Photography competition focuses on NSW landscape

The Community Relations Commission is conducting the Inaugural NSW Parliamentary Plein Air Photographic Prize which is set up to complement the three year old NSW Parliamentary Plein Air Painting Prize. The topic of this competition is New South Wales landscape [...]

RP receives tourism promotion boost

The Philippines was named “One of 25 Best New Trips in the World in 2010” by National Geographic, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs recently reported. The DFA report said that the Philippines’ ancient cultures, structures and biodiversity were cited by the National Geographic as key reasons to visit the country [...]

Financial donations from the international community at US$103.31 million

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday announced that international donors continue to pour in much-needed financial assistance for the victims of typhoon Ondoy. Total donations amounted to US$103.31 million (or approximately P4.80 billion) [...]

UN issues appeal for “Ondoy” victims

In a news bulletin issued yesterday, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported that the United Nations has issued a flash appeal that called on the international community to pledge emergency assistance to the Philippines [...]

An opportunity to help our kababayans

The Filipino Australian and other emanila websites fully support the initiatives taken by the Philippine Australian community in Sydney in organising a donation drive for the benefit of our kababayans in Metro Manila severely affected by the recent Manila floods. The donation drive started by [...]

Thick dust covers Metro Sydney

A thick blanket of dust settled over Metro Sydney this morning. Sydney residents woke to a red haze unlike anything seen before. As of this writing, large amounts of dust continue to be dumped by strong winds. The conditions could trigger asthma attacks [...]

Four Philippine Eco Sites Nominated to a World Vote for the Seven Natural Wonders

Philippine ecological sites – Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, the Subterranean River of Puerta Princesa, and Mayon Volcano – are among the 77 natural features being considered for the Seven Natural Wonders of the World [...]

Initial report of Australia 2020 Summit now available

PM Kevin Rudd at opening 2020 ceremony. Photo from australia2020.gov.au

The initial report of the 2020 Summit held over the last weekend, 19-20 April, is now available for download at the 2020 website.

It is a 39-page report, but it is easy reading. Written in “plain English”, the report also contains some very interesting ideas.

One part of the report we like best is that of “Shared Priorities” which in a way provides the common thread among and across the ten streams or agenda set out for the Summit.

There are four key issues that find common grounds among the ten discussion groups. These are: dealing with a climate change, the need for a consistent national approach particularly in economic policy, the push for a national strategy that will best use the skills and ingenuity of Australians, and the need to strengthen civil society ie, the urgency of redressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.

That these issues would come out as top priorities was perhaps expected. But what we found interesting is the report’s candor.

For example, we find these paragraphs interestingly simple that nothing was really left to the imagination:

“It is striking how often through the Summit concern arose that Australia has not been sufficiently clever in using the skills and ingenuity of our people. Early childhood services and education are obvious starting points for building capacity, but many argued a broader case for investment in a healthy population with access to necessary social support.

“For a number of streams, this focus on developing our human capital led to wider issues – migration, skills shortages, participation of women, access to child care, family leave, support for disabilities. One strongly held view was the need to enhance creativity and innovation in our communities. People find meaning in their lives through expression, and our nation benefits from innovation. These can happen spontaneously, but many argue for an education system which encourages and trains for creativity, a community willing to accept risk and failure in pursuit of the new, and governments rethinking how and why they support creative Australia.”

We could be mistaken. But somehow, we thought for awhile we were reading a similar report about the Philippines circa 1970s where priorities were set out inappropriately.

The 2020 report is a “must read” especially to businesses and to community leaders. #

Pinoy La Sallites at the Panasonic World Solar Challenge

It was a competitive race over 3021 kilometers from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Adelaide that drew some of the best mechanical engineering minds from 21 countries to cross this island continent of red earth, giant anthills, ghost gum trees and interesting fauna on solar-powered vehicles.

Among the participating 46 teams that made the crossing to the finish line in Adelaide on the 27th of October was the Philippines’ Sinag Team which was composed of La Salle (Taft) University students led by their professors.