SM exec: Clark is the future

A TOP executive of the SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation said Clark is the country's future development area.

"We always see that Clark is the future. With all the developments happening and even now, seeing how Clark International Airport is coming up and how the international flights are targeting to land in Clark. So, the future is there," said Walid Wafik, senior vice president for Operations of SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation.

Wafik was one of the guests during the relaunching on Tuesday, March 29, of the News @ Hues media forum hosted by the Pampanga Press Club (PPC) and Park Inn by Radisson Clark.

He said local government units are working together to connect Clark with Metro Manila. "This is going to happen so we know there is a future here."

The SM executive said SMX Clark, which is their third-largest convention center next to SMX MOA and SMX Davao, will open on May 24, 2022.

"This SMX [Clark] has one great advantage, we built 14 meeting rooms. This is larger than any other SMX that we have at this scale," Wafik said.

SMX Clark can accommodate multi-scale events with gross leasable space of more than 4,000 square meters. It has two level event venues and a mezzanine floor for offices.

It was strategically built near SM City Clark and Park Inn by Radisson Clark hotel.

Andrea Francesca Madlangbayan, regional operations manager of SM Supermalls, said they included in their development plan parking spaces which will complement the operation of SMX Clark and the newly-expanded Park Inn hotel.

She said a 900-slot multi-level parking area will open prior to the launching of SMX Clark.

SM City Clark also has an existing steel deck parking building next to the convention center, according to Madlangbayan.

"This is around 100-slot so those that will be attending the convention, they can opt to either use the steel deck parking or the customer parking here at the back," she added.

For her part, Park Inn By Radisson Clark general manager Ann Olalo said their new 100-room extension will open in June this year.

"So the new wing which opens in June is an additional 100 rooms. The original wing is 154, so that gives us a total of 254 rooms which we will support when SMX opens, when MICE groups are here and again our advantage is proximity. We are connected by a door, so very convenient for our guests. They stay in the new wing, they come down the elevator and they are there in SMX already," Olalo said.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1925101/pampanga/business/sm-exec-clark-is-the-future

"Lessons from the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand"

But, two years after Manila hosted the Southeast Asian Games, A 591-strong Philippine contingent will try to defend the country’s overall crown in the 24th Southeast Asian Games set in three venues in Thailand in December.

Beijing Olympic qualifiers Ryan Arabejo, Miguel Molina, and James Walsh of swimming and Tsomlee Go of taekwondo lead the list of Thailand-bound athletes named by the SEAG POC-PSC Task Force yesterday.

Filipino athletes will compete in 44 events in the 10-day sports spectacle opening on Dec. 5 at the Nakhon Ratchasima Stadium.

Three hundred fifty-six male and 235 female athletes comprise the delegation which could have their hands full defending the championship they won at home turf in 2005.

Arabejo, Molina and Walsh spearhead the swimming team that includes Daniel Coakley, Nikita Dacera, Ernest Lorenzo Dee, Ronald Guiriba, Kendrick Uy, Denjylie Cordero, Anna Celina Gonzales, Jaclyn Pangilinan, Nicole Santiago, and Erica Totten.

Go banners the taekwondo squad including Mike Alejandrino, Alexander Briones, Jeffrey Figueroa, John Paul Lizardo, Ernesto Juan Mendoza, Carlos Jose Padilla, Manuel Rivero, Kathleen Eunice Alora, Kirstie Elaine Alora, Loralie Catalan, Veronica Domingo, Mary Antoinette Rivero, Maria Criselda Roxas, Sabrina Simbulan and Esther Marie Singson.

Doha Asiad gold medalist Joan Tipon leads the 17-strong boxing team that also include Delfin Boholst, Junel Cantancio, Maraon Golez, Joegen Ladon, Wilfredo Lopez, Albert Pabila, Orlando Tacuyan Jr., Junie Tizon, Bill Vicera, Annie Albania, Alice Kate Aparri, Jouvilet Chilem, Annaliza Cruz, Josie Gabuco, Mitchelle Martinez and Renijen Sofla.

The RP Davis Cup team of Cecil Mamiit, Eric Taino, Johnny Arcilla and Patrick John Tierro seeks to sustain its romp in the games. The women’s team is composed of Czarina Mae Arevalo, Maureen Diaz, Denise Dy, and Diane Matias.

Basketball, football, futsal, lawn bowls, rugby football submitted names subject to final confirmation.

Curiously, Filipino-Am Alex Crisano, barred in the PBA due to lack of documents, is in the tentative men’s basketball lineup that also includes UAAP MVP winner Jervy Cruz and NCAA recruit Pong Escobal.

The ladies team named 12 players plus two alternates. In the list is US NCAA product, Victoria Brick.

Athletics has the largest delegation with 40 followed by softball with 34, futsal and traditional boat race with 28 each, basketball and fencing with 24, baseball 22, football 20, cycling 19, shooting 17, taekwondo 16 and sepak takraw 15.

Later, the broadcast giant GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) would decide to broadcast the games. Print advertisements say: 

GMA and PAGCOR present “A Time for Heroes”

It's a time for discipline and perseverance... A Time to rise above difficulty! It's a time to take pride in ourselves... and bear our triumphs with simple dignity!

It's a time for excellence, teamwork and self sacrifice... where our one goal is the greater good!

Watch the opening ceremonies of the 24th Southeast Asian Games on December 6, Thursday, 6:30PM on Q channel 11, VIA SATELLITE!!!

Replay of the Opening Ceremonies at 8:30 am Friday

The coverage of the games live from December 7, 11-14 at 9 am to noon before Balitanghali, and again from 1 pm to 8 pm and December 8 and 9 from 6 am to 9 pm on Q channel 11.

Swimming finals aired from December 7 to 11 at 7pm Manila Time, with a replay at 9 a.m. on December 8 to 12.

TVB News Microphone Graphic

The 1995 GMA logo was used for tuxedos

At this time, the Network has issued the guidelines for the logo for print ads: color Red, cable number #FF0000, Orange, cable number #FFA500, color yellow cable number #FFFF00, color green, cable number #00AD83, color Blue cable #0000FF, color Indigo cable #4B0082 and color Dark Violet, cable #8F00FF.

The final release of banners and pins, official merchandise as well television and radio plugs is to release in August as part of the official 100-day countdown to the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand December 6 to 15, 2007.

For 11-year-old Eugene Herrera, he would have a passport and luggage to go to the said country in time for the regional sports competition. Herrera, whose birthname is Eugene Roman Ilustre Herrera born on August 31, 1996. He would be absent from his studies to give way for the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from December 6 to 15, 2007.

By this time, La Salle’s Enchong Dee bagged the Most Valuable Player award after winning seven gold medals and setting new league records in the 50m butterfly (26.03 seconds), 100m butterfly (56.38 sec), and 400m individual medley (4:47.30 minutes). Teammate Maxim Quilala won Rookie of the Year.

Enchong is included in the elite list of RP swimmers going to Thailand this December for the SEA Games so him winning 7 golds in the UAAP is actually nothing new. Can somebody tell this kid to stick to swimming instead of acting? He can do better helping the cause of RP swimming than playing love interest to so and so teens of ABS-CBN.

I spoke to him on this...he's obviously taking my advice in that he's milking his 15 minutes of fame for all that it's worth and will later focus on swimming and acting when his star begins to fade.

Enchong is a smart dude...he knows what he's doing good to hear this.

we've seen so much stars who were either good in academics or are potential athletic wonder but were reduced to nothing due to serving two masters at the same time. Enchong is one of those kids who I find smart and can really contribute to RP swimming that is why I find it to crappy seeing him singing and dancing when the SEA Games is just around the corner. But if he needs additional income which the PSC cant provide then why not but could you tell this guy to take swimming first then acting ...uhhmmmm 10th on the list? : laugh:

anyways he is a good swimmer, 'nuf said.

ayos yan si enchong...i guess he should be the AOY for season 70...mahirap ang ginagawa niya...he should better called student-athlete-showbiz personality

congrats! Halos 1 month na tapos ang swimming competition pero it's all good...

TV host and former actor Paolo Abrera and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino general manager Marco Protacio says Dee is included in the elite list of RP swimmers going to Thailand this December for the SEA Games. Dee was on hiatus as an entertainer and Cebu-based businessman Jeremy Huang as his relief co-host for the daily noontime game and variety show "Eat... Bulaga!" broadcasting live from the SM Mall of Asia Cinemas (converted into a studio).

Jeremy Huang, banker and basketball player, he was being a substitute host for Mister Dee due to his participation in the UAAP swimming competitions of 2007, 2008 and 2009.

He added that Mister Dee is away due to showbiz and sports commitments, and he did a comedian anymore.

Molina sa SEA Games 

PINANGUNAHAN ni Miguel Molina ang 14-kataong national swimming team na sasabak sa 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games sa Disyembre. 

Bukod kay Molina, kasama sa men’s squad sina 2007 UAAP swimming MVP Enchong Dee, Ryan Arabejo, JB Walsh, Ken Uy, Lambert Guiriba, Dan Coakley at Nikita Dacera. 

Kabilang sa magbabakasakali ng gintong medalya sa distaff side sina Harvard standout Jackie Pangilinan, Erica Totten, Marichi Gandionco, Nikki Santiago, Denjylie Cordero at Celina Gonzales. 

Ang Pilipinas ay nanalo ng apat na gintong medalya sa 2005 edition.

However, the addition of now UP Maroon Tanker Gian Daniel Berino in the 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games as a teammate to Arabejo in 1,500 freestyle and Uy in 100-meter freestyle and Molina in the 200-meter freestyle and 400-meter individual medley. Berino was a student of the University of Santo Tomas High School and he would participate again in 2009.

Olympic berths stir well-honed RP swimmers 

By Ernesto Gonzales

We'll do better this time. 

With three stalwarts already clinching Olympic berths and three more expected to join them by qualifying here, the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association expects to easily surpass its previous four-gold effort at the 24th Southeast Asian Games which begins in earnest here Friday. 

PASA president Mark Joseph said the swimmers could win as many as six golds with female tankers Erica Totten, Maria Georgina Gandionco and Jaclyn Pangilinan now looming as strong golden bets as they pursue slots in next year's Beijing Olympics. 

"I think these girls will hurdle the Olympic qualifying standards in their respective events, and to achieve that, they have to win," said Joseph, a former crack swimmer himself who is also the deputy secretary general of the Philippine Olympic Committee. 

Miguel Molina, who won three of the four golds two years ago at the Trace Aquatic Center in Los Baños, Laguna, remains the cornerstone of RP's aquatics drive, but he will get able support this time from James Walsh and Ryan Arabejo. 

The three became the first three Filipinos to secure Olympic slots, with Molina surpassing the standard in the 200-meter individual medley, Walsh in the 200m butterfly and Arabejo in the 1,500m freestyle. 

Also seeing action for the national team that also picked up five silver and six bronze medals in 2005 are Daniel Coakley, Nikita Dacera, Lorenzo Dee, Ronald Guiriba, Kendrick Uy, Denjylie Cordero, Anna Celina Gonzalez and Nicole Santiago. 

The country actually finished with a 9-7-8 gold-silver-bronze performance two years ago with the divers responding with five victories, three by Sheila Mae Perez, and water polo again contributing a silver medal. 

The diving team is virtually intact but Joseph said Sheila and Co. face the prospect of performing before judges expected to be biased to please the host country. 

"You never know, but winning is expected to be harder this time," he said. 

As for water polo, Joseph said only the lack of exposure prevents the country from ending Singapore's long domination of the sport. 

"We have the talent, the Singaporeans fear us, but we cannot win. Why? Well, our water polo team saw action in Australia and fared well, but that's just one meet, while the Singaporeans have competed in 12 international meets so far."

That free TV channels GMA and QTV (later Q channel 11) to go 24 hours in time for the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. GMA and Q would go 24 hours a day, seven days a week by July 2006. The network's showbiz talk show "S-Files" replaces "Showbiz Central" on April 29 this year, which would have scheduled programs.

"We cannot sleep, because of airing programs at late-night and early morning. ABS-CBN is airing "Gising Pilipinas!" and GMA is airing "Umaga Na, Balita Na", before the morning shows "Umagang Kay Ganda" and "Unang Hirit". GMA's sister station Q to air the coverage before "News on Q" at 9pm, December 6, 2007.

For Probe Productions, Inc. president Cheche Lazaro and Paolo's mother Emily Abrera, they want to have on a big budget for GMA's airing of the 2007 Southeast Asian Games, after the station aired the 1991 edition in Manila.

"The vision of TV host German "Kuya Germs" Moreno is saying "Walang Tulugan", because GMA would go 24 hours a day, seven days a week on May 12, 1992.

GMA chairman Felipe Gozon says the main GMA channel will have a proposed budget to cover Manny Pacquiao fights for 2007 and 2008 and two multi-sporting events.

BPI to hold groundbreaking ceremony for its new HQ in Makati

Bank of the Philippine Islands headed by bankero TG Limcaoco is set to finally hold the groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters in Makati City next week.

Limcaoco is set to lead the ceremony on March 15.

The old 20-story BPI headquarters designed by Engracio Mariano and was inaugurated in 1982 at the corner of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas avenues in Makati City has been demolished to give way to the new structure.

The new headquarters of the Ayala-led bank would have 30 to 40 floors and is expected to be completed in four to five years.

https://bankero.com.ph/bpi-to-hold-groundbreaking-ceremony-for-its-new-hq-in-makati/

Duterte OKs amendments in Foreign Investments Act

Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the law that aims to promote "productive investments" from foreigners and other countries that would help boost the country's economic growth, documents showed Friday. 

Republic Act No. 11647, which amends RA 7042 or the Foreign Investments Act of 1991, is seen improving technology transfer, raising foreign exchange from exports and leading to higher tax revenues.

The amendment also establishes the Inter-agency Investment Promotion Coordination Committee (IIPCC) headed by the Department of Trade and Industry. 

The law, approved on Wednesday, stated that the body will promote and facilitate efforts to encourage foreign investments. 

IIPCC was also tasked to create a strategy or campaign that would "promote the country as a desirable investment area." 

Foreigners, "without need of prior approval," can now also invest in a domestic enterprise up to 100 percent of its capital "unless participation of non-Philippine nationals... is prohibited or limited to a smaller percentage" by existing laws, it read.

Foreigners may also own small and medium-sized enterprises with a minimum paid-up capital of less than $100,000 if majority of their direct employees are Filipinos. The number of Filipino employees should not also be less than 15. 

"The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or DTI... shall not impose any limitations on the extent of foreign ownership in an enterprise additional to those provided by this Act," the law read. 

The law also noted that a foreigner who will also be involved in an existing joint venture, where he or his majority shareholder is a substantial partner, must disclose the names and addresses of the partners during their registration with the SEC.

Foreign investments in export enterprises are also now allowed up to a hundred percent, according to the amendment. 

Export businesses though should register and comply with the National Internal Revenue Code for the purpose of availing any tax benefits or incentives. 

Duterte, during his last State of the Nation Address, called on lawmakers to pass three priority bills meant to attract more foreign investments into the country.

These were the Foreign Investments Act, the Public Service Act, and the Retail Trade and Liberalization Act. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/04/22/duterte-oks-amendments-in-foreign-investments-act