Boracay Island Airport ₱300 Billion Modernization Development Ground Breaking

Caticlan – Boracay Airport Modernization have its ground breaking last June 25, 2011 for another ₱ 300 Billion government spending to have a modern airport in the country's capital tourist destination.

The World's famous Boracay of the Philippines as the country's premier tourist destination, Boracay Island, is expected to boost its economy even more – by an estimated P300 billion at least – with the renovation of the new airport in neighboring Caticlan, jump-off point to the world-famous holiday destination.

President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, who led the ceremonial switch-on activity in Caticlan last Saturday, said tourism receipts to be raised in the popular beach destination once the renovated airport opens, could be as much as ₱322.5 billion with three million tourist arrivals accommodated by the airport which, in its present existing state, serves some 700,000 passengers per year.

"That's about $1,000 per tourist, with a multiplier effect of five," Aquino observed.

The President pointed out the domino effect that the airport's development could bring to Boracay's economy. He said it will give sustainable livelihood to Filipinos working in restaurants, souvenir shops, and hotels on the island.

Aquino further emphasized that upgrades to be installed in the Caticlan airport, including state-of-the art scanners, computerized check-in counters, and spacious waiting areas, should be able to entice more tourists even as their safety and security are ensured.

TransAire Development Holdings Corp., a subsidiary of San Miguel Corp., is undertaking the expansion and upgrading of the facility which will eventually be known as Boracay Airport within 25 years.

A total of ₱2.5 billion has been spent so far by said SMC subsidiary for the project.

The airport terminal will be re-done to make certain the accommodation of three million visitors annually even as the runway will be widened from 950 meters at present to 2,500 meters.

Night flights to Boracay will also soon be available with the installation of runway lighting and modern night-time navigation systems.

 

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Australian BPO- Stellar Global will expand for new 1000 seats in the Philippines

Stellar Global, Philippines – an Aussie company will offer new 1000 seats.

Australian business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Stellar Global said it is expanding its Philippine operations with a new 1,000 seat facility in Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City which will start operations in August 2011.

Stellar Philippines Inc. CEO Edmund Macaso said their parent company is investing ₱200 million in its new facility which will be housed at the 22nd to 24th floors of the 34-storey MDC 100 Bldg. while also dedicating a small area at the ground floor of the building for employee recruitment.

"We see a lot of room for growth here in the Philippines. Stellar is confident in doing business in the country," Macaso said.

The new Stellar site is already Philippine Economic Zone Authority certified giving it incentives on tax and duty free importation of capital goods.

Macaso said they are looking to house their airline and energy accounts in the new site which will do voice and non-voice services.

He said the new facility is expected to contribute ₱500 million annually to the company's gross revenues. The amount is seen to grow by 10 to 15 percent annually.

The company reported gross revenues of ₱640 million and ₱757 million in 2009 and 2010, respectively. It also posted net income of ₱102 million and ₱194 million during the same period.

Its gross revenue for the year is projected to hit ₱1.012 billion with the net income increasing to ₱172 million.

Aside from airline and energy, Stellar services companies in the telecommunication, insurance, banking, and entertainment industries. It has 10 Philippine-based clients.

Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said Stellar is one of the Australian-based BPO companies that are pouring in more investments to the Philippines.

"Stellar BPO, which already has more than 1,500 staff in its Cubao facility, has informed me that it is investing in a second center in Eastwood," Domingo said.

Stellar Philippines Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stellar Global Solutions Philippines, Inc. which in turn is a joint venture company owned by Stellar Global and Philippine publicly listed company Paxy's Inc

 

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Discovery: Biological gems found in Philippines

By Alan Boyle

Researchers say they identified 300 species that they think are new to science this spring during a biological prospecting expedition to the Philippines, organized by the California Academy of Sciences.

“The Philippines is one of the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth,” Terrence Gosliner, dean of science and research collections at the California Academy of Sciences and leader of the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition, said today in a news release about the findings. “Despite this designation, however, the biodiversity here is still relatively unknown, and we found new species during nearly every dive and hike as we surveyed the country’s reefs, rainforests, and the ocean floor."

The 42-day expedition was launched in late April and focused on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago, as well as the surrounding waters. In cooperation with more than two dozen colleagues from the Philippines, the academy's scientists surveyed a wide range of ecosystems and shared their findings with local communities and conservationists.

Among the suspected new species are dozens of types of insects and spiders, deep-sea corals, sea pens, sea urchins and more than 50 kinds of sea slugs. Scientists say they came across a new kind of cicada that makes a distinctive "laughing" call, a starfish that eats only sunken driftwood, and a deep-sea swell shark that sucks water into its stomach to bulk up and scare off predators.

When the expedition ended, the scientists combined their data and identified their top conservation priorities — expansion of marine protected areas, plus reforestation to reduce sedimentation damage to coral reefs. The academy said reduction of plastic waste was also a priority, because plastic litter was pervasive throughout the marine environment, even on the ocean floor at depths of more than 6,000 feet.

Over the coming months, the expedition's scientists will be analyzing their specimens with the aid of microscopes and DNA sequencing equipment to confirm their discoveries.

The academy's expedition is one of many efforts around the globe to document and safeguard biodiversity — in part because yet-to-be-discovered species may point the way to commercially useful drugs or technologies, in part because they may turn out to be key to an ecosystem's health, and in part because they're beautiful, exotic or just plain odd.

"The species lists and distribution maps that we created during this expedition will help to inform future conservation decisions and ensure that this remarkable biodiversity is afforded the best possible chance of survival," Gosliner said.

 

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