MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 31, 2010) – Filipino sailors aboard foreign-flagged ocean-going vessels sent home a total of $2.461 billion in the eight months to August this year, up $250 million over the same period in 2009, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines reported Sunday.

MANILA, Philippines—The National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) has settled labor disputes at Clark Development Corporation (CDC) in Clark Field, Pampanga and Best Chemical and Plastic Inc. in Barrio Maduya, Carmona, Cavite, the Department of Labor and Employment said in a news release.

HANOI, Oct 31, 2010 (AFP) – ASEAN’s attitude to Myanmar, and the harsh treatment of activists by the bloc’s chair Vietnam on the eve of its summit, highlight the group’s failure to confront human rights abuses, watchdogs say.

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has allowed Philippine Airlines’ planned mass layoff of some 3,000 employees when she affirmed the previous order of then acting labor secretary Romeo Lagman denying the motion for reconsideration of the ground crew union at the national flag carrier.

MANILA, Philippines—The government has set aside P10.7 million to help improve the socio-economic conditions of 30,000 disadvantaged migratory field workers, or “sacadas,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said Saturday.

(Benchmark Survey Select Results) 1. Most organizations granted salary increases in 2010. – Rank and file (91.01%) – Officers (82.42%)

Girls who are boys Who like boys to be girls Who do boys like they’re girls Who do girls like they’re boys. —From the pop song “Girls and Boys” MY YOUNG interior designer friend, Gigi, whom I used to visit for some small business, shared her pad with Leli, a writer, with whom she had…

The so-called stranded electricity costs which were the result mostly of onerous contracts with independent power producers (IPPs) during the term of former President Fidel Ramos had ballooned to P471 billion and the government is now at a loss on how to pay off the huge amount.

Bangkok. A year after its creation, a Southeast Asian human rights body has earned an unflattering label — that of being a window-dressing exercise to improve the image of a region that is home to governments notorious for suppressing political opponents.

NOT TOO LONG ago, Indonesia was Southeast Asia’s basket case. Within the region, it was the hardest hit by the 1997-1998 financial crisis and subsequently plunged into a cycle of political and social unrest and economic decline. Today, however, under its current political and economic setup, Indonesia has attained levels of stability and prosperity few…

MANILA, Philippines—A coalition of major international environment groups has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take a stronger stand on climate change in the upcoming climate talks in Cancun, Mexico.

With the tenure of non-career executive service officials expiring on Sunday, six senators seek granting civil service eligibility to temporary government workers.

Nagoya, Japan – Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said he plans to require mining firms operating in the Philippines to engage in the reforestation of denuded or degraded forest areas.

MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on Metro Manila development is set to conduct an inquiry into the bus operators’ illegal practices called “colorum,” “kabit,” and “buntis,” which make traffic gridlocks worse and contribute to deadly accidents in the metropolis.

Much has been written, for and against, the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Arroyo government that President Aquino has decided to extend as a key component of his administration’s anti-poverty thrust, with an outlay of P21.2 billion in the 2011 national budget.

BANGKOK, THAILAND — Members of  human rights organizations in Southeast Asia  have given the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) a failing mark for its performance in its first year.

Makati – On Thursday, October 28, European Union – Philippines Justice Support Program (EPJUST) gathered government and non-government organizations at the Filipinas Heritage Library to discuss the situation of witness protection programs in the Philippines.

HONG KONG – Hong Kong on Wednesday set the city’s first minimum wage at 3.60 US dollars an hour, prompting anger from labour groups which criticised the amount as unreasonable amid a growing income gap.

MANILA, Philippines – A slow growth in remittance flows and export of Filipino workers overseas are expected to occur as the United States economy remains wanting in signs of a recovery on lackluster jobs data.

Some Fil-Ams are worried about the campaign rhetoric against business outsourcing the days leading up to next week’s midterm elections that could hurt countries like the Philippines.

The Philippines can get as much as $100 million in annual investment opportunities from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its private sector focusing on infrastructure and aviation facilities.

THE Labor Department says a proposed two-tiered wage system is gaining support from workers and employers, but their representatives say obstacles remain before it can replace the mechanism for setting the minimum wage.

THE Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC), through its industry champions, presented a snapshot of its 400-page recommendations for the seven winning sectors that it believes can deliver to the country $75 billion in foreign direct investments (FDI) and generate 10 million jobs in 10 years.

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THE P21 BILLION budget for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or the 4Ps has passed the House of Representatives. This program for conditional cash transfers or CCTs now awaits full Congress approval. It is an ambitious project that has expanded rapidly.

CAN BUSINESS discipline truly help agricultural development? Definitely. First of all, agriculture cannot be sustainable unless it is profitable. Secondly, the business discipline necessary to sustain profits is required for optimal agricultural development.

Diversifying food conglomerate San Miguel Corp., one of the country’s largest companies, will lose its slot in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)’s index of top-30 listed companies, when the bourse revamps the composition of the index on Nov. 8.

Our last column outlined the “power plunder” being inflicted on the people by the collusion between Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), as well as by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, with Therma Marine Inc. of the Aboitiz group.

Dear PAO, If an individual is working for a certain company as a contractual employee (five months only), is he entitled to receive a holiday pay even if he doesn’t report to work? Or will he get the double of his pay only when he reported to work? Please help me. Thanks. Mark

The Philippines ranked second overall in microfinance environment among all the developing countries in the world but still inferior in investment climate, according to The Economic Intelligence Unit index.