THE DEPARTMENT of Justice’s (DoJ) procurement body has moved to March 7 the submission of bids for the P50.2-billion prison facility to be built via public-private partnership (PPP).
Jan 312016
Jan 312016
THE PHILIPPINES could cite robust domestic demand and depressed oil prices as selling points in attracting more investments that could subsequently cushion the possible retrenchment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East amid the oil price slump, the Finance department’s chief economist said.
Jan 312016
(First of two parts) In our previous columns, we discussed the final reports of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on the different action plans to address Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS). We will now focus on Action 14, which reflects the commitment of participating countries to implement substantial changes in their approach to dispute resolution.
Jan 312016
It’s said that the past is a different country. Not one for old men? It is, too. In fact sometimes it seems to be the only country we are left to relish. Each time we lose someone from an era, we are sad but somehow regaled by memories of how sweetly that time and country had nourished us. The losses are mounting. David Bowie reminded us of Major Tom and Ziggy Stardust of a space age long gone, but soon a ninth planet is discovered and we say it’s obviously him out there. I wish we could say the same of Carlos “Caloy” Loyzaga, the best basketball player we ever had, bar none. He passed away last week at the age of 85 — when five planets were in east-northeast configuration, a basketball team to the naked eye at dawn. The fellow with jersey number 14 was “The Big Difference.” And he was the towering center of our recollection of boyhood days in the 1950s. His exploits as a cager have been sung of late— two-time Olympian (1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne, where we placed 9th and 7th, respectively) among his citations, individually topped with inclusion in the mythical team in 1954 after our bronze finish in the World Championships in Brazil, next only to USA and the host country. Numerous other data of half-a-century past fill up his stats sheet: seven consecutive championships with the fabled MICAA team Yco Painters; four Asian Games and two Asian Basketball Confederation titles Read More …
Jan 292016
INCLUSIVE GROWTH will remain a “pressing” issue for the Philippines, according to the Finance department’s chief economist, despite an economic performance believed to have stood out in Asia last year.
Jan 292016
THE Supreme Court has upheld the decision of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) to award the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) modernization project to the consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. (MCC) and India’s GMR Infrastructure Ltd.
Jan 292016
THE PHILIPPINES scored below average in “enabling” agribusiness in areas dealing with production and marketing, importation of fertilizers and transportation of agriculture goods, among others.
Jan 292016
Chinkee Tan As an OFW, you sacrifice a lot just to earn more money. As a businessman, you risk a lot of things just so you can earn more money. Why is it so difficult to earn money? What makes it even worse is that it took you years to earn it, but only minutes to spend it. Earning money even beats a one-week love affair in disintegrating. What we earn just passed through our hand like the wind. A lot of times, it still isn’t even enough to survive. We don’t want to live this life just for the purpose of earning money. So what can we do so that we don’t feel the heavy burden of earning money? DON’T FOCUS ON MONEY You read it right! We should not only be thinking of money. Don’t make money the motivation for working hard. Why? Because when it is gone, so is your desire and joy. Admit it, after payday we feel like a withered leaf, lifeless because we don’t have any more money. Focus on the reason behind why we earn rather on how much we earn. LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING Love your work and it will love you back. If we are doing our jobs just for the sake of money, you will really have a hard time. You are gonna end up just like a robot, an arcade machine or a battery-operated toy. If we enjoy what we do, we will find fulfillment in it no Read More …
Jan 282016
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on their arrival in Manila Tuesday (January 26) for a five-day State Visit to pay their respects for those who lost their lives here during World War II and to promote international goodwill. (MNS photo) MANILA, Jan 28 (Mabuhay) – Japanese Emperor Akihito on Wednesday evening acknowledged that numerous Filipino lives were lost during the Second World War but he stopped short of claiming responsibility for the abuses committed by Japanese imperial soldiers against Filipinos. “Last year, Japan marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. During this war, fierce battles between Japan and the United States took place on Philippine soil, resulting in the loss of many Filipino lives and leaving many Filipinos injured. This is something we Japanese must never forget and we intend to keep this engraved in our hearts throughout our visit,” the Japanese emperor said during the State Banquet in Malacañang Palace. President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on their arrival in Manila Tuesday (January 26) for a five-day State Visit to pay their respects for those who lost their lives here during World War II and to promote international goodwill. (MNS photo) Elaborating on the statement of the Japanese emperor, Hatsuhisa Takashima, the emperor’s secretary, explained that while the emperor has not been known to point out the necessity of an action to the Japanese government, his words, nevertheless, have some degree of Read More …
Jan 282016
Senator Grace Poe (MNS photo) MANILA, Jan 28 (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe on Thursday vowed to exhaust all legal means possible should she lose the disqualification cases at the Supreme Court (SC) but said it would be “tragic” and “sad” if she would also be removed as senator. Poe, however, remained hopeful that she and her lawyers have a “very viable legal standing” at the SC based on the evidence that they submitted before it. “I remain hopeful and very positive that we’ve offered to the Supreme Court the truth, and also that we’ve a very viable legal standing. I offer to the Supreme Court not only my situation but the situation of hundreds of thousands of foundlings who are in the same plight. So I remain hopeful as I said,” Poe said when she faced the Meet Inquirer Multimedia Forum. “On the other hand, as a lawmaker, I’ll respectfully abide by the decision of the Supreme Court but I will exhaust all legal means possible to be able to fight for our case,” she said. If the SC rules that she did not meet the 10-year requirement to run for the highest position in the land, Poe said should would not be able to join the May presidential race. “If the ruling included my situation as a foundling, then that also removes my position now in the Senate and that will be tragic and sad,” she said. However, the senator expressed readiness to return to her private life Read More …