WTTC 2022 Global Summit will be held in Manila this April!

London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), has announced that its highly anticipated 21st Global Summit will now take place in Manila, Philippines, from 20-22 April 2022 - just a month from its original March date.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “As countries around the world begin to unlock the door to travel, we have taken the decision to reschedule our Global Summit by just a few short weeks. This will enable more international participants to join us in Manila and help guide and lead the sector as we head towards economic recovery.

“Our Global Summit is the most influential Travel & Tourism event in the calendar. We are looking forward seeing our Members, industry leaders and key government representatives gather in Manila in April to continue our efforts in safely restoring international travel.”

Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary of the Philippines Department of Tourism said, "The WTTC Global Summit will be a significant opportunity for us to showcase the preparations that we have put in place for our eventual reopening to international visitors.

“Tourism has always provided us with endless opportunities. The reopening of our destinations and borders amid the pandemic is crucial to sustaining the livelihood of the millions who depend on travel and tourism. We are looking forward to being your gracious host in Manila as we navigate the next normal in the travel industry.”

The Summit will be hosted in Metro Manila in-person, with a global audience joining virtually.

Further information such as key speakers will be announced shortly.

The 2022 National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) culminates but the advocacy towards gender equality and women’s empowerment carries on.

The Philippine Commission on Women calls on everyone to continue celebrating Juanas from all walks of life even beyond the National Women’s Month, because they deserve the honor every single day. We salute all Juanas who are breaking the glass ceiling, Juanas who serve and lead, Juanas who work for and take care of their families and communities, Juanas who catalyze changes in their fields, Juanas who thrive, and Juanas who help build the nation in their own ways.

Coinciding with the last day of March 2022 is the culmination of the NWMC recurring theme since 2017, “WE Make CHANGE Work for Women”. At this turning point, agencies and institutions must recognize the wins and gains achieved for women and girls and also assess if we have, indeed, made change work for women. 

As we look back at what we already achieved, we also look forward to what remains to be done. This is timely and imperative as the country reels from the COVID-19 pandemic — a health crisis with dire gendered impacts.  Studies show that the pandemic could reverse the progress towards gender parity, with the situation worsening inequalities, exposing gender gaps, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in social, political, and economic aspects. 

Hence, the PCW urges agencies and stakeholders to be proactive in their Gender and Development (GAD) efforts so we will not backslide in this endeavor. The key is ensuring a gender-responsive and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, a post-pandemic backdrop founded on basic human rights and equities where no Juana is left behind. 

True to the sub-theme “Agenda ng Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran”, we must integrate women’s agenda in our development efforts. When we address the issues of Juanas – who comprise half of the population – it is only then can we achieve genuine and sustainable progress. 

In this light, the PCW continues to push for gender equality and women’s empowerment in  leadership, governance, and public service. This is an opportune call as we approach the national and local elections. Pursuant to the Magna Carta of Women, Juanas must be able to represent and participate in the tables where decisions and policies are being made.  

Looking forward, we also encourage our legislators to be our partners in eradicating  discriminatory provisions in existing laws and developing policies that can promote, not curtail, women’s rights. The PCW’s Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda gained traction in the recent year, with the passage of laws we supported: Republic Act No. 11596 which prohibits and criminalizes child marriage signed in December 2021 and Republic Act  No. 11648 which raised the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old, enacted in time of the first week of Women’s Month. 

But while laws and policies are vital, they are not sufficient. We have to put life into the laws, programs, and projects by ensuring that these translate to concrete changes that are felt by women in the grassroots. 

Indeed, the road to gender equality is long and difficult. The Global Gender Gap Report 2021 shows that it can take about 135.6 years to attain equality for genders. This means that even our children or their children will not yet experience gender parity. 

However, this must not dishearten GAD advocates but instead, this must inspire us to hasten and further reinforce our efforts to empower all genders. We call on the government agencies, private institutions, civil society organizations, academe, local government units from provinces to barangays, and every person to help address the continuing and emerging issues that slow down our progress towards equality. After reigniting our passion for this advocacy this National Women’s Month, we must show in full force that we are united in this pursuit through tangible actions and solutions.

The PCW extends its gratitude to participating agencies and partners with the hope that this month spurred discussions, led to realizations, and set our advocacy in full motion. 

Let us not falter in our vision: That the next generations of women will have equal rights, live a life without discrimination, violence, and stereotypes, and are respected, honored, and celebrated every day, just as they should be or just as any gender should be. When that day comes, they have you, present GAD advocates, to thank for. 

Lastly, to all Juanas, this celebration is a reminder that you are strong, magnificent, beautiful in all ways, exemplary, diligent, brilliant, compassionate and passionate, innovative, resilient, and powerful. For being trendsetters, peacemakers, innovators, and harbingers of change in the family, community, and country — we honor and celebrate you, during Women’s Month and beyond. 

Isulong ang Agenda ng Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran! In all months and in all the succeeding years, let us continue to make CHANGE work for women.

#WomenMakeChange #AgendaNgKababaihan #NWMC2022

Read the statement on our website: https://pcw.gov.ph/agenda-ng-kababaihan-tungo-sa-kaunlaran-pcw-message-on-the-culmination-of-the-2022-national-womens-month-celebration/

OPAPRU Launched; Peacebuilding Agency to Focus on Achieving Reconciliation and Unity

PASAY CITY, (23 March 2022) –  The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), formerly known as the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, was officially launched here on Wednesday.

Created through Executive Order No. 158 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on December 27, 2021, the OPAPRU’s mandate remains anchored on the Six Paths to Peace, and will continue to focus on the implementation of the commitments made by the national government under all signed peace agreements. 

The agency has three key objectives: embedding peace, reconciliation and unity in the social fabric; enhancing resilience for peace; and pursuing social, economic, and political reengineering.

The agency’s peacebuilding interventions are in line with the national government’s whole-of-nation approach, and will rely on the active participation of all sectors of society in bringing a just and lasting peace to the nation and all Filipinos.

“The OPAPRU is determined, more than ever, to sustain the gains of the peace processes by helping to transform former combatants and their families into peaceful and productive members of society, while turning once conflict-affected areas into show windows of peace and development,” said Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. in his remarks. 

The OPAPRU flag bearing the agency’s new logo was unfurled during a solemn ceremony and was witnessed by peace partners. 

The dove with an olive branch symbolizes the role of the agency in promoting just and lasting peace; the people icons in blue, yellow, and red represent the Filipino people’s’ unity amidst diversity; while the handshake symbolizes the social healing and peacebuilding initiatives being implemented by OPAPRU.

“Amidst the challenges we continue to face as a nation, the men and women of OPAPRU remain steadfast in fulfilling its mission of putting an end to the culture of violence; transforming the lives of former combatants; improving relationships between and among former rebels, their families and communities, government institutions and mainstream society, and building peaceful, resilient, and progressive communities,” Galvez said.

“To all our peace partners and stakeholders, thank you for the invaluable support you have given to us over the years. And may you continue to stay by our side as we forge ahead with our peace journey,” he added. 

#Peace #PeacePH

The Philippines and Australia sign Executive Programme on Cultural Cooperation

 28 February 2022 – Manila – The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Office for the Arts, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, through the Australian Embassy in Manila, signed the Executive Programme (EP) of the 1977 Cultural Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Commonwealth of Australia at the sidelines of the 2nd PH-AU Foreign Ministry Consultations held at the Diamond Hotel, Manila.

Signatories to the document were, on behalf of NCCA Chairman Arsenio J. Lizaso,  H.E. Ma. Hellen De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, and H.E. Steven J. Robinson, AO, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines. The Executive Programme reaffirms the commitment of both countries to continue forging initiatives on bilateral programs that will further strengthen both countries’ relations and underscore the role of culture in promoting innovative, inclusive, and resilient creative sectors and communities.

The signing ceremony was followed by a milestone event in the implementation of the Executive Programme, with the official handover of an Igorot steel to the Philippine government and wood axe repatriated by the Australian government. NCCA Executive Director Oscar G. Casaysay, received the valuable artifact in the presence of Hon. Ridwaan Jadwat of the Australian government and Hon. Nathaniel Imperial and other high-level members of the Philippine Delegation of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

MALCON RETURNS’ on April 8-9, 2022 at SM PulilanBY MALCON TEAM

After a two-year gap due to the pandemic, the Malolos Toys and Hobbies Convention (MALCON) is set to bring back its pop culture stage on April 8-9, 2022 at SM Center Pulilan in Bulacan.

MALCON is one of the Philippines’ largest toys and hobbies event that aims to gather once again toy enthusiasts, entertainment and gaming aficionados, cosplayers, collectors and hobbyists.
With everything going back to normalcy, the event is dubbed as "MALCON RETURNS." It will showcase over 5,000 toys from various anime and Japanese shows, movies, games, and art pieces.
Renowned Steampunk artist and metalsmith Ram Mallari will exhibit his masterpieces including a Batman-inspired lifesize 7-foot statue in time for the recently-released Warner Bros. film "The Batman."

Mallari will also display his Superheroes art masterpieces inspired from classic materials: "Mazinger Z," "Iron Man, "Mekanda Robot," among others.
Aside from the Mallari exhibit, event partner Anime Cosplay Empire (A.C.E.) has organized a one-day cosplay competition.

Cosplay competition
The MALCON Cosplay Competition is open for all ages. Cosplay participants can wear costumes from anime, movies, comics and games genre. The free registration is strictly on-site at 10:00am to 12:00 noon on April 9, 2022.

 
To trumpet Bulacan's impeccable talent, MALCON has again invited its very own Christian Rodil, the creator of MALCON mascot and the costume designer of ABS-CBN's upcoming drama, "Mars Ravelo's Darna: The TV Series."

MALCON will also highlight Maloleño's ingenuity through scratch toy builder Kris Morato, who made countless figures from rubber matting.

Anime music experience
Echoing MALCON's style of a full event experience, several local bands and music artists will perform various anime songs at the event which includes: "Shumi," "10 AM Departure," "Similar Sky, A Way To Stellar," "Sayco," "Mercurial Ecylpse," "Quintuplets," among others.
Gundam Bulacan Group (GBG) will also present their members' rare and unique Gundam figures. Other Bulacan-based collectors will also unveil toys from: "Demon Slayer," Marvel and DC franchises, "Power Rangers," "Kamen Rider," "Transformers," "Attack On Titan," among others.

‘New Normal’ event
"MALCON RETURNS" is emceed by host-vlogger Marlo "Anime Kabayan" Magtibay of FPS Media PH. The event is free and for all ages. Health protocols such as face mask, proper hygiene and physical distancing shall be observed on the event grounds.
The MALCON tradition started in 2018 and it has been a crowd attractor, breaching people count year-by-year from 6,000 to over 15,000 in attendance.
For more updates, like us on Facebook at fb.com/MalConPH. You may also follow us on Twitter at @malcon_ph and Instagram at @malconph. The event's official hashtags are: #MALCONRETURNS , #MALCON2022 and #MALCONCOSPLAY.

Israel Donates Water Filtration Systems to MinDa

The Israeli-made water filtration systems were delivered to Del Carmen and San Isidro in Siargao Island and Cagdianao and Basilisa in Dinagat Islands on March 29. Joining Ambassador Ilan Fluss and Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Nir Balzam during the turnover ceremony were MinDA secretary Maria Belen Acosta and Deputy Executive Director Romeo Montenegro. Present were Surigao del Norte Governor Francisco Matugas, Dinagat Islands Governor Arlene Bag-ao, and other government officials.

“Water is life. This donation is Israel’s initiative to support and promote access to potable water in the Philippines. When Typhoon Odette struck the areas in Mindanao, Israel saw the need for clean, drinking water. We coordinated with MinDA to help identify which areas we could extend this assistance,” Ambassador Fluss explained. The ambassador added, “Israel’s innovation and technology can contribute to solving some of the challenges of the Philippines.”

The Israeli-made technology is a portable crank-operated machine capable of taking water from a polluted source such as a river and purifying up to 400 liters per hour, which is enough to supply all the daily water needs of 300 to 400 people.

Prior to this, the embassy sent immediate relief efforts in December to Cebu, Bohol, and Siargao, which were also affected by Typhoon Odette. “The embassy saw the urgent needs of the people. We donated food packs, hygiene kits, water filtration systems, and solar panels to these affected areas,” Mr. Balzam shared.

MinDA and LGUs in Mindanao received a training program by Israel’s Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV) in 2021 for water conservation and management. This joint initiative is part of the ongoing partnership of the Israel Embassy and MASHAV with MinDA. 

Even Leaders Need Mentoring

I sat beside her at a private dinner hosted by then US Ambassador Sung Kim. The dinner was an enlightening discussion on US-Philippine relations, but it was her spirit and her sharp intellect that really made a mark on me.

Albright was already retired by then, but was still very much remembered for her contribution as the first woman to be named US Secretary of State during the Clinton administration.

That short encounter with her in 2017 was enough to light a fire in me to push on with my role in government. Albright’s rise to the top of international diplomacy didn’t come easy. She was a refugee during World War II and built her career in government at a time when few women were being given the opportunity to rise above traditional roles.

She is an inspiration. I think about the millions of Filipinas now heading almost all of our MSMEs in the Philippines, and I think about how hard it must have been for them, even before the pandemic. It is difficult enough to be starting a business, but as revealed in a paper by the Asian Development Bank in 2021, the pandemic was harder on women entrepreneurs in the Philippines.

The study found that women-led MSMEs earned less during the pandemic. Apparently, women found it more difficult to raise enough working capital through formal financial services than male-led MSMEs. The study explained that it was partly because they lacked immovable assets, like land and buildings, as loan collaterals.

For MSMEs, access to capital can be a make-or-break factor. For MSMEs that have just started their businesses, taking your earnings and investing it back into the business to grow it takes a lot of persistence, patience, and sacrifice. Cut off that stream of earnings – like what happened during the lockdowns – and it will be difficult to live to fight another day. It is these inherent disadvantages that we try and address at Go Negosyo; access to capital is one of the pillars of what we do, which we call the three M’s: money, market and mentorship.

Mentorship is key, and even as a seasoned businessman and head of a non-profit, I, too, find it fulfilling to be mentored by great leaders.

I have been fortunate enough that in my role as presidential adviser for entrepreneurship and as chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council in 2017, I was able to speak with some of the world’s most respected leaders, both in government and in business. It was an opportunity to interact and learn up close from the men and women who are shaping the world’s economic future. In a way, it helped put into perspective leadership, and strengthened further my resolve to serve in government.

When the Philippines hosted the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in 2017, I met the leaders of two of the world’s most powerful nations – India’s Narendra Modi and Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev. They gave the opening addresses during the summit, which was an important venue to discuss key economic issues concerning the region.

I remember how Prime Minister Medvedev had praised the ASEAN in his speech, saying that it was right for it open up its borders at a time of increasing protectionism. Russia was then trying to recover from crippling trade embargoes and sanctions, and actively looked to Asia to create new trade allies.

Looking back, the ideas exchanged during that meeting were somehow prescient of the events of the last few weeks. The pandemic, followed by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have tested the ties that bind a globalized world economy.

I remember chatting with Jack Ma, the legendary founder of Alibaba, who grew the billion-dollar e-commerce startup from only $2,000 in borrowed capital. He was speaking at the De La Salle University and I was there to interview him.

Prior to having him in the program, we had a private talk during which I shared with him our three M’s of entrepreneurship. He agreed well on its importance and the assistance it can provide to our MSMEs. He believes in this framework of market, money, and mentorship because it is exactly what they are doing at Alibaba.

That meeting was also prescient, as we talked of online payment solutions. Five years since that meeting in 2017, Go Negosyo would host sessions that coached MSMEs on how to use digital technology not just to adapt during the pandemic, but also to reach even farther markets and use data to understand better their customers.

I admire Jack Ma’s philosophy that the power of technology lies not on the technology itself. Technology changed because of the imagination, talent, and vision of people in achieving technological advancement.

In a way, I see myself in Jack Ma, such that all my life, my passion is to help solve poverty. We both think that as entrepreneurs, we have a duty to enable people to get access to money and market. And of course, mentorship through the inspirational talks and direct mentorship of successful mentor-entrepreneurs like him.

I saw in Jack Ma the vigor and passion for entrepreneurship. I see it in the thousands of small entrepreneurs who attend our nationwide mentoring programs and tune in to Go NegoShow on Facebook.

I saw in these leaders I have met over the years, the generosity in sharing knowledge, the same spirit of sharing I see in the mentors who give of their time to coach and advise small entrepreneurs. We need more people like them.