Suntech Ipark taps Globe as ICT Partner

Property Company of Friends Inc., (Pro-Friends) remains a trailblazer in the Philippine real estate industry with its newest master-planned 25-hectare commercial, business and lifestyle township community called Downtown Lancaster, located right in the heart of the 1,400-hectare Lancaster New City in General Trias, Cavite.

Downtown Lancaster is composed of two major developments: Suntech iPark and The Square. Suntech iPark is Cavite’s first BPO office development which will house 17,500 BPO employees, while The Square is the commercial and retail section that will complement the needs of Suntech iPark and nearby residences. Downtown Lancaster will be delivered in phases: Phase 1 will cover the construction of four BPO buildings and seven retail buildings while Phase 2 will be the development of the remaining seven BPO buildings and ten retail buildings.

With this major development, Pro-Friends has turned to Globe Business, the information and communications technology (ICT) arm of Globe Telecom and preferred ICT partner of the country’s top BPO companies, for its connectivity requirements, specifically for its wireline data services. Globe Business is expected to provide secure, fast, and cutting-edge connectivity for thousands of BPO employees as well as the different commercial and retail establishments in Downtown Lancaster.

Formalizing the partnership between Globe and Pro-Friends are Globe Chief Technology and Information Officer Gil Genio (2nd from the left) and Pro-Friends Senior Executive Vice President Jocelyn Guzman (3rd from the left). With them are Globe New Projects Development Head Jessie Alano (leftmost) and Pro-Friends Vice President for Commercial and Retail Development Karen Parungo (rightmost).

“We put our trust in Globe Business because we believe that our employees and retail tenants will experience reliable and seamless service,” shared Pro-Friends Vice President for Commercial and Retail Development Karen Parungo. “We are very excited for the partnership and we look forward to the different ways Globe Business can help improve our operations.”

Globe Chief Technology and Information Officer Gil Genio noted that enterprise customers will soon benefit from the company’s network transformation program, which is set to modernize its wireline data network. “Customers like Pro-Friends which is expanding to build a BPO hub in Cavite will definitely experience connectivity that is up to par with first-world countries, as we embark on another infrastructure build that will enhance the internet experience within homes and businesses.”

In 2015, Globe Business has driven the revenue growth of leading Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) companies in the Philippines based on statistics by Call Center Focus. It has served the country’s top IT-BPO companies, seven of which were in the top 10 earners in terms of revenue in Philippine peso (Php) Billions. In addition, Globe Business also recorded an 81% penetration of IT-BPO companies that are provided with business products and solutions.

Source: Business Inquirer

GT Capital raises stake in Profriends

GT CAPITAL Holdings, Inc., the holding company for tycoon George S.K. Ty’s businesses, is raising its stake in mass housing developer Property Company of Friends, Inc. (PCFI) starting this year.

GT Capital President Carmelo Maria Luza Bautista said in a mobile phone message last week the conglomerate will exercise its option to increase its direct ownership in the real estate firm to 51%.

“The plan is to increase first to 42% within the first half of the year and then to 51% by the first quarter of next year,” Mr. Bautista said.

In August last year, GT Capital signed an agreement to acquire 22.68% of PCFI for P7.24 billion, subject to closing conditions, with an option to boost its stake to 51% within the next three years.

Profriends Group, Inc., which was planning on undertaking a P7.7-billion initial public offering (IPO), owns 98.51% of the issued and outstanding capital of PCFI, an affordable housing firm.

Asked if PCFI will pursue the IPO, Mr. Bautista said: “Not in the near future.”

Based on its previous filing, Profriends was planning to sell 385.750 million primary common shares, representing 11% of the company’s outstanding capital stock, at maximum price of P20 apiece to finance the development of its projects and land banking initiatives.

Profriends obtained the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch the equity offering, but failed to secure the go-signal from the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

Profriends had tapped First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC) as its underwriter for the IPO. FMIC is the investment banking arm of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., which is part of GT Capital.

PCFI netted P2.1 billion last year after booking P7 billion in total revenues. GT Capital started consolidating its financial performance in September.

“GT Capital’s recent acquisition of PCFI further expands the group’s range of products and market presence in the property development sector,” Federal Land, Inc. Chairman Alfred V. Ty said in a statement last week.

Aside from Federal Land and Metrobank, GT Capital has interests in Toyota Motor Philippines Corp.; Toyota Manila Bay Corp.; Toyota Cubao, Inc.; Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp.; Global Business Power Corp.; Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corp.; and Charter Ping An Insurance Corp.

The conglomerate reported a 32% uptick in bottomline to P12.1 billion last year from P9.2 billion in 2015, driven by the strength of its automotive and power generation businesses.

Shares in GT Capital added P16 or 1.12% to close at P1,450 each last Wednesday.

Source: Business World

Cavite LRT extension project in full swing

MANILA, Philippines — With Metro Manila’s insufficient network of trains, the consortium of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) brings good news to commuters: The construction of the P64.9-billion ($1.37-billion) Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) extension from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite will begin in June.

House and Lot for Sale

This was after the group of Ayala and MPIC – Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) – on Friday, February 12, signed the P24-billion ($506.02-million) loan facility and the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement for the LRT1 Cavite extension deal.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) awarded the LRT1 Cavite extension project to the LRMC in September 2014.

"These milestone agreements give us significant headway towards the construction and commissioning of the much-awaited Cavite Extension which will benefit an additional 300,000 passengers from four big cities in southern Manila," LRMC president and CEO Jesus Francisco said.

LRMC signed the 15-year Omnibus Loan and Security Agreement with Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank), Security Bank Corporation and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), with P15.3 billion ($322.59-million) of the total loan amount allocated for the Cavite extension and P8.7 billion ($183.44-million) for the rehabilitation of the existing LRT1 system.

Stalled relocation of illegal settlers

But according to Francisco, unfinished right-of-way acquisition and stalled relocation of illegal settlers take a toll on the construction of the LRT1 Cavite extension.

"Our main concern is that there are still some ISFs – illegal settlers. But we got the report of the grantors that by April, they expect to do relocation of most of them, if not all of them," Francisco said.

As of today, the chief of LRMC said the government has delivered about 95% of the right-of-way acquisition.

IMUS HOUSE FOR SALE

"We think that the stations will come later, but first we have to start building the carriage way. April is when they said they would address the problems of the ISF. If they can really move, by June 1 we will be able to start," Francisco told reporters on the sidelines of a briefing in Makati City.

French firms as contractors

LRMC took on French companies Bouygues Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport Private Limited to help build the extension.

Francisco said that LRMC and contractors Bouyges Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport are set to commence the construction of the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension once right of way is delivered by the DOTC and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

The extension is targeted for completion in about 4 years after the delivery of right-of-way.

The 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension will link with the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran Station, and run in a generally southerly direction to Niog, Cavite.

Eight new stations will be provided with 3 intermodal facilities across Pasay City, Paranaque City, Las Pinas City and Cavite.

The new stations are Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog. The intermodal facilities will be located at Dr Santos, Zapote, and Niog.

The commercial speed of the Cavite extension will be 60 kilometers per hour.

LRMC said the new stations will be accessible to and from nearby community facilities such as shops, schools, stadium, and park.

Bouygues Travaux Publics, which will provide the railway infrastructure, is known globally for complex projects involving tunnels, engineering structures and road, port and rail infrastructure.

Among its recent projects are the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, the Port of Miami Tunnel, and the Nîmes-Montpellier rail bypass in France.

Under the agreement, Alstom will provide system integration and project management; build a new train depot; extend the existing depot complete with track works; and establish a new power supply, catenary lines, and signaling and telecommunications system.

Alstom will also modernize the signaling system of the existing 20.7-kilometer line, which runs from Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City to Baclaran.
Source: Rappler.com

About Power Bank and its Helpful Tips

A power bank is essentially an external battery in a sealed case. Powerbanks come with a USB cable; you connect it to a power source such as a laptop to charge the powerbank. Some charge via flip out blades for plugging into the wall. Here are more information about this wonderful gadget;

1) What’s power bank?

Power bank serve as an ‘extra battery’ or external charger for your phone or other electronic devices.

2) Where is power bank made from?

Majority of the power banks in the market are actually made in China.

3) How do I charge the power bank?

You can charge your power bank via the charger that came with your phone, computer usb port or using other power bank

4) How long do I need to charge the power bank?

It’s depending on the REAL CAPACITY of the power bank. The larger REAL CAPACITY, the longer charging time may required. Different charging methods may result different charging time as well. Charging with the original charger will be faster than charging with computer usb port.

5) Why sometime I need longer time to charge the same power bank?

Even though using the same charging method, the charging time may be differ due to environment,temperature, power flow and etc

6) What is mAh?

mAh mean milli Ampere Hour, the capacity of the power bank is measure with mAh

7) A 12000mAh REAL CAPACITY power bank, able to charge a 1500mAh capacity phone for 8 times full?

This is a common mistake make by most of the people. For rough calculation of the total charge time, kindly use this formula

REAL CAPACITY * conversion rate * phone battery health / phone capacity = total charge times

EXAMPLE: 12000 x 0.8 x 0.8 / 1500 = 5.12 charge times (0.5-1 times plus minus)

8) What’s conversation rate?

Conversation rate is the remaining percentage of the battery after the battery lost in heat or PCB operation.

9) What’s phone battery health?

In simple, it’s mean how‘healthy’ your phone battery is. Phone battery storage capacity will be lower and lower. That’s also the reason why our phone can last longer when it’s newly bought than after 3-6 months we used it. Different mobile phone models also will affect the calculation as some phone drain battery faster than the other.

10) What’s PCB?

PCB means Printed Circuit Board,its control all the operation flow inside the power bank. A good quality PCB will allow the power bank to charge more and have better durability

11) What’s 18650 power bank and what’s Li-Polymer power bank?

The common type will be 18650 and a better type will be Li-Polymer

12) What’s the different between 18650 and Li-Polymer?

- 18650 size and dimension are fix. Li-Polymer size and dimension are flexible.

- 18650 produce more heat. Li-Polymer are much more safer

- 18650 are cheaper. Li-Polymer are more expensive

- 18650 have higher self discharge rate.Li-Polymer have a very low self discharge rate

- 18650 battery durability will drop faster.  Li-Polymer battery capacity are more durable

13) What’s the common mAh use in 18650?

Common mAh use in 18650 is around 1300mAh to 2200mAh.

14) What’s the common REAL CAPACITY in 18650 power bank in the market?

- Power bank using 1pcs 18650 is 1200mAh – 2600mAh

- Power bank using 2pcs 18650 is 2500mAh – 4400mAh

- Power bank using 3pcs 18650 is 3750mAh – 6600mAh

- Power bank using 4pcs 18650 is 5200mAh – 8800mAh

- Power bank using 5pcs 18650 is 6500mAh –11000mAh

- Power bank using 6pcs 18650 is 7800mAh –13200mAh

- Power bank using 7pcs 18650 (no info)

- Power bank using 8pcs 18650 is 10400mAh –14400mAh

15) Is there any power bank use higher than 2200mAh per 18650?

Yes. There are, but it’s not common due to the expensive pricing.

16) What’s the different between branded power bank and generic power bank?

Branded power bank mostly sell in REAL CAPACITY. Generic power bank mostly sell in MARKING CAPACITY. That’s the reason why you will never see any branded power bank (standard size) have anything as high as 30000mAh – 50000mAh. That’s also the reason why a good 12000-13000mAh power bank are able to charge more or about the same like the market 30000-50000mAh power bank

17)  Is it true branded power bank won’t explode and generic power bank will explode?

Anything to do with battery, will have chance to explode. No matter it’s branded power bank or generic power bank.But chances for both branded and generic power bank to explode are near to 0%.If power bank is easy to explode, everyone will use power bank in war instead of bomb.

Source: Styefree Asia fb.

Housing Project brings jobs for residents

Every Filipino visiting Tokyo should nurse an envy at the sight of a metropolis so well governed.

I frequented this city many times in the past. Each time I visit, the city seems to be cleaner and more efficient.

Tokyo has about the same population as Metro Manila, although it is easy to imagine her population shuffles about more intensively than people do here. The reason is simple: they can.

As a victim of Manila’s horrendous traffic jams, it was a thrill last week to actually go to four separate places in Greater Tokyo between lunch and dinner. In Manila, one can no longer have four appointments in different places in one afternoon.

Even during rush hours, traffic moves in Tokyo. The reason for this, apart from a thoroughly developed subway system, Tokyo just kept on building elevated expressways crisscrossing the metropolitan area. In many places, there are as many as four decks of elevated roadway in this city.

Five days in this city, I have not seen a single traffic enforcer. There is simply no need for them in a place where everyone so scrupulously observes the rules.

Even in small alleys, there are pedestrian stoplights. Needless to say, they, too, are scrupulously observed.

No one smokes in the streets of Tokyo these days. One may smoke only in specifically designated cubicles equipped with air filters.

No one litters in the streets of this city – not because there are stiff fines as in Singapore but because that is the right thing to do. Notwithstanding, the streets are washed every night.

Tokyo sets a high standard for how a metropolis ought to be governed. Future infra needs are anticipated and set in place before congestion happens. The Japanese are proud of their trains, and for good reasons. Japan Railways reports a cumulative delay of only a few seconds for all its train services each year. A breakdown in the rail system, which happens regularly with the MRT, will be a national scandal soothed only by the resignation of the top rail officials.

Because this is such a well-governed metropolis, productivity is imaginably high. Urban efficiency and high productivity constitute a virtuous cycle. The key to that is the quality of governance provided.

Metropolitan Manila and Metropolitan Tokyo are on two ends of the spectrum of urban governance. A four-hour flight took me from one extreme to the other.

The descent back to the Third World was quick. Back at the Manila airport, I saw passengers wrapping their baggage in duct tape to protect from thieves and extortionists. Phone calls dropped. Internet service was slow. The streets were grimy. Governance remains substandard.

Close to midnight, traffic was still at a crawl. I looked at the forlorn faces of commuters unable to get a ride. I knew I was home.  

Townships

If Metro Manila had a reliable rail service, it would be easy for much of the city’s working population to live out of the city.

An efficient rail system explains why there are few high-density housing complexes within Metropolitan Tokyo itself. Because Metro Manila failed to build an efficient mass transit system, the trend here is towards high-rise, high-density mass housing. Meanwhile, the urban transport system remains primitive, producing the traffic nightmare we now endure daily.

Since we are not about to build a comprehensive mass transit system in the foreseeable future, the next best solution to the problem is to build townships that are as self-contained as possible. One such township is the Lancaster New City now being built over 1,107 hectares in Kawit and General Trias in Cavite province. The Property Company of Friends or Pro-Friends is engineering this sprawling project.

For years, our housing developers have been building low-cost housing projects in the provinces surrounding Metro Manila. The economists at Pro-Friends, however, realized that people who buy in these housing developments continue to commute to the city for work, spending a large bulk of their income on transportation.

The Lancaster New City, with its scale, is planned to attract BPO companies to its property development so that jobs will be available to people who invest in housing in the community. BPO companies, after all, are trying to disperse out of the city to bring down costs and attract more talent.

With jobs brought closer to the homes, residents will now be spending less on transport and more for raising their quality of life. This is, no doubt, an attractive proposition for those wishing to flee the infernal traffic jams in the metropolitan area.

Pro-Friends, with this project, sets a new standard for property development. The challenge now is to build economically self-sustaining communities, reducing the need to travel to work and reducing the carbon footprint for residents.

It is an attractive proposition for me to be sure, considering how much gas I consume daily and how much exasperation I endure getting to and from work. It will be an attractive proposition for the younger generation seeking lifestyles with a smaller carbon footprint.

This economically contained township concept will have to be planned on a certain scale. It is a project scale that requires robust financing.

Fortunately for Pro-Friends and their ambitious township project, a large banking conglomerate found the idea of a self-contained community an attractive and viable one. This banking group took out a stake in Pro-Friends, bringing the Lancaster New City development several steps closer to completion.

With our banking system now able to finance large developments in a lower interest rate environment, it should be possible to replicate this township concept elsewhere.

Source: Alex Magno - http://www.philstar.com/