Short updates of global news about Filipinos in the diaspora.
Filipinos who wish to visit Japan may now apply for multiple-entry tourist visas, a privilege the Japanese government extending to Philippine citizens for the first time as part of the relaxation of its visa policies toward Southeast Asians, reports Inquirer.net. The Japanese Embassy in Manila this week confirmed that the Japanese government is easing its visa policy for citizens of Southeast Asian countries to boost tourist visits to Japan.
A Filipino events organizer has taken on another challenge by coming out with his own line of perfume in Saudi Arabia, reports ABS-CBN News. "I can shout to the whole world na I'm Filipino," said Rannie Basanta, who created his signature CEO Parfum, which has six fragrances to choose from namely, "Xecutive for Her," "Xecutive for Him," "Xplore for Her," "Xplore for Him," "Xtreme for Him" and "Xtreme for Her."
The Philippines remains among the “least peaceful” in the world and the Asia Pacific, improving only slightly in its global ranking, according to a survey by a non-profit research group, reports Interaksyon.com. The Global Peace Index 2013, released this week by the Institute for Economics and Peace, showed the Philippines placing 129th among 162 countries surveyed, a six-notch improvement over its ranking of 133 in 2012.
Israel through its embassy in Manila on June 13 thanked Filipino peacekeepers “for their courage” and determination to keep peace in the volatile Golan Heights, calling them "world class," reports Inquirer.net. The 341 Filipino members of the United Nations Disengagement Force are now the biggest contingent in the Golan Heights after Austria began pulling out its 377 troops amid intense fighting between Syrian troops and rebels.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cancelled the deportation order for Karla Gaerlan, an undocumented immigrant from the Philippines, following hundreds of emails and phone calls from community members and a protest/press conference on June 12, reports Inquirer.net. ICE had scheduled Karla’s deportation this Sunday – Father’s Day.Thad Schmierer, Karla’s husband, is a member of the U.S. Army. Karla and Thad have a nine-month-old baby boy.
Filipino-American Captain Susan Barroga Lindsey has been promoted to company commander of Intelligence & Sustainment for the US Army 25th Infantry Division based in Hawaii, reports Inquirer.net. Capt. Lindsey took on the position in a change of command Ceremony on June 6 at General’s Field, Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Quacquarelli Symonds University ranking released this week shows the Philippines lagging behind other Asian countries in education, reports Manila Standard Today. The country’s top five universities managed to be included in the top 300 schools in Asia but fared poorly against many educational institutions in other Asian countries. The University of the Philippines improved to 67th place in 2013 from 68th place in 2012, but Ateneo de Manila University dropped 23 places from 86th in 2012 to 109th in 2013. The University of Santo Tomas fell two places from 148th in 2012 to 150th in 2013.
Officials said joblessness rose to a three-year high in April amid record economic growth as new graduates flooded the job market while unfavorable weather conditions stymied hiring in the agricultural sector, reports the Philippine Star. The National Statistics Office (NSO) Labor Force Survey showed unemployment reached 7.5 percent in April, up from 6.9 percent in the same period last year. The current unemployment rate was the highest since the eight percent recorded in 2010. The country’s economy expanded 7.8 percent in the first three months of the year, outstripping China to make it Asia’s fastest-growing economy.
POSITIVELY FILIPINO is the online magazine celebrating the story of the global Filipino. POSITIVELY FILIPINO chronicles the experiences of the global Filipino in all its complexity, covering the arts, culture, politics, media, sports, economics, history and social justice.
