Duck craze spreads to Ngong Ping

 

The 'Flying Rubber Duck Cable' with the Giant Buddha in the background

From Tuesday, June 13, the two giant ducks swimming off Tamar in Central could also be seen flying high above Hong Kong, as their cute images are used to decorate four cable cars traveling between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping.

Two of the cars are the regular transparent ones used for the Ngong Ping 360 attraction, but with an unusual twist. Both have been fitted with bubbling bath tubs inside, which lucky riders could use if they happen to feel like swimming during the 25-minute, 5.7-kilometer journey.

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The two others, dubbed as the “Flying Rubber Duck” cable cars, are fully enclosed, and bear the cute yellow faces of the twin ducks on each of their four panels. They are not meant to take on riders, but passengers on the other cars are encouraged to take photos of them as they zip close by.

All four cars are part of the “Double Ducks@Ngong Ping 360” project which will run from June 13 to September 3, 2023 and is meant to show support for the installation in Victoria Harbour of the two giant rubber ducks created by Dutch artist Florentjin Hofman.

Fancy swimming on top of the world? Ride this cable car fitted with a bathtub

Also as part of the collaboration, a gigantic “crystal “ bathtub filled with 5,000 rubber ducks has been installed at the Stupa Square in Ngong Ping Village, which is off the right side of the exit after getting off the cable cars. 

The idea is for guests to take photos of themselves with the rubber ducks as if they are inside the 4-meter wide bathtub.

EXTENDED TO JUNE 30!!

Further down the road is a shop where another bathtub filled with the rubber ducks exclusively made for Ngong Ping can be found, as well as some bathroom installations. 

As this is set up closer to the ground, even children can have their photos taken while seemingly swimming with the ducks inside the bathtub.

Bathroom installation with the gigantic duck-filled bathtub provides a great backdrop for photos

Next door is a shop where 1,000 of the exclusively made rubber ducks are being sold for $50 apiece to raise funds for the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council (NAAC), a charity group that looks after underprivileged families.

Just a few hours after the media launch of the Double Ducks project was held at Ngong Ping Village, only a few of the ducks were left unsold, even if buyers were allowed to buy only one piece each.

The ducks for charity are selling fast

Also at the launch, the new 360 quarterly pass was introduced, which allows a guest unlimited rides on a standard cable car from the purchase date (which should be no later than July 31) until Nov. 20, 2023.

Each quarterly pass costs $360, and a 15% discount is offered to those who buy three tickets.

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Ngong Ping 360 is a favorite destination of tourists, including those from the Philippines. It is located on Lantau island and is known for  being the longest aerial cable car system in Asia.

The 25-minute trip from end to end offer panoramic views of the North Lantau Country Park, Tung Chung Bay, and the Hong Kong International Airport.

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The breathtaking views earned for Ngong Ping 360 a spot in the lists of “Top 10 Experiences in Asia” and “The World’s 10 Best Cable Cars” by various media and travel organizations.

Most people who take the cable cars go on to hike to nearby Tai O village, where the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery are located.

Regular tickets for standard cabins are sold for $235 each, round-trip; $155 for seniors and $110 for children. For the crystal cabins, the prices are $315, $235 and $190.  

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Hongkongers back to buying properties in Phl

Gumboc speaking at Ayala Land's first sales meet in HK for the year

It’s open season for buying properties in the Philippines again, and a big number of those putting their bets on the country are young Hong Kong residents.

This is according to Bing Gumboc, president of Ayala Land International Sales Inc, who came to Hong Kong over the weekend to attend various events lined up to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of its subsidiary in the city.

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Speaking to a group of media people on June 7, Gumboc happily revealed that sales of the Hong Kong office had already hit 50% of its target for 2023 in the first five months of the year alone, and that the biggest buyers were local residents, whose accumulated stake has already grown six times compared to last year.

This suggests that while tens of thousands of Hongkongers have chosen to emigrate elsewhere amid the unstable political climate and the severe pandemic restrictions in the city, many chose to buy properties in the Philippines without actually settling there.  

EXTENDED TO JUNE 30!!

And buy they do, with not a few locals reportedly snapping up entire floors in Ayala’s prime developments. Insiders say that if Philippine laws did not forbid them owning land, they would buy even whole buildings.

While no actual figures for the total investments from Hong Kong were readily available, the big rebound in sales has prompted Ayala Land to celebrate its local office’s anniversary in a big way.

Prospective buyers listen intently to Gumboc's pitch at Novotel 

Aside from hosting dinner for some 200 prospective investors at Novotel on June 8, Ayala Land also co-presented the Philippine Independence Day Ball at the Conrad on June 10, and the Filipino community celebration on Chater Road the next day.

Gumboc readily admitted that the global slump from the pandemic hit Ayala Land as hard as it did most other businesses. In fact, she said they were told to stop all sales activities in 2020 to cut back on the losses, even as the company remained open and did not fire any of its staff.

The gloom was felt more in Hong Kong up until early last year, when the city’s officials finally decided to ease up on the pandemic restrictions and ordered that a Covid-19 infection be treated just like any other ailment.

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“By January this year when they started opening (Hong Kong), bumalik na din ang sigla ng market, that’s why we are here,” said Gumboc.

Filipinos, particularly migrant workers, are also showing a renewed interest in putting their hard-earned money in an Ayala property.

In a recent two-day sales event in Dubai, most of those who packed the venue were Filipino migrant workers, said Gumboc, although they showed preference for the more affordable properties like those in the Amaia to the Avida range. 

These are priced upwards of Php4 million for those in the urban areas, and slightly less in the provinces.

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Ayala is hoping those who are here would turn up again in large numbers as they did during the first years of  the Hong Kong office being set up, once they realised the value of buying a property that they can be proud of, and bank on.

Gumboc said that the prices of their properties have gone up by around 85% since they set up in Hong Kong a decade ago, a rate of return that should convince even those on a tight budget  

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HK Filcom celebrates Phl Independence Day for first time in 4 years

 

Singing of the National Anthem on Chater Road

“We’re back with a vengeance!”

This was how Consul General Raly Tejada described in his opening remarks the  fun-filled, whole-day celebration of the 12^th Philippine Independence Day on Chater Road on Sunday.

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It was the first time since 2019 that the traditional street festivity was held after the Covid-19 pandemic that gripped the whole world.

Congen Tejada made his speech to a crowd of thousands, after dozens of Filipino community organizations made up mostly by migrant workers took part in a lively and colorful parade amid a searing heat.

The Igorot Dance by the Cordillerans is always a crowd-drawer

Congen said the sunny weather day was already a blessing, as a downpour early in the day threatened to derail the celebration that involved months of preparation and several hours of  rehearsals on Sundays for the mostly domestic worker-participants.

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In his speech, Congen first paid tribute to the frontliners – doctors, nurses and other medical workers – who valiantly looked after those who caught the virus during the raging pandemic, and said the migrant workers should be included in their ranks.

The Pintados Festival dancers were a show-stopper 

He also thanked those who took part in the festivity, from the Filcom groups that planned their own choreography and provided their own costumes, to the working committee that executed each part of the program.

EXTENDED TO JUNE 30!!

Apart from staff and officers of the Philippine Consulate, those who were part of the planning, preparation and the execution of the event were Global Alliance, Philippine Alliance, Filipino Leaders Active Group and Philippine Association of Hong Kong.

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The non-stop celebration was highlighted by the lively and meticulously-performed regional dances as well as a parade of colors featuring various migrant organizations, some of whom took to the street barefoot, despite temperatures of well over 30 degrees at some point.

The colorful Mango Festival dance

Guest performers, the Hong Kong Police Marching Band and the Tultugan Group, which flew all the way from Maasin, Iloilo at their own expense, received a hearty applause from the crowd for their outstanding presentations.

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The young performers from Tultugan later told The SUN how happy they were to be included in the celebration as it was the first time outside their home province that they were able to show off their talents and skills.

The HK Police marching band was met with hearty applause

The day started with ecumenical prayers, which was followed by a Catholic mass presided over by Filipino chaplain Fr Jay Flandez. The message from the various leaders focused on the meaning of independence and how it reflects on one’s faith.

Providing a fitting finale to the memorable event was the performance by GMA actor Ruru Madrid, who delighted the mostly female crowd by going past the barriers to shake hands and hug some of them as he sang a few catchy songs.

Ruru Madrid reaches out through the barriers, delighting OFWs

Madrid said it was his first time to be in Hong Kong, and he was delighted by the warm reception given him. He promised to be back soon.

 

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OFW leader, panalo ng business class roundtrip ticket sa raffle

 

Si Marites habang tinatanggap ang napanalunang business class ticket mula kay Consul General Raly Tejada at opisyal ng Philippine Airlines. (Photo by Edmound Cortes)

Doble-saya ang naging pagdalo ng founder ng Social Justice for Migrant Workers na si Marites Palma sa nakaraang pagtitipon para sa 125^th Philippine Independence Day na ginanap sa Aberdeen Marina Club.

Hindi lamang ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakadalo siya sa pagtitipon sa imbitasyon ng Konsulado ng Pilipinas sa Hong Kong, kundi nanalo din siya ng isang business class na round-trip ticket papunta sa Maynila, sakay ng Philippine Airlines.

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Sabi ni Marites, “Hindi ko inaasahan na maimbita ako sa diplomatic reception. Kasi ilang araw lang bago ang pagtitipon nang makatanggap ako ng imbitasyon mula sa ating Consul General (Raly Tejada).”

Nag-alala daw siya na hindi siya payagan ng kanyang amo na pumunta dahil “short office” at may dalawa siyang alagang bata.

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Pero dahil likas na mabait ang kanyang mga amo ay pinayagan din siyang dumalo isang araw bago ang pagtitipon noong Biyernes, June 9.

Laking tuwa niya nang payagan siya dahil nakahalubilo niya hindi lang ang mga piling lider ng komunidad at mga opisyal ng Konsulado, kundi pati ang isang malaking grupo ng mga kongresista na biglang dumalo sa pagtitipon.

EXTENDED TO JUNE 30!!

Hindi dito nakumpleto ang suwerte at saya niya dahil bago matapos ang gabi ay nagkaroon ng raffle, at isa siya sa nanalo sa dalawang ticket na business class na ipinamigay ng Philippine Airlines na nagkakahalaga ng hindi kukulangin sa $5,000 bawat isa.

Ang isa pang dapat nanalo ay ang trustee ng Bayanihan Trust na si Lulu Salazar, pero nag “waive” siya kaya napunta ang ticket sa isang banyagang bisita.

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Naging isang malaking “blessing” naman kay Marites ang kanyang pagkapanalo dahil balak niyang umuwi sa Pilipinas sa Agosto para sa graduation ng nag-iisang anak, at ang napanalunang ticket ang magdudulot sa kanya ng isang en grandeng bakasyon.

“Super thankful po ako na nabigyan ng chance na makadalo at manalo ng round-trip, business class ticket,” sabi ni Marites. “Pati ang anak ko super saya.”

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Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na nanalo si Marites ng grand prize sa isang raffle sa Hong Kong. Taong 2012 nang manalo naman siya ng overnight cruise para sa dalawa katao sakay ng luxury liner na Star Pisces sa isang raffle na isinagawa upang ipagdiwang ang ika-17 anibersaryo ng The SUN.

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Maghihigpit ng patrulya ng mga pulis sa HK

Mall sa Wong Tai Sin kung saan hinabol ng saksak ang isang estudyante kahapon (RTHK photo)

Dahil sa sunod-sunod na mga insidente ng karahasan sa Hong Kong kamakailan ay dadagdagan ang bilang ng mga pulis sa kalsada, mga mall at iba pang pampublikong mga lugar.

Ito ay ayon kay Secretary for Security Chris Tang, na humingi ng dagdag pang-unawa sa mga residente sa isang panayam sa radyo kaninang umaga.

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Ayon kay Tam, magtatalaga ng mas maraming pulis sa mga lugar na matao, at palalawakin ang kanilang ugnayan sa mga guwardiya sa mga mall at ibang gusali para mas madaling maipabatid sa kanila ang anumang kahina-hinalang pangyayari sa paligid.

Kasabay nito, umapela si Tang sa publiko na talasan ang kanilang pakiramdam para agad matunton ang mga tao sa paligid na may problema sa pag-iisip.

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Bunsod ito ng ilang insidente kamakailan na kinasangkutan ng mga taong may sakit sa pag-iisip, kabilang ang isang lalaki na nakapatay ng dalawang babaeng di niya kakilala sa isang mall sa Diamond Hill, at isang ginang na napabalitang kumitil sa tatlo niyang anak na maliliit sa kanilang bahay sa Sham Shui Po.

Noong isang gabi naman ay may babaeng tinaga ng ilang beses ng isang di kilalang tao sa Choi Hung at nakaratay ngayon sa ospital, at kahapon ng umaga ay may estudyanteng hinabol ng saksak ng isang nakaalitan sa isang mall sa Wong Tai Sin. 

Nanatiling ligtas ang HK sa kabila ng mga nakakabahalang insidente, ayon kay Tang

Sa kabila nito ay isinantabi ni Tang ang pangamba na nalalagay sa delikado ang sitwasyon ng mga tao sa Hong Kong ngayon.

Bagamat tumaas ang bilang ng mga krimen sa unang tatlong buwan ng taon kumpara sa parehong panahon noong nakaraang taon ay normal lang daw ito dahil bumalik na sa dati ang sitwasyon sa Hong Kong pagkatapos ng pandemya.

EXTENDED TO JUNE 30!!

Bukod dito, karamihan daw ng 20,584 na naitalang krimen mula Enero hanggang Marso ng 2022 ay may kinalaman sa online scam, na dala ng pagkahilig ng mga tao na gumamit ng internet noong panahon ng pananalasa ng Covid-19.

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“Sa pangkalahatan, ang dapat sigurong gawin ng lahat ay pag-ukulan ng pansin ang kanilang mga kaibigan at kapamilya at tingnan kung meron silang dinadalang problema – at tulungan silang humingi agad ng tulong kung kinakailangan,” sabi ni Tang.

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Ang mga karagdagang opisyal na ikakalat sa buong siyudad ay magmumula sa sa Emergency Units at Auxilliary Police Force.

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