Rains, floods, slides. The slide-prone area along Magsaysay Avenue on the border of Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet, again gave way after incessant rains from Typhoon Karen forced the road to be closed temporarily.  --MAURICIO VICTA

SC upholds cigarette tax law

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday unanimously affirmed the constitutionality of Section 145 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), which imposes higher excise taxes on brands of cigarettes that entered the market after 1996.

US crisis’  impact on Asia ‘severe’

ASIA’S cheap labor advantage is now a liability.

The United States is going to retrieve the businesses it outsourced because it is more cost-effective that way with the high cost of transporting goods, journalist-turned-research fellow Tion Kwa said.

Devt partners make ‘to-do’ list for Congress

A SPECIAL Philippine Development Forum (PDF) on Wednesday tackled the problems that still beset the Philippines, even after some progress in particular areas, such as attaining fiscal targets, to try to ensure that progress continues and Millennium Development Goals are met despite the global crises in oil and food.

Foreign chambers, local biz shrug off impact of ‘war’

FOREIGN businessmen in the country, while believing there are important business implications in the issue of a peace pact with Moro rebels, do not intend to intervene in any way because they also see the whole problem as political and fully within the sovereign right of the Philippines.

Govt rhetoric on deal puzzling

TWO days before oral arguments in the Supreme Court, the Executive issued vague statements on its plans regarding a controversial peace agreement with Moro rebels. The government said on Wednesday it recognizes “flaws” in the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) adverted to by various groups opposed to the document, and said it is prepared to subject the agreement to a “thorough review” guided by the Constitution, but not a renegotiation, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Muslim civilians gave priests shelter

BISHOP Jose Maguiran of Dipolog issued a clarification on Wednesday regarding the five (not six as reported) priests reported to have been held hostage by rogue elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Monday.

RP makes a splash thru satellite

BEIJING—The Philippines has made its mark in the 29th Olympic Games—not on the playing field, but in outer space—through its very own Mabuhay Satellite.

State audit of Meralco books ‘legally shaky’

A STATE audit of Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) financial statements could create a dangerous precedent, and stands on shaky constitutional ground, according to Meralco’s top lawyers.

Outlying rural banks to have ATMs too

RURAL banks in 73 far-flung areas now have automated teller machine (ATM} services provided by a private company that plans to add 37 more places by October, all in areas that previously don’t have ATMs or are far from commercial banks.

Solons push oil dereg’n law’s repeal

WITH the failure of oil deregulation to keep oil prices reasonable and stable, militant legislators pushed on Wednesday for the approval of a bill that will repeal the oil deregulation law and reinstate regulation in the oil industry.

Vasquez kin employment papers sought

THE Supreme Court (SC)  three-man panel has ordered the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to produce the employment records, including the salaries, perks and privileges being enjoyed by two daughters and other relatives of Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Conrado Vasquez who are working in the state pension fund.

FINANCE Secretary Gary Teves, World Bank country director Bert Hofman and International Monetary Fund country representative Reza Baqir share a light moment at the Special Philippine Development Forum at a hotel in Makati City. Hofman and other development partners tackled the government’s efforts to protect the poor from the impact of higher food prices while maintaining gains in macroeconomic stability and fiscal consolidation. --NONIE REYES