by Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star), 19 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Japanese investment bank Nomura expects a 5.1 percent increase in remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) this year with the reopening of economies in host countries amid the continued rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

By Kris Crismundo, 18 May 2021 MANILA – An official of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said the agency remains optimistic on investments from Japanese companies despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

(Philstar.com), 18 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration uncovered a new human trafficking scheme that involves fake itineraries for aspiring overseas Filipino workers, only to be later illegally transported to United Arab Emirates.

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By Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com), 17 May 2021 Remittances are important to the consumption-reliant Philippines because they traditionally boost Filipinos’ purchasing power. MANILA, Philippines — Money sent home by Filipinos abroad posted another month of growth in March, but mainly due to benefits of a low base that hardly tell a convincing recovery.

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by Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star), 17 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — A continued increase in bad loans from the real estate sector and household consumption contributed mainly to the growth of the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of Philippine banks, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

by Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star), 17 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Even as more sections of the economy adapt to a more challenging environment, gains in employment cannot be sustained with the repeated imposition of strict lockdowns, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).

by Arra Perez, ABS-CBN News, 17 May 2021 MANILA — The government extended aid to over 2 million college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Prospero de Vera III said Monday.

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz, 17 May 2021 MANILA – A total of PHP322.4 million have been distributed to drivers and conductors of public utility vehicles (PUV) as part of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) Service Contracting Program.

By Ferdinand Patinio, 17 May 2021 MANILA – The government has committed funds worth PHP5.2 billion for the continuing repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

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by Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star), 16 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The credit card unit of Yuchengco-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) said consumers are shifting to more essential spending through e-commerce platforms due to the impact of the pandemic.

(by Philstar.com), 16 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Public school teachers will receive internet load worth three months for distance learning purposes by June, the Department of Education has said.

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CALOOCAN CITY, May 15 (PIA) — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) today announced the conviction of a woman for human trafficking by a Quezon City Court.

by Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star), 15 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — While there are signs that the economy is on the mend, recovery continues to be threatened by restrictions enforced to control the spread of COVID-19, the Department of Finance (DOF) said yesterday.

by Francis J. Kong (The Philippine Star), 15 May 2021 I remember telling a young man seeking marital advice: “In this country, you need to remember that you do not just marry the one you love, but you are marrying her entire family as well, so it would work best if you can get along…

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By Ferdinand Patinio, 14 May 2021 MANILA – Over 540,000 overseas Filipino workers have so far been assisted by the government in going back to their hometowns, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Friday.

by Gaea Katreena Cabico (Philstar.com), 14 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The country’s rainy season—characterized by the occurrence of thunderstorms, increased monsoon rains and regular tropical cyclones—usually begins in June.

By: Gabriel Pabico Lalu, INQINQUIRER.net, 14 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has reaffirmed its position that health policies and protocols should not put people at risk of violating their human rights after hearing reports that COVID-19 patients had their houses marked.

by Madelaine B. Miraflor, 14 May 2021 The country’s food producers – farmers, fishermen, and livestock raisers – are now facing the worst crisis in years. This was declared by United Broiler Raisers’ Association (UBRA) President Bong Inciong during the Farmers and Fisherfolks Congress on Friday. According to Inciong, the country’s food producers are now…

by Elijah Felice Rosales (The Philippine Star), 14 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Sending money to the Philippines remains among the cheapest globally, benefiting an economy reliant on remittances sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the World Bank said.

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Update on ASEAN growth rates in Q1 2021:?? +4.5%?? +0.2%?? -0.5%?? -0.7%?? -4.2% We're still lagging behind. pic.twitter.com/BNNdyojm6B — JC Punongbayan (@jcpunongbayan) May 13, 2021

The pandemic has hit the poor & other vulnerable groups the hardest. We estimate an extra 162 million people in Asia & the Pacific now live beneath the poverty line. We remain focused on helping the region address both poverty & inequality. More ? — Asian Development Bank (@ADB_HQ) May 13, 2021

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by Elijah Felice Rosales (The Philippine Star), 13 May 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank has urged governments in East Asia and the Pacific to widen social protections and reduce regulatory burdens plaguing the informal sector, paving the way for its integration into the economic mainstream.