
This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading! Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!

From our Lifestyle section | ||
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This local production presents a reimagination of 'Lord of the Flies' | ||
William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” serves as the inspiration for Far Eastern University Theater Guild's (FTG) upcoming show “Bangaw.” Opening on March 5, 2026, the theater play explores the meaning of survival through a Filipino lens. Read more |
PSA rolls out 100% online civil registry certificates to speed transactions, curb fraud | |
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To streamline transactions, especially in banks and government institutions, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has launched a fully digital, end-to-end solution for the issuance of civil registry documents. Read more |

As the world confronts climate change and biodiversity loss, there is growing recognition that economies must invest in green and sustainable finance. Investment remains vital for development, but it must now serve a dual purpose: to “finance the green” by supporting environmentally friendly solutions, and to “green the finance” by reshaping the financial system to prioritize sustainability.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific broadly defines “green finance” as funding that supports environment-oriented technologies, projects, industries, or businesses. More specifically, it includes environment-oriented financial products or services, such as loans, credit cards, insurances, or bonds. It is also closely linked to concepts such as climate finance and sustainable finance.
Equity and debt are key instruments in green finance. Equity is often used in early stages of projects, while debt—such as loans and bonds—are typically utilized in later stages alongside equity.
In 2024, the sustainable finance market grew to more than $8.2 trillion, up 17 percent from 2023—even so, it faced intensified headwinds as well as growing investor caution.
According to the World Investment Report 2025 released by the United Nations, accelerating growth in the sustainable bond market saw “record issuance of over $1 trillion.” The value of the sustainable fund market also reached a record high at $3.2 trillion.
However, the number of new funds stalled and new inflows to the market fell to their lowest since 2015.
The report found that annual issuance grew at an average rate of 19 percent since 2019, as the market continued to mature and investors aligned their strategies with more sustainable outcomes.
The annual issuance of sustainable bonds as a share of the global bond market remained above 10 percent since 2021, and represented 11 percent of the market in 2024. Green bonds even accounted for 64 percent of total issuance, growing 14 percent from 2023 to 2024.
Advancing green finance requires complementary action from both the public and private sectors. By providing grants for policy reform, the public sector can act as a catalyst to leverage private finance at scale. Meanwhile, the private sector represents a major potential source of financing, seeking opportunities that generate market-rate financial returns and an environmental impact.
Governments can also directly support green growth through sustainable public procurement and eco-efficient investment in public buildings and enterprises.
In the Philippines, institutional investors and underwriters have shown interest in investing in and underwriting green bonds, but most have limited awareness and resources, according to a 2022 survey by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Global Green Growth Institute.
The study also found that investors have strong preference for small green projects (less than $10 million,) while underwriters prefer larger deals (more than $100 million). Renewable energy, green buildings, sustainable agriculture, and water management were identified as the most promising sectors.
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, the Philippines ranked fourth most affected by extreme weather globally between 2000 and 2019. As one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, green finance is growing in the Philippines.
In 2016, the Philippines became the first Asean country to issue green corporate bonds. Between 2017 and 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Asean green, social, and sustainability bond standards. In 2019, the Philippines joined the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action and its Helsinki Principles, which promotes national climate action through fiscal policy and the use of public finance.
In 2023, the ADB programmed $10 billion in climate finance for the Philippines between 2024 and 2029 to support low-carbon transport, renewable energy, the development of carbon markets, flood management, resilient coastal development, food security, and adaptive health and social protection.
In 2024, the Philippines ranked as the second top issuer of Asean-labeled green, social, and sustainability bonds, with a total issuance of $15.30 billion. By 2025, the Philippines had already exceeded $10 billion in sustainable finance for renewable energy, according to a report by global bank ING.
The capital invested today will have a lasting impact on tomorrow’s ecosystems and production and consumption patterns. With these green finance initiatives, the Philippines is heading for a sustainable future, creating long-term environmental and economic benefits for both the planet and generations to come. —Dana Quirante and Erin Alcala, Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives, adb.org, iso.org, unescap.org, worldbank.org, climatebonds.net, unctad.org
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Von: Vivian Werg
Private Anbieter imitieren offizielle Webseiten, um für Rentenauskünfte satte Gebühren zu kassieren. Wer genau hinsieht, schützt sich vor teuren Fehlern.
Kassel – Die gesetzliche Rentenversicherung ist für Millionen Deutsche ein zentraler Bestandteil der Altersvorsorge. Sie informiert über Rentenansprüche, rechnet Beitragszeiten an und sorgt dafür, dass niemand wichtige Ansprüche übersieht. Wer jedoch nicht aufpasst, gerät im Netz schnell an kostenpflichtige Drittanbieter anstatt an offizielle Stellen.

Und während die offiziellen Angebote zuverlässig und transparent sind, nutzen Betrüger die wachsenden Online-Angebote der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV) und anderer staatlicher Stellen aus, indem sie dieselben Services gegen Gebühr anbieten. Künstliche Intelligenz macht diese Maschen zunehmend raffinierter. Fake-Portale lassen sich durch KI immer professioneller gestalten und sind oftkaum noch von echten Behördenseiten zu unterscheiden. Ein häufiger Fehler in der Altersvorsorge kann indes viele Deutsche Tausende Euro kosten.
Millionen Bürger wollen wissen, wie hoch ihre spätere Rente ausfällt, welche Arbeitszeiten berücksichtigt wurden und ob ihr Versicherungsverlauf vollständig ist. Wer nach entsprechenden Keywords im Netz sucht, läuft Gefahr, auf einer Fake-Website zu landen. Diese sehen aus wie die offizielle Webseite der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV), führen durch scheinbar vertraute Formulare – doch dahinter stecken clevere Kriminelle. Private Anbieter kassieren mit diesen täuschend echten Internetseiten ab, warnt das Europäische Verbraucherzentrum Deutschland (EVZ).
„Diese Angebote haben wirklich eine neue Qualität erreicht – und die Verwechslungsgefahr wird weiter zunehmen“, betont Karolina Wojtal, Juristin und Co-Leiterin des Europäischen Verbraucherzentrums Deutschland (EVZ). Künstliche Intelligenz ermögliche es, Layouts und Texte schnell und präzise an offizielle Webseiten anzupassen. „Für Verbraucher wird es dadurch immer schwieriger, private Dienste von staatlichen Angeboten zu unterscheiden.“
1. If you hurt someone, no matter how long it takes, apologize. People don't forget how you made them feel.
2. If someone does you a small favour, thank them.
Everyone wants to feel appreciated.
3. If someone takes time out to do something nice for you, make sure you show gratitude.
Everyone is busy nowadays and not everyone cares.
4. Most people are very emotional. So, remember, a few negative words can easily break someone's heart. Thus, think before you speak.
5. Don't ever disrespect something that means a lot to someone. Destroying people's precious moments in life is vile.
Some only have those memories to live with.
6. You don't have to be verbal to hurt someone. Sometimes, negative actions are enough.
Body language also plays an important role in communication.
A simple dirty look can knock someone's self-esteem.
It can heighten self-consciousness especially for someone who suffers from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
7. Be kind always. Everyone is suffering to some extent even if it doesn't show on their face.
If you're kind, you have nothing to lose and in return will earn respect and admiration from people.
But, if you're not, you will only break hearts and people will remember you for that.
8. Believe in someone. This might be small for you, but it is everything to someone else.
People need motivation to thrive. Some seek it from people. If you believe in someone, it shows that you care.
Never give up on people you care about. Always be there and support them. It can give them a reason to keep going.
9. People will need some form of help in life. Help someone if they ask you for help, and don't refuse unless you have a valid reason.
10. Be kind. Little acts of kindness can build positive relationships and restore faith in humanity.
Music is an important part of our life as it is a way of expressing our feelings as well as emotions. No matter where you are living on this globe. Some people consider music as a way to escape from the pain of life. It gives you relief and allows you to reduce stress. ... Music plays a more important role in our life than just being a source of entertainment.