List of AIDS Victims in the Philippines

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 253 new HIV cases for
September 2011 alone, 65 percent higher compared to the same period
last year of 153.

In DOH latest monitoring on HIV/AIDS in September this year showed
that of the new reported HIV cases, 135 came from the National Capital
Region (NCR).

According to DOH report, the mode of transmission is high among males
having sex with other males (83 percent), with most on ages 20-29 year
(57 percent) age-group.

Of the 253 HIV positive cases, five were reported as AIDS cases; All
were males. Of the AIDS cases, there were two reported deaths for
September.

Meanwhile, 16 of the 253 (six percent) reported cases were OFWs
(Overseas Filipino Workers) with 11 males and five females.

From January to September 2011, there were a total of 1,669 cases
reported, 71 were reported as AIDS cases, which acquired the infection
through sexual contact (68) [heterosexual (18), homosexual (30), and
bisexual contact (20)].

Other modes of transmission include: (one) mother-to-child
transmission and (two) needle sharing among injecting drug users.

Mental health programs in the Philippines

The Department of Health (DOH) 7 will launch various mental health
programs this month that would give emphasis on dealing with stress.

Maria Ligaya Isola Moneva, DOH health education and promotion officer,
said mental health is among the priorities of the administration of
President Benigno S. Aquino III under his health agenda.

She said the health department wants to emphasize how to deal with
stress, after finding out that more people suffer stress in different
situations.

She said that stress may be acquired in the workplace, relationship,
community and from the people that an individual dealt with every day.

The cause of stress may be emotional or physical, she added.

Non-working holidays such as the recent observance of All Saints' Day
and All Souls' Day are one way of reducing stress acquired from work
since one is able to relax.

"Stress is the beginning of further complication in terms of health
and also how you deal with others," said Moneva.

Moneva said negative stress comes from actions that have a negative
effect on one's well-being health and physical aspects such as working
that leads to lack of sleep.

Different effects of stress include loss of appetite, change of
physical appearance and various health problems.

However, she said, an individual cannot avoid stress since it is a
normal occurrence in life.

"It is how you deal with it since nobody is exempted because it is
part of our daily life. What is stressful to one person may be
pleasurable or have a little effect to others since we all react to
stress differently," she said.

Export Business in the Philippines

Western Visayas performed well in the export sector in the second
quarter of 2011 compared with the same period last year.

A report furnished by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to the National
Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed that during the
previous quarter, this region's exports amounted to $ 164.525 million
through its major seaports as against the $ 54.319 million in the same
period last year.

The port of Iloilo had the biggest export in terms of amount at $
124.815 million while the sub-port of Pulupandan had $ 39.710 million.
However, the sub-port of Pulupandan posted the highest growth at 350
percent as against the 174 percent growth at the Iloilo port.

The over-all increase was recorded at 203 percent, according to Estela
Paredes, chief of the Knowledge Management Division (KMD) of NEDA.

The region's major export products include coal by the Semirara Coal
Plant in Antique; raw cane sugar; and crab meat, among others.

However, the import reduced by 37 percent, she said.

Paredes explained that the hike in importation during the second
quarter in 2010 was attributed to the big importation of equipment due
to the construction of the coal-fired power plant which is now
operating in this city.

The import consisted of wheat, fertilizer, liquefied petroleum gas,
rice and tug boat.

Paredes explained that Western Visayas has high importation of rice
not because the region suffers deficit but because it has one of the
biggest warehouses in the country.

Reading Habits of the Filipinos

Malacañang on Wednesday backed the Department of Education's (DepEd)
activities lined up in celebration of National Reading Month this
November aimed at encouraging school children and the youth in general
to make reading a habit.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that November has
been declared by DepEd as National Reading Month for which a set of
month-long reading activities has been arranged, enjoining schools and
learning centers to participate.

"We fully support the Department of Education's campaign to encourage
school children to participate in the month-long reading activities,
such as read-a-thons, storytelling sessions, shared readings, and
reading camps," Valte said in a statement.

The DepEd came up with its declaration on October 25 by virtue of
Memorandum No. 244, making November of every year as National Reading
Month and November 25, 2011 as Nationwide Araw ng Pagbasa.

These particular events are anchored on the 10-point Basic Education
Agenda of President Benigno S. Aquino III and the institutionalization
of the "Every Child a Reader" Program (ECARP) by the DepEd.

Quoting Secretary Armin Luistro, Valte said the DepEd is initiating
programs that would: promote reading and literacy among the pupils and
students; motivate our youth to learn from the lives and works of
eminent Filipinos; uphold one's heritage and values; and make reading
a shared physical experience, specifically among the youth, thereby
increasing its relevance amidst the growing reliance on the internet
and inclination to on-line activities.

Call Center Jobs in Clark, Pampanga Philippines

Jobs related to information communications technology/business process
outsourcing (ICT/BPO) are ranked No. 1 in terms of vacancies in this
Freeport during the last quarter of this year.

In a report by the Customer Services Department (CSD) to Clark
Development Corporation (CDC) President Felipe Antonio B. Remollo,
some 2,222 workers or 75 percent of the total 3,008 job vacancies are
needed by the ICT/BPO firms in Clark.

CSD manager Rodem Perez said the ICT/BPO-related services include web
designers and developers, programmers, technical support operators,
Linux and Windows Systems administrators, English online teachers, and
call center agents.

The CSD report said both Cyber City Teleservices, Inc. and Sutherland
Global Services each has vacancies of 500, Nozomi Fortune Services,
400, and Ivonline Contents Center, Inc., 200 new workers.

Other with significant job openings are Advanpoint (90), Clark On Line
It Hub (50), Mepcon Phils., Inc (170), Services Resources, Inc. (55),
GFL System Clark Inc. (105), and Global Standard English Learning
Center (75), among others.

Next to ICT/BPO is the industrial (electronic) or the semiconductor
sector which is in need of 340 new personnel or 10.2 percent vacancies
to be filled up before the end of the year.

Among those firms are the Texas Instruments Clark which is in need of
300 personnel before the end of the year while Nanox Phils., Inc.,
Phoenix Semiconductor Phils. Corporation, Poongsan Microtec Phils.,
Corporation, and SMK Electronics (Phils.) Corporation have also
several openings for this year.

Moreover, there is a noticeable shift in locators' preferences for
applicants who have had college credits at the very least.

CSD's latest report reflects a preference for college level applicants
(53 percent or almost 1,600), and college graduates (20 percent or
more than 600).

In the previous months, job vacancies for high school graduates
accounted for more than 50 percent of total workforce requirements for
the Clark Freeport.

Perez explained that the shift in locators' preferences can be
attributed to CSD's continuous advertisement of job vacancies and the
twice-annual Jobs Fair that his department coordinates with all
stakeholders.

Results 2011 Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)

Malacanang has congratulated the Filipino students who excelled in the
2011 Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), saying that their
recent achievements "are testaments to the well-rounded and
world-class talent of the Filipino."

"We are proud to congratulate our Pinoy Math whiz kids for their
recent achievements in the 2011 Australian Mathematics Competition,"
Presidential Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a statement.

Adrian Reginald Sy, a high school student from St. Jude Catholic
School in Manila, garnered a perfect score in this year's AMC. Sy was
one of 27 students worldwide who got a perfect score in the
competition.

Besides Sy, 10 Filipino math whiz kids were awarded this year, as 60
other Filipino students placed in the top two percent of the 300,000
students who took the AMC test on August 4 here in Manila.

"Sy, along with the ten Filipino participants who were awarded for
their high scores in the same test, and the 60 other Filipino students
who placed in the top 2 percent of the 300,000 participants of the
AMC, are testaments to the well-rounded and world-class talent of the
Filipino," Valte said.

Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB)

Malacanang said it is committed to complete peace agreement with the
Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa Pilipinas-Revolutionary
Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB) and will release
the money intended for the rebel group.

"The Aquino administration is committed to the five negotiating tables
that are pursuing a just and lasting peace," Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a statement on Wednesday.

Valte said the government will release the funds to the local
government units (LGUs) in areas that will be identified for community
development and livelihood assistance.

Under the agreement, which was signed in December 2000 during the
Estrada administration, the government made a commitment to fund the
reintegration and development projects for the rebel organization.

This includes livelihood projects, housing assistance, education and
training, primary health care, agriculture and irrigation facilities,
farm-to-market roads and microfinance, among others.

Valte also said the military expressed its support for the peace
process with the RPMP-RPA-ABB, acknowledging its impact on security
concerns on the ground.

The Aquino administration plans to give P31 million to RPMP-RPA-ABB
that will come from the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan or Pamana, a
P329-million fund administered by the Office of the Presidential
Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP).

Alert condition of police troops in Luzon and Visayas

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday it has downgraded
the alert condition of police troops in Luzon and Visayas as police
units ended public safety operations in public cemeteries and memorial
parks on the occasion of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome also extended the
congratulations of President Benigno C. Aquino III to all police and
military personnel for a job well done.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz said police
personnel will be given the chance to observe All Saints' Day and pay
respects to their departed loved ones before they will be deployed
again to perform similar public safety operations in the coming
Yuletide season.

Meanwhile, Regions 9 to 13, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
and the Special Action Force will remain on full alert status.

"All Unit Commanders are reminded to secure all PNP camps and offices,
vital installations, economic key points and places of convergence of
people and are given the discretion to upgrade their Alert Level based
on the prevailing peace and order situation in their respective AORs
(areas of responsibility)," Cruz said.

UNESCO in the Philippines

The Philippines has thrown its support for the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stand on
press freedom, saying it jives with President Benigno S. Aquino III's
social contract with the Filipino people.

In his statement at the opening ceremonies of the CI (Communication
and Information) Commission meetings held during the 36th UNESCO
Conference in Paris, France on Monday, Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Philippine
government is committed to protecting the citizenry, particularly
journalists, in the practice of their profession.

"... the Philippines wishes to express its strong support for the CI
sector's vigorous promotion of freedom of the press, freedom of
expression, and freedom of information as these freedoms are hallmarks
of our government's Social Contract with the Filipino people under the
leadership of President Benigno S. Aquino III," Coloma said.

"We wish to particularly underline our support for IPDC's
(International Programme for the Development of Communication – a
multilateral forum in the UN system designed to mobilize the
international community to discuss and promote media development in
developing countries) function as an oversight body on the safety of
journalists. Our government is fully committed to the creation of an
environment that will ensure the safety and protection of journalists
in the practice of their profession," he added.

He said the government is working towards enacting the Witness
Protection, Security and Benefit Act that aims to strengthen the
protection of this fundamental right.

Coloma also said the government is adapting a UNESCO-inspired
communication for development (C4D) framework that hopes to "create a
community of citizens and strategic guide of the different
communication and information agencies of government towards an
authentic two-way dialogue between the people and the state."

The Communications Secretary also reaffirmed the country's commitment
to promote the five major programs of the Organization's Information
for All Programme (IFAP), particularly the program on Media and
Information Literacy.

The overall goal of IFAP is to help UNESCO Member States develop and
implement national information policies and knowledge strategies in a
world increasingly using information and communication technologies
(ICT).