MARINA Hosts Training on Legal Implementation of BWM and AFS Conventions

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To ensure the effective implementation of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) and Anti-Fouling Systems (AFS) Conventions, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) held the National Legal, Policy and Institutional Reforms (LPIR) Training focused on Implementation (Train-Implement Course) on 07 to 11 October 2019 at the MARINA Central Office.

Gracing the opening ceremony, MARINA Officer-in-Charge VADM Narciso A Vingson Jr expressed the strong commitment of the country to effectively implement policy and institutional processes under the Marine Environment Protection of the South-East Asian Seas (MEPSEAS) Project.

“This project is a clear demonstration of the continued commitment of the ASEAN countries to move towards a sustainable maritime transport system, and to address significant marine environmental issues through the effective and full implementation of marine environment protection conventions in the South East Asian Region, particularly in beneficiary countries such as the Philippines,” VADM Vingson said.

Atty. Brenda V. Pimentel, MEPSEAS Regional Consultant, provided a background of the MEPSEAS Project and Training Course. Ms. Criselda Castor of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR – BMB) gave a presentation on invasive alien species as a major concern in the Philippines. Dr. Benjamin Vallejo Jr. of the University of the Philippines – Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (UP – IESM) provided an update on the studies of invasive species in the Port of Manila while Engr. Joshua Rafale Tolin of the MARINA – Shipyards Regulation Service (MARINA – SRS) reported on the current initiatives in drafting of legislation for BWM and AFS Conventions in the country.

After the country presentations, Engr. Jose Romualdo Denzon, National Training Expert, presented an Introduction to the BWM Convention which was followed by the presentation from Ms. Ernesta Swanepoel, International Maritime Organization (IMO) International Course Developer (ICD), on the BWM Convention and Guidelines.
The Training continued with the discussion of the other international conventions and principles relevant to BWM, introduction to AFS Convention and key factors on implementing BWM and AFS Conventions led by Ms. Swanepoel and Mr. Guillaume Drillet, IMO ICD.

Engr. Roland Kenneth Ballesteros of the MARINA – SRS discussed on the current draft Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) on BWM Convention while Atty. Maximo Bañares, Director of the MARINA – Domestic Shipping Service (MARINA-DSS), presented on the guide to drafting a BWM Act.

A workshop was then facilitated by the ICDs on the third and fourth day of the Course to refine the existing draft legislation for BWM and AFS Conventions based on the template developed for the MEPSEAS Project.

The Train-Implement Course concluded with the presentation of Mr. Drillet on Ballast Water Sampling and Testing Protocols and Technologies for Ballast Water Treatment.
Meanwhile, a Consultative Meeting with Mr. Drillet was conducted to discuss issues on how to implement the BWM Convention in the Philippines. The said meeting was attended by representatives from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Cebu Port Authority (CPA), and MARINA.

The Train-Implement Course is an essential component of the National Strategic Action Plan which aims to identify the critical milestones along the reform path and implementation needs in transposing the Conventions into a national legislation.

Top UK Chef Jeff Tan to Introduce a Taste of Modern Chinese Cuisine

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Intercontinental Phuket Resort welcomes Top UK Chef Jeff Tan to Pinto, the resort’s casual farm to table dining restaurant, for an exclusive four-day residency from 29 October to 1 November 2019. The first in a series of internationally-renowned culinary showcases, Chef Tan will introduce a taste of modern Chinese cuisine, further amplifying Pinto’s international offering of gourmet comfort food to greater heights.

One of the United Kingdom’s most celebrated Asian chefs, Malaysian-born Chef Tan specializes in modern Chinese. His illustrious career included the position of Head Chef at award-winning Hakkasan Mayfair in London. Hakkasan is renowned for its modern Chinese cuisine and inspiring mixology. During Chef Tan’s three-year reign as Head Chef at Hakkasan, the restaurant was awarded the coveted one Michelin-star. Chef Tan currently owns Soho Vietnamese Tapas and Wine restaurant, Viet Food, Viet Lounge and Go Viet which was listed in the 2020 edition of the Michelin Guide.

"To be able to showcase my cooking style, mixing my Asian heritage together with my Western experience as a chef, at the brand new Intercontinental Phuket is an absolute privilege,” said Chef Jeff Tan. “It will be the first time I am coming to Phuket to showcase my fusion cuisine and I look forward to immersing myself in the island’s beautiful culture and flavourful gastronomy.”

“We are delighted to host Chef Jeff Tan as the first of many celebrated international guest chefs at Intercontinental Phuket Resort. A highlight on the island’s gastronomic calendar, we believe that Chef Tan’s take on modern Chinese cuisine will be heartily welcomed by our guests and the local foodie community. We are committed to establishing ourselves as a leading destination for both fine and casual dining,” said Bjorn Courage, General Manager of InterContinental Phuket Resort.

His innovative but flavourful tasting menu will be presented at InterContinental Phuket Resort’s signature Asian restaurant Pinto, styled after Old Phuket Town’s quirky shophouse eateries with wine-pairing sponsored by distributor Independent Wine & Spirit (IWS). For four days only, Chef Jeff’s tasting menu will be served during lunch and dinner (except lunch on 29 October), priced at THB 2,200++ for food only and THB 3,950++ with wine pairing.

An ode to the classic Chinese starter, the Lobster Salsa with Szechuan Dressing is a unique appetizer encompassing fresh, modern touches. Paired with a bubbly Champagne-style Veuve du Vernay, Burgundy, the dish is a refreshing start to the four-course meal.

The premium Fresh Abalone with Double-boiled Corn Fed Chicken Soup a quintessential Chinese-style dish, will be served next along with the Donnachiara, Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Campania 2017. A robust white wine from the famous southern Italian region, the fresh and sharp wine adds flavor and aroma to the second course.

For the main course, guests can choose from three delectable options – the Chilean Seabass Grilled with Chef’s saucing; or the Spring Crab Rice with Ginger and Green Stuff, both accompanied by the revered Loire Valley le Grand Caillou Pinot Noir 2016, are fantastic choices for seafood enthusiasts. The Lamb Chop in Mongolian Style is Chef Tan’s take on the Mongolian-styled barbecue, paired with a 2015 Catena Zapata, Catena Malbec, a leader in the Mendoza heartland of the classic Argentinian red varietal.

Ending off the meal on a high, dessert is a delightful Coconut almond tea & Crystal Lemongrass, served with a celebrated Italian Piedmont, Michele Chiarlo, Nivole Moscato d’Asti 2017, consistently ranked among the best of the world’s best sparkling dessert wines.

InterContinental Phuket Resort
Event: 4-Course Tasting Menu by Chef Jeff Tan with Wine Pairing
Venue: Pinto Restaurant
Date: 29 October - 1 November
Time: 12:00 - 15:00 (lunch) and 18:00 - 20:00 (dinner)

For reservations and enquiries, please contact InterContinental Phuket Resort at icphuket.info@ihg.com or click here to visit the web page.

How to Get the Most Currency During Blight League in Path of Exile?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The 3.8.0 update added the Blight League which is a tower defence style mode that also spans into the endgame. So, there's lots of content and also a lot of new loot to collect and trade. As per usual, Path of Exile works with using items are its form of currency instead of gold. So, it's a good idea to collect as much loot as possible to trade and sell with other players so you can get the things you do actually need or want. Of course, you can also sell them to vendors which are also a very good option and you can use the 'currency' you get from the Blight League as crafting material.

If you follow these tips, you will get the most Path of Exile currency as possible from Blight League and you will also make the most of the new season.

Chaos Orbs are valuable

They are the closest thing to gold in this game among players so it's good to collect as much of them as possible. If you look at the trades list, the majority of items will demand chaos orbs for an item. They're so popular that you can get most things you need just by trading them. So when you get them, keep and stockpile them for trading later. However, endgame items tend to demand Exalted Orbs which are 100 – 200 times more valuable so if you're lucky enough to find one or more of these: don't waste it! Research its value in the currently league and use it to get something of high value that you want.

Use Vendor Recipes for smarter sales

Selling groups of items together to a vendor will give you more than if you sold those items individually. There are over 100 known recipes but there are more that are also currently unknown so you might be able to discover some new ones with a bit of exploration. When starting out, a good base recipe to use is a helmet, body armour, belt, globes, boots, amulet, two rind and weapons that fit the weapon slots. Such as a 1-handed sword and shield, two 1-handed weapons or a 2-handed sword even. There are a lot more recipes than this of course and they will help you get more Chaos Orbs to get yourself some better gear.

Use a Loot Filter

Finding items for vendor recipes can be hard but you can use a Loot Filter to help you with this. It's a small config file that tells the game to visually highlight and display dropped items, so it hides the junk and shows the useful stuff. As you progress through the Blight League, you get more loot but most of it is junk and manually sorting it becomes a real pain. A loot filter makes it possible to find the good stuff and best of all, very experienced players have made them, so you don't need to make one yourself.

Collect all loots

Literally what the title says. If you have space in your inventory, collect it all. Then go back to vendors and sell as many recipes as possible. If you want more Orbs of course, that is why you need to do it. Always remember though, some of it will be junk and won't be very useful but in early game you need all the loot you can get. That way you can sell it all to try and get something useful.