The Manila Times back issues from October 2008:
Divers removetoxic chemical from 'Princess'
Oct 01, 2008; ... A total of 26 packets of the deadly pesticide endosulfan were salvaged by divers from MV Princess of the Stars on Monday and Tuesday, as retrieval of other cargos from the sunken ferry began after being delayed for weeks. Next priority for retrieval, according to Transportation ...
Controversial Bb. Pilipinas -World resigns
Oct 01, 2008; ... REIGNING Binibining Pilipinas-World Janina San Miguel resigned late evening Monday, a statement from the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. said."The untimely demise of her grandfather, among other personal reasons, has caused her undue stress, thus hindering her from fulfilling her ...
Dollar slides to P47 on risk aversion: Exports, investment inflows seen to take a hit
Oct 01, 2008; ... THE peso fell to the 47-to-a-dollar level on Tuesday on growing risk aversion, after the US Congress thumbed down the Bush administration's bailout package for America's troubled banks. After bucking its counterparts abroad, the local stock market also gave in to selling pressure, with ...
Domestic hog industry in danger of collapsing
Oct 01, 2008; ... A LARGE number of hog farmers are now thinking of shutting down their businesses because of the high cost of production and low farm gate prices, the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. said Tuesday. Albert Lim, Jr., hog federation president, said many hog raisers are complaining ...
ERC approves smaller power rate hike
Oct 01, 2008; ... THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has given the green light to a government petition seeking to mitigate the impact of the previous spike in prices at the local spot market for electricity. In a decision, the regulator granted a provisional authority to use state-owned National ...
PacMan can win against de la Hoya
Oct 01, 2008; ... BLUE BELL, Pennsylvania: The editor-in-chief of the prestigious The Ring magazine is giving Filipino icon Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao a "legitimate chance" against heavy favorite Oscar de la Hoya in their December 6 bout in Las Vegas. "PacMan is understandably the underdog in terms of ...
Ramon Revilla Sr. undergoes surgery after stroke
Oct 01, 2008; ... Former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr. suffered a stroke Tuesday morning and is expected to remain in critical condition for the next 72 hours. He was in hospital since Monday for a general checkup when he had the stroke at 10 a.m. Tuesday, his son, Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. told The Manila ...
PSE upholds trading-halt rule amid volatility
Oct 01, 2008; ... THE Philippine Stock Exchange said Tuesday that it has approved a circuit breaker rule for the local bourse that would give investors time to digest the impact of an unusual drop in share prices and help restore normalcy to the marketIn a disclosure to the Securities and Exchange ...
NorthRail project exempted from bidding
Oct 01, 2008; ... THE controversial $503-million North Luzon Railway Corp. project that the Philippine Government inked with China is an "executive agreement," and therefore exempted from the law on public bidding, the Department of Justice said in an opinion Tuesday. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez made ...
Seven soldiers killed, 12 injured in Maguindanao clash
Oct 01, 2008; ... SEVEN government soldiers including an officials were killed on two separate clashes between government troops and lawless Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Maguindanao province Monday. Armed Forces public information chief Ernesto Torres said the first encounter happened ...
Groups eye Chief Justice Puno for president
Oct 01, 2008; ... Chief Justice Reynato Puno disclosed Tuesday that he is being wooed by some groups that are trying to convince him to give the presidency a shot in 2010. But Puno said he turned down the propositions even as he admitted that the top position of the land is "providential."...
Sultanate of Sulu launches relief mission in Maguindanao
Oct 01, 2008; ... COTABATO CITY: The Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo in a joint effort with former governor Antonio Leviste of Batangas, Center for Moderate Muslims (CMM), and the Madjapahit Golden Land (Philippines), Inc. started Monday in Maguindanao province its Eid'l Fitr relief operations for some 500,000 ...
Inflation may reach 12.7% in September - BSP
Oct 01, 2008; ... The Philippine central bank forecasts that inflation will inch up in September, more bad news after last month's rate of a near 17-year high. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. predicted that inflation would reach between 11.8 percent and 12.7 percent in ...
MILF recruiting children since 2000-UNICEF
Oct 01, 2008; ... The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been recruiting children to their ranks since the Philippine government declared an all-out war against the Muslim rebels in 2000, a recent report from the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) showed. Despite several UN resolutions calling ...
Mar files case to question BIR on new tax law
Oct 01, 2008; ... Sen. Mar Roxas said Tuesday the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and he would contest before the Supreme Court the decision of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) pegging to July 6, 2008 the effectivity date of Republic Act 9504, the new law exempting minimum wage earners from paying ...
Muslims celebrate 'Eid'l Fitr' as fighting rages on:Palace sends greetings to Islamic world on the joyous 'Eid'l Fitr' and enjoins nation to pray for peace
Oct 01, 2008; ... SULU ISLAND: Muslims on the southern Philippine island of Sulu on Tuesday celebrated the Eid'l Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, Islam's holy month of fasting. More than 3,000 people gathered outside the Capitol building in Patikul town, one of several areas for prayer ...
Money supply growth eases
Oct 01, 2008; ... DEMAND for money or M3 slowed in July from the previous month as the government borrowed less amid improving revenues, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). In a statement, BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said M3 or domestic liquidity grew 4.1 percent year-on-year in ...
Four miners found alive in Benguet
Oct 01, 2008; ... ITOGON, Benguet: Rescuers pulled four more miners out of a flooded tunnel here on Monday night and Tuesday morning, bringing to six the number of miners who were rescued after being trapped for a week. The rescue, according to officials and the rescuers, raised hopes that eight other ...
Tough draw for Pagulayan, Orcollo in G9BT grand final
Oct 24, 2008 ... Jakarta: Alex Pagulayan and Dennis Orcollo, champions in the past two legs of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour, find themselves on the same group following the player's draw in the tour's grand final, which starts Friday at the Mal Taman Anggrek here. Eleven players were divided into two groups ...
US pledges $40M for Coral Triangle initiative
Oct 24, 2008; ... UNITED States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney announced Thursday that the American government has pledged nearly $40 million to support the international effort of six nations and their partners to save the Coral Triangle. Because of this, Director General Syamsul Maarif of ...
RP banking system remains sound and stable-BSP
Oct 24, 2008 ...The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) issued a statement for the media and the public to know that our banking system is sound and stable, as follows: The Philippine banking system remains strong amidst the current global financial distress. The reforms we have adopted in the past ...
Analysts say wider deficit not yet a threat to Philippine economic growth
Oct 23, 2008; ... LAST month's wider budget deficit is not yet a threat to Philippine economic growth, according to analysts. "The cumulative budget deficit of P53.4 billion compared with P40 billion a year ago is not a threat to economic stability as it is less than one percent of gross domestic product ...
2nd Billiard Stars Search set Nov. 5 to 9
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE search for new stars in local pool continues as the second staging of the Billiard Stars Search unfolds on November 5 to 9 at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City. Presented by Star Billiards in cooperation with the Billiards & Snooker Congress of the Philippines and Raya ...
Anti-JPEPA groups fail to get temporary respite
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE Supreme Court did not give due course to the petition of civil and environmental groups for the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) from becoming final and binding. Instead, the High Court asked the Senate ...
bama's lead credited to tech-savvy strategy</headline>O
Oct 23, 2008; ... If Barack Obama becomes America's first black president, his victory may be credited not only to his charisma and eloquence, but also to his unprecedented use of the Internet, a professor said Wednesday. David Perlmutter, professor at the William Allen White School of Journalism and ...
Appelate court junks OSG petition against Iglesia ni Kristo claim on piece of land
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE Court of Appeals (CA) has junked the government's petition seeking to stop the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) from claiming ownership of a piece of real estate in La Union province.The appellate court, in its eight-page decision penned by Associate Justice Romeo Barza, ...
BI arrest British Pedophile in Negros
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday announced the arrest of a suspected British pedophile that had allegedly victimized several young girls in the province of Negros Oriental. BI Intelligence agents apprehended the Briton, 39-year-old Richard Holden, at his residence along ...
RP volley teams advance to round-of-16</headline>
Oct 23, 2008; ... BALI, Indonesia: The RP men's and women's volleyball teams marched into the round-of-16 Wednesday in the first Asian Beach Games here.Rhovyl Verayo and Jonrey Sasing played aggressively and defended well to beat Sri Lanka's Naween Sampath Peiris Warnakuiasooriya and Wasantha ...
Suspicious dirty money operations continue rise
Oct 23, 2008; ... The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said the number of suspected dirty money transactions continues to increase as of September this year, while the increase in its freeze orders triggered corruption-related cases to rise.AMLC data showed the number of suspicious transactions ...
Varsity stars shine in 2008 Collegiate Basketball Awards
Oct 23, 2008 ... SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Manny Pangilinan led in honoring Coach of the Year Norman Black of Ateneo and other top achievers this season as in the 2008 Collegiate Basketball Awards on Tuesday at the Manila Pavilion. "It has been a long road for me in Ateneo," said Black ...
Palace asked to give side on Teehankee commutation
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE Supreme Court has directed the Executive Department to explain its side on the complaint filed against the granting of clemency to Claudio Teehankee, Jr.In a one-page en banc resolution dated October 21, 2008, the High Tribunal has required Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, ...
PDEA director for Central Mindanao sets reorganization of agency
Oct 23, 2008; ... GENERAL SANTOS CITY: The new Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director for Central Mindanao is set to restructure his office to make more effective its drive against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the region."We need to distribute our remaining well-experienced men to ...
Psalm puts off IPP contracts' auction
Oct 23, 2008; ... STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has moved to next year the privatization of government's contracted capacities with independent power producers (IPP). PSALM said that it opted to reschedule this to February, citing feedback from prospective bidders ...
PVF head promises more tournaments
Oct 23, 2008 ... PHILIPPINE Volleyball Federation President Pedro Mendoza vowed to stage more local and international competitions following the country's successful hosting of the 7th Asian Youth Girls Volleyball Championship. "I am overwhelmed by the success of our hosting," said Mendoza, noting that ...
RP-Kuwait air talks start at Clark Freeport:Victor Luciano of CIAC says air talks between the two countries aim to attract Middle Eastern flights
Oct 23, 2008; ... CLARK FREEPORT: The Philippines and Kuwait air panels started here on Wednesday a two-day review of the existing Air Services Agreement (ASA). Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano described the air talks as crucial for the development of ...
RP has new coral reefs
Oct 23, 2008; ... Despite the decrease in the country's coral cover, a study by the University of the Philippines (UP) Marine Science Institute shows that the Philippines is home to four new coral reefs and a new coral specie. Edgardo Gomez, professor emeritus of the UP marine institute, said the new ...
Melamine found in two more products
Oct 23, 2008; ... The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Wednesday that it found two more Chinese-made products positive of melamine contamination. The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) test results showed that Lotte B&W Koala Biscuits and Lotte Chocolate Snack Koala Biscuits were contaminated ...
CHAMBER, GSIS SLAM MERALCO RATE-HIKE OK
Oct 23, 2008; ... The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) expressed concern over the recent decision by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) allowing the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to increase power rates by next month. The chamber argued that the increase would not help the country, ...
More international flights approved at DMIA
Oct 23, 2008; ... CLARK FREEPOPT, Pampanga: The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has approved more international flights for three local carriers at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here. In a press briefing, CIAC President & CEO Victor Jose Luciano and CAB director Rene Diaz said the CAB ...
MILF may dissolve its peace panel, abandon talks with government
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is now studying the possibility of disbanding its peace panel and hinting that the peace process between the government and MILF could not move forward because of the decisions earlier made by the Philippine government. Mohagher ...
NSO cites need for awareness of correct personal records
Oct 23, 2008 ... By Armand ...
Office space, housing vacancies on the rise
Oct 23, 2008 ... CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) said demand for homes, especially those geared towards niche markets, is slowing down, even as vacancies for office space are rising. "In most projects, residential is more catering to the broader market rather than the small market base. Slowdown is a more ...
Euro carrier submits himself to Ombudsman, faces grilling
Oct 23, 2008; ... The retired police general who has become famous over the "Euro-cops" fiasco voluntarily submitted himself to the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman. "I came over to show my willingness and acceptance to this investigation [by the Ombudsman]," said Eliseo de la Paz, who was ...
Filipinos shortchanged on fuel price rollbacks
Oct 23, 2008; ... THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said oil companies have been shortchanging Filipinos with regard to their fuel price cuts, adding retailers should implement a bigger reduction. Based on computations the agency made, diesel prices should be at least P34.32 a liter ...
Gordon wants intensive use of prison labor
Oct 23, 2008; ... Sen. Richard Gordon called Wednesday for a more intensive use of prison labor for public works projects to save the government money and to put the prisoners to more productive use "and enhance their self-worth." Gordon proposed that convicted prisoners be required to work eight hours a ...
Govt told to continue alternative energy push
Oct 23, 2008; ... ENERGY industry officials said the government should push through with its alternative fuels and renewable program despite the steep drop in world oil prices. On the sidelines of the 34th Philippine Business Conference, Fran-sisco Viray, National Competitiveness Council energy head, ...
Cruising for a hookah:Anecdotes from Islamabad to Lahore
Oct 23, 2008; ... The first time I tried shisha was on a cold winter night in Islamabad. A friendly and democratic society that nonetheless adheres to Islamic law, Pakistan offers the weary traveler many comforts but, alas, no alcohol to warm the gut. The only exceptions were international hotels. And even there ...
DPWH forms management office for Bicol river basin program
Oct 23, 2008; ... To assure the consolidated implementation and effective management of the flood and hazard mitigation component of the Bicol River Basin and Watershed Management Program (BRBWMP) of the national government, the Department of public works and Highways created a Flood and Hazard Mitigation- ...
GSIS to invest in fixed sovereign bonds
Oct 23, 2008; ... STATE-RUN Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is set to complete its remaining global investment program (GIP), although strategic adjustments have to be made on account of the global financial crisis. In a briefing, Winston Garcia, GSIS president and general manager, said the ...
Huge deposit insurance coverage costly, says BSP
Oct 23, 2008; ... The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) supports the proposal to increase the deposit insurance coverage, but is cautious about setting too large an amount for the coverage as this would entail additional costs both for the government and the banks.BSP Governor Amando Te-tangco Jr. said ...
DepEd failed to remit P300-M tax collections
Oct 23, 2008; ... The Department of Education is again the subject of a report by the Commission on Audit, or COA-this time for not remitting the P300 million in withholding tax collections from employees in 2006. The new audit report comes at the heels of an earlier finding that the department had ...
ERC sets rules to match power rates to costs
Oct 23, 2008; ... The Energy Regulatory Commission has come up with a set of rules that seeks to match power rates and the true cost of electricity. Industry officials said the current system does not show true electricity costs and, thus, has kept Napocor rates "artificially low."Under the ...
Economic stimulus inflationary - Cuisia
Oct 23, 2008; ... A proposed stimulus package for the economy would just worsen inflation, the head of the Philippine American Life and General Insurance Co. (Philamlife) said in the wake of the government's announcement that inflation is still the country's biggest worry. Jose Cuisia Jr., Philamlife ...
Ethanol plant to start production soon
Oct 23, 2008; ... The full commercial operations of an integrated cane-based ethanol and power co-generation plant partly funded by DTI's National Development Company would begin soon, the Department of Trade and Industry said in a statement. According to NDC, construction of San Carlos Bio-energy Inc.'s ...
US spy plane crashes in North Cotabato:Filipino and US authorities kept the incident secret until 'Minda News,' a local online news site, filed report
Oct 24, 2008; ... ZAMBOANGA CITY: A US military spy plane crashed in North Cotabato province where Filipino troops are battling Muslim rebels, reports said. The unmanned aerial vehicle crashed October 18 on a neighborhood in the town of Pikit after hitting a row of coconut trees. Filipino and US ...
Philippine banking system pats itself on the back
Oct 24, 2008 ... The Central Bank has claimed that the Philippine banking system has proven to be resilient to the stresses experienced in the recent past in what has been a turbulent time. The credible performance of the banking sector in the past few years may be attributed to the wide-ranging reform measures ....
Southeast Asian indie artists at Hard Rock
Oct 24, 2008 ... INDEPENDENT Asian Music TV (i-amtv) comes to Manila for the very first time on October 30 at the Hard Rock Caf, for a special musical showcase that features and promotes some of the best independent artists from Southeast Asia. i-amtv is a joint Asian-European multimedia organization ...
PNP proposing P6.36-B budget increase for 2009</headline>
Oct 24, 2008; ... Amid the rising grievances from its personnel ranging from inadequacies of police vehicles, equipments, fuel allocations and low salary, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is proposing a P6.36-billion increase in its annual budget for 2009, making the police institution agency occupy fourth in ...
The concert scene is alive and well
Oct 24, 2008; ... Despite the sudden downpour that caused the bumper-to-bumper traffic in Ortigas, we were delighted to make it on time for the intimate concert of Cocoy Laurel last weekend at the Teatrino. Joining him were his sister Iwi Laurel and his niece Denise Laurel, who both proved that gift of ...
Silver bells ring loud for gary valenciano
Oct 24, 2008; ... Only the toughest in the entertainment business will reach 25 years. One of them is Gary Valenciano. Despite strong competition, his constant bout with diabetes and the continuous influx of new performers, Valenciano has remained at the top of his music career through hard work, ...
SEC approves Basic Energy registration of shares
Oct 24, 2008 ... THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved on Thursday the application of Basic Energy Corp. (BEC) for the listing of additional shares at the local bourse. The fresh equity will be issued to ZNB Partners Inc. (ZNBPI) Documents from the regulator showed that BEC will ...
Stock market falls below psychological threshold
Oct 24, 2008 ... LOCAL share prices tumbled anew on fears of global recession as Wall Street's losses dragged down Asian markets on Thursday. At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the 30-company composite index-the barometer of all stock price movements-breached the 2,000 mark, closing at 1,995.92, about 97 ...
Philippines assured of bronze medal in sepak takraw
Oct 24, 2008; ... BALI, Indonesia: The Philippines was assured of a bronze medal in sepak takraw after the women's regu team marched to the semifinals Thursday in the 1st Asian Beach Games here. The team led by Southeast Asian Games medalist Deseree Autor and veteran Sarah Jane Catain beat Thailand 21-2 ...
Probe fails to uncover money trail in scandal
Oct 24, 2008; ... The newly appointed national-police chief, Director General Jesus Verzosa, came under fire Thursday for his alleged cavalier attitude to the Moscow scandal, even as several violations had been uncovered at a Senate inquiry Thursday. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations was unable ...
Retrieval of bodies in sunken ship starts
Oct 24, 2008 ... SAN FERNANDO, Sibuyan Island: Mayor Nanette Tansingco expressed relief that an environmental disaster had been averted with the retrieval of the toxic chemicals from the Princess of the Stars, which sank off the coast of San Fernando, Sibuyan Island."The people of San Fernando and the ...