MANILA, Philippines – The country’s banking sector is urging Congress to reconsider proposed amendments to Presidential Decree 717 or the Agri-Agra Law on mandatory lending.

MANILA, Philippines – Local businessmen are urging President Arroyo to appoint a permanent trade negotiator and create an Industry and Services Advisory Council (ISAC) to institutionalize private sector participation in trade negotiations.

MANILA, Philippines – The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has cited the need for the Philippines to have its own specialized disaster management agency with a highly competent “Disaster Czar” to attend to disaster risk mitigation.

CAVITE , Philippines  – Twenty-eight persons were hospitalized after they allegedly get ill due to chemical fumes emitted by a treatment plant in Silang, Cavite yesterday morning.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government’s deployment ban to Lebanon stays since there is still no law in that country to protect foreign workers, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), an official said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will padlock some 177 nursing schools for the perennial failure of its graduates to pass the nursing licensure board examinations given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US experts warn that rules governing biofuel production encourage deforestation and mean the technology is therefore a “false” method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Last week, I had dinner with fellow Reproductive Health (RH) activists Carlos Celdran, Beth Angsioco, and Ryan Tani and got around to talking about our national hero, Jose “Pepe” Rizal.

MANILA, Philippines — As thousands grapple with the devastation wrought by the recent strong storms, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday enacted into law a bill establishing the Climate Change Commission that will draw up an action plan against global warming.

EVEN as we welcome news of our country’s good global standing as a choice destination for business process outsourcing (BPO) investments, we’re concerned that the government is not looking beyond the industry’s short-term prospects. The Department of Trade and Industry and the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) reported today that the country was…

The Philippine economy is likely to grow at a slower pace in the third quarter, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on the revision of laws has recommended the passage of a bill that seeks to replace the crimes of adultery (for women) and concubinage (for men) with the crime of marital infidelity that would apply equally to both sexes.

Dear PAO, I have heard from a friend that employees who resign after September are entitled to receive their 13th month pay—each of them to receive an equivalent to 1/12 of an employee’s salary. I have been trying to locate a document stating this rule but I have not found one. Please help me. Thank…

The government, the Church and the private sector on Friday sign the three-way agreement for joint disaster recovery and reconstruction effort to address the massive task of rebuilding on the damage left by killer typhoons in the country.

A new study conducted by the Department of Education found that about five to six million Filipinos of school age were out of school.

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) recommended yesterday that typhoon victims, volunteers, rescuers, and even journalists undergo psychological processing and stress debriefing to overcome possible trauma caused by their ordeal during the calamity.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines again broke the world record for sending the loudest voice worldwide calling for an end to extreme poverty, with 36.1 million Filipinos participating in various events during the three-day global Stand Up, Take Action Against Poverty campaign of the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) last Oct. 16 to 18.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo approved yesterday a law seeking to lessen the impact of climate change in the Philippines.

MANILA — In their concluding press briefing early this month, the high-level mission from the International Labor Organization expressed appreciation for the “full cooperation and extensive information provided to it” by the Philippine government, its agencies and the workers’ and employers’ organizations.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government is certain that the US Congress will pass the Save Our Industries Act of 2009 which will allow local garment manufacturers to import and use US textiles for reshipment to the US as finished product.

I do a whole day seminar on customer service excellence. I make it a point to share the philosophy behind why we do what we do. I provide opportunity for my participants to share with each other their personal customer service horror experiences as well as the pleasant ones they have encountered too.

WASHINGTON – The number of failed regional US banks exceeded 100 Friday, after authorities announced the collapse of seven more financial institutions around the country.

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the advancement in promoting and ensuring women’s rights in Asia, there are still other issues on gender equality that need to be addressed, a visiting official of the United Nations said Thursday.

HUA HIN, Thailand–Southeast Asian leaders were strongly criticized on Friday after launching a widely derided human rights body and barring activists from a key meeting at a regional summit.

HUA HIN, Thailand: Southeast Asian leaders launched a widely criticized new human rights body on Friday at a regional summit where they will also grapple with plans for economic and political integration.

Like many people, I’ve become cynical of politicians’ promises so I have a suggestion. Each of the presidential aspirants must commit to 10 major policy changes he will implement within the first two years of his presidency. The commitment should be made publicly, in the form of a covenant with the people.

HUA HIN (AFP)– Southeast Asian leaders are to officially launch a “historic” human rights body on Friday, despite criticisms that it will be too soft on members such as military-ruled Myanmar.

Despite the prevailing context of worsening global economic and financial crisis, over the course of 2009 governments must reach an agreement on climate change to succeed the current Kyoto Protocol; an agreement that will put our world on a path to protect our societies, their environment and the generations to come.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published research which establishes a link between past asbestos exposure and later onset of ovarian cancer. As with other asbestos cancers there is typically a long latent period between the time of exposure and onset of the disease.