MANILA, Philippines – The number of jobless Filipinos grew in January compared to a year ago despite the country’s strong economic performance.

MANILA, Philippines – Power industry regulators voided yesterday the sharp hikes in electricity rates in December 2013 and in January this year, saying “market failure” in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) had pushed rates by more than half of what was justified during the period.

At the start of the National People’s Congress, the Chinese government announced a substantial increase in their military spending and now, officials have declared war – that is, against pollution. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang himself has acknowledged that pollution has become a very big problem in his country and is threatening GDP growth, not to…

As we get closer to the April 15 deadline, taxpayers should be wary of changes in the preparation and filing of annual income tax returns (ITR). On Jan. 24, 2014, the BIR issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 2-2014 which revamped the forms to be used by individual taxpayers for the filing of ITR for taxable…

Recently, Senate President Franklin Drilon met with a group of businessmen mostly from the domestic shipping industry which included Edgardo Lacson, president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the disease that results from damage to one’s immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The disease begins as HIV infection, wherein the person still feels healthy. However, as symptoms occur, the disease may be called AIDS.

Providing training, health-care and childcare to female workers has an impact that stretches beyond the factory floor. The world’s clothes are mostly made by female workers. Typically, they are young, with limited education, and live in developing countries. It has been well documented that working conditions across garment industries are in much need of improvement.…

All of a sudden, the erratic Department of Transportation and Communications was changing its plan to build the common station for light rail transits MRT 3 (Edsa line) and LRT 1 (Taft-Rizal-Edsa line) at the mall called SM City North.

MANILA, Philippines – Graduates of the University of the Philippines, Central Mindanao University and Xavier University topped the licensure examination for teachers, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced yesterday.

HUNDREDS of thousands of residents in four Mindanao provinces continued to suffer from rolling blackouts over the weekend, but the Energy Department was still in the dark about the major systemwide outage that crippled almost the entire island on Feb. 27.

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay’s decision to leave the PDP-Laban and form his own party in preparation for his presidential run in 2016 has prompted a few others to announce their own electoral plans but to declare at the same time that it is much too early for them to take the plunge. I speak…

Foreign investments hit $3.86B; net ‘hot money’ inflow topped $4B MANILA, Philippines — Long-term foreign investments in the Philippines surged in 2013 amid the confidence toward the booming domestic economy, allowing the country to gain some ground from its richer neighbors.

From the time President Benigno Aquino 3rd was sworn into office on June 30, 2010, and for nearly four years running, the Aquino administration has been implementing a political program and strategy that is called in Washington DC, as “the Permanent Campaign.”

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Six crewmembers of a cargo ship suffered second and third degree burns after a minor explosion hit the vessel while docked at the Bredco port here yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Alarmed over the increasing number of hospital admissions due to abortion, Health Secretary Enrique Ona yesterday pressed again for the immediate implementation of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law.

Ignored and forgotten by legislators, government officials, workers, and its beneficiaries, the Employees’ Compensation Commission is a lost national social insurance institution that is now seldom mentioned despite its growing and very liquid assets of P45 billion.

OFW FAMILY PARTY-LIST PRESS RELEASE March 5, 2014 CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING HOUSE BILL NO. 3576 This is to clarify some information regarding House Bill No. 3576: AN ACT AUTHORIZING AMBASSADORS, CONSUL GENERALS, CHIEFS OF MISSIONS OR CHARGE D’ AFFAIRS TO ORDER AND DIRECT AN OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKER (OFW) TO SEND SUPPORT TO HIS OR HER LEGAL…

SAN FRANCISCO — Tablet shipments will increase this year but at a much slower pace than in 2013 as consumers remain content with the devices they already own, market research firm IDC said on Thursday.

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China lured less foreign direct investment than Southeast Asia’s biggest economies combined in 2013 amid faster wage growth and a shrinking labor force in the Communist country, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

There is an old cartoon I often show to the managers I work with. It portrays a smiling executive team around a long table. The chairman is asking, “All in favor?” Everyone’s hand is up. Meanwhile, the cloud hovering above each head contains a dissonant view: “You’ve got to be kidding;” “Heaven forbid;” “Perish the…

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There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

CEBU, Philippines – Three persons, including a 16-year-old boy, drowned inside a septic tank they were supposed to clean Sunday evening in Barangay Poblacion, Cordova town.

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There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala is one of Noynoy Aquino’s Cabinet favorites. That’s because, as the President likes, Alcala reports solutions, not problems. But the boss is in for a big letdown soon. That’s when he finds out that Alcala has created a looming rice crisis – for which there are no quick solutions.

Those long lines of people seeking an NBI clearance used to snake from the top floor of MegaMall to the basement where NBI has a small receiving office. At the Robinson’s Galleria mall, I am told people line up as early as 3 a.m. for a number to get that precious NBI document.

MANILA, Philippines – At least P24 million has been allocated for the forging of an agreement that would allow doctors and other Filipino professionals to freely practice their profession in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported over the weekend.

Secretary of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday directed the Employees’ Compensation Commission to prescribe the guidelines for the implementation of the Labor Code provision penalizing employers who fail to comply with any law, or to install and maintain safety devices, or take other precautions for the prevention of injury.