A MEMBER of the minority bloc on Wednesday said that the proposed P400-million budget allocation for contraceptives in the proposed 2011 budget of the Department of Health (DOH) could be spent for the salaries of about 3,000 medical specialists. Rep. Mitos Magsaysay of Zambales said that in the order of priorities doctors “clearly come ahead…

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Finance (DOF) said the government stands to lose P1 billion to P2 billion a year from the creation of additional economic zones and freeport zones.

MANILA, Philippines – The cities of Caloocan and Manila have recently formed councils for the protection of children. In Caloocan, the council will focus on curbing the incidence of child abuse. Mayor Enrico Echiverri said in a statement that the city government has also put up the Yakap Bata holding center to take care of…

First there was Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd district, Quezon City). Now Senators Francis Escudero and Bong Revilla too are taking up the cudgels for overcharged credit cardholders. They have filed separate bills to regulate arbitrary rates and fees charged by card companies. This, in light of several Supreme Court rulings, latest in Sept. 2009, limiting…

So many legislators are outhustling each other in resurrecting their own versions of the oft-“aborted” RH bill because it is the center of media attraction. Obviously they are riding on the perceived presidential support and the rude behavior or other “noises” created by its ignorant and misinformed backers in the streets.

EARNING while at home may sound a difficult prospect, but not for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva, who vowed on Monday to address the unemployment problem hounding the country.

THE government has launched a National Skills Registry System (SRS) to help narrow down the mismatch between a job seeker’s skills against current job availability, a common problem experienced by new graduates.

MANILA, Philippines – Vehicle sales in the first three quarters soared 35.9 percent to 129,901 units. This prompted the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. to boost its full-year sales target to 170,000-175,000 units, from the original target of 165,000 units.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police has announced the publication of a security handbook for journalists, which contains tips on how media practitioners can detect and thwart threats against their lives.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has underscored the importance of the Department of Labor and Employment’s National Skills Registry System, which he said would help narrow the mismatch between an individual’s skills against current job availability, a common problem experienced by new graduates.

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday directed the police to file charges possible against a woman who allegedly physically abused her 17-year-old maid, whose body bore bruises, welts, and bite marks. Lim said he was shocked when he visited the victim in her room at the Jose Abad Santos Mother and Child Hospital…

Even though U.S. public opinion of unions remains low, a new report finds that labor groups nonetheless improve the general well-being for union and non-union citizens in several industrialized countries.

KUWAIT CITY—Abuse of domestic workers in Kuwait is rising, and maids in the Gulf emirate face prosecution when they try to escape, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

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MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) has expressed support to President Aquino’s stand on family planning and responsible parenthood.

SOCIOECONOMIC status should not hinder an individual’s goal to finish college, according to a contact center and business process outsourcing (BPO) company which has opened a program for employees to finish tertiary education while working the graveyard shift.

Around 50 suspected armed members of the New People’s Army (NPA), attacked Victorias Milling Company Inc. (VMC) and damaged property worth around P600,000, the police said.

Convergys Corporation, a global leader in relationship management, said its operations will continue to grow significantly in the country as clients specifically ask for Philippine-based customer service support. The company reported that local operations in 12 sites across the country now handle as much as 188,000 inbound calls daily.

The Philippines is likely to become this year’s second fastest-growing economy — next to Thailand — among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-5, multilateral lender International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday.

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — Most Filipinos want President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to focus on jobs generation and livelihood programs and eradicate graft and corruption in the days ahead, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

There is no substitute for mother’s milk. That is an age-old fact often emphasized by elders, the medical world and even by milk companies.

Congress was urged yesterday to enact new legislation that will police monopolistic practices that stifle free competition and hurt consumers in the face of the wave of mergers and consolidations now sweeping the country and across the globe.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III yesterday slammed Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro for proposing to add two more years to the basic education in the country, saying there is no need to adopt such scheme.

AMID the high attrition rate in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, TELUS International Philippines said it will implement a continuing education program that would enable selected employees a chance to get a college degree. In a briefing on Wednesday, company officials said TELUS will officially unveil on Sunday the so-called “TELUS International University,” wherein…

THE Catholic Church is alarmed with the arrest and detention of 14 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for participating in a Christian worship in Saudi Arabia. This was after Migrante Middle East (ME) appealed to the government to help the 14 OFWs arrested by the Saudi cultural police for participating in a Christian worship.

SENATORS Ralph Recto and Franklin Drilon questioned Wednesday why the PhilHealth is keeping P110 billion as retained earnings. They asked the question after Rey Aquino, president of PhilHealth, told the Senate Committee on Finance headed by Drilon that PhilHealth has P115 billion in assets and liabilities amounting to P6 billion.

CEBU, Philippines – The Social Security System (SSS) is asking employers to get their statements of accounts and settle their respective delinquent loan payments.

CEBU, Philippines – There are now 10,100 slots made available for Filipino workers in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture and fishery sectors in South Korea. This number, according to an official of a manpower agency, is mainly because most Korean employers prefer Filipinos as their workers.

The enhanced K+12 program came under fire on Wednesday, a day after it was unveiled by the Department of Education (DepEd), with Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto 3rd among the first to criticize it. But there were a few who also voiced their support for the proposal.

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) on Wednesday assured its passengers of unhampered operations after the Department of Labor and Employment assumed jurisdiction over the flag-carrier’s labor dispute with its cabin crew union. In a statement, Cielo Villaluna, PAL spokesman, said that Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz will assume jurisdiction over the PAL labor case.