Philippine-based architecture firm WTA Architecture and Design Studio was chosen as a finalist at the World Architecture Festival 2016 held from 15-18 November 2016 in Berlin, Germany.

The firm’s Book Stop Project, a mobile pop-up library, was chosen as a finalist for the World Building of the Year 2016.  Measuring less than ten square meters, the urban initiative project is a rethinking of the physical architecture and distribution system of a typical library.

The team led by Principal Architect William Ti, Jr. traveled to the World Architecture Festival 2016 in Berlin to present the project, competing against hundreds of other Globally renowned architecture practices. Although the Book Stop Project did not win the prestigious title of World Building of the Year, it was highly commended by judges and contenders alike for being one of the most socially relevant projects that were presented in the competition.

Among the judges was innovative architect Kai-Uwe Bergmann, managing partner of BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), who expressed his keen interest to join Anthology, an architecture festival in the Philippines organized by WTA Design Studio this coming March 2017 to be participated in by the best architects in the Philippines together with a group of 15-20 of the most dynamic architects around the world.

“It will be great for the Philippines to be visible in the world stage and be considered as a viable source of world-class architecture talent and ideas,” according to WTA Architecture and Design Studio’s Principal Architect William Ti, Jr.  The Philippines, he noted, boasts a large number of architects working abroad, if not the largest.  For its part, WTA Architecture and Design Studio is no stranger in the WAF as it also became a finalist at last year’s WAF in Singapore.  The company looks forward to joining next year’s WAF, which will also be held in Berlin, Germany.

Parties interested to learn more about the Book Stop Project may visit  WTA Architecture and Design Studio’s Facebook site at facebook.com/thebookstopph  or they may be reached via email at thebookstop@wtadesignstudio.com.  (END)

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was born on March 28, 1945 in Maasin, Southern Leyte to Vicente Duterte and Soledad Roa who were both civil servants. His mother was a public school teacher while his father was a government worker.

Duterte traces his roots to the Visayas. He spent his early years in Danao, Cebu, the hometown of his father. But his lineage has also direct ties from Mindanao as his mother hails from Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte while his paternal grandmother was a Maranao.

In 1949, when Duterte was four years old, his family resettled in the then-undivided Davao where his father Vicente later entered the political arena and was elected governor of the province and served from 1959 to 1965.

Duterte graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the Lyceum of the Philippines University and obtained a law degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. He passed the bar exam that same year. He served as special counsel and later on became a city prosecutor at the City Prosecutor’s Office in Davao City from 1977 until 1986, when he was appointed as OIC Vice Mayor of Davao City.

He ran and successfully won the mayoralty post in 1988. Since then, Duterte has not lost an election. He is among the longest-serving mayors in the Philippines and has been Mayor of Davao City for seven terms, totaling more than 22 years. He has also served as vice-mayor and as congressman of the city’s first congressional district.

On May 9, 2016, Duterte won a landslide victory as the Philippine’s 16th President. He was officially proclaimed by a joint session of the Philippine Congress on May 30, 2016. He is the first Mindanaoan President and the first local chief executive to get elected straight to the Office of the President.

IMPORTANT REMINDER

The PHILIPPINE EMBASSY in Berlin will be CLOSED on
30 November 2016, Wednesday – Bonifacio Day
26 December 2016, Monday – St. Stephen´s Day
30 December 2016, Friday – Rizal Day

Passport, visa, authentication and civil registry requests shall not be entertained on these dates. Filipinos who wish to renew their passports are advised to adjust their travel schedules accordingly.

For issuance of travel documents for one-way direct travel to the Philippines, please contact hotline: 01735215703
——————-
Die Philippinische Botschaft in Berlin wird an den folgenden Tagen geschlossen sein:

30. November 2016 (Mittwoch)
26. Dezember 2016 (Montag)
30. Dezember 2016 (Freitag)

Pässe, Visa, notarielle und Registrierungsanträge werden an diesen Tagen nicht bearbeitet. Filipinos, die ihre Pässe erneuern möchten werden empfohlen, ihre Reisepläne entsprechend anzupassen.

Für die Ausstellung eines Reisedokuments für die einmalige Einreise auf die Philippinen, kontaktieren Sie uns bitte unter unserer Notfallhotline 0173 5215703 um einen Termin auszumachen.

ANNOUNCEMENT

HOLIDAYS IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER

The Embassy will be closed on the following holidays:

• Monday, 03 October 2016 (German Unity Day)
• Monday, 31 October 2016 (Special non-working holiday)
• Tuesday, 01 November 2016 (All Saints Day)

All consular applicants are advised to review their travel calendar in light of this announcement.

For emergency cases, please call the Embassy at the following mobile number:  0173 521 5703

ANKÜNDIGUNG

FEIERTAGE IM OKTOBER UND NOVEMBER

Die Botschaft wird an den folgenden Feiertagen geschlossen sein:

• Montag, 03. Oktober 2016 (Deutsche Einheit)
• Montag, 31. Oktober 2016 (philippinischer Feiertag)
• Dienstag, 01. November 2016 (Allerheiligen)

Alle konsularischen Antragsteller werden gebeten, ihre Reisedaten an diese Ankündigung anzupassen.

In Notfällen ist die Botschaft unter der folgenden Telefonnummer zu erreichen:  0173 521 5703