Monthly Archives: January 2012

Having BO (body odor) can be an embarrassing problem. This unpleasant smell comes from a mixture of sweat and bacteria. Normally, our sweat should have little odor. However, it’s the bacteria in the skin that cause one’s perspiration to smell sour.

Amid a growing anti-outsourcing sentiment in the United States, the Philippines expects the information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry to employ as much as 1.3 million and generate as much as $25 billion in export revenues by 2016.

Last week, this column argued that many Philippine commentators on economic affairs fail to think “outside the box.” Due to ideological commitment, some voluntarily submit to the narrow horizons of the current, dysfunctional “export-oriented” economic model, imposed by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund decades ago. Others have simply abandoned hope that the Philippines…

The economy turned in a weak 3.7 percent growth for the entire of last year from a 7.6 percent expansion the previous year mainly as a result of sluggish activities in the last two quarters when President Aquino was hotly pursuing his political adversaries former President Gloria Arroyo and Chief Justice Renato Corona instead of…

MANILA, Philippines – The local electronics industry likely missed its $1-billion investment target in 2011 even as three large Japanese firms indicated plans to set up manufacturing facilities here, the Semiconductors and Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc (SEIPI) said.

MANILA, Philippines – The local call center industry said it remains bullish on its growth prospects despite a US bill seeking to remove tax incentives to companies that outsource services.

LEGAZPI CITY ,Philippines  – Two miners drowned in Barangay Palanas in Paracale town in Camarines Norte Sunday morning after sea water seeped through the mining pit they were digging , police said.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines topped the disaster league table last year with 33 major reported events, affecting 12.5 percent of the population, according to the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).

MANILA, Philippines – While the country’s poverty rate dropped at the end of 2011, the number of Filipinos who experienced hunger went up during the same period, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest survey.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Former senator and labor leader Ernesto “Boy” Herrera has risen from semi-retirement to take on the challenge to rebuild and revitalize the Philippine labor movement. He needs to break some chains to succeed.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

MANILA, Philippines – The local auto industry is looking at a full recovery this year after slowing down in 2011, with sales seen to grow 8.74 percent this year.

MANILA, Philippines – Investments generated by the 13 investment promotion agencies (IPAs) went up 38 percent in 2011 to P763.018 billion, from P554.641 billion in 2010 as businesses continue to show strong appetite for projects on the back of the country’s stable economic performance, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported.

Arangkada also had a score card for LGUs and it isn’t pretty. Essentially, Arangkada reports that LGUs have mostly remained a big disincentive for investors. Efforts of national officials to entice investors into our country are largely negated by on-the-ground experience with local government units. Getting the LGUs excited about our investment incentives program is…

MANILA, Philippines – The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the country’s largest labor group, said yesterday it has no intention of filing a formal petition for wage increase as of this time.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has extended the coverage for over five million poor families nationwide.

International visitor arrivals in the Philippines hit a new record high of 3.917 million in 2011, although the figure remains one of the lowest in Southeast Asia.

The president of the federation of labor groups in the financial services sector announced yesterday it has rejoined the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

THE Metro Manila Development Authority on Sunday urged other local governments to follow the example of the cities of Muntinlupa, Taguig, Quezon and Makati to ban plastic bags, styrofoam and other plastic disposables by 2013.

The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) has called on the government of President Aquino to fast-track the implementation of projects under its flagship program public-private-partnership (PPP) as economic growth and investments in the country did not turn out as expected.

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) would go after public market vendors and smaller business establishments to ensure that they are complying with the mandatory issuance of official receipt.

A United Nations body has declared that continued criminalization of libel as provided under the Philippine penal code violates the obligation of the country to respect freedom of expression as contained in its commitment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

MANILA, Philippines — Environment-health advocates on Monday warned the public against improper disposal of busted fluorescent lamps as it releases toxic mercury into the environment that endangers the health of the people.

MANILA, Philippines – The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is now officially part of the New7Wonders of Nature. “I am proud to confirm that PPUR is now one of the New7Wonders of Nature; preparations for the proclamation are underway,” Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn announced yesterday at a press briefing at Heritage Hotel in…

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) reported that Boracay has been named the best beach in the world after the Providenciales in Turks and Calcos Islands.

MANILA, Philippines – The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) continues to support government initiatives to curb corruption in the country.

A Taiwanese official who pleaded guilty to mistreating two housekeepers brought from the Philippines to work in her Missouri home will soon be deported, a US judge yesterday ruled.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.