Actress Sarah Lahbati is demanding P10 million from an executive of GMA and a writer from the Philippine Daily Inquirer for the “tremendous damage” an article published on the newspaper has allegedly caused her. The 19-year-old actress filed the P10-million libel case against GMA Network Inc. executive Anna Teresa Gozon-Abrogar and entertainment writer Marinel Cruz […]
MANILA, Philippines – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will consider how the dovish statements from the United States Federal Reserve will impact on local growth and inflation outlooks as it sets policy next week, its top official said on Thursday. “We will consider the impact of the Fed guidance, market sentiment and actual flow of funds on global and domestic growth and inflation dynamics,” BSP Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr. said in a text message to reporters. On Wednesday night, US Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told American congressmen that the $85-billion bond buying program, initially thought to be coming to an end, is “not on a preset course,” suggesting it could keep policy accommodative. Over the past month, Asian financial markets, including those from the Philippines, suffered huge losses after the world’s superpower indicated it could taper off cheap money from its quantitative easing “later this year” on signs of recovery. With the latest statement, Tetangco said the US Fed is trying to help investors digest its next move and “hopefully markets will be more circumspect this time around” before making any bets. Thus, investors, he said, are expected “not to place or extend large one way bets” which “often create their own stages for panic by overshooting before and after the fact.” Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Last month, the Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped by as large as 6.5 percent, while the peso weakened toward the 44-peso mark versus the dollar. They have since Read More …
MANILA, July 15 (Mabuhay) – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II has directed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to probe why the two re-arrested Chinese drug traffickers were not transferred to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) despite being convicted by court. Roxas expressed wonder why Chinese couple […]
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Prospective overseas Filipino workers were warned on Saturday against an email scam inviting them to a working visa interview coaching on July 20 and 21. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said the email, which claims to be from “Extendicare Hospitals & Hospices,” is a scam and should be ignored. “If you […]
By Jason GUTIERREZ MANILA (AFP) – The Philippines said Sunday it was aiming swiftly to sign a final peace deal with Muslim rebels to end a rebellion that has killed tens of thousands, following a major breakthrough in talks. Chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said the government could reach a final deal with the Moro […]
Agence France-Presse 11:53 am | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 In this Sept. 24, 2012 file photo, Japan Coast Guard vessels sail along with Chinese surveillance ship Haijian No. 66, center, near disputed islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, seen in background, in the East China Sea. AP FILE PHOTO/Kyodo News TOKYO—Three Chinese government ships sailed into waters around islands at the center of a dispute on Thursday, the day after Japan’s premier visited coastguards who patrol the area. The maritime surveillance vessels entered the 12-nautical-mile zone regarded as the territorial waters of the Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, at around 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT), the Japanese coastguard said. China calls the islands the Diaoyus and claims them as its own. The move came after Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abe on Wednesday visited coastguards charged with protecting the area. Abe was in the remote Okinawan island of Ishigaki in the East China Sea, 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) southwest of Tokyo, where he told crews his resolve to stand up for Japan was undimmed. The visit came just a few days ahead of elections for half of the seats in the upper house of parliament, which observers expect to be a shoo-in for Abe’s ruling boc. Tensions have steadily risen between the two Asian giants, with China frequently sending official ships into waters around the Tokyo-administered islands. The long-standing dispute reignited last September when Tokyo nationalized three islands in the chain in what it said was a Read More …
Agence France-Presse 11:37 am | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 A maid carries a folding chair for waiting Saudi women along the sea front in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. AFP FILE PHOTO RIYADH—Saudi Arabia has announced new rules to protect the rights of foreign domestic workers, most of whom are from South Asia, but stressed they must “respect” Islam and “obey” their employers. Labor Minister Adel Faqih said the new rules require employers to pay workers “the agreed monthly salary without delay, and give them a day off each week,” in remarks carried by the official SPA news agency. Employers are also required to provide domestic workers with “suitable accommodations, as well as granting them time to rest for at least nine hours each day,” Faqih said. Under the new guidelines, workers are entitled to paid sick leave and a one-month paid vacation after putting in two years of work as well as end of service compensation equal to one month salary after four years, he said. But Faqih also insisted that employees must respect “Islam and its teachings… and obey the orders of the employers and their family members concerning getting the agreed work done.” A domestic worker “does not have the right to reject a work, or leave a job, without a valid reason,” he added. Around eight million foreign workers are employed in the oil-rich kingdom, with most of them coming from South Asia and earning low wages. The number of domestic workers is not Read More …
By Germelina LacorteInquirer Mindanao 11:23 am | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 Armed Forces of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Americans joining a four-day international solidarity mission to disaster areas in Mindanao said they were appalled by the “military harassment” suffered by people even in communities worst-hit by Typhoon Pablo last December. The Rev. Frank Wulf, a pastor of the United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California, said they would pressure the US government to stop sending military aid to the Armed Forces of the Philippines because they observed that civilians were being made to suffer in communities with a heavy presence of soldiers. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: Disaster , Military Harassment Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94
THE GOVERNMENT’S outstanding debt rose year on year by 4.2% in May as the state continued to increase domestic borrowings, data from the Bureau of Treasury showed.
YESTERDAY’S bidding for phase two of a classroom building public-private partnership (PPP) project was again rescheduled to give interested investors more time to prepare their offers.