The Philippines remains an investment destination for Korean businesses.
Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corporation (HHICC) renewed its commitment to do business in the country.
The company, presently employing 16,000 workers, is planning to hire 24,000 more for its Subic and Misamis Oriental plants.
Hanjin’s multi-billion investment in the Philippines will make the country the fourth largest ship-builder in the world.
HHICC president N.H. Cho Jong said Hanjin Philippines, Incorporation (HPI) will produce components for ships they assemble at the Subic shipyard starting September.
These components were normally imported from Korea.
Radyo ng Bayan reported that Hanjin ships that will be exported to Germany would fetch around $29-million this year and the succeeding sales from next year’s exports are estimated to earn $57-million.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo conferred recently the Presidential Medal of Merit on former HPI president Jong Shup Shim for his contribution to the local shipbuilding industry.
It was Jong’s idea to put up a shipbuilding facility in Subic Freeport Zone.
The awarding was held Monday at the Shilla Hotel in Jeju Island, South Korea during the ASEAN and Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit.
Meanwhile, another Korean firm will be doing business in Southern Philippines.
The President directed Trade Secretary Peter Favila to assist CJ Corporation in its venture in Mindanao to make their facility as part of an eco-zone.
The aim is to make the eco-zone perks available to CJ Corporation which is planning to put up a $47 million worth of livestock feed facility in the region.
The venture is estimated to employ more than a thousand workers.
The summit was concluded Tuesday with the signing a joint declaration strengthening relations between Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) as well as the ASEAN – Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement on Investments.
With numerous agricultural agreements signed, President Arroyo is expecting to increase its fruits exports to Korea which is basically one of the best markets for Philippine bananas and pineapples.
Palace assures RP is on an economic rebound
Either good or bad, Malacanang respects opinions of international credit rating organizations, a ranking palace official said Tuesday.
However, Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III said government managers came up with better forecasts than those credit rating agencies.
“Our own economic leaders, secretaries Recto, Teves and Favila, are saying that we are expecting a rebound within a certain period,” said Bello.
He was reacting to Moody’s statement that the Philippines needs a miracle to avert a recession.
On the contrary, Bello said economic managers see a shorter recession taking place.
“Of course, we are concerned with this statement (from Moody’s) but we have to rely on the analysis of our economic advisors. But in the end, tayo naman ang tatamaan niyan kung nagkamali tayo sa ating analysis. For as long as our economic advisors are there to analyze the situation and come up with a position, I think it is safe to say that we are in a rebound mode,” said Bello.
NEDA director sees more positive growth in Q2 '09
MANILA, June 2 (PNA) – With the actual implementation of infrastructure projects materializing in the second quarter this year, a National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) official on Tuesday said the domestic economy would continue to grow amid the crisis.
NEDA Director Dennis Arroyo told reporters that with spending taking place in the second quarter of the year the economy would see rosier growth, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), after the 0.4 percent it registered from January to March this year.
“The actual digging (and) construction is in the second quarter so spending will be felt in the second quarter,” he said.
Arroyo, meanwhile, cited another possible downward revision of targets for the whole year.
To date, the growth target for the year is between a range of 3.1-4.1 percent.
For NEDA, however, the assumption might be “lower” basically because of the “low growth in the first quarter,” he said.
He noted that the option to further hike expenditures this year is still open to meet government’s growth targets.
Teves said they will also review impact of revenue shortfall to the first quarter growth.
“We’ll see if additional spending is needed to bring us closer to target,” Teves added.
Palace hails passage of gov’t pay standardization law as it assures availability of funds for its implementation
Malacañang welcomed Tuesday the passage in Congress of the salary standardization law (SSL-3) for state workers as it assured availability of funds for its implementation.
Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the government has enough funds for the salary standardization that was pushed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to bring salaries of government employees closer to the levels of those in the private sector.
For his part, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said the timely implementation of SSL-3 will help the economy at this time of global economic crisis.
“It will help perk up the economy through spending,” Claudio said.
Claudio cited the determination of Congress in passing the salary standardization law and other important legislations such as the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) before their recess on Wednesday, June 3.
Congress has approved Joint Resolution 26, a Malacañang-certified measure that would upgrade the compensation of low-level employees up to the top positions in government effective July 1.
Good hygiene is the best defense against A (H1N1)
During his visit at the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School and the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School in Manila, Duque demonstrated the proper way of washing their hands and the right etiquette when sneezing and coughing as well inspected sanitation facilities.
“We are doing these visits to make sure that our children know how to keep themselves from contracting the A (H1N1). It’s easy. Just like what we have been saying: hand washing while singing the happy birthday song twice will scare this flu away,” Duque said.
He emphasized to school teachers and staff to be always cautious against H1N1 and to religiously implement the prescribed preventive measures.
Based on the guidelines, Duque said that the suspension of classes within a school can be announced by the school administrators concerned if there is really one or more A (H1N1) confirmed case and added that at Level 4, where there is already community transmission, the DepEd, CHED and TESDA officials can announce closure of one or more schools in the affected areas.
On the other hand, there are no new cases of A (H1N1) as of June 2.
“The five confirmed cases reported yesterday (June 1) are still in health facilities awaiting discharge. The five cases are mild in nature and are responding positively to the treatments given them,” Duque said, adding that eleven cases have been discharged Monday.
Since May 1, 2009, the DOH has monitored a total of 345 CUOs (cases under observation).
Of these, 21 are positive A (H1N1) cases, 32 have pending laboratory results, and 292 were negative and have been discarded.
The number of new COUs remains at 20.
Meanwhile, Radyo ng Bayan reported that at least 36 persons, mostly students, in Nueva Ecija are now under quarantine.
These people made contact with a 19-year old woman who was the 11th confirmed A (H1N1) case.
National Epidemiologist Center Chief Eric Tayag said the woman exhibited the symptoms four days after her arrival from the United States last May 20.
He said the patient had no idea that she had the virus.
Tayag said the woman is recuperating and could be discharged soon.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 1,900 new cases and 16 deaths brought about by A (H1N1).
The new deaths were from Mexico and the USA. There are now a total of 17,410 cases and 115 deaths from 62 reporting countries. New countries who have confirmed H1N1 cases are the Bahamas, Bolivia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Jamaica, Paraguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.
DOH: watch out for A (H1N1) but don’t forget Dengue
Despite the noise created by A (H1N1), schools should never forget the dangers poised by water-borne diseases, the Department of Health warned Monday.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque cautioned school officials to be vigilant against the so-called WILD diseases during the rainy season.
These diseases include Water-borne diseases, Influenza, Leptospirosis and Dengue (WILD), all of which cause more deaths and diseases than A (H1N1).
“WILD diseases have been around longer than A (H1N1) and affects young children particularly during this time of year. Actually, proper hand washing and good respiratory manner will protect our children not only from H1N1 but also for most of these diseases,” Duque stressed.
DOH is intensifying its campaign against dengue in anticipation of the increasing number of cases from June until the end of the year.
This campaign advocates the Four-S strategy against dengue: Search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, Self-protection, Seek early consultation and Saying Yes to fogging only during outbreaks.
DOLE targeting more hiring on Independence Day Job fairs
The Department of Labor is expecting to have 15,000 persons hired starting June 12.
Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III said DOLE will be spearheading nationwide job fairs as a huge part of the celebration of Independence Day.
The job fairs will end on June 15.
Apart from the job fairs, Bello said the usual activities like flag raising ceremonies in Rizal Park, Bulacan and Cavite will still be part of the celebration.
Lakas-Kampi members are optimistic & jubilant
Political Affairs Adviser Gabriel Claudio on Tuesday belied reports that some members of the newly-merged Lakas-Kampi CMD party are getting unhappy and now planning to join the Liberal Party.
“As far as I know, the mood of the Lakas-Kampi members is very active, jubilant and after the successful merger there are some presidential wannabes in the opposition who are doing some piracy and raiding within the Lakas-Kampi especially in the municipal level,” said Claudio during his regular briefing with Palace reporters.
“We are doing our own check on this. The reports must be referring to some congressmen who belong to the other factions of the Liberal Party. I don’t think this is a matter that pertains to the Lakas-Kampi organization,” Claudio said.
This is hardly the time for lakas kampi members to even doubt their membership in the newly merged party, he declared.
On the possibility of including Sen. Richard Gordon to the list of possible standard bearers for the Lakas-Kampi, Claudio said Gordon has organized or is associated with a new party, Bagumbayan.
He said he does not know what the intent of the party is in relation to the administration. He said Senator Gordon must be made to clarify what his position is in relation to the administration. He has many friends in the Lakas-Kampi and we acknowledge his many contributions in the field of legislation. He was once a member of the Cabinet and there is goodwill between the administration and Senator Gordon,” he added.
“Still, we congratulate it (Villar’s topping the charts). We can also understand why he is so happy about the results of the survey but we do not know what will happen with the current developments in the Senate,” Claudio said.
He said the survey was conducted a year before the elections and “Anything can happen between now and the elections. Things are very fluid. We know very well how flexible the political cycle can become. So in the next survey it is important for us to see what will be the results of recent developments in the Senate hearings on the C5 road project and by the Lakas Kampi merger and even inter personal relationships among the presidentiables.
On Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro being at the tailend of the charts, Claudio said he is personally disappointed about the ratings. “I want to see his ratings higher. I don’t think it is a reflection on the capability of Secretary Teodoro. Be that as it may we are not in a position to question the integrity of the survey. All I could say is that the survey is done a good one year before the elections and he has every time and opportunity to change that. He has the vision, determination, time and resources to make his policies and achievements known by the public for a more positive appreciation,” Claudio said.
He recalled that at the recent Leadership Forum at the Ateneo, the people he had spoken to had high praises for Secretary Teodoro and a lot of people were impressed by his presentation of performance and achievements.
Claudio said the same goes with presidentiables-- Vice President Noli and Secretary Bayani Fernando (of the Metro Manila Development Authority, a member of the Cabinet and party stalwart of the erstwhile Lakas party).
For Vice President Noli we are elated that he is still on top of the charts and we would like to think that this is in recognition of the good work he is doing in the Cabinet and as Vice President. He is able to project very well …”the image of caring and concern for the plight of the overseas workers and the poor people.”
For Fernando, Claudio said he has as much time and effort to expose his achievements to the people especially in Metro Manila.
“A lot of people believe that he has made a great difference in the physical appearance, the attitudes and the way things are operated to make life a little more convenient in Metro Manila. We do wish that people will try to get to know him better,” Claudio said.
He said “it is a pity he did not grab the opportunity to expose himself to the party members at the merger of the party.”
