‘Soul-ar power’ It’s impossible to ignore these sunflower blooms, photographed early morning at an integrated farm in Santiago City. They are grown primarily for seeds as a source of vegetable oil and animal feeds, but the blooms by themselves feed the soul. --LEONARDO PERANTE II

Tax-law IRR alarms biz groups

SOME of the country’s biggest business organizations on Tuesday joined the Tax Management Association of the Philippines Inc. (TMAP) in asking the government to revise the draft implementing provisions of the tax-relief package law, as these negate the law’s original purpose to grant timely relief to workers and could hurt productivity and needlessly burden employers.

Independent oil firms roll back prices

THE continuous downtrend in world oil prices has again prompted independent petroleum companies to roll back the price of gasoline and diesel by P1 a liter.

On Tuesday, Eastern Petroleum Corp., Flying V, Seaoil Philippines Inc. and Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. announced that they will roll back the price of gasoline and diesel by P1 a liter effective Wednesday morning.

ADB declares airport project a failure

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has deemed the Third Airports Development Project (TADP) a failure, and urged the government to avoid undertaking capital-intensive projects that cannot be financed under the national budget, such as civil-aviation projects.

RP, Japan officials okay exchange of notes on Jpepa

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Masahiko Koumoura concluded last week their awaited exchange of notes setting down in writing Japan’s intent to fully comply with the Philippine Constitution, an exchange deemed vital to cure perceived defects in the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa).

GMA: Level playing field, P1-B fund for export sector

PRESIDENT Arroyo on Tuesday ordered a string of directives intended to “level the playing field” in the export sector, among them reduced power rates for exporters operating outside special economic zones (SEZ) and better training in English proficiency for prospective employees in the sector.

Grafters among the best recruiters to terrorism–Magsaysay peace awardee

MANY less-educated Muslims are lured into terrorism when government corruption is rampant because opportunities even from well-funded and implemented social services are frittered away by grafters, according to this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Peace and International Understanding.

PSALM issues new bid invitations

THE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) reported on Tuesday it has issued invitations to bid for more generating assets, including decommissioned or retired power plants, of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and hoped the possible sales would be credited this year for it to hit its power- privatization targets.

DOE, autogas industry tackle conversion safety

THE Department of Energy (DOE) met on Tuesday with autogas industry stakeholders to discuss safety and technical issues that continue to arise as more and more people are tapping into the autogas industry.

FDC seeks review of water reforms

DEBT activists are urging Congress to do a thorough review and investigation of the Metro Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) privatization, saying that for the past 10 years, the impact of privatization thus far has run counter to the aims set forth in Republic Act 8041, thus blunting the people’s access to clean and affordable water.

‘Productivity, not pills, will end poverty’

INCREASING productivity and redistribution of wealth is the answer to poverty, and not depopulation, Kapatiran political party president Eric Manalang said on Tuesday, as he expressed his disapproval of the reproductive-health bill pending in the House of Representatives.

CA reverses P101-M ruling vs ‘Chronicle’

THE Court of Appeals has conceded that its finding guilty of libel the former editors and reporters of the defunct The Manila Chronicle and ordering them to pay P101 million in damages would have a “devastating and catastrophic effect” on the freedom of speech and of the press, and thus has reversed its decision.

WORKERS won't get relief from new law’s IRR unless it is changed, say business groups. --NONIE REYES