Wellness in Environment: Noli Me Tangere, The Musical

Arts & Culture | BusinessWorld Online Edition: "KICKING OF Tanghalang Pilipino’s Silver Anniversary celebration is Noli Me Tangere, The Musical on Aug. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, and 26-28 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino. This is a restaging of the musical adapted by Ryan Cayabyab, with libretto by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera. The restaging features new songs and a fresh and youthful direction by Audie Gemora. For details, call Tanghalang Pilipino at 832-1125 loc. 1620 and 1621."

Wellness in Arts: 35th anniversary of Philippines-Russia diplomatic relations and the celebration of the Days of Russian Culture in the Philippines

Arts & Culture | BusinessWorld Online Edition: "Russian culture
TO MARK the 35th anniversary of Philippines-Russia diplomatic relations and the celebration of the Days of Russian Culture in the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Ministry of Culture of Russia present soloists from the State Academic Russian national ensemble Rossiya at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on July 29, 6 p.m., and the Ayala Center Cebu on July 30 at 1 p.m. For the Philippine concerts, Rossiya will perform Russian songs and many more. For details, contact NCCA Public Affairs and Information Office at 527-5529, 527-2192 loc. 612 to 615 or 0928-508-1057."

Wellness in Arts: "Choral competition by THE MANILA Broadcasting Co

Arts & Culture | BusinessWorld Online Edition: "Choral competition
THE MANILA Broadcasting Co. is inviting the best choirs around the country to take part in the 2011 MBC National Choral Competitions. The search features competitions for children’s choirs and an open category for schools, churches, residential communities, companies, government agencies, and special interest groups who may want to take part. The winner in the children’s choir category will receive P100,000 while the champion in the open category takes home P150,000. Regional competitions will be held in Cauayan, Isabela (Sept. 3), Laoag, Ilocos Norte (Sept. 10), Iloilo (Sept. 17), Cebu (Sept. 24), Davao (Oct. 8), and Naga (Oct. 22), with the SM Supermalls as co-presentor. Mega-Manila auditions will be on Oct. 15 and 16 at the Star Theater. Winners in these regional contests will receive travel subsidies to compete in the national finals."

Wellness in Environment: WWF Introduces Major Gift Program | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

WWF Introduces Major Gift Program | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online: "WWF’s Watershed Management project in Ilagan, Isabela provides a sustainable program that projects and conserves the forests and watersheds of the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, considered the largest remaining swath of old growth rainforest in the country.

One of the pressing issues of the environment is climate change and it has started to affect the wealthy natural resources of the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) in Davao. To address this, WWF has initiated a comprehensive climate change adaptation scheme to reduce potential climate change-related vulnerabilities.

WWF’s Tubbataha Reef Project, on the other hand, provides practical systems and solutions to sustain operations in this natural resource area.

WWF-Philippines spearheads processes to facilitate the implementation of diver fees, no-take zones and expansion of park boundaries to increase marine biomass, and to push for sustainable ecotour ism, mar icul ture and microfinance.

Through its Major Gift Program, individuals and groups can embark on a lifelong legacy by helping WWFPhilippines and its wide range of products directed towards preserving the country’s natural resources."

WWF-Philippines recognizes that the environment is the social security system of the poor. There is no Planet B and we only have one country. So the time to invest in the Philippine environment is now.

To know more about the WWFPhilippines Major Gifts Program, get in touch with Puch Calma at (927) 793-6133 or pcalma@wwf.org. ph.

Peace Update: Gov't addresses Mindanao peace, dev't | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

Gov't addresses Mindanao peace, dev't | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online: "The Philippine government has stressed that while it is resolved in reaching a negotiated political settlement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other rebel groups within its term, it is also bent on addressing the development needs of conflict areas.

The statement was made by Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) peace panel chairman Marvic Leonen during a recent forum held at the Ambion Room of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law at Malcolm Hall, UP Diliman. Joining him was Dean Jukipli Wadi of the UP Institute of Islamic Studies.

In his lecture titled “Understanding the Context: Possibilities for Peace in Mindanao,” Leonen explained how conflict disrupts development - not only locally but also nationally. He said with underdevelopment comes a host of other problems including corruption, misallocation of resources and injustices.

“In the administration’s goal to reach a just, comprehensive, workable and negotiated political settlement, we also have to proceed with the development of the area. We cannot stand idly by when we think of basic services and economic development. The promise of the President is good governance and anything that will be committed, will be done. Anything that has been promised will be complied with,” Leonen said."