The first-ever COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair, held from December 2-4, 2024, at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall, has concluded with resounding success, marking a significant leap forward for the Philippine coconut industry. Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Bureau of Market Development, Promotions and OTOP (BMDPO), in collaboration with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and 14 other implementing agencies, the event served as a dynamic platform to showcase the vast potential and innovation within the country’s coconut sector. The trade fair drew significant attention, highlighting the Philippines’ position as one of the leading producers of high-quality coconut products. A total of 100 exhibitors from across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao proudly displayed a diverse range of coconut-based products, encompassing virgin coconut oil, coconut sugar, coco coir, charcoal briquettes, innovative food and beverage creations, cosmetics, and eco-friendly packaging solutions. The 53 CFIDP-vetted and approved beneficiaries of the program participated in the event and received special tokens, reassuring them of the government’s commitment to uplifting the lives of Filipino coconut farmers and entrepreneurs. Adding a festive touch to the event, a Christmas tree crafted entirely from coconut materials stood as a centerpiece, symbolizing the resilience, versatility, and enduring spirit of the Philippine coconut industry. This unique creation of the coconut palm as a ‘tree of life’ served as a powerful reminder of the industry’s potential to bring prosperity and joy to the nation, particularly during the holiday season. It was adorned with Christmas ornaments bearing the names of the 14 implementing agencies, signifying their commitment to bring a brighter future to all Filipinos through the benefits of the CFIDP program. “The COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair is a testament to the collective effort of the government, farmers, and industry stakeholders to revitalize the Philippine coconut industry,” said DTI-BMDPO Director Marievic Bonoan as head of the organizing team. “This event has successfully showcased the ingenuity and diversity of our coconut products, paving the way for increased market access and global recognition.” PCA Administrator Dr. Dexter Buted echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in driving the industry forward. “The success of this trade fair underscores the power of a unified approach in implementing the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP). By working together, we can unlock the full potential of the coconut sector and uplift the lives of our coconut farmers,” he stated. Key highlights of the COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair included: The COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair is a crucial component of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Program (CFIDP), mandated under Republic Act No. 11524, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act. This comprehensive program, implemented through the collaborative efforts of 14 key agencies, underscores the government’s commitment to revitalizing the coconut industry by empowering coconut farmers, diversifying income sources, expanding market reach, and alleviating poverty. The resounding success of the inaugural COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair signals a promising future for the Philippine coconut industry. With heightened global recognition, enhanced market access, and sustained growth, the industry is poised to make significant contributions to the country’s economic development and uplift the lives of millions of Filipinos. For updates on the trade fair and other DTI initiatives, follow the DTI-BMDPO on social media. For inquiries, please contact Director Marievic M. Bonoan at bmdpo@dti.gov.ph. Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.
Century 21, the discount fashion department store, slimmed down from 250,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet when it reopened in May 2023 after more than two years of pandemic closure. But the ASG Equities, the real estate arm of the store’s owners, the Gindi family, went right to work finding new tenants and uses for the rest of the space on the vital Broadway block that’s often regarded as the gateway to the Wall Street district. ASG owns the entire retail portion of the block bounded by Broadway and Church Street and by Cortlandt and Dey streets. Last year, in a joint venture with the Cayre family and designer Roy Nachum, it brought the Mercer Labs Museum of Art & Technology, an “immersive” exhibition space, to 36,000 square feet on the block’s western side, formerly home to the clothing store’s men’s suit department. It opened last winter to widespread acclaim. Now, as an incipient retail-leasing boom along lower Broadway gathers steam, ASG has scored two major new, not previously reported retail tenants. Sephora signed a lease for a 5,000 square-foot store on the Broadway side, where it will open this week with 50 feet of sidewalk frontage. Coming in early 2025 is Barcade, the nation’s largest operator of arcade bars, will launch in 15,000 square feet at 10-12 Cortlandt Street. It will be the fourth Barcade in Manhattan. Each location has video games and pinball machines “mostly from the classic period of the 1980s,” its Web site says, and a bar for draft beer, cocktails and pub food. George Karnoupakis, the head of asset management for ASG Equities, said, “It will be Barcade’s downtown flagship. It’s a fun place that will bring the area some much-needed nightlife.” He said of the Gindis’ overall strategy, “After we closed Century in December of 2020, we decided to bring it back in a smaller footprint and to curate other tenancies on the block that feed off each other. “We’ve been very intentional in activating the streetscape with a blend of experiential offerings and traditional retailers,” Karnoupakis said. What most people think of as the “Century 21 block” stands between the World Trade Center to the west and the Fulton Transit Center to the east. ASG previously signed smaller retail leases there as well to replace shops that closed during the lockdown. Norma’s Pizza replaced the former Majestic and, “We relocated Dunkin Donus and gave it a bigger footprint,” Karnoupakis said. With the Sephora and Barcade leases signed, the only retail space left is the 1,000 square-foot corner of Broadway and Cortlandt Street. Cushman & Wakefield’s Steven Soutendijk and Sean Moran of Cushman & Wakefield represented ASG in both of the transactions. Barcade was represented by Jason Pennington of RIPCO. Sephora was represented by Virginia Pittarelli and Christine Jorge of Mona. Meanwhile, Brooks Brothers will soon launch a nearly 10,000 square-foot flagship store at L&L Holding Co.’s 195 Broadway on the block immediately south of Century 21. It will join Anthropologie on the ground floor and in part of the basement. Famed restaurant Nobu is on the Fulton Street side. While the biggest Lower Broadway retail coup is of course for the 60,000 square-foot Printemps at One Wall Street in a few months, the corridor also boasts Zara, Urban Outfitters and Miniso USA. New York City’s real estate power players roamed the throbbing floor at the Fried Frank real estate department’s holiday party at Cipriani 42nd Street. Jeff Sutton was all smiles over his $1.5 billion Fifth Avenue retail building sales. CBRE’s Mary Ann Tighe drew a crowd over her recent claim that Manhattan was running out of prime office space. Park Tower’s George and Marian Klein reminisced with host Jonathan Mechanic how two years ago at the party, they signed the lease to move Fried Frank’s conference center into their 535 Madison Ave . Institutional celebrants included Blackstone’s Michael Eglit and Michael Lascher, Brookfield’s Ben Brown, Goldman Sachs’ Andrew Jonas and Morgan Stanley’s Seth Weintrob. Family members mingling under the vaulted ceiling included Bill and son Michael Rudin, Aby Rosen and sons Gaby and Charlie, Scott and Jonathan Resnick, and proud host Mechanic’s sons, Meadow Partners’ Marc Mechanic and hot tech startup Maybern’s Ross Mechanic. Also there: US ambassador to France nominee Charles Kushner, Eli Gindi, Stephen B. Siegel, Mitch Konsker, John Cefaly, Darcy Stacom, Brian Waterman and Jimmy Kuhn.SaferWatch Elevates Executive Protection with 24/7/365 Monitoring, Live Communication, and Direct Law Enforcement Connectivity
Earlier this morning, it was announced that former NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski had prostate cancer . The news was shared months after the legendary reporter stepped away from ESPN in a sudden move. Read more: Longtime NBA Reporter Adrian Wojnarowski Reveals He Has Prostate Cancer It was announced that Wojnarowski would be stepping away to become the St. Bonaventure men's basketball's general manager. St. Bonaventure is his alma mater and it seemed that Wojnarowski just wanted to do something different with his life. So this reveal from the longtime reporter came as a shock to everyone. Wojnarowski received all kinds of messages of support and decided to respond to it all on social media. "Appreciate all the kind words and concern but I'm going to be fine. My goal in sharing a prostate cancer diagnosis is to encourage screening and testing among men. Early diagnosis will make all the difference for me —- and many others too." Appreciate all the kind words and concern but I'm going to be fine. My goal in sharing a prostate cancer diagnosis is to encourage screening and testing among men. Early diagnosis will make all the difference for me —- and many others too. https://t.co/7xiGfC5RNw In the Sports Illustrated article that shared his diagnosis, Wojnarowski expressed gratitude for his job at ESPN. But at the same time, decided that it was best for him to step away to focus on what was important. "It made me remember that the job isn't everything," Wojnarowski said . "In the end, it's just going to be your family and close friends. And it's also, like, nobody gives a s---. Nobody remembers [breaking stories] in the end. It's just vapor." The longtime reporter also gave some information about his thoughts when he first heard the words cancer. "When you hear cancer, you think about it going through your body like Pac-Man," Wojnarowski told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix . "Prostate cancer, it generally stays confined to your prostate and is typically slow growing." The NBA has kept going without Wojnarowski but his presence in the reporting game is missed. The veteran remains engaged in what goes on with the games but has other things to worry about nowadays. "I didn't want to spend one more day of my life waiting on someone's MRI or hitting an agent at 1 a.m. about an ankle sprain," he said. "What I was doing, it just wasn't fulfilling anymore. I was just done. This is what gets me excited. To learn something new, to be part of something like this. It's a whole new challenge." His new chapter will push him in different ways but as always, Wojnarowski seems up for the challenge. For more NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports .
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Despite a resounding defeat at the hands of Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Democrat forged a new path promoting causes such as electoral probity abroad, social justice and drives to rid the world of medical conditions. His first foreign visit as president was to the UK where then prime minister James Callaghan, as well as the usual visits in London, took his guest to the North East with a visit to Newcastle, Sunderland and Washington – the village bearing the name of the first ever president. Mr Carter delighted crowds in the North East by saying “Howay the lads” during a speech to the assembled throng. He also received a miner’s lamp from 12-year-old Ian McEree in Washington. The 39th US president also carried out more traditional presidential duties, including meetings with western European leaders during his time in London while the Cold War was still ongoing. The practising Baptist continued his globetrotting ways after leaving power, even without Air Force One as his vehicle. He was also part of the Elders, a group of experienced statesmen and women drawn from all corners of the world.