Good News thread Options

[maharlikangpilip...]

Babangon tayo, kaunting purga na lang.

[juansuing]

Babangon tayo, kaunting purga na lang.

Kailangan natin ng malakas ng pampurga. Isang presidenteng may political will. Yung may bayag.

[maharlikangpilip...]

DBM releases P7B to build, repair classrooms

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P7 billion for the construction and repair of 8,997 classrooms for 404,865 students. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the classrooms will be built in areas where the classroom shortage is acute.

The funds, Abad added, come from the P11.29 billion budget for basic educational facilities. The largest chunks will go to the National Capital Region (P1 billion), the Calabarzon provinces (P841 million), the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (P660.311 million) for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Central Visayas (P562 million).

According to the Department of Education (DepEd), at least 23 tables and 46 chairs should be in every new classroom constructed from this year’s funds. Secondary school classrooms meanwhile should have at least 45 armchairs. The DepEd also required a blackboard and a teacher’s table and chair for every classroom.

Abad said the budget for education was increased by P32.3 billion in order to finance the construction of classrooms, hiring of new teachers and the purchase of textbooks.

The Budget Secretary assured the public that the Aquino administration would continue its efforts to be transparent. “For the construction and completion of project under this release, the constructors will be evaluated and the involvement of civil society monitors will also be encouraged," Abad said.

The DBM is among the departments in the Aquino administration that are “the few practical testimonies to transparency of the Aquino government," according to a special report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

K+12 concerns

The shortage of classrooms and schools has been one of the major arguments of those who have opposed the DepEd’s K+12 education model or kindergarten plus 12 years of basic education.

DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro said K+12 would make high school graduates more qualified to take on jobs even without a college degree.

Various entities opposed the plan, including Senator Vicente Sotto who asked for “more schools, not more years in school."

Teachers also expressed apprehension over the proposed overhaul of the education system.

Teachers Dignity Coalition chairman Benjo Basas said late last year, “We’ve been experiencing shortages in classrooms, school buildings, teachers, textbooks and other needs and every year the government is burdened with the backlogs of the previous year. This is primarily due to low investment in public education." — BC/ELR/VS, GMA News

[maharlikangpilip...]

Pinoy doctor wins int'l award for tobacco control

A Filipino became the first Asian to receive the Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence, a recognition given to someone who works to reduce tobacco use through policy advocacy.

Neuro-ophthalmologist E. Ulysses Dorotheo received the award during the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ awards gala in Washington last May 18.

The award is bestowed to those who exemplify the traits of American Judy Wilkenfeld, who worked tirelessly to reduce tobacco’s toll for more than 20 years.

Dorotheo has been a tobacco control advocate for over 10 years. At present, he is the director for the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance’s (SEATCA) Southeast Asia Initiative on Tobacco Tax, a five-year project aimed primarily at raising tobacco taxes and prices in the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam.

"The Marlboro cowboy may have ridden out of the US, but we are continually taking on Philip Morris and other transnational tobacco companies in the Philippines and in Asia. We need to fight collectively to ensure that public health is prioritized over international trade," Dorotheo said in a statement.

SEATCA director Bungon Ritthiphakdee lauded Dorotheo’s achievement, saying the medical doctor has been a "true champion of tobacco control and [has] always put forth consensus building in his working style."

Also, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance executive director Maricar Limpin said she is "proud" that the first Asian to be given the Judy Wilkenfeld Award is a Filipino.

"It is a very significant contribution to the pride of Filipinos working in the global community for public health," Limpin said.

Dorotheo has been crucial to efforts to push for higher tobacco taxes and in simplifying the current tax structure in the country, according to non-governmental organization HealthJustice.

"Such efforts will hopefully relieve the government of health costs and curb tobacco use, especially among the youth whom we have to protect from a life-shortening addiction," it said.

The number of Filipinos dying from tobacco-related diseases has ballooned up to 87,600 annually, the group said.

In the Philippines, the use of tobacco seems to be incontrollable as the country has among the lowest cigarette prices in the world, HealthJustice said.

Also last year, a Marikina City court ruled in favor of the Fortune Tobacco Corp. disallowing the Department of Health from implementing an order that requires tobacco firms to place graphic warnings on their product packages.

The court holds that the interest of justice will be better served "if the status quo is maintained," Judge Felix Reyes of the Marikina Regional Trial Court Branch 271 said in a ruling dated July 1, 2010. — Jesse Edep/RSJ, GMA News

*****

P11.2B wind power plants to rise in Ilocos N.

BY IRMA ISIP
Malaya Business Insights
May 20, 2011

Northern Luzon UPC Asia Corp. (NLUPC) is investing P11.214 billion for two wind power projects in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Lucita Reyes, executive director of the Board of Investments (BOI), said NLUPC’s two wind projects will be operational in December 2013.

Reyes said the project in Caparispisan will have a capacity of 54 megawatts and the other in Balaoi will have a capacity of 26 MW.

NLUPC, a 60-40 Filipino-Dutch firm, secured from the Department of Energy (DOE) in February 2010 and in September 2009 wind energy service contracts for the Balaoi and Caparispisan projects.

Developers have to secure a service contract for both the pre-development and development/commercial stages of wind energy projects. Wind developers also have to register and pre-qualify with the DOE and secure a certificate that will serve as the basis for their entitlement to incentives.

Ilocos Norte is home to the first and only operating wind farm power project being operated by NorthWind Power Development Corp. in Bangui Bay.

The 33 MW plant is also Southeast Asia’s first and largest.

Another wind power project, owned by Energy Logic Philippines, will add 120 MW when it becomes operational in January 2013 in the Pasuquin-Burgos area, also in Ilocos Norte.

BOI also registered early this year the P14.4 billion, 86-MW wind power project in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, of Burgos Wind Energy Systems, a unit of Energy Development Corp. This will be operational by December 2014.

Trans-Asia Renewable Energy recently secured BOI approval for a 54-MW wind plant to be built in Guimaras. The project will cost P6.5 billion.

The BOI, quoting a study by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory, said there are 10,000 square kilometers of land areas with good to excellent wind resources in the country.

Using the conservative assumption of about 7 MW per sq. km., these windy areas could support a potential installed capacity of 70,000 MW.

Most of these windy areas are found in the northern part of the country, particularly in the Ilocos region. The BOI said around 23 power plants with an estimated total capacity of 557 MW are being targeted by the government by 2014.

According to the Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the Philippines, the best places include Batanes, Babuyan Island, Ilocos Norte, Mindoro, Samar, Leyte, Panay, Negros, Cebu and Palawan.

Early this week, the National Renewable Energy Board proposed a rate of P10.37 per kilowatt-hour for wind power. This compares with P6.15 per kWh for hydro, P7 for biomass, P17.65 for ocean energy, and P17.95 for solar.

*****

Etihad Airways hires Filipino professionals

05/20/2011

A recent review by Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has confirmed that it is one of the aviation industry’s major employers of Filipino professionals worldwide.

The airline currently employs a total of 767 Filipinos, 739 staff in its Abu Dhabi head office and 28 in outstation offices. Filipinos make up the second largest national group working at Etihad. A good majority of them, 540 are females.

Of the total number, 391 workers (51 percent) are core grades (non-crew), and 355 (46 percent) are working as cabin crew and 21 (3 percent) as pilots.

In the airline’s outstation offices, 24 Filipino nationals are working in Manila and four are employed in Bahrain, Dammam, Kuwait and Oman.

Of the total Filipino female employees, 313 (58 percent) are cabin crew, 113 (21 percent) are in ground operations, 31 (6 percent) are in finance, 24 (4 percent) are in commercial, 15 (3 percent) are in human resources, 13 (2 percent) are in the Global Contact Centre, 13 (2 percent) are in operations-non crew, 6 (1 percent) are in in-flight service-non crew, and the remaining 14 are with other departments.

In terms of years of service among the female workers, 401 (74 per cent) have worked for Etihad from two to five years; 99 (18 percent), five to seven years; 17 (3 percent), below one year, 12 (2 per cent), one to two years; and 11 (2 percent), seven plus years.

Etihad operates 12 weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Manila with seamless connections to destinations in the Middle East, Africa, UK, Ireland, Europe and North America.

Voted “Vtorld’s Leading Airline” at the World Travel Awards in 2009 and 2010, Etihad offers guests a superior standard of luxury, comfort and service on the ground and in the air. In Pearl Business class, guests can enjoy award-winning flat beds and some of the finest international cuisine in the sky, served by dedicated Food and Beverage Managers, and the amenity of exclusive airport lounges. In the Coral Economy cabin, guests can relax in total comfort, enjoy more than 600 hours of on-demand in-flight entertainment, taste the finest international cuisine, and experience the warm Arabian hospitality of our expert international cabin crew.

This post has been edited by maharlikangpilipino: May 20 2011, 06:06 AM

[yonip]

go pelepens

[blackNasian]

World Bank OKs $250-M loan for the Philippines

THE WORLD Bank has approved a $250-million loan for the Philippines as part of an effort to improve governance, eliminate poverty and boost the economy.
"This fresh financing for the Philippines supports the country’s achievements and efforts for promoting inclusive growth," the bank said in a statement issued on Friday.

The Development Policy Lending (DPL) disbursement is part of the World Bank’s 2019-2012 Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), which was also extended by a year to 2013.

"The $250 million tranche, which part of the World Bank’s CAS, is already a go," Finance Undersecretary Rosalia V. de Leon told BusinessWorld.

"This is recognition that the government [has] made improvements in country’s fiscal system, which is one key to achieving inclusive growth," she claimed.

"Inroads made by the government" such as increasing revenues and better fiscal management, raising public investments through the public-private partnership (PPP) initiative and developing education and health programs "have helped the country in its request for the CAS’ extension and increase in funding," Ms. de Leon added.

The World Bank said it also planned to expand financing for the country in response to the government’s request for $1.5 billion annually, to be used for public infrastructure and poverty reduction.

"We usually just get half or around $700 million from the World Bank," Ms. de Leon said. "We’re very happy that the World Bank has agreed with the increase as [its] cost of borrowing is lower than that of other private institutions."

World Bank Country Director Bert Hofman, in the statement, said: "The transition to the new administration has brought renewed energy and strong focus on poverty reduction and good governance. We are pleased to support this reform agenda through this DPL as well as through a broader program under our extended CAS."

The bank also said that it would intensify ongoing engagements in areas such as PPPs, universal health care, education, disaster risk management, and budget transparency.

The International Finance Corporation -- the private sector financing arm of the World Bank Group -- also plans to increase its investment program to $300-350 million per year, supplemented by advisory activities.

The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, meanwhile, will continue to help funnel foreign direct investments into the country and provide political risk insurance to the private sector.

[maharlikangpilip...]

1st PPP project up for bidding
By Ma. Elisa Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated May 23, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (7) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The government is expected to open the bidding for construction of the P10.6-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway Phase II this year under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

A ranking government official, who requested anonymity, said over the weekend that the detailed engineering for the project is nearing completion.

The official said the expressway, the first to be opened for bidding under the PPP scheme, is a priority infrastructure project of the administration.

Projects under the PPP scheme are entitled to tax incentives as stipulated in the 2011 Investments Priorities Plan.

The expressway project is a component of the Metro Manila Urban Expressway System and the Manila International Airport Access Improvement Project.

A feasibility report prepared by professional service firm Ernst & Young showed that government subsidies and higher toll rates are needed to attract more bidders for the project.

The financial evaluation of the project showed a financial internal rate of return (FIRR) of only 5.41 percent, if a basic toll rate of P6 is imposed.

To make it attractive to investors, a toll of P9.50 per kilometer and with a 36 percent government subsidy should be imposed. The FIRR then would be 9.8 percent.

“On the other hand, government intervention is required to enhance the viability of the project through provision of additional funds that will cover the civil works and the right-of-way acquisition,” the study stated.

Ernst & Young said doing this will cut the P10.6-billion project cost dramatically. The civil works cost for the project is estimated at P8.6 billion while right-of-way acquisition cost is estimated at P1 billion.

The firm, however, is in favor of the implementation of the project because of its economic benefits.

Ernst & Young estimates the implementation of the project to take five and a half years.

Phase II of the NAIA expressway projects is proposed to supplement the recently completed phase I, which interfaced with the existing Manila South Skyway.

*****

AFP okays lifestyle check of ranking officers
By Alexis Romero

MANILA, Philippines - The military has agreed to the creation of an independent office to conduct lifestyle checks on ranking officers.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said yesterday the independent office would complement the AFP Office of Ethical Standards and Public Accountability.

“We view (the recommendation) positively because that would create another mechanism that would address corruption,” he said.

Burgos said it would strengthen efforts to promote reforms and transparency within the Armed Forces.

“This (creation of independent office that will conduct lifestyle checks) will put us closer to the fulfillment of our aim to implement continuous reforms in the AFP,” he said.

Burgos said nobody would be spared in the military’s campaign against corruption and other unlawful practices.

“There will be no sacred cows,” he said.

“We will not tolerate any wrongdoing. Everyone is required to submit his statement of assets and liabilities.”

The STAR reported last Saturday that a Department of National Defense panel formed to probe corruption in the military had called for the creation of an independent office to conduct lifestyle checks on military officials.

The Special Defense Investigation Committee (SDIC) said the office should be outside the AFP to be able to perform its duties without fear.

Led by lawyer Patrick Velez, the SDIC said full asset disclosure and lifestyle checks must be conducted on military officers and personnel.

Other members of the SDIC are Assistant Secretary Fernando Manalo and National Defense College of the Philippines president Fermin de Leon.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin formed the SDIC last January to look into the allegations of former military budget officer George Rabusa that Armed Forces chiefs received hefty sums upon their retirement.

Some funds were diverted to allow ranking officers to avail of hefty cash gifts, he added.

The SDIC was also tasked to conduct an inquiry into the supposed irregularities committed by former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, who is accused of stealing P300 million from state coffers.

The SDIC has also recommended the auditing of intelligence funds to prevent corruption and promote checks and balance. Intelligence funds are currently exempt from state audit.

It also called for the removal of AFP oversight offices from the chain of command and to place them under civilian control.

These are the offices of the internal auditor, ethical standards and public accountability, judge advocate-general, and inspector-general.

*****

thanks po mr. mvp

MVP to help solve airport’s water woes

Sunday, 22 May 2011 22:32 Recto Mercene / Reporter

Among the litany of complaints leveled against the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (Naia 1) is the lack of water to flush the toilets and other amenities to present a fully functioning “window to the world,” as our airports are supposed to represent.

Grit your teeth no more. Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Co., is having a dialog with Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) General Manager Jose Honrado soon to help address the liquidity problem at the country’s premier airport.

The telecom executive promised “instant solutions” to the water problem once the talk with the Miaa management pushes through.

Pangilinan flew in at 10 a.m. on Saturday, accompanied by some business executives of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., including Maynilad Water Services Inc. vice president Patrick Gregorio.

While waiting for his car, Pangilinan noticed that the main road leading to the arrival area was closed due to excavations, while construction workers were desperately looking for the leaking pipe.

Col. Manuel Pintado, the deputy chief of the Aviation Security Group, was then requested by Pangilinan to arrange a meeting between him and Honrado to offer solution of the airport’s water problem since Pasay and Parañaque are under Maynilad’s service distribution franchise.

“The rehabilitation of the 28-year-old terminal should be address immediately,” Pangilinan said, even as he agreed with the present Miaa management’s attempt to improve the basic services of the terminal to gain positive impression from passengers and other airport users.

Honrado, in a telephone interview, said Miaa officials are doing the best solution to improve the water system at Naia 1.

He added that workers have located the problem leading to the low supply of water at the terminal, saying numerous leaks in the pipeline have been found.

Since three weeks ago, diggings have gone on to attempt to replace the damaged pipe and ensure the continuous flow of water at toilets and other outlets. The airport chief said a team of engineers have found leaks from the main water supply of Naia, originating at the old arrival area from deep wells and drawn by centrifugal pumps.

“What we can promise to our traveling public is that within two to three months, all our toilets would be fully equipped with toilet paper and soap and that the broken plumbing system would be fixed to supply running water,” Honrado said.

He gave Naia Terminal 1 manager Dante Basanta two months to fix the problem, including the deployment of personnel to maintain the cleanliness and sanitation of the comfort rooms.

“We are doing everything to refurbish the old facilities of Naia 1 which is 28 years old,” Honrado said, giving assurance to local and foreign travelers that the 28-year-old terminal would have complete comfort facilities within the set deadline.

He said that his agency had been renovating lavatories in Naia 1 and had finished work on eight sets of male and female restrooms out of 17 in the whole building.

He also thanked Pangilinan for his resolve to deal with the water problems of the Naia.

This post has been edited by maharlikangpilipino: May 23 2011, 12:56 AM

[juansuing]

Port of Subic posts P30M revenue surplus

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines - The Port of Subic registered a P30 million surplus in Customs revenue as reflected in its actual cash collections versus target for the January to April period this year, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) authorities reported today.

SBMA figures showed that Subic’s year-on-year cash collection performance in the four-month period reached P2 billion, surpassing last year’s record of P1.6 billion by 25.26 percent.

In April alone, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) here easily surpassed the target of P622 million after coming up with P623 million, the highest monthly cash revenue so far this year.

The Port of Subic, however, posted the highest monthly surplus on its actual cash collections in January when it exceeded its target by P25.61 million.

The surplus in March reached P21.92 million and P1.02 million in April, although actual collection versus target fell short by P18.54 million in February, the BOC said.

With this record, the Port of Subic emerged as one of the five ports in the entire country to surpass their target, joining Limay, which recorded a surplus of P456 million; Davao with P39 million; Zamboanga with P500,000; Legazpi with P100,000; and Clark with P10,000.

Overall, the BoC national office announced a shortfall of P3.3 billion, as it posted total cash collections at P21.88 billion, which is 13 percent short of its P25.19-billion target. - By Ric Sapnu (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

[maharlikangpilip...]

U.K. keen on private-public partnerships in PH
By: Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
7:12 pm | Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
0 0share1

MANILA, Philippines — The U.K. is interested in participating further in the Philippines’ Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) program, according to a statement
from the British Embassy.

Peter Wilson, Director of the Asia Pacific Directorate of the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office in London, said British companies have taken an interest in doing business in the Philippines and the U.K. government would like to assist the Philippines in its PPPs.

They are apparently keen on PPPs related to transportation, oil and
other infrastructure projects.

The U.K. government has already shared some of its expertise by bringing in two PPP experts early this year to talk to key government agencies and local government officials.

Wilson has expressed hope that more consultations in London can be arranged to take advantage of the huge amount of PPP expertise in the UK.

“The U.K. government is placing a great deal of emphasis in the Philippines. This is an important initiative by our government to look very carefully at the political and economic opportunities represented by the shift in power in the world to the east and to the south. These talks are a very important illustration of that,” Wilson said in a statement following the recently concluded Second Philippines-United Kingdom High Level Meeting.

Wilson said the U.K. was the largest European investor in the Philippines and trade between the two countries has been increasing rapidly.

“We look at the huge growth of the Philippine economy. Your growth last year of over 7 per cent, the highest in 35 years, is one that has gone very much noticed in the UK. The interest in our companies of doing business in the Philippines and the interest that we have in attracting Philippine investment to the U.K. is very strong,” Wilson said.

He noted that further investment liberalization and reforms that would ease doing business would definitely boost British foreign direct investment in the Philippines.

The Second Philippines-United Kingdom High Level Meeting also covered the Mindanao peace process, of which the U.K. has been “cautiously optimistic.”

“Our experience in Northern Ireland did show that the wider the involvement of groups in peace talks, the more likely it is that one is going to have success. I do think that even a very tough peace process is solvable by appropriate political attention and wide involvement of people in the consultation process as is happening in Mindanao,” Wilson said.

“With the appropriate attention, with a strong political will, even problems that are very tough to solve are solvable. The Philippine Government is approaching these talks in a very positive way and that gives us a great cause of confidence that further progress can be made,” Wilson said.

Wilson also praised the 250,000-strong Filipino community in the U.K. “for their contribution to the U.K. economy and society,” particularly in the National Health Service.

*****

Company builds silicon wafer plant
May 23, 2011, 11:34pm

MANILA, Philippines — Solar wafer slicing plant First Philec Nexolon Corporation (FPNC), the second large-scale wafer slicing company in the Philippines, recently held its groundbreaking at the First Philippine Industrial Park in Sto.Tomas, Batangas.

FPNC will be producing the highest quality multi-crystalline silicon wafers for the photovoltaic (PV) industry. Targeting to be operational by September 2011, FPNC plans to acquire 40 saws in the third quarter and ramp up to 52 saws by the fourth quarter.

FPNC is jointly owned by First Philippine Electric Corporation (First Philec), which owns the 70% share, and Nexolon Corporation Limited of Korea (Nexolon), which owns the other 30%.

First Philec is the intermediate holding company for all manufacturing investments of First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH). FPH in turn owns established companies in the energy and electronics sector like First Gen, Energy Development Corporation, Philippine Electric Corporation, First Sumiden Circuits and First Philec Solar Corporation, the first large-scale solar wafer slicing company in the Philippines. FPNC continues to establish First Philec as the solar arm of FPH.

Nexolon, on the other hand, is one of the leading manufacturers of mono and multi-crystalline solar ingots and wafers. Nexolon achieved an annual manufacturing capacity of 150 MW in Korea for 2008, and is targeting to have an ingot capacity of 1,400 MW and a wafer capacity of 1,000 MW by the end of 2011. The partnership with First Philec aims to make up for the 400 MW difference.

Present during the groundbreaking were First Philec president Arthur A. de Guia, FPNC president Danilo C. Lachica, FPNC general manager Hernanie Torres, Nexolon president Woo Jeong Lee, CCT Contractor Corp. Treasurer Yasunori Nigo, and other executives.

FPNC enters the PV industry benefiting from the culture and technical expertise of its parent companies. It stands on firm foundation of technology, financing, market infrastructure, organization, and history.

[yonip]

yes more improvements
go flitopinonia
go pelepens
go filo
go pinoy
go filipino
go phil
go ph
go Philippines

This post has been edited by yonip: May 25 2011, 05:39 AM

[maharlikangpilip...]

Congrats PNR!!

PNR: Manila-Bicol train test run sucessful

MANILA, Philippines � The test-run for trains that will be plying the Manila-Bicol route was successful, an official of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) announced today.

Conducted last weekend, the test-run covered more than 400 kilometers through a newly refurbished locomotive train with several tourist class coaches donated by the Japanese government.

�In my assessment, the Bicol test-run we conducted was 95 percent successful and we are nearing our objective to put back in operation the commercial PNR trips to Bicol region,� said PNR General Manger Junio Ragragio Jr.

The Manila-Naga trip took only nine hours, shorter than the usual 10-hour travel time through bus, Ragragio said.

�This makes trip to certain parts of Southern Luzon via train a highly viable travel alternative,� he said, adding that all train coaches for the "Bicol Express" will be air-conditioned.

Also included in the test run was a locally refurbished passenger coach with several reclining chairs with a fit and finish comparable to imported train cars. It has better amenities to compete against imported first-class air-conditioned bus.

�We have the tourist class where we have reclining chairs with more leg room compared to commercial buses. This includes a wide screen LCD with state-of-the-art sound system to comfortably watch movies during the long trip,� Ragrario said.

�We also have two types of sleeper coaches. One is a family suite that is good for a family or barkada of 4 to 6 persons. And we also have the executive class for passengers who would like extra privacy during the lengthy tour and the inclusion of a dining car with an ambiance of first class restaurant,� he added.

He added that several projects are at hand for the Bicol Express route that includes the renovation of several train stations traversing along the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Albay.

�These train stations used to be teeming with commercial activities. However, after a long absence of train operations they are now in a state of neglect,� he cited.

The PNR is mulling at putting up railway connections to Batangas, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon.

�It is a very difficult and laborious undertaking but we are up to the challenge�, he said. - By Jun Pasaylo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

[trismegistos]

Dito ba ito? he he

http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/...phl-can-prosper

Inflation or deflation: PHL can prosper
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 19:55 John Mangun / Outside the Box


There is not anything resembling “business as usual” for the global economy today. The situation will not return to what we expect as normal any time soon. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool or a liar.

From the PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain), we now have the PIIGS to include Italy. Italy’s fiscal outlook has just been downgraded to negative.

The West is smothered in debt. Spain’s outstanding debt owed to other nations’ banks is over $1 trillion. Italy’s debt is nearly $1.5 trillion. By comparison, Greece owes about $250 billion. There is not enough economic activity in the West to create the wealth necessary to pay off those amounts. And to keep those economies alive, all the Western countries need to keep borrowing more. It is an impossible fiscal situation.

There are only two options available. One is to allow both sovereign government and bank debt defaults whether they eventually call it restructuring, reprofiling, or readjustment.

Major banks will fail. Lending will come to a halt, as will economic activity. The standard of living will drop like a rock. Governments will be forced to stop most of the social safety nets as interest rates will go up to very high levels on any lending that is available. Forty-five million Americans depend on the government for at least a portion of their daily bread. Commodity prices will fall significantly as people will simply be too poor to buy goods and services. Wages will drop as companies will have a large labor pool willing to work for much less just to survive.

Those who see this outcome for the future believe that we will see oil at $25 a barrel, as well as gold at $250 per ounce. And the US dollar will rise 50 percent from its current value, as any performing loans that are still around will need to pay creditors in dollars. Further, the US will be the only safe haven from social and political unrest and chaos.

Imagine an individual overwhelmed by debt. Finally, giving up ever trying to pay, the bank is called to take back the house, the car is returned to the finance company, and all the goodies are sold at a garage sale just to buy food as the old lifestyle dies and a new poorer way of living starts.

That is the deflation scenario.

Unlike you and me, governments can create money. A government needs funds to pay its debts, just print it. If no one wants to buy government debt, have the central bank print the money and buy government debt issued by the Department of Finance or Treasury. We call this Quantitative Easing (QE). If the banks or corporations have problems paying their debts, print more money and loan it to them at near-zero interest rates. Bail them out.

QE is nothing more than currency debasement. The Roman Empire was destroyed as the emperors debased the value of the currency. Wanting to spend money the government did not have, they just created more currency. From about A.D.190 to around A.D. 290, the silver content of Roman coins went down from 95 percent to 0.5 percent. Prices increased by 1,000 percent. Since the creation of the US Federal Reserve in 1913, the US dollar has lost 95 percent of its purchasing power. What cost $1 in 1914 now costs $21. Put another way, the price of that $1 item in 1914 has increased 2,100 percent in less than 100 years.

The rate at which money is now being created and currencies debased can lead to hyperinflation. That is the inflation scenario.

Continued debasement of currencies gives the impression of economic growth just as the emperor Caracalla doubled soldiers’ salaries with a silver coin worth as much.

The ‘inflationists’ believe that governments will not take the social turmoil and economic downturn that deflation brings and will continue QE hoping that the economies will recover. Governments are willing to risk the threat of hyperinflation.

One of these two scenarios, at least to some degree, will happen in the next one to two years. It is inevitable.

The Philippines, like several other nations (Thailand and Malaysia, for example), will escape the brunt of the potential coming disaster.

A deflation event will slow growth but we have several things going in our favor unless the government totally makes a mess of it.

Domestic output and local consumption is strong, much stronger than in China, for example. Outsourcing is a crucial income earner, and this business would even grow stronger in a period of Western deflation as companies reduce costs to survive. Overseas workers’ remittances will continue, if not exactly grow. Spain has more than 20- percent unemployment, yet Spain’s Filipino worker remittances are up 17 percent over 2010. The Philippine economy is not dependent on manufactured goods exported particularly to the West. Likewise, the Philippines is not a commodity exporter, prices of which would fall dramatically during a deflationary period. Beneficially, the prices of commodities that we must import would be cheaper. The Philippines does not have any asset-price bubbles: real estate, wages, stock market.

Currency-induced cost-push inflation is the fear of “inflationists,” and it is all about the US dollar.

The dollar will fall severely in terms of purchasing-power value. Gold will go to $2,000 and oil will see $200. All hard-asset prices will rise, including stock markets and commodities. Although interest rates will increase, bank lending will also rise. The world will be flooded with less valuable currency.

Imported goods and raw materials could go up significantly in the Philippines. That is the worst scenario. However, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has the ability to mitigate this by increasing the value of the peso to offset increases in the price of imported goods. However, it comes at a cost. Fortunately, we have enough foreign-currency reserves to help maintain the value of remittances in peso terms and to help maintain the flow of foreign direct investment.

Regardless of what the future holds, the Philippines can prosper through it all. We have a strong domestic economy. Our economy does not rely on the West. Our banking system is financially sound. Our economic house is strong enough to weather whatever storm the global economic condition brings to the Philippines.

This post has been edited by trismegistos: May 25 2011, 09:08 PM

[martin_nuke]

Chips lilke the Arm processors used in Cell Phones, Smart Phones, Routers, etc... are made in the Philippines.


The chips in the Mac Book is also made in the Philippines.

http://donvito.wordpress.com/2006/02/25/ne...he-philippines/

This post has been edited by martin_nuke: May 25 2011, 09:24 PM

[juansuing]

Dito ba ito? he he

http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/...phl-can-prosper

Inflation or deflation: PHL can prosper
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 19:55 John Mangun / Outside the Box


There is not anything resembling “business as usual” for the global economy today. The situation will not return to what we expect as normal any time soon. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool or a liar.

From the PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain), we now have the PIIGS to include Italy. Italy’s fiscal outlook has just been downgraded to negative.

The West is smothered in debt. Spain’s outstanding debt owed to other nations’ banks is over $1 trillion. Italy’s debt is nearly $1.5 trillion. By comparison, Greece owes about $250 billion. There is not enough economic activity in the West to create the wealth necessary to pay off those amounts. And to keep those economies alive, all the Western countries need to keep borrowing more. It is an impossible fiscal situation.

There are only two options available. One is to allow both sovereign government and bank debt defaults whether they eventually call it restructuring, reprofiling, or readjustment.

Major banks will fail. Lending will come to a halt, as will economic activity. The standard of living will drop like a rock. Governments will be forced to stop most of the social safety nets as interest rates will go up to very high levels on any lending that is available. Forty-five million Americans depend on the government for at least a portion of their daily bread. Commodity prices will fall significantly as people will simply be too poor to buy goods and services. Wages will drop as companies will have a large labor pool willing to work for much less just to survive.

Those who see this outcome for the future believe that we will see oil at $25 a barrel, as well as gold at $250 per ounce. And the US dollar will rise 50 percent from its current value, as any performing loans that are still around will need to pay creditors in dollars. Further, the US will be the only safe haven from social and political unrest and chaos.

Imagine an individual overwhelmed by debt. Finally, giving up ever trying to pay, the bank is called to take back the house, the car is returned to the finance company, and all the goodies are sold at a garage sale just to buy food as the old lifestyle dies and a new poorer way of living starts.

That is the deflation scenario.

Unlike you and me, governments can create money. A government needs funds to pay its debts, just print it. If no one wants to buy government debt, have the central bank print the money and buy government debt issued by the Department of Finance or Treasury. We call this Quantitative Easing (QE). If the banks or corporations have problems paying their debts, print more money and loan it to them at near-zero interest rates. Bail them out.

QE is nothing more than currency debasement. The Roman Empire was destroyed as the emperors debased the value of the currency. Wanting to spend money the government did not have, they just created more currency. From about A.D.190 to around A.D. 290, the silver content of Roman coins went down from 95 percent to 0.5 percent. Prices increased by 1,000 percent. Since the creation of the US Federal Reserve in 1913, the US dollar has lost 95 percent of its purchasing power. What cost $1 in 1914 now costs $21. Put another way, the price of that $1 item in 1914 has increased 2,100 percent in less than 100 years.

The rate at which money is now being created and currencies debased can lead to hyperinflation. That is the inflation scenario.

Continued debasement of currencies gives the impression of economic growth just as the emperor Caracalla doubled soldiers’ salaries with a silver coin worth as much.

The ‘inflationists’ believe that governments will not take the social turmoil and economic downturn that deflation brings and will continue QE hoping that the economies will recover. Governments are willing to risk the threat of hyperinflation.

One of these two scenarios, at least to some degree, will happen in the next one to two years. It is inevitable.

The Philippines, like several other nations (Thailand and Malaysia, for example), will escape the brunt of the potential coming disaster.

A deflation event will slow growth but we have several things going in our favor unless the government totally makes a mess of it.

Domestic output and local consumption is strong, much stronger than in China, for example. Outsourcing is a crucial income earner, and this business would even grow stronger in a period of Western deflation as companies reduce costs to survive. Overseas workers’ remittances will continue, if not exactly grow. Spain has more than 20- percent unemployment, yet Spain’s Filipino worker remittances are up 17 percent over 2010. The Philippine economy is not dependent on manufactured goods exported particularly to the West. Likewise, the Philippines is not a commodity exporter, prices of which would fall dramatically during a deflationary period. Beneficially, the prices of commodities that we must import would be cheaper. The Philippines does not have any asset-price bubbles: real estate, wages, stock market.

Currency-induced cost-push inflation is the fear of “inflationists,” and it is all about the US dollar.

The dollar will fall severely in terms of purchasing-power value. Gold will go to $2,000 and oil will see $200. All hard-asset prices will rise, including stock markets and commodities. Although interest rates will increase, bank lending will also rise. The world will be flooded with less valuable currency.

Imported goods and raw materials could go up significantly in the Philippines. That is the worst scenario. However, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has the ability to mitigate this by increasing the value of the peso to offset increases in the price of imported goods. However, it comes at a cost. Fortunately, we have enough foreign-currency reserves to help maintain the value of remittances in peso terms and to help maintain the flow of foreign direct investment.

Regardless of what the future holds, the Philippines can prosper through it all. We have a strong domestic economy. Our economy does not rely on the West. Our banking system is financially sound. Our economic house is strong enough to weather whatever storm the global economic condition brings to the Philippines.

Now this is what I'm saying. We're growing modestly YET SURELY. Unlike Vietnam, a country growing robustly for the past several years and now seems like economy has overheated, their inflation rate is close to 20%! Ours is very much stable at 4.3% and very manageable. We dont have demographic crisis, something Europe, Japan, South Korea and China wil have to deal with sooner or later. MODERATION is the key. Naniniwala ako na yung malaking bansang mabilis ang paglago ngayon, babagsak din yan balang araw. Mabilis ang pagbulusok pataas, mabilis din ang pagbagsak. Physics, teh. Physics.

This post has been edited by juansuing: May 26 2011, 12:52 AM

[juansuing]

RP now a top tourist pick, up 17% in January

The Philippines is now a must-see destination for many international travellers. According to the Deparment of Tourism tourist arrivals rose 17 percent in January to 349,713 from 298,119 year-on-year.

South Korea remained the top market for the country’s tourism as traffic grew 28 percent to 92,249 and comprised 26 percent of the total volume.

Visitors from the United States reached 63,674, up 15 percent on year, and accounted for 18 percent of the total arrivals in January.

Japan was third with 9 percent market share followed by China and Australia with 4.5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

The Department of Tourism reported that January’s tourist count translated into approximately $240 million worth of cash receipts. The Philippines has projected 3.7 million tourists this year.

----------------------
Coca-Cola’s $1 billion Phl investment is on track

Coca Cola, the biggest softdrink company in the country, said that its $1 billion five-year investment commitment in the country is on track with the near completion of its bottling plant in Misamis Oriental.

In a statement, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines chief executive officer Bill Schultz said the new plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental should be operational in a couple of months.

The plant will be one of its largest in the region and is expected to generate significant employment opportunities in the area.

“We remain committed to the Philippines, where we will celebrate 100 years in business in 2012, and uphold our confidence in the Philippine economy and the continued growth of our brands,” Schultz said.

Part of the resources used for the purchase of the 11 hectare property and the construction of the facilities came from the initial investment committed through former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2009. The rest, including the purchase of machineries and equipment, as well as employee training, were taken from the fresh $1B investment committed by Coca-Cola Pacific Group President Glenn Jordan to President Aquino when he attended the UN General Assembly in New York in September last year, the statement said.

The company’s investment in the country was intended to strengthen production, distribution and help develop new products to refresh the Filipino consumers.

In 2010, Coca-Cola Philippines recorded double-digit growth led by its flagship brand Coca-Cola. The Company has also recently expanded a no added preservatives formulation of the Minute Maid Pulpy brand with real pulp and juice.

Coca-Cola Company, which operates 23 plants and 47 sales offices with over 7,000 employees across the country, will focus the rest of the investment on strengthening marketing executions and enhancing system capabilities relating to logistics and deliveries in order to better serve the Company’s expanding customer base, the statement said.

“We also continue to invest in the community. Currently the Coca-Cola Company has built 80 Little Red Schoolhouses in remote areas in the Philippines, benefitting over 40,000 students. Now the Coca-Cola Foundation is working at constructing an additional 20 Little Red Schoolhouses to reach our goal of 100 Little Red Schoolhouses by 2012, the 100th year anniversary of Coca-Cola in the Philippines,” Schultz said.

Coca-Cola also supports several environmental programs in partnership with WWF Philippines. A project between the Departments of Health and Education and Coca-Cola aims at minimizing iron deficiency among schools kids through the distribution of a nutritional juice.

Coca-Cola has been in the Philippines since the beginning of the 20th century and has been locally produced since 1927.
The Philippines received the first non-US national Coca-Cola bottling and distribution franchise. The Philippines bottling operation is among the biggest 10 Coca-Cola bottlers globally.

(Story courtesy of Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat of Manila Bulletin)
----------------------
Phl is 3rd most optimistic country in the world

The Philippines is one of the world’s most optimistic nations in a recent in a global survey on business optimism.

The results from the annual Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) showed renewed confidence of businessmen in the country’s economic environment.

Filipino business leaders were ranked third in the world in terms of optimism with 87 percent of businessmen saying they were more confident about business prospects for 2011.

The Philippines came in just behind their peers from Chile with a 95% optimism rate and India 93%, and right behind the Philippines was Brazil at 78%.

The IBR—conducted locally by the group’s affiliate Punongbayan & Araullo—is an international survey of the opinions of medium to large privately held businesses.

“Some may dismiss this rosy outlook of Filipino executives as simply in keeping with the Filipino’s positive thinking,” said P&A managing partner and COO Marivic Españo.

“This year, however, such optimism is backed by the 7.3-percent real GDP [gross domestic product] growth in 2010,” she added. “That’s the highest economic growth rate we have ever experienced, so I would say our optimism is well-founded.”

The IBR results echoed similar findings released recently by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which showed local businessmen having record-high confidence levels since the entry of the new administration last year.

The Makati Business Club, the group that brings together the country’s biggest businesses, also agreed with the findings.
“We share that optimism,” MBC executive director Peter Perfecto said, adding that the key now was to translate this confidence into concrete gains for the benefit of the broader population.

“We believe that the government can sustain the growth momentum of 2010, if the [Public-Private Partnership] projects begin rolling out this year,” he said. “I understand that they are committed to rolling out at least 10 projects this year. This will be significant.”

Since the Philippines began participating in 2004, optimism among local business leaders has always tracked an upward trend until 2009, when optimism dropped from a high of 95 percent to 63 percent in reaction to the global financial crisis, P&A said in a statement.

The following year, confidence level marginally improved to 68 percent as business leaders cautiously looked forward to a rebound, it added.

Survey respondents were also asked about their business expectations for this year.

Filipino businessmen reported improved confidence in the areas of employment, revenue, selling prices, exports, profitability, investments in new buildings, investment in machinery, and research and development.

(Story courtesy of Philippine Star and Philippine Daily Inquirer)

[juansuing]

PH economy grows 4.9 percent in first quarter
05/30/2011 | 11:12 AM

Modest government spending and a slowdown in global trade stunted growth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2011, bringing the now 2000-based growth rate for the period at 4.9 percent, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said on Monday.

The industry sector led other sectoral groups in contributing a robust 7.2 percent growth to the GDP for the quarter, on the back of the strong performance of the manufacturing sector supported by the mining and quarrying and construction industries.

GDP is the amount of goods and services produced by a country in a given period.

"On the demand side, the growth came mainly from increased investments in fixed capital formation particularly durable equipment and Household spending," said Romulo Virola, secretary-general of the NSCB.

Declining expenditures

Household spending grew by 4.9 percent, the NSCB said, as fixed capital formation recorded a 12 percent growth in the period.

Government expenditures fell sharply by 17.2 percent in the quarter as public sector disbursements, particulary for PPP projects, were delayed for the period.

Underspending by the government particularly contributed to the lowered business confidence index for the second straight quarter, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported earier.

Exports of services experienced the largest decline in growth for the period, falling 19.5 percent from year-ago figures while exports of goods grew by 10.1 percent.

Imports of services, meanwhile, fell by 6.6 percent for the first quarter of the year, as total imports registered a modest growth of 8.8 percent.

Total exports, on the other hand, slowed to a meager 3.3 percent growth for the quarter.

The NSCB report added that the political crisis in the Middle East and North Africa region constricted the country's Net Primary Income as it posts zero growth during the quarter.

This resulted in the slowdown in the growth of the Gross National Income (GNI), pegged at 3.6 percent, down from 11.5 percent in the same period in 2010.

Sectoral growth

The Agriculture and Forestry sector rebounded to 4.2 percent in the period bolstered by the recovery of palay, sugarcane and corn.

Other crops such as coconut, mango, pineapple and coffee suffered declines in the period due to decreased production, among other factors.

The services sector, on the other hand, grew by 3.7 percent, buoyed by marked improvements in other services (6.8 percent), real estate, renting and business activity (5.9 percent) and transportation, storage and communication (5.5 percent) industries.

Private construction investments, meanwhile, scored a double-digit growth of 21.6 percent for the period, coming from an 11.9 percent growth rate year-on-year.

Public construction, however, went down by a sharp 37.3 percent, pulling down the total Construction growth rate to a mere 7.2 percent.

The country's GNI per capita, with a projected population reaching 95.1 million for the period, is pegged at 1.7 percent, while per-capita GDP settled at 2.9 percent.

Per capita GNI is the value of a country’s goods and services in a given period, divided by its population. -- JM Tuazon/CMA/OMG, GMA News
--------------------------
Mababa. Pero understandable. Bumagal din growth ng ibang bansa ngayong Q1 ng 2011. Bawi sa Q2. Sana mag-invest ang gobyerno sa infrastructure. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nagtitipid ang gobyerno. May surplus nga tayo, mabagal naman ang growth.

[maharlikangpilip...]

Korean firm builds $200 million Clark leisure project

South Korea’s Donggwang Clark Corp. is investing $200-million in a tourism and leisure estate project in the Clark Freeport zone that would employ over 2,000 workers.

Korea’s Donggwang Clark plans to develop a 304-hectare area in the free port into a tourism, recreational and leisure estate, including the construction of a new golf course at the old True North Golf and Country Club.

Donggwang Clark chairman Lee Shin Kun said the project involves the construction of a 36-hole golf course, clubhouse, condominium with 330 rooms, water park, spa and gymnasium and eco-tourism park.

Lee said the tourism estate project was expected to be completed by 2016, employ over 2,000 workers, as well as increase the arrival of more foreign and local tourists.

The project also includes business center, store and functions, international school, golf academy and driving range, clinic and drug store, hotel, casino, 500 villa units and a shopping arcade.

The leisure community project aims to increase tourism and economic activities in the region and provide employment during the construction and operation phases of the project.

Donggwang Clark has committed to complete the first phase of the project within 30 months. The initial phase involves the construction of 36-hole golf course, club house, an international school to be operated by the Brent School and the 100 villa units.

The second phase covers the construction of a condominium with 330 rooms, the water park and an additional 300 villa units.

Donggwang Clark will build a 330-room hotel, eco-tourism park, casino, shopping arcade, an additional 100 villa units and other amenities to entice the arrival of more local and foreign tourists to Clark.

*****

Philippines can now export livestock, pork products

Filipino livestock and hog raisers, and meat processors can now export Philippine livestock and pork products to the rest of the world, as the entire Philippines was recently certified free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) without vaccination by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or World Organization for Animal Health.

The latest OIE certification cleared the country’s last FMD-affected regions and provinces, collectively referred to as Zone 2, thus opening the Philippines to export particularly to nearby ASEAN and Asia-Pacific regions.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said negotiations are ongoing to export pork products to Singapore and Malaysia. Selected swine farms, abattoirs and meat processing establishments, initially in Mindanao, are being accredited by the Department of Agriculture through its concerned agencies, particularly the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). As the country is likewise free from avian flu, it has been exporting poultry products, mostly to Japan.

The OIE certification was received on behalf of the Philippine government and Sec. Alcala by agriculture assistant secretary for livestock Davinio Catbagan on May 26, 2011, in Paris, France, during the 79th general session of the OIE, May 22-27, 2011. The certificate was signed by OIE president Dr. Carlos A. Correa Messuti and director-general Bernard Vallat.

Catbagan said the country’s FMD-free status also augurs well for the domestic livestock industry, as livestock and swine raisers and meat processors can now freely transport and trade live animals and livestock and pork products within the country.

He said the free movement and transport will enhance productivity, particularly in improving, upgrading, and increasing current livestock herd and swine population.

Zone 2 covers four regions (1, 3, 4-A, and NCR), particularly 12 provinces and 17 cities and towns in Metro Manila or NCR. The 12 provinces are Pangasinan (Region 1); Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, and Bataan (Region 3); and Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Region 4-A).

The other four zones of the country were previously declared and recognized by OIE as FMD-free without vaccination, namely: Zones 1 and 3 in May 25, 2010; Visayas, Palawan and Masbate Zone in 2002; and Mindanao in 2001. The zones are broken down as follows:

Zone 1 (North Luzon)
Cordillera Administrative Region – Abra, Apayao, Benguet,
Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mt. Province;
Region 1 – Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Launion
Region 2 – Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino

Region 3 – Aurora

Zone 3 (South Luzon)
Region 4-B – Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Romblon

Region 5 – Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Sorsogon

Visayas Zone (all provinces in regions 6, 7, and 8), including Palawan and Masbate

Mindanao Zone (all six regions and 29 provinces and islands).

*****

House to probe illegal Luisita toll

The House is considering to conduct a probe into the Hacienda Luisita Inc.’s (HLI’s) collection of tolls for the use of a private road linking the sugar land owned by the family of President Aquino to a major expressway and which are collected supposedly without even the issuance of receipts.

House ways and means committee chairman Batangas Rep. Herminigildo Mandanas said reports have reached the chamber that HLI is not issuing receipts despite collecting a P20 toll rate for every motorist passing through the private road linking the contested sugar land to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).

Mandanas said that if indeed the reports HLI is not

issuing the proper receipts for its toll fee collections, the firm could be held liable for tax evasion.

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which operates the SCTEx road said the toll is illegal as BCDA president Arnel Cassanova said the road is supposed to be open to everyone since the HLI committed to build an access road toward the interchange.

Last Saturday, a group of reporters including this writer, passed through Parkway Road, the private road linking Luisita to SCTEx. Paying the P20 toll fee, they were not issued any receipt except for a stub stating the fee was for road maintenance. Insisting they be issued a receipt, the group of reporters were issued a receipt bearing the name of a company, Brown International Services Inc.

However, while the toll collectors tried to conceal the address of the company by shading the address with a black marking pen, the address was still readable stating the company was located in Fairview in Quezon City.

This reporter also tried to call Brown International through the telephone number listed on the receipt but a man claiming he was a security guard from the establishment said the phone number belongs to a New Shoppe Philippines.

Without elaborating, Mandanas said he will look int the matter.

If validated, this would confirm the Aquino administration is only bent on persecuting the Arroyos as manifested in its filing of tax evasion cases against former presidential son, Ang Galing Pinoy Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his wife Angela, while turning a blind eye on presidential relatives and allies.

Some lawmakers have also questioned Aquino’s ally, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, for the discrepancy in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALn) and his income tax returns (ITR).

In a text message, Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay, an opposition stalwart, stressed HLI is not entitled to tax privileges for collecting fees for the use of the access road that links MacArthur Highway and SCTEx.

“In the first place it was government that spent for the interchange. So I think that it is entitled to tax the income derived from the access road,” Magsaysay said.

The lady solon said the HLI management owes the public an explanation for not issuing official receipts for motorists when it is clear that the money collected from the use of the Hacienda Luisida access road does not go to the government.

Motorists said the toll is collected by a makeshift station near the Luisita Industrial Park.

Farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) should stop the illegal collections.

“The TRB should muster the guts to stop the President’s relatives’ arbitrary and illegal acts (which are) tantamount to extortion and corruption,” Danilo Ramos, KMP secretary general, said in a statement.

HLI, however, insisted that the toll is legal since it never pledged to make the access road toll-free to users of the SCTEx.

Aquino’s uncle Jose Cojuangco Jr., who is among the major owners of HLI, said a letter of his elder brother, Pedro, president of the HLI, in 2004 to Narciso Abaya, former head of BCDA had made clear the company’s position on the access road.

HLI also added 2.5 kilometers (km) to the existing five-km road passing through the estate in Barangay San Miguel in Tarlac City. “The entire road is private property. The toll is for maintenance and repair,” he said.

Cojuangco indicated that HLI had no permission from the TRB to collect tolls since the road was private. “We only collect from those who pass through on their way to SCTEx, which is only an exit to Clark and Subic, not to the north,” he said.

Luisita farmers, investors and residents are spared from paying, Cojuangco said. “TRB has no jurisdiction over Luisita because it’s a private land,” he said.

Cojuangco pointed to subdivisions in Canlubang, Laguna, where motorists pass through to reduce travel time. These motorists, he said, pay toll.

“Or else, who will maintain the road? Eventually, it’s going to be damaged,” Cojuangco reasoned.

*****

Philippine capital to enforce smoking ban

Authorities in the Philippine capital Manila on Sunday announced a drive to strictly enforce a smoking ban in public places across the sprawling metropolis.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said that from Monday it would deploy policemen and specially trained enforcers across the city of 12 million people to round up violators.

The Philippines has a law banning smoking in public places dating from 2003, but it has largely been ignored in a country where according to surveys 28 percent of Filipinos aged 15 years and over, or 17.3 million people, are smokers.

"We must be very strict in implementing our anti-smoking regulation," agency chairman Francis Tolentino said in a statement.

"We should transform Metro Manila into a smoke-free community."

Those caught are to be fined 500 pesos ($11), which is more than the daily minimum wage in the impoverished country, and those who cannot pay the fine will be made to do community service.

Health advocates have also repeatedly called on the chain-smoking President Benigno Aquino to lead the campaign and quit.

Maricar Limpin, executive director of the anti-smoking lobby Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines, lauded the intensified campaign.

Limpin said the government should go beyond its campaign and prod congress to pass legislation to raise taxes on tobacco.

[maharlikangpilip...]

PH economy grows 4.9 percent in first quarter
05/30/2011 | 11:12 AM
Mababa. Pero understandable. Bumagal din growth ng ibang bansa ngayong Q1 ng 2011. Bawi sa Q2. Sana mag-invest ang gobyerno sa infrastructure. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nagtitipid ang gobyerno. May surplus nga tayo, mabagal naman ang growth.

Growth has slowed down most probably because of decreased spending. pambihira, may surplus nga..bakit? kasi hindi gumagastos, kasi nagtatapyas ng budget.

still hopeful, though. if they want to achieve their 7 - 8(?) % growth, they need to do something.. aba, magbanat-banat ng buto, linisin yung mga nasa paligid niya(maraming nagmamalinis), hinay-hinay sa witch hunting, wag PURO REVIEW NG PROJECTS(may mga proyektong pinapareview)

[juansuing]

Philippine officials confident this year's GDP to grow by 8 pct
(philstar.com) Updated May 30, 2011 05:54 PM

MANILA (Xinhua) -- Philippine officials remain optimistic that the economy will grow by as much as eight percent this year despite the slow 4.9 percent growth posted in the first quarter.

"We will keep the seven to eight percent (GDP target) for now. We will review data as quarterly numbers come out," Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga said in Monday's briefing.

Paderanga added that comparing to some Asian countries, the Philippine economy performed better.

"Compared with the performance of our Asian neighbors, our first quarter growth is higher than that of Thailand's 3.0 percent, Republic of Korea's 4.2 percent and Malaysia's 4.6 percent. The economy posted a respectable growth amidst the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and North Africa, the rising oil prices, and the contraction in public spending," he said.

In a separate briefing, President Benigno Aquino III said the economy will improve in the succeeding quarters as his administration will do pump priming efforts.

"Underspending by the government and the slowdown in global trade constricted the economy to a lower growth of 4.9 percent in the first quarter from the election stimulated 8.4 percent last year," National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) Secretary General Romulo Virola said Monday.

The robust performance of the manufacturing, mining and outsourcing sectors combined with the recovery in the farm sector supported the country's GDP in the first quarter. The steady global demand for electronics and rising gold prices bode well for the Philippine economy.

But fiscal prudence limited gains. As Paderanga noted in the briefing, government spending on infrastructure slowed down as various departments "became more careful in executing their budgets, assessing cost assumptions of programs and projects, as well as in streamlining their systems and processes to improve fund absorption."

The political turmoil in Middle Eastern countries weigh on the country's Gross National Income (GNI). Most overseas Filipino workers are in this region and the crisis trimmed remittance inflows. This slowed GNI growth in the first quarter to 3.6 percent from 11.5 percent the previous year.

Analysts are not surprised by the modest figures as lower government spending usually dents a consumption-driven economy such as the Philippines.

"An important thing to do is to learn from the low GDP numbers. Government authorities should design a program that would put the administration back on a strong recovery path," said Benjamin Diokno, economics professor at the University of the Philippines.

Diokno said the government needs to invest on infrastructure and education to promote a more sustainable growth.

He also advised the government to focus on "fundamental reforms " by looking for "solutions to problems that ail the Philippine economy and society, such as persistent poverty, rising unemployment and worsening hunger rate."
--------------------------
Drastic reforms! PNoy, ipakita ang balls! Wag puro lovelife!

[maharlikangpilip...]

Philippines arrests 122 Vietnamese fishermen

Philippine police and military arrested 122 Vietnamese for illegal fishing on Monday in the biggest haul of foreign fishermen in recent memory, a police commander said.

The Vietnamese were arrested aboard seven fishing boats off the western Philippine island of Palawan, where many foreigners have been apprehended for illegal fishing over the years, said Chief Superintendent Artemio Hicban.

"This is the largest number of Vietnamese who have ever been caught. As far as I can remember, we have never caught these many (foreign) fishermen and fishing vessels," Hicban, the regional police commander, told AFP.

Vietnamese embassy personnel said they had no information about the arrests and were checking on the report.

Hicban said the fishermen would probably face charges of illegal entry and illegal fishing.

Police at the scene have not yet said if any endangered species were found on their boats which could result in more serious accusations, he said.

Hicban stressed that the Vietnamese were caught off the coast of Palawan and were not in disputed waters of the South China Sea that are subject to conflicting claims by the Philippines, Vietnam, China and other countries.

"They were caught well within our territorial waters, far from the Spratlys," he said, referring to a disputed island chain in the South China Sea.

In recent years, many Vietnamese and Chinese fishermen have been caught poaching in the waters off Palawan, in some cases with endangered species such as sea turtles.

Earlier this month, a Vietnamese police chief reported that two Vietnamese fishermen were shot and wounded by men wearing Philippine uniforms in the Spratlys. However Philippine authorities denied any knowledge of the incident.

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U.N. decade on biodiversity launched in Philippines

MANILA (Xinhua) – President Benigno Aquino III said Monday that now is the time to act on threats to the sustainable maintenance of balance in the region's biodiversity, as he led the Southeast Asia launch of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity and International Year of Forests.

In his speech at the Palace Rizal Hall, Aquino declared 2011 to 2020 as the National Decade on Biodiversity in the Philippines, in support of the United Nations.

The President said the Philippines is ranked fifth in having the most number of plant species in the world, 7,500 of which are endemic to the country, aside from rare species of reef fishes, birds, and corals.

He said that recent events showing the destruction of marine resources for personal gain in the Philippines further underscored the need to step up biodiversity conservation in the region.

He cited the recent "environmental plunder" of a coral reef complex in the Southern Philippines almost twice the size of Manila and that the loot included 21,000 pieces of sea fan black corals, 161 endangered turtles, and 196 kg of sea whip black corals as well.

"Sadly, this single act of environmental pillage is only symptomatic of a larger problem. Our region is on the brink of losing a significant number of endangered species due to multiple cases of deforestation, wildlife hunting, climate change, pollution, and population growth. If it was not clear before, then it is as clear as day now: We need to act. We need to act now," the President said.

Aquino said his administration has embarked on programs to preserve vulnerable species and habitats like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources project "to expand the terrestrial protected areas in the country, beginning with nine key biodiversity areas."

In his remarks, Rodrigo Fuentes, executive director of the Asean Center for Biodiversity, said, "biodiversity conservation is not just a one year thing; it should be a lifetime in fact and the decade-long celebration is actually a recognition that biodiversity is something should be protected and served and sustainably."