Get ready for world-class expositions headed to Iloilo City!

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Worldbex Services International is proud to bring back its expos to Iloilo for the second time! ILOILO TRIO: The Philippine Building and Construction Expo Iloilo 2024 (PHILBEX Iloilo), the Travel and Leisure Expo Iloilo 2024 (TLEX Iloilo), and the Iloilo Foods and Beverages Expo 2024 (IFBEX) are all returning this 2024!

Iloilo City continues to evolve through the years, welcoming thousands of business opportunities from here and abroad. This great resurgence in business sectors has created a huge impact in the city’s development growth, opening new opportunities from various industries and improving sustainable movements for a greener city. With efficient government units, Iloilo City has been named as the country’s “Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit “ for 2023 given by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI). Today, Iloilo has served as an economic powerhouse of the country, becoming a highly urbanized city outside of Metro Manila. 

While the city has welcomed thousands of local and foreign visitors, the Iilo LGU’s together with the private sectors, come together to boost more tourist arrivals and business opportunities in the city. With this, Worldbex Services International continues to bring its three world-class exhibitions back in the city to significantly attract international networks and business ventures, championing community partnerships in multi-sectoral progress. 

Now in its second year, PHILBEX (Philippine Building and Construction Expo), IFBEX (International Food and Beverage Expo), and TLEX (Tourism and Leisure Expo) have come together to host an impressive showcase of over 200 exhibitors spanning the construction, food, and tourism sectors. ILOILO TRIO 2023 has garnered significant attention with a substantial foot traffic of more than 10,200 featuring not less than 300 exhibition booths . This collaborative effort shows the importance of these sectors in driving economic growth and innovation within the Philippines and beyond.

This July 11 to 14, WSI is proud to be back in Iloilo to bring exciting events and expos at the ICON - Iloilo Convention Center. Come experience what Iloilo has to offer when you register now FOR FREE!

https://philbex.ph/iloilo/

https://tlex.ph/iloilo/ 

https://www.ifbex.ph/

PHILBEX Iloilo 2024, TLEX Iloilo 2024, and IFBEX 2024 are events organized by Worldbex Services International. For inquiries and concerns, you may reach us at (02)8656-92-39, or email us at inquire@worldbexevents.com

Envi Group Urges PH Government to Prioritize Children's Health and Safety Laws

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As the country commemorates National Poison Prevention Week, environmental NGO BAN Toxics highlights the need to intensify efforts to protect children from exposure to highly hazardous chemicals found in everyday items designed for them, such as toys, school supplies, childcare and personal care products, and clothing.

“Our regular market monitoring and product testing reveal that children’s items containing toxic chemicals remain pervasive and unaddressed. Lead, mercury, cadmium, short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as phthalates, triclosan, and parabens, are among the harmful substances found in consumer products that pose a significant threat to the health of our children. These toxic chemicals are prohibited for use in children’s products, and yet are still found widely available in the market,” said Thony Dizon, BAN Toxics campaign officer.

From 2023 to the first half of this year, BAN Toxics has monitored about 1000 toys and 600 school supplies (bags, lunch bags, water containers, rain gear, pens and pencils, crayons, erasers) available in the market, some of which contain toxic chemicals.

Dizon said that most of the items they tested for toxic chemicals can be purchased cheaply from bargain shops and wholesale stores. “These products typically lack proper information labels, or are mislabeled, and are not regulated.”

Under RA 10620, otherwise known as the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013, toys and games are required to comply with toy labeling information such as the license to operate (LTO) number, age grading, cautionary statements/warnings, instructional literature, manufacturer’s marking, and item model stock-keeping unit (SKU) number.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, BAN Toxics disclosed the results of an Asian survey on the presence of EDCs in children’s care products. The survey, conducted by South Korea-based Wonjin Institute for Occupational & Environmental Health (WIOEH) in 2023, revealed that in three products- a brand of kiddie toothpaste, an infant tooth gel brand, both manufactured in the Philippines, and a baby body wash brand made in China, contained propylparabens (PPs) or butylparabens (BPs).

EDCs have been linked to various negative health effects in children, including impacts on intrauterine growth, changes in neurobehavior, developmental issues, and increased rates of diabetes and metabolic abnormalities.

“BAN Toxics has consistently advocated for the protection of children from hazardous chemicals and has continuously called on regulatory agencies and the general public to take action. Despite the country having established laws and regulations to safeguard Filipino children, there is an urgent need to enhance government efforts in addressing this issue, particularly concerning the unregulated production and import of hazardous children's items,” Dizon said.

Dizon also called on the current administration to prioritize the enactment of a “Safe and Non-Hazardous Children's Products Law” that would further enhance regulation on the importation, manufacture, distribution and sale of children’s toys, school supplies, and childcare products containing hazardous chemicals.

In 2017, House Bill 6702, the "Safe and Non-Hazardous Children's Products Act," was unanimously passed by the 17th Congress. However, the bill was never enacted by the Duterte administration.

“We urge our lawmakers and the Marcos Jr. administration to pursue this legislative agenda once again, as it is clear that not enough is currently being done to protect our children from hazardous chemicals,” Dizon concluded.

On June 27, BAN Toxics will join the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) Toxicology Referral and Training Center for a community outreach activity in Brgy. Sto. Niño, Quezon City. The event aims to emphasize poison prevention at home and in schools, as part of the National Poison Prevention Week activities organized by EAMC. Proclamation No. 1777 issued in 2009 declares the 4th week of June every year as National Poison Prevention Week.

Instituto Cervantes Celebrates Filipino Artist Melecio Figueroa's Enduring Legacy

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Instituto Cervantes, the Spanish Cultural center, is presenting a lecture on Melecio Figueroa, a pioneering Filipino artist, renowned for his profound contributions to both Philippine medallic and numismatic art. The talk, which will be delivered by researcher Gerard Wassily Y. Clavecillas, is scheduled to take place on June 27 at the Makati branch of Instituto Cervantes, at 5:30 p.m.

Melecio Figueroa (1842-1903) was a celebrated and highly decorated scholar of the Spanish artistic tradition, an alumnus of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in San Fernando (Madrid), and a long established bastion and incubator of European creative potential. He was appointed the Chief Engraver of the Manila Mint and was, without a doubt, the Islands’ foremost medallic artist. Becoming a founding father later in life, he was one of the signatories of the first constitution in Asia. Undoubtedly, he was one of the most important Filipino Masters of the 19th century. Tragically, however, compared to his more famous peers, namely Luna and Hidalgo, his legacy has since been relegated to mere historical footnotes, his hard won contributions; forgotten and sadly ignored.

In this lecture, Filipino antiquarian, researcher Gerard Wassily Y. Clavecillas, will discuss Figueroa's remarkable artistic career. The conference will feature a presentation exploring Figueroa's life, art and enduring influence.

The lecture is open to scholars, students, artists, collectors, and anyone with an interest in art history and Filipino culture. Attendees are encouraged to register early through this link: https://forms.office.com/e/D0EHesF1NH

This event is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, with the support of PTC-Philippine Transmarine Carriers. Admission is on a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED basis. For more information about this event, visit Instituto Cervantes’ website (http://manila.cervantes.es) or its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila