Manila Bulletin back issues from May 2009:
Fitch affirms RP credit rating anew.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... Fitch Ratings has affirmed the Republic of the Philippines' long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings (IDRs) at 'BB' and 'BB+', respectively. The outlook on the ratings is stable. The agency also affirmed the Short-term IDR at 'B' and the Country Ceiling at 'BB+'.''While ...
RP rice imports may reach 2 M metric tons this year.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... The Philippines may import 2 million tons of rice this year, about 10 percent more than forecast, but has yet to make a decision on topping up imports because storage bins are full, a top official said yesterday.Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said total rice purchases for 2009 by the ...
PSALM schedules new IPPA bidding this May 27.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) is bent in pushing ahead with its first bidding for the appointment of Independent Power Producer Administrator (IPPA) as scheduled this May 27, hence, it is now working intently on the remaining loose ends to tie up in ...
DBP wins int'l award for CSR project.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... MUSCAT, Oman – State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) won the ADFIAP Development Award for Most Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Project for its DBP Endowment for Education Program (DEEP) during the annual Association of Development Financial Institutions in ...
MECO, Taiwan sign agreement on R&D center in RP.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and Taiwan have forged an agreement for the establishment of a research and development center in the country.MECO Managing Director Antonio I. Basilio said the agreement calls for the establishment of a technology incubator center to be ...
Many stress test banks won't need new US help - Bernanke.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) – US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, seeking to soothe markets worried about the eagerly awaited government stress tests of 19 big banks, on Tuesday downplayed the possibility of new taxpayer bailouts.The central bank chief told a congressional ...
GM details plans to wipe out current shareholders to pay debt.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... DETROIT, May 6 (Reuters) – General Motors Corp on Tuesday detailed plans to all but wipe out the holdings of remaining shareholders by issuing up to 60 billion new shares in a bid to pay off debt to the US government, bondholders and the United Auto Workers union.The unusual plan, ...
Meralco generation charge down by P0.60/kWh this May billing.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... Due to considerable drop in its cost of procurement from contracted independent power producers, the generation charge of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will go down by P0.5970 per kilowatt hour (kWh) this month to P4.4325 from P5.0205 per kWh in April. “The generation cost of ...
Ermita leads risk management conference.(Main Business)(Conference news)
May 07, 2009 ... Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita will deliver the keynote address, followed by an impressive lineup of global experts in this year’s presentation of PROTECT 2009, an international conference cum exhibit to be held at World Trade Center on May 13-15, 2009.The conference, the 4th in ...
ExcelAsia retains 80% hit rate among near-hires.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... Although the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is expected to grow 20-30% this year, hiring rates remain low, according to the latest survey conducted by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) and Outsource2Philippines (O2P). Thirty-four percent of BPO ...
Asian stocks climb as fears over US bank stress tests wane.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... HONG KONG (AP) – Asian stock markets climbed Thursday, following Wall Street higher as early reports about the U.S. government's tests of banking health helped allay investor concerns about the financial sector.Japanese shares led the way, with the Nikkei benchmark jumping 4 percent, ...
MNTC awards civil works, FOE contracts for toll road.(Main Business)
May 07, 2009 ... Construction of a P2-1-billion, 2.7-kilometer toll road linking Mindanao Ave. in Quezon City to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Valenzuela City is in full swing following the award of contracts to two foreign-based contractors.Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) president Rodrigo E ....
Prepare flu plan, private firms urged.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... Private corporations must create their own pandemic preparedness plan according to the national guidelines set to avert the looming threat of Influenza A H1N1 pandemic to local public health, according to the Department of Health (DoH).In a breakfast dialogue among representatives of the ...
Police mull Lozada's transfer to Camp Crame hospital.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... A few hours after detained NBN-ZTE deal whistle-blower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada was rushed and confined to hospital due to dehydration, the Manila Police District (MPD) is now mulling on transferring the Senate star witness to Philippine National Police Hospital, in Camp Crame, ...
Peacemaker turns killer in Tondo.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... Instead of becoming the peacemaker, a 52-year-old driver found himself locked behind bars after he allegedly stabbed dead a man whom he tried to pacify in their neighborhood in Tondo, Manila, Wednesday evening.Driver Ricardo Cabusao, of 439 Herbosa St. voluntarily surrendered to ...
'Emong' nears Pangasinan.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... Almost the whole of Luzon experienced stormy weather Thursday as typhoon “Emong” (international name: Chan – Hom) moved towards Northern and Central Luzon, packing strong winds of 140 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 170 kph.The weather bureau ...
Feverish boy held at Clark airport.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... ANGELES CITY – A three-year-old boy who arrived at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) from California via South Korea last Monday was held by airport officials for having fever and exhibiting symptoms of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.Airport officials said the boy who ...
'One-stop shop' for car clearance put up.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) has put up a “one-stop shop” for the processing of PNP motor vehicle clearance to cut processing time from three days to 30 minutes at the Motor Vehicle Clearance Section in Camp Crame, Quezon City as pilot area for ...
DoH monitors 12 cases of suspected H1N1 flu.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... There are now 12 cases under observation for Influenza A (H1N1) virus since May 1, the Department of Health (DoH) reported Thursday.Also, the DoH has cleared the two South Korean boys aged 9 and 12 from the deadly flu strain based on laboratory results released by the Research Institute ...
Comelec may retain manual poll system.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The Commission on Elections (Comelec) hewed dangerously close Thursday to the dark prospect of retaining the manual election system in the May 10, 2010 presidential, congressional, local and party-list elections instead of shifting to the automated system for which Congress, with the ...
Sulu police chief, 3 others gunned down.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The police provincial director of Sulu, his brother and two police escorts were killed while four other lawmen were wounded in an ambush staged by suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in Maimbung, Sulu Thursday afternoon, police and military officials said.Four ASG members were also ...
Meralco ordered to pay late envoy's heir.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The Court of Appeals has affirmed its earlier resolution ordering the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to pay the heirs of late Ambassador Enrique Syquia P400,000 in damages allegedly for disconnecting powerlines to their household on allegations of power theft, sans properly notifying ...
Arrest order issued vs Ong, three others.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The Makati regional trial court (RTC) has issued warrants of arrest against the men who “illegally” took custody of military intelligence agent Vidal Doble, Jr during the “Hello Garci” controversy after the Court of Appeals (CA) ordered the case against them ...
15 new solons support reproductive health bill.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... Reproductive health bill advocates announced Thursday that 15 new congressmen from the newly-proclaimed partylist groups are set to sign their support to the controversial bill next week.In a multi-sectoral meeting composed of foreign donors and supporters of the bill in Ortigas Thursday, ...
Senate inquiry on Villar postponed.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The Senate committee of the whole failed to conduct Thursday a preliminary inquiry into ethics complaint against Senator Manuel Villar Jr. after senators squabbled over the appropriate rules that would govern the proceedings of the case.The committee, chaired by Senate President Juan Ponce ...
New Zealand to hire RP nurses.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... Amid the global economic slowdown, New Zealand is keeping its doors open to Filipino nurses, visiting executives of the New Zealand Nursing Council said.New Zealand Nursing Council Chief Executive Carolyn Reed and Registration Manager Andrea McCance, who met officials from the Department ...
Private motorists back higher traffic fines.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... A group of private motorists said it supports the hiking of traffic fines but at the same time encouraged the government to strictly enforce traffic regulations and improve traffic signs.In an official statement posted on its website www.aaphilippines.org, the Automobile Association ...
De Villa: Not joining politics.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... Former Ambassador to the Vatican Henrietta de Villa said she has no intention of joining politics in 2010, saying she is already contented being a church worker.“I have no intentions. It didn’t enter my mind,” De Villa said.“It was not even brought to my attention ...
Court asked to freeze accounts of De los Angeles.(Main News)
May 07, 2009 ... The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) has asked the Makati Regional Trial Court to freeze and turnover the values of all bank accounts and properties of Sto. Domingo, Albay town mayor Celso de los Angeles to repay some P10 million worth of debts incurred by three of his ...
A rewarding trip.(Opinion)
May 07, 2009 ... I just arrived from a five-day trip to Syria and Egypt where I joined the President in her visits to these two great nations. It was both tiring and rewarding: tiring, because of the very tight schedule, and rewarding because of the immeasurable benefits obtained from the land of the Great ...
Last Supper discourse.(Opinion)
May 07, 2009 ... When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, He said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those ...
Shameless smear campaign by irresponsible individuals against innocent persons on non-existent liabilities and accountabilities of present Manila Hotel management.(Opinion)
May 07, 2009 ... In a press statement, Atty. Jose D. Lina, Jr., President of the present management of Manila Hotel, pointed out that in accordance with the Confidential Information Memorandum issued on May 31, 1995 by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to bidders of Manila Hotel Corporation ...
Understanding Syria.(Opinion)
May 07, 2009 ... “Things are only worth what you make them worth.”— MoliereSyria, with its capital Damascus, is not only rich in history, especially to Christianity, but Damascus is also progressive, cleaner than most megacities, Westernized, surprisingly open in economic thinking, ...
Victory in Europe Day.(Opinion)
May 07, 2009 ... On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allied powers, thus ending World War II in Europe. The people of the Allied countries joyfully welcomed the end of the war. Prime Minister of England Winston Churchill urged the people to celebrate the event “to pay tribute ...
Productivity Olympics launched in Cebu.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... CEBU CITY – The Region 7 offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), the National Wages and Productivity Commis-sion (NWPC) and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) have launched this year’s Productivity Olympics here on Tuesday.DoLE 7 ...
DepEd to give teachers access to lesson materials via internet.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... CEBU CITY – To improve the quality of its teachers through the provision of appropriate resource materials for their classroom discus¬sions, the Department of Education will pilot its learning resource mate¬rials development system (LRMDS) next month in Central Visayas.DepEd ...
Tourism leaders unfazed by swine flu.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... CEBU CITY – Amid the backdrop of the swine flu epidemic that is yet to be contained globally, the Department of Tourism (DoT) and tourism stakeholders here vowed to intensify promotions of Cebu and its neighbor¬ing provinces in Central Visayas to the international travel ...
Gov cites volunteers for Palaro success.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... TACLOBAN CITY – Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho L. Petilla cited the strong volunteerism extended by all sectors for making the recently concluded Palarong Pambansa 2009 a great success.“I cite you all for your volunteerism which you extended to our guests, delegates, coaches and ...
18 killed in four-day Mindanao clashes.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... CAMP PANACAN, Davao City – At least 14 rebels and four civilians were killed while one soldier and an undetermined number of other rebels were reported wounded during four days of hostilities between government troops and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Central ...
Davao City creates swine flu task force.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... DAVAO CITY – The city government here is now ready for any exigencies that may possibly arise from the reported swine flu, following the creation of the Swine Influenza Task Force recently.Vice Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said that all concerned departments and offices are now discussing ...
LTO Zambo retains 'ISO' accreditation.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Region 9 office here of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has retained its accreditation with the “International Standards Organization (ISO),” after an inspection and evaluation it conducted on the efficiency and system of services it is rendering ...
ComVal lumads, investors form investment council.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley – Tribal leaders and mining investors in Compostela Valley (ComVal) Province recently created a bilateral council that aims to protect indigenous people’s rights and to spur economic development in areas within the ancestral domain.At least 130 ...
ARMM has 1st woman RLA speaker.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... COTABATO CITY – The 24-member, male-dominated Regional Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) raised a notch higher by empowering Moro women after they elected Regie Sahali-Generale as the first woman speaker of the ARMM’s Regional Legislative Assembly ...
Zambo council OKs measure on welfare of senior citizens.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... ZAMBOANGA CITY – The city council has approved an enabling ordinance filed by 2nd District Councilor Nonong Guingona creating the office of the Senior Citizens Council (SCC) to strengthen the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).Guingona explained that the Senior Citizens ...
Jolo summer jobs benefit 300 students.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... JOLO, Sulu – The municipal gov¬ernment here in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Em-ployment (DoLE) in the province of Sulu has employed at least 300 high school and college students under the Special Program for Employ¬ment of Students (SPES) for the year ...
Pacman fans to sue mall for not airing live fight.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... BACOLOD CITY – One of the leading malls in town was given ten days to answer and refund thousands of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s fans who bought tickets to watch the live telecast of the Pacman-Ricky Hatton welterweight bout last Sunday on face court ...
Gov't expects copra prices to increase soon.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... DAVAO CITY – The Region 11 office here of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA 11) has been expecting an increase in the prices of copra, considering that major buyers in the coconut industry have already hiked their prices at the gates.Lornito Orillaneda, PCA 11 chief, said ...
Sultan Kudarat dad injured in slay try.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – Police authorities in Sultan Kudarat said a councilor from the remote mountain town of Sen. Ninoy Aquino survived an ambush last Monday evening and sustained only a minor injury.Police said that Gil Batilo, a former journalist turned politician, ...
Ynares helps fire victims in Rizal town.(Regional)
May 07, 2009 ... ANGONO, Rizal — Rizal Gov. Jun Ynares III has donated money and GI (galvanized iron) sheets to the residents here whose houses were destroyed recently by fire.The donation was turned over by Governor Ynares to Angono Mayor Aurora Villamayor in the presence of the Angono municipal ...
Five finalists to Cinema One Originals chosen.(Showbiz)
May 07, 2009 ... The five finalists to this year’s Cinema One Originals have been chosen. The selected stories and screenplays were those that are “diverse, imaginative, and relentlessly innovative.”The five entries and their writers are: “Si Baning, Si Maymay at ang Asong si ...
Meet the master who made Bruce Lee a legend in 'Ip Man'.(Showbiz)
May 07, 2009 ... Martial arts legend Bruce Lee is known for his lightning-fast fists and high-flying kicks. But behind his remarkable talent and skill lies a revered Kung Fu legend – Ip Man. Now, for the first time, the story of this esteemed master has been finally told in the new film “Ip ...
John Lloyd and Bea team-up gets cheesier.(Showbiz)
May 07, 2009 ... Definitely one of the hottest and romantic love teams of today’s generation is that of John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. The two celebrities were onscreen pairs for more than six years; their first being in the television drama “Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay” of ABS-CBN. John ...
Arnee Hidalgo credits success to brother Jeffrey.(Showbiz)
May 07, 2009 ... Singer Arnee Hidalgo is lucky to have a brother in former Smokey Mountain member, Jeffrey Hidalgo, who supports her career all out to the point that he is now her manager. In a way the favor is returned considering that for her, the “kuya” is an idol worth emulating.During an ...
Stress tests find 10 big banks need $75 B more.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... WASHINGTON (AP) – Ten of the nation's largest financial firms need to raise $75 billion more capital to withstand the losses that would come with a deeper recession, the government said Thursday in a report card that found the banking system viable but still vulnerable.The Federal ...
Bottled water supplier sees 50% sales growth.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... Home-grown brand Aqua Health Alkaline Ionized Water expects to double revenue growth this year to 50 percent versus last year's, as the company mounts an aggressive franchising campaign and expansion into water bottling. Anne Lourdes Agustin, president of Aqua Health, told Business ...
Singapore, RP gov'ts approve expanded bilateral air accord.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... Singapore and the Philippine governments have agreed to expand an existing bilateral air pact, paving the way for more commercial flights, official sources disclosed Friday.Under the expanded accord, carriers from both countries can launch an extra 16 weekly services between Singapore and ...
New motor vehicle sales drop 7% in April.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... Coming from a remarkable 19 percent growth sales in March, motor vehicle sales in April declined by 7 percent versus March, largely due to the shorter selling days because of the long Holy Week break.Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) showed ...
PETCs appeal to Lomibao.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... Authorities were looking into the complaints of Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs) about men who allegedly extort money from them, disguised as policemen.They said that these men who claimed as policemen would change the plate number of a certain vehicle. After that, his accomplice ...
DPWH jobs fair generates 29,000 jobs for workers.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane yesterday announced that the DPWH Jobs Fair has already provided 29,000 jobs to displaced and/or idle Filipino workers all over the country.A first in the history of the DPWH, the job fair project was launched only in February this year ...
Heart valve project to benefit indigents.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... The Heart Valve Project at the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) inaugurated recently its newly acquired multi-million-peso equipment for biological heart valve testing. The first and only heart valve project in the Philippines will manufacture bioprosthetic tissue valves that will benefit ...
Candelaria dev't drive launched.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... CANDELARIA, Quezon – Mayor Ferdinand “Bong” Maliwanag and the municipal officials of Candelaria launched the program Candelaria Mahal Ko, Pilipino Ako with the signing of Memorandum of Agreement with all private and public schools in the municipality, April 15, ...
China aircraft project needs $30 billion.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... SHANGHAI, May 8 (Reuters) - China needs nearly $30 billion in investment to develop large commercial jets, which are scheduled for a maiden flight in 2014, state-owned CCTV said on Friday.Beijing had made public an ambitious goal to manufacture large ...
PSE holds annual meeting, elections today.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... The Philippine Stock Exchange will hold its board elections, Saturday, with 16 candidates vying for the 15 seats open for this year’s directors.Based on the list of candidates, the PSE will still have seven broker directors and eight non-broker directors despite earlier plans of the ...
Lawyers group airs view.(Main Business)
May 08, 2009 ... A nationwide association of lawyers warned on Friday against the looming political pre-judgment of the perjury case against Jun Lozada as it called on the people to keep a close eye on the judge handling the case.A professor of law added that a judge has allegedly committedjudicial ...
Cardinal mulls fund for labor.(Main News)
May 08, 2009 ... Taking the cudgels for workers, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has pledged for a more aggressive Church intervention in promoting their welfare together with organized labor in face of the global economic crisis.In a recent Church-Labor Conference, the prelate advocated ...