Pinoys Push Pedals Anew at Bike Festival Asia 2010

Filipino bikers from all over the country will again push pedals during the Bike Festival Asia 2010 to be held on May 21 – 22, 2010 at Terrazas de Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas.

The event aims to boost tourism in Southern Luzon and promote wellness and active lifestyle. This annual event is co-presented by the Department of Tourism (DoT) and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) (formerly Philippine Tourism Authority).

Competition is open to all bikers age 18 - 55 years old. Interested participants may register at L.E.N. Plus Inc., Unit F, Lower Ground Floor, CT. Center Building, 520 Shaw Blvd., cor. Old Wack Wack St., Mandaluyong City. Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon barbeque will be provided for all registered participants. Registration starts on May 10 to May 17, 2010.

For more information, contact L.E.N. Plus, Inc., at (632) 532-9443 or email lenplus@pldtdsl.net.

WORLDBEX 2010 Goes Green

WORLDBEX 2010 has turned green into more than just a color—it has become a goal, a statement and a mission.

In its 15th year anniversary and its grandest show to date, WORLDBEX (Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition), the first and foremost international construction trade show in the country, has adapted the theme “Constructing the Future Green Communities through Efficient Technologies and Materials.” Here, the latest building materials and technology will be showcased from March 17 to 21, 2010 at the World Trade Center, and Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City to aid architects, engineers, contractors and interior designers in making better structures that will stand up to the elements.

While this annual world-renowned expo has become the source of the most premium local and international products and services in the construction industry, local architects and building specialists are also looking forward to it because it has become an indispensable source of information for the latest construction trends and developments. This is all because of the highly anticipated WORLDBEX Seminars.

Acclaimed speakers from different parts of the globe who will grace the event include Engr. Sipco de Jonge (Netherlands); Arch. Timothy Wong (Singapore); Arch. Tai Lee Siang (Singapore); Ken Witherell (USA); and Terry Waterhouse (UK).

Meanwhile, local green advocates and experts will tackle a variety of topics: from living stylishly and efficiently in small spaces (by interior design guru Leo Almeria), to proper urban planning that will avert possible disasters (Arch. Felino Palafox, Jr.). Each day from March 18 to 20 will feature four different speakers who will share their expertise.

Who says the Philippines cannot go green? The country’s top architecture practitioners such as Arch. Jun Palafox, Arch. Albert Yu, and Arch. Philip Recto as well as leading interior designers Leo Almeria, Natalia Benitez, Suzet Cocuaco, Lot Hilvano, Wilmer Lopez, Chat Fores Lozano, Roland Laurena, Michael Pizarro, Tessa Prieto Valdez, Maritess Magcase & Rosalie Si, and Hubilla Design Group will show a uniquely local twist to sustainable design at the WORLDBEX’s Architects and Interior Designers Gallery.

Another facet of WORLDBEX 2010 that proves that sustainable development is now a global concern and responsibility is its Grand Embassy Pavilion. With about 28 countries represented, the Grand Embassy Pavilion will include United States of America, Turkey, Thailand, Finland, Syria, Indonesia, Korea, and Malaysia, among others.

WORLDBEX 2010 is sponsored by Boysen Paint, Davies Paint, Hunter Douglas, HCG, Lepanto Tiles, Mariwasa Tiles, WilsonArt, Puyat Steel, Puyat Flooring, and Cubes International.

For more information about the event, contact the Worldbex Services International at (632) 531-6374; 531-6350; 531-5044; 533-6988, fax (632) 533-2026, email: info@worldbex.com or visit their website at www.worldbex.com

Environmental Films Showcased at First Green Film Festival

Four (4) films touching on planet-related issues were featured at The 1^st Green Film Festival held at SM North EDSA on September 23, 2009. The movies shown at Cinema 4 of SM The Block were a combination of American and Filipino films aimed at creating awareness about the serious problems our planet Earth is currently facing and what can people do about it.

Spearheaded by the SM Cares' SM Environment Committee, in partnership with Unico Home Entertainment, Solar Entertainment Corporation (official United International Pictures distributor in the Philippines), Warner Bros. Pictures, Magnavision and SM Cinema, the Green Film Festival highlighted environmental issues, such as climate change, scarcity of water, environmental decay, and the need for people and nations to work together for a sustainable future.

Joining the SM Environment Committee for the Green Film Festival are the embassies of France, Japan and The Netherlands which contributed films shown during the event.

Some of the films shown during the festival were:

• The 11^th Hour, which was released in 2007 and narrated by Leonardo di Caprio. The movie presented visionary and practical solutions to restore the planet’s ecosystems;
• Home, a depiction of how the Earth's problems are all interlinked;
• Penguin, Penguin Paano Ka Ginawa is the Filipino version of the French documentary March of the Penguins, narrated by Sharon Cuneta. It followed the journey of a penguin to its breeding spot in Antarctica; and
• Abong (Small Home), which is a Filipino-Japanese art and cultural film about the Igorots of Mt. Province.

The movies Home and The 11th Hour were also shown at SM Megamall last September 30 along with Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, and British Broadcasting Corporation’s Planet Earth. Screenings were also held at SM Mall of Asia last October 7, 2009.

The 1^st Green Film Festival is a project of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. For more information, call (632) 292-0023 or (632) 294-4367.

Philippine Biodiversity Highlighted at PIFGEX 2009

The conservation and protection of the country's endemic plants and animals was highlighted during the 2^nd Philippine International Flora and Fauna Garden Expo (PIFGEX 2009) held last July 16 – 19, 2009 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Organized by RPN Flora and Fauna, Inc., managed by Ideas, Concepts and Events Inc., (ICE, Inc.,) and co-presented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the event carried the theme “Protecting and Sustaining Nature”. PIFGEX 2009 aims to promote the concern of Philippine Biodiversity among the youth. Furthermore, the event aims to showcase the Philippine plants and animals to the world, their uses, their conservation status, and the protection of their habitat.

DENR Secretary Jose 'Lito' Atienza, Ms. Philippines Eco-Tourism 2009 and Ms. PAGCOR Adie Adelantar, ICE, Inc., Event Manager Mr. Bon Reyes, RPN Flora & Fauna, Inc. Representative Mr. Stephen Kamphuis, and Las Pinas City Representative Congw. Cynthia Villar, were among the personalities who graced the opening of PIFGEX 2009.

In his speech, Secretary Atienza stated that the knowledge shared through the event will help boost efforts to protect Philippine biodiversity, particularly as it continues to face threats from habitat destruction, over-exploitation of natural resources, pollution as well as weak enforcement of environmental laws. In addition, he urged people nationwide to increase their knowledge about the country's biodiversity so they can protect and sustainably use this resource.

An array of live domesticated Philippine and exotic birds, small mammals, snakes, lizards, butterflies, and fishes were displayed during PIFGEX 2009. Daily lectures were conducted throughout the three-day event. Topics discussed include global warming, roof gardening, banana farming, organic farming, bee keeping, hydroponics, orchid and mushroom growing, cactus cultivation, wheat grass benefits, flower arrangement, landscaping, backyard vegetable gardening and more. Notable representatives from various environment and plant organizations spearheaded the two-day Conference on Flora and Fauna.

The 2^nd Philippine International Flora and Fauna Garden Expo is in cooperation with the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Bureau of Plant Industry, and Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

The event is sponsored by Pepsi Cola Products Philippines, Inc., Sony Philippines, Scandinavian Woodworks Corp., Brother International Philippines Corp., Sterling Paper Products Ent., Inc., Schering-Plough Corp., East-West Seed Company, Inc., Ramgo International Corp., EDSA Garden House, Zoobic Safari, King Loius Flower and Plant, Inc., Philippine Orchid Society, Pentel, Philippine Association of Landscape Architects, World Flower Council, Flower Club Philippines, Philippine Horticultural Society, Cactus and Succulent Society of the Philippines, Philippine Native Plant Conservation Society, Rizal Technological University – Research and Development Center, Animal House Pet Clinic and Grooming Center, Philippine Canine Club, Inc., Paradizoo Theme Farm, Philippine Arowana and Luo Han Society, EWK Aviaries, Red Ostrich Farm, and the following media partners: Manila Bulletin (Animal Scene and Agriculture Magazine), Business Mirror, Business World, Marid Agribusiness Digest, Philstar.com, and HerWord.com.

For more information about the event, contact ICE, Inc. at (632) 584-5321, (632) 584-5316, (632) 727-2151, email ice.incorporated@yahoo.com, info@ice.com.ph or visit the event website at www.philippinefloraandfauna.org.

Caving Enthusiasts, Clubs, and Government Agencies Unite for National Caving Congress

Members of caving clubs and speleological societies from all over the country, and from Australia, United States, New Zealand, Hongkong, Great Britain and Japan packed up their gear and went to the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park in Basey, Samar last May 11-15, 2009 for the Philippine Speleological Society Cave Congress 2009 (9th National Caving Congress).

Hosted by Philippine Cave Guides Association Inc. (PCGA), together with Nature Unlimited - Leyte Outdoor Club Inc. (NULOC), Department of Tourism (DOT), Provincial Government of Leyte and Samar, and the Municipal Government of Basey Samar, the event aims to enhance the technical capability of the participants to be able to conduct a safe and more thorough cave assessment. In addition, it aims to come up with a policy recommendation for a more streamlined and dynamic cave management program that would take into consideration the connection between conservation and tourism. The congress is also a show of support for a stronger implementation of Republic Act 9072, known as the Caves and Cave Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

The event, carrying the theme, “Finding the Balance between Conservation and Tourism”, was formally opened at the University of the Philippines – Tacloban with DOT Secretary Joseph ‘Ace’ Durano welcoming the delegates for this year’s congress.

Three international speakers graced this year’s National Caving Congress. They were Professor Elery Hamilton Smith, chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the World Commission on Protected Areas, Mr. Pete Chandler, owner of Spellbound Caving Tours in New Zealand; and Mr. Dave Smith of the Department of Conservation in New Zealand.

Also, local speakers from the University of the Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, DOT, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Museum, and PCGA shared their insights and knowledge on cave preservations.

For more information about the event contact the PCGA at (053) 523-762 or email psscavecongress09@yahoo.com