Thursday, April 5, 2007
Extortion At Manila Immigration (Are you a victim, too?)
Being barred from boarding her Dubai-bound plane for not coughing up $100 (Dh367) in ‘grease’ money to immigration agents in Manila is an ordeal Claire Dimaguina would rather forget.
The 28-year-old media professional was prevented from travelling twice though she presented an original visit visa issued by Dubai authorities and her passport shows she had been here twice before.
But she adamantly refused to give in to suggestions by the Bureau of Immigration agents at Ninoy Aquino International Airport to pay up.
After a week of troubles rebooking her flight, she was finally allowed to board her plane bound for Dubai, where a new job awaited her... full story here
The 28-year-old media professional was prevented from travelling twice though she presented an original visit visa issued by Dubai authorities and her passport shows she had been here twice before.
But she adamantly refused to give in to suggestions by the Bureau of Immigration agents at Ninoy Aquino International Airport to pay up.
After a week of troubles rebooking her flight, she was finally allowed to board her plane bound for Dubai, where a new job awaited her... full story here
Filipina Fined $600 For Possession of Beer, Vodka
(Borneo Bulletin / brudirect.com) -A 27-year-old Filipina was fined $600 or a month in jail in default after pleading guilty to illegal possession of booze.
The Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday heard that Mendoza Josephine Obereo kept 24 cans of Singha beer, 12 cans of Tiger beer and six bottles of Smimoff Vodka which were found in her car by Customs Preventive officers who inspected the defendant's vehicle on February 24 at the Kuala Lurah Control Post parking area.
The Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday heard that Mendoza Josephine Obereo kept 24 cans of Singha beer, 12 cans of Tiger beer and six bottles of Smimoff Vodka which were found in her car by Customs Preventive officers who inspected the defendant's vehicle on February 24 at the Kuala Lurah Control Post parking area.
Mistresses an acceptable fact of life in the Philippines?
(Yahoo News) - "And you don't have to be rich to have a mistress. In fact some mistresses at the lower end of the socio-economic ladder pay for the privilege by cooking and cleaning," the columnist and television personality (Jullie Yap Daza) said in an interview... full story here
Sorry Actors and Actresses
(Radio Singapore International) "...somehow they over-estimated the capability of Mr Cesar Montano, really translating his popularity into votes, the survey has already indicated that most of the actors and actresses who are running for public office, are now somehow at the end of the list, they are not part of the so-called short-list that was previously encountered, unlike the other elections. Now these so-called actors and actresses are at the bottom of the list..." more here
No Funds For Beijing Olympics?
(People's Daily Online) - The absence of funds from the private sector has caused a delay in training program of the Philippine athletes for the 2008 Beijing Olympics going, local media reported on Wednesday.
Twenty-five athletes from six sports, who were supposed to leave for China last month, will instead leave late this month, according to a report by The Philippine Star daily.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) wants 60 athletes from swimming, diving, weightlifting, gymnastics, fencing, wushu, boxing, taekwondo, archery, shooting, rowing, track and field, tennis and equestrian to train abroad for the Olympics.
Earlier this year, the PSC hoped that the funds would have been raised by March and the training of the athletes, including those who will be based in the U.S., Russia, France, Germany or Australia, to be in full swing by April.
First Gentleman Mike Arroyo vowed to help raise the needed 250 million pesos (some five million U.S. dollars) budget for the Olympics. But according to PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, Arroyo plans to initiate the fund-raising shortly before or after the May 14 elections.
Twenty-five athletes from six sports, who were supposed to leave for China last month, will instead leave late this month, according to a report by The Philippine Star daily.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) wants 60 athletes from swimming, diving, weightlifting, gymnastics, fencing, wushu, boxing, taekwondo, archery, shooting, rowing, track and field, tennis and equestrian to train abroad for the Olympics.
Earlier this year, the PSC hoped that the funds would have been raised by March and the training of the athletes, including those who will be based in the U.S., Russia, France, Germany or Australia, to be in full swing by April.
First Gentleman Mike Arroyo vowed to help raise the needed 250 million pesos (some five million U.S. dollars) budget for the Olympics. But according to PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, Arroyo plans to initiate the fund-raising shortly before or after the May 14 elections.
Philippine Inflation Lowest In 20 Years
The Philippines' inflation rate slowed down to its lowest level in 20 years in March, when the index averaged 2.2 per cent, the government said.
The March index was down from 2.6 per cent in February and 7.6 per cent in the same month in 2006.
'This was the lowest inflation rate since April 1987,' when the index was 1 per cent, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).
'Slowdowns in the annual inflation rates of all the commodity groups except for clothing contributed to the downtrend,' the agency said.
The inflation rate for food, beverages and tobacco eased to 2.7 per cent in March from 3 per cent in February, while the index for fuel, light and water went down to 1.2 per cent from 1.5 per cent... full story here
The March index was down from 2.6 per cent in February and 7.6 per cent in the same month in 2006.
'This was the lowest inflation rate since April 1987,' when the index was 1 per cent, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).
'Slowdowns in the annual inflation rates of all the commodity groups except for clothing contributed to the downtrend,' the agency said.
The inflation rate for food, beverages and tobacco eased to 2.7 per cent in March from 3 per cent in February, while the index for fuel, light and water went down to 1.2 per cent from 1.5 per cent... full story here
11,000 Hectares More For Mangoes
(Yahoo News) - The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing an additional 11,272 hectares of new land for mango production in anticipation of the growing demand for this Philippine tropical fruit in the US market, following a new mango import rule issued by Washington allowing its export to Hawaii and Guam.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the expansion is being eyed in the Davao region (Region XI) with 4,531 hectares; Central Mindanao (Region XII) with 2,000 hectyares; Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) with 760.5 hectares; Northern Mindanao (Region X) with 718 hectares; Cagayan Valley (Region II) with 620 hectares; and Central Luzon (Region III) with 599 hectares.
Also being considered are the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 540 hectares; Western Visayas (Region VI) with 447 hectares; Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan (MIMAROPA Region IV-B) with 319 hectares; Central Visayas (Region VII) with 204 hectares; Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) with 174 hectares; Calabarzon (Region IV-A) with 160 hectares; Ilocos provinces (Region I) with 100 hectares; and Bicol (Region V) with 100 hectares... full story here
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the expansion is being eyed in the Davao region (Region XI) with 4,531 hectares; Central Mindanao (Region XII) with 2,000 hectyares; Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) with 760.5 hectares; Northern Mindanao (Region X) with 718 hectares; Cagayan Valley (Region II) with 620 hectares; and Central Luzon (Region III) with 599 hectares.
Also being considered are the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 540 hectares; Western Visayas (Region VI) with 447 hectares; Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan (MIMAROPA Region IV-B) with 319 hectares; Central Visayas (Region VII) with 204 hectares; Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) with 174 hectares; Calabarzon (Region IV-A) with 160 hectares; Ilocos provinces (Region I) with 100 hectares; and Bicol (Region V) with 100 hectares... full story here
Philippines Has $24.7 Billion Foreign Reserves
(Yahoo News) - The Philippines' gross foreign reserves continued their yearlong record-breaking climb to a new peak of $24.7 billion at end- March after a fresh inflow of loans from overseas donors, the central bank said.
Record remittances, portfolio inflows and export earnings have helped push the Philippines reserves up since 2005. They would have breached the $25 billion mark last month were it not for debt repayments totalling $1.16 billion by the central bank and the government.
Income from investments abroad and central bank U.S. dollar purchases also helped lift the total up 0.8 percent from February's $24.5 billion and higher than the central bank's current 2007 forecast for gross international reserves of $24 billion... full story here
Record remittances, portfolio inflows and export earnings have helped push the Philippines reserves up since 2005. They would have breached the $25 billion mark last month were it not for debt repayments totalling $1.16 billion by the central bank and the government.
Income from investments abroad and central bank U.S. dollar purchases also helped lift the total up 0.8 percent from February's $24.5 billion and higher than the central bank's current 2007 forecast for gross international reserves of $24 billion... full story here
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