Philippines' DOST - Craft BILL- Space Agency for Billion Dollars Spaceship, Rockets

Galactic Pinoy? Scientists push for independent  Philippines Space Agency (PSA)

We've yet to see the first Pinoy astronaut in space, though plans toward this goal have been in the works since the 1990s. In the meantime, scientists and astronomy advocates recently joined efforts to push for the establishment of our very own space agency.

Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) Balik Scientist Dr. Custer Deocaris, organized a press briefing at Annabel's Restaurant in Quezon City on Dec. 14.

Deocaris believes that, since the government has now increased its funding for the DOST, citing initiatives like Project NOAH and DREAM Project, it's high time that the goverment should invest in an independent space agency, like NASA.

"Kung hindi ngayon, mahihirapan na tayong iangat ang Philippine Space Agency," said Deocaris.

The proposed space agency intends to conduct studies on space science and technologies, design, and develop satellites that will be launched in space, and possibly train astronauts, according to the draft bill on the  Philippine Space Agency.

In Southeast Asia, at least five countries have their own space agencies like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. See the list of countries with Space Agencies

But Dr. Edgardo Aban of the University of Brunei Darussalam said during the press conference that the initiative for space studies in the Philippines started way back in the '90s.

"One of our landmark achievements [is the] 1995-1996 partnership project with NASA. We had a synthetic altitude radar that aim to map portions of the Philippines using radar."

By 2005, Aban was also a part of a team that studied the space technologies and application capabilities of the Philippines in terms of human resource, technology and infrastructure.

However, as Aban recalled, those moves turned out to be unsuccessful.

Deocaris also said that his group sent AGHAM Party List representative Angelo Palmones the draft bill.

"We should not forget that most of today's modern conveniences (cellphone, internet, cloud computing, etc.) are spin-offs from investments in space technology," Deocaris wrote in his letter to the congressman.

"[The] time has now come to open the possibility of creating an ambitious but doable dream: a space program for Filipinos," he added.

Meanwhile, Aban estimated that a Pinoy space agency would cost at least $1 billion (P41 billion)( http://is.gd/JYX3DT)

GMA News

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Philippines signed RA 10349 Armed Forces modernization law for further 15 years

Philippine President Benigno Aquino signed Republic Act No. 10349 into law on 11 December measures extending the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for a further 15 years and the allocation of ₱75 billion ($1.8 billion USD) for defense procurement over the next five years.

The legislation, Republic Act (RA) No. 10349, also formally establishes processes that are geared to accelerate the AFP's acquisition of materiel by enhancing the efficiency and accountability of military procurement practices.

A presidential statement made reference to the rationale behind the move to bolster military capability, and the AFP's transition in recent years from a force focused on tackling internal threats - particularly insurgency - to one increasingly absorbed by a perceived requirement to secure off-shore territory.

The statement said the passing of the revised AFP Modernization Act will "further upgrade the AFP's defense capabilities for the country's protection and security". It added that the funding provided by the act will "boost the AFP's Capability Upgrade Program [CUP] as it shifts from internal to external defense capability".

The revised legislation also enables the military modernization effort to be boosted further by the proceeds of leasing military-owned land not considered vital to the Department of National Defense.

But even before the law is implemented, the Commission on Audit, in its 2011 annual report, disclosed that a total of ₱72.5 million worth of military combat clothing procured by the Philippine Air Force has remained undelivered by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management

The undelivered items include combat and rubber shoes, flight suits, and mattresses.  ₱21.4 million worth of these items remain undelivered since 2008.The COA explained that ₱21.4 million worth of combat clothing was undelivered in 2010, while ₱51.1 million worth was undelivered in the following year.

Mr. Aquino, meanwhile, said the new law will help boost the Armed Forced of the Philippines' capability upgrade program.

"This ensures that our Armed Forces will be able to keep up with the modern times.  This will boost the AFP's capability upgrade program as it shifts from internal to external defense capability," Mr. Aquino said.

"Security threats have changed: as the number of rebels goes down, we have to focus more on terrorist threats. We are facing new challenges such as territorial disputes with bigger countries in the region," the President added.

The Philippines has been engaged in heightened tensions with China the entire year over conflicting claims in the South China Sea.

"This new law ushers in a more modern, more reliable and stronger AFP. Our military is marching forward to protect our people and fight threats to our sovereignty," Mr. Aquino said.

Under the new measure, the AFP modernization program will have a ₱75 billion budget for the first five years.

The measure exempts from the requirement of public bidding certain major defense purchases such as aircraft, vessels, tanks, armored vehicles, communications equipment and high powered firearms.

The new law also grants additional funding sources from public-private partnerships entered into by the defense department of the AFP.

It also allows multi-year contracts and exempts from value added tax and customs duties the sale of weapons, equipment, and ammunition to the AFP.

AFP planners had identified 39 projects to be covered by the revised modernization program.

The Air Force will acquire 21 additional UH-1B multipurpose helicopters to replace the Vietnam War-vintage UH-1H (Huey) helicopters and 10 attack helicopters in the next two years.

The modernization program would also include the purchase of three medium-lift aircraft to complement the Air Force's C-130 Hercules cargo planes.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV expressed his gratitude to the President for signing the new law, saying the modernization law would boost the military's capability to deal with national security threats.

Trillanes is the co-principal author of the new AFP Modernization Law in the Senate, along with Senator Panfilo Lacson.

"The AFP is the protector of the people of the State. It is hoped that through this law, the AFP will be able to fulfill its mandate," Trillanes said. (http://is.gd/cKrir1)

Manila Standard Today

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Booming Philippine economy fuels resurgence of the luxury hotel market

The second fastest growing economy in Asia and a stable political environment are combining to fuel a surging Manila hospitality market, particularly in the high end luxury sector, with escalating room rates and strong occupancies setting the stage for dramatic future growth for the sector.

With an economy growing at 7.1% last quarter, just a few points behind China, the Philippines is enjoying a fast tracked journey back to the future - and the hospitality sector is a front line beneficiary, according to the Manila Hotel Market Update report released today by leading hospitality consulting firm C9 Hotelworks.

The report points to an aggressive pipeline of growth and investment in the luxury sector with a total of 5,797 rooms opening in the upper tier of the market over the next five years, representing a 37% growth to existing supply. These will include the introduction of internationally renowned brands such as Raffles, Fairmont, Grand Hyatt, Shangri-La, Sheraton and Westin.

As an early indication of what's to come, C9's hospitality research details a rise in overall average room rates of 6% and occupancy in luxury accommodation of 72%.

"Step back in time three decades and hotel headlines would be surprisingly similar to those today," said C9 Hotelworks Managing Director, Bill Barnett. "Manila Bay asserting itself as a tourism hub in Metro Manila, and a new business district flexing its muscles within the competitive hotel landscape.

One of many hotels expected to be launched over the next five years: Fairmont Makati will be opening in Makati in December 2012.

"But this time around it is Manila Bay featuring the evolution of Pagcor Entertainment City and Resorts World, while the new CBD is not Makati but neighboring Bonifacio City. This is the new storyboard of Mega Manila."

According to Mr Barnett, the government led by President Benigno Aquino III and the private sector can be credited with much of the growth by executing a coordinated and effective strategy of selecting a limited number of massive infrastructure projects to focus on - which has created major demand.

At the end of last year Manila played home to 15,567 hotel rooms with 57% of these being in the upscale tier. But suddenly there is now significant movement at the top end of the market where luxury supply grew at only 3.2% between 2004 to 2011.

Commenting on the shift up Mr Barnett said: "Present day trading remains strongly leveraged with corporate travelers, who combined with the meeting and incentive segment command 78% of total hotel room nights."

Looking forward to 2013 and beyond Mr Barnett added that an interesting dynamic was forming.

"The urban spread of Mega Manila into new areas - such as leading Philippine developer Ayala's FTI acquisition in Taguig - is expected to create new hotel micro markets and this is only good news for the hospitality sector overall.

"In the new Asian age when the East is now embracing a rising and increasingly affluent middle class even Donald Trump has come to the table with his luxury namesake brand in the new Mega Manila."Bill Barnett is the Founder and Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks, who are a leading consulting firm specializing in hotels, tourism and property development in Asia Pacific. C9 assists developers, private equity and financial institutions, and investors in providing market research, feasibility studies, hotel operator negotiations, asset management and transaction/due diligence support. From their base of operations in Thailand the group is considered a leading regional player in market intelligence, and publish regular industry updates. (http://is.gd/foBsmh)

4Hoteliers

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