Public School Teacher named Cebuana Lhuillier’s Happiest Pinoy 2019

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Zaldy Bueno, a 37-year old teacher from Gumaca, Quezon was hailed as the 4th Happiest Pinoy, winning Cebuana Lhuillier’s Search for the Happiest Pinoy which honors and celebrates the Filipinos’ innate “optimism, resilience, and hope amidst different life crises.”

Zaldy bested nine other finalists from different categories, winning one million cash and a trophy.

The board of judges composed of Usec. Zenaida Maglaya, Gang Badoy Capati, James Deakin, RJ Ledesma, Love Anover-Lianko, Jonathan Yabut, Winston Maxino, Rommel Arellano, and Richardson Navor chose Bueno unanimously by virtue of his advocacy to see more children’s lives change through education. Zaldy volunteered as an ALS teacher and taught on weekends, he even had his mother as his student at one point and helped her finish her secondary education. Zaldy also co-founded project PADYAK in 2017, PADYAK stands for Pidal Apakan Dunong Yayaman, Asenso’y Kakamtan, which aims to provide bicycle units for students who could not afford to travel to school.

The project turned out huge with so many people donating new and used bicycle units from all over the Philippines even getting donations from OFWs abroad. This project drastically increased attendance for students at school for which their school received a perfect attendance award.

“I am very happy with the results of this year’s search — with over 800,000 entries received through our branches, online, SMS, and walk-in entries. It’s been amazing to read the entries of the 10 finalists and Zaldy proves to be a worthy winner as his tale will definitely inspire countless people to push on despite life’s difficulties, Zaldy exemplifies the commendable Filipino spirit of rising up from your current predicament and using that as fuel to make a difference in the lives of others.” said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO, Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Currently, Bueno serves as the head teacher of the English department at the Gumaca National High School. As a kid, their family would often encounter financial difficulties, Zaldy would help his mom wash clothes for their neighbours and would get his daily allowance from selling vegetables he planted to augment the family income. Zaldy vowed to work hard and study hard in order to improve their life.

A turning point in Zaldy’s life was when typhoon Rosing hit in 1995 which completely obliterated their house, and forced to stay at the barangay health center. During clinic days, Zaldy and his family had to move their things on the street to accommodate the influx of patients.

After graduating secondary school, Zaldy tried to get a college education but had to stop schooling due to financial constraints. In order to get back to school, he had to work two jobs, including stints at a tile store and as an advertiser scout for a local radio station. He finished college after 6 years.

Bueno is the fourth winner of the biennial search following Richardson Navor (2015), Rommel Arellano (2012), and Winston Maxino (2009).

When asked what Bueno will do with the prize money, he shared that he will use it to further improve Project PADYAK by acquiring more bike units which more youths can use to get to school. He also shared that he will use a part of it to bring his parents to Singapore for a well-deserved vacation.

Breaking its own record, the Cebuana Lhuillier search received over 800,000 nominations this year, the most entries it received in its ten-year history.

ProtectNow.com: All the best insurance products at your fingertips

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ProtectNow.com is an online platform that will enable s to conveniently compare and select the most ideal insurance products from a comprehensive list provided by some f the country’s leading insurance companies.

“We are living in the best of times and in the worst of times with the confluence of technological advancements and natural disasters. With ProtectNow.com, Filipinos have the power to compare and personalize their insurance plan according to the covereage that they can afford and the insurance company that they prefer,” said Jonathan Batangan, PJLI Insurance Group head during the website’s launch at the New World Makai Hotel.

ProtectNow.com allows users to easily compare a full range of vehicle, home, travel and personnel accident insurance products, for free. Its search engine generates a list of products according to the user’s budget, needs, and preferences to ensure that each and every quote provided are personalized and tailor fitted.

The website also enables users to take full control of their policies with their own insurance dashboard. Here, they can monitor their policies and transactions and files and submit documents for insurance claims. It is also equipped with the a live chat and help desk feature to connect users to an insurance analyst in real time.

Payment of premiums via the website is convenient and hassle-free. Users can simply choose to pay through PayPal or any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s close to 2,500 branches nationwide.

Already, PJLI Insurance is hoping to expand ProtectNow.com to include more financial products and services categories, partner with more insurance comapanies, as well as offere microinsurance. The website will soon cater to a global market and for every insurance policy availed, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to OurHelp.com, an online platform provides insurance for free to those who cannot afford to pay for insurance coverage.

For more information, please visit www.protectnow.com or email at support@protectnow.com.

Elite Filipino athletes headline PRURide PH 2019 Criterium

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Last year’s PRURide PH champions Jan Paul Morales and Jermyn Prado once again
dominated and defended their crown in PRURide PH 2019 Criterium held on April 7, Sunday at
Filinvest, Alabang. Hundreds of cyclists participated in the action-packed races categorized by
bicycle types such as fixed gear, mountain bike, and road bike

After the adrenaline-pumping course where participants raced in a number of 1-2km laps, 43
cyclists won grand prizes up to PhP 50,000.

Morales and Prado snagged gold medals in this year’s Criterium Road Bike (RB) Open Male
and Female categories. Prado topped returning athletes Avegail Rombaon and Marella
Salamat of Corratec who came in second and third in RB Open Female, while Morales easily
outperformed his teammates Ronald Oranza and George Oconer.

Returning athlete Ismael Grospe of Go for Gold ruled the first wave of RB -25 and below
followed by Daniel Ven of Navy-Standard Insurance and Jonel Carcueva of Go for Gold.
PRURide PH 2019 ambassadors Gretchen Ho, Kim Atienza, and Zoren Legaspi also took
the challenge of the Criterium races. Legaspi tested his speed at the road bike age group
category together with Atienza, a triathlon enthusiast but a first-timer in competitive Criterium.
Ho, on the other hand, joined the road bike open female category, also her first-ever bike
racing experience.

“We are proud of the success of our first run this year. This leg sets the tone of the whole
festival and shows what cyclists from across Asia can experience in PRURide PH 2019,” said Pru
Life UK Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Marketing Officer Allan Tumbaga.
Criterium is just the first of PRURide PH 2019’s two legs and will be followed by the PRUride
UCI 2.2 Stage Race at the Subic Freeport Zone from May 24 to 26. Here, 20 continental
teams from across the globe—including Uzbekistan, Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia,
South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Ethiopia, and of course the Philippines—can collect UCI points
and earn their tickets to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan.

Meanwhile, aspiring racers can also join the PRURide Masters Race to experience the thrill
professionals go through. Enthusiasts can cycle with the ambassadors in the non-competitive
PRURide Gran Fondo in 30-, 60-, and 100-kilometer options. Both events will be held on May
26.

The Virtual Ride is also set to reach the finals in Subic, wherein 10 qualifiers with the best time
in the preliminaries will compete for a carbon fiber road bike worth P150,000. Hopefuls can still
join the remaining preliminary rounds at Harbor Point in Subic on April 26-28 and May 17-19.
The whole family and barkada can likewise enjoy fun activities for free, such as Zumba
sessions, an inflatable playground, massage and health check stations, face paint booths, and
special performances from Callalily with Gracenote as front act.
Join the fun and register at pruride.ph!

About Pru Life UK

Established in 1996, Pru Life UK is the country's pioneer of insuravest or investment-linked life insurance products, and is one of the first life insurance companies approved to market US dollar-denominated investment-linked life insurance policies in the country. Since its establishment, Pru Life UK has expandedits reach to over 130 branches in the Philippines, with the biggest life agency force of more than 20,000 licensed agents, and has emerged as one of the top five life insurers. Pru Life UK holds headquarters in Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Pru Life UK is a subsidiary of British financial services giant Prudential plc. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Prudential plc has an extensive network of life insurance and mutual funds operations around the world covering Europe, the United States (US), Africa, and 14 markets in Asia. Its regional office, Prudential Corporation Asia, is based in Hong Kong. Prudential plc has over 26 million customers worldwide and manages £657 billion of assets as of 31 December 2018.

Pru Life UK and Prudential plc are not affiliated with Prudential Financial, Inc. (a US-registered company), Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Company, Prudentialife Plans, Inc. or Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (all Philippine-registered companies). Pru Life UK is a life insurance company and is not engaged in the business of selling pre-need plans.

For more information: www.prulifeuk.com.ph

Child Evangelism Fellowship NCR South launches Run for the Little Ones

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On April 6, 2019, Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) NCR South will be hosting a special event called “Run for the Little Ones,” To be held at SM by the Bay, Diokno Boulevard, Pasay City.

The Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is an international non-profit organization for children now present and operating in over 190 countries all over the world. It was founded by Rev. Jesse Irvin Overholtzer in the USA in 1937. Its ministry in the Philippines began in 1952. Now, with over 50 chapters nationwide, CEF is considered the largest and most extensive missionary outreach for children in our country today.

The ministry of CEF NCR South, covering the cities of Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Bacoor Cavite, and San Pedro and Biñan in Laguna, is now reaching over 100,000 children weekly through its Good News Club and Elementary and High School Values Education Classes in partnership with some 150 local churches, the Department of Education, and LGUs. We also conduct a Five-Day Daily Vacation Bible School for children in the remote areas. The main goal is to teach the children to be Bible-based in their beliefs and practices, God-fearing and be a blessing to their respective families and communities by becoming good and disciplined citizens of our country. In addition, our ministry conducts seminars and training in different provinces and regions here in the Philippines and in other countries as well.

In partnership with Smart, Sunnywood, Pokari, and Prime98 Gold, the “Run for Little Ones” will help raise awareness of the vital role of the family and community in the upbringing of children, as well as help of CEF NCR South. Also through this Run, the amount will be raise will go to the construction of CEF NCR South Children’s Center, which will be used for the training of the hundreds of volunteers, production of free materials, and a regular site fo t the Children’s Camp.

This event is a one-day activity that consists of Fun Run with distance of 1KM, 3KM and 5K. Individual can run either with their family, friends and/or with their pet dogs if they desire to. The day’s event will be followed by Car Show, Education Opportunities for family and all ages & a Social Awareness that will be conduct by Philippine National Police Officer

To know more about the “Run for Little Ones” please contact Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) NCR South at 77 Lovely Rd., BF Homes, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas and look for Mr. Elmer Raniola. You may also send your inquiries via email at runforthelittleones@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/runforthelittleonesfcefncrsouth/

Focusing on the progress of Aklan

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There is nothing Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. wants more than to see his fellow Aklanons achieve a certain level of success in life. And why not, Nonong Haresco as he is lovingly called in the lone district of Aklan, is living proof of what hard work can do to change a person’s life.

Finishing with honors in Economics and in Accounting, his determination developed his little startup turned into a 50-hectare prawn-farming venture in his hometown of Ibajay, Aklan and he would find himself catering to big name restaurants in the metro.

After completing his M.A. in International Economics at the McGill University in Canada, Haresco participated in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-International Trade Center in Switzerland where his business acumen led to the formation Haresco Trade Specialists Co. and Silver Thread Inc., which exported local capiz shells to the European country.

Clearly, his life is set with all he has accomplished outside of the Philippines. And yet, Haresco decided to return to Aklan with the hope that he can help uplift the lives there.

To say that he has a heart for the less privileged would be a huge understatement. But instead of simply giving them food, he would rather encourage them to set up their own small business ventures—as he once did when he was younger—to make them self-sustaining. Such is the love of Haresco for Aklan and its residents and perhaps it is the proud Ilonggo in him that makes him a firm believer that the microenterprise industry has the ability to uplift individuals as long as they put in the commitment and dedication.

To eventually be able to provide jobs for others in their communities and help in the development of its socio-economic sector is a vision Haresco continues to aspire for Aklan.

Happily married and a loving father of four, his contributions to the development of Aklan and the Philippines are well documented. As of date, Congressman Nonong Haresco has authored and co-authored more than 60 house measures including HB00111, an act establishing a mechanism for the sustainable development and use of the island of Boracay; HB00115, an act increasing the bed capacity of Ibajay District Hospital from 25 to 100; HB02239, an act granting P1,000 monthly stipend by way of financial assistance to centenarians; HB02240, an act exempting users of electronic vehicles from the payment of road user’s tax; HB02241, an act to prescribe nutrition labeling for food products; HB02323, an act granting P500 monthly allowance to barangay tanods; HB02414, an act amending section 5 of Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known as an act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System; HB02415, an act to combat abuse and increase penalties for crimes against senior citizens; HB03192, an act providing for the establishment of barangay drugstores, otherwise known as “Botika sa Barangay”; HB03366, an act penalizing anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position, and anti-competitive mergers, establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission; HB03776, an act empowering the micro, small, and medium enterprises; and HB04335, an act requiring mandatory installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on major roads included in routes of public utility vehicles among others.

Aside from these, some of his milestone accomplishments include being the only Visayan and Aklanon to receive the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Businessman of the Year Award (2007) and the Deutsche Bank Banker of the Year Award (2005). He was People Asia’s Person of the Year and graced the cover in 2008 and is one of the Modern Day Filipino Heroes (2008), as well as one of 23 Filipinos cited in the book celebrating 347 years of Philippine-British Relations. His company WINSOURCE Solutions Inc. has been a five-time recipient of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

Haresco likewise conceptualized the President’s Bridge Programme (PBP) as a parallel intervention to regular government infrastructure programmes. This very successful reengineering model in the Philippines is being duplicated in Sri Lanka, Papa New Guinea, Cambodia, Siberia, and in other parts of Asia.

Haresco is also the principal developer of a nationwide scholarship fund for the children of slain journalists and has put 34 young scholars through school since 2007

Shopee and Jose Mari Chan Donate ₱1 Million to San Juan Nepomuceno School for Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

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Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, celebrates the success of Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale by giving back this festive season. Shopee, together with its Christmas Ambassador, Jose Mari Chan, ran a donation drive where all proceeds from the sale of Jose Mari Chan’s Going Home to Christmas album via the JMC Music Official Store on Shopee would go towards the funding of the San Juan Nepomuceno School’s educational and renovation programs. With the help of users, Shopee raised a total of ₱500,000 from the sale of the album. This amount was matched dollar for dollar by Jose Mari Chan, amounting to a total of ₱1 Million donated to the school.

Terence Pang, Chief Operating Officer, Shopee, said, “Shopee would like to thank our users for joining us in this meaningful cause. We are heartened by the response received and by Jose Mari Chan’s heart-warming generosity. This quarter has been extremely fulfilling for Shopee as we not only clocked in major milestones with the success of our of Shopee 11.11 – 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, but also continued to do our part for the local community.”

“I am so pleased to be helping a school that we’ve been supporting for a long time. I am grateful to be part of the Shopee family. This has been a very fulfilling experience and I would like to thank everyone for their warm support,” said Jose Mari Chan.

The final wave of the Shopee 11.11 – 12.12 Big Christmas Sale concluded on a high note with the Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. On 12 December, Shopee saw over 12 million orders across the region, surpassing all past records including the recent Shopee 11.11 Big Sale. In the Philippines, Mobile and Accessories, Health and Personal Care, and Women’s Apparel were the top three most popular categories. Leading brands, including Maybelline, the SM Store, Xiaomi, and Pampers emerged as favourites amongst users.

For more information, https://shopee.ph/.
Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Meet and Greet with Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr.

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We had a chance to meet Nonong Haresco last week over a lunch at Dad’s West Avenue, Quezon City together with other media friends. He greeted each and everyone of us with a greeting Merry Christmas while shaking our hands. He is very simple and approachable. But at a back of my mind, I asked my self “Who is Nonong Haresco?”. Honestly speaking, it was my first time to heard of him. I have no any idea who he is but as the question and answer is happening, I started to learn something about him and what he does.

Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. or also known as Nonong Harescoof is from the lone district of Aklan and a proud Ilonggo,

He has a soft spot in his heart for the less privileged. But instead of giving them fish, he encourages them to learn how to set up their own small business ventures as a means to make their lives better which I think is really good.

He is a firm believer in the microenterprise industry and its ability to uplift hardworking individuals who in turn would eventually be able to provide jobs for others in their communities while at the same time help in the development of its socio-economic sector.

Haresco learned at a young age. As a student at De La Salle University, he turned a two thousand-peso loan from a relative into a buy-and-sell business by purchasing shrimps in Aklan, which he would then sell in Manila. Finishing with honors in Economics and in Accounting, his determination developed his little startup turned into a 50-hectare prawn-farming venture in his hometown of Ibajay, Aklan and he would find himself catering to big name restaurants in the metro.

After completing his M.A. in International Economics at the McGill University in Canada, Haresco participated in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-International Trade Center in Switzerland where his business acumen led to the formation Haresco Trade Specialists Co. and Silver Thread Inc., which exported local capiz shells to the European country.

As of date, Congressman NonongHaresco has authored and co-authored more than 60 house measures including:

HB00111, an act establishing a mechanism for the sustainable development and use of the island of Boracay;
HB00115, an act increasing the bed capacity of Ibajay District Hospital from 25 to 100;
HB02239, an act granting P1,000 monthly stipend by way of financial assistance to centenarians;
HB02240, an act exempting users of electronic vehicles from the payment of road user’s tax;
HB02241, an act to prescribe nutrition labeling for food products;
HB02323, an act granting P500 monthly allowance to barangay tanods;
HB02414, an act amending section 5 of Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known as an act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System;
HB02415, an act to combat abuse and increase penalties for crimes against senior citizens;
HB03192, an act providing for the establishment of barangay drugstores, otherwise known as “Botikasa Barangay”; HB03366, an act penalizing anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position, and anti-competitive mergers, establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission;
HB03776, an act empowering the micro, small, and medium enterprises; and
HB04335, an act requiring mandatory installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on major roads included in routes of public utility vehicles among others.
Aside from these, some of his milestone accomplishments include being the only Visayan and Aklanon to receive the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Businessman of the Year Award (2007) and the Deutsche Bank Banker of the Year Award (2005). He was People Asia’s Person of the Year and graced the cover in 2008 and is one of the Modern Day Filipino Heroes (2008), as well as one of 23 Filipinos cited in the book celebrating 347 years of Philippine-British Relations.

His company WINSOURCE Solutions Inc. has been a five-time recipient of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. Haresco likewise conceptualized the President’s Bridge Programme (PBP) as a parallel intervention to regular government infrastructure programmes. This very successful reengineering model in the Philippines is being duplicated in Sri Lanka, Papa New Guinea, Cambodia, Siberia, and in other parts of Asia.

Haresco is also the principal developer of a nationwide scholarship fund for the children of slain journalists and has put 34 young scholars through school since 2007. But while his exemplary performance in Congress is well documented, nothing gives Aklan Rep. Nonong Haresco more fulfillment than his family. Happily married and a father to four, his contributions to development of Aklan and to the Philippines cannot be denied.

Top ranking seed company East-West Seed hosts Vegetable Field Day at Villar Sipag Farm

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As part of its participation to the 25th Asian Seed Congress 2018, East-West Seed (EWS) organized a demo field in Villar SIPAG Farm in Bacoor, Cavite. Formally opened through a Field Day November 16, 2018, the EWS Demo Field showcases over 100 vegetable varieties in a unique ‘Pinoy Fiesta’ set-up.

Asian Seed Congress delegates and media guests were greeted by Sen. Cynthia Villar, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food. “We are glad that East-West Seed has chosen this as the venue for the East-West Seed Field Day 2018.”

She also thanked EWS for partnering with Villar SIPAG in the training programs and its generosity in sharing expertise in vegetable farming.

“East-West Seed developed these vegetable varieties with the aim to improve the lives and incomes of smallholder farmers around the world and to help give better nutrition to consumers,” said Mike Dela Paz, Product Manager of East-West Seed.

#1 in South and Southeast Asia

This commitment was recently highlighted in a recognition received by East-West Seed at the Asian Seed Congress 2018. The independent organization Access to Seeds revealed EWS to be number 1 out of 24 companies in in serving smallholder farmers in South and Southeast Asia.

The Access to Seeds Index is measuring and ranking seed companies according to their efforts to improve access to quality seeds of improved varieties to support smallholder farmer productivity.

For over three decades, East-West Seed has served over 18 million smallholder farmers worldwide to increase their productivity and incomes. Part of their efforts have been to provide and breed specific needs of their clients, selling seeds in small packages, and providing training to farmers. It is this business model that proves and supports the goal of the Access to Seed Index which is to bridge the gap between the world’s leading seed companies and the smallholder farmer.

“We are deeply proud of this achievement as it reflects our continued mission to improve the lives of farmers one seed at a time,” said Henk Hermans, EWS General Manager in the Philippines.

“Better Seeds for a Better World”

With the theme, “Better Seeds for a Better World,” the field demo features a wide range of vegetable varieties that produce better yield, thrive in changing conditions, and have traits that are attractive to vegetable consumers.

It also boasts unique varieties including rounded eggplant, butternut pumpkin, purple waxy-sweet corn, and purple yardlong bean.

This event also has an interactive component with East-West Seed’s catalog app CropWiki which was launched last 2017. CropWiki contains detailed information on over 900 of East-West Seed’s vegetable varieties. Filled with physical and genetic crop information, the app can help increase farmers’ income because it provides knowledge needed to make informed decisions in farming.

East-West Seed will also hold Field Days for the public on November 21 to 23 in their demo fields in Villar SIPAG Farm and in the University of the Philippines – Los Banos. Urban gardening workshops, cooking demos, learning sessions with farmers, and a career day for students will be held during these field days and will be offered for FREE to everyone.

GLOBAL SEED EXPERTS GATHER FOR THE 25TH ASIAN SEED CONGRESS IN THE PH Millions worth of business expected to be generated

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Hundreds of seed experts, traders and buyers from all over the world are now in the Philippines for the 25th Asian Seed Congress (ASC), the biggest gathering of seed industry players in the world. The ASC is jointly organized by the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Philippine Seed Industry Association (PSIA). This is the third time that Philippines is hosting this prestigious seed conference.

APSA is the biggest regional seed trade association with more than 600 members from 50 countries, accounting for more than one third of the global seed trade. Since it’s inauguration in 1994 in Chang Mai, Thailand, this exclusive event has attracted close to 2,000 delegates annually, including key executives, officials, legislators and scientists who all share a common stake in the development, production, distribution, regulation, and trade of quality seeds.

Anchored on the concept, “Seed the Future,” the Congress also hopes to reinforce the significant role that the largely ignored tiny seed play in our daily lives, as the main source of our food, clothes, fuel, among other things.

“The Philippines is proud to once again host this year’s Asian Seed Congress, especially as it celebrates its 25th year. Our annual gathering is something that all of us in the seed industry look forward to because it is the time where, together, we learn new seed technologies, exchange views on regulatory trends, network for seed trading, reconnect with colleagues in the industry, experience, explore opportunities for farmers to further grow their businesses, and jointly discuss strategies on how to better promote and protect the industry. We are also excited on the business that will be generated in the trading tables knowing that our regional seed industry is the strongest around the world,” PSIA President Mary Ann Sayoc adds.

APSA President Brenda Dossey for her part said that the organization’s growth to become the largest regional seed association in the world is through the cooperation of the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Danish International Development Agency aimed at promoting quality seed production and marketing in the Asia and Pacific Region. Dossey adds that APSA has already established strong linkages with international organizations for economic cooperation and development.

For her part, APSA Secretariat Acting Director May Chodchoey said that “the Asian Seed Congress facilitates a prime opportunity for stakeholders to get together in one place where delegates can network, grow their business and get updates on the latest industry developments and technologies, to gain an edge in the most populous and lucrative region in the world.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said that while the Philippines may be regarded as one of the emerging leaders, there is still a necessity to explore additional growth in this sector and ensure that is protected by the right regulatory framework. Villar filed Senate Bill 322, which seeks to set up a continuing national program for hybrid and other quality seeds production which hopes to complement the existing SEED Industry Development Act (SIDA).

The two-decade old SIDA is up for amendment and the seed industry is excited looking forward to additional measures that will improve, safeguard and strengthen the country’s seed industry.

The power to choose the number, timing and spacing of children can bolster economic and social development, new UNFPA report shows

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The global trend towards smaller families is a reflection of people making reproductive choices. “The historic transition to lower fertility has emerged through people claiming their right to make choices about their reproductive lives, and to have as few, or as many, children as they want, when they want,” according to The State of World Population 2018, published today by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.

Family size is closely linked with reproductive rights, which, in turn, are tied to many other rights, including the right to adequate health, education, and jobs. Where people can exercise their rights, they tend to thrive. Where these rights are stifled, people often fail to achieve their full potential, impeding economic and social progress, according to the new report, entitled, “The Power of Choice: Reproductive Rights and the Demographic Transition.”

When a woman has the power and means to prevent or delay a pregnancy, for example, she has more control over her health and can enter or stay in the paid labour force and realize her full economic potential.
The report found that there is no country that can claim that all of its citizens enjoy reproductive rights at all times. Most couples cannot have the number of children that they want because they either lack economic and social support to achieve their preferred family size, or the means to 17 October 2018

United Nations Population Fund 15/F North Tower, Rockwell Business Center Sheridan, Sheridan cor United
Sts., Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City 1550 Philippines
philippines.unfpa.org Tel.: +63 2 902 9131 Email: phl.co@unfpa.org
control their fertility. The unmet need for modern contraception prevents hundreds of millions of women in the world from choosing smaller families.

The Philippines is the second largest country among the 10 ASEAN members, and its population is fast growing with the highest total fertility rate in the ASEAN. Over half of Filipinos are 24 years of age or below. “For this youthful country to reap a demographic dividend, there is an imminent need to invest more in health, education and employability of young people and on gender equality,” said Iori Kato, UNFPA Country Representative in the Philippines. However, many Filipino adolescents and youth have been left behind. Challenges include that 49 per cent of unmarried, sexually active women and 17 per cent of married women have an unmet need for family planning, as the 2017 National Demographic and Health survey revealed. And one in five girls age 19 is either pregnant or has given birth.

“Millions of Filipinos would benefit from having the power to choose whether and when to have children, and how many children to have,” said Kato. “If you can plan your family, you can plan your life,” he added.

Choice can be a reality everywhere

The report classifies all countries in the world by the current dynamics of their populations’ fertility. It makes specific recommendations for policies and programs that would help each country increase reproductive choices.

In the Philippines, UNFPA looks forward to continued partnership with the government and all stakeholders through the newly approved 8th Country Programme for 2019-2023, in ensuring that all Filipinos, especially those furthest behind, have access to sexual and reproductive health information and services and thereby make choices on some of the most significant and intimate aspects of their lives.

The UNFPA Country Programme will continue to support the acceleration of universal access to quality reproductive health care, particularly modern contraceptives, as well as comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in accordance with international standards. Technical assistance will also be

United Nations Population Fund 15/F North Tower, Rockwell Business Center Sheridan, Sheridan cor United
Sts., Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City 1550 Philippines
philippines.unfpa.org Tel.: +63 2 902 9131 Email: phl.co@unfpa.org
provided towards dismantling those barriers—whether economic, social or institutional—that inhibit free and informed choice.

***

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA reaches millions of women and young people in 155 countries and territories, including the Philippines.
For more information, please contact:
Mario Villamor: Tel.: +63 917 302 6699; villamor@unfpa.org
You can access the report at https://www.unfpa.org/swop
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