by anyajulia | Jun 26, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (Deped) issued the revised rules for the suspension of classes/offices that have Influenza A(H1N1) alert.
Under the revised guidelines:
- Classes will only be called off for ten days after the first confirmed case is reported, to assess the medical situation of the patient and those in close contact with the patient. This is also to enhance the campaign for cleanliness, hygiene and readiness in the school, and to disinfect the school.
- Classes will no longer be suspended in schools in communities with a low-level community outbreak.
- Only those with high-risk cases will be hospitalized.
The new guidelines is in line with the government’s campaign against the disease which now focuses on mitigation strategy and not containment.
There are now 42 schools that have suspended classes due to the spread of the illness. (PNA)
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by anyajulia | Jun 26, 2009 | Foreign Exchange, Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
The Philippines can tap 1 billion dollars to 1.5 billion dollars in Samurai funds within the year to help finance its projected P50-billion increased 2009 budgetary deficit and other pump-priming projects to sustain modest economic growth.
Samurai funds are proceeds of yen bonds that can be issued by international organizations, foreign corporations and foreign governments with a shorter maturity period and usually with a fixed interest rate.
The Japanese government earlier announced the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will provide a guarantee of up to 500 billion yen to other Asian countries affected by the global crisis if they will issue yen-denominated Samurai bonds.
In a media interview at the Imperial Hotel here, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Margarito Teves said the possibility of floating Samurai bonds will likely be one of the topics President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will discuss with Japan’s Finance Ministry officials and private financial institutions during her June 17-20 working visit here.
Teves said the Philippines can issue Samurai bonds worth 1 billion dollars to 1.5 billion dollars depending on the terms and how much can be availed of from its Official Development Assistance (ODA) package.
“We raised our deficit from P177 billion to P199 billion then to P250 billion, so we need to look for other facilities that will help finance this additional deficit,” Teves explained.
He said the government has lowered this year’s economic growth projection to between 0.8 percent and 1.8 percent from the earlier target of 3.1 to 4.1 percent due to the impact of the global financial crisis.
Presently, Teves said the country’s overall deficit of about 3.2 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is still lower compared to the 4.3 average of other countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.
Teves said floating bonds or tapping grants and various loan sources are normal alternatives in managing budgetary deficits particularly during times of global financial crisis.
“So the Samurai bonds can be available to emerging economies or developing countries which are suffering from the effects of the global financial crisis,” Teves said, adding that Japan currently has lots of liquid resources to spare.
Teves, however, said Samurai bonds are a little bit more expensive compared to traditional ODA loans that have longer maturity periods extending up to 30 years with a 10-year grace period.
As it is, Teves said, floating Samurai bonds is an option considering its availability at this time unlike ODAs that sometimes take a lot of time to secure aside from having certain tight conditionalities.
“However, if there are some other types of ODA packages that are relatively cheaper then we can tap them,” Teves said.
He said if reasonable terms and the necessary approval can be acquired, Samurai bonds can be floated between now and the end of the year (PIA Bohol)
by anyajulia | Jun 26, 2009 | Headlines, National News
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants all projects she has committed under her State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) to be completed by December 2009.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Sec. Hermogenes Esperon, together with Public Works and Highways Usec. Rafael Yabut, arrived in Cebu and immediately conducted an on-site inspection on the status of the construction of the Cansaga Bay Bridge.
After learning that the P2.3B CNCRP has no substantial improvements more than a year after its groundbreaking, Pres. Arroyo ordered the contractors to work 24 hours, seven days a week and instructed the DPWH to fast track the completion of the project.
By December this year, the road project will have been substantially completed.
The project is divided into two packages. Under the contract package, Package 1 involves the road approaches from the Mandaue side dubbed ‘Approach A’ and the ‘Approach B’ is the road connecting to the town of Consolacion while the construction of the Cansaga Bay Bridge is part of the Package 1, this is learned.
The only factor that could cause a delay in the project is natural calamity and that without it, the project will be substantially be completed by yearend per instruction of the President.
Esperon said they are continuously inspecting other SONA projects and pump-priming projects all over the country based on the directive of Pres. Arroyo that these projects be completed by yearend. (PIA/FCR)
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by anyajulia | Jun 25, 2009 | Headlines, National News
GIDASONAN ni President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ang mandu ngadto sa Department of Health (DOH) ug uban pang ahensya sa paghimo sa labing epektibo nga paagi aron kapanalipdan ang katawhan sa influenza AH1N1 virus.
Kini human nadawat sa pamuno nasud ang atho sa kamatayon sa unang gitumbok nga mahimong biktima sa sakit dinhi.
Hinuon, gipasalig an sa DOH nga ang “congestive heart failure secondary to acute myocardial infarction” maoy unang gidudahang naka-angin sa kamatayon sa pasyenteng may A H1N1 virus.
Pasalig ni Press Secretary Cerge Remeonde nga bisan ang Presidente tua pa sa Brazil, nagpakabana gihapon kini sa katawhan nga nagsagubang sa hulga sa kagaw nga dala sa virus. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 25, 2009 | Headlines, National News
HUMAN sa 30 ka tuig nga huwaw sa pundo alang sa agrikultura, si Kalihim Arthur Yap mipadayon sa pag-awhag sa katawhan sa pagpadayon sa pakiglambigit ug pagtambayayongay arom sa makausa pa, masolbad na ang kagutom sa nasud.
Kini taliwala sa mayo na nga gipakita nga kausaban sa asrikultura sa panahon ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Butyag ni Yap, unta dili lang trabaho nga pakadak-an alng sa kagamhanan ang pagpakaon sa gigutom pinaagi sa pagpadaku sa ani ug pagpang-apud-apod sa pagkaon.
Sugyot niya, kinahanglan kini abagan sa pribadong sector kinsa maningkamot alang sa Pilipinas nga nahikalimot na sa kagutom.
Kini iyang gisulti atul sa paglusad sa World Summit Bayan-anihan sa Gawad Kalinga 2024. (PIA)
