The Catholic Women's Club, the service organization founded in 1921 by a group of women with a common vision to help the poor, celebrates its 90th year of continuing caring and sharing this year.

To commemorate the milestone, CWC president Mimi Valerio announces the holding of the annual tea, a traditional event where new members are inducted, and members with long years of service are duly honored.

"Extravaganza 2011," a spectacular dinner-dance event highlighted by the world-famous Bayanihan with the special participation of CWC members, will show case the club’s flagship services such as the Elsie Gaches Village, the CWC-Gawad Kalinga housing project, the scholarship and environmental stewardship projects.

To be raffled of are 10 pieces of jewelry donated by CWC patron and member, Imelda Cojuangco. Cats Motors’ Mercedes Benz is co-presentor of the event which is chaired by past president Nonie T. Basilio.

The Casa y Jardin Bazaar on 9 October and 16 October at the Hotel Intercontinental will usher in the Christmas season. The much-awaited limited edition-plates featuring "Mother and Child" by Anita Magsaysay-Ho and the commemorative plates for the 90th anniversary by National Artist Botong Francisco will be exclusively sold at the Casa y Jardin Bazaars.

The final fundraising activity for the year is the "Clothes for a Cause," a sale of used clothes and other items donated by members. It will be held at the Glorietta Activity Center on 18-21 November 2011, through the generosity of Ayala Land, Inc. and Bea Zobel, a committed CWC benefactor and member.

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Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Euclides G. Forbes announced the holding of the 25th National Coconut Week and 10th National Coconut Festival with the theme "Niyog Yaman ng Nasyon Noon Man Hanggang Ngayon."

The event will highlight the versatility of the coconut through a showcase of various food and non-food products and by pro-ducts by traders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao at the Trade fair and exhibit at the Mega Trade Hall I, Building B, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City from 25-28 August 2011.

Forbes said celebration is in partnership with the private sector, government agencies and the PCA-Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PCA-EMPCI)

Forbes said that this year’s celebration will provide a venue for information-sharing, trading and market matching activities which will promote business opportunities from the coconut to attest that indeed coconut is the “Tree of Life”.

Free lectures on the latest coconut technology and product updates have been scheduled. Other activities are: photo contest, fashion show, coco fun run, cooking contest and demonstrations.

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According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Philippine Government needs to support micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to expand the country's private sector and sustain growth. This is the same sentiment echoed by several entrepreneurs who decided to either postpone the expansion of their existing operation or downsize their operation.

In its report "Philippines: Private Sector Assessment", the Manila-based lender proposes that the Philippine government can help MSMEs by lowering the cost of doing business. This can be done by improving infrastructure; streamlining and removing excess administrative procedures; and creating a fair competitive environment through antitrust laws and good business practices.

The ADB noted the absence of a "healthy, competitive industry sector" in the Philippines which some public institutions are still trying to push. This indicates that the country's private sector can't cope with a more open economy and weak partnership between public and private sectors.

The ADB said one of the problems that keep the private sector from growing is that its small and medium enterprises can't prosper owing to lack of capital, unreliable supply chains, and weak demand for their output.

MSMEs account for 99 percent of the over 800,000 registered businesses in the country, according to the National Statistics Office.

The "disconnect" between smaller businesses and large companies is also hampering the growth of MSMEs, according to the ADB.

"The inability of MSMEs to provide efficient and cost-effective support to large firms on the one hand, and the lack of demand from large firms for such support from MSMEs, on the other hand, present a vicious cycle that debilitates the sector," the report said.

The ADB added the government needs to prove the accessibility and quality of infrastructure by promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The present administration is promoting PPP as a way to develop its infrastructure and attract more investments. But the ADB said businesses shun PPPs because of unclear policy and regulatory frameworks, a cumbersome government approval process, and a lack of bankable projects. Other impediments, such as controversial judicial decisions, have also constrained PPP growth.

The ADB advised that the government should improve transparency in PPP project selection, provide better accounting of revenues and expenditures, and have a higher-profile anti-corruption drive.

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With the economy condition far from being stable, many people, specifically the enterprising ones, are looking for small business ideas that they can do either for a living outright, or for a side business in their time off. The more innovative the business venture is, the better the chances of success since consumers will immediately take notice of it.

One business that usually attracts attention, especially, if none will Starting a garage cleaning service is a business that you can actually come out pretty good with if you take the time to put some thought into it and do it right. Here are some things that you will want to remember when starting a garage cleaning business, as well as some tips to get started.

The first thing you will want to do is to check out the landscape for your new garage cleaning business. If you live in an area that is heavily populated with apartments and things of that nature, you may find the jobs tough to come by. Conversely, if you live near large subdivisions where every home has a garage, then you will come out much better.

Next, you will want to gather the supplies you will need in your garage cleaning business. Aside from the common sense cleaning materials, you will also need a pickup truck, a ladder, and some industrial strength brooms. These are vital aspects to your garage cleaning business, and finding a great pick up work truck is a big part of the process. You will need this to haul off debris, as well as any gems you come across that are donated.

Once you have these things in order, then you will want to apply for any permits and so on that you need to operate a small business in your town. If you are doing this full time, then this step can not be bypassed. If you are doing it for extra money on occasion, then you may be able to get by. Ask your local county office what is needed.

Now that you have the legalities and the supplies needed, it is time to go out and find some jobs. After a short period of time, your business will grow through word of mouth if you do an excellent job. In the beginning, however, you will need to drum up some business. One good way to do this is through the local newspaper classifieds. You can also use Craigslist, as well as other online venues. Put out some fliers in your area advertising your services as well. The main way to drum up business however, is by talking about the service. Sooner or later, you will come across some jobs just by doing this. Let everyone you know in on the fact that you clean garages, and that you are looking for jobs. Ask for their help in finding some work, and you might be surprised at how many people will do so.

Once you get some jobs, do not discount the fact that some folks will give you the opportunity to work in exchange for keeping whatever you come across. Many Ebay businesses were started in this manner, and you can often find far more things to sell than money you could earn charging a straight rate with no fringes. If you are working for cash only, then make sure you are very specific on the things you do and do not perform.

As with every job, you should put every last job on paper and keep meticulous records. Just because it is a garage cleaning business, it does not make it any less important to the IRS. Money is money, and you need to be sure to spend quality time with your books and taxes. Keep all receipts, and document every single thing that you do.

A garage cleaning business can be very lucrative once you have your name out there and start getting referrals. If you stick with it and are flexible in the tasks you will do, then you will quickly make a name for yourself in the business. Nothing is more important than your name in this business, and you should be sure to take care to protect it. Do every job as though it was being done for your own garage, and you will be just fine.

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The Society for International Development (SID), a global association of development professionals committed to inclusive, fair, and sustainable economic and social development, is holding its triennial World Congress in 2011 in Washington, D.C. The Congress will be hosted by SID's Washington D.C. Chapter, whose mission is to advance equitable development by bringing diverse constituencies together to debate critical ideas, policies, and practices that will shape our global future.

Scheduled for 29-31 July 2011, this unique event will focus on the theme, "Our Common Challenge: A World Moving toward a Sustainable Future" and is expected to attract over 1,000 development practitioners from around the world. Two full days of sessions, including keynote speeches, panel debates, and small-group discussions, will focus on critical topics.

It has been just 50 years since Barbara Ward wrote her seminal book on development (The Rich Nations, The Poor Nations), and the Society for International Development was launched. SID World Congress 2011 participants will take this opportunity to look back on the history of global development and, using the lessons of experience, to consider what past efforts imply for the development agenda today.

Participants will then be challenged to look forward: to discuss issues essential to defining a sustainable future and to explore—and perhaps agree on—alternative pathways for addressing these issues. By building on the rich, collective experience of SID members worldwide, the Congress can contribute to increasing the effectiveness of development efforts in coming decades.

Issues will include, among others: economic progress, empowerment, and inclusiveness; science and technology for sustainable development; human security and sustainable human development; gender equality; metrics and accountability; governance, citizenship, participation and new social contracts; and the shifting roles of the state, markets, and civil society.

Over three days, attendees will hear from senior leaders from the Obama Administration, political leaders from developing countries, senior leaders from multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and organizations, business leaders and small business owners, non-governmental organizations, civil society representatives and participants in other major development-oriented networks such as The World Economic Forum and The World Social Forum.

There will be opportunities for small group discussions through workshops, networking, and chapter-led discussions. Table-top discussions are being planned during the lunch periods.

Every effort is being made to assure that the program process includes significant Congress outcomes. Discussions will center on a defined, desired outcome relevant to policy-makers and practitioners. Discussion and debate participants will be engaged both before and after the presentations to assure this outcome is met.

The Congress presentations and conclusions will feed into several follow-up editions of the SID journal Development.

Policy findings and conclusions will be circulated to heads of donor agencies and development banks, as well as private sector leaders.

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Are you obsessed with the length of your penis? Well, one study just released their findings that showed hands may say more about the connection between the length of an index finger and the length of a penis.

According to a South Korean study published in the Asian Journal of Andrology, the shorter index (second) finger than ring (fourth) finger you have, the longer stretched penile length you have. The author, Tae Beom Kim of the urology department of Gachon University Gil Hospital in Incheon, South Korea, based his finding from earlier studies showing strong evidence that prenatal testosterone may determine finger development as well as penile length.

The study actually involved 144 men suffering from urological problems that did not affect the length of their penis, which was measured under anaesthesia. The measurements were later compared to the difference in length between their second and fourth fingers on the right hand. Previous studies have shown that the right hand may be more sensitive to the influence of testosterone.

The so-called "digit ratio" in this study refers to the length of the index finger divided by the length of the ring finger. The lower the ratio, the study suggests, the longer the penis may be.

The findings offered "circumstantial evidence that prenatal testosterone is responsible for both traits (penile length and digit formation)" said Denise McQuade at Skidmore College in New York, who was not really involved in the study but was interested about the relationship. Her reason for this is not really clear though.

In an interview with Reuters, McQuade said that, "Digit ratio is non-invasive and easy to measure, yet may provide clues about an individual's prenatal history. Thus, combined with other information, digit ratio offers the potential for clinical usefulness."

She also added that female index and ring fingers tend to be about the same length.

A study last year said that men with long index fingers have a lower risk of prostate cancer.

Researchers at Britain's Warwick University and the Institute of Cancer Researcher found that men whose index finger is longer than their ring finger were one-third less likely to develop the disease than men with the opposite pattern of finger length

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Several reports from government agencies had it that tilapia longganisa and tocino processing industry is evolving in Cagayan Valley, which has become a major producer of this fish species.

In fact, in a study by Dr. Esterlita L. Galanoga of the Cagayan State University (CSU) and Ritchie Rivera of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Region 2 (DA-BFAR-2), it was shown that the production of tocino and longganisa from tilapia offers consumers another variety of food products that are a healthy substitute for pork tocino and longganisa.

Dr. Calanoga and Rivera are co-authors of a report, "Tilapia Tocino and Longganisa Production in Cagayan North", which they presented at a science forum in Los Baños, Laguna, under the auspices of the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (DOST-PCAMRD). The 2009 National Aquatic Resources Research and Development System (NARRDS) investment forum and Aquatic Technology Competition and Marketplace (ATCOM) were also highlighted in that forum.

Dr. Calanoga and Rivera explained to their audience that the the technology is simple and can be adopted by small – or medium-scale entrepreneurs for it does not require complicated equipment. They also added that the study was an offshoot of the process of developing value-added products from tilapia fillet that were started by Dr. Calanoga and Angel Encarnacion in 2002.

The research project raised "to provide handy and nutritive food items with exportable potentials that would cater the needs of different consumers."

During the founding anniversary of Cagayan Valley last year, BFAR conducted a taste test of processed tilapia at a cooking demonstration witnessed by fast-food operators and others engaged in the food processing industry as well students of hotel and restaurant management.

A blind test showed the tilapia burger, tocino and longganisa tasted better than traditional meat-based food products, and some restaurants even said they would introduce this new preparation on their menu.

Today, tilapia tocino and longganisa are being produced in Cagayan to provide ready-to-cook food items for busy career mothers.

Now available at BFAR-Region 2 in vacuum-packed containers, the products are sold to employees of BFAR and other agencies in the region. Eyed as potential markets are hotels, big restaurants, supermarkets, and big food chains.

Five pieces of longganisa and a 200-gram pack of tocino each cost PhP 65.00, but costs are expected to go down once production goes full-blast.

To sustain the fledgling tilapia tocino and longganisa industry, Dr. Calanoga and Rivera recommended the following:

• Fish farmers should raise tilapia used in making the two products to a size of 400 to 500 grams to increase the recovery rate of fillet.


• Future entrepreneurs should have a regular source of tilapia from farms to get a more stable price and for sustainability of production.


• The government should provide financial assistance to those interested in growing tilapia and processing value-added products.

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