Pressing the point, The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior is docked in Manila as part of its “Quit Coal Tour of Asia and the Pacific.” The “Quit Coal” Greenpeace campaign is seeking urgent passage of the Philippine renewable-energy bill, which has been in the congressional pipeline for years, to ensure energy security while mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. --ROMY FLORANTE

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is concerned that around 6.4 million Filipino families earning a total gross income of P10,000 and below a month will become highly susceptible to high oil and food prices.

Neda Acting Director General Augusto Santos said there are 4.7 million families earning a total gross income of P10,000 a month, while 1.7 million families are considered food-poor and are earning less than P10,000 a month.

MANUEL LOPEZ and two other top executives of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) were asked by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to explain why they should not be held in contempt for defying an earlier order involving the questionable 1.9 billion proxy shares solicited by the Lopez bloc.

In a two-page show-cause order signed Tuesday by Commissioner and officer in charge Jesus Enrique Martinez, the corporate regulator directed Lopez, currently the chairman of Meralco, president and chief operating officer Jesus Francisco and acting corporate secretary Anthony Rosete to file on or before noon of May 30 their response.

IN the wake of the controversy over the Meralco’s passing on to consumers its system losses, including losses from pilferage, the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) may seek the court’s help in interpreting a provision in the expanded valued-added tax  (E-VAT) law that appears to allow or mandates that VAT be collected on losses of companies. 

Jesus Arranza, president of FPI, said system loss can be regarded as technical or friction loss, or nontechnical such as due to pilferage. “Thus, it is absurd to levy a tax on losses. More so on losses due to theft.”

WITH business-process outsourcing (BPO) firms gobbling up available space in the Makati commercial and business district and Fort Bonifacio, owners unsurprisingly jacked up rent rates as space supply tightened, according to JLL Leechiu Inc. 

SEN. Edgardo Angara Wednesday blamed prevailing agricultural trade imbalances between rich and poor nations, stemming from protectionism in developed countries, as the main culprit that triggered the looming food crisis.

Angara asserted that while agriculture is recognized as the most vital industry to fight hunger and poverty, it is also the sector with the highest level of trade distortions. 

THE Philippine Business for Education (PBED) Wednesday said the government has not spent enough to upgrade the quality of education in the country.

In a press briefing, PBED chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr. urged the national government leadership and legislators to take a serious look at the deliberations on the national budget for 2009.

The leaders of a powerful House Committee, along with a team from low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific, visited the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (Naia 3) Wednesday to give assurance that Congress supports the opening of the $600-million terminal.

“We should open this terminal as soon as possible. I have seen many airports all over the world that are much worse than this,” according to Rep. Roque Ablan, House Committee on Transportation vice chairman.

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GSIS president Winston Garcia holds a press conference after the controversial Meralco stockholders’ meeting, where a new board, still controlled by the Lopezes, was elected over his objections and a cease-and-desist order by regulators. --RHOY COBILLA