NEARLY all registered businesses in the country are classified as small and medium enterprises. They account for half of employment and represent around 60 percent of the country’s export firms.

Special Report: DOST helps SMEs survive FROM an association of agrarian farmers to a flower cooperative, from a shrimp fry hatchery to banana tissue culture businesses, small entrepreneurs across the country are demonstrating that they can cope with the global financial crisis.

MANILA, Philippines—The country’s 1.3 million village health workers should be given the chance to train as midwives, nurses, doctors, and other health professionals, said Akbayan Representatives Risa Hontiveros and Walden Bello.

MANILA, Philippines—The exodus of Filipino teachers to other countries is expected to continue in the coming years, according to a labor group.

Because it dismantled labs MANILA, Philippines—The branding of the Philippines as a top producer of shabu stemmed from its law enforcement agencies’ success in dismantling illegal drug operations and clandestine laboratories, a Malacañang official said Saturday.

As prices improve, firms scramble to develop sites MANILA, Philippines – Prospects of mining firms are looking up as the price of gold continues to improve, according to government and company officials.

CEBU, Philippines – To further promote the tourism industry, the National Association of the Independent Travel Agencies- Philippines Inc. is now studying on the possibility of putting up tour packages for shorter routes within the country.

The Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines, through their officer-in-charge Engr. Sonia Valdeavilla, reports a drop in growth in construction of 8.2 percent in 2008, mainly due to a drop in public construction activities and a decline in public works capital outlays. Till tax revenues increase, they expect this to continue.

Ms. Cynthia Carreon of the Department of Foreign Affairs looks at the still-raging global crisis as a tremendous opportunity for us. According to the DFA, Canada is looking at the Philippines for possible accreditation of our local hospitals in their medical tourism thrust. Ms. Carreon is optimistic that by 2012, we will be generating $312…

MANILA, Philippines – With the global air transport industry still reeling from the effects of the financial crisis, international passenger demand declined 9.3 percent in May this year while freight demand dropped 17.4 percent, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

Twenty-six faculty members, including former deans of the University of the Philippines College of Law, recently issued a statement of support for House Bill 5043, or the “Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2009.” The signatories are the third group of academicians and professionals who have expressed support for the passage of the…

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo ordered yesterday the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to expand reforestation projects in the country.

Noting the success of Brazilian government’s anti-poverty program, President Arroyo said her government would seek bilateral and multilateral funding assistance to her Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, which provides grants to the extremely poor Filipino families for their health, nutrition and education needs, particularly children aged 0-14.

The government has scored “breakthroughs” in documenting the vigilante-style killings being attributed to the so-called Davao Death Squads (DDS) and now appears to be some steps closer to unveiling the mystery behind these senseless killings.

SALES of preneed plans were up in the first four months as clients bought more life products during the period, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said.

The country’s biggest fast food chain plans to open more store openings abroad as it remains “cautious” in the second semester due to an expected slowdown in remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

San Miguel, Aboitiz offers disappoint The first bidding for independent power producer administrators (IPPA) who would manage the contracted capacities of state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor) failed after the two participants’ offers fell below the government’s reserve price.

BASEL (AFP) – The head of the international body tasked with restoring stability to the world’s financial system said Saturday that the system had improved significantly but was “not out of the woods yet.

When the financial crisis predictably turned into a jobs crisis, the Asia-Pacific region found itself facing mass unemployment. As many as 100 million people in Asia could be unemployed this year, according to ILO estimates. Allan Dow, ILO press officer, reports from Thailand.

IN a welcome eco-friendly move, telecom leader Smart, having previously harnessed wind and solar energy to power cell sites, is set on deploying fuel cell technology as part of its “Alternative Power for Cell Sites” program—the first industry player to do so.

NEDA expects more investors coming in The government sees slow but sure rebound of the economy late this year despite dire prediction that the country would experience recession before 2009 ends. “Well, moving upward is the direction. And the current target of 0.8 percent to 1.8 percent [growth in the gross domestic product for 2009]…

IF THE NUMEROUS English-language teaching centers in our urban centers today that cater to Koreans is used as the yardstick, we have reason to say that the Philippines has good linguistic educational facilities.

MAKATI CITY, Philippines—Organizations that use computers older than three years are spending more on maintenance than those that have invested on new machines, a recent study showed.

MANILA, Philippines – Local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have committed to invest around P140 million in new ventures, potentially generating 1,450 new jobs in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, and Batangas, according to data from the Board of Investments.

MANILA, Philippines – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Filipinos expected consumer prices to remain relatively stable over the short term, giving it elbow room to maintain low interest rates.

About 14.4 million, or 40.8 percent of Filipino children in 2006, live in poverty, a government report shows.

As President Arroyo waxed proudly yesterday about the similarity of her supposed cash transfer program with a scheme being implemented in Brazil, where she is on an official visit, a financial assistance scheme for displaced workers in the Philppines has been put off after providing loans to 100 individuals.

The country’s top economist said yesterday the private sector should not be forced to fork in their share in the vague economic resiliency program (ERP) of President Arroyo since their involvement in identifying public infrastructure may involve conflict of interest.

Print US consumer spending posted a modest gain in May but savings vaulted amid massive government stimulus spending aimed at pulling the economy out of recession, official data showed Friday.

JAKARTA – INDONESIA ordered employment agencies to stop sending its citizens to Malaysia to work as maids following a flood of complaints from domestic workers that their employers abused them, a government minister said on Thursday.