Economy seen growing faster
Manila Times
26 March 2024
Economy seen growing faster
However, the country’s poverty rate remains below compared to Vietnam at 5.3 percent and Thailand at 1 percent, based on the report.
To resolve this, the report cited the need to address access to financing, the relatively low productivity of workers, and the cost of electricity, which is the highest in the ASEAN region after Singapore.
It also noted the need to address the country's governance as the "World Bank’s governance indicators on the rule of law, corruption, and government effectiveness have also declined since 2016 and are in the bottom half of the institution’s global rating."
L.P. Leviste Lands Among the World's 'Coolest' Streets
L.P. Leviste Street, a bustling stretch in Salcedo Village in the heart of Makati City, has just been voted one of the world’s coolest streets.
Time Out, a global media and hospitality brand headquartered in London, included L.P. Leviste on the cool list alongside the world’s most underrated. There's Paris’ Rue de Belleville, known for its bars and eats, the tree-lined Consell de Cent, Barcelona with its endless shops and artisan bakeries, and New York’s "other Fifth Avenue" in Park Slope, which has become a preferred third space among locals.
What got the Makati street the crown? Time Out says while L.P. Leviste "doesn’t scream cool at first glance," it’s still a crowd drawer for its "coffee shops, thrift stores and a host of independent food and drink joints hidden inside nondescript buildings if you know where to look."
If you’re keen on visiting this cool strip in Makati, here are some things to do in L.P. Leviste.
Visit the Salcedo Community Market
This market, which offers food finds and other artisanal products, has become a Saturday staple among locals and expats alike. It happens at the Jaime Velasquez Park, located on the block bounded by L.P. Leviste and Velasquez streets.
Enjoy Endless Eats
L.P. Leviste is also a restaurant row, offering eats that will appeal to all tastes.
As Time Out recommends, there’s Elbert’s Collective, which offers a mix of European cuisines and a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and pastas for a power lunch. Its high-ceilinged interior gives you a classic yet contemporary diner feel, with its arched booths and tile-designed tables. Elbert’s Collective is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., with extended operations until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
DFA launches e-Apostille service; first in Asean region
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Consular Affairs (DFA – OCA) announced that it launched an e-Apostille service for civil registry documents.
DFA said the system will allow the public to apply online for e-documents and e-Apostilles from the Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA) without having to appear in both offices.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Antonio Morales said that the Philippines was the first in Southeast Asia to implement the e-Apostille system.
“It is noteworthy to mention that the Philippines was the first country in ASEAN to accede to the Apostille Convention. We have continued our leadership in this area by being the first in ASEAN and the third in the Asia-Pacific region to fully implement the electronic Apostille today,” Morales said.
e-Apostille system
DFA said that the e-Apostille system is available for the PSA civil registry documents via PSA Helpline. But they are currently working to also include other public documents in the future.
Meanwhile, payments can be made in the PSA Helpline page and in the Landbank Link.biz portal.
DFA said the service is only available for PSA civil registry documents via PSA Helpline. However, the service will soon cover other public documents in the next phase of implementation in coordination with other government agencies with digital processes and issuance.
Moreover, it said that e-payment options are available for PSA e-certificates via the PSA Helpline page while e-payment for the e-Apostille can be made via the Landbank Link.biz portal.
The DFA said that there are 126 contracting parties in the Apostille Convention that should accept e-Apostilles.
Bohol artist to receive Da Vinci International art prize
MANILA, Philippines — A Bohol-based visually impaired artist will hold his first exhibit in Milan, Italy as he was among the winners in this year’s Leonardo Da Vinci International Art Prize.
In an interview with OneNews.ph, Elvin Vitor said that somebody encouraged him to submit samples of his works.
He added that as one of awardees, he will receive a trophy and will be included in the book of Leonardo Da Vinci International Art Prize.
“There is no cash prize. You will have a trophy and you will be included in the Leonardo Da Vinci book, where international artists were included. Probably, they will provide more network of artists or more connections of collectors,” Vitor said.
He added that Milan consul general Elmer Cato has organized a solo exhibit during his stay after the scheduled awarding ceremony.
“I will be bringing small pieces, 10 pieces,” Vitor said, adding that he plans to donate half of the proceeds of his paintings to the blind and deaf community in Bohol.
“I have a disability, that’s why I have the heart to help,” he said.
Vitor needs to wear glasses or contact lenses with a grade of 1,700.
“I wear contact lenses because my eye glasses are too thick. If I don’t have contact lenses, my vision is really blurred,” he noted.
Vitor said that he wants to prove that disability is not a hindrance if one has the ability to create.
“That’s why I wanted to give inspiration to others… We have unlimited time to create good art. We just need patience, dedication and passion,” he added.
Vitor said that he got his talent from his father, who failed to pursue his dream.
“He is also an artist, but he did not pursue his dream because he decided to take up nursing and then become a teacher. I always saw his visual aids before, that’s why I was inspired by his works,” he added.
Because of his blurry vision, Vitor chooses rich and vibrant colors.
“Art can supply what nature cannot bring into finish. That is why when I am aided by the lenses, I want my work to be vibrant,” he added.
Vitor said it takes at least three to five months to finish his pieces.
“It takes longer to practice oil painting, it is layer over layer because I believe oil paint seasons over time. When paint seasons over time, it will produce more colors,” he explained.
Vitor previously worked as a layout artist but decided to leave as it affected his vision.
“That time, I had no choice but to develop painting. I wanted to focus more on the hyper surrealism".
PH’s Maria Gigante thwarts Venezuela’s back-to-back dream in Universal Woman
Filipino contender Maria Gigante snagged the Universal Woman title in ceremonies staged in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Friday, March 22, edging out Venezuelan delegate Lisanda Chirinos who settled for the first runner-up spot.
The Cebuana host and entrepreneur bested 43 other aspirants to inherit the crown from last year’s winner Valentina Sanchez, who also happens to be from Venezuela. Gigante’s victory has essentially thwarted the South American country’s attempt at scoring back-to-back victories in the young competition.
The contest, whose tagline is “We are the new era of beauty,” is open to women between 25 and 45 years old, with no restrictions on height, weight and marital status. Even mothers can take part in the international pageant. The first edition was held last year in the United Arab Emirates.
Gigante also received the Universal Woman Sympathy title during the preliminary competition, and her social project was among the Top 5 chosen by the selection committee. She amassed the most votes in the online poll that earned for her the Universal Woman Social Media award during the final show.
Three more ladies were proclaimed as part of Gigante’s court in Cambodia—second runner-up Elisa Myshyne from France, third runner-up Brianna Mai from the host country, and fourth runner-up Tavera Pena Chabelli from the Dominican Republic.
Gigante is a veteran of national competitions, having participated in both the Binibining Pilipinas and Miss World Philippines pageants. She was also crowned as Bb. Cebu-Charity in the first-ever Bb. Cebu contest held in 2017.
She was appointed as Universal Woman Philippines 2024 by talent manager and entrepreneur Arnold Vegafria, the man behind ALV Pageant Circle that mounts the annual Miss World Philippines pageant that Gigante joined in 2022.
Sanchez witnessed Gigante receive her appointment in an event held at Kingsford Hotel in Parañaque City on Feb. 27. The Venezuelan beauty was accompanied by Universal Woman official Alexander Gonzalez in her trip to Manila.
During her reign, Gigante is expected to work on charitable projects with groups that the Universal Woman organization has chosen to partner with.
Lambanog Voted World's Second Best Spirit
It’s the stuff of kanto or roadside drinking sessions, best paired with videoke or tales of heartbreak retold.
The Philippines’ humble Lambanog, also known as coconut wine or Philippine vodka, has been voted the second-best spirit in the world on a list by TasteAtlas, a global catalogue of food and drinks.
On TasteAtlas’ list of "Top 79 Spirits in the World," Lambanog bested other well-known drinks, including Mexico’s Tequila and Mezcal, Korea’s Soju, and the London Dry Gin.
"Lambanog is traditionally enjoyed neat, usually as a shot, but it also blends well in cocktails and mixed drinks. In the past, it was frequently produced by farmers, similar to a local version of moonshine, but recently it has mostly shifted to factory production, and its quality has significantly improved," TasteAtlas said.
Lambanog is made with naturally fermented coconut sap and has a high alcohol content at a mininum 30%, according to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). It used to be known as the "poor man’s drink," owing to its relative affordability with prices ranging from P37 to P120 per liter, the PCA said.
The colorless yet potent drink is produced predominantly in Southern Luzon, which has an abundance of coconut, but there are also registered producers in the SOCCSKSARGEN and CARAGA regions in Mindanao. It had earlier gained notoriety for being unsafe supposedly due to a high methanol content, but Lambanog has turned around its reputation and is now being exported to overseas markets, the coconut agency said in a post in misconceptions about the local drink.
The liquor has won awards in China, Europe, and the United States, proving that "genuine lambanog is a great drink and not poisonous," the PCA said. Other than its pure form, the drink comes in various flavors, among them mango, pineapple, cherry, and even bubblegum.
Lambanog’s TasteAtlas feat has stoked Filipino pride, with Pinoys leaving emojis of the Philippine flag, medals and trophies on the TasteAtlas post on Facebook. Commenters from other parts of the world begged to disagree, naming their own best bets.
"Bourbon at #44 could be thought of as farcical," said one commenter. This drew an agreement from another commenter who said: "This whole thing is farcical. I think this was written by an 11-year-old."
TasteAtlas said its food rankings are based on audience votes, "with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable."
It recorded 6,125 ratings for the Top 79 Spirits of the World list, among them 4,266 "were recognized by the system as legitimate."
It said its rankings "should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food" and instead are meant to "promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried."
The Philippines Has the Highest Number of Female Executives in the World
It's no secret that the Philippines has, err, some issues when it comes to gender equality and equity. Whether it's because of conservatism or just a lack of opportunities, women continue to struggle to find their place in the corporate hierarchy.
But apparently, the country still remains one of the more progressive places for female leaders. So much so that it had been ranked by the UK-based global accounting firm Grant Thornton first out of 28 countries in the percentage of women in senior positions.
According to a survey conducted by the global accounting group, about 43 percent of top executives in the country were women. Compared to our neighbors in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, were ranked third, seventh, and 10th respectively.
As a matter of fact, Filipino companies have actually ranked higher in these surveys over the past couple of years. In 2022, the country was fourth on the list. Meanwhile, from 2020 to 2021, the Philippines placed first, too.
The top 10 countries with the most number of companies with women as executives are as follows:
1| Philippines (43.1 percent)
2| South Africa (42 percent)
3| Thailand (41.0 percent)
4| Turkey (41.0 percent)
5| Nigeria (40.6 percent)
6| Spain (40.3 percent)
7| Malaysia (39.6 percent)
8| Australia (39.6 percent)
9| France (37.9 percent)
10| Indonesia (37.4 percent)
The firm said that part of the accelerated shift toward a more inclusive management system can be attributed to the pandemic, as well. For four consecutive years, the share of women in management roles has risen to 33 percent.
To put things in perspective, women had only occupied less than 20% of senior management positions in 2004. Last year, they made up more than a third of these positions. While the progress has been incredible over the past decade, the percentage of female CEOs nevertheless dropped from 28 percent to 19 percent just last year.