Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Barrita: Strong peso By Eddie O. Barrita Small Bites
OPPOSITION Sen. Panfilo 'Ping” Lacson has called for an inquiry into allegations Malacañang handed out bags full of crisp P1,000 bills to congressmen and governors.
I’m afraid he’ll find out it’s a direct result of the strengthening of the peso.
Otherwise, dollars would have been handed out.
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Remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) reached $9.3 billion in the first eight months of 2007.
If the trend continues, congressmen and governors can look forward to the day the bags they get will be full of dollars.
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At least two governors, Ed Panlilio of Pampanga and Emilio Macias III of Negros Oriental, said they received P500,000 and P200,000, respectively, from Malacanang.
Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, who celebrated her birthday recently, said she received from the President a cake, 52 candles and a leather organizer.
Cebu City south district Rep. Tony Cuenco only got a joke.
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Ombudsman Visayas Director Virginia Santiago has gagged both businessman Efrain Pelaez Jr. and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Boy Radaza while their office is resolving the businessman’s graft case against the mayor.
I saw no need to silence Mayor Boy Radaza because he’s been silent all along.
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Will Pelaez and Radaza heed director Santiago’s advice to stop issuing statements on alleged overpriced computers and illegal establishments?
Yes, Santiago’s word is no TRO one can brandish against the other.
We’ll just wait where the next cannonball falls.
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It’s high time Cebu’s leaders address the concerns of the new sunshine industry, the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.
While thousands of Filipinos leave the country in droves to work abroad, here we have an industry where jobs outnumber qualified workers.
A Sun.Star Cebu report said out of 100 applicants, only five are hired.
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A recent survey identified Cebu as the fourth most attractive site worldwide among the top emerging destinations for the BPO industry.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that with the 295-hectare South Road Properties, Cebu may yet rise to the top spot.
Then we will have more and more jobs. But where are the qualified workers?
