THE manufacturing sector needs to account for 30% of total value-added and 15% of total employment to help maintain the country’s overall economic growth track, the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) said in their Arangkada Philippines manufacturing policy note.
BILLS CALLING for the establishment of Mindanao Power Corp. (Minpocor) and Mindanao Railways Corp. were approved recently by the House committee on government enterprises and privatization in its joint hearings with the committees on energy and on transportation.
CHINA has committed to finance at least three infrastructure projects in the Philippines worth $3.4 billion, two of which could be rolled out in the first half of this year, trade officials from both countries said on Tuesday.
Monessa Catuncan [via Facebook] A Filipina-American is piloting the supersonic F-16 Fighting Falcon “Viper” fighter jet for the United States Air Force. Monessa Catuncan opted to fly the F-16 Falcon jet fighter, a state-of- the-art combat aircraft, after becoming the first Filipina-American to pass the highly-coveted pilot course in 2007. As one of the elite highly qualified pilots selected to fly the F-16, Catuncan is sent to missions flying the fighter jet which was extensively used in the Iraq war. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think my youngest would become the first Pinay F-16 fighter pilot,” Catuncan told The STAR. The 35-year old Filipina top gun pilot was born to Ramon Catuncan and Teodosia Pineda who emigrated to the US in 1973. “Of course she’s an American, having been born here, but as far as we’re concerned she is Pinay – atin yan” (she’s ours),” her mother said in the telephone interview. She said her daughter’s favorite foods are adobo, afritada and kare-kare. Catuncan graduated at the top of her high school class in 2000 and was accepted to the US Air Force Academy (USAFA) the same year. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 2004. The post Filipina Top Gun pilots US Air Force F-16 Fighter Jet appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related posts: Filipina is Asia’s Next Top Model Runner-up Filipina is Asia’s Next Top Model 1st Runner-up Pinoy pilots first Airbus A380 commercial flight to PHL Filipina Marietta Geraldino Read More …
Efren Peñaflorida, CNN Hero of the Year 2009, has built Ecodemya eco-friendly classrooms to teach environmental awareness to out-of- school youth while they get an education. Ecodemya eco-friendly classroom [via rainCheck] Peñaflorida’s Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) known worldwide for their “Kariton Klasrum” pushcart school project collaborated with QBE Foundation, Australia’s largest global insurer, to open Ecodemya – a two-storey building powered by renewable energy sources and located in Cavite, Peñaflorida’s home province. “It has been my ambition to help as many children as I can and to change their lives for the better. Ecodemya is a step further for me and DTC in fulfilling this purpose,” the CNN hero said. The building’s classrooms and laboratories will house Senior high school or Grade 11 students under the free schooling program of DTC. EcoDemya aims to provide free education to out of schoolyouth who are economically disadvantaged but wish to continue their studies. The post Efren Peňaflorida builds Ecodemya eco-friendly classroom appeared first on Good News Pilipinas. Related posts: Pinay designer turns living space into eco-friendly homes DLSU Eco Team qualifies for World Driving Title Global finance guru builds for Yolanda survivors Sarangani Kamanga Marine Eco-Tourism named PH best
Japan’s Sogo Sosha group is investing Php198.5 billion in the Philippines’ railway and transportation, energy, water management, and security sectors. The projects include mass transportation development for Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 South extension, LRT Line 2 East extension, North-South Commuter Railway Project, and possible development of transit systems in Davao, Cebu and Clark. The Japanese investment will also look into Philippine Coast Guard multi-role response vessels and a coal power plant. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) discussed the trade partnership with Japan during a meeting between Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and Sogo Sosha executives at the 35th annual Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee and Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee meeting, according to a Philippine Star report. The Sogo Sosha group of Japan’s major trading houses include: Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota Tsusho and Sojitz Corp., Marubeni Corp., Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Corp., and Itochu Corp. “Japanese investor remains confident of business prospects in the Philippines. We urge Japanese investors to take the chance to invest in the Philippines as it experiences its momentous economic takeoff in the region,” Lopez said. DTI also identified other Japanese investments from Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. and an expansion project of Ichijo Co. Ltd., worth Php25 billion. Tsuneishi is investing in an international ship recycling facility fitted with state of the art green technologies, a 120-hectare ship reuse center in Negros Occidental,and a biomass fuel project in Mindanao. The DTI expects the investments coming into the country until 2018. The post Japan’s Sogo Sosha Read More …
Armando Bartolome If the amount an employee earns from a 9-to- 5 job isn't enough to provide for the family, there are other ways to add to the income by engaging in a small business. According to the National Wages and Productivity Commission of the Department of Labor, an employee working in the National Capital Region receives P491 a day. That amount may not be enough to provide the basic needs of a family with three children. AN EMPLOYEE’S GOAL Not having enough capital to start a business is the primary reason why an employee gets stuck with just a single means of earning. You may have seen from some offices employees selling products to add to their income. While some companies do not allow this, some employees still find a way to earn through a small business. Another possible means where one can earn more is by selling products through networking. There are legitimate networking businesses in the Philippines that help many people increase their means of living. Not really focusing on converting people into millionaires, but there are products that can be easily sold because of the great benefits that they provide the user. Just be sure to engage with legitimate businesses. Prior to joining a networking business, you may need to pay a fee equivalent to a starter kit that you can eventually sell. Joining fees depend on the networking business you want to be involved with. AN OFW’S OPPORTUNITY Working overseas has some advantages and disadvantages. Read More …
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved the 2017 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP), which is intended to make development more inclusive by providing incentives to better distribute investment across the regions.
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday approved the establishment of a national broadband system that would provide connectivity to areas not served by commercial telco players, according to a Cabinet Secretary who was present at the meeting.
According to news reports, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading two tax bills: House Bill (HB) No. 4814 proposing an estate tax amnesty, and HB 4815 which calls for a single lower estate tax rate. Our congressmen unanimously passed the bills. HB 4814 garnered a vote of 216-0-0, while HB 4815 received a vote of 219-0-0.