Monthly Archives: July 2014

PHILIPPINE economic growth could slow this year and the next as it moves closer to its trend path, Fitch Ratings yesterday said, with low incomes, muted revenues and political uncertainties holding back the country’s potential. Slower growth of 6.5% is “likely sustainable,” according to Fitch Ratings. 

KEY INTEREST RATES were hiked by the Monetary Board yesterday in a “preemptive” move aimed at anchoring persistently elevated inflation expectations.

MANILA, Philippines – Reproductive health will get a P3.274-billion funding under the 2015 proposed budget submitted by Malacanang to Congress.

Fears that the west African Ebola outbreak could spread to other continents grew on Wednesday (July 30) with European and Asian countries on alert and a leading medical charity warning the epidemic was out of control.

MANILA, Philippines – Government employees yesterday launched a campaign pressing President Aquino to account for the P178.7-billion Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which they claimed were mostly sourced from their benefits and pension.

An agency under the Office of the President has been refusing to repay the Social Security System (SSS) P5.3 billion in obligations. And yet, Presidents habitually use SSS money for mass housings that hardly benefit its members.

MANILA, Philippines – More foreign direct investments from Japan are expected to reach the country as it continues to shy away from China, analytics firm IHS said.

MANILA, Philippines—Sixteen new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which could lead to the fatal Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), are reported everyday, according to the Department of Health (DOH). Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the DOH National Epidemiology Center, said the number of cases reported daily increased from only 12 cases a day in…

There were fewer hungry families in the second quarter of 2014, with about 300,000 fewer families going hungry compared to the first quarter, according to a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations.

Bright prospects seen in electronics, apparel, food The Philippines has been identified as one of the emerging manufacturing nations in the region, but the country’s developments in this sector may still be paling in comparison to those seen among its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). In a July 2014 edition of…

MANILA – The standard service and recruitment contract between domestic helpers and recruiters in the country have been translated into 12 local languages, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a news release Wednesday.

A few weeks ago, we were asked to analyze a competency model for leadership development that a client had created. Its was based on the idea that at different points in their development, potential leaders need to focus on excelling at different skills. For example, in their model they proposed that a lower level manager…

WITH the economic integration in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) happening next year, member-countries that envisioned a single market and production base are also pressing to integrate with the global community, an expert said. Glenda T. Reyes, component lead of the Trade and Investment Policy of Deloitte Consulting LLP said during the Department of…

MANILA, Philippines – The Omani government has restricted the entry of Filipinos and other foreign workers in the sultanate, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The number of Filipino families who consider themselves poor rose by more than half a million in the past three months, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed. Fifty-five percent of respondents or about 12.1 million rated themselves poor or mahirap in the SWS nationwide survey.

WALL STREET banking giant Morgan Stanley has downgraded to “underweight” its tag on Philippine shares, along with Thai equities, according to a note it sent to clients on Tuesday that laid out its outlook for the second half.

MANILA, Philippines – AIESEC is an international non-profit organization that provides young people with leadership opportunities to develop themselves into global leaders with an urge to make a difference in society. AIESEC in the Philippines is currently present in eight schools nationwide and establishing chapters in eight more. Founded in 1968, AIESEC in the Philippines…

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are ready for the competition with their ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) counterparts when ASEAN Economic Integration kicks in next year, 2015.

If you listen to businessmen talking about expected power blackouts next year, you would start blaming Energy Secretary Ikot Petilla for aborting the economic takeoff. For many, Petilla need not emphasize the obvious but just quietly do what he must to alleviate the problem.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) documented more than 1,700 cases of child abuse and bullying in school year 2013-2014 after Republic Act 10627, the Anti-Bullying Act, was passed last year.

Today’s has got to be Noynoy Aquino’s most awaited State of the Nation, since his first yearly July address in 2010. Filipinos want to hear what the President whom critics deem to be politically dead will say.

MANILA, Philippines — The birth of the 100 millionth Filipino baby should compel the government to fully implement the reproductive health law, former Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said.

No employer can just terminate the employment of regular employees without just cause or due process. And those who are accusing the President with any impeachable offense should better make sure that their hands are clean. In the same manner, those who are asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision should also be prepared…

INCREASING minimum wages reduces employment and brings more people into poverty, the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) said.

MANILA, Philippines—Rosemarie Pendon, 24, lives in Lagro, Quezon City and has mobile broadband sticks from three different telecommunications networks (telcos) but none can provide the sufficient signal for her to connect to the internet while inside her home. “With Smart and Globe, you have to go outside of the house to get a signal. For…

MANILA – The Philippines will be facing new challenges and opportunities as its population reaches 100 million on Sunday, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said.

WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that geopolitical risks in Ukraine and the Middle East are looming over a global economy already hit by slowdowns in the US and China.

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the Philippines’ ranking fifth in the World Economic Forum’s 2013 Global Gender Gap Index, the incidence of violence against women and children has continued to rise.

MANILA, Philippines–By the reckoning of a population expert, the Philippine population will hit 100 million at 12:06 a.m. or thereabouts on Sunday. Be happy if your baby is born around that time because you will earn P5,000.

(Updated 10:35 a.m.) With three days to go before President Benigno Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address, pollster Pulse Asia released results of a new survey showing his administration getting a poor mark in what Filipinos deem a top national concern—controlling inflation.