Sec. Abad: New expenditure plan a blueprint for inclusive growth A day after President Benigno Aquino III delivered his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), Secretary of Budget Florencio “Butch” Abad will be submitting to Congress today the National Expenditure Program for FY 2014—a blueprint of the Aquino Administration’s development agenda to sustain the…

LONDON (Reuters) – Global consumer confidence rose in the second quarter with more optimistic perceptions about jobs, personal finances and spending intentions in the United States, China and Japan, a survey shows.

http://www.development.asia/PDF/issue14/devasia14-5.pdf

MANILA, Philippines – Did the President fulfill promises he made in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year? Rappler’s research team compiled the promises that President Benigno Aquino III made when he faced the nation in 2012 and tracked whether his administration has delivered on them.

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Businesses told not to worry about impending changes MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is primed and ready for the integration of economies among the 10-member states of the Asean by 2015, said Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, who shrugged off claims by certain groups that the country is inadequately prepared.

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DAVAO CITY—The long years of neglect that Mindanao suffered would have its painful and telling blow when the country is forced to open its entire economy to the scheduled single market of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) by 2015.

In the Asia-Pacific region, considered the biggest and densest part of the world, deaths from viral hepatitis each year are three times higher than those of HIV/AIDS, a study said.

The Association of Licensed Recruitment Agencies to Singapore (ALRAS) yesterday declared a self-imposed moratorium on deploying Household Service Workers (HSWs) to Singapore beginning September 2.

Brussels 19 July 2013 (ITUC OnLine): International unions welcomed the statements from G20 Labour and Finance Ministers following their first joint meeting in Moscow but warned the crisis of unemployment and inequality has reached critical levels and requires an urgent action plan to drive investment and create jobs.

“Patay ang dalawang tripulante matapos makalanghap ng hinihinalang sodium cyanide sa loob ng storage ng kanilang MV San Felipe fishing boat sa Taytay, Palawan.” Patay ang dalawang tripulante matapos makalanghap ng hinihinalang sodium cyanide sa loob ng storage ng kanilang MV San Felipe fishing boat sa Taytay, Palawan.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is looking into the possibility of hiring 9,000 assessors and trainors to teach technical vocational courses for students under the K to 12 program.

MANILA, Philippines – With 1.3 million people employed in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, the Philippines is seeing a quickly growing affluent middle class. With new money, this boost in purchasing power is something retailers look out for.

An official of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) on Tuesday said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the hiring freeze in Taiwan can look for greener pastures in New Zealand.

MANILA, Philippines – Close to 410,000 public school teachers can expect to receive their performance-based bonus next week, an official of the Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday.

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday new rules to protect the rights of foreign domestic workers, most of whom are from South Asia, but stressed they must “respect” Islam and “obey” their employers.

MANILA – The Social Security System (SSS) on Monday announced the suspension of new rules that would allow members 65 years old and above to enjoy retirement pension if they complete 120 months of contributions.

Sen Miriam Defensor Santiago Editor’s Note: Below is the keynote speech she delivered on July 15, 2013 at the opening ceremonies of the 2013 National Accountancy Week celebration by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Makati City.

MANILA, Philippines — A bill that will prohibit and penalize employers who will decline any application or forcibly lay off a worker on the basis of age and other forms of discrimination has been filed at the Senate.

MANILA, Philippines – Highly skilled Filipino workers could still apply for jobs in Taiwan despite the hiring freeze, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Monday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines recorded 68 index points and ranked 8th among 16 Asia-Pacific countries covered by the latest MasterCard Index of Financial Literacy.

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court on Tuesday, July 16 extended the status quo ante order (SQAO) freezing the implementation of the controversial Reproductive Health law.

Evidence-based strategies—the pragmatic pursuit of polices that worked—were at the front and center of developing Asia’s extraordinary success in raising living standards and reducing extreme poverty over the past two decades.

PANGASINAN Rep. Kimi Cojuangco and her husband Mark on Sunday warned that the Palace will be committing “conspiracy and economic sabotage” by removing a P50-million budget allocation for the annual maintenance of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant to pave the way for its permanent closure next year.

Business processing outsourcing (BPO) company Transcom Philippines recently declared the Philippines as the “Call Centre Capital of the World.”

The Social Security System (SSS) has suspended a management order to cut off lifetime pension for elderly members, who reached age 65 last April but short of the required 120 monthly contributions, a senior official said on Monday.

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MANILA, Philippines – Local and foreign banks have upgraded their growth forecasts for the Philippines this year on expectations that robust consumer spending and investments would thwart the impact of still-weak trade demand.