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Creating graphics with impact

Roy — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:39:26 +0000

Entrepreneurs would want to make an impression on their target in order to catch their attention, and of course for better recall. A website called ImpactXS can help entrepreneurs, aspiring, novice and seasoned, to help create a graphic that would leave a lasting impact on their market.

Graphics, whether it be on their labels, logos, website, product packaging, letterheads, and even business cards can greatly help the business, especially those who are in the start-up phase to gain recognition, as well as popularity in the market.

That is why graphic designers are a great aide to entrepreneurs. Some even hire in-house graphic artists to have them design graphic images for the company. But for those who do not have the budget, or do not really require the continuous service of an in-house graphic designer, they can always outsource them.

Companies like the above-mentioned ImpactXS can offer package design for entrepreneurs who can help them conceptualize an effective design for their labels, logos, packaging and the like.

It is always better to sit-down and talk with a graphic designer, whether in-house or outsource, as the graphics can greatly effect the business in the long run. Do not think of it as an additional expense, see it as an investment for the company’s future.

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Website for foodies

Roy — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 21:45:15 +0000

There is a website I stumbled upon that I am sure most foodies would take interest on. It is the Cotsworld Fayre, which a supplier for more than 10 years to fine food retailers, farms shops and more. They carry healthy brands like hale & hearty which has a lot great tasting, flavorful, and of course healthy products for all the health conscious folks out there who wants to enjoy good food sans the worries.

The website also has a page for hanbury foods ltd which carries flavorings and spices that is being used by most TV chefs, the most famous of which is the Hanbury Sugars and Salts. The latest addition to their product line is Edge Salts and Sugars which is ideal for cocktails.

For sauces, dressings, and other flavorings, Cotsworld Fayre has harrington foods for you. Created and perfected by Sally Harrington who has been making addictive sauce for quite a number of years in her Kent kitchen. And these sauces even doubles as amazing salad dressing.

Those are but three of the product lines Cotsworld Fayre carries. They have a lot more that most foodies are looking for – organic foods, cereals, pasta and rice and other cooking ingredients. If you are a foodie, it won’t hurt to check it out.

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DTI to bring SME Caravan to Antique

Roy — Sun, 15 May 2011 17:43:22 +0000

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will bring business caravan to Antique. The DTI has chosen the province to be one of the sites for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) caravan which is slated on the 26th and 27th day of this month.

The trade department is encouraging businesses falling under the category of small and medium enterprises to take part in the said business caravan as it could be of great help for them because they would gain knowledge and skills in the field of their specialization.

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector are considered by the national government as the backbone of the country’s economy. They contribute to employment and generate output for the economy. The government considers this sector as a vital link in dispensing new industries to the countryside and providing gainful employment. With this in mind, the government initiated a comprehensive and integrated strategies in sustaining the growth and development of the MSME sector, one of them is the SME Caravan.

Through the SME Caravan, the MSME’s could gain improved access to government and private sector services, particularly in areas where the provision of business services are limited. The caravan also aims to create awareness of SME’s various business development services that are available to them, both from the government and private sector.

During the business caravan, there would be resource speakers who will cover different business topics like Access to Markets, particularly Product Development and Marketing the Business, Packaging and Labeling, Product Costing and Pricing, and How to Participate in Trade Fairs.

For the finance said of business, the Access to Finance module will cover Business Plan Preparations, while the session on Productivity and Efficiency will cover topics such as Good Manufacturing Practices and Food Safety. The module on Entrepreneurship will cover Entrepreneurial Mindset and Opportunity Seeking lectures.

The seminars are free and DTI published information materials on MSMEs will be provided to each seminar participant.

Supporting the DTI in business caravan are different agencies and organizations like the Land Bank of Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines, Provincial Government, TESDA, OPA, PPDO, DAR, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Non-Government Organizations.

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Foreign firm to present power supply options to the country

Roy — Sun, 15 May 2011 05:26:39 +0000

A United Kingdom company is offering the Philippines its power solution to help avoid power disruptions in the country.

The British Embassy in Manila said Aggreko, a developer of power solutions, will be coming in the country next week to make a presentation of its product. The embassy said the company’s expertise could help address the possible power shortage in the near future which poses a threat to businesses operating in the country.

Aggreko is bringing to the country its more than 45 years of experience in the power solution industry. The company is said to be the world leader in the supply of temporary power and temperature control services. It will present its alternative solutions to potential power disruptions when it makes its presentation to the country next week.

The target participants in its presentations include the construction industry, food and beverages, agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, government and institutions, mining and mineral processing, ports and telecommunications, among others.

Aggreko owns the world’s largest power rental fleet which consists of diesel and natural gas generating sets. Company experts will be in Manila to present different power supply options to help businesses avoid opportunity lost and other costs that could be brought about by power disruptions.

The company will be organizing the seminar presentation in partnership with the British Embassy in Manila, through UK Trade & Investment. The aim of the seminar is to inform industries in the country of the different power supply options available in case of unavoidable future power supply shortages.

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Maggi noodles tested positive for salmonella

Roy — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:21:47 +0000

Nestlé Philippines has voluntarily recalled a number its Maggi instant noodles after some of the tested were tested for possible salmonella contamination. The company said it found traces of salmonella in two batches of the noodle product’s beef variant. “The product recall is a precautionary measure… to ensure the safety and quality of our products,” Nestlé said.

The multinational food manufacturer advised consumers who may have bought Maggi Rich Mami Noodles to contact their hotline at 898-0061 for Metro Manila and 1-800-100-637853 (toll-free) for provincial areas.

Nestlé however said that its products are safe to eat if the cooking instructions properly followed. The batches that were tested positive for salmonella have lot codes 11020598A2 and 11030598A1. The lot code numbers are found at the back of the product pack, between the “Best Before” date and the ingredients list.

Salmonella infections typically affect the intestines, causing vomiting, high fever and abdominal pains. The bacteria can be transmitted from water, soil, animal feces, raw eggs, and raw meat.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director Suzette Lazo said their office has already been informed regarding the recall. The FDA also posted an advisory on its websites to consumers who may have bought the product with the specified lot codes to return them to the Nestlé office at Nestlé Center, 31 Plaza Drive, Rockwell Center in Makati, or to its licensed distributors.

Lazo said, “According to law, they have to do this (product recall), when they discover that there is something that would be harmful to consumers. They complied with that law and this is a very responsible thing they did.”

She also said their department has made an extensive investigation to determine the cause of the contamination. “Even if it is a voluntary recall, we have to do our own test and get a report from them every day,” Lazo added.

Based on initial findings, the flavor enhancer that comes with the instant noodles in sachet may have caused the salmonella contamination. Said flavor enhancer has also been recalled in the US.

Pending completion of the investigation, Nestlé has temporarily stopped production of all Maggi noodle products.

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Some marketing tips for your small business

arbe — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:26:48 +0000

If you are a small business here are some marketing tips for you to find customers and generate sales higher.

One of this tips is don’t spend much in advertising you are not a big business so you can’t always afford to pay for that. You can always offer your advertising a little catchy and easy for prospective customers to respond to it.

You need also to offer a cheaper version because some of the customers want a lower price and never cared for the quality in that case you can avoid losing sales and can offer to the customer your smaller or lower version of your service or product.

If you offer a cheaper version you also had to offer a premium version because if there are customers that are wanting a lower and smaller price product there are also a customers that are ready to pay a higher price just to get a premium product or service.

Try something that other small businesses can’t do so that you may said to your self that “at least I try” and also try to trim your ads so that you can run more ads at the same cost.

You can also join with the other small businesses and have a joint promotions so that their customers can try your product and your customers can try their product.

These are some tips that can help you if you are managing a small business.

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Starting a franchise

arbe — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:51:56 +0000

Every Entrepreneur wants their business to grow and have profit. They always have new ideas in their mind to fuel their business but what if you don’t have that kind of many ideas in your mind and still you want to have your own business. Well there is a answer to your problem. Nowadays there are many business opportunities like franchising.

A franchise is like a package that you can buy if you want to start a business but you don’t know what to do. And in this package it is full of many usable ideas that you can use and learn on. Most in this ideas are tried and tested from other franchiser that have their own experience so you can be confident if you invest with them.

And if you enter a franchise it is not like you buy their product then you do the other things on your own. If you enter a franchise the franchisor will support you not only in the improvement of the product but also in the idea of financial supporting.

And also you will learn how to play the market especially in the community where you are in. You can also apply your own idea so that you can improve your own store.

The ideal franchise opportunities are food oriented business, service oriented business and also the combination of the two ideas.

Whether what ideas it may be a successful franchise is still considered in the determination of person who wants to enter it.

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Most common tips when you are starting a shop

arbe — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:16:11 +0000

The most common and helpful tips that can be used if you are starting a shop, tips are listed bellow.

Location- location is one of the most important if you are starting a business because it can decide whether your business can get a customer especially in a crowded place. And if you are not in a not so crowded place you can start to advertise your shop or product so that the people may know your location.

Stable Plans- you need to have a stable plans for the future of your business. For example you need to add always a newer version of your product so that the customers will have the curiosity so that they will likely to try the new ones.

Customers- always keep in touch to your customers you also need to know what they are expecting in your product or shop and what are they want for your shop or product to be improve. In this way the customers will have a bond with you and can be a regular visitor to your shop.

Interior decoration and product quality- also one of the important thing in the business especially if you are having a shop. The decoration is important because most of the customers are going to shops not only to eat and drink but also to relax so you need to have your decoration to be more relaxing so that the customers will surely like it. Product quality is also important you need to show to your customers that their moneys will be worth-it if they will go to your shop.

These are the tips you can use if you want to start a shop.

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Infrastructure for the growth of economy

PinoyBusiness — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 03:35:19 +0000

The government now is in a short of budget in infrastructure so they are looking for some help from the private sector specially from the banks. The Department
of finance also said that they will have a conversation with the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP).

They want to improve more and more infrastructure to attract more investments. So they are hoping to have some help from the banking sector. And if so this can boost the sectors of agriculture and torusm and can make the transportation much more likely good to use.

In the Southeast Asian countries they spend 5-percent of gross domestic product for the infrastructure but here in the Philippines they only spend 3-percent for infrastructure. Way below from the other countries.

Even the other private firms can invest in the infrastructure projects of the government. The estimated amount of budget deficit for this year is around P325 billion.

If the government can be sucessful in this one, the country might be in good shape in economy and can help thousands of filipino. So everyone must help to build more and more helpful and capital making infrastructure so that the country and once again stand up and show to the world that the Philippines is a rich and strong country.

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Philippines expects 108 delegates for Phitex 2010

Roy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:04:55 +0000

A total 108 delegates from wholesale travel agents from all over the world are coming to the Philippines for the upcoming 10th Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex 2010) to forge deals with the different sectors of the local tourism industry.

Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim said that the delegates who will be coming in are large representations from outbound travel wholesales in China, Korea, Japan, Asia Pacific, North America, India, the Middle East and Europe. He said the Phitex 2010 is geared towards bringing in big volume of tourists from around the world.

“They will do business with 194 local sellers of tour packages, thus generating volumes of foreign visitors over the short and long term,” the tourism secretary said.

Phitex 2010 will be held on September 2 this year, at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel. The event is an industry-based and government-supported marketing initiative that aims to link foreign wholesale buyers and local sellers of tourism products and services in a full day of one-on-one business meetings, with each delegate being accorded a number of pre-scheduled appointments for table-top discussions.

Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions (TPP) Vicente R. Romano III said this will effectively make the foreign wholesalers themselves to “push the Philippine tourism brand in their respective countries through OTC (over-the-counter) or POS (point-of-sale) promotion and other agency-driven consumer marketing schemes.”

“At the same time, their participation in Phitex 2010 will guide the members of the local tourism industry in conducting product development based on market-specific demands, or the actual requirement of their target foreign clients,” he added. This will help local industry players to learn more about the present and future global market opportunities that they could take advantage of.

“All in all, Phitex 2010 will boost and guide our efforts in focusing on infrastructure and product development since this event covers both ends (supply and demand) of the market spectrum,” the undersecretary said.

The theme of this year’s Phitex is “Awesome Philippines, Awesome Sceneries, Awesome Activities, Awesome Experiences.” The event will be officially opened by Secretary Lim who will speak on the strategic direction of the country’s tourism development for the duration of his term.

To welcome the participants for this year’s Phitex, a welcome dinner will be held in celebration of “A Decade of AWESOME Phitex Experience,” which will be jointly hosted by the Department of Tourism and Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila.

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All-in-one load bundle from Smart

Roy — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:49:10 +0000

With online social network getting more popular these days, leading mobile communication giant Smart Communications offered a new product that will allow prepaid subscribers to update their social network accounts like Friendster, Twitter and Facebook, in its new all-in-one load bundle.

The new service from, which is called Smart Buddy’s AllTxt Combo Plus, is a perfect bundle for people who loves to update and stay connected with their friends and relatives through these popular online network community, can do so for only as low as P25 per day, including the calling and sending of SMS and MMS.

Danilo Mojica, Smart wireless consumer division head, has this to say, “Mobile subscribers these days no longer just call or text to keep in touch with their friends and family or to share news – they also update their status, write on ‘walls’ and ‘tweet’ too. Most would wish that they could do this on-the-go, on their cellphone, just like texting without having to get on the Internet. Ideally, it could also work on any phone, even the older handsets, and that it wouldn’t cost too much on top of the staple call and text package. The Smart Buddy AllTxt Combo Plus makes all this possible.”

He added that the addition of ‘e-Txts’ or the service that allows subscribers to send updates to social networks via SMS, to the traditional call and text ‘bucket’ services “is a first of its kind in the world and creates for Smart the opportunity to make our subscribers’ Smart Buddy SIMs more relevant to them by offering more connectivity options.”

The new AllTxt Combo Plus gives their prepaid subscribers a cost-effective method of updating their social network accounts since it does not require connecting to the Internet, and it even works even on older, 2G handsets. It comes in six variants, each one tailored to a specific budget and a preferred social network.

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Promotional items for Christmas

Roy — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:59:02 +0000

As I have mentioned in a previous post, it is never too early to prepare for Christmas. This early, it is better to scout around for promotional products that you can used as giveaways for the coming holiday season. The advantage of getting your promotional items early, is that you have the luxury of time to scout around for the better deal, you can get them cheaper since they are not rushed orders, and you are assured that you will have them delivered to you before Christmas. You do not need to worry about delays, as what usually happened when during peak season when are already too many orders.

You can choose to give away promotional mugs, t-shirts, ballpens, planners and diaries, calendars and more. People would appreciate and remember you better if you are giving functional items for promotional giveaways. Because they will always see your company name and logo everytime they use the giveaways.

But remember, promotional marketing marketing materials are not just good for the holidays. They are effective all year-round. That is why it would be wise to have them printed in a “non-seasonal” design, so you can use them during product launching, anniversaries, or prizes everytime you have a company promotion. Have them in stock, because you never know when you might need them.

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Figaro to open 18 more outlets in 2010

Roy — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 05:47:12 +0000

Figaro Coffee Co., a 100-percent Filipino-owned company established in 1993 whose product lines include specialty roasted local coffee varieties and various coffee-related paraphernalia. Currently, the largest Filipino-owned coffee company, with 65 coffee shop outlets nationwide, 35 of which are franchise-owned, and 30 are company-owned.

For 2010, the company plans to increase its 65 outlets by 18 more stores by opening up one or two outlets each month. For this, Figaro has set aside P78 million to accelerate its expansion for the year. “Figaro Coffee Company is now keeping a critical eye on expanding in our home-market, which will focus mostly on business districts around the country as we want more and more people experience our local barako coffee,” said Ace L. Azarraga, marketing manager of Figaro Coffee Systems Inc.

According to Azarraga, each store is estimated to cost approximately P6.5 million. Recently, the company opened up two stores, one in DBP Makati and another one in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

The DBP Makati branch, which is located at the ground floor of DBP building, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., cor., Makati Ave., Makati City, is a full store which carries the complete line-up of coffee drinks, breakfast, pasta, pizza, all day breakfast, ala carte, sandwhiches and pastries.

The Dasmariñas, Cavite branch, on the other hand, is located at the No. 29 Abad Santos Ave., Salawag, Dasmariñas City, Cavite. It aims to serve residents of nearby posh villages and golf enthusiasts, and offers signature Figaro coffee and pastries.

The company’s expansion program is in line with its tradition to continue serving the finest native barako coffee in the country. Figaro is set to open 1 to 2 stores each month nationwide, promising more exciting coffee blends, updated menu and more promotional programs to satisfy its growing number of customers. “As we continue to expand, more and more Filipino coffee farmers are benefited. Figaro Coffee Company only buys local coffee beans,” Azarraga said.

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It is not really too early

Roy — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:23:12 +0000

With the first half of the year almost over, it is not really too really to prepare for the the coming Christmas season. Because many companies, as early as June, are already looking for suppliers for their promotional products which they can use for their promotions and giveaways for Christmas.

This then presents an opportunity for the entrepreneur, especially those who are into the personalized items items business. Items that companies most likely would be looking for are personalized keychains, mugs, tumblers, promotional t-shirts, promotional caps, baller bands, calendars and a lot more.

If you can find a supplier, it would be a good opportunity if you can offer companies personalized USB flashdrives as well. Aside from being the “in” thing these days, they would be most appreciated because of their being functional. Try to find other products which you can personalized and offer them to companies for their giveaways.

What is nice about the business of personalized items, is that it is not seasonal. Companies would always be looking for products they can use as giveaways, especially during product launching, or when there is a special campaign. So, if you haven’t considered this business yet, now is a good time to explore it. And the coming holidays would be a good opportunity to test the waters.

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Microsoft launched new products in the Philippines

Roy — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:54:01 +0000

Microsoft launched last week its latest product to its customers in the Philippines – the Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Microsoft Vision 2010 and Microsoft Project 2010.

The software giant expects its new products to significantly benefit Filipino business in terms of productivity and gains and to give them higher returns on their software investments.

Microsoft Asia-Pacific sales and marketing vice president Ken Wye Saw said, “Microsoft Office 2010 and the 2010 set of products offer people the flexibility to work across their PC, phone and browser. As a result, companies can save, innovate and grow. This is what we mean when we say that Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 are defining the future of productivity.” He pointed out that by giving customers choice and flexibility, Microsoft also allows them to save on costs.

Transnational E-Business Solutions, Inc. (TESI), a full ICT solutions provider, was one of the companies who participated in the testing of the Microsoft Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 beta programs. TESI president and general manager Renvi Martinez said, “With Office 2010, workflows are more efficient, Web applications make your work available anywhere, collaboration is much easier”

Another company, BDO Capital & Investment Corp., also participated in the beta testing. Company president Eduardo Francisco said, “Coming from the finance industry, Microsoft Office Excel 2010 is a reliable tool for my work. Through these new Excel features, I can not only manage huge amounts of data, but also make sense out of the figures easily and quickly, and these enhancements have a huge impact on the efficiency of an organization.”

Femee Cruz, Microsoft Philippines information worker product manager, pointed out, “Even if people are out of the office, they can still work at home, off site, or even while they are on the go or don’t have their PC with them. The new features of Microsoft Office 2010 ensure that people have access to their documents across a range of platforms.”

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Consumer education program initiated by DTI

Roy — Mon, 31 May 2010 06:35:27 +0000

To help educate the consumers, a program called Integrated Consumer Education Program will be launched by the Department of Trade and Industry on May 31. The program aims to increase public awareness on the need to be properly informed of their rights and for them to be involved as consumers.

The Integrated Consumer Education is a flagship program of the DTI that aims to increase consumer awareness and education in the youth through the development of education materials on consumer welfare protection.

The DTI will turn over the 107 lesson exemplars (LEs) and 10 modules on consumer education to the Department of Education (DepEd), during the program launch, for implementation. DTI developed the LEs and modules in collaboration with DepEd’s Bureau of Secondary Education (BES) and the Alternative Learning System (ALS). The trade department also collaborated with the industry through the Philippine Product Safety and Quality Foundation Inc (PPSQF) and sought assistance on product expertise.

The introduction of consumer protection based on the fair trade laws is the main theme of the lesson exemplars, which are incorporated in eight learning areas of secondary education namely, English, Mathematics, Filipino, Araling Panlipunan, Values, Science, Technology and Livelihood Education, and Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH).

The modules were designed for mobile learners or out-of-school –youth in the secondary level. They will present the step-by-step guides on quality and safety specification of critical products in the market. For the first set of modules, the products involved are automotive battery, compact fluorescent lamp, flat glass and LPG cylinder, while the products for the second set of modules are cement, ceramic tile, electric flat iron, lighter, monobloc chair and safety match.

Trade and Industry Secretary Jesli A. Lapus said, “Start them young in consumer education and in a couple of years the country will have a vibrant sector that will be demanding better products and services. This will be good for the economy since manufacturers and stores will be forced to sell only quality goods.”

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Seaweed-durian cupcake, a healthy ‘baon’ for school

Roy — Sat, 29 May 2010 16:40:22 +0000

A healthier cupcake makes for a great alternative ‘baon’ is the product of the research project by a group of people from the Southern Philippines Agribusiness and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST) in Digos City, Davao del Norte.

The cupcake made from seaweed and durian, which is just in time for the school opening, was made through the collaborative efforts of Arlyn Omboy, Graciela Caballero, Milagros Subaldo, Dr. Nila Nanette Revilla and Dr. Delia Grace Bacaltos, all from the SPAMAST. The seaweed-durian cupcake was their entry to the 2010 Aquatic Technology Competition and Marketplace (ATCOM), wherein there were one of the finalists.

The contest (ATCOM) was sponsored by the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (DOST-PCAMRD).

The researchers said that the making of seaweed-durian cupcake follows the usual baking process for bread and pastries. The cupcake, which has a shelf life of five days, is a bakery product made from seaweed powder with processed durian jam, uses as raw material locally available Eucheuma spinosum and durian, an exotic fruit which is described as “smells like hell but tastes like heaven.”

During the research process, the team of researchers conducted a consumers’ feedback evaluation to get the reaction of the market on the seaweed-durian cupcake. Most of the respondents which were from Digos City and neighboring towns rated the cupcake as “most acceptable.”

The seaweed-durian cupcake technology was further improved, and was even extended to various seaweed-growing communities in the Island Garden City of Samal and Puntao Biao, Cogon, Digos City. Thanks to the support of the Davao Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (DICCEP) sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region 11. Arrangements with the DTI and Department of Education (DepEd) are now being made to make the healthy cupcake available in the different ‘Pasalubong’ centers and school canteens.

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Effects of El Niño reaching almost P10 billion in losses

Roy — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:51:31 +0000

The losses in the agricultural sector brought about by the El Niño have already reached P9.58 billion as of the end of March. Report shows 12 regions are experiencing dry spell conditions which affect production of rice, corn, fruits, flowers, high-value commercial crops and livestock.

But in spite of this, the government continues to downplay the effects of El Niño on the Philippine economic growth this year. It said it could shave 0.57 percent point off this year’s gross domestic product growth target of 2.6-3.6 percent. Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary August B. Santos said during a recent Cabinet meeting, “Agriculture makes up only 18 percent of the gross domestic product.”

He added that economic outputs in Mindanao only account to 18 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, referring to the effect of the power shortage in Mindanao on the country’s economic growth.

He noted a report from the National Disaster Coordinating Council which said that about 753,606 hectares of land had been affected with an equivalent total production loss of 685,485 metric tons.

National Economic and Development Authority director for national policy and planning Dennis M. Arroyo, said growth this year could dip to 3 percent from the high end of the target. He added that government was confident of hitting the upper end of the goal unless Greece’s debt crisis explodes and causes another global crisis.

Meanwhile, the NEDA director also reported that the construction industry is also threatened by rising iron ore prices after the 40-year old pricing arrangement of annual negotiations was replaced by quarterly pricing. “A 100-percent increase in iron ore prices will lead to a 30-percent increase in steel prices. That will affect both public and private construction and therefore, the real estate industry,” he pointed out.

Santos said that this change was led by giant iron ore producers Vale of Brazil and Anglo-Australian BHP-Billion. He noted that the shorter the pricing period, the more leeway for market speculation and volatility. Eurofer, which represents European steelmakers, has warned of illicit price manipulation by the biggest iron ore producers.

Santos added that it might turn out that the US steel might be the cheapest alternative since US steel inputs are largely isolated from the global market. America is a net exporter of the chief ingredients of steel: iron ore, coking coal and scrap.

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Eyeglasses get good review

Roy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:52:20 +0000

Zenni Optical, The #1 online Rx glasses store continues to get good reviews for its product. The latest now is Eric’s Review of Zenni Optical. Eric Hammer is a Brooklyn Liberal Examiner and he talked about the advantages and getting your money’s worth when you buy your eyeglasses from Zenni. Check his review and find out why Zenni is still the Lowest Price Progressive Glasses.

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Making the world smaller everyday

Roy — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:37:39 +0000

The world is really getting smaller everyday. What with the internet being people together closer even when there’s oceans separating them. And another product of today’s technology which makes the world even smaller is the direct tv. Because unlike your regular cable subscription, direct tv offerings get you your favorite international show live and real time, and not just delayed telecasts.

Such is the power of technology. But be weary though, just like any other enterprise, there are many companies who are offering direct tv deals, each claiming to be better than the other. Listening to them sometimes confuses you all the more, making it hard for you to come up with a decision.

The best way to gauge a company is still by word of mouth. First, find out if there is such company which offers direct TV services in your are. If there are, get feedback from friends who have availed of their services.

When there are no local providers, your next best option is still the internet. Search the web for companies with such services, visit their sites, study their packages, read testimonies if there are any.

Catching your favorite CBS, and other international show, live is really exciting. But be sure that you can catch the perfect service provider first.