MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – It worked during the visit of Pope Francis to Manila last January, so it must work just as well during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit later this month.
We’re talking about the Aquino administration’s plan to round up Metro Manila’s homeless population and hide them from view of visiting international dignitaries including U.S. President Barack Obama and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The plan is to provide the street population with paid vacation at first-class resorts outside of Metro Manila, just like what happened during the Pope’s visit. “We want to look our best during the APEC Meeting, ” Aquino said. (The government earlier announced the closure of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport as well as major thoroughfares and reserve them exclusively for use of APEC delegates. It has also declared school closures as well as non-working holidays for government and private employees.)
Alternatively, those who could not be accommodated at resorts will be given P4,000 (approximately $100) each to rent a home for the duration of the meeting.
Soon after the announcement of the government plan, law enforcement agencies have noticed an unusual increase of people sleeping in sidewalks and street medians hoping that they will be bused away to the resorts or handed P4,000.
There are reports that many of the people are not even homeless. They just want a paid resort vacation or some shopping money for the coming holidays.
It’s more fun in the Philippines!
WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – Thousands of jewelry retailers are very upset at President Barack Obama’s announcement yesterday rejecting the Keystone Pipeline project that would have facilitated the flow of 800,000 barrels a day of carbon-heavy petroleum from Canada to the United States.
A spokesman for the jewelers told The Adobo Chronicles that Obama’s decision practically would kill the already struggling jewelry retail business.
Keystone is a pricing practice widely accepted in the jewelry business, and it has nothing to do with carbon imprints.
Keystone pricing = the wholesale cost of an item x 2
In other words, we are talking about a 100% markup on an item. If a jewelry retailer buys a gold ring for $100, then he or she will sell it for $200. This is the standard default method of many traditional jewelers.
Some higher-end or name-brand jewelers will go as far as charging was is called triple-keystone pricing. This is the wholesale cost of an item x 3 (hence triple markup).
It was only after The White House held a conference call with U.S. jewelry retailers that the group realized it was just a matter of misinformation and miscommunication.
So the 100% and 200% mark-up continues. But now jewelry buyers fully understand why their favorite jewelry stores can offer discounts or sales of up to 50% off!
The Adobo Chronicles 
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