THE NATIONAL government’s outstanding debt grew by 8.4% year-on-year as of end-February as it borrowed more from domestic lenders, Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) data showed.
Apr 182013
Apr 182013
A DELEGATION of businessmen from India is set to arrive in the country to look at business opportunities in the country, particularly in Mindanao.
Apr 182013
by Myrna Aquitania In the mid-80’s our company, MCJ Media Network, produced Orlando Nadres’ play called “Hanggang Dito Na Lamang At Maraming Salamat,” here in Los Angeles and San Diego, featuring Manila Filmfest Best Actor awardee, Dennis Roldan, along with Dindo Reyes, Sonny Madera and Cora Ugalde. Directed by Fellino Tanada, the original version of the story didn’t […]
Apr 182013
MANILA, Apr 18 (Mabuhay) – INTERNATIONAL singer Apl De Ap wants to revive his friendship with KC Concepcion and Kris Aquino while he is in Manila. He said he looks up to Kris and KC as great examples of hard working women in show biz. “They inspire me to do more and she (Kris) is […]
Apr 182013
By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:10 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux: We are on a very positive curve. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Negotiations for the lifting of Europe’s blanket air ban against Philippine carriers are “on a very positive curve” as the European Union wants the issue resolved soon in hopes of bolstering trade and tourism with the Philippines, according to the EU ambassador here. The resumption of the European flights of Philippine carriers is of mutual interest as it would facilitate greater business and people-to-people exchanges between the EU and the Philippines, EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux said Thursday. “I think really we are on a very positive curve. I mean the first major achievement was the lifting of the safety concern by Icao (International Civil Aviation Organization) earlier this year,” Ledoux told reporters. “I think what is important is that a very important dialogue has been reestablished,” he said. Two days previously, transport officials from the European Commission met in Brussels with representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific to discuss the remedies that the Philippine side has implemented to bring airline safety measures at par with EU standards. The Philippines passed the Icao’s safety audit in February, ending three years of being listed among the countries deemed of “significant safety concern” by the international aviation regulator. The negative Icao assessment prompted the EU to ban Philippine carriers from flying to Europe in 2010.
Apr 182013
By Leila B. Salaverria Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:08 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Hong Kong’s Immigration Department has rejected a bid for protection made by Myrna Reblando, widow of one of the journalists slain in the Maguindanao massacre, saying it did not believe she would be tortured should she return to the Philippines. Reblando fled to Hong Kong in 2011 with her daughter, claiming inadequate security to protect her back home. She also criticized the slow grind of justice in the Philippines. Mother and daughter had asked the Hong Kong Immigration Department to allow them to stay in the Special Administrative Region while awaiting the result of their pending application for asylum with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. They said they faced torture if they returned to the Philippines. The Hong Kong government is prohibited from returning to their country of origin persons claiming risk of torture and other threats to their lives, according to Danilo Reyes, acting deputy director of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). Facing deportation But with the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s rejection of Reblando’s torture claim, she and her daughter faced deportation to the Philippines, Reyes said. He said Reblando would appeal the ruling. In her torture claim, Reblando detailed several incidents she said highlighted the dangers she and her daughter faced should they return to the Philippines, including certain death after the Ampatuans reportedly offered her P3 million to stop talking about the case or, should she refuse the money, Read More …
Apr 182013
Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:06 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—A Filipino construction worker in death row in Saudi Arabia for murder has been given a few more months to pay the 4 million riyals (about P44 million) blood money to the family of his landlord whom he killed in 2009, Malacañang said Thursday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Joselito Zapanta was given until Nov. 3 this year to pay the blood money to the family of his victim, quoting the Department of Foreign Affairs. “This extension [of the deadline from March 12 to Nov. 3] allows the Zapanta family more time to raise the funds required by the victim’s heirs,” Lacierda said. Malacañang thanked Saudi King Abdullah and the Saudi government for interceding on Zapanta’s behalf following requests from President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay. In March, Abdullah ordered the deferment of the execution of prisoners with death sentences in the Arab country, including Zapanta. TJ A. Burgonio
Apr 182013
INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 5:04 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 SAN BRUNO, California–Filipino-American students will celebrate Filipino heritage and the Fil-Am experience by staging Skyline College Kababayan Program’s 8th annual Pilipino Cultural Night. This year’s production, “Layunin,” will be performed on Thursday, May 2 and Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. in Skyline College’s Main Theatre on 3300 College Drive, San Bruno. Doors will be open one hour before show time. Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN), a studentrun event open to the community, celebrates the FilipinoAmerican experience, showcasing traditional dances and music from the Philippines as well as elements of the Filipino American culture. Students of English 104: “Applied English Skills for Cultural Production” wrote, directed, produced and advertised the show. Acted. They sing, dance and serve as stage/technical crew. They were also responsible for prop/set design and the overall stage construction. This year’s actionpacked story of love, war and family, “Layunin,” takes place in ancient times, when Palau’an is the land of life. It’s the home of many grand tribes who live in unity and harmony. But peace is then disrupted by a possessed datu from the Palawano tribe and his desire to rule all of Palau’an. When all hope seems lost after many bloody battles and merciless conquest, Agbayani, a young Palawano warrior, testifies and does all he can to bring back the long lost peace to Palau’an, even if he has to clash with his father, the datu. Students in the Kababayan Program and the Filipino Student Union, Read More …
Apr 182013
By Alex Drechsler INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 3:49 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 MILPITAS, California—Filipinos thronged the April 12 opening-day of Star Cinema and Viva Film’s newest movie, “It Takes a Man and a Woman,” starring Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. On opening day, the romantic film was shown in largest theater, which holds more than 400 seats. By the time previews started, the room was filled to capacity. Huge crowds surrounded the Century 20 Great Mall Theaters in Milpitas, the high demand to see the film resulting in nine showings scheduled per day during its screening course. While it takes a man like John Lloyd (playing Miggy), and a woman like Sarah, to fill up the theaters and create a major buzz in the Fil-Am community, Filipino films have generally gained popularity these past several years. In fact, mainstream theaters have been contacting Filipino companies to screen Tagalog films in their theaters. Currently, some 30 theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area show Filipino movies. To be sure, the massive crowd and line that extended out of the theater in Milpitas consisted mostly of loyal fans of Geronimo and Cruz. But something deeper is also at work. You can take the immigrant out of the Philippines, but not the Filipino from the immigrant. “Through the films brought to America, viewers are able to keep in touch with the actors and actresses, both newly rising and already established,” says Melissa Sokukawa. “We might not all stay updated with the Read More …
Apr 182013
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine economy is expected to grow by 6.2 percent in 2013, driven by strong private consumption, according to a survey released by the United Nations Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) yesterday. In its briefing paper, UNESCAP noted while there could be threats of poor global demand, the Philippines could bank on its aggressive investment programs. “Poor global demand, including a slowdown in major trading partners such as China, could impede (Philippines) economic expansion, however. Speedy growth could materialize if progress on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) gains more momentum, helped by the upgrade of the country’s rating to investment grade status in March,” it said. PPP is a government initiative to boost investment and, at the same time, provide the public with adequate, safe, efficient, reliable,and reasonably-priced infrastructure and development facilities while affording the private sector a level playing field, reasonable returns and appropriate sharing of risks. Early this year, the government approved four big-ticket infrastructure projects under the PPP program totaling more than P80 billion. Fitch Ratings early this month raised the Philippines’ credit rating to investment grade. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 According to the survey, the Philippine government expects to raise infrastructure spending to five percent of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2016 from two percent in 2012. Aside from the slump in its regional partners’ growth, another major concern for the Philippines, UNESCAP noted, is higher job creation in the formal sector which remains Read More …