Monthly Archives: October 2020

by Tony Lopez, Manila Standard, 23 Oct 2020 “You cannot possibly get a better economic team than these two whiz kids of management and economics.” During the world’s worst crisis of the last 100 years, President Duterte has been blessed to have in his economic team the tandem of Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez and…

by Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star), 23 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Requests for the release of P46 billion for various projects aimed at cushioning the impact of the raging pandemic have been submitted to President Duterte’s office for approval, the budget department said yesterday.

by Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star), 23 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Control measures enforced at malls and shopping centers were relaxed beginning yesterday to allow more patrons to enjoy their visit, encourage spending and spur economic activity, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

30 Aug 2020 – What does it matter – the ‘low’ inflation rate – when, in COVID-19,  households are buying different commodities from what were in the CPI basket in 2018. True, nominally, minimum wage earners have lost buying power (about P15 in Metro Manila), but little consolation for those millions who have lost their…

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By: DJ Yap, Marlon Ramos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — After exposing a multibillion-peso scam involving immigration officers taking bribes from Chinese nationals arriving at the airport, the Senate panel headed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros will investigate reports of human trafficking as a third “revenue stream” of corruption in the Bureau…

by Catherine Talavera (The Philippine Star), 22 Oct 2020 In GCQ, MGCQ areas, with DOT OK MANILA, Philippines — Hotels in areas classified under general community quarantine and modified GCQ may now be allowed to operate at full capacity, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced yesterday.

Manila still looking to flatten curve while others already well By: Ben O. de Vera, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Although it imposed the longest and most stringent COVID-19 lockdown in the Asia-Pacific region, the delay in mass testing and dodgy contact tracing failed to contain the spread of the deadly…

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by Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star), 22 Oct 2020 One of my favorite pastimes before COVID-19 struck was visiting the friendly neighborhood seamstress. I would often ask her to alter clothes to perfection or turn fabric patches into ornamental coverings, kitchen towels or what-have-you.

by Catherine Talavera (The Philippine Star), 22 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT), is set to re-assess the age requirement for foreigners seeking retirement in the country after senators raised job sufficiency and national security issues last Tuesday.

by Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star), 22 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The completion of the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, also known as the Rockwell Bridge, is right on schedule, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

by Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star), 22 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — China should have the flexibility to hire personnel for the projects it is financing, Malacañang said yesterday, after some senators questioned the high percentage of Chinese workers involved in the construction of some bridges in Metro Manila.

By Ferdinand Patinio, 22 Oct 2020 MANILA – Around 900 informal sector workers who were displaced due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic are set to benefit from the initial rollout of the “free bicycles project” of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

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by Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star), 21 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Labor group Philippine Metalworkers’ Alliance (PMA) is urging the government to consider employment implications in the grant of reprieve to beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS), as well as to use a portion of the budget for the program to support…

by Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star), 21 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Cigarette manufacturer Japan Tobacco International (Philippines) Inc. is planning to increase its purchase of locally produced tobacco to support farmers reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

by Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star), 21 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has the fourth worst pension system among 39 countries, according to a study which benchmarks retirement income systems across the globe.

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by Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star), 21 Oct 2020 A powerful lobby is wangling a government permit to import tilapia from China at a time of local supply glut. Billion-peso profits are to be raked in at the expense of Filipino fish raisers.

by Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star), 21 Oct 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has offered to provide P4 billion worth of soft loans for micro and small enterprises or MSEs for the 13th month pay of employees, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday.

by Cody Cepeda, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 21 Oct 2020 (First of two parts) The Philippine garment industry right now reflects the state of the global garment industry which had been ripped at the seams by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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by Bilyonaryo, 21 Oct 2020 The Philippine economy is expected to fall by as much as 6 percent this year after the 15-day reimplementation of stricter quarantine measures in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces last August, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said.

Brush up on these skills that will command a premium in a few years. pic.twitter.com/DKsOk9itmC — Tina Arceo-Dumlao (@tinaarceodumlao) October 21, 2020

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