Monthly Archives: November 2009

MANILA, Philippines – Local autoparts makers said the proposal of the government to extend income tax holidays and allow the duty-free importation of raw and semi-processed materials will help rev up the local auto industry.

A partylist representative who is known for his successful ventures in the field of education filed on Thursday a resolution for the creation of a separate licensing authority for technical-vocational skills workers in the country. A-Teacher partylist representative and legislator Atty. Ulpiano “Ulan” Sarmiento 3rd filed House Bill 7705 to push for the passage of…

On CHED’s ETEEA Program After reading your article (September 11, 2009) CHED’S Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program, I decided to check out the CHED website and found some useful information. My three children have all graduated from college and I figured it was about time that I finally got that college degree that…

LETTERS We would like to clarify the article, “Jobs, incomes fell in second quarter amid slowdown” which appeared in the November 10, 2009 edition of Manila times.net. The article cited a report from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) which was culled from the Quarterly Survey of Philippine Business and Industry (QSPBI) of the National…

THE projected increase in information technology (IT) spending in the next four years would create more jobs in the Philippines, according to Information Data Corp. (IDC).

MANILA, Philippines – Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez turned the tables on a former judge yesterday for saying that corruption in the country is still bad despite receiving a better ranking in this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report by Transparency International (TI). The Philippines now ranks 139th among 180 countries perceived to be the most corrupt…

MANILA, Philippines – The First Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) denied yesterday the petitions of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the union of government employees Courage for accreditation of party-list groups in the May 2010 polls, citing the lack of constituents. In two separate resolutions, First Division presiding commissioner Rene Sarmiento…

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union: Sandy soil, which eroded easily when dug deeply caused the death of a deep well digger near the coastal area of Barangay Dalumpinas Oeste, here, Friday afternoon after rescue operations failed to save him on time.

Automotive industry workers have expressed concern that they might lose their jobs with the lowering of tariffs starting next year under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement.

With much awaited climate talks in Copenhagen in December, the World Bank and its supporters are positioning the institution to play a significant, if not dominant, role in future climate finance.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in just about all world regions. For its 30 member countries, rich nations including the US and UK, it has more than doubled its growth forecast to 1.9% for next year, from 0.7%.

Global Networking CALIFORNIA, United States—Senator Noynoy Aquino leads in all the presidential polls that have been taken in the Philippines in the last month, receiving more preferential votes than all his opponents combined.

L’AQUILA, Italy (AP) — Lasting worldwide recovery “is still a ways off,” President Barack Obama declared Friday, but he also said at the conclusion of a global summit that a disastrous economic collapse apparently has been averted.

PARIS: China, Asia and the United States are pulling the world out of an economic vortex with surprising if “modest” speed, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) declared on Thursday.

The Arroyo administration has failed to meet its annual job creation targets for the past five years, according to a report of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). And also from 2004 to 2008, the report said, employment growth lagged behind economic growth.

Filipino kids’ spending power and their apparent fixation with the Internet heightened last year, according to a study conducted by the country’s top TV channel for children. Based on research conducted in 2008 by Cartoon Network, a unit of US-based Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Filipino kids had a total spending power of P42 billion from…

MANILA, Philippines – The chief of a United Nations body who leads the negotiations for a new global climate change treaty has commended the Philippine government’s efforts on climate change.

LONDON – The battle against global warming could be helped if the world slowed population growth by making free condoms and family planning advice more widely available, the UN Population Fund said Wednesday.

MANILA, Philippines – Thank you for inviting me to be with you today. I know that this is one of the most eagerly awaited events in your industry. I feel honored to be part of this event – to be among some of the most creative minds in the country.

MANILA, Philippines – The business sector’s outlook improved for the third straight quarter this year as companies expect low inflation and interest rates, stable peso, sustained foreign exchange inflows, and robust remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The national network for micro-finance institutions (MFIs) is seeking the passage of a bill that would allow to the government to collect gross revenues tax in lieu of all other national and local taxes to boost microlending in the country. In a briefing, Ruben de Lara, Microfinance Council of the Philippines Inc. (MCPI) president, said…

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in just about all world regions.

The Philippines, on global television, has become a vivid victim of climate change disasters with the serial onslaught of super typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, Santi. There are forecasts of more ferocious storms to come. More than ever, the observance of Climate Change Consciousness Week, November 19-25 declared by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo becomes very urgent and relevant…

MANILA, Philippines – The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) urged the government to provide computers with Internet access to all public schools after a recent study showed that 46 percent of schoolchildren in the country spend P300 a month for Internet rentals.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo signed on Tuesday night Republic Act 9775, otherwise known as the Anti-Child Pornography Law, Tarlac Rep. Monica Teodoro, its principal author in the House, announced yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines ranked 139th among 180 countries in corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI)’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released yesterday. The country’s ranking slightly improved from last year’s 141, with a score of 2.4 in CPI this year.

MANILA, Philippines – High global sugar prices are likely to prevail for the next two years, according to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) head Rafael Coscolluela.

All over the world, more and more companies are embracing corporate social responsibility or CSR practices in the way they conduct their business, realizing that they can maintain profi-tability while giving positive contributions to society. In the Philippines, the concept of CSR (also known as corporate responsibility or corporate citizenship) has been practiced for more…

MANILA, Philippines – The World Bank (WB) has extended a $405-million loan to the Philippines to help improve the government’s social welfare programs aimed at reducing poverty.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines exceeded its 2009 budget deficit goal in just 10 months due to weak revenues and higher spending on reconstruction following strong typhoons that damaged crops and infrastructure in Luzon.