Strawberry fields forever. A replica of a giant strawberry cake—costing P2,500—is shown by a baker at the La Trinidad Strawberry Festival held at the weekend. The baker had entered the cake for the Guinness world record last year. --MAURICIO VICTA

THE Department of Finance (DOF) has ruled out any tariff rate cut on rice imports, but a parallel plan to increase the subsidy on the staple is in the works.

The magnitude of the subsidy has not been revealed, but Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap is being consulted on measures that the DOF may take to help ease reported rice- supply restrictions.

POOR sanitation causes the Philippines to incur $1.4 billion in economic losses annually, according to the latest study conducted by the World Bank (WB).

This was among the findings of a four-country study conducted in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam under the Economics of Sanitation Initiative (ESI) titled “Economic Impacts of Sanitation in Southeast Asia Summary.”

MORE than 1.5 billion people in the Asia-Pacific region still lack basic sanitation, such as access to a toilet—leaving them vulnerable to preventable diseases such as cholera, worms, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

DOMESTIC manufacturers asked the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to continuously update the agency’s reference values for all imported commodities and then post them in its web site to prevent unscrupulous importers and their cohorts from undervaluing their shipments.

Jesus Arranza, president of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), said not all commodities already have their respective reference values at this time.

PALACE officials Sunday assured consumers of “targeted and prudent” steps to mitigate the impact on locals of high oil and rice prices in the world market while observing fiscal discipline.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in his weekly news column “The View from the Palace” that President Arroyo continues to be “very concerned by the runaway prices of oil and rice in the world market, and her economic team tracks [their]  impact every day.”

THE Department of Finance (DOF) has lauded the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for its withdrawal of short-dated special deposit accounts (SDAs) that made more difficult the sale of equivalent government IOUs in recent months.

But Finance Undersecretary and Treasury chief Roberto Tan vowed to continue selling Treasury bills on negotiated basis despite the likelihood that he may be haled before the Ombudsman for it.

REPOWERING the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) remains uncertain even after the International Atomic Energy Association’s (IAEA) recent visit to the facility in Morong town.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said the IAEA study was focused on advising the government on steps it should take should it reconsider repowering the BNPP or even starting anew in developing nuclear power in the country.

THE government fears its reinstatement into the now empty roster of countries previously lumped as noncompliant with the terms of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) global antimoney-laundering drive.

The reinstatement loomed following a Supreme Court ruling sustaining a decision saying the law does not allow courts to issue ex parte inquiry orders into bank accounts without prior notice or hearing of the parties involved.

CONSTRUCTION has started to widen the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) departure zone by extending the existing partition and enclosing part of what used to be the curbside, as officials expect an increase in the volume of passengers while the opening of the controversial Naia 3 remains hanging.

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A PORTION of Naia’s Terminal 1 departure zone is now under construction to expand the area, as officials anticipate an increase in passenger traffic and more delays in the opening of Naia 3. --RECTO MERCENE