BENCHMARK interest rates rose across the board at Tuesday’s auction of short-dated Treasury bills.The rate on the three-month T-bill, which banks use in pricing their loans, inched up 5.3 basis points to 3.919 percent from the previous auction.

PHILIPPINE economic managers on Tuesday revised the country’s economic growth target to a range of 5 percent to 6 percent from the earlier 2.6 percent to 3.6 percent. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said the major drivers of expansion would be consumption, investments and exports.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A radio commentator was shot dead in Davao Oriental late Monday, the latest attack on journalists, officials said.

A prominent money manager advised me over dinner last week that I should start buying good equity issues now because the inaugural of P-Noy will surely improve market sentiment for at least six months… assuming no catastrophe in European and US markets happens in the meantime. That sounds like good advice because even now, people…

President-elect Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III is being pressed to submit the approved Philippine-European Union Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) to the Philippine Senate for deliberation after officials of the Philippine government and the EU recently finalized the content of the bilateral trade agreement.

THE death of an Argao tourism officer in an ambulance on the way to a hospital should be a wakeup call for the full implementation of the Magna Carta for Health Workers, a former top local health official said.

PARIS—Obese women are likelier to neglect contraception, obese men are more prone to impotence and both are far less sexually active than counterparts of normal weight, a study said on Wednesday.

ASIAN countries have been battered by natural hazards but the commitment shared by each nation amplifies each government’s contributions to mitigate natural disasters and bring to fore the urgency of disaster preparedness.

THE JOBLESS RATE swelled to 8% in April, a two-year high, which economists said indicated a still weak labor market despite signs of an improving economy.

Local governments should pay teachers’ salaries and construct classrooms using their own money instead of relying on the Department of Education (DepEd) to address these problems, a state-run think tank said.

Filipinos are still cutting back on spending for non-essential items as the devastation caused by Typhoon Ondoy continues to influence their buying habits, a market research firm said.

THE number of jobless Filipinos hit a two-year high in April despite the better-than-expected economic growth in the first quarter, lending credence to criticisms that the Philippines’ early recovery from the global downturn was not so impressive.

CEBU, Philippines – The intervention and mediation of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) is being sought to resolve the labor dispute involving the attack on the picket line at the alleged runaway shop of R&Y Augousti in Mandaue City.

MANILA, Philippines – Farmers using hybrid rice seeds posted far higher yields than those who planted inbred certified seeds during the summer crop, according to Dr. Frisco Malabanan, head of the Department of Agriculture’s Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Rice Program.

MANILA, Philippines – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said yesterday that the banking industry managed to keep its capital levels significantly above international standards after banks successfully raised fresh equity through the issuance of various debt instruments.

The normal consequences of illegal dismissal are reinstatement without loss of seniority rights and award of back-wages from the time the salary is withheld up to actual reinstatement. But can separation pay be also awarded aside from back-wages? This is the issue raised once more in this case of Mang Pepe.

MANILA, Philippines – An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to continue to respect the position of the Church in going against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has no problem with gays and lesbians who want to take the civil service exam, but would require them to use their latest photographs in their application forms, especially those who have altered their appearance to resemble their preferred sex.  

MANILA, Philippines – Environmentalists called yesterday on the Department of Education (DepEd) to require the teaching of “Zero Waste” to students.

MANILA, Philippines – Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), bared yesterday that the controversial issue on sex education might be taken up in their plenary meeting next month.

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may not be able to proclaim the 22 other winning party-list groups this month, an official said yesterday.

Effectiveness of Alliance Building Strategy Validated Baltimore, Maryland:  Some 319 partners, nearly half from the private sector, helped expand education and employability opportunities for 30,000 young people in Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan and the Philippines, according to an evaluation report of five countries within the Education & Employment Alliance (EEA). ** An initiative of the…

STATEMENT TUCP VICE PRESIDENT ALEJANDRO C. VILLAVIZA WORKERS’ DELEGATE, PHILIPPINES 99TH INTERNATIONA LABOR CONFERENCE GENEVA On behalf of the workers in the Philippines, I commend the Director General Juan Somavia and ILO for programs and action to achieve our collective goal of ensuring Decent Work, particularly the right to self-organization and collective bargaining.

In the various reports of the proclamation of President and Vice President on June 9, mention was made of the fact that Aquino supporters declined to participate when Binay supporters chanted “Noy-Bi.” True enough. It was also reported that the joint session of Congress voiced no objection to the proclamations. That was perfectly true in…

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For two months now, oil has been gushing out of a damaged oil pipe one mile under water at the Gulf of Mexico. This has produced the biggest oil spill ever, threatening the rich fishing grounds of the American south, putting wildlife in peril and posing the danger of irreparable economic damage.

THE government may undertake fresh borrowing to settle the maturing debts of state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor). Energy Secretary Jose Ibazeta said state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) may tap banks for another $1 billion to settle or refinance Napocor’s maturing obligations.

MANILA, Philippines – Some 21.05 million students troop back to public schools today as classes open for school year 2010-2011. Education Secretary Mona Valisno said some 3.26 million students are also expected to go back to private schools today.

PUBLIC health or public social workers, who have been transferred or reassigned without written notice or justification, can file an appeal with the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

MANILA, Philippines – President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is eyeing reforms in the agriculture sector to address the country’s poverty situation. A former agriculture secretary believes the job rests on his administration putting a premium on achieving adequate food security in the Philippines, while ensuring profitability to the country’s farmers.