Pinoy flutist winner

Pinoy flutist bags awards in Denmark's Carl Nielsen

Sandra Sotelo Aboy, ABS-CBN News

Apr 09 2019 

A Filipino flutist bagged awards at the prestigious Carl Nielsen International Competition held in Odense, Denmark.

Rafael Adobas, 21, won third place in the flute division and best interpretation of a new piece.

"It has been like a roller-coaster mix of emotions. I had only 2 months of preparation after receiving the invitation from the committee. Every performance was a different scenario and with different repertoire - from baroque music, classical, romantic, and contemporary," he told ABS-CBN News.

"I had to learn to be flexible each day of every round. I had to acquire a general overview on everything, and yet be totally focused on every piece that I was playing. I had to be sure of what I wanted to express through my music on the moment of my performance."

Rafael, who was born in Ibiza, Spain, took his passion for music after his father.

His father Margarito, who hails from Southern Leyte, used to be a guitarist.

Music is life for the Adobas family. Rafael’s eldest sister Isabel plays the piano while his younger sisters Mary Grace and Mary Jane plays the violin and saxophone, respectively.

Rafael is currently studying fourth year of Music Performance-Flute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in Germany. 

Out of the almost 500 applications received by Carl Nielsen contest, only 66 young musicians were invited to perform.

In the first round, Rafael won the the best interpretation prize for his passionate delivery of the commissioned piece written for the competition by Austrian composer Thomas Larcher. He took home €2,000.

Rafael played "Life" in the second round, drawing inspiration from the works of Carl Nielsen. His piece is an expression of life from birth to maturity in the company of family, friends, and church.

In the semifinal round, Rafael, together with Odense Symphony Orchestra, played flute concerto in E minor by Franz Benda.

For the finale, Rafael was accompanied by the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra as he played 2 movements from Mozart concerto and Carl Nielsen flute concerto. He won 3rd place and €8,000 cash.

“I dedicate this victory, firstly to my family. They have always been supportive to me from the very first day I held an instrument. And to the church, the Filipino community and everybody who followed and watched me through livestream in this wonderful journey," he said.

"I am proud to be a Filipino."

PH to become 18th largest economy by 2037

Philippines to become 18th largest economy by 2037 — report

Philippine Star | 11 December 2018

This Nov. 9, 2018 file photo shows the Mandaluyong-Makati skyline. The Philippines is set to become the 18th largest economy in the world over the next twenty years, Capital Economics reported, citing the Southeast Asian nation’s young workforce.

The STAR/Michael Varcas

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is expected to become the 18th largest economy in the world over the next twenty years, Capital Economics reported, citing the Southeast Asian nation’s young workforce.

In its “Long-Term Global Economic Outlook” report released last week, the London-based economic research consultancy forecasts the Philippines’ nominal gross domestic product to hit $1.414 trillion by 2037.

Thirty economies were tracked in the report. In 2017, the Philippines was ranked 25th in terms of nominal GDP.

According to Capital Economics, the Philippine economy will likely outgrow Turkey, Poland, Thailand, UAE, Egypt, Colombia, South Africa, Argentina, Czech Republic, Angola, Morocco and Kenya two decades from now.

By 2037, Capital Economics sees the US dominating the top 17 economies based on nominal GDP, followed by China, India, Japan, Germany, the UK, France, Mexico, South Korea, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Italy, Indonesia, Russia, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

“Growth in Emerging Asia is likely to slow over the coming decades due to a combination of less favourable demographics and reduced scope for catch-up,” the consultancy said.

“Meanwhile, working age populations will still grow at a fairly rapid pace in countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia and India,” it added.

The Philippines had enjoyed uninterrupted growth in the past quarters, thanks to benign inflation in the previous years that had given the central bank enough room to keep interest rates low.

In the same report, Capital Economics flagged weakening investor appetite in the Philippines due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership style.

“There are signs that the election of President Duterte in the Philippines is scaring off foreign investors and the situation is unlikely to improve when he is gone,” it said.

“The country has a poor history when it comes to electing competent governments,” it added. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral

Film Festival Winner

Filipino film ‘Respeto’ wins in Germany, India

MANILA, Philippines — Independent film “Respeto” recently bagged back-to-back international awards.

Late last month, the film starring hip hop artist Abra was awarded the Jury Prize in the Youth Days category of the 2018 Exground Film Festival in Wiesbaden, Germany. It also received the Centenary Award as Best Debut Feature Film at the 2018 International Film Festival of India held in Goa.

Abra receives his first Urian Best Actor award (left) for "Respeto" (right)

These awards are a follow-up to the recognitions the film received early this year, including Best Film, Best Director and Audience Choice awards from the Cyprus Film Days International Festival 2018; Best Youth Feature at the Carrousel International du film de Rimouski 2018 in Quebec, Canada; and Best Supporting Actor for Dido de la Paz at the Asia Pacific Film Festival 2018.

Locally, the film has won as Best Feature Length Film, Best Supporting Actor for Dido de la Paz, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Editing at the 2017 Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Likewise, the film bested all films at the 41st Gawad Urian with four awards, including Best Actor for Abra, Best Supporting Actor for Dido de la Paz, Best Editing for Lawrence Ang, and Best Sound for Corrine de San Jose.

The 2017 drama, about a poor aspiring rapper played by Abra, hopes to continue its winning streak when it joins other international film festivals next year, said its director, Alberto "Treb" Monteras II.
Monteras also directs the upcoming “Pedro Penduko” flick starring James Reid.

Great expat destination

Philippines a great expat destination in Southeast Asia —HSBC survey

October 23, 2018

                                                

The Philippines is now a more prominent expat destination in Southeast Asia as an emerging economy with increasingly influential role in regional affairs and beyond, according to the HSBC 2018 Expat Explorer survey.

PHILIPPINES: an emerging economy with increasing influential role in regional affairs and beyond. Picture: KW Worldwide

Released on Tuesday by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, the survey showed that 56 percent of expats believes that the Philippines has brought them closer to their partners in which 64 percent of them have found their long-time partners in the country.

The survey covered 22,318 expats in 163 countries and territories during an online questionnaire in March and April 2018. HSBC Expat commissioned YouGov to conduct the survey.

A minimum sample of 100 expat respondents and at least 30 expat parents is required for a country to be included in the league tables, with 31 countries qualifying in 2018.

“The Philippines scored fairly in terms of being a great expat destination for families and raising children,” HSBC said.

“Meantime, 56 percent consider raising children in the Philippines less expensive, as compared to their home country; with 43 percent even saying that moving here has brought them closer to their children as well and 42 percent saying overall quality of life for their children is better in the Philippines.”

The bank noted that expats have always appreciated the Filipino culture that values community and respect, saying that 69 percent of expats were “integrating well with the local people and culture and feeling like family.”

Fifty-eight percent, on the other hand, said it was also easy to form new friendships in the Philippines.

“Expats here also say that they have been welcomed by the Filipinos regardless of faith, race, gender or sexual orientation, which is not a surprise, given the Filipinos’ warmth and hospitality, and the vibrant and friendly local culture,” the bank said.

Kris Werner, HSBC head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management for Philippines, noted that expats believe that the best thing about living in the Philippines is the Filipino people.

“I am not surprised that more and more expats find the Philippines as a great place for families, raising children and bringing them closer to one another—given the Filipinos’ strong family ties,” Werner said.

“As an expat myself, I feel that I am part of a large family in the Philippines. The way expats feel about everyday life, is what truly makes or breaks the overseas experience,” he said.

Meanwhile, Singapore topped the list of the best places in the world to live and work.

“Singapore packs everything a budding expat could want into one of the world’s smallest territories, ranking 3rd for economics, 5th for families and 6th for experience,” HSBC said.

Looking for more money and a wider social circle? Singapore is the place for you, according to thousands of people living overseas who answered the HSBC Expat Explorer survey.

Marking its 11th year, more than 22,000 people who have made the move to live abroad were questioned about their new life. Singapore is rated the best destination for the fourth year in a row, followed closely by New Zealand, Germany, Canada, and Bahrain. —Anna Felicia Bajo/VDS, GMA News