Monthly Archives: August 2010

PARIS — What a difference a few weeks make. In early June, doomsayers were predicting the demise of the euro after a 110-billion euro ($145.2 billion) bailout for Greece and a $1-trillion financial safety net for the rest of the 16-nation single currency area failed to calm market panic.

THE focus of the country’s economic blueprint for the next six years should be “green” development, a team of experts has urged the government, as it prepares the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).

MANILA, Philippines – Education Secretary Armin Luistro said Tuesday that he is amenable to non-compulsory sex education in public schools, based on parents’ approval.

THE Social Security System plans to increase its social protection expenditure by 5 percent next year from P80 billion this year as it strives to give ample assistance to its members.

PHILIPPINE Airlines’ flight attendants, rejecting the carrier’s P80-million pay package, said Monday they will strike within the next few days to protest its alleged unfair labor practices and to air their grievances against it.

We were one with the two most established telecommunications company, Globe and Smart, when they cried predator pricing against Sun Cellular’s unlimited call and unlimited text promo about two years ago.

I find it unacceptable for banks to make so much profit when the economy is in bad shape. It implies that their fees are excessive. They charge 9 ½ percent today for commercial loans while they pay only 3.75 percent for a time deposit. The banks’ spread is too big.

In reality, the argument about the Philippine Airlines (PAL) pilots is about a lot more than that. After 25 pilots and first officers resigned, with the intention of taking up better-paid options with foreign airlines, PAL threatened them with administrative, civil and criminal charges for breaching their contracts. (Criminal charges? What kind of labor relations…

STATE-RUN Social Security System (SSS) on Monday disputed a study that showed the Philippines ranking 22nd among 31 Asia-Pacific countries in terms of social protection. In the report dubbed as “Scaling Up the Social Protection Index for Committed Poverty Reduction,” the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the Philippines registered an over-all social protection index (SPI)…

A NEW offer from management failed to break the impasse at Philippine Airlines (PAL) after the flag-carrier’s flight attendants and stewards rejected the proposed settlement. PAL on Monday offered a “one-time” P80-million package to its 1,600 flight attendants and stewards to settle a labor dispute.

President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Monday said that the proposed sale of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) was “very interesting” but he wanted to study the proposal first since there are allegations of corruption against the government agency. President Aquino described as interesting the $10-billion offer from Ramon Ang, San Miguel Corp. vice…

Data controls As in a business’s finance function, a system of data controls is needed for emissions and energy reporting. The controls inherent in carbon emissions data collection systems, whilst improving in many organizations, are often not strong because:

MANILA, Philippines – Rates for the benchmark 91-day Treasury bills (T-bills) went down by two basis points to settle at 3.965 percent from the previous rate of 3.985 percent.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is drafting new labor policies to protect the rights of women and homosexuals in work places.

MANILA, Philippines—With only a week before the targeted completion of the organization at the House of Representatives, 12 more congressional committees have been completed with the designation of chairpersons and members.

Al Gore’s visit to the Philippines to talk about climate change and the seriousness of the problem reinforces the importance of the environment and sustainable development. Who among you did not experience the searing heat (you will agree with me when I say that this is an understatement) this summer and the almost surreal typhoons…

MANILA, Philippines—While downsizing the government budget for next year, President Aquino has committed an allocation of some P700 million to fund the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s scholarship program for 2011 even as its new leadership pursues a probe into possible misuse of funds under the past administration, the agency’s chief has bared.

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Last week, Federal District Judge Vaughn Walker issued his long-anticipated decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8.  In a sweeping and stirring opinion, Judge Walker found that the evidence and arguments advanced by Prop 8’s supporters were so insubstantial that California’s denial of same-sex marriage was irrational.

A disagreement regarding the compulsory retirement age of its flight attendants has prevented Philippine Airlines (PAL) and a flight attendants’ union from approving a new labor agreement.

What will it take for people to sit up and get worked up about the dire consequences of the brain drain phenomenon? For now, canceled airline flights and faulty weather forecasts.

PHILIPPINE Airlines has lost a test case against a pilot for breaching contract obligations, the same charge it is considering against 25 pilots who walked off their jobs last week without giving notice.

MANILA, Philippines—After it lost several of its pilots whose resignations have resulted in delayed or cancelled flights, trouble is brewing at the Philippine Airlines (PAL) anew after its employees threatened to go on strike if management pushes through with its outsourcing scheme.

MANILA, Philippines—Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) on Monday said that almost 70 percent of its farm workers (7,302 out of 10,502) have availed of a stock distribution option as a “quick remedy” to the long-drawn-out legal battle over the controversial land.

MANILA, Philippines—A resolution seeking an investigation into the alleged “excessive and unwarranted” salaries, allowances, bonuses, and other perks of top officials and board members of government-owned and- controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions ( GFIs) has been filed at the Senate.

The world celebrates this year’s Breastfeeding Month by recognizing the vital role health facilities play to help improve the rate of breastfeeding in the community. Research shows that hospitals and maternity units can greatly influence a mother’s decision on whether or not to breastfeed her child.

PRESS RELEASE HON. RAYMOND DEMOCRITO C. MENDOZA SW-204, House of Representatives, Tel. 951-3011 Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP Party-List) TUCP-PGEA Compound, Maharlika cor. Masaya Streets, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone Number: 351-3757 09 August 2010 Labor solon backs pilots resignation: Hits PAL for unfair labor practice Trade Union Congress Party Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza expressed…

Mr. Speaker, and Fellow Legislators: Philippine Airlines, the crown jewel of the Philippine aviation industry is once again in amess. PAL is our flag-carrier and it provides critical services not only in transporting passengers but also goods, patients, mails, equipment, monies and other important items locally and internationally. PAL serves as our number one hospital…

If less intervention in the ongoing PAL dispute is the norm for the government, it must take a more proactive and interventionist role in the case of the other transport problems it is now facing—the rate increases for Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 and South Luzon Expressway (Slex). In the case of MRT 3, perhaps…

Let’s get one thing straight. Re-nationalizing Philippine Airlines (PAL) is not the way out of its troubles. Not now. Maybe never. After allowing its privatization after decades of running and, yes, subsidizing it to no avail, the government cannot go back now and pour more hard-earned money after bad. The solution to PAL’s current travails…