THE PHILIPPINES; GATEWAY TO BUSINESS

1. Briefer: APEC
Philippines 2015 p.4 From small acorns p.14
A guide to the art of
Christmas shopping p.3
Understanding
upscale furniture p.12
Turn to page 2
Gateway to business
Staffing and manpower specialist Cristiano Castaneda explains why
the Philippines is primed to be the next regional hub for international business
Vol. 4 No.13 Q4 2015
Philippine Edition
ISSN No.
www.theimmigrant.com.ph
P
eople, location, ASEAN community, cost and
English. When you make them an acronym,
you get “PLACE,” but when you look at
them in context, these are the advantages
the Philippines has that will make it the next
regional hub for international business.
As evidenced by the Philippines’ recent hosting of the Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit, the
world “now looks at our country in a new light,” according to
President Benigno Aquino III. True, there are a lot of areas of
improvement that the Aquino administration will have to pass
on to the country’s next leadership, but the past five-plus years
of relative stability and consistent economic growth have
prepared the Philippines to take the next higher rung in the
global community.
Within 2015 alone, several big players in the aerospace,
logistics and business franchising industries have expressed
their readiness to plant their flags on our soil. But allow me
to recite the reasons why the Philippines already is in the
early stages of being a regional hub for global business:
1The Filipino people
Despite an abundance of natural resources, the
Philippines’ greatest asset continues to be its people, whether
overseas or at home. At my company, Drake Beacon Morris,
we have been proud to facilitate the staffing needs of local
and international firms for top Filipino talent – the very same
ones that are now coming home and betting on their country
by starting their own firms and sharing the knowledge and
practices they have gained from their years of service in
America, Europe, and the rest of the world.
We have always known why Filipinos make great
workers: they are flexible and can adapt to different
circumstances. No matter what kind of task or position
are given to them, Filipinos tend to do their best. That our
overseas Filipino workers have different kinds of jobs
all over the world shows that they are not just excellent
workers, but also good communicators.
Filipinos can work with any nationality, and can be
assigned to head office branches abroad and do well. The
Philippines is also in a demographic sweet spot courtesy
of its growing population – which leads to a steady stream
of young, trainable, talented workers ready to take on the
world.
2Strategic location
Say what you want about the growing tensions in the
West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, but our country’s
location is extremely significant to the global economic
powers – China, Japan, and Singapore on our side of the
ImagecourtesyofDaniloSantosFreeDigitalPhotos.net
The Philippines:

2. 2
ON THE COVER:
A young boy passes by a vendor of Christmas
lights and lawn ornaments in Malate,Manila.The
Philippines has one of the longest Christmas
seasons in the world – starting as early as
September – and sees brighter prospects beyond
2015 as it proves,by hosting the APEC Summit and other big world economic
meetings,that it is ready to become the regional hub for international business.
Photo by Danilo Santos for FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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bytesnews
Iranian Ambassador bids farewell
Outgoing Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the
Philippines Ali Asghar Mohammadi made a farewell courtesy
call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario after
serving for almost five years in the Philippines.
Del Rosario and Mohammadi expressed their appreciation
for the mutual support that was extended during the
Ambassador’s term of assignment in the Philippines. The
Secretary thanked the Ambassador for his outstanding work
in maintaining the good bilateral
relations between the Philippines
and Iran.
“There is much to be grateful
for, among which were the
commutation of the death
sentence of a convicted Filipino
national in Iran, which was made
possible through the mediation of Ambassador Mohammadi,
Iran’s support for the Mindanao Peace Process, as well as the
humanitarian assistance that Iran extended in the aftermath of
super typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan,” Del Rosario added.
Calling Philippines-Iran relations a special relationship, Del
Rosario expressed optimism on the promise of closer relations
between the two countries in the post-sanctions period after
the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
on Iran’s nuclear program, through an upsurge in trade and
investments, close cooperation in the fight against violence and
extremism, and an active promotion of tourism.
US Government promotes
entrepreneurship in Iloilo
The United States Embassy Manila’s United States Agency
for International Development (USAID) launched a 17-month
project that will empower 10,000 people in the province of
Iloilo through entrepreneurship.
The project, implemented in
partnership with International
Care Ministries (ICM),
will deliver an intensive
16-week training program to
Iloilo’s poorest households,
improving access to health,
providing opportunities for
entrepreneurship, and bolstering
families with basic resources to
stabilize their lives.
Dr. Stephen Andoseh, USAID
Philippines Acting Chief
for the Office of Economic
Development and Governance,
and ICM Chair of the Board
of Directors David Sutherland,
together with representatives from Iloilo local government
units, participated in the launching ceremony in Iloilo City.
The project is aligned with USAID’s commitment
to eradicating extreme poverty under USAID’s Cities
Development Initiative, which promotes inclusive and
sustained economic growth in second-tier cities, including
Iloilo, in the Philippines.
David Sutherland (left), Chairman
of the Board of International Care
Ministries, and Stephen Andoseh,
Acting Director of the United
States Agency for International
Development (USAID) Office
of Economic Development and
Governance, visits one of the 90
communities supported by USAID
and ICM’s entrepreneurship
project in Iloilo City.
The Philippines...
From page 1
Leaders and representatives from the 21 member-economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) had their official family photo taken on
November 19, 2015 at the Philippine International Convention Center for the Philippine hosting of 2015 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) in Manila.
Photofromapec2015.ph
Johnna Villaviray-Giolagon
Diplomatic Editor
Pacific, and the United States, Canada, and Latin American
countries on the other.
This makes the Philippines a gateway for travel and
commerce to and from either side of the Pacific Ocean.
In terms of time, Manila is roughly 12 hours from New
York, seven hours from London, and an hour from Tokyo,
so according to the financial analyst Felix Bustos: “If
you’re trying to keep your transaction flow the whole day,
then we’re a good alternate to other financial centers (like
Singapore and Hong Kong).”
Our proximity to China and Japan has also led the US to
bolster relations with the Philippines. As an ally, the United
States is acting to maintain the balance of power and control
the growing influence of the Chinese in the seas of Southeast
Asia, which only benefits our country
in the long run.
This is crucial for Filipinos, and
anyone who invests here, since East
Asia (composed of China, Korea,
and Japan) is the Philippines’ biggest
trading partner, taking 51 percent
of the country’s merchandise export
market as of 2013, according to the
Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI).
3ASEAN Economic
Community (AEC)
By December 31, 2015, the
Philippines will be integrated into the
single regional market and production
base of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic
Community, expanding its market from a domestic
(national) customer base of about 100 million “to the 616
million people living across the region,” according to DTI
Export Marketing Bureau Director Senen Perlada in a recent
forum we attended.
ASEAN countries already take 16 percent of the
Philippines’ total merchandise exports; in comparison, the
United States is at 15 percent, and the European Union at 12
percent. But with electronics, modern technology, and the
Internet facilitating trade across nations, business happens
without borders, and “businesses that have already mastered
their domestic markets should expect challenges from strong
foreign competitors,” Perlada added.
The Philippines is well-positioned in the AEC, Perlada
stresses, as it is the fastest-growing country (in terms of
GDP) in the fastest-growing subregion (ASEAN) in the
fastest growing region (Asia) in the world. The recent APEC
hosting and the World Economic Forum (WEF) East Asia
event held in Makati earlier this year underscores that.
4Cost advantage
The emergence of the Philippines as the Number 1
country for business process outsourcing (BPO), edging
out India, shows the advantage in terms of cost for foreign
enterprises setting up shop here. Even the cost of living is
much lower here for working expatriates compared with
other hubs in Asia, and most of these expats have in fact laid
down roots here.
The Philippines is an attractive destination for businesses,
says the financial analyst Bustos, because its labor cost is one-
fourth of China’s, which used to be the go-to hub for trade.
But when many companies moved to China to benefit
from its low labor costs, “the country got saturated and the
cost of housing and other necessities went up, thus many
businesses are moving out of China to look for that cost
advantage again,” he adds. “This is where the Philippines
comes in as the next viable option.”
The Philippines also offers lower rates than the likes of
Singapore and Hong Kong in terms of business space rental,
home rental, good schools, and general living expenses. That
alone can attract foreign firms to invest and consider our
country as their next business hub.
Of course, the Philippine government must continue to
address the backlogs in terms of infrastructure,
transportation, and cheap energy to make the
country an even more attractive hub for business,
but with consistent economic growth and a clear
development plan that will happen sooner than
later, we at Drake Beacon Morris believe.
5English and language
ability
Indeed, Filipinos know their English, but they
also know their Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin or
Hokien), Japanese, Korean, German, French,
Italian, and virtually the language of any
culture that the Philippines has come across.
The country’s English language
infrastructure, however, is one of its enduring
assets. Foreigners find it easy to do business
here because government, legal, and corporate
documents are often rendered in English,
removing the need for translation. For instance, in the
information technology (IT) industry, both programming and
documentation are accomplished in English, and this great
connectivity is the reason why many BPOs end up here.
In everyday encounters, almost all Filipinos know how to
speak and understand the language, and the working sector
is trained to communicate in English. Indeed, it is easy for
expats to dive into work without worrying about a language
barrier, and the Filipino’s natural warmth and hospitality
melt any other barriers to communication.
With these and many more reasons, the Philippines will
be a significant player in the world economy for years to
come. Companies local and foreign can use the country as a
springboard for their globalization, which, according to DTI
Director Perlada, “must be taken for granted. There will be
only one standard for corporate success: international market
share. The winning corporations will win by finding markets
all over the world.”
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman and CEO of
Ayala Corporation and one of the members of the APEC
Business Advisory Council, had said way back in 2005:
“The global economy has opened tremendous opportunities,
and it is imperative that the Philippines seeks integration and
finds its niche in this new economic order.” With the right
players within its shores, there’s no doubt the Philippines is
indeed the place to be.
People, location,
ASEAN community,
cost, and English.
When you make
them an acronym,
you get “PLACE,”
these are the
advantages the
Philippines has
that will make it the
next regional hub
for international
business.

3. 3
T
he frantic season of shopping
known as Christmas is already
here, and if you haven’t given a
thought to getting yourself and
your loved ones a present for the holidays,
we’ve done the thinking for you and thus,
present you with the following suggestions
to make your buying and haggling less
stressful:
List, budget,
and categorize
Get organized. Write down all who are
worthy of your largesse in sets of family,
friends, co-workers, and special someones,
then peg a budget for each person. Whether
you use cash or credit, don’t go beyond
your limit – leave some funds for you to
party with. Determine where you can buy
groups of gifts (if you’re not just handing
out fruitcakes) to save you time, travel, and
tiredness shuttling from mall to flea markets
to Christmas bazaars.
Timeline, transportation,
and gear
Get organized Part 2: Decide when you’ll
do your shopping, which is usually better in
the mornings when stores are just opening
and on weekdays to avoid the crush of the
weekend crowds. (Bonus: you get first
crack at items on sale if you’re early.) You
don’t have to do it in one go; buying a few
presents every day for a week will help
you commute to and from shopping places,
especially if you don’t have your own car.
And even if you do, traveling light – with
just your wallet and phone if possible – will
free your hands for several gift bags or
bulkier items. Just beware of snatchers and
pickpockets.
Get comfy, get cozy,
get to tiangges
Wearing comfortable clothes and shoes
are a must for the Christmas bargain hunter.
Definitely no high heels or platform shoes
for the ladies, no hard-leather brogues or
boots for the men, and no loose clothing
either (you’d hate to get snagged on your
fellow shoppers’ gift boxes or worse, fragile
items on display). Your favorite T-shirt,
jeans, sneakers, and a nice-fitting jacket to
fend off excessive air conditioning will do
just fine, especially when you start wading
into tiangges and their narrow aisles.
Tiangges also offer unique items and the
opportunity to haggle with the vendors.
Go online, look for
quality, and buy in bulk
If your search on foot for the perfect
gift is fruitless, sit down and turn to online
shopping portals like Lazada, Groupon,
Metrodeal, and the like. If items aren’t
your type of presents, gift certificates to
spas, hotels, and restaurants will surely
be appreciated, along with discount cards
to specialty stores. But if you persist on
trudging through the malls and picking items
yourself, don’t sacrifice the quality of your
gifts for their price. You’re already spending
time and effort to look for the perfect
present, so don’t waste your money as well –
and speaking of which, buying in bulk is one
way to save on a pretty penny.
Save the receipt,
stash an extra, and
secure your presents
Always ask for an official receipt for
your purchases, to facilitate returns and
exchanges if your “giftee” somehow doesn’t
like your present, or if it’s defective and
really needs replacing. Of course, receipts
will help you tally your expenses and see if
you’ve stayed within, or strayed from, your
budget. Buying and stashing an extra gift
that’s suitable for anyone – especially for the
people you inadvertently left out of your list
– is always a good thing to do. When you
find such an item, or anything that you deem
valuable or present-worthy, don’t hesitate
to pick it up. Other bargain hunters may
beat you to the punch for that, and you may
end up looking in vain for a similar item.
Remember, in the end it’s not the gift, but
the thought behind it that counts.
A guide to the art
of Christmas shopping
Jean Vizcocho is a veteran of the holiday shopping
rush, and proves it with her points below
High-end watches for the discerning
There’s nothing like a classy, classic chronograph to tell the time. Marian Pamaran enlightens us
on which watch is worth adorning our wrists
W
ith high-end watches,
you really can’t go
wrong with having
one. As one of their
advertisements says, “You don’t just own a
(insert brand name here), you take care of it
for the next generation.” But since we live
in the here and now, let’s take a look at six
outstanding watch brands (in no particular
order) and see which of these you fancy,
based on your preferences and sense of
style. It doesn’t hurt that most of these are
available in the Philippines as well, for the
right price:
AUDEMARS PIGUET
Founder/Year: Jules-Louis Audemars
and Edward-Auguste Piguet, 1875 (Le
Brassus, Switzerland)
A partnership of childhood friends from
the “Siberia of Switzerland” where
making watches from iron oxides was a
way to survive the harsh winters in high
altitudes, Audemars Piguet already had a
century of watchmaking expertise under
their respective families’ belts before they
teamed up. They excelled in complicated
mechanisms like the smallest five-minute
repeater caliber and the jumping second
hand. All “AP” watches, like their flagship
Royal Oak Grande Complication, are still
made by hand today.
PATEK PHILIPPE
Founder/Year: Antoni Patek and
Adrien Philippe, 1851 (Plan-les-Ouates,
Switzerland)
A partnership of the Polish watchmaker
Patek and the Frenchman Philippe, the brand
pioneered the keyless winding mechanism,
perpetual calendar, split-seconds hand,
chronograph, and minute repeater. It has
been synonymous with luxury watches for
years, and for some of its limited-edition
creations, one has to be a long-time,
influential client of the company to get a
timepiece – as were the likes of Pope Pius
IX and Queen Victoria of Britain.
CHOPARD
Founder/Year: Louis-Ulysses Chopard,
1860 (Paris)
Chopard started his business at 24 years
old and specialized in pocket watches and
chronometers, making them from his factory
in Sonviller, Switzerland. His son Andre
moved Chopard to Geneva, and thus it was
one of the first brands to be certified for the
Geneva Seal of quality for watches. Around
the mid-1970s it started producing ladies’
and jewelry timepieces, including one
diamond-encrusted model that fetched a cool
$25 million. Now it is the official timepiece
partner of the Cannes Film Festival.
Turn to page 14

4. 4
THE
DIPLOMAT
By H.E.
Bill Tweddell
Ambassador to
the Philippines
Commonwealth
of Australia
N
orthern Australia is where I grew up and studied. I am honored
to be an alumnus of James Cook University in Townsville,
Northern Queensland, an academic institute ranked in the
top four percent of universities worldwide. In particular,
James Cook University specializes in tropical research – coral reefs, marine
biology, agriculture, and medicine – among other disciplines.
Northern Australia, which comprises north Queensland, the Northern
Territory and the northern part of Western Australia, covers over three
million square kilometers (about 10 times the size of the Philippines, and
about 40 percent of Australia’s land mass), and has a population of just over
one million people. It is home to some of Australia’s most treasured national
icons such as the Great Barrier Reef, the wet tropics of Queensland, Uluru
(Ayers Rock), Kakadu, and Cable Beach.
However, it’s not just beautiful natural attractions that you will find.
Northern Australia is increasingly being recognized as an attractive place for
Philippine and international firms to do business. On June 18 the Australian
Government announced new plans to unlock the great potential and
opportunities of the North.
The Australian Government is putting in place key policies that enable
businesses to invest, innovate, and collaborate in Northern Australia. It
seeks to integrate Northern Australia into the region, with a vision for
mutual economic prosperity and security through stronger people-to-people
and business-to-business links. Darwin is the capital city of the Northern
Territory and a key northern Australian trade port which lies just over 2,000
kilometers from Mindanao, comparable to the distances from Manila to
Singapore or Tokyo.
A series of policy reforms announced in the “White Paper on Developing
Northern Australia: Our North, Our Future” will provide a welcoming
investment environment, including cutting red tape for investors, and
a single point of entry for all regulatory approvals for major investors.
Australia will invest in infrastructure that will help lead to lower business
Northern Australia is open for business
The Australian Government is opening up Darwin and the rest of the region to the world
and household costs. The White Paper includes an AU$5-billion Northern
Australian Infrastructure Facility, an AU$600 million roads package in the
North, and an AU$100-million Beef Roads Fund which will help improve
cattle supply chains.
Australia will also invest in collaborative research in the North, including
with foreign partners, where there is potential for commercialization
or improved productivity and competitiveness. This includes Australia
establishing a new AU$75-million Cooperative Research Centre to focus on
tropical agriculture, food, and medicine where pre-commercial research and
development is needed to kick-start new industries. Foreign partners will
be invited to collaborate in tropical health research through seed funding of
AU$2 million over two years to enable it to work on trans-boundary health
threats in the region.
In addition, there will be approximately AU$8.5 million in grants to
attract foreign investors to support commercialization of Australian tropical
medicine research. An additional AU$6.9 million will go towards research
in Australia on diseases endemic to the tropics.
To bring interested business partners together, the Australian Government
will host a major Northern Australia investment forum in Darwin in late
2015. The forum will bring together international investors and focus on the
new investment prospectus “Northern Australia: Emerging Opportunities In
An Advanced Economy.” More information on investing in North Australia
is available at: https://northernaustralia.dpmc.gov.au/
I am hoping Australia’s Prime Minister and our Foreign and Trade
Ministers will visit Manila later this year as part of the Philippines’APEC
year to further promote these exciting business opportunities in Northern
Australia. Until their visits, the Australian Embassy in Manila plans to speak
to select business leaders about opportunities to be part of the development
to unlock the potential of Northern Australia.
(This article was originally published on the Philippine STAR on
September 17, 2015).
T
he Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has
21 members, referred to as “member economies,”
which account for approximately 40 percent of the
world’s population, approximately 54 percent of
world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and about 47 percent of
world trade.
The APEC platform is composed of various policy-making
and technical-level fora, each with a particular sector or topic
of focus. APEC Leaders and Ministers as chief policymakers
define the policy direction of the region, to be implemented
by government officials and technical experts throughout the
APEC year.
The Senior Officials’Meeting is the repository of all the
activities, initiatives, and policy recommendations emanating
from the more than 30 APEC technical working groups and
committees. At the Concluding Senior Officials’Meeting,
as their final meeting before the Leaders’Summit, Officials
are tasked to process one year’s worth of work, prioritizing
deliverables (e.g. action plans and statements) to be endorsed to
Ministers and Leaders, for adoption.
The APEC process thus comes full circle when the Ministers
After almost two decades, the Philippines hosts and chairs the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.
Here’s what you need to know straight from the organization itself.
and Leaders, in the form of the Joint (Foreign Affairs and
Trade) Ministerial Statement and Leaders’Declaration, issue
their policy guidance for the APEC year ahead and long-term
vision.
APEC 2015 had a total of 229 meetings, including meetings
under the APEC Finance Ministers’Process, sectoral ministerial
meetings and high-level policy dialogues, and the APEC
Business Advisory Council (ABAC) as the private sector arm
of APEC.
These meetings identified and developed the following
policies, initiatives, and programs, among others:
Inclusive growth through regional
economic integration
• Every year, APEC reaffirms its commitment to strengthen
the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and
inclusive multilateral trading system as embodied in the World
Trade Organization (WTO). As a non-binding forum, APEC
serves as an incubator of ideas and policy pathfinder for areas
that are deemed sensitive in more formal negotiations. Through
APEC, participating WTO members have been able to gain
ground in the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and in the
negotiations for the expansion of the Information Technology
Agreement (ITA).
• To further APEC’s multi-year efforts towards the realization
of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), APEC has
made progress in the conduct of the Collective Strategic Study
on Issues Related to the Realization of the FTAAP, including
the establishment of a core drafting group. The study will be
completed by the end of 2016. In August, the Philippines also
hosted an FTAAP seminar that included rich discussion on how
ongoing regional trade agreement negotiations, such as the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP), relate and contribute to an
FTAAP.
• In 2015, APEC Structural Reform Ministers endorsed
the Renewed APEC Agenda for Structural Reform (RAASR)
as the continuation of APEC’s structural reform work
program until 2020. The RAASR reaffirms economies’
commitment to accelerate our efforts to address institution
building in our economies through structural reform and
Turn to page 9
Policies, initiatives,
and programs
Briefer:

5. 5
ASEAN celebrates
48th founding anniversary
T
he Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN)
celebrated its 48th
founding anniversary on
August 19 with much to look forward
to. In four months, ASEAN will
become a community of nations.
Held at the historic Tanghalang Nicanor
Abelardo Lobby of the Cultural Center of
the Philippines, the ASEAN Day reception
was a showcase of the integration of the
region’s 10 different cultures.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario
led the Department of Foreign Affairs in
welcoming the diplomatic community to
ASEAN’s founding anniversary before
this important milestone in the regional
bloc’s history.
By way of basic statistics, a community
of nations means an ASEAN of over 600
million people with a combined GDP of
US$2.6 trillion.
On the practical side, this diversity
and the potentials for integrating ASEAN
culture is evident in the colorful fusion
buffet prepared by Rockwell Club’s
Chef Jessie.
The reception’s around 300 guests were
treated to the most iconic dishes – like
banh cuon (Vietnamese spring roll) and
beef satay with peanut sauce (Malaysian
beef barbeque) – from each of the
grouping’s ten member states.
Other treats included Indonesian bean
sprout salad, fish amok (Cambodian fish
curry), pad Thai (Thai stir-fried noodles),
mu shu (Brunei chicken wrap), and
Singaporean chili shrimps.
Dessert was all about Filipino sweet
favorites like mini turon and mango-
sago custard as well as Laos’ khao pard
chun (steamed pandan layer cake) and
Burmese flan.
“As the realization of the ASEAN
Community 2015 draws near, our people
need to understand what it means to be
part of an integrated region where there
are good opportunities for businesses,
communities and professional growth,” del
Rosario said in his welcome remarks.
DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario and the ASEAN Ambassadors show unity through the trademark ASEAN handshake.
PhotosfromDFA-PISU
T
wenty youth ambassadors from
the Republic of China visited
Manila from September 12 to15
in a trip highlighted by a donation of 500
kilograms of rice to the non-profit Tuloy
Foundation.
“This generous act shows Taiwan’s
willingness to extend its loving care
and kindness to its closest southern
neighboring country,” the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Office (TECO)
said in a statement.
The young envoys visited the Tuloy
sa Don Bosco Foundation Streetchildren
Village in Alabang, Muntinlupa City
on September 15. The donation will
benefit more than 1,000 students of
the foundation, which trains “at risk”
children to be contributing members of
society.
To foster closer understanding with
Filipino youth, the delegation also held
interactions with Filipino students at
the Ateneo de Manila University and
Lyceum of the Philippines on September
14 and 15.
The delegation also held a courtesy
visit at the House of Representatives
and treated the public to a free
performance at the Liberty Hall of the
Filipino-Chinese Cultural and Economic
Association in Binondo, Manila.
The Taiwan Youth Ambassadors are
part of a larger group of 160 college and
university students selected to visit 41
cities in 35 countries in the Asia-Pacific,
North and Latin America, the Caribbean,
Europe, Africa, and West Asia.
Taiwan
youth envoys
visit PH
DFA Assistant Secretary Charles Jose shares a
laugh with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg.
DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario delivers his
opening remarks at the 48th ASEAN Day Diplomatic
Reception held at the Cultural Center of the
Philippines.
ADB holds SME seminar
T
he Asian Development Bank
launched its latest Asia SME
Finance Monitor providing insights
into ways that developing Asia can address
funding needs for small- and medium-sized
enterprises (SME).
The launch is the highlight of the
“Seminar on Enhancing Financial
Accessibility for SMEs: Lessons from
National Practices on Improving Access
to Finance in Asia and the Pacific” hosted
by ADB.
Small- and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) in the Philippines and other Asian
countries need better access to financing if
countries across the region want to be well-
positioned to reap the benefits of increased
regional trade.
J-Pop Anime Sing and Dance
Contest holds Grand Finals
Japanese pop music boomed from SM
Mall of Asia Centerstage as the J-Pop
Anime Sing and Dance Contest held its
Grand Finals on July 25.
Japanese instructor Maychell Hernandez
from Pasay City bagged the Grand Prize
for this year’s singing category with her
passionate rendition of “Kimi ni Todoke”
by May’s.
The five-member dance group Fluffy
Unicorns, meantime, bagged first prize for the
dance category with their “kawaii” idol moves.
J-Pop Anime Sing and Dance Contest,
now on its seventh year, has developed
quite a following within the still-booming
anime and manga enthusiast crowd in the
Philippines.
The 10 finalists for the singing category
and five groups in the dance category
competed before an energetic crowd of 400
people.
The Japanese Embassy’s No Plan Band,
Doraemon and Friends, and the 2014 singing
category top winner Hikari also wowed the
audience.
The J-Pop Anime Sing and Dance Contest
aims to promote goodwill and understanding
through music and Japanese culture.
It was organized by the Embassy of Japan
in cooperation with The Japan Foundation,
Manila (JFM) and the Japan National
Tourism Organization (JNTO).
Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa (center)
hands over prize certificate to the 2015 J-pop Anime
Sing and Dance Contest Grand Prize winner for the
singing category, Maychell Hernandez.Also in photo
from left to right: Mr.Tatsuo Kitagawa, Director of
the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC);
Mr. Shuji Takatori, Director,The Japan Founda-
tion, Manila (JFM); Mr. Philip Sanvictores, President,
Nihongo Center Foundation; Ms. Jojo Estacio-
Neri, Channel Head of HERO TV; Ms. Gwendolyn
Albarracin, President of Center for Pop Philippines;
and Mr. Nestor Palabrica, General Manager of Toei
Philippines.
Calendar of
National Holidays
*from the United Nations website
October
1 China
Cyprus
Nigeria
Tuvalu
2 Guinea
3 Germany
4 Lesotho
9 Uganda
10 Fiji
Taiwan
12 Equatorial Guinea
Spain
18 Azerbaijan
24 Zambia
26 Austria
27 SaintVincent
and the Grenadines
Turkmenistan
28 Czech Republic
29 Turkey
November
1 Antigua and Barbuda
2 Algeria
3 Algeria
Dominica
Micronesia
Panama
9 Cambodia
11 Angola
18 Latvia
Oman
19 Monaco
22 Lebanon
25 Suriname
28 Albania
Mauritania
30 Barbados
December
1 Central African Republic
Romania
2 United Arab Emirates
5 Thailand
6 Finland
12 Kenya
16 Bahrain
16 Kazakhstan
17 Bhutan
18 Niger
22 Laos
24 Libya
circleDiplomatic

6. 6
focusCity
Coffee the Amadeo way
Tagaytay’s upland neighbor has been growing beans for over 135 years.
Dexter Montilla takes another look at this Cavite community
Just off the ridge of Tagaytay City, there’s a town that
has laid claim to the title of “Coffee Capital of the
Philippines,” and for good reason. Amadeo in Cavite
is probably the best source of kapeng barako and
other high-grade coffee variants anywhere in the country,
and it’s definitely worth the side trip once you’ve taken in
the sight of Taal Lake and Tagaytay’s other delights.
Named after King Amadeo I of Spain, the town is best
known for its Pahimis (Thanksgiving) Festival, held on
the last weekend of February and celebrating its history of
growing coffee since at least the 1880s.
Apart from the “barako” or Liberica variant, Arabica,
Robusta, Excelsa, and “Pahimis Blend” beans are also
grown and sold from its nearly 4,000 hectares of coffee
farms that make up 80 percent of Amadeo’s land area.
Most coffee farmers here sell to the big coffee companies
like Nestle and Universal Robina Corp., but some who have
managed to buy their own coffee roasters sell their product
from P275 (pure Robusta) to P445 (pure Arabica) a kilo,
at prices recommended by the Café Amadeo Development
Cooperative. Half-kilo and quarter-kilo bags are also available
in jute or paper boxes, foil packs, or plain plastic bags.
“Pahimis Blend” is Café Amadeo’s best seller, an exclusive
blend of the four coffee varieties roasted to bring out their
authentic flavor and aroma. “Premium Blend” is a mix of
Robusta, Arabica, and Excelsa and is popular with customers
from abroad. Farmers also benefit from the National Coffee
Research Development and Extension Center at the Cavite
State University campus in neighboring Indang town.
Visitors witnessing the Pahimis Festival also enjoy its
festive atmosphere. Street dancers participating in the feast
are all dressed in coffee costumes, while the aroma of
overflowing cups of the famous kapeng barako permeates
the normally quiet and peaceful town that is home to about
4,000 coffee farmers.
If for some reason coffee isn’t your thing, Amadeo’s
pristine countryside holds other attractions. One is Balite
Falls, a modest waterfall inside the eco-tourism zone in
Barangay Tamakan.
Stone steps lead to the falls, where hydro-therapy,
swimming and cottage areas are also set up. Swimming is
allowed in the fall’s catch basins for a fee of P75 per person,
and cottages may be rented starting at P300. Food is allowed
if bought from Cafe Amadeo.
The religious may choose to visit the Saint Mary
Magdalene Parish Church, built in 1872. The church was
restored with the help of proceeds from coffee sales at the
height of Amadeo’s coffee boom after World War II. During
the war, the Japanese used the church as a garrison, where
19 guerillas were killed during a raid. Visitors are urged to
pray for the souls of these martyrs.
Later, the National Historical Institute declared the church
a National Historical Landmark in 1984 when it celebrated
its 100th year as a parish church.
Other small-scale industries such as tailoring and
dressmaking, merchandising, food trading, transportation, and
commercial poultry and livestock, are present in the town,
but coffee remains Amadeo’s major crop for trade, with 80
percent of the coffee grown here the Robusta variety.
But with the demand for coffee continuing to grow
in the Philippines and worldwide, visitors to Cavite’s
cool highlands may yet skip Tagaytay and go straight to
Amadeo’s robust, thriving community.
Theislander
Waste not,want not
Boracay resident Katja Kaliani hopes proper waste management
will help the island avert an environmental disaster
– and force her to find a new home
I
t’s safe to say that everyone, including myself, who
has spent time in Boracay, feels that the island isn’t
the pristine tropical paradise that it used to be. Hotels
and resorts are rising left and right, tourists are still
coming in droves, and residents seem to multiply by
the day in hopes of finding their fortune here.
These developments have led to what many experts have
called the “critical environment condition” of Boracay,
which threatens the very reason why the island is a tourist
attraction in the first place: its natural beauty. That was the
reason why in September, hundreds of residents rallied at
the renowned Willy’s Rock for what they called “Boracay’s
Last Stand.”
Truly, Boracay is bursting at the seams. With a land
area of just over 10 square kilometers, over 28,000 people
officially call it home – but they also have to accommodate
about 1.5 million visitors a year, as per Department of
Tourism (DOT) records. That means an extra 125,000
people a month, on average, cram into the island, making
its population density comparable to the suburbs of Metro
Manila like Cavite, Bulacan and Rizal, as environmental
planner Mark Evidente noted in an opinion piece for
Rappler.com.
No wonder some tourists have decided to shun Boracay
because, in their words, “it just feels too crowded,” even
on regular days. And with that many people comes the
unfortunate by-product called waste, in all its forms. Where
does that all go? Just consider some of the articles this year
about this phenomena:
• In March, Manila Times columnist Atty. Dodo
Dulay wrote that Boracay “is in danger of turning into
an environmental disaster due to the spotty enforcement
of sanitation and wastewater rules – a problem further
compounded by the island’s incomplete sewerage and
drainage system.”
• In May, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that
the activist group Kalikasan People’s Network for the
Environment asked the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) to put its foot down on more
development activities in Boracay and regulate the number
of tourists going to the island amid findings that coliform
bacteria, partly caused by human and animal feces, continue
to pollute the island’s waters.
• In June, CNN Philippines reported that Boracay faced
“an imminent loss” of its marine and coastal ecosystems,
after a five-year study conducted by the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) and a group of Japanese and
Filipino scientists discovered that the island’s coral reef
ecosystem “has been seriously degraded by tourism-related
activities” including snorkeling and diving activities.
How can Boracay solve this dilemma? Curiously, as
early as 2007, the Philippine government asked its Japanese
counterparts for help in creating an integrated solid waste
management plan for the whole municipality of Malay,
Aklan, to which Boracay belongs. Japan tapped JICA to
become the implementing partner for this study, which laid
out several important plans, as follows:
1) A sanitary landfill facility, on the Malay mainland and not
on Boracay itself;
2) A centralized Materials Recovery Facility (MRF);
3) The rehabilitation of the old dumpsite on Boracay; and
4) A 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan in accordance
with Republic Act 9003 (the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act of 2000).
By most accounts, these plans were successfully executed,
to the point that the Boracay MRF became a model for
others to follow, as the facility could process as much as
35 truckloads of garbage equal to about 175 cubic meters
of solid waste a day. It even helped provide work for some
residents of the island who helped make vermicompost,
Turn to page 12

7. Beauty and satisfaction guaranteed
at Vine Holistic Medical Aesthetics
Dr. Emehly Sevilla - Castillo, M.D.
President
SERVICES OFFERED:
Skin Intensive Treatments
Acne & Acne Scars Treatments
Skin Pigmentation & Whitening
Vine’s Natural Face Lift & Contour
Hair Revitalization Therapy
Body Whitening & Smoothening
Non-Surgical Body Sculpting
Removal of Unwanted Hairs
Wrinkle Correction
Skin Health (warts, syringoma)
Sclerotherapy (Varicose Vein Therapy)
Chin, Cheeks & Nose Augmentation
Skin Rejuvenation & Anti-Aging Therapy
Eyebags Treatment
Stretchmarks Correction
Weight Management
Cellulite Treatment
In pursuit of beauty, men and women go the extra mile
and look for ways to delay the signs of aging and enhance their
appearance. It is no wonder that aesthetic centers in the metro
continue to offer innovative solutions to beauty problems.
Once such center that aims to deliver beauty and satisfac-
tion is the Vine Holistic Medical Aesthetics, founded by Dr.
Emehly Sevilla-Castillo. Opening its doors to the public in
September 2013, Vine Holistic Medical Aesthetic continues
to provide services that not only enhance the beauty of their
clients, but also improve their lives.
According to Dr. Em, the clinic started with the unique
concept of treatment planning where top priority is given to
sterilization and patient information, consultation and ex-
planation of treatment and the follow up after treatment.
Customers are assured that they are in good hands as Vine’s
therapists, nurses and wellness consultants are well-trained
and highly qualified. The doctors and staff will personally
guide clients in selecting the best procedure for their beauty
dilemmas.
Each case is different, and therefore, consultants will go
over the patient’s history and assess the problem to create the
appropriate treatment plan to target the particular area of con-
cern. The staff records the whole process and makes sure that
the client is well-informed before, during and after treatment.
At Vine, good rapport with clients is important. However, they
make sure that all clients will be treated equally and fairly.
Since clients are top priority, Vine offers a comprehensive
range of medical aesthetic treatments that have minimal or
no downtime. These non-surgical treatments include facelift,
nose lifting, laser skin treatments, fillers, botox, peels, facials,
non-invasive body contouring, and more.
Dr. Em revealed that she treats patients like family. Like
a mother who has to protect her children, the head doctor
makes sure that all the treatments and procedures are safe.
To achieve that, Dr. Em tries the services herself before rec-
ommending it to her patients. Her patients’ satisfaction is her
goal, she says.
As an example, she did not offer nose lifting with Hiko
threads in the past as it required using sharp needles. She is
very cautious in using sharp needles as it comes with possible
complications. The only time she decided to offer Hiko pro-
cedure was when the sharp needles were replaced with blank
cannulas. With blank cannulas, the treatment has become
much safer for her patients.
The head doctor has gained valuable experiences and
expertise in the field of aesthetics, anti-aging and regenerative
medicine though continuous education. Before choosing treat-
ments to be offered in the clinic, Dr. Em takes time in assess-
ing what is needed by her patients.
She is certified by the American Academy of Aesthetic Med-
icine, Associate Fellow of the Philippine Academy of Aesthetic
Surgery and member of the Philippine Academy of Aesthetic
and Age Management Medicine. Dr. Em is certified by the
American Council of Exercise as a group fitness instructor and
certified by the International Sports Sciences Association as
fitness nutrition specialist.
Vine Aesthetics is located at Unit 2H Mezzanine Level, Grand Hamptons Tower II, 1st Ave. cor. 31st St., Bonifacio Global
City, Taguig. For inquiries, call tel. nos. 09178590642, 217-2687, 843-3023, email vineaesthetics@gmail.com
or visit www.vineaesthetics.com

8. 8
companygood
Denmark partyRGM&Co. holds luncheon in honor of
Danish Ambassador Jan Top Christensen
By Maurice Arcache
R
.G. Manabat & Co. (RGM&Co.),
the Philippine member firm of
KPMG International, recently
hosted a welcome luncheon for Ambassador
of Denmark to the Philippines Jan Top
Christensen at the Tower Club in Makati
City. In attendance during the luncheon were
members of the Danish business community in
the Philippines and RGM&Co. executives.
These include Arla Foods Country
Manager Jens Christian Krog Nielsen, Arla
Foods Vice President for Southeast Asia
Patrick Hanson, Danfoss, Inc. Country
Manager Allan Almendrala, Global Process
Manager, Inc. President Erik Nielsen,
Grundfos Holding A/S General Manager
Hans Ole Steensig, ISS Facility Services
Phils., Inc. CEO Peter Lund, Scan Global
Logistics, Inc. Managing Director Klaus
Rasmussen, SEMCO Maritime A/S Global
Service Manager Jens Kristian Mygent,
Skandinavian Solar Corp. President Leo
Sørensen, TORM Shipping Philippines, Inc.
Senior Finance Manager Crisalde Julaton,
Nordic Business Council Philippines Project
Manager Joni Koro, and Royal Danish
Consulate General Honorary Consul General
Perry Pe.
RGM&Co. executives present were
Chairman and CEO Roberto Manabat,
Vice Chairman and Head of Tax and Chief
Operating Officer Emmanuel Bonoan, Chief
Finance Officer Pacifico Castañeda, Audit
Partner Emy Bagnes, Tax Principal Carmela
Peralta, and Advisory Partner Michael
Guarin.
During the luncheon, RGM&Co. COO
Bonoan introduced KPMG’s Thought
Leadership publication entitled 2015
Change Readiness Index, a report which
evaluates the ability of 127 countries to
prepare for, manage, and respond to change.
Bonoan cited the Philippines’ strong
performance in the survey report, where
it ranks first in the lower-middle income
nations and 33rd in the overall index, above
high-income countries such as Spain and
Italy. Ambassador Christensen expressed
his appreciation for the luncheon hosted
by the firm and acknowledged RGM&Co.
and KPMG International’s important role
in bringing more Danish businesses to
the country, while addressing barriers to
investments with the support of the Royal
Danish Embassy.
“We look forward to deepen our
strong relationship with the Royal
Danish Embassy and the Danish business
community in further attracting foreign
direct investments in order to sustain our
country’s strong economic performance,”
said Manabat, RGM&Co. CEO.
RGM&Co. is a full professional services
firm that offers audit, tax, and financial or
business advisory. For more information
on KPMG in the Philippines, you may visit
www.kpmg.com.ph.
(L-R) RGM&Co.Tax Principal Carmela Peralta, RGM&Co. CFO Pacifico Castañeda, RGM&Co.Vice Chairman
and Head of Tax, Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel Bonoan, RGM&Co. Chairman and CEO Roberto
Manabat, RGM&Co.Advisory Partner Michael Guarin, RGM&Co.Audit Partner Emy Bagnes and Ambassador
of Denmark to the Philippines Jan Top Christensen(center)
(L-R) Danfoss, Inc. Country Manager Allan Almendrala,
Ambassador of Denmark to the Philippines JanTop
Christensen, and Royal Danish Consulate General
Honorary Consul General Perry Pe
(L-R) RGM&Co.Audit Partner Emy Bagnes,TORM
Shipping Philippines, Inc. Senior Finance Manager
Crisalde Julaton, and RGM&Co.Tax Principal
CarmelaPeralta
Arla Foods Country Manager Jens
Christian Krog Nielsen, and RGM&Co.
Chairman and CEO Roberto Manabat
(L-R) TORM Shipping Philippines, Inc. Senior Finance
Manager Crisalde Julaton, RGM&Co.Vice Chairman
and Head of Tax, Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel
Bonoan, Grundfos Holding A/S General Manager
Hans Ole Steensig, and Danfoss, Inc. Country
Manager Allan Almendrala
Chairman and CEO Roberto Manabat,Ambassador of
Denmark to the Philippines Jan Top Christensen, and Global
Process Manager, Inc. President Erik Nielsen

9. 9
targeted capacity building on economic
governance, unilateral reforms aimed
at further improving the services sector,
regulatory infrastructure, and competition
policy.
• This November, Leaders are expected
to endorse the APEC Services Cooperation
Framework (ASCF) as a long-term strategic
document, which will provide a common
direction and more coherence in APEC’s
work on services and help economies gain
a deeper understanding of the policy and
regulatory settings that will best facilitate
innovative, productive, and vibrant services
sectors, as appropriate to their needs. This
Framework recognizes that more competitive
services sectors help create jobs, produce
quality goods, widen choices for consumers,
and harness opportunities for businesses
particularly for micro, small, and medium
enterprises. The ASCF is complemented by
the APEC Virtual Knowledge Center (to be
launched at CSOM), the APEC Services Trade
Access Requirements (STAR) Database, and
the recently endorsed Manufacturing-Related
Services Action Plan and Environmental
Services Action Plan.
• The Philippines as host economy, in
partnership with ABAC and the Pacific
Economic Cooperation Council, organized
the APEC 2015 Public-Private Dialogues
on Services and the Regional Conference of
Services Coalitions to discuss ways to address
impediments to and facilitate services trade
growth. The Regional Conference also served
as the preparatory meeting to launch the Asia-
Pacific Coalition of Services, touted to be the
largest services coalition the world.
• APEC Finance Ministers developed
the Cebu Action Plan (CAP), which works
on four pillars: (i) promoting financial
integration; (ii) advancing fiscal reforms
and transparency; (iii) enhancing financial
resiliency; and (iv) accelerating infrastructure
development and financing. The CAP is
a roadmap and a living document that
will guide economies in promoting intra-
regional trade and investments, connectivity,
infrastructure development, and MSME and
supply chain financing.
• Trade Ministers developed the Boracay
Action Agenda (BAA) to Globalize MSMEs,
which outlines actions that are practical
and important for MSMEs’participation
in global trade, such as access to finance,
e-commerce, and markets. APEC officials
have also developed an Implementation Plan
which will guide economies to identify areas
of convergence across APEC fora, and work
with ABAC on complementary projects and
efficient use of resources in implementing
MSME initiatives.
• The BAA is complemented by the APEC
Iloilo Initiative: Growing Global SMEs for
Inclusive Development, which is a guiding
framework for integrating SMEs into
international trade and global value chains.
APEC has also introduced the APEC MSME
Marketplace as a tool to promote cooperation
and linkage across MSMEs and other
stakeholders.
• With APEC’s guidance, economies
are on track to fulfill the ground-breaking
commitment to reduce applied tariffs on the
APEC List of 54 Environmental Goods to
five percent or less by the end of this year, as
agreed by Leaders in 2012.
• APEC will launch the APEC Trade
Repository (APECTR) as a one-stop portal
for information on trade-related regulations, in
line with member economies’commitment to
transparency and predictability in trade.
• APEC has developed Investment
Facilitation Action Plan (IFAP) priority
actions for 2015-2016. Economies are
encouraged to support a more predictable
and transparent investment climate and
strengthen the role of investment as a
driver of growth and jobs. On infrastructure
investment specifically, APEC has welcomed
the publication of the Guidebook on Public-
Private Partnership (PPP) Frameworks in the
APEC Region as a useful reference for APEC
economies in developing PPP infrastructure
frameworks. Capacity building in this area
will be strengthened by the initiatives of the
APEC PPP Experts Advisory Panel.
• Economies have welcomed the interim
progress report on the Supply Chain
Connectivity FrameworkAction Plan (SCFAP)
in support of our Leaders’APEC-wide target
of achieving a 10-percent improvement in
supply chain performance.APEC will continue
to move towards this goal by participating in
the Capacity Building Plan to Improve Supply
Chain Performance, particularly on pre-arrival
processing, expedited shipments, advance
rulings, release of goods, and electronic
payments. Other ongoing APEC programs
include the Single Window, Advanced Risk
Management, Passenger Name Record, Asia-
Pacific Model E-Port Network (APMEN),
and Authorized Economic Operators (AEO,)
which will help develop trade facilitation
frameworks that allow efficient transport of
legitimate cargo processing.
• APEC has developed Principles on the
Movement of Humanitarian Goods and
Equipment to facilitate the movement of
goods and equipment to disaster areas, address
potential capacity gaps in APEC economies,
and strengthen cooperation among government
institutions, business, and local communities.
• APEC recognizes the constructive
role of the Internet and digital economy in
harnessing the full potential of businesses
and economies, taking into account the need
to bridge the digital divide. Through the Ad
Hoc Steering Group on the Internet Economy,
APEC promotes cooperation and facilitates
technological and policy exchanges on cross-
cutting internet and digital economy issues.
• 2015 marks the mid-term assessment
of the Travel Facilitation Initiative (TFI)
launched by Leaders in 2011 as “a cross-
cutting initiative to expedite the movement
of travelers across the Asia-Pacific region,
with the goal of enabling more efficient, more
Briefer: APEC...
From page 4
Turn to page 10
Turn to page 12
Investing in a Tourism Enterprise Zone
Tourism business consultant John Michael Evidente explains why enlisting with TIEZA
is an attractive proposition for entrepreneurs both local and foreign.
N
o matter how you look at it, the
Philippines has it all, tourism-wise.
Apart from its breathtaking natural
resources, our country boasts of centuries-
old cultural and heritage attractions that
make a business rooted in tourism a viable
proposition to the brave of heart (and wallet).
Making tourism an even bigger engine
of socioeconomic growth is the goal behind
Republic Act 9593, also known as the
Tourism Act of 2009. This law also created
the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise
Zone Authority (TIEZA), formerly the
Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA).
As the infrastructure and investment
arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT),
the TIEZA designates, regulates and
supervises the Tourism Enterprise Zones
(TEZs) established under RA 9593. So for
those who are keen on investing in tourism
enterprises, enlisting with TIEZA to qualify
for the incentives under the Tourism Act is
a must.
Who qualifies for the TEZ incentives?
As TIEZA defines it, it’s “any person, firm,
association, partnership, corporation, or any
other form of business organization that
is involved in tourism activities inside a
designated Tourism Enterprise Zone.”
This goes for anyone putting up tourist
facilities, attractions and services such as
hotels, resorts, boutique bed-and-breakfast
inns, restaurants, shops, department stores,
sports and recreational centers, museums
and galleries, zoos and theme parks,
convention centers, travel and tours, tourist
transport, tour guides, adventure sports,
and tourism estate management, and other
enterprises that may be identified by the
DOT or TIEZA.
Registered Tourism Enterprises (RTEs)
operating outside a TEZ may also register
and apply for the incentives under RA
9593 if they will undertake “a substantial
expansion or upgrade of its facilities” that
should be at least 50 percent of their original
investment.
The law outlines the characteristics of a
geographical area that may be designated as
a TEZ and the policies for its establishment.
A Tourism Enterprise Zone is defined as
an area determined by TIEZA of at least
five hectares meant for tourism-related
development, whether “brownfield” (with
any existing infrastructure or development)
or “greenfield” (without development).
Incentives for RTEs
The law clearly states that to avail of
incentives, a tourism enterprise must
locate in a TEZ and must register with
TIEZA. However, only those existing
accommodation establishments located
outside of the TEZ can be a Registered
Tourism Enterprise and may avail of
incentives from TIEZA.
Other tourism enterprises may avail
of incentives, which are both fiscal and
non-fiscal, provided that their tourism
activities are included in the Investment
Priorities Plan (IPP) of the DOT.
TIEZA says it offers a package of fiscal
incentives “superior to those of other
Philippine investment agencies, if not
those in the region.” In summary, they are:
• A six-year income tax holiday (ITH),
extendible for up to an additional six
years, under certain conditions;
• A preferential tax rate of 5 percent
on gross income upon expiration of the
income tax holiday;
• Tax and duty-free importation of capital
equipment;
• Under certain conditions, the tax-free
importation of goods, or tax credits for local
sourced goods, that are consumed in the course
of providing services within TEZs; and
• A social responsibility incentive for
environment, culture, or community
livelihood projects, as a tax credit of up to
50 percent of the cost of such projects.
The ITH may last up to a dozen years at
the most if the tourism enterprise undertakes
substantial expansion or upgrade of facilities
before the original six-year ITH period
expires. Existing tourism enterprises may
also be entitled to the six-year ITH if they
can undertake expansions and upgrades.
There is a provision for loss carry-over for
the next six consecutive years immediately
following the year of the loss, according to a
commentary by Joy S. Formaran Duclan of
P&A-Grant Thornton. “As this incentive is
under the ITH section, it is not clear, however,
how this privilege can be availed of if the
enterprise is already enjoying ITH,” she adds.
After the income tax holiday, the 5
percent tax on the gross income of new
tourism enterprises is in lieu of all other
national and local taxes, license fees,
imposts and assessments, except real estate
taxes and such fees as may be imposed by
TIEZA. Gross income shall be determined
based on the provisions of the Tax Code.
Image courtesy of Bugphai at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

10. 10
Life at the
active north side
A
vida Land Corp. adds to its
roster of developments on the
active north side of Bonifacio
Global City (BGC) with The
Montane on 8th Avenue. Situated at the
center of North BGC, The Montane is a
high-rise residential development with unit
specifications upgraded from Avida’s usual
offerings, and design that is inspired by
simplicity and sophistication.
Residents of The Montane can look
forward to brighter days in BGC, from the
moment they awake to free-flowing air
and sunlight. The development is ideal for
individuals and families who prefer active
establishments and green spaces integrated
into the urban landscape.
Landscaped gardens, a lap pool, and
viewing decks for lounging are just some
amenities within The Montane. Step
outside, and parks, a Turf football field, a
trapeze school, and Kidzania, the newest
edutainment center for children, are just a
short walk away. Whatever you choose to do
within or outside your unit, it’s all part of a
lifestyle that lights you up.
With the Montane, residents can relish the
best of BGC, being within walking distance
of world-class establishments and all that
BGC has to offer. To be specific, there are five
commercial areas, three hotels, two churches,
five active zones, one international school, and
a museum all within BGC Active North -- all
satisfying the body, mind, and spirit.
With 33 of its 39 floors dedicated to
residential spaces, The Montane will have
five podium parking levels, retail spaces in
its ground floor and lobby area, amenities
and garden units on the seventh level, and
bi-level units on its two topmost levels.
Units are maximized for natural lighting and
ventilation.
The Montane is ready for telephone, cable
and Internet connections, and the project
also features a centralized garbage disposal
system, a mailbox per unit, bicycle racks and
motorcycle parking, and reserved parking
for three-bedroom and four-bedroom
loft units. Safety features such as a fully
addressable alarm and sprinkler system, two
fire exits per floor, emergency power and
CCTVs in critical areas come standard.
will include a sports complex, an active
park, and rows of greenery around its
residential and office buildings by Avida.
Indeed, this Avida development is ideal for
urbanites who seek a balance between home,
work, and an active lifestyle. With over 30
percent of BGC dedicated to permanent
open spaces, such a balance will remain for
years to come.
The Montane on 8th Avenue
of Bonifacio Global City is where life radiates
The project is also strategically
located on 8th Avenue, which stretches
to Kalayaan Avenue, granting easy
access to C-5 Road and Makati City. The
Montane is also a short walk from one of
BGC’s main thoroughfares, 32nd Street,
which has offices and a variety of retail
establishments.
Future developments in the North BGC
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Look forward to brighter
days with The Montane
and be part of a lifestyle
that lights you up.
secure, and less stressful travel” (TFI Progress
Report). The TFI focuses on promoting
improvements in such key areas as passenger
security screening, immigration and customs
processing, fostering regional adoption of best
practices for airports, and the pursuit of next-
generation approaches to facilitating regional
travel. The TFI encompasses six main pillars:
the Airport Partnership Program, the APEC
Business Travel Card (ABTC), the Trusted
Traveler Program, Air Passenger Security
Screening, Advance Passenger Information
(API), and Checked Baggage Facilitation.
• Economies confirmed the extension of
validity of the APEC Business Travel Card
(ABTC) from three to a maximum of five
years beginning September 1, 2015. The
ABTC allows business people to travel visa-
free in the APEC region (implemented by 19
out of 21 economies)
Inclusive growth through
good governance
• APEC has thus put forward an APEC
Strategy for Strengthening Quality Growth
that embeds the principles of institution
building, social cohesion/equity, and concern
for environmental impact of economic/
industrial activities as new dimensions with
which growth should be pursued. The strategy
underscores how quality growth is about the
economic well-being of every individual and
of every economy, focusing on how growth
can be sustained over the medium- to long-
term. Thus, governments of each APEC
economy are called to ensure the principles of
good governance, transparency, and inclusion
Briefer: APEC...
From page 9
in their individual economic pursuits.
• In the next five years until 2020, this
document will serve as a strategic guide for
APEC as an institution and as individual
economies in strengthening quality growth
through agreed initiatives that could be
pursued collectively or unilaterally. Initiatives
cover various areas: health, access to quality
education, skills training, mobility, MSMEs’
access to capital, and preparedness for and
resilience to disasters such as by adopting set
principles for the movement of humanitarian
goods during disasters. The framework also
supports the UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, reduce
inequality, and ensure the well-being of all.
Inclusive growth through
resilient and sustainable
communities
• APEC 2015 discussions have thus focused
on the human and societal dimensions of our
APEC work: such as actions to address the
core issues of income disparity, access to food
and water, disruptive and abrupt technological
shifts, changing demographics, problems of
uncontrolled urbanization, pandemics, disaster
risks, and climate change.
• The work of the APEC
Human Resource Development
Working Group (HRDWG) has
been geared towards developing
21st century skills that increase
people’s employability,
productivity, and ability to
respond to emerging business
demands. Their work includes
programs aimed at promoting
competitiveness by facilitating
the mobility of skilled labor, and
ensuring the quality of skills and competencies
that meet supply chain demands of the
region. Current projects include the APEC
Labor Market Portal, APEC Occupational
Standards Referencing Framework, APEC
Vocational Training Project in Cooperation
with Enterprises, and the HRDWG 2015-
2018 Action Plan directed towards vulnerable
groups in society, such as persons with
disabilities, women and children, as well as
mobile workers.
• This year, APEC met its target of 1 million
intra-APEC university-level students per year
by 2020, through the contributions of the
APEC Higher Education Research Center and
APEC Scholarship Initiative.
• APEC recognizes the significant role
women play in the economy. APEC has
developed the Strategic Plan of the Policy
Partnership on Women and the Economy
(PPWE) 2015-2018 to advance women’s full
and equal economic participation through
improved access to capital and assets; access to
markets; skills, capacity building, and health;
women’s leadership, voice, and agency; and
innovation and technology.
• Projects include the Women and the
Economy Dashboard to track, measure, and
communicate progress in reducing barriers to
women’s economic participation; the Guide in
Gender Criteria for APEC Project Proposal to
ensure mainstreaming of gender perspectives
across APEC; and the Policy Toolkit on Healthy
Women, Healthy Economy to improve the
physical and mental health, safety, and well-being
of women in the workplace.
• The APEC Disaster Risk Reduction
Framework facilitates collective work in building
adaptive and disaster-resilient economies
supporting inclusive and sustainable development
in the face of the “new normal” – the increasing
frequency, magnitude and scope of natural
disasters, and the resultant disruption on the
increasingly integrated and interlinked production
and supply chains. The framework enables
collaboration on the four inter-operable and
mutually reinforcing pillars, namely: Prevention
and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and
Rehabilitation and Build Back Better.
• The APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on
Food Security and Blue Economy Plan of Action
enhances efforts to ensure the security of the
region’s food supply and sustainable agricultural
and water management. The plan ensures all
citizens have access to food through the reduction
in waste and loss along the food supply chain,
agribusiness promotion, market development, and
open and fair trade that enable the integration of
small scale fishers and fish farmers into global
food chains.
• APEC economies are working on the
aspirational target of reducing aggregate energy
intensity from 2005 levels by 45 percent by 2035
through collaboration on energy-efficient and low
carbon development. APEC is also committed
to prioritize clean and renewable energy
Turn to page 14
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

12. 12
charcoal briquettes, bio-fertilizers, pots, and garbage bins.
What remains to be resolved now is the wastewater
treatment and coastal management for the island. The notable
“green bloom” of algae on Boracay’s white sands and the
stench on some parts of the beach are due to the “dangerously
high” levels of coliform bacteria seeping out of the island’s
sewer system, and some establishments have been accused of
running their effluents straight into the ocean.
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, according to
Dulay’s column in the Times, pointed to the failure of these
establishments to properly connect to the sewerage lines being
operated by the Boracay Island Water Company (BWIC). The
company is building a water transmission line and a sewage
treatment plant that will reportedly cost around P600 million.
Dulay, however, asserts that some homes or businesses
“would find it difficult if not impossible to connect to the
sewerage grid” because BWIC has not finished the sewer and
Waste not... Investing in...
From page 6 From page 9
drainage lines. “As a result, untreated wastewater continues to
find its way into the coastal waters,” the columnist adds.
Finally, the JICA study reported by CNN Philippines,
which is part of a larger project called Coastal Ecosystem
Conservation and Adaptive Management, notes that Boracay’s
coral cover declined by 70 percent from 1998 to 2011. The
fastest rate of the decline happened from 2008 to 2011 when
tourist arrivals rose by over 38 percent.
If the trend continues, the JICA team said that Boracay
would endanger its most notable asset – its powdery white
sand – as the island is already experiencing beach erosion.
The coral reefs around the island help prevent that erosion
by softening the impact of the ocean waves on the beaches,
the CNN report explained.
Without its white sand, Boracay is just another tropical
island, not worthy of being visited by millions of Filipinos
and foreigners yearly. And if the waste that its people and
visitors leave behind continues to grow into an untamed
monster, then it’s time for people like me who have lived
here to find another island to call home.
T
he Philippines is touted as the Milan of
Asia in the global market for furniture. The
unparalleled design and craftsmanship of
locally manufactured furniture pieces have
earned for Philippine furniture a prime spot
in the world market.
Many people, however, have differing ideas on what
exactly constitutes upscale furniture, which Pinoy-made
pieces are now an integral part of, owing to continued
international recognition for excellence in product design
and craftsmanship, as well as creativity and innovation in
the application of materials.
We consulted architect and interior designer Alessandra
Nati, an Italian consultant for a Filipino-Italian design
company based in Makati City, on the reasons why Filipino
furniture continues to make an impact in this highly-
competitive market, as local manufacturers keep selling
premium quality furniture to
the world’s middle to high-end
furniture markets. Here are some
reasons that she shared:
Filipino furniture is unique
In general, the affluent and so-called high net worth
individuals (HNWI) “want to have one-of-a-kind objects in
their houses that no one else has,” and Philippine furniture
is certainly outstanding in that regard, Nati says. “People
are shifting from big brands to local artisans and small
boutiques. If you go to the luxury shops, you will find the
same assortment of goods no matter where you are. How
can a thing be considered luxurious – where the buyer
doesn’t mind how much it costs – if it is not original and
rare?” It’s one reason, Nati adds, that even Filipino vintage
pieces have become so popular.
Furniture is an experience
Before, people tended to buy tangible “status” things
to demonstrate their wealth, but today “they prefer to
buy unique experiences,” Nati says. How does that affect
furniture? “People want to have luxury experiences in their
houses, whether it is a spa-center in their bathroom or a
home cinema system.” Clients have forced this trend on
interior designers, she adds, as they expect their furniture to
become an experience as well. That is the reason why most
high-end stores today have 3D visualization software, which
has become a compulsory element of furniture and design
presentation.
The sustainability
movement
More people, especially the wealthy, have
embraced their responsibility to the environment
and want their furniture to reflect the same, says Nati.
“Sustainable no longer means cheap,” she adds. “For
example, furniture producers make stunning furniture from
reclaimed wood, which adds unique character and history
to the item.” Designers also no longer debate about the
possibility of merging luxury and sustainability, as luxury is
already becoming environmentally conscious,” Nati says.
An expression of individuality
Another change in the upscale furniture market today
is that people become less affected by fashion and trends.
“They will not buy thing just because it is super-popular
if they don’t like it,” Nati says. “They want their house to
be built and decorated according to their needs and tastes.”
Luxury, in this sense, means “custom-anything”: from
custom furniture to custom lampshades.
Nati adds that nowadays, there is no certain definition of
luxury, as everybody has his or her own understanding of
it. “Luxury is freedom to live the life you want. You have to
answer the question: What does luxury mean to you?” That
goes even with the upscale, Philippine-made furniture you
adorn your home with.
Understandingupscalefurniture
An Italian interior designer talks to Todd delos Santos on why Philippine-made furniture
is the darling of the world’s middle-to-high-end markets
What’s “special and peculiar” about RA 9593, added
Duclan, is that the grant of incentives is not limited to RTEs
within TEZs. “The law recognizes that there are other laws
under which tourism enterprises may enjoy incentives
such as the PEZA law or the Omnibus Investments Code
administered by the Board of Investments, as well as the
Bases Conversion and Development Act,” she notes.
Non-fiscal benefits for tourism enterprises, meanwhile,
are the administrative incentives offered by TIEZA in the
form of a “one-stop shop” for services. The agency says
it “has worked closely with other government agencies to
ensure the speedy and responsible approval of applications.”
Thus, TIEZA says it offers a package “superior to that
of other investment agencies,” because of all the reasons
above that in essence promotes sustainable and responsible
tourism. If you have the heart – and the wallet – for a tourist
business, then it’s time to sign up today.

14. 14
sports
HUBLOT
Founder/Year: Carlo Crocco, 1980
(Geneva, Switzerland)
Crocco is a scion of Italy’s Binda Group
watchmaking dynasty founded by Innocente
Binda in 1906, so Hublot has pedigree
despite its relatively young age. Crocco
struck out on his own in 1976, named the
brand after the French word for “porthole,”
and created the first natural rubber strap
in watchmaking history. The luxury
brands group LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet
Hennessy) bought Hublot from Crocco in
2008, and now the watch is on the wrists
of celebrities like the rapper Jay-Z, football
stars Leo Messi and David Beckham, and
basketball icon Kobe Bryant.
PANERAI
Founder/Year: Giovanni Panerai, 1860
(Florence, Italy)
The brand, with headquarters in
Neuchâtel, Switzerland, made its
mark in World War II by supplying
timepieces for the Royal Italian Navy,
using cases designed and made by Rolex.
It owes a lot of its popularity to actor
Sylvester Stallone, who in 1995 bought
a small batch from a jeweler in Rome to
give to friends. Two years later, the luxury
goods conglomerate Richemont bought the
brand, which is now sported by the likes of
Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt, Hugh Grant, Russell
Crowe and Pierce Brosnan.
BREGUET
Founder/Year: Abraham-Louis Breguet,
1775 (Paris)
Breguet invented both the tourbillon (a
device that helps counter the effects of
gravity in a mechanical watch, a staple of
high-end watches) and the wrist watch, and
the brand gained its prominence by being
the favored timepiece of the French Royal
Family, particularly Marie Antoinette (yes,
the queen beheaded by guillotine during the
French Revolution). Modern-day Breguets,
now made by The Swatch Group, command
prices in the millions of dollars.
High-end watches...
From page 3
HONORABLE MENTIONS (because
we simply don’t have enough space to
discuss them all): Moinet, Jaeger Le Coultre,
IWC, Rolex, Omega, Piaget, Vacheron
Constantin, Blancpain, and Bulgari.
technologies, taking into account APEC’s
aspirational goal of doubling the shares of
renewables in the APEC energy mix from
2010 levels by 2030.
• APEC commits to accelerate our efforts
to enhance productivity through safe, secure,
efficient, and sustainable transportation
systems, and to promote innovations
in the transportation sector as we move
towards achieving inclusive mobility and
global supply chain resilience. To this end,
APEC implements the APEC Supply-
Chain Connectivity Framework Action
Plan through projects including: Promoting
Regional Economic Integration by Deriving
Supply Chain Connectivity Benefits over
Cross-Cutting Issues in Transport, Energy,
Environment and Human Health; Global
Supply Chain Resilience (Phase 3); and IMO
International Ship and Port Facility Security
(ISPS) Code Implementation Assistance
Program (ICIAP).
• APEC commits to enhance the economic
empowerment of persons with disabilities
and to eliminate barriers to their economic
participation. To contribute to the development
of a disability-inclusive economy, APEC
established the APEC Group of Friends on
Disability to promote sharing of information,
resources and good practices on disability
issues among APEC members. APEC is also
developing an Inclusive Mobility Framework
in 2016 aimed to develop safe, secure and
accessible transportation for persons with
disabilities.
[Editor’s Note:This article was taken from a press release
posted on APEC 2015’s official website, apec2015.ph]
Briefer: APEC...
From page 10
Fromsmallacorns
Rugby in the Philippines is still in its
infancy, but our sports editor Dimitris
Lyritzis says it has the potential to grow
players as mighty as oak trees
R
ugby is not a game you’d
normally associate with the
Philippines, but, the way things
are going, you soon will.
The Philippine Rugby Football Union
(PRFU) was actually founded in 1999,
but, until around 2005, its activities were
limited, mostly due to the very simple fact
that there was only one team registered,
Nomads. They had no one else to play with,
so they scrambled around playing touring
sides, or occasionally going abroad to take
part in other tournaments, and players were
predominantly expats.
But the last few years have seen the
formation of several other teams, mostly
made up of Filipino nationals who were
living abroad and have now returned, a large
contingency of locals, several students from
places like Fiji and Samoa who are now
studying here, and a mere smattering of
foreign nationals.
A national team was
formed around ten years
ago, the Philippine
Volcanoes, made up of
mostly Filipinos living
abroad, and they joined the
Asian Rugby Football Union
competing in the third tier,
mostly losing against teams
like Korea, Hong Kong,
or Japan, and occasionally
winning against teams like
Brunei, Guam, India, or
Iran. In 2012, they finally
entered the International
ranks), Clarke, Mavericks – but it is not
a league as such, and more of a series of
mini-tournaments held over the space of two
weeks or so.
There are three different competitions, the
7’s (running from October until Christmas),
the 10’s (January to March), and the 15’s
(April to May), and teams compete in all-
day tournaments over two to three weekends
where they all play each other in a type of
knockout format, with the final held on the
last day.
While the standard of players is variable,
it is rapidly improving, with more and more
national team members coming back to live
and work in the Philippines and putting
more hours into coaching, and more players
joining up while the existing ones just keep
on progressing.
It seems that the game’s organized
Rugby Board (IRB) World Rankings for the
first time, ranked 71st place, soon rising to
55th within just one year.
They actively went to work trying to
persuade some of the players to “come
home” and invest in the future of the
sport, and many have since done just that,
and structured in an ad hoc, organic,
constantly-evolving type of way, which
is par for the course for a sport in its
infancy and still plying its wares in a
niche market place. One tournament
that has been going on since 1989, and
has helped raise rugby’s profile in this
country, is the Nomads 10’s International,
a huge weekend event held at Nomads
Sports Club in March and which attracts
teams from all over Asia, with even an All
Blacks representative team taking part.
Rugby has only been around for a few
years, and, like any new sport, especially in a
country dominated by basketball, volleyball
and boxing, it will take a while to be widely
accepted. But the sport has made huge
strides in a relatively short period of time,
and, with the standard constantly rising, the
future looks promising.
procuring employment in
different companies and
putting a little back into
the game by coaching the
teams that they play for.
The “league” is made
up of the handful of
teams which exist – like
Nomads, Globe, Eagles
(from Alabang, and
probably the strongest
team with several
national players in their

16. Where life radiates.
8TH AVE. COR. 35TH ST., NORTH TRIANGLE,
BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY, TAGUIG
Wake up to days where ample air and sun’s rays are
fixtures in your own urban sanctuary. Enjoy the view of
the city’s captivating scenery, and experience pleasurable
mornings that are nothing short of inspiring. Because at
The Montane, life is definitely at its most radiant.
ARTIST’S
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