A TOP British official will visit the Philippines this weekend to find out how to further strengthen relations with particular focus on Britain’s investments in the clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol.

“We are trying to see how we can further increase investments in energy particularly biofuels and carbon trading under CDM of the Kyoto Protocol,” said British ambassador to Manila Peter Beckingham.

The visiting official, Margaret Patricia Munn, MP and foreign minister for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, will be in town on May 2 and 3. She will meet officials including Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, and presidential adviser on the peace process Jesus Dureza.

Beckingham said Munn will also meet with key business leaders to explore further investments for the British companies. He said six British companies have already invested in CDM projects in the Philippines.

CDM under the Kyoto Protocol allows developed countries to purchase certificate of emission reductions (CERs) from developing countries like the Philippines.

The countries most active in the CDM projects are India and China. Investment opportunities on CDM projects with the member countries of the European Union have reached $21.6 billion between 2002-2006.

The Kyoto treaty seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 50 per cent in 2012 with heavy requirements on industrialized countries like EU members and Japan. Failure to meet targets obliges EU governments to pay stiff fines.

The United States and Australia did not sign the Kyoto Protocol. 

Cops on alert for rallies nationwide

THE National Police went on heightened alert on Wednesday in preparation for the expected mass actions that are usually held during Labor Day.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Government forces captured a “bomb factory” of the Jema’ah Islamiyah (JI) and Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu before noon on Wednesday.

ERRING officials of Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Co. (ZTE) of China could be held liable for bribery in connection with the multimillion-peso kickbacks paid in advance to alleged Malacañang brokers after ZTE bagged the aborted $329-million contract to build a national broadband network (NBN) here, the Senate chief investigator in the NBN-ZTE scandal said on Wednesday.

“ON a final note, it must be stated that the continuing battle of which group should sit in the governing body of the AMWSLAI has caused doubts and uncertainties in the minds of the hundred of thousands who have invested their life savings therein.

A TOP British official will visit the Philippines this weekend to find out how to further strengthen relations with particular focus on Britain’s investments in the clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol.

SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. on Wednesday moved to block the administration’s plan to seize control of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), warning that “it is not a good idea for government to take over private enterprises.”

CONTRARY to speculations, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro will not be affected by the impending Cabinet revamp, President Arroyo said on Tuesday night.