Labor office favors 'holiday economics'

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Tuesday welcomed the proposal of Senator Manuel Roxas II to permanently adopt the holiday economics introduced by the Arroyo administration.
Read Sun.Star for the full story.

Senator Roxas files Holiday Act of 2005

SEN. Mar Roxas has introduced a bill that will set a standard schedule for observing nonworking holidays to address businessmen’s concern over the unpredictability of holiday observances in the country. “While the intent of holiday economics has yielded positive results, the business sector has expressed concern on the unpredictability of the dates set for the actual observance of legal holidays,” Roxas noted.

Read The Manila Times and Manila Standard Today for the full story.

Some pointers for Manila panel at WTO trade gab

The Philippine government should assert in the forthcoming World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong next week the reclassification of rice as a “special product” to protect the interest of some 3.2 million Filipino rice farmers, Senator Mar Roxas said yesterday.

Roxas, chairman of the committee on trade and commerce, said the Philippine delegation should resolutely negotiate for export subsidies and agricultural price support that would be good for the country.

Read the Manila Standard Today for the full story.

$2.5-M HP center seen to boost RP outsourcing bid

WITH the investment of Hewlett-Packard of 2.5 million US dollars in a new facility for its business process and application outsourcing arm in the Philippines, the country is expected to gain the expertise needed to tackle higher value-added offshore projects. "Definitely, it moves us higher up in the outsourcing food chain," Senator Manuel A. Roxas II said in response to a question from INQ7.net.

Read Inq7.net and Computerworld for the full story. Visit xieurx blog for a photo shot too.

Tax incentives for alternative fuel users sought

WITH a pending world oil crisis and the continued damage brought by fossil fuels to the environment, the Philippine government must grant tax incentives to those who will use alternative fuels, Senator Manuel Roxas II said Saturday. Citing the oil crisis forecast by the Asian Development Bank, the senator said oil production is expected to rise to 90 dollars per barrel next year. He noted that the Philippines depends on oil as the primary fuel source for transportation, importing at least 126 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products worth five billion dollars in 2004.
For the full story, read Inq7.net.

Fertilizer fund audit sought

Senator Mar Roxas II is asking for a special audit of the Department of Agriculture’s P728 million fertilizer project to detemine who are liable for the alleged misuse of funds. Roxas stressed the need to ensure that the intended recipients benefited from the funds and the officials involved are held accountable for any misuse.

Read the Manila Standard and the Philippine Star for the full story.

Mar wants probe on brain drain of health professionals

Sen. Mar Roxas has called for a Senate inquiry into the decline in the quality of healthcare service due to the continuing migration of Filipino health professionals to rich countries.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, voiced concern over the damaging effects of the exodus of Filipino nurses and doctors on the country’s healthcare system.

“The government cannot afford to play deaf and blind to the problem of migrating health professionals. It must find ways to encourage Filipino doctors and nurses to remain in the country by giving skills training and work incentives,” he said.

Read the Philippine Information Agency for the full story.

Lack of business opportunities limits potential for OFWs' dollars

Roxas said, even the improvement in the stock market would not trickle down to the poor, neither would the dollars from foreign portfolio investments plough into the real economy, "except if a few stock brokers buy a home. But that's about it."

The senator explained that given the absence of a strong regulatory regime that would guarantee the continuing viability of such investment ventures, OFWs would simply keep their funds in the bank, while rich Filipinos would invest theirs abroad, instead of engaging in a profitable business in the country
Read Balita.ph for the full story.