Monthly Archives: August 2013

As discussed in last week’s column, the impressive economic growth of East Asian countries like Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the three ASEAN countries of Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia could be explained by the labor surplus model of growth. The phrase “labor surplus” is merely descriptive and has no disapproving or judgmental…

MANILA, Philippines – Inflation eased to its slowest pace in nearly four years in July as the bulk of basic commodities posted slower price increases, giving the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) enough reason to keep interest rates low.

Apat na trabahador sa isang tindahan ng LPG sa Davao City ang isinugod sa ospital matapos magtamo ng matinding sugat sa katawan bunga ng naganap na pagsabog.

MANILA, Philippines — The economy is growing, but who’s enjoying it? President Aquino’s financial managers painted a generally rosy picture of the economy as the House of Representatives formally began deliberations Wednesday on the proposed national budget for next year.

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Higher Education has come up with a list of “priority courses” in a bid to steer college students toward degrees that the labor market needs.

MANILA, Philippines — More Filipinos are willing to pay for goods and services offered by companies that have implemented social programs in their target communities, a recent Nielsen survey showed.

The construction business that 47-year-old Alejandro Anareta Jr runs has seen brisk business in recent years, going from eight to 12 people when he first started to about 80 workers now.

MANILA, Philippines (CORRECTED) – Property developers appear to be refraining from launching new luxury residential projects in the country, according to a recent market report by CBRE Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines—With a medal haul of 23 golds, 45 silvers and 93 bronzes, a group of young Filipino numbers aces—mostly elementary and high school students from Metro Manila—topped the just-ended 2013 Singapore International Mathematics Contest, held on August 4 at the Global Indian International School in the so-called “Lion City.”

The Joint Foreign Chamber of the Philippines (JFC) is not in favor of the “across-the-board wage increase” in Manila, in reference to the petitions for minimum wage hike in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Philippines is seen to lead Southeast Asia in terms of growth as what was once regarded as Asia’s laggard spearheads an “outperforming” region this year until 2015 amid a weakening China.

MANILA, Philippines – Seven militant party-list representatives have decided to give up nearly P1.5 billion in pork barrel funds available to them for the next three years.

MORONG (PLDT/WeRoam) — Why would hard-nosed foreign investors locate in the Philippines if they cannot be assured of sufficient, steady and inexpensive electricity for their operations?

MANILA, Philippines – A rapid growth in money supply – not seen since before the Asian financial crisis of 1997 – could finance economic activity, but an investment bank warned it could also be a threat in the form of rising inflation.

You know that exercise and diet can help you lose weight. But did you know that there are certain foods that can help you lose weight easier and faster? If you’re concerned about gaining weight, then try to eat more of these diet-friendly foods in moderate amounts:

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has detained 18 Chinese men on suspicion of illegal black sand mining in Aparri, Cagayan, the justice department said Tuesday, August 6.

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday threw his support behind proposals to review the Salary Standardization Law to stem the reported exit of government workers for higher-paying jobs abroad.

Fewer Filipino families considered themselves poor in the second quarter of 2013, but more claimed to be food-poor during the same period, according to a new survey by pollster Social Weather Stations.

MANILA, Philippines – The country will experience tightness in power supply if the 600-megawatt coal-fired plant of RP Energy does not come in by 2015 or early 2016, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Irrigated farm areas expanded by an average of 1.2 percent between 2008 and 2012 with the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) having the biggest increase in irrigation areas, according the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).

MANILA, Philippines – A geology expert said banning open pit mining method has dire implications in construction, cement manufacturing and other key industries.

MANILA, Philippines – The chemical industry has added employment target as well as short-term priorities under a proposed road map.

Ten years ago, one case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection was reported every three days in the Philippines. Today, one case is diagnosed every three hours, according to TIME magazine. This does not include those unreported cases because of the stigma associated with HIV and AIDs. There were 24,000 cases in 2012, a low prevalence…

But aid group believes figures are tip of iceberg with many victims too scared to lodge complaints The first time “Maria” was raped, she didn’t tell anybody. “The first thing that came to my mind was that I didn’t want to lose my job.”

MANILA, Philippines – Domestic workers need not put up with abuses and exploitation just to keep their jobs.

MANILA, Philippines – The central bank is monitoring where funds from special deposit accounts (SDA) are being diverted after a “massive” outflow as a result of lower returns and stricter placement rules, an official said.

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Fifteen Chinese nationals were arrested the other day for allegedly engaging in illegal black sand mining in the coastlines of Cagayan.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) wants to simplify the country’s incentive regime by repealing incentive-giving laws and putting all incentives under the Investment Priorities Plan (IPP).

MANILA, Philippines – Here’s good news for nurses. The Department of Health (DOH) is set to absorb the nurses serving in far-flung communities under the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Services (RN Heals) program.

MANILA, Philippines – Washington-based group International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) wants the Philippines’ practice on workers’ rights to remain under the review of the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) despite the government’s efforts to reduce extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances.