Wednesday, June 15, 2011

19-year-old woman attempted to rob a taxi driver at knifepoint along Rivervale Drive

Police have arrested a 19-year-old woman who is believed to have attempted to rob a taxi driver at knifepoint along Rivervale Drive. The arrest was made with the assistance of 3 public-spirited youths, who not only managed to detain the suspect, but also recovered the knife from the suspect.

At about 9.50 pm, the culprit boarded the taxi driven by the victim, a 55-year-old woman, along Edgefield Plains and directed her to proceed to Rivervale Mall. As the taxi was travelling along Rivervale Drive, the suspect took out a knife and demanded money from the victim. Out of fear, the victim abandoned the taxi and dashed away shouting for help.

Upon hearing the victim’s cries for help, three public-spirited youths who were in the vicinity, namely Mr Harry Tan Qing Hui, 18, Ms Janice Tay Jie Xin, 17, and Ms Yow Wei, 17, came to her aid. They ran towards the taxi and prevented the suspect from leaving it and called the Police. Subsequently, they managed to persuade the suspect to hand over the knife.

Shortly after, Police arrived at the scene and placed the culprit under arrest. The knife was seized.

The suspect will be charged in Court for an offence of Attempted Armed Robbery under Section 393 read with Section 397 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum of 7 years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Man and two female youths arrested for robbing taxi in Cranewell Road

A male, aged 20, and two female youths aged 17 and 14, were arrested after committing armed robbing against a taxi driver along Cranewell Road this morning.

The victim, a 57 year-old taxi driver picked up a male and 2 female passengers along Tampines St 21 and was directed to proceed to Changi Beach Club. Before reaching the destination, one of the female subjects asked the victim to stop along Cranewell Road, saying that she needed to vomit. The 2 girls then alighted from the taxi while the victim waited for them. Moments later, the male passenger suddenly brandished a penknife blade and placed it on the victim’s neck. A struggle ensued and the 2 female subjects joined in to restraint the driver. In the midst of the struggle, the 3 subjects took away cash amounting to $179 from the victim’s shirt pocket and fled the scene on foot.

Upon receiving the information, officers from Bedok Police Division swiftly responded to the scene and commenced a systematic search for the culprits. Their diligent efforts paid off when the officers spotted the trio hiding in the bushes along Netheravon Road at about 6.40am. The 3 suspects were immediately placed under arrest within 4 hours after the incident was reported. The $179 in cash was recovered from the suspects. The penknife blade was also recovered at the scene.

The 3 suspects will has been charged in Court for the offence of Armed Robbery with Hurt under Section 394 read with Section 397 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum punishment of 20 years imprisonment and not less than 12 strokes of the cane.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Singapore Police on the lookout for a man who offers to help and steal from Changi Airport travellers

THE police are on the lookout for a man who offers to help Changi Airport travellers with checking in their luggage, only to steal from them or make off with their bags.

The police are on the lookout for a man who offers to help
Changi Airport travellers with checking in their luggage, only
to steal from them or make off with their bags.

 

The man, believed to have been involved in at least two such instances so far, struck in April, once each in Terminals 1 and 2.

The police, releasing a statement and a photograph of the suspect on Saturday, said the man has been linked to at least two cases of cheating-related offences, in which he would approach unsuspecting victims on the pretext of helping them check in their overweight luggage.

The Straits Times understands that he may be a Filipino who homes in on fellow Filipinos under the guise of helping his countrymen.

In one case, he made off with a pouch containing more than $1,500; in the other case, he took a suitcase with personal items valued at $300.

Investigations were launched after reports were made.

Anyone with information on this man is requested to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Singapore is set to overtake Las Vegas as the world’s second-largest gambling hub this year

Singapore is set to overtake Las Vegas as the world’s second-largest gambling hub this year, a US gaming industry head said Tuesday, as Asia cements its place as a major betting market.

Singapore has emerged as Asia’s hottest new gambling destination with a revamped cityscape and billions of dollars pouring into the economy, after the opening of two resort casinos in 2010.

The strong growth came after Macau overtook the Las Vegas Strip as the world’s biggest gaming hub in 2006 and now boasts a gaming market almost four times as large as that of Vegas, thanks to burgeoning numbers of wealthy Asians.

The two resort casinos in Singapore posted $5.1 billion in gaming revenues in 2010, a figure forecast to rise to $6.4 billion this year, according to Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association.

A report citing research by the Royal Bank of Scotland has suggested Las Vegas will take $6.2 billion this year.

“Now more than a year old, the two integrated resorts in Singapore have exceeded all expectations and turned the nation into Asia’s second global gaming superpower,” said Fahrenkopf.

“The country’s gaming market will likely overtake Las Vegas as the world’s second-largest gaming center as early as this year,” he told a news conference on the sidelines of the Global Gaming Expo Asia, which opened Tuesday in Macau.

Resorts World Sentosa

 

Marina Bay Sands

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The first Singapore casino opened in Malaysian-controlled Resorts World Sentosa in February 2010, with US-based Las Vegas Sands following two months later as the world economy was still clawing itself out of recession.

Asia’s strong growth in the gaming industry stands in sharp contrast to US venues such as the Las Vegas Strip, previously a byword for gambling but which is now suffering the effects of the global downturn.

The Sahara, an iconic Las Vegas hotel that once hosted names such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra and the Beatles, closed its doors last month, even as many Asian casinos are planning expansions.

Fahrenkopf said the potential in other Asian countries would also help spur growth, with several multibillion-dollar casino development projects due for completion over the next two years.

“Other developments in Asia are helping to clearly establish the region as the hottest gaming market in the world,” he said, noting the sector is expanding at record levels in Cambodia and Laos, while Sri Lanka is set to implement legal gambling next year.

He said the rapid growth in Singapore would not threaten Macau’s position, saying the former Portuguese colony has seen “dramatic growth in almost every measurable category,” after it opened its doors to foreign competition.

But he urged Macau to deal with labor shortage and infrastructure issues, as well as a cap of 5,500 gaming tables allowed before 2013, which could dampen growth.
Macau’s gaming scene was monopolized by tycoon Stanley Ho for decades until it opened to foreign competition in 2002. Since then, a stream of Las Vegas-based gaming companies has flooded into the southern Chinese city.

Gambling revenue in Macau, the only place in China where casinos are legal, surged to a new record in May with a 42 percent jump year on year at 24.31 billion patacas ($3 billion) – a record high for the fourth month in a row.

“Macau should continue to benefit from strong momentum after the successful opening of Galaxy Macau casino, which is driving visitations,” JP Morgan said in reference to the city’s newest resort casino, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

Both Casinos employs more than 20,000 people.

source: Agence France-Presse

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

“Pinoy Sunday” Showing in Singapore

PINOY SUNDAY is not a typical Taiwanese film. Firstly, it plays out primarily in Tagalog, with only occasional snippets of dialogue spoken in Taiwanese, Mandarin or English. Secondly, it maintains a fairly light-hearted tone, telling a simple story of Filipino migrant workers without feeling compelled to get bogged down in social commentary or berate the injustices of an unfair society. Instead, Malaysian-born writer-director Ho Wi Ding lets his film ride for the most part on the shoulders of his two lead actors - Jeffrey "Epy" Quizon and Bayani Agbayani - a task they effortlessly accomplish through their natural charisma and frequently hilarious onscreen chemistry.

Dado (Agbayani) is living a lifestyle endured by migrant workers the world over. He has left his wife and young daughter back in The Philippines to come to Taipei and work on an assembly line. He sends as much money home as he can to provide his loved ones the best life possible, even if he's not there to share it with them. And that's the problem. Dado's been away for so long that he has, despite himself, begun a relationship with Anna (Meryll Soriano), who works as a domestic helper.
 
Manuel, on the other hand, is a carefree romantic with no such family ties or financial responsibilities. He's a good-looking guy and applies his energy to chasing girls, although his latest target - club singer Celia (Alessandra de Rossi) - is proving frustratingly nonplussed by his advances. Dado and Manuel both live in a dormitory provided by their employer, but it upholds a strict curfew, keeping them indoors for most of their free time. Manuel dreams of furnishing their rooftop hangout with a sofa, where they can drink beers under the stars and shoot the breeze - but neither of them can afford such a luxury.
 
On their day off, however, the pair happens upon a recently discarded sofa sitting outside an apartment building and, although many miles from home with no means of transportation, they commit themselves to hiking it back to the dorm. And so begins a hilarious journey, brimming with incidents and pitfalls that over the course of the day will push Dado and Manuel's friendship to its breaking point.

source: twitchfilm.com

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Comedy Club Asia June Jolliness

June sees Canadian JJ Whitehead perform with one of the world’s best comedy impressionists Anil Desai and South African David Smiedt for a three helpings of June Jolliness.

  1. JJ WHITEHEAD (CAN)
    In the past year, JJ has made an appearance at the Melbourne festival, filmed a pilot for Channel 4 in Britain, and finished his third solo run in four years at the prestigious Edinburgh festival.

    An irresistibly loveable combination of freaked out pot head and a south park character, with a bit of Ozzy thrown in for good measure" - TIME OUT
    He swears extremely well" -The Sunday Herald



  2. ANIL DESAI (UK/IND)
    Anil has performed in Slovenia, Germany, India and Australia as well as the Edinburgh and Sydney Comedy Festivals. He is performing his second solo show, Anil Desai: "Hey, Impressions Guy!" in Singapore in June.
    “This madcap show of impressions and stand up hits some pretty hilarious peaks…impressive…truly brilliant”? - CHORTLE
    “Uniquely entertaining…consistently funny and memorable”? - THREE WEEKS


  3. DAVID SMIEDT (SOUTH AFRICA)
    David Smiedt has been described by Adam Hills, three-time Perrier Comedy Award nominee, as “a living breathing joke machine”, David Smiedt has been delighting audiences around the globe with his brand of comedy for many years.
    “The sharpest, wittiest and funny observations you will find.” - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

 

GENRE: Theatre & Drama, BY The Comedy Club Asia Pte Ltd

DURATION: 2 (Hours) 00 (Minutes)

SEATING: Free Standing / Free Seating


HOW TO BUY TICKETS:

Online: www.gatecrash.com.sg
PHONE: GATECRASH Hotline 6100 2005.

Also available at all SingPost outlets & S.A.M. Kiosks.

EMAIL: thecomedypimp@gmail.com
GROUP BOOKINGS/ENQUIRIES: +65 9635 7896/9007 5651

DATES, TIMES & VENUES:
1) Thurs 9th June -­- The British Club @ 8:30pm
2) Fri 10th June – TAB, Orchard Hotel @ 8:30pm
3) Sat 11th June – The Dutch Club @ 8:30pm

SHOW LENGTH: 2 hrs 15 mins (inc interval)

PRICE: $50 (20% discount for Groups of 10+ Call +65 9007 5651/9635 7896)

Monday, June 6, 2011

Move Move Singapore Dance Party 2011–Largest Flash Mob in Asia

Wanna be part of a record breaking night? Wanna be part of history?

Happening on the 11th of June in Fort Canning Park, MoveMove Singapore will be your chance to do just that!

Groove along to Singapore’s largest dance party of the year, Asia’s largest flashmob and Asia’s largest sing along with 1,000 microphones!

Featuring worlds oldest DJ, 71 year old Ruth Flowers, Jai Jo choreographer Longinus and Singapore’s very own Kumar!

In the early evening, renowned Slumdog Millionaire choreographer Longinus Fernandes, will teach you the basic moves of the famous Jai-Ho dance. Swing to the rhythms of Jai-Ho, together with 7,000 others. Together, we will create the largest flash mob of South East Asia. A record breaker!

On Friday 10 June, there will be a Pre-Party at Fort Canning Park Between 18:00 & 20:00.

FREE ENTRANCE! SPECIAL: JAI HO FLASHMOB REHEARSALS BY CHOREOGRAPHER LONGINUS AND HIS TEAM.

Twitter Hashtag: #EVmovem8368

TICKETS

  • Early Bird tickets @ S$ 48 (only 1,000 available)
  • Standard tickets  @ S$ 58
  • Entrance tickets  @ S$ 68 (at the venue)

Grab your tickets now or at the Cathay @ Dhoby Ghaut.

Ticket info Hotline: 82572481 (between 12:00 & 18:00 until 11 June)

Friday, June 3, 2011

Naku POOH Naman Live in Singapore

Naku, Pooh Naman Live in Singapore is a fund raising event for Catherine Loria's quest in Europe for the VIII International Music & Arts Festival for Children and Youth of the World as the Philippines representative to be held in Macedonia on Aug 5th-15th. Pooh & Kim Idol had been invited for this meaningful event to give our Kababayan in Singapore a show that will truly entertain the masang Pinoy ...

A concert, a journey ... that will lead you to a laughing evening ...

Pooh in Singapore

The show which will be staged at D’ Marquee is located in Downtown East, Pasir Ris, a 10-min walk from the MRT and a 5-min ride from most of the buses in the Pasir bus Interchange, promises a lot of surprises and World Class singing of Catherine Loria.

Pooh is the main artist of the show together with Eat Bulaga’s Host & Comedian ‘Kim Idol’. This will be a riot show.

Prime artists of Music & Arts for Real Talents take part for this worthwhile event:

  • VOIZ@WORK will render a medley of OPM songs
  • Groove Unlimited & 8Ds will heat-up the stage
  • and a revelation from the newest talents of MART, Wavz & Chris impersonating the superhit teleserye Mara Clara of ABS-CBN.
  • Soul Kool Lead Singer and Comedian, Madman Gino will host the show.

Date/Time : 30 July 2011 / 5.00pm - 8.00pm

Event Category : Concert

Venue : D'Marquee

Duration : 3 hours

 

EARLY BIRD PROMO (26 May - 26 June 2011)
CAT 1 - $42.00
CAT 2 - $32.00

NORMAL PRICE (27 June - 30 July 2011)
CAT 1 - $47.00
CAT 2 - $37.00

* Price inclusive of ticketing fees

Terms & Conditions
Min Age For Entry : 4yrs old
Min Age Requiring A Ticket : 5 yrs old

No Camera & Recording Devices Allowed

Ticket can be bought at ticketbooth.com.sg and to all AXS machine island wide.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

F Magazine June 2011 now available

The F Magazine June issue is now available with Jose Isidro N. (Lito) Camacho on the cover.

Jose Isidro N. "Lito" Camacho is the current Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Credit Suisse Asia Pacific and Chairman of the Board of Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc.

Camacho also served in the Cabinet of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo briefly as Energy Secretary, before becoming the Secretary of Finance in 2001 until he resigned from government service in 2003.

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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Karylle takes lead role in new musical show “The Kitchen Musical”

Actress-singer Karylle Tatlonghari is now the lead star of Asian series titled "The Kitchen Musical."

In an interview during the press conference on Monday for the said series, Karylle clarified reports that the series is patterned after US hit musical series "Glee."

Kaylle in Singapore

Singer/Actress Karylle gestures during the press launch of Pan Asian TV series "The Kitchen Musical" held at D'Ace Plaza, Pasig City, Philippines.

The Kitchen Musical casts

From left to right) Joseph "Thou" Reyes, Karylle, Christian Bautista and Ikey Canoy during the press launch of Pan Asian TV series "The Kitchen Musical" held at D'Ace Plaza, Pasig City, Philippines.

The Kitchen Musical casts

Filipino talents shine once more as ABS-CBN stars Karylle, Christian Baustista and Joseph "Thou" Reyes topbill the first pan-Asian television musical drama series, The Kitchen Musical, an original production by The Group Entertainment.

"There was a time in the world that musical was the format of movie, that was actually different kinds of movies kunwari West Side Story was a musical, Annie was a musical maraming ganon dati it's just that ngayon ay hindi na kasi siya uso. Kaya the other musical that you can compare it with is Glee," Karylle said.

Karylle, whose first acting role was "Little Mermaid" in 2000, said that she's happy that musical shows is finally back and being embraced by viewers.

"Well of course we are happy that this kind of format is back, like the same way that reality TV is a format, the same way that cooking show is also different format, parang genre kumbaga," Karylle said.

On Sunday, she will leave the country and will stay in Singapore for 4 months to do "The Kitchen Musical," the first ever pan-Asian television musical drama series.

The series is an original production by The Group Entertainment and it is set to launch in the country on Studio 23 and in 19 countries across Asia  this October.

"The Kitchen Musical" will be served in 13 one-hour episodes and will tell the story of a rich girl fresh out of culinary school in Paris who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when she starts working for the Avilon, her father's restaurant.

In the show, Karylle will play the lead female character Madeline.

Also part of the Asian show are Filipino artists Ikey Canoy, Thou Reyes, and Christian Bautista.

Bye Showtime

In the interview, Karylle also expressed that she will miss her hosting job for ABS-CBN's "Showtime."

"They are so sweet talaga. Sobra akong overwhelmed sa sweetness. I was able to talk to them pero hindi ako nakapag ba-bye talaga," Karylle said adding: "Mami-miss ko talaga kasi iba ang bonding doon unlike other shows kami we are there from start to finish, kami nandoon nagkukuwentuhan kami, parang school yung masyado ka ng attached sa kanila," she said.

Karylle said that she will definitely bid goodbye to her "Showtime" family before flying to Singapore.

Labor Day and Mother's Day Issue of BAGONG BAYANI Magazine (May 2011)

The Labor Day and Mother's Day Issue (MAY 2011) of Bagong Bayani Magazine with RAMON PADIERNOS, Philippines' Pride in the High Octane World of Digital Technology on the cover, is now out and available for FREE, as usual!

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BAGONG BAYANI (MODERN-DAY HERO) MAGAZINE is published monthly in English and Filipino by Salomon Publishing Singapore Pte. Ltd., this glossy, laminated and perfect bound magazine is distributed for FREE, at the Philippine Embassy, Filipino Stores and Restaurants, Remittance Centres, Churches, MRT stations amongst its distribution points.

Salomon publishing is encouraging everyone to share the magazine to the Filipino community here in Singapore.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Karylle excited to work in Singapore for “The Kitchen Musical”

White House Executive Chef, Cristeta " Cr...

The Pinoy cast members of the first Pan-Asian TV series 'The Kitchen Musical' are Thou Reyes, Karylle, Christian Bautista and Ikey Canoy, flanked by TGE CEO Nelia Molato-Sutrisno and Studio 23 programming head Vince Rodriguez

Apart from being one of its lead actors, Karylle is excited to work in Singapore for “The Kitchen Musical” because their work hours are manageable.

“I’m very excited to work there because 12 working hours lang po [kami per day]. And na-experience ko na 'yung 24 hours ang norm and 40 hours ang worst,” Karylle told Bulletin Entertainment and other members of the press during the press launch for “The Kitchen Musical” held on May 30 at Ace Water Spa.

“Tamang oras 'yung trabaho, 7 [AM] to 7 [PM]. There’s so much time for other things, to explore, to write, to run,” she noted.

Asked if the 12-hour work day is in writing, Karylle said yes. “Di ba ang galing? Pwede pala,” she added.

With that, Karylle expressed hope that this “will somehow wake up the industry here na, you know, just to lessen the working hours a bit.”

“Because, you know, if you complain even the slightest bit here on your 24th hour, you’re a diva. But as we all know, 24 hours is no joke. So sana lang naman din na we learn from first-world countries, you know, we can get there also,” she said.

Asked about a rumor circulating on Facebook that she had a fever and just came from a 30-hour long shoot when she went to audition for “The Kitchen Musical,” Karylle confirmed so. “I was coughing a bit and I had to take some medicines but okay naman.”

She added: “I can’t remember about how [long the shoot was]… I think we were taping for ‘Magkano Ang Iyong Dangal’ but I don’t know how long the taping was. Siguro merong 24 hours ‘yon.”

Aside from Karylle, three more Filipinos – namely Christian Bautista, Thou Reyes and Ikey Canoy – are joining the Asian cast of the series by Singaporean director and creator, CheeK.  Set to leave for Singapore this week, the four will join the rest of the Asian cast and “will be subjected to actual food preparation training [so] you can be sure that all the things that they will be doing on the screen will be pretty realistic,” said Nelia Molato-Sutrisno, CEO of Singapore’s The Group Entertainment.

"We will be identifying the other nationalities who will be joining in the cast as we confirm them," Nelia added.

Karylle will be playing the role of Maddie, a young sous chef at The Avilon. Christian will be Daniel, another sous chef at the restaurant and Maddie’s best friend and “secret rival.” Meanwhile, Ikey will be assuming the role of the “eccentric” and “often misunderstood” pastry chef named Winston; on the other hand, Thou, who was originally cast as a dishwasher, got an “upgrade” and will now be playing the role of one of the chefs.

Other Pinoys who will join “The Kitchen Musical” are New York-based actor Arthur Acuna as The Avilon’s general manager, and conductor Gerard Salonga who will be the TV show’s musical director.

In selecting the cast members, Nelia explained that they embarked on a regional casting where they “looked for talents all over Asia for the pilot.”

“And we brought the pilot around not only in Asia but also outside, [to] Europe and the States.

“From that pilot, we got comments and from those comments we finalized the cast for the actual shoot, which will happen starting this month,” she said, adding that they’ve been developing this project for almost a year now.

For Karylle, working for four straight months in Singapore without going home is “better” because “you [remain] in character, there’s no distraction, everything is efficient.”

“[It’s] very professional so for me, of course I’d like to go home, and hopefully we will be able to, but if not, 'yung talaga kasi 'yung pinaka-professional way of doing things,” she added.

Christian, on the other hand, said he’s already set to return at least once to Manila, for a day, to attend the premiere of his upcoming Indonesian film, “A Special Symphony,” where he plays the role of a music teacher working in a special school.

Both “ASAP” mainstays shared that they had to either give up or move certain commitments just to make way for “The Kitchen Musical,” including Karylle’s stage play “Light at the Piazza,” which is now rescheduled for next year.

“We’re devoted to this, we believe in this project and there are sacrifices pero that’s what we have to do,” Christian said.

All four artists agreed that they’d grab other possible opportunities abroad that may come their way, but in the meantime, they see working in “The Kitchen Musical” as a chance to open doors for other Filipino talents.

“What we can assure you, kaming apat, we are gonna put the Philippines there. We’re gonna make them see that we are professionals, we are good and easy to work with.

“We will do everything we can para ‘pag napanood na ‘to ng iba’t-ibang bansa, [they’ll say] ‘Who are these four? Where are they from?’ They’re from the Philippines. We wanna bring the Philippines… to the rest of the world. That’s our promise to you,” Christian said.

Asked what the audience will love about “The Kitchen Musical,” Ikey said, “It’s so much more than ‘Glee’ na yes may singing, may dancing, may acting but the big part of what the show really is is about cooking, is about cuisine, is about food.”

“We’ll show them also kung ano 'yung treatment nila, how to present food and how to get people interested not only in life and food, but in cooking, in baking, and making what you see in the show. Kasi lahat ng mga dishes na pinapakita namin every episode, we will be showing you how to make them,” he added, with Karylle describing the series as “a fusion of music and also a cooking show.”

On the music that will be featured on the show, Nelia said they have opted to get popular songs familiar both locally and internationally -- no Pinoy and original songs, though -- due to the wide scope of market they are targeting.

“We got the clearance already, na-clear na namin ang music rights with the international labels. So all the songs that you will be encountering in the series are all familiar. We will be doing a lot of rearrangements and you will see the songs, the normal songs that you know, in a very different light. Specially the way these talented artists are actually going to perform them,” she shared.

Nelia also added that, like “Glee,” they also have plans of having these songs recorded by “The Kitchen Musical” cast available for download.

“The digital part of 'The Kitchen Musical' is now being put together. Part of the strategy is how we can actually bring the songs to the mass[es] as soon as possible. There will be [downloading component]. There will be an online [and] mobile component,” said she.

“The Kitchen Musical” is slated to premiere in October 2011 in 19 countries across Asia and Europe, with the first two episodes to air locally initially via ABS-CBN’s "Sunday’s Best." The subsequent episodes will be aired tentatively every Saturday on Studio 23 in its primetime block.

In all, there will be 13 one hour-long episodes for the first season and, according to Studio 23’s program head Vince Rodriguez, the second season of "The Kitchen Musical" is already "in the works."

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source: mb

Philippine Bayanihan Society: Gifts of Love Charity Gala 2011

It was said by a famous American writer and philosopher, “Love grows by giving!” Community Chest is delighted to work with the Philippine Bayanihan Society of Singapore (PBSS) to organise “Gifts of Love Charity Gala 2011”.

Funds will be raised through outright donations, table sales and a charity auction held during the dinner. All proceeds will help bring greater hope and dignity to the lives of the 300,000 people served by Community Chest, and also help the PBSS fulfill its mission of providing Filipino workers in Singapore the opportunity to upgrade their skills through a myriad of training programmes.

In line with the theme for this year’s charity gala dinner, Gifts of Love, His Excellency, the President of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan has specially created and donated a Chinese calligraphy piece in aid of our fund-raising. He gave his rendition of the traditional Chinese character for Love, “?”.  The embedded character “?”, which means heart, conveys the message of loving with your heart. The calligraphy will be presented to one of our donors during the dinner.

Items provided by donors up for the charity auction include an idyllic resort get-away, paintings by renowned artist, Chen KeZhan and exquisite wines.

Filipino artistes, Mr Ogie Alcasid and Mr R J Rosales, led by Music Director Mr Iskandar Ismail will also present exciting performances.

Kitchen De Manila, a pinoy food stall in Simei Kopitiam

I got this from a friend who own the place. You can follow their update in

Facebook Page: kitchen de manila
Twitter name: kitchendemanila

Where to get puto bumbong, bibingka, sisig, caldereta and other Pinoy food and delicacy that taste authentic but not available in Singapore?

Happy to let you know Kitchen de Manila is launching on 18 June 2011 and bringing the bibingka, puto bumbong, yummy caldereta, mechado, embutido and other Pinoy delicacy from the Philippines...

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It is located at Simei Kopitiam (near Simei MRT), Stall No 5


View Larger Map

Monday, May 30, 2011

Philippine Football Club (Singapore) - Open Invitation for Membership

Philippine Football Club (Singapore) invites you to come and play soccer! Whether you're a first timer, a casual / "social" player or a veteran varsity or national team player, we've got the right game for you!

Philippine Football Club Singapore

Interested parties can just drop by any of our practice sessions, or you can also just get in touch with membership committee head Bogs Sayson @98273007 or email at pfc.singapore@gmail.com.

Housing Development Board advise on Steps Involved in Renting a HDB flat

Top view of Bukit Batok, Singapore.

HDB flats sold under the Home Ownership Scheme are meant for owner-occupation by the flat owners and their families. However flat owners may sublet their whole flat or spare bedrooms if they meet the eligibility conditions.

Singapore citizens, Singapore permanent residents and non-citizens may rent a flat or bedroom from existing HDB flat owners under the Subletting of Flat / Room Scheme.

HDB's Approval Needed To Rent Out the Whole Flat

An HDB owner can rent out his whole flat only after he has obtained a written approval from HDB. Hence, you may request the flat owner to show you a copy of the approval letter to rent out their flat, as obtained from HDB. In addition, to protect your interest, you are advised to include a condition in the subletting contract, specifying that the validity of the contract is subject to the flat owner obtaining HDB's approval for subletting.


Proof of Ownership of the Flat

You are advised to visit the flat you would be renting and to ensure that the person you are dealing with is the rightful owner of the flat. You can do so by requesting for documentary proof of flat ownership which includes the Agreement for Lease, Service & Conservancy charges booklet, Annual or Loan instalment payment booklet/Annual Loan statements, bearing the name of the flat owner.


Rent Payment and Deposit

The market practice is for rent to be paid monthly in advance on the day of tenancy commencement and thereafter on the same day of each subsequent month. The deposit amount is usually equal to one month's rent for a one-year tenancy and two months' rent for a two-year tenancy. It is payable upon signing of the tenancy agreement together with the first month's advance rent. You are advised not to pay more than one month's rent. As proof of payment, you should pay the rental deposit and rents by cheque. You are also advised to move into the flat immediately after collecting the keys.


Disputes Between Subtenants and Flat Owners

Matters relating to subletting tenancy such as amount of rental, payment/forfeiture of deposits, right to terminate tenancy, periods of subletting, etc. are private matters between owners and their subtenants. HDB will not mediate if there is a dispute between owners and their subtenants on these matters. Hence, flat owners and subtenants are advised to read and understand all the terms and conditions in the tenancy agreement carefully before signing it.

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

President Aquino Declares June 30 Special Non-Working Holiday, Embassy will be closed

President Benigno Aquino issued Proclamation No. 154 last 26 April 2011, announcing that Monday, 20 June 2011 will be designated a special non-working holiday in the Philippines, in order to allow Filipinos to more fully participate in activities and events commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

The proclamation was made in line with recommendations submitted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), which recommended that June 20 be designated a non-working holiday instead of June 19, which falls on a Sunday.

In compliance with the proclamation and in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Rizal, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore will be closed to the public on Monday, 20 June 2011.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Department Of Justice Issues Advisory on Illegal Drug Couriers

The Philippines Department of Justice (”DOJ”) issued an Advisory Opinion explaining to the public the issues surrounding the recruitment, arrest, detention and conviction of Filipinos caught transporting illegal drugs abroad.

 

As with its previous Advisory Opinion regarding the basic rights of citizens in military/police checkpoints, Advisory Opinion No. 2 is in line with the thrust of the DOJ to take a pro-active stance in criminal justice concerns, including the issue on Filipino illegal drug couriers or “drug mules”.

The DOJ’s Advisory is addressed both to Filipinos who willingly accept offers to become illegal drug couriers and to those who were involuntarily caught in the criminal activities of syndicates through various modus operandi.  In either case, the Advisory lays down basic rules that all Filipinos should bear in mind once they are apprehended abroad on suspicion of transporting illegal drugs.

Below are the ten (10) advisory points issued by the DOJ, couched in simple and straightforward language for easy comprehension by the general public:

  1. “Carry at your own risk”
  2. Knowledge is immaterial and intent is not a requirement in drug trafficking.
  3. Be vigilant of the modus operandi of drug courier syndicates.
  4. In the unfortunate event of arrest or detention for drug trafficking, have presence of mind and do not resist arrest.
  5. Assert your legal rights, inquire on the legal remedies and request for consular assistance.
  6. Presumption of innocence will always apply.
  7. The laws of the country of arrest apply.
  8. If sentenced, the government can only be of limited assistance.
  9. “Blood money” cannot be paid to erase the liability of a person convicted of a crime involving illegal drugs.
  10. Take full responsibility of your actions.

The DOJ’s Advisory Opinion No. 2 was issued at a time when more and more Filipinos are being arrested and convicted in various countries allegedly for being drug couriers.  It seeks to wan Filipinos of the legal consequences of being involved, voluntarily or involuntarily, in the criminal activities of illegal drug syndicates.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A Special Privilege for Filipino Organizations from HighReach Training Centre

HIGHREACH EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING CENTRE is  happy to announce this special privilege for  members of Filipino Organizations or employees of Filipino-owned companies.

A 30% discount will be given to your organization/company for your  group of 6 participants in any of the following training programs:

Two-day Programs

Public Speaking
Business Writing

Whole-day Programs

Grammar Review
English Conversation Fluency
Customer Service Workshop
Values Formation

3-4 Hour Lectures

Telephone Courtesy
Image Enhancement

Frontliners' Workshop

A 10% discount  will be given to you upon enrolling your children in any of the following programs:

June Holiday Programs which will run from 30 May - 18 June:

TERM 1       30 May - 10 June ( TWO WEEKS DAILY )

8:30 am - 10:00 am    Speech Improvement & Confidence Building 1 (Ages 7 - 9 years old)

My Art! Class ( Pre-schollers)

10:30 am - 12nn        Speech Improvement & Confidence Building 2 (Ages 10-12 years old)

My Art! Class ( Ages 7 - 12 years )

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm     Public Speaking & Leadership Training (High School & College)


TERM 2         13 - 18 June ( ONE WEEK DAILY )

9:30 am - 12nn         Public Speaking & Leadership Training (High School & College)

 

HIGHREACH EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING CENTRE is located at 21 Tan Quee Lan St # 02-06 Heritage Place Singapore 188108.

You can call or sms them at 9436 8341  or

E-mail    highreach@gmail.com / obelia.cutiongco@yahoo.com.sg

Filipino Dragons (Singapore): "Isang Bangkang Malaya” Fun Race

Filipino Dragons (Singapore) is inviting Filcom organizations and groups to participate in its Philippine Independence Day fun race, "Isang Bangkang Malaya",  to be held on June 18 at the Kallang Riverside Park

The registration is still open for teams/individuals who want to partake in the upcoming event:

“Isang Bangkang Malaya”: FDS & FilCom Fun Race for 113 Years of Independence

Newbie Training Sessions | Fun Race | Competitive Dragonboat Race | Post-Race Party

VENUE : Kallang Riverside Park
RACE DISTANCE: 200m
DATE & TIME: 18 June 2011, at 9.00am

  1. Registration - 9.00 am - 9.30.00 am
  2. Dragon Boat Newbie Training Sessions (Tutorial on Paddling) - 9.30 am - 10.30 am
  3. Fun Race  (FilCom Members) - 10.45 am - 11.15 am
  4. Competitive Race (Filipino Dragon Members) - 11.15 am – 11:45 am
  5. Awarding Ceremony & Program - 11.45 pm - 12.00 nn
  6. Ambassador’s Address & Post- Race Party - 12.00nn onwards

To register your interest to participate on this fun event, please RSVP to: mickeefds@gmail.com or call +65 93372280.

*Kindly indicate the number of persons joining from your organization as we need this data for the event logistics to be finalized. Thanks for your cooperation.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Singapore: Philippine Independence Day Celebration 2011 - Oratorical Contest

If you're a Filipino, between 10-18 year old, currently living in Singapore, and good at Public speaking, this is you chance to showcase you’re speaking talent.

In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?" The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should be able to change the emotions of their listeners, not just inform them.

-Wikipedia

Philippine Oratorical Contest

Theme:  Filipinos – Free and Responsible New Heroes
 
Contest Rules:

  1. An elimination round to select the top 5 contestants is scheduled on May 28, 2011 from 2 pm to 6 pm. Venue is at High Reach Center, 21 Tan Quee Lan Street #02-06 Heritage Place opposite Bugis Junction off North Bridge Road.
  2. Participants may select a declamation or oratorical piece of their choice either in English or Filipino. The choice piece of the contestant for the elimination round need not necessarily reflect the theme of the PIDC 2011 celebrations but must not exceed 5 minutes of delivery time.
  3. To register for the elimination round on May 28, 2011, please register by sending an email to pidcsoratoricalcontest@gmail.com with the following details on or before May 27, 2011 –
     
    Name:
    Address:
    IC Number:
    Contact Number:
    Preferred Email Address:
    Title of Piece to be delivered:
    Language (English or Filipino):
  4. Filipinos by citizenship, ethnicity, affinity or interest (e.g. a Singaporean who has a heart for Filipinos) may join.  The contest is limited to those belonging to the 10 – 18 years age group.
  5. Criteria for judging –  Originality & Creativity                            20% 
                                 Confidence, Stage Presence, & Style        30% 
                                 Voice Projection                                    25% 
                                 Speech Clarity                                      25%
  6. The selected 5 finalists will be allowed to choose their preferred contest piece from a selection of pieces provided by the committee, which will include both English and Filipino declamation and oratorical pieces. They will perform their pieces during the PIDC Grand Fiesta 2011, Philippine Independence Day Celebrations at the Hong Lim Park on June 12.
  7. All contestants are encouraged to be in a Filipiniana Attire and are requested to be at Hong Lim Park  near the stage area on June 12 by 10:00 am (time). Bring spare daily wear clothes.
  8. Decision of the board of judges is final.
  9. Awarding of the following prizes will be held on the same day at the same venue: 
       Best OratorTrophy + Round Trip Ticket to the Philippines 
                           Featured Winner in the PIDC Singapore Website
                           HOLIDAY PROGRAMME VOUCHER - 
                           FREE COURSE worth $500 from HighReach Educational Centre
     
            1st Runner Up : Trophy, Holiday Program Voucher –
                                   50% off on HighReach HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES
            2nd Runner Up : Trophy, Holiday  Program Voucher - 
                                   30% on HighReach HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES 
     
  10. There will be only one set of winners for both of English and Filipino declamation entries .

The Pinoy Pride Fair 2011 @ The Rock Auditorium, Suntec City Mall

TAG Event Concepts would like to ask for your support for our upcoming event:

What: The Pinoy Pride Fair 2011

Where: The Rock Auditorium, Suntec City Mall

When: June 4, 2011

A Concert, Comedy and Trade Show Celebrating Filipino Excellence in Singapore

June 4 – Saturday | The Rock Auditorium, Suntec City Mall

The 2 ½-hour concert and comedy show is ticketed, and will feature Aiza Seguerra with her acoustic band, TrueFaith and Tim Tayag (the Philippines’ pioneer of wit-based comedy). While the 5-hour trade fair is free admission, and will showcase Filipino-friendly products and services.

Part of the proceeds of this event will go to The Exempli Gratia Foundation, for the education of underprivileged Filipino children.

Come and see our very own Filipino artists, and let us all have a great day together!

TAG PPF 2011 Poster

For ticket details, contact the following:

  • Lani Angeles or Lani at +65 8361 8311 for more info.
  • SmartSaver Travel Office located at Lucky Plaza unit #02-25/26. 67364575 or 67364530look for Rose.
  • OFW Pinoy Star / AFreight Office located at Lucky Plaza unit #03-19. Telephone # 8281 5700 look for Merci

Esplanade Theaters By The Bay Presents Mr. Ryan Cayabyab in Concert

In a country known for its musical talent and international singers, only one name stands out as outstanding and special – Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. Affectionately called “Mr C” by Filipinos all around the world, Ryan is well-loved, respected and admired. Prolific in his musical works, Cayabyab’s career has been marked by rare musical milestones.

Cayabyab is the only Asian Winner of the 21st Onassis International Cultural Competitions, apart from the various awards he garnered from the Voice of Asia Song Festival, the Tokyo Music Festival, and the New York Film and Television Awards.

In the Philippines, Cayabyab has won 10 Best Movie Score awards from the film industry, 21 awards from the recording industry including a Lifetime Achievement Award. His television show “Ryan Ryan Musikahan” has won a total of 14 awards for Best Television Show, and Best Show Host.

Cayabyab has performed in distinctive venues worldwide – Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Washington Convention Center, the Orpheum in Vancouver Canada and at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He has performed as Music Director to command performances for King Hasan II of Morocco, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Queen Beatrix at the Noordeinde Palace in the Netherlands, and former US President Bill Clinton in Boston, Massachusetts.

Performing Cayabyab’s compositions and arrangements is a multi-talented young vibrant group of singers called RCS (Ryan Cayabyab Singers). Recording Artistes with Sony BMG, RCS has performed with Maestro Cayabyab and enthralled audiences in a 12 city tour of the US, and in Singapore, Jakarta, Melbourne and Sydney. Their inimitable vocals with their intricate blended harmonies combined with scintillating sleek choreography and brilliant versatile showmanship have brought appreciative audiences to their feet in a standing ovation. Listen to familiar Filipino favorites “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika”, classic hits from the “Bacharach Medley”, “Tribute to Michael Jackson”, and ‘70s nostalgic revivals given fresh excitement with “The Motown Medley”.

Spend an evening with the Filipino Maestro. Get a glimpse of the passion and musical genius that has made Ryan Cayabyab truly the Filipino Music icon.

DATE
24 Jun 2011
Fri, 7:30PM

DURATION
Approx 120mins

VENUE(S)
Esplanade Concert Hall

TICKET PRICE (EXCLUDE BOOKING FEE)
Standard - S$88, S$68, S$48, S$28
VIP Box - S$88

Book Now!

Add to above price $3 Booking Fee per ticket for tickets above $20 and $1 Booking Fee per ticket for tickets $20 and below. Charges include GST where applicable.

Monday, May 23, 2011

An Invitation to Filipino Bowlers Club Singapore - Ambassador’s Cup 2011

The Philippine Embassy Singapore cordially invites you and/or your organization to participate in the Ambassador's Cup Intra-Community Bowling Tournament 2011 organized by the Filipino Bowlers Club (Singapore) in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy on 29 May 2011, Sunday, 10 AM, at Mt Faber Superbowl, SAFRA Telok Blangah, 2 Telok Blangah Way.

AmbassadorsCup2011Flyer

 

For more information on the tournament, kindly get in touch with the following FBCS officers:
 
Mars Fernandez - Hp 91443019  Email: mvirus@yahoo.com
Vhon Montefrio - Hp 92327319 Email: vhon_montefrio@yahoo.com
Danny Casio – Hp 97585730 Email: dlcasio@yahoo.com

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Filipino Independence Day Council Singapore Grand Fiesta 2011: Slogan Puzzle Contest

The Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS) in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy is inviting everyone to the Grand Fiesta 2011, a day-long celebration of  the 113th anniversary of proclamation of Philippine Independence, at the Hong Lim Park on 12 June 2011, Sunday, from 8:00AM to 6:00PM.

As part of the celebration, PIDCS is holding a "Slogan Puzzle Contest", wherein the winner will receive round trip tickets to the Philippines.

Additional information and contest mechanics are listed below:

PIDCS 2011 Slogan Puzzle Contest

Monday, May 16, 2011

StarHub Clamps Down Hard On Illegal Set-Top boxes, Destroyed 300

Sat-Receiver_Palcom_DSL-350, Gehäuse geöffnet

StarHub destroyed over 300 illegal set-top boxes at a site in Kranji this morning. The boxes were seized by Singapore Customs and they were handed over to StarHub for mass destruction.

Illegal set-top boxes, otherwise known as unauthorised decoders, illegally decode StarHub TV's encrypted broadcast transmissions and the importation, possession, sale and use of the boxes contravene Singapore’s Copyright and Broadcasting laws.

StarHub has made known publicly that it will not hesitate to take appropriate action to curb the sale of illegal set-top boxes in Singapore.

Said Ms Andrea Tay, StarHub’s Assistant Vice-President of Pay TV Services, “StarHub respects and upholds intellectual property rights of content owners and will take all necessary steps to protect our rights, and the rights of our content providers. Only authorised set-top boxes provided by StarHub should be used to access our content.”

Ms Tay added, “We would advise the public to abide by the law and respect intellectual property rights. Members of the public who purchase these unauthorised decoders may experience service quality issues, and are exposing themselves to legal liabilities.”

"Video piracy in all its forms undercuts the legitimate interests of content producers, distributors and consumers alike," said Mr Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of regional trade organisation, CASBAA.

"Media savvy economies such as Singapore are especially vulnerable to the activities of the pay TV thieves when they destroy the value of TV and movie productions, undercutting the hard-earned returns on investment by the creative communities. Pay TV theft really does affect everyone. The seizure of these pirate boxes by Singapore Customs is praiseworthy, and we hope that other governments can increase their vigilance with respect to trade in piracy hardware and software."

In last year alone, StarHub took two separate illegal set-top box infringement cases to court and secured convictions for both. Other than taking legal action against such wrongdoers, StarHub has also employed technological means to render such unauthorised decoders useless.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Philippines now out of US watch list on human trafficking

This is a route map for Ninoy Aquino Internati...

Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. welcomed a recently released US State Department report that the Philippines has made significant progress in combating human trafficking even as he pledged the BI’s continued vigilance in stopping human trafficking victims from leaving or entering the country.

David said the improvement of the Philippines’ standing in the human trafficking scorecard based on the Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessments is a clear and encouraging sign that the BI’s relentless drive against trafficking has paid off, despite criticisms that the bureau has been overzealous in doing its job.

David commended BI personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for doing a very good job during the past several months in stopping the departure of thousands of undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were victimized by illegal recruitment and human trafficking syndicates. He also acknowledged the accomplishments of his predecessor, former BI officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma, for instituting the measures and policies that enabled the bureau to offload the biggest number of trafficking victims in the agency’s history.

Statistics showed that from August to December alone, immigration officers at the NAIA and other airports stopped more than 27,000 passengers, most of them OFWs disguised as tourists, from leaving.

The combined efforts of all member agencies of the Inter-Agency Council Against  Trafficking (IACAT) resulted in the conviction of 21 human traffickers by the courts from July 2010 to March this year.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said it expects the Philippines’ record to improve when the State Department releases this June its next report on human trafficking.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the 21 convictions during the past nine months were a far cry from the 25 convictions in the past 7 years.

During the assessment period, 9 sex traffickers were convicted, with prison sentences ranging from 6 years to life imprisonment. One immigration official was slapped with criminal charges while 19 immigration personnel are facing administrative raps for trafficking-related activities.

According to the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, the Philippines has made ‘significant progress’ in its anti-human trafficking campaign since the release of the State Department’s 2010 report.

Last June, the DOJ ordered prosecutors to make trafficking cases a priority while the Supreme Court later issued a circular instructing courts to expedite the disposition of trafficking cases.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ministry of Health: Result of Patient Satisfaction Survey

The new 15-story Tan Tock Seng Hospital was ma...

Public hospitals, polyclinics and national specialty centres continued to score favorably with the public with a strong showing in overall satisfaction level. Nearly 8 out of 10 patients (76%) gave them the thumbs up, and as many (79%) said they would recommend the services of public healthcare institutions to others.

The polyclinics also improved on their previous performance in 2009. Overall satisfaction with the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) edged up 7%-points to 80% and for the SingHealth polyclinics (SHP), by 6%-points to 75%.  Recommendation level for NHGP was at its all time high at 80% and for SHP at 72%.

The Patient Satisfaction Survey 2010 results were confirmed by an independent survey company commissioned by the Ministry of Health. Nearly 12,000 patients participated in the survey from September to December 2010. This is the seventh MOH Patient Satisfaction Survey conducted to assess the level of patient satisfaction, compare performance among the healthcare institutions, and to gather suggestions for continual service improvement. 

Patients were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with the institutions, and whether they would recommend the services to other patients. In particular, they were asked to assess their perceptions based on the following nine service quality attributes:

a. Facilities
b. Care coordination
c. Knowledge and skills of doctors
d. Care and concern shown by doctors
e. Knowledge and skills of nurses
f. Care and concern shown by nurses
g. Knowledge and skills of allied health professionals
h. Care and concern shown by allied health professionals
i. Clear explanation by staff on the procedures and care

SURVEY RESULTS

Overall Satisfaction Level

In the 2010 survey, 76% of the patients rated their overall satisfaction rating as “excellent” or “good” (Chart 1).

CHART 1 - OVERALL SATISFACTION OF PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

14 April 2011 - OVERALL SATISFACTION OF PUBLIC HEALTHCARE

Willingness To Recommend

Based on their experience, patients were asked if they would recommend the healthcare institutions to others. 79% of the patients said that they would “strongly recommend” or “likely to recommend” (Chart 2).

CHART 2 – WILLINGNESS TO RECOMMEND PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

14 April 2011 - WILLINGNESS TO RECOMMEND PUBLIC HEALTHCARE

Among the hospitals; Khoo Teck Puat Hospital achieved the best results at 82%. This is followed by Tan Tock Seng Hospital which made the largest improvement of 8%-points to 78%. Alexandra Hospital’s performance of 77% was third (Table 1).

TABLE 1 (2010) – OVERALL SATISFACTION OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS

Hospitals

Satisfaction Level (%)

5

Excellent

4

Good

3

Satisfactory

2

Poor

1

Very Poor

KTPH

34

48

16

2

1

TTSH

28

50

19

2

0

AH

31

46

20

3

0

NUH

23

53

20

3

1

CGH

24

50

23

2

1

KKH

23

51

24

2

1

SGH

23

44

29

4

1

Monday, May 9, 2011

Philippine Embassy Announces Resumption of Sunday Operations

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore will be resuming its Sunday-Thursday work schedule on Sunday, 8 May 2011.

The transacting public is advised that the Embassy will once again be open for passport, notarial, civil registry, and labor-related services from Sunday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visa applications will continue to be accepted from Monday to Thursday only, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information on the Embassy’s operating hours, refer to the following schedule:

Embassy Services Schedule
Passport Application Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm, or when a quota of 150 applicants is reached (whichever is earlier)
Collection of Overdue Passports & Passports Coursed Through Agencies Mondays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm only
Regular Passport Collection Mondays to Thursdays, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm only
Notarials (Application) Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only
Notarials (Collection) Sundays to Thursdays, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm only
Authentication (Application) Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm only
Authentication (Collection) Sundays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm & only
Visa Application Mondays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon only
Visa Collection Mondays to Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm only
OEC / OWWA Membership Application Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only
Contract Verification & Authentication (Individuals) Sundays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only
Contract Verification & Authentication (Agency) Mondays to Thursdays, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm only

 

The Embassy will be closed to public transactions on Fridays and Saturdays.

Filipinos in distress requiring urgent and immediate assistance are advised to text or call the Embassy’s emergency hotline, +65.9072.2797.

The Embassy may limit the entry of non-applicants, given its physical space constraints. Applicants are discouraged from bringing companions, especially young children and the elderly.

HDB Rental: Verification of Foreigner Immigration Status (VERIFI)

Illegal immigration and overstaying pose a serious problem in Singapore. The authorities have taken a number of measures to tackle the problem; however, as long as immigration offenders can get work or find a place to stay, the problem cannot be
effectively tackled.

Homeowners who wish to rent their premises out to foreigners must exercise due diligence in checking the status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that they are in Singapore legitimately. Persons or organizations who are in doubt, are also encouraged to check the foreigners' status before transacting with them.

Everyone has a role to play in ensuring the security and safety of Singapore. It concerns not only the safety and security of the
community, but also your personal safety.

Due Diligence Requirements


Before renting your room out to a foreigner, you need to screen the immigration status of your prospective tenant by conducting the following 3 specified checks:

  • Check his original immigration pass or/and work pass;
  • Cross-check particulars on these passes against particulars in his passport; and
  • Verify with the Controller of Immigration or the Controller of Work Permits, as the case may be, that the permit or pass is valid at the material time or Verify with the employer if prospective tenant is working in Singapore.

If you are in doubt about the status of a foreigner, you may:

  • Contact Immigration & Checkpoints Authority at Tel: 6391-6100 (immigration passes) during office hours or MOM (work passes) at Tel: 6438-5122 to verify the status of the foreigner. Alternatively, you can also call in person at Immigration & Checkpoints Authority or MOM during office hours to verify the authenticity of the immigration or work passes.

Consequences of Harboring Immigration Offenders


Under the Immigration Act, the homeowner is liable to be charged for harboring immigration offenders in his house if investigations reveal that he has not exercised due diligence as required by law. If the homeowner is found guilty of the offence, he shall be sentenced to an imprisonment of not less than 6 months and not more than 2 years and shall also be liable to a fine up to S$6,000.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

34 year old Engineer charged for damaging OpenNet's cables in Clementi

SC fibre optic patch lead

A 34-YEAR-OLD engineer was charged in court on Friday with mischief by damaging the fibre optic cables of a fibre splicing box.

Terrance Tan Khoon Shan allegedly damaged OpenNet's cable installation at Block 381 Clementi Avenue 5 on April 23.

OpenNet is the company appointed by the Government to lay the fibre optic network islandwide.

A police statement said that since the beginning of last month, more than 400 fibre optic cables for high-speed Internet transmission laid in more than 100 HDB blocks in various places were found to have been cut, causing several hours of disruption to the affected Internet users.

Tan, who was arrested at his home in Clementi on Wednesday, was remanded at Central police division lock-up.

He will be back in court on May 13.

If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to three years or a fine of up to $10,000 or to both.

----

How much does a fiber optic cable cost? Here’s a sample…….

image

Friday, May 6, 2011

Philippine Independence Day Celebration (PIDC) 2011, request for sponsors

This came from Philippine Embassy in Singapore…

In an earlier invitation and request for support, we have given the following datelines:

May 10, 2011 -  last day of submission of emailed or written commitment to Sponsor PIDC 2011

May 12, 2011 -  last day of submission of payment for the committed sponsorship as well as all materials and information needed for lay-outing the corresponding advertisement in the PIDC.

Special advertisement rate in the PIDC Souvenir Magazine (banner and 1/8 page feature) for FilCom Friends and members is:

S$ 100.00.

Participation and exposure during the June 12, 2011 Celebrations at Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Park is available for the following:

S$ 200.00 - "non-selling" table

S$ 300.00 - "selling" table.

Payments may be made thru:

1. Raquel Rabang at PNB Lucky Plaza, 3rd Floor
2. Filipino Expatriate Wives Singapore

    DBS account no.: 029-901997-0

When making payments thru the Filipino Expatriate Wives Singapore, please send copies of your deposit slips or provide transaction details to facilitate accounting.
Again, please feel free to call any of us for further clarifications (Loida Corpus 9177 0133; Raquel Rabang 9776 1352; Nannette Villajos 9639 0478).

Many, many thanks for your continued support.

 

Philippine Independence Day Celebration Steering Committee

Median Subletting Rents by Town and Flat Type for 4th Quarter 2010

The statistics below provide the median rents of HDB flats in various locations with subletting approvals in the said quarter. The median rent indicates that half the units were above the value and half below.

Flat owners and prospective tenants may use the median rent as a guide to do their own research before entering into a rental agreement.

Median Subletting Rents by Town and Flat Type for 4th Quarter 2010

TOWN
1-RM
2-RM
3-RM
4-RM
5-RM
EXEC
ANG MO KIO
-
$1,280*
$1,610
$2,100
$2,200
-
BEDOK
-
$1,250*
$1,580
$2,000
$2,250
$2,280
BISHAN
-
-
$1,610
$2,200
$2,400
$2,490*
BUKIT BATOK
-
-
$1,550
$1,900
$2,250
$2,150
BUKIT MERAH
$750*
$1,430*
$1,800
$2,400
$2,800
-
BUKIT PANJANG
-
-
$1,500
$1,700
$1,950
$2,100
BUKIT TIMAH
-
-
$1,730*
$2,150*
$2,350*
$2,450*
CENTRAL
-
$1,300*
$2,050
$2,400
$3,500*
-
CHOA CHU KANG
-
-
$1,300
$1,900
$2,000
$2,300
CLEMENTI
-
-
$1,700
$2,200
$2,400
$2,500*
GEYLANG
-
$1,250*
$1,630
$2,050
$2,400
$2,650*
HOUGANG
-
-
$1,600
$1,930
$2,150
$2,450
JURONG EAST
-
-
$1,600
$2,000
$2,100
$2,480
JURONG WEST
-
$1,450*
$1,500
$2,000
$2,200
$2,300
KALLANG/ WHAMPOA
-
$1,250*
$1,700
$2,250
$2,440
$2,650*
MARINE PARADE
-
-
$1,900
$2,330
$2,350*
-
PASIR RIS
-
-
-
$2,000
$2,100
$2,300
PUNGGOL
-
-
-
$1,900
$2,100
$2,300*
QUEENSTOWN
-
$1,300
$1,780
$2,380
$2,550
$2,800*
SEMBAWANG
-
-
-
$1,850
$2,000
$2,200
SENGKANG
-
-
$1,930*
$2,000
$2,100
$2,300
SERANGOON
-
-
$1,700
$2,030
$2,270
$2,500
TAMPINES
-
-
$1,700
$1,950
$2,200
$2,350
TOA PAYOH
-
$1,300*
$1,700
$2,000
$2,330
$2,490*
WOODLANDS
-
-
$1,430
$1,800
$2,000
$2,050
YISHUN
-
-
$1,500
$1,800
$2,000
$2,250
OVERALL
$750
$1,300
$1,700
$2,000
$2,150
$2,300

Notes:

  1. (-) indicates no subletting transactions in the quarter.
  2. Figures marked with asterisks (“ * ”) refer to cases where there are less than 10 subletting transactions in the quarter for the particular town and flat type. As such, they may not be representative.
  3. The data above is based on rents self-declared in the subletting application forms. Nevertheless, it serves as a useful reference in sublet flat hunting and basis for rent negotiations.
  4. The median rent tells you that half of the units for that flat type in that town were rented above that price and half below.
  5. The figures are rounded to the nearest ten dollars.