Sweden Quits RP, Ends Aid Program

Human rights is key issue

THE Swedish government’s decision to withdraw its diplomatic mission from Manila after 60 years is widely believed to have been caused by disenchantment over the Arroyo administration’s failure to improve its track record on human rights and governance during the past few years.

The Swedish ministry of foreign affairs is to close its embassy in Manila at the end of May.  It has also decided to terminate all development assistance programs to the Philippines two years ahead of schedule.

The Swedish government placed the Philippines in the category of such countries as Angola, Laos, Nicaragua and Botswana where it also ordered a similar withdrawal of its presence.

Click here to view Apr 15-May 3, 2008 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*The historic island-fortress of Corregidor revisited

*Spanish firm mulls agri project in RP

*China bares success on bird flu vaccine

*What happened to food security?

*Giving the farmer a break

*Hero-worshipping a journalist of the old school

*What will happen to hospitals without nurses?

*Can local golfers make it to the big time?

*Ways of coping with inflation

 

Protests seen to stunt growth

A MAJOR disruption in key sectors of the economy is likely to occur if anti-government protests aimed at forcing President Arroyo out of office escalate in the next quarter.

Arroyo has declared she has no intention of resigning but will serve her full term until 2010.

The next two to three months are deemed crucial because anti-government protesters are apparently shifting their strategy from political and religious pressure to economic sanctions.

Click here to view Mar.17-Apr. 5, 2008 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*Cheaper real estate and health care will lure Japanese retirees to RP but…

*ADB backs transparency in oil, mining sectors

*The ‘export’ of corruption

*Of American economic encroachments and political blackmails

*Reorientation of Filipino values needed

*Our real national sport: Missions Impossible

*On US recession and class reunions

OFWs lost P45b in ’07; defaults on the rise

OVERSEAS Filipino workers racked up more than P45 billion in foreign exchange losses last year as a result of an unprecedented increase in the value of the peso vis-a-vis the US dollar, according to Trade Express estimates.

The amount represented disposable income from about $14 billion in OFW remittances in 2007 that would have spurred more consumer spending and fueled growth of small businesses particularly in the provinces.

The local currency ended 2007 with a parity rate of P41.40 to the dollar, up more than 18 percent from P49 at the beginning of the year.

Click here to view Jan. 21-Feb. 9, 2008 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*Korean group to build P3 billion resort hotel in Cebu

*P2.75 billion worth of pirated goods seized last year

*Indian pharmaceutical firm launches operations in RP

*Filipino workers lead protest march in Saipan

*The National ID system: Not again

*There is no way for former Philippine presidents to seek reelection

*Walking through an amusement machines plant in Las Vegas

*When you absolutely, positively have to be kept alive

*What’s in a wedding?

*Remain healthy, stay fit and avoid stress

Food prices up next year

RISING costs of farm inputs and production shortfalls are likely to push prices of critical food items next year as major producers grapple with higher costs oif domestic production and shrinking markets abroad.

Industry sources told TradeExpress Asia that countries which depend heavily on imports of such items as beef, pork and poultry may encounter difficulties in sourcing these products in traditional volumes. 

The world’s biggest producers of these agricultural commodities are China, the United States, the European Union and Brazil.  Of the four, however, China does not have the production capacity to serve the export market.

Click here to view December 2007 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*Investors look to the Philippines as site for retirement villages

*Export demand for RP mangoes rising

*In search of alternative sources of energy

*Press freedom is only for newspapers

*Foreign group mulls P3b project in Coron

*Cagayan Valley pushes eco-tourism

*Love in the time of the Internet

South Expressway rehab stalls

THE rehabilitation and upgrading of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) has been hampered by the failure of the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) to obtain a new franchise to continue operating the tollroads which it built in the 70s. 

Expansion work on the SLEX started last year on the assumption that PNCC would be able to get congressional approval for a new franchise upon expiration of its previous authority on April 30 this year.

However, PNCC was only able to get approval of its new franchise from the House of Representatives.  The Senate sat on the measure until questions on the controversial sale of PNCC debt stock are settled.

Click here to view Oct. 30-Nov. 24, 2007 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*RP leads ASEAN in the protection of intellectual property rights

*India to challenge China as manufacturing hub by 2012

*Traveling to a grandfather’s homeland

*Impeachment? Not again!

*Reviewing gov’t policy on foreign labor

*The power of words

*Australia takes back the welcome mat

*The hassles of air travel

*Marine theme park to rise in Manila Bay

New oil find in Palawan looms

POSITIVE signs of a new oil and gas find off western Palawan may lead to the development of new offshore reserves in the Philippines believed to be much bigger than the Malampaya gas and oil field operated by Shell.

The new prospect is the Marantao reef complex in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) which is covered by Service Contract 55 awarded by the Philippine government to Otto Energy ltd. of Australia.

Click here to view October 8-22, 2007 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*Vice President De Castro says the country’s real estate sector is booming

*Vietnam draws $1.9b in foreign equity in 9 months

*Shanghai posts 13 percent GDP growth in first half of ’07

*Raising the alarm bells on soil erosion

*Philippine economy: reality vs. perception

*Missing the point on JPEPA

*Did ‘political correctness’ cause APEC breach?

*Addressing the plight of Japanese-Filipinos

*A look at Canada’s economic boom

*Outbound Chinese tourists seen to reach 50m in 3 years

Swiss group saves gov’t huge clean-up bill

THE Philippine subsidiary of the Swiss cement giant Holcim saved the Arroyo government and the state-controlled Petron Corp. hundreds of millions of pesos in clean-up and waste disposal costs arising from a massive oil spill in Guimaras Straits in August last year.

More than 100 kilometers of coastline and 500 hectares of mangrove in the straits were damaged by about 2,000 tons of industrial fuel oil which spewed from the sunken tanker Solar I.

 Click here to view September 10-29, 2007 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*Indonesia to develop 3 new free trade zones

*Palau hosts Asia-Pacific parliamentarians assembly

*Senate starts hearings on cheaper medicines

*Scientists discover antioxidant to retard wrinkles

*Reasons to be optimistic about the Philippine economy

*Why China deals are suspicious

*Clean Water Act of 2004 revisited

*Coron: Waiting to be tapped as Palawan’s newest destination

*Pinoy rock band wows Chicago

Bush props Indonesia, cuts RP aid

The Bush Administration will pour more financial aid to Indonesia and Vietnam next year while cutting funding for the Philippines in what is generally seen as a sign of shifting priorities in Southeast Asia.

More than half of the $539.4 million in foreign aid proposed by the Bush Administration for East Asia and Pacific region for FY 2008 was earmarked for the two countries.  The amount comes from $34.9 billion in foreign operations funding which Bush submitted to Congress for approval.  The US Congress has indicated it would slash the amount to $34.2 billion.

Click here to view August 13-31, 2007 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*Thailand revs up to produce eco-cars

*Department of Agriculture eases rules on beef imports from US, Canada

*How long can call center agents last?

*Why are pretty women permanent fixtures in motor shows?

*IMF gives President Arroyo an “A”

*RP-US ties on a roller-coaster ride

*Stupid crimes are committed when no one is looking

*A new vacation haven in Panglao Island

RP imports to rise, FAO says

The Philippines will continue to be a net importer of major agricultural products in the next 10 years as its economy expands to fuel demand by a growing population.  Among these items are cereals such as rice and corn, and meat products which the country imports from suppliers in Asia and North America.

According to a joint report of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization released in early July, the Philippines is one of at least four countries where a considerable increase in meat imports can be expected.

Click here to view July 23-August 11, 2007 edition

WHAT’S INSIDE

*WTO intervenes in looming US-China trade war

*Filipinos have low awareness for intellectual property rights

*When Posh comes to shove

*Defining terrorism and terrorists

*Imelda jubilates in ‘victory’

*Christian spittle in a Muslim ocean

*Gov’t reissues warning on financial frauds

*Can trading on fake products be stopped?

*Cruising the South China Sea

Tan seen to head PNB-Allied

THE Lucio C. Tan (LCT) Group is reported to be looking into the feasibility of tying up with a major foreign bank to make its banking arm a key player in the Asian Region.

Eyed as possible partners are banking giants in China and Japan.  No specific institutions were mentioned although Tan is known to be dealing with large banks in Asia and elsewhere.

Click here to view July 2-21, 2007 edition

 WHAT’S INSIDE

*The Philippines’ lingerie business redefined

*Germany revives historical and economic ties with Palau

*A nation run like heaven by Filipinos?

*The elections and cheating are over but the stealing?

*Concern raised on the safety of Chinese products

*The Philippines’ forgotten holiday

*Manila to host world real estate expo

*The effects of good statistics on business

*What makes a hot Bollywood movie?