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IATA pushes single airport system for Phl

 Economy
May 052013
 
IATA pushes single airport system for Phl

MANILA, Philippines – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is pushing for the continued improvement of the operations of the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the establishment of an alternative gateway within the metropolis. Albert Tjoeng, IATA’s assistant director of corporate communications for Asia Pacific, said the organization is supporting a single airport solution that is easily accessible from the city.  “The priority for Manila is to maximize the effective capacity and throughput from the existing facilities.  IATA has provided guidance to the authorities in this regard, such as building rapid exit taxiways and better slot management. But there is a need to develop a long term solution to the airport needs of the Manila area,” Tjoeng said in an e-mail. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya earlier said Malacañang is carefully studying three options including the possibility of shutting down and selling NAIA to reach a decision on whether the Philippines would adopt a single or twin airport system. Abaya said the first option involves a single airport system wherein the government would shut down and sell the congested NAIA and develop the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. The second option, he revealed, involves dual system wherein the government would develop Clark and at the same time maximize the operations of NAIA until 2025 while looking for an alternative site for a new airport that would be 25 kilometers or 30 minutes away from the existing gateway. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The DOTC Read More …

PAL flights to New York to start once US lifts ban

 Economy
May 012013
 
PAL flights to New York to start once US lifts ban

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Airlines will soon be able to mount flights to New York once the United States Federal Aviation Administration lifts its ban on additional flights from the Philippines. The ban comes after the US FAA downgraded the country’s standing as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization, placing the Philippines in Category 2 or unsafe status. After a five-day audit early this year, ICAO found out that the country managed to address and resolved its safety concerns, seen to bring the Philippines back to Category 1 status. “With the lifting of the US FAA sanction, we can go to New York already,” PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang said. PAL currently flies to Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Ang said that according to a meeting of civil aviation authorities in Brussels, Belgium, the 27-nation European Union, which also imposed a similar sanction, is likely to lift its own three-year ban on Philippine air carriers “within the year.” 

Measure on anti-gender bias in workplace eyed

 Economy
Apr 302013
 
Measure on anti-gender bias in workplace eyed

MANILA, Philippines -Lawmakers vowed to reintroduce in the 16th Congress a measure expanding the prohibited acts of discrimination against women on account of sex. Rep. Emil Ong (2nd District, Northern Samar), chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment, said amending Articles 135 and 137 of Presidential Decree 442, as amended, also known as the Labor Code of the Philippines, will level the playing fields of women in all areas of employment and job opportunities. “House Bill 4643 will secure equal opportunities and fair treatment for female employees vis-a-vis their male counterparts in the workplace,” Ong said. “The measure was extensively discussed then approved by the House during the 14th and 15th Congress; and transmitted to the Senate,” he added. Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo I (2nd District, Valenzuela City), author of the bill, said there has been a marked increase in the number of women now working in a variety of jobs in which, at times, their entry and subsequent opportunities are dampened, if not altogether stopped, by discrimination. “This situation makes it imperative to institute mechanisms that will provide equal employment opportunities for all, regardless of sex, which is one step towards departing from the prevailing social and economic inequity in the country,” Gunigundo said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “Gender bias, both in the recruitment and in the conditions of the workplace, bolsters the traditional perception of society that a woman’s proper place is at home, a view that has become an obstacle to Read More …

Philippines suspends live shrimp imports

 Economy
Apr 302013
 
Philippines suspends live shrimp imports

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – The Philippine government today suspended the import of all live shrimps and susceptible crustaceans to prevent the entry and spread of shrimp diseases such as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) in the country. The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) said it issued the suspension on the recommendation of shrimp disease expert Dr. Donald Lightner and after local shrimp operators expressed concern over the possible entry of infected shrimps from heavily-affected countries The DA said the Philippines remains free from EMS, a disease characterized by massive mortalities during the first 30 days. Infected shrimp samples show slow growth, corkscrew swimming, and pale coloration.   The government said it will closely monitor airports and seaports to ensure that infected shrimps from heavily-affected countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia will not enter the country.

Philippines to buy 187,000 tons of rice from Vietnam

 Economy
Apr 302013
 
Philippines to buy 187,000 tons of rice from Vietnam

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – The Philippine government announced today that it had decided to  import 187,000 tons of milled rice from Vietnam to beef up stocks before the onset of the typhoon season in July. State-run National Food Authority (NFA) said Vietnam had given the “best offer” for the supply of 187,000 tons of 25 percent broken rice grade. NFA administrator Orlan A. Calayag said Vietnam’s Southern Food Corp. offered the best bid at $459.75 per ton. Vietnam and Thailand submitted bids for the right to supply the volume during a government-to-government tender held on April 3.   The Philippines may no longer need to import more rice as it expects another record harvest this year. For 2013, Philippine paddy rice output is projected to go up by 11 percent on year to 20 million tons. 

Liquidity expands 11.4 pct in March

 Economy
Apr 302013
 
Liquidity expands 11.4 pct in March

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – Demand for money in the Philippines grew by 11.4 percent on year to P5.1 trillion ($123.9 billion) in March, the local central bank said today. On a monthly basis, seasonally-adjusted domestic liquidity or M3 also expanded at a faster pace of 1.5 percent compared with the 0.2 percent month-on-month growth in February. The central bank said the sustained expansion in net domestic assets (NDA) was the main driver in the growth of money supply. The Philippine government said the continued expansion in domestic liquidity in March indicates sufficient liquidity to sustain the growth momentum of the economy. 

Phl bourse sustains rally on strong corporate earnings

 Economy
Apr 302013
 
Phl bourse sustains rally on strong corporate earnings

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – The local index climbed to the upper band of the 7,000-mark today as investors started buying stocks with promising corporate earnings. The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index gained 0.61 percent, or 42.64 points, to 7,070.99, while the broader all-share index rose by 0.41 percent, or 17.85 points, to 4,409.73. Trading volume reached 4.1 billion shares worth P10.83 billion ($263.35 million) with 91 stocks advancing, 82 declining, and 39 were unchanged. Of the six counters, only the mining and oil sector bucked the trend. “The composite index advanced for the fourth consecutive session, driven by strong corporate earnings,” DBP-Daiwa Securities, Inc. said in its daily stock market comment. 2TradeAsia.com said sessions will continue to “stay light” until new developments in China unfold. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “For now, local equities may track developments abroad, especially if reaffirmed support for monetary stimulus measures is made,” the online brokerage said. The brokerage said financials and interest rate-sensitive sectors might take the lead, as well as second and third tier stocks that have breached oversold levels.   Stocks in the 30-company index closed mixed. Among those picked up were Ayala Land, Inc., heavyweight Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., and SM Investments Corp.

Unknown disease prompts BFAR to ban shrimp imports

 Economy
Apr 302013
 
Unknown disease prompts BFAR to ban shrimp imports

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources indefinitely suspended the importation of live shrimp and crustaceans to prevent an unknown disease from spreading in Philippine waters. “We are dealing with a disease unknown to us, all the more that measures must be undertaken,” BFAR Director Asis G. Perez said last week in a shrimp industry meeting with the operators and importers. The state agency instructed its Fish Health Officers, Quarantine Officers and the Law Enforcement Quick Response Team to implement monitoring, control and surveillance protocols at the ports of entry, airports and seaports in the country.  BFAR said the measure is meant to prevent the spread Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS), characterized by massive shrimp deaths during the first 30 days. Infected samples exhibit slow growth, corkscrew swimming and pale color. Currently, no known pathogen has been found causing the disease, the state agency said. The order came after the recommendation of Dr. Donald Lightner, a shrimp disease expert. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “The Philippines remains EMS-free as of the moment and BFAR is exhausting all efforts to remain so,” Perez said, adding that the country is well-positioned as this opens the opportunity for the Philippines to expand its shrimp exports. 

AboitizPower to build 2 more hydro plants

 Economy
Apr 252013
 
AboitizPower to build 2 more hydro plants

MANILA, Philippines – AboitizPower subsidiary Hedcor is adding two more hydropower plants in its portfolio, a move seen to help curb the ongoing power crunch in Mindanao. The company yesterday announced that it would be building two cascading plants in Bukidnon, which would be tapping power from the Amusig, Guihean and Tanaon rivers. The first plant, the Manolo Fortich Hydro 1 will have a capacity of 35.2 megawatts while the second plant, the Manolo Fortich Hydro 2 will generate 16.4 MW. The two plants combined can produce a total of almost 300 million kWh a year, Hedcor said. The projects have received support from the local government of Impasug-ong and the barangay chairman of Guihean, which are both in Bukidnon. The local officials called on local residents to support the hydro investor in their community during the official signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) among the local officials and the AboitizPower subsidiary, Hedcor on the project. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “Hedcor needs the full support of the community, we have to ensure the safety of our investors against any unfavorable incident. The project will help ease the power crisis in Mindanao,” said Impasug-ong Mayor Mario Okinlay said. He said the community needs Hedcor’s additional capacity to reduce the brownouts they currently experience in their area. Hedcor vice president for business development Boy Jabonillo said the company strives to bring inclusive growth to the host communities by helping them with sustainable social development programs. Other Read More …

Honda Phl to sell hybrid cars this yr

 Economy
Apr 252013
 
Honda Phl to sell hybrid cars this yr

MANILA, Philippines – Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) will start selling hybrid vehicles in the country with the introduction of the CR-Z sport hybrid coupe this year. In a statement yesterday, HCPI president and general manager Tatsuya Natsume said the firm decided to introduce the CR-Z this year following inquiries about the sale of the vehicle model after it was displayed at the 4th Philippine International Motor Show held last year. “Even after that, we are still getting inquiries online, at our dealer showrooms and various display events. This scenario gives us the confidence that the Philippine market will warmly welcome the all new CR-Z when it arrives in August, exactly a year after its concept was shown,” he said. He declined to say how many units the firm aims to sell per month. “This is the first time that we will be introducing this model in the Philippines so we have no data to compare it with as of the moment,” Natsume said in an email. The CR-Z which stands for “Compact Renaissance Zero” was developed to fuse two ideas: sport and ecology. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The vehicle uses a 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine as the main source of power with an electric motor, Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) which enables drivers to have a responsive driving experience as well as achieve fuel efficiency. The CR-Z, which would come in both manual transmission and continuously variable transmission with paddle shifters, would be available in Read More …

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