by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Business sentiment has hit a new high, the central bank yesterday reported, with the outlook
for the fourth quarter at its highest since 2001.
The overall confidence index (CI) was at 50.6% for the period, the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement, up from the 45% recorded for the third quarter and the
22% posted a year earlier.
It said sentiment had been boosted by 3 factors:
• expectations of sustained economic improvements on the back of strong demand
that is being fueled by migrant workers’ remittances and capital inflows;
• the seasonal factor of stronger business sentiment during the Christmas and
harvest seasons; and
• continued confidence in the new government.
“The positive business sentiment likewise mirrored the improving business confidence in
countries such as Canada, Hong Kong, India, Germany, Italy and New Zealand,” the BSP
said.
The outlook for the following quarter, however, dipped. The next quarter CI — for the first
quarter of 2011 — was at 51% from the 59.2% recorded three months earlier.
The BSP survey was conducted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 9. A total of 1,624 firms nationwide were
polled, of which 75.4% responded. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, National News
PHILIPPINE government agencies have started coordinating their efforts to protect the public
from the avian influenza (bird flu) virus after Hong Kong officials confirmed this week its first
infection in seven years.
Passengers from Hong Kong will be strictly monitored at the airport to prevent the entry of
bird flu in the country, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said Friday.
Ona said the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with airport authorities, will re-
intensify the monitoring of in-bound passengers through installed thermal scanners at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
He added that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources have intensified their bird flu watch.
The DOH has also said that it has enough stockpile of Tamiflu in case the bird flu enters the
country.
The World Health Organization revealed that human cases of bird flu or the H5N1 virus
have only been reported in 6 countries – Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, and
Vietnam. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, National News
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) cautions everyone against scams in this season of bonuses and cash
windfalls.
“Giving bank account numbers, even without personal identification number (PIN) taught countless scam victims a hard
lesson”, DTI said.
“The modus operandi is a text message, which claims that the promotion has a DTI permit,” shares Information Officer
Lucille Autentico.
Under the law, sales promotion campaign should first secure permits from DTI to ensure that the public is protected
against deceptive or irresponsible sales promo scheme, she revealed.
DTI through Autentico cited the case of a 23-year old young professional and office girl in Makati.
The victim just received her 13th month pay when she received a text message from an unknown cell phone number,”
Autentico said.
The text message said: “Congratulations! Your cellphone number has won P680,000 at the Philippine Charity Foundation’s
third anniversary raffle draw last November 5. For more info, send your name and address. Call Sec. John Fuentes. Per
DTI Permit No. 000812. Thanks.”
Thinking that was a scam but also trying her luck, she accordingly replied with a fake name and address.
The texter, who introduced himself as a Manila-based lawyer then asked for her bank account number where he can
deposit the cash prize.
Thinking that her account is safe if she does not give her signature or Automated Teller Machine’s PIN number, she gave
him her bank account number, DTI added.
It was after two weeks later, when she got back after the vacation breaks, did she realized she was victimized, Autentico
relayed.
When the victim withdrew from her savings account, which she knew had a balance of about P10,000, she was shocked.
She was surprised when she learned from the ATM that she only had P.080 and her account was closed”, she told PIA.
Checking with the bank to trace her bank activities, the victim learned about a one time withdrawal on a holiday.
On this, the DTI warns everyone engaging in negotiations with strange persons or numbers through text.
“Be advised that when you are asked to provide your bank account number and the sender offers to deposit money into
it, it surely is a scam”, DTI said.
Even if the text message appears to be credible because it comes from a trusted government institution or well known
government official, never give your personal data and account numbers, warns Autentico.
Further, for prizes exceeding P500, the law requires that the winner be notified through registered mail, and not through
text messages alone, she sums. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 19, 2010 | Headlines, National News
SEVERAL lawmakers on Wednesday hit the new slogan of the Department of Tourism
(DOT), advising the agency to drop it and tap Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao as
its endorser to better promote the Philippines.
Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay said Pacquiao is the only Filipino personality
who is known globally. He believed that Pacquiao can do “a good job of selling the country”
than the new slogan, “Pilipinas Kay Ganda,” of the Tourism department.
The new slogan was introduced recently, replacing the “Wow, Philippines!” shoutout.
However, several lawmakers said there was no need to drop the previous slogan, as the new
one would only confuse tourists who cannot understand Filipino. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 19, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III assured investors Thursday that all transactions under the
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects would be transparent and open for scrutiny.
“We call it daylight,” the President said in speech at the opening of Infrastructure Philippines
2010 at the grand ballroom of Marriott Hotel in Villamor, Pasay City.
“The way forward is to move together in the broad light of day, where everything we do and
how we do it is clear, honest and transparent,” he said.
The President explained that “daylight” is the administration’s strategy for rectifying errors
and standard of performance by both government and private partnerships.
He told investors that being the Chief Executive, his mandate is to prove that corruption and
poverty can be reduced to the extent that the Philippines of 2016 will be a far different place
than the Philippines of June 2010.
For now, he said, the goal of his administration is “to prove that the straight path is the path
not only to success, but already a path marked by ever-increasing successes.”
The President reiterated that the present government is committed to a positive, productive
partnership with private stakeholders based on measurable and quantifiable-building
measures. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 16, 2010 | Headlines, National News, Sports
Arlington (AP) – Pacquiao cemented his claim as boxing’s best last Sunday by giving Antonio Margarito a beating that resulted in a broken eye socket and a surgery. The only problem for Pacquiao on that day was him not being able to sign autographs because his hands were swollen and he couldn’t handle a pen properly.
It was a superb performance, although not terribly surprising since it was expected of Pacquiao already. His mother, famously known as Aling Dionisia, was so caught up in the excitement that she fainted for a while as the fight ended. Everyone else stayed upright, watching in delight as Pacquiao finished off a night’s work by kneeling down in a neutral corner and saying a prayer of thanks.
The lopsided win gave Pacquiao his eighth title in as many weight classes in a remarkable career that began with him fighting at 107 pounds as a teenager in the Philippines. He was in charge the entire way, battering Margarito so badly that Pacquiao was pleading with the referee to stop the fight in the 11th round so his opponent wouldn’t have to take any more punishment.
“I told the referee, ‘Look at his eyes, look at his cuts,'” Pacquiao said. “I did not want to damage him permanently. That’s not what boxing is about.”
Pacquiao was also asked about Mayweather and answered that he was tired of the politics of boxing and that if there was to be a fight, he’ll take it to Bob Arum. If Mayweather spent $65 to watch the pay-per-view he may be even more reluctant to fight Pacquiao than before. He also has legal problems stemming from an altercation with the mother of his children that could interfere with a possible fight in the spring, but Arum believes that if Mayweather really wants to fight then the bout could be made.
Back home, where even crime stops when Pacquiao fights, the end touched off celebrations across the country. President Benigno Aquino III, who is attending the APEC summit in Japan, rushed back to his hotel room to catch the bout and sent his congratulations.
Boxing has never seen anything like Pacquiao, whose string of recent performances has reinvigorated the sport. His latest win earned him at least $15 million.
Pacquiao flew to Lake Tahoe for a Tuesday concert before preparing to return to the Philippines. Once home, he’ll get back to more mundane concerns, like making sure schools in his congressional district are functioning and getting funding for a new hospital that is badly needed.
Mayweather may be in his future, but there may be a point where Pacquiao doesn’t need Mayweather anymore. He certainly didn’t need him Saturday night to draw a huge crowd to Cowboys Stadium, where he now has one more win this year than the Cowboys themselves.
Click here for full article from The Philippine Star
