New Megaworld towers to earn P12 billion
PROPERTY developer Megaworld Corp. on Thursday said it expects to generate at least P12 billion in sales from its four new residential towers in Makati’s Central Business District (CBD), as the company expects demand will continue to be strong.
Holcim to tap debt market to fund $450-million cement plant
HOLCIM Philippines Inc. is eyeing the debt market to fund its new cement plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan, expected to cost between $450 million and $550 million. The said facility will increase the company’s annual capacity to more than 10 million metric tons (MMT) in four years.
China manufacturing unexpectedly contracts
CHINA’S manufacturing is contracting in May for the first time in seven months, adding to signs that economic growth is losing steam for a second quarter.
Got glucosamine?
AGE has a funny way of creeping up on you. One day, you just wake up realizing that you’re not as sprightly as you once were: your back feels stiff, and your knees move—and probably creak—like rusty gears that need lubrication. Not only are your bones losing density, becoming prone to fissures and fractures, but your joints may also be experiencing tightness, swelling and pain.
Amanda gets animated
AMANDA SEYFRIED is that Hollywood A-lister who sometimes lead you to question the existence of a just god.
News
Business confidence at all-time high
With the country’s growth driven largely by election-related spending and favorable macroeconomic conditions, business confidence in the Philippines surged to an all-time high in the second quarter of this year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday.
Binay, Purisima disagree on removal of tax perks for mass-housing projects
The country’s housing czar, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, is bucking a Department of Finance (DOF) move to scratch mass housing off a list of businesses that can enjoy tax perks.
We will fight China to the last soldier–Gazmin
DEFENSE Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday said China has gone too far, invading Philippine territory on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and that the Armed Forces is always ready to defend its territory and sovereignty.
AusAid gives additional P37.8 million for ‘Pablo’ victims
THE Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in Manila recently signed a P37.8-million grant agreement with the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Country Office for the Philippines to help create jobs and livelihood for the victims of Typhoon Pablo.
Figuring out PHL
TRYING to figure out the Philippines is an almost impossible task. The social and economic structure of the Philippines is so complex that not only is it hard to understand what the facts are, but even when you clearly know the information, you are not sure what it all means.
China manufacturing unexpectedly contracts
CHINA’S manufacturing is contracting in May for the first time in seven months, adding to signs that economic growth is losing steam for a second quarter.
Business
Holcim to tap debt market to fund $450-million cement plant
HOLCIM Philippines Inc. is eyeing the debt market to fund its new cement plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan, expected to cost between $450 million and $550 million. The said facility will increase the company’s annual capacity to more than 10 million metric tons (MMT) in four years.
BFAR launches registration program for fishermen
THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is bent on registering the country’s estimated 1 million fishermen in the newly launched Municipal Fisherfolk Registration Program (FishR) and is offering P200 million worth of medical and health insurance to entice them to sign up.
BSP approves Metrobank’s stock dividend declaration
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has approved Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co.’s (Metrobank) stock dividend declaration, it was learned on Thursday.
From the Citi, a gem of a program supports PHL microenterprises
EVERY Filipino entrepreneur aspires for success—but the road is not always easy. How does one get the ample funding, right skills and an effective network? Faced with these challenges, not everyone is able to turn his dream of owning a business into reality.
Empowering SMEs through technology
ELECTRONICS powerhouse Samsung and telecom giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) seek to empower Filipino small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs (SMEs) even more under a program that makes full use of technology to optimize productivity and output.
Asean strengthens efforts to combat drug trafficking
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) drug law-enforcement agency, along with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, is eager to strengthen cooperation combating narcotics trafficking in the region, it was revealed during the Asean+3 Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) Workshop in Badung, Indonesia.
Sports
Paragua prevails Asian Continental Chess Championships
FILIPINO Grandmaster (GM) Mark Paragua ended compatriot GM Julio Catalino Sadorra’s five-round winning run in the Manny Pacquiao Cup Asian Continental Chess Championship on Wednesday at the Midas Hotel and Casino in Pasay City.
Lifestyle
Got glucosamine?
AGE has a funny way of creeping up on you. One day, you just wake up realizing that you’re not as sprightly as you once were: your back feels stiff, and your knees move—and probably creak—like rusty gears that need lubrication. Not only are your bones losing density, becoming prone to fissures and fractures, but your joints may also be experiencing tightness, swelling and pain.
Amanda gets animated
AMANDA SEYFRIED is that Hollywood A-lister who sometimes lead you to question the existence of a just god.
Of rocks and things
AN ecotourist’s delight.
That’s probably the best way to describe Northern Samar.
It’s a coastal region blessed with so many beaches, caves and rock formations, waterfalls and hot springs, as well as popular historical and religious sites fashioned by the creative minds and hands of men.
Features
For Nivea’s country manager, the beauty of the Philippines is not just skin-deep
SOME say Manila is not the best destination in the Philippines. But for several foreign tourists and business executives who already visited the country, Manila is the place to be as it is where marble meets dust, where passion finds success.
End-to-end pharmacovigilance is a must–Unilab
NOT all medicines—even those with the same generic names—are created equal. And in numerous cases, the difference—particularly in quality, divides the line between life and death for patients.
For first time, stem cells are produced from cloning technique
WASHINGTON—For the first time, scientists have created human embryos that are genetic copies of living people and used them to make stem cells—a feat that paves the way for treating a range of diseases with personalized body tissues, but also ignites fears of human cloning.
Fuego expands service to property management
WITH the increasing number of travelers and homeowners in the country today, Fuego Hotels & Properties Management Corp. has announced the growth of its sales and marketing team, as well as its list of services, which now includes providing consultancy to properties that need guidance in setting up their own hotel and resort.
Embrace the cold call
IN the course of researching my new book, Reinventing You, I gained a newfound respect for the merits of cold calling. Ringing up total strangers on the phone doesn’t have to be a sleazy sales tactic. Instead, it can simply be a way to connect with someone you might not otherwise have access to.
ADMU, Epictech partner to include Syspro ERP in curriculum
THE Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) has recently entered into a partnership with Epictech Inc., a business solutions provider, to integrate the Syspro Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suite into its curriculum.
Sacrificing the Great Barrier Reef for mining, port development
SYDNEY—Mining and port development coupled with decreasing water quality along Australia’s northeastern coast are threatening the continent’s World Heritage-listed tourist drawcard, the Great Barrier Reef.
Rooftop generators may cause yet another industrial disaster in Bangladesh
DHAKA—As Aleya Begum sewed pants for 11 hours each day, vibrations from a power generator shuddered across the roof of her Dhaka garment factory.
Honda to stage Formula One comeback with McLaren
HONDA Motor Co., Ltd. announced this week that it will be returning to the FIA Formula One (F1) World Championship under a joint project with perennial championship contender McLaren in the 2015 season.
Climate change is happening…so what?
NEW YORK—Seven in 10 US citizens believe climate change is real and happening now. Yet most have never even contacted a government official about the issue, let alone volunteered with an environmental organization or taken other action.
Africa, Asia see boom in priests as Europe withers
VATICAN CITY—The number of Catholic priests in Africa and Asia has shot up over the past decade while decreasing in Europe, mirroring trends in the numbers of Catholic faithful that helped lead to the election of Pope Francis as the first non-European pope in over a millennium.
Cervical cancer: Women’s second worst enemy
CERVICAL cancer is one of the most common cancers afflicting women around the world with 500,000 new cases and 250,000 deaths each year, according to the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO).
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