Manila Bulletin back issues from October 2007:
Meralco residential customers to get P1/kWh rate reduction.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: MYRNA M. VELASCO The residential customers of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will likely get a rate cut of about P1.00 per kilowatt hour (kWh) before Christmas for the volume of supply it has been sourcing from state-run National Power Corporation. NPC ...
SEIPI, Philexport support JPEPA.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: EDU LOPEZ Semiconductor and electronics manufacturers have expressed full support for the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). Semiconductors and Electronics Industries of the Philippines, Inc. president Ernesto Santiago said the JPEPA is ...
6 most competitive cities identified.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Center for Industrial Competitiveness (CIC) has identified Quezon City, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Angeles and San Fernando as model cities in terms of reduced business regulations worthy to be emulated by other urban centers. CIC executive director Virgilio Fulgencio said ...
Exporters plot moves as peso rises.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Edu Lopez Exporters are asking economic planners to map out policies intended to protect the export sector from the impact of the strong peso and enable it to achieve its 11 percent fighting growth target this year. Philippine Exporters Confederation president ...
NTRC asked to review gov't charges.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: LEE C. CHIPONGIAN Government line agencies have asked the National Tax Research Center (NTRC) to study suitable rates for new fees and charges. Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran, also chair of the Presidential Task Force on the revision of fees and charges, ...
P/$ rate stands at P45.04/$ 1.(News In Brief)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The peso exchange rate closed at P45.04 to the US dollar last Friday at the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp., (PDEx). The weighted average rate stands at P44.974. Markets have stabilized -- BSP Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said ...
DENR taps LGUs on CFC ban on aircons.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: MELODY M. AGUIBA The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is strengthening in October its tie-up with local governments on the licensing of refrigeration and mobile air-conditioning industries for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free operations. ...
Fitness First opens 16th club at Mall of Asia.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... SM Investments Corporation (SMIC), the holding company of the SM Group of Companies, has signed a deal with the leading global fitness company Fitness First Philippines, Inc. (FFPI), to house the latter's 16th club in its OneE-com Center. The newest branch of Fitness First in ...
Market may undergo an extended correction.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: EDU LOPEZ The equities market is likely to undergo an extended correction this week with an increased volatility and resistance. BPI Securities noted that the market failed to hold on to early gains, ending Friday's session with a slight decline of about 5 ...
TransCo sets hearings on transmission dev't plan.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: MYRNA M. VELASCO With its operations already nearing transfer to private hands, the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) is firming up the revised Transmission Development Plan (TDP) to cover its expansion programs from 2007 to 2016. In view of this, ...
Ambuklao-Binga plant bidders seek time to form consortium.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The prospective bidders in the 175-megawatt Ambuklao and Binga hydropower facilities are seeking at least one week extension for them to form consortium that they can use as corporate vehicle to bid for the assets. This has been one of the major issues the interested parties ...
NCC to pursue initiatives on competitiveness.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Edu Lopez The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) would aggressively pursue the initiatives and reforms it has started to improve the Philippine ranking in terms of ease of doing business. NCC co-chair Cesar B. Bautista said: "The results of our ...
French Strauss-Kahn named to lead IMF.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: VERONICA SMITH WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (AFP) -- The International Monetary Fund appointed Dominique Strauss-Kahn its new chief Friday as the battered institution seeks to redefine itself in the face of increasing skepticism globally. The IMF executive board said ...
PSE turnover tops P1 trillion in just 9 months.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: JAMES A. LOYOLA The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) marked a new milestone in performance when annual value turnover hit the P1-trillion mark after just three quarters this year. PSE records showed that value turnover reached P1.01 trillion from January to ...
ALI eyes perks for $ 154-M new hotel.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT Ayala Land Inc. and its Dubai-based partner Kingdom Holdings Investments (KHI) will seek incentives with the government for its $ 154-million upscale hotel and commercial development in Makati's central business district. Rex Ma. A ....
NPC postpones $ 700-M borrowings to next year.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: MYRNA M. VELASCO With the company's P90-billion net income logged last year, state-run National Power Corporation (NPC) indicated that it would be able to postpone programmed borrowings of $ 500 million to $ 700 million to next year. NPC president Cyril C ....
China launches $ 200-B investment fund.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: JOE McDONALD BEIJING (AP) -- China's government formally launched a company Saturday to invest US $ 200 billion (euro141 billion) from its vast foreign reserves, creating one of the world's richest investment funds at a time of rising scrutiny of such state-run entities ....
Philips goes 'green' in its manufacturing.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: ARTHUR MAX AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Environmental issues are an ever-larger factor in corporate decisions, from acquiring new companies to making new products, the head of Royal Philips Electronics NV said, announcing an ambitious goal for further greening the ...
Profit-taking pulls crude prices down.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (AFP) -- Crude oil prices retreated Friday after an early spike, as traders locked in gains after a storm in the Gulf of Mexico weakened as it moved ashore. New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in November, fell 1.22 dollars to ...
Fed officials keep open mind on policy moves.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... CHICAGO, Sept. 30 (Reuters) -- Federal Reserve officials on Friday said they were keeping an open mind on whether US interest rates need to be lowered further, a decision they said would be driven by data not yet in hand. "It would be a mistake to bake in the cake more rate ...
Dollar sinks to new low vs euro; Canadian currency hits 31-yr high.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: TALI ARBEL NEW YORK (AP) -- The dollar fell to a record low against the euro for the seventh consecutive session while the Canadian dollar hit a 31-year high as inflation data raised expectations that the Federal Reserve Bank would again lower interest rates. ...
WTO negotiators call for new text on services accord.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: JONATHAN LYNN GENEVA, Sept. 30 (Reuters) -- Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) called on Friday for a new draft text on services in global trade talks, giving increased weight to the sector that accounts for two thirds of world economic output. The ...
Business and Society; Real estate investment trusts.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Bernardo M. Villegas Real estate or housing may not be exactly popular these days because of the so-called subprime financial crisis in the United States in which good number of financial institutions got caught with bad loans to homeowners who either overestimated their ...
Aviation policy limbo hurts tourism sector.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT DAVAO CITY -- An estimated $ 350 million, approximately P15.7 billion, in potential tourism revenues may have been lost annually as government continues to dilly-dally resolving the issue of insufficient airseat capacity and failure to add more ...
Thai firm gets partner for RP telecom project.(Business News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Shin Satellite Public Company Limited (SATTEL) of Thailand, Asia's leading commercial satellite operator and the operator of the IPSTAR satellite broadband system announced that the company has forged an alliance with TNR Telecoms (grantee of Republic Act 4601) to operate the IPSTAR ...
'Beyond the Break' on Star World.(Entertainment)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Star World turns up the heat with the all-new exclusive series aBeyond the Breaka debuting on Sept 25, 8 p.m. that tells of four aspiring female surfers who dream of being world-class champions. One of those featured is Filipino-American model and actress, Sonya Balmores. ...
Anti-smoking groups press to keep tobacco out of films.(Entertainment)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Michael Cieply LOS ANGELES -- In the movie musical "Dreamgirls" last year, James "Thunder" Early, Eddie Murphy's soul-singing, chain-smoking character, was so infuriated by a fumbled food order that he mashed his cigarette into a chicken sandwich that was supposed to ...
Jessie James Review.(Entertainment)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Tom Long The one thing you're not supposed to do during a Western is doze off. Apparently, no one remembered to tell director Andrew Dominick ("Chopper") this while he was making "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," a two-hour and ...
Razon assumes PNP post today; Will take over from Calderon at Crame rites; GMA leads PNP turnover rites today.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: ROY C. SINFUEGO, ARIS R. ILAGAN Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr., one of the most decorated officers in the country, will formally assume today the post of the Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in ceremonies at Camp Crame led by President Gloria ...
October is Rosary-Month; faithful begin observance today.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: ROBERT R. REQUINTINA October, the month of the holy rosary, starts today with religious fervor, masses, processions, and fiestas, spiced with revelry as in the German beer drinking and sausage-eating festival called "Oktoberfest." In the Philippines, the ...
Arroyo arrives from 3-day visit to New York City.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: DAVID CAGAHASTIAN President Arroyo arrived in Manila shortly after midnight yesterday after a three-day official visit to New York City in the United States to represent the Philippines in the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly. During her ...
DILG orders prison officials to release 114 juvenile offenders.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: ELENA L. ABEN The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered the release of 114 children in conflict with the law (CICL) in compliance with the latest directive of President Gloria Arroyo for prison authorities to free all juvenile offenders still ...
35 US Embassy workers rescued by Coast Guard.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: YUL MALICSE A search and rescue (SAR) team from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued last Saturday 35 personnel of the United States Embassy in Manila who were stranded when the fastcraft they were riding in was whipped by strong winds and waves off Corregidor ...
Report misbehaving priests to my office, Rosales urges faithful.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: LESLIE ANN AQUINO Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has urged the faithful to report to his office priests who are "misbehaving." "Parishioners can report them (misbehaving priests) to whoever is next in line. (He) can be the bishop or the ...
Luzon will continue to experience rainy weather this week.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: MADEL SABATER Luzon, including Metro Manila, will continue to experience rainy weather this week, especially today, despite the exit of tropical depression "Hanna" from the country. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration ...
Abalos resigns.(Main News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Ricky Agcaoili Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos announced his resignation today. "I'm resigning effective immediately," Abalos told a news conference early this afternoon in his house in Mandaluyong. The Comelec chairman, who was ...
Comelec chief hits impeach complaint.(Metro & National News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: E. T. SUAREZ and BEN R. ROSARIO Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos Sr. has branded the impeachment complaint filed against him in the House of Representatives as part of a deliberate attempt to mislead the public on the truth behind his role in ...
Handicapped allowed to vote in barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls Oct. 29.(Metro & National News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: E. T. SUAREZ The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has decided to allow illiterate and physically disabled persons to vote in the Oct. 29 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, saying the right of suffrage is basic and fundamental in a democracy. ...
Loren cites need to step up fight against corruption.(Metro & National News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Sen. Loren Legarda yesterday bewailed the Philippines' low ranking in the world anti-corruption index, which even dropped 10 notches in the 2007 survey of the Berlin, Germany-based Transparency International (TI) report. Loren said that the findings of the global organization ...
CPP warns of AFP involvement in elections.(Metro & National News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: MARVYN N. BENANING The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said yesterday that "widespread military terrorism in the countryside being carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is the biggest threat to the free and peaceful conduct of the barangay and ...
The doors of perception; What we perceive and understand depends upon who we are. - Aldous Huxley.(Breakfast Table)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Adrian E. Cristobal Now is the time for Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to ridicule Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol's speech for saying that corruption in government is just perception, that it doesn't exist. He may begin by asking what Apostol means by ...
Change of Command from Director General Oscar C. Calderon to Deputy Director General Avelino I. Razon Jr. as Director General of the Philippine National Police.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Philippine National Police (PNP) will have a new Chief in the person of Deputy Director General Avelino I. Razon Jr. He is now the PNP's Deputy Chief for Administration, second in command to the outgoing PNP Chief, Director General Oscar C. Calderon, exercising ...
When 'B' becomes 'D'.(Breakfast Table)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Adrian E. Cristobal Children with dyslexia are often thought to be stupid, lazy, or slow, when they just learn differently; otherwise, a famous person with dyslexia would not have changed our way of knowing the universe with the General Theory of Relativity. ...
Not a matter of feelings.(Swimming Against the Current)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Jesus P. Estanislao Patriotism or love for our country, when translated into necessary deeds every day in the ordinary circumstances of our life, is not a matter of feelings. It is rather a matter of deep convictions that can not be swayed by developments on ...
Chairman Abalos a 'hot' potato.(Merry-Go-Round)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Floro Mercene Impeachment charges are filed in the House against Comelec Chief Ben Abalos. He is taking the rap for bigger fish in Malacanang. *** Abalos testified willingly at the Senate because his conscience was clear. He ...
Weighing In; Natural, natural!(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Pat Sto. Tomas What do brown rice, rock salt and brown sugar have in common? Aside from being table fare for our parents a long time ago, these ingredients for daily living have been transformed into health and beauty aids and the market has never looked ...
International Day of Older Persons.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... International Day of Older Persons is observed on Oct. 1 each year. This year's theme "Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities of Ageing: Empowering Older Persons'' highlights what nations can do so that all men and women can age with security and dignity. ...
Business Beat; The passion of entrepreneurs.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Melito Salazar Jr. At the conference proper of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines in the Camp John Hay Convention Center in Baguio City last Thursday and Friday, the delegates were inspired by the experiences of entrepreneurs, a number of whom were ...
Second Thoughts; Testing the draft ASEAN Charter.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Edilberto C. De Jesus BANGKOK - When the movement of Buddhist monks against Myanmar's ruling junta was just beginning to build up, media reported ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong declaring that ASEAN was monitoring the situation. He expressed the hope ...
International Conference on the Millennium Development Goals Statistics.(Opinion & Editorial)(Conference news)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Philippines, through the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), in collaboration with various international organizations, is hosting the 2007 International Conference on the Millennium Development Goals Statistics (ICMDGS), which starts today in Mandaluyong City. ...
Livestock-raising, jatropha farming.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Elinando B. Cinco Two widely trumpeted global undertakings, raising animals for food and planting jatropha trees as biofuel potential are catching like wildfire. They are said to be the answers to self-sufficiency in food and promising energy booster. ...
The greatest in the kingdom; Matthew 18:1-4.(Reflections Today)
Oct 01, 2007 ... An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by His side and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One ...
National Day of Nigeria.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Federal Republic of Nigeria celebrates its National Day today. It is one of the largest petroleum producers in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). With a population of over 120 million people, Nigeria is the largest market in sub-Saharan Africa with ...
National Day of Cyprus.(Opinion & Editorial)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Cyprus celebrates its National Day today. Cyprus is a Eurasian island in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Anatolian peninsula (Asia Minor) or modern-day Turkey. The country is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. Neighboring countries are Greece ...
Municipal officials back creation of new province; To spur dev't of interior areas of Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: DEXTER A. SEE BAGUIO CITY -- Local officials of several interior towns of Ilocos Sur have assured their full support for the creation of the proposed Bago Province in a bid to spur the development in their respective municipalities and to preserve the identity of the ...
Refusal by Korean firm to allow DTI test of cement imports hit.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Jonas Reyes OLONGAPO CITY -- Lawyer Rafael dela Torre, a consumer rights advocate, deplored yesterday the continued refusal of Hanjin, a Korean shipyard construction company, to subject its cement imports to further laboratory test by the Department of Trade and Industry ...
Olongapo cops bust fake-gold bars syndicate.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Mar Supnad OLONGAPO CITY -- Policemen here arrested last Saturday five suspected members of a "Budol-budol" gang when they were allegedly caught in the act of selling fake gold bars in an entrapment operation in a fastfood eatery here. Senior Supt. Abe ...
Judge clears 4 Chinese of 'shabu' charges.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Magtanggol Vilar BALER, Aurora -- Four Chinese nationals who were charged in August last year with manufacture and possession of 5.44 kilograms of "shabu" worth P120 million were acquitted last Wednesday by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) here for failure of the ...
Thousands of Boholanos undergo job, skills training; As a measure to address unemployment in province.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: JUNE BLANCO BOHOL -- The STARS program, or Skills Training Advocating Reliance, has been launched in this province to provide capability enhancement and training opportunities for 10 individuals per barangay. Bohol has 1,109 barangays, and this means that at ...
Idle but ideal lands for bio-fuel plants abound in Negros.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: DANNY FAJARDO BACOLOD CITY -- The Negros island has vast areas of unused or idle lands totalling 93,659 hectares, which are however ideal for coconut plantations. The Department of Agriculture Biofuels Feedstock Group said that at least 59,666 hectares of ...
Measles vaccination of 55,000 Capiz kids set.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: Danny Fajardo ROXAS CITY -- Capiz is targeting to serve more than 55,000 children for its month-long measles immunization program. Immunization coordinator Deborah Juanico of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) said 55,497 children in the age group 9 months to ...
LGUs may now use 5% of their calamity funds.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... DUMAGUETE CITY -- Local government units (LGUs) in the country are now allowed to use five percent of their respective calamity funds for man-made disaster relief and mitigation activities. Regional Officer of the Office of Civil Defense Angel Gaviola made the announcement ...
Davao banana industry in peril; As court ban on aerial spraying will jack up production costs.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: SARAH JANE R. HILOMEN DAVAO CITY -- The court's decision last September 23 banning aerial spraying in Davao will be too costly for the banana growers and the industry as a whole, it was learned here. This is the lament of the Philippine Banana Growers and ...
DA to review import rules on RP chicken.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... DAVAO CITY -- To ensure stable supply of chicken during critical periods, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will review the rules on granting of minimum access volumes (MAV) of chicken importers. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in a statement said the move also formed part of ...
Davao City hosting 5th PTAA general membership meeting.(Provincial News)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Byline: GIL M. ABARICO DAVAO CITY--This city's tourism prospect is getting a big boost with its hosting of the 5th general membership meeting of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) which reeled off here over the weekend. A welcome-fellowship dinner for ...