As the country awaits the audit results of the influential European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) on the employment fate of our Filipino officers assigned to man European vessels, here now is much-delayed news from our esteemed colleagues in Congress.

(Reuters Health) – Older people who take blood pressure medications had more serious injuries from falls than those not taking medications, according to a new study. The added risk with blood pressure meds for falls that cause serious injury has been suggested before, but older people shouldn’t stop taking their medications based just on these…

Administration insiders I have talked to in recent days open the conversation by saying that they are now in catch up mode, specially in the infrastructure area. I shouldn’t worry too much about DOTC, some of them reassured me, because P-Noy is already on their case.

Boost to come from higher infra spending, consumption MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine economy is seen to expand by 7.5 to 8 percent this year, driven largely by the expected increase in the government’s infrastructure spending and continued robust consumption, according to the Metrobank-led First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC).

MANILA, Philippines – Nurses who work overseas outnumber those who work in the Philippines four to one, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said.

A retired CEO, Jerry was a sad, aging man who reflected constantly on the emptiness of his life. Listening to him, it became clear to me that he had never had any interests outside work. And the prospect of spending time at home with a partner who seemed to have turned into a stranger made…

Filipinos seeking work in Saudi Arabia may benefit from automated procedures in the recruitment process, following a recent meeting between labor officials from the two countries, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

The Aquino administration has less than half of a six-year term left, highlighting the need to step up decision-making and implementation of reforms to generate more jobs and spur inclusive growth, business leaders said Wednesday.

Gov’t vows to bring down rate to 18%-20% by 2016 MANILA, Philippines—The government has conceded that the Philippines will miss its 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on poverty reduction.

Revelations of mistreatment of maids and cleaners add to picture of widespread labour abuse in World Foreign maids, cleaners and other domestic workers are being subjected to slave-like labour conditions in Qatar, with many complaining they have been deprived of passports, wages, days off, holidays and freedom to move jobs, a Guardian investigation can reveal.

To effectively perform its collection of taxes for nation-building, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recommends to the Department of Finance (DOF) the issuances of Revenue Regulations (RR) which specify, prescribe or define rules and regulations for the enforcement of the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended (Tax Code) and…

MANILA, Philippines – The Science and Technology department’s Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) aims to make the Philippines 99 percent connected to the Internet by 2015.

MANILA – They are happy with their jobs, but do not want to stay longer than a year. A study commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) last year showed that business process outsourcing (BPO) workers are generally happy with their high-paying jobs, but think of leaving them…

MANILA, Philippines—Masseurs and masseuses in spa and wellness clinics in Manila would be required to undergo regular screening for sexually transmitted infections under a proposed new ordinance to strengthen the city’s program for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS.

MANILA – The Philippines financial system would still have to go through a lot of reforms to be able to fully reap the benefits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) financial market integration come 2020, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) senior official said on Monday.

MANILA, Philippines – Private educational institutions welcomed the government’s plan for a voucher system in giving financial assistance to incoming students in senior high school under the K to 12 program.

MANILA, Philippines – The Information Technology Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) is planning to update its road map to set targets until 2020 as it seeks to grow and make the country a preferred destination for both voice and non-voice services.

Let us not over-react to the recent Supreme Court decision on the Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175). We should carefully study the entire case first before attacking the court and its decision on the matter.

MANILA, Philippines – About 90 percent of cases filed in court were dismissed due to police negligence, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

MANILA, Philippines – Only Associate Justice Marvic Leonen voted for the decriminalization of libel online and in the Revised Penal Code when the Supreme Court (SC) deliberated on the constitutionality of the Cybercrime Law last week.

Over the past two months or so, we have been hearing various stories, accusations and counter accusations from power industry participants on what or who really caused that atrocious hike in Meralco power rates. I don’t see closure coming around soon and that’s not good for the power industry.

MANILA, Philippines – Businessmen urged the Aquino administration to support proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 such as improving the role of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Full article here http://technology.inquirer.net/34439/sc-explains-why-only-authors-may-be-prosecuted-for-online-libel#ixzz2uDYxYiZK

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines can adopt strategic positioning in a bid to capture more investments coming in the region brought about by a bigger market in the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

The Aquino administration may have most likely posted significant gains in implementing the necessary reforms and recommendations proposed under the Arangkada Philippines report, the latest assessment for which will be out this week.

Workers involved in the removal of asbestos run the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. Asbestos is only a risk if there is the potential for people to be exposed to fibres of a specific geometry that may lodge within the lining of their lungs.

Members of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry will appeal the memorandum circular of the Department of Labor and Employment in Region 6, asking businessmen affected by super typhoon “Yolanda” to file for six-month exemption from the P10 wage hike.

The year 2013 was one of the nation’s worst in terms of misfortunes. But it did not fade Filipinos’ sunny outlook, judging from a survey at the end of last year. While Filipinos remain optimistic that their lives will improve in the next 12 months, their outlook on the economy dipped slightly in the fourth…

The Supreme Court ruling on the validity of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10175) will be studied as a landmark case dealing with modern everyday information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as the Internet, cellular phones, and social media.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRLog (Press Release) – Feb. 23, 2014 – QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Over 300 Filipino nurses from all over the world gathered for the first ever Global Summit of Filipino Nurses 2014 last January at the Manila Hotel in the Philippines. With the theme “Filipino Nurses Worldwide: Unite for Global Health and…