Busy, busy Manila. North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun (top photo, with lei) flies into Manila as the head of a seven-man delegation to attend the 14th Asean Regional Forum, Asia’s largest security forum. Before then, he has bilateral meetings. In right photo, Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Syed Hamid Albar (below) and Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda arrive together on the same flight Sunday, for the five-day 40th Asean Ministerial Meeting and the 14th ARF at the PICC. The Asean charter and regional security top their agenda.  --RECTO MERCENE, BULLIT MARQUEZ OF AP

THE government is crafting the outlines of a dollar-denominated bond targeted at overseas Filipino workers, seen to generate an initial $100 million, roughly P4.5 billion at the current rate of exchange.

THE controversy generated by two multimillion-dollar, foreign loan-funded projects in the information, communications and technology (ICT) sector has mainly focused on the selection process, the suppliers’ qualifications and their patrons; the more basic argument, however, is that neither the so-called “NBN” nor the “cyber-ed” projects, both aggressively pushed by China, pass basic economic arguments, and thus will grossly disadvantage Filipino taxpayers.

THE Court of Appeals will hear Monday the petition filed by majority directors of the Philippine Racing Club  Inc. (PRCI), seeking to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the regional trial court of Makati City enjoining its board from holding a stockholders’ meeting to deliberate and vote on a planned property-for-shares swap with its own subsidiary.

TRAUMA from disasters, armed conflict and the increasing long-term loss, if only temporary, of family members to jobs overseas are taking their toll on the peace of mind of Filipinos—and this situation is now becoming quite clear after several years of observation by health professionals.

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Bullish Anglo. Anglo Philippine Holdings Corp. stockholders meet at Makati Shangri-La Friday, where officials led by Christopher Gotangco (left), president, and Alfredo Ramos, chairman, reported that their 2007 income may reach more than P500 million this year, after posting a nearly 100-percent increase in first-half results.  --ROY DOMINGO