pinay<3pinoy

(NNW) Canada and the Philippines have signed a deal that clears the way for Filipino sailors to crew Canadian-flagged vessels for the first time.

It’s an attempt to address a major problem on board Canadian ships.

“Industry and other government departments have communicated to Transport Canada the need in finding qualified seafarers to assume various roles aboard ships and ashore to support marine operations,” Transport Canada spokesperson Hicham Ayoun said in a statement to CBC.

The reciprocal arrangement between Canada and the Philippines signed March 29 recognizes Philippine certificates of competency for Filipino sailors — known as Standard for Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

It means Filipino sailors will be able to work on Canadian-flagged vessels with a work visa and without first securing permanent residency status… Read More

(GMA News) European businesses in Taiwan are looking at expanding into the Philippines and the possible recruitment of Filipino talent given the prevailing geopolitical tensions with mainland China.

According to European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Executive Director Florian Gottein, a European Chamber of Commerce of Taiwan delegation flew to the Philippines earlier this month to scope possible ventures.

“They’re also looking to the Philippines for different reasons, obviously, because of the geopolitical situation as well. They are also looking into microelectronics, semiconductors in particular,” he said in a chance interview in Makati City.

Gottein said a number of the firms are also looking to expand and diversify outside mainland China, with the Philippines being one of the possible host countries… Read More

(VOA) SYDNEY — The mystery of one of the world’s worst international maritime disasters has been solved off the coast of the Philippines. The wreck of the Montevideo Maru – a Japanese transport ship sunk 80 years ago by an American submarine during World War II – has finally been found.

The Montevideo Maru was carrying 850 prisoners of war and about 200 civilians who had been captured by the Japanese in Papua New Guinea in 1942. Unaware of who was onboard, the ship was torpedoed by the USS Sturgeon, an American submarine.

Its sinking was initially heralded as a success by Allied forces before the identity of most of those onboard was finally revealed.

The vessel’s location has until now been an enduring mystery.

The wreck was found earlier this week in the South China Sea off the Philippines. The mission was a combined effort of the Australian Defense Department, marine archaeologists from Australia’s Silentworld Foundation, and experts from the Dutch deep-sea survey company Fugro… Read More

(NPR) MANILA, Philippines — On a bright stage in a rented-out high school auditorium, Amelia Santos grieves openly before the audience.

Clutching a wireless microphone, the 55-year-old from Caloocan City, an area in Metro Manila’s north, recalls the day she returned home from work in September 2016 and was told her husband, Edward Narvarte, had been killed.

“Somebody went to my house and told me, ‘Go to your husband because he was killed, he was shot a lot of times by the police,'” she says. “When I arrived, there were police… and I saw the dead bodies of the victims, my husband was one of them.”.. Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The local government of Occidental Mindoro reminded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of his campaign promise to end the power crisis in the province as it sought the aid of Malacañang and national agencies in solving the daily brownouts suffered by its residents.

A state of calamity was declared in the province on April 18 due to power outages of 16-20 hours every day. In early April, classes were suspended for three days because of the supply shortages.

“Patuloy po tayong humihiling sa mga National Government Agencies (NGAs) na may kapangyarihan patungkol sa kuryente at mga kinauukulan, gaya ng nauna nating naipadalang sulat kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos upang pumagitna sa ating laban na maresolba ang krisis ng kuryente sa ating lalawigan,” Occidental Mindoro Gov. Eduardo Gadiano said on April 19.

Power dilemma
Gadiano noted that the “power dilemma” is primarily a result of the province’s insufficient energy supply and its disconnection from the main grid, worsened by a conflict between the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) and the Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corporation (OMCPC)… Read More

(Interaksyon) The British Council in the Philippines, the United Kingdom’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, is beefing up the linkages between UK and Philippines through the expansion of arts, English, education and research programs for Filipinos this year.

The organization, now marking its 45th anniversary in the Philippines, has established itself as one of the leaders in international education and cultural education with its projects that build connections between the two countries through education, arts, English and exams.

Lotus Postrado, the country director of British Council in the Philippines, said that their organization has so far worked with thousands of students, educators, policymakers, academics, researchers, creatives and entrepreneurs in the Philippines in various initiatives and programs… Read More

(The Phnom Penh Post) The Volleyball Federation of Cambodia (VFC) and the national organising committees for the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games have redrawn lots for the men’s indoor volleyball competition at the biennial multi-sports events, following a delayed entry by the Philippines team.

The original due date was March 5 before being extended to March 24 to allow the Philippines to organise their registration, but they still failed to register by the revised deadline.

As a result, the VFC draw was made on April 5. Cambodia was joined in Pool A by former gold medallists Indonesia and Singapore, while Pool B consisted of Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Despite the expiration of the deadline for registration, the Philippines announced their intention to compete at the event.

Following consultation with the Olympic councils of Myanmar, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia, the VFC eventually redrew Pool A to include the late entry.

“By allowing their entry, we have reinforced Cambodia’s dedication to ensuring that the games are open to all eligible entrants. The draw was transparent and just, so the athletes of all eight participating nations should feel welcomed to an inclusive and just event,” said VFC secretary-general Aing Serey Piseth… Read More

(Interaksyon) MANILA— China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co Ltd 603799.SS is looking to build the Philippines’ third nickel ore processing facility in partnership with a Philippine miner, two industry sources with knowledge of the proposal said on Wednesday.

The Philippines, a major producer of nickel ore, wants to woo investment in domestic processing of the material used in making stainless steel and electric vehicle batteries, and hopes to boost value of its exports.

Huayou, which has also signed deals to build high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) plants in neighboring Indonesia, is in exploratory talks to construct a similar facility in the Philippines in partnership with a local nickel ore producer, the sources said.

Huayou did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Philippine Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said earlier on Wednesday the government was looking at two potential projects, one proposed by a Chinese group and another that may involve a non-Chinese company… Read More