PLDT media business remains insignificant contributor to profit

 Economy
May 052013
 
PLDT media business remains insignificant contributor to profit

MANILA, Philippines – New York-based Moody’s Investors Service believes that the media business of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) would remain an insignificant contributor to the company’s profitability. Yoshio Takahashi, assistant vice president of Moody’s, said in the company’s new and analysis of its latest credit outlook that PLDT’s media business would remain a insignificant contributor to the company’s profitability over the next two to three years. “In this context, strengthening PLDT’s media business is a positive move, although it will remain an insignificant contributor to PLDT’s profitability over the next two to three years,” Takahashi stressed. In the global telecommunications market, he pointed out that quadruple-play services including telephone, wireless, broadband Internet, and television (TV) are increasingly important in attracting and retaining customers and at the same time increasing average revenue per user and broadening the earnings base. Furthermore, he added that the development of pay-TV would enhance the provision of content across various platforms. According to him, revenues from PLDT’s TV business accounted for about two to three percent of the total group revenues last year. The company’s net income jumped 12 percent to P35.5 billion last year from P31.7 billion in 2011, while consolidated revenues rose 10 percent to P169.33 billion from P153.96 billion. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The analyst said the PLDT Group is strategically increasing its investment in the media business to strengthen its ability to deliver multi-media content through its broadband and mobile networks. PLDT, through Read More …

To put more allies in Senate, PNoy ramping up support for admin bets

 News
May 052013
 
To put more allies in Senate, PNoy ramping up support for admin bets

The administration slate bears his name, so President Benigno Aquino III is pulling out all the stops to make sure that most, if not all, of his senatorial bets will emerge victorious in the 2013 polls. Last week, the President accompanied the administration senatorial ticket, which was called “Team Pnoy,” almost every day during sorties in provinces where he dominated the voting during the 2010 national polls. The Liberal Party (LP)-led senatorial slate went with Aquino last week to vote-rich Pangasinan, Camarines Sur and Quezon province, as well as the President’s home province, Tarlac. Data culled by GMA News Online also showed that the President was present in 11 of the 12 provincial sorties the administration ticket mounted in the past month. Aquino also graced the LP-led coalition’s kickoff for the local race in vote-rich Manila last April 1. At a press briefing last week, the President said that he wants to “increase efforts” for the 12 candidates he is endorsing for Senate seats in the upcoming polls. “I think I am leading also by example. We believe we are espousing a certain ideology,” Aquino said at a press conference last Tuesday. The President likewise assured the public that while he is campaigning for his slate, he makes sure that he does his duties as the country’s top elected official. He said he checks ongoing projects, conducts dialogues with local officials, and meets with the security sector when he visits provinces for sorties. TV ads The President does not only Read More …

PAGASA: Thunderstorms in parts of Luzon Sunday, expect more across PHL on Monday

 News
May 052013
 
PAGASA: Thunderstorms in parts of Luzon Sunday, expect more across PHL on Monday

(Updated 7:52 p.m.) While state weather forecasters do not expect the rainy season to arrive until at least late May, thunderstorms brought moderate to heavy rain to several parts of Luzon Sunday. PAGASA, in posts on its Twitter account, said the thunderstorms occurred over parts of Southern Luzon and Ilocos in the afternoon, and Central Luzon in the evening. As of 7:11 p.m. Sunday, PAGASA noted a thunderstorm with moderate to heavy rain affected parts of Mariveles, Limay, Orion and Bagac in Bataan. Light to moderate rain may fall over parts of Mindanao, while Metro Manila and the rest of the country may expect isolated rain showers and thunderstorms on Monday, state weather forecasters said Sunday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said easterlies or warm winds from the east are affecting the eastern section of the country. “Caraga and Davao region will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” it said. Metro Manila experienced a high temperature of 35.6° Celsius Sunday, and may expect temperatures of 25 to 36°C on Monday. Also expected to have a high temperature of 36°C on Monday are Angeles and Olongapo Cities in Central Luzon. For Monday, moderate to occasionally strong winds from the northeast to east will prevail over Northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to ocassionally rough. Light to moderate Read More …

Comelec to ignore suits vs PCOS machines

 News
May 052013
 
Comelec to ignore suits vs PCOS machines

By Jocelyn R. Uy, Philippine Daily InquirerPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:24 pm | Sunday, May 5th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Sunday it would just ignore the lawsuit filed by civil society groups before the United Nations Committee on Human Rights over the use of the controversial precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in the upcoming balloting. “Officially, we are not going to do anything with it. We will just disregard it since we are already too close to the elections to mind the AES Watch and their complaint to the UN,” said Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. in an interview with reporters. Last week, civil society groups such as the Concerned Citizens Movement, Center for International Law and the Automated Election System Watch announced that it was filing a complaint against Comelec for failing to ensure the free expression of the will of voters in the 2010 elections by foregoing security measures and opting for the same system for the 2013 balloting. The groups also cited the lack of a source code review in 2010 in their complaint. Brillantes had branded the complaint as a mere “publicity stunt” by critics of the Comelec. “Maybe because they cannot win here in our courts anymore, including the Supreme Court, that’s why they went to the UN. They can even go anywhere in the world if they want,” the poll chief had stated upon learning of the complaint. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said on Sunday the UN Read More …

DOTC: 8 domestic flights canceled due to aircraft situation

 News
May 052013
 
DOTC: 8 domestic flights canceled due to aircraft situation

At least eight domestic flights were canceled Sunday, six of them due to “aircraft situation,” the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In posts on its Twitter account, the DOTC said four of the flights belonged to air carrier Cebu Pacific, while the other four belonged to Zest Air. Two of the canceled Cebu Pacific flights included 5J-919: Manila to Caticlan and  5J-920: Caticlan to Manila The other two were 5J-341: Manila to Kalibo and 5J-342: Kalibo to Manila Meanwhile, the canceled Zest Air flights were: – Z2-202: Manila to Marinduque– Z2-203: Marinduque to Manila– Z2-412: Manila to Busuanga– Z2-413: Busuanga to Manila The DOTC did not give further details on the “aircraft situation” that caused the cancellations. Caticlan is a gateway to world-famous Boracay, while Busuanga and Marinduque are also popular tourist attractions. — LBG, GMA News

PPCRV: 350,000 volunteers ready for poll duty

 News
May 052013
 
PPCRV: 350,000 volunteers ready for poll duty

With just one more week to go before the May 13 elections, a Church-based poll watchdog group on Sunday declared that 350,000 of its volunteers—including 70,000 frontliners—are ready for poll watching duties. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting said it is finalizing preparations to enhance the visibility of the 70,000 frontliners who will be assigned to help desks and polling places. “Okay ang deployment ng volunteers. Ang aming pinag-abalahan ngayon nakakuha kami ng materials, pero hanggang ngayon sourcing ako sa T-shirt. Nakaprint na ng 50,000 shirts sa kagandahang loob ng donor, nagsisigasig pa ako makakuha ng 20,000,” PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa said in an interview on dzBB radio. She said the 70,000 volunteers should be wearing PPCRV shirts and IDs as they have to enhance their visibility at help desks and polling places. The PPCRV is a deputized citizens’ arm of the Commission on Elections for the May 13 elections. De Villa also downplayed the effect of some Catholic dioceses’ cutting their working ties with her group, saying there are still many volunteers willing to work with the PPCRV. Volunteers being ‘pirated’ De Villa also said that some volunteers are being “pirated” by political parties for the elections, but that the group is not worried. “Siyempre doon may bayad [pero] ako hindi sumasama ang loob ko. Sabi ko mabuti na lang naka-training sa amin ang tamang pagbantay hindi lang sa pamamagitan ng isang technical poll watching consideration. Pati ang values meron kami nioon sa training,” she said. De Read More …

DFA chief: Chinese envoy's decision to skip PHL in Asian tour a prerogative

 News
May 052013
 
DFA chief: Chinese envoy's decision to skip PHL in Asian tour a prerogative

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said the decision of China’s new foreign minister not to visit the Philippines in his Southeast Asia tour is a prerogative. In a text message, DFA chief Albert del Rosario said his office has “not given a second thought” to newly-appointed Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s choice of countries in the region to visit. “The plan for these visits is his prerogative… We look forward to meeting at the appropriate time with the new foreign minister and working closely with him,” Del Rosario said. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte meanwhile said the Palace does not want to speculate why the Philippines was not included in the Chinese foreign minister’s itinerary. “It will not be healthy to engage in speculation. We recognize the prerogative of the Chinese foreign minister to set his own agenda for his trips outside his country,” Valte said in a separate interview over state-run dzRB radio. Last week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced that Wang will be visiting Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam from April 30 to May 5 “at the invitation” of the foreign ministers of these Southeast Asian countries. Chinese news service China Briefing said the four Southeast Asian countries are Wang’s first overseas destinations since his appointment in March. Also, it said the tour marks the first time in over 15 years that a Chinese envoy gave priority to Asian destinations. The news agency likewise said the four countries “were likely picked for being Read More …

In Alex Padilla’s peace quest, a battle with extremes

 News
May 052013
 
In Alex Padilla’s peace quest, a battle with extremes

Kuwento By Benjamin PimentelINQUIRER.net 3:22 pm | Sunday, May 5th, 2013 Something Alex Padilla told me years ago makes it clear that he has a toughest job in the government – but also the clearest sense of why that job is important. “Two related truths I believe in on this matter are these,” he told me in a January 2011 email after he was named head of the government peace panel and as peace negotiations with the underground left were set to begin. “First, government cannot defeat this insurgency through military action alone. And second, the CPP/NPA/NDF could never achieve victory through armed struggle.” “I don’t expect both extremes to agree, of course,” he continued, “but we have taken the stance that we are not only negotiating with the left but actually negotiating with the entire Filipino people as our main audience and these ‘truths’ are widely agreed with.” Two years later, the negotiations have come crashing down. The good news is that, while the peace talks have failed, the government, as Padilla himself said in a report, will try to take “a new approach to pursue peace.” Not exactly sure what that means. How you can pursue peace without negotiating a peace agreement? (Unless this new approach actually involves waging war.) The other good news is that Alex Padilla has a bit more time to do the job, at least based on a deadline he imposed on himself. “I have also been candid enough to say that I do Read More …

Envoys to visit Filipino victims of alleged human trafficking in US

 News
May 042013
 
Envoys to visit Filipino victims of alleged human trafficking in US

Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:11 am | Sunday, May 5th, 2013 Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Philippine officials in the United States will visit this week the two Filipino women rescued from a Saudi diplomat’s house in Virginia in a suspected human trafficking case, the Philippine embassy in Washington D.C. said on Saturday. In a statement to the Inquirer, the embassy said Consul General Ariel Peñaranda asked the “US agencies concerned” on Friday (Saturday in Manila) to allow a consular visit to the rescued women. “US authorities immediately acted on the request and arrangements are being made to allow Consul General Peñaranda, labor attaché Luzviminda Padilla and welfare officer Saul de Vries to visit the two Filipinos on Monday,” said the embassy statement. Acting on a tip, US immigration officers last Tuesday swooped down on a home in McLean, Virginia, owned by the Saudi government and took custody of the women who were reportedly working for a Saudi attaché under “circumstances that amounted to human trafficking,” a US official had said. CNN reported the women complained of maltreatment and being forced to work long hours without pay. Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. said the embassy was prepared to “extend the necessary assistance” to the two. The embassy declined to provide further details given the ongoing US investigation. It also did not say which US agency was currently looking after the women or their location. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), meanwhile, said it Read More …

Due to insistent public demand: Colina Salon extends ‘Colors of Spring II’ promo to June 30

 Entertainment
May 032013
 

DUE TO insistent public demand Colina Salon is extending its wildly popular “Colors of Spring II” promo with new deals added! Fun and savings are at a premium with the Power of Four beauty packages and other new deals. Just pick your color: Red Hot Brazillian Treatment starting at $99 Royal Blue Color and Precision […]

 Older Entries  Newer Entries