Monthly Archives: October 2010

Unless the economy grows at 7 percent or higher  annually, it will be hard for P-Noy to bring down the country’s poverty rates to a more manageable level of say, less than 20 percent by the time he leaves Malacañang in 2016. It was very high at 33 percent when the country’s poverty incidence was…

Oct. 19–The International Institute for Trade and Development has urged Thailand to prepare for its role as a major logistics hub as Asean economic integration is planned for 2015.

The ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) finally gets a think tank to help it carry out its duty, with the establishment of the Human Rights Resource Center for ASEAN (HRRCA).

MANILA, Philippines – Is there a need for a Philippine embassy in a country with only 173 Filipinos?

Labor officials sternly reminded recruitment firms Wednesday against passing on to prospective overseas Filipino workers the cost of their mandatory insurance coverage.

CEBU, Philippines – While the recovery of the export sector is still uncertain in the next few years, exporters from Cebu and the neighboring provinces are confident to post at least a double-digit growth in the next three years.

Are we witnessing a replay of the 2008 hyperinflation in the price of basic foodstuffs which pushed hundreds of millions of people already living on the margins into the ranks of the acutely hungry? In the past three months, the price of corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade has increased by 70%

OTTAWA—Canadian mining companies are far and away the worst offenders in environmental, human rights and other abuses around the world, according to a global study commissioned by an industry association but never made public.

As a national follow through on its commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, national and local government officials, together with development partners from the United Nations, the international donor community and civil society, discussed breakthrough strategies and put forward their commitments to speed up implementation of efforts at the first ever…

Concerned by the spate of fatal bus accidents earlier this year, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. has made the sensible suggestion that the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) investigate bus drivers’ working conditions, as he suspects that “lack of sleep and rest between long trips could be a key factor in the rash of…

The Philippines, one of the worst- performing economies in Asia over the past three decades, is finally expected to perform strongly over the next decade, with an annual growth of close to 6 percent, an Asian Development Bank said.

THE unauthorized expense for per diem of a state university has already breached the P1-million mark because of the apparent disregard of university officials on the mandate of the Budget Department. The Commission on Audit (COA) noted that the payment of P5,000 for the chairman and members of the board of regents of Polytechnic University…

Govt reforms to attain fiscal stability wanting THE Aquino administration has to impose new taxes as its tax administrative reforms are insufficient to meet fiscal balance in a sustained manner, according to a study by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). In the study, “A Strategic Framework and Action Plan for Inclusive Growth,” NEDA…

MANILA, Philippines – Treasury bill (T-bills) rates fell across the board during yesterday’s auction on the back of hefty inflows from investors and optimism on the economy.

MANILA, Philippines – Do you want to improve your health and fight off cancer? Maybe you have a history of cancer in your family or a loved one is battling the disease. Maybe you’re dealing with cancer yourself or trying to prevent a recurrence.

MANILA, Philippines – At least 18 percent of motorcycle accident victims are killed, many before reaching a hospital, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday reported a surge in the number of Koreans and other foreigner coming to work in the country in the past few years.

MANILA, Philippines – Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone asked President Aquino yesterday to stop the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp. from borrowing more than P50 billion next year.

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate’s first hearing into the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill yesterday settled nothing except that support and opposition to the measure are split down the middle.

PRESS RELEASE Associated Labor Unions (ALU) Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) ======== Manila, Philippines, 19 October 2010 – “Senator Manny Villar as Chair of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce will schedule public hearing on Senate Bill No. 89 (SBN-89) banning asbestos when the Senate resumes session…

Institutes in East Asia have begun an international research programme that aims to develop a new AIDS vacccine as soon as possible.

The Philippines has a surplus of nurses and it would be better if government encouraged their deployment abroad and discouraged the deployment of domestic helpers who are more prone to abuse, recommended the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

MANILA, Philippines – Is the Philippines rushing to pass the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill just to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG)?

MANILA, Philippines – While fewer Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in the last three months, nearly half of them rated themselves “mahirap” or “poor,” a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

ASEAN’s manufacturing exports have grown in recent years, due to increased productivity, proximity to large Asian markets, and recently implemented free trade agreements, according to a US International Trade Commission report issued in August. But challenges remain for future growth, including a shortage of skilled labor, an inefficient system of standards and assessment, and inadequate…

The Court of Appeals has ordered the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to resolve the issues on “additional excluded employees,” retirement plan, employees’ stock option plan, and the employees’ stock benefit fund relative to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the union and management of Philippine National Bank (PNB).

Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. has started preparations to sell the real estate properties of National Power Corp. and other non-power holdings after deferring this year the sale of its remaining power assets.

Sixty-four percent of female and 66 percent of male public school students say they have experienced being ridiculed or teased in school—whether by their peers or by their teachers and other school authorities.

RAMP controllers at the Ninoy Aquino Internal Airport are demanding a salary hike, complaining that never had any pay increase for the last 10 years.