Analyst Says None of the Presidential Front-Runners Can Secure Strong Mandate Like President Aquino

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Miguel Chanco, Lead Analyst, ASEAN, at the EIU based in Singapore, has provided some insight and predictions on the upcoming presidential elections in the Philippines on Monday, 9 May.

"On Monday 9th May, the Philippines heads to the polls to elect a new President.

Unfortunately, this election looks set to put a dent in the Philippines’ recent positive economic performance, whatever the result. None of the front-runners are likely to secure a mandate as strong as Benigno Aquino’s, current and 15th President of the Philippines. Long the “sick man of Asia”, the Philippines has made slow and steady improvements in infrastructure, regulatory environment and in reducing corruption, that has led to a steady uptick in most economic indicators. Most notable is the boom in investment, which has increased by over 10% in three of the last four years.

In an echo of Donald Trump in the US, a divisive and controversial candidate, Rodrigo Duterte has had a storming campaign and now has a real chance of winning. However, the campaign of the other possible winner, Grace Poe, has been marred by questions of eligibility and her victory could be challenged in court by the runner-up. While a messy transition in government is a given, things will look very different depending on who wins. The country's fundamentals are such that the EIU believe that the Philippines will rise from being the world's 33rd biggest economy today, to 21st by 2030 - just behind the Netherlands - but the ride will be a bit rockier.”

IPC Expands Global Footprint, Joins NTT Communication's Nexcenter Network of Data Centers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Local data center operator and pioneer cloud services provider IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.) recently announced that its flagship Internet data center facility located in Parañaque City has been accredited as one of Nexcenter network of data centers provided by NTT Communications (NTT Com). The accreditation, achieved through a partnership between NTT Com and IPC’s holding company ePLDT, Inc. (the digital enterprise enabler of the PLDT Group), strengthens IPC’s position as a world-class Internet data center operator, providing data center services to customers in international territories.

“Our new status as a Nexcenter-accredited facility brings IPC to the next level. It is a testament to the world-class quality of our facilities and services. Like over 140 data centers around the world, IPC Data Center - Parañaque features fully redundant services, designed to withstand calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons, and employs several layers of security similar to that of NTT Com’s own data centers,” stated IPC President Rene Huergas.

NTT Com is the leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) solutions within the NTT Group (NYSE: NTT), a Fortune Global 100 company. Nexcenter™ is NTT Com’s global data center service brand lauded for its unmatched reliability, as well as scalability and cost-efficiency. For two consecutive years, NTT Com has been awarded the Asia Pacific Data Center Service Provider of the Year by Frost & Sullivan, and has a number of other accolades under its belt.

To be recognized as part of Nexcenter™, IPC had to ensure compliance with the strict standards of NTT Communications, the global leading provider of state-of-the-art data centers that combine cloud, network security, and managed services providing streamlined and seamless ICT environment to its users. IPC data centers employ consistently reliable operational procedures, making them a logical choice to be part of Nexcenter™.

3 Reasons to Go Out And S.E.E. the World

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I just came home from a 5-day trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I attended the 28th SSEAYP International General Assembly (SIGA). SSEAYP, or Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program, is an annual program sponsored by the Japanese government. Every year, hundreds of youth from Japan and the ASEAN countries gather to embrace cultural diversity, and collaborate to discuss social matters affecting the youth sector… aboard the luxury ship Nippon Maru for over 40 days. SIGA, on the other hand, is an annual grand reunion of all SSEAYP alumni, held in different ASEAN countries every year.

Being a SSEAYP delegate back in the year 2000 is one of the biggest milestones in my life. At the age of 21, I travelled abroad for the first time… and as a part of an international youth program!

Traveling, as they say, is food for the soul. I could not agree more with that statement. As a youth advocate and a motivational speaker, I have been to more than 50 provinces in the Philippines and 30 countries around the world. Going places helps me grow as an individual. I have gained more wisdom through traveling than anything else I have ever done in my life.

I encourage everyone to go out and S.E.E. the world, and here are the 3 reasons why: