Candy in the sun
Funny how time flies. Every second to every hour and moving from the days to the months, time goes by in a blink of an eye.
Shiny happy people
I have never been to any Disneyland theme parks. The closest I was to being there, if you could call it that, was watching the Mickey Mouse Club as a kid.
Tonight, thank God it’s them instead of you
I still remember back in 1984, during a school recess, when a classmate and I were playing hangman with bands being the subject.
Thank you very much again
This is the second Christmas I am spending with the BusinessMirror as editor of the Envoys & Expats section.
Fortress around your heart
Intramuros holds a lot of wonderful memories for me. My parents used to take me there when I was growing up but it was during my college days when I discovered most of it.
The glamorous life
I am not usually the type of person who goes to parties and social gatherings. The glitz and the glamour associated with it is an all together different world for me.
In the eyes of a child
THREE weeks from now and it will already be Christmas, the most special time of the year. Sadly for me, I have yet to really feel the warmth and the joy of the season.
Taiwan to invest more in Asia if U.S. takes protectionist approach
WITH United States (US) economic policies remaining unclear under a Donald J. Trump presidency, Taiwan is looking at further strengthening its relations with its neighbors in the Asian region.
NordCham hands donation to Chosen Children Village Foundation
FOR the fourth straight year, the Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (NordCham) made a substantial donation to the Chosen Children Village Foundation in Cavite as part of its commitment to assist the less privileged sectors in the country.
A man built for the tourism industry
Filipino Jemy See virtually built and developed tourism in every country where he has worked in.
Hard at play
In one of the resorts we went to during a recent visit to Puerto Princesa City, a staff pointed to a room on the second floor, which was supposedly used by former President Benigno “PNoy” S. Aquino III in the past.
Establishing that person-to-person relationship
Early in his career, American Eric Kaufman begged his company to provide him with more work so that he could save the jobs of people who were working with him.
2 LGUs claim benefits from ECCP led integrity and jobs project
Officials of two local government units (LGUs) are claiming to have benefited after being initially selected as pilot areas in the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Partnership for Integrity and Jobs (I4J) project.
A bottle of red, a bottle of white, whatever kind of mood you’re in tonight
Barely settled in at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila for the wine-appreciation class, and suddenly there was a gentleman walking into the room looking so dapper in his suite saying his hello and welcoming us.
Imagine all the people living life in peace
BY now, everyone is probably engrossed with the stories, gossips and everything else in between on the death of Albuera, Leyte, Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. in his detention cell.
I’m too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts
TO me, one of the most underrated albums since the calendar turned 2000 was the Mark Ronson-produced Duran Duran album All You Need Is Now from 2010.
I’m too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts
TO me, one of the most underrated albums since the calendar turned 2000 was the Mark Ronson-produced Duran Duran album All You Need Is Now from 2010.
Don’t look back in anger
AS I type this column, I am having chills and probably running a fever. So forgive me if I sound a bit incoherent here.
Don’t want to hear about what kind of food you hate
SOFITEL Executive Chef Denis Vecchiato told me that a huge fortune was invested in Spiral and that no other property can compare to it in the Southeast Asian region.
4 provinces ready to welcome Chinese investments
Four provinces and one municipality in the Philippines are all saying they are ready to welcome Chinese businessmen and investments.
Fighting for animal rights
THE dog has been man’s best friend. They have brought individuals young and old a deep sense of happiness and unquestioned loyalty.
Endless harmony
WHEN you are carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders and days are getting colder at the workplace, it is time for you to quickly get out of town and take that much-needed break.
I got speed inside my brain
BACK during the 2004-2005 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Phoenix Suns introduced Seven Seconds Or Less to the whole basketball world.
Israel willing to assist Philippines versus war on illegal drugs
ISRAEL is willing to work with the Philippine government in its campaign to rid the country of what it has termed as a widespread drug menace that is affecting millions of Filipinos.
The birds will still be singing
AS I am writing this column, I am listening to Elvis Costello’s The Juliet Letters album. It was his one-time project with The Brodsky Quartet.
Skip the air-strip to the sunset
I did not even know that September was Tourism Month in the Philippines until I was at the opening of the Philippine Tourism Showroom at the Department of Tourism (DOT) head office in Makati City early last week.
The Cravings Group to open ₧350-M mixed-used building
THE Cravings Group announced that it is set to open in November its P350-million mixed-used building in Makati City.
Happy hour
WHEN I saw German Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Michael Hasper at the launch of Oktoberfest in Sofitel, Bruno, the movie, immediately came to my mind.
Record number of Indian tourists expected; Phl now classified as new and emerging destination
WITH an intensified campaign, the government is expecting record number of Indian tourists arriving in the country this year.
All I needed was a little faith so I could catch my breath and face the world again
AT the halfway point, I suddenly felt confident that I could actually finish my first 10K run, and not end up in a stretcher while being taken by an ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital.
Mix a special brew, put fire inside of you
WALKING in the streets of Lucena took me back to my childhood days, when my mother and I used to go on weekend trips to Manila to hear mass at the Santa Cruz Church and roam around Carriedo’s streets.
Lucena, with its one-lane roads, old buildings, jeeps and large number of people walking the sidewalks, had the same vibe as Carriedo back in the day.
NordCham says news coming out of Philippines might give investors wrong perception
THE Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (NordCham) said recent headline news coming out of the country can potentially deter companies from investing in the country.
Finding happiness and fulfillment in life
TAIWANESE Cheryl Yee was an accomplished and highly regarded television news personality in her country for more than 21 years and, yet, all throughout, she has always believed there was something missing in her life.
Masters at work
AS I was leaving the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, I told Spanish Ambassador Luis Antonio Calvo that I just experienced a great night of music.
Philippines will not suffer brain drain even as Canada targets Filipino workers and students
CANADA is not holding back the Philippines’s current economic momentum with its new and aggressive immigration policy that is targeting the country’s skilled work force and the youth sector.
Cultivating a culture of success
BAKER & McKenzie Global Services Manila (B&M GSM) Executive Director Gabriel Pardo is not much of a basketball fan, as he follows more the Formula 1 World Championship Racing and football’s World Cup.
Running through the night seems like forever
‘ARE you going to rescue me tonight?” The Alarm’s frontman Mike Peters shouted to a raucous audience, as the band played the opening rift of their then new song “Rescue Me” back in 1988.
Waze set to launch ride-sharing service worldwide, PhL on list
WAZE, the groundbreaking community-based global positioning system road-navigation app, recently announced that it will be introducing a ride-sharing service that it expects will further decongest traffic, especially during rush hours.
Use your fingers
ONE evening late last week, passing through University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Dapitan, I was taken aback by an unbelievable site.
Lost soul
IT was in the middle of the afternoon, and British Craig Wosahlo still has not eaten his breakfast yet.
Four chords and several years ago
BACK in college, I was lucky enough to have had close friends who were really into music. They were people who would introduce me to new music and take me to the thriving local live scene, both underground and the mainstream.
Use of social media gaining ground in contact centers
AS the business-process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the country evolves, competency on the use of the English language is slowly becoming less necessary.
UK creates Department of International Trade, Philippines high on its radar
WITH the United Kingdom set to exit the European Union (EU), its government created the Department of International Trade (DIT) to facilitate trade and investments with the rest of the world.
A once-in-a-lifetime decision
SOME 192 kilometers away from the Bacolod-Silay International Airport is the rustic town of Sipalay City in Negros Occidental.
It is the sun that burns; it is the wheel that turns
GOING home late Tuesday evening after attending the opening of the Dutch-Filipino Film Festival at the Shang Cineplex in Shangri-La Mall, I chanced upon a group of security guards at the Shaw Boulevard Metro Rail Transit station all looking tired after a long day at work.
That dreamy look in your eye, give me a tropical contact high
IN July 1977 Doña Juliana de la Rama, her husband Don Julio Gonzaga and their house help were brutally murdered, as their home was robbed by three assailants who took with them a P100 wristwatch and a P60 transistor radio.
French firefighter Nico Meleissis saw dead people on the streets
ALL French firefighter Nico Meleissis of the Unité Légére d’Intervention et de Secours (ULIS) could think of when the terror attack in Nice happened during their country’s Bastille Day celebration was the safety of his son.
Pacsafe opens worldwide flagship store in Philippines
PACSAFE, one of the world’s leading travel-bag brands, recently selected the Philippines as the location of its first worldwide flagship store.
Saving lives
Beyond Australian-Filipino Michael Deakin’s very imposing physical presence is a man with a lot of compassion and heart.
Every rose has its thorn
RAISE your hands if you still remember most of what your teacher taught in your history class. Personally, outside of March 16, 1521, and June 12, 1898, I can hardly remember anything from my history classes.
Iranian banks to explore options in Philippines
THE Iranian government said its banks are looking to reestablish relations with their Philippine counterparts, as part of its push to create stronger bilateral trade relations with the country.
Overcoming obstacles and succeeding
SPANIARD Juan Carlos De Terry is very much synonymous with elevating the public’s appreciation of Spanish food here in the country.
Koreans face arrest, fines for traveling to parts of Mindanao
SOUTH Korean nationals will face jail time and hefty fines for traveling to parts of Mindanao once they return to their country.
Acclaimed Japanese film director pushes international cooperation in moviemaking
ACCLAIMED Japanese film director Masato Harada said there is a need for international cooperation to ensure continuous growth in the world’s film industry.
A celebration of films at WPFF 2016
EVEN with most of the international actors missing, the World Premieres Film Festival (WPFF) 2016 Awards Night was still a night to remember.
Loyalty matters
JAPAN Foundation Manila (JFM) Director Hiroaki Uesugi is one of the most adorable and charming people in the diplomatic community.
The saga begins
AT the end of the screening of A Tale of Love and Darkness at The City Club in Alphaland Makati Place, Israeli Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau playfully asked the packed crowd if they have questions, and that he was willing to spend the rest of the night answering them.
SN Power sees hydroelectric power not moving past 20% in country’s capacity mix
NORWEGIAN power firm Power, a partner of Aboitiz Power Corp., expects hydroelectric power will not expand its current share in the country’s power-capacity mix.
Spain holds 1st International Day of Tapas in Philippines
THE Spanish Embassy and Turespaña recently celebrated the Philippine edition of the 1st International Day of Tapas by closing the Tapas. Spanish Design for Food exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum (MeT) in grand fashion.
Head start for happiness
WHEN delegates from 30 countries come to the Philippines with keen interest on the country’s high-end destinations, then you know that tourism is really on the upswing.
Israel, Iran continue to differ on their views toward achieving peace in Middle East
ISRAEL and Iran still remain far apart on how they view the road to peace and stability in the Middle East.
Japan Foundation Manila turns 20
JAPAN Foundation Manila (JFM) recently celebrated its 20th anniversary of nurturing closer cultural ties between Japan and the Philippines.
NBCP sees potential investments in renewable energy
The Nordic Business Council of the Philippines (NBCP) said Nordic companies are closely looking at the possibility of entering the country’s renewable-energy (RE) market.
NFAP looks to restore 10 classic Filipino films this year using Swedish technology
The National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP) said they are set to restore 10 more classic Filipino films this year using Swedish technology they have recently acquired.
Springboard Foundation distributes starter packs, provides scholarship to students
NON-GOVERNMENTAL organization Springboard Foundation recently completed an educational drive aimed at keeping Filipino students in school.
Circle in the sand
WITH the feel of the gentle wind breezing through my face and the sound of the peaceful night as the background, I was taken back to my childhood days, when, together with friends, we would look at the stars in the sky and talk about what we would be like in the future.
Spain sees increase in Filipino tourist arrivals, looks to speed up visa processing
SPAIN just sent a new delegation to the Philippines as it increasingly looks at the country as an emerging market for its tourism industry.
Saudi Arabia donates P33.36 million worth of pressed dates
THE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently donated 130 tons of pressed dates worth P33.36 million that will be jointly distributed by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) across the country.
A young and dynamic leader
ITAMAR GERO is the new president of the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ICCP), and he is very much determined to take the chamber to new heights.
There is a UB40 song here somewhere
IT has been said on multiple occasions that wine consumption is a relatively good gauge on how an economy is performing.
Shaping the future of travel
AMADEUS Asia Pacific President Albert Pozo said that, even with the region susceptible to health, economic and political issues, they continued to see strong growth in its travel and tourism industry.
Human, born to make mistakes
TO me, it was basically the French version of Before Sunrise. It was just that Un + Une was literally and figuratively more sensual and sexy.
Philippine companies encouraged to invest in British Columbia
WITH a rapidly increasing Filipino population, the province of British Columbia in Canada is looking at having Philippine-based companies establishing presence in their locality.
Taiwan shoe company looking to expand in the Philippines
LEADING Taiwanese handmade gentlemen shoes brand O’Ringo is looking at further expanding its presence in Asia.
A man of strong faith
DIPLOMATIC Society of Saint Gabriel Secretary-General Ramon Jose Moreno Jr. fondly remembers the day his father told him a valuable lesson in life.
I can breathe in a small town
I must really be growing old. I have told people on multiple occasions already that Metro Manila is getting too crazy for me.
NBCP wants de Lima and Tetangco to stay
THE Nordic Business Council of the Philippines (NBCP) wants two current members of President Aquino’s Cabinet to remain in office.
The 18-year job
JOSE LUIS YULO JR. served as Slovenia’s honorary consul for more than 18 years. It was a job that came to him after a series of unexpected events.
Finding fulfillment in his work
AUSTRALIAN Trade Commission Minister Counselor and Senior Trade Commissioner Anthony Weymouth said these are some of the best times for those that are calling the Philippines their home.
Call centers predicted to disappear in 10 years
A leading figure in the country’s business-process outsourcing (BPO) industry is predicting that call centers will cease to exist in 10 years.
Netherlands celebrates King’s Day
MEMBERS of the diplomatic community came in force as the Netherlands Embassy celebrated King’s Day 2016.
NBCP holds Northern Lights dinner, gives recognition to 4 Nordic companies
THE Nordic Business Council of the Philippines (NBCP) recently held its annual Northern Lights dinner and awards night in Makati City.
Flying high in the Philippines
KOREAN Steve Kim got married inside a hot-air balloon back in 1992. That single moment in his life captured perfectly the man and his passion.
We are fools to the rules of a government plan
EIGHT days from now, we as a country will be electing our new set of leaders. On May 9 we will be cramming ourselves into polling precincts across the country while we vote into office municipal councilors all the way to that person who will be in Malacañang for the next six years.
Australian fruits making their way to convenience stores; Pagasa sees possible market for them
AUSTRALIA is currently in discussions with leading convenience stores in the country, as it makes a push for greater share of the fresh-fruit market in the country.
A day for book lovers
BOOK lovers came in droves to the Ayala Triangle in Makati City as Instituto Cervantes celebrated Día del Libro.
Choir composed of street children heads to Europe for series of concerts
FRENCH child-caring institution Virlanie Foundation Inc. Masaya Choir is traveling to Europe for a series of concerts.
Seeing a rising Asian economy
KINGDOM of the Netherlands Ambassador Marion Derckx looks at the Philippines as a country that is just waiting to reach its full potential.
Mailbag No. 2
THERE is nothing much for me to look forward to these days. Not that I will be committing harakiri anytime soon but, honestly, nothing really excites me at this time. Nada. Zilch. Zero.
Spain looking for bigger share of Philippine wine market
SPAIN is again making a push for a bigger share of the Philippine wine market, as it recently brought to the country 10 leading food and wine companies from the Castilla-La Mancha region.
Caring and saving lives
Her Majesty’s Consul Brendan Gill swims and does yoga in his spare time. He said it helped him with his back problems while, at the same time, giving him mental resilience.
Livin’ la vida loca
Spaniard Juli Capella, the curator of the ongoing Tapas: Spanish Design for Food exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum, said we eat more than 100,000 times during our lives.
More Japanese companies expected to enter PHL retail sector
WITH household consumption at 72 percent of the GDP, more Japanese companies are being expected to enter the country’s retail sector.
Taiwan sees hot-air balloon festivals boosting tourism, seeks partnership with Philippines
TAIWAN is looking to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines, in a bid to promote Southeast Asia as a tourist destination for hot-air balloon enthusiasts.
A self-made man
IT was the middle of the morning, and people were already making their way out of Sofitel Philippine Plaza’s breakfast buffet over at its very popular Spiral restaurant.
Wherever you will go
BEFORE the break of dawn last Saturday, I purposely went out of my way to eat breakfast at Kanto Freestyle Breakfast in Mandaluyong City.
Israeli tech company to launch first autonomous vehicle by 2020
MOBILEYE, the global pioneer and leader in the development of collision-avoidance and autonomous-driving systems based on artificial-vision technology, said it is in advanced stages in the development of unmanned vehicles.
US 7th Fleet Band draws jam-packed audiences at the malls
THE United States (US) 7th Fleet Band recently played to packed audiences in some of the leading Metro Manila malls.