Latest news with #Ocampo
GMA Network
5 days ago
- General
- GMA Network
29th Beenet National Meet to take center stage in Cebu this month
Bees are abuzz with a lifetime of productivity. Every bee waggle and every waggle run guarantee food security for the survival of their colonies and of man. Beekeepers across the Philippines are gearing up for the 29th Beenet (Beekeepers Network Philippine Foundation) National Conference, set to converge in Cebu City this month. According to GMA Regional TV, the event aims to highlight the crucial role of bees not just for honey production but primarily for their indispensable contribution to global food security through crop pollination. The group of beekeepers has been championing this message through their hobby and advocacy, particularly by nurturing stingless bees locally known as 'kiyot.' Beyond their role in pollination, bees also yield valuable products. The small stingless kiyot bees, for instance, produce a sour, tangy honey using indigenous materials like bamboo for their hives, which is particularly prized for its natural antibiotic and healing properties. 'Bees are the most fascinating thing, as always I say - no bees, no food - because of pollination to food security, because of their importance to the environment, to biodiversity,' said Bernice Romualdez Ocampo, who owns a bee farm with over 10 hive boxes in Sitio Latid, Barangay Bato, Toledo City, Cebu. Bernice Romualdez Ocampo, a beekeeping enthusiast, in an interview with GMA Regional TV News and GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak in her farm, Milagros Farm House, in Toledo City, Cebu shares her deep and enduring respect and admiration for bees. Ocampo has made it an advocacy to campaign for the conservation of bees because of their crucial role in pollination. Bernice underscores that bees will forever be relevant in our world because 'no bees mean no food.' As natural pollinators, bees are crucial for ensuring a bountiful harvest when properly nurtured and propagated. The upcoming Beenet conference serves as a pivotal platform for sharing knowledge and fostering practices that support these vital insects, reinforcing their indispensable link to food security and ecological balance. The conference, scheduled from August 21 to 23, will be held at the Cebu Technological University in Cebu City and is expected to attract approximately 200 participants from all over the country, including researchers, academicians, hobbyists, and entrepreneurs. Officers and members of Beekeepers Network Visayas prep up for the 29th BeeNet Conference and Technofora, and the 30th Founding Anniversary of the organization from August 21-23, 2025 at the Cebu Technological University (CTU) Hotel that will feature speakers from Thailand, Australia, and Malaysia. — Carby Basina/LA, GMA Integrated News
Vancouver Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Referee Tim Ford was wrong, MLS review rules for Whitecaps
Fans of the Vancouver Whitecaps, the authorities agree with you, at least this one time. An independent review panel — made up of a U.S. Soccer official, a Canada Soccer official and a representative of the Professional Referees' Organization — announced Tuesday that referee Tim Ford erred in issuing a second yellow card to 'Cap defender Edier Ocampo Saturday. A second yellow means a red card and a red card means you're banned from the next match — so the red has been wiped from the books and Ocampo is now free to play Sunday vs. Houston. New teammate Thomas Muller is expected to make his Whitecaps debut Sunday, by the way. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The expulsion of Ocampo Saturday dramatically turned the game, with the high-flying 'Caps forced to play with 10 men for much of the game, handing the San Jose Earthquakes an advantage. San Jose eventually won the match, considered a big upset, 2-1 on a stoppage-time goal. Ford drew the ire of the Whitecaps, with injured players Sam Adekugbe and Ryan Gauld taking to social media to voice their displeasure, while players on the field, including Ocampo himself, also expressing their frustration. Ocampo was indeed fined Tuesday by Major League Soccer for 'failing to leave the field in a timely manner.' A funny fine now, given that the red card has been wiped from the books. Ford was heavily criticized for a number of calls in the game, including the yellow to Ocampo and a later decision to award a penalty kick for a foul in the penalty area. The game's video assistant referee called on Ford to review the play for a possible error, but Ford stood by his decision after watching the video. After the game, fans discovered a collection of Instagram posts by Ford's wife showing him and his family at LAFC games. In a separate investigation, PRO told Postmedia that they found nothing inappropriate in the posts but that they were reviewing their policies on 'connections' referees may have with their local teams, especially in regards to ethical challenges they may find themselves in. Ford and the Whitecaps had a previous run-in: he was the man in the middle for the 'Caps final playoff game in 2023, where former head coach Vanni Sartini criticized Ford heavily post-game — Ford made a controversial penalty decision and also ended up blocking Whitecaps midfielder Alessandro Schopf on a scoring chance, after which Sartini exploded on Ford and was shown a red card. After the game, Sartini tried to joke that if Ford was found floating in False Creek, Sartini would be the prime suspect. He condemned for his comment, which he was trying to make in jest but was not taken as such by many, including team and league officials. Sartini, who was fired as Whitecaps coach at the end of 2024, would later apologize. pjohnston@
The Guardian
25-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
A fifth of California homes are investor-owned as state's affordability crisis deepens
One in five homes in California is owned by investors, new data reveals, in the latest sign of an affordability crisis that shows no end in sight. The figures, which come from the data tracker BatchData and were analyzed by the Orange County Register, show that California's overall percentage of investor home ownership sits at 19%. The rate is higher in the state's mountain regions such as Sierra county, which has an 83% share of its homes owned by investors, compared with coastal Ventura county, at just 14%. In seven California counties – Sierra, Trinity, Mono, Alpine, Plumas, Modoc and Calaveras – investors owned more than 50% of homes. California's most urban counties, featuring some of its most prized and expensive real estate, had lower shares of investor-owned homes, with Los Angeles county at 15% and San Francisco, San Diego and Orange counties at 16%. While the trend is not unique to California – the state ranks 36th in the country, and just a shade under the 20% national average – it comes as the state is experiencing an acute housing shortage. Home prices in the Golden state are among the most expensive in the nation, and have jumped 50% in the past six years. The US Chamber of Commerce estimates that the US is short roughly 4.5m homes. The share of investor-owned homes is rising as well, accounting for 26.8% of all national residential property sales in the first quarter of 2025. While this indicated the highest percentage in five years, BatchData attributed the number less to increasing investor activity, and more to rising costs of home ownership serving as a barrier for homebuyers. The doubling of mortgage rates in 2022 significantly cut homebuyer purchases, thus increasing investors' share. The report, which did not define what qualifies as an 'investor', saw the sector filling a crucial role in tight markets. 'With traditional buyers sidelined by affordability constraints, investors are providing essential marked liquidity while targeting distinct property segments and geographic markets,' the report said. Omar Ocampo, a researcher at the Institute for Policy Studies and co-author of Billionaire Blowback on Housing, says the 'mega investors and small investors' want to 'make as much money as possible'. Ocampo is not sold that this helps make housing affordable. 'They bring liquidity into the market because they're pouring billions of dollars of cash into real estate, but that is not putting downward pressure on prices,' he said. 'We would argue that's putting upward pressure on prices.' Ocampo acknowledged a shortage of housing, but said that, given investment patterns, an affordability solution would take more than just building new units. 'What happens if you build more housing, and institutional investors are buying up 20% of the new stock?' Ocampo said. 'It's like a never-ending cycle.' Tourist-heavy states Hawaii and Alaska clocked in with the highest share of investor-owned homes with 40% and 35%, respectively. Affordable states such as Arkansas (30%) and West Virginia (30%) also ranked highly. By quantity, California had the second highest number of investor-owned homes in the country (1.45m) after Texas (1.66m), with Florida clinching the bronze medal at 1.21m. Investors owing between one and five properties account for 85% of investor-owned homes, and those owning between six and 10 properties account for another 5%, bringing the total share of small investor-owned homes to about 90%.
The Guardian
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
A fifth of California homes are investor-owned as state's affordability crisis deepens
One in five homes in California is owned by investors, new data reveals, in the latest sign of an affordability crisis that shows no end in sight. The figures, which come from the data tracker BatchData and were analyzed by the Orange County Register, show that California's overall percentage of investor home ownership sits at 19%. The rate is higher in the state's mountain regions such as Sierra county, which has an 83% share of its homes owned by investors, compared with coastal Ventura county, at just 14%. In seven California counties – Sierra, Trinity, Mono, Alpine, Plumas, Modoc and Calaveras – investors owned more than 50% of homes. California's most urban counties, featuring some of its most prized and expensive real estate, had lower shares of investor-owned homes, with Los Angeles county at 15% and San Francisco, San Diego and Orange counties at 16%. While the trend is not unique to California – the state ranks 36th in the country, and just a shade under the 20% national average – it comes as the state is experiencing an acute housing shortage. Home prices in the Golden state are among the most expensive in the nation, and have jumped 50% in the past six years. The US Chamber of Commerce estimates that the US is short roughly 4.5m homes. The share of investor-owned homes is rising as well, accounting for 26.8% of all national residential property sales in the first quarter of 2025. While this indicated the highest percentage in five years, BatchData attributed the number less to increasing investor activity, and more to rising costs of home ownership serving as a barrier for homebuyers. The doubling of mortgage rates in 2022 significantly cut homebuyer purchases, thus increasing investors' share. The report, which did not define what qualifies as an 'investor', saw the sector filling a crucial role in tight markets. 'With traditional buyers sidelined by affordability constraints, investors are providing essential marked liquidity while targeting distinct property segments and geographic markets,' the report said. Omar Ocampo, a researcher at the Institute for Policy Studies and co-author of Billionaire Blowback on Housing, says the 'mega investors and small investors' want to 'make as much money as possible'. Ocampo is not sold that this helps make housing affordable. 'They bring liquidity into the market because they're pouring billions of dollars of cash into real estate, but that is not putting downward pressure on prices,' he said. 'We would argue that's putting upward pressure on prices.' Ocampo acknowledged a shortage of housing, but said that, given investment patterns, an affordability solution would take more than just building new units. 'What happens if you build more housing, and institutional investors are buying up 20% of the new stock?' Ocampo said. 'It's like a never-ending cycle.' Tourist-heavy states Hawaii and Alaska clocked in with the highest share of investor-owned homes with 40% and 35%, respectively. Affordable states such as Arkansas (30%) and West Virginia (30%) also ranked highly. By quantity, California had the second highest number of investor-owned homes in the country (1.45m) after Texas (1.66m), with Florida clinching the bronze medal at 1.21m. Investors owing between one and five properties account for 85% of investor-owned homes, and those owning between six and 10 properties account for another 5%, bringing the total share of small investor-owned homes to about 90%.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Purple Crayon Names Andrea Ocampo Partner/EVP of Brand Transformation Amid Strategic Growth Push
New role signals the company's commitment to deeper client impact and cross-sector brand transformation. NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Purple Crayon, a bold and culture-first creative company is proud to announce the appointment of Andrea Ocampo as Partner/EVP of Brand Transformation. An experienced TEDx speaker, AI consultant, and media strategist, Ocampo brings a dynamic blend of creative leadership and industry acumen to this new executive role. With over 20 years of experience spanning sports, entertainment, broadcasting, and brand storytelling, Andrea has built a reputation as an expert connector and is a digital change-maker. Ocampo has worked with Fortune 500 brands, pro sports teams, and high-growth startups to shape brand identities that inspire action and cultural relevance. Her consulting work in artificial intelligence helps companies implement smarter systems and automation—without losing the human touch. As Partner/EVP of Brand Transformation, Andrea will lead the evolution of client brands from the inside out—reimagining how they show up and stand apart," said Jeff McClelland, Founder and CEO of Purple Crayon. "Her ability to blend strategy, and use of AI, storytelling, and soul aligns perfectly with our mission to create brands that break through the noise and make their mark. I needed a partner who shared common values for not only our clients but more importantly we passionately believe in culture/people first." Ocampo's role will focus on driving transformational growth for clients through strategic brand development, digital expertise, AI, and purpose-driven storytelling. She will also spearhead talent collaborations and cross-industry partnerships that expand Purple Crayon's reach across lifestyle, media, and medical sectors. This incoming partnership also signals Purple Crayon's commitment to a growing South Florida presence. "Purple Crayon is more than a group of marketing experts — it's a creative movement," said Ocampo. "It's so exciting to join a team that's committed to helping propel brands forward through sustainable strategy and creative efforts." This strategic hire marks a bold step in Purple Crayon's evolution as a next-generation company shaping the future of brand culture and connection. About Purple Crayon Purple Crayon is a culture-driven creative company helping brands color outside the lines. Rooted in strategy, storytelling, and disruptive thinking, the firm builds brands that are human, bold, and built to last. To learn more, visit View original content: SOURCE Purple Crayon Brand Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
