Monthly Archives: April 2011

PH rice prices stable while those of other cereals soar

Published by rudy Date posted on April 2, 2011

OVER the past few months, the rise in food prices worldwide has put agriculture officials, traders, sellers and consumers on edge as it recalled memories of the food crisis three years ago.

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Addressing emerging food crisis

Published by rudy Date posted on April 2, 2011

WE HAVEN’T really gotten over the impact of the 2008 food crisis, and yet another one is unfolding. Global food prices have hit record levels, largely driven by soaring prices of cereals, meat and dairy products.

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Toyota says local operations normal despite Japan stoppage

Published by rudy Date posted on April 2, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. announced yesterday that the company’s local operations are still normal despite the work stoppage in Japan as a result of the twin disasters.

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Baldoz stops PALEA from holding nationwide strike

Published by rudy Date posted on April 2, 2011

MANILA, Philippines –  Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday stopped the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) from holding a nationwide strike.

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UN supports RH bill for Phl

Published by rudy Date posted on April 2, 2011

MANILA, Philippines –  A member of the United Nations delegation visiting the country underscored yesterday the importance of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, citing global evidence of improvement of countries after putting similar measures in place.

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Transport groups snub protest action

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

VARIOUS transport groups on Thursday snubbed a protest caravan organized by the militant Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mgs Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide to dramatize its objection to the spate of oil price increases recently.

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Landslide kills 3 miners in South Cotabato

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA — Officials said a landslide triggered by heavy rains has buried alive three miners who were resting in their bunkhouse in South Cotabato province.

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Malacañang resurrects Arroyo-era program

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

THE Energy Department on Thursday said it will more strictly enforce the energy conservation measures set in place by the previous administration to cut power and fuel consumption in government agencies by 10 percent.

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USTR says corruption pervasive in Philippines

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said corruption, piracy, preferential tariff on various goods and restrictive laws remain barriers to trade between the US and the Philippines.

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Philippines could catch up with Asean neighbors

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

THE World Bank and other development partners of the Philippines have expressed confidence that the newly unveiled 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan (PDP) would spur economic growth in the country for the next six years.

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How corrupt is the Philippines?

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

THIS week’s release of corruption survey results by the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) brought back memories of this writer’s stint in Ma-lacañang. The annual poll prompted much downplaying by Palace officials, especially when the Philippines’ corruption score and ranking rose.

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Strike fails to paralyze public transport

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that Thursday’s transport caravan staged by militant groups failed to disrupt public transportation operation in Metro Manila and in other parts of the country.

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Protestants endorse RH measure

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

ADVOCATES of the controversial Reproductive health bill have found new allies that would help in convincing the government to pass the proposed law and these are the various protestant churches and denominations in the country.

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Export targets reviewed over Japan’s woes

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

THE public-private Export Development Council (EDC) is assessing the potential effect of the disasters in Japan to Philippine exports in the long-term, although officials said that the impact would likely be minimal.

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Palace allows fuel subsidy

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

P500M eyed for jeepneys, tricycles TO cushion the impact of rising oil prices on the public, President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Thursday said that he had approved in principle the executive order that grants fuel subsidy to selected public utility vehicles for a period of one month.

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No straight path as RP Perc rating worsens

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

President Aquino was challenged yesterday to clearly define the direction of the supposed “daang matuwid” or straight path he had been crowing about after the latest survey of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Ltd. (Perc) showed the Philippines did not improve from its spot of being perceived the third most corrupt nation…

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Rights groups vow to support PAL workers’ strike

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

A network of human rights advocates vowed on Friday to support a looming labor strike by Philippine Airlines union members, saying that Malacañang’s ruling allowing the PAL management to get subcontractors for its non-core businesses undermines workers’ rights.

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Dropout rate up to 6% in 2010 – ILO

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – The dropout rate for elementary students is rising from an average of 5.99 percent in 2007 to 6.28 percent in 2010, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO).

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Japan team due for JPEPA talks

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – A team from the Japanese government will be heading to Manila to discuss the renegotiation of the Japan Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

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‘JV’ wants OFWs legal fund cuts realigned

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

While the nation still grieves over the execution of three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in China yesterday, San Juan City Rep. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito yesterday asked the Aquino administration to realign its position in cutting 50 percent of its Legal Assistance Fund (LAF) to OFWs worldwide.

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Hydro-electric swindle, again

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

Can anyone help me make heads or tails of statements made two weeks ago by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (Psalm) Corp. president and chief executive officer? Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said that when the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) was enacted in 2001, state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor)’s accumulated financial obligations stood…

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Amid falling ratings, Aquino OKs fuel subsidy

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

A one-month fuel subsidy to public transport franchisers has been approved in principle, President Aquino said yesterday, as part of his government’s initial response to the continuous rounds of oil price hikes in the country owing to the still unabated political crises confronting the Middle East.

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82 Pinoy nurses off to Japan despite nuclear danger

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

The third batch of 82 Filipino nurses will leave for Japan on May 30 to undergo intensive Japanese language training to further boost their chances of passing the country’s tough licensure examinations.

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Philippines needs a reproductive health policy: UN

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines, where an average of 11 women a day die giving birth, could lower its high maternal death rate by having a reproductive health policy, a visiting United Nations delegation said on Friday.

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New HIV cases up 22% in February

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – The National HIV and AIDS Registry has listed 6,326 cases in the country, including the 159 new infections diagnosed in February, a party-list lawmaker said Friday.

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On usury, interest rate cap, and tax on foreign remittance

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

One of our readers, Zaide Capistrano, has asked about an anti-usury law after reading our last column “Capping Credit Card Charges.” Here is some background information in response to Capistrano’s query and for the benefit of other interested readers:

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Export targets remain despite MidEast crisis, Japan disaster

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – The country is expected to hit its export targets despite of the work disruption in Japan and the crisis in the Middle East, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) said.

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Foreign debt rises 9.5% to $60.1 B

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s foreign debt rose by 9.5 percent to $60.1 billion in 2010 on the back of higher government and private sector borrowings as well as upward foreign exchange revaluation, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported yesterday.

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Economic activity seen to slow down in 2nd quarter

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – After six consecutive quarters of upswing since the fourth quarter of 2009, economic activity may slow down in the second quarter of the year.

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Reproductive myths, dangerous half-truths, and facts

Published by rudy Date posted on April 1, 2011

Throughout the Philippines in March there have been vibrant marches and celebrations for National Women’s Month. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has also joined in with marches and protests of its own, but unfortunately these are to protest a proposed law that would actually provide a better life for women. The Bishops’ animus…

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April – Month of Planet Earth

“Full speed to renewables!”

 

Continuing
Solidarity with CTU Myanmar,
trade unions around the world,
for democracy in Myanmar,
with the daily protests of
people in Myanmar against
the military coup and
continuing oppression.

 

Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands
#Distancing
#TakePicturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors.
Time to spark a global conversation.
Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!
Trade Union Solidarity Campaigns
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