Five Mystical Mountains in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Halloween is fast approaching. For those who want to take their ghost-hunting experience to a different level this year, a trip to a mountain might be just what they need, as the Philippines is known to have supernatural elements lurking (and sometimes interacting with their visitors) in the depths of their land and mysterious forests.

As the saying goes, “Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints,” but locals say hikers who lived to tell their hair-raising experiences may not have followed this rule and had done something to offend those who dwell in these mountains. Though there are also hikers who insisted that they had prayed, asked permission, and were very respectful of the place and still experienced something out of the ordinary.

For those who’d rather see to believe, or are simply looking to have a good time, MyProperty.ph lists down five mountains in the country that are tied to various tales of mystery and horror.

DOE and Philippine Companies Win ASEAN Energy Awards

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson was awarded in the recently held ASEAN Energy Awards 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for her valuable contributions in forwarding energy cooperation as Senior Official on Energy (SOE) leader of the Philippines.

Usec. Ayson was awarded a trophy for Excellence in Energy Management along with eight other ASEAN leaders from different countries during the Awards Night last October 7 as part of the Joint Gala Dinner of the 33rd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting and the ASEAN Energy Business Forum 2015.

The ASEAN Energy Awards, which started in 2000, is Southeast Asia’s prestigious annual awards program that recognizes outstanding work for excellence, creativity, practicality and dedication to a cause in the field of energy.

Usec. Ayson has been with the DOE since 1979 and has served in various capacities until she was appointed as Undersecretary in 2008. She has handled the DOE’s programs on energy efficiency and conservation, alternative fuels, energy research testing and laboratory, information technology management, as well as administration, legal and finance, including the supervision of the DOE Field Offices. She also served as Chairperson of the Policy Advisory Board of the Philippine Efficient Lighting Market Transformation Project and the Project Director of the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP). Currently, she handles the Energy Policy and Planning Bureau and the Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System.

Emerging Trends In PH Real Estate To Be Discussed In Upcoming Summit

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The rise of millennial travelers, Filipinos’ increasing spending power, and aggressive expansion of commercial property developers in cities outside Metro Manila -- these are just some of the key trends that will discussed during the upcoming 4th Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Summit (APREIS), to be held at Solaire Resort & Casino on October 22.

Moderating the discussion on these emerging trends on Philippine real estate is Jacqueline van den Ende, managing director of global property website Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph).

The discussion’s panelists include key people from different sector of the real estate industry. They include Al Legaspi, chief operating officer of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts, who will share insights on the opportunities and challenges facing the country’s hospitality sector; Henry Co of First Philippine Industrial Park who will discuss industrial real estate; Lars Wittig of Regus Philippines and Michael McCullough KMC MAG Group, who will both tackle office real estate; Joseph Ramil Lombos, chief financial officer of DMCI Homes, to discuss the residential sector; and Lourdes Alano of Robinsons Land and Shaun Kwan of Trakomatic, to share their insights on the key trends in retail.

Among the burning issues to be tackled on during the discussion is how the Philippines can compete with established its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of attracting foreign visitors, how the country can sustain buoyant consumption to maintain retail boom, and the opportunities for investors in the office sector.