Filipina caregiver Rose Fostanes' victory in Israel's first "X Factor" competition is unlikely to improve her earning prospects in the Jewish state, reports ABS-CBN News/AFP. An Israeli official told Agence France-Presse that Fostanes is only permitted to work as a carer. She can sing, but not as a professional.
After conquering foreign shores as workers, several Filipinos are now seeking to establish a presence even on Mars, reports GMA News. Filipino applicants are among those shortlisted for Mars One, a not-for-profit foundation that will establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. The thought of being the first persons to break the soil of the Red Planet lured over 200,000 applicants to the first round of selection phases. As of December 30, 2013, only 1,058 people, including several Filipinos, remained.
LONDON—At Trafalgar Square on Sunday, Filipinos held a rally to thank the British government and public for helping the Philippines in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda, reports ABS-CBN News. The government, charities and the general public sent £81 million for typhoon relief.
Ten-year-old Filipino-American Malaya David and her 13-year-old sister, Tala, raised $102,160 to help survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda," reports Inquirer.net. After raising $2,160 from selling colorful hand-made bracelets in December, they received $100,000 from an anonymous donor—all to rebuild a school in Tanauan, in the province of Leyte, one of the towns ravaged by Yolanda.
The European Union has built 4,000 homes in Compostela Valley and Davao del Sur for 200 families, whose houses were destroyed when Typhoon Pablo hit the area last December 2012, according to EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux, reports Manila Standard Today.He said the 200 families were part of a total of 4,000 families, who had their homes repaired or rebuilt with the help of the EU through the Philippine National Red Cross.
The Philippines on January 10, slammed the new Chinese law that requires foreigners to seek China's permission to fish in the disputed South China Sea, reports Rappler.com. The new fisheries law was issued by the Hainan Provincial People's Congress. “This development escalates tensions, unnecessarily complicates the situation in the South China Sea, and threatens the peace and stability of the region,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The Philippine Embassy in Thailand has warned Filipinos in the country to avoid wearing red and yellow so they would not be accused of showing support for the opposing political parties, reports Inquirer.net. “Large crowds and demonstrations should be avoided as there have been incidents of violence with some fatalities,” the Embassy said in an advisory.
The National Competitiveness Council gave the Philippines a positive 2013 evaluation, citing rapid economic growth, credit upgrades from ratings agencies, and surges upwards in international competitiveness ratings, reports the Asia Foundation. Despite the devastation caused by Super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), economic estimates show that the overall economic growth of the nation will not be greatly affected.
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