K to 12 review finds declining test scores, skills mismatch
A SENATE committee reviewing the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum has called for measures to improve the basic education system and to better match school training with the skills in demand from industry.
Budget faces more delays before delivery to Palace
REPRESENTATIVE Rolando G. Andaya said the Senate has requested a delay in the printing of the 2019 Budget, which he said could set back his “March 10 or 11” timetable for transmitting the document to Malacañang, though he welcomed the opportunity to clarify which Senators backed certain amendments to the P3.757 trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
NEDA decision on IRR for rice tariff law could come this month
THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said it expects to decide by the end of March on the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Rice Tariffication Act submitted by the National Food Authority (NFA) Council.
Shipping firms sign up for weekend scheme to reduce container inventory
THE Manila International Container Port (MICP) said international shipping lines have signed on to a scheme to decongest the ports by increasing their weekend loading of empty containers for re-export, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said in a statement.
DA flags prospect of European coco oil orders
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said the representative of an Austrian-registered firm which controls a distribution network in Eastern Europe is currently inspecting coconut oil mills in southern Luzon to explore the possibility of producing coconut products for export.
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Decoding the revised Corporation Code (Part II)
In the first part of this article on the revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, I mentioned that directors may now be elected by stockholders through remote communication and in absentia if allowed in the by-laws or approved by majority of the board of directors. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will issue rules and regulations to govern the manner of participation through these means. In consonance with this, the by-laws should now mention the allowable modes by which stockholders and directors may attend meetings. In addition, the by-laws should also provide guidelines for setting a director’s compensation, the maximum number of independent directors (which should not exceed the limit under the Code), and the arbitration agreement, if any.
Inertia
“An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”
Children and the horrors of crime
On January 24, 2019, the House of Representatives approved a bill which lowers the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 12 years old. This occurred after the first version of the bill pegged it at 9-15 years old. If this bill becomes law, children aged 9 to 12 can be subjected to criminal charges if they have committed serious crimes like murder, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and other associated offenses.
Living off sunshine
BusinessWorld has reported that a listed company had just “broken ground” on a 1.1-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop project in one of its malls in Mindanao. The project, said to cost P67.4 million, is in line with the firm’s target capacity of 200-MW of electricity from solar PV rooftops in the next two years.
The Appreciative Inquiry way of life
THOUGH this habit has impacted me several times and through multiple avenues, I can’t seem to be impressed any lesser every time it happens. The habit of assessing any situation through a proactive stance and doing something concrete about all challenges most often than not generates happy and constructive outcomes.
Columbian Dyip spill ROS Elasto Painters
THE Columbian Dyip put some flicker back into their quarterfinal hopes in the PBA Philippine Cup after an 85-82 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
FEU Tamaraws survive UE Warriors in five sets
THE FAR Eastern University Lady Tamaraws outlasted the University of the East Lady Warriors in their highly competitive UAAP Season 81 match on Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Arena, winning in five sets, 25-15, 24-26, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-9.
Harden, Rockets dump Raptors
LOS ANGELES -- James Harden scored 35 points -- 19 in about the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter -- as the visiting Houston Rockets lost a 22-point lead before coming back to defeat the Toronto Raptors 107-95 to extend their winning streak to six games.
Philippines ripe for ‘Storm of Warriors’ — Brave CF
SET to make its debut on Philippine soil later this month, Bahrain-based Brave Combat Federation said the timing is but right for the country to experience its brand of mixed martial arts action.
Amid shaky start, Southwoods still leads by one
CEBU -- Despite falling way short of its opening round target, reigning four-time champion Manila Southwoods yesterday still grabbed a one-point lead over darkhorse Tagaytay Highlands as the exclusive Cebu Country Club layout here proved one tough nut to crack for the talented field.
2019 Aeroflot Open
The 17th edition of the Aeroflot Open was scheduled to start on Feb. 20 but a bomb threat forced the evacuation of the venue, the Cosmos Hotel, shortly after play had started. When the situation normalized the organizers announced that round 1 would start the next day and there will be a double-round day on the nearest Saturday to make up for the lost afternoon. As a consequence of that, the time control of the tournament, originally 100 minutes for 40 moves plus 50 minutes until the end of the game with a 30-second increment, was adjusted to 90 minutes for the first 40 moves plus 30 minutes till the end of the game with 30 seconds added to the clock after every move. This is to avoid unnecessary strain on the players.
Complete & healthy
For a while there, it looked as if the Rockets were floundering. They greeted the last week of February with a loss to the otherwise-reeling Lakers, marking their second straight setback and third in four outings. Frustration was setting in, and to the point where reigning league Most Valuable Player James Harden felt compelled to note that “we have no tendencies.” Never mind that he was still in the midst of a record scoring spree topped only by offensive force Wilt Chamberlain in pro hoops annals. As far as he was concerned, more pressing matters had to be contended with, their battle for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs not least of all.
PHL, Vietnam firm up ties with ‘plan of action’
THE PHILIPPINES and Vietnam convened on Tuesday its ninth Joint Bilateral Cooperation Mechanism, which led to both countries adopting a new five-year plan of action on a broad range of areas.
Reshuffle ordered on police with relatives running for public office
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL Police (PNP) Chief Director-General Oscar D. Albayalde has approved a limited reshuffle of 1,370 police officers who are related to politicians running this midterm elections.
Veep: Try narco-politicians in court, not by publicity
VICE-PRESIDENT Maria Leonor G. Robredo on Wednesday said politicians linked to the government’s narco-list should be brought to court and not tried in public.
Shares resume ascent as investors buy bargains
LOCAL SHARES bounced back on Wednesday as investors turned bargain hunters after enduring losses for most of last week.
Peso recovers as Diokno eyes RRR cuts
THE PESO rebounded against the dollar on Wednesday as remarks from newly appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno quelled market uncertainties.
CA justice appointed to SC
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier as new Supreme Court (SC) associate justice.
NBI, BuCor ordered to report on probe of drug trade in New Bilibid Prison
JUSTICE SECRETARY Menardo I. Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to apprise him on the investigation on the alleged illegal drug trade operated by an inmate in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Russian fugitive caught while attempting to extend visa
THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) arrested a Russian fugitive who is wanted for large-scale fraud in his country last March 5 at the BI’s main office in Intramuros, Manila.
Iloilo City gets P14.3M of sports equipment from PSC
THE PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) donated P14.3-million worth of facilities and equipment to the Iloilo City government following its successful hosting of the Batang Pinoy 2019 Visayas Qualifying Leg last Feb. 24-March 2.
No confirmation yet of Chinese vessel harassment in Pag-asa, but military ordered to investigate
THE DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) said Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana has already tasked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to validate the report of alleged harassment by Chinese vessels in the sandbars near Pag-asa Island in the contested West Philippine Sea.
Pasay City, EPD police chiefs relieved over extortion cases
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL Police (PNP) Director General Oscar D. Albayalde ordered on Wednesday the relief of the police chiefs of the Eastern Police District (EPD) in the capital and Pasay City Police over the involvement their stations’ anti-drug units in extortion cases.
P638M underpass in Cebu City targeted for completion by end-May
THE P638-MILLION underpass along N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City is now 87% complete, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas (DPWH-7) reported.
LGUs declarations of persona-non-grata just ‘PR stunts,’ says NDFP
THE NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has branded the resolutions of some local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Region declaring them persona-non-grata as mere public relations (PR) stunts by the military.
DA prepares for cloud seeding operations in SOCCSKSARGEN amid weak El Niño
THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) in the SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City) is preparing to conduct cloud seeding operations amid the onset of a weak El Niño and a forecast of below normal rainfall in the coming months.
Nation at a Glance — (03/07/19)
News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.
In Memory of Governor Nesting
Delivered by then Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Officer-in-Charge Maria Almasara Cyd N. Tuaño-Amador on Feb. 26
My dear colleagues:
News of the Governor’s passing away on...
A banker to remember
The late Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr., who passed away last month after battling tongue cancer, practically devoted his...
A champion of financial inclusion
When he first took office as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) Governor in May 2017, Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. vowed to push for general...
An accomplished husband and father
It is commendable to see a successful man who doesn’t only excel at work but also at home. As many remember former Bangko Sentral...
Remembering BSP Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr.
Testimonials
BMAP joins the rest of the banking industry in honoring the memory of an upstanding leader, Governor Nestor Espenilla, Jr. He was Gov. Nesting...
Inflation back on track at one-year low
INFLATION eased for the fourth straight month and on to target in February to post the lowest reading in 12 months, helped by milder increases in the prices of food and beverages, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.
Headline inflation rates in the Philippines (Ferbruary, 2019)
INFLATION eased for the fourth straight month and on to target in February to post the lowest reading in 12 months, helped by milder...
Financial industry awaits Diokno’s first signals
THE COUNTRY’S financial sector awaits clear cues from newly appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno, with expectations that his outsider view will make monetary policy more supportive of the state’s growth goals by way of lower interest rates.
Jan. factory output down for 2nd straight month
FACTORY output posted its second consecutive month of decline in January, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.
Metro Pacific core profit jumps 7% to P15.1 billion
INFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) delivered a seven percent increase in core profit for 2018, thanks to its expanded power portfolio and steady volume from its toll roads and water units.
PHL’s 4G availability improves — report
A RECENT report said the availability of fourth generation (4G) network in the Philippines is getting better, but while video experience, broadband speed and latency experience has also shown improvement, these still lag behind the rest of the world.
MRC Allied starts work on mall’s solar rooftop
MRC ALLIED, Inc. has broken ground on a 1.1 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic rooftop project in one of the malls in Mindanao through its subsidiary Menlo Renewable Energy Corp. (MREN), the listed company said on Tuesday.
DNL targets double-digit earnings growth this year
LISTED plastics and oleochemicals manufacturer D&L Industries, Inc. (DNL) looks to continue its double-digit profit growth this year, after increasing its earnings by 10% in 2018.
