Pacuiao’s mom in stable condition, doc says

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines -- The mother of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao was brought to the hospital on Tuesday due to difficulty in breathing.

Chinese food safety team probes Cebu food poisoning

CEBU CITY, Philippines -- A team of food safety experts from China has arrived in Cebu to investigate the food poisoning of 23 schoolchildren who fell ill apparently from eating Chinese-made milk candies.

Sorsogon sets grand welcome for victorious undercard boxer

SORSOGON CITY, Philippines -- A grand welcome awaits Michael Fariñas, Sorsogon's boxing sensation who posted a decisive win over Arturo Valenzuela in the undercard fight during the Will to Win duel between Marco Antonio Barrera and people's champ Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, Nevada last Sunday.

Beltran wants De Venecia to junk ‘sham’ impeachment rap

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran is asking Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. to dismiss the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because it was a “sham.”

Gov’t debt shrinks 0.5 percent in July on firm peso

MANILA -- The Philippine government's outstanding debt shrank 0.5 percent in July from June because of a strong peso and domestic debt redemptions, the Bureau of Treasury said Wednesday.

Lapus elected as UNESCO General Conference vice president

MANILA, Philippines -- Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has been elected vice president for the upcoming 34th United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference.

Army chief, ex-partylist solon clash on missing UP students

MANILA, Philippines -- Former Akbayan partylist congresswoman Loretta Anne Rosales dared Army Chief Alexander Yano to allow the mothers of two University of the Philippines (UP) students to visit them at an Army camp in Pangasinan, where they were allegedly being detained.

Woman gives birth to quintuplets in Tagum City

DAVAO CITY, Philippines -- A 23-year-old mother gave birth to a set of identical quintuplets in nearby Tagum City early morning Wednesday, but two of the babies died, officials said.

Singapore dollar jumps, ringgit at 9-1/2-year high

SINGAPORE -- The Singapore dollar hit a 10-year high versus the US dollar on Wednesday after the central bank surprised markets by tightening monetary policy slightly, and other Asian currencies firmed as share prices rose.

(UPDATE) August exports down 4.8%

MANILA, Philippines -- Merchandise exports fell 4.8 percent in August from a year earlier to $4.0 billion as demand for electronics declined, the National Statistics Office said Wednesday.

BSP records $419M in net foreign direct investments in July

MANILA -- The Philippines recorded $419 million in net foreign direct investments (FDI) in July, reversing the net outflow of $79 million in the same month last year, the central bank said Wednesday.

(UPDATE) Shares close higher on rate cut hopes

MANILA, Philippines -- Shares closed higher Wednesday, with property developers and banks leading the pack while Manila Water Co. surged to record highs on attractive valuation.

Manila Water shares hit record high on attractive valuation

MANILA, Philippines -- Shares in Philippine utility company Manila Water rose sharply to record highs Wednesday on attractive valuations and an upbeat research note from Credit Suisse. In late trade, Manila Water was up P1.25 or 8.2 percent at P16.50, after hitting an all time high of P17.25 early in the session.

De Venecia: No evidence to support Arroyo impeach rap

MANILA, Philippines -- After pledging support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and assuring her that their coalition would not fall apart, Speaker Jose de Venecia said on Wednesday that he believed that there was no evidence to support the impeachment complaint against the President.

Japanese solon expects ties with North Korea in year

TOKYO -- A senior Japanese lawmaker predicted Wednesday that Tokyo would establish diplomatic relations with Pyongyang within a year despite the lingering tensions between the two countries.

Film charts woman's battle for ancestral land in China

BUSAN, South Korea -- When Zhang Bingai was told to relocate her family to make way for the floodwaters of China's Three Gorges dam, she fought back the only way she knew how. She simply refused to move.

270 workers lose jobs amid CBA negotiations with banana firm

PANABO CITY, Philippines -- A subsidiary of banana giant Dole-Stanfilco terminated its 270 workers at the height of negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

World stocks at new highs, boosted by Fed

LONDON -- World stocks stretched to record highs on Wednesday and the dollar steadied as investors banked on continued global growth and contained inflation.

I-Remit IPO 412% oversubscribed, offer closes Thursday

MANILA, Philippines -- The initial public offering of I-Remit Inc., a Philippine-owned non-bank remittance company, was 5.1 times covered or 412 percent oversubscribed a day before the offer ends, lead underwriter First Metro Investment Corp. said Wednesday.

Study says few OFWs use Internet to call home

MANILA, Philippines -- Only a small portion of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) use the Internet to communicate with families back home, according to a study by Nielsen Media Research.

Actress whose vehicle was stolen recovers digital camera

MANILA, Philippines -- Actress Shirley Fuentes, who reported losing her Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to car thieves in Bulacan province last week, has recovered the digital camera that was inside the vehicle, a police official said.

‘Partylist’ official arrested for extortion

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna -- Agents of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested an alleged ranking official of a partylist group who conned two police applicants during an entrapment operation in Noveleta, Cavite on Tuesday night, police said Wednesday.

Bomb scare at PhilHealth office in Mandaluyong

MANILA, Philippines -- A bomb scare caused panic at the PhilHealth office in Shaw Boulevard Wednesday afternoon, radio reports said.

British contractor suspended over Iloilo flyover project

ILOILO CITY, Philippines -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has suspended the British contractor of a flyover project in Iloilo City due to alleged discrepancies in some portions of the project, its central office has said.

Spending power of RP diaspora bulks up middle class

MANILA, Philippines--Robust dollar inflows from millions of Filipinos working abroad are altering the Philippines economy as their relatives join the ranks of the middle class, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Candidate for village chief in Pangasinan town shot dead

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines -- (UPDATE) A candidate for barangay (village) captain was shot dead Tuesday in front of his furniture shop in a town in Pangasinan province, a police official said.

40 Army soldiers detained without charges in Tanay--official

MANILA, Philippines -- Forty Army enlisted men have been detained at an infantry camp in Tanay town, Rizal province for over a year even as no formal charges have been filed against them for their alleged involvement in the botched February 2006 uprising, an Army spokesman admitted Wednesday.

E-mail remains relevant Internet marketing tool--expert

MANILA, Philippines -- E-mail marketing remains a relevant marketing tool, an expert said during a search engine marketing forum being held here.

Kidnapped dentist rescued in Mindoro

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna -- Police rescued a dentist in the town of Naujan, Mindoro province just before noon Wednesday, almost 15 hours after he was forcibly taken by armed men from his house in nearby Victoria town, an official said.

(UPDATE 2) Kidnapped OFW in Nigeria freed--DFA

MANILA, Philippines -- A Filipino and his Colombian co-worker were released in Nigeria after 12 days in captivity, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

Most affluent Filipinos use the Web, study shows

MANILA, Philippines -- Majority of "affluent" Filipinos use the Internet, with more than half of them going online everyday, according to a study by Nielsen Media Research.

ePerformax International to raise up to P4B in IPO

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine call center company ePerformax International Inc. is planning to sell 223 million common shares in an initial public offering in the first quarter of 2008, in order to raise up to P4 billion to fund expansion and retire debt.

Prosecution of security forces in political killings sought

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine government has vowed to strengthen efforts to prosecute security forces allegedly involved in political killings to demonstrate it does not condone human rights violations.

Asian bonds firm with stocks, wary over Fed

HONG KONG -- Asian bonds jumped on Wednesday as strong regional stocks indicated growing risk appetite, but some investors were wary that the rally could be derailed if the US Federal Reserve does not cut rates again this month.

Break in impasse sought when MILF talks resume after Ramadan

COTABATO CITY, Philippines -- Negotiators from the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will again try to break the deadlock caused by the issue on territory during an executive session in Kuala Lumpur, rebel and government sources said Wednesday.

3 dead, 1 hurt in Quezon road accidents

LUCENA CITY, Philippines -- At least three people have died and one is in critical condition from two separate road accidents in Quezon province, police said Wednesday.

NPA still biggest threat in village polls--PNP, Comelec

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The communist New People's Army remains the biggest threat in the upcoming village elections, officials said during a joint command conference of the Philippine National Police and Commission on Election at the national police headquarters in Camp Crame Wednesday.

Trillanes ‘very disappointed’ over Pulido impeachment rap

MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Wednesday that he was "very disappointed" over the impeachment complaint filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by his former lawyer and alleged that it was "highly probable" that Malacañang was using him to preempt a stronger case on the President.

Cops told to probe alleged child prostitution in Digos city

DIGOS CITY, Philippines -- Mayor Arsenio Latasa has ordered police to investigate the reported proliferation of young prostitutes here. Last week, a nine-year old student at a public school here went missing for three days.

Pacquiao’s ‘stressed’ mom rushed to hospital--sources

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines -- World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao’s mother Dionisia was rushed to the hospital late Tuesday and was being treated for stress-related illness, sources at the St. Elizabeth hospital here said on Wednesday.

Arroyo: Development targets on track amid politicking

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has assured foreign funding agencies that the government would stick to its development targets despite politicking by some quarters.

Aussies put moths on menu to solve seasonal invasion

SYDNEY -- Australian restaurants have hit on a radical solution to an unusually large seasonal invasion of moths -- they've taken a tip from Aborigines and put the pests on the menu.

Ex-health officer’s headless body found in Cotabato River

COTABATO CITY, Philippines -- Police authorities recovered here Tuesday the decomposing remains of a former regional health officer, police said on Wednesday.

Slip in Asia on Fed rate uncertainty, stock rise

TOKYO -- US Treasuries eased on Wednesday after minutes from the Federal Reserve's last policy meeting barely boosted expectations for an interest rate cut later this month, while a rise in share prices prompted investors to pull out of funds from bonds.

Australia targets Japanese kids with YouTube whale appeal

SYDNEY--The Australian government has taken its fight against Japan's whaling policies directly to the country's children, posting a propaganda video on the popular Internet site YouTube.

Singapore dollar jumps on central bank move in firm Asia

SINGAPORE -- The Singapore dollar hit a 10-year high versus the US dollar on Wednesday after the central bank surprised markets by tightening monetary policy slightly, and other Asian currencies firmed as share prices rose.

Asian shares hit record after Wall St delights

SINGAPORE -- Asian stocks rose on Wednesday, cheered by a rally on Wall Street after talk the Federal Reserve might cut borrowing costs to stimulate economic growth in the United States, the region's largest export market.

Volatile world oil prices ease in Asian trade

SINGAPORE -- World oil prices continued their volatility Wednesday, falling back in Asian trade after rising sharply in New York and London. Prices eased ahead of the US government's weekly report on American energy inventories expected later Wednesday.

Taiwan unveils missiles at National Day parade

TAIPEI -- Taiwan flexed its military muscles Wednesday, showing off two home-developed missiles in a rare parade seen as a reminder to China that it has the weaponry to defend itself.

Promoter files $5-M suit vs rapper Diddy

NEW YORK -- A hip-hop promoter has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, claiming the rap mogul unleashed three violent bodyguards on him in a New York City nightclub.

Priest gets life sentence over Argentina junta killings

LA PLATA, Argentina -- A Roman Catholic priest who compared himself to Jesus Christ was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for collaborating in murders, kidnappings and torture during Argentina's 1976-1983 military dictatorship.

Kiefer Sutherland pleads no contest in drunken driving case

LOS ANGELES -- An attorney for Kiefer Sutherland entered a plea of no contest Tuesday on the actor's behalf to a charge of driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit.

Dollar takes breather as market digests Fed minutes

TOKYO -- The dollar was stable in Asian trade on Wednesday as market players digested signs that the Federal Reserve may be open to further interest rate cuts, dealers said.

Judge orders Britney Spears to be booked

LOS ANGELES -- A judge on Tuesday ordered Britney Spears to be booked at a Los Angeles police station in her hit-and-run case.

First Malaysian astronaut to lift off into space

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan -- Malaysia's first astronaut was to blast off on Wednesday on a space voyage seen as breaking new boundaries for the Asian nation and for space travel by Muslims.

Strong quake hits Indonesia's Sumatra

JAKARTA -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 struck off the west coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of damage, seismologists said.

Shares firmer after Wall Street's advance on rate cut hopes

MANILA, Philippines -- Shares rose in early deals Wednesday, led by property developers and banks, following Wall Street's solid gains overnight on hopes of more interest rate cuts in the US.

Oil eases to $80, traders eye winter fuel supply

SINGAPORE -- Oil eased to around $80 on Wednesday, with dealers taking some profits from the previous day's rally which was spurred by worries over lower heating fuel stockpiles in the Northern Hempishere ahead of peak winter demand.

Google launches video ad program using YouTube

SAN FRANCISCO--Google on Tuesday set out to profit from its $1.65-billion purchase of YouTube by letting websites use advertising-laced videos and then share in the revenues.

NBC to buy Oprah-founded Oxygen network for $925M

NEW YORK -- NBC Universal announced plans Tuesday to buy Oxygen Media, a cable television network focused on programming aimed at women, for 925 million dollars.

Epilepsy drug may help alcoholics kick the habit -- study

CHICAGO -- An anticonvulsant drug prescribed for epilepsy seizures and migraine headaches may help alcoholics kick the habit by helping to wean them off the booze, a study released Tuesday suggested.

Dollar slips against euro, more weakness seen

TOKYO -- The dollar slipped against the euro on Wednesday, pulling further away from a two-week high a day after minutes from the Federal Reserve's September policy meet showed that the central bank is ready to cut interest rates further if needed.

Incredible shrinking memory drives new IT

PARIS--Over the past decade, hard drives have shrunk to the size of postage stamps while their storage capacity has improved fifty-fold, a feat that can be traced to two men who won the 2007 Nobel Prize for Physics on Tuesday.

Shares seen higher after Wall Street hits record

MANILA, Philippines -- Shares may open higher Wednesday, buoyed by another record performance on Wall Street as investors believed the minutes from the Federal Reserve's meeting last month supported hopes of more interest rate cuts before the end of the year.

5 suspects detained for vandalizing Monet painting

PARIS -- French police on Tuesday detained five suspects who allegedly damaged a painting by Impressionist Claude Monet after breaking into the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, a judicial source said.

Actor Nick Nolte, 66, becomes a dad again

LOS ANGELES -- Actor Nick Nolte, 66, became a father for the second time last week, after his companion gave birth to a baby, a spokesman said Tuesday, without releasing the baby's name.

Google buys Finnish startup Jaiku

SAN FRANCISCO--Google announced on Tuesday it is buying Jaiku, a Finnish startup specializing in letting friends use mobile telephones to share what they are doing at any given moment.

Google rules Internet search world--comScore study

SAN FRANCISCO--Google is king of Internet search worldwide but rivals in China and South Korea have become powerhouses in their respective countries, a comScore study revealed on Tuesday.

Davydenko makes good start to Kremlin Cup defense

MOSCOW -- Russian Nikolay Daydenko, top seed and reigning champion of the 2.34 million-dollar joint ATP and WTA Kremlin Cup, began his title defense with a confident straight-sets win over France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga here on Tuesday.

Lawsuit accuses Apple of unlawful iPhone monopoly

SAN FRANCISCO--A civil lawsuit filed in California accuses Apple of creating an unlawful iPhone monopoly and vindictively releasing a software update that turns hacked devices into "iBricks."

Lindsay Lohan tells magazine: 'I hit rock bottom'

LOS ANGELES -- US actress Lindsay Lohan admitted in an interview with a celebrity weekly that she had reached the lowest point in her career, after her July arrest for drunk driving and cocaine possession.

Myanmar opposition warily welcomes Suu Kyi dialogue move

YANGON -- Myanmar's opposition on Tuesday cautiously welcomed moves by the junta towards dialogue with its leader Aung San Suu Kyi but insisted that any offer should come with no strings attached.

US Fed saw 'exceptionally weak' housing ahead of rate cut

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve's half-point rate cut last month came amid evidence of an "exceptionally weak" housing sector and expectations of softer growth into 2008, minutes released Tuesday showed.

Lotto firm’s 3-quarter profit up 177%

MANILA, Philippines--Lotto equipment supplier Pacific Online Systems Corp. said Tuesday that its net income grew 177 percent to P115.8 million in the first three quarters of 2007 from P41.8 million in the same period in 2006, citing increased lotto sales and reduced expenses.

Senate, Villar top SWS ratings

MANILA, Philippines -- The Senate received the highest public satisfaction rating among four major public institutions in the latest Social Weather Stations survey. The Arroyo Cabinet scored the lowest.

DA: Trade pact to open Japan to RP agricultural products

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines may obtain from Japan improved market access concessions for its agricultural and fishery products under the proposed Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA.

‘Inday’ jokes in English, smarter than ‘Eraptions’

MANILA, Philippines -- Inday, the housemaid or “kasambahay,” is riding the airwaves.

IMF said to have cut 2008 global growth forecast

FRANKFURT -- The International Monetary Fund has lowered its 2008 global growth forecast to 4.8 percent from a previous estimate of 5.2 percent, German sources told Agence France-Presse Tuesday.

Family, not sex, is Pinoys’ No. 1 source of happiness

MANILA, Philippines -- Family, health and religion are the three most important sources of happiness among Filipinos, while sex, sports, politics and cultural pursuits rank among the least important, according to a recent study by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

SC rules: No total ban on milk formula ads

MANILA, Philippines -- Multibillion-peso advertisements of breast milk substitutes for infants and toddlers cannot be completely banned as part of the Department of Health’s (DoH’s) efforts to promote breastfeeding, the Supreme Court ruled in a 12-0 decision released Tuesday.

‘Lobbyist’ monitors for Kampi

MANILA, Philippines -- Allegations of bribery aside, lawyer Francis Ver appears to be a likeable fellow in the halls of the agenda-driven House of Representatives.

US call center to sell Ortigas Center facility

MANILA, Philippines--American call center firm Global Sky Inc. announced Tuesday it would sell its fully operational site at the Ortigas Center in Metro Manila, saying it had outgrown the facility.

Palace disowns role in bribe offer raps

MANILA, Philippines -- Malacañang on Tuesday disowned any involvement in alleged bribery attempts to derail impeachment moves against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Heartbreak can kill, study proves, sort of

LONDON -- It has been the stuff of great romantic novels and blockbuster films, and doctors have long suspected it.

Deutsche Bank hiking exposure in Philippine microfinance

MANILA, Philippines--Deutsche Bank is increasing its loan portfolio for microfinancing in the Philippines, indicating how foreign banks become a lucrative source of funding for small enterprises.

Palace won’t give Senate NEDA records on NBN

Malacañang has slammed the door anew on the Senate which is demanding to look into records of meetings of the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordinating Council (NEDA-ICC) that led to the approval of the $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) project awarded to China’s ZTE Corp.

Cordero, Polero rip Asian U-14 net foes

MANILA, Philippines--Seeded Filipino standout Kyle Cordero handily hurdled compatriot Isaiah Dandan but it was the stunning triumph of Tim Polero over a fifth-seeded Bruneian that stole the limelight Tuesday in the first round of the Asian 14-under tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Raul Gonzalez: I’m back

MANILA, Philippines -- He may be “wobbly” and weak from his organ-transplant operation but, powered by a new kidney, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has proven that his mind and tongue are as sharp as ever, lashing out at critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Gov’t to revise tax system on financial instruments

MANILA, Philippines--The government plans to simplify and standardize the taxation system on financial instruments to better promote capital market development.

Air21’s Santos makes PBA face morality issues anew

MANILA, Philippines -- Arwind Santos, the Air21 forward embroiled in a bigamy suit, must settle his problem at the soonest time to avoid possible sanctions from a league that let go of its last commissioner over morality issues.

Solon files graft case against Abalos

MANILA, Philippines -- The main cast in the controversial $329-million contract for the National Broadband Network (NBN) project has all been haled to the Office of the Ombudsman, facing criminal complaints with resigned Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. as the latest addition.

Briber exec of Arroyo party

MANILA, Philippines -- A Malacañang ally was linked Tuesday to alleged bribery attempts to protect President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from being impeached, as her relationship with Speaker Jose de Venecia sank to the level of what a lawmaker called “mutually assured destruction.”

Smart Communications to do ad blitz for gamers

MANILA, Philippines--Filipinos are ready for advertisements that are linked to games or delivered inside games, said Bong Mojica, head of the wireless consumer division of Smart Communications Inc.

Cable TV group bucks PLDT’s myTV

MANILA, Philippines--The Philippine Cable Television Association (PCTA) has formally moved to block the mobile TV service myTV of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and its subsidiaries, but will be sparing the 3GTV service of PLDT’s rival, Globe Telecom Inc.

World oil prices rebound in volatile trade

LONDON -- Global oil prices rebounded sharply on Tuesday, reversing earlier losses in volatile trading on the eve of the US government's snapshot of American energy inventories.

San Beda pulls 2 stars out of Korea-bound SEAG five

MANILA, Philippines -- NCAA back-to-back champion San Beda College looked to have forged its rules after pulling two Red Lions out of the national basketball team training for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December.

PAL: Biggest turnaround story

MANILA, Philippines--Last week’s exit of Philippine Airlines (PAL) from receivership ended a tumultuous nine-year period that started with the company standing on the brink of becoming the biggest collapse in local corporate history.

Pagulayan rules Canada Tour tilt

MANILA, Philippines -- Former World Pool Champion Alex Pagulayan won his third major title this year by demolishing Canadian Tyler Edey, 11-5, in the finals of the Canadian 9-Ball Tour leg in Newmarket, Ontario, on Sunday.

Text-a-crime service now available

MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila residents can now use their cellular phones to report—via text messaging—an ongoing crime, the sighting of a wanted person or an emergency situation that needs immediate action.

Body found in garbage bag

MANILA, Philippines – The body of another suspected victim of summary execution was discovered inside a black garbage bag before dawn yesterday in Cubao, Quezon City. The incident was the fifth case to be reported within a month in the area.

New rules on pre-need funds management readied

MANILA, Philippines--The Securities And Exchange Commission is putting in place new guidelines that will govern the management of pre-need funds.

DA asks Congress to extend life of agro fund up to 2015

MANILA, Philippines--Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap is pushing for extension of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) up to 2015.

So still leads despite draw with tough GM

Filipino International Master Wesley So agreed to a quick draw with German Grandmaster Georg Meier late Monday and settled for a share of the lead with Egyptian GM Ahmed Adley after six rounds of the 2007 World Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at the T. Petrosian Chess House in Yerevan, Armenia.

Makati traffic stalls as a result of 8-vehicle smashup

MANILA, Philippines – An eight-vehicle smashup caused heavy traffic in Makati City yesterday and left motorists grumbling after a bus lost its brakes and plowed into the cars ahead of it. Fortunately, only one was hurt in the incident that happened on the southbound lane of Edsa, near the Ayala tunnel.

Netopia ties up with e-learning firm

MANILA, Philippines--The Netopia Internet cafe franchise has partnered with Australian e-learning company Drake Training Systems Limited (DTSL) to offer the Englishlink English language training program to people wanting to enter the call center job market.

Gov’t won’t cut infra spending to trim deficit

MANILA, Philippines--The government will stick to its target of wiping out the budget deficit next year without choking social and infrastructure spending, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said.

P308-M payday for Pacquiao

LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao earned a whopping $7 million (about P308 million) from his recent fight with Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera, according to a source close to the Filipino ring celebrity.

DoE seeks ways to temper hike in oil prices

MANILA, Philippines--The Department of Energy (DoE) is considering taking certain steps to ease the impact of escalating world oil prices on local pump prices, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

COA finds P329-M textbooks unused

MANILA, Philippines -- Some P329 million worth of textbooks, information and communication technology (ICT) products, computers and instructional materials are lying around in the offices of school officials or in stockrooms, destroyed by molds, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

No permit, no entry to landfill, says Rodriguez mayor

MANILA, Philippines – What happens to Metro Manila’s garbage now? The mayor of Rodriguez, Rizal province yesterday stressed that dump trucks will not be allowed to enter the new landfill in his turf until the provincial government has secured the necessary permits for its operation.

Arroyo, De Venecia: Our coalition won’t break

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. Tuesday steered away from a collision course and agreed they would not allow the ruling coalition to break up.

Peso still rising, closes at 44.31 to $1

MANILA, Philippines--Upbeat foreign investor sentiment perked up the peso Tuesday to a new seven-year high of 44.23 to the dollar before profit-taking and central bank intervention pulled the rate to a weaker finish of 44.31, currency traders said.

Manila to conduct study on water quality

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday ordered the city government’s health chief to conduct an independent study of the quality of water in Manila after an environmental group claimed that it contained harmful substances.

Hero’s welcome awaits Manny in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – A hero’s welcome is just about all boxing champ Manny Pacquiao can expect from the Manila City government following his defeat Sunday of Mexico’s Marco Antonio Barrera.

Shell says IPO in ’08 a ‘good possibility’

MANILA, Philippines--Oil refiner and retailer Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. sees a “good possibility” of going public by next year, considering the current strength of the stock market, Shell country chairman Edgar Chua said Tuesday.

Graft raps filed by party-list group expected move -- Abalos

MANILA, Philippines -- Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos said the graft case that party-list Akbayan filed against him was already an expected move.

Pacquiao drops Manila visit for Atienza

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. will host a party for Filipino boxer and undefeated WBC international super featherweight champion Mannny Pacquiao, after his arrival Thursday.

Magdalo camp wants Arroyo to testify in next court hearing

The lawyer of junior military officers who are facing charges for participating in the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny said he will call President Arroyo to testify in the next court hearing, DZMM reported.

South Korea to protest to China over North refugees

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea will lodge a protest with China on Wednesday after security officials scuffled with its diplomats in Beijing trying to help a group of North Koreans defect, a government official said.

P100,000 reward offered for capture of Kidapawan bomber

Kidapawan Mayor Rodolfo Gantuanco on Wednesday offered a P100,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the main suspect in last Friday's twin bombings in Kidapawan City that killed two people and wounded 30 others.

Toni keeps her lovelife very, very private

"You see, I want to really keep my private life very, very private," actress Toni Gonzaga told abs-cbnNEWS.com during the launch of "Pinoy Big Brother
Celebrity Edition 2" Tuesday night.

Philippines' ePerformax eyeing to do IPO in Q1 2008

Contact center ePerformax International Inc. plans to raise up to P4 billion through an initial public offering (IPO) in the first quarter of 2008.

RP vows to act faster on political killings

The Philippines ordered government prosecutors to resolve rights abuse complaints against soldiers and police officers within a 60-day period, acting justice secretary Agnes Devanadera said on Wednesday.

Garnett faces T-Wolves as NBA returns to London

LONDON (Reuters) - Boston Celtics's Kevin Garnett is preparing to face his old team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, for the first time on Wednesday when the NBA returns to London.

PhilHealth employees flee building after bomb threat

Some 2,000 employees of the PhilHealth scrambled out of its main office building in Pasig City Wednesday following a bomb scare.

Nepal's Maoists say they can bring down govt

KATHMANDU - The chief of Nepal's former Maoist rebels threatened that they could bring down the interim government if it does not agree to their demands, including an immediate end to the monarchy, newspapers reported on Wednesday.

GMA Undermined Neda in Getting Broadband Deal Approval

Six former Neda chiefs say the agency is now a ‘rubber stamp’ institution.

Comelec Employees Cheer Abalos Resignation

Resigned Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos is leaving behind a damaged institution. Thus, it came as no...

(GMA7) Abalos resigns as Comelec chair, but vows to fight back

(Updated 1:31 p.m.) Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos on Monday announced that he is resigning as head of the Commission on...

�Everyday Islam� Photo Contest Winners Known

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Abalos Offered Me P200M � Neri

Commission on Elections chair Benjamin Abalos tried to bribe former economic planning secretary Romulo Neri over the national broadband deal...

Philippine rebels claim attack on mining firm

manila Communist rebels said yesterday they attacked an Australian mining operation in the northeastern Philippines to force its closure, and warned of similar raids on any foreign mining company op...

Manila Water shares hit record high on attractive valuation

MANILA, Philippines -- Shares in Philippine utility company Manila Water rose sharply to record highs Wednesday on attractive valuations and an upbeat research note from Credit Suisse. In late trade,...

Philippine police prepare for violence in village level elections

Philippine police expect tension or violence in one out of every 10 villages in the country during the election of village or city neighborhood level leaders and local youth council leaders to be held...

Philippine Senate prepares to shoot down FTA with Japan

MANILA (Kyodo) Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's campaign to persuade the Senate to ratify a landmark free-trade agreement with Japan is looking increasingly hopeless, a Filipino lawmaker...

Philippine August exports down 4.8 percent yr-on-yr

MANILA (Thomson Financial) - Philippine merchandise exports fell 4.8 percent in August from a year earlier to 4.0 billion dollars as demand for electronics declined, the National Statistics Office sai...

Manila Hosts 2nd International Medical Travel Conference

Abdul Hannan Faisal Tago, Arab News RIYADH, 10 October 2007 - Some 250 representatives from all over the world, including delegates from the Kingdom, will be gathering in Manila next month for the 2nd...

Deutsche Bank hiking exposure in Philippine microfinance

Close this MANILA, Philippines--Deutsche Bank is increasing its loan portfolio for microfinancing in the Philippines, indicating how foreign banks become a lucrative source of funding for sma...

Gap launches Philippines franchises

News ) -San Francisco's Gap Inc. (GPS) has announced a franchise agreement to launch the Gap and Banana Republic brands in the Philippines. Franchise partner Rustan Group of Companies will open approx...

Elixir delivers Philippines, Cambodian order

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:EGT) ("Elixir Gaming") announced today that Elixir Group Limited ("Elixir Group") has delivered agreements for the placem...

3 'salvage' victims found in Taguig

THREE suspected victims of summary execution were found one after another in Taguig City on Tuesday morning, all with identical gunshot wounds in the chest.The first "salvage" victim was found at 6 a....

Arroyo wants Cyber-Ed project pushed through

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said foreign-assisted projects like the US$465 million Cyber Education (Cyber-Ed) program with China's Tsing Hua University should push through despite criticisms and...

Soldiers' involvement in barangay, SK polls eyed

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking to have a more active participation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the forthcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. "...

Manila says open to deals to recover Marcos wealth

MANILA – The Philippine government is open to deals with the family and business partners of former president Ferdinand Marcos to end court cases involving about 180 billion pesos ($4 billion), ...

Manila to conduct study on water quality

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday ordered the city government's health chief to conduct an independent study of the quality of water in Manila after an environmental group claim...

Family, health, religion make Filipinos happiest-survey

Family, health and religion are the three most-valuable sources of happiness for Filipinos, a National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) study showed.

Graft raps filed by party-list group expected move -- Abalos

MANILA, Philippines -- Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos said the graft case that party-list Akbayan filed against him was already an expected move. "As if it is someth...

Burgos family to test writ of amparo

The family of the missing activist Jonas Burgos said they plan to file the first test case of the Supreme Court's new legal remedy for victims of human-rights violations-the writ of amparo.

Military clash with MNLF, Abu

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Army troops clashed late Monday with a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Abu Sayyaf in a remote village in Sulu, killing one gunman, the military said ...

GMA bent on pushing cyber ed

Cyber education is a project of the Department of Education and the Chinese government. It has been mentioned during Senate hearings on the other mega Chinese project here-the recently scrapped ...

TUCP opposes GSIS, SSS plan to invest P65B overseas

MANILA, Philippines -- The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has criticized the plans of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) to invest up t...

Marines won't release report on debacles

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- Why the Marines suffered heavy casualties in Basilan may no longer be known. Philippine Marines Commandant Major General Benjamin Dolorfino has ruled out th...

Hero's welcome awaits Manny in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - A hero's welcome is just about all boxing champ Manny Pacquiao can expect from the Manila City government following his defeat Sunday of Mexico's Marco Antonio Barrera. Mayor Al...

Roxas accepts price controls in cheaper medicines bill

MANILA, Philippines -- The principal author of the Senate's version of a bill that seeks to lower the price of medicines has dropped his objection to the version of the House of Representatives which ...

Oakwood mutineers present defense on Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines -- The junior officers on trial for the failed Oakwood mutiny of 2003 will begin their defense on Wednesday before the Makati court hearing their coup d'etat case. Scheduled to pr...

PCGG chief probed on P10-M advances

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- The chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), Camilo Sabio, is being investigated by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, over ca...

Govt revives broadband project

President Gloria Arroyo earlier scrapped the $330-million broadband project awarded to China's ZTE Corp. owing to allegations of corruption.

Comelec wants more military participation in October polls

MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is eyeing to increase the participation of the military in the coming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections...

New Rizal landfill cannot operate without ECC -- mayor

MANILA, Philippines -- The mayor of Rodriguez, Rizal, has barred dump trucks from entering the new landfill within the town's jurisdiction until the provincial government has secured permits for the l...

Civil society groups launch movement against RP's bad debts

MANILA, Philippines -- A new movement composed of civil society groups was launched on Wednesday to monitor the country's pile-up of "illegal" debts. Members of the People Against Illegitimate Debt (...

Tricycle driver returns P100T

Francisco Lorenzo Jr., 32, is one of about 20,000 tricycle drivers here who works all day and earns an average of P100 a day, net of a P100 boundary. He lives modestly in a government housing pr...

Communist rebels own up to attack on Australian mine firm

MANILA, Philippines -- Communist rebels said Tuesday they attacked an Australian mining operation in the northeastern Philippines to force its closure, and warned of similar raids on any foreign minin...

3-M 'discrepancy' in voter's list 'normal increase'--Comelec

MANILA, Philippines -- The bloated voters' list for the upcoming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections is not due to the inclusion of flying voters in the list, but a s...

Solon defends increased family planning budget

MANILA, Philippines -- Where will an increased family planning budget of over P1 billion go? Answering critics from the Catholic Church and its pro-life allies, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, cha...

Palace to return lot of 90-year-old widow

MANILA, Philippines -- Malaca ang will abide by the Supreme Court ruling ordering the Office of the President to hand back a 4,924.60-square-meter portion of the Palace compound to a 90-year-old widow...

Probe delays return of slain Filipino maid in Canada

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines -- Philippine and Canadian authorities have guaranteed the repatriation of a murdered Filipino maid, who was found dead inside the house of her employer in Mississauga City on...

De Venecia orders probe into bribery attempt on Beltran

MANILA, Philippines -- Speaker Jose de Venecia has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged bribery attempt on a partylist lawmaker at the House of Representatives for his support of an

Gov't won't stop Estrada stay in San Juan home for sick mom

MANILA, Philippines -- The government will not oppose the bid of former president Joseph Estrada for a house arrest in his residence in San Juan to be near his ailing mother, Interior and Local Govern...

Over 4,000 villages declared election hotspots -- PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified at least 4,511 villages throughout the country as hotspots for the upcoming October elections, PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. sa...

Santiago urges Ombudsman to file graft raps vs De Venecias

MANILA, Philippines -- Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez should file graft charges against Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. and his son in relation to the cancelled $329-million national broadband network con...

Supreme Court lifts baby milk ad ban

MANILA, Philippines -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a ban on the advertising of powdered baby milk in a decision seen as a major win for multinational companies but strongly opposed by UN agenc...

Manila mayor orders independent test on city water

MANILA, Philippines -- Manila mayor Alfredo Lim directed his health chief on Tuesday for an independent study on the quality of water in the city, after an environmental group claimed that it containe...

Manila Water initiated as 'outperform' at Credit Suisse

MANILA, Philippines -- Credit Suisse has initiated coverage on Manila Water Co. with an 'outperform' recommendation and a price target of P24. "We believe that the company is undervalued and under-ap...

Arroyo to stay focused on economy amid bribe claims--Palace

MANILA, Philippines -- Allegations that an executive of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) bribed a congressman to endorse the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arryo ha...

87 percent of Philippine e-mail is spam--report

MANILA,Philippines--More than 80 percent of all electronic mail circulating in the Philippines is "spam" or unsolicited mass advertising, a leading computer software security provider said Tuesday. T...

Senate adjourns 4 days ahead of Oct. 12 schedule

MANILA, Philippines -- The Senate adjourned Tuesday, four days earlier than the October 12 schedule in the calendar of Congress. The early break elicited a reaction from Senator Richard Gordon who sa...

Kampi exec denies Beltran bribe claim

MANILA, Philippines -- Lawyer Francis Ver has denied the claims by Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran that he had talked to opposition congressmen at the House of Representatives and bribed them...

2 more solons confirm bribe offer after Beltran expos

impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In separate interviews with INQUIRER.net, Laguna Representative Dan Fernandez and An Waray Partylist Representative Florencio Noel adm...

NEDA rejects Senate request for NBN-ZTE documents

MANILA, Philippines -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has rejected the Senate's request for documents related to the cancelled $329-million contract with China's ZTE Corp. in t...

Director brings gritty Philippine slums to screen

Close this BUSAN, South Korea -- When film-maker Jim Meer Libiran turned his camera on the mean streets of Manila's slums, he almost set off a turf war between rival gangs. But with determin...

Arroyo meets House lawmakers in Palace

MANILA, Philippines -- Faced with a new impeachment complaint, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met with several members of the House of Representatives in Malaca ang Tuesday. The luncheon meeting w...

Criminal rap filed vs Abalos over NBN deal at Ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines -- The Akbayan Partylist has filed a criminal complaint against resigned Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos at the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged i...

Islamic militant killed in clash in southern Philippines

Zamboanga City, Philippines - An Islamic militant was killed in a clash with government troops on a southern Philippine island, a military report said Tuesday. The clash erupted when soldiers on Monda...

Beltran to reveal Palace emissary who tried to bribe him

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 2) It was the deputy secretary general of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Partner of the Free Filipino, KAMPI) who offered P2 million to endorse ...

Rebels abduct three soldiers in Philippine raid

manila Communist rebels abducted three soldiers in a raid on an army base in the southern Philippines, the fourth such sting in as many months in the restive region.

Court grants citizenship to Japanese-Filipino female pair in their 80s

So far, 49 of these children of Japanese fathers and Filipino mothers have brought cases to the court, according to the center. At least 200 more of these children who are seeking Japanese citizenship...

Santiago agrees with legal experts' opinion on Japan treaty

MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday said she tended to agree with constitutional and international law experts that the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement i...

SC orders Palace to pay back rentals to 90-year-old woman

Justice delayed The tribunal directed Malaca ang "to pay its obligation with reasonable dispatch" so that "simple justice, while perhaps delayed, will have its day." "Private respondent is in the tw...

Alternative sites available for Metro waste, says MMDA

MANILA, Philippines -- Metro Manila will not experience a garbage crisis despite the closure of the 14-hectare landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said yesterda...

Arrest warrant out vs comedian Teri Onor

MANILA, Philippines -- A Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) in Quezon City has issued an arrest warrant against Bataan province Vice Mayor Dexter Dominguez, also known as Teri Onor, after Dominguez allege...

Who were really involved in the NBN deal

The inquiry into the stinking National Broadband Network (NBN) scandal seems to have hit a dead end with the principal witness, former Socioeconomic Secretary Romulo Neri, refusing to testify further ...

Nanny of missing Pasig girl charged with kidnapping

MANILA, Philippines -- The National Bureau of Investigation yesterday filed charges against Marites Ontog, the nanny of Geraldine Palma, the 7-year-old girl believed to had been kidnapped and killed b...

Bullet-riddled van found in Sta. Cruz street

MANILA, Philippines -- Residents of Sta. Cruz, Manila yesterday called up the police after seeing a van in the area which had bullet holes and blood stains on its seats. There was nobody inside the b...

'Harmful chemicals in water supply'

MANILA, Philippines -- Samples of tap and bottled water taken from some areas in Metro Manila and Bulacan province contain "volatile organic chemicals" and high levels of metals, according to the resu...

Arroyo unfazed by new impeach raps

She said the Go Negosyo caravan for instance, which has already reached Baguio, Cebu, Bacolod, and Manila, would help in the setting up of three million entrepreneurs by 2010, which is part of her ina...

Gov't to reassess Chinese-assisted projects

PRESIDENTIAL Management Staff director general Cerge Remonde said the China Projects Oversight Panel (CPOP) has asked the different agencies involved in Chinese-assisted projects to submit a report on...

SC's help sought on plunder raps v. Arroyo

Petitioner also asked that upon submission of said counter-affidavit, he should be given an opportunity to reply. He also sought that the Office of the Ombudsman take into account the Senate committee...

Philippines-China farm deals still on

Close this The Department of Agriculture expects to push through with all the controversial Philippine-China farm agreements next year but it will have to alter the mechanisms for their imple...

Philippines faring well in attaining UN goals

Close this The Philippines has scored well on 12 of 21 key human development indicators under the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to the Asian Development Bank'...

Imelda Marcos still quite a lady at 78

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- Imelda Marcos glides across the highly polished wooden floor of her modest apartment with a carefully manicured hand outstretched, and apologizes for being l...

DepEd violated own rules-COA

DepEd built 22 school buildings worth P28.67 million in low-priority areas in six regions, in violation of its own school-building policy, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

RP behind on millennium goals

The Philippines is making slow progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals or MDG, which are development targets that 189 countries have pledged to achieve by 2015.

Estrada closes door on pardon

By Francis Earl A. Cueto, Reporter Convicted ex-President Joseph Estrada has closed the door on a presidential pardon on Monday, blaming Malaca ang's insincerity.

JI suspect claims he was trained by MILF

But for the first time, the MILF said there could be rogue members providing clandestine military trainings to JI militants without them knowing.

Quality of barangay reflects on country

The quality of political organization at the barangay level spells the strength or weakness of Philippine socio-political life. Hence, the October 29 barangay polls can spell boom or doom on the...

Bishop lauds Manila for ending 'jueteng'

MANILA, Philippines -- A Catholic bishop has lauded the city of Manila and its new mayor for putting an end to the illegal numbers game "jueteng." Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz said Manila...

Lawyer who filed impeach rap denies bribery charges

MANILA, Philippines -- Lawyer Roberto Rafael Pulido, whose impeachment case was endorsed by Laguna Representative Edgar San Luis, on Monday denied he was responsible for the alleged bribe attempt to c...

Gonzalez out of hospital

MANILA, Philippines -- Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez was released Monday from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute where he underwent a kidney transplant. Gonzalez, who had considered retir...

Militant groups ask senators to scrap RP-Japan accord

MANILA, Philippines -- Leftwing workers and farmers opposed to the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) on Monday told the senators to do the right thing by junking the trade pact ...

Senate wants Mike Arroyo version of 'back off' incident

MANILA, Philippines -- First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo might not appear before the Senate inquiry into the cancelled $329-million contract with China's ZTE Corp., but he should still give his writt...

Solon proposes House inquiry instead of impeachment

MANILA, Philippines -- Instead of an impeachment proceeding, a lawmaker is proposing a congressional inquiry into the charges filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the House of Representa...

Escudero to probe $460M CyberEd, other ODA projects

MANILA, Philippines -- Despite President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration the $460-million Cyber Education Project with China would proceed, Senator Francis Escudero on Monday said he would inves...

Widow wins 32-year battle with Philippine government

MANILA, Philippines -- The Supreme Court has ordered the Philippine government to hand back a 4,924.60-square-meter portion of the Malaca ang Palace to a 90-year-old widow and pay her about P8 million...

Water quality in RP declining -- Greenpeace

SAFE WATER? Greenpeace campaigner Beau Baconguis pours colored water from a pitcher to a drinking glass to demonstrate how, because of the contamination of fresh water sources, the availability of cle...

Coup suspects in hot water over critical statements

SANGLEY POINT, Cavite City, Philippines -- Military lawyers are studying possible legal action against the 28 officers facing court martial over the alleged botched coup in February 2006 over their re...

No Estrada pardon while ruling on appeal -- lawyer

MANILA, Philippines -- A presidential pardon for convicted president Joseph Estrada could not be granted while he is seeking Sandiganbayan's reversal of a graft conviction, his lawyer said Monday. "W...

Mike Arroyo might not attend NBN probe--lawyer

MANILA, Philippines -- First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo will not likely accept the invitation of the Senate for him to appear at a hearing on the national broadband network controversy for health re...

Philippine share prices up 2.58 per cent to record high

Manila - Philippine share prices surged 2.58 per cent to a record high on Monday, buoyed by an upbeat outlook on the local economy and Wall Street's gains. The 29-share composite index of the Philippi...

Journalist in critical condition after attack in Philippines

Iligan City, Philippines - A broadcast journalist was critically wounded Monday when an unidentified gunman shot him in a southern Philippine city, a police report said. Jose Cagalawan Pantoja was sta...

Ombudsman Gutierrez likely to inhibit self from NBN probe

MANILA, Philippines -- Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is inclined to inhibit her self from her office's investigation into the $329-million broadband infrastructure contract between the Philippine gov...

Arroyo impeach rap 'to die a natural death'--DILG chief

MANILA, Philippines -- The new impeachment case filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her alleged inaction on the multimillion-peso National Broadband Network project will die a natural ...

Hand of 'higher ups' behind graft complaint--De Venecia son

MANILA, Philippines -- Businessman Jose "Joey" de Venecia III, son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., sees the hand of "higher ups" and his father's enemies in the House of Representatives in the graft c...

SC asked to order Ombudsman to hasten action on Bolante case

PETITION. Frank Chavez files a mandamus petition against Ombudsman Merceditas Guttierez. Chavez is asking the Supreme Court to order the Ombudsman to act on the Jocjoc Bolante case. PHILIPPINE DAILY I...

6 solons offered bribes to favor Arroyo impeach rap--Zamora

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) At least six opposition members have been allegedly approached and offered from P1 million to P2 million and another P10 million worth of projects t...

Philippine peso hits 7-year high at P44.40/USD

Close this SINGAPORE -- The Philippine peso rose as far as 44.40 per dollar on Monday, a 7-year high, as investors piled into the high-yielding currency on hopes of more capital inflows into ...

JPEPA has 'serious constitutional problems'--ex-SC justice

MANILA, Philippines -- The Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement has "serious constitutional problems," former Supreme Court Justice Florentino Feliciano said in a statement read before the ...

Church protests at Philippines condom plan

MANILA: A proposal by the Philippine parliament to spend 22 million US dollars buying condoms and birth control pills has been condemned by the Roman Catholic Church, it was reported Monday. The presi...

Bro. Eddie Villanueva dares gov't not to suppress truth

MANILA, Philippines -- Bro. Eddie Villanueva, founder of the Jesus Is Lord Movement, has dared the government to stop suppressing the truth if it has nothing to hide. Villanueva's statement, made dur...

Free movies for Manila's elderly

MANILA, Philippines -- Expect more senior citizens in Manila to make a beeline for the city's movie houses soon. Mayor Alfredo Lim announced last week that the city government was working out an arra...

Philippine president lauds new victory of boxing champion Paquiao

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Sunday congratulated boxing icon Manny Pacquiao for scoring a unanimous decision over Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas. "Our '...

Postcards tell of Manila's rich history

Rich past "Manila is the only city that shows all the periods in our history -- the pre-hispanic, Spanish and then American. Legacies from the past, like archeological sites in Arroceros, Spanish edi...

Unwanted e-mail, spam zombies rife in RP

ALMOST NINE OUT OF TEN electronic mail messages in the Philippines
are spam or unwanted, while its capital city ranked third in Asia in
having the most number of spam zombies - computers infected with
malicious code that allows e-mail messages to be relayed.

Google taps small businesses

SEARCH ENGINE Google, Inc. wants to tap small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines to maximize the potential of
online advertising.

Adobe eyes 30% growth in revenues

ADOBE SYSTEMS, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed software company is
expecting a 30% increase in this year's revenues following the
introduction of two new products to the Philippine market.

Palace group to push CyberEd

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is bent on pursuing the
shelved $450-million Cyber Education (CyberEd) project as she ordered
the recently formed China Projects Oversight Panel to ensure that this
would not be hounded by issues unlike the canceled National Broadband
Network (NBN) deal.

Technology costs BIR

AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM established by the Bureau of Internal Revenue
(BIR) to make it easy for taxpayers to file returns and pay taxes has
ironically resulted in revenue losses instead of gains.

Greying Japan looks to robots

TOKYO - As Japan greys, who will look after the elderly? Maybe one day their aging children - in robot suits - if technology under development comes out of the laboratory and into the home.

Networking for primary school set begins in an 'online sandbox'

LONDON - Cool jazz piano playing in the background, a
pink penguin named JellyJuju orders a cheese pizza and a lemonade.
Another penguin, wearing a chef's hat, waddles to the table, tossing the
pie in the air and catching it.

Solid Group launches Dual Active SIM phone

THE ANNOUNCEMENT came a few weeks ago in the form of
splashy print ads in several dailies. The arrival of the country’s first
Dual Active SIM (DAS) phone was met with much interest but mostly from
certain mobile phone users.

Interest in RP game developers rises

THE LOCAL GAME development industry is making inroads into the global
market, having signed $1 million worth of deals during a recent
convention in Singapore, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
yesterday said.

Smart subscriber base rises in October due to aggressive marketing efforts

WIRELESS SERVICES provider Smart Communications, Inc.'s
subscriber base has hit 28.5 million as of Oct. 1, solidifying the
company's dominant market share in the country.

2 BPOs open facilities in RP

INDIAN BACK office firm Firstsource invested $5 million to set up
its facility in the Philippines, Chief Operating Officer Raju Venkatraman said.

Networking boom invades workplaces

LOS ANGELES -- After years of socializing, Facebook and
MySpace mean business.

Microsoft upgrades Zune players to challenge iPods

SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft is upgrading its Zune line and
testing a Web site where owners of the MP3 players can socialize as the
technology giant strives to wrest market share from Apple's beloved
iPods.

Headline: High court junks baby milk ad ban

MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES HAVE SUCCEEDED in having a ban on powdered milk advertisements overturned as the Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the government had overstepped its bounds.

Corporate News: Chinese manufacturing firms eyeing 500-ha. processing zone

CHINESE MANUFACTURING companies are looking to build a 500-hectare processing zone in the Philippines following moves by shipping giant China Ocean Shipping Companies Group (COSCO) to build a commercial port in the country.

Banking & Finance: BSP likely to ape Fed policy move

A SUBSEQUENT rate cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) seems likely once the US Federal Reserve further eases its own monetary policy during a scheduled meeting this month, British banking giant HSBC said.

Stock Market: Share prices dip as investors take profits

SHARE PRICES closed lower yesterday on a sell-off following six consecutive sessions of record-breaking runs.

The Economy: Customs tightens watch, sanctions on technical smuggling

SANCTIONS AWAIT importers and brokers who defy the Bureau of Customs' new rules, mandating the detailed description of goods, which were drafted to curb technical smuggling.

The Nation: Palace group to push CyberEd

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is bent on pursuing the shelved $450-million Cyber Education (CyberEd) project as she ordered the recently formed China Projects Oversight Panel to ensure that this would not be hounded by issues unlike the canceled National Broadband Network (NBN) deal.

Motoring: House bill sets perks for hybrids

A BILL FILED RECENTLY in the House of Representatives seeks to grant tax incentives for the importation and manufacturing of hybrid cars to make the environmentally-friendly vehicles more affordable and readily available.

IT Matters: Unwanted e-mail, spam zombies rife in RP

ALMOST NINE OUT OF TEN electronic mail messages in the Philippines are spam or unwanted, while its capital city ranked third in Asia in having the most number of spam zombies — computers infected with malicious code that allows e-mail messages to be relayed.

Philippine rebels claim attack on mining firm

manila Communist rebels said yesterday they attacked an Australian mining operation in the northeastern Philippines to force its closure, and warned of similar raids on any foreign mining company op...

Candidate for village chief in Pangasinan town shot dead

DAGUPAN CITY -- A candidate for barangay (village) captain was shot dead Tuesday in front of his furniture shop in a town in Pangasinan province, a police official said. Superintendent Sotero Soriano...

JDV not keen on transmitting impeach complaint vs Arroyo

House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr on Wednesday said he is not keen on transmitting the bribe-tainted impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the House justice committee. I...

Philippine police prepare for violence in village level elections

Philippine police expect tension or violence in one out of every 10 villages in the country during the election of village or city neighborhood level leaders and local youth council leaders to be held...

DILG, prosecution won't oppose Erap 'house arrest'

Government prosecutors and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) expressed openness to allow convicted former President Joseph Estrada to stay under police detention at his home in Sa...

Philippine Senate prepares to shoot down FTA with Japan

MANILA (Kyodo) Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's campaign to persuade the Senate to ratify a landmark free-trade agreement with Japan is looking increasingly hopeless, a Filipino lawmaker...

Philippine August exports down 4.8 percent yr-on-yr

MANILA (Thomson Financial) - Philippine merchandise exports fell 4.8 percent in August from a year earlier to 4.0 billion dollars as demand for electronics declined, the National Statistics Office sai...

Senate, Villar top SWS ratings

Social Weather Stations survey. The Arroyo Cabinet scored the lowest. Among individual leaders, Senate President Manuel Villar and Vice President Noli de Castro got top ratings, while House Speaker J...

'Inday' jokes in English, smarter than 'Eraptions'

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- Inday, the housemaid or "kasambahay," is riding the airwaves. Whether in e-mail, blog posts, Internet chats or text messages, she's smart, spouts flowery En...

Family, not sex, is Pinoys' No. 1 source of happiness

National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). But sounding incredulous, the NSCB official, who released the results of the study Tuesday, observed: "Could it be that the respondents were just too s...

No total ban on milk formula ads

Supreme Court ruled in a 12-0 decision released Tuesday. The ban on infant formula, which is included in the government's Milk Code, took effect last year. According to a report by the

'Lobbyist' monitors for Kampi

MANILA, Philippines -- Allegations of bribery aside, lawyer Francis Ver appears to be a likeable fellow in the halls of the agenda-driven House of Representatives. Even his accusers think so. "We ar...

Deutsche Bank hiking exposure in Philippine microfinance

Close this MANILA, Philippines--Deutsche Bank is increasing its loan portfolio for microfinancing in the Philippines, indicating how foreign banks become a lucrative source of funding for sma...

Gap launches Philippines franchises

News ) -San Francisco's Gap Inc. (GPS) has announced a franchise agreement to launch the Gap and Banana Republic brands in the Philippines. Franchise partner Rustan Group of Companies will open approx...

Palace won't give Senate NEDA records on NBN

MANILA, Philippines -- Malaca ang has slammed the door anew on the Senate which is demanding to look into records of meetings of the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordinating...

Palace disowns role in bribe offer raps

MANILA, Philippines -- Malaca ang on Tuesday disowned any involvement in alleged bribery attempts to derail impeachment moves against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It accused the opposition of p...

Briber exec of Arroyo party

MANILA, Philippines -- A Malaca ang ally was linked Tuesday to alleged bribery attempts to protect President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from being impeached, as her relationship with Speaker Jose de Vene...

Fate of CHEd execs in call center mess up to COA

Commission on Higher Education will not act against CHEd officials linked to the alleged irregularities in the agency's P550-million call center laboratory project. The CHEd was leaving it to the Com...

Soldiers pulled out of Basilan to fight NPAs

LEGAZPI CITY--Regional police and military units have joined forces to streamline the anti-insurgency campaign in Bicol with the launch of a joint technical working group (TWG) at Camp Simeon Ola here...

Cops kill 3 robbery gang men in San Pablo clash

CAMP VICENTE LIM, LAGUNA--Three suspected members of a notorious robbery syndicate were killed in a gunfight with policemen shortly after they supposedly held up a man in San Pablo City early Tuesday....

Solar energy lights up remote Mindanao villages

BULDON, SHARIFF KABUNSUAN--Nine-year-old Jamael Akmad's life always began at 6 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m. During the day, she spends most of her time in school. At home at night, she sleeps early and w...

Mexico's Barrerun backpedals into the sunset

LOS ANGELES -- Mexico's Marco Antonio Barrera should've put up a fighting final stand instead of dance that cutesy waltz to the sunset last Saturday (Sunday in Manila). Rather than endlessly retreat,...

Coconut pest moving north, says gov't exec

STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan -- Coconut leaf beetles (Brontispa longissima), which devour young coconut fronds, have damaged more than 2,000 trees in two towns and a city in western Pangasinan, a Philippi...

Trade pact to open Japan to RP agricultural products

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines may obtain from Japan improved market access concessions for its agricultural and fishery products under the proposed Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agre...

'Bringing dignity back to the people'

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO--The poor have ceased being just receivers and the rich, the givers. They both participate in building families and communities in Pampanga. This is the "paradigm shift" that Pam...

Solon files graft case against Abalos

MANILA, Philippines -- The main cast in the controversial $329-million contract for the National Broadband Network (NBN) project has all been haled to the Office of the Ombudsman, facing criminal comp...

Workers fear closure of steel firm

CALAMBA CITY--The labor union of the country's biggest manufacturer of steel roofing materials on Saturday raised concern over the possible mass layoff of hundreds of its members with the imminent clo...

Cordero, Polero rip Asian U-14 net foes

MANILA, Philippines--Seeded Filipino standout Kyle Cordero handily hurdled compatriot Isaiah Dandan but it was the stunning triumph of Tim Polero over a fifth-seeded Bruneian that stole the limelight ...

Air21's Santos makes PBA face morality issues anew

MANILA, Philippines -- Arwind Santos, the Air21 forward embroiled in a bigamy suit, must settle his problem at the soonest time to avoid possible sanctions from a league that let go of its last commis...

Local carvers learn from Maori artist

BAGUIO CITY -- Guests expected a physique like a member of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team with spiral tattoos all over his body which he flaunts while doing the haka (Maori dance). James Ricka...

Elixir delivers Philippines, Cambodian order

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:EGT) ("Elixir Gaming") announced today that Elixir Group Limited ("Elixir Group") has delivered agreements for the placem...

COA finds P329-M textbooks unused

MANILA, Philippines -- Some P329 million worth of textbooks, information and communication technology (ICT) products, computers and instructional materials are lying around in the offices of school of...

Our coalition won't break

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. Tuesday steered away from a collision course and agreed they would not allow the ruling coa...

CPJ calls on gov't to act on broadcaster's shooting

NEW YORK - The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday called on the Philippine government to act quickly to apprehend the gunmen who shot and seriously wounded radio commentator Jose Pantoja on M...

Graft raps filed by party-list group expected move -- Abalos

MANILA, Philippines -- Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos said the graft case that party-list Akbayan filed against him was already an expected move. "As if it is someth...

Bishop thankful for USAID"s exit from contraception program

San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto on Tuesday said he was thankful that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has decided to stop giving free contraceptives to the Philip...

Marines won't release report on debacles

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- Why the Marines suffered heavy casualties in Basilan may no longer be known. Philippine Marines Commandant Major General Benjamin Dolorfino has ruled out th...

PCGG chief probed on P10-M advances

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- The chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), Camilo Sabio, is being investigated by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, over ca...

Roxas accepts price controls in cheaper medicines bill

MANILA, Philippines -- The principal author of the Senate's version of a bill that seeks to lower the price of medicines has dropped his objection to the version of the House of Representatives which ...

Family, health, religion make Filipinos happiest-survey

Family, health and religion are the three most-valuable sources of happiness for Filipinos, a National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) study showed.

Oakwood mutineers present defense on Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines -- The junior officers on trial for the failed Oakwood mutiny of 2003 will begin their defense on Wednesday before the Makati court hearing their coup d'etat case. Scheduled to pr...

TUCP opposes GSIS, SSS plan to invest P65B overseas

MANILA, Philippines -- The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has criticized the plans of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) to invest up t...

Comelec wants more military participation in October polls

MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is eyeing to increase the participation of the military in the coming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections...

New Rizal landfill cannot operate without ECC -- mayor

MANILA, Philippines -- The mayor of Rodriguez, Rizal, has barred dump trucks from entering the new landfill within the town's jurisdiction until the provincial government has secured permits for the l...

Civil society groups launch movement against RP's bad debts

MANILA, Philippines -- A new movement composed of civil society groups was launched on Wednesday to monitor the country's pile-up of "illegal" debts. Members of the People Against Illegitimate Debt (...

PNP tags 1 in every 10 villages as poll hotspot

One in every 10 barangays, or 4,344 of 41,994 villages in the country are considered areas of immediate concern that must be carefully watched by authorities during the election period for barangay an...

Palace, foes taunt each other on 'desperate' impeach bid

Malacañang and its foes on Tuesday accused each other of being behind desperate attempts to create a political scandal over the alleged "tainted" and "weak" impeachment complaint against Presid...

Communist rebels own up to attack on Australian mine firm

MANILA, Philippines -- Communist rebels said Tuesday they attacked an Australian mining operation in the northeastern Philippines to force its closure, and warned of similar raids on any foreign minin...

3-M 'discrepancy' in voter's list 'normal increase'--Comelec

MANILA, Philippines -- The bloated voters' list for the upcoming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections is not due to the inclusion of flying voters in the list, but a s...

Solon defends increased family planning budget

MANILA, Philippines -- Where will an increased family planning budget of over P1 billion go? Answering critics from the Catholic Church and its pro-life allies, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, cha...

JDV orders probe of alleged P2-M bribe offer to Beltran

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr on Tuesday ordered an "immediate and thorough investigation" into the P2-million bribe allegedly offered to Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran by a senior member of administrati...

Palace to follow SC ruling on Arlegui property, once final

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye on Tuesday said the government will abide by the Supreme Court's decision to return the Arlegui property to its real owners and pay millions in back rentals, once the dec...

SC thumbs down ad ban on infant milk formulas

(Updated 5:47 p.m.) The Supreme Court en banc voted unanimously Tuesday barring the Department of Health (DOH) from imposing an absolute ban on advertisements of infant milk formulas. Magistrates d...

Arroyo virtually lifts CyberEd project suspension

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo virtually lifted on Tuesday the suspension of the $465-million Cyber Education Project (CEP) with China's Tsing Hua University, saying the project should push through...

Lozano files P50-M libel suit vs PDI - report

Lawyer Oliver Lozano has filed a P50-million libel suit against the publisher, editor in chief and reporter of Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) over the alleged "malicious" publication of an article re...

Kampi not yet off the hook over bribe attempt - Beltran

The administration party, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) is not yet off the hook even after its chairman, Ronaldo Puno disowned Francis Ver who was accused of bribing congressmen in exchange f...

Probe delays return of slain Filipino maid in Canada

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines -- Philippine and Canadian authorities have guaranteed the repatriation of a murdered Filipino maid, who was found dead inside the house of her employer in Mississauga City on...

Sex not major happiness factor for Filipinos, study shows

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- Family, health and religion are the three most important sources of happiness among Filipinos, while sex ranks among the least important, a recent study by t...

Palace to return lot of 90-year-old widow

MANILA, Philippines -- Malaca ang will abide by the Supreme Court ruling ordering the Office of the President to hand back a 4,924.60-square-meter portion of the Palace compound to a 90-year-old widow...

Gov't won't stop Estrada stay in San Juan home for sick mom

MANILA, Philippines -- The government will not oppose the bid of former president Joseph Estrada for a house arrest in his residence in San Juan to be near his ailing mother, Interior and Local Govern...

Over 4,000 villages declared election hotspots -- PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified at least 4,511 villages throughout the country as hotspots for the upcoming October elections, PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. sa...

Santiago urges Ombudsman to file graft raps vs De Venecias

MANILA, Philippines -- Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez should file graft charges against Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. and his son in relation to the cancelled $329-million national broadband network con...

Comelec releases rules for Oct 29 village, youth polls

Less than two weeks before the start of the campaign period for the village (barangay) and youth elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) released the rules and regulations governing the condu...

Kampi exec denies bribing Beltran P2M for Arroyo impeach complaint

Francis Ver, deputy secretary general of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino, on Tuesday confirmed reports that he approached Anakpawis Rep. Crsipin Beltran last Friday to inquire if there were lawmakers t...

87 percent of Philippine e-mail is spam--report

MANILA,Philippines--More than 80 percent of all electronic mail circulating in the Philippines is "spam" or unsolicited mass advertising, a leading computer software security provider said Tuesday. T...

Arroyo to stay focused on economy amid bribe claims--Palace

MANILA, Philippines -- Allegations that an executive of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) bribed a congressman to endorse the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arryo ha...

Australia issues travel advisory over attack on mining firm in Bicol

Australia on Tuesday advised its nationals to exercise extra caution in the Philippines following an attack against an Australian-owned mining firm in Bicol last week. In a

5.4 magnitude quake hits Laoag

MANILA, Philippines -- A 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck 105 kilometers north-northeast of the northern town of Laoag in Ilocos Norte at 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said. There were n...

Senate adjourns 4 days ahead of Oct. 12 schedule

MANILA, Philippines -- The Senate adjourned Tuesday, four days earlier than the October 12 schedule in the calendar of Congress. The early break elicited a reaction from Senator Richard Gordon who sa...

NEDA rejects Senate request for NBN-ZTE documents

MANILA, Philippines -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has rejected the Senate's request for documents related to the cancelled $329-million contract with China's ZTE Corp. in t...

Akbayan sues Abalos over NBN deal, asks Ombudsman to inhibit

Partylist Akbayan filed on Tuesday charges against resigned Commission on Elections (Comelec) Benjamin Abalos before the Ombudsman over his alleged involvement in the controversial $329.48 million nat...

Joey de Venecia says 'politics' behind raps vs him and dad

Jose "Joey" de Venecia III on Tuesday fended off charges filed against him and his father, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, before the Ombudsman over the controversial national broadband network (NBN...

Kampi exec offered 'projects' as bribes, too - Zamora

Francis Ver, deputy secretary of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), was also the man who offered "bribes" to other opposition congressmen to get them to si...

Pinoys satisfied with Senate, House but lukewarm on Cabinet - SWS

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) on Tuesday said Filipinos were generally satisfied with the performance of both Houses of Congress, but were lukewarm on the performance of President's Cabinet. In...

Kampi exec offered me P2M to back impeach case - solon

(Updated 1:35 p.m.) Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran on Tuesday tagged Francis Ver, deputy secretary general of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) - the political party of President Gloria Macap...

Pinoys say kin, health, religion spell happiness

For Filipinos, family, health and religion are the three most valuable sources of happiness. Sex, on the other hand, ranked low as a source of happiness, but was voted as a significant factor in the l...

Director brings gritty Philippine slums to screen

Close this BUSAN, South Korea -- When film-maker Jim Meer Libiran turned his camera on the mean streets of Manila's slums, he almost set off a turf war between rival gangs. But with determin...

Arroyo meets House lawmakers in Palace

MANILA, Philippines -- Faced with a new impeachment complaint, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met with several members of the House of Representatives in Malaca ang Tuesday. The luncheon meeting w...

Islamic militant killed in clash in southern Philippines

Zamboanga City, Philippines - An Islamic militant was killed in a clash with government troops on a southern Philippine island, a military report said Tuesday. The clash erupted when soldiers on Monda...

Road mishaps hurt 3, snarl traffic near Metro

Two separate accidents involving passenger buses snarled rush-hour traffic north and south of Metro Manila before dawn Tuesday. Radio dzXL reported that a passenger bus slammed into an electronic v...

Beltran to reveal Palace emissary who tried to bribe him

Close this MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 2) It was the deputy secretary general of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Partner of the Free Filipino, KAMPI) who offered P2 million to endorse ...

Rebels abduct three soldiers in Philippine raid

manila Communist rebels abducted three soldiers in a raid on an army base in the southern Philippines, the fourth such sting in as many months in the restive region.

Court grants citizenship to Japanese-Filipino female pair in their 80s

So far, 49 of these children of Japanese fathers and Filipino mothers have brought cases to the court, according to the center. At least 200 more of these children who are seeking Japanese citizenship...

Santiago agrees with legal experts' opinion on Japan treaty

MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday said she tended to agree with constitutional and international law experts that the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement i...

Santiago sees Malaca ang ploy in impeachment case

MANILA, Philippines -- Even a staunch Malaca ang ally like Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago is convinced the impeachment complaint filed by private lawyer Roel Pulido is another ploy to shield President ...

Political noise won't stop Arroyo from creating jobs

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Monday said no amount of political distractions would divert her from trying to improve the lives of ordinary Filipinos. Speaking in her nati...

JPEPA unconstitutional, legal experts tell Senate

MANILA, Philippines -- Two constitutional experts denounced the proposed Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) as unconstitutional. In separate position papers before the Senate for...

B'laan women record dreams in woven mats

MALAPATAN, SARANGANI -- Among the B'laan in Southern Mindanao, a handwoven mat spread on the ground or the floor marks a sacred space. "When you tell your story on a B'laan mat, you must tell the tru...

Slain Navy Seals honored with Gold Cross

SANGLEY POINT, Cavite City, Philippines -- Eight months pregnant with their first child, Marilou Peralta said she lost "the center" of her life after her husband Ruel, a Navy Seal, was killed along wi...

3 million students brush their teeth to fame

MANILA, Philippines -- At exactly 7 a.m. on Monday, Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus joined more than three million public elementary school students nationwide in setting a new Guinness world recor...

Lozano then, Pulido now

MANILA, Philippines -- Is Roel Pulido the new Oliver Lozano? The man behind the latest impeachment case against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may have earned the unenviable tag, judging from the ...

47 SEAG stars back in RP fold for Thailand Games

MANILA, Philippines -- Only 47 from the victorious group that captured a leading total of 112 gold medals for the Philippines in 2005 will be back for this year's Southeast Asian Games campaign in Tha...

Police claim busting big cybersex gang

CAMP OLIVAS, PAMPANGA-Police arrested a person it described as "one of the biggest cybersex operators in Central Luzon" in simultaneous raids in Porac, Pampanga, on Thursday night. Senior Supt. Guill...

Amputations, loss of leg on the rise, says doc

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO-The number of Filipinos born without legs or had limbs cut off due to diabetes and other reasons had reached about 1.2 million in 2002 and it is at an "uphill trend," according to...

Farmers kept landless 10 yrs after Bukidnon hunger strike

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY-Ten years ago, hundreds of Higaonon farmers went on hunger strike in Sumilao town in Bukidnon to demand the immediate redistribution of an estate owned by a powerful family. The e...

Ifugaos raise funds for murdered RP maid

BAGUIO CITY-Ifugao people overseas have launched a fund drive to raise $15,000 to bring home the body of a 27-year-old Filipino maid who was found murdered in a Canadian suburb this week. Canadian ne...

Magnolia, Air21 raise PBA curtains Sunday

GAME SUNDAY (Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. -- Opening Ceremonies 6:30 p.m. -- Air21 vs Magnolia MANILA, Philippines -- The 33rd season of the PBA unfurls Sunday with new rules, bright fresh names seein...

Military won't recognize Church peace zones

LUCENA CITY-There's no such thing as peace zones in areas that have become battlefields of government soldiers and communist guerrillas, according to Southern Luzon's highest military official. Lt. G...

Gov orders engineer, board member to explain graft report

ROXAS CITY-Fed up with reports of wrongdoing at the Capitol, Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. has ordered at least two provincial officials to explain their involvement in alleged irregularities. Tanco, in a me...

Uncollected Baguio trash revives fears of meningo

BAGUIO CITY-The city's policy to stop collecting unsegregated garbage has revived fears of a reemergence of another meningococcemia crisis that brought Baguio to its knees two years ago. Because of t...

From the classroom to the altar

MANILA, Philippines—Marriage is a subject most 25-year-olds would avoid. These days, tying the knot at 25 would seem too early. But not for me. I married my grade-school sweetheart two days before I turned 25.

Disneyland, here we come!

MANILA, Philippines--“The place where dreams come true.” For my best friend Dazzle and I, Disneyland certainly lived up to its tagline. For the past three or four years, we’d brought up the idea that, yeah, someday, wouldn’t it be fun if we’d get to visit Disneyland together?

Itchy feet

MANILA, Philippines—Ever since I was little, I’ve had itchy feet. My mother would go crazy looking for me during mealtimes, finding me in some house several blocks away from ours. I’d reason, “I just wanted to see their place.”

Dream come true

MANILA, Philippines—I don’t know what good I did in my life to deserve my boyfriend. I’m never the Godly type, but many times I’ve thought that He must really, really love me for Him to bless me with my boyfriend.

Heart-y parties

MANILA, Philippines—As a young child I loved taking care of my younger cousins. This has carried on to this day. Thus, when we were approached by the Parenting Foundation in 2000, it was like manna from heaven.

Morning-show monster

MANILA, Philippines—I’ve always wanted to be part of a TV production, specifically a public affairs show. Imagine my joy when I became an intern in “Unang Hirit.”

Sweet, sweet life

As a teenager, I wanted to be a lot of things—a teacher (like my mom), a lawyer (because I thought wearing power suits and killer heels would be cool), a shrink (I was intrigued; think of all the juicy secrets patients could spill!), a model (I gave up on that soon enough because I was stuck at 5 feet), and a botanist.

My Lego life

MANILA, Philippines—Back in first grade, I was into playing with Lego sets. Assembling houses and vehicles, at least those mini-versions, appealed to me, partly because the interlocking parts allowed me the freedom to start over and change how they looked. I also wanted to create my own town.

Holy crap, that’s my name!

MANILA, Philippines—Seeing one’s name in print is such a surreal experience. It makes you feel fulfilled, alive, validated and, of course, proud, too, all at the same time.

Seeing life in pink

MANILA, Philippines—Blame it on Hollywood. Because of Audrey Hepburn films such as “Roman Holiday,” “Funny Face” and “Sabrina,” I grew up thinking that Europe was a romantic wonderland of sorts, where fairy tales unfolded by the River Seine.

A Japanese celebration

MANILA, Philippines--Great news for all of us die-hard followers of the popular Yoshinoya.

Q & A on the bitter, the sweet and the smooth

MANILA, Philippines--Of course, the truth can set you free. But more than that, it can also make you healthier and sexier.