Here's a more detailed and more impartial assessment of the Arroyo era.

Fairy land (Part 1)
By Peter Wallace - Manila Standard Today
Friday, January 29, 2010

I always knew the Philippines was a magical place. I first invested here because of that-and the people.

But I hadn´t realized how magical until I saw the proliferation of two-page spreads in the newspapers of the achievements of this administration. Some truly magical numbers from a fairyland I didn´t know existed. Let me, sadly, bring you back to reality, because it´s the real world we live in. And it´s the real world we must survive in. It is lovely to have flights of fancy from time to time, but it can´t last.

My analysis will be balanced, unlike the highly distorted ads.

Let me start with GDP growth. The 4.86 percent must be deflated for the statistical discrepancy in the 2007 number when a drop in imports created a double negative that artificially inflated GDP growth (I think you´d all agree nothing dramatically different occurred in 2007 that could have justified 7.1 percent. Our best estimate is that around 4.8 percent if imports grew at their historically normal rate). With that adjustment, average growth under President Arroyo has been 4.7 percent. Estrada matches it. Are we to assume from this that Estrada was as good an economic manager as Arroyo?

What was not included though is the more important number, the GINI coefficient, which measures the degree of inequality in a society. The Philippines´ GINI coefficient is 0.45. Only 39 countries are worse; 84 countries are better. Other Southeast Asian neighbors have better GINI figures-Cambodia´s 0.42, Laos´ 0.35 and Vietnam´s 0.34. Three years ago it was 0.46, so there´s no measurable improvement. The miserable GDP growth (yes, miserable, because it was the lowest in Asia) didn´t filter down to the poor. They didn´t see any of that growth, their situation worsened.

The government said the growth provided more income to the people, therefore more money to buy food. But the percentage of households that experienced hunger at least once in the past 3 months recently hit a record-high of 24 percent-or about 4.4 million households. The poor definitely have gotten no benefit from the "highest average GDP growth recorded since 1966" or the "highest quarterly growth posted in 30 years" proclaimed in the government ad.

Inflation, I´ll agree, is far lower and that is in part because of good management, but good management by the central bank, which is part of its role. Arroyo´s involvement has been to artificially control prices and create an economy where people can´t afford fair market value, so firms are forced to sell at lower margins. This is in the free market she espouses-but then doesn´t follow.

Gross International Reserves, I agree, are at a record high. This is the reason the Philippines can borrow so favorably in the world. But how much of that reserve was generated by overseas Filipino workers forced to leave their families because there were no jobs here? In 2009, remittances have grown to almost two-fifths the size of the gross reserves-an economic success but a social disaster.

The foreign debt as a percent of GDP has fallen from 67.46 percent in 2000 to 33.85 percent of GDP (as of September 2009) so there is lower debt payment to foreigners. But the domestic debt has risen. The total debt bill, which is what matters because that´s what you have to pay back, surged to P4.22 trillion in 2008 from P2.1 trillion in 2000.

The credit rating agencies have not changed their unacceptably low rating (Fitch´s BB rating, which is 2 levels below investment grade and Standard and Poor´s BB- and Moody´s Ba3, three notches below) since she came to power. A shift from "negative" to "stable" just means the agencies forecast is it won´t change, rather than it might go down. There´s no "increased investor confidence." A number that surprisingly is not mentioned is the level of foreign direct investment. Maybe because it´s been so abysmally poor.

The Philippines attracted the least FDI amongst Asean-6 member countries during the past 8 years. The country got US$12.1 billion; next lowest was Indonesia at $29.7 billion; little old Singapore did best at $133 billion, 11 times the Philippine level; while Malaysia and Thailand got about the same at a little over $40 billion each. It´s the same when comparing to history, particularly the Ramos years, which would be the fairest comparison. The 6-year term of Ramos saw $9.5 billion enter the country while Arroyo´s 9 years attracted $12.1 billion. Pro-rated to 6 years, Arroyo´s becomes $9.1 billion. Converted to 1992 dollars (inflation must be factored in), FVR attracted $6.7 billion, Arroyo $3.4 billion pro-rated. Half the level, nothing could be more damning than that in an evaluation of the economy. There is decreased investor confidence.

There seems to be a clear correlation between how the international business community perceives the country´s state of competitiveness and the actual flow of investment. They are not impressed.

I mentioned migrant workers´ remittances. If I were president, I´d be ashamed that 8.5 million of my fellow Filipinos had to flee in desperation to earn enough to feed their families because I couldn´t provide a job for them here. I couldn´t attract the investment needed to give them a job.

Tourist arrivals is a good thing, this indeed is an achievement but is it really 5.2 million in 2009? It was officially 3.1 million (international tourists) in 2008. Could there really have been an impressive 68 percent growth this year? Where did they all stay? The accommodation doesn´t exist to accommodate the additional 2 million tourists that the government claims. It probably includes domestic tourism and migrants. It´s a very suspect number. Even if the 5.2 million were correct, it is dwarfed by Thailand´s 10.4 million,

Malaysia´s 18.4 million, Singapore´s 10.2 million, and Hong Kong´s 20 million.

The call center industry is just out and out a great success. It is growing at 25 percent annually and is projected to employ 500,000 by 2010. But what specific actions did this government do that were different to justify credit for this? The talent of the Filipino for this role did it. What policies or actions did Mrs. Arroyo take to improve this sector? Creating a Department of Information and Communication Technology that this sector so urgently needs just hasn´t happened despite the fact that I raised the subject to her three months into her presidency. The high-level, focused attention can´t be there without it.

The government crows that the local auto sector breached its target last year and sold 132,444. But even with improved sales, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) said the local industry still cannot be considered "fully recovered" as the total units sold is far lower than the 162,095 sold in 1996 in a much smaller economy with fewer consumers. Also the growth can partly be attributed to the fact that the local sector is still developing and has much room for growth. At present, the Philippines has a low car-to-people ratio of 22 cars per 1,000 people. Thailand has 110 per 1,000 while Malaysia has 254.

Total net income of the Top 1,000 Corporations grew from P116 billion in 2001 to P686 billion in 2007. The latest report (for 2008), however, noted a 40 percent decline in the aggregate net income of the Top 1,000 firms to P415 billion. The gross profit margins of the Top 1,000 Corporations dipped slightly from 20.2 percent in 2007 to 20.1 percent in 2008.

(Concluded Tuesday)

Fairy land (conclusion)
By Peter Wallace - Manila Standard Today
Tuesday, February 2, 2010

I won´t go through the rest of the litany of the Arroyo administration´s supposed achievements. I will just talk about a few that caught my eye.

Take this one. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front´s strength in 2000 was 12,571. Nine years later, it has fallen to 11,454. How on earth did they get such an accurate assessment? Do they have spies living in the MILF camps? I can´t possibly believe that number. What matters more is that 719 soldiers died during President Gloria Arroyo´s first three years in office compared to 78 during Fidel Ramos´ entire term. I certainly wouldn´t want to be a soldier under Arroyo.
Her administration failed to meet its target of neutralizing the New People´s Army, the longest-running communist insurgency in Asia, by 2010. In 2008, the Philippines earned the notorious distinction of having the most number of internally displaced persons, topping Kenya, Congo and Iraq.
There were 100,000 new classrooms built in nine years which now puts the classroom-to- pupil ratio at 1:39 for elementary and 1:55 for high school (this goes as high as 1:79 for primary and 1:82 for secondary in some schools in Metro Manila). But this is still far from achieving the recommended 1:25 classroom-to- student ratio so that students can be properly educated.
The Department of Education estimates that 10,661 more classrooms are needed. By our estimate, there is a shortage of some 200,000 classrooms if we use the 25:1 student to classroom ratio. The Education department´s projection is based on a 45:1 ratio and two shifts (morning and afternoon).

Children should be encouraged to question, not just accept unquestioningly what the teacher says. People must be able to think for themselves, encouraged to display initiative and analyze the consequences of their action. This requires much smaller class sizes. In primary school, this should be 20 or less. Above 35, it becomes impossible. The interaction degenerates to lecturing, not teaching. Teachers must be able to teach a few, not lecture to many.

The standard of education of a Filipino child is now below that of Zambia and Tanzania according to the United Nations. Everyone agrees (and the numbers are there) this government failed to provide the quality education it pledged. In 1999, the Philippines ranked 36th out of 38 countries in both Math and Science proficiency as assessed by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Four years later, the country fared even worse when it ranked 41st for Math and 42nd for Science out of 45 countries. The "improved quality of education" the government ad claims is not supported by independent assessments.
In the recent 2010 Education For All Global Monitoring Report by the United Nations, the Philippines was cited for lack of policies to improve education especially of the poor and said that the country was in "real danger" of not meeting its target of providing universal primary education by 2015.

Today, out of 100 Filipino kids who enter school, only 65 get to finish primary. Back in 1998, 70 got to finish; while only 42 finish high school compared to 54 who did in 1998. Add to that the fact that public expenditure per high school student (as a percentage of GDP per capita) fell from 10.7 percent in 1999 to 9.2 percent in 2004. While the education department has been getting a bigger allocation from the government in current pesos (from P90-billion in 1999 to P149 billion in 2008), there´s been no significant increase in real terms-P90-billion versus P92.5-billion, for example. The total DepEd budget´s share to the national government´s budget has been declining (19 percent in 1999 to a little over 11 percent in 2008).
Those are the real numbers that matter, and Mrs. Arroyo has failed to improve any of them. The figures have, contrary to what the ads proclaim, gotten worse.

Isn´t it a little unfair to compare the number of houses the government built in the two and a half years of Estrada to the nine years of Arroyo? On an annualized basis, Ramos built 33,982 per year, Estrada 39,306, and Arroyo 32,777. Now who who did better?

I´ll give her the roll-on-roll- off. It was a good idea that worked, but to claim more infrastructure built ignores the real number that matters, how much was spent and on what from what you have available to spend. Here´s one area where percentages are relevant: Ramos averaged 3.2 percent of GDP on infrastructure; with Arroyo it´s significantly smaller, between two percent and 2.5 percent. Elsewhere in Asia, it´s five percent to six percent. Industry experts have also observed that the Philippines has the worst distribution of infrastructure in Asia; is lowest in terms of paved roads as percentage of total roads amongst the Asean 6; and while GMA developed some "international" airports, there´s very little, if any "international´ traffic to them. Also, the latest global travel and tourism report released by Institute for Management development showed the Philippines faring poorly in terms of air transport infrastructure (73rd among 133
countries), ground transport infrastructure (90th) and ICT Infrastructure (92nd).

In terms of employment, the published data claims 14.2 million jobs were created in Arroyo´s term, but the regular data we get from the National Statistics Office adds up to only 6.2 million. Where did the 8 million come from? Add to that the fact that unpaid family workers (mostly on farms), private household employees (domestic helpers and family drivers) and self-employed (sidewalk/market vendors), the fastest growing job sources, are included in the statistics.
The unemployment rate dropped significantly and artificially (from 11.2 percent in 2000 to 7.1 percent today) due to redefinition. They excluded students wanting to work but not able to and people looking for work but have given up from the labor force. If the old definition is maintained, there are close to 700,000 more Filipinos without a job today than in 2000. That excludes the overseas Filipino workers who have to go overseas to work because the domestic economy is too weak that it can´t generate jobs and provide decent incomes for its people.

I could go on, but you get the message. There´s hardly an honest number in the whole two pages. As Ben Diokno says, it´s a disgraceful waste of money. And a deliberate deception to the public that doesn´t have the access to the real data like we do.

To make this report complete, to those who´d be interested, we have produced a matrix in the same format as the government presentation but giving the true story, not the fairytale promulgated. It can be downloaded at www.dataphil. com

What this two-page advertisement has done is cause us to focus on what really were the accomplishments of President Arroyo in her extended 9-year term. When we do, we come to the conclusion that her administration has been a failure. There´s been almost no area where demonstrable, measurable improvement has occurred. In most instances, the situation has worsened when an impartial assessment is made. I wonder if she saw and vetted these ads, I sincerely hope not because they do her a great disservice. She´d do well to have them stopped immediately and nothing else issued without her imprimatur. As it is, the ads seen to be based on the premise first postulated by Benjamin Disraeli, an Englishman in the 19th century said, "There are lies, damned lies and, then statistics."

We´re living in a society where by almost every measure we´re worse off than we were a decade ago. That´s an assessment based on published facts. It is not a judgmental assessment.

Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital. Well, we´ve just removed the bikini.

Which authoritarianism is considered as successful? Are you refering to China? Well, they are cheats... They manipulate their currency, the only difference is that China somehow started to be more open, partly because of the pressure on international community on human rights violation and that if do not open to the world, they would end up like Russia. China's tactic has always been propaganda and if Arroyo didn't have so many detractors and that the word democracy is never learned in the Philippines, she could have pulled another China where psychologically, she use infrastructures and figures as a psychological propaganda to stay in power and perhaps hand that power down to her son or any of her children. A dictator in the making IMO.

What makes China's authoritism unique is that, the central government pressure it's people, they fund development of technology, they copy technologies from other countries to compete with them. Who do you think Chinese leaders are mostly enriching? Not necessarily their citizens, it's more of their leaders. But who else you can compare Chinese authoritarian system with? North Korea? Cuba? It's no brainer that the authoritarians in Libya, Egypt, Iran , old Iraq and now Syria are doing damages more damages than helping their people.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=87525413&postcount=957

As far as myself investing in the Philippines, personally? To be brutally honest with you. I never did have the interest to invest in the Philippines even during Arroyo's time. Why? That political unrest has always been there like I said, safety issue is another, the kidnapping of foreign nationals and even balikbayans. Do you honestly think that many expats pinoys invested in the Philippines for that very reason? The economy??? I think not, it was more of a trend, a culture most pinoys share, they copy what other pinoys do and even surpass it. Otherwise, if the economy was the main reason, scores of pinoys would have been returning to the Philippines by then, just like the Koreans in the past who worked in Ireland and all returned back to Korea at the height of economic boom in South Korean. Now, with all those investments in real state back in the Philippines, very few Pinoys actually chose to return to the country because they knew they still uphold that "better lives" they are accustomed to in North America and perhaps start a business where they can double their assets if they return to the Philippines. Half of these pinoys did invest on condos those for vacation home or retirement and most especially, more of "a status symbol". Now with all these real state boom in the Philippines happened, it helped the Philippine economy and if you hadn't realized yet, It also falls into that same category as OFW remittances, because it serves as a dollar flow coming from overseas when OFWs make their monthly amortization payments, all of which are taxable. I know some of you bought condos during those times, but did you honestly did it because of the Philippine a very strong Philippine economy? Come on, be honest, it's more of your investment for your future right? It's not an investment for added or more income unless you actually rent it out for profits where you own more than two units of condos or condotels and make fortune out of it. Is it a good investment? yes, but that goes more or less on your retirement plan not because the economy in the Philippines is great.

About investing in the Philippines, I would suggest you guys to disregards politics. There are ways to invest say by way of Patriotic investments. I made a research here in SSC about what we should do with our farm. I thanks most of you guys here like @Lili, since I was able to find some answer and in fact I was able to used in the Tourism and Environmental Planning of our town. I learned here the positive way, much like Henry Sy whom most of his investments are in the hardest of time.

Since, I could not afford to make my study a reality, I made some form of investment in our farm by way of Environment, I preserved its forest and plants more trees. I joined and now one of the prime advocate Environmental protection of our place. You could EVEN see my advocacies here in SSC. Even when I depended the issues about Laguna De Bay Dredging, it’s because it is now considered near death.

One of my most admired investment was when our family decided to plant more Coconuts, although the price of coconuts was so low that time, that caused many farmers sell coconuts into Coco-Lumber. When most people got hopeless in Coconut farming, we decided to plant more hoping that we could sell it by “UBOD”. Thanks that our efforts becomes an investment on environmental and economic value and now everything in Coconut is bocoming prime commodity, from Coco-coir, Coco-Sugar, Wood-sugar, Copra, Furnishing and now Young Coconut Juice that is projected to become billion dollar beverages with the giants joining the bandwagon. Even foreigners and big companies are acquiring hundreds upon hundreds of hectares to plant more Coconuts.

Now our investment is a win-win for us, the environment, the economy and mind you although not enough to retire but at least I made some patriotic investment during the worst of time. Who knows that “KUBOtels” result of this SSC forum a reality since our place still forested and now just outside a Natural Park.^^

This will indeed be such great news for the people of the Philippines. Magdilang anghel nga sana ang HSBC regarding their RP forecast... :okay: :okay:

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050
Business Mirror
Thursday, 12 January 2012
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/21915-hsbcs-projection-for-phl-169-t-economy-in-2050

THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.

“Our ranking is based on an economy’s current level of development and the factors that will determine whether it has the potential to catch up with more developed nations. These fundamentals include current income per capita, rule of law, democracy, education levels and demographic change, allowing us to project the gross domestic product [GDP] forward,” the bank said.

This means the Philippines will have to be catapulted 27 places from its current ranking of 47 in the original group of 50 economies.

HSBC lumped the Philippines with a group of 26 countries seen to post the fastest rate of growth during the period in which local output was seen averaging more than 5 percent each year.

These countries, the British lender said, “Share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy and paste’ growth ahead.”

Apart from the Philippines, group members include China, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Peru, Bangladesh, Algeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Kazakhstan, among others.

HSBC said the forecast upgrade in the country’s economic standing was less the result of an increase of individual prosperity than as a result of the impact of its expanding population.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier told reporters he considers the country’s rising population as a positive influence on growth rather than as contributor to eventual perdition.



_____________________________



Tiger traps: Asia's relentless economic rise is still not inevitable
The Economist
From The World In 2012 print edition
http://www.economist.com/node/21536964

Like most of the 30 years that preceded it, 2012 will be punctuated by statistical evidence of Asia’s growing share of the global economy, and by symbols of relative Western decline. The financial crisis of 2008, followed by the various excitements of 2011—the American debt-ceiling fiasco, the euro zone’s interminable wrangling, riots on the streets of Western capitals—seemed to mark a tipping-point. Asia’s rise looked faster than anyone had expected.

In Asia there is some understandable Schadenfreude. After all, just over a decade ago, the region had to endure Western lectures on the failings of Asian crony capitalism. And the harsh remedies imposed on the errant Asian economies in the late 1990s now seem medicine too drastic for America and Europe. Sober Asian policy-makers, however, worry. In the short term, they know that the region would be badly hit by another severe downturn in the West. In the longer term, they wonder whether developing Asian economies will get stuck in a “middle-income trap”.

The short-term concerns may seem overblown. By September 2011 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was still expecting that in 2012 growth in Asia outside Japan would moderate only to an annual rate of 7.5%. And, for some of the bigger economies, a slowdown is welcome. China, in particular, might actually stand to benefit. Sluggish external demand would help the government’s own efforts to cool the economy and, to the extent it was reflected in low commodity prices, ease inflationary pressures too.

Yet the dangers for Asia of such a slowdown are acute. China’s government will not want to risk worsening inflation by unleashing another huge stimulus into the economy, as it did in response to the 2008 crisis. And for all its efforts since then to “rebalance” the economy towards a greater reliance on domestic consumption, exports to the West remain a big part of overall demand. For the rest of developing Asia, China itself is becoming an ever more important market—the biggest trading partner for India, for South Korea and for the ten members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations taken as a block. For many countries, however, a large chunk of exports to China forms part of a global supply-chain whose end products are Western imports.

The short-term vulnerability to the West’s economic woes is a symptom of a longer-term worry: a failure in many countries in Asia to progress from growth fuelled by their natural bounty and cheap labour to growth driven by higher productivity. As wages rise, manufacturers find themselves unable to compete in export markets with lower-cost producers elsewhere; yet they still find themselves behind the advanced economies in higher-value-added products. This is the middle-income trap—which saw, for example, South Africa and Brazil languish for decades in what the World Bank defines as the “middle-income” range (of about $1,000 to $12,000 gross national income per head measured in 2010 money).

Asia has the past half-century’s most spectacular examples of countries that have avoided the trap: Japan, followed by Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. But for the majority of Asian countries, which are still in the “middle-income” bracket, evading the trap may not be so easy. An illuminating report produced by the ADB (“Asia 2050: Realising the Asian Century”), divides this group into two. One, led by China and India, accounts for 77% of Asia’s population and 51% of its GDP, and is made up of “fast-growing, converging” economies. Another, with 18% of Asia’s population and just 6% of its GDP, comprises “slow or modest growth, aspiring” economies.

Some in the second group, such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines, already, says the ADB, “exhibit the classic signs of the middle-income trap”. But even the “convergers” are vulnerable. Rising wages and other costs lay Chinese exporters open to low-cost competition in some industries from countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, and the competition will become more acute as China’s population ages. In contrast India’s boom has differed from China’s and the rest of East Asia’s in its reliance on domestic demand and growth in services rather than labour-intensive manufacturing. Unfortunately for Indian optimists there is as yet no precedent of a country that has broken into the ranks of advanced nations following this model.

The ADB’s point is not that Asia is doomed to be caught in the trap. Rather it is that straight-line growth projections face big risks. The most obvious are of conflict in a region littered with unresolved sovereignty disputes. But the ADB also cites “recent adverse trends in the quality of institutions and continuing rise in corruption”.

The ADB report posits two Asian futures. One, “the Asian century”, assumes the boom continues more or less uninterrupted. In that scenario, by 2050 Asia will account for more than half the global economy. In a gloomier “middle-income trap” scenario, it will make up less than a third. To achieve the former outcome, Asian governments need to make difficult reforms now.

This will indeed be such great news for the people of the Philippines. Magdilang anghel nga sana ang HSBC regarding their RP forecast... :okay: :okay:

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050
Business Mirror
Thursday, 12 January 2012
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/21915-hsbcs-projection-for-phl-169-t-economy-in-2050

THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.

“Our ranking is based on an economy’s current level of development and the factors that will determine whether it has the potential to catch up with more developed nations. These fundamentals include current income per capita, rule of law, democracy, education levels and demographic change, allowing us to project the gross domestic product [GDP] forward,” the bank said.

This means the Philippines will have to be catapulted 27 places from its current ranking of 47 in the original group of 50 economies.

HSBC lumped the Philippines with a group of 26 countries seen to post the fastest rate of growth during the period in which local output was seen averaging more than 5 percent each year.

These countries, the British lender said, “Share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy and paste’ growth ahead.”

Apart from the Philippines, group members include China, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Peru, Bangladesh, Algeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Kazakhstan, among others.

HSBC said the forecast upgrade in the country’s economic standing was less the result of an increase of individual prosperity than as a result of the impact of its expanding population.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier told reporters he considers the country’s rising population as a positive influence on growth rather than as contributor to eventual perdition.
IMO, projections will be less accurate when the period being considered is too far from the last real-time data set. But we are heartened by projections like these. We need a ton-full like these to forget the realities on the ground right now.

^^ You're aware that the article was posted January 4, 2011 right?

OMG! thanks for pointing that out..im such a douchebag

It dawned on me just the same!

It's all over the broadsheets, if you care to read. "THE GOALS OF THE PERSON, INSTITUTION, OR AGENCY" is the guiding principle followed by those in the social survey businesses. If the payor wants real-world assessments, he gets it. If he wants to pay a survey professional to achieve a predetermined result, survey designers can produce a reliable-looking data, perfectly timed and skewed to conform with the given goals, from a precisely cut cross-section of the population sample known to respond positively to planted guide questionnaires, etc. All of which are verifiable to be valid, statistically. But if you ask is it ethical? Your answer will be as good as Juan's answer! Wake up! You're smarter than them, IMO.

And the point is??? I still am not the one who originally called on reports or surveys that are "unreliable". The question raised was more on which one is really reliable? I guess it depends on who you asked? I'm sure when it's favorable to Aquino, your assessment is "it's a paid advertisement" and when the report or assesment is unfavorable that is very reliable and genuine report that no one would try to pay the survey designer, its simply to expose the wrong doings of Aquino... Very nice, you can really see where the biases are :lol::lol:

IMO, projections will be less accurate when the period being considered is too far from the last real-time data set. But we are heartened by projections like these. We need a ton-full like these to forget the realities on the ground right now.

Something can definitely happen between now and then. It does not always follow 100% It can be more or less depending on external factors and the economic atmosphere around the country as well as the country's trading partners. It would be unwise and ridiculous to even set one's mind on that projection.

Jobless rate down to 7% as labor force hits 40M
MANILA, Philippines—The number of Filipinos without jobs settled at 2.814 million in 2011 when the labor force breached the 40-million mark, according to the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES).

BLES data show that with 40.005 million economically active Filipinos—those who are at least 15 years old and are available for work—the unemployment rate in 2011 averaged 7 percent, improving from 7.4 percent in the previous year.
http://business.inquirer.net/39637/jobless-rate-down-to-7-as-labor-force-hits-40m

Nonetheless, that prediction should serve as a goal for both politicians and citizens alike. Start putting the country first.

Here's a more detailed and more impartial assessment of the Arroyo era.

Fairy land (Part 1)
By Peter Wallace - Manila Standard Today
Friday, January 29, 2010

Fairy land (conclusion)
By Peter Wallace - Manila Standard Today
Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Lengthy but a nice read.

peter wallace is an australian origin and became filipino,he is identified with the group "makati business club"and you know who are they.

Jobless rate down to 7% as labor force hits 40M

http://business.inquirer.net/39637/jobless-rate-down-to-7-as-labor-force-hits-40m

^^ Gee PDI is really sanitizing news to make it more rosy from people outside PH to read. Here's a more truthful news on same topic without icing on top.

More jobs, but underemployment also went up in 2011, says Dole

By Mia A. Aznar

Saturday, January 14, 2012

OUT of the 37.191 million employed persons in the country, Central Visayas accounted for 2.902 million last year.

Data provided by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) showed the employment rate rose to 93.3 percent in 2011 from 92.4 percent or 2.809 million in 2010.

^^ In this version it mention the rise of underemployment on top of employment.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2012/01/14/more-jobs-underemployment-also-went-2011-says-dole-200445

Lengthy but a nice read.

Yes, but one has to take it with a grain of salt. The stats are true but interpretations can be varied esp his comparisons. The fact he has put his personal comments show his bias being if I'm not mistaken a lobbyist for a particular group. I've read him in the past and find him not so independent with his assessments.

This will indeed be such great news for the people of the Philippines. Magdilang anghel nga sana ang HSBC regarding their RP forecast... :okay: :okay:

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050
Business Mirror
Thursday, 12 January 2012
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/21915-hsbcs-projection-for-phl-169-t-economy-in-2050

THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.


$112B at present? mukhang nagmamadali ang reporter at hinde na nag research... (makes me wonder where he got that $1.69T figure... )

this report is HIGHLY inaccurate.. the 2010 Philippine GDP is already around $200B !!!


It is also estimated by IMF to increase to $216B last year (2011) (the official data is still not out.. probably by Feb 2012)

^^
Per the WorldFactbook, the Philippine GDP (purchasing power parity) for 2010 is estimated at $351 billion, ranked 34 in the world!

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html

^^ Gee PDI is really sanitizing news to make it more rosy from people outside PH to read. Here's a more truthful news on same topic without icing on top.

More jobs, but underemployment also went up in 2011, says Dole

By Mia A. Aznar

Saturday, January 14, 2012

OUT of the 37.191 million employed persons in the country, Central Visayas accounted for 2.902 million last year.

Data provided by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) showed the employment rate rose to 93.3 percent in 2011 from 92.4 percent or 2.809 million in 2010.

^^ In this version it mention the rise of underemployment on top of employment.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2012/01/14/more-jobs-underemployment-also-went-2011-says-dole-200445

Yeupz, nurses having trouble getting jobs at home and abroad become call center reps. I heard stories about that since the hospitals they work for doesn't even pay them.

Better to have jobs than none I guess.

^^
Per the WorldFactbook, the Philippine GDP (purchasing power parity) for 2010 is estimated at $351 billion, ranked 34 in the world!

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html

yes that is the PPP estimates. (if you notice we're even bigger than Singapore at PPP)

but it's the norm to measure a country's gdp by Nominal values.

About investing in the Philippines, I would suggest you guys to disregards politics. There are ways to invest say by way of Patriotic investments. I made a research here in SSC about what we should do with our farm. I thanks most of you guys here like @Lili, since I was able to find some answer and in fact I was able to used in the Tourism and Environmental Planning of our town. I learned here the positive way, much like Henry Sy whom most of his investments are in the hardest of time.

Now our investment is a win-win for us, the environment, the economy and mind you although not enough to retire but at least I made some patriotic investment during the worst of time. Who knows that “KUBOtels” result of this SSC forum a reality since our place still forested and now just outside a Natural Park.^^

I am not really closing my doors on the possibility of investing in the Philippines especially for my retirement, I have it all these while at the back of my head, although, retirement is still far far away for me, it's not really bad to start thinking about it now. The point I was making back there was on the issue on "political instability" in the Philipppines that apparently, a FilAm or any pinoys who wanted to buy property in the Philippines would be discouraged. I don't see why. @Lili made a presumption that the political instability now in the Philippines just started when the truth of the matter is, it has always been there. EDSA 2 revolution was a renewed beginning of political instability in the Philippines, it was reinforced when "hello garcie" scandal came into the picture when the clammor for Arroyo's resignation was evident with threats to unseat her. I respect Lili's political view but I just simply don't understand why she thinks these political instability in the country just started. It seems like she didn't even realize how rampant was the corruption under Arroyo administration not just by her but in many sectors along with the many insurgent threats and political killings of journalist uncovering government and military officials commiting crimes and murders under Arroyo's watch. This is why I am more sympathetic on Petter Wallace's assessment on Philippines "false economic growth" under Arroyo since it didn't translate to more job creating and decreased poverty level, not when the exodus of OFW deployment tripled as the Philippines GDP starts to climb. What even more appalled me was more filipinos started to learn eating "pagpag" under her so called economic reform.. It simply just not add up, it didn't make sense...

I am not really closing my doors on the possibility of investing in the Philippines especially for my retirement, I have it all these while at the back of my head, although, retirement is still far far away for me, it's not really bad to start thinking about it now. The point I was making back there was on the issue on "political instability" in the Philipppines that apparently, a FilAm or any pinoys who wanted to buy property in the Philippines would be discouraged. I don't see why. @Lili made a presumption that the political instability now in the Philippines just started when the truth of the matter is, it has always been there. EDSA 2 revolution was a renewed beginning of political instability in the Philippines, it was reinforced when "hello garcie" scandal came into the picture when the clammor for Arroyo's resignation was evident with threats to unseat her. I respect Lili's political view but I just simply don't understand why she thinks these political instability in the country just started. It seems like she didn't even realize how rampant was the corruption under Arroyo administration not just by her but in many sectors along with the many insurgent threats and political killings of journalist uncovering government and military officials commiting crimes and murders under Arroyo's watch. This is why I am more sympathetic on Petter Wallace's assessment on Philippines "false economic growth" under Arroyo since it didn't translate to more job creating and decreased poverty level, not when the exodus of OFW deployment tripled as the Philippines GDP starts to climb. What even more appalled me was more filipinos started to learn eating "pagpag" under her so called economic reform.. It simply just not add up, it didn't make sense...

I have friends in the U.S. who are at the forefront of bringing Medical Missions since 2000 and now helping us on the issues of Forest protection by bringing gadget for Forest Guards and Emergency Rescue. Going to the Philippines twice a year to attend Tree Planting activities yet they are just ordinary employees working in U.S. hospitals and mail service companies. What more to those who could afford condominiums and who made traveling a pastime.

I grew up in coconut farming and it is where hardship lives, it’s 25 percent of the whole Philippines population. Even if we plant this whole dependent coconut farm for free may not help them much, yet in picture it’s like paradise like Boracay, if not for tourism it is just Coconut and fish farming village and if not for becoming OFW's the rest of it 99% of the whole Philippines coastlines alone are poor communities.

I don’t know how someone could preach without getting unto it. May kasabihan nga tayo na “ Aanihin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo”. Isa pa yang “Manana Habits” That’s why I personally appreciate the likes of @xxxriainxxx, he is working away from our country yet he’s contributing a lot for Philippines Tourism by his means.

Should Filipinos worry about Obama's anti-BPO bill? (http://www.rappler.com/business/818-should-filipinos-worry-about-obama-s-anti-bpo-bill)

by Paterno Esmaquel II

Posted on 01/11/2012 10:28 PM | Updated 01/12/2012 6:25 PM


MANILA, Philippines - A bill to withdraw incentives from American companies that send jobs abroad is worrying some outsourcing players in the Philippines, but some shrug it off as just an offshoot of the political goings-on in the US.

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, President Aquino described House Bill 3696 or the US Call Center and Consumer Protection Act, which US President Barack Obama himself supports, as "election-related" and will not likely prosper.

"We have to take into account that this is an election year, and so it may be an election-related statement," he said when he graced the inauguration of EXL Service Philippines Site II, a new call center in Mall of Asia in Pasay City. 


A few days ago, local industry players expressed concern about the implications of the bill, which seeks to disqualify American firms that outsource their operations from receiving incentives. But it is a reincarnation of similar efforts in the run-up to the 2004 and 2008 elections in the US. These previous moves by the American lawmakers did not prosper as major businessmen lobbied hard against legislation that, to them, did not make business sense.

But while outsourcing jobs to cheaper providers abroad allowed American companies to stay globally cost competitive, it's a strategy that has backfired politically. The US continues to suffer from serious financial troubles triggered by the housing bubble in 2008, and while the trillions-worth of their taxpayers' dollars were used to bailout ailing American firms, the number of jobless and the and lines for unemployment welfare remain a worry.

Obama is running for reelection in the US that has 13.1 million citizens unemployed as of Dec 2011. This represents an unemployment rate of 8.5% – one of the highest in the past decade but certainly an improvement compared to record high of 10% in 2009.

Being the target of political finger-pointing has been unnerving to Filipino outsourcing players since it is a source of uncertainty. When there is uncertainty in the business environment, investments are often held back or not pursued at all.

Cost-competitive

The Philippines is the world's top destination of call center investors who take advantage of shared culture, hospitable nature of the Filipinos, and a more discernible spoken English -- all crucial to "voice"-based businesses that usually involve catering to customers' complaints or queries.

These edge over India, which, in turn, lords over the more profitable non-voice outsourced businesses, has created a key investment driver to the Philippines, generating over $7 billion revenues annually and, more importantly, creating roughly 640,000 jobs for Filipinos, most of whom would have left for greener pastures abroad as did over one-tenth of the population.

This makes up 1.6% of the entire labor force in the Philippines last year, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics.

The BPO subsector that the bill will potentially hit – call center companies – employs at least 57.5% of BPO workers, according to a 2009 study by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that was published in 2011.

Call centers also contribute the most revenues among BPOs, at 50.9% when the survey was conducted.

The call center business, however, is a low margin and pretty footloose enterprise as investors have only to replicate a couple of computer units when setting up in another proficient English-speaking country with good Internet-based services.

As part of their business strategy to survive and thrive, members of the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) try to lure their clients to invest and outsource more of their business processes here by first allowing them to get an initial experience of having a call center. Their goal is to slowly work their way up thru the value chain. BPOs that tap highly skilled professionals, like lawyers, financial experts, engineers, journalists, among others, are more profitable and tend stick to the host country longer than do call centers.

It's a value proposition that clients abroad, including American businesses, have found irresistible in the past decade, and which became more valuable in recent years amid a global business and economic environment where budget conscious customers rule.

“Outsourcing is not about taking away jobs of other economies but it is providing cost efficiency for businesses to be able to expand and create jobs in their homeland in the long run,” shared Martin Crisostomo, BPAP executive editor for external affairs.

"At the end of the day, like any other country, the US would want to make their companies more effective, more competitive. And if outsourcing is one of the keys towards that, then I will assume that it will continue," President Aquino said at the call center launch.

Lobby

President Aquino also said the Philippine government is not inclined to lobby against the US bill, reflecting his confidence that the measure would not prosper.


"This issue was brought up during the last elections in America and from that time, which was 4 years ago and now, the situation has not changed. Perhaps there isn't that much of a need [to lobby] yet," he said. 


Earlier, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo told reporters that the Philippines will "lobby against the bill through our embassy led by Ambassador Jose Cuisia and also through the Filipino communities in the US."

“We are very concerned about it and we will lobby in the US Congress,” Domingo said.

On the other hand, the BPAP said they are banking on their American investors to influence their legislators in the US and stress how outsourcing had contributed to these companies’ profitability.

“We are hopeful that those who benefited from outsourcing can relay to the policy makers in the US that outsourcing will be more helpful to their economy,” said BPAP's Crisostomo.

He said this recent development keeps Filipino BPOs on their toes because these could put them in stiffer competition against American companies that offer similar services.

“That will encourage us… to step up (our) game,” he said, citing the need for better product knowledge, customer service orientation, and sharper skills in speaking English

He also noted that Obama’s previous campaign against outsourcing didn’t actually kill the industry in the Philippines. The BPO industry has even grown by an average of 20% a year since 2008, he said.

Don't beg

For its part, Kabataan party-list said it anticipates Obama’s pronouncement to “stem the influx of BPO industries into the Philippines.”

“However, the Philippine government should not beg for the continuation of such influx of outsourced jobs, but should instead focus on creating the conditions for actual job generation where we rely not on (the) push and pull of the international market such as (in) the BPO industry,” Kabataan party-list spokesperson Terry Ridon told Rappler.

“What young workers need are permanent and regular employment, where they are not mere temporary voice agents of a Wall Street blue chip,” he said.

Ridon added that his group knows “the pernicious effects” of graveyard employment on BPO workers’ physical, emotional, and social well-being.

Crisostomo, on the other hand, stressed that BPOs are in fact “anti-poverty” as they offers salaries higher than in other industries.

more here (http://www.rappler.com/business/818-should-filipinos-worry-about-obama-s-anti-bpo-bill)

About investing in the Philippines, I would suggest you guys to disregards politics. There are ways to invest say by way of Patriotic investments. I made a research here in SSC about what we should do with our farm. I thanks most of you guys here like @Lili, since I was able to find some answer and in fact I was able to used in the Tourism and Environmental Planning of our town. I learned here the positive way, much like Henry Sy whom most of his investments are in the hardest of time.

Since, I could not afford to make my study a reality, I made some form of investment in our farm by way of Environment, I preserved its forest and plants more trees. I joined and now one of the prime advocate Environmental protection of our place. You could EVEN see my advocacies here in SSC. Even when I depended the issues about Laguna De Bay Dredging, it’s because it is now considered near death.

One of my most admired investment was when our family decided to plant more Coconuts, although the price of coconuts was so low that time, that caused many farmers sell coconuts into Coco-Lumber. When most people got hopeless in Coconut farming, we decided to plant more hoping that we could sell it by “UBOD”. Thanks that our efforts becomes an investment on environmental and economic value and now everything in Coconut is bocoming prime commodity, from Coco-coir, Coco-Sugar, Wood-sugar, Copra, Furnishing and now Young Coconut Juice that is projected to become billion dollar beverages with the giants joining the bandwagon. Even foreigners and big companies are acquiring hundreds upon hundreds of hectares to plant more Coconuts.

Now our investment is a win-win for us, the environment, the economy and mind you although not enough to retire but at least I made some patriotic investment during the worst of time. Who knows that “KUBOtels” result of this SSC forum a reality since our place still forested and now just outside a Natural Park.^^

I read with interest your posting and my curiosity aroused when you mentioned “KUBOtels”.... just outside a Natural Park. Pray tell me what is this “KUBOtels” you mentioned?

We are scouting remote places in Laguna of forested type, near a lake and the mountains, around 1.5 hectares, surrounded by nature, where we can build several kubos made of natural elements (like nipa and bamboo), and a good place to unwind, relax, recharge ones batteries and be with nature. Is that pretty much what you have in mind about "KUBOtels"?

I read with interest your posting and my curiosity aroused when you mentioned “KUBOtels”.... just outside a Natural Park. Pray tell me what is this “KUBOtels” you mentioned?

We are scouting remote places in Laguna of forested type, near a lake and the mountains, around 1.5 hectares, surrounded by nature, where we can build several kubos made of natural elements (like nipa and bamboo), and a good place to unwind, relax, recharge ones batteries and be with nature. Is that pretty much what you have in mind about "KUBOtels"?

KUBOtels, was the result of our topic and discussion here could be 3 years ago, it was original idea I did, but for some reason since it was in public, someone made his own website out of this idea. Many among oldtimer here in SSC contributed to that as critics.

If you are in need of those places you mentioned, you could PM me. It's more than that, the size the place either on Mountain near a National Park and even within a Lake. One place you said with elements of nature and even the designs are ready and in fact I already gave them to our local Tourism Office and was included in Eco-tourism Projects for our Water Falls. If you have investor I could help you out with our local tourism council, in fact we need those. You could even choose a place with 360 degrees natural views, much like in a balcony of the whole province and on a sacred place.:) I even made a research to use River Silt or Lake Silt that will be taken from Lake and silted rivers when dredging commence for sustainable structure. I even published here "Bakya House" as ideas for our town as feature of our local products. I even proposed KUBOtels for our clear water irrigation canals as you said made of all indigenous materials, earth structure that will looks like farming themed park that may function in Agro-tourism.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=371491&page=24

This will indeed be such great news for the people of the Philippines. Magdilang anghel nga sana ang HSBC regarding their RP forecast... :okay: :okay:

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050
Business Mirror
Thursday, 12 January 2012
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/21915-hsbcs-projection-for-phl-169-t-economy-in-2050

THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.

“Our ranking is based on an economy’s current level of development and the factors that will determine whether it has the potential to catch up with more developed nations. These fundamentals include current income per capita, rule of law, democracy, education levels and demographic change, allowing us to project the gross domestic product [GDP] forward,” the bank said.

This means the Philippines will have to be catapulted 27 places from its current ranking of 47 in the original group of 50 economies.

HSBC lumped the Philippines with a group of 26 countries seen to post the fastest rate of growth during the period in which local output was seen averaging more than 5 percent each year.

These countries, the British lender said, “Share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy and paste’ growth ahead.”

Apart from the Philippines, group members include China, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Peru, Bangladesh, Algeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Kazakhstan, among others.

HSBC said the forecast upgrade in the country’s economic standing was less the result of an increase of individual prosperity than as a result of the impact of its expanding population.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier told reporters he considers the country’s rising population as a positive influence on growth rather than as contributor to eventual perdition.



_____________________________



Tiger traps: Asia's relentless economic rise is still not inevitable
The Economist
From The World In 2012 print edition
http://www.economist.com/node/21536964

Like most of the 30 years that preceded it, 2012 will be punctuated by statistical evidence of Asia’s growing share of the global economy, and by symbols of relative Western decline. The financial crisis of 2008, followed by the various excitements of 2011—the American debt-ceiling fiasco, the euro zone’s interminable wrangling, riots on the streets of Western capitals—seemed to mark a tipping-point. Asia’s rise looked faster than anyone had expected.

In Asia there is some understandable Schadenfreude. After all, just over a decade ago, the region had to endure Western lectures on the failings of Asian crony capitalism. And the harsh remedies imposed on the errant Asian economies in the late 1990s now seem medicine too drastic for America and Europe. Sober Asian policy-makers, however, worry. In the short term, they know that the region would be badly hit by another severe downturn in the West. In the longer term, they wonder whether developing Asian economies will get stuck in a “middle-income trap”.

The short-term concerns may seem overblown. By September 2011 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was still expecting that in 2012 growth in Asia outside Japan would moderate only to an annual rate of 7.5%. And, for some of the bigger economies, a slowdown is welcome. China, in particular, might actually stand to benefit. Sluggish external demand would help the government’s own efforts to cool the economy and, to the extent it was reflected in low commodity prices, ease inflationary pressures too.

Yet the dangers for Asia of such a slowdown are acute. China’s government will not want to risk worsening inflation by unleashing another huge stimulus into the economy, as it did in response to the 2008 crisis. And for all its efforts since then to “rebalance” the economy towards a greater reliance on domestic consumption, exports to the West remain a big part of overall demand. For the rest of developing Asia, China itself is becoming an ever more important market—the biggest trading partner for India, for South Korea and for the ten members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations taken as a block. For many countries, however, a large chunk of exports to China forms part of a global supply-chain whose end products are Western imports.

The short-term vulnerability to the West’s economic woes is a symptom of a longer-term worry: a failure in many countries in Asia to progress from growth fuelled by their natural bounty and cheap labour to growth driven by higher productivity. As wages rise, manufacturers find themselves unable to compete in export markets with lower-cost producers elsewhere; yet they still find themselves behind the advanced economies in higher-value-added products. This is the middle-income trap—which saw, for example, South Africa and Brazil languish for decades in what the World Bank defines as the “middle-income” range (of about $1,000 to $12,000 gross national income per head measured in 2010 money).

Asia has the past half-century’s most spectacular examples of countries that have avoided the trap: Japan, followed by Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. But for the majority of Asian countries, which are still in the “middle-income” bracket, evading the trap may not be so easy. An illuminating report produced by the ADB (“Asia 2050: Realising the Asian Century”), divides this group into two. One, led by China and India, accounts for 77% of Asia’s population and 51% of its GDP, and is made up of “fast-growing, converging” economies. Another, with 18% of Asia’s population and just 6% of its GDP, comprises “slow or modest growth, aspiring” economies.

Some in the second group, such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines, already, says the ADB, “exhibit the classic signs of the middle-income trap”. But even the “convergers” are vulnerable. Rising wages and other costs lay Chinese exporters open to low-cost competition in some industries from countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, and the competition will become more acute as China’s population ages. In contrast India’s boom has differed from China’s and the rest of East Asia’s in its reliance on domestic demand and growth in services rather than labour-intensive manufacturing. Unfortunately for Indian optimists there is as yet no precedent of a country that has broken into the ranks of advanced nations following this model.

The ADB’s point is not that Asia is doomed to be caught in the trap. Rather it is that straight-line growth projections face big risks. The most obvious are of conflict in a region littered with unresolved sovereignty disputes. But the ADB also cites “recent adverse trends in the quality of institutions and continuing rise in corruption”.

The ADB report posits two Asian futures. One, “the Asian century”, assumes the boom continues more or less uninterrupted. In that scenario, by 2050 Asia will account for more than half the global economy. In a gloomier “middle-income trap” scenario, it will make up less than a third. To achieve the former outcome, Asian governments need to make difficult reforms now.

sira din itong HSBC nato pag nag-forecast,..

hindi naman in opposition and dalawang reports a? ADB just says that there is this "other possibility" of a trap. I think you even highlighted it.

sira din itong HSBC nato pag nag-forecast,..


just take it as it is... a forecast :)

Rating Upgrade Within Q1 Possible (http://mb.com.ph/articles/348198/rating-upgrade-within-q1-possible)

MANILA, Philippines — The Aquino administration may likely get its investment grade rating within the first-three months of the year due to the country’s manageable debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio and lower than programmed budget deficit in 2011.

Metrobank Group’s First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) as the well as the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said in a report that a fiscal deficit of P180 billion or lower would bring the debt-to-GDP ratio to less than 50 percent, the first time in 30 years.

“This development could lead to a credit rating upgrade in first-quarter 2012,” the report stated.

Moody’s Investor Services upgraded the Philippines’ dollar denominated bonds from “Ba3” to “Ba2” in June last year. Fitch subsequently upgraded the country’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating to “BB+” from “BB”, bringing its foreign debt just one notch below investment grade.

And most recently, Standard and Poor (S&P) upgraded its Philippine outlook from “stable” to “positive.”

Data from the Department of Finance showed that from January to September last year, the country's debt-to-GDP ratio, one of the main indicators being looked at by credit rating agencies, fell to 51.09 percent from last year’s 52.4 percent due to “debt measures” the government undertook.

World's Biggest Printers Investing Over P20B, To Generate 6,000 Jobs (http://mb.com.ph/articles/348195/worlds-biggest-printers-investing-over-p20b-to-generate-6000-jobs)

By MYRNA M. VELASCOJanuary 15, 2012, 10:54pm
MANILA, Philippines — Two world’s biggest printer manufacturers are investing over P20 billion in the country for the establishment of high-technology printer manufacturing facilities for the exports market and generating over 6,000 jobs for Filipinos once they start commercial operation in the Calabarzon area.

Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) director-general Lilia B. De Lima, in a talk with reporters revealed the big investors but not their complete identities saying the companies will make their own announcements soon.

According to De Lima the bigger investor is a Japanese digital imaging solutions firm, which is investing P20 billion for a new printer factory in Batangas. The other printer investor is Brother, a primarily printer manufacturer. These two companies were the largest investors approved by the PEZA Board in December last year.

De Lima said the Japanese investor will establish a new project that will produce one new high-tech printer. It has already selected a 20-hectare property in Batangas. On its first year of operation, the firm is expected to employ 4,000 and a total of 6,000 on the third year.

“These are all direct jobs,” De Lima noted.

On the investment of Brother, De Lima refused to divulge the project cost but said it is a smaller investment than the other printer project. Brother is also finalizing a 5 to 10 hectare factory location somewhere in the Calabarzon area, she said.

:banana::cheers:

Question lang...

Japan keeps on outsourcing most of their manufacturing jobs yet we don't hear them complain but the contrary happens with the US. any thoughts?

Question lang...

Japan keeps on outsourcing most of their manufacturing jobs yet we don't hear them complain but the contrary happens with the US. any thoughts?
It's not customary for Japanese companies to complain after it has placed a commitment. After the facts, you won't get another call from them if they felt they were short-changed, IMO. It's more embarrassing for CEO's or company officers to be known by their colleagues of not doing their homework before embarking on anything, you know?

^^ Yeah but most of their commitments are too long term... The US too does have long term commitments, it's just that the string just broke off when the strain was too hard. Japan, rocked by a powerful earthquake and a recession for nearly two decades, still gives jobs and yet you don't hear Japanese companies pulling out because of the recession which makes the thought linger...

Question lang...

Japan keeps on outsourcing most of their manufacturing jobs yet we don't hear them complain but the contrary happens with the US. any thoughts?

our unemployment is around 10% while it has been quite obvious how the government is bought. within the past 30 years since citizens united was passed by congress, the US has been killing the middle class by taxing us unreasonably more than the "job creators". the US has been pampered with the idea that it is the best, most powerful country in the world bar none ever since the end of the cold war. now the money's leaving. we want the glory (and money) back.

P_ej552cI2E

^^ Last I heard it's been hovering around 7% to 8%...

Question lang...

Japan keeps on outsourcing most of their manufacturing jobs yet we don't hear them complain but the contrary happens with the US. any thoughts?

japanese are not the complaining type of people:lol:

I am not really closing my doors on the possibility of investing in the Philippines especially for my retirement, I have it all these while at the back of my head, although, retirement is still far far away for me, it's not really bad to start thinking about it now. The point I was making back there was on the issue on "political instability" in the Philipppines that apparently, a FilAm or any pinoys who wanted to buy property in the Philippines would be discouraged. I don't see why. @Lili made a presumption that the political instability now in the Philippines just started when the truth of the matter is, it has always been there. EDSA 2 revolution was a renewed beginning of political instability in the Philippines, it was reinforced when "hello garcie" scandal came into the picture when the clammor for Arroyo's resignation was evident with threats to unseat her. I respect Lili's political view but I just simply don't understand why she thinks these political instability in the country just started. It seems like she didn't even realize how rampant was the corruption under Arroyo administration not just by her but in many sectors along with the many insurgent threats and political killings of journalist uncovering government and military officials commiting crimes and murders under Arroyo's watch. This is why I am more sympathetic on Petter Wallace's assessment on Philippines "false economic growth" under Arroyo since it didn't translate to more job creating and decreased poverty level, not when the exodus of OFW deployment tripled as the Philippines GDP starts to climb. What even more appalled me was more filipinos started to learn eating "pagpag" under her so called economic reform.. It simply just not add up, it didn't make sense...

Sometimes I find you soooo funny. You keep defending pnoy like he is the hope of the philippines and that he can do no wrong. You believe that he is pure and righteous and could bring about positive change in our country and yet why dont you put your money where your mouth is. Have you bought any real estate property in our country lately, put some investments in our banks, setup a mfg biz to help make pnoy's aspiration come true? Pambihira ka.

Economy grew substiantially in the last admin as manifested by the boom in the real estate market, the growth of investments in the BPO industry . 15 years ago, most filipinos have never tasted angus beef, nor drink exotic coffee, most filipinos have never had a celphone. and owning a condo unit is a dream then. Fastfoward to today, we get to enjoy better things, buy branded products like LV, gucci, hermes, apple products. But the thing with the growth of the economy was that it was limited to a very small percentage of the general population such that majority was still living below the poverty line as manifested by people resorted to eating papag. The gap between the rich and the poor has grown ever wider but if we are talking about economic growth in the past admin, yes it grew substantially.

Sometimes I find you soooo funny. You keep defending pnoy like he is the hope of the philippines and that he can do no wrong. You believe that he is pure and righteous and could bring about positive change in our country and yet why dont you put your money where your mouth is. Have you bought any real estate property in our country lately, put some investments in our banks, setup a mfg biz to help make pnoy's aspiration come true? Pambihira ka.

Yup I agree with you.. Hes defense mechanism with Abnoy is really worth dying for but it's too lengthy and boring to read. Minsan iniisip ko na lang baka close friend sya ni Abnoy o isang taga ABiasCBN o kaya brothers and sisters sa FEDERACION. Not one of us kasi here reaveals our identity so inaasume ko na lang talagang die hard supporter sya ni Abnoy.

hindi naman in opposition and dalawang reports a? ADB just says that there is this "other possibility" of a trap. I think you even highlighted it.

^^ Yup they're not opposing but more complimentary really. Rright ADB is only giving a word of caution so as to avoid falling into the trap. Btw here's more interesting info regarding the matter... sana nga the PNoy Admin/Gov't is really laying down the necessary foundation for long-term growth as these articles are pointing out.

Philippine economy rising
Business Mirror
Sunday, 15 January 2012 20:45
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/21980-philippine-economy-rising

With banking giant Hongkong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) announcing recently that the Philippines can be one of the world’s top economies by 2050, it is encouraging that this independent and credible financial organization sees the enormous potential our country has for economic growth, and that if this potential is nurtured, the outcomes will be concrete and tangible and will provide benefits for the nation and its people.

In the HSBC report, the Philippine economy is forecast to rise 27 places upward to 16th rank less than 40 years from now.

The Philippines was also marked as one of 26 “fast-growth” countries expected to register “an average expansion of more than 5 percent per year.”

Despite a “very low level of development,” the report says the Philippines is among those countries that has made “great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy-and-paste’ growth ahead.”

The Philippines was noted as being one of the “truly remarkable hot spots in Asia…. The star performer, however, is the Philippines, where the combination of strong fundamentals and powerful demographics gives rise to an average growth rate of 7 percent for the coming 40 years.”

Noted as contributing to the country’s progress are the “improvements in its economic infrastructure,” with the “fast-growing population…expected to increase the country’s labor force, which likewise benefits from the quantity and quality of education.”

HSBC projected the Philippines’s average gross domestic product growth at 8.4 percent from 2010 to 2020, 7.3 percent from 2020 to 2030, and 5.8 percent from 2040 to 2050.

The report stated further that China is expected to become the No.1 economy, followed by the United States, India, Japan and Germany in the top five, in that order. Many smaller economies will move up, such as Peru (to improve by 20 places), Egypt (+15), Nigeria (+9), Malaysia (+17) and the Ukraine (+19). Many European countries may decline, especially those in Northern Europe, because of a smaller work force and the rise of developing nations—Denmark (-29), Norway (-22), Sweden (-20), and Finland (-19).

Among the factors that contribute to long-term economic growth are demographics—the size of the working population—and the opportunities for each individual to be more productive.

In order to create a milieu conducive to promoting productivity, there must be the following significant factors: opportunities for education, democratic governments, and strong rule of law.

Factors that could derail progress are war, energy-consumption constraints, climate change, and barriers to population movement across borders.

The report comes with a caveat: “We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations….Of course, this maybe an overly glossy way of viewing the world.”

The Philippines under President Aquino is already putting those measures for growth in place. Economic growth showed a strong uptick in 2011, when the Philippine Stock Exchange closed with a 4.1-percent gain. This made it Asia’s best-performing economy for the year.

In another report, to create a climate conducive to more growth, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is working toward “a unified trading bloc with free-flow capital by 2015.” Electronic-trading links will be set up in Asian countries to “allow more investments and raise liquidity,” starting in 2012 in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, followed later by the Philippines.

In addition, the Aquino administration has taken larger steps toward fighting graft and corruption via the Good Governance and Anti-corruption Cluster (GGAC) Plan for 2012-2016, which was approved on January 3. It will simplify and integrate the government’s anti-graft and -corruption systems.

Necessary legislations and policies will be reviewed and strengthened, while digitization and innovations in government operations will be promoted, backed by an aggressive advocacy and communication campaign. Once these measures are in place, the government expects the business and economic environment to improve further.

President Aquino said as much in his toast at the vin d’honneur at Malacañang on January 13 (the ceremony is the Palace’s traditional New Year’s celebration for the diplomatic corps):

“We have already made great strides in our fight against corruption and poverty, as well as in our thrust to create a progressive economic climate guided by fair and honest practices. Local and foreign groups have acknowledged our triumphs by investing in our country, by lauding our efforts in open governance, and by supporting our programs.

“At the heart of our work for the next year lies a desire to secure for our people a better standard of life, and a brighter future. And all of you present here today are crucial to achieving that goal.

“This year, we will strengthen the programs that work for our countrymen, such as those in education, health, housing, and others like our Conditional Cash Transfer Program.

“We will not relent in our quest to hold accountable those who seek to perpetuate the culture of impunity in our country.

“We will continue to ensure the safety of our nation: by upgrading our defense capabilities, and by working to achieve peace, while pursuing lawless and criminal elements.

“We will continue to sustain the growth of our economy and create opportunities for employment.

“These are not without their challenges, but I am confident that so long as we stand together and remain consistent in our service to the public, our countrymen will be behind us every step of the way, as we work toward success.”


_____________________________



Rating Upgrade Within Q1 Possible
By CHINO S. LEYCO
Manila Bulletin
January 15, 2012
http://mb.com.ph/articles/348198/rating-upgrade-within-q1-possible

MANILA, Philippines — The Aquino administration may likely get its investment grade rating within the first-three months of the year due to the country’s manageable debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio and lower than programmed budget deficit in 2011.

Metrobank Group’s First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) as the well as the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said in a report that a fiscal deficit of P180 billion or lower would bring the debt-to-GDP ratio to less than 50 percent, the first time in 30 years.

“This development could lead to a credit rating upgrade in first-quarter 2012,” the report stated.

Moody’s Investor Services upgraded the Philippines’ dollar denominated bonds from “Ba3” to “Ba2” in June last year. Fitch subsequently upgraded the country’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating to “BB+” from “BB”, bringing its foreign debt just one notch below investment grade.

And most recently, Standard and Poor (S&P) upgraded its Philippine outlook from “stable” to “positive.”

Data from the Department of Finance showed that from January to September last year, the country's debt-to-GDP ratio, one of the main indicators being looked at by credit rating agencies, fell to 51.09 percent from last year’s 52.4 percent due to “debt measures” the government undertook.

With a much lower debt-to-GDP ratio, it means that the country’s economy is growing faster than its debt and the government’s budget deficit is also contained.

The finance department has set a 55.5 percent debt-to-GDP goal last year after the ratio fell to 55.4 percent in 2010, which was lower than the 57 percent target.

Meanwhile, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said that the budget deficit in 2011 may be sharply narrower against target despite higher spending in the final months of the year.

The government's budget shortfall may have reached P140 billion to P170 billion in 2011. That is around 47 percent to 57 percent of the P300 billion fiscal shortfall ceiling last year.

The government had vowed to accelerate spending of P72 billion on fast-moving projects in the final three months of 2011 to support the economy which had lost significant momentum due to slow public spending and sluggish exports.

Data from the DBM showed 96 percent, or P69.3 billion of the government's P72-billion spending plan had been released to agencies and state-owned and -controlled corporations as of end December 2011.

The government posted a budget deficit of P22 billion in November, bringing the 11-month shortfall to P96.3 billion, or just 32 percent of the full-year target.

The Aquino administration wants to bring down the deficit to 2.6 percent this year and to 2 percent by 2013, keeping it at that level until 2016 when President Benigno Aquino's term ends.

Sometimes I find you soooo funny. You keep defending pnoy like he is the hope of the philippines and that he can do no wrong. You believe that he is pure and righteous and could bring about positive change in our country and yet why dont you put your money where your mouth is. Have you bought any real estate property in our country lately, put some investments in our banks, setup a mfg biz to help make pnoy's aspiration come true? Pambihira ka.

When? What? Where? I was whole heartedly defending Pnoy? Problem with you is that you have selected reading issue. Did you not hear me say how weak Aquino and the reason why I am giving shed light to some if his critic is that I am just avoiding more filipinos to rally behind another people's revolution that didn't really resulted to more jobs and lower poverty level? I do not have to buy any property there, I pretty much own some through the estate I am inheriting through my parents. That pays taxes to your government. And for you to criticize me aboutnot setting up manufacturing business there in your country. YOU YOURSELF HAVEN't start any business that would EMPLOY YOUR FELLOW FILIPINOs. MAS PAMBIHIRA KA! Andiyan ka na magiintay ka pa ng biyaya ng galing sa ibang bansa. Parehas na yan sa ibang filipino na nagiitany ng remittances galing sa ibang bansa. ATLEAST AKO, sumusuporta sa pagpapaaral ng mga orphan diyan para makatapos ng Colegio man lang, kaunting halaga buwan buwan, may isang kabataan na ngayon na nakatapos ng colegio dahil sa donasyon ko IKAW? MAY PINAARAL KA NA BA NA HINDI MO KAANO ANO?? SIno kaya ang makikinabang sa mga recipient ng donation namin? Pinoy na magiging professional at mag cocontribute sa economy ng PINAS. IKAW?? MAYROON KA BANG CONTRIBUTION O diyan ka lang magaling, mag intay ng maiipipintas sa mga nasa ibang bansa dahil nagseselos ka?

Yes, you are always defending Pnoy:D
as if she/he is the messiah:rofl:

japanese are not the complaining type of people:lol:
Could have said it like what you just said. TY

When? What? Where? I was whole heartedly defending Pnoy? Problem with you is that you have selected reading issue. Did you not hear me say how weak Aquino and the reason why I am giving shed light to some if his critic is that I am just avoiding more filipinos to rally behind another people's revolution that didn't really resulted to more jobs and lower poverty level? I do not have to buy any property there, I pretty much own some through the estate I am inheriting through my parents. That pays taxes to your government. And for you to criticize me aboutnot setting up manufacturing business there in your country. YOU YOURSELF HAVEN't start any business that would EMPLOY YOUR FELLOW FILIPINOs. MAS PAMBIHIRA KA! Andiyan ka na magiintay ka pa ng biyaya ng galing sa ibang bansa. Parehas na yan sa ibang filipino na nagiitany ng remittances galing sa ibang bansa. ATLEAST AKO, sumusuporta sa pagpapaaral ng mga orphan diyan para makatapos ng Colegio man lang, kaunting halaga buwan buwan, may isang kabataan na ngayon na nakatapos ng colegio dahil sa donasyon ko IKAW? MAY PINAARAL KA NA BA NA HINDI MO KAANO ANO?? SIno kaya ang makikinabang sa mga recipient ng donation namin? Pinoy na magiging professional at mag cocontribute sa economy ng PINAS. IKAW?? MAYROON KA BANG CONTRIBUTION O diyan ka lang magaling, mag intay ng maiipipintas sa mga nasa ibang bansa dahil nagseselos ka?

so you support Pnoy so that there won't be growth in people dissatisfied with his (to be honest) incompetent management of the Philippines and therefore continue feeding the survey companies with idiot Filipinos who continue to put faith in their messiah Pnoy????

Pnoy on the other hand continues to think he is the smartest and best president that ever took power since his survey results are higher than most?? :nuts:

Don't you think there is something wrong with the logic here? Does not seem to breed excellence in this kind of thinking

I do not think this previous administration is no good, I am a filipino and is a resident in another country. I have allot of local friends here and they did invest in Manila especially Fort Bonifacio infact I also bought 1 condo in Manila and is planning on buying 1 more for my personally use this time. My local boss is a Christian and we do fellowships/sharing every 1st week of the month and during our fellowship in one of the previous occassion even my boss thinks manila is getting better. I do not think 2 years is enough to change the country that is very familiar with corruption give the previous administration a chance. I think this year would be better for all of us filipinos where ever part of the world we would be.

Yes, you are always defending Pnoy:D
as if she/he is the messiah:rofl:
So blunt of you, mi amigo! Hahahaha

BTW, my kids friends were in the house watching Tom and Jerry. I see a similarity of the guy with Jerry trying to escape Tom. Pa-tumbling tumbling, pasayaw-sayaw, atbp, pero alam natin kung saan ang punta. No matter how he juggles words, we see the slant. Besides, being disorganized, like beating around the bush, expect the discussions to go way beyond the moon even if you're discussing a simple topic!

I do not think this previous administration is no good, I am a filipino and is a resident in another country. I have allot of local friends here and they did invest in Manila especially Fort Bonifacio infact I also bought 1 condo in Manila and is planning on buying 1 more for my personally use this time. My local boss is a Christian and we do fellowships/sharing every 1st week of the month and during our fellowship in one of the previous occassion even my boss thinks manila is getting better. I do not think 2 years is enough to change the country that is very familiar with corruption give the previous administration a chance. I think this year would be better for all of us filipinos where ever part of the world we would be.

I think you're pointing to the current administration and not the previous administration right?.... anyways, I agree that 2 years is not enough to change our country where corruption is deep-rooted and pessimism is at a high.. we are still not united in thought and we love to bash and pull at each other... and we love to call for people power to change leaders..

i, myself did not vote for noy, but i'm keeping my hopes up that he can provide change in his term.. just very good news to see the possible credits upgrade and good economic outlook in the next years..

I do not think this previous administration is no good, I am a filipino and is a resident in another country. I have allot of local friends here and they did invest in Manila especially Fort Bonifacio infact I also bought 1 condo in Manila and is planning on buying 1 more for my personally use this time. My local boss is a Christian and we do fellowships/sharing every 1st week of the month and during our fellowship in one of the previous occassion even my boss thinks manila is getting better. I do not think 2 years is enough to change the country that is very familiar with corruption give the previous administration a chance. I think this year would be better for all of us filipinos where ever part of the world we would be.

i think your experience and your friends are within the rich/elite sectors of the country... naturally you will not see the despair and trouble in the low sectors...Rich people will always be comfortable and think the philippines is ok.

The government is failing the poor classes. The poor class need immediate help now and we don't see Pnoy's government doing significant efforts to kill low level corruption in the local gov't, local agencies. Poor people who can't find jobs are hopeful of dramatic change from gov't which is not happening.

In my respectful opinion

Philippine economy rising
Business Mirror
Sunday, 15 January 2012 20:45
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/21980-philippine-economy-rising

With banking giant Hongkong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) announcing recently that the Philippines can be one of the world’s top economies by 2050, it is encouraging that this independent and credible financial organization sees the enormous potential our country has for economic growth, and that if this potential is nurtured, the outcomes will be concrete and tangible and will provide benefits for the nation and its people.

In the HSBC report, the Philippine economy is forecast to rise 27 places upward to 16th rank less than 40 years from now.

The Philippines was also marked as one of 26 “fast-growth” countries expected to register “an average expansion of more than 5 percent per year.”

Despite a “very low level of development,” the report says the Philippines is among those countries that has made “great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy-and-paste’ growth ahead.”

The Philippines was noted as being one of the “truly remarkable hot spots in Asia…. The star performer, however, is the Philippines, where the combination of strong fundamentals and powerful demographics gives rise to an average growth rate of 7 percent for the coming 40 years.”

Noted as contributing to the country’s progress are the “improvements in its economic infrastructure,” with the “fast-growing population…expected to increase the country’s labor force, which likewise benefits from the quantity and quality of education.”

HSBC projected the Philippines’s average gross domestic product growth at 8.4 percent from 2010 to 2020, 7.3 percent from 2020 to 2030, and 5.8 percent from 2040 to 2050.

The report stated further that China is expected to become the No.1 economy, followed by the United States, India, Japan and Germany in the top five, in that order. Many smaller economies will move up, such as Peru (to improve by 20 places), Egypt (+15), Nigeria (+9), Malaysia (+17) and the Ukraine (+19). Many European countries may decline, especially those in Northern Europe, because of a smaller work force and the rise of developing nations—Denmark (-29), Norway (-22), Sweden (-20), and Finland (-19).

Among the factors that contribute to long-term economic growth are demographics—the size of the working population—and the opportunities for each individual to be more productive.

In order to create a milieu conducive to promoting productivity, there must be the following significant factors: opportunities for education, democratic governments, and strong rule of law.

Factors that could derail progress are war, energy-consumption constraints, climate change, and barriers to population movement across borders.

The report comes with a caveat: “We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations….Of course, this maybe an overly glossy way of viewing the world.”

The Philippines under President Aquino is already putting those measures for growth in place. Economic growth showed a strong uptick in 2011, when the Philippine Stock Exchange closed with a 4.1-percent gain. This made it Asia’s best-performing economy for the year.

In another report, to create a climate conducive to more growth, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is working toward “a unified trading bloc with free-flow capital by 2015.” Electronic-trading links will be set up in Asian countries to “allow more investments and raise liquidity,” starting in 2012 in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, followed later by the Philippines.

In addition, the Aquino administration has taken larger steps toward fighting graft and corruption via the Good Governance and Anti-corruption Cluster (GGAC) Plan for 2012-2016, which was approved on January 3. It will simplify and integrate the government’s anti-graft and -corruption systems.

Necessary legislations and policies will be reviewed and strengthened, while digitization and innovations in government operations will be promoted, backed by an aggressive advocacy and communication campaign. Once these measures are in place, the government expects the business and economic environment to improve further.

President Aquino said as much in his toast at the vin d’honneur at Malacañang on January 13 (the ceremony is the Palace’s traditional New Year’s celebration for the diplomatic corps):

“We have already made great strides in our fight against corruption and poverty, as well as in our thrust to create a progressive economic climate guided by fair and honest practices. Local and foreign groups have acknowledged our triumphs by investing in our country, by lauding our efforts in open governance, and by supporting our programs.

“At the heart of our work for the next year lies a desire to secure for our people a better standard of life, and a brighter future. And all of you present here today are crucial to achieving that goal.

“This year, we will strengthen the programs that work for our countrymen, such as those in education, health, housing, and others like our Conditional Cash Transfer Program.

“We will not relent in our quest to hold accountable those who seek to perpetuate the culture of impunity in our country.

“We will continue to ensure the safety of our nation: by upgrading our defense capabilities, and by working to achieve peace, while pursuing lawless and criminal elements.

“We will continue to sustain the growth of our economy and create opportunities for employment.

“These are not without their challenges, but I am confident that so long as we stand together and remain consistent in our service to the public, our countrymen will be behind us every step of the way, as we work toward success.”


_____________________________



Rating Upgrade Within Q1 Possible
By CHINO S. LEYCO
Manila Bulletin
January 15, 2012
http://mb.com.ph/articles/348198/rating-upgrade-within-q1-possible

MANILA, Philippines — The Aquino administration may likely get its investment grade rating within the first-three months of the year due to the country’s manageable debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio and lower than programmed budget deficit in 2011.

Metrobank Group’s First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) as the well as the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said in a report that a fiscal deficit of P180 billion or lower would bring the debt-to-GDP ratio to less than 50 percent, the first time in 30 years.

“This development could lead to a credit rating upgrade in first-quarter 2012,” the report stated.

Moody’s Investor Services upgraded the Philippines’ dollar denominated bonds from “Ba3” to “Ba2” in June last year. Fitch subsequently upgraded the country’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating to “BB+” from “BB”, bringing its foreign debt just one notch below investment grade.

And most recently, Standard and Poor (S&P) upgraded its Philippine outlook from “stable” to “positive.”

Data from the Department of Finance showed that from January to September last year, the country's debt-to-GDP ratio, one of the main indicators being looked at by credit rating agencies, fell to 51.09 percent from last year’s 52.4 percent due to “debt measures” the government undertook.

With a much lower debt-to-GDP ratio, it means that the country’s economy is growing faster than its debt and the government’s budget deficit is also contained.

The finance department has set a 55.5 percent debt-to-GDP goal last year after the ratio fell to 55.4 percent in 2010, which was lower than the 57 percent target.

Meanwhile, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said that the budget deficit in 2011 may be sharply narrower against target despite higher spending in the final months of the year.

The government's budget shortfall may have reached P140 billion to P170 billion in 2011. That is around 47 percent to 57 percent of the P300 billion fiscal shortfall ceiling last year.

The government had vowed to accelerate spending of P72 billion on fast-moving projects in the final three months of 2011 to support the economy which had lost significant momentum due to slow public spending and sluggish exports.

Data from the DBM showed 96 percent, or P69.3 billion of the government's P72-billion spending plan had been released to agencies and state-owned and -controlled corporations as of end December 2011.

The government posted a budget deficit of P22 billion in November, bringing the 11-month shortfall to P96.3 billion, or just 32 percent of the full-year target.

The Aquino administration wants to bring down the deficit to 2.6 percent this year and to 2 percent by 2013, keeping it at that level until 2016 when President Benigno Aquino's term ends.

Rating Upgrade Within Q1 Possible (http://mb.com.ph/articles/348198/rating-upgrade-within-q1-possible)



World's Biggest Printers Investing Over P20B, To Generate 6,000 Jobs (http://mb.com.ph/articles/348195/worlds-biggest-printers-investing-over-p20b-to-generate-6000-jobs)



:banana::cheers:

The "Investment Grade" would bring more good news to the country. The investors would see that a real positive change is happening in the Philippines. :cheers::cheers:

On HSBC's forecast, well, it's a prediction.

I see it as a confirmation that this country has the potentials to be great since we have the natural resources and an educated population.

^^ A sentiment that's also echoed at least by this expert from Citibank...

Heavy inflow of foreign investments seen (http://business.inquirer.net/39899/heavy-inflow-of-foreign-investments-seen)
Citi exec sees more cross-border M&As
By: Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:59 am | Monday, January 16th, 2012

http://business.inquirer.net/files/2012/01/shoppers-300x225.jpg
Shoppers crowd a night market at a mall in Manila in this 2010 file photo. Prospective investors are looking at the country’s resilient consumer market, which continues to be supported by overseas remittances and business process outsourcing revenues, says investment banking expert Kristine Baden of Citibank Philippines. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

The Philippines is expected to see a heavier influx of foreign direct investments this year as its robust consumer market offers a fertile ground for cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) deals, an investment banking expert from Citibank said.

Kristine Braden, head of Citibank Philippines’ global banking unit, said many offshore investors were increasingly interested in plowing funds into the domestic economy, particularly in the financial and consumer sectors. Such investments could be executed this 2012 on top of portfolio investments likely flowing to a good pipeline of bond and equity offerings by local corporations, she added.

At the same time, Braden said a number of cash-awash Philippine corporations were on the prowl for offshore investment opportunities. She said they were looking for overseas acquisitions complementary to existing businesses, citing power generation companies wanting to gain a foothold in coal mining.

“We’re starting to notice an increased interest in cross-border M&As and I’m happy given that FDI in 2011 was actually relatively low compared to 2010,” Braden said in an interview with the Inquirer last week.

In the consumer sector, for instance, Braden said that at least once a week, a new investor would touch base to scout for domestic opportunities. She said these prospective investors would like to ride on the country’s resilient consumer market, which continued to be supported by overseas remittances and business process outsourcing revenues.

“If you’re looking at growing population, continued strength of consumers as a driver of the economy, there aren’t that many countries where you can find those dynamics today,” Braden said, adding that such strong underlying fundamentals plus abundant liquidity were very attractive for investors. “So we expect to attract several inflow consumer transactions in 2012,” she said.

Like the case of Malaysian banking giant CIMB in talks to buy into Bank of Commerce, Braden said regional banks could find opportunities in investing in medium-sized banks.

Other sectors like infrastructure, tourism and mining were also becoming interesting, she said. In the local power sector, she said there could be some minor M&A deals involving the entry of strategic minority partners to fund a new round of capital expansion or undertake something related to off-take requirements.

On the bond market, Braden said some new deals might come through in the second quarter and toward the end of the year following the Philippines’ successful return to the offshore bond market and again doing the region’s curtain-raiser.

“The interest rates offshore are just compelling at the moment. For the ROP [Republic of the Philippines] to raise 25-year money at 5 percent (a year), this creates a great benchmark for other issuers,” Braden said. “The thing is, at the end of last year, US dollar rates spiked so it became less attractive to raise debt offshore but now with the interest rate so low, I think people may go back and reconsider doing dollar bonds.”

She said the government’s recent return to the US dollar bond market after focusing on peso-denominated global bonds in the past was still a good fit to the sovereign’s liability management strategy. “They will always need to maintain a relationship with foreign investors and they did it with such a low rate for such a long term. It was a blowout success,” she said.

Citi was among the arrangers of the Philippines’ recent $1.5-billion global bond issue.

With the Philippine stock market outperforming all its peers in the region and remaining buoyant this year, Braden said equities would remain interesting this year. With the requirement of the Philippine Stock Exchange for listed companies to maintain a minimum of 10-percent public float, she said this would spur some follow-on offering.

“But I think that beyond that, with the domestic exchange doing relatively well and again the Philippines being one of the better-performing economies, it will pique the interest of investors and issuers to go the market,” Braden said.

“The key is to define from what part of the world the investments are coming from and I suspect that a lot of the interest will still be anchored off Asian liquidity. US investors are interested in the Philippines as well,” she said.

Finally, Braden said she expected hybrid instruments like convertible bonds (CB), debt paper that the holder can convert into common stocks or cash of equal value, with the presence of two factors that traditionally fuel interest in these instruments—volatility in equity markets and low interest rates.

She noted that the Philippine market has not seen any CB issuance lately and instead favored preferred shares.

more here (http://business.inquirer.net/39899/heavy-inflow-of-foreign-investments-seen)

^^ A sentiment that's also echoed at least by this expert from Citibank...

Yes, indeed.

We haven't seen this kind of development in energy sector. More investors are participating, pouring their funds in the country. They did their homework prior to their major decisions and it all boils down to one thing: potentials for growth are here....

Exploration firms to drill 10-12 wells in 2012
Gov’t sees banner year for upstream oil industry
By: Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:54 am | Monday, January 16th, 2012

The Department of Energy expects a banner year for the upstream oil industry as the existing petroleum service contract holders have committed to drill a record 10 to 12 oil and gas exploration wells for 2012 alone, according to Energy Undersecretary Jose M. Layug Jr.

On top of the 12 wells to be drilled, the DoE is also expecting three more workover wells this year.

http://business.inquirer.net/39891/exploration-firms-to-drill-10-12-wells-in-2012

wow.. this is good news.. I hope one day the Philippines can become an exporter of gas reserves... this will definitely help fund our coffers...

Where is the infrastructure they said they were going to start on this january?? WHERE ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURES? By the way, there are a lot PREDICTIONS going on here.

Healthy signs of our growing economy, the growing middle class and expanding businesses.


Banks’ bad loans ratio hits lowest in 15 years
BSP cites prudent lending standards
By: Michelle V. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:51 am | Monday, January 16th, 2012


The exposure of universal and commercial banks to bad debts fell in November to its lowest in 15 years—matching levels seen before the 1997 Asian financial crisis—as regulators pointed to the industry’s observance of prudent lending standards even as it pursued significant expansion of credit.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the declining nonperforming loans (NPL) ratio—the proportion of bad debts to total outstanding loans—of universal and commercial banks gave comfort that the banking sector could afford to continue supporting growth of the economy through the extension of more loans to individuals and enterprises.

In a report released Friday, the BSP said the NPL ratio of universal and commercial banks dropped to 2.39 percent in November from 2.54 percent the previous month and from 3.06 percent in November 2010.

One encouraging detail in the data, according to the central bank, was that the decline in the bad-debts exposure of the banks came about even as they gave out more loans to borrowers. This meant that the quality of loans haS significantly improved over the years as borrowers had better capacity to pay loans and as the banks enhanced their credit standards and payment-collection systems, the regulator said.

Remittances reach $1.78B in Nov. ’11
By: Michelle Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
3:19 pm | Monday, January 16th, 2012

AFP photo

MANILA, Philippines—Remittances from overseas-based Filipinos coursed through banks reached $1.78 billion in November 2011, up 10.6 percent from $1.61 billion in the same month in 2010, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has reported.

This brought the total remittances for the first 11 months of 2011 to $18.32 billion, up 7.3 percent from $17.07 billion in the same period last year.

http://business.inquirer.net/39935/remittances-reach-1-78b-in-nov-%E2%80%9911

Where is the infrastructure they said they were going to start on this january?? WHERE ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURES? By the way, there are a lot PREDICTIONS going on here.

Any particular project that was committed to start in January?

In NCR, the construction of a huge underpass in EDSA -Araneta is on-going. There is also a construction of a flyover from BGC to C5. Actual construction of NAIA Terminal 1 rehab will commence in February. The Daang Hari PPP project has started too.

I don't know of the other projects.

Government allots P500M/year for industry competitiveness fund
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated January 16, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (1) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The government has allotted half a billion yearly for the industry competitiveness fund (ICF) to help big ticket investors operating in ecozones outside the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) cope with high electricity costs.

Big locators enjoyed a preferential power rate under the Ecozone Rate Program (ERP). Since the expiry and subsequent extension of the ERP, the government has been looking for alternative solutions.

Trade and Industry Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio said they are allocating P500 million every year to help mega locators in Subic, Baguio and Clark ecozones. The commitment of the government is to help big ticket locators for 10 years. Three years have already passed.

The fund was initially set up during the time of former President Arroyo. “My recommendation for this is retroactive,” he said. Panlilio said he is uncertain how much the allocation was but said it was definitely smaller because the firms then had relatively lower demand.

Firms that will enjoy the benefits of lower electricity rate should have an investment of $500 million and above.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=768200&publicationSubCategoryId=66

A testament to the growing middle class and expanding economy.

DMCI Homes launches P18-billion new projects
(The Philippine Star) Updated January 16, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - DMCI Homes, the property development unit of listed Filipino conglomerate DMCI Holdings, said at least seven new residential condominium projects will be unveiled this year, with the company pouring in up to P18 billion in investments to accumulate 6,088 units of fresh inventory in the burgeoning local mid-income property market.

These new projects — located in key, strategic areas within Metro Manila — are consistent with the developer’s unique proposition of providing top-quality condominium homes for young families. Said developments are in line with the company’s reputation for pioneering resort-inspired residential condominium communities.

URC allots P5.1B in capex for 2012
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 01/16/2012 4:31 PM | Updated as of 01/16/2012 4:31 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Universal Robina Corp. (URC), maker of Chippy and Chiz Curls snacks and C2 drinks, is allotting P5.1 billion in capital expenditures for 2012, as it seeks to expand its branded consumer food products.

This is slightly higher than the P4.5 billion URC set aside for capital spending in 2011.

Of the total P5.1 billion programmed capital spending this year, P4.3 billion is allotted for the continued expansion of branded consumer food segment operations. This would involve primarily snack foods production facilities in the Philippines and biscuits production facilities in Thailand and Vietnam.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/01/16/12/urc-allots-p51b-capex-2012

Additionally, compared to entry-level studio units mostly comprising the mid-income segment, DMCI Homes offers more spacious options such as two-bedroom units, which are considered its standard or most popular offering among buyers.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=768207&publicationSubCategoryId=66

The 13.5 km. Connector Road is still on....:cheers:

MPTC eyes P7-billion revenues this year
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña (The Philippine Star) Updated January 16, 2012

MANILA, Philippines - Highway operator Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is looking at over P7 billion in revenues this year, higher than the estimated P6 billion recorded in 2011.

MPTC president Ramoncito Fernandez said last year’s performance was held down by high prices of oil and the expiry of unit Manila North Tollways Corp.’s income tax holiday.

MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said traffic declined by one percent last year at 158,000 vehicle entries but is hopeful that 2012 would be a much better year with traffic seen to rise by three percent.

MNTC holds the concession to operate and maintain North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and is owned 67.1 percent by MPTC.

Tollways Management Corp. operates the NLEx for MNTC.

MPTC is expected to start construction of the Harbour Link, divided into two parts, Segment 9 and Segment 10 with the completion of the entire project targeted for 2014.

Meanwhile, detailed engineering drawing and design are underway for the connector road ahead of the Swiss challenge for the project. The connector road is a 13.5-kilometer, four-lane elevated expressway to connect the Harbour link to South Luzon Expressway at Buendia Ave., Makati.

MPTC will need to shell out around P32 billion for the Harbour Link and Connector road projects. Funding will come from a combination of internal funds and debt.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=768221&publicationSubCategoryId=66

First Arab IT firm to be established
Abu Dhabi: Sun, 15 Jan 2012

Leading Gulf investors have joined hands to set up Trust 300, the first global Arab IT company which will have a major presence in the UAE, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, India, UK, US, and Philippines.

The company established by “By Law Consultancy” and a group of its partners, will be officially launched next week.

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IT_211007.html

April budget surplus biggest in 25 years
4-month revenues up 18%, expenses down 11.6%
http://business.inquirer.net/2352/april-budget-surplus-biggest-in-25-years
By: Ronnel W. Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer 9:32 pm | Monday, May 23rd, 2011


MANILA, Philippines—The Aquino administration posted a budget surplus of P26.26 billion in April, the biggest in 25 years and more than 10 times the P2.6-billion surplus a year ago, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima announced Monday.

The fiscal performance for the month of April brought the record for the first four months to a surplus of P61 million, documents from the Bureau of the Treasury showed.

The January-April figure was a reversal of the P131.8-billion budget deficit recorded in the same period last year.

“Netting out interest payments, continued fiscal discipline and increasing revenue collections also resulted in a primary surplus of P102.21 billion as of April, a reversal of last year’s primary deficit of P7.03 billion,” Purisima said.

January-April expenses reached P461.4 billion, or 11.6 percent less than the P521.9 billion incurred in the same period of 2010.

read more (http://business.inquirer.net/2352/april-budget-surplus-biggest-in-25-years)

This will indeed be such great news for the people of the Philippines. Magdilang anghel nga sana ang HSBC regarding their RP forecast... :okay: :okay:

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050
Business Mirror
Thursday, 12 January 2012
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/21915-hsbcs-projection-for-phl-169-t-economy-in-2050

THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.

“Our ranking is based on an economy’s current level of development and the factors that will determine whether it has the potential to catch up with more developed nations. These fundamentals include current income per capita, rule of law, democracy, education levels and demographic change, allowing us to project the gross domestic product [GDP] forward,” the bank said.

This means the Philippines will have to be catapulted 27 places from its current ranking of 47 in the original group of 50 economies.

HSBC lumped the Philippines with a group of 26 countries seen to post the fastest rate of growth during the period in which local output was seen averaging more than 5 percent each year.

These countries, the British lender said, “Share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy and paste’ growth ahead.”

Apart from the Philippines, group members include China, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Peru, Bangladesh, Algeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Kazakhstan, among others.

HSBC said the forecast upgrade in the country’s economic standing was less the result of an increase of individual prosperity than as a result of the impact of its expanding population.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier told reporters he considers the country’s rising population as a positive influence on growth rather than as contributor to eventual perdition.



_____________________________

Only 1.69 trillion???This is absolutely wrong.Why?Let me explain.As of now (2011) Indonesia has GDP nominal of $834.335billion while Philippines is around $216billion and according to HSBC pang number 17(+4) Indonesia then 16(+27) ang Philippines by 2050 which means para sa akin parang napakaliit naman nun!Siguro dapat mga $3trillion ang size ng economy natin.Isa pa Indonesia malapit na yan sa $1 trillion noh baka nga 2014 o 2015 ma achieved na nila yun,and my point is 35 years from now mga $500billions lang ang madadagdag sa economy nila ng Indonesia???Tapos ang GDP growth nila this year is around 6% if im not mistaken, diba?Parang and daming butas nito...

Only 1.69 trillion???This is absolutely wrong.Why?Let me explain.As of now (2011) Indonesia has GDP nominal of $834.335billion while Philippines is around $216billion and according to HSBC pang number 17(+4) Indonesia then 16(+27) ang Philippines by 2050 which means para sa akin parang napakaliit naman nun!Siguro dapat mga $3trillion ang size ng economy natin.Isa pa Indonesia malapit na yan sa $1 trillion noh baka nga 2014 o 2015 ma achieved na nila yun,and my point is 35 years from now mga $500billions lang ang madadagdag sa economy nila ng Indonesia???Tapos ang GDP growth nila this year is around 6% if im not mistaken, diba?Parang and daming butas nito...

uhmmm.. are you a market analyst? or a financial analyst?... i think people from HSBC has the data, background, and statistical insight to give them those projections...

When? What? Where? I was whole heartedly defending Pnoy? Problem with you is that you have selected reading issue. Did you not hear me say how weak Aquino and the reason why I am giving shed light to some if his critic is that I am just avoiding more filipinos to rally behind another people's revolution that didn't really resulted to more jobs and lower poverty level? I do not have to buy any property there, I pretty much own some through the estate I am inheriting through my parents. That pays taxes to your government. And for you to criticize me aboutnot setting up manufacturing business there in your country. YOU YOURSELF HAVEN't start any business that would EMPLOY YOUR FELLOW FILIPINOs. MAS PAMBIHIRA KA! Andiyan ka na magiintay ka pa ng biyaya ng galing sa ibang bansa. Parehas na yan sa ibang filipino na nagiitany ng remittances galing sa ibang bansa. ATLEAST AKO, sumusuporta sa pagpapaaral ng mga orphan diyan para makatapos ng Colegio man lang, kaunting halaga buwan buwan, may isang kabataan na ngayon na nakatapos ng colegio dahil sa donasyon ko IKAW? MAY PINAARAL KA NA BA NA HINDI MO KAANO ANO?? SIno kaya ang makikinabang sa mga recipient ng donation namin? Pinoy na magiging professional at mag cocontribute sa economy ng PINAS. IKAW?? MAYROON KA BANG CONTRIBUTION O diyan ka lang magaling, mag intay ng maiipipintas sa mga nasa ibang bansa dahil nagseselos ka?


Hay naku say what you want but your past messages will speak for you.

Btw i have a chain of shops in the visayas. Just imagine the number of employees I employ. I have people in the field all the time thats why i personally know the pulse of the people. I also do the rounds sometimes and have talked to different kinds of people so please dont judge me coz you dont know me. Thats why i feel so irritated by your statements saying how good pnoy is, anyway thats your always bottomline but you dont even know half truth. You speak like you know everything and you expect everyone to agree with you, you're just like a typical american politician.

Nuff said already.

..

:lol: well said.....:cheers::applause::applause::applause:

Link to past thread

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1467347

Arroyo ‘economic paper’ missed the point
By Ping Galang
GMA News
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/244653/opinion/blogs/arroyo-economic-paper-missed-the-point

Former president Gloria Arroyo’s press release this week complaining that the Aquino government has squandered economic gains achieved during her administration was launched by her spokespersons on the same day a couple of international organizations separately issued reports portraying better prospects for the Philippines on account of recently improved management and resiliency of the economy.

Not only did it suffer from bad timing, the Arroyo press release on Thursday failed to measure up to its label by her publicity handlers as an “economic paper” that was read before what was described as a “colloquium” where only media representatives were present and no panel of experts probed deeper into the former president’s thesis.

If indeed the released material will form part of a memoir she is reportedly writing, then Mrs. Arroyo will need to do a more careful review of her facts so that her forthcoming work will not be ignored by the market and give the city trash collectors a problem in deciding whether it is recyclable or not.

While the Arroyo press release, titled “It’s the Economy, Student!”, painted a grim picture of the economy under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, newly released reports from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC Global Research, and the Heritage Foundation all noted improved Philippine economic fundamentals in the recent months, projecting rosier prospects in the coming years.

BoA Merrill Lynch cited the Philippines’ “improving” resilience indicators that could help the country weather the current global economic turbulence caused by growth slowdown in leading industrialized economies in the West.

HSBC added its own positive view by projecting that the Philippines will join the global growth leaders and emerge 16th largest economy in the world by the year 2050.

The report said China will overtake the United States as the world’s biggest economy by 2050, while other developing countries are seen driving global expansion with “strong growth rates.”

In Asia, the report said the Philippines will be “the star performer,” with average annual growth rate of 7 percent that will be driven by a combination of “strong growth fundamentals and powerful demographics.”

Another report, the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom by the Washington-based The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, gave the Philippines a higher overall score following improved performance on business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom, and fiscal freedom over the past year.

These new findings contradict Mrs. Arroyo’s argument that the Aquino government of focusing mainly on “politics of division” while exhibiting a “vacuum of leadership, vision, energy and execution in managing our economic affairs.”

Even on economic performance, the former president’s article obviously is guilty of exaggeration in some parts and omission of others, particularly in the wealth inequality that resulted from the economic growth during her term.

The paper is “self-serving,” says Dr. Dante B. Canlas, the chairman of the dissertation committee that evaluated Mrs. Arroyo’s thesis for her economics doctoral degree at the University of the Philippines School of Economics in 1985. He is formerly an Arroyo administration Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General, replaced later by Romulo Neri.

Dr. Canlas feels that the title of Mrs. Arroyo’s paper should be “It’s Also About Good Governance, Teacher!” in reference to the widespread perceptions of corruption during the previous administration.

“Development,” he pointed out in an interview, “won’t take place unless top political leaders — past, present, and future — don’t quit using state resources to advance their own interest.”

Also, former prime minister and finance minister Cesar Virata sees “signs of economic improvement” this year, after a slower expansion in 2011 compared to the high growth of 2010 that he said was characterized by “high election spending.”

Mr. Virata, who in 1980s oversaw the difficult recovery from the harsh economic conditions brought about by the Marcos regime’s declaration of a debt moratorium in 1983, noted that while under-spending in public construction in 2011 came about due to delays in the implementation of projects under the Aquino administration’s public-private partnerships (PPPs) program, it also resulted in an improved budget deficit position.

The lower budget deficit along with an increase in financial reserves, said Mr. Virata in a January 13 essay for the East Asia Forum newsletter, bolstered international rating agencies’ outlook on the Philippines.

For this year, Mr. Virata projected a “likely positive growth rate of about 4.5-5 percent as the government moves to implement “reform-minded” projects and programs, and facilitate investment.

Mr. Virata cited the Aquino administration’s “vigorous” anti-corruption campaign, plans for greater government transparency and accountability, social programs addressing povery alleviation, improved education and health programs, along with a number of PPPs for major infrastructure projects.

Contrary to the gloomy outlook owing to the deteriorating economic situation in Europe, Japan and the US as portrayed by Mrs. Arroyo in her press release, Mr. Virata offered a more positive scenario: he said that while the Philippines is not immune to these global problems, the country’s exposure to European credit is quite low and a credit squeeze there will likely have little effect.

On the other hand, Mr. Virata said, “European exposure in the Philippines — in both the private and public sectors — could be sold in the market and be picked up by other international or Philippine institutions.”

Meanwhile, the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, while having the potential for “distractions” in both the public and private sectors, “I remain hopeful that the first half of 2012 will see the much-awaited start of a public infrastructure program to boost economic growth over the medium term,” Mr. Virata said in his East Asia Forum essay.

East Asia Forum offers “high-quality economic research” aimed at assisting policymakers in responding to, and anticipating, issues confronting the economies in the region. Its members include 25 research institutions from 11 countries in East Asia, including the Philippine Institute for Development Studies.

Other independent assessments made in the recent past by international institutions provide an enlightened assessment of Mrs. Arroyo’s claims on economic growth.

For instance, while Mrs. Arroyo laments that President Aquino has failed to continue her accomplishments during “38 quarters of uninterrupted economic growth,” such growth has failed to propel the country into a competitive position, said an Asian Development Bank-commissioned report released in May 2010.

The ADB report noted that while most of its neighbors in Asia successfully conquered “complex challenges” in surging ahead towards prosperity, the Philippines remained caught in a “middle income trap.”

A middle income trap is a situation where a country achieves a certain level of economic development but could not rise further because it could not compete with both the low-cost producers at the lower end of the market and the advanced economies at the high end either.

While many of its neighbors nimbly overcame their own challenges and went on to deliver better lives to their citizens, the Philippines lingered in this middle income limbo — contrary to claims made by the Arroyo paper.

Another report, titled “Philippines Discussion Notes: Challenges and Options for 2010 and Beyond” and drafted by economists at the World Bank Manila Office to “help inform policy discussions… among government, civil society, business groups, and development partners” during that election year, noted that at the time “an estimated 33 percent of the population lived under the poverty line, up from 30 percent in 2003, and nearly half remain highly vulnerable to falling into poverty or deeper into poverty.”

The World Bank report said that in 2003-2006 poverty indicators in the Philippines failed to decline even though GDP growth had picked up significantly. “This suggests that the benefits of growth during that period were not being widely shared. Rather, the increase in economic growth appears to have been accompanied by a significant deterioration in the distribution of income and consumption.”

Poverty incidence rate increased between 2006 and 2010, adds Dr. Canlas, adding that “distribution of income as of 2010 was highly unequal, with a Gini ratio of more than 45 percent, which means a large chunk of national income, at least 80 percent is concentrated in the top 10 percent.”

The Arroyo press release’s claim that during her term the country was able to “weather with flying colors the worst planet-wide economic downturn” of 2008-2009 is belied by findings that the Philippines was among those that suffered severely, with GDP growth estimated at nearly flat (even posting a negative result by some independent estimates) while job losses swept a wide range of industries.

But it is high incidence of corruption that is often raised against the administration of Mrs. Arroyo. The World Bank Discussion Notes recalled a poll of world opinion makers conducted by the World Bank in 2008 which showed that respondents in the Philippines were “the only ones among those polled in East Asia who identified ‘improving governance’ as the most important means to generate faster growth in their own country. “

“Corruption diverts public resources and denies the poor access to schools, health care and other basic services. The impact of public investments is diluted and public confidence in the government eroded when funds are siphoned off by corrupt intermediaries,” the report said.

Calling for measures to curb corruption and uplift governance standards, the World Bank report said that, as experienced by many political leaders and governments around the world, the “reputation and legacy of the government will be largely determined by its record on improving governance. “

That makes Mrs. Arroyo’s harangue against the current campaign by the Aquino administration to root out corruption difficult to understand.

Highly respected economist Jeffrey Sachs wrote recently about the need for moral leadership. “The world’s greatest shortage,” he said in an article for Project Syndicate, “is not of oil, clean water, or food, but of moral leadership.”

“With a commitment to truth – scientific, ethical, and personal – a society can overcome the many crises of poverty, disease, hunger, and instability that confront us,” he said in a tribute to Vaclav Havel.

Moral leadership and truth should be the primordial concerns when a real assessment of the Arroyo administration’s claimed accomplishments on the economic front and elsewhere is made.


_____________________________________



Philippine economy rising
Business Mirror
Sunday, 15 January 2012 20:45
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...economy-rising

With banking giant Hongkong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) announcing recently that the Philippines can be one of the world’s top economies by 2050, it is encouraging that this independent and credible financial organization sees the enormous potential our country has for economic growth, and that if this potential is nurtured, the outcomes will be concrete and tangible and will provide benefits for the nation and its people.

In the HSBC report, the Philippine economy is forecast to rise 27 places upward to 16th rank less than 40 years from now.

The Philippines was also marked as one of 26 “fast-growth” countries expected to register “an average expansion of more than 5 percent per year.”

Despite a “very low level of development,” the report says the Philippines is among those countries that has made “great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy-and-paste’ growth ahead.”

The Philippines was noted as being one of the “truly remarkable hot spots in Asia…. The star performer, however, is the Philippines, where the combination of strong fundamentals and powerful demographics gives rise to an average growth rate of 7 percent for the coming 40 years.”

Noted as contributing to the country’s progress are the “improvements in its economic infrastructure,” with the “fast-growing population…expected to increase the country’s labor force, which likewise benefits from the quantity and quality of education.”

HSBC projected the Philippines’s average gross domestic product growth at 8.4 percent from 2010 to 2020, 7.3 percent from 2020 to 2030, and 5.8 percent from 2040 to 2050.

The report stated further that China is expected to become the No.1 economy, followed by the United States, India, Japan and Germany in the top five, in that order. Many smaller economies will move up, such as Peru (to improve by 20 places), Egypt (+15), Nigeria (+9), Malaysia (+17) and the Ukraine (+19). Many European countries may decline, especially those in Northern Europe, because of a smaller work force and the rise of developing nations—Denmark (-29), Norway (-22), Sweden (-20), and Finland (-19).

Among the factors that contribute to long-term economic growth are demographics—the size of the working population—and the opportunities for each individual to be more productive.

In order to create a milieu conducive to promoting productivity, there must be the following significant factors: opportunities for education, democratic governments, and strong rule of law.

Factors that could derail progress are war, energy-consumption constraints, climate change, and barriers to population movement across borders.

The report comes with a caveat: “We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations….Of course, this maybe an overly glossy way of viewing the world.”

The Philippines under President Aquino is already putting those measures for growth in place. Economic growth showed a strong uptick in 2011, when the Philippine Stock Exchange closed with a 4.1-percent gain. This made it Asia’s best-performing economy for the year.

In another report, to create a climate conducive to more growth, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is working toward “a unified trading bloc with free-flow capital by 2015.” Electronic-trading links will be set up in Asian countries to “allow more investments and raise liquidity,” starting in 2012 in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, followed later by the Philippines.

In addition, the Aquino administration has taken larger steps toward fighting graft and corruption via the Good Governance and Anti-corruption Cluster (GGAC) Plan for 2012-2016, which was approved on January 3. It will simplify and integrate the government’s anti-graft and -corruption systems.

Necessary legislations and policies will be reviewed and strengthened, while digitization and innovations in government operations will be promoted, backed by an aggressive advocacy and communication campaign. Once these measures are in place, the government expects the business and economic environment to improve further.

President Aquino said as much in his toast at the vin d’honneur at Malacañang on January 13 (the ceremony is the Palace’s traditional New Year’s celebration for the diplomatic corps):

“We have already made great strides in our fight against corruption and poverty, as well as in our thrust to create a progressive economic climate guided by fair and honest practices. Local and foreign groups have acknowledged our triumphs by investing in our country, by lauding our efforts in open governance, and by supporting our programs.

“At the heart of our work for the next year lies a desire to secure for our people a better standard of life, and a brighter future. And all of you present here today are crucial to achieving that goal.

“This year, we will strengthen the programs that work for our countrymen, such as those in education, health, housing, and others like our Conditional Cash Transfer Program.

“We will not relent in our quest to hold accountable those who seek to perpetuate the culture of impunity in our country.

“We will continue to ensure the safety of our nation: by upgrading our defense capabilities, and by working to achieve peace, while pursuing lawless and criminal elements.

“We will continue to sustain the growth of our economy and create opportunities for employment.

“These are not without their challenges, but I am confident that so long as we stand together and remain consistent in our service to the public, our countrymen will be behind us every step of the way, as we work toward success.”

Trial of top Philippine judge may impact economic reforms

16 Jan 2012 09:28

Source: reuters // Reuters

By Manuel Mogato

MANILA, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The Philippine Senate began the impeachment of the country's top judge on Monday in a case that could last months and distract President Benigno Aquino from a promised focus on lifting the economy and rooting out corruption.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona has vowed to fight to clear his name in a trial which has its roots in the bitter rivalry between Aquino and his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is under hospital arrest awaiting trial herself on charges of election fraud and corruption.

Corona, appointed by Arroyo, is charged with betraying public trust and violating the constitution. He is accused of bias in favour of Arroyo as she faced charges late last year and, among other things, of failing to disclose his assets and liabilities.

Ahead of the country's first impeachment trial of a Supreme Court judge, Corona struck a defiant tone.

"If you want me removed, kill me," he told the ABS-CBN television station.

Corona attended the first day of trial at a packed session hall of the upper house of Congress, where senator-judges denied a defence motion to stop the trial.

Lawyers for Corona, who sat at the gallery with his wife, pleaded not guilty to all charges, arguing he has not violated the law or the constitution.

Outside the Senate building, groups for and against Corona held noisy protest rallies. "Jail Gloria, Convict Corona!" read one banner.

Aquino said he believed the evidence against Corona was strong.

"My expectation is that the Senate will examine the charges and decide based on the evidence to be presented, and I believe the evidence is strong," Aquino told reporters at the opening of a handbag factory in his northern home province of Tarlac.

CHANCE FOR GUILTY VERDICT

Sixteen votes from the 24-member Senate are needed to remove Corona from office, a decision that would permanently bar him from public office.

Aquino can already count on 14 votes against Corona.

Analysts say that a guilty verdict would be a boon for the president, whose popularity remains high more than a year since he took office, but who has struggled to draw in foreign investment and carry out major reforms.

"I doubt Aquino's reputation will be impacted much if Corona's impeachment trial does not end in a conviction," said Scott Harrison, managing director of security consultancy Pacific Strategies and Assessments.

"(But) if Corona is convicted, it will send a powerful message that Aquino is intent on weeding out corruption in government and that should resonate well with the public."

http://www.trust.org/trustlaw/news/detail.dot?id=01e830bb-6f77-4930-a8e4-a5f1333d4054

Philippines ramps up coconut planting programme

Monday January 16 2012

THE Philippines is stepping up its expansion of coconut production, and will plant 13.8 million coconut seedlings in 2012, the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has said.

The Philippine Information Agency reports that PCA deputy director, Carlos B. Carpio, said during the first Philippine International BioEnergy Conference that the planting was part of the National Coconut Productivity Program, which seeks to increase coconut output.

http://www.agra-net.com/portal2/home.jsp?template=newsarticle&artid=20017931904&pubid=ag005

Not sure if this is already posted...

2 Japanese firms to invest in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Two Japanese firms known for their printer brands announced they are investing in the Philippines with one of the investments reaching P20 billion.

In an interview, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Lilia de Lima said that Japan-based firm Brother Industries Ltd. will put up a manufacturing facility for its printing business in Batangas. The facility, which will be constructed in the first quarter of 2012, will manufacture and export parts for inkjet printers. The project cost for Brother’s new facility in the country is still unknown but De Lima said it will be lower than the P20 billion being invested by the other Japanese firm.

The Brother group has manufacturing facilities for its printing business in Japan, China, Malaysia and Vietnam.

source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=768196

Arroyo ‘economic paper’ missed the point
By Ping Galang
GMA News
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/244653/opinion/blogs/arroyo-economic-paper-missed-the-point

false growth nga kasi :lol:

ito ngayong bulusok pababang growth ito ba yung tunay? my gawd:D

one of 2011 worst performing economies,the least favored investment location.worsening unemployment and poverty.sa tingin ko ang 2012 ay mas masahol pa.kaya nga may impeachment eh.

tanungin mo ang mga yellow supoters, maganda raw ekonomiya natin. just listen:D nmore opt to invest daw sa Pinas, (wag lang ikumpara sa iba:D)

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050


THURSDAY, 12 JANUARY 2012 22:35 JUN VALLECERA | REPORTER


THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.

“Our ranking is based on an economy’s current level of development and the factors that will determine whether it has the potential to catch up with more developed nations. These fundamentals include current income per capita, rule of law, democracy, education levels and demographic change, allowing us to project the gross domestic product [GDP] forward,” the bank said.

This means the Philippines will have to be catapulted 27 places from its current ranking of 47 in the original group of 50 economies.

HSBC lumped the Philippines with a group of 26 countries seen to post the fastest rate of growth during the period in which local output was seen averaging more than 5 percent each year.

These countries, the British lender said, “Share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy and paste’ growth ahead.”

Apart from the Philippines, group members include China, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Peru, Bangladesh, Algeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Kazakhstan, among others.

HSBC identified another group of countries where the average growth rate range from 3 percent up to 5 percent a year, such as Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, Indonesia, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and New Zealand.

The bottom-dwelling countries in growth terms include the developed economies of the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Australia, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, South Africa, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Singapore, Israel, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Cuba, Qatar, Uruguay, Luxemburg and Slovenia.

HSBC said the forecast upgrade in the country’s economic standing was less the result of an increase of individual prosperity than as a result of the impact of its expanding population.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier told reporters he considers the country’s rising population as a positive influence on growth rather than as contributor to eventual perdition.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-...economy-in-2050

tanungin mo ang mga yellow supoters, maganda raw ekonomiya natin. just listen:D nmore opt to invest daw sa Pinas, (wag lang ikumpara sa iba:D)

You probably talking just like ABiaS-CBN where every news is OK under the sun of ABNOY!...:lol:

HSBC’s projection for PHL: $1.69-T economy in 2050


THURSDAY, 12 JANUARY 2012 22:35 JUN VALLECERA | REPORTER


THE Philippines is seen to become the 16th largest economy in the world by 2050—larger than even neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or even oil-producing Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands.

The British-owned global lender HSBC made the forecast in a study projecting the size of 100 economies 40 years hence, expanding the same from the original 30-country review published last year.

HSBC said the Philippine economy were to expand from the puny $112 billion at present into a leviathan capable of generating output worth $1.69 trillion or 15 times larger.

“Our ranking is based on an economy’s current level of development and the factors that will determine whether it has the potential to catch up with more developed nations. These fundamentals include current income per capita, rule of law, democracy, education levels and demographic change, allowing us to project the gross domestic product [GDP] forward,” the bank said.

This means the Philippines will have to be catapulted 27 places from its current ranking of 47 in the original group of 50 economies.

HSBC lumped the Philippines with a group of 26 countries seen to post the fastest rate of growth during the period in which local output was seen averaging more than 5 percent each year.

These countries, the British lender said, “Share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals. As they open themselves to the technology available elsewhere, they should enjoy many years of ‘copy and paste’ growth ahead.”

Apart from the Philippines, group members include China, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Peru, Bangladesh, Algeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Tanzania and Kazakhstan, among others.

HSBC identified another group of countries where the average growth rate range from 3 percent up to 5 percent a year, such as Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, Indonesia, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and New Zealand.

The bottom-dwelling countries in growth terms include the developed economies of the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Australia, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, South Africa, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Singapore, Israel, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Cuba, Qatar, Uruguay, Luxemburg and Slovenia.

HSBC said the forecast upgrade in the country’s economic standing was less the result of an increase of individual prosperity than as a result of the impact of its expanding population.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier told reporters he considers the country’s rising population as a positive influence on growth rather than as contributor to eventual perdition.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-...economy-in-2050

Salamat Po! Madam PGMA... :cheers: kung TOTOO nga itong balita na to..

Inaccurate yang news article na yan...

figures are all wrong!

Inaccurate yang news article na yan...

figures are all wrong!
With this age of information, we'll have to screen everything, separate the grain from the chaff, so to speak! That item is a perfect example, IMHO.

one of 2011 worst performing economies,the least favored investment location.worsening unemployment and poverty.sa tingin ko ang 2012 ay mas masahol pa.kaya nga may impeachment eh.

sir matagal kabang nawala???bumabaliktad kasi ang statement m0! The Philippines under President Aquino is already putting those measures for growth in place. Economic growth showed a strong uptick in 2011, when the Philippine Stock Exchange closed with a 4.1-percent gain. This made it :Asia’s best-performing economy for the year. source: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/21980-philippine-economy-rising Unemployment in the Philippines hit a four-year low of 6.4 percent in October, the government said Thursday. Http://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/unemployment-rate http://business.inquirer.net/35241/philippine-jobless-rate-at-four-year-low .,.im n0t a fan 0f PNOY by this time but still hoping for the changes of this country.

Philippines may become key global growth driver
by Michelle V. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://business.inquirer.net/40029/philippines-may-become-key-global-growth-driver

The Philippines has the potential to become one of the top 10 countries that can greatly contribute to global growth within the decade, Goldman Sachs said.

According to the investment bank, the Philippines is among the N-11 [Next 11] economies that are likely to advance to the stage of “growth countries,” or nations that account for at least one percent of global gross domestic product.

Heavy inflow of foreign investments seen :banana: :cheers:

Citi exec sees more cross-border M&As

by Doris C. Dumlao | Philippine Daily Inquirer | 2:59 am | Monday, January 16th, 2012

http://business.inquirer.net/files/2012/01/shoppers-300x225.jpg
Shoppers crowd a night market at a mall in Manila in this 2010 file photo. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

Prospective investors are looking at the country’s resilient consumer market, which continues to be supported by overseas remittances and business process outsourcing revenues, says investment banking expert Kristine Baden of Citibank Philippines.

The Philippines is expected to see a heavier influx of foreign direct investments this year as its robust consumer market offers a fertile ground for cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) deals, an investment banking expert from Citibank said.

Kristine Braden, head of Citibank Philippines’ global banking unit, said many offshore investors were increasingly interested in plowing funds into the domestic economy, particularly in the financial and consumer sectors. Such investments could be executed this 2012 on top of portfolio investments likely flowing to a good pipeline of bond and equity offerings by local corporations, she added.

At the same time, Braden said a number of cash-awash Philippine corporations were on the prowl for offshore investment opportunities. She said they were looking for overseas acquisitions complementary to existing businesses, citing power generation companies wanting to gain a foothold in coal mining.

“We’re starting to notice an increased interest in cross-border M&As and I’m happy given that FDI in 2011 was actually relatively low compared to 2010,” Braden said in an interview with the Inquirer last week.

Read More: http://business.inquirer.net/39899/heavy-inflow-of-foreign-investments-seen

RP, Qatar investment accord readied :banana: :cheers:

by BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT | Manila Bulletin | January 17, 2012 | 8:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Qatar governments have agreed to sign two economic agreements that would pave the way for the entry of $1-billion Qatari investments into the country in various sectors, particularly food, mining, real estate, petrochemical and steel.

Cristino L. Panlilio, trade and industry undersecretary for investments and promotion, said the signing of the $1-billion Investment Fund Agreement under the Mutual Protection of Investments Agreement and Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement will highlight the visit of His Royal Highness Emir of Qatar Khalifa Al-Thani on the 22-24 this month.

According to Panlilio, both the Board of Investments and the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) have concluded their negotiations for the agreements and only minor kinks are being ironed out.

“We are just waiting for the completion of the guidelines and documentation,” Panlilio said. The agreement would be signed by the DTI and the Qatar Investment Authority.

Read More: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/348274/rp-qatar-investment-accord-readied

Qatar eyes Phl partners for $1-B investments :banana: :cheers:

by Ma. Elisa P. Osorio | The Philippine Star | January 17, 2012 | 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Local businessmen, including representatives from San Miguel Power Corp. met with visiting investors from Qatar to forge partnerships in line with Qatar’s bid to invest $1 billion here.

In an interview, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio said an investment team from Qatar visited the Philippines, led by Zayid Rashid Al, director for Asia and Africa Affairs, and Tarik Muslib, head legal counsel of the Qatar Investment Association.

The 20-man Qatari business delegation visited the Philippines early this month to assess first hand the ability of the Philippines to absorb Qatari investments.

“The investments can start from $1 billion and could be more because Qatar has a $300-billion fund for foreign direct investments and portfolio investments,” Panlilio said.

Read More: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=768430

goodie! more more more...

goodie! more more more...


President Aquino opens luxury bag factory
By Jo Martinez-Clemente

CONCEPCION, Tarlac—President Benigno Aquino III spent Monday, inaugurating a 10-month-old luxury bag factory and giving his perspective about the economy.

The President arrived here with his economic team composed of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

“Their presence here empowers them to open up opportunities for our people that had been lacking for such a long time,” Mr. Aquino said.

Shifting to Kapampangan, he told Tarlac residents: “I can open doors for you and when I do, it is all up to you if you will keep it open.”

D’Luxe Bag Philippines is one of three investments promised to Mr. Aquino by the Luen Thai Group during his official visit to the United States last year. Employing 1,200 workers, the Tarlac factory produces Coach, a luxury brand.

The first investment of the Luen Thai Group was an Adidas factory, which was inaugurated in Mactan, Cebu province, in August 2011. The third investment is being set up at the Clark Freeport.

William Tan, Luen Thai chief executive officer, said the Tarlac factory’s expansion plan would increase the workforce by 500 this March. By 2014, the factory is expected to employ 5,000 workers.
In its first nine months of operation, the Tarlac factory was able to produce 220,000 bags, which Martyn James, vice president of Coach International, described as unprecedented.

excerpt from todays inquirer ... full story http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/129401/...ry-bag-factory

US moves to curb outsourcing not immediate threat, DoLE says
Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Labor&title=US-moves-to-curb-outsourcing-not-yet-a-threat,-DoLE-says&id=44964

WHILE it is closely monitoring developments regarding the US bill discouraging American companies from setting up call center operations overseas, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) says the bill does not pose an immediate threat to the Philippine call center industry.

“We really shouldn’t worry about it at this point,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz said in a press conference last Tuesday, explaining that it would take a long time for the bill to be enacted, if it would even be passed into law.

US House Bill 3596, also known as the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act, seeks to make US companies with call centers abroad ineligible for federal grants and guaranteed loans for five years.

The bill, which was introduced last December, also states that when awarding civilian or defense-related contracts, heads of agencies should give preference to companies that are not outsourcing their call center services.

Ms. Baldoz noted that similar bills have not been enacted in the US.

“Most likely, as in the past, business groups were the ones who objected because of the issue of global competitiveness,” she said.

The US is a major client of our BPO industry, the country’s “number one job generator,” according to her.

The BPA/P expects the expanding operations of its members to generate 3.15 million jobs and contribute $6 billion in tax revenues by 2016. The Department of Budget and Management said last August that the BPO sector could contribute $25 billion in revenues by 2016.

In case the bill is enacted, the Philippines’ business process outsourcing (BPO) workers could be retrained for work in other industries, Ms. Baldoz said, noting that most BPO workers are young and service-oriented, and can thus be easily integrated into the service industry.


____________________________________________



US is not the only BPO market, ILO official stresses
Business Mirror
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/21898-us-is-not-the-only-bpo-market-ilo-official-stresses

FILIPINO business-process outsourcing (BPO) workers possibly facing displacement in case the US Congress passes a bill that keeps American companies from farming out noncore operations overseas, have wider job opportunities because of their sound education and skills in spoken English.

Lawrence Jeff Johnson, International Labor Organization (ILO) director to the Philippines, also noted that while there are other countries that have set up outsourcing companies in the country, there is now an increasing number of Philippine BPO players servicing other parts of Asia.

“The Philippines is in a unique position with its widely educated labor force that continues to grow. I don’t believe that US is the only BPO market,” Johnson said in an interview at the launch of ILO-Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Knowledge Center and the DOLE in Manila.

Instead, Johnson said the Philippine government should use the US legislative measure to refocus on generating jobs for highly skilled Filipino workers working in the BPO, mostly in customer service, that may be initially displaced.

Johnson said the US legislative measure to stop outsourcing is only part of addressing its own financial and economic woes but would not lead to regulating new job markets for Filipinos.

US House Bill 3596, or the “Call Centers and Consumers Protection Bill” encourages American companies to farm out their noncore business within the US, a practice known as “insourcing,” and penalizes those giving jobs overseas.

There are around 600,000 BPO employees in the Philippines. The country is considered to be the second top destination of outsourcing jobs, next to India. The Philippines is targeting 1.6 million BPO workers in 2016.

On the ILO-DOLE knowledge center, Johnson explained it was designed to fill in the knowledge gap of Filipinos on labor issues, considering that ILO has a wide range of statistics, research materials, operational and policy tools, market information and analysis.

“We are willing and eager to reach out to our constituents, the government through DOLE, employers and workers’ organizations as well as to students and faculty in the academia,” said Johnson.

goodie! more more more...

Philippines may become key global growth driver

By: Michelle V. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11:55 pm | Monday, January 16th, 2012

The Philippines has the potential to become one of the top 10 countries that can greatly contribute to global growth within the decade, Goldman Sachs said.

According to the investment bank, the Philippines is among the N-11 [Next 11] economies that are likely to advance to the stage of “growth countries,” or nations that account for at least one percent of global gross domestic product.

The N-11 economies are Mexico, Korea, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam.

Goldman Sachs said that, except for Vietnam and Bangladesh, all N-11 economies could advance to the “growth” classification.

The investment bank’s projection is anchored on the relatively low incomes observed of most N-11 economies in the past. As a result, the countries have much room for growth and may improve their economic fundamentals significantly.

The nine economies from the N-11, along with the so-called BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China), are expected to contribute the most to global growth from 2011 to 2020.

“Growth markets have the potential to be among the top ten contributors to global growth over the next decade,” Goldman Sachs said.

more : http://business.inquirer.net/40029/philippines-may-become-key-global-growth-driver

^^
Glad to know that our country has great potential of being one of great contributor of the global growth :cheers2::cheers2: (http://www.dmcileasing.com/apartments-for-rent-taguig.php) hope to see this happen in reality.

false growth nga kasi :lol:
^^ Aberration nga daw yung claims ni GMA sabi ng UP dean of economics eh hehehe! :lol: :lol: :lol:
UP economics dean: Arroyo's claim an 'aberration'
abs-cbnNEWS.com
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/01/12/12/economics-dean-arroyos-claim-aberration

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's claim of a 7.9% economic growth during her term was an "aberration," University of the Philippines School of Economics Dean Arsenio Balisacan said Thursday.

Arroyo was boasting of high economic growth while she was president and urged President Benigno Aquino not to neglect the economy, claiming he has given too much focus on governance and weeding out corruption.

Aquino was a former student of Arroyo at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Commenting on Arroyo's economic paper, Balisacan said poverty incidence remained high during Arroyo's time.

"It was nothing to be proud of," he said.

Balisacan said the quality of growth during Arroyo's term was uneven, and economic benefits failed to trickle down to the poor.

Regarding the allegations of Arroyo that Aquino's reforms were recycled versions of her own, Balisacan said that should be taken positively.

He said that while Arroyo can boast of her policies, she failed to enforce them.

He added that for the most part, reforms during the Arroyo presidency were tainted with corruption.

Balisacan pointed out that there should actually be continuity in terms of policies so that growth will be sustainable.

^^ There you go, exactly what I was saying also. We may have seen figures going up as far as GDP but what about the poverty level and Arroyo's failure to implment her own policies. Although, I agree that Noy Aquino do focus too much on weeding out corruption in the midst of Global economic crisis that may or may not affect OFW deployment and subsequently OFW remittances. While the Philippine enjoys the luxury of being a first choice for BPO centers for international corportations, they are mostly focus on the US when Australia, Singapore, even Japan and some parts of EU who is not affected too much by EU financial crisis such as the United Kingdom, the Philippines is so focused only on the United States whose citizens are all clamoring for the return of jobs inside the US mainland. Whether that US Bill is approved or not, it should not sound like it's the end of the world for filipino people because there are other options. I myself do not think that the Bill would not affect the Philippines that much, because the US has its eyes on China.

one of 2011 worst performing economies,the least favored investment location.worsening unemployment and poverty.sa tingin ko ang 2012 ay mas masahol pa.kaya nga may impeachment eh.



tanungin mo ang mga yellow supoters, maganda raw ekonomiya natin. just listen:D nmore opt to invest daw sa Pinas, (wag lang ikumpara sa iba:D)

Ano pa ang sense ng increase GDP at maraming infrastructure projects kung sa kabila nito, paligid mo dumadami pa din ang naghihirap at kumakain ng pagpag. Ramdam na ramdam nga kaya ang ginhawa kung maraming kumakain ng pagpag at imbes na ang job availability nasa Filipinas talaga at hindi overseas kung saan triple pa ang lalong umaalis ng bansa para lang may ipagpakain sa mga familya nila o di kaya, exodus ng mga filipino na tumatakas sa kahirapan sa filipinas. Sabihin ninyo nga sa akin kung talagang mas maginhawa ang buhay ng mga filipino nuon kaysa sa ngayon O WALA NAMAN TALAGANG NABAGO DAHIL PAGPAG NUON PAGPAG PA DIN NGAYON ANG NILALAMON NG IBA NINYONG KABABAYAN? sA LINTIK NA 9 YEARS NA YAN pagpag ang kinakain ng kapwa ninyo?

well.. I think... in some way Aquino's focus in weeding out corruption is being seen by the international business community as a good sign that Philippines is becoming a good place to invest money.. specially now that a credit upgrade is possible...

well.. I think... in some way Aquino's focus in weeding out corruption is being seen by the international business community as a good sign that Philippines is becoming a good place to invest money.. specially now that a credit upgrade is possible...

In the long run, that would definitely pay off. Hopefully the next sitting president would not squander the Philippine reserve and not abuse their powers anymore. Considering Aquino will not seek reelection, that may happen somehow. I think once all these infrastructure projects started, the Philippines would do okay and still going to be able to weather out that international financial crisis. What we could hope for is that, hopefully, the Philippine voters would vote much wiser this time around.

well.. I think... in some way Aquino's focus in weeding out corruption is being seen by the international business community as a good sign that Philippines is becoming a good place to invest money.. specially now that a credit upgrade is possible...

Partly, but his anti corruption drive only targets his non-allies in government especially the current minority.

Partly, but his anti corruption drive only targets his non-allies in government especially the current minority.

See? I can understand the disappointment on targetting Arroyo's allies, it's infact harder to convict Arroyo if she is being protected by her allies, it's something you can not take chances of. What I am waiting for is for Aquino to appoint an officials who are from different political parties not affiliated with Arroyo's party or connected to Arroyo but still is not part of Aquino's political party.

ano nakita nyo na mga sinasabi ko....lahat ng mga news about the economy ay FUTURE TENSE.....making you believe na ang dami ng accomplishment ni pnoy when in reality, they could not come up with his economic accomplishments dahil WALA....positively spinned yung mga news to confuse people into believing that all is well with pnoy's admin.....try to read back sa mga headlines na nakapost....puro FUTURE TENSE...mukhang may nag mamanipulate sa mga inilalabas dito.....hello malacañang ikaw ba yan? :lol:

Ano pa ang sense ng increase GDP at maraming infrastructure projects kung sa kabila nito, paligid mo dumadami pa din ang naghihirap at kumakain ng pagpag. Ramdam na ramdam nga kaya ang ginhawa kung maraming kumakain ng pagpag at imbes na ang job availability nasa Filipinas talaga at hindi overseas kung saan triple pa ang lalong umaalis ng bansa para lang may ipagpakain sa mga familya nila o di kaya, exodus ng mga filipino na tumatakas sa kahirapan sa filipinas. Sabihin ninyo nga sa akin kung talagang mas maginhawa ang buhay ng mga filipino nuon kaysa sa ngayon O WALA NAMAN TALAGANG NABAGO DAHIL PAGPAG NUON PAGPAG PA DIN NGAYON ANG NILALAMON NG IBA NINYONG KABABAYAN? sA LINTIK NA 9 YEARS NA YAN pagpag ang kinakain ng kapwa ninyo?

lumabas rin sa bunganga mo na di ka nga Pinoy. bat ka pa post ng post dito di ka naman pala pinoy. Pagpag, bakit nakakain ka na ba ng pagpag? ilan ba kumakain nito sa time ni arroyo? sa ngayon ba wala na? sigurado ka? or baka base na naman yang "feelin so good" perception mo sa nababasa mo sa media katulad ng abias:lol: Si Arroyo nag simula ng maraming projects/infrastructure sa bansa kaya yung result nito di pa maramdaman masyado sa time nya, si aquino ang nag ani lahat at gustong angkinin naman ng plastic na presidente na to na mahilig lang gumawa/mag fabricate ng mga evidence sa mga kaaway nya. Sa time ni arroyo marami rin ang job opportunites ng mga ofw ba't mo sinisisi yan sa kanya dapat nga magpasalamat kasi kahit papano may trabaho at dahil dyan marami ang remittances sa bansa. Hindi lahat lumabas dahil kumakain ng pagpag sa bansa. Pasalamat kayo maraming OFW kung hindi walang bibili ng mga condo sa pilipinas. Di tulad ni Aquino wala ng trabaho sa bansa tapos gusto pang pauwiin mga ofw. Sobrang yabang parang ikaw! Sya ni isang project wala pang nasimulan, dakdak na ng dakdak:lol: Ikaw ni isang condo wala sa pinas tapos dakdak ka ng dakdak dyan! So ano ma say mo Mr. Pagpag? Di kaya ikaw kumakain ng pagpag kasi lagi na lang pagpag yang post mo:lol:

ano nakita nyo na mga sinasabi ko....lahat ng mga news about the economy ay FUTURE TENSE.....making you believe na ang dami ng accomplishment ni pnoy when in reality, they could not come up with his economic accomplishments dahil WALA....positively spinned yung mga news to confuse people into believing that all is well with pnoy's admin.....try to read back sa mga headlines na nakapost....puro FUTURE TENSE...mukhang may nag mamanipulate sa mga inilalabas dito.....hello malacañang ikaw ba yan? :lol:

like sabi ko sa kabila... at least.. international community or international investment companies ang nagbigay ng mga forecast na yun at hindi ang Office of the President..

Partly, but his anti corruption drive only targets his non-allies in government especially the current minority.

exactly, kung totoo sya bakit yung mga KKK nya di nya imbestigahan din.

o eto nga oo ally nya imbestigahan rin nya dapat to wag lang si Corona

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/244647/news/nation/sotto-senate-probe-on-scs-wb-loan-mess-may-focus-on-pnoy-ally

Sotto: Senate probe on SC’s WB loan mess may focus on PNoy ally
January 15, 2012 2:25pm
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An ally of President Benigno Aquino III may also be grilled in the Senate’s investigation into the alleged misuse of a $21.9-million World Bank loan intended for a Supreme Court project.

Senate majority leader Vicente Sotto III cited information reaching him indicating the supposed misuse of funds could involve the high court while under Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.

“I have read that the one to be investigated is not the present Supreme Court led by Renato Corona but a previous one. At any rate, it would be good to have an investigation to see if it is indeed the court under Davide that must be held accountable,” Sotto said in an interview on dzBB radio.

like sabi ko sa kabila... at least.. international community or international investment companies ang nagbigay ng mga forecast na yun at hindi ang Office of the President..

international agency din yung world bank na finabricate nila:lol:

lumabas rin sa bunganga mo na di ka nga Pinoy. bat ka pa post ng post dito di ka naman pala pinoy. Pagpag, bakit nakakain ka na ba ng pagpag? ilan ba kumakain nito sa time ni arroyo? sa ngayon ba wala na? sigurado ka? or baka base na naman yang "feelin so good" perception mo sa nababasa mo sa media katulad ng abias:lol: Si Arroyo nag simula ng maraming projects/infrastructure sa bansa kaya yung result nito di pa maramdaman masyado sa time nya, si aquino ang nag ani lahat at gustong angkinin naman ng plastic na presidente na to na mahilig lang gumawa/mag fabricate ng mga evidence sa mga kaaway nya. Sa time ni arroyo marami rin ang job opportunites ng mga ofw ba't mo sinisisi yan sa kanya dapat nga magpasalamat kasi kahit papano may trabaho at dahil dyan marami ang remittances sa bansa. Hindi lahat lumabas dahil kumakain ng pagpag sa bansa. Pasalamat kayo maraming OFW kung hindi walang bibili ng mga condo sa pilipinas. Di tulad ni Aquino wala ng trabaho sa bansa tapos gusto pang pauwiin mga ofw. Sobrang yabang parang ikaw! Sya ni isang project wala pang nasimulan, dakdak na ng dakdak:lol: Ikaw ni isang condo wala sa pinas tapos dakdak ka ng dakdak dyan! So ano ma say mo Mr. Pagpag? Di kaya ikaw kumakain ng pagpag kasi lagi na lang pagpag yang post mo:lol:

What a stupid analogy on your assessment. Kung hindi ba ako filipino masasabi ko ba kaya ng matino yan sa tagalog? Besides, READ THE REST OF THE STATEMENT ABOVE, when I said "mas maginhawa ba ang buhay nuon kaysa ngayon" It's a known fact that there are alot of filipinos languishing in poverty. Bakit ka nasasaktan kung binabanggit ang pagpag? Tutoo naman?? Kung talagang MAS MAGINHAWA ANG BUHAY NG MGA FILIPINO BAGO UMUPO SI AQUINO? Bakit may mga mahihirap nuon? Sinabi ko bang wala na ngayon kumakain pagpag ngayon? Actually, sa tingin ko wala o kakaunti na dahil since lumabas ang issue na yan mas na educate na ang mga ito na hindi healthy ang pagkain nito. Ako lang ba ang my foreign citizenship dito? Sige nga? si Lili, Askal at pati si Manila-X tanongin mo kaya ang mga citizenship niyan? As far as I know, I still contribute to your economy when We pay taxes on our properties there and when I send a little bit of my hard earned money to Bantay Bata and support under priveledged children be able to go to school, finish highschool and even college. Ikaw, anong nagawa mong kabutihan sa kapwa mo filipino na hindi mo kamaganak? Atleast ako nakapagpaaral na ng mga batang pinoy atleast 2 sa kanila naka graduate ng college sa tulong ko.

What a stupid analogy on your assessment. Kung hindi ba ako filipino masasabi ko ba kaya ng matino yan sa tagalog? Besides, READ THE REST OF THE STATEMENT ABOVE, when I said "mas maginhawa ba ang buhay nuon kaysa ngayon" It's a known fact that there are alot of filipinos languishing in poverty. Bakit ka nasasaktan kung binabanggit ang pagpag? Tutoo naman?? Kung talagang MAS MAGINHAWA ANG BUHAY NG MGA FILIPINO BAGO UMUPO SI AQUINO? Bakit may mga mahihirap nuon? Sinabi ko bang wala na ngayon kumakain pagpag ngayon? Actually, sa tingin ko wala o kakaunti na dahil since lumabas ang issue na yan mas na educate na ang mga ito na hindi healthy ang pagkain nito. Ako lang ba ang my foreign citizenship dito? Sige nga? si Lili, Askal at pati si Manila-X tanongin mo kaya ang mga citizenship niyan? As far as I know, I still contribute to your economy when We pay taxes on our properties there and when I send a little bit of my hard earned money to Bantay Bata and support under priveledged children be able to go to school, finish highschool and even college. Ikaw, anong nagawa mong kabutihan sa kapwa mo filipino na hindi mo kamaganak? Atleast ako nakapagpaaral na ng mga batang pinoy atleast 2 sa kanila naka graduate ng college sa tulong ko.

aha, and saying that Pinoy alone can speak tagalog ang foreginers can't is not stupid at all:lol: wala ka na kasing ibang pinopost kung di pagpag, so i really wonder if you really know about this pagpag thing eh:lol: Magprovide ka nga ng data kung ilan ba kumakain ng pagpag dati at ngayon, baka ma surprise ka di naman pala nabawasan:lol: At san ka ba tumitingin dati bat pagpag lang lagi nakikita mo? And you cannot put blame on me, You were caught in your own words, Mr Pagpag, natural lang na sabihin na ikaw, kasi ikaw nga lang nagsabi ng ganyan:lol:

LINTIK NA 9 YEARS NA YAN pagpag ang kinakain ng kapwa ninyo?

may mga bum/homeless rin naman sa u.s na kumakain ng pagkain from the garbage but through their own choice, freegans yata tawag dun, maybe sometimes we should be well informed hehe

What a stupid analogy on your assessment. Kung hindi ba ako filipino masasabi ko ba kaya ng matino yan sa tagalog? Besides, READ THE REST OF THE STATEMENT ABOVE, when I said "mas maginhawa ba ang buhay nuon kaysa ngayon" It's a known fact that there are alot of filipinos languishing in poverty. Bakit ka nasasaktan kung binabanggit ang pagpag? Tutoo naman?? Kung talagang MAS MAGINHAWA ANG BUHAY NG MGA FILIPINO BAGO UMUPO SI AQUINO? Bakit may mga mahihirap nuon? Sinabi ko bang wala na ngayon kumakain pagpag ngayon? Actually, sa tingin ko wala o kakaunti na dahil since lumabas ang issue na yan mas na educate na ang mga ito na hindi healthy ang pagkain nito. Ako lang ba ang my foreign citizenship dito? Sige nga? si Lili, Askal at pati si Manila-X tanongin mo kaya ang mga citizenship niyan? As far as I know, I still contribute to your economy when We pay taxes on our properties there and when I send a little bit of my hard earned money to Bantay Bata and support under priveledged children be able to go to school, finish highschool and even college. Ikaw, anong nagawa mong kabutihan sa kapwa mo filipino na hindi mo kamaganak? Atleast ako nakapagpaaral na ng mga batang pinoy atleast 2 sa kanila naka graduate ng college sa tulong ko.

Tinatamad akong basahin ang mga remarks mo. Ang citizenship ko ay dual. Filipino and U.S. And you were questioning me on if my investment in the Philippines was because of the economy? Of course, it was! What smart investor will invest in something that he/she knows will not give a return of investment. Where I invested at that time was projected to be a hub of a BPO center where a lot of people (especially those in IT and call centers) would want to rent apartments/condos. So, my investment there was two-pronged. It was both to rent out (for short term) and a place to stay in the future and purely a real estate investment that will hopefully appreciate over time. And like you, I have also sponsored some causes and scholars there. Do your charity quietly.

^^ There you go, exactly what I was saying also. We may have seen figures going up as far as GDP but what about the poverty level and Arroyo's failure to implment her own policies. Although, I agree that Noy Aquino do focus too much on weeding out corruption in the midst of Global economic crisis that may or may not affect OFW deployment and subsequently OFW remittances. While the Philippine enjoys the luxury of being a first choice for BPO centers for international corportations, they are mostly focus on the US when Australia, Singapore, even Japan and some parts of EU who is not affected too much by EU financial crisis such as the United Kingdom, the Philippines is so focused only on the United States whose citizens are all clamoring for the return of jobs inside the US mainland. Whether that US Bill is approved or not, it should not sound like it's the end of the world for filipino people because there are other options. I myself do not think that the Bill would not affect the Philippines that much, because the US has its eyes on China.

^^ Really no effect yun BPO bill. I came across yesterday to my neighbor who is renting out her 3 units condo for some BPO offices in Pioneer. She told me most of her BPO lessee reduce their existing contract up to Dec. 2012 only. Most of them are very nervious as to what will happen to their work once said BPO bill is pass into a law in US. On the other hand while paying my advance condo dues for the next 3 months to avail special discount, I learned from our condo administrator that 50% of my condo neighbors are only paying on time while rest of 50% is already delinquent for the last 3 months. I ask what happen? according to our admin. some of the existing unit owners specially those working in US, UK, Europe and NA are having financial trouble and no longer able to pay in advance or in time their monthly bill. Its only unit owners working in middle east & residing owners working in Philippines diligently paying their dues.

Now you tell me that this coming BPO bill has no effect to our economy while the early symptoms of real estate bubble is now happening in my neighborhood. While I read in the newspaper that most property developer continue constructing so many residential condominiums in M. Manila but in reality secondary market for sales are so plenty and finish inventory level are so high. This is the reality.. :bowtie:

Forecasts are just forecasts. They are not written in stone. I am still waiting for any concrete plans on infrastructure developments. At the end of the year, it will all come down to infrastructure development, just as it had last year and 2010.

As for analytical essays regarding the economy during Arroyo's term, do we really expect an honest and unbiased assessment to come out withing a couple of years? No, she is too polarizing a figure to compel a rational assessment of her performance as President, maybe in 10 years. I find it exasperating however, that going into Aquino's third year in office, Arroyo is still the center of debate. Both sides have irreconcilable differences and it strikes me unwise how this government goes on and on and on about what GMA did and did not do. Aquino has to start shaping his legacy around something more concrete. Right now his legacy is simply that of GMA HATER, which is fine because he does hate her, but what a pathetic legacy.

Forecasts can be wrong. Just like weather. :tongue2:

But businessmen depend on reliable forecasts from reliable sources to help them decide to which bucket to invest into..

of course as long as there is no unforeseen event like war, disaster, or an outbreak of sorts... this gives investors a guide in investing wisely...

What a stupid analogy on your assessment. Kung hindi ba ako filipino masasabi ko ba kaya ng matino yan sa tagalog? Besides, READ THE REST OF THE STATEMENT ABOVE, when I said "mas maginhawa ba ang buhay nuon kaysa ngayon" It's a known fact that there are alot of filipinos languishing in poverty. Bakit ka nasasaktan kung binabanggit ang pagpag? Tutoo naman?? Kung talagang MAS MAGINHAWA ANG BUHAY NG MGA FILIPINO BAGO UMUPO SI AQUINO? Bakit may mga mahihirap nuon? Sinabi ko bang wala na ngayon kumakain pagpag ngayon? Actually, sa tingin ko wala o kakaunti na dahil since lumabas ang issue na yan mas na educate na ang mga ito na hindi healthy ang pagkain nito. Ako lang ba ang my foreign citizenship dito? Sige nga? si Lili, Askal at pati si Manila-X tanongin mo kaya ang mga citizenship niyan? As far as I know, I still contribute to your economy when We pay taxes on our properties there and when I send a little bit of my hard earned money to Bantay Bata and support under priveledged children be able to go to school, finish highschool and even college. Ikaw, anong nagawa mong kabutihan sa kapwa mo filipino na hindi mo kamaganak? Atleast ako nakapagpaaral na ng mga batang pinoy atleast 2 sa kanila naka graduate ng college sa tulong ko.

Simplistic observation from a simplistic person. Dahil na-educate na ang mga mahihirap sa dumi ng pagkain ng pagpag eh bumaba na ang bilang ng kumakain nito at associated mo na yan sa pagunlad ng buhay? Your observation reeks ignorance.

World’s top economies in 2050 will be... :banana: :cheers:

by Kevin Voigt | CNN | January 12th, 2012 | 08:17 AM ET

The global research department of HSBC has released a report predicting the rise and fall of the world’s economies in the next 40 years.

The world’s top economy in 2050 will be China, followed by the United States. No surprises there – since China’s reforms in the 1980s, economists have said it’s not a question of if, but when, China’s collective economic might will top the U.S.

But among the smaller, developing nations, there are several surprises by HSBC prognosticators:

* By 2050, the Philippines will leapfrog 27 places to become the world’s 16th largest economy.

* Peru’s economy, growing by 5.5% each year, jumping 20 places to 26th place – ahead of Iran, Columbia and Switzerland. Other strong performers will be Egypt (up 15 places to 20th), Nigeria (up nine places to 37th), Turkey (up six spots to 12th), Malaysia (up 17 to 21st) and the Ukraine (up 19 to 45th).

* Japan’s working population will contract by a world-top 37% in 2050 – yet HSBC economists predict it will still be toward the top performing economies, dropping only one spot to the 4th largest economy. India will jump ahead of Japan to 3rd on the list.

* The big loser in the next 40 years will be advanced economies in Europe, HSBC predicts, who will see their place in the economic pecking order erode as working population dwindles and developing economies climb. Only five European nations will be in the top 20, compared to eight today. Biggest drop will be felt northern Europe: Denmark to 56th ( -29), Norway to 48th ( -22), Sweden to 38th (-20) and Finland to 57th (-19).

HSBC 2050 list of top economies (change in rank from 2010):
1) China (+2)
2) U.S. (-1)
3) India (+5)
4) Japan (-2)
5) Germany (-1)
6) UK (-1)
7) Brazil (+2)
8) Mexico (+5)
9) France (-3)
10) Canada (same)
11) Italy (-4)
12) Turkey (+6)
13) S. Korea (-2)
14) Spain (-2)
15) Russia (+2)
16) Philippines (+27)
17) Indonesia (+4)
18) Australia (-2)
19) Argentina (2)
20) Egypt (+15)
21) Malaysia (+17)
22) Saudi Arabia (+1)
23) Thailand (+6)
24) Netherlands (-9)
25) Poland (-1)
26) Peru (+20)
27) Iran (+7)
28) Colombia (+12
29) Switzerland (-9)
30) Pakistan (+14)

“If we step away from the cyclicality, there are two ways economies can grow; either add more people to the production line via growth in the working population, or make each individual more productive,” the report says.

In other words, demographics – the size of your working population – along with the opportunities to flex that muscle help determine long-term economic trends. Big factors on the back half of that equation: Education opportunities, democratic governments or strong rule of law (a caveat that explains China and Saudi Arabia’s high placement).

“We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations,” the report says. “Of course, this maybe an overly glossy way of viewing the world.”

Chief factors that may derail economies moving forward, the report says: War, energy consumption constraints, climate change, and growing barriers to population movement across borders.

Source: http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/12/worlds-top-economies-in-2050-will-be/?iref=allsearch

^^ Aberration nga daw yung claims ni GMA sabi ng UP dean of economics eh hehehe! :lol: :lol: :lol:
UP economics dean: Arroyo's claim an 'aberration'
abs-cbnNEWS.com
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/01/12/12/economics-dean-arroyos-claim-aberration

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's claim of a 7.9% economic growth during her term was an "aberration," University of the Philippines School of Economics Dean Arsenio Balisacan said Thursday.

Arroyo was boasting of high economic growth while she was president and urged President Benigno Aquino not to neglect the economy, claiming he has given too much focus on governance and weeding out corruption.

Aquino was a former student of Arroyo at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Commenting on Arroyo's economic paper, Balisacan said poverty incidence remained high during Arroyo's time.

"It was nothing to be proud of," he said.

Balisacan said the quality of growth during Arroyo's term was uneven, and economic benefits failed to trickle down to the poor.

Regarding the allegations of Arroyo that Aquino's reforms were recycled versions of her own, Balisacan said that should be taken positively.

He said that while Arroyo can boast of her policies, she failed to enforce them.

He added that for the most part, reforms during the Arroyo presidency were tainted with corruption.

Balisacan pointed out that there should actually be continuity in terms of policies so that growth will be sustainable.

basta mataas daw ang "growth" okay lang daw kahit maraming dukha. Eh ang growth naman na pinagyayabang nya ay parang ka level lang daw ng growth ni Erap.

The 4.86 percent must be deflated for the statistical discrepancy in the 2007 number when a drop in imports created a double negative that artificially inflated GDP growth (I think you´d all agree nothing dramatically different occurred in 2007 that could have justified 7.1 percent. Our best estimate is that around 4.8 percent if imports grew at their historically normal rate). With that adjustment, average growth under President Arroyo has been 4.7 percent. Estrada matches it. Are we to assume from this that Estrada was as good an economic manager as Arroyo?

naks:lol:

sige, pangit na ang performance ng duwende, hayaan na natin, nasa korte na ang kaso nya,


sige pag usapan namn natin ang ngayon, wag na tayo pabalik balik sa nakaraan wag na blame game. tingnan nga natin performance ng idolo nyong panot:lol:
i bet sasabihin nyo maganda performance nya:lol:

^^ sorry na hindi ko sinasadya :lol:

so, ano na masasabi mo sa pabulusok pababang growth?

ang totoo ba nito dumadami na ang mayayaman?:D hindi na ba kumakain ng pagpag sa mwg?:lol: at may lupa na rin ang mga mahihirap?:lol:

walang kwenta ang pnoy admin mga bobo walang alam puro under spending may mga KKK pa...okay n ba yun?

kulang pa:rofl:

isama mo lablayp nya:rofl:

korek-kong dot com

inis ka?:rofl:

Qatar eyes Phl partners for $1-B investments :banana: :cheers:

by Ma. Elisa P. Osorio | The Philippine Star | January 17, 2012 | 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Local businessmen, including representatives from San Miguel Power Corp. met with visiting investors from Qatar to forge partnerships in line with Qatar’s bid to invest $1 billion here.

In an interview, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio said an investment team from Qatar visited the Philippines, led by Zayid Rashid Al, director for Asia and Africa Affairs, and Tarik Muslib, head legal counsel of the Qatar Investment Association.

The 20-man Qatari business delegation visited the Philippines early this month to assess first hand the ability of the Philippines to absorb Qatari investments.

“The investments can start from $1 billion and could be more because Qatar has a $300-billion fund for foreign direct investments and portfolio investments,” Panlilio said.

Read More: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=768430

This is good. I also read that Kuwait is pouring USD billion dollars investments in the country. The success of Kingdom Hotel in partnership with Raffles Manila inspired them to do more businesses in the country.

:cheers:

inis ka?:rofl:
Sa palagay ko, hindi naman! Nagpapaliwanag la'ang! Hehehehe:banana::banana::banana:

Forecasts are just forecasts. They are not written in stone. I am still waiting for any concrete plans on infrastructure developments. At the end of the year, it will all come down to infrastructure development, just as it had last year and 2010.


It could address partly the information that everyone needs to know about infrastructure projects...MRT 7 is still a "go" as committed by SMC.


Gov't to fast-track infrastructure projects
Home Updated January 17, 2012 03:21 PM

MANILA (Xinhua) -- The government of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III will fast-track, starting this month, infrastructure development throughout the country through massive release of public funds as well as through the public-private partnership (PPP) program with the participation of private investors both local and foreign.

Early this month, Philippine Budget Secretary Florencio Abad announced the release of 141.8 billion pesos (3.2 billion U.S. dollars) for infrastructure projects from the recently-enacted General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2012.

Abad said that the infrastructure projects, which will be implemented within this month, include national roads and bridges; airports, seaports and lighthouses; classrooms and other educational facilities; potable water supply systems, irrigation and post-harvest facilities; and flood control and slope protection structures.

The sum is part of the 182.2 billion pesos (4.15 billion U.S. dollars) total outlay for government infrastructure under the 2012 national budget. It is 25.6 percent higher than the 2011 allocation and represents a higher 1.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) compared to the 1.4 percent in 2011.

According to Abad, the early implementation of key infrastructure programs at the start of the year "can hit the ground running" for the priority projects of the Aquino administration in 2012.

He said it would also reinforce President Aquino's commitment to his Social Contract with the Filipino people and underscores his mission to ensure economic development and transparent government spending.

In addition to the outlay from the national budget for infrastructure projects, PPC Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao also announced the bidding for a 10.4-billion-peso (239- million-dollar) classroom contract, the first PPP project to be awarded this year after the much-delayed program was finally launched last December with the award of the Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway project, south of Manila, to the Ayala Corp., a local conglomerate.

The latest project, to be implemented by the Department of Education, involves the construction of 9,623 classrooms for 2,300 elementary and secondary schools in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon and the growth centers in southern Luzon.

According to Canilao, the government also hopes to jump-start the bidding of the 900-million-peso (20.5-million-dollar) Vaccine Self-Sufficiency Program of the Department of Health in the first quarter, to be followed by six more projects in the second half of 2012.

The Philippine government intends to implement at least eight of 16 PPP projects this year in its bid to recover ground lost due to delays in its centerpiece infrastructure scheme.

These include the 5-billion-peso (113-million-dollar) modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center and four projects under the Department of Transportation that include the improvement of major airports in the provinces.

Other PPP projects targeted for rollout this year include the 4. 2-billion-peso (95.7-million-dollar) Puerto Princesa Airport Development Project; 20.28-billion-peso (462-million-dollar) North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway Connector project; Cavite-Laguna Expressway; LRT-2 East Extension/Operation and Maintenance contract; Corn Bulk Handling and Transshipment System project; and the Balara Water Hub in Quezon City.

The Philippine government has invited foreign groups to invest in the PPP projects in the country.

Early last year, a high-level economic mission led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima visited China to encourage state-owned Chinese firms to participate in the bidding of PPP projects.

But sources said that most Chinese officials are still awaiting the outcome of the scheduled renegotiation of the NorthRail project, which was approved during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The project is being funded by a concessional loan from the Chinese Export-Import Credit Agency.

The project, which would connect Metro Manila to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport at the Clark Special Economic Zone, a former U.S. military facility some 80 kilometers north of Manila, has been delayed due to problems on right of way and the relocation of squatter colonies along the proposed railway tracks.

Completion of the first phase was moved from 2007 to 2013 while the total cost had ballooned from 1.2 billion to 1.8 billion U.S. dollars.

During Aquino's state visit to China in September last year, Aquino and President Hu Jintao have agreed to have the NorthRail contract renegotiated.

Despite the delay in the NorthRail project, Canilao said the government was confident that more PPP projects would take off this year, in contrast to last year's slower-than-expected rollout.

But University of the Philippines Economic Professor Benjamin E. Diokno was quoted by reports as saying that the PPP roll-out "will not make a big contribution to growth this year" unless the projects actually take off and people and resources are mobilized.

Diokno said an invitation to bid is at the very early stage of the bidding process. "The process goes through invitation, submission, opening of bids, award, notice to proceed and mobilization... [but] at least it's moving, though rather slowly," Diokno, a former budget secretary, said.

Canilao has admitted that actual construction of a PPP project could start six to eight months after it is awarded to the winning bidder. In the case of the school-building program -- even with a January rollout -- construction will most likely take place in late December or early January 2013, she said.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=200&articleid=768656

A huge investment by Ayala Land! That's US$1.39 Billion. My cousins from Canada bought residential condos last December - their first time to purchase properties in PH after settling for good in Canada.

Ayala Land to invest P60B in new Bonifacio development
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 01/17/2012 4:42 PM | Updated as of 01/17/2012 4:49 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) on Tuesday said it is investing P60 billion to develop its newest mixed-use development, High Street South, in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

In a press conference, Alveo Land head of project development Jennylle Tupaz said the company is investing P60 billion over 25 years for the construction of 12 to 18 towers in High Street South. This would include residential condominiums, office buildings, hotels and shopping malls.

The 7.6-hectare High Street South is envisioned as a "cultural urban district" in Bonifacio Global City.

To jumpstart the High Street South development, ALI unit Alveo Land unveiled its first residential tower Maridien.

Maridien is a 33-storey condominium building, with 511 units. Prices start at P4.4 million for a studio to P26.1 million for urban villas.

Tupaz said the company expects to generate P5.1 billion in sales from Maridien. Capital investment in the project is valued at P3.5 billion.

Maridien units have been selling like hotcakes so far. Tupaz noted at a recent priority selling event, 222 units, representing 44% of total units, were sold.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NA18Ae01.html

Philippines emerges from economic shade
By Joel D Adriano

MANILA - Is the Philippines emerging as an investor safe haven against economic weakness in the West and potential turbulence in China?

A Bank of America-Merrill Lynch survey shows global fund managers have increased their "overweight" investment positions in the Philippines, making it the survey's third-most preferred market in the world trailing only China and Indonesia.

A series of sovereign upgrades last year has boosted investor
confidence in President Benigno Aquino's administration, which rose to power in 2010 on a reformist platform. Financial analysts here predict that the country will likely be upgraded to investment grade later this year, opening the way for institutional investors now barred by their in-house operating rules from allocating funds on the local bourse.

The private sector is very aggressive in chasing big ticket projects nowadays. Inspiring....

SMC, MPIC go head-to-head for MetroRail
By: Paolo G. Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11:56 pm | Monday, January 16th, 2012
0 share12 10

San Miguel Corp. has submitted a proposal to take over and expand the operations of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) on EDSA, competing with the earlier bid of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp., led by Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has submitted a proposal to take over and expand the operations of the aging and congested Metro Rail Transit (MRT) on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

The SMC offer was made after corporate rival Metro Pacific Investments Corp., led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, signified its own intention to secure the contract for the train line.

“The MPIC proposal is still on the table for review because SMC offered a similar proposal,” a Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) official said Monday.

The official, who is privy to the discussions, requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

According to the DoTC source, San Miguel proposes to infuse fresh capital into MRT, also known as Line 3, and improve the train line’s operations, at little to no cost to the government.

Also, SMC wants to tie in the MRT Line 3 to the conglomerate’s existing project, the $1.6-billion MRT-7 line—a railway system that will run from Quezon City to the province of Bulacan.

http://business.inquirer.net/40033/smc-mpic-go-head-to-head-for-metrorail

Shifting to Kapampangan, he told Tarlac residents: “I can open doors for you and when I do, it is all up to you if you will keep it open.”[/url]

Parang security guard ah

It could address partly the information that everyone needs to know about infrastructure projects...MRT 7 is still a "go" as committed by SMC.


Gov't to fast-track infrastructure projects
Home Updated January 17, 2012 03:21 PM


http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=200&articleid=768656

MRT 7 has been a go for the past 8 years. Frankly, i can't difference between yesterday's "go" and today's "go."

That 140billion was announced last december and they said they were going to hit the ground running. I don't hear or see any humming of infra development, maybe that's because media outlets don't care for real progressm, just for political drama.

Maybe Aquino supporters need to stop hitting us with "forecasts" and articles with "anticipatory language," and start taking pics of development througout the country and metro... This was how we gauged progress during the last administration. The activity in the infrastructure thread was abuzz with updates, not complaints and wishlists.

inis ka?:rofl:

inis ako sa kulay nito >> :lol: yellow

MRT 7 has been a go for the past 8 years. Frankly, i can't difference between yesterday's "go" and today's "go."



Okay, I am not sure where you are going with this statement here since you mentioned "8 years ago" and Aquino is still on his 19th month in power.



Maybe Aquino supporters need to stop hitting us with "forecasts" and articles with "anticipatory language," and start taking pics of development througout the country and metro... This was how we gauged progress during the last administration. The activity in the infrastructure thread was abuzz with updates, not complaints and wishlists.

I am not sure what pictures can be presented when a number of the projects are supposed to start in January 2012.

MANILA (Xinhua) -- The government of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III will fast-track, starting this month, infrastructure development throughout the country through massive release of public funds as well as through the public-private partnership (PPP) program with the participation of private investors both local and foreign.
http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=200&articleid=768656



:dunno:

Just saying... I can understand the complaints about slow infrastructures but exactly what pictures can be presented for the development at this point since since last year, January 2012 was that target date to initiate these :dunno:

The private sector is very aggressive in chasing big ticket projects nowadays. Inspiring....

SMC, MPIC go head-to-head for MetroRail
By: Paolo G. Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11:56 pm | Monday, January 16th, 2012
0 share12 10

San Miguel Corp. has submitted a proposal to take over and expand the operations of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) on EDSA, competing with the earlier bid of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp., led by Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has submitted a proposal to take over and expand the operations of the aging and congested Metro Rail Transit (MRT) on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

The SMC offer was made after corporate rival Metro Pacific Investments Corp., led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, signified its own intention to secure the contract for the train line.

“The MPIC proposal is still on the table for review because SMC offered a similar proposal,” a Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) official said Monday.

The official, who is privy to the discussions, requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

According to the DoTC source, San Miguel proposes to infuse fresh capital into MRT, also known as Line 3, and improve the train line’s operations, at little to no cost to the government.

Also, SMC wants to tie in the MRT Line 3 to the conglomerate’s existing project, the $1.6-billion MRT-7 line—a railway system that will run from Quezon City to the province of Bulacan.

http://business.inquirer.net/40033/smc-mpic-go-head-to-head-for-metrorail

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NA18Ae01.html

Philippines emerges from economic shade
By Joel D Adriano

MANILA - Is the Philippines emerging as an investor safe haven against economic weakness in the West and potential turbulence in China?

A Bank of America-Merrill Lynch survey shows global fund managers have increased their "overweight" investment positions in the Philippines, making it the survey's third-most preferred market in the world trailing only China and Indonesia.

A series of sovereign upgrades last year has boosted investor
confidence in President Benigno Aquino's administration, which rose to power in 2010 on a reformist platform. Financial analysts here predict that the country will likely be upgraded to investment grade later this year, opening the way for institutional investors now barred by their in-house operating rules from allocating funds on the local bourse.

:banana::cheers: Hope everything will come to fruition.

Because MRT7 has been a "go" for the past 8 years. And did i just attribute the entire delay of MRT7 to Aquino? No, but i am trying to point out the fact that this project has been a "go" for far too long. Must you take every single criticism about the state of the economy or the country for the matter of fact as a veiled attack on Aquino? Some of the nation's problems, in fact, most of the nations problems go beyond Aquino's and Arroyo's presidency, you don't have to defend him all the time you know... You are aware that you are starting sound like a knee jerk Aquino apologist who responds in defense to Aquino whenever a grievance is aired right?

It's halfway through January and i am confident that comes march and april there will yet to be any movement on any projects.

I don't know if you've spent the time that most of us did in the infrastructure threads before Aquino, but there was activity. The only activity there right now is TPLEX.

Im not trying to ruffle the feathers of Aquino hawks, but im just trying to point out that we, the skeptical, are watching for the infrastructure development, wherever they may be.

Okay, I am not sure where you are going with this statement here since you mentioned "8 years ago" and Aquino is still on his 19th month in power.



I am not sure what pictures can be presented when a number of the projects are supposed to start in January 2012.



:dunno:

Just saying... I can understand the complaints about slow infrastructures but exactly what pictures can be presented for the development at this point since since last year, January 2012 was that target date to initiate these :dunno:

I am not sure what pictures can be presented when a number of the projects are supposed to start in January 2012.



:dunno:

Just saying... I can understand the complaints about slow infrastructures but exactly what pictures can be presented for the development at this point since since last year, January 2012 was that target date to initiate these :dunno:

and i would like to add, which projects are supposed to start this JANUARY 2012, this JANUARY 17th or 18th since we're in Philippine time? January is more than halfway done...

And if there be any projects out there, especially pertaining rail, that has started im sure our most studious forumers in the infrastructure thread are more than ready to start covering such developments. The diligent coverage of our forumers in the infra threads never fail to amaze me.

Well, that is how it sounded like to me when you asked for pictures of the development of projects that is supposed to start January 2012...

This is similar to that D'Luxe Luxury Bags Philippines that was innaugurated by Aquino. Apparently, the company has been operating for 2 years and was just now innagurated this week when the Start date from the company's website was November 2012, 10 months after ...

^^ The debate on when that manufacturing company opened and on who's watch is purely political. What matters is that there is a manufacturing presence in the country employing thousands of our countrymen and women, and that the manufacturing company is satisfied with their hardwork.

i just wish that this reflects not only on the job market but on the quality of jobs available to Filipinos. A simple comparison of the jobstreet sg and jobstreet ph will tell you that Filipinos can do all of those.

^^ The debate on when that manufacturing company opened and on who's watch is purely political. What matters is that there is a manufacturing presence in the country employing thousands of our countrymen and women, and that the manufacturing company is satisfied with their hardwork.

political or not, the accuser should of not lied just because they have biases on another party, that comment was politcally motivated in nature. That was my whole point. I think of all of those who are debating here, I am one of those few who pretty much stand on a more neutral side. Trouble is, once you give reasons on what is going on around us and it does not favor the gloe camp, you're already considered a yellow fanatic when the truth is that, the rest of them are the ones totally blinded especially when they are giving justice on Arroyo's action just because of the false claim of economic progress when clearly, poverty and unemployment was still high and very evident. A contrast in Indonesia economic prosperity that actually translated to more jobs in that country where they didn't have to rely on manpower export or OFW remittances. Considering the economic meltdown all over the world that has effected many industries that owns BPO offices in the Philippines, none of them can see these. Why do we think there are alot of people like yourself who were all pushing for speedy infrastructure development. Aquino administration underspending didn't directly cause the slowdown in economy but since the economy was showing a sign of weakening, those infrastructure projects would aid in sustaining the past economic recovery atleast to an equal level but somehow, those infrastructure would not guarantee a solid and continous economic growth, not with those corporations are taking the blows from the weak US and EU economiies since most of the clienteles being catered to by these BPOs for instance and BPO investors are all in the mainland US.

World’s top economies in 2050 will be... :banana: :cheers:

by Kevin Voigt | CNN | January 12th, 2012 | 08:17 AM ET

The global research department of HSBC has released a report predicting the rise and fall of the world’s economies in the next 40 years.

The world’s top economy in 2050 will be China, followed by the United States. No surprises there – since China’s reforms in the 1980s, economists have said it’s not a question of if, but when, China’s collective economic might will top the U.S.

But among the smaller, developing nations, there are several surprises by HSBC prognosticators:

* By 2050, the Philippines will leapfrog 27 places to become the world’s 16th largest economy.

* Peru’s economy, growing by 5.5% each year, jumping 20 places to 26th place – ahead of Iran, Columbia and Switzerland. Other strong performers will be Egypt (up 15 places to 20th), Nigeria (up nine places to 37th), Turkey (up six spots to 12th), Malaysia (up 17 to 21st) and the Ukraine (up 19 to 45th).

* Japan’s working population will contract by a world-top 37% in 2050 – yet HSBC economists predict it will still be toward the top performing economies, dropping only one spot to the 4th largest economy. India will jump ahead of Japan to 3rd on the list.

* The big loser in the next 40 years will be advanced economies in Europe, HSBC predicts, who will see their place in the economic pecking order erode as working population dwindles and developing economies climb. Only five European nations will be in the top 20, compared to eight today. Biggest drop will be felt northern Europe: Denmark to 56th ( -29), Norway to 48th ( -22), Sweden to 38th (-20) and Finland to 57th (-19).

HSBC 2050 list of top economies (change in rank from 2010):
1) China (+2)
2) U.S. (-1)
3) India (+5)
4) Japan (-2)
5) Germany (-1)
6) UK (-1)
7) Brazil (+2)
8) Mexico (+5)
9) France (-3)
10) Canada (same)
11) Italy (-4)
12) Turkey (+6)
13) S. Korea (-2)
14) Spain (-2)
15) Russia (+2)
16) Philippines (+27)
17) Indonesia (+4)
18) Australia (-2)
19) Argentina (2)
20) Egypt (+15)
21) Malaysia (+17)
22) Saudi Arabia (+1)
23) Thailand (+6)
24) Netherlands (-9)
25) Poland (-1)
26) Peru (+20)
27) Iran (+7)
28) Colombia (+12
29) Switzerland (-9)
30) Pakistan (+14)

“If we step away from the cyclicality, there are two ways economies can grow; either add more people to the production line via growth in the working population, or make each individual more productive,” the report says.

In other words, demographics – the size of your working population – along with the opportunities to flex that muscle help determine long-term economic trends. Big factors on the back half of that equation: Education opportunities, democratic governments or strong rule of law (a caveat that explains China and Saudi Arabia’s high placement).

“We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations,” the report says. “Of course, this maybe an overly glossy way of viewing the world.”

Chief factors that may derail economies moving forward, the report says: War, energy consumption constraints, climate change, and growing barriers to population movement across borders.

Source: http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/12/worlds-top-economies-in-2050-will-be/?iref=allsearch

^^
I would agree with the two good ways on how our economy would grow; additional people for possible production inline with their skills and making them productive at the same time with proper exposure and training. :cheers2:

too much ado about 2050.... it is being put forward as if it is already in the corner...guys wake up....it's decades away.....no one is sure of the future not the americans, the chinese...the russian or the morons in the PH...:ohno: don't be confused by those good economic feeds...para yan pagmukhain maraming nagawa na ang admin ni pnoy ...dahil in PRESENT TENSE.....wala pa silang konkretong maipakita....:lol:

PROOF na Puro...FUTURE TENSE :lol::ohno:

World’s top economies in 2050 will be...
Gov't to fast-track infrastructure projects
Ayala Land to invest P60B in new Bonifacio development
Qatar eyes Phl partners for $1-B investments

^^

The 3 items above and other investments will definitely be realized. I went to High Street last weekend and saw the massive development/projects by Ayala.

Qatar and Kuwait are also serious. In fact, US$ 1 B for PH is small compared to their "chest fund" to be invested in other countries.

Does anyone here know the length and cost of this "super bridge"? The ferry boat ride takes around 1 to 2 hours. Was this reported in the media?

Bridge linking Batangas to Mindoro to be built

Published : Tuesday, January 17, 2012 00:00
Article Views : 517
Written by : ROSELLE R. AQUINO

CALAPAN CITY: The construction of a bridge that will connect Mindoro island to mainland Luzon is about to start.

The Batangas-Mindoro Super-bridge will connect Puerto Galera to Batangas, passing through Isla Verde.

Oriental Mindoro Gov ALfonso Umali, Jr said that he had a meeting with the principal investors of the project from China and discussed details of the proposed multi-billion project. At the same time, Chinese engineers conducted a site survey.

Umali said the “superbridge” is a realization of his vision for Oriental Mindoro.

The bridge is seen to facilitate the easier transport of agricultural produce to Metro Manila and other market destinations.

Mindoro island is considered a major food basket of the National Capital Region and products are traditionally transported from the island through inter-island vessels.

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/15212-bridge-linking-batangas-to-mindoro-to-be-built

oh.. so this Mindoro-Batangas bridge is really going to be built... I thought it was just a dream project... well I hope it does get built... Puerto Galera will be easier to go to after this.. I just hope the bridge will have a direct connection to STAR expressway..

MRT 7 has been a go for the past 8 years. Frankly, i can't difference between yesterday's "go" and today's "go."

That 140billion was announced last december and they said they were going to hit the ground running. I don't hear or see any humming of infra development, maybe that's because media outlets don't care for real progressm, just for political drama.

Maybe Aquino supporters need to stop hitting us with "forecasts" and articles with "anticipatory language," and start taking pics of development througout the country and metro... This was how we gauged progress during the last administration. The activity in the infrastructure thread was abuzz with updates, not complaints and wishlists.

Delays are expected. There is really no strict adherence to schedule or dates announced by the government. I don't know if this mentality will change in our generation. Maybe in 2050 hehehe.

How about a super bridge connecting Cavite and Bataan?

oh.. so this Mindoro-Batangas bridge is really going to be built... I thought it was just a dream project... well I hope it does get built... Puerto Galera will be easier to go to after this.. I just hope the bridge will have a direct connection to STAR expressway..

This project must cost a lot of money. I guess this is longer than the Mactan or Marcelo Fernan bridge in Cebu. I was just wondering why it did not create a buzz....This project is significant for trade and tourism.

How about a super bridge connecting Cavite and Bataan?

That would be great Cavite to Bataan. There was a proposal before to build a bridge between Bohol and Cebu. I read elsewhere in the past that Iloilo and Bacolod should have one, too. These provinces/cities are high growth areas.

This project must cost a lot of money. I guess this is longer than the Mactan or Marcelo Fernan bridge in Cebu. I was just wondering why it did not create a buzz....This project is significant for trade and tourism.

I agree.. it seems like the project planning was done quietly while things are not clear yet... well I hope they'd be able to push through for this...


How about a super bridge connecting Cavite and Bataan?

yeah... I hope that would be next... and maybe possibly a bridge to connect Bicol to Samar...

I agree.. it seems like the project planning was done quietly while things are not clear yet... well I hope they'd be able to push through for this...




yeah... I hope that would be next... and maybe possibly a bridge to connect Bicol to Samar...

I saw a master plan on it in The Manila Bay book.

And it is a road / rail suspension bridge.

PH, neighbors to gain from UK's £21B economy :banana: :cheers:

by Estrella Torres | Business Mirror | 01/18/2012 | 10:40 AM

LONDON—The Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries stand to gain from Britain’s moves to boost its economy with 21 billion sterling pounds (P1.41 trillion) from combined revenues from tourists and cost of investments with its hosting of the Olympic Games this year.

Nick Baird, chief executive of the United Kingdom Trade and Industry (UKTI), said London’s hosting of this year’s Olympics in July is not only an opportunity to leave a legacy but will also bring “massive opportunity to showcase business excellence.”

He said the UK government is looking at strengthening investments in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries as part of medium- and long-term measures to boost its economy that suffered severe blows from the US and euro-zone financial turmoil.

Read More: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/01/18/12/ph-neighbors-gain-uks-%C2%A321b-economy

Nov. '11 remittances hit new high of $1.78-B

by ELR | GMA News | January 17, 2012 | 7:51am

Remittances of overseas Filipinos hit $18.3 billion in the first 11 months of 2011 with a boost of $1.78 billion—a new monthly record high—last November, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Monday.

Compared to the 2010 end-November level, the latest cumulative mark of remittances is 7.3 percent higher while on a monthly basis, it is a 10.6 percent increase.

"The double-digit growth in remittance flows during the month could be attributed to additional funds sent by overseas Filipinos to their families for holiday spending," the BSP said.

Read More: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/244771/economy/finance/nov-11-remittances-hit-new-high-of-1-78-b

Wow the Philippine Economy is gearing up! let us all support our beloved country and promote Philippines to our foreign friends. Go Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao!! GO Philippines!!

^^ with fervent hope :)

Suzuki to double production capacity
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated January 18, 2012 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Japanese multinational firm Suzuki Philippines Inc. plans to double their production capacity as they open their new P1-billion facility in Canlubang Laguna in July.

In an interview at the launch of the Suzuki GD110 at the Edsa Shangri-La yesterday, Suzuki assistant general manager Benedict Martin Arreola said their production capacity would increase when they open in July, and further increase to 100,000 units in November once the plant is already operating at full capacity.

Arreola said that in 2011, they only produced 60,000 units at their Pasig plant. Once the Canlubang facility is operational, Suzuki will use the Pasig office only as a sales and marketing headquarters.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=768678

Does anyone here know the length and cost of this "super bridge"? The ferry boat ride takes around 1 to 2 hours. Was this reported in the media?

Bridge linking Batangas to Mindoro to be built

Published : Tuesday, January 17, 2012 00:00
Article Views : 517
Written by : ROSELLE R. AQUINO

CALAPAN CITY: The construction of a bridge that will connect Mindoro island to mainland Luzon is about to start.

The Batangas-Mindoro Super-bridge will connect Puerto Galera to Batangas, passing through Isla Verde.

Oriental Mindoro Gov ALfonso Umali, Jr said that he had a meeting with the principal investors of the project from China and discussed details of the proposed multi-billion project. At the same time, Chinese engineers conducted a site survey.

Umali said the “superbridge” is a realization of his vision for Oriental Mindoro.

The bridge is seen to facilitate the easier transport of agricultural produce to Metro Manila and other market destinations.

Mindoro island is considered a major food basket of the National Capital Region and products are traditionally transported from the island through inter-island vessels.

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/15212-bridge-linking-batangas-to-mindoro-to-be-built

Future tense pa rin yata ito wag paniwalaan as per bald daddy

Future tense pa rin yata ito wag paniwalaan as per bald daddy

Did you read the report? It stated that "it is about to start", without much fan fare.

You don't have to tell me what not to believe. Thanks.

I find this turnaround of assessment by Urban Land Institute (based in Washington) as a vindication that PH real estate market is growing and has earnings' potentials for investors.

Philippines upgraded in international property investors’ report card
By: Tessa R. Salazar
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:20 pm | Friday, January 13th, 2012
5 share72 66

How time flies, and circumstances change. In 2011, the local property industry received sobering news that Manila had been ranked “below fair” to “abysmal” by foreign property investors, according to the Emerging Trends in Real Estate Asia Pacific 2011 survey conducted by the prestigious Urban Land Institute (ULI). Global real estate investors then gave Manila 4.56 points out of a possible 9.

But in the latest report, the ULI Emerging Trends 2012 Asia Pacific upgraded Manila from the bottom of the list to No. 18 in Investments.

The 2012 ULI study said Manila’s progress in commercial investment prospects boosted its ranking from 20th place in the 2011 survey to 18th place (out of 21) for the 2012 report. It also said that “a new government and a surge in foreign investment in the business process outsourcing (BPO) market—back office and call centers, for the most part—have helped the commercial real estate market, boosting the city’s 2012 investment prospects.”

Included in the survey are 360 international renowned real estate professionals, including investors, developers, property company reps, lenders, brokers and consultants.

Simon Treacy, the South Asia head of the Urban Land Institute, told Inquirer Property that several factors were instrumental in the two-place improvement, including the new leadership in government—the promise of change, skilled people, opening up of markets and the “very exciting” demand in the business process outsourcing (BPO) market.

He said, “The world is starting to understand that the Philippines is back in the game.”

Fast-emerging market

The ULI study is a publication of ULI and Pricewaterhouse-Coopers. It described the Philippines as a “fast-emerging market.”

http://business.inquirer.net/39497/philippines-upgraded-in-international-property-investors%E2%80%99-report-card

Did you read the report? It stated that "it is about to start", without much fan fare.

You don't have to tell me what not to believe. Thanks.

:lol: don't worry I believe you and this article 100% I am only inciting some sarcasm to those people who already lose faith in the country. cheers!

:lol: don't worry I believe you and this article 100% I am only inciting some sarcasm to those people who already lose faith in the country. cheers!

Cheers for more money in the Year of the Water Dragon. Based on forecasts by Feng Shui experts, PH is "in" for a better year.

GONG CI FAT CAI
http://trendinhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Chinese-New-Year-2011.gif
. :cheers:

too much ado about 2050.... it is being put forward as if it is already in the corner...guys wake up....it's decades away.....no one is sure of the future not the americans, the chinese...the russian or the morons in the PH...:ohno: don't be confused by those good economic feeds...para yan pagmukhain maraming nagawa na ang admin ni pnoy ...dahil in PRESENT TENSE.....wala pa silang konkretong maipakita....:lol:

PROOF na Puro...FUTURE TENSE :lol::ohno:

World’s top economies in 2050 will be...
Gov't to fast-track infrastructure projects
Ayala Land to invest P60B in new Bonifacio development
Qatar eyes Phl partners for $1-B investments
Bakit goverment ba natin ang gumawa nyan wake up your mind:cheers::cheers:
Kung mga foreigner nga lumalaki tiwala sa ekonomiya natin.Payo ko sayo alisin mo na yang crab mentality mo:bash::bash:

Future tense pa rin yata ito wag paniwalaan as per bald daddy

ok medyo na misunderstand ko lng

Correct si Glenskies123 to much negativity is bad for the Country. I see allot of forumers bringing up negative things about the economy. let's all face it Gloria is now a thing of the past like it or not Noynoy is now our New President if you can not get hold of reality then your one of the torns of the country. Let us all support the country with positivity. I dont think people who are putting in positive articles here are yellow( pro pinoy) anyway i think they are just being on the positive side of life rather than being on the negative aspect of life. Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!

HSBC sees interest rate cut of 25 basis points

Manila Standard Today
by Roderick T. dela Cruz
Jamuary 18, 2012

Economic growth in the Philippines may shrink this year to 3.6 percent under the weight of the European debt crisis, putting the Bangko Sentral in a tight spot amid pressures to cut its borrowing and lending rates beginning Jan. 19.

HSBC expects the gross domestic product of the Philippines to grow by just 3.6-percent in 2012, or at the same level of its projected 3.6-percent expansion in 2011. Both figures are well below the government’s growth target of 5 percent to 6 percent.

The bank said instead of pinning their hopes for growth on external demand, policy makers would look inwardly for sources of growth in 2012, underpinned by strong fiscal support for consumption.

It said that inflation was expected to ease meaningfully in 2012 to levels well within the 3-percent to 5-percent inflation target.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=2012/january/18/business2.isx&d=2012/january/18

World Bank Slashes Global GDP Forecasts, Outlook Grim

Published: Wednesday, 18 Jan 2012 | 3:11 AM ET

The World Bank warned developing countries on Wednesday to prepare for the "real" risk that an escalation in the euro area debt crisis could tip the world into a slump on a par with the global downturn in 2008/09.

Developing Countries Vulnerable

Against that backdrop, it said developing countries were even more vulnerable than they were in 2008 because they could find themselves facing reduced capital flows and softer trade.

In addition, many developing countries have weaker finances and wouldn't be able to respond to a new crisis as vigorously.

China's growth -- forecast in the report at 8.4 percent in 2012 -- could help bolster imports and gives it "big fiscal space" to respond to changing conditions, Lin said.

"No country and no region will escape the consequences of a serious downturn," the World Bank said, adding that now was the time for developing countries to plan how to soften the impact of a potential deep crisis.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/46033973

Correct si Glenskies123 to much negativity is bad for the Country. I see allot of forumers bringing up negative things about the economy. let's all face it Gloria is now a thing of the past like it or not Noynoy is now our New President if you can not get hold of reality then your one of the torns of the country. Let us all support the country with positivity. I dont think people who are putting in positive articles here are yellow( pro pinoy) anyway i think they are just being on the positive side of life rather than being on the negative aspect of life. Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!

It has been proven by natural laws - the law of the universe that if you feel and think positive, everything seems to be easy along the way including MONEY.

Gong Xi Fa Cai. More prosperity for the country.

It has been proven by natural laws - the law of the universe that if you feel and think positive, everything seems to be easy along the way including MONEY.

Gong Xi Fa Cai. More prosperity for the country.

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

this is my beef, foreigners seem to be more kind and impartial in their assessments compared to fellow filipinos.

gong xi fa cai. may tikoy na ako natanggap. :lol::lol:

btw, do you see an investment upgrade this year?

World’s top economies in 2050 will be... :banana: :cheers:

by Kevin Voigt | CNN | January 12th, 2012 | 08:17 AM ET

The global research department of HSBC has released a report predicting the rise and fall of the world’s economies in the next 40 years.

The world’s top economy in 2050 will be China, followed by the United States. No surprises there – since China’s reforms in the 1980s, economists have said it’s not a question of if, but when, China’s collective economic might will top the U.S.

But among the smaller, developing nations, there are several surprises by HSBC prognosticators:

* By 2050, the Philippines will leapfrog 27 places to become the world’s 16th largest economy.

* Peru’s economy, growing by 5.5% each year, jumping 20 places to 26th place – ahead of Iran, Columbia and Switzerland. Other strong performers will be Egypt (up 15 places to 20th), Nigeria (up nine places to 37th), Turkey (up six spots to 12th), Malaysia (up 17 to 21st) and the Ukraine (up 19 to 45th).

* Japan’s working population will contract by a world-top 37% in 2050 – yet HSBC economists predict it will still be toward the top performing economies, dropping only one spot to the 4th largest economy. India will jump ahead of Japan to 3rd on the list.

* The big loser in the next 40 years will be advanced economies in Europe, HSBC predicts, who will see their place in the economic pecking order erode as working population dwindles and developing economies climb. Only five European nations will be in the top 20, compared to eight today. Biggest drop will be felt northern Europe: Denmark to 56th ( -29), Norway to 48th ( -22), Sweden to 38th (-20) and Finland to 57th (-19).

HSBC 2050 list of top economies (change in rank from 2010):
1) China (+2)
2) U.S. (-1)
3) India (+5)
4) Japan (-2)
5) Germany (-1)
6) UK (-1)
7) Brazil (+2)
8) Mexico (+5)
9) France (-3)
10) Canada (same)
11) Italy (-4)
12) Turkey (+6)
13) S. Korea (-2)
14) Spain (-2)
15) Russia (+2)
16) Philippines (+27)
17) Indonesia (+4)
18) Australia (-2)
19) Argentina (2)
20) Egypt (+15)
21) Malaysia (+17)
22) Saudi Arabia (+1)
23) Thailand (+6)
24) Netherlands (-9)
25) Poland (-1)
26) Peru (+20)
27) Iran (+7)
28) Colombia (+12
29) Switzerland (-9)
30) Pakistan (+14)

“If we step away from the cyclicality, there are two ways economies can grow; either add more people to the production line via growth in the working population, or make each individual more productive,” the report says.

In other words, demographics – the size of your working population – along with the opportunities to flex that muscle help determine long-term economic trends. Big factors on the back half of that equation: Education opportunities, democratic governments or strong rule of law (a caveat that explains China and Saudi Arabia’s high placement).

“We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations,” the report says. “Of course, this maybe an overly glossy way of viewing the world.”

Chief factors that may derail economies moving forward, the report says: War, energy consumption constraints, climate change, and growing barriers to population movement across borders.

Source: http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/12/worlds-top-economies-in-2050-will-be/?iref=allsearch

Sana per capita to :)

Sana per capita to :)

Waaaaa la pa ko Tikoy:lol::lol::lol:

Waaaaa la pa ko Tikoy:lol::lol::lol:

ano nga ba ingredient ng tikoy?

Puro Good News ah! :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

what a good way to start the year of the dragon indeed.

Fengshui Forcast for PH

Thursday, 12 January 2012
by Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror

THE Year of the Water Dragon, which starts on January 23 will bring general luck and prosperity to the Philippines but because of a Disaster Star in the southeast where the country is located, it must be prepared for natural disasters during the year.

In a recent press briefing to announce the Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, its resident feng shui expert, Joseph Chau gave a preview of his forecasts for the coming year.

“The birthday of the Philippines is June 12, 1898, at 3:30 p.m. So the Philippines was born in an Earth Dog year, the month of the Earth Horse, the day of the Fire Horse and the time of the Fire Monkey. There are so many fire elements in the Philippines. In the Year of the Water Dragon, there will be an abundance of water. But what happens when abundant water and too much fire get together? They fight each other. But on the positive side, there is harmony because you need water to extinguish fire. So that means the Philippines will have good luck in 2012.”

The economy would face some challenges this year, he said, “fluctuating from time to time,” so businessmen are advised not to be “too stubborn” and to be “flexible in their work.”

The lucky businesses to engage in this year include lumber, fashion and garments, and publishing because all of these are ruled by earth elements.

“For the earth ventures to grow, you need water, isn’t it?” Chau said.

He said banking, the production of raw materials and mining “will face many challenges this year,” with the real-estate industry and the construction business slowing down.

“If President Aquino wants to push the mining business, he must organize [the regulations] well so he can attract good business. For real estate, if the property companies want to be able to sell their buildings, they must consult a licensed feng shui expert before constructing,” he added.

He also said that for the banking industry to expand, banks should adopt longer hours like in Hong Kong, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“If you are a businessman, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is too short a time to complete your business, especially if you’re coming from abroad, and your flight comes in the afternoon.”

What Chau was most excited about, though, was the tourism industry. He said the sector would prosper if the country were promoted well. :banana:

On the heels of the newly launched tourism campaign of the country, the feng shui expert, who is a resident of Hong Kong, even declared “Chinese New Year is more fun in the Philippines!”

He said, “tourism is a water element, and can cool down the fire in the country’s sign. So President Aquino should tell the tourism secretary to do more promotions to encourage tourists to come.”

He suggested that the Philippines do away with visa requirements altogether.

President Aquino, having been born in the Year of the Golden Rat (1960), also has a lot of fire elements, and would need the water in the coming Dragon Year to “cool down. This will help him bring money luck to the country,” Chau said.

But he underscored the possibility of more rains, floods, earthquakes and “explosions” in the Philippines, especially in the southeast location, because of the presence of the Disaster Star in the southeast quadrant.

“These may happen in the months of April, October and January 2013. So I hope the government can prepare for these, and prevent them when possible. They must make adjustments to avoid flooding.”

http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/21913-luck-for-aquino-disasters-for-phl-feng-shui-expert

World’s top economies in 2050 will be... :banana: :cheers:

by Kevin Voigt | CNN | January 12th, 2012 | 08:17 AM ET

The global research department of HSBC has released a report predicting the rise and fall of the world’s economies in the next 40 years.

The world’s top economy in 2050 will be China, followed by the United States. No surprises there – since China’s reforms in the 1980s, economists have said it’s not a question of if, but when, China’s collective economic might will top the U.S.

But among the smaller, developing nations, there are several surprises by HSBC prognosticators:

* By 2050, the Philippines will leapfrog 27 places to become the world’s 16th largest economy.

Source: http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/12/worlds-top-economies-in-2050-will-be/?iref=allsearch




too much ado about 2050.... it is being put forward as if it is already in the corner...guys wake up....it's decades away.....no one is sure of the future not the americans, the chinese...the russian or the morons in the PH...:ohno: don't be confused by those good economic feeds...para yan pagmukhain maraming nagawa na ang admin ni pnoy ...dahil in PRESENT TENSE.....wala pa silang konkretong maipakita....:lol:

PROOF na Puro...FUTURE TENSE :lol::ohno:

World’s top economies in 2050 will be...
Gov't to fast-track infrastructure projects
Ayala Land to invest P60B in new Bonifacio development
Qatar eyes Phl partners for $1-B investments

Bago kasi humirit, basahin mo munang mabuti. Ang prediction galing sa Foreign agency, reported ng CNN at sulat ni Kevin Voigt. Hindi galing sa Malacanang ang prediction. PART BA NG MALACANANG ANG HSBC at si Kevin Voigt ba filipino na sumulat ng article na ito?

Bakit goverment ba natin ang gumawa nyan wake up your mind:cheers::cheers:
Kung mga foreigner nga lumalaki tiwala sa ekonomiya natin.Payo ko sayo alisin mo na yang crab mentality mo:bash::bash:

:lol::lol: World economy ang prediction, ginawa nga naman pinas lang na parang ang nag predict pinoy..... Kaya nga napapailing ako minsan sa ibang tao dio.. Yong Kevin Voiyt nga ang nag publish, foreign agencies, sinisi pa din sa gobiernong ito as if sila Aquino ang nag pasulat duon sa Kevin guy na yon na foreigner...:lol:

ano nga ba ingredient ng tikoy?

Tanungin mo si Bitoy. :D :lol:

:lol::lol: World economy ang prediction, ginawa nga naman pinas lang na parang ang nag predict pinoy..... Kaya nga napapailing ako minsan sa ibang tao dio.. Yong Kevin Voiyt nga ang nag publish, foreign agencies, sinisi pa din sa gobiernong ito as if sila Aquino ang nag pasulat duon sa Kevin guy na yon na foreigner...:lol:

i agree... kahit international community na ang nakakapansin o nagcocomment.. parang publicity stunt pa rin ni Aquino ang tingin ng mga anti-noy... and kailangan pa talaga idoubt of mga professional and stablished na international financial analysts... :ohno:

2050 is still far far far away. Pero hindi imposible. :D

2050 is still far far far away. Pero hindi imposible. :D

tama:D

meron pa ngang prediction na sa 2045, sa sobrang taas ng crime rate sa Pinas, ginawang maximum security ang Metro Manila, nilagyan ng mataas/makapal na pader pa-ikot. lahat ng pumasok di na makalabas. at ang naging Capital City ay Tarlac sa pamumuno ni (Baby) James Yap:lol::lol::lol: Cebu naging independent country na, ang Mindanao naging Muslim country na rin na annexed ng Truly Asia:lol::lol::lol:

hay...naku may umepal....hahaha sinabi ko ba na mga pilipino ang sumulat nun..at mga local agencies....ang sabi ko....it is being put forward.....may mga naghahain...para ipakita yang mga balita na yan....na puro future tense...dahil walang maipakita na present tense...na accomplishment mismo ni pnoy ...gets?......humirit pa....basahin mo mabuti....ang post ko....:lol:...

o eto....present tense.....

WB cuts Phl growth forecast to 4.2% this year-Philstar Business.....dahil yan sa magaling na pamamalakad ng ekonomiya ni pnoy....:lol:

dad pasalamat pa nga raw tayo dahil resesyon daw sa ibang bansa, mataas na raw yan:lol:

:lol::lol::lol:

Forget tikoy. ... . We should send tons of tons of mandarin Oranges in the Whole of the Country for prosperity..hahahaha. or bulk order properity burger from Mac Donalds.

tama:D

meron pa ngang prediction na sa 2045, sa sobrang taas ng crime rate sa Pinas, ginawang maximum security ang Metro Manila, nilagyan ng mataas/makapal na pader pa-ikot. lahat ng pumasok di na makalabas. at ang naging Capital City ay Tarlac sa pamumuno ni (Baby) James Yap:lol::lol::lol: Cebu naging independent country na, ang Mindanao naging Muslim country na rin na annexed ng Truly Asia:lol::lol::lol:

hehehe... iba po ang economic forecast sa prediction...

ang prediction based sa stars, sa palad, sa guniguni... ang economic forecast ay based sa statical trends with scientific analysis...

ang prediction kahit sino pwede gumawa.. pero ang mga economic forecast mga tituladong tao at experienced professionals ang gumagawa...

hehehe...

hehehe... iba po ang economic forecast sa prediction...

ang prediction based sa stars, sa palad, sa guniguni... ang economic forecast ay based sa statical trends with scientific analysis...

ang prediction kahit sino pwede gumawa.. pero ang mga economic forecast mga tituladong tao at experienced professionals ang gumagawa...

hehehe...

Kung ganun pala, kumunsulta nalang tayo sa mga feng shui experts. Baka yung position ng mga gusali sa Makati yung kasagutan. :lol:

Kung ganun pala, kumunsulta nalang tayo sa mga feng shui experts. Baka yung position ng mga gusali sa Makati yung kasagutan. :lol:

ang tanong...based on statistical data ba ang feng shui... eh based din sa lunar calendar yun ehh...

ang tanong...based on statistical data ba ang feng shui... eh based din sa lunar calendar yun ehh...

I'm just lightening things up abit. :D

tama:D

meron pa ngang prediction na sa 2045, sa sobrang taas ng crime rate sa Pinas, ginawang maximum security ang Metro Manila, nilagyan ng mataas/makapal na pader pa-ikot. lahat ng pumasok di na makalabas. at ang naging Capital City ay Tarlac sa pamumuno ni (Baby) James Yap:lol::lol::lol: Cebu naging independent country na, ang Mindanao naging Muslim country na rin na annexed ng Truly Asia:lol::lol::lol:

Ang morbid. :lol:

I'm just lightening things up abit. :D

hahaha... :cheers:

Eastern Dragon walang Wikipedia kaya di kita masasagot sa Ingredient ng Tikoy. harharhar. I think HSBC economic forecast is based on how the economy is fairing currently. Meaning to say if you want our country to be on that position we have to make Pres Noynoy president for 39 more years or put somebody how's working attitude is like him. Or Meaning to say get a President who can play X-Box, watch impeachments and can still run the economy.

I'm just lightening things up abit. :D

moon cake na lang kulang. :banana::banana:

teka, bagong taon na para sa mga intsik. kailan ba papasok dito uli si bitoy.

Related:

"World Bank warns of global recession"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jan/17/world-bank-warns-global-recession

Fengshui Forcast for PH

Thursday, 12 January 2012
by Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror

THE Year of the Water Dragon, which starts on January 23 will bring general luck and prosperity to the Philippines but because of a Disaster Star in the southeast where the country is located, it must be prepared for natural disasters during the year.

In a recent press briefing to announce the Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, its resident feng shui expert, Joseph Chau gave a preview of his forecasts for the coming year.

“The birthday of the Philippines is June 12, 1898, at 3:30 p.m. So the Philippines was born in an Earth Dog year, the month of the Earth Horse, the day of the Fire Horse and the time of the Fire Monkey. There are so many fire elements in the Philippines. In the Year of the Water Dragon, there will be an abundance of water. But what happens when abundant water and too much fire get together? They fight each other. But on the positive side, there is harmony because you need water to extinguish fire. So that means the Philippines will have good luck in 2012.”

The economy would face some challenges this year, he said, “fluctuating from time to time,” so businessmen are advised not to be “too stubborn” and to be “flexible in their work.”

The lucky businesses to engage in this year include lumber, fashion and garments, and publishing because all of these are ruled by earth elements.

“For the earth ventures to grow, you need water, isn’t it?” Chau said.

He said banking, the production of raw materials and mining “will face many challenges this year,” with the real-estate industry and the construction business slowing down.

“If President Aquino wants to push the mining business, he must organize [the regulations] well so he can attract good business. For real estate, if the property companies want to be able to sell their buildings, they must consult a licensed feng shui expert before constructing,” he added.

He also said that for the banking industry to expand, banks should adopt longer hours like in Hong Kong, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“If you are a businessman, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is too short a time to complete your business, especially if you’re coming from abroad, and your flight comes in the afternoon.”

What Chau was most excited about, though, was the tourism industry. He said the sector would prosper if the country were promoted well. :banana:

^^
great tourism industry would boost :cheers:

parang kabanata talaga ang buhay sa mundo.

europe: the old world. slowly dying and bringing the world economy sagging with it.
US: the current power but showing typical empire decay.
Asia: the future.

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

this is my beef, foreigners seem to be more kind and impartial in their assessments compared to fellow filipinos.

gong xi fa cai. may tikoy na ako natanggap. :lol::lol:

btw, do you see an investment upgrade this year?

Yes, I got two tikoys na from my Chinese friends.

I'm positive about the investment grade this year.

Kung Hei Fat Choy/Gong Xi Fa Cai. :cheers::cheers::cheers:

http://images.happyinmanila.multiply.com/image/2/photos/8/1200x1200/21/tikoy.jpg?et=fOLagp1Js1hpZD3DDj1riA&nmid=157838103

FamilyMart to Open in Indonesia, Philippines as Japan Population Shrinks

By Cheng Herng Shinn and Shunichi Ozasa - Jan 18, 2012 11:00 PM GMT+0800
http://www.bloomberg.com/image/icyR2_oevSJ8.jpg
Commuters walk past a FamilyMart Co. convenience store at a subway station in Shanghai. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

FamilyMart Co. (8028), Japan’s largest convenience store operator in Southeast Asia, plans to open 600 stores in Indonesia and the Philippines, tapping demand from young people as an aging population saps growth at home.

The retailer intends to have 300 stores in each country by 2015, expanding on a network that includes more than 10,700 shops outside Japan, Masaaki Kosaka, director of overseas operations, said in an interview. He declined to say how much the expansion would cost.

FamilyMart joins larger Japanese competitors Lawson Inc. (2651) and Seven & I Holdings Co. in planning to open more stores in faster-growing Asian countries. The International Monetary Fund forecasts 5.6 percent economic growth this year in Southeast Asia, double Japan’s 2.3 percent target, as relatively young populations drive consumption.

Younger people “will definitely want the convenience of a convenience store, and there is trust in things from Japan, especially in Indonesia,” Kosaka said Jan. 13 in Tokyo.

FamilyMart has targeted an increase in the portion of profit from overseas to 20 percent by 2015 and forecasts an 10 percent gain in operating income to 42.1 billion yen ($549 million) for the fiscal year ending Feb. 28.

The retailer got about 3.2 billion yen, 7.3 percent of total operating income, from stores it operates in Asia outside Japan and under ventures in Thailand and Taiwan last year.

The chain had 8,697 stores in Japan and 10,782 franchisers in Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, China, the United States, and Vietnam as of the three months ended Nov. 30, Junji Ueda, chief executive officer, said on the company’s website.
‘Right Strategy’

Expanding to Indonesia and the Philippines “is the right strategy for them,” Mikihiko Yamato, an analyst at JI Asia, said by telephone. “They are taking a long-term view and will only see the results of the decision now reflected in their bottom lines in about eight years.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/familymart-to-add-600-southeast-asia-stores-to-tap-young-markets.html

If that happens, Family Mart would be competing with other convenient stores both local and foreign.

Especially 7-11 and Ministop.

^^ I think 7-11 is Japanese and so is Ministop. In Davao, there's Davao Convenience Store. And Mercury Drug as well has this convenience store type of operations na din (which IMHO is quite effective in merging medicines and basic necessities.)

^^ nde ba u.s originated yung 711
If that happens, Family Mart would be competing with other convenient stores both local and foreign.

Especially 7-11 and Ministop.

i was gonna say the same when i saw the clip in the other thread

^^ Well, 7 and I holdings which is based in Japan is the parent company of Sigbin Eleven.

^^ nde ba u.s originated yung 711


i was gonna say the same when i saw the clip in the other thread

7-Eleven is now managed by a Japanese company but it was founded in Dallas and still has its HQ there.

^^Taiwan is 7-11 while Japan for Ministop

^^Taiwan is 7-11 while Japan for Ministop

Nope, 7-Eleven is still mostly Japanese owned.

Nope, 7-Eleven is still mostly Japanese owned.
^^ I think 7-11 is Japanese and so is Ministop. In Davao, there's Davao Convenience Store. And Mercury Drug as well has this convenience store type of operations na din (which IMHO is quite effective in merging medicines and basic necessities.)


Yes, you're right 7 11, is under Seven and I Holdings.

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based holding company. The Company operates in six business segments. The Convenience Store segment operates convenience stores under the name 7-Eleven through direct operation and franchise.
http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=3382.T

7 11 Philippines is expanding to nearly 300 outlets.
Mini Stop is also Japan based. This chain is rapidly expanding in the Philippines. There are more than 2,000 Mini Stop Outlets in PH now.


It means we will have Family Mart to compete with 7 11 and Mini Stop. :)

The growth has already attracted FamilyMart rivals including Seven & I Holdings’ 7-Eleven franchise, which operates in the Philippines and Indonesia and the Ministop Co. chain, 47 percent owned by Japan’s largest general retailer Aeon Co., which has stores in the Philippines.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/familymart-to-add-600-southeast-asia-stores-to-tap-young-markets.html

PH is doing the right move. :cheers:


DOE to spend $100M on 20,000 electric tricycles
By: Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:06 pm | Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Energy plans to tap an initial $100 million from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) to help finance the 20,000 electric tricycles that it plans to deploy over the next two years.

The e-trikes, according to Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras, will provide a more sustainable form of transport that can provide economic, social and environment advantages as opposed to a tricycle fueled by the traditional fossil fuel, diesel.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Almendras said that the amount needed could even be more than $100 million, depending on the absorptive capacity of the local governments and the availability of companies that could manufacture the e-trikes.

http://business.inquirer.net/40277/doe-to-spend-100m-on-20000-electric-tricycles

PH is doing the right move. :cheers:


DOE to spend $100M on 20,000 electric tricycles
By: Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:06 pm | Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Energy plans to tap an initial $100 million from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) to help finance the 20,000 electric tricycles that it plans to deploy over the next two years.

The e-trikes, according to Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras, will provide a more sustainable form of transport that can provide economic, social and environment advantages as opposed to a tricycle fueled by the traditional fossil fuel, diesel.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Almendras said that the amount needed could even be more than $100 million, depending on the absorptive capacity of the local governments and the availability of companies that could manufacture the e-trikes.

http://business.inquirer.net/40277/doe-to-spend-100m-on-20000-electric-tricycles

I hope this new e-trycicles would go to old tricycle drivers so that the old ones get scrapped... if they just add new of these on top of the old-style tricycles, we'll get too many tricycles on the road instead of lessening them or upgradign to mass transport..

^^ That is the plan...on the execution to phase out the old ones, that remains to be seen.

Bahrain firm inks $50m Philippines farm deal
Manama: 1 hour and 18 minutes ago

Bahrain’s Nadir and Ibrahim Sons of Hassan Group has signed a $50 million agriculture investment deal with AMA Group Holdings, Philippines.

The deal is part of a total project worth $250 million which was launched two years ago and aims to ensure food security and promote the agribusiness sector.

The Philippines has provided the group with public land to grow crops including sugar, rice and bananas among other fruits over a five-year-period, Group executive director Ibrahim Al Ameer told our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej.

Setting up agricultural projects in the Philippines follows instructions from His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to meet Bahrain's food requirements and encourage the private sector to enter into joint ventures to this effect,' Ameer said. – TradeArabia News Service

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/AGRI_211242.html

PH is doing the right move. :cheers:


DOE to spend $100M on 20,000 electric tricycles
By: Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:06 pm | Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Energy plans to tap an initial $100 million from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) to help finance the 20,000 electric tricycles that it plans to deploy over the next two years.

The e-trikes, according to Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras, will provide a more sustainable form of transport that can provide economic, social and environment advantages as opposed to a tricycle fueled by the traditional fossil fuel, diesel.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Almendras said that the amount needed could even be more than $100 million, depending on the absorptive capacity of the local governments and the availability of companies that could manufacture the e-trikes.

http://business.inquirer.net/40277/doe-to-spend-100m-on-20000-electric-tricycles
ang mahal naman nung electric tricycle na yan

ang mahal naman nung electric tricycle na yan
Mahal kasi pag government ang mag-procure, di mo ba alam yan?
'tsaka, "diesel" daw yung fuel ng mga tricycle natin dati! Hehehehe Naloko na!

PHL remains vulnerable to external shocks - ADB :ohno:

by CMA/OMG | GMA News | January 19, 2012 | 1:22pm

Despite steady economic growth, a senior official of the Asian Development Bank warned that the Philippines remains vulnerable to external shocks such as weakening of major economies in the world.

In a speech to the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Thursday, Stephen Groff, ADB vice president, said the "lack of diversification in Philippine exports makes it quite vulnerable compared to its neighbors". The ADB sent a copy of the speech to the media.

Groff said the high concentration of Philippine exports in electronics, particularly semi-conductors, was the reason for the slowdown in its exports in 2011, while peers in the region saw their exports increasing despite a global slowdown.

The National Statistics Office has reported that from January to November 2011, Philippine exports dropped 5.6 percent to $47.296 billion.

Although, Groff commended the Aquino administration's commitment to "improve governance and transparency", he said the e lower infrastructure spending of the government is another concern.

"Spending will have to increase - a process that has now begun - to mitigate the impact of the deteriorating global environment," Groff said.

Read More: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/245061/economy/business/phl-remains-vulnerable-to-external-shocks-adb

BPO revenues hit $9B; firm cites quality of Pinoy labor :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers:

by Malaya Business Insight | January 19, 2012 | 12:00AM

AMERICAN business process outsourcing (BPO) firm NCO Group Inc. has cited that it is not only cheap costs -- but more importantly quality of labor -- that are driving companies to outsource operations in the Philippines.

This developed as the BPO industry was said to have contributed close to $9 billion in export revenues last year.

The Department of Transportation and Communications, citing a Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) 2011 report, said the BPO growth last year represents an approximately 4.8 percent share of the country’s GDP.

Ronald Rittenmeyer, president and chief executive officer of NCO Group, described the quality of work that Filipino BPO employees provide as "top-notch."

"We don’t just come here in the Philippines because it’s cheaper here," Rittenmeyer said.

"We come here because the quality of work our employees do here is excellent. That’s why we do our business here," he noted.

NCO opened its fifth site in the Philippines on Tuesday. NCO Mezza is located at the corner of Aurora boulevard and Araneta avenue in the heart of Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Read More: http://www.malaya.com.ph/01192012/busi4.html

FamilyMart to Open in Indonesia, Philippines as Japan Population Shrinks :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers:

by Cheng Herng Shinn and Shunichi Ozasa | Bloomberg | Thursday | Jan 18, 2012 | 10:00 AM ET

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/icyR2_oevSJ8.jpg
Commuters walk past a FamilyMart Co. convenience store at a subway station in Shanghai. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/imZ8_EMH0cQs.jpg
A man shops at a FamilyMart Co. convenience store in Shanghai. The company is concentrating on China where it plans to open 1,000 new stores yearly till 2015 and plans to hit a target of 8,000 stores in China by 2020. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/irMKRCIaB3Uc.jpg
FamilyMart is expanding overseas amid a strong yen and a shrinking Japanese population that’s crimping domestic demand growth. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/iHRxDSR.V_ms.jpg
A FamilyMart Co. convenience store in Ho Chi Minh City. Photographer: Takafumi Shinno/FamilyMart Co. via Bloomberg

FamilyMart Co. (8028), Japan’s largest convenience store operator in Southeast Asia, plans to open 600 stores in Indonesia and the Philippines, tapping demand from young people as an aging population saps growth at home.

The retailer intends to have 300 stores in each country by 2015, expanding on a network that includes more than 10,700 shops outside Japan, Masaaki Kosaka, director of overseas operations, said in an interview. He declined to say how much the expansion would cost.

FamilyMart joins larger Japanese competitors Lawson Inc. (2651) and Seven & I Holdings Co. in planning to open more stores in faster-growing Asian countries. The International Monetary Fund forecasts 5.6 percent economic growth this year in Southeast Asia, double Japan’s 2.3 percent target, as relatively young populations drive consumption.

Younger people “will definitely want the convenience of a convenience store, and there is trust in things from Japan, especially in Indonesia,” Kosaka said Jan. 13 in Tokyo.

FamilyMart has targeted an increase in the portion of profit from overseas to 20 percent by 2015 and forecasts an 10 percent gain in operating income to 42.1 billion yen ($549 million) for the fiscal year ending Feb. 28.

The retailer got about 3.2 billion yen, 7.3 percent of total operating income, from stores it operates in Asia outside Japan and under ventures in Thailand and Taiwan last year.

The chain had 8,697 stores in Japan and 10,782 franchisers in Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, China, the United States, and Vietnam as of the three months ended Nov. 30, Junji Ueda, chief executive officer, said on the company’s website.

‘Right Strategy’

Expanding to Indonesia and the Philippines “is the right strategy for them,” Mikihiko Yamato, an analyst at JI Asia, said by telephone. “They are taking a long-term view and will only see the results of the decision now reflected in their bottom lines in about eight years.”

The population of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia will expand by about 6.6 percent, or 14 million people, from this year to 553 million by 2016, according to International Monetary Fund estimates. Japan’s will probably contract 1.1 percent to 127 million in the same period, the data show.

The growth has already attracted FamilyMart rivals including Seven & I Holdings’ 7-Eleven franchise, which operates in the Philippines and Indonesia and the Ministop Co. chain, 47 percent owned by Japan’s largest general retailer Aeon Co., which has stores in the Philippines.

Lawson, 7 Eleven

FamilyMart has gained 2.1 percent in Tokyo trading in the past 12 months, lagging behind Lawson’s 14 percent advance and compared with a 1.9 percent decline at Seven & I, which also operates the Ito-Yokado supermarket chain. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average dropped 19 percent in the period.

Lawson Chief Executive Officer Takeshi Niinami aims to open almost 10,000 stores in China by 2020, a 30-fold increase from 2010, while Aeon President Motoya Okada said last year he expects half of the company’s profit to come from China by 2020.

In Japan, Familymart estimates it controls 17 percent of Japan’s 8.3 trillion yen convenience store market. The retailer has said it plans to increase the proportion of customers between 50 and 65 years old to 22 percent from the 18 percent 2010 target, matching the level in the overall population, according to the 2010 annual report.

The company aims to have about 70 percent of its stores overseas by 2020 by almost tripling outlets outside Japan to 29,000, compared with 11,000 in its home market.

“The average age of people in the Philippines is 22 or 23 and 27 in Indonesia, compared with 45 in Japan,” Kosaka said. “There is no reason not to enter those markets.”

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/familymart-to-add-600-southeast-asia-stores-to-tap-young-markets.html

BOP Surplus down 29% to $10.18B - Philstar Business...'it plunge due to the sudden reversal of foreign capital inflows' according to the report....tsk tsk tsk.....kala ko ba....naguumapaw ang investments na pumapasok dahil sa tiwala kay pnoy....:ohno: ito... ito ang mga klase ng balita ang dapat tinututukan natin dahil ito ay PRESENT TENSE....nangyayari mismo ngayon....hindi mga WISH KO LANG sa panahon ng 2050...patunay sa kahinaan ng diskarte sa pamamalakad ng ekonomiya ng admin ni pnoy.....:ohno:

dad wala namang masama kung wish nila maganda ang haharapin ni Baby James pag siya na presidente sa 2050:rofl:

papahina pa ang ekonomiya ng mundo...sa kahinaan dumiskarte ng economic team ng pnoy admin....baka magising na lang tayo isang umaga na bagsak na ang ekonomiya ...na gutom, kaguluhan at kahirapan ang sasalubong sa bansa...:ohno: ...wake up call ito sa mga nagbubulag bulagan.....yung mga hindi pa matanggap na ang nailuklok sa panguluhan ay sa kasamaang palad isang palpak....:lol:

papahina pa ang ekonomiya ng mundo...sa kahinaan dumiskarte ng economic team ng pnoy admin....baka magising na lang tayo isang umaga na bagsak na ang ekonomiya ...na gutom, kaguluhan at kahirapan ang sasalubong sa bansa...:ohno: ...wake up call ito sa mga nagbubulag bulagan.....yung mga hindi pa matanggap na ang nailuklok sa panguluhan ay sa kasamaang palad isang palpak....:lol:

Ano naman kaya ang ibabagsak talaga ng economy ng pinas? Bagsak naman talaga panahon pa ni Marcos, buti sana kung top manufacturing industry at exporter ang pinas:lol::lol: OFW Oo, biggest export ALIN KAYANG BANSA ANG TALAGANG YUMAN KUNG PURO manpower ang export lalo na puro DH ???:lol::lol::lol:

ang mahal naman nung electric tricycle na yan

Lahat naman yata ng electric powered vehicle super mahal, tignan mo ang Chevy Volt, stop na ang manufacturing dahil sa sobrang mahal at walang gustong bumili.

Siguro sa eTric na yan medyo uubra dahil short distances naman ang travel hindi gaya ng electric cars ng Chevy at Nissan, matatakot kang mag long drive dahil baka one way lang ang kayanin, mahirap pang humanap ng charging station dahil sa work places I'm pretty sure, your employer would not allow you to tap your electric powered autos because it will run their electric bills...

Mahal kasi pag government ang mag-procure, di mo ba alam yan?
'tsaka, "diesel" daw yung fuel ng mga tricycle natin dati! Hehehehe Naloko na!

Okay, I give you this one. That was really funny!!:lol::lol::lol:

PH is doing the right move. :cheers:


DOE to spend $100M on 20,000 electric tricycles
By: Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:06 pm | Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Energy plans to tap an initial $100 million from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) to help finance the 20,000 electric tricycles that it plans to deploy over the next two years.

The e-trikes, according to Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras, will provide a more sustainable form of transport that can provide economic, social and environment advantages as opposed to a tricycle fueled by the traditional fossil fuel, diesel.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Almendras said that the amount needed could even be more than $100 million, depending on the absorptive capacity of the local governments and the availability of companies that could manufacture the e-trikes.

http://business.inquirer.net/40277/doe-to-spend-100m-on-20000-electric-tricycles

^^
great, so papano kaya ang distribution nito? sino mauuna makikinabang sa project na ito over the next two years? :)

I just had to borrow this post from a different thread since I feel this is pertinent to the discussion even before. It is infact the cause of economic slowdown in the Philippines. Why? The Philippine is exporting these to countries affected by the economic meltdown overseas. And for someone to think that it was solely due to Aquino's lack of ability to run the country, the culprit is really just under our noses, I do not know why some of us here can't see these. This is the whole reason why infrastructure is being encouraged. Infrastructure project would definitely absorb the shock but it will definitely be not the solution for these because the consumers of these Philippine exports are outside the Philippines and that to expect more investment especially coming from the US where US corporations are the ones suffering financial, how much do you think the Philippine government can attract into the country when these corporations are hurting along with their consumers. We would build the road and everything but to lure the investors but with the investors itself are suffering how is this going to help the Philippines? That and the policies in the Philippines are both the biggest hindrance in luring more investors in the country. Who else is there to turn to? China or perhaps Australia. But with China's ability to manufacture its own products and export it, they are somehow out of the equation. The only solution is to develop our own technology, stir up internal investment more than foreigng investment then solidify the Philippine export industy from Philippine based and owned corporations.

PHL remains vulnerable to external shocks - ADB :ohno:

by CMA/OMG | GMA News | January 19, 2012 | 1:22pm

Despite steady economic growth, a senior official of the Asian Development Bank warned that the Philippines remains vulnerable to external shocks such as weakening of major economies in the world.

In a speech to the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Thursday, Stephen Groff, ADB vice president, said the "lack of diversification in Philippine exports makes it quite vulnerable compared to its neighbors". The ADB sent a copy of the speech to the media.

Groff said the high concentration of Philippine exports in electronics, particularly semi-conductors, was the reason for the slowdown in its exports in 2011, while peers in the region saw their exports increasing despite a global slowdown.

The National Statistics Office has reported that from January to November 2011, Philippine exports dropped 5.6 percent to $47.296 billion.

Although, Groff commended the Aquino administration's commitment to "improve governance and transparency", he said the e lower infrastructure spending of the government is another concern.

"Spending will have to increase - a process that has now begun - to mitigate the impact of the deteriorating global environment," Groff said.

Read More: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/245061/economy/business/phl-remains-vulnerable-to-external-shocks-adb

good news naman about the economy.
:)


Record Philippine Stock Inflows Show Confidence in Aquino GDP Growth Plan (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-19/record-philippine-stock-inflows-show-confidence-in-aquino-gdp-growth-plans.html)

Investors are pouring record amounts of money into Philippine stocks, a sign of growing confidence in President Benigno Aquino’s plan to boost economic growth to a level that may exceed China’s expansion.
Foreign investors bought $1.1 billion of Philippine shares in the past two months, the most since Bloomberg began tracking the data in 1999. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PCOMP) rose 9.2 percent in the period, the most among benchmark equity gauges in emerging markets, and closed at an all-time high yesterday.
Aquino, 51, is boosting government spending to a record this year as he seeks to spur the $200 billion economy’s growth rate to as fast as 8 percent from about 5 percent last year. While Bank of the Philippine Islands, the nation’s top- performing equity fund manager, says the rally will continue as falling interest rates boost earnings and infrastructure spending accelerates, Manulife Asset Management says the most expensive valuations since 2004 will limit gains.

read more... (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-19/record-philippine-stock-inflows-show-confidence-in-aquino-gdp-growth-plans.html)

This is also very positive for Philippine economy. More exports the better it is....

Singapore would definitely need these from the Philippines. It's really high time for the Philippine government to improve farming industry and develop more technology relating to farming.

Singapore wants PH vegetables; second trial shipment readied :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers: :banana: :cheers:

by MADELAINE FAYE D. CABRERA | Malaya Business Insight | Thursday | January 19, 2012 | 12:00AM

THE Philippines, considered a basically agricultural country, has been importing vegetables its farmers can very well grow on their turf. The imports come mostly from China, Thailand and Hong Kong.

The massive vegetable purchases from other countries has in turn discouraged Filipino farmers from planting more for their own use and as a source of income.

Now comes the possibility that the Philippines may export vegetables to Singapore.

Jennifer E. Remoquillo, officer-in-charge of the high-value crops development program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said yesterday at the 82nd anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Plant Industry that qualified farmers’ groups in Northern Luzon, Bukidnon and Davao are prepared to enter into growing contracts with Green and Fresh Pte. Ltd. of Singapore.

"We need to talk to airlines this week, since we want to do the second trial shipment by next week," she said.

Read More: http://www.malaya.com.ph/01192012/busi2.html

BOP Surplus down 29% to $10.18B - Philstar Business...'it plunge due to the sudden reversal of foreign capital inflows' according to the report....tsk tsk tsk.....kala ko ba....naguumapaw ang investments na pumapasok dahil sa tiwala kay pnoy....:ohno: ito... ito ang mga klase ng balita ang dapat tinututukan natin dahil ito ay PRESENT TENSE....nangyayari mismo ngayon....hindi mga WISH KO LANG sa panahon ng 2050...patunay sa kahinaan ng diskarte sa pamamalakad ng ekonomiya ng admin ni pnoy.....:ohno:

Laki ng galit mo kay pnoy ha alam mo natural lng yan parang tindahan lng yan eh minsan mahina ang benta minsan malakas pero sa ngayun mas malakas ang benta ika nga bihira lang ang matumal.Subukan mo kaya maglabas ng pera sa bulsa mo at magnegosyo ka dito ng may maitulong ka naman sa bansa:lol::lol:Ang weird mo wag ka maxadong manunuod ng kapuso at kapamilya la ka makukuha:lol::lol:

Family Mart even has a store in NoKor!

Poverty count improves
Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=Poverty-count-improves&id=45382

FILIPINO FAMILIES’ CLAIMS of being “poor” declined last month to just a few points shy of the record low, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in a new report, prompting the Aquino administration to claim gains in its fight against poverty.

Results of a Dec. 3-7 survey, made exclusive to BusinessWorld, had 45% of the respondents (equivalent to an estimated 9.1 million households) saying they were “mahirap” or poor, a seven-point improvement from the 52% (10.4 million families) recorded three months earlier.

The result was just two points above the all-time low of 43% that has been hit twice -- in March 1987 and March 2010 -- in the nearly 30 years the pollster has been conducting the self-rated poverty count.

The survey also found that 36% (estimated 7.2 million) consider themselves as poor in terms of food, five points down from 41% (estimated 8.2 million) in September and marking the third time that this level -- five points higher than March 2010’s record low of 31% -- was hit in the last six quarters.

The December poverty result -- the lowest so far under Benigno S. C. Aquino III’s presidency -- put the 2011 average at 49%, up a point from last year. The food-poor count average, meanwhile, was 38%, two points higher compared to 2010.

A Palace official attributed the latest results to the implementation of anti-poverty programs, particularly conditional cash transfers (CCT) under the Social Welfare department.

Improvements, however, were not across the board: self-rated poverty plummeted by 19 points to 38% in Mindanao, eased by eight to 45% in Balance Luzon and by a point in the Visayas to 52%, but worsened by eight to 47% in Metro Manila. In rural areas a 13-point improvement to 49% was recorded; it was a modest two to 41% in towns and cities.

Self-rated food poverty, meanwhile, also plunged -- by 14 points -- to 30% in Mindanao and by eight points to 37% in Balance Luzon, but it added six and four points, respectively, to 31% in Metro Manila and 43% in the Visayas.

Families continued to tighten their belts, the SWS said, with the self-rated poverty threshold -- the monthly budgets poor households say they need in order not to consider themselves poor -- staying sluggish despite rising inflation.

It fell to P10,000 in Metro Manila, P6,000 in Balance Luzon and P6,000 in the Visayas, while it stayed at P6,000 in Mindanao.

Median food-poverty thresholds, meanwhile, fell to P5,000 in Metro Manila and P3,750 in the Visayas, but stayed at P4,000 in Balance Luzon and P3,500 in Mindanao.

In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, “We are happy with the recent survey, the last survey of SWS, and we would like to believe that the CCT has something to do with the reduction in poverty.”

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), he claimed, was working to improve its targeting system so as to “identify the transient poor and the chronic poor” and provide the necessary services.

“The DSWD is continuously looking for ways to reduce poverty,” he added.


_________________________________


NSCB sees better RP economy in 2012
Daily Tribune
01/20/2012
http://www.tribuneonline.org/business/20120120bus6.html

The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) expects a positive outlook for the Philippine economy this year as its composite leading economic index (LEI) continued to improve.

The NSCB said the LEI in the first quarter continued its upward course after it weakened in the second quarter last year.

The LEI serves as a basis for short-term forecasting of macroeconomic activity, as it incorporates the behavior of indicators that consistently move upward or downward before the actual expansion or contraction of the economy.

For the first quarter, the LEI posted 0.238 from a revised 0.158 in the fourth quarter of last year.

“The latest LEI computations show the index in firmer positive territory auguring well for the domestic economy to start off the year of the dragon,” the NSCB said.

The government expects gross domestic product (GDP) to grow between five to six percent this year.

Of the 11 indicators that make up the composite LEI, eight contributed positively.

The NSCB said the positive contributors in the LEI include the visitor arrivals, stock price index, hotel occupancy rate, wholesale price index, total merchandise imports, electric energy consumption, consumer price index and number of new businesses.

The combined share of positive contributors for this quarter rose to 82.1 percent from 65.5 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, bolstering the healthier prospects for the economy.

On the other hand, the negative contributors, beginning with the largest negative contributor, were terms of trade index, money supply and foreign exchange rate.

The negative contributors accounted for 17.9 percent of total contribution. PNA

Can't we wait until new figures from the NSO or NSCB will be out? We should know better!

EU crisis could spread, says WB
Business Mirror
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/22160-eu-crisis-could-spread-says-wb

The crisis in Europe may not have any significant impact on countries like the Philippines this year and next, but the World Bank warned that it’s better to be safe than sorry because if the crisis worsened, it would not spare anyone.

To help countries prepare for an escalation of the European crisis, World Bank Development Prospects Director Hans Timmer said governments must “pre-finance budget deficits, prioritize spending on social safety nets and infrastructure, and stress-test domestic banks” while there is still time.

The WB has lowered its growth forecast for 2012 to 5.4 percent for developing countries and 1.4 percent for high-income countries and a contraction of 0.3 percent for the euro area. This was a downgrade from June estimates of 6.2 percent and 2.7 percent and 1.8 percent for the euro Area, respectively. Global growth is now projected at 2.5 percent and 3.1 percent for 2012 and 2013, respectively.

In its Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report released on Wednesday, the World Bank maintained its 4.2-percent forecast for the growth of the Philippine economy this year and said the country may see its gross domestic product (GDP) expand by 5 percent in 2013.

“An escalation of the crisis would spare no one. Developed- and developing-country growth rates could fall
by as much or more than in 2008-09,” Andrew Burns, GEP lead author and World Bank Global Macroeconomics manager, said in a statement. “The importance of contingency planning cannot be stressed enough.”

While it is true that the fiscal position of many developing countries now are still better than developed countries, their fiscal space has already significantly reduced since 2008 and 2009, at the time of the global economic recession, he said.

This limited fiscal space, the World Bank said, may not be enough to weather another crisis, one that could potentially be worse than the 2008-2009 crisis. The bank fears that this will limit the response of countries and would lead to a sharp deterioration in growth.

If the crisis worsens, the World Bank said, countries to be severely affected include those that have high levels of short- or maturing long-term loans. Some of these countries are in Asia, such as the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Malaysia.

“To a large extent the reduced fiscal space reflects the fact that in 2007 many countries were at the peak of a cyclical boom that had boosted fiscal revenues above normal rates. As a result, fiscal deficits were smaller by about 2 percent of GDP than they would have been had activity been in line with underlying potential. Now most developing countries are much closer to normal levels of output, and this cyclical windfall has disappeared,” the report said.

Also, the World Bank said that apart from the risks posed on the fiscal and monetary side, another economic downturn would lead to sharper declines in the demand for merchandise exports that will affect the manufacturing industry.

This will prove fatal for manufacturing dependent countries and these countries are in Asia. The bank said the countries that rely heavily on manufactures include China, India, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and Turkey.

In November 2011, 80.9 percent of the total export earnings comprised shipments of Manufactured Goods, which were estimated at $2.703 billion. This was a 23.9-percent increase from $3.553 billion recorded in November 2010.

Slower growth is already visible in weakening global trade and commodity prices. Global exports of goods and services expanded an estimated 6.6 percent in 2011 (down from 12.4 percent in 2010), and are projected to rise by only 4.7 percent in 2012.

The global prices of energy, metals and minerals, and agricultural products are down 10 percent, 25 percent and 19 percent respectively, since peaks in early 2011. Declining commodity prices have contributed to an easing of headline inflation in most developing countries.

Although international food prices eased in recent months, down 14 percent from their peak in February 2011, food security for the poorest, including in the Horn of Africa, remains a central concern.


______________________________



EU downturn to have larger impact on Asia
Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=EU-downturn-to-have-larger-impact-on-Asia&id=45378

Asia will be unable to insulate itself from an expected contraction in Europe this year, experts said on Wednesday, with some even warning that the East may fare worse this time around.

“We think the scale of the recession in Western Europe and the duration of the downturn will mean the impact on Asia will be materially worse than in 2008 and 2009,” John Bowler, director of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s country risk service, told visiting journalists.

Mr. Bowler explained that unlike the previous downturn where western governments were able to bail out their economies, budget deficits along with low interest rates had left European countries with fewer options to cope.

Prospects are even gloomier now that the euro zone’s solidarity is threatened with Greece possibly leaving, he added.

Standard & Chartered Bank economist Thomas Costerg, for his part, downplayed the threat of a euro zone breakup but nevertheless forecast a 1.5% contraction for the bloc in 2012.

“Our base scenario is that Greek bond holders will come to an agreement and the ‘voluntary’ deal will go through,” Mr. Costerg said in a separate briefing, referring to negotiations with private investors to ease the terms of a €14.4-billion redemption of Greek notes due in March.

But both agreed that whatever the extent of the euro zone crisis, Asia will be hit.

“Although we think emerging market activity is resilient, we don’t believe in growth ‘decoupling’,” Mr. Costerg said.

Mr. Bowler said, “Europe is still a big chunk of global output. It will have a knock-on effect on Asia.”

The impact of the EU crisis will be seen in trade flows and in finance policy, they said.

3.2 gdp nabawas ang kahirapan.nasaan ang logic.kapag 5gdp lang hindi nababawasan at nadagdagan ang mga mahirap.

^^ Baka naman kasi nuong panahon ni GMA mataas man ang GDP, hindi naman nagtrickle-down sa masang Pilipino ang kaginhawahan sa buhay...
Napunta halos lahat ng biyaya sa mga corrupt/garapal nating opisyal.

^^ Baka naman kasi nuong panahon ni GMA mataas man ang GDP, hindi naman nagtrickle-down sa masang Pilipino ang kaginhawahan sa buhay...
Napunta halos lahat ng biyaya sa mga corrupt/garapal nating opisyal.
That's a claim that's hard to prove. Says who? If the info comes from the enemies of GMA, it will speak for itself, no questions asked. If that comes from a third party that has nothing to gain from those statements, maybe we could believe it, IMO. We just need to filter out the info around us. Separate the chaff fro the grain!

^^ Baka naman kasi nuong panahon ni GMA mataas man ang GDP, hindi naman nagtrickle-down sa masang Pilipino ang kaginhawahan sa buhay...
Napunta halos lahat ng biyaya sa mga corrupt/garapal nating opisyal.

+1 Ka duon yan din kasi hinala ko ehh.... aanhin pa ang mataas na GDP ng bansa ehh.... kung ang nakikinabang man lang ay puro kapwa nya buwaya na opisyal at ang mga masang Pilipino ay gutom at walang maayos na tirahan.

Record Philippine Stock Inflows Show Confidence in Aquino GDP Growth Plans
By Ian Sayson and Michael Patterson - Jan 19, 2012 8:44 AM PT

Investors are pouring record amounts of money into Philippine stocks, a sign of growing confidence in President Benigno Aquino’s plan to boost economic growth to a level that may exceed China’s expansion.

Foreign investors bought $1.1 billion of Philippine shares in the past two months, the most since Bloomberg began tracking the data in 1999. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PCOMP) rose 9.2 percent in the period, the most among benchmark equity gauges in emerging markets, and closed at an all-time high yesterday.

(read more) (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-19/record-philippine-stock-inflows-show-confidence-in-aquino-gdp-growth-plans.html)

-------

Penot better follow through.

Laki ng galit mo kay pnoy ha alam mo natural lng yan parang tindahan lng yan eh minsan mahina ang benta minsan malakas pero sa ngayun mas malakas ang benta ika nga bihira lang ang matumal.Subukan mo kaya maglabas ng pera sa bulsa mo at magnegosyo ka dito ng may maitulong ka naman sa bansa:lol::lol:Ang weird mo wag ka maxadong manunuod ng kapuso at kapamilya la ka makukuha:lol::lol:

pano mo naman na assume na wala akong negosyo.... mga tao nga naman..... assume assume assume......fyig sa binabayad ko na buwis buwan buwan ay nakakakatulong ako sa bansa....palagay ko mas weird ang mga taong sunod sunuran lang sa kung ano ang ibalita ng media without dissecting what the real situation is.......:ohno:

Record Philippine Stock Inflows Show Confidence in Aquino GDP Growth Plans
By Ian Sayson and Michael Patterson - Jan 19, 2012 8:44 AM PT

Investors are pouring record amounts of money into Philippine stocks, a sign of growing confidence in President Benigno Aquino’s plan to boost economic growth to a level that may exceed China’s expansion.

Foreign investors bought $1.1 billion of Philippine shares in the past two months, the most since Bloomberg began tracking the data in 1999. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PCOMP) rose 9.2 percent in the period, the most among benchmark equity gauges in emerging markets, and closed at an all-time high yesterday.

(read more) (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-19/record-philippine-stock-inflows-show-confidence-in-aquino-gdp-growth-plans.html)

-------



:cheers:

WB growth forecast at the low end – NEDA
Manila Times
Friday, January 20, 2012
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business/top-business-news/15396-wb-growth-forecast-at-the-low-end--neda

THE World Bank’s 2012 forecast for the Philippine economy is on the low end, according to National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Assistant Director General Roberto Majuca.

He said the government anticipates that the country will be affected by the negative external developments however he added that the government is exerting determined efforts to substantially increase government expenditures this year.

Majuca noted that spending would focus particularly on infrastructure spending.

NEDA earlier forecasted a 5-percent to 6-percent economic growth in 2012 based on the massive infrastructure investment of the Aquino administration.

“The government is also closely monitoring the expenditure performance of the agencies to ensure that last year’s underspending will not happen again,” he noted.

The NEDA official also said that through the monitoring of expenditure performance, the government can vigilantly counter the negative effects of the worldwide economic slowdown and ensure that the domestic economy will be resilient.

The World Bank, however, projected the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by only 4.2 percent in 2012.

It also warned developing countries like the Philippines to get ready for more downside growth risks this year because of the European area debt problems, natural disasters in Japan and political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa.

It also projected a decline of global growth, expansion and GDP in East Asia and the Pacific region where the Philippines is included.



__________________________________



How PH can weather the global slowdown in 2012
PhilStar / Black Pearl
http://blackpearl.com.ph/content.php?id=5312

As it forecast Philippine growth at 4.8% this year, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) gave some advice on how the country can address the challenges that a global downturn may bring.

Asian Development Bank vice president Stephen P. Groff on Thursday said 2012 is shaping to be and "interesting" and "challenging time for the Asia-Pacific region.

But despite downside risks and potential spillover effects from economic difficulties in the West, the ADB sees developing Asia's gross domestic product growth at over 7% in 2012. The Philippines is seen to grow by 4.8% this year.

"Strong private consumption backed by robust remittance inflows, increasing public investment, and gradual export recovery, will support the Philippines’ economic recovery in 2012," Groff said, in a speech at the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines' forum "Prospects for the Philippines."

However, the Philippines has been too reliant on exports of electronics, particularly semi-conductors. Electronics exports showed a steep decline in 2011.

"It is tempting to think of the Philippines as somewhat insulated from the global environment because about 2/3 of its trade stays within the region... This lack of diversification makes the Philippines quite vulnerable compared to its neighbors, where exports continued to grow despite the global slowdown," Groff said.

The ADB official said the Philippine government to increase its spending in order to cushion the impact of the deteriorating global economy. Last year, the government curtailed its spending as it tried to improve governance and transparency in public projects.

"But let’s not forget that external funding is likely to become tighter in the wake of the spreading crisis in Europe. The question for the Philippines is whether its own banking sector – which is in a healthy state with ample liquidity – could step in to fill these financial gaps," he said.

The Philippines is also being urged to expand its market in other emerging economies. Groff noted Malaysia's trade with emerging economies outside of East Asia represents one-quarter of its total trade last year, while the Philippines only had less than 5%.

"Increased trade integration with neighboring countries could also lessen the impact of external economic shocks," he said.

Persistent problems should be addressed

The ADB said the country's long-term prospects depend on how it would be able to address its persistent problems, such as unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation and governance.

The government's employment strategy needs to be rethought, especially since 4 in 10 employed Filipinos were considered as "vulnerable" (either self-employed at menial jobs or unpaid family workers) in 2010.

While the country has made significant gains in the business process outsourcing industry, Groff noted it only employs about 1% of the total labor force and only employs skilled workers.

"For the growing millions with lesser skills and fewer prospects, what’s needed is a stronger industrial base that allows the economy to 'walk on two legs' – both services and manufacturing," he said.

The government should also tackle inadequate infrastructure that has prevented sustainable growth. "For the growing millions with lesser skills and fewer prospects, what’s needed is a stronger industrial base that allows the economy to “walk on two legs” – both services and manufacturing," Groff said.

However, the issue that underlines all these challenges is governance and political economy.

"This issue is inexorably linked with the country’s low competitiveness rating and inability to translate growth into poverty reduction," he said.

"However, there are indications that the current government’s reform orientation and commitment to good governance is beginning to increase investor confidence. For sure, continued, strong commitment and progress will be required if inclusive growth—that is, prosperity for all Filipinos—is to be achieved," he said.

These challenges may be daunting, but the ADB noted the Aquino government appears committed to addressing these, as seen in the Philippines Development Plan for 2011-2016.

BIR files tax cases vs construction firm, salon
By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) Updated January 20, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed yesterday two tax cases at the Department of Justice against a construction firm and a Valenzuela City-based salon.

In a press briefing after the filing, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said business establishments and taxpayers have been warned repeatedly that the tax agency would be going after tax evaders.

The BIR filed the first case against Lucena City-based DQT Builders Corp. for allegedly evading taxes by failing to provide the BIR with correct and accurate information in 2007.

The company has allegedly been reporting fictitious transactions worth P70.27 million as expenses or purchases in 2007, Henares said.

However, based on its investigation on the supposed suppliers, these companies had no transactions with the construction firm.

Furthermore, the BIR said the three suppliers denied that they had such transactions with the firm, even attesting to the inaccuracies of the information provided by the construction firm.

The allegedly fictitious expenses effectively reduced its taxable income as well as its VAT liability by claiming fictitious input tax.

Based on the BIR’s computation, the firm’s total tax liability is at P76.4 million, of which surcharges and interest amount to P20.77 million while deficiency value added tax and income tax amount to P55.75 million.

BIR files tax cases vs construction firm, salon
By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) Updated January 20, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed yesterday two tax cases at the Department of Justice against a construction firm and a Valenzuela City-based salon.

In a press briefing after the filing, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said business establishments and taxpayers have been warned repeatedly that the tax agency would be going after tax evaders.

The BIR filed the first case against Lucena City-based DQT Builders Corp. for allegedly evading taxes by failing to provide the BIR with correct and accurate information in 2007.

The company has allegedly been reporting fictitious transactions worth P70.27 million as expenses or purchases in 2007, Henares said.

However, based on its investigation on the supposed suppliers, these companies had no transactions with the construction firm.

Furthermore, the BIR said the three suppliers denied that they had such transactions with the firm, even attesting to the inaccuracies of the information provided by the construction firm.

The allegedly fictitious expenses effectively reduced its taxable income as well as its VAT liability by claiming fictitious input tax.

Based on the BIR’s computation, the firm’s total tax liability is at P76.4 million, of which surcharges and interest amount to P20.77 million while deficiency value added tax and income tax amount to P55.75 million.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=769317

We have to emulate Americas economic miracle, with high standard of living as most Filipino wants to come and live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g6CLglFE4w

We have to emulate Americas economic miracle, with high standard of living as most Filipino wants to come and live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g6CLglFE4w

America took a century or more to reach the status that it currently has. It even went to a civil war.

We have to emulate Americas economic miracle, with high standard of living as most Filipino wants to come and live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g6CLglFE4w
If I just read and never cared to click on the link you have provided, I was about to believe you meant America, the continent! Which is never at a good level of economic status. BTW, each country will evolve into something. Let's just hope we follow a better path.

yes, we are evolving:D

America took a century or more to reach the status that it currently has. It even went to a civil war.

Not really. Both the North and the South were prosperous by the time the Civil War started.

Nagtataka ako nung panahon ni GMA mataas nga GDP pero bakit parang andaming naghihirap kahit ako parang hirap din. lugi pa ako sa investments ko sa stocks pero ngayun mababa ang GDP pero maginhawa ang buhay ko. malakas kita sa stock market. halos mga kapitbahay ko guminhawa din buhay. sana palaging ganito.

^^parang nanood ka ng escapist movie no.

Nagtataka ako nung panahon ni GMA mataas nga GDP pero bakit parang andaming naghihirap kahit ako parang hirap din. lugi pa ako sa investments ko sa stocks pero ngayun mababa ang GDP pero maginhawa ang buhay ko. malakas kita sa stock market. halos mga kapitbahay ko guminhawa din buhay. sana palaging ganito.
Kung ganun, mali pala yang mg data ng mga surveys, NSO at NSCB! Maganda siguro isumbong mo kay Noy na palitan lahat mga statisticians dya'an sa NSO at NSCB at nga magkatugma ang data na makikita natin dyan sa iyong assessment!

ang problema lang naman sa bansa natin kaya madameng ang mahirap kasi kung sino pa mahirap sya pa ang madameng anak tpoz mga di pa nka pagaral kaya aun mabu2ntis ng maaga tapos pag nanganak madame uli

^^ We don't get to see the effects of economic figures overnight. That's a sure thing. With a population the size of the Philippines, a mere 7% growth per year will still take a decade or so for us to really see the obvious effect of economic growth. Added further by the fact the GDP is never reflective of WHO really gets a hold of the money figures displayed in Per Capita statistics. Even a country with a per capita income as high as the United States will still have a portion of its people in hunger. Money whores and businessmen will be the ones to benefit from these more than the ordinary worker. (Don't get me wrong, I don't wanna sound like Karl Marx here).

Nagtataka ako nung panahon ni GMA mataas nga GDP pero bakit parang andaming naghihirap kahit ako parang hirap din. lugi pa ako sa investments ko sa stocks pero ngayun mababa ang GDP pero maginhawa ang buhay ko. malakas kita sa stock market. halos mga kapitbahay ko guminhawa din buhay. sana palaging ganito.

isang kahang-hanga nagpatotoo ng kanyang pag yaman. saan po kayo ng mabisita at magaya ang iyong mga ginagawa. at ang inyong mga kapitbahay ay halos mayaman na rin, kahanga-hangang tunay. Si Noy na nga ang ating tagasalba. sya ang natatanging pangulo na nagpa angat ng inyong buhay.

No time frame on PHL for investment grade–Palace
Business Mirror
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/22217-no-time-frame-on-phl-for-investment-gradepalace

Malacañang on Thursday expressed confidence that the Philippines will make investment grade but refused to be tied to a “time frame.”

With the economic team working on further improving the country’s credit rating, the country will get the grade in “due time,” the Palace said.

Palace officials made the statement when asked if they expected the Philippines to make the investment grade soon, with the decision of Moody’s Investors Service to return Indonesia to investment level.

“Our economic team is working on further improvements in our credit rating and we’re confident that we’ll get it in due time,” said Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO).

Asked if Philippine officials would be surprised if the country did not make investment grade this year, Carandang said, “We’re not tied to a specific time frame.”

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte said the government’s confidence in a credit-rating upgrade has been boosted by recent reports pointing at an improved investment climate in the country, such as the Bank of America-Merrill Lynch poll that ranked the Philippines as the third most-preferred market in the world by global fund managers.

“Foreign investors have taken note of the reforms being undertaken by the Aquino administration which provide a better investment climate, as indicated in the various ratings upgrades as well as the latest survey by Merrill Lynch,” Valte said.


__________________________


BPO revenues may equalize OFW remittances by 2016
Sun Star / Black Pearl
http://blackpearl.com.ph/content.php?id=5309#here

The Department of Transportation and Communication has expressed confidence that the country’s business process outsourcing industry will continue to hike its share to the local economy in the next few years.

Quoting a 2011 report from the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, DOTC Undersecretary Rene Limcaoco said the industry is now the second largest contributor to the Philippine economy next to remittance inflows from Filipinos living and working overseas.

The report further stated that the BPO sector contributed close to $9 billion in export revenues last year, representing an approximately 4.8 percent share of the country’s gross domestic product.

This year, the target is $11 billion and by 2016, it is estimated to be at the same level of overseas Filipino workers remittances at $25 billion.

The country has recently overtaken India to become as the world’s biggest provider of call center agents.

Emulate Estados Unidos? ok... What fuels US economy? War. Let's make war!!! = More research will be done for making new weapons, money will be generated through this weapons, jobs will be created, discipline will be forced among the people, and free population control solution...

What will start the war? War for power within the Philippines!
The wealthiest of the wealthy families will have to wage war against each other to get the absolute control of the country. The winning clan will be the first root of the Philippine Monarchy (another problem solved! Charter change!)

Of course i'm just kidding :lol:
Wala lang. hahaha

Emulate Estados Unidos? ok... What fuels US economy? War. Let's make war!!! = More research will be done for making new weapons, money will be generated through this weapons, jobs will be created, discipline will be forced among the people, and free population control solution...

What will start the war? War for power within the Philippines!
The wealthiest of the wealthy families will have to wage war against each other to get the absolute control of the country. The winning clan will be the first root of the Philippine Monarchy (another problem solved! Charter change!)

Of course i'm just kidding :lol:
Wala lang. hahaha
Bored ka lang siguro! Lumabas ka't magpapapawis! O di kaya, tumakbo ka ng 21km! Ta's maligo. Pag gising mo bukas, hindi ka na warfreak! Hahahahaha

^^ hahaha masaya naman diba? :lol:

... okay... :(
http://www.terrariaonline.com/attachments/okay-meme-jpg.3008/

^^ hahaha masaya naman diba? :lol:

... okay... :(
http://www.terrariaonline.com/attachments/okay-meme-jpg.3008/
Kokey!

Nagtataka ako nung panahon ni GMA mataas nga GDP pero bakit parang andaming naghihirap kahit ako parang hirap din. lugi pa ako sa investments ko sa stocks pero ngayun mababa ang GDP pero maginhawa ang buhay ko. malakas kita sa stock market. halos mga kapitbahay ko guminhawa din buhay. sana palaging ganito.

Nagtataka ako nung panahon ni GMA mataas nga GDP pero bakit parang andaming naghihirap kahit ako parang hirap din. lugi pa ako sa investments ko sa stocks pero ngayun mababa ang GDP pero maginhawa ang buhay ko. malakas kita sa stock market. halos mga kapitbahay ko guminhawa din buhay. sana palaging ganito.
Haha,thats what my observation too...nung GMA time, antaas ng presyo ng bigas at ang worst pa dito ung NFA pa at pinipilahan pa...NAKO!!!kahit grabe ang disaster ng 2011 e.g. Flood in mindanao last jan.-feb. In Caraga one of the region's large c0ntributer of rice ayun baba parin ang presyo kahit humina ang ani pati nga amin umaab0t ng 63 n0on per0 nung kalamidad na un bumaba ng 41... despite of having a low GDP growth eh mas nag boost pa ang city namin and neighboring municipalies and provinces... Parang di ko nga naramdaman na bumaba ang pilipinas ...t here is my another good news



Stock market index
zooms to new
heights




By: Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
4:53 pm | Friday, January
20th, 2012
MANILA, Philippines—The
local stock market sprang to
unprecedented heights for a
third day in a row on Friday,
powered largely by strong
investor interest on index
heavyweight Philippine Long
Distance Telephone Co.
The main-share Philippine
Stock Exchange index surged
by 1 percent or 47.53 points to
close at a new all-time high at
4,747.90, the day’s peak.
The local stock barometer
gained a total of 134.07 points
or 2.9 percent this week as
strong foreign fund inflows
offset profit-taking by local
investors.
All counters trekked higher,
led by the property, financial
and mining/oil counters, which
surged by 2.3 percent, 1
percent and 1.27 percent,
respectively.
Property and banking stocks
benefited from a much-
awaited 25-percent key
interest rate reduction by the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on
Thursday.
PLDT, however, contributed
most to the PSEi’s rise as the
telecom giant finished at a 52-
week high of P2,868 per share,
up by 0.63 percent. The
company, which has the single
largest weight of 16.6 percent
on the PSEi, is the country’s
most valuable company with a
market capitalization of P611
billion based on Friday’s close.
Based on PSE data, PLDT hit
an all-time high of P3,285 on
October 8, 2007. Adjusted for
the dilutive impact of a share-
swap deal to take over Digitel,
PLDT’s peak is now estimated
at about P2,963 per share.
“In the domestic front, the PSE
index record highs is an
expression of continued
investor confidence in the
Aquino administration. Market
seems supportive of bold
moves to reform as well the
judiciary. Further boosting
capital market is shares gain
in Asian markets primed
obviously by good news that
Europe and US economies
stayed on recovery track,” PSE
chair Jose Pardo said in a text
message.
Pardo said he had predicted as
early as December that the
PSEi would breach the 4,700
level this January.
The PSE chair added he was
happy that the extension of
trading hours into the
afternoon had been executed
this year despite initial
opposition from some trading
participants.
“It was a calculated leap of
faith,” Pardo said.
Turnover on Friday was high
at P7.45 billion. There were
108 advancers against 58
decliners while 43 stocks were
unchanged.
Since the start of the year, the
index has rallied by 375.94
points or 8.6 percent. In 2011,
the PSEi’s modest gain of 4
percent made the local stock
market :red]the best performing in
Asia.

Http://business.inquirer.net/40555/stock-market-index-zooms-to-new-heights

^^A country needs to have years, even decades of consistent uninterrupted growth that is at least 8% in order for the poor people to feel the effect of economic improvement.

Problema kasi sa bansa naten, makupad na nga ang growth, sinasabayan pa ito ng mga pobreng nilalang na masahol pa sa kuneho kung magmultiply ng anak.

yes, we are evolving:D

Oo, magkakablu eyes ang mga ka apo apohan natin sa wakas. ;) :lol:

Kung ganun, mali pala yang mg data ng mga surveys, NSO at NSCB! Maganda siguro isumbong mo kay Noy na palitan lahat mga statisticians dya'an sa NSO at NSCB at nga magkatugma ang data na makikita natin dyan sa iyong assessment!

nagsasabi lang naman sya ng kanyang experience. hindi naman lahat parehas ng mga sitwasyon di ba. malay mo lahat ng kapitbahay nya ay nasa BPO or mga OFW kaya maginhawa ang life :lol:

Significant growth in BPO sector seen :banana: :cheers:

by Paolo G. Montecillo | Philippine Daily Inquirer | 8:41 pm | Friday | January 20th, 2012

The country’s business process outsourcing (BPO) sector will continue to grow significantly over the next 12 months despite efforts by American policymakers to discourage the “offshoring” of work to countries like the Philippines to address high unemployment in the United States.

Canada-based research firm XMG Global said in its annual “predictions” report that outsourcing would remain a key option for many companies in the US and Europe looking to cut costs and make operations more efficient.

“Offshoring is a manifestation of an ongoing economic evolution that will not go away,” XMG said.

“As for the reintroduction of the Anti-Offshore Bill due to the upcoming US elections, XMG believes this is purely election-year politics and will not dampen globalization of services,” the firm added.

Read More: http://business.inquirer.net/40701/significant-growth-in-bpo-sector-seen

ADB says Philippines may fully recover from last year’s slump :banana: :cheers:

by Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:37 pm | Friday | January 20th, 2012

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) expects the Philippines to partly recover from last year’s economic slowdown, saying that the likely increase in public spending and sustained growth in remittances will support consumption.

ADB expects the Philippine economy to expand by 4.8 percent this year compared with the estimated growth of below 4 percent last year.

The growth forecast for 2012, nonetheless, is still slow compared with the three decade-high growth of 7.6 percent registered in 2010.

“Strong private consumption backed by robust remittance inflows, increasing public investment, and gradual export recovery will support the Philippines’ economic recovery in 2012,” ADB vice president Stephen Groff said in a speech the other day during an economic forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

The ADB official said a 4.8-percent growth for the Philippines is attainable given strengths of the domestic economy, such as robust household spending, that may help cushion the impact of unfavorable economic developments abroad.

Read More: http://business.inquirer.net/40673/adb-says-philippines-may-fully-recover-from-last-year%e2%80%99s-slump

Foreign investors unaffected by impeachment trial, say experts :banana: :cheers:

by Tessa R. Salazar | Philippine Daily Inquirer | 8:27 pm | Friday, January 20th, 2012

Second in a series

http://business.inquirer.net/files/2012/01/TessaManila4-199x300.jpg
NO way to go but to move up. More high rises dominate the urban landscape.

First good news: Manila has just been upgraded in commercial investments prospects this year. Second good news: International property investors are not at all bothered by the ongoing impeachment trial proceedings in the Senate.

In an exclusive Web interview with Urban Land Institute trustee and South Asia chair Simon Treacy in the office of ULI Philippines founding chair Carlos Rufino on Dec. 14, 2011, he stated that he was aware of the showdown between Malacañang and the Supreme Court Chief Justice. He stressed that this political issue would not affect the perception of foreign property investors.

“In majority of countries, I think people look at these headlines every day, they look beyond that and people such as investors as well as these respondents are interested in the Philippines increasingly.”

Inquirer Property reported last week that the Philippines has been an increasingly important destination for property investments. Manila was upgraded in commercial investment prospects by two ranks in the Emerging Trends in Asia Pacific 2012 (a real estate forecast jointly published by the Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers).

Manila’s improvement—from the 20th to 18th for this year—was largely due to the expected continued growth in the gross domestic product of the Philippines.

“A new government and a surge in foreign investment in the business process outsourcing market—back office and call centers, for the most part—have helped the commercial real estate market, boosting the city’s 2012 investment prospects,” the report stated.

Covering 21 markets in the Asia Pacific, the Emerging Trends ranking is based on the opinions of more than 360 respondents composed of internationally renowned real estate professionals, including investors, developers, property company representatives, lenders, brokers and consultants.

Included in the 52-page report, however, has been the six-place slide of Manila in terms of development, falling to 17th in rankings.


http://business.inquirer.net/files/2012/01/TessaManila5-300x199.jpg
THE FUTURE of the investment climate, like the smog that envelopes the Makati skyline, is unclear.
Inquirer Property asked local property analysts their own take on the possible implications of the ongoing Senate impeachment trial, and their responses were mixed.

Enrique Soriano, a professor at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and senior adviser at Wong+Bernstein Business Advisory, said that generally, the impeachment pro ceedings was a political and legitimate exercise and, therefore, should not in any way affect a country’s real estate ranking.

“However, for third-world and emerging economies like the Philippines where foreign direct investments, image and political stability play crucial roles in shaping the investment climate, the present impeachment (proceedings) against the CJ will likely have a direct impact on our real estate index,” Soriano said.

“Politics and business in this country are inextricably linked, and therefore a direct correlation exists. For foreign property investors, vectors of entry in a host country entail not just a full diagnostic of the economic picture but also a thorough understanding of the political risk index, both incumbent and future national complications,” he added.

Two sides

http://business.inquirer.net/files/2012/01/TessaManila2-300x199.jpg
A NEW government and a surge in foreign investment, particularly in BPOs, have propped up the commercial real estate market and, consequently, the country’s investment prospects in 2012.

David Leechiu, country head of Jones Lang LaSalle, explained, “There are two sides to the coin here. The first side, if you look at the last 10, 12 years, despite all the political havoc we went through from the time of Presidents Estrada, Arroyo, with all the coup dé tats, rallies, bombings, the BPO (business process outsourcing) has flourished. Twelve years ago, there were a thousand employees in the BPO industry. Today there are about 620,000 people.”

He said, “There are some industries and some companies that have adapted to that. So we can say despite all our political problems, we’ve been fine in attracting these industries, but what is the cost? The cost is that our credibility as a political institution needs a lot of restoration, and so how the world will see this thing is going to depend on how we conduct ourselves and whether it will stand scrutiny from the international community.”

Liu Chui added: “Now if we have credibility, then what that will translate for us is that dramatic opening of the Philippines to the world. Because of our political situation, we have been one of the lowest recipients of world direct investments. Yes, the 12-year period hasn’t stopped the BPO industry from growing. The 12-year political strife has not stopped the overseas remittances from flowing, (but) it has come at a cost of foreign direct investment of progress.”

Source: http://business.inquirer.net/40623/foreign-investors-unaffected-by-impeachment-trial-say-experts