Cebu exporters warned vs. pirated software

 Economy
Apr 242013
 
Cebu exporters warned vs. pirated software

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine suppliers and exporters to the United States may be charged with “unfair competition” once discovered using pirated software, an intellectual property firm said Wednesday. Open Computing Alliance (OCA), an international trade agency, urged the local export industry, particularly in Cebu, to adhere to software licensing rules as they can be subjected to US laws punishing patrons of piracy. OCA Asia Pacific secretary-general Michael Mudd said in a statement that Washington state, for one, passed a bill prohibiting even foreign businesses in touch with the US “while using stolen or misappropriated information technology.” “Although this is not a US Federal law, the principle is enshrined in the US Federal Trade Commission in preventing unfair competitive advantage and providing a level playing field,” Mudd added. He said that exporters charged with violations may affect the whole of the country’s trading ties with the US, which has been a significant market for Philippine products. Citing 2011 data alone, Mudd said that Philippine exports to the North American country reached $9.1 billion. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The intellectual property expert gave garments companies Ningbo Beyond Home Textile from China and Pratibha Syntex from India which are facing “unfair competition” lawsuits that may penalize them for over $100,000 for software copyright violations. “Software is a small fraction of total operating expenses but can be a high cost if it has not been properly paid for. IT piracy is an issue that must be dealt with immediately Read More …

Philippines, US end ‘Balikatan’ war games

 News
Apr 172013
 
Philippines, US end ‘Balikatan’ war games

By Nikko Dizon Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:54 am | Thursday, April 18th, 2013 US Marines from Company B, 1st Battalion Landing Team, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and their Philippine counterparts storm a beach to simulate a combat rubber boat raid in the culmination of their 12-day joint military exercise dubbed Balikatan 2013 between the Philippines and the United States Monday, April 15, 2013, at the Philippine marine base, in Ternate, Cavite. The annual joint military exercise ended Wednesday. AP PHOTO/BULLIT MARQUEZ MANILA, Pilippines—The Philippines and the United States ended their 29th Balikatan joint military exercises on Wednesday, and immediately set about planning next year’s event, raising the possibility of inviting Japan and Australia to make it a multilateral exercise. Brian Goldbeck, the US deputy chief of mission here, described the recently concluded exercise as the “most ambitious intellectual exchanges in the history of Balikatan.” “This year’s exercise featured a medical symposium, an aviation forum, a senior enlisted forum, a chaplain forum and a search-and-rescue forum,” Goldbeck said in his remarks. He underscored the Balikatan activities that went beyond the traditional military exercises like the building of classrooms that can withstand typhoons and floods. He noted that most of the residents in areas where the engagement was held said all they wanted was for their children to have a good education. “So many of the families that our service members met in Zambales echoed the same concerns. They just want their children to be able to go to school. Read More …

PH embassy in South Korea preparing Filipino communities for possible conflict

 News
Apr 152013
 
PH embassy in South Korea preparing Filipino communities for possible conflict

By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:56 pm | Monday, April 15th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – While the situation in the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul has begun preparing Filipino communities for possible conflict scenarios amid tensions between North and South Korea, starting with those in vulnerable cities near the tense border between the Korean neighbors. The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said that officials from the Philippine mission in Seoul on Sunday met with Filipino area coordinators in four areas near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the North-South border, part of a series of meetings with some 150 Filipino community organizations across South Korea. This even as the Embassy reported to the Manila home office that the atmosphere in South Korea “remains calm and normal” despite Pyongyang’s persistent threats of a missile launch against Seoul and its ally, the United States. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has been ratcheting up his war rhetoric against the South and its allies in protest of fresh international sanctions meted Pyongyang for nuclear tests earlier this year. “Nevertheless, the Filipinos in South have been well-advised to remain vigilant and alert and in the event of armed conflict to proceed immediately to the designated shelters closest to their homes or workplaces,” said DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez in a press briefing. He said officials from the Philippine mission in South Korea on Sunday gathered Filipino community leaders in the cities of Incheon and Seoul and counties in the provinces of Read More …

Chinese military officials join maritime disaster response talks in Balikatan exercises

 News
Apr 152013
 
Chinese military officials join maritime disaster response talks in Balikatan exercises

Amid the ongoing territorial dispute between China and the Philippines, two Chinese military officials on Monday joined their Filipino and American counterparts in talks on maritime disaster response as part of the annual Balikatan military exercises. According to Brig. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, deputy chief of staff for operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), this marks the first time China joined such a discussion, since it is also the first time the Philippines and the United States opened the Balikatan exercises to other countries. “Ang Balikatan, originally, military to military ng US saka ng Pilipinas lang. Now, parang ine-expand naman natin ito as we globalize. What if something happens doon sa international waters? How do we respond to it?” Baladad told reporters Monday. He added that the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines over parts of the South China Sea had nothing to do with the talks, since the discussions were on how to respond to maritime disasters such as oil spills. “This is a multi-national approach. Kapitbahay natin sila, and just like other countries, they are one of the responders kung sakaling magkaroon ng incident na kailangang mag-respond in international waters… Sa disaster response siguro, wala nang mga tampuhan muna,” Baladad said. China and the Philippines, as well as Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia, have overlapping claims on the islands, shoals and reefs in the South China Sea where undersea gas deposits have been discovered in several areas. In January, Manila initiated an arbitration process under Read More …

US tax law changes: View from the cliff

 Economy
Apr 142013
 

First of three parts JUST AS THE US Congress was about to take US taxpayers over the cliff, standing by and allowing massive tax increases and across-the-board budget cuts to kick in under previous legislation, cooler heads prevailed. The parties agreed to a limited package of tax increases, revisions, and extensions of key provisions that were about to “sunset,” and that avoided the so-called “Fiscal Cliff.”

Group decries ‘double standard’ in handling of US, Chinese Tubbataha intrusions

 News
Apr 102013
 
Group decries ‘double standard’ in handling of US, Chinese Tubbataha intrusions

By DJ Yap Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:56 pm | Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 Tubbataha Reefs. YVETTE LEE/CONTRIBUTOR MANILA, Philippines—Was there a double standard in the government’s handling of the back-to-back intrusions of a US Navy warship and a Chinese fishing vessel in the Tubbataha National Marine Park? The group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment assailed what it called the “great disparity” in the way the Aquino administration handled the grounding of the Chinese fishing vessel on Monday night and the USS Guardian in January. “While the Philippine Coast Guard swiftly acted to apprehend the Chinese intruders, it is shameful and appalling how the Aquino [administration] handled the American trespassers from the US Navy,” said Kalikasan national coordinator Clemente Bautista. “Any foreign intrusion into our territorial waters or infringement of our national patrimony should be dealt with accordingly. Whether it is Chinese or Americans, they must pay the damages and if proven should serve time in jail,” Bautista said in a statement. He noted the disparity in the government’s response to the grounding of the Chinese and Americans in the Tubbataha National Marine Park in the Sulu Sea, a World Heritage Site. “First, the PCG failed to apprehend the officers and crew of the USS Guardian in spite of their clear violations of our local and environmental laws. Second, the Philippine authorities embarrassingly failed to assert our right to directly investigate and interview the personnel of the USS Guardian as the US Navy did not allow it,” Bautista said. “Worst, Read More …

US to deploy F/A-18 warplanes for military drills with PHL

 News
Apr 042013
 
US to deploy F/A-18 warplanes for military drills with PHL

Washington will deploy this week a dozen F/A-18 fighters to the Philippines, the first time it has sent so many of the aircraft there, to take part in annual military drills with a close security ally amid rising tension in the Asia-Pacific region. The presence of the warplanes is not connected to tensions on the Korean peninsula, a Philippine army spokesman said. “These exercises were planned more than a year ago, well ahead of what is now happening in the region,” Major Emmanuel Garcia said. The United States plans to send a missile defense system to protect Pacific island Guam, where it has a large military base, after North Korea threatened to launch nuclear attacks on the North American mainland over disagreements on its atomic programme. The bilateral military activities will begin on Friday with 8,000 American and Filipino troops staging mock battles and simulating disaster responses, army spokesman Garcia said. The war games are being held to test the two allies’ defense plans based on the Mutual Defence Treaty, an important link in Washington’s chain of security alliances in the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. has similar military arrangements with South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Australia. “There will be table top exercises on how the militaries of the two countries would respond to a destructive typhoon as well as in the event of a major ship collision on the high seas,” Garcia said, adding the combat aspect would showcase the capability of the U.S. Navy’s multi-role fighters. The Philippines lost Read More …

US backs PH tack in sea row

 News
Apr 032013
 
US backs PH tack in sea row

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:49 am | Thursday, April 4th, 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry. AP FILE PHOTO Citing the importance of peace and stability in Asia-Pacific region, the United States has thrown its full support behind the Philippines’ bid for arbitration in the United Nations to settle a territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). In remarks before talks with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario in Washington on Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated his government’s support for a code of conduct in the West Philippine Sea, home to vital sea lanes and islands believed to be sitting on vast energy and mineral reserves. “The Philippines is one of our five Asia-Pacific allies and a very, very important relationship at this point in time when there are tensions over the South China Sea, where we support a code of conduct, and we are deeply concerned [about] some of those tensions and would like to see it worked out through a process of arbitration,” Kerry told reporters at the US Department of State. A transcript of his remarks was posted on the department’s website. The West Philippine Sea dispute has long been a matter of keen interest for Kerry who, as senator, “was a moving force” behind a resolution in the US Senate seeking a peaceful settlement of disputes in those waters, Del Rosario said after his meeting with the new top US diplomat. Kerry replaced former State Secretary Hillary Clinton, Read More …

US backs PH bid for arbitration on West Philippine Sea row

 News
Apr 022013
 
US backs PH bid for arbitration on West Philippine Sea row

By Tarra QuismundoINQUIRER.net 10:03 am | Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The United States has thrown its full support behind the Philippines’ bid to settle disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) through arbitration as the country’s long-time defense ally underscored its importance as a partner in the Asia-Pacific. In remarks before talks with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario in Washington D.C. Tuesday morning (US time), Secretary of State John Kerry also reiterated his government’s support for a code of conduct in the disputed waters, a critical international sea lane. “The Philippines is one of our five Asia-Pacific allies and a very, very important relationship at this point in time when there are tensions over the South China Sea, where we support a code of conduct, and we are deeply concerned [about] some of those tensions and would like to see it worked out through a process of arbitration,” said Kerry in remarks before media at the US State Department. Del Rosario said Kerry expounded on this during their meeting and “emphasized the importance the United States gives to maintaining peace and stability in the area.” “More importantly, Secretary Kerry assured me that the US is committed to supporting the efforts of the Philippines to settle the disputes peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” said Manila’s top diplomat. Del Rosario’s meeting with Kerry in Washington is the first for the two officials since Read More …

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