Who has legal authority on US Marine?

 Entertainment
Dec 262014
 
Who has legal authority on US Marine?

The bigger issue regarding the murder trial of U.S. Marine Joseph Pemberton which needs to be resolved without damaging the American-Philippine relations is who has the legal authority over the murder suspect. Both the United States and the Philippines are claiming that their government has the right to claim legal custody of a U.S. military personnel under criminal investigation or indictment as stated in the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in 1998. If we are going to base it on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling handed down in 2009 involving another American military personnel accused of raping a Filipino woman also in Subic City, then it is the Philippine government which has legal custody of any American soldier accused of a crime if committed within Philippine jurisdiction. The United States is seeing it differently based on their own interpretation of the 1998 VFA. It is the hope of everybody that both U.S. and Philippine government officials will be able to negotiate amicably the “custody issue” without damaging the cordial relationships nurtured through the years by both countries. I hope too that they will resolve this sensitive issue before it becomes a full blown “tug-of-war” between both countries. No less than President Aquino in a statement said that the case should not “sour” the country’s relations with the United States – the Philippine’s most important diplomatic and military ally. Because of what seems to be an unabated Chinese aggression in a long-running territorial dispute with the Philippines in the South China Sea, Read More …

Revenue generation in PH weak, says Moody’s

 General
Dec 262014
 
Revenue generation in PH weak, says Moody’s

The Philippines’ “investment grade” is now undisputed, but authorities still face the challenge of getting the government’s finances in order, Moody’s Investor Service said in a new report. In its credit analysis on the Philippines, the rating agency said despite recent improvements, government revenues as a proportion to the size of the economy was still well below that of most economies with investment grade distinction. “A continued weakness in the Philippines’ fiscal strength is its revenue generation,” Moody’s said in a report released this week. Data released earlier this year showed the government’s revenues relative to gross domestic product (GDP) improved to 15.6 percent in the middle of 2014 from 15.3 percent the year before. Tax revenues also inched up to 13.7 percent. For the whole of 2014, the government is targeting a tax-to-GDP ratio of 14.7 percent and a revenue to GDP ratio of 15.7 percent. Partly in recognition of the government’s improving revenues, Moody’s upgraded the Philippines government’s sovereign credit rating to Baa2 or two notches above the “junk” status that the country had just two years past. Standard & Poor’s gave the country a similar rating earlier in the year, while Fitch Ratings still has the Philippines at its minimum investment grade. Despite rising revenues, the government still lags behind neighbors in the region. Thailand, which is similarly rated as the Philippines, had a tax to GDP ratio of 16.5 percent in 2012. Malaysia, which is rated higher than the Philippines, collected taxes equivalent to 16.1 percent Read More …

YEARENDER: Strong investor interest expected to continue

 General
Dec 262014
 
YEARENDER: Strong investor interest expected to continue

MANILA, Philippines – The strong investor interest in the country seen in 2014 will likely be sustained in the next two years amid expectations of continued favorable economic conditions. According to trade undersecretary Ponciano Manalo Jr., investor interest in the Philippines is very high as shown by the number of inbound business missions conducted here this year. As of end-November, inbound business missions to the country reached 203, 96.7 percent of the 210 total in 2013. With inbound investment missions still coming in December, Manalo said the country is poised to end the year with a higher tally compared to the previous year’s. An inbound mission, which involves the visit of at least five companies to the country at the same time, is conducted to check out available investment opportunities. Manalo said that as the number of inbound business missions pick up, investments being made to the country are also growing. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows reached $4.88 billion in the January to September period. The nine-month FDI tally has exceeded the central bank’s target of $4.44 billion for the entire 2014 and total FDI inflows amounting to $3.9 billion last year. For the next two years, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is upbeat the strong interest in the country would continue which hopefully translates to more investments. “My philosophy is that 2015 and 2016 is going to be Read More …

The year that was in business (Part 2)

 Economy
Dec 262014
 
The year that was in business (Part 2)

Read Part 1 here Last week, we started this 2-part series as Business & Leisure’s yearend report, as we have always done as the year comes to a close. For this, the second part, we start off with the IT-BPAP (Information Technology Business Process Association of the Philippines).  Association president Mr. Jose Mari Mercado said that the outsourcing industry continues to grow this year with $18 billion in sales, with roughly one million Filipinos employed by the industry. Talent is their biggest asset, or liability because like the tourism industry, they are always in search for a certain level of competency and skills, which many of our graduates do not possess. Because of this, they started working with the Dept. of Higher Education and developed a Service Management Program, a 21-unit training program that is now being rolled out in 17 state universities and colleges in the last two years of their college course.  The tourism industry which includes hotels, resorts and casinos is hoping to employ more Filipinos, with one casino advertising to fill out 8,000 positions versus the IT-BPO’s 140,000 expected job vacancies to fill. The health care work coming from the United States continues to top the list of best-performing sectors here as well as the back-office sector, specifically in the field of accounting. With about 3,000 new CPAs every year, the Philippines seems to be an ideal location indeed for this particular need. The fields of animation and game development, however, are not doing as well Read More …

Oman Air seeks to impose fuel surcharge

 Economy
Dec 262014
 
Oman Air seeks to impose fuel surcharge

MANILA, Philippines – Oman Air has filed a petition before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) seeking to impose a fuel surcharge for its flights between Manila and Muscat. The designated carrier of the Sultanate of Oman is set to impose a fuel surcharge of $160 for each business class passenger and $130 for each economy class passenger for the Manila-Muscat route. Manila became Oman Air’s 44th international destination when the airline started flying between Manila and Muscat last Dec. 2. It currently flies between the two destinations three times a week. Oman Air chief executive officer Paul Gregorowitsch said the airline is looking at mounting daily flights to the Philippines to accommodate the growing number of passengers, particularly Filipinos living and working in the Middle East. “We are highly confident that we can not only operate three times or four times a week but the daily operations will be having an economic viability,” he said. Gregorowitsch pointed out that the airline expects high load factor during the Christmas season. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “The season holidays are up coming and many people from the Philippines working and living in the Middle East are using this opportunity to take advantage of our attractive fares,” he added. The official said there are about 33,000 Filipinos working and living in Oman. According to Gregorowitsch, the airline wants to initially increase the service four weekly flights to Manila and to a daily service including other airports in the Philippines. Read More …

For UK filmmaker, PH is in the heart

 News
Dec 262014
 
For UK filmmaker, PH is in the heart

HAZEL Stuart with her dog Cushi PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT HARLAND BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Puti ang balat, pero Pinoy ang puso (My skin is white but my heart is Filipino).” The message is written on the shirt that British television documentary filmmaker Hazel Andrea-Stuart often wears. And that’s exactly what she is. Hazel has dedicated her life to making documentaries that feature the Philippines’ wonders, as well as its culture and exceptional people. On Sept. 19, she launched her 75th film on the Philippines, “The Christmas Spirit 24/7,” at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City. The film is about the many unsung heroes in the Philippines who demonstrate the true Christmas spirit of giving not just at Christmastime. With music provided by Jose Mari Chan and his family, it features the generous hearts of people like American pastor Joseph Rosmarino, who runs Calvary Home with his wife, Billie, in Barangay Handumanan in Bacolod. The home cares for more than 150 children because, according to Rosmarino, “no child is ever turned away.” American pastor Todd Caplinger and his wife, Catherine, run a mission and church in Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental province, which help indigents through livelihood projects. Also in the film are Chan’s sister, Maria Theresa, and her son, Micco, who are behind One Meal Program, a nonprofit organization that provides underprivileged schoolchildren with such basic needs as repairing classrooms, constructing school buildings and distributing school supplies. The organization also conducts feeding programs for kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils. Hazel dedicated her Read More …

Almirante: Due process

 Economy
Dec 262014
 
Almirante: Due process

IN 2002, petitioner United Tourist Promotions (UTP), registered in the name of Ariel D. Jersey, employed respondent Harland B. Kemplin as its president for a period of five years, to commence on March 1, 2002 to end on March 1, 2007 “renewable for the same period, subject to new terms and conditions.” On May 12, 2009 he signed as its president advertisement agreements with Pizza Hut and M. Lhuillier. On July 30, 2009, UTP’s legal counsel sent Kemplin a letter informing the latter that he was no longer an employee of UTP considering the expiration of his employment contract. The extension of his services was only tolerated. He was further informed of cases filed against him for grave oral threat, summary deportation, and grave coercion and grave oral threats. Consequently, he was given a notice to cease and desist from entering UTP’s premises from receipt thereof. On Aug. 10, 2009, Kemplin filed before a Regional Arbitration Branch of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) a complaint against UTP and Jersey, for illegal dismissal, retirement benefits, recovery of the company car, and money claims. He insisted, among others, that he was not duly afforded due process before dismissal. Is there merit to this claim? Ruling: Yes. UTP’s letter sent to Kemplin on July 30, 2009 is a lame attempt to comply with the twin notice requirement provided for in Section 2, Rule 23, Book 5 of the Rules Implementing the Labor Code. The charges against Kemplin were not clearly specified. While Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries