BusinessWorld (Philippines) articles from August 2006, page 2

BusinessWorld (Philippines) archives from August 2006

BRIEFS.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Ortigas Foundation talk The University of Asia and the Pacific's Dr. Paul Dumol will deliver a talk on "Philippines: A Nation in Progress" on Aug. 31 at the Ortigas Foundation Library in Pasig City....

Trumpets' Joseph the Dreamer returns.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Joseph's timeless story of faith and hope has inspired Christian theater group Trumpets to stage Joseph the Dreamer again and again for the past 18 years. Accomplished thespians Franco Laurel and Alvin...

FAST FORWARD.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Argee Guevarra Unlike governments elsewhere, ours greet every tragedy with glee. A muted one for sure, but always with the inimitable glumness of the pretentious, like saying "I am sorry"...

BYSTANDER.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Dean O. de la Paz First of five parts For no other reason than to be fair, maybe more than others have and perhaps beyond bounds derelict agencies grant to conceal gross ineptitude, we...

UPSHOT.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Bernardo V. Lopez Just think of it. Petron had a net income of P6 billion in 2005, and P2.7 billion in the first half of 2006. So why would it scrimp, getting a decrepit ship to transport...

GRASSROOTS & GOVERNANCE.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Teresa S. Abesamis Once again, we have all this hue and cry over the mega-scandal on the aborted computerization of our electoral count. Computerizing the count of national elections in our...

Shoptalk.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Senga to Transco? The list of possible replacements for Alan T. Ortiz as president of state-owned National Transmission Corp. (Transco) is growing. Transco employees, however, are surprised with the...

2 projects mean water rate hikes for Cebu.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Karen Flores-Garcia Cebu City - The Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) will further increase its rates by 12% annually for the next three years to be able to implement at least two bulk supply...

Floirendos to convert lot into business process outsourcing center.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Carmelito Q. Francisco Davao City - A subsidiary of the Antonio Floirendo Group that is into agriculture and tourism will put up a business process outsourcing center in its property in...

SouthCom split in two.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Darwin T. Wee Zamboanga City - Southern Command (SouthCom), the largest military camp outside Manila, was formally deactivated and split into two on Monday. In a ceremony, the Armed...

DPWH wants 2 schools in Manila reconstructed.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ira May Joyce P. Pedrasa The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has identified two schoolbuildings in Metro Manila that need to be "demolished and reconstructed immediately" due...

BRIEFS.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Ayala Museum The Ayala Museum at Makati Ave. corner Dela Rosa St. has an ongoing exhibit entitled Salamisim, an interpretation of Philippine landscapes taken with a Nikon D70 camera by...

Gov't mulls measures to avert power crisis.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales The government will continue to step up efforts to entice investments in the power sector to avert a projected energy crisis by 2010, a Cabinet official yesterday...

Metro Pacific gets SEC OK to reduce capital stock.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the decrease in the authorized capital stock of listed property conglomerate Metro Pacific Corp. in line with the...

IPVG to raise more funds.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio IPVG Corp., a listed company engaged in the information technology and communications business, has approved the issuance of 100 million shares at a price not less than...

Mobile phone firms take second look at RP, neighboring markets.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Jennee Grace U. Rubrico As developed markets in Asia and the Pacific become saturated, mobile phone companies are expected to shift their focus on countries that offer increasing...

AD LIB.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Greg B. Macabenta Abraham Lincoln once said about his official actions: "If the end brings me out right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, 10...

Recto stands pat on exclusion of tax breaks.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Reagan D. Tan and Kristine L. Alave The compromises being pushed by businessmen on the proposed rationalization of fiscal incentives have not moved Senate ways and means chairman Ralph G....

CAPITAL VIEW.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Mercedes B. Suleik One of the widespread phenomena today is the ubiquitous presence of migrants in most countries of the world. Migrants include refugees - those whose countries have been...

Wire theft remains a problem for PLDT.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Davao City - In spite of measures taken by local authorities and utility firms here, cable theft has remained a major concern especially for the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) which posted...

Regional fund planned to combat animal diseases.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Beverly T. Natividad Panglao, Bohol - Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officials meeting here this week are expected to endorse the approval of a regional trust fund for the...

Japanese traders' sentiment less negative.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Bernardette S. Sto. Domingo The monthly survey of the the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) for August showed Japanese firms were a lot less pessimistic about prospects this month,...

Checking of tax credits to take two weeks, businesses assured.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Judy T. Gulane The One-Stop Shop Inter-Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center of the Department of Finance yesterday set a two-week revalidation period for tax credit certificates...

PNOC-led consortium starts seismic survey off Calamian.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The government-led consortium has begun a seismic survey project off Calamian islands, northwest of Palawan, state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) said in a statement yesterday. The Service...

China postpones stiffer sanitary import measure.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Beverly T. Natividad Local mango exports may still enter China after Sept. 1 without the additional costs of vapor heat treatment, as Beijing suspended implementation of the additional...

Muslim rebels.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Contrary to reports that terrorists have evaded Marine operations in Jolo, Sulu, the military yesterday assured that the three Muslim rebels are still in the area. In an interview, Captain Ramon Zagala,...

Travel advisory.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Zamboanga City - This city's business sector is urging the US to lift its travel advisory on southern Philippines that warns its citizens to avoid Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. Officials of the...

Drive vs smugglers.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Cebu City - The regional offices of five government agencies in Central Visayas have formed a task force to run after foreign nationals who are suspected of illegally doing business in Cebu City. The...

DoJ creates oil spill task force.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paul C.H. How The Department of Justice (DoJ) has created a task force to investigate the massive oil spill off Guimaras island, particularly to determine the criminal liability of...

Senate to focus on power of people to initiate Charter change.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Reagan D. Tan The Senate will focus on the issue of how much power it will grant citizens to change the Constitution through a people's initiative, the chairman of the constitutional...

Automakers cautious over new people's car.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Kristine L. Alave Despite the promise of incentives, car manufacturers have expressed caution over the government's Philippine Utility Vehicle (PhUV) Program, citing investments costs and...

RP lemon law OK'd by House.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) A measure aimed at protecting buyers of brand new motor vehicles has been approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives. House Bill 5303 - also called the "Philippine Lemon...

New E-Class launched in RP.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Reagan D. Tan There's nothing ambiguous in Mercedes Benz's new generation E-Class, arguably the German car maker's "best" luxury sedan, given all the extensive testing and "small details"...

NOT SO FAST.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Tito F. Hermoso In a sea of "me too" compact SUVs, it's a wise strategy to look different. This is where the Hyundai Tucson and chunky looking Nissan X- Trail score high. So high that Toyota...

COURTSIDE.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anthony L. Cuaycong The other night, the broadcast feed of the Sports Plus cable channel graciously gave avid tennis habitues a look back at Andre Agassi's scintillant run to the men's...

Nursing reforms.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) is pushing for several reforms in the regulation of the nursing educational system to prevent controversies similar to the one that recently affected nurses. A...

Telco affiliates testing wireless Internet solutions for mobile phones.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Maricel E. Estavillo Local Wi-Fi providers are now at the final stage of developing a wireless Internet solution for mobile phones which can bring down voice call rates for their telecom...

Investor in SLEX rehab cool to compensation.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Felipe F. Salvosa II The Malaysian investor in the P8.3-billion upgrade of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) appears cool to a request by the builder of the Skyway System for compensation...

Congress mulls end of PNCC's franchise.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Michelle Syonne M. Reyes The House committee on legislative franchises yesterday continued its probe on whether to junk or extend for another 25 years the franchise of state-run toll...

UCPB forges tie-up on foreclosed lot.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) has tied up with a real estate firm to transform White Cove beach resort, one of the bank's foreclosed properties, into a...

Bohol general is Palparan's replacement.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ma. Elisa P. Osorio A general credited for increasing tourist arrivals in Bohol is set to replace General Jovito Palparan in Central Luzon. In an interview with reporters, Defense...

Competitiveness goal set (RP aims to be in top third worldwide by.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Kristine L. Alave The Philippines is aiming to be in the top third of the world's most competitive countries by 2010, with the government and the private sector yesterday vowing to map a...

Robinsons Land names new executive.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio Listed property firm Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) has appointed Frederick D. Go as president and chief operating officer after its board of directors accepted the...

Grassroots-led schemes urged.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Josefa Labay Cagoco A road map for Philippine development that banks on city-level multi- sectoral participation to demonstrate that national progress can be worked from the ground up is...

Mitra offer still being studied as gov't plans bid.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales and Jennee Grace U. Rubrico Bidding for an oil exploration project affected by a controversial Palace order is now being planned as the government yesterday issued...

Gov't accepts international court order but won't vacate NAIA-3.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paul C.H. How with Josefa L. Cagoco The government is willing to comply with an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration order that it temporarily give up the Ninoy...

RP, US ready formal talks on free trade area proposal.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Kristine L. Alave The Philippines will now formally engage the United States in negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA), Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila yesterday announced. This...

Inflation likely to have eased in August - BSP.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Karl Lester M. Yap Inflation is likely to have eased in August due to a stronger peso and stable food prices, the central bank yesterday said. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor...

Philex Mining reduces metal output in July.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno The metal output of listed Philex Mining Corp. fell to P786.26 million last month, from P807.35 million the previous month. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock...

Filipinos in Lebanon.
August 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The government will continue to respond to the needs of the overseas Filipino workers in Lebanon amid the fragile ceasefire there, the Department of Labor and Employment said. Labor and Employment...

Sy to exercise right to buy EPCIB shares.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio Sy-led holding firm SM Investments Corp. (SM) is keen on buying a proportionate block of Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB) shares, including those held by subsidiaries of the...

Peso gains in cautious trade.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ma. Eloisa I. Calderon The peso yesterday rose against the dollar, although trading remained cautious. It closed at its intraday high of P51.21, 17 centavos, stronger than Friday's finish....

Demand Rates as of August 25, 2006.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The interbank demand rate was 8-1-4%, according to the Bangko Sentral treasury department. Rates quoted by two participating institutions, a lender and a borrower. Total transactions amounted to P1.991...

Philippine Silicon Valley.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Dennis Posadas Readers are what make us writers tick. This week, let me show you some letters from people who seemed to have been moved enough to comment on some of my articles. From...

21 cities, sectors to bare vision for RP.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The unveiling of the "Philippines 2030 Roadmap" and the "Dream Cities" will highlight the event "Mahal Ko ang Pilipinas," which will be held tomorrow, Aug. 30, at the Hotel Philippine Plaza in Pasay...

Confab to reveal ways to deter, respond to dangers of terrorism.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Deterring, preventing, and responding effectively to dangers of terrorism as they affect business are the main concerns of Protect 2006, a conference-cum-exhibit to be held on Sept. 27-29 at the World...

PEOPLE.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) PSBank executive is new BAIPHIL head The Bankers Institute of the Philippines (BAIPHIL) has elected GRACE DELA CRUZ as its 61st president. Ms. dela Cruz is currently vice-president and acting...

CONSUMER GUIDE.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Herbal tea ABS Herbal Tea is a combination of anise, peppermint, and ampalaya. It helps improve digestion, allows removal of toxins from the body, and allows the production of bile which helps in...

PINOY NA PINOY.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Edilberto Alegre My son Elu(ard) came for a 10-day visit. Two years ago he graduated (AB Psychology) from Johns Hopkins University. He took up a job teaching English to elementary and middle...

Next mobile 'killer app' to come after 5 years.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Maricel E. Estavillo The elusive next killer application in the telecommunication arena might finally knock into our doors after five years, an analyst from research firm IDC Corp. said. ...

Book fair opens.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anne Nerissa C. Alina Seventy-five exhibitors are expected to participate in the 27th Manila International Book Fair that opens tomorrow at the World Trade Center and runs until Sept. 3. ...

GIVE AND GO.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Michael Angelo S. Murillo "Our target now is the Final Four." Admittedly, when University of Santo Tomas coach Pido Jarencio said the above words a couple of games back, I took them with...

Docu aims to instill leadership values in youth.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anne Nerissa C. Alina Decades have passed since the leadership of Ramon Magsaysay captivated the hearts of many Filipinos. Unfortunately today, most of the youth have little or no knowledge...

Share prices end higher on bargain hunting.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: AFP with Ruby Anne M. Rubio Share prices closed higher yesterday as bargain hunting in select blue chips took hold following a five-day decline. Thin volumes, however, suggested that...

COURTSIDE.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anthony L. Cuaycong Stewart Cink had his chances. For three straight play-off holes, he had victory in his grasp, and for three straight play-off holes, he found himself unable to close the...

TO TAKE A STAND.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. It's not only the battle, but the war that is over, said the cocky presidential chief of staff, Michael Defensor, hours after President Arroyo's allies in the Lower...

FRAMEWORK.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Elfren Sicangco Cruz In a survey of family businesses that have lasted more than 200 years, the Financial Times of London discovered that the main reasons for their continued success and...

FENCE SITTER.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Antonio R. Samson I've been asked about the proper elevator behavior in a building with call center tenants - Should one be irritated by peasants affecting a Kansas accent loudly talking...

BUSINESSWISE.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Firmo M. Tripon In the Philippines, crime pays. That is going to happen if the nursing exam leakage is not resolved as every crime must be resolved - with the criminals getting punished. The...

THE FINANCIAL EXECUTIVE.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Joseph Albert A. Gamboa When Urban Bank and its subsidiary Urbancorp Investments, Inc. (UII) were placed under PDIC and SEC receivership in April 2000, thousands of depositors and creditors...

COMMENTARY.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Fr. Roy Cimagala Ideologies are not bad in themselves. They are often heroic and ambitious attempts to make a kind of world-view of things, explaining them scientifically and extensively. In...

COMMENTARY.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Minyong Ordonez The chemist shop on Kensington Church Street in London sells various new pills for all kinds of angst and stresses, insomnia and paranoia, phobias and other psychosomatic...

Listed firm pursues case vs bank.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno Listed chemical investments firm Metro Alliance Holdings and Equities Corp. yesterday said that it will push through with the filing of a case against a German bank...

CNG project makes progress.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. has informed the Department of Energy that a public utility program using compressed natural gas (CNG) may start operating earlier than projected, Energy Secretary...

'Clustering' promoted among SMEs.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Karen Flores-Garcia Cebu City - The clustering strategy employed by the Canadian Executive Services Orientation-Business Advisory Project (CESO-BAP) has turned competition among small- and...

PSE urges more firms to list in local bourse.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is intensifying its campaign to encourage more companies to list in the stock market as a viable option for investments. The...

Robinsons to develop lot into residential community.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno Gokongwei-led Robinsons Land Corp. yesterday said it will put up a residential project in Paranaque City, as part of its efforts to tap into new markets, and locations....

P152-M state transmission assets sold.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) State-owned National Transmission Corporation (Transco), the state firm that took over the transmission assets of state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor), said in a statement yesterday that it has...

Cebu retailers move against illegal goods.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Karen Flores-Garcia Cebu City- Four business groups here have committed to implement a self-policing system to protect consumers against substandard products and services from illegally...

Philippines balks at US trade retaliation.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Kristine L. Alave The Philippines has appealed to the United States government to keep the country under the latter's General System of Preferences (GSP), which is now being reviewed by the...

Compromise deal being sought on aerial spraying prohibition.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Davao City - Plantation companies and community leaders backing commercial-scale farms in this city hope a compromise deal would be reached on the proposal to ban aerial spraying of agrochemicals. ...

Time running out on power in Mindanao.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Carmelito Q. Francisco Davao City - Power companies have started considering investing in Mindanao, but a supply shortage could occur before the decade is over since it takes about four...

Gov't pegs 2nd-quarter growth at 5.3%-5.8%.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Bernardette S. Sto. Domingo The economy is expected to have grown between 5.3% and 5.8% in the second quarter on the back of rising exports demand as well as improved performance of...

RP pushes extension of rice security scheme.
August 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Beverly T. Natividad Panglao Island, Bohol - The Philippines will push to extend beyond 2008 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cross-supply arrangement to stock up rice...