Philippines beats Bulgaria, 2.5-1.5 ISTANBUL CHESS OLYMPIAD

Philippine Participants in Ankara Turkey "Istanbul Chess Olympiad 2012

• 1-3 Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, 11/12
• 4-8 China, Philippines, Ukraine, Hungary, Spain, 10/12
• 9-23 Germany, Moldova, India, USA, France, England, Mexico, Croatia, Argentina, Georgia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Italy, Israel, FYROM, 9/11

Total of 150 participants

Once every two years all of the chess world meets in the Chess Olympiad to determine world supremacy in this Game of Kings. The 40th edition is currently ongoing in Istanbul, Turkey, and a record-breaking 277 teams (men and women) have arrived in this historic city to meet in friendly combat. Defending champion is Ukraine but of course Russia, generally regarded as the strongest team and Armenia (champion in 2006 and 2008) will both try to grab the crowns this year. After six rounds tied for 1st place is Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In the Olympiad's biggest upset so far the Philippines defeated chess powerhouse Bulgaria 2.5-1.5 and continued its dream performance by climbing to no. 5 in the official standings. The RP bets were outranked in every board and indeed the Bulgarians tried hard to win, but Wesley So, facing former world champion Veselin Topalov, Eugene Torre and Mark Paragua gave as much as they took and held their opponents to draws.

Oliver Barbosa, playing against former world top-10 Kiril Georgiev, saw an opening and gave up his queen for two rooks and the attack. However Georgiev rebuffed all threats and seemed on his way to a win until a shock 55…g5+!? confused him and caused a blunder. He resigned on move 59 when Barbosa won his queen.

Georgiev, Kiril (2682) -- Barbosa, Oliver (2554) [D16]

40th Olympiad Open Istanbul TUR (6.5), 03.09.2012

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 cxd4 10.exd4 0-0 11.Rd1 Nb4 12.Ne5 Bd7 13.Qf3 Bc6 14.Qg3 Nfd5 15.Bh6 Bf6 16.Ne4 Kh8 17.Nxf6 Qxf6 18.Bg5 Qf5 19.Bd2 Rac8 20.a5 f6 21.Nxc6 Nxc6 22.Be1 Nf4 23.Bf1 Rfd8 24.Qe3 a6 25.Rac1 Rd7 26.Rc5 Qxc5!? 27.dxc5 Rxd1 28.g3 Nd5 29.Qxe6 Rd8 30.Kg2 Nd4 31.Qe4 f5 32.Qe5 f4 33.Bc4 Nc2 34.Bc3 Nxc3 35.bxc3 fxg3 36.hxg3 Ne1+ 37.Kh3 Nd3 38.Qf5 Rd2 39.f3 Nf2+ 40.Kh4 Nd1 41.Qe5 Rh2+ 42.Kg5 Rh6 43.g4 Rc6 44.Kh4 Nb2 45.Qe7 Rcc8 46.Be6 Rb8 47.Qc7 Na4 48.c4 Nc3 49.Bd7 Ne2 50.Qe5 Ra8 51.c6 bxc6 52.Bxc6 Rac8 53.Be4 Rd1 54.f4 Rf8 55.Qh5 g5+!? 56.Qxg5 Nxf4 57.Qe7? Rh1+! 58.Kg3

No choice. If 58.Bxh1 Ng6+; and 58.Kg5 h6#

58...Rh3+ 59.Kf2 Ng6+ 0-1

GM Wesley So 2652 vs. GM Veselin Topalov 2752 1/2

GM Oliver Barbosa 2554 vs. GM Kiril Georgiev 2682 1-0

GM Eugene Torre 2469 vs. GM Ivan Cheparinov 2681 1/2

GM Mark Paragua 2508 vs. GM Alexander Delchev 2596 1/2

The Philippines' next opponent will be another powerhouse: Hungary!

Philippine Participants

The contingent was led by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Executive Director Grand Master (GM) Jayson Gonzales, head coach of Team Philippines.

Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Marilyn J. Alarilla met with members of Team Philippines upon their arrival in Istanbul.

The members of the Philippine Men's team are GM Mark Paragua (ELO 2508), International Master (IM) Oliver Dimakiling (2428), GM Wesley So (2650), GM Oliver Barbosa (2554) and GM Eugene Torre (2469). The Philippine Women's team is composed of World IM Catherine Perena (2091), World FIDE Master (WFM) Rulp Ylem Jose (2061), Women National Master (WNM), Jedara Docena (2061),  WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda (2022),  and  WNM Janelle Mae Frayna (2061).

NCFP Chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. and NCFP Secretary-General Abraham Tolentino Jr. arrived in Istanbul on September 2 to support the team and to attend World Chess Federation (FIDE) Council meetings.

Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Suat Kilic, with FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, and Turkish Chess Federation President Ali Nihat Yazici opened the competition in the evening of August 27 at the WOW Congress Hotel in Istanbul.

Chess National Federations from 158 countries are participating at the biennial Chess Olympiad.

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DA - ₱1.7-Billion Investment to Boost Coconut Export

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will invest ₱1.7 billion to increase the export of non-traditional coconut products such as coconut water and virgin coconut oil (VCO).

"President Aquino is confident that the coconut industry has the potentials to make it big in the world market, and instructed that assistance be given to coconut farmers especially now that there is big hype on coconut water," Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

"We will devise and implement strategies to take advantage of the growing export demand on coco water, VCO, and coconut sap sugar," he added.

PCA Administrator Euclides Forbes said the export of coconut water during the first six months of 2012 have increased to 10.2 million liters (worth US$11.2 million), doubling from 5.7 million liters (worth US$ 5.6M) during the same period last year.

He said the DA-PCA is working with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) to develop respective processing and postharvest technologies that would further lengthen the shelf life of coconut water for domestic and export markets.

Forbes also said export of VCO also doubled to 4,422 metric tons (MT), worth US$18.2M from January to June 2012, from 2,072 MT (worth US$8.4M) during the same period of 2011.

Alcala said the coconut industry should take advantage of available matured technologies to enable coconut farmers and entrepreneurs create new and innovative by-products from the "tree of life."

Further, to sustain the productivity and further increase the incomes of small coconut farmers and their families, the PCA will implement a nationwide coconut planting and replanting program.

As of July 31, some 14.6 million seed nuts were planted, accounting for 71 percent of this year's total target.

The PCA also aims to fertilize up to 25 million coconut trees in 2013, and will implement a coconut livelihood and intercropping program, called Kasaganaan sa Niyugan ay Kaunlaran ng Bayan (KAANIB), in 300 sites throughout the country.

Forbes said coconut products and by-products remain as the country's leading agricultural exports, totaling US$1.96 billion last year, 20 percent more than in 2010, worth US$1.63 billion.

He said some 39 coconut products and by-products are exported to at least 100 countries.

Last year, the top export was coconut oil worth US$1.4B, followed by desiccated coconut (US$287 million), and coco chemicals (US$35M).

Other coconut export products are VCO, coco water, chips, jam, vinegar, frozen coco meat, liquid coco milk, coconut milk powder, macapuno, coco liquor, coco coir and coconut handicraft, among other by-products.

Manila Bulletin 

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France Total oil Explorer signs deal to begin Oil Exploration in Sulu Sea

Total of France has entered the oil and gas exploration industry in the Philippines after acquiring a 75-percent interest in a contract area in Sulu Sea.

Total E&P Philippines B.V., a unit of the oil giant, said it acquired the 75-percent stake in offshore block service contract 56 from Mitra Energy of Malaysia. The 75-percent stake was previously owned by ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Philippines B.V. (50 percent) and BHP Billiton International Exploration Pty Ltd (25 percent).

The block covers 4,300 square kilometers, in water depths ranging from 200 meters to 3,000 meters.

ExxonMobil announced last year its decision to withdraw its 50-percent stake in SC 56 after finding "non-commercial quantities of gas" in South Sulu Sea.

ExxonMobil drilled the four wells in 2010 and 2011 and invested $400 million before declaring SC 56, which covered 8,200 square kilometers, including the gas-rich Sandakan Basin, as non-commercial.

Mitra Energy will retain a 25-percent interest in SC 56 after the farm-in agreement was signed.

Total is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. Its upstream business encompasses oil and natural gas exploration, development and production, along with coal, gas and power activities.

"With this new acquisition, Total continues to pursue its strategy to further expand its acreage in significant potential plays in new exploration areas, notably in deep offshore Asia Pacific," Marie Guillermou, Total senior vice president for Asia Pacific exploration and production, said.

Energy Assistant Secretary Ramon Oca welcomed Total's entry into the country's oil and gas industry, although he clarified the department had yet to accept a formal application from the company.

"It is a sign of growing investor trust and confidence in doing business in the Philippines plus the attractive fiscal regime we have for petroleum exploration in the Philippines," Oca said.

A new exploration phase actually started on Sept. 1, 2012 and Mitra will initially operate the seismic works including the re-processing of existing data and the 3D acquisition of additional 500 sq. km.

The operatorship will then be transferred to Total E&P for the drilling operations. The transaction is subject to approval of the Energy Department.

Total E&P previously partnered with Nido Petroleum Philippines Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of Nido Petroleum Ltd. of Australia to look at opportunities offered under the Philippine Energy Contracting Round 4.

The partnership, however, failed to submit a bid in any of the 15 blocks offered under PECR 4.

Manila Standard Today

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