MANILA, Philippines – The bills that will promote reproductive health and the protection of whistle-blowers are among 17 measures the Aquino administration wants prioritized, an official said yesterday.

In last Friday’s column (Reaching another crossroad), the CBCP has clearly shown in its pastoral letter that contrary to what its advocates are claiming, the RH bill does not really promote reproductive health, does not reduce but increases the rate of abortion, does not really prevent HIV/AIDS, empowers women with ownership of their own bodies…

MANILA, Philippines – A recent decision of the Court of Appeals said only the president, not the Department of Trade and Industry, can impose price ceiling on basic commodities.

A proposal by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago for a Senate inquiry into antimicrobial chemical ingredients used in soaps and a wide range of consumer products has won the backing of a non-governmental toxic watchdog.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said yesterday the scheduled Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) fare increases would be put off indefinitely after steadfast opposition by various sectors during a two-day public consultation.

A 28-year-old overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who arrived in Cebu last month has tested positive of the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the first confirmed HIV case this year.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

But damage to ecology and human communities boost pressure for passage of new mining law THE election of President Benigno Aquino 3rd in May last year immediately buoyed up hopes for and in the mining industry. When he visited the US, he said in speeches there that the mining industry would be a top priority…

ALYANSA Tigil Mina (ATM), a staunch critic of mining operations in the Philippines, said former President Gloria Arroyo’s Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) failed to meet expectations.

THE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Friday said it may lower the planned fare hike at the country’s mass rail systems after various nongovernment and student organizations expressed opposition.

At a recent forum on “Addressing Climate Change through Energy Efficiency Investments” hosted by the city government of Makati, Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay expressed the city’s commitment to the promotion of “holistic green building practices” in the city.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The US unemployment rate is suddenly sinking at the fastest pace in a half-century, falling to nine percent from 9.8 percent in just two months – the most encouraging sign for the job market since the recession ended.

DESPITE a shortage of lawyers needed to render free legal assistance to poor Filipinos, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) was able to provide its clients favorable results in 2010.

MANILA, Philippines –  A total log ban will result in the loss of P30 billion worth of investments and the dislocation of 650,000 workers nationwide, the Society of Filipino Foresters Inc. said.

MANILA, Philippines – The past few years have seen an unprecedented expansion in the property sector, so much so that Congress even passed the REIT law—for Real Estate Investment Trust-—to democratize the ownership of realty and development companies while boosting capital formation in the country.

At least two Catholic bishops have warned of a “civil disobedience” campaign if the controversial bill on birth control is passed into law.

THE government has canceled up to 500 inactive mining permits and suspended all large-scale mining applications until the end of the year while it reviews all pending and inactive claims, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said Friday.

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered the staff and workers of Eton Properties to undergo occupational safety and health training, as well as general labor standards orientation, as she calls on construction companies to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSH) and the guidelines governing occupational safety and health in the…

MANILA, Philippines – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said it is not ready to recommend to the interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) upward changes in this year’s economic growth projections despite the higher-than-expected performance of the economy last year.

INFLATION accelerated to 3.5 percent in January, the highest in four months, fueled by rising food and fuel prices, the National Statistics Office said Friday.

NEW YORK, Feb 5 (Bernama) — Malaysia continues to occupy the third leading position, after India and China, in the list of the world’s leading offshoring destinations, according to global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s latest Global Services Location Index (GSLI).

MANILA, Philippines—The widening gap between the rich and poor calls for an equal, if not greater, response from local businesses to help raise the living standards of families at the “bottom of the pyramid.”

In its pastoral letter dated January 30, 2011, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has finally drawn the battle lines in clear and bold strokes “what they object to and what they stand for” regarding the controversial RH bill now being discussed in Congress.

MANILA, Philippines – Bank borrowers continued to enjoy lower rates as the accommodative policy stance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provided support to the domestic economy.

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino yesterday declared an indefinite log ban all over the country.

MANILA, Philippines – Catholic bishops would back civil disobedience if the Responsible Parenthood (RP) Bill is passed into law.

A February 4, 2011 press release by the Department of Labor and Employment The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said the employer of 17-year old Kevin Mabunga, one of the 10 construction workers who died at the tragic accident which occurred at Eton Greenbelt Residences in Makati City last week, could be held…

The Unbound Economy DAVOS – As the dramatic events in North Africa continue to unfold,many observers outside the Arab world smugly tell themselves that it is all about corruption and political repression. But high unemployment, glaring inequality, and soaring prices for basic commodities are also a huge factor. So observers should not just be asking…

MANILA — As the government beefs up its efforts to move closer towards hitting the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, the Department of Education (DepEd) reaffirms its commitment to achieve universal primary education and the Education For All (EFA) goals.

A P1.00 FARE increase or P7.50 fare for passenger jeepneys may not be much, but for 52-year-old carpenter Esmer Pinas, it means more walking and less riding.