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Saturday, November 24, 2018
BRANDON VERA KNOCKS OUT MAURO CERILLI IN FIRST ROUND TO RETAIN ONE HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Reimagine the timeless classic “Robin Hood” at SM Cinema
A known
thief who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, Robin Hood of Loxley
(Taron Egerton) together with John (Jamie Foxx) and his
band of outlaws, the Merry Men, will start a revolution to stop the wicked
English crown on oppressing the people.
Directed
by Otto Bathurst, the film also includes actors Ben Mendelsohn as the Sheriff
of Nottingham, Jamie Dornan as Will Scarlet and Eve Hewson as Marian.
Catch Robin Hood starting November 21 at any
SM Cinema branch near you. Book your tickets through the website,
www.smcinema.com or download the SM Cinema mobile app. You may also follow /SMCinema on Facebook and
@SM_Cinema on Instagram for updates!
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
SM Aura Premier embraces a greener community with "Lush Initiative" program, screens "A Plastic Ocean"
Today, November 21, 2018 SM Aura Premier an advocate for greener programs launched the Lush Initiative- an ecological movement that showcase a round-up eco friendly activities to help build better lifestyle spaces.
A free film screening of "A Plastic Ocean in partnership with SM Cares, SM Cinema, WWF and DENR. The film was very informative and was an eye opener specially to those who loiter garbage specially the plastics the one time use only. There we can see that The Oceans are filled with plastics, bottles, tires and other garbage materials. The fish and other sea creatures got sick and eventually die of eating some of the plastics that are being scattered in the bottom of the sea.
As they conducted some of the studies made to fishes, they found out that we humans who eat this affected fishes are contaminated with those particles which causes the bloodstream of the one who ate this plastics being affected as well and may cause harm to the one who eats them whether their co sea creatures or us the human beings.
This film should be shown even in our television sets at home or even with the children in schools for us to be aware and eventually takes our part on how to be more careful on every garbage disposals we have in our house and community's as well.
"We share our vision with the Filipino community as we inspire greener mall spaces through various eco-friendly and sustainable programs." Said Bernice Baculi, SM Shortfalls Assistant VICE President for mall operations..
The Last straw, an initiative that envisions a stateless community is also underway at SM Aura as more restaurants express their interests and active participation to the program by offering alternatives to plastic straw.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Top ranking seed company East-West Seed hosts Vegetable Field Day at Villar Sipag Farm
As part of its participation to the 25th Asian Seed Congress 2018, East-West Seed (EWS) organized a demo field in Villar SIPAG Farm in Bacoor, Cavite. Formally opened through a Field Day November 16, 2018, the EWS Demo Field showcases over 100 vegetable varieties in a unique ‘Pinoy Fiesta’ set-up.
Asian Seed Congress delegates and media guests were greeted by Sen. Cynthia Villar, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food. “We are glad that East-West Seed has chosen this as the venue for the East-West Seed Field Day 2018.”
She also thanked EWS for partnering with Villar SIPAG in the training programs and its generosity in sharing expertise in vegetable farming.
“East-West Seed developed these vegetable varieties with the aim to improve the lives and incomes of smallholder farmers around the world and to help give better nutrition to consumers,” said Mike Dela Paz, Product Manager of East-West Seed.
This commitment was recently highlighted in a recognition received by East-West Seed at the Asian Seed Congress 2018. The independent organization Access to Seeds revealed EWS to be number 1 out of 24 companies in in serving smallholder farmers in South and Southeast Asia.
The Access to Seeds Index is measuring and ranking seed companies according to their efforts to improve access to quality seeds of improved varieties to support smallholder farmer productivity.
For over three decades, East-West Seed has served over 18 million smallholder farmers worldwide to increase their productivity and incomes. Part of their efforts have been to provide and breed specific needs of their clients, selling seeds in small packages, and providing training to farmers. It is this business model that proves and supports the goal of the Access to Seed Index which is to bridge the gap between the world’s leading seed companies and the smallholder farmer.
“We are deeply proud of this achievement as it reflects our continued mission to improve the lives of farmers one seed at a time,” said Henk Hermans, EWS General Manager in the Philippines.
With the theme, “Better Seeds for a Better World,” the field demo features a wide range of vegetable varieties that produce better yield, thrive in changing conditions, and have traits that are attractive to vegetable consumers.
It also boasts unique varieties including rounded eggplant, butternut pumpkin, purple waxy-sweet corn, and purple yardlong bean.
This event also has an interactive component with East-West Seed’s catalog app CropWiki which was launched last 2017. CropWiki contains detailed information on over 900 of East-West Seed’s vegetable varieties. Filled with physical and genetic crop information, the app can help increase farmers’ income because it provides knowledge needed to make informed decisions in farming.
East-West Seed will also hold Field Days for the public on November 21 to 23 in their demo fields in Villar SIPAG Farm and in the University of the Philippines - Los Banos. Urban gardening workshops, cooking demos, learning sessions with farmers, and a career day for students will be held during these field days and will be offered for FREE to everyone.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Asian Seed Congress Turns 25 in Manila
MANILA, the Philippines: Some 1,300 delegates from more than 50 countries have registered for the 25th Asian Seed Congress, scheduled 12–15 November at the Marriott Manila Hotel.
The annual meeting is the region's most significant seed industry event. It is organized jointly by the Asia and Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the host nation's National Organizing Committee (NOC) -- which, this year, is that of the Philippines. Hosting rotates yearly among member countries.
This year’s NOC is steered by the Philippine Seed Industry Association (PSIA) with support from the Southeast Asian archipelago’s Department of Agriculture and National Seed Industry Council.
The for-members and by-invitation-only event features business meetings, entertainment, a trade exhibition, technical sessions and APSA’s General Assembly meeting.
This is the third time in 25 years the Philippines is hosting the event, with previous Manila editions held in 1998 and 2007.
The ASC has also been held in Chiang Mai, Bangkok (four times), Pattaya, Brisbane, Shanghai, Macau, Kaohsiung, Goa, New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chiba, Kobe, Jakarta, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Incheon and Ho Chi Minh City.
Representatives attend from commercial and non-governmental seed-related organizations, government agencies and research institutes involved in seed policy, research and development.
Discussions on this year's agenda include the latest challenges and developments in plant breeding innovation, biotechnology, intellectual property rights, plant variety protection, phytosanitary measures and market trends
Demand for quality seed in the region – and around the world – has risen steadily over the last decade, however, demand is outstripping production owing to challenges hindering output and productivity, including climate change and a volatile geopolitical climate.
The 25th Asian Seed Congress, Manila, is proudly sponsored by Bayer CropScience (China) Company Ltd, Anseme S.p.a., SL Agritech Corporation, Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, Acsen Hyveg Private Limited, Allied Botanical Corporation, East West Seed (Philippines) Inc., Kaneko Seeds Co., Ltd, Lim-Loges & Masters Pte Ltd., Noble Seeds Private Limited, Pilipinas Kaneko Seed Corporation and United Genetics India Pvt Ltd.
Seed Trade Trends in the APSA Region
According to official figures logged by the International Trade Commission, no less than US$5.2 billion worth of sowing seed was traded to or from the APSA region last year. (See end notes about this figure)
Of this, US$3.74bn were imports, while US$1.49bn were exports, resulting in a trade deficit of
US$2.24 bn.
International trade in the APSA region – which includes all countries in East, Central, West, South and Southeast Asia, in addition to Oceania and the South Pacific – constituted a 13.3% share of the world’s seed export market, and 25% market share of imports, worth US$11.5bn and US$15bn, respectively.
The region’s top seed supplier was China, which exported just under US$200 million worth of seed, representing 13% of APSA, and about 1.73% of the world seed export market.
Trailing closely in second was India, which exported US$195.6mn in seed to claim 1.70% of the world, and 13% of APSA seed export market share. Thailand was third with US$186.45mn worth of exports (1.6% world, 12.46% APSA), followed by New Zealand (US$157.3mn), Israel (US$154.4mn), Japan (US$135.8mn) and Australia (US$99.8mn).
Only a handful of APSA countries sustain a surplus in seed trade: India, Thailand, New Zealand and Israel. Indeed, a majority of APSA countries continue to depend on imported seed to maintain food security.
On both regional and global scale, seed outflow in many countries last year reached a five-year low.
A case in point is the top three seed importers, Pakistan, Malaysia and China. From 2013 to 2016, Malaysia was consistently the region’s leading importer of sowing seed – importing between US$500 and US$800mn worth of seed annually.
Most seed the Southeast Asian country imported was maize and soybean, consistent with the government’s policy of strengthening food security through cropping extension programs.
Pakistan has been right behind Malaysia and is heavily dependent on bulk field crop seed consignments. Last year, the Himalayan country bumped Malaysia from the top slot to reign supreme in regional seed imports, bringing in seed worth US$913 million, including US$745mn of which was soya; US$54 maize and US$20mn paddy.
As previously reported in Asian Seed Magazine, Pakistan in recent years has ramped up cooperation with Chinese agriculture companies through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which includes a number of Chinese-funded agriculture projects, including some dedicated to breeding and seed production. China is rapidly becoming a leader in agricultural innovation and is actively promoting regional cooperation with neighboring countries through its Belt and Road initiative. Other leading agriculture nations – Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, France, Germany, US, Israel, India, Japan and South Korea – are also increasing agricultural investments and cooperation throughout the region, especially in developing countries in Central, South and Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, as well as in subtropical and tropical Africa.
Indeed, strong regional cooperation is necessary to deal with an increasingly volatile climate, the emergence of new pests, and uncertain geopolitical affairs affecting trade.
Such challenges – as well as strategies with which to overcome them – will be discussed at this year’s Asian Seed Congress in Manila, a dialogue that will certainly continue at the 26th Asian Seed Congress, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next year.
Notes about Trade Figures
Reported figure covers consignments for various types of vegetable, ornamental and forage plants (traded using the HS code prefix of 1209…) as well as maize (100510), paddy (100610) cotton (120721), soybean (120110) and two different types of wheat – durum (100111) and meslin (100191).
Not counted in this figure are seed potato, seeds of tobacco, herbs, spices or oleaginous fruits and plants, such as palm, melon or hemp. Moreover, available data reported for maize seed exports from Myanmar was excluded from the dataset due to anomalous figures that could not be verified.
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Mylan launches Hepatitis C awareness campaign in association with the Hepatology Society of Philippines
Last November 8, 2018 Mylan launches Hepa C awareness campaign at Discovery Suites Pasig City. – Mylan, one of the world’s leading global pharmaceutical companies, in
association with the Hepatology Society of Philippines (HSP), launched an
awareness campaign for Hepatitis C in the country. The BEATHepC (Become
educated, aware, tested and treated) campaign aims at spreading awareness about
the disease. It will include dissemination of information through pamphlets and promoting screening among Filipinos at risk.
Veteran Actor Mr. Michael De Mesa testifies how he and her wife thrive with Hepa C not until just last year her wife discovered that there is a medicine that would eliminate the virus with an amount that is reasonable and can be met even by Class C and D people of our society..
The Department of Health (DoH)
estimates that around 1% of the Filipino population has chronic hepatitis C1. According to the 2010 study on Global Burden
of Disease by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, university of
Washington viral hepatitis causes 1 million deaths each year in the Asia
Pacific region. Hepatitis C is endemic in the Philippines and there is a lack
of awareness about viral hepatitis and its transmission, prevention, screening,
and management among patients, public, and healthcare providers.
Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Jade
Jamias, Liver Specialist and President of HSP said, “Chronic Hepatitis C
infection may lead to serious complications such as cirrhosis and/or liver cancer.
Patients with hepatitis C often do not show early symptoms and so it becomes
very critical to educate the people about this infection. Early detection is
key to treatment and prevention of liver disease progression. The positive news
is that treatment for this disease is now easily accessible to all.”
Ms. Ester Tacanay, Country Manager of
Mylan in Philippines said, “Hepatitis C is a chronic public health concern in
the Philippines. At Mylan Philippines we are committed to provide access to
medicine for treatment of hepatitis C with the objective of reducing the
disease burden. Through the BEATHepC campaign Mylan aims to create awareness
around risks and misconceptions about the disease and encourage early screening
and treatment to prevent the disease. We are happy to partner with HSP to drive
this campaign across Philippines.”
Mylan’s
BEATHepC campaign supports the National Viral Hepatitis Task Force (NVHTF) 2 to eliminate or significantly decrease the
prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in the Philippines.
Hepatitis
C is a disease that affects the liver and is caused by the hep C virus. Hep C
is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the hep C virus enters
the body of someone who is not infected. Hep C generally progresses slowly,
over the course of 10 to 40 years. It attacks and damages the liver, killing
liver cells in the process. As a result, scar tissue forms, a process called
fibrosis. For about 10 to 20 percent of people infected, Hep C can eventually
lead to scarring of the liver (also called cirrhosis). Although some people
will experience symptoms, about 80 percent of people with acute Hep C do not
have any symptoms.
About
Mylan
Mylan is a global pharmaceutical
company committed to setting new standards in healthcare. Working together
around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine,
we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service excellence a
habit; do what's right, not what's easy; and impact the future through
passionate global leadership. We offer a growing portfolio of more than 7,500
marketed products around the world, including antiretroviral therapies on which
more than 40% of people being treated for HIV/AIDS globally depend. We market
our products in more than 165 countries and territories. We are one of the
world's largest producers of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Every member of
our approximately 35,000-strong workforce is dedicated to creating better
health for a better world, one person at a time. Learn more at Mylan.com. We routinely post
information that may be important to investors on our website at investor.mylan.com.
About
Hepatology Society of the Philippines
The Hepatology Society of the
Philippines is a non-governmental organization committed to:
·
Provide and promote comprehensive information
to the public and to the medical community.
·
Promote research to advance the field of
hepatology to provide relevant care to patients.
·
Collaborate with the government in
formulating in liver related health policies
·
Share information, services and expertise
with the global community towards the prevention and treatment of liver
diseases
It is the only liver society
recognized by the Philippine Medical Association, Philippine College of
Physicians, Philippine Society of Gastroenterology and Philippine Society of
Digestive Endoscopy. For further information, visit www.hsp.org.ph
Friday, November 9, 2018
Taiwan Excellence helps the Philippines aim for a smarter Cities Nationwide
Philconstruct,
recognized as the biggest construction show in the country, is credited for
having helped define the landscape of building and construction in the country
for over two decades by creating a space for manufacturers to showcase
industry-related items such as building materials and components, construction
equipment and materials, building accessories, construction accessories, and
essentials, interior design materials, exterior design products, and
construction machinery.
As one of
the larger exhibitors,
Taiwan Excellence brings with it a selection of brands
that have been recognized as some of the best that the country has to
offer. Taiwan Excellence is an
organization that reviews and recognizes all
Taiwanese products and grants
awards to products that are found to be exceptionally superior. During this
year’s Philconstruct expo, Taiwan Excellence will not only be exhibiting their
most elite brands on site, but they will also be hosting a seminar discussing
the strengths and benefits of their featured brands.
Carrying the theme “Smart Constructions for
Smart Cities”, this afternoon-long seminar will be held on
November 8 at meeting rooms 5 and 6 of the SMX
Convention Center.
Business to business
meet and greet
During the
trade fair, ten Taiwanese companies will be at the forefront of the Taiwan
Excellence exhibit. These forward-thinking innovators in the Asian construction
industry will also be represented by various stakeholders to hold prospective
business meetings with potential clients and other interested parties.
Each one of
these ten companies is a proud recipient of the Taiwan Excellence Award,
bestowed upon them for outstanding performance in four aspects:
Research and Development, Design, Quality, and Marketing.
Some brands
showcase their innovation in creating sustainable solutions, such as Caesar
Sanitary Ware. This brand carries the hydropower
sensor faucet as its showpiece, a faucet whose mechanical detector runs completely
on hydropower. Other than consuming no electrical energy, the faucet requires
no external power source, and thus no wiring, making for effortless
installation. The corrosion and tarnish-resistant chrome finish makes it a
lovely addition to any bathroom, marrying form and function.
Another energy
saver is Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd., having created a more
energy efficient ventilation fan/filter. The fan is also designed for safety,
being fireproof and waterproof. It features magnetic buttons and a lateral
suction design, and gives users an energy savings of roughly 60%. Definitely
not bad for this little powerhouse that promises an ultra-high air flow 250m³/h.
For work
platforms of exceptional stability and safety on all types of construction
sites, the company Chiao Teng Hsin Enterprise Co., Ltd. has made a ladder
accessory called Aluminum Telescopic Steady Support. A structure comprised of
four frameworks, it uses a multifunctional joint ladder structure and has hidden-style
stainless steel shrapnel. Like every good tool, it works well with existing
structures, and can be installed on other, less secure ladders. While
installed, each step can hold a load of 150kg, and its anti-slip rubber feet allows
the ladder to be safe and stable in a variety of work sites.
Ferro-Carbon
Enterprise Co., Ltd. (FECA) brings several innovative storage solutions to the
table, perfect for smaller spaces and maximizing any area. FECA products
promise durability and style, and with their patented industrial vacuum
technology suction cups, bring an end to the era of drilling and hammering into
your walls to install storage. Each unit, such as the Samurai Wall Shelf Set,
the Samurai 10" Magnetic bar, and the Samurai Storage Bag can be attached
to rough surfaces, are durable and reusable, and are stable in temperatures of
-10 ̊C to 70 ̊Cͦ.
Security is the
name of the game with Tong Lung Metal Industry Co., Ltd’s featured proximity
lock. A lock that features four-in-one access methods: fingerprint, proximity
card, password, and physical key, it eliminates the chance of users locking
themselves out of their homes and offices while ensuring the security of their
space. The lock eliminates excessively complicated procedures, ensuring that it
locks quickly to safeguard from exterior threats while allowing for easy escape
from the interior. To make things even simpler, it also has a voice guide feature
for programming and operation.
Xing Tai Guang
Co., Lld. Sheds a lot of light on the subject of illuminating interior and
exterior spaces with its XTGL Optical CMH Luminaire. With a power factor (PF)
of ballast higher than 95% and a light output ratio (LOR) higher than 85%, it
gives a luminous efficacy of luminaire higher than 85 lm/w.
Lei Yueh Enterprise
Co., Ltd., believing that you should be able to see what’s inside your cabinets
and small spaces without heavily impacting your electric consumption rate,
presents the LED Mini Star, an ultra-slim and lightweight light source that
only uses 3.26 watts per fixture.
A seismometer by
e-Formula Technologies, Inc. is an innovation in early detection. It detects
and measures faster less disruptive P waves from seismic activity, and sends an
alert before the more damaging S wave arrives.
Cabinets and shelving systems that are poorly built are a safety
hazard at worst and a nuisance at best. Addressing this problem is a Silent
Self-Closing Ball Bearing Slide by King Slide Works Co., Ltd., which ensures
that the home or office of the future has storage spaces that are not just
whisper-quiet, but also secure and smart. Cabinets with the slide are
self-closing, and the soundless speed down mechanism helps drawers close
quietly by themselves, an effective improvement in living spaces that also
prevent accidents caused by drawers left open.
Taroko Door
& Window Technologies, Inc. offers up the Intuitive Detachable Pleated
Screen, a screen system for both windows and doors that feature a dual
function: keeping harsh light out during the day and keeping insects out at
night while letting air freely circulate.
Although highly mechanical, the screen is easily removed from wherever
it’s installed for cleaning. Another perk is that it’s durable, boasting a
minimum usage cycle of 100,000 times.
About Taiwan Excellence Awards
The
Taiwan Excellence Awards were established by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic
Affairs in 1992. Recognized by 102 countries as a symbol of outstanding
quality, it is awarded every year to eligible candidates who undergo a rigorous
and stringent selection system that covers four major aspects: Research and
Development, Design, Quality, and Marketing. Products that have been selected
for the Taiwan Excellence Awards have been deemed to have Innovative Value and
are chosen to serve as examples of the domestic industries to be promoted by
the government in the international market in an effort to shape the creative
image for Taiwanese businesses.
About TAITRA
Founded
in 1970 to help promote foreign trade, the Taiwan External Trade Development
Council (TAITRA) is the foremost non-profit,
semi-governmental trade promotion organization in Taiwan. Jointly sponsored by
the government, industry associations, and several commercial organizations, TAITRA
assists Taiwanese businesses and manufacturers with reinforcing their
international competitiveness and in coping with the challenges they face in
foreign markets. TAITRA boasts a well-coordinated trade promotion and
information network of over 1,200 international marketing specialists stationed
throughout its Taipei headquarters and 50 overseas offices worldwide. Together
with its sister organizations, the Taiwan Trade Center (TTC) and the Taipei
World Trade Center (TWTC), TAITRA has created a wealth of trade opportunities
through effective promotion strategies.
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