Irish Government Delegates Get a Taste of Home at Marketplace by Rustan’s with Avonmore

Wazzup Pilipinas!

St. Patrick’s Day came early for Irish government delegates as they joined their country’s national holiday celebrations at Marketplace by Rustan’s in Rockwell Power Plant Mall, featuring the No. 1 milk brand of Ireland, Avonmore. 

The famous milk brand, which has full cream, low fat, and skimmed variants, will be available exclusively at Marketplace by Rustan’s and Rustan’s Supermarket branches.

Ambassador to Ireland Geoffrey Keating and Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government John Paul Phelan, TD, were delighted to find one of their country’s most beloved brands on the shelves of a supermarket some 7,000 miles away from Ireland.

“It’s like seeing a bit of home,” says Keating. “I haven’t seen Avonmore in the Southeast Asian region before. This is a first and it’s a very nice feeling to walk into the store and see the display.”

Keating and Phelan were warmly received by Rustan Supercenters, Inc. CEO Irwin Lee during the event and joined by a group that included Rustan’s Commercial Corporation President Donnie V. Tantoco, Rustan’s Supercenters Inc. AVP for Marketing Ana Punongbayan, RSCI Wine Import Manager David Brissonnaud, Consul General and Vice-Consul of the Irish Consulate Philippines Robert F. Trota, Irish Food Board Southeast Asia Director Ciarán Gallagher, and Avonmore representatives Maria Victoria Fuentes and Ramon Fuentes in a guided tour around the store.

RSCI CEO Irwin Lee also looks forward to continue forging a solid partnership with Ireland, one that will hopefully see the arrival of its other world-class goods and brands in these shores. Nicknamed Emerald Isle, Ireland boasts a lush, green terrain that support its thriving meat, fish, dairy, fruit, vegetable, and cereal industries.

“Marketplace by Rustan’s is known for its wide variety of international products, and we want to keep expanding the selection for our customers,” says Lee, who is in talks with the Irish Food Board. “Avonmore is the No. 1 milk brand in Ireland and is our first Irish grocery product, so we’re proud to be able to make it available to our shoppers and offer them a better experience at our stores.”

While it’s grown to become Ireland’s most purchased grocery brand, consumed by over 80 percent of households each day, Avonmore has remained loyal to its roots in supporting the cooperative of rural farmers who maintain free-range, grass-fed cows that are milked twice daily still owning a bulk of the multinational company’s shares.

The milk is also tested an average of 35 times, ensuring quality content in every carton. “The Irish dairy industry has the most carbon-neutral method of producing milk,” says Phelan.

“I’m very proud,” says the minister of how far Avonmore has come more than five decades later. “I’ll be putting this up in my Twitter account in the next few minutes: ‘Avonmore in Manila.’ Who would have guessed?”

For more info, visit www.rustansfresh.com, follow and like rustansfresh on Facebook, and @rustansfresh on Instagram and Twitter.

Marketplace by Rustan’s are located at San Antonio Plaza, Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Central Square Bonifacio High Street, Connecticut San Juan, Eastwood City, Shangri-La Plaza, Paseo de Roces, Santolan Town Plaza, and Three Central. Also, visit Rustan’s Supermarkets located at Makati Area: Glorietta, Greenbelt 1, Paseo de Magallanes, Alphaland Makati Place, Paseo Center, Century City Mall.  North Area: Gateway Mall, Katipunan, Tomas Morato, P. Guevarra, Corinthian Hills, Village Center Antipolo, The Grove by Rockwell, Ayala Malls The 30th. South Area: Ayala Alabang Village, Evia Lifestyle Center, Uptown Mall BGC. Cebu: Oakridge Business Park, Ayala Center, Arcenas Estate CDO: Ayala Centrio Mall

Nationwide Rally for SOGIE Equality Bill

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Thousands of students from catholic schools, religious groups, LGBT+ advocates and allies mobilized on Saturday, March 17 in People Power Monument (PPM) to support the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill.

Dubbed as the Fight for Love, Fight for Equality rally, thousands participated in different mobilizations for the SOGIE Equality bill as events were also set in Albay, Cebu, Iloilo and General Santos City on Saturday.

In Metro Manila, several drag queens went all out in support and perform during the program.

A huge rainbow flag was casted across the People Power Monument (PPM) at the start of the program at 5PM and at the end of the program, where thousands of rainbow lights from the crowd ran across the PPM grounds.

FIGHT FOR LOVE, FIGHT FOR EQUALITY

People Power Monument

Saturday, March 17, 5PM

Energy Sector's Earthquake Readiness Enhanced by Filipino Software

Wazzup Pilipinas!

DOE AND DOST MOVE TO SECURE THE ENERGY FACILITIES: The DOE and DOST signed on 16 March 2018 a Memorandum of Agreement (MO A) to enhance the capacity of the energy sector in assessing the risk hazards of an impending earthquake that may have adverse impacts on energy facilities and services as well as people. The MOA entails training on the use of the Filipino-made Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) software, which is a tool for preparing and responding to calamities and disasters. Sealing the deal with Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi is DOST Undersecretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. with DOE Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas and PHIVOLCS Associate Scientist Dr. Maria Leonila P. Bautista as witnesses.

“Wag na tayong magpatumpik-tumpik pa,” emphasized Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi during the signing of an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Friday (16 March) to use a Filipino-made software to enhance the capacity of all stakeholders in earthquake readiness.

This is a timely response to the magnitude 6.5-earthquake that hit Visayas last year, affecting electricity supply delivery in Leyte, Samar and Bohol. This incident revealed the vulnerability of the country’s energy systems to earthquakes.

Cusi pointed out: “It is the mandate of the DOE to ensure that energy services will be available to everyone immediately after an emergency situation.” This pronouncement supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to ensure disaster resilience.

“We need all available tools and technologies to enhance our resiliency planning and implementation,” Cusi emphasized, citing the threat of a magnitude 7.2-earthquake and other calamities, which pose risks to operations in the energy sector.

The Memorandum of Agreement (M OA)  entitled “Capacity Enhancement of the Energy Sector on Hazard, Risk Assessment and Exposure Database Development Through the Use of the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) Software” was inked on 16 March at the DOE-Media Center in Taguig City by DOE Sec. Cusi and DOST Undersecretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., and witnessed by DOE Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas and DOST- Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Associate Scientist Dr. Maria Leonila P. Bautista.

For the energy sector’s capacity enhancement, the MOA outlines the development of database on hazard, risk assessment and exposure to earthquake through the use of the DOST-PHIVOLCS’ REDAS software. It can be used as a tool for emergency preparedness, contingency planning and mainstreaming disaster risk reduction.

Under the MOA, the DOE and PHIVOLCS would undertake and pursue intensive REDAS training, endeavor knowledge and resources sharing to complement each other on the implementation of the program, among other assistance and cooperation needed for the attainment of the goals and objectives to prepare the energy sector on possible earthquake hazards.

REDAS will be helpful in providing quick and near-real-time simulated earthquake hazard information to disaster managers which will help them in assessing the distribution and extent of the impacts of a strong earthquake to their people and assets. The data generated could also provide information and insights for better resource management and asset resiliency.

REDAS can be used to compute ground-shaking, earthquake-induced landslides, liquefaction and even tsunamis. Other capabilities of the tool include earthquake sorting capability, generating seismicity maps, onscreen map digitization and building of database on earthquake hazard risks as well as wind hazards.

The partnership of the DOE and DOST-PHIVOLCS is also in line with the recently signed Department Circular No. ‎2018-01- 0001 or the “Adoption of Energy Resiliency in the Planning and Programming of the Energy Sector to Mitigate Potential Impacts of Disasters”, also known as the Energy Resiliency Policy.

The Energy Resiliency Policy was issued as a foundation to make the Philippines an energy-resilient country. The policy also aims to unify the energy sector in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in its plans, programs and activities.

The policy likewise seeks to institutionalize the strengthening of energy systems and facilities, and to enable the quick restoration and provision of an alternative power source that will alleviate consumer conditions during emergencies and disasters.

“Because of this partnership with PHIVOLCS, more collaborative efforts within the energy sector will result and in the end, it will make the country more competitive,” Cusi concluded.