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Philippines posts 196 mln USD deficit in February
MANILA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' overall balance of payments (BOP) posted a 196-million-U.S. dollar deficit in February, significantly lower from the 895-million-dollar BOP deficit recorded a year ago, the country's central bank said on Tuesday. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the BOP deficit in February reflected outflows arising mainly from the national government's foreign currency deb.....»»
Mayor Honey leads groundbreaking ceremony of Sta. Ana Blood Bank
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna led the groundbreaking ceremony of Blood Bank at the Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila on Wednesday, Oct. 26. MANILA PIO/ MANILA BULLETIN Lacuna was joined by Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, Jaime V. Onpin Foundation, Inc. President Reynaldo Bautista, Executive Director of Operation Smile Emiliano Romano, and Sta. Ana Hospital Director Grace Padilla during the event. The newly established building will help accommodate more patients who need blood transfusions. It will also help in preventing delays in the schedule of operations that do not require hospitalizations. Lacuna also inaugurated the Ambulatory Surgical Clinic of Sta. Ana Hospital at the event. The “Zero Cleft Manila” program was also launched with an aim to early detect and provide free medical assistance to minor Manila children with cleft lip or cleft palate. The chief executive, meanwhile, also encouraged Manileños who have the ability to donate their blood to help those in need. Also present at the event were Manila Health Department Director Dr. Arnold Pangan, Rep. Elmer “Joel” Par, and former councilor Christian Uy......»»
Gov’t pushes digitalized, mechanized farm sector
The Department of Finance (DOF) said the government is rapidly digitalizing the country’s agricultural systems and mechanizing farm production to ensure food security over the long run. During the virtual 2020 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the government wants to turn the coronavirus-induced health emergency into an opportunity. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) To do so, Dominguez said efforts to implement the twin measures are being done to expand Filipinos’ market access for food producers while keeping food supply available and prices affordable. “We are confident that the innovative measures we are putting in place today will transform Philippine agriculture into a dynamic, high-growth sector that will fuel our country’s strong recovery,” Dominguez said during the high-level Food Security Roundtable at the meeting. Dominguez said the government is also promoting digital marketing to support ongoing efforts to boost consumer spending in the new normal and sustaining public investments in rural infrastructure. He added that the government is accelerating the move towards agricultural technology-based farming and value chain development to ensure long-term food security. To channel more funds into the agriculture sector, the government is also encouraging more private-sector financing in the sector by proposing reforms in the Congress that will provide more access to credit for the entire agricultural value chain, Dominguez said. “We all aspire for greater food and nutrition security for our people. Only an efficient and modern agriculture sector can fully deliver that,” Dominguez, who was Agriculture secretary during the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino, said. Amid pandemic, Dominguez III said the Philippines has been handling the COVID-19 crisis “with strength on the food security front” duets reforms, particularly with the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL). According to Dominguez, the agriculture sector was “one of the brightest spots” of the Philippines’s response to the pandemic owing in large part to the RTL. He pointed out that agriculture sector even continued to grow when the rest of the economy contracted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominguez said rice tariffication was among the main reasons why the government has succeeded in keeping food prices and supply stable, and inflation low during the COVID-19 emergency. Keeping rice prices stable has been helpful for low-income households that spend a fifth of their budgets on rice alone, he added. “The Philippines faced the COVID-19 pandemic with strength on the food security front,” Dominguez said. He pointed out that despite logistical restrictions resulting from the lockdowns imposed to protect people and communities from the lethal coronavirus, the government was able to sustain the flow of produce from local farms to Filipino consumers. “A food crisis did not happen. This is credited to the effective management of the food supply by our Agriculture Department,” Dominguez said......»»
DOLE: Distressed businesses may avail of bank loans for 13th month pay
The Department of Labor and Employment told distressed businesses which can’t afford to pay for their employees’ 13th-month pay to avail of loans from banks. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR. / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the Bankers Association of the Philippines had earlier said it is open to offering loans for businesses heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Siguro pwedeng umutang muna para may pambayad sila (Maybe they could borrow from banks so they could pay their employees’ 13th month),” Bello told DZMM Teleradyo in an interview. Aside from borrowing from banks, Bello said the labor department is also eyeing to subsidize the 13th-month pay of employees from micro and small enterprises (MSE). Malacanang said it will discuss the matter with the Departments of Budget and Management (DBM) and Finance (DOF) to see if the government can shoulder the 13th month P13.7 billion needed to subsidize the 13th-month pay of MSE workers. Bello reiterated that there should be no deferment in the giving of 13th-month pay to employees. The labor secretary said it should be given on or before December 24, with no extensions. Employees entitled to a 13th-month pay include those who have been working at a business or company not less than a month regardless of their employment status......»»
DA asks NEDA approval for additional P14-B funding
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking the approval from the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) for the additional P14-billion funding to extend the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the largest World Bank-funded project in the country. PRDP National Deputy Project Director Shandy Hubilla said that even ... The post DA asks NEDA approval for additional P14-B funding appeared first on Manila Bulletin......»»
What’s in style? Safe shopping.
Rustan’s goes all out with safety measures, including the latest in disinfection and sanitation. THANK YOU FOR SMOKING. Rustan’s utilizes Spanish technology Sanivir, which contains active ingredients proven to kill bacteria, molds, and coronavirus These extraordinary times have completely shifted the definition of so many ordinary words. Take, for example, “weekends.” What does a weekend even mean, when everyone is living their weekends day in, day out? People cooped up inside their homes, Netflix and chilling (or pacing, depending on current anxiety levels), wearing their Natori Fortuna Mandarin all day, as governments all over the world caution to shelter in place. Or “homecooked.” Everything’s veritably homecooked now—whether it’s cooked in your home, by you, or cooked in somebody else’s home, by an upstart baker you support because she’s your niece, or by your favorite chef, who is left with no choice but to create his oeuvres from his home kitchen. Or “luxury.” Let’s be honest. Luxury—its BC (before Covid) definition—contained overused keywords like glamour, opulence, indulgence, lavishness. But times, they’ve changed. Fancy things now seem so unnecessary, so excessive, so out of touch, so…pointless—in a world that has hastily pivoted back to the basics. Sipping tea from a Royal Albert 1980 Roseblush cup doesn’t seem as luxurious as being able to score some actual, hard-to-acquire Gold Yen Zhen tea from TWG, even if you have to gulp it from those ubiquitous bamboo cups. The pandemic has changed what luxury meant. Now, luxury is the feeling of being safely ensconced in our cocoons, safe from the virus, safe from the madding crowds. Safety is luxury. To be more accurate: Luxury is being safe, while experiencing as few inconveniences as possible. One Home, One HopeMarketers and entrepreneurs are now realizing, after putting in all necessary work to convince their clients to come back, that a sense of safety is beyond physical, it is psychological. It’s Plexiglass with perception, masks coupled with marketing. Brands, to successfully ride out these challenging times, need to do more than just tick off government checklists—they need to bank on their legacies, their ethos, their abiding sense of connection to loyal clientele. AT YOUR SERVICE. Rustan’s opened up a Sanivir desk to allow its customers to avail of its method In the travel industry, as it is in the retail industry, it’s about leveraging on your loyal clientele’s sense of home. “Home” is no longer just their place of residence, but their familiar zones. It’s about “feeling at home.” As people start to nervously and grudgingly go out, they will only want to stay and explore sacred spaces where they’ve “felt at home.” Luxury retailer Rustan’s understands this well. “Our goal for the past 70 years has always been to serve the community with great service and to provide a safe environment that feels like home,” Nedy Tantoco, chairman of Rustan Commercial Corporation, says. “In this new chapter, we are committed to the idea of ‘One Home, One Hope.’ As an establishment that has been a second home for many shoppers, we will stay dedicated in implementing thorough safety protocols to ensure that our employees and shoppers are protected and can visit us with ease of mind.” And this is why higher-end businesses like Rustan’s will flourish, despite the financial challenges Covid-19 brings. They have the space, and they obviously can very well afford to put stringent safety measures in place. Precise precautions are in their DNA. These are establishments that cater to the VVIPs, whose exacting standards they’ve always tried to meet. And it’s not just loyal clients who will seek out these private spaces—the occasional and habitual shopper will gravitate toward businesses that offer them this hushed environment. Going inside cramped little boutiques have lost their novelty, and many will shirk away from places that tend to be crowd favorites. At Rustan’s, shoppers have always counted on the intimacy of the shopping experience. Unobtrusive but alert sales personnel have always kept their distance as you scan the racks, and there’s always a sense of quiet order—a serene retail floor space, backed by an efficient team who anticipate your needs and who move with the fluidity of a well-directed orchestra. This efficiency will be in full display when you visit the store again—that is if you still haven’t since it reopened in June. Opened after three months of closure, the luxury retailer has implemented, in compliance with government regulations, security measures like foot baths, thermal scans, hand sanitation, and mandatory wearing of masks. You’ll also see staff repeatedly disinfecting touchpoints like escalator rails and elevator buttons, and alcohol dispensers are going to be ubiquitous. RETAIL WONDER. Sanivir is perfect for retail spac-es as smoke is dry and won’t stick to clothing Managers, sales associates, security personnel, and cleaners are all wearing masks, face shields, and goggles. But it’s the little touches that will remind you how they’ve set the bar high—sanitation boxes are placed in fitting rooms for clothes that are not purchased, fitting rooms are sanitized after every use, and store personnel are required to steam the clothes before putting them back on display. At the payment counter, all credit cards will be sanitized, and packages will be disinfected before being handed to the customer. At the store’s East Café, tables are separated with plastic shields, and so are the wash basins in the restrooms, which will each have a sanitary officer, whose only job is it to disinfect the toilet after every use. And that’s just the stage. Backstage, it’s just as—if not more—exacting. Introducing Sanivir, the latest in disinfection technology “Even in our employees’ canteens we have placed plastic shields to protect each of our employees while they are having their lunch break,” Nedy says. The company has required all returning employees to be tested for Covid-19. Rustan’s is also continually disinfected using Sanivir, a technology introduced in the Philippines by chemist Pinky Tobiano of KPP Powers Commodities, who is also CEO of Qualibet Testing Services. “Sanivir is a smoke disinfectant from Spain, which contains glutaraldehyde and orthopenyl phenol—two active ingredients have been tested that can kill bacteria, molds, and viruses that have been proven against coronavirus by laboratories in EU.” PINKY’S PROMISE. Pinky Pe Tobiano, the chemistwho brought the technology to the Philippines “It was great timing and serendipitous that we found the product right before the pandemic escalated to the level it is now,” Pinky tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “Sanivir was both an innovative and unique product that addresses the problem we currently have—it is easy to use, cost-friendly, effective, and safe.” It is a perfect disinfectant for a retail space—it only utilizes smoke, is dry, and won’t stick to clothing. “When Pinky introduced to me her disinfection program, I immediately asked her to do my father’s house and my own house,” Nedy shares. “I was so satisfied with the service that I asked her if she could open a service desk at Rustan’s to allow our customers the chance to avail of this disinfecting method. It’s so easy. Any housewife can do it. It allows us the ease of disinfecting without a fuss. It also works for our cars. The service desk has been open for two weeks at Rustan’s Ayala Avenue. And I am happy to say that it has met full acceptance with quite a number of Rustan’s customers.” Its ease of use is an advantage. “Just open the can, remove the plastic cover of the wick, set on a flat surface, light the wick, and leave for the next six to eight hours. The smoking process lasts for only one to two minutes, then disinfection takes place for the next six to eight hours,” Pinky says. “That’s good for 14 days.” And the cost? Surprisingly very minimal. “One can of Sanivir of 25 grams is P1,750 and it’s good for 14 days for a room of 30 to 50 square meters,” Pinky says. “The cost per day is only a P125 investment. If you have five people in the room, the investment per person per day is only P25.” But for those who are not in the mood to shop in-store, Rustan’s online service has amped up its service. Apart from its website, fortuitously launched a year ago, you can also tap the Personal Shoppers on Call Service, where sales associates respond to you on Viber, after which you can have your items delivered to you, or picked up by the curbside. Nedy shares, “And very soon, we will launch our Rustan’s Concierge Service, where customers can call a single number, and will be immediately assigned a personal shopper to attend to their needs.” Now, many ways words and concepts are redefined in these troubled times—but having your own personal shopper, one who’ll do your shopping for you as you leisurely read the latest Kevin Kwan Sex and Vanity book in the comfort of your home? We’re guessing that that’s a definition of luxury that won’t likely ever change—unprecedented crisis or not. .....»»
Manila Archbishop: Washing of feet maintains faithful’s connection to Jesus
In his homily at the Manila Cathedral on the evening of Maundy Thursday, Advincula stressed the importance of the washing of the feet, not merely as a hygienic act but as a sign of one's relationship with Jesus......»»
US reaffirms support for Philippines sovereignty amid its tensions with China
Washington, DC [US], March 28 (ANI): US Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila in defending its sovereignty while criticising China's "dangerous" water cannon attack at the Philippine supply mission vessel on Saturday. In a telephonic conversation between Austin and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the US Secretary reiterated the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.....»»
Philippines announces decisive measures amid tensions with China
Manila [Philippines], March 28 (ANI): Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr has announced decisive measures to protect his country's sovereignty and maritime rights while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marcos, known as Bongbong, said that the measures, aimed at addressing what he said is the "open, unabating, and illegal" actions by China's Coast.....»»
Contagious pertussis disease continues spreading in Philippines
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The contagious pertussis has continued spreading in the Philippines, where it has caused at least 40 death cases, after a province near the capital region reported an outbreak of the disease. In a social media post on Wednesday night, the Cavite government posted a resolution declaring the province under a state of calamity "due to the outbreak of pertussis" after logging 36 cases an.....»»
ED attaches asset worth Rs 70 lakh in bank fraud implicating Hyderabad-based Jasleen Enterprises
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached an immovable property valued at Rs 70 lakh in a bank fraud case involving Jasleen Enterprises headquartered in Hyderabad. The Hyderabad division of the ED attached the fixed asset in accordance with the stipulations outlined in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. ED initiated investigation on the basis of First Informati.....»»
Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Akbayan said on Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte does not have to be a president of the country for her to call out China’s intrusive actions over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Empathy and a moral backbone is just what it takes to stand up with fisherfolk and frontline.....»»
China: PH is ‘straying down a dangerous path’
MANILA, Philippines — China continued to blame the Philippines and its ally, the United States, for the continued tensions in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian warned that the Philippines is going down a dangerous path. READ: No letup in Chinese water cannon attacks.....»»
Marc Pingris dinenay na may ‘something’ sila ni Kim Rodriguez
PINABULAANAN ng basketbolista at tinaguriang “Pinoy Sakuragi” na si Marc Pingris ang mga kumakalat na balitang may namamagitan sa kanila ng aktres na si Kim Rodriguez. Sa kanyang Facebook page ay diretsahang sinagot ng asawa ni Danica Sotto ang mga intriga ibinabato laban sa kanya. “Walang katotohanan ang mga lumalabas na balita tungkol sa amin.....»»
7 lumang simbahan sa Metro Manila na swak pang-‘Visita Iglesia’
TUWING sasapit ang Semana Santa, isa sa mga tradisyon ay ang “Visita Iglesia.” Para sa mga hindi aware, isa ito sa mga taunang ginagawa ng mga Katoliko na bumisita sa pito o higit pang simbahan upang magdasal at magmuni-muni sa mga istasyon ng Krus. Sa pamamagitan nito, ibinabandera ng mga deboto ang kahalagahan ng pananampalataya,.....»»
Philippines logs 40 pertussis deaths this year
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Forty children have died of whopping cough, a respiratory infection also called pertussis, since this year, the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) has reported. The DOH said in a statement on Wednesday that cases have continued to increase since the start of this year, recording 568 cases from Jan. 1 to March 16. "The total number of cases for the same period in 2023 was.....»»
DMK criticises Election Commission for being biassed in allocating symbols to political parties
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 28 (ANI): The Deputy Secretary of the Student Wing of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Ka Amutharasan, has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of having a biassed attitude towards opposition parties by allocating election symbols as per their wishes. "ECI has allocated the symbols for the Tamil Manila Congress and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhgam that those parties wished for. Th.....»»
ANZ raises Philippine inflation forecast to 3.8% this year
ANZ Research hiked its inflation forecast for the Philippines to 3.8 percent this year, from 3.5 percent previously, as risks may drive inflation up to above the central bank’s two to four percent target in the coming months......»»
Unlock business success at Franchise Asia Philippines Expo
The Franchise Asia Philippines Expo 2024 is set to hold a series of dynamic seminars designed to empower entrepreneurs, investors and business enthusiasts with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the ever-evolving world of franchising. Slated from April 12 to 14 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, these seminars offer invaluable insights into key aspects of franchising and business growth......»»
Dela Rosa considers war with China but admits: ‘Hindi naman natin kaya’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is already fed up with China’s persistent harassments in the West Philippine Sea, prompting thoughts of engaging in war with Beijing. But he knows, war is not an option. “Naubos na ang sasabihin ko dapat dyan. Short of declaring war na tayo dyan against sa kanila e,.....»»