by magnolia_eic | Jul 7, 2010 | Headlines
GIKOMPIRMA niadtong Lunes sa European Union’s anti-piracy task force nga adunay 18 ka tripolanteng Pinoy ang chemical tanker nga gi hijack sa mga piratang Somali sa southern Red sea.
Matud pa sa taho, ang EU Naval Force Somalia nagkanayon nga gi atake sa mga pirata ang Marshall Islands-flagged MT Motivator sa tamping amihanan sa Bab-Al-Mandeb – ang sigpit nga wanang sa dagat taliwala sa Arabian peninsula ug Horn of Africa niadtong Domingo.
Ang MT Motivator, usa ka chemical products tanker nga nagkarga og lubricants ug adunay gibug-aton nga 13,065 tonilada, matud pa sa NAVFOR.
Ang Department of Foreign Affairs nakadawat sa taho nga hijacking gikan sa Philippine Embassy sa Nairobi.
Matud pa ni Ed Malaya, ang tigpamaba sa DFA nga nakig-coordinate na ang DFA sa tag-iya sa barko ug sa naval authorities sa maong rehiyon alang sa mga lakang aron pagseguro sa kaluwasan ug seguridad sa mga tripolante.
Ang NAVFOR nag monitor usab sa sitwasyon.
Sa talaan sa DFA, kining bag-o pa lang nga hijacking nagdala na ngadto sa 81 ka Pinoy nga nadakpan sa mga pirata: 18 ang sa MT Motivator, 3 sa FV Tai Yuan 227, 19 sa MV Eleni P, 1 sa MV Iceberg I, 19 sa MT Samho Dream, ug 21 sa MV Voc Daisy. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 7, 2010 | Headlines
THE World Bank has approved a $4.974-million grant for climate change adaptation project in the Philippines to enable targeted rural communities to cope with the impact of climate change.
The project called the Climate Change Adaptation Project (CCAP) aims to develop and demonstrate cost-effective adaptation strategies in agriculture and natural resources management and strengthen the country’s institutional framework for climate change adaptation.
World Bank country director Bert Hofman said the project will enhance rural communities’ capacity to adapt to climate change by improving farm management capability under conditions of climate risk, enhancing access to information on weather forecasting and climate patterns, and improving access to risk management options such as weather index insurance, among others.
The primary beneficiaries of this grant include poor farmers who often suffer climate-related losses, and other vulnerable groups that depend on natural resources for their livelihoods.
The $4.974-million grant for the CCAP will come from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund being implemented by the World Bank. The project will also be supported with $40.45 million co-financing from the Participatory Irrigation Development Project (PIDP) and another $10 million from the Environment and Natural Resources Management Project (ENRMP), two ongoing government projects which are also financed by the WB.
The Philippines has one of the highest exposures to climate change risks – including typhoons, floods, landslides, and droughts – of any country in the world. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 7, 2010 | Business, Headlines
THE economy is poised to grow by 6.2 percent this year on the back of a recovering global environment, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) said in its latest report on the country.
IIF said that aside from a recovery in the global economy, investors’ optimism on the new government also bodes well for the country.
The global research firm believes that President Aquino is likely to take the “window of opportunity” provided by favorable economic trends, in pursuing fiscal reforms that would boost gross domestic product (GDP).
It also welcomed the news that Mr. Aquino’s priority would be to address the fiscal slippage which he described as “alarming.”
IIF said the Aquino administration should be able to reverse the worsening budget deficit trend before it undermines investor confidence. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 7, 2010 | Headlines
OFFICIALS of the Cabinet of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s will undergo training on how to conduct themselves better when dealing with the members of the media.
Aquino himself had apologized for Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda and Department of Education Secretary Armin Luistro, who both ticked off some reporters only a few days into their office.
Aquino also asked the members of the media to understand his Cabinet men, who do not have any prior experience on how to deal when being grilled with controversial questions.
Last Thursday, Lacierda missed a scheduled press conference in Malacanang. Reporters were waiting for him for hours on his reaction regarding the administration’s first, but controversial, memorandum circular. Lacierda had already apologized for his gaffe.
Luistro, on the other hand, blamed the media for adding fuel to the fire between the government and the Catholic Church regarding the sex education program.
Aquino stressed Luistro, former president of the De La Salle University, was used to facing students.
He said the people behind his successful campaign will give the seminar to the officials. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 7, 2010 | Headlines
COMBINED investment approvals of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Board of Investments (BOI) surged 192 percent to P231.3 billion during the first half of the year from P79.24 billion in the same period last year.
PEZA-approved investments for the first half went up by 59 percent to P61.3 billion. Earlier, the Board of Investments (BOI) said its approvals jumped by 318 percent to P170 billion.
In a report to Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, PEZA Director General Lilia B. De Lima said that the investments for January to June came from 246 projects which are expected to push up exports by 92 percent to $2.84 billion during the first half of the year.
Employment generated by firms operating in PEZA zones slightly went up to 44,127 from 41,977.
Despite the strong first half performance, PEZA spokesman Elmer San Pascual said they have no plans of revising their 15 percent investment target for the year.
According to San Pascual, they will not be revising their target because the P211 billion full year investment target is already steep and substantial. However, he cleared that they expect more investments to come during the second half of the year. (PIA-Bohol)
