Pinoy food reinvented at 'Inuman at Pulutan' in New York

source: Balitang America

NEW YORK - Filipinos in New York have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. One of which is seeing the Filipino food movement grow in the last three years, partly thanks to events like Inuman and Pulutan – a night of sampling sumptuous traditional and modern Filipino cuisine created by Filipino chefs from various New York city restaurants.

Now on its third year, Inuman and Pulutan has become the go-to event when it comes to tasting the traditional and modern Filipino cuisine in the Big Apple.

"It's getting bigger as I've said. I think this is a very good platform to really promote Philippine food, Philippine spirits," said Consul General Mario de Leon.

Nobu is a Japanese restaurant but its Filipino executive chef recreated the popular crispy pata by adding a touch of Japanese influence. He calls it crispy braised pork shank.

"I'm using Filipino ingredients to make a Japanese sauce," said Nobu executive chef, Ricky Estrella.

Nobu owner Hiro Tahara described Filipinos as very passionate about food.

"Their work ethics are really good. They are very passionate about the food and then, they work very hard, very friendly. Filipinos are great chefs," Tahara said.

Tocino is a delicious and popular Filipino dish. Spotted Pig is not a Filipino restaurant but its Fil-Am executive sous chef prepared the popular breakfast meat by putting it inside a bun--a Pinoy version of the New York favorite pork bun.

"Basically, it's a pandan-infused bun, with pork tocino, pickled vegetables. We use cane vinegar, coconut vinegar and a calamansi mayo in it. They wanted to use Filipino ingredients in a non-traditional way. Tocino is awesome with rice, eggs and stuff but it's great in a sandwich too," said executive sous chef Edie Ugot.

'Chopped' champion and judge Chris Coleman said it's his first time to attend a Filipino-American event. He said he fell in love with the Filipino people and their food.

"To me, I'm amazed for what I've seen. This is fabulous. I love it, very talented cooking, very talented chef. I could not wait to get the opportunity to fly to the Philippines and basically enjoy and embrace chef and their cooking," said Coleman.

Organizers say they are already planning for a bigger and better Inuman and Pulutan 2015.

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'PH to be fastest growing Southeast Asian economy in 2015'

source: ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines - The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales expects the Philippine economy to be the fastest growing in Southeast Asia next year.

The group said the Philippines will grow over 6.4 percent in 2015, citing the country's low budget deficit and slowing inflation.

This would mean the Philippines regaining its number one spot in the region.

In the third quarter, the country was just the third fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia, as growth was dragged by weak government spending. The Philippines posted 5.3 percent GDP growth in the third quarter, behind Malaysia's 5.6 percent and Vietnam's 6.2 percent.

However, ICAEW says the Philippines needs to build more infrastructure to support the country's accelerating growth.

The government has said it wants to fast track building and awarding much-needed infrastructure projects, but most of them are usually caught in delays.

The Aquino administration has awarded 8 PPP projects since 2013. - ANC

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Magkakabaung is Best Asian Film in Hanoi Festival

A Filipino film produced in the Kampampangan language has won the Best Asian Film Award at the 3rd Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) in Vietnam.

“Magkakabaung” (The Coffin Maker) writer and director Jason Paul Laxamana received the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award. The film’s ead actor Allen Dizon was adjudged Best Actor winning over Hollywood actor Ralfh Fiennes of the Best Length Film, Two Women from Russia.

Laxamana is a filmmaker based in the Pampanga province north of Manila, who champions locally produced films by organizing film festivals and workshops. He graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication and has taught filmmaking at the De La Salle College of St. Benilde.

The movie has given Dizon his second international Best Actor award, after winning his first at the 9th Harlem International Film Festival held in New York last September.

The Coffin Maker also stars Filipina actress-host Gladys Reyes-Sommereux as the errant wife and Dizon’s real-life daughter Felixia Crysten Dizon as the ill-fated daughter. The film was produced by Ferdinand Lapuz for ATD Entertainment Productions.

The Coffin Maker tells the story of a casket factory worker who brings up his eight-year old daughter alone after his wife leaves him, and then accidentally causes the death of the girl by administering the wrong medication. The film presents the coffin maker’s attempts at erasing his guilt and remorse even as he faces difficulties in getting his daughter’s body discharged from the hospital and then buried.

The 3rd HANIFF, organized by the Cinema Department of the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, chose 130 films out of over 400 submissions from 32 countries with nearly 200 free screenings attracting 30,000 viewers. Aside from the competitions, HANIFF also presented its Country in focus – Spotlight program featuring Philippine Independent films.

- See more at: http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/magkakabaung-best-asian-film-hanoi-festival/#sthash.KtZqSsAJ.dpuf

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Philippines is favorite desination of Israeli travellers

The Philippines is becoming a favourite destination for Israeli travellers.

The country was cited by Israeli news and travel Hebrew-language websites News1, International Air Services, Terminal and Walla as the next new destination for travelling Israeli nationals.

The reports referred to the considerable rise in the number of Israeli tourists in the country based on data from the Department of Tourism which marked the 30% increase in the number of Israelis travelling to the Philippines in 2013 – a total of 7,675 Israeli tourists up from the 5,895 in 2012.

The website articles highlighted top tourist draws Palawan and Boracay. Palawan Island has been rated as the Number 1 Island in the Top 30 Islands of the World Readers Choice Awards 2014 given by Condé Nast, gleaned from over a million votes and 77,000 readers worldwide. Palawan was given the highest rating of 88.750 over 29 other islands cited by the Condé Nast Traveler. In its citation, Condé Nast Traveler referred to the Philippine tourist spot as shooting to the top of the list with its recent claim to fame as the home of one of the new seven natural wonders of the world, the Puerto Princesa Underground River.

The Puerto Princesa subterranean river spans 8.2 kilometres, the longest in Asia and the second longest underground river in the world. The protected area features limestone or karst landscapes in a complex cave system where a 20 million year old Miocene age serenia fossil was discovered, along with egg shape and crystal rock formations and at least 11 minerals. The underground river flows directly into the sea, with its lower half brackish and affected by the ocean’s tide.

Boracay island took the number 12th spot in the list. The tiny island of 10 square miles in Western Visayas, central Philippines was cited by Travel+Leisure Magazine as Best Overall Island of 2012.

The island is already a famous top tourist destination with its 4 kilometres of powdery white sand beaches, an area of which is considered as Asia’s top kitesurf destination, 25 dive sites, shallow blue waters ideal for snorkelling and other water sports, complemented by thriving nightlife on the beachfront with a great variety of restaurants, shops and resorts.

A media release from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) noted the Israeli articles as partly attributing the increase to the promotion of Philippine tourism in Israel between the Israel-Philippine Tourism Chamber and the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv.

- See more at: http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/phl-favorite-desination-israeli-travellers/#sthash.GqIpUwqL.dpuf

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Mother, child author book to help Yolanda survivors

“Riding the banca as Tatay rows to the seaweed garden is always fun.”

“Nakatutuwang pumunta sa aming taniman ng damong-dagat sakay ng Bangka ni Tatay.”

Such words on the illustrated pages of “Maria’s Colorful Banca/Ang Makulay na Bangka ni Maria” evoke familiar images of small banca-riding fishermen paddling around the waters of Philippine

shores. The image was ripped to shreds a year ago by the fury of super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which hit Central Philippines, including the famed tourist destination, Cebu. The fishermen and their families lost their oars, boats, livelihoods, and lives. The book takes a look at the transition from idyllic to devastation seen through the eyes of a little girl.

The rebuilding which is slowly taking place despite efforts and resources coming from all over the globe, has spurred the child and mother tandem of Ella Louise Francia and Minnie Francisco-Francia to come out with an illustrated storybook for children inspired by their family’s experience in sending help to storm-ravaged Bantayan Island in Cebu. The Francia family of four with father, Joseph, and son, Benjamin sent money to filmmaker Janice Perez who was coordinating aid efforts in Bantayan

Island. Their request was specific – that the cash be used for two bancas. Perez found the request unusual considering that most were donating cash for housing materials but she accepted the donation which became two bancas for brothers Armando and Silverio Jr.

The Deo siblings’ main livelihood before the devastating storm was cultivating a seaweed farm.

Yolanda destroyed the seaweed patches and the bancas they used. Perez facilitated the boat donation for the brothers and got friends to paint the boats and named these “Ella” and “Benjamin” after the Francia children.

The little project of two boats was posted on Facebook and eventually turned into a bigger venture as more and more people sent help to build more uniquely designed bancas. The program has since donated 38 boats to the fishermen of Bantayan Island and Medellin town.

The boats met their namesakes when the Francia family went to Bantayan Island early this year. The children, Ella, 12 and Benjamin, 7 met the families of Armando and Silverio, Jr., and three-month old baby Maria Dominika after whom the main character of the book is named.

The limited-circulation book has 32 pages illustrated by Cebu-based artists Janice Y. Perez and RJ Aquino, written in both English and Filipino. It is available through online and phone orders via Maria’s Colorful Banca. Proceeds from the sales of the book will be donated to the typhoon survivors in the Visayas.

- See more at: http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/mother-child-author-book-help-yolanda-survivors/#sthash.EMApaaO3.dpuf

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Pinoy boy featured in Starbucks collection mug

The image of a Fil-Am toddler holding on to a green balloon is imprinted on a limited edition double walled ceramic mug released by Seattle-based coffee company Starbucks for the holidays.

Starbucks news describes the design of the “Boy with a Green Balloon” Mug as the likeness of an adventure-ready energetic Flynn being lifted off the ground by an oversized green balloon, as designed by his mother for the Dot Collection. The mother, Starbucks visual communication designer Esther Asuncion, submitted the likeness of her 3-year-old son Flynn with his arm holding the balloon string and wearing a striped scarf around his neck.

The Filipina-American visual artist was raised in Guam and moved to the U.S. mainland to study fine art and studio art. Asuncion worked her way up from being a local store barista enjoying the creation of chalkboard art in the stores. Six years after her employment in the coffee chain she now helps the company’s marketing and merchandise groups present how employees should display their coffee and seasonal products in U.S. and Canada stores.

Asuncion was asked to submit sketches within one day for one of the Starbucks Dot Collection design concepts – a boy or girl with a balloon. The illustration of her boy was approved with no changes. Asuncion says, “There’s a tiny piece of my heart, outside my body, in customers’ hands.”

- See more at: http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/pinoy-boy-featured-starbucks-collection-mug/#sthash.wMt2FyDL.dpuf

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Malaysian magazine hails PH economy

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines was given the award for fastest growing economy in Asia by a Malaysian magazine.

Top 10 of Asia magazine gave the "Fastest Economic Growth in Asia" for 2014 award to the Philippines, during an awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

The award was given out based on the magazine's research survey where each country was rated based on positive outlook, stability, political maturity and robust economic growth.

The Philippines was ranked first among 10 countries.

Embassy Charge d’Affaires Medardo G. Macaraig received the award on the country’s behalf.

"The award is a testament to the country’s impressive economic growth, which is due to both good governance and good macroeconomic fundamentals being practiced by the Philippine Government," Macaraig said.

The award was given out after the Philippine economy posted a lower-than-expected 5.3 percent growth in the third quarter. The Philippines now has the fourth fastest GDP growth rate in Asia in the third quarter, behind China, Vietnam and Malaysia.

The magazine also gave out various awards based on its survey.
Maldives was named Asia’s Best Island Nation; Singapore was named Asia’s Most Inspiring Platform for Business; and Uzbekistan as Asia’s Best Nation for Agro-Industrial Development.

Other awards were given out to Vietnam for Asia’s Most Attractive Nation for Manufacturing; Thailand as Asia’s Most Attractive Tourism Destination; and Malaysia for Asia’s Most Livable Nation and Asia’s Top Country for New Opportunities in Foreign Investment.

Last year, the Philippines was cited by the magazine as Asia’s Most Tourist-Friendly Country.

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