by admin | Sep 3, 2014 | National News
Consumers to benefit from shift to Digital TV
The country’s impending shift to digital TV is seen to benefit consumers and government agencies alike, as clearer reception and access to more channels can lead to better broadcast service delivery.
Steve Macion, president of Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media (BEAM), recently underscored the need to improve on the poor reception of free-to-air television in households throughout the country. “BEAM has been preparing and investing in our Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network infrastructure precisely for these reasons,” said Macion.
He added that DTT will deliver crystal clear pictures and high quality audio even at less than ideal signal strengths. Consumers will also have access to new free and pay TV channels, as well as services such as Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and other interactive features.
On the government side, Macion said that agencies will be able to make use of an Integrated Emergency Warning Broadcast System (IEWBS) through digital TV. “This is a method of delivering emergency warning information on the TV screen, something that is sorely needed in a disaster-prone country like the Philippines.”
The national government can also take advantage of DTT networks to implement social programs, be it in health or education, more cost-effectively. Through DTT, additional frequencies can also be made available for delivery of essential government services.
“In addition, DTT will allow broadcasters to launch new and targeted niche channels, to better utilize and monetize their content libraries,” added Macion.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued in November last year Memorandum Circular No. 05-11-2013, adopting Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard for the Philippines’ migration to digital TV. NTC chief Gamaliel Cordoba announced recently that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for digital TV may be issued within the third quarter of this year to pave the way for the service rollout of TV networks.
BEAM is a Philippine broadcast company that operates Free-to-Air Channel 31. While BEAM was initially focused on UHF broadcasting, it is currently expanding its Digital Terrestrial Television platform for use in multimedia convergence.
by admin | Aug 29, 2014 | National News
DTI approves SRP adjustment on candles effective September
Effective 17 September 2014, the Suggested Retail Prices (SRPs) of candles with the brand “Liwanag”, will increase by 2.06% to 2.42% due to the increasing cost of paraffin wax – a major raw material used in the manufacture of candles.
Affected by this price adjustment is the Esperma variety of Liwanag candles specifically #03, #05, #16, #18, and #24.
“According to the data collected and records maintained by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the cost of paraffin wax has been steadily increasing in the past three years. The price of said raw material increased from P88.20 to P94.60 within 2011 to 2014. Due to this, the Department approved the increase in SRP of Liwanag candles”, DTI-Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba said.
“Given that the price adjustment only takes effect by 17 September 2014, retailers are reminded to abide by the current SRPs for candles until such time that the new approved SRPs are in effect. Consumers, on the other hand, are forewarned from buying overpriced candles and encouraged to report this to the DTI”, Dimagiba added.
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act, penalties for illegal price manipulation such as profiteering include: imprisonment of five (5) up to 15 years and administrative fine of P5,000.00 up to P1,000,000.00.
Historically, prices of candles have been stable since 2011. This is the first time, in three (3) years, that the DTI approved the increases on the SRPs for candles.
As the November 02 holiday is fast approaching, the DTI advises consumers to do an early “All Souls Day” shopping for candles to be able to purchase these at lower prices.
Candles are among the products categorized under basic necessities as stipulated in the Price Act. The DTI is the agency that has jurisdiction over the pricing of said product along with other non-agricultural basic goods such as: canned fish and other marine products, processed milk, coffee, laundry bar, candles, bread, salt, instant noodles and bottled water.
As for non-agricultural prime commodities, these are: flour, canned pork, chicken and beef, vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, bath soap, paper, school supplies, cement, clinker, GI sheets, hollow blocks, construction materials, batteries, electrical supplies, light bulbs and steel wires.
To get the latest copy of the SRP list of non-agricultural basic necessities and prime commodities, visit the DTI website www.dti.gov.ph. To report retailers that sell above the SRPs, contact DTI Direct 751.3330 or 0917.8343330. (end)
by admin | Aug 18, 2014 | National News
Silicon Valley startup guru to speak in Geeks On A Beach
All systems go for int’l tech confab in Cebu
Distinguished Silicon Valley startup guru Dave McClure, the founder of the 500 Startups accelerator and seed fund investor, will be one of the keynote speakers for the long awaited Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) international tech confab this August 21 to 22.
500 Startups has invested in over 500 startups or innovation-driven enterprises related to web search, social media, and mobile app platforms. This includes Filipino real estate web listing ZipMatch, which clinched the deal in the first GOAB last year. ZipMatch also announced this week that they raised $US $550,000 funding from the same investors.
Before founding 500 Startups in 2010, McClure was already an angel investor frequently investing and advising in startups. He was also a consultant of several high-tech companies like Microsoft and Intel and worked for companies such as PayPal and Facebook.
All systems go
A major gathering of the major players in the Philippine startup scene and the world’s leading names in the field of startups and technology, this year’s Geeks on a Beach will be held at the Moevenpick Hotel in Mactan Island, Cebu this coming Thursdayand Friday.
Geeks on a Beach lead organizer Techtalks.ph, a non-profit business organization providing training and networking for Philippine tech entrepreneurs and startups, said that it is now all systems go for GOAB with all the major preparations now put in place.
TechTalks.ph founder Tina Amper said that almost everyone in the Philippine startup community and tech personalities from Silicon Valley,Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and other parts of the world will be flying to Cebu for GOAB. “It’s like the who’s who of the startup world,” she said.
First staged in Boracay last year September, this year’s GOAB promises more select expert-speakers, new activities, and additional networking opportunities in formal discussions as well as laidback and fun parties in line with the event’s ‘work hard, play harder’ motto.
This is the perfect venue for budding startups to brush shoulders with venture capitalists with private executive roundtable sessions as well as the more thrilling speed dating wherein 10 startup teams get to pitchwith investors for 5 minutes each.
Focus on PH startups
The first day will open with the keynote addresses focusing on startup opportunities and challenges startup communities by 500 Startups founder Dave McClure alongside Smart Communications Executive Vice President Benjie S. Fernandez, COO of Voyager Innovations and Managing Director of Smart eMoney, Inc. as well as Department of Science and Technology ICT Office Mon Ibrahim.
A panel discussion on the topic ‘Building our Startup Ecosystem’ will be chaired by Khailee Ng, also of 500 Startups. The next panel, to be introduced by World Startup Report founder Bowei Gai, will focus on the opportunities presented by the ASEAN integration for startups.
“We will highlight the successes of the Philippine startup community in relation to the World and Asian startup ecosystem. But we will also talk of the sad realities and the challenges. We will focus on what we need to do more,” said Amper.
A third panel is called ‘Philippine Startups and the Road Ahead – UNCUT!’ and will provide a realistic view of the local startup community in order to find the best way to move forward. Another panel, ‘Technology Stack for Startups’, will overview some of the new technologies that can help startups.
The roundtable discussion ‘Unleashing Filipino Capital to Gas Up Future Global Champions’ will tackle how Filipino investors and traditional businessmen who may be unfamiliar with the tech world can successfully invest in local startups.
A diverse tech event
The second day will see Rappler.com Chief Editor Maria Ressa deliver a keynote speech on ‘The Future of Media Today’. It is also the commencement of the breakout session with tracks on special interests, business and entrepreneurship, gaming and design, and tech and developer topics.
“Geeks on a Beach is really about helping local startups to become successful. It is a diverse event with talks from startup founders’ stories up to the use of tech innovations for disaster relief efforts. There are a lot of people who can benefit from the event,” said Amper.
According to Amper, there will also be discussions on specific concerns such as ‘Women in Tech’, ‘Tech Enabled Social Enterprises’, ‘How We Raised Funds’, ‘Failure as a Driver to Success’, ‘Branding and Digital Marketing for Tech Startups’, and ‘Policy Environment that Grows Our Startup Ecosystem’.
GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, co-presented by the IdeaSpace, SMART, and SMART Bro, co-organized by the DOST-ICTO, powered by Sym.ph, branding by HappyGaraje, and PR and event management by PRWorks.
For more information on, visit www.geeksonabeach.com, follow them on Twitter and Facebook @geeksonabeach.com, or email hello@geeksonabeach.com.###
by admin | Aug 16, 2014 | National News
2GO Travel opens new routes to various ports of Visayas and Mindanao
2GO Travel, the Philippines’ largest sea travel company, has opened new shipping routes to Dumaguete City, Romblon, Masbate City, and Zamboanga City linking more islands and provinces of the country for both ferry passengers and cargo alike.
2GO Travel believes that its new shipping services will not only boost tourism in the provinces and regions now reached by its ferries but likewise help develop the domestic economy by giving more impetus for the exchange of goods and people.
Dumaguete City is located in Negros Oriental, Central Visayas. Romblon is part of the Southern Tagalog region while Masbate belongs to the Bicol region of Southern Luzon. Zamboanga City is in Mindanao in southern Philippines.
According to 2GO officials, the expansion of 2GO Travel routes to more parts of the Visayas and Mindanao is the company’s way of giving Filipinos a more convenient and economical way to travel in the major islands of the Archipelago.
“With tourism booming in the country’s major travel destinations, there is a growing demand for sea travel. Our new routes answer the growing need for more passenger capacity and cargo space as the circulation of commodities and travelers rise in the Visayas and Mindanao,” said 2GO officials.
Born out of the merger of established shipping giants such as Negros Navigation, Superferry, Cebu Ferries, and Supercat, 2GO Travel has a combined history of more than 148 years in travel industry and is dedicated to redefine travel by combining seamless travel experience with breath-taking destinations.
2GO Travel works with over 1,200 outlets nationwide, catering to various ports in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Schedules of routes and online ticketing services are available online at the 2GO Travel website, http://travel.2go.com.ph.
by admin | Aug 4, 2014 | Headlines, National News
ONLINE OAV for 2016: Drilon
Senate President Franklin M. Drilon urged today the Commission on Election (Comelec) to already make a reality in the 2016 national elections what overseas Filipino dream about – to be able to register and vote online under the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) Act of 2003 which he principally authored.
“It is high time that the Comelec adopt all the necessary technologies that would empower the about 10 to 12 million overseas Filipinos to use the internet to register and vote in 2016 and onwards, without leaving their jobsites or residences abroad,” stressed Drilon.
Drilon expressed his own frustration about the very low turnout of OAV registrants more so of actual voters despite the huge funds and enormous efforts poured in all past elections.
He pointed out the perennial complaints from OFW groups, as well as from Filipino immigrants, seafarers and Filipino students abroad qualified to vote, that travelling far to OAV centers in Philippine embassies and consulates have dsicouraged many of them from participating in electing the country’s leaders in the past.
“Overseas Filipinos risk their lives even in strife-torn countries like Libya now not only for their families but also to prop up our economy with their over US$20 billion in remittances each year. We should make it easier for them to vote and to participate in all democratic processes by utilizing the power of the internet. Technological advances should already be utilized to surmount all overseas voting challenges in the past. The bigger voice of overseas Filipinos must be heard now!”
“Online absentee registration and voting is already practiced in about 20 countries, including the US, France, Germany, Italy and Australia. So, I see no reason anymore why it can’t be done in the Philippines as well,” said Drilon, who added that the security of online registration and voting can be addressed through the use of sophisticated data encryption and other available technologies.
The present modes of registration and voting under the OAV law (Republic Act 9189 as amended by RA 10590) – through mail or personal appearance at the Philippine embassies or consulates abroad – limit overseas voter registration and actual voting.
In fact, only 2.5 percent or a little over 200,000 of the estimated 10-12 million overseas Filipinos (including OFWs, dual citizens, seafarers, etc.) have cast their votes in past national elections.
While Filipinos overseas in countries like Hong Kong or Singapore have easy access to OAV centers, the same is not true for their counterparts in many countries in the Middle East and even in the US and Europe where Philippine consulates and embassies may be located far away from many worksites or residences.
The Comelec Advisory Council (CAC) recommended “the use of new technologies such as, but not limited to, Online Voting and recent innovations in Direct Electronic Recording (DRE) equipment.”
“If we are to have online registration and voting in 2016, then we must already do the spadework now, starting with looking at the different technologies being utilized by countries where Internet voting is already practiced and implement it right now in time for 2016,” said Drilon.
According to Drilon, in France alone, more than 1.5 million absentee voters cast their votes through the Internet, which means it is doable.
Registration under the OAV has been low that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has issued Foreign Service Circular No. 16-2014 instructing Philippine Foreign Service posts to determine if overseas Filipinos applying for passport renewal are registered under the OAV. Despite such effort, registration turnout was dismal and voting percentage did not improve significantly.
“If the (passport) applicant is not registered, the post shall register him or her as an overseas voter first before proceeding with the renewal of the passport. This procedure applies to all Filipino immigrants, overseas workers, seafarers, dual citizens and qualified students studying abroad,” said the DFA in its circular.
Drilon has called on the CAC and the Comelec to work closely to ensure that online registration and voting be implemented soonest. He likewise assured them of the Senate’s unequivocal support to jumpstart the plan.
“The Senate is behind the Comelec in making sure that there are no more disenfranchised overseas Pinoys come 2016. Let’s make it happen!” said Drilon.
by admin | Jun 30, 2014 | National News
A mass and blessing was recently held for the new office of the Department of Trade and Industry Cebu Provincial Office (DTI Cebu).
Starting July 2014, DTI Cebu shall hold office at the DTI Building, Osmena Boulevard, corner Lapulapu Street, Cebu City.
Business name applications and business permits handled by the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (NERBAC) will soon be processed in this new location.
Briefing on Fair Trade Laws for entrepreneurs and consumers will also be held at the new DTI Cebu office. Businessmen and Consumers who want to know and understand their rights and responsibilities can register at the Public Assistance and Complaint Desk at least a week before to attend either the 9:30 am or the 1:30 session.
For more information on the fair trade briefing or BN registration, interested parties may contact DTI Cebu at 255-3926 or 255-6971 for more details or visit the Department of Trade and Industry Cebu Provincial Office.
