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CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Philippines— The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) launched a “scholarship initiative” to allow greater access to cross-border education in the Asia-Pacific region among its 21-member economies during the first day of the Senior Officials’ meeting at the Fontana Convention hall on Friday in Clark, Pampanga. “The initiative aggregates sponsored study and career development exchanges offered by universities and companies in Apec member economies and supports the creation of new opportunities by facilitating coordination among government, higher learning institution and companies in the region,” Apec said in a statement. John F. Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States said in a statement that “a well-educated, well-trained and well connected workforce is critical to ensuring long-term growth and prosperity on both sides of the Pacific.” “Together, Apec and the private sector are opening the gates of opportunity to provide more of the region’s three billion people the knowledge, skills and experience they need to thrive in a 21st century marketplace,” Kerry said. The Apec scholarship Initiative was introduced during a meeting of Apec trade ministers in China in May 2014 and was endorsed by the Apec leaders in Beijing in November 2014 during the 22nd Apec summit. “Our goal is to maximize oppurtunities afforded by globalization to strengthen people’s employability and earning potential,” said Dr. Allan Bollard, executive director of the Apec secretariat. “We are particularly intent on empowering the youth and women to narrow economic inequalities and drive new growth,” Bollard added. According to Bollard, “broadening access to education training Read More …

Map showing the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea (south China Sea), including the Spratlys Islands and Scarborough Shoal. AFP PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—China has deployed a dredging ship at the disputed Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) and is doing “substantial” reclamation in the partially submerged area, signaling Beijing may be preparing to expand its facilities there, according to the military command that is directly in charge of securing the country’s maritime interests in the West Philippine Sea. China has been earnestly conducting dredging activities at Panganiban Reef—a Philippine-claimed area in the Spratly group of islands, which Beijing occupied in the mid-1990s —similar to earlier reported land reclamation work in other areas of the Spratlys, said Rear Admiral Alexander Lopez, chief of the Western Command (Wescom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “We don’t know what they plan to do in Mischief. It is already a garrison to begin with and far from being just a fisherman’s shelter, which was what (China) claimed when they first occupied it,” Lopez said.   Aerial photos Lopez did not say when China started the dredging work or give any details on the extent of reclamation at Panganiban Reef, saying only the work had been “substantial.” He said the Navy has taken aerial photographs of the reclamation activities at Panganiban Reef but that his command was not authorized to release those photos. But Lopez said the physical change in Panganiban Reef since the dredging “has been substantial.” He said Panganiban Reef has been Read More …

RESPONDENT Janrie C. Dailig, a security guard, was relieved from his post on Dec. 10, 2005. He filed a complaint against petitioner Emeritus Security and Maintenance Systems, Inc. for illegal dismissal, underpayment of salaries and non-payment of full back wages. The labor arbiter found respondent to have been illegally dismissed. Accordingly, petitioner was ordered to reinstate respondent and to pay him back wages from the time his compensation was withheld until actual reinstatement. The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) dismissed the appeal filed by petitioner for lack of merit. The NLRC, however, pointed out that the computation of respondent’s award of full back wages should be reckoned from June 10, 2006 and not Dec. 10, 2005. The Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the finding of the labor arbiter and the NLRC that respondent was illegally dismissed by petitioner. It, however, set aside the labor arbiter and the NLRC’s reinstatement order. Instead, the CA ordered the payment of separation pay, invoking the doctrine of strained relations between the parties. Did the CA err?Ruling: Yes. In this case, petitioner claims that it complied with the reinstatement order of the Labor Arbiter. On Jan. 23, 2008, petitioner sent respondent a notice informing him of the Labor Arbiter’s decision to reinstate him. Accordingly, in February 2008, respondent was assigned by petitioner to Canlubang Sugar Estate, Inc. in Canlubang, Laguna, and to various posts thereafter. At the time of the filing of the petition, respondent was assigned by petitioner to MD Distripark Manila, Inc. in Read More …

Senior Officials of the 21-member countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation pose for a formal picture during the opening of the First Senior Officials’ Meeting in Clark, Pampanga. Nestor Corrales/INQUIRER.net CLARK, Philippines— The first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2015 Senior Officials’ meeting formally kicked off Friday at the Fontana Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga. Senior officials of the 21-member economies are attending the two-day formal meeting to discuss challenges and opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region and lay down policies to achieve Apec’s goals. “Today, as Senior Officials, we shall note of all the recommendations made by the working groups as well as consider how to advance initiatives particularly those that crosscut the three Apec committees,” Laura del Rosario, Undersecreatry of the Department of Foreign Affairs said in her welcome address. Prior to the Senior Officials’ meeting, the various technical groups and committees that report to the Apec senior officials met on January 26 to discuss initiatives, policies and capacity-building that advances Apec’s objectives. The Apec Senior Officials’ Meeting runs from Jan. 26 to Feb. 7 at the Clark and Subic freeport zones. Apec has 21 member economies, namely Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. RELATED STORY Apec meet starts next week in Clark Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views Read More …

popular . Sterling Epic weekend, ‘Brave’ moment Talks for May 2 Pacquiao-Mayweather bout stalled anew Russian MP says homosexuals ‘mentally ill’ after lesbian selfie US toughens stand on sea row Kapampangan-style chicken-pork ‘asado’ Teenager chops hand off to cure Internet addiction Judy Ann Santos blasts President’s absence in SAF arrival honors; irks Kris Aquino? videos Plan to oust Aquino over Mamasapano carnage bared Cayetano: Mamasapano clash a terror attack, massacre Trillanes: Marwan death ‘absolves’ Aquino Fertility dance marks filing of SC petition to stop Obando landfill Police keep focus on doing job amid sympathy for slain SAF men THE LOCAL stock barometer slipped from the 7,700 levels on Thursday as investors locked up gains while the stock market spiked to record highs.The Philippine Stock Exchange index gave up 41.82 points or 0.54 percent to close at 7,674.24, tracking mostly sluggish regional markets.The decline was led by the property counter, which fell by 1.16 percent. The financial, industrial and holding firm counters likewise eased.The services and mining/oil counters, on the other hand, defied the day’s downturn.Value turnover for the day amounted to P10.1 billion. There were 84 losers versus 94 gainers while 38 stocks were unchanged.The day’s decline was led by FGEN, Megaworld, Jollibee and Petron, which all fell by over 2 percent. Shares of Petron were dragged down by the overnight fall in crude prices.SMIC, the day’s most actively traded stock, also declined by 0.99 percent. URC, ALI, EDC, BDO, DMCI, AC and SM Prime also weighed down the index.On Read More …