children of farmers and farm workers. 'If peasant families would have land to till and sufficient support to agriculture from the government, cases of child trafficking and cyber pornography would lessen since majority of victims are rural poor without regular livelihood,' Manano continued.

Salinlahi encouraged Duterte to be true to his vow to achieve peace, 'President Duterte should seriously implement CASER once signed and the Flipino people should be vigilant to ensure social justice as a requisite in achieving genuine peace. The success of the peace talks and CASER would contribute to a better future for children,' concluded Manano.###

DTI assures stable “noche Buena” food prices, says P1 billion to assist MSMEs

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Teodoro Pascua on December 7 Wednesday said at the Pandesal Forum of Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City that  government is working to ensure continued stable prices for “noche buena” Christmas foods and prime commodities. He foresees no higher consumer prices until the end of December, even with the recent Philippine peso depreciation similar with other Asian currencies.

            Pascua cited the continued stable prices of pandesal, breads and other flour-based food products as the result of government’s continuous consultations with bakery groups and other sectors, as well as the declining global prices of wheat and flour.

            Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Ted Pascua said he and DTI have been meeting and working closely with diverse business organizations, enterprises and consumers to monitor prices of basic foods and consumer goods. He also urged the media to encourage a less Western or more pro-local consumer behavior, such as promoting the buying of Filipino-made “parol” lanterns instead of the Western idea of Christmas trees, singing or playing Filipino Christmas carols instead of Western music with lyrics about winter or snopw, etc.

            Pascua said that a source of good news for stable consumer goods and food prices for 2017 is the Duterte administration’s new plan to roll out DTI’s P1 billion pesos special fund for micro-lending to micro, small and medium-scale (MSME) entrepreneurs, which hopes to ease the burdens of small traders who used to be dependent on high-interest, so-called “5-6” loans. He said this special DTI fund for micro-lending can grow to as much as P6 billion pesos by 2018.

            DTI Undersecretary Pascua said retailers and consumers should consult DTI’s list of suggested retail prices (SRPs) of noche buena products released on November 4. He said DTI welcomes complaints by the public about possible profiteering, exorbitant prices, faulty quality standards, etc. He said the public can communicate to the DTI via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, telephones, writing letters or visiting their offices.

            The public is encouraged to use DTI’s “e-Presyo” to guide consumers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers to monitor DTI’s SRP prices.

Philippine infrastructures budget P8.2 to P9 trillion in 6 years

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Dr. Benjamin E. Diokno on November 28 at the Pandesal Forum of the 77-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City announced the new “golden age of infrastructures” for the Philippines under the Duterte administration in the coming six years with a projected record-high budget of P8.2 trillion pesos to P9 trillion pesos.

Former University of the Philippines (U.P.) economics professor, Secretary Diokno said: “We are reforming and opening up the Philippine economy. Local and foreign investors are welcome to be part of the fastest-growing economy of the Philippines in the fastest-growing region in the world which is Asia.”

Among the announcements made by Secretary Diokno at the Pandesal Forum included:

1. The Philippine government can register 8% annual economic growth by year 2022.

2. NEDA has already approved 18 public infrastructure projects.

3. Duterte administration plans to build a new 600-kilometers train system from Tutuban in downtown Manila through Albay and to Sorsogon province in Bicol region, with estimated construction costs of US$250 million to $300 million and to be completed in 4 to 5 years.

4. Infrastructures construction projects will be undertaken by the Duterte administration 24 hours daily and for 7 days a week, Duterte described it as “non-stop and full-speed”.

5. Infrastructures budget for 2017 shall be P861 billion pesos.

6. President Rody Duterte has already convened 9 cabinet meetings in less than 5 months, usually lasting from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. in order to fast-track socio-economic development projects and reforms.

7. Dr. Diokno said that infrastructure projects will help solve Metro Manila’s chronic traffic problem, which he said is costing the Philippine economy P2.4 billion pesos of productivity losses daily. He added: “I think this will get worse until they get better, due to the coming construction activities and infrastructure projects.”

8. The Duterte administration is planning to reduce personal income tax rate from 32% to 25%, and to increase the number of people who shall enjoy tax exemptions. Diokno said: “President Duterte is the first president of the country to submit a tax reform policy within only a few months in office.”

9. Diokno said that the ideal ratio of infrastructures budget to a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is 5%, but the Philippines ever since Edsa 1986 to now or the past 30 years averaged “not over 35”. Diokno said: “Under the Aquino administration of the past 6 byears, infrastructure budget averaged only 2.7% to 2.9% of GDP. Under the Duterte administration, the target is 7% to 8%, and that’s the conservative target only. The cost of borrowing money in the world now is so low, government should increase infrastructure developments and socio-economic services. National economic growth which is not inclusive or not felt by the ordinary citizens, this should change and this Duterte administration wants high economic growth should improve the lives of bthe people.”

10. The Philippines is subscribing to and becoming an active member of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as part of efforts to speed up infrastructure developments all over the country.

11. The creation of a new government center is possible, perhaps in Clark. During President Joseph Estrada’s short-lived term, there was a plan to create a new government center in Quezon City where Trinoma mall is now located and this was already planned by architect Jun Palafox, but the Estrada government fell. Another possible option is the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, which has 50 hectares of government land.

12. Diokno said President Duterte is expected to decide on what to do with our existing congested international airport, either go for Clark, or San Miguel Corporation’s proposal of a new airport in Bulacan or SM Group’s proposal in Sangley Point  in Cavite.

13. Secretary Diokno said: “The Duterte administration shall continue the Private Public Partnership (PPP) but with a twist, there shall be reforms such as the government entertaining unsolicited bids and others.”

14. The Duterte administration targets to create at least one million new jobs a year.

15. The Duterte administration targets to reduce poverty by 1.25% to 1.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) every year.

Russia seeks stronger economic and military ties with Philippines

Russian Federation Ambassador Igor Khovaev on November 29 at the Pandesal Forum of 77-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City expressed optimism on strengthening of Philippine-Russia diplomatic, economic, military, cultural, anti-crime and anti-terrorism cooperation after what he described as “the successful meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President Rody Duterte in Lima, Peru”. He said Russia looks forward to President Duterte’s 2017 state visit to his country as “a historic event”, that details are still being planned by both sides, that President Duterte prefers not to go to Moscow during the cold winter.

Khovaev stressed that Russia is against any closed military alliances which usually target third-party countries, that is why Russia has no military alliances in Asia but just close strategic partnerships with China, Vietnam and India. In the same way, Ambassador Kovaev said Russia seeks partnership with the Philippines, but not any military alliance.

Ambassador Kohvaev added that Russia can sell and export modern military equipments and arms to the Philippines, that Russia does not sell second-hand weapons or vehicles, that their military sales shall also include support for military training and technology transfers. He cited as a good example of a good customer for Russian military exports for decades is the country of Vietnam.

Ambassador Khovaev said he likes the Benguet province high mountains’ Arabica coffee served at Kamuning Bakery Café (he drank 4 cups), urging the Philippines to be more aggressive in exporting agriculture and food products to Russia. In eating the pugon-baked pandesal breads and trying the old-style pugon baking process of Kamuning Bakery Café, Khovaev also said Russia is today the world’s

No. 1 biggest wheat producer but the Philippines still doesn’t import any Russian wheat yet. Still on the huge economic potentials of expanding cooperation, Khovaev said there are now 4,000 overseas Filipino workers in Russia, many of whom are in the oil industry of Sakhalin Islands. He said Russia welcomes more Filipino workers to his country, because Filipinos are talented.

On tourism, Ambassador Kohvaev said that the Philippines only welcomes 30,000 Russian tourists yearly while our Asean competitor and neighbor Thailand welcomes one million Russian tourists per year, so he urged the Philippines “to be more aggressive” in attracting Russian tourists. He added that 10% out of Russia’s 150 million people travel abroad every year as tourists, that the Philippines should aggressively tap this tourism market since the Philippines has many beautiful tourist attractions.

Ambassador Kohvaev supports the Philippines’ new reform of pursuing an independent foreign policy, because this pragmatic and wise policy is most beneficial fopr the Philippines’ national interests, can add to the country’s number of friends and allows for more maneuvering in diplomacy and economics too. He said Russia hopes to see the rise of “a new world order” where all countries big or small shall have mutual respect and non-interference in domestic affairs of each sovereign nation, that is why Ambassador Kohvaev said that Russia doesn’t want to comment or criticize the on-going war on illegal drugs of President Duterte, but Russia wishes the Philippines and the Duterte government great success in all anti-crime efforts and socio-economic development policies. He said Russia supports and will cooperate with the Philippines on anti-crime, anti-narcotics, anti-terrorism and other efforts.

Malaysia, Middle East, China, Russia, Japan investors invited for PEZA’s SEZs

Numerous companies of Malaysia, the Middle East, China, Japan and others are now in discussions and being invited to invest in the Philippines’ tax-free industrial, agricultural, tourism, forestry, defense industry and other Special Economic Zones (SEZs) “due to President Rody Duterte’s new independent foreign policy to make the Philippines a friend of all countries and enemy of no one”, said the new director-general of Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Dr. Charito “Ching” B. Plaza on November 21 at the Pandesal Forum of 77-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City.

            PEZA Director-General Dr. Plaza said that the Philippines traditionally received foreign investments in the past from the United States and its allies like Japan and the West, but now investors and governments of other countries in the Middle East, Russia, China and other regions are also being invited to invest in the fast-growing economy of the Philippines. She said these defense industrial complexes can rise in Bataan, Zambales, Palawan, and at least in two areas of Mindanao. 

Plaza said the Duterte government also has a bold vision to transform some of the country’s islands into self-contained SEZs which can become future cities.  

            Plaza said officials and members of royal families United Arab Emirates and Qatar have expressed interest to lease land here for 75 years for possible agricultural and oil refinery projects, with one interested group even asking for as much as a million hectares of agricultural land in exchange for part of the venture’s profits to be donated as social development projects and schools. Dr. Plaza mentioned that among those she had discussed possible SEZ investments was Sheikh Al Thani of the respected Qatari royal family. One possible major SEZ project is the creation of a halal food processing hub in Davao, in Mindanao, southern Philippines. 

            PEZA Director-General Plaza added that they are also proposing the creation of defense industry SEZs with countries like Russia, China, Israel, South Korea or others. She added that these defense industrial complexes will not only boost economic development, they can also strengthen the Philippines’ national defense and manufacturing capabilities. Plaza had the rank of brigadier general in the military reserve force.

            Dr, Plaza added that President Duterte’s economics-focused diplomacy and independent foreign policy are boosting our ties with Asean and Asian countries, with Malaysian investors expressing interest in undertaking business ventures in the Philippines such as a large-scale palm oil planation and milling project.

            PEZA Director-General Dr. Charito Plaza said the Duterte government’s pro-poor priority shall encourage more foreign and also Philippine investors to do business in the poorest and neglected yet resource-rich rural regions of the country such as in Mindanao and the Visayas. 

New Philippine envoy to Beijing foresees economic boom with better China ties

At the recent November 10 “China Philippines Dialogue 2016” forum organized by the “China Daily” newspaper at Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City, the Philippines, various speakers led by the Philippines’ newly-designated ambassador to Beijing Chito Sta. Maria look forward to better Philippine and Asian economic growth prospect with the normalization of Philippine-China bilateral economic, diplomatic, cultural and other ties due to efforts of President Rody Duterte. He cited new railways in Mindanao of southern Philippines, seaports, agriculture and others as areas where both countries can cooperate. 

            Former veteran journalist Chito Sta. Maria said that in tackling differences like territorial disputes over the Scarborough Shoal or Spratly isles, the reformist government of President Rody Duterte prefers the pragmatic and more effective “quiet diplomacy instead of megaphone diplomacy”. Sta. Maria said that China’s pragmatic leaders can reciprocate goodwill in negotiations, citing examples of China concluding territorial dispute agreements with like Russia and Vietnam after several years of high-level bilateral talks with each neighbor. 

            Sta. Maria explained that Duterte’s announcement of “separation” from longtime military ally and former colonizer USA and charting a new independent foreign policy is his way of pursuing a “hedging strategy” for the Philippines to “diversify risks and maximize the gains” from two superpowers the U.S. and China. The new envoy said that the new pragmatic approach shall also make the Philippines no longer be perceived by China or others in the international community as “a pawn or vassal state” of the United States.

            Former CNN Beijing bureau chief and now Peking University Visiting Professor Jaime FlorCruz is also supportive of President Duterte’s reformist efforts to uphold an independent foreign policy for the Philippines, in rebalancing the country’s diplomatic and economic ties with all powers.

            Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, who was with President Duterte in his Malaysia visit, sent a videotaped message extolling the over a thousand years of friendship and trade ties between the Philippines and China which he said predated the arrival of Westerners by five centuries. Andanar and also in the separate speech of Communications Undersecretary Noel Puyat said the country look forward to the strengthening of the economic partnership and friendship between the two countries. 

            China-Asean Investment Cooperation Fund CEO Dr. Li Wen and officer Patrick Ip both outlined in detail some of the infrastructure, agriculture, info communications, energy and other fields where their sovereign fund can cooperate with the Philippines. They both expressed optimism for the economic growth prospects of the Philippines and for bringing bilateral economic exchanges to higher levels. 

            Hong Kong-based investment banker Ip cited that the Philippines has so far received among the lowest levels of China investments and tourist arrivals, compared to its Asean neighbors like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, and he said “there is so much room for growth”.  Ip also encouraged more China-Philippines cooperation to boost increased Philippine agriculture and other exports to China. Patrick Ip, of the China-Asean Investment Cooperation Fund, meanwhile noted gaps in several sectors requiring resources that have held back Chinese investments here, including the restrictions on foreign ownership. Ip said the Philippines share in China’s  investments to Asean amounted only to $44 million, compared to $18 billion in Vietnam. 

            Economics/geopolitics analyst and award-winning writer Wilson Lee Flores said the successful state visit to China of Philippine President Duterte has not only normalized bilateral ties and helped stability in Asia, this wise Duterte diplomacy has also boosted the Philippines’ positive brand image and access to the world’s ultimate dream market for exports and tourism which is the 1.3 billion increasingly affluent people of China. 

            Flores said: “In the past six years, Philippine exporters and tourism businesses might encounter difficulties winning over the huge China market due to acrimonious diplomatic spats, but nowadays, the Philippines can now better compete with our neighbors Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and others to tap the vast economic opportunities of China. We have more common interests than disagreements, even spouses or best friends also have disagreements on certain issues but we can disagree without being disagreeable.”

           Tourism industry leader Stephen Techico of Uni-Orient Travel, Inc. urged the Philippine government to compete with and emulate other Asean neighbors like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia in easing visa requirements for China tourists either with no visa entry or “visa upon arrival” arrangements. Techico said that the Philippines needs to increase and upgrade quality of tourism facilities to prepare for the expected higher influx of China tourists caused by the successful diplomacy of Philippine President Duterte. 

Sandra Cam said alleged drug lord Kevin Espinosa coming back to Philippines in 3 weeks

Whistleblower Association of the Philippines president Sandra Cam on October 25 Tuesday morning told the media at the non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” of 77-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City that she thinks alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa shall be extradited back to the Philippines in three weeks from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

            It was Sandra Cam who tipped off the Duterte administration and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the whereabouts of fugitive Kerwin Espinosa, the notorious drug lord son of Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte province. Cam revealed that Kerwin Espinosa might possibly become a state witness, who shall reveal the names of certain corrupt politicians and other personalities involved in the illegal drugs trade.

            Cam revealed that it was on her birthday October 8 that she was notified by her staff in Abu Dhabi that the latter had seen and taken a cellphone photo of Kerwin Espinosa, and after using her UAE connections to verify the immigration and visa records of the fugitive, Sandra Cam called Secretary Bong Go at 12:30 a.m. past midnight and then she later received a phone call at 3:00 a.m. from PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. It was also Sandra Cam who expedited the UAE visas of the PNP operatives who flew from Manila to Abu Dhabi to arrange for the detention of Kerwin Espinosa.

Sandra Cam expects the extradition process for bringing Kerwin Espinosa from UAE to Manila to take at least “three more weeks”, and she hopes to fly to Abu Dhabi to be with the alleged druglord when this happens. Cam said she is not interested to get any reward money for tipping off the PNP about the alleged drug lord, asking that any reward money be donated for building of more rehabilitation centers, because she said: “I am doing all these and my anti-illegal drugs advocacy for the country and in full support of the courageous leadership of President Duterte. I believe the Duterte administration is upholding human rights and rule of law in this war against illegal drugs and crimes, because we are upholding the human rights of the citizens and of the numerous innocent victims of heinous crimes often caused by illegal drugs. Let us support the government’s anti-drugs and anti-crimes campaign to strengthen our Philippine democracy. I ask foreign countries to also support the Philippines in this anti-drugs and anti-crimes campaign.”

*This is Press Release

China envoy hopes 1 million tourists, more investments & trade after Duterte visit

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua on October 14, said at the Pandesal Forum of Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City that he hopes tourist arrivals from China shall grow from the half million last year to hit one million a year by 2017 after President Rodrigo Duterte’sOctober 18 to 21 state visit to Beijing. He said a million tourists can contribute $1 billion dollars to the Philippine economy due to average shopping bill of each Chinese tourist is at least $1,000.

Zhao said his government plans to lift its two-year-old travel warning---which he said is not a travel ban---on the Philippines during President Rodrigo Duterte’s state visit to Beijing from October 18 to 21. The travel warning was issued in September 2014 by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs a week after Philippine authorities had arrested three men allegedly plotting to bomb the Chinese embassy, businesses, and Manila's international airport.

Apart from encouraging tourism, Ambassador Zhao said President Duterte’s visit is expected to boost investments, infrastructures, trade, soft loans, joint anti-drugs efforts, donations of huge drug rehabilitation centers, fisheries and agriculture cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, freedom of navigation and ecology cooperation in the South China Sea.

Ambassador Zhao added that his government looks forward to Philippine participation in the trans-continental “One Belt, One Road” economic blueprint and in the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). He hopes the Philippines can soon ratify its being one of the 57 founding members of AIIB, which includes Britain, Germany, South Korea, France, Italy.

*This is Press Release

How Duterte can Improve Philippine Real Estate.

As former long-time Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte officially takes his seat as president of the Philippines, many are still speculating as to the new administration’s impact on the country, especially on the local economy. The real estate industry in particular has been enjoying its ride for a few years now, as seen in the rise of new developments both in Metro Manila and beyond, leaving people wondering if the property business will be able to maintain its momentum under a new government. Lamudi Philippines lists some of the things that the Duterte administration can do to ensure the continuous boom of real estate in the country.

Decrease Crime and Corruption

During his campaign, President Duterte’s platform has always been to eradicate crime in the country to improve the level of safety. But decreasing the crime rate will actually do more than just allow people to move around freely with no fear of imminent threat to their well-being. An uncorrupt and decriminalized socio-political landscape means a less risky investment to foreign companies who are considering bringing their business to the Philippines. More specifically, it would lead to the continuous growth of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, which is being seen as one of the main contributors to the country’s good economic standing.

Make Socialized Housing a Top Priority

Home ownership is probably the biggest dream of all hardworking Filipinos, yet the current property market lacks the supply to make this a reality. In Metro Manila, the current minimum wage ranges from Php454 to Php491 for non-agricultural workers, and Php454 for those in the agricultural sector, and even lower for those working outside the National Capital Region (NCR). Even with the availability of home loans from government sectors and private lenders, saving up for a home is still a challenge once basic needs, children’s tuition fees, and emergency funds are taken into account. If the new administration were to focus on meeting the demand for affordable housing, buying a home whether in Metro Manila or in provincial areas would be easier for the average Filipino family.

Improve Infrastructure

Accessibility is one of the factors that buyers take into account when purchasing a property, which is why condos and houses close to Metro Manila’s business districts cost more. But if one’s workplace and potential new home are separated by bad traffic congestion and even worse road conditions, what chance do farther-off properties have, even with a slightly lower price tag than those found in prime real estate areas? Better implementation of traffic laws, improving thoroughfares, and building more roads that connect Metro Manila to its provincial neighbors can help alleviate road conditions, and will open up more options for buyers and encourage them to consider purchasing properties outside known (and more congested) key areas. Also, bringing telecommunications and utilities to underserved areas of the Philippines should encourage developers to construct more homes in provinces, providing current and future residents with a safer and more comfortable lifestyle.

Promote Sustainable Building

Green building is steadily gaining momentum in the real estate industry, but not all have adjusted their developments and construction practices to accommodate sustainable elements. By incentivizing the creation of more sustainable residential, commercial, and retail structures, not only are developers able to do their part in lessening their carbon footprint, they’re also helping buyers and renters do the same thing. Not only that, green designs that allow the entry of natural light and improve air circulation help residents and tenants economize and save money in the long run.



*This is Press Release