WELLNESS IN TRADE & INDUSTRY: DTI seeks to fill growing coffee demand. "The prospects of the coffee industry comes to the forth with the ever increasing demand for coffee," DTI Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Director Myrna P. Pablo during the recent Philippine Coffee Conference in Baguio City. Pablo is also the national industry cluster manager for the coffee industry.

Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic o : DTI seeks to fill growing coffee demand: "A series of activities using various methodologies such as the focus group, value chain approach, and industry clustering were conducted to design appropriate development plans and strategies for the coffee sector.

Pablo also noted the inclusion of the coffee sector in the National Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (NICCEP), a three-year project launched in 2012, resulted to reinforcing efforts of enablers and operators in the coffee value chain towards the promotion and development of the sector.

The NICCEP is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in coordination with the DTI to develop and mobilize pilot industry clusters nationwide. It aims to help increase the contribution of selected priority industry clusters such as the coffee industry cluster to the country's economy. "

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WHO | WHO emergency response in the Philippines. When Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines on 8 November 2013, WHO’s emergency response system was activated. Under the emergency response, WHO is working with the Government of the Philippines to analyze the damage done to the health infrastructure and determine the immediate needs of the Philippine people.

WHO | WHO emergency response in the Philippines: "An important part of emergency response is the shift from responding to the treatment of the injured to the health of people with chronic conditions or to those who are in need of regular medical treatment. This story demonstrates how WHO is able to make this shift, providing support for pregnant women, new mothers, vaccinations for children and enabling local health facilities to deliver essential medical services for people."

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WELLNESS IN EDUCATION: To sustain the recovery efforts, Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) and its partners will promote livelihood through emergency employment programs, labor-intensive projects, technical-vocational skills training and enterprise development. Meanwhile, the microfinance sector will be tapped to help create sustainable livelihood that would give affected families a chance to start anew. Initial partners are the Philippine Business for Social Progress, ASA Philippines, CARD MRI, Microcredit Council of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines. PDRF is also holding discussions with the United Nations-International Labor Organization and Oxfam to pursue collaborative efforts in these areas. (PR)

HelpPH launches global donation drive | Sun.Star: "For this purpose, PDRF is firming up cooperative arrangements with organizations like the Philippine Red Cross, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Caritas Manila, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Gawad Kalinga, the United States Agency for International Development and the GSMA, the global association of the mobile phone industry.

Immediate relief operations will be prioritized for remote areas not reached by mainstream relief distribution. Corporate members will be tapped to provide transport, logistics and communications support to enabletimely coordination of relief efforts by government and relief agencies.

This includes “information as relief” to provide affected communities with news and information through mobile phones, the Internet, social media and satellite TV, as well as medical relief through on-the-ground missions, telemedicine and psycho-social therapy."

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WELLNESS IN ENVIRONMENT: China hospital ship to set sail for Philippine typhoon zone and is sending a state-of-the-art hospital ship to the Philippines following foreign and domestic criticism that it was slow and less than generous in its response to one of the world's biggest typhoons, which killed at least 4,000 people. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing confirmed the deployment of the 14,000-tonne "Peace Ark" as state television reported the arrival of the first batch of Chinese relief supplies in the Philippines. Exactly where the Ark will operate and when it will arrive have not yet been confirmed, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Ark would set sail as soon as possible. "China has always been concerned about the Philippines typhoon disaster," he said. "In the spirit of helping the dying and healing the injured, we plan to send rescue workers to the disaster area."

China hospital ship to set sail for Philippine typhoon zone | Reuters: "Tension between China and the Philippines had risen in recent months over disputed claims in the South China Sea, with Manila taking Beijing to a United Nations court to challenge its historic claim to much of the strategic waterway.

China's usually hawkish Global Times, a tabloid owned by the government mouthpiece, the People's Daily, last week urged the deployment of the Ark amid criticism of Beijing's response by foreign commentators.

China, the world's second-largest economy, initially announced it was giving $200,000 and then bumped that up by $1.6 million. On Sunday, it said it was ready to send rescue and medical teams."

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WELLNESS IN ARTS: Intramuros is hotspot for CCP and NCCA arts and culture festivals in 2014. It was a simple invitation extended by Intramuros administrator Atty. Marco V. Sardillo III to Chris B. Millado, Vice President and Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Yet, behind those three words was a desire to move beyond traditional spaces in Old Manila. “[He was only talking about Fort Santiago, so I went,] 'you know what? Out of the box.' I said, 'Tara, let's walk', so we walked all the way to Maeztranza, and then I showed him the space. Sabi ko, 'Isn't this fantastic? Can't you just imagine people performing here?'” said Sardillo.

Intramuros is hotspot for CCP and NCCA arts and culture festivals in 2014 | Lifestyle | GMA News Online: "Venues of the likes of Raha Sulayman, Aduana, and even certain streets will see theatrical and musical performances, folkloric dancing, clown shows, and even tiangges and workshops. But Intramuros is only the northern tip of this cultural iceberg. “The idea is, we're going to transform Intramuros, Roxas Boulevard—all the way to CCP—as the Arts and Culture Mile for at least a weekend in February, so it becomes the most creative place on earth for two days,” explained Millado."

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Rotary Clubs Worldwide Mobilize In Support Of Typhoon-Ravaged Philippines. "It has been astounding to see Rotary clubs and Rotarians around the world mobilizing so quickly to support the people of the Philippines," said Becky Maynard, ShelterBox Director of Fundraising and Communications. "This overwhelming generosity is allowing ShelterBox to commit more life-saving shelter each day but the need remains huge. We are working directly with Rotarians in the Philippines and we have Rotarian Response Team members on the ground. The partnership between ShelterBox and the global Rotary family really demonstrates how, through service and support, we can make a real difference to people in their greatest hour of need." A donation of approximately US$1000 will allow ShelterBox to deliver emergency shelter and other lifesaving equipment to a family that has lost everything following a disaster.

Rotary Clubs Worldwide Mobilize In Support Of Typhoon-Ravaged Philippines - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee: "As news of the killer typhoon spread, thousands of Rotary clubs in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas quickly set up special funds and began collecting donations and supplies. Among the first were established by Rotary districts in the Philippines and Australia.

Looking ahead, Rotary will focus on intermediate and long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. The experience and knowledge of Rotary members in the Philippines will be essential in ensuring that resources are used for projects and programs that address true community needs.

Rotary in the Philippines Rotary has a long tradition in the Philippines, beginning with the Rotary Club of Manila, chartered as Rotary's first club in Asia in 1919, just 14 years after Rotary was founded in Chicago, Ill., USA. Today the Philippine Islands are home to 830 Rotary clubs with a total membership of nearly 22,000 men and women.  The country has produced one president of Rotary International, M.A.T. Caparas, who served 1986-87."

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