BusinessWorld (Philippines) articles from October 2008

BusinessWorld (Philippines) archives from October 2008

WEEKENDER.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Sam L. Marcelo CONCERT Halloween in Space: Journey to the Stars Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m. Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City With a little imagination, a Halloween...

WEEKENDER.
October 31, 2008... A funny Halloween Funnyman Pooh will have a spooky performance on Oct. 31, 8 p.m., titled Sa Mug Cafe Pooh Tayo at Mug Cafe in Pacific Mall, Lucena City. Halloween at SM The various SM Malls will host Trick or Treat fun as kids...

WEEKENDER.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Johanna D. Poblete A lone man sweeps his hand in an arc, scattering the ashes that was once his father from a bridge onto the Mississippi River, onto a dirt road significant only because of a shared memory from childhood, onto...

WEEKENDER.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Sam L. Marcelo What happens when you die? Before Christianity took over the Philippines and sent souls of the dearly departed to heaven or hell, our ancestors believed that spirits, or anitos, went on existing in a world parallel...

WEEKENDER: movies.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Noel Vera MOVIE REVIEW Altar Directed by Rico Maria Ilarde Rico Maria Ilarde's an odd creature of a filmmaker. From Z-Man (1988), his comic-book no-budget independent-action-flick take on Ridley Scott's Blade...

WEEKENDER.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno Most Filipinos are familiar with Catholic funeral rites, but there are other religious communities in the Philippines which have their own ways of honoring the dead. Tearing one's clothes Rabbi Eliyahu...

WEEKENDER: staying in.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Cuaycong TELEVISION Big Love HBO Mondays, 11 p.m. How many wives does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Three. One to hold the ladder, one to hand the lightbulb, and one to applaud. ...

WEEKENDER: staying in.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Cuaycong The following is an excerpt from a telephone interview with Bill Paxton hosted by HBO Asia on Oct. 22. Several Asian publications participated, BusinessWorld among them. BusinessWorld (BW): What was your...

WEEKENDER: health.
October 31, 2008... There are many challenges to being a parent - educating one's kids, teaching them good values and ensuring that they have a good future. However, one of the most difficult tasks parents have is how to make their children eat healthy. ...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno It has been almost 50 years since the world came to know Barbie dolls. The first Barbie was introduced in 1959 when American businesswoman Ruth Handler created a doll for her daughter Barbara. Since then,...

WEEKENDER: health.
October 31, 2008... Breast cancer meet St. Luke's Medical Center will highlight modern breast cancer treatment at the 2nd International Symposium on Cancer from Nov. 6-7 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The symposium will provide actual clinical scenarios on...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Nanette Franco-Diyco My one and only daughter left home during the weekend to hoist her flag of independence via living in her own condo. My son also left the family compound a fortnight ago to do a 3-month fellowship in...

WEEKENDER: marketing.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Terence A. Hockenhull Most salespersons like to think of themselves as gregarious and outgoing in nature. To this end, they display a high degree of personal confidence and generally find it easy to talk to complete strangers...

WEEKENER: hot this weekend.
October 31, 2008... COMEDY SHOW Russell Peters and Jo Koy Live in Manila Oct 31, 8 p.m. NBC Tent, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Get a double dose of rib-tickling Halloween laughter as two US-based stand-up comics join forces for a special...

WEEKENDER: travel.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Raoul J. Chee Kee A common misconception and one that its proud townspeople hope to rectify once and for all is that Taal is located in Tagaytay, a popular destination for day-trippers. Taal is actually located in Batangas...

WEEKENER.
October 31, 2008... PERFORMANCES Ang Mga Mananahi/Ang Bayot, Ang Meranao, at ang Habal-Habal sa Isang Nakababagot na Paghihintay sa Kanto ng Lanao del Norte. Oct. 29-30, 4 and 8 p.m. Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Blvd.,...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Shopping.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Bernice Marie V. Berida Sure, you have your own car, your dream car to be exact. Experienced drivers and car enthusiasts, though, will probably say that this isn't enough. A car after all, is only as good as a turtle's shell...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Shopping.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Anton Javier B. Dizon Gadgets and tech goods have always banked on the newer-is-better marketing bait. Consumers, for their part, are more than happy to keep on snagging the latest snazzy widget on the display window. Whether...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Shopping.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Anton Javier B. Dizon Few people in the world can match the Filipino's passion for basketball. And while having the right footwear does little to the typical Filipino's lack in height - an essential prerequisite for the big...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Shopping.
October 31, 2008... It all started with shoes. And it was but fitting that with SM celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, it recently opened its first supermall in Marikina, the shoe capital of the Philippines. As Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando and...

WEEKENDER: travel.
October 31, 2008... Boracay via Seair South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) has partnered with the hippest bars and resorts in Boracay for a hot Halloween weekend filled with dancing, rocking and all-night partying. Avail of the best SEAIR deals online at...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Founding Fathers of Philippine Business.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Shelly Faune C. Dimaculangan Behind a multimedia conglomerate, a major electricity distributing firm and an investment holdings corporations is one of founding fathers of the Philippine business sector: the first Eugenio Lopez,...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Founding Fathers of Philippine Business.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Agape Grace E. Miguel Much has been said about today's business leaders: from their influence in their spheres, their vibrant careers to even their lives' vicissitudes. But behind all the accolade given to the present generation...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Founding Fathers of Philippine Business.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Hannah M. Muralla Industrialist, entrepreneur, executive, civic leader, diplomat, philanthropist, and family man - big words to describe, but not enough to sum up the fruitful life lived by Ambassador Ramon V. del Rosario, Sr. A...

PDIC gives ultimatum to PBCom.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) has ordered owners of the Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCom) to divest at least 67% of their holdings by March next year, otherwise, it will be forced...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Founding Fathers of Philippine Business.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Agape Grace E. Miguel The Yuchengco Group of Companies traces its roots back to its founder, Enrique Tiaoqui Yuchengco, and his venture into the multifarious world of business. Mr. Yuchengco was born in China in 1879 and was...

SPECIAL FEATURE: Founding Fathers of Philippine Business.
October 31, 2008... In the years following the Second World War, Joseph McMicking, a war hero and a senior partner at Ayala y Compania (now Ayala Corporation), thought of transforming the swamplands of Makati into a modern financial, commercial, and residential...

Peso firms up after rate cuts.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon THE US Federal Reserve's hefty rate cut in its key policy rate, which followed that of China, has allowed the peso to swing back to the P48-to- the-dollar territory yesterday. The local currency...

Share prices soar after US Fed cuts rates.
October 31, 2008... Byline: AFP and Kristine Jane R. Liu Share prices closed higher yesterday in line with most Asian bourses following a decision by the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, dealers said. The composite index rose 4.7% or 84.29...

Non-life insurers vow compliance with capitalization requirement.
October 31, 2008... Non-life insurers said they will comply with a regulatory requirement they must have a minimum of P75 million in paid-up capital by yearned. "This will bolster the balance sheets of the industry over time," said Ramon Dimacali, Philippine...

IN THE WORKPLACE.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Reylito A.H Elbo Our company has been in the auto parts manufacturing business for more than 30 years now. We've almost a complete set of policies to help guide us in managing the work force. My question is this - what makes it...

RP formalizes ties with Qatar on OFW opportunities, welfare.
October 31, 2008... Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque recently said the Philippines and Qatar have firmed up the way towards a renewed, vigorous enforcement of the welfare and protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) through a new accord or...

ePLDT signs up Pru Life Philippines to provide disaster recovery.
October 31, 2008... In recent years, businesses faced several threats both natural and man-made. Fortunately for Pru Life UK Philippines, the company's operations were not disrupted by these emergencies. And even if they were, financial company Pru Life UK has...

Centennial Garden Memorial Park offers services in newest phase.
October 31, 2008... The Centennial Garden Memorial Park and Services, a project of South Spring Development Corp., opened its gates in 1999. Located at the National Road of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Centennial Garden first transformed a piece of prime property into a...

Banks focus on lending to small firms to weather the economic downturn.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon Local banks are bracing themselves for a tougher operating environment in 2009, but said that opportunities abound in lending to small businesses and micro-enterprises. Bank of the Philippine Islands,...

BRIEFS.
October 31, 2008... Habitat village to rise The city government of Pasig and Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) celebrated another milestone as they broadened their partnership in providing their residents the opportunity to own decent, affordable and...

GIVE AND GO.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Michael Angelo S. Murillo Rough waters are truer tests of leadership. In calm water every ship has a good captain. - Swedish proverb I don't know if veteran slot man Asi Taulava has read the proverb above but he surely is...

CHESS PIECE.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Bobby Ang I am really caught up in this trivia thing. So here are a few more questions: 1. In which world championship match did all games start with 1.d4? 2. What world championship match occurred in Havana? 3. Has...

MAX Entertainment to present 'Dinos Alive World Tour' in Manila.
October 31, 2008... The "Dinos Alive World Tour" is coming to town and it's set to be an exciting non-stop entertainment for the whole family. After successful visits in Thailand and Indonesia, the next stop is Manila. MAX Entertainment is set to showcase the...

TAKE TEN.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Behn Cervantes As a tyro in the art of theater in 1956, I had many role models. Over in UP, Joonee Gamboa, Lino Brocka and I took note of the fine technique and professionalism of the likes of Jun Roy, Tito Gupit, Cherry Santos,...

Cebu retailers see crisis as an opportunity to grow business.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Marites S. Villamor CEBU - Retailers here may be apprehensive of the projected economic slowdown next year, but they remain optimistic that this will pass and consumer spending will eventually bounce back. Bernie H. Liu,...

Local industries appealing for more participation in anti-smuggling.
October 31, 2008... An industry group has called on government to allow more private sector participation in anti-smuggling efforts, particularly in checking importers' shipments and applications to use duty-free warehouses, in a bid to prevent Customs officials...

BIMP-EAGA renews push for ecotourism, marketing sub-region as single.
October 31, 2008... DAVAO CITY - The sub-regional Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) has directed its efforts toward developing eco-tourism within its own destinations. This is among the main issues that tourism...

High court rules vs British American Tobacco in tax dispute.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Ira P. Pedrasa The Supreme Court has denied the request of British American Tobacco (Phils.), Inc. (BAT) to hear its arguments on the alleged unconstitutionality of freeze on the tax classification of tobacco products. In a...

COURTSIDE.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Anthony L. Cuaycong It didn't take Gregg Popovich long to resort to "Hack A Shaq" in the Spurs' season opener against the Suns. In fact, it was clear from the purposive manner in which Mike Finley wrapped his arms around...

VECTOR.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Sonny Coloma What led to the current global financial crisis? What brought about this near-meltdown of financial institutions that has prompted presidents, prime ministers, and other world leaders to start pushing the panic...

FENCE SITTER.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Antonio R. Samson One of the perils of staying with friends or relatives abroad is the prospect of being dragged into a party with a set of strangers who regularly see each other. Social events like football viewing or local...

Migration forum commits to 'rights-based approach'.
October 31, 2008... Government from migrant-sending and -receiving countries ended the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) yesterday with a commitment to follow a "rights-based approach" in dealing with issues concerning migrant workers. ...

VANTAGE POINT.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Luis V. Teodoro US Democratic Party candidate for president Barack Obama, who US tracking polls say is leading Republican Party candidate John McCain by anywhere from seven to three points, is way ahead of his rival in newspaper...

TRADE TRIPPER.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Jemy Gatdula It is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. In the Philippines, it's not only paved, it's furnished, lighted, and gilded with it. A good example is the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral...

RP, Malaysia reach deal for more flights.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Paolo Luis G. Montecillo Local carriers will be allowed more flights to Malaysia as a result of recently concluded air talks between the Philippines and its neighbor. A representative of the Philippine air panel that met with...

DoLE prepares to help retrenched OFWs.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Sarwell Q. Meniano TACLOBAN - In anticipation of the retrenchment of some overseas Filipino workers due to the worsening global financial crisis, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) regional office here has formulated...

Emirates to provide 1,500 jobs for Filipinos.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Emilia Narni J. David The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would be providing 1,500 jobs for Filipinos in three sectors. A pilot project providing jobs in the health...

Gov't eyes tuna catching, ranching north of Cagayan.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Neil Jerome C. Morales The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is eyeing fishing and ranching of bluefin tuna in the Pacific waters northeast of Cagayan to increase domestic tuna production, officials yesterday said. ...

ADB extends $100 million for agrarian reform communities.
October 31, 2008... The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending $100 million to the Philippines for agrarian reform communities aimed at reducing poverty and promoting sustainable livelihood. Around $70 million will come from the ADB's ordinary capital...

LET'S TALK TAX.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Thelma T. Mundin Name recall is a potent marketing tool in the business community such that the "first come first served" rule becomes the basis for awarding the use of a particular name that will mark or characterize one's...

Vendors extol benefits of open source software, cite its growing use.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Paolo Luis G. Montecillo More companies are adopting open source software as a way to cut costs amid a slowing economy. Some of these are big firms that have realized that they don't have to pay big to increase productivity...

Exchange extends IPVG trading halt pending talks with investors.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Kristine Jane R. Liu The Philippine Stock Exchange has extended the trading suspension on shares of information technology (IT) firm IPVG Corp. pending negotiations between the listed firm and potential investors. The bourse...

Condominium demand in Davao rising.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Joel B. Escovilla DAVAO CITY - This city's residential property sector can barely keep up with the growing demand for condominiums for sale and for rent despite the global economic slow-down. One of the companies benefiting...

Biofuel firm gets incentives.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Jessica Anne D. Hermosa A subsidiary of sugar producer Roxas Holdings, Inc. has qualified for tax incentives from the Board of Investments (BoI) for its P1.43-billion ethanol plant. BoI granted pioneer status to the P1.138...

PLDT open to compromise with Globe on Global City.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Paolo Luis G. Montecillo Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is open to a compromise with rival Globe Telecom, Inc. for the rights to provide telecommunication services in the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. ...

RULE OF LAW.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Augusto R. Bundang Iam now starting to understand why many are saying that Filipinos will soon rule the world just like the Egyptians, and the Romans, and the Spanish did in the past and like what the Americans are doing at...

Investor trust cited in Manila Water bond sale.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Ava Kashima K. Austria The government yesterday hailed the oversubscription to a maiden multibillion peso bond offer by Ayala-led Manila Water Co., Inc. as a sign of investor confidence. In a statement, Finance Secretary...

Ayala Land unit opens new mall in Cebu.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Regina T. Aguilar CEBU CITY - Ayala Land affiliate Cebu Holdings, Inc. yesterday opened its P60-million entertainment and lifestyle mall at the Ayala Center Cebu. The Terraces, patterned after the Greenbelt Mall in Makati...

Judges told to review cases.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Ira P. Pedrasa The Supreme Court has required lower court judges to visit jails to ensure the protection of detainees' rights and hasten resolution of pending cases. The high court has issued guidelines on jail visitations...

RP commits to UN peace-keeping efforts.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Alexis Douglas B. Romero with AFP The Philippines has committed itself to backing United Nations (UN) peace-keeping efforts. The agreement was sealed during the courtesy call of UN Secretary- General Ban Ki Moon on President...

Regional ports group to cut business cost.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Rey Garcia SUBIC BAY FREE PORT - A regional ports group will reduce the cost of doing business between and among its members as it looks for ways to mitigate the impact of the global economic slump. In a speech at Wednesday's...

High-risk prisoners up for transfer to camps.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth T. Marcelo The military is surveying city and provincial jails for high-risk and -value prisoners who can be transferred to military camps and police regional headquarters, military chief Gen. Alexander B. Yano said...

Regulator okays provisional fare reductions for next week.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Paolo Luis G. Montecillo and Bernard U. Allauigan Transport fares will be reduced next week as result of the so-called one-time, big-time fuel price cut, a regulatory agency said yesterday. The Land Transportation Franchising...

Kidnapped aid worker in Basilan released.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Darwin T. Wee ZAMBOANGA CITY - One of two aid workers held captive by bandits in the South for one-and-a-half months has been released after a "reasonable amount" of ransom was paid. Claretian priest Angel C. Calvo, president...

Microsoft offers installment terms.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Paolo Luis G. Montecillo The local unit of software giant Microsoft Corporation is fighting rampant software piracy by offering installment terms to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). On Wednesday, Microsoft Philippines,...

Two senior police officers return travel fund advance.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth T. Marcelo Two of the eight senior police officials who attended an official conference in Moscow, Russia yesterday returned cash advances for the controversial trip. In a statement, Philippine National Police (PNP)...

Former official to stay longer in hospital.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Bernard U. Allauigan and Alexis Douglas B. Romero The Senate will assess the condition of a controversial former official linked to a multimillion-peso fund scandal to see if he can withstand an inquiry. Senate President...

Arroyo appoints priest as sports commission head.
October 31, 2008... President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed a priest as head of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). An appointment letter furnished to Palace reporters yesterday named Fr. Vicente Lim Uy as PSC chairman, replacing Ricardo R....

Tribal groups back project.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Romer S. Sarmiento COTABATO CITY - Lumads or indigenous peoples in Mindanao have backed a power expansion project beyond its reservation block. Datu Samuel M. Asicam, Sr., Cotabato Tribal Consultative Council chairman,...

Refocused college curriculum to address jobs-skills mismatch.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Bernard U. Allauigan The curriculum of college educational institutions will be redirected in the next school year towards subjects that will bridge the jobs-skills mismatch issue. Emmanuel Y. Angeles, newly installed...

Fuel prices cut by as much as P6/liter.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Ava Kashima K. Austria with Alexis Douglas B. Romero Significant fuel price cuts - as much as P6 per liter for diesel and P2.50 per liter for gasoline - have been announced by oil firms, which said the adjustments were part of an...

BSP sees policy leeway from latest Fed rate cut.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Gerard S. dela Pena The latest US Federal Reserve rate cut will prove beneficial to the Philippine economy but at the same time is no guarantee that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will follow suit, central bank chief Amando M....

Economic pinch hits the funeral business.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Don Gil K. Carreon Tougher times have prompted Filipinos to give their dearly departed less lavish sendoffs, with funeral industry officials reporting a rising preference for modest final rites. The industry is also feeling...

Banks to tighten trading limits.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon Banks yesterday agreed to a temporary tightening of currency trading limits, supporting a central bank bid to reduce exchange rate volatility. The "gentlemen's agreement" - effective for three months...

Davao City's cemeteries post lower revenues due to overcrowding.
October 31, 2008... Byline: Joel B. Escovilla DAVAO CITY - A shortage of space has cut revenue collection in nine city-managed cemeteries this year over last year. Francisco V. Vales Jr., chief of the Davao City Economic Enterprise, said public...

BPI net income down by 30%.
October 30, 2008... Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) posted a 30% decline in its net income to P5.3 billion in the nine months to September amid persistent volatilities in the financial markets. In a...

Peso retreats to P49.20:$1.
October 30, 2008... Byline: Maria Eloisa I. Calderon The peso yesterday swung back to the P48-to-the-dollar territory in intraday trade but drifted lower to close at P49.20 per dollar as markets awaited results of the US Federal Reserve's rate-setting...

Stocks rise on US Fed rate cut expectation.
October 30, 2008... Byline: Kristine Jane R. Liu Stocks snapped two days of lethargic trading, gaining 4.47% after investors scooped up battered stocks in anticipation of a US Federal Reserve rate cut, analysts said. The benchmark Philippine Stock...