by anyajulia | Jun 30, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Despite the global recession, new and big investments keep pouring in, signaling real investor confidence in the country. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed its registered foreign portfolio investments in May 2009 rose 125 percent, from $435 million in April to nearly $1 billion in May.
The figure resulted in a net inflow of $498 million during the month as total outflows dropped 33 percent, from $711 million in April to $480 million in May.
Monetary officials noted the country has benefitted from revival of investors’ risk appetite to emerging economies which include the Philippines.
With President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s recent visit to Japan and Brazil, Japanese companies also made firm commitments to invest and/or increase their investments in the Philippines. (VMHS/PIA)
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by anyajulia | Jun 30, 2009 | Headlines, National News
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s foreign trips bring benefits for the country. This was the statement disclosed by Malacanang after rumors spread that the President is just wasting money and that no concrete benefits were being derived from the trips.
On jobs generation, a total of US$2.2 billion worth of investments and job opportunities resulted from her trip to South Korea, while US$500 million worth of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) projects were secured from Japan.
Resulting from the China trip was a US$2 billion property development investment for Fort Bonifacio. Two giant oil firms in the Middle East – Al Kharafi and Qtel – pledged to invest up to US$1 billion.
On infrastructure development, China’s Shiamao Property Holdings Limited is investing US$700 million for a hotel project, while Spain committed 180 million euros for the construction of steel bridges and modular roll on-roll off ports.
The President’s trips also resulted in other benefits like the US$190 million for Filipino war veterans.
These are among the benefits derived from PGMA’s foreign travels. (PIA /DOS)
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by anyajulia | Jun 29, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
PREVALENCE of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) among Boholanos seafarers is low, but their continued exposure to with high-risk behaviors has alarmed a survey group from the University of the Philippines College of Public Health.
Dr. Ofelia Saniel, principal investigator for the Joint Program on HIV and migration Baseline Research among Boholano Overseas Foreign Workers explained that at below 1% HIV prevalence in 250 seafarer respondents, monitoring of high risk behaviors may be enough at this point in Bohol.
She however said that their study revealed sea-based and land based OFWs practice high risk behaviors such as having multiple sex partners, unprotected sex and engaging in commercial sex.
Their research key findings also reasoned out that the OFWS vulnerability may be caused by feelings homesickness and with extra money, this allows binge drinking, night clubbing, drugs use and commercial sex activities.
The condition is even more complicated by misconceptions on their personal risk of HIV, the emerging double standards in sexual behaviors and minimal risk awareness campaigns, the study bared.
In a presentation to Bohol key authorities June 26 at the Bohjol Tropics, especially to the Provincial HIV AIDS Multi-Sectoral Council, members support the key recommendations by the study group.
The council agrees that HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) should be integrated in the curriculum of maritime schools to dispel the problem of lack of awareness on the risks.
Moreover, the council also believes that a separate program should address the need to improve the knowledge of OFWs about the risks, correct the misconceptions and putting up of support programs for OFWs and their families.
For Batuan, Vice Mayor Leo Leyson suggested institutionalizing HIV awareness for pre-departing and post arriving OFWs at the level of the towns, preferably at the Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) (PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 29, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
GRATITUDE from the government for services rendered came to 19 dependents and survivors of barangay officials who died in the performance of their duties.
Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno himself, assisted by Bohol provincial director Rustica Mascarinas handed checks worth P12,000 each to dependents and survivors of barangay officials in simple ceremonies at the Legaspi Suite of the Bohol Tropics Resort last week.
During the turn-over of the financial assistance checks, Sec. Puno reiterated that the “small contribution from the government [is] in recognition for the public service rendered by [your] loved ones”.
“Take this as acknowledgment from the government”, he said.
“While this may be not enough to heal the wound left by your departed loved ones who worked in government, take it as the government’s expression of gratitude”, he said in Filipino.
A recipient who asked not be named said she would like to thank the government because the assistance goes a long way in helping the family cope with a lost husband and the hard times.
The government has set aside a fund for the payment of death benefits of barangay officials who died during the term of office, one aptly called Barangay Officials Death Benefits Fund.
The fund, managed by the Department of Budget and Management for payment of death benefits of Barangay Officials such as the Punong Barangay, Seven Barangay Kagawads, SK President as Ex-officio Barangay Kagawad, Secretary and Treasurer who died in their term of office.
The funds are released to and administered by the DILG in accordance with its rules and regulations.
Secretary Puno came to Bohol Friday to witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the government of the Philippines through Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado and Canadian International Development Agency for project assistance in Local Government Support Project Local Economic Development.
While here, Puno also met the entire DILG family as well as attended the joint conferences of the key councils and leagues in Bohol. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 29, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
FESTIVE, promises Team Inabanga’s man of the hour as the town unrolls the 1.7-kilometer continuous hand-woven raffia hinabol nga saguran.
Hinabol nga saguran, or raffia are Inabanga’s hippest products from the buri palm and are traditionally hand-woven from looms here.
Not that saguran is stunning for Inabangnons who have used the woven fabric to dry palay. But with a new product elevated into hinabol, it should generate world attention during its unrolling June 29, Inabanga Mayor Jose Jono Jumamoy said.
For the momentous event, he talks about costumed street dancing contingents performing to the pulsating calypso drum beats over oversized festival drums which accompany the unrolling of the gigantic hand-woven table runner announcing the town fiesta from Barangay Lutao to Poblacion.
The youthful mayor also talks about their streets lined with revelers and supporters holding the unrolled fiber. Later that night, attention shifts to the lime-lit catwalks teeming with models clad in raffia inspired garments in an exciting gala fashion show. And yes, food too.
The craftsmen and creative weavers here spread on that day its masterpiece: possibly the world’s longest continuous hand-woven raffia and to be recognized as the home of the best hand-weavers in the whole world and the raffia capital in the country.
On that day, the local government team wants no slips.
The objective is to grab enough momentum to mainstream their saguran into a world-class hinabol, now slowly dominating modern lifestyle accents, Mayor Jumamoy said.
And when they do, expect to see a product far from that drab and coarse saguran that immediately comes to mind upon the mention of the fiber mainly for drying palay here.
Inabanga, home to 1910 raffia weavers in 80% of its barangays would be presenting the green and bleached hand-woven hinabol, beating its own target of unrolling a mile-long fiber weave.
But not known to many, for Team Inabanga’s top man said the bid is to spruce up more employment opportunities for Inabanganons whose lives have been intricately woven in the industry.
“One of our biggest challenges to get our people working back in handlooms for the new hinabol, which is now getting high market demand and catch up with the purchase orders,” he shared during a recent interview.
Last years’ most promising Bohol product at the sandugo Showcase, the Inabanga handwoven raffia racked in P40M in gross sales and orders making it the fair’s top-seller.
But with majority of its weavers still learning how to transform the saguran into high-end fine-woven hinabol bearing interesting optical art designs and patterns, Jumamoy said winning the world record boosts 5370 of industry’s support workers into going mainstream.
Too cash-trapped to invite international adjudicators, Inabanga’s bid is now focused by lenses of local and regional media as documentors to validate the product and hopefully generated enough attention for world judges to come and see for the record, the youthful mayor said. (PIA)
