Monthly Archives: January 2009

The casualty count in the explosion that obliterated a firecracker factory in Cavite has reached seven and authorities are tracking down 19 others still missing.

Vice President and concurrent Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairman Noli de Castro urged yesterday the Senate and Lower House to restore the provision in the Charter of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) or Pag-IBIG Fund that the shelter agency should “invest not less than 70 percent of its investible fund to…

A top Catholic cleric called yesterday for an employment summit to tackle the reported massive layoff of workers in the economic zones.

Pronouncements by Congress that the budget it approved last week is the country’s biggest defense against recession may turn out to be nothing more than hot air.

Malacañang has deleted the transparency clause in the proposed P1.415-trillion national budget, according to Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) warned yesterday that the number of poor Filipinos might increase in the coming months after the labor department reported that up to 300,000 workers might lose their jobs in the next six months due to the global financial crisis.

Dear Tanya, I’m a stay-at-home mom and I do a lot of household chores. How do I remove coffee and tea stains from cups and mugs? They’re ugly to look at. Also, how do I make the smell of fresheners on newly washed clothes stay longer? I have this problem, especially with denim pants. I…

After surging to double-digit levels in 2008, monetary officials said they expect the nationwide inflation rate to drop to as low as 3.9 percent this year and rise slightly to 4.7 percent in 2010.

The economy is likely to grow by 4.1 percent this year or within the government’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the year of 3.7 percent to 4.7 percent, an economist from the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said yesterday.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) wants the government to postpone the plan to rationalize state agencies to help Filipinos cope with the global financial turmoil.

TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite: The Civil Security Group (CSG) of the Philippine National Police on Friday said they need first to evaluate the result of the investigation to determine if Star Maker Fireworks license would be revoked after the factory explosion that claimed eight lives and injuring 55 others in Trece Mar-tires, Cavite.

CHIEF Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo of the International Criminal Court (ICC) stressed that he will bring to justice those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious crimes.

A TOP official has recommended a temporary stop to the firing of redundant state workers, saying it is necessary to avoid worsening the problem brought on by the economic crisis.

THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) wants a moratorium on jobs cuts in the public sector amid the present economic difficulties.

A GLUT of office space has hit the Philippines property sector as cash-hungry foreign companies cut back on their export of back-office operations, an international property consultant said Thursday.

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it has downgraded its growth projection for the world economy for this year as the financial markets remain under stress despite the policy measures introduced to provide additional capital and reduce credit risks.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today issued an advisory on the adoption of flexible work arrangements to guide employers and workers in the private sector in implementing mutually acceptable work schedules as a measure against the adverse impact of the global financial crisis.

President Barack Obama has broken down one of the two remaining social barriers in the world.

An additional year for college courses will not mean extra cost to students, but will give them time to prepare for life after graduation, chairman Emmanuel Angeles of the Commission on Higher Education said yesterday.

President Arroyo has ordered the creation of a committee that will recommend amendments to a law that created the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to move the negotiations on territory with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front forward, including full autonomy for the ARMM, expanding the coverage of the region, and relaxing wealth-sharing provisions without having…

ECONOMIC growth beat expectations in the fourth quarter as higher remittances helped sustain consumer spending.

THE global credit crisis triggered in the US has cut demand for office space in the Philippines, according to the local unit of CB Richard Ellis Group Inc., the world’s biggest commercial property broker.

MANILA, Philippines — Workers who stand to lose their jobs due to the global economic meltdown can now call the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for help at (632)527-4437.

Let me thank your associate editor, Ms. Marichu Villanueva for mentioning in her column (“Resolve,” 01/02/09) the farm-friendly measures that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is endorsing for congressional approval this year. As she had noted, one of the measures that the DA is supporting is new legislation amending the Agri-Agra Law, also known as…

The vote was 244-188, with Republicans unanimous in opposition despite Obama’s frequent pleas for bipartisan support.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has doubled to P400 million its fund for the implementation of employment and livelihood assistance for the growing number of workers displaced due to the global economic crisis.

Motels in Manila and their patrons have reason to celebrate two weeks before Valentine’s Day.

A powerful explosion obliterated a fireworks factory in Cavite yesterday, killing at least five people and injuring 60 others.

Investments in the country’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is expected to reach $60 million this year as the Philippines remains the most stable country in the Southeast Asian region, international property services firm CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) said.

Rising unemployment would be a political nightmare for the Arroyo administration this year, posing a greater threat than potential external account weakness amid slowing exports.