PNoy names envoys to Cambodia, Brunei

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino has reappointed Noe Wong as ambassador to Cambodia and named retired general Nestor Ochoa as ambassador to Brunei.

Aquino had appointed Ochoa as acting armed forces chief at the start of his presidency, but was replaced by General Ric David.

Wong, a former admiral in the Philippine Navy, was appointed ambassador to Phnom Penh by President Arroyo.

Their appointments will have to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

Cambodia and Brunei are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a cornerstone of Philippine foreign policy.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office said the President also appointed the following to the Cebu Port Authority:

Vicente T. Hualdo Jr. and Engr. Ben Acol as commissioners representing the shipping sector;

Arturo R. Barit, representing the cargo handling sector;

Atty Joselito Pedaria;

Engr. Carlos G. Co and Engr. Dennis Villamor, representing the business sector.

The Cebu Port Authority is under the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
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Sex Workers Advised to Use Condoms to Prevent HIV Infection

As per the international Independent Commission on AIDS in Asia, 10 million women indulge in sex with 75 million men, who further have sex with additional 50 million people.

Steve Krauss, who is the Regional Director of UNAIDS Asia Pacific, said, “The technology is there to prevent infections, but punitive laws get in the way”.

The international community until recently was singing paeans for Cambodia for effectively implementing its 100% Condom Use Programme, according to which it was necessary for the sex workers to use condoms during sex.
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But commencing the national anti-trafficking law in the year 2008 largely illegalized sex work and forced the sex workers to hibernate.

After the closure of most whorehouses in Cambodia, majority of sex workers adopted other professions like working in karaoke bars, massage parlors and parks, putting them at increase risk to police corruption and HIV infection.

Andrew Hunt, creator of the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers said that police believe that its main duty is to clamp down on sex workers use condoms as evidence.

Hunter also said that the police require legal training, as many nations refuse to present condoms as evidence in court.

Hunter further stated that majority of sex workers believe that amendments should be done both in the judicial procedure and accessibility to justice. Read more!

UBELONG Contributes to Reaching the MDGs In Cambodia

In September we proudly supported our volunteering projects in Cambodia by donating money from the UBELONG Fund to help reach the UN's Millennium Development Goals.

(I-Newswire) Washington, DC, October 16, 2010 - We recently proudly supported our volunteering projects in Cambodia by donating money from the UBELONG Fund to the Salvation Center Cambodia (SCC), a local Cambodian organization devoted to sustainable community development. The money was used to help a school for disadvantaged children in the Som Reang Mean Chey community of Phnom Penh. Specifically, it went to provide the children with school uniforms and materials, including plants for the school’s educational garden.

Our donation was made as part of a larger city-wide event that brought together various organizations to raise awareness and fundraising in support of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to end extreme poverty by 2015. During the event, volunteers from across the world solicited donations from local business and held discussions with locals and tourists about the MDGs. The volunteers also played games with local children and helped them to create community gardens and learn English.

For the volunteers, the festivities were an opportunity to learn about the MDGs, as well as contribute firsthand to poverty alleviation efforts. In line with the UBELONG mission, volunteers of all backgrounds were able to contribute and make a difference. UBELONG co-founder Raul Roman was in Cambodia visiting the UBELONG projects during the run-up to the event and, as he notes: “It was inspiring to see locals and international volunteers from all walks of life working together. Any barriers that may have existed because of culture, language or nationality were overcome as people came together with the aim of making a positive difference.”

Looking ahead, we look forward to continuing our support of local organization like SCC. In the next 12 months we anticipate that over 1,000 volunteers of all backgrounds and nationalities will join our programs. These volunteers represent the core of our efforts to assist communities. We encourage you to explore our volunteering opportunities in both Cambodia and the rest of the world, and to help spread the word about UBELONG.

To learn more about our projects in Cambodia and throughout the world, please visit www.ubelong.org. Read more!