Maniolas

Cornell University LEADNY 2016 Fellows with the Philippine Embassy’s Commercial Counsellor Raymond Batac (front row, left), Public Diplomacy Officer Darell Artates (front row, 2nd from left), Economic Minister Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga (front row, 3rd from left), and Labor Attaché Saul de Vries (front row, right) during their briefing on 28 September 2016. WASHINGTON, D.C. – The 2016 batch of Cornell University’s LEADNY received a comprehensive briefing on the Philippines on 28 September 2016 at the Philippine Embassy. During the briefing, the twenty-two (22) LEADNY 2016 Fellows were apprised of current conditions and trends in Philippine agriculture, labor market, and trade and commerce. Snapshots of Philippine culture and politics were also presented to provide the group with a holistic picture of the country. “We thank LEADNY for choosing the Philippines as a focus of interest this year. This presents valuable partnership opportunities in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors, which have been designated as high priority areas by the Duterte Administration,” said Dr. Josyline Javelosa, Philippine Agriculture Attaché for the Americas. The 2016 Fellows will travel to the Philippines in February 2017 to learn more about the country’s food and agricultural sectors. The Embassy briefing was a joint presentation of Dr. Javelosa, Commercial Counselor Raymond Batac, Labor Attaché Saul De Vries, Political Officer Gunther Sales, and Public Diplomacy Officer Darell Artates. “Our economic diplomacy has always taken a long and integrated view. Engaging future leaders and policymakers in strategic sectors is a necessary step to the creation of productive and enduring collaborative relationships,” Read More …

By Leilani S. Junio Job applicants wait in line outside a shopping mall in Manila, Tuesday. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) warned companies of possible closure or cancellation of their license to operate if they fail to address labor contractualization or end-of-contract policies in their work force..(MNS photo) MANILA, Oct. 5 (PNA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Wednesday that job creation is still one of the priorities of the department under the Duterte administration. “What I can tell you is that in the Department of Labor, we have generated new employment opportunities…Nag- increase ng mga 12 percent. It is an increase. Malaki na iyon,” said DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III in a weekly media forum in Manila. Secretary Bello said that aside from creation of additional jobs, the DOLE is also concerned with addressing the problem of illegal contractualization work schemes and increasing the minimum wage of workers in response to the claim of the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) that the government has not been putting focus on job creation. Bello said that the 12 percent increase in employment since the Duterte administration took over almost 100 days ago was proof of the government’s accomplishments in the labor front. On Tuesday, ECOP Chair Emeritus Donald Dee assailed the DOLE for being more concerned in advancing their personal “philosophical” advocacies than creating jobs for Filipinos. In particular, Dee pointed at the DOLE’s push for the proposed PHP125 daily wage hike across-the-board, which Read More …

Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chairperson Sen. Richard Gordon (center), Sen. Vicente Sotto III, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson ask questions during the Senate investigation on extra-judicial killings on Monday. MANILA, Oct 5 (Mabuhay) – It was “unnecessary” for President Rodrigo Duterte to have told United States President Barack Obama to “go to hell,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday. “These are unnecessary comments, yung go to hell. For what? Pero ang impact sa kabilang party, masyadong matindi,” Lacson said. On Tuesday, Duterte hit out anew at the US and the European Union in yet another tirade against critics of his administration’s anti-crime war. “Instead of helping us, ang unang tumira, itong [US] State Department. So, you can go to hell. Mr. Obama, you can go to hell,” Duterte said. “EU, better choose purgatory. Puno na ang impiyerno. Bakit ako matakot sa inyo?” the President added. Still, Lacson said it is Duterte’s call if he will not heed advice from his allies to refrain from making controversial statements in public engagements. “That’s his call. And kung ayaw nya mag-shut ng mouth, it’s up to him. And it seems hindi talaga siya tinatablan ng advice. So what he deems fit yan na lang gawin niya,” he said. Senator Richard Gordon earlier said Duterte was “falling on his own sword” for being “too noisy” on publicly expressing his desire to have suspected drug users and pushers killed. “Maingay ang Pangulo, sobrang ingay ng Pangulo. Tama lang na ipakita niya na galit siya Read More …

President Rodrigo R. Duterte meets with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa in Malacañang on Monday (Oct. 3, 2016). (MNS photo) MANILA, Oct 4 (Mabuhay) – Businessmen should give President Rodrigo Duterte more time to improve the country’s business climate, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Tuesday, as the new government prepared to mark its first 100 days in office. While reforms have not taken hold in the entire country, the have been “some improvements” in the bureaucracy and President has made headway in his war on drugs, PCCI president George Barcelon told reporters in Malacanang. Duterte promised took office on June 30, promising to cut red tape and end corruption in the bureaucracy. “I would tell my friends in the business community that we have to be patient…I think we owe it to this government,” Barcelon said. “Politically speaking we put emphasis on the first 100 days [but] 100 days is really a very short time,” he said. Barcelon sees Duterte’s positive tone towards China as a positive development. “The way I read [that] is the President is opening more options to us [since] for most businessmen we look at opportunities in a very practical manner,” he said. “We are neither pro-US pro-China but we are pro-Filipinos,” he added. The PCCI has a “very positive” outlook on the economy, he said. “People are concerned with the statements that they hear [from the President] but what’s more important [is] we firmly believe that he will do the Read More …