Davao City Sitting Sales Ladies

Before sales ladies sit down when their supervisor is not around but they are afraid to be caught. Now–Davao City sales ladies can sit when they feel tired of standing. They would not be afraid. The story has changed. It is their supervisor who will be afraid. Thanks to Councilor Edgar Ibuyan who has authored this gentle law and is approved now by the City Council. Violating employers will be fined from P1,000. to P5,000. or imprisonment up to six months. This law will help pregnant women and those that have cardio vascular problems. The fearsome varicose veins, looking like a distended and twisted vine in the legs, may be avoided. Davao City needs councilors like Ibuyan who could think what are good for their constituents. This is a pioneering law in the country. Others will copy Councilor Ibuyan’s authored law. Thanks Councilor Ibuyan. The city needs more humane laws like this one.

Davao City:One of Asia Best Cities

Davao City, the city of waling-waling–the dainty orchids and the famous durian fruit, has been selected as one of the ten future cities of Asia by FDI, a London–based financial magazine. The criteria used are business friendliness,cost effectiveness, human resources, economic potential,quality of life,infrastructure and promotion strategy. The other top ten cities are Singapore,Hong Kong,Taipe, Melbourne,Dalian (China),Shijiazhuang(China),andGuangzhou(China),Cebu and Quezon Cities (Philippines). Members of the judges are David Kinnearof DDC-HRO of US;James Ku of Tractus Asia,Ltd;Prakasi,India and Lawrence Yeo,AsiaBiz,Singapore. The good mayor Duterte will be smiling for this appreciation of Davao City coming from international businessmen. The Mayor has been exceptional in maintaining the peace and order of the city. Many disagree with his style but the fruits prove he is right. Davao City could not be selected as one of the best cities of Asia with out him.

US Recession To Boost BPO In The Philippines

Philippine real estate will be having a nice growth in 2007. “As US recession is expected to dip futher, local business process outsourcing (BPO)in the country will expand,” said Ricky Santos,a real estate executive. The Philippine economy growth last year is the most positive in 31 years. One sector to benefit this apreciation is the real estate. US banks will outsource their office work to international call center. BPO will increase 40% to $7 billion this 2008 from $5 billion in 2007. The 6.6 million sq. feet of offices in Manila is already committed for pre releasing while 32.29 million sq.ft. of offices in Makati are used by BPO firms.

The Case of the Sumilao Farmers

The Case of the Sumilao Farmers

The Sumilao farmers are from Bukidnon, a province in central Mindanao, Philippines. They have a case against the San Miguel Foods, Inc. (SMFI) to reclaim back their ancestral land. The case is simply a case between the poor and the rich and between the poor and the government. The rich are the Quisumbings and the San Miguel Foods, Inc.(SMFI) a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation, a giant food conglomerate. The Philippine government in this instance is represented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Supreme Court, the Executive Secretary, directly under the Office of the President and the President. The poor are the Higaonons, popularly known as the Sumilao farmers. We will retrace back the travails of the Sumilao farmers to better understand the injustices they have suffered.

The Tragic Story of Mariannet Amper

The Tragic Story of Mariannet Amper Mariannet Amper was a tragic story of poverty. She was the 12-year old girl who hanged herself last November 2007. In her bed was found a letter written for tv program “Wish Ko Lang” ( My Only Wish). In it she wished of having a bag, a bicycle and good paying jobs for her parents. She lived in a house with no electricity and running water. She had not gone to school for nearly three months and it might be the bicycle she would use to go to school for lack of fare. As we always do in crisis we only help when there is already a problem. After her death all kind of support was given to her family ranging from financial to moral support. Even the two top local officials accused each other of not using his funds to help alleviate the marginalized poor. Instead of uniting they resort to finger pointing. Later on medical autopsy showed she was raped. But it could not be discounted the possibility the poverty drove her to end her life, which could have been complicated further by the possible sexual abuse.