by Beh Lih Yi, Feb 2, 2018 KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Inspired by the mobile game Pokemon Go, campaigners in the Philippines are using a smartphone app to send users to locations with condom dispensers in a bid to promote safe sex and break stigma to fight a worsening HIV epidemic.

By Jess Diaz and Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star), Feb 1, 2018 MANILA, Philippines — Leftist lawmakers opposed yesterday the plan of the Social Security System (SSS) to increase employees’ monthly premium contribution from 11 percent to 14 percent of their salary.

by Ben O. de Vera, Inquirer, Feb 1, 2018 Raising the contribution rate of Social Security System (SSS) members to 14 percent would make the pension fund for private workers at par with that of government employees, Social Security Commission chair Amado D. Valdez said Thursday.

by Jhoanna Ballaran, Inquirer, Feb 1, 2018 Labor groups trooped to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) office in Manila on Thursday to condemn the frequent fire incidents in factories and the “worsening” labor conditions in the country.

by Daxim L. Lucas, Inquirer, Feb 1, 2018 Monetary planners are keeping a careful watch on potential “second round” effects on the Duterte administration’s tax hikes that were implemented last month in a bid to keep prices of goods and services from rising more than they should, the country’s central bank chief said on Thursday.

By Samuel P. Medenilla, Businessmirror, Feb 1, 2018 Economic-zone locators throughout the country will be subjected to thorough inspection by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to check their compliance with labor and safety standards, including possible use of illegal contractualization schemes.

By Jaimie Rose R. Aberia Manila Bulletin, Feb 1, 2018 Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has authorized 126 deputized inspectors who are members of labor organizations, employer representatives and professional groups to participate in the inspection of enterprises for compliance with labor standards.

Thursday, February 01, 2018 By GEROME M. DALIPE, Sunstar, Feb 1, 2018 Cebu Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras has convicted a pimp of recruiting two women for sexual exploitation in 2014. Judge Peras found Frankie Arnaiz Basera guilty of violating Sec. 4 of Republic Act (RA) 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act,…

http://blogs.worldbank.org/education/2017-top-ten-world-bank-education-blogs?cid=ECR_TT_worldbank_EN_EXT As the editor of the World Bank’s education blog, I get weekly submissions from our education experts from all corners of the globe. Provocative and informative, our bloggers write about some of the education sector’s most hotly debated issues today.

by Tech Collective, Feb 1, 2018 What makes a great leader? Great leaders have conquered lands, built empires, and changed the course of history in their lifetime. But what truly made them great?

Reports from Vince F. Nonato and Julie M. Aurelio, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jan 31, 2018 The House of Representatives on Monday passed on third reading a proposed law that would legalize contractual labor only if allowed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and regularize a contractual employee who had rendered six months of…

The Philippines drops 18 slots to rank 88th out of 113 countries in the newly released World Justice Project Rule of Law Index by Carmela Fonbuena, Rappler, Jan 31, 2018 MANILA, Philippines – Rule of law in the Philippines deteriorated significantly since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power, according to the newly-released World Justice Project…

BY PATRICK ROXAS, TMT, Manila Times, Feb 3, 2018 SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: Shipbuilding giant Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines (HHIC-Phils) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Alyansa ng Manggagawang Pilipino Organisado-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Amapo-TUCP) for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the company’s 18 subcontractors and its counterpart labor unions.

While many leaders believe the integrated teams will come to pass, only 50% believe automation will actually free up any time for employees.

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BY EUGENE Y. ADIONG , Manila Times, Jan 28, 2018 BACOLOD CITY: Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a Jordanian, identified as Imad Housni Hamdan, for recruiting domestic helpers for Saudi Arabia in Barangay Bagacay, Dumaguete City. Complainants Jenypher Alcoran of Bacong, Negros Oriental, Sarah Jane Fabros and Ma. Blessyl Sarao, both…

CEO sends message to employees of the oldest and largest conglomerate in PH By: Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala – @inquirerdotnet, Jan 28, 2018 I write this note as part of a new tradition that I wanted to implement this year. So many events happen in any given year and there is never much time…

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by Joe Kaeser, Jan 25, 2018 Although we have only seen the beginning, one thing is already clear: the Fourth Industrial Revolution is the greatest transformation human civilization has ever known. As far-reaching as the previous industrial revolutions were, they never set free such enormous transformative power.

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By: Nestor Corrales, INQUIRER.net, Jan 25, 2018 President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed the members to the consultative committee to review the 1987 Constitution.

by David Lawder, Jan 25, 2018 MONTREAL (Reuters) – U.S. and Mexican unions formally complained to the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday that Mexico continues to violate NAFTA’s weak labor standards, a move that they hope will persuade U.S. negotiators to push for stronger rules.

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by Inquirer Research, Jan 25, 2018 Joblessness in the country fell to a 13-year low last December to 15.7 percent from 18.9 percent in September, a decline of 1.5 million adult Filipinos without jobs, results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed. The decline coincided with the 6.6 percent expansion of the gross domestic…

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by Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News, Jan 24, 2018 Joblessness in the Philippines dropped to 15.7 percent with 7.2 million jobless adults, according to the Social Weather Stations’ 2017 fourth quarter survey released on Tuesday.