Monthly Archives: August 2012

Asbestos alert for DIY work

Published by rudy Date posted on August 12, 2012

LIVES are being put in danger because homes are not being tested for asbestos before renovations begin, industry sources have warned. The Asbestos Contractors Group says people face serious disease, even death, because there are no laws making it mandatory for homeowners to conduct a hazardous materials audit before they start work. The group says…

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Call centers report little disruption

Published by rudy Date posted on August 12, 2012

CALL CENTER operations were barely disrupted last week even as floods in Metro Manila caused by torrential rain paralyzed many workers in the capital. “Operations were normal as of Wednesday. Although it was not 100% normal, operations were still ongoing,” Jojo J. Uligan, president of Contact Centers Association of the Philippines (CCAP) told BusinessWorld in…

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Philippine trade unions right on top of “greening” enterprises and workplaces

Published by rudy Date posted on August 12, 2012

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, July 20, 2011 – True to their promise for renewed joint collaboration, Japanese and Filipino unions are continuing to support nationally-identified issues and concerns in the Philippines. As a follow up to 2011’s programon decent work and green jobs, this year’s activity (third of its kind since the program was launched in…

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News Feature: Philippine trade unions right on top of “greening” enterprises, workplaces

Published by rudy Date posted on August 12, 2012

True to their promise for renewed joint collaboration, Japanese and Filipino unions are continuing to support nationally-identified issues and concerns in the Philippines. As a follow up to 2011’s program on decent work and green jobs, this year’s activity (third of its kind since the program was launched in 2010) paid more attention to engaging…

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Floods show ‘sad truth’ about BPOs

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

Online plea rues ‘business as usual’ despite widespread calamity As one online litany put it, last week’s massive monsoon floods exposed a “sad truth” about an otherwise booming industry. Call center agents and other employees in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector could not hide their dismay over the decision of some companies to keep…

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UN chief announces new sustainable development initiative

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

UNITED NATIONS—UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday announced the launch of a new independent global network of research centers, universities and technical institutions to help find solutions for some of the world’s most pressing environmental, social and economic problems.

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Govt studies unified mining contract

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

The government said it is studying the creation of a single mining contract and other mineral industry reforms suggested by the International Monetary Fund.

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Foreign investments rise 10.2% to $844m

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

Foreign direct investments rose 10.2 percent year-on-year in the first five months, despite the sharp drop recorded in May, the Bangko Sentral said Friday.

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State witnesses’ rights, benefits expanded

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill expanding the rights and benefits of prospective witnesses to help the authorities prosecute criminals and strengthen the administration of justice.

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Nominees of Comelec approved partly-list groups slammed

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

It’s the same old political story. The Party-list system in the Philippines serves the interests of political personalities or political allies who are either no longer eligible to run for district seats ater serving some nine terms in the House of Representatives or are allies of both the opposition and the administration who, however, cannot…

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Trapped miner saved after 7 days

Published by rudy Date posted on August 11, 2012

BOKOD, Benguet, Philippines – Incessant prayers and offerings worked yesterday when rescuers dug out a 33-year-old small-scale miner trapped in a tunnel here for a week, authorities said.

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CA court dismisses Pinoys’ lawsuit against Dole

Published by rudy Date posted on August 10, 2012

LOS ANGELES—A lawsuit brought on by nearly 3,000 Filipino workers against Dole Food Company was dismissed on Thursday. The Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed with prejudice Macasa v. Dole, which 2,935 Philippine plaintiffs filed in 2011.

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Wage cuts may hurt growth

Published by rudy Date posted on August 10, 2012

Cutting wages tends to increase competitiveness but can also hurt economic growth as it decreases domestic consumption, the International Labour Organization has warned.

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Diwalwal part 2

Published by rudy Date posted on August 10, 2012

Mount Diwalwal in Compostela Valley epitomizes what happens when the government allows the unhampered operations of so-called “small-scale mining” which in truth is controlled by big-time operators.

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Export growth slumped to 4.2% in June

Published by rudy Date posted on August 10, 2012

Philippine exports grew by only 4.2 percent in June after a double-digit rebound in May. The National Statistics Office (NSO) on Friday reported that exports for the month reached $4.31 billion, with electronics shipments dipping 14.6 percent to $1.89 billion.

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Ordinance against use of plastics in QC implemented

Published by rudy Date posted on August 10, 2012

Quezon City’s Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) has deputized its personnel to make sure that no styrofoam and plastic bags are used as food containers at the QC Hall, Novaliches District Center, Quezon City General Hospital and Novaliches District Hospital.

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Pinoy ‘tweeps’ rank 10th highest

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – With over 9 million registered Twitter users, the Philippines ranks 10th highest in worldwide ratings on the most number of users of the microblogging site.

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World over-using underground water reserves for agriculture

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

LONDON – The world is depleting underground water reserves faster than they can be replenished due to over-exploitation, according to scientists in Canada and the Netherlands.

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China’s economic slowdown bottoming out, data seen showing

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

BEIJING – China’s industrial output and fixed-asset investment are expected to show signs of picking up in data on Thursday, indicating that the economy is starting to stabilize after sliding for six straight quarters.

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As countries get richer, they lose some sense of religion — survey

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

PARIS – Traditionally Catholic Ireland has registered almost the steepest drop worldwide in people calling themselves religious in a new survey tracking international trends in faith and atheism in recent years.

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Expect more frequent, severe floods – UN analyst

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

EXTREME climatic events such as typhoons and floods will be more frequent and severe in the future and no country, including the Philippines, is immune from worsening and recurrent disasters, a United Nations official said.

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Phl ranks 10th in global survey on Twitter account

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines ranked 10th in the world in terms of the number of registered users of microblogging site Twitter, a study conducted by Paris-based social media monior Semiocast showed. Semiocast said the number of Twitter accounts have reached half a billion as of June 2012, with the US leading in terms of…

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P-Noy seeks P2.54 billion for family health program

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino is seeking P2.54 billion for the administration’s “family health and responsible parenting” program next year, Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada said yesterday. He said the funding is contained in the P2.006-trillion 2013 national budget the President sent to Congress on July 24, a day after his State of the Nation Address.

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Workers during calamities to get additional pay

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – Call center agents and other workers who reported for work despite the heavy rains and massive flooding last Tuesday would get extra pay. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the law provides extra pay for workers who were required to render services in times of calamities.

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Loans allowed only to LGUs with good housekeeping seal

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

Only local governments that have been conferred the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) will be allowed to secure a loan from banks and other financial institutions, Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) declared. Robredo said the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) has issued a circular that listed…

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Mindanao provinces are RP’s poorest — NSCB

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

The government’s inability to look after Mindanao, a vote-rich island visited by politicians only during election campaigns, is home to the country’s poorest provinces, disclosed the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) which said the 10 richest local government units (LGUs) are situated close to the seat of power.

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Youth employment: What works

Published by rudy Date posted on August 9, 2012

International Youth Day – marked on August 12 – sets the spotlight on the pressing challenges faced by young people. ILO News looks at practices that can help turn around the dramatic youth employment situation. GENEVA (ILO News) – Promoting youth employment has become a top priority for many governments at a time when 75…

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PH banks among healthiest in Asia Pacific – Fitch

Published by rudy Date posted on August 8, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine banks are among the healthiest in the Asia-Pacific region due to their large deposit base and healthy lending practices that allowed them to manage credit in the system, debt watcher Fitch Ratings said in a report released yesterday.

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From resource curse to blessing

Published by rudy Date posted on August 8, 2012

KAMPALA — New discoveries of natural resources in several African countries — including Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique — raise an important question: Will these windfalls be a blessing that brings prosperity and hope, or a political and economic curse, as has been the case in so many countries?

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Panglossian

Published by rudy Date posted on August 8, 2012

FIRST there was the Goldman Sachs (GS) paper, circa 2005, that included the Philippines among the so-called Next Eleven (N-11), referring to the 11 countries that had a high potential, together with the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China), to give the G7 (US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada) a run for their money, in…

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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!
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