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Daily News clips
22 June 2009 (Monday)
EDUCATION
USAID donates 36,000 books to Mindanao public schools
The United States continues to aid Philippine education as it donated 36,000 books for at least 50 libraries of the various campuses of the Mindanao State University and public schools, a university official said.Dr. Macapado Muslim, MSU president, said the donation was made through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under its program, Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Education Awareness Support Effort and the Children International Foundation (CIF).A non-government organization in the US, the Kansas-based CIF, collects books donated by the American people and donates these books to different schools in several countries worldwide, including the Philippines. Read more...
ENVIRONMENT
US to fund $.6-B clean energy deals
Continuing its turnaround from the Bush years, the United States has pledged nearly $600 million in funding assistance from October this year to support clean-energy projects in Asia and in other parts of the world; and itself plans to spend $150 billion to propel development of renewable fuels and other new energy sources.US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney said, “The US understands that making clean energy a reality is essential to climate change and enhancing energy security. We also want to promote the adoption of clean-energy technology, help nations adapt to climate change and encourage sustainable land and water use.”She was speaking at the Asia Clean Energy and Climate Week 2009 at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila last week, where she also said green energy is creating great new opportunities for the US and Asian economies as politicians realize that the best way to curb greenhouse-gas emissions without harming economic growth is through renewable sources. Read more...
GENERAL ECONOMY
Business leader sees 2% GDP growth this year
A businessman expects the country’s
gross domestic product (GDP) to grow over two percent this year
despite the measly 0.4-percent economic growth in the first quarter.“The second
quarter is a leveling quarter but hopefully, these third and fourth quarters
will have some growths,” said Donald Dee, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (PCCI) chairman emeritus and vice
chairman of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. Dee said once the economy starts growing this second
semester, recovery will continue until next year. He said the United States economy is nearing bottom and is
showing signs of recovery. Read more...
HEALTH AND POPULATION
The Commission on Population and the local government units here entered into a memorandum of agreement for the implementation of Responsible Parenthood (RP) and Natural Family Planning (NFP)here. POPCOM-CAR was represented by Regional Director Ma. Aurora C. Quiray, Governor Maximo B. Dalog represented the provincial government while the municipal governments were represented by their respective local chief executive. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo identified Responsible Parenthood as one of the strategies to counter hunger and poverty in the Hunger Mitigation Program Framework. She issued on October 10, 2006 a directive on Responsible Parenthood (RP) and Natural Family Planning (NFP) program which has a primary policy directive of promoting the Natural Family Planning method, three year birth spacing and breast feeding which are good for the health of the mother, child, family and community. Read more...
PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
MILF-MNLF clan war ends with signing of peace pact
A clan war or locally known as rido among two families of a Maguindanao tribe has finally ended after both parties signed a peace covenant in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat province recently. The signing of the covenant concluded two years of bloody confrontations between the two clans who were fighting for strategic territorial jurisdiction. The two warring clans led by Datu Randy Karon who is identified with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and Commander Jing Ca-ludtiag of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) agreed to the signing of the said peace covenant that was witnessed by high-ranking officials from the Philippine National Police in Central Mindanao. The covenant binds the two warring clans not to show force in Barangay Tran in Lebak, the site of their bloody confrontation that drove more than 5,000 people to flee so they could avoid being caught in the crossfire. Read more...
Military sees victory in fight vs insurgency
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has advanced to victory in the fight against insurgency as hundreds of insurgents, seeing a brighter future with the government’s Social Integration Program (SIP), continue to surrender voluntarily to government forces, while more rebels, including their commanders, are either captured or killed during encounters with the military.With this development, the AFP said it is definitely winning on all fronts, as it further intensifies operations against the New People’s Army (NPA), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), resulting not just an increase in the number of casualties, but also on the number of those who have decided to return to the folds of the law.The AFP said recently, on separate occasions, that at least 183 former rebels have decided to peacefully and voluntarily surrender to the military and avail of the government’s offer for them to start a new life. Read more...
Japan pours P192-M aid in ARMM
The hierarchy of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) thanked the Japanese government for P192.97 million in fresh financial help intended for two major infrastructures projects and acquisition of heavy equipment for the region.ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan said the people of the region will treasure so much the noble act of the Japanese government.Ampatuan, however, said “words of thanks are not enough to recognize Japan’s contribution for the development efforts of the ARMM.”The Japanese government announced that it has granted P192.97 million to the ARMM for the construction of two major infrastructure projects and for the purchase of heavy equipment for use in the opening of roads in the region. Read more...
OTHERS
WB study to provide ‘snapshot’ of RP biz environment
The World Bank (WB) on Friday said its ongoing enterprises survey aims to provide a view of the many factors that shape business decision of firms and investment environment in the Philippines. The Enterprises Survey 2009 is being done by the WB every three years in the Philippines through the Business Planners Consultancy Services (BPCS), its local survey arm. Read more...
WB-funded Agusan rice mill helps farmers
A World Bank (WB)-funded rice and corn mill project in Esperanza, a remote town in Agusan del Sur in Mindanao, has benefited residents and farmers in the area.Separated from the town proper by the flood-prone Agusan River and bad roads, residents of this poor farming village are dependent on the production of corn, rice and wood products for their sustenance and livelihood.The rice and corn mill cost P1.78 million to build. The Kalahi-CIDSS program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and supported by the World Bank, provided a grant of P1.25 million, with the local government and the community making their own counterpart contributions in cash and in kind. Read more...
RP set to ratify free-trade pact with Australia, New Zealand
The Philippine government is preparing to ratify the free-trade agreement it signed as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), with the governments of Australia and New Zealand.This developed as the New Zealand ambassador to Manila encouraged the Philippine government to approve the agreement immediately to help boost the region’s economies amid the global recession. “The [free-trade] agreement was signed in February [2009]. It needs to be ratified by the member-countries. The lowering of tariffs will benefit [the region’s] consumers and companies,” said Ambassador Andrew Matheson in an interview with select reporters.For his part, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Eduardo Malay told the BusinessMirror: “The DFA is currently expediting the preparation of the ratification papers for the Asean-Australia-New Zealand FTA [AANZFTA].” Read more...