BCDA: SCTEx brings more investments

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - An official from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) has been bringing in a steady increase of investments in Central Luzon.

Insular Bank opens CSF branch

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Insular Bank, a fast-growing rural bank, opened last Friday its City of San Fernando Branch along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Quebiawan.

New Shell gasoline station opens

ANOTHER gasoline station of Shell opened on Saturday along the highway in Barangay Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City.

Holcim holds masonry training

HOLCIM Philippines Inc. is presently conducting a livelihood skills training under its Galing Mason Program to around 40 participants, mostly out-of-school-youths, from barangays Lapasan, Macabalan and Puntod, Cagayan de Oro City.

Private labels offer good biz prospects

SMALL- and medium-sized producers and exporters can explore new markets and customers at low risks through selling private-labeled products and services.

Chinese investor visits Neda

DEPUTY General Manager Zou Jun of the China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Company (CGGC) Ltd. visited the regional office of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Monday to present his company as a contractor of infrastructure projects and as an investor, especially on hydroelectric power projects.

Dolefil, labor unions ink 'industrial peace accord'

KORONADAL CITY -- Various stakeholders forged an "industrial peace accord" at Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil) as the giant fresh fruit producer gears for the election of the labor union that will be recognized by the management as the workers' bargaining agent, a top Labor executive said Tuesday.

Forum tackles rampant smuggling at Davao port

YOUNG professionals, students, members of the academe, civil society leaders and other advocates of transparency in governance will converge at the Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto campus, to hold a multi-sectoral forum on how their groups could help in the campaign against graft and corruption in the government.

Stock trading forum slated

RESPONDING to more requests from people who want to learn stock trading, the Fourth Stock Trading Forum has been set tentatively for February 27, 2-5 p.m. at the My Hotel function room on San Pedro street, according to organizers.

‘Bright year ahead for real estate’

FOR officials of an investment company, real property will continue to be an “optimistic” sector for 2011.

Justino Ocampo, senior vice president of First Metro Investment Corp., said that with a 3.5 million backlog in housing that needs to be served, the demand needs to be filled up.

Globe showcases network infra to ICT officials attending summit

GLOBE Telecom welcomed international information and communications technology (ICT) dignitaries to its network operations center (NOC) for a tour of its network management and monitoring systems.

New biz name registration fee favors micro, small enterprises

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the implementation of the new Business Name (BN) registration fees according to territorial coverage will benefit micro and small entrepreneurs.

Health agency holds slogan, logo contest

THE Department of Health (DOH) is holding a slogan and logo-making contest in line with President Benigno Aquino III’s platform on health dubbed as Universal Health Care (UHC).

UHC, which is more than universal coverage through PhilHealth, means the availability and accessibility of essential health services, basic necessities and appropriate quality health care for all.

Cebu Pacific improves Robinson’s ticketing office

TO SERVE its growing number of clients, Cebu Pacific yesterday opened its improved ticketing office at the ground floor of Robinson’s Cebu

Corporate Communications manager RG Orense said that they operate the most number of flights from Cebu and saw the need to expand the capability of their ticketing office and call center.

Globe, IRRI uses mobile tech to give farmers info on crops

GLOBE Telecom, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), has come up with a mobile service for farmers to help ensure sustainability of the country’s rice production.

Through the newly-launched Nutrient Manager for Rice Mobile (NMRiceMobile) toll-free text messaging service, rice farmers, even those in far-flung provinces, can now gain access to vital information on how to properly manage their fields.

Tax notes: Scopes of letters of authority

LETTERS of Authority (LOA) authorize revenue officers to examine a taxpayer’s books of account and other accounting records for the purpose of collecting the correct amount of tax. Although the LOA empowers revenue officers to conduct an examination or assessment, it does not give them powers beyond that.

DA to set up seed bodegas

TO ATTAIN rice self-sufficiency in three years, the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), will set up seed bodegas all over the country.

The DA announced in its website that BPI, together with the Regional Field Units, will establish one or two seed bodegas in every region.

Manufacturing propels GDP growth in 2010

THE flourishing industry sector has propelled growth of the country's 2010 gross domestic product (GDP), which expanded to 7.3 percent from a low 1.1 percent in 2009.

Exec vows support for Mindanao agri development

AGRICULTURE Secretary Proceso J. Alcala is keen on capitalizing the vast agricultural potential of Mindanao.

Processing of SMI permit continues amid open-pit ban

KORONADAL CITY -- Foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines Inc. has completed the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Esia) for the Tampakan copper-gold mining project, an Australian mining executive said Monday.

Teachers, school owners join training on technopreneurship

THE Mindanao Technical Vocational and Education Training (MinTVET) is holding a two-week Trainer's Training on Technopreneurship Program to 38 teachers and private vocational school owners from the different provinces in Mindanao.

Jobs for Pinoys available in Saudi

OFFICIALS from Nawras Manpower Services (NMS) based in Luzon will visit Cagayan de Oro on February 2-3 to screen qualified employers to be deployed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Government contribution to economic growth ‘negative’

A FORMER government official said the Aquino administration should not take the credit over the higher-than-expected economic growth posted last year.

Tax exemptions on foreign carriers pushed

A LEGISLATOR said the government would earn as much as $38 million to $78 million from rejuvenated tourism and an additional $1 billion of boosted export earnings if it honors tax exemptions of foreign air and sea carriers.

MGB regional heads told to act on pending mine applications

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has directed all regional directors of the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MGB) to act on all pending and inactive mining applications this year.

LGUs play key role in addressing climate change

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said that local government units (LGUs) play a key role in climate change adaptation and disaster risk mitigation.

Revival of private investment urged to stop peso appreciation

THE Philippine government must revive private investment to stem the unwanted peso appreciation that puts exporters and domestic manufacturers at a disadvantage.

Primary Homes lines up 5 projects

AT least four or five projects are being lined up by Primary Homes Inc. for the year, including a seaside community.

Primary Homes president Stephen Charles Liu said that these will be a mix of condominium, subdivision and townhouse units with a capital expenditure of about P2 billion.

Cebu developer creates software to allow phone users to dial names

THE problem of remembering long phone numbers prompted a Cebu-based developer to create a software that uses names instead of numbers when connecting to people.

SpellDial creator Albert Padin, 22, said the creation of the software aims to provide a tool for connection to people without having to go through lengthy numbers.

Reeves: Hope after a deportation order

IMMIGRATION Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids continue to be a serious concern for immigrants in the United States. ICE agents’ main targets are individuals with deportation or removal orders who failed to depart or those who left but returned to the United States illegally.