A TRIUMPH OF UNITY AND PATRIOTISM:
Filipinos in Milan illuminate the 125th Philippine Independence Day Parade Text & photos by Troi Santos
TROI SANTOS
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MIDST a resounding display of patriotism and national pride, the vibrant Filipino community in Milan, Italy, came together to celebrate what could be hailed as one of the most magnificent 125th Philippine Independence Day celebrations in Europe. With an awe-inspiring gathering of approximately 8,000 attendees at Parco Indroscalo, this momentous event served as a testament to the invaluable contributions of Filipino migrant workers in Milan and throughout Europe. The grand celebration commenced with a captivating parade, featuring nearly 100 contingents from across Northern Italy, as well as participants from various regions of Italy, France and Switzerland. The parade showcased the rich cultural tapestry of
the Philippines while celebrating the vibrant diversity within the Filipino community. Organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Milan, under the esteemed guidance of Consul General Elmer G. Cato, in close collaboration with Evelyn Revilla and the Filipino community, this event showcased a harmonious partnership that brought forth a memorable and meaningful experience for all attendees. Following the solemn and poignant flag-raising ceremony, Consul General Cato delivered an impassioned speech, paying tribute not only to the heroic figures who fought for independence but also to the Filipino overseas workers. He underscored the pivotal role played by these dedicated individuals in the economic transformation of the Philippines. Consul General Cato praised the unwavering Continued on A2
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BUILD BETTER, SAFER WITH TECHNOLOGY
Upbeat Asean construction sector vows to harness data for fast, efficient, cost-effective operations
C
By Roderick L. Abad | Contributor
ONSTRUCTION industry prospects here and across Southeast Asia remain bullish as challenges continue to confront the build sector amid the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, revealed a study of an international construction management software company.
Procore Technologies Inc.’s report, titled “How We Build Now: Technology Trends Shaping and Shifting Construction-Southeast Asia 2023,” showed that professionals in this field are generally optimistic when polled on their outlook for this year. In fact, the commissioned research, which tapped YouGov to conduct the online survey from January 31 to February 22, bared that 88 percent of 876 executives from Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines interviewed expressed confidence in market conditions over
the next 12 months. This could be attributed to expectations for the increase in both the number (73 percent) and value of projects (71 percent) during the same period. Such positivity is so high, for instance, in the Philippines, wherein 95 percent of those 303 top construction officers reasoned out the “fastmoving economy and continuation of the current administration’s modernization efforts” for their conjectures. With this, four-fifths or 80 percent of them see a hike in project volume and 83 percent expect higher value by end of 2023.
According to YouGov Associate Director for Research Fumin Rianto, the construction industry is strongly upbeat despite the headwinds being faced by this sector, and growth forecasts are higher this year. “There’s optimism across the Southeast Asian construction industry. Businesses face largely the same challenges this year as they did last year, particularly around costs, which continue to keep leaders up at night,” he told reporters during their media briefing held in Makati on June
20. “However, what we are seeing this year is that businesses are starting to adapt to these challenges and are placing a larger emphasis on risk management.” In handling uncertainty to protect their bottom line, almost four in 10 respondents (39 percent) in the region are rethinking contracting models to protect margins or considering new payment methods, such as early payments at reduced margins (37 percent). Focusing on risk management has become more important, Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.3620 n JAPAN 0.3825 n UK 69.8281 n HK 7.0631 n CHINA 7.6382 n SINGAPORE 40.8305 n AUSTRALIA 36.6164 n EU 60.1563 n KOREA 0.0419 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.7616 Source: BSP (June 30, 2023)