DOE Approves NTP for Excelerate’s FSRU LNG Facility

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) on 20 September approved the Notice to Proceed (NTP) of the US-based firm, Excelerate Energy L.P., for the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) floating storage & regasification unit (FSRU) facility in Batangas.

Excelerate has a fleet of nine operating FSRUs worldwide. The proposed FSRU LNG Facility in the Philippines will have a storage capacity of 150,000 cubic-meters, to be located at about 9.5 kilometers offshore in the Bay of Batangas.

Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said, “As proposed, by the third quarter of 2021 we are expecting that Excelerate’s FSRU LNG facility will commercially operate. With our continuing efforts to provide energy security, especially since we are anticipating the depletion of Malampaya gas, the establishment of LNG facilities bring a promising future for the country."

Within six months from the issuance of the NTP, Excelerate has to comply with the Permit to Construct (PTC) requirements, which are the submission of permits from various government agencies and endorsements from Local Government Units. They are also required to submit the proof of financial closing to the DOE.

Subsequently, the DOE will issue the PTC authorizing the actual construction of the FSRU LNG facility, in accordance with the Department Circular No. 2017-11-0012, or the “Rules and Regulations Governing the Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry”, upon compliance to the PTC requirements.

Based from the work program submitted by Excelerate, the completion of construction and commissioning of the facility will take around two years (October 2019 to June 2021) and the scheduled commercial operations date is on the third quarter of 2021.

SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMC GPHC) also expressed their interest to be the target power customer of Excelerate. Starting January 2022, SMC GPHC will require a supply of natural gas for a continuous period of at least 15 years at commercially viable tariff rates of their existing and future Gas Fired Power Plants with a total gross capacity of up to 1,800 MW on a baseload basis.

‘Tis the Season of Giving as Habitat for Humanity Philippines Teams Up with Handyman

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In this time of torrential rains, floods and typhoons, many underprivileged Filipinos without decent shelter find themselves exposed to the elements, putting their health and safety at risk.

Leading shelter advocate Habitat for Humanity Philippines teams up with retail hardware giant Handyman to reach out and give hope to underprivileged families and communities through a social responsibility initiative involving Herco Trading Inc., distributor of Greenfield hand tools.

Supporting Habitat Philippines’ mission to build and rebuild disaster-resilient homes, Handyman launches a nationwide promotion coinciding with their 25th anniversary celebration.

For every purchase of a Greenfield hand tool, Handyman will donate the same quantity of items sold to Habitat Philippines that will in turn, distributed to its home-partners. This campaign will run from September 16 to October 16, 2019 in over 100 Handyman stores nationwide.

Go beyond giving gifts and exchanging cards this holiday season by helping build back homes and hope for people who need it most through every purchase of Greenfield hand tools.

Filipino Students Wow at the Asia Pacific Dance Festival in Hawaii

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Renowned industry experts and art students from over 30 schools and organizations worldwide gathered to celebrate the rich heritage of dance at the recent Asia Pacific Dance Festival (APDF) and Conference held at the University of Hawaii in Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Themed Ho‘ala - to waken, the three-day convention highlighted the finest qualities and the aesthetic nuances of the art form through a series of discussions, productions, workshops and shows, to share traditional and practiced-based research.

The APDF is a biennial intimate and collaborative environment that also serves as a platform for diverse and dynamic interactions for cross-cultural understanding among the international fellows.

The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) delegation from the Philippines, comprised of School of Design and Arts (SDA) Arts and Culture Cluster Associate Dean Dr. Sunita S. Mukhi, Dance Program Chairperson Christine Crame, and majors Erika Arandez and Emmerson Evangelio, exhibited the College’s homegrown talent and advocacy of our tropical islands.

Mukhi presented a scholarly paper titled Intimacy and Inclusion, which introduced three of the institution’s theatrical innovations: Quartered explored the travails, torpor, and triumphs of a dancer without the encumbrance of the fourth wall; Canvass exemplified how a performer’s body offered to the Universal Spirit exhibits the longings and desires for a better life; and Ding, Ang Bato! (Ding, [Give] Me the Stone!), a musical with Filipino Sign Language (FSL) into the choreography that allowed the Deaf audience to appreciate the play.

Decked with compelling images, her study emphasized how the art form can share stories of inclusion and intimacy. 

Under the meticulous guidance and choreography of Crame, Evangelio and Arandez executed a four-piece showcase coined Dance Stories of Magnificence and Joy. Comprised of Butterfly and the Pin Man: A Dance Story about Magnificence, Transformation, Waterfall, and White Lion and Brown Fox, the duo’s Asian-inspired contemporary intermission unfolded thought-provoking morality tales with a dramatic narration that seamlessly blended the traditional gestures of the Filipino genre and the exquisite Indian movements.