BusinessWorld (Philippines) articles from March 2012

BusinessWorld (Philippines) archives from March 2012

WEEKENDER.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Sam L. Marcelo Around 5,000 people walk through the corridors of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) complex on any given workday, many of them unaware that the paintings they pass by are part of a cultural treasure trove worth at...

WEEKENDER: going out.
March 30, 2012... THEATER V-Day Manila 2012: A Benefit Performance of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler New Voice Company March 31, 8 p.m. Music Museum,Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan The New Voice Company (NVC) is staging a one-night benefit...

WEEKENDER: going out.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno CONCERT Olivia Newton-John Live in Manila 2012 March 31, 8 p.m. Smart Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City With a career spanning more than four decades, British-Australian singer-actress Olivia...

WEEKENDER: going out.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno CONCERT Hanson Shout It Out World Tour 2012 March 30, 8 p.m. Smart Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City Some may have already dismissed the American pop rock band Hanson as a "one-hit wonder," but it is...

WEEKENDER: going out.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Sujata S. Mukhi THEATER REVIEW Jekyll & Hyde Repertory Philippines until April 22 (no shows during Holy Week) Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Onstage, Greenbelt One, Ayala Center,...

WEEKENDER: staying in.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Noel Vera DVD REVIEW Carnage Directed by Roman Polanski Roman Polanski's Carnage (2011), his adaptation of Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage is, for the most part, a hoot. The film begins with the camera slowly swooping down...

WEEKENDER: health.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Reiner W. Gloor A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in 2010 revealed that Filipinos agree that health is a basic constitutional right. As such, almost nine out of 10 respondents believe that it is the duty of the government to...

WEEKENDER: environment.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Bettina Faye V. Roc The Philippines is looking to exceed last year's record-breaking participation in Earth Hour, a worldwide one-hour power off campaign that aims to mitigate climate change, for this year's event to be held this...

WEEKENDER: environment.
March 30, 2012... The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) - Philippines recently launched the book The Tagbanua of Malampaya Sound: Conserving Nature as Lifeways which chronicles and celebrates the Tagbanua's indigenous conservation strategies. The book is authored...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno As part of the 46th anniversary celebration of multinational heavyweight Tupperware Brands in the Philippines, the pioneering direct marketing company recently launched its social responsibility campaign aimed at...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Nanette Franco-Diyco Over the weekend, after watching a movie at Rockwell satiated with a huge bucket of popcorn, my daughter remembered tweets of friends gushing over a new ice cream on a stick called Magnum. The tweets trumpeted...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Terence A. Hockenhull What is the difference between wants and needs? There may seem to be 101 reasons why a customer will buy a product or service. No matter how varied we might think these reasons are, they break down into the two...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
March 30, 2012... Sun care from Snoe THE SNOE brand of skincare products is highlighting its sun protection products now that summer is upon us. Try their Here Comes the Sunblock with SPF 45 as a daily ritual but make sure to reapply often throughout the day....

WEEKENDER: travel.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno In the past, the business hotel concept used to be quite off-putting. Terrible aesthetics, minuscule guest rooms and vile furniture were all justified in the name of functionality and practicality. While all...

WEEKENDER: travel.
March 30, 2012... Crowne Plaza Galleria CROWNE PLAZA Manila Galleria goes Luau this Easter. Take your kids to an island-inspired getaway without the hassle of a long drive on April 8, 2012 from 3-5 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom. Enjoy loads of Hula fun and...

WEEKENDER.
March 30, 2012... PERFORMANCES Paco Park Presents. March 30, 6 p.m. Paco Park, San Marcelino, Paco, Manila. The Santa Isabel Voice Students will be performing. Free admission. For details, call-832 1125. Pulso... The Filipino Soul in Dance. March 31, 3...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Earth Hour.
March 30, 2012... OFFICIAL PHILIPPINE SWITCH-OFFS SLATED FOR MAKATI, CEBU AND DAVAO Finally, Earth Hour breaches Earth! For the first time, the global 60- minute switch-off will extend to the International Space Station, where Earth Hour Astronaut-Ambassador...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Earth Hour.
March 30, 2012... SINCE ITS FOUNDATION in 1961, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has become the world's largest independent conservation organization. Its mandate focuses on biodiversity conservation and management of the human footprint. WWF is present in...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Summer Shopping Treats.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Gianna B. Villavicencio TO KEEP YOUR SUMMER wardrobe in vogue, consider what some of Manila's young style experts have to say about this season's must-have items. "Summer is probably the best example of how fashion repeats itself....

TAKE TEN.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Behn Cervantes I once pronounced that aging sucks! Now, I shout so with five exclamation points! It sucks! Aging sucks!!!!! Indeed!! Not only am I aging, vital organs malfunction in quick succession when you are past 50!! Gee! ...

COURTSIDE.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Anthony L. Cuaycong Soldiering on is, perhaps, one of the better ways Hank Haney can be described following his decision to write a book on his six-year experience as Tiger Woods's swing coach. He's getting no small measure of flak...

GIVE AND GO.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Michael Angelo S. Murillo The hoops spectacle that is the US NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball Championship hits its penultimate stretch with the staging of its National Semifinals, more popularly known as the Final Four, this weekend....

CHESS PIECE.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Bobby Ang UAAP Season 74 Chess Championship FEU Technology Building Morayta, Manila Final Standings 1. FEU, 38.5/56 2. UST, 36.0/56 3. UP, 34.5/56 4. DLSU, 29.0/56 5. NU, 24.5/56 6. Adamson (AdU), 23.5/56...

RCBC raises $75 million from debt sale.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Ann Rozainne R. Gregorio RIZAL COMMERCIAL Banking Corp. (RCBC) yesterday said it has raised another $75 million from the sale of the re-issued five-year senior unsecured notes due in 2017. In a disclosure to the stock exchange, the...

No trading on April 5, 6, 9.
March 30, 2012... THERE WILL be no trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) next Thursday, Friday and the following Monday in observance of consecutive holidays, the bourse announced in a memorandum on its Web site yesterday. The PSE announced the...

Cases against Legacy group to continue - PDIC executive.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Ann Rozainne R. Gregorio VICTIMS of the financial scam allegedly perpetrated by the Legacy Group of Companies need not worry over their claims in the wake of the death of the group's owner, Celso G. de los Angeles, Jr., because the...

Peso slides further vs dollar.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Ann Rozainne R. Gregorio THE PESO slid further against the dollar yesterday, as news of smaller 2011 earnings of Chinese companies and weak orders of US durable goods revived fears of a slowing global recovery. After shedding two...

Gov't completes rice import allocation.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Bettina Faye V. Roc THE PHILIPPINES is set to purchase from abroad 380,000 metric tons (MT) of rice after the government completed the bidding for the shipment quota of the private sector, an official said yesterday. Angelito T....

Crop insurance subsidy set.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Sarwell Q. Meniano TACLOBAN CITY - The Department of Agriculture is setting aside P5 million for crop insurance subsidy for rice farmers in Eastern Visayas this year. A memorandum of agreement signed by the Department of...

World Bank boosts anti-corruption framework.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Kim Arveen M. Patria THE WORLD Bank has approved an updated governance and anti-corruption framework as part of its campaign for effective developments, poverty reduction and economic growth, the multilateral group said. In a...

Opening of bids for train rehab project deferred (... as bidders.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Cliff Harvey C. Venzon TECHNICAL ISSUES need to be resolved in an elevated railway rehabilitation before the opening of bids for the project which has been delayed for the fourth time without a new date set, an official said...

IT sector seen doubling mart share by 2016.
March 30, 2012... THE INFORMATION technology (IT) outsourcing sector may double its global market share by 2016 with available work force and the Philippines being a low- cost destination, an official said in a statement yesterday. "IT outsourcing in the...

Manila, Tokyo ink loan, grant deals.
March 30, 2012... MANILA AND Tokyo yesterday signed loan and grant agreements for infrastructure, land reform and disaster mitigation projects, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced yesterday. The deals signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F....

Scrapping carrier tax backed.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Antonio Siegfrid O. Alegado POSSIBLE REVENUE losses from the proposed lifting of taxes on foreign airlines and shippers may be recouped by earnings from an expected rise in receipts from tourist arrivals and cargo traffic, the Senate...

Alternatives should keep rates low.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Emilia Narni J. David SOLUTIONS TO address the power deficiency in Mindanao should not result in more expensive charges for end-users, even if it entails the government developing additional water-based sources or cheaper blends, a...

Power situation in portions of Mindanao seen getting better.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Michael D. Banos CAGAYAN DE ORO - Power lack-weary Mindanaoans could take comfort in the possibility that the situation will get better in the coming months. In a conference held in Quezon City last week, the National Power Corp....

PSE slaps P5-M fine on RCBC brokerage for security breach.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Franz Jonathan G. de la Fuente THE PHILIPPINE Stock Exchange (PSE) has slapped a P5-million fine on brokerage RCBC Securities, Inc., for its failure to supervise a former employee accused of defrauding clients. The stock exchange...

San Miguel Brewery, ALI bag approvals for bonds.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Franz Jonathan G. de la Fuente and Cliff Harvey C. Venzon LISTED HEAVYWEIGHTS San Miguel Brewery, Inc. and Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) have bagged regulators' approvals for their respective bond issues which are poised to take advantage of...

Maersk local unit warns of inbound disruptions.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Cliff Harvey C. Venzon THE LOCAL arm of shipping giant Maersk Line yesterday warned of disruptions to its inbound service after its Danish parent announced a temporary halt to eastward bookings amid a widening global trade imbalance....

Capital raising seen robust.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Kathleen A. Martin CAPITAL RAISING via stock exchange listings grew last year while corporate bond issuances fell, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) document released yesterday showed. "Corporate issuers continue to tap the...

Coal plant expansion readied.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Emilia Narni J. David POWER FIRM TeaM Energy yesterday said it was finally pushing through with the long-planned expansion of the Pagbilao coal plant after it reportedly secured a partnership with Aboitiz Power Corp. "We are now...

Philex upbeat on estimates on Padcal resource reserves.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Bettina Faye V. Roc PHILEX MINING Corp. yesterday reported the remaining mineral resource reserves contained in its Benguet mine are enough to support its extended mine life. In a disclosure to the stock exchange, the local miner...

Headset brand expects boost from BPO sector.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Cliff Harvey C. Venzon HEADSET MAKER GN Netcom Pte. Ltd., is looking to ride the wave of continued growth in the call center industry along with opportunities in other sectors, a ranking official said. "There is still growth in the...

VANTAGE POINT.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Luis V. Teodoro Filipinos have a love-hate relationship with their countrymen in other climes. It's a relationship defined by class boundaries, in that most Filipinos love them while some don't, and even despise them. Those...

FENCE SITTER.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Antonio R. Samson The effort to put order in our not always busy lives has spawned a minor industry. The little-mourned Personal Digital Assistant or PDA of the '90s was supposed to have replaced the secretary whose job was to keep...

SURVEIL.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Amina Rasul ZAMBOANGA CITY - Happy Women's Month, sisters! I am in Celso Lobregat's "only Latin City in Asia." Tomorrow, we will open the third National Conference of Muslim Women Peace Advocates at Lantaka Hotel, the oldest hotel in...

STREETWISE.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Carol Pagaduan-Araullo If peace could be won through press releases and other public announcements, the Bangsamoro should be exercising their right to self- determination and enjoying genuine autonomy by now. The Government of the...

TRADE TRIPPER.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Jemy Gatdula Happened to read Bryan Magee's Confessions of a Philosopher last weekend and noted this quite interesting passage: "What matters above all else in politics is what happens, not what people say about it. And for the most...

EU to help gov't track Filipino migrant workers.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Aubrey E. Barrameda A E3-MILLION project that will help the Philippines improve its collection of data on the migration of Filipino workers to other countries will be funded by the European Union (EU) and launched around the middle of...

IN THE WORKPLACE.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Reylito A. H. Elbo The solemnity of the Holy Week and the joys of summer are giving our line supervisors recurring headaches, most of the time resulting in unnecessary overtime costs. The main issue is how to maintain a balance...

Floods affect 1,600 families in Negros Occidental.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Nanette L. Guadalquiver BACOLOD CITY - More than 1,600 families in Capiz and in northern Negros Occidental were affected by flash floods following heavy rains brought about by the tail-end of a cold front since Monday. In Capiz,...

21 Davao cops suspended for neglect of duty.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Noemi M. Gonzales THE OMBUDSMAN yesterday suspended 21 high-ranking police officers who were allegedly involved with the "Davao Death Squad (DDS)," a group said to be responsible for the unabated killings in the city. In a...

ARMM considers overhaul of education, health sectors.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Darwin T. Wee ZAMBOANGA CITY - The education and health sectors in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are undergoing major overhaul to eradicate corruption and inefficiency in the delivery of services. Mujiv Hataman,...

Plenary approval sought for bill benefiting helpers.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Noemi M. Gonzales THE HOUSE committee on labor and employment will push for plenary approval of the so-called Kasambahay bill when Congress resumes session in May, a lawmaker said. Northern Samar Rep. Emil L. Ong (2nd district),...

1 killed, 5 hurt in robbery try at Robinsons mall.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Mariae Francesca C. Ramos ONE SECURITY personnel died while five others were injured during an attempted robbery at a mall at the Ortigas Center on Thursday morning. Two armed suspects clad in security outfits open fired in an...

DoT entices foreign senior travelers with discounts, visa-free stays.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Aubrey E. Barrameda FOREIGNERS who are looking to retire in the Philippines will soon be allowed to stay as tourists, visa-free, for six months in the country, a Department of Tourism (DoT) official announced yesterday. Tourism...

BIR files 4 tax evasion cases worth P69M.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Aubrey E. Barrameda FOUR TAX EVASION cases were filed against eight individuals and two companies yesterday for failure to pay taxes worth at least P69 million, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) announced. Charged with the...

Aquino to tackle Spratlys at ASEAN.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Johanna Paola D. Poblete WHEN the President flies to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on April 3-4, he will push for political settlement on disputed areas in the West Philippine...

Policy still unfinished.
March 30, 2012... PRESIDENT Benigno S. C. Aquino III yesterday confirmed that the government is working on a draft policy statement on mining but indicated that more consultations will be fielded before this policy is finalized. "What they presented was a......

6 NPA rebels captured.
March 30, 2012... THE ARMED FORCES of the Philippines (AFP) together with police officers has captured six New People's Army (NPA) rebels including three high-ranking leaders during an encounter in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija last Wednesday. The joint patrolling...

New tourist spot?
March 30, 2012... THE DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) favors a plan to develop Pag- asa Island in the contested Spratlys region into a tourist hot spot. Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin replied "Why not, that is our territory" to reporters' queries on...

Refund requested.
March 30, 2012... BACOLOD CITY - The Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) has asked the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC) to refund the allegedly excessive line rental charges imposed after a breakdown in the transmission line. Ceneco President...

Relocation pushed.
March 30, 2012... THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) is pushing for the relocation of its Cebu district office to the so-called "Malacanang of the South," after the recent earthquakes damaged its current headquarters. Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon has...

Ready for Holy Week.
March 30, 2012... SECURITY FORCES are prepared for any eventuality during the Holy Week. Brig. Gen. Roberto Almadin, co-chairman of the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council said that large gatherings of people in places of religious interest and other...

Bill granting Aquino emergency powers filed at Senate.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Antonio Siegfrid O. Alegado with Johanna Paola D. Poblete A BILL GRANTING President Benigno S. C. Aquino III emergency powers for one year to address the rotating blackouts in Mindanao has been filed at the Senate, a statement...

Economic Indicators.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Monica Joy O. Cantilero Growth in wholesale prices decelerated to 4.0% in January from 6.7% the year before following declines in some items, data from the National Statistics Office showed. Slower growth was due to the fall in...

Economic Indicators.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Jerald T. Uy Retail prices of major vegetable products in Metro Manila remained stable as Holy Week approaches, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) reported. Data from BAS as of March 27 showed that ampalaya, cabbages,...

Consumer sentiment improves in BSP poll.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Kathleen A. Martin CONSUMER confidence improved in the first quarter in an indication that demand will stay strong and help fuel the economy, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) yesterday reported. While still negative, the...

Meralco power rates up next month.
March 30, 2012... A FRESH power rate hike - to take effect next month and before May's substantial National Power Corp. adjustment - has been approved for Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). The utility was allowed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to raise...

Tax bureau back on track after topping February goal.
March 30, 2012... Byline: Diane Claire J. Jiao THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) has rebounded from a January shortfall by surpassing its collection target last month. The bureau earned P68.69 billion in February, some P5.5 billion higher than its...

Treasury bares second-quarter borrowing plan.
March 30, 2012... THE GOVERNMENT plans to borrow P107.9 billion in the local debt market in the second quarter, the Bureau of the Treasury yesterday said. The agency, in a notice, said it would sell P52.5 billion worth of Treasury bills, slightly lower than...

RCBC completes buy of leasing affiliate.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Ann Rozainne R. Gregorio YUCHENGCO-LED Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) said yesterday it has completed the purchase of a majority stake in Malayan Leasing and Finance Corp. (Malayan Leasing) which belongs to the same group of...

PBCom says in talks with foreign groups.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Ann Rozainn R. Gregorio IN A BID to strengthen its capital base and beef up resources, the Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCom) is negotiating with prospective foreign investors for capital infusion, its chairman said yesterday....

Peso moves sideways for lack of leads.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Ann Rozainne R. Gregorio THE PESO closed slightly weaker against the dollar yesterday amid a lack of fresh market leads. After gaining 14.5 centavos last Tuesday, it shed two centavos to close at P42.935 per dollar against its...

Market back in consolidation mode.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Franz Jonathan G. de la Fuente STOCKS yesterday resumed their downward trek after Tuesday's spike, amid a lack of firm leads to support buying. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped 0.21% or 10.44 points to 5,067.66,...

COURTSIDE.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Anthony L. Cuaycong Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro tried to sound businesslike, but relief was most evident in his reaction to the vote of confidence franchise owner Donald Sterling and general manager Neil Olshey gave him the...

Wrestlemania 28 on Studio 23.
March 29, 2012... WITNESS THE once-in-a-lifetime match of two of sports entertainment's most celebrated icons, The Rock and John Cena, as they face off in the wrestling arena in the highly anticipated Wrestlemania 28 airing exclusively on free TV via Studio 23...

Salgados, Frayna dominate National Age Group chess.
March 29, 2012... LIVING UP to its billing as the breeding ground for future chess masters, Far Eastern University (FEU) under head coach Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales and assistant coach National Master Alex Milagrosa produced anew more qualifiers for age-group...

Hopping around the Metro for Easter.
March 29, 2012... HOLY WEEK may be a time for reflection and contemplation, but that doesn't meant the holiday cannot end with a bit of fun. The Metro and two out-of-town destinations offers enjoyment for both the young and young at heart for a memorable Easter....

Down by the corner.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Camille Erika R. Sarte Nestled in a quiet nook in The Podium at the Ortigas Center, Sa Kanto (at the corner) may look more like a Spanish restaurant than an all Filipino one, but looks can be deceiving. Its interior is simple,...

Italian cooking from north to south (A taste of Tuscany at The Fort).
March 29, 2012... Tuscano Italian Wood Oven Pizza and Restaurant is like a slice of Italy amid the bustle of the Taguig Central Business District. Located just off Padre Burgos Circle - one of Fort Bonifacio's busiest rotondas - the restaurant is an oasis of...

Dreaming of Italy in Malaybalay.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Michael D. Banos MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON - Residents of this provincial capital are privileged to have in their midst a restaurant offering excellent and authentic Italian cuisine - though one can't tell this outright from the name...

SPECIAL FEATURE: health guide.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Victoria T. Vizcarra THERE'S NO SURE WAY to turn back the clock, but exercise is as close to the fountain of youth as one can get. "The longer you stop, the faster your body gets older," sports and fitness science specialist Jim Saret...

SPECIAL FEATURE: health guide.
March 29, 2012... Byline: Eush Tayco AS THE PHILIPPINE Volcanoes ruck and maul their way through one rugby game after another, someone has to patch them back up. Damian Raper, the physiotherapist of the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU), is the man who...