CATHOLIC residents of Ayala Alabang have passed a village ordinance banning sex education, condoms, pills and other birth control devices in their posh subdivision, triggering a constitutional challenge from their equally rich but more famous neighbors such as former President Fidel Ramos, Senator Pia Cayetano, former Health secretary Esperanza Cabral, and Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon.

A BILL backed by the Liberal Party has been filed to “democratize the power of the purse” by giving civil society groups equal footing with lawmakers in crafting the national budget.

After Tuesday’s 20,000-strong march in Bacolod City opposing the passage of the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill, Church and pro-life groups are gearing up to hold more street protests this weekend in the Eastern Visayas cities of Tacloban and Ormoc.

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City is now requiring people who buy condoms to present a doctor’s prescription.

Five government agencies have set up special windows to expedite the processing of documents and requirements for the visa of Taiwan-bound Filipino workers amid the rift between Manila and Taipei.

MANILA, Philippines – The labor department has settled a 2-month labor dispute at San Miguel Foods, Inc.,with labor and management inking a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

CEBU, Philippines – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) members in accredited hospitals nationwide will soon avail reimbursement for 22 common medical and surgical cases.

The Department of Energy (DOE) allayed fears about a possible oil supply disruption amid heightening tensions in the Middle East and North Africa, as the price of crude shot up to a multi-year record.

THE Aquino administration on Thursday approved the reduction of the fare hike at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 to P25 from an earlier proposal of P30.

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday asked those who are qualified as voters to sign up when the continuing registration of voters resumes from April 1 to Oct. 31.

MANILA, Philippines – Businessmen expect a more buoyant economy this year as business optimism hit a new all-time high for the next quarter after a slight dip in the current quarter due to the usual slowdown in business activity after the Christmas and harvest seasons, results of a survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng…

MANILA, Philippines –  Two alleged officials of a labor organization were arrested by Manila police officers in the act of extorting money from a businessman during an entrapment operation in Sta. Cruz, Manila yesterday.

Today a privileged few will be celebrating and commemorating their revolution and their recurring victory. Once again “they” are the “bidas” and heroes of a struggle that millions of Filipinos mounted, but benefitted only the rich and now the powerful.

Nursing dream fades for Filipinos as UK jobs dry up Tony Blair’s NHS boost prompted a wave of nurse training in the Philippines. But thousands have been left stranded Sarah Boseley: Health worker shortage needs to be addressed NHS hospital 50,000 nurses qualified in the Philippines last year. Many hope to work in the NHS,…

Several maid agencies in Singapore have been called up by the country’s anti-competition watchdog, following earlier reports that they would raise the pay of new maids from $380 to $450.

MANILA, Philippines—Soon, public high-school graduates would be greeting their teachers a hearty “good morning”—in six languages.

MANILA, Philippines — The P21-billion Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program of the Aquino government will not reduce poverty, according to a United Nations expert on social development.

KORONADAL — The militant labor union that in the last decade represented the workers at fruit giant Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil) was overwhelmingly beaten in the company’s union certification election, an official from the regional Department of Labor and Employment office announced yesterday.

The Technical Panel on General Education (TPGE) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will conduct national consultations on its draft of a Revised General Education Curriculum (RGEC). These consultations will continue those done in 2009 with the other CHED Technical Panels, the PRC Boards of Examiners, and the professional organizations.

In 1986 during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, DECS Secretary Lourdes Quisumbing organized CONCEP, the national coordinating council for Early Childhood Education for the Philippines with DECS Order 29 series of 1987. This constituted a taskforce of preschool experts including me, chosen by Dr. Quisumbing herself to act as an advisory taskforce to DECS,…

The high economic growth rates that the government has been reporting has no meaning for the poor since they have not benefited at all from the supposed economic gains in terms of uplifting their conditions, the World Bank (WB) said in its latest update on the country.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the political unrest in the Middle East may dampen remittance inflows and exports.

MANILA, Philippines – A worker in a mop-making factory was crushed to death in a carding machine he was operating in Valenzuela City Tuesday afternoon, police said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) blamed each other for the government’s poor response in saving Filipino workers in troubled countries like Libya at a hearing at the House of Representatives yesterday.

THE GOVERNMENT needs new taxes in order to increase its tax effort to achieve its medium-term fiscal program, a former socioeconomic planning secretary said in a professorial lecture yesterday.

THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) is keen on preparing for the implementation of soon to be signed cooperation deal with the Philippines through the forging of a free trade deal and the streamlining of customs procedures, its new ambassador yesterday said.

Citigroup notes potential high growth rate MANILA, Philippines—Global banking giant Citigroup has identified the Philippines as one of 11 countries that will likely stand out in a globally integrated economy in terms of high growth rates and investment returns over the next 40 years.

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—In some places in the Philippines, breathing would be like committing suicide.

MANILA, Philippines – The World Bank (WB) forecasts the Philippine economy to grow around 5 percent in 2011 and 5.4 percent in 2012, but could be higher if investment climate continues to improve.

Lawmakers from Taiwan’s ruling party called on their leaders Thursday to indefinitely freeze the hiring of Filipino workers as a show of dissatisfaction over what they called Manila’s “unfriendly” attitude toward Taiwan.