Monthly Archives: March 2011

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – Fisherman Abner Abrigo used to enjoy feasting on dolphins and turtles until he realized they were more valuable as tourist attractions.

THE Bureau of the Treasury on Monday allowed the cost of three-month borrowing to rise, underpinning expectations that the central bank would tighten monetary policy on March 24.

Dear PAO, I am writing in relation to our very bad experience when we brought our mother in a certain hospital in Manila, when she had one of her attacks.

MANILA, Philippines – Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is considering giving tax incentives to investments that has a minimum of five-percent value added.

Lawmakers yesterday filed a bill seeking a P9 billion supplemental budget to augment the government’s depleting funds for the evacuation and repatriation of Filipino workers in disaster-stricken Japan and in strife-torn countries in the North African and Middle Eastern regions.

MANILA, Philippines – The impact of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that recently hit Japan is not expected to affect the Philippine economy in the near term but its long-term effects is a cause for alarm, the World Bank said. 

Most Pinoys approve of his performance MAJORITY of Filipinos still trust President Benigno Aquino 3rd and approve of his job performance, the latest Pulse Asia survey revealed on Monday.

The trust and approval rating on President Aquino slid by a substantial five points nationwide and by 12 percent in the National Capital Region in the latest Pulse Asia survey after public confidence fell on his administration’s perform-ance on six key issues including the equal enforcement of the law, creating more jobs and controlling the…

PULSEBEAT: Here is another measure of your and media’s perspective — some call it bias — in assessing public perception of the performance of President Noynoy Aquino in the last three months.

MANILA, Philippines – Senate finance committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon yesterday revealed that the government, specifically the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA), has about P13 billion in contingency funds to repatriate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Japan and troubled Middle Eastern and North African countries.

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Workers in Western Visayas are seeking a P97 increase in the minimum daily wage amid the sharp increase in prices of oil products.

According to latest reports, the principal author of the RH Bill (HB 4244) has introduced some amendments. This move may look like a tactical retreat as the opposition gains ground. But it may also be just a “one step backward two steps forward” strategy. Indeed, a cursory look at the changes shows that they were…

Congress seeking to put a cap on credit card interest rates appear to be very selective since they do not cover informal lending institutions which are free from the planned stiffer regulations on interest rates.

MANILA, Philippines – The Social Security System (SSS), the state-owned pension fund for private employees, has started accrediting cooperatives as its collecting agents to help self-employed and voluntary members pay their regular contributions and remit loan payments on time.

Special Report pag-ibig’s ga problem Why did it take long to notice anomalies? THE Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), more popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund, is the “Filipino Worker’s Fund” and his (or her) only way (besides the lotto or sweepstakes ticket) to have a first home.

MANILA, Philippines – UK-based Credit Suisse sees the country’s inflation kicking up to 5.4 percent this year, breaching the higher end of the three percent to five percent target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

MANILA, Philippines – The LGU Summit on Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in the Philippines for Municipal LGUs held in Davao City gathered local government officials, scientists and other development partners to share practical information addressing the challenge of climate change.

Maulik Parekh, president and chief executive officer of SPi Global, said studies show that by 2016, around 58 percent of the estimated $125-billion global revenue will come from non-voice operations such as digital content services and medical transcription.

MANILA, Philippines – More than 15 million households nationwide have no access to potable water while some 273 municipalities remain waterless, according to Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

MANILA, Philippines – Judges in the country have called off their plan to protest the cut in the proposed budget for the judiciary this year after the Palace agreed to restore their current salaries and allowances.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should start preparing for the rise in the number of unemployed because of developments around the world, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. said yesterday.

At least 2,300 Filipino nurses have refused to be evacuated even after the United Nations approved military strikes against Libya.

PLAN EXCLUDES IMPACT OF REVERSAL IN OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT THE Aquino administration plans to create a million jobs a year and to triple per capita income through higher economic growth and infrastructure investment in the next six years.

Dear PAO, I am an unwed pregnant mother. I found out that I am conceiving a child days after I broke up with my boyfriend. I wish to keep the baby without the pressure of marrying my former boyfriend. If so, am I to be categorized as a solo parent? What are the benefits that…

MANILA, Philippines – Economic and monetary authorities under the Aquino administration are now reviewing the country’s macroeconomic and monetary targets in light of the impact of the devastating magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan last March 11.

MANILA, Philippines – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is lukewarm to the proposed imposition of a cap on interest rate charges imposed by credit card companies as the move could only introduce distortions in the credit market.

The paramount importance of education can never be overlooked by the President if he holds close to his heart the welfare of the people and the future of his country.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) approved the special leave for women working in the private sector who are scheduled to undergo surgery for gynecological disorders.

Two miners were killed and five others wounded when the tunnel caved in at Compostela Valley recently, police report said.

MANILA, Philippines – A public hearing held yesterday on an Ayala Alabang ordinance banning the sale of condoms and other contraceptives without a prescription became heated as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and former health secretary Esperanza Cabral faced off against former senator Aquilino Pimentel.