Factory growth eases in June 2018
Factory output, as measured by the Volume of Production Index (VoPI), grew 18 percent in June, reversing the 0.1 percent contraction in June 2017 but was slower than the 19.8 percent growth in May. Increased output were seen for petroleum products, textiles, rubber and plastic products, machinery, food manufacturing and beverages. These were: petroleum products, basic metals, non-metallic mineral products, machinery except electrical, food manufacturing, electrical machinery, chemical products, paper and paper products, rubber and plastic products, printing, wood and wood products, and textiles. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the manufacturing sector is expected to sustain double-digit growth in the coming months. “To further drive manufacturing growth, local government units can be capacitated more to attract investments in manufacturing and manufacturing-related services outside Metro Manila,” Pernia said.
Source:Philippine Star
August 07, 2018 15:33 UTC
Peso retracts to 53:$1 level
MANILA, Philippines — The peso rally lost steam yesterday after momentarily breaking the 52 to $1 resistance level as inflation quickened for the seventh straight month to hit a fresh five-year high of 5.7 percent in July from 5.6 percent in June. It opened at an intraday high of 52.85 and lost steam to hit an intraday low of 53.015. A trader said investors are awaiting the outcome of the rate-setting meeting of the BSP’s Monetary Board tomorrow. The BSP’s Monetary Board has so far raised benchmark rates by 50 basis points this year through back-to-back rate hikes to curb rising inflationary pressures. It lifted interest rates by 25 basis points for the first time in more than three years on May 10 followed by another 25 basis points last June 20.
Source:Philippine Star
August 07, 2018 15:33 UTC
Go on leave, PIA boss urges Mocha Uson
Controversial President Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson should take a leave of absence, said Harold E. Clavite, director-general of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), an office under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). Along this line is a call for her to take a leave of absence to reflect on these matters. ADVERTISEMENT“This is not only a seeming insult to our profession in communication and public information but also degrading to the women and mothers in our communities. “As a public servant and being part of the PCOO family, I take great offense in Ms. Uson’s actions, which continuously damages the rectitude of my communication and public information agenda. “With this, I respectfully urge Ms. Mocha Uson to take a leave of absence to think and reconfigure all her strategies putting into consideration the code of conduct and ethical standards that all public officials should adhere to.” /atmADVERTISEMENT
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 14:03 UTC
8 SM firms rank tops in ASEAN good governance
8 SM firms rank tops in ASEAN good governance 55 SHARES Share it! Share TweetEight SM companies were recognized among the top-governed firms based on the 2017 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) in an appreciation ceremony by the Institute of Corporate Directors held last July 31, 2018. SM Investments Corporation, SM Prime Holdings and China Banking Corporation were ranked among the highest in corporate governance best practices, garnering a score of 100 points and above. Other top-ranked companies are BDO Leasing and Finance, BDO Unibank, Belle Corp., Premium Leisure Corporation and Pacific Online Systems Corporation. This distinction allows ICD to measure Philippine listed companies’ adherence to corporate governance best practices.
Source:Manila Bulletin
August 07, 2018 13:52 UTC
Paul Laxalt, former Nevada governor, senator dies at 96
LAS VEGAS — Paul Laxalt, the son of Basque immigrants who rose to political power as a Nevada governor, US senator and close ally to President Ronald Reagan, has died. Paul Laxalt’s memoir told of his youth and rapid rise to political prominence in Nevada, his years as a U.S. senator, Reagan confidante, presidential aspirant and, finally, legal adviser and lobbyist. Cleaning up Las VegasAs Nevada governor, Laxalt was credited with repairing damaged ties between state and federal governments over Nevada’s gambling industry. After one term as governor, Laxalt left politics and joined his family in a trouble-plagued hotel-casino venture. One of Laxalt’s grandchildren, Adam Laxalt, is the current attorney general in Nevada and the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 13:52 UTC
BOC intercepts nearly 500 kilos of ‘shabu’ worth P4.3B
Operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) intercepted nearly 500 kilograms of suspected shabu (crystal meth) at the Designation Examination Area (DEA) of the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Tondo, Manila on Tuesday. In an updated report released Wednesday, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the shipment arrived from Malaysia on June 28 through a container van. However, the PDEA agents suspected that Malaysia was only used as a “transhipment point” and not the origin of the illegal drugs. “Reports revealed that the shipment was consigned to Vecaba Trading under the name of Vedasto Cabral Baraquel of Barangay Lalud, Calapan, Mindoro City. Authorities are now investigating where and from whom the shipment originally came from before conducting a possible negation operation.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 13:10 UTC
First it was ‘pepedederalismo,’ now it’s the ‘PH frigate’ fiasco
LESS than 24 hours after the federalism video fiasco of Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson comes another — this time from state-run PTV-4, which posted on Facebook “manipulated” photos of a Chinese frigate bearing the Philippine flag. PTV said the photos used were downloaded by one of “Ulat Bayan’s video editors who has since been penalized. “Consequently, other PTV news producers and editors have likewise been warned against making similar mistakes in the future,” it added. The Philippines Defense Forces Forum took a screenshot of the photos and compared these with the original – a Type 054A frigate, known as Jiangkai II class. As of posting time, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the military have not commented on the photos.
Source:Manila Times
August 07, 2018 12:56 UTC
LP official: Suarez as minority leader destroys checks and balances at lower House
Liberal Party (LP) Vice President for external affairs Erin Tañada said that the election of Rep. Danilo Suarez as majority leader creates a “mutual admiration club” at the House of Representatives as both majority and minority leaders are allied with the administration. ADVERTISEMENTSuarez was installed as minority leader during a House regular session on Tuesday afternoon, through a viva voce or by ayes and nays. READ: Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez is still House minority leaderAccording to Tañada, LP members will challenge the majority by staying as opposition members of the House. Rep. Danilo Suarez was installed as minority leader even as he voted for the new Speaker),” Robredo said in a statement on Tuesday. /eeREAD: Robredo: Suarez’ election as minority leader violates Congress’ rules
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 12:56 UTC
Philippine Information Agency chief calls on Mocha to take a leave of absence
The director general of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) has called on Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson to take a leave of absence amid controversies surrounding a viral lewd video on federalism. Harold Clavite, chief of the country’s primary development communications arm, made the call amid Uson’s most recent blunder on the Duterte administration’s campaign for a shift to a federal form of government. In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, Clavite said that a public apology from Uson, as an official of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), is “paramount.”ADVERTISEMENTIn addition, Clavite said that Uson should take a leave of absence to “reflect on these matters.”“On the heels of PCOO Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson’s latest blunder on the Administration’s campaign to push for federalism, a public apology from the PCOO official is paramount,” Clavite said. “I respectfully urge Ms. Mocha Uson to take a leave of absence to think and reconfigure all her strategies putting into consideration the code of conduct and ethical standards that all public officials should adhere to,” he also said. Clavite branded Uson’s viral video on her blog on Facebook as “not only a seeming insult to our profession in communication and public information but also degrading to the women and mothers in our communities.”“We have been sitting idly by for too long, and it is about time that someone speaks up and hold erring officials accountable for repeatedly tarnishing the reputation of our government,” the PIA director general said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 12:56 UTC
German police: Frankfurt Airport terminal partly evacuated
BERLIN — Police evacuated part of a terminal at Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s biggest, on Tuesday over concerns that at least one person may have entered the facility’s security area unchecked. Federal police said they stopped boarding in area A of the airport’s Terminal 1 and were clearing the security area. Police spokeswoman Julia Thiel told The Associated Press that “there were indications that at least one person entered the security area in area A without authorization, and so we have to clear the security area.”ADVERTISEMENTIt wasn’t immediately clear how many people were affected.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 12:22 UTC
One passenger cars banned on EDSA during rush hours, says Metro council
THE Metro Manila Council (MMC) approved on Tuesday a proposal to ban single passenger private vehicles on EDSA during the rush hours, which were not specified. The decision to approve the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) regulation was reached during the MMC’s meeting on Tuesday at the EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong. Garcia said vehicles where there were two or more passengers on board would be allowed to pass through EDSA. Citing data, Garcia said 70 percent of vehicles on EDSA have a single passenger. Also discussed at the MMC meeting was the formulation of a policy for class suspensions in Metro Manila, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista said in a separate interview.
Source:Manila Times
August 07, 2018 12:22 UTC
Robredo’s camp mulling filing charges vs blogger in federalism video
The legal counsel of Vice President Leni Robredo said that they are considering filing charges against blogger Drew Olivar, after a video of him cursing and ranting against Robredo went viral online. “Our legal team is currently looking into a possibility of filing a criminal complaint. Do stay tuned,” Robredo’s legal counsel and spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said in a reply to supporters on Twitter on Monday around midnight. ADVERTISEMENTOlivar was recently embroiled in controversy after he and Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson were seen in a viral video where federalism was promoted in what netizens considered a sexualized manner. In the almost two-minute long video, Olivar was looking for Robredo before making allegations about her supposed inaction and her sexuality, specifically during her trip to South Africa in 2017.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 12:11 UTC
Xi Jinping’s visit to PH to take place by yearend
Xi Jinping’s visit to PH to take place by yearend 113 SHARES Share it! Share TweetBy Roy MabasaThe Philippine government on Tuesday said Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Philippines may take place by yearend. “We are looking forward to President Xi visiting the country this year but we are still talking about specific dates. The Chinese leader’s visit, he added, is subject to “mutually agreeable dates.”“Target is within the year. When asked if the Chinese leader’s visit will happen after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in November, Cayetano said: “Let’s see.”Duterte first invited Xi to visit Manila during his state visit to China in October 2016.
Source:Manila Bulletin
August 07, 2018 11:48 UTC
Duterte orders review of ‘flawed’ lease contract for $1.5B casino-resort
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a review of the lease contract between Nayong Pilipino Foundation and Landings Resorts Philippines Development Corp. for a $1.5 billion integrated casino resort in Parañaque City. The order was made after Malacañang announced that the entire board and management of Nayong Pilipino was sacked over the lease contract that was “grossly disadvantageous” to the government. In a statement on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Duterte had ordered a review of the lease contract for the leisure complex which he described as “flawed.”ADVERTISEMENT“In addition to the firing of the entire board of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation, Inc., the President has instructed a review of the Contract of Lease entered by NPFI with Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. (LRPDC), which the Chief Executive described, in his own words, as ‘flawed,’” Roque said. “It was entered into without public bidding and was disadvantageous to the government,” he added.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 11:37 UTC
Singapore store slammed for selling ivory jewelry from ‘tortured’ elephants
A Singapore online store selling ivory jewelry has sparked an uproar, with an animal rights group Tuesday slamming the shop for offering products made from “tortured” elephants. It is still legal in Singapore to export and import products made from ivory sourced before the ban took effect. “Vintage ivory sends the same, unacceptable message as new ivory — that it is ok to maim and kill animals for the sake of vanity,” he told AFP. In a statement issued Monday, Ivory Lane’s owner Ivy Chng noted the “unhappiness” online but insisted that the ivory she was selling was “completely legal” in Singapore. “We only offer the purest form of ivory, sourced from the natural environments of central Africa,” she said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 07, 2018 11:26 UTC