Malaysia to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations as new infections surge

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is planning to set up more mega vaccination centers and get private doctors to join immunization efforts, after five consecutive days of record daily coronavirus infections.

Science Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told a virtual news briefing on Sunday that the government will set up another five mega vaccination centers around the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and are considering two in the northern state of Penang and in the southern state of Johor.

The government will also train general practitioners to administer COVID-19 vaccines, he said, noting some vaccines need to be handled and stored differently than usual vaccines.

"Before this, there was no need (to involve the private healthcare sector) because the vaccine supply was not a lot. As the supply increases, we want to facilitate private clinics, (general practitioner) clinics, private hospitals to roll out the vaccines via our program, for free," he said.

The private vaccination centers could administer a total of 40,000 doses a day, he said, adding that the government aims to raise daily vaccinations to 150,000 doses. It has reached 107,000 doses a day this week.

Nearly 6 percent of the country's 32 million people have been vaccinated, according to the website of the governmental Special Committee for Ensuring Access to COVID-19 Vaccine Supply.

Khairy said the government is also looking to allow drive-through vaccination centers in the country, after guidelines are firmed up.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday announced a nationwide total lockdown from June 1-14 in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

Malaysia reported 6,999 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the total infections in the country to 565,533.

New cases and deaths rose to records on Saturday.

(Reporting by Liz Lee; Editing by Kim Coghill)

-reuters

LOOK | Rainbow cheers and love at the Metro Manila Pride March

On Saturday, June 24, some 7,500 members of the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters gathered in Marikina City for this year’s Metro Manila Pride March and Festival. Colorful floats, people in rainbow-inspired clothes and accessories, and big and small rainbow flags set the happy and safe atmosphere. Most of all, the unity was palpable as curious spectators were welcomed to join the parade and as a group condemning the community were peacefully tolerated by organizers and participants.

Known as the longest running Pride March in Southeast Asia and now on its 23rd year, “Here Together”—“calling for the community, its allies, friends, family, and even strangers, to come together in a safe space to celebrate love, rights, and pride.”

Nicky Castillo, Co-Coordinator of Metro Manila Pride said in a statement, “At the Pride March and Festival, we provide people with a space where they can express their true selves without fear. But this year, we also want to call on the non-LGBTQ+ people who support us to stand up, speak out, and march on for us. Our voices have been loud these last 23 years. But in our campaign for equality, we need more voices. We need your voices.”

Metro Manila Pride also brought its #PassADB (Anti-Discrimination Bill) campaign on the forefront.

Co-coordinator Loreen Ordoño also told InterAksyon, “It’s important to have these voices standing here together with us because we can’t do it alone. The non-LGBT folks are our family members, co-workers, schoolmates, etc who can help us in the fight against discrimination, hate, and can also help us lobby for the passage of the bill into law. We need their voices.”

 Marikina has been celebrating its own pride marches for the past years; this is the first time it is hosting the metro-wide march and festival. As such, organizers of the Metro Pride March praised Marikina as one of those cities helping to create a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysia, Indonesia markets roiled as investors scramble for hedge on Trump

JAKARTA -- Emerging markets in Southeast Asia were slammed on Friday as the stunning upset of Donald Trump's presidential win in the United States reverberated around the world, with Malaysia and Indonesian central banks intervening to try to stem the flow of money out of stocks and bonds.

The latest selloff was triggered by markets recalibrating their expectations of a Trump presidency on broad economic policy, with a growing consensus that his policies will be inflationary and push US rates up driving investors out of emerging markets and into dollar-based assets.

Yields on benchmark 10-year Treasuries have spiked 41 basis points in the past two days as investors scrambled to readjust their positions.

Emerging markets in Asia are particularly vulnerable to hot money outflows, and deep uncertainty over how broad US and international policy will ultimately play out under Trump has unsettled investors.

On Friday's Asian session, the differential between the onshore spot rate in the Malaysian ringgit and the offshore NDF rate spread hit its widest since 2009.

Ringgit one-month non-deliverable forwards plunged to 4.5280 per dollar, while spot ringgit stood at 4.2670. As a result, the dollar/ringgit's NDFs premium over the dollar/ringgit spot widened to 0.2610, the widest since at least April 2008, according to Reuters data.

The subdued spot rate belied the drama because Bank Negara Malaysia was acting to stem any panic, traders said.

Malaysia's central bank governor Muhammad Ibrahim told reporters on Friday the ringgit should not be priced out of sync with fundamentals, and that it has a responsibility to tell banks to take temporary measures to calm the market

"We don't want to be dictated by factors that have nothing to do with the country's fundamentals," Ibrahim said.

Traders in Kuala Lumpur said the central bank had told them not to quote offshore rates and was approving large ringgits sell orders on a one-off basis in a bid to keep a lid on things. The tactic seemed to work with onshore trade reportedly very thin.

Hot money headache

However, yields on Malaysian government bonds told another story. Yields on 10-years have widened 22 basis points since Wednesday, while those on 20-year and 30 year bonds have widened 21 basis points and 10 basis points respectively over the same period.

Almost 40 percent of Malaysian government bonds are in foreign hands.

Malaysian stocks were down almost one percent.

Indonesian markets also dived in early trade. Indonesia has enjoyed relatively high inflows into stocks and bonds markets in the past few months, making it vulnerable to hot money outflows at times of uncertainty.

The rupiah  fell as much as 2.7 percent, while Jakarta Composite Index fell as much as 3.2 percent to its lowest since Sept 16.

Bank Indonesia sold dollars to stabilize the currency, traders said, but it still fell to a four-month low.

Nanang Hendarsah, an official at BI, said the rupiah's sharp drop was caused by sudden hedging activity in the NDF market, but noted outflows from Indonesian markets were contained so far.

Yield of Indonesia's 10-year government bonds jumped on Friday to 7.462 percent from 7.417 percent. Foreigners own 38.4 percent of outstanding Indonesian government bonds.

Philippine stocks were also caught in the selloff with the main index tumbling more than 2.5 percent. The Philippines peso, however, was steady at 48.99.

The short term might prove a head-spinning affair for investors, especially for those in emerging markets.

"With the market now pricing in low expectations of further US Federal Reserve rate hikes beyond the one expected in December, Mr. Trump’s economic policies present an upside risk to rates," said Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ.

"This, coupled with the depreciation pressure on Asian currencies, has put serious pressure on Asia’s carry trades."

source: interaksyon.com

Flying the Breit skies

Aviation is about freedom, aviation is a lifestyle,” says Alexander Melchers, director of C. Melchers Singapore, at the viewing of Breitling’s Baselworld 2015 collection at the newly refurbished Breitling concept store in Greenbelt. Melchers’ company based in Singapore is the exclusive distributor of Breitling in Southeast Asia.

It’s how Europeans and Americans regard flying. In Asia, we mostly equate aviation with airports, connecting flights, miles, baggage allowance, inflight service, etc., but In Switzerland (where the brand heavily associated with aviation comes from) flying one’s own plane can be compared to, well, riding a Harley-Davidson, imagining Steppenwolf guitars chugging in the background, and easy-riding into the sunset.

“It’s about letting your hair down and putting on a leather jacket — whether you enjoy watching it or actually taking part in it,” shares Melchers. It’s the underlying message behind the Breitling name: freedom.

“And it’s liberating. The sky’s the limit. Notice that the blue in a Breitling watch is nicer than the others? It’s because of our pilots who get close to the sky.”


“Breitling’s DNA centers on aviation,” explains Lucerne managing director Emerson Yao.

In the early ‘30s, Breitling built on its reputation for precision and sturdiness, enriching its range with a “specialty” that would earn it worldwide fame: onboard chronographs intended for aircraft cockpits. These instruments — indispensable to secure piloting — enjoyed great success with the various armed forces, including the Royal Air Force (RAF), which used them to equip its famous World War II propeller-driven fighter planes.


During the ‘50s and ‘60s, Breitling played a key role in the boom of commercial aviation, as its onboard chronographs became standard equipment, first on the propeller-driven planes and later on the jet aircraft of many airplane manufacturers and airline companies. The brand thus quite naturally earned the status of “official supplier to world aviation.”

Yao says, “Today, the brand maintains its in-house set of jet planes.” The Breitling Jet Team — which competes in airshows such as the Reno Air Races and the Red Bull Air Race under the Breitling colors — put on an aerial show two years ago at Clark Air Base. Heck, brand ambassador John Travolta flies his own plane.



And that alliance with aviation is reflected in the luxury watch brand’s concept store in Greenbelt. The 31 square-meter store is decorated with aviation-themed Pop Art paintings by American artist Kevin T. Kelly to highlight Breitling’s aeronautical heritage, its technical vocation as a specialist in chronographs, and the brand’s instruments for professionals.

On view at the store is a comprehensive collection of Breitling timepieces, from the classic Navitimer and Chronomat collections to the Breitling for Bentley professional range. There are around 130 Breitling timepieces in numerous versions: from the classic to the more forward-thinking models — which may or may not be futuristic.

The Lucerne man has noticed how the latest models of watch brands such as Breitling are going the minimalist route. He says, “They’re characterized by simple lines, more classic. We hear terms such as ‘homage’ or ‘going back to one’s heritage,’ so I suppose that’s the next phase for the watch industry. Everybody going back to its historical pieces.”

Breitling sales director Peter Wong, who has been in the watch industry for 35 years, agrees. “At the end of the day, our platform is being a chronograph watch specialist.” The pillars of the brand, he adds, are about Breitling being the inventor of the modern chronograph and its authentic association with aviation.

Wong concludes, “We also have this obsession with quality. In every watch that we manufacture, every new model we come up, there are those tiny little details that we always look into.”

Precision, freedom… these are ideas you can fly with.

source: philstar.com

Indonesia inaugurates outsider Widodo as president

JAKARTA - Joko Widodo, Indonesia's first leader without deep roots in the era of dictator Suharto, was sworn in as president Monday but faces huge challenges to enact a bold reform agenda.

The inauguration, which was attended by foreign dignitaries including US Secretary of State John Kerry and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, capped a remarkable rise for a softly-spoken politician who was brought up in a riverside slum.

Widodo, known by his nickname Jokowi, worked his way up through local politics before securing the presidency in July following a close race against controversial ex-general Prabowo Subianto.

He is the country's first president from outside an ageing band of political and military figures who have ruled the world's third-biggest democracy since the end of the three-decade Suharto dictatorship in 1998.

But fears are growing that a hostile parliament dominated by parties that opposed Widodo at the election, and the new leader's status as a novice in national politics, could make it impossible for him to push through reforms aimed at reviving Southeast Asia's top economy and helping society's poorest.

At a ceremony in parliament, Widodo, wearing a black suit and traditional cap, stood for the national anthem alongside outgoing president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, before taking the oath.

"In the name of God, I swear that I will fulfil my obligation as the president of Indonesia as best as I can and as fairly as possible," he said.

Lawmakers and visiting dignitaries packed out the parliament for the ceremony, and there was applause when Prabowo walked in after speculation he would not attend, the latest sign of a thaw after weeks of political tensions.

Crowds had gathered across Jakarta to celebrate the inauguration of Widodo, a 53-year-old former furniture exporter who won legions of fans with his man of the people image during his time as Jakarta governor.

"I am proud of him. I don't mind spending money to travel here to watch this first-hand," said Sunti, who like many Indonesians goes by one name and had travelled a long distance from her hometown for the inauguration.

After the ceremony, Widodo and his new vice president, Jusuf Kalla, will travel in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by a parade to the presidential palace.

In the evening the new leader, a heavy metal fan, is expected to join rock bands on stage at an outdoor concert.

About 24,000 police and military personnel were deployed to secure the day's events.

Critical moment for economy

But the euphoria of the inauguration is likely to be short-lived, analysts warn, as Widodo faces up to the task of leading the world's fourth most populous country, with 250 million people spread over more than 17,000 islands, at a critical moment.

Growth in Southeast Asia's top economy is at five-year lows, corruption remains rampant, and fears are mounting that support for the Islamic State group could spawn a new generation of radicals in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.

Widodo has set out an ambitious reform agenda to tackle the country's many problems, but there is concern the notoriously fractious parliament could prove a hindrance.

However Prabowo's appearance at the inauguration was the second sign of easing tensions in just a few days after he unexpectedly met Widodo Friday for the first time since the election and pledged support, and raises hopes for the new leader's prospects.

In recent weeks, Prabowo's supporters in parliament had used their majority to abolish the direct election of local leaders, a move opposed by Widodo, and win key posts in the legislature.

But analysts cautioned it was too early to say if the reconciliation would last or help Widodo.

Widodo's first test will be to reduce the huge fuel subsidies that eat up about a fifth of the budget, a move economists say is urgently needed but which risks sparking large street protests.

He is also expected to announce his new cabinet later in the week.

Kerry's attendance was in part aimed at seeking support from Southeast Asian nations in the fight against the Islamic State group, which has taken over vast swathes of Iraq and Syria.

source: interaksyon.com

Uber-heated battle as mobile apps rattle Asia’s taxis

SINGAPORE — Southeast Asia’s notorious taxi market is undergoing a shakeout as Uber and homegrown mobile booking applications gain popularity in a region that has long endured inefficient cartels and price-gouging drivers.

San Francisco-based Uber, which allows customers to hail taxis or private vehicles via smartphones and pay with a credit card, is expanding rapidly in the region while fending off legal and regulatory challenges in various markets across the world.

Founded in 2009 and backed by Google Ventures, the investment arm of the Internet giant, Uber now operates in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam after first entering Southeast Asia in Singapore last year.

The firm, whose valuation was placed at $18.2 billion after an investment drive in June, employs smartphone and satellite technology to match taxi supply and demand.

A list of the world’s 10 worst cities to hail a taxi compiled by industry website tourism-review.com in March included Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

In Singapore, locals grumbled in pre-Uber days about vanishing taxis during peak periods, with cabbies refusing to pick up roadside passengers while waiting to earn extra fees from reservations made via antiquated phone-in booking systems.

In some cities, it was not uncommon for cabbies to demand exorbitant fares before taking passengers at peak periods, during heavy rain and floods, or at times of day when taxis are scarce.

Regulatory tangles

Uber executives say they welcome competition and are more than ready to go head to head with the likes of Malaysia-based GrabTaxi, Indonesia’s Blue Bird, and Easy Taxi, a regional player backed by German startup incubator Rocket Internet.

“As long as people are giving people options, that’s a good thing,” Michael Brown, Uber’s Southeast Asia general manager, told AFP in an interview.

“What makes Uber bristle is when special interests try to protect monopolies and keep new entrants and new competitors out,” said Brown, who is based in Singapore.

Despite threats to have it banned in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, Uber continues to operate there.

The firm is also facing legal threats in San Francisco and other major cities including New York and Frankfurt.

It is has also run into opposition in Seoul, where officials believe it should follow South Korean laws regulating taxi or rental car companies.

“Uber insists that it is acting as an online broker connecting drivers and customers rather than acting as a rental car company,” a Seoul city official told AFP.

“We do not agree with their characterisation of their business.”

Authorities in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta also say its car-hailing service makes use of private vehicles that do not comply with strict regulations that traditional taxi operators come under.

Uber has vehemently denied the accusations.

The firm does not own its own limousine or taxi fleet. Instead, its app allows customers to summon cars in its network, usually from a private car company.

It takes a cut of the total fare from the driver, which is paid electronically. Other taxi app players allow their members to take cash.

“Up to this day our principle remains that this taxi service is illegal,” Muhammad Akbar, head of Jakarta’s transport authority, told AFP.

In Malaysia, authorities say they began a crackdown on private cars using Uber on October 1, fining drivers up to 10,000 ringgit ($3,070).

Giving people options

Commuters and market analysts say unyielding bureaucrats are not seeing how taxi apps like Uber have the potential to significantly improve the standard of living of city dwellers.

Jakarta resident Winda Rezita said the arrival of Uber in the Indonesian capital was a relief.

“When I am too lazy to drive in Jakarta’s heavy traffic jams or when there’s a long taxi queue at the mall, I just switch on the app,” the e-commerce business founder told AFP. “It’s so much better than waiting outside a building or standing in a long queue.”

Daphne Kasriel-Alexander, a consumer trends consultant at research firm Euromonitor International, said “inadequate and overburdened public transport systems” coupled with the emergence of more middle-class consumers have boosted the usage of taxi-hailing apps in Southeast Asia.

Expansion plans

GrabTaxi, which first launched in Malaysia in 2012 and has since expanded to Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, is aiming for further growth.

Unlike Uber, the firm, backed by Singapore state investment firm Temasek Holdings, has so far avoided regulatory difficulties.

Its app mainly matches customers with registered taxis. A recently launched function called GrabCar allows for booking of private vehicles just like Uber, but so far it has not been flagged by authorities.

“We’re the leading taxi booking app in Southeast Asia including Singapore, and we are well-positioned to extend our lead,” Lim Kell Jay, GrabTaxi’s general manager in Singapore, told AFP.

The firm says it gets one taxi booking every two seconds in the whole region, with more than 300,000 people using it at least once a month.

Taxi drivers say they hope the intense rivalry between the apps will continue.

A Singaporean taxi driver who only wanted to be known as Tan said his revenue has increased by 20 to 30 percent since he signed up with UberTaxi last month.

The service connects Uber users to registered taxis, just like rival GrabTaxi.

“With the apps like Uber, it’s like a win-win. You (passengers) wait around less, and we drivers don’t have to roam around hunting for passengers, saving time and petrol,” he told AFP.

source: interaksyon.com

Dengue vaccine could be ready by end 2015

SINGAPORE -- A giant drug manufacturer has achieved breakthroughs in the development of a dengue vaccine, which could be ready by the end of next year, the Straits Times reported Monday.

Guillaume Leroy, head of the dengue vaccine unit of drug giant Sanofi Pasteur, announced the success of a clinical trial in Asia to test the effectiveness of the vaccine at the two-day ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Dengue Summit held in Angeles City, the Philippines over the weekend, the newspaper said.

It may be the world's first dengue vaccine, as there has so far been no vaccines for dengue.

In the trial conducted by Sanofi Pasteur, dengue cases in the group of about 10,000 -- including participants from Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia -- fell by more than half after the vaccine candidate was administered.

Another trial involving more than 20,000 people is currently under way in Latin America.

"We are at a very critical milestone," Leroy said. "By the end of the year, we will have a full analysis of all the results."

The outcome of these latest trials brings Sanofi Pasteur a step closer to a goal that has been more than 20 years in the making. The company's work on a dengue vaccine has been hampered by the fact that dengue has four different strains. All must be effectively subdued before any vaccine can be counted a success, which the company said the drug has managed to do.

Dengue is the fastest spreading vector-borne viral disease, according to the World Health Organization, and is endemic in over 100 countries. Four in 10 people are at risk of getting infected.

More than two thirds of the world's dengue cases come from Asia, with Southeast Asia a major contributor.

Sanofi Pasteur said it aims to put its vaccine in markets where it is most needed first, including the Southeast Asia.

"The overall ambition is first to address the disease where it is most severe," said Leroy.

As soon as its vaccine is approved for use, Sanofi Pasteur will be able to churn out 100 million doses a year. Long before the vaccine neared completion, the company invested in a 350 million euro production plant located in France in 2009.

source: interaksyon.com

Tuberculosis killed 1.3 million last year: WHO

GENEVA - Tuberculosis claimed 1.3 million lives last year with drug-resistant forms of the infectious disease -- the deadliest after AIDS -- a huge global concern, the WHO warned Wedesday.

Worldwide efforts to rein in the killer airborne disease helped drive the toll down 100,000 from the previous year, the World Health Organization said in its annual report on the fight against TB.

But the toll remains the world's second-highest for an infectious disease, after HIV/AIDS.

An estimated 8.6 million people caught tuberculosis in 2012, with India alone accounting for 26 percent of cases, and China, 12 percent.

According to the WHO, close to one-third of TB cases were in Southeast Asia, just over a quarter in Africa and around one-fifth on the Western Pacific region.

Looking at the longer-term picture, the number of infections fell by nearly half from 1990 to 2012.

But experts reckon only two-thirds of last year's 8.6 million new cases were actually diagnosed, leaving an estimated three million people unaware they had the disease.

Those most at risk are typically among the worst-off groups of the population, the report said.

"To find the three million TB cases means we need to reach beyond the current health services, we need to look at where these cases are," WHO expert Karin Meyer told reporters.

"These are often vulnerable populations, displaced populations, migrant population, quite difficult to reach," she added.

Global health experts also warned of the growing threat posed by a strain of TB that resists drugs used to fight the classic form.

Multidrug-resistant TB, or MDR-TB, which emerged due to erratic treatment of the regular strain or excessive use of anti-TB medication, claimed 170,000 lives last year, the WHO said.

Some 94,000 people were diagnosed with MDR-TB last year, twice the figure in 2011.

But the true number of cases is thought to be around five times higher, the WHO added.

'A real public health crisis'

The highest density of MDR-TB cases is found in the former communist countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Those are places where TB programs have long been in place, but where failings in health services have allowed drug-resistance to build up, officials said.

In contrast, Africa has seen lower levels of MDR-TB, in part because of weaker access to standard TB treatment in the past.

Other countries hit hard by MDR-TB include China and India.

"The unmet demand for a full-scale and quality response to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is a real public health crisis," said Mario Raviglione, head of the WHO's TB program.

The standard drugs used to treat TB are isoniazid and rifampicin. Vaccines are in development, but are not expected to hit the market before 2025, the WHO said.

MDR-TB is able to ward off both isoniazid and rifampicin.

It can be treated with bedaquilin, which came onto the market at the end of last year and is the first new TB drug in four decades.

But bedaquilin is costly, the WHO stressed, with a $30,000 (22,000-euro) price tag for a six-month course of treatment in developed countries, and some $1,000 in the developing world.

Since the WHO launched a major anti-TB drive in 1995, a total of 56 million people have been treated and 22 million lives saved, the agency said.

"Quality TB care for millions worldwide has driven down TB deaths," said Raviglione.

"But far too many people are still missing out on such care and are suffering as a result. They are not diagnosed, or not treated, or information on the quality of care they receive is unknown," he added.

The agency also warned funding for its anti-TB campaign was falling short of its target.

A conventional two-year course of TB treatment costs between $4,000 and $10,000 in developing countries.

The WHO said it needed to bridge a $2 billion annual gap in order to meet its overall requirement of up to $8 billion a year to fight the disease in low and middle-income countries.

source: interaksyon.com

Facebook is top smartphone app in Philippines, Nielsen says

MANILA – Facebook is the most engaging smartphone application or "app" in the Philippines, according to Nielsen, affirming the social network's popularity among Filipinos online as well as the revenue potential for the country's telecom companies.

Citing the results of the Nielsen Informate Mobile Insights, the multinational consumer research company said Facebook was tops in three of the four Southeast Asian countries included in the study. Apart from the Philippines, the study also covered Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Indonesia and Malaysia were the two other markets that ranked Facebook as the most engaging smartphone app, while Thailand considered the social network app only second next to Line, a Japanese messaging app.

Apart from Facebook, other smartphone apps among the top 10 in the four markets were Google Play Store, YouTube and Line.

Among the four countries, the Philippines was the only place where Skype and Vibr – both Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) apps – figured among the top 10 apps. Microblogging app Twitter was among the top 10 apps in only one of the four countries – Indonesia


The ranking combined app penetration with average time spent per month. The study used a smartphone metering technology across Android, Blackberry and Symbian operating systems, but Nielsen didn't indicate the size of its sample, only to say it maintains opt-in panels in the markets covered.

On average, people from the four Southeast Asian countries spent 45 minutes a day using smartphone apps. Filipinos spent slightly less than that at 41 minutes, while Malaysians led the pack with 66 minutes a day.

“The importance and influence of apps within today’s highly-competitive mobile market has soared in recent years,” said Sagar Phadke, Nielsen director for Telecom and Technology Practice in Southeast Asia, North Asia and Pacific.

“Smartphone users in Asia are highly engaged in apps usage, and the app user base in Asia is growing rapidly, presenting huge opportunities for brand marketers to leverage apps to build lasting connections with consumers,” Phadke said.

Last year, mobile browsing revenues grew by double-digits, making it one of the drivers of an otherwise mature Philippine telecom market – a feat both Smart and Globe attributed to the increasing penetration of smartphones and aggressive rollout of promotional mobile data plans.

Smart parent firm PLDT closed the first six months of this year with a two percent in revenues to P81.1 billion from P79.7 billion last year. Globe ended the same period with a nine percent increase in revenues to P44.5 billion from P40.8 billion a year ago.

source: interaksyon.com

Anya Resorts & Residences: A boost to wellness tourism

MANILA, Philippines - Anya Resorts and Residences in picturesque Tagaytay City will help boost the country’s wellness tourism. With its international standards of spa services, food, and accommodation, the development is expected to be one of the main attractions in the growing tourism industry.


Recently, the Department of Tourism reported a total of 1.65 million tourist arrivals in the country — an encouraging sign that the country does have the potential to become a major player in the tourism industry in Southeast Asia.

For that to happen, however, the country needs more destinations that are at par with, if not better than, other travel attractions in the region. One such place is the leisure and wellness haven Anya Resorts and Residences.

Anya is located along Buena Vista Hills Road in Silang, Tagaytay, secluded in a recessed property verdant with trees, gardens, and grassy groves, It is the premier relaxation destination in Tagaytay and is the first truly world-class integrated luxury resort, spa, and residential development in the country.

“There’s no doubt that Anya will boost health and wellness tourism in Tagaytay. Tourism-related business are bound to experience growth and generate more income and livelihood due to the influx of local and foreign tourists who stay at Anya,” said Andrew Sparrow, project head of Anya Resorts and Residences.

“Anya” comes from the Sanskrit word that means “boundless” and it is an appropriate name for Anya Resorts and Residences, which provides visitors with comfort, pampering, and peace — without limits.




“Anya Resorts and Residences is designed to meet international standards of quality in its services, spa treatments, and amenities. It is expected to be the premier destination for those seeking serenity and rejuvenation in Tagaytay. It is a major attraction for tourists,” said Sparrow.

Guests of Anya experience round-the-clock hotel services (from room service to even laundry and pressing) conforming to international best practices as well as unlimited access to the resort’s world-class amenities. These include the use of pocket gardens for relaxation and contemplation or wellness activities like meditation and yoga.

There’s a tranquility pool for guests (two other pools are exclusive to residents), a “borderless library” (guests may take a printed or electronic book and read it anywhere in the property), and a spacious lobby lounge.



Anya also has several restaurants that serve healthy international cuisine. The food is meant not only to be delicious but healthy as well; the vegetable ingredients are sourced from Anya’s own farm. Anya’s cuisine is created and supervised by Chef Carlo Miguel.

The spa services include massage, detoxification, and other treatments that help increase each guest’s level of health and well being.

Anya Resort and Residences is developed and managed by Roxaco Land Corp., the property development arm of Roxas and Co. Inc.

Roxaco Land Corp. has also been the developer of projects like the Fuego Hotel chains and several subdivisions in Batangas and Cavite since 1988.

source: philstar.com

5 things to do in Phuket

MANILA, Philippines - Phuket has gained its popularity over the years as one of the most affordable and friendliest vacation spots in Southeast Asia. Located south of Thailand and with tourism as its main source of income, Phuket welcomes millions of tourists annually.

One never runs out of things to do in Phuket. Aside from its world-famous beaches in Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay, it is also considered a haven for culture and art-lovers, shoppers, and adventure-seekers.

Apart from beach bumming, here’s a quick rundown of the top five things to do in Phuket:

• Visit old Phuket town. Take a trip down memory lane and get a glimpse of Phuket’s rich Sino-Portuguese history. Join organized street tours for first-hand insights on Phuket’s glorious past, traditions and culture. Be sure to include in your itinerary a guided road trip of Phang Nga, Thalang, Soi Rommanee, Dibuk, Crabee and Ranong. Don’t forget to drop by the Amulet Market where charms are blessed by Buddhist monks that are said to bring good luck.

• Try scuba-diving. Some of the world’s best dive sites can be found in Phuket. The rich and diverse marine life is a diver’s dream come true. Plan day trips to local dive sites in various points in Phuket such as Racha Noi, Phi Phi Islands, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, and Similan Islands. Expert dive guides are well-versed in English and a number of other Asian and European languages.

• Experience world-class spa and massage. A trip to Phuket is never complete without a relaxing, signature Thai massage. With the island’s natural serene beauty as backdrop, enjoy a totally rejuvenating spa experience in award-winning therapeutic centers, resorts and hotels. Needless to say, Phuket is a spa connoisseur’s heaven on earth.

• Catch a Muay Thai fight. For adrenaline-pumping action, try watching a live fight of Muay Thai, the national sport of Thailand. Stadiums are located across Phuket and demonstrations are held especially for tourists. Training camps accept beginners who want to experience actual kick-boxing in the ring.

• Enjoy Phuket’s pulsating nightlife. Phuket is also the place to be for night owls and party people. Festivities abound in Patong Beach, the most popular beach town in Phuket. Hundreds of restaurants, bars, discos and shops light up the town from sundown to sunset.

Tigerair Philippines now flies to Phuket twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, with return flights every Wednesday and Sunday. Base fare costs as low as P999 per way.

“Tigerair continues to push boundaries in low-cost travel with its high performance standards and innovative services that connect Filipinos to the rest of the world. Ultimately, we want our passengers to have that unforgettable, hassle-free travel experience with their families and friends,” says Olive Ramos, president and CEO of Tigerair Philippines.

Tigerair flies domestic via NAIA Terminal 4 with Manila-Cebu, Manila-Bacolod, Manila-Iloilo, Manila-Kalibo, Manila-Puerto Princesa, and Manila-Tacloban flights.

Aside from Manila-Phuket, its other international flights include Clark-Hong Kong, Clark-Bangkok, Clark-Singapore, Clark-Kalibo, and Kalibo-Singapore.

For more information on Tiger Airways Philippines, visit www.tigerair.com or call the hotline +632 798-4488.

source: philstar.com

US not seeking permanent bases in PH, says defense chief Hagel

The United States "does not seek permanent bases in the Philippines," visiting US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday, following a courtesy call on President Benigno Aquino III in Malacanang.

Permanent basing "represents a return to an outdated Cold War" mentality and is not suited to the new, and evolving challenges to security and cooperation in the region, explained Hagel, who is visiting Manila as part of a Southeast Asian swing after attending the ASEAN defense chiefs' meeting in Brunei.

Instead of permanent basing, "we are using a new model of military-to-military cooperation befitting great allies and friends, and looking to increase our rotational presence here, as we have done recently in Singapore and Australia," added Hagel.

He said such an arrangement "would benefit both our militaries by increasing our ability to train and operate together. Deepening engagement opportunities between our forces will further support President Aquino’s defense modernization agenda."

The US and the Philippines are confident of stronger military cooperation, said both sides in a joint press briefing by Hagel and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. "The deep and unbreakable alliance between the United States and Philippines is an anchor for peace and stability and prosperity in this region," said the US defense chief.

Hagel explained that "as the US re-balance to the Asia Pacific makes clear, this region is very important to America’s economic, strategic, and security interests both now and the years to come. So I look forward to continuing our engagement in the region."

"As much as I know, President Obama is looking forward to his upcoming visit" to the region, added Hagel.

They described their talks as "productive" as they tackled ongoing discussions on a framework agreement on increased US rotational presence in the Philippines.

Finally, Hagel said he discussed with President Aquino, and meant to discuss with the ministers, the situation in the South China Sea. He said the US and its allies, partners and friends in this part of the world hope this "will be resolved peacefully and without coercion."

He affirmed US support for ASEAN efforts to negotiate the South China Sea Code of Conduct, "which will help peacefully manage disagreements and tensions arising from competing territorial and maritime claims." He also praised the "Philippines’ efforts to solve its dispute through peaceful means."

For the full text of the opening statements of Secretaries Hagel and Gazmin, pls click here.

source: interaksyon.com

Thailand could cash in if gay marriage is legalized

BANGKOK -- On a sweltering Saturday night in Bangkok's Patpong entertainment district, a group of men spill out of a neon-lit bar blasting dance music. Among them is Aashif Hassan and his long-term partner, both visitors from Malaysia.

"We're celebrating tonight. Where we're from, it's illegal to be gay. Here we feel liberated," said Hassan.

Known for its laissez-faire attitude, Thailand has positioned itself as a holiday destination for gay couples and could soon be cashing in on another niche market if a proposed law makes it the first Asian country to legalize gay marriage.

Other Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei ban sexual relationships between men, but Thailand has become a regional haven for same-sex couples.

A civil partnership law in the works aims to give lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples the same rights as heterosexuals. One lawmaker sees it passing by next year.

Same-sex unions are not currently recognized under Thai law, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. That stops gay couples applying for joint bank loans or medical insurance.

In 2012, a group of lawmakers and LGBT activists formed a committee to draft legislation recognizing same-sex couples.

But critics of the law say it will not give a level playing field because it raises the age of consent to 20 from 17 for homosexual couples. For heterosexuals it is 17.

Rights activists have another problem: the law would force transgenders to register their birth gender on their marriage certificate.

Thai law makes it impossible for people to change their gender on a national identification document.

Beyond legal aspects, some wonder whether Thailand, quite conservative in many ways, is really ready to blaze this trail.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1956 but considered a mental illness as recently as 2002. Many Thai Buddhists believe homosexuality is a punishment for sins committed in a past life.

Superficial acceptance

In one notorious case in 2011, Nurisan Chedurame, 24, was found dead on her village rubbish dump with her head smashed in.

Local media quoted police as saying her involvement with another woman was the reason she was murdered.

That same year, two women thought to have been in a sexual relationship were shot in a rice field outside Bangkok.

A worrying pattern of violent crimes prompted the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to write to the Thai government in 2012 demanding that police stop dismissing gender-based violence as crimes of passion.

Anjana Suvarnanda, a co-founder of the Anjaree Group, an LGBT rights group, said violence towards lesbians was often blamed on the victims. Many turn to mainstream social networking sites like Facebook to air their grievances.

"Our inbox is overflowing with messages from women whose parents are pressuring them to marry men," said Anjana.

Thai film and television has no shortage of LGBT stars. But Prempreeda Pramoj Na Ayutthaya, a transgender rights activist and program officer at UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural agency, in Bangkok, said acceptance is often superficial.

"The entertainment industry accepts us with open arms because we poke fun at ourselves and make people laugh. But if we want to be taken seriously in a field like medicine we are not afforded the same courtesy," Prempreeda told Reuters.

Her friends will hesitate to back the draft bill, she said, because they do not want to be identified by their birth gender.

Wiratana Kalayasiri, an opposition lawmaker pushing the civil union bill, said getting it on the agenda was tough as most members of parliament have conservative views on the issue.

"At first they bad-mouthed me and wondered if I would be struck by lightning for backing this," he said.

But many now see the merits of appealing to LGBT voters, he said, predicting the bill would pass in "less than a year."

Rights activist Anjana believes there is no time to waste.

When her friend collapsed and fell into a coma, it took hours for staff at a Bangkok hospital to attend to her.

"They insisted her husband sign the medical release form. Her partner is a woman, but the nurses refused to acknowledge this," said Anjana. "We urgently need the law to protect us. The rest, including less societal pressure, will follow."

source: interaksyon.com

Tech giant hiring fresh-grad Software Engineers from Southeast Asia

MANILA, Philippines — Technology giant Google is looking for software engineers to join its team in Mountain View, California, but instead of looking for talents in the United States, the company has specifically sent out a job posting for interested applicants in Southeast Asia.

In the job posting uploaded on the Google website, the search behemoth said it is looking for potential software engineers to join its team but they must have graduated from any university in Southeast Asia. ()

Interested applicants need not have extensive background in software development or programming, as the posting said Google only requires a minimum of one year relevant software development experience, aside from excellent coding skills.

Google said the candidate will be a member of a “small and versatile team” that will test, deploy, and maintain the company’s software systems. It did not specify, however, which particular product category the candidate will be working on.

“Google is and always will be an engineering company. We hire people with a broad set of technical skills who are ready to tackle some of technology’s greatest challenges and make an impact on millions, if not billions, of users,” the posting said.

The job opening comes at the height of the immigration reform debate in the US, where technology companies — which source talent and expertise from a broad range of countries around the world — have been caught in the middle.

Other qualifications for the post are as follows:

BA/BS in Computer Science (In lieu of degree, 4 years relevant work experience).
1 year relevant work experience, including experience with UNIX/Linux or Windows environments, distributed systems, machine learning, information retrieval and TCP/IP.
Excellent coding skill in C, C++, Java or Python.

Preferred qualifications:
MS or PhD degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline.
Experience in network programming and/or developing or designing large software systems.

Filipino software developers are recognized to be one of the best in the world. In 2012 alone, the local software development industry — which churns out products for local use and those outsourced by multinational companies — posted a total annual revenue of $1.16 billion.

Google maintains several offices in Southeast Asia, including in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and most recently, the Philippines. Many Filipinos expressed intent to join Google’s local workforce for a number of functions, but the search giant has yet to announce any expansion plans for its local team.

source: interaksyon.com

WiFi-powered cameras a massive hit in Southeast Asia, GfK says

MANILA, Philippines — The future of digital cameras is Internet connectivity, and if uptake figures from Southeast Asia are any indication, that future will be bright as day for camera manufacturers that take this route.

According to latest figures from market research firm GfK, WiFi-enabled cameras marked 2012 with a two-fold increase in sales volume over the previous year, as consumers from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam gobbled up a total of 776,000 units last year.

Cameras that have WiFi capabilities have been in the market since as early as 2005, but it is only recently that the category has seen massive adoption from users, given the popularity of Internet-enabled devices. In 2012, a total of 160 models from manufacturers such as Canon, Samsung, Olympus and Nikon were being sold in the region.

“By December 2012, one in every three cameras sold in the region’s more technologically advanced markets of Singapore and Malaysia were equipped with the WiFi feature, contributing to nearly two-fifth of total dollar sales in the respective countries for that month,” observed Gerard Tan, Account Director for Digital Technology at GfK Asia.

By providing Internet connectivity in digital cameras, manufacturers allow users to instantly upload photos to various photo-sharing services, including social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The innovation came as the digital camera market faced tough competition from smartphones, whose built-in cameras have been improving in recent years, and whose mobile operating systems allow the operation of apps that make photo uploads easier while on the go.

Samsung even stretched the concept further by releasing the Galaxy Camera, an 18-megapixel digital camera that runs on the Android operating system.

In an earlier interview, Samsung Philippines AV Business Unit Head Ariel Aras admitted that these new features found in digital cameras are the market’s way of responding to consumer demand, which is increasingly preferential for the ability to share photos instantly.


“[That is why] we are responding to the demand of consumers asking for WiFi technology [to be integrated in our cameras],” Arias said. “We will not only offer a great experience in taking photos, but seamless connectivity with other devices as well.”


GfK said that with stiff competition in the category, prices of WiFi-enabled cameras went down by at least 39 percent from 2011 to 2012, making the devices affordable to a wider range of consumers.

“The digital camera market is facing strong challenges from smartphones which today are able to offer comparable functions and good quality photos of as high as 13 megapixels,” Tan said. “The introduction of the WiFi feature in cameras is definitely a right step forward to stimulate and boost the camera market in this Internet age.”

IDC projected that in 2012, the number of connected devices such as WiFi-powered cameras that shipped worldwide had breached the 1 billion mark, or about 14 percent of the total world population today.

source: interaksyon.com

Greenpeace readying report on fishing rules violations by Southeast Asian countries

MANILA, Philippines - Greenpeace said on Saturday it will formally submit a dossier detailing recent violations of fishing rules by the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).


Similar dossier submissions in the past have resulted in large penalties for the ships' owner companies as well as the ships' inclusion in a global pirate fishing blacklist.


Among the violations recorded were illegal transshipment, vessels operating in the high seas without permits, failure to report via the mandatory Vessel Monitoring System, operating in the high seas without mandatory observers on board, and illegal deployment of fish aggregating devices (FADs).


The WCPFC, also known as the Pacific Tuna Commission, is meeting in Manila starting Sunday to chart management and conservation measures in the face of fast-declining tuna stocks. Waters around Pacific island countries supply 60% of the world's tuna demand, but tuna species such as yellow fin and albacore are on the brink of collapse due to massive overfishing by ships from Asia, the Americas and Europe.

"While at sea, we saw firsthand that pirate fishing and destructive fishing methods abound in the Pacific. The evidence we gathered clearly demonstrate failure by governments and industries to comply with the most basic rules they themselves have instituted through the Tuna Commission," said Chow Yuen Ping, Greenpeace campaigner on board the ship Esperanza which docked Saturday in Manila.

Last month, Greenpeace conducted an expedition in the waters of Palau and the Pacific High Seas Pocket 1, the area of international waters between the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and Papua New Guinea. This is the sixth expedition conducted by Greenpeace in the Western and Central Pacific region to defend dwindling tuna stocks and expose the conservation, management and compliance challenges in this region.

"For several years now, Greenpeace has shown the vulnerability of international waters to illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. Members of the commission must now agree to close pockets of international waters in the Pacific to halt fishing violations and allow tuna stocks to replenish," said Lagi Toribau, Greenpeace head of delegation to WCPFC.

Greenpeace has been working with Pacific governments to address overfishing and prevent foreign fishing powers from plundering their fishing grounds. The environmental group is calling for marine reserves to be established in four high seas pockets known as the Pacific Commons, and for these be declared off-limits to fishing.

At the upcoming meeting, it is also seeking a ban on the use of FADs in purse seine fisheries and a 50% reduction in the catch of big-eye tuna.

The Philippines, host of this week's meeting, is a regular cooperating member of the WCPFC. The country's tuna industry is heavily dependent on the supply of tuna caught in the Pacific. Last October, the WCPFC granted the country rights for 36 vessels to fish in Pocket 1 which was previously closed to all fishing vessels.

The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is currently in Manila for the international WCPFC meeting which ends on Dec. 6. The ship will remain in the country for the Philippines' "Ocean Defender Ship Tour" from Dec. 8 to 15.

Greenpeace is campaigning for a global network of marine reserves covering 40% of the world's oceans and for a more sustainable fishing industry -- two necessary steps to restoring oceans to health.

The group is also working with the retailers and tuna brands across Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific to increase the market share of sustainably sourced tuna.

source: interaksyon.com

Pinoy-made apps emerge as winners in Google’s developer challenge

MANILA, Philippines — The local developer community has yet another reason to celebrate as Google recently crowned two apps created by Pinoys as among the winners of a recent developer challenge, taking home the pot money of $20,000 each.

The two apps, CollabSpot Notetaker and Events KIT, bested five other entries in the region to come out on top of the challenge, which called for participants to create unique applications that utilized Google’s Apps suite, such as Calendar, Drive, and Google+.

The Philippines is only one of two countries in the challenge to churn out two winners, the other one being India.

CollabSpot Notetaker is a tool that allows users to create tasks and document links during a Google+ Hangouts session, and was the winner for the Enterprise / Small Business Solutions category in Southeast Asia. ()

While, Events KIT is a mobile app that helps users manage events, meetings, and meet-ups. It bagged the top accolade in the Social / Personal Productivity / Games / Fun category for Southeast Asia.

The only other winner in the region is FailRail.sg, a data visualization project that notes train service disruptions in Singapore.

The winners were selected after two rounds of scoring by the Google-selected competition judges. Aside from the winners, two other Pinoy apps made it to the semi-final round of the challenge.

“Google Apps adoption is growing in emerging markets, and people are asking for extended functionality,” the company said. “It is hoped that this competition will not only generate locally-relevant apps, but also recognize and reward the hard work of the most talented Pinoy developers.”

The Google Apps Developer Challenge is just one of the many initiatives by the search and technology company in attempting to broaden its reach and increase its presence in developing countries like the Philippines.

Just this month, Google launched first in the Philippines a new mobile service, which allows free browsing of GMail, Google+ and Google Search through an offering called Google Free Zone, opening up the Internet to “the next billion.”

Last year, Google chose the country as the launchpad for its localized YouTube offering in Southeast Asia, topping it off with a YouTube World View interview with President Benigno Aquino, the first Asian head of state to be featured in the series.

In August, the company held the fist ever g|Philippines Google Day in the country, with hundreds of Google enthusiasts, users, and developers in attendance. (http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/googles-first-tech-day-in-manila-wraps-up-to-packed-crowd)

Just recently, rumors were rife online that Google will soon establish an official presence in the Philippines following the posting of various job openings for the country, although Google has yet to confirm anything final.

Aside from its regional headquarters in Singapore, Google operates in Southeast Asia in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

source: interaksyon.com