Archipelago RoundUp

SURVIVOR: PhilippinesAfter the French discovered a piece of Paradise in Caramoan, Camarines Sur, the Bulgarians shot Survivor in May and now the Israelis have shot their own version of the popular reality TV show “Survivor” on the Caramoan peninsula, opening this tropical paradise to a larger global audience and tourism market. This will be the third season of the Israeli show and reportedly costs $7M. But unlike the first two seasons where the shows’ title cited only the name of an island or region (“Survivor Caribbean” for the Dominican Republic shoot and “Survivor Pearl Island” for Panama), the Caramoan episodes will recognize the host country itself. “This season will be called ‘Survivor Philippines,’ so there is no question where it was shot,” Bekerman said. (LittleMiss: Cheers to another proud Filipino moment!)

Firm backs out of 2010 poll automation
MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The automation of the 2010 elections was placed in jeopardy after the Filipino partner of the technology consortium that won the bidding for the project backed out, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo said. Melo said officials of Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) informed him that they were withdrawing from their partnership with Dutch firm Smartmatic International. (LittleMiss: Ahhh, this should be investigated. I wonder who's behind this poll automation delaying tactic again?)

The Philippine President has Breast Implants
After initially denying President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had breast implant, Malacañang Friday night confirmed that she underwent such a medical procedure in the ’80s. The Palace also confirmed that Ms Arroyo had biopsies conducted on lumps found on her breast and groin while on a two-day self-quarantine at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center early this week. The results of the biopsies were normal, according to a Palace statement. (LittleMiss: I see brows raised. Well, anyway the President is still a woman after all. Credits to her doctor as it wasn't obvious that she had some implants.)

Overseas Employment: Guam
The bad news: As next year’s scheduled relocation of the United States military base from Okinawa, Japan to Guam gives Filipinos seeking overseas employment hope, they may not get priority for construction jobs, a recruitment specialist said Sunday. Although Filipinos are preferred in Guam, the huge unemployment situation in the US, particularly mainland-based construction workers, may get in the way of getting Filipinos hired for jobs created by the planned construction of various buildings and infrastructure in the new site of the US Marine and Air Force units, said Emmanuel Geslani.

The good news: Once Guam is transformed into a major US military base in the Pacific, Filipino health care personnel will be in demand, the Guam governor said. “Guam is substantially underserved in health care services. Filipino nurses who have passed the requisite US licensure examinations and Filipino doctors that have US board certifications are qualified to apply,” the Guam official said.

Altogether, Geslani said, the relocation of the US military base is expected to generate 20,000 jobs. (LittleMiss: Let's see how the developments of this move plays out. I hope a lot would benefit from this project. Might be a good answer to the prayers of them OFWs.)

RP Joins International Math Olympiad
Four Filipino students are flying to Bremen, Germany to compete in the 50th International Mathematical Olympiad, a world championship mathematics competition for high school students, to be held from July 10 to 22, the German embassy in the country said Friday. The four who passed a rigorous selection process from among 2,000 high school students are: Carlo Francisco Adajar of Paref Southridge School, Earl John Chua of Grace Christian College, Carmela Antoinette Lao of Saint Jude Catholic School, and Jonathan Wong of Grace Christian College. The Philippine participation to the Olympiad is a joint project of the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute and the Mathematical Society of the Philippines. (Little Miss: Another proud moment for us Filipinos. I hope they bring home the bacon.)