Potential markets for sugar exports cited

 Economy
Mar 032013
 
Potential markets for sugar exports cited

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines could potentially ship sugar to India, Korea, Indonesia and the Middle East, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). In an announcement on its website, the SRA said state-owned Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) has identified export opportunities for refined and raw sugar from these countries. PITC, established in 1973, is the only state-owned international trading corporation mandated to promote local export commodities especially those from small and medium enterprises and undertake bulk importation of strategic raw commodities to secure domestic supply and stabilize local prices. Only buyers from India and Korea have so far provided specifications. The SRA said PITC’s potential buyers from India are interested in procuring an initial 100 to 200 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar of S-30 and M-30 grade.  The volume may increase to 500 to 800 MT, expanding to between 1,000 to 1,500 MT by the second semester of 2013. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Buyers from Korea are interested in procuring 1,500 MT of refined white sugar per month. The sugar content per shipment should be 90 percent with a brightness of 19 to 20. Korean buyers are also interested in importing 12,500 MT of raw sugar monthly with a trial shipment of 3,000 MT to 5,000 MT. The Philippines intends to produce 2.356 million MT of sugar for crop year 2012-2013. The SRA is currently implementing measures to help farmers increase productivity and lower production costs ahead of the implementation of free Read More …

UAE healthcare firm to fund surgeries of 50 Filipino kids with heart defects

 News
Feb 132013
 
UAE healthcare firm to fund surgeries of 50 Filipino kids with heart defects

By Philip Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:07 am | Thursday, February 14th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Thankful for the contribution of overseas Filipino workers in the growth of their business, a major healthcare company from the United Arab Emirates launched on Wednesday a P5-million campaign in Manila to save Filipino children with congenital heart defects (CHD) by funding their surgeries and treatment. DM Healthcare LLC, through its charity foundation, launched the Save the Little Hearts Program, which aims to help 50 Filipino children with CHD have their surgery here or in India for free. Annually, 20,000 children with CHD are born in the Philippines and one of out four of these patients die because they do not get medical treatment. “Why come here in Manila? We want to give back to the people who helped us and to the country where they came from,” Padma Shri Dr. Azad Moopen, the founder of DM Healthcare, said during the launch at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati. “This country and its people are very close to our hearts. Twenty percent of our staff is composed of Filipinos and they have given us excellent service for the past five years,” he said. “As an employer of choice to thousands of Filipino staff at DM Healthcare, we wanted to give back to the community that is integral to our growth, success and quality,” Moopen added. Moopen said the campaign would help children with CHD from the poorest families and those who have been in dire need of Read More …

Filipino more money-wise than before – survey

 Economy
Feb 042013
 
Filipino more money-wise than before - survey

MANILA, Philippines – More Filipinos are becoming wiser in their finances, according to a survey commissioned by Citibank Philippines. Results of the annual Citi Fin-Q survey showed that among 500 Filipino respondents, nine out of 10 said they create a budget on a monthly basis, while 65 percent said it is important to stick to their budget. Eight out of 10 also said they own insurance products or own insurance protection, while 63 percent said they are on track with their retirement savings or had already set aside some savings for it. Citi added that among those surveyed, six out of 10 said they are aware of their net worth. The survey said more Filipinos now understand the value of budgeting and planning their finances, as respondents passed the 50-point mark and scored 53 out of 100 in the survey. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Respondent in the survey were scored on 11 questions about financial well-being, with a maximum possible score of 100. “The improved score was driven by increased awareness among respondents of the importance of planning personal finances, ownership of several financial products such as investments and insurance, and a general optimism on their financial future,” Citi said. Meanwhile, across Asia Pacific, the survey noted that the score was above the 50-point mark at 53.2 points. Sixty-seven percent added that they are optimistic about their financial futures. In terms of savings, 44 percent said they set aside or save money every time they Read More …

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