by aimee | Jun 4, 2013 | National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III will once again invite global business leaders to explore investment opportunities in the Philippines during his attendance to the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia in Myanmar.
President Aquino will fly to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on Friday to attend the plenary of the World Economic Forum as well as to invite the delegates of WEF to the country next year.
The Philippines will be hosting WEF on East Asia next year.
“As you also know, we are hosting the forum next year and, by tradition, the incoming host personally invites the delegates to the summit,” said Secretary Ramon Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office.
Carandang said that President Aquino will also have a bilateral meeting with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The President will also meet with business leaders who are attending the said forum.
“The main reason for attending the forum this year is to continue to invite foreign investors to come to the Philippines and, of course, to attract tourists as well,” Carandang said.
“The agenda of the Aquino administration is to generate inclusive growth and we can do that by inviting investors who can create jobs and that is the way of sustaining the anti-poverty programs that we have begun,” he added.
Carandang said the government is hoping to attract foreign investors from Asian countries. “We’re hoping that those closer neighbors of ours can be enticed to invest more in the Philippines,” he said.
“Our thrust for the last few years has been tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure, and we’re hoping that we can get investors to come in on those three areas in particular,” he said.
President Aquino, together with the Philippine delegation, will be back in Manila on Friday evening. (PND)
by aimee | Jun 3, 2013 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III signed on May 29 Republic Act 10592, or “An Act Amending Articles 29, 94, 97, 98, and 99 of Act 3815, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the Revised Penal Code.
Under Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code, the local jail shall entitle a prisoner to the following deductions from the period of his sentence for good behavior:
During the first two years of imprisonment, the prisoner shall be allowed a deduction of 20 days for each month of good behavior during detention;
In the third to the 5th year, inclusive, of his imprisonment, he shall be allowed a deduction of twenty-three days for each month of good behavior during detention;
During the following years until the 10th year, inclusive, of his imprisonment, the prisoner shall be allowed a deduction of 25 days for each month of good behavior during detention;
And in the 11th and successive years of his imprisonment, he shall be allowed a deduction of 30 days for each month of good behavior during detention; and
At any time during the period of imprisonment, he shall be allowed another deduction of 15 days, in addition to numbers one to four for each month of study, teaching or mentoring service time rendered.
The law states that an appeal by the accused shall not deprive him of entitlement to the allowances for good conduct.
The implementing rules and regulations of the amended law will be promulgated by the secretary of the Department of Justice and the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government within 60 days from the approval of the act. (PND)
by aimee | Jun 1, 2013 | Business, National News
Post a photo, ask a question and get honest opinions from people all over the world, in minutes. That’s Hammer, like no other and exciting new opinion site launched in February, 2013.
Thousands of people across the globe are already sharing opinions on everything from fashion to movies to art and lifestyle. Are you signed up yet?
(Logo:http://www.hammerit.in/images/logo.gif)
Sign Up on Hammer, and:
Ask a single question: Post one image and ask a question. For example, a photo of yourself wearing a shirt and the question: “Does this shirt look good on me?”
Ask a compare question: Post two images. For example, a photo of a Porsche next to an Audi and the question: “Which one is faster?”
Post news: Post a news topic and comment. For example, “Facebook loses millions of US users in six months, were you one of them?”
Vote: Share your thoughts. Click the red ‘h’ if you disagree/don’t like something and green ‘h’ if you like something or agree/prefer.
Sign up, post a poll to All (everyone on Hammer), Male, Female or My Friends (only those you’re connected to) and watch opinions flood in. Friends might say you look great in that skirt or your hair looks better brown, but the truth may be that they’re far too tight and your hair looks bad. The answers you get on Hammer will be truthful and could save you from a major fashion faux pas.
It’s not just individuals seeking global opinion on Hammer; businesses have been starting focus groups. The site has, for example, seen brands asking groups of people their opinion on new product launch.
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When you post a question, your friends will receive a notification – and the clever people at Hammer are working on alerting you each time someone votes, so you can keep on top of polls you create. Users are also notified when they receive a friend request, private message and when a friend request is accepted.
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Each user votes, on average, 79 times per day
12.1% of votes are accompanied by a comment
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Life & Lifestyle
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Sign up to the world’s honest social networking site at http://www.hammerit.in/ and start collecting opinions from all
About Hammer
Hammer was founded by two brothers and serial entrepreneurs, Amit Khanna and Gaurav Khanna. Both wanted to create a social networking site that was not only the fun place to be online but offered something meaningful. Having spent 11 years studying and working in America, the brothers returned to the family business in India before using their degrees in business and computer science and their entrepreneurial spirit to set up Hammer.
Why is it called Hammer? Why is the logo an elephant sitting on a hammer? Find out more about the world’s most exciting social networking site at http://www.hammerit.in/about
Contact
Press: press@hammerit.in
Corporate: corporate@hammerit.in
Phone: +917926447781 / 82 / 35
SOURCE Americos Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
by aimee | May 31, 2013 | National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, May 31 (PIA)–Nisaka sa lima ka lakang ang competitiveness rating sa nasud sa 2013 World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) nga gipagawas sa International Institute for Management Development (IMD) sa Switzerland.
Gikan sa ika-43 nga pwesto niadtong 2012, naa na sa ika-38 nga pwesto karon ang Pilipinas gikan sa 60 ka nasud. Dakung pagsaka kini gikan niadtong 2009 nga pang-43, pang-39 niadtong 2010 ug pang-41 niadtong 2011.
Ang maong ranking gi-base sa Economic Performance, Government Efficiency, Business Efficiency ug Infrastructure.
Sa economic performance sa Pilipinas karong 2013, namatikdan ang “improvement” sa nasud sa domestic economy ug international trade bisan ni-ubos sa international investment, employment ug prices. Niadtong 2009, pang-51 ang Pilipinas sa economic performance ranking apan nahimong pang-29 niadtong 2011, nahagbong sa pang-42 niadtong 2012 apan nakabawi ra karong 2013 sa pang-31.
Sa Government Efficiency, gibutyag sa WYC nga gikan sa rank 32, nahimong 31 ang Pilipinas.
Sa Business Efficiency usab may pinakadakung pagsaka sa ranking ang Pilipinas. Gikan sa kanhi 26th, nahimong pang-19 kini ug gitumbok nga hinungdan ang pagkusog sa stock market .
Samtang sa infrastracture lamang nakakuha og pag-ubos sa ranking, gikan sa 55 nahimong 57. Matud pa sa AIM, nagpabiling hagit sa nasud ang imprastraktura partikular ang mga kadalanan ug tugpahanan nga giingong “beyond capacity”; kakulang sa trabaho; undeveloped financial system ug access to finance ug bisan ang mga kalamidad.
Apan bisan pa niini, ang Pilipinas ang may maayong pagsaka sa ranking sa Asya karong tuig matud pa sa AIM Policy Center. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by aimee | May 31, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, May 31 (PIA)–Gilagdaan na ni Presidente Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III ang balaod nga magpahamtang og silot sa mga hubog ug ubos sa impluwensya sa ginadili nga droga samtang nagmaneho og sakyanan.
Gilagdaan sa Presidente niadtong Mayo 27, 2013 ang Republic Act 10586 o ang “Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013”.
Gihatagan og gahom sa maong balaod ang Land Transportation Office (LTO) nga mopahigayon og terminal inspection ug random test sa mga nagmaneho og sakyanan sa tibuok nasud. Gitugotan usab niini ang LTO nga tahasan ang mga traffic enforcer og PNP, MMDA ug mga local government unit (LGU) nga ipatuman ang maong balaod.
Tungod niini, mahimo nang parahon sa law enforcement agencies ang usa ka sakyanan kun gidudahan nilang hubog o naka-droga ang driver.
Ipaubos nila kini dayon sa field sobriety test sama sa horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk and turn, one-leg stand, ug gamitan og breath analyzer aron masukod ang ‘blood alcohol concentration level’.
May silot nga pagkabilanggo nga tulo ka buwan ug multa nga P20,000 hangtud P80,000 kun mahagbong sa test.
Kun ang pagmaneho samtang nakainom o naka-droga magresulta sa ‘physical injuries’, mas taas nga buwan nga pagkabilanggo sigun sa Article 263 sa Revised Penal Code ang ilang atubangon, gawas pa sa multa nga P100,000 hangtud P200,000. Sa Article 263 sa Revised Penal Code, ang ‘serious physical injuries’ adunay jail term nga ‘aresto mayor’ hangtud ‘prision mayor’ o pagkabilanggo gikan unom ka buwan hangtud 12 ka tuig depende sa injuries sa biktima.
Samtang kun ang drunk/drugged driving magresulta sa kamatayon, ang jail term base sa Article 249 sa Revised Penal Code may multang P300,000 hangtud P500,000. Sa Article 249 sa Revised Penal Code, ang kasong homicide adunay jail term nga ‘reclusion temporal’ o pagkabilanggo gikan 12 hangtud 20 ka tuig.
Gawas sa pagkabilanggo ug multa, ang non-professional driver’s license sa molapas niining bag-ong balaod kumpiskahon ug suspendihon sulod sa 12 ka tuig sa unang conviction samtang perpetually revoked usab sa ikaduhang conviction.
Mas bug-at sa mga naggunit og professional driver’s license tungod kay confiscation ug perpetually revoked dayon ang ilang lisensya sa unang conviction. Sa perpetual revocation, dili na sila mahatagan pa og bisan unsang matang sa driver’s license sa tibuok nilang kinabuhi.
Samtang pareho usab ang mahimong silot sa mga operator ug tag-iya sa mga public utility vehicles sama sa delivery vans, cargo trucks, container trucks, school ug company buses, hotel transports, cars o vans for rent, taxi cabs ug uban pang sakyanang kapareho niini.
Dungan sa tabang sa local government units, ang Philippine Information Agency (PIA) gitahasan usab sa pagpahigayon og nationwide information campaign kalabot niining bag-ong anti-drunk and drugged driving law. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by aimee | May 30, 2013 | Headlines, National News
THE Aquino administration welcomed reports that the Philippine economy, as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 7.8 percent in the first quarter of 2013, assuring that it remains focused on fostering inclusive growth.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail F. Valte issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday after the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB) reported that the Philippines’ GDP grew by 7.8 percent—the highest quarterly growth rate posted under the Aquino administration.
Valte said that the GDP figure is also the highest in a non-presidential election year since 1988.
“Based on initial readings, our economy outperformed that of all Asian economies in terms of first quarter growth, including China, which grew by 7.7 percent, Indonesia, which grew by 6.0 percent, and Malaysia, which grew by 4.1 percent. These results surpassed almost all market expectations,” Valte said.
“Growth was felt in almost all sectors, most notably in local manufacturing, which grew by 9.7 percent. The continuation of government public expenditures was also key, increasing by 13.2 percent. This was helped by the growth in government spending in public construction, which expanded by 45.6 percent. By expenditure, capital formation likewise grew by 47.7 percent,” she said.
Valte said the business confidence and consumer optimism fuelled the GDP growth.
“Without doubt, the confidence of both investors and consumers remains strong, as economic activity accelerates even in an uncertain global economic climate,” she stressed.
Since the Aquino administration took office, the government has been working to drastically expand social safety nets to help the most vulnerable sector in country.
“Most noteworthy is the four-fold increase in the budget of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, which to date has helped more than 3.9 million Filipino households. The recent election results show that the public has confidence in the President, and agrees with the direction the country is going,” Valte said.
The Aquino administration will continue to promote and expand policies that lead to a Philippines where no one is left behind, Valte said. (PND)
