Special Report: OFWs cope with crisis    About two million Filipinos working in the Middle East will not be spared from the global financial crisis by petro dollars as oil-exporting countries post a mere 3.6-percent growth this year.

MANILA, Philippines – In yet another testament to the Filipinos’ world-class skills and ingenuity, nine Philippine projects successfully hurdled the rigorous selection process of the World Bank Group’s 2009 Global Development Marketplace Competition, an international contest aimed at identifying and funding innovative, early-stage projects with high potential for development impact.

Nearly 200 party-list groups are now seeking accreditation to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the coming May 2010 polls.

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Education should include discussions on labor rights in the curriculum of high schools in the country to boost productivity in the workforce, a University of the Philippines professor said here on Friday.

CEBU, Philippines – Concerned over the health safety of the thousands of call center workers in the city, Councilor Edgardo Labella has asked both the government and non-government research organizations, including the schools, to come up with a statistics of profiles of such employees who allegedly suffered adverse health conditions because of their jobs.

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal joins calls with Iloilo Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales in questioning the recently approved Magna Carta of Women.

MANILA, Philippines – Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza is seeking a review of forestry policies in order to revitalize the sector and lure investments to boost the economy, even as he called for intensified efforts to help mitigate global warming.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is expecting lower exports of coconut oil this year in the aftermath of the global economic crisis.

THE largest US sugar-growering group disputes an Agriculture Department forecast of an 89-percent drop in Mexican supplies and opposes looser import restrictions.

MANILA, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday warned all drug stores and pharmaceutical companies against non-compliance with the medicine price.

MANILA, Philippines – “Water is life,” says Maharlika Water Cooperative member Lorda Feudo, yet more than half of Metro Manilans still don’t have clean water on tap.

MANILA, Philippines – Young Filipino math aces did it again, winning a total of 90 medals in three international math competitions hosted by the People’s Republic of China.

United States – Private system Private sector funded, with more than half from private sources. Private health insurance available through employer, government or private schemes.Volunteers offer free medical services in sponsored event in Los Angeles.

MANILA, Philippines – The National Tax Research Center is supporting a Senate resolution proposing the implementation—although with a very limited scope—of a refund on value-added tax for foreign tourists and balikbayans in an effort to encourage greater tourist arrivals.

MANILA, Philippines–Health inspectors caught some drugstores and private hospitals violating a new executive order lowering prices of essential medicines, on Saturday, when the order took effect.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo has expressed support to the plan of the Senate to amend the Omnibus Election Code, particularly its provisions on the issue of premature campaigning.

Optical Media Board (OMB) Chairman Edu Manzano yesterday said the approval by the House of Representatives of a bill that protects minors from sexual abuse and exploitation is a major boost to the campaign against child pornography.

With economic hardships driving more students to transfer to public schools or stop schooling altogether, Buhay party-list Rep. Irwin Tieng has filed a bill penalizing school officials who withhold school records until students settle their accounts.

India and the 10-country South East Asian bloc Asean have signed a free trade agreement after more than six years of talks.

The US economy lost 247,000 jobs in July, far fewer than analysts had expected, official figures show.

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 17,486 Filipinos in Hong Kong have registered to vote in next year’s elections as of Aug. 5, the highest turnout worldwide, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

The Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) held a send-off lunch for Filipino indigenous peoples (IPs) leaders who left for Geneva, Switzerland last week to participate in the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination hearing on a complaint filed against the Philippine government by the Subanon community. ATM is an advocacy group and a…

Real leaders foster collaboration, encourage communication, push for innovations, advance discussions and consensus and nurture their team. Growing a successful and productive team starts with the leader’s mindset and attitudes. They enjoy work life and become friends in and outside of work.

DAVAO CITY , Philippines   – Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of a former Davao del Sur police director accused of rape and sexual harassment by four policewomen and the wives of two police officers.

MANILA, Philippines – The economy may grow anywhere from 2.6 percent to 3.6 percent in 2010, the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s universal and commercial banks’ recorded its lowest non-performing loan (NPL) ratio in June, hitting 3.36 percent, the lowest figure since October 2001 when the ratio peaked at 18.81 percent, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) reported yesterday that most college graduates in the country fail to pass licensure examinations.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo signed into law yesterday Republic Act 9710 banning discrimination against women, and recognizing and protecting their rights.

MANILA, Philippines — Close to a thousand Filipinos working abroad registered on Thursday in various posts to allow them to vote in the May 2010 presidential election, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

MANILA, Philippines — Following the signing into law of the Magna Carta of Women by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippine National Police is set to meet with other stakeholders to draft the implementing rules to support the law, an official said on Friday.