Category: Economy

China ‘outsourced’ air pollution now reaching US mainland

January 24, 2014 benign0 41 Comments

America’s decades-long orgy of “outsourcing” its irreplaceable manufacturing might to China is now coming back to bite. Pollution dumped into the atmosphere by China’s growing carpet of factory smokestacks is now reaching the United States’ mainland according to a US National Academy of Sciences study. “We’ve outsourced our manufacturing and much of our pollution, but…

Economy, Environment, Lifestyle, Tech Talk

Malaysia’s crackdown on illegal immigrants: another door soon to close for TNT’s

January 21, 2014January 21, 2014 FallenAngel 11 Comments

TNT is a Filipino colloquialism which means tago nang tago, literally (those who) keep hiding. It refers to Filipinos who are abroad illegally – as in without proper documentation and legal clearance – and thus hide from the authorities in order to avoid being deported back to the Philippines. With the way that the number…

Crime, Development, Economy, Government

Israel ‘X Factor’ champion Rose Fostanes: symbol of the Philippines’ chronic impoverishment

January 16, 2014January 16, 2014 benign0 71 Comments

Filipinos are once again celebrating on the streets as “one of their own” has again chalked another one for ‘Pinoy Pride’. Long-time caregiver Rose Fostanes last Wednesday won the grand prize in the first airing of X Factor (a popular reality TV singing contest) in Israel. Malacanang, true to form, was quick to salute the…

Culture, Development, Economy, Media, Society

Filipino labour force not up to par: Philippines ready to host foreign workers

January 15, 2014January 15, 2014 benign0 65 Comments

The Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is reportedly considering opening the country to foreign workers. A list of occupations for which there is a “shortage” of local people qualified to fill has been released by the DOLE… Architect Chemical Engineer Chemist Environmental Planner Fisheries Technologist Geologist – Geophysicist, petrogeochemist, petrophysicist, micropaleontologist, engineering geologist…

Development, Economy, Education, Lifestyle

Emergency powers for President Noynoy Aquino: Like giving a blowtorch to a child

January 12, 2014 benign0 55 Comments

Members of Congress are reportedly proposing the granting of emergency powers to Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III to “give him more control over power generation in the country.” To that, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone also added the country’s commuter woes as further justification saying that development of solutions to these problems “can…

Development, Economy, Government, Lifestyle, Politics

People ‘most important resource’ in the Philippines says government as population seen to breach 100m in late 2014

January 6, 2014 benign0 35 Comments

The population of the Philippines is expected to breach the 100 million mark by the third or fourth quarter of 2014. This assessment was reportedly issued by Philippine Populations Commission (Popcom) executive director Dr Juan Antonio Perez to which Malacanang has provided a positive spin… “It is both a challenge and an opportunity because people…

Development, Economy, Environment, Lifestyle, Religion, Society

Clutch situation! It’s time Noynoy Aquino brings his A-game

January 3, 2014January 3, 2014 FallenAngel 38 Comments

I find it amusing, to say the least, that president Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino would use a basketball metaphor to describe what would be the remainder of his term… “Papasok na naman po tayo sa panibagong taon sa pagtahak sa tuwid na daan; at kumbaga po sa larong basketball, papasok na rin tayo sa last…

Civics, Culture, Economy, Government, Lifestyle, Politics

Get Real: Do Filipino illegal aliens residing in the US really need Temporary Protected Status?

December 18, 2013 benign0 60 Comments

The Philippine government is appealing to the US government for a granting of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to hundreds of thousands of undocumented Filipino nationals illegally residing in the United States. The appeal builds upon the Philippines’ claim to being unable to fully recover from the devastation wrought by super-typhoon Haiyan (a.k.a. Yolanda) across its…

Civics, Development, Economy, Government, Lifestyle, Society