Red Dot Pinoys

The uneasy expats

2012-04-26T22:39:00.000+08:00

Apr 26, 2012

More and more expats in Singapore are feeling the tightening immigration policy.

The following is an article posted in http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120423-0000001/The-uneasy-expats
from Mr. Richard Hartung, a consultant who has lived in Singapore since 1992.

A contact for a story said: "We need to talk this week." The reason, as it turned out, was that he had to leave town because his employment pass had not been renewed. And he is not the only one. Other employment pass holders have also been forced to leave and even some permanent residents' (PR) re-entry permits have not been renewed.

While there is plenty of discussion in Singapore about having too many foreigners here, the buzz in the expat community is about how uncertain it is whether they can continue to live here.
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Vote for your favorite Filipino band for Timbre 2012

2012-02-26T20:17:00.001+08:00

Feb 26, 2012

For the first time in the music festival's three-year history, Timbre Rock & Roots has joined hands with Yahoo! Southeast Asia to discover the next generation of musical talent in Asia.

Yahoo!, together with Timbre, has shortlisted up and coming bands from Philippines and will run an online voting contest to decide which band performs at this year's event. By mid-March, one winning band will be flown to Singapore to perform alongside the headliners at Timbre Rock & Roots 2012.

Which Philippine band Read more »

The Cranberries in Singapore 2012

2012-02-26T19:57:00.000+08:00

Feb 26, 2012

Following the highly-acclaimed sold-out concert last year, pop music iconic band - The Cranberries will rock Singapore with a brand new concert and fresh hits from its latest album “Roses” this April 2012!

Back by popular demand, the Irish alternative rock band returns to wow audience with an encore performance of its new astounding sounds and all-time popular hits!

"The Cranberries LIVE in Singapore 2012" will be held on Read more »

Singapore to host Transformers Cybertron Convention

2012-02-20T22:35:00.000+08:00

Feb 20, 2012

Transformers fans, rejoice! Singapore will host the first-ever Transformers Cybertron convention in Southeast Asia next month.

From 11-14 March, the convention at Resorts World Sentosa will feature exhibits of video games, artwork and collectible toys from the popular cartoon and Hollywood blockbuster franchise.

Highlight of the event will be the 6.71m-tall statue of Optimus Prime, the iconic leader of the
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Pinoy teens bag medals in Singapore Math Olympiad

2012-02-19T00:32:00.000+08:00

Feb 19, 2012

Filipino high school students won four medals in the inaugural Raffles Invitation Mathematical Olympiad held from Feb. 6 to 11 in Singapore.

Mikaela Angelina Uy, third year student of St. Jude Catholic School, won a silver medal in the
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COVs for HDB flats drop a massive 20-30%

2012-02-18T09:22:00.000+08:00

Feb 18, 2012

Cash premiums for most types of HDB flats are falling across the country, declining between 20 and 30 percent, according to latest figures compiled by The Straits Times.
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Singapore to reduce quotas for foreign workers

2012-02-18T00:44:00.002+08:00

Feb 18, 2012

Singapore government just announced that it will lower the proportion of foreign workers companies can hire in a bid to slow increases in the number of foreign workers in the city-state.

This means lower employment opportunity for Filipinos once new rules kicks in.

Starting from July 1 this year, manufacturing companies will have to cap the percentage of foreigners they hire to 60 per cent of the workforce, down from 65 per cent currently.
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New immigration guidelines for departing Filipino passengers from Philippines

2012-02-17T23:48:00.000+08:00

Feb 18, 2012

Finallly, Philippine Government has laid out the guidelines and rules for departing Filipino passengers from all airports and seaports in the Philippines.

I. TOURIST TRAVELERS

A traveler intending to go abroad with a tourist/temporary visitor’s visa shall be subjected to:
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Kultura 101 on Feb 18

2012-02-17T20:58:00.001+08:00

Feb 17, 2012

Kultura 101: Philippine Culture for Kids

A once-a-month workshop for Filipino kids living in Singapore.

Next schedule is --
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Nat Geo's Pet Adoption Drive

2012-02-17T19:56:00.001+08:00

Feb 17, 2012

National Geographic Channel recognizes efforts to increase public support for adoption of dogs, and will be holding the National Geographic Channel Free Pet Shop.

When: 18-19 February 2012 @ 12-6pm
Where: East Coast Park Dalbergia Green (between Carpark D1 and the beach)

Leveraging off its television programme, “The Dog Whisperer”, Nat Geo appeals to avid viewers, animal lovers and the general public to support this special event. Slated to be the largest dog-adoption drive in Singapore till date.
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Dog Whisperer to come to Singapore

2012-02-17T00:41:00.001+08:00

Feb 17, 2012

Cesar Millan, aka the Dog Whisperer, will be coming to town.

In an interview from Los Angeles on Feb 08 2012, Millan told my paper "it's confirmed" that he will be in Singapore in June. "I'm really excited, because it sounds like people in Singapore have problems with their dogs," he joked, after being told that some owners are troubled by their dogs' excessive barking, among other issues here.
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Airshow 2012

2012-02-16T23:37:00.001+08:00

Feb 16, 2012

There will be many biennial favourites and firsts for visitors to check out at the third edition of Asia's largest and one of the three most important aerospace and defence exhibitions in the world, Singapore Airshow 2012.

To be held from February 14 to 19 at the Changi Exhibition Centre, the airshow will feature more than 900 exhibitors from 50 countries and 266 delegations from 80 countries.
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Thousands of former Filipinos reacquire Philippine citizenship

2012-02-16T18:05:00.000+08:00

Feb 16, 2012

A total of 116,059 former Filipinos have reacquired Philippine citizenship under the dual citizenship law, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said those who reacquired Filipino citizenship since the BI began implementing the law in April 2004 were 36,851 individuals who filed their petitions at the BI main office in Manila and 79,208 who applied at Philippine consulates abroad.
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Julia Abueva stars in ‘Spring Awakening’ in Singapore

2012-02-04T00:15:00.006+08:00

Feb 04, 2012

Actress Julia Abueva, the granddaughter of National Artist Napoleon Abueva, is starring in a Singapore production of the Tony-winning musical “Spring Awakening.”

The 16-year-old Abueva, who was born in Manila, moved to Singapore when she was four years old.

She plays Wendla Bergmann, a sexually naïve teen who loses her virginity to a childhood friend, in the musical staged by Singapore theater company Pangdemonium.
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Filipina PR fined $50k for unlicensed agency

2012-02-03T17:59:00.002+08:00

Posted on: Feb 03, 2012

Since the 2008 Financial Crisis, looking for a job in Singapore has been very though. Gone are the days when Singapore employers will offer you a job after one interview and via phone call.

Now, one has to engage employment agencies no matter what job you are looking for. These agencies ask for a fee or deposit which typically ranges from $20 to $5000.

But, please get a legitimate agency only ---
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Airport Immigration Officers prevented Filipinos from leaving the country

2012-01-31T11:53:00.003+08:00

Jan 31, 2012

“Aida”, not her real name, trembled as she recalled her traumatic experience of being "offloaded" at the airport last Nov 2011.

“Nato-trauma nga ako. Pag nagising ako sa hapon o kaya umaga nanginginig ako,” said Aida, who was prevented by Philippine immigration officials from leaving the country because of suspicions she would be working abroad illegally.
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Charice to perform in Singapore on March 5

2012-01-27T13:47:00.002+08:00

Watch CHARICE in her INFINITY TOUR at the Kallang Theatre on March 5, 2012.

With a No. 1 song on Billboard’s Dance Charts (‘Pyramid”), a Top Ten Pop debut last Spring – and a major role on the hit TV Show “Glee” last season, her talents are now even bigger than even she imagined.

When this barely five foot bundle of dynamite opens her mouth to sing, with a soaring voice filled with emotion and conviction, the audience literally gasps. At over 260 million hits and counting on YouTube, that audience is growing at a staggering pace.
Read more »

SEAIR offers lowest fares to Singapore

2012-01-27T13:11:00.001+08:00

Leisure airline South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) announced "special fares" for its international flights to Singapore until February 1, 2012.

A flight from Clark to Singapore will now be P2,400 for travel period February 1 to December 31, 2012.
Read more »

Philippine chessers bag 4 golds in Singapore

2012-01-26T17:29:00.003+08:00

The Philippines struck for four gold medals on top of a silver and four bronzes in the Singapore International Chess Festival held at the Jurong East Sports Complex from 26-31 December 2011.

Winning for the PH squad were Michelle Yaon in the girls’ Under-17 division, Vince Angelo Medina in the Open Under-17, Fide Master Paulo Bersamina in the Open Under-14 and Dennis Gutierrez III in the Open Under-8.

“It’s a good sign for our young chess players,” said Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., president of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. “They showed that we can compete and win in international competitions.”
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PH starts trial exports of fruits and veggies to SG

2012-01-26T17:01:00.002+08:00

Expect to see more Philippine fruits and vegetables in Singapore grocery stores. The Philippines will embark on a trial shipment of a variety of vegetables and fruits to Singapore by February, officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Jennifer Remonquillo, officer in charge of the DA’s high value commercial crops (HVCC), said that the trial shipment will involve “a few boxes” of pineapples, bananas and squash.

“They want to see the quality of the products we will ship to them. If they approve it, then that’s the time we will finalize discussions on the volume,” said Remonquillo in an interview at the sidelines of the celebration of the 82nd anniversary of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) held in Manila.
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Why foreigners don't invest in Philippines

2012-01-26T16:58:00.001+08:00

President Noy has been going abroad inviting foreign businessmen to invest in the country.

Only very few investors will answer P-Noy’s invitation.

Ours is not an investor-friendly government and country.

Potential investors will have to reckon with corrupt officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Customs, which will assess the machinery and equipment to be brought in.

That’s not all.
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Serangoon's French invasion

2012-01-26T12:25:00.005+08:00

Posted on: Jan 26, 2012

No narrow streets, no French bakeries and no roadside cafes. Yet this part of Singapore feels a lot like France because of all the French people living in the area.

The reason is a private school called the Lycee Francais de Singapour.

The school, which holds classes for children aged 2 to 18 from kindergarten to secondary school, opened in 1999 along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.

French national Delphine Desaulles, a stay-at-home mum, said that the school is primarily why she chose to live in the area. She would otherwise have stayed in the Bukit Timah area instead.
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Burger King investigates post about a Filipino manager

2012-01-19T21:06:00.002+08:00

An internet post on Jan-8 lashed out at a Filipino shift manager at one of Burger King's outlets at Tampines North Community Club.

Burger King Singapore felt there was a need to clear its name when the post went viral.

The post was about out a Filipino shift manager who alledgedly, showed his unhappiness when a crew member asked for leave to go for reservist mobilisation.
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New MRT stations along the Circle Line

2012-01-18T14:41:00.005+08:00

Posted on: Jan 18, 2012

2 new mrt stations were opened last Jan-13. They are Marina Bay Interchange and Bayfront stations, both along the Circle (Yellow) Line.

Now we have better access to Helix Bridge and the Youth Olympic Park.

It will also boost connectivity to the Marina Bay area, linking commuters to developments such as the Marina Bay Financial Centre, the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resorts, Gardens by the Bay, The Promontory @ Marina Bay and the Marina Bay City Gallery.
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Guidelines for OEC Processing on Jan 15 and 22

2012-01-18T02:55:00.006+08:00

Posted on: Jan 18, 2012

Attention to OEC/OWWA applicants planning to visit the Philippine Embassy on 15 January and 22 January.
A quota will be imposed on the number of OEC applicants received at the Embassy and the Embassy’s OEC extension service at Lucky Plaza.
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