Globalization and International Trading (Import/Export)

[DoggMann]

... and Canada!


Ottawa talks up loonie as reserve currency

By Peter Garnham

Published: December 23 2009 11:26 | Last updated: December 23 2009 22:33

The Canadian dollar advanced on Wednesday after Jim Flaherty, Canadian finance minister, extolled the virtues of the loonie as a reserve currency.

Mr Flaherty said it would not surprise him if China and Russia, two of the world’s largest holders of foreign exchange reserves, were to raise the share of the Canadian dollar in their stockpiles, adding that many investors were “looking around the world to invest in market currencies that are reliable”.

Analysts said it was notable that the Canadian dollar had outperformed the resurgent US dollar since the US unit hit a 16-month low on a trade-weighted basis late last month.

Camilla Sutton, of Scotia Capital, said many of the factors that had led to the recent US dollar rally were also supportive of the Canadian dollar.

She said the upward pressure on the US dollar had been caused by the realisation that there were many hurdles ahead for the eurozone, including sovereign risk, and that fundamentals in the US were improving faster than many had previously thought.

“Canada has limited sovereign risk and what is fundamentally good for the US is also good for Canada and therefore the Canadian dollar,” said Ms Sutton. “Accordingly, we think the recent outperformance of Canadian dollar is justified and expect it to be an ongoing trend.”

In late trade in New York, the Canadian dollar was up 0.8 per cent to C$1.0487, its strongest level in almost two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Swiss franc made ground as traders continued to test the Swiss National Bank’s tolerance towards a stronger currency.

After breaking through SFr1.50 against the euro at the end of last week, a level that the Swiss National Bank had been defending since March in its fight against inflation, investors have been pushing the Swiss franc steadily higher in an attempt to provoke a reaction from the central bank. Jane Foley, of Forex.com, said traders were “playing chicken” with the SNB.

“Signs that the Swiss economy continues to improve has strengthened the notion that the SNB will allow the Swiss franc to appreciate versus the euro,” she said. “However, no one has the confidence to expect that the SNB will step away from the market completely.”

The Swiss franc was up 0.4 per cent to SFr1.4887 against the euro and climbed 0.9 per cent to SFr1.0397 against the dollar.

The pound dropped to a two-month low against the dollar after the minutes of the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee showed all nine members voted to keep interest rates at record low levels and maintain the asset purchasing target.

The MPC said it was difficult to identify with any degree of certainty whether the economy had turned.

The pound fell to a low of $1.5921 against the dollar, its weakest level since October 14, before paring its losses later in the session, to $1.5950. Weaker-than-expected November US new home sales undermined demand for the US currency.

The dollar, which surged to its highest level in almost four months on a trade-weighted basis on Tuesday, also lost ground elsewhere. The dollar fell 0.6 per cent to $1.4350 against the euro and was down 0.1 per cent to Y91.71 against the yen.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.

[Askal82]

Some interesting articles about a new type of reserve currency valued in Kilowatt hours or joules (energy) instead of limited silver and gold reserves or speculative sensitive fiat money that is so prevalent today.

http://www.energybackedmoney.com/chapter7.html

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/echochamber/39284/

http://www.gaianeconomics.org/pdf/ebcu.pdf

If something is to replace a US dollar or precious metals, why not use energy as a logical and convenient storage of value?

[jpdm]

Originally Posted by Askal82

Some interesting articles about a new type of reserve currency valued in Kilowatt hours or joules (energy) instead of limited silver and gold reserves or speculative sensitive fiat money that is so prevalent today.

http://www.energybackedmoney.com/chapter7.html

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/echochamber/39284/

http://www.gaianeconomics.org/pdf/ebcu.pdf

If something is to replace a US dollar or precious metals, why not use energy as a logical and convenient storage of value?

Panalo Pinas yan in the future.

Our DENR claimed that we are one of the most "mineralized" country in the world.

In other words, we sit on a goldmine.We can produce food for our people for many many more years.

Resource poor but rich countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore will be dead in a few years. Because money will became obsolete and their products useless if food and energy became more scarce.

[jpdm]

Originally Posted by jpdm

Tama ka roon.

Dapat pagtuunan natin ng pansin ang iba pang bansa outside Japan, US and Europe.

We should try strengthening our trade relations with ASEAN, China, Africa and Latin America.


We should also try to trade with former Eastern bloc countries like Poland, The Baltic States, Central Asia and Middle East.

RP, Syria sign 6 economic agreements to boost trade ties

By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT
December 26, 2009, 1:40pm
Manila Bulletin

Philippines and Syrian governments have signed six agreements to enhance and expand bilateral economic relations ranging from cooperation in tourism, IT, real estate, and micro, small and medium enterprises.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila and Syrian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdullah Dardari led the bilateral negotiations held in Malacañang recently.

There were four government-to-government Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and two bilateral agreements signed during the meeting. The signing of the various agreements was done in Malacañang and witnessed by no less than the Philippine President, H.E. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. DFA Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and Press Secretary Cerge Remonde of the Office of the President were with President GMA at the signing ceremony.

Favila said that economic cooperation and cultivating new initiatives topped the agenda of the bilateral meeting.

The bilateral agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments is geared towards creating and maintaining conducive environment and favorable conditions for two-way flow of investments.

The agreement on trade and economic cooperation establishes the framework to develop and promote bilateral trade and to collaborate on initiatives in accordance with development needs and cognizant of mutual benefits.

The MOU on Tourism, signed by DoT Secretary Joseph Ace Durano and Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Dardari, provides for the development of tourism and as avenue for exchange and sharing of culture and history.

The MOU on One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) Promotion and MSME development adopts the OTOP business model to flourish trade and industry in the MSME sector.

OTOP is a Philippine government’s priority project that aims to promote local entrepreneurship and job creation by highlighting the diversity and distinctiveness of every municipality through the development and promotion of a handcrafted product or services, which the MSMEs produce or render with competitive advantage.

While the MOU on IT serves as an anchor for information and technological competency-sharing between the Philippines and Syria, the MOU in the field of housing and construction seeks to promote cooperation on regional planning, engineering and consulting, tendering and bidding, and contracting.

Philippine and Syrian officials put themselves to task by negotiating and concluding bilateral agreements that will broaden trade, investment and economic relations. Assessment of bilateral economic relations and the review of the action plan drawn up during the inaugural meeting also figured out prominently in the discussions.

From the private sector side, it is worthy to note that the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), established in the Philippines in 1987, entered into a ten-year Investment Agreement with Syria’s Tartous Port General Co. to operate in Syria with an option to extend it for five more years.

In 2008, Syrian Arab Republic ranked as the Philippines 120th overall trading partner, 130th as export market and 138th as import supplier.

For the same period, Syria was the country’s 13th trading partner and occupied the 12th slot both as an export market and import supplier in the Middle East region. Philippines top exports to Syria consist of bleached, refined and deodorized oil, coconut (copra), pineapples, and woven, knitted and crocheted fabrics as well as powdered milk and cream. Major imports from Syria consisted mainly of articles of iron and steel.

From January to July 2009, Syria ranked as the Philippines 116th trading partner, 107th as export market and 117th as import supplier.

[Askal82]

Originally Posted by jpdm

Panalo Pinas yan in the future.

Our DENR claimed that we are one of the most "mineralized" country in the world.

In other words, we sit on a goldmine.We can produce food for our people for many many more years.

Resource poor but rich countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore will be dead in a few years. Because money will became obsolete and their products useless if food and energy became more scarce.

It makes more sense than using a hard currency like a dollar because energy is relatively scarce and is dependent on effort of production, in other words, manipulation of values through money supply controls are more difficult than printing paper money that is not backed by any precious commodity. Energy is much closer and more connected to our existence and growth of our advancing civilization than a piece of paper or any precious metals. Since the values will be in kilowatt hours, any payment that produces energy of equal amounts will be acceptable (whether it will be in coal, natural gas, or other fuels), which are scarce themselves and this allows more room for improvements in the future. Advances in research and development of renewable energy resources and any new discovery of energy sources (i.e. deuterium for fusion technology) will always be a welcoming possibility.

I think the world economy will be a ton better if kilowatt hours or joules of energy is the basis for the value rather than dollars, euros, yens, pounds and other 'hard' currencies out there because they represent real assets - energy which our civilization is depending on.

[TambayBlues]

Looming 2010 Global Food Crisis

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article16063.html


Looks like the US is getting a fair share of unusual weather patterns brought on by climate change...

USDA Primary Natural Disaster Area Designations

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsRele...type=ednewsrel

[tona siye]

In other words, we sit on a goldmine.We can produce food for our people for many many more years.

[/QUOTE]

Ay naku, friends, 2nd tayo sa mundo sa deposit ng gold, pangatlo tayo sa copper at pang anim tayo sa deposit ng chromium sa buong mundo. 73 provinces out of 79 ay may mga mineral deposits- ganyan kayaman ang mahal nating Pinas, May deuterium pa sa Philippine deep at oil so paano mo sasabihing tayo ay mahirap sa yamang mineral? Kalakhan nga lang sa ating mga Pinoy ay mahirap.

[jpdm]

RP sees P9B in losses from free trade deals

By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:57:00 01/20/2010


MANILA, Philippines--Free trade agreements with large neighboring markets that took effect starting Jan. 1 and provide for the gradual removal of tariffs will pare off up to P9 billion from government revenues this year.

Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves, however, said the negative effect of dismantling tariffs would be “quickly compensated” by the expected rise in the traffic of goods in general.

“Certain tariff lines will be affected, but there will be additional importation of raw materials that will become inputs for finished products,” Teves said.

For 2010, the net effect of reduced tariffs would be revenue losses of between P7 billion and P9 billion,” he said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which the Philippines is a founding member, last Jan. 1 kicked off two agree ments establishing free trade areas (FTAs) with China, Australia and New Zealand.

Initially signed in February 2009, the Asean-Australia-New Zealand FTA hopes to create a trans-Pacific free trade zone comprising a market of 600 million people with a combined $2.7-trillion output of goods and services.

Under the agreement, tariffs will be reduced gradually starting Jan. 1, 2010, until a zero-tariff regime is realized by 2015 or at least those of Australia, New Zealand and the so-called Asean6—the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

The newer Asean member states—Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam—have longer time frames.

On the other hand, the Asean-China FTA came into full force after a prelimary “early harvest program” spelled out under the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation that, for the Philippines, started in 2006.

The program gave Asean members an advance low-tariff entry before the free trade agreement takes effect on condition that Asean markets be open to Chinese products.

The Philippine-China EHP covered 209 tariff lines that include plant, animal and marine products.

[Onizuka01]

Originally Posted by jpdm

Panalo Pinas yan in the future.

Our DENR claimed that we are one of the most "mineralized" country in the world.

In other words, we sit on a goldmine.We can produce food for our people for many many more years.

Resource poor but rich countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore will be dead in a few years. Because money will became obsolete and their products useless if food and energy became more scarce.

the problem is that the one's whose earning the most out of these minerals are foreign companies so in turn the money goes out of the country.. what we get is atleast jobs and taxes.

[jpdm]

Public Lives

Those cheap Chinese products

By Randy David
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:02:00 01/23/2010

FASCINATED BY THE GROWING NUMBER OF Filipinos who have found instant—sometimes suicidal—mobility in very affordable motorbikes from China, I recently got myself a new Chinese-made 125cc underbone for the price of a branded Japanese helmet. Light and handy, the bike handles pretty well on short commutes. My friends, with whom I share a passion for big bikes, warned me not to ride it on rough terrain. Before you know it, they told me, it will start falling apart like one of those 10-peso plastic toys you find in a tiangge. How much of this, I wondered, is undeserved prejudgment arising from China’s reputation as a source of cheap but inferior products, and how much is factual?

Well, on my first ride, the bike did feel like it was going to wash out from under my seat. It began to rattle and wiggle so wildly I thought I would lose the handle bar itself. The rattling, I found out, was due mostly to a chain that had too much slack and a plastic fairing that was not tightly screwed onto the frame. Both problems were easily cured. They were not intrinsic to the vehicle’s basic construction. The wiggling, on the other hand, stemmed from my attempt to steer the ultra-light bike as if it was a Ducati Monster. Like an unbroken horse from unknown parts, it began to respond better when I showed it more respect, and stopped assessing it by the standards of an Italian café racer. What needed correction was the initial attitude I brought into the steering of the bike rather than the engineering of the bike itself. This is a bike made for practical purposes rather than for leisurely sports riding.

In a superficial way, we might find in this little tale a fundamental insight into modern China’s role in the global economy. This is a country that is transforming itself in a phenomenal way by producing goods mainly for the world’s masses. It started with canned meat loaf known locally as “Ma Ling,” that quickly displaced the American brands of Hormel and Spam from the shelves of our neighborhood groceries. But, in less than three decades, China’s manufacturing juggernaut progressed from processed food to motorcycles and cars, and, believe it or not, to aircraft. Not many people know that many of those high-performance European and American motorcycles and sports cars
are packed with precision parts and instruments that are made in China. How did China do it?

I think the simple answer to that question is: By releasing the creative energy and initiative of their people while making sure they do not politically disintegrate as a society. This is not as easy as it may seem. We are wont to think of an economic and political organization as subject to the same principles. Thus, if a nation wants to open up economically, how long can it remain closed politically?

The conventional theory states that a free market economy can only be sustained in the long term by the democratization of political life. But the Chinese experience shows there are no hard and fast rules on economic development and political stability. Ironic as it may be, China has created a vibrant capitalist economy under the tight leadership of its communist party. Party leaders still prefer to call it “market socialism.” So be it.

The Chinese reform process did not occur overnight. Deng Xiaoping’s promotion of “rethinking socialism” was formulated to proceed hand in hand with adherence to the so-called Four Fundamental Principles. These political non-negotiables are: leadership of the communist party, Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong thought, the socialist road, and the people’s democratic dictatorship. Together they constitute ideological shorthand for party supremacy.

The re-assessment of socialism in China began in 1976. By around 1982, the communes, those principal signifiers of Chinese socialism, had vanished. In 1983, a conference on export-processing zones brought me to China for the first time. I remember Beijing, with its wide socialist boulevards, as a city of bicycles. At the meeting, the Chinese were keen to know the mechanics and the problems of export enclaves that would host foreign investments.

But the reform process was derailed by the ferment that was already rapidly unfolding in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union itself in the ’80s. The fall of socialism in Eastern Europe in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 made the Chinese re-think the re-assessment. A clear line had to be drawn between the re-thinking of socialism and the abandonment of the socialism itself. This period led to the purging of liberals like Zhao Ziyang from the party leadership.

In 1990, more than a year after the Tiananmen protests, I joined a group of about 30 other professors from various parts of the world to view developments in China. As we all suspected, the real agenda was to hear the official line on the Tiananmen incident. This was confirmed when we were received by Premier Li Peng himself. Here is what I recall him saying: “I am sure that in coming to China at this time, you carry with you an attitude that is critical of the way the government handled the Tiananmen incident. We have tried to explain what happened. But, as unfortunate as it may be, we cannot allow this incident to distract us from what we need to do to keep our country together, and to prevent our people from going hungry. A China that is unable to govern itself will not be the Chinese people’s problem alone; it will be the whole world’s problem. If China is thrown into chaos, millions of our people will want to flee. Will your countries be able to summon enough generosity to welcome our boat people?”

* * *

public.lives@gmail.com

[jpdm]

We are afraid of pursuing a Buy Pinoy policy because our major trade partners are warning us not to. And yet its ironic that the US and Japan who opposed protectionism are the very first one who practice protectionism.

What a bunch of hypocrites! All they want is to maintain their status as rich countries.


Japan changes auto program
after US objects

Malaya Business Insights
Jan.30, 2010

WASHINGTON - Japan has changed its auto replacement incentive program to give US cars more chance to qualify after the United States complained its automakers were shut out, the Japanese government said.

President Barack Obama’s administration welcomed the move, which also prompted a senior US lawmaker from the hard-hit auto state of Michigan to postpone a hearing on barriers US automakers face in Japan and South Korea.

"I welcome the news ... that Japan is going to drop the complete exclusion of US automobiles from their Cash for Clunkers program," said Sander Levin, chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means trade subcommittee.

"But the problem of their closed market requires our vigorous and renewed focus, as increased exports must be part of our economic recovery and job creation efforts," Levin said, adding the hearing originally set for Thursday would be rescheduled to give lawmakers more time to prepare.

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Japan agreed to open its program, but US officials were still evaluating details of the announcement "to ensure it meets the concerns my office has been raising with Japan since last fall."

Japan, in a statement from its embassy in Washington, said cars imported under a "preferential handling procedure" (PHP) established in 1986 for US automakers would be able to participate in a Japanese program to subsidize purchases of more fuel-efficient vehicles.

US automakers had complained their cars would not qualify for the subsidy, even though the "cash for clunkers" program created by Congress last year was open to all imported cars.

Japanese autos accounted for almost half of the 677,842 vehicles sold under the $3 billion US auto purchase incentive program, which ran late July to late August. Many of the Japanese cars were made at US plants.

Representative Betty Sutton and many other Midwestern lawmakers complained that Japan’s program was tilted against US cars and urged Kirk’s office to file a World Trade Organization complaint unless Tokyo opened it up.

US automakers General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler also wrote to Kirk in December to complain about Japan’s program.

The problem arose because cars imported under the PHP program face less testing in Japan than other cars, a Japanese embassy official said.

Now, US automakers will be able to submit their own fuel economy data to see if their cars are eligible for the Japanese government subsidy.

"We’re saying, ‘Bring your numbers and we’re going to take a look at them’," the embassy official said.

The huge imbalance in US auto trade with Japan is a longtime irritant that has received more attention recently as the US industry struggles to get back on its feet after severe sales downturn that helped force bankruptcies at GM and Chrysler last year.

The US government owns 60 percent of GM and nearly 10 percent of Chrysler after providing billions in bailout and bankruptcy financing for both.

The United States imported $21.2 billion worth of passenger cars from Japan during the first 11 months of 2009, but exported just $257 million to Japan in the same period. – Reuters

Breaking News para sa Outsourcing Industry.

Ito ans strategiya ngayon ng ibang bansa.
Kailangang Tagalugin ko Ito para Pinoy lang ang makaintindi.

Alam nyo ba ang ginagawa ng ibang bansa gaya ng singapore para i-promote ang bansa nila. Next week, magpapadala ang gobyerno nila ng mga representatives sa mga napiling kumpanya sa Estados Unidos para magbigay tulong kuno kung papaano matutulungan ang Estados Unidos na i-tap ang Asian Market. Syempre sila ang bida don, para sa kanila dumaan ang bawat kumpanya na nakabase sa US bago pa bigyan ng pansin ang ibang bansa na Asyano. Nalaman ko ito kasi isa sa napili ang Kumpanya na pinag-ta-trabahuhan ko. Ganon sila mag-promote. Wise ano. Kaya sa kanila napupunta lahat ng investment, ang pag-promote nila ay ginagamit nila ang buong Asya as a whole pero pagkatapos makukuha lang nila ang lahat ng investment galing US.

Next week, I will tell you kung ano ang plano nila.

[TambayBlues]

Mangyari kaya sa Pinas to?....


Los Angeles Grocery Store Accepts Gold & Silver as Payment

[hakz2007]

Subsidized Chinese steel products hurting local industry

MANILA, March 15 (PNA) -- China is subsidizing export of pre-painted and galvanized steel sheets and still enjoys zero duty on export of these products to the Philippines under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Act (ACFTA), dealing Philippine steel roof producers a double whammy from which the industry may not recover, the Filipino Galvanizers Institute (FGI) said.

In a statement, FGI president Salvio Perez said that in violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, China subsidizes exports of pre-painted and galvanized roofing sheets with 13 percent tax rebate while enjoying zero duty on exports of the same products to the Philippines under the ACFTA.

The result is a double-edged negative impact on the competitiveness of local galvanizing industry that is confronted with high import duty on raw materials while competing with low-priced Chinese roofs that pays no import duty at all.

”There is no way local manufacturers can compete in this utterly unfair and lopsided business environment. Despite urgent appeals, the government has not acted to aid the local industry,” Perez said.

The International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) reported that China's 2009 crude steel production totalled 567.8 million tons, representing 47 percent of the world steel production of 1,218.7 billion tons. China's production volume and the distorted tariff rates make the Philippines a lucrative dumping ground for Chinese roofing materials.

The FGI asked the government to remove import duties of hot rolled coils (HRC) and cold rolled coils (CRC) but the appeal has pended without action at the Cabinet-level Tariff Reform Matters Committee of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

CRC is a raw material for the production of galvanized steel sheets while HRC is used to produce CRC.

Two years ago, FGI also requested the committee to remove HRC and CRC from the Philippine Sensitive List (or products with high tariff protection) and transfer it to Normal Track. The Tariff and Related Matters committee has not acted on this request either, Perez said.

FGI's appeal seeks to correct the distortion in the tariff environment that allows zero duty for finished products such as pre-painted and galvanized steel roofings while maintaining a very high duty on raw materials such as HRC and CRC.

”There is no way local industries can compete in this tariff environment. Further compounding the situation is the 13 percent tax rebate given by China for steel exports,” he said.

]There are 10 galvanizing companies in the Philippines with direct employees of 5,000 and indirect workers totaling 10,000 whose livelihood is under severe threat.

These are Puyat Steel Corporation, union Galvateel Corporation, Galvaphil Inc. Sonic Steel Industries inc., Tower Steel Corporation, Philippine Steel Coating Corporation, Steel Corporation of the Philippines, Chuayuco Steel manufacturing Corporation, Group Steel, and AC Steel Industries. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=...d=3&rid=264381

[hakz2007]

Exporters urged to adopt Japanese design philosophy

MANILA, March 15 (PNA) –- Japanese design expert, Junya Kitagawara, urged local exporters to create their designs around the Japanese design philosophy and lifestyle if they are to tap more Japanese buyers.

According to Kitagawara, the design process can either come instantly when inspiration strikes or it can also be a slow, tedious process of revisions and constant reworking until a final output emerges.

The bottom line of the entire process, however, is to have these creations bought by the manufacturer’s target buyers.

Kitagawara said that Japanese design revolves around the colors of four seasons: flower embellishments and accessories for spring, cool colors for summer, and warm colors for autumn and winter.

He also reiterated the value of space in Japan suggesting that products that can be “stacked, piled, or folded up” can have strong marketability. Same goes for merchandise that are made of recycled or sustainable materials.

Kitagawara was in Manila recently sent by the ASEAN-Japan Centre to brief the exhibitors of Manila F.A.M.E. International, a bi-annual tradeshow for home and fashion lifestyle products led by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

On its 51st edition, opening on 22-25 April 2010 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the show focuses on Japan as partner country where it hopes to provide a viable link between the Philippines and its second-largest trade market.

Philippine trade promotion activities in Japan generated $ 38 million in 2009 affirming the concrete gains from the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Agreement (JPEPA).

On the other hand, Japanese buyers who visited Manila F.A.M.E. International in its April and October 2009 editions contributed $ 1.6 and $ 1.9 million sales, respectively.

Kitagawara, speaking at the Manila F.A.M.E. seminar, said the manufacturers’ aim should be to design products that connect with the consumer or target market.

By studying the design philosophy early on, the design process becomes less about guesswork and is based on something the market needs.

The market’s age bracket is one important factor to consider when designing and making products, as shared by the Japanese designer.

Those in their 60s and above, he says, go for the traditional while 20 to 30 year-olds want simple and modern designs. They are all for relaxation and comfort.

While those in their 40s or 50s is a mix of the young and the old, the traditional and the modern, he said.(PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=...d=3&rid=264405

[bledzoe]

BAR CODE per country

00-13: USA & Canada
20-29: In-Store Functions
30-37: France
40-44: Germany
45: Japan (also 49)
46: Russian Federation
471: Taiwan
474: Estonia
475: Latvia
477: Lithuania
479: Sri Lanka
480: Philippines
482: Ukraine
484: Moldova
485: Armenia
486: Georgia
487: Kazakhstan
489: Hong Kong
49: Japan (JAN-13)
50: United Kingdom
520: Greece
528: Lebanon
529: Cyprus
531: Macedonia
535: Malta
539: Ireland
54: Belgium & Luxembourg
560: Portugal
569: Iceland
57: Denmark
590: Poland
594: Romania
599: Hungary
600 & 601: South Africa
609: Mauritius
611: Morocco
613: Algeria
619: Tunisia
622: Egypt
625: Jordan
626: Iran
64: Finland
690-692: China
70: Norway
729: Israel
73: Sweden
740: Guatemala
741: El Salvador
742: Honduras
743: Nicaragua
744: Costa Rica
746: Dominican Republic
750: Mexico
759: Venezuela
76: Switzerland
770: Colombia
773: Uruguay
775: Peru
777: Bolivia
779: Argentina
780: Chile
784: Paraguay
785: Peru
786: Ecuador
789: Brazil
80 - 83: Italy
84: Spain
850: Cuba
858: Slovakia
859: Czech Republic
860: Yugoslavia
869: Turkey
87: Netherlands
880: South Korea
885: Thailand
888: Singapore
890: India
893: Vietnam
899: Indonesia
90 & 91: Austria
93: Australia
94: New Zealand
955: Malaysia
977: International Standard Serial Number for Periodicals (ISSN)
978: International Standard Book Numbering (ISBN)
979: International Standard Music Number (ISMN)
980: Refund receipts
981 & 982: Common Currency Coupons
99: Coupons

I notice a lot of products I see in Supermarket have the above bar code (in bold letters) aside from Philippine made products of course.

[jpdm]

Global players are slowly coming back...

Investment pledges double to P29.95b

Manila Standard
march 22, 2010

The Board of Investments and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority registered combined investment commitments of P29.95 billion in the first two months of the year, up 107 percent from P14.45 billion year-on-year.

Trade Undersecretary and investments board managing head Elmer Hernandez told reporters over the weekend that the BoI approved commitments of P9.92 billion in January and February, up 233 percent from P2.97 billion on year. Peza registered P20.04 billion worth of investment pledges, up 75 percent from P11.47 billion on year.

Hernandez said combined BoI and Peza pledges from foreign investments surged 671 percent to P14.58 billion from P1.89 billion on year. Local investors committed P15.38 billion in the two-month period, up 22 percent from P12.56 billion.

The two agencies registered 99 new projects from 96 last year, with employment prospects rising 29 percent to 20,837 from 16,156.

The manufacturing sector received investments of P14.70 billion from just P1.29 billion on year.

Investment pledges in real estate, including mass housing and industrial estate fell 15 percent to P9.05 billion from P10.62 billion on year.

Power projects jumped to P5.31 billion from P140 million last year.

Japanese companies led the bulk of registered investments in the first two months with P7.12 billion, followed by Singapore at P4.83 billion and the United States at P1.18 billion.

The biggest investments were led by the manufacture of flip-chip LAN grid array, green film auto voltaic panel, and power generation and wind projects.

The biggest power generation project is located in Nabas, Aklan worth P2.55 billion while the largest wind project is in Sual, Pangasinan worth P2.54 billion. Both projects were registered by Petro Energy Resources Corp. Julito G. Rada

Top

[jpdm]

Onion growers eye revival of exports to Japan

by Othel V. Campos
Manila Standard
March 22, 2010

Local onion farmers plan to revive exports to Japan, members of the National Onion Growers Cooperative Marketing Association said over the weekend.

The group said it would revitalize and improve operations of nurseries to increase annual output and resume exports initially to Japan and Singapore and possibly to the US again.

“We have studied and continued monitoring both the domestic and regional dynamics in onion production. We are seriously considering to bring our onions to markets abroad where we have previous trade ties,” said cooperative chairman and chief executive Dulce Gozon.

The Philippines produces an annual average of 100,000 metric tons of onions valued at P5 billion.

The group plans to double production shortly to do away with imports of as much as 10,000 MT a month.

Some of the active members of the cooperative visited Japan, Taiwan and the US to learn techniques on onion production in order to become globally competitive.

The co-op has 206 members in the town of Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, where most of the area is planted with onions. Members of the cooperative have also learned to inter-crop aside producing red creole and yellow granex.

Onion, a seasonal crop, is inter-cropped with rice and corn. Cooperative members have also diversified into pepper, cucumber, shallots and indigenous vegetables.

Philippine onion growers had shipped as much as 2,000 tons of onions annually to Japan over the last 25 years. Globalization, however, stopped Philippine exports to Japan as China offered lower prices.

The government has provided the group financial grant to help in the establishment of new nurseries. It also helped the cooperative in marketing and branding. The Bureau of Agricultural Research supported the cooperative through the Onion Technology Utilization and Dissemination project aimed at establishing techno-demonstration areas in selected sites.

[ralfy]

Originally Posted by TambayBlues

Mangyari kaya sa Pinas to?....


Los Angeles Grocery Store Accepts Gold & Silver as Payment

Possible bec. we're looking at what might be deflation leading to inflation, advice from Jim Rogers, Marc Faber, and others. etc.

[jpdm]

malabo.