Philippine-German Relations - Philippinisch-Deutsche Beziehungen (I)

 

In 1984, I met my mentor the late Professor Dr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza. During that time, he became the chaplain of the Philippine community in Berlin. 

I learned a lot from you, "Father Gene" - then Monsignor... .

One thing, I have been always interested in, has been (and is still!) the history of Philippine-German relations. Father Gene published a lot of books about it in the Philippines - unfortunately only in English. The close relations between the Philippines and the Federal Republic of Germany have been evident in all aspects, especially in the economic and cultural fields, as former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stated in one of her forewords. Yes, it's true: from the 1970s to the 1990s, several agreements have been made on financial and technical cooperation, in which Germany has become one of the most active partners in the progress and development of the Philippines.

There are a lot of dynamics of Philippine-German partnerships. Father Gene taught me a lot. It helped me to understand especially Filipino culture and to overcome the culture clash, while living in the Philippines for good.

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1984 traf ich meinen Mentor Professor Dr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza zum ersten Mal. Während dieser Zeit war er der Kaplan der Philippinischen Gemeinde zu Berlin. 

Ich habe viel von Dir ,"Vater Gene" (später Monsignor), gelernt!

An einer Sache war und bin ich bis heute immer noch interessiert: das ist die Geschichte der philippinisch-deutschen Beziehungen. "Vater Gene" hat mehrere Bücher über dieses Thema geschrieben, die auf den Philippinen auch veröffentlicht wurden. Leider nur in Englisch. Die engen Beziehungen zwischen den Philippinen und der Bundesrepublik Deutschland beweisen sich in vielen Aspekten, besonders, wenn es zu den Themen Wirtschaft und Kultur kommt, wie die frühere Präsidentin Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in einem ihrer verschiedenen Vorworte zum Ausdruck brachte. Ja, es stimmt wirklich: zwischen den Siebzigern und Neunzigern wurden verschiedene Vereinbarungen auf den finanziellen und technischen Sektoren getroffen und unterzeichnet. Deutschland entwickelte sich zu einem der aktivsten Partner für die Philippinen.

Es gibt eine Reihe von dynamischen Beispielen, wenn wir über philippinisch-deutsche Freundschaft oder Partnerschaft sprechen. "Vater Gene" hat mir viele Beispiele gelehrt. Es hat mir sehr geholfen, die philippinische Kultur zu verstehen und den Kulturschock zu bewältigen, nachdem ich mich entschied, auf den Philippinen für immer zu leben!

After a three-year break due to the pandemic, the Quiapo Church sets up ...

 

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Jan 5, 2024 #MBNews #NewsPH #News

After a three-year break due to the pandemic, the Quiapo Church in Manila, also known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of the Black Nazarene, is all set for the highly anticipated celebration of the Feast of the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene this year. Here are the things that should be expected as the Feast of the Black Nazarene nears. #MBNews #NewsPH #News #Nazareno2024 #Nazareno #Quiapo

Davaoeños urged to follow 8 rules

By Philippine News Agency

January 5, 2024 40

DAVAO CITY: The city government has called on residents to observe road discipline and community safety through eight rules as the new year starts.

The local government said Davaoeños should adhere to the use of pedestrian lanes for safe crossing of the streets to avoid "jaywalking penalties" as embodied under the Comprehensive Transport and Traffic Code of Davao City.

"Secondly, the public should also use overpasses to ensure safe crossing of roads," the city government said in a statement Thursday.

It also emphasized the proper parking of vehicles in designated areas to avoid inconvenience to other motorists and ensure safe sidewalks for pedestrians.

Fourth on the list is the "don't drink and drive" rule under the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Law or RA 10586, and fifth is the observance of the city's Speed Limit Ordinance.

Meanwhile, for community safety, Davaoeños are urged to practice proper waste disposal in designated areas.

"Davaoeños are urged to avoid littering and to only throw waste in garbage cans," the statement said, adding that the measure aligns with the prevention of dengue under the locality's Mosquito-Borne Viral Disease Prevention Program.

"If our environment is clean, we can lessen bacteria. Also, if our environment is clean we will not have open containers which can be a breeding place for mosquitos," Tomas Ababon, the city health officer in charge, said.

Davaoeños are also urged to follow the Anti-Nuisance Ordinance, which limits loud noise until 10 p.m.

Surprising Facts about PHILIPPINES! Tourism in PHILIPPINES 2024!

Travel Facts

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4,220 views Dec 13, 2023

Surprising Facts about PHILIPPINES! Tourism in PHILIPPINES 2024! PHILIPPINES Travel vlog Documentary! Places! Hey everyone. Now, we are going to talk about this country, which consists of 7641Seven Thousand Six Hundred Forty one islands, and is known as the short message service “SMS” capital of the world, the people here are very polite, 175 plus languages are spoken here, and there is also an underground river with a very beautiful view, so let's talk about the Philippines. If you are planning a trip to Philippines, or simply intrigued about the country, here are some interesting facts. After the facts, we will talk about top beautiful destinations in Philippines 2024. Before starting, please like this video and subscribe to our channel for the future updates. Let’s start. 1. There are 7,641 islands in the Philippines, some of which don't even have names. With about 114 million residents, it ranks as the 38th most densely populated nation in the world. 2. Manila is the capital and the second most populous city in the Philippines. 3. Philippines is the only country where the flag is flown upside down to indicate the state of war. 4. The national animal of the Philippines is Carabao, also known as the water buffalo. 5. The Banaue Rice Terraces, often called the "Eighth Wonder of the World," were carved into the mountains over two thousand years ago. 6. The Philippines is considered one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, with a vast array of unique flora and fauna. 7. The Philippines is the second largest producer of coconut products in the world. 8. The Chocolate Hills in Bohol are a unique geological formation, consisting of around One Thousand Two Hundred Sixty eight perfectly cone shaped hills, that turn chocolate brown during the dry season. 9. The San Juanico Bridge, connecting the islands of Leyte and Samar, is the longest bridge in the Philippines. 10. The Philippines has won the Miss Universe title four times: in 1969, 1973, 2015, and 2018. 11. Arnis, a traditional martial art in the Philippines, is known as Eskrima or Kali and is the national sport and martial art. 12. Boxing is one of the popular sports in the Philippines. Manny Pacquiao, one of the world’s greatest professional boxers, hails from the Philippines. 13. The Cagayan River is the longest river in the Philippines, running through Luzon. 14. The Philippines is home to the world's largest pearl, known as the "Pearl of Lao Tzu." 15. The national dish of the Philippines is adobo. The national bird is the Monkey Eating Eagle. 16. Filipinos ranked as the highest selfie takers in the world! 17. The Philippines has unique transportation modes, such as tricycles, jeep, and kalesas. 18. There are 175 plus languages in the country. Filipino and English are the official languages of the Philippines. 19. The Philippines is known as the "SMS Capital of the World" because it sends more text messages than any other country. 20. The Philippines has the largest underground river. It is located in Puerta Princesa Subterranean River National Park. 21. The Philippines founded Asia’s first basketball league, the Philippines Basketball Association, in 1975, making basketball a beloved sport in the country.

PH fruit products exporter targets EU

By Jenica Faye Garcia, Manila Times

January 4, 2024

SOUTH Cotabato-based fruit products exporter Kablon Farms is aiming to expand its reach to the European Union with the extension of the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Wednesday.

"We would like to expand our product offering to the European Union ... The biggest challenge for us was relearning how to export other products to another country," Kablon Farms co-owner Leonor Pantua said in the DTI statement.

The company currently exports fruit-based products to Canada, Singapore, and several other countries, the Trade department said.

Based in Tupi, South Cotabato, Kablon Farms currently produces jams, jellies, tropical fruit purées, chocolate bars, juices, virgin coconut oil, and cacao butter, among others. It has three retail centers in South Cotabato and a distribution outlet in Davao that employs a total of 105 full-time workers.

Approximately 90 percent of Kablon Farms' revenues come from domestic sales in supermarkets, retail shops, other food manufacturers or end-users and online sales, while 10 percent comes from exports.

Given strong demand overseas for Philippine fruits and flavors, Pantua said the firm was targeting increased exports of cacao and cacao-based products.

The extension of the GSP+ "opens opportunities for us to market a wider range of products," she added.

"The EU market seems particularly attracted to the distinctive flavor of single-origin Philippine cacao."

At the same time, she urged Philippine businesses to continue to avail of the GSP privileges and expand exports and market access to the EU.

Last year, the European Commission had proposed the rollover of the current GSP+ program for another four years, lifting concerns that the Philippines could lose its trade privileges due to its failure to address a number of concerns.

The EU grants trade preferences to developing countries under the GSP facility to help grow trade, reduce poverty and support sustainable development via three schemes: Standard GSP, GSP+ and Everything But Arms or duty-free access for all goods except arms and ammunition.

The Philippines is covered by the GSP+ program, which involves having to comply with 27 international conventions relating to human rights and good governance, among others.

Travelers’ New Year’s wish: A bigger, better international airport in Manila

BY MANILA BULLETIN

  

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On top of every Filipino traveler’s wish list for the New Year is to depart from and arrive at a hassle-free and comfortable Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), four groups of companies submitted last week bids for its modernization and rehabilitation, namely: the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), Asian Airport Consortium, GMR Airport Consortium, and SMC SAP & Co. Consortium. The DOTr will conduct a technical review of the bid submissions after 10 days, which will be followed by a financial review. Announcement of the winning bidder could take place within the first quarter of 2024.

The 15-year NAIA public-private partnership (PPP) concession agreement stipulates that the winning concessionaire will rehabilitate passenger terminals and airside facilities; develop commercial assets and utility systems; and provide surface access facilities, inter-terminal transfer facilities and services. The project seeks to increase the current annual passenger capacity of the NAIA from the current 35 million to at least 62 million.

It will also establish the connection of the NAIA Terminal 3 to the Metro Manila Subway station, conduct overall beautification of the airports terminals, and incorporation of sustainable measures in the area. Modernization of communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems is also included in the package. 

Recall that the previous administration rejected the MIAC’s unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate the airport at a cost of P267 billion. The Marcos administration decided on a solicited proposal mode, capping the cost at P170.6 billion. The 15-year concession period could be extended for another 10 years, contingent on performance.

The rehabilitation of NAIA, the premier aviation gateway, is a crucial first step in the country’s efforts to reestablish itself as a favored tourist destination. Its ASEAN neighbors Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia, have attracted hordes of foreign tourists whose numbers are projected to even exceed pre-Covid visitor levels. But more importantly, it must provide adequate, safe and satisfactory services and facilities to all who travel throughout our archipelago. 

The eventual privatization of airport services at the NAIA will bring an end to more than four decades of government administration. In 1982, Executive Order No. 778 created the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) under the general supervision of the then Ministry of Transportation and Communications that was later renamed as the DOTC. The MIAA charter originally provided that 65 percent of the MIAA’s annual gross operating income be reverted to the general fund for the maintenance and operations of other international and domestic airports in the country; this amount was scaled down to 20 percent in 1987. Even after the enactment of Republic Act No. 6639 renaming the MIAA as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the MIAA retained its corporate name since the law did not amend its original or revised charters.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said: "This is a very important project of the government as we want all our passengers to improve their travel experience here in Manila…We look forward to working with the winning bidder in making the MIA one of the best airports in the world.”

This is a New Year’s wish that is evidently shared by tens of thousands of travelers.