Unfazed by the raging global economic crisis which has already displaced thousands of workers, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said it would intensify efforts to help more Filipinos find jobs abroad this year.

Secretary Jesli Lapus spearheaded the Department of Education’s thrust to improve the competency of public school students in English, Math and Science in 2008 and the training of school principals, regional directors, division superintendents and academic supervisors to turn them into good managers.

It was a tough year for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as it struggled to deal with a host of diplomatic issues ranging from piracy in Somalia and a territorial spat with Taiwan to defending the country’s human rights record.

The global financial crisis continues to agitate the major economies of the world. It began with the US which has been experiencing a recession since December 2007. The ripple effect of this financial catastrophe has affected the economic growth of emerging economies such as the Philippines. From an outstanding GDP growth of 7.3 percent in…

SINGAPORE: Oil prices ended the year below 40 dollars Wednesday in Asian trade after a tumultuous 2008 which saw prices hit record peaks before plunging to multi-year lows.

The bears ruled the local equities market in 2008, crashing down stocks to new lows as investors headed for the exits following the economic crisis in the United States and other developed countries.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SUPREME COURT MANILA TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES (TUCP), represented by its President, Democrito T. Mendoza  

Temporary workers like Toshie Helena Oguihara were a driving force behind Japan’s economic recovery in recent years, but when the recession returned they found themselves first in the firing line.

WASHINGTON: US President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan may cost between US$675 billion and US$775 billion (S$978 billion and S$1.12 billion) and will favour long-term infrastructure and job creation projects, his top aides said.

The government must give more incentives to encourage local carmakers to manufacture more vehicles locally, Isuzu Philippines Corp. president Keiji Takeda said recently.

From the start of the year, central bank officials knew that 2008 was not going to be an easy year.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has partnered with World Vision Development Fund (WVDF) for the training of public school teachers on anti-child exploitation advocacy.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the country’s maritime situation were placed under the spotlight again last year when the 23,824.17-ton M/V Princess of the Stars, carrying 864 passengers and crew, capsized one nautical mile off Sibuyan Island in Romblon on June 21.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago made a last-minute appeal for revelers to refrain from firing guns during New Year’s Eve.

Religious leaders called on Filipinos yesterday to work hard, exercise frugality and be compassionate and willing to help those in need in 2009.

SINGAPORE/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Many investors said good riddance on Wednesday to one of the worst years on record and prayed that government rescue plans will pull the global economy out of its fierce tailspin later in the new year.

MALOLOS CITY – Bulacan pyrotechnics manufacturers are counting on the law of economics to level the playing field for the local pyrotechnics industry against smuggled fireworks.

The see-saw economy, disasters both man-made and natural, sporting zeroes and heroes, and the usual political rigmarole dominated the headlines in the year just past.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday warned of a record high unemployment rate in the coming year due to the prevailing global economic crisis.

The flour industry is expected to bounce back next year after a difficult 2008 wherein prices became unstable as a result of the sharp increases in oil prices.

While a number of overseas Filipino workers, many from Taiwan, have been returning home jobless, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration records show that around 3,000 leave every day to work abroad. As the OFW picture keeps changing, note these POEA concerns: • The nationalization policy in many Gulf countries limits hiring foreign workers, particularly unskilled labor.…

A WHAT?: All businesses and households in Metro Manila, home to some 12 million residents spread over 620 square kilometers, pay a hefty “sewer” charge with their water bill, but most of them are not even aware of it.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Dr. Emmanuel Angeles III is not worrying over the reported cut on the budget of some 21 state universities and colleges (SUCs) made by the Senate, saying any such move would still be decided in the bicameral budget committee.

Nine out of 10 or 92 percent of Filipinos look forward to the New Year with hope rather than fear, a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

During these challenging times, foreign and local investors in the Philippines are looking into ways to cushion the effects of the global financial crisis on their businesses. For some, merger or consolidation of corporations is seen as a viable solution. But to the not so fortunate, closure or dissolution of a corporation is inevitable.

The government’s budget deficit could swell to as much as P160 billion in 2009 or two percent of gross domestic product (GDP), Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto said.

The year 2008 started promisingly. Higher production targets were set for palay and corn. The hog and poultry sector were continuing their recovery while the fisheries sector sustained its growth.

The country has enough foreign exchange reserves to cushion the economy from the impact of the expected slowdown in portfolio inflows from investments and exports.

You can’t control genetics or the guy on the bus who sneezes on you, but many factors that affect your health are well within your control. Here are nine simple and surprising ways to improve your and your family’s health in 2009.

The risk aversion of foreign investors should not be allowed to spill over to local investors whose loss of confidence could trigger a drastic drop in economic activity, the country’s top banker said.