MANILA, Philippines – A party-list lawmaker is facing graft charges for allegedly diverting portions of his pork barrel funds to build a hotel in a privately owned resort in Laguna and finance a protest rally against the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

CEBU, Philippines – The obvious problem of human resource shortage in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) has prompted a group of Cebuano entrepreneurs to open up a training center to equip potential manpower with employable skills.

HONG KONG – At least four Filipino domestic workers who have been working here for more than 20 years have waged a legal battle for the Hong Kong government to grant them permanent residency. The High Court is scheduled to hear one of the three petitions on Aug. 22, which was filed by Evangeline Vallejos,…

MANILA, Philippines — More than 600 youths were awarded with scholarships on Tuesday by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for free training as a new batch of scholars.

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MANILA, Philippines – Here’s good news for workers nationwide. The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) yesterday said that the two-tiered wage system is now in effect, which means workers can look forward to better pay in the coming days.

THE Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) are among the major problems plaguing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including seamen, today.

Perhaps because life is harder, Filipino consumers appear to be developing wiser purchasing habits. They seek out promotions that offer their favorite products at lower prices, and seem to be doing more price comparisons before making any purchases.

‘We like Filipinos’ The Philippines on Tuesday welcomed an envoy loyal to embattled Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, who assured that some 1,700 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who opted to remain in the rebellion-torn country were safe, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

TOKYO — Asia could be as wealthy as Europe by mid-century, but only if it tackles key challenges from inequality and corruption to climate change, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) study said.

DAVAO CITY Aug.2 –The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, Inc. (PBGEA) in partnership with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) broke ground for the two-classroom building donation to Elias P. Dacudao Gumalang School of Home Industries at Purok 1, Brgy. Gumalang, Baguio District, Davao City last July 28, 2011.

MANILA, Philippines – Only one in every 200 blood packs donated to the Department of Health, blood banks, and the Red Cross tested positive for HIV in June, a health official said Monday.

AGENT ATTRITION and slow hiring now threaten the call center industry’s expansion, the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) warned during its two-day annual summit that started yesterday.

CIVIL SOCIETY organizations (CSOs) yesterday presented findings of their monitoring of state programs to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), as part of preparations for the full participation of such groups in the crafting of the 2013 budget.

People are living longer today than ever before. As the population ages, many senior citizens are burdened with chronic illnesses, but many others remain healthy and active. When researchers study aging, they distinguish between changes caused by disease and those caused by aging itself. It’s important to do this. It has taught us, for instance,…

A STRONG peso and the lack of qualified workers could dampen the growth of the call center industry over the next five years, according to the Contact Center Association of the Philippines.

PEPING SAYS: On Hacienda Luisita, Postscript has received an email from businessman Jose “Peping” Cojuangco saying: “Whenever I can, I follow your column which I find to be one of the fair commentaries currently in the media. I write you to clarify certain facts about Hacienda Luisita.

(DTI) on Monday admitted that the high cost of electricity in the country gives foreign investors second thoughts about investing in the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje has tightened the ban on a number of social networking websites, including Facebook and YouTube, by ordering a software audit of all desktop and laptop computers connected to the department’s central office Internet server.

MANILA, Philippines – The government will target the country’s 1.7 million professionals like lawyers and doctors in its tax examination and revenue generation campaign next year, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said yesterday.

AQUINO GRADED ZERO IN CONTRA-SONA Following the tradition of the opposition in Congress delivering a contra-Sona (State of the Nation Address) the minority bloc in the House of Representatives yesterday gave President Aquino a grade of zero in terms of accomplishments in his one year in office as head of state and government.

When we think of “hazardous” occupations we usually think of people who work with heavy machinery, technicians who handle toxic chemicals, race car drivers, medical professionals who treat infectious diseases, firemen and policemen. Office workers don’t usually come to mind, but they also face health risks even in the most secure and comfortable-looking work environments.

Survey reveals migrant workers’ uphill struggle Catholic Church News Image of Workers decry ‘two-week rule’ Maria’s employer sometimes gives her only a half day off or no day off at all on Sunday, and she receives no compensation for it.

MANILA, Philippines – More units of donated blood were found to be HIV-contaminated, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

MANILA, 1 August 2011-Intimate partner and sexual violence against women is a major public health problem. Many women suffer a wide range of physical, mental and reproductive health problems as a result of such violence. Moreover, a massive burden is placed on national economies due to increased expenditure on health care, law enforcement and lost…

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is set to conduct lifestyle checks on professionals – including doctors, lawyers and accountants – in a move to convince self-employed people to pay their proper taxes to the government.

MANILA, Philippines – Some $1.5 billion worth of annual remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia could be lost because of the kingdom’s Nitaqat program, which requires more than 300,000 firms there to increase their hiring of locals, and lessen their employment of foreigners, an administration lawmaker said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Sweden gets the top spot in a global study of “useful connectivity” that measured 50 countries in terms of infrastructure, complementary skills, software and informed use of information technology and communications for socio-economic growth.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are collaborating in training overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to become entrepreneurs which will hopefully help strengthen the Philippines’ exporting capability.

Enjoy Life. There is no 2nd chance!! (To those of us who are already there and to those who ill soon be there).