Abaya Vows Transparenecy at House Probe on MRT-3 Extort Try

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Secretary Jun Abaya of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) vows to uphold transparency regarding the allegations made by Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar that certain government officials tried to extort money from him in exchange for the contract to supply the Metro Rail Transit III (MRT-3) system with additional coaches. Abaya emphasized that his agency bid the project out in line with its policy of open and public bidding, which resulted in government saving billions of pesos.

The DOTC chief and other officials from the DOTC and MRT-3 Office have been invited to appear before the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability of the House of Representatives on May 27. So has the Czech envoy, who accused MRT-3 General Manager Al Vitangcol of attempted extortion through a private citizen.

Representative Oscar Rodriguez of the 3rd District of Pampanga, also Chairman of the Committee, scheduled the probe following separate resolutions filed by Representatives Neri Colmenares and Toby Tiangco.

Abaya has previously pointed out that Inekon, the Czech company which Rychtar pushed for, wanted not only to secure the supply contract through a government-to-government arrangement instead of public bidding, but to do so at a price that it would dictate: US$ 3.35 Million for each coach, or $174.46 Million for 52 coaches.

The winning bidder, Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Company, offered to supply 48 coaches for only $1.8 Million each, or a total of $86.4 Million.

PH hosts UNWTO-ASEAN International Conference on Tourism and Climate Change

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The UNWTO - ASEAN International Conference on Tourism and Climate Change was held on 19 – 20 May 2014 in Legazpi City, Province of Albay. It was the third global event after concluding a series of international meetings which included the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) National Tourism Organizations (NTO) Meeting and the 26th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Joint Meeting of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific (CAP) and Commission for South Asia (CSA).

The event convened world leaders and experts who presented and shared their views to create solutions and address the challenge of climate change and its effects on tourism. The two-day conference on tourism and climate change was divided into three sessions: Policy and National Strategies on Tourism and Climate Change, Opportunities on Sustainable Tourism for Building a Low Carbon Development, and Stimulating Consumer Behavior on Innovative Climate Change and Mitigation and Adaptation Actions.

Hon. Joey Salceda, Governor of the Province of Albay, gave the welcome remarks to the delegates. It was followed by the opening address of UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai who said that tourism has become a central global phenomenon in the 21st century. Secretary General Rifai noted that 1.87 billion people travelled internationally in 2013, generating 1.4 trillion US dollars worth of income, one out of 11 jobs in the world, and 9 percent of the world GDP. In 2013, the Philippines recorded a 9.56 percent growth in international arrivals with almost 4.7 million visitors from 4.3 million, while tourism receipts grew by 15.1 percent or equal to 4.4 billion US dollars (186 billion pesos).

Power Mac Center Partners with LifeProof for Free Basic Underwater Photography Workshop

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A few lucky individuals gained basic underwater photography skills that will help them capture the underwater world when Power Mac Center, the most reliable Apple partner in the Philippines, teamed up with consumer electronics accessory company LifeProof and offered an underwater photography seminar dubbed Underwater Snaps.

Free to the public, Underwater Snaps aimed to teach participants the fundamentals in capturing images of marine creatures using an iPhone or a DSLR camera, allowing them to get the most out of their photography equipment.

Core topics discussed in Underwater Snaps were basic tips on picture composition, shooting in Macro or Wide lens, going manual, the challenges of shooting underwater using a DSLR camera, and caring for your underwater equipment.

“The Philippines has one of the richest and most diverse marine life in the world that’s worth discovering. Power Mac Center and LifeProof, through the Underwater Snaps workshop, hope that we can help underwater photography enthusiasts create more memorable underwater adventure by equipping them with the rudiments in underwater photography free of charge,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.