(www.iol.co.za) - The string from a child's kite was responsible for the crash of a Philippine military helicopter that killed nine people, the head of the country's air force said on Thursday.
Although the full report on the crash on April 28 has not been released Lieutenant General Horacio Tolentino said a kite string appeared to be the likely cause.
He said that Muslim rebels had used kites to disable air force helicopters in the past.
However terrorist involvement is not suspected in the latest incident.
Tolentino said crash survivor Captain Allan Villagarcia told him that the aircraft was flying perfectly and just about to land in the central island of Cebu when a kite got entangled in the rotor blades.
"There was no problem with the engine. It (the kite string) caused the stoppage of the rotor," Tolentino said.
He said the nylon kite string was found still entangled, just below the main rotor blade.
The Vietnam-era UH-1H "Huey" helicopter, carrying four people on a training flight, went down on a crowded street, killing seven people on the ground and two members of the crew.
Tolentino said the kites were being flown in an area where kite flying is banned to avoid endangering aircraft. But, despite this, the air force has no plans to charge anyone.
"We are not blaming anyone for what has happened. It is not the intention of the people flying the kites to cause accidents," he said. - Sapa-AFP
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Texas Instruments To Invest $1 Billion in the Philippines
U.S. semiconductor company Texas Instruments Inc. said Thursday it plans to invest about $1 billion over 10 years in a new test and assembly facility in the Philippines.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
The new facility, Texas Instruments' second in the country, will be located on a 19-acre site in Clark Freeport Zone, a former U.S. Air Force base northwest of Manila.
Construction will start in the second half of this year and initial production will begin later next year, officials said.
"This is an important site for TI because it will add capacity to support our growing business and serve our customers," said Kevin Ritchie, senior vice president of the company's technology and manufacturing group.
Texas Instruments already operates a production complex in the northern city of Baguio. The facility, which has undergone at least four expansions since it was set up in 1979, accounts for 40 percent of the semiconductor company's global output.
The new investment will generate 3,000 jobs and boost Philippine electronics exports, which account for two-thirds of country's goods shipment, officials said.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Friday, May 4, 2007
1 of 4 seamen around the globe is a Filipino
One of four seafarers around the globe today is a Filipino, putting the Philippines in the big league of the world's maritime industry, according to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Feliciano G. Salonga.
Salonga, who has been considered as one of the pillars in the Philippine maritime industry, noted statistics showing that remittances of Filipino seamen into the country have reached US$3.5 billion, helping stabilize the country's economy for the last 25 years.
"Last year alone, these remittances comprised 3.5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is no mean feat considering that we only have 300,000 seamen of 82 million population," Salonga explained.
Speaking before this year's graduates of Bachelor of Science in Maritime Transportation and Marine Engineering at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), Salonga challenged the SBMA to rally the maritime sector towards competitiveness and productivity.
"What is now happening in the Subic Bay, especially given the huge personality of Hanjin and the modern container port, should convince everyone that the Philippines has now become a great maritime nation and power," Salonga said.
Based on records, he said, the principal avenues of transportation in the Philippines are the inter-island sea lanes, connecting the more than 300,000 ports and harbors [in the world] where 90 percent of commercial goods are being ferried.
Salonga said, "When you sail under foreign flags, work with sense of pride and obligation as Filipinos serve in a global context, not only for your loved ones but for the entire profession and the industry, so that the stamp excellence of Filipino mariners will remain our reputation."
The SBMA has urged the Global Maritime and Transportation School of the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, to study the possibility of putting up a similar school in San Narciso, Zambales.
If the school materializes, it would be the first of its kind in Asia, which could provide opportunities for PMMA graduates to hone further their maritime skills.
The Philippine maritime industry is expected to contribute about US$2-3 billion to the country's annual export earnings starting next year with its unprecedented growth in terms of productivity and job generation, Salonga earlier said.
Salonga cited the entry of South Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) (KSE:003480) with its US$1 billion shipbuilding facilities inside the Subic Bay Freeport and which is scheduled to produce 12 ships by June next year.
"Hanjin is not only the Philippines' biggest single foreign direct investments of 2006 but its entry can also be regarded as the single most dramatic development in our country's growth as the Asias new maritime powerhouse," he said.
As of March, Hanjin has already generated 6,900 direct and indirect jobs compared to just about 2,400 workers during the early stage of its construction in September last year.
It is projected to create as high as 30,000 jobs in a span of three years.
"That is why, we at the SBMA continue to push the development of the freeport zone not only as a tourist destination and logistics hub but also as a maritime industrial base," Salonga said.
He added that enormous maritime resources with highly knowledgeable and skilled human resources are needed to create wealth in maritime industry.
In addition to shipbuilding and ship repair, Salonga said, the country also has vast potential in the area of regional transshipment hub for Asia-Pacific operations.
"Singapore and Hong Kong with their lesser ports, earn US$20 billion a year from transshipments alone. Given our many well-endowed natural harbors like Subic Bay, the Philippines can do well or even better," Salonga said.
He noted that the Subic Port development project is about 92 percent complete.
"The time has come for us in the maritime sector to help shape the future of our country and the Filipinos by pushing the maritime industry to live up to its role as the new major contributor to Philippine growth and progress," he stressed. – GMANews.TV
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Salonga, who has been considered as one of the pillars in the Philippine maritime industry, noted statistics showing that remittances of Filipino seamen into the country have reached US$3.5 billion, helping stabilize the country's economy for the last 25 years.
"Last year alone, these remittances comprised 3.5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is no mean feat considering that we only have 300,000 seamen of 82 million population," Salonga explained.
Speaking before this year's graduates of Bachelor of Science in Maritime Transportation and Marine Engineering at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), Salonga challenged the SBMA to rally the maritime sector towards competitiveness and productivity.
"What is now happening in the Subic Bay, especially given the huge personality of Hanjin and the modern container port, should convince everyone that the Philippines has now become a great maritime nation and power," Salonga said.
Based on records, he said, the principal avenues of transportation in the Philippines are the inter-island sea lanes, connecting the more than 300,000 ports and harbors [in the world] where 90 percent of commercial goods are being ferried.
Salonga said, "When you sail under foreign flags, work with sense of pride and obligation as Filipinos serve in a global context, not only for your loved ones but for the entire profession and the industry, so that the stamp excellence of Filipino mariners will remain our reputation."
The SBMA has urged the Global Maritime and Transportation School of the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, to study the possibility of putting up a similar school in San Narciso, Zambales.
If the school materializes, it would be the first of its kind in Asia, which could provide opportunities for PMMA graduates to hone further their maritime skills.
The Philippine maritime industry is expected to contribute about US$2-3 billion to the country's annual export earnings starting next year with its unprecedented growth in terms of productivity and job generation, Salonga earlier said.
Salonga cited the entry of South Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) (KSE:003480) with its US$1 billion shipbuilding facilities inside the Subic Bay Freeport and which is scheduled to produce 12 ships by June next year.
"Hanjin is not only the Philippines' biggest single foreign direct investments of 2006 but its entry can also be regarded as the single most dramatic development in our country's growth as the Asias new maritime powerhouse," he said.
As of March, Hanjin has already generated 6,900 direct and indirect jobs compared to just about 2,400 workers during the early stage of its construction in September last year.
It is projected to create as high as 30,000 jobs in a span of three years.
"That is why, we at the SBMA continue to push the development of the freeport zone not only as a tourist destination and logistics hub but also as a maritime industrial base," Salonga said.
He added that enormous maritime resources with highly knowledgeable and skilled human resources are needed to create wealth in maritime industry.
In addition to shipbuilding and ship repair, Salonga said, the country also has vast potential in the area of regional transshipment hub for Asia-Pacific operations.
"Singapore and Hong Kong with their lesser ports, earn US$20 billion a year from transshipments alone. Given our many well-endowed natural harbors like Subic Bay, the Philippines can do well or even better," Salonga said.
He noted that the Subic Port development project is about 92 percent complete.
"The time has come for us in the maritime sector to help shape the future of our country and the Filipinos by pushing the maritime industry to live up to its role as the new major contributor to Philippine growth and progress," he stressed. – GMANews.TV
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Filipino students at VA Tech cope with tragedy
By Marconi Calindas
(saipantribune.com) - Had it been an ordinary week, students at Virginia Tech would be sitting down now to take their final exams. However, with the campus still reeling from the rampage on April 16 that left 33 people dead, the task of studying for exams seems overwhelming. Most students have decided not to take the tests, choosing instead to accept the grades they had before the tragedy.
Saipan Tribune had the chance to get in touch with the Filipino Students Association president, Romeo Capuno, to find out how the group is coping in the wake of the tragedy. Capuno, a graduate student in Environmental Engineering, said there are over 100 Filipino-American students at the college right now. He said only about 10 are Filipinos taking graduate studies.
ST: Where were you during the incident?
Capuno: My schedule varies from day to day. I may work very early in morning or late at night because I am dealing with microorganisms. Luckily that day, I was in my apartment getting ready to go to the university when I got an e-mail from the University Relations about the first shooting. I seldom use my car to go to my office or lab since it is only 5 minutes away from my place.
ST: Did you by chance meet Cho Seung Hui in any activities at school?
Capuno: I don't know Cho but who knows if our paths have crossed within my two-year stay here.
ST: How are you doing in the wake of the tragedy?
Capuno: I am getting involved in a lot of student activities inside the campus to make myself busy. Work has been slow for me last week but I am going back to my usual pace this week.
ST: What activities did your group participate in to remember the 32 victims?
Capuno: There have been lots of activities to remember the victims. There have been memorial services for the 32 victims-as a whole and individually. There were memorial stones placed on the field and close to the Administration building.
ST: What did the Filipino community do when you learned about the incident?
Capuno: During the incident and upon learning that at least 22 people have died, we immediately accounted for the Filipinos. We checked through our cell phones.
ST: How's the school now after two weeks?
Capuno: Classes resumed Monday, April 23. The University gave three options for students regarding classes and grades. Classes ended May 2 but students were given considerations.
ST: Is everything back to normal?
Capuno: It is really hard to tell if everything has normalized. But I know we're getting there.
ST: Is there anything that could be learned from this tragedy?
Capuno: There are lots of things I got from this incident. One of the important things I got from this is to show your loved ones how much you love them as often as you can. A simple hug, a simple kiss and simple words may be enough. It depends on how you want to let them feel you love them. A brother of a fatality in the Virginia Tech incident told me that he was on campus the day before the massacre because his sister will perform in the International Street Fair. He left before the performance. That was the last time he saw her alive. He said he did not even get a chance to say goodbye. In incidents like this, we can never turn back time and show our unspoken and unexpressed love to them. While we still have the time, let us show them how much we love them. I would like to let my parents and sisters know how much I love them.
ST: Since that incident, have any of you experienced discrimination for being Asian?
Capuno: Fortunately, there are no Filipinos here that look Korean. But even if there is one, the university issued a memorandum against discrimination of any kind to Koreans.
Capuno graduated with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. He moved to Virginia Tech in May 2005. He said he chose VA Tech because of an interesting research being funded by NASA on water recovery in space stations.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
(saipantribune.com) - Had it been an ordinary week, students at Virginia Tech would be sitting down now to take their final exams. However, with the campus still reeling from the rampage on April 16 that left 33 people dead, the task of studying for exams seems overwhelming. Most students have decided not to take the tests, choosing instead to accept the grades they had before the tragedy.
Saipan Tribune had the chance to get in touch with the Filipino Students Association president, Romeo Capuno, to find out how the group is coping in the wake of the tragedy. Capuno, a graduate student in Environmental Engineering, said there are over 100 Filipino-American students at the college right now. He said only about 10 are Filipinos taking graduate studies.
ST: Where were you during the incident?
Capuno: My schedule varies from day to day. I may work very early in morning or late at night because I am dealing with microorganisms. Luckily that day, I was in my apartment getting ready to go to the university when I got an e-mail from the University Relations about the first shooting. I seldom use my car to go to my office or lab since it is only 5 minutes away from my place.
ST: Did you by chance meet Cho Seung Hui in any activities at school?
Capuno: I don't know Cho but who knows if our paths have crossed within my two-year stay here.
ST: How are you doing in the wake of the tragedy?
Capuno: I am getting involved in a lot of student activities inside the campus to make myself busy. Work has been slow for me last week but I am going back to my usual pace this week.
ST: What activities did your group participate in to remember the 32 victims?
Capuno: There have been lots of activities to remember the victims. There have been memorial services for the 32 victims-as a whole and individually. There were memorial stones placed on the field and close to the Administration building.
ST: What did the Filipino community do when you learned about the incident?
Capuno: During the incident and upon learning that at least 22 people have died, we immediately accounted for the Filipinos. We checked through our cell phones.
ST: How's the school now after two weeks?
Capuno: Classes resumed Monday, April 23. The University gave three options for students regarding classes and grades. Classes ended May 2 but students were given considerations.
ST: Is everything back to normal?
Capuno: It is really hard to tell if everything has normalized. But I know we're getting there.
ST: Is there anything that could be learned from this tragedy?
Capuno: There are lots of things I got from this incident. One of the important things I got from this is to show your loved ones how much you love them as often as you can. A simple hug, a simple kiss and simple words may be enough. It depends on how you want to let them feel you love them. A brother of a fatality in the Virginia Tech incident told me that he was on campus the day before the massacre because his sister will perform in the International Street Fair. He left before the performance. That was the last time he saw her alive. He said he did not even get a chance to say goodbye. In incidents like this, we can never turn back time and show our unspoken and unexpressed love to them. While we still have the time, let us show them how much we love them. I would like to let my parents and sisters know how much I love them.
ST: Since that incident, have any of you experienced discrimination for being Asian?
Capuno: Fortunately, there are no Filipinos here that look Korean. But even if there is one, the university issued a memorandum against discrimination of any kind to Koreans.
Capuno graduated with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. He moved to Virginia Tech in May 2005. He said he chose VA Tech because of an interesting research being funded by NASA on water recovery in space stations.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Iraq: 4 Filipino employees of the US embassy killed in an attack
BAGHDAD - Four Filipino employees of the American embassy were killed Wednesday in the explosion of a rocket in the strengthened green Zone of Baghdad, announced Thursday the embassy in an official statement.
------------
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
------------
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Husband Arroyo Drops Libel Cases Against Philippine Journalists
(International Herald Tribune, The Associated Press)
MANILA, Philippines: President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's husband announced Thursday he is dropping libel suits against more than 40 journalists, explaining that he wants peace and reconciliation after surviving high-risk heart surgery.
The cases — filed over the last three years by Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo against reporters, newspaper columnists, editors and publishers — had alarmed media watchdogs in one of Asia's liveliest democracies.
The suits stemmed mostly from stories alleging corruption and claiming Arroyo helped his wife rig the closely contested 2004 presidential election.
Despite condemnations by foreign and local media watchdogs, the president's husband continued to pursue journalists with lawsuits, then adopted a reconciliatory tone following the surgery that confined him to a hospital for about three weeks last month.
Arroyo, an attorney from a prominent family, has no official powers but is regarded as an influential back-room operator and is a vocal backer of his wife against political rivals.
He was discharged from a suburban Manila hospital Sunday, looking pale and considerably thinner. His daughter held his hand as he walked from the hospital to a van.
"I have instructed my attorneys to withdraw all the libel suits pending before the courts," Arroyo said in a statement read by the presidential press secretary.
"Seeking redress for all the grievances that the libel suits sought to address now pales in comparison to taking on a genuine chance to make peace," he said.
He said he would try to reconcile "with those who will accept my offer of a handshake."
Arroyo thanked his wife, who cut short a trip to China to be at his bedside, and his "harshest critics" for showing compassion.
He called his wife "the constant light in my life" and added "a lesser person would not have been able to take care of me and still take on the duties of a president."
Some journalists said they wanted the court, not Arroyo, to eventually clear them of the lawsuits.
"We would like them to be resolved in court. ... We believe we can get an acquittal," said Marites Vitug, editor in chief of Newsbreak, an online magazine sued by Arroyo's husband for libel.
Rowena Paraan, secretary-general of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, doubted the sincerity of Arroyo's husband, whose announcement coincided with the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.
"It's a perfect way out for him, given all the bad press that the libel cases have generated," Paraan said. "Sincerity? We'll see that in their next moves."
Last December, 36 Filipino journalists filed a class-action suit against Arroyo, alleging that he stifled press freedom.
More than 600 Filipino reporters and foreign journalists have also signed a petition calling for the decriminalization of libel and criticizing "the propensity of public officials and figures like Mr. Arroyo of using our outdated laws to muzzle a critical press."
Under a 105-year-old law, people can be fined or sentenced to prison for libel.
Press freedom groups have also protested a series of killings of journalists in the Philippines, which has been listed among the world's most dangerous countries for media.
-----------------------------"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Nora Aunor reunites with two sons after three years
By GING REYES
ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Actress and singer Nora Aunor (known as "The Superstar" to her fans) had a tearful reunion with her two sons during her show at the Banquet in Vallejo, California.
The iconic Filipino singer, who was arrested in 2005 in the United States for drug possession, had entered into a US drug court program to avoid serving prison time.
Her legal woes plus her preference to stay in the US to live a more anonymous life have kept her away from her sons for three years.
The show's producer helped send Aunor's sons, Ian and Kiko De Leon, from the Philippines.
"I just couldn't believe that I'm with her right now, you know that feeling, my heart is [beating fast] that you need to control your emotions. I'm really happy because it's been almost three years since we last [saw] each other," Kiko said.
"We didn't [talk] about what happened, we know what is true and untrue and if there are people who will still dwell on that issue its their problem, because we ... we are happy," said Ian, referring to his mother's 2005 drug case.
Aunor's fans in the US have stuck with her through the many scandals in her career and gladly paid the $45-$55 tickets to see her show.
Her admirers beamed with approval after the concert, expressing generous praises like "She's a really good singer, a champion", "The show is beautiful, we like it very much", and "She's really the best, we will never replace Nora!"
Aunor said she plans to take a break and make another movie while in the US.
Nora Cabaltera Villamayor in real life, the fifty-ish Aunor began her showbiz career when she was 14 years old.
Since then, she has made more than 170 films and recorded more than 20 albums. Her glorious fame in Philippine show business has been marred but not really affected by scandals related to her love life, her children and her drug use.
Aunor received a house as a gift from former president Joseph Estrada after she endorsed his candidacy in the 1998 elections. She has been called the Philippines' greatest pop icon.
Her fans, who call themselves "Noranians", have now spread to cyberspace with one fan club calling itself the International Circle of Online Noranians (ICON). The group runs the Web site www.nora-aunor.com
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Actress and singer Nora Aunor (known as "The Superstar" to her fans) had a tearful reunion with her two sons during her show at the Banquet in Vallejo, California.
The iconic Filipino singer, who was arrested in 2005 in the United States for drug possession, had entered into a US drug court program to avoid serving prison time.
Her legal woes plus her preference to stay in the US to live a more anonymous life have kept her away from her sons for three years.
The show's producer helped send Aunor's sons, Ian and Kiko De Leon, from the Philippines.
"I just couldn't believe that I'm with her right now, you know that feeling, my heart is [beating fast] that you need to control your emotions. I'm really happy because it's been almost three years since we last [saw] each other," Kiko said.
"We didn't [talk] about what happened, we know what is true and untrue and if there are people who will still dwell on that issue its their problem, because we ... we are happy," said Ian, referring to his mother's 2005 drug case.
Aunor's fans in the US have stuck with her through the many scandals in her career and gladly paid the $45-$55 tickets to see her show.
Her admirers beamed with approval after the concert, expressing generous praises like "She's a really good singer, a champion", "The show is beautiful, we like it very much", and "She's really the best, we will never replace Nora!"
Aunor said she plans to take a break and make another movie while in the US.
Nora Cabaltera Villamayor in real life, the fifty-ish Aunor began her showbiz career when she was 14 years old.
Since then, she has made more than 170 films and recorded more than 20 albums. Her glorious fame in Philippine show business has been marred but not really affected by scandals related to her love life, her children and her drug use.
Aunor received a house as a gift from former president Joseph Estrada after she endorsed his candidacy in the 1998 elections. She has been called the Philippines' greatest pop icon.
Her fans, who call themselves "Noranians", have now spread to cyberspace with one fan club calling itself the International Circle of Online Noranians (ICON). The group runs the Web site www.nora-aunor.com
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Shipbuilding giant hires 6,900 Filipino workers, expects to generate about 30,000 jobs
Tacloban City (May 2) -- This is good testament to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's 8 by '08 priority agenda, particularly that of creating more jobs and investment enhancement, among others.
More than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be generated as Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp.-Philippines goes full blast in its operations in Subic. To date 6,900 workers are already employed, about 4,000 of who are skilled workers hired during the pre-operations and construction stages, DTI Upbeat informed.
To top it all, Hanjin's ship production in Subic is also expected to bring the export industries' growth close to $2 - 3.5 billion.
Hanjin Heavy Industries Corporation, South Korea's ship-building giant and one of the world's largest shipyards, has recently marked the start of its production with the no less than Hanjin Chairman Cho Nam Ho presiding.
The company is set for the construction of new 4,300 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units container ships ordered by Germany and Greece, in Subic Bay. Lined up for the first production are six 4,300 TEU capacity container ships that will be delivered to Diorxy Maritime Corp. in Greece in 2009. Another six ships will be built on its second production round which will be delivered to NSC Schiffartsgeselhaft of Germany.
DTI Secretary Peter Favila said that the construction of the new ships is momentous not only for Hanjin but also for the Philippines because it will boost the local economy.
Secretary Favila said he strongly believes that with the training programs conducted by HHIC-PI for Filipinos, the vast experience and stature of Hanjin shipbuilding, and the competent Filipino technicians, this project will introduce the Philippines in the world map of large-scale shipbuilding as the new shipbuilding hub in Asia and the Pacific.
It would be recalled that so many welders were needed by Hanjin in Subic, which prompted TESDA to use the PGMA Training for Work Scholarship Program so that the welders could upgrade and enhance their skills and be qualified. (PIA 8)--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Deployment of OFWs to US, Canada doubled in 2006
MANILA, Philippines -- The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed to the United States and Canada doubled in 2006, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said Friday.
Citing a report from the department's Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics, Brion said that total OFW deployment to the US increased from only 4,128 in 2005 to 11,406 in 2006, or an increase of 7,278. He said this makes the US the 11th top destination of documented OFWs globally.
On the other hand, documented OFW deployment to Canada grew from only 3,629 to 6,413 during the same period, or an increase of 2,784. Brion said this makes Canada the 17th top destination of OFWs among more than 180 host countries worldwide.
The labor chief said these figures are significant because legally documented OFWs are "at the heart of the Philippines' internationally acknowledged global migration management system."
Brion explained that the country's global migration management system revolves around a "circular" process of migration in which skilled OFWs with legitimate work visas are properly contracted and deployed for overseas jobs.
He said that after the OFWs complete their work contract during a specified period, they return to the home country either to be reintegrated into the economic mainstream or rehired on renewed visas for overseas work.
"The Philippine system of managing migration on a global scale is recognized by no less than the United Nations, primarily because it averts and prevents illegal entry of alien workers prejudicial to both the host and home countries of migrants," Brion said.
The labor secretary attributed the initial growth in OFW deployment to Canada to the recent accord forged by his department with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Employment in Saskatchewan for "Cooperation in the Fields of Labor, Employment, and Human Resource Development."
Overall, he said, more and more OFWs are being deployed because the receiving countries need the OFWs' services and skills to boost their economic growth and to serve their graying populations.
The bureau's statistical data reveal that prior to a 176 percent (+7,278) growth to 11,406 last year, the annual deployment of documented OFWs to the US in the past five years totaled 3,405 in 2000; 4,689 in 2001; 4,058 in 2002; 3,831 in 2003; 3,831 in 2004; and 4,128 in 2005. They also show that documented OFW deployment to Canada totaled 2,020 in 2000; 3,132 in 2001; 3,535 in 2002; 4,006 in 2003; 4,453 in 2004; and 3,629 in 2005, before increasing by 76.71 percent (+2,784) to 6,413 in 2006.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Green card holder a fresh voice on the hustings
By Patricia Laurel, May 02, 2007
http://www.philippinenews.com
The good news is: there are Filipinos, who after many years abroad are ready to come home to impart or share the knowledge they've acquired to our people back home.
Meet Dr. Martin Bautista. He is a returnee determined to make a difference. He vowed to return home one day to help turn his country around. In his mind he never left, he didn't exchange his Filipino passport for the coveted U.S. one. He chose instead to remain an immigrant. His thoughts were always back home, thinking of the people he left behind.
As evident in the PBS program, "Searching for (Asian) America," Bautista was one of two Filipino physicians featured in the episode as Asians doctors working, sometimes in the face of adversity, in the mostly white rural town of Guymon, Oklahoma. Bautista and his wife, Sylvia, also a physician, raised their children as Filipinos, teaching them Tagalog and reminding them constantly of their home country. In the program, Bautista admitted that he had achieved material success in the U.S., but felt a tug to return to his native land, to work for the betterment of the future of his home country.
Bautista's reason for leaving the Philippines is not a unique one. Like many Filipinos seeking a better life for his family, Bautista chose to make it on his own, instead of living off his parents and becoming a financial burden. It was also during the terrible time of martial law in the Philippines.
Bautista was born and raised in Quezon City. He attended the Ateneo de Manila School for 12 years, transferred to the University of the Philippines for nine years, and spent 18 years working as a physician in the United States. His life and struggles is a success story parents would be proud of. But instead of staying and enjoying the good life, he made his plans and prepared his wife and children for the journey home. There was something he needed to do back home.
Indeed, he returned home, and what he's undertaken is daunting, at best. He is running for a seat in the Senate. A legislative body that is overloaded with names that have been a permanent fixture and celebrities that don't have any business being in politics. But because the names are known to many, and because people aren't educated enough on important issues, and because most people are poor and need money, they sell their votes to the highest bidder. Sadly, our people vote for so many corrupt, rotten eggs in our country's vicious political cycle.
Unlike Filipino American Theodore B.M. Aquino, whose candidacy for senator was rejected by the Comelec unless he renounced his U.S. citizenship, Martin, a green card holder, is running as a Filipino citizen.
He said that if he loses, he could always be sponsored by one of his American-born kids and return to the U.S. The issue of his citizenship is not a factor.
Bautista has joined the Kapatiran Party that means The Brotherhood or The Alliance. There are three senatorial candidates from the party. All three have very impressive credentials: good educational background, informed and knowledgeable in the many issues and concerns that plague our country, no stains on their young political reputations. The party has hardly any funds to campaign as evident in their absent posters not plastered all over the country, only posters of airbrushed smiling candidates enticing the voter. Their unsophisticated website was probably created by a student of computer science. There are no frills there. There are those that say isn't it about time for a breath of fresh air to leak in?
Bautista has familiarized himself with all issues like medical (his expertise), poverty, corruption, etc., just about everything that plagues our country. He does not shy from questions thrown at him and does not read from notes, unlike his opponents, as shown recently in a TV political debate that included well known and beloved veteran screen actors. At the end of the debate, it was clear the actors needed to return to their professions and never entertain the thought of entering the political arena. The same should apply for some who are currently in politics or those thinking of becoming a politician because it's a way to get rich quick.
Bautista is not high on the ratings, but most likely his chances for 2010 will be very favorable. He's only 44. But he's making other politicians nervous. So far, the only negative thing written about him is he tends to stutter when he gets riled up, but not all the time.
In one interview, Bautista was quoted: "I invite all of you to join me. I am personally willing to bet everything material that I possess that if we ordinary citizens were to become aware that the power to change our country lies in each of us, then we can all work together in redeeming our Philippines. All the political dynasties with their innumerable guns, armies of goons, unlimited gold and Comelec will not stop an idea whose time has come."
Bautista has given interviews and speeches tirelessly. Despite the challenges, the negativity, he forges on talking and explaining ceaselessly about his plans to get us out of the hole we've dug ourselves deep into. It is indeed refreshing to watch him as he spoke and rallied the people at Quezon Circle, in Quezon City recently, to fight against the plague of poverty, something he hopes to abolish one day. A very tall order, but the man is managing to open tired, sleeping minds out there.
To learn more about Dr. Bautista's political platform, or to find out about the Kapatiran Party, visit their website at www.angkapatiran.org.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
http://www.philippinenews.com
The good news is: there are Filipinos, who after many years abroad are ready to come home to impart or share the knowledge they've acquired to our people back home.
Meet Dr. Martin Bautista. He is a returnee determined to make a difference. He vowed to return home one day to help turn his country around. In his mind he never left, he didn't exchange his Filipino passport for the coveted U.S. one. He chose instead to remain an immigrant. His thoughts were always back home, thinking of the people he left behind.
As evident in the PBS program, "Searching for (Asian) America," Bautista was one of two Filipino physicians featured in the episode as Asians doctors working, sometimes in the face of adversity, in the mostly white rural town of Guymon, Oklahoma. Bautista and his wife, Sylvia, also a physician, raised their children as Filipinos, teaching them Tagalog and reminding them constantly of their home country. In the program, Bautista admitted that he had achieved material success in the U.S., but felt a tug to return to his native land, to work for the betterment of the future of his home country.
Bautista's reason for leaving the Philippines is not a unique one. Like many Filipinos seeking a better life for his family, Bautista chose to make it on his own, instead of living off his parents and becoming a financial burden. It was also during the terrible time of martial law in the Philippines.
Bautista was born and raised in Quezon City. He attended the Ateneo de Manila School for 12 years, transferred to the University of the Philippines for nine years, and spent 18 years working as a physician in the United States. His life and struggles is a success story parents would be proud of. But instead of staying and enjoying the good life, he made his plans and prepared his wife and children for the journey home. There was something he needed to do back home.
Indeed, he returned home, and what he's undertaken is daunting, at best. He is running for a seat in the Senate. A legislative body that is overloaded with names that have been a permanent fixture and celebrities that don't have any business being in politics. But because the names are known to many, and because people aren't educated enough on important issues, and because most people are poor and need money, they sell their votes to the highest bidder. Sadly, our people vote for so many corrupt, rotten eggs in our country's vicious political cycle.
Unlike Filipino American Theodore B.M. Aquino, whose candidacy for senator was rejected by the Comelec unless he renounced his U.S. citizenship, Martin, a green card holder, is running as a Filipino citizen.
He said that if he loses, he could always be sponsored by one of his American-born kids and return to the U.S. The issue of his citizenship is not a factor.
Bautista has joined the Kapatiran Party that means The Brotherhood or The Alliance. There are three senatorial candidates from the party. All three have very impressive credentials: good educational background, informed and knowledgeable in the many issues and concerns that plague our country, no stains on their young political reputations. The party has hardly any funds to campaign as evident in their absent posters not plastered all over the country, only posters of airbrushed smiling candidates enticing the voter. Their unsophisticated website was probably created by a student of computer science. There are no frills there. There are those that say isn't it about time for a breath of fresh air to leak in?
Bautista has familiarized himself with all issues like medical (his expertise), poverty, corruption, etc., just about everything that plagues our country. He does not shy from questions thrown at him and does not read from notes, unlike his opponents, as shown recently in a TV political debate that included well known and beloved veteran screen actors. At the end of the debate, it was clear the actors needed to return to their professions and never entertain the thought of entering the political arena. The same should apply for some who are currently in politics or those thinking of becoming a politician because it's a way to get rich quick.
Bautista is not high on the ratings, but most likely his chances for 2010 will be very favorable. He's only 44. But he's making other politicians nervous. So far, the only negative thing written about him is he tends to stutter when he gets riled up, but not all the time.
In one interview, Bautista was quoted: "I invite all of you to join me. I am personally willing to bet everything material that I possess that if we ordinary citizens were to become aware that the power to change our country lies in each of us, then we can all work together in redeeming our Philippines. All the political dynasties with their innumerable guns, armies of goons, unlimited gold and Comelec will not stop an idea whose time has come."
Bautista has given interviews and speeches tirelessly. Despite the challenges, the negativity, he forges on talking and explaining ceaselessly about his plans to get us out of the hole we've dug ourselves deep into. It is indeed refreshing to watch him as he spoke and rallied the people at Quezon Circle, in Quezon City recently, to fight against the plague of poverty, something he hopes to abolish one day. A very tall order, but the man is managing to open tired, sleeping minds out there.
To learn more about Dr. Bautista's political platform, or to find out about the Kapatiran Party, visit their website at www.angkapatiran.org.
--
"Your Friendly Web Designer & Developer"
http://www.mikeligalig.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)