MINDANAO is now on “red alert” due to a power shortage, while Luzon will need more power generators in the next three years as a result of rising demand and the increasing population, Energy Secretary Jose Almendras said Tuesday.

MANILA – Is the Philippines emerging as an investor safe haven against economic weakness in the West and potential turbulence in China? A Bank of America-Merrill Lynch survey shows global fund managers have increased their “overweight” investment positions in the Philippines, making it the survey’s third-most preferred market in the world trailing only China and…

The thing certain with international factors affecting this year’s economic performance is that they are uncertain. Hence, we expect, as in the past, economic volatility. Economic and business expectations definitely have to factor in these uncertain events to manage the year right.

WHILE former President and incumbent Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga province has blamed the Aquino administration’s alleged “politics of division” as the reason for the economy’s growth rate to drop, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) cited global factors for the current economic slump the country is experiencing.

THE Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA 1) again made headlines in the international arena, but in a bad way. NAIA 1 was adjudged by travel guide Frommer’s as the second worst airport in the world.

All Filipino workers who will be evacuated from conflict-stricken countries will now be interviewed upon arrival in the country, Vice President Jejomar Binay said after the discovery of many underaged workers being sent abroad.

THE military said the communist organization in the country is stepping up its political rhetoric and venturing into the open political battlefield.

Whether you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or you’re trying (again) to quit smoking, changing any lifestyle behavior is notoriously difficult. Some people feel unsure of how to go about it. Others start off strong, only to revert to old ways within a matter of time.

The Senate started the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona yesterday with 11 House Representatives acting as prosecutors presenting 8 articles of impeachment. The House prosecution panel was composed of Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo, Joseph Emilio Abaya of Cavite, Raul Daza of Northern Samar, Georgidi Aggabao of Isabela, Marilyn Primicias Agabas of Pangasinan, Elpidio…

THE number of Filipino nurses wanting to work in the United States dropped by 42 percent to 5,630 in 2011 from 9,789 the year before, a former labor leader and now a lawmaker said Monday.

With a 50-percent increase in new HIV infections in the past 10 years and decreasing local and foreign funding for anti-AIDS programs, the Philippines has “a long way” to go to meet its sixth Millennium Development Goal (MDG)—to halt and reverse the spread of the dreaded disease by 2015.

Countries throughout the world will experience an economic slowdown this year as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe continues to unfold, according to a United Nations report launched today that also warns that governments must urgently address high unemployment rates, particularly among youth.

Philippine and Saudi officials have signed an agreement lifting the deployment ban on household service workers to Saudi Arabia, the Philippine mission in Riyadh said.

MANILA, Philippines—Remittances grew at a faster pace in November even though two of the Philippines’ key labor markets—the United States and Europe—continued to be plagued by economic problems.

The Middle East and Asia could hire at least 1.5m highly-skilled Filipino workers in 2012, according to Philippines Labour Undersecretary Danilo Cruz.

MANILA, Philippines—The number of Filipinos without jobs settled at 2.814 million in 2011 when the labor force breached the 40-million mark, according to the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES).

Notwithstanding the attention on the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona when Congress resumes session Jan. 16, the Department of Labor and Employment voiced hopes lawmakers can pass several key labor laws and international instruments.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has begun the shift to the K to 12 educational system, which will add two years to the current national basic education program. The new system is meant to tackle the many problems plaguing Philippine education: poor quality, poor internal inefficiency, inadequate faculty credentials and facilities, and a congested curriculum…

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

MANILA, Philippines – Portfolio investment inflows, also known as “hot money,’’ retreated by 11.5 percent in 2011, reflecting the jittery mood of fund managers worldwide brought about by rising growth concerns in the US and the debt crisis in Europe.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has to import more biothanol this year as local production still cannot cope with increasing demand for the alternative fuel, the Department of Energy (DOE) said.

IMPROVED fiscal situation will allow Southeast Asian economies, particularly the Philippines, to weather the global economic downturn and turbulence, according to the Bank of America (BofA) Merrill Lynch.

Facing an imminent displacement of some one million Filipinos employed by the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector and its allied industries, President Aquino appears unfazed and even called a bill pending in the United States to stop outsourcing of American jobs abroad a bluff.

An administration senator yesterday debunked claims made by Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on the need to increase members’ contributions to bankroll expansion of services and benefit packages since the government has enormous cash reserves and huge subsidies.

The Philippines was lumped among the world’s mostly unfree countries in the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, published annually by The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation, receiving a rank of 107 out of 179 countries on the list as it continues to rate poorly on the rule of law category despite President Aquino’s…

GLORIA CALLS NOY ‘LAZY, VISIONLESS, OBSESSED WITH POLITICAL WARFARE’ Former President Gloria Arroyo didn’t say “It’s the economy, Stupid in her article read by a US-trained economist, but it had the same ring as the slogan used by then US presidential candidate, Bill Clinton, who ended up winning the presidency twice.

Last month I wrote about a bill before Congress that would both help fight the offshoring of call-center jobs and protect consumers. Now the countries where we have been sending those jobs are organizing a lobbying campaign to fight the bill.

Focusing on ways to return jobs to the United States, a White House forum on “insourcing” this week highlighted the return of 400 US Airways reservations jobs to Winston-Salem, N.C., Phoenix, Ariz., and Reno, Nev.

MANILA, Philippines – The new enhanced curriculum for Grade 1 and 1st year high school students under the K (Kindergarten) + 12 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) by the Department of Education which will be introduced in school year 2012 to 2013, will be more “enjoyable” and more comprehensive to students. For one, DepEd said that…

MANILA, Philippines – The “Strengthened Technical-Vocational Education Program (STVEP), which the Department of Education (DepEd) launched in school year (SY) 2007-2008, has gone a long way in propping up, vitalizing and popularizing technical-vocation education (TVE) in public secondary schools.