BusinessWorld (Philippines) articles from November 2006

BusinessWorld (Philippines) archives from November 2006

UPSHOT.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Bernardo V. Lopez Large American and European drug firms are reportedly experimenting with new drugs using humans in Third World countries like India, in what are termed as "clinical...

CALLING A SPADE.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Solita C. Monsod Wracking your brain to think up of a Christmas gift that is reasonably priced and will be truly appreciated? Well, wrack no more. Give your friends, male or female, a copy...

THE VIEW FROM TAFT.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Philip Ella Juico I consider the timing impeccable that this column comes out today, Bonifacio Day, although tomorrow, Dec. 1, is the holiday, and that the subject of my column is the late...

STREET STRATEGIST.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Thads Bentulan Conclusion The Street Strategist, the pavement philosopher of maximum imagination and minimum talent, of infinite comprehension and zero knowledge, of total opinion and...

BCDA to lease out campus lot in Bonifacio Global City.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Kristine L. Alave Government-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is putting on the block a parcel of prime real estate in the Bonifacio Global City for lease. BCDA...

Deadline to bid for gov't stake in PLDT extended to Dec. 8.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Bernardette S. Sto. Domingo The government is giving bidders more time to work on their proposals to acquire its 46% stake in Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corp. (PTIC). The...

BYSTANDER.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Dean O. de la Paz Given the latest scandal faced by the Energy department involving price-fixing by an adjunct under its ambit and one once run by the Energy secretary himself, the two...

HSBC mulls expansion of call center arm.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paolo Joseph L. Lising Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (HSBC) in the Philippines plans to expand its call center operations next year. Incoming Chief Executive Officer Mark...

Aboitiz to raise funds for power projects.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Allan E. Lalisan Listed holdings company Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) yesterday began its offer period for 150 million five-year and seven-year redeemable preferred shares at the...

Napocor said to post net income in 2006.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales National Power Corp. (Napocor), the state-run power generation firm, said it will post a net income for 2006 on the back of prudent spending and the implementation...

Shell to put up more stations to sell ethanol-blended gasoline.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. will make available its E10 product or ethanol blended gasoline in 50 retail stations in Metro Manila by yearend, a ranking company...

PLDT to offer Internet TV.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio Telecom giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) plans to launch IPTV or Internet Protocol Television next year, Senior Vice- President Menardo G. Jimenez, Jr....

Bullish prospects.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Bouyed by strong demand from gaming and outsourcing sectors, Asia Netcom President and Chief Executive Bill Narney said the bandwidth business is looking up for the country. "We have experienced a...

More Chemrez shares.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Chemrez Technologies, Inc. (Chemrez) will list an additional 462.22 million common shares at a subscription price of P1.26 per share to cover a share-for-share transaction with shareholders of a firm it...

First Gen Corp. finally admits backing out of Mirant bid.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales First Gen Corp., an independent power producer owned by the Lopez Group, finally admitted that it has dropped its bid for the Philippine assets of United...

Basic Consolidated.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) In an effort to wipe out its P766-million deficit, Basic Consolidated, Inc. informed the Philippine Stock Exchange that it will be reducing its authorized capital stock to P500 million from P2 billion...

Acesite investor.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Tybalt Investments Ltd. now controls 9.01% of Gatchalian-led Acesite (Phils.) Hotel Corp. after it bought nine million common shares amounting to P66.8 million. In a report to the Securities and Exchange...

Magnum.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Samargatha, Inc. reported yesterday it sold 25.8 million shares of listed holdings company Magnum Holdings, Inc. at P2.90 per share on Nov. 24 to HDI Securities, Inc. Magnum Holdings, Inc. was formerly...

Gov't seeks $1-B Japanese loan to modernize shipping industry.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paolo Joseph L. Lising The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) will start negotiations with the Japanese government next week for a $1-billion loan to help modernize the...

Filinvest to raise P4.5B for capex.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio Gotianun-led Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI) expects to raise P4.5 billion from its follow-on offering of up to 3.7 billion common shares next year, company president Joseph...

House refining bill that seeks to form medical tourism zones.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Alexis Douglas B. Romero The House Committee on Tourism will form a Technical Working Group, composed of relevant Executive line agencies, that will be tasked to improve the focus of a bill...

Car parts group urges locals to buy CKDs.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) With the fate of the Philippine Utility Vehicle Program still hanging, local parts makers are urging Filipino car buyers to buy vehicles assembled from completely knocked down (CKD) kits, which have...

Philippines expected to threaten India in animation.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Maricel E. Estavillo Renowned Walt Disney animator Hans Bacher said the Philippines, with its rich pool of natural talent, has the potential to grow as much as or even dislodge India in the...

70%:30% local-foreign borrowing mix eyed for 2007.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paolo Joseph L. Lising The government may borrow more from the domestic market and less from abroad next year to take advantage of the low interest rates. Finance Secretary Margarito...

TAXWISE OR OTHERWISE.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Carlos Mateo It is a basic principle under our VAT system that the VAT is levied only on the sale of goods and services which are conducted in the course of trade or business as provided...

Energy assures biofuels law will not lead to price increases.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales The passage of a bill that requires the use of biofuels will not lead to an increase in gasoline prices as some transport groups have feared, a ranking Energy...

Cebu all set to host ASEAN summit.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Karen Flores-Garcia Cebu City - The country is "100% ready" for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, said Ambassador Marciano A. Paynor, Jr., secretary-general of...

Occupational safety.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) yesterday lauded 14 major firms for implementing various programs aimed at assuring the health and safety of their workers, as well as for the communities...

MTRCB budget.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Senate yesterday restored and approved the budget of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) after the House of Representatives cut it to P1 from P31.9 million following its...

Bacolod Santa cops.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Bacolod City - The Bacolod city police plans to assign policemen in Santa Claus outfits to guard shopping malls and other commercial areas during the Christmas holidays. Senior Supt. Rolino Quebrar, city...

Reintegration center.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Department of Labor and Employment will put up by January a one- stop shop reintegration center to assist returning overseas workers. Labor Secretary Arturo D. Brion told reporters that the office...

M. Manila, S. Tagalog, Bicol brace for typhoon Reming (Malacanang.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ira P. Pedrasa and Josefa Labay Cagoco Government officials have cancelled classes in all levels today as Metro Manila and nearby provinces brace for the onslaught of super typhoon "Reming",...

Nominees for Chief Justice back out of public interview.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paul C.H. How and Reagan D. Tan Members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) raised the possibility of changing the nomination process for the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice...

Palace fiat imposes penalties on firearms holders for gun loss.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Josefa L. Cagoco Malacanang has imposed stiffer penalties on firearms holders to encourage responsibility in securing firearms. Through Executive Order 580 signed by President Gloria...

Near split among Pulse Asia survey respondents on constitutional.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Josefa L. Cagoco Filipinos were almost evenly split on the planned changed in the Constitution, Pulse Asia said in its November Ulat ng Bayan survey. The independent pollster noted that...

Senate okays tuna bill.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Senate yesterday approved on second reading a bill that would regulate the handline fishing industry to benefit small fishermen. The proposed Handline Fishing Law of 2006, or "tuna bill" as it...

Electric meter standards.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Trade and Industry are crafting new technical standards for electric watt-hour meters used by all power consumers. Electric watt-hour meters show...

Workers' fund.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Department of Labor and Employment is pushing the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to establish an international fund for the emergency evacuation of migrant workers. In a press...

Peace march.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Zamboanga City - Over 30,000 residents marched along the city's major roads yesterday morning to open the week-long celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace. Fr. Angel Calvo, president of Peace Advocate...

Money transfer.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) State-run Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is having exploratory talks with money transfer service provider MLhuiller, Inc. to reach out to members in far-flung provinces. In a House committee...

Chinese business meet.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Hong Kong-based Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) pledged to hold the 10th World Chinese Entrepreneur Convention in 2009 in the country. CGCC president Ian Fok Chun Wan told President Gloria...

Philippine long-term sovereign bonds up in steady market.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Hong Kong - Prices on Philippine long-dated sovereign dollar bonds firmed yesterday after slipping in line with emerging debt elsewhere earlier this week, while the broader regional market was steady....

Taiwan deployment.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Workers can now act on their visa applications for Taiwan as the Council for Labor Affairs (CLA) has promised to resume the processing by Dec. 1, said Jackson Gan, president of Pilipino Manpower Agencies...

Military housing.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Budget department has approved the release of P1 billion to fund housing projects for soldiers. In a statement, Budget Secretary Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. said the special allotment release order (SARO)...

Stocks dip on slower third-quarter growth.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Allan E. Lalisan Share prices yesterday dropped as investors reacted to news of lower- than-expected economic growth in the third quarter. Investors are also preparing for new share...

Corporate regulator to draft separate accounting standards for pre-.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Beverly T. Natividad The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to draft accounting standards for local pre-need firms to ease their difficulty in complying with stricter...

Timberland Heights provides space for schools and hospitals.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ruby Anne M. Rubio Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI), one of the country's leading property developers, is inviting schools such as College of the Holy Spirit and Manila Waldorf School to locate in...

Invest in new machinery or be left behind (Dutch expert to Davao wood.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Christie E. Uayan Davao City - Tree growers must begin planting rubber trees and start modernizing their machinery or else become less competitive, according to a visiting Dutch consultant....

Sturdy and versatile cassava expected to become Albay town's next.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) For upland farmers in Tiwi, Albay, the humble but versatile cassava is now becoming a valuable crop, thanks to a pioneering agri-business project that introduced cassava farming to the community. ...

Publication names Etihad Airways 'Airline of the Year in the Middle.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been voted "Airline of the Year in the Middle East" by the readers of a leading travel catering industry publication. The...

SC steps in Air Force lending association row.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Paul C.H. How The Supreme Court has ordered officers of the lending association of Air Force personnel to retain their positions pending a case questioning the validity of their election...

Overseas Filipinos corner two-thirds of Davao residential property.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Christie E. Uayan Davao City - More than just fueling the economy through remittances, the country's overseas workers are keeping the local property business alive. In this city,...

Philippine Band of Mercy teams up with medical society.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Philippine Band of Mercy (PBM), an institution that attends to indigent Filipinos suffering from cleft lip/palate and other diseases like cataract and glaucoma, was recently accepted as an...

Pag-IBIG reduces loan interest rates.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) For the second time this year, the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees, chaired by Vice-President Noli L. de Castro, lowered interest rates on the government-run institution's housing loan packages, making...

Housing body extends plan for repayment.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Anticipating the surge of fund remittances from overseas Filipino workers as well as cash inflows from bonuses to local employees in time with the Christmas holiday, the National Home Mortgage Finance...

CONSUMER GUIDE.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Christmas treats from Starbucks Starbucks is offering various treats this Christmas season with its "On with the Tradition" holiday treat. These include beverages like Toffee Nut Latte, Gingerbread...

SPECIAL FEATURE: RP, INC.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Johanna Paola D. Poblete It's not really size, but strategy, that helps a company succeed in a challenging business. Alejandro C. Soliman, AMA Bank executive vice- president and chief...

BRIEFS.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) High school reunion Batch 1969 graduates of Marcelo H. del Pilar High School (MHPHS) in Malolos, Bulacan will hold their annual reunion and Christmas party on Dec. 9 at the Malolos Club Royale along...

Growth data disappoints (Industry-led 3rd quarter slowdown threatens.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ernesto B. Calucag with Norman P. Aquino The economy failed to sustain the robust growth notched in the first two quarters, with year-on-year growth in the July to September period nowhere...

SPECIAL FEATURE: RP, INC.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Gerardo S. dela Pena The classic take on the country's top corporations puts the chief executive officer in the limelight, under whose watch all the successes and failures of the company are...

Incoming HSBC chief exec upbeat.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Ma. Eloisa I. Calderon Coming to the country at a time when fiscal reforms are bearing fruit, Mark Watkinson, the new chief executive officer of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Limited...

Gov't scored over mining permit delays.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Kristine L. Alave Foreign businessmen have scored red tape in the processing of mining permits, claiming this has discouraged investors and imperilled renewed interest in the much-touted...

The doughnut challenge.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Raoul J. Chee Kee Manila is all abuzz with the opening of the flagship store of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts at Bonifacio High Street (near Serendra) today. Two weeks prior to the opening, The...

RESTAURANT ROW.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Coffee Beanery The Coffee Beanery is introducing its newest line of gourmet pastas and sandwiches called the "Beanery Meals." Featured dishes include tomato- basil pesto, herb and nut crusted...

Biofuels bill OK'd by Congress.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Reagan D. Tan Congress yesterday ratified the biofuels bill as amended by a bicameral conference committee, seeking to promote the use of alternative fuels given oil supply concerns. ...

SPECIAL FEATURE: RP, INC.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Cherry C. Bobadilla Surrounded by Hyundai's top regional executives who flew in to Manila for the recent launch of the Starex PRO series, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) Executive...

Kakanins the focus of food essay contest.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Several years ago, when chef Myrna Seguismundo was head of the Chefs on Parade (COP) culinary tournament, she suggested to respected food writer Doreen Gamboa Fernandez to expand the COP by offering...

COURTSIDE.
November 30, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anthony L. Cuaycong Even this early in the season, there's not inconsiderable value in seeing the National Basketball Association's best teams square off. Certainly, the encounters grant the...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Johanna Paola D. Poblete How quietly do you sleep? The smallest tendency reveals a person's state of well-being. A blush can indicate a person's feelings of embarrassment or excitement;...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Jennifer C. Estrada A silent night for Christmas. This is the campaign of Value Health Care Philippines as it introduces a nonsurgical way for the treatment of snoring and obstructive...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Samantha Leslie L. Marcelo Those who enjoy a bit of the bubbly (or any type of alcohol, for that matter) are probably toasting to the fact that numerous studies conducted and published by...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Samantha Leslie L. Marcelo Food writer Lori Baltazar can eat nothing but dessert on some days. A visit to her blog, Dessert Comes First (dessertcomesfirst.blogspot.com), shows that sweets...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) "It helps us enjoy and appreciate nature more. When you're in Manila and all you see are buildings, sometimes, it's nice to just take a break from everything. Where else can you go? To the mountains."...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Cherry C. Bobadilla The habits we've developed through time help us manage simple and complex everyday activities. But not all habits imply productive and positive actions. These behaviors,...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Cherry C. Bobadilla Completely eliminating a bad habit is more difficult than replacing it with one that is more productive. In fact, counselor and clinical psychologist Dr. Violeta V....

DoE, Flying V set economy run to promote biofuel use.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales The Department of Energy (DoE) and Flying V on Monday signed a memorandum of agreement to implement a biodiesel economy run next month, a moved aimed at promoting...

The sound of organ music fills Intramuros.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anna Barbara L. Lorenzo Music from antique pipe organs completes the olden-days feel of Intramuros these days. Two churches in the ancient walled city are hosting music festivals...

Karting and much more.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Anne Nerissa C. Alina Karting may be a mere form of amusement for some, but it is an extreme sport for the few who can carry the speed and master the techniques, qualities that were...

SPECIAL FEATURE: BODY HEALTH & wellness.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Still think obesity is a problem for rich countries only? Think again. As millions in the country struggle to put food on the table, at the other end of the spectrum are Filipinos beginning to feel the...

Mia O. Herbosa: Painting her life.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: Amelia H.C. Ylagan Alfonso Ongpin contemplates his newborn son, Luis. The amber of dusk falls softly on his lapel from an imagined window just over his shoulder. The soft light picks up a...

Customized Alterra wins award.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) A glossy orange-and-black Isuzu Alterra was named "Best Large Custom Asian SUV" during the 2006 Sport Truck and Custom Car Show held last September at the SM Megatrade Hall. The dressed-up Alterra,...

MAP hails RP's top managers for 2006.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has named the recipients of its annual Management Man of the Year award. Hailed Management Men of the Year 2006 are Metropolitan Bank and Trust...

NOT SO FAST.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Byline: TIto F. Hermoso Government works. Rightly or wrongly, that is what I want to believe. That's how I deal with life so I will have less things to worry about. In all honesty, it does work,...

BRIEFS.
November 29, 2006... (From BusinessWorld (Philippines)) Limited edition City out Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. is now offering a limited edition of the 2006 Honda City: the Silver Series which comes in the exclusive Bluish Silver and Silverstone colors....