I sat as a panelist in a round-table discussion on the mismatch problem at the annual conference of the Call Center Association of the Philippines last week. We had a very insightful exchange and I would like to synthesize the points of discussion in this column. Read the rest of this entry »

IAM not an authority on Catholicism but I am a practicing Catholic. I may not know as much about my faith as a theologian or my priest but I do believe in the Apostles Creed, which, if I recall my religion classes correctly, is the profession if not summation of our faith, of what we Catholics believe in. (That short profession we say at Mass is a lot to take already, I tell you, what with the three Gods in one person concept alone). Read the rest of this entry »

By all accounts she should have simply crumpled and died.

Given what she lost she had every reason to be angry at the world and at the Creator himself. But she didn’t. Like a mangled lamb spared from the slaughter, she said “I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time”. But was she? Read the rest of this entry »

Today:

sana may programang gawin ang mga bishops sa lahat ng kanilang parishes: example, sa bawat lampas sa 3 o 4 na anak kada pamilya, bukod sa magandang pangaral, ang simbahan ang (1) magpapakain ng masustansya at masarap sa mga bata (2) magbabayad sa dental, optical at medical expenses ng mga bata at (3) magbibigay ng full scholarships sa reputable schools or catholic schools hanggang makatapos sa college ang mga bata. Read the rest of this entry »

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) said credit rating agencies and their rating methodologies may have inadvertently contributed to financial instability. In a report, the IMF said credit ratings influenced market prices, and that downgrades through the investment-grade barrier trigger market reactions, which were seen in the wake of the sharp downgrades of structured finance products during the recent financial crisis. Read the rest of this entry »

According to Forbes maga-zine, the richest Filipinos and their respective networths are:

1. Henry Sy Sr., $5 billion; 2. Lucio Tan, $2.1 billion; 3. John Gocongwei, $1.5 billion; 4. Jaime Zobel de Ayala, $1.2 billion; 5. Andrew Tan, $1.2 billion; 6. Tony Tan Caktiong, $980 million; 7. Enrique Razon, $975 million; 8. Beatrice Campos, $840 million; 9. George S.K. Ty, $805 million; 10. Eduardo Cojuangco, $760 million; Read the rest of this entry »

We played a new game at the Tuesday Club yesterday. It is called Can You Believe What Your Favorite Tycoon Paid in Taxes? Tony Lopez brought the latest issue of his magazine, Biz News Asia, whose cover story is entitled Heroes, or the list of the top 500 taxpayers based on 2008. Tony said he was being ironic, maybe sarcastic with his title and we all found out why. Read the rest of this entry »

Does your credit card charge you interest and penalty of more than a percent each per month? If yes, then know that you are being overcharged.

The Supreme Court had so ruled last year unanimously in a division. It called “exorbitant, iniquitous, excessive” exactions on credit cards above one-percent interest and one-percent penalty, or a combined two percent, per month. (See http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2009/september2009/175490.htm) Read the rest of this entry »

SEN. Ralph Recto the other day raised a question I have been harping on for quite some time: Isn’t it better for the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to commit more investment funds here at home, primarily in highly profitable and badly needed infrastructure projects, instead of stashing more money overseas? Could the GSIS not use the funds in productive and gainful projects meant to build up the local economy and create badly needed new jobs for Filipinos? Read the rest of this entry »

OSLO—The heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), along with other leaders, today called for a broad international commitment to a jobs-focused policy response to the global economic downturn. At a historic conference in Oslo—hosted by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway and co-sponsored by the IMF and ILO—leaders from government, labor, business and academia met to tackle the sharp increase in unemployment and underemployment since the 2008 global financial crisis. Read the rest of this entry »