Baby Manila News 11/6/13

NEWS TIDBITS

ARIELLA "ARA" ARIDA  2013 MISS UNIVERSE CONTENDER leaves for the Miss Universe Pageant to be held on November 9 at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia.  She was born on November 20, 1988 (24) and was raised in Alaminos, Laguna, south of Manila.  She holds a degree in chemistry from the University of the Philippines.  Wouldn't it be a nice birthday gift if she wins the coveted title of Miss Universe? 

Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Universe Philippines)

BEAUTIFUL ARIELLA IN MOSCOW: LOVE HER YELLOW GOWN, SIMPLE YET ELEGANT.  So hard to believe she did not get the title.

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MEGAN YOUNG 2013 MISS WORLD is the First Filipina to win the title crown held in Bali, Indonesia since its creation in 1951.  She was born in Virginia, USA to a Filipino mother (Victoria Talde) and an American father (Calvin Young).  They moved to Olongapo City, Philippines when she was 10 years old. She had a fall with cuts and bruises when the floor collapsed 8 feet below while visiting an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

2013 MISS WORLD

 THE MANNY PACQUIAO - BRANDON RIOS WELTERWEIGHT BOXING MATCH IN MACAU'S VENETIAN COTAI ARENA ON NOVEMBER 24 will surpass the Mike Tyson - James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo as Asia's richest fight.  Bob Arum, CEO and founder of promoters Top Rank, said, "It will be by far the biggest purse in Asia."  Edward Tracy, chief executive of co-promoters Sands China, was quoted, "From a sporting viewpoint, this event will probably the biggest event since the Beijing Olympics.  We are expecting a capacity crowd of 12,000 spectators."  Pacquiao is training hard like a 20-year-old fighter to redeem himself after losing his two fights against Timothy Bradley Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez, his Mexican nemesis.

THE CLARK VETERANS CEMETERY LOCATED AT THE CLARK FREEPORT KEEPS THE REMAINS OF 8,000 AMERICAN WAR VETERANS AND US ARMY PHILIPPINE SCOUTS.  US Senate Bill No. 2320, known as America's Forgotten Veterans Cemetery Act of 2012, was sponsored by New Hampshire Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte.  It was passed by the US Congress and signed into law by President Obama on January 11.  $5 million was alloted but since the takeover by Arlington, Virginia based American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) the restoration remains an illusion to this day.

FIRST PHILIPPINE AIR LINES (PAL) CHARTER FLIGHT FROM RUSSIA  From October 2013 to April 2014, PAL will fly the friendly skies of Russia and run regular charter flights every 12 days connecting Vladivostok and Khabarovsk - the Russian Fareast region to the Philippines.  Tourists and visitors from Russia reached 28,270 in 2012, growing by 40%, the fastest market out of Europe.

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POLITICIAN + PORK BARREL = CORRUPTION  The Philippines does it better when it comes in greasing the hands of greedy politicians.  Inherited from the Americans, it's the democratic way on how politicians bring home the bacon to their home turf.  Although pork barrel is more of a good thing than bad, in my opinion, it could be abused and misused by those who are in power with complete disregard in the welfare of their poor countrymen.  On August 26, 2013 there was a pork barrel demonstration at Rizal Park (Luneta) where thousands attended.  Will something change?  What I admire about the Filipino people in comparison with other countries in the news is not resorting to extreme violence and fire power.  This maybe because most Filipinos are highly educated and have the prudence to know the consequences of not following the law.    

I was visiting the Philippines in February 2011 when former Secretary of Defense Angelo Reyes committed suicide while visiting his mother's grave in the cemetery.  He had a distinguished military career graduating top of his class at the Philippine Military Academy and going to Harvard University in Boston and Northeastern University in Illinois.  News reports said he could not take the wrongful accusations heaped upon him.  This is just most unfortunate.  It so happened a week later on our way to an event, we passed by the Libingan ng Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) where he was given full military honor.  What is the lesson learned or question here - can you ever get back your reputation once you were wrongly accused?  

What was not included was the three yachts owned by Janet Napoles that were missing.

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New product at the Philippines marketplace

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Janet Lim-Napoles, 49-year old businesswoman was arraigned at the Makati City Regional Trial Court on September 23 for holding captive whistleblower Benhur Luy for three months to keep him from talking about her alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.  Napoles remained silent during the arraignment and automatically the court entered a not guilty plea.  She is detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.  Napoles, along with Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, was charged with plunder in the Office of Ombudsman.

Blogspot Date  9/16/13

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CHINA AND ITS NEIGHBORS  China's uncompromising attitude in maritime territorial disputes with the Philippines, Japan, South and East China Seas neighboring islands is  partly a response to the U.S. strategic re-balance to the Asia-Pacific.  China has ramped up patrols near islands leading to confrontations with the Philippines and Japan.  James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, said the new leaders in Beijing have internal challenges that have the potential of serious domestic unrest.

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)  The Manila-based lending and development institution published a study that 91% of people living in Asia have improved access to clean water, a remarkable achievement over the last two decades.  Developed nations like Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Japan top the list of nations best prepared to cope with floods, droughts, hurricanes and landslides, while Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Vanuatu and Bangladesh are the least prepared.  From 1980 to 2006, deaths caused by water-related disasters and 90% of people affected lived in Asia.

PHILIPPINES MORE FUN  Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said, "There is no stopping the country from riding high on a wave of global attention."  The DOT display at the International Travel Fair 2013 held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, won the Best Booth Display.  In 2012, a total of 40,987 Thai tourists (10.9% of the visitor volume from Asean region) visited the Philippines.

TOBACCO FAIR IN THE PHILIPPINES   The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern that the Philippines is hosting the fair for the second year.  Senior WHO adviser Eigil Sorensen said the Philippine government is a signatory to the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which bans advertising, promotion and sponsorship.  The organizers chose the Philippines because of its vibrant tobacco industry and support of the local government.  Close to 14 million adult Filipinos smoke everyday and an estimated 10 die every hour according to WHO.  The Philippines is home to major cigarette and cigar manufacturers such as Fortune Tobacco Corp., bought by Philip Morris International, Inc. in 2010.

Recycled Web Page 6/6/13  lib's labyrinth

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Previous Publication 4/19/06  ALT  MSN Groups
Custom Web Page: Manila Envelope
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SEND ME THE MOOLAH!!!....Remittances send by Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFW) is foreseen by the Philippine government to grow from
$10.7 billion in 2005 to $21.4 billion by 2010.  Here's the breakdown: The
biggest source of remittances is the Filipino immigrant workers in North America
($6.61 billion in the US; $190 million from Canada), $1.44 billion in Europe,
and $1.42 billion in the Middle East.  Well, there's a US politician who
wants to punish illegal Mexicans sending remittances to their families by
curtailing how much they send.  How about that?

APRIL 9, 2006: Araw  ng Kagitingan  (Day
of Courage) at Mt. Samat....President Arroyo  made the offering
of wreaths at the War Memorial Shrine.  The new US Ambassador Kristie
Kenney spoke at the 64th anniversary of the Bataan Death March.  She became
emotional at the end of her speech as she recalled that her father,
father-in-law and a brother all fought during World War II.  She succeeded
former  Philippine envoy Francis Ricciardone, Jr. who is now the
ambassador to Egypt.  Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki
expressed  deep sense of remorse over atrocities committed by Japanese
soldiers, especially during the death march. 

A La CHILE....The Philippines is being urged
by the University of Asia and Pacific to imitate Chile by turning its rich
mineral resources into economic prosperity with active participation by foreign
investors. Formerly poor and undeveloped  countries like Canada and
Australia  started on the road to progress through  mining, technical
know-how  and foreign investments.  Boosted by the bustling
high economic boom of China, Chile is now ahead of developing countries
like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, and
Argentina.  The mining industry in the Philippines was stalled by the
Mining Act of 1995 but its constitutionality was upheld by the Supreme Court in
2004.  The Philippines has substantial deposits of gold, copper, nickel and
chromites - making it the world's fifth largest mineral deposits.
 

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE....The Russkis have
always been fascinated and so excited about the Philippines.  Travel agents
in Moscow said it would be good if Philippine Air Lines (PAL), Asian Spirit, Sea
Air, and Cebu Pacific will have a general service agent (GSA) in Russia because
it would lower their costs.  According to Department of Tourism (DOT )
Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano, China is fast catching up and Japanese tourists
will always be an important market.  There were more than 2.6 million
foreign tourists in 2005, the highest ever in 20 years.

Pain nourishes courage.  You can't be
brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you.

- Mary Tyler Moore 

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