Monthly Archives: April 2016

The Philippine Star, April 30, 2016, http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/04/30/1578096/remittances-remain-vital-forex-reserves-fitch MANILA, Philippines – Fitch Ratings said remittances from workers would remain a vital source of forex reserves for emerging economies in Asia including the Philippines.

by Victor S. Saulon, Businessworld, April 30, 2016 THE Philippines and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) signed a free trade agreement on Thursday after concluding two months ago the negotiations over a deal that is expected to boost the country’s strategic trade and economic partnership.

By Nneka McGuire, April 30, 2016 Because marriage should be a refuge, not a scene from Gladiator. Liam describes himself as a big bloke. In the same breath, the 45-year-old Irishman can recite the assaults he says he suffered at the hands of his soon-to-be ex-wife, from the sting of stab wounds to the crack…

By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star), Apr. 28, 2016 MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has assured the international community that it has taken steps to implement its own development agenda side-by-side the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

By Prinz Magtulis (The Philippine Star), Apr. 28, 2016 MANILA, Philippines – The government granted most income tax holidays (ITH) to underperforming sectors over the past few years, highlighting the need to restructure incentives that have taken more than P80 billion in state revenues.

by JEANDIE O. GALOLO, April 26, 2016, http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2016/04/26/mixed-stand-contractual-labor-470174 CEBU business groups appear to be divided on their stand on labor contractualization after the issue was raised during the presidential debate last Sunday.

By Rey Galupo (The Philippine Star), Apr. 26, 2016 MANILA, Philippines – Eight people, including minors, were rescued when police raided an illegal recruitment agency in Caloocan City on Sunday.

By Andrew M. Seaman, Apr. 26, 2016. (Reuters Health) – People who occasionally work night shifts may be at a slightly increased risk of heart disease, according to a new study.

by Colin Simpson, April 25, 2016,http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-24/china-s-white-collar-wages-outstrip-southeast-asian-salaries The labor cost advantage enjoyed by some Southeast Asian economies over China goes beyond factory jobs, according to a new study by Willis Towers Watson. Average base professional salaries in China are 1.9 to 2.2 times those of Vietnam and the Philippines, the study said.

By BBC Trending, 25 April 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-36112484 Disagreements about who should do housework blew up on Twitter in Saudi Arabia this week, and offered some insight into popular attitudes in the country. If you’re a Westerner, you might think this is another story about who should load the dishwasher, or about men not pulling their…

Read more here.

MANILA, April 22 – Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz recently signed Administrative Order No. 120, Series of 2016, or the Guidelines on the Implementation of Balik Pinay, Balik Hanapbuhay, to effectively provide and expand the employment and economic opportunities of distressed women overseas Filipino workers.

by ALBERT CASTRO, Malaya, April 21, 2016, http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/special-features/bpos-drive-property-amid-challenges The business process outsourcing (BPO) will continue to drive office space demand in the Philippines, with requirement seen to increase by 11 percent this year, according to property consultant Collier International.

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV – APRIL 21, 2016 DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 Apr) – A sub-contract worker of Therma South Inc. (TSI), a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., died Wednesday afternoon after he fell three floors high inside the first unit of the 300-MW coal-fired power plant.

By Jose C. Sison (The Philippine Star), April 20, 2016 This case of Fred and Medy resolves the issue of whether RA 9262 violates the constitutional provisions on equal protection and due process of law particularly about the protection orders from the barangay and the courts to prevent the commission of further acts of violence…

by Psyche Roxas Mendoza – April 19, 2016, http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-truth-about-election-spending-2/ Second of three parts Not many know about it, but that sleek and confident paid political advertisement—openly endorsing a senatorial, vice-presidential, or presidential hopeful on prime- time television—is the finishing touch to what political operators call the “overt side” of an election propaganda strategy.

By Eunice C. Abdon-Roces (The Philippine Star), Apr. 19, 2016 On March 18, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) soft-launched the SEC Express Nationwide Submission otherwise known as SENS. The SENS, as mentioned under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 1-2016, is one of the options available to corporations involving the non-appearance submission of SEC documents such…

by Cai Ordinario – April 19, 2016, http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/3-year-blueprint-pegs-infrastructure-spending-at-p3-trillion/ The government is targeting to spend as much as P3 trillion for infrastructure projects, from 2017 to 2019, in keeping with its goal of hiking public-infrastructure spending to at least 5 percent of GDP.

by Rizal Raoul Reyes – April 18, 2016, Asian men use smartphones, PCs more than women–report ASIAN women use personal computers (PCs) on Thursdays more than men, a report by Appier Inc. revealed. The report by the Taiwanese technology company shows that on average, Asian men are more active on both PCs and smartphones than…

by Psyche Roxas Mendoza, BusinessMirror – April 17, 2016, http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-truth-about-election-spending/ First of three parts LEAN, dark, of average height and with an easy smile, the not-yet-40, close-in security of a government official chose to have the interview at a restaurant close to his place of work.

by Cai Ordinario – April 17, 2016, http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/automation-threatens-filipino-online-freelancers-world-bank/ WHILE Filipinos comprised the largest population of online freelancers in the world, they are also considered easily replaceable by machines, according to the World Bank.

By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star), Apr. 17, 2016 WE HAVE been receiving email, mostly expressing concern, after the publication last April 12 of our Postscript titled “‘A-class’ con artists dupe condo buyers.” (The column is archived as http://tinyurl.com/z99oo36 at ManilaMail.com.) Among the readers who have reacted was Theo Arnold, who was for…

On Friday, President Barack Obama announced he would sign an Executive Order directing every relevant agency of the Federal government to take steps in identifying bottlenecks to competition and to create new ways to increase competition in the economy. The Executive Order puts agencies on a fast-track path to, within 60 days, identify the steps…

Tatlong manggagawa sa isang minahan sa Masbate ang namatay makaraan silang ma-suffocate sa isang mining pit sa bayan ng Aroroy.

by Economist, Apr 16th 2016, http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21696935-see-how-bright-future-solar-energy-look-developing-world-new-sunbathers?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/thenewsunbathers To see how bright the future of solar energy is, look to the developing world THE sun is the world’s battery pack. Photosynthesis captured the energy that is burned in fossil fuels. The sun drives the wind and ocean currents. And in an hour and a quarter the amount…

Mar S. Arguelles, @inquirerdotnet, Inquirer Southern Luzon, April 16th, 2016, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/779815/3-miners-die-in-masbate-mine-pit LEGAZPI CITY–Three gold miners died on Friday after they were trapped in a mining pit in Aroroy town in Masbate province, a report reaching the Philippine National Police (PNP) Bicol regional police office here said on Saturday.

Hong Kong’s cartels and protected business communities are waiting for a knock on the door. The city’s first effort to impose a wholesale ban on anti-competitive activities became law in December, and the new Competition Commission set up to enforce the rules is expected to begin its first attacks soon. Executives are signing up for…

MANILA — Malacanang has ordered the abolition of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Retirement and Separation System (AFP-RSBS) in an effort to curb inefficient public spending.

Singapore’s central bank unexpectedly eased its monetary stance, adopting a policy last used during the 2008 global financial crisis, as economic growth in the trade-dependent city-state ground to a halt.

WASHINGTON — The US State Department issued its annual “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2015” on Wednesday, pointing the finger at alleged rights abuses around the globe.