People are giving different interpretations to the abrupt ending of the joint marine exercises dubbed as Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex) 33 between Filipino and American soldiers, with the latter packing up their equipment two days ahead of schedule. The four US warships have already left Subic while the closing ceremonies were held the other day.
Conflicting reasons were given for the early end to the drills, with some officials claiming a lot of the activities were finished ahead of time while some pointed to stormy weather predictions which precipitated the windup of the live drills at Crow Valley in Tarlac. The prevailing perception however is that the early end of the joint exercises had to do with the recent pronouncements of President Rodrigo Duterte that he will put an end to the practice – taken by many as a sign of the deteriorating relationship between the Philippines and the United States.
People are getting conflicting signals from the President who has repeatedly criticized the US. Duterte says he will continue to honor the Mutual Defense Treaty but expresses doubts about to need for the military pact with the country’s closest ally. Some say the colorful rhetoric against the US could be because of perception that US President Barack Obama is now considered a lame duck President since his term is nearing its end.
Many see the November elections in the US to be a close race, although Hillary Clinton is starting to get ahead of Donald Trump in the polls. Some analysts believe a win by Hillary won’t be good for the Duterte administration considering that she belongs to the same party as Obama. Let’s not forget she strongly reacted to President Duterte’s s.o.b. comment directed at Obama, saying the cancellation of the scheduled bilateral talks between Duterte and Obama on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos was appropriate.
Besides, Clinton is also widely acknowledged as the main architect of the US “pivot to Asia” policy. She is also strong on humanitarian issues that include climate change and human rights – which we all know are sensitive topics with President Duterte. She is an ardent supporter of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, and is considered a hawk with regard to China and its activities in the South China Sea. It can be recalled that Hillary ruffled the feathers of China during the 2010 ASEAN Regional Forum in Hanoi when she declared that the United States has a “national interest” in maintaining freedom of navigation and upholding international law in the South China Sea. Her remarks drew the ire of the Chinese Foreign Minister who said “outsiders” should stay out of the issue.
Be that as it may, I’m sure my friend, Foreign Secretary Jun Yasay, has plans to develop fresh relations with Clinton or even Trump as new US president. After all, with new beginnings also comes new openings which hopefully the Duterte administration will take advantage of.
Philjets partners with Citibank
Aerospace startup Philjets recently partnered with Citibank for an exclusive offer to Citi Prestige cardholders. Under the partnership, Prestige cardholders can avail of discounts on Philjets’ helicopter aerial tours. Among the perks include a special on-demand per minute rate of P1,600 per flying time (with inclusive VAT charges) as well as a 20 percent discount on Manila drop-off tour or aerial tours to Mount Pinatubo, Tagaytay and Taal.
Philjets has been aggressive in striking partnerships to widen its reach and presence. Last year, it partnered with Grab to launch the GrabHeli campaign for aerial tours. According to Philjets Group founder Thierry Tea, the latest venture is aimed at providing the best experience to their clients and to position the company as the ultimate yardstick for aircraft activities and services in the Philippines. “Being associated with a major brand such as Citibank is a great opportunity for us,” remarked Tea.
Leading online payments company now in the Phl
Freelancers, creative outsourcing professionals as well as SMEs in the IT and BPO industries can now take advantage of the services offered by Payoneer, a leading online payments company that recently opened its Manila office. The New York-based financial global services hub has millions of users in over 200 countries and provides cross-border payments through marketplaces and directly between buyers and sellers in more than 150 currencies.
According to new Philippines country manager Miguel Warren, receiving international business payments in a timely and cost-effective manner can be a challenge for small businesses, online entrepreneurs, SME BPOs as well as freelancers who, more often than not, worry about getting paid by international clients on time. “Payoneer can provide them with fast, flexible and low-cost solutions that will help them scale their global businesses,” Warren remarked.
The online payments company has long recognized the rapidly growing outsourcing and export market in the country. In a report released by the World Bank last year, the global online outsourcing industry is projected to generate revenues by as much as $20 billion by 2020. The Philippines, which accounts for 18.6 percent of the global online workforce, is mentioned in the report as one of the top five countries when it comes to online outsourcing.
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