WASHINGTON (AP) — Growing numbers of children of illegal immigrants are being born in this country, and they are nearly twice as likely to live in poverty than those with American-born parents, a report says.

The Joint Foreign Chambers has urged the government to also allow non-distressed companies, like business process outsourcing firms, to adopt flexible job arrangements to make them more competitive amid the global economic slump.

Remittances from migrant Filipino workers grew 4.9 percent in February to $1.32 billion year-on-year, as job layoffs slowed down and deployment increased, the Bangko Sentral said yesterday.

Foreign companies represented by four major foreign chambers indicated plans for reduced work hours to cope with a worsening global recession.

Delinquent borrowers of the old housing loan program of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) get a reprieve as the pension fund offers them a chance to save their homes from foreclosures or cancellation of their Deed of Conditional Sale under a new condonation program.

As the number of Filipino seamen being held hostage in Somalia has swelled to 120, the Philippine government remains clueless on how to provide protection to the thousands of Filipino seafarers sailing through the dangerous waters of Africa.

This is a reaction to The Times “Special Report: The Church and Human Life” article “Mala-cañang’s pro-Life stand mainly a matter of morals” published April 12, 2009, reported by Angelo S. Samonte.

Dear PAO,  My husband works overseas and he sent me an e-mail stating that he will no longer send money to support our minor children. I was told that I need to send him a demand letter. Where can I get a sample of a demand letter? Thanks.

Remittances from overseas Filipinos, both from migrants and workers, improved in February, marking a recovery from the virtually flat growth in January, the central bank reported Wednesday.

Intel reported a steep decline on Tuesday in first-quarter net profit but the head of the world’s biggest computer chip-maker said he believed personal computer sales had “bottomed out.”

THE Philippines’ huge population growth may shield the economy from contracting as domestic demand would boost growth, a high-ranking official of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

So what are old people to do? The inevitability of death is creeping up on them they cannot run from it for there is nowhere to run. Instead, they have no choice but to look at it in the eye and stare it down. This, even if they do all within the limits of their…

Numerous possibilities, few inevitabilities . . . that’s life. The sky’s the limit, but in that journey there are a few inescapable realities. Growing older is one of them. Aging not only happens, it happens fast . . .

April 15 (Bloomberg) — I have nothing against music. As long as it’s played in the privacy of a home, car or concert hall, or at low decibel levels in public places, music is food for the soul.

The 35-percent increase in state-managed healthcare benefits will cost the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. about P7 billion, said PhilHealth president and chief executive Dr. Rey Aquino.

CHIEF Justice Reynato Puno will preside over a forum on environmental justice in Baguio City today aimed at speeding up the resolution of at least 3,000 cases in 117 “green courts” nationwide and the validation of the rules of procedure for environmental cases.

Global PC shipments totaled 67.2 million units in the first quarter of 2009, a 6.5 percent decline versus first quarter 2008, according to preliminary data from Gartner.

MANILA, Philippines — Local and foreign firms operating in the country have resorted to cutting employee bonuses and benefits just to keep from laying people off.

The good news is that the Technical Education & Skills Development Authority is launching an on-the-spot-hiring fair for laid-off workers and new grads. TESDA will screen participants if qualified for training — and daily allowance of P60 for tyros and P150 for experienced.

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang claimed yesterday that job losses have started to taper off now that businesses are starting to recover from the effects of the global financial slowdown.

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said yesterday 129 colleges and universities all over the country are pushing through with their plan to raise tuition fees for academic year 2009-2010.

MANILA, Philippines—A leading seafarers’ group called on the Philippine government Tuesday to lead an international response to piracy off the Somali coast.

MANILA, Philippines – Petron Corp. and Seaoil Philippines Inc. raised their gasoline prices yesterday by P1 and diesel by 75 centavos per liter.

MANILA, Philippines – Almost two out of three Filipino adults, or 66 percent, oppose Charter change if it would allow the extension of the term of President Arroyo beyond June 30, 2010, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Majority of Filipinos are still scared that they will lose their jobs and have cut their spending habits in light of the weak economy, a survey by a global market research group showed.

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign direct investments continued to plummet, tumbling by 52 percent to only $13 million in January this year from $27 million in the same period last year and $184 million in January 2007.

MORE Filipinos are poised to lose their jobs as the government is set to cut anew its economic growth target for this year, according to pundits.

Dear PAO,  My girlfriend filed a case for nullity of her marriage on the ground that it was bigamous. Can my girlfriend sue her former husband for bigamy? Can she claim alimony from her former husband after the annulment? 

The government sees a robust Philippine economy despite the global financial crisis, as housing, food, tourism and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries “remain to be resilient,” a Palace official said Tuesday.

Ombudsman Maria Merceditas Gu­tierrez said she is elated by the results of the 2009 Political Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) survey, which reported that the perception of the Philippines has improved.