President Arroyo cannot take full credit for the performance of the country’s economy as was her boast at yesterday’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) because of factors that affect economic growth that is beyond the government’s control, UP School of Economics professor Benjamin Diokno said yesterday.

A World Bank study has cited the Philippines as a model for mobile banking, which give the poor a tool to access bank services.

Business leaders lauded President Gloria Arroyo’s “straightforward” State of the Nation Address (SONA) in which she bragged about the various accomplishments of the government, especially in the economy, under her watch, as well as hit back at critics.

GENEVA (AFP) – The contraction in trade in response to the economic crisis appears to have begun bottoming out, with Asia already showing a rebound, World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy said Friday.

BANGKOK, Thailand – Tourism is expected to pick up in the Philippines next year as the global financial crisis eases and the threat of influenza A(H1N1) moderates, the Philippine Travel Agents Association (PTAA) said.

MANILA, Philippines – The latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released yesterday showed that one in five Filipino families or about 3.7 million families have experienced hunger in the past three months.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday that the number of Filipinos infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has increased this year, with most cases coming from the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sector.

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo came out swinging yesterday at her critics in her last State of the Nation Address (SONA), defending her style of governance and vowing to continue to “fight” for the welfare of ordinary Filipinos and the economy up to the last day of her term in June 2010.

MANILA, Philippines – Senators criticized President Arroyo yesterday for delivering a State of the Nation Address (SONA) that painted a picture of a prosperous Philippines, which they said was far from reality.

MANILA, Philippines – Speaker Prospero Nograles, a known ally of President Arroyo, said the SONA of the chief executive was “tough but accurate and full of substance.”

MANILA, Philippines – Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro outlined his roadmap for the country’s sustained economic growth anchored on lasting peace specifically in southern Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has been known as a traditional exporter of coconut products particularly coconut oil, copra, desiccated coconut and copra meal; fresh fruit products such as pineapples, bananas and mangoes; as well as fishery products led by tuna and prawns.

MANILA, Philippines – Will the Philippines go into recession? This is a question that economists from both government and the private sector continue to debate on.

MANILA, Philippines – No less than the Philippine Constitution recognizes the vital role that information and communications play in nation building.

MANILA, Philippines – A wash with cash, investors swarmed yesterday’s Treasury bill (T-bill) auction, prompting the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) to increase the size of the awards for all three tenors.

MANILA, Philippines – Another broadcast journalist was killed yesterday in an ambush by unidentified gunmen who shot him shortly after his radio program in Surigao del Sur.

MANILA, Philippines – Passing the controversial reproductive health bill may be an uphill battle, but the leadership of the House of Representatives is determined to approve the measure that influential Catholic bishops have continued to block.

However, Anna was informed by her United States employer that her H1B petition was denied. The reason for the denial was reportedly because she did not possess a master’s degree and a license to practice. It was also cited that she did not have a social security number and was not physically present in the…

MANILA, Philippines – Subsidies disbursed by the National Government to government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and state-owned agencies hit P6.981 billion from January to June, 90 percent higher than the P3.67 billion released in the same period last year, latest data from the Department of Finance (DOF) showed.

MANILA, Philippines – The Clark Freeport zone is proof that President Arroyo made good her promises during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Benigno N. Ricafort said.

While most of the focus today is on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, many of the people who should be accountable for the true State of the Nation will be more concerned about their seating arrangement, how they’ll look and what they will be saying during the ambush interviews post SONA.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Embassy in Belgium urged undocumented Filipinos to avail of the Belgian government’s new migration policy for the regularization of undocumented migrants.

Iloilo City — Groups opposing the use of genetically modified organisms are calling for the compulsory labeling of products containing GMOs as a guide to consumers.

Senior Chinese officials will hold meetings with their opposite numbers from the Obama administration this week.

The government expects continuing demand for Filipino workers abroad as a result of hiring agreements forged between the Philippines and other countries that hire foreign labor.

Editor’s note: Following is the continuation of the second and last part of a report on the President Gloria Arroyo’s final State of the Nation Address, which will be delivered today. The first part of this series reviewed the President’s 10-point agenda, and part two began by looking at her administration’s claims of fast growth.

Today President Gloria Arroyo will deliver her valedictory State of the Nation Address (SONA). The act is the highest level of public accountability for the president that is mandated in the Philippine Constitution—for the country’s chief executive to report to Congress, the bureaucracy, and the Filipino people on the state of the nation.

PARIS: Euphoria on global stock markets might give the impression that the financial crisis is a thing of the past, but for unemployed workers or idling companies the effect of the turmoil is still keenly felt.

The president is on time. Her purple gown is big and wraps her shoulders like a protective gear. She is flanked by sunglass-sporting escorts and piña-clad lawmakers. The carpet is red and waiting.

More than 1.2 million Filipino families, representing two in every five households, do not have electricity in their homes. One in five families also has no access to safe water supply.