MANILA, Philippines – Whether seen through nationalistic or pragmatic lenses, the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA is here – signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2006 and ratified by the RP Senate.

MANILA, Philippines – Investments into the electronics industry surged by more than 10 times to $437 million during the first five months of this year from only $41.34 million a year ago, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry in the Philippine Inc. (SEIPI) said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino is not closed to the use of nuclear energy to provide the country with adequate power, especially in Mindanao, but is no longer keen on reviving the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant (BNPP) because of the high cost this would entail.

MANILA, Philippines – If it takes a preacher to rid the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of its corrupt image, then the new man at the top is perfect for the job.

Any administration or government that actually thinks they can live up to the expectations of today’s Filipinos have to be men and women of absolute faith or are absolutely insane.

MANILA, Philippines – Jaime Fabiaña, chief executive officer of the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund), defended yesterday the agency and denied allegations that its officials have been working there too long and have lost the vision to serve.

MANILA, Philippines – Bad news for thousands of Filipino physical therapy (PT) graduates who want to work in the United States: American PT licensure authorities are blacklisting the Philippines and three other countries for at least one year over the leak of test questions.

MANILA, Philippines – The Aquino administration has abolished the food-for-school or rice-for-school program of the Arroyo government and will re-allocate the P3.3-billion budget for this to conditional cash transfers that may be of more help to the poor, Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Believing they will never find employment, at least a million jobless Filipinos have quit looking for work.

MANILA, Philippines – The military yesterday denied involvement in the recent killings of two activists in Masbate and Nueva Ecija. Maj. Harold Cabunoc, spokesman of the Army 9th Infantry Division based in Bicol, said they would not resort to extrajudicial killings even if communist rebels have attacked and killed their troops.

MANILA, Philippines – Six workers were killed after a wall fell on them in Laguna at early dawn today during the onslaught of tropical storm “Basyang.”

Davao City (14 July) — Seeing the role of teachers in encouraging kids attend school, a project in partnership with the Department of Education is set to identify commendable teachers who did well in eliminating child labor through education.

The title of this column is not a prediction. It is a fact. Whether we like it or not, whatever we do now or tomorrow, the rains and the floods are coming.

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong should enjoy the same rights as local workers, the multi-nationality Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMCB) said in a statement.

MANILA, Philippines—Refusing to die, the bill to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) has been filed anew in the House of Representatives.

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MANILA, Philippines—In their first collective statement since the Aquino administration assumed office, leaders of the Catholic Church called on the President to drop government programs that promote artificial contraceptives as a means of family planning.

DICT and cybercrime bills pending in Congress await action Almost two weeks have passed since President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III held a press conference to name his Cabinet members.

MANILA, Philippines—For the first time since assuming office Monday last week, Health Secretary Enrique Ona has drawn a broad outline of the Aquino administration plans for carrying out its ambitious goal of giving universal health care coverage to the people within three years.

CAR ASSEMBLERS and parts manufacturers will be eligible for incentives such as lower power rates and even a moratorium on strikes under draft implementing rules for the new Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP).

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines may turn to nuclear energy to solve power shortages in the impoverished nation, President Benigno Aquino said Monday.

ON the heels of an increase in its financing requirement this year, the Aquino administration on Monday failed to raise the full amount it had planned to borrow through the sale of Treasury bills. At an auction, the government raised P6.450 billion, or lower than the scheduled issuance of P8 billion. It expects P6.5 billion…

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign direct investment (FDI) that flowed into the Philippines was cut by almost half in the first four months of the year due to lower equity capital placements, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. announced yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a ruling that defines the relationship between a life insurance company and a contracted agent for an insurance company.

MANILA, Philippines – Unexplained killings continue as two more activists – a public school teacher and a farmer – fell to assassins’ bullets in Masbate and Nueva Ecija over the weekend, flouting the Aquino administration’s declaration of an all-out war against murderers of activists and journalists.

MANILA, Philippines – A recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that nearly nine in 10 Filipino adults have much trust in President Aquino’s leadership, but half of the respondents think he could fulfill only a few of his campaign promises.

MANILA, Philippines – Virgilio de los Reyes was initially hesitant to accept the top position in the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

MANILA, Philippines – The new administration is boosting the country’s family planning program, with Health Secretary Enrique Ona saying yesterday he would propose the procurement of contraceptives using government funds.

MOSCOW — One woman said children as young as 10 working in the fields developed red rashes on their stomachs and necks as they harvested tobacco for use in cigarettes made by Philip Morris.

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