DO parents know that besides doing schoolwork their schoolchildren are members of Friendster or are into online gaming?

Filipino schoolchildren are computer literate, as almost three-fourths (74 percent) have access to the Internet, a pioneering study conducted by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) said.

The survey, held early this year in select areas in Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, said schoolchildren in the Visayas and Metro Manila have greater access than their counterparts in the Cordilleras and Mindanao.

ANNE GODDARD fought back tears as a fellow American sobbed on the other end of the phone, feeling bad for halting donations to ChildFund International, a group funding the schooling of millions of children and young people in poor countries.

“We’re twice in a better financial condition than they are [donors who are ordinary American workers] because they’re jobless. They feel good about having a connection overseas and helping others. I can’t blame them if they feel sorry for having to stop donations,” Goddard told the BusinessMirror.

THE “horrors” of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) continue to haunt the country.

About 75,000 auto-industry workers are starting to worry for their jobs as the government has yet to renegotiate the tariff-elimination provision for Japanese vehicles with below 3-liter engine displacement and auto parts starting on January 1 under Jpepa.