LOOK: 2018 revelry leaves mounds of garbage in Metro

A total of 48 trucks of garbage were collected by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) around the metro after the country welcomed the year 2018 last Monday.

The traffic agency was able to immediately fill three garbage trucks at the Rizal Park alone after about 90,000 people celebrated the New Year’s Eve, Radyo Inquirer 990 AM reported on Tuesday.

Manila City Hall Department of Public Services Lilybelle Borromeo-David asked the National Parks Development Committee to help in cleaning the park due to the huge volume of garbage.

Meanwhile, 45 other trucks were also filled after the MMDA went around Divisoria and other public markets in the Metro.

The EcoWaste Coalition expressed dismay over the tons of garbage collected given that most of the trash was recyclable, the report said. /cbb

Govt procures spare parts for MRT maintenance

The Department of Transportation (DoTR) on Monday said it has completed the procurement of the first batch of spare parts needed for the maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit-3.

“Among those already procured by DOTr MRT-3 through its Maintenance Transition Period Bids and Awards Committee (MTP BAC) over the last seven weeks are spare parts for rolling stock, worth about P8.66 million and spare parts for tracks amounting to P7.33 million,” the DOTr said in a statement.

The contract for the rolling stock spare parts was won by Linkers Enterprises while the spare parts contract was bagged by Nikka Trading.

The contract for the Independent Audit and Assessment (IAA) of the entire MRT-3 system was awarded to TUV Rheinland for P45.31-million.

‘The IAA will cover all sub-components of MRT-3, including its signaling system, tracks, and rolling stock. Both the current fleet of 73 Czech-made trains and the unaccepted 48 China-made trains will be covered by the IAA,” the department said.

“The IAA Consultant will make specific and actionable recommendations to address identified issues,” it added.

The DOTr said it has gotten “the commitment of all suppliers to exert best efforts to deliver earlier than the prescribed contractual lead times.”

Govt finalizing deal with Japan for MRT 3 upgrade

The Department of Transportation said it is finalizing a deal with the government of Japan for the rehabilitation and maintenance of Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

Transportation assistant secretary for railways TJ Batan said the agency was now in the final stages of exchanging note verbales between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Embassy in Manila.

Batan said the arrangement would involve the grant of an official development assistance for the rehabilitation and maintenance requirements of MRT-3, which encountered numerous malfunctions in recent years because of alleged substandard maintenance and underinvestment.

Batan said the DOTr would utilize the bidding process of Japan in getting the rehabilitation and maintenance service provider for MRT-3, as required in all ODA arrangements with them.

He said the procurement rules and regulations would be observed in choosing the service provider.  This means that the provider would be Japanese, like other projects of DOTr with Japan.

Batan said the government was expected to exchange note verbales with Japan in the first week of January.

After the exchange, the DOTr and railway engineers from the Japan International Cooperation Agency would conduct a due diligence study of MRT-3 until February to clearly identify the needed rehabilitation works.

The department recently completed the procurement of the first batch of various spare parts required for the MRT 3 system’s maintenance.

Among those already procured by the agency over the last seven weeks were spare parts for rolling stock worth about P8.66 million and spare parts for tracks amounting to P7.33 million.

The DOTr served its final decision to terminate its P3.8-billion contract with Busan Universal Railways Inc. for the maintenance of MRT 3 system in November.

The agency said among the reasons for the termination of the contract were poor performance, failure to put in service and subsequently ensure the availability of contractually obligated number of trains, failure to put in operation reliable and efficient trains and  failure to implement a feasible procurement plan for spare parts.

Resorts World plans to open three hotels, rebrand two others in 2018

Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. said it aims to continue the expansion of Resorts World Manila with the opening of three hotels and the rebranding of two facilities this year.

“Resorts World Manila has the largest concentration of hotel rooms in any development in the Philippines,” TIHGI president  Kingson Sian told journalists over lunch.

Resorts World Manila, a joint venture of Alliance Global Group and Genting Hong Kong Ltd., has more than 1,800 rooms across four hotel brands: Marriott Hotel Manila and its West Wing expansion, Maxims Hotel, Remington Hotel and Belmont Hotel.

Sian, who is also the president and chief operating officer of Alliance Global Inc., said the plan is to have 3,500 hotel rooms by 2019 under various stages of development, including the completion of the 391-room Sheraton Manila Hotel, the 355-room Hilton Manila and the expansion of Maxims Hotel.  Resorts World Manila is also opening the 11-story, 191-room Okura Hotel in 2018.

Okura, a Japanese company, agreed to construct another 13-story hotel with 380 rooms in Bayshore City Resorts World, the second complex of TIHGI that would rise on the Entertainment City complex in Parañaque  City.

Sian said other plans include the rebranding of Maxims Hotel and the renaming of the 712-room Remington Hotel into Holiday Inn Express.

Sian said average occupancy rate at the hotels remained healthy at over 80 percent.

Resorts World Manila, which opened in August 2009 across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, also hosts Marriott Grand Ballroom, the country’s largest hotel ballroom; Newport Mall, a casino area, Newport Cinemas and Newport Performing Arts Theater.

The hotel and casino operator incurred a net loss of P36.8 million in the first nine months of 2017, after the June 2 incident when a gunman razed a portion of the facility resulting in the death of 38 people. The complex was closed for 27 days and reopened on June 29.

The company renovated the affected area and opened a lighted pedestrian walkway called Lumina: Walkway of Lights which connects the second level of Maxims Hotel to Newport Mall.  Lumina has 100,000 multi-colored LED bulbs that brighten the 110-meter walkway.

TIHGI reported P15.7 billion in gross revenues and P2.6 billion earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in January to September.

The company aims to be among the premier world-class integrated entertainment and tourism destinations in Asia once the third phase of expansion is completed by 2018. Roderick T. dela Cruz

http://manilastandard.net/business/corporate/255295/resorts-world-plans-to-open-three-hotels-rebrand-two-others-in-2018-1.html

Resorts World plans to open three hotels, rebrand two others in 2018

Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. said it aims to continue the expansion of Resorts World Manila with the opening of three hotels and the rebranding of two facilities this year.

“Resorts World Manila has the largest concentration of hotel rooms in any development in the Philippines,” TIHGI president  Kingson Sian told journalists over lunch.

Resorts World Manila, a joint venture of Alliance Global Group and Genting Hong Kong Ltd., has more than 1,800 rooms across four hotel brands: Marriott Hotel Manila and its West Wing expansion, Maxims Hotel, Remington Hotel and Belmont Hotel.

Sian, who is also the president and chief operating officer of Alliance Global Inc., said the plan is to have 3,500 hotel rooms by 2019 under various stages of development, including the completion of the 391-room Sheraton Manila Hotel, the 355-room Hilton Manila and the expansion of Maxims Hotel.  Resorts World Manila is also opening the 11-story, 191-room Okura Hotel in 2018.

Okura, a Japanese company, agreed to construct another 13-story hotel with 380 rooms in Bayshore City Resorts World, the second complex of TIHGI that would rise on the Entertainment City complex in Parañaque  City.

Sian said other plans include the rebranding of Maxims Hotel and the renaming of the 712-room Remington Hotel into Holiday Inn Express.

Sian said average occupancy rate at the hotels remained healthy at over 80 percent.

Resorts World Manila, which opened in August 2009 across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, also hosts Marriott Grand Ballroom, the country’s largest hotel ballroom; Newport Mall, a casino area, Newport Cinemas and Newport Performing Arts Theater.

The hotel and casino operator incurred a net loss of P36.8 million in the first nine months of 2017, after the June 2 incident when a gunman razed a portion of the facility resulting in the death of 38 people. The complex was closed for 27 days and reopened on June 29.

The company renovated the affected area and opened a lighted pedestrian walkway called Lumina: Walkway of Lights which connects the second level of Maxims Hotel to Newport Mall.  Lumina has 100,000 multi-colored LED bulbs that brighten the 110-meter walkway.

TIHGI reported P15.7 billion in gross revenues and P2.6 billion earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in January to September.

The company aims to be among the premier world-class integrated entertainment and tourism destinations in Asia once the third phase of expansion is completed by 2018. Roderick T. dela Cruz

http://manilastandard.net/business/corporate/255295/resorts-world-plans-to-open-three-hotels-rebrand-two-others-in-2018-1.html

Yul Servo: From shy guy to solon

Yul Servo has always been the “shy-type” actor so it might be hard to reconcile this with the fact that he has won acting awards left and right, from both local and international film festivals.

Recall that at the Brussels International Film Festival, Yul was a multiple Best Actor awardee for his landmark film “Batang West Side” in 2001 directed by Lav Diaz; for his film “Naglalayag” in 2004; and “Brutus Ang Paglalakbay” in 2008.

The former Manila councilor-turned-congressman also won the Best Actor award from the Cinemalaya Film Festival in 2001 for “Batang West Side;” the Best Supporting Actor awards from Cinemalaya in 2008 for “Brutus;” and from the Film Academy of the Philippines 2011 for “Rosario” in 2011.

Through the years, Yul also received multiple acting nominations for his other award-winning films from other local award-giving bodies such as Gawad Urian, FAMAS, PMPC Star Awards for Movies, Young Critics Circle, Golden Screen Awards and the Metro Manila Film Festival.

This 2017, Yul appeared in the Cinemalaya finalist “Kiko Boksingero” which won the hearts of many filmgoers.

The solon spearheaded recently a thanksgiving dinner and early Christmas party for members of the entertainment press. Joining him were the talents under Production 56, Inc., managed by multi-awarded film and TV director Maryo delos Reyes. The party was their way of “giving back” for the press’ support in building up the careers of Production 56’s artists. Among them are Rudy Madrid, Miggs Cuaderno, Neil Ryan Sese, Nash Aguas, Orlando Sol, Leandro Baldemor, the Masculados, Barbara Miguel, Romano Vasquez, Will Ashley de Leon, Nafa Hilario-Cruz, Xyruz Cruz, John Raspado, and Trio Tagapayo.

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Starting fresh

Miguel Tanfelix is ready to write a new chapter in 2018. He believes the New Year brings positivity if we find time to reflect on things and life in general before the previous year ends.


Together with some friends, the star of GMA Network’s toprating primetime series “Kambal Karibal” went up Mt. Nagpatong in Batangas. Based on the photos he posted on his Instagram account Miguel is indeed ready to start his career fresh.

Young love team Miguel and Bianca Umali play Diego and Crisan respectively in “Kambal Karibal,” which also stars Christopher de Leon, Marvin Agustin, Carmina Villaroel, Jean Garcia and Alfred Vargas, among others.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Jan. 2, go to Nonoy Gallardo, Laila Dee, Lina Aurelio, Christy Bagatsing, Precy Mathay, Michelle Sacay, Dotsie Vinuya, Nela Sebastian, Roberto Reyes, Ogie Diaz, Nelly Cabral, Alice Samaniego, Wowie Roxas, Krissy Mago, Julius Betila, Fr. Tony Pernia, Bro. Rene Velarde and Baby Escueta Luat… Jan. 3: Reli de Leon, Dr. Genevieve Huang, Tec Syjuco, Zeny Raymundo, Alice Briones, Rafael Perez, Vivian Lorraine, Dr. Rolando Layos, Dr. Teresita Santiago, Mary Jane Lopez, Grace Garcia, Jennifer Padua, Novi Gumayagay, twins Katrina and Bianca Aguila, Adelaida Domingo, CJ Reyes and Vanessa Grindrud…