MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – The non-performing loans (NPL) ratio of Philippine universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) eased to 3.40 percent in April, according to data issued today by the country’s central bank.

BANGUED, Abra – Three miners were killed Friday afternoon after a blast inside a mine tunnel in remote Lacub town. Abra police director Senior Superintendent Joseph Adnol identified the fatalities as Felix Rosario, Junie Lingbaoan, both from Lacub town, and a miner from Mountain Province identified only as Federico. According to reports, the three died…

Here’s something to think about as we celebrate our Independence Day: the “trilemma” between democratic government, free markets and the processes of globalization. The notion of a “trilemma” has emerged among commentators on the evolving financial crisis in Europe. It refers to the apparently irreconcilable qualities of the three elements characterizing the modern nation-state.

Questionable, ridiculous election spending statements from some candidates—Comelec The incoming Aquino government appears to be starting with the practice of lying, or perjuring itself, based on some of the statements on campaign expenses submitted by both winning and losing candidates that have been found to be highly questionable.

MANILA, Philippines – Having won the race to the presidency on an anti-corruption campaign, President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will soon need to put his money where his mouth is. He will have to follow through on his promise to investigate allegations of corruption against prominent personalities, including outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

GOVERNMENT and non-government organizations monitoring incidents of child labor said Davao City and its neighboring provinces remain as their priority areas “because of the continued presence of factors that lead to child labor.”

This coming school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) said it will do away with “triple shifts” in all public elementary and high schools nationwide.

The next European generalized system of preferences (GSP) would provide additional liberalization for exports of developing countries such as the Philippines, according to EuroCommerce, a group representing the retail, wholesale and international trade sectors in Europe.

DoT spearheads the Philippine leg of the Child Wise Tourism Program Commercial sexual exploitation of children is the worst form of child labor. There are pimps coercing children into the sex trade, there are parents who, because of poverty, sell their children as sex-slaves. These awful crimes are openly taking place in hotels, resorts, and…

MANILA, Philippines – Some 50 fisherfolk leaders and environmental activists yesterday urged President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III to indefinitely suspend the implementation of the Fisheries Code of 1998. Republic Act No. 8550 for the law’s failure to protect the livelihood and marine environment all over the country.

MANILA, Philippines – Pro-life Philippines Foundation, Inc. is deeply saddened and extremely concerned of the decision of the Department of Education (DepEd) to integrate in our primary and secondary educational system a course on sex education.

MORE Filipino families that are dependent on remittances from relatives working overseas bought cars or houses in the second quarter, a central bank survey shows. Rosabel Guerrero, director of the Bangko Sentral’s Department of Economic Statistics, said the percentage of households that used remittances to buy motor vehicles rose to 7.7 percent in the second…

The people were thoroughly disillusioned with President Gloria Arroyo. It’s why they poured out into the streets when Cory Aquino died. It’s why they voted for Noynoy Aquino despite his lackluster record. They wanted an honest leader, an honest government above all else. They wanted change in the political system.

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The legal advisers of President-elect Aquino have dug up a 1962 ruling of the Supreme Court to justify his plan to revoke the alleged “midnight appointments” made by his predecessor, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, involving as many as 300 positions including those with fixed term of office.

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MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Alberto Agra has issued new guidelines that would speed up the investigation and referral of cases to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

BARELY an hour after he was proclaimed president-elect, Benigno Simeon Aquino III distanced himself from imposing a national policy on two major issues: reproductive health and freedom of information.

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THE WORLD BANK HAS EXPRESSED confidence that the growth in foreign exchange remittances to the Philippines will remain robust despite the debt crisis in the Eurozone. It, however, cautioned the country against the ill-effects of a strong peso on consumption of households supported by the migrant workers.

EXPORT EARNINGS continued their double-digit rise in April at 27.4 percent year-on-year, reaching $3.573 billion, the National Statistics Office said Thursday.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has submitted to President-elect Benigno Aquino III a 100-day economic road map that aims to help the new administration fulfill its own economic agenda.

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday asked president-elect Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd to provide as much 4 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011 to address the most pressing problems in education, the Philippine News Agency reported.

PORT of SPAIN, Trinidad – Ten overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Trinidad, West Indies were robbed and attacked by a group of thieves inside their house on Wednesday night.

Governance, ancestral domain, constitutional reform, to name a few — Abaya ZAMBOANGA CITY — The incoming Aquino administration will face tough issues as it pursues peace talks with Muslim separatist and communist rebel groups, outgoing presidential peace adviser Annabelle T. Abaya said, as the process centers on contentious issues.

MANILA, Philippines – Businessmen are challenging newly-minted President Benigno Aquino III to keep his campaign vow to weed out corruption in his first 100 days in office.

The European Union (EU) has called for the establishment of a National Monitoring Mechanism (NMM) that would strengthen transparency and accountability of the Philippine government and the society as a whole in addressing extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances in the country.

MANILA, Philippines – The burden of solving the country’s poverty problem will soon rest on the shoulders of President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and members of his Cabinet. Experts say the job may depend on stemming corruption.

Physical education (PE) is one of the most anticipated subjects by students since it helps relieve stress from the usual school grind of projects and papers. But how can the students enjoy PE if their school lacks sports facilities because of fund shortage?

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 41 governors and 923 mayors get re-elected nationwide during the May 10 national and local elections, the Department of Interior and Local Government yesterday.