Monthly Archives: December 2010

A Philippine-Swiss joint working group (JWG) has been formed to promote job opportunities in Switzerland for prospective overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Hong Kong and Singapore are the most investor-friendly economies in the Asia Pacific, helped by effective governments, openness to trade and “generous tax breaks,” according to a survey by Vriens & Partners Pte.

Parents and legal guardians of children with disabilities and special needs are being proposed to be given tax deduction by as much as P50,000 in their annual income.

Two incendiary changes this year helped jump-start the Philippine economy — down but not out — as it reeled from the global financial meltdown that began in the US in 2007.

MANILA, Philippines –  The economy continued to show signs of recovery – as seen in the positive performance of the composite leading economic indicators or LEI-but growth is slowing down, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has warned graduates, students, and jobseekers against marketing firms that compel applicants to purchase their products, pay for training kits, and undergo training for non-existing jobs.

ISSUANCE of pre-approved credit cards is no longer allowed based on amendments made by the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on credit card rules, which also tighten collection practices.

MANILA, Philippines – 2010 was a banner year for the Commission on Elections (Comelec), primarily due to the success of the country’s first automated polls last May 10.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Philippines has been outpaced by neighboring Asian countries in terms of labor, employment and competitiveness, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

THE country’s industrial front remained relatively peaceful in 2010, the Department of Labor and Employment said.

FILIPINOS no longer have long weekends to look forward to next year after President Benigno Aquino III dumped former President Gloria Arroyo’s holiday economics, an order that allowed the moving of holidays to the nearest Monday—except those that are religious in nature—to give workers longer weekends.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguin­danao – The heavy presence of soldiers and policemen along highways thwarted an attempt the other day by suspected Moro extremists to bomb a bus plying the Bukidnon-North Cotabato route, authorities said.

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Pakistan has replaced the Philippines as the “Deadliest Country For Journalists” this year.

MANILA, Philippines – The tourism department is optimistic of achieving its target of 3.3 million tourist arrivals this year, even after a deadly bus hijacking and terrorism warnings by key Western nations.

THE ELECTRONICS industry, the country’s largest export earner, could double its sales in six years with pledges for new manufacturing investments and expansions stacking up and 2010 performance so far bouncing back from 2009’s slump, an industry group said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has dubbed its new counter-insurgency campaign plan as “Bayanihan” which is people-centered and focused more on the whole-nation approach to finally end the decades-long communist insurgency problem in the country.

CALL centers in the Philippines are seeing growing business not only from overseas clients but also from domestic firms, industry official said. In a briefing, Bong Borja, Aegis PeopleSupport Inc. president, said an increasing number of contact centers are now serving local clients during daytime, with most foreign clientele served at night.

EXPORTERS expect this year’s shipments to match pre-crisis levels with growth coming from nontraditional destinations. In a statement, Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) president, said exports by yearend would reach about $50 billion, up by 30 percent from $38.4 billion last year.

HERE’S a no-brainer: With nine out of ten Filipinos expecting things to get better next year, even as economic growth is tipped to be slower, will satisfaction with the government go up or down?

Dear PAO, I have been working for seven years in a company in Marikina. Ever since I have worked here, our company has religiously paid our 13th-month pay. However, there has been a rumor around the office that we won’t be receiving it this year because, allegedly, our company has sustained losses. Can they do…

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has eased its tough rules for foreign workers who want to change employers, loosening the controversial “sponsor” system in force in the Arab states of the Gulf. “An employee with an expired contract can obtain a new work permit and shift to another employer” without having to wait six…

THE Catholic Church admitted Sunday that it has abandoned the youth. Legazpi diocese Bishop Joel Baylon, the chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Commission on Youth, made the admission during the formal launching on Sunday of the “Year of the Youth” for 2011. “Many of them feel abandoned by the institutions…

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is in an excellent position to grab a bigger slice from practically all aspects of the rapidly growing global health and wellness industry that has hit a record $2 trillion last year.

MANILA, Philippines –  Ford Motor Co. Philippines (FMCP) is looking at making the country its export hub for either its sports utility vehicle (SUV) or pick-up model.

MANILA, Philippines –  The Philippines nearly lost its champion in the Save the Industries Act after a US senator almost withdrew his support because a group of Filipino war veterans sued the US government.

MANILA, Philippines –  Monetary authorities said there was no urgency to adjust key policy rates due to the benign inflation outlook amid the surge in capital inflows into emerging markets including the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines –  Sen. Edgardo Angara cited yesterday the possible danger on the P21-billion conditional cash transfer (CCT) program the Aquino administration will implement for some 2.3 million indigent families.

THE Davao City government on Friday stopped the test planting of genetically engineered eggplants at the University of the Philippines’ Mindanao Campus in Bago Oshiro on fears they posed risks to health.

SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States—Two Filipino homecare workers reached a settlement over unpaid wages with which they will be paid over $70,000 in unpaid wages and penalties by their employer.

CITIZENS groups called on President Benigno Aquino 3rd to integrate environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster risk reduction plans in the overall anti-poverty program of his administration. The “Caucus to Green the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan [MTPDP]” initiated by the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) issued the call during a press…