SOFTWARE piracy is a serious problem in the Philippines, but more Filipinos are becoming aware that the use of unlicensed programs is illegal, according to anti-piracy group Business Software Alliance.

Financial regulators adopted yesterday measures to speed up consolidation processes in the banking sector in a bid to further strengthen the financial system.

Underscoring the urgency of protecting minors from sexual abuse and exploitation, the House of Representatives spent less than two hours Tuesday night to pass on second reading the anti-child pornography bill and is set to finally dispose of the measure next week for transmission to the Senate.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) launched the Philippine “ePassport” with enhanced security features that will also facilitate and hasten the entry formalities of Filipino travelers to other countries.

MANILA, Philippines – Two government agencies and a business group – the Philippine Council of Students in Intrapreneurship (PCSI) – signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that aims to boost community projects that would provide livelihood opportunities dubbed “Youth Entrepreneurship Support Project (YES).”

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang warned households and farmers to brace for a possible water crisis as the country could be hit by drought before the end of the year or early next year.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Healthcare Associations of the Philippines (PHAP) yesterday said an inventory system is now in place to ensure rebates to drugstores and pharmacies in the implementation of the medicine price cut order on Aug. 15.

With the intention to propel the country’s human resources, Sen. Edgardo Angara is eyeing for more laws to help boost the country’s pursuit in producing globally-competitive Filipino scientists and future Science and Technology leaders.

During a small forum on open culture at the University of the Philippines last month, the discussion veered toward the use of technology in providing access to information and cultural products to underprivileged communities. One example that was mentioned was the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project. The idea of the OLPC was to “create…

THE younger brother of business tycoon Lucio Tan, businessman Mariano Tanenglian, is facing charges for alleged illegal detention and maltreatment of Mary Jane Sollano, 18, housemaid.

THE Philippines will back out of its commitment to Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA) partners to bring down trade barriers for domestic rice and sugar by next year.

Filipinos in Singapore have helped their host country stay afloat despite the onslaught of the global financial crisis, Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines A. Selverajah said on Wednesday.

The global economic crisis is posing new challenges for the world’s 100 million migrant workers. They may face reduced employment and migration opportunities, worsening living and working conditions and increasing xenophobia. Although no massive return of migrant workers has been observed so far, the crisis is having repercussions on their earnings and the remittances they…

Brussels,  (ITUC Online): Today is International Youth Day, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly, and young people all over the planet are mobilising around the theme: “Sustainability: Our Challenge, Our Future”

SALES of electronics and other commodities picked up amid improving global demand in June, slowing a steady decline in exports.

A million pesos spent on a single dinner sounds obscene, I know. The thought is probably incomprehensible to some people who scrimp on everything or live very simple lives; appalling to those who don’t even know where their next meal is coming from. How can someone—or even a group of 25—spend all that much money…

HSBC has kept its 1-percent growth forecast for the Philippines, but yesterday admitted that its initial expectation of a 20-percent decline in remittances was “wrong.”

Leads with 21% rating in field of 10 bets Former President Joseph Estrada, who has yet to declare his candidacy in the 2010 presidential race, has dislodged Nacionalista Party standard bearer Sen. Manuel Villar in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted last June 19 to 22, 2009, with a respondents base of 1,500…

CLARK FREEPORT: Two government agencies and a business group signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that aims to boost community projects that would provide livelihood opportunities dubbed “Youth Entrepreneurship Support Project [YES].”

CEBU, Philippines – The absence of air-conditioning units and proper ventilation have affected the working condition of employees of the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court at the Marcelo Fernan Memorial Hall of Justice.

The problem with our leaders and legislators is their simplistic, politically motivated way of doing things. That’s why we have failed to keep up with the pace of economic advancement of our neighbors in South East Asia. Take the matter of investment perks, for instance. ASEAN countries offer roughly the same types of incentives to…

MANILA, Philippines – Chemrez Technologies Inc. (ChemrezTech) reported yesterday an 11.4 percent growth in net first semester income after tax to P308.5 million despite the tough economic conditions due to the global crisis.

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign direct investments (FDIs) continued to post net inflows in May, amounting to $379 million or more than seven times higher than the year-ago level of $50 million, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – With several sectors of the economy bouncing back after a brief slump over the past several months, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has boldly stated that the Philippines will not slip into a recession this year.

MANILA, Philippines – Private hospitals will “go bankrupt” if the government insists on implementing Executive Order 821 cutting the prices of 43 types of medicine on Saturday, according to Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP).

MANILA, Philippines – Rebel documents seized by the military showed that the communist rebels have formed a new political party and raised P1 billion to field national and local candidates in the coming May 2010 elections.

The recent outcry against the $20,000 dinner of the Arroyos’ at Le Cirque reminds me of a dinner that was given in honor of Jesus Christ:

Press Statement Protect workers in asbestos removal, labor group says “Protect workers doing asbestos removal from power plants, boilers and pipes now before it is too late”, urges Ernesto Herrera, former Senator and General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP). Asbestos removal from power plants and boilers puts workers at risk…

NUSA DUA — More than 1.5 million women living with HIV in Asia were infected by their husbands or boyfriends and 50 million more are at risk of infection, according to a report released Tuesday.

MANILA, Philippines—About 200 Filipino employees of a New Zealand telecommunications firm joined a nationwide rally Tuesday that was held to protest the adoption of a scheme transforming the employees into sub-contractors.