FROM left, Hiroshi Ito of Toyota Philippines, CAMPI President Elizabeth Lee and Senate President Manny Villar look at a hybrid car engine—one of the many highlights of the 1st International Motor Show that opened Thursday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The premier motor show, initiated by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Association of the Philippines, Inc., banks on a powerful exhibitor profile consisting of the movers and shakers of the local vehicle industry and other reputable auto-related firms. --NONIE REYES

THE local automotive industry will submit to Malacañang in October a draft executive order intended to set in motion its proposed market expansion program (MEP) that would jack up total investments of auto makers to P100 billion in three years.

A BILL proposing amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) as a framework for discussions on changes needed on the six-year- old law has been filed in the House of Representatives.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has finally put high-flying domestic liquidity growth under control, but acknowledged on Thursday its growth path was not likely to be lower than 19 percent in the months ahead.

THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) will soon require mining firms to comply with the Philippine Mineral Reporting Code (PMRC), which sets out “standards, recommendations and guidelines” for public reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and ore reserves.

PRESIDENT Arroyo said on Thursday that the Philippines, China and Vietnam should now explore the “next step” in their joint effort to tap the potential for petroleum development in the South China Sea.

VIETNAMESE Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung flew in Thursday aboard a special flight from Hanoi, leading a 110-member delegation consisting of investors, businessmen, officials and staff.

DOTC suspends wharfage tariffs till yearend

ACTING on the request of the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has ordered the suspension of wharfage fees until the end of the year to help exporters cope with the strong peso.

Exclusive: Cable Boss to NTC: review raps vs 20 firms

CABLE Boss, a major local pay-TV distributor, has asked the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to reconsider its dismissal of the cases the company filed against 20 cable TV firms for illegally transmitting cable TV channels, on the grounds that the issue involves violation of intellectual property rights, which falls under the Intellectual Property Office.

SMC posts nearly double net profit of P7.9B in first half

SOUTHEAST Asia’s food and beverage giant San Miguel Corp. ended the first half with a net profit of P7.88 billion, almost double what it made in the same period last year on consolidated sales revenue of P112.7 billion, 9-percent higher than the same period last year.

Makati collects P2.4B in business permits, fees

THE city government of Makati re-gistered an increase of 1,271 new business permits issued from January to June this year, compared with the same period last year.

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DTI thanks partners in investment promotions The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently hosted a dinner for its partners promoting trade and investment opportunities in the Philippines from the diplomatic and business communities. Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila (second from right) praised the strong bond established between DTI and its partners in organizing trade and investment promotion missions of the DTI to several countries. He added that the department is focused on being at the forefront of improving the business environment to sustain the country’s economic gains. With him are Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino (second from left), Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Elmer C. Hernandez (right) and BOI Governor Francis Ferrer.