The Manila Times back issues from March 2008:
Pinoys charged in Guam for $900,000 smuggle try
Mar 01, 2008; ... TWO Filipinos were arrested in Guam before boarding a flight to the Philippines after they were accused of smuggling cash amounting to $900,000 or P36.3 million. Ernesto Verdera and Mark Anthony Bartolome were about to board a 5 a.m. Philippine Airlines flight to Manila when they were ...
$4-million illegal nickel ore seized from company
Mar 01, 2008; ... ABOUT 200,000 metric tons of nickel ore worth about $4 million was confiscated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for not having the proper documents for shipment. Environment Secretary Lito Atienza ordered the confiscation in favor of the government after mining ...
Banks' bad loan ratio at precrisis level in Dec.
Mar 01, 2008; ... THE share of bad or nonperforming loans in banks' total loan portfolio at end-December eased further to approximate pre-Asian financial crisis levels, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said. Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. said the NPL ratio of universal and commercial banks ...
70,000 join 'rally for truth': Rival groups band together for peaceful protest
Mar 01, 2008; ... Rival opposition groups stopped their bickering and banded together on Friday to stage an inter-faith protest, the biggest antigovernment protest in years, to press the ouster of President Gloria Arroyo for alleged corruption. Security forces went on full alert as more than 15,000 ...
200 youths get scholarships for vocational courses
Mar 01, 2008; ... Around 200 students and out-of-school youth in Barangay Signal Village, Taguig City were given scholarships for technical and vocational courses through the "Skills 2D Max: Campus Tour" on Thursday.The Department of Social Welfare and Development together with the Metro Manila ...
Allied Bank slashes bad loans ratio
Mar 01, 2008 ... Allied Banking Corp. has lowered the level of its bad loans following the disposal of a significant amount of its nonperforming assets in December last year, the bank announced Friday. In a statement, the Lucio Tan-led bank said it was able to slash its nonperforming loan ratio to 2.4 ...
Twister's All-Star SLAM
Mar 01, 2008; ... This is what I love about sports: Your success and your opportunity for success, lay solely on you. In professional sports, politics has no control. There are no excuses. No third party blames. No explanations such as, "I'm the best player on this team, I just don't have the chance to ...
Supreme Court asks 'sexy' judge to explain
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Supreme Court ordered a probe into a complaint filed by Steel Corp. against a woman judge who posted a "sexy" photo of herself on the Friendster website. The High Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator Zenaida Elepano, asked Batangas City Regional Trial Court Judge Ma ....
UL Maroons spoil all-Cebu semifinals
Mar 01, 2008 ... CEBU CITY: University of Luzon (UL) banked on Jonathan Pamicia's basket to beat Asian College of Technology (ACT), 104-102, Friday and join University of Visayas (UV), Southwestern University and University of San Carlos (USC) in the semifinals of the 62nd National Students Basketball ...
US electronics firm to expand equipment repair operations in RP
Mar 01, 2008; ... Baguio City: Massachusetts-based LTX (Electronics) Corp., an international designer and manufacturer of semiconductor test solutions, is expanding its operations here, making the Philippines its hub for its equipment repairs. Eric L. Saunders, LTX branch operation manager, told ...
Monday set as deadline for alien registration
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Bureau of Immigration has moved to Monday the deadline for all resident foreign nationals to report in person to the agency their presence in the country as required by law. Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan issued a memorandum order extending to March 3 the deadline for ...
RP chicken exports to reach 8M kilos this year
Mar 01, 2008; ... BUREAU of Animal Industry Director Dave Catbagan said the country's export of chicken to Japan is expected to reach eight million kilos for 2008. Catbagan said export of deboned chicken parts by San Miguel Corp. in 2007 reached 6,000 metric tons, which means the country has the capacity ...
PNP nabs foreigner for plotting to kill President Arroyo
Mar 01, 2008; ... Authorities have arrested a foreigner suspected of plotting to assassinate President Gloria Arroyo, Director General Avelino Razon Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Friday. He did not release details. Razon said the suspect was arrested in a province near Metro ...
Poll shows stronger peso may slow BPO expansion
Mar 01, 2008; ... A POLL of companies in the business process outsourcing industry and related sectors revealed that further increases in the value of the peso against the dollar could lessen the Philippines' competitiveness and cut back firms' expansion plans. The survey, conducted by ...
SM Prime formally folds in China malls
Mar 01, 2008 ... The country's largest mall owner and operator told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday that it has formally acquired the Sy-owned shopping malls in mainland China. In a disclosure, SM Prime Holdings Inc. said it is acquiring the three malls located in Jinjiang, Xiamen, and Chengdu ...
PSC suspends financial aid to PhilCycling
Mar 01, 2008; ... THE Philippine Sports Com-mission (PSC) has suspended its financial assistance to the Philippine Cycling Federation (PhilCycling) pending the result of the investigation on the controversy hounding the association. PSC Chairman William Ramirez also welcomed the investigation of the ...
RP health spending still below int'l norm
Mar 01, 2008; ... STATE-SUPPORTED programs may have boosted Filipinos' health spending in 2005 from a year earlier, but remain below international norms, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said Friday. In a statement, Romulo A. Virola, NSCB secretary-general, said per capita spending, or ...
February consumer prices may have risen faster-BSP
Mar 01, 2008; ... CONSUMER price increases in February may have accelerated further due to higher commodity prices, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Friday. BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said average inflation may range between 4.8 percent and 5.5 percent, from 4.9 percent in January ....
CHED to close independent review centers in 2008
Mar 01, 2008 ... THE Commission on Higher Education recently warned review centers that they will no longer extend the deadline for the imposition of Executive Order No. 566, which mandates independent review centers to integrate with schools to prevent a repeat of the 2006 Nursing Board exam scandal. ...
Man arrested for fake peso bills
Mar 01, 2008; ... A 20-year-old laborer was arrested for possession of fake peso bills in Binondo, Manila on Thursday evening. Currently detained at the Manila Police Station in Binondo is Nino Amirol, a resident of Lower Bicutan, Taguig City. He was arrested following the filing of a complaint by Jolly ...
Mining investments in RP to surge in two years
Mar 01, 2008 ... The investments in the local mining industry is seen to surge within the next two years as several priority projects would advance into production, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced on Thursday. The Philippines may hit $1.8 billion in projected investments as ...
CBCP stands united despite rejecting resign calls-Cruz
Mar 01, 2008; ... Outspoken Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz on Friday defended the collective decision of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that rebuffed calls for President Gloria Arroyo to step down. He belied speculations that the bishops stand divided. Earlier ...
Number of emission testing centers to be limited
Mar 01, 2008; ... LAND Transportation Office (LTO) chief Alberto Suansing wants to limit the number of vehicles that a private emission test center (PETC) can service, which will help put a stop to the illegal activities of some unscrupulous centers. In an interview, Suansing said he is in favor of a ...
DOF to stop BIR from collecting tax advances
Mar 01, 2008; ... THE Department of Finance wants the Bureau of Internal Revenue to stop the practice of collecting taxes in advance as it creates confusion in recording the transaction. Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves said the BIR is not required to request for advance tax payments, but this has ...
DOJ wants coercive powers for probe into broadband deal
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Justice department sought coercive powers in its investigation into the aborted broadband deal after being snubbed several times by those whom it had invited to testify on alleged irregularities in the $330-million project. Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite and Erwin Santos, ...
Electricity spot market extends trial operation in Visayas
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Philippine Electricity Market Corp. will extend the trial operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in the Visayas as it has yet to secure the Department of Energy's nod for full commercial operations in the region. In a statement, PEMC, which operates the spot market, is ...
FirstGen to unload portion of shares in Red Vulcan Holdings
Mar 01, 2008; ... Lopez-controlled FirstGen Corp. plans to sell a portion of its shares in Red Vulcan Holdings Corp., which controls a majority stake in the Philippines' largest geothermal energy producer. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, FirstGen said the proposed transaction will be by ...
Changing leaders will not change anything-Palace
Mar 01, 2008; ... The government reiterated that President Gloria Arroyo's resignation is not the solution to the political crisis, saying any change must be based on the unified voice of all Filipinos. Deputy spokesman Anthony Golez on Friday said they are not bothered by an inter-faith protest being ...
FEATURE: City university gets significant changes
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) has undergone significant improvements since Lawyer Adel Tamano was appointed president of the institution. During Tuesday night's presentation of his accomplishment report, Tamano, spokesman of the United Opposition, said that the university's ...
Battle on Marcos accounts to reach High Court: PCGG unfazed on recent loss of case at the Sandiganbayan
Mar 01, 2008; ... THE Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) on Friday said it will take to the Supreme Court the battle over the P220-million Marcos accounts that are still allegedly deposited at the Security Bank and Trust Company. The Sandiganbayan recently junked the government's petition ...
Mamiit upbeat in RP-Uzbekistan Davis Cup tie
Mar 02, 2008; ... CECIL MAMIIT knows what to expect from the Uzbeks when he spearheads the Philippine campaign in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania relegation tie slated April 11 to 13 at the Philippine Columbian Association clay court in Paco, Manila."Chances are close when it comes to Davis Cup in Group 1 ....
Moment of truth for Giants, Realtors
Mar 02, 2008; ...The answer will be known Sunday when the Giants and the Realtors meet in a do-or-die match for the Smart-PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.Game time is 6:30 p.m., with Purefoods enjoying the momentum after taking Game 6, 89-81, on Friday.Both Ryan Gregorio and ...
Muntinlupa unveils new City Hall
Mar 02, 2008; ... Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro led city officials on Saturday in inaugurating the new Muntinlupa City Hall, which was destroyed by fire on August 3, 2007. The mayor was accompanied by Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Vice-Mayor Artemio Simundac, city councilors and department heads in opening the ...
Police return alert level to 'normal': Estimates by police show only 15,000 attended the Makati rally
Mar 02, 2008; ... THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday downgraded its alert level status from "full" to normal following the peaceful holding of the interfaith rally in Makati City on Friday, which called for the resignation of President Gloria Arroyo. Organizers estimated that around 70,000 ...
PSC to distribute cash incentives to Asean Para Games medalists
Mar 02, 2008; ... THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will distribute cash incentives to Asean Para Games medal winners on Monday.PSC Chairman William Ramirez and Philippine Sports Association for the Differently-abled (Philspada) President Michael Barredo will lead the awarding of incentives ...
Villar: Monitor Filipina rape case
Mar 02, 2008; ... Full government assistance must be given to the 21-year-old Filipina who was reportedly raped last month by a US serviceman in Okinawa, Japan. Senate President Manny Villar said the government should undertake vigorous efforts in ensuring that justice will be served to the victim, a ...
3 soldiers die in Davao clash: Six other Army troops wounded in fighting in Toril district
Mar 02, 2008; ... ZAMBOANGA CITY: Communist in surgents killed three soldiers and wounded six others in a clash on Saturday in southern Philippines, the military said. The Philippine Army said the clash erupted in a barangay (village) in Davao City's Toril district after New People's Army (NPA) rebels ...
2 whale sharks rescued by fishermen in Bataan
Mar 02, 2008; ... MORONG, Bataan: Two large whale sharks, one six meters long and the other seven meters got stranded and trapped in fishing nets here on Thursday and Friday but alert fishermen and divers from Ocean Adventure rescued and set the sharks free in the South China Sea. Whale sharks are locally known ...
Arnold Clavio: Winning hearts and minds
Mar 02, 2008; ... He may not exactly be the pleasant voice that warms your mornings and tells you that the world is a better place, but for almost twenty years as a broadcast journalist on radio and television, Arnold Clavio's voice booms with energy that wins hearts and minds of listeners and viewers, helping ...
BIS Tigersharks capture juniors title
Mar 02, 2008 ... CEBU CITY: Saving its best defense in the payoff period, Benedictine International School (BIS) outlasted Pilgrim Christian College, 83-79, on Saturday to clinch the title in the inter-secondary side of the 62nd National Students Basketball Championship at the Cebu Coliseum here. The ...
De Castro ready for presidency
Mar 02, 2008; ... FOR the first time, Vice-President Noli de Castro over the weekend assured the public that he is ready to replace President Gloria Arroyo if the chief executive decides to resign. "Handa akong pumalit at hindi naghahandang pumalit. [I am prepared to take over, not preparing to take ...
No. 3 man of terror gang falls in police crackdown
Mar 02, 2008; ... GENERAL SANTOS CITY: Police arrested on Saturday a suspected bomber believed to be the No. 3 man of the Alkhobar group of alleged terrorists and extortionists in Central Mindanao. Senior Supt. Alfredo Toroctocon, the regional chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Division, ...
Hapee nails second win
Mar 02, 2008 ... MARK BORBORAN finished the job which Fil-Am Gabe Norwood started as Hapee Toothpaste nipped Bacchus Energy Drink, 85-83, on Saturday to gain a share of the lead with idle Harbour Centre in the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at The Arena in San Juan. Unable to find a way to penetrate ...
2 thieves killed, 6 others arrested in Bulacan
Mar 03, 2008 ... MALOLOS CITY: Two suspected members of a notorious hijack group were killed while six others were arrested after a brief firefight with lawmen in Barangay Patubig, Marilao town Saturday night, reported the Philippine News Agency. Acting Bulacan police director Sr. Supt. Allen Bantolo ...
Bishop Soc urges all to maintain vigilance
Mar 03, 2008; ... BALANGA City, Bataan: Bishop Socrates Villegas in a pastoral letter read Sunday chided not only those in power but also those wanting the leader to be changed for allegedly having the same selfish motive-that of ransacking the country's coffers.He urged the faithful not to pretend to ...
Catholic school suspends male teacher over allegations of sexual harassment
Mar 03, 2008; ... BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: A Catholic schoolteacher has been suspended by his superiors for having allegedly molested some pupils, a move in anticipation of the filing of criminal charges against the suspect by parents of the allegedly molested pupils.The police blotter indicated that ...
BSP gives lenders more time to sell bad assets
Mar 03, 2008; ... THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilippines (BSP) has given financial institutions more leeway to sell their bad assets under a scheme that grants them tax and other perks for such a sale. BSP Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. said the regulator will give banks a 30-day window after the May ...
Homemade bomb rocks Jolo, Sulu: Authorities largely blamed previous attacks on bars to the Abu Sayyaf group
Mar 03, 2008; ... ZAMBOANGA CITY: A homemade bomb ripped through a bar near a military base in the largely Muslim province of Sulu, wounding six people, officials said on Sunday.Officials said bomb experts were investigating the type of explosive used in the attack late Sunday at the bar owned by a ...
Costlier energy seen in nearterm
Mar 03, 2008; ... GOVERNMENT efforts to speed up the implementation of open access in the power sector is unlikely to bear fruit any time soon, according to a former energy secretary. Vincent S. Perez, who heads consultancy firm Merritt Partners, said, "open access is nowhere near fruition," and that it ...
SPECIAL REPORT: BIOFUELS: BANE OR BOON?: Philippines first to have, last to use biofuels
Mar 03, 2008; ... First of two parts Plant oils or extracts for fuel are old hat to Filipinos. But having a law for the general use of biofuels for transport-the Biofuels Act of 2006-is very new. The steep rise of crude oil prices worldwide and concerns over greenhouse gas emissions from ...
The world according to Impy Pilapil
Mar 03, 2008; ... Esteemed artist Impy Pilapil's exhibit at the gardens of Ateneo de Manila University features large outdoor interactive sculptures. Known for her glass sculptures redolent of reflection and images of the sea, her sculptures reflect what theosophist Rudolf Steiner called the twelve senses: ...
Vista Land starts construction of Makati luxury condo
Mar 03, 2008 ... THE listed holding firm of the Villar group has started construction of its luxury high-rise residential condominium in Makati under Camella Prestige, the new unit of subsidiary Camella Homes & Communities. In a statement, Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. said the condominium named ...
PSE to impose stringent listing rules: Moratorium on small-scale mining set
Mar 03, 2008 ... THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is drafting a proposal to stop local governments (LGUs) from issuing small-scale mining permits for iron ore and nickel to contain conflicts between host communities and companies. On the sidelines of a recent seminar, Horacio ...
Realtors bag All-Flipino Cup title
Mar 03, 2008; ... THERE'S no denying the workhorses of Sta. Lucia Realtors of their only second crown since joining the league in 1993, as they crushed the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants, 100-88, Sunday in game 7 of the championship series of the 33rd Smart-PBA Philippine Cup before a frenzied crowd at the Araneta ...
Regulator pushes for free within-network texting
Mar 03, 2008; ... TEXT messages within the same network may soon be offered free as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) wants to cut interconnection rates among mobile phone service providers.Ruel V. Canobas, NTC commissioner said interconnection charges have a direct effect on retail ...
Telecom industry to grow at modest pace, says Fitch
Mar 03, 2008; ... THE Philippine telecommunications industry is projected to grow at a modest pace this year as the traditional market is approaching maturity, according to an international credit rating firm.In its outlook for the industry this year, Fitch Rating said the business is going through a ...
SM group to build more inns near shopping malls
Mar 03, 2008 ... THE SM group, through unit Hotel Specialists Inc, will build two inns by mid-year as part of its expansion in the industry. On the sidelines of the Pico de Loro showroom opening, Merril F. Yu, SM Investments Corp. senior vice-president for hotel investments said the inns would be ...
Senate sets sights on $932-million southrail investigation
Mar 03, 2008; ... The Senate blue-ribbon committee will look into the $932-million SouthRail project after it finishes the inquiry into the national broadband controversy. Also waiting in the wings are the TransCo and Cyber Education Project investigations. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the committee ...
SC will force Neri to talk: Justices need to hear his conversation with GMA
Mar 03, 2008; ... What Romulo Neri refused to tell the Senate about his conversation with President Gloria Arroyo about the national broadband deal, he may be compelled to reveal to the Supreme Court in an executive session. Last year, Neri testified before a Senate blue-ribbon committee hearing that he ...
Thrift banks told to seek self-regulatory status
Mar 03, 2008; ... AMID a conflict between the Chamber of Thrift Banks and the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEx) over fees the latter would charge for over-the-counter (OTC) transactions involving government debt papers, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) advised the lenders' group to seek ...
Int'l financial community warms up to spending hike
Mar 03, 2008; ... DESPITE its vigilance over the Philippines' budget deficit-reduction program, the international financial community may be warming up to government plans to crank up infrastructure and social spending to weather the US economic slowdown. The World Bank's country director said ...
No tax holidays for PLDT, Globe units-BOI
Mar 03, 2008; ... THE Board of Investments (BOI) has turned down the applications for fiscal incentives filed by units of the Philippines' two largest telecommunication companies. Media Quest, a subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance and Telecommunications Co. (PLDT), and Innove, the wireless broadband ...
PBA Legends Tour reminisces glory days, rivalries for a cause
Mar 03, 2008; ... The historic Crispa-Toyota rivalry in the Philippine Basketball Association during its first decade of existence will be revived during the "Grand Reunion Tour of Philippine Basketball Greats" scheduled next month in four key cities in California. This is because players from the ...
NOTES & COMMENT: 'It's the system, stupid!'
Mar 03, 2008; ...But we really need not demolish the house every time we are compelled to repair it. We can change the system bit by bit, because our civic problems do not arise from some cultural failing. They merely reflect structural defects in our institutions and incentive mechanisms-specific defects we ...
Lawmaker launches 'veggie revolution' in Albay schools
Mar 03, 2008; ... LEGAZPI CITY: The problem of malnutrition among school children is directly linked with the high incidence of poverty in the region. Aiming to reduce malnutrition among schoolchildren in Bicol, Albay Rep. Al Francis Bichara together with the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture ...