Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered two companies to immediately stop sending annoying spam messages to the subscribers of Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. NTC has issued show-cause orders against Caritas Health Shield Inc. and Center for Global Best Practices due to separate complaints filed by Globe. Globe stated in the complaints that the agents and employees of the two companies are involved in sending unsolicited promotional text messages to its mobile customers. The legal action taken by the telecommunications provider against Caritas and CGBP is in line with the telco company’s intensified campaign to combat text spam, prompted by constant customer service complaints on the issue. The order is expected to provide respite to Globe consumers who constantly receive annoying spam messages. Globe specifically asked the regulatory body to order Caritas, a health insurance company, and CGBP, which offers various training and seminar courses, the payment of appropriate fines and penalties for sending annoying text spam to Globe subscribers. Globe also asked the NTC to permanently bar Caritas and CGBP, its agents and employees from sending spam texts to Globe customers. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The regulatory body also ordered the two companies to appear before the commission on July 15 and to explain in writing within 15 days from receipt of the order why it should not be administratively sanctioned for such violation. Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said the NTC directive should provide some breathing space for Globe customers who Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – The tandem of infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and conglomerate Ayala Corp. would have to wait for two more weeks before getting the green light for the P65 billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) Cavite extension project. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the joint bids and awards committee (BAC) of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) are now negotiating with the Light Rail Manila Consortium.  “In two weeks we expect to make an award. We are in the process of negotiating with the lone bidder,” Abaya said. He pointed out that the government would try to convince the Light Rail Manila Consortium to further improve its P9.35-billion premium payment to the government for the public private partnership (PPP) project under the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) law or Republic Act 7718.  “We are mandated to negotiate,” Abaya explained. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) earlier approved the offer made by the Light Rail Manila Consortium. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “We haven’t awarded yet,” Abaya clarified. The lead member of the group is MPIC Light Rail Corp. with 55 percent while other members include Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. with 35 percent and Macquaire Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. with 10 percent. Other bidders including diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) through SMC Infra Resources Inc., construction giant DMCI Holdings Inc., Filipino-owned Megawide Construction Corp., Spanish-owned Globalvia Inversiones SAU, Eco Read More …

Enrique Razon, Jr. photographed at the opening of his business venture Solaire Resort & Casino in 2013. Solaire photo MANILA, Philippines — Forbes Magazine recognized four Filipino businessmen in its annual list of “Heroes of Philanthropy” for launching new and innovative projects the past year. “Our goal is not to rank the biggest givers–the figures would be impossible to collect. Instead we aim to call attention to people and causes,” Forbes Asia editor John Koppisch wrote. He also explained that the 48 people in the list give their own money and not their company’s, unless the firms are owned mostly by them. “We want to focus on the people writing the checks and sketching the broad vision,” Koppisch said in the magazine’s behalf. Century Pacific Group chairman Ricardo Po, Sr., nicknamed “Mr. Tuna” after his companies’ most popular product, launched CPG-RSPo Foundation in 2010 to help eliminate hunger and improve nutrition. Ricardo Po, Sr. giving a food pack to a boy for the Kain Po program of his foundation in 2012. Century Pacific Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Forbes said 83-year-old Po, who experienced hunger himself as a child, served three million meals a year to children. The magazine also named 54-year-old International Container Terminal Services chief executive Enrique Razon, Jr., who set out to rehabilitate most devastated areas after super typhoon Yolanda last year. The ports and casino tycoon also contributed to rebuilding Tacloban’s airport and hospital and to delivering relief supplies via ships. “[Razon] Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – The price of garlic continues to soar, hitting up to P400 per kilo on Thursday. The culinary staple hit P400 per kilo at the Commonwealth Market in Quezon City, while prices in other markets range from P200 to P300 per kilo. Producers earlier said they are planning to increase production of garlic to fight against the sharp increase in prices. Agriculture Secretary Alcala said the state agency is investigating the possibility of hoarding which drives the prices up. Other commodities saw their prices rising as well, with NFA rice adding up to P4 per kilo. The price of chicken added up to P30 per kilo while the price of pork cost up to P200 per kilo. The price of fish, meanwhile, remained unchanged.

LARGEST COMMERCIAL SOLAR ROOFTOP: SM Prime Holdings Inc. president Hans T. Sy (third from left) shakes hands with Solar Philippines president Leandro Leviste to seal the deal for the construction of the largest commercial solar rooftop in the country. Others in photo are (from left) Christopher Bautista, SMPHI chief finance officer; Steven T. Tan,  SMPHI senior vice president; Rhoel Carlo Gonzaga,  Solar Philippines head design engineer and Aldren B. Samson, Solar Philippines business operations manager. MANILA, Philippines – Retail giant SM Prime Holdings Inc. is building the largest  commercial solar rooftop in the Philippines as part of its  commitment to use clean, renewable and sustainable energy in  its operations.  SM Prime president Hans T. Sy said a 1.5-megawatt (1,500  kilowatt) solar rooftop is currently being built at the SM  City North Edsa which will be used to power up a significant  portion of the mall’s energy requirements.  The solar rooftop project, the largest of its kind on a  commercial establishment in the country, will be operational  by October this year and make SM City North Edsa the largest  solar-powered mall in the world.  It will be built by Solar Philippines, led by its president  Leandro L. Leviste, the same company behind the other  largest commercial solar rooftop installations in the  country.   “SM Prime has always been committed to reduce greenhouse  emissions and maximize energy efficiency in our malls. This  is just one of many renewable projects we have been doing in  our developments and we will continue with finding ways Read More …