NTUC Blog

MANILA, Philippines – Twenty years after the Philippines signed the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement, the country may still not be ready to join the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015.

Appointed only two months ago by President Aquino as the chief of the National Economic and Development Authority, former UP School of Economics dean Arsenio Balisacan seems to have fast caught the yellow I-hate-Arroyo bug that afflicts this administration.

Next week marks the two-year anniversary of the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Dodd-Frank is the bill President Obama signed into law to protect consumers and rein in risky Wall Street behavior after the housing and financial crisis made clear that the world of finance is rigged to benefit…

After 21 years as Secretary General of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), Romulo “Romy” A. Virola has hung up his spurs, so to speak, having reached age 65 and therefore forced to retire, per government fiat. His retirement is not only a loss to the NSCB and the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) but also…

You and I are living in a culture of performance. Comparing ourselves with the next person has become a norm. Advertising has convinced us that we should always look better, feel better and make others eat our dust.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry has issued an administrative order removing the expiration of gift certificates, checks and cards. Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said that the order was issued last June 25 and would become effective upon its publication in early July.

American Jimmy Sieczka had a list of the 20 things he hated about the Philippines after living here for 3½ years. Well here’s a list to counter it―from someone who has lived here 10 times as long as that (36 years). Mind you he had some good points, even if aggressively delivered, the government and…

Dear PAO, I would like to ask about deposits regarding lease of an apartment unit. I have been looking for an apartment for residential purpose.

Dear PAO, Our parents died in an accident last year. As the eldest child, I took over the responsibility of taking care of my two siblings aged 15 and 10. I am now providing for their daily needs from food to clothing as well as their school expenses. I work in a private company and…

This question is often asked, because it is a reality. A lot of times, the most undeserving get all the blessings, especially the most cherished of all — good health and a long life. But some of the kindest, gentlest souls are serrated by the loss of a loved one, financial misfortunes, or a painful,…

Last month I wrote about a bill before Congress that would both help fight the offshoring of call-center jobs and protect consumers. Now the countries where we have been sending those jobs are organizing a lobbying campaign to fight the bill.

Employees at a Foxconn factory in Wuhan, China, some of whom reportedly threatened to kill themselves over a wage and working-conditions dispute, have instead come to an agreement with the manufacturer.

I’ve been asked many times this question in the last few weeks: Where do I stand in the midst of all these frenzied efforts to exact judgment at whatever cost and through whatever means possible? The honest answer, which I have so far kept unarticulated until this writing, is that I view the whole sordid…

At a time when we should be hearing Christmas carols and gearing up towards the yuletide celebrations, it seems that people’s lives have needlessly been “trespassed and infested” by life sucking politics, media sensationalism and the personal grudge matches of politicians and rich families.

MANILA, Philippines – Our gathering today is called a Summit on Poverty, Inequality and Social Reform. This is not the first time that we have met for such a purpose. One might therefore ask, why another summit?

THE Philippine Economic Zone Administration was blamed by the Occupational Safety and Health Center for being overprotective of foreign firms at Subic Freeport and not allowing safety inspections that could had prevented the accident that led to the death of six steel workers hired by Keppel Shipyard.

I was deeply immersed in preparations for a national conference in the last two weeks and I didn’t have time to think about anything else. I still have tons of emails to wade through, but there is one thing that I needed to get out of the way. So to the many friends and readers…

NEWS ANALYSIS MANILA: The stimulus package of P72 billion pesos or US$1.7 billion was unveiled by President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Wednesday has been hailed but at the same time belittled by some sectors.

This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005.

“Even the mighty fall, Mom,” my son remarked as he looked out into our garden and saw that the huge traveler’s palm tree that had stood as an imposing presence on our lawn since he was a baby was now lying prostrate on the ground.

A tourist wanders into a back-alley antique shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Picking through the objects on display, he discovers a detailed, life-sized, bronze sculpture of a rat. The sculpture is so interesting and unique, that he picks it up and asks the shop owner what it costs.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about how great the Filipino people were, and how this is what we should sell to the world. Today, I’d like to raise a few points that, if addressed, can ensure that advantage can be turned into wealth gain for everyone.

There are those who were outraged by what I wrote last fortnight about us being shallow. Let me reply by analogy. I like bagoong — salted fish sauce to you out there who are unaware of the food of the poor. I like caviar, too, on those very rare occasions that I am privileged to…

Dear PAO, I want to seek for your advice regarding the situation of my uncle. He has been in the hospital for almost two months. He was rushed there early part of May because he was complaining about pain in his abdomen. There were gallstones found in him; doctors took them out. He recovered after…

I was visited by an old Asian friend who lived here 10 years ago. I was floored by his observation that though we have lots of talented people, as a whole, we continue to be shallow.

Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) rejected as “a stupid idea” the proposal to impose a four-day, 10-hour work week nationwide, both for government and the private sector.

REAL wages in the Philippines have stagnated over the past two decades as the monopolies have been taking advantage of the large supply of job seekers fighting for a few jobs in the country, the Asian Development Bank says in a report.

July 27, 2011, Manila–“There is no other appropriate, fair and meaningful path toward sustainable development than green jobs and decent work”, emphasized Mr. Rafael Mapalo, TUCP’s Director for Education, who presented TUCP’s sustainable development initiatives during the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development’s (PCSD) 1stNational Forum on Countdown to Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development on…

A study by the Asian Development Bank found that the Philippines has one of the highest tax rates in Asia, but the country’s untaxed underground economy is also among the largest in the world.

PEOPLE POWER: This culture of blame, which has become as prevalent as it is pernicious, explains why Filipinos celebrate every time an NPA Sparrow Unit assassinates notoriously corrupt government officials, abusive “matons,” a tyrannical hacendero, or undisciplined military men.